I

GREAT MEN, GREAT THINGS

CAECILIA was turning the ring in her hands in an almost compulsive way. She was just waiting for news. She hadn't slept much for days, precisely since her father's departure. He had gone to war, to conquer a new territory on the orders of the two emperors of Rome.

Geta and Caracalla had always been so demanding with her father, Marcus Acacius. He was the General of the Roman army and the most trusted man of the two Emperors, especially Geta.

That time they sent him to Numidia, an African territory. But Caecilia knew they would never stop, she told it her father. But every time the two Emperors wanted him to conquer new territories, Acacius had always hoped it would be the last time. But Caecilia knew the truth.

Geta and Caracalla were two man who always wanted more than they already had. If her father had returned alive from Numidia, they would have asked him to conquer another territory who knows where.

«Caecilia.» Lucilla interrupted her thoughts and made the young girl turn to her and stand up quickly. Lucilla had entered her room after knocking, but Caecilia hadn't heard her because of the noise of her thoughts. «Your father is back.»

Caecilia sighed, closing her eyes for a moment and playing with her hand on her chest, at the level of her heart. «Thanks Gods.» she then whispered, a smile came out of her face. She was so happy that her father was still alive. «Where is he?»

«He went to the Emperors. They wanted to celebrate him.» the daughter of Marcus Aurelius informed her, but Caecila noticed a strange behaviour from her. She wasn't the same Lucilla of every day.

«Why are you standing there in silence?»
Lucilla waited a few seconds before speaking. She didn't know what kind of words to use. «He wants you to join him.» finally she told her, but they both knew that it wasn't actually Acacius who wanted her at the Palace.

«Is it necessary?» Caecila tried to refuse, but she knew it was impossible. Emperor Geta wanted her, and she would do it if she wanted to help Lucilla and her father. She had a duty to her father, Lucilla and, most of all, Rome.

«I'm sorry.» Lucilla moved closer to her, then placed a hand on her cheek. Over time she became like a mother to Caecilia, just as Caecilia became like a daughter to her, having lost her son because of war. «If you want, you could...»

«No.» Caecilia stopped her, knowing what Lucilla would say. «I've made up my mind, and I'll follow through with it.» she then said, looking at her as seriously as she could.

When she found out about Lucilla and her father's plan, they didn't want her to join it. They thought it would have been too dangerous for her. But she insisted. Because she wanted to help Rome and her people.

That time was no different. She had promised she would help to free Rome from the emperors, and so she did. For this reason, she had to go to the Palace. She had to stay with Geta and smiled at him.

≫ ──── ≪ • ◦ ❈ ◦ • ≫ ──── ≪

«Lady Caecilia.» Emperor Geta welcomed her with a smile as he noticed her appearing in the room. It was not a secret that Geta had feelings for Caecilia, it was so obvious. «I'm glad you are here.»

«Emperor Geta.» she smiled back, bowing her head slighty in greeting. «Emperor Caracalla.» she then did the same to Geta's brother. «Where is my father?» Caecila finally asked, trying to find him among the crowd.

«He's coming. We thought he would have a triumphal entry in Rome. He deserves it.» Geta answered, taking a step forward to get closer to the girl. He wanted to celebrate the man who had given him and his brother the power to control other territories through his conquests.

But he also wanted Caecilia to know how grateful he was for her father. Marcus Acacius helped Geta and Caracalla to increase their power, no doubt. And Geta wanted Caecilia to appreciate him for his gesture.

Caecilia turned to him, raising her eyebrows. «You know my father doesn't care about great things.» and it was the truth. Because Marcus Acacius was a man who didn't like great things. He was a general, one of the most influential and brave men people of Rome knew.

But he was not a monster. He didn't like celebrating his victories in other countries over mothers who were forced to watch their sons die and sons who were forced to watch their fathers be killed. Because of him.

«Great men deserve great things.» Geta uttered, making Caecilia roll her eyes. Her father was a great man, no doubt about it. But Caecilia was very sure that it was Geta and Caracalla to want great things. Her father was only an excuse.

«You look beautiful today, Caecilia.» Caracalla suddenly said, interrupting Caecilia and Geta's conversation. The young lady knew how much Geta cared about her and she also knew how much Caracalla considered her a true friend.

«Not just today.» Geta whispered those words, making Caecilia blow. He had feelings for her, and she had no feelings for him. It was just a plan, but she couldn't deny that she didn't like Geta's attention.

«Thank you, emperors.» Caecilia smiled at them both, focusing more on Geta. The emperor was continuing to look at her and smile. They had knew each other for years, and for Geta it had been love at first sight, unlike Caecilia.

«Oh, there is your father!» Caracalla uttered, pointing with a finger at the figure in front of them. Marcus Acacius was climbing the steps and Caecilia couldn't have been happier to see her father alive.

«Emperor Geta. Emperor Caracalla.» Acacius said, after approaching them. He greeted them with a little bow before turning his attention to his daughter. «Sweetheart.» he said, making Caecilia smile at that nickname. Her father had called her that way from she was a child.

«I have taken Numidia in your names, my emperors.» Acacius started to talk, after Geta greeted him with a smile. He was so happy about Acacius's conquest. He knew he could count on him. He had always known it, from the day he and his brother had chosen him as general.

Caracalla smiled too. He was so exited and, unlike Geta, he was not happy about the conquest and the increase of his power but about the war. He always had loved war, and Acacius just gave it to them. Again.

«Here is your hero!» Caracalla exclaimed, attracting the attention of the people of Rome who started cheering him. The sound of their voices was so loud.

They loved Acacius and considered him one of the bravest and most loyal soldier od their city. They were so grateful to him for his conquests, but they didn't know the truth.

Acacius bowed his head when saw Geta with a crown of laurels in his hands. Caecilia knew her father, so she knew how forced he felt to do that. He didn't want the Emperors and people of Rome celebrating him.

But that was part of the plan. He had to win the trust of the Emperors or everything would be used in vain. «In honor of your conquest there will be games in the Colosseum.» Geta said after a while.

«I require no games in my honor.» Acacius tried to use a peaceful tone of voice, but Caecilia was aware that her father was also trying not to say something wrong. «Serving the Senate and the people of Rome. Honour is enough for me.»

«You are too modest, Acacius.» Geta told him, without classifying their glasses. He looked at Caecila for a moment. «Does not suit a general as accomplished as yourself.» he then said, a little smile came out of his face.

«The glory is yours, not mine. I only ask for some rest pite from war, to spend time with my wife and my daughter.» he said, before turning to Caecilia. He smiled at her and she smiled back. She loved her father, she couldn't have asked for a better father.

Because of the Emperors and their desire for conquest, Acacius was absent many times. But it was not his fault. That was the plan. Caecilia knew it very well well. Despite this, he had never left her without anything.

Acacius did everything he could to not let her feel the weight of her mother's absence. He became an important figure in Caecilia's life, a father who protected her from everything but at the same time gave her the love she couldn't get from a mother figure.

«Your wife, yes... remember the privileges we've granted her?» Caracalla asked Acacius, a threatening expression came out of his face. «Where is she now to ignore such an occasion?»

«She's sick.» Caecilia said, trying to justify Lucilla before Caracalla could do something wrong. She could notice the annoyance that Caracalla was feeling that moment. He was unpredictable, a bomb which could explode at every moment.

Geta interrupted their conversation. After walking away for a moment, he approached them again. «There are victories yet to come.» he told Acacius, resting the sword he was holding first on one shoulder and then the other. «Persia, Inda, both... must be conquered.»

Caecilia noticed the expression on her father's face changer all of a sudden. «Rome has so many subjects. She must feed them.» Acacius uttered, moving the sword away from his neck.

«They can eat war.» Caracalla said, a laugh escaping from his mouth. He was so sadic. He had fun thinking about war, without caring about deaths caused by the war itself.

Caecilia and Acacius looked at each other for a moment. They couldn't speak, but the expressions on their face could clearly tell everyone what they were both thinking.

There was no more time.

≫ ──── ≪ • ◦ ❈ ◦ • ≫ ──── ≪

On the way home, Caecilia could feel her father's nervousness. How could she blame him? She knew how her father thought about the war. He didn't want it, not anymore. «I know it's useless telling you to calm down, but...»

«You listened to them.» Acacius interrupted his daughter. He was so angry, because he truly believed that time would have been the last time. But Caecilia had been right, once again. «Geta wants to conquer other territories to increase his power and Caracalla wants war just for fun.»

«We have a plan, remember? We just have to wait a little longer.» Caecilia said, without looking at him. They almost arrived at home, where Lucilla was waiting for them. «We have to hold out a little longer.»

Acacius turned to his daughter. He knew what she was talking about. That was one of the reason why he wouldn't have joined her his plan. He knew Geta had feelings for Caecilia. «You have to stop before...»

«Before he asks me to marry him?» the girl almost laughed at that thought. She knew the risks when she decided to join her father's plan, so she would continue. No matter what.

«I won't put you in danger.» Acacius looked at his daughter as if he wanted to convince her to back out of his plan. He had been so stupid when he accepted to let Caecilia join it. He couldn't lose her, he had just lost his wife. And, especially, he couldn't force his daughter to marry a man like Geta.

«I'm not a child anymore. I want to take my part in that plan.» but Caecilia was so determined. She had been it from she was a child. Acacius almost remembered it as if it were yesterday when his daughter forced him to teach her how to fight. «I want to save Rome from them.»

They arrived at their house. Lucilla was waiting for them inside, but Acacius wanted to talk to his daughter alone. For this reason he stopped before entering, inducing Caecilia to do the same thing.

«You have the same courage and the same determination as your mother.» he then whispered, placing a hand on her cheek and smiling at her. Sometimes Caecilia remembed him of his wife. His daughter was so much like her, not only in behaviour but also in attitude.

«And the same stubbornness as my father.» Caecilia said, holding back a laugh. It was the truth and every person who knew her and her father could attest to it. Caecilia was Marcus Acacius' copy.

Acacius laughed, then gave her a kiss on her head in affection. It was a gesture he did from his daughter was just a child. Caecilia and Acacius were so bonded, and everyone was aware about it.

«Be careful, okay?» Acacius spoke the last words before entering the house. He knew he wouldn't be able to dissuade his daughter from her goal. So the only thing he could do was to advise her to be careful.

But Acacius would protect Caecilia, whatever it takes. He would die to protect her. He had devised that plan to save Rome and most important to give his daughter a better future in Rome.

His plan would succeed in the end, but he didn't know that he wouldn't live long enough to see it come to fruition. But he would protect Caecilia from the afterlife, thanks to the help of a slave who had become gladiator.

Lucius Verus Aurelius.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

The first chapter is out! Let me know what you think about it! :)

That was just an introduction to my story, so Lucius isn't in the story yet. Despite this, there is a lot about Acacius and Geta :)

I love their characters too (especially Pedro's, but you already know it), so I decided to give them more space than I initially thought.

But Lucius will be present from the next chapter and I can't wait to write about it and the relationship with Caecilia.

See you soon :)