A Haunting in Rome

[Gothic]

The illness had slowly plucked away at her life, her beauty, and eventually stole her away from the world she lived. She had made plans to protect her children but it was nothing compared to being there with them. 

She had needed to survive in order to protect her family from harm. Her absence, led to many dark occurrences, and she recognised the faces that came into the home that had been hers. She watched her few, precious, remaining children survive to grow to have their own children and yet, she was lost. Her wandering did not bring her peace, she could not move into the next life nor could she speak to the others spirits that resided at the Palatium. Each of them seemed to be caught up in their own personal hell. 

Lucilla had watched others take the revenge she craved so desperately to right the wrongs that had been made.

Most people didn't see her.... occasionally people would get goosebumps when she walked past or would speak about how there was a chill in that spot. The lamps would be snuffed out when she walked past. The ill, the drunk or children were the most likely to see her and there were some who had the ability to see her. One young woman screamed and fled.... 

It was lonely, so incredibly lonely and she longed for company.... 

[Anna]

There seemed to a veil between the world of the live and the world of the dead. It was thick and heavy, opaque on the side of the living for most - leaving the two worlds closed off from each other. Those who lived and could see the other side were either blessed or cursed in their own eyes, mostly cursed. Seen as paranoid and crazy and thus, shunned by those who boasted more logical sense. Causing others that had been gifted with such abilities to remain quiet.

Drusilla was one of those that remained quiet. Rome already eyeballed her in wait to see if she would show her father's insanity. She needn't give them a reason to do believe that. Besides, her 'gift' only seemed to come at certain times of the year, it wasn't all the time. And the one that came to her most was her mother, who lingered more now that she had a child of her own blood. As if desperate to be there for her daughter. Even if it weren't the same. 

But the figure this day wasn't one she ever saw before. Yet she knew that was a lie. It was the figure that watched Claudia and Tiberius with longing. The one that vanished long bouts of time and if Drusilla knew deep down who it was, she knew where this spirit went.  The area was empty, for the garden was dark at that time of night. She was once more restless with thoughts of the day and the future and would be for a few more hours. The palace was quiet except for a few spaced guards who she knew was just out of ear shot. 

She moved closer to the figure, quietly taking a seat near her as she cleared her throat slightly and murmured a soft hello, still wanting to keep her tone soft not to alert anyone else to her. 

 

@Gothic

[Gothic]

She knew her. 

The woman who now resided in her rooms. The one who (primarily) watched over and protected her children. Each of them now closer to adulthood at a time when she doubted that they would have managed to survive. The gardens, her refuge, a place where the wild was domesticated. Drusilla, Caligula's daughter and her friend approached her. Occasionally, there were times when people seemed to catch a glimpse of her. Especially on this night. Most of her communication with Drusilla had been through letters, and she believed that Drusilla's handwriting suited her. Neat, polite, and with a hidden passion. Not to mention determination. 

The spirit took her seat beside Drusilla. It was gradually becoming quieter now the screaming girl continued to flee the scene. 

"Hello," She answered. Her voice had an unnatural, ghostly sound to it and no longer sounded right to her ears. Not that she had them in the flesh anymore. Her form had a glimpse of a human shape, shrouded in a glowing haze that faded every now and then. It was difficult to maintain this physical presence for too long. 

"I hoped to meet you someday. I never suspected that it would be like this." 

@Anna

[Anna]

The hazy visage and voice of the spirit that was Lucilla was not a shock for Drusilla. Which allowed her to keep her face passive and calm as she felt the gentle movement of air next to her. She had seen them before. Her mother's spirit was much the same. It no longer frightened her, yet she kept it a secret. Not wanting to be called mad like her father. The Roman people judged one harshly once they were perceived as odd. She knew she was where Drusus got his ability to know things about Augustus and his life. Touched. Not mad. She glanced towards the way the young servant girl had went and prayed that she would not be back with more guards. Hoping whoever she fled to would not take her seriously. Drusilla so wanted a moment with the woman who came to sit next to her. 

"As had I, it broke my heart when I got news you had passed." she spoke, still in that soft tone. Once she was certain no one was rushing their way. An honest smile on her face as she rested her perpetually inked stained hands in her lap. How she had longed, a decade and more ago, to have been able to meet Lucilla properly when the other woman had been living. But perhaps this wasn't so bad? "It's not so bad." She echoed that thought, the hesitation hitching on her breath and she allowed herself to admit things she told no other.  "I see you often. Just glimpse. You're always watching your children. My mother does the same. Motherhood never stops does it?" She asked that soft tone still there coupled with her smile.

She sighed. "I hope I have done right by your children as you did for me."

@Gothic