INCEPTIO (Roma Nova)

by Alison Morton

  Conrad grasped my hand and led me across the wide marble terrace down into the garden, to the outdoor triclinium – a summer kitchen and dining room combined. Willows and birches shielded teak couches on the patio in front. I slipped off my sandals; the warmth radiating from the stone trickled up through the soles of my feet.

  Conrad bent down and kissed me on the forehead and the palm of my hand before sitting down beside me. What a pleasure it was when such an attractive man smiled at you, intent only on you. We sat close and he put his arm around me. He looked into the distance toward the tall oak trees at the far end of the garden. The skin around his eyes was drawn tight.

  ‘I have something important to say to you.’ He cleared his throat, but his voice wavered nonetheless. ‘When I came to find you in New York, it was for Aurelia. I was curious to see whether her granddaughter would be a typical American spoiled brat.’

  I rolled my eyes at him and tapped his chest with the back of my hand. He captured it and smiled back. I could see the pulse in his neck working.

  ‘The minute I walked into your office with Sextilius, I knew I’d found the most precious thing in my life,’ he said, cradling my hand in his. ‘I fell in love with you. Of course, I didn’t realise I had until Renschman kidnapped you.’ His throat constricted as he swallowed hard. ‘I’m desperately hoping it’s not a cruel trick of the Fates.’

  His thumbs massaged my palm, gently at first, but becoming firmer as he spoke.

  ‘Now you’re here in Roma Nova, you’ll find a lot of people will want to be your friend or lover, perhaps your contracted spouse. You’ve only met me so far, a choice of one. I guarantee you’ll be courted for your wealth, your looks, your position.’ His eyes narrowed, the outside corners appearing to slant upwards. ‘Perhaps even for yourself.’

  ‘Then I’ll need you with me at all times to keep the predators away.’ I tried to keep it light, but my voice cracked. I didn’t care how many others wanted me – I wanted only him. I raised my face, and he pulled me to him and kissed me deep and hard. Recovering my breath, I looked up and searched his eyes and traced his lower lip with my finger. Desire so intense that I didn’t recognise it as desire rocketed through my body. Neither of us said a word. He pulled me up, led me indoors to a bedroom and slammed the door behind us.

  An arm came up and wound itself around my waist. I gazed at this amazing, gorgeous man who had made love with me so passionately. He left me breathless and exhausted. His head lay in the damp hollow of my shoulder, his eyelids closed, eyelashes resting on his cheeks.

  ‘Conrad,’ I murmured.

  ‘Mm?’ He opened his eyes and smiled like an idiot. He pushed up, supporting himself on his forearms. As he leaned over me, he winced, but kissed my eyelids, my mouth, the small hollow at the base of my neck. I was horrified as I remembered his wound.

  He laughed. ‘That’s not going to stop me making you writhe and moan again for the next half-hour while we both die from pleasure.’

  I gasped as his hand came up and he set out to prove it.

  After dinner, we sat on a couch together in an alcove in the atrium at Domus Tellarum, and talked about small, intimate things that new lovers do. He caressed my cheek with his fingers and played with my hair. I stroked his hand as he did. We couldn’t bear not to touch each other in some way. I had come home.

  XXXIII

  Conrad was relentless in undertaking daily physical therapy and strengthening exercises to banish the pins-and-needles pain and reduced dexterity from his wound. He returned to his unit in under five weeks.

  When he wasn’t working, he took me all over my new home, sometimes tearing along at fanatical speed on the back of his motorbike, me clasping his warm body and hanging on for my life, sometimes drifting along lazily in a sailboat on the river. Up in the mountains, we made love, crushing fragile summer flowers beneath us; hiked through pine woodlands; and scrambled to the foot of the harsh limestone rock faces.

  I was both thrilled and repelled by gladiatorial games we attended – thankfully no longer to the death, but contests of skill and daring that robbed me of breath with their intensity. I loved the theatre, but hated the interminable poetry evenings. Whenever I threatened to fall asleep, Conrad bent down and whispered a rude story about one of the prominent people in the audience. And so, I gradually fit the jigsaw of my new life together.

  Nonna told me humorous and serious stories about people, politics, and, poignantly, about my mother, when her voice became sad and puzzled. It remained a mystery to her why her daughter had run away and, even more, why she’d killed herself.

  I studied with a tutor, and started reading some classical books, history as well as literature. I was drawn in by the old accounts by Pliny and Caesar of their military and political battles, and the strategies they developed to achieve their aims. I was lost for hours, often only leaving the library to eat. How strange was that?

  I jogged most mornings, sometimes in other parts of the city, but didn’t wander too far. The first time, I had gotten up early and, finding the front door time-locked, had gone down to the domestic hall. I hesitated in front of the big oak door. I had every right to go anywhere but, deep down, I was uncomfortable with the notion of servants. I was gathering my courage to knock, my curled hand halfway, when the door opened. Junia looked as surprised as I was.

  ‘I didn’t want to bother you, Junia, especially so early,’ I gabbled like some five year-old ditching class, ‘but I want to go for a jog. Could you let me out the back, please?’

  ‘Lady, it’s no trouble, of course, but are you sure you don’t want somebody with you? It would only take a few minutes to get one of the juniors ready.’ I bet it would. Junia struck me as the type that, when she said, ‘Jump’, they replied, ‘How high, ma’am?’

  As I followed her through the vestibule of the domestic hall, I noticed she limped. When she turned, her neck and back moved stiffly as one. But she didn’t use a cane. Nonna hadn’t said anything, so I figured I wouldn’t pry. We passed open shelving and racks of pigeonholes hung on one wall. Two shallow but long wooden tables, one with two PCs, stood under them. A large LED panel for the domestic system occupied the wall at right angles. Our two biosignatures were displayed as blips moving along the lower corridor in the yellow zone. Further in, I could see the dining hall and the corridor that led to the sleeping areas.

  Junia gave me the day’s access code for the back service entrance, and then I went. After half an hour, I jogged back to the house and surprised some of the house servants as I made my way back through the service hallway. Junia sprang out of nowhere, smiled and invited me to take a cup of coffee with her. I knew I’d broken down an invisible barrier.

  ‘I’m taking advantage of twenty years’ service with your grandmother.’ She smiled, almost to herself. ‘I’ve seen the difference you’ve made to her life. She’s been lonely for many years and saddened by the lack of close family. Now she’s refreshed, revitalised. Please don’t hesitate to ask me anything if I can help you, however unorthodox your request. These are not polite words – I mean it.’

  She told me about my cousins, famous guests, events, crises and household secrets. The servants made up an integral part of the Mitela family. Roma Novans considered the whole household from top to bottom as an organic entity, each member with their own duties and responsibilities. That included my grandmother and me.

  I was crushed with kindness and comfort; nothing was too much for any of the staff. I indulged myself by ordering and watching every movie I’d ever wanted. I swam every day in the mosaic-lined pool in the basement. I photographed everything in the grounds, especially in the walled garden, full of exotic, protected plants.

  Nonna had asked Helena, one of my new cousins, to help me find my way about the town, to go eating and shopping. Helena air-kissed cheeks with Nonna, her immaculate red lips stretched in a smile, though not wide enough to distort the perfection of her peach-skin cheeks. With her slim figure coated in a cherry-red suit,
her silver jewellery in perfect harmony, she looked like something out of Vogue. Helena looked me up and down out of her blue Mitela eyes as if measuring me, but she complied. She was polite if superior, especially when I stumbled on a word or didn’t know something basic.

  But Conrad was my anchor in the confusion of my new life. One weekend afternoon he was visiting us, I walked with him through the garden down to the parkland. I sat folded in his arms under a large linden tree one of my ancestors had planted, relishing the warmth and the light filtering through the veined leaves. I must have dozed off and only woke when Conrad stretched under me.

  ‘Hello, sleepy,’ he said, and kissed the palm of the hand he was holding. ‘It’s getting on, shall we go back?’

  What more could I want?

  XXXIV

  Nonna was kept busy in her advisor role. She seemed to be at the palace half the time, the Senate the rest, whenever she wasn’t having business meetings with her corporate managers. We caught up most evenings, but I didn’t have a whole lot to contribute to the conversation.

  The prospect of my twenty-fifth birthday had been the trigger for my terrifying flight from New York. The day itself passed quietly, Nonna raising a glass of Brancadorum champagne to me, Conrad smiling to himself as we sat on the shaded terrace, sheltering from the brutal August sun.

  Steven Smith flew in with papers to sign and with Uncle Frank Kearly, from Brown Industries, a colleague of my father’s whom I remembered from when I was a kid. Steven Smith’s colleague at External Affairs had reported that Renschman had been dismissed from the ESD and his supervisor reassigned to the colony of Alaska. But I was still on the national watch list and would be detained if I ever returned. Three days later, I watched them cross the short distance airside from the VIP suite to their airplane at Portus airport. I might have been a little bored now, but I was safe.

  One day in September, Helena dragged me out shopping. Roma Nova was a beautiful city built in the loop of a wide river, and based on a standard grid. It reminded me of New York. In a way, I missed the bustle and even the stress of my life there.

  We wandered around the Macellum: it was like a shopping mall, but with a large plaza inside, colonnaded around to provide shelter and encourage shoppers to linger in front of large plate glass windows designed to entice them in. An oasis of trees and benches in the middle gave shaded seating, complementing the colourful restaurant umbrellas and café tables dotted around. While it couldn’t be called crowded, a lot of people were milling around. Most stores were local, but a few international names stood out, especially fashion. In the university bookstore, I was surprised to find a large English language section, with all the bestsellers as well as more intellectual stuff.

  ‘We’re not a crowd of ignoramuses, you know,’ Helena said with an acid tone. ‘People come from all over Europe, and beyond, to study here.’

  I bought a couple of novels, handing over notes rather than use my cash card with my name all over it. The money here was pretty much like dollars, but different colours, and only coins for one and two solidi.

  ‘I love these small shops – and I’m not being patronising,’ I added, seeing Helena’s eyebrow rise at my comment. ‘You get such variety and great service.’

  ‘Have you considered starting or investing in some shops or businesses yourself?’ Helena asked. ‘You’re smart and have experience of the commercial world. It would give you something to do.’

  Where did that come from? Helena had trained as a teacher, not a businesswoman. Was she trying to free herself from being my babysitter?

  ‘Would it be appropriate?’

  She laughed. ‘Where do you think the family money comes from? Aurelia’s got so many fingers in business pies all over the world, I’m surprised she hasn’t grown a few extra. Multiply that over centuries, even the bad times, and you see what I mean.’

  ‘So that’s it?’

  Helena laughed again. ‘Yes, coupled with an instinctive political slipperiness to keep neutral in conflicts, it’s kept gold in the pot.’

  I hadn’t got over my nervousness of her. She was so glamorous and self-assured, but I laid my hand on her forearm and gave her a big smile. ‘You know what, Helena? I’m really glad you talked me into going out today. Let’s go celebrate.’

  She took me to a riverside café with a spectacular cantilevered terrace decked out with smart designer seats and tables. Through the crowd, she waved to a group of young men and women at a table near the river. They waved back, beckoning her over. She was outgoing, good-looking and smart – of course they liked her. She introduced me as her cousin, Cara, and winked at me. I was so surprised at her friendliness, I couldn’t even smile back. They all wore the same kind of uniform as Conrad but, as I was about to say something, Helena gave me a stern look.

  ‘C’mon, Publius, Marcus,’ she said as we arrived at their table, ‘give two exhausted girls your seats like good boys.’

  ‘Exhausted, right,’ answered Marcus, tapping our designer carrier bags, but they smiled and stood up. Publius gave me a long look while Marcus ordered wine. Publius hovered with the bottle, ensuring I had a full glass. He was very dark, with almost black eyes and a sassy smile. I imagined he never had any trouble getting a date. Somehow, he found another chair and pulled it up by mine. Helena smiled and left me to it. I loved his banter but was relieved I could keep up.

  ‘I’m trying to work out where you’re from.’ He smiled, raising one eyebrow. ‘You have a lovely accent.’

  ‘Do you know Castra Lucilla?’

  ‘Oh, in the south.’

  He seemed content with that.

  ‘So, how long are you here for? If you have a free afternoon, or evening, I’d be more than happy to show you around a bit.’

  ‘Sorry, Publius, I have a fairly full schedule, but thanks for the offer.’

  He pushed it for a bit, then back to general stuff with the others. But, like any practised flirt, he came back to it. He was leaning toward me, one leg stretched out but not touching, and I was thinking about a way out when the group’s attention was diverted. I followed their gaze and focused on two uniformed figures coming toward us. One was tall, dark and not particularly handsome, his intelligent eyes watching everything. The other was also tall, but blond, and approaching with that big-cat grace that fascinated me.

  ‘Crap, it’s the captain,’ came Marcus’s voice in a hiss.

  ‘We were here first,’ said another.

  ‘I heard he had a serious girlfriend,’ whispered a third.

  ‘Like that’s going to stop him,’ said Publius. ‘Don’t worry, sweetheart, we’ll protect you from the big bad wolf.’ He grinned at me.

  ‘But—’ Then I stopped. I remembered Helena’s look when we arrived. I was stung by their easy condemnation.

  ‘Ladies,’ Conrad drawled as he reached our table. As the younger soldiers stood up, Conrad slid into Publius’s chair, much to the latter’s chagrin. The other man with Conrad leaned against the parapet railing, crossed his arms and watched the pantomime unfold.

  ‘Get me a beer organised, please, Publius,’ said Conrad, not looking at Publius and still wearing his sunglasses – both impolite. Or was it deliberate?

  I heard a stifled chortle from Helena. Marcus drowned a chuckle in a cough. One of the female soldiers smirked. The beer arrived and Conrad took a long sip then turned to me.

  ‘You’re Helena’s cousin, I believe. Are you enjoying the city?’

  Okay, let’s play make-believe. I nodded.

  ‘Have you seen the panorama from the river?’

  ‘Er, no, not in detail.’

  He stood up, held his hand out and drew me over to the far parapet out of earshot. As he pointed things out to me, our shoulders touched.

  He bent over to whisper in my ear. ‘This is fun.’

  ‘You are so bad, winding those kids up.’

  He took his glasses off and grinned at me. ‘I know, but it was irresistible. Besides, Publius Munius was getting
too familiar. You acted your part well, though. I didn’t know you could do that.’

  ‘You’d be surprised what I can do.’

  ‘Very likely.’ He shot me an appraising look then he beckoned his friend over.

  ‘Lucius, may I present Carina Mitela? Carina, this is Lucius Punellus Niger, my comrade-in-arms.’

  I extended my hand, and his dark head bowed over it. When he looked up, his face was solemn, but his eyes were laughing. I liked him instantly.

  ‘I am honoured and intrigued to meet the woman who has managed to put the brakes on Conradus.’ He winked at me.

  Had I done that? I glanced at Conrad and laughed.

  ‘Thank you, Lucius Punellus, for the compliment, but I think you overestimate me.’

  The laughter in his eyes calmed as they scrutinised my face, as if searching for something.

  ‘No. I don’t think I do.’

  What was that supposed to mean? I returned his look, trying to think up something clever to say, but failed. His steady gaze defeated me. I retreated into banalities.

  ‘So how long have you known Conradus?’

  ‘Since we were recruits, several years ago. He always took the risks, and I always covered his back.’ He sent a mocking look at Conrad who mouthed something back at him.

  Conrad consulted his watch. ‘We have to go now. Enjoy the rest of your day – I’ll see you this evening.’ His eyes lingered on me and I was conscious of warmth in my face. He replaced his sunglasses. He and Lucius sauntered off, falling into step.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Publius said.

  I wrenched my gaze away from the man moving away to look into the face of the boy.