Echo

Caecina detected the disapproval but ignored it, determined to remain in a good mood. It was a large villa, she figured a slave would have alerted Juliana to her presence, and if they hadn't, that was no concern of hers. She felt a twinge of guilt but managed to set it aside. "I apologize, Juliana," she said with as much grace as she could muster. Juliana inquired about her exploits in Rome and Caecina let a little smile play about her lips. "Oh, the usual," she said luxuriantly. "The most wonderful parties and wearing the most lovely clothes." She fingered a golden bracelet on her wrist, styled like a serpent, which had been a gift from her father. She was coming around to his latest gifts. Perhaps she was beginning to mature and realize her actions in the past were not the path to a good relationship with her living parent. @Gothic

Gaius grinned sheepishly as Decimus laughed at his longing. It was true, though. Gaius had been back in Rome for nearly two years now and was still not used to the relative quiet. Perhaps he needed to train more, exercise his battle skills more often. That would at least simulate some of the danger he had come to enjoy. And even the various sounds of the market held no charm for him, though he loved looking at the various items for sale. The topic moved on and Gaius raised his eyebrows as Decimus described being kept from the princess. "Perhaps," he said, shrugging his shoulders. It was far beyond him to tell Decimus how to do his job, and if he felt safe leaving the princess alone, that was alright. "Yes, I imagine. I am off in a few hours. This is my longest shift this week and I'm ready to be done with it." @Sains

Gaius cast around for something to say next, blinking a few times before he settled on just asking her outright. "I was wondering who you were. I've never seen you around the palace before." And, he thought privately, he would have noticed. It was not only that she was dressed the way she was, but it was also that she was comfortable that way. He thought he had posed his question tactfully enough, as tactfully as could be expected from a man more experienced with action than words. He shifted his weight, feeling the ache of nervousness particularly near the scar on his chest, the wound that had nearly taken his life the first time. @Atrice

Gaius finished his pacing as a voice piped up nearby. He glanced toward the source and recognized Decimus, another praetorian. A short smile showed briefly on the man's face as he gave a brief, rueful laugh. "Salve, Decimus. Nothing at all to do, as it happens." He walked a bit closer to the other man and crossed his arms. "I swear this job can get monotonous as anything. Sometimes I missed being nearly killed by Britons." He chuckled at his own joke. "And you? It seems you're a disembodied shadow. The princess must be missing you." It was a relief to have someone to talk to after the mindless hours spent here, and Gaius liked this other man. He had also been in Britannia, so he had a sort of default camaraderie with him. @Sains

Gaius reached the woman and found himself unsure of what to say. He had approached so seriously - now what? He cleared his throat and attempted a casual, "Ave. My name is Gaius." He cursed himself at his own ability to come up with anything more creative. It seemed women in breeches choked him up as much as did women in chitons. But, really, he wasn't interested in finessing this strange woman, but rather investigating her. His eyes made a brief glance over her. Her clothes were well-made, unlike some of the Britons he had encountered, and clearly of Roman origin. She was also equipped with a weapon, which was the main source of his anxiety; he was sure she knew how to use it. He had come across his fair share of wild Briton women during his several-year campaign there. He had defended himself against a fair number, too, and he was well aware of their prowess. But, then, why was this one here? @Atrice

Hi Jenn! I agree! Would you be interested in a past thread, perhaps? @Jenn

March, 74 CE A deep yawn was fighting its way up through Gaius's windpipe. The man had been on duty for several hours now and was only a few more from his time off. Usually comfortable in his armor, he acutely felt it cutting into his skin at various points and his feet ached from standing still so long. He couldn't go very far from his post, but he could stretch his legs a little, at least. Taking a few steps, and making sure no one was around to observe him, he began pacing in a small circle, converging on the place of his posting each cycle. His hands free, he popped the knuckles on each of his hands, then stretched his arms to get the blood pumping. Soon enough, he grew tired of this repetitive motion and returned to the wall where he had begun. If only something would happen to cure the man of his unending boredom, or at least distract him until he could change out of his armor and go for a drink at the pub. @Sains

Caecina Tusca App 18 | heterosexual | senatore | rome Friends Caecina, a social butterfly, has the ability to put on the right personality for every situation. She is good at pretending to be friendly and amiable with other women her own age, but she much prefers the company of men, as she believes other women are only competition for the best husbands. She might have a few close friends of either gender, but she tends to hold people at an arm's length in her own best interests. However, she will be friendly to anyone she deems to be her equal in stature or can help her better her station in life. I would love threads with any young men or women in Rome and would be open to having people break through her outer shell to become true friends! Enemies Other than the other young women of Rome, which are not active enemies, Caecina has few that she would consider enemies, though if another woman chafed her nerves enough, she might treat her as a frienemy, friendly in person but cold or gossipy behind her back. I'm definitely open to plots, though! Lovers I would love for Caecina to get married! My thinking here is that she probably will get married to a man older than her. But I was also wondering what would happen if she got into an extramarital affair? Maybe even with someone in a lower class than her! I think it would be really interesting to see how she matures into a young woman with a lover who sees her for who she truly is and isn't fooled by her constantly changing personality. I want alllll the threads in this area ----- Gaius Licinius Habitus App 33 | heterosexual | praetorian | rome Friends Gaius is most likely to be friends with his contemporaries; i.e., other men, especially those who served in the military or who are close to him in social ranking. I imagine he is easy to get along with for men more than women, as he tends to show misogynistic tendencies. With men, he also feels like his more authentic self, as women tend to make him feel uncomfortable and out of place. He supposes this feeling comes from a disconnect with his mother growing up as well as his many years spent serving in Britannia surrounded by a majority population of men. In any case, I'd love him to have some close friends, perhaps people he served in Britannia with or other praetorians. I'm open! Enemies Gaius is not fond of Britons, having been pretty badly injured by them on two occasions during his service. His obvious enemies are any people who threaten Rome or the imperial family. Lovers Gaius is not currently involved with anyone. He is heterosexual. I love the idea of him maybe having a childhood love or someone to reconnect with after he returned to Rome, but I am also open to having someone new come along in his life! He eventually wants to settle down and have a couple of little ones, but first, he has to overcome his discomfort in being around women. I can definitely see him being cautious and anxious around women he likes, but trying his best to win them over. ----- Aglaea App 28 | heterosexual | body slave | rome Friends Aglaea is a kind and thoughtful person, so it makes sense that she would have plenty of friends. She is a recent Christian convert, so she is developing a Christlike love for everyone, and also trying to help those less fortunate than herself because she enjoys a relatively safe and privileged position as a body slave to a wealthy senatore lady. I want all the threads in this area! Enemies Aglaea was raised Jewish, so there might be people that don't like that and that makes her their enemy naturally. Also, as a Christian, she would consider anyone that hates Christians her enemy. Of course, part of her religion is "love thy enemies." Lovers I want her to find love, she's a bby Of course, as a slave, this can be limited, but I'm open to about anything! ----- Annis App 23 | heterosexual | gladiatrix | rome Friends Annis is approachable enough but it takes her a lot of time to trust anyone or make a lasting connection. With other gladiatrices, she has a friendly competitive spirit. Enemies She's not a huge fan of Romans, so she might be standoffish toward them. She's got quite a lot of fighting spirit and isn't good at pretending to like someone she doesn't. Lovers Like I said, she's not the most trusting. But if someone came along that managed to catch her eye and gain her trust, she would love that. I would too Misc. Annis spent much of her youth traveling around Britannia fighting Romans. She was captured five years ago and sent to Rome to be a gladiatrix. I think it might be interesting to have her reconnect with members of her old resistance group, or even with Romans who might have been present at the battle where she was injured and captured. I also had an idea where someone might purchase Annis and try to turn her into a house slave in order to "conquer" her. She would not be a fan of that and it might be an interesting plot. ----- Spurius Domitius S.L. Marcellus App 32 | heterosexual | charioteer | rome Friends Yes please! Marcellus is very friendly and outgoing so he would have plenty of friends. He's also not snobbish with lower classes, since he's the lowest class a free person can be and he used to be a slave. I'm open to anything here, and I would love for him to have some drinking buddies! Enemies I imagine he'll put on a show of being enemies with the other chariot teams, but he doesn't really have any enemies. He's too friendly! Lovers Marcellus is very promiscuous and flirtatious so he will have had plenty of lovers. Like anything that isn't racing, he doesn't take his love life very seriously but I think it would be adorable if he found a woman that really caught his eye and made him pursue her. Imagining Marcellus as lovesick gives me life Misc. Will update later ----- Deianira App 21 | bisexual | elysium worker | rome Friends Deia is my resident Sad Girl (TM), so she is definitely in need of friends. She is super distrustful of anyone, though, believing them to have ulterior motives in gaining her friendship. This is a belief gained through experience. So, it would be difficult to get through her outer shell, but if someone managed to stick around long enough to gain her trust, she is incredibly loyal. She also is sympathetic to those in similar situations as herself, so she is giving. Enemies Deia doesn't really have any specific enemies, other than her master and one particular client haha. But she will always fight for those less fortunate than her (even though she's pretty unfortunate), so people who threaten those she loves will be her enemies. Lovers She's a sex worker, so she has a warped sense of what the connection between sex and love is. But it's not impossible - like friends, someone who wants to be her lover would have to work hard to gain her trust. Misc. Will update later.

April, 72 CE Gaius shifted his weight uncomfortably, readjusting his hand on the hilt of his gladius. Tonight was his first assignment as a praetorian and while his training had left him very prepared for any sort of surprise, it was a different sort of tension than what he had felt on the battlefield in Britannia. This room was filled with powerful men and women in colorful garbs, grasping glasses of wine and laughing and conversing animatedly. Gaius almost felt he would prefer the sight of a hundred blue-faced Britons grasping swords and running toward him screaming their war calls. At least he could understand the threat there. Here, the threat could come from anywhere, and it was making the man fidgety and anxious. The familiar weight of his sword on his left and his pugio on his right helped him to feel better, though, and he kept a firm grasp on the gladius as his brown eyes scanned the room, training himself to look for suspicious activity or sudden movement, especially to members of the imperial family. The man's anxiety also prevented him from keeping his feet still, so he resorted to pacing slowly around the room to keep a fresh set of eyes on the population. As he walked, he noticed a strange sight: a woman not clothed in a chiton, but rather in breeches. He furrowed his brow in curiosity. Without realizing it, he began walking toward the woman, curious to see what she was doing there and half-wondering whether she was some rogue Briton here to murder the members of Rome's imperial class. @Atrice

GAIUS LICINIUS HABITUS 33 | 12 June, 41 CE | Plebeian | Praetorian | Hetero | Original | Jack Donnelly Personality. Gaius was raised in a military family, and it shows. His life is filled with rigid structure and he approaches every problem with a soldier's mind. Whenever in a military situation, he finds comfort in the answers found in tradition and rule-following, but whenever he is on leave, he finds it difficult to regulate his behavior. He is fond of drinking and whoring as many soldiers, but manages to also maintain respectability expected by both his family and his position as a praetorian. Gaius gives off an air of uncaring and occasionally of sarcastic amusement, but a caring, helpful man can be found just below the surface. Despite his uncaring, he likes to be taken seriously and has a large ego that is easily bruised by snubs from women and his higher-ups. Appearance Gaius is a handsome man, and he often preens like a bantam rooster due to his occasionally overlarge ego. He is most comfortable in military garb, but can also fill out a tunic well. He doesn't keep his dark brown hair as short as other legionnaires, preferring a longer cut, though not ridiculously long. His skin is perpetually tanned after spending long days in the hot sun and he wears the tan like a badge of honor, hating the idea of long days doing office work inside. Gaius is not the tallest of men but he acts like he is, relying on his talent in combat to let him feel tall. Gaius has a well-structured face with a straight nose and a hard-set mouth. His brown eyes are intense but can have a good sense of humor. He likes to keep well-shaven when he's on duty, but when off duty he lets a little stubble crop up on his well-defined jaw. Family Father: Gnaeus Licinius Drusus Mother: Camilla Drusa Siblings: Secundus Licinius Drusus Spouse: None Children: None Other: History [Childhood: 41-59CE] Gaius was born into a middle-class, military, Equite family. His father was strict but caring, having served for a good part of his life in the legion only to retire due to an injury sustained that prevented him from serving any longer. His mother was loving but allowed their father to train Gaius and his younger brother in the ways of being men, despite her own reservations about the life she feared the man's lessons would bring about. Gaius's childhood was structured much in the same way as living in a military camp, though tinged with the gentle guidings of his mother, who made the family's small house in the city feel like a home. Gaius's days were filled with responsibilities, from tending the garden to helping his mother in the household. When he finished all his chores and his lessons, he and his brother would play soldiers, filled with a fascination for the seemingly invincible Roman legionnaires. It was Gaius's only hope to become a soldier, just like his father one day. As the boy grew, his father would allow him to accompany him on trips out of the city for his trading business, as well as to the marketplace. Gaius found these times with his father incredibly special, as he felt his mother wasn't there to discourage his questions about life in the military. Camilla was always afraid that her sons would be encouraged to join the military instead of finding safe jobs in the city. Through these trips, Gaius gained intense respect and a close bond with his father. [Young Adulthood: 59-66] As soon as Gaius turned eighteen, his father brought him to volunteer for the legion. After a life of being raised by the man, Gaius felt he was ready to serve in the military, but while his childhood served as some frame of reference, it wasn't nearly as close as Gaius had thought it would be. All the same, it was a rewarding lifestyle from the beginning. He felt that he had a chance to gain the respect of his superiors and close camaraderie with other young men his age while testing his strength against theirs in a friendly but engaged competition for higher ranks. As soon as his initial training was done, he had his first posting: Britannia, to help cull the various rebellions that popped up from time to time. Despite the relative anonymity of his rank as a milites, Gaius managed to train hard enough and stand out enough in combat to gain the attention of his superiors. After three years in the rank of milites, he received his first promotion to the rank of Immunes. Now, he worked as a weapons instructor to less experienced soldiers, and along with the new responsibilities, he gained a pay raise, as well. He enjoyed teaching the younger soldiers helpful tips to stay alive. Four years of serving as an instructor greatly improved the young man's leadership skills, and he gradually gained his superiors' attention again by turning out some of the most skilled soldiers among the instructors. [Adulthood: 67-Current] Gaius saw some intense fighting as an optio, the rank he gained next after his service as an instructor. At two different points, he was nearly put out of commission due to injuries, but he managed to fight through and return to his duties. He was never one to back down from a fight, even with men larger than he was, as many of the Britons were. He relied on his experience and his quickness to get him through each battle. He made great friends during this time and still keeps in contact with some of them. After three years as an optio, the centurion under which he served left the legion, leaving Gaius to take his place. He was proud to have gained this rank and served dutifully for three years. Soon enough, though, he was ready to leave Britannia and return home. He used all the connections he had gained over the years to get letters of recommendation and finally became a candidate for the Praetorian guard. It was good to return home for the proper training, though his family hardly recognized the man he had become as being the same boy they had waved goodbye as he left Rome. Now, Gaius has been serving as a praetorian for two years. He finds the work rewarding enough, and it is good to be back in the city of his childhood, even though it was almost foreign to him when he first returned. He hopes now to be the best guard he can and keep the city itself safe. Echo | EST | PM or Discord

Caecina looked up, her eyes having been closed, to see her stepmother. She was unstartled by the sudden approach of the older woman and unphased by the apparent anger: she knew Juliana was not actually mad. The younger woman stood and allowed the kisses, returning the embrace. "I swear I was going to tell you I was in the villa! I just hadn't got around to it. I supposed Astraea would do it for me." Caecina was joking, really. "It is good to see you too. I missed you in all my dreary days in the city. Care to sit with me a while?" Caecina settled back down in her seat. Caecina knew that she had eyes on her at all times, even when Juliana wasn't around. It was obvious why Astraea kept such an annoyingly close watch over her all the time. The clever old Greek never let Caecina out of her sight for more than a few minutes in the city, making it hard for Caecina to have any fun at all. But Caecina knew that someone had to curb her bad temper and immature urges, and while Juliana was gone, Astraea was the best she had. @Gothic

March, 74 CE Caecina sighed, letting the tension fall away from her shoulders. While she loved the time she spent in the city, there were times when it could get stressful, and there was no greater cure than coming out to the countryside and her family's beautiful villa. She had arrived yesterday but it had taken a day of relaxing away from the sounds of the city, walking in the garden, and letting the cool breeze wash over her before she could let the strain of the city go. Now, she was feeling much better, standing on the verandah overlooking their well-kept gardens. Astraea, pitying her charge's stress, had left her to her own devices. It seemed the villa allowed the clever old Grecian woman the chance to relax as well, if only because she knew there were fewer chances for the young woman to misbehave out here. Caecina returned to her seat on the verandah, taking a sip of the light wine that had been set out for her. Yes, while the city held its charms, there was no better place to relax than in the villa. @Gothic

Caecina couldn't wait to be married. The life seemed to hold allure to her, as many women her age, and she was thoroughly taken in by it. Of course, her mind had only taken her to the altar and not past that, except for her occasional fear of death in childbirth. Caecina's unanalytical mind didn't often go there, of course, and she could only imagine her wedding day, dressed in her finest clothes and marrying a handsome, wealthy man who would help to improve her family's standing in Rome. Caecina smiled as Oriana offered her some wine, taking the glass in her hand and raising it as Oriana toasted. "To Rome," she replied happily, taking a sip. Truly, Oriana had good taste in wine; it was among the finest she had ever had. "You have fine taste in wine, Oriana," she complimented. "I shall have to copy you for my next party." Oriana queried about Caecina's family and she smiled. Small talk was a honed skill but not one she enjoyed. "My family is wonderful, thank you! We took a few weeks out at our villa in Italy and it was divine. And yours?" @Sydney

Dinner parties were part and parcel of Caecina's everyday life and she enjoyed them quite a bit. Against her nature, which was to gravitate toward the men and listen to them discuss politics, Caecina often socialized with other women more, though she distrusted every other woman as competition for husbands and nothing more. In addition, she found them all catty and prone to harsh judgments toward other women, which was why she always dressed to the teeth in the finest fabrics, jewelry, and cosmetics. Tonight, she wore a pink chiton with a white palla draped modestly but attractively about her head. A bracelet that was shaped like a golden snake twisted around her wrist, and golden earbobs dangled from her ears. The hostess was a woman Caecina was familiar enough with. They were regularly invited to parties at her family's home and Caecina always had fun with her contemporaries closer to her age as well as Oriana and some of the older women. She supposed there were things to be learned from older women who were still looking for husbands: things to be learned and applied, all in order to find the best matches. Caecina put on a bright smile as Oriana made her way to greet her and responded with her own embrace. "Salve, Oriana, how lovely to see you!" Caecina smoothed her chiton as the two pulled away. "I see you've spared no expense," the younger woman offered in a teasing voice still smiling. "I have not had the pleasure of trying yet!" @Sydney

Caecina paused a moment before a broader smile broke across her face. "Oh, goodness, Tiberius! I didn't realize it was you!" Briefly, her eyes swept over him; he had grown since she had seen him last and his clothes were becoming on him. She adjusted her palla and smoothed her skirt as he asked how she was. "I have been lovely, thank you! I hope you have as well?" Caecina had grown up occasionally seeing Tiberius and the other imperial children and they were some of her fonder memories. They were always fun to be around, though due to her nature she had always gravitated more toward the young men than the girls. She was thankful for Juliana marrying her father both for her guidance and her connections to the Imperials, whom Caecina had become friendly with. @Sarah

This is where I'm meant to be, thought Caecina with an inward smile. The sights and smells of the parties such as these put her at ease more than silence and peace; her eyes always had something to observe and her hands always something to do, whether holding a glass of wine, gesturing passionately as she spoke, or grasping friends in greeting. Yes, this was where the social butterfly was most at ease. She swept from group to group, perfectly melding with the mood of each cluster of young women and even adults, though she stuck to people her own age. But even the most social of young women needed a break sometimes and Caecina found herself slowly drifting to the outskirts of the room to find a place to sit and rest her tired feet. Eventually, she noticed a small cluster of seats near the wall, one of which was occupied by a young man. No matter, Caecina was just as much at ease with the opposite sex as she was with other young women. Confidently, she approached the chairs and lightly sat in one, taking care that she did not rumple her light blue chiton or darker palla. Fixing the young man with a friendly smile, she spoke, "Salve."

CAECINA TUSCA 18 | 10 april 57CE | Senatore | Lady | Heterosexual | Canon | Bridget Satterlee Personality. Caecina is something of an enigma. Able to change her personality at will to fit certain situations, she can be a social butterfly, a drama queen, a quiet, obedient child, and a polite, proper young lady; it all depends on the context. Generally, she defaults to the proper young lady persona when around her elders but immediately switches back to the social butterfly when among her contemporaries. To her family, though, she is known as something of a handful, especially with her father, which owes to her distant relationship with the man. Since childhood, she has wanted his attention, but it was never given to her; he was always a very busy man with his career, so instead of getting his attention in a more constructive manner, Caecina learned that getting into trouble was the best way for him to pay attention to her. However, to other members of her family, Caecina is nicer; for instance, she loves spending time with her step-siblings and her step-mother has become her favorite confidante. Despite her occasionally bratty and immature ways, she still cares deeply for her family and she wants the best for all of them. Caecina enjoys many things, including reading, spending time with her friends, riding horses, and playing with her pet cat. She hates feeling dirty and is almost obsessive about smelling nice; her few interactions with peasants have shown her that the lives of peasants include many nasty scents, and she wishes to remain smelling as nice as a bouquet of flowers. The young woman fears many things. Her greatest fear is death, and specifically death in childbirth. When she was young, her mother perished while trying to bring her father another child, and since hearing her mother's anguished screams, she fears for the day she is married and is expected to bear her husband children. She also fears becoming an outcast in society in some way; her childish, under-analytical mind has not told her exactly what would make her such a pariah. Caecina's dreams are much in line with the dreams of her friends: she wishes to marry a handsome, preferably wealthy man with influence and to increase her family's standing. She hopes that through her good looks and her ability to assess a situation for the correct personality needed, she will be able to catch a husband and honor her family. Appearance Caecina is an attractive young woman, with long, shiny brown hair. Her deep brown eyes flash intelligently from under dark eyebrows and are fringed by thick eyelashes. Her long, straight nose shadows inviting pink lips and a slightly clefted chin. The young woman's teeth are straight and white, though her smile is often not forthcoming. Her carefully maintained skin shows no blemishes and is creamy and pale, with rosy cheeks. Caecina, being part of a wealthy, old family, has always been taught to put her best dress forward, so she is perpetually following trends in clothing, hair, and cosmetics, and generally being fashion-forward. To her, comfort is an added benefit to clothes, but she doesn't actively seek it out; she prefers to be considered fashionable, and if comfort happens to be part of the ensemble, great. Family Father: Quintus Caecina Tusca Mother: Furia Camilla Siblings: Quintus Caecina Tuscus Minor, Caecina Tuscus Minor, Caecina Laelia Spouse: None Children: None Extended family: Flavia Juliana (Step-mother) Other: History CHILDHOOD [57-68]: Caceina Tusca was born in the year 57 AD to Quintus Caecina Tuscus and Furia Camilla. Two more different parenting styles have never been used on one child before. Where Tuscus all but ignored his new daughter and rarely spoke about her by name, Camilla was doting, giving the child anything she ever wanted and treating her more like a contemporary than a daughter. Camilla, a great lady herself, attempted to teach Caecina the many things that a Roman woman should know, but the child displayed a strong stubbornness and unwillingness to sit down and be still, preferring to play with the slave children and run amok. Rather than testing herself against the child's willfulness, Camilla relented and let the child do as she pleased. The girl barely remembers the civil war now, but vague snapshots of it come to mind from time to time. She was five when it broke out, and she and her mother went with her father East, following Quintus Alexander. For the six months of fighting, Caecina and Camilla stayed in Syria, where it was safer. Eventually, however, they returned to Rome when it became safe once again. For the first several years of her life, Caecina didn't realize the absence of a father figure, as she spent the vast majority of her time with her mother, and regarded Tuscus as the looming master of the house that only acknowledged her to dole out punishment when she was naughty. But that all changed when Caecina was seven years old. The child had some vague idea that something was different with her mother, but she wasn't sure what it was for some time. Eventually, Camilla explained that she was going to have a baby. In her childish mind, Caecina thought this meant that the new baby was going to be delivered to them, perhaps by the city guards she saw when she went out with Camilla. But it soon became clear that this was not the case. One of her earliest and clearest memories is of that night in 64 AD. Servants running to and fro, panicked, and her mother's anguished screams of pain as though she were being burned alive. Camilla died, along with the little boy she had fought so hard to bring forth. For several days, the family's home in Rome lay quiet, stunned at the death of its mistress. A darkness had fallen over the house, felt deeply by everyone there. Caecina was ignored by everyone in the house during that time. She was alone, confused, and sad, wandering aimlessly in the house. Eventually, the girl accidentally tipped over a piece of Greek pottery, shattering it on the floor. This prompted her father to finally pay attention to her- by ordering her to be whipped for her indiscretion. But in Caecina's mind, any kind of attention was better than the silence of the days after Camilla's death. She learned that if she did something to irk her father, she would either be yelled at or whipped, which began the girl's long campaign to get father's attention. After a year of battling with the child's attempts to get his attention, Tuscus assigns one of his oldest and most trusted slaves, a woman from Greece, to care for the child as well as curb her rebellious ways. At the age of eight, Caecina begins her education in the ways of Roman women, much to her chagrin. The Greek woman had as iron a will as the child did, and so forced her to comply with the new regimen of education. Manipulative as always, though, Caecina heard the lessons and applied them to her life, while maintaining her man-like willfulness and rebelliousness when she was able to escape the inscrutable eye of Astraea. Tuscus had been surprisingly saddened by the death of his young wife, and it was two years until he remarried, to a woman named Flavia Juliana. Caecina had been reined in for the most part, only acting out when her father was particularly flippant towards her, but the girl wasn't sure of this newcomer into their household. For the first year, Caecina was distant towards Juliana, rarely speaking to her and spending time by herself. Eventually, though, the girl began to see the older woman as something of a mother figure, and began to confide in her and learn from her. She was even inspired to become a great lady like Juliana, at least so that she could get a good marriage. Thus went Caecina's life for several more years. TEENAGE TO EARLY ADULT [69-73]: With Caecina's eleventh birthday came her first blood, and she became eligible for marriage. However, as much of a headache she was to her father, Tuscus didn't want to settle for just any marriage partner for his daughter, and so her training to be a matron intensified. Astraea was largely the teacher, but Caecina began to look even more to her step-mother for guidance, and their relationship became something of a mix between a mother and a friend. Caecina is now sixteen years old and anxiously awaiting the day she is married, though she dreads the idea of childbirth. Her thin veneer of respectable behavior masks a sharp wit and an ambition matched by few. Caecina still acts out occasionally to get her father's attention, but she has tried to stop in order to be a better role model for her three younger half-siblings. Instead, she looks to Juliana to be her friend and confidante and keep her from getting into too much trouble. ECHO | EST | PM OR DISCORD