Liv

Artemon busied himself with looking grateful - which he was! - as Alexius paid, and happily picked up the bread to take back to the insula. It was fresh and fragrant and he could hardly wait to tear off a piece and dip it into the stew. "Two months isn't that bad. I thought it would take a lot longer since it's so far away." He chewed thoughtfully on his lower lip, causing the skin on his face to stretch and make his eyes look even wilder. "You know, in the winter it took about three weeks to sail from where I'm from to Alexandria, and that's still the same province." Finding good Egyptian beer wouldn't be too difficult; finding the money to purchase it, on the other hand, required more imagination. But Artemon was pretty sure that between him and Iophon, they would come up with something. Entertaining people was always fun as long as there was enough food and drink, and he found himself looking forward to it. "As of now I work for this man named Gallus moving stuff between warehouses. Before that I worked at the harbour in Ostia, and before that I was a sailor." Any old leather-skinned seafarer would say that once a sailor always a sailor, but Artemon thought differently since he wasn't actually doing anything boat-related for the time being. Now he was just a... warehouse worker? He shrugged, casting Alexius a dejected glance. "It's steady work, but the pay isn't great. So I'm always looking for new opportunities to make a little more on the side," he admitted with a sheepish smile. Hopefully the day when he would come upon the opportunity wasn't too far off. Come to think of it, Artemon didn't actually know what his neighbour did for a living. He had heard a comment here and a whisper there, but not all of it was equally believable. He felt brave enough to ask - after all, Alexius had been so nice and generous to him. "How about you, Alexius? Is it really true you get paid to protect ladies but also sleep with them?" @Atrice

It only felt fair to let Aglaea voice her dissatisfaction freely - or as freely as she could - given the gruesome things she had had to put up with; it was possibly the only chance at retribution the body slave would have for quite some time. It suited Livia just as well, allowing her to keep a cooler head rather than immediately bark back the insults on the tip of her tongue. To an outsider, or a nosy slave listening in, she would seem the slighted party, maintaining a modicum of propriety while her husband debased himself by flinging poison at her and her slave. "I knew nothing of this until today," she said at last, lips pursed and tone as flat as a swamp on a hot day. "I daresay it is you who has been conspiring against me, making use of my property in the most dreadful of ways behind my back." Of course Aglaea was far more than property, she was a friend, but if Livia stuck to the legal status she could hardly be accused of being simply an overemotional wife. It gave her pleasure to see Secundus pacing about aimlessly, and for a second the corner of her mouth quirked before she reigned it in again. Folding her arms over her chest, Livia gave him a look of profound disgust and leant back in her seat, briefly glancing at Aglaea with a terse nod. "You have obtained your desired result, Secundus. Since you have had ample time to think the situation through, do tell me. How did you envision the rest of this twisted fantasy of yours to play out?" @Járnviðr @Echo

Alexius was right. Of course half of Rome was out to steal from the other half, some through more underhanded means than others. Artemon couldn't blame them, or even the greedy landlord; he too wanted to make money! Preferably without having to work his whole life for it. He followed the woman's practised motions with an attentive gaze, satisfied with the size of the portion she was scooping up and not the least embarrassed by the sudden growl his stomach emitted. If anything it was a compliment! "Wow, Germania's really far away!" To be entirely fair, Artemon wasn't even sure he could point it out on a map. He just knew it was at the very edge of the empire, and it was said to be cold. "How long did it take you to travel there and back? Can you go by boat or by land only?" The sailor in him was far more interested how to get to the mysterious land in than Alexius' life story, barely registering his neighbour's words on freedom. The woman placed the full bowl in front of them and turned to quickly attend to another customer, which allowed Artemon to peer with curiosity into the bowl. The sauce was thick and fragrant, and begging to be eaten. It reminded Artemon of the stews back home, most of which went very well with beer. Too bad he and Iophon had run out, otherwise he could have gone upstairs and got some for them to have with the food. "I like wine too, but I prefer beer. It goes to my stomach rather than my head," he observed sagely, speaking from embarrassing experience. "We're out of beer now, but I'll make sure to restock for when you come to eat!" He would have to check with Iophon about the grub; they didn't have much in the way of cooking tools, but they were sure to come up with something. @Atrice

With a 'tsk' and an eye roll Titus dismissed the dig at his industriousness. "So you kill, pluck, carve and cook every chicken you eat? Please, like you don't have slaves to do that." What could she do anyway, besides looking cross all day every day, berating him and occasionally busying herself with her son? The silly woman probably didn't even know how to hunt or ride a horse. She knew how to ride other things, though, and the sudden diversion to his train of thought brought a salacious smirk to Titus' lips, which he wasted no time directing at Zia. "If you don't kill his entourage, beat him to a bloody pulp and force him to marry one of your women that's a pretty decent reception already in my book," Titus countered, unable to keep spite out of his voice as the smirk disappeared. 'Esteemed guest' his arse; prisoner was more like it. Yet as part of him raged on about his sorry treatment, another part was rational enough to pick out a not-so-insignificant detail and find fault with it. He turned it over in his head, staying quiet as he fixed his gaze on Zia but seeming to be looking far beyond her. It wouldn't be the first time he uncovered some inconsistency in her - or the old man's - plan. Eyes blinking back into focus, Titus stood up with a sigh and approached her. "Allow me to voice my concerns first," Titus began, feet coming to a halt just before another step would have had them touching. If she grew uncomfortable with the closeness it would just prove his point. "The way things are at this very moment, and assuming the publicanus doesn't have sand between his ears, he'll read the room and either think that I'm a deserter or that you lot are keeping me here against my will. The former is a death sentence for your dreams, the latter might just bring a decent legate sniffing round and achieve the same result." He pretended the words had no effect on him and spoke on. "You need to come up with a believable story. Something so simple and stupid he won't think to investigate further. Like, I don't know, the chief's daughter and the injured captive falling for each other as she tended to his wounds and he awaited his grim fate." Gods, it was so corny it took all of Titus' self-control not to laugh himself to tears, but boy meets girl was the oldest story in the world. He raised a hand and brushed a few stray strands of hair away from Zia's face in a gentle yet deliberate gesture - a mockery of genuine affection. "But that will hardly hold water if we sit there giving each other dirty looks the whole time, won't it?" He dropped his hand and took a step back, letting her digest what he had just said and waiting for the inevitable objections Zia was sure to throw at him. And in the meantime he would just have to try very hard not to ask himself why he was actively participating in their farce now... @Sara

As usual at that time of day, the street was bustling with people, and Artemon all but glued himself to Alexius' side so he wouldn't be swept away by the crowd - but even if he did, his companion's physique was easy enough to spot. The only problem would be going back to his side, short and scrawny as Artemon was. Maybe if he ate this grapey garum sauce often he would grow some more impressive muscles... Or maybe not. "I will! Tell you what, I will invite you to a meal next week!" After he'd somehow magicked into existence the money needed for rent, plus something extra for food. "I'll tell Iophon we have a guest so that he'll stay home too. Have you ever had Egyptian beer?" He licked his lips in an unwitting gesture, again finding his stomach very much in agreement. "It's a bit strong but it's really good. If we get drunk you can sleep over. Iophon has some great stories for when we're drinking." Artemon spoke with the enthusiasm of a child who had just made a new friend, already planning how epic the night of feasting would be provided his finances cooperated. He craned his neck to stare up at Alexius, confusion written all over his face. "The... opposite direction...?" Artemon thought hard, drawing on his meagre knowledge of wider geography. "Gallia?" He'd heard Gauls were big and ferocious, and while Alexius didn't look ferocious he was certainly big enough. "No, we only came last year", Artemon replied, taking in the delicious aroma coming from the food place. It was as promising as his kindly neighbour had suggested, and his stomach growled in anticipation. "Ummm..." He gave it a few seconds' pause to make a decision, and went with accepting Alexius' generous offer. If they stayed at the thermopolium they would eat more and drink more and his money pouch would grow lighter and lighter, so going back to escape temptation seemed like the sensible thing to do. Artemon felt proud of himself for reaching such a well thought out conclusion. "If you're really fine with it I wouldn't mind going to your house. It would be nice to compare it to mine and Iophon's," he commented with a hint of self-deprecation. "So we know if the landlord's overcharging us," Artemon added in a deadpan whisper, brow knitted. @Atrice

No, it wasn't the sort of thing that could be put off indefinitely, not least because it would become quite visible in the near future. Livia practised half a dozen small speeches in her head as Aglaea tended to her, but none felt right in the end, and she was once again left wordless at the day's turn of events. She should have paid more attention to her tutors, but rhetoric and oratory had seemed like the boys' domain at the time and far too boring for a girl anyway. Secundus' patience had run out - not that it abounded in the first place. At the sound of his voice the anger and indignation Livia had felt earlier seemed to morph into dread. How would he react to the news? What would he do? It was impossible to predict, and the lump on her throat that had been on its way to disappearing came back in full force. She fiddled with one of her rings and finally ventured out, coating her distaste for the man she had the misfortune of calling her husband in a veil of aloofness. "Such caustic words hurt me, Secundus. If I don't put in the effort you berate me for being lazy. When I do I am called selfish. Can I ever please you?" Her tone was coquettish, almost playful, but Livia meant every single word she spoke. There was just no pleasing the man. She took a seat opposite him, back straight as a rod as she carefully rearranged the folds of her clothes, and studied him intensely. Poor, poor Aglaea, forced to cater to his whims. The umbrage gave her a sudden burst of inner strength, and Livia cleared her throat. "Husband, is there something you would like to tell me? Something pertaining to Aglaea, for example?" @Echo @Járnviðr

Take your time Ejder, we'll be here when you come back

Hi Barclay, nice to meet you! I've got no classics background either but really enjoy writing here with like-minded people, hope you'll do too Feel free to ask if there's anything you'd like to know more about!

Artemon's eyes grew wide and round at Alexius' description of the dish, and he could feel his mouth watering at the same time. "That sounds really good," he agreed, nodding repeatedly in anticipation. "I haven't really checked out the places round here yet. I really should." Hopefully they would be on the cheap side. "Then I'll know where to take people out to eat." He would then make a good impression on them (hopefully), and then finally be together with the love of his life. As he followed Alexius down the stairs and on to the street, he briefly considered the wisdom the other man had imparted moments earlier. He was absolutely right about one thing: some women were indeed easier than others. For some reason, Artemon seemed to be hopelessly attracted to the latter, and he had had the worst luck both asking and guessing. Perhaps he should stick to men from now on; they were generally more forthcoming. "Yeah, we're twins. I know, I know, we don't look alike," Artemon interjected before Alexius had a chance to comment on their family resemblance or lack thereof. "I'm the oldest, but Iophon's the smart one. He's a storyteller." And earned a pittance, but he seemed happy enough doing it. "We've got six more siblings back in Egypt." He paused thoughtfully, then looked up at his neighbour with huge protuberant eyes. "Have you ever been to Egypt, Alexius?" @Atrice

It wasn't as though Livia enjoyed crying either! But she knew the words to come from a place of genuine worry, so she just gave a watery smile and attempt to regain control over her emotions,swallowing until the lump in her throat was of manageable dimensions and blinking until most of the wetness was gone. She let Aglaea take her hand in hers, moving it away from her hair, and chuckled in earnest at the little joke at the absent female slave's expense. It was true that Ursa was no ornatrix, never would be, and had yet to realise that the way she treated her own curly hair didn't apply to Livia's straighter and limper locks. "You would come back to find me bald," she quipped, mirth shining in her eyes for a second but fading back into helplessness and distress. Aglaea was right: they couldn't stay there forever, and however capricious Livia might have been on an ordinary day, the morning routine was practised enough that any great delays would arouse suspicion. She was also right in that Secundus would come to know in time... and a spark of defiance surged within Livia's chest. "Why not tell him now?" Take him by surprise and see him squirm his way out of the mess like the vermin he was. Then he would stop rubbing that stupid party in her face! Of course, another benefit of coming clean was that he would have no reason to force himself upon Aglaea any more, having got what he wanted. Likewise, that could also mean there would be no reason for him and Livia to share a bed on occasion, at least until the child was born and was proven to be the right gender. And that, in turn, meant Livia had to be extra careful in the months to come. She let out a tired sigh. There simply wasn't an easy way out of this nerve-racking situation. "It will get him off your back, I think, now that he's accomplished his sick goal," she reasoned somewhat belatedly, and stood up to move back into her own room. She selected a dark green stola, thinking the colour suit her mood well with her fits of jealousy and anger, and some jewellery to go with it. It felt so silly, to stand there as if it was any other day and nothing had changed... but it was all she could do at the moment. @Echo @Járnviðr

In a mechanical gesture Livia took the small square of fabric from Aglaea, only noticing how deeply-rooted habit was in both of them after she had dabbed at her eyes with it. How very absurd it all seemed, and yet the normalcy of the exchange made her tear up anew. What options did they have, then? Livia bit a nail, already aware of one of them. "There's always not letting it grow up at all," she suggested drily, but regretted the words the second they left her lips. If Aglaea felt anything like Livia had, the bond would already be there even if the child's existence could not be seen or felt yet. And she had felt so wretched both times, as ig she had failed at protecting the most precious thing in the world... In spite of Aglaea's share of blame in the whole mess, Livia did not think she deserved such harsh punishment. She dipped her head in embarrassment and apologised, avoiding eye contact. "Forgive me. That was a cruel thing to say, and I don't mean it." Except that for the instant it took for the thought to form and be spoken, she had - why should Aglaea be allowed a child when Livia had nothing to show for hers, not even a bulla or lunula as a keepsake? "Even if we say nothing now, he will know when you start to show." No matter how strongly Livia agreed that no child should be subjected to having Secundus for a father - and that she did was exactly why she had been taking silphium in the first place -, his role as paterfamilias gave him authority over all in the house, and the power to decide their fate. She tugged at her hair again with her free hand, wanting nothing more than to scream her frustrations out, but if she did Secundus might hear it and come in again. By Juno, how she hated the man! Another alternative came to mind, but it was not one Livia cared much for. "I could have you sent away... but to where? And under what pretences?" Not to mention that that would mean crude, curly-haired Ursa would attend to Livia for the whole of Aglaea's absence, and that was most unfortunate in and of itself. Perhaps Aglaea had thoughts of her own on the matter. "What do you suggest?" There was tiredness and resignation in Livia's voice, but she felt they must commit to a course of action before they left the chamber; the gods knew when their next opportunity to speak undisturbed would be. @Echo @Járnviðr

Hey @Mew! So I've been thinking about how my characters could possibly cross paths with Aulus. While I'm unfortunately drawing a blank for my lower-class people, my Livia could get in touch with him if she caught wind of what he does - not necessarily guess at the darker stuff, but if she comes to know that he buys/sells/trades information she would assume that he also has contacts who do others' dirty work for them, and that would be just what she needs. She wouldn't go straight to him with that, though, but would first test his skills and discretion with some other task(s). As for Titus, they might possibly move in the same circles at large but he's much more politically and militarily-oriented than Aulus, so I don't see a lot of commonalities there besides social class and age. On the other hand, he's got a wife he's very fond of and three healthy children, so he could simply be the guy Aulus loves to hate lol. His mother's family owned property in Pompeii that was lost in the eruption, but he was in Dacia at the time and thus not directly affected by it.

Had Aglaea really wanted to tell her, thought? Or had she just taken advantage of Livia's fragility to do as she pleased? No-- that was spite rearing its ugly head and there was no reason to doubt Aglaea's claims; she had always been steadfast until this moment... and what a moment it had become. Of course Aglaea was speaking the truth. She had to be, because the alternative was just too horrid for Livia to even consider. "You're right," she admitted quietly, releasing her grip on Aglaea and letting her arms drop to her sides. Her body slave knew her better than she knew herself. If the truth had come out in the first few months of her marriage, Livia might just have thrown herself from the Tarpeian rock and put an end to her shame and misery. The time that had elapsed since then did not make things any easier to stomach, however, and she wiped a stray tear with the back of her hand. She took a deep, sniffling breath and looked up at the ceiling, wondering if some amused deity was laughing at their predicament. What wicked amusement was this? Yet if a god or goddess was witnessing this sordid play, they might as well bear witness to something else, Livia thought bitterly as she cursed her father and her husband alike for putting them in this untenable situation! Feeling a little more in control of her reactions, Livia studied Aglaea with a stern glare. "You said he," she all but spat out the word, "wanted you to bear him a son. Did he ever mention what would happen to the child?" For all he criticised his brother, the bastard was no better. Declare it free and adopt it, possibly. Or somehow expect Livia to go along with this awful scheme and agree to pass it as their legitimate offspring. Good for Secundus that he was darker in complexion like Aglaea - it matched his rotten heart. @Echo @Járnviðr

Livia found herself holding her breath in anticipation of the furious outburst she was sure would follow the changing emotions flashing through her husband's face, but was taken aback when the explosion did not come, replaced by icy calm. Averted until later, she thought, though it did not make her feel any more calmer. In fact, his parting words made her own temper flare. "You needn't worry. Even if you disrespected me and our marriage by bringing a whore into this house under the guise of a party, I will not do the same to you by dressing like one, regardless of how many men may be watching." She glared daggers at his retreating back, wishing he would trip over something and hit his head. Now, to deal with more serious matters. She followed Aglaea to her chamber and sat on the bed as she was bid, all the while not letting her slave out of her sight. She would be merciful, Livia decided, and give Aglaea a chance to explain herself. When the other woman at last began talking, the gravity of the situation weighed more heavily on her shoulders with each passing second. She bit her lip to keep herself from interrupting, instead nodding tersely until the first revelation had her wide-eyed with surprise. "A... Christian?" Livia was not entirely sure what it meant; she had heard mentions of the sect in passing, describing a bunch of troublemakers involved in religious bickering in Judea. How had their influence spread to Rome, and what did it mean? With a pang of anger she thought to herself that she should have forbidden Aglaea from attending her ridiculous temple after all. But the effects of revealing that secret were nothing compared to what had come next. Livia sat there, stunned into silence, the sound of her heart thrumming in her ears and her eyes filling with tears as Aglaea's words echoed inside her head.'Take your place.' 'Bear him a son.' 'Didn't work.' 'Pregnant.' Without her even noticing, Livia's hands had tangled themselves in the mass of her light brown hair. She tore at it, standing up with a garbled wordless scream that caught in her throat. That... that... monster! Putting his filthy hands on her property, her slave, her friend like that! Livia paced around the chamber in a daze, eyes focusing on random targets for an instant before moving on to the next one but pointedly ignoring Aglaea's sitting form on the floor. What would she do now? They had to do something, naturally. She couldn't fake ignorance until Aglaea's belly grew like a melon, and neither could Secundus. Overwhelmed by her inner turmoil, Livia came to a halt in front of Aglaea and knelt down, the two sitting face to face for a few seconds... ... until Livia drew her hand back and slapped Aglaea hard across the cheek. "You foolish, foolish slave!" she hissed with gritted teeth, placing both hands on the body slave's shoulders and gripping tightly. "Why didn't you tell me right away?! I would have told you to buy enough for the two of us, you idiot!" And she would have confronted Secundus and demanded he stopped, and if he had refused she might have gone to her father to obtain a divorce. But now? Now it was hopeless. And Aglaea, having a baby while Livia remained barren? Even if she actively took action to prevent seed from taking hold in her womb? The irony was lost on her, distressed as she was. What should they do? Livia lowered her head, muttering darkly to herself. "He'll find out soon. It's not the kind of thing one can hide for long..." And what would Secundus do with the child? The same as his brother - free them with hopes of making it his heir? Preposterous. "I must tell Marcus..." Yes, this could change things for Marcus too, raise an obstacle to his plans... Maybe they should start looking for someone discreet and knowledgeable about poisons... But what about the child? Perhaps Aglaea should just get rid of it while there was still time... "What shall we do?" Livia asked, voice shaking. It was a question for herself, Aglaea and the gods. @Járnviðr @Echo

Artemon kept his ears open, nodding at what Alexius was saying. They made sense, but even something as easy as gift-giving had him more than a little confused. "Right, something they want but not necessarily need. But how am I supposed to know what she wants if she won't even talk to me?" Couple that with them only liking presents sometimes, as Alexius had said, and Artemon was at a loss. Plus, given the sorry state of his finances, he couldn't very well be spending money on gifts that would be so far off the mark that they were refused. It was all so baffling! He scratched his chin next. Again, his bulky neighbour had a point - they didn't know each other that well yet, despite the superficial familiarity that arose from living in that sort of dwelling. "I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm Egyptian? It's not as fancy as being from Asia or Macedonia, but someone's got to keep Romans fed," he grumbled, muttering something about the Nile and wheat in his native tongue afterwards for good measure. And speaking of fed, if Alexius was inviting him to get to know each other better over some grub, there was only one possible answer. "Well, if it's no bother to you I'd be happy to!" He beamed and picked up the amphora at his feet again, hoisting it over his shoulder with a careful grip on the handle. "I'll just run upstairs really quick to drop this off." And with those words Artemon trotted up the remaining flight of stairs, opened the door to the small flat he shared with his brother, set the amphora on the floor against the wall under the window, shut the door after himself and bolted down the stairs, almost tripping over his own foot. Fortunately Alexius hadn't run out of patience and left. Large eyes trained intently on the man, Artemon spoke up, his voice full of enthusiasm. "So where are we going?" @Atrice

He had done the right thing by coming to Alexius, Artemon concluded, even if it had been nothing more than a stroke of fortune that they should meet on the stairway. If he had had papyrus and ink, he would have started taking notes, but being in the possession of neither he would simply have to make the effort to remember Alexius' tips. "So... you should not sell things to women? I thought they liked presents," he countered, scratching his ear and completely oblivious to the fact that if you bought something for yourself then it was hardly a present. But his neighbour was popular, and so Artemon would do well to listen. If he managed to regain his focus, momentarily distracted as he had become by Alexius' smile. Very attractive, he thought to himself once more. Size?! Mother Isis, now he was truly done for. "Thank you, it's kind of you to say so... But I'll never get big. Or tall," Artemon shook his head morosely, sticking out his bottom lip in a childish pout. "And I'm not rich either." One day he would be, but that day was apparently a long ways away. "I just work at a warehouse... Do you think it's my job? It's not very glamorous, that's true." Maybe he should look for a new one. Again he gave his neighbour a keen look, wondering what facets of Alexius' demeanour he could try to imitate (because imitating his looks was very obviously off the table). "So what should I change? How do you think I should act?" @Atrice

As long as the three of them were in the room, there would be no getting at the truth. The hand on her shoulder made Livia's blood boil, and she bit the inside of her lip to keep herself from removing it; fortunately Secundus seemed to pick up on how unwelcome it was and quickly drew it back. She felt like screaming out in frustration, but had no choice but to steady herself and deescalate the matter. However hoodwinked she felt, Livia owed it to the years of loyal service Aglaea had given her not to throw the slave under the lectica, particularly not when the fallout could put her in dire straits too. "...An opal necklace." Said piece was at the jeweller's for polishing, but she very much doubted Secundus even knew what necklace she meant, let alone cared about its supposed whereabouts. Waving her hand in irritation, Livia repeated herself, this time putting a forceful intonation behind the words, "Like I said, nothing you need to concern yourself with." Gods, didn't her husband have some important paterfamilias business to attend to - like find an ignorant groom upon whom to foist his sister?! The acrimonious way in which Aglaea addressed him did not go unnoticed; clearly she was not pleased with his interruption either, and whatever ceremony or sense of servitude that had kept her from showing it in the past appeared to be gone. She tucked a curly lock behind her ear, using the gesture to assume a veneer of normalcy that had been missing for many months, and tried again to verbally shoo her husband away. Livia and Aglaea needed to speak alone, with no undesirable eyes and ears prying on them. "Secundus, please. I'm not presentable," she appealed, pointing at her nightclothes and loose uncombed hair. Whether her state actually made a difference to him or not was anybody's guess; he seemed as unenthusiastic to Livia when she was fully naked as when it was winter and she was wrapped up in wools and furs. "Won't you leave us for a moment so I can get ready, and then we can discuss this?" @Járnviðr @Echo

Even without raising his eyes from his work or waiting to hear her words, Titus knew well enough who had just entered his small quarters without so much as a knock or a greeting. Couldn't a man be left to his studies in peace? With a sigh he put the twig he had been writing with inside a small cup filled with blood (a poor chicken's or pig's, he didn't know and didn't care) that passed for ink and fleetingly regretted that the twig was not hollow like straw, so that he might blow into it and spray Zia with the dark-red liquid. Of course, if they had just given him a wax tablet and a stylus in the first place... but the former seemed unknown to them and the latter was deemed as 'too dangerous' - meaning too stabby. So he was reduced to drawing his letters in animal blood on a piece of wood, with a twig so fragile it would snap in two if he gripped it too hard, sitting hunched over the table like the most diligent of pupils and trying to give written form to the little Dacian he knew. The 'important task' was clearly not a repeat performance, going by her mood, but that was all right; he too had been in volatile moods lately, alternately vexed and ashamed of himself without quite being able to settle on one emotion or the other whilst at the same time doing his best to smother the recollection of how good it had felt. His own unresolved feelings were why he made no barbed allusion to their tryst, though he told himself he was saving it for later leverage. Titus propped his chin on his hand and listened with an air of supreme boredom as he faced Zia, quelling the urge to snort at her ridiculous attempt of blocking his view of her assets - as if she had any! No, he had long given up on those. "And a good day to you too, wife." Shit. Was the man coming already? He had been so busy trying to come to terms with the latest event that the letter from the publicanus had slipped his mind. "I'm not actually sure," he answered in a sincere tone before elaborating, still looking at Zia. "My brother's secretary took care of that for me in Rome, and between the provincial quaestors and the camp prefects doing their jobs I never had to concern myself with them." Forcing himself not to dwell on the fate of his camp prefect, Titus quickly went on. "But the way I see it you have two options. One: you treat him like an esteemed guest, try to get on his good books, maybe offer him a little extra under the table if he's the corruptible type and see if he can leave you alone for the next year or two after you've paid your dues." That was how much of any business tended to work, anyway. "Two: you let him know in no uncertain terms he's not welcome - send him back with a limb - or even his head - chopped off, pay no taxes and prepare for the consequences." It wouldn't be the first time an emissary suffered because of who they represented. "So which of those do you need my help with?" @Sara

As expected, Alexius knew of Lucilla. Better yet, he knew her! Confirming his name with a quick 'uh-huh', Artemon listened with bated breath, his neighbour's words adding to the image of the lady in question that had formed inside his head the first day he had seen her, shortly after having moved in. She hardly ever looked his way, the few times they came across each other on their way in and out of their rooms. Iophon was the handsome one, he was well aware of it, but being ignored made his heart ache. "I would like to be, but she doesn't see me," he admitted, hanging his head and dislodging the amphora just a bit in the process. "Last month I even offered her a discount - a big one! - on these medicinal oils I was selling, but she said she had no need for them." Artemon gazed at his feet dejectedly, feeling like the ugliest and most stupid person in the world. With a shrug that almost sent the amphora flying into Alexius's chest and a quick apology, he concluded to himself there was nothing he could do. Still, Alexius might have a tip or two he could share. Putting down the amphora to avoid any more near-misses and trapping it between his legs, Artemon studied his neighbour intently, eyes bulging as he did. Alexius was attractive. Some might even say very attractive, and Artemon would be inclined to agree. With his big sculpted frame and infectious smile and friendly manners... No wonder he had a new piece hanging from his arm almost every night - at least that's what Artemon had heard. Sighing plaintively, Artemon gesticulated at him. "You're hot, Alexius. I'm not. Of course she let you get close to her! By the great Sobek, anyone would let you get close to them! But what can I do? I'm just a poor boy from a poor family..." @Atrice

For a loser, Titus was feeling rather pleased with himself, since the winning side hadn't taken long to join him in basking in the afterglow. Zia seemed to retain a little more of her faculties too, being considerate enough not to just flop down atop him when Titus had entirely forgotten about that in the heat of the moment. "I'll win next time," he countered with a smug inflection of his brow, not even pausing to reflect on what he had just said. Two hours prior the prospect would have had him grimacing, but now he was looking forward to it - and amidst the brain fog brought on by the flower and an orgasm, the strangeness of their exchange did not register. Something about the way Zia said 'every day' had Titus recruiting an additional brain cell and turning his head to look at her in mild confusion. "You said... too much makes you sick?" Hadn't she? Or was he imagining things? "I think?" Well, they certainly could give it another try or ten soonish. If it was always this pleasant in all aspects, it would be madness to refuse. And if they ran out, they could just steal from the priests. The thought made him chortle heartily for a short while, until some saliva went down the wrong pipe and it devolved into a stupid and painful, yet mercifully short, fit of coughing. Whether it was the physical exertion catching up to him - even if he felt mostly fine at the moment, his body would change its tune in a few hours - or an effect of the flower he couldn't tell, but Zia's face grew fuzzier by the second and his eyelids heavier at an even faster rate. Before he gave in to the beckoning darkness Titus lazily lifted a hand and booped Zia on the nose in a final act of revenge, then dropped it and closed his eyes. Within seconds, Morpheus' familar embrace had enveloped him. @Sara

Artemon was feeling down for the umpteenth time that week. Things were not looking up at all. As he carried an amphora full of water up the stairs, balancing it easily over his shoulder, he ran the maths in his head once more. Numbers weren't his strong suit, but even a bad student like him knew that unless his luck changed - or Iophon's, for that matter -, keeping a roof over their heads would be no easy feat. His thoughts quickly strayed to the topic of alternate lodging and then to his attractive neighbour Lucilla. She was so pretty and had such nice skin... hard to believe she was a laundress, her hands were never swollen and wrinkly! She must clearly use quality products and be paid well for them, since she could afford a better place than him and Iophon. If only she would give him the time of day... Lost in his daydream, Artemon almost crashed into one of his neighbours that was going down the stairs, and after a few seconds of juggling and cursing the amphora was safely balanced between his shoulder and head again. "Sorry Alexius, I was very deep in thought," Artemon apologised to his downstairs neighbour. The man had always been friendly, so maybe he wouldn't be angry at the near-collision. Wait a minute. Alexius was just the right person to ask! He was often in good-looking company. Looking at Alexius with big hopeful eyes, Artemon put a hand on the bodyguard's arm to stop him. "Actually, you're just the person I needed to see. I want your opinion. And your help," he added in a low conspiratorial tone. "What do you think of Lucilla who lives upstairs?" @Atrice

Livia could do nothing else than watch in dismay as Aglaea's eyes became wet with tears and she sunk to the floor, too distressed to react in any other way. What was the meaning of this?! Was the look on her face so fearsome that even Aglaea, who knew every single one of her moods, fell to her knees in fright? Anger evaporated into doubt and insecurity and Livia let her arms fall to her sides, eyes trained on Aglaea's dark hair. As she opened her mouth to order her body slave to stand and explain things properly, Secundus entered the room with no ceremony or even a word of excuse. Already he seemed intent on infuriating her even further, with the offensive way he acknowledged Aglaea first and only then her. Livia gave him a frosty stare, communicating in no uncertain terms that his presence was a nuisance. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with. I discovered that something of mine has gone missing, and Aglaea seems to know why," she stated drily, still upset but unwilling to bring the subject out in the open in Secundus' presence. If he should discover she had been using silphium all this time, the consequences would be unimaginable. Directing her attention to Aglaea again, she continued in the same hard tone. "I am very disappointed. I didn't expect this from you, of all people." @Echo @Járnviðr

Going by Zia's reaction, she seemed to approve of Titus' ministrations, and he was happy to continue obliging, easing his fingers further in and curling them upwards just a little. Gods, the sounds she made had him choking out shallow breaths until she suddenly pushed him off of her, leaving him dazed and confused until their positions were reversed once again and Zia had free reign over his body, sending sweaty goosebumps everywhere she touched, tempting him endlessly. All the teasing seemed to make the reward that much sweeter, and Titus closed his eyes and savoured the hot, constricting feeling, unaware of the little smile directed at him. The sound of her voice made him focus divert his focus and he opened them reluctantly, gazing at Zia with a hint of impatience. "What does it look like?" he grunted in frustration, more than just a little bit annoyed that she wasn't moving. Why be on top if she was not putting in the work? Before she could delay it further, Titus decided to take matters into his own hands, grabbing her arse and lifting her hips just so, holding her still so Zia could feel for herself just how exasperating it was. Two could play this game... but Titus found he didn't particularly want to at that moment. Fuck, he wouldn't even mind if he came first - the most pleasant of defeats. Shutting out all pretences of rationality, he let her sink down onto him and rocked his hips up against her, wanting more, letting his hands travel freely over her flushed skin as he settled into a rhythm, lazy thrusts at first that soon gave way to more frantic ones. Putting a hand on the back of her head and pulling her down close to him, he gasped breathlessly against Zia's lips before catching them in a voracious, sloppy kiss, tongues swirling in a feverish dance for an instant before he pulled away. Titus slammed his hips harder and faster into her, panting and heaving erratically as the pressure mounted, inching closer to release until he felt his whole body tense and then relax, burying himself deep inside Zia with a low raspy moan. For a few seconds he lay there, catching his breath and riding out the ripples of ecstasy as he rested twitchy fingers on the small of her back, until at last he felt coherent enough to speak again. With a small smile that was equal parts wryness and bliss he met her eyes, a hint of lust still present in his as he moved one of his hands to just above where they were still joined, his cock growing limp inside her. His fingers felt boneless and uncoordinated, but it was his turn to be a tease, if Zia didn't find it too much stimulation and bat his hand away. "I lost." @Sara

Added Artemon and gifs

When her body slave did not react the way Livia had come to expect, a seed of doubt planted itself inside her head. It was unlike Aglaea to hesitate at such a simple request - one she had fulfilled many times before, even. Perhaps... could she be shielding the culprit? But before she had a chance to pose the question, Aglaea spoke. Surely she had misheard. She had to have. Livia could only stare back at Aglaea, jaw slack in shock as she processed the words. Two thoughts collided within her: 'so you have a lover after all!' and 'but why?' battling to be the first one out of her mouth, and before she spoke either she had the presence of mind to keep her voice low, although her heart seemed intent on beating its way out of her ribcage. "...Why?" Granted, Aglaea's allowance wasn't a lot, but if she couldn't afford the drug on her own, why not ask Livia about it? Because then she would have to admit her liaison and confess that she had not been telling Livia everything, like she was supposed to. Her lips disappeared into a thin line, and she gave Aglaea a look full of betrayal and disappointment as she folded her arms over her chest. "Why didn't you tell me?!" she hissed, eyes suddenly alight with emotion. @Járnviðr @Echo