The Young Pope

Lucius enjoyed having a good shave and hair cut when the occasion called for it, especially when the morning was shining bright by the sun above in the cloudless sky. Many senators preferred having it at the end of the day for relaxation purposes after a hard day of work as they put it, however Lucius did it differently by having it earlier in order to feel refreshed and save the rest of the day for more important matters that required his full attention. Accompanying him were his few but highly reliable, dependable lictors acting as the regular bodyguards and civil servants for a senator such as himself. They would be the first ones to enter the establishment of the famed barber Marcus Barbatius, who happened to be the young senator's favorite since he knew exactly how he needed to trim those hairs of his. A bit of a special fellow, considering some clients of his somehow ended up disappearing alltogether for strange, unexplainable reasons and rumors here and there were spread about his true, inner self. Whatever the case may have been, Lucius didn't want to mess his head around that and instead wanted to have the standard shave and cut, nothing more, nothing less. As the young senator stepped inside the establishment, following suite of his lictors, he noticed how there were already 3 clients already waiting for their turn. Dammit, he told himself that as he sat down on one of the chairs, at least there would be plenty of chatting beforehand as long as he didn't end up late for judicial duties. "Marcus, greetings my old friend; a lovely day for receiving a shave and cut no?" As he sat down, Lucius noticed someone else he was awfully familiar with. "Isn't that Titus Justinius Canicus Phiscerus himself that I have the pleasure of setting my eyes upon? It seems that both of us have the desire of receiving the end of Barbatius' services, haha!" He exclaimed in full delight, as Titus happened to be one of the young senator's shady contacts whom he'd proven himself to be quite useful when it came to chariot races in general. @Atrice@Brian

Lucius took a deep breath as he was about enter once again, a godless place full of so much debauchery that it would qualify itself for receiving divine 'fire and fury' like the story with Sodom and Gomorra; hopefully he was able to get out of it later in time in case God decided to cast a spell of doom. 'Wild' Lucius back in the day would've been feeling so excited and jttery, to be able to drink as much wine as he wanted until he became wasted, eat so much til' his stomach bursted, and pleasure himself with so many strangers both men and women that the entirety of Rome could hear the satisfaction being emitted from sexual acitivies. The new Lucius however adhered to another set of creed which denounced this type of excessive lifestyle that was both damaging for body and soul, and it can't be stated enough that refraining from such luxuries in life had proven to be a challenge, so why would a supposedly pious Christian enter this den of temptation? Just like how he justified attending gladiatorial games, it was quite important for a senator and even a praetor such as himself to keep up with the appearances and prestige. Opportunities could also present themselves when interacting with the multitude of Rome's most powerful and influential statesmen attending these events, and Lucius knew that he wouldn't exactly excuse himself from attending. The young senator would just need to keep the drinking to a minimum whilst trying to stare too long on the scantily clad slaves who were surely numerous in number this evening, as everything would turn out to be fine right? "Quite an impressive ensemble of women...and men, Aulus, you certainly have a good taste. Though the Venus is certainly the best source to find them! Ah, it's great to see you here as well my good colleagues!" Lucius exclaimed, keeping the facade up with a smile which covered the feeling of disgust and wondered how long he needed to surround himself with these alluring servants; even the prostitutized musician stared at him with a lustful gaze. @Sharpie@Liv@Sara + anyone else!

@Sharpie - As long as close connection can be made and opportunities arise, the pious senator can handle a night of scantily clad people!

Once again, Lucius would bear witness to another disgusting round of senseless killing. To think that he used to like this sort of Roman past time befitting a senatore, but now when he'd seen and heard about the 'enlightened truth' which resulted in his converting to Christianity, the young senator couldn't help but feel disdain towards blood, limbs and intestines being splattered all over the arena whilst people are happily cheering without any pity or shame within themselves. However he had to put aside those personal feelings, considering the fact that keeping up with appearances and maintaining close connections with a powerful institution such as the Imperial Family was more important. Wearing what custom dictated, namely a senatorial tunic and toga with a flair identifying him as a Praetor, Lucius was currently sitting in a Senatorial box close to the Imperial one so he could chat with anyone within the viccinity if necessary, alongside the usual company of Lictors acting as his personal bodyguards. It wasn't just prestige which compelled him to attend, as his sponsored gladiator from Britannia Turi/Ambrosius was going to have his own opportunity to fight & shine without dying...hopefully. @Anna@Chris@Sharpie@Gothic@Sarah@Jenn + Anyone else!

@Sharpie - Is it still ok for Lucius to potentially join?

"Turi...I'll keep that in mind, and I'll tell you every bit of information about your brother's whereabouts as soon as I'm able to, that you can count on." There were countless slaves in Rome and without a shadow of doubt many would probably have similar names, though what was worth was that the masters loved to call their new slaves by their awful Romanized names, making everything much more complicated than it needed to be. It could certainly be a possibility that the brother would end up in his household, but then one had to make sure that this was THE Turi they were looking for, while at the same time taking into account that he was already dead by this point of disease or injury sustained during the attack. The senator now sitting beside her had no choice but to continue instilling hope of the brother's survival by smiling, and tonight's prayers would definitely be dedicated towards him. "Would you like to start heading back home, or?" He noticed that a substantial amount of time had passed and it wouldn't look good at all if her master started wondering what she was currently doing or where she was to begin with. @Beauty

“Oh there’s so much that comes to my mind that I can’t quite tell you exactly, but sometimes when I do end up here, all by myself and no one else to be found, I simply like to not think about anything particular at all and instead take my time to meditate and reflect, where the realities of life are ignored in favour of a clear sound of mind.” As she was concentrating on the handsome view, the senator concentrated on the beautiful britannic lady sitting right in front of him. To think that she ended up as a slave and has to fight day and night for her own survival, considering she deserved far better circumstances than the pitiful conditions she had to constantly endure. If she happened to be under Lucius care, she wouldn’t need to worry about a thing, that was for sure. But she belonged to someone else much to his dismay, and having this time alone with her would at least provide comfort and a sense of security, hopefully speaking. “Your brother sounds like someone I’d like to meet some day, if I knew who he was of course.” He chuckled.

Lucius chuckled at Ardra's small joke in an attempt to probably lighten up the mood of the rather unfortunate circumstances. "You may become old and barren as you say, but at least you should know that you're among those who'll age gracefully over time, as one can already see that today. Before reaching such a stage however, you'll probably already meet someone who'll be a good husband and father to your future children." The senator said so, hoping that it would lift her spirits up and not give up life too easily, whilst trying to simultaneously follow her instructions in creating a so-called 'flower helmet'; her warm hand mometarily touched his as she took some of his flowers to demonstrate, and it was among the sweetest of all touches that Lucius hadn't felt in a long while to be so genuine, even if it lasted for a second or two. At first it proved to be a struggling matter, trying to twist and bend those twigs without completely breaking them apart and making the petals fall off from the buds. Eventually, he seemed to have grasped the very nature of this procedure. "Not bad eh?" Proudly he showed Ardra the little creation even if it wasn't as elegant or sophisticated like hers. "I think this calls for some wine after such hard work." Lucius joked, taking the bottle of wine and touched the opening with his lips where hers was previously at as well. As soon as he did so, he could sense that subtle yet identifiable taste of her lips; Oh how it made the senator's senses to be tingled in such a way, it literally tortured him inside as every drop of that honeyed-liquor passed through the mouth and down the throat of his. @Beauty

"Well what are you waiting for? Try some already as I can see that they're too irresistible!" Lucius allowed her to pick as many cakes as she could manage at first, who happened to be among the sweetest women he'd ever layed his eyes upon and interacted with, both when it came to beauty and her eloquence in the way she conversed amongst other things. He couldn't have felt more than happier in this instant to be sharing this experience with someone else, and this relationship of theirs was blooming for sure; where it would eventually lead to, only they could find out in the end. "I heard that Britannia's quite lush and green due to the amount of rain it receives, so I do believe those words of yours if one were to compare this oasis with your island." He opened the lid of the wine bottle and started drinking from it without letting the lips touch the sides of the opening, making sure that it wouldn't spill all over his toga. It seemed that this particular wine had a slightly different texture and taste to it compared to his standard purchasement, but it didn't matter much as long it tasted good. "You're quite the most noble of all the women I've met so far, that I can guarantee you." The senator noticed how she began to form a crown from the flowers she plucked from the ground, reminding himself of the female slaves back home in the garden where they were allowed to do so for their own benefit of fun, aside from preparing those flowery headsets for invited guests to wear during special occasions. This made her seen as more adorable and innocent than ever befire in his eyes, contributing to an aching heart of desire. "My name means light, someone who shines in the dark to provide guidance and comfort to those around. It's a rather common name around here, though from experience it seems that most of the men carrying that name contaminate everyone else with darkness, ironically enough." Lucius couldn't help but chuckle at such a thought, considering how quite a few of these names being positive-sounding theoretically speaking, didn't sometimes align with the person's actual termperament and personality. "Aye, have a little sister who lives outside Rome with her family...Furia Pontia Tullia she's called, which is a feminine version of my father's name. I suppose one could call her a hero, getting married first and earlier than myself whether she liked it or not, as all of us in society have a role to fulfill. My parents picked a suitable match for her at least, and she got to experience giving birth to plentiful of children. It still irks me somewhat, as to why dear father of mine never found someone before passing away; there was a time when I actually got close of being married, to a woman that I loved, whom I still love as a friend today. But our families never went through with the marriage despite the optimistic prospects, and here I am on the lookout for a woman who may have the pleasure or grief to share a life with me...I assume that you were also about to be married off, before your new life in Rome? Forgive me if I'm terribly mistaken." He finally grabbed one honey-cake and his mouth was totally ready for a food-orgie to say the least, savouring every piece of such delightful treat that could bend the knees and break minds of even the most resiliently, hardminded individuals out there. "Delicious, is it not? Also, would you kindly teach me how to make a flower crown...I got to have some valuable skill to impress the women around here." He laughed. @Beauty

"Thank you, but there's no need for any kind of repayment, everything's on me." Lucius said, compelling her to exit the market with him, as the destination he had in mind was his favorite hill overlooking a gorgeous scenery of the city and it wasn't too far out from the centre either, and usually there were little to no people at all whenever he paid a visit with a friend or two. Eventually the duo reached the bottom of it, but before reaching their final destination Lucius halted and looked at her. She was naturally scared for her own safety at the risk of saying her old name out loud, but Lucius wanted to make her feel less anxious and concerned whenever she happened to keep him company. It wasn't easy for her to be in a status of slavery the senator thought, as her life could suddenly take a sharp turn to either direction and her fate sealed forever meaning that every decision had to be made with extreme care. Hanging out with a senator on a whim wasn't perhaps part of the protocol either, especially if he was considered to be an enemy of her people and vice versa. "I understand why your old name ought to not be announced in public like this, but you need to understand that whenever you're with me I'll promise to grant my protection...that I swear upon my family's honor. Ardra...I'm not sure what it means unless you kindly tell me, but it certainly sounds more real and authentic compared to Nypmphia, which is based on Roman water spirits, unless you already knew that. So I'm going to call you Ardra, whether you like it or not, because I can't allow your honor and dignity to be degraded within my presence, which is the same principle I apply to my 500 slaves I possess in my household; each and everyone of them I cherish as real humans and not like animals living on a farm, all of them sharing the same hope of one day returning to their homeland and be reunited with their loved ones, as to which I'll do absolutely everything in my power to make it a reality." With that said and hoping that those words would cling unto her mind, Lucius found a suitable spot on the top of the hill, namely a patch of grass. He layed a piece of cloth or blanket on the ground for Ardra to sit upon, instructing the Lictors beforehand to give them a bit of privacy at the very least. "I hope this view appeals to your senses, as I sometimes usually find myself here to collect my thoughts and rest under those trees over there." @Beauty

Truth be told, Lucius couldn't help but feel affectionate towards her already due to her circumstance, and some sort of attraction grew within him. He too realised that his subconcious physical interactions were getting the better of him, and thus he had to think about restraining himself lest he'd like to send clearly wrong signals to this beautiful, pitiful slave whose mind was probably in the process of healing itself after going through so much unnecessary pain and suffering; he thought that it wouldn't be right of him to toy with her feelings, unless she really wanted to be share a mutual affection as well. Oh how he truly wished that she belonged to him instead of that Titus Sculpius Rufus, as he could've given her something else that didn't always remind her of having a status of a slave. Fantasies were also starting to fill the senator's head, containing alternative scenarios where Nymphia happened to be the perfect wife providing him multitude of heirs in a happy household, which he wanted to supress as well. "Do you know if they're still alive or dead? If some of them managed to survive, they would most likely been brought to Rome as well; I can't say for certain if you would ever stumble upon one another in this myriad, but rest assured that I'll provide as much aid as possible in seeing a potential reunification. May I ask first what your true name is?" Lucius found it quite demeaning and outright silly that the slaves had to be provided new names according to Roman standards, as if their original ones from their home territories weren't worth enough to be heard or spoken out loud. When it came to his household, he tried as much as possible to call his slaves by their native names rather than whatever hogwash of names the Roman slavers provided them to begin with, just in order to forge a closer connection and show that not all Romans were so thick in their heads and so full of themselves. "Also, care to have a bit of honey-cake snack with me somewhere else with fresh air, rather than continuing to breath in this stenchfilled crowd mania?" Lucius decided to purchase traditional roman baked goods, browsing through the offers at hand by that stall they were standing beside. It wasn't his absolute favorite joint where he used to acquire such delicacies but this one seemed to be new in the market, and perhaps he would come to enjoy their selection as well. Requesting for some honeyed wine, the basket for carrying the baked goods was now filled to the brim. It brought him happy memories of when he first met the little boy Lexus, as honey-cake was also involved in the process of getting them to know each other. @Beauty

Listening to Nymphias reminded him of the fact that there were so many others like her, forced to become slaves against their will after being raided from their original homelands, just to be put to work in the privileged Roman household and making sure that everything ran as smoothly as possible. Ever since his conversion to the new faith that he wholdeheartedly adopted, Lucius pledged himself to try and improve the situation of less fortunate classes in society, through his occupation as Praetor. Even if his true desire would've been to aid everyone, the senator had to simply make the best out of a dire situation as the institution of slavery would most likely continue to exist even after his time on this world was up. "I don't have much to say, other than the fact that I feel sorry for your current situation and I wish that the circumstances were different. However it pleases me to hear that you're trying to keep your mood up despite the horrid experiences you must've gone through prior to your arrival. You're just one of the many with similar fates sadly." "I'm sure I can put in a few good words for Aia to meet you some time, with the permission of your dominus Titus. I'm not too familiar with him and the household, though he seems to be of good reputation. How have you fared under his care, does he at least treat you alright?" Lucius was aware of the frivolous liberties that masters sometimes enforced upon their slaves, turning them into sexual objects just to sate their thirst for lust and other sick depravity their minds harboured for so long, that they couldn't contain themselves. He also thought about the slave's plea to take her back to Britannia if he he were to venture there, and the subtle desperation in her voice despite the grin clearly indicated this long desire to one day free herself from these chains. The senator stopped momentarily on the side by some stalls selling various freshly baked goods, the aroms filling the nearby air with the most pleasant of smells. "Never lose hope no matter what and work long and hard enough, you'll see yourself as a free woman once more and Britannia is still there waiting to welcome one of her lost daughters. I shall pray for your sake as well, that you'll be reunited with your family." Lucius instincetively took hold of her soft hands, warming them with his very own, before gently letting go of his. @Beauty

It seemed that both of their cheeks grew warm as one attempted to do good impression towards the other, though Lucius appreciated the fact that she had the guts enough to correct his attempt at speaking her language, knowing that slaves such as herself were otherwise trained and conformed to not speak out against those belonging to privileged classes, especially their masters. It occurred naturally as he began to move away the scene and compel Nymphias to follow him, even if he didn't issue an order to do so. She started to intrigue the senator well enough, not minding much to make use of his free time to get to know her better personally. "You flatter me so, but I thank thee for your kind words...Nymphias. It's one of my destinations of desire that I've promised myself to visit, though Fortuna hasn't favored me with any time to do so yet. No, I've recently undertaken private lessons with a Celtic woman from Gaul, Aia. She knows a good deal about languages since she learned them through travelling on the road with her father selling supplies to Roman legionaries." "May I return the question and ask who taught you to speak our language?" He figured that it would've been a better formulated question rather than outright asking about whom she might belong to as a slave, enabling it to appear like a neutral inquiry as well. The way she spoke appealed to Lucius, such eloquence were only befitting to someone with high intelligence, and she happened to belong to that category of individuals who were clearly underestimated despite their potential for achieving greater accomplishments than one would've anticipated. @Beauty

It must've been quite a bit for her to handle, as the senator could notice the tense stance she exhibited after almost being manhandled by the old man who actually didn't mean any harm, though his cry for help turned to the extreme and the rest unfolded itself right before Lucius' eyes. Luckily he was there in the right moment and time to end that situation peacefully without further complications. As this woman began to speak, she didn't only indicate that she was more than likely a slave, but also the fact that her accent enabled him to pinpoint her origins to Britannia. It wasn't the first time he heard that distintive thickness of such an accent, being far too familiar with it thanks to his newly acquired gladiatorial champion Ambrosius who hailed from that island to begin with. Lucius couldn't help but think of her as cute when she attempted to properly announce those Latin words, oh how much this reminded him of the weekly Britonnian lessons interacting with the celtic teacher of his, and then practising it on foreign clientele who hailed from that island...un times indeed. "Kindly my dear lady, there's no need to apologise for something that was clearly out of your reach to manage. You only did what everyone else should consider performing for creating a better society. I don't need your cloth either, it's perfectly alright." He smiled towards her, as one of his lictors returned with a borrowed bucket, filled with fresh water and suitable for rinsing off the smudge from the hands and fingers. "Ah excellent; lictors do have their uses after all." Lucius humourously commented, grinding his hands towards each other, making sure that every bit of dirt vanished from the palms and between the fingers. He thanked thereafter the lictor for his initiative and before the latter returned with the bucket, handed him a few coins making sure that the original owner received fair compensation. "I believe it would be appropriate to make an actual introduction, wouldn't you agree?" He said turning the attention towards her, and before he spoke again thought to himself that a fool in the making was about to be revealed. "My name is Lucius Furius Pontius Thracius, Senator and Praetor...Ehm, Lucius ok only, no call me Domine. Pleasure you meet too." Lucius initially greeted using the beginner's knowledge in Britonnic that was coated all over with that Roman accent of his despite attempts to wash it all the way, right before gently taking her hand and giving it a sweet kiss of delight. His cheeks received some reddish-pink coloration as a result of that semi-successful, semi-botched attempt at that language and even then, one would wonder if that was the same dialect that he was being taught in. @Beauty

It wasn't every day that Lucius had the day off from work, but every opportunity meant that precious time ought not to be wasted. Making a small excursion to the Emporium Magnum entailed having a get-together with one of the numerous amounts of secretive Christians such as himself, or making the effort to actually save a slave in order to ensure their wellbeing. A Roman Praetor by profession, he came to despise the institution of slavery or the fact that one had to keep one's true faith a secret, otherwise risking social expulsion and loss of influence in society if it were to come out. These annoyances had to accepted for now, and it was equally important for one's head to remain calm. However it wasn't saving a slave or meeting with another follower of Christ that compelled him to visit the market today; on the contrary it was the ordinary notion of shopping that brought him to this location to begin with. Wearing a characteristic toga praetexta, he was accompanied by the usual two magisterial bodyguards or lictors, each carrying a rod made of bundled wood which signified his authority and power. The senator wouldn't usually determine in advance what he was looking for, unless it was something specific of course but he preferred to visit his usual auctioneer Paulus due to the reputation of quality as well as rarity, though it wasn't entire possible to find something quite useful strolling among the stalls selling diverse good originating from across the Empire and beyond its borders. However he didn't expect the day to go as smoothly or quietly; according to experience, he always had the lucky circumstance to stumble upon someone new he'd never met before. Lucius always told himself that it was up to the Lord himself to determine the outcome in the end. It seemed to be the case once more when a special occasion caught his undivided attention; He'd noticed how this slave or freed woman offered bread to poor old beggars, which was a risk at certain times depending on how desperate they were, and one of them seemed to really want some more bread. She then tried to tell him that it wouldn't be enough based on her facial expressions and hesitance to say it out liud. Am I to save a lady in distress? Lucius told himself, deciding to make a move for it with the lictors behind him also noticing that the situation could turn messier by every second went by if someone didn't try to solve it. "My good sir, kindly take this for you and your wife. I reckon this will cover the expenses for a few good meals and wine." The young senator firmly placed a pouch of coins into the old man's palms, patting him on his back whilst getting soot on the fingers; it didn't mind Lucius that much to get his hands all dirty as it was to be expected, though he would need to find a fountain to get rid of such smudge. The old man's face shone up immediately in joy and attempted to fall down on his knees to kiss Lucius' sandals, but he helped the man back up on his feet to explain that it wasn't necessary. The old woman before leaving the scene with her husband, left a kiss on the senator's cheeks and told him how much of a goodhearted samaritan he truly was. With slightly rosed cheeks out of that farewell, Lucius turned his attention to the pretty little woman in front of him. "Are you alright, my lady? I hope this experience doesn't frighten you from offering merciful kindness to those who're truly in need of it, some of them clearly desperate unfortunately. I suppose one needs to just appear determined, resolute enough to make them understand to back off, and raising one's voice too." He smiled as he couldn't help himself gazing at such an incredibly delightful beautiful creation that was standing before him; Golden hair which paired well with that silky smooth skin of hers, if she happened to wear extra fine clothes then she could truly captivate any man who had the dignity enough to notice her beyond those eyes that seen a bit of weeping recently by the looks of it. @Beauty

@Beauty Very well, I'm giving you the green light to start a thread whenever! Just surprise me; I'm able to work with any scenario as to how they would've encountered each other

@BeautyI know exactly how you feel when there are several good options that are so hard to choose from! I like the sound of what you're proposing, and as such wouldn't mind having a thread between the two of them whenever you feel like it. Lucius would certainly pay her far above the average within the Palatine Hill area where he currently resides, the Imperial Family being his neighbours and such, so if she's willing to put down a bit of effort and time she can truly earn quite a few bucks on a weekly basis. Who knows, it might even go that far where they happen to do favours for each other

Hey @Beauty, I'm willing to offer my Senator Lucius as her Master. More info is to be found in his linked bio naturally, but his personality has been shaped by the experiences he'd endured throughout his young life thus far, trying to balance it between that of a secretive Christian and a ordinary Roman Nobleman keeping close contacts w. the Imperial Family and working in the cupper echelon of the Bureaucracy. He's the type who wouldn't dare abuse her (physically and emotionally) and instead cares about his household servants/slaves with extreme care. The senator happens to currently have a thread w. her long lost brother Ambrosius, taking place in the past whereupon Lucius becomes his master as well, becoming a potentially influential key in the siblings reuniting with one another some day. He's also currently on the look-out for a wife, and he could use someone of great use for taking care of upcoming heirs of his. Hopefully this has captured your interest, and otherwise I'd like for Lucius and Nymphias to interact with each other in any capacity