Melissa Alethia

Plebeian

Posts
4
Last visited
Saturday at 06:41 PM
Player
Atrice

About Melissa Alethia

Thermopolia Worker

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Jessica Lucas
Location
Rome
Activity Level
Leisure

Face Claim

Jessica Lucas
Location

Rome
Activity Level

Leisure

Recent Posts

Where to Begin?

Saturday at 06:41 PM

The stranger listened while Melissa told about all the sorts of cakes there were, although she did not see all of them in this particular stall. But she knew where to find them. The woman then said she'd have a cake if Melissa would recommend it. She chuckled, "I definitely recommend it, just be careful you don't get addicted." She said, the woman was young - maybe around her age - and very slim and nice looking. It would be a pity if she ended up looking like a Nubian queen or something, she'd heard they ate a lot to grow to enormous sizes because apparently that was beautiful there. And the more fat you were, the more wealth you had. But that was not a standard in Rome, at least not as far as she knew.
The other woman then began talking to the man in front of them, complaining about how slow he was and the man glared at her. Melissa wasn't sure if she was very brave or very stupid, the strange looking woman. Maybe it was not smart to speak to her after all. But it was too late and the other said she was not just buying cakes, but also looking for someone called Varus.
"I know of a Varus. More than one actually, I think." She said, tapping her chin, "Why are you looking? If you don't mind telling me." She asked then, looking the woman over. Why would a foreign woman like her be looking for someone with such a name? Varus. It was famous, of course, and for more than one reason too. Not just historically. She'd read his name on a wall more than once. And didn't they say a Varus had moved in in an insula not far from the thermopolia? Maybe he'd even visited without her knowledge, since she just handed out food, didn't ask for names. Sometimes it was handy though, working in such a place where people talked. Melissa was a good listener.
@Sara
Where to Begin?

Saturday at 01:59 PM

The strange looking woman seemed surprised that Melissa spoke to her, but then she seemed to accept it and replied. Her Latin was good, perfect even. But of course she had an accent you could not ignore. Melissa saw all kinds of people at her working place and home. This one sounded like she was from the North. Not Briton. It was more rough, her accent. Maybe German? She enjoyed playing these little games with herself, trying to guess things and find out afterwards if she guessed it right.
She smiled at the stranger, "They're cakes, most of them. And sweet buns." Maybe the woman was new in Rome, since she didn't know what cakes were? Well Melissa was happy to lend a hand in figuring things out. "They make them with honey, almost, dried fruit, dates... sometimes fresh cheese and fat too." She said and inhaled the scent, "I think it'll be honey for me. Once he's done." She added with a cheerful grin, nodding at the slow man in front of them and luckily he was so busy trying to pick what he wanted, that he didn't hear her. Else she could be in trouble.
@Sara
Where to Begin?

Saturday at 07:24 AM

While the slaves were watching the thermopolia together with her father, who had been doing alright this morning, Melissa had taken a bit of time off to go to the Forum. She needed a new belt, so needed to buy some leather to make it. The old belt was just holding it together right now, but she feared it might break any day now. Carefully she adjusted her palla and the bag she carried over her shoulder. She did not dare to hang her purse in the belt, since it was so worn. The bag seemed the better choice. It wasn't that hard to find the stalls with leather strips and she purchased a few and moved on. Maybe a bit to eat before she went home... she glanced in the direction she needed to go in, to get back to her home, feeling a little worried. Maybe she should go home. No, she deserved a moment on her own!
And so she determinedly made her way towards a stall selling sweet and flaky cakes. There stood a strange looking woman in front her in the line, her hair was definitely not made up in a Roman fashion and nor were her clothes, actually. Not that Melissa had not seen such people before, all kinds came to Rome and to her place too, but she got curious. The woman reminded her a bit of that infamous gladiatrix, who now served the Imperials... maybe this was a relation or something?
Finally the line moved forwards and the woman in front of her could pick a cake. Melissa looked at them too, while looking for an excuse to speak to the stranger. Maybe she could persuade her to a proper meal at her own thermopolia? If she was hungry anyway... she looked up, seeing the stallholder being busy with something in the back, having his back turned towards them.
"They all look so good..." Melissa said, pretending she was talking to herself, but then she looked at the other woman, "What's your preferred type?"
@Sara
Melissa Alethia

April 30

Melissa Alethia
22 | December 4th 54AD | Plebian | Thermopolia worker | Heterosexual | Original | Jessica Lucas

Personality.
Melissa is known as an outgoing and openminded person and is quite independent. She smiles and laughs easily and has more or less accepted her status as a young spinster, as she works hard to help out her parents at their thermoplia, along with the slaves they own. Her sister is married and her brother is off abroad and they don’t know if he’s alive or dead. This means she also feels a heavy responsibility for her parents and for helping them out. She would like to marry someday, but mostly because she’d like to have kids, and her father claims to be looking for a husband for her, but he’s also aware of how useful she is in the thermopolia.
For now though, she is free as a bird and she’s quite content with it. She enjoys the cooking in the thermoplia and she enjoys meeting and serving people from all social classes at the place. It means she knows a lot of people and she hears a lot of gossip. One thing she enjoys doing is trying to figure out whether a piece of gossip is real or not – although it’s also not unusual that she passes along the gossip if people ask her about it.
Not everything is happy-go-lucky for Melissa though, even though she enjoys her freedom from marriage. She is a perfectionist and worries a lot about her parents, and isn't sure their thermopolia can stay open if something should happen to them. Her father is often sick now and her mother needs to tend to him, so Melissa has most of the responsibility in the shop. And with her wanting everything to be perfect, it can make her a bit stressed, but she pretends she's fine. But in the long run, is it too much for the young woman?

Appearance
Melissa is somewhat tall for a Roman woman, standing just about 5’5” tall, with long, black hair, often done up in some hairdo to keep the hair away from the face and the food. Her eyes are brown and she’s slim and used to working – her hands aren’t soft. But her gaze is mild and often cheerful, except for when she worries about her family and how long they can keep the thermopolia open. She dresses most in earthly colors, brown, grey and green.

Family
Father: Appius Gallius Alethius (54)
Mother: Vibia Melissa (42)
Siblings:
- Gallia Alethia (25, married)
- Appius Gallius Alethius Minor (26, Legionary)
Spouse: N/A
Children: N/A
Extended family:
- Gallias’ husband and family
- Her mother’s family
Other: Lucius Antonius Alexius is an occasional lover and friend

History
54 AD – Melissa Alethia is born as the third and youngest child and the second daughter to Appius Gallius Alethius. Her sister Gallia Alethia is 2 years older and her brother three years older than she is. Appius runs a thermopolia together with his wife, Vibia Melissa.
60 AD - Her life is pretty ordinary for a girl of a plebian family. As soon as she is old enough to work, she is given mild work in the business and other than that, she spends her childhood playing with her siblings and the youngest slaves of the thermopolia. She helps out her family with the business and she also spends her childhood playing with her siblings and the youngest slaves of the thermopolia.
68 AD – Melissa’s sister Gallia is married off at the age of 14 to a merchant in Ostia near Rome. She barely ever sees her sister again. Melissa is still not a woman and keeps on working in the thermopolia.
70 AD – Melissa says goodbye to her brother, as he leaves the family to serve in the legions far abroad. Suddenly she is the only child to her parents left in Rome. Her father begins looking for a husband for his youngest daughter.
71 AD – Melissa is betrothed and set to marry a baker later the same year. Her betrothed however falls ill and dies before the marriage can happen. Melissa stays with her family and keeps on working, while her father begins searching for another possible husband for her.
72 AD – Finally, at the age of 18, Melissa is married to a slave trader and leaves her family home to live with him elsewhere in Rome. She doesn’t like him though, he’s very bossy with her and she is not used to that. She asks the gods to help her somehow, making a small sacrifice of blood to them, hoping they will make the marriage easier for her. The gods were given blood and the gods replied with the same. Her husband disappeared one night after going out and was found weeks later in a garbage pile, his throat cut. Melissa is shocked, but does not mourn him much. Instead she returns to her parents and gets on with the work.
75 AD – Melissa begins to think she is simply just bad luck when it comes to marriage. She’s been betrothed a few times, but something keeps happening. Maybe the gods don’t want her to have a husband? Maybe they are still granting her the wish she had for them years ago. At the age of 21, she is still without a husband. That same year, someone new moves into the insula across the street and drops by her thermopolia for a meal. His name is Alexius and he's very charming. Too charming. Yet despite how very well they get along, she knows that even (and maybe especially) a freedman like him is not husband material. But he's still nice to have around.
77 AD – The family have not seen her brother since he left Rome and have now not heard from him in over a year. Meanwhile Melissa’s parents are growing older and she’s needed to work in the shop, so her father does not search very actively for a new husband for her anymore. If she’s to marry again, it they prefer it is with a man who can help them run the place and eventually take over. And until or if such a man can be found, she remains as she is.

Atrice | GMT+1 | Discord: Atrice#7964 or PM
@Gothic

Topics I Participated In

Melissa Alethia

Started by Melissa Alethia · April 30

Melissa Alethia
22 | December 4th 54AD | Plebian | Thermopolia worker | Heterosexual | Original | Jessica Lucas

Personality.
Melissa is known as an outgoing and openminded person and is quite independent. She smiles and laughs easily and has more or less accepted her status as a young spinster, as she works hard to help out her parents at their thermoplia, along with the slaves they own. Her sister is married and her brother is off abroad and they don’t know if he’s alive or dead. This means she also feels a heavy responsibility for her parents and for helping them out. She would like to marry someday, but mostly because she’d like to have kids, and her father claims to be looking for a husband for her, but he’s also aware of how useful she is in the thermopolia.
For now though, she is free as a bird and she’s quite content with it. She enjoys the cooking in the thermoplia and she enjoys meeting and serving people from all social classes at the place. It means she knows a lot of people and she hears a lot of gossip. One thing she enjoys doing is trying to figure out whether a piece of gossip is real or not – although it’s also not unusual that she passes along the gossip if people ask her about it.
Not everything is happy-go-lucky for Melissa though, even though she enjoys her freedom from marriage. She is a perfectionist and worries a lot about her parents, and isn't sure their thermopolia can stay open if something should happen to them. Her father is often sick now and her mother needs to tend to him, so Melissa has most of the responsibility in the shop. And with her wanting everything to be perfect, it can make her a bit stressed, but she pretends she's fine. But in the long run, is it too much for the young woman?

Appearance
Melissa is somewhat tall for a Roman woman, standing just about 5’5” tall, with long, black hair, often done up in some hairdo to keep the hair away from the face and the food. Her eyes are brown and she’s slim and used to working – her hands aren’t soft. But her gaze is mild and often cheerful, except for when she worries about her family and how long they can keep the thermopolia open. She dresses most in earthly colors, brown, grey and green.

Family
Father: Appius Gallius Alethius (54)
Mother: Vibia Melissa (42)
Siblings:
- Gallia Alethia (25, married)
- Appius Gallius Alethius Minor (26, Legionary)
Spouse: N/A
Children: N/A
Extended family:
- Gallias’ husband and family
- Her mother’s family
Other: Lucius Antonius Alexius is an occasional lover and friend

History
54 AD – Melissa Alethia is born as the third and youngest child and the second daughter to Appius Gallius Alethius. Her sister Gallia Alethia is 2 years older and her brother three years older than she is. Appius runs a thermopolia together with his wife, Vibia Melissa.
60 AD - Her life is pretty ordinary for a girl of a plebian family. As soon as she is old enough to work, she is given mild work in the business and other than that, she spends her childhood playing with her siblings and the youngest slaves of the thermopolia. She helps out her family with the business and she also spends her childhood playing with her siblings and the youngest slaves of the thermopolia.
68 AD – Melissa’s sister Gallia is married off at the age of 14 to a merchant in Ostia near Rome. She barely ever sees her sister again. Melissa is still not a woman and keeps on working in the thermopolia.
70 AD – Melissa says goodbye to her brother, as he leaves the family to serve in the legions far abroad. Suddenly she is the only child to her parents left in Rome. Her father begins looking for a husband for his youngest daughter.
71 AD – Melissa is betrothed and set to marry a baker later the same year. Her betrothed however falls ill and dies before the marriage can happen. Melissa stays with her family and keeps on working, while her father begins searching for another possible husband for her.
72 AD – Finally, at the age of 18, Melissa is married to a slave trader and leaves her family home to live with him elsewhere in Rome. She doesn’t like him though, he’s very bossy with her and she is not used to that. She asks the gods to help her somehow, making a small sacrifice of blood to them, hoping they will make the marriage easier for her. The gods were given blood and the gods replied with the same. Her husband disappeared one night after going out and was found weeks later in a garbage pile, his throat cut. Melissa is shocked, but does not mourn him much. Instead she returns to her parents and gets on with the work.
75 AD – Melissa begins to think she is simply just bad luck when it comes to marriage. She’s been betrothed a few times, but something keeps happening. Maybe the gods don’t want her to have a husband? Maybe they are still granting her the wish she had for them years ago. At the age of 21, she is still without a husband. That same year, someone new moves into the insula across the street and drops by her thermopolia for a meal. His name is Alexius and he's very charming. Too charming. Yet despite how very well they get along, she knows that even (and maybe especially) a freedman like him is not husband material. But he's still nice to have around.
77 AD – The family have not seen her brother since he left Rome and have now not heard from him in over a year. Meanwhile Melissa’s parents are growing older and she’s needed to work in the shop, so her father does not search very actively for a new husband for her anymore. If she’s to marry again, it they prefer it is with a man who can help them run the place and eventually take over. And until or if such a man can be found, she remains as she is.

Atrice | GMT+1 | Discord: Atrice#7964 or PM
@Gothic
Where to Begin?

Started by Hilda of the Chatti · April 27

April, 77AD
Hilda stood in the Forum, trying desperately not to look as gormless and impressed as her man Gerfrid did as the pair of them took in their surroundings. Weeks on the road had brought them to this place and yet she was...underwhelmed. The weather was already too warm and it was only early Spring, the crowds were vile, the people rude and in her estimation the only thing Rome really had going for it was its size and the buildings. She'd never seen anything quite like it before, even on the Limes when her husbands people used to trade with the forts that dotted the area. This was something else entirely.
"Where should we start?" Gerfrid asked uneasily, eyeing Hilda. He had been a family friend for years, a cousin of some description, but the weeks on the road and dominance of the city had made the usually proud, powerful man a little...nervous, it seemed. It had no such effect on Hilda who glared around the bustling square. "Mother said his name was Varus, the man Wulfric was to meet." She replied in their language, ignoring the curious looks the pair of them were receiving. She placed both hands on her hips, hiking the bag she wore further up her shoulder as she did. "So we find Varus first, and then we find Wulfric. Go and ask around." She gestured with her head to a group of important-enough looking men congregating at one end of the Forum. "I'll start there." She didn't leave room for negotiation as she made a beeline for one of the illicit market stalls set up around the periphery which seemed to sell some sort of pastry. Who knew, maybe they traded in information as well as delicious looking food?

TAG: Open!