Agrippa reclined against the cushions placed around the long, low table, and slaked his thirst on the aromatic wine placed before him. "I must thank you for your generous hospitality, Maximinus," he said stiffly. "I was told that your villa was the best place for refreshment." Leander smiled at this.
"I do try to make all feel welcome here." As Kalyca entered with a pitcher filled to brimming with more wine, Maximinus smiled at her. "Has your lady returned from the market yet?" The old woman nodded with an affectionate smile—clearly, Marcus thought, there existed great fondness between all in this family.
"Yes, Sir, she has just come in."
"Will you please tell her that supper is ready?" The servant nodded and hastily left the room. Agrippa watched her leave vacantly, musing as to whom 'your lady' might be.
"I did not know that the mother of this man dwelt with him," he thought to himself as he took another large sip of wine. Then, another thought occurred to him—one that made a sly smile steal over his face. "What if the woman is his sister?" He narrowly appraised Maximinus once more, who was oblivious to the centurion's close scrutiny. "What a beauty the sister of this man would be! If she lives with him, she must, of course, be unwed…possibly if I…" At that moments, his thoughts simply ceased forming—for there, in the doorway, stood Calliliana.
Never had Marcus Agrippa beheld a woman of such surreal beauty as the one before him now. She was still the same young woman of the slave-auction in the Forum—though if happiness adds to one's loveliness, her beauty now surpassed what it had formerly been a thousandfold. Although her form was covered neck to foot in a long cloak of billowing pale blue, Agrippa imagined that the body beneath the fabric was as delightful as the face above. Her hair was knotted away from the front of her blushing face into what appeared to be many small coils, but the natural waves were allowed to flow freely down her back. She was blushing at the unexpected suddenness of finding a new visitor (and an important looking one at that) where she expected only her husband—though the rose-color of her face only enhanced the ocean-color of her eyes. Leander noticed her surprise and embarrassment and quickly walked to meet her.
"Hello, my Calliliana," he smiled, kissing her lightly on the forehead. The girl threw her arms around his neck and gently nuzzled his neck. Agrippa himself grew slightly red and cleared his throat.
"Is this woman your sister?" he asked, his voice hoarse with hope. Leander and the girl laughed as he drew her to his cushion and reclined beside her.
"Not at all. This, Agrippa," he said as he tenderly caressed the face of the young woman, "is my wife!" The maiden smiled and moved her arm to embrace her husband—as she did so, her cloak moved and Marcus noted that her stomach was well-swollen in an advanced stage of pregnancy.
At that moment, rage and jealousy such as he had never known welled up in the breast of the centurion like a whirling typhoon—this man, this man who was still in the very bloom of his youth, had everything that Agrippa himself wished to have. And Maximinus' possession of this woman—this beautiful, graceful woman, was simply more than he could stand. He nearly choked on his wine.
"My name is Calliliana, Sir," murmured the maiden, her voice gentle and low; her eyes downcast and hidden beneath their lashes. "You are welcome in our house." The centurion forced a smile.
"My name is Marcus Agrippa, and I thank you for your hospitality, Lady." Try as he might, he could not keep his gaze from resting hungrily on the woman. The man wrenched his thoughts away from the damsel and turned to her husband. "How long have you two been wed?" Leander grinned impishly and playfully tugged on a loose strand of his wife's tumbling hair.
"Just long enough for her to bear my child without scandal." Agrippa heard Calliliana gasp and watched as her face flushed an unusually deep shade of scarlet. He smiled at her embarrassment.
"Nothing to be ashamed of, Milady, I assure you." She looked up then, directly into his eyes—and something within the hardened heart of the soldier melted at her look.
"Oh…did I ever say that I was ashamed?" Calliliana looked then at her husband and tenderly touched his face. "That would indeed be a grave untruth."
For the remainder of the meal, the maiden reclined, quietly for the most part unless asked a question by her husband, and observed those around her. Although nothing the centurion did aroused her immediate discomfort…there was something about him that made her uneasy. Perhaps it was the way that he looked at her, possibly it was the anger in his eyes when they rested upon her beloved Leander…she knew not. The young wife only knew that her heart would be much more at rest once the Roman had moved along his way.