Chapter 15: The Feast of Lupercal
The sun rose across Rome, coloring the sky in patches of crimson and gold. The anticipation buzzed in the air and everyone gathered in the city's streets, the emotions alive. Today was just like any other, yet it came as the Feast of Lupercal, a way of celebrating fertility, purifying, and, for them, an indication of some good fortune and favor from the gods that had been bestowed upon them. The streets were lined with merchants selling garlands and trinkets, and musicians playing lively tunes. Young men stood there in their traditional Luperci robes, all set to run through the city in the rituals of the day.
Leo stood on the edge of the Senate grounds, the heavy stone walls casting long shadows over the cobblestones. Laughter and cheers carried on the breeze reached him, merging with distant chanting of "Lupercalia!" as celebrants made preparations for the day's rites. He had heard about it before; in history classes in his own world, but seeing it in action was a completely different matter-the air vibrated with an almost palpable energy, the scent of new wine was strong and invigorating-and it unsettled him as much as it did marvel him.
He looked down at his hands, fingers twitching with anticipation. The warning he'd whispered in the Senate the day before had already begun to spread among the conspirators, but the question remained: How far would the ripples reach? He could feel the eyes of Rome on him, the city's pulse thrumming with secrets waiting to be uncovered.
And so, from the floor of the Senate, Caesar stepped forward, accompanied by his bodyguard and senators such as Brutus and Cassius standing by his side. Such pride and power beamed in upon his face, but even the gleam in those eyes hinted at the threats that lurked behind the pride. He was a man on a knife's edge, who had yet to feel the sharpness of betrayal.
Leo felt a presence beside him, and he turned to see Mark Antony standing there, an enigmatic smile playing on his lips. The man had not left Leo's side since the previous day, shadowing him with a subtlety that suggested both protection and surveillance.
"Are you prepared for today?" Antony asked, eyes glancing toward Caesar, who now greeted the people with a wave and a booming voice.
"Prepared?" Leo repeated, shifting uneasily. "For what?"
Antony's smile widened. "The gods have a way of making their will known, Leo. Today, you'll hear them speak in the form of an omen."
Leo's brows knitted together. "The soothsayer?"
Antony's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Yes, and with him, a warning that the Ides of March will come, whether Caesar welcomes it or not."
Leo's heart stopped; air was now thick and oppressive. He knew what the Ides of March meant, though he never thought he'd witness the moment. It marked the beginning of a series of events that would lead to one of Rome's most notorious days: a day that was to be remembered through blood and treachery.
A trumpet blast signaled the start of the Lupercalian procession. Young men dressed as the Luperci, their bodies adorned with animal skins, emerged from the Temple of Lupercal. They ran through the streets, striking the crowd with goat-skin whips as part of the fertility rite. The people laughed, the noise of celebration rising to a fever pitch. But amidst the revelry, Leo's eyes were fixed on the soothsayer, who stood under a marble column with a look of deep foreboding. He was no ordinary prophet, but an aged man whose reputation preceded him—a man whose warnings had once been heeded, and whose words today could change everything.
The crowd opened to let Caesar through, scattering and letting him walk towards the core of the revelry as Brutus and Cassius fell into step on either side of him, shooting a veiled glance at the man whose fate was penned in the stars and ink.
Beware the Ides of March!" the soothsayer now boomed, his voice rising through the din like a sword. His eyes had fastened on Caesar. The crowd held its breath. Fear began to whisper along its edges. Caesar snorted in derision; for in his own tale of life, he was ever a lion.
"Who is this man?" he demanded, turning to his officers.
"It is the soothsayer, Caesar," one of them said, eyes opening wide with uncertainty.
Caesar waved his hand in dismissal. "He's a fool," he said. But the edge to his voice betrayed a slight unease.
Leo watched as Caesar turned away, the soothsayer's warning hanging in the air like a specter. And then, as if sensing something greater than himself, Leo glanced at Antony. The man's eyes were dark, thoughtful, and full of a meaning that Leo had not seen before.
"Keep your eyes open, Leo," Antony said, voice low enough for only him to hear. "The Ides of March may be far off, but the path to them begins today."
As the revelers laughed and danced, and the celebrations of Lupercalia reached their peak, Leo knew that the seeds of fate had been sown. The Ides of March would come, and Rome would never be the same.
System Notification:
Quest Updated: The Echo of the Ides – The soothsayer's warning has set the stage. Make choices that may protect or seal Caesar's fate.
Leo's heart pounded. The game was shifting, and he was caught in its tides. Would he stand by and watch history unfold, or would he make his move now, in the dance of power and treachery?
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