Metella

Slaves

Posts
121
Last visited
Monday at 07:57 AM
Player
Chevi

Custom Fields

Face Claim
Shannon Purser

Topics I Participated In

Woman's work

Started by Metella · September 20

September, 77 AD
This morning, Metella had thought she had an upset stomach. The baby had made it uncomfortable to... do most things, really, as the day of birth drew nearer, so she didn't pay much attention to the small waves of discomfort that came and went. But by noon, she had to stop and frown occasionally, rubbing her belly as she went about her business in the household. It only dawned on her in the late afternoon that there might be something more to what was happening. She took a break and sat in the gardens, finally paying attention. The cramps were recognizable now, coming and going. Metella knew enough to know what his meant. She was done with the household chores.
The midwife was sent for in the evening, and Metella had retreated into the slightly larger room she had occupied with Attis since their marriage. The midwife had been carefully selected, with good recommendations - not for her social standing, but for her actual work. Metella was sitting on the bed when she arrived, trying to take slow, calming breaths.
@Liv (and @Sharpie)
Ubi tu Gaius ego Gaia

Started by Metella · September 12

Early September, 77AD
The baby was arriving any day now, and Metella felt like a beached whale. She had to stop and rest multiple times on the short walk up the Aventine, even with Attis there to support her.
"If I give birth in a temple like the consul's wife did, I'm blaming it on you" she pointed out in no uncertain terms. Still, she was happy they were making this trip. They had good reason to.
Hidden in a street on the Aventine was a small temple to two gods the Romans didn't actually steal from someone else: Pomona and Vertumnus. Attis liked their story for some reason. And the shrine was as good as any for two slaves to make an offering, and declare themselves married. Metella was wearing a clean tunica (made for her current condition) and flowers in her hair.
"Tell me why we're climbing up here in particular again?"
@Sharpie
Calm before the fall

Started by Metella · July 24

July, 77Ad
Formiae
Metella sighed, easing herself to sit on a rock, dipping her feet into the waves lapping the beach. As the months ticked by, her impending motherhood had been harder to ignore every day; seven months along, she was now sporting a very visible baby bump, and beginning to waddle. She was grateful the dominus decided to take her along to Formiae with Cassia. Outside the city, the heat was a little less suffocating. Still it was hard to bare, more often than not. The family was having a picnic dinner together, so she took a moment to excuse herself and waddle down to the beach to cool down. The sun was low on the horizon, painting the water with golden hues. Metella sighed, enjoying the cool water on her feet; she reached out to dip her hand in too, but leaning down was not really an exercise she could accomplish anymore.
@Sharpie
Shopping for two

Started by Metella · March 28

February 77AD
The midwife had told Metella that the dizziness would pass after the first few months, but so far, it showed no sign of letting up. Some mornings it was worse and some it was better, but two, two and a half months along she still threw up on more mornings than not. Today had started fairly well; she was clear-headed and energetic, so she decided to make a trip to the Emporium and buy some things Cassia had wished for. She spent about half an hour browsing ribbons and beads when a wave of nausea hit her so hard that she stumbled, leaning against a nearby column, trying to catch her breath and not throw up in plain sight of all the early shoppers around. With her red hair and fair complexion, she probably looked a vivid shade of green.
Deep breaths. Deep breaths...
@Insignia
You'll never guess what!

Started by Attis · February 21

January 77AD, a few hours after Juno, bless us

Metella had gone out earlier to pray at the temple of Juno Lucina, with the full blessing of Longinus. Attis was still trying to get his head around the fact that he was going to be a father - the only person in the house who was an equally unlikely paternal figure already had a daughter of ten. He was trying to teach Rugam to lie down and roll over when a commotion from the slaves' side entrance caught his attention, and he turned to see what was going on.
"Oh... Um."
Metella had returned, looking more as if she'd been bathing in the blood of her enemies than praying at the temple of a respectable goddess.
"Who did you murder, and do you need help to dispose of the body?"

@Chevi
Juno, bless us

Started by Metella · February 20

End of January, 77AD
It was almost as if she had stepped out of the heart of Rome, with its hustle and bustle, and back to an older time, when this northern part of the Esquiline had still been covered in lush greenery. The sacred grove of Juno Lucina, now surrounded by a wall and crowned with a temple, reminded Metella of the forests of her own homeland. It made her feel more peaceful. Which was a sacred achievement in and of itself, because she had not been calm for days. Ever since she'd found out she was pregnant.
She was not showing yet, but she still placed a hand on her belly as she looked around. The path led through the grove up a light slope to the temple. There was thick greenery all around; trees, flowers, bushes, only kept in check enough to allow a path through. There was birdsong, and the tickling of water somewhere nearby. Here and there, hidden along the path, were simple wooden benches. It made sense, given how many easily winded pregnant women probably visited this place.
Right now, there was no one in sight, but Metella could only see the next few steps of the path. Holding a basket in one hand, she started forward. She had some serious praying to do.
@Sara
The law of surprise

Started by Metella · January 6

End of the year, 76AD
Metella was feeling miserable. Saturnalia came and went, with feasts and merrymaking all around the house, everyone had slept off their hangovers and were back to their everyday work... except for her. Because she still felt sick. She would have blamed it on Longinus' cooking, but she knew better. She had not eaten any of that this year. And yet, here she was. Was she getting ill? It would be just her luck.
Leaving her room, Metella made a decent effort to start the day. She made it all the way to the atrium before she faltered, her stomach turning, and her face turning even paler than usual. Her breakfast was not sitting well at all. She wavered, catching herself against one of the columns of the atrium.
"Oh, sh..."
@Sharpie
Background Checks

Started by Sergia Auletia · December 24, 2021

Sergia slipped her hand into her covered basket as if searching for something inside. Really, though, her attention was focused on the flash of white cloth in the corner of her vision as a toga-clad figure swept out of the house she was lingering beside, leaning nonchalantly on a column and minding her own business. A glance upwards when it was safe to do so confirmed his identity: yes, Longinus had left for the Senate. Sergia inhaled. Part of her resented the opportunity to do what she was about to do. It simply wasn't proper for a young lady to to snooping round her suitor's house, inciting his slaves to betray his confidence in small ways. It wasn't even like she had any reason to doubt Longinus; he'd been entirely good to her, but perhaps that's why she felt this compulsion to investigate him. To make sure that he was just as pleasant behind closed doors as he was in public. Whatever the reason, she was here now.
Thankfully, her maidservant (because of course her uncle would hardly allow her to leave the house unaccompanied) was still acting as dozily as Sergia had hoped she would when she chose her for her companion on this little escapade. The girl was new, so not so deep under Secundus' control as the others, and was rather fond of her drink when she could get away with it. Sergia had to elbow her to get her to follow her up to the house; the girl seemed more interested in her fingernails than in keeping an eye on her mistress.
Here goes nothing.
"Salve. I am Sergia Auletia, niece of Secundus Quinctilius Varus. I was just passing and thought I would drop in to pay my compliments to the master. I hope he's not too busy?"
@Chevi
Minor wrinkle (Attis)

Started by Metella · March 17, 2021

Spring 76 CE
The concept of pet dogs was a new one for Metella. She had had dogs around before, back in the village, and even in Rome sometimes, but they were usually dogs for hunting, or for guarding, or strays. This one... well, this one was here to stay. It was dominus' dog, a tiny bundle of blinking eyes and wrinkles, hence the name.
"I am still not sure what the purpose of an inside dog is supposed to be." she admitted to Attis as they watched the pup sniff around the atrium. He moved with a waddle, and seemed interested in everything. "I mean, it is adorable, but it's gonna leak everywhere. And why are we watching it again?..."
@Sharpie
Rolling out the welcome mat

Started by Chevi · June 14, 2020

Two months.
Two freaking months.
Sure, Attis had been cheeky, and he had to deal with the consequences, but really, Longinus was pushing the boundaries of petty revenge here. Not that Metella would tell him that, lest she'd be sent away to some other domus too. But she could make hints. She did, with great frequency, until the whole marriage thing went to shit, at which point dominus up and left, and suddenly the house was fairly empty, with the young domina and Metella left to their own devices under the care of the staff.
The marriage thing was sad. Being left alone wasn't. Metella liked having the relative freedom of the dominus being away. It didn't last long, and things were bound to return to normal (ish) eventually. It would have been definitely more fun if Attis was around.
Eventually, that time came too. On a hot day at the end of Junius, when there was not much to be done in the house except sit in the gardens and eat some fruit, hoping that the evening would cool down the hot summer air...
@Sharpie