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adopted and Caesar added to his name. He had been the best hope for Rome when Emperor
Marcus Cocceius Nerva had looked around for an heir to adopt. To his credit, he was already
one of the most popular emperors to have held the post.
Ah, Claudius, my friend. I have a posting idea for you that I think you ll appreciate.
Actually I am here on another matter, one a bit more personal.
Trajanus pushed aside his scrolls and stood. Come let s go for a walk in the garden. I
have been sitting here long enough. I think my hand is about to fall asleep. He walked closer
and it was only then he saw Livia. She had hung back without Claudius knowing it. So this is
Livia Pollia?
Claudius started smiling. Livia s color was back to normal. She no longer looked pale
and drawn. She had outdone herself for an audience before the emperor. The dark green silk
stola made her eyes look like they were jewels themselves and she had adorned herself in
matching malachite and gold. He looked back at her with a smile. My father has already been
here this morning with that comment.
Yes and she agreed to marry you last night, I heard as well. Lucky man.
He told you that her father doesn t know?
That s about all he told me. He figured you d be here and that you would prefer me to
hear it from you. Mostly he wanted to discuss getting a man thrown out of Rome.
Livia sat by the fountain and trailed her fingers in the water.
Her father. Claudius murmured.
Trajanus s eyebrows rose incredulously. Some would say that would greatly diminish
her value as a wife.
Livia looked up. She may have seemed to look as if she was off in her own world, but
one look at her eyes, and he knew it was only an illusion. One of the first families selected to
the senate when we were still a republic, Cato, Titus Livius, Aeneas, the king of Latium. Those
are through my mother s line. My father being kicked out won t change that. My father s father
was just an upstart like you and yet he was a Senator and a tribune, among other posts.
Trajanus smiled since he wasn t even a Roman by birth. Instead he was from Spain. Livia
continued, If I were a man, I possess a fortune enough in my own right that I could qualify for
senate several times over.
And Claudius found a way to get you and all that without paying through the nose for
it.
Claudius felt her tense beside him and watched her jaw tighten.
May I be excused?
Yes, of course, I ll have lunch laid out for us when you return.
She bowed her head gracefully in acknowledgement laying aside her feelings.
Are you all right? Claudius asked quietly as she passed him. Her eyes raised and he
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thought he saw tears in them threatening to spill down her face.
Tell him if need be I do not wish to discuss it again. Her look softened. I am fine.
She walked off and both he and the Emperor watched silently as she left. It was after all a view
worthy of an Emperor. An official rushed over with an urgent matter for him seeing him not
speaking for a moment and he turned aside.
After a few words, Trajanus looked back. How expensive is this favor going to be?
Only including a message with the regular dispatches that go out to Seleucia where her
uncle is living. He has raised her there since she was five and she would prefer him to negotiate
this though for that matter there is no negotiating to do. Trajanus nodded and went back to his
briefing. After a moment, he called a slave and ordered their lunch before he joined Claudius
again.
You have found a beautiful woman there, friend?
I have found a strong woman as well.
The way you look at each other -- is this actually a love match?
We met two days ago.
And you made a decision this quickly?
You saw her. Wouldn t you have snapped her up before another had the chance?
Trajanus laughed.
Yes, I would have and of course the property doesn t hurt either.
She actually told me of that afterwards. I suppose since it was decided on her merits
alone and not because of her property. It might be called a love match after all.
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