Echo

Again, Caecina had not thought so deeply about a potential partner as Oriana had. Of course, she knew all the things to avoid; her family would never allow her to marry down, and her suitor must be a man from a family equally wealthy and influential as hers, but as for power, she expected that she would be subservient as she could be expected to be. Her husband would wield the power in the family and Caecina would be responsible for managing the household and the children she would inevitably bear. Oriana commented that she hoped Caecina wouldn't have to wait too long and she laughed in response. "I hope so too! Though I expect within a year..." She trailed off tantalizingly. Oriana then continued, saying that it had been too long since her husband had died, then suggested she was waiting for the right man. "Certainly, you are worth the best husband, my friend. I expect my father and stepmother will let me have some kind of choice once they have a few candidates, though of course the final decision will be my fathers. I expect he will choose someone suitable." @Sydney

Caecina inclined her head as Juliana laughed and commented that she was becoming more of a Roman lady. Recently, she had wanted to start emulating some of the better qualities of the Roman lady, though she had no interest in being the most pious or chaste. It was a bit suffocating to be entirely modest, though Juliana didn't need to know all of that. "I am sure he would be delighted to hear from you. And, yes, I have been trying." Caecina wondered what Juliana thought of her visiting Tiberius, though her face was inscrutable at the news, other than her comment that she was glad. Juliana asked if she had made any female friends and Caecina shrugged slightly. Juliana was aware of her feelings toward other women, though of course matrons didn't count, or older women. Simply other girls her age. "Not so many, though I did attend a party hosted by Oriana Laecania. I liked her well enough." Sometimes Caecina wished that other women were not seen as competition as much. It would be nice to have a close friend or two. Perhaps that was something that she could start looking for. @Gothic

Gaius was unclothed from the waist up, the well-defined muscles of a trained man clearly marked on him. He grinned as Tertius grabbed the sword from the air as he tossed it, appreciating the brevity of the conversation as the fight began. Gaius stepped to the side as the first blow was aimed and then parried the second, going in for a jab to the chest. @Atrice

Gaius smiled, amused at this older man. "I suppose two baths in one day can't hurt." He observed the older man removing his toga, the symbol of his class. Now that the two were unmarked by class, Gaius contemplated that they were almost like equals in the context, class having nothing to do with skill with a sword. Gaius picked up two swords and tossed the other to the man, who introduced himself as Tertius. "Gaius. Pleasure to meet you," he said with a nod. Then, he sank into a ready position, sword up and watching his opponent with experienced, battle-trained eyes. @Atrice

Caecina was also used to wealth, though perhaps to a lesser extent. No family could match the imperials with both funds and breeding or access to all social classes. But Caecina felt that she had led a very privileged life. She had all she needed for comfort, servants and slaves to aid her, fine clothes and jewelry. It was not hard to make her happy. Caecina was not as deep a thinker as Claudia. She wasn't sure how she wanted to be known. Perhaps for popularity and for being a great lady, once she had time to think about being a great lady, that was. Caecina observed the other girl's clothes, noting the simplicity but elegance of the fabric and her hairstyle. Caecina was fond of colors but she recognized the wealth in well-made, clean, simple but elegant clothes. She smiled happily as Claudia greeted her and accepted a seat. "I have been very well, thank you. I hope you have been as well?" @Gothic

Caecina grinned at his jest, playing along. "I have failed you, Tiberius. I beg your forgiveness." She accepted a goblet of wine from a passing slave and sipped it as he mentioned Flavia. "Oh, yes, of course. I do pray that she will have a safe delivery and a healthy baby." Caecina enjoyed her younger siblings and had a soft spot in her heart for babies. They were just so helpless and sweet. Then they grew to be little terrors in the forms of toddlers. Tiberius then went on to mention that he and his brother didn't get invited to parties due to their studies and Caecina laughed. Sometimes, she felt sorry for young men; they did so much more studying than Caecina or other young women did. Of course, young women in Rome learned from the elder women in their lives how to care for their homes and direct slaves, and occasionally languages, but Caecina felt that she had the easier task by far. "I understand completely, lessons are such a bore." The conversation shifted to the beginning of the cursus honorum. "That's exciting. Do you feel prepared?" Caecina was acutely aware in certain moments the beginning of the culmination of her education as the domina of a home: her marriage. She was constantly curious what Juliana and her father were discussing in private regarding her married, a curiosity that occasionally caused eavesdropping or snooping, though she had not found out anything concrete. "Of course, I shall ensure that yours are the first names on the top of the invitation list," she said happily, taking another sip of the wine. "I am sure I shall be married soon, though to whom I have no idea. And I'm sure the young women must be all over you, then?" @Sarah

Works for me @Chevi

That sounds great! @Chevi

I like the idea of them meeting at a temple or something! Gaius probably isn't the most religious but he might have an affinity to some god he thinks got him through the war @Chevi

Caecina blushed a little at her slip of not realizing who she was sitting next to. Of course, she had seen Tiberius earlier, though she hadn't spoken to him because he had left Juliana's side just before Caecina got there. Usually, she was good at remembering people but she had been distracted. She smiled easily at his boyish grin. It was good to see him as well. He replied to her question and commented that it was good to see everyone together. Caecina nodded with a smile, following his gesture with her eyes. It was a comfort, sometimes, to be surrounded by those of your own class. Caecina found these settings to be much more enjoyable than the market, wherein she was surrounded by lower class people who often frightened her. "Indeed, it is." Tiberius then queried about Caecina, a topic she enjoyed. "Nothing much is new, I'm afraid! I haven't heard any good gossip recently, I fear my sources have dried up," she joked. "I've been doing all that you might expect of me, going to this and that party. And yourself?" Caecina reflected that she hadn't hosted a party recently and plans began to form for a party in the coming months. @Sarah

Gaius had gotten a drink of water when he heard a strange voice complimenting him. He turned to see the man that he had noticed a moment ago and he nodded his head deferentially, recognizing the compliment. "Thank you," he replied. Then the man asked if he was planning to keep sparring and he paused a moment. He had been planning to continue but he hadn't found any other worthy opponents. "Willing to challenge me?" He said with a smirk, perhaps a bit too confident in his own skills. @Atrice

I would love to have Theodorus and Gaius meet! @Chevi

The thought of cherished family members in pain always brought pain to Caecina's stomach, a visceral reaction to the memory of her mother's ill-fated pregnancy. Caecina could only slightly remember that night when she was so young, almost like a shadowy whisper in the back of her mind, but it was always there to make her recall her mother or make her fear childbirth. But Oriana seemed less than upset about her father's illness - perhaps she wasn't very close to the man, or even was hoping he would die for one reason or another. Caecina allowed herself to briefly wonder. Caecina permitted a small smile, which grew at the beginning of talk of suitors. Caecina had not met many young men that were worth her time, though she expected that her father and stepmother were always on the lookout for her. She hoped they would let her have some say in the matter, perhaps when there were a few to choose from. But that day had not come yet. "Oh, I don't know about that," she said modestly but with a mischievous grin. "I can't wait to be married, though. And you? I know you have been without a husband for some time now." Her comment wasn't mean-spirited but rather curious. @Sydney

Gaius often came to these baths, enjoying the dichotomy between the baths and the garden and exercise area. It felt good to stretch his body, perhaps spar with other young men around there, and clean himself off afterward. It was a welcome respite from his long, arduous hours at the palace, and he especially enjoyed the chance to spar, reminding him of his many days on the Britannia front. He was sparring now, with some other young man whose name he didn't know with wooden practice swords. He was a decent enough fighter but he wasn't able to match up with the experienced legionnaire. Gaius quickly ended the bout and wiped his forehead of sweat, noticing an older man whose gaze was trained on some of the exercising men. @Atrice

March 74 CE Caecina always got a pleasant flutter in her stomach whenever she was honored with an invitation to the imperial palace. It was a sign of her family status and her own efforts to climb higher on the social ladder. But, of course, those flutters also signaled a nervousness. While Caecina had been trained from birth to associate with the highest social classes, she still felt insecure in her teachings when faced with other young women her age. As always, they appeared as competition for everything from husbands to the best clothes and fashion trends. Caecina made sure to always watch what other young women were wearing, how they were arranging their pallas or fixing their hair and cosmetics, all in order to fit in. Yet, she found her own ways to stand out, jewelry among them. Today, Caecina was dressed in a well-patterned chiton of deep blue with a matching palla, gold earbobs, and her favorite bracelet, of a serpent wrapping around her wrist. The sign of the snake both comforted and kept her aware: comfort that her family would protect her, and awareness that she needed to be self-sufficient sometimes, too, and aware of her actions. She arrived right on time, punctual as would be expected of a guest of the imperial palace. She was directed to the gardens by a praetorian, admiring the architecture and art so lavishly placed in the palace as always. Soon enough, she was in the garden to meet her friend Claudia Caesaris, a woman her age with whom Caecina had grown up and grown fond of. Claudia had always been kind to her. Caecina let out a bright smile as she saw the other young woman and embraced her, kissing her lightly on either cheek. "Claudia, it is wonderful to see you! Thank you for your invitation." @Gothic

Caecina glanced down at her wrist as Juliana brushed her fingers against the gold. She was uncomfortable with her acceptance of her father's kindness, and moreso it being noticed by her stepmother who was the most aware of anyone of her rocky relationship with her father. But she brushed this thought off, a skill she was quickly honing. She rationalized her wearing the bracelet as simply enjoying how it looked with her chiton and palla, and that it matched her other jewelry. She knew her father would hear about it, though, and seriously doubted the impact it would have on the man, ever distant. The girl let out a laugh as Juliana warned that Astraea would be interrogated on her every move while in Rome. "You always do, Juliana," she said with a teasing, good-natured smile. "And I am sure you will find that I have been on my best behavior. You aren't the only one who wants me to get married." Juliana queried as to members of her family that Caecina had met and she shrugged. "I briefly met Octavius, your uncle, the other day, just before I left for the villa. He asked about you." She cast around as if not sure who else, though of course, she knew exactly every person she had met recently. "Oh, I have spoken to Tiberius a few times as well. Such a nice young man, it's been lovely to see him grow up alongside me." @Gothic

Gaius gave a chuckle. "I expect I'll go get a drink, though I'll admit that the taverns closest to the palace make me uncomfortable. I'm more comfortable with a lower class sort of place, personally. And you? Where do you like to drink?" Gaius had been to several taverns around the Aventine and the patronage was always a bit highbrow for him and the wine a bit too sweet. He had been to taverns with his father before he went into the service and he preferred the ones he had frequented then, closer to his parents' low middle-class area. @Sains

Caecina had been born into nobility, so she had a natural advantage over this foreign tutor. She had been taught from birth the proper ways to sit, stand, walk, and talk, and for a moment she felt a twinge of guilt for judging the woman so quickly. She hadn't had the advantages Caecina had. Caecina nodded as she listened to Aia speak about the languages she knew. Sometimes, the point of her lessons escaped her. Why should she need to learn these foreign languages when the only reason she would need to speak them was if she was somehow captured by a brutish Gaul or Briton? But other times she was intrigued by the thought of languages other than Latin. "Very well, Gallic it is," she said agreeably. @Chevi

Caecina lived for parties, and the ones that the Imperials put on were among her favorite to be invited to. She couldn't imagine being of a class not to be invited to such a party. It made her unhappy just to think of it. All of her friends were here, at least, the girls she pretended to be friends with. She couldn't help that she thought they were all vapid and uninteresting. The men her young age always seemed to have more interesting things to talk about, places she had never been to, politics that, to some degree, went above her head but were still fascinating to listen to. The wine was flowing and Caecina had partaken in just enough to relax and loosen up a bit. After some time carousing with her friends, she decided to take a break and find her stepmother. Her presence was a balm on Caecina's fiery spirit. She soon spotted Juliana and walked gracefully to her side, her hand clasped on a goblet of wine. She glanced up as she adjusted her immaculately made, light-blue palla, noticing Tiberius leaving the scene. "Oh, it seems I've just missed Tiberius," she said with a pretend pout on her face. "No matter, I expect we shall see each other tonight all the same. Salve, Juliana," she said, pecking her stepmother on the cheek.

It was always exciting to have a new guest visit the home. Tertia found the flurry of the household staff's activity to be stimulating and engaging and she loved the opportunity to help her domina get ready for the visit. After that work was finished, she hurried along to help ensure the rest of the preparations were on track. The food smelled amazing as usual. The family Tertia served always hired the best cooks in Rome. Soon enough, the guest had arrived and Tertia followed Crispina, an older slave, to the triclinium, bearing a platter of delicious-looking food. Overhearing the conversation, she deduced that the visitor was in the military. She stood behind Crispina as she poured wine and dutifully kept her head bowed, ready to offer food to anyone who wished for it. @Renna @Sains @Jenn @Indy @Gothic

Gaius lifted his eyebrows at the woman's sarcastic tone, shifting his weight to the other foot. He sized her up again. Her muscles were apparent to him now and the clothing and weaponry made sense. Claudia Caesaris' personal guard, hm? A privileged position, to be certain. Gaius would be lying to say he wasn't hoping for a similar appointment one day. But why a woman? She must have delineated herself in an impressive manner. Still, he hardly appreciated her tone. "Well, then. My apologies," he said, his voice tinged with a bit of sarcasm himself. "And how did you come to be in such a position, might I ask?" @Atrice

Caecina gazed at her new tutor with a smile. This woman seemed very different from others she had met, certainly different from other slaves. Though she seemed uncomfortable with her dress and being in this environment, she had a way about her that suggested... not exactly confidence, something that Caecina couldn't quite put a finger on. She quickly ignored her curiosity at this thought and smiled anew. "I suppose I am, though I will warn you that languages are not my strong suit." She beckoned Aia back toward the house. Her position in the garden had been strategic, hoping to lessen the time she would have to devote to the lesson, but she wasn't sure if it would work. The pair found an empty room and Caecina sat down, glancing at her new tutor. "What have you to teach me?" Her tone was not unfriendly.

Absolutely! I’ll try and get that done today If not today, then this week

Caecina was looking forward to having a husband, but as of yet, there were no serious options. Caecina smiled when Oriana offered her help in entertaining. Caecina was quite confident in her abilities to entertain, especially given her tutelage under her stepmother. But she needed to keep her hostess on her side so she replied, "I shall have to take you up on that someday. And you must come to my next party, too! I shall be sure to invite you." Oriana continued the conversation and Caecina nodded. "Oh, yes, we love visiting the countryside and escape the city. The heat can be so oppressive this time of year. And the dust settles in my hair and absolutely ruins it!" Caecina laughed lightly. The conversation turned to Oriana's father and Caecina became more serious. "I'm so sorry to hear that." Death made the girl invariably upset as it made her reflect on her mother. But Oriana didn't seem too upset. "I'm glad you are doing so well." @Sydney

Caecina was sitting in a chair, one leg draped over the other at the knee. It was a nice enough day out, with the sun shining brightly enough to offset the occasional chill wind. She adjusted her warm palla over her shoulders and sat back comfortably. The ambiance of the garden was relaxing her, but she perked up when she heard footsteps nearby. She had been told that her new tutor would be around shortly, so she stood from her seat and smoothed her skirts, looking around until she saw the other woman. Instantly, Caecina homed in on the fact that this woman was not comfortable in her clothes. At every party in her recent memory, Caecina had analyzed the comfort of other young women in their clothes and had gained a good recognition of the key signs of discomfort. But she wasn't ill-bred enough to comment on it. Instead, the young lady smiled brightly and approached her. "Salve! How nice to meet you, you must be Aia?" She didn't go for an embrace of greeting yet, as she wasn't sure how this woman would react. This was sure to be an interesting time. @Chevi