“Just do it Ennia.” Macro yelled. “I am tired of going back and forth with you on this” I don’t know what ever made you think you had a choice in the first place.”


Ennia reached out to close her arms about his waist but he side stepped her advances. She fell to her knees as he walked past her.

“Please Macro…” She pleaded, “I don’t want … I …


“Please what?” He turned, “We need him! You know this as well as I do!” Macro grabbed the gilt handle of a pitcher and poured a generous cup of wine. He turned once again to see his wife huddled on the floor. “Get up!” He demanded, “You act as if I ask something of you distasteful.”


She swung her head up sharply and glared at him, “I do find it distasteful, I want nothing to do with that little ...that little… what does he call him… VIPER!” She spat. She shifted to her knees and pushed her self up onto her feet and then walked like a beaten victim toward the couch, plopped herself down upon it and began to sob. “You don’t understand Macro, I have this…I …” She wiped her nose, “I can’t explain it.”


Macro slammed the half empty cup down on the table, “THEN TRY!” He roared. “I am tired of all of this. It’s not as if I haven’t seen you in complete ecstasy while being mounted by two different men. It’s not as if you didn’t feel as ease at any number of the orgies that you have organized right here in this very room! What is one boy, one inexperienced boy!” He shook the splattered wine from his hand then tried to brush the drops from his white tunic only making the stain worse.


Ennia jumped to her feet and rushed at him taking his hands, “My love, my lord, that’s just it, he isn’t just one inexperienced boy! He is much more,” she dropped his hands and looked away as if she were caught on the edge of a prophetic dream, “He will be the end.”


Macro grimaced, “What are you talking about?” He grasped her shoulders and twisted her to face him, “Look at me!” he demanded. He bent a little to match his eyes to hers. “I have the chance to become the most powerful man in Rome. Do you know what that means, to me…to you?” He kissed her lips, “We need him Ennia, we need him to be ours. Sejanus’ position is tenuous to say the least, and the old man gets crazier everyday, Crazier but he trusts ME!” Ennia turned her head but he forced it back around, “Ennia, we have a chance here, and we need Caligula, and you are going to get him for me.”


SHe shook her head as tears rolled down her cheeks, “I’m very scared Macro, everything in me tells me that this all leads to darkness. But I can deny you nothing.” She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close, “I will do what ever you ask of me.”


He smiled and buried his face into her neck biting and kissing as he moved her back toward the couch. “Good girl,” he whispered as he moved his fingertips down over her shoulders to the neck of her tunica. He grasped the fragile cloth in his hands then violently ripped it down the front and then shoved her back onto the couch. Kneeling beside her, he lowered himself on top of her;
“Show me,” he growled, “Show me how you will obtain my prize.”