After the dreaded talk, Ludwig refused to talk to them. Now, every time he saw a woman he’d eep and go hide behind the nearest object. That lasted for a whole month until a slave woman took him to the side and gave him her version of the talk. After Constantine had begged her to do it.

Gilbert and Ludwig left for their princesses and Constantine was left alone. He filled his time with letters, learning and training. More battles came to pass and, before he knew it, the Battle of Alesia proclaimed the end of the conquest of Gaul.

Slaves were taken from the villages and Constantine was shipped with Francis back to Rome. The boy cried more than usual, the plight of his people not lost on him even though he was a baby.

Julius Caesar had a triumph and, as Constantine rode through the rose petal covered streets hours later, he couldn’t help but think about his friends. Had they moved on without him? He will see Octavia and Octavian today, or rather, tonight.

Beshter and Antonius had sent him a letter that he was to go to the party for Julius Caesar in his manse. Octavia was married by now and Octavian was a man grown. And to think that they were both 19 now!

Constantine was clean shaved, his slight beard that he had developed in Gaul long gone. It had been a fancy of him. Something that the camp followers always complimented him about. Gilbert was long since married, despite not having aged a day. And so was Ludwig, despite his marriage being a sham. Now, Constantine knew, was his turn.

When he got off his horse he reached out to his slave and took Francis from him. The boy was whimpering and looking at him with accusing baby blues.

“Francis, don’t be like that. Father loves us and I love you and in a couple of years your people will be Roman citizens,” said Constantine and the baby whimpered again, as if understanding him.

Constantine placed him on his chest and shushed him gently. He heard a cooing sound from the left and saw some noble Roman ladies go pass him. He smiled at the attention and they giggled.

Francis bitt his hand, but, since he still didn’t have teeth, it didn’t hurt.

“Baby brother, you will understand when you are older,” Constantine’s voice brokered no argument, and he went inside Beshter and Antonius’s manse. They were inside the solar and, as soon as Constantine came in sight, stood as one.

“Tine, you have grown,” Beshter’s voice sounded as angelic as ever, but Constantine didn’t want to be played. He approached the two vampires gingerly and passed his brother to a slave woman.

“Feed him, bathe him and try to get him to sleep,” commanded Constantine and the woman rushed off without a word. Antonius went and clapped Constantine on the back.

“We found you a spouse,” said instead of a greeting Antonius. “A nation.”

“Granted, he hasn’t agreed yet, but we are certain he will. You two are already close friends,” Constantine’s brows furrowed, attempting to figure who that might be. Then, he realized.

“Kyla?” He looked between the two smiling vampires. “He will never agree.”

And that was a fact. Kyla had his pride and to past to Beshter’s protégé when he had been the man’s lover would be insulting.

“He is here, in the baths. Don’t you want to give this a chance?” There was an elephant in the room and Constantine knew what it was.

“You don’t want me to have children?” He asked, agitated.

“There is no need for you to have any. The world is full. Besides, he has triples. You can share his children. Their mother left him just last year. But she left him the children,” Constantine felt pity for Kyla then. To be left by his wife must have been horrible.

“Why did she leave him?” Asked Constantine, curious.

“He didn’t have enough land to leave his children. Unless his entire family dies off, there is no way for him to meet her demands. That, or he can go to war with your father and by extension, yourself. Go and talk him out of it. Hopefully, he doesn’t love his lover enough to attack his friend,” Constantine nodded. This marriage was born out of desperation. Not out of any fondness on the vampire’s side.

Constantine supposed he could get a bath out of all of this, at least. He left his toga in his room and went, just in a tunic, to the baths. Every rich Roman had them in their homes. But, Constantine hoped to go to the public ones again. There was a certain allure to them that the empty room they had here simply lacked.

He heard someone swimming and he saw him. Muscled, not a day over twenty-three, not a single scar on his body. His ponytail was gone, though. Now, his hair was styled short, but not like the Roman style. Constantine undressed and got in.

“I don’t do slaves, leave,” said Kyla without looking at him.

“Kyla, it is me, Constantine. Personally, I am insulted that this is the way you greet me after so long,” said Constantine with a grin. Kyla turned around and stared at him.

“You’ve grown,” he said, a small smile on his face.

“And you are the same. Like a marble statue, you are, Kyla Bolgar. I met your brothers some years ago,” said Constantine, swimming towards Kyla.

“And they told you to piss off. Sorry about that,” said Kyla and he bowed his head.

“Kyla, what do you see now that you look at me?” Asked Constantine. He remembered their conversation from so long ago. When Kyla had been left by Beshter. Kyla looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

“Did Beshter send you here to seduce me?” The question surprised Constantine and he grinned bashfully.

“He sent me here to court you, so we can end up be married,” Kyla’s eyebrows looked ready to shot out of his face. Constantine picked a washing cloth and rubbed it down Kyla’s torso. Enjoying the shiver that went through his friend’s body.