Juni and Claudius (part 2)
Juni went to the Forum the next day and found Nero. He saw the beauty walk in and said, “Juni”.
“Nero, I had to see you again. I was thinking about you last night.”
“I’ve thought about you too Juni, but I also thought that there was nothing between us,” the emperor said.
“Nero, last night being with you made me realize that I’ve missed the company of a man. I’ve missed someone to be physically intimate with. My body is crying out for a man’s touch. It’s screaming, ‘take me!’ I want to kiss you so much it hurts. I want to touch you,” Juni said.
“Juni, I need you now!", Nero exclaimed, barely able to contain himself.
With that, Juni embraced the emperor, and he ran his hands up and down her body, giving her a great feeling of relief. It felt like a great itch had been scratched, and it felt SO GOOD!
“Oohh, ohh yes! Yes!", Juni cried out. A surge went through the emperor, as pent-up lust started expressing itself. When Juni and Nero kissed, it was passionate. When they made love for the first time, it lasted for hours. The emperor was with the woman that other Roman men only dreamed about.
dream sequence:
One week later, Juni was back at the Colosseum looking at the sunset, and reflecting. She had taken off her wedding ring and no longer carried Claudius’ laurel wreath with her. Being with Nero had changed things for her: at least she could be with someone again, and it felt so good. The Eurasian felt loved again, and she didn’t want that feeling to stop.
Juni was sitting alone when she heard a male voice:
“I thought I’d find you here.”
She turned and saw Nero beside her. He smiled and said, “Such a beautiful woman shouldn’t be alone this evening.”
“Hello Nero,” she said.
“Hello my dear,” the emperor warmly said.
Then he said:
“Juni, I want you to look into my eyes. Relax and look deep into my eyes. Look further into my eyes...deep into my eyes.”
Juni looked into Nero’s eyes and he continued, “Very good...completely relaxed...look deep within my eyes. Look further into my eyes. Even if you wanted to, you couldn’t look away. Look further into my eyes. Always deeper...always deeper. Look further into my eyes.”
Her eyes were fixed on his and he said, “You’re only hearing the sound of my voice. Now relax, relax. Relax.”
She relaxed, still looking into the emperor’s eyes. They were so hypnotic, and were all she could see. Juni felt so relaxed as she continued staring, but she felt Nero’s hands exploring her body.
“How do you feel, my love?", he softly asked.
“Strange,” Juni said.
“It’s okay. You can touch me,” Nero said, and led her hand up to his face. Juni stroked it.
“Touch me..touch me,” Nero whispered.
“Touch you,” Juni also whispered.
Then Nero started kissing her neck and she squealed slightly, and closed her eyes. This intimacy went on until it got dark. Then Juni was awakened by Gaius’ crying. His grandmother called out, “Juni, feed the baby!”
“Yes mother!", she called back.
Juni went to the kitchen and got some milk for Gaius, which he drank while she held him. After he drank it, she put him back in his crib and he fell asleep.
“Goodnight my baby,” Juni whispered, “Mother needs to go to sleep now, okay?”
Gaius just slept sweetly, and Juni smiled. Then she went back to her bedroom.
In her bedroom, Juni got out Claudius’ laurel wreath and held it. She kissed it, held it close to her and said, “I haven’t forgotten you.”
“I haven’t forgotten you either,” a male voice said.
Juni looked around but didn’t see anyone in the room with her. Then a man materialized before her. The Eurasian asked, “Claudius, is that you?”
“Yes,” the man said.
Juni ran to hug her late husband and then remembered that she couldn’t.
“Claudius, I’ve missed you!", she exclaimed.
“As have I,” he said.
“Claudius, I’ve done something terrible,” Juni said.
“What have you done my dear?", Claudius asked-concerned.
“Well, since you’ve passed away, I’ve been with Emperor Nero,” Juni said.
“I understand,” Claudius said, “I saw you in his arms at the Colosseum.”
“I’m sorry,” Juni said.
“Why?", Claudius asked.
“When I was in Nero’s arms, I felt like I was disrespecting your memory, and I just couldn’t do that,” Juni said.
“Juni, you’re not disrespecting my memory. I’m gone now, and seeing how beautiful you are, it’s understandable that many men in Rome would want you,” he said.
“Claudius, have you seen me get intimate with the emperor in other places?", she asked.
“No,” Claudius said, laughing gently, “it is not my business to look.”
Juni grinned and Claudius asked, “By the way, is our son okay?”
“Oh...oh yes,” Juni said, “but he’s sleeping right now.”
“I see,” he said, “but can I go see him?”
“Of course, but be very quiet,” Juni said.
They went to the crib and the baby was still asleep. Juni gently picked him up and Claudius looked at their son.
“The next emperor of Rome,” he softly said.
“Yes,” Juni whispered, “but for now he needs to sleep.” Then she put him back in the crib.
A few minutes later, Claudius said, “I must go now. Goodbye and goodnight my dear. I’ll be watching over you and Gaius.”
“Goodbye my love,” Juni said and watched her husband slowly disappear. A short while later, she went back to her bedroom, kissed the laurel wreath and said “Goodnight Claudius.
Then she put it under her pillow and went to sleep.
130 A.D.
It had been 67 years since Claudius died. Ninety-three-year-old Juni was now the mother of an aging emperor Gaius and a great-great-grandmother of 3. She had never remarried although had enjoyed a 5-year sexual relationship with Emperor Nero in her youth. Above all else, she knew that her late husband had always been watching over her and her family.
The old woman, although plagued with arthritis, managed to make frequent visits to the Colosseum with her son, and it brought back mixed memories for her. Being at the Colosseum reminded Juni of the days when she would watch the chariot races and come out alone on sunset evenings. She remembered when Nero sat with her and comforted her when she needed it. Now Nero was gone and Gaius was there for her. Juni knew that soon her time would come and that she would be able to join Claudius in the afterlife, so she savored the remaining time she had on earth.
Juni was gently holding Gaius’ hand and he smiled. For a while, they looked out onto the grounds, and then Juni turned to her left. Remarkably, she saw a clear vision: Juni saw a much younger version of herself in Emperor Nero’s arms. The young Juni smiled and fondly looked back at the old woman, then reached out her hand to her. The old Juni smiled back and touched the young woman’s hand with her own. A short while after their hands touched, the vision of young Juni and Nero-both smiling-faded away.
After the vision faded, the old woman faced forward again to look at the sunset and Gaius asked, “Isn’t it lovely this evening, mother?”
“Yes,” Juni said, “in more ways than one.”