By the Gods
By the Gods
Marcus
A month has passed since we arrived in Neapolis. The city is overflowing with people who fled Pompeii and the surrounding villages after the mountain erupted.
The home I grew up in is rubble. The house I lived in with my dog and my servants is dust. So many people didn’t make it out of the city... and yet, my family is safe. My servants are safe. Most of the people I know made it out alive because they trusted me, and I only knew what to do because I trusted Fiona. I can’t stop thinking about how close we all came to death and how much depended on the giant leaps of faith and acts of courage.
I found my family and Quintus on the very first day we arrived. My mother and father love Fiona. They know she saved their lives—and their sons’ lives—but that’s not why they love her. Fiona is lovable because she is kind, selfless, strong, and giving. Even my brother Lucius has asked me what I did to deserve her. Honestly, I don’t know. All I can do is be grateful for her and for the way she puts up with me.
During our first week in the city, we tracked down Decimus and his grandmother. Fiona insists that we raise the boy and care for his grandmother so he can have a proper childhood. Every day, she amazes me.
I’ve started working as an archivist, organizing records and cataloging the city’s documents. It’s not too exciting, but it keeps me occupied and focused. And through it all, Fiona has been by my side. I can’t imagine doing any of this without her. Every morning, I look over at her and realize how much she means to me.
Fiona and I picked a house large enough for Decimus, his grandmother, whose name is Junia, and anyone else Fiona chooses to help. It’s a two-story building with sturdy stone walls and a red-tiled roof. The front door opens into a bright main room with high ceilings, and the windows let in plenty of sunlight. Upstairs, there are several rooms—enough for guests, family, and anyone who needs shelter. It feels solid, safe, and big enough to grow into, just like the life we’re building here. There’s even a large garden out back with enough space for flowers, herbs, and vegetables.
After all Fiona and I have been through, and after all the ways she’s shown me her softness and her strength, today, I’m finally going to marry the woman I love.
“Marcus, are you ready?” Quintus’s voice cuts in, pulling me back from my thoughts.
I look at him. “Yes. I’m ready, Quintus.”
He grins. “Good. Let’s not keep them waiting.”
Quintus and I step into the flower garden, where bright blooms fill every bed. Guests are already seated. My parents are in the front row, and Lucius sits beside them. Cornelia holds Julia, Gaius squirming at her feet, and Quintus takes his seat with his family. Decimus is here, watching over Felix toward the back of the garden, and I stand at the front with the priest, waiting for Fiona. She explained to me how weddings are held in her time, and we’ve done what we can to make it similar to what she’s always dreamed about, even if it’s a bit different than what I’m used to.
The small ensemble strikes up a soft tune with a slow tempo, and I look at the door Fiona will come through. My pulse races as it opens, and there she stands.
Fiona is stunning in her light pink tunic, her yellow flammeum brushing her shoulders. As she gets closer, and I look into her beautiful sky-blue eyes, I feel as though everything I’ve ever wanted or needed in the world is falling into place.
Fiona
As I walk through the garden toward Marcus, I can’t believe how far we’ve come—how far I’ve come. I traveled back two thousand years for this man. I stood by his side through the world’s worst natural disaster, and in just a few more steps, I’ll stand before our friends and family and pledge my life to him.
When I reach the front, I stand next to Marcus, and he takes my hand. As the last few notes of the song fade out, Marcus looks at me with love in his eyes, and I melt.
The priest lifts his voice. “Marcus, do you accept Fiona to be your wife, to share your life and honor the gods?”
“I do,” Marcus replies. His hand tightens around mine.
“And you, Fiona, do you accept Marcus to be your husband, to share his life and honor the gods?”
“I do,” I answer.
The priest lifts our joined hands. “By the gods, you are now husband and wife.”
Our guests clap, and Marcus looks at me, giving me the most handsome smile I’ve ever seen. I still can’t believe I’m his wife. Our lives together shouldn’t even be possible, yet here we are on our wedding day.
We hold the reception in the garden under a large tent. Our guests enjoy our best wine, and a wonderful spread of Italian food fills the tables. Everyone dances— even little Julia and Gaius.
As we sit at the head table, plates of roasted lamb and figs before us, I look at Marcus. “This was better than I ever could’ve imagined,” I say.
He reaches for my hand. “I was thinking the same thing. I love you, Fiona.”
“I love you, too,” I say, beaming. “Look around us, Marcus. Think of all we’ve been through with these wonderful people.”
The music grows livelier, and Marcus looks at me with a playful grin. "May I have this dance, my wife?"
I smile, nodding as I stand. "I’d be honored." He takes my hand and leads me onto the dance floor.
As we dance together, I feel silly for not knowing the steps, but Marcus helps me along. We stumble our way through, and I can’t help but think it’s a good metaphor for us—where I feel out of place, he pulls me in, making me feel like I belong.
My life in 2026 feels like a distant memory now. All I left behind was work and a curiosity about history. But now, living in the past, I feel more alive than I ever did in the future. I can’t say for certain if I was meant to travel back in time to save Pompeii. Honestly, I often worry about the fact that not everyone heeded our warnings and that I couldn’t save everyone. But there’s one thing I do know for certain—I was sent back in time to become the wife of Marcus Valerius.
This is our love story, and we’re still writing it. We outran Vesuvius together, escaping death. Through the chaos and destruction, we stood side by side, proving that nothing—not even nature’s fury—can tear us apart. If we can survive that, then I know our love can endure anything, and with Marcus, I’ve found my future.
The End.