After Marcus Aurelius sudden fall and the soon after followed mislead execution of General Maximus, Rome was now threatening to collapse under Commodus hands. And he has only been Emperor for a week. As Summer faded and Winter came, not only did the People start to suffer more, but Commodus mental state declined also.

And there was not much to do with a boy who‘s whole life was spent trying to impress his father, only for him to not believe in his own son to be a good heir for the Throne of Rome. It‘s what drove Commodus. To prove his father wrong.

But what also drove Commodus, was his family. Lucilla, his oh so dear sister who may or may not have betrayed him more than once by not just sleeping with Maximus and bearing his child but also by disobeying his rules. Family, he always said. But then there was you. You were the good side of the Family. His Empress, his goddess. He‘d take all the pain upon himself if it meant keeping you safe from harm. He loved you too much to sacrifice you.

But now, as the winter came over Rome and the people suffered under the deep weight the darkness and cold brought, Commodus sat in his chambers, getting fed by a concubine while he tried to write down new scripts and possible new ideas to keep the dream that is Rome above water. He was biting his lip, his eyebrows furrowed as he scribbled on the Papyrus.

„this cannot be true.. I have got to write it perfectly! Give me another grape!“