Chapter 4
He left swiftly, leaving Livia more than a little shocked. It was not until Ariadne found her, a smile on her lips and wistful look in her eye, that she was able to shake off her curious new attraction towards the Roman gladiator.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mZB19unTy
“Livia, your absence has been noticed at the party. Come, your mother is driving us mad with talk of your party.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxHLFqMrJ3
“I half hoped she was joking about that.” Livia said, sighing softly, knowing her mother only really wanted an excuse to showcase the new fresco painting on one of the dining hall walls.
As they returned to the party, she could already hear her mother, discussing loudly in detail the aforementioned painting.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMJal2wrNg
“Truly lovely, it has all manner of sea creatures and Posiedon in the midst of it all! The detail on the trident is remarkable, we praised the painter on that in particular! And – Oh! Here she is, my daughter!” Aemilia grabbed her daughter by the arm and introduced her to the circle of people surrounding her. Livia smiled and nodded, shook hands and said how truly wonderful it was to meet all them. After her brief introduction, she was able to slip away as her mother launched into a loud appraisal of the colours the painter had used; “All the way from the east of the Empire, you know!”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8ybz5uXM9
Ariadne followed her outside onto the balcony, handing her a fresh drink, filled all the way to the brim.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwdlInxRXj
“You really are taken with that gladiator, aren't you?” She asked amusingly.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzoEUx42LA
“In truth Ariadne, something about that man captivates me. Perhaps it is the wine.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawRQylVhWX
“The wine? I doubt it. You had that same look in your eye the moment you saw him at the arena.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXMcNuHZo5
“And what if I did?” Livia asked, sticking her bottom lip out. Ariadne laughed.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOHIYnYxGB
“You can be such a child, Livia. Gladiator or no gladiator, he's a good looking man.” She sipped at her glass and glanced over her shoulder. “If I were not betrothed, I assure you I'd be after him!”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZOWd7rleX
“Speaking of your betrothal, I assume you need a dress fitting?” Livia asked, changing the subject swiftly.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9i1ncXbmmy
“Indeed I do. I was going to visit the dress makers two days from now, I am right in supposing you will accompany me?” She asked. Livia nodded and Ariadne smiled. “Now, I must go and visit my husband-to-be, but don't think this is over Livia!”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo67Imq0jqG
“Don't think what is over?!” Livia asked as Ariadne turned for the doorway.
“Our conversation about your gladiator.” She said simply, before disappearing into the throng of people inside the house.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm562RsFfBN
19th August
“Come brother, sit and have some breakfast. You look tired. Clearly I was too much of match for you last night.” Caius said as Marcus entered the dining hall the next morning.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVsDKKrv3F
“I could not sleep. And when I did, my dreams were plagued with the image of that girl.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNd7zGwlDPu
“Which girl?” Caius asked, his interest piqued.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNr3fb0GxV
“The lost girl. The girl that wanted directions to the kitchen.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPcV9fMPSA
“I recall! I would not say your dreams were plagued, Roman, I would say your dreams are blessed. She is quite possibly the finest young woman Pompeii has to offer. And the finest young woman Pompeii has to offer is scores better than the finest young woman Rome has to offer.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AF7YXJ2u6
Marcus rolled his eyes mockingly at his friend.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo90Nb5w22w
“When will your agenda against our capital end?” He asked, a slight smile on his lips.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DJiMSL0WD
“When Rome decides that Pomepeii would be a better seat for the capital of an empire.” Caius said, shrugging his shoulders as if what he proposed was the most plausible and simple thing in the world.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡins6nVpQYd
“This part of the country is a holiday resort!” Marcus protested and Caius held his hands out as if this strengthened his own argument.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYUbcgMdKk
“Exactly! Would it be a bad thing to run an empire from a holiday resort? We would have fewer wars, I'd wager!”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuOKCj6Flt
“And you would be out of a job. As would I. I'd have to find some way to pay off my debt and you would have been left on the streets as a child.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqcVVW6Reu
“Ah Marcus, must you be so logical? It can get rather tiresome.” Caius said, leaning back in his chair. Caius was in a perpetual state of relaxation; nothing was a big deal and everything could be solved if one just simply took a little time to close one's eyes and think it over. And possibly nap. And eat. And take a bath. And any other luxury one was afforded. When Marcus did not reply, Caius sat forward and leaned his arms on the table.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrDIsZr83c
“On another note, this girl... How do you plan on secreting away to meet her in the dead of night?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWhLmJTsRI
“Excuse me?” Marcus asked, taken more than slightly aback.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaqWPeZPK4
“Well, isn't that what slaves in love do? Sneak away once the candles are doused down to the docks and spend the night in the company of one's sweetheart, until the sun rises and then one rushes back home and dives under the covers just before one is due to be woken by one's master?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzU9ISINkC7
“You hear too many stories, friend. I do believe that has never happened. And besides, who said anything about love?” Marcus asked. Caius shrugged.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerVVmDmc4Y
“I am a romantic. But on a more serious note, what have you got to lose?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMIaBNeJHN
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“Livia! I have set a date for your party! How does six days from now sound? That gives you time to commission a dress to be made.” Aemilia announced at breakfast.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIc81d28cTH
Livia smiled gratefully at her mother, masking her distaste. Livia loved parties, but she did not love them when she was told they were going to be thrown in her honour, even though she knew they were not. Livia was used to her mother looking for excuses and Livia becoming her scapegoat. Livia is leaving, Livia is turning twenty, Livia had a bath today... Any excuse was sufficient when it came to her mother.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx55NEgQFm4
Needing air, she moved to the balcony and leaned on the barrier at the edge. The town was just waking up. Market vendors had not yet started shouting to advertise themselves, the brothels had not yet opened and were probably still cleaning from the night before and the fishermen at the docks were only just starting to unload their cargo onto the huge wooden carts that would drag the fish to the market to be sold. Livia looked at all of this in the shadow of the mountain opposite. This early in the morning, it seemed to blocked out the sun. The shadow it cast was cool but did not yet offer relief to those who had spent hours in the harsh, blistering sun. Livia thought she heard it rumble slightly and was alarmed, but no reaction came from the town or from her parents inside and so she attributed it to her imagination. She thought that perhaps she was developing a headache.
Two figures and a donkey plodded slowly past the balcony. One of them stopped and called out a greeting to her.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeoQ1osphx
“My lady, a lovely morning is it not!” Livia recognised him as the gladiator from the night before. Not the gladiator that had stayed in her mind, rather, the one he was up against.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxl0aGHej4m
“Indeed, gladiator. And what errands does today hold for you?”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyTB6pRJPC
“Myself and my friend here have been tasked to collect berries and grapes from the reservoir by the mountain. I fear we shall be there all day. I suspect we will take the eastern path and tie our donkey near the trees that cast a pleasant shadow there.” The gladiator all but winked at her. He was telling her the specifics of their location, but for what reason Livia could not guess.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMDmxG7ve7
“I trust the day will treat you well.” She said and the other figure, the one who had previously hidden his face, looked up.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMM7fihWxY9
“I trust the day will treat you just as well, if not better, my lady.” he said. Livia recalled his name immediately.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHazU1EdfYT
“Marcus, I think your name was?” She asked and he nodded. “Well then, I should know where to find you if the day suddenly takes a turn and the heat becomes unbearable. I may bring you some water in exchange for the grapes that we need to make the aforementioned wine.”931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kp5rQkjlc
“I would look forward to it, with all of my heart,” Marcus said, smiling. “My lady.” He remembered to add before turning away and continuing on the path with Caius and the donkey.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4C5zuLNB2p
“I shall see you there before the day is out.” Livia whispered to herself, hurrying back inside and down the corridors to her rooms in order to fetch her leather walking sandals.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpfB2iSG4b
“Are you visiting Ariadne?” Her father asked as Livia made her way to the front entrance of the house.931Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDG2zE4LOeE
“Yes.” She said simply, smiling at her father before leaving the house and going in the direction of the mountain.
