Regina: Well, here it is, the next chapter of Rome Reversal. I hope you enjoy, and please do not be too fussed if I have taken a few liberties with some things, e.g. Horatia's behaviour. Also, I am not sure of how to spell a few things, so I have written it as well as I can late at night.
Rome Reversal
Chapter Two: Toga Tragedy
Horatia was true to her word. After a short walk she had led the X-Men to a large home nestled on the side of one of the many hills that surrounded the city. Without having to say a word, the man opened the front door of the home, allowing Horatia and the X-Men in, before bowing deeply.
"Where is my mother?" Horatia asked a woman who was cleaning the floor of the front room.
The woman stood up. "Your mother, my mistress, is in her chambers. Shall I inform her of your arrival?"
"No," said Horatia. "But I require a meal for my guests and myself to be prepared."
"Of course, mistress," said the woman, bowing before hurrying away.
Horatia turned back to the X-Men. "If you will follow me." She began to walk down the long corridor.
"What was that about?" asked Kitty. "Who were those people?"
"Slaves," Forge replied calmly. "The Roman people depended on them."
"Slaves?! That's terrible!"
"That's life. The life of the slave depended on the kindness of his or her owners. From what we've seen, these slaves are lucky ones. I wouldn't be surprised if there were many freedmen and women working for Horatia's family," Forge added.
The X-Men were quiet; instead, they followed Horatia to her mother's chambers.
X X X
Horatia's mother was a friendly, motherly woman who took an immediate liking to the X-Men and Forge. Her name was Julia, and she ran her household in a kind but firm manner, befitting that of a Senator's wife. Her presence kept the X-Men in almost complete silence, save for a few whispers here and there.
"You are keeping strange company these days, Horatia," she said, upon first meeting the X-Men and Forge. "But I cannot judge, as it is much better than that of your brother."
"How is Gaius, Mater?" asked Horatia.
"'Mater'?" Evan asked Forge quietly.
"It's Latin for 'mother'."
"Ah."
"He is well," said Julia, in response to Horatia's question.
"How are his studies?"
"He is still studying under the orator Henricus, but I fear that his classmates are leading him astray."
"Petrus again, Mater?"
Julia nodded. "He and his father and sister are to dine with us tonight. You and your guests would be most welcome to join us." Julia frowned. "But their garments are very strange indeed. Where be they from?"
"They are travellers," explained Horatia, repeating the story that the X- Men had given her. "I brought them here hoping that you and Pater would provide them with hospitality."
"Let me guess," Rogue muttered to Forge. "'Pater' is father?" Forge nodded.
Julia nodded as well. "Of course, Horatia. I will send for one of the men to assist your male companions, and a woman for the females - unless you feel that you are capable of such a thing on your own?"
Horatia smiled. "I am a Vestal Virgin, Mater, and I manage my own affairs. I am more than capable of aiding my own guests."
Julia smiled back. "Of course. I will send for some garments immediately."
Kitty looked at the piece of cloth that Horatia had just given her. She had done the same thing to Rogue and Jean as well. "What is this thing?" asked Kitty, holding it at arms-length.
"The garment you are now holding is called the chiton. Women wear it to their ankles, and men, their knees."
"It's just a long rectangle of cloth," Rogue remarked.
"That is because you have not adjusted it correctly. Here," said Horatia, reaching for Kitty's chiton, "let me assist you." Quickly, she had pinned the chiton at Kitty's shoulder, and belted it in such a way that it looked like a strange dress. Jean and Rogue followed her example, and soon all three were dressed the same.
"Now what?" asked Jean.
"Now you wear this," said Horatia, holding up another garment. Unlike the chiton, which was white, this was colourful and embroidered. "This is the peplos," explained Horatia, and she proceeded to dress Kitty in it. It turned out to be worn much like a cloak, but belted at the waist and worn to the ankles. Once again, Rogue and Jean followed Horatia's example, and soon they were all dressed like roman women.
"I must insist that you remove your gloves," said Horatia, suddenly.
"That's not a good idea," Kitty said hurriedly.
"Yes," agreed Jean. "It is, er, a terrible offence for Rogue to touch the skin of any other person, or, even worse, for them to touch hers."
Horatia nodded. "Of course. Although it may seem strange to me, I must accept your ways and customs."
"Thank you," said Rogue.
Horatia smiled, then left the room. She returned a few moments later with a bowl of water and a few cloths. "I now ask that you clean your faces. In particular your, Rogue."
"Why?" asked Rogue, touching her heavily made-up face.
"Colouring to the skin may be worn, but only in moderation. Do you wish to look like one of the women down at the brothels?"
Rogue groaned, but reached for a cloth.
X X X
Having dressed, Jean, Rogue and Kitty followed Horatia to the dining room, where Scott, Kurt and Forge were waiting. They were all wearing togas.
"Where's Evan?" asked Jean.
"He's coming," replied Scott.
"He's not too happy about what he has to wear," Kurt added mischievously.
"Why? What does he has to wear?"
"This," came Evan's unhappy voice.
Like the other boys, Evan was wearing a toga, but unlike theirs, Evan's had a purple stripe on it.
"Mater," said Horatia. "Why is he wearing a toga praetexta?"
"A toga what?" asked Rogue.
"A toga praetexta," repeated Horatia. "The toga of a boy. He is old enough to have had his manhood ceremony," Horatia said to her mother. "So why?"
"It is an old one of your brother's," explained Julia. "And it is the only toga that would fit him."
The girls started to laugh, and the boys joined in.
"It's not funny!" shouted Evan, but everything was interrupted by the entrance of the slave who had guarded the front door.
"My lady," he said, bowing down before Julia. "Your husband, my master, and his guests have arrived."
"Of course," said Julia. "Bring them in."
The first person to enter was a man in his mid to late forties. "Marce," Julia greeted him, and by the way the man kissed her on the cheek, the X- Men and Forge concluded that this was Horatia's Senator father.
Next to enter was a boy of about nineteen with more than a slight resemblance to Horatia. "Gaie!" said Horatia, as they embraced.
And finally the guests came. Two were older men, dignified in their walks and stance, busy discussing some political matter, and following them were two teenagers of about seventeen, a boy and a girl.
The X-Men and Forge just stared at the four.
One of the men saw them staring at them. "Xavius and I were not informed that there were others invited, Marcus."
"These must be guests of my daughter, Magnus," replied Horatia's father, Marcus. "I hope that this does not bother you."
"No,' replied Magnus. "Does it bother you, my children?"
The boy and girl looked at each other. "It does not bother me, Pater," said the girl, dressed in clothing as fine as Julia's, but with heavy red and black embroidery. She wore rubies in her ears, and her black hair was piled on her head. "Does it bother you, Petrus, my frater?"
The boy shook his head, and the X-Men stared at his hair, white like his father's. "I am fine with this, Wanda."
"That is excellent," said Gaius. "Shall we eat then?"
The X-Men just stared at the four in front of them, dead certain that it was Professor Xavier, Magneto, and Pietro and Wanda Maximoff standing there in front of them.
Rome Reversal
Chapter Two: Toga Tragedy
Horatia was true to her word. After a short walk she had led the X-Men to a large home nestled on the side of one of the many hills that surrounded the city. Without having to say a word, the man opened the front door of the home, allowing Horatia and the X-Men in, before bowing deeply.
"Where is my mother?" Horatia asked a woman who was cleaning the floor of the front room.
The woman stood up. "Your mother, my mistress, is in her chambers. Shall I inform her of your arrival?"
"No," said Horatia. "But I require a meal for my guests and myself to be prepared."
"Of course, mistress," said the woman, bowing before hurrying away.
Horatia turned back to the X-Men. "If you will follow me." She began to walk down the long corridor.
"What was that about?" asked Kitty. "Who were those people?"
"Slaves," Forge replied calmly. "The Roman people depended on them."
"Slaves?! That's terrible!"
"That's life. The life of the slave depended on the kindness of his or her owners. From what we've seen, these slaves are lucky ones. I wouldn't be surprised if there were many freedmen and women working for Horatia's family," Forge added.
The X-Men were quiet; instead, they followed Horatia to her mother's chambers.
X X X
Horatia's mother was a friendly, motherly woman who took an immediate liking to the X-Men and Forge. Her name was Julia, and she ran her household in a kind but firm manner, befitting that of a Senator's wife. Her presence kept the X-Men in almost complete silence, save for a few whispers here and there.
"You are keeping strange company these days, Horatia," she said, upon first meeting the X-Men and Forge. "But I cannot judge, as it is much better than that of your brother."
"How is Gaius, Mater?" asked Horatia.
"'Mater'?" Evan asked Forge quietly.
"It's Latin for 'mother'."
"Ah."
"He is well," said Julia, in response to Horatia's question.
"How are his studies?"
"He is still studying under the orator Henricus, but I fear that his classmates are leading him astray."
"Petrus again, Mater?"
Julia nodded. "He and his father and sister are to dine with us tonight. You and your guests would be most welcome to join us." Julia frowned. "But their garments are very strange indeed. Where be they from?"
"They are travellers," explained Horatia, repeating the story that the X- Men had given her. "I brought them here hoping that you and Pater would provide them with hospitality."
"Let me guess," Rogue muttered to Forge. "'Pater' is father?" Forge nodded.
Julia nodded as well. "Of course, Horatia. I will send for one of the men to assist your male companions, and a woman for the females - unless you feel that you are capable of such a thing on your own?"
Horatia smiled. "I am a Vestal Virgin, Mater, and I manage my own affairs. I am more than capable of aiding my own guests."
Julia smiled back. "Of course. I will send for some garments immediately."
Kitty looked at the piece of cloth that Horatia had just given her. She had done the same thing to Rogue and Jean as well. "What is this thing?" asked Kitty, holding it at arms-length.
"The garment you are now holding is called the chiton. Women wear it to their ankles, and men, their knees."
"It's just a long rectangle of cloth," Rogue remarked.
"That is because you have not adjusted it correctly. Here," said Horatia, reaching for Kitty's chiton, "let me assist you." Quickly, she had pinned the chiton at Kitty's shoulder, and belted it in such a way that it looked like a strange dress. Jean and Rogue followed her example, and soon all three were dressed the same.
"Now what?" asked Jean.
"Now you wear this," said Horatia, holding up another garment. Unlike the chiton, which was white, this was colourful and embroidered. "This is the peplos," explained Horatia, and she proceeded to dress Kitty in it. It turned out to be worn much like a cloak, but belted at the waist and worn to the ankles. Once again, Rogue and Jean followed Horatia's example, and soon they were all dressed like roman women.
"I must insist that you remove your gloves," said Horatia, suddenly.
"That's not a good idea," Kitty said hurriedly.
"Yes," agreed Jean. "It is, er, a terrible offence for Rogue to touch the skin of any other person, or, even worse, for them to touch hers."
Horatia nodded. "Of course. Although it may seem strange to me, I must accept your ways and customs."
"Thank you," said Rogue.
Horatia smiled, then left the room. She returned a few moments later with a bowl of water and a few cloths. "I now ask that you clean your faces. In particular your, Rogue."
"Why?" asked Rogue, touching her heavily made-up face.
"Colouring to the skin may be worn, but only in moderation. Do you wish to look like one of the women down at the brothels?"
Rogue groaned, but reached for a cloth.
X X X
Having dressed, Jean, Rogue and Kitty followed Horatia to the dining room, where Scott, Kurt and Forge were waiting. They were all wearing togas.
"Where's Evan?" asked Jean.
"He's coming," replied Scott.
"He's not too happy about what he has to wear," Kurt added mischievously.
"Why? What does he has to wear?"
"This," came Evan's unhappy voice.
Like the other boys, Evan was wearing a toga, but unlike theirs, Evan's had a purple stripe on it.
"Mater," said Horatia. "Why is he wearing a toga praetexta?"
"A toga what?" asked Rogue.
"A toga praetexta," repeated Horatia. "The toga of a boy. He is old enough to have had his manhood ceremony," Horatia said to her mother. "So why?"
"It is an old one of your brother's," explained Julia. "And it is the only toga that would fit him."
The girls started to laugh, and the boys joined in.
"It's not funny!" shouted Evan, but everything was interrupted by the entrance of the slave who had guarded the front door.
"My lady," he said, bowing down before Julia. "Your husband, my master, and his guests have arrived."
"Of course," said Julia. "Bring them in."
The first person to enter was a man in his mid to late forties. "Marce," Julia greeted him, and by the way the man kissed her on the cheek, the X- Men and Forge concluded that this was Horatia's Senator father.
Next to enter was a boy of about nineteen with more than a slight resemblance to Horatia. "Gaie!" said Horatia, as they embraced.
And finally the guests came. Two were older men, dignified in their walks and stance, busy discussing some political matter, and following them were two teenagers of about seventeen, a boy and a girl.
The X-Men and Forge just stared at the four.
One of the men saw them staring at them. "Xavius and I were not informed that there were others invited, Marcus."
"These must be guests of my daughter, Magnus," replied Horatia's father, Marcus. "I hope that this does not bother you."
"No,' replied Magnus. "Does it bother you, my children?"
The boy and girl looked at each other. "It does not bother me, Pater," said the girl, dressed in clothing as fine as Julia's, but with heavy red and black embroidery. She wore rubies in her ears, and her black hair was piled on her head. "Does it bother you, Petrus, my frater?"
The boy shook his head, and the X-Men stared at his hair, white like his father's. "I am fine with this, Wanda."
"That is excellent," said Gaius. "Shall we eat then?"
The X-Men just stared at the four in front of them, dead certain that it was Professor Xavier, Magneto, and Pietro and Wanda Maximoff standing there in front of them.