When Gaius opened his eyes, he felt carefree. He blinked happily into the peacefully sleeping face of his wife, whose soft blanket had slipped slightly. The sight of her body brought back memories of how she had lain in his arms. The previous night had been the best of his entire life. He had already slept with many women - partly voluntarily to satisfy his body's needs, partly under duress as proof of his manhood - but none of them had released even a fraction of the feelings in him like his Aurelia. Never before had he been so satisfied. She was truly a goddess among all women. Now he was glad they had waited until after their wedding. She filled him, she intoxicated him, she drove the darkness from his heart. They were two parts of a whole and now that he had tasted of her, he would not be able to keep his hands off her. If they had taken this step before they were married, both their reputations would have been ruined - it might even have prevented their marriage. But now this beautiful little goddess was all his and he would never give her away again. Because through her he knew what true love meant.
Tenderly, he stroked a stray strand of hair from her face. At his touch, Aurelia sighed softly in her sleep and snuggled closer to him. Carefully, Gaius let his hand trail from her cheek down her neck and her lips twisted into a comforting smile. Grinning, Gaius littered her neck and delicate shoulders with kisses. Just as he was at the crook of her neck, a tremor ran through her body. Suddenly her hands were in his hair.
"I could get used to waking up like this," her voice whispered seductively in his ear. Playfully indignant, he looked into her sea-blue eyes, which returned his gaze full of love.
"I should hope so!" he murmured back, and she laughed happily. He loved the sound of her laughter. But almost more, he loved the little sounds she made when they melted together.
"But maybe it will take more to convince you that you're not dreaming anymore," he said elatedly, rolling on top of her and propping himself up on his elbows beside her so as not to crush her with his weight. Her body reacted immediately. Her eyes darkened with desire and her breathing quickened.
"Maybe this isn't such a bad idea," she breathed, wrapping her legs around his hips, pulling him against her and pressing her mouth to his in a demanding manner.

With her delicate fingers, Aurelia absentmindedly traced patterns on his bare chest. Suddenly she propped herself up on her elbow, straightened slightly and turned her body so that she could look into his eyes. Questioningly, Gaius raised his eyebrow. Embarrassed, she gnawed on her lower lip.
"What's bothering you?" he asked gently, and she ran a hand through her tangled hair, which still had remnants of the woollen strands in it.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying our time together," she began, "but am I not keeping you from your duties?"
Embarrassed, she avoided his gaze and unconsciously continued caressing his chest. Gaius half straightened, embraced her beautiful face tenderly and forced her to look him in the eye.
"In this world, nothing has greater meaning to me than you, Aurelia," he declared gravely. "I may be Rome's first servant, but Rome has more servants to work for her. This morning I do not wish to attend to any duties except my marital ones. Let us just enjoy this moment before we have to leave our little world"
At that moment her stomach growled, and Gaius could not suppress a small laugh. Food first then. He pressed a fleeting kiss to the tip of her nose, jumped out of bed, quickly threw on a tunic and put on his belt.
"Don't run away!" he said, and Aurelia raised her hands in surrender. Quickly he crossed the various rooms and opened the heavy door, through which not the slightest whisper penetrated to the outside. In front of it, Clemens stood at his post and eyed him with amusement.
"Haven't you forgotten a little something?" his friend teased him with a grin, pointing to his feet. When Gaius followed his gaze, he calmly noted that they were not in sandals.
"Don't you have a job to do?" returned Gaius, relaxed, and Clemens took his stance. Gaius nodded curtly at him and went in search of one of his slaves. He met the first slave, a boy, after far too long for his liking.
"Run to the kitchen and see that food is brought to the Princeps' chambers," he ordered, and the boy ran off. Hastily, Gaius turned on his heel and made his way back. At the door he disregarded Clemens, who had difficulty controlling his expression, and found his wife dressed in a simple silk tunic in front of the mirror in their bedroom. She had used the time to put her hair in order and on the table in front of her lay the strands of wool in an orderly fashion. When she saw him, she put her brush aside and turned to him.
"Weren't you going to get breakfast?" she asked, irritated. Before he could reply, the door opened and two servants entered with fully loaded trays, which they placed on the bed without lifting their eyes and immediately left the chambers. Frowning, Gaius examined the food and lowered himself back onto the bed. Aurelia giggled and joined him. With a wink, she snatched a piece of cheese from him, which he had just cut off. Dismayed, Gaius watched her chew.
"You'll have to be quicker than that, booty boy," she returned, reaching unblinkingly for a grape. Grinning, he grabbed her wrist and dropped the grape into his mouth. Amused, he returned her gaze.
"Is that what you meant?" he asked innocently. Aurelia shook her pretty head with a grin and declared that they should stop. They ate in silence for a while, then Gaius nudged her and asked quietly what a booty boy was. Aurelia choked on her grape juice. Gasping for air, she eyed him.
"Booty boy," she returned dryly, and Gaius' mouth dropped open. Groaning, he buried his face in her back, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and shook his head in bewilderment. Deeply he sucked in her glorious scent, then rested his chin on her shoulder and whispered in her ear that this nickname was even more unmanly than Caligula. Aurelia laughed softly.
"In my opinion, you have proven your manliness time and again enough in the past hours," she said seriously and gently stroked his cheek. Gaius delicately kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear and smiled to himself as she shivered.
"As much as I would like to remind you again, we are expected at a play," he said regretfully, reluctantly letting go of her and lying down on his back beside her. She looked down at him with shining eyes and bombarded him with questions. Amused, Gaius grinned at her and remained silent. Soon she would find out the answers for herself.

After the more or less empty plates had been taken away by some slaves, his body slave appeared accompanied by two maids. To his surprise, Aurelia jumped off the bed and hugged the two girls tightly.
"Belana, Nara, it is so good to see you both again," Aurelia said, letting go of the two rather taken aback slaves. The blonde kept her eyes down nervously, but the braver of the two with red hair smiled shyly at Aurelia.
"It is an honour to serve you again," the redhead replied sincerely. Gaius nodded to a slave who immediately fetched his toga, which had already been folded the night before. For nothing was as important when wearing a toga as the correct folds. Fascinated, Aurelia watched Gaius being systematically wrapped. Gaius winked at her and then put a dignified expression on his features. Quicker than he, Aurelia was dressed, accessorised with jewellery, discreetly made up and coiffed. Her front strands were tied back in two thin, loosely braided plaits, while the rest of her hair fell untamed over her shoulders. Over an ivory stole lay the crimson palla that Tiberius had once forced upon her. Before their wedding, Gaius had had it embroidered with golden vines at the hem. Aurelia was so radiantly beautiful.

No sooner was the last fold of his toga draped than the slave girls closed Aurelia's cloak in the colour of their palla and bowed first to her, then to him. His slaves did likewise to the maids before leaving the chambers together.
"Ready?" asked Gaius with dignity, extending his hand to her. Gracefully, she floated to him and grasped his hand as her eyes sparkled.
"As long as you are with me," she murmured, squeezing his hand in affirmation. Afterwards, she too put on a dignified expression that she had surely spent hours rehearsing with his Avia. Simultaneously, they started moving, striding towards their future outside their sheltered little world.
In the atrium, his Praetorians stood at attention as they appeared at the top of the stairs. The smiling faces of his sisters turned towards them. With shining eyes, Drusilla and Agrippina exchanged lewd glances, which Gaius studiously ignored. Warm and steady, Aurelia's hand rested in his, anchoring him in this world. A deep calm befell him as they stopped in front of Macro at the head of the line.
"My dear," he addressed Aurelia first. "This is the prefect of my Praetorians, Quintus Naecius Sutorius Macro. He is in charge of our security"
Gallantly Macro grasped her free hand and brought the back of it to his lips as he bowed to the wife of the most powerful man in the Empire. Understandable to all, he murmured what a pleasure it was to meet her. Smiling politely, Aurelia returned the gaze of his icy eyes.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet the man who serves my husband so devotedly," she said without a trace of mockery or irony, and the hint of suspicion that Macro, despite his years of training, could not banish from his eyes disappeared and gave way to something new: disparagement. To him, Aurelia no longer seemed a threat, but just another weak woman. Gaius had to use all his strength not to drag Aurelia away from this man who was already plotting her downfall. Instead, Macro let go of her hand and straightened up. Aurelia nodded politely to him, then strode on with Gaius, who quietly introduced her to the rest of the Praetorians who formed her bodyguard this afternoon.
"Let's set off," Gaius called elatedly and the heavy portal of his palace was opened. Three palanquins were already waiting for them in front of it. Aurelia's hand began to tremble slightly. Gently, Gaius squeezed her hand, led her to the front palanquin and helped her inside before entering himself. He deliberately left the curtains open so that they would be clearly visible to any passer-by during the journey.
Within no time they reached the theatre. For although the rumour of Aurelia's beauty had spread like wildfire throughout the city, the waving and cheering people in the streets immediately made way for the palanquins. Aurelia gave them exactly what they needed: her attention. She smiled, waved and looked as dignified as if she had done nothing else in her entire life. The happy smile just wouldn't leave his face.
Delighted, he got out of his palanquin and immediately set about helping his wife to disembark. The crowd heaved delighted sighs at the sight of her and Gaius couldn't blame them. Despite her outward composure and dignity, Aurelia clung to his hand. His heart warmed at the thought that she needed him as much as he needed her.
Together they entered the theatre and took their seats in his box in the front row. No one would be able to see the actors better than they could. As the curtain fell, so did Aurelia's nervousness and she became completely absorbed in a comedy by Plautus. Relaxed, Gaius leaned back and watched his wife unobtrusively from the twinkle in his eye. When the actors bowed at the end of the play, all he knew was that they had performed one of the many comedies of confusion. He had laughed only because Aurelia's laughter had infected him, and he was sure that every member of the audience had felt the same way he did.
Afterwards they were taken to the amphitheatre. Nervously, Aurelia sank into her chair at his side. Concerned, Gaius leaned over to her.
"What is troubling you?" he asked quietly. Hurriedly, Aurelia let her gaze slide over the gawping crowd of onlookers, all wanting to catch a glimpse of the bride.
"I don't know if I can stand by and watch people being killed for the pleasure of others," she confessed quietly. Understandingly, Gaius smiled at her. Then he rose and turned to his waiting people.
"Citizens of Rome," he called out, and the heralds repeated his words to the audience so that everyone would hear them. "I hold today's games in celebration of my marriage to this beautiful woman beside me"
Prompted by a discreet sign, Aurelia stood up and positioned herself next to him so that everyone could actually see her too. Full of love, she looked up at him and smiled. Scattered cheers were taken up by the whole audience. Everyone praised the couple at the head of their company.
"Every winner of today's games will receive a prize in addition to their freedom, which should enable them to live a peaceful and good life outside slavery," Gaius continued. "The losers will be spared"
With these words they sat back in their seats. Aurelia leaned towards him, squeezed his hand briefly and whispered a thank you. Gently Gaius kissed her forehead and his people freaked out. Aurelia had taken their hearts by storm.

"Have you heard, brother, what the people are saying about your wife?", Julia wanted to know at the evening banquet. In honour of their wedding, Gaius had invited all the important senators with their wives (in Aurelia's name, of course, as was the etiquette). Their almost five hundred guests dined in the various banquet halls of his palace according to rank. From the garden came the music of the artists and performers, whose spectacle they could watch through the open doors thanks to the mild temperatures. By now they were at the seventh (and last) course and most of the guests were already too drunk to remember anything tomorrow.
Interested, Gaius shook his head and nudged Aurelia. With an apologetic smile at Vespasian, with whom she had been talking until just now, she turned her attention to Julia.
"The Greeks had Helena, we have Aurelia!" echoed Drusilla eagerly, the slogan Julia wanted to tell. Sisterly, she winked at Aurelia, who promptly felt the blood rush to her cheeks. Grinning, Gaius raised his wine goblet, and his guests did the same.
"To the most beautiful woman in the empire," he proclaimed, clinking his goblet against Aurelia's. The whole hall repeated his toast. In one go he emptied his goblet and stood pulling Aurelia with him.
"The highlight of the evening was not the meal," he explained to their guests. "It awaits us in the gardens, and I ask you all to join us outside now"
Laughing quietly, Aurelia and her guests followed him into the night gardens. The performers had moved to the edge and the musicians waited quietly for their cue. Gaius nodded and a drum sounded. Goosebumps spread over Aurelia's arms, and she began to tremble silently. Smiling, Gaius put his arms around her, pulled her close and rested her chin on her head. Her trembling subsided and relaxed, she leaned against him.
Suddenly a flame appeared in the darkness and illuminated a man's face. Smiling, he began to play with the fire as if it were a tame kitten and his guests began to cheer.
"This is exactly how I always imagined Dustfinger as a child - only with different clothes," Aurelia breathlessly breathed and Gaius was glad that her words could only be heard by him. Protectively, he pulled her closer to him and was glad that she was with him and no longer in her old time.