I'm not your errand boy

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"What were we talking about? Oh, boring things, like how silly we've been to not be talking to each other for ever so long," Teutus said. "Of course you can. What would you like to talk about?"

"Why weren't you talking to each other?"

Teutus shrugged. "We both said some very silly things that hurt - you know how it hurts if someone says something bad to you? A bit like that, only we weren't nasty, it was just a mistake."

His heart ached for Antonia; a half-brother who was a slave could not by any means make up for the lack of a mother figure or a sibling of her own age.

"You should ask your Tata if he will let Charis take you to see Rufilla Salvia. It's better to be with a friend than to be lonely just because you don't want to see them," he said, hoping Charis would understand the subtext and unspoken apology in his words, even if they weren't addressed to her. He tried to catch her eye as he spoke.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

Charis smiled gently at Teutus, seeing his meaning perfectly well. It had been a lonely summer. She had so few friends in this house, and her friends outside - Cynane, Aia, Rufus, had been harder to get hold of as her days filled up with work and theirs likewise. It wasn't like she could swan off and spend an evening by the Tiber drinking wine and eating honey cakes with Cynane, after all, much as she might like to. She'd learnt her lesson the hard way. 

Antonia - however, didn't seem particularly enthused by the idea of seeing Rufia and Charis frowned at the little girl's dispirited expression. She moved to lightly brush the little girls cheek with her fingers, in an overtly maternal gesture. "What is it cariad¹?"

Antonia shifted on Teutus' lap and glanced at Charis at the use of the unfamiliar word, but nonetheless shrugged her shoulders and mumbled; "She's been telling tales about me. Saying nasty things." She looked up to Teutus, as if for guidance, "Silly things that hurt - like you and Charis." She glanced back to Charis, as if unsure if she was willing to be this open in front of her. She glanced at Teutus with an arched brow, "Girls sometimes say nasty things domina, we can be very cruel." Antonia looked confused and Charis shook her head with a sly smile to Teutus, "I mean, boys are silly and use swords and things to be nasty, women, girls use their horrible words. You shouldn't give her a second thought." She moved a hand to flip her hair over her shoulder as if dismissing it which made Antonia giggle, "And we can play instead?"

 

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¹ Cariad = love or sweetheart in Welsh, which I'm subbing for Brittonic for ease.

[Sharpie]

"Oh, honey," Teutus said, gathering the girl closer in a brotherly hug. "You don't have to pay any attention to her if you don't want to. Why not ask Tata if Charis can take you to the baths, or we could go to the market? Or you can do something together, just you two - she might know a nice way to do your hair, maybe?"

He was reaching, now, but there was nothing he could offer, not really - he was altogether wrong for anything she might consider fun. The wrong age, the wrong gender, the wrong station in life. At least Charis was another female.and could engage her in girly talk.

She needed female companionship, badly, and Teutus could only wonder why Tertius hadn't realised that yet. Or had only just realised it, or something.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

Antonia mumbled with a little nod something incomprehensible to Charis and she frowned, reaching to lightly stroke the girls arm. Antonia snapped, evidently a little embarrassed to be discussing her loneliness in front of her, "You shouldn't touch me without a-asking." And Charis withdrew her hand, an arched brow to Teutus. Antonia could be spoiled at times, but she'd never seen her nasty. It didn't last long though, and she mumbled a; "Sorry." Trying to act breezy and not at all irritated she smiled, "o apology needed, domina. Would you like me to do your hair?"

She was hardly proficient at the Roman styles, but she was good at braids and the British styles - uncultured and savage as they were to the Romans.

Antonia nodded mutely and unfolded herself from Teutus' hug, sitting between them - her legs swinging either side of the bench, as if presenting her hair to Charis. She didn't have a comb with her, or any linen strips to tie it and she had a million and one other things to do. But she didn't want to get on Antonia's bad side. Dutifully, she began moving her fingers through the girls copper hair, brushing it as best she could and sectioning it out as she spoke; "Why don't you tell Teutus what we were learning the other day? All about the flowers?" Charis, in her newfound role with Antonia, had been trying to teach her lessons. But her knowledge - of smithing and Britannia - were hardly fit subjects, and so she'd been trying to teach her about gardening instead.

 

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