Sharpie

Once they reached his office, Marcus crossed to the scroll cubby-holes to look for one particular scroll - he kept records on everything to do with the Whites, from its employees to the horses and slaves, and the races they took part in. When he found what he was after, he crossed to his desk, sitting down and unrolling the scroll, Menelaus' record. The man was a successful charioteer (Marcus did not need the record to know that much), bringing in a substantial sum over the years, and of course his value had increased in proportion. "You will be racing in the celebrations for our new Augustus," he said - of course there would be races and naturally each faction would only allow its best to take part in the most prestigious of those races, on the day when the new Emperor would be present. "I am not one to hold a promise or threat over a man's head. Shall we say that, should you win this race, you gain your freedom. If you choose, this could be your retirement race and you can move to training the new charioteers. You need not retire from racing outright if you don't want." He leaned his forearms on the desk, clasping his hands on the open scroll. "Free or not, you will have quarters and work here, you need not worry about that." @Járnviðr

Volusa had been prepared to be asked something more personal - had she always been a slave, how had she got the position of the mistress' body slave - and while the query was none of those, it was one that really should not be asked anywhere the family or any other free person should overhear. She should have expected it, really. "Yes," she said, simply. "Very - she won't put up with nonsense or anything, but she's very kind. I think you'll like her." She certainly hoped Antheia would, anyway - she was not blind to the mistress' faults, but nor would she follow her blindly, two extremes that personal slaves could often fall into. Volusa had spent her life in servitude in the Palace and was familiar with both the hero-worshipping sort of slave and those that treated their masters with disdain when out of their sight. She had little time for either sort, and hoped that Antheia would not turn out to be either, though she didn't think the older woman seemed to be that type of person. @locutus-sum

While Sergia (and Secundus) didn't live in Rome, that didn't stop her visiting her uncle and cousins for some rather extended stays - Tertius' house was big enough to house his family several times over, with a staff to match, as befit a Senator and Praetor. One member of that staff (and incidentally of the family too, though not officially being a slave, the son of the Senator and a slave woman) was Teutus, the said Senator's secretary. This afternoon, the Senator was out somewhere that didn't require his secretary to attend him, and his young daughter was visiting a neighbour she was friends with, which left Teutus alone to finish copying out some correspondence for the Senator, a task that didn't take him very long once people stopped interrupting him. Once that was done, with the letters left neatly on the desk in the tablinum for Tertius to sign when he returned, Teutus found a seat in the garden to enjoy a moment in the sun. He hadn't been there long when he became aware that his cousin Sergia was there, and scrambled to his feet. "I beg your pardon, Domina," he said. @locutus-sum

I might be taking a trip soon as well. As a tribune, likely. Well, that was news to Gaius - had Lucius finally come to his senses and decided on a suitable career path? Why break the news in a public setting like this if he had? (Not that a private dinner was very public, but it was more public than just the two of them.) He was willing to bet that Ovinia had guessed right - if that was indeed the path Lucius had chosen, it was probably only to get as much distance between the himself and Gaius as he possibly could. The Mare Nostrum could be handy like that, as could the Alps and the expanse of Gaul. "A Tribune is basically the executive officer for the Legate of a legion or the governor of a province," he said in response to Ovinia's query. "What he actually does varies greatly depending on who his superior is and what's going on, but he's responsible for putting the legate's orders into action." There was a lot more to it than that, of course, but that was what it all boiled down to. He thought that Lucius could be good at it, though he had his doubts his brother had actually decided on that. @Chevi @Sara

Davus of Aegyptus... it made him sound like a free person, though technically it should be 'of Alexandria' if anything. Or, these days, 'of Rome' although anyone who was of Rome had a proper nomen and cognomen, being a citizen which Davus wasn't. Still, it was nice of her. "It's a lot like Rome in some ways," he said, in answer to her question. "There are a lot of people there from all different places - Greeks and Jews and Egyptians like me, all sorts of people. It's on the sea, though, and has two harbours of its own, with the Pharos that you can see from nearly anywhere in the city - it isn't all hills like Rome is." He was probably making a complete hash of describing it in a neat orderly fashion, but it had been so long since he'd been there, and there was very little chance he'd ever return. Even thinking about it was making him homesick and he had to swallow before he could have another mouthful of the flatbread she had bought him. @Atrice

"No, it isn't fair - life isn't fair, and don't we both know it." Teutus shrugged. "Just think what a sad little life he leads, if that's the only way he can live, though. And," he swallowed, "babies need their mothers. Don't let him grow up with just my father, gods know what he'll turn out like if that's all he knows." Chances of him growing up at all if Charis wasn't around were slim, but not non-existent; many children died before they were five anyway. "It's in the past, forget him." Easy to say, of course. He could quite happily shove Helios into the Tiber for hurting Charis, but that was neither here nor there. @Sara

They seemed to have a truce, though not necessarily an outright understanding. Teutus didn't think his father realised just how hard it was for him to ask for anything, he'd never been able to before and wouldn't know where to start, especially with the knowledge that the domus and everything in it would go to Charis' baby as the lawful heir. Especially when he'd had no special treatment as a slave, sleeping in the same quarters as the rest of Tertius' slaves, wearing the same clothes and eating the same food as them. He cautiously settled back down on the couch - there had been a couple of moments where he had come so very close to following Wulfric and Charis out of the room, though he thought that, in the end, he was glad he hadn't. It didn't make things any less awkward though, not really. "Have you found a new secretary yet?" he asked, feeling that as much as he might not have been open with his father, his father was closed off to him when it came to the sort of things that he thought fathers and sons usually talked about. But then, Tertius was always a closed-off private sort of man, why change the habit of a lifetime! @Atrice

"My name is Davus, Domina," he told her, swallowing a mouthful of food. "And I'm from Alexandria, originally - in Aegyptus." Though she was a patrician lady, she ought to be more aware of where Alexandria was than the average woman. She might even have been there, after all; didn't upper class women travel wherever they pleased (or where their fathers and husbands pleased to take them, probably, which wouldn't be the same sort of thing at all!) "Alexandria has a lot of people from different places, too, though it's not like Rome," he added, thoughtfully. It was older - or rather, it felt older, part of a land that was much, much older than this cooler, greener country. @Atrice

"As often as I can," Volusa replied. "You'll probably have more chance than me to come here, though - I'm the mistress' body slave which means I'm with her nearly all the time, and sleep in her room." It curtailed the freedom to come and go which she had had as just another palace slave back before she'd been given the responsibility of serving the princess exclusively, but that lack of freedom did have the benefit of putting her above most of the other palace slaves, with the exception of those slaves who attended the other members of the Imperial Family. "The only time we shouldn't be here is if we're wanted elsewhere, or if someone in the family is out here, but that doesn't happen very often." She looked at the older woman, who was looking a bit happier than she had earlier, and dared add, "If you want to ask me - anything, you can." @locutus-sum

"If you put it near the window, even one window should be enough," Davus said, wishing he had Florus here to help with the gardening talk - he just watered what plants he was told, when he was told to do it, and followed instructions when it came to everything else. He didn't really have much skill or knowledge when it came to plants, he'd never needed to know how to look after them. "I mean, you probably can come to visit, but I'm likely to be busy and not get the time to talk with you and so there isn't much point you coming to see me, is there? If I come to see you, we'll both know I've got the time," he said - the chances were very high indeed that he'd be waiting on his master or one of the other members of his family if Artemon or anyone else called at the house. Davus' time wasn't his own, after all, he was there to do whatever tasks he was set by the master at whatever time the master chose to set them. He followed Artemon's sketch as best he could, though it wasn't too hard, and he was used to memorising things. "I don't know when I'll next have time off, but I'll try to come and see you," he said, thinking that his new friend was equally likely to be busy unless Davus came round in the evening. "I should probably be heading back," he added, looking up to the sky to try to judge what the time was and whether he was going to be missed soon. @Liv

I don't mind either, so long as it isn't lora. If you could visit anywhere in the Empire, where would you most like to go?

"How do you expect me to be any better than him at finding him a wife? I can't even persuade you to marry me, how in Juno's name do you expect me to persuade some patrician lady that she wants to marry the master?" As objections went, it was quite reasonable, in Attis' opinion. Anyway, only look what had happened the last time Longinus had arranged to marry someone, and Attis had been the one to encourage him in that courtship, too. He had a bad track record when it came to romantic relationships; Longinus was probably better off asking Metella or Vitus. If another attempt fell through, Attis would bet that either of them would appreciate the next tour of Greece or wherever Longinus would head to get away. @Chevi

Antheia's reaction was everything that Volusa could have wanted and she smiled at the older woman. "I come here as often as my duties allow, but I'm with the mistress more than any of her other slaves except Cynane, who's her bodyguard," she said. Antheia would probably be able to be out here more than Volusa, because her own duties would allow her more free time than Volusa generally got. @locutus-sum

Of course they were in the Forum Romanum, with Davus' master sequestered somewhere within the Curia Julia (probably). The Temple of Venus Genetrix was close enough to where they were standing that the lady wouldn't feel he was dragging her halfway across Rome for no reason, and while it was perhaps a little too close to the Curia for Davus' comfort, it was set at an angle to it and he was sure they could find space on the steps where they could be out of the way of petitioners entering or leaving the temple, and out of the direct view of Senators leaving the Curia when it reached kicking-out time. He made sure the lady was seated comfortably before taking a seat himself one step below her - he didn't know her, he didn't want to run the risk of having her throw a very aristocratic (and entirely reasonable) fit because he'd put himself on her level. "Not obvious at all, Domina," he hastened to assure her. "It must be more obvious that I'm not a native Roman, though." His accent must give that away, if nothing else about him did. He carefully tore his flatbread in half, passing half to her own slave, who hadn't been given anything. @Atrice

"That one, please," Davus said, indicating the flatbread that had caught his eye. "I -" he added, once he'd received his food and registered what the lady had said. He swallowed the protest; being commandeered by this young lady would give him a reasonable excuse for returning late, if it turned out that he needed the excuse. "I don't know about benches, I usually find a step out of the way to sit down if I need to," he said, trying not to show his frank astonishment that a lady (who must be a patrician, judging by her clothes and manner) fully expected to sit and eat, and have him join her - it was surely obvious that he was a slave; the tag on his slave collar wasn't hidden by his tunic. Was it? "If you don't mind, that it, Domina," he added, though she was the one who'd suggested it, so she probably didn't mind too much. Though, she might object to sitting on a step anywhere, even if it was out of the way. "Are you new to the city, Domina?" @Atrice

Of course she'd forgotten her money, it wasn't as though she counted every as the way Davus did. She probably spent money like water on things she didn't really need, just for the sake of it, for something to do. He handed the coins over, and suddenly registered what she'd said. "I - if you're sure you don't mind?" he said. Well, it would mean he could keep his own coins for more important things. Like saving up for his freedom. "I'll have one of the flatbreads, if you're sure, Domina." They had cheese and onion on them and looked delicious, especially as hungry as Davus was. @Atrice

"The Domus Venus is fully taxed and licensed - you don't think I would be here if it wasn't, do you?" Aulus replied to Longinus' pertinent observations. "My fellow Consul is off attending to some tiresome dinner or other held by one of the priestly collegia - I think possibly the Augustales. We drew straws." He left it up to Longinus' (rather over-active) imagination to decide which of them had drawn the short straw, and noted his son's interest in a dark-haired beauty attending to a man off to the left of the Consular box. "Alexius is a famed fighter, why should it be odd that he receives my patronage?" he enquired with a lifted eyebrow. "Of course, if the girl wins, she will thoroughly deserve my patronage for besting a gladiator as famous as Alexius, though I doubt she will be able to actually claim her prize right away - isn't she still a slave?" @Liv @Chevi @Sara @Atrice

"Yes - Domina," Davus replied, adding the honorific as he noted her clothing, which looked expensive and very much not the sort of clothing a slave would wear. This was obviously a well-to-do lady, even if she was young and unmarried. "You, uh, forgot your change." He held it out to her. There was no need not to attempt to give the few coins back, at any rate, though she probably didn't need them judging by the way she'd walked off without checking she'd taken her change. "You want to be a bit more careful with your money, Domina," he added. @Atrice

Teutus sighed. "I want you to think very carefully about what you know about him, and what you know about yourself. Someone like him is going to be used to dealing with dangerous people and doing dirty work, especially if he sells information on others. That's the sort of person who will fight dirty and come out smelling of roses - don't go getting involved with any of that, you'll only end up hurt even worse. Maybe even physically hurt - you can't say he won't come up with something that'll get you hurt again, maybe whipped, or worse? Even if he has to lie to do it, he's the sort that would, isn't he?" His words were likely to fall on deaf ears, of course; she was stubborn once she got an idea into her head. He wasn't above fighting a little dirty himself, if it would make her see sense. "Think about your son, at least - don't do it, because what's going to happen to him if Helios hurts you somehow?" @Sara

"I don't know, but seeing as he lives and works in a very different place, you're not likely to come across him again." There was a bakery nearby and he pulled her across to it. "Two honey cakes, please," he said to the slave behind the counter, fishing in his pouch for coins to pay for them. "There you go," he said, once they each had a honey cake. "Honestly, though, the best revenge is a life lived well, or as well as possible." He didn't think she would be much good at revenge, either; she was too good and innocent for all that kind of thing. @Sara

"A charitable endeavour?" Aulus couldn't say he was exactly surprised at the idea, of course. "There are still places within the city where it would be possible to build something, without having to clear land first," he said. "I know you're tired of hearing about my baths, but I considered more than one place that would be suitable before actually going ahead with the plan - I would be willing to show you, if you did want to put up some sort of building." He did consider her words, though. "There are women throughout the Empire who have contributed all sorts of civic buildings, you wouldn't be the first." He rested his forehead against hers. "I think I would consider her to be unusual in being so civically minded, but I wouldn't think it a bad thing, not at all - after all, one of the most prominent buildings in Pompeii is the cloth merchants' guildhall, built by one Eumachia." @Sara

"This way," Volusa said, and paused. She would rather like to just take Antheia there without saying where it was, let it be a pleasant surprise when they got there, but it wasn't really fair to just take her somewhere in this maze without giving her a hint. "I want to show you one of my favourite places - it's one of the gardens. The family do use it, but not often, though the princess comes here when she wants to be outside. It's the closest peristylium to her rooms, after all." The Emperor had an open garden much closer to his audience chamber, and there was a much larger space that he used that belonged to his own private apartments - nobody need worry too much that they would interrupt (or be interrupted by) the emperor himself or other senior members of the family, not in this smaller private space. The corridors Volusa led Antheia down were quiet, obviously not service corridors, but not as well-trodden as more public parts of the palace, not even as well-used as the plain narrow service corridors that kept the slaves out of view. "Here," she said, after a moment, turning a corner and stepping aside. @locutus-sum

The mess that was Teutus' life had started years before Helios had spoken to Charis, years before Charis had been brought to Rome, even. He'd seen a close friend sold and been told of his parentage and received the first promise of freedom all when he was fourteen or fifteen, the sort of age a freeborn Roman would be taking his toga virilis and becoming a man. What a coming-of-age all that had been for him! Extreme highs and extreme lows all mixed together, and a string of promises and reassurances he'd eventually stopped believing. And then Charis had entered the house and things had got worse, if it was even possible, though none of that was her fault. And then he'd been freed and nothing else could happen at all. Was it any wonder he just wanted to get out of the house, have as little as possible to do with its inhabitants? Only one of them had ever liked him for himself and with no reservations at all, and she was only a child. He felt sorry for his sister, still living there and now without her brother who had been a constant in her life. Not sorry enough to want to remain there, though. "I've said before, it doesn't matter so much what you do - just don't get caught doing it," he said neutrally. "If you think I'm going to do what he did, or that I condone what he did, I wouldn't. I don't expect you to believe me or to trust me, but I've never once told tales on anyone, not even when it would have been easy and might have made things easier for me. I don't do that - but Hector would, so watch out for him, too." @Sara

"Well, there are all sorts of things you could do," Aulus said. "A women's only library, maybe. A lecture hall or somewhere for philosophers and other peripatetics to gather. A theatre, if you want to appeal more to the masses. A new building for any of the guilds you might like to patronise. A temple, even, if you chose." He thought that she would prefer something more suited to educating people than erecting yet another temple, of which Rome had several dozen already, and some gods had more than one temple in the city. "You'll find something, you always do - I have never known you to be at a loss for very long," he added reassuringly. @Sara

He was holding her close with one arm around her, and felt the shudder, though he wasn't sure what had caused it - it was winter, to be sure, but she was from Britannia and must be used to far colder weather than December in Rome. He wrapped his cloak around her just in case she was feeling the cold though. "No, I haven't," he said. He had seemed to be fishing for some sort of information from Teutus, or Antonia, but his sister had been oblivious, chattering on as young girls did, and Teutus had an abundance of caution the stemmed from his role as Tertius' confidential secretary and hadn't said anything that wasn't common knowledge or couldn't be easily found out from other sources. "Pay? What in Jupiter's name did he do?" @Sara