Liv

Livia had changed a lot more in four years than Horatia would know, but she wasn't about to turn this reunion into a pity party barely seconds into it. Publius stayed diplomatically quiet, though he was observant enough to have noticed that the smile on her lips didn't reach her eyes. As if it would dispel any doubts her siblings might be having, she let out a measured giggle that had nothing spontaneous about it and let herself be taken to the triclinium, where she readily accepted a cup of wine from one of her brother's slaves and took a quick sip. Top quality, as expected.

"The gods know what that twin of mine is up to in Germania. It's certainly been keeping him busy, he hasn't replied to my letters in ages," Livia pouted in a plaintive tone, effortlessly falling back into the role of spoilt little sister. Family dynamics were practically immutable, and therefore safe. After another sip of wine, it was time she demonstrate some curiosity about her siblings' stints in foreign lands. Publius was the eldest and a man, so Livia picked him as her first target. So long as he and Horatia had stories to tell, they wouldn't steer the conversation towards her.

"How was Greece? Did you pray to Apollo at the temple in Delphi?" was followed by a quick nod to Horatia, lest there was danger of silence settling. "Do they know of Apollo where you were?"

@Sara @Echo

Livia forced herself to remain minimally focused as Secundus spoke; the temptation to shut down and disconnect from reality was great, but dangerous. She shielded her eyes with her palm, rubbing her forehead as if she had a headache, and sifted through her husband's plan. Miscarry? It did not make much sense to Livia, but in the grander scheme of things it was as sound a solution as any. "And I assume that as far as the world is concerned, Aglaea's baby will not survive, correct?" she ventured, still hiding part of her face and avoiding eye contact although her voice dripped with disdain.

What more was there to say? It was a dreadful little plan Secundus had concocted, and one he would see to completion unless the gods saw fit to intervene. Pregnancy and childbirth were not risk-free affairs, as she knew so well, and a lot could happen. Supposing the child did not make it after all...? Livia shuddered, willing the thought away. It was what her husband deserved, but Aglaea should never have to know such pain, even if her lack of forethought meant the two of them would be confined to the villa in Tibur for half a year. The notion made Livia want to throw herself into the stream that run through the property the moment they got there.

"I will leave it up to you to figure out a way to deal with my sister. After all, you have planned all this so thoroughly..." Even if she and Horatia weren't on the best of terms at that exact moment, Livia drew the line at actively aiding in the abhorrent deception. Would she be able to love the child as her own, if it arrived safely? She thought so, provided it did not look like the spitting image of its father.

@Járnviðr @Echo

October 75 CE

After a successful praying session to the ancient gods of his homeland, Artemon was feeling quite ready to honour another Egyptian custom of old - a nice mug of beer. Even though his deity of choice was Sobek, the crocodile god to whom he had not found a temple yet, he had faith that neither Isis nor Serapis would object too much to being second best.

The small tavern a couple of streets away was mostly frequented by countrymen of his and, as far as Artemon was concerned, had pretty decent beer for its price. He hummed an old tune all the way there and headed straight for the counter upon entering, where he parted with a bit of coin and was given a big cup with a generous amount of beer inside. He took a sip, sighed in delight and made his way outside again, intent on enjoying his drink under the autumn sun...

That was, until he walked into something quite solid and proceeded to spill half his beer over it. As he processed the event he first mourned the loss of his drink, and only a moment later did he realise he had unwittingly given a young man a beer bath. With a sheepish smile Artemon awkwardly and futilely tried to pat the man dry as he apologised in Egyptian. "I'm sorry brother, my mind was elsewhere."

@Sharpie

Truer words about horses had never been spoken, Safinia reckoned. Then again, Marcellus was being awfully diplomatic about the beasts, which, if she were to draw from her limited experience, had a good chance of meaning he was actually fond of the creatures but did not fancy an open conflict of opinions. Realising it was one of those situations where the polite thing to do was to agree to disagree, she nodded and chuckled along Marcellus' laugh, more for his sake than out of actual amusement.

He made a good point about the skills of the craftsmen; a cheap price was paid twice. "The roof falling on you is not a pleasant experience. I know." she commented sombrely, recalling the way the earth had shaken and made the building where she had lived collapse like a leaf blown by the wind. She had only just barely made it in the time to the lower floors before it crumbled entirely... but surely the stables were built of better and harder material than a dilapidated insula.

She fixed her gaze on Marcellus, studying him intently as he looked down at the apple. He seemed thoughtful, but Safinia couldn't quite tell why. His words weren't that enlightening either, not because of the content itself but because the sensation he was trying to explain was so unfamiliar to her. "So you... find it challenging? But not when she's into you? Isn't it better when both parts are in agreement?" Maybe better wasn't the right word - more like more adequate, or proper. 

@Echo

Was it possible for this loony idealist of a man to become even more aggravating? Yes, yes it was. Yet for someone who seemed to believe success was born of effort he looked tremendously unsuccessful himself. Taking his coin with a click of her tongue, Safinia rolled it in her hand, taking in its weight. It felt like an ordinary coin all right. "And why should I care what you believe? It's not like you look as though you practise what you preach," she grumbled, fiddling with her purse as she put the money inside it and took her sweet time fishing out the pyxis.

In the end she couldn't dally any longer and with an angry glare placed the tiny box in the man's outstretched hand. "There. Happy?"

@Atrice

That gives me a very good reason to poke Clio muse out of her coma! She's with Septima Minor now but I reckon she still has some freedom to go on errands, so they could meet somewhere in the city (maybe some spot that is popular with the Greek-speaking diaspora?).

Artemon is a chill lad who would love to reminisce about Egypt and Alexandria over a pint cup or five of beer and possibly try to sell Davus something while he's at it, so if Davus can put up with his underdeveloped?lazy? brain cells that's a go too!

If/when Davus needs his master for something, just let me know! I should be able to get a thread or two started by friday/saturday, but if inspiration strikes feel free to go ahead and make one!

@Sharpie

Titus successfully fought the urge to roll his eyes and instead gave Longinus a look full of pity. He had just turned thirty-six, by the gods' favour, so at least while he was still sober he should act like it. "You know, just because you can't stand to spend two minutes in your own company doesn't mean it's the same for everybody." He gestured at an empty seat and then at the servant to fill two cups, and almost immediately corrected himself to add a third one as the familiar figure of Aulus appeared in the dim lighting.

"Thank you, esteemed consul-to-be. This was just posca," he pointed at his forgotten cup with a dismissive wave, "didn't want to get started without you. My greatest consolation is that you're even older and more decrepit - I heard something somewhere about a death mask ?" Or he had read some scrawled graffiti about it, he couldn't quite remember.

Publius completed the quartet and again Titus signalled for another cup to be filled, and within seconds they all had a topped-up goblet of sweet, dry Falernian in front of each of them. And now that they were all in attendance, the good-natured ribbing could begin. Titus took a sip from his cup and aimed at his favourite target. "Is that the newest Greek fashion? You remind me of my body slave," he smirked briefly at Longinus before turning to the two others. "Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees it."

@Sara @Sharpie @Echo

Artemon followed Alexius into the flat, trying to sneak surreptitious looks around him without seeming too obvious and failing miserably at it. It was bigger than the one he shared with Iophon in the floor above, which made sense because Alexius was a big guy and thus needed the extra space, not to mention that he lived with his son who might just take after his father and also grow up to be big. It also wasn't as sparsely decorated as the twins' den, possibly because Alexius was better off despite his less stable job situation.

"Makes sense that he would. He's got to eat too, so he should earn his keep," Artemon opined, drawing from his own experience as a child in a big family. "Is he at work right now?" The flat seemed to be empty besides the two of them when he had looked around, but the boy could also have been sleeping - but if that were the case Alexius would probably wake him up to eat, and that hadn't happened. "What does he do? Is he in the same trade as you?"

He looked around once more, not quite comfortable enough to take a seat without being invited but feeling the tantalising weight of the bread he was carrying become harder to resist with each passing second. Any minute now and they would dig in, right? While he waited, and to take advantage of the fact that it was just them to, he could obtain more pearls of wisdom from his neighbour. "Um, sometimes it's hard to tell. With men it's easier, but women can fake it and you'd never even know about it. I can only be sure about myself," he admitted with a sheepish look. Perhaps he should take Alexius' offer to become more in tune with his partners - when he was lucky enough to have one. "How... how do you tell for sure?"

@Atrice

6th of October, 75 AD

Given the tragedy brought on by the earthquake only a few months earlier, Titus didn't quite feel right celebrating his birthday with huge festivities or partying from dusk to dawn - besides, this was no milestone year, just the passage of time signalling that he had officially grown older. The previous day - the actual day of - had been spent with family, featuring a relaxed and pleasurable evening with far too much food including Betua's mouthwateringly good placenta cake, and only a tiny hiccough when Valeriana loudly and vehemently expressed how unfair it was that she received no gifts, skilfully ignoring the fact that it wasn't her birthday for that to happen. 

Tonight's celebration was simple as well, though less child-friendly. Going out for drinks with friends was also very agreeable, even more so when they had a decent-sized chamber and an own dedicated servant all to themselves. Drinking alone was no fun, though, even when it was Falernian and Caecuban, and Titus busied himself with deciphering the multitude of humorous scrawls on the walls and snacking on bread and olives before the others arrived - his stomach would thank him later.

@Echo @Sara @Sharpie

Feel free to ignore posting order!

Praising the gods was all very fine and well, but when they were already sufficiently celebrated by the whole city during the day, was it really necessary to bring the festivities home with a party? Livia considered for a moment that such heathen thoughts might be exactly why the gods seemed to enjoy making her life miserable, to punish her for her lack of piety, but the thought was out of her head almost as quickly as it had butted in. With Secundus' insistence on the bloody party, her attention was entirely claimed by it, making sure the slaves knew their places and the tasks assigned to them and that the decorations were satisfactory before retiring to her room early to get ready. Donning the role of hostess was tiresome, but at least she had an excuse to wear one of her more colourful stolas - a bright lapis lazuli one with gold embroidery that seldom left the chest where it was kept ever since her first husband's death - and match it to complimenting jewellery.

A slave cleared her throat timidly as she stood by the doorway and told Livia the dominus had sent for her, staring at the floor as she waited. Livia finished applying perfume to her wrists, gave a small nod and stood up to follow the slave to Secundus' side. Knowing him, he probably wanted to make one last imperious comment about her garb or hairstyle and tell her to go change before their guests began arriving.

Unsure of how much hostility she would be met with, Livia chose a neutral topic as she looked about her and examined the decor. "The atrium looks very nice. I think the gods will be pleased."

@Járnviðr @Sara

Livia had been ambivalent about her sister's letter, and had taken more time to make up her mind than would have been expected, or even proper. While she did look forward to reuniting with her siblings in the flesh, the inevitable barrage of questions and judgemental small talk that were sure to follow made her quite apprehensive. In the end, it was as good as opportunity as any to get away from Tibur and her husband and would ensure she still stayed in the family's good books, so the pros outweighed the cons.

Publius' domus was much as she remembered it, and the slave at the door clearly remembered Livia too as she was shepherded inside. Fortunately there were no sounds of children to be heard, although she knew they were probably inside somewhere. She reached up to adjust a curly lock by her ear that was already exactly where it should be and plastered what she hoped was a convincing smile on her face; at least in the beginning she should seem happy to see her siblings again.

As she entered the atrium it was impossible to miss the two familiar figures just a few feet ahead, and Livia let out a small sigh of relief. She was only a little late, not enough to earn her a scolding from Horatia even before they kissed each others' cheeks. "Publius! Horatia!" she called out to them, quickening her pace.

@Sara @Echo

It seemed as though there was no hope of Secundus reconsidering his ghastly plan. Livia felt her heart sink; how could she make him realise it was untenable? And to be forced into motherhood in this manner... yes, she wanted children, but in some nebulous and obscure future where he wouldn't be the father. Not to mention the effect it could have on Aglaea, doomed to have her child raised alongside her but never able to tell them the truth about their parentage. If Aglaea eventually found herself in the same dark depths as Livia had, unable to shake off the grief, could Livia stand by her in the same way and repay the kindness? The only one for whom the situation seemed advantageous was the man who had got them in it in the first place.

"The arrival of a child has a tendency to make people put slights and arguments behind their backs and make peace," she argued back, feeling like she was grasping at straws but wanting to exhaust every single possibility before eventually admitting defeat. "Not that I expect you to know or understand this," Livia added under her breath, giving Secundus a look that was equal parts fury and disappointment. "And you must not forget that they all know Aglaea to be my body slave and would expect her to look after me in such a situation. What then, when she starts showing? Mistress and slave supposedly pregnant at the same time, yet only one child is born? I don't know why you think people so daft that they would not see through the ruse!"

Livia laced her fingers together to keep them from shaking visibly, breathing sharply through her nose. 'Come up with a plan together', he said - why did she have to?! Despair was starting to settle in the pit of her stomach again, and Livia felt suddenly very tired. If only she could go to sleep and wake up the next day to find out it had all been a terrible nightmare...

@Echo @Járnviðr

Horses were bloody fragile creatures despite their size, that's what they were. More coddled and pampered in these stables than any lapdog, which made sense given they were at the core of many a worker's livelihood, Safinia's included... But that didn't mean she had to like them. "You'd think even horses would learn to recognise the people that are around them all the time and not be spooked by them," she commented with a judgemental shake of her head. She reached into the basket, took out another apple and, after a cursory look to make sure it wasn't wormy or rotten, offered it to Marcellus. "You also need to perform at your best. When do you think we'll be up and running again?" The sooner that happened, the sooner they could get enough money to complete the repairs and have it all back to normal, in her black-and-white vision of things.

She blinked at him, eyes wide and not entirely grasping why Marcellus would keep on putting in the work when he could simply lean back and let himself be fawned over. "Um... why bother, though? As long as you're a charioteer there will always be someone interested in you. Even if you're old and nothing special. I mean, look at Bassus. Even he has his fans."

@Echo

"So you accuse me of being a career criminal just like that? Well isn't that nice of you," Safinia drawled, full of animosity towards the man. He deserved a good thwacking more than Azarion. She almost took back her acceptance of his deal because of his comment, but he was like a dog with a bone who just wouldn't let go. What was a promise to a stranger, anyway? Rome was a big city and with any luck she wouldn't see him again. 

What did youth have to do with anything? The gods took no pity on children, nor did they have mercy. "And what do you think a good life is? Have you taken a look at me?" she asked, voice louder with disbelief. If he thought Safinia was a charity case, he could just give her money, walk away and spare her the sanctimonious speeches. Glaring at him, she held out a hand; there was no chance she was giving him the pyxis without hard metal in her possession first. "You first."

@Atrice

Artemon's eyebrows shot up and his mouth made a perfect 'O' of surprise as he processed Alexius' revelation. How had he never sailed?! Yet possible reasons why came to his mind almost immediately: since Alexius had travelled to Germania and back by land, he hadn't needed to sail; perhaps his neighbour had never had anything to do with merchants; maybe he didn't know anybody who owned a boat or could get him onto one; or he couldn't swim and was afraid he would drown. "Well, if you ever want to, let me know and I'll take you on a short trip," he said in a cheery tone, carrying the bread as if it were precious cargo. "I'm not working at the harbour anymore but I've still got contacts there." He nodded to himself in comical self-importance, feeling quite proud of his connections.

It didn't seem as though Alexius had taken offence at his slightly-invasive question, so Artemon laughed alongside the other man, not in the least self-conscious about his nosiness. "I heard some of the neighbours gossip about it the other day," he offered as an explanation of sorts. So bodyguards were sometimes invited to other activities by their employers... Not really a bad deal. Jolted out of his thoughts by Alexius' sudden proximity, Artemon looked up and stared dimly (stupidly, some might say) at his neighbour, not fully processing his words until a couple of moments later. "That's a bold claim. But I believe you can pull it off, Alexius," he nodded again as they entered the insula and began climbing up the stairs. "How can you be sure everyone is satisfied, though? What if you get some rich old widow to look after?" Artemon didn't see the appeal in greying or balding partners of any gender, but maybe they held secrets only Alexius was privy to.

They reached the third floor and Artemon waited for Alexius to lead the way, eager to finally dig in. "If you need money now I can ask Gallus if he can give you work. You're big and strong, so he'll want to hire you for sure. Bit like I said earlier, the pay's not good," he cautioned with a shrug.

@Atrice

And there she went again, proving Titus right the instant she batted his hand away. The way things were they wouldn't manage to fool even Luto, let alone a grown man whose trade would have made him the observant type. Still, Titus drew a measure of gratification from having made Zia uncomfortable, and payback in the form of thorough scrutiny did not bother him: he returned it with a faint look of ennui, twice blinking lazily like a cat. A third, quicker blink followed the falsely bashful question and Titus chuckled in derision, filling the silence. "Don't flatter yourself. It's just that it's hard to be a good actor when your co-star isn't convincing anyone."

Why, indeed? Titus pretended to mull over the answer for a few seconds before shrugging. "I've been asking myself the same thing and the only satisfactory answer is boredom," he shot back just as humourlessly. He was bored to tears, yes, and there was also wanting to show these barbarian idiots that they were decades away of thinking like Romans, as their consistently flawed plans showed - yet voicing that would also allow them to gloat about the time they outsmarted him and its disastrous consequences, so he stayed quiet. Quiet, confused and annoyed.

So very annoyed, in fact, that he had no more patience for Zia's barbs. Turning his back on her, Titus went back to his seat and picked up the twig again, intent on resuming from where he had left off. "You've said your piece and I've said mine. Kindly fuck off and shut the door behind you, yes?" he grunted, pointedly avoiding eye contact and staring down at the piece of wood as though he was trying to set it on fire just by looking at it. He would take irritation over introspection; it was safer than trying to make heads or tails of the turmoil inside him.

@Sara

Livia's fingers twitched with the ache to make violent contact with Secundus' face and slap the audacity out of him, even as she flinched in her seat at the increased volume of his voice. No matter how often it happened, she didn't think she would ever get used to it for as long as she lived. "And do you think I don't wish to hold a child of my own?!" Her tone rose a octave and took on a hint of desperation as she leant forward, on the verge of standing up before something inside her told her to remain seated; she would not be taken any more seriously if she appeared to have lost control. Livia breathed heavily through her nose, sparing a look of solidarity at Aglaea who was now sat next to her, seemingly in total disbelief.

Preposterous. Did he really expect her to bow her head, murmur her acquiescence and go along with it without so much as batting an eye? And yet, as much as Livia wanted to rebel against it, what other choice did they really have? It was no secret that neither of her pregnancies had progressed as desired, so it would hardly be odd for her to be wary and reclusive with another one - and kept company by her trusted body slave, obviously. That insufferable husband of hers had planned well, she had to give it to him. But perhaps he could still be deterred by that ever-present ghostly threat: what others thought of him.

"And do you sincerely believe I would entertain no visitors during those months? My sister, my brothers, even my father, who all care for my well-being." Never mind that she and Horatia had had a falling out or that Publius and Lucius were likely not particularly interested in women's issues; Secundus did not need to know that. "Your sister, who might want to offer advice, probably bringing your niece along. Men may be easily fooled, but not women who are mothers." She narrowed her eyes, wishing for a second that arrows could shoot out of them and pierce him a thousand times. "They will ask questions, and they will want to touch and rub and feel the child kicking. What am I supposed to do then? Ask them to turn around, fetch Aglaea and swap our heads?"

Her chest heaved with frustration and she felt the lump in her throat again, as big as Sisyphus' boulder. Like it, it seemed insurmountable. Livia began to feel the first signs of tears threatening to make an appearance, but blinked repeatedly in an attempt at keeping them at bay. She couldn't possibly spend the best part of a year a prisoner in Tibur, away from all the little things that brought her a small measure of joy. Secundus was seldom reasonable and thus extremely hard to reason with, but he discounted her emotions while giving in to his. Such treacherous waters to navigate...

"People will start talking if they feel something's not right. And ultimately they will wonder why you seem so determined to keep your wife out of everybody's sight, even family, and start whispering amongst themselves." Jupiter be damned if Livia's reputation was also dragged through the mud because of this 'plot'; it wouldn't be the first time, nor the last, that Secundus insisted that she keep him company in his misery.

@Echo @Járnviðr

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

Even people from beyond the borders of the empire employed spices, it seemed. Safinia began to wonder which ones, but was spared having to call on her imagination by Azarion's finger pointing out a number of them - more than she had expected, in truth. Still, he was not knowledgeable enough to actually be of use to her beyond scowling and making a show of examining one of the juniper berries as if he were some plant expert.

She rolled her eyes but said nothing, taking his reaction as agreement with her own opinion. Time to haggle again then, and haggle she did until the merchant finally acquiesces to throw in another fistful of berries lest Safinia take her entire business elsewhere. Now would have been a good time for Azarion to look all threatening with that silly bow, she thought fleetingly, but overall it was a good thing they'd got out of that mess unscathed.

With all the items on the cook's list safely acquired at last, Safinia handed the spices over to Azarion for him to carry and turned round, beginning to make her way back to the market's main thoroughfare. "I think we worked hard and deserve a reward. Don't you?" Not waiting for Azarion to reply, she kept walking. "So what do you want to eat? Mind we've only got a little left," she cautioned, showing him the few coins she had yet to put back inside the purse after paying the spice merchant.

@Chevi

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

Archived topic.

Thank you.