In this together

[Atrice]

June, 77AD

The whole ordeal with Marcus Junius Silanus was behind him. A new month had begun and life went on as usual. Peregrinus would be two years old this fall. Two years! He was growing into a most beautiful boy and he was really getting the hang of talking lately. Tertius was proud of his son and enjoyed spending time with him, both together with Charis and on his own. Perhaps he should begin looking into a future tutor for his son soon. Before you knew it, he'd be old enough for that. Perhaps he ought to discuss that with Charis though, he did like to talk about Peregrinus with her. They were husband and wife now and although he had stated the terms for her freedom and the marriage, he tried hard to make her feel like she had a voice too. After all, she was no longer a slave. And he did insist that she was treated like any other Patrician lady now. Hence why he had to deal with that Silanus boy the way he did. There was no way any other man of his rank would let a boy like that get away with offending his family. Or his wife! 

He put down his paperwork for now and moved through the house to find Charis. As so often before, he found her in the garden, where she still liked to spend time. He stood a bit in the shade of the peristyle, watching her. There had always been a soft spot within him, for her, and that soft spot had certainly grown these past almost six months, since she was freed. How lovely she looked today too. Right, he had found her to talk to her.

"Charis, dearest." He said with a warm smile as he entered the garden, "Are you busy?" 

@Sara

[Sara]

Charis was slowly adjusting to life as a freedwoman. In an odd way she missed the chores and the hard work of life as a slave. Charis had always liked being busy, had always needed to be doing something. Contributing something. These days that largely involved caring for her son or occasionally helping Tertius with his paperwork but it was not enough for her. So she was presently led on a blanket in the garden, the sun warming her pale skin, her gardening implements abandoned next to her as she watched the clouds drifting by. There was a scroll abandoned next to the tools, but she was in no mood to read, nor practice her penmanship. She just let her mind drift, enjoying the ache in her muscles from a morning of hard work. She'd dismissed the slave that replaced her in the garden and had did it herself. 

But a voice called her out of her aimless musing and she pushed herself up on her forearms to watch her husband as he strolled into the greenery. "Not at all." She chuckled with a deep sigh, a soft smile on her lips. "Peregrinus is napping, I'm finished -" She gestured her head to her tools and the basket of fresh clippings from her pruning, "And have nothing else to do today." She chuckled. She wondered briefly if he knew whether it bothered her that she was so...bored, or if he didn't notice at all. Probably the latter, she imagined, given he himself was so busy. "You're alright?" She asked, tilting her head as she watched him from her lounged position on the blanket - legs crossed at her ankles. 

 

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[Atrice]

She'd looked so calm and it was still sometimes odd to see her so relaxed, but it suited her, he thought to himself. If only he could afford to just lie down in the sun like that, but where was the time for such things? It wasn't there, that's where it was. Besides, it really wasn't something she should do, although he wouldn't tell her. She was used to working and she liked being in the garden, so if she had the time, why shouldn't she do that? She was not brought up as a noble lady in Rome, after all. She probably wouldn't be satisfied with a book or a scroll or some needlework or weaving. Gardening was her thing, along with taking care of their son. Even if it meant she got a bit tanned at times. 

But he approached her with a smile and she pushed herself up with a chuckle. She clearly wasn't busy and gestured to the work she'd already done, "Well, maybe you have some time for me then?" He suggested with a smile, feeling a bit awkward standing, while she was still down there on the blanket, "I'm good. I was just admiring my beautiful wife relaxing." He said, "Can I join you?" Even if it did feel odd to just lie around on a blanket on the ground, but why not? If only just for a little bit.

@Sara

[Sara]

She chuckled and nodded. She had all the time in the world, and nothing to fill it with. If he wanted to take some of it for himself, who was she to say no? And despite herself, she flushed a little at the compliment. She did look better than when she'd first arrived, that was for sure. She had some more colour about her now, her small curves had filled out pleasingly and she had new strength. She nodded as he asked if he could join her and shuffled up to give him space before lying back to stare at the sky - the clouds drifting past. 

"How has your day been?" She murmured and tilted her head to the side to study him. "You've seemed so busy recently. You should take some more time for yourself." Because despite his many, many flaws, Tertius did work hard. She understood precious little of what a Praetor did, but he seemed constantly enthralled in paperwork, in business of some description. 

 

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[Atrice]

He smiled when she flushed a little at his compliment - it was nice to see her do that and quite the change from how things had been. Tertius was beginning to believe they really had moved on from the past. This was their present and they shared it together, as husband and wife and parents to a beautiful son. Running a household together. Everything. She shifted so he could join her and he sat down to begin with, still feeling a bit odd about lying down in the garden like that. It wasn't something he did. Had he ever done that before? He didn't think so. Sometimes you saw young people by the river, enjoying the sun on the banks, but... they were young. Tertius wasn't. Charis was, of course, still quite young. And now she kindly asked how his day had been and said that he seemed busy.

"Perhaps I should, there's just a lot for me to do. We also need to train some of the younger men to one day take over, after all." He explained, "My day hasn't been so interesting so far. Nothing out of the ordinary anyway. Not until now." He added with a small smile, looking down upon her next to him, "And how's your day? Any interesting plans? I don't think there's any parties the next few days?" 

@Sara

[Sara]

She arched a brow, saving that little piece of information away for later. Did he mean to infer that he was training the young men up to take over...soon? She knew he enjoyed his job. Was good at it, respected for it. The idea that he might one day step away from it surprised her. Of course, she didn't understand that such positions were elected and so he might not have a choice in stepping away in the end. Still, she merely gave him a small smile in response to his own to her and shrugged her shoulder with a sigh, turning her eyes back up to the clouds drifting past overhead. 

"It's been fine. Peregrinus and I played for some time, and then I was feeling the need to do something productive whilst he napped so...here I am." she chuckled, "I told the gardener to find something else to do for the afternoon. But no, no parties. And the slaves all seemed content. I put in a new order at a different fruit and vegetable merchant but that is about as interesting as my day has been." She gave him a small smile again. Running the house wasn't hard, but it was dull. And odd. It didn't sit right to her that she should now boss her old colleagues around. 

She moved her hand to his arm gently. "Is something on your mind, husband?" 

 

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[Atrice]

He certainly wasn't young anymore and might not be Praetor forever. The next step would be to act as Consul, should he be elected, but he wasn't sure he was up for such a task. Being a Praetor suited him perfectly and because he'd been it for so long, he was one of the most experienced and highly admired Praetors. If not the most experienced of them all. But that also meant he was the best to train the younger men. And on top of that, of course he had his usual work too. But enough about his day, which had not been all that interesting. Not to Charis anyway, he thought, so he asked into her day. She spoke of Peregrinus and gardening and what else she'd done.

"Sounds like we had equally interesting days then. In each our own way." He said with a small chuckle, but then her hand was on his arm and she guessed he had something on his mind.

"Oh, I don't know... I was just thinking earlier, about how Peregrinus is growing. We'll need to look for a tutor for him soon." He explained, "I don't know a thing about how to find one though. With Antonia it was different, because she's a girl. And I want Peregrinus to grow up to be a... well... a well-schooled and polite young man. And we need to be careful we don't spoil him. So he doesn't end up thinking everything in the world will come to him without any work." Well, that was a lot more than he intended to say, but that was the truth of it. He didn't want his son to end up like the Silanus brat. Antonia was plenty spoiled already. Not that he didn't want to spoil Peregrinus. But he had to be careful. 

@Sara

[Sara]

She listened to Tertius, keeping her expression carefully neutral until he revealed what was on his mind and her look softened. A tutor. For their son. She smiled gently and relaxed back down into the grass. "It is still funny to me...how different things are here." She mused aloud as she stared above at the clouds drifting pass, occasionally casting shadows over her face, "When I was a girl nobody had tutors. Not the men, certainly not the women...but I can see the value of it. If I had been able to read or write or do mathematics I would have found life much easier." She chuckled. Even silly  things, like jotting down orders for the forge or working out the equivalent value of things would have made her life a lot less stressful than it was. The memories of her girlhood made a sigh break from her lips. She so rarely thought of it these days. 

She tilted her head to look at him, her expression becoming more curious. "And what do you think counts as spoiling him?" Their son would be two years old in just a couple of months, which still baffled her. He still felt like the same tiny thing in her arms but instead he was walking and talking in small phrases (his favourite recently being 'Mama, go!'). "I know Romans have different ideals for their women and their sons...you...are not asking me to spend less time with him...are you?" She felt her chest ache at the thought. Peregrinus was her everything. He made this worth it, all of it. 

 

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[Atrice]

Tertius gave her a look, when she explained how different things had been when she grew up. It surprised him that not even the boys had proper tutors. Maybe for hard work or for special work, you had to learn somehow, right? But of course they might not consider reading or writing or mathematics so important. Not until the Romans came. There was a reason why the Romans were a far more civilized people than all those to the North. But he wouldn't say that to her, he wouldn't want to offend her. Instead he should focus on the fact that she did see the value of it now... "I'm sure a lot of people would, if they knew such things. And well... you know now. And our son will grow up with it." He said to her and then she wondered what would count as spoiling their son. Hoping he didn't mean she should spend less time with their son. He knew he'd probably spoiled Antonia too much... but she was his first child born within wedlock. He could not allow Peregrinus to grow up too spoiled like that Silanus brat. 

"For now, it's fine. But he's a boy. When he grows, we must both allow him to grow into a proper young man. It's hard to explain. Of course he has to have a certain amount of freedom, when he grows older. But he has to know that actions have consequences. That you can't just do as you please and the world will be at your feet. You have to work for it. And not speak out of turn. Such things. I..." He paused, sighing, "I don't want our son to turn out like that brat who offended you at that party." Although by now, he'd hopefully learned his lesson - that actions had consequences. It would seem that nobody taught him that sooner. Well, Tertius taught him now. 

@Sara

[Sara]

She exhaled, deeply relieved and fell back to the grass from where she'd propped herself up, staring back up at the clouds drifting past as she listened to him. It was much the same as in her own culture; boys will be boys, and don't need to be mothered! her father had often chided her own mother over her brothers. She smiled to herself fondly at the memory. This many years later, those thoughts brought a smile to her lips more often than they brought tears to her eyes. 

But the tone of his voice, his sigh, had her big blue eyes flicking back to his face. She moved a hand to rest, splaying over his shoulder. "He won't. I won't allow it." She chuckled but gave Tertius a wary, appraising look. "It still bothers you?" She asked tentatively. "I've heard nothing from him since, and I put him in his place...there will always be childish, bratty little idiots like him." 

 

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[Atrice]

He watched her lie down onto her back again, staring up at the clouds. For a moment there, he wished he could be like that. Just... lie down and look at the clouds. Not worry about his family or his children's future or what society thought of him and his family... not worry about honoring his own ancestors and securing everyone. Just, relax. But he could not. He had a young son now. And he wasn't getting any younger himself. He tried to explain to Charis that he didn't want their son to grow into a spoiled kid like Silanus. She promised him that would not happen and wondered why the whole thing still bothered him. And claimed she put him in his place.

"There always will be, yes... but not our son." Tertius said, "And why would you expect to hear from that boy? He offended you. And through you, me and our family. He won't bother us again. I made sure of that." Tertius explained, his tone a bit more firm. Why would she even think she should hear from Silanus again, with how he treated her and what he basically called her. A harlot of some sort. As if she was! Tertius had never thought of her like that. Not even when she was a slave, not even before Peregrinus was born. And now she was much more than that.

@Sara

[Sara]

Charis stroked her fingers across Tertius' shoulder, worry in her eyes as he spoke. His tone was firm, she'd heard it before, but not for a long while. Things had softened between them and the blurring of the lines had been confusing for her, almost painful as she struggled to adjust, be grateful for her freedom. But that tone snapped her right back to being under his thumb and she pushed herself up so she was sitting, withdrawing her hand from his shoulder. 

She was not his slave. She could question him, talk to him unprompted. Her big blue eyes narrowed as dread pooled in her stomach. "I thought I might hear from him to apologise." She explained, her voice level, neutral. "And why, husband, will he not bother us again?" She studied his face with ferocious intensity. "What did you do?" 

 

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[Atrice]

He felt her fingers on his shoulder, she was being so lovely to him. What they had was precious. He was not going to let any brat ruin that. It still upset him that they'd been offended like that, in public too... even if he took care of it, he couldn't easily forget about it. He hoped the boy couldn't either. And now Charis sat up, withdrew her hand from him and spoke in a neutral tone. Saying she thought Silanus might apologize and wondered why he wouldn't bother them again.

"He did apologize... to me. I made sure he understood to not offend anyone like that again. And certainly not any of us." Tertius said, looking at her and lifted a hand to softly stroke her cheek. Surely she would understand this, right? And that he did it for her, "I'm sure he learned his lesson. You shouldn't worry about seeing him again." 

[Sara]

Dread burst from her stomach, lapping at her throat, drying out her mouth. She didn't flinch from the soft, gentle stroke across her cheek but she didn't lean into it either. Instead, she watched him, considering her words carefully before she said them. She settled on: "What did you do, Tertius?" She rarely used his name - it had been domine for years, and now it was husband. The name sounded odd on her lips. 

She had never considered Tertius dangerous which had been her undoing at first. But even then, when he'd taken her to his bed against her will, when he'd locked her in her room after her failed attempt to rid herself of their son, he had never been violent. Cruel, and cold and he'd drawn out her punishment, but he'd never hit her. Never whipped her. Half of her wondered if that was because he didn't want to ruin her looks, but she'd equally never seen him lash out at the others either. The thought that he could be violent cooled her skin and she searched his face. "Did you hurt him? I am your wife, I deserve to be told." 

 

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[Atrice]

He noted how she didn't lean into his touch and he didn't like that very much. So he'd taken care of someone who offended them both, mainly her, but she didn't like it? He took care of his family and the honor of it, of her, and she didn't want him to? And here they had been on the same page about things for a good while! Charis asked what he did and if he had hurt Silanus. She seemed to demand that he told her. He didn't have to tell her anything. It would seem he'd already told her plenty. But on the other hand, he did try to treat her like something like his equal and it was her fault he head to teach Silanus a lesson. It was because of her that he did what he did. And he didn't feel sorry about it. Silanus was the one who should feel sorry, for how he spoke to Charis.

"I did." He began, feeling a bit sad that the nice afternoon now seemed ruined. Yet he continued to explain, "And as I said, he learned his lesson. Well, I think. I'm a praetor of Rome, Charis. I can't have... brats like him, talking to my wife like he did." Tertius said, "It had to be done. Maybe he'll consider his words more carefully in the future." 

@Sara

[Sara]

The dread in her body turned to a leaden weight that made her nauseous. I did. This wasn't like Immin brawling with some drunken idiot who had deigned to grab her ass back in the village, this was Tertius being calculated enough to wait until she wasn't present. Teaching a noble young man a lesson. She sucked in a breath and moved out of the hand on her cheek. She felt sick. 

"I didn't ask you to do that!" She choked, pain in her eyes. "How badly is he hurt, Tertius? What if...what if you killed him?" Her mind swam with possibilities. "I do not need you to defend my honour, I can do it myself, I can..." She sucked in another breath and turned her face away, biting down on her lip. She had been furious at Marcus, embarrassed even about what he'd drawn out but she hadn't wanted him hurt for it. Not like that...embarrassed maybe, his pride wounded but...she flicked her eyes back to his. "Why did you not talk to me about this?" 

 

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[Atrice]

Was she upset? She was! Why? Tertius had only done his duty as her husband to defend her honor and deal with the bastard who offended her. And him through her. Didn't she understand that this was no small thing in Rome? But no, now she pulled back and spoke of how she hadn't asked him to do that, and feared the brat would be hurt. Gods, really? Tertius looked at her when she thought he'd killed him! 

"I didn't kill him! And he'll heal and probably get on with his life, but hopefully be wiser with his words now." Tertius said, not really afraid that the young boy wouldn't heal. They didn't break any bones or anything. And he certainly hadn't been dead! He could still talk when the whole ordeal was done with, after all. But Charis went on, claimed he did not need Tertius to defend her honor and then she wanted him to have talked to her about it.

"I didn't want you to worry about it." He explained, "And I did need to do it. Not you, but me. I don't know how you do it in Britannia, but in Rome, a man defends his wife, unless she was the one in the wrong. And I'm certain you weren't. Anyway, it's done now. And he won't bother our family again." Tertius looked at her, "Why does this upset you so much? I had it done for us... for you." 

 

[Sara]

Charis loosed a breath, relieved, when he said the boy hadn't been killed. She shouldn't have considered it a possibility but she knew how far things could go out of hand, particularly when Tertius was provoked. She sat back on her heels, turning her face away from him to study the fountain as he spoke. She could feel his eyes boring into her cheek. He had the gall to mention how things were done in Britannia, as if Rome was any less savage. Case in point with this fuck-up of a situation. 

"I didn't ask you do to this!" She snapped and turned her face to glare at him, her blood heating. She knew she should be careful but... "And there are many ways to get a man like that to apologise, to make him regret what he said besides a beating," She explained, "You are a clever man, could you not have used your words? I-It upsets me," She said with thinly veiled upset and fury, "Because yes he offended me but I didn't want him hurt. Not like that. And you didn't even talk to me of it, Tertius!" She ground down on her teeth, tempted to push herself up to leave but she choked out instead, "You never hit me, when I misbehaved." Her eyes flicked to him, watching him with cold distance, "You threatened me and and punished me in other ways. Why could you not do that, for this boy?" 

 

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[Atrice]

He noted how she was now deliberately looking away from him and sighed, this had certainly not been his intent! She hadn't been supposed to know, but she was so curious and he supposed she did have the right to know, now. Tertius tried to explain how he did it for her, but she snapped and glared at him, again commenting how she didn't ask for it and you didn't have to beat someone up to make them apologize. He lifted his chin, inhaling a breath. She was still upset. She didn't get it! That a beating might be the only way to make a boy like that see the error of what he'd done! Talking alone would have done nothing! It would be forgotten and then he'd offend someone else. But Charis went on, saying that he'd never hit her and didn't know why it had to be done to Silanus.

"Because I don't care for him!" Tertius snapped and stood, inhaling another sharp breath and he tried to relax. Suddenly aware that they were in the garden and the house was surrounding them. Everyone could hear them. And Charis wasn't trying to understand.

He looked at her again, trying to soften his tone again, "I care for you... as I... I think I've done that almost since the beginning. I don't want people to go around and gossip about you, or call you names. And boys like him... with most of them, you can't talk sense into their heads. Not at that age. It's not like I was any smarter back then either." That's back when he slept around with Varinia and fathered his first child. He'd been just as stupid at that age. And his father chose to teach him a lesson by sending him abroad. That had been harsh too. But Silanus had no father to teach him lessons. So society had to. Tertius had to... in his own way.

[Sara]

She blinked at his snapped words and the rustle of material as he stood. Funny way of showing you cared about me, she snapped in her head but had the good sense to keep the words from tumbling out of her mouth. She wondered, occasionally, if he ever felt bad about what he'd done. The words he'd said, that first time occasionally still rattled around in her head; if you submit… it will not be so bad. He'd seen her crying, after he'd spent himself. And yet still he brought her into his bed again and again, still he'd locked her away in that little room after she'd taken that poison. She felt anger, humiliation, ripple through her and she exhaled sharply to try and rid herself of it. Maybe Cynane's anger, confusion over Charis submitting now was warranted. Tertius had hurt her and yet here she was, playing happy wife. 

Granted, she wasn't a particularly happy wife right now. 

She let out a shaky breath, smoothing her hands over her dress. She didn't look up at him - she could feel him trying, feel it in the newfound softness in his words. He thought he'd done something good for her. She knew one could never reason with Tertius' view of the world, but Silanus for all that he was a prick and arrogant and insufferable, didn't deserve to be beaten for it. "I..." She huffed. "I wish you trusted me enough to speak to me about it before you did it." She said, honestly. Shrugging thin shoulders, she wrapped an arm around her knees. "I wanted him punished," She admitted. That was true at least. "But just...ostracised, denied promotion. I've...seen enough bloodshed in my life, Tertius. I don't want to be responsible for more." 

 

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[Atrice]

This started out so nice and now it was the complete opposite. Tertius hated it when conversation or situations evolved like this. All he ever wanted was a calm and peaceful life with his family in his house. And could he ever have that? No. And now that brat of a boy was to blame. If it wasn't for him offending his wife, they wouldn't be talking about this at all. And he didn't care for Silanus. He cared for Charis. As he believed he'd done from the beginning, although back then he couldn't really show it, as she was a slave and he was not. But there had been something, that night he found her in the garden in the moonlight... and he knew he'd wronged her many times since then, but that was why this year was also a new beginning. Why they'd visited the temple months ago and made that sacrifice together. Both asking for guidance and help to start over for a happy marriage. And now that brat had ruined it. 

Tertius had to stand to rid himself of his anger and he tried to calm down and speak more softly to her, tried to make her understand why he had to do what he'd done. But she stayed down on the blanket, said she wished he'd talked to her and she did want Silanus punished, but apparently not like that.

"I had it done, I'm responsible. That's why I didn't tell you. I don't want you to feel you're responsible." At least not directly. Tertius had it done because he felt it was right to do. The boy had to learn the lesson, "Anyway it's done and dealt with. It's not like it can be undone now." He inhaled another breath. No matter how she felt about it, they couldn't take it back, it couldn't be changed. That was just that.

[Sara]

In a strange sort of way, Charis understood his rationale. He hadn't wanted this on her shoulders, hadn't wanted her to be blamed if there was any fallout. He had, in his own, odd, twisted way tried to protect her. She should have been grateful for that, but the dread still pooled and heavy in her stomach forbid her from being anything but furious. She loosed a breath, tilting her head to the side to study the fountain rather than look at him. She couldn't snap at him, she'd already gone probably far too far today and whilst she was a freedwoman, whilst she was his wife, the list of conditions that hung like a slave collar around her neck still shone bright in her mind. Too many missteps and she was sure the freedom he gave her would be swiftly curtailed.
 

She shuddered out another breath, trying to calm herself, before turning her face to his. She pushed herself up in a fluid motion although her diminutive stature meant she came up only to his chest. She angled her face back and slowly moved her hand to cup his cheek, urging him to look at her. "I just wish you would trust me enough to let me know what you're thinking." She murmured. "Husbands and wives share things. Their plans, particularly when it concerns the other. There is no way he won't think I had a part in this, Tertius. Do you understand at all, where I am coming from?" Faintly, from a distance, she heard their son start to cry and she sighed. There were plenty of slaves around to deal with Peregrinus when she was absent but the sound always cleaved her heart. 

 

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[Atrice]

It couldn't be undone, what he did to young Silanus, and he wouldn't want it to anyway. It had been a harsh lesson, but hopefully that also meant it had been learned. That Silanus would, in the future, consider his words more carefully and not be so stupid again. If he wanted to get anywhere, if he really did want to honor his father's name, he had to do better. It's not like the rest of his remaining family were doing much better, after all. 

He was still trying to calm himself, when he felt her eyes upon him and then her shifting, standing to approach her. Tertius turned his eyes to her and then she touched his cheek, making him look at her. Tertius did look at her, while she also spoke with more calm, how she wanted to know what he was thinking and that they should share things. And she thought Silanus would think she had a part in what happened to him.

"I think you know more about what I think, than most people." He said with a small smile and reached for her hand, "The only part you had in what I did, was telling your husband what happened. Which I believe was the right thing to do. You trusted me enough to tell me." He said and realized what he just said, mirroring what she just said. Tertius sighed too, feeling oddly... lost... how was it Charis was able to bring forth such emotions in him?

"I'm sorry I... didn't trust you enough. I will consider it in the future." heard the sounds of Peregrinus crying somewhere too. He heard how she sighed and felt unsure of what to, "Do you want to go to him?" 

[Sara]

Tertius apologised. Tertius apologised. She was momentarily stunned, fingers resting in his palm as she blinked at him and then rapidly gathered her senses to nod slowly. "Thank you." She said, a softer smile flitting onto her lips. "For the apology. And the consideration." He wouldn't learn if she didn't reinforce his good behaviours with praise. Much like the cat she'd had as a girl. She opted not to tell him that, obviously. Silanus stayed at the periphery of her thoughts though, as Peregrinus cried.

But he noted her sigh and she gave her husband a slightly more subdued look, shifting from foot to foot as if fighting the temptation. "He will be alright with the slaves," She murmured as her eyes drifted in the direction of his room and the sound of hurrying footsteps. "But it still feels like an ache in my chest, every time I hear him cry. I...still can't believe he'll be two in just a few months." Her voice was soft, contemplative. "Where has the time gone?" She chuckled and shook her head, "Where has my little baby gone? He's so big now I..." she sighed and shook her head, dragging her gaze back to his. "I'm rambling, ignore me." 

 

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[Atrice]

Tertius barely realized that he'd done something he usually didn't, that he'd done something out of the ordinary. But that's what she did to him. And that's why she had to be his wife, for how could he care so much about her, when she was a slave? And how could he allow her to have such power over him, if he was free and she the slave? And how could he raise a free son of hers, without her being free too? She had more power over him than she might believe. Yet there she was, thanking him for his apology. Tertius nodded, feeling strangely awkward, and then Peregrinus cried somewhere in the house and he sensed Charis might want to go to him. Which was understandable. Peregrinus was her son and she was upset with her husband. Or was she, still?

She didn't mention the incident with Silanus again, instead said Peregrinus would be alright with the slaves and mused on about him. He smiled at her sweet words. She really was a mother with everything that came with it, wasn't she? Not that his last wife ever had that chance... he sighed for himself and tried to shake thought of Antonia from his mind. He had Charis with him now. 

"You're being very sweet. And I don't know where time went either." He said with a smile and reached for her hand, briefly wondering if they'd ever have another child. Tertius had an heir now. But he thought he might not mind having more with her... "Do you miss it? Having a small child? Now that Peregrinus is soon to be two..."