Atrice

Alexius rarely got so drunk that he passed out completely and couldn’t remember what had happened. He liked his wine and drink, a lot, but he didn’t drink it all at once. A little constantly was the way to go, he’d found out. He had yet to try and not drink for days and he didn’t want to try. He’d heard you’d get sick. Right now though, he felt great, together with Felix and on the way through Rome. He wondered if Felix could guess where they were going and Felix replied with a joke at first, which was great, because that had to mean he was relaxing, when he could make fun. But then he dared to take a guess. Alexius arched a brow in thought. Did he have a favorite popina or tavern? “Hmm… no, it’s not a popina. I do have a favorite one, I think, but there are many great places to go out in Rome, to be honest. Maybe I’ll take you to the one I’m thinking about another time. But no, not right now.” He said with a smile while leading Felix through Rome. They were done with the actual game with the flipping coin, but that didn’t mean he should stop being curious, “Do you have a favorite place in Rome?” @Chevi

Thalia had definitely realized who Lexus was and thought this whole thing very interesting! She ignored the looks from her sister and the way she blushed, for now, although it was cute to see Clio like that. Although she had to admit, she was also maybe slightly envious. She hadn’t yet met any boys or men who made her blush like that. Meanwhile Lexus also seemed a bit shy, as he greeted them both and then spoke to Clio, saying he didn’t know if he would see her. Clio tried to explain what happened and why he had not seen her and then wondered if he was alright. “A lot has happened since last time.” Lexus agreed, “I’m good… our insula survived the earthquake and so did both my father and myself… as you can see.” He added with a little grin, looking at the Septima he knew best, “So… what are you doing here? You wanted help with something?” @Chevi

She felt oddly awkward with Sosia, although she probably shouldn’t be. It was just strange, that she had intervened to help Cynane get rid of the other guy and now the two women sat here together instead. She felt she had to talk to her and expected Sosia wanted Cynane to show her gratitude somehow. So far they just talked though, about the theatre and Sosia agreed she’d enjoy something better too. Then Cynane mused about why on Earth she sat here anyway and wondered if Sosia wanted to leave. Sosia seemed surprised by the question and Cynane feared Sosia thought she’d just asked her to move away from Cynane, but then Sosia seemed to understand that the idea was to leave. She watched the other woman stand, wrapping the palla tighter around her and Cynane stood too, following. She didn’t have a palla to wrap around her. Did she even need it? Not right now anyway, it wasn’t that cold yet. Once the two women met again, away from the rows of people watching the performance, Sosia asked if Cynane wanted to drink. “Sure… if you want to.” She said with a smile, it was nice of Sosia to ask her, but really she didn’t have to. Cynane ought to return to the palace, but she still felt she owed Sosia something. At least she was being nice. Cynane didn’t know what else to say. She rarely talked to people she didn’t know like this – random chic chat wasn’t something she performed often. Usually she came across as much more… independent. Why didn’t she feel like it right now? @Sara

Tertius saw it and he was sure a lot of the other slaves saw it too. The way Teutus, who’d stayed in the back of the small crowd of slaves, just turned away and left the house. It couldn’t have been a surprise, what happened, and they had talked about it all, but he didn’t know Teutus would react so strongly to the ceremony. It worried him. He’d have to talk to his older son about this another time though. Right now, he had plans for the day and some of these plans included spending time with the mother of his newest child. “He’s so cute!” Antonia said with a grin by his side, leaning in to see him, “Is he really my brother then?” She asked and Tertius nodded, “He is. And you’ll get to know him. But not right now.” Tertius told his daughter, who looked at Charis with a beaming smile, before she skipped away, excited after this whole ceremony and more than ready to get on with her own day. Tertius had however asked Charis to follow him and he led the way to the triclinium, holding his son in his arms. Carefully, naturally, like someone who had done it before, although it was now many years ago. Once inside the triclinum, Tertius turned around to carefully sit down on one of the couches and Charis just stood there, looking at him. There was food on the table but Tertius also barely registered it. Charis broke the silence and thanked Tertius. “Don’t think about it. But please, come and sit with me.” He said calmly, patted the space on the couch right next to him with his free hand, while the bundle rested on his other arm, so they would be sitting side by side once she sat down, “I’m glad it all went well. He looks… perfect. Here.” Tertius spoke casually, not like a master but simply as a father speaking to the mother of his son. He handed the bundle with his son back to Charis, “Small children need their mother the most, I know. What do you think of the name?” @Sara @Sharpie

What was wrong with Thessala? Rana knew now that Thessala could hear her, but that was all she knew. And Thessala seemed to have come to terms with it too, because she kept on fighting to give Rana more of what she wanted. Thessala and her opponent had now circled each other while Rana came closer to the other woman's bleeding wound and then it was like Thessala stared at her for a moment and her friend forgot to be on guard. Instead she took another attack from the stranger and staggered back and Rana watched with horror. It really wasn't fair! Thessala kept on fighting though, dodged an attack and then she attacked. The swords clashed together and suddenly, there was more blood spilled. Rana rushed to it, taking it in. Yes, it was what she had wanted! She looked at Thessala and smiled. "Thank you." And when she had had enough, she moved away and around Thessala again. If she could only touch her and tell her that she was here. And that Thessala had nothing to worry about, because she was right where she should be. She'd never be a meek and submissive wife. Thessala was strong and fierce and beautiful. She was there, behind Thessala and then it was like the other gladiatrix stared right at her. This had happened with Thessala just before and Rana thought she understood, "Take her, now!" She urged Thessala, while the other was dazed for a moment. @Chevi

She was about to break. He could hear it on her voice. Women didn’t break out in tears so often where he came from, but he found that the Romans were so much more used to keeping their feelings private, that sometimes they were overwhelmed by them. Of course he didn’t know if that was the case with Aglaea. But it seemed so, because it seemed to him, that she had no one else to talk to. No one else to tell about her problems. And the problems she had… they were not for the fragile or lighthearted and he felt sorry for her. Aglaea said she didn’t want to harm her child, she just wanted it to have a good life far away from here. Which brought him back to the thought from before, taking the child with him to Germania. He would have to be careful to come up with a good plan for this. No one could know the plan, no one should suspect him. He would have to pretend to not even come close to having such intentions. Secundus, whom he had not even met yet, would have to be persuaded into thinking that Wulfric was nothing but a barbaric and uncivilized Germanian, as the Romans here seemed to think Germanians were. He would have to be the stereotype. And behind that, he would find a solution. He told Aglaea this and now she did cry. He looked at her when she grasped his hand and wiped her eyes, gods, it was horrible for her, wasn’t it? Wulfric blinked, surprised by how her emotions played with his too! She said he was too good, didn’t want to burden him and she just wanted a friend. Wulfric sighed, placed his other hand over hers that she still held his hand with. He had no idea when he came to Rome, that he'd step into a family like this. But family it was and the issues were up to him to solve, it seemed. “Survive is good. Happy life… better.” To survive was fine enough, if you had no other options, but she should strive for more than that. She wasn’t a bad person. She was just a slave who had ended up in the wrong household for her. Another slave might have been more content with the circumstances, but not this one. It wasn’t for her. “You do not burden, Ag-laea. I will be friend. And I will meet your master, my uncle… and he will not know, that I know.” He said, looking at her pretty and dark eyes, filled with tears. Maybe it was better that even Aglaea didn’t know his plan. Then she could not be forced into spilling it, if she didn’t know it at all. For now though, he had to deal with a crying woman and how to please her best, to calm her down? “In this moment, can I do good for you? Do you want food… or drink? Or another thing? Tell me… if you will. You do not burden.” @Echo

She was talking faster now and Wulfric tried to keep up with the tale of Secundus and Aglaea’s mistress, whose name appeared to be Livia and of course Aglaea’s whole peculiar and bad situation. She confirmed that she was carrying her master’s child. Again it was not a new thing and nothing out of the ordinary, but Secundus was handling it all the wrong way. He made her with child intentionally and now that Aglaea told her the continued plan, it just became worse. He was… cruel! How could Wulfric be related to such a man? It would be hard to keep a straight face, if he met the man. But he promised Aglaea to not let it be known, that she told him this story. “It sound… horrible.” He said and leaned forwards, resting his arms on his knees while deep in thought. He’d said he wished he could help her, help them, and looked at Aglaea when she smiled and called him kind. She said there was nothing he could do. Then she said she couldn’t have the child and that Secundus would ruin the child. What was her plan? To… get rid of it? “It dangerous to try and make it go away.” Wulfric said, “But I understand. I don’t want…” He stopped as he realized what he was saying. Aglaea’s child would be his cousin! If it was born… “If he is father, your child is my family too. I will not… let him ruin child.” But how to help? Maybe if he spoke to her mistress too. Maybe there was something he could do. Or maybe if his own father took him in, he could stay in Rome long enough for the child to be born and then take it and return to Germania. He could of course also just take Aglaea with him now. But then he would not meet his father. He’d not even met his father or his uncle and already this was quite the dilemma! “I will find solution for you. I will try.” Wulfric then promised. @Echo

How did she come closer to Thessala if she was not really there? But she was here. Rana still had troubles understanding her own state of being right now, she didn't know how or why she was here, she just knew she was. And that she for some reason was bound to stay around the ludus or close to Thessala. She'd followed Thessala out in the city sometimes. Once Thessala beat up a man and Rana had also felt the taste of his blood. It was honestly more a feeling of a taste than anything else. But it felt good. She liked it. And now that she had a little today, she wanted more again. It was like she craved it. But it wouldn't be right that it was Thessala's. This was Thessala fighting and Thessala needed to win. And if she lost too much blood, she would not. Rana would have the other gladiatrix' instead. She told Thessala, who could apparently hear her, that she should make the other woman bleed. The two women came at each other again and Thessala slashed the other woman's thigh and the blood sprayed out. Rana went straight into it. Thessala yelled and the crowd cheered and Rana felt that she was smiling. It was good to see Thessala like this. "It is exactly what I want. More." Rana said. It was as if she'd gone straight into that spray of blood and the blood somehow came into her, because she could taste it and she took it all in. It was as if it changed something in her, all of that blood. As if she felt more... strong. As if everything around her became clearer. Rana didn't know what it meant. She came closer to the other gladiatrix, tried to touch the bleeding wound. She wanted that. But the woman kept on moving and Rana looked at Thessala, hoping she'd do something. @Chevi

The sweet young woman agreed to call him Lucius. It was odd, honestly, that he'd had this name for more than a decade but he barely ever used it. If he had to sign documents or something like that, of course he'd use his full name, but Lucius was not his name. It was so far from the name he grew up with and it was also a very common Roman name. And while he felt more at home here than anywhere else, apparently, he was not Roman. Alexius just fit him better in so many ways, but today, he'd be Lucius. He could only hope that he wouldn't run into anyone he knew who'd call him by his most used name. Instead he focused on his current companion, trying to explain to her that what he wanted most was to talk. He hoped her master wouldn't be upset, but maybe if he paid her for it, they could pretend it was something else than what it was? As long as her master got his coin, Alexius suspected the man would be pleased enough. She said she could talk to him and introduced herself as Deianira. What a beautiful name, he thought. It sounded Greek. He felt he'd heard it before in some story and that it was something tragic, but he couldn't remember it. Not that he had to, that wasn't what he was here for. Of course she would know what he wanted to talk about. It didn't matter what she thought about him right now, that he was a lonely husband or something, although why would he ever be lonely? He was Alexius, after all... but not in here. Here he was Lucius. "It's something quite... delicate. I don't know if it's smart to talk about it out here." Alexius said and downed some of his wine, "Do you have somewhere private, where we can go? I only wish to talk, but I will pay you for your time, so your master won't be upset with you. If that's alright with you?" @Echo

Maybe it wouldn't be too bad to get away from here, with all the people coming to the temple. Surely they already paid their respects to Fortuna - they drank to her and they had played a game in her honor and Alexius was certain Fortuna would be on his side. If you just believed, that was good enough, right? And he did. Now he'd stood and wondered if Felix could walk, but the other just grinned and said he could and didn't plan on getting that drunk. He thought it would ruin the day. "Depends on how much more you drink. It could also make the day more... interesting." Alexius said with a wink, since often people were more open and daring when they were drunk and he didn't think it was always a bad thing. But Felix was ready to move on and Alexius nodded, steering them away from the crowds and up the street they came from. When it was a bit more quiet he looked at Felix again, "So, where do you think I'm taking you?" Could he guess? @Chevi

She didn’t tell him to move his hand from her arm, instead she just smiled and seemed comforted by it. When she seemed so moved by the story he told though, he felt more and more sorry for her. Wulfric removed his arm, but inched closer, in case she needed an embrace or just someone to lean on. She seemed to be on the verge of tears already. He hadn’t meant to make her cry, when he asked about his family! He didn’t know it would be like this… But he was right, when he suggested Secundus had not been kind to Aglaeas mistress. She said he wasn’t kind to anyone and not to her either. She continued with the story about how Secundus wanted a child badly. That was understandable. Every man wanted a child and especially a boy, to carry on the family. It was the same in Germania. He expected it was the same everywhere… although there were stories about places where women ruled and were more important than men. But he didn’t know if those were just tales. He continued to pay attention, saw how she touched her belly and continued to talk about Secundus’ reasons for something he did. Wulfric already suspected Aglaea was with child and it was Secundus’ and she basically confirmed it, when she said he had made Aglaea take his wife’s place. Only a few days into the marriage? Had he even tried with his wife… getting along with her, talking to her? Arranged marriages were common, again also where he came from. But with the arranged marriage came an understanding from both parts – a desire to make it work. It sounded as if Secundus and Aglaea’s mistress had barely tried. And then Aglaea had drawn the shortest straw in it all, because she was a woman and a slave. Poor woman. Wulfric inhaled a small breath, feeling with her, “I think I understand. He… made you carry his child. And you are…” He trailed off what he tried to say and sighed, shook his head, “He not kind, you told me. And I see it now. I understand. You are unhappy. You and your mistress are unhappy.” Why was his uncle like that? Sure Aglaea was just a slave, but she clearly had feelings on this matter and she was deeply unhappy about the whole situation… “I wish I can… help you?” @Echo

He hoped Iophon would show him a place where he could rest for the night later, but right now, he decided to accept the invitation for a drink. Iophon seemed like a very friendly guy and Wulfric had long ago decided he liked him. Not everyone were equally friendly of course, but one friend in Rome was better than none and it was a good place to start. As long as Iophon would pay for the drink of course. And as long as he didn't get drunk this early in the day. He followed Iophon into the popina. He'd been to taverns on the way here, but this looked like a very nice place. Iophon announced their arrival and asked for a drink nand a girl came over with cups and wine. Iophon found them a place to sit and then began talking about Wulfric's search for his father. "It is very long story." He said with a grin, "Since it began... before I was born." He added, "But I do know some things. A little. I know a name. I want to know Rome first though. I want to know how... to behave. Before I find him. Maybe you can help... Iofon?" @Chevi

Lexus honestly didn’t know what to think! He’d come here quite a few times, around the same time of the day as when he first met Septima here, but she hadn’t come. Summer went by and now it was almost fall and… here she was! But she wasn’t alone. For a moment there he forgot she’d mentioned a sister and he just stood there, forgetting he was supposed to talk. Septima blushed and greeted him then and before he could form words, her sister spoke up, approaching him with a charming smile and introducing herself, basically. “Salve, both of you.” Lexus finally managed to say, “I’m… glad to meet you too. And you.” He said with a smile to Septima, “I didn’t know if I’d see you again.” It was kind of weird that her sister was here, he remembered how they’d been last time and now they weren’t even alone. He should be braver and bolder, like his father. Why wasn’t he? @Chevi

Septima kind of preferred beautiful statues of women and men, not statues like this one. He did look like he was in pain. And of course her sister knew what the statue was, the name and why it was here, but Thalia was already moving on towards the statue, because she’d spotted the nice looking young guy standing there, and wouldn’t he love to help out two such pretty girls? She heard Clio chuckle behind her while she spoke to him and then he turned to look and he had this strange look on his face. She couldn’t quite decide if he was surprised or shocked or maybe a bit of both? Thalia glanced at her sister, who was blushing all of a sudden and then she greeted the guy. Lexus? Oh, wasn’t that the boy she met here in the spring? This was him? Thalia looked at him, thinking her sister had definitely found a good looking one here, no matter what his background was. “This is Lexus? I’ve heard about you, I’m glad to finally meet you!” She said with a cheerful smile to him, setting down her bag with the food, “I’m her twin sister, in case you didn’t guess.” She added with a grin and looked at her sister, wondering what she was thinking. @Chevi

It was almost as if... as if Thessala had heard her! Suddenly she spoke Rana's name. But no one had heard her before. During these last months since she died, she had tried to comfort people, but no one seemed to hear her. Sometimes she thought she saw Theo look straight at her, but then he got back to work as if she wasn't there after all. As if it didn't matter that he had looked straight at her, because well, she was dead, so he couldn't anyway. She wasn't there. And yet... she was... And now Thessala forgot to fight after Rana whispered to her! Thessala had staggered away as her opponent slammed the hilt of her sword straight at Thessala's face and Thessala was suddenly bleeding. Did she cause this? She could smell the blood. How could she smell the blood if she was dead? Was that why she liked watching Theo? Because she could smell the blood... and taste it on her tongue? It had a strange test, metallic, but also sweet sometimes, and spicy. She came closer to Thessala. Reached out to touch the blood and somehow, she could now also taste it. Weird, tasting Thessala's blood. And why was she doing it? She wanted to taste more. But she didn't understand why... and she didn't want to keep on tasting Thessala's blood! She missed Thessala - and she'd like to keep her alive. And she knew that if you lost too much blood, you died. "Make her bleed instead of you..." @Chevi

She seemed comforted by his hand on her arm and he was glad she did feel like that in his presence. If his family was so bad, he was glad that at least he was not the same. He could offer a bit of calm for poor Aglaea. She agreed to tell him then, but wanted Wulfric to not tell anything. He nodded, “I will not tell. Your stories, secrets… are safe. I promise.” Wulfric replied kindly to her and then she began talking about her mistress. How they’d been together for fourteen years and were almost like sisters. Apparently her mistress had had some bad things happening to her and he felt sad, seeing Aglaea so sad when she remembered. He saw how her eyes watered and wished he had something she could dry them with – but he didn’t. Then her mistress had married after her first husband died and her new husband was of course Secundus. Yet her mistress seemed to still be heartbroken over the loss of her first husband and the child. Wulfric nodded at her story, “I feel sorry for mistress… life not so good.” He said, “And you… must love her, you feel what she feel. I imagine Secundus not… so kind to her?” That had to be one reason why she thought Secundus was not a good master and could not be trusted. If only he could help her somehow. Them. Aglaea’s mistress’ life sounded sad. @Echo

It was strange to be here and yet again, not be here at all. It had happened so fast, when it did. The death. She remembered the earthquake and the locked door and Thessala yelling for her and people talking outside the door. Then the wall came down. She fell and she was buried. And then everything went black. But it was only for a moment! Then she was suddenly looking at her own corpse and Thessala, who had survived, but only barely. She was helped by her friends. At least she had friends. Rana never felt close to anyone else at the ludus. No one but Thessala. And now she couldn’t tell her that she was fine. Why was she still in Rome though? And at the ludus? Why had she not gone to the place where you’d drink and dine and fight with the gods forever? Or why had she not gone straight to Hel, to the goddess of the underworld? She wasn’t at any of those places. She was right here. She watched Theo mend people’s wounds. She watched Thessala drink and yell at people and beat up people. She watched Annis cry and drink too, until her freedman friend took care of her. But Rana could do nothing. She was just here, to watch it all. Time went on and it felt strange, that it did, when Rana had not changed. She didn’t eat, she didn’t drink, she didn’t fight, she did nothing. Right until there were suddenly games to be held and everyone were going to fight. Thessala included. She followed Thessala to the arena. She was beautiful and deadly and she looked like she was supposed to. Did Rana smile? She wasn’t sure what she did. She felt like she was smiling. She watched Thessala raise her swords and then she whispered, “You can do this…” @Chevi

Manius wasn't improving her mood any. He was not making her feel better and maybe she didn't even want to. Manius both wanted to and didn't want to. He wanted to mourn the loss of his wife. He had never been so long with just one person and he had never lived so long in one house. And now she was gone. He had nothing, he was back to scratch and maybe in the end, that's where he should be. That's all he deserved. Thessala suggested they might as well be drunk, since nothing would make things right. She looked around and Manius said nothing, feeling drunk didn't work for him. Thessala wanted to drink and fuck someone but not Manius. He arched a brow, looking at her, "None taken. I'm sure you could do better anyway." Manius then said, "Maybe I should leave you to do that on your own. I doubt you need a guard." In fact he doubted she wanted one. Then he could resume to wander the streets endlessly until he reached home where he'd fall down tired on the bed and maybe sleep a dreamless sleep. If he was that lucky. @Chevi

Tertius wasn’t known to be a very emotional man – at least not with things like these. Maybe he was, but he showed it differently. He thought he could open up towards Teutus by offering his help, but his son wanted something else. It was clear this meant a lot to Teutus, when he began talking. He said it truthfully this time though, Tertius could sense that he was being genuine and honest now. See if people were like this all the time, maybe there wouldn’t be any issues! But there were and he tried to be glad that at least Teutus was honest now and spoke from the heart. He let Teutus talk… about how he could never be Tertius’ freeborn son and how he could not bear to watch Charis’ son grow up as one. He said he was grateful but couldn’t continue to live here. He said he might have been gone already, if he’d been a true free son. Teutus sounded bitter. Sad. As if he’d had this in him for a long while but never opened up. Why did it have to be so hard? Tertius sighed when Teutus had finished talking. “I… understand. Thank you, Teutus, for being so honest.” That’s all he ever asked for, people he cared about being honest with him, but he never got it and that’s why things continued to spiral the wrong way, “You will always be a part of this family and I want you to be. No paperwork can change the fact that you are my son, no matter what is written.” Tertius said and inhaled a breath. He ever knew this conversation would be this hard. “Very well… you can find a place of your own. But I will still keep the promise I just made. You will live well and I will invest in whatever you choose to do.” Tertius said. It would be strange to not have Teutus here. And he'd helped out so much, Teutus. Tertius would have to find someone else who could function as his secretary and assistant. He'd think more about that later... “And you must promise me to come if I find that you’re needed here. You will, after all, still become the guardian of this house if anything should happen to me.” @Sharpie

He didn’t know if he was disappointed with what Lexus did for a living so far, he just kind of thought that Lexus could do better than that. Having more or less grown up in Rome himself, he knew that most garden work was slave work and his son was no slave. He’d been born free, no matter the backgrounds of his parents. Artemon didn’t think the job was bad though and then compared it to something a lot worse. Alexius smiled at the comment, “You’re right, that would be a lot worse.” At least his son had a job. He should be thankful. But still, maybe he’d hoped that his son would be more like himself – have more in common with him. But it wasn’t so. They’d sat down and dug into the food and Alexius tried to lecture Artemon more about women, and how you might guess if they were faking their pleasure or not. Some were really good, of course, but Alexius tried to only sleep with people who wanted him back, so why would they fake it with him? And besides, he believed he knew if they were pleased or not. He tried to explain it to Artemon, while the other ate and paid attention. Almost as if he were being schooled. Then Artemon suggested that Alexius had been born this way and his gift and talent was getting women. Alexius smiled again, “Maybe, who knows. Not just women though.” He added with a wink to his younger companion and poured wine for himself and his guest. “I don’t really think of it as a skill, it’s just… part of who I am, I guess? I like to fight, I like pleasure. And I like this.” He added with a grin and tasted the wine while considering Artemon’s next question, “Hmm… I guess… just pay attention to them, as I said. And if they really don’t want you, leave them be. If there’s nothing you can do to make them smile, it’s a lost cause.” Although Alexius would go far to make sure it was a lost cause. He liked a good challenge and didn’t give up so easily. Enough about all that though, here they were, eating and drinking and talking about pleasure… “Do you only fancy women, Artemon?” @Liv

Of course he would visit his family – he had not come all the way from Germania to Rome to not find and meet his family and his father here. In fact, that was the only reason why he had taken this long voyage into the world and this great city. That’s why he was here. No matter how they were like, he would meet them. Aglaea didn’t seem to think it was a good idea though and that worried him deeply. She said he should be on guard if he was to see them. That wasn’t a good thing to say about someone’s family. What had they done? Secundus and his father? She sighed deeply by his side while considering her answer. It must be bad, if she wasn’t sure how to tell him or maybe didn’t even want to. Were they murderers or did they treat their slaves so poorly? Aglaea seemed very friendly and kind, but also nervous and afraid and he thought that had something to do with it all. They must have done something to her. At last she spoke, said she wasn’t sure she could say it and then she trailed off, as if something stopped her from talking. Then she went on, calling him good and kind and then she feared trouble. Oh he didn't want her to get in trouble! But he did want the truth and the knowledge. He would just have to find out what they'd done to her and then he could attempt to do all that was in his power to prevent more trouble for her. “I… do not want trouble for you, Ag-laea. But… it is my family.” Wulfric replied and put a gentle hand on her arm to comfort her and try and calm her down, “I will not tell them you told me. I can pretend I know nothing, if they ask. If I can… I will make so you do not get trouble. I will help. You… seem like kind and good woman too.” He said with a small, but warm smile, “Please?” @Echo

She rolled her eyes when he confessed he’d been unable to tell what she tried to mime to him. He laughed with her… and anyway, the issue with her mother was solved anyway, thanks to his own charming smile that he knew he had. Of course, if her mother had been a different sort, it might not have worked, but she clearly longed for attention and Alexius was happy to give it, especially since it got both him and Didia out of trouble. Didia warned him to be careful about what he wished for and he chuckled. “If you say so.” Alexius just said, all while thinking that opening his door to a stark naked woman standing outside might not be the worst thing in the world. Not even if the woman was older than he, because that had not always stopped him before anyway. Experienced women were interesting too. He’d rather have Didia, of course, but she didn’t seem to desire such attentions from him and right now, he didn’t think it would be a good idea to flirt too much. Not after what she’d just gone through. They stepped out into the street and Didia held her cloak tighter around her – and Alexius wondered if she had any chance to rest. She sighed and said she’d done a little and she felt tired too. Alexius sighed too, feeling sorry for her, while she called herself both lucky and an idiot. “Don’t think about all that now. It won’t do you any good.” Alexius advised her. Bad experiences you’d had were to be learned from and used, not just remembered for the good (or bad) of making yourself feel worse. You’d never get anywhere if you thought like that. Didia wondered where they were going. “There’s a small park not so far from here… you’ve lived here a while, maybe you know it?” Alexius turned down another street in the right direction and with a smile he added, “We should be able to be more or less alone there.” @Sara

Thalia was so busy taking in the sights here, that she did not notice her sister blushing, when she assumed that the only reason why Clio would come here was for her studies. Thoughts of things that happened in the springtime, half a year ago, were far removed from her mind and instead she wanted to begin handing out things to the homeless and the poor here in the beautiful gardens. So she said they should and Clio looked around to find a place to set down their things. Clio suggested to place their bags by a statue in a nearby flowerbed and Thalia nodded. "That sounds like a good plan. I imagine you know what that statue is supposed to look like? He looks like he's in pain." Thalia said as they moved closer, so far ignoring the people looking at them. One person was not looking at the girls though, but at the statue. It was a young and handsome darkhaired guy and Thalia smiled and brushed some hair behind her ear when she'd set down her bag, maybe they could persuade him to help them out? She coughed softly to let their presence be known to him and when he turned to look, she smiled even more widely at him, "Hello... I hope I didn't disturb you? But now I have your attention... would you mind helping us with something?" Meanwhile Lexus stared at the two young women as if he'd seen a ghost. It was Septima! He hadn't thought he'd ever see her again and now... there was two of her! @Chevi

Cynane owed Sosia something, surely, for what she did. It occurred to her for a moment that this could just be a case of one woman helping out another, but if she had learned anything in Rome it was that everyone expected something. And especially from a slave. You didn’t do something good for a slave and expected the slave to not repay the kindness somehow. Maybe Claudia would reward Sosia for her help? If that’s what Sosia wanted… although now she said she didn’t want Cynane to feel she had to talk to Sosia. But she did. It was an awkward situation, honestly. Sosia suggested Cynane would rather watch the performance, but she admitted she thought it strange and didn’t quite understand the stories. Sosia smiled back again, saying she sometimes felt the same and spoke of drunken audience and how she watched it a lot anyway. Sosia liked to talk, it seemed, because Cynane had yet to come up with a reply to that, before the other woman went on about having something to do and then Carthage that didn’t have something like this. Did she like the theatre? “I think I might enjoy something… better.” She had seen better performances at the palace, but even those often turned more… vulgar, later in the evening. And the actors and actresses were always also prostitutes. Not really something she enjoyed at all. “I’m not quite sure why I sat down here. Do you…” She trailed off, feeling she could not just leave Sosia here, after what she did, but she also didn’t know how to ask her if she should follow Cynane… “Do you want to move away from here?” @Sara

Maybe no one had told Charis because they were still avoiding her and thinking she had a strange position with their owner. It had happened in the beginning, but he’d hoped they had adjusted by now. And there was a baby in the house now, so things were different this time. Rhoda could at least have told Charis what to do, but apparently, she hadn’t and Charis just stood there, until Tertius told her what to do. Quietly she came closer to him and he watched her kiss her son’s forehead gently and sweetly and couldn’t help but feel a bit touched by the motion. Then she carefully placed the bundle in front of Tertius and he looked at it for a moment. He ignored the looks from his slaves and the curious smile he knew was on Antonia’s face. Then he crouched down and picked up the bundle with the small baby inside. Holding it carefully while he stood – he had not forgotten how – under its head and then resting the child on his arm, with the head in his elbow to keep it steady. He was awake, the little blue-eyed boy there. Most children had blue eyes. He knew it might change. Tertius studied the child, well-aware that just the fact that he picked him up set him free. He smiled at the baby there, looking up at him – how could he not? This was his son! At last he lifted his eyes and looked out over the slaves and then at Charis, “This child was born to a slave, but he shall grow up as a free son of mine.” Tertius told her, and everyone else, “His name will be Peregrinus Quinctilius Varus.” He then added. He had thought long and hard about a name. He had considered naming the boy Publius, after his deceased eldest brother and his father. He had considered Britannicus, because the mother was from Britannia. He had considered Erebus, because it sounded a bit like Charis' former name, Erea. He had naturally also simply considered Tertius Minor. But Peregrinus felt right too. It meant wanderer. “Now, before you all go…” Tertius then continued, still holding the baby in his arms and close to his body, “I have another announcement to tell you. A decision I made, for both of my younger children.” He looked at Antonia briefly, “My son Teutus will be their guardian if I should ever become… absent.” He paused to allow that to sink in with everyone, “Now, you can all continue as you were. Charis… join me in the triclinium.” @Sara @Sharpie