Sara

She saw the smile slip from his face and the sight was mirrored on her own as she grimaced. His eyes filtered down to their hands and she withdrew hers back to her lap. Stupid girl, she chided herself. Useless. She couldn't even bag a man sat in front of her, offered all the delights of the Elysium. Worked with her dominus. Useless! She tried to smother her grimace with a big faux smile but it fell flat in her eyes at his words. "No!" She spluttered before she could stop herself, at his offer...order (?) to take her back to the Elysium. He kept speaking and she grimaced again, a flush coming to colour her cheeks. "I...I mean...I think I shouldn't go back yet." She sipped a minuscule amount of her drink, trying to draw out what she had left. She gave the man in front of her a wary look, biting her lip as she did so as she tried to figure out what to say. "Dominus...sent us out here to fish for new clients. The others have their own so they left I...think he'd be disappointed if I came back with nobody." She sighed and glanced around the room before adding; "This is one of the nicer places...there are others we can try." With rougher clientele who might be more amenable to her. "But you don't have to come, I don't wish to to disturb your evening more than I already have..." TAG: @Faustus

She laughed, relaxing back into her seat and tucking her legs up under herself as she kicked off her indoor sandals. It was nice to see him relax - Teutus, for as much as she considered him a friend - had always been so...formal, reserved...business-like. Seeing him amused warmed her. "I quite agree. Those sorts of girls drive me mad, I told one of them I was going to the Library of Palatine Apollo and she just blinked at me and asked why I wasn't visiting Juno's Temple instead." She rolled her eyes and sat back, fingers drumming against her windup, "As if it didn't occur to her that I could have two complimentary interests and do both." She huffed and shrugged. Idiots. "Although," She cautioned, "I would rather be shackled to a pretty mousy girl than a viper. There are plenty of those around too...do you have anybody in mind?" She stilled though, managing to swallow down her sip of wine at his question. Lucius. Lucius, who I've done...obscene things with, admitted my love to. Lucius. "I'm not sure." She managed to school her features back into a smirk. "It's ultimately not my decision," She leant in, speaking in a conspiratorial whisper, "Even if they claim it is." With a huff she sat back against her chair and considered his question. If it couldn't be Lucius, and the thought alone cleaved her heart in two, then... "Somebody who...treats me with respect. Allows me my interests, hobbies. Who asks for my opinions and takes them when I offer them unprompted." Her lips twitched a little, "Somebody with ambition, who doesn't just want to sit and get fat in the Senate. And passably handsome so I have pretty babies, would be a plus." She chuckled and then grimaced, "Is that too much to ask for, do you think? TAG: @Sharpie

Longinus was in an excellent mood. His usual energy had been transformed into something bordering on ridiculous. For a man that had abandoned his own almost-newborn for a posting in Britannia, he nonetheless adored kids. Loved them. Even when they woke him up as the little bundle being shuffled towards him had done. He had a smile that stretched from ear to ear on his face but the look in his eyes softened as he beheld Metella. He knew the birth had been challenging and he'd felt wrung out throughout it. Metella and Attis were more than the furniture that many thought their slaves were. Far, far more to Longinus. "There they are..." He grinned and placed a steadying hand on Cassia's shoulder to keep her from running to see the little one. From what he could see from his distance a few paces away, the little one was adorable, pink and...tiny. Had his own daughter ever been that small? "You alright?" He glanced at Metella, his voice low for her and then at Attis with wariness. She still looked pale, and he'd seen friends' wives succumb to fevers weeks after their births. But then the baby was placed on the floor at his feet. He rolled his eyes at the rest of the assembled slaves, "Better get the poor woman a stool!" and he glanced down at the small bundle - all pink face, fussing noises and a perfect mix of her parents. Cassia squealed; "So cute!" Longinus was inclined to agree. He knew he shouldn't. He really, really shouldn't. But he couldn't help himself and with a grin, he bent down to scoop the little bundle up to him, grinning as she fussed against his broad chest. There was a ripple of utter confusion amongst his assembled slaves. "Cassia..." He smiled down at her...and then frowned and glanced at Attis and Metella, "Did you have a name picked out otherwise she's going to be Cassia Aes* given how big her lungs are at night...or Cassia Metella, which might get confusing." TAG: @Sharpie @Chevi *Noisy

She felt her chest sink at his words but strove not to show it on her face. She knew full well that would be what he'd say, and she hadn't spoken up with any sort of agenda, she didn't have that's sort of guile. She'd long given up any pretence of hope. She was suited to that - mindlessly drifting through an existence - to hope was naive, even if she'd rather not spread her legs for her work, it was silly to think at her age she'd be good for anything else to Armenius. "Yes domine, I understand." She said, her voice carefully neutral and smoothed a few strands of hair back behind her ear. And then he asked her for food and she nodded, a smile floating back onto her lips and any shadows dissipating. She pushed herself up from the floor, backing away; "Of course, domine, I will be right back." She hurried out to the kitchens. Most of the slaves kept to themselves and so, hands planted on her hips, she surveyed what she could get for him. in the end she settled on a clay plate with some thick slices of bread, a little dish of olive oil, some meats and some cheeses. Plain food and if nothing else, he could eat the bread. She moved back to the room, holding the platter out to him as she moved to kneel again in front of him. "Would...you like me to stay again tonight domine? Or return to the brothel?" TAG: @Atrice

"Thank you." She gave him a genuinely pleased smile. She thought it was just good business sense, to have a stash of various gifts she could pass on to dull suitors. Of course, it was far more typical for a man to give gifts to a woman than the reverse but Ovinia liked to surprise those who came calling. Besides, trinkets and trophy some far away land might soften the blow of an eventual rejection. She smiled in understanding at Teutus, nodding as her fingers flirted over the thick silver of her lunula pendant, resting against her breastbone. "And what sort of woman are you looking for, Teutus? Who might be suitable?" She asked as she sipped her wine before smirking and dropping her fingers from her pendant. "And if you say nice and pleasant and quiet and with hips for childbearing, I shall be sorely disappointed." She rolled her eyes, amused at the thought that was all her sex was good for. TAG: @Sharpie

She exhaled, deeply relieved and fell back to the grass from where she'd propped herself up, staring back up at the clouds drifting past as she listened to him. It was much the same as in her own culture; boys will be boys, and don't need to be mothered! her father had often chided her own mother over her brothers. She smiled to herself fondly at the memory. This many years later, those thoughts brought a smile to her lips more often than they brought tears to her eyes. But the tone of his voice, his sigh, had her big blue eyes flicking back to his face. She moved a hand to rest, splaying over his shoulder. "He won't. I won't allow it." She chuckled but gave Tertius a wary, appraising look. "It still bothers you?" She asked tentatively. "I've heard nothing from him since, and I put him in his place...there will always be childish, bratty little idiots like him." TAG: @Atrice

So I was lucky enough to visit Pompeii when I was in Naples last summer on holiday. I thought I'd post up a few photos as none of my irl friends had that much interest...! I don't think the photos really do justice to just how enormous the site is, nor how well excavated and preserved it is. Enjoy!

Hi all, I was recently fortunate enough to visit Villa Ventorum at 'The Newt in Somerset', and thought I'd write a short blog post about the experience! Background The Newt in Somerset is a country manor and grounds which have been turned into a boujie destination for city folk (like me!) just outside of Bruton, Somerset. It used to be called 'Hadspen House'. A real life Roman Villa was discovered on the site back in the early 20th century. Archeologists found that the site had been constructed at some point in the early 1st century AD, and abandoned at some point in the 5th. It was a large complex with numerous outbuildings, a bathouse in the villa proper and although they aren't sure who lived there, they had found a small broach that indicated it was somebody belonging to the local council. The majority of the site was covered back over for preservation (besides the bath's footprint - more on that in a mo!). Step in, the new owners of Hadspen House. Lovers of history that the are, they decided to reconstruct the villa in its entirety, using only ancient building techniques. It is fully functional - even with a working hypocaust! The reconstructed villa is exactly the same layout as the actual, ancient villa and as part of the 'experience' you are taken through a fully immersive museum (where you have GPS guided headsets that start at certain artefacts, an audio tour of the villa, again GPS guided by the 'housekeeper', a VR experience and you can even try Roman food as well (I didn't sample the garum...but I did have the savillum and it was delicious!). Below are annotated photos from me from the site. I have tried to label them as the rooms themselves had been labelled. Hopefully you find this a helpful visual aid! I apologise as well, for flash photos - I have an annoying crack in my camera lens! Villa exterior and gardens Vestibulum As described, where the Secretary of the house would greet visitors and either send them round the back to the working parts of the villa, or through to the atrium. Atrium Complete with Lares and a wall painting of the domina! Receiving room (NB - this room wasn't labelled on the tour but given its double height, and as part of the VR experience you see the dominus meet with a legate, we can assume it's a receiving room) Final picture is the furniture upstairs looking down. Tablinum (NB - this wasn't labelled as such - they described it as a room for the children to learn, but it looks like a tablinum to me!) Cubicula First three photos are the domina's room (including cosmetics!), the fourth is the 'tutor's' room and the fifth belongs to the housekeeper - her mattress was being cleaned! Baths Penultimate photo is the cold pool, the last is of the warm pool! Triclinium

She listened to Tertius, keeping her expression carefully neutral until he revealed what was on his mind and her look softened. A tutor. For their son. She smiled gently and relaxed back down into the grass. "It is still funny to me...how different things are here." She mused aloud as she stared above at the clouds drifting pass, occasionally casting shadows over her face, "When I was a girl nobody had tutors. Not the men, certainly not the women...but I can see the value of it. If I had been able to read or write or do mathematics I would have found life much easier." She chuckled. Even silly things, like jotting down orders for the forge or working out the equivalent value of things would have made her life a lot less stressful than it was. The memories of her girlhood made a sigh break from her lips. She so rarely thought of it these days. She tilted her head to look at him, her expression becoming more curious. "And what do you think counts as spoiling him?" Their son would be two years old in just a couple of months, which still baffled her. He still felt like the same tiny thing in her arms but instead he was walking and talking in small phrases (his favourite recently being 'Mama, go!'). "I know Romans have different ideals for their women and their sons...you...are not asking me to spend less time with him...are you?" She felt her chest ache at the thought. Peregrinus was her everything. He made this worth it, all of it. TAG: @Atrice

She arched a brow, saving that little piece of information away for later. Did he mean to infer that he was training the young men up to take over...soon? She knew he enjoyed his job. Was good at it, respected for it. The idea that he might one day step away from it surprised her. Of course, she didn't understand that such positions were elected and so he might not have a choice in stepping away in the end. Still, she merely gave him a small smile in response to his own to her and shrugged her shoulder with a sigh, turning her eyes back up to the clouds drifting past overhead. "It's been fine. Peregrinus and I played for some time, and then I was feeling the need to do something productive whilst he napped so...here I am." she chuckled, "I told the gardener to find something else to do for the afternoon. But no, no parties. And the slaves all seemed content. I put in a new order at a different fruit and vegetable merchant but that is about as interesting as my day has been." She gave him a small smile again. Running the house wasn't hard, but it was dull. And odd. It didn't sit right to her that she should now boss her old colleagues around. She moved her hand to his arm gently. "Is something on your mind, husband?" TAG: @Atrice

She chuckled and nodded. She had all the time in the world, and nothing to fill it with. If he wanted to take some of it for himself, who was she to say no? And despite herself, she flushed a little at the compliment. She did look better than when she'd first arrived, that was for sure. She had some more colour about her now, her small curves had filled out pleasingly and she had new strength. She nodded as he asked if he could join her and shuffled up to give him space before lying back to stare at the sky - the clouds drifting past. "How has your day been?" She murmured and tilted her head to the side to study him. "You've seemed so busy recently. You should take some more time for yourself." Because despite his many, many flaws, Tertius did work hard. She understood precious little of what a Praetor did, but he seemed constantly enthralled in paperwork, in business of some description. TAG: @Atrice

She chuckled. Perfumes, spices, glassware...it all sounded beautiful. And very much in her interests. Still, he had the foresight to ask for anything else she might enjoy. She sighed, curling her legs under herself and considered the question. Her family had wealth even beyond her comprehension - anything she might want was, within reason, available to her. Within reason. The thought made a small, secretive smile cross her lips. "Oddities. Things that nobody else has." She finally retorted. "And perhaps something a gentleman might enjoy-" She pre-emptively held up a finger to silence questions, "Not that I have any one in mind in particular," She did, "But it doesn't hurt to plan for a day when an engagement might be forthcoming." Or a secret liaison in an abandoned domus. "So anything you see that might be intriguing for a patrician man that has everything, as I do, would be good." Sipping her wine, she tilted her head to study him. "Are you subject to the tax yet?" Which was a very Ovinia way of asking if he was courting anybody. "I turned twenty last week so alas, you are in good company if you are." TAG: @Sharpie

Ovinia's brow quirked but all she said, lightly was; "Ah yes, I've heard of your fathers wife." oh how the rumour mill had swirled at that. A praetor in concubinatus with his freedwoman. A Briton at that! Her father had scoffed himself red in the face and she rather wondered whether it was because he had...different ambitions for the man. She thought his freedman son ill-suited but a handsome middle aged Praetor, a colleague, with no real heir (as he'd put it)...but either way it had obviously come to nought given well...said little Briton. She gave Teutus a polite smile though as he said friends from the insula. She was probably, perhaps, more intimately acquainted with them than even he was. Alexius, certainly, but also the red-head interprex and her lover. "I will insist I attend...or...try my best." She settled on. As he countered her invitation she smiled and nodded broadly. A chance to get out of the domus as she felt the walls starting to close in closer and closer as a marriage became more and more of a reality would be welcome. Besides, it gave her an excuse for...other pursuits. She could claim she spent hours at his warehouse, after all. She cleared the thought from her mind. That was not just why she wanted his friendship. "I would like that. Shall we say the ides, I'll come and visit?" TAG: @Sharpie

She chuckled, tucking her silky dark hair - so dark it was almost black - behind her ear. "I don't think age is a concern when it comes to their eligibility." She wrinkled her nose with a shrug. "I mean I think but do not know the criteria is...patrician, a stellar career up the cursus thus far either in the political or military sphere, a strong familial reputation and a good upward trajectory...I'm not sure there is a...limit. In age, I mean." She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I imagine he would rather I give said man an heir, so ideally he wouldn't have children already but..." She shrugged again and sighed, tossing her hair back over her shoulder, "I don't think that's a dealbreaker, especially with how few men actually fit the critical criteria." She chuckled although very little mirth actually met her eyes. She didn't want any man that did fit those criteria. The man she wanted fitted precisely none of them. But she was grateful as Teutus deftly steered the conversation onto lighter topics and she smiled, delighted, nodding. "Right of first refusal will suit me perfectly, thank you. You are welcome here fortnightly, perhaps? Or I could come to your warehouse?" It would warm her - to have a standing appointment with somebody she considered a friend, or the beginning of one anyway. And she listened with patience as he continued, answering her question although in no great depth - as if he was reticent to reveal much of himself. She wondered if that was a by-product of his upbringing, as if he felt like he couldn't or shouldn't talk of himself, even to somebody who was interested. Her brows rose at his offer though. "I...would like that." Her smile softened, becoming more genuine. "Although...it would depend on who else you invite, as to whether I'll be...allowed to attend. But I should like to meet your mother, I think." TAG: @Sharpie

She nodded, repeating the words; "The Gardens of Sallust..." She nodded. They sounded familiar, maybe one o the clients or the other girls had talked about them. "And what would I do? Just...sit and look at the beauty?" She grinned. She liked to be useful. Helpful. Busy. She wasn't sure that idleness would suit her but she'd try. "And I have a plain tunica," she reached, stretching under her bed to fish out the neatly folded worn garment. Cheap. Tatty. But plain at least. She chuckled as she held it over herself. "Do I look respectable Tiranes?" No, was the obvious answer, given what they'd just done. But he heard the footsteps as she did and he fumbled to dress himself as Ione curled under the blanket on the thin bed. Her eyes widened as he held out a coin, her lips parting a little in surprise. "I...I couldn't..." Tiranes was a slave just like her. Owned nothing, not even his body. With a soft sigh she folded her thin fingers over his and closed his around the coin. "Keep it. Save it for next time." She smiled softly and then, unceremoniously, the curtain separating her cell from the corridor was yanked open and a sneering guard stood there watching the two of them. "Out. Now." He jerked his thumb at Jason. "You've had your fill. Or Ione has at least." He snorted in amusement. TAG: @Sharpie

She matched his amused huff with a small smile of her own, nodding. She knew he had been in pain, unwell and hated it but Ione had seen worse. Had endured worse herself - particularly those first few months in the brothel when Titus' cruelty knew no bounds and her stomach had practically devoured itself out of hunger. But his words made her glance up, lips parting a little in surprise. She hadn't said the words out of any attempt to manipulate him, or change her situation. Not consciously anyway - Ione didn't have that sort of guile. But she felt her heart flutter that he was even vaguely considering it. She blinked at him and swallowed a lump in her throat, her voice hoarse. "I...I would not ask you to remove me...I mean..." She grimaced, trying to find the words. "I...I would prefer it but I know it's not my...right to...ask, domine." She was young. So young. She had decades left to spread her legs if she lasted that long. "But maybe one day...I would like to go back into service in a house..." Again, if she lasted that long. She didn't dare dream of freedom. TAG: @Atrice

Charis was slowly adjusting to life as a freedwoman. In an odd way she missed the chores and the hard work of life as a slave. Charis had always liked being busy, had always needed to be doing something. Contributing something. These days that largely involved caring for her son or occasionally helping Tertius with his paperwork but it was not enough for her. So she was presently led on a blanket in the garden, the sun warming her pale skin, her gardening implements abandoned next to her as she watched the clouds drifting by. There was a scroll abandoned next to the tools, but she was in no mood to read, nor practice her penmanship. She just let her mind drift, enjoying the ache in her muscles from a morning of hard work. She'd dismissed the slave that replaced her in the garden and had did it herself. But a voice called her out of her aimless musing and she pushed herself up on her forearms to watch her husband as he strolled into the greenery. "Not at all." She chuckled with a deep sigh, a soft smile on her lips. "Peregrinus is napping, I'm finished -" She gestured her head to her tools and the basket of fresh clippings from her pruning, "And have nothing else to do today." She chuckled. She wondered briefly if he knew whether it bothered her that she was so...bored, or if he didn't notice at all. Probably the latter, she imagined, given he himself was so busy. "You're alright?" She asked, tilting her head as she watched him from her lounged position on the blanket - legs crossed at her ankles. TAG: @Atrice

He was sipping it and...not immediately retching or running to the latrine. That was good. Very good. And she allowed herself to smile. But for now his question stilled her. She had been so bold - at least to herself - to even tell him she enjoyed this work (or enjoyed it more than the work she usually did). She bit her lip and cleared her throat, trying to summon her words into order. "I...like looking after people." she offered with a little shrug of her shoulders, "And taking care of a house and...working in one. I looked after my house, back before..." She was in chains, "And...when I first was a slave I was a house slave in the house of a merchant." She sighed lightly at the memory. "I...I am not complaining about my current work, I'm not, I...I just enjoyed this so...thank you. For not making me leave, domine." TAG: @Atrice

She blinked and then a small frown fell onto her features. He wouldn't tell her what he'd do to Marcus that...unnerved her. She swallowed. She knew better by now than to cross Tertius when he had his mind set on something but it still sat uncomfortably on her shoulders. "But...you'll tell me if you need my help?" She offered as a compromise. She wanted to know, but she wasn't going to ask directly. But he continued on the conversation and she saw the heavy sigh. "Bl...blame you?" She frowned, confused and then she let out a little genuine laugh, shaking her head. "Tertius..." She soothed and then pushed herself up to move up next to him in the litter. She heard the bearers groan even at her slight weight as she shifted. "I would rather be your wife, be a family with our son and be gossiped about every time I leave the domus than live as a slave...you know that. I wanted to be a family." She raised his hand and kissed his knuckles. "Fuck them." She said with a small, devilish glint in her eyes. TAG: @Atrice

Charis met his hard gaze at his words; I won't stand it. Good, a small part of her thought and she was horrified by the vitriol in that part of her body. Clearly she had been in Rome, surrounded by ambitious men for far too long. She breathed and nodded at him, gripping his fingers with her smaller ones. "What will you do?" She asked him, making no move to dissuade him from retaliating. It would serve Marcus right if he was looked over for promotion or shunned by his peers for a few weeks. She sighed and squeezed his fingers again. "I hope this hasn't ruined your evening." She gave him a weak smile and a little chuckle. "The party was beautiful besides that...incident." TAG: @Atrice

Her eyes widened. Her father was a Proconsul? Charis knew more now about how their society was structured, who was important and who was not. Proconsul was the very highest one could go. She exhaled and shook her head. No wonder Marcus was as arrogant as he was. Stupid, foolish boy. But her eyes flicked back to Tertius at his words - the tone of his voice, full of anxiety. Her brows rose and she shook her head quickly. "No." She reached a hand out, stretching to hold his firmly. "He didn't touch me." Granted, he'd evidently wanted to but she wasn't going to tell Tertius that. "And...and I think he said it because he felt like he could...because he felt like I couldn't do anything in response." Her lips quirked a little. "He looked horrified when I told him how powerful my husband was." TAG: @Atrice

She swallowed the lump in her throat - guilt - that she knew she shouldn't feel. Marcus deserved it and the consequences, she was confident, would be minor. Maybe he'd be shunned from gatherings that Tertius had influence over for a few weeks, maybe he'd be looked over for a promotion at first but that was fine. He needed to learn the lesson, she reassured herself and then at Tertius' bidding she nodded and moved to leave the party, waiting by the litter. The air felt colder out here and she felt, perhaps, more alone than ever. And then she saw him and despite herself, she felt relief. She moved into the litter first and seated herself backwards, watching as he climbed in facing her. He didn't say anything so she presumed he wanted more details. She sighed and shook her head. "It was nothing really. I was conversing with a young man - he was amusing, and then he said he had some gossip - that a guest at the party had married a freedwoman." she sighed. "He was mortified at the...scandal of it. And then when I grew angry and explained who my husband was, and that I was a freedwoman he insinuated that...well..." She huffed and rolled her eyes. "That you had only married me because I pleasured you in bed." She threw her hands up. "It was ridiculous that I let it rile me but it did and...the look on his face...as if I was nothing." She ground her teeth and glanced to Tertius. "Marcus Junius Silanus. Do you know the name?" TAG: @Atrice

She nodded, relieved he wanted to leave. She did too. The party had felt hostile since she'd walked in, but in ways Tertius was possibly immune to seeing. She felt it though - the lingering stares of the husbands as if mentally undressing her, the glares in the eyes of their wives and then Marcus...she sighed - setting down her cup on a small table and pushing herself up from the pillar and into the light. "I am ready to leave." She nodded and then studied his face carefully. "I..." She shouldn't tell him but...another part of her chimed in that if she didn't, perhaps Marcus would do it again. Perhaps he'd spread his evident disdain to people - women - that didn't have the power she now did to fight back. She flicked her eyes up to Tertius. "I had a conversation with a man who did not seem pleased I'm here...he made me feel unwelcome. Shall we discuss it in the litter?" She offered, keeping her voice low. It served Marcus right. Fuck him. TAG: @Atrice

Charis did hear him but chose not to respond as she made her way back into the party. Mercifully few seemed to pay her much attention, and none questioned where she'd been. But she looked flushed, and anger was clear on her face as she snatched up a cup of wine from a passing slave as she leaned against a pillar, trying to cool down her blood. The nerve of the man! She should tell Tertius. It would serve him right. But the other half of her was too soft - too obedient after years living under the thumb of her dominus as a slave to outright do it. The Charis of old would have put him in place but she wasn't that young woman anymore. It was only when Tertius joined her in the shadows did she exhale and offer him a wan smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't come back to join your conversation, I got sidetracked in another. You're well?" She bluffed. TAG: @Atrice

She nodded but her face blanched as his fingers featured over the scar on her collarbone. She merely nodded a touch. "We sometimes get some festival days off. And...yes...although I could barely see it was him and it was so...bloody." She grimaced, shuddering. She was squeamish still, despite enduring the indignity of slavery. But she nodded at his suggestion, smiling. "I'd like to visit them, I should think. Do you have one you'd recommend? If I ever get the chance?" From down the corridor she could hear the footsteps of one of the bouncers - heavy and uneven, and the catch of his breath (from climbing the stairs). She sighed and grimaced at Jason. "I fear we only have a few moments left Tiranes." TAG: @Sharpie