Chapter Six

Tiberius walked through the villa. Morning had come and everyone was prepared to leave with the funeral procession for Rome but yet there was one person missing. As much as he scorned Romulus, he could not leave him behind anymore than he could leave Augustus' body behind. He searched the villa, when he did not find Romulus in his bedchamber he went to the next logical place: the garden. There did he find Romulus, lying before the statue of Venus.

"Dense child!" exclaimed Tiberius as he walked over to Romulus and kneeling down. Kneeling down, he noticed that Romulus had not stirred in response to his exclamation. "Step-nephew?" Tiberius grabbed Romulus' wrist and upon finding it warm he gave a sigh of relief. He wanted Romulus to die on his orders, no one else's. Feeling a pulse, Tiberius then roughly awoke Romulus by outright punching him in the shoulder. "Wake up!" Romulus awoke but when he looked Tiberius in the eye he had a look that Augustus had so often had: the look of an ill man. Immediately, Tiberius put a hand to Romulus' forehead. The lad had a high fever. Picking up his step-nephew, Tiberius carried Julia Major's son to his bedchamber and placed him upon his bed. Looking over his shoulder, the new First Citizen saw his mother Livia. "The step-grandson you love so much is ill. Do you know where I found him, mother? I found him asleep in the garden before the statue of Venus. He has a high fever! Why did you not look for him before retiring for the night?"

"I have lost my husband, Tiberius." Stated Livia. "I should think you would have sympathy for your recently widowed mother."

"I should think you would have enough sense to be concerned for the step-grandson you love more than the children your natural sons fathered!" snapped Tiberius.

"In your son Drusus I see Castor reborn and in Germanicus I see both Pollux and Alexander the Great reborn I am proud of them and I love them with all my heart." Replied Livia. "Livilla who was named for me I love as well. As for Claudius it is out of love for him that I put him under the care of a former mule driver to cure his laziness and lack of will power. I love them all."

"But do you love them as much as you do Romulus?" inquired Tiberius.

"I do."

"I don't believe you."

"That is none of my concern, my concern right now is seeing to Romulus. I will not leave him alone here in Nola."

Tiberius looked once more at Romulus before kneeling and whispering into his ear: "Stay strong, Romulus. You have Aeneas' blood flowing through your veins. A little fever will not kill you. Only me." And with that Tiberius exited the villa.

Livia seated herself in a chair in Romulus' chamber, placing it by his bed. She sent for Claudius and ordered him to send for his doctor Gaius Stertinius Xenophon. Claudius did just that and then Livia sent for Messalina.

Clad in a blue tunic that went down to her ankle, Messalina looked upon Romulus with a horrified expression. "Augustus dead and now Romulus ill, is Tiberius behind this?"

"No, child." Said Livia. "Tiberius found him this morning in the garden before the statue of Venus. Romulus has always been plagued by fevers throughout his life, did he tell you that?"

"He did." Replied Messalina, falling to her knees at the right side of Romulus' bed. "He told me when we came to discussing his grandfather's health."

"You were discussing Augustus' health?" asked Livia. "When and why?"

"Great lady, it was not long before dinner." Stated Messalina. "I asked how he was feeling knowing these were your late husband's final days."

"What was his response?"

"That he spent all his life worrying about his grandfather..." Began Messalina, Livia nodding as that was indeed something Romulus had done often while Augustus lived. "He then said that even knowing your late husband was dying did not make his coming death any less terrible. Your husband was the only father he ever knew."

"I know." Said Livia. "And I the only mother he has ever known." Livia placed a hand on the forehead of her step-grandson. The heat was immense. What was keeping Xenophon?

"Romulus told me that much as his grandfather has often fallen ill, he has often been plagued by fevers and now seeing him like this I worry for him." Messalina took Romulus' right hand and looked at Romulus' face, his eyes half open and he himself only half-aware of what was going on around him. "Will he die, Great lady?"

"He has never had a fever such as this, Messalina." Stated Livia. "I do fear for him just as you do but with the help of Xenophon, I pray that Romulus may live to go on campaign alongside his cousin and half-brother-in-law Germanicus."