First published 2020
At Ardea, Roman soldiers Tarquin and Collatine discuss their lives during a military campaign. Collatine praises his wife Lucrece, describing her beauty and virtue. The next morning, Tarquin rides to Collatine's house, where Lucrece receives him as an honored guest. He entertains her with battlefield tales of her husband's courage. That night, consumed by lust, Tarquin enters Lucrece's bedroom while she sleeps. He wakes her and demands she submit to him. When she refuses, he threatens to kill her and stage her death to look like adultery with a slave. Faced with this choice between rape and public dishonor, Lucrece cannot resist. After Tarquin assaults her, he flees in shame. Devastated and filled with rage, Lucrece summons her husband home. She confesses what happened but refuses to name her attacker. The story explores how violence destroys innocence and how shame becomes a weapon against the victim.
Genres: mythology, historical-fiction, ancient-history, classical-studies
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, power-dynamics
Setting: Ardea
Period: Ancient Rome
70 pages · Paperback · Independently Published
Content warnings: rape, sexual-assault, violence