Warning mentions war, death, killing and blood.

***

Ana stood ready, sword in hand, as she hovered just behind Acacius. She was standing, on the very top steps of the palace, and below her, was a sea of soldiers, each ready and waiting for Acacius to give the command to charge. She knew that multiple armies were advancing upon Rome at this very moment. Strangely enough, Ana felt no fear.

Perhaps it was because she'd lived this life before, and knew what to expect. Then again, perhaps not. Acacius glanced back at her, his dark eyes meeting hers. She instantly recognized the hardness that settled there, that came from him switching from her lover to this hardened military man.

A shiver ran through Ana's body. She heard the trumpets sounding. Before she could stop herself, she felt the tears beginning at the back of her throat, her nose tingling from the sensation. She roughly cleared her throat. Now was not the time to fall apart. Acacius needed her strength.

At the sound of Ana clearing her throat, Acacius immediately turned, his gaze softening as he drew closer, reaching out for her hand. Ana ached to throw herself into his strong arms, begging with him to flee the city while there was still time.

"You're trembling," Acacius remarked and Ana silently cursed her body for betraying her. She struggled to maintain her calm, but was rapidly losing.

"Acacius, we should leave," Ana heard herself saying. Acacius' expression hardened. She already knew he'd refuse.

"I won't run like a coward," Acacius snapped quietly. "Lucius needs me. Needs us. Do you not understand?"

"I understand," Ana said, through it was a lie. Acacius released Ana's hand, turning forward again. His body posed for the upcoming battle. Ana sighed softly. Regardless of what was about to take place, and regardless of her personal opposition to this madness, she'd stay by Acacius' side.

Even if meant death.

****

Lucius had tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade his mother to flee the city while there was still time. Stubbornly, Lucilla refused, stating that if her only son was to die, she'd die alongside him. It angered Lucius, however, he knew his mother wouldn't be persuaded otherwise.

Since Lucilla had refused to leave, Lucius rounded up several guards, vehemently ordering them all to guard his mother with their lives. They swore their allegiance to Lucius and Lucilla, both, stating that they'd die protecting Lucilla.

Lucius wasn't entirely convinced, but he had no other choice in the matter. His mother was too stubborn for her own good and he couldn't convince her to flee. He saw the irony in this situation, noting how his mother had forced him to leave, yet refusing to flee herself.

He sighed, gripping his own sword, as he made his way down the hallway, looking for Acacius. He found the general, along with Ana, standing at the top steps, which led up to the main entrance of the palace. He paused beside Acacius, silently searching in the distance, feeling a strong sense of deju vu.

Wasn't this the same scene which led to me unknowingly returning to Rome and unexpectedly being reunited with my mother? Oh, how cruel fate could be!

"Has your mother fled the city?" Acacius asked Lucius. He shook his head.

"Unfortunately, no. She refuses to leave."

"She's being foolish and unreasonable," Acacius growled. At these words, Lucius snapped.

"Perhaps you'd care to go debate with her, as these enemies advance upon us!"

"I beg your pardon, my emperor," Acacius murmured. Lucius' temper immediately cooled, as he ran a trembling hand across his face.

"You needn't apologize," Lucius murmured. "I spoke out of anguish of my heart." He sighed, briefly glancing over his shoulder. He briefly wrestled with the idea of rushing back to his mother's private quarters, simply so he could be the one to protect her. Lucius, knew, deep, in his heart, that she wouldn't agree to it and he hadn't the strength now to argue with her.

Instead, Lucius faced forward, readying himself for this battle that was about to change his life.

Again.

****

Lucilla paced furiously in her chambers. Her heart was racing as she mulled over this impending war. She stopped, wringing her hands. She recalled, many years ago when...Maximus marched off, leading an army of men.

Lucilla's eyes are filled with unshed tears as she stood at the window, her hand placed protectively over her stomach. She knew she was carrying Maximus' child. However, she hadn't shared the news with him. She did not see the point. Especially when he might not ever come back again.

Lucilla had begged her father to find another general to lead this particular group of men. He flatly refused, stating that Maximus was the best of them and he had swore an oath to faithfully serve him.

Lucilla had became angry, accusing her father of having no empathy. She cursed his name over and over again, stating that the gods would surely punish him for ignoring her desperate pleas. Marcus Aurelius had sat there, allowing his only daughter to unleash her fury upon him.

He assumed that Lucilla had a specific reason for her fury. And nine months later, Marcus Aurelius understood the meaning behind her rage. He had thought that Maximus was Lucius' true father, but held his tongue, knowing I he dared utter a word of this to Maximus, Lucilla would never forgive him.

Lucilla never told Maximus about Lucius. She never had the chance. While, Maximus had indeed returned, Lucilla had already given birth and Maximus slipped away, marrying his wife and having a son with her.

By the time Maximus had returned to Rome, under a guise of a slave, as he had been overtaken by slave traders, not long after his wife and son had been brutally murdered, under Commodus' orders and was delivered to the arena and Lucilla discovered that Maximus was indeed alive, Lucius was twelve years of age.

Lucilla hurried over to the outer doors, throwing them open. The guards turned, awaiting her command.

"Find the emperor," Lucilla ordered. "I must speak with him before the war begins."

"My apologies, my lady," one of the guards said. "But the war already begun."

****

Ana stood ready. She could already see, from her position, several soldiers had already infiltrated the city. She whispered a silent prayer to the gods, praying for protection for the innocents, who might get caught, in the middle of this madness.

Fortunately, the majority of the population had fled to nearby villages or had managed to hide themselves in secret compartments within the city. Ana held strong. Though she longed to be on the other side of this war, for the time being, she must fight.

For herself. But mostly for Acacius and for the life they would have once they survived this unnecessary war.

***

Acacius was standing at the from lines, his men, all lined up, awaiting his command to charge. His entire body was stiff with trepidation. He longed to be far from here, safely tucked away, Ana securely in his arms, while he allowed everything else to fade into the background.

Instead, here he was, mentally preparing himself for the violent bloodshed that was about to hit. He vaguely recalled the moment he entered Ana's village, how he hadn't realized that by raiding that particular village, he'd meet someone who would radically change his life.

Ana.

Acacius' body quaked, just thinking about her. His face hardened. This wasn't fair to her. She didn't deserve to live through this experience again. She deserved to be happy and free from the worries of life. She was an innocent, dragged into the middle of something she had no control over.

As the enemy armies approached, Acacius only had one thought: stay alive.

****

Once the fighting began, it appeared endless to Ana. Her back, shoulders and head throbbed. She felt as though she'd been fighting for days instead of only minutes. She occasionally spotted both Acacius and Lucius, out among the soldiers, struggling to fight off the enemies which seemed to multiple instead of diminish.

Hordes of soldiers spilled forth, man striking man, the dead falling in heaps upon the ground. Every which way Ana gazed, there was nothing but soldiers, soldiers and more soldiers. If she hadn't been so frightened and angry, she might have been in awe.

She continued swinging her sword, striking down as many soldiers as possible. Her brow was drenched in sweat and blood. Her strength was beginning to fail her. She wasn't certain how much longer she could hold on.

She recalled the conversation between herself and Acacius. He'd told her, if she found her strength waning, she must retreat to the palace. As stubborn as Ana was, she was beginning to realize that she needed a break. She swung a few more times, grunting, cutting down a few more enemy soldiers before taking off, as quickly as her feet could carry her, into the palace.

****

Lucius saw Ana taking off for the palace. He would have liked the privilege of pondering her exit, but he didn't have that luxury at the moment. He wondered briefly, if his mother was still in her chambers or if being the stubborn woman she was, if she was out here, under guise, fighting somehow.

Lucius didn't have time to dwell on that so long, either.  The soldiers from the enemy armies kept coming and coming. He'd never seen so many soldiers all at once before. It was awe inspiring. His sword sliced through multiple men. He'd lost count of how many by now.

He looked over, spotting Acacius, cutting through his own foes, expertly striking them down, almost with ease. Though Lucius knew better. He saw the weariness etched into the general's face. He could tell Acacius was slowly fading. Lucius couldn't allow that to happen. There had to be some way to halt this war.

He just couldn't think of how.

***

Ana tore into the inner part of the palace, sweaty, breathless and trembling. She retreated in further, finding a safe place, far back from the entrance, sinking down to her feet, the adrenaline still pumping through her veins. She felt as though she were abandoning Acacius, but she also knew he'd want her here.

She sniffled a little, wiping her filthy face on the hem of her dress. Ana sat there, the sounds of fighting, from outside, muffled. For a frightening moment, her mind drifted to rather Acacius was still standing or not. She immediately squelched the idea, refusing to think such thoughts.

Footsteps sounded and instantly, Ana popped back up, her sword ready to strike, should it be the enemy. She held herself extremely still, listening as the footsteps grew louder. They stopped. Ana scarcely dared to breathe. Then..."I should have known you'd run away, like a frightened child."

Ana stepped away from her spot in the shadows, glowering at the person.

Lucilla.

****

Despite her concern over her son's welfare, Lucilla couldn't keep the smirk from forming her face as she stood opposite Ana.

"I didn't run away, bitch," Ana snarled, holding her sword in the Lucilla's direction. How she longed to drive the blade through Lucilla's heart. If she had one, that is. Lucilla chuckled, obviously amused by Ana's declaration.

"No? Then how is it you're in here, instead of out there?"

"I'm a woman," Ana snapped. "I have limited strength. Not to mention, I'm not technically a soldier."

Lucilla continued smirking. What she wouldn't give to strike Acacius' whore down and watch the expression on his face when he realized he was too late.

"Yes, of course," Lucilla agreed, her tone condescending. Ana quickly whipped her sword around, and...it was pressed against Lucilla's pale skin. Her eyes widened as Ana's own lips twisted into a smirk.

"You..you can't kill me!" Lucilla cried. "If my son finds out..." She wasn't allowed to finish, as Ana cut her off.

"Your son might have live through the day," Ana snapped. "And should he not, there will be no stopping me from killing you."