LOVE AND HONOR: The Mad Emperor (BL)

17AD, still around May, Palatine Hill

"Io triumphe!" "Waaaaahhhh!"

*Clack* *Clack*

Germanicus is riding alongside Emperor Tiberius, with the Roman legions marching in formation behind them.

They've only just stepped inside the city.

But the people of Rome were already cheering and chanting as they lined the lively streets. Celebrating their triumphal procession to the palatium, located at the heart of the city.

The air was thick with anticipation and excitement as the people watched their emperor and the Roman legions enter the city. Their armor glints under the sunlight.

Roars from the crowd are deafening.

"Roma victoria!" "Euge!!!"

*Clack* *Clack*

The sound of the crowd's voices and the slow pounding of the horses' hooves on the cobblestone streets created a thunderous sound that shook the air.

"Io io io!" "Vivas imperator!"

"Vivas Roma!" "Vivas imperator!"

*Clack* *Clack*

A group of Roman citizens, dressed in their finest garb, waved olive branches and laurel wreaths in celebration. The emperor had sent a messenger ahead of time to his palace, to announce their arrival.

And the people had gathered to catch a glimpse of their victorious general.

"Io io io!" "Vivas imperator!"

*Clack* *Clack*

Tiberius smiled, his face suffused with an air of supercilious arrogance, as he acknowledged the crowd's adoration. With calculated grandeur, he raised one arm, then the other, in a stately, alternating gesture, as if bestowing benedictions upon the masses.

The people's cheers grew louder, and the chants became fervent.

Tiberius was smiling more widely now at the people, one arm still raised as he basked in the people's warm welcome.

"Vivas imperator!" "Dii immortales!"

"Io imperator!"

"Vale Germanicus!" "Euge Germanicus!"

"Vale imperator! Vivas Germanicus!"

As the procession continued, the crowd's attention began to shift, and the chants changed and became more wilder than ever.

Tiberius' smile faltered, his eyes narrowing as he heard more and more of Germanicus' name being shouted, instead of his.

"Tch" Tiberius muttered, his expression darkening. He then decided to spur his horse forward, and went ahead faster than the procession.

Germanicus, startled by the emperor's sudden movement, reined in his horse for a moment.

Oblivious to the emperor's darkening mood, he urged his horse forward, following Tiberius closely behind. Breaking the procession.

As he rode, his mind was consumed by worry about his young son, Caligula. He had sent the boy ahead to Agrippina with some of his men, but couldn't shake off his concerns about the child's well-being.

Caligula had fallen ill after witnessing the gruesome sight of a severed arm falling off the cart. Which delayed their return to Ravenna for a bit.

His mind turned to the loads of the cart. He smiled bitterly. 'The price of war' he thought.

They have to retrieve the pieces of their fallen soldiers. They can't just let it be buried there.

Germanicus sighed again, saying a silent prayer for his fallen comrades in the Weser river.

Although the boy had recovered quickly, he could sense something was amiss.

Caligula, once energetic and lively, now seemed distant. His head turned to the direction of his domus as if he was seeing it.

The boy's enthusiasm had vanished, replaced by nightmares that left him bawling his eyes out.

'I never should have asked Agrippina to take him to the camp' Germanicus regretted. He is afraid his son has gotten traumatized.

'I should have gone with him, but i had to receive the triumph that Tiberius said he'd grant me' he felt like his status and position as a general had become a curse.

He wasn't in the position to deny it. This is for the people of Rome. The campaign is for revenge.

'I could only hope that the boy will grew out of it, he's still young' he whispered to himself.

*Clack* *Clack*

The sound of the crowd's cheers and the pounding of the horse's hooves brought Germanicus back to the present. He also willed his horse to run faster, eager to reach the palatium to get it over with and reunite with his family.

Tiberius, however, reached the palatium first.

He just jumped down the horse, never waited for anyone and stomped angrily on the marbled floors as he walk.

His leather-sandal-clad feet were echoing as he passed through the corridor as he made his way to his throne room.

While ignoring the greetings of those around him. He is seething with resentment.

He's already been feeling overshadowed by his past predecessor, Emperor Augustus. Unable to take a step out of it.

The senate constantly talked about how Emperor Augustus this and Emperor Augustus that, and now?! And now there is another man's shadow looming over him.

Tiberius' paranoid nature and his jealousy had reached its boiling point.

He began to plot. He'll have to get rid of Germanicus for his name to shine throughout the whole empire and outside of it.

'I can't do anything about Augustus now that he is dead, but i can do something to Germanicus while he is still alive'.

'Do it' a woman's voice said.

'No, don't' a man refuted.

Tiberius tried to block the voices in his head. "Shut up!" but when he looked around there is no one.

He is alone.

He looked around once more and tried to calm himself. Tapping his feet on the marbled floor.

'Kill him'

'No'. He answered in his head.

'Have someone do it...'

'Like you've always done...'

Only then did the emperor's mood lift up. He stopped tapping his feet. 'Yes i don't have to do it myself.'

He sneered with himself and sat on the throne. 'I wont let you take whats mine Germanicus'.

The problem is how he should go about this.

************************************

Germanicus stepped through the doorway of their domus.

Leaving the banquet, Germanicus was finally free from the sound of raucous laughter and the smell of liquor that had filled the emperor's celebration after he was given a triumph.

His eyes locked onto Agrippina's warm smile.

The sun is setting, the orange glow of the sun is reflecting on Agrippina's beautiful face and her blond hair.

"My beautiful wife," Germanicus said, smiling.

He finally felt like he was home.

"Welcome home" Agrippina whispered.

Germanicus swept his wife into a tender embrace. He brushed his lips against his wife's ears and breathed in her scent. A gentle flowery smell that's easy in the nose wafted through his senses.

He closes his eyes. Agrippina feels shy in her husband's embrace. She can feel the heat of his body.

'He's alive and well' Agrippina also closed her eyes and let herself be embraced by her beloved husband.

"How are the children?" he asked, his voice full of concern. He's still hugging Agrippina, not letting her go.

"They're fine.. though Drusus broke his leg, he jumped down a tree.." Agrippina replied. A small laugh escaped her, then she sighed.

"But Caligula is..." a hint of worry has grace her face. She looked up at her husband's face.

"It's alright.. everything will be alright", Germanicus, unable to resist, kissed his wife while promising that everything would be alright.

Despite feeling a sense of foreboding, Agrippina let Germanicus' sweet gentle kiss and embracing arms distract her.

As they parted from the kiss, Germanicus quietly said,"Tomorrow we'll attend the funeral". He thought of all his dead comrades' bodies still lying in the carts.

Understanding what he meant by funeral, Agrippina nods. A bit sad that her husband let her go.

But she still smiled.

************************************

INDEX:

Io triumphe - hail the triumph

Roma victoria- Rome victoriou

Euge - bravo/well done

Io io io - similar to huzzah

Vivas imperator - long life to the commander

Vivas Roma - long live Rome

Dii immortales - immortal gods

Io imperator - hail to the commander

Vale Germanicus - hail Germanicus

Euge Germanicus - bravo/well done Germanicus

Vale imperator - hail commander

Vivas Germanicus - long life to Germanicus