Molliter Nix Cadit - Softly The Snow Falls

Molliter Nix Cadit - Softly the Snow Falls

Please Note:

Caracalla goes to great lengths to cure your home sickness, in more ways than one 💍🎄🥂✨

Slight time skip, fast slow-burn, strangers to lovers

Not sure if this will be OOC for Caracalla- author has not seen movie but has seen some spoilers - I heard Dondus is a boy in the movie- author took creative liberties and she’s a gal now

Reader wears braids in hair and is referred to as female- no other descriptors !! Viking/Norse communities ‘adopted’ people from all walks of life and never had just one ‘look’

Language translations list at the end of story (It’s just Google translate rip) xx

🕯️🕊️🎄🥂🕯️🕊️🎄🥂🕯️🕊️🎄🥂🕯️🕊️🎄🥂🕯️

Rome seemed worlds away from your home the closer and closer you got to city center

The sounds, smells, and colors were dulled to your senses as you were brought before the young emperors through the palace gates

Your home in the North had seen much destruction, not from the romans, but other enemy ships and villages

And so you’d fled away with other young woman and children in hopes of peace, of freedom

You should have known it wouldn’t be so simple

You stood facing petty theft from a roman carriage with food, you plead in your broken tongue as best you could for them to spare you- the bread in your hands ripped and flung away

It was fate that Geta had allowed Caracalla to bring Dondus to the city hearings today to keep his boredom and episodes at bay- she was usually always able to calm him

The bread landed close to the emperors feet and Dondus leapt down at once, never one to turn away a snack

With tears in your eyes you watched as a pet was allowed the full loaf over you and you hung your head in defeat- your fate was in their hands

Ever the lady, Dondus ran to share a piece of bread with her master, looking at you with her wide eyes

Caracalla took the piece of bread and popped it in his mouth before speaking

“Where is she from? She’s not Roman, nor Greek?”

A guard bowed and spoke “She hails from the North, the savage lands”

His eyes glittered darkly realizing she was so far from home, from family or friends- only you, all alone, and what was a poor girl to do? Caracalla could use some fun, he’d tired from the same concubines and you looked so different from any Roman citizens

Your hair in serval braids marking victories over your enemies while on the road, dark eye makeup and clothing to blend into the grey, cold Earth- you stuck out like a sore thumb in the richly colored city

He declared no harm to fall you and ensured you’d be treated as his guest, Geta rolled his eyes but had no objection to his brothers latest conquest

Caracalla had you and your few belongings moved to a room in his wing of the palace- gifting you every finery the next morning, including a glorious rose water bath and large breakfast right to your bedside.

After you were dressed in the softest rose shades, complimenting your figure draped in glittering finery

You saw little of him throughout the first weeks dedicating time to lear the roman culture and language.

When the servants found you presentable he had you accompany him throughout the day.

Between meetings and social gatherings you felt as much of a pet as lady Dondus, who affectionately rode on your shoulder most evenings.

It was one evening she joined you in your room, both resting on a table as you scribbled away in a journal.

You’d written so many stories from your first day and escaping death to the witness of gladiator tournaments and the place gardens.

It felt as though you’d entered your own Valhalla and praised your Gods for a safe journey. The solstice was approaching and though the Romans had their own celebrations and Gods you’d not forgotten yourself or family.

It was a quiet, early morning, not even the servants had rose out of bed

Caracalla, unable to sleep his mind plagued- and venturing out of bed, found you weeping in the gardens. The pines so similar and different to yours back home

He sat softly next to you bringing you close in a warm embrace, wrapping an outer layer of his toga over you keeping you warm on the stone bench

“Why do you weep, Dulcissima?”

Your journal beside you, you’d opened the page with your writing about the winter solstice- ‘Yule- the Winter Solstice” is what you called it

Visions of spiced cakes, roasted meats, ale and mead, every recipe you could remember, drawings of Yule decorations and traditions, gift giving and the stationary scent of dried oranges hit Caracalla full force

Not only inviting him into world but realizing you were terribly homesick, the festivities of Saturnalia looking so similar were no help

He was determined to do everything in his power to impress you with a Yule festive fit for a Goddess

It was a week of strait planning and preparation, forgoing his formal duties in favor of planning a perfect feast.

He’d demanded the largest pines found in the city displayed in the grand hall of the palace

Droves of servants rapidly created ornaments, bits, and bobbles made of metal by the hundreds, placing each one on the tree with care despite the task at hand

Meticulous effort went into creating each recipe to perfection, in Caracalla’s eyes nothing was good enough, he’d tasted every dish and hoped it was close enough to your meals back home

You arose the day of the festival, maids preparing the bath in Caracalla’s room and leading you in, scrubbed down with rich oils of vanilla, cinnamon, clove and cherry

You were dried and dressed in a deep green and gold stola with a soft white fur collared cape

Your hair was styled in sweeping, grand braids with gold pieces and a pine wreath replaced the traditional laurel

You felt like an Goddess dressed so nicely for what felt like the most incredible day

You’d spent your time the past week crafting a gift for Caracalla, a beautiful new blade, bronzed handle carved with the sacred runic words *Viska, Sigur, and Ast, the last word you’d treasured the most

You found yourself growing fonder and fonder of Caracalla’s company and the time he made for you each day grew longer and longer

He’d said he found it impossible to stay away plucking the nearest flower down to place behind your ear the first month of your stay

That memory felt so familiar now as Caracalla met you on the steps “You look divine, Carissima - You’ll outshine all here!”

You could say the same for him, looking nothing less than regal in a long emerald toga and donned a golden laurel

You blushed as you took his arm guiding you to the grand hall with a confident stride, the tree aglow with candle light and strung with red berries

You delighted all night with a large feast, music, you friends company and relished the grandeur Calla had spent so much effort to display for you

He made you feel welcome, invited and included- he warmed you from the inside out

As the festivities died down he pulled you aside to the gardens, they were decorated with silver and gold garland illuminated by the moonlight

You walked hand in hand stopping on a stone bench with a cover when a light snow began to fall

“It seems you’ve brought Aquilo’s spirt to Rome this season- it was a wonder I found you” he sighed caressing your face

You grabbed his hand lifting your gaze to his “It seems that Rome is becoming more like home the longer I stay”

“I have one more surprise for you, Dulcissima!” He whispered excitedly, leaning closer to you “Dondus?”

She dropped down to a lower branch dropped a bundle of leaves into his hand before scurrying off for more treats from the grand hall

“Have you ever heard the story of visci, Cor Meum?” He said, taking you hand once more

You shook your head never hearing this story but recognizing the plant and the tradition it carried back home you hoped this story would lead you down the same path

You giggled with a blush as he pulled you in by the waist holding the bundle over you head his lips moulding perfectly to yours in an unbreakable kiss

It seemed to last a lifetime in only a few moments and he knew he could have no other in his life

“Mea Omnia please be mine? I’ll give you anything you could desire- you’ll want for nothing except to spend you days committed to your passions- I’ll treasure you always. With you by my side I will be unstoppable in every way- Make me feel alive- whole. Become my Empress?” He held a crafted ring with delicately placed emeralds surrounding a lavish diamond in the center, inside was carved the symbols of Mars and Venus- a true work of art.

A soft gasp left you, eyes welling with tears at his truest, most vulnerable confession

“Of course my Calla! How could I turn away your love, your bewitching displays of affection? You see me as I am and who I am becoming, as I see you” you pulled out your gift to him, the dagger embellished with your language, a sacred blessing for you lover

“It’s blesses the wielder with wisdom, victory, and love, things you now have much success in” you said, a giddy lilt in your voice. He swung you around laughing softly holding you close and slipping your ring on your hand

“I shall wield it every day if I must, vanquish anyone who would try and take you away from me!” He taunted and slipped the dagger into an inner pocket

Now strolling arm in arm again he pulled you in for another kiss, the snow softly coating you both in the silent, perfect night

🕯️🕊️🎄🥂🕯️🕊️🎄🥂🕯️🕊️🎄🥂🕯️🕊️🎄🥂🕯️

Anyways!! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed xx

📜Tag list: @doodle-with-rhy @s-lverwing @certifiedcodbabygirl

Language Translations:

Title - Molliter Nix Cadit - Softly the Snow Falls

Dulcissima - Sweetest

Carissma - Dearest

Viska, Sigur, and Ast - Wisdom, Victory, Love

Aquilo - Roman God of winter and the North wind

Visci - Mistletoe

Cor Meum - My Heart

Mea Omnia - My Everything