Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Roman Mysteries characters. Theron and others are mine (you will know them) but the rest belong solely to Caroline Lawrence.
Scroll I
Twelve-year-old Flavia Gemina sat with her back against a large tree in her back courtyard, her face turned upwards towards the rising sun. Her best friend and ex-slave Nubia sat beside her. They both had their eyes closed and were deep in thought. A light breeze ruffled Flavia's light brown hair and whips of it floated across her cheeks. She had always been somewhat pretty, but that morning she looked almost beautiful. The dusky beauty next to her simply radiated with life and exquisiteness.
"Nubia?" Flavia asked quietly, her eyes still closed.
"Yes?" Came the soft answer.
"Do you realize we are almost ready to be married?"
"Hmm."
"Pater still hasn't found a man for me yet, and I'm afraid to say I'm glad."
Nubia opened her golden eyes and rested them upon her friend's face.
"Why do you say that?" She asked.
Flavia sighed and opened her eyes as well. "When I look at how happy Miriam and Uncle Gaius are, I realize that that is the kind of marriage I want. I don't want an arranged marriage; I want to marry for love."
"Have you talked to your father about this you say to me?"
"Talk to your father about what?"
The two girls looked up to see their two other best friends coming to meet them. Jonathan ben Mordecai was in front with Lupus close behind. Jonathan's dark brown curls had finally grown back to their full glory from when it had been shaved off in gladiator school. They bounced gaily up and down as he made his way towards them. In contrast, Lupus's short brown hair was plastered to his head indicating he had recently been to the baths. He was carrying the wax tablet and stylus he always used to communicate with since he had no tongue and was mute.
Flavia smiled happily at the boys and rose to greet them. "Jonathan!" She cried, hugging him briefly. "When did you get back?"
"Today." Grinned the boy.
Jonathan had gone to visit his sister and her husband of a year and a half for a couple of weeks. Flavia had missed him a great deal and was glad he was home safe and sound. She could tell Lupus was too for his bright sea-green eyes were sparkling happily. Jonathan folded his strong, wiry body down in front of her and Lupus followed suit.
"I am glad you are safely home." Nubia said. She had been learning Latin for about two years now and was almost fluent. Lupus grunted in agreement.
Jonathan's grin widened. "I'm glad too," he said. "I almost fell overboard when I was getting sick over the side." He blushed faintly. "Good thing the trip wasn't long."
"How are Miriam and Uncle Gaius?"
"Happily married. Miriam was acting a little funny."
"How do you mean?"
"She kept complaining of a headache and she needed to go to the latrine a lot."
"Hmm." Flavia frowned in thought.
"Perhaps she is with child." Nubia suggested.
Jonathan looked surprised. "That could be."
"That would be wonderful!" Flavia gasped.
"Yeah . . ." Jonathan's dark eyes glazed over as he stared into the distance.
The two girls also lost themselves in the daydream. Flavia dreamed of playing with the baby, reading to her, teaching her how to solve mysteries; Nubia dreamed of singing to her, playing her flute for her, teaching her the songs of her country; Jonathan dreamed of what it would be like to be an uncle, to teach him how to recite the Torah, to show him how to use a bow and arrow, and how to use a sling. They all jumped when Lupus cleared his throat and held up his wax tablet. On it he had written
WHAT WERE YOU TWO
TALKING ABOUT?
Flavia stared at the words uncomprehendingly before shaking herself abruptly and blushing a bit.
"Oh! You mean when you and Jonathan came up?"
Lupus nodded, his sea-green eyes gleaming in the half-light of the morning.
"Oh, just our husbands."
Jonathan's eyebrows rose. "Your husbands?"
"Yes, who we want to marry. I for one don't want to an arranged marriage."
"Oh?"
"I want to fall in love like Miriam and Uncle Gaius."
"Oh." Jonathan shifted a bit uncomfortably. "Are you in love with anyone?"
Flavia shook her head. "Not yet."
"Oh."
Nubia turned her head sharply to gaze at Jonathan. His face betrayed no emotion yet his tone sounded disappointed and slightly relieved. Nubia narrowed her eyes a bit, still staring at the boy. Was he in love with Flavia? They had been friends for almost two years now. Nubia knew Jonathan was very good-looking and he was thirteen, almost a man. Did Flavia have feelings for him? But no, Nubia could see Jonathan was the last thing on Flavia's mind. The African girl sighed inwardly. The man she loved did not love her back and had gone to live in his parents' house.
The girl was startled out of her stupor by Jonathan's voice asking Lupus,
"What about you Lupus? Are you in love with anyone?" The older boy ruffled the younger one's hair.
Lupus pulled away and glared at Jonathan. Then he shrugged and shook his head.
"What about that girl from Pompeii? Clio?" Flavia asked.
Lupus looked at her sharply, frowning a bit. He wrote on his tablet:
I HAVE NOT SEEN HER
IN A YEAR AND A HALF
"Oh, I'm sorry Lupus."
Lupus shrugged absently but Nubia could see a flicker of pain flash in his bright eyes. Flavia must have seen it too, but just when she opened her mouth to speak, the children hear Flavia's cook Alma call out to them.
"Children, it's time for the morning meal. Jonathan and Wolfie can stay if they like, I made enough food."
Flavia stood and wiped her hands on her tunic. The others followed her lead.
"Come on, everyone," she said, her gray eyes shining happily. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving."
Lupus wrote on his tablet:
I COULD EAT AN
ELEPHANT!
Jonathan scrunched up his nose. "Eww. Tough."
Nubia nodded. "I do not think it would fit inside of you."
Lupus grinned and shrugged. The others laughed and they went inside. Alma had made them a delicious looking meal. Jonathan and Nubia headed right for the dates. After a while they were joined by Flavia's father, Captain Geminus. He smiled at their fresh, young faces stuffed with food.
"Already started without me I see," he said good-naturedly, lowering himself down onto the couch across from the two the children were reclining on. As Flavia began talking to her father, Jonathan started studying her. He had noticed before that her knees were not so knobby anymore, now he concentrated on her face.
Her light brown hair was loose and floated around her like a halo. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright. She was no Aphrodite, she did not turn heads in the street like his sister Miriam, she was not even as beautiful as Nubia, whose dark attractiveness was starting to get attention from the local boys. But with her bright personality, her liveliness, and her kindness, Flavia passed Nubia and even Miriam in his eyes.
He felt a poke in the ribs and turned to look at Lupus. He frowned questioningly at the younger boy and saw that Lupus was not looking at him, but past him to someone behind him. He turned around and his heart sank. Caudex, Flavia's doorkeeper/bodyguard, stood in the room with a young man beside him. But it was not the boy or Caudex that made him feel sick. No, it was the open-mouthed dazed expression on Flavia's face as she stared at their young visitor.
