⋆˚꩜｡ Silk Threads ⋆˚꩜｡
|Ch. 1: Stitch Starter
all rights reserved to gojoslefttoenail101! do NOT steal credits/claim ownership. i am the sole author, pls and ty! :)
romanemperor!gojo x arrangedwife/empress!reader
this was cross uploaded on my ao3 account, gojoslefttoenail, as well!
word count: 2,417
written in second person pov & no use of y/n
no a.i. was used at all! written by me and me only!
❗NO smut this chapter/mostly an exposition :)❗
synopsis: A foreign princess living blissfully before you’re thrust into obligations out-of-the-blue. A marriage proposal from the marvelous Roman Emperor Satoru Gojo seals your fate. A beloved gem to your community turned to a fish out of water overnight. It starts out as a mere trade alliance…unless there’s room for more than just diplomatic exchanges?
⋆˚꩜｡historically inaccurate, alternate universe - ancient rome, slowburn-ish?, reader is a WOC, reader is racially ambiguous, arranged marriage/marriage of convenience, slight xenophobia?, eventual smut, making heirs, eventual pregnancy, eventual pregnant smut?
“Omnia vincit amor, et nos cedamos amori” - Vergil ⋆˚꩜｡
The Silk Road. That was the cursed thread that sealed your fate, tangling itself around the Roman Emperor, Satoru Gojo. Before things became messy, you were simply the firstborn daughter to a distant land’s king. You knew your life was too perfect, but you wanted to stay basked in ignorance for as long as possible. You were the people’s princess. You advocated for them, touched their souls, and built a strongly knit community. When you weren’t busy tending to others, you had the privilege of consuming knowledge. Most of your free time was spent cooped up in your mother’s grand library. Sometimes, you would even pick up new hobbies, just for the fun of it. This was your perfect life. You wished to stay under the sun’s warm rays for eternity. Be surrounded by the lingering smell of spices and fragrance for eternity. Be adorned in colorful hues and jewels for eternity. But all good things have to come to end eventually, no?
One unassuming day, a royal letter was sent to your parents’ palace. A marriage proposal from the Roman Empire’s Satoru Gojo, seeking your hand in marriage. He wished to establish a friendly trade alliance with your father’s kingdom, essentially through the Silk Roads. It was an immaculate offer. Both nations would have stronger diplomatic relations and a high spike in revenue. What kind of fool would deny this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? There was nothing to lose…except maybe your livelihood. And your sanity. Did you really expect to live so blissfully forever? You carried the title of crown princess on your shoulders, including the obligations that came with it.
Before you even realized it, a sparse few of your belongings were packed and shipped away. The days that you spent weeping your last farewells passed by in a blur. Not a single word fell from your lips during the long carriage ride to Rome, a foreign land that would soon become your permanent home. If you could even call it that.
After many days of tiring travel, the carriage finally stopped in front of the grand Palatine Hill. This was far different from the book diagrams you’ve skimmed over. How was the construction of such architecture even possible? You were stuck between deciding whether this could become your safe haven or isolating hell.
Your shameless gawking was interrupted by a forced cough. You hadn’t even realized there was a whole line of servants (with blank stares), waiting for you to get out of the carriage. After handing the horseman a generous amount of gold coins, you stumbled forward onto the solid ground. How unbecoming of the future Roman Empress. Suddenly remembering how high the stakes were, you straightened your back (despite the ache from the voyage) and lifted your chin high. Thankfully, your tutors back home had taught you the Latin language. It was both exciting and nerve-wracking to put your knowledge to the test.
“Greetings. I feel beyond honored to move to the beautiful Roman Empire. I trust I’ll be in your great care. Thank you,” you finished with a practiced smile.
There was certainly an accent in your voice, but the message was still relayed without butchering the pronunciation. However, the others didn’t bother addressing you. They just swooshed past you, unloading your belongings and returning back inside Palatine Hall. Did you say something wrong? Did you accidentally get a word wrong and unknowingly cuss them out?
But then you caught the disapproving look in their eyes. In fact, there were multiple pairs of eyes that wished for you to leave before even getting the chance to settle in. Any hope you had mustered up during the journey washed away like a high tide. These people didn’t want you here. It was so painfully obvious you weren’t one of them.
Your brown skin wasn’t the beauty standard here. Instead of being seen as sun-kissed, you were just burnt and dirty. Your long, black curls were registered as unkempt, and your facial features were too soft for their sharp scowls. They would’ve liked your looks on a Roman woman maybe, but you were obviously not one. Even the accent while talking caused a dividing gap that could not be mended. Everybody was thinking the same thing: How dare a foreign, untouchable woman wed the glorious Sun of the Empire?
You already missed home. Closing your eyes, you slowly inhaled and imagined the familiar scent of coastal salt entering your lungs. Instead, you got nothing but stagnant, hot air. How unsatisfactory. Whatever.
Your lashes fluttered open again to see a new figure in front of you. Your soon-to-be-husband was standing right there in broad daylight. The first thing you noticed was his age. He appeared to be youthful, not looking more than a few years older than you. Thank the heavens above! You were half-frightened to death that you would be chained down to a man triple your age.
Your gaze then analytically swept over Satoru’s clean demeanor. He wore a soft, simple-patterned toga with a leafy wreath atop his head. Your heart uncontrollably clenched with pain once you realized how ethereal he was. Why was he referred as the Empire’s Sun when he was the perfect embodiment of a full moon? Under the light, his white, wispy locks and pale skin were that of an angel’s. And those focused eyes, endless depths of azure. Could he be the one to provide salvation?
But at that thought, your blood ran cold. He was the reason why you were in some distant land instead of home right now. Or was it your parents’ fault for accepting the proposal?…No, that wasn’t fair. Denying Rome would’ve only resulted in the kingdom’s total obliteration. You couldn’t blame them.
He hadn’t spoken yet, but his brows slightly furrowed, as if he could sense the inner resentment stirring inside of you. That slight movement snapped you back to reality. Remember your place. You bowed in feigned deep respect, eyes averted to the ground after the rude staring.
“At ease. You may rise…Welcome to Rome,” he declared as if he was passing a new law.
However, even his voice sounded heavenly. Did this man even carry any imperfections? You rose, only muttering a humble thanks in response. There was nothing else to say to him. What more could you have added? I deeply appreciate you for ripping me away from home? You were expecting hostility from him the way the servants had displayed earlier, but he revealed nothing of the sort. Huh, maybe he didn’t see you as inferior after all. At least not because of your skin color. Rather than pushing for more conversation, the emperor read your mood and decided not to comment any further.
Instead, Satoru silently showed you to your private room. Palatine Hall’s interior put its outwards appearance to shame. Gold was integrated into almost about everything. The ceiling was adorned with astonishing paintings, vivid with life and contrasting hues. There were spontaneous statues of the past Roman emperors, all of them looking down upon you with a stern scowl. You recognized the unique architecture of marble columns from one of your textbooks; the structures were originally built by the Greeks. Seems like the Romans were their exactly replicas, just with a small twist.
However, the most astonishing aspect was the number of portraits all dedicated to the man striding beside you. Not even including his sculptures, there were dozens of art pieces with his face plastered on them. It was as if each one captured a different angle of him. There was no hallway lacking a reference to the glorious Emperor Satoru Gojo. How narcissistic could a person even be? Clearly there were no limits inhibiting this man.
While turning a corner, the two of you passed by a large picture where he lied relaxed, drapes lazily unwound down to his abdomen. Oh wow. Now you knew why your friends giggled every time someone mentioned a “Roman statue physique”. His upper body was divinely blessed, kissed by the heavens themselves. His toned muscles were harshly carved from the same marble used to construct this palace. Meanwhile, his intense gaze was on the viewer, which seemed to burn into your bones.
Curious, you stole a glance at him, wanting to compare the image to the real thing. However, his eyes had been on you as well, watching thoughtfully as you soaked in the unfamiliar culture. When your gazes met, you whipped your head forward in bewilderment, thrown off by his behavior.
As if he was reading your mind, he muttered, “I also believe this is all ridiculous. I would prefer not having my face smothered onto every surface. But the Senate wishes for me to ‘consolidate my power’ to the people…Whatever that must mean.”
Though you didn’t give a verbal response nor face him again, a small laugh rose from your throat. A genuine laugh. From your peripheral vision, a soft smile tugged at his lips. That was when you realized you shouldn’t be able to glance at him from the side. Walking beside him instead of trailing behind him was undermining his authority. Your steps slowed down, giving him space to advance forward. However, his pace also decelerated to match yours, causing your eyebrow to raise in silent question.
He noticed your gesture and simply explained, “Please do not linger behind me, for you are my equal. You are soon to be my empress and I wish to honor that.”
”…But it leaves me in an awkward position. Plus, people are glaring at me as if I suddenly grew a second head,” you finally spoke up.
His smile widened, glad that you were growing comfortable enough to talk to him freely.
”Please, pay them no heed. They serve as much loyalty to you as me now…And I understand the awkwardness. I really do. I suppose I can only advise you’re forced to get used to it over time. Regardless of how you feel.”
He then fell silent, though his face was now fixed with a pensive expression. Knowing right now wasn’t the time for conversation, you merely nodded in acknowledgment. You assumed he didn’t like hoarding all of the power either. It must be so lonely at the top. When you’re the strongest, people see you only as that. Nothing more, nothing less.
You remembered he was appointed Emperor at the meek age of 16, after his parents were killed overseas. He alone was the honored one. The one who had to reunite Rome in the midst of a hurricane full of chaos and restlessness. The one who had to ward off sneaky politicians and silent assassins, while also trying to prove his competence to his subjects at the same time. Even a decade later, he was still most likely on survival mode. You could empathize with him on that part, but it didn’t erase the current situation by a long shot. You were still bound to a total stranger in a distant land, very different from your own home.
Satoru opened a heavy pair of grand doors, revealing a vast chamber inside. This was much more space than you needed. Even though you were already homesick, at least you could mourn in a dazzling room.
Your luggage was settled in the corner of the area. That’ll take maybe only an hour to unpack, since you didn’t bring a lot in the first place. You couldn’t take much of your own cultural clothes or jewelry. Not if you were going to be Rome’s empress. But this was a blessing in the midst of complete rubbish (author’s edit: no, i am not british). You didn’t have to reside in the same chambers as him. If you were forced to, you really would have gone mad right then.
While you were admiring the bright orange sunset glaring through the window, Satoru approached from behind and gently held your hand up. You turned to face him, obviously confused but not alarmed. You could count every single one of his snowy lashes, thanks to the luminous flux forming shadows across his face. He took out a simple gold ring with engraved designs before slipping it onto your left hand. You hadn’t even realized he was wearing a matching silver one this whole time until now.
”I know you despise the situation…The Senate was pushing me to marry. They claimed if I waited for too long, I wouldn’t be able to produce healthy heirs. I am aware this sounds stupid, but I wanted to spite them. So instead of settling for some obedient Roman woman that they could easily manipulate, I chose you. I knew they would disapprove, but who would dare argue against their dear Emperor?…It is merely an explanation, and I do not expect forgiveness,” he mumbled before chastely kissing the palm of your hand.
To your own surprise, you didn’t bother trying to withdraw your hand. His lips were soft, feeling warm over your skin. The spot where he touched you felt fuzzy afterwards. Do you forgive him? His friendliness was starting to grow on you, but did that really make up for anything?
”I suppose I can understand that line of reasoning, but how is that related to these rings? I thought the ceremony was in a few weeks,” you quipped, causing him to grin against your hand.
”You will probably face criticism for simply being here. The ring is to remind others that you’re their empress, no matter what nonsense they might think. So please, exploit my power to accommodate your needs,” he peppered a few more kisses, breathing in your fragrance.
“…Thank you.”
He glanced up from your hand to meet your gaze appreciatively, “No. I sincerely thank you…You must be exhausted from the long journey, so I do not expect your presence at the dining hall tonight. I shall send up food to your room instead. Get some rest and farewell.”
His thumb brushed over your ring one last time before he left, gently shutting the doors behind him. You spent some time organizing your drapes, books, jewelry, and oils. The plate given to you seemed extremely unappealing. Where were all of the spices? The aesthetic element? It just looked like dry slop, something you would toss to the birds outside. Instead of having dinner, you changed into your own clothes and fell asleep on your new, plushy bed (ignoring your empty stomach).
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author's notes:
i'm going to be honest: this is an old reupload from back in march, so there might be some weird mistakes
lowkey idk if i should just scrap this series bc it's been so long (ik three-ish months isn't crazy but still)
i have other writing ideas that will be my priority over this, so we'll see
plus, i don't like how i made gojo some ROMAN emperor. ik that's like the main plot line 😭 but it just sounds like i'm whitewashing/erasing his japanese heritage
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING SUPER GOATED PEEPS!!!!!!! :D
