No Spring Skips its Turn

[Echo]

Spring, 74CE

It was a beautiful day at the villa, and as such, Caecina was doing just what she liked to do. She had arisen that morning and put on an older chiton and palla and, accompanied by a guard or two, had ridden out into the countryside to enjoy the fresh air and cool breeze. After an hour of riding, she returned to the villa and bathed, dressing this time in a pale blue chiton with a darker blue palla. Afterward, she helped herself to an informal lunch in the kitchen and then advanced into the garden. 

The girl was in an expansive good mood. Only a few weeks ago, she had turned seventeen and all the cares in the world were far from her mind that day. All she wanted to do was to enjoy the day, exploring the gardens and avoiding her lessons for the day. She felt that she had had quite enough of book learning for the week, anyway. She was not the kind of girl to enjoy reading overmuch, but rather enjoyed her freedom and ability to twist her tutor's arm into letting her out of a lesson early. After a few minutes of walking around the gardens, examining the variety of plants and flowers, Caecina found a bench and sat, soaking up the sun. What a day to be alive! 

@Chris

[Chris]

Another campaign to Britannia, and once again Lucius found himself at the villa of his mother-in-law's husband upon his return to Rome. It seemed that for all the changes in his life nothing had changed at all. Two places he couldn't get away from: Britannia, and the villa. Not that he particularly disliked the villa. It was as much 'home' to him as anywhere else considering the amount of time he had spent there. And of course his family was there - Junia, Marcus, Juliana - though they came and went. Then there was Tuscus who owned the estate, and his daughter Caecina. Tuscus, one of 'Caesar's men' seemed mostly to be away, or at least his terms of leave didn't overlap with Lucius'. Lucius had spoken with Caecina sparingly, and honestly hadn't paid her much attention.

That particular day he had risen early and went for a run around the outskirts of the property. The morning air was chilly, but not so much as to keep him from breaking a sweat. He was wearing a simple tunic, a sort of dull brown in color with a wide black leather belt around his waist. When he at last returned to the villa proper, he had the choice to cut through the gardens or take the longer route around. He decided to cut through.

His tunic had soaked up much of his sweat, showing in areas around his neck and arms, and his hair was a mess. He was not necessarily in any sort of formal condition to meet anyone, but as he walked - wiping the sweat from his eyes with a sleeve of his tunic - he saw from the corner of his vision a woman sitting to his left. Not expecting company, he stopped quickly to focus on the figure before realizing it was Caecina, not quite the child he remembered. He wasn't sure whether she even knew he was staying at the villa again... much less if she recognized him. So he thought to speak first.

"Caecina," he said, and approached her with a grin. "What are you doing out here?"

@Echo

[Echo]

Caecina had closed her eyes against the glare of the sun, letting the pleasant warmth sink into her skin. As she heard footsteps approach, she assumed it was Astraea, coming to fuss at her for not protecting her skin from the sun, but a slightly familiar male voice made her open her eyes, shading them with a hand. It was Lucius, Marcus' older brother! She had barely registered that he was back in the villa, as they had rarely had occasion to speak with one another. But with a quick glance, Caecina noticed for perhaps the first time how handsome the man was. "Is that Lucius?" She stood and smiled charmingly at him. "My, but I hardly recognized you," she continued. He had been exercising, she could tell - the sweat of exertion suited him, she decided.

Lucius asked what she was doing out here and she smiled. "I was just enjoying this lovely day. Would you like to join me?" Caecina glanced toward the house and noticed Astraea coming toward her after all. The girl didn't really want to be interrupted by the chastisements of the slave. "Oh, good, Astraea. Would you be a dear and fetch some wine for us? I am parched." After Astraea left, Caecina turned her attention back to Lucius, taking a better look at him. "So, you're back from Britannia?"

@Chris

[Chris]

Lucius wiped his face again, and shrugged agreement to Caecina's invitation for him to join her. "Sure, might as well," he said, and quickly closed the distance between them. He watched quietly as Astraea walked away to fulfill the request of her domina, and then let his eyes refocus on Caecina. "That I am, though for only a short while, I believe." Try as he might, Lucius couldn't entirely remember the last time he had sat with Caecina and spoken with her, just the two of them. He honestly wasn't sure they ever had.

"And you... are here on leave from your lessons I presume?" He grinned slyly.

@Echo

[Echo]

Caecina smiled, dimpling, as he accepted her invitation, sitting on the bench once more and demurely arranging her chiton. Lucius remarked that he was only back for a short time and the young woman clicked her tongue in disappointment. "Well, I certainly don't envy you, having to go and wade through the muck on that island," she said, her tone light-hearted. She knew her father was proconsul there, but she could never fathom why anyone would want to go to Britannia. "Will you be returning to Britannia, or somewhere else?"

Lucius then asked whether she was on leave from her lessons, giving an ever-so-charmingly sly smile as he asked. Brushing a piece of hair back, she put on an innocent face. "I have such a kind tutor; she lets me have plenty of time off to absorb her lessons," she laughed. "In truth, I made a quick escape. I think I've learned enough for the week, and it was such lovely weather out today, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to enjoy it!"

@Chris

[Chris]

Lucius chuckled lightly at her mention of the muck of Britannia and then told her that he would indeed be returning to Britannia for at least another six months, possibly longer. Truthfully, Lucius detested Britannia, though he rarely spoke ill of service.

He kept his eyes on Caecina's as she spoke of her lenient and oh so kind tutor... as if such a person existed! He remained standing, just a few arms lengths away, and began to pull his legs up behind him to keep his muscles loose after the run. "I most likely would have done the same. And the garden is a good place with enough foliage to hide you from any searching eyes. A tactical move," Lucius said, grin still intact.

He took a step closer, looking away from Caecina for just a moment at the sound of wind rustling a nearby tree. "I'm surprised to find a young woman such as yourself here at the villa and not in the city proper."

@Echo

 

[Echo]

Caecina nodded as he explained that he would be headed to Britannia for at least another six months. She couldn't imagine living in such a place, so she was impressed by his selfless service there. "I'll be sure that the family and I send you letters to keep you abreast of everything happening here - I imagine Britannia feels very far from everything." 

Lucius stretched as he continued to speak, complimenting her choice of a haven from her tutor. "Well, I am known for my tactical genius," she joked lightly. She really had no head for military matters or tactical moves - but the garden was conveniently hidden from Aia as well as pleasant during this weather, so it was the perfect spot to hide. Then, the conversation turned to his surprise that she was not in the city but rather in the villa. "One can get tired of the choking dust and noises, but I do love the city. So much happening!" She paused for a moment. "I come to the villa every few months to visit Juliana and see the children." Caecina had a soft spot for her younger siblings, who inevitably looked up to her whenever she came. "What about yourself? Is it the charm of the countryside that brings you here, rather than the city?" She knew a small amount about his legal troubles from what Juliana had mentioned, so she didn't want to be tactless. 

@Chris

Edited June 17, 2020 by Echo

[Chris]

Lucius told Caecina he would enjoy any letters she could send, though truthfully he often detatched himself from home completely while on service. It was easier to focus on his duty if he only had it to think of. Reading of home would make him yearn for home, just the same as being home and speaking of service made him anxious to fight. The curse of a restless spirit.

Her answer as to why she was in the villa and not in the city made sense; he couldn't argue her point. When Caecina asked about his own preferences he shrugged initially. "A bit of the charm, I suppose," he said, not wanting to reveal the whole truth. Though he suspected she had most likely heard of his legal issues, Lucius did not want to burden her with his personal matters. "Though mostly to visit Juliana, and seek her counsel." Other than birthing him, she was his mother in every other meaning of the word, after all.

"Other men might not be so quick to seek advice from a woman, but I will not deny the wisdom or influence of a powerful woman." He paused, thirsty for some wine. "I suspect you'll wield influence of your own before too long," he said with a playful wink.

@Echo

[Echo]

Caecina imagined herself in the field and promptly decided she would prefer getting letters, though of course she would never have to worry about such a thing. Living in such an era of peace brought on by Quintus Caesar afforded everyone the ability to stay where they were without fear of being involuntarily displaced by fighting and violence. She hoped her letters and the family’s would help him while in the field but one never knew. She had never really spoken to him before. 

The girl was impressed by his honesty in speaking about seeking Juliana’s counsel. It wasn’t a shameful thing by any means, but some men preferred male advice. Caecina, like Lucius, enjoyed Juliana’s advice and treated her at times like a mother and at others like a dear friend. “She is a very wise woman, and you are wise for asking her advice. I’m sure she’ll be able to help you with whatever you are struggling with.” At Lucius’s playful comment and wink she grinned. “Oh, perhaps when I am married, but I’m afraid the influence of unmarried girls is negligible at best,” she said playfully. “I think we are seen as silly.” It wasn’t entirely untrue in many cases, though Caecina thought a lot more than it looked like she did, as she was good at concealing her thoughts. Astraea came along a moment later with a platter of chilled wine and two goblets, pouring one for each of them. Caecina thanked the older woman and took a small sip, not as thirsty as Lucius probably was. 

@Chris

[Chris]

"Oh, you'd be surprised the influence a woman can have over a man... married or otherwise," Lucius said, commenting on what Caecina had said. He was still a bachelor, and did not entertain any wild ideas about his ability to fetch a prized woman from within the imperial circle, or one of the many circles surrounding it. For all the prestige of the Junii-Silani name, they had little left other than their name. Lucius still had work to do in order to return the family to its former place of prominence. His associations with Juliana certainly helped in that regard.

"Speaking of marriage," he said after a long, steady drink from his goblet, "Has your father managed to find any good suitors for you now that you're of age?" He was sure that Tuscus would only accept the best and brightest for his daughter. His family was, by means of his support and loyalty to Caesar (and of course his marriage to Juliana), one of those closest aligned to the imperials, after all.

@Echo

[Echo]

The only influence Caecina had ever really experienced over a man was her influence over Marcus when she goaded him to get into some trouble with her, though she supposed they both had the same sort of influence over each other, the way that siblings did. Perhaps, she had a bit of influence over her father when she twisted his arm to send her a present from Britannia, like the snake bracelet twining around her wrist, but in large matters, she had none. She wished she was married so that she could have some modicum of control in her life. "I suppose I'll have to take your word for it," she said, returning to her playful tone. 

As at every mention of the word "marriage," Caecina's heart fluttered with excitement. She had a few beaux around that she kept dangling, teasing and praising at will, but she hadn't thought of any of them seriously, really, seeing as the ultimate decision wasn't up to her. "I imagine he has a few in mind, though he hasn't deigned to let me know about it." She shrugged slightly and took another sip. "I imagine he's waiting for the right moment or the right person. But what about you, Lucius? You must have some lady love to talk about, hm?"

@Chris

[Chris]

Lucius grinned ever so slightly at Caecina's comments on her father's secrecy when it came to finding suitors. He supposed it was part of the process fathers went through. Though he hadn't lived through it himself, his logic told him it was simply to avoid having their daughters fall for the looks of a man before the father was convinced of his merit and dignitas. Also considering just exactly who her father was, and his place within the greater Roman political world, he certainly had plenty of options... and likely Caesar's input as well.

"I'm afraid my luck in that department has dried up as of late," he said, as cooly as he could muster. There had been the encounter with Claudia Corinthia, and a few others, but the majority of his time had been spent abroad or fighting for his legacy at home. "What with being away in Britannia... and I'm not overly fond of the Briton shape," he jested, "and matters here at home. It's been a while since I've had a sunny afternoon to sit and chat with an attractive lady." He grinned, and then took a sip from his goblet.

@Echo

[Echo]

Caecina acted shocked, though the reasonable side of her mind told her that it made sense that he hadn’t caught a lady yet. He was young still and in some legal troubles that occupied his mind to the exclusion of most other matters. But she decided to tease him a little. “I simply don’t believe you,” she grinned. “And if it’s true, it’s a crying shame. A handsome devil like you! Why, you ought to have ten girls vying for your attention this minute.” 
As always when presented with a compliment, Caecina’s eyes lit up and she dimpled, pleased with his words. “Well, I am only too happy to oblige you, Lucius. You know, we’ve never talked much before, and that’s a shame, too.” She gazed at him, then lowered her eyes to her dress, picking at some imaginary dust. “We should do it more often, especially in fine weather like today.”

@Chris

[Chris]

Lucius chuckled at her tease and kept his smile as she responded quite well to his compliment. He nodded as Caecina mentioned that the two of them hadn't really spoken to one another much in the past. That, too, was understandable considering their age difference - that mattered more when they were younger than it did in that moment - and Lucius' activity in the legions.

"That we should, Caecina," he said in agreement, watching her pick at something on her dress. "Why don't you show me around more of the garden?" He suggested, looking away from her and scanning his eyes around the area. "I'll test whether you've paid attention in your lessons about flora and fauna."

@Echo

[Echo]

Caecina looked back up at him as he agreed that they should speak more often, smiling again. "I'm glad we agree, Lucius." The young woman thought herself rather foolish - how could she not have noticed this man before? He'd been around often enough and had always been handsome. She supposed she'd just been looking at the men closer to her age, but now she had noticed him and was pleased that she had. 

The man then suggested that she show him more of the garden, saying that he would test her on her knowledge of the plants and animals. She laughed at that. "I think we both know I'd fail that test. But I shall do my best." She stood gracefully and took one last sip of wine before handing it back to her servant. "Here, let's go this way. There's a beautiful little enclosed area that I like."

@Chris

[Chris]

Lucius found his characteristic grin sticking to his face as Caecina admitted test-taking might not be her strongest skill. He followed her lead in handing off his wine to the nearby servant, and then nodded as she suggested they travel to a particularly pleasant enclosed area that she enjoyed.

Though he typically walked a brisk pace - habit after years of marching in the legions - Lucius let his legs fall in step with Caecina. He racked his brain, thinking back on previous encounters they had had. Truthfully, Lucius had always seen Caecina as a child. She had clearly grown, and though he had no real prior reference point, he found himself enjoying her jubilant energy.

"Have you travelled much beyond the villa and the city?" He asked, putting his voice to the first pondering thought that came into his head.

@Echo

[Echo]

Caecina appreciated him walking in step with her, and as they walked, she noticed with some pleasure how tall he was. Though much of his life and his inner thoughts were mysteries to the girl, she found herself wanting to learn more about him, and she felt they could have a friendship, especially since they shared a stepmother. 

The man spoke up before she had thought of anything to discuss and asked whether she'd done much traveling. "Not much recently, to tell the truth, but I have in the past. Perhaps it is time for a trip to Greece,"  she said with a smile. Greece was a lovely area and she loved the ocean. "During the civil war, though, when I was very small, my mother and I evacuated to the east to be safer." She frowned a bit at the thought of her mother, but brushed the thought away and her face returned to happier lines. 

"And I'm sure you've done plenty of traveling yourself, being an esteemed member of Rome's military?" As she spoke, they had approached the enclosed alcove of hedges that she had mentioned and she stopped to look around. "It's so pleasant here, and quiet."

@Chris

[Chris]

Lucius was listening, while also trying to not overthink about how awkward it felt to purposefully slow his strides to match Caecina's pace. He remained quiet as she professed she hadn't travelled recently. It seemed, to him, that her more recent memories of travel beyond Rome were tied to some sort of tragedy or lament - something they shared. At the mention of her 'mother', Lucius pondered for a moment whether she referred to her birth mother or Juliana... though the quick frown that fell on her lips answered that question for him. He didn't pry on that subject, but made a mental note to remember it.

"It is," he said, approving of Caecina's choice in destination. He took a moment to simply stand in silence and look over the enclosure. For as many times as he had visited the villa, he seldom took much time to actually enjoy the beauty of the land. "And yes I have," he said, picking up on her question. "Though, most of the travel I've done has been more of a requirement than a desire."

He decided to reveal a bit more about himself. "I was born in Rome, though my first memories of life are from Asia when my family travelled with my father on his assignment to the province. He unfortunately became very ill and passed when I was just three." He paused, thinking of the death mask that had been made of his father's face, that was destroyed when the family home was engulfed in fire during the riots. "Truthfully I have no memories of him."

He took in a breath. "My father's death drove my mother to insanity, and she lost all ability to care for my sister and I, so we were taken in by my aunt Lepdia - my father's sister - and uncle Longinus in Syrian Antioch. My birth mother passed while I was in Syria, and some time later I returned to Rome with my aunt and uncle where I was then formally adopted by my uncle Decimus.

"From there, I more or less went wherever Decimus went. I spent some time in Britannia - where Juliana became my mother - and then Rome, to Africa, and back. And then there's the long list of places I've fought." He chuckled.

Throughout all his speech, Lucius maintained an even, almost detached tone. He had turned off his emotions in regards to the loss of his family the day he learned of Decimus' death. At this point, it was more a recital of historical events than devastating events that had occurred in his own life.

"I'm sorry for the autobiography," he grinned. "But yes, I have been around."

@Echo

[Echo]

Caecina's soul always quietened here, where she felt tucked away from the rest of the villa. There were tall hedges that provided shade and seclusion, and at the feet of these were a series of well-tended flower beds containing a variety of brightly colored flowers. Insects buzzed through the air, occasionally alighting upon the flowers and adding a pleasant ambient hum to the scene. But as Lucius began on his list of all the places he had been, she was disquieted. The poor man seemed so detached from the sad events he had seen - the deaths of many people around him, especially. She would never feel so detached from the death of her mother but she wondered if the sheer volume of tragedy he had experienced made them all seem less earth-shattering. 

As he finished up, he chuckled, but Caecina didn't quite feel ready to laugh about what he'd just described. Feeling moved, she placed a hand on his arm (which she had to reach up to considerably). "You've been through so much. I'm sorry for your loss." But as uncomfortable as she was with deep emotions and sadness, she pulled away and turned, apparently to examine some flowers, but really to compose herself once more. 

After a moment, she cleared her throat and turned back to him, having regained her previous jovial state. "So," she started briskly, mostly to move on from the sad moment, "I am ready for my quiz. Or, perhaps not ready - you don't grade harshly, do you?"

@Chris

[Chris]

A genuine smile crossed Lucius' face as the warmth of Caecina's hand touched upon his arm. He looked squarely at her, directly into the heart of her eyes and deepened the lines of his smile against his cheeks. He truthfully did not like to hear laments for the losses, only because they reinforced the idea that something had been taken from him. He brushed aside the thought and gave thanks to Caecina for her compassion.

Quiet briefly fell around them, though it wasn't so unpleasant as it might have been considering the location and the company. He looked to her as she energetically proclaimed that she was ready for her quiz.

A chuckle left him. "Such confidence," he teased. "If you were a soldier beneath me, I would not allow for any leniency. Seeing as how you're quite the opposite, I can permit a mistake.. perhaps two if you can convince me."

He looked around, trying to guess at the plants around them. If she truly expected an impromptu quiz on plants and animals, he would be a poor excuse for an instructor.

@Echo

[Echo]

Caecina returned his smile with a softer one of her own as she laid her hand briefly on his arm. But as he stared deeply into her eyes, she felt a curious, exciting flutter in her stomach which she hadn't felt since she was just starting her coquetting around Rome. She pulled her hand away a bit suddenly at the feeling, but quickly regained composure, letting silence fall around them. Again, she kicked herself for not noticing how handsome he was before now; but he presented an interesting challenge and she thought she might be up to taking him on, seeing if she could produce some interest in him. 

As she proclaimed that she was ready to be quizzed, he chuckled and called her confident. "Well, if nothing else, I am confident," she said with a laugh. And it was true - there were certainly other young women who could be considered more attractive, more pious, more modest than she was. But those girls were all silly foolish things with no notions of their own and no gumption - that was where Caecina reigned supreme. 

Lucius went on to say that he wouldn't be lenient with his soldiers, but he might be with her. "I should hope that I couldn't be mistaken for a soldier!" She did strike quite the feminine figure on purpose, but she was mostly joking. But his mention of the military had caught her interest and curiosity made her forget about their feigned quiz. "You'll have to forgive my ignorance, but what is it like being an officer in the military? Men rarely talk about such matters with me, but I must confess, they are quite fascinating to me." She hoped he wouldn't take her interest as unfeminine, but rather as a silly and feminine curiosity in the affairs of men. 

@Chris

[Chris]

Lucius didn't attempt to hold in the laughter that burst from him as Caecina balked at the thought of being comparable to a solider. "You've obviously never seen the screamers of the Celtic tribes.. they're all women and very formidable." Lucius had seen green recruits and veterans of the eastern frontiers alike stopped in their tracks when facing a charge from the female warriors of the Britannic tribes. Caecina wasn't so terrifying in her present state, but he held no doubts she could be ferocious if the need arose.

"Being an officer is..." he paused, thinking of how to best answer her question. "A great many things, I suppose," he continued, still searching for the right words. "But if I had to choose any one word to describe it, it would be balance. There is a struggle between doing what feels morally right, and what can achieve the goal. There is the balance between your personal goals and success, and those of the men beneath you, and the men above you. And there is some fear," he admitted. "Not for my life necessarily, but that I might make a decision that will pointlessly take the lives of my men."

He paused to look Caecina over. "That is where your confidence would make you a good soldier, or leader, dear Caecina. You have enough to drown your fears."

@Echo

[Echo]

"Gracious," she said with a laugh. They sounded terrifying! "I'm not sure I would want to! Though I have seen the gladiatrices at the games. They seem fierce enough!" Caecina could have a remarkable temper at times, but Lucius didn't need to know that or see it. It was often directed at her father or Astraea, anyway - she had no reason to be mad at Lucius. 

His comments on the realities of being an officer were illuminating. She was glad that he took her question seriously and answered realistically. "That's so fascinating, Lucius. I'm sure that it must be a difficult struggle, but I am just as sure that you are equal to the task." She laughed as he said her confidence would serve her well as a soldier. "Well, I hope I will never have to test your theory, but I thank you all the same."

@Chris

[Chris]

Lucius smiled. "I don't imagine you will need to be in battle commanding soliders," he began, "but one day you'll have a family, a litter of small Caecinae running about," he lowerd his hands toward the ground and fluttered them about to mimic the sporadic movements of children at play. "And then the commander in you will come out."

They had almost completed their tour of the garden.. though in reality the pair had spent more time looking at one another than any of the scenery. It had been a much needed respite for Lucius, considering everything else that had been going on in his life.

His thoughts took him to the east, where he was to be for at least the next year, if not longer. He wondered, if he fought in the east for so long, what would become of her life in his time away. Surely she would have a family by that point.

"Whenever it is I return from the east," he said, still halfway in his thoughts, "you must promise to meet me here for another stroll around the garden."

@Echo