Work dinner

[Sara]

Honesty? How very dull. The men she knew of his class liked lots of things; sex, alcohol, fighting, glory but honesty was very rarely featured in the top ten. She gave him ac curious look, and one that said she didn't believe him but shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat." 

What did she like? She blinked a little and pondered the question with an over-egged performance of concentration. This man was an odd one, and her usual quip about; wine and men probably wouldn't endear her to him, he required something more...refined, perhaps? Or maybe just less predictable? She ventured forth with that thought in mind; "I like men that know what they are about, and have conviction." For better or worse, that was actually true, "Or are you asking more generally than that? In which case, I like my cithara." It was an impressive past-time, and an expensive one. Few people were proficient at the instrument, and the fact she was always made her stand out. "Not just a pretty face, you see." She tapped  her nose with a grin.

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"Whatever floats your boat." 

She did not look convinced. That was the irony of his answer: he was honest, which was so strange that most people immediately questioned his honesty.

"I like men that know what they are about, and have conviction... Or are you asking more generally than that? In which case, I like my cithara. Not just a pretty face, you see." 

"I figured" he smiled back. She was up in the tree, after all, which in the least took dedication. And she was clever. "So... you are more like a hetaera, then?"

@Sara

[Sara]

"I suppose," She only knew the word because this wasn't the first time she'd been asked the question; "I've been hired for my music as much as for other services and enjoy both, although this weekend is for the latter apparently, not the former. Your friends aren't music-lovers it seems." 

Shrugging again she glanced at him with narrowed eyes, "Or perhaps you expected me to say that I hate my role at the Venus and desperately wish to play music full time?" She laughed as if the notion was ridiculous, and shook her head. She didn't wish to be a sex worker forever - and indeed couldn't be because once her looks were gone, that was her done, but nor did she really have any notion of what else she'd do, especially whilst she remained in the clutches of the Collegium. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"I suppose. I've been hired for my music as much as for other services and enjoy both, although this weekend is for the latter apparently, not the former. Your friends aren't music-lovers it seems." 

"No, not particularly. But they are also not really my friends." Lucius shrugged. They probably would not have understood music if they heard it sober. Definitely not drunk. As long as there was some to drown out noises and underscore dancers' performances, they were not exactly picky.

"Or perhaps you expected me to say that I hate my role at the Venus and desperately wish to play music full time?" 

"I didn't expect anything. I know some people like working at the Venus." he shrugged again. Maybe she liked the idea of being a musician more than she admitted. "So... you are a free woman, then? Get to pick your clients?"

@Sara

[Sara]

Interesting. Not really his friends and yet here he was. Well, at the very least it explained why he was stuck in a tree. But it also made her job much easier; she now had something to work with. Being a confidant to an outsider was exactly the sort of hook she had been looking for. 

"Free woman, yes, picking my clients not so much, or...." She chuckled and tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder to reveal the curve of her collarbone. "At least, not in the sense that you imagine probably. Here I can, at parties and such because this isn't my place of work, but when a man or woman,"  Always a good image to plant in the head of a man she'd found - and she let the image settle there for a moment before she continued, "Enters the Venus and wants me, I'm not going to say no." Her lips quirked into a smile and she shrugged, "But, unlike the slaves I get paid very handsomely for my work." She narrowed her eyes on him, teasing, "Anything else you'd like to know?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"Free woman, yes, picking my clients not so much, or.... At least, not in the sense that you imagine probably. Here I can, at parties and such because this isn't my place of work, but when a man or woman,"

So, she wasn't a slave. She had been hired for this party, probably through the Venus, but she had more freedom in picking and choosing. Which explained her attitude, and the time she took out of the evening to chat with him a tree. Lucius was not well versed in how free people operated within the system of Venus, but at least it was confirmation that she was not obligated to keep talking to him.

She made a pause, talking about her clients. Some of whom were women. Lucius wondered how many wealthy matrons of Rome frequented the Venus.

"... Enters the Venus and wants me, I'm not going to say no. But, unlike the slaves I get paid very handsomely for my work. Anything else you'd like to know?" 

"Sure. What do you do when you are not working?..."

Before she could really delve into an answer, the sound of footsteps echoed from the portico of the garden. One of the half-drunk guests walked out into the light of the torches and looked around, as if he was seeking someone. "... Vibia?"

@Sara

[Sara]

"Shh!" She hissed at Lucius and held up a finger as if instructing him, although she looked wickedly amused at the turn of events as the leach moped about the garden, pouting and drunkenly peering behind the columns and statues that littered the place, as if she'd be hiding from him. Which she was, of course, but the drunken dolt didn't think to look up. 

As the man moved to the edge of the garden, and hopefully out of earshot she grinned again at Lucius, arching her brows although one eye was kept on the leach at all times. "What's his name?" She asked her company, gesturing loosely to the man a little way off, below them, "I need to know to add it to my 'will never set foot in the Venus' book. He's an actual stalker, you know." She chuckled, feeling a little more at ease, as if she could complain to him. He was an outsider too, as she'd found out. She shifted so she could get a better vantage point of the man below but as she did, her foot caught a branch and set it shaking. She held her breath as the man looked about, having heard the noise; "Whose there? Speak now o-or I will get my k-knife!" He said, drunkenly and clearly afraid. Wuss. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

A man appeared in the gardens, seemingly drunk and looking all over for Vibia. She shushed Lucius, and he kept his mouth shut, waiting to see what would happen. The man did not look up into the tree. Why would he? Even sober, who would have expected anyone to be sitting among the branches? Especially Vibia? After a few minutes, he turned to walk away, and Lucius could sense the breath of relief from Vibia.

"What's his name? I need to know to add it to my 'will never set foot in the Venus' book. He's an actual stalker, you know."

"Umm... Gnaeus... something?" Lucius lost track of some of the guests, especially the ones he really didn't have any deep conversations with. Honestly, why remember someone's name if you were never going to network with them? Vibia shifted and the branches rattled, alerting the stalker who was about to leave.

"Whose there? Speak now o-or I will get my k-knife!"

Lucius put his finger to his lips, signaling Vibia to keep silent. Obviously, the idiot was not going to get the knife, even if he had one. With that said, Lucius had no patience for dealing with him, or giving Vibia's hiding place away. Instead, with a sudden idea he lifted his hands to his mouth, and made some pigeon noises.

@Sara

[Sara]

Vibia raised her hand to her mouth and bit down hard to keep from laughing at Lucius' pigeon noises. Gnaeus blinked and glanced up at  the tree suspiciously, his drunken eyes blinking slowly, a frown creasing his brow. Please buy it, please buy it...and he did! As Lucius made oddly and impressively accurate sounds, Gnaeus muttered to himself and continued to call out her name as if she were a stray dog; "Vi-Vibiaaaa," as he made his way, hiccuping, back into the house and out of sight. 

Relief washed through her and she finally released her bitten hand with a genuine laugh and grin thrown his way. "My hero," She inclined her head as if bowing and then readjusted herself, stretching her legs out over the branch and over his own as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "He's been trying his luck all evening, and it's a hard pass from me." She wouldn't usually be so candid with prospective clients, and she was sure her employers would be furious, but sometimes the situation warranted it. She glanced again just to make sure he was gone. "We could have gotten down though," She queried, "Seeing me on another man's arm might have meant he left me alone but alas, I'm only deferring the misery, unless you intend to keep me in a tree all night?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

The idea worked. Lucius grinned as the man staggered away, deceived by the pigeon noises. Even Vibia seemed impressed with the success.

"My hero. He's been trying his luck all evening, and it's a hard pass from me." 

"Would be from me too." Lucius agreed. Vibia stretched her legs out across his. He was not sure if she was getting bolder, or more relaxed.

"We could have gotten down though. Seeing me on another man's arm might have meant he left me alone but alas, I'm only deferring the misery, unless you intend to keep me in a tree all night?" 

"I don't think he's that reasonable." If he saw Lucius with Vibia, he might have caused a scene, and Lucius had no patience for something like that. "And nah, not all night. This tree is not that comfortable." he added with a chuckle. 

@Sara

[Sara]

Well that wasn't a firm no, so that was a positive? She'd take it as a positive. Most men were easy to ensnare and she often ended up - like with the leach - with those she really didn't wish for in her trap, but Lucius was not the first prospective client that she'd had to win over, and undoubtedly wouldn't be the last. 

"Do you know somewhere more comfortable then?" She arched a brow flirtatiously with a wry little grin. "Or was it the all night part that you're not up for? I get it, some men just can't hack it." Pushing the line there Vibia, but he seemed good natured and non-plussed by banter. Might as well see how far she could go with it. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

 

[Chevi]

With the coast clear, they were back to banter. Lucius knew they could not go on with it forever, given that they were sitting in a tree and she was, technically, here to work. Granted, many people would just assume she was spending time with a client somewhere. Which she was.

"Do you know somewhere more comfortable then?... Or was it the all night part that you're not up for? I get it, some men just can't hack it."

 "Trying for another wager?" Lucius grinned. He knew she was taunting him. He would have lied if he said it wasn't working. "Am I really your most promising choice at this event tonight?"

@Sara

[Sara]

"I'm game if you are." She retorted with a little laugh and moved her fingers up to twist the ends of her pale blonde hair, blue eyes narrowed on his face. 

"You're not the easiest choice," She replied with a little shrug, "Half the men in there tonight have implied," Or outright stated with graphic hand gestures, "What they want to do to me, but you're certainly the most intriguing choice and the nicest." compliments were a winner she always found. but it was sincerely meant. He had been kind and was interesting to her. And interesting men generally had interesting secrets, secrets which were critical in her line of work with the gangs of Rome. "Are you really saying I have no chance?" She arched a brow, smile toying on her lips.

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"I'm game if you are."

All this banter about dares and wagers, but she had yet to name her terms. Lucius laughed too. At least she was entertaining to banter with. Even though she clearly hoped to catch him as one of her clients.

"You're not the easiest choice. Half the men in there tonight have implied... What they want to do to me, but you're certainly the most intriguing choice and the nicest."

"Yikes. Slim pickings, huh." Lucius grinned. He knew he was the odd one out among all the guests, but he also knew she probably would have said something similar to half of them, given the chance.

"Are you really saying I have no chance?" 

"Oh, you have a chance. But all night is a tall order, and something tells me it would cost me a lot." And not just in money.

@Sara

[Sara]

"You're very self-deprecating." She noted with a quirked brow, "I used to be, but it's much more fun when you realise you're hot shit. Try it sometime." 

She did have a chance. Good. At least he was admitting it to himself now, there was nothing worse than a man too shy  to actually admit what he wanted. Shrugging, she stifled a yawn with the  back of her hand, "I'm paid for, as I said. Though tips are encouraged," She grinned and nudged him with her leg, "But you're telling me you don't have the funds? Aren't you a noble-sort?" If he wasn't then game over and she was climbing right out of this tree. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"You're very self-deprecating. I used to be, but it's much more fun when you realise you're hot shit. Try it sometime." 

Lucius laughed at that. Sure, he had healthy self-confidence, like most men his age and social rank. But it was fun to hear it from her, because she obviously had the same. Maybe it was just a very good act, but he definitely liked women who were confident in their own worth. And she knew what she wanted. Which was, apparently, to entice him into a whole night of... entertainment. 

"I'm paid for, as I said. Though tips are encouraged. But you're telling me you don't have the funds? Aren't you a noble-sort?"

"My brother's a senator. So was our father." Lucius admitted. He had the rank, and he had the freedom do whatever he wanted, including the things everyone else at the party wanted too. "The funds... are not really mine. Although I bet my brother would be relieved to hear I'm spending them on something normal like the Venus for once."

@Sara

[Sara]

Senator - tick. That was all she needed to hear and she settled back into her position against the truck with a relaxed, flirtatious look on her face. 

Nobody really cared in Rome who visited the brothels. Of course some men prided themselves on never having darkened their doors  but that was just sad, to her. They were either getting it from the slaves (which in her  view, was just a waste - same principle with a shittier partner) or their wives, which was just...sad. That his brother wouldn't mind was normal, but  that he clearly had other pursuits said brother didn't approve of, was more interesting. 

"Oh?" She asked, interested, "And what do you usually spend his gold on if not tipping beautiful women for their work?" She narrowed her eyes, "Or let me guess...you..." She tilted her head to the side as if studying a fresco, "Usually spend his money on...the games? Gambling?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

He could tell that she approved of sitting in a tree with a senatorial youth. Gods forbid she would have done all that climbing for a plebeian. She stretched, and Lucius rested a hand on her leg below her knee.

"Oh? And what do you usually spend his gold on if not tipping beautiful women for their work? Or let me guess...you... Usually spend his money on...the games? Gambling?" 

"Nope" he shook his head cheerfully, then looked at her with a smirk. "There's your wager then. You guess right, and my whole night is yours."

@Sara

[Sara]

The hand on her leg made her smile and she leant into it. She'd play his game, do some guessing, because ultimately she was more than positive that she'd get him either way. She had the knack and she'd use it to full her advantage. 

But that didn't stop her pandering to him and she gave him a look of mock-concentration. "Deal. But, you have to give me a hint, no? You're a wealthy, handsome, young man with the world at your fingertips - I could be guessing for hours and I'd still be wrong." She laughed, "I would suggest that game that for every wrong guess that I make, I take off an item of clothing but alas...that would be a fairly short game." She grinned.

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"Deal. But, you have to give me a hint, no? You're a wealthy, handsome, young man with the world at your fingertips - I could be guessing for hours and I'd still be wrong."

That, and more. Lucius knew that the game was not fair to her, given that his activities were strange to everyone who knew about them. But now he was curious how persistent she would be in winning him as a prize. or whether she would actually guess at all. "Well... according to my brother, and most of my peers, my pastimes are not fit for people my rank."

"I would suggest that game that for every wrong guess that I make, I take off an item of clothing but alas...that would be a fairly short game."

Well, she was certainly not wearing all that much. Lucius made a show of rubbing the thin fabric of the dress that covered her legs. "No, I'm not going to make you sit in a tree naked." he grinned. "Ask away."

@Sara

[Sara]

Unsuitable? What on earth could he do that was unsuitable? Okay - interest officially piqued. She gave a pout at his comment he wouldn't make her undress, "Spoil sport," But nonetheless proceeded to the game, deftly shifting further down the tree so that his hand - on her knee - now fell on her thigh. Always working, was Vibia. 

"Unsuitable...unsuitable..." She wasn't a noble, she had no idea what they were and weren't supposed to do in public beyond what she saw in the Venus and from her time as a slave. "Gangs?" She asked warily with a slightly concerned look before her gaze realised that was unlikely, "No...you have to much wit to work for one of the Collegia...unsuitable...unsuitable," She was genuinely stumped and hated the feeling. She removed her hand from her hair and set it on her lap with a sigh. "Okay - this one is a reach but...gladiator?" She winced, was it that far off? He certainly looked fit enough to be in the arena...

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

Vibia slid closer, moving his hand from her knee to her thigh. She was warm to the touch, and her obvious play was obviously working. Well, at least she was good at her job. Not so much at guessing.

"Unsuitable...unsuitable... Gangs?... No...you have to much wit to work for one of the Collegia...unsuitable...unsuitable,"

Lucius snorted at the guess. Interesting, how her mind went straight to the collegia. He tried to imagine himself in one. The only image that popped up was Gaius dead of a heart attack. "Nope."

"Okay - this one is a reach but...gladiator?" 

This time, he laughed out loud. "I'll take that as a compliment. But no. Nothing that exciting."

@Sara

[Sara]

"Definitely a compliment," She rejoined with a grin but then sighed. Well, judging by the snort and laugh she was getting colder rather than warmer over his preferred hobbies. What on earth was unsuitable for a man like him. 

She tried to rack her brain, pulling back memories long since buried of her dominus and his hobbies. All very bland, all very vanilla; screwing his slaves, seeing his clients, hosting dull parties. None of which was unsuitable. She frowned, and then had a brainwave. She reached out, putting a finger under his chin and tried to turn his face from side to side as if studying a bust. She grinned but didn't move her finger from his face. "Your looks and wit, and flair for the dramatic...you're training to be an actor?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

She was beginning to realize that this was harder than she would have expected. Would she give up eventually? Would she actually walk away if she lost? Lucius was curious to find out. But also, he kind of didn't want her to lose. He smirked as she put a hand to his chin.

"Your looks and wit, and flair for the dramatic...you're training to be an actor?" 

He laughed again.

"Now that would definitely take my brother to his grave. Might as well go work at the Venus." he grinned. Actors had a serious reputation among the citizens of Rome. And not the good kind. "I told you, nothing that exciting. I spend my free time with... more mundane things." Actually, it was happening right now. If she was paying attention.

@Sara

 

[Sara]

"I could get you an audition at the Venus," She reluctantly moved her hand from his jaw, "You'd make a killing I'm sure of it." Well, looks-wise but that didn't mean much. She knew slaves who had been bought for a trial and returned the same day when the clients realised they were about as much fun as sleeping with a plank of wood. 

"Ah," She sighed and sat back against the trunk, rolling her eyes. "You see this is where I'm having difficulties Lucius. I'm not a mundane person and so I just can't think of any hobbies that may be mundane, you see." She laughed and reached out to pull another apple down, toying with it in her hands. It never even occurred to her that being up here was inappropriate, or that was what he was inferring. "A clue?" She fluttered her eyelashes and gave him a coy look. 

 

TAG: @Chevi