Sharpie

"You're too good to me," he murmured, and bent to kiss her, recognising the truce, and the fact that she thought he was being a complete idiot - but was good enough not to tell him so in so many words. "You would tell me if it was important, though, wouldn't you?" he added, reaching for her hand and lacing his fingers through hers. "You know you can talk to me - I'm not so hot-headed I'm going to grab my sword and go charging off to wreak havoc. Not without a proper military strategy and backup, anyway." @Sara

"Perhaps we could see some of it together?" he suggested. "I mean, not the stuff I have to deal with but - if I get some time off, we could travel round some of it, at least. It would be a shame to return to Rome and have to say you've only seen your house and the walk down to the agora, after all." He seemed to be falling over his words, again - what had possessed this woman to agree to marry him when he sounded like a prized idiot every time he opened his mouth? His rhetor would be horrified. But then, he'd never felt so nervous when he had to stand up in front of his men as he did just talking to this calm, poised woman. It didn't matter that she was ten years younger than him, she sent his insides twisting around themselves every time he saw her. Well, that was a wonderful way to begin a marriage, when he'd see her every day! @Sara

"No - you like reading," he said, and had a sudden thought that perhaps the complete Gallic Wars would have been a better wedding gift for her. Or more to her tastes, anyway, if not 'better' - if he had bought her a set of scrolls of the Gallic Wars, he'd never live it down once she told her friends. The bangle had at least been a safe option. "You like reading," he said. "And - have you seen much of Greece, while you've been here?" Not that he had much time to go exploring himself - and seriously, did he really think he'd be able to go anywhere with a wife in tow? This was why junior officers didn't marry, after all! He was sure he could get a day, at least, to go and explore the city with her, if nothing else. @Sara

There was something wrong, it was obvious. What that something was, though, Aulus had not the first idea. "I'm sorry," he said, knowing one thing only: It had something to do with him, which meant that he must have made a mess of this conversation somewhere. "Ah - let's start this conversation over again?" He made to get up, to go to the door and come back in, but was stopped as Horatia continued speaking. "Is there something I can do, to help - to make it better for you?" He had been away for too long, perhaps - it was a shadow over their marriage, that separation, no matter how much they had worked to repair it. They had come back stronger than ever, but there were still shadows. "I won't talk about children any more, if it was that," he added. @Sara

"I doubt if more than two of them -" Aulus indicated the room at large, meaning his fellow military men "- have any idea about brides not being able to wear jewellery, anyway." He helped himself to a ball of globi (or a good estimation of it, considering they were in Greece rather than Rome!) from the tray held by another passing slave, and took another ball for his bride. "It's a bit more complicated than that," he protested, though she was correct as to the overall outcome. He'd simply had to put on a tunic and make sure his hair was combed and his shoes clean, she'd had to go to rather more effort - and where she'd found someone out her who could do the traditional hairstyle, he couldn't begin to think. "I don't know the first thing about any of that," he confessed. "I supposed you can experiment with different hairstyles though?" He had a vague idea women liked that sort of thing - but what did he know! His only sister was in the House of the Vestals, and he'd never dared enquire what his mother did, spending hours with her slave-girls, dressing and making herself up and doing gods knew what with her hair. "I don't know the first thing about a lot of things when it comes to marriage, I suspect," he added. "But we'll work it out, together, won't we?" @Sara

"You don't like Baiae?" It had never occurred to him that she might not like it here, but if it had such bad memories for her from all those years ago... "We don't have to come here again if you don't like it - I can buy a villa for us somewhere else. Formiae, maybe?" Campania, though perhaps not near Vesuvius - there were many other places in Italy that would be good for a country villa. Just because they had always come here did not mean that they always had to come here. "Why didn't you say?" he asked, full of concern for her. Though, hadn't the years since helped to make it a place with happy memories for her? @Sara

Aulus blinked. "I, um, no, I didn't. You could tuck it... maybe..." he gestured at her dress, momentarily lost for words. he couldn't help catching her eye and laughing. "Where did they come up with these ideas anyway? That's absurd - every bride surely wants to look her very best and most of them wouldn't know how to begin to do that if they can't adorn themselves with the complete contents of their jewellery boxes." Overblown and ostentatious, just like some of the more louche daughters of the novi viri, those who had recently come into wealth. Something that he did not think Horatia was - the simple bangle would suit her perfectly, and be no distraction at all, surely. "I don't suppose those same traditions have anything at all to say about the grooms, of course," he added, smiling at her, the corners of his eyes creasing with his humour. @Sara

Aulus knew, from the many years he'd spent serving in the Legions in some of the wildest parts of the Empire, that if a man was determined to have his way, a woman probably wouldn't be able to stop him unless she could lay her hands very quickly on a knife or dagger, and actually use it rather than merely wave it around in a feeble pretence of threat. He was not ever going to say as much to Horatia, his beloved wife - if she was ever in that sort of situation, her assailant had better be able to run very fast for a very long time, because Aulus would catch him and would personally drive the nails through his wrists and ankles when it came time to crucify him. He let out a breath, letting out the sudden tension that he had at the very thought. "I know," he said when he was sure that he could speak normally again. He managed a smile. "Is there anything that could put you in the mood? Given that we are here to enjoy ourselves and who knows what lies ahead in the next few months once we return to Rome." @Sara

"I don't know what stories they might have been filling your head with, the life of a tribune isn't exactly the stuff of legends," Aulus said in a voice more like his normal one than he'd managed for most of the day. "Don't expect anything like the sort of domus you'd find in the Piscina Publica or the Quirinal back home," he added. "Comfortably cosy, or suitably domestic, is more of an accurate description - and it doesn't need a whole maniple of slaves to keep it presentable, either. Though if you need more slaves than we've got, please feel free to get them - or anything else you need." Presumably she had her own maid or body slave. "Oh, and - I was in the agora yesterday, and saw this. I thought you might like it?" He pulled out a gold bangle from where he had tucked it into his tunic that morning, a simple thing carved with leaves and flowers. It was a pretty thing, simple and elegant as Horatia seemed to him to be a woman who liked and appreciated simplicity and elegance, rather than the overblown garishness tastes of some Romans he was acquainted with, that was beginning to seep into the decoration and styling of houses and buildings these days. (The bangle is the one from this post) @Sara

"Do I want another?" Aulus had to think about it; she had never asked him that before and he'd never considered it seriously. "I wouldn't complain if we had another, but I hope you know me well enough to know that I wouldn't force it. If Juno wishes to bestow another child on us, he - or she - would be just as treasured as the two fine young people we already have." He wouldn't expose a female child just for being a girl, like some people would, and nor would he force himself on Horatia if he wanted a child and she did not - theirs was a marriage made as equal as possible, considering all the inequalities under the law that women had to deal with. He had never done anything to make Horatia regret marrying him, except for those years spent away from her when the children were very young. "You do know I would never force it, don't you?" @Sara

"Interesting? Not the word I'd use - I was just listening to a diatribe on the virtues of Greek olive oil versus Italian, and why you can't get decent garum over here, and gods know what else," Aulus said, giving her a look of mutual understanding. It would be different if they were in Rome in the bosoms of their families - though even there he suspected most of the guests would be friends of their parents' rather than their own friends. "Your friends and family are extremely hospitable, I was going to say that I hope my friends and fellow officers haven't made you have second thoughts!" He smiled fondly at her - were the truth known, he had probably been smiling all day. Were his men to hear of it, he'd never be taken seriously again. "You look beautiful," he added. @Sara

Aulus had to field congratulations and exclamations along the lines of 'you lucky dog!' and 'however did you persuade Quintus to allow it?' and the like from several of his fellow tribunes and other officers from the garrison who had come along to make up the groom's party of this Roman wedding in Greece. He was entangled in a conversation about... something, he wasn't sure what (he'd stopped paying much attention several sentences before) from a junior officer he was only distantly acquainted with, and managed to catch Horatia's eye. She looked every bit the radiant Roman bride in her white gown with her girdle tied in the traditional knot of Hercules and the flame-coloured veil over her flame-coloured hair which was bound up in the traditional hairstyle of the seni crines. For some reason, that made him think of his sister; Calpurnia Praetextata would have loved it, if she could have been here. "Would you excuse me for a moment? I really should go and speak with Marcus," he said as soon as he could insert the words into a gap in the conversation, and smiled at his fellow officer, smoothly extricating himself to cross the room to where Horatia was likewise getting her ear talked off. "I hope you don't mind the interruption, Marcus, but I need to borrow my wife for a moment." He only had eyes for Horatia as he spoke. The dark blue of his own tunic (borrowed from Quintus) made the white of her gown stand out even more. @Sara

"Thank you, Alexius. Um... I'll come back tomorrow about that warehouse, if you don't mind - I think I need to try to straighten things out with Charis." Teutus took a breath. It was so messed up, the whole thing, and Charis didn't deserve any of it at all. "I'm sorry you got mixed up in it all, none of it is your fault, and I hadn't meant to suggest that any of it was at all - I've got to catch up with her." He turned to follow her down the stairs and out into the street. "Charis! Charis, please wait - please!" @Sara ( @Atrice ?)

Rufus sighed in his sleep. The dream he was having was a very pleasant one, following on the heels of some extremely pleasant sex with two of his very favourite people in the Empire. He blinked his eyes open - his lifelong reflexes were still there, trained into him at a very young age that his wants and needs were subservient to his masters' - and it was a moment before he recollected that I. he was a free man and II. he was in bed with two good friends, and III. the person who had poked him was not his ex-master but Didia Nonia, and he was as naked as she was. And that she seemed to have no regrets at all about what they'd been up the previous evening. Which was enough of a relief that he propped himself up in the narrow bed so that he could kiss her. "Maybe we could try me in the middle next time?" he suggested with a smile at her and a fond glance at Theo, who, being Greek, would probably prefer the Greek method to the Roman method between himself and Rufus, which was OK with Rufus who would prefer the Roman method. Hopefully, if Theo didn't have second thoughts about everything, they could try it both ways? "Ah - did you want water, or wine, then?" he asked, realising her words had probably been a hint to him to get up and let her slake her thirst, rather than just stay there dreaming about Round II. @Chevi @Sara

And more intriguing yet, as the girl gestured to a bag that was hanging up and received permission to retrieve it, to produce a wax tablet. The writing was clear enough, if perhaps a little laboured - she had been a kitchen and general slave, but was willing to learn "You can write - can you read?" He hadn't heard of anyone being able to do the one and not the other, but there was a slim chance that writing took the place of speaking yet reading had not factored in anywhere. Horatia would be as intrigued as he was, no doubt - this might be the perfect project for her. On the other hand, this might be the final straw she needed to divorce him... He smiled at the private joke. Horatia would be extremely unlikely to divorce him for any such reason, and if she did not take to the girl, well, they could always use another slave in the house anyway. @Jenn

Now that piqued his interest - quite why, he couldn't say for the life of him, but nevertheless it did. "But she can hear?" "Yes, Consul." Even more intriguing. He presumed that she must be able to communicate somehow and guessed that she might sign or something. Yes or no questions - well, he had played guessing games often enough with his children when they were younger (and still did, sometimes, especially on otherwise boring journeys to or from Baiea). "Your name is Tacita?" A very apt name, if she could not speak; it mean 'silent'. "Have you ever served as a lady's maid?" @Jenn

"I had not meant to raise such memories, Marce Horati," Aulus said. "Apologies." He had tried to find something relatively neutral to discuss, a topic that they could both talk about to their heart's content, thrashing out ideas and suggestions. Discussing politics with a fellow senator who cared for Rome as Aulus did was usually a good choice, yet even after so many years, the civil war could not be quite forgotten - and Marcus Horatius Justinus had been in Rome during the purges that Aulus had escaped by the skin of his teeth and pragmatic flight from the city to the wilds of Cappodocia. "I am lucky to have Horatia - she is an excellent wife and mother and I could boast about her from the rooftops if I thought she would ever forgive me for doing so," he continued, with a smile. He could not help wondering, fleetingly, if he would end up like Marcus had should Horatia die suddenly and without warning. He was not a superstitious man but made the sign against evil thoughts under the table and did not voice them. @locutus-sum (sorry it's a little short today!)

Cassander Suggested Face claim: Jeremy Sisto (Julius Caesar)/Nikolai Kinski (Barbarians)/Zaqi Ismail (Britannia) Age & Birth Position. Thirties Position: Body slave/secretary Parents: Up to you Other family: Up to you Personality: Up to you History: Other information: Cassander is the body slave and occasional secretary to Gaius Vipsanius Roscius, a younger member of the Senate. They have been together for a little while now, but how he came to the role is up to you (he could have been with the family for many years or have been purchased specifically. He is of Italian or Greek descent, though. He will also have interactions with Lucius, Gaius' brother, and what he thinks of Lucius' dabbling in plebeian trades is entirely up to you, although Gaius disapproves Who to contact: Sharpie

It wasn't at all unusual for Longinus to have a friend, or friends, come to visit, even unexpectedly, and on this occasion as on others previously, Attis had taken Ragum out to the garden in an effort to keep the dog from knocking the visitor over with the force of his wagging tail. He was a friendly dog (and therefore probably a completely useless guard dog) but he was the size of a small pony by now. Attis looked at the thing and reconsidered; he wasn't that big - yet! The size of a small donkey? Large goat? He would have realised he wasn't alone much earlier except the dog had started barking from almost the moment the front door opened and the ostiarius admitted today's visitor, who turned out to be Sulpicius Rufus. He wasn't alone, and Attis couldn't help smiling as Tranquillus came out to see the garden and get deafened by the dog. And probably knocked over by him, too; Attis couldn't hold him. "He's friendly!" he said, as the dog finally escaped his grasp and ran to greet the newcomer with a furiously wagging tail and deep joyful barks. And a very wet tongue. @Chevi

"Yes," Volusa said. "Well, sort of." She opened the door into the princess' apartments, and indicated a room off to the side, out of the way. "This is where the other girls sleep." There was an alcove to one side, offering a bit more privacy for the simple pallet it contained. "I sleep in the mistress' room - I'm her body slave - and Cynane usually sleeps by the door, being her bodyguard." She looked doubtfully between the room and the new slave. "They're not bad girls, not really." The alcove would be for the senior slave, with its illusion of privacy, and Volusa supposed that a tutor would fit that bill - and she was certainly old enough to supervise the girls. "I'm supposed to answer whatever questions you have - and right now, the mistress is out somewhere and didn't need me, so we won't be interrupted for a bit." @locutus-sum

The Consul was pleased to examine the stock of slaves presented to him, but nothing really stood out to him - he didn't know exactly what it was that he was looking for, only that he would know it when he saw it, and he hadn't seen it yet, not in the displays of fine jewellery at the goldsmith's stall, nor in the (admittedly beautiful) samples of Egyptian and Syrian glassware at the stall next to it - and Horatia was perfectly happy to purchase her own books, leading to Aulus' uncertainty what texts she had, and precisely where her tastes in literature ran, although he knew she read voraciously, including on subjects that most women shied away from. He didn't see it among the slaves presented to him, though they were some of the finest examples of the trade and a clear demonstration on how long the Empire's reach was. he could see sloe-eyed Egyptians, olive-skinned Syrians and Iberians, copper-haired Celts... They stood quietly, with their eyes down, shifting nervously when they thought he wouldn't see, but nothing really stood out to him. The silent slave who had poured wine for him and her master, though... he turned to see her, standing quietly to one side, waiting to be commanded. "Is she...?" "She's not for sale, Consul." There was a slight hesitation in the man's voice; he was a consummate professional and his trade was slaves. Aulus guessed that she would be for sale if the price was right, or why would she be here rather than back at Claudus' home? "I understand." "Although if you desire - Tacita." @Jenn (A thousand apologies for the delay in posting!!)

"I don't think anyone who lived through that time could possibly forget it," Aulus said soberly, and topped up his father-in-law's cup. He could never forget that night, walking across the city under cover of darkness right past the looming Imperial Palace and through the Porta Flaminia to head north and east, accompanied by a single slave (and how he had blessed his choice of Felix, then and since!). "I think I may not have been clear enough - I am talking of young people of a similar age to Titus and Calpurnia, and I am not suggesting we make them into senators at any point in the future, but simply soldiers or tradespeople, give them some training in useful skills. They are from the poorest families anyway, poorer without their fathers, and would never be able to rise to sit in the Senate. Given a modest helping hand, they might rise to be bakers, I suppose." As for criminals in purple, Clemens and Cotta had both been sentenced to damnatio, to being excised from the official record, including having any inscriptions and statues defaced, blotted from the pages of history as if they had never existed at all. If only it were so easy to blot their names from people's memories. "I am sorry about Livia Calavia," he said instead. "An excellent wife - I am very proud to be married to her daughter." @locutus-sum

Gaius sighed. "It's not just gossip, it's mos maiorum - you can't just set aside centuries of tradition and expectation just because you don't like them. Like it or not, there are certain expectations that people have of people in our position in society. Clodius Pulcher may have been adopted into a plebeian family but that was because he wanted to serve as tribune of the people, and you don't have an ambitious bone in your body." He scrubbed at his face before looking back at his brother. "The issue is, that you can't do anything else, as a patrician - believe it or not, there are laws against it. You and I might think it's completely ridiculous, but I can't do anything about it. I am trying to think of something that you might be good at, that you might like just as much as selling your friends' olives at over-inflated prices - and you wouldn't enjoy that for more than maybe two weeks at the outside. And you're not helping. I don't like butting heads with you, but that's all we ever seem to do any more." @Chevi

Aulus maybe should have expected the passion his query had provoked, and could counter it, even if he had not expected to have a political discussion over a cup of wine in less disreputable bar off the Forum. "Rightly or wrongly, we ask our citizens to become soldiers in Rome's army, and it is regrettable that in this case Roman fought Roman, but it is hardly the fault of those soldiers, and it's far less the fault of their children. Should we condemn innocent children to poverty and perhaps leave it to the criminal gangs who roam the streets to educate these children and give them some way of earning a crust or two? Or perhaps should we, as those more fortunate than them, offer a helping hand so that they and their children can look to Rome not only for an honourable service with the Eagles but as a patron and paterfamilias should they be killed in service to Rome?" The question that had been raised at the time was not 'should they be provided for' but 'how should it be paid for'? "Encouraging these orphans into a worthwhile honourable career can only be to the glory of Rome, after all - and they are young enough still for their character to be moulded." @locutus-sum

"Basically. People are beginning to talk, Lucius, and when someone of our standing begins to be gossiped about for doing the sort of things you've been doing... it's not good. gens Vipsania is a good one, a solid patrician line, and you should be making a name for yourself doing proper patrician things." Gaius sighed. What was it going to take to steer his brother into more acceptable channels? He was too active for this thing and not active enough. A solid follower, perhaps, but people born into the Vipsanius Roscius line were born to lead. He massaged his temple; he always seemed to come away from these conversations with a headache, and wished that he could have proper conversations with his brother, discussions about inconsequential things, debated about this bill or that court case, or even the latest ideas in viticulture or something, rather than having this same butting of heads over the same question of Lucius' future. @Chevi