The Young Pope

In the recent weeks there had been an influx of prisoners of war from the 'Barbarian' territories that had to be inspected and accounted for. Lucius, not only acting as a Senator but also that of a Praetor, was tasked to oversee their transition from captivity to whatever service these men (and women) were required to forcefully work for, whether they actually liked it or not. Thus it was no surprise that it was expected of him to visit the Forum Romanum which contained the Tullianum, reputed as one of Rome's harshest  prisons to have ever existed, with quite a known number of interesting individuals having the 'luck' enough to temporarily remain as prisoner there prior to their impending doom, one of whom meant a lot to Senator Lucius in a simultaneously indirect and direct connection. He'd naturally arrived earlier before the prisoners' arrival in the forum itself, but since he noticed that there was still some time left before 'dirty work' could begin, a visit to the imposing prison would've been in the right order of business.

He requested the guards stationed there to be brought down to one of their darkest and most inhospitable cells, which may have made them wonder as to why on Earth an upstanding senator such as Lucius would've wanted to do so in the first place. Giving them reasons such as 'quality control and maintenance check' before threatning about taking this matter further to the Caesar if they didn't comply with his wishes, Lucius managed to convince the guards without much hassle and was thus escorted to this notorious cell located at the bottom of the prison. "I would like to conduct this without any interference from anyone of you, including my own people, so kindly wait upstairs as I'll return to the surface in a short while. I kindly thank thee." With these issues now nonexistent, Lucius could now concentrate at hand on what surrounded him. "So this is where you spent your final days, Peter." The senator said in a lowered voice, taking in the first expressions of the cell which was said to have hosted the Apostle Peter before his eventual execution.

The cell itself, which resembled more like a pit, contained a spring in the bottom of it which enabled him the Apostle to conduct baptisms. Lucius started to become emotional after only spending a few moments in the pit, and had to force himself to potentially stain his toga by sitting on the floor, propping himself against the wall. He'd only heard the tales of Peter's adventurous and significant life through the words of Linus himself, who was the closest person he'd camr into contact with aside from the Apostle Paul. Even then, the senator couldn't help but feel admiration towards the man entrusted by the Messiah to hold the transferable keys to heaven, Linus now in posession of them. "To be truthful, you were somewhat of a walking disaster, Peter...amongst a few other epithets" Lucius chuckled, looking straight at the ceiling above him, as if he were in a direct communication. "You promised our Lord that you wouldn't abandon him at the most critical of times, yet you basically ditched him as he was being taken to be sacrificed like a defenceless lamb." 

Before resuming his talk, Lucius nodded his haid in approval however. "Yet, despite your faults, your strength and greatness as a man eventually triumphs everything else. You were the first of His companions to recognise Him what he truly was, a remarkable achievement that only the Devil and a few Canaanite women beforehand managed to do so. Knowing that your life was at risk following the teachings of Christ, you nonetheless devoted the rest of your life on earth to spread his word of salvation and eternal life for those who believed in him, redemption being possible for each and every human no matter how grave their sins were, as long as their sincerity of regret was real enough to be able to be forgiven. Eventually you suffered torture at the hands of the Caesar, being thrown into this cesspool of a prison and suffering hardships that many of us couldn't possibly fathom. Yet, you continued to do God's holy work baptising the other prisoners here who opened their hearts to Christ. When the final day of your mortal existence arrived, Linus told me that you were executed, crucified upside down since you considered yourself not worthy enough to face death the exact way as Christ did."

His eyes stated to become slightly watery, though no tears were produced, taming these stong emotions at hand as he continued with his tribute. "Peter, this is the reason why you were His favorite all along, being entrusted the keyes of the kingdom of heaven since you represent what makes all of us human, showing everyone else that despite all of your faults, you redeemed yourself in the end and now sit on the father's right side. Your memory and legacy shall never be forgotten, and instead be cherished by your brothers and sisters to come in future generations all doing God's works of grace and mercy. So through you, I therefore ask the Lord to forgive me for my weaknesses that are visible on the surface from time to time, guiding me out of them and improving my character, so that I'll never stray from the path to enlightenment. I also ask for strength and courage to face death when the time comes, as I want to be willing to sacrifice my life for thee and join the big feast that will never end."

The last act of Lucius before exiting that pit was pray the Lord's Prayer, thanking the Divine for all that was well so far and that his faith would continue to be strong for the days to come ahead. The senator heeved himself from the floor, dusting his own Toga from the dirst and took one good look around, wondering if this is where he would potentially end his last days if his true fath were to be discovered. With no fear and worrying left in his mind and soul, Lucius took the stairs to the surface of the prison, and it proved to be a good timing as a soldier happened to be looking for him. "Senator Lucius, there you are! The first batch of prisoners have arrived in the forum as we speak, and it would be most appropriate if you were to begin the inspection, do we could get this over with." he said, meeting him right at the entrance of the prison. "I should perhaps remind you soldier, that I'll take my sweet time conducting a fair and proper inspection of everyone who's brought into our custody. So kindly bring me to these prisoners." 

SOME TIME LATER...

Lucius didn't like what he witnessed taking a look at some of the prisoner of war who'd arrived in Rome, seeing them in such pitiful conditions, some worse than others of course, but he was of the opinion that they deserved far better treatment than what was already being given to them. Shaking his head whilst taking notes on his scroll, the soldier escorted him to one of the last prisoners of this batch, but out of every single one of them the senator would consider him to be the most peculiar. "Soldier, could you kindly tell me about this young man?" The initial part of the answer Lucius would receive would surprise him, as apparently one could've considered him to be a "elderly boy". On taking a closer look, that seemed to perhaps be the case but it was hard to identify this Briton, his craftly built and fit body already marred by scars of warfare that was commonly seen on older men, and his height was quite impressive at that. His character almost was equal to Lucius himself. "Let me in to his cell, please." Lucius insisted quite stubbornly, as his interests grew by the minute he stood there.

"Surely Senator, you must be joking? Letting you in to a cell belonging to a vicious Barbarian who can easily kill you? If you must for whatever reason, let me accompany..." Before the soldier could continue, Lucius could gladly restate his case to be let inside. "I think I'm perfectly capable of making a clear judgement whether I can handle a 'vicious Barbarian' by myself and without any protection, thank you very much. Now are you going to question my abilities or actually let me inside?" Eventually, with a small sigh Lucius suddenly stood in the middle of the Briton's cell, seemingly catching the full attention of the prisoner. Taking a few small steps at a time to not alarm or spook him (understandably) that easily, he made assurances about his harmless intent. "Don't be afraid friend, I'm just going to take a look at your leg, nothing more, nothing less." The senator closed in, probably risking his own safety by doing this at the horror of his subordinates outside the cell, readying themselves to draw their weapons in case the situation turned serious pretty quickly. 

Finally Lucius was close enough to lower his entire self, bending the knee in front of the prisoner and was about to inspect the leg. "Sorry about that...Ok here we go" he told him, in case it started to hurt. Gently lifting the injured leg up, he could immediately see that it had remained untreated for quite some time, exerting too much pressure on it forming a swollen lump and other nastyness. Clearly this young Briton had to endure so much hardship prior to his arrival in the Capital, which only stirred up so many feelings within the senator. Unless it wasn't already too late and something could be done about that leg, he would probably limp for the rest of his life, and it could prove to be a disadvantage for someone fighting in the gladiatorial pits. There was also a voice that slowly but surely krept up within him, about what he must do to ensure his survival and wellbeing, as he couldn't trust anyone else to handle such a delicate matter. At first he hesitated, since a specific notion contradicted his new views he gained from the Christian faith, but in the end reasoned with himself that this was a necessary evil to perform God's work. 

"What's the meaning of this, you fools? Why hasn't anyone fixed his leg, can't you see that he'll be useless entertainment in the fighting pits, is this how we would like to please the Caesar? I demand that he's brought to a medicus, right in this instant, or I'm going to make your lives miserable henceforth if this botched up leg affects his prowess in combat, and do trust me that the wrath of a Furius Pontius Thracius isn't something to temper with! ALSO...I would like to speak with the responsible overseer, as I'm interested in purchasing this specimen of a prisoner and have him under my authority!" With more than enough fiery encouragement in those words, the soldiers didn't waste any time adhering to Lucius' demands. Turning his head facing the prisoner once again, he assured him: "Everything's going to be alright, you hang tight in there. All of this will come to an end, that I swear upon my family's code of honor." The senator wishpered.

@Polarity

Lucius became quite pleased that this turned out to be the desired Interprex that he'd heard so much about, and she certainly attracted quite the many of a eye. There was a was recurring joke within his family about the luck of dealing matters with other redheads, and so far those humourous words rang a truth about it. Taking a few steps downwards, he felt least to say thrilled about this Britonnic woman. "Senator Lucius, a pleasure and honor to be graced by your presence, Mistress Aia. Please call me by your first name, dominus isn't required if it's within the company of friends." Taking her hand to initially shake it, Lucius kissed it instead whilst staring into her mesmerisingly speaking, just to try making her aware that he wasn't the usual type of senator she'd be dealing with. "Mistress Juliana has mentioned you a few times already during the parties we attend together, how much of a great tutor you are towards her children and your language skills are uncomparable elsewhere."

The Sentor accompanied the interprex from the columns before resuming his talk. "It's my sincere wish that I'll be a great student towards you, whilst you allow yourself to teach me the languages that encompass the lands of Britannia, Gaul and Germania. I'll leave it up to you to decide which of these is the easiest one to start with, based on how quickly one's able to learn them as well as the grammar itself. You see, as my newfound role within the state apparatus, my duties as a Praetor includes acting as a judge, maintaining and enforcing the law unto everyone, including foreigners. Naturally many of them have yet to learn Latin, and it would be in the best of their interests as well as mine. I can assure you on my honor that the pay after each session will be quite the handsome sum." His smile returned to let her have the chance to voice her mind and if there were any requests or conditions on her behalf that she'd like to be implemented as well. 

"Also, is there any location you'd recommend holding these lessons?" 

@Chevi

"Oh Lexus, Alexander the Great was just twenty years old when he inherited the throne of his father, but through following his dreams and never letting anyone else stand in his way, did he create the largest empire in the world even surpassing ours. He remained undefeated in battle and the legacy he created still stands til' this very day, though he died young after merely thirteen years on the throne, his empire disintegrating quickly due to infighting between his generals. He could be a cruel man towards his enemies, showing no mercy whatsoever at times, but there was this side of being an open-minded intellectual who wanted to break cultural boundaries between peoples. I personally believe that if his body and not only the mind belonged that to a God, he could've conquered the entire world if he'd wanted to. Of course I encourage you to discover more about him yourself some day, as my words alone aren't enough to talk about this great man, and I believe it may be of great use to you: I could certainly help you in that regard."

Lucius was close to even be willing enough to lend him his scrolls about the Greek conqueror, though he quickly came to realise that Lexus probably didn't know how to read just yet and it may have offended him if he suggested it too early. In any case, the senator was pleased to hear that the boy wouldn't mind being led to his favorite stall where they sold honey cakes. He found it to be amusing as well when Lexus suggested that it wouldn't be too hard for someone like that of his rank and status in society to find a suitable wife either, as to which he couldn't help but agree to an extent, as it was common to assume certain preconditions for situations. Finally he decided to take a pause in their walk, leading him to the side of the walkway under the shade, escaping the radiating heat of the sun's rays. 

"I suppose it's supposed to work that way, me being a senator affords advantages compared to others, but the truth to it all is that if you take a closer look you'll see that you and my own prospects aren't much different after all. It's all about taking the initiative to find someone suitable, and as you can clearly notice even til' now I remain unmarried, and there were times when I thought that I had a specific person in mind to be my wife." Lucius was naturally referring to Oriana Laecania, considering her to be among  the brightest and most beautiful women he'd ever known personally. His father Lucius Major even considered her to be a good match for his son, but now they acted rather as close friends to one another. Personally, he treated the matter as a regular tow-sided coin, where on the one hand they could've become quite the couple and family together, but on the other hand it was probably for the best that the Divine decided a different path for them to take.

"It actually gladdens me when you haven't thought much about, as you should, Lexus. You're still young and have your entire life ahead of you until such a matter becomes relevant, as love sometimes can arrive right in front of you when it's least expected, and from there it's simply taking the initiative if you truly feel that she is the one perfect match for you." Lucius tapped his back before resuming their walk towards the honey-cake stall, which already emitted such a delightful smell from afar. He was looking forward to be munching on some sweets with this boy he'd recently met, and the early afternoon turned out to be a terrific one so far. The senator wondered if the stall owner would remember him at all, since it was a while ago since he ever visited them, being a loyal customer of theirs for quite some time. Sooner or later, they arrived at Lucius' favorite honey-cake stall which happened to sell other equally good sweets and treats, based on the display of an array of edible goods attracting hungry customers. 

"Clovia, are you there? It's me Senator Lucius...your best and most loyal customer!" he exclaimed, hoping that it wouldn't have sounded brash enough.

"Oh my...Am I beginning to see things, or is that truly you Lucius?!" An elderly lady with visible grey hairs and wrinkles on her face appeared, rising from beneath the stand itself, her eyes lit up over someone she hadn't seen and talked to for over a long time. "Come closer and give mama Clovia a sweet kiss...where have you been this entire time?!" Clovia, who'd been running that stall for decades, pulled Lucius somwhat forcefully the senator closer and gave him a kiss right on his mouth, catching him by complete surprise and started to jiggle his face as if he was still a little boy. Afterwards a brief moment of catching up transpired between them, asking each other how they fared since last time they met amongst other subjects, whether he'd manage to find himself a wife or not.

"Still no luck from Eros herself, but at least I know that my impressive schlong here..." Lucius teased her and let out a laugh not heard in a while. "Oh you dirty man, not in front of the boy, he doesn't need to hear such filth yet!" The old woman punched his arm, though a small grin formed on her kind face, realising that he hadn't been introduced yet to him. "Who might this little handsome person be; a familial kin of yours?" She asked curiously whilst preparing some sweets to be put in front of the stall. "Oh no, he and I just happened to meet each other after a tiny accident involving water, and now we're roaming the market together as it were. Clovia, this is Lexus, Lexus this is Clovia who happens to be the finest honey-cake maker you'll ever come across." She stretched out her hand for him to shake it before resuming her duty as a seller. 

"Well as much as I'd like to keep chatting I've still a busy day in front of me, and I'm sure it wouldn't be wise to take up much of your time either. But pleased to see you once more Lucius, and likewise for bringing your little friend here. Well, you're of course here to eat some of my honey-cakes, but have you taken a look at the other sweets that are on display?" She gestured with her hand, running it across the various baked goods that could make even the most resilient persons fill their mouths with an overflow of salivia, tempting them to devour everything they saw. "Hmm...Ooh it looks so hard to simply choose one from the other...Lexus, how about we pick a little bit of everything, no? My dear Clovia, you have a spare basket we could use? I fear that we'll be leaving with an awful lot of your deliciousness." The old woman didn't hesitate at all to give him a spare basket, feeling pleased about the amount of coins she was about to receive from a senator such as himself. 

"As you should Senator Lucius, as you should, haha!"

@Atrice

Lucius also couldn't help but feel positively surprised about the ongoing developments he was having with this boy, now with the addition of getting know his name...Lexus, which was a short form of Alexius in most cases. "You have the name of the greatest conqueror this world has ever witnessed...Megas Aleksandros...though I suspect you already knew this by now. It's a great one, and something that you should cherish as every day goes by." With both of them introducing one another in a formal fashion, Lucius decided to move onwards somewhere else, the question was where to though? They had to eventually stop somewhere to rest and refresh themselves from all of that strolling. Luckily Lexus decided to wisely invite him for grabbing some honey-cake treats. "Oh honey-cakes are my absolute favorite since I was a child, so I'm naturally inclined to take upon that offers of yours...Is there any favorite stand that sells them here? Otherwise I would kindly recommend one that I've always returned to throughtout these years that I ever set afoot in this market."

It seemed that Lexus decided to return the favor, and started asking some personal questions about the senator, not that he minded at all. "A son? No, unfortunately not yet. I'm afraid that I haven't found a suitable woman to become my wife, or rather it's the other way around...there hasn't been any woman willing take upon my offer of marriage." He chuckled, but this was just another reminder to him that it was about time he started to settle down with the opposite sex and start acquiring his own offspring to continue the family legacy, and someone to share his faith that he happens to be so passionate about. "I've several wonderful nieces and nephews though, thanks to my sister Furia Pontia who was married off quite early at behest of my father Lucius Major...Personally I believe marriage should be reserved for an older aged couple, since one has had enough life experiences to make wiser decisions, as well as being more mature. Though that's too much of an idealized vision and reality often turns out to be different than one's expectations, though who knows what might happen in the future...What do you have to say about that, Lexus?"

Lucius was curious to see how well the boy could articulate himself, and whether he was capable of conducting these types of conversations that were normally reserved to an older age group. 

@Atrice

Slaves played an important in Roman society and economy. Besides manual labour, they performed many domestic services, and might be employed at highly skilled jobs and professions. Accountants and physicians were often slaves. Slaves of Greek origin in particular might be highly educated. Unskilled slaves, or those sentcned to slavery as punishment, worked on farms, in mines, or at mills. Everyone in the empire knew about the importance of the institution of slavery, even Lucius Furus Pontius Thracius himself, growing up in a noble household where the use of slaves was paramount and even was taught how to handle them. However since his secret conversion to the Christian faith, he became more and more opposed to it over time, detesting said practise and questioned the morality behind it. Of course, it was a topic of heated debate between the factions themselves, referring to biblical scripts here and there about being approved by the allmighty Lord and that. Yet the fact that they were considered to be property under Roman law, with no legalhood whatsoever, being subjected corporal punishment, sexual exploitation, torture and outright summary execution, truly disgusted the young Senator and wished dearly that this would one day end.

However he wasn't naive enough to believe that it would end over a night or two, no he had to contain his feelings and opinions to a minimum and to himself preferably, as pragmatism was the key to live through this misery and accepted it as everyday life, whether or not he approved of it. It's the reason why he dared venture to the slave market at the Emporium Magnum, not to only keep up a facade as a Roman noble filling up a somewhat 'empty' household of different slaves spanning across the entire world, it served as a effective compromise and Christian duty to take upon those who were defenceless and at the mercy of others. Naturally it would've been impossible for Lucius to purchase all and set free all of them. Instead, he had to pick at least one slave he thought to be 'special' in his eyes and according to his gut feeling, a small yet positive deed to perform whenever he returned to said market. 

As always, it happened to be a busy day of business as slaves were being auctioned and transactioned like cattle, their handlers shouting their prize and what they were capable of doing. Among the customers who were gathered that day was Lucius of course, taking a pity on those miserable, poor souls as he could clearly see on their faces how much they 'enjoyed' it, just waiting to end up in a random household and hoping for the best. It was a sickening feeling Lucius received from these sights, though how much could he actually do? He had to make due of the situation to the best of his ability, and try to create a positive change for one of these. He didn't know how long he would remain in the market, but he was sure enough that he would take someone home, sooner or later. 

@Mord

"I'm conflicted about the failure of my father to find a suitable bride, before eating himself to death that is." Lucius chuckled somewhat, although he couldn't make so much of a joke about the way his father received his eternal sleep, considering he wouldn't have wanted to end up like a giant mound of sickly fats. It's no wonder why the focus of his diet and exercise had become a priority, as the Senator intended to live a longer life as much as possible, keeping vices on a minimum level. "On the first hand, it's a shame that I haven't had the chance to present to my parents offspring that would symbolize the survival of our family into the next generation, on the other hand not being married until now has proven to be a blessing in disguise. I know it sounds completely strange to express this in pure words, but there have been some occurred events, that wouldn't have been realised if not for going through with the tragic death of my mother and father."

"In the end, it's pure speculation and I've no idea what would've become of myself if my parents somehow survived til' this day. It's better to focus on the future and make the best of one's situation...Speaking of your current situation in life, I'm equallt surprised that not a single suitable husband has been found for your. Though, I'm intrigued about this bodyguard of yours; what is he like? does he happen to be more handsome compared to...oh I don't know, me? I'm actually wondering if he's here tonight in this banquet of yours, so we can take a look together." A small grin appeared on Lucius face, as a little teasing wouldn't have hurt a bit, surely enough. As that happened, a servant came by and offered to refill his wine cup, as to which the senator couldn't possibly refuse now that he's heard of this small yet intricate detail of Oriana Laecania. "Do please fill my cup, I believe we have a long night ahead of us." He lifted his cup whilst staring at the hostess, covering half of his alluring face so only his blue eyes were visible.

Though Lucius decided that he didn't want to press much on the matter, knowing truly how each and everyone of them had their own crosses of burdens to carry. On the outside it seemed that all of the attendees were leading completely perfect lives with nothing to fear or worry about, flaunting and bragging about their riches and the vices such as sex, money and power, when in reality it was much more complicated than that. He was after all one of oriana's closest friends and unless she wanted to, she had all the right to this privacy without anyone trying to expose it, something which he hoped she would do the same for him. "But honestly, do you completely trust him with your life? I'm not insuniating about Praetorian loyalty...those guards can never be completely trusted anyways, since they've no qualms about replacing a Emperor with another if they so desire. I'm instead referring to true loyalty, where evn your darkest secrets could be kept within them no matter what." Lucius took another clunk from his cup, and that savory wine set the tone of this discussion and where it was headed towards.

"Now that you're mentioning it, I find it indeed strangely peculiar that there are several senators such as the like of mine, who haven't yet found a suitable bride for each and everyone. I know this quite well after maing this inquiry during the recesses of our meetings, when we're not busy meddling in other individuals' lives as it were. Hmm, you gave me a great idea...perhaps I should form a investigative committee trying to solve this mystery as to why no beautiful woman has even considered taking them as their husband; we could ask around every woman out there, knocking on their doors for all that I care." He said in a humorous tone, in order to lighten up the mood, but Oriana being the clever woman he always admired, gave him a reminder about finding a wife that would expand the somewhat 'empty' household of his. The other branches of his family, including little sister Furia Pontia, already spawned little critters waiting to one day continue their family's legacy and yet not even the main branch under his direction had any activity on that front, yet.

@Sydney

Lucius was, to say the least, quite surprised or even outright shocked about Paulus' reaction over seeing him for the first time over two years, formally speaking that is. He didn't know how to interpret this auctioneer's calm and cool demeanor; was he thrilled over seeing the son of one of his greatest clients to have employed his services and purchased goods throughout these years of magnificent partnership, or was this his method of containing an outburst to infuriating anger that simply wanted to explode from within, due to the Senator neglecting this special relationship? Taking a closer look at his facial expressions, Paulus proved to be a hard man to read, that old son of a Legioneer. There was so much going on in Lucius' head that sitting down and talking things through first, prior to embarking on a shopping round, ought to be in order.

"Paulus..I-I don't understand...perhaps it would be better for both of us to sit down for a moment and become reacquainted, as I'm sure those chairs over there would suffice. Your legs must be weary and tired after standing up for quite some time, right?" Lucius said, sitting down on what seemed to be less expensive chairs and hoped that he wouldn't anger the Auctioneer. "First and foremost, I'm here to offer my most sincere, absolute apology over the complete neglection of my family's patronage and clientage, as it's completely my own responsibility in the end. I was disrespectful enough to not thank thee for the services your business has provided to the family throughout these years, and how much my father's always spoke highly of you, even inviting you presence to the Domus itself. Let me reassure you that I'm thus here to attempt setting things in the right order, and this prosperous relationship will resume to a new chapter, under a new generation under my lead." Lucius could now only pray to his God that he hadn't made himself a  complete fool, though he rightly deserved it probably in any case. 

@Sharpie

Lucius noticed that Lexus mentioned his mom, but not his father, which was a minor yet important detail to note and usually was a result of years partaking in conversations with others. It could indicate that the father was dead or left them for whatever reason. In any case, it would've been too early and rude of him to press the boy on more information. For now it was more important for the senator to gain the trust from him, if he'd like to continue having company. "It's my curiosity which compels me to ask...Well by now I should actually head back to my duties in the Forum Romanum, but truth be told I think the other senators can afford my absence and besides, it has been a while since I set afoot in the Emporium Magnum. Now would you like to explore the rest of the market with the likes of someone like me? Naturally, if you'd prefer that I leave you be, I'll gladly do so with pleasure and we can be off on our seperate ways in this instant."

It didn't irk him at all by making this ultimatum to the boy, himself knowing that it's certainly a bit unusual for someone of his rank to start suddenly spending time with someone of the lower rank, especially if it's the first time they'd ever set their eyes upon each other. "Also, there's no need to call me Dominus or anything along those lines, as Lucius will just do fine." If there was one aspect of his neewfound faith taught him, it was being humble and understanding towards others, including lowering one's self to their position. Everyone was equal in his eyes and no one could be considered to be better compared to others, as everyone ought to have the chance to make their mark on society without any hindrance standing in the way. In any case, Lucius eagerly awaited the boy's answer and hoped that he would accept his offer of being each other's company.

@Atrice

Truth be told, trying to be the 'neighbourly nice guy' was still a learning curve, even for someone like Senator Lucius. Not that he wasn't capable of showing kindness before, but then it was more about someone having to earn his complete trust and friendship in order for it to show. This time, it was about being totally and spontaneous about it, but then again each and every day acted as a life lesson for him to eventually master and perfect it; who knows, perhaps this was a test by the Lord himself to see how much he has progressed throughout his upbringing in this new faith? Whatever the case may be, it seemed that Lucius wouldn't be returning any time sooner to the Forum Roman, that's for sure.

"Yes of course I'm giving you these coins, and please accept them. I promise and swear on the graves of my father and mother that there's no need to do any service towards me, nor any forced repayment at a later date." Lucius smiled, closing the palms of the boy's hands to truly show that he meant it. "As for those who're in much more need, well I can already tell you that so much has been done to aid them. Besides, I actually noticed you earlier eyeing on some of those cakes, and clearly that requires some additional funding. I wouldn't deny that to someone who cherishes the finer things in life." He chuckled, giving a pat on the boy's shoulder. 

"I'm Senator Lucius Furius Pontius Thracius, by the way." Lucius stretched out his hand for the boy to shake it. "Who might you be my son? Are you waiting for your parents, or here by yourself?" There was something about this kid that intrigued him, and though he couldn't exactly ponpoint it, he knew that the boy deserved his attention and he wouldn't just leave him by the side of that fountain just yet. 

@Atrice

The Furii-Pontii and Tullii-Marii branches of Lucius' family had long been promiment patrons and clients of the highly reputable Paulus Annius Faventinus for quite some time now, supplying their households with the finest, most exquisite furniture and other goods of unimaginable worth, the origins spanning even as far as beyond the borders of the Roman Empire. The young senator had met and gotten to know this peculiar sorts man, an auctioneer by trade and son of a legionary, who often conducted deals with his father Lucius Major, being invited to their Domus or sometimes it was the opposite, taking place at his shop in the Campius Martius district. However it had been quite a while since there was any serious contact between Paulus and Lucius, as it was mainly the latter's parents who'd taken up on the initiative to have the auctioneer as their main supplier, but with them gone and Lucius' subsequent period of depressed attitude, there was no incentive for him at the time to continue this lucrative relationship.

However once Lucius snapped off of his self-pitying and started to live again as a (changed) member of the Roman nobility, he remembered his father's words about the value of keeping Paulus and his business close to the family, and wasn't that old man of his actually right? The auctioneer even participated in the funerals of his parents, and he couldn't remember the last time he ever said thank you to him, for what he'd done for the family throughout these years. This had to change and thus Lucius Minor felt compelled enough to venture out to Paulus' store and make things right again. He was also in need for some re-decorating and the auctioneer probably had in store, some rare piece of exotic furniture that would suit perfectly. With no time to waste, the senator finally arrived at Paulus' business and gave a few good knocks on the door before letting himself in. Once inside there was still familiar smell, characteristic to that specific location, summoning positive memories of nostalgia when he was a few years younger.

"Paulus Annius Faventius...It's me...Lucius Furius Thracius...Minor." Lucius took a deep breath and waited patiently for the owner to come out, or so that's what he hoped at least.

@Sharpie

Lucius was standing by a pillar, the Forum Roman not only being the political heart of the Empire itself, but also acted as the young senator's 'second home' if one were to express it that way. Overlooking across the entire area, he liked to sometimes take his time to take a look at the various peoples who either simply passed through, or actually had any sort of business taking place in the area. However today it wasn't out of his fascination to analyze individuals that brought him out there to stand by a pillar, nor his work as a Senator and Praetor even if one might've thought so at first. No, instead Lucius was actually waiting for a tutor that he had the pleasure to come into contact with, courtesy of Flavia Juliana herself. He didn't know much about her other than the fact that her name was 'Ai'a who originally came from Gaul but through (mis)fortunes ended up in Juliana's household, teaching her children language skills that would surely be of great use to them in the future.

The Furii-Pontii senator desired to learn new languages, other than the standard Latin and Greek that every Roman noble ought to know by heart, aside from Thracian which was claimed to be his family on the father's side's ancestral language based on the blood heritage of Thracians, even if it was hard to prove it despite somewhat reddish tone on his hair and temper, mind you. Being a senator and especially praetor meant that he had to deal with Judicial matters, pertaining to the many foreigners of the Empire and not all of them had a good grasp of Latin. By learning languages such as Briton, Gallic and Germanic it would only make communication smoother but also increase the chances of getting to know these people. Besides, him embracing the Christian faith inspired him to embark on this linguistic track of educational mind to begin with, as his friends nowadays extended to the lower, poorer classes of both Roman and Foreign stock.

When he was about to drowse off to a nap, his eyes spotted a redhaired woman approaching him. Lucius straightened himself to look more inviting and presentable, as his first language tutelage session was about to begin for real.

@Chevi

As Lucius was strolling along the stalls, he took the opportunity to think for himself, something he enjoyed doing as it acted as a method to mentally process what he'd been seeing and hearing thus far. Of course it had to eventually end, especially if a great disturbance came in the way and disrupted everything, which became quite the annoyance and proved to show that a great market place wasn't exactly the ideal location to conduct thinking in magnitudes. It happened precisely as the senator happened to pass by a fountain, noticing how a seemingly ordinary boy was retrieving water to refresh himself, when suddenly a bunch of street kids acctidentally bumped into Lucius whilst playing tag. 

"Hey watch it, people are actually walking here too!" Lucius sternly told one of the street kids who had the audacity to bump into him, though he realised that wrath was no longer going to take hold of him, and he too was once a kid who liked to play around and annoy boring adults who couldn't understand their own world of reality all around them. The street kids giggled and resumed running after each other, as Lucius was about to mind his own business once more, when he realised that he too caused an accident by making that boy by the fountain drown his head into it.

"Oh my goodness!" Lucius helped the now drenched boy to his feet and took a good look at him. "Apologies my little friend, these street kids bumped into me as they were playing, and it seems I managed to in return bump into you and now you're wet...Please have a few coins and buy yourself some new clothes if you'd like, or a tasty treaty to compensate my clumsy behaviour." He tried to force some coins into the boy's hands, hoping that he would accept it out of sincere generosity. This was the new Lucius, as before he wouldn't have showed the same kindness and care previously, and he felt rather good about it. 

@Atrice

"I agree, let's find a much more quiet place!" Lucius exclaimed, as a regular conversational voice would've been drowned by the excruciating sounds of endless chattering between the banquet guests and the music echoing throughout the halls. Aside from the occasional hello and brief exchange of words between acquaintances Lucius had the chance gain throughout his years of socializing and politics, he'd rather get the hell out of that crowded environment as fast as possible with Oriana, which felt like a fun challenge to try and beat. After shoving and pushing people out of the way, with the complimentary butt spanking, the duo finally managed to occupy a bench in the tranquility and serenity of the Domus' courtyard; it surprisingly made a great deal of difference, which was aided naturally by the well-designed interior of this livable complex. Even if Lucius eventually let go of her hand in order to sit and face her properly, he could still sense that smooth, silky skin of hers being rubbed against his; a pleasant feeling that he sorely missed all this time without her.

"The same can be said about you, my dear. It's almost a crime being committed by not finding the right moment to meet more often, heh. As for myself...well being a Praetor comes with its own set of terms and responsibilities of course, but one can't ignore the benefits one receives in the process. I know that there are some senators who only take this job to advance their own interests and such. Don't get me wrong, as this matters to me as well, but knowing that I can make a difference for so many of the Empire's citizens is something that ought to be upheld at all times. Truth be told, I haven't felt like this in a rather long time, and I'm not just referring to that disastrous year when the Gods decided to deprive both of my parents, but even the time before that." Lucius said, as he enjoyed expressing most of these innerkept feelings that he normally wouldn't have shared with anyone else, unless he could trust them dearly. With Oriana being one of them, this wasn't the first time he confided in her and it became like an ordinary practice for him to perform whenever get to socialize with one another. 

"It just dawned upon me one day that by taking everything at a slower, much more manageable pace and not being a reckless demon all the time, has done tremendous amounts of differences to how I cope with my life in general, and for others as well. I know it probably sounds a bit silly to hear this, but when you have this feeling of emptiness inside, wondering about whether your life contributes to something greater than all of us could ever imagine possible or not. Oriana, you've always been someone I could count upon and it's safe to say that without your presence in my life, I wouldn't have had a clue about where to proceed with it all. So thank you for everything." Lucius smiled, taking a sip from wine to moisturize his throat before continuing, and he realised that he probably talked an awful lot but it was who he was and something one couldn't possibly change. An additional trait he liked about her was being a great listener, someone who could really take in whatever he said and transform that into true understand and meaning of it all. Though he knew that it was half of the truth though, as embracing an entirely new and heretically-branded faith from Asia Minor also proved to be of a great aid in changing him into the better self that he sorely lacked for quite some time, Linus being this other friend he could equally confide and listen to for advice.

"At least you have Aelius still by your side." Lucius then realised that her father's final days were closing in on him, a man he truly respected for the authority and personality he represented among the higher echelons of Roman society. Taking a hold of her soft, gentle hand in his, the senator leaned closer to her and lowered the voice. "Always remember that if anything should happen, I'm always here and availably ready for you anytime if you need anything...Speaking of which, I was hoping that I could have a few words with him during the later stages of the party, if it's fine by you of course." He leaned back towards his end of the bench, resting his back which was slightly aching from a lot of standing he experienced early on that day. "Let me thus return the favor and ask how you've been faring this entire time since we last met, hmm?"

@Sydney

It was a regular day of work for Lucius, being the senator from a prominent family and praetor dealing with public finances and judicial matters, and as such he wouldn't have considered venturing out to the emporium magnum, one of the largest and latest markets to be constructed during his generation, unless it was out of a great deal of importance. Usually one were to think of markets such as these, as mere locations where peoples of various origins traded and bartered goods between each other, as well as the latest news and gossip exchanged freely out of hand. However they also served as discreet locations for secret meetings and gatherings took place without rousing too much suspicion at all from the authorities. The emporium magnum actually served as one of the premier spots where one could find the secret Christian community, many of its adherents were actually merchants by the day, but practised their faith openly to one another during the night when most daily activity came to a standstill. Lucius happened to meet one of these as of this very moment, utilizing some of his lunch break for this opportunity, and were about to wrap up their time.

"It's always pleasing to see that the brothers and sisters of Christ are increasing by the numbers as the days are passing by. It only gives us hope that many will be saved from eternal damnation, as those who believe in him will receive eternal life...Lucius, it can't be stated enough but we're all grateful that we have you for support and guidance in trying times such as these, and I can only imagine about the precarious position you're placing yourself in; the aid we've received so far on your behalf has done wonders." The Christian devotee said in a rather low tone, taking a walk around the market place and passing by the stalls with Lucius.

"Please my fellow brother, there's no further need to flatter me; I've already received my fair share and your efforts shouldn't be neglected either. All of us, whether we're poor or rich, Roman or not Roman, are the most humble of servants to the One and Only Lord himself. There will be a day when the entire world has heard of Christ's message and then I'm more than sure enough that darkness and ignorance will be but an ancient memory. I've made my vow to God that I shall serve on behalf of his mercy until he decides that my life is no longer needed." Lucius grabbed hold of his hand as he said those words of hopeful encouragement, taking a closer look in his friend's eyes. 

"No matter what anyone tells you Lucius, always remember that you're a Good man." He put his hand on the same location of Lucius' heart. "If you continue down this path of enlightenment that has clearly changed you into the better self, I'm sure that you'll sit on the Father's right side in the Kingdom of Heaven...Well, also before I leave, my wife wishes to convey this message of happiness: she's expecting our third child." He laughed out of joy along with Lucius, who simply congratulated him and wished them further success in life. "It's truly a miracle...when we used to devote ourselves to these false, pagan Gods only barren fruits could be produced out of this union I have with my wife, and that was only if we were lucky enough. But now that we're following in the footsteps of the Messiah." He stopped himself in order to not fell too many a tear."

"It's indeed and truly a miracle you speak of, and thus this proves to show that only by giving thanks to the Lord daily, he shall reward his most faithful adherents with the gifts they rightly deserve, and that includes beautiful children created in his image." Lucius gave him a tap on his back and then embraced him fully, as he too wanted to one day experience the same feeling as this fellow brother of Christ emitted. "How about we utter the prayer that the Lord taught us?" Both men bowed their heads down, closed their eyes and gave thanks to their God for all the good that happened thus far. "I shall see you and your family later at the Common Meal, and Linus will be the one to conduct it, as one couldn't have asked for a great shepard such as him able to guide his flock back on the right track." Lucius couldn't help but feel admiration and respect for Linus, as he was the main reason as to why he converted in the first place, and becoming a changed man out of it wasn't something to take lightly about.

"I'll be looking forward to it as always, and it gladdens me that you feel the same way as well. I also hope that one day God shall lead you to a worthy woman willing to share the treasure of having Christ in one's life and bearing fruits out of a mutual union of love and compassion between one another. Farewell my Senator and Brother. I shall keep you in my prayers always." He shook hands with Lucius, before disappearing into the sea of crowds that filled the entire market place. 

"I shall do the same, Brother." Lucius told himself from within, and he could've by now headed back to the Forum Romanum to resume his work, but there was still some time to take a look around the market and who knows, there might've been a potential item of great value that he couldn't possibly resist to purchase. After all, goods whose origins stretched far beyond the borders of the Empire found their way to the emporium magnum, and what better way to get to know the tapestry of colors and patters no?

@Atrice

"Oh Oriana, you look stunning as ever!" Lucius embraced her dearly, adding a couple of kisses on her cheeks to sweeten his arrival. He could never forget that signature trademark of that smile of hers whenever he stopped by for a visit, always managing to lighten someone's day up no matter how bad it was, and she clearly knew how to pair it by wearing the most exquisite clothes and accessories many a Roman woman would've been envy of. "I would never miss a party if it were hosted by Oriana Laecania, and I've no shadow of doubt that this wine is indeed the finest of this city and may very well surpass the likes of the Caesar's." he chuckled proudly, and what a perfect timing when a servant carrying a tray full of wine cups happened to pass by. "Cheers, darling." Raising his cup to make a toast, a satisfactory sound of a clink and the mixed flavours and aroma of the spicy, fruity composition playfully dingled his senses, the banquet was off to a good start as always. The music happened to be dynamic and the musicians didn't only play familiar, classic tunes but also producing melodies that were previously unheard of and foreign to everyone's sensitive ears. 

"Shall we begin?" Lucius lifted his arm up, wanting her to tour him around the Domus as their ritual of inspecting old and new guests whilst sharing their gossip about these individuals whenever there was a banquet. The thing about why he loved Oriana being the host was that the banquets always ended up in a unpredictable fashion, even if the beginnings were more or less the same, as if one were to tell the same story all over again but with a different conclusion alltogether. Such details at hand made Oriana's banquets the most reputable and exciting of them all, and he considered it to be an honor to be a part of the spectacle consisting of theatrics, quirky personalities, shady intrigue, unsurpassable quality of food and wine. However the interesting part of it was whether she would notice how different Lucius would behave at banquests these days, and whether she would care at all if he was 'wild' or more of a 'laidback' type? Hopefully it would simply appear as if he 'matured' upon entering the older stages of life, and it was but a natural process of it all. Of course he would have to notice it himself if she happened to do so as well.

"You probably already heard this countless times already, but your banquets is part of an essence that shall be among your greatest legacies on this mortal plain, and the following generations shall hear about this tale, mark my words, as I truly mean it with my heart and soul...In any case, there are a few things we need to catch up on, wouldn't you agree?" Lucius moved closer towards her, as he appreciated the company who happened to be a valuable friend that many could only hope and dream about, her presence made him feel warm, safe, excited and reassured about that good things were on the horizon to happen. 

@Sydney

Lucius was no stranger to the typical Roman banquet and all of its forms, whether it was the epulum, the cena, or the comissatio, as he would attend them all befitting a member of the most esteemed nobility. However in contrast to the past, he was a completely changed man and no longer did this senator drink himself to sleep, or go about fornicating with others no matter if they were total strangers to him or not. No longer did he find them to be as pleasurable or interesting as he once did, though naturally it depended on who hosted them, considering he attended them just to uphold his image rather than out of pure desire. A banquet hosted by no other than Oriana Laecania, daughter to Aulus Ordovian Laecanius V, wasn't supposed to be missed and instead one ought to attend it even if one were to be in a pretty bad shape. Lucius couldn't exactly put it, but it was something about Oriana's parties that always ended up in great success where every guest always had fun and felt quite good about it in the aftermath, including someone 'mature' as Lucius himself. 

His father Lucius Major and Aulus' relationship went back decades and it wasn't uncommon back in the day that the families would pay a visit to each others' homes, which is how Lucius Minor managed to get to Oriana to begin with. Finding her to be a beautiful, independent, and daring character compared to most Roman women, he would consider her to be one of his closest friends he could ever confide in, and she proved to be highly supportive ever since his parents died a few years ago. There were actually plans for him to consider marrying her, but for reasons only the Divine itself knew, it never went through and now not even Lucius himself knew if he would pursue it though in the end she probably was already being eyed by another rival senator. It was probably for the better that she remained as a friend rather than on the entire next level of the relationship phase, though one would never know if the circumstances would change. Lucius thought that she truly deserved someone who could treat her as the worthy woman she truly was. 

Wearing his finest toga and nearing his party destination, it would also prove to be a good opportunity to visit the now dying Aulus whose attendance at his father's funeral was appreciative enough, and he would more than likely show the same respect, when it was time for him to also move on to the next world. "Ladies." he said to two of them passing the other direction, the latter duo couldn't stop giggling and being mesmerized by his good looks, as his dear mother of his always remarked about, and old reputation as the ultimate man to spend the night with. The old Lucius would've immediately taken them home, pop up a vase of wine and they would've had a hell of a salacious journey waiting for them, their screams of pure lust heard across the entirety of Rome. However ever since he met old man Linus and his propagating Christian faith, he could no longer continue those old ways of his that only brought temporary, perceived happiness and sense of satisfaction. His eyes were opened up to a whole new world that he thought didn't exist, where the One True God helped him regain his confidence as a man who actually had a purpose to exist in this life to begin with.

"Here we go again." Lucius made a positive sigh, before knocking on the door to Oriana's Domus as he could already hear that the Banquet was in full commotion. 

@Sydney

Yes little Lexus has the potential to become something great, he just needs someone to push him in the right direction and someone to hand out good advice - and Lucius could easily be that person. And a future thread with the four chars sounds interesting too. For now we could let Lucius and Lexus meet somehow, maybe they're attending the same social event or Lucius actually has a job offer that Lexus at least looks into and wants to hear about, even if he may not pick it up  

@The Young Pope

Alright...would their first encounter take place in the main market place where Lexus usually hangs out? 

14 hours ago, Sydney said:

Either way! She could definitely host the party, which would have some options. Or they could attend the party of someone that’s higher class than her  

She can host the party as I'm sure her reputation as a legendary hostess is known wide and far within the Empire itself. Should the thread be set up in her Domus section + I'll simply post his arrival? 

@Atrice@Sydney

Sounds great!  I can start the party thread, which will most likely be up tomorrow. Where would it take place...Oriana's home or somewhere more public?

@Sydney

T'is a tough one lol, but if I had to pick one...it would definitely be with Lexus. As I interpret it, there's a lot of potential for him to become a great man, but he lacks perhaps something to hold unto as a supportive pillar, which doesn't include a father figure but that of a higher being of existence, something that Lucius can possibly provide. In the future, we may even have a thread where Alexius, Lexus, Oriana and Lucius are involved which could yield interesting results. In any case, Lucius aid Lexus in his education and even bring the little boy on his free times activites and let him partake in hobbies of his, in order to transform him into a true Roman boy.

@Atrice

Marcus Barbatius, Helios, Helenus: All three have the potentiality to become enemies towards Lucius, however I can see that something beautiful can come out of it instead, where the Senator could make use of their services in exchange for cash and other rewards that each of these three would like to have? Lucius would be a frequent customer of Marcus for the occasional trim of the facial hair, whilst he would come into contact w. Helenus through his weekly visit to the thermae for relaxation. As for Helios I'm not sure how they would meet considering Lucius has rejected any desire to visit a brothel (though trying his best to contain those old urges/habits of his), but I'm open to suggestions 

Tertius Quinctilius Varus: Lucius is always open to acquiring new friends and allies, Varus being no exception in any case. Perhaps they have a common hobby during their free times and thus have the opportunity to meet during those circumstances? It can also be a simple visit to either home over good food and wine. 

Lexus: Perhaps a relationship w. Lucius could develop over time, where the latter resembles a father figure more or less? It could also be a chance to introduce the Christian faith to this child if Lucius is willing to take that far enough. Maybe Lexus is in need of a job, working in a rich household, and one of these options happens to be the Domus of Furii-Pontii. 

@Atrice

Laecania: I'm sure they would've met several occasions through these parties, and Lucius is indeed still a party-goer, though more for apearance's sake and taking it easier, not engaging himself so wildly compared to before due to his secret faith changing him. It would be interesting to see explore their relationship, see where it leads to even if they happen to be small-time friends already or at least acquainted with one another? 

Priscilla: Considering Lucius in need of a wife, Priscilla providing mathmaking services would certainly interest him; perhaps he stumbles upon her on a random day and hesitates at first, but in the end decides to take his chances? 

As for the other characters, I have no idea how he could be of relevence to them, though am open to any suggestion!

@Sydney

I would like to request a Domus in Domi Palatini , for Lucius Furius Pontius Thracius and his household, thanks. 

Lucius Furius Pontius Thracius Minor

Main Theme

Friends

Lucius happens to be a friendly and outgoing type of guy, his background and upbringing making him confident to strike a conversation with everyone and anyone who happens to stand in his path. It's naturally a bonus if their passions and hobbies align with his, such as aiding the poor and vulnerable of society, physical activities or discussing matters over a goblet of wine, and especially if they're secret Christians as well. Extra lookout for household servants/slaves and 'room mates'.

Enemies

Due to Lucius' occupation and his family's standing, there's bound to be plenty of rivals waiting to ruin him and everything he stands for. His secret Christian devotion may be his largest achilles heel if his enemies were to utilize that knowledge for their own gain, at the expense of his. 

Lovers

Lucius is desperately in need of a wife right now, preferably someone who belongs to the Senatore class, though lower than that may be possible if love is stronger than opportunism. He would need to make sure that this future wife of his proves to be loyal enough not to betray him if his secret devotion to Christianity would ever reveal itself. 

Other

A distant descendant of the likes of Marcus Furius Camillus, Pontius Pilate, Quintus Tullius Cicero and Gaius Marius, and someone with plenty of cash in his pockets, Lucius is currently serving as a Senator and one of the Praetors, dealing with matters regarding the public treasury and individuals, both citizens and foreigners. Balancing a highly visible life as a socially and politically active member of the Roman Nobility, alongside the one of a secretly devoted Christian whose philanthrophy stretches itself to society's poor and vulnerable, the possibilities of plots with him are endless and I'm really up for anything!