Safe In Rome

Over the winter, various of the Valerians try various pastimes.

JUNIUS finds out his legion, the XX, isn't going to Britannia after all. New orders have sent the V Aludae in his place, while the XX hangs around Rome until someone decides what to do with them! He recruits new men, but Marcus Licinius Crassus, the richest man in Rome, is also raising a legion, and paying extra. So Junius doesn't get very good men. Boys and drunks, mostly.

BROTHER AQUILA hands over the Soul Jar with the demon-smoke in it to the Cardinal, who accepts with thanks. He will get Top Men working on it right away. Brother Aquila writes a treatise on the events of the summer, and is acclaimed as having fresh insights.

POUNCEQUICK starts a business which fails. He loses his investment, but has a feeling, and buys up stocks of pearls in anticipation of a rise in price.

SYLVIA starts a bowmaking shop which prospers, thanks to the public patronage of Severa Artemisia, youngest and most outdoorsy of the Severan clan.

DECINQUE cuts quite the smart figure in his new upper-class clothes, bought with Temple money. He also gambles at knucklebones with Pater, putting up five perfect rubies, and wins.

Severa Iverria, now Severa Iverria Retaria

RETARIUS rescues a lady who was kidnapped by thieves, and she impetuously agrees to marry him. She turns out to be SEVERA IVERRIA, the finest lady of the land and trend-setter in fashion and art. Iverria immediately plots to win Retarius' freedom, get him a previously undiscovered noble lineage, and run him for office. She suggests running for Quaestor of the Tombs neighborhood, as there are few voters but much crime.

ROSA essays musical composition, but LICINIA MAJORA declares her tunes to have "too many notes." Licinia. apparently, cherished musical hopes but wasn't any good, and is now jealous of successful performers.

PATER, head of the household, agrees to wager Retarius' freedom on his next gladiator match. Retarius arranges to fight Loricus, the most famous of the house's gladiators. They put on a thrilling show, Retarius wins, and he is to be freed! But not until a huge celebration, to be held Friday.

Iverria schemes to get Retarius the free man adopted by a noble house. Not hers, of course; that would make this a cousin-marriage, which is impious. Perhaps the Valerians will make him one of their own? That could come in handy.

PATER bellows at breakfast that he is now immune from the caprice of Fate, because he has three sons! One of them is surely a spare.

Clericus

When CLERICUS asks to be allowed not to marry Severa Artemisia as Pater had arranged, Pater is furious. The family needs to ally with the Severans, since there is no way they will ever be able to ally with the Licinians. So Clericus must do his duty.

Of course, he can't exactly become a priest if he's married, not with the Bishop of Rome's attitude on the subject. But Clericus doesn't push it.

Not publically, anyway. Pouncequick follows Clericus the next day and finds he's contracted a marriage-breaker to sabotage the nuptials! But Clericus doesn't want to make himself an impossible matrimonial prospect by doing something ignoble, and he doesn't want Artemesia's reputation ruined, either. The marriage-breaker is disgusted, but promises to work out something.

Pouncequick tells Pater about the marriage-breaker. Pater erupts in a rage and demands Clericus to be brought before him. Fortunately, the boy's out.

A fire erupts in the XX Legion's camp! Everyone rushes to fight the blaze. Retarius discovers small bare footprints near the place it started. Was it a woman, or perhaps an elf?

Also, BRITA secretly shoots a message into SYLVIA's window. But Sylvia cannot read, so she enlists Brother Aquila's help. They meet Brita under the aqueduct. Brita is a nom de guerre; her real name is Severa Artemisia. She is betrothed to Clericus, but her heart belongs to Bowenn Ivorybow, the Elvish ambassador, who has suddenly gone missing! Artemisia cannot search for him without being seen and recognized, but Sylvia can. The fire prevents Sylvia from following up immediately.

So as the year 851 AUC (351 AD) opens, there are three outstanding mysteries:

1. Where is Bowenn Ivorybow, and did anyone make him disappear?
2. Who set the fire at the XX Legion camp?
3. Why was the XX Legion suddenly recalled from Britain, and who caused it?

Stay tuned!