She is nothing like me––fool.
My new Dominus curves his arm around her and pulls her up against him, pressing his lips to her cheek, the open show of affection surprising me into lowering my sights and I stand there rigid once more.
‘Well, well, now I understand it all,’ Tiberius blusters. ‘It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Aurelia.’
Understand it all––what did that even mean?
‘And you too, Legatus, I have heard much about you.’
‘All good I hope.’
‘Mostly,’ she says, a teasing lilt to her tone that has my own lips quirking.
‘Legatus has gifted these slaves by way of a parting gift, my love.’
‘I see.’
Her tone has turned tight and I know if I were to look, I would see the spark of displeasure.
Did she not like what she saw? Were we not good enough?
And then the edge is gone as she says lightly, ‘You must be ready to see your new home?’
I raise my eye to hers in surprise––was she really speaking to us?
‘If that pleases you, Domina.’ It’s Lucius who speaks.
‘Of course.’ She turns and gestures to a small girl waiting a few steps behind. ‘Livia, please see to it they are properly settled.’
The girl nods as she approaches. ‘Follow me.’
We are dismissed.
But I don’t want to be.
I want to understand why the beauty of the house, my new Domina, has a voice like me, and yet stands a world apart.
I want to understand the purpose of us being handed over as a gift.
And above all, I want to understand the true expectations of our new Dominus and Domina because suddenly the world doesn’t look quite as bleak.
And that hope scares me.
Only foolish slaves harbour hope.
And I’d been foolish enough to think myself lucky once.
I don’t dare do it again.
I look back over my shoulder to see them walking into the courtyard, the doting gaze of my Domina as she looks to her husband fuelling my hope and then her eyes drift to mine. Her lips lift in a breath-taking smile and the hope explodes in my belly, excitement quick on its tail.
Gaius
Tiberius overstayed his welcome, and then some. And Gaius was no fool, he could see the reason he stayed was to bask in his wife’s appeal, attempting to lure her in with his charm. The very idea was laughable to Gaius, not that he’d given any outward indication that it was so.
And Aurelia had played the perfect wife, the perfect hostess, not a word out of place, even in the thick of his innuendo when any innocent wallflower would have retreated. She had done herself proud, she had done Gaius proud.
They were finally alone, her back pressed into his front as they lay atop the bed. She had dismissed their slaves for the evening, much to the surprise of their new pair, not so much to the old who were accustomed to the peculiarities of their Domina.