The silent halls and imposing corridors dwarfed the three fugitives as they made their stealthy way downwards, hugging the shadows and willing themselves into invisibility. With every passing moment it seemed that their flight must be impossible. They were deep within the most impregnable palace in the entire empire - what chance did one man and two helpless women have of escaping from the seat of power itself?

Maximus was less worried than the two women, who could both scarcely breathe for fear of disturbing a guard or raising the suspicion of a slave. He knew that this was not such a dangerous place as one might think. Inside a fortress - most particularly one as well protected as the imperial palace in Rome - the occupants invariably relaxed their vigilance. For who would ever expect the danger could originate inside when their attention was turned outwards?

So a lady and a man were walking the halls at night? It was hard to imagine in the loose morality of the patrician world that this was an unusual occurrence. Slaves soon learn to keep their mouths shut about such nocturnal wanderings. Guards turn blind eyes to misbehaviour. The worst that might happen is someone would whisper something in the morning to one of the imperial freedmen hoping to win some favour. But no alarm would be raised in the middle of the night.

It was even more unlikely that they would even pass anyone. It was at that time of the deep night when even the most overworked slaves are allowed a respite and when few guards would not have nodded off at their post. If they moved quietly and kept their wits about them, used the backstairs and when they reached the gates acted in such a way that no suspicion would be attracted, then he felt sure they would literally walk out untroubled.

But there was always the unexpected stroke of bad luck. They were still in the most perilous of places and if the unthinkable happened then their fate would be swift and merciless. This was no time to be sentimental. If they were observed he had to kill before a sound was made that might draw further unwanted attention. His senses were on high alert, listening, watching, aware of the least change in the air about them and allowing his well-honed sixth sense free range. A familiar feeling of alert readiness, of adrenalin-fuelled expectation - almost akin to excitement - possessed him. This was a state that he understood, had perfected over years in the field and on campaign - and it was a welcome relief to be able to take control of his own fate again. His confidence was rising as he settled into the heightened awareness that signalled the imminent onset of battle. A calm overtook him, slowing down his heart beat where other men's would have raced. He knew that one on one if they encountered any obstacle he would be far and away ahead of them in reflex and skill. This was his theatre of war. He was unstoppable if he wished himself to be.

Aurelia, swathed in a dark cloak, clutched her nanny's hand fearfully as they scurried along behind Maximus. She could hear her own heart beating and the blood pounding in her ears - and the tight grip of the old lady's fingers on hers told her that Verilia was equally terrified. Her throat was dry and her limbs seemed to be almost rigid with fear, making even the process of walking more difficult. She prayed she would not faint or make a sound. She asked the goddess to make it quick if the end should come. Images of death ran through her feverish brain. Maximus had pressed a small dagger on her, telling her to hide it in her clothing. She wondered if she would have the courage to run herself through if the time came. She did not want him to have to do the deed - he had suffered enough without that on his soul.

But nothing disturbed their desperate break for freedom, no chance night time wanderer approached them, no guard asked them to explain their business. In less time than they realized, they were in sight of the portico that led out into the courtyard. There Maximus had instructed grooms to wait with two horses.

Pulling the women into the shadowy recess behind a great column, he crept forward and observed the open expanse of the vast paved yard which lay between them and the perimeter wall with its magnificent north gate through which they would make their bid for freedom. All was silent under the starry night sky, just the occasional hoarse cough or low conversation from the guards on the walls above or in the gatehouse. He could hear the snicker of horses nearby.

Stepping out from the shadows, he moved nearer to the sound and there were the two horses, saddled and waiting with their grooms sitting cross-legged on the ground dozing, their small heads drooped towards their chest. He stopped, looked about, saw no reason for undue concern - and took his chance. Striding up to them, he shouted: "These my horses? Jump to, lads, I don't have all night...!"

The boys startled and leapt to attention so fast that the horses backed away and reared. A few guards looked out and idly watched as the grooms calmed them down. Maximus nodded brusquely to the women waiting in the shadows. "Hurry up, boys...I want to get some sleep tonight...!"

Aurelia and Verilia hesitantly came forward, a little unsure at his loud and overbearing manner. It was not at all like Maximus. It also seemed guaranteed to attract attention. But both women trusted him. Whatever he was doing, it must have a reason. They soon realised what that was. Suspicions are rarely raised by those who act as if they have nothing to hide. Would someone up to no good so openly draw attention to himself? His attitude was typically patrician Roman towards menials and slaves; its very normality rendered it almost invisible. The soldiers turned back to their game of dice; the grooms helped the women to mount the second horse while Maximus easily leapt onto the back of his. Whatever this party were up to, who exactly they were, was not of anyone's concern. Clearly the man was someone influential on some such important business. As for the women, it was probably some favoured concubine being sent out or home accompanied by her personal slave. In other words...nothing of any interest to anyone.

It was as if some god had wrapped them all in a cloak of invisibility. Aurelia held her breath while the chains were hauled on and the portals began to slide open, revealing the roadway beyond. Maximus leaned over and grasped the reins of their horse, leading it slowly through the space, nodding at the soldiers who barely glanced up at him and muttering to the women: "Act normally. Lower your heads and say nothing. You would not be expected to...we are almost away..."

And they were out. The heavy doors rolled back behind them and closed in a clang of metal on metal. Ahead was the long ceremonial route that wound up from the thoroughfare below to the palace and they took their time as if they had all the time in the world to take, the horses stepping out briskly but not even approaching a trot. Aurelia had an overwhelming urge to press down on her mount and ride like the wind but instead she followed Maximus' lead, even if it was almost painful to be moving so slowly when any second it seemed that she would hear  the angry shouts of men inside as the alarm was raised and the game was up.

Almost as if he read her thoughts, Maximus fell in beside them. "Try to imagine that you have nothing to hide and that we are involved in a legitimate matter. If you create that state in your own mind then it will transfer to those who observe you. No one yet knows we are gone. Thus there is nothing for us to fear. But if we act like fugitives, we will be perceived as such..."

She nodded, afraid even to answer in case her whispers betrayed her. Verilia held her close and hummed softly in her ear as she had done to her as a child. The old lullaby had a calming effect along with Maximus' steady and deep voice, rich in sureness and confidence. How could anyone not trust in such a man?

Their progress continued as if they were just a small party making their way home at night. Finally they reached the lower ground, the wide spacious ceremonial road giving way to the houses of the rich and then the streets narrowing further down to the typical alleyways that riddled most of this vast city. They turned into one such small route and began to believe that their escape was to be as simple as that. They were safe now and unobserved; it would be a simply matter to melt into the shadows of this vast metropolis with its million inhabitants.

And that is when danger struck. A group of riders were using the same street, heading straight for them - and the fugitives had been seen. Maximus quickly assessed the possibility of an escape route - but they were trapped. There was nothing but tenement buildings clustered round them and no possible alternative exits.

The women had seen the riders, too, and both recognised the black insignia. They were Praetorians. Maximus knew they had to be the troop sent out to finish him off, led by Publius Sentius.

"Turn round and ride anywhere....I'll hold them here...!" Maximus shouted, moving his horse in front and effectively putting himself between the soldiers and the women.

"But they are five...! You cannot hope to stop them...!" Aurelia gasped.

"Do as you are told!" Maximus reached out and hit the rump of her horse, sending it trotting back the way they had come. He turned to face the enemy.

Sentius and the soldiers had drawn to a stop, blocking his way, taking up a curved formation, waiting. The young officer smiled cruelly. One moment they had been returning downcast, expecting to gain the ire of the Prefect for failing even to locate the whereabouts of Meridius and now they had him - and proof of his treachery. The girl was with him. This could only work well for him. It would be easy to kill the former general here and now - but he was also giving some thought to bringing him back in chains. Perhaps Quintus would now decide to make a more public statement with the death of his rival. It would be a timely warning to those other generals who thought they could seize the vacant throne. At least, he should give Metella that option...

Maximus read the hesitancy in the eyes of the younger man. Sentius was still trying to make his mind up. His men were primed but unable to act, waiting for his signal. It was his chance. Spurring on his horse to ride straight at them, he drew his cavalry sword in his right and his dagger in his left, much as if he would have done if attacking a wing of enemy in battle. One thing he knew for sure: Praetorians did not fight battles. This would not be what they expected.

It happened in seconds - it was all the time he could realistically hope for before they regained their composure. Maximus kicked out hard at the man to his left, unseating him; he fell awkwardly and his skull crashed against the cobble stones as his horse frighted and trampled him over. With a slashing thrust Maximus cut down the man to his right, almost immediately jabbing the dagger into the exposed thigh of another; the man howled as his artery was severed and the thick plume of blood shot into the air.  The horses shied and rose up, nervous at the sudden burst of violence and the smell of blood and fear in the air.

It gave Maximus a space through which to ride - and then turn. The remaining two soldiers: Sentius and an older man both still seemed almost stunned by the ferocity of the lightening attack - but they were ready now. Surprise was no longer afforded to him. They steered their horses side by side and were waiting with their swords in their hand. He knew that the only way he could guarantee survival was to play on their sense of superior force.

"I think I have made my point, Sentius...If you wish the same fate, then make your move..." Maximus growled.

"You have used up your advantage. I was thinking of sparing your life. That option is no longer open to you..." Sentius replied in his mocking voice. But this time, Maximus read fear in his eyes. He wasn't sure of victory, for all his claims to the contrary.

"I think not. My advantage is the lady Aurelia. I alone know where she is right now. And she is my bargaining power...Don't be a fool, Sentius!  She is the prize that Quintus wants...I will disappear and he has no further need to worry about me...Let me go and I will give her to you..."

The quavering was evident in the other man's expression. Sentius Publius had no wish to fight the Gladiator even with an experienced old centurion by his side. If he could find a way round this, he would.

"You want me to take a message back to the Prefect on your behalf? That you have given up your treasonous interest in his betrothed and will trouble him no more...? What guarantees can you give that we can we trust you now ...?"

The other man leaned over and muttered something to Sentius. It was clearly a warning to his superior officer. The professional soldier was not about to fall for this time-wasting from Maximus Meridius. A man like he would never back down - this was a ploy to gain another advantage.

Maximus acted the moment the men's eyes left him. He rode into Sentius' horse and leapt, dragging him to the ground where he held him tight, staggering to his feet, pulling the man with him in a tight armlock. The one mounted Praetorian left stepped forward, ready to strike in his master's defence.

"Don't! He's dead if you move...!" Maximus commanded as he tightened the grip of his left holding hand and raised his sword to place the blade against Sentius' throat.

"You think to make deals with me, coward? You are correct in thinking that I wish to send a message to Quintus Metella, one he will not misunderstand. Praetorian! Dismount!" Maximus addressed the older man, pressing the blade threateningly on the neck of the other man. A trickle of blood ran down his neck; Sentius gasped: "Do as he says!"

The soldier got off his horse. The stand off continued.

"Throw down your weapons...!"

"DO IT!" Sentius was trembling now. He had goaded this man. This man was the Gladiator. How could a heartless killer like Maximus Meridius be trusted to be merciful?

"Return to the Praetorian barracks and give this message to Quintus Metella...and make sure he knows it is from me..."

"Message? What message?" The man asked.

Maximus pushed Sentius away from him and as he staggered forward, he raised his sword, swinging it in an arc - and severed the man's head from his shoulders so quickly that the look of surprise was still on the handsome young officer's face as it plummeted and rolled along the cobbles to fall into the gutter.

"Do I need to clarify?" Maximus muttered. The soldier shook his head in horror, surveying the scene of carnage around him. He was aware of shutters being pulled ajar and onlookers shrinking into the shadows as they observed from nearby apartments. But no one would aid a Praetorian. There were few who would care enough for the Black Crows not to rejoice in this fate. He backed away down the street and took to his heels running wildly off in the direction of the palace.

Maximus gave it a moment's thought, scaled the back of his waiting horse and then set off in pursuit. It was not what he wished to do - but he had to buy time. If the alarm was raised now the chances for them to evade capture would be reduced and they wouldn't even be able to leave the City. His horse thundered after the man and as he rode him down it was a simple matter to run him through. Quintus would get the message when the bodies of five Praetorians were brought back into the barracks the next day.

He looked back on the silent moonlit street, the lifeless heaps of the dead scattered about. It was hard for a man like him not to feel a certain sense of victory. He had taken on five of Rome's purported finest and they were now lying bloodied and broken on the street. He felt his life force returning with every passing day. Satisfaction flooded through his veins as the blood pounded thickly, fuelled by the adrenalin of combat. No man could take him easily. He was still able to outthink and out- fight almost anyone they sent against him. Now he could truly protect Aurelia from all comers.

Aurelia? Where was she? He listened and heard nothing, the streets almost too quiet. He was not fooled that they were alone. There were probably a hundred eyes surveying him from every window and doorway. The total silence almost gave it away.

His shrewd eye picked out the tracks in the mud where the overburdened horse had clattered away. Picking up the reins of the other horse that the Praetorian had abandoned, he set off slowly, following the signs of their retreat. Only a few turns and he came upon the two women standing by their horse. They both gasped and clung to each other when they heard the sounds of his approach. Maximus, however, noticed that Aurelia, despite her abject fear, took a step forward as if to protect the old lady, the small dagger drawn. It made him feel proud of her. The girl was brave and steadfast, ready to make her own stand whatever happened.

"It is I...Maximus...do not be afraid...!"

Aurelia ran forward; he slipped from the horse and grabbed her, holding her close and stemming her instinctive desire to cry out. But it was not the only reason that he wished to take her in his arms. He needed to feel her as much as she needed to be safe in his embrace. What was that magical thing that only a woman, no matter how small and fragile she was, could do for a man that was so powerful and impossible to resist? For a second he closed his eyes and sent up a prayer in gratitude for what he had passed through that night. He was still alive against all the odds and for a time they were safe.

But for how long...?

"What happened?" she gasped as he pressed her against his chest and buried his face in her hair to inhale the glorious fragrance of this beautiful young woman.

"We are safe...that is all that matters now...."

"Are they dead?" She pulled away and looked up into his eyes. "There were five men! And you are untouched...how could you kill five men?"

He swallowed hard and tried to avoid her eyes. How indeed could he kill so remorselessly when called on to do so? It had been either them or us, he wanted to say. How could an innocent girl understand such things? But Aurelia had other things on her mind. She put her hand to his cheek and forced him to look straight at her.

"I asked you a question. Not because I seek to condemn you for your action but because I want you always to tell me the truth. We are in this together. Do not try to shield me from the reality of our situation. I know those men would have killed you. I am sorry that people have to die for us to be free. But it is not our choosing to live like this. Is Publius Sentius dead? I hope he is dead! I hate him...I hate him...!I do not care if he is dead one bit...!"

Her bitter anger spat out the name so vehemently that it surprised even Maximus himself. "Sentius? Why would you hate him so much?" A sense that she was hiding something niggled at him. What had that bastard done to scare her so?

She blushed and it was her turn now to drop her face away and try to hide. This time Maximus tilted up her chin to him. "No secrets...isn't that what you said, Lia...? It was the first time he had used the diminutive of her name. The first time anyone had. It touched her heart and encouraged her to confide in him.

"He tried to force himself on me. He threatened me that if I didn't do exactly what he said... then...then he would tell Quintus Metella that we had walked together in the moonlight and become lovers... I believe he meant to...to have his way with me...and he touched me...there..."

"..Touched you?" Maximus broke in, already enraged at the callous abuse of this young man towards a defenceless woman who had been in his care. Not that it was an unusual story. Maximus wondered at the world they lived in that men could be so brutal to those at their mercy. "What do you mean, touched you there...where?"

Aurelia made a little sobbing noise. It was obviously something she did not wish to admit to him. He held her more gently by her upper arms and lowered his voice to a soft burr. His anger was seeping from him and beginning to frighten her; she might think he blamed her for what that foul animal had said and done. "Where? Where did he touch you, my sweet girl...it was not your fault...I do not blame you...you can tell me anything...anything, Lia..."

Aurelia hid her face against his chest and whispered. "He put his hands between my thighs and touched my private parts.... I didn't want him to do it...but he was going to harm you. He said if I didn't let him do things then he would make sure that Metella had you killed...He would tell him that you already took my virginity..."

Maximus hugged her close. That explained why she had suddenly become so remote during the last days of the journey north. Sentius had frightened her and she was trying to save him by giving them nothing else to suspect. The poor girl must have been scared out of her wits both at what was to come with Quintus and the price she was going to have to pay for Sentius' silence. Aurelia had been trying to save him. His heart almost broke at the thought that he could have so easily let her go to face all this alone. His decision had been the right one, the only one possible. She could not have been thrown to the beasts of the court like a Christian to the lions in the arena to be torn apart by their lust for her beauty and name.

For a moment Maximus regretted having killed Sentius so quickly. He wished he had him alive in front of him and that he could make him suffer again but this time slowly. How many women had been ruined at the hands of a man like that? It would not be his head he ripped off this time...

"Hush...don't cry...he did nothing that matters! The shame is only his, not yours...my sweet brave girl..." He raised his head to where Verilia was standing some distance away, her distraught face revealing that she had heard what Aurelia had said. He smiled sadly across at her. "Take her...she needs a woman with her now...but we have to move quickly. There are five dead Praetorians a few streets away. Once the bodies have been raked over by scavengers, I can't imagine it will be long before the rumour reaches the palace...and the news of Aurelia's disappearance will be hot on its heels...we have three horses now...the Praetorian horse is dangerous but we will have to take the chance it is recognised. Speed is of the essence..."

"I will hold you back!" Verilia exclaimed. "Leave me here...I will fend for myself..."

"NO!" Aurelia cried. "We cannot leave you!"

"We will never abandon you, mother..."Maximus smiled fondly. "I shall, however, tie you to that horse or you will no doubt fall and break your neck! Aurelia, you take the Praetorian mount...can you manage it?"

"I think so...Yes...! I can manage...do not worry about me...!"

Her fierce determination made his smile even wider. Somehow, in this dire terror that they had created for themselves, he felt a surge of happiness.  It was the little moments in life that were the best. No enemy could ever take those away from you, whatever happened in the end. Through his love for this astonishing girl, he was finding a way to look back at the past and not always see two mutilated bodies burnt beyond recognition. Now he could see past that horror and remember what love and family had once felt like.

And perhaps could feel like again.

"Good...then scramble up while I deal with Verilia..." He watched Aurelia struggle, put his hand on her shapely rump and heaved her easily into the saddle. She giggled as she bounced into place. Obviously his touch did not worry her in the least. He grinned back and Verilia coughed her usual annoyed warning.

"You can help me up, sir, but keep your hands off my arse...! I have a bit more dignity than she has..." He snorted as he helped her up gently and then secured her with a few well-placed ropes so that her seat was secure.

"And this time..." Maximus observed as they set off at a brisk pace, "We ride like we had Hades on our backs...!"

They made their way directly for the nearest gate. The guards gave them a mildly interested onceover but Maximus, with his air of a man of means  convinced and they decided not to make an issue of his business at this late hour when most honest men would be well abed. If the travellers wished to chance their luck on the road at night against Hecate and the inevitable brigands - then that was their affair.

Once through onto the main route, Maximus took the coast road and headed for Ostia. Aurelia asked him where they were going. He simply said: "The sea. The fastest way to escape is by ship..." But he did not enlarge on where they might be aiming for. Nor did she ask him. It was not easy to control this powerful black stallion and she set her mind to the task in front of her. Maximus knew what he was doing. She trusted him to keep them safe. Her questions were unneccessary. She would know soon enough to where they were bound.

The endless road stretched out ahead of them as they galloped at the fastest speed he dared to maintain with inexperienced women trying to keep up. It was a dark night but there were stars and a moon so full and heavy that it seemed about to spill its silvery light to infuse the entire sky. Anyone looking out tonight would not miss the three riders. So he decided not even to try and hide his tracks. Perhaps a false trail would be the wisest move of all. He glanced at the women ahead of him. Verilia was clinging on for grim death, her hands tight on the reins, her eyes closed and her lips moving as if she was in prayer. Poor old woman. At a time of her life when she should be asleep in the bosom of a loving family, shown the respect due to her age and surrounded by her grandchildren, she was risking her life on this reckless adventure. He wondered what her story was. So many human tragedies lay beneath the shimmering surface of the greatest power on earth. Each day he came to despise it all more and more.

His eyes then alighted on Aurelia who was riding straight-backed but slightly leant forward over the pommel, her eyes fixed on the distance, determination written on every sinew of her body. She was remarkable. There was the blood of great men flowing through her veins - and great women too, no doubt. Her courage and dignity were irrepressible but there was also the fierce pride of her clan that he could read in her spirit when it flashed forth from time to time. She would be a formidable woman. Imagine a life at the side of such a girl?

Sense told him this was not the fate waiting for either of them in the long run. How long could they evade capture in an empire where every man or woman could be bought, where the tentacles of the pervasive authorities reached even into the far corners of the earth? To take her beyond the limits of civilisation into barbarian lands would be unthinkable. How could he give her a life of any worth if they had to live like beggars in some hinterland of the world? He knew inside that their days were numbered. He knew that one day they would pay for this act of defiance with their lives. But until then, they would live with their heads held high. What good was a long miserable life without those you love? A fiery last act of brilliance was probably for the best, the truest and the most meaningful way forward.

And yet, she was so young! She should have had years ahead of her. She should have had the chance to see her babies grow and to fulfil the promise of her beauty and spirit. His melancholy began to return as the first streaks of day showed through the night sky. The adrenalin that had fuelled his escape and buoyed his spirits until now was dissipating. But he had crossed the Rubicon now...they were fugitives and there was no turning back.

A mile or so from the port of Ostia, Maximus brought them to a stop. He made them dismount and let the horses go, driving them off. Slinging the saddle bag over his shoulder, the handles of his two swords protruding in ominous warning, he set off with the women towards the town.

A harbour never really sleeps and Ostia was a thriving hub of activity even at this early hour. Many ships prepared to catch the morning tide on their long journeys across the Mediterranean to service the unquenchable needs of the millions of citizens. They wandered along the portside until Maximus selected an inn. Leaving the women outside with a warning not to talk to anyone, he went in and made a show of asking about for passage to Spain. It was not long before a man came forward, a dark swarthy taciturn type. Maximus recognised a typical mariner from the wild western coast of his homeland, Hispania. "Three passengers. My wife and her mother...how much?"

The ship was heading for Tarraco on the east coast. It would be an ideal place for someone returning to his home to make landfall. But he was not going home to Spain. He would never see Spain again. It was, however, probably where everyone would expect him to go.

Maximus paid the ridiculous and inflated amount that the man asked without even bargaining. It suggested desperation. Good. That was the impression he wanted to give. Everyone was thus happy with the transaction. Then he returned to his 'wife and her mother' aware that people were checking them out as they went down the street in the direction of the ship.

But they never boarded. The ship set off with the tide and the captain shrugged. So they changed their mind? So what? He had the money and didn't give a damn.

Instead they walked a few miles from Ostia along the Via Terracina and then found a ride in a convoy of grain wagons going south. Later that day, Maximus bought three cheap nags at a small fair in a village they passed through and they change direction again, this time taking the great Appian route, anonymous amidst the hordes of travellers on that main thoroughfare to the south east, heading for Brundisium and another coast. There they would embark ship. But not for Spain. They would head for the wild desert lands he had once before been taken to against his will. To Africa. There, on that vast populous continent, they might just have a chance of disappearing.

Quintus had been woken up in the early dawn with the news that the bodies of a party of Praetorians had been slaughtered almost within the shadow of the palace itself. No one had seen anything until stronger measures were threatened - and then out came the stories of the giant of a man who had fought single-handedly against this troop of highly trained bodyguards. He was a god, a barbarian monster, a creature called up by Hecate...The tales became more fantastical as the unfortunate witnesses made signs to ward off the evil eye and created the myth, partly to explain their justifiable initial reluctance to assist the inquiries but also because, in their simple minds, it would have to take a being of such power to have done such a thing.

Only one old man, shrugging off the rough handling of the soldiers whispered. "I once saw a man fight like that. In the arena. He was the Spaniard. Maybe he came back from hell? Or maybe not...!" He had cackled until stopped by a fierce blow across his face. Later that day the same old man met an unfortunate accident, apparently stumbling on the stairs to his tenement and plummeting down the entire stone flight. It was a timely lesson for the others who had been present. There was to be no talk of gladiators back from the dead.

The news still managed to travel through the palace, however, and by early morning, it had reached Lucilla. She knew immediately what had transpired. Quintus had decided to put an end to the spectre of Maximus haunting the edges of his bid for power and had sent men off to remove him permanently. She smiled to herself. The fool! Even if Maximus was still recovering from his near-fatal injuries, he was more than a match for any of them. What he lacked these days in speed and strength he made up for in his sharp intelligence and the years of experience honed in the most unforgiving of schools. So, Maximus had escaped? Her heart was heavy to know that he was gone but she rejoiced that he had eluded capture. If he had any sense at all, he would never darken the portals of this City ever again. And if any man had sense, then it was Maximus Meridius.

Even if he was given to the occasional outburst of recklessness. Which thought brought another smile to her face. Ahh! Remember the days when he had been young and driven by love! Then he had thrown caution to the winds and simply made a bid for the woman he desired, even if she had been off limits to him...

"Mistress! Mistress!!" Lucilla's reveries were rudely interrupted by the cries of her maid, Peronilla. 

"What is it?" she replied tetchily. "Why all the screaming? You'll wake up the entire palace..."

"She's gone...! I went to take those pearls you thought would suit her dress and they were all besides themselves with fear. She has gone...! Her nanny with her...! Disappeared into the night...!"

A steely blade of fear thrust deep into Lucilla's chest at the first rambling report of the shocking news. It could not be! The silly girl could not be implying that... "Who has gone? Calm yourself, woman, and explain clearly! Whom do you mean? Stop crying, foolish girl!" Lucilla shook her harder than she intended in some vain attempt to make her say something else- anything else- than what she was sure was coming next.

"The lady Aurelia! Her maids found her bed empty and a few items of clothing missing. Her old slave, Verilia, is also gone. She has been with her since she was her wet nurse...they are like mother and daughter...!"

"Aurelia must be found! She cannot have simply disappeared on her own! It is impossible for two women to do such a thing without help..."

And then she knew. As sure as day follows night, she knew what was the cause of this. He had made a bid for what he wanted and, driven by reckless love, he had done the unthinkable. Maximus. The only man capable of such an act or of refusing to be bound by the conventions of the society he now shunned. Had they been planning this all along? had Aurelia known when they had spoken the evening before that she was never going to marry Quintus? Every word that had passed between them ran though her mind for any sign of premeditation on the girl's part.

It had occurred to her then that Aurelia was more shrewd than she had yet realised. Had she been far cleverer than she had suspected? The realisation that Aurelia may well have been taken for a fool hurt Lucilla intensely even as her admiration for her young niece grew. Aurelia reminded her of herself at that age.

Was that what Maximus saw in the child? 

Burying her face in her hands for a moment to try and regain her composure, she waved a hand at her woman to tell her to leave her in peace. Then she closed her eyes and thought about her next move. Aurelia had made her choice. Lucilla could not in all honesty blame her. Who would not have wanted Maximus if he made an offer? She herself would have done the same had he asked her. But despite the audacity he had shown in having a passionate affair with the emperor's daughter, he had never quite lost sight of his real focus. His career and duty to Rome had always been his first love. Even his beloved wife had had to endure taking second place to his commitment to the Empire and her father. But the events of the past few years had changed all that. Maximus no longer gave a damn for the things that had once driven him. How formidable would he be as a lover if he put all his energies into the single-minded pursuit of one woman? Aurelia had not had a chance in the face of his will.

It would all end badly. Even a warrior like Maximus could not hope to withstand the entire might of the quasi-imperial authority that was now at Quintus' fingertips. He was guilty of treason and the debauchery of an imperial bride. It would be the worst scandal since the days of Messalina. They would scour the known world for the pair of them.

Unless he ran for Quintus' enemies? It was possible. There were several generals who would welcome him in, aware of the prestige of his name as a figurehead, even if they too feared that ultimately his influence might come to overshadow their own . Maximus might have claimed to have no further interest in politics and imperial intrigue, but he had given himself few options once he had stolen Aurelia away from under the noses of her father and her future husband. To  save them both, he might just offer himself in service to one of the other challengers - and thus bring with him the full force of the will of the great Aurelius - not to mention his own granddaughter.

Whatever she felt inside to lose the man she had loved for most of her life to a child half her age, however much she grieved for the tragedy that the two lovers had set into motion with their wild act of public disobedience, she knew that she had to act fast for the sake of herself and Lucius. Maximus and Aurelia would have to fend for themselves - they had both given little heed to the plight of those left behind at the vindictive mercies of a man like Quintus Metella. So in her turn she must take care of their fate herself. Just as she always did. Again she was alone and the time had come for her to be strong. There would be no saviour to champion her cause this time.

Her mind made up, Lucilla quickly summoned her maids to dress her in her finery and then set off for the Prefect's quarters. It was her turn to take her destiny and that of her son into her own hands. Aurelia was not the only one who could play the innocent. Lucilla had been manipulating men since before the girl had been born. Metella would be easy meat for a woman who had outlived Lucius Verus and Commodus.

When the lady Lucilla was announced, Quintus was at his desk, surrounded by maps, his officers standing around him. There was an air of controlled anger. One of their member was dead along with four soldiers. The perpetrator of this would pay, and pay dearly for his arrogance.

The men looked up as she swept in, a dark cloud settling over Quintus' already stony features. "What do you want? If I find out you had anything to do with this...?"

"With what? If you mean Maximus' nocturnal battles with your men, then of course I did not! You sent them to kill him. You can hardly blame him for defending himself. It is not his fault that he is a finer warrior than any man in Rome...There was a time when we all rejoiced in that...!" She did not even try to back down and act deferentially. He would never have trusted her if she had tried to appear in that unlikely guise.

"Be that as it may, madam, your lover is not long for this world. Don't raise your hopes..."

"My lover?" Lucilla laughed coldly. "Are you insane? Then your intelligence is woefully out of date, dear Quintus. I take it you have not been informed of the latest developments concerning your bride-to-be....?"

At the reference to Aurelia, Quintus stood up sharply. She had his attention now. 

"What latest developments...?"

"She's gone...run away...sometime in the night...with her slave....I wonder what drove her to that act of desperation?"

Quintus paled. "Where was he? Did she leave with him? Get those witnesses back! Ask if there was a woman with him! If they're together...I'll kill them both with my bare hands...!" he spat out.

"..I doubt it. Oh, she's with him all right. I'd have the place searched, if I were you. There'll be more bodies, I'll warrant...."

The Prefect barked out a few orders and then told the men to leave them alone. He ran his hands down his face and groaned. "How long has this been going on? Are they lovers? I should have guessed he would do something like this to take his revenge on me..."

"He would never have used her in that way. You know that. I have no idea if they are lovers- but they will become so now. What has either got to lose? You know I would have stopped this if I had only known. This is a disaster for our family... the girl's behaviour is an outrage...!"

"She didn't do it alone. He has seduced her. Although it was probably not so difficult. The women in your line are all little better than whores...isn't that so, Lucilla?" Quintus gave her a knowing gaze. He knew of her past relationship with Maximus. And he had once shared Galeria's favours, or so rumour at the time had suggested. But  Lucilla would not let his sarcastic jibes affect her cool. Laughing in that  superior teasing way of hers, she poured out two goblets of wine and handed him one, taking a healthy draught herself.

"I think we need to talk like rational adults. Quintus...Like it or not, Maximus is a very influential man. If the story of this gets out then the mob will probably be delighted. They will rejoice that he is alive, be amused that he has stolen your bride and the next thing you'll be hearing on the streets of the City is the cry for 'Maximus Augustus'! You have enemies in the four corners of the Empire! Who knows if he has allied with one of them? This is an attack on all of us, Quintus. Do not let us turn on each other to look for a scapegoat to blame! We have to act - and act swiftly to shore up our positions! If Maximus has decided to join the opposition - we must do all we can to strengthen ourselves before he has time to act! You want an imperial bride? Then take me. I am Aurelius' daughter, the sister of Commodus, the mother of the heir of the line...the blood of emperors flows thicker in my veins than in your little virgin Aurelia's! Before they have time to make a bid, we strike and take the throne...Think, man! If I give you a son...it will be the legitimate heir and the people will always prefer that to years of endless civil war...Forget Maximus! Forget Aurelia! Our destiny lies in our hands, not theirs!"

Her impassioned speech was not lost on Quintus; he had already come to most of the same conclusions even before he had received the shattering news about Aurelia. The girl had seemed like a nonentity, a silent frightened child. He should have known that one of the Aurelian brood would never be so easy, even one so young and apparently innocent. Innocent? And she was whoring for Maximus? Her mother's daughter, indeed. Quintus imagined that Maximus would believe he was saving the girl from a worse fate. But whatever he imagined about himself, Maximus Meridius was quite capable of seducing a virgin of the imperial house. He had done it before. No wonder Lucilla was so ready to turn on her former lover now. He had made a dangerous enemy in rejecting the love of Commodus' sister. A woman spurned was always a force to be reckoned with - especially a tigress like Annia Lucilla who had sacrificed so much for the sake of this man - to be abandoned in favour of her younger niece? It amused Quintus to imagine that in the end, it would be women who proved to be the real destruction of the great hero. How fitting!

"I need a son. How do I know you are still capable of giving me one?" He asked her coolly.

Lucilla smiled back as frostily. "I can still bear children. I have many sons inside me yet! But don't forget, I have an even better option than a child of our bodies. I already have a son. Adopt Lucius. He has the blood of four emperors in his veins. He is almost a man - you won't have to wait fifteen years to safeguard your dynasty. And I believe you have several daughters...marry one to him and the future is secured..."

"You've thought it all out, haven't you, Lucilla? It all works out so well for you. Are you sure this wasn't always your plan?" He paced around, raising objections but she knew he was biting. He had no choice. What she was saying was true. He was actually better placed with her as his wife than Aurelia.

"I had other plans. But Maximus has decided they are not to be. No man rejects me...! We have one thing in common, Quintus...we both want to be rid of him. I am only a woman but I have learnt the hard way how to stay alive in this snake pit...Use your head! Between us we can rule the world. Great men always have a strong woman at their side. Be my Antony and I will be your Egyptian queen! Look to the example of Augustus... would he have been half the emperor  without Livia...?"

"...I was thinking of Claudius...you remind me more of Agrippina..." he retorted with a wry smile, reminding her of the wily empress who married an emperor, killed him and then put her own son in his place. Then he stepped nearer and ran a hand over her breast, down her side and taking her hip, pulled her close, cupping her small buttocks in his larger hand. "...But you are a fine looking woman all the same...even if my taste lies more in younger flesh... but...I'll warrant you know a trick or two...!" He bent his head and sucked on her neck, rubbing his groin against her belly suggestively. Lucilla breathed slowly. She had suffered worse.

"What do we do about Aurelia?" He muttered into her ear as his breathing became heavier and his hands on her body more insistent.

Lucilla pushed him away gently. "That can wait for later! We have work to do first...There is only one way to explain away the volte-face. It has been done before with Roman noblewomen who fail to follow the conventions. Ruin her name. She is a disgrace to her family, another immoral whore, like her sister and grandmother before her..." 'May the mother forgive me for slandering my own poor dead mother!' Lucilla prayed silently. "She shamed her father. She insulted her grandfather's memory. She betrayed her betrothed on the very eve of the rites...Remove her from the records, obliterate her name from the annals. Let Rome forget she ever existed! What can she do now? What can either of them do? Where can they go? All they can hope for is to crawl down some sewer and live their miserable lives as renegades, afraid of their own shadows...Let them go, Quintus! Show how magnanimous you are. If Maximus thinks he can behave like this and be treated as an equal by one of the other generals who seek to claim the throne, then he is a fool. No one will touch a man like him, a freedman, the murderer of an emperor who has debauched a royal maiden. She will be called the Messalina of the age and he the Gaius Silius whom she destroyed with her voracious sexual appetite ... they will tear each other apart in the years to come. It will save you the bother..."

Quintus look at her with admiration for her spirit and the cool calculating clarity of her vision. "I would not like to be your enemy, madam...!" Lucilla threw him a seductive glance as she settled back again in a chair and sipped on her wine. But her thoughts would have shocked him to the core had he been able to read her mind. She might have been trying to protect the future of herself and her son but Maximus and Aurelia were central to her concerns too. It was risky but if enough opprobrium was brought down on their heads for what they had done then it might just save their lives. With their reputations in tatters, Quintus might feel that was enough and not hunt them down like animals. To show leniency as long as they kept away from public life might even make the Prefect appear to be a merciful man. He was even prepared to forgive his old friend etc., etc,

It would not be easy to accomplish, for she knew Quintus, like all weak men, was vindictive and had long nurtured a slow-burning hatred for Maximus. This further development was a bitter blow to his patrician pride. "Dead they can become martyrs. Any stories we spread about them will be seen as vicious propaganda. But alive and in disgrace...Think about it, Quintus! But not too long. You do not have time to waste. There are more important matters waiting for us..." She blew him a flirtatious kiss that was interrupted by a slave announcing a rider.

"Sir?"

"What is it?" Quintus reluctantly took his eyes from the promise of the princess to view the Praetorian officer who had hurried in. He looked pale and tired, still spattered in the dirt of the road but his anguish was more than just a hard night's riding without sleep. Aemilius Cinna and Publius Sentius had been close friends. Some said more than friends. There had been rumours that they were lovers, despite their taste for wild living and women. It had never bothered Quintus. An intimate bond between officers was often a good thing and ensured their devotion to each other both in battle and beyond.  A distant memory of a long ago lazy afternoon in a bathhouse when he had been young, came to his mind. Lying naked with Maximus, both drinking more wine than was wise after a long hard months in enemy territory. He had made an inappropriate move that day - just a touch that was more than men who are merely friends might share - and Maximus had rebuffed it brusquely. It began there, in truth. First, rejection, and then later, the knowledge that he would never match up to the coarse Spaniard whom he admired so much.

It had not only been Lucilla who was spurned.

"Cinna? What have you found?"

The man had thrown himself onto his knees and now looked up, giving Lucilla a puzzled glance. He was not entirely sure he trusted her. Surely she was on the gladiator's side?

"Speak freely. Lucilla knows everything..."

"Sir...I rode to Ostia when I heard about..." his voice broke when he tried to mention the death of Sentius and the others. "...I thought that was the most likely direction. He has been there. Maximus was there at dawn... with two women...it was well observed by many. He bought three passages for Tarraco....the ship left with the early morning tide..."

"So he went home? How typical of Maximus...he goes home to the farmer's life with his new bride? Predictable - but what else would he do? He was always a man of limited vision..." Quintus sneered. "Then we shall send a troop to give him a welcome of our own...I take it you want to be the officer in charge? But I warn you to be vigilant - or you'll suffer the same fate as your boyfriend..." Cinna winced at the casual reference to his relationship with Publius Sentius. It was not something he wanted bandied around amongst the men. He was no pouting homosexual. This had been  different. Sentius and he had been lovers like the Greek heroes of old. It was a finer bond than effeminate painted queers. But amongst soldiers such matters were always treated as something to be mocked - even if most had toyed with the practices often enough on lonely nights far from home.

Lucilla listened carefully to the exchange between the two men. Once again she had to struggle to keep from smiling. If Maximus had been 'well observed' to quote Cinna, then he had wanted to be seen. He had even flaunted the women before witnesses? She knew immediately that he had never embarked for Spain. That had been a smokescreen to hide his real plans. Maximus Meridius would not lead them so easily to where he was heading. Nor would he wish to return to that place of bitter memory and try to replace one woman with another as if the death of his first family had never happened. It was not his way. But Maximus knew that those who were pursuing him would see it as the obvious choice for a man who had never wanted anything more than to return home and tend his fields. It was a sign that he had lost none of his guile.

She sent up a silent prayer for the gods to keep him safe and guide his hand wherever indeed he had decided to flee. It was up to him now to make his future with the woman he had chosen. Meanwhile, she must do the best she could for her own family. As empress she would have great influence and fully intended to use it any way she could to watch over the man she really loved and the girl to whom she had promised to be a mother. 'Be happy, Maximus! Go with your love and make a life...no man deserves it more than you!'

Rising from the seat, she took her leave of the two men, aware that her part in this for now was done. They watched her go, both bowing with the appearance of respect.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Cinna spoke again. "I beg leave, sir..."

"Yes?"

"I think it wise to send a party of men to Spain in pursuit - but I am not entirely convinced that he will be there. He is a clever man and that sighting was too easy. I suspect it was a ruse to try and fool us. Give me a few men and we will scour the opposite route. If I am wrong, then what do we lose? It seems wise to think of all possible eventualities..."

Quintus smiled and slapped the younger man on the back. "We'll make a general of you yet, Cinna! My thoughts exactly. The princess does not need to know everything that is in my mind. I will handpick an escort and this time, we get a bunch of hard men together. I want some of the toughest in the Guard. When the time comes, I do not expect mistakes. Don't ever challenge him in open combat. He's too good for all of you. Use the woman to get to him - or a knife between the ribs in a dark alleyway... any method you like. It's assassins we need, not legionaries...do you understand?"

Cinna nodded, clenching his right hand in salute against his left breast, his eyes gleaming darkly with menace.  He would have his revenge on Maximus for the death of Sentius - and he would save the woman for himself. It would be a pleasure to make her pay - again and again and again. Her death would be a slow one.

Outside, Lucilla called over the freedman, Pnyxus, who was the real power behind the bureaucracy of the imperial world. He had been a sinister shadow whose influence over Commodus had been never fully acknowledged and now he was the trusted advisor of the Praetorian Prefect. The man had volumes of information that would have brought any of them down. One thing she knew for sure. Whoever was the next emperor, Pnyxus would still be there long after the rest had turned to dust.

"My lady...!" he declared in his unctuous way.

"Pnyxus! We need to talk. Walk with me back to my rooms. You know of the unfortunate disappearance of the lady Aurelia?"

His dark eyes flashed. "I do. It seemed politic not to be the bearer of too many bad tidings this morning..." So he had known long before she had. She wondered why he had held onto that gem of information so long, and filed the thought away to ponder on later.

"I want to know of every sighting, every false trail, even the smallest nugget of information that comes to you about the pair of them..."

Again the predatory look passed over the face of the Greek, his skin stretched taut over the bones of his face, like oilskin on a drum. Lucilla was reminded of a basilisk or some such creature, apparently still and impassive but always in fact alert and ready to spring. "And why should I share anything of that nature with you, my lady...?" he replied, his eyes gleaming with knowledge.

"You know the lie of the land already. I am to be empress. Quintus has asked for my hand. You might be a lying manoeuvring heap of cow dung, Pnyxus, but you know which boot to soil with your particular form of shit...when Quintus ascends, he can take care of the legions who oppose him - but you and I must watch his back at court. He's nothing but a naïve opportunist in political circles. He will need me - just as my brother needed me...and we all need you..."

Pnyxus grinned widely, showing teeth that were white, curiously small but razor sharp. "Your brother needed you? Until you found a champion to slit his miserable Aurelian throat..."

Lucilla ignored his insult. "I am still here. You are still here. We must work together - for how else will be able to watch each other's steps at close hand...?"

The deal was easily struck - he had already intended to ally with the woman the moment he had heard, through his usual listening post, the proposal between his master and the lovely princess. Furthermore, he preferred working with someone who had a real chance of success. Quintus Metella would make mistakes. He was too arrogant and proud. It was as well to keep a foot in both camps.

And he was not fooled by the lady Lucilla one bit. She was still with Maximus. He knew her weakness. For all her ability to disseminate and plot, the Domina had one fatal flaw: she was that rare beast - an honourable woman.

Another day waned on their journey to the coast; the past few nights they had spent in the open, sleeping in woods off the main route. Aurelia observed Verilia and knew the old lady could not take too much more of this harsh and unforgiving treatment. Maximus  was driving them on at far too quick a pace. She was afraid the ride alone would kill the old woman.

"Verilia! I am so tired that I swear I will fall asleep in the saddle. And I haven't washed or eaten properly for days! Why won't he let us stop?" She feigned an exhaustion that she truly did feel. But her youth and determination would have made her match Maximus mile for mile had they been alone. She would not have held him back.

It was the signal the woman needed to allow her to approach the master and ask for him to ease off. She nodded to the girl, turned round in the saddle and then shouted: "Sir?"

Maximus moved forward. "What is it, mother?"

"The girl needs to rest. You cannot keep her going night and day. For the love of the gods, find a place for us to stay the night, a real bed, some hot food and a warm bath...!I fear she will sicken if this goes on much longer..."

Maximus shot Aurelia a look and she pulled a face. He realised what she was doing. And she was right. The old woman could not continue. With a curt nod, he told them to carry on and he would ride ahead to look for somewhere to stay. It was still early, a warm late summer afternoon and the light was good. Although it might be risky leaving them alone,  he had not noticed any signs of danger so far and he felt he could take the chance.

Luck was with him and a mere mile or so down the road, he saw a fork and the rubric on the milestone indicating a small town lying along the other road. Galloping back, he met the women and a short time later they were passing the outlying homes of the settlement. The inn lay on the outskirts. It was an insalubrious place - as all such places invariably were - but they had little choice.

Maximus shepherded them in, unwilling even to leave them with the horses in such an environment. "Cover your face, Aurelia", he muttered at the door. 

She turned and looked up at him. "Why? They do not know me..."

He gave her a half smile. "Cover your face! Just do it for me, please?"

A frown crossed her brow; she realised he was warning her that even with him, this was a dangerous place and she had to help him keep her safe. With a nod of assent she lifted her palla and let it hide her from view as he pushed on the chipped wooden door to enter the establishment.

Inside it was dark and low-ceilinged, the smoke from a recessed fire hanging heavy in the airless chamber made even hotter by the close humidity of the night. There were a few men slumped over their jars and several women lounging. None appeared to be paying attention; all were watching their every move. The landlord was behind the wooden counter surveying the new arrivals.

"We need a room."

"Just one?" He nodded towards the two women.

"One. For the women."

"And you?"

"You have a stable? I'll sleep with the horses. If it's any business of yours..."

The man shrugged and laughed scornfully. "Do what the fuck you like...money first. You'll be wanting food?"

Maximus nodded. "And hot water. I don't suppose you have a bath house in this fine town of yours?"

"There's one. Men only..."

Maximus placed down some coin; the man snatched at it only to find his hand gripped in a vice. "These women are not to be bothered. Do you understand me? I pay you more than this shithouse is worth so you had better give me the service I require..." He barely raised his voice but there was no need for him to repeat his request. The man nodded dumbly as Maximus relinquished his hold. A serving girl was sent to show them up; the women went first followed by Maximus who backed up the stairs, still watching the room with intent.

It was a miserable space, hardly deserving of the title of chamber, but it was shelter and there were a few pallets lying on low wooden slats. Verilia tutted loudly, asked for a broom and set to making the best of it she could. Maximus looked about him, suddenly wearied at the prospect of the days and weeks to come. Aurelia was a lady of Rome. How could he have brought her to this?

Aurelia saw his expression. She slipped up and stood by his side, her hand finding his tentatively and curling round his fingers. "What about you? You should share the room with us. There are three beds..."

"I need to watch the horses in such a place - and keep my eyes on the road outside. If you hear anything...get out and I shall hold them off...it is very important that you..."

"...Maximus ...stop! Stay with us. You also need to rest. The past few nights you have had almost no sleep at all...!"

He looked over at Verilia who pretended to busy herself with making up a bed; the little servant arrived at that moment with a large terracotta jug of hot water. Pulling Aurelia gently to the corner of the small room, he took both her hands in his. "It is not seemly. I will rest better knowing that you are settled here and I am at hand should danger be on our heels. Believe me, Lia, there is nowhere on this earth I would rather be than by your side. But not here. Not in this place. Not now. This is not the time for us..." He raised her small hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly, his eyelashes fluttering closed for a moment as he savoured the touch and feel of her skin against his.

Aurelia stroked his cheek, feeling the unfamiliar thick stubble; he had not shaved since they had left and this swarthy growth was strange to her, hiding his handsome face; but it was attractive in its own way. It made him seem wilder and less urbane than the polite man she knew. Somehow it excited her even more to look at him like this.

With further instructions to both her and Verilia, Maximus took his leave, ensuring that a hot meal was ready to be carried up to them as he reentered the bar down below. It was nothing more than a greasy stew with a hunk of dry bread but it was nourishing enough and they were all hungry enough not to care. Then he took himself to the stables to see to the horses, washing himself as best as he could in water from a butt in the yard at the back.

After eating and drinking most of a small jug of wine, he tried to sleep in the steamy hay of the barn but the hot night and his own restless mood drove him out again to seek fresh air. He found it up on the flat roof of the inn where he sat out the fading light of evening, sitting on a low parapet with a clear vantage over the rolling hills about. His thoughts were many and varied, but they never strayed far from one pressing image: Aurelia. She filled his head and made even this lonely vigil full of promise. Even though he was heavy with care and foreboding, just the thought of her raised a smile to his lips. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his hands joined, deep in contemplation-   and stared out into the distance.

But all he saw was her.