Marital Moments [M]

[Sharpie]

"Let's go home - or the house that I hope will be home for the nest year or so, anyway," he said. It was not warm today and he was dressed more warmly than she was. He drew her closer to him, to share some of his body heat. At least they had moonlight tonight, and wouldn't give their presence away by needing to take a torch from one of the brackets by the door of her father's house.

"I take it you're hoping they don't try following us," he said quietly as they walked down the quiet street. They would surely be missed at some point, but hopefully not for a while.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

She fell into step with him, although the closeness was...awkward. She had never been this close to a man she wasn't related to before, after all. Still she kept an easy smile on her lips and tried not to let it phase her. 

"I just can't imagine anything more awkward than being paraded through the streets," She chuckled, and shook her head, "Or having them all downstairs whilst..." The flush that coloured her cheeks matched her veil but the moonlight hid it well. That he spirited her away from said awkwardness boded well for her opinion of him...unless, of course, he was doing it for more nefarious purposes. But she doubted it.

 

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[Sharpie]

"Quite," he replied. "Choosing it is one thing, but when the procession only happens because of custom and tradition - well, not all traditions are beneficial to the subjects of them, are they?"

She was - seemed to be - a private sort of person, which suited Aulus. Even with his ambition and desire to rise in rank and prominence within the political system open to him as a patrician and senator's son, he had no wish to live his entire life in the public gaze.

From as close as this, he could smell her perfume and whatever she had washed her hair with - rosewater? Something light and delicate and floral, something that clung closely to her, a secret scent. He had never been as close to a woman as this unless she expected payment - and even then, it had only been a handful of times. Aulus did not care to sow wild oats as many men of his age and class did.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

She smiled and nodded in agreement. "Quite." Well, they had this much in common then at the very least, which was more of a foundation than many women could expect in a marriage. Aulus was sweet, and kind and understanding. And funny too - in a dry sort of way  that she appreciated but wasn't sure everybody quite saw. She swallowed the butterflies in her chest when she looked up at him. 

"You're contemplative," She nudged him slightly and smiled. "What are you musing on?" The walk wasn't far - if the torch outside a far off house was to suggest that was his, but far enough away from her fathers house that she even now, felt she could breathe a little easier.

 

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[Sharpie]

Aulus smiled; Horatia had used the same word as he had in agreement with what the other had said. He could only hope that they each thought similarly when it came to more important things that married people had to deal with.

"Am I? I was appreciating the smell of your hair, of all things, which is probably a silly thing to be thinking about, but I like it. Is it rosewater?"

And there was the torch, burning in the bracket by the door of their new home. Linus had remembered (although Aulus would be astonished if he had forgotten, his body slave had an astonishing recall and was worth his weight in gold, although to be fair it wasn't every day that his master got married.)

"Here we are," he said. "I hope you don't mind observing one other tradition, at least, even if we have managed to escape the usual procession?" He bent a little and picked her up, one arm behind her knees, one around her waist, and stepped over the threshold with her, very careful to do so with his right foot first.

"I think you're supposed to light the Vestal flame, too," he said. "I haven't actually been to many weddings, I hope we're not missing out too many of the really important traditions and rituals?"

 

@Sara

[Sara]

She grinned, laughing (fine, the wine might have gone to her head a little) as she was swooped up and carried through the threshold to the house. She had to blink to adjust her eyes to the light inside. It was not as spacious as her fathers, and could do with some decoration, but it was warm and inviting and her nerves settled a little. Just a little though, because Aulus' next words caught her. 

"The torch is at my fathers," She managed to indicate that she wanted to be put down and when on her feet she bit her lip nervously. It was an important tradition, although the torch she was going to use was unlikely to be correct in the eyes of proper Roman society...but she'd tried her best, out here in Greece and the Gods should surely be grateful for that? Or, she supposed they would be if she'd actually remembered to bring it with her. "I could run back to get it," and undoubtedly be subjected to the full force of a drunken procession back, and they'd have to repeat everything again which seemed...wrong. She swallowed, glancing around the house. "Could you fetch  the torch from outside the door?" That would be better than using an oil lamp, surely? Fretting, she stood there. She didn't want to get this wrong. 

 

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[Sharpie]

"We just escaped from that party," Aulus objected, much taken by the thought of Horatia's hitching up her wedding gown and running back through the streets for the bridal torch.

Apparently, he wasn't quite as sober as he'd thought because it was an amusing picture. That would be a fine start to their marriage, though he wasn't prepared to actually witness the act. The torch from outside the door would have to do - it was at least a torch and not a common oil lamp. And they were in Greece rather than Rome, anyway, so the gods would hopefully allow them some concessions in the rituals. He went back outside, hoping that he wasn't breaking some unknown rule about leaving the bridal pair's new home before the marriage was consummated, or something (the gods knew there were enough traditions and rituals already that he did know about!) and took the torch from its bracket, which would have the added bonus of disguising which house belonged to the happy couple.

"Here," he said, bringing it in. The circle of firelight would show more of the house, although perhaps not a lot of it. "There isn't a proper lararium, seeing as it's a Greek house not a Roman one, but I tried, here." There was a proper oil lamp for Vesta in one corner, with the votive statues to the Lares and Penates standing on a small marble table in the corner.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

She took the torch from it although the weight made her arm drop temporarily and she gave an embarrassed look. She should have practiced. She padded over in her sandals to the corner where he'd laid out the votives and lamp and she smiled, genuinely and silently to herself. He did try, and it was all that she'd have asked of him. She suspected a  great many men who married in a far off land wouldn't have bothered at all. But tradition and etiquette was important to Horatia, fiercely so, and that he seemed willing to accommodate that was surely a good sign. 

Carefully she leant down to light the lamp, pausing for a moment before she did, fluttering her eyes shut to send a silent prayer to Vesta for her health, for her protection and for fertility. When she was done, and with another sheepish look for how long it take (there was a lot to ask!) she lit the flame and stepped back with a nervous exhale. A slave dutifully stepped forward to take the torch and once it was out of her hands, she fiddled nervously with the bangle he'd given her, spinning it about her wrist. 

"Wine?" She asked, quite suddenly. "Or a tour, maybe?" 

 

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[Sharpie]

"A tour would probably be best, I think - we can always have wine afterwards," Aulus said. The house was not particularly a large one, not by the standards of most domi owned by the senatorial class, back in Rome, but it would do for them, for now. It was on two floors surrounding a courtyard that Aulus automatically thought of as the atrium, although there was no impluvium below the opening in the roof. The stairs up to what was probably meant for the women's quarters were tucked away in one corner, probably because the men and women were kept separate according to Greek sensibilities.

Aulus had no intention whatsoever of keeping his new wife tucked away out of sight. He was Roman not Greek, after all, and so was she.

"I hope it's to your liking," he said, feeling unaccountably nervous in case she didn't like his attempts to make it a welcoming space for her. She was the woman, she was far more likely to have the touch than he was - especially after ten years living in a small bare room in military quarters, whose only decoration was a striped blanket, and a tiny rosemary sprig in a pot. (He liked the scent.)

 

@Sara

[Sara]

She moved gracefully through the house next to him, the edge of her veil and dress trailing on the floor. It was sweet, how much effort he'd clearly put into this - and how nervous he seemed. He must have faced worse foes than the judgement of his new bride on his interior design skills? 

She reached down to her side to take his hand (and felt a flutter in her chest at the motion), giving it a reassuring squeeze. "It's perfect. And do you know what?" She said as she stepped away, turning to look around the room a few paces from him, "I'd almost rather this. I can learn what it is to manage a household here, rather than..." She cleared her throat, "Rather than immediately trying to work out how to fit in with your parents, no offence at all intended to them of course." She'd not met either, but her mother had given her insight in one of her letters. Apparently Aurelia was every inch the matriarch and ideal Roman matron, and Tiberius was an enigma to her. Not at all nerve wracking...

 

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[Sharpie]

"I don't have many slaves, so it's not a big household," Aulus said, giving her hand a squeeze. "And - anything you want, you can have, within reason. I have my pay, I haven't spent much of it over the last few years, and we can afford another slave or two, or whatever you want to make it more comfortable for you." It was probably just as well they weren't expected to move in to his father's house - he honestly didn't know how brides could stand it, coming under their mother-in-law in household matters.

"I can't really advise you on household matters, but if you want someone to talk to and what advice I can give, you can talk it over with me," he offered. Maybe it was an unusual offer; men generally had very little to do with the running of the home, but he was acutely aware that Horatia was many many miles away from her mother, who would doubtless be the person she would turn to first for help and advice. Anyway, if she had issues with a slave, Aulus had experience of dealing with people.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

"We don't need many," She agreed. Slaves were as much a status symbol as they were a genuine help she thought, and here in Greece with a fairly limited social circle as it was, owning a handful rather than the virtual legion that worked at her fathers domus and villa, and doubtless Aulus' too, was fine. 

"If I want somebody to talk to?" She queried over her shoulder at him with a sly, amused smile; "I'm glad my husband will allow me to talk to him." Her sly smile toyed at the corners of her lips in jest. Aulus had given no indication that he'd be anything but an excellent husband - but all things took time, and this would too. She nodded; "I was joking, it's kind of you." And he really shouldn't need to, she knew she was clever, she'd seen how her mother and aunts and such ran their households. She just needed to put it into practice. She couldn't let Aulus down, nor herself, nor her father. 

The thought made a lump come to her throat and she swallowed it away, turning her back on Aulus as if she was inspecting the corner of the house in front of her. Things had happened so quickly - it felt like yesterday she was just a teenaged girl reading quietly by herself and now she was somebody's wife. The thought didn't agitate her, or upset her, but it did make her feel slightly like the wind had been knocked from her chest. And she knew that the ceremony was the least of it. 

 

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[Sharpie]

"I didn't mean to suggest that I..." Aulus said. "I meant, about the household specifically - I like talking with you about... whatever we talk about, why would we stop having conversations at all?" Had he sounded as if that was what he'd meant?

"Shall we - it's late, it's probably time we, uh, went to bed."

And now he was sounding like a boy who didn't know anything about that side of things, which he did. He'd just never slept with a good, well-brought up patrician girl like Horatia, and found that he was nervous simply because he didn't know what she was expecting. Or not expecting, more likely.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

"I was joking, Aulus." She said reassuringly over her shoulder, a smile resting on her lips for a moment, although it dipped slightly at his awkward inference.

Ah yes. It was that time. She felt the same feeling of tightness in her chest and swallowed a lump in her throat. Her mother's letters had said it was nothing to worry about, but beyond that she had been irritatingly vague. Greece - she'd realised - also lacked the sometimes informative graffiti of the walls outside her fathers domus in Rome, and what literature she'd brought with her and bought since she'd arrived in Greece either said nothing on the topic of marital relations as her mother had put it to her, or what it did say was maddeningly metaphorical. She'd even taken to asking the slavegirl who had been looking after her, who was of no use as she'd not had a man, and after that failure Horatia had been too embarrassed to ask any others. 

Still, he was right - if she did not get it done now then the marriage was not valid or so she understood. She took a last look at the room - giving herself a moment to collect her wits and nodded. She could have really done with that wine, but the moment had passed. Instead, she turned round as she nodded and stepped a little closer to him. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment but she hoped that in the low light in the house he'd not notice. "Yes, yes." She said softly and then managed a half-smile; "I'm afraid I don't know where the bedrooms are." She joked, trying to lighten the mood but she still felt utterly overwhelmed. 

 

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[Sharpie]

A joke - of course it was! How silly of him to have taken it any other way! She must think him awfully stupid, though to be fair to her, he had sounded stupid, even to himself.

She seemed nervous, even though he didn't know her very well yet. Of course she was nervous - she was the well brought-up daughter of a senator whose family lineage was as old as gens Calpurnia - and she was as chaste and pure as a Vestal. Her wedding attire was designed to recall the Vestals to mind, indeed, to remind him of that fact. And Aulus himself was a soldier, who had looked on death and had first been with a woman several years before, shortly before taking his toga virilis, although he had not done so with any frequency in the years since. But of the two of them, he was the one with the experience, and he vowed to himself that he would make it as pleasurable for his bride as he could.

"This way," he said quietly, opening a door and leading her into a room with a comfortable bed, and a chest that held Horatia's clothes - he had had her father's slaves bring it during the day, knowing that she could not wear her bridal gown tomorrow. She would probably prefer her own familiar clothes as she settled into her new life, anyway.

He put his arms around his bride, and bent his head to kiss her, softly.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

She followed him dutifully, and glanced at the room as they entered it, the door closing softly behind them. It was comfortable and serviceable and the soft glow of the oil lamps made it inviting, even if in the back of her mind she thought it could benefit from some drapes and flowers. Why are you thinking of that now? She blinked, realising she'd been standing quietly and smiled at him. She didn't have much time to make conversation as he leant to kiss her, his hands about her waist, although she supposed now wasn't really the time for talking anyway. 

The first kiss of her life had been at their wedding but it had been chaste, and a formality. This was different and she found it easier to pick up than expected, although the sensation it caused in her chest and below was unexpected. Tentatively, wary of doing something wrong, she put a hand on his shoulder and tried to relax. But it didn't work - and every few moments the enjoyment of the moment was ruined by another rush of nerves. She swallowed as she pulled away, embarrassed. "I'm sorry," She said quietly and exhaled through her nose to try and dissipate some of the tension she was feeling. She knew tonight was as much for him as it was a necessity for their marriage, the pressure of which only really made her feel more overwhelmed. 

Her hand was still on his shoulder and she gave it a gentle squeeze, trying to appear less flustered; "I just need to relax, I," She winced, "I wasn't able to ask my mother much about what...happens, before." She added by way of an explanation. 

 

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[Sharpie]

"Of course you're nervous, you haven't done this before, columbina mea," Aulus said, the endearment slipping out unconsciously. He was going to do his best for Horatia, whatever that took. Once they were undressed, he would take his time, as much as he could, but he wasn't about to rush it - half the fun was in the build-up, after all, and he began peppering tiny kisses along her jawline and throat.

"Don't worry about, just let me..." he murmured, his hand going to the knot of Hercules at her girdle. And of course it was designed to frustrate the eager bridegroom - stupid traditions!

 

@Sara

[Sara]

The term of endearment warmed her heart and dampened the nerves...for a moment or two. The close proximity was equal parts thrilling and uncomfortable. She'd never done this before, he was quite right and it felt very much in that moment that she was being thrust in at the deep end - even if in years to come she'd find that sentiment funny. 

As his hand went to the knot at her waist she swallowed and moved her own hands to his arms - as if steadying herself. She didn't know where to put them! Why was there not some sort of instruction book for this sort of thing! She glanced down as he tried to fumble with the knot of Hercules and managed a breathy laugh; "I had the girl tie it loosely so you could undo it but..." She chuckled and swallowed, was this a bad omen? "Evidently not loose enough." She wanted to help him and use her nails to pick at the rope but she was positive that was even worse luck than Aulus being unable to do it at all. 

She exhaled, biting her lip and moving her hands slowly back to his shoulders, "Will you show me what to do?" He was at least being more patient than some of the men in her vague stories.

 

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[Sharpie]

"Oh - got it. Silly thing, I was pulling the wrong end," Aulus said after another moment, laughing at himself, and looked up into her face. "Of course I will show you - it's quite easy, really." He unfastened the pallium he was wearing and unwound it, letting it drop to the floor before his hands went to his own belt.

"Um... I'm going to undress us both, if that's all right with you?" he said - if she knew as little about sex as all that, she might not have realised what it entailed, and of course she wouldn't ever have been naked in front of a man before (he hoped, anyway - she wasn't giving the impression she knew what men looked like under their tunics, at least!)

"I promise, I won't do anything before you're ready for me to," he added, wanting to make this as pleasant as possible for both of them.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

As he finally managed to tug the belt off she exhaled in shaky relief. Well, that was one tradition they'd managed to do right at least. she watched him slip off the pallium and move his hands to his own belt before pausing. A blush came to her cheeks which she tried to hide with a glance down. Aulus' thoughts were correct, she'd never seen a naked man, or at least not one up close (glancing at the slaves through the curtain didn't count when she was younger). He was likewise correct that no man had seen her undressed. She felt like she was on fire and could faint at any moment. Pull yourself together. 

She glanced back up finally at his promise and exhaled a breath, nodding. "Thank you." She said, and it was sincerely meant. She reached up a hand to her veil, topped with the flower crown that sat atop the intricate hairstyle. She laughed a little, sheepishly. "I assume you would want me to take this off?" She suspected being pricked by a rose on his...intimate area if the flower crown stayed where it was, or being smothered by the long red veil wasn't how he imagined his wedding night with his new bride playing out. Determined to let him lead the show she stood there, a tad awkwardly, fingers on the crown waiting. Gods she hoped it wasn't like this for every coupling, the awkwardness (at least on her part) was too much to bare!

 

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[Sharpie]

"Yes - it looked lovely, earlier, by the way." Several of the flowers had started to droop now, of course, and it was bound to make an awful mess everywhere. And he had no clue about how it was attached to her hair, nor how the veil was pinned in place, which didn't stop him asking, "Do you need a hand with it?"

Surely two of them could figure it out without having to call in her slave to undo it. There was bound to be talk among the slaves as it was without encouraging it.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

She smiled at his compliment and moved her hand up to the wreath. It wasn't fastened to her hair and she managed to pick it up and set it down on the chest she recognised from her house, her old house. Her veil and heir was a different matter though and as she reached up to try and pick out the pins that held in place she acquiesced to his offer of help. 

"I can't get the ones at the back," She said with a little smile as she turned around so her back was to him. She could get the ones that pinned underneath and the side but  there felt like there were hundreds in there and the veil was fastened tight. "I'm sorry you're having to play ornatrix on your wedding night Aulus..."

 

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[Sharpie]

"Well, you can't go sleeping in them, it would be like trying sleep with a rose bush as a pillow," Aulus said lightly, running his fingers over her hair to try to locate the hair-pins holding the braids in place on her head. "I'd rather not have to summon a slave to do it, if we can help - surely even two patricians can manage to take your hair down without a slave?"

How many pins did she have in? He thought he had got them all, and the six braids were swinging loose - he had no idea how to take those out and wasn't about to attempt anything further without direction. Her neck was right there, and very tempting, so he bent to press a kiss there, just under her ear.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

She smiled a little at his joke, despite her nerves and leant to set the veil down on the chest with the wreath. A shudder ran up her spine at the kiss on her neck and she swallowed, the odd tugging feeling coming back again. She pulled her hair over her shoulder, to work the braids loose which was quick work for her but judging by his inaction, was a puzzle for him. It amused her, that such a simple thing like unbraiding hair was an enigma to men. 

Still - she was finished in no time when her hair fell across her back in a shimmering wave of auburn. She didn't step away though, content to stand in his arms, which she tentatively pulled around her waist. She didn't want  to stand there like a statue, and this felt...natural, as if it was a next step. "You're perfect," She murmured quietly to herself at his kisses, sighing gently. She knew there was more to come but for now she was content right where she was. 

 

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[Sharpie]

"You're perfect," Horatia informed him, stepping back in and pulling his arms around her waist, an action he didn't object to in the least. Her words made him chuckle, though.

"I'm not, really - but you are, my dove," he told her. She was a perfect fit in his arms, warm and a solid reality, the fabric of her gown soft under his hands, and the scent of her hair in his nose. There was no need to rush anything, this was just right, perfection in fact. Her hair was flowing loose down her back and he raised one hand to run his fingers through it, marvelling at it gleaming in the lamplight.

"Utterly divine, you are," he told her. She could be a model for a statue of Venus, to his mind.

 

@Sara