Echo

Late June, 75CE Back to the villa it was, then. As much as Caecina loved the city, it often became unbearably hot there and it was preferable to retreat to the villa, at least so that she could enjoy the shade of a nice tree. And, of course, it was time to pay her stepmother a visit as well. Caecina and Juliana had been growing steadily closer over the years, until Caecina thought of her like a friend and confidante, even like a mother. Being in the villa also gave Caecina a chance to spend time with her younger siblings, who looked up to her. The young woman always felt like she must be on her best behavior around the young ones, in order to set a good example for them. As Caecina's litter drew up to the villa, she stepped out and breathed in the country air. At least it wasn't so dusty and crowded as the city. Just then, the door opened and her younger siblings spilled out, running to embrace her. Caecina laughed as she was overwhelmed by the children, picking up Quintus Minor to give him a hug and a kiss. As she set him down, she saw Juliana and she grinned warmly. "Ave, Juliana. It is so good to see you." @Gothic

Marcus reminded her that the lowest classes were not in this part of the poppina and Caecina chuckled. "Can you imagine the fit Juliana would throw if she found out we went to the lower part of the poppina? It's bad enough we're here at all." She glanced at Astraea. She loved the woman like a mother, but she was often like an overprotective hen, while Caecina was the straying chick who needed curbing. Marcus was lucky - his body slave was more their own age, and not likely to stand up to his master like the fierce old Greek Astraea. Marcus then continued to say that he would be happy to bring her here again and she smiled appreciatively. It was good to have someone she could be herself around and with whom she could have fun. Marcus was the perfect person for that! Their relationship was some strange mix of siblings and best friends - and now there was a new factor, too. Caecina leaned in toward the young man. "I don't have to tell you that Astraea is being a bit of a wet blanket on the mood," she said with a grin. "And I want to enjoy myself with you. How are we going to ditch them?" @Atrice

Annis saw the look of doubt when she said she used to use a shield too. "It's good to have backup - blocking with a sword is harder." Though of course, a shield grew heavy and in the long hours of a battle, her shoulder often started to ache with its weight. Saba said she might use kitchen pans to fight with and Annis laughed, her first genuine laugh in a while, it seemed. "You have experience with those, at least," she said. @Chevi

May, 75CE The Aventine bathhouse was one of the finest parts of the city in Gaius' opinion. If only he were here to bathe himself. Instead, he had been assigned to a detail accompanying the young imperial prince to the baths, ensuring his safety along the way. It could be worse, though, the optio thought. At least he could watch the various people who came here as he watched Titus to make sure no funny business happened. Gaius had little reason to speak with the imperial, but he had watched him interact with others and determined from that that he was a fine young man. He considered what he would be like after going through the legions on the course of honor. The legions had a way of shaping a man in many ways, most particularly making sure he was good at following orders, and then giving them later. As the party made their way through the various rooms of the bathhouse, Gaius considered his own time in the legions. Of course, he had been raised to join the legion. His childhood had been strictly regimented by his father, filled with hard work and exercise, so that the transition to military life was not shocking. He was the man he was now because of the military. Soon, the group had arrived at the exercise area of the baths. Several men were sparring half-heartedly with swords, and it prompted Gaius to wonder how much Titus had practiced with weaponry. He turned to the prince. "Are you interested in practicing, dominus? I'll spar with you, if you want." @Kali

"It is nice here," Caecina agreed. "I do like having a place to just sit and observe other people." For someone so invested in gossip and interesting tidbits about other people, it was a wonder the girl hadn't been to the poppina before. She would have to come here again, perhaps at night, to see who showed up. You never knew when such information would come in handy. Marcus said that he hadn't been doing much since that day and then said that the only thing out of the ordinary was bringing her here today. "You mean you don't bring all the girls here, Marcus?" She chuckled. "We should come back more often, there is so much to look at!" @Atrice

Aglaea shrugged when he asked if she wanted to visit Judea. "I don't know... Perhaps. It might be good to travel a little and see how the city has changed, at least." She doubted she would want to do anything else. She didn't even really want to see her parents or the siblings that had not been sold, even if she could find them again. Rufus then continued to say that Rome was much bigger than what he was used to. "It is the same for me. Judaea is not so crowded, even if it is hot and sandy. Rome seems to stretch on forever." @Sharpie

Spring, 74CE It was a beautiful day at the villa, and as such, Caecina was doing just what she liked to do. She had arisen that morning and put on an older chiton and palla and, accompanied by a guard or two, had ridden out into the countryside to enjoy the fresh air and cool breeze. After an hour of riding, she returned to the villa and bathed, dressing this time in a pale blue chiton with a darker blue palla. Afterward, she helped herself to an informal lunch in the kitchen and then advanced into the garden. The girl was in an expansive good mood. Only a few weeks ago, she had turned seventeen and all the cares in the world were far from her mind that day. All she wanted to do was to enjoy the day, exploring the gardens and avoiding her lessons for the day. She felt that she had had quite enough of book learning for the week, anyway. She was not the kind of girl to enjoy reading overmuch, but rather enjoyed her freedom and ability to twist her tutor's arm into letting her out of a lesson early. After a few minutes of walking around the gardens, examining the variety of plants and flowers, Caecina found a bench and sat, soaking up the sun. What a day to be alive! @Chris

Annis tilted her head in thought as Saba suggested two swords instead of a sword and a shield. "Maybe. I will have to practice with two swords to see." She didn't hate the idea, though; maybe it would help her identify what kind of character she wanted to play in the arena. Perhaps she would lean into the idea of a barbarian woman and use elements of her tribe's traditions. "Are you going to use a sword?" @Chevi Sorry! I forgot to reply!

Aglaea laughed. "I imagine it would have, except that I was actually fourteen when I came to Rome! My mistake, I didn't make that clear." She could remember the sharp scent of the sea all those years ago, even despite her queasiness at the roiling sea under her feet. But it was an experience not everyone could claim, like Rufus here. The woman followed his gaze up to the temple, considering its visage as he spoke. "I couldn't have put it better myself," she said. "And you hear of fires in the insulae all the time... I suppose you and I are lucky not to have to live in one of them, as it were. I think I probably couldn't breathe with all those people around me, pressing in..." Rufus mused about going back to the countryside and then asked if Aglaea would go back to Judea if she had the chance. That was a question she had considered many times before. "I'm not sure, honestly. I haven't been there in so long, I don't think it would feel like home. Even though Rome is a little stuffy and close-together, it is the closest thing I have to a home." She smiled after a moment, though. "I think I wouldn't mind traveling, if I got my freedom, though. Maybe I could go see Paestum." @Sharpie

Caecina's was not an analytic mind. When the topic of marriage came up, the furthest she usually thought was her wedding day. The crisp new clothes, saffron-colored sash to mark her as the bride. The sacrifices, particularly of her childhood toys. It was all so exciting. But of course, the wedding day led to a wedding night, and when Caecina thought of that, she always felt her palms get sweaty in nervousness and anxiety. Then there was the topic of children and childbirth. That was what truly frightened the girl. Her own mother had passed away attempting to bring another child into the world, and it was not an uncommon thing for women to die in childbirth. Caecina was not ready to die yet. But those things were far off, for now. Marcus seemed happy to bring her to the shops later and even wanted to get a honey cake, which they both enjoyed. "Great!" She sipped her wine before speaking again. "Thank you again, Marcus. For bringing me here." She wanted him to know that she enjoyed spending time with him, even if they could only be friends in public. Marcus asked if she had met anyone interesting since their day in the woods. "Hmm... in the market the other day, I met a praetorian. That's not particularly interesting, I suppose, but he did seem to be an interesting character." @Atrice

Caecina knew that Aia was a good person, and she respected her, even if her lessons were not the most interesting. Aia couldn't help that she had a job to do, and Caecina couldn't help that she would much rather be out shopping or visiting friends instead. Marcus continued, suggesting that her future husband might come to the poppina. She laughed. "Perhaps." She wondered who she would end up married to. It was something she thought of a lot, but more as she grew older and became more ready for marriage. She wondered who Marcus would end up married to, when he was ready to settle down. The conversation continued as Caecina began to eat, daintily as always. Marcus said he was still full, so he didn't want any. "More for me then," she laughed. It was delicious. Then Marcus said that they could go to shop after she was finished and she smiled. "Oh, that sounds wonderful! You know I love the emporium. And I've been meaning to look at the jewelry! There's always something new." @Atrice

Caecina knew she and Marcus couldn't marry, but the childish part of her wanted to ignore that and just have fun with him like always. Her feelings for him seemed to have changed very suddenly, but she knew that all the time they had spent together was bound to make them closer. Marcus asked who she thought Aia could be meeting and she shrugged casually. "Who knows? It seems odd that she would want to not be seen, seeing as the Poppina is a place to be seen, like you said." Caecina knew this was harmless gossip and she didn't want to take it much further than that. She liked Aia and enjoyed learning from her sometimes - even if what she liked learning from her was not languages but about her experiences. "Anyway, who else have you seen here?" Caecina looked up as the barmaid arrived and gave them their drinks and food. Caecina was rather hungry, so the platter of food was welcome. "Do you want any?" @Atrice

Marcus said she didn't mean anything to him and Caecina glanced over at the girl, who was shooting glances at them from another table. "Seems like she thinks differently," she said casually. But it wouldn't matter. Caecina had enjoyed her kiss but now she found herself confused about her feelings. The one thing that was clear was that she liked him, but she wasn't sure whether they could be together at all. The family came first, and plus, she was likely to marry soon anyway, to someone older and more established. Even if she didn't like him, whoever it was. It was bound to happen. Marcus then said that he thought she knew him well and she gave him a knowing smile before he continued. Aia came here! And by herself, no less! Now, that was interesting to be sure. "No secret lover? Now, that's a disappointment." Caecina enjoyed hearing about interesting interactions with people she knew, especially ones that hinted at more tantalizing secrets. "Maybe she just didn't want you to know. Maybe she was meeting someone more interesting than a lover!" @Atrice

Caecina Tusca - 14 - Cyan - Echo Aglaea - 3 - Orange - Echo Annis - 10 - Violet - Echo Gaius Licinius Habitus - 17 - Green - Echo @Anna

Caecina quirked an eyebrow and chuckled. "She's pretty. But I'm sure that wouldn't catch your eye at all." She grinned. Just because she was a barmaid, didn't mean that Marcus couldn't be attracted to her. Caecina was always impressed by the gladiators, who were slaves and freedmen! But she understood his point; even if she was attractive, it would just be a fling, not a lasting relationship. Marcus's next statement made her grin. "And why would I know anything about what you're attracted to?" Caecina leaned back in her chair, adjusting her clothing casually. "So, do you know anybody else here? Any patrons, I mean. Any regulars?" She was interested to learn about his other times here, and what he knew about some of the other people. She was always a fan of gossip. @Atrice

Annis shrugged slightly at her comment. "The Romans are strong. But so am I." She had had a lot of time to think on the journey here. She had been thinking about what her life was to be once she arrived in the city, and how she was going to survive. She had decided that no matter what, she would do whatever it took to keep her pride and return home. Saba then asked whether that was how she fought, with a sword. Annis glanced down at the wooden sword, smirking a little. "Not normally wooden. I usually have a shield, too." @Chevi

@Sharpie can I reserve Flavius?

Name: Echo Description: A place where I'll keep track of what my characters are up to @Anna

Rufus said he had never been to sea. "I don't recommend it," she said, laughing. "Even when you get off the boat, the ground seems to pitch and heave under you for hours afterward." She shuddered dramatically. "I much prefer the solid ground, myself." The conversation turned toward the different varieties of people one could see at the forum, as well as skin types. Rufus talked about how he got sunburnt and freckled in the sun and Aglaea examined her own skin. She was lucky - her skin could get darker, due to her desert heritage, but she never really spent too much time in the sun. Rufus mentioned that he liked the countryside, too, and that he also felt that the city got to be too much. "Sometimes, it's like the buildings are pressing in on you, and there are just too many people. I hope you get to go to the countryside soon. It's especially better in the summertime, I think." @Sharpie

"Oh - of course," she said, blushing a little at her own cluelessness. She had little reason to know what went on in the Curia, though - Livia never went there and she had barely anything to do with Secundus. Her experience of Rome had been through the eyes of a female. She couldn't honestly say that the Curia held any charm for her either. It was just where senatorial men went to do senate things. It didn't concern her. Rufus went on to explain what Campania was like. The way he told it was captivating - it was clear as could be how much he loved his former home. And it sounded beautiful. "I hope to see it one day myself," she said genuinely. He had mentioned the sea, too. "When I was traveling from Antioch, we took a sea route for part of the way. I think I liked seeing the sea from the land rather than a boat." Her voice was full of mirth - it was hard to forget the roiling water and the terrible nausea she had experienced. Aglaea was not meant to be on the sea. Then, Rufus continued by saying that Rome was busy. She laughed at his comment. "I believe you're right! So many different people come through here all the time. I like it here sometimes... but the city can get to be too much, sometimes." She thought of the villa. "My mistress's husband has a lovely villa outside of the city, in the countryside. It's so quiet and peaceful there. I wish we could stay there all the time." @Sharpie

Aglaea chuckled at his surprise. "Yes, I was about fourteen when I came to her household. What is your job? Or, are you his body slave?" Aglaea hadn't considered the differences between what a female's body slave was responsible for and what a male's body slave would be, though it couldn't be very different. The young man explained where he was from and she nodded thoughtfully. "I don't think I've been there... is it the countryside?" She had been in Livia's husband's countryside villa several times, for extended stays, and she enjoyed the quiet aspect and the fresh air. Then, Rufus asked what Judea was like and she hummed thoughtfully. "Well, to tell you the truth, I was quite young when I left Judea. My first mistress was married to a man who worked in Antioch, and I was seven when I went to live with them." She brushed her hair back. "But I remember it being very hot and crowded, not unlike Roma. And sandy. It's a desert region, after all." She smiled at him. "What's Campania like?" @Sharpie

As usual when she had free time, Caecina was out shopping. Though she had been only a few weeks ago, she was interested to see what had come to the stalls since she had last been. It was always fascinating to visit the jewelers and see what new designs they had come up with, or to feel the different cloths that had arrived. Even though there was a smell of poverty about, Caecina could ignore it in order to enjoy the wares. Today, she had purchased some beautiful, fine fabric to make into a chiton, as well as a new pair of sandals. She decided to stop by a stall which sold writing supplies, which she was running low on. She needed to keep in touch with Juliana more, since Juliana mostly stayed in the villa while Caecina preferred the city. As she looked through the jars of ink, the girl adjusted her palla, which was a beautiful sky blue with a flowery, embroidered edge. Her chiton was a fine, white linen, and she wore various pieces of jewelry, including her everyday bracelet of a snake twining around her wrist. In her own world, she stepped in front of another woman in order to get a better look at some of the merchandise, but then she heard a voice that she faintly recognized. Turning, she saw her - the Augusta! Caecina blushed when she realized she had stepped in front of her, dipping her head in respect. "Augusta! How rude of me, I'm sorry!" She stepped out of her way. "How are you?" Caecina had met the older woman a few times, though she had had little reason to stop and talk with her in her pursuit of entertainment with the Imperial princes. But she remembered her as a kind and soft-spoken woman, something akin to Juliana. And anyone who reminded her of Juliana had already won her respect. @Anna

Caecina grinned as Marcus said he would keep the promises he made to her. Briefly, she wondered whether that was because they had lived together for so long or because he had developed feelings for her. She decided it didn't matter, it was a nice sentiment coming from him either way. A barmaid came by and seemed to have a sickly sweet smile. What was her problem? Maybe she was just in a bad mood and doing a bad job of covering it up. Marcus asked whether she was hungry, and also called her sister. He never called her that! Was he trying to make a point? "Yes, brother - I'll have whatever is good. I'm not picky." After they had ordered, the barmaid stalked off and Caecina and Marcus were alone. "So, what's her story? Have you met her before?" Her tone was slightly teasing but not unkind. She was just curious. @Atrice

Annis raised her eyebrows, impressed. "Good job. He was right - you are a good fighter." She stepped away from the water bucket to let the next person drink, and stood to the side, stretching her arms. "I was captured after a battle. Was injured, else I wouldn't have been." It was still a little fresh, but her wounds had healed since she started her journey. A pang went through her as she thought of her brother and mother - they might never know what happened to her, unless someone from her group managed to find her tribe and tell them. @Chevi