Stubborn Refusal

[Sara]

June, 77AD

Ovinia was in a mood which was not unusual, but she was particularly salty today. She was running late to meet Lucius - she'd set the time in her letter, delivered by her bodyslave and she knew he was going to be in that abandoned domus waiting for her but her protestations that she wanted to go and meet her friend fell on her fathers deaf ears. 

"Your brother bought the brute to accompany you, and you barely use him 'Nilla." 

"That is not true!" She protested with a frustrated groan, pinching the bridge of her nose as she stood in front of her father in his tablinum, "I've taken him to the games and the parties, but to go and see Menilla, I don't need him, I have Lucia-" Her father interrupted her, his voice low which very clearly said he was not to be crossed; "Your girl left you alone when you were assaulted. The only reason she is still in this house is because of your sentimentality. She cannot protect you. You will take the Briton and that is the end of it." She opened her mouth to protest again but her father flicked his eyes to the doorway in silent dismissal. She swallowed, debating whether to continue to argue but he merely said; "Ovinia." And all the fight in her went out of her. Her shoulders slumped forward and she nodded with a deep sigh. She inclined her head; "Father." And then swept from the room in a flurry of bright pink silk. 

She went to find Lucia, hurriedly sending instructions with her to Lucius that she wouldn't be able to come today, something had come up and she was sorry and then...then she went to find the Briton. She stalked through the domus, her exquisite chiton and palla flowing behind her with her dark hair until she came to the external courtyard that led out to the street. Some of the slaves were out there cleaning fabrics (and themselves) and they hurriedly averted their eyes as their domina drew near. She flicked her hair over her shoulder as she drew up to Cautrix and arched a brow at him. "Are you unhappy that I don't take you outside?" She asked, with no preamble. "Did you complain to my father?" 

 

TAG: @Faustus

[Faustus]

Cautrix had sat himself outside, in the breeze and among the slaves in the courtyard; a piece of fruit in his hand that he had been given, squatted down as he watched the slaves. Whilst his job was to protect the chieftain's daughter with his own life, he had found it easier to get along with those of a similar status - taken from their homes and other places to work under their new chieftain. He had already cleaned himself in the early hours of the morning, smelling a little less and presenting himself more so should he need to go to with the chieftain's daughter.

He had caught how the slaves had averted their eyes, and had almost done the same when he looked and found that he was looking up at the daughter. Confusion flickered across the Briton's face for a split moment as he tilted his head, food still in his hand. "I did not." Words in this language still sounded rough around the edges as he remained squatted. "I was told to protect you. With life. But you disappear without me."

Then after a moment.

"I do not wish to be killed for not protecting you."

TAG: @Sara

[Sara]

Ovinia folded her arms over her chest, tilting her head as she peered down at the strange man. The man she was supposed to trust with her life, but who was now preventing her from really living it by virtue of the fact she couldn't sneak off with him tailing her. "I don't disappear without you." She retorted with an irritated little growl  in her voice. "I don't need you to accompany me everywhere." But her father clearly thought differently, and she would need to earn the trust of her family again before she was allowed out unchaperoned. Besides, she knew her father was tight enough with his copious wealth not to stand an idle slave. 

"You won't be killed, so dramatic, Gods..." She groaned, moving slender fingers to pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Fine." She snapped, dropping her arms so her palla flowed around her in a ruffle of pink silk. "Get up. We're going out." She watched him carefully. The rest of the slaves carefully kept their eyes averted or focused on their other tasks. They knew better than to speak to their domina when she was frustrated. Far too many spiteful words had been thrown their way in scenarios like this. "I hope you like shopping for fabrics, because that's what we're doing." 

 

TAG: @Faustus

Edited February 10, 2023 by Sara