Edward Crichton - To Crown a Caesar

Arrayed around the solitary chair stood dozens of armor encased soldiers, Praetorians if I had to guess. Most had his right hand on his gladius and none appeared friendly, familiar or sympathetic. They stood at attention, arrayed in a semicircle around us, ready for anything. There were also a dozen or so Praetorian ninjas scattered about in a much more disorganized fashion. These men still wore their concealing facemasks, some leaning against pillars, others crouching in the shadows, but each was just as ready as his soldier counterparts.

Those who were not standing at attention were manhandling our weapons and gear. I immediately identified Penelope by the numerous gadgets and tools attached to her. A pair of Praetorians was fondling her roughly and I felt my rage continue to grow.

Finally, seated upon the simple chair was none other than Agrippina. Clothed, for once, she wore a simple dress, cut in a fashion more akin to modern day gowns. As was normal for her, it was low cut and had a long slit along the left leg. She looked elegant, if not evilly so. I had to give her credit. She had a shtick and she kept with it.

She was seated with her right leg crossed over her left, her hands resting in her lap, and her light blond hair was tied up in an efficient bun with strands dangling to either side of her face. As opposed to the last time I’d seen her, when she had been completely naked and exposed, this woman could almost pass for regal monarchy.

I continued to kneel, unable to quantify the rage that boiled within me. Only Agrippina could bring out hatred like this and I knew learning to fly would be easier than calming myself at this point. But I had to try. Anger had led me down a dark path last time. The only thing I could rely on was my old self, the one that could stay calm in time of crisis, no matter how forgotten that man was.

“Agrippina,” I said hoarsely. “How’s the ass?”

She smiled unexpectedly. A mischievously alluring one. She stood and slowly strolled to where I knelt and I almost expected her to fling herself sexually at me, but she merely leaned down and tilted my chin up with the tip of a fingernail, forcing me to gaze into her eyes.

“It is quite perfect,” she said quietly, “but you of all people should already know that, Jacob Hunter.”

I gritted my teeth and tore my head away from her hand. As was the case with my anger, only she could make me eat my own words like that. She continued to smile and walked to my left, glancing down at Helena as she passed by. Thankfully, she didn’t touch her, and simply made her way back to her chair and sat down.

“Why do you continue to bother me, Jacob?” She asked. “I offered you access to the orbs once, but you denied me. Are you here to steal them for me now?” She scoffed and tilted her head up to look down on me. “Is it that you have seen me naked and now wish for more? Is that why you brought your Amazon this time?”

I bit my tongue and forced myself not to rise to her bait.

“We just want to go home, Agrippina,” I said, my voice starting to clear. Before I continued, I noticed movement to my right, and saw the rest of my team begin to regain consciousness as well. Santino was first to his knees, also the person that had been right next to me. I turned back to Agrippina. “The orbs are dangerous. You have no idea how harmful they can be.”

“I know all about their potential, Jacob,” she said, nodding to one of her guards.

In response, he briefly exited the room before reappearing, dragging a body behind him. He dragged it out in front of Agrippina’s seated form, dumping it disrespectfully. I looked at it, seeing that the body was absent a head. I looked at it in confusion for a few seconds before glancing up at Agrippina. She gazed at me coolly, her eyes widening in realization a few seconds later. She held up a finger.

“How silly of me. You need the head, of course.”

She turned to reach for something behind her. In one quick motion, she reoriented herself and tossed whatever she was holding in one deft movement. As it flew through the air, I identified it as a human head. It hit the ground a few feet in front of me with a horrible squishing noise and rolled its way to rest between my knees. It landed face down. All I could see was a mop of dark hair.

Agrippina rolled her eyes and motioned with a hand to the same guard who had brought in the body. He marched over and rotated the head so that a set of all too familiar grey stared back at me.

Varus.

I snapped my head away, averting my eyes from the man I had come to call a friend. A man I knew to be some long descended ancestor of mine. A family man whose life was now over.

Without wanting to, I moved my attention back to his face. Even if his features had been horribly mutilated, I would have been able to identify him by his eyes alone. They were a cold grey, and set exactly like mine. But his face wasn’t harmed. His features were as clean and humanlike as they had always been. Even his normal expression of contemplative thought was still there, eternal on his severed head.

I closed my eyes and turned away.

The guard retrieved Varus’ head and brought it back to Agrippina. She accepted it, and by the time I reopened my eyes, had it in her lap, stroking poor Varus’ hair like a Bond villain and his cat. I clenched my teeth in anger once again and stared daggers at her. She was unphased by my attempt at intimidation and continued to stroke my friend’s head.

“This fool,” she said, “managed to operate the orb.” She haughtily lifted her chin again and continued. “But he did not share in my excitement. While I may know what it does, I have been unable to personally operate it, or find anyone else who can. I may have lost my temper.” She raised her shoulders just slightly. “I am the first to admit my mistake, but sometimes our emotions get the best of us, do they not, Jacob?”

I kept my mouth shut, not dignifying her with an answer.

Everyone had managed to get themselves up into a kneeling position by now, all strung out in a line, kneeling shoulder to shoulder. Only Helena remained inert. Noticing my attention, Agrippina tossed Varus’ head over her shoulder and moved to crouch besides Helena. She reached down and stroked her hair momentarily until she grew bored and pulled on Helena’s shoulders, mounting her on her knees. I was now able to see that the source of her blood was a small cut on the side of her temple, probably from a blow taken when she was knocked unconscious. It had to be why she was still out. No one else seemed to be bleeding.

Once Agrippina managed to balance her upright, she caressed Helena’s naked body with a hand, humming in satisfaction as she poked one of Helena’s breasts, but a heartbeat later, she reeled back with a hand and slapped Helena across the face, snapping her out of her doze. She cried out in pain from both the slap and quick transition to consciousness, coughing and choking, her eyes unable to lock onto anything. Her head lulled lazily until Agrippina grabbed her by the hair.

She turned to me. “I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time. I must admit that I suffer from sudden bouts of jealousy on occasion.”

Helena mumbled under her breath indecipherably. Agrippina noticed, and brought her head closer, pretending to try and hear what she was saying.

“What’s that, dear? Oh, does it hurt. I’m sorry.” And with that, she brought her head in closer, and kissed the side of Helena’s cheek, right where she’d slapped her. I couldn’t watch. She turned back to look at me once again.

“I’ve always wanted to do that, as well,” she sighed. “If only there was time for more. The three of us could have had something truly special, Jacob.”