LUCIOUS FLAVIA GRIMALDIUS: A ROMAN'S TALE (CHAPTER TWO)
Title: LUCIOUS FLAVIA GRIMALDIUS: A ROMAN'S TALE
Author Lure247 (AKA Laura)
Characters/Pairings: LUKE/REID
Summary: Luke is a Roman General, when injured in battle he ends up in Hospital, under the care of Reid, who dislikes Romans and every thing they stand for.
Warnings: Ratings will vary per chapter, this PG13
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters; if I did then things would be different
CHAPTER: 1
CHAPTER TWO
Fever raged within Lucious, heat emanated from his body. Placing a hand over his torso the heat would warm your palm, whilst his beauty would warm your very soul. Sweat dripped from his brow, tangling his hair into an array of wet golden strands. On occasion the liquid would find escape over his face and onto his lips, Reid would observe.
He’d not left Lucious’ room since he’d found him trapped in his deep sleep three days ago, the very same day that Lucious’ horse and brought him to Reid’s doorstep. He’d had no time; their brief conversation was all that had taken place between the two in Lucious’ conscious state. Reid knew that without food or water he would not remain alive for much longer, but Lucious refused all that was given to him. Sometimes a mere touch would have him in a feverish rage. So Reid stayed, watching patiently and waiting.
Although, of course, there may have been another reason Reid was always nearby, afterall, Lucious was a friend of the emperor. He was a roman general; the emperor would not be best pleased with Reid if his favourite soldier died not in the battlefield but instead under Reid’s supervision.
No! He monitored him constantly and if he couldn’t he would always find someone who could, quite often in the shape and form of his dear friend Kaitlyn. A beautiful, elegant woman, but a prisoner, enslaved by the roman’s when their town was taken. Given to Sextus Ambrosius Marcellus as a gift by the Roman emperor and her husband sent to Rome to fight in front of the adoring crowds.
Reid could not make sense of these Roman’s; they would commit men to death for their own pleasure, their own gratification! Was there not already enough blood shed on the battlefields that they had to bring it into the safe haven of their towns also?
Kaitlyn had lost hope in ever seeing her husband again and when she wasn’t beckoned by her owner she sought refuge in the hospital, with Reid, where she felt safe.
“He’s very beautiful” Kaitlyn stated as she wiped the soft, cold cloth against Lucious’ brow.
Stirring him slightly, Kaitlyn held the cloth still for a moment in desperate hope that he would open his eyes, but instead they remained closed, sweat dripping from his skin despite the lack of covers and cold compress.
“Do you agree?” Kaitlyn stated as she turned to look at Reid, sitting in a roughly made wooden chair opposite Lucious’ bed, his head rested onto his hand, seeking sleep, but having no hope of that with Kaitlyn within the grounds.
“Do I agree?” Reid looked confused, he’d not been listening, he looked up at Kaitlyn who was running the soft cloth along the lines of Lucious’ mouth.
“That he’s beautiful?”
Reid stood from his chair as he uttered “As if I would know of such matters.” He looked at the way she stared at him and shook his head “He’s just a man Kaitlyn……” Reid cleared his throat “I must accept that yes, he is easier to cast an eye over then any of the other patients…..”
“…or anyone I’ve ever seen!” Kaitlyn interrupted with widened eyes.
“Even so Kaitlyn, he is just a man, equal to me. Despite the appearance and his dress” Reid nodded in the direction of Lucious’ armour which had been hung onto a stand “he is no different. Do you forget already what they did to Bradington?”
“I could never forget” Kaitlyn looked to the stone floor for a brief and silent moment before looking back at her friend “but………….I can’t let myself believe, like you do, that they are all the same. He looks so innocent, so young, so………..beautiful.”
Standing back, Reid watched as Kaitlyn re-moistened the cloth from the bucket filled with cold water, fresh from the local spring. He watched as she rung it dry over Lucious’ torso and followed each droplet as it cascaded over his naked body.
He had a fine body, but Reid had already noted the telling signs of malnourishment. Any other man would have withered to nothing before now, but as a Roman solider Lucious had many layers of muscle for his body to use whilst it waited for food. Reid smiled slightly at the idea that it might do Lucious well to starve a little, as he cast his trained eye over his torso and counted each ridge of muscle. Muscles too large and too many for a man of his age, Reid thought.
Feeling intense heat surge through him, Reid’s body told him that he couldn’t deny Kaitlyn’s statement, this man before him was indeed very attractive. Reid closed his eyes at the thought, then re-opening them swiftly he removed the cloth from Kaitlyn’s hand.
“That’s enough for you today!” he proclaimed “the sun is almost setting and Sextus will be expecting you.”
Kaitlyn offered Reid a smile, a smile which said “I am no fool dear friend”, but she remained silent, instead leaning into her friend and leaving a small kiss against his cheek. “I shall return tomorrow.”
“I know you will.”
Once he was sure he was alone Reid re-soaked the linen cloth, then laying it flat against Lucious’ chest he rubbed it against the skin slowly, allowing his tongue to glide against his lips as he circled the tip of the cloth against the generals nipple. Swiftly turning his head into the doorway to check that he was still alone, Reid lowered the cloth back into the bucket and re-moistened it, this time placing it over Lucious’ mouth, as Kaitlyn had done moments before.
Allowing the water to drip into Lucious’ mouth slowly he stopped suddenly when he noticed Lucious’ throat move, he had swallowed.
“More!” Lucious groaned.
Reid gave his lips permission to broaden slightly into a smile, collecting more water on the cloth, placing it near to Lucious’ mouth that gladly sucked the water through the cloth, capturing it onto his tongue. But still his eyes remained shut. Reid re-soaked the cloth then laid it down upon Lucious’ torso.
Lucious received a hand to his cheek accompanied by a soft “Lucious……..Lucious, can you hear me?”
Reid feared that Lucious had slipped into a sleep that he would not awake from. As he had sat with him through the three long nights Lucious would often call out, speaking to an army of men that were not there.
Reid had sat through entire battles with Lucious as he re-enacted them through his dreams, giving orders to his men, wincing when he dreamt of sharp blades piercing his skin. Reid had tried his best to calm him, but had found it best to let him be. But Reid found himself at a loss for words at the sound of horror in Lucious’ shrill cries, cries of pain, of loss, of death.
Wounds littered Lucious’ skin but Reid could not treat them all. Mostly on his back, Reid could not turn him, upon being touched on his back Lucious would fight and Reid could not apply treatment and stitch if Lucious would not remain still. To control the fever they needed to be healed and to be healed Reid desperately needed Lucious to wake.
Besides Lucious’ bed sat a small bowl which contained several small pieces of metal, pieces which Reid had removed from Lucious’ arms, legs and stomach. It was a small wonder that the boy had not perished before; these wounds had needed treatment long ago. Each piece when removed had caused a shriek moan from Lucious in which afterwards a small battle between him and Reid had been encountered. Reid didn’t have the staff; he had no choice but to care for Lucious solely and it was more than he could manage to hold Lucious to the bed and treat his wounds at the same time. The full weight of Reid was no match for Lucious. He’d tried several times; laying his body flat against Lucious’ whilst he worked on stitching, but everytime, despite his fever, Lucious would struggle free.
Although a slight man, Reid had worked his own land for many a year so he had strength, but he lacked fight. More favoured with a battle of the minds, Reid’s literacy had once astounded the town, but when the Roman’s had come it had counted for nothing. He had managed only to persuade them, in his broken Latin, to allow him to continue his position of physician in the town.
Reid continued to stroke at his patient’s cheek………..”Lucious…..Lucious….you need to waken now!” nothing, sighing out into the empty room he uttered “Wake up!! Merda” Reid didn’t often use Latin tongue, but sometimes their words fitted better than his English ones.
Lucious released a small cough, his eyes fluttered quickly beneath his eyelids, but Reid had seen this before. Lucious often did this before he entered into one of his nightmares. But this time it was different, this time his eyes opened slightly.
“Lucious, can you hear me” Reid peered over into Lucious eyes, holding one of them open with his fingers. “Do you remember me?”
Reaching his own hand upwards Lucious grabbed a hold of Reid’s fingers and took the hand away from his face “Of course I do!” Lucious’ voice was strained, but audible “you’re the impudent physician I mistook for an angel, sent to me from the gods!”
“How do you feel?!”
“I’m shivering” Lucious looked down at his naked body, he was completely exposed “you fool! Cover me, I am cold!”
Reid shook his head, placing the back of his hand to Lucious’ brow “You’re caught in fever, you’re temperature is raised….”
Lucious, with what little strength he had, reached for the blanket which lay by his feet, but it was removed from his grasp “…I’ve kept you alive so far, you would be wise to let me know what’s best for you!” Reid’s words were tough.
“So far….? No time has passed since we last spoke!!” Lucious remarked
Reid shook his head “We last spoke three days ago, you’ve been dreaming since.”
“Dreaming?”
“Mainly of battle.” Reid paused, cautious slightly of continuing, but he did “who is Marcus?”
“I know no one of the name Marcus!” Lucious replied, but Reid sensed that the general was lying.
“You called out his name many times in your sleep, reaching out your hand….” Reid re-enacted the hand gesture.
“I said...” Lucious locked eyes with Reid “That I don’t know of anyone by that name! Can the wet cloth be removed from my body….I feel too cold?”
Reid cast a wry smile, removing the cloth, which pleased Lucious a little; Reid then returned it back to his torso, re-soaked with cold water.
“Yah!” Lucious moaned “I asked you to remove it!”
“And I obeyed…….there was no mention of me not re-placing it...Are you in pain?”
“I am, but a Roman learns to accept his pain, it makes us stronger!”
Reid shook his head in disbelief “I can offer medicine to ease the pain…..you’re not with your men now, pain relief will help you to heal, to regain strength”
“No! No medicine”
Reid stood back from the bed slightly “You are insufferable! Do you wish to die?!”
“If it’s my time, I shall let the gods take me, if not then I shall heal under your supervision and then return to my men.”
“Gods! You Roman’s and your gods. You are grown men, men who slaughter innocent people, yet believe in mythical beings who would be best told in children’s stories.”
Lucious’ eyes widened “You don’t believe in the gods?”
“No! I do not! And I believe anyone who does is a fool! Where were your gods when you were struck in battle?”
“They were there, without them I would have died, but no…..I was brought here.”
“You were brought here by horse, not by gods” Reid remarked
“I’m here for a reason, it is not for us mortals to question, but simply follow…………the horse, it’s still here?”
“Yes, he’s tethered outside, he’s not too dissimilar to you I’ve discovered.”
“How so?”
“Mainly brawn and no brain, galling, unreasonable…shall I proceed?” Reid expected a heavy retort, but Lucious simply smiled.
“That sounds like Celar, is he brown, with a white streak across his neck?”
Reid nodded “I’ve needed to send out for supplies, he’s eaten his own weight in food……oh! You must eat…now!”
Reid left Lucious but returned moments later with a warm bowl of coloured water “It’s not much, it’s only stock from what I could find, but it’ll do.”
Handing Lucious the bowl Reid then sat in the chair opposite the bed as he had been before Kaitlyn had disturbed him. He listened to the rhythmic sounds that entered into the room each time the spoon hit against the wooden bowl, but when Reid looked up he found that none of the liquid was getting to Lucious’ mouth.
His hand shaking far too much to allow the spoon to even reach half the distance it needed Lucious looked to Reid.
“You will have to feed me!”
“I will do no such thing!”
“Then” Lucious crashed the bowl down against the table nearby “I shall starve, then I will die and the gods will strike you down!”
Reid laughed which Lucious found very irritating “I already spoke about my feelings towards your gods. You shall need to find a better argument than that!”
Lucious’ face changed, he opened his eyes so that they were large “I need your help Reid, I need to return to my men. I have no idea what has happened to them and it is my duty whilst I am still alive to get back to them. I shall see that you are rewarded.”
Reid stood from the chair “I don’t want your reward.” He reached for the bowl, removing the spoon heavily laden with liquid he placed it near to Lucious’ mouth.
Opening his mouth wide he allowed Reid to pour the hot sauce in, swallowing he gagged slightly at the taste. “I’ve never tasted anything like that!”
“Good?”
“Terrible. We eat grander out on the battlefield with what we can scavenge from the locality.”
“I apologise that I haven’t made a feast fit for an emperor” Reid said, mocking Lucious. “As I said your horse has eaten my pantry empty.” Reid placed the bowl back onto the table “Shall I let you starve….if this isn’t up to your measure.”
“It may take getting used to” Lucious’ hands made for the bowl, which he held whilst Reid once again ladled liquid from the bowl into his mouth. “Much getting used to” Lucious remarked as he held his tongue out slightly.
Author Lure247 (AKA Laura)
Characters/Pairings: LUKE/REID
Summary: Luke is a Roman General, when injured in battle he ends up in Hospital, under the care of Reid, who dislikes Romans and every thing they stand for.
Warnings: Ratings will vary per chapter, this PG13
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters; if I did then things would be different
CHAPTER: 1
CHAPTER TWO
Fever raged within Lucious, heat emanated from his body. Placing a hand over his torso the heat would warm your palm, whilst his beauty would warm your very soul. Sweat dripped from his brow, tangling his hair into an array of wet golden strands. On occasion the liquid would find escape over his face and onto his lips, Reid would observe.
He’d not left Lucious’ room since he’d found him trapped in his deep sleep three days ago, the very same day that Lucious’ horse and brought him to Reid’s doorstep. He’d had no time; their brief conversation was all that had taken place between the two in Lucious’ conscious state. Reid knew that without food or water he would not remain alive for much longer, but Lucious refused all that was given to him. Sometimes a mere touch would have him in a feverish rage. So Reid stayed, watching patiently and waiting.
Although, of course, there may have been another reason Reid was always nearby, afterall, Lucious was a friend of the emperor. He was a roman general; the emperor would not be best pleased with Reid if his favourite soldier died not in the battlefield but instead under Reid’s supervision.
No! He monitored him constantly and if he couldn’t he would always find someone who could, quite often in the shape and form of his dear friend Kaitlyn. A beautiful, elegant woman, but a prisoner, enslaved by the roman’s when their town was taken. Given to Sextus Ambrosius Marcellus as a gift by the Roman emperor and her husband sent to Rome to fight in front of the adoring crowds.
Reid could not make sense of these Roman’s; they would commit men to death for their own pleasure, their own gratification! Was there not already enough blood shed on the battlefields that they had to bring it into the safe haven of their towns also?
Kaitlyn had lost hope in ever seeing her husband again and when she wasn’t beckoned by her owner she sought refuge in the hospital, with Reid, where she felt safe.
“He’s very beautiful” Kaitlyn stated as she wiped the soft, cold cloth against Lucious’ brow.
Stirring him slightly, Kaitlyn held the cloth still for a moment in desperate hope that he would open his eyes, but instead they remained closed, sweat dripping from his skin despite the lack of covers and cold compress.
“Do you agree?” Kaitlyn stated as she turned to look at Reid, sitting in a roughly made wooden chair opposite Lucious’ bed, his head rested onto his hand, seeking sleep, but having no hope of that with Kaitlyn within the grounds.
“Do I agree?” Reid looked confused, he’d not been listening, he looked up at Kaitlyn who was running the soft cloth along the lines of Lucious’ mouth.
“That he’s beautiful?”
Reid stood from his chair as he uttered “As if I would know of such matters.” He looked at the way she stared at him and shook his head “He’s just a man Kaitlyn……” Reid cleared his throat “I must accept that yes, he is easier to cast an eye over then any of the other patients…..”
“…or anyone I’ve ever seen!” Kaitlyn interrupted with widened eyes.
“Even so Kaitlyn, he is just a man, equal to me. Despite the appearance and his dress” Reid nodded in the direction of Lucious’ armour which had been hung onto a stand “he is no different. Do you forget already what they did to Bradington?”
“I could never forget” Kaitlyn looked to the stone floor for a brief and silent moment before looking back at her friend “but………….I can’t let myself believe, like you do, that they are all the same. He looks so innocent, so young, so………..beautiful.”
Standing back, Reid watched as Kaitlyn re-moistened the cloth from the bucket filled with cold water, fresh from the local spring. He watched as she rung it dry over Lucious’ torso and followed each droplet as it cascaded over his naked body.
He had a fine body, but Reid had already noted the telling signs of malnourishment. Any other man would have withered to nothing before now, but as a Roman solider Lucious had many layers of muscle for his body to use whilst it waited for food. Reid smiled slightly at the idea that it might do Lucious well to starve a little, as he cast his trained eye over his torso and counted each ridge of muscle. Muscles too large and too many for a man of his age, Reid thought.
Feeling intense heat surge through him, Reid’s body told him that he couldn’t deny Kaitlyn’s statement, this man before him was indeed very attractive. Reid closed his eyes at the thought, then re-opening them swiftly he removed the cloth from Kaitlyn’s hand.
“That’s enough for you today!” he proclaimed “the sun is almost setting and Sextus will be expecting you.”
Kaitlyn offered Reid a smile, a smile which said “I am no fool dear friend”, but she remained silent, instead leaning into her friend and leaving a small kiss against his cheek. “I shall return tomorrow.”
“I know you will.”
Once he was sure he was alone Reid re-soaked the linen cloth, then laying it flat against Lucious’ chest he rubbed it against the skin slowly, allowing his tongue to glide against his lips as he circled the tip of the cloth against the generals nipple. Swiftly turning his head into the doorway to check that he was still alone, Reid lowered the cloth back into the bucket and re-moistened it, this time placing it over Lucious’ mouth, as Kaitlyn had done moments before.
Allowing the water to drip into Lucious’ mouth slowly he stopped suddenly when he noticed Lucious’ throat move, he had swallowed.
“More!” Lucious groaned.
Reid gave his lips permission to broaden slightly into a smile, collecting more water on the cloth, placing it near to Lucious’ mouth that gladly sucked the water through the cloth, capturing it onto his tongue. But still his eyes remained shut. Reid re-soaked the cloth then laid it down upon Lucious’ torso.
Lucious received a hand to his cheek accompanied by a soft “Lucious……..Lucious, can you hear me?”
Reid feared that Lucious had slipped into a sleep that he would not awake from. As he had sat with him through the three long nights Lucious would often call out, speaking to an army of men that were not there.
Reid had sat through entire battles with Lucious as he re-enacted them through his dreams, giving orders to his men, wincing when he dreamt of sharp blades piercing his skin. Reid had tried his best to calm him, but had found it best to let him be. But Reid found himself at a loss for words at the sound of horror in Lucious’ shrill cries, cries of pain, of loss, of death.
Wounds littered Lucious’ skin but Reid could not treat them all. Mostly on his back, Reid could not turn him, upon being touched on his back Lucious would fight and Reid could not apply treatment and stitch if Lucious would not remain still. To control the fever they needed to be healed and to be healed Reid desperately needed Lucious to wake.
Besides Lucious’ bed sat a small bowl which contained several small pieces of metal, pieces which Reid had removed from Lucious’ arms, legs and stomach. It was a small wonder that the boy had not perished before; these wounds had needed treatment long ago. Each piece when removed had caused a shriek moan from Lucious in which afterwards a small battle between him and Reid had been encountered. Reid didn’t have the staff; he had no choice but to care for Lucious solely and it was more than he could manage to hold Lucious to the bed and treat his wounds at the same time. The full weight of Reid was no match for Lucious. He’d tried several times; laying his body flat against Lucious’ whilst he worked on stitching, but everytime, despite his fever, Lucious would struggle free.
Although a slight man, Reid had worked his own land for many a year so he had strength, but he lacked fight. More favoured with a battle of the minds, Reid’s literacy had once astounded the town, but when the Roman’s had come it had counted for nothing. He had managed only to persuade them, in his broken Latin, to allow him to continue his position of physician in the town.
Reid continued to stroke at his patient’s cheek………..”Lucious…..Lucious….you need to waken now!” nothing, sighing out into the empty room he uttered “Wake up!! Merda” Reid didn’t often use Latin tongue, but sometimes their words fitted better than his English ones.
Lucious released a small cough, his eyes fluttered quickly beneath his eyelids, but Reid had seen this before. Lucious often did this before he entered into one of his nightmares. But this time it was different, this time his eyes opened slightly.
“Lucious, can you hear me” Reid peered over into Lucious eyes, holding one of them open with his fingers. “Do you remember me?”
Reaching his own hand upwards Lucious grabbed a hold of Reid’s fingers and took the hand away from his face “Of course I do!” Lucious’ voice was strained, but audible “you’re the impudent physician I mistook for an angel, sent to me from the gods!”
“How do you feel?!”
“I’m shivering” Lucious looked down at his naked body, he was completely exposed “you fool! Cover me, I am cold!”
Reid shook his head, placing the back of his hand to Lucious’ brow “You’re caught in fever, you’re temperature is raised….”
Lucious, with what little strength he had, reached for the blanket which lay by his feet, but it was removed from his grasp “…I’ve kept you alive so far, you would be wise to let me know what’s best for you!” Reid’s words were tough.
“So far….? No time has passed since we last spoke!!” Lucious remarked
Reid shook his head “We last spoke three days ago, you’ve been dreaming since.”
“Dreaming?”
“Mainly of battle.” Reid paused, cautious slightly of continuing, but he did “who is Marcus?”
“I know no one of the name Marcus!” Lucious replied, but Reid sensed that the general was lying.
“You called out his name many times in your sleep, reaching out your hand….” Reid re-enacted the hand gesture.
“I said...” Lucious locked eyes with Reid “That I don’t know of anyone by that name! Can the wet cloth be removed from my body….I feel too cold?”
Reid cast a wry smile, removing the cloth, which pleased Lucious a little; Reid then returned it back to his torso, re-soaked with cold water.
“Yah!” Lucious moaned “I asked you to remove it!”
“And I obeyed…….there was no mention of me not re-placing it...Are you in pain?”
“I am, but a Roman learns to accept his pain, it makes us stronger!”
Reid shook his head in disbelief “I can offer medicine to ease the pain…..you’re not with your men now, pain relief will help you to heal, to regain strength”
“No! No medicine”
Reid stood back from the bed slightly “You are insufferable! Do you wish to die?!”
“If it’s my time, I shall let the gods take me, if not then I shall heal under your supervision and then return to my men.”
“Gods! You Roman’s and your gods. You are grown men, men who slaughter innocent people, yet believe in mythical beings who would be best told in children’s stories.”
Lucious’ eyes widened “You don’t believe in the gods?”
“No! I do not! And I believe anyone who does is a fool! Where were your gods when you were struck in battle?”
“They were there, without them I would have died, but no…..I was brought here.”
“You were brought here by horse, not by gods” Reid remarked
“I’m here for a reason, it is not for us mortals to question, but simply follow…………the horse, it’s still here?”
“Yes, he’s tethered outside, he’s not too dissimilar to you I’ve discovered.”
“How so?”
“Mainly brawn and no brain, galling, unreasonable…shall I proceed?” Reid expected a heavy retort, but Lucious simply smiled.
“That sounds like Celar, is he brown, with a white streak across his neck?”
Reid nodded “I’ve needed to send out for supplies, he’s eaten his own weight in food……oh! You must eat…now!”
Reid left Lucious but returned moments later with a warm bowl of coloured water “It’s not much, it’s only stock from what I could find, but it’ll do.”
Handing Lucious the bowl Reid then sat in the chair opposite the bed as he had been before Kaitlyn had disturbed him. He listened to the rhythmic sounds that entered into the room each time the spoon hit against the wooden bowl, but when Reid looked up he found that none of the liquid was getting to Lucious’ mouth.
His hand shaking far too much to allow the spoon to even reach half the distance it needed Lucious looked to Reid.
“You will have to feed me!”
“I will do no such thing!”
“Then” Lucious crashed the bowl down against the table nearby “I shall starve, then I will die and the gods will strike you down!”
Reid laughed which Lucious found very irritating “I already spoke about my feelings towards your gods. You shall need to find a better argument than that!”
Lucious’ face changed, he opened his eyes so that they were large “I need your help Reid, I need to return to my men. I have no idea what has happened to them and it is my duty whilst I am still alive to get back to them. I shall see that you are rewarded.”
Reid stood from the chair “I don’t want your reward.” He reached for the bowl, removing the spoon heavily laden with liquid he placed it near to Lucious’ mouth.
Opening his mouth wide he allowed Reid to pour the hot sauce in, swallowing he gagged slightly at the taste. “I’ve never tasted anything like that!”
“Good?”
“Terrible. We eat grander out on the battlefield with what we can scavenge from the locality.”
“I apologise that I haven’t made a feast fit for an emperor” Reid said, mocking Lucious. “As I said your horse has eaten my pantry empty.” Reid placed the bowl back onto the table “Shall I let you starve….if this isn’t up to your measure.”
“It may take getting used to” Lucious’ hands made for the bowl, which he held whilst Reid once again ladled liquid from the bowl into his mouth. “Much getting used to” Lucious remarked as he held his tongue out slightly.