Sharpie

"Object to the idea itself? No - though I can see why some might. But I think a woman will do a great deal to avoid infamia, and your institution, or whatever you want to call it, will help." It seemed very much along similar lines to the Augusta's proposed charity to help orphans of the civil war, although that was more for those who had lost their fathers in the rioting and in-fighting before Quintus' namesake had taken the purple and quelled the worst excesses of violence. The thought made him ask, "And what of those women who have lost their fathers - who have no head of household to turn to? I presume you will have a place for them?" There would be those, of course - but even they ought to have a cousin or brother or, in the very worst circumstances, a freedman who could act for them. There would be some few who had nobody, and he could see that the sort of thing Horatia was proposing would be a refuge for such women. "I think very few would be able to object if you stressed it was for those women - and whoever else might need it would be incidental and need not be mentioned to those who would have a fit about it - oh yes, Quintus, Mama and Tata both know people like that!" Quintus merely gurgled at him, waving the rattle around in ecstasy at having his father's attention. @Sara

Aulus pressed his seal to the final document as the house's main door was opened to admit his brother-in-law, nephew and niece. He waved Xanthos away as the sound of greeting drifted on the air. "The rest will have to wait, I haven't seen my brother-in-law in a number of years. Put them on the top of the pile and I'll look at them first thing tomorrow - though if there's a bill from one of the bath contractors, make sure it's paid." Xanthos nodded and Aulus set his pen aside, stretched and finally made his way into the atrium to greet his wife's brother. "Publius! It's been too long! How are you?" He scrutinised the other man's face. "I was sorry to hear about Lucia." It had been the thing he'd dreaded most when it came to Horatia - he had no idea how he could manage without her at his right hand should anything happen to her. She had delivered Quintus safely, and he hoped that the news wouldn't be too painful a reminder to his friend of his loss. @Sarah @Sara

"Was I needling you? It wasn't deliberate, if I was," Aulus said, apologetically. "It was a thought, if you would rather I didn't do it, then I won't. If you're going to have somewhere nearby, then there will be a midwife within a short distance, who can be there as quickly as if she was within the sacred grove. I just thought that it seemed sensible to have somewhere comfortable for anyone who happened to find herself in the same situation you did. But I'm not a woman, what would I know about it - no, Quintus, please don't hit me with that, even if you do happen to agree with your mother, and think that Tata is a silly man who should keep to politics." He gently brushed his son's arm down from where he'd been waving the rattle dangerously close to Aulus' head. "Which of my clients do you need to borrow, and does he know about it yet?" he asked, and shifted position so he could bounce his son on his knees. It was certainly an interesting project - very like Horatia, he thought. She had set something up for the women of Augusta Vindelicorum while they had been in Raetia, though that had not been quite so obviously for the lower class women. He could see the pediment of the building in his mind's eye: For the women of Rome, Horatia Justina and Calpurnia Praetextata made me - the masons would be swearing as they carved the letters, he was sure. Too many round letters and two long names that couldn't be shortened. @Sara

"I don't think they're required to be virgins as the Vestals are," he said and gave the rattle to his son to wave around, gently resting the newly-free hand on Horatia's shoulder. "I believe the only requirement is to be univiri, possibly mothers." He smiled at her. "I was certainly not suggesting some grand place given over solely to women in labour, just somewhere... more comfortable, and a bigger temple for the goddess." He traced a twist of her hair. "You have put up with me describing my own projects at length, why should I object to hearing about yours? What amazing work do you and Calpurnia have planned - and how much should the men of the city be trembling in fear?" @Sara

"It would be an offer, if he would like to stay here - I have no intention of giving the man his freedom and promptly turning him out on the streets," Aulus said. "A room, for as much time, or as little, as he would like, with the freedom to come and go as he chooses, is more what I had in mind." A patron had duties to his clients, after all, as a master had for his slaves, though the leash of a patron and clients was far looser than the control a master had over his slaves. "To reiterate, I was not thinking something as grand as the temple of Juno Moneta or Jupiter Capitolinus. A temple that is bigger than the present one, with a private room for any woman who needs it, and a separate room, or house - quarters of some sort anyway - for a midwife." He did not have a hand free to rest on his wife's shoulder. "The priestesses, from all I could gather, rather left you and Longinus' girl to get on with it, I am not entirely sure I trust them. And if not a whole new temple, what would you suggest - I'm rather under the impression you would not have had Quintus where you did if you'd had the strength to be anywhere else, even in the grounds." @Sara

Aulus felt that he was towering over his wife and sat in the chair she had eschewed. "I was not envisioning turning it into some grand temple to rival those of the Capitoline, and I would leave the grove itself entirely untouched. As for putting my name over the door, certainly not. Yours, perhaps." He was not at all above reminding the priestesses what had happened in their domain, after all. "I have enough money for a new temple and any charitable endeavours you might possibly scheme up with Calpurnia, or anyone else for that matter. As for Felix... I haven't the slightest idea. I'm hardly someone he would choose to confide in, after all." The master of the house was the one with all the power, and even though his father was in the best of health, Tiberius was in Baiae which was not Rome, thus leaving Aulus to run the family affairs, for the most part. "He could stay here, or I would quite happily set him up somewhere with funds for a business or any other enterprise he should choose to undertake," he added, shaking the rattle for his son. He glanced slyly at Horatia. "To be honest, I was thinking of letting my architect talk with you - I have ideas, certainly, but as you say, it's a place for women, I think it should have a woman's hand in it." @Sara

"Well, two things, really. One, I will probably have to speak with Titus Caesar about, in his role as Pontifex Maximus - I am thinking about rebuilding the temple of Juno Lucina - oh yes I am, Quintus, that's where you were born - because it really is unacceptable that there is nowhere suitable for a woman caught in... the predicament you were. There should be a trained midwife there at the bare minimum." He tucked his son into the crook of one arm and bent for the teething rattle - surely it was too early for teeth, but the jingling bells on it would keep the baby's attention. "The second thing. I am going to free Felix, it's something I should probably have done years ago. I was thinking at a quiet family dinner, but make it official the day after. I'd want him to have proper citizenship, after all, and that can only happen in front of a magistrate. And you may have noticed from the distinct lack of lictors that I'm no longer a consul. Yes, Tata was a consul, Quintus, with far too many men following him around all the time, Mama didn't like that much. All those muddy sandals in her nice clean atrium..." He smiled at his son, and glanced at Horatia, still smiling. @Sara

"Well," Rufus said, a little at a loss for words now. "Things normally progress to, well, sex - but I'm getting the impression you don't think of me like that, somehow. Which is fine - and a back alley really isn't the best place for that, anyway." And now he was babbling like an idiot, talking to fill a probably-awkward silence that Azarion couldn't. He had no real experience of dealing with mutes and it showed. Which was completely unfair to Azarion, besides not being his fault in the slightest. "I guess you prefer girls to guys," he said. Despite the lack of speech, he had no doubt at all that Azarion would correct him if he was wrong. @Chevi

He wondered what she would consider to be 'the right man' - or rather, what qualities that man would have. Not something he could easily ask about, though. He had not considered marrying someone who had been married before, let alone someone with a child from an earlier marriage - but really, there was no objection to being a second husband. And she was young enough, and already a mother to a son, so that question was answered already: She could bear healthy children. She lived with her brother, so he would be the one to approach if Gaius wanted to perhaps find out more and maybe - maybe! - enquire into a formal courtship. He was a little cautious after Ovinia, though, not being entirely sure why she had broken it off when everything seemed, on the surface, to be a perfect match. Pinaria Gaia was older than Ovinia, and more mature - perhaps that could be an advantage. "You make it sound as if every bachelor in Rome is trying to court you and you're having difficulty deciding between us all," he said. Was she being courted by anyone else, though - the whole question of him approaching her brother would be a moot point if there was someone else in consideration. He did notice that she hadn't outright answered his question, though he couldn't tell whether that was deliberate or an accidental oversight. @Atrice - I am so sorry it's been so long since you posted!!

Tiberius sat down and indicated that the others should sit, too. Jason wasn't sure whether that included him too - being the only slave in a room of free people meant it probably didn't, but he was part of this whole thing. He opted to remain standing, but leant against the wall both because he was suddenly aware that he was bone-tired and because this whole thing was about as informal as gatherings could get. No gathering of the ragtag investigators had been formal, why should that change now they had a prince involved? "I don't know how we can prove this man was involved in all of these cases, he's been very clever about it," he said, once he was sure he wasn't about to interrupt a free person. "There was a plebeian girl outside the White stables last year - she died. There was a slave there more recently, who survived but, he's a slave." He took a breath. "And he can't talk anyway, and I'm the only person in Rome who can interpret the signs he uses." And I won't help anyone torture him, he added, to himself. "There are... some higher-class ladies, who won't come forward because of the damage to their reputations if it got out. The plebeian girl who was attacked the night the Senator was killed might come forward, maybe, but she's gone to Ostia because she doesn't feel safe here any more. And there are the two plebeian girls who were there this evening - one of them was attacked before, but I'm not sure if she saw his face. And there are the girls at the Elysium but, again, they're slaves." "I pulled a knife on his balls... You didn't hear that." The memory of the Roman girl's fierceness still made him smile. He wished she had cut his balls off - at least then, they could prove the man they'd caught was the one who'd gone for her. He glanced at Tiberius and realised he'd probably said far too much, and shut up. None of them were likely to appreciate a slave butting in like this. Oh well, it had been said now. Too late to take it back. He'd have to take the consequences later - if there were going to be consequences, and it would be best if he assumed that there would be. @Sains @Atrice @Sarah @Chevi

Change had to start somewhere - this was not a change that Jason had ever considered could even be possible. If it could be done, it would make life better for people like his cousin... He reconsidered that; his cousin had it about as good as anyone. Azarion seemed to have a good master, from what Jason had seen of him, and he was in his element with the Whites. They would indeed have to see. Tiberius' next words made Jason blink, and then smile, that slow smile of his that seemed reluctant to come to his face but that transformed his whole expression. That was a gift to be treasured; he had found himself envying Azarion his closeness with the Whites' horses. To have that himself - to be able to ride Ignis if he chose to... He touched his neck where the tattooed falcon stooped. He would not be a free-flying falcon but one returning to the hand - but better that a hundred times than one pining away in a cage. The sunlight seemed suddenly too bright and he had to blink to clear his vision. Tiranes of eight years ago would have scorned books and what they might contain, but that was before he had met Tiberius, who seemed an enigma among Romans in preferring his books and scrolls - yet they had taught him things far beyond his years. Or perhaps merely brought out what had been latent in the boy Tiberius that Jason had never known. "Thank you," he said again, the words heartfelt. "I would be honoured to teach you - and to learn to read, if you think I could." He couldn't help glancing at Tiberius' dangling feet, and the smile returned, far more wry this time. "Do you Romans even know about stirrups, Domine?" @Sarah

He couldn't help watching his father, his gaze continuously flicking back to his face. He didn't want Tertius to feel he was staring at him or anything, but he did want to know what his father thought. He seemed impressed, possibly by what Teutus had managed in a short time - although he hadn't seen much yet - but there was an underlying sadness or something. Well, that was unexpected. He wondered why, what might have caused Tertius to feel sad about him. Maybe about the distance that there was between them - maybe not, though, that seemed too much like wishful thinking on Teutus' part. "It's good, it's doing well. I'm thinking of maybe finding my own house soon - I don't need anything like the size of yours, not just for me and Mama - but somewhere." He met his father's eyes. "Rome isn't that big, not really, but I'd like to be near yours." Mostly for the sake of Antonia, but he couldn't quite bring himself to want to live right across the city, despite all the wishful thinking he'd done about wanting to get away from his father. "If you see anything you like, or that you think Antonia would like, you're welcome to it," he said, and wondered if he would regret the offer. He liked to be generous to those around him, and had not really had the chance to do that for Tertius, although he'd bought Antonia various gifts, mostly small treats, over the years. She might prefer something a bit more grown up, more lasting, than almond pastries these days. "How is Antonia - I haven't seen her in a while." @Atr

Jason nearly sagged with relief. He had not been misunderstood a second time - and in many respects, the conversation now was of far greater import than merely suggesting they give the horses a run. Something about Tiberius' voice made Jason look back up, unexpectedly meeting his eyes. The seriousness of his master's gaze caught his own and he could not look away. "Jason, I acknowledge that you were once the son of a chieftain. You have your own history and your own culture." He unconsciously cupped his hand, accepting the words. Well, apparently even Tiberius could acknowledge that laws and traditions couldn't erase the past. "Thank you." But he hadn't finished, and continued speaking. Jason had once seen a mosaic maker laying a floor, and this felt very much like that - finding the right pieces to put together to make the pattern. "That is a noble task, Domine," he said, once they had come to a stand and silence fell between them again - not an uncomfortable awkward silence this time, but more an expectant one. "And a difficult one. Laws... laws cannot change a man's nature, whether that man is a master, or a slave. I could not teach Ignis to wait, as I have taught my own horse to. It is not in his nature now, perhaps it never will be. And there is nothing wrong with that. Laws are words, they can only guide actions, they cannot change what has been, or change what is in a man's heart to do." He pulled fondly at Ignis' ears again. "If you can find a way to do it, it would make the world a better place, Domine. I just... I don't know if it's possible." He looked back up, meeting Tiberius' steady gaze. "That doesn't mean that it's not worth trying." @Sarah

"Thank you," he said again, more touched, and took a grape from the plate, feeling odd at being the one to initiate things. Previously, he had been the one to follow his father's lead but here, he was the host and Tertius the guest. "I'll be happy to show you around - and answer any questions you have." This business was the one thing in his life that he could rightfully be proud of, and he hadn't expected to have the chance to show it to his father. He wanted Tertius to be proud of him and maybe just seeing it would help. "I try to keep from having everything come from the same sources all at once, just in case of any storms or anything - there isn't any point in risking everything in a few ships sailing from Egypt, say, or Syria, when I can spread the risk and lose less if anything were to happen," he said, growing somewhat animated. He would begin the tour once they'd finished their wine and whatever snacks they wanted. @Atrice

"Thank you," Teutus said, surprised and (were the truth known) touched. He wondered momentarily if the gift was an attempt to buy his favour again, but dismissed the thought. Tertius didn't need to offer gifts of wine or cash to win Teutus over - but if it made him feel better, who was Teutus to refuse it? He wondered, suddenly, if Tertius offered tangible things because he didn't quite know how to offer the more intangible things. "I do have wines, you know," he added, a little more hesitantly in case Tertius thought he was being ungrateful or something, and hastened to add, "But none of them from my father. I appreciate the gift." If it was Tertius' attempt to rebuild what had become a very shaky bridge between them, Teutus wasn't about to refuse it. He would just have to try to accept his father for who he was and not who Teutus wanted him to be. A slave came in then, with bread and grapes and a jug of wine, which he poured for Teutus and his guest before stepping back out of the way. "It's Rhenish - not as fine as Falernian, but I hope you find it acceptable nonetheless," Teutus said, picking up his own cup. "I'll be very happy to show you around, if you're sure you want to see it all?" @Atrice

"Oh, no, no, not inconvenient at all." Which it wasn't, but even if it was, Teutus was prepared to make time for his father. At least, on a purely practical level; he was more cautious when it came to his personal life. The warehouse was open to customers, usually by appointment, so it wasn't at all unusual to have people come by like this. He preferred to make appointments so that he could avoid having Senatorial types wandering around getting in the way of people trying to bring in new stock, but the office was at the landward end of the warehouse and ships were unloaded at the other end, where there was another door that opened onto the warehouse's private wharf. And the next shipment was due the next day anyway. "Do have a seat," he said and glanced up at Hector, whose expression was inscrutable, before looking back at his father. "Would you like some refreshments?" The thousand aurei question was, what on earth had brought his father here? He couldn't quite imagine Tertius bestirring himself to visit a warehouse just for the sake of it - though maybe he did just want to see what Teutus spent his days doing. He took a quiet breath, recalling his mother's words. "I guess... we've both wanted to see things in him that might not have been there....Stop worrying about him and live your life, be the best you can be. Maybe one day he'll see it, or understand, or find the right words." This was.. it wasn't neutral territory, but it wasn't Tertius' territory, either. Teutus would take what he could get, and right now, he was going to try to give his father the benefit of the doubt, if he could. @Atrice

There was something that Aulus had been considering for a while now, but it would be unfair of him to put it off for any longer, especially as it was not about him, but involved someone close to him. It didn't involved his wife, either, at least not directly - but they had always discussed things with one another and this was no time to go changing that. He had long ago come to the conclusion that they were a highly unusual couple among all the married people of their status, but he was absolutely fine with that and saw no reason whatsoever to go changing that now. His wife was taking advantage of the shade and slight breeze in the garden, and was there with a slave and their newest son. His expression softened at seeing the child and he held his arms out to the nurse so that he could take him, not wanting to miss out on the experience of being a father so early as he had with his daughter. "I came to - Well, to be honest, I'm not sure whether I came to ask for your opinion, your advice or your forgiveness," he told Horatia before looking down at Quintus. "Who's a clever boy, Quintus? Yes, yes, you are!" @Sara

Aulus could certainly afford to rebuild the temple completely, with the proposed addition. It would probably put the old biddies into flutter, to learn that their temple (well, the temple they were responsible for, under the Pontifex Maximus) was going to be demolished and rebuilt. It would surely do them good, though. "Expense is surmountable," he observed. He was a senator, he had access to funds, and a good income from estates and the business dealings run by the family's freedmen and clients. Money was (almost) no object - and Felix was not wrong when he said that there would be honour in it. "I think we should not trespass on this sacred grove any longer," he added. "It's something to think about - let's go home." He glanced over his shoulder. "We could get lunch on the way, if you'd like." @Chevi

Teutus really would have to train his people better; it was almost as if they didn't want to let potential customers anywhere near the goods they might like to buy. Except Teutus recognised this potential customer as soon as his attention was directed towards him. He hadn't expected that his father would deign to visit this quarter of the city, not the working areas right by the river. He straightened. "You should be able to work the rest out by yourself," he told his slave before turning to Tertius, resplendent as ever in a spotless white toga, the broad purple stripe proclaiming his status to all and sundry - as if the litter hadn't done that already. "Father! I wasn't expecting you - will you come into the office?" He indicated a nearby door, which led into a neat tidy office, with scroll cubbies alond one wall, a desk and two chairs, one obviously for Teutus and the other set for his customers. What was Tertius doing here, and was it bad news for Teutus, or not? @Atrice

Jason was Tiberius' body slave and went pretty much everywhere his master did, with the exception of the Senate chamber. And as it pleased his master to attend today's races alongside the new Emperor, Jason was there with him, interested to learn that none of today's races featured the ridiculous contraptions that were standard in most Roman races. No, today they were racing like civilised people, on horseback as was only right. Though Jason didn't think that anyone would be using stirrups, which would no doubt send Azarion into a fit of sarcasm writ large across his face - if Jason were close enough to see him. Which he might very well be, considering where the Imperial box was placed. He would have to split his attention between the excitement of the race, and attending to his master, but this was how races should be run. Maybe the Romans could be taught civilised manners after all! @Sarah @Chevi and anyone/everyone else!

"Hi, Lucius," Jason replied, and shrugged. "We're still waiting for someone - you'll be glad you weren't the last one in." Quite what mission could possibly use him, plus a fire-bender, plus whatever Camilla was (the most persuasive person on the planet, however she described her powers) was beyond Jason. He rarely went on missions and was perfectly content with that status quo, happy to spend his time making friends with the birds and squirrel family in the tree outside his window. Today found him with a sparrow on his head, quite comfortable to sit and admire the room around them as they waited for the stragglers to arrive. @Sara @Chevi

"Just be yourself, Makki." "I guess that's what I'm finding difficult," Teutus said. "I mean, it's easy enough here, or at work. Just... not so much when I'm with him." Her hands were warm on his face and the expression in her eyes was indefinably sad somehow. There were crows' feet at the corners of her eyes where he couldn't recall seeing lines before. "He's still the paterfamilias, what he thinks does matter. If he wanted to stop me from running a business, he could." Even Tertius hadn't tried that, though, maybe realising that Teutus did need to do something with his days. He huffed a laugh that was little more than a puff of air. "I don't have any objection to marrying - just promise you won't try to find some senator's daughter." That had been disastrous, in its own way, and had proven that Tertius really didn't have much idea what to do with his eldest son. He hadn't considered that Tertius might not have known what to do, though, and the realisation that his father might been fumbling in the dark was new. He felt sorry for his father in a way he hadn't before. It was a little uncomfortable. "What about you, though? Wouldn't you like to marry, or are you planning to rule the roost even if I find a wife? When I find a wife." @Sarah

Tiberius hadn't realised that Jason was part of the group of investigators - how could he, really, when Jason hadn't mentioned it, hadn't needed to? He was involved on the behalf of a slave, after all, and nobody important had stirred themselves until the maniac had hurt a patrician or two. And of course now that a senator was dead... He scowled at the patrician from behind Tiberius' shoulder. Surely, surely, he could come up with a better, more reasoned, more detailed report than that? That was not going to make Tiberius see why he should be involved in all this. And of course, in this situation, Jason was a slave, just a slave. He knew the other investigators knew that, but neither Alexius nor Vipsanius Roscius (or whatever his name was) had seen him actually serving as a slave. It was an unexpectedly uncomfortable feeling. "Domine," he said, trying to sound respectful despite inserting himself into a conversation the Tiberius did not know he should be part of. "This man has been hurting people all over Rome for more than a year and some have died. People of all levels of society. And some whose reputations would be ruined if their identities were known. This man needs to die, and to be seen to die." They could not produce witnesses to his crimes whose reputations would survive the trial if they had to testify publicly. He supposed Didia's might, and the Praetorian's girl, and possibly Minthia from the night the senator was killed. If she would be able to testify, that was. One of the dead victims was Azarion's friend Lucia Safinia, and although Jason had never met her, he was determined to do what he could for her memory, for Azarion's sake. @Atrice @Sains @Sarah @Chevi

"I will," Teutus said, thouhg whether he'd see Wulfric again before he left Rome in the spring was anyone's guess. Wulfric knew where to find him anyway, and if Teutus wasn't at the warehouse, the staff knew where he lived. Whether Wulfric would want to see him again remained to be seen; he would probably not want to see any of his Roman relations again as they had been so determined not to have anything to do with him. Well, Tertius had, at any rate. "And it isn't your fault, Mama," he said, snuggling a little bit toward her as he hadn't been able to do in many years. Their relative sizes made it more awkward now than if had been before and of course they hadn't had the chance to adapt as Teutus grew up. Her nickname for him made him smile; his father had never had a pet name for him. He wondered if he'd find one for Peregrinus, though he probably wouldn't. It wasn't the sort of thing he could imagine his father doing. "I don't..." he sighed, again, a steadier release of air than the previous sigh. "He's tried, I suppose. Just... in all the wrong ways.." He leaned his head on Varinia's where she had tucked hers into his neck. "He wants me to be a son, I guess, just... I don't know. I can't be a senator's son, not legally, not in any way that really matters, and I don't know how to be that anyway. And it's not like he really treats me like a son anyway. It was like getting blood out of a stone to get him to admit he might be proud of what I've done with my business, even." The only relationship he'd had with Tertius was that of a slave to his master, right up until two years ago, and it seemed that they still slipped into those roles more often than not, even if Teutus no longer had chores and duties in the house. @Sarah

Attis had not expected to be very nearly run down, especially by the master, who (so he thought) had been contained tidily in the tablinum. Apparently not. "Jupiter's bloody thunderbolts, Domine!" he exclaimed, taking a hasty step backwards and bumping the wall. He was going to have to get someone to fringe all the master's tunics with coins so he could hear Longinus coming in future! The more halting steps behind Longinus turned out to be made by another slave, this one holding himself somewhat awkwardly, as if he'd been injured. "I don't know what you've shown him already," he said, recovering from the surprise and regaining his equilibrium. He leaned to look around the master, straightening up with a confused frown. "Are you planning on having him teach Cassia to fight, Domine?" Metella was going to have serious doubts about the master's mental state when she found she was being replaced by a male gladiator. Her face would be worth seeing and Attis decided he was going to be there to see it. @Mobius @Sara