by Tanya Bird
Nerva laughed. ‘Fancy words for shy.’
‘She always warms up eventually.’ His chest expanded. ‘I promise you this, she will want for nothing.’
That should have improved Nero’s mood, but he was unable to take any more of the conversation. ‘I’ll head to the stables,’ he called to Nerva.
‘I will see you at the apartment later,’ Nerva called back. ‘Dulcia and I are coming for dinner.’ He turned to Manius. ‘Perhaps you should join us since you are soon to be family.’
Nero almost tripped on his own foot.
‘I am no snob, and accept the invitation with gratitude.’
‘It’s an insulae full of plebeians,’ Nero said, addressing Manius for the first time. ‘Not a domus for the wealthy.’
Nerva looked between them, picking up on the hostility. ‘Manius does not mind. Nor should he. If he wishes to join the senate, it is better he knows the people he will be speaking for.’
Nero did not stick around to listen to Manius’s reply.
There went his dinner. Now he would have to go elsewhere for food.
There was not a chance Nero was going to eat in the apartment with that man. As tempting as it was to check in on Dulcia, he knew he could not sit across from them and watch her play wife. Instead, he went to join Felix and Albaus at their usual drinking spot across the street from Ludus Magnus.
The tavern was packed by the time he arrived, and many of the patrons were already drunk. The air was thick with the smell of cheap wine, the floor sticky underfoot. He weaved between the small tables, spotting his friends near the window. Albaus was playing dice with two men he did not recognise, and Felix sat with a woman twice his height perched on his lap. Nero stopped, wondering if he was in the right mood for the gathering.
‘Hello, stranger.’
He turned to see Cassia slinking towards him. As soon as he was within reach, she wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled herself up to kiss his cheek.
‘Hello.’
The barmaid smiled up at him. ‘Where have you been hiding?’
‘Not hiding, just busy.’ He gently peeled her hands off his neck.
‘At least let the boy get a drink first,’ Felix called over the noisy crowd.
Her smile only grew. ‘Can’t a woman say hello to a man before doing his bidding?’ She patted Nero’s chest. ‘Take a seat, handsome. I’ll bring it over.’
‘Thanks.’ He made his way over to the table as Felix gave the blonde on his lap a tap on the bottom. She wobbled to her feet and wandered off to another table.
‘Didn’t have to send her away on my account,’ Nero said, dropping onto the stool that had been pulled up for him.
Felix assessed him for a moment. ‘Why are you not at the dinner party?’
‘I could ask the same question of you.’
‘Easy.’ Felix turned himself front on with the table. ‘I hate dinner parties. You, on the other hand, have never missed a dinner opportunity with Dulcia.’
‘Don’t overthink it. Just not in the mood.’
‘I am having difficulty deciphering your expression.’ He took a drink from his cup. ‘Brooding or guilty? Help me out.’
‘Neither.’
Albaus looked up from his dice game.
‘Neither,’ Nero repeated, raising his hands.
Albaus grunted before returning to his game.
‘I see. Avoiding Dulcia,’ Felix said.
The tavern had definitely been a bad idea. Just the mention of her name put him on edge. ‘Why would I be avoiding her?’
Felix glanced dramatically up at the heavens. ‘Hmm, maybe because you have been besotted with the girl for years, and now she is engaged to your nemesis.’
‘I think you’re drunk.’
‘Yes I am. But I am also right.’ He waved his cup around. ‘This is your own fault, you know.’
Nero rubbed his eyes with his palms. ‘What is my fault now?’
‘Treat her as a sister, and you are labelled a brother. Treat her as a lover—’
‘I see where you’re going with this.’ Where was that drink? ‘She was always going to marry up.’
Felix snorted. ‘Would we call it marrying up? The man is just a charioteer.’
‘From a wealthy family.’
‘A spoiled arse living off his father’s coin. I know, because I was him once.’
Felix’s sermon was cut short when Cassia arrived with the wine. She placed the cup down in front of Nero and poured.
‘Something to eat?’
‘Yes,’ Felix answered on his behalf. ‘Get some food into him before he makes a mess of himself.’ He leaned towards the barmaid. ‘He is nursing a broken heart.’
Nero shook his head and took a large drink.
‘Aww.’ Cassia grabbed his face with one hand, squeezing the hollows of his cheeks. ‘I’ll cheer you up. Just need to wait for me to finish up here.’
‘I truly don’t deserve you,’ Nero replied.
‘I will make sure one of us is waiting for you,’ Felix said, giving Cassia a coy wink.
‘It wasn’t an open invitation.’ She ruffled the dwarf’s hair before walking off, leaving Nero to smile into his drink.
Felix straightened on his stool. ‘She is not my type anyway.’
‘I heard that,’ Cassia called from halfway across the room.
Felix winced while the men laughed around him.
Three hours later, Nero and Felix stumbled out of the tavern. Albaus trailed behind them, appearing sober despite having drunk the same amount. They made their way through the dark city streets, Nero and Felix singing the whole way. Every time someone leaned out of a window above to shout profanities at them, they burst out laughing. This continued most of the way home, until they rounded the corner into an alleyway and collided with another group. The three men responded by shoving them.
‘Watch it, pumilus,’ said one, clipping the dwarf over the head as though he were a child.
Felix caught his arm and twisted it behind the man’s back until he cried out. One of his companions made a move in his direction, but Albaus stepped in front of him, a warning in his eyes. That should have been the end of it, but Nero had pent-up anger and too much wine in his belly.
‘Who are you calling pumilus?’ he said, getting in the face of the man who had spoken.
‘Back,’ Felix said. ‘I have this.’
Albaus’s large hand landed on Nero’s shoulder, but he shrugged it off. ‘I think you owe my friend an apology.’
Felix released the man and gestured for him to walk on. ‘On your way, while you still can.’
The man remained where he was, glaring at Nero. ‘You had best step back.’
‘Not until you apologise to my friend.’
Felix looked tiredly up at Albaus. ‘This is not going to end well.’
The man took a step towards Nero, his face now an inch away. ‘Friend? What, does he wipe your arse for you?’
It was all Nero needed. In the next beat, his fist collided with the man’s face, and it was on. The other men tried to move in, but a simple shake of Albaus’s head made them rethink their decision. Felix crossed his arms, preparing to wait out the brawl. He would only get involved if things turned serious.
Slowed by drink, it was not Nero’s sharpest fight. He even took a few punches to the face before he finally knocked the man to the ground. Blood poured freely from the man’s broken nose.
‘Ready to apologise?’ Nero asked through blood-covered teeth.
‘I believe you have made your point,’ Felix said, gesturing to Albaus, who grabbed Nero by the shoulders and dragged him away. The other men immediately rushed forwards to help their friend off the ground.
‘You’ll keep your mouth shut next time, won’t you?’ Nero shouted.
Albaus shoved him, and Felix glanced over his shoulder at the mess left behind. ‘Let us get him home before the night watch shows up.’
Asha was entertaining the twins in another r
oom, leaving the adults to eat in peace. The small party was seated on cushions around the low table. Dulcia sat next to Mila, whose head rested on her husband’s shoulder. She could tell Remus was not particularly enjoying Manius’s company by the way he focused on the food, though he remained polite, for their sake.
Nerva had no problem fitting into their world. Despite his rank, and their very different upbringings, he had never viewed his sisters as slaves or plebs.
Manius was a different matter. He seemed so awkward sitting on the floor, inspecting the food offered him as though he were searching for fault in it. His expensive toga clashed with everyone’s simple attire.
‘Would you care for some more carrots?’ Dulcia asked him, picking up the plate and holding it out.
He shook his head. ‘No thank you.’
Dulcia returned the plate to the table, aware of everyone watching them. She shifted on her cushion.
Remus must have picked up on her discomfort, because he initiated conversation for the first time that evening. ‘I’ve heard rumours that Severus is sending men to Caledonia.’ The comment was directed at Nerva, who tore off a piece of bread and dipped it in the fish liquid left on his plate.
‘Senecio has asked for assistance, but it is no small undertaking.’
‘Surely Severus himself will not go,’ Mila said. ‘I thought he was plagued by gout.’
Nerva swallowed his food before answering. ‘He is a man of war, and he is restless.’
‘I will never understand it,’ Dulcia said. ‘So much bloodshed, and for what?’
‘For Rome,’ Manius replied, as if it were the only answer needed. ‘And you do not have to understand it.’
‘Why? Because she is a woman?’ Mila asked, her tone flat.
Manius eyed her for a moment. ‘No, because she will reap the benefits regardless.’
Remus took his wife’s hand, and Nerva cleared his throat.
‘The benefits?’ Dulcia asked.
Manius nodded. ‘More food, more slaves…’
Mila frowned. ‘More slaves?’ She looked ready to leap over the food and tackle him to the ground.
Dulcia shot up and began to clear away the mess.
‘Leave it,’ Mila said, turning to her sister. ‘I will clean up later.’
Dulcia continued to load herself up. ‘I do not mind, really.’
As she straightened, plates balanced carefully on one arm, the door swung open and Felix stepped inside. He looked around at the small party.
‘Oh,’ he said, clapping his hands together. ‘It seems we are a fraction early.’
Remus narrowed his eyes. ‘Early for what?’
Before Felix could reply, Nero stepped through the door, visibly drunk and bloody-faced. He took in the room, his eyes seemingly clearing for a moment when they landed on Dulcia.
‘Just need a towel and I’ll be out of your way.’
Remus and Mila were on their feet in an instant.
‘What happened?’ Mila asked.
Felix raised his hands, gesturing for calm. ‘A very insignificant misunderstanding in an alleyway.’
One of the plates balancing on Dulcia’s arm began to slide, and Mila reached out and caught it.
‘Let me take those.’
Dulcia did not object that time. She stared at Nero, concern and anger fighting for room inside her.
Manius rose to his feet. ‘I should probably head off.’ He turned to his hosts. ‘Thank you for dinner.’ Then, turning to Dulcia, he said, ‘Come. I will take you home.’
Dulcia glanced at him. She was used to hearing those words from Nero, not Manius, but he was in no condition to walk her, nor would it be appropriate.
‘We will all go,’ Nerva said. ‘I am staying at the house tonight.’
Relief swam through her.
‘I’m going to get cleaned up,’ Nero said, backing out through the door.
Felix rubbed his forehead. ‘And I am going to bed. That is about as much excitement as I can take for one night.’ He strolled off towards the shared room while Dulcia continued to stare at the now-empty front door.
‘Excuse me,’ she said. ‘I will meet you both downstairs in a moment.’ She headed for the door, Manius looking unsure if he should follow. Thankfully, he did not.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she rounded the corner and made her way to the courtyard. She froze beneath the archway when she spotted Nero stripped down to his loincloth, washing himself. She had seen him that way before, but lit up by moonlight was something else entirely. Bare skin and lean muscle glistened. He stopped scrubbing for a moment and stretched out his fingers, wincing as he did so. She stepped into the courtyard and walked to him.
‘Are you injured?’
His head snapped in her direction, searching for her amid the shadows. She could tell the moment he spotted her by the way his shoulders relaxed. ‘I’m fine.’
As if he would give any other answer.
She walked over to him and took his hand, turning it over to inspect his swollen knuckles. ‘Anything broken?’
He pulled his hand away. ‘No.’
Her gaze travelled up to his face. ‘What about the rest of you?’ She moved to touch him, and he stepped back as though she were holding a venomous snake. Her hand fell to her side. ‘What happened?’
He rinsed the cloth, the water in the pail turning red. ‘Someone had a go at Felix.’
‘And you lost your temper?’
He glanced sideways at her. ‘I stood up for him.’
‘Felix can take care of himself.’
‘I know that.’
She crossed her arms. ‘So there is no need for you to beat up strangers who make thoughtless comments.’
He closed his eyes for a moment. ‘You really are naive.’
She stiffened, not expecting that from him. Everyone else, but not him. She felt foolish standing there while he took shots at her. ‘I should go.’ When she started to turn away, he caught her wrist. Her eyes went to the wet hand on her bare arm. She could not have pulled away even if she wanted to.
‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered. ‘You’re not naive, just a better person than me. I shouldn’t have said that.’
When he let go of her, she drew her arm to her chest, her other hand going protectively over it. ‘I just do not want you to get hurt, that is all. You are reckless when you are angry.’
‘I’m not angry.’
She searched his eyes. ‘I thought perhaps… I know you do not think much of Manius.’
‘Doesn’t matter what I think of him.’
It mattered to her very much. ‘I know this is not entirely appropriate for me to say, but I need you in my life.’ Her cheeks heated with the confession. ‘In case you have not noticed, the only other friends I have are my sister and a vestal virgin who is probably just being kind.’
‘It’s not because people don’t like you, it’s because they don’t know you. Not like we do.’
‘It seems my social skills still need some work.’ She looked about the courtyard. ‘I suppose I should be grateful Manius is prepared to look past my long list of faults.’
‘What faults?’ Nero shook his head. ‘He’s the one who should be grateful. Any man would be lucky to have you.’
She smiled up at him. ‘And that is why I need you. You always know exactly what to say.’ Her smile faltered when she noticed the intensity with which he stared at her. She swallowed.
‘There you are,’ Nerva called from the archway. ‘Ready?’
Nero’s gaze fell to the pail as he wrung out the cloth once more. ‘Good evening, Dulcia.’
It was an effort to turn away from him. ‘Good evening.’
Chapter 7
Dulcia sat on the steps of the Temple of Vesta, hands curled in her lap as she watched the passers-by. Licinia was beside her, a thoughtful expression on her face. Dulcia was relaying the story of the night prior, right up to the point where she arrived home and was cornered by her mother.
‘She wanted me to replay every detail of the dinner, searching my face the entire time, hoping to see her own excitement mirrored back at her.’
‘It is natural that she would want to see you happy.’
‘Yes.’
‘She must be pleased that Manius was prepared to eat with your sister.’
‘Lower himself to our level, you mean?’
Licinia bit the inside of her cheek to stop from smiling. ‘At least Nero did the sensible thing and stayed away. His attendance would have made for an interesting party.’
Dulcia looked down at her lap. It was the first time she could remember eating with her sister and him not being there. She had spent most of the dinner watching the door. ‘He was such a mess when he did arrive home.’
‘Give him time. It is a big adjustment, and he is likely hurting.’
‘He is just mad. Has barely said two words on the subject.’ She let out a breath. ‘He does not think much of Manius.’
‘I wonder why.’ A discreet smile.
‘Everything feels ten times more overwhelming when he is not onside. I cannot do this enormous thing and fight with him at the same time.’
Licinia’s eyes went across the street, narrowing on something. ‘I think you will find he is still very much onside.’ She nodded in that direction.
Dulcia turned and found Nero, standing in the shade, watching her. Even at that distance, she could see the bruise on his left eye. His form was so familiar to her now: the shape of his arms, the curve of his shoulders, the way he always stood with his weight on one foot. The angle of his head suggested he was a little unsure about being there.
‘It seems my work here is done,’ Licinia said, suppressing another smile. She rose and touched a hand to Dulcia’s shoulder. ‘May Vesta watch over you.’
‘Good day,’ Dulcia managed to get out, too late to be heard as the priestess was already heading inside.
Pushing herself up, she descended the steps and crossed the street, weaving through the people and animals loaded with sacks and crates moving in both directions. She could not stop the rising excitement in her chest as she neared him. After everything, he had still come for her.