Falling

Falling
Fiona

We spent all afternoon moving the festival from the forum to the meadow northwest of the city. My arms ache from hauling crates, draping banners, and helping set up booths. Marcus, Quintus, Cornelia, even little Julia and Gaius, are finally catching their breath. Felix lies in the grass between the children. He’s exhausted, too. 

The meadow is alive with activity. Vendors set up their stalls, traders arrange their goods, dancers rehearse, and musicians tune their instruments. The priests and priestesses move among the crowd, praying over people and welcoming everyone to the new location for the celebration. 

When we take a moment to rest in the shade, Cornelia glances at Marcus, then back at me. “Not to be overly critical, but may I ask why you chose this spot? The route here took us closer to the mountain at first. You’re certain this is the right direction?”

I glance toward the peak, already casting a dark silhouette in the late afternoon light. “We chose this place because it’s on the way to Neapolis,” I say. “People will need to start leaving the area the night before or the morning of the eruption.”

“Yes,” Marcus adds. “We’ll be able to manage the crowd better here. Tomorrow night after the last performance, we’ll announce that everyone can stay the night—but that Vesuvius will erupt the next day at noon, and they must leave the city.”

Cornelia nods. “Yes, that makes sense. You’ve planned this carefully.”

Quintus steps closer. “We’ve already packed the carriage and everything we’ll need. We plan to leave at sunset, before the roads get crowded. I’ve brought plenty of torches to keep the road lit so the horses will be able to see.”

“Perfect,” Marcus says, reaching into his pouch and handing Quintus a handful of coins. “Take these. You’re a great friend and assistant. We’ll meet up with you in Neapolis.”

Quintus bows his head. “Thank you, Marcus. This will make everything much easier.”

Cornelia smiles. “Yes, we’re grateful. Truly.”

I look up at Marcus, and my affection for him grows. Even in the middle of all this chaos, he’s thinking of others. 

He claps Quintus on the shoulder. “Should we get everyone something to eat?”

Quintus nods. “Yes, that sounds good.”

Marcus glances at me. “We’ll be back in a bit.”

I nod, and the men walk away to choose us something for dinner. Felix lifts his head, his tail thumping on the ground, but he’s so tired that he doesn’t even follow Marcus. 

“Fiona,” Cornelia says. “I know you just met, but have you thought about marrying Marcus? Starting a family? It’s obvious he’s crazy about you.” 

Shocked by her bold question, I’m momentarily at a loss for words. When I finally gather my thoughts, I reply, “I’m not sure what tomorrow or the next day holds for Marcus and me. Right now, we’re just focused on getting everyone out of here alive.”

Cornelia nods. “Yes, you’re right. I was just thinking of something a little lighter than ash falling from the sky.” She takes my hand. “And I would love to be here for you in your journey with Marcus when the time is right. If you need anything—from advice from an old married woman to how to bake a loaf of bread or how to raise a fussy baby—I’m here for you.”

“I can’t tell you how much that means to me, Cornelia. Thank you.”

I consider what it means to have a friend here, in a time and place so far from anything I’ve ever known. I’m two thousand years in the past, with no one who fully understands me, and yet, here she is—offering guidance, sharing life, and treating me like I belong.

Marcus and Quintus return, each carrying a basket and a jug. Marcus sets his down. “I’ve got bread, cheese, and fruit. There’s plenty for everyone.”

“And here’s smoked fish, olives, and more water.” Quintus positions his between us and the children.

Cornelia hands Julia a piece of bread. “Here you go, little one.”

“Thank you, Momma,” Julia says, munching on the bread. 

Crouching next to Gaius, the mother pours some water from the jug into their canteen. “Both of you drink plenty of water.” Gaius takes a sip, and Cornelia hands him a slice of bread and a hunk of cheese. 

I take a little of everything, looking over at Marcus. “Thank you.”

He smiles. “We all need to eat. We’ve been working too hard.” He breaks off a piece of fish and holds it out to Felix, who swallows it in one bite. 

As I look at Quintus’s beautiful family, I think about time, fate, and destiny. I was able to warn them, and now they will survive one of the most brutal natural disasters of all time. How could anyone deny the miracle in that?

When we finish our meal, Quintus stands. “It’s getting late. We should get on the road.”

Cornelia nods, and he helps her to her feet. “Everything’s packed. The carriage is ready. The children will most likely sleep the whole way to our new home.” 

Marcus steps forward. “We’ll see you in Neapolis. Take care on the road.”

Quintus bows. “We will. Thank you—for everything.”

Cornelia meets my eyes. “Yes, thank you. You’ve saved us all.”

I stand and squeeze both her hands. “Be careful. I’ll see you again soon.”

The children wave enthusiastically, jumping up and down. “Bye!”

Marcus and I hug each of them, and then they hug Felix, stroking his fur before Quintus lifts both children into his arms. Together, they head toward their carriage. 

“I don’t know what we’d have done without you,” Marcus says.

“Let’s not think about that.” I wipe a tear from my eye. “Let’s go watch the dancers instead.”

We walk to the stage, Felix following Marcus. The musicians play, and the dancers leap, dip, and twirl. We sit in front of the stage, and as I watch the show, my mind keeps drifting to the villages closer to Vesuvius. There’s Herculaneum, Stabiae, Oplontis… and the tiny villas scattered through the countryside. Some residents will be buried by ash. Others will be killed by heat before anyone can escape. Saving Pompeii alone isn’t enough.

Marcus shifts beside me, his eyes catching mine. “Fiona… what is it? You look upset.”

I shake my head. “I was just thinking about how Pompeii isn’t the only place in danger. The towns along the coast, the ones closer to the mountain—the people won’t get out in time unless they’re here when we give the warning.”

He frowns. “How can we warn them, too? Tell me exactly what you’re thinking.”

“The festival,” I say. “We used it to gather people safely here. We could do the same for the neighboring towns. I know they are each having their own festivals right now. We could invite them to join us in one large festival—framed as a celebration, performances, markets—they’d come for the festival and find safety outside the city walls.”

Marcus nods. “We have one more full day. We’d need trusted messengers, the quickest routes mapped, and people to deliver the message without raising suspicion.”

“Some invitations may need to be delivered in person by you,” I add. “Officials will listen to other officials. I can go with you if you want. I know it’s dangerous, but I can’t stay silent when there are more people to save.”

“We’ll start tomorrow morning, after we send my family on their way,” he says.

“That should work. Thank you, Marcus,” I reply.

“Why are you thanking me? You’re the hero here, Fiona.” His gorgeous brown eyes catch the last light of day.

We watch the last of the dancing and juggling together. After the fire jugglers, Marcus buys some wine for us and a few pieces of fish that we share with Felix. 

Marcus has encouraged most of the people to camp out here for the festival since we are so far away from Pompeii, but we must return to make sure his family and others are leaving the city, so we take a carriage the long distance back to his house. As we ride, the wine makes his hands wander—and so do mine.

When we reach his house, he closes the door behind us and takes my hand, leading me down the hall. The house is mostly empty and silent; Lucius and the servants are probably asleep, since they have to leave at dawn. Felix lies down in the hallway outside the guest room, just as he did last night.

Once Marcus closes the door, he pulls me into his arms right away. His hands slide around my waist, warm through my thin stola, and our lips meet softly at first, then deeper, as I press myself against his chest. He tastes like the wine we had earlier, and he moves me toward the bed without breaking us apart, his fingers trailing down my back. 

I tug at his clothes, feeling the heat of his skin underneath. He shrugs his tunic off, letting it fall to the floor, and I run my hands over his chest, tracing the lines of his muscles.

He guides me down onto the mattress, his body covering mine. He kisses my neck, making me shiver as his hand slips under my stola, cupping my breast. I moan at his touch, my nipples hardening under his fingers as he circles them lightly.

I reach for his undergarments, pushing them down, and he’s already hard and ready. He groans against my skin, his hips bucking as I stroke him. 

He pulls my clothes off next, and then we're both entirely bare. His mouth finds my breast while his fingers tease between my thighs. I'm already wet, longing for him to send me over the edge.

“I need you, Fiona,” he murmurs, positioning himself at my entrance. I wrap my legs around him, and he slides into me slowly, filling me up completely. We both sigh at the connection, his thrusts starting gently, building a steady rhythm.

I cling to his shoulders, matching his pace, our bodies moving together in the dim light of the bedroom. The pleasure builds perfectly until I feel the wave cresting. He kisses me deeply as I come undone, squeezing around his cock, and he follows soon after with a low moan.

We lie together, bodies still tangled, listening to each other’s breathing. 

“You are so beautiful,” he says.

“You mean everything to me.” I look into his eyes and can tell he’s completely spent and about to fall asleep. 

The last words that tumble from his lips before he closes his eyes are, “And I think I’m falling in love with you.”

His breathing evens out, and I know he’s asleep. A smile spreads across my face. I shouldn’t be smiling. I should be terrified. We’ve only known each other a few days, and I’m from another century! I don’t know if I can get home—or if I even want to. Vesuvius will erupt in less than forty-eight hours. We have to save the people. What right do we have to fall for each other in the middle of all this?! And yet… I am falling in love with him, too.