open Cake By The Sea

[Anna]

mid july 75 | naples 

The summer's heat was smothering in the city, which was still cleaning up from the earthquake, prompting Cornelia about mid July to plan to progress down the coast to Naples on a hired ship, desperate for a reprieve.  To get away for a month or two before life would start up once more for them in the heart of the empire. So invitations were sent to her brother and Quintus' siblings, a long with some others randomly sent out to random people. She didn't care whose hands they landed in. An offer to follow their household south, to breezier and sandier pastures. Then they had made the trek to the port city of Ostia and then made their way southwards via ship. 

Now, a few days after they arrived to their villa, Cornelia left her children's room leaving them with their ever watchful nanny. The villa was largely empty at the moment, slaves only exiting the kitchens to head out to the beach that stretched out from their property to the sea. The evening tide kissing the shore. Cushions and blankets and low laying tables had been set up and about the large area. Torches were being lit and should it be needed a large bonfire was prepared to be lit the darker it got. The things she noticed as she stood at the columns that looked out over the area that was being prepared. 

She wasn't dressed at all the way she would be in the city, instead dressed down. Her loose curls hanging to her waist with only a gold broach fashioned as a hair accessory pulling some of it back to keep it from falling into her face. Even the dress she wore was simple. White bellowy silk that both danced in the breeze and clung to her figure as she stood there, sheer enough for anyone to see what Venus had graced her with in the right light. A goddess overlooking her play ground.

A smile playing at her lips as she looked over the view and out into the horizon, the sun was setting casting its amber haze on the world. She heard someone approach her from the side and she turned and smiled, "Shall we go down then?" 

[Atrice]

Naples was lovely compared to Rome, Pinaria thought to herself, as she looked out into the delightful garden of the villa she had ended up in. She had gotten the invitation, although it was a surprise to her – but maybe someone caught word of how her brother would love to see her enter social life again and this was one way to do it. And she didn't see a good reason to not going to Naples, because really, why not? So she had travelled, along with her faithful servant Gaia Lucia and her son Gaius, to beautiful Naples. Rome was so hot this time of year, but the breeze from the sea down here helped a lot.

She’d heard that Cornelia would throw a party at the beach tonight and she could barely wait. That would be a sight – the sun setting over the sea and sand between her toes. She’d dressed in a pink chiton, lined with gold, it was light and loose and fit for this type of weather and a day at the beach. The wind might catch it, but she didn’t care. There were a lot of things she didn’t care about and didn’t have to care about down here. Her long, dark hair had been arranged in a loose knot with little locks of hair and curls escaping down her back. Pinaria’s feet were bare, she always found it easier to walk in sand with bare feet and she really enjoyed it too.

Lucia had said she was too tired after the travel for a party at the beach and she’d look after Gaius tonight. So Pinaria left the room they shared and made her way towards the terrace overlooking the sea. Cornalia Scipionis, as beautiful as ever, stood there waiting. So far, the only woman she’d ever shared pleasure with, was Gaia Lucia. But she could not deny how attractive Cornelia was too. It was difficult to not return her smile, so of course she did.

“Hello Cornelia… I would love to go down to the beach. I’m sure it will be an amazing sunset tonight.” Pinaria said softly to the hostess, waiting for her to move and Pinaria would follow.

@Anna

Edited June 16, 2020 by Atrice

[Hope]

Titus probably should have stayed in Rome, but with his affairs in order and the heat of the city continuing to rise as more bodies came into start repairs, he longed for more comfortable shores. He had his own villa tucked away in the nest of the Roman elite that flocked to the seaside city for vacations. There his children were housed with his servants, either finishing their evening studies or tucked into their beds already. Pater wouldn't be home that night, so they would have to stick close their nannies if they needed comfort from whatever terrors the dream gods sent their way. 

For now he made his way down the beach, the sounds of waves splashing and the sea moving coming from as he made out the party that was being set up down the way. Cornelia, as always, was one to out do herself with these things. From the whispers he had heard, they were infamous yet sought after as if the intent was to display their most carnal desires to worship the gods. To see if Venus herself would join them or for Neptune to rise from the deep to the same. The closer he came to the party music could be heard, the laughter and chatter of the voices of those already there floating through the air.

Cornelia was standing at a column some ways up the small mound that lead to the villa she and her husband occupied. Framed in golden light that made her gown translucent. For her age and for a mother of four children, he had to admire how well she kept her figure. He didn't pause for very long, pulling his gaze from his cousins' maternal cousin and moving over to the other men that had came to enjoy the festivities for the evening.