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Liv

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Posts posted by Liv

    An awkward call

    in Domus A. Calpurnius Praetextatus

    Posted

    The shock value Livia had been going for was there, much to her delight, and she broke out into peals of childish laughter whilst Horatia and the slave digested her words. The look on their faces had been priceless, but her sister's reaction had also let Livia know that despite her pretty words, there was a line Horatia would not cross, not even for family. And then she wondered why Livia was so little forthcoming with sharing news, she thought with shrewd bitterness. Ah well - should the day for such an act come, she knew where not to seek any comfort.

    When the laughter had subsided just enough for her to get in a few deep breaths in, Livia shook her head, looking amused. "Oh Horatia, you should have seen the look on your face!" She put down her cup and brought a hand up to her chest, still giggling at random intervals. "It was a joke. A joke," she emphasised, prolonging the word as if explaining a difficult concept to a child. "Do you really believe I would do something like that? After what I just said?" Her tone took on an edge of hurt, and she looked at Horatia with what was a good impression of pain shining in her eyes. "If I won't divorce him because of what that would do to everybody's reputation, what makes you think I would risk my life to end his? Do you really think me that stupid?"

    She picked up her cup again and downed it in one go, setting it down with a loud 'clunk'. "I grew old, that's what happened," Livia replied with finality. Old and miserable. And likely to remain that why for many years, save for a few moments of fleeting pleasure. Tracing the rim of the cup with her finger, she gave Horatia a morose glance before spotting Aglaea's familiar form entering the room, which made her break into a wobbly smile.

    "There you are! My sister tires of me, she does not appreciate my sense of humour!" She exclaimed in a plaintive tone, rising from her seat at the same time. The movement made her dizzy for a second, but soon enough the world had righted itself.

    @Echo @Sara

    • Haha 2

    An awkward call

    in Domus A. Calpurnius Praetextatus

    Posted

    Livia let out an indignant sound at her sister's prepotency, conveniently forgetting that Horatia was in her own home and she was but a guest steadily wearing out her welcome. Where did she get off policing her drink? Narrowing her eyes at Horatia, she let the servant fiddle with the wine, but gave a cheeky retort of her own as her cup was refilled with the watered-down drink. "Add more honey to your mistress's wine, it seems its bitterness is seeping into her." She voiced the command without breaking eye contact with her sister, leaving the slave in a pickle as to whether the order should be obeyed or not. But that was not Livia's problem, was it?

    She made a show of sipping at the wine, as demurely as a teenage girl, while inwardly seething over the perceived grievances Horatia had inflicted on her. If she hadn't been so nosy and insisted on speaking of things that were better left off alone, they wouldn't be sitting there sour-faced as if they had bitten down on each their lemon. Livia would not be the first to crack and break the uncomfortable silence; the gods knew she did plenty of that at home. So when her sister spoke, she hid a small victorious smile behind her raised cup and took another sip of what resembled purplish water rather than actual wine.

    How very like Horatia to extend the olive branch. She was right in that Livia did not quite know whether she believed her older sister or not, but filled with a desire to test that self-proclaimed loyalty, Livia quickly formulated a plan - one that might just see Horatia fall off her seat. "I appreciate it," she stated seriously, training her green eyes on Horatia's icy blue ones for a few seconds before looking down at her feet as if suddenly ashamed of something, and then glancing up again carefully.

    "And I may just take you up on that. Would you help me murder my husband?"

    @Sara

    • Like 1

    Confession Time

    in Back in Time

    Posted

    How right Aglaea was - yes, it could have gone much worse. Secundus could have become fixated on Aglaea's short moment of inattentiveness and punished her for it, rather than catching the thief as he seemed so keen to. "Let us thank the gods he was in a good mood today," Livia agreed with a quick nod, wondering to herself how long that rarity would last. But there were other things to do, namely hear her body slave's explanation.

    "You did well," she encouraged, cross for a split second that it had taken a stranger to nudge Aglaea's conscience into coming clean. She must have been more afraid of punishment than Livia realised - but by whom? A wave of malaise came over her and she laced her fingers together, dropping them on her lap. Could Aglaea be scared of her? Of what she might do? Or what if she just did not want to share the bits of her life that were truly private with Livia anymore? That was a distressing thought that Livia attempted to smother at once, shoving it deep into the recesses of her mind. Aglaea was speaking to her now, wasn't she? So she trusted her. They trusted each other. How could they not, after all they had been through together?

    With surprising effort she pulled herself back together and focused on the other woman's words. "I'm glad he was honest and helpful," Livia forced out with a weak smile. "I fear that your dominus may want to find him, to interrogate him..." It was hardly a matter for the courts, but she wouldn't put it past her husband to have the poor slave roughed up a bit. "Did he tell you who his master was?" If only they could speak to them first, tell them what had happened and how Rufus could still be of help, go the way of diplomacy rather than threatening words... provided they knew who to address first.

    @Echo

    • Like 1

    Showoff

    in RP threads

    Posted

    With Azarion's stomach growling like that, it was nice to know he would not object to Safinia's budding plan. They wouldn't be able to go all out on their snack since it was the faction's money after all, but neither hungry belly would rat out the other. She followed the scent trail and soon enough the two of them found themselves standing in front of a huge table that seemed to hold every spice known to man (or rather, to Safinia) in a multitude of containers. Maybe she would be able to buy everything they needed from this vendor, instead of having to hit up several... if the prices were reasonable, of course.

    A good-natured chuckle escaped her when Azarion sneezed and she gave him a small smirk of superiority. "What, didn't your people cook with spices?" If they were all hunters, maybe they didn't - but how anyone could and would live without garum was beyond what she could fathom.

    Her mission springing to mind again, Safinia pointed to the cumin and addressed the wrinkly merchant. "How much for a pound?" The old woman gave the pair an appraising look and replied in a strong Eastern accent, "Six denarii." Safinia nodded; it was a fair price, she knew that much. She asked about the bay leaves and those too fell within price expectations. The juniper, however... Was she really getting enough berries for that money? It didn't look like a lot.

    She turned to Azarion, entirely ignoring the fact that he might know as little as her. "What do you think? Is that a good amount for three dodrans?"

    @Chevi

    • Like 1
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