Thanks for reviewing, DoctorWhotaliaandtheOlympian s. It put a smile on my face to know that someone thought my piece was well-written, and thank you for the advice about my summary. (Hope I've improved it!)
The rest of the serving time passed in a glorious blur of completely forgetting what orders were, and hitting people with sticks. The din from outside filtered in, but it seemed calmer in the cool, the noises more laughter than screams. Roma had joined a weird game which, from a glance, looked like checkers. He appeared to be enjoying himself with his temporary compatriots, as he lost very few games. A few conversations did briefly sift through my mind; some newcomers were informed that this popina differed from regular ones in that its owner, despite being female, was not 'loose'; others talked, though in a catching whisper, that the Germanic tribes of the north were becoming restless; still more, a few women this time, exchanged news and gossip of a senator being accused of dirtying his mouth.
When Tameri declared the Popina shut, and the last drunkard shooed out, Roma gestured us over to his table. "We have business to discuss!" he began. "First, Rio is to work here, yes?"
Tameri nodded. "We would like- no, we really do need a few extra hands here."
"You could of just asked, Tameri-"
"That's Mrs. Hassan to you. Only friends, like Rio, call me Tameri."
Roma attempted to sulk. "Aw... Anyway, I'm sure she can find someone to walk her here-"
"I can find my own way!" Honestly, I wasn't that bad with directions.
"You still get lost around my house! And would you both stop interrupting-"
"That was once!" I yelled, and then absorbed Roma's last statement as he glared at me. "Sorry." I mumbled. I had never said sorry so much before I came here. Was I finally learning manners? Uncle Arthur would be amazed.
"I have to go north to about the Rhine river."
"You're leaving?"
"Are you going to miss me?"
"No. Well, a bit. A lot. Or not at all. I'm really not sure."
Roma chuckled into his wine, which had appeared thanks to Gupta. "That is a very convoluted answer to a very straightforward question."
"Stop asking all these 'straightforward' questions! They make me think!" There was silence, and both adults- they were adults, I kept forgetting that- looked at me with an expectant grin. I wasn't going to get out of this. "We're friends, I'm your 'familiaris', whatever that means. I haven't known you very long, but I've already gotten so used to you always being there for me. So, yes, I will miss you. How long are you going to be?"
Roma was smiling. That annoying smile. "I'll be a few weeks, little familiaris. It's nice to know you're so honest and open." I looked down, muttering. I was not open. I was not honest. What was happening to me? "But I'm thinking that, since we have most of the afternoon left, you and Tameri-"
"Mrs. Hassan."
"You and Mrs. Hassan, and perhaps Mrs. Karpusi, might want to join me in one of my favourite places? We can drop the children off at my Domus, if you like."
I looked at Tameri, who concurred. "Me and Cyanae haven't taken time off in ages. A break might be nice, and as it signals time spent away from you, it will be especially nice." Roma's smile grew, ignoring Tameri's gibe. They certainly had an interesting relationship. Did Gupta even know that Roma was his father? From the impression I had received earlier, it seemed that both had loved Roma to begin with, but something went wrong, and badly so. However, they all seemed to like each other? Adults are complicated.
"Hang on, I'm going with you instead of the other children?"
"Rio, you're many things, but I don't think anyone here thinks of you as a child."
"Awww." I pouted.
"Well, except for some times."
I tried to figure out whether I was a child or an adult. I quickly gave up."To Cyanae's!" I declared, standing up. Gupta pulled his mother's sleeve and whispered in her ear. She shook her head, making Gupta sad; but he followed us out onto the streets.
"So you're going to lead us to Cyanae's, Rio?" Roma teased.
"No." I declared, and went behind Roma. The streets were quite busy, and I was appreciative of Roma's presence. I noticed that there were more horses here, perhaps because it was closer to the outskirts? Either way, we quickly reached Cyanae's. Roma stopped us going in for a moment, and we all peeked in to see what he saw. Cyanae was there, reclining on a chair, with Heracles on her lap, and there was a glow surrounding them, like an invisible ocean. Peace emanated. I looked at Roma, and he had a very peaceful, very cheerful expression on his face. I had never seen that expression before, not just on him but on anyone- he was completely unaware of his surroundings, just watching his... his love? I waved my hand in front of his face a few times before he reacted. "Why did you two break up again?"
Cyanae heard me speak, and turned towards us. Tameri elegantly glided towards her. "Cyanae, qrH, why don't you join me, Roma, and Rio for the afternoon? Roma has offered to let us leave the children at his Domus. It is to celebrate- excuse me, to acknowledge, that Roma is to leave tomorrow."
"That sounds enchanting." Cyanae said after a pause to examine Heracles for a silent agreement. "But where are we going?" It seemed that mixing the three together brought out the royalty in them.
"I was considering the Campus Maritus?" Roma suggested, equally graceful.
"An excellent choice." The children and I exchanged looks, confused about the level of conversation emerging. "Shall we go?" We followed the adults out, who were arm in arm, chatting; Roma still had a very enchanted look on his face. The children and I began to discuss whose mother would win in a fight, though by the time we reached the Domus it had changed into a conversation about the best colour of dog. The children were playing outside, watched over by Laura, who stood up when she met us, and checked for me, relaxing slightly when she saw me. Roma noticed and tousled my hair.
"Yes, she's okay." He said, as I scowled and blocked my head from the vicious attack. The children ran to greet me, and Heracles. They didn't seem to know Gupta so well, but a few overlapping questions later and he was easily accepted. "May I offer you a drink, Cyanae, Tameri? It is quite a walk, and it is very hot today."
Cyanae and Tameri, having forgotten about their insistence on last names, gratefully accepted and were led inside by the children. "What? I don't get a drink?" I complained, going after them, but was halted by Laura.
"Look, Rio, you've caused everyone a lot of trouble today."
"What? Well, I guess so. I'm not normally such a clutz..."
"You aren't?" Laura was acting stern, out of character for her. Glancing nervously inside, I knew that all I had to do was yell or go past and it wouldn't matter. But, because I'm selfish like that, I wanted to gain Laura's admiration. I'm quite a little kid sometimes, aren't I?
"No. I'm sorry. To tell you the truth, back home-" Here I did my best to not sound like an old man reminiscing over the past- "I wasn't the best at anything I did, but I tended to be pretty close."
Laura continued staring, and I got the impression that I was being tested. I stared back. Then she smiled, a peculiar little smile. "You are quite open for a boy, Rio."
"Am not." I protested, and was pushed inside by Laura. "What, if I wasn't a clutz, you wouldn't like me?" I watched her back through the door.
"I would, actually. I just wanted to hear that you were sorry." I continued walking inside, seeking a drink and possibly bread. They were in the indoor garden, reclining in the shade, while Atanas served them wine. How could two women, who I had previously taken for low class, look so refined? Elizabeta's guess- that they were queens- didn't seem that far off. "Drink?" I asked. "Or bread?"
"Ah yes, Vladimir, can you get us some water?"
"What, I don't get wine? Humph." Vlad chuckled and I drank the water quickly offered. "Thank you, Vovoshenka." I gazed around me with half-closed lids, letting the cool water, with that lovely sweetness of lead, trickle down my throat. I wonder if Sadiq is all right?
After a few moments of relaxation, I was dragged out onto the streets, and we started the long walk to the... Campus? That is what I was told, when I asked again. Tameri and Cyanae seemed more relaxed, and I became more and more curious about them, and I began to wonder if they had known Sadiq, and his friend... Hyrum? But I didn't want to ask with Roma there. We reached the Campus, but the time had passed, with the sun just close enough to the horizon to send off a hint of orange. As a result, there were fewer people there, and the more frail had gone home.
How to describe the Campus? Big, would be an exact and useful place to start. Its size was truly impressive. From the hillside we had emerged, it looked several times larger than the baths we had visited yesterday, and it was far quieter. Well, no, it wasn't. How to describe it? Each shout, each exclamation and order, was swallowed up by the size, and even if it was close enough, was more reverent. It was mostly grass, but I could see people training on what looked like a sand area, and there were several statues and frescoes and pools laid out.
"This is my- sorry, this is Rome's most sacred place. When we became an empire, this area was dedicated to Mars- why it's called Campus Maritus, of course. It's where most youngsters do their training. That's the Tiber-" he pointed to the river that wound to the left and in front of us "It marks the boundary to the west. The Servius hill is to the north- and you're not listening are you." I whooped as I rolled down the hill. This was great! Cyanae joined me, and passed me as I accidentally rolled into a tree. I moved away and followed Cyanae down the rest of the hill. Tameri followed us, more reposed but not by much but Roma was accosted by a soldier-type person, who demanded to know Things. "I'll join you in a moment!" he yelled after us. A bit further on, we stopped moving, me with the help of crashing into Cyanae, and we sat down to have a break.
"So I had someone to ask you about. Do you know... Hyrum?" I'm fairly sure that Hyrum was Carthage.
Tameri and Cyanae shared a glance. "Well, yes, very much so. It's a long story, though."
"Please tell me? I want to know, because, you know, Sadiq."
"Oh? Does someone have a crush on a little Anatolian?"
"...No!" Maybe a little bit... "But I don't like seeing someone so scared and alone."
They sighed, (Simultaneously, I swear!) and Cyanae began the tale. "When I was very young, and I had never met Roma, or Tameri, I knew an older boy, Hyrum. Now Hyrum... he was an incredible boy. Very smart, very curious, about everything and anything. Came from a land called Phoenicia- well, that was my peoples name for it, I don't know what he called it. He was the one who taught me how to write, and for a small part he did look after me, but only when I promised to teach him things about my land. He grew up, and created an empire in the Middle East with his friend Sadiq, as I grew up in Greece. But then he and Sadiq got into an argument about their business, and it drove them apart. Hyrum moved to the northern edge of Africa- but that's where I lose track of him for a while I was growing up then, see, and there were so many things to explore and philosophize about. I didn't keep track of friends then."
"Carthage child." Tameri spoke up suddenly. "That's when I first knew him, and how; Carthage was to the north and west of us, bordering the ocean. He came filled with tales and ideas, and started trading until he practically controlled the Mediterranean. Very cocky, but very nice at the same time. He geniuinly thought he was incredible, but always wanted to learn more, so it was very hard to be mad at him. Had the best navy in the world, the likes of which you have never seen." No comment on that. "He looked sort of like Sadiq, now I think about it, but with hair always worn long. Always talked about Sadiq as well. I think he missed him. Anyway, it was about then that he ran into Roma. They coexisted relatively peacefully for a while, but then they clashed on that island- oh, what was it called?"
"Sicily. Part of Carthage. Hyrum lost that war badly."
"I know, poor child. He lost Sicily, Cordonia, and Sardinia, I think. That couldn't get him down, however. He rebuilt his empire, stronger focus on military, and asked for a very special persons help. Hannibal. And Hannibal was a brilliant fighter. He used these creatures- looked like our... elephants? Except with larger ears. Oh, you should have seen them- like horses, except much larger, and grey, and-"
"I've seen them before." I interrupted. They were forgetting that I wasn't supposed to know that Hyrum was a Country.
"You have? Really?"
"Uhuh. Finish?" I asked before they got distracted.
"Oh yes." Cyanae hesitated for a few moments before continuing. "They lost again- it was a terrible war, both sides slaughtering thousands. Roma took Hyrum as a slave. It was at about this time that Sadiq was captured as well, so that was a nice twist in the sad plot. Hyrum seemed calmer after that, and helped calm Sadiq, assuring him that as long as they lived, all would be good. On bad days, they would cuddle up together."
"But that didn't get him down." Tameri repeated. "Hyrum wanted to be free, and eventually Roma murdered him." We sat in silence in our circle for a while, the depressing narrative wafting to an end. "That's when Sadiq started acting up, and about when we left."
"Murdered? Roma is a murderer?" Murdering a country, I knew, was much different than murdering a country. Murdering a country meant destroying every building they had ever built, burning their literature, killing nearly everyone and selling the rest as slaves.
"Why don't we go for a walk, Rio? Just you and me." I jumped then, and I swear Tameri and Cyanae also did, and turned around slowly to see Roma standing there, unreadable expression on his face. I sort of stared for a few moments, and then did another jump when I realized what he'd said, quickly standing up.
"Ah, Cyanae... Tameri..."
"Go on." Cyanae shrugged, expressing an air of laboured leisure.
Roma placed a hand on my shoulder and steered me away from them. After we were out of earshot, he sighed, relaxing his grip. "You could of asked me." He said reproachfully.
"But you wouldn't be as neutral, and I wanted to know more about his history. How long were you listening?"
"Since you talked about the Second Punic War." At my confused look, he clarified "When I captured Hyrum."
"So are you going to give me your side?"
"Aren't you feeling bold? I suppose. He was threatening Rome with his empire. It was a case of one could survive."
"But... killing him?"
"Don't be naïve. I don't like to kill my slaves, but Rio, sometimes one needs to kill." Those words sent a shiver down my spine. We were on top of another hill, overlooking a military exercise involving horses. I was trying not to look at Roma, but I couldn't help but take a peek- he was watching the soldiers because he knew exactly what they were doing.
"Roma, you killed him.
"I'm a soldier."
"They're the same."
"A soldier seeks to preserve something important in my case, it's my home and empire. Try to understand my perspective."
"I'll try, but it's hard." The silence grew again, and Roma put his arm around me in a weird side hug. "I've never killed someone like that." I wasn't really thinking straight- I didn't realize that statment would sound strange to someone who wasn't a country.
"Do you think you could do me a favour, my little familiaris?"
"Sure?"
"Do you think you could do what you did last night?"
"What, cuddle with Sadiq? I thought-"
"I want him to obey me. I think, right now, that'll be best achieved if he stays with you. This is on the condition that Sadiq is never alone except when he's in his room, yes?"
"Sure!"
"That's my familiaris. And, another thing- you've never disobeyed my orders, so I can't help but trust you, but I trust Dacia even more than you. Which means that if he thinks you've done something wrong, he's allowed to punish you as he sees fit."
"What?"
"Well, I do control your country."
"Sorry, again, what?"
"Oh come now Rio, you think I wouldn't have noticed that you were a country? I could feel it when we wrestled, I could see it in your eyes when you talked about your home. Or actually, you're a state, as I believe you mentioned." He turned me to him, a hand on each of my shoulders, and looked me in the eye. "Now, I'm not going to go after this 'Youess', because they are too far away to be useful for me, but you? You're mine. My little Familiaris. Have you figured out what that means? A domestic slave."
"So when you adopted me..." I was afraid.
"I'm sure you've realized that every person at my house is a country, and Tameri and Cyanae are as well. This-" He grabbed me close with one arm and used the other to gesture out of the city, to the world beyond "Is what the humans believe is my empire-" He turned us, gesturing towards the city "This is what they believe is my heart." He took one of my hands and placed it on his chest. "But my heart is here. And my empire is my Domus. Do you understand?"
"I understand that you don't understand!"
"What more is there to understand?"
"I can't be conquered by you! I need to go home!"
"Rio, you can't. You'll be too far away for me to rule you." He drew me tight into a hug. I tried to push away but he didn't let go. "You're going to stay here." Eventually I gave up. This was wrong. I should be trying to escape. But there was no way out. I stopped fighting back, but remained tense. "It's alright, Rio. I'm not going to do anything to you that you don't deserve or don't want. You can have your own culture and ideas. You just have to do what I say, and you know I don't ask much."
"I know." I whispered. I felt like such a girl, seeking comfort in my captor. This way too girly. "Now please let me go." I said in my normal voice.
Roma broke the silence, and the darkness, and everything bad, just with his chuckle. "Come on, let's leave these talks of death and slavery alone, and go enjoy ourselves." So we did.
Okay, I'll be more descriptive, especially so no perverted minds get perverted ideas. We went back to Cyanae and Tameri, and straddled the line between dignified adults and children. The Campus was truly a place to enjoy yourself and mess around; me and Roma went another round, which I lost, and he and Tameri attempted to teach me how to use a stick more efficiently. It didn't go well, and I found myself severely prodded. They also attempted to get me on a horse borrowed from military-folk, which also did not go well. I don't like horses, but I ended up sitting behind Tameri, clutching on to her very tightly, as she raced Cyanae and Roma. Overall, however, I did enjoy myself, even when I was feeling nauseous from the horse racing. We watched the sun set over the Tiger, and I couldn't help but feel content, and we all felt, and this I could tell you for certain, that this was a perfect moment. To our left was the magnificent city, the sun illuminating the green of temple tops, bouncing away with the golden statues that stood on top of them, and sinking into the terracotta of the other buildings. Green and gold and red and white; that was Rome. The air was clear and sharp, warm with the slightest hint of a cool breeze. The moon had already risen, and watching the others, I thought of the concept of doublethink.
The three knew that their goddesses were the moon, and yet they also knew the moon was a bright orb in the sky that circled the earth; I could have never thought that way, with my sense of modern thinking which tried to make sense of everything. Sometimes, I thought, it is best to accept things as they are, and enjoy their beauty. And then figure out why later.
Roma is playing ludus Latrunculorum. qrH is sort of ancient Egyptian for an incredibly close friend. Anatolia is Turkey's birth-name. If Rio knew more about horses, she would have noticed the primitive saddles and the fact the horses were about the size of large ponies, and not as elegant as some horses nowadays. Roma is strange for a 'soldier', because Generals and Royalty (except Roman) and Governors aren't allowed in Central Rome. When the senator is accused of dirtying his mouth, they mean (and I'm not making this up, this was how they referred to it, and it was a huge insult) doing certain things to a lady with the aforementioned mouth. Rome really did do these things to Carthage.
