New Rome

7. The Final Farewell

(Authors note: See image of family tree attached)

Part One: The Silent Prince 

Guy's body was held in a state of stasis and watched, as tradition dictated, by the Praetorian Guard for 21 days. Sejanus kept watch also – taking an oath of silence for these 21 days. His father approached him on the eve of the last day. Strabo clapped a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Take you away son, tis time." He urged gently. "The Imperator will be here soon." The last night's watch would be performed by the men in the deceased's family.

Sejanus bowed his head. He understood the rules and didn't resist his father's urging hands. The young man hadn't washed in this time and he looked a mess, with a patchy beard and greasy hair. "You have done all you can, you've honoured your friend." Strabo reassured him. Sejanus shook his head, he moved like an old man – his joints stiff from lack of use as he turned to leave. "Wash yourself and prepare for funeral tomorrow."

               The Imperator was the first of the family to arrive for the final watch. He gazed down at his grandson, laying before him - cleaned up and perfectly preserved to appear as if he were only sleeping. Graesen thought back over the years, he remembered Guy as a little fair-haired child. He'd tuckered himself out running around and playing with other children once. Graesen had scooped him up in his arms and carried the young boy up to bed. He remembered how, caught between awake and asleep, Guy had smiled sleepily up at him – resting his head against the Imperator's shoulder. Graesen's heart swelled at the memory.

"Imperator," Agrippa greeted stiffly – standing awkwardly in the doorway. Graesen beckoned his now only surviving grandson over. Agrippa shuffled toward the open casket. He gasped at the sight of Guy and flinched back, turning pale.

"Steady now," Graesen instructed. "Is this the first dead body you've seen?" He asked. Agrippa nodded, looking down at his feet.

The doors opened behind them and Agrippa looked quickly around, relieved to see his stepfather.

"Imperator," Kai greeted respectfully. Graesen made no sound or movement to show that he'd heard him. After some hesitation, Kai closed the door behind him and went to stand on Agrippa's other side. Agrippa wished that Kai had stood between him and the Imperator – the old man scared him.

"Father," Agrippa greeted. The two kissed, as was custom, and Kai patted Agrippa comfortingly on the back. Agrippa was remarkably tall but still he barely reached Kai's shoulder. Kai towered over other men, he'd been in retirement from the army for years now but still, even banished to the rurals, he'd kept to a strict regime and was just as burly as he'd been in his prime.

Kai gazed down at his dead stepson and touched his forehead, respectfully. Agrippa played with the fraying sleeve of his jacket, aware that since Kai's entrance the air seemed to have sucked out of the room. The tension was near unbearable. Belatedly, Agrippa realised that this must be the first time Kai and the Imperator had met since Kai's banishment. Guy's death had brought about a temporary reconciliation, since Kai needed to lead the funeral tomorrow.

Agrippa swallowed loudly, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down his scrawny throat. This was going to be a long night. The door creaked open and Agrippa turned to see his brother-in-law, Daviad, enter the room. Agrippa looked quickly away – his nose flaring in disgust. He shared Guy's disgust for Julia's husband but, whilst Guy's hatred had been built upon his belief of Daviad's corruption, Agrippa's was because he thought the grossly fat politician was a creep.