Exotic finds

[Sara]

Charis glanced sideways at Aia. "They do?" She queried gently. She'd tried to learn about the Roman pantheon when she was unwell and her mind...wasn't right. She had thought it would make her better, she thought it would make Tertius happy if she was a good slave and forewent her old Gods. Now her faculties were returning slowly but surely after the shock of the last few months settled down she had returned to speaking with her own, although she didn't overtly practice to them anymore. She knew Tertius didn't like it. 

"Do you know who they are?" She asked lightly, wondering whether it was worth a shot. Maybe she was too far away now, in Rome, for her gods to hear her asking for help? Maybe that's why she'd been through so much? And surely an offering to one Roman Goddess wouldn't offend them too much? Anything to help a little...

She swallowed and adjusted her position as the baby kicked again, but glanced up at the crowd. She knew she had to be careful, nowadays. Whilst her faculties were better and she was regaining more of the old Charis - lost for a time during her pseudo-imprisonment and afterwards - she was still cautious, and she knew she had to be careful. She couldn't risk Tertius' wrath again, not when the fate of her child was so up in the air. "I can't stay much longer," She sighed and tried to feign a smile to Aia, "I...don't want people to see me talking to a friend, I'm not allowed." She hoped Aia would understand.

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"They do?... Do you know who they are?" 

"I'm... not sure" Aia admitted. She'd never really been introduced to the patronesses of childbirth before. It was probably something daughters learned from their mothers, except her own mother had not lived long enough to teach her such things. Or anything about being a woman, really. "But I can ask about them if you want." It would be easier for her to find out such things from other women. As long as they did not get the wrong idea about her motivations...

"I can't stay much longer. I...don't want people to see me talking to a friend, I'm not allowed."

Aia made a face. Not allowed to talk to friends... whoever owned Erea had to be a dirtbag to treat her like that. Especially with her carrying a baby... his baby, more likely than not. Aia swore in her native language under her breath. Men like that deserved a beating.

"I don't want to get you into trouble." she sighed "If you need anything, try to get a message to me at Flavia Juliana's villa. I'll also be here at the start of every week for shopping, if you need to find me." she gave Erea a smile "Good luck with your sister..."

@Sara

[Sara]

Charis offered a sad smile and reached to tentatively squeeze Aia's shoulder, "Things will get better once baby is born, no matter what happens I won't be," She glanced around them to make sure nobody else was listening and lowered her voice to a whisper, "I won't be so worried about what he'll do but...until the baby is here I have to be good." She looked a little pleadingly at her friend, hoping she'd understand. She knew Cynane didn't really understand, but her friend was made of strong stuff whereas Charis had never thought of herself as particularly robust. Her recent breakdown was a testament to that, she thought sadly. 

Quickly, she pushed herself up from her little perch and nodded her head, repeating Aia's address out loud again, trying to commit it to memory; "Fla-Flavia Juliana's villa." She nodded and reached down to kiss her friends cheek. "I'll let you know, how things turn out." She pulled back a little and then offered a wry smile, a flicker of the old Charis returning to life, "And when this is all done," She glanced down at her bump, "We can go for a drink, and enjoy a proper catch-up?" Gods she'd love that. She just had to get the hard part out of the way first.

 

TAG: @Chevi