Section 12: The ■■ City, London (1/2)

She was born at the breaking of the dawn, not as the emperor's heir, but as the last of her family's line.

She had no desire for the throne, nor any means of attaining it. Not with her father being weak and without backing.

The first thing that sent her life down a different path...

"I love you, Nero."

"I've decided I'm going to make you emperor."

"In service of that goal..."

"...I will do anything."

...was her mother, Agrippina's, debauchery.

Nero's mother remarried the previous emperor, Claudius. From there, she employed every devious scheme she could imagine to insure her child became the next emperor.

Nero was wed to the previous emperor's daughter, Octavia.

This made Nero the next in line over her younger stepbrother, Britannicus.

The next step...

...was the emperor's assassination.

Following the assassination of Emperor Claudius, Nero was installed as his successor.

And so, at the young age of seventeen, Nero ascended to rulership over the Roman Empire as its fifth emperor. Her own wishes were simply not a factor.

Perhaps as a reaction to the...unorthodox manner in which she attained her position, Nero favored people outside of her family.

In fact, she loved the nameless masses of her citizens more than her fellow nobles.

She opposed both the corrupt politics of the nation, driven as they were purely by self-interest, and the Senate which was so blinded by its own privilege.

However, the path to Nero's reforms was not entirely free of thorns.

"That man served me faithfully. Grant him amnesty, Nero."

"I can't stand that woman. Have her killed, Nero."

"Nero. Darling Nero. My Nero. You are the emperor of Rome and therefore ruler of all the world."

"Your word is law. If something troubles you, it should not dare to exist."

"This is all for you, Nero."

"I love you, Nero."

"I love you."

Nero's mother regularly insisted that Nero make policy decisions to suit her personal interests, and kept Nero from reaching a resolution with the Senate.

Agrippina saw her daughter...

"Nero, I don't understand what you're saying. I truly don't."

"You think I don't treat you like a person? Oh, silly."

"Of course I don't. I never have."

"Nero. Darling Nero. My Nero. My dear, beloved..."

"...emperor doll."

...as no more than a means to her becoming the mother of an emperor.

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"Heh... Heh... Heh...heh..."

"Ne...ro..."

"Here, Mother. I'm returning this goblet to you."

"...This woman tried to poison me. All who defy the emperor will be executed. Even my own mother is no exception."

"...Ahh."

"Nero. Darling Nero. My Nero. You really are a selfish emperor."

"You truly love the pathetic masses, don't you?"

"Ahh... Poor Nero. Poor, poor Nero."

"You have nowhere left to go. I was your only home."

"Your love will never reach them."

"You are an all-consuming flame. Your love burns song... Flower... Anything and everything for kindling."

"Love? Ridiculous. No one, not even the gods, would sacrifice so much of themselves for love."

"You will never reach the stars you seek."

"You are a bloodred rose born at daybreak, destined to wilt with the setting sun."

"You are alone. All alone. Trembling in your solitude..."

"...you will drown in this cold, empty corner of the world, utterly alone."