The night her life had been put in danger because her gift had gotten her embroiled in the bloody political arena that was ancient Rome, he had taken her away in the middle of the night. 

He had not understood how she could sleep while he worried about the assassins that were probably on their way to silence her. Even the old men who were her fellow priests were up, restlessly discussing her fate, concerned for the first time that her divine gift had gotten her into trouble that they could not get her out of.

From watching, he knew her to be a sound sleeper, but even he had smiled at the fact that she barely stirred when he stole her away from the temple she had called home since she was a child. He didn’t give a thought to any possessions she might want to take with her; he could provide her with whatever she needed, or come back and steal away anything that held sentimental value if she so wished.

He found it strange that she slept so peacefully in his arms as he carried her to their field. Sitting there, he waited a while then he gently woke her with a kiss, wishing he could increase the intensity of it, but knowing that that was not possible, at least it hadn’t been yet.

When she had moved her lips against his and woke with a sleepy smile, she didn’t seem surprised that she was in his arms and no longer in her small room at the back of the temple. Instead she had cuddled into him and whispered, “Marcus.”

Whenever she had said his name, it was like a prayer.

She had yawned a bit, nuzzling his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder, still half-asleep. “Am I dreaming?”

He whispered, “No, fair one.”

It was the seriousness of his tone that caused her to raise her head and look at him in concern. “What? What is it?”

With a frown he had sighed, “You got in trouble today, Didyme?”

Instead of seeming contrite she had actually giggled at his words which only caused him to scowl, though his look of annoyance quickly turned to on of confusion when she whispered. “I knew it would be tonight. I just didn’t know what the catalyst would be to set it into motion.”