Title: Her Blue Dress
Rating: R, implied adult situations
Author: JK
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. Please don't sue.

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Maximus heard a soft scratch on the flap of his tent. He called out, "Who goes?" A barely audible whisper answered, "Maximus, its me." He pulled back the flap, and motioned Lucilla inside, looking beyond the door for anyone who may have seen her. There was no one.

"What are you... How?" he asked. "I gave my maid a tonic to help her sleep, she'll not notice my absence. I had to see you...I... I shouldn't be here," she whispered, turning towards the flap, wondering why she was here, thinking she should leave.

He answered by stepping close behind her and kissing her gently on the nape of her neck. He ran his hands down her bare arms, and caught her fingers in his.

"Lucilla," he whispered, his voice, deep and smooth, rumbled in her ear. She shivered as he wrapped their arms around her waist.

"Maximus," she sighed. He turned her around and she looked into his eyes, seeing a smoldering passion there. She knew she should say what she had to say, then leave. She also knew this was her only chance to be with this man, and she would be damned if she were going to let her one moment of happiness slip away.

He kissed her then, his lips crushing hers, his tongue gently probing her mouth. She brought her arms around his neck, and he lifted her from the ground, carrying her to the soft mats that served as his bed in the small tent. He put her down and then settled next to her, leaning on his arm, just looking at her for a long moment.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I'm just remembering you like this so I can get it right in my dreams." Lucilla felt a pang of guilt, knowing that dreams were all they would ever have. She pushed the thought aside and reached up, running her hand across his face, feeling his rough beard scrape her fingers. He smiled and caught her fingers in his mouth kissing them gently. Bracing himself he leaned over to kiss her, her hand falling to his chest, the other running through his short dark hair.

Outside the night was cold, but here, this night, Lucilla was warm and felt safe for the first time in her life. If only it didn't have to be the last...

* * *

In the grey light before dawn Lucilla was awake, wrapped in the strong arms of a still sleeping soldier. She breathed the warm musky smell of him, listened to him breath, felt his pulse throb against her bare skin. She sighed and he nuzzled the back of her neck. In a husky whisper, still throaty from sleep, he asked, "What is it?"

"Lucius Verus," she replied softly.

"Hmmm?" he growled, now gently kissing her behind her ear, his hand wandering up her stomach.

"Today I marry Lucius Verus." Now fully awake, his grasp tightened on her. She gasped as he roughly pulled her over, his face just inches from hers. "What did you say?"

She cringed and looked away, a tear already slipping down her cheek, but he was too close. She could feel his hot breath on her face. "Father has arranged it, to seal the alliance. I have no choice." He let her go, and she pulled away as he sat up. She could feel the anger pouring off of him in waves, and for the first time she could sense how dangerous and deadly this man was. His passions ran deep, but she had known his other passion. His passion for life, his lust, his desire, maybe even his love.

He pulled on his tunica, and roughly threw her dress to her. "Get out. I don't keep the company of whores," he growled though gritted teeth, refusing to meet her gaze.

She stood, and approached him, shoving the dress at him. "I am no such thing and you know it Maximus. I am a woman living in a man's world, and I am the emperor's daughter. I thought you, of all people, would understand that. My life belongs to Rome, just as your life belongs to Rome. We are her servants Maximus," she said, grasping his chin and forcing him to look her in the eye. "We are pawns in her game. Our passions," she trailed her hand down his chest, "our love, does not matter to her."

He grabbed her wrist and roughly pulled her to him, "You are a lying whore. You can choose. You chose this..."

"I chose nothing. Sometimes I do what I want to do, other times I do what I must," she jerked free from him and grabbed her dress from his feet, quickly pulling it on. She would not let him see her cry; she would not give him the satisfaction. She chastised herself for thinking this would have turned out any other way. She knew what to expect when she came here, but still she had come. She found her shoes near the blankets, and ran out of the tent with them still in her hand.

The camp was silent in the half dawn of morning, the hounds just starting to move about. She made it to her tent and the warm bed of her nurse just as the first soldiers rose to stir up the dying embers of last nights fires. Her nurse was still softly snoring. Lucilla rubbed her already bruising wrist. Today she would have to wear her blue dress instead of the purple, she thought. The sleeves are much longer.

fin