Of Egypt and Rome
Chapter Four- Everyone needs a little company
Joey sighed, it seemed an eternity had passed since the faithful incident with the emperor and his master, and still no progress had been made towards the departure to the desert. The nights had grown shorter and the spring was coming closer, marking the end of winter and snow. He'd been in Rome for four months no...five. It seemed more. The winters he soon realized were long, or perhaps this was just an unlucky year?
He yawned, hearing his master bellow from the other room for Joey to bring him more wood for the fire, it turn he stood from his mat in front of the main fire place and walked into the adjoining bedroom. There were candles placed all around the room, lighting up the desk from which Seto was working. Some had gone out so choosing one he lit the cold ones then bent over the fire. For the hundredth time he wondered if Seto like watching him suffer, then remembered the cold man probably did enjoy it. He piled kindling into the dead fireplace catching it with the candle. Wax dripped onto his callused fingers, but her continued his work, lighting the small fire in a few more places before adding heavier wood. Standing up straight he set the candle back in it's rightfully place, holding back a yawned.
"Is there anything else my master wishes?" He muttered, lack of sleep showing in his eyes.
Seto grunted a no, it was translated into a no. Joey bowed stiffly and walked back to the main room, and groaned as he saw his fire had gone out. He though longingly of the blaring fire back in the other room. But he had learned weeks ago that that was out of the question. Slaves did not use candles from their master's rooms for their own fires, he fingered the ugly brown burn on his arms, sighing sadly.
He sighed again, a feet he seemed to be doing lately. He cuddled up ion his sparse blankets, trying to keep warm.
O0oo0O
"Seto, why do you like torturing me?" The emperor rubbed his temples as he watched his son lounging on a couch in the dinning room. the emperor was sitting across from him, a slave kneeling by his feet, holding a gold platter of grapes and a goblet of wine. Seto blinked at him, looking up from the book he was reading.
"What do you mean?" He drawled, snapping it shut.
"You're too aloof, not like your brother."
"My brother is ten ...of course I'm, not like him." Seto looked at his father with raised eyebrows.
"Seto, even as a child you weren't like Mokuba is."
"Mokuba is slightly annoying."
"Your mother wanted you two to get along, why can't you be nice to your brother?" The emperor frowned, taking some grapes from the platter.
"I am nice to my brother. You just only notice when I saw he's annoying." Seto grumbled.
The emperor shook his head annoyed. "You should be kinder to him, invite him to do more things with you, take him out to go around the city."
Seto rolled his eyes. "I do take Mokuba out on the city and stuff, why are you suddenly so careing."
The emperor sighed. "I want to re-marry."
Seto stared. "Who?"
"The lady DeMeture?" He said softly.
"Sounds foreign." Seto scoffed, sneering slightly.
"It's not."
"Well what ever." Seto shrugged, yawning, then standing up. "I'm going." He muttered, setting his book down and walking out of the hall.
O0oo0OThe blond haired boy frowned, scrubbing hard at a spot in the floor. The red stain was reluctant to come up from the tiles so he added pressure, putting more mussel into it. A door to hie right opened, the tapestry that hid the servant's passages from view was pushed aside and a man walked out, pausing to watch Joey. Joey bowed his head in shame, inspecting the floor for more spots while watching the man's sandeled feet from the corner of his eye. He shifted forward slightly on his knees, allowing him a better vision of the man's posture and stance. He was a well built man, the mussels in his legs rippled under the knee high lace up sandals. He right leg was out to the side a bit, left arm resting on a thin hip. Still he didn't move. From his pose Joey could tell he was a rather pompous man, from his shoe's he knew he was of high rank. He tilted his head to the side slightly, as if to get red of a kink and did a double take, pretending it was the first he had seen of this surly stranger.
Joey shifted on his knees so he was kneeling in front of the stranger and gave a bit of a smile. He inspected the man's bare chest, his black hair that fell down his shoulders and the short toga that wrapped around on shoulder and his waist, how ever he was deprived of any such jewerly, thus causing Joey to re-think the man's rank. Judging by the bright green eyes, full of pride and a sharp temper, he was someone to play along with. Joey smiled passively, deciding to play the ignorant slave.
"Can I help you my lord?" He asked pleasantly, pretending to be one of the less bright servants and slurring his now perfect Latin more than usual. He had found his master thought it was unnerving that he'd learned Latin so quickly, deciding to play dumb made eyevry one happy. But it also made people more opt to say things in front of him they other wize wouldn't say.
"Don't be dense, you know I'm no lord." The man snapped, those green eyes flashing.
Joey bit his lip, not in the least perturbed, and bowed his head again. "I'm sorry sir....I'm still trying to learn everything here." HE muttered.
The man snorted. "No need to act stupid here, we're-sadly-on level ground."
Joey smirked to himself. So this proud man was a slave, hmmm. "Well," He said brightly. "In that case is there anything I can help you with...friend?"
"Yes, you are his Lord Seto's personal servant? Are you not?" He asked curtly.
"I am."
"You are needed in his bed chambers." He said flatly.
"What for? His lord was spending the afternoon with his father and decided to practice with the captain, he is not yet back from his training?" Joey asked, tilting his head to the side.
"He sent word that you were to be ready for him when he returned, I was sent to fetch you and get you ready." The man with green eyes said, looking at him with no expression.
Joey smiled. "Thank you, I shall go to him then." He turned his back on the man, frowning momentarily, and picking up his bucket of suds.
"I was told to help prepare you for his lord."
Joey's heart skipped a beat, through all his acts, he wasn't stupid. He turned back around, his face creased with wonder. "Prepared for what?"
"His Lord not only requires your presence, but also your company." The man with green eyes said, blinking.
Realization seemed to dawn on Joey's face and he back up a step with practiced horror. "My...my...Lord wants...what?"
The man closed his eyes and shook his head. "I know you are not dumb, or afraid, this way and we'll get you bathed."
Better to play safe than sorry. "He...he...can't can he? I mean isn't it...wrong?" Joey wimpered.
"We don't have all night." The man said stiffly, "Follow me." He pushed open the tapestre he had come through, kicking the door open and he held both for Joey.
Joey in turn pretended to shake with fear as he ducked into the cold passage way, the man passing him and leading him down to the servant's bath house.
"Bathe, use soap too, then dry off and come find me, I'll have your cloths for you."
Joey stare at the bath house, the simple wood benches packed around the sides, cemented with a mud substance to the large stone pool. He sighed, still acting terrified and stripped down, wadding into the steaming water.
There were few other men there, and none that would notice him so he took a seat on one of the stone alcoves and found a bar of soap, listening to whatever conversation went on around him. Two men in the corner were talking about a new shipment of rice, a lone man was washing his hair near by. Still further away a group of men were sitting along the edges of the pool in the steam, covered with large towels. They were talking about the emperor's current plans for the trip to Egypt.
Joey perked his ears a bit more, letting himself drift a little- however not enough to be noticed.
A pail man with scars up and down his chest was talking in a low whisper to his comrades. "Don't tell, but I think it's crazy, there have been so man resent attempts on travelers through that are, does he really risk it?"
"He wants to separate from the Lord Seto, meet him there...give his son time to learn...or so he says." The second man hissed. "The boys a fine worrier, but his father could be attacked, and the amount of troops they travel with isn't going to be high."
"Doesn't want to attract too much trouble I suppose, but honestly, the Emperor of Rome ridding down to Egypt? What won't attract trouble?"
"Get out." A voice behind Joey said flatly. Joey jumped in mock startelment and turned, seeing the man with green eyes behind him. He was holding a towel to the blond who excepted it gratefully.
Joey sighed, tiered of playing games and dried off, watching the man. "What's your name?" He asked, face cerious.
The man did not answer.
Joey shrugged. "My people call me Jono, or Jou. You look like you are from a place far away as well, where?"
"Iserland."
Joey shrugged. "I am from Egypt, I have not heard of your name, my appoliges. What did your people call you?"
Still no answer.
Joey smiled. "I suppose I'll call you Hijau(1), it fit's you. You can call me Jono."
The man blinked, offering Joey a clean toga. Joey took it smiling and slipped into it. He walked towards the nearest entrance to his master's rooms and looked over at Hijau, grinning.
"See you around- Green eyes." He snickered as the man stared at him and walked up the stairs to the main floor, pausing slightly at the door to Seto's rooms. He took a breath, sighed, then knocked.
O0oo0O
(1)-Indonesian for 'Green'
Repmet-PLEASE REVIEW! Also, I AM NOT GOING TO DO A LEMON! I REPEAT! I WILL NOT DO A LEMON!