Chapter Ten: Atia's New Lover

It was a beautiful sunny morning in Rome, and Atia of the Julii was having a long and leisurely bath after a sensational night with her latest lover. The man was crude, of course, and far below her in station, but there was nothing more invigorating than a good hard . . .

Suddenly one of the female house slaves came clattering into the bathing chamber. "Great lady, your daughter is back," the woman cried breathlessly. "And she's with that . . . that soldier, Lucius Vorenus."

"Well, what of it?" Atia barely bothered to open her eyes. The steaming hot water felt so good after a long, sweaty night in bed.

"Lady, the Centurion says there was an attack, an uprising of the Gauls. Your precious daughter was lucky to escape alive! And the great lady Servilia, mother of the noble Brutus, is missing. They say she's been captured by the rebel Gauls!"

"Dress me at once," The imperious Atia commanded, rising from the bath in all her naked splendor. After a good night's sport she felt ready to face any challenge. The type of sex she really liked, strenuous and sweaty and inventively acrobatic, wore most men out completely. But it always seemed to energize her.

Out in the atrium of the villa, a concerned Lucius Vorenus was struggling to convince Atia's auburn-haired daughter to sit down and rest, or at least to eat something. "We've been traveling night and day for a week, lady," the soldier said, with rough tenderness. "You can't hold out without food or rest."

"I don't care what happens to me," Octavia declared dramatically, though when a kindly servant offered a tray of food she didn't push it away. Vorenus forced her to recline on a cushioned couch, and she was just beginning to nibble some cheese when her strong-willed mother came storming in.

"What's all this I hear about you two getting Brutus' idiot of a mother killed in Gaul?" Fully dressed in a shimmering blue silk gown, Atia was looking as flamboyantly beautiful as a flaming star, her bright red hair blazing like fire and her gray eyes flashing like lightning. She glared at her delicate daughter. "You do realize that you've put this whole family in danger, don't you? Brutus will blame us for the death of Servilia. And it's all because of you, my dear. It's all your fault!"

"It wasn't my fault!" Octavia always felt so weak when her mother started criticizing her. Part of her just wanted to burst into tears. But with Vorenus watching she held her head high. "I helped save the legions from disaster. I nursed the wounded. I behaved honorably and I have nothing to be ashamed of. And it's not my fault Servilia was taken by the Gauls!"

"The lady speaks the truth," Vorenus said, quietly. He was standing right behind Octavia, his hand resting on the gilded framework of the couch, looking stubborn and strong and loyal. "The lady Octavia showed both courage and devotion to duty."

"Devotion to Servilia, more likely," Atia grumbled. "Still stuck on the old bat, aren't you?"

"Mother, please!" Octavia wanted to explain that she still cared for Servilia very deeply. But she had feelings for Vorenus, too. The stern old-fashioned soldier made her feel cherished and desirable, mature and womanly in an entirely different way. It was frightening to feel so much, and too complicated to put into words. Vorenus had killed his wife for infidelity. What would he do to her if he knew how easily she'd been seduced by Servilia? Though she tried to master her emotions, Octavia lost her battle and burst into a storm of tears, sobbing on the cushioned couch.

"Utterly hopeless," Atia declared, exasperation written all over her face. Catching the frightened glances of a couple of her female slaves, she jerked her head towards the rear of the villa. "The Lady Octavia is absolutely exhausted from all her travels. Take care of her. Oh, and send for my son at once."

"I'm here, mother." Young Octavia entered the atrium, coming from his study where he had been poring over parchment scrolls. His face was pale and his hands were stained with ink.

Atia's eyes lit up as soon as she saw her son. "You have just been given an opportunity to be a hero," she declared proudly. "The Gauls are in arms, and Lady Servilia has been captured. Tell him, Vorenus."

The Centurion described the whole situation in military terms, addressing Octavian as a superior officer.

"Why have you not reported this to the Senate?" Octavian demanded. "An army needs to be raised without delay."

"My duty was to see to your sister's safety first," Vorenus said firmly, but respectfully. "If you wish, I will accompany you to the Senate right now."

"And don't forget, my son," Atia chimed in, "when they ask for a volunteer to lead the armies north, you must volunteer."

Octavian frowned. "Surely Brutus will wish to lead the search for his own mother personally."

"Exactly," Atia said. "When you volunteer it will shame him. He'll have to go. You will be the only power left here in Rome."

"You wish me to move against Brutus," Octavian said. The young man didn't look scared. He was simply considering the options.

"Brutus murdered Caesar," Vorenus said coldly. "Sooner or later he must be punished if the Republic is to survive."

"If Brutus goes north with the army, the Senate will probably send you with him," Octavian said, addressing Vorenus. "You are not the type of man to betray a commander in the field."

"No," Vorenus agreed. "You'll have to move against him here, through political means. Displace him legally if you can. But you'll still need a man in your corner, a veteran fighter like me."

"Not a problem," Atia said, a knowing gleam in her eye.

"Good morning, my honey," Titus Pullo called out, stumbling naked into the atrium. "Rough night you gave me." He bent down and kissed Atia full on the lips. She responded with lazy pleasure. Then the rugged brute looked up, noticing for the first time that they weren't alone. The tough soldier saw his best friend and his master Octavian, and took in the grim looks on their faces.

"What, did I miss something?"