"General Horatius to see the Lady!" announced the attendant, stepping out of the way of the smartly-dressed Roman Army officer. Horatius' face bore its customary expression of cold composure, but under his metal breastplate he sweated fountains of nervousness. Few things he had seen in battle unnerved him as much as the black-haired woman who watched him haughtily as he entered the chamber.
Cruel as she was arrogant, Crescentia had stood alongside her brother Claudius through his bloody, treacherous ascension to the throne of Rome. In every murderous deed her handprints could be seen, from the murder of Claudius' father by his palace guard to the blackmailing of several influential members of the Senate. Though Crescentia bore no formal title beyond "the Lady," as she was known by the populous, she knew that she was unquestionably the most powerful woman in Rome, and therefore probably in the world. Her cunning was often contrasted in private conversations to her brother's supposed bumbling naΓ―vetΓ©.
Horatius bent down on one knee and kissed her hand respectfully. Crescentia withdrew it and motioned for him to sit facing her. With the raising of an eyebrow she commanded the door to be shut, leaving the two of them alone amidst the outrageous opulence of the Imperial palace.
"How fares my lady?" the general asked.
"Better and better," she answered with a half-smile. "My thanks for your quick response to my summons."
"Such matters warrant the greatest expedience," he answered gravely, and the two began to outline yet another treacherous plot.
***
The next morning, Crescentia's eyes opened to a flood of sunlight streaming over the city and through her ornate bedroom window. She exhaled, luxuriating in the comfort of her imported nightgown against the taught skin of her lithe frame. Her reverie was cut short by the violent entrance of a squad of elite palace guards.
The woman's eyes flashed viciously as she flung herself toward the bedside drawers and the daggers that they contained. A guard's massive hand encircled her wrist just in time to prevent her intended bloodshed.
"What is the meaning of this," she shouted officiously, showing no sign of fear. "I will have you executed for..."
"The prisoner will be silent," commanded the officer in charge of the squad. His haughty grin rivaled hers in intensity. "Escort her to His Majesty."
Courtesans, servants, and palace guests lined the hallway, looking on curiously as the infamous Crescentia was dragged from her room. She did not attempt to resist the huge guards, but her face bore an expression of hatred that made the onlookers step back, alarmed. Her long black hair was tousled from the arrest and her scanty bedclothes were a far cry from her usual regal robes.
Crescentia's first stab of fear occurred as the guards entered the Imperial hall and she made eye contact with her brother Claudius. Gone was the affectionate, trusting gaze with which he habitually met her. Replacing it was a steely, vengeful expression that seemed at odds with his personality. The guards dragged her forward and threw her to the ground at his feet.
"Get up," he ordered with contempt. Crescentia dusted herself off, squared her soldiers, and looked him in the face.