Sharpie

It had been pointed out to Attis, more than once, that he was the senior slave in the household, being body-slave to the paterfamilias, and so he had taken advantage of that seniority to ensure that there would be a tray of refreshments ready to be brought out to wherever Longinus had decided to entertain his guest. It only took a moment for Attis to replace the drinks tray with the refreshments tray, silently setting it down on the table between the two citizens before withdrawing, equally silently, to stand against the wall and watch proceedings from a discreet distance that was still within easy call should Longinus require anything further. He had done what he could in enlisting Horatia Justina's aid to help his master, he couldn't do anything else now other than watch and hope that the two would get over their initial awkwardness and find something they could each connect with in the other person. He didn't think Longinus would ever forget Sestia, but the sooner he could replace her in his mind as a potential wife, the better - and if he could connect with this girl in a different way from how he had with Sestia, even better.

Horatia Justina had more than risen to Attis' fumbling query if this was the sort of response. He couldn't help rolling his eyes as Longinus bumbled in from the palaestra, where he had naturally disappeared and spent far too long. Attis easily switched places with Celsus as the master hurried through the slave quarters (he was astounded that Longinus could find his way through the narrow corridors but obviously he'd spent far too much time here in his youth. Or something), appearing in the main room of the house as if he'd naturally been attending on his master in his own rooms. Celsus could go and drown himself in a bucket of cold water or something as Attis reached forward to twitch his master's pallium straight before the two men emerged into the atrium. If this was the quality of the potential candidates for the master's next wife... Attis silently blessed Horatia Justina as he collected the tray that had been set to one side in preparation, coming forward to offer the master and his guest a cool refreshing cup of wine, hoping that the eclectic nature of the house's ornaments would intrigue the young lady rather than make her want to turn tail. He should have thought ahead and quietly reduced the number of peculiar objects on display by at least half, but it was too late for that now. She looked very pretty in her pink and white, with flowers in her hair, and younger than he'd expected. He hoped that she wasn't too young for Longinus and that she wouldn't think Longinus was too old for her.

Marcus noted that small tight smile on Vibia's face. So, she had discovered who he was - he hadn't told her anything that wasn't the truth, he just might not have told her the whole truth. He did work for a racing faction, that he was the head of said faction hadn't needed to enter the conversation at the time. He was introduced to the other man, also apparently named Marcus, although quite what his role was was left unspoken. He seemed somewhat displeased, although whether that was at the party itself, or at the present company Marcus couldn't tell. Apparently the displeasure was with the present company; he seemed uninterested in anything to do with the races and would rather get Vibia on her own, probably in a room with a bed. Marcus could understand that, the woman was extremely good at what she did. "Sponsoring a team, or a day of racing, is one way to make your name known with the citizens," Marcus said smoothly. "After all, even if you don't care for the races yourself, there are a great many citizens who enjoy watching, and free tickets always go down well." There was a great deal of money to be made, and lost, betting on the outcome of a race, even if such gambling was technically illegal.

"I'm sorry." Attis gave Metella a rueful look. "If it helps, there's a spice called cassia - it's not just the female form of dominus' nomen." He shrugged; he didn't really know how British naming conventions worked, if it was that that Metella was objecting to. "She'll be Roman, too, but she needs to know about your people because that's part of who she is. Or who she'll grow up to be." And of course there was the added complication that slaves weren't considered to have a past or a heritage or what-have-you, but of course free people did, which meant their daughter did, which meant... oh, that was going to be a whole tangle and a half. "Dominus startled me, is all. It's all I could come up with - what would you have liked to call her?"

"I'll let her know, Domina," he managed, still trying to wrap his head around the image of this elegant patrician lady bestirring herself to come and visit a slave. Longinus would probably laugh at the very idea... Attis couldn't help hoping he might; Longinus didn't laugh as much as he'd used to and it was rather unsettling. "No, Domina, there was nothing else. Thank you for your time." His unorthodox request might bear fruit, she looked as if she would do something on Longinus' behalf, and Attis could only hope that something is came of it all. And if his master ever found out about his meddling, chances were high he'd make Attis regret his presumption. Unless said meddling worked. Time would tell, on that count. @Sara

"Dominus isn't the sort to have made any handy statues of himself that could be lugged to the Temple of Venus and plonked there for admiring young patrician ladies to gawp at," Attis returned. "He keeps getting shafted and it's really not his fault." He smiled at his womenfolk before pulling off his tunic; he'd worn his best one for the brief ceremony and didn't need to risk it getting stained or dirty (or more stained or dirty) in the course of his usual working day. The expression on his face as he emerged from the replacement was rueful. "Um. It means blessed, or happy, or fortunate - and you can't say she's not. I'm sorry?" He bent to kiss Metella's forehead.

"I - it wasn't that, Domina," Attis replied. "But, pardon me for saying so... the slave quarters of my master's house aren't exactly used to having patrician visitors." Even their own master didn't bother with the narrow cramped dark corridors and poky rooms of the slave quarters of his own house, after all. Though the image of this elegant woman stooping to avoid the low lintels that were commonplace in the service areas of Roman houses was amusing, though he was careful not to smile in case she thought he was mocking her or something. "But otherwise I'm sure she would be... She'd be honoured to have you call." Of course she would; what other patrician lady would deign to call on a slave, after all?

"You're not joking..." Attis ran a hand though his hair, making it stand up all every-which-way. "Everything he's tried so far has just not happened or fallen through or... something." He sighed. "I'm out of ideas - what he needs is someone who can take him in hand." The master's mother was no help, not really; Attis didn't think she understood the nuances of Longinus' character and what he needed. What he needed, in Attis' considered opinion, was someone he could be friends with, first and foremost. Someone who could make him smile again. "Do you think Venus would mind if turned up at her temple with... I don't even know what I could take as an offering." @Chevi

"Will you excuse me?" Marcus said as he heard his name called. The man seemed uninterested in actually putting up any money and Marcus' time could be better spent elsewhere. He wasn't the only person of that name in Rome, but he had noticed the look Vibia gave him, and withdrew from a profitless conversation to one that seemed as if it might be more interesting, if not more profitable. "I hope Azarion hasn't been giving you any trouble?" he said as he joined the pair of them, making room for a younger man to also join the party. It didn't look as if Azarion had been giving anyone any trouble, but who knew what people might find to complain about? @Chevi @Sara @Atrice

Marcus angled himself to be able to see Azarion a little better. While this was not the first time the youngster - young man, now! - had been to one of these networking parties, it was the first time Marcus had been able to observe him at one. He seemed to have attracted Vibia's attention in return. Well, they both had striking looks, although in very different ways - Vibia was the consummate professional courtesan, arrayed in silk that accentuated her curves without revealing everything. A courtesan whose livelihood was her body, and who knew how to leave men wanting more. Azarion, on the other hand, seemed to have reverted back to his Sarmatian roots (at least, as far as Marcus would allow), with his hair braided and with beads and feathers decorating those braids. He wondered idly what nickname he would attract from his adoring fans - there were bound to be those, if he carried on as he had begun. At least one of the other charioteers - Flavius, Marcus suspected, from the toss of the blond head - was going off with one of the hired girls. Well, good for him; Marcus was focussed on business for this evening. @Sara @Chevi @Atrice

"It's Metella who helped you, it's her favour, Domina," Attis responded, and nodded. "Yes, he said as much. And Metella is... well, she's recovering. It wasn't easy for her." He felt rather guilty about being the cause of that, but not guilty enough to wish his daughter didn't exist, which was something he'd never expected to feel, ever. He blinked, trying to parse her next words. She... wanted to visit Metella? Had the world gone crazy - Metella was the slave here, Horatia Justina was the patrician lady, it ought to be Metella visiting her, surely?! "I'm sure she would, but, shouldn't it be her who comes here?" Someone remind him what grammar was, again, please? Longinus would laugh himself silly if he heard the mess Attis was making of what ought by rights to be simple Latin! @Sara

"Thank you, Domina." It was heartfelt; if she had decided not to admit him, or listen, or not get involved, then that would have been it. He didn't have any idea what else he might have done, in that case. "No, oh no, it's got nothing to do with that." They didn't know what to ask for; to be able to request a favour from the wife of an ex-consul would require something spectacular, probably. The smile that came to his face as she continued was genuine, unbidden, and he glanced down at the baby asleep in the basket - this must be the child that Metella had helped deliver, returning home almost drenched from head to foot in blood. (Well, maybe not quite as bloodied as that - but she certainly looked as bloodied as any butcher!) "She - Metella - had her baby nine days ago, a girl. My master freed her, yesterday - took her up." And they hadn't asked, hadn't approached this lady to ask. He'd just done it, and then looked so puzzled that Attis and Metella had been befuddled by it because they hadn't asked. "She's named Cassia Beata." And she was perfect, with wisps of reddish hair that must be from her mother. If she turned out to be half as beautiful as Metella, she'd turn heads everywhere she went, when she was older. @Sara

"There was a possibility of an arrangement with, um, an Auletia Sergia, but there's nothing come of it, Domina," Attis responded with a shrug. "I don't know if age would make much difference, so long as she isn't a child still, or as near as makes no difference. More than anything, he needs someone kind." The lady's description of Sestia Vaticana matched with the impression Attis had formed - she would have been good for Longinus, had been good for Longinus, before everything had fallen apart. Someone great fun - that could be a possibility, though hadn't Calpurnia What's-her-name been a Vestal? Which might make her too old - but really, Attis thought that his master needed a wife more than anything. If she could give him a son as well, that would just be the honey on the savillum, as far as he was concerned. It sounded a distinct possibility. "If you can introduce him to either of these ladies - or both - I can let you know what he thinks, Domina." If he didn't make it clear during the meeting. It had been a hugely unorthodox plan he'd conceived, to come here, but judging from the way she'd pulled her writing tablet across, and the thoughts she was thinking aloud, it seemed that the Consul's wife - ex-Consul's wife. Whatever - was intrigued enough to get involved. If she hadn't, Attis didn't know what he would have done - he'd been desperate enough to come here, and had nothing else he could try. He hoped that his master would appreciate the effort! @Sara

Of course she didn't know him as well as her husband did - Attis' master had served in Britannia with Calpurnius Praetextatus, after all; Attis had somewhat less than fond memories of the place, but did remember the Consul there, years before he'd ever been Consul. "He's... He needs someone who can make him laugh." He'd stopped laughing, stopped smiling as much as he used to. He'd grown up, but he'd grown up all wrong and there was no way on the gods' green earth he was going to say that to this cool, calm, collected patrician lady. "He needs someone who can give him a son, but most of all... Domina, he's had his heart broken. He needs someone who can help him enjoy life again." And Attis, who only cared to admit to an emotion about once a decade (more often if it involved Metella, but even so!) was torn up inside over it all, though he'd die before Longinus ever dragged that confession out of him. "And I'm all out of ideas, and don't know anyone who might fit the bill." And wouldn't be able to arrange any sort of meeting between them if he could think of someone. @Sara

Attis shrugged. "He doesn't know I'm here, Domina. And it's not so much advice as... I don't know. You're a lady, you move in the same sort of circles, you might be able to think of someone who would be a good wife for him - you could introduce them." I can't, I can't do any of that, and Minerva, he desperately needs someone to look out for him, this is the best I can do! He was risking a great deal, and knew it - if Longinus ever found out about this visit, he was almost certain to be sent east to Sulpicius Rufus' tender care. Permanently. But he couldn't stand by and do nothing while his master ended up withdrawing from everyone around him because there was nothing for him to look forward to. Sulpicius Rufus and Calpurnius Praetextatus were both very happily married, and Longinus deserved that, he deserved to be happy - he was the most naturally effervescent cheerful person Attis knew, and it was showing less and less these days. "He's lonely, he needs someone. He's not the person he used to be." It was showing in flashes, but he'd been altogether far too serious since Sestia. Seeing him with Beata yesterday had simply shown how much he'd changed over the past year or more. @Sara

Attis was shown up to a room that was set up to be a study, with scroll cubbies along one wall, a comfortable looking seating area, and a desk where the mistress of the house was seated. He was not offered a seat - and would have thought it odd if he had been - so came to stand before her desk. And blinked as she addressed him by his name - that was impressive; very few people of her status would bother remembering the names of their friends' slaves, if they learned them at all. "It's more... your sort of purview, Domina," he said, and sighed. Longinus was absolutely going to string him up by the balls if he ever learned of Attis' forwardness, but they needed a woman's touch, and the only woman he could ask who moved in the same sort of circles, and might be at all considerate of Longinus' own opinions, was the woman seated behind the desk. "I... don't know quite how to ask this, Domina, but he needs to find a wife and... Well. He's had the worst luck so far. And there's nobody else who might be able to help." @Sara

(September 77AD, the day after Keeping it in the family) It was with more than a little trepidation that Attis, dressed in his best tunic as befit the body slave of a Senator, made his way a few streets over from his master's house to the house of his master's friend. He was not so bold as to go and knock on the main door of the house, but made his way via the side streets and alleys to the slaves' entrance, where he was able to gain entrance without very much difficulty (his master was close friends with Calpurnius Praetextatus, after all), though his request was met with some confusion and head-shaking. "Look, I just want someone to ask your mistress if she'll see me - tell her it's the contubernalis of Lucius Cassius Longinus' girl Metella. If she says no, that's fine and I'll go, but please just ask her?" @Sara

They'd obviously hit a raw spot if Longinus was using work as an excuse to get away from them. Attis merely nodded, though, he wasn't about to try making things any more uncomfortable than they were already - although something had to be done, somehow. What that something was, though, Attis couldn't begin to say. He offered a somewhat concerned smile to his master before putting his arm around Metella's shoulders - that dismissal had been as clear as anything, though he'd been mixed up: most masters would dismiss the slaves back to work while taking his own time for his enjoyment. "We'll bring her back to visit you," he said - Longinus and Cassia would be the only people in the house who could possibly help her grow up as a free person, she couldn't live confined in the slave quarters. Something else they'd have to factor in, for her future. @Chevi @Sara

And now Longinus looked like a wet kicked puppy left out in the cold and Attis felt like more of a turd than ever. And couldn't hold back the involuntary, "Oh, no," that came to his lips as Longinus continued. He had had no idea that Sestia had been pregnant - no wonder Longinus had ended up so depressed when she'd gone. It wasn't quite so much the being parents thing as being slave parents to a free child - but Attis wasn't about to wish slavery on his daughter. He'd spent his whole life as property to someone else, and even with a master like Longinus, slavery was slavery. That he and Metella had thought about asking and decided against it didn't mean that they wouldn't accept the offer. There had to be someone in Rome who would be a good wife for Longinus. If only he had any idea at all how to find such a woman - or how to get Longinus to meet her. "Shit, I didn't mean to... Thank you, Domine." They would just have to make sure that Longinus spent time with Beata - Attis had rarely seen him so happy as when he'd been holding her, even though it had been such a brief moment. He just wanted his master to be happy again, the kicked puppy look and the sad expression on his face didn't suit him and pain in the neck or not, he was going to do is best to make sure Longinus didn't look like that again. @Chevi @Sara

"I won't tell him, sir," Jason said, setting the tray down on the table as ordered, and stepping back. "He's worried about you, though." As well he might; the two young men had moved here together, setting up their own home from which to begin their political lives properly, away from the Palatine and Caesar, and something had happened to Marcus that had meant he'd stayed cooped up in his rooms not speaking to anyone except his own slave. Probably. Probably he only opened his mouth around Silvanus to tell him to do something. "You should talk to him," he added, and shut up abruptly; this was not someone who would appreciate Jason's advice on a normal day, which this wasn't. "Do you need anything else, sir?" @Atrice

Nothing would change... Except that it had, and indefinably so. Longinus' expression had changed to one of confusion and bewilderment... he looked like a kicked puppy, which was about a thousand miles from his usual expression and was making Attis feel like a shit. Beata was fussing in his arms and Metella reached to take her - she probably wanted a feed or something, and Attis handed her over. "Because... We talked about it, Metella and me, what to ask for, from your friend the Consul's wife." And of course now that he wasn't holding the baby, he didn't know what to do with his hands. "And we weren't going to ask... What do we know about bringing up a free child, really?" He poked at the mosaic floor with the toe of his sandal. It had just closed in on him, maybe for real, that he was utterly, utterly unprepared to be any sort of father at all, and had no idea where to start - and even less idea now that his daughter was a free citizen. He managed to crack a smile at Longinus' attempt at a joke. @Chevi @Sara

"You planned this?" Attis managed, his voice quite likely a notch or two above its usual pitch. He must have planned it, if he had a lunula waiting for her already. The sneaky bastard; he hadn't had the faintest idea that might be in the wind. And yes, he was vaguely aware of the promise he'd one day have his freedom, that nebulous concept that meant very little to him. He had no idea what he would do with it, which is why he didn't think about, it except when he was forced to, and then only for the duration of the duress. And it wasn't as though it had cost Longinus any money to do what he'd done - and his money would go to Cassia anyway. Cassia Antonilla, that was. Their daughter - his and Metella's - would probably be in the ranks of the plebeians and would live quite happily on... whatever. "Don't think we're not grateful, Domine. It's just... a shock, is all." @Chevi@Sara

Marcus had brought some of his best charioteers, and one of the most most promising, to this evening's soiree... Seeking sponsorship was always a delicate balance, and plenty of people would be more willing to put their money into a team where they could boast of having some acquaintance with the charioteers everyone was cheering for. He was wearing a white tunic woven from fine wool, with a decorative braid trim at the hems, and an embroidered pallium over it, looking every inch the prosperous head of a successful racing faction. He quirked an eyebrow as Azarion waved at someone on his other side and turned slightly, angling himself to see who had caught the young man's eye. Vibia. Interesting... Azarion could not afford her, at least not yet - although if he lived up to the potential Marcus had seen in him, he would doubtless win enough money to be able to afford her ten times over, one day. He turned his attention back to the Senator he was talking with, nodding at whatever he was saying. @Sara @Chevi

Teutus Quinctilius Varus Teutus clasped his hands around the wine-cup he was holding. "We live in a world with expectations," he answered her, shrugging. "It shouldn't be too much to ask for, but tradition and family duty and everything." And Ovinia was even more constrained than he was - at least he wasn't bound by his father's decision as to who he married. Well, if Tertius chose to enforce his role as paterfamilias, he could choose Teutus' wife for him. However begrudgingly he admitted it, Tertius hadn't dictated Teutus' life for him, not since he'd freed his son. Which was one of those somewhat contradictory things about his father, though he was thankful for this particular contradiction. Control mattered to Tertius, greatly, and for him not to exert that control over Teutus... He ought to be more grateful to his father, really. It was just so very hard. "You're making me sorry I'm not a suitable candidate," he said, his smile a little lopsided. He could never be a suitable candidate for a patrician girl like Ovinia, despite the fact his own father was a Senator of good standing - the child followed the mother and Varinia had been a slave when Teutus was born. Although, having briefly met Ovinius Camillus, he had the sneaking suspicion he wouldn't be a suitable husband for Ovinia even if his mother had been a free woman when she gave birth to him. "You forgot to mention that he needs to be wealthy enough to allow you to purchase all the goods I am to lay at your feet," he added lightly. "Although, I suppose that if he's a senator, that bit goes without saying. @Sara

"Wait does that...?" Judging from her confused question and the equally confused look on her face, Metella was in just about the same condition as he was. Attis nodded, still in a daze. "Yes." How hadn't it occurred to him that Longinus might be as unpredictable and Longinus as he had been. He was absolutely positive that not one of Longinus' friends would have done the same, so he hadn't thought, even for a moment, that Longinus might flout custom and every single solitary sign of sense he might have displayed even once. He took the baby, carefully holding her in the crook of his arm - Metella was still not fully recovered and he didn't want her to risk herself or the baby or anything. "I didn't... You didn't... Why?" he asked, looking from the baby's face to his master's, unable to piece together any real sensible reason, or even a cohesive intelligible question. @Chevi @Sara