The Warrior's Bride Prize

‘I don’t care.’ He strode towards her, close enough that they were almost, but not quite, touching. ‘Trust me, Livia, I know what I want. There’s nothing like a horde of screaming rebels to focus the mind. I don’t care about rank or promotion or being anyone other than your husband any more. I’ve spent years trying to prove a point, to overcome my father’s dishonour, but there was never any dishonour to overcome. Rome might think so, but I don’t. I’m proud of him and I’m not going to spend the rest of my life making up for a mistake he never made. I’m going to be my own man, just like he was.’

She felt her heartbeat accelerate even faster, his near proximity having its usual disorientating effect on her body. ‘You mean sort of Roman, but not?’

‘Yes.’ There was a glimmer of hope in his eyes again. ‘I love you, Livia. I couldn’t tell you before, but I can now. I love you more than any promotion, any gladius, more than fifty thousand denarii!’

‘Fifty thousand?’ Her eyes widened. ‘How much did you gamble on me?’

‘Everything I had.’ He lowered his face so that his mouth hovered just above hers. ‘And I’d do it again if I had to. I’d risk everything for you. If you’ll just...’

‘Marius!’ He didn’t get any further as a small figure hurtled through the courtyard towards them.

‘Empress.’ He took a step back, bracing himself to scoop Julia up in his one good arm.

‘Where have you been?’ The little girl looked at him seriously. ‘Mama’s been worried.’

‘Has she?’ His eyes seemed to smoulder as they turned back towards Livia.

‘Yes.’ Livia looked between him and her daughter and then couldn’t stop herself from beaming. ‘Just because I’m a barbarian doesn’t mean I don’t love you, too.’

His answering smile was wider than she’d ever seen it. If she’d thought he’d been handsome before, he looked positively devastating now. ‘Then you’ll come back to the wall with me? When the fighting’s over and the fort is rebuilt?’

‘What do you think, Julia?’ She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around both of them. ‘Would you like to see the wall, too?’

‘You mean where Grandmama came from?’

‘Yes.’ She met Marius’s questioning look with a smile. ‘I’ve been telling her some family stories.’

‘I’m glad to hear it. Then how about it, Empress? Can you persuade your mama to say yes?’

‘She doesn’t need to.’ Livia squeezed her arms tight. ‘I’ve already decided.’

‘And?’

‘And it’s a yes. You were right the first time—we do belong together, and as for Cilurnum...well, the edge of the Empire seems fitting somehow.’

‘Sort of Roman, but not?’ He kissed the top of her head, nuzzling his face against her red curls. ‘I can’t think of a more perfect place for us.’

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