Leon shuddered in horror as he cast the images that were floating around in his head away. March 15. The Ides of March. This day would be remembered forever as the day his beloved leader Julius Caesar was killed. He stood in the atrium, still barely comprehending the news he had gotten. One of the slaves of the house had been near the Theatre of Pompey, and heard the news when the ruckus ensued in the streets of Rome which surged with unanswered questions. Blood had been spilled on the same Roman Senate floors where Caesar had once been acknowledged as a brilliant and great defender of Rome. Leon heard a frenzy of voices outside, all shouting about what had just happened. He glanced around to see his adopted mother and father turn quickly down the hallway past a colorful fresco and into the library. They spoke in hushed tones, worried about their well-known allegiance to Caesar, and how they were to carefully maneuver now to stay safe. Of course that would be all they would worry about now...not that a great leader’s life has been dashed away, but how to save their political skins! Leon thought spitefully, and stormed down the hall until he came to the household shrine. The smokey incense in the room calmed his rage as he thought about the fragmentation of power that had cumulated to this horrible event.
“Thought I may find you here. Awful..just awful...” Aelianna spoke softly from the doorway behind Leon, and he glanced back startled out of his train of thought.
“I-I am very upset...he was...a great man,” Leon managed to say, wishing desperately that she’d just leave him alone.
“Atticus....or should I say, Leon.” Aelianna murmured, but her words ran clear as day. The room was still and silent. Leon had suspected she knew. Such a clever girl, it had been hard swaying her off his path of deceit and lies. He was almost relieved that she had figured it out.
“Yes. It is Leon.” he said, and turned to stare at her, carefully watching her reaction. She seemed to be lost in thought rather then appalled at his actions.
“I found the letter. The letter my real brother wanted you to give us. It was then I realized who you really were. Gods, I should have guessed something was amiss when things seemed to not be adding up. I never knew my brother though, so how was I really to know?” The curious expression on her face remained calm, and Leon wasn’t quite sure what to do. He thought about the letter he kept tucked away usually on him, and the one day he was drunk with wine and left it in his desk, she had found it.
“Will you tell the others? If so, please let me at least take my leave before. I am not proud of what I did, but I have suffered much in life, I just wanted a new beginning...” Leon began but could hardly find the words.
“Not just yet...” Aelianna said. “I have grown to quite like you, even though you are an impostor...I find you interesting. Maybe I will help keep your secret if you help me gain an audience with my writings...”
“Aelianna... are you sure you’d be willing to keep this secret?” he asked, not believing what she was saying.
“Oh yes, I’ve kept many secrets in this house,” she smiled, and he realized this could be the start to a marvelous relationship.
“Then I accept.” he stated, and she held out her hand for him to give a gentle kiss too.
“After all, life would be better with a brother to help my position in this harsh world, I look forward to us working together Atti- I mean, Leon.”
“As do I,” he said as they then turned to each pray for better days to come.
