Sharpie

"They aren't urgent," Aulus replied. "Really, clients know their patrons aren't around for winter, and Father has more to do with them than I do, seeing as he's the paterfamilias and they're all his clients anyway." He got up and crossed to her, putting his arms around her and resting his chin on her shoulder. She hadn't welcomed his advances since their arrival at his father's villa, and he hoped that was merely down to the journey, or the memories. He couldn't think what else would cause it, especially as she seemed the same around him in every other respect. "I fear if you want truly nimble fingers, you'll have to summon one of your girls, although I will help if I can - don't be surprised if I break the thread, though. It will only be by accident if I do." He hair smelt of roses - she must wash it in rose-water. How was a man supposed to resist that lovely smooth skin under her ear? Aulus wasn't made of stone, and couldn't help kissing it. @Sara

"I am drunk," Teutus informed his new friend, with all the dignity of the definitely not sober. "I have no idea what a good idea looks like any more, and if you want to take me to watch gladiators, I'll come with you. Otherwise, I'm going to buy another jug of wine and get even drunker." He shrugged, and burped. "I don't know. I've mostly seen markets, the Forum, the Forum Boarium, several temples, and the bathhouse nearest home. My father likes the gladiators, I've never seen the appeal." He shrugged. "Maybe you can change my mind?" All those big brawny men... they weren't really Teutus' type, but neither was the smooth-skinned Hector who'd spend all his days and nights in Teutus' father's bed, given half a chance. No wonder he was jealous of Charis, attracting the master's attention the way she had, even if she hadn't intended to and didn't want it. Teutus wished he'd approached her first, that they hadn't had that argument over nothing at all. Not that he expected his father would have left her alone if Teutus had asked her first. Yet another thing to add to the list of reasons Teutus wanted to clear out of there as soon as he reasonably could. @Atrice

"I'm sorry I missed all of that," Aulus said. Calpurnia's first steps, and er first words - and Titus' too. He had missed far too much of their young live and returned home to find that he was a complete stranger to them. He had tried to repair the distance between them, and thought he had managed to, at least for the most part. He couldn't believe he'd proposed marriage to this cool, calm collected woman within minutes of meeting her properly. There were times he had to pinch himself that she'd accepted - she had seemed so far out of his class and beyond his reach, especially as he'd fallen over his own words in what must have been the clumsiest proposal since Romulus had ploughed his furrow around the seven hills. He shook his head, smiling. "I don't, particularly, as shocking as that is. No meetings of the Senate, no speeches, no trials, no tribunals, no need to inspect walls or military outposts or anything. No plans, other than to spend time with you if you will let me. Although you must have plans of your own - don't let me interrupt them. I shall find a straw hat and spend the afternoon smelling roses in the garden and getting under the gardener's feet if I have to." @Sara

It wasn't as though Davus had seen all that much of Alexandria, all things considered, though he had probably seen more of it than Artemon, which was a slightly weird thought. "I was pretty young, yes," he said, and shrugged. Such was the life of a slave, though looking back, he was surprised that he hadn't stayed there, that someone had thought it worth their while to ship him across the sea to Greece and the hugs slave market of Delos. And despite his thought of a moment ago, he couldn't help saying, "I spent some time in Corinth before I ended up here - I suppose you must have been there, too?" He would be surprised if the other man hadn't. Corinth, like Alexandria, was a huge centre for trading, the gateway to Greece - or one of them, anyway. Even with his mixed feelings, he managed a grin. "I don't really like the sea, though, it doesn't agree with me. I suppose it's different, if you spend a lot of time on a boat?" @Liv

"No, he didn't, although I honestly thought he was going to at one point," Rufus replied. "And well. If sarcasm killed, I wouldn't be standing here now, and my master would have sued him for the loss of a body slave. Probably." He looked her up and down in concern. She didn't look as if she'd been whipped, though someone like the Senator her master probably had a store of punishments that wouldn't leave a visible sign. "I hope - I hope you weren't punished for it? He didn't seem at all happy, though what he expected me to be able to tell him is something only the gods know!" @Echo

Rufus had the exact same sense of observation and self-preservation that any slave had when it came to seeing things about free people, and noticed how the Senator's jaw clenched. He braced himself for that hard strike to the face that such an expression usually presaged, but it didn't come. The Senator's hand clenched in self-restraint and when he spoke, his words were laced and dripping in sarcasm. Rufus had not acted obstructively or done anything to hinder the other's finding out what he needed to know, it was simply that the information was not there to be found out. He merely bowed his head in submission as the other turned on his heel and stalked away, the crowd parting before his rage as if he were accompanied by the full complement of lictors that a consul commanded. Rufus let out a long breath, suddenly finding his knees a little weak and made his way to a hot-food stand, the crowd not parting for him in the least. Thanks, @Járnviðr, that was an... interesting thread!

"I'll talk with her - once she's feeling better," Aulus said. He supposed that Calpurnia would be worrying, although he had done his best not to make her feel as if there was any pressure or expectation on her. He might well not have done as good a job with it as he'd hoped, though. "I am absolutely not going to marry her off to some ancient decrepit old senator who's old enough to be her grandfather. And I'm not going to force her to marry someone she can't stand the sight of, even if he's the most suitable possible match for her otherwise." He might have to have a word with his own father as well, Tiberius being the paterfamilias and therefore the one with the very final say in the matter. "And how are you, my sweet? Baiae doesn't have the happiest memories for you, I know." Precisely what those unhappy memories were, Horatia had never divulged, and Aulus had never pressed. He would be ready if she ever did choose to speak of it but until then, he hoped that she knew she could trust him not to pry, to let her have her own private concerns. Theirs was a strong marriage of two people, each with their own strengths and weaknesses and concerns and confidences, and he trusted her. He didn't need to know every tiny detail about every insignificant thing - or even every single significant thing - in order to be able to trust her. @Sara

"I'm hurt, domine. Have you ever caught me judging you?" Attis said, pouring wine into the cup and stepping back. He could entertain himself watching birds or something - it'd be more interesting than watching his master leave half of yet another breakfast. Anyway, his master did eat enough to keep flesh and soul together. Somehow. At odd moments. Why he couldn't eat full meals at the usual sort of time, Attis would leave up to the gods - he certainly didn't have a clue. At least his master wasn't the depressed morose senator who'd left Rome, which was one small mercy. @Sara

"No, sir," Rufus said, well aware that he was inching closer to receiving a backhand across the face, at the very least. Which was a risk all slaves ran at some point in their lives, just by virtue of the fact they were slaves, and property, and utterly without any sort of rights at all. "She didn't know she'd been pickpocketed herself until afterwards." It wasn't as though the thieves were obvious about it, after all; that would completely defeat the whole point of doing what they did because they'd be caught and prosecuted the first time they went out. For all either of them knew, the man (or woman or boy or girl, or slave) responsible could be any one of the crowd around them, still working their trade and calmly making off with someone else's hard-earned coins. @Járnviðr - I am so sorry it's been so long!!!

"I told you I'm from Alexandria," Davus said, hastily swallowing the mouthful of cake he'd just taken. "That's in Lower Egypt, right by the sea. It's a big city, though I don't think it's as big as Rome, and a lot flatter. Most of it, anyway. There's an island just off the coast, with a causeway running out to it, so you've got two big harbours, and the Pharos is out there, with a beacon to guide ships in safely. And there's the Library, and all sorts of temples and everything." He shrugged. "I wasn't that old when I left, and went to Corinth, which is another big city near the sea." He looked up at the hill above them, with the Temple of Jupiter stark against the blue Italian sky, and then brought his dark gaze back down to his companion. "I think, I miss the sea more than anything. Just being able to look across the blue water to where it touches the sky - there aren't any horizons in Rome." @Echo

Obviously both slaves were too much in shock to have actually listened to his instructions properly. He pulled his equestrian ring off - the symbol of his authority, it would mean that the person bearing it would be listened to as if it were Marcus speaking. Well, gesturing - he could see no other way of getting the help he wanted than to send the mute boy, with his ring, to fetch the litter and some men to carry it. The other slave would have to fetch the aedile - there was no way on the green earth that Azarion would be able to get near an aedile. Specific direct orders always worked better than a general 'oi, you! Slave!' after all. "Azarion, you can go back to the stables and send some men with a litter - you'll probably have to come back with them to show them where to come. Linus, go to find an aedile - the Basilica Julia will probably be the best place to look. Bring him to see me - I will probably be back in the stables by the time you return." @Chevi

"Io Saturnalia," Rufus replied easily, with a grin. "Don't be jealous, Theo - you were just talking about orgies. Or you were the first to mention them, anyway." He looked between the two of them. How was he planning to celebrate his first Saturnalia as a freedman? With friends, of course, getting rowdy and merry. "I could always give you a kiss too, if you're feeling left out," he added, somewhat daringly, letting the wine do the talking. He was about to get thrown out and have the door barred in his face, he was sure of it. Which was a shame, he still liked Didia and Theo was pretty cute, too, in his own Greek way. @Sara @Chevi

It turned out to be extremely important, in fact... Marcus recognised the girl, though it took a moment to remember her name. Safinia. She was lying on the ground in a pool of blood - probably her own; her throat had been cut. No wonder Azarion had interrupted him - the boy looked shaken, which was only to be expected if he'd been the one to find her. Well. He bent over the girl; she was definitely deceased - living the life he had, Marcus was no stranger to what death, especially violent death, looked like. She would, no doubt, wish for a burial in the Roman way, and it was Marcus' duty to provide that for her according to custom. He straightened up and called her name three times, to recall her spirit to her body if it was anywhere near here. After a suitable pause, he turned to the slaves who had accompanied him. "You will return to the stables and send some men here with a litter," he said - there were several there, usually used for rescuing injured or dead drivers from the circus circuit. "Then I need someone to fetch one of the aediles, and - was she a member of a funeral guild?" He suspected she was not, but would send for one anyway. They could prepare the body, and the funeral would take place soon, probably tomorrow - Safinia was not a high-ranking Roman senator, who would lie in state in his own atrium for a full seven days. She would get a proper cremation and stele, though, which was as much as anyone could expect. @Chevi

He couldn't help laughing at Horatia's words. She had clearly solved her problem and picked up her tools to begin unpicking in earnest. "I was just wondering, how have I got so old that my son is nearly a man and my daughter... How is Calpurnia? I haven't seen her since breakfast." His daughter was very nearly a woman and that meant her courses would surely begin soon - although Aulus knew very little about all of that, and didn't particularly want to know, either. All of that was women's business and far better dealt with by Horatia, his mother, and the slaves. He would have to begin to think seriously about a potential husband for her, even if she didn't marry right away. A list of potential candidates could hardly hurt, after all. @Sara

Getting breakfast for his master was easy enough. Attis set out a jug of watered wine and a platter with bread, grapes and various other bits and pieces on it, and a cup for the wine (he didn't think Longinus was going to drink more than a cup or so but only bringing that out would have looked mean). "Breakfast, domine," he said, and sighed. "I'm sorry to report that Lutatia has left already. She probably wasn't expecting the offer of breakfast. And I can go and hover somewhere else if you don't want me to watch you eat." @Sara

"Whichever you think best, I'll follow you," Teutus said. He was in no mood to argue, and less mood to actually make a decision - not that any of his decisions recently had been exactly outstanding in any way, shape or form. He wasn't quite sure he wanted to watch gladiators, even training; he hadn't really found watching men fighting to be something he liked, but he was prepared to have his mind changed. "Most of my life, yes," he said. "Except summers - it gets too hot in summer for most senators, so..." He trailed off with a shrug. "I know my way round a lot of the city, but I wouldn't say I know the whole city. It's pretty big, after all." @Atrice

Aulus peered at it and couldn't see anything amiss. "If you say so, columbina mea. I can't tell. And no - I've had my fill of inspecting men and gear, and even looking over the orchards and olive groves to see what might be amiss is a little close to being an inspection for my liking right now, though I daresay I'll go with Father on his next tour of the farm." He gave her jaw another kiss and obediently went to sit down, perfectly happy to sit in silence and watch his wife at her own work. It was not as though he had much to contribute to it in the way of suggestions or anything, but he liked her company and had a sneaking suspicion that she didn't mind his, either. She had blossomed since he'd first met her. She had always had a sharp, inquiring mind, but since their marriage, she had developed in other ways - not least of which was as the mother to two children, both of whom were growing into adults, drawing near the age when they would be running the Empire (or married to someone who would be running the Empire - under the Emperor, naturally). Aulus felt old suddenly - how was he father to a son so close to taking the toga virilis? It did not seem like yesterday since he ad done so himself! Though he was not in his dotage yet; he was about to enter the Curia as one of this year's Consuls, for whom the year would be named, and he had many healthy years ahead of him, if he followed his father in this as he had in his political career. @Sara

It had been too long since Aulus had been to his father's villa at Baiae - many years since he had left Italia as a Tribune and returned as a man and an experienced soldier and commander. His mother had retreated to her own room, and his daughter had barely left hers all day. His father had taken Titus out for an inspection of the fields and orchards and olive groves. They had invited Aulus to join them but he had declined the offer - he had carried out far too many inspections of his own over the last few years and while looking over the land was a pleasant prospect, he would rather spend today at his leisure, doing nothing at all that was reminiscent of military or civic duty. He had spent some time in the garden in a quiet conversation with Felix, before deciding to see what had changed in the house itself during his absence. His feet naturally led him to the part of the villa that was where his mother and wife and daughter spent most of their time, although the house was by no means divided into the andron and gynaikon as most Greek houses were. Despite that, Horatia was standing at her loom. The shuttle lay discarded to one side and she seemed to be frowning at the cloth, occasionally pushing hair out of her face. The plain stola was Horatia's preferred clothing when in private, and seeing his wife dressed thus always brought a smile to Aulus' face. It merely widened as she turned, obviously having heard his footsteps. He wondered for a moment if she had thought him an errant slave, though she smiled on seeing him. "Mock you? I wouldn't dream of it," Aulus said, crossing the room to clasp his arms briefly around his wife's waist and drop a kiss on the side of her neck. "But I find you are indeed Penelope for I see you have waited until you're alone to begin unweaving the days work." He peered at the cloth on the loom. "Or at least I think so, as uneducated as I am. As for thinking you might begin weaving every day, you have slave girls for that sort of thing, and if you don't, I'm sure we can find some in the market who might possibly live up to your exacting standards." @Sara

"I'm sorry, domine, I hadn't realised you wanted me to agree with every word you speak. I can do that if you so desire." It might kill him, though - anyway, Cassius Longinus was hardly the worst master and did allow Attis a great deal of leeway - more than most masters would. Attis knew he was pretty lucky, really, for a slave, and should stop pushing his luck. "I haven't seen her, domine. Shall I go and get you some breakfast?" he asked. He was pretty hungry himself, but that was unimportant, he was quite capable of raiding the kitchen for a chunk of bread and some wine if he needed to. @Sara

"Octavius Flavius Alexander is above such things as orgies," Rufus said loftily, and grinned. "Shame, really, but there we are. And I apologise for having a dirty mind - but I doubt I'm the only one." He couldn't help winking at Theo as he spoke. "I honestly don't think anyone talks with me with any hope of having a civilised conversation, I'm no Greek philosopher, you know. I suppose I could make an effort at it - anything to make you happy, Didia." He put the knife down and turned to kiss her on the cheek. Just how strong was that wine? It couldn't have been watered nearly enough - Theo was probably going to kill him. Ah well, it would have been worth it! @Sara @Chevi

"Hadn't thought about it, to be honest," Rufus replied, grinning at the pair of them. He'd never truly had a chance with Didia, but when she and Theo made such a cute couple, it wasn't hard to be pleased for her. "I suppose, oddly, knowing it's not just a week for me any more. I haven't really got any plans for how to spend the time this year." Mostly because anything he could do during Saturnalia, he could do at any other time, now. "What about you two? Have I interrupted anything in particular?" He was perfectly willing to disappear if it turned out that he had. @Sara @Chevi

Marcus frowned. Oh, the signs were clear enough, but he wished that the boy could explain why it was so vital that the doors be shut, especially when half the people who had business to do with the faction or on its behalf passed through these doors. He shrugged, doubtless it would become clear - and he hoped that the boy knew if Marcus had interrupted a meeting with a client and closed people out of the stableyard for no good reason, it would be taken out of the boy's skin with a good whipping. "Close the doors," he said to the nearest men, and saw a stablehand loitering. "You will come with us." Ahura Mazda! If he needed to send to the aediles, or to fetch anyone, he was not going to rely on a mute to relay a message. "All right, this had better be important," he told the boy, who seemed to be on the verge of tears, most uncharacteristically. @Chevi

"Feisty and beautiful could describe most Egyptian women, I think" Davus said, and shrugged. "But yes, that's the place. My mother was a courtesan there." Well, there could easily be more than one place of the name in Alexandria, but whether they were talking of the same place or not hardly mattered, not this far away from the city and after so many years. "So you're a sailor?" he asked. "You must have seen a great deal of the empire then - the port cities, at least." Including Corinthos, but Davus wasn't about to mention that name, it didn't really hold much in the way of good memories for him, after all. Davus' own view of the sea and the harbours had necessarily been limited, considering his position as cargo the few times he'd been in a ship. "I suppose you must have some interesting stories to tell," he added, thinking that he himself didn't really have anything of interest to bring to the conversation, but most people liked talking about themselves and if Davus could help the other man get over any lingering embarrassment by showing interest in his travels, it was a small enough gesture. And far more interesting than haggling over onions and garum. @Liv

Teutus didn't really want to surrender his nice cozy seat here, but there were other popinae in Rome. He shrugged. "I don't mind, where were you thinking of going?" Anywhere Tertius Quinctilius Varus wasn't, was more than fine with Teutus, who also didn't want to see Charis or her baby, though they were probably keeping Tertius company and talking about Teutus and how he'd just left. He hoped Tertius would remember Antonia too. He sighed and pushed his empty cup aside. If he couldn't drown his thoughts, maybe Alexius would be able to distract him from them. @Atrice

Attis stepped back. "Don't forget I spend my life chasing after Metella who was shipped over from Britannia." And has the red hair and sassy grin to prove it. Bloody Romans! Why did they have to make things so damn hard for everyone and their pet squirrel? "I'm only trying to help, I can't think of everything. Try offering a sacrifice to Venus? Artemis, or whatever her name is out here." Movement from within the house caught his eye. "Have you had breakfast yet, domine?" It really wouldn't surprise him if he hadn't, Longinus was not known among his slaves for his regular mealtimes, after all. @Sara