by Glover, Nhys
‘The danger will be if Salvia gets to Anniana before she makes her verbal agreement in front of witnesses. Therefore, it is necessary for my daughter to disappear as completely as possible, with no way her mother’s spies can find and stop her. The Port at Ostia will probably be watched. Making the journey by land is the safest way. By the time her mother finally finds out where she’s gone, Anniana will be legally bound by a manus marriage. Salvia can’t break that bond without her consent.’
‘Why me?’
‘As I said, you are the only one I trust my daughter’s safety to. It didn’t go unnoticed how you doted on her, and how she idolised you like her older brother Gaius. I need someone strong enough to protect her against threats on the open road, and yet loyal enough to care for her in her vulnerable state.’
‘Vulnerable state?’
‘Yes. She will be confused and frightened by what is happening. It will terrify her to be sent away from me like this, so suddenly. At least if it is with you, I know she will feel better about it. And, so that there is no chance that Salvia can play her games, I have given you your freedom and your citizenship, as is my right. Once you get my daughter safely into the arms of her prospective husband, you are free to go wherever you want as a liberti. Stay in the empire, return to your home in the north. Or I’ll make you the manager of my property in Britannia, if that would interest you. It has not done well over the years. Mismanagement is to blame, as it is for many of my concerns.’
Vali sat down on the nearest chair, forgetting that such an action was forbidden to a slave. But in that moment, his legs just wouldn’t hold him up. He was being given his freedom, just like that. No three years of risking his life in the gladiatorial arena, hoping to live long enough to win his freedom. Here it was, now. All he had to do was help a little girl he would have helped, regardless. Vali owed her for her kindness back then. He’d do anything for that child.
‘How did you get my freedom and citizenship so fast? That process takes months.’
‘Yes, it does. It was not Livia Drusilli who sold you into the arena. I purchased you from her six months ago, and sent you to the best gladiator school I could find. It was important that you could defend my daughter.
‘Since then, I have had you freed and given citizenship. Today is simply the end of an eight month campaign I’ve waged in secret since my wife’s plans became known to me.
‘It is not in my nature to be duplicitous, but my career in politics has given me skills that I can now draw on to save my daughter.’
‘How do we go about it?’ Vali asked, after a long, thoughtful pause.
‘You will come to the house late tonight. I will have my lamb ready to go. A carrus, probably a two horsed biga, will be here waiting for you in a stable nearby. You can drive one, can’t you?’
He had been one mistress’ driver and body guard. He knew how to drive the two wheeled chariots, with two or four horses. He nodded.
‘It will take about six to eight days to make the journey. Severus will be expecting you. I’ll make sure Anniana packs lightly. Anything she needs, you can buy on the road. I have all the documents here. There will be substantial denarii for anything you might need.
‘It is important that you travel in secret, which means not staying in the country villas of our friends or relatives on your way down to Pompeii. I would advise against staying at inns or mansios, too. Particularly those close to Rome. No one must know who you are and where you’re going. Pass my lamb off as your wife, using the documentation I have acquired for her, if you need to, but no one must know who she really is. Do I make myself clear?’
‘Perfectly. But she’s hardly old enough to pass as a wife. I could say she’s my little sister.’
‘Whatever you feel works. I don’t care. When you have safely delivered her to Severus, send a message back via the master of this household. He will get it to me.
‘I have enclosed a missive to my current manager of my estate in Britannia. If you choose to take up that position, use the money I have given you, and book passage for Londinium. I am giving you more than double what you will need for the journey. Four thousand denarii, in the form of one hundred and fifty gold aureii.’ Bibulus placed a large bag of coins on the table beside the goblet.
Vali’s head was reeling. The man was entrusting him with all that money? It was a small fortune for an ordinary man like him.
‘The directions are included with the other documents. This property will stay in my name after my wife takes back her dowry. It may be one of the few income earning properties I’ll be able to hold onto. You might mean the difference between wealth and penury for my paterfamilias after this. So I hope you chose to take up the offer.
‘My Anniana has a good head on her shoulders. She knew you for what you were, back then. If I had listened to her…. But I must go. There is still much to do before tonight.
‘Come to the front door of my house at midnight. Do you think you can find it again after four years?‘ When Vali nodded absently, he went on. ‘I will bring Anniana to you then.’
Bibulus stood quickly, picked up a pile of bound scrolls and the large bag of gold coins, handed them to Vali, and then headed for the door. ‘Make yourself at home here. There will be food brought to you, and a bed if you want it. You might want to go out and buy yourself some new clothes. Keep them simple – for the liberti you now are. The carrus can be sold at the end of your journey or remain with Severus.’
Then he was gone, and Vali was left staring at the poorly executed mural on the wall. He eventually climbed to his feet, and drank down the last of the wine in Bibulus’ goblet. It was watered down, but sweet enough, and it took the metallic taste out of his mouth.
Then he sat down to go through the documentation Bibulus had left him. He didn’t even know how far away Pompeii was. He knew it was south. He knew it was a popular holiday destination in Campania for the rich and noble citizens of Rome in the sweltering summer months of the year. Now, in fact. But how he was going to get himself and a young girl across the country without being detected he didn’t know.
But the one thing he did know. If Anniana needed him, then he would be there for her, no matter what.
After that, he would have to decide on his own future. What would he do with his freedom? Try to make it back to his homeland?
As he fingered the pile of gold aureii, he thought about that icy, barren land of his birth. His mother had died in childbirth a year before he went aviking. His father and uncles had been killed when pirates attacked their ship mid-sea. Only the youngest of those on board had been kept alive to sell on as slaves. He had cousins and younger brothers and sisters at home, but there had been six years between him and his next brother, and they’d never been close. Vali had been more interested in following his father around like a stray puppy, than playing with the other children.
No, there was nothing left for him back in his homeland. But managing Bibulus’ property in Britannia might do well. It was cold there, he knew. That would suit him much better than the sweltering heat of the south. He could create a place for himself in that new land, maybe take a wife and have children of his own. Such thoughts had never crossed his mind before. They had seemed too impossible to ever be realised, so he had not allowed himself to dream. One step in front of the other… But now the destination was worth considering: A life as a citizen of the empire, managing a property, and living in a roman villa. It was not the worst life he could imagine for himself. Not the worst by a long shot.
Ninia entered the small office where she found her master, busy studying a scroll with fixed attention. Shifting from one foot to another, she was anxious about being sent for by this man she barely knew. It was just about time for the evening meal, and she didn’t want to be late taking it to Anniana. Not that her mistress would notice or care that she was late, but it was a matter of pride that she maintained her impeccable care of her charge.
‘You have been my daughter’s friend most of h
er life, have you not, Ninia?’ he said, without looking up. She could see the perspiration on his receding brow as he leaned over his documents.
‘I… I have served my mistress to the best of my ability for as long as I can remember, Master.’ The use of the word friend was forbidden between master and slave. Why would Bibulus use it now?
‘Do you serve your mistress out of obligation or affection?’ His head came up and his sharp eyes pinned her to the wall.
‘Affection, sir. She inspires nothing less.’
‘Good. Then I need you to do something for me. For her. Her mother has plans for Anniana that would probably mean her death. I must stop that at any cost. So I am sending her away to be married. But her mother must not know of it.’
‘How…?’ The shock of his statement had her head spinning. Sending Anni away? But he couldn’t. The only thing that stood between her and madness was Anni. If her sweet friend wasn’t there to comfort her when the abyss opened again, she didn’t think she’d make it out another time. The darkness was too complete. The fear too jagged.
‘The how is not important, and the less you know the better, for the moment. You play the lyre, do you not?’
‘Yes… yes sir. Not as well as Anni, but well enough.’ She kept her tone cool, hiding her discomfort and uncertainty from the too observant eyes.
‘Anni? You call her Anni? That suits her.’ His tense face softened for an instant. Then he was all business again. ‘I need you to assist me in this subterfuge. I plan to send Anni, as you call her, away tonight when the house is asleep. But my wife must not know she is gone. We must act as if she’s still here, playing her lyre, abed with a headache, whatever it takes to convince Salvia that there is nothing amiss. From what I can gather, Salvia barely registers her existence, most of the time. It should be easy enough for her to remain ignorant of my lamb’s absence for a few days, at least.’
‘But what if she asks…’
‘How often does she ask for her daughter?’
Ninia thought quickly. The more beautiful Anni had become, over the years, the less Salvia wanted to see her. The mother didn’t want to be reminded of what she had lost. Salvia never asked after her daughter. The only time she made the effort to see her was if she wanted something.
‘Rarely.’ She didn’t let her condemnation influence her neutral tone.
‘As I thought. So if we can create the illusion of my lamb’s continued presence in the household, then her absence might go unnoticed for some time. Can I entrust you with that task?’
‘Yes Master, of course. But shouldn’t I be going with your daughter? She will need a handmaiden…’ Stay calm, Nin, don’t let him see your panic.
‘Not for the time being. When she is settled in her new home I will send you to her, do not fear. But until then, your job is too important here.
‘I need you to take one of your tunics to Anniana’s room, and any other clothing she might need to pass as a reasonably well off pleb. But don’t tell her what you’re doing. Don’t let her know what’s happening. I will explain it all to her later this evening, just before she leaves.’
‘I can’t say goodbye?’ Keep cool. Don’t let him see how this devastates you. He doesn’t care.
‘No. It will distress her too much. Stay with your parents after you have settled her for the night. Claim your mother is sick, whatever you need to do so she is unaware of the real reason for your absence from her room. I know this will be hard for you, but it is a kindness to her.’
‘All right. I can do that. I’ll return to her room with breakfast as normal, and try to make it seem she is still here.’ Ninia drew back her shoulders, determined to do what she could to protect her mistress. It was selfish of her to think only of herself in this.
For a moment Bibulus stared at Ninia, a frown forming on his high forehead. ‘You were always such a bubbly little thing. When did you become so… so cold and empty?’
Ninia felt fury flare into being. Cold and empty? What would the great Roman senator know about being empty? About what it was to be a slave, at the beck and call of others who could do anything they wanted to you.
‘Since your son raped me, sir. May I go?’ She was proud of her studied neutrality and gained a certain satisfaction from seeing the shock on her master’s face. But then fear took its place. Slaves never criticised their masters. They never accused them of crimes.
‘Publius? I… I didn’t know.’
‘It was a long time ago, sir. He was trying to hurt Anni through me.’
‘Anniana knows?’
‘She was forced to watch, sir.’ A little of her distress managed to get past her cold exterior.
‘Forced to… Why wasn’t I told about this?’ His fury was all for his daughter, she knew that. But it filled her with satisfaction, nonetheless. It was time he knew what was going on right under his nose. What his beloved daughter had been forced to put up with.
‘It was not my place, sir. And though Anniana wanted to tell you, she knew it would only get worse if she did. Publius would have made us pay…’
‘I… should have been told. I could have stopped…’ But he petered out before finishing, clearly aware that he would have done nothing to stop his son. Publius was his mother’s pet, they all knew that. She would have protected him with a vengeance.
‘May I go, sir?’
‘Yes, yes… But remember, my lamb must not be made aware of what is to come. She must be protected from her own tender heart. Do you understand?’
‘Of course, sir. I’ll do my best to protect her.’
Chapter Three
‘Sit down, my lamb,’ Bibulus said, indicating the couch beside the bed in her sleeping quarters.
Anniana did her father’s bidding, but sat on the very edge, her fingers of both hands entwined, as she studied the man she loved most in the world.
He was worried and in a rush, moving around the room like a caged beast. A slight sheen of sweat covered his pale face. Stubble had begun to surface on his cheeks, giving him a careless look. Always so immaculately clothed and cared for, this air of neglect was frightening. His body smelled too, of day-old sweat, the city, and an acrid odour she associated with fear.
Certainly, Rome in midsummer was not a pleasant place. In other years, they might have moved to the coast for a month. But for some reason, this year she and her parents had stayed in their residence in the city.
For all that, Rome in August couldn’t be totally blamed for her father’s current state.
‘Things have become difficult, my lamb. Your mother has become more truculent of late. She is demanding you marry the new emperor, Titus, or she will divorce me, and take you from me, so she can achieve her ends. I’ve always allowed her too much freedom. I’ve allowed her to convince me that she married beneath her, and therefore I should do whatever she required, to make up for it. But this I will not do.’
The room was comparatively large, but it seemed to shrink with each circuit of the confined space her father made. It had been Annia Major’s sleeping space before her marriage three years ago. It had become hers by default after that.
‘Titus? But he would not consider me, and he’s … ugly and … old. He scares me.’ Her voice was scratchy, as if she hadn’t used it for a long time. Truth be told, except for singing to her lyre, she rarely spoke these days. When treated as if you didn’t exist by a powerful woman like her mother, it became easy to believe it, and act accordingly.
‘Yes, he is old and unpleasant. Not much younger than your mother. And that would not normally be an issue, as most patricians’ daughter’s first marriage is usually to an older, more powerful man. But Titus is a degenerate. His father knew him for what he was, and I would never give my precious child to such a man as he, even if it meant she became the empress of the civilized world. The chances of you surviving more than a few years in the cesspool of the imperial court are remote. Titus would kill you, or some other ambitious woman would do it to get her chance at being E
mpress.
‘And besides, I would rather you marry beneath you and be happy. But your mother doesn’t think that way. She has always been cosy with Titus. They knew each other at Nero’s court. She has hinted to me on more than one occasion that it was she who convinced Titus to help murder Britannicus for Nero.’ He paused for a moment in his monologue to shudder.
Anniana didn’t know what to say. She knew the depths her mother had sunk in many areas of her life, but to have arranged for the murder of a fifteen year old boy? That seemed beyond even her. But if she had boasted of it, then it must be true.
‘It was because of her connections with Nero and his wild crowd, and Nero’s mother Agrippina Minor, that I was forced into giving away my rights to my daughters in the marriage contract. At the time, I was in awe of your mother’s youth and beauty, her status and connections. I was a greedy and ambitious middle-aged man being offered an opportunity I never expected to be mine. I was no one special back then. My military service was uninspiring, and my place in the senate was only mine because of my family. Until Vespasian, I was considered lack-lustre and forgettable. So, I admit that I was not unduly concerned about the possible loss of daughters back then, as long as my sons remained within my paterfamilias. After all, daughters go to husbands, eventually.
‘But that was before you were born, my darling girl. You changed everything. For you, I have been willing to put up with much, to keep Salvia from divorcing me, and taking you away from me. I think she has stayed this long because Vespasian favoured me and despised her. But with him dead, and Titus in power, any political influence I had is now gone.