A/N: This chapter's a bit short. Sorry. I'll post the next one soon.
Chapter IV
Miriam awoke the next morning to bright sunlight streaming through her small window. Today she would confront Gaius, begging him to forgive her childish behavior.
She slipped out of bed and let her feet hit the smooth floor, which was pleasantly warm from the morning sun. She smiled as she began to plan her actions for the day.
First, she would need to put on something presentable. She could not very well go pleading forgiveness in her sleeping tunic. She rummaged through the bag of clothing she had brought with her. Finally, she found a sky blue tunic. Over it, she put on a pale pink shift. Then Miriam used her ivory combs to brush her glossy curls and arrange them in an elegant bun on the top of her head. She chose a rose-scented perfume and lightly applied some kohl around her violet eyes.
Before leaving her room, she caught a look at her refection in the water basin by her bed. Gaius was right. She did look older than fourteen. Gently, she pulled the combs from her hair and let it fall freely down her back. It looked more natural this way, Miriam decided. She did not want it to appear as if she was trying to hard.
She left the room, feeling as though nothing could possibly go wrong, when she noticed a little caged sparrow by the door.
"A sparrow is the traditional gift of a man to his sweetheart," Aristo explained, "The poet Catullus even wrote a poem about a sparrow that he gave to his beloved. He talks about the little bird on his girlfriend's lap, hopping about now here and now there."
Miriam felt awkward as he said the words. It was obvious who had given her the little bird. The feigned flirting with Aristo had its consequences.
"Oh, do you think it's tame?" Flavia wormed her way up next to Aristo. The other children, too, were fascinated by Miriam's gift.
"Probably," Aristo replied, looking at Miriam rather than Flavia, "Shall we see?"
The eager children gathered closer. Aristo opened the small wooden door and placed his index finger just outside the small opening. The sparrow cocked his head then hopped though the opened door right onto Aristo's outstretched finger.
Very slowly, Miriam put her slender finger next Aristo's, so that they barely touched. After a moment, the small bird hopped onto her finger.
"Oh!" Miriam giggled in spite of herself, "He tickles."
"Sit down," Jonathan whispered to his sister, "See if he hops on you lap 'now here and now there!'"
"Not with the dogs licking their chops like that!" exclaimed Flavia.
"I take dogs away," Nubia offered.
"I'll come with you!" Flavia hopped to her feet.
The two boys followed.
"I better be going, too," said Miriam as she placed the sparrow back in the cage. She was not prepared for a private conversation with Aristo.
"Alright," Aristo was clearly disappointed.
Miriam, being the kind person she was, offered Aristo a small smile.
Miriam sighed as she returned to her room. The day had barely begun and she was already running into problems.
She placed the little bird on the small table by the side of her bed. He sang a jaunty little tune, brightening Miriam's spirits.
"You need a name, don't you, little fellow," she spoke aloud. "How does Catullus sound? After the poet who wrote about the sparrow?"
The sparrow twittered in response, so Miriam took that as a yes.
"What am I going to do, Catullus?" she opened the wooden door and let Catullus hop onto her finger. She gently stroked the bird as he continued his song.
"It's hard, being beautiful," Miriam felt stupid confiding in a bird, but she did not want to burden Frustilla any farther with her problems, "Everyone notices me, especially the men. Can't they see that I am still only a child, not yet even sixteen? Sometimes I have wished to be ugly. Then I would be left alone. I cannot even go to the forum without turning men's gazes. I wish to love freely and to have a man love me in return, for reasons aside from my beauty."
She thought of Gaius, whom she had involuntarily fallen for. He liked her too. As Frustilla had said, it was obvious. But was it only for her beauty, or was he able to see her as a human rather than a prize to be won? She found her self desperately hoping the answer to be yes.
She placed Catullus back into his cage then sat heavily on the bed. As she leaned back against one of the pillows, something rustled. Nestled between two of the pillows was a small piece of papyrus. She carefully unfolded the brittle paper to reveal a brief message:
MEET ME BY THE VINEYARDS AFTER THE EVENING MEAL. I AM SORRY.
She knew at once the note was from Gaius. Excitement pulsed through her veins. And as she gently folded the note in her hand, Miriam began to devise a plan.
