Echo

Caecina supposed it couldn't hurt to take the advice of older women, though it was a lot easier to swallow than the sharp words and admonitions of the matrons older than Horatia. Perhaps Juliana had known of Caecina's disdain of these older cats and chosen a woman she could more easily relate to and talk with. And she had at least learned a little in their conversation. She smiled slightly as Horatia explained that men liked it when their women could talk with them on subjects that interested them. That was no problem, then - Caecina had a head for politics and quite enjoyed that. The military was less interesting, as it brought up thoughts of discomfort and filth, but the brightly flashing uniforms and dashing young men held quite a bit of interest for her. If talking about politics and war was all it took to keep a husband, Caecina was confident she could deliver, and happily. "That is a good piece of advice, I will certainly keep it in mind. On the subject of the military, what topics should I seek to learn about?" @Sara

Perhaps Deia could have done better, distracted him with her body or by changing the subject. But after all, it wasn't like she even knew this man's name - just his first name, and there were about a million Marcuses in Rome, plus she hadn't told the concerned customer. How could anyone possibly track Marcus down without knowing his name or anything about him? The man had probably just been briefly concerned and then his mind had wandered off to something else, forgetting about her entirely. It was the place of a whore to be used and forgotten. Deia winced as Marcus grabbed her wrist, staring at him like a trapped animal. Now he was getting angry, dangerous, and she sensed that he was not a man to be crossed in this moment. "I didn't tell him anything," she said, feeling her anger flare up at the unfairness of it all. "You're hurting my arm." @Atrice

Aglaea could only hope that Secundus's ire was satisfied by his search for the anonymous and certainly elusive pickpocket, instead of growing with each moment he failed to find him. That could only mean that he would return and punish her himself, more severely. Though she took comfort in knowing she was too valuable to him because of her womb for him to punish her too harshly. Livia suggested they thank the gods that it had gone well and the slave responded with a small smile and a "Mm." If the slave had heard her mistress's thoughts, she would have assured her that she was unafraid of her punishment - she had been fearful of Secundus's possible reaction. Everyone in the household lived in fear of the man, of his intermittent bouts of rage and incoherent rambling. She glanced at Livia as she suggested that Secundus wanted to find Rufus and interrogate him and she sighed. "I only hope that he has some helpful information. Who knows what Secundus would do." Livia continued, asking whether Rufus had mentioned his master's name and Aglaea shook her head. "No, I'm certain he didn't. Which might work in his favor, Secundus might not be able to find him. All the same, I'm confident he is innocent of any wrongdoing." She gazed at Livia again, trying to gather her thoughts and return to effective service. "Would you like some wine? Settle your nerves?" @Liv

Caecina, as she always was at a party, was in her element. She selected her social engagements carefully, in order to maintain her reputation of associating with the best and brightest of Rome, and tonight she had been invited to this party at the home of a well-to-do senatore family. Ever the social butterfly, the girl flitted from group to group throughout the night, teasing here, complimenting there, flirting with this boy and that who wanted her attention. She was happiest here, where she could be the center of attention. But even a social butterfly needs a break, and Caecina decided to do just that several hours into the action. Disengaging herself from a group of young women, who were senseless anyway, the young woman made her way outside to the garden, loosening her chiton slightly to let the air cool her skin. She eventually found herself approaching a sitting area with three people, a couple and a rather attractive man by himself. Interested as she always was at the sight of a man, she gave a bright, friendly smile and approached, pulling her chiton around her once again to feign a chill. "Goodness, but it's cold this evening! Luckily, it was getting rather hot inside." She sized him up again. "This seat isn't taken, is it?" @Sara

Caecina appreciated him walking in step with her, and as they walked, she noticed with some pleasure how tall he was. Though much of his life and his inner thoughts were mysteries to the girl, she found herself wanting to learn more about him, and she felt they could have a friendship, especially since they shared a stepmother. The man spoke up before she had thought of anything to discuss and asked whether she'd done much traveling. "Not much recently, to tell the truth, but I have in the past. Perhaps it is time for a trip to Greece," she said with a smile. Greece was a lovely area and she loved the ocean. "During the civil war, though, when I was very small, my mother and I evacuated to the east to be safer." She frowned a bit at the thought of her mother, but brushed the thought away and her face returned to happier lines. "And I'm sure you've done plenty of traveling yourself, being an esteemed member of Rome's military?" As she spoke, they had approached the enclosed alcove of hedges that she had mentioned and she stopped to look around. "It's so pleasant here, and quiet." @Chris

Glad to have you around! Let us know if you need any help Can’t wait to plot with you!

Despite his fears to the contrary, Aglaea brightened when he described her religion as complicated and yet simple. It wasn't everyday that she found someone interested in her religion, and moreover, most people brushed off her religion as soon as they heard there was only one God. "Yes - that's exactly right. He is responsible for the creation of our world and influences those who live their lives the way He intended them to." She paused to think about her words. "That's why I say that I'm blessed - God chose to place me with a kind mistress, when he could've put me in a much worse situation. I was raised out of poverty by His hand." Manius complimented her, calling her kind and gentle, and saying that He must be a good God. "He is wonderful. But He is a jealous God as well - we are not to worship false idols, and we must try to live our lives without sin. Though of course that is impossible, it is our duty to try." She realized she'd been rambling. "Sorry - that might have been a lot to process." @Atrice

Deiania realized her mistake as soon as she saw the dangerous look on his face. She should've assured him immediately that she hadn't implicated him, even though it really wouldn't have mattered. "I... told him that I cut myself accidentally. He didn't really seem to believe me, but I wouldn't have told him the truth." She looked at him again with a frown. "But you know Titus doesn't care what you do as long as you pay. So it wouldn't matter if I had told him." She had a sudden surge of self-consciousness, realizing that any of his slaves or people looking out their window could see her bare-breasted. She fingered the edge of the tunic, wanting to pull it up. "You've seen the scar now. Can I go?" @Atrice

Late August, 75CE It had been a good couple of months for Gaius. He’d been promoted to optio in the Praetorian guard and quickly proven himself worthy of the station. This naturally came with a substantial pay upgrade and he was considering moving from the barracks to a house of his own. He’d been touring around a nearby neighborhood, in the market for a simple domus that he could afford, and though he’d been unsuccessful, he was still in a good mood. Since it was getting dark, he decided to stop in the poppina for a drink and something to eat before returning to the Praetorian barracks for the night. He made his way into the upper section of the establishment, pleased that he was allowed here instead of the lower section. The wine here was better as well as the service. He smiled shyly at an attractive young server, just thinking that a domus was empty without a lady to guide it. He would have to remedy that situation soon. Gazing at the woman, he didn’t notice someone standing with his back to him, and bumped into him. “Oh, my apologies,” he said, blushing as the server giggled. Then he looked at the man he’d bumped into and vaguely recognized him. “Secundus? Is that you?” @Járnviðr

Aglaea observed the interaction between husband and wife, tense as ever as she tried to anticipate how it would end. It seemed, though, that Secundus was in a better mood at the thought of some revenge, so he actually spoke kindly to Livia. She frowned slightly to herself - could this be a tipping point? She could only hope that her lapse in judgement would lead to better times in their household; it was desperately needed by everyone in the house. The body slave relaxed slightly as Secundus departed, though not entirely as she now had to face Livia and her myriad of questions about poor Rufus. Since meeting Aglaea's fellow Christian in passing, Livia had made her slave promise to disclose any man she met, and she had - including that suave and handsome charioteer, Bassus, with whom Aglaea had shared a cake. It was better to be honest with Livia than have her find out later and be angry. As Livia led her to the couch, Aglaea braced herself for the conversation, giving Livia an encouraging look. "That could have gone worse," she commented flatly, as she considered how to answer her mistress's question. "That really is all there is to it. He was a kind young man, helped me find my courage to come back and tell you. I thought being honest was the best course of action." She studied Livia's face before continuing. "And there was nothing else. We just... talked for a little while until I felt better. I'd never met him before." @Liv

Aglaea held back a sigh, concerned with Rufus's well-being. She had no idea what Secundus intended to do, if he still thought that the slave she had met was responsible for the disappearance of the money. But she knew reemphasizing that point was simply dangerous for her, and resolved to reassure herself that Rufus had done nothing wrong and that Secundus would spare his wrath once he understood the truth. The man asked her for a description of the slave and she nodded. "He was young, early twenties. I believe he said that he was of Briton origin. He has red hair and his name is Rufus. He did not disclose his master's name." As Livia said that they would discuss her punishment, Aglaea nodded humbly, though she was really thinking that the discussion would likely be about the young man doubling as a decompression session from the tension of the situation. "Yes, domina. Thank you." @Liv @Járnviðr

Caecina's mind, ever-unanalytical, was not so different than many young girls her age, at least in the department of marriage. Her thoughts had only brought her as far as the altar, as it were, and she rarely stopped to think about what came after. Occasionally, though, her mind did wander toward the marriage bed and the having of children, and those thoughts brought her a lot of fear because she remembered what had happened to her mother. She remembered the anguish she had gone through, and how fruitless it all was because of her death and her son's. Caecina didn't want that at all, so when she thought of these things, it was usually followed by "I'll think of that later." She listened carefully to what Horatia had to say, though, something that happened very rarely. She hadn't thought of marriage to a man in the military - surely she would be confined at home, possibly with children and certainly with servants to direct and a household to manage. She couldn't stand the thought of that, but it was food for thought at least. She smiled along with the older woman, shaking her head at her last statement. "No, of course not. I value any knowledge you can give me." She took another sip and frowned, gazing into the cup, then back up at Horatia. "What else... should I know about marriage?" She was actually learning something, which was a nice change - the other women she'd been forced to sit with had only alluded to marital strife and never told Caecina anything she thought worth knowing. @Sara

Deia smiled genuinely and raised her cup as well, finishing off the remaining wine inside. Thessala was very kind, talking to her and getting to know her a little. Even the other whores at the Elysium were less than forthcoming with niceties. It was like a dark cloud hung over the establishment, cast by Titus Lupus, no doubt. Any girl that got out of line there were swiftly dealt with - either by the established guards or by Marcus Barbatius, which was a far worse fate. Thessala said that the men at parties like this sometimes got out of hand, suggesting that the guards wouldn't get involved unless the goods were damaged. She gave a slightly surprised look, chuckling nervously. "I suppose you don't have experience with the Elysium, then. Most anything goes unnoticed by the guards... for the right price." She hesitated for a moment, then pulled down the right side of her tunica, exposing the newly healing scar on her right breast that had been placed there by Marcus Barbatius. "Like I said. For the right price." Her gaze softened slightly as she pulled the tunica back up. "But thank you, Thessala. I appreciate your concern." @Chevi

There was certainly a stigma about people from Israel, Aglaea had found. Many Romans thought them shifty, untrustworthy, and it was a stereotype that Aglaea hoped to dismantle, through her own interactions with people. The other concerns about her people that Romans had were, of course, about their religion. She had never heard of another religion that followed only one God, like Judaism. Every other culture had a plethora of gods for every situation, from rain to food to fertility. But she felt a flash of pride - her God was powerful and had created the heavens and the earth, all alone. How could she not worship such a powerful deity? Manius said that his gods did not hold him in great favor and she gave him a sympathetic look. It was the downfall to religion - when luck was high, it was easy to worship. But when times were tough, it was difficult to see the sun for all the rain. She had no words of comfort for him, though, since he did not follow her religion. Then he seemed curious about her religion, asking if He was the God of everything. "Yes, that's right. He created the heavens and the earth, forming everything from the great expanse of nothing. He created us as well, everything in the world has His hand in it." She studied him. "It's all a bit complicated," she said finally, chuckling. @Atrice

Deia found herself returning to the old reliable method of getting through meetings with clients - allow her mind to wander, far away from the situation at hand, and let her body do what came naturally. Compartmentalize body away from mind to make it bearable. It was risky to be fully present for every meeting, this one particularly so. To give oneself up fully every time would mean letting every client take a piece of you away, until there was nothing less. It was the one skill she had mastered. Marcus traced the line of her scar with his finger - her body felt this keenly. But she was looking past him, through him almost. She heard him ask a question, and she returned briefly to contemplate and answer. "Not - not that night. The night after." It had been a plebeian man, soft and gentle, a kind respite from the brutality of the night previous. He had voiced his concerns. "He asked how I got it. He was concerned." She hadn't told him that a crazed man with a sharp blade had done it to get his cock hard, of course. @Atrice

Aglaea couldn't fail to notice the way that Livia's brow puckered at the mention of a male slave. Really, she had been a fool to mention his sex at all, knowing Livia's aversion to the idea of her slave taking on a companion in the past, as well as her dogged pursuit of any sign of disloyalty, but she felt a bolt of annoyance at the reaction all the same. Hadn't Aglaea proven herself time and time again? Even when Livia wasn't there to police her behavior, Aglaea's first thought was always how her mistress would react or want her slave to react. And Rufus was so young! Like the blonde Christian that Livia had met, Rufus was far too young for Aglaea to have her head turned by him. And she felt like they could have been friends - just friends. Secundus asked her to disclose the route she had taken and, with Livia's help, she described it to her masters. Then, Livia asked whether she thought Rufus had truly been an innocent passerby. This was what Aglaea had been afraid of - Rufus being blamed for her oversight. "Of course, domina. This was purely the work of a passing pickpocket and the result of my misjudgment as to the security of my purse." She turned to Secundus. "Though I did not ask for someone to take the money from me, I am solely to blame for not being more careful. I am prepared to accept any punishment you see fit, dominus." @Liv @Járnviðr

Aglaea dimly realized she might have given Secundus the wrong impression. Livia had lost a child, certainly, but it was because Gnaeus had died, shocking her into an early labor. Aglaea could tell that Secundus cared very deeply about his progeny and about his lineage carrying on after him. If he knew the circumstances of Livia's stillbirth, he might be more understanding. "I do not mean to give you the wrong impression, dominus. Her child was not lost because of any fault of her own body. The shock of her husband's death caused it." Aglaea's heart wrenched as she thought of those terrible days, and surprised even herself by feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. Gnaeus's death had been like losing a brother, and Livia's baby's death was like losing her own daughter. "I believe that if she were to conceive, a calm environment would ensure a healthy delivery. Once she comes around." Aglaea's life mission was, after all, to give Livia as much peace as she could. It was the motivation behind every action she took in this shadowy household. As her master spoke, she frowned slightly. If she were, by some misfortune, to fall pregnant, she wasn't sure that she could hide it from Livia for very long, excepting actions such as binding her growing belly with cloth and hoping Livia would think she was only gaining weight. She wouldn't speak of their arrangement to her mistress, though; not unless it bore fruit. After a moment's pause, Aglaea stood, wrapping herself once more with the shawl and approaching her master slowly. "You say you are not a patient man. If it will give you peace, no word of this conversation will pass Livia's ears. And if you are ready to go to bed, there is no need to be patient anymore tonight." She placed a comforting hand on his arm, looking up at him due to their height difference. @Járnviðr

Aglaea noticed his glower as she spoke but she continued until she was finished. She couldn't continue with the arrangement without letting him understand her mind, at least this part of it. Aglaea was not the simplest person - she had a mind of her own and enjoyed many things that upperclass women also enjoyed, owing to her education by her first mistress. She even had a mannish enjoyment of books and philosophy. And she was not at all open about her newfound faith, lest she be punished or even killed for those beliefs. But Secundus was attempting to have a child with her, and it was important that he knew what she thought about the situation. She wondered exactly how much he knew about Livia's life before he married her. He responded once she was finished, giving her forgiveness and saying that since Livia was not willing, she would have to serve in this role. Then he asked whether she was certain Livia could not be convinced. She answered slowly, trying to convey that she was serious about her answer. "Livia was... very close to her last husband. I have never seen her through such a situation before, as it has never happened before. But I don't think she will grieve forever, at least in the way that she is now." She knew Livia would never forget her last husband. She had truly loved him. But she hoped that these words would allow her master some respite - it was a difficult situation all around, not least of all for the man of the household. "Dominus... are you aware that domina lost a child before she was wedded to you?" She gazed at him momentarily before continuing. "I suspect that this is why she does not feel safe in being with you in that way. Childbirth is difficult and dangerous, and women become attached to the children they carry in their wombs." She had seen slave women give birth to deathly still children, keening as she had never heard another before. "She may need more time yet, before she is ready to move on from these losses." Now, she fixed him with her steady, calm gaze. "I understand that our arrangement must continue. I am ready to serve you." @Járnviðr

Caecina smiled a little apprehensively at Marcus, but she trusted him. They had been companions for all these years, it seemed only natural that their relationship should progress further. She shivered slightly when Marcus touched her bare skin, nervous but excited to see what was to come. But then -- Manius! Caecina sat bolt upright as she heard his voice, eyes wide and startled. What had he heard? Or was he really just here to talk to her? She hastily pulled down her chiton before standing to straighten it further. Then, she gave Marcus a look that meant "be quiet!" before approaching the curtain. Pulling it aside only far enough that her face was showing, she smiled at Manius, hoping her face wasn't too flushed that it would give them away. "Hello, Manius. What did you want to talk about?" She hoped her voice was as casual as she meant it to be. @Atrice

Of course, the pair had to ask that question - had she met anyone or sat with anyone. Aglaea had been intending to avoid that part of the story, simply because she didn't want to give Livia suspicions that she had found a partner, or Secundus someone to go out and murder. Rufus didn't deserve that. But her honest nature won out - she had been asked a direct question, and really, she knew Rufus hadn't done anything wrong. Briefly, she gazed at Livia with a reassuring glance, trying to communicate that she would protect her should Secundus's wrath be turned on her for whatever reason. She'd been in such a position in the past. "I did meet someone. Another slave. However," she said quickly, before anyone else could jump in, "I only met him after I had discovered that I was missing the money. He actually helped me look around a little to see if it had simply become dislodged from my belt." @Liv @Járnviðr

Deia eyed him, trying to control her breathing in an effort to manage her fear. She didn't want to show him her body, but she supposed she didn't want to go inside, either, if this was his house. But she took some offense to him ordering her like she belonged to him - who was he to order her to do as she was told? Titus hadn't told her to do anything but fetch the wine and don't be late. Marcus was not her master. But he was the one in control, simply because he was the one with the knives. Deia wished fruitlessly that she was allowed to carry a knife herself - she could follow that Thessala woman's advice and stick Marcus with the pointy end. But her hands were empty but for the wine, which was not known for its qualities in self-defense. She gingerly placed the clay amphora on the ground and looked around one last time, her cheeks burning in shame, before removing the pins holding her tunica together at the shoulders and lowering the cloth so that her breasts were exposed. She didn't lower the tunica further, though, hoping that seeing the scar would be enough for his eyes. It had healed, for the most part, but hadn't settled into the white tone that scars took on over time. @Atrice

Aglaea had conflicted feelings about freedom. She was so entangled in the life of her mistress, as well as invested in it, that she doubted she would ever truly be free of the lifestyle she led now. Even if she was freed, Livia would probably ask her to stay on as a paid servant, rather than let her set out on the world alone. Moreover, the thought of leaving her mistress at a later stage in life was cowing; she had a lot of skills, to be sure, but she was not excellent enough at any of them to turn it into a career. It was often the fate of freed slaves that they fell flat and ended up in bad situations. Aglaea didn't want that to happen. On the other hand, if she were freed, she thought she might be able to find work, supposing that Livia didn't want her as a servant anymore. She was an accomplished student and could find work with her education, or her sewing skills. She might be poor, but she had been poor before. She could handle it. But then the thought of leaving Livia to Secundus was impossible. If she were freed, it would have to be after that chapter in her mistress's life had been closed. Manius replied to her, saying that the gods must favor her. Of course, he was Roman - he would be a member of the Roman religious cult. She smiled softly. "Actually, I am from Israel. My people only worship one God." Aglaea herself, however, recognized the Messiah and had joined the cult of Christianity. "We believe he is the one true God. But you must worship the Roman gods, then?" @Atrice

Aglaea watched the man intently as he spoke, absorbing every word. She had, perhaps, misunderstood his intentions in some ways. She had assumed that he was not willing to try with Livia and so had chosen to try with Aglaea instead, who had less of a voice and a choice in the matter. If his intention was, instead, to coerce Aglaea into becoming his puppet, he was mistaken about the depths of her loyalty. Of course, she would rather the woman take responsibility for producing Secundus an heir, but the nature of her loyalty prevented her from forcing her to do anything that caused her harm. In addition, Livia was her own creature, and though the two women were close, the slave had never been very successful in coercing her into doing things she didn't want to, despite her efforts in less serious matters. The Judaean would take on what she had to in order to make her mistress's suffering less severe. If that meant laying with her husband under the cover of night with no one else the wiser, then so be it. But Secundus had to understand Aglaea as well, and since she had interpreted the way he was speaking to her to be almost like an equal, she decided to meet him in turn, consequences be damned. He couldn't hurt her, after all; she was too valuable because of her usefulness. "Dominus... I cannot make my mistress do what she does not want to or cannot do. She is grieving for her first husband, and she is an emotional woman. I cannot say when her grief will lessen, if it ever will. Please forgive me, but I will not allow her to take on something that she cannot handle." She gazed at him, her voice steady and sure. "If that means that our... arrangement must continue, then I will accept that. I cannot accept my mistress becoming too overwhelmed that she does something rash." Aglaea wasn't sure if Livia would be foolish enough to take her own life over something like this, but she felt it might drive her point home. @Járnviðr

It was funny, in a way; just before they had learned that Livia was to be married to Secundus, Aglaea had been feeling the urge to find someone to love and cherish, unlike the casual relationships she'd had sparingly in the past. She wanted someone she could take care of and provide for, even in her limited freedom as a slave. And had Livia married someone more open to other people's suggestions, she might have pursued it again. But now she had a greater responsibility, one that had been thrust upon her without her really getting a chance to say 'no.' She now felt that there was no way she could become close with another man with Secundus's shadow over her at all times. He certainly wouldn't let her, either. She felt a brief bout of grief for what might have been. Secundus challenged her, asking whether she was doubting him and she cast her eyes down again, suddenly afraid of his wrath again and cursing her own boldness. How else could he have interpreted that question, other than doubting him? "No, dominus. Of course not." But she was doubting him - of course she was. It was a cruel stroke of fate that she and Livia were so close, as it seemed to be the very reason she had been chosen for this task. She took a healthy drink of wine, hoping to settle her nerves and numb her senses to make everything more manageable. @Járnviðr

Aglaea felt his eyes and knew why he was watching her. It was obvious to anyone that she was uncomfortable - it wasn’t exactly a situation that inspired comfort. Going behind the back fo the woman she had served for years, bearing a child that should have been hers. It was too much to be stood with comfort, so he would have to acclimate himself to that or find some other woman to impregnate. She gaped at him openly as he asked his question. Why should a slave owner care about the slave’s tiredness? It was beneath him, to ask such a thing or even to wonder about it. Even Livia, dear to Aglaea though she was, hardly noticed the way she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, or noticed the aching feet from standing all day. A slaves exhaustion only became a problem worth noticing when she collapsed. But he didn’t give her a chance to respond before moving on. He said that he was keeping well, after speaking poetically about the cold. Aglaea could appreciate poetry - she was educated, after all. But why be poetic when there was business to attend to? She finally took a sip of the spiced wine and felt a measure of calm. But she had started to wonder something, at her earlier thought about Secundus choosing someone else. Why had it been her? She gazed at him for a moment, feeling suddenly bold. “Why did you choose me, dominus?” Was it proximity on the night in question? Or to get back at Livia for her emotional state? She wondered. @Járnviðr