Midnight, 19th August AD79
Livia sat alone in her bedroom. The candle was burning low, its wax pooled around the base of the terracotta holder. It cast strange shadows around her room, causing ordinary things to mutate and malform. Her leather satchel thrown carelessly on the floor, with her tunic slung over the top of it, seemed to create a shapeless mound whose sides appeared to rumble due to the flickering nature of the candle.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2OOEgS6c3
She yawned, and got up to blow the candle out. After doing so, she opened the door to her balcony to let in the cool night air. The stars above her were so bright they almost lit her room as well as the candle. Their soft blue shade was gentler than that of the candle; it did not cause any misleading shadows. It did not flicker and most importantly, it did not melt. No matter how long Livia stood there, the light of the stars would not burn out. Not until they were replaced by the light of the sun, at any rate.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYb6ETpz9f
She lay on her bed, the thin sheets kicked to the bottom of the bedframe. No matter what way she turned or how much she twisted, sleep evaded her until the birds began to sing and the sky began to turn orange. It was only then that her eyes closed, exhausted, and she was finally able to grasp with thin hands even the faintest whisper of sleep. Like smoke, it was slipping through her fingers and as the sun climbed higher in the sky, her consciousness tried desperately to cling onto whatever remaining moments of rest it had left.
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20th August
She was woken by a banging on her door. Not knocking, she noticed. Urgent banging. Yawning, she got up and opened it. Not to Livia’s surprise, it was her mother.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoDJf4KVEu
“Livia, you must come downstairs quickly.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvXE91ukHg
Livia opened her mouth the protest, or to at least ask why, but she was cut off by her mother holding up her hand to stop her.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIYIw0WQUl
“Ariadne is here.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitaS4U87mh
“Ariadne? She was in the hospital only the yesterday, what is she doing here? Surely they cannot have let her leave so soon?!”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JkDKxC67X
Her mother merely raised her eyebrows.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAL8FDE2dU
“She refuses to talk to anyone but you. She says she left the hospital as soon as she had woken.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXh3CBZLl6
Without further ado, Livia hurried down the wide staircase and saw Ariadne waiting at the foot of the stairs. Her head was bandaged, her skin was pale and her eyes had dark bags underneath them that hinted at a night of restless sleep. Before Livia could say a word, Ariadne had taken her by the arm and lead her through the house and into the garden. She didn’t stop there; she carried on walking, to the very edge of the garden, to the stone benches that sat next to the high back wall.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmod22eVXk3
Whatever she wanted to say, she didn’t want to be overheard.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdVKShDy5P
“What is this? Why do you need to drag me all the way down here?”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NDyZH2M3y
“I know Max told you we’re leaving after the wedding, and I did mean to tell you and I know you’re angry with me, but I promise I’ll come back every single summer, and you can visit us in Rome and stay with us in our house; it’s going to be huge, you know. Max has the favour of the emperor, there is nothing in this world that we can’t have if we want it!” She said without breath.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChEud1dNWK
Livia tried not to smile at her friend’s words running into one another as she struggled to get them out in one breath.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2W1WZ77VYd
“All I wish is that you had told me, not him.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLSQgnIsGH
“And I am sorry for that. I was waiting for the right time.” Ariadne said, genuine apology in her eyes.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uHEnQBFJP
“Then I forgive you.” Livia announced rather grandly. Ariadne smiled, but a hint of sorrow remained in her pupils.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDRhafLrYJ
“What is it? Why do you despair?”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnWb9HbeMd
“I came here not only to apologise. I need your help, Liv. I’m afraid I find myself in quite a bit of trouble.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7Od30Nv8E
“Trouble? What sort?”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29gaUgL4PP
“I am with child.” Ariadne said, so quietly it was almost inaudible.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCIKu7HewY
“How is that possible? You are not yet married!”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ApFsiWsJf
“No but we figured that we do intend to be married, and are betrothed to be so, why should we waste time waiting?”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFREQthPYq4
“How will you tell your parents?” Livia asked. It was not the question Ariadne had wanted to hear, and the fear in her eyes intensified.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjeoW4kNfD
“I hadn’t thought about that. I didn’t even know until this morning when the doctor at the hospital asked me some questions and I realised. I haven’t even told Max yet.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QbHhCNAVg
“Then that is what you should do. Propose to move the wedding up, at least then you may be able to appear virginal on your wedding day. I suggest a loose fitted wedding gown too.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrA4iTvH6r2
Ariadne nodded. She stopped herself from trembling, steeled herself and raised herself from the stone bench.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkDOYikUTd
“That is what I shall do. Thank you, Livia. I do believe I would be lost without you.”
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“This water, it tastes… strange.” Caius said, sitting down to his breakfast. It was not much. Although Tetraites was aware of what gladiators needed in order to perform well in the arena, he was struggling financially. Too many gladiators were coming in, and over the past year too few had won their matches. Although not all of them were killed, and the ones that were had been replaced by the master of the games, they had to be put through even more extensive training. Tetraites had to hire three more trainers, the best he could get, and they did not come cheaply.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkvbQXGuL1
Caius was sitting down to a breakfast of olives, lentils and a small piece of fish. Fish was easy to come by, as Pompeii was near the docks, but with the amount of gladiators Tetraites was taking in recently, the portions of fish had become significantly smaller.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaYaFYjbOG
Marcus shrugged when Caius held up his water cup.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7FEckJCPx
“Perhaps it is water from out of town.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4Y6iXgoh0
Caius snorted.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTu2jDZ9tp
“Tetraites is broke. Can barely afford this much fish, never mind some fancy water from out of town. People like you did this; not paying your debts back.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSJpGlXgiR
“Perhaps he shouldn’t have lent me so much and allowed me to gamble.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPhq3dPHnC
“He’s not your mother, Marcus.” Caius said. His tone was chastising, but his face said he was merely joking. “What did you bet on?”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rln7AmTKW
“Chariot races.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWfxkPLhge
“I was hoping you would say you had bet on a gladiator fight. The irony would have brightened my day.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoB3wVJLgE
Marcus rolled his eyes, popping an olive into his mouth and draining his own water cup. He resisted the urge to spit the water back out again.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVQI9JGjxm
“I told you it tastes funny.” Caius said casually, not looking up from his plate.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcwAnyrHz4
“It tastes unclean. Are you sure the kitchen staff are not getting the water from the bathing house?!”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhnUCS5Fwr
“No, it is from the aqueducts, I’m certain.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLlj6cihEv
Marcus simply shrugged.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJipohC2Rgl
“I’m fairly certain this water is still better than any in Rome. Ours is straight from the mountain springs.” Caius said mockingly, a grin on his face.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERO9nMl7pR
“I do wonder Caius, when you will cease to mock me simply because I am from Rome! Besides, how can we be sure that the mountain isn’t what has caused the water to taste strange?”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4tXvTVIQb
Caius’ grin fell, and a intense look passed across his face. He was clearly thinking hard to counter Marcus’ argument that Pompeii water was somehow contaminated.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Vi3hlMhQ4
Marcus laughed, stood and clapped his friend on the shoulder.
“Well brother, I am going to head down to the arena. I trust I will best you in a fight later?”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXqbnLJjpSQ
“You wish, Roman, you wish!”
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Livia was at the market with her father. The heat was not yet unbearable; it was just past ten o’clock and so the sun had not yet reached its full power. Her father was looking at various marble, arduously trying to pick the right one so that her mother would not be angry when they returned.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnATTdqGDB
“Why does mother want marble again, father?”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ONEN4li8n
“She’s going to give it to a sculptor. She wants a magnificent statue of Apollo to go in our gardens; if there is any left after the sculptor is done, perhaps she’ll have a small one made for you. Poseidon perhaps? Or Minerva?”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZC95FMl1Zq
Livia shrugged.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kvKSwozdR
“I shall let mother decide that. It can be a surprise.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9A5Paslwtp
Her father laughed.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaU8QzkGCN
“I know your mother can be rather… excitable, but she means well.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12UM0dJZDr
“I know she does.” Livia said gently. “I do need some fabric though, would you mind if I went to the fabric merchant?”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA51fCKW7rB
Her father shook his head, pressing a few coins into her palm and instructing her to be no longer than an hour. She promised she would be back in time, and weaved through the crowds to the other side of the market.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePN1uBaSz6
The fabric merchant was pleased to see her, and immediately brought out his finest silks in the most vibrant pinks and purples.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuXYeOs8mu
“I want something for a wedding.” Livia said, looking at the fabrics hanging from the rafts of the wooden market stall.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN4NNaIPdO
“Ah yes, I have heard. Ariadne is marrying the big shot from Rome. Something in pale pink perhaps? It would compliment your eyes.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDoUeHGZL1
Livia shook her head.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkfvMgxRUE
“Perhaps a blue?” She suggested. The merchant nodded, and pulled out three fabrics in varying shades - turquoise, navy and a deep, vibrant blue that Livia did not know the exact name of.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJqd2WfZiT
She was drawn towards the turquoise, touching it gently to feel the fabric. It’s quality was astounding; so soft and it seemed that the colour would last a long time.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXzbdHwdCX
“When do you need it for?” The merchant asked.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrNpBfJshx
“As soon as you can make it, if that is possible?” She did not know when Ariadne was going to move her wedding to, and she thought she had better have her dress ready and waiting as soon as possible.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDstdYBvp7
Livia paid the merchant and said she would be back within three days to see how the dress was coming along. The merchant promised that if it was finished before then he would have it delivered to her home.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhpeLbCspD
As Livia was leaving, her father rushed around the corner.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBqkh8heiU
“Livia I have to go, I have urgent business in Herculaneum.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCeg8x93jL
Her father was a local politician, and the nearby town of Herculaneum was a sort of holiday resort for the rich and powerful. However, Livia did not sense that her father was headed there on political business.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhs6DxxbaYL
“The earthquake yesterday hit the town worse than here; I am needed over there to assess the damage.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvoRlHHAN4
“Is it bad?” She asked, fearing she already knew the answer.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1ZarToeMH
The expression on her father’s face was one of grim truth.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzUeECiEYc
“I fear three lives have already been lost. The messenger that sent me notice was shaken, he could barely speak. Tell your mother I shall try to be home later tonight.”941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzvryGMM5M
She nodded as her father rushed to find a horse to carry him to the nearby town, praying silently that the mountain stayed silent whilst her father was close to it.941Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSB7sYuWQRA
Gods, she whispered to herself, please keep him safe.
