Sara

Ovinia frowned, not understanding Marcus' meaning but she felt foolish enough already that she chose not to press it - instead giving a tight, polite smile which lasted right up until both men agreed to start singing. She blinked, mildly horrified. She'd been joking, seeing how far she could push it and hadn't expected either of them to rise to the challenge. She had to hand some measure of respect to both of them, grudging though it might be. The blonde musician gave a melodic, irritating little laugh and tossed her white-blonde hair over her shoulder. "How about some Sappho? Everybody knows the words, and the melody is easy." her grin seemed almost...heated and Ovinia downed another gulp of her wine as Vibia gestured for both men to stand next to her. She'd sung Sappho in the gardens. Gods give me strength. Mercifully it wasn't the same poem she'd sung, but the sight of the two men and Vibia nonetheless made her stomach turn as the blonde started plucking her cithara and her smooth voice rang out over the gardens. Ovinia watched it, trying to look dispassionate and then between Lucius and Marcus. Her eyes settled on the later and she frowned, still playing over in her mind. Meet her brother in private? To discuss a musician? Ovinia wrinkled her nose, irritated beyond belief that she didn't understand. Her eyes fell to the musician again, trying to draw some inspiration from her. What on earth did Marcus mean? And the smirks and shifty glances the two young men had shot the blonde? Ovinia frowned, trying to figure it out, ignoring the singing. When it did dawn on her, it made her choke and it was only the God's intervention that let her keep hold of her wine cup. One of her hands shot out to drag Lucius and then Marcus in turn away from Vibia, her voice was furious and also...embarrassed; "She's...she's a prostitute?!" TAG: @Chevi @Atrice

Ovinia snorted in amusement, a most unladylike sound, before she cracked a grin and one of her eyes to peer at him. "And how have you found your new role?" It had been heavenly for her, but she knew the weight and responsibility was likely to sit differently on his shoulders. He'd turned his back from his own paterfamilias when he was younger and now he bore all the responsibilities that Gaius Vipsanius had done for him. She peered down at her son, nursing and then back to her husband with a curious expression on her face. "Things will feel right when we're in Rome." she nudged him with her shoulder, "It will all fall into place." Although it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than him. TAG: @Chevi

Charis listened with a shake of her head and tears welling in her eyes. She came here to find out about him not to be the subject of his interrogations, or his morals! She sniffed, annoyed and aggrieved and pushed her hands through her braid again, fingers getting stuck in the twists. "Stop it! Stop it, Wulfric." She shook her head vehemently, upset. "I have come to terms with what I am," Her voice was choked and furious, "I was locked in a room for months until I understood who I was and what I was and you do not get to come here and tell me something different." What a difference a year makes. She would have laughed at a slave who said such a thing, once upon a time. But Tertius was good and knew exactly how to get under his skin. He might not have used a lash or his fists, but he had broken her and whilst she'd recovered somewhat from the state she'd been in when she first came out of her room, she would never be quite the same again. This conversation was a testament to that. Besides she was no longer important - Peregrinus was the key and that meant accepting who she was now in the hopes it would give him a better life, no matter how much it chafed her. "I think I should go." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I...I'm sorry." She didn't know why she said that - was she sad she'd disappointed him? TAG: @Atrice

"I thought it was too big." He said with a wry smile and a shrug, "That no place needs to be this big and busy and with this many people." it had been overwhelming, truth be told and it had taken him more than a few days to find his feet. Fortunately he had, eventually, although his brother still struggled. "But I like it alright now. I have friends and a roof over my head and a good job." It's more than most people who started life like me, get. "You?" He returned, trying to sound conversational. TAG: @Atrice

Ovinia suppressed a scoff by biting down on her tongue. Hard. She wanted to argue that she didn't need a guard, that she was perfectly capable of minding herself but then again, she supposed, recent experiences had told her she couldn't. Still - it was nothing that a properly trained and disciplined slave couldn't handle, she was sure. She'd been to the markets, she'd seen the big brutes they had for sale, one of those would surely suffice - she didn't need a freedman to trail her around! Not that her father asked for her opinion on the subject. But Alexius did and she blinked as he turned to look at her, a little embarrassed but flashing a grateful smile in his direction given that he'd actually chosen to include her for once. She glanced across to her father who was looking at her expectantly. "Papa there's really no need..." But that was met with a scoff and an eye-roll as if it was a stupid statement to make. "There is need if you come home scared out of your wits because a madman with a knife wants to have you!" He snapped, although not unkindly, more out of frustration. Swallowing and realising that her father was unlikely to take no for an answer, she flourished her best diplomatic smile; "Fine. As long as Alexius is compensated fairly for his work, and it does not invade on my privacy, I will allow it." Her father clapped his hands together, wine dribbling out of his cup as he did. "Wonderful! Lexus," Ovinia stifled a groan - that was not his name anymore, "What is your schedule like for the next few weeks?" TAG: @Atrice

He wanted her to tell Tertius nothing. She managed to swallow the scoff before she let it out. He'd never stand for that, and she was not going to lie for him. She knew Tertius hadn't ever raised a hand to her, but she equally knew he didn't brook lying and keeping something from him or deception ranked - it seemed - top on his list of infractions. She wasn't going to risk her neck or liberty for Wulfric, not when he seemed so utterly apathetic to her now anyway. With a frustrated sigh she pushed her fingers through her hair and shook her head. "You don't understand Wulfric, you've never been a slave." He had been born free in Germania just as she had been born free in Britannia. She wondered how he'd cope, with the loss of his liberty? "I love my friends, but every day I wake up and I'm still a slave. Their love might mean something but...it doesn't change anything, not for me. You can't escape slavery. At least not for long." She had glimpses of it - when she was with Cynane or that Saturnalia night with Alexius but...it was fleeting. TAG: @Atrice

Ovinia watched with vague amusement at the conversation between two men. Of course her father would melt at the prospect of meeting one of his sporting heroes, enough to soften his bristling personality. He flicked his hand to get some wine brought to the atrium and Ovinia - whilst her father was distracted - flashed a warm smile at Alexius in thanks. When he turned back around she demurely settled her smile into a neutral expression. "Ovinia Camilla is indeed worthy of guarding despite the trouble she finds herself in, but you have my sincere thanks anyway. My daughter is precious to me, you understand." A slave appeared with a couple of cups of wine. Her father took one and the other was passed to Alexius. She clasped her hands together. She wasn't thirsty anyway. "And where are you working now?" She saw the flash of something in her father eyes and narrowed her gaze at him, "My daughter will be going out of the house a little more over the coming months as she meets with prospective grooms. Should you have decent references, in thanks I would be happy to offer you some work...should you need it, of course." TAG: @Atrice

"Our colleagues in the senate are - by and large - not a particularly honourable bunch, as you well know." He smirked. He was sure if you grabbed the lot of them and turned them upside down, a hundred tons of gold and silver and secrets would tumble out. Longinus had his own, of course, but at least nothing corrupt...just...romantically foolish. "The lot of them need to go on campaign" He grinned, "No need to go earning gold through gangs when you can come home a hero and with your treasury full." Britannia had been immensely profitable for Longinus and quite frankly, nowadays, he had far more money than he knew what to do with. Not that many would guess it given he lived well within his means and his domus was pretty frugally decorated, despite the oddities, all things considered. TAG: @Sharpie

"He takes after you with his love of the countryside, clearly." Although it was difficult to tell at only four months old which of his parent he favoured more physically given both Lucius and she had dark eyes and hair and similar complexions. Shaking her head, she sleepy held her arms aloft. "No, I can do it." She didn't make a huge habit of it but he was her son after all so why should she not feed him herself? Yawning she leant to kiss her son on his forehead which settled his snuffling for a few moments at least as she tried to work the ties on the tunica she wore at night. "Give me a hand?" she said with a sleepy smile and turned her attention back to her son. "How do you think he'll fare on the journey?" TAG: @Chevi

She groaned louder as the noise of her fussing son grew louder, as did Lucius' humming. She knew sleep was now a distant, faraway concept and longed for the sweet release of wine or some other poison that would knock her straight out. Baby Gaius was a worse sleeper than Tadia, and she'd had almost a decade to forget about the first few months of life. She smirked, "I'll tell my brother you said that when we go for dinner next week." With a groan of effort she lifted herself to a seated position, propped up with cushions and stifled a deep yawn. "What's wrong, hmm?" She raised a finger to stroke her son's cheek and sniffed. Not wet. Hungry, maybe? She flitted between using a wet-nurse and feeding him herself given there was nobody out here at the villa to judge her for it. "He's not excited about moving into your domus in the city, I think." She gave her husband and son a sleepy, amused smile and stifled another yawn. TAG: @Chevi

"I've not confused anything," He chuckled shaking his head at Gaius' belligerence; "There were rumours the vigiles were working with the Praetorian's during the last lot of purges. My mother swears blind about it." He shrugged. Everything he knew, however, was secondhand knowledge given he was safe (or relatively so) in Britannia during most of the chaos. Considering the question he frowned and sighed. "I don't know...plenty of senators are in league with the Collegia in the city much as they deny it, no reason for them to support reform." But it would be impressive...and needed. He'd had a handful of slaves mugged and worse in the backstreets at night. Of course it was also their own bloody fault for going into the alleys in the dark of night alone. "It's..." He squinted and then glanced to Attis. "What is it?" TAG: @Sharpie

"I'm not!" She yelled back, irritated. "I am just a slave!" She huffed in frustration. She'd learned that, if nothing else during her years here. She might have friends and her son and hobbies and skills but ultimately all most people would see her as, including her dominus and including her son, was a slave. "He didn't tell me to see you. I swear it on my life, and my son's." She said - grinding her teeth, annoyed. It wasn't a lie - she had suggested it to Tertius, after all. "A-and I suppose I'll tell him that you didn't trust me, that you didn't wish to see me but that you wish to see Teutus, domina Antonia and my son." She shot him a glare and then let out a deep sigh, "Is that all you wish for me to tell him?" TAG: @Atrice

"They can't be?" He laughed garrulously and downed his wine, setting the cup down on the table and holding out a hand for a fresh one from the good wine Attis had procured. "Tell that to the families that were pulled out of their homes and cut down in the streets by the vigiles in the last Civil War..or so I hear." He winced with a shake of his head. The vigiles had been known, throughout Rome's history and along with the Praetorian guard to support the chaos that often erupted at times of unrest. How many people had been slaughtered by them throughout the years versus how many people had they saved? By Longinus' estimation, it was probably near equal. "Take heart though," He said with a grin, "If there's another Civil War, at least your brother can keep your name off the list if there's any more purges. Ask him to take mine off as well, actually, whilst he's at it!" TAG: @Sharpie

Ovinia stirred with a groan and a grumble. The sound of a baby crying drifted through the rooms of the villa and she buried her face back into her pillow with a childish petulance. They had servants to care for their child, but at four months old the baby still woke so frequently and the slaves were so exhausted that occasionally they slept through. Evidently this was one of those times. She kicked out to the lump next to her and grumbled again. "Lucius," Her voice was partly obscured by the pillow and with a huff, she raised her head. "Luuuucius, get the baby." She wouldn't have dreamed of ordering any other man to go and care for an infant, but with her present husband she somehow thought he wouldn't mind. "Careful of the boxes." She mumbled with finality and then turned over on her other side to try and snatch some sleep before he came back. The room was littered with chests piled high. After over a year of exile since her pregnancy had been found out, tomorrow she was finally heading back to Rome. This time with a new husband and new child. She couldn't wait. Well...as long as she could get some sleep. TAG: @Chevi

Was it a no, maybe or a not right now? She honestly had no idea and blushed, feeling overwhelming embarrassment. He was trying not to act insulted, which he had really every right to be. Men like Gaius Vipsanius Roscius weren't used to hearing indecision or denials, she imagined, much like her father and brothers. He was a member of the ruling class of the most civilised empire, and a paterfamilias. Before she had time to answer his hands were on hers and she blinked in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak but he was already making plans for her, in the thoughtful way she might imagine very few men would. Maybe he was doing it to impress her - unfortunately it had the opposite effect. She chuckled and exhaled briefly, withdrawing her hands. "You see? A good man." Too good for somebody like her, who was confoundingly confused because of a stupid, irritating little man that happened to be his brother. "But it's not a no." She affirmed as she stepped out of the portico and gasped in the wind. "Something between a maybe and a not right now." She flicked her eyes sideways to him, "If you can't wait for me to make a decision, I'd understand you know." TAG: @Sharpie

Longinus arched a brow and shrugged. "I think in the old days people were more concerned about treason round every corner than reputation...between the wars and the many, many Caesar's - wasn't time to worry." He chuckled, "Now we're settled into peace...people make mountains out of molehill's." Which was boring and dull. Longinus had absolutely no interest in gossip - not that his mother cared and loved to regale him until she was blue in the face about who was sleeping with who or who had been exiled where. "You could always cause some light chaos in the city," He grinned, teasing, "Distract a bit from all of this." TAG: @Sharpie

Longings grinned and tipped his cup in Gaius' direction, "I'm glad I taught you something at least. But I suppose you're right. Most men of the senate would rather avoid any drama they can, you'll certainly...gain a reputation for better or for worse for speaking out so directly." Longinus - as a rule - loathed senate meetings. They were lots of talking with pretty much no action. There were, however, exceptions to the rule and he suspected the next meeting if Gaius' plan came to fruition, would be one such event. "Attis!" He called over his shoulder to his long-standing slave, "Fetch the good wine, this is bitter and our friend Gaius is in a crisis and needs only the very best." TAG: @Sharpie

Titus glanced across at him, bemused and vaguely irritated. Did the man just think he'd waltz in here and after a few weeks be leading a century? There were men here who had been here months and years, himself included, who had put in the graft that this one had not. Then again - he tried to reassure himself - a new centurion or Tribune didn't necessarily mean anything had to change. He barely listened to their orders now, after all. Rolling his eyes at Lucius' exclamation of pain he deposited down the work he was doing and strode over to look at the wound. It was nasty, and bleeding. Wordlessly he moved to grab his waterskin, tucked into his belt and dumped some fresh water on it, clearing it at least of the ash although the blood still flowed smoothly out of it. "Won't need stitches." Was his expert medical opinion, "Palms bleed a lot. You still want to do this?" He offered a smirk and a slap on the shoulder, "You'll face worse injuries than that." TAG: @Chevi

"Ovinia the rebel and Lucius the...diplomat?" she wrinkled her nose, shaking her head, "It doesn't feel right but I suppose it makes sense." She shifted her position on his lap with a wince, the ache in her back spreading. She'd forgotten how uncomfortable pregnancy could be. "And if he says no, and if there's no other options I am going to go back to Rome and grab the nearest priest I can find by the neck of their tunic and make them marry us." She huffed, "I'm not going to have my child grow up with parents who have to pretend, and I'm not going to wait much longer. We've been waiting for fifteen years. Besides," She said with a small, devious smile, "Gaius will struggle to disagree. What's worse for him? His sister married to an equite or him trying to get her to - publicly - divorce the equite that he didn't agree to? I think I can cause a little chaos for him, after all..." TAG: @Chevi

Ovinia was confused. Why did she feel so...disappointed? She'd been honest; she wanted to be a mother to a brood of children, she wanted the honour of a decent, upstanding, ambitious husband and she wanted to mind her home. That had always been the plan, that had always been her dream - so why did it now feel hollow? His brother had asked her much the same question the first time they had met and had merely responded with an amused 'uh-huh', as if there was so much more she could be doing. Then of course there had been the eruption when she'd found him smothered in ash and dirt, clearing out the insula. Her outburst played in her mind: Like we brush over the fact that you act as if we patricians are so dull and dreary and beneath you when we're not the ones living in a daydream. People...don't get to do whatever the hell they want. Well...that's not true. You do, don't you? His snapped retort was burned into her recent memories: Well it's not my fault you don't! Did she want this? That was the crux of it and that was the seed Lucius had planted in her mind, whether he'd meant to or not. It was cruel and unfair of him to float the idea that there could be something else out there for her, that she could be more and do more when all of her life she believed there wasn't. It was even crueler that his brother didn't agree with that estimation; There's no need for anything more than that. Her head felt like it was filled with a maelstrom and inside it she cursed the day Lucius Vipsanius Roscius was born; he'd thrown her into disarray, when what she'd always wanted was standing right in front of her. She'd only met him a handful of times and it was intolerable that he'd gotten so far under her skin. She swallowed deeply, realising she'd been silent in contemplation for some time. "I don't know." was the honest answer which was accompanied by the shake of her head. "It feels like I'm trying to convince myself of something even when I've always thought that's what I wanted...if that makes any sense at all." Which it probably didn't, because he had none of the context of his brother utterly ruining everything. Besides that, practically, if she did want something else there was the undeniable fact that there was nothing else out there for her. She was a patrician woman; she was born and bred to have children and be in her husbands shadow. That was it - that was all there was. So why did it now feel so difficult to commit? "You're a good man." she said after a deep exhale, glancing her eyes skyward before bringing them down, an almost sad smile settling on her lips. "A witless one, whose heart had guided you down a foolish path with your brother, but a good man nonetheless." She chuckled, "Perhaps you deserve somebody better than me. Or at least somebody less indecisive." TAG: @Sharpie

Longinus cocked an eyebrow, both amused and woeful that this situation was weighing on his friend so heavily, enough that it seemed to be the only thing he could think of. He didn't blame the man, it was a peculiar situation to be in and one in which there were no clear answers. "You'd stand up unprompted and say it?" He tilted his head to the side to study his former tribune with intrigue, "I mean...it takes balls. If you want I can raise a question on the vigiles or something at the next meeting, give you an opening. Or..." He grinned, "Just all out heckle you about your brother until you're forced to make a speech?" TAG: @Sharpie

She watched her father's face as it melted between confusion, fury and horror. His hand flew to her face almost immediately, turning it from left to right as if checking for any damage as Alexius discussed what happened. She ground down on her jaw. "Thrasus ran when he saw the man," She shook her head as her father finally relinquished his grip on her face, "I presume he's not come home?" He shook his head, dumfounded. It took him a few further moments to regain his senses and when he did, he flushed red in anger, eyes narrowing and chest puffing out. It would be comical if the situation wasn't so serious. "Crixus!" He bellowed to a slave standing behind him, "Inform the vigiles of a runaway slave, and get the dogs. I want him found before dawn." The man nodded and hurried away, leaving Ovinia, her father and Alexius standing awkwardly in the atrium. She clapsed her hands together in front of her waist to keep from fidgeting out of nervousness. "You are sure you are uninjured?" He asked Ovinia and she nodded silently, before adding: "With thanks to Alexius here. He is a former gladiator, I've discovered, his training evidently still stands." A brief flicker of something crossed her fathers face before he blinked and started to nod. It took a few further moments of silence before recognition kicked in fully. A smile broke on her fathers face and he reached to slap a hand on Alexius' shoulder. "Lexus! I had thought you looked familiar..." He shook his head, "What are the chances of you running into my sweet Ovinia in her time of need, eh?" He cast a glance sideways at his daughter and she noted an air of suspicion in his look. That would be a conversation for later. "You must take a drink, and payment for your services. You're in the guarding business now?" TAG: @Atrice

She stepped into a portico, trying to warm her hands up by wringing them but without a great amount of success. At least they were out of the worst of the wind now, even if it looked like a storm was rolling in across the city. It would be a long litter ride home in the rain, if it was. She chuckled, managing a smile for the first time this conversation but it was slightly incredulous in nature. "Would you believe you're the third man to have asked me that?" Lucius, Marcus Junius Silanus and now Gaius had all asked variations of the same thing. It was baffling. Her smile relaxed slightly, but it was still bemused. At least she was being honest with Gaius now, now the small talk was well and truly dispensed with - all thanks to his brother. "And I don't know why," She shook her head, "I'm happy with my life as it is. I want to marry well and have a big family with lots of children, and travel with my husband if he is posted abroad and if not then spend my time managing my home here." She gave him a frown. "I...don't know if I'm unimaginative but I don't understand the need or the draw for...more than that. Or perhaps it's just because I'm a woman, and my ambitions are therefore more...dull than yours or others who have asked me." TAG: @Sharpie

Grinning, Longinus leaned over (with great effort) and clinked his wine cup against Gaius'. "I'll drink to that." He hadn't been drunk in...far too long. Probably not since his flight to Formiae, actually. He knew he wasn't as young as was and the hangovers were very rarely worth the night anymore. Nodding, he sighed and slumped back down on his sofa. "I'd need to think on it. He's a friend - and I respect him immensely, if he wants me then there'd be a reason for it." And he didn't think Aulus foolish enough to be weighed down with sentimentality - if he wanted him there, it meant he thought Longinus was right for the post and could add some value which was flattering, but he knew at some point his priorities would need to shift away from adventure and excitement. "Lets see if I'm married before I make any decisions about Praetorshop versus back to legate. I left Antonia for a term in Britannia only a few months after Cassia was born," he winced, "I've learned from my mistakes." Taking a deep sip and then holding it back out to be refilled. "Maybe you should escape to your villa for a bit?" he offered, "Did me the world of good when I needed to clear my head." TAG: @Sharpie

Ovinia ground her jaw for a moment, relieved they had the distraction of walking so at least her mood could be shielded a little. It was plain that they had different priorities - perhaps more-so than most men and women. Gaius had shouldered the burden of his family for years, whilst Ovinia had merely lived under the authoritarian rule of her own paterfamilias. "I didn't mean to imply that you didn't love him." She commented on a sigh, feeling a wash of guilt run off of her. "And I'm also aware it's been done before." But much as Gaius himself thought, it wasn't the same thing at all. She hugged an arm around herself - ostensibly to stop her palla flying away, but more for comfort. "I understand the reasons you've done it." She glanced sideways at him, "Although I'm not sure I agree with them." And that was the crux of it. Lucius could have been so much more than the leader of a band of well-funded slaves and freedmen, known more for their own crimes than preventing others, and Gaius could have done so much more had he not have to carry the burden and stain of his brothers selfish choice on his shoulders. Shaking her head so her hair fell over her shoulder, she let out a soft sigh. "You are too good to be his brother." She offered him a half-smile, "It's good you don't see the world with such idealism. I told him not everybody can have the luxury of doing whatever they want." TAG: @Sharpie