Not How The Story Ends

[Marcus Crassus]

@kore

Baby AU

The house of Crassus bows to no one

Marcus had a choice to make. The final battle had been won. Some of the rebels escaped, but he would not be the one to give chance over the mountain after them. He would be returning to Rome. It was just as well, for his heart was no longer in the fight for power to his name. He had lost his son, and he had lost Kore. Even though she was here, he knew they would never be how it was. He had assumed he would ride in and defeat the rebels and ride home a victor with the world at his feet. Now he saw the true cost to war.

At dawn they would begin putting all the rebels to death, by hanging them along to Road to Rome. All of them. Especially the general they had. He knew that would mean Kore too. She had killed his son rather then telling him of what happened. She had joined the rebels. She had betrayed him. He had not ordered anyone to touch her yet, and as he sat in his tent staring into the fire, he knew that he would have too. Just as he knew the order would kill him.

He had loved her. She had been this bright sunlight in his life, and he had placed her above wife, and above all others. He had assumed that because he had shown this care for her, and treated her with respect that she would have stayed with him. He had never once thought she would do this. He could see he was wrong about many things.

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[Deleted]

From the tent were she was currently held, Kore listened with resigned sadness while the soilders outside - either oblivious to her precense or completely uncaring- spoke of tomorrows plans. They'd run out of wood for the crosses and had dispatched men to the nearest sacked villa to begin ripping the beams from the walls and foundations. Tomorrow would be the decisive battle and the Roman's clearly anticipated victory. Any captured alive would be crucified.

But what of her?

The thought of crucifixion shook her to her core but Kore could not decided what would be a worse fate, death or to be handed over to the Domina as a low slave in her condition? It was the worst kept secret in the house that the Domina despised her for stealing husband's affection... though Kore suspected his honor, not his affection, was all the Domina had prior to her arrival. How could she have stolen what the other woman never posessed?

Her stomach rolled once more and Kore looked out the doorway of the tent to plead once more with her gaurds for peppermint from the medicus, only to have her plea fall on deaf ears.

[Marcus Crassus]

@kore

Baby AU

The house of Crassus bows to no one

Marcus left his own tent, and went to seek out Kore. He knew what order he had to give but he had not done so yet. He did was putting it off to last, since the affect it had over him was so great. She had killed his son rather then trusting him with the truth. She had sided with his enemies, and left him in their bed rather then trusting him. He could not imagine how little she must had thought of him, that she would not trust his affection toward her. That he would not have protected her. Instead, she had choose to betray, lie, and to kill--three things he had never thought she could even think about, much less do.

He arrive outside the tent where she was held, as she asked for peppermint from the medicus. He pushed into the tent, and stood by the door. He wore his Roman armor, and sword since they would begin departing for Rome soon. With Spartacus dead, they held the victory. "Why?" He demanded to know. She was not hurt, he knew that. He had only put trusted men near her during this time, and she had returned to the camp unharmed. Clearly the rebels had not done harm to her, even knowing who she was.

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[Deleted]

Kore had not expected him to answer. She placed a hand over her belly and took a slow deep breath, willing herself not wretch before him. What answer could she give? The past had proven action without truth given- even though she had sought to spare him deepest pain- had ruined so much.... " The child makes me ill. Please, Dominus, may I have peppermint to calm stomach."

A child. Kore had admitted to herself countless times, in silence that a life bloomed inside her. But never outloud. This child troubled her. Was it Tiberius'? Crassus'? Her blood had ceased after her rape but she'd had Marcus the night before that living nightmare...