Chapter Eleven, Lovers Intwine Divine Divine.
"I WANT YOU"

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     Octavia Amulius didn't sleep much that night.

     Every breath, it was just another thought spent on him — on Hanno.

     Octavia could not shake the feeling in her chest that had been planted there from the moment Hanno's lips had found her own, and their mouths had moved in perfect synchrony with each other — igniting those unfamiliar feelings of passionate flames that Octavia had craved in the throes of intimate connections ever since she stumbled into Geta's bed many months ago. Not even Geta, the most powerful man in the entire empire, sitting on his throne glittered in the finest drapes and jewels, possessed the power to make her feel so enthralled by his very being. His touch never made her feel warm or loved, and his kiss could never leave her wanting more.

     And she yearned for more. To be touched. To have her soft skin caressed by the gentle touch of a man worthy of her. To be kissed like she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and he was the most lucky man on earth to have a taste of the forbidden fruit — ripe and ready to be devoured. And Octavia wanted Hanno to be that man. She wanted him to hold her like she was his whole world, and litter her body with passionate, yet delicate kisses. She wanted him to make her feel alive again, to allow the everlasting feeling of euphoria to circulate throughout her body as Hanno took her and made her his everything.

However, she knew it wouldn't take much effort, for she was already his the moment his lips met her's.

     And that feeling in her chest? It was the warmth of a fire ignited around her heart, burning fondly with desire.

     Funny. Octavia believed she would never feel that warmth again.

There she was, lying in bed, looking up at painting of the Birth of Venus hanging above her bed on the ceiling, as a sigh left her lips. Octavia had grown accustomed to staring up at the painting whenever she forced herself to dissociate from her crippling reality whenever Geta used her as his own personal child bearer. He used her for pleasure, filled her with his seed, and then left, praying for a child to be the result of his desires, and a result of Octavia's pain. It was strange to think now she was looking up at the familiar artwork with content instead of disarray, her thoughts now consumed by Hanno, and that kiss.

     Octavia swallowed thickly as she started to sink deeper into her bedsheets, her hand tracing faintly against the skin of her collarbone, trailing down her chest as her fingers lightly brushed over her cleavage. A shaky breath escaped past her quivering lips as her hand moved down between her thighs, her free hand pulling up the fabric of her nightgown, while her other hand began to press firmly against her fold. Octavia inhaled sharply at the feeling, but she continued to move her fingers in a circular motion, creating small, yet joyous feelings of pleasure as they began to wash over her body in waves, and all she could wish was it was his hands touching her, and not her own.

     This was shameful. She thought.

     It was a sin.

     And yet, the only reason she came to her senses and stopped what she was doing wasn't because it was what she wanted. It was because the loud knock at her chamber doors made the woman retract her hand before she jumped up, quickly climbing out her bed before she straightened out her nightgown, making sure she appeared presentable for whoever was about to step into her room. She just hoped it wasn't Geta wanting something from her, especially after she had made it abundantly clear she didn't want anything from him. No matter how hard he tried to earn her forgiveness, she wasn't ready to give it yet, especially when her thoughts were consumed by the nonchalant presence of another man.

     But when the doors opened, Octavia breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw Augusta enter the room, a warm and inviting smile etched at each corner of her lips. Octavia returned the smile. It was clear Augusta had found the courage to forgive herself for what happened a couple of days ago, and for that, Octavia was just as grateful. She didn't want a good woman such as Augusta bearing the burden of guilt when Octavia herself didn't resent her for the betrayal forced upon her. Octavia understood why Augusta had to reveal the secret to Geta, and she didn't hold any ill feelings towards the woman. How could she when she was just trying to protect her young son?

However, the longer Augusta stared at Octavia from where she stood, she noticed the abnormalities in her complexion, causing for a look full of a concern to wash over the woman's face as she parted her lips to speak. "Are you well, My Lady?" She asked.

"Of course," Octavia replied truthfully, continuing to smile. "Why do you ask?"

Augusta walked over towards the woman, stopping in front of her before she lifted her hand and gently brushed her knuckles against Octavia's soft cheek. "You're just so flushed, My Lady. Are you sure everything's okay?" Augusta pointed out, and when Octavia realised her cheeks had indeed heated up, she did her best to cover them with her hands.

"Everything is just fine, Augusta. Do not worry yourself," Octavia insisted, taking a seat down in front of her mirror, her own reflection looking straight back at her.

"So, it has nothing to do with that gladiator you take care of?" Augusta persisted, strolling towards Octavia until she stopped behind the woman. Augusta then picked up the hairbrush and began to comb it through waves of Octavia's thick, raven black coloured hair.

However, the mere mention of the gladiator in question was enough to make Octavia perk up in her chair, staring straight back at Augusta through the reflection of the mirror. "Hanno?" She questioned, appearing almost bewildered by the sudden topic of conversation.

Augusta couldn't help but smirk in response. "Well, who else would I be speaking of?" She retorted teasingly. "He seems like a man of honour. Caius saw him take a shot at Geta yesterday. I'm sure that was all for you. He must have seen those bruises," She elaborated. Octavia was surprised to learn she wasn't the only one to see Hanno make his attempt to execute Geta, but should she really be surprised when his displays of violence took place in front of an entire colosseum of people?

Octavia then looked down at the bruise on her cheek. She noticed that it was already beginning to fade, the severity of the markings beginning to slowly but surely leave her face. "You seem very fond of him," Augusta pointed out.

     Octavia hummed quietly in response, nodding her head. If there was one person she could be honest with, it was Augusta. "I am. There are not many men with honour in this city. He made quite an impression," She admitted earnestly.

     A smirk continued to ghost across Augusta's lips as she continued to style the woman's hair accordingly. "He certainly has." Octavia didn't know the meaning behind Augusta's small and faint grin. Maybe she knew more than she cared to let on. Octavia didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "You're not the only one with this fondness for the gladiator. Lucilla seems quite entranced by him," She explained.

     "How so?" Octavia inquired, wondering what it was about Hanno that had grasped the attention of Lucilla Verus Aurelius of all people.

     Augusta shook her head. "Well, she asked for speak with you about him. That's why I'm here to make sure you look presentable. I asked Caius to entertain her with a walk around the garden before the emperors had a chance to get their hands on her. It seems like she appreciated that very much," She elaborated further, earning a small smile from Octavia in response.

     Yet, she couldn't help but let her mind wander. Octavia desired to know why Lucilla had grown fond of Hanno, and why she would be privy to this information. Whatever it was, Octavia wanted to find out sooner rather than later. So, she laid back and allowed Augusta to make her look her best before she met with Lucilla in the garden, all while Octavia continued to wait, driven by anticipation and blind curiosity.

Once Octavia was dressed in a beautiful and elegant gown, her hair cascading down her back, framing her face perfectly with a grand golden encrusted chain hanging from her neck, Augusta guided Octavia through the garden she herself had been accustomed to for the past year, taking many turns around bushes and many assortments of flowers of all kinds of shapes and colours. They followed the quiet echoes of voices until they found Lucilla and Caius deep in conversation. Octavia frowned when she saw how serious the topic must have been to make Caius stand over her with a protective look evident in his eyes. But before anything else could be said, both Caius and Lucilla turned to see Octavia and Augusta were now standing in their presence, forcing Caius to take a step back.

Augusta let out a gentle sigh and linked arms with Caius before they strolled away, heading back into the direction her and Octavia had just come from, leaving Octavia and Lucilla alone in the garden. "Is everything okay?" Octavia asked, gesturing towards the tense conversation between Lucilla and Caius from moments before.

"Ah, yes..." Lucilla nodded her head, forcing a smile of her own. "We were just conversing. Nothing for you to worry about."

Octavia knew she was lying.

Nonetheless, she decided not question the woman further as she wanted to move onto why Lucilla had decided to pay her a visit at the palace. However, she was quickly met with a sympathetic glance as Lucilla's eyes moved to the faint bruise glazed against Octavia's cheek, forcing her to let out a sigh. "Oh, My dear..."

     "It's okay," Octavia reassured her, offering a smile of her own in return. "It's not as visible now. And do not fret. I did not implicate you in what happened to Geta's baby. He doesn't know anything about your involvement."

     "Well, I gathered that since I still have my head," Lucilla commented, earning a soft and warm chuckle from Octavia in response.

     Once the laughter between the two women died down in just a matter of a few seconds, the deafening silence quickly engulfed them both as they stood alone together in the midst the open and breathtaking garden that was always pleasing to the naked eye. It remained that way for a while, silent and comfortable, until Octavia cleared her throat, turning to face the blonde haired woman once again, a ghost of a smile forming across her lips as the lingering question continued to play on her mind, so much so that she knew she had to ask out loud eventually.

"You wanted to speak with me about the gladiator?" Octavia was the first to speak up, giving Lucilla a nonchalant shrug in the process before she began to walk ahead, waiting for Lucilla to join her side. "Augusta told me you wanted to speak about him. Although I'm not sure of what use I will be to you—"

"His name is Lucius."

Octavia stopped dead in her tracks upon hearing the familiar name roll off of Lucilla's tongue, each syllable laced with the kind of emotion that only a mother with all the love for her child could conjure. Octavia then turned around to face Lucilla once again, watching as a hopeful grin found its way to her lips, her eyes flooding with what appeared to be tears, but ones full of all the joy she could possibly muster. Octavia had heard the name before, but only in tales of the past. One that contained a young boy — the grandson of the late Emperor Marcus Aurelius — The Lost Prince of Rome, Lucius Verus Aurelius.

But that couldn't be possible, could it? Lucius was sent away a long time ago, soon to be presumed dead after he was never found. And now Lucilla stood before her, preaching that her son was the bloodthirsty, rage induced gladiator who fought like a beast in the arena, but was as gentle as a lamb behind closed doors. Octavia found it hard to believe, and yet, she chose to hear the woman out.

"Are you sure?" Octavia questioned, her brows furrowing together as she walked back over to the woman.

     Lucilla nodded her head, a hopeful grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "I am sure." But Octavia was still weary. What were the chances that Lucilla's son had finally returned to his homeland?

Lucilla could sense Octavia's hesitance, forcing the woman to grab her hands with her own. "I understand how it must sound. But I spoke with him. He doesn't want to admit who he is out loud, but I know it is him, Octavia. I know my own son," She explained passionately, letting go of Octavia's soft hands.

     Octavia could see Lucilla was convinced that the gladiator sitting in a cage on the other side of the city was her own flesh and blood, and that was enough to convince herself the same. The truth is Octavia wasn't sure if the gladiator she had grown so fondly of could be the lost prince. But if Lucilla still held onto some inkling of hope, then she knew she had to as well. Not just for Lucilla, but for herself too. If Lucius was truly alive, then he had the power and the ability to challenge the emperors and strive for their throne. Octavia wasn't sure if that was what he would want, but with Rome slowly falling apart, brick by brick, the woman knew she had to at least try and speak with him.

     "I believe you," Octavia confirmed, a sense of hope igniting in her chest all at once. "But what do you want me to do?"

     Lucilla's hopeful grin soon turned into a warm smile. "My son is quite fond of you as you are of him. I know that if he's going to listen to anyone, it is you, My Dear." Octavia didn't quite understand how Lucilla could possibly know of her connection to Hanno...or Lucius, if that was his true identity. That was until she realised more people had bared witness to the stunt in the colosseum yesterday.

"You saw what he did?" Octavia questioned wearily. If Lucilla had seen what Lucius had done, then how many people saw his treachery in the arena that day?

     Did the emperors or those loyal to the emperors witness it?

     Octavia knew it wasn't possible. Lucius would've been executed on site if they had.

Lucilla nodded her head. That was all the confirmation Octavia needed. "You have ignited a fire in him that can only be sparked by the mutual feeling of love for one another," She elaborated, her words being enough to make Octavia chuckle in amusement as she shook her head in response.

     "He does not love me, Lucilla," Octavia denied. Her and Lucius hardly knew each other. She didn't even understand why he chose to kiss her yesterday in the darkest shadows of his cage. Besides, he was still grieving over the loss of his wife, so Octavia had accepted that they wouldn't find love in one another, even if she yearned for him in a way that could only arise in the throes of love.

     Octavia's choice of words were enough to make Lucilla hum, a twinkle burning bright in her eyes as she lifted her gaze to meet Octavia's copper coloured eyes. "I have been around for a long time, Octavia. I know love. I've been in your position — in love with someone who I could never have." There was a pause, almost as if Lucilla was reminiscing. "Lucius' father...his real father. The great Maximus Decimus Meridius." She admitted. Truth is, this was the first time she had admitted it to someone else out loud.

Octavia wished she could say she was shocked by the revelation. Even after all this time since the passing of Maximus that fateful day in the colosseum where he gave his life to stop the mad emperor, Commodus, and save the city of Rome, the rumours of Lucius' real father travelled like wildfire through the desolate streets. Lucilla had an affair after being forced into an arranged marriage when she was barely even a grown woman herself. Her kindness shown towards Maximus before his death sparked senseless whispers in the aftermath of his demise, and they never seemed to fade from the lips of the people ever since.

"Your affections for my son mirror what I once felt for Maximus," Lucilla insisted. Octavia chose to remain silent, not really knowing what else to say. "Even if it remains unspoken between the two of you, as it did us, the love is there and it is more alive than ever. Don't let it slip from you as I did, Octavia."

     And in that moment, Octavia Amulius' eyes softened as she continued to stare into Lucilla's eyes because while she was still uncertain about her true feelings for Lucius, she knew deep down there was a connection there. She felt it. She was sure Lucius felt it too. But then Octavia remembered their situations. Lucius was a gladiator fighting for survival, while she was betrothed to another, and neither could escape their inevitable fates.

     Not unless they both found the courage in them to at least try.

━━━━━━━━

It was late by the time Octavia Amulius showed up at the colosseum, and this time, she was alone.

Sneaking out of the palace this late at night wasn't easy. She had to convince Augusta and Caius to cover for her if Geta decided to pay her an unwelcome visit while she was gone. After they agreed to help her sneak out, she slipped undercover into the dead of night, took a horse from the stable when no one was watching, and ventured across the city, unguarded and completely alone. It was a risk. She was wearing nothing more than a hooded cloak to hide her face from passers by, and if she was caught nonetheless, she would be immediately escorted back to the palace and questioned about her intentions.

Neither would've offered a good outcome.

So, Octavia played it safe and asked Ravi to help her inside when she reached the colosseum, and then to leave her alone with Lucius until she left. He obeyed her instructions and willingly escorted her downstairs to where the gladiators were kept. When Octavia reached the bottom, she was surprised to see and hear how quiet it had become when the fighters were left sleeping peacefully in their cages, nothing more than a few torches burning bright, the flames dancing calmly around each other. Octavia then continued to follow Ravi until they wondered down a corridor where Lucius cage was, separated from all the others as Macrinus' prized fighter who received some sort of special treatment above everyone else.

Octavia watched as Ravi fished out the keys from his cloak before unlocking the cage. She then turned to him, a ghost of a smile etched across her lips. "Thank you for this, Ravi." She told him earnestly, expressing her sincere gratitude.

Ravi smiled back at the woman. "Just make sure to lock the cage after you're done speaking with him, then return the keys back to me afterwards." Ravi handed the keys over to the woman before walking away into the opposite direction.

As a sigh left her lips, Octavia entered the cage and closed the gate behind her. Her sudden presence in the room with him was enough to make Lucius stand from where he was previously seated, standing straight with his hands tucked behind his back. He didn't say a word, and instead, he just stared at her from afar, wondering why she had ventured all the way down to the gladiator cages to see him, and why she was hidden under the cover of a dark cloak in comparison to all the other times. It made him quickly realise she had come without anyone knowing her whereabouts, but the second they came face to face with each other again, she lifted the hood of the cloak from her head to reveal the beauty underneath the darkness of the cloak.

     Then there was that strange feeling that erupted in the pit of his stomach the second his eyes found her own again. He thought back to yesterday, and the kiss they shared. He remembered the feeling that shook his very being the moment he found the courage to give into his desires. The moment his lips touched hers, the softness and taste of her lips so intoxicating that he could've gone back for more, it was a moment he could never forget for as long as he lived. Even while she stood in front of him now, Lucius wanted her more than ever, and more than just a kiss from her lips.

     Little did he know, Octavia Amulius had felt the same.

"You shouldn't be here," Lucius told her.

"I had to speak with you..." Octavia replied back instantaneously, swallowing thickly before she uttered the next part, "...Lucius."

Octavia had not been sure about his true identity. No matter how convinced Lucilla had become, she had to know herself from the man himself. However, the second the familiar name left her lips, she quickly noticed the way his entire body tensed as the name rolled off of her tongue, followed by the clenching of his jaw. That was all the confirmation she needed to witness to realise the man before her, he wasn't just a slave captured from the broken lands of Numidia after a war, or a gladiator fighting in the colosseum. The man standing before her now was Lucius Verus Aurelius — The Lost Prince of Rome — and possibly even the saviour the city needed now more so than ever.

     "You spoke with my mother?" Lucius replied, his low and gruff voice slicing through the silence like a sharp blade.

     "So, it is true?" Octavia asked in a rhetoric manner, a look of disbelief and hope plastered across her face. "Why didn't you say anything? I could've tried to help you."

     Turning away from her, a sigh left the man's lips, "I have tried desperately to forget my old life." Octavia stood there, listening diligently, knowing there was so much she wanted to say, but she feared there wouldn't be enough time.

     "But now the Gods have brought you back to your home — to your family," Octavia blurted out, her choice of words being enough to make Lucius turn back around to face her once again. "That has to count for something."

     Lucius couldn't help but chuckle in amusement, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "You have so much hope in a hopeless world," He pointed out.

     Octavia hummed in response, removing the cloak from her body when the warmth of the flames from the torches shining into the cage began to burn a little too much, leaving her in a gold and white dress. "My father taught me that having hope is everything in a hopeless world. If we don't have that, then what is there worth fighting for?" She elaborated, a small hint of a smile finding its way to her lips. It was faint, and while it was still slightly dark, the room engulfed with shadows on every corner, Lucius still saw hints of that smile he had grown so fond of.

     "You miss him," He stated. It wasn't a question. He was bringing light to something so obvious that it didn't even serve as a question.

     "Dearly," Octavia agreed, taking a seat down on the bed of stone. She then lifted her gaze to look back at Lucius, before she patted the empty space next to her.

Lucius reluctantly joined the woman at her side, taking a seat beside her as Octavia parted her lips to speak. "Do you miss your father? Your real one?" Octavia asked curiously, but there was some empathy laced in her voice, speaking her words from the heart.

They both knew she was speaking of Maximus — the rogue gladiator who died saving Rome from Emperor Commodus.

"I didn't know him enough to even consider him my own flesh and blood," Lucius confessed, looking down at his cut up hands, born from the harrowing endurance of the games. "But what I do remember of him...I remember idolising him. Watching him in the arena, it was something no one could have ever forgotten, even if they tried with all their might. He was a force. I remember calling him the saviour of Rome when I was just a boy."

Octavia let out a quiet chuckle, nodding her head. "And he was, even if it was just for a short time. I wish his legacy could've been honoured," She paused, thinking to herself for a moment. "Maybe it still can. If you challenge the twins for the throne—"

"I will do no such thing," Lucius interjected softly, shaking his head.

"Why not?" Octavia questioned, her brows knitting together in confusion.

That was when Lucius turned to look at her, his eyes meeting her own as he parted his lips to speak once again. "I have no desire for it — the power," He informed.

"That's what makes you the right choice," Octavia retorted. "Those who do not want power are the perfect rulers. Why? Because they don't put their wants and needs ahead of the people. Geta and Caracalla only care about themselves. That is why Rome is dying. It won't be long until the city is burned to ash unless someone challenges them for it. Someone worthy," She explained.

"And you believe that person is me?" Lucius replied, a look of disbelief washing over his face.

     "I know that person is you," Octavia was quick to correct. Yet, Lucius was still hesitant. In fact, he didn't want it at all. This caused for Octavia to let out a sigh. "Fine. If you don't want it, that's okay. At least let me help you find a way out of here."

     Lucius shook his head again, "Or maybe you should just accept my fate for what it is. You don't have to help me."

     "But I want to help you," Octavia insisted, dedicated to the matter at hand. "You are more than just a gladiator. I don't want to see you die in that arena." Her voice trembled slightly in that very moment. She didn't realise how much she cared for Lucius until that very moment. It quickly became clear she would hate for something awful to happen to him.

     "Why?" Lucius inquired curiously. It was clear, despite his own feelings for her, he was still hesitant to form any kind of attachment. "Because Rome would burn without me?" He was joking around, the sarcasm laced in his sad tone being a dead giveaway.

     Octavia reached out, taking Lucius' hand into her own, giving it a tight and reassuring squeeze. "Because I wouldn't know what to do without you." The confession stunned Lucius at first, but he continued to listen contently. "It's a strange feeling..." Octavia looked away as her hand slipped away from his. "...Finding someone who truly understands you, and that someone being the one person you would never guess fate would bring to you." She smiled weakly, her eyes remaining on the brick wall in front of her.

Lucius remained quiet for a moment, his blue eyes admiring Octavia from beside her. He watched as the weak smile that shined bright across her lips quickly faded within a blink of an eye, before a stray tear slipped past her eye, beginning to roll slowly down her cheek. Lucius didn't exactly know what forced him to do it, but her couldn't help but reach out, his fingers searing into her flesh as he lifted his thumb to wipe the tear away with a soft and delicate touch. Octavia reacted slowly. The second Lucius' touch found her skin, she turned her head to face him again, her eyes meeting his as he retracted his hand away. In that moment, their faces were close, so close, that it became unbelievably tempting to close the gap between them.

     She felt that desire surge through her all over again.

     He felt it too.

     However, instead of acting on it, Octavia was quick to inhale sharply before she stood back up onto her feet. "I should go. I'll be back to visit before your next game..." Octavia turned her back on him. She made an attempt grab her cloak, but Lucius was quick to intervene, his hand finding her wrist as he wrapped his fingers securely around her wrist, rising back up to his feet in the process, now towering over her as he stared deep into her copper coloured eyes.

     "Stay..." Lucius whispered to her, their faces inches apart. He was so close Octavia could feel his warm breath fanning against her face. "Please."

     Octavia knew she should leave. Her conscience screamed at her to leave before she committed all kinds of treachery she knew she couldn't come back from. If she did this, then she would be burdened with sin. The Gods would never forgive her. . . That was unless they wanted her to do this, to give into temptation and take what her heart has desired for as long as she could possibly remember. She wanted love — real love. She didn't want the kind where she was showered with riches and empty promises. She wanted the real thing. To be touched, held, and spoken to with admiration. She never had that with Geta.

     But in such a short time, she found that with Lucius. She didn't know how it could be possible to find love in a person in such a short span of time, but she did. They both had.

She didn't realise Lucius had been feeling the same thing until his lips found hers again, pressing forcefully against her own, in which she reciprocated in a matter of seconds, not daring to fight him as he placed his hands on her waist and pulled her into him with an eagerness that sent Octavia's heart fluttering. All of a sudden, she lifted her arms and snaked her hands past his shoulders before applying pressure to the nape of his neck, deepening the kiss, her own eagerness coming out of hiding for the first time in her life. It was messy, untrained, and out of rhythm. There wasn't even any artistry in their shared desire. Just two individuals who shared the same hunger for one another.

     However, Lucius was the first to stop and pull away from the kiss, his eyes staring down at her, breathless as he spoke, his words coming out bit by bit in between ragged breaths. "Just say the word, and I will stop—"

     "Do not stop," Octavia whispered to him, her voice full of hunger and a kind of desire she had been dreaming of for so long now. Octavia then moved her fingers to his jaw, her thumb grazing against his face. "I want this...I want you."

     That was all Lucius needed to hear before he eagerly pushed his lips against hers. Octavia returned the favour, but this time, it was more thought out, more careful, gentle and passionate. The hunger was still there. Except they didn't dare rush it. They savoured every moment as Lucius lifted one hand, his fingers searing into her skin as he caressed her jaw before his hand slid to the back of her neck, the other hand then finding the dip in her back, brushing against the fabric of her dress like the ghost of a tender caress, bringing her closer to his body. She was so close that she could feel the heavy thumping of his heartbeat. She couldn't help but smile into the kiss.

     Octavia was next to break away from the kiss, breathless, as she helped Lucius remove the rags his captors called clothing, throwing it to the ground. Octavia stared at him, her eyes on his bare and muscular chest, dazed, but there was a lingering smile playing on her lips before she pressed her lips against his again, savouring the tenderness of his mouth on her own with every breath. The hunger began to settle in between them once again. She yearned to feel more than just his lips on hers. She felt his chest through the silk fabric of her dress, and it became apparent that she yearned to feel her skin on his.

     It was clear Lucius wanted the same because he slowly pulled his lips away from Octavia's before he turned her around, her back now facing him as he began to undo the binds on her dress, unraveling it piece by piece as the fabric hugging her body tightly began to loosen around her. As Lucius continued to undress her, he leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her neck, and Octavia let out a quiet moan as he continued to trail a litter of kisses down her neck, pulling down the shoulder strap of her dress to place a gentle peck on her shoulder. Octavia couldn't help but melt into him, leaning into his front as he repeated the same synchrony of kisses, but this time in reverse, starting from her shoulder, moving up to her neck, and then behind her ear, a shaky breath leaving his lips when he felt her shudder underneath his touch.

Once her dress was loose, Octavia turned back around, hooking her fingers beneath the straps of the clothing before she moved it completely, leaving her bare and completely exposed. And while Lucius looked her up and down with an insatiable desire, there was a hint of admiration that flickered bright in the darkest blues of his eyes. It made Octavia feel like she was more than someone's property. For the first time ever, she felt seen, and that made her heart skyrocket into the heavens. It was all she needed before she stepped closer to Lucius, bringing his lips down onto her own for the millionth time as he guided her towards the bed of stone.

They both knew it wasn't the most romantic setting, but they had to make the most of what they had under the circumstances of their situation.

Without breaking away from each other, Octavia laid her head down against the cloak she had left there, the rest of her body lying against a blanket that seemed to be the only thing Lucius had to keep him warm day and night. Once she was comfortable, Lucius laid himself in between her legs, his lips moving from her lips, to the softness of her warm cheek, and back to her lips again as Octavia let out a gentle giggle. Lucius couldn't help but smile when he heard her laughter, warmth building up in his fragile heart as he raised one hand to caress the side of her head, while the other moved down her body, brushing against the side of her breast, sending chills down Octavia's spine until his finger hooked beneath her hips, moving her legs up as she wrapped them securely around his torso.

Lucius broke away from Octavia's lips again, staring into her eyes with a sense of yearning he had felt from the moment he met her that day at the party. Octavia looked up at him, her gaze becoming lost within his ocean, blue eyes, a string of ragged breaths leaving her lips, her chest heaving up and down. He was looking for permission in her eyes that told him it was okay to proceed. Octavia didn't have to say anything. She nodded her head in submission, a hint of appreciation in her eyes that someone had asked for her consent instead of just taking what they believed already belonged to them.

With her consent given, Lucius gently pushed himself inside of her. Octavia let out a gentle gasp in response, but once the initial shock had subsided, and Lucius began to thrust slowly and steadily in and out of her, Octavia was instantly overcome with pleasure that washed over her body in a series of waves. She let out a string of moans as she wrapped her arms around Lucius and brought his body closer to her own until their chests were touching, and her face was buried into his shoulder, the feeling of skin on skin contact bringing them both this undeniable feeling of pure euphoria.

As Lucius continued to thrust in a artistic rhythm, Octavia began to grind her hips upwards, deepening the waves of indulgence and rapture, all while she dug her teeth into the flesh of his shoulder, her nails digging into his back, causing for Lucius to let out a grunt of pleasure. He pulled back for a moment, looking down into her eyes again, his hand continuing to caress her face as he rested his forehead against her's, bringing his lips down for another kiss. And between the quiet string of moans, the uncontrollable waves of pleasure that was moments away from washing over them, and the deep rooted love that had been planted by the fates themselves, ignoring the propriety society forced upon them both, they decided to finally choose each other.

And in that very moment, it was just them, and their gentle sin.

━━━━━━━━

authors note.
SO HOW ARE WE FEELING AFTER THIS ONE??? Because Lutavia is finally canon and I'm lowkey proud with how this chapter turned out, maybe because I was really excited to get this chapter out. It's crazy that we only have four chapters + the epilogue to go until we have to say goodbye to them, but let's take what we can get for now.

Until then I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll update again soon!!