Geta, the younger of the two brothers, was the first to arrive at the scene. He had been meditating in the garden when he heard his sister's scream, and his heart raced as he sprinted toward the sound. His thoughts were consumed with one overwhelming concern: Y/n. Though his relationship with Caracalla was strained, Geta had always tried to be the protector, the quieter brother, avoiding confrontation when possible. But when it came to Y/n , there was no hesitation.

By the time Geta reached his sister, she was on the ground, clutching her leg with blood soaking through her gown. One of her sandals had fallen beside her, the other nowhere in sight. Her face was pale, and her breathing ragged. She had fallen from one of the marble columns that lined the garden, and her leg-her right leg-was clearly broken.

"Y/n!" Geta gasped, kneeling beside her. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

Y/n's eyes flickered up at him, her face contorted in pain, but she managed a weak smile. "I... I slipped. Nothing more."

But Geta knew better. His sister was not one to lie, but the truth was far more dangerous. The Severan palace was a place of intrigue and deceit, and accidents were rare, especially with members of the imperial family.

"I will call for the physician," Geta said urgently, already standing to go. But Y/n's hand reached out, stopping him.

"No," she whispered. "Not yet. I don't want to cause trouble."

"Trouble?" Geta's eyes narrowed. "You are my sister, Y/n. Your safety is more important than anything."

Y/n's eyes filled with tears, though she quickly wiped them away. "Just promise me, Geta, you won't tell Caracalla. Don't involve him."

At the mention of his older brother, Geta's stomach churned. He didn't understand the depth of the animosity between Caracalla and Y/n, but he knew there was something between them-something that had soured their relationship over the years. Caracalla, always the more aggressive and power-hungry of the two, had never treated their sister with the same care that Geta had. And now, she seemed terrified of him.

"I won't let him hurt you, Y/n" Geta said, his voice soft but firm. He knew that Caracalla's anger could be violent, especially if he felt slighted or disrespected.

Y/n nodded, her face pale and tired. "Thank you, Geta. I trust you."

But just as Geta was about to go for help, the heavy wooden doors of the garden flew open. Caracalla, his face dark with rage, strode in, his boots echoing against the stone floor.

---

"Geta! What have you done?" Caracalla's voice was low and dangerous, his eyes scanning the scene. When his gaze fell on Y/n, lying helpless on the ground, his expression shifted. There was a flash of something-guilt, perhaps-before it was replaced with anger.

"I didn't do this, Caracalla," Geta said sharply, stepping between his sister and the older emperor. "Y/n has been injured. We need to get her to a physician."

Caracalla's eyes narrowed, suspicion written all over his face. He had long distrusted Geta, seeing him as weak and incapable of handling the burdens of power. The rivalry between the brothers had only grown more bitter with the years, and every word between them was carefully measured, as if each one carried the weight of an empire.

"How did this happen?" Caracalla demanded, his voice like steel. "She just 'slipped'?"

Y/n, her face pale and pained, attempted to rise but could not manage it. She winced, clutching her leg in agony. "I... I lost my balance. It was nothing."

Caracalla's eyes flicked to her leg, which was twisted unnaturally beneath her. "Nothing?" He laughed bitterly. "It's obvious that you've been harmed, and yet you try to protect him. Why?"

"Stop it, Caracalla!" Geta snapped, stepping closer to his brother. "Y/n has already suffered enough. There's no need for your accusations."

Caracalla glared at him. "You're always so protective, Geta. But why? She is just a woman. She doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. The empire is what matters."

Y/n's eyes filled with tears, but she said nothing. It wasn't the first time Caracalla had belittled her, though it stung each time. Her role in the palace had always been that of an ornament, a piece to be admired but never truly valued.

Geta's patience wore thin. "I don't care about your empire right now, Caracalla. I care about her."

"Enough!" Caracalla shouted, stepping forward and grabbing Geta by the arm, his grip tight. "You will never understand, little brother. You are weak. I will take control of this empire, with or without your help, and if she gets in the way-"

Y/n cried out in pain as her leg throbbed, and Caracalla's words faltered. For a moment, even he was shaken. He stepped back, his hand running through his hair in frustration.

"You'll never be the emperor you think you are," Geta said coldly. "And I won't let you hurt her."

Caracalla looked down at his sister, her eyes filled with silent sorrow. For a brief moment, his anger gave way to something else-a flicker of regret. But it passed quickly, hidden beneath his façade of power. He turned on his heel, marching away without a word, leaving Geta to tend to their sister.

---

The physician arrived shortly after, and Y/n's leg was carefully set. She would live, though her injury would leave her weakened for some time. Geta stayed by her side, quietly watching over her as she slept. His mind, however, was elsewhere, caught between the love he felt for his sister and the deepening divide between himself and Caracalla.

As the days passed, the tension between the brothers only grew. The injury, though it had brought them together momentarily, had also exposed the cracks in their relationship, cracks that could no longer be ignored. Caracalla's desire for power and his cruelty toward those who did not follow him were growing more apparent, while Geta's protective nature and sense of justice were growing more defined.

For now, Y/n had been spared, but the divide between her brothers-two men who could no longer be reconciled-was beyond healing. The palace, once a place of family, had become a battleground, and the wound that had torn the family apart was far deeper than the one that had broken Y/n's leg.

But as Geta sat by his sister's side, he made a promise to himself. He would protect her, no matter the cost-even if that meant standing against his brother.