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'Thoughts'
"Speech"
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ROME:
Passions
Chapter Four – Vorenus and Decimus
Lucius Vorenus raised his head off the pillow and turned to see Pullo staring at him "why will she not leave me be?"
"Because you will not get up."
"I harm none by being here."
"Nay, but you irritate her – and she irritated is not a good thing."
Timon came in "Will he rise this day?"
Pullo shrugged "I know not as yet."
The mercenary horse trader rolled his eyes at Lucius "if you do not rise soon Vorenus, she will permanently pin you to that bed with her bloody swords – even an oaf such as I can see you are sorely trying the little patience the woman has!"
"Is she very mad?" Vorenus eyed Pullo warily; he had learnt to dread the approach of the Gallic harpy even more than visits from Mark Anthony.
Indeed his discomfiture at the woman's presence had only caused an increase in the commander's visits, so he could witness the pain and suffering she was heaping on him. At least that was what Mark Anthony told them when he'd turned up, with only a small guard, for the twelfth day in a row.
"Aye, that she is…..very." he grimaced in irritation "not least because Mark Anthony has just arrived again."
"Oh Juno!" Vorenus groaned and buried his head under the coverlet.
"Will you get up, you pain in my arse!" Afia approached with a highly amused Mark Anthony in her wake.
"I wish to mourn my wife."
"Well you can bloody mourn her from a chair, because that bed is stinking and pretty soon will only be fit to be burnt! Now GET.UP!"
But he merely groaned and rolled away, Afia raised her eyes to the Heavens "I swear on all the deities that if I do burn that bed you, my Roman arse pain, will be in it!"
He studiously ignored her; before she could launch another tirade, even Mark Anthony took pity this time and drew her away "I have found your Decimus" he smiled.
Her face lit up and he realised that she was quite a pretty little thing for a Gallic slave "Really! Is he well, is he hurt! How is his wife, his other slaves! I hope naught has happened to him!"
He held a hand up to stay the battery of urgent questions "Aye really; he is well, not hurt at all; She too is well, his slaves seem well enough - though I cannot say I took much notice of them. Nay, naught has happened to him."
Without thinking Afia flung her arms round his neck "oh thank you sir, thank you! Oh he was so kind to me, and it is such a relief to know he is safe!" She suddenly realised what she was doing and leapt away from him colouring "I am sorry lord, sorry…..I…."
He smiled and tilted her chin, before murmuring "It is alright Afia, I only wish my slaves were that fond of me that they would travel far and hug strange men to save me."
Pullo for his part gripped the spoon he was endeavouring to feed Vorenus with a little harder (the man still unwilling to eat unless forced); but smiled slightly as Afia moved further away and out of the commander's grasp.
"Nay lord, I am sure they would – but he is a good man, and I would like to repay his kindness."
"Well, I will bring him here this night…..if that is agreeable to you?" he smiled as she beamed once more.
"Aye, lord – it is most agreeable."
The commander took his leave promising to be back by dusk with Decimus Andronicus.
As she made her way over to the rest of the Thirteenth veterans, Pullo jeered "moving up in the world are we?"
Timon rolled his eye at Vitus, but Afia studiously ignored him and called Rena over "Rena do you wish to eat pork this night?"
"We do not have any."
"We will when I gut that large fatted pig over yonder." She pointed at Pullo; the rest of the veterans and their wives laughed loudly as the large Roman ground his teeth. Always the last bloody word!
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A little after dusk, as promised, Mark Anthony returned with Decimus and his slaves. Afia flew forward and was enveloped in a large hug by the old man "Decimus!"
Mark Anthony turned to his second "Ye Gods, if I had a greeting like that from her, I would never leave her behind me!" the roman soldier smirked.
"My dear child I gave you your freedom so you could return to Gaul, not come trailing after an ancient wretch like me."
"I was on my return to Gaul, when traders told me what had happened here – I had to return to find you."
"I understand my old carcass has got you into much mischief?"
"Nay not yours, theirs." She pointed wearily to Pullo and Vorenus "but enough of the idiot oaf and the weeping babe; Where is……."
"Afia? Afia!" an older woman came in, as again the young Gaul flew forward.
"Drusilla, my lady! You look well, are you well? I have come to take you away to safety!" She hugged the woman then scrutinised her.
Mark Anthony looked on with longing "why do my slaves not greet me so?"
"You have not freed them sir?" the second offered.
"Nay, even then I doubt they would be this loyal or loving." He shook his head "I had my pick of the Gallic slaves, did you know that? Only Juno knows how I missed this one!"
She sat with the Roman couple and Mark Anthony for over an hour, regaling them with amusing stories and anecdotes that had the commander's laugh echoing loudly around the courtyard.
Titus Pullo sat with Lucius Vorenus and ground his teeth. All who could see his face knew this night would not end well………..they were right; Pullo just couldn't find a way not to upset the wench.
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Afia never felt comfortable with Mark Anthony, but with Decimus and Drusilla with her she felt better. She became more a lady and less the Gallic warrior that the man knew; he knew they had no children and now guessed that the woman had been treated as a daughter by them.
When they gave her her freedom it was the freedom one also gives to a child, to go their own way in the world. But like a loving child Afia had returned to find and protect them; judging by the couple's obvious delight it was clear this was not expected.
He had heard of this, Romans who took slaves in and treated them as family – but it usually ended badly. This was the only occasion he knew of where the slave had, whether knowingly or unknowingly, adopted the family themselves and sacrificed much for them. He knew that by fixing her with the veterans as he had, not only would this vixen keep them out of trouble (well, as much as anyone could), but she would also remain where he could watch her……until he felt able to coax her to his bed.
Normally he would just take what he wanted; but he was not a fool and quickly realised that to do so this time would bring the rage of the Thirteenth veterans, and possibly their legion comrades, down on his head – no woman, however alluring, was worth that; any other time he would have risked it……but now, with Rome in disarray as it was….nay, he would wait and bide his time.
She had turned to Decimus "so I said "oh Pullo, why must you so sorely deprive a village somewhere of its idiot."
They all fell about and then Mark Anthony made his excuses and got ready to leave "Afia, walk with me." She immediately looked uncomfortable once more, but did as she was bid.
"How fares Vorenus?"
"Not well, you see how I struggle to get him up – he has stopped weeping and wailing; now he just lies about; we even have to feed him. To tell true I do not know which is worse – the silence or the noise. At least with the noise I did not need to keep prodding him to ensure he lived."
"I see – and what do you think of Pullo?"
"Pullo?" she thought for a moment "he is a good man; oh a bit of a rogue admittedly, but he has a good heart if he but bothered with it. Though in truth I often wonder about feeding him to the pigs he so resembles them much of the time."
The roman chuckled "Vorenus?"
"I know not what to make of him myself; though Pullo has told me much of him and says he is an honourable man and incredibly loyal, he thinks a lot of him. So based on Pullo's tales I think he too is a good man."
"He deserted Caesar."
"Nay, he did not know what was about to happen – if he had I think, from what Pullo has told me, that he would have buried his rage, hurt and disbelief about his wife and some how coped until he knew his leader was safe." She sighed "he barely copes with the grief that he failed so many people."
"Aye, well – and what make you of the Thirteenth veterans?"
She smiled "I like them all, Timon especially – they are good men and served Rome well, I am happy to be responsible for them all; even Pullo and Vorenus."
"You still plan to quit the city?"
"Aye, now Decimus and Drusilla are here – I hope that we can get our things together and be gone sooner rather than later."
"Where will you go? There are many….."
"I know not lord; I do not think for a moment that all the veterans will wish to leave, but I am sure that some will want to come. Then there is Vorenus and his family, and Pullo of course….." she looked thoughtful "but the Goddess is always good, and I am certain all will end well if it is destined to do so."
"Your words sound calm, but your eyes belie your worry." He murmured.
"Well, I must then ensure my eyes follow my head….."
"Not your heart?"
"Nay lord, I followed that but once and it ended badly – but that is another story for another time, for there is no jest in it and it does not end well." She stepped back.
"Well, I will endeavour to see you again before I leave….." he turned, but her hand stayed him.
"I am sorry to bother you my lord, but I have a boon to ask of you."
"Aye, I am listening?"
"I wish to deal with the slave that dealt such a blow to Vorenus….she caused much mischief, for yourself as well as he.
I cannot deal with the one who sent her, she will be beyond my remit, but not yours I will wager – but the imp that set the match to the tinder I can……repay." Her eyes glittered dangerously, and once again Mark Anthony offered up a silent prayer of thanks that he was not the one to spark the ire in them.
"That is no boon, you will be saving me and young Octavian a job; in fact, it should be rewarded on many levels……." He thought for a moment "I will return tomorrow morning, early, and I will furnish you with the details you require – I will think of some suitable reward………"
"I wish to remain here with these people my lord – it would be a reward indeed to enter your household, but I gave my solemn vow to protect the children and help the others; as well as Decimus and Drusilla, so I would not be able to take up such a generous offer if it was made."
She kept her eyes lowered, but he tilted her chin up and smiled widely "am I that transparent to you?"
"I…ummm…." For once Afia was at a loss for words.
"Never mind, I will think of something else then….that does not mean you leaving them." He cursed himself for showing his hand, yet could not see how he had done so; she was a wily one though, on that he had no doubt.
He took his leave and she settled the roman couple into their quarters, finally Pullo cornered her "played your hand well, did you not wench? Got him all but begging for it now!"
The stinging slap caught him off guard, but it was the sudden tears he could see pricking her eyes that surprised him most "you know naught about me roman! You know naught of my life – I would rather fall on my swords that let some stinking roman touch me ever again!"
She started to walk away but added, without facing him "I would fight him as I fought the others, right to the last – you understand!" then she stalked away; stiff backed with anger, and hurt radiating off her.
He understood, he definitely understood – had he not done the same? By the Gods, he felt terrible now; never had before, always considered it the spoils of war - but now….but now……he felt unclean, filthy…the dirty pig she'd implied he'd been before. Though that was a jest, but not now….now he felt….bad.
As he went to follow her, a cup whistled past his head "stay away roman!" she hissed.
Timon caught his arm "what have you done now?" Pullo told him of what he'd overheard and what he'd said "You oaf Pullo! She is a canny one and headed him off – her opting to stay with us rancid lot shows she is not leading him on….Gods for such a womaniser you know naught of them do you?" he sighed and rubbed his face "she is deeply pissed off at you, so I think discretion is the better part of valour, as Atia is always saying – retreat now and try again on the morrow."
Pullo nodded and sloped off to bed sulking. Timon shook his head "dolt!"
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Afia was about to stalk past Vorenus' bedroom to get to her own little cubby hole (due to not enough rooms and too many people), when the roman called out to her – the first time he had spoken unbidden to any since they had all arrived.
"Does he vex you overmuch?"
She came across; too angry to be shocked "he is an unthinking, unfeeling brute!"
He patted the bed and she sat "nay, unfeeling he is not – trouble is, Pullo feels too much. Though unthinking I would probably grant you." he smiled.
"You like him…."
"Aye, he is much to me I admit – we have been through battles, wars and scrapes of all sorts……." He sighed.
"You saved him…from the arena, he told me of it."
"Aye, but the thing is I know he would have done the same for me. I know, if the dice were cast he would help me – look at now, the way he dragged you along with him to get back to aid me." He shook his head "nay he is a dolt and speaks with his mouth before his brain can think, but he is a good man."
"Then you know him better than I." she sighed "he infuriates me and drives me to the point where I wish only to kill him and dance on his corpse, but then he will do something that makes me laugh and I merely roll my eyes in exasperation."
Vorenus took her arm "welcome to the world of those that know Titus Pullo, we all feel like that."
She chuckled "you are a good friend to him Vorenus."
"Well, we are good friends together – he is the only one who can make me laugh; so judge him not too harshly, alright?"
"Aye, I will try – but another crack like the last and his head will be seeing his feet from a new angle." She regarded him and felt his temple "how fares you?"
"Slightly better – I may yet live, though the guilt weights heavily on me."
"Did you push her?"
"Nay!"
"Then you have naught to feel guilty over – except mayhap the children, none are at fault; not even the boy. She led your daughters to believe you would have them all put to death should you discover the truth, and as for the boy – well, he cannot be blamed for his own birth, can he?"
"You are wise beyond your years Gaul."
She chuckled quietly "I have been called many things in my life, but wise is not one of them."
"How come you to be such a consummate warrior? Timon and Pullo were telling me of the exploits they had witnessed." He lay back and regarded her.
"Ah there by hangs a tail – short version is my father had four sons and a daughter, but in reality wanted five sons only……he made do with the daughter. I was a boy in all ways but the obvious ones." She chuckled "I loved him so much and he loved me not at all." She shrugged "the Goddess tries us, of that I am sure."
"What is the long version?"
"A story for another time – mayhap I will tell you on the morrow, if you are sincerely interested in this freed Gallic slave's boring life before Rome and war came?"
"I am….." and he was; she intrigued him….a lot.
She got up and left, patting his shoulder "you are not so bad when you are normal" and Vorenus smiled – the other roman would suffer with her on the morrow as he did not think she was that quick to forgive, and it would be good to watch……..it would also be good to find out more about the little Gallic vixen in their midst.
