Chapter 3
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“Livia, allow me to throw a party in your honour, to celebrate your return to Pompeii.” Livia's mother, Aemilia asked her as they sat for their evening meal. The servants brought the food to them of fine plates and dishes and Livia's view of her mother was cut off for a brief few seconds by the arrival of a large terracotta jug filled with water. These few seconds were enough for Livia to roll her eyes, sigh heavily and regain her composure, smiling sweetly at her mother sitting at the other end of the table.957Please respect copyright.PENANAPlNkg0wQRk
“Mother,” She began good-naturedly. “You will throw a party for anything, I do not need nor want a celebration in my honour.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAYVL9W4kYDX
“Tonight's party I know will put me in the mood for another. I was thinking two days from now?”957Please respect copyright.PENANADsKBuLYcsh
“Two days? Mother, have you had this planned already?” Livia asked, laughing slightly.957Please respect copyright.PENANArACLgP6v33
“I may have already put a few wheels in motion... but dear, most of the city does yet know you have returned home. What a way to tell them!”
Livia rolled her eyes once more. Her father laughed.957Please respect copyright.PENANANN14Xu1ouq
“Perhaps we should focus on tonight's event before we go rushing into others.” He reasoned. “Both of you, finish eating quickly and get ready. Otherwise we won't get there before the next full moon.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAMSkVFVav9X
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The party itself was being held at a grand house at the opposite side of town. It had a magnificent sea view, and large columns painted a bright red. Mosaic tiles lined the floor and a sweet aroma of flowers and honey drifted out from the double doors at the front of the house. Large brass bowls on either side of the doors held small fires and there was a wide staircase consisting of six steps to climb before reaching the doorway. Men on the door monitored those who entered, making sure that none of the poorer citizens of the town got in without an invitation.957Please respect copyright.PENANAJlfq8j1rXk
Inside, Livia's senses were barraged. Music came from one corner, where a band with a harp and a lyre played sweet music. The scent of honey continued inside, but was now mixed with something else – cinnamon, perhaps? Or maybe sage? The various scents of women's perfumes changed as she entered each room, and as she did, a glass of some sort of alcohol was pressed into her hands. Everywhere she looked women were laughing loudly, their heads thrown back in a caricature of amusement whilst their husbands eyes wandered and focussed on the young girl dancing in the centre of the room. She appeared to be some sort of belly dancer – definitely foreign and almost certainly a slave that had been hired out for the evening. She was exotic and her dancing style was one that many of the guests had never seen before. Livia could only guess how much their hosts had paid for her.
From across the revellers, Livia spotted Ariadne. Behind her stood a tall man, a man she had never seen before. Ah, thought Livia, Ariadne's betrothed. He looked perhaps thirty-four. He was young then, for a senator, as the minimum age was thirty. He was probably a relation of the emperor, or was very high in his favour. Ariadne had done remarkably well for herself, considering she was a girl from Pompeii and not from Rome. The women in the capital would be furious.957Please respect copyright.PENANAZTn0fKuiD5
“Livia! I was beginning to wonder when you would make it! This is Maxentius.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAEQItqyq0VV
The man smiled, he seemed good-natured enough.957Please respect copyright.PENANAAnSQ6x62kp
“Max, this is Livia. We've been friends since we were children.” Ariadne said proudly. Maxentius smiled and shook her hand.957Please respect copyright.PENANAOl0HooaNDZ
“I am pleased to meet you, I have heard a lot about you. I trust Ariadne has told you our news?”957Please respect copyright.PENANAmAcVL9ogda
“Of course she has!” Livia said. “I could not be happier for the two of you.”957Please respect copyright.PENANA66aFdaoHfq
Maxentius smiled pleasantly.
“I must take my leave of you, I regret. If I am not mistaken, I see over there a politician from Rome and we have much business to discuss.” He said, placing a hand on Ariadne's shoulder as a sign of farewell. “Livia, it was nice to have met you. I am sure I shall see you again soon.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAM2pkNaktsi
As he left, Ariadne smiled at Livia like an excited child.957Please respect copyright.PENANA2AGGOTeEVh
“Isn't he lovely? He's so kind and polite!”957Please respect copyright.PENANAeFvu0e0Ipc
“Ariadne, I really think you've hit gold!” Livia exclaimed, laughing as she did so.957Please respect copyright.PENANAfafAAV6skm
“Now, we must find you a man. I cannot bear to have no one to share all my stories of married life with. It would be selfish for you to remain unmarried.” She teased, taking a sip of her drink. “Maybe that gladiator from the arena, you certainly liked him.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAPu9BXJmrDu
Livia smiled, and hit her friend on the arm playfully.957Please respect copyright.PENANAEAcQ5F7OoH
“He was nice to look at, I cannot deny that. Do you want to admit that to my father? He would have us both stoned!”957Please respect copyright.PENANAvTFa6OnGxJ
“He would not go that far... perhaps he would just disown you and exile you to the country.” Ariadne joked. “At least he would not have to pay a hefty dowry. I'm sure a gladiator would be pleased with a small dowry.”
Livia decided against arguing and simply laughed along with her friend, tipping back her glass and draining every last drop.
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“Tell me Marcus, will I ever see you with a smile upon those lips of yours?” Caius lamented mockingly as he took his place next to Marcus in the dining room.957Please respect copyright.PENANA3G1jvs5xaK
“Ah, Caius. You should have been a poet.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAw72BWVuhRY
“What good are poets?”957Please respect copyright.PENANAICqSENnJwy
“I hear they provide a certain degree of entertainment when they are placed in the arena with a lion.”
Caius roared with laughter.957Please respect copyright.PENANAw8KgEydcI4
“My friend, I have never known such a cynic as you! Now, I hear Tetraites has a commission for this party in the city tonight.” He raised his eyebrows suggestively. Marcus shook his head.957Please respect copyright.PENANAnB7hybNuhV
“Caius, what makes you think I want to fight at a private party for the entertainment of those above me?”957Please respect copyright.PENANAqPIxDWsME6
“Because you're a gladiator, whose entire profession is based on fighting for the entertainment of those above you. Besides, the women at these things pay quite a bit to see a gladiator fight. We could make a fair bit of money.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAtjU2WSbY8o
“Tetraites won't allow it. I'm too new, barely even trained. I can throw a punch, but you know how weak I am when it comes to fighting with spears.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAaLPT0a8PKY
“Spears? Who said anything about spears? Most of these things are specific requests for hand to hand combat, so your argument is invalid. Also, Tetraites has a bit of a soft spot for me, being his best fighter and all.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAGsDm2uqKJ0
“Careful Caius, if you carry on there won't be room in all of Pompeii to hold your ego.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAktbjfebYQ6
Caius rolled his eyes. Then his tone turned serious.957Please respect copyright.PENANA3CvJv2mGDD
“Look, you want experience and you want to gain the support of the people. What better way to do that than at a private party? If they see you now, when you enter that arena in a few weeks, they will recognise you. You won't be just another foreigner, you will be 'that guy that fought at that party in August'.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAr3EA8Vqfpz
Marcus could not fault his argument. He had a point. And so, he reluctantly agreed. Caius rose from his bench and, with Marcus in tow, headed immediately for Tetraites' office.
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“Honestly, I was going to send Agrippa and Augustus. Tell me, Caius, why should I send you?”957Please respect copyright.PENANAQCo9E7FNYi
“I'm your best fighter, for one.”957Please respect copyright.PENANANUHjutzlxR
“Exactly. Is it selfish for me to want to save my best fighter for the arena?” Tetraites sighed heavily before giving in. “Fine, fine! They have asked for the fight to be held at midnight. Go eat and get your armour on.” He waved his hand as a way of dismissal and Marcus smiled as a way of thanks.957Please respect copyright.PENANAGvf37OdanO
“I don't know why I let you talk me into these things, Caius.”
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~
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The host of the party tapped on a glass as a way of bringing the crowd's attention to the centre of the room. The crowd fell silent and the host and his wife smiled graciously.957Please respect copyright.PENANAfBus3N8MTJ
“Guests, we thank you most heartily for attending our small get together.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAHOiyGuG0Iz
At the mention of the word small, Livia looked around the room incredulously. If this was small, what was large?!957Please respect copyright.PENANAUSfCkd05B2
“We have seen the dancers, but now we would like to introduce to you the highlight of this evenings entertainment. By the generosity of the gladiator trainer Tetraites, we have here tonight two of Pompeii's gladiators fresh from the training ground.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAtPZylr8rXO
The host indicated with his arm to the door, where two men stood in shadow. One of them was, of course, Marcus. Livia was shocked to discover this, though Ariadne could not mask the smirk on her face. She glanced at Livia, a teasing twinkle in her eyes. She could not wait to use this to her advantage. Hundreds of mocking statements presented themselves in her mind, and as Livia looked on in her disbelief, Ariadne giggled to herself as she ran through the ones that would irritate her friend the most in her mind.957Please respect copyright.PENANA871DV4NUVB
The two men took to the floor. They wrestled each other, though it was clear that the aim of tonight's game was not to kill, simply to win. The two appeared to be friends, Livia remarked. Did gladiators have friends? Surely it was pointless when one was likely to have to kill them one day. Livia shook this thought off and her eyes remained fixed on the fighting. They were remarkably swift and sure footed. Livia noticed in particular that Marcus, who had fallen in the arena earlier that day, was a worthy opponent. He had shown none of the weakness that he had in the arena.957Please respect copyright.PENANAmnccOlBG6T
“Perhaps he is stronger in this area of combat.” Ariadne whispered, almost reading Livia's thoughts.957Please respect copyright.PENANAtp8R8dIyNZ
“He is certainly performing better than in the arena.” Livia whispered back.957Please respect copyright.PENANA8txMAbUrKh
The fight lasted a good half an hour, before the host of the party announced them both the winner. Their arms were held in the air and the small crowd in attendance at the party cheered, raising their glasses in honour of their beloved sport.
As the gladiators were leaving through a door at the rear of the house, Livia found herself sneaking off to follow them. Ariadne looked up from her glass and saw nothing but the trail of Livia's pale dress disappearing round the corner of the door. Without any further hesitation, Ariadne followed suit.
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“Well Marcus, how was your first house-fight?” Caius smirked as they changed quickly in a back room.957Please respect copyright.PENANAF3NzjoNaYq
“I do believe I was nearly a match for you, good friend.” Marcus smiled as he pulled off his leather fighting gear and pulled on a soft cotton tunic.957Please respect copyright.PENANAJO1TZ1Fzqn
Caius punched his friend on the shoulder mockingly, stuffing his own leather into a sack and throwing it over his back. At a disapproving look from Marcus, he laughed.957Please respect copyright.PENANAGrWSOjjDf8
“I've had this same leather for years, forgive me if I want a reason to ask Tetraites for a new one!”957Please respect copyright.PENANAWQXZu59FF1
“He won't oblige, surely!” Marcus asked. He could not imagine that Tetraites was that kind to his gladiators – leather did not come too cheaply.957Please respect copyright.PENANAdmqkjXmfdZ
“He will to me! You forget, I'm his favourite.” Caius said smugly.957Please respect copyright.PENANAZy63aFg028
Livia stood concealed in the doorway. She watched the gladiators with a strong fascination and felt the remarkable urge to speak to them. Before she could, however, she was spotted.957Please respect copyright.PENANAcQlKJNY9OK
“My lady, have you lost your way?” Caius asked, straightening up.957Please respect copyright.PENANAdfkLnFOkLu
“I...Yes, I have. I was looking for the kitchens. I was feeling rather hungry and I'm afraid there is no more fish on the platters they are handing out.” She said, hoping that at least they did not think she had been spying on them.957Please respect copyright.PENANAtUXJHKq1ey
“I am sorry I cannot aid you, my lady. For I am as new to this house as you must be, it's many corridors and hallways confuse me.” Caius said, smiling kindly.957Please respect copyright.PENANACqraLPRVf1
“I thank you anyway. And I would wish to congratulate you on your performance tonight. It was exceptional.”957Please respect copyright.PENANAzyrKrpIt3h
“Thanks to you!” Caius answered. Marcus smiled. Caius bid Livia a good night and left to take both his sack and Marcus' outside.957Please respect copyright.PENANAWr7GHKWTB2
“My name is Livia.” She said, stepping out of the door frame and into the room lit by soft candles burning in crevices around the room.957Please respect copyright.PENANA3cBJsgQLQZ
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Livia.” Marcus said. “I am Marcus.” He said. He heard Caius calling his name from outside and smiled apologetically.957Please respect copyright.PENANA4IFvTW7Jjp
“Good night, my lady.” He said, kissing her hand and stealing away into the night.