by V. M. Sang
“You say ‘they’. How many are there?” The woman who had been stroking his hair looked at him, eyebrows raised.
“Two. The boy has a sister. Lucius gave her to Claudia as they are of an age. She'll be her personal slave and wait on her. Claudia was thrilled to have her own slave.”
“I’ll bet she was,” the third lady replied with a haughty smile. “How old is she? Four?”
“Yes, she’s four.”
“Isn’t that a little young to have a personal slave? Trust me, Annwyl dear, I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but only four?”
Adelbehrt felt the Domina tense.
“It’s never too early to learn how to deal with slaves, Julia. At least that’s what Lucius says. Personally, I might have waited a year or two, but she seems to have taken to slave-ownership quite naturally.”
The conversation continued with the four women taking turns having Adelbehrt sit next to them so they could stroke his hair. Constantly, they commented upon its colour and softness.
Adelbehrt held himself still with difficulty. He felt like an exotic pet. Eventually, the Domina sent him to get more wine and he breathed more easily when he left what he considered an oppressive atmosphere in the room. On his return, the conversation had changed and he was no longer the centre of attention. He stood ready to respond to any orders, and was not petted again.
The next day, the Domina decided she needed to do some shopping. She called Adelbehrt to go with her and help carry her purchases. She also took Paulus because she knew there was a limit to what the little boy could carry. She really wanted to show her little slave off in the marketplace.
Wandering around the town, friends and acquaintances frequently stopped the Domina. They all made remarks about what a pretty, little slave boy she had and remarked on the lightness of his hair.
One lady in particular seemed interested in him. He gathered she was a friend of the Domina and was also a Briton. They had been friends since before they both married Roman citizens. She made a great fuss of Adelbehrt. He shifted from foot to foot as the woman petted him and declared what a beautiful child he was, and how lucky Annwyl was to have him.
He longed to be back in the house, where at least only the Domina made a fuss over him. He wished he were back at the villa in the country. He had none of this attention from strange women there. He smiled, though, at all the people who provided remarks about him, even if it looked more like a grimace.
On one occasion, he failed to respond in the right way and received a quick slap. After that, he decided he had better be quicker to smile. His owners were not unnecessarily harsh, but they knew a slave’s place and that a slave should do what pleased them, regardless of the slave’s own wishes.
The shopping trip took forever—at least it seemed that way to the boy. They kept stopping and talking, and he had to stand behind the Domina and next to Paulus, holding his few parcels. The Domina called him forward a few times and the people she talked to stroked and prodded him. It made him feel no different from a horse or a dog. It took all his effort not to back away, or even to say something, or push a petting hand away. Eventually, and none too soon Adelbehrt thought, they made their way back to the domus.
The Dominus greeted them in the atrium. He had returned from a trip to Gaul. During the summer, he travelled away quite a lot, trading around Europe. He had even been to Rome. He had seen the Emperor too, he told them. Only from a distance, true, but the Emperor nevertheless.
The Domina sent Adelbehrt and Paulus to put the parcels away, and then she told Adelbehrt to sit with them when he returned. When the boy came back, he found the Dominus telling his wife all about the goings-on in Rome.
“The new emperor is Vespasian, Annwyl. You remember he was the man who staged a revolt? Well, he arrived in Rome while I was there.”
Adelbehrt listened with interest. He had picked up that there had been a period of unrest and rebellion. There had been two emperors in quick succession after the death of the unpopular Nero, but he was unsure of the details. So, a new emperor had been crowned? He wondered if this one would last. The Dominus seemed to think he would.
“He’s encouraging construction on vacant lots,” the Dominus went on to say. “He’s also started building a temple to Claudius, and has started restoring the Capitol. They say he’s building a great arena too. One bigger and more marvellous than any ever seen before.”
“I suppose it would be good for the empire to have a period of stability,” replied Annwyl, “but I really don’t see how it'll affect us much, here at the edges of the empire.”
“Maybe not directly, dear, but it’ll affect trade, and that’ll affect us.”
The winter passed in Londinium. The house felt warm in spite of the cold weather due to the hypocaust built into it; a furnace under the floor circulated heat around and along wall cavities. The technology fascinated Adelbehrt. He remembered being cold last winter in his home in the village. He might have hated the Romans for what they did to him and others, conquering lands far and wide and taking whatever they wanted, but he had to admire and respect them for their technology.
However, he still recited his litany of hate every evening and actively remembered his mother, father and baby brother. He determined not to forget them, nor what the Romans had done to his family.
The Briton lady they met in the town became a frequent visitor to the domus. She was a particular friend of the Domina and always made a fuss of Adelbehrt when she came. He put up with it, even though he hated being treated as a pet.
“How lucky we were, Maeve, to find Romans to marry,” the Domina said to her one day. “Being part of such a vast empire is a great thing. Poor Caitlin had to marry a Briton.”
“Yes, Annwyl, and we were also lucky to find such good men. I often wonder how Caitlin went on. She was in love with her Niall though. I suppose they're happy enough.”
“Who knows, Maeve? Who knows?”
The women smiled at each other and drank a toast to their lost friend, Caitlin.
Eventually, Maeve said with a sour expression, “You want to be careful of those so-called Roman friends of yours, you know. They’re not to be trusted. They despise our Britishness, even though we’re now Roman citizens and our husbands are important men.”
The Domina laughed softly. “I know. They’re always making catty remarks disguised as friendly ones. I can hold my own with them though. I have to entertain them for Lucius’ sake.”
Maeve tilted her head to one side contemplated her old friend. “Are you sure, Annwyl? Are you sure you’re not being captivated by their Roman-ness? You must never forget we are Britons first and Romans second.”
“Briton is now a Roman State,” Annwyl answered with a shrug. “Thus, we are all Romans. We now have warm houses, theatres, the games in the amphitheatres, much more varied food, and slaves to serve us.” She glanced at Adelbehrt. “Is it not much better to be a Roman than to shiver in smoky huts and slave in the fields?”
Eventually Maeve left and Adelbehrt sat thinking about what he had overheard. What were the Domina’s real thoughts? And her friend—what about her? She seemed proud of being a Briton. More so than the Domina, in fact.
The year ended with the feast of Saturnalia. Adelbehrt was fascinated by the customs, especially the one where the roles of master and slave were reversed and, for one day, the Dominus and Domina waited on the slaves.
Marcus took the Dominus’s place, but as he had not married, the housekeeper took on the role of the Domina. Adelbehrt found it all very confusing, but great fun watching as Marcus and the housekeeper ordered the family around, just as the family usually ordered them.
Then the spring came and the family closed down the domus in Londinium and left once again for the villa. Adelbehrt smiled as they left all the fussy women of Londinium. He would have some peace at last. Besides, all the slaves helped with the harvest, and Adelbehrt looked forward to that. Last summer, he had enjoyed being out in the fields in the sunsh
ine.
6
Ad 76
The years passed. To Adelbehrt, they were years of frustration. He felt more a pet than a boy, except when Maeve came. She did not pet and stroke him like the Roman women did; even some of the men stroked his hair, like they would a dog.
He often caught the Briton woman looking at him with a slight frown on her face, and wondered about it. Did she covet him for herself? Would she offer to buy him from the Domina? If she did, he would have to leave Avelina here. He worried about this, but nothing happened regarding a sale and so, eventually, he relaxed.
One day, when the children had been slaves for six years, Marcus approached Adelbehrt.
“Have you a minute?” the older man asked.
Adelbehrt looked at him, puzzled. “What do you want?” Sitting on the edge of the impluvium, he trailed his hand in the water. The Domina did not seem to want him at the moment. In fact, the Domina had not had much for him to do for a while. He thought the novelty of his appearance might be wearing off, especially as he was now beginning to grow up.
Marcus continued to stand before the office of the Dominus. What did the accountant want? He had little reason to ask Adelbehrt for anything. Marcus was an important man, even if a slave.
Marcus finally spoke. “How long have you been here now, Adelbehrt?”
“Six years.”
“That will make you about twelve then.”
The boy nodded. “About that, I suppose.”
“Now I don’t want to worry you, but you're growing up. You’re still an attractive boy—attractive enough to still be a pet—but as you get older, probably from now on,” he scanned Adelbehrt’s face, “the Domina will find you less like her pretty, little slave boy.”
“Your unusual hair colouring is no longer a novelty. No one comments on it anymore. Soon, the Domina won’t want you as her slave and will find a new pet. Or perhaps she has already.” He shrugged. “Look at how she dotes on that little dog the Dominus bought her.”
Adelbehrt regarded the older man. He had thought long about this himself. He noticed how the Domina played with her puppy and spent less time with him. He wasn’t jealous. Not really. In fact, he often felt glad she had another toy to play with. After six years of petting and fussing, he felt heartily fed up. Still, he found it galling to be ignored.
He pricked up his ears and listened to what Marcus was saying. it did not do to ignore one’s elders. “I spoke to the Dominus yesterday. It seems he’s noticed how his wife seems more concerned with her puppy than you and he talked about selling you.”
Adelbehrt drew in a sharp breath at that news and looked up at Marcus, biting his lower lip and frowning.
“He said he’d noticed you liked the horses and are good with them, but he doesn’t need another slave in the stables. He thinks he can sell you as a stable lad though.”
“But … but.” Adelbehrt did not know what to say. He thought of Avelina. Oh, the little girl seemed happy enough as Claudia’s slave, but she was still only ten summers old. She could not really remember their home by the Rhenus anymore and had completely forgotten their native language.
Claudia treated her well. In fact, they were almost like friends rather than mistress and slave, but Adelbehrt had promised his mother he would look after her. How could he do that if the Dominus sold him?
Marcus smiled at him as if he knew what he was thinking. “I made a suggestion. I’m not getting any younger you know, and the Dominus will need an accountant for years to come and after him, the young Dominus too, when he takes over the business. There’ll come a time when I can no longer travel as I do now.”
Marcus sat on the edge of the impluvium, next to Adelbehrt. “I pointed this out to the Dominus. He realised that, he said, and worried about what would happen then. I suggested that I teach you and you could become my successor. He agreed. Very quickly. He knows that to find a competent slave accountant would be difficult. What do you think of the idea?”
Adelbehrt’s eyes lit up. “Marcus, that would be great! I won’t have to leave Avelina. I can continue to look after her.”
“And you won’t have to worry about what sort of owner you’ll get either. We're very lucky here. We’re treated well. Anyway, the Dominus still has to talk to the Domina. You are, after all, her property and not his. It may be she doesn’t want to release you for some reason. You’ll hear in a few days.”
Almost a week went by before Marcus sent for Adelbehrt. When he had heard nothing after a couple of days, the boy became anxious. He thought the Domina had decided to sell him after all. Given she had not sent for him for two days, the boy spent time in the stables with his friend, Titus, and the big grey stallion he had come to love.
As he groomed the stallion, a little slave girl came in. Her big eyes opened even wider when she saw the horses, and she wrinkled up her nose at the pungent smell.
“You’re to come to Marcus at once,” she told Adelbehrt and scampered out of the stables as quickly as she could.
Adelbehrt gave the grey horse one last pat and ran across the peristylium and into the atrium where Marcus waited in the office.
“Well, lad,” the older slave said with a smile, “it seems the Domina has agreed to allow you to study with me. This is only when she doesn’t want you, mind. You’re still her slave. Since you were in the stables, I assume she has nothing for you at the moment, and so we can begin lessons immediately. The very first thing you need to learn is your letters.”
Marcus began to write the letters of the alphabet and set Adelbehrt to learning their names and writing them down.
He laughed at the boy’s first attempts to hold a pen. “No, not like that!” he exclaimed. “You are not eating with it, nor are you about to stab the paper to death with it. Here, let me show you.”
Adelbehrt tried holding the pen the way Marcus showed him and found he could make the fine movements required to write the letters much easier. After that, he progressed in leaps and bounds.
He enjoyed the lessons. He quickly learned to read and write, and took great pleasure in it. His handwriting was not too clear at first, but with Marcus’ help, he soon perfected a good hand. Adelbehrt began to learn to read and to use an abacus, essential for arithmetic in the days of Roman numerals.
“When can I start helping you with the accounts?” Adelbehrt asked one day, leaning towards Marcus and peering at the ledger in front of him..
“Well,” Marcus replied with a slight smile on his face,, “you need to be more accurate with your adding. It wouldn’t do to make mistakes in the Dominus’ accounts. That would incur his wrath, as well as the possibility of damaging his business and reputation. Reputation is very important in trade. People must trust you and be sure in their minds you’re honest.”
Adelbehrt still had to attend the Domina from time to time, and whatever she wanted him to do had to take precedence over his lessons. He was still her slave, but the occasions she wanted him grew fewer and fewer. That pleased him. He did not really mind waiting at tables, nor serving wine to guests, but he still hated the occasions when he served as her pet; he was greatly relieved as the occasions grew fewer.
These occasions declined even more over the next two years, and by the time he was fourteen, she hardly asked for him at all. One day, however, as he attended her, the Dominus entered the room.
“You asked me to come to see you, dear,” he said. “What is it? I haven’t a lot of time. I’ll be leaving for Gaul in a few days and I need to check the tin from Dumnonia that I’m taking to trade.”
Annwyl smiled. “I believe you’ll think the news I’m going to give you is worth a few minutes delay, Lucius. I’m pregnant.”
The Dominus grinned, then frowned. “Annwyl, darling, don’t get your hopes up too soon. You know you’ve lost several babies over the last few years.”
“Oh, Lucius, I’m past the time I lost the others. I didn’t want to tell you until I was sure that this time I’d carry the babe to term. I’m four a
nd a half months. The baby will be born in November.”
Then the Dominus did smile. He bent down, picked up his wife and swung her round. “I thought you were just putting on weight. Oh Annwyl, I'm so thrilled. Only four and a half months to wait too. How did you manage to keep such wonderful news to yourself?”
The Domina laughed. “Oh, it was so hard, Lucius, but I couldn’t raise your hopes for another child until I was sure I wouldn’t lose this one too.”
Adelbehrt stood silent, listening to the conversation, a smile spreading involuntarily across his face. He knew the Domina wanted another child. He had been in her presence when she had discussed this with her friends, and had seen her cry when they had babies. He could not, however, understand why this was so important to her. After all, she had two children already. Still, she had not been harsh with him on the whole, even if he had hated being a little pet.
The summer passed and they returned to Londinium. Soon it came time for the birth of the baby. It was not an easy birth, but in the end, she produced a baby boy and named him Julius.
This marked the end of Adelbehrt’s time as a pet. The baby became her life. She forgot all about her little slave boy, so he found he could spend all his time with his studies. He smiled with great cheer as he realised this.
7
Ad 80
Time went on and Adelbehrt became more proficient at the accountancy Marcus taught him. He could now almost run the office himself. He and Avelina had been slaves for nine years; he was now fifteen and his sister thirteen.
Avelina had become a beautiful girl. Her blonde hair had not darkened as it often did on many girls. She had grown tall and slender with long legs and flawless skin. She turned male heads wherever she went.
