[Fiction] The Roman Slave Girl

[RainbowSky]

The Roman Slave Girl
Prologue

They came one night. The thieves. The robbers. The murderers. The looters. My father asked them how he could help. What we could offer. But they slit his throat. My mother had been laying out our precious belongings. Jewellery. Cutlery. Gold. Clothing. She offered them to them. And they slit her throat as well. I saw these happen from my viewpoint at the top of the stairs leading to my attic bedroom. Scared. Worried. Nervous. I quietly returned to my room and hid under my bed.

I could hear them moving around the house, yelling instructions in Latin. I knew enough Latin after 8 years in the country to understand enough. “Take everything of value,” they cried.

I’m not sure how long I hid. The noises went on for hours. People trampling in and out of the house. Discussions about the worth of items. The sound of the cart outside being loaded up. Then it went quiet. I held my breath in fear. Maybe they wouldn’t check up here.

But they did. Heavy footsteps came up the stairs and from my hiding spot I could see their boots walk around the room, inspecting my belongings. I clutched the necklace around my neck tightly. The footsteps stopped by the side of my bed and then a hand grabbed my ankle, pulling me out. I yelled out in fear.

“Got you now princess,” he hissed at me in Latin. He let go of my ankle and grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet. There was rope and a knife on the bed. I eyed the knife warily. I’d seen what that knife did to my parents. He saw my gaze. He smirked. “Oh, don’t worry about that. You are far too valuable to die.” Instead he grabbed the rope, tied my wrists together tightly and walked me down the stairs and out the house. He led me to the cart that was piled high with all our belongings. He thread the other end of the rope through a metal ring attached to the inside of the cart. He then walked away.

Words were exchanged in rapid Latin – too quick for me to understand or maybe just words I hadn’t learnt yet. Then the cart began to trundle forwards. My wrists were jerked forwards and I had struggled to keep up at first until I found the rhythm and speed.

Then, from behind me, I felt a swell of heat and the sound of breaking glass. I turned my head and saw my home in flames. I stumbled and fell to my knees but quicky scrambled back up. I turned away and followed behind the monsters to wherever I was to live from now on.

[TomUk98]

Sounds like the beginnings of a great story!

[RainbowSky]

One

I wake up in a cold dark cell. I struggle to sit up. My hands and ankles are in heavy chains and these are attached to the slightly slimy grey bricks. The events of the previous evening rush back to me and I begin to hyperventilate in fear and worry. I try to take a deep calming breath and think back to what my mother told me to do when I have a panic attack. “Ground yourself. Remind yourself of the facts of who you are,” she whispered in my mind.

My name is Eleni Sophia Flora Perridi. I am the daughter of a Grecian princess. I am from Greece but live in Rome. I have lived here eight years. I speak Latin and Greek. My parents are… dead and… that’s all I know for sure anymore.

Despite the shortness of known facts, I feel myself calming immediately. I sit up a little straighter, proud of my heritage and who I am. I smile fondly at the memories of my parents. I try to think of more facts.

We fled Greece nine years ago, after an assassin attempted to kill my mother. She is the sister of the current Greek Queen and the heir to the throne. I suppose I’m the heir now. Living in Rome wasn’t without its difficulties. They don’t like foreigners here and we were treated with suspicion for months. Yet our neighbours grew to like us. Perhaps it was the way my mother and father both spoke Latin fluently that put them at ease. Or maybe the way they contributed financially to the upkeep and improvements of public buildings. Or perhaps the way that we didn’t have servants or slaves working for us. We were just a normal family. Normal but rich and upper class. My father had spent the last few years working his way up the government as and aide to important people. That’s also how my father knew about the attack.

I took a deep breath to steady myself before thinking over the events of the last few hours.

There is a lot of people who don’t like the Greek. And despite my families’ best efforts still don’t. The fact my father was high up and important and annoyed people. “How can a Greek man outperform a Roman?” they’d cry. But he did. My father overheard a colleague discussing how “they will get what’s coming to them tonight,” and knew we were in danger. But he was a good man and believed they could be brought. He had come home and told my mother to find everything of value and lay it out in the dining room. He told me to hide. Within three hours of his return, when the sun had set and it was dark. They came. And they were not easily bought after all.

I feel tears rolling down my cheeks. My parents had been killed because they were Greek. I am Greek. “What’s going to happen to me?” I whisper quietly into the darkness. Silence echoes in response. I sigh and drift off into my own mind; memories of Greece and of my family here in Rome.

It felt like several hours before I heard heavy footsteps coming from outside the cell. I shook my head once, clearing it of any thoughts of the past. All that mattered now, was here and now. How was I going to handle this?

Tell them who I am? No, that was just give them motive to threaten the Queen.
Beg for release? Could work but could I really let all of my pride go and beg?
Promise to flee the country and never return? More probable.

The footsteps stopped and I squinted in the dark. A dark shadow seemed to be at my door. There was a jangle of keys and the door swung open. I opened my mouth to speak but quickly closed it again when the person entered the cell and began untying my chains from the wall. I was shocked. Maybe they were just going to put me on a ship and send me home already, without me needing to beg. The chains slid out from the wall hooks and the person gently tugged at them, indicating I should get up and follow.

I struggled to my feet and shuffled along down the corridor after him. It was pitch black even outside the cell – how did he know where he was going? He was walking quickly, but with my ankles chained it was hard to keep up as I could only really shuffle forwards. “Hello, sorry, but could you slow down?” I ask in careful Latin. There was no response but he did slow a little so I could keep up.

At the end of the corridor was a spiral staircase lined with brackets and flames flickering within. I could see now that the person who had collected me was a man. One I recognised from the previous night, but not the one who had found me in my room.

He led me up the stairs and along another corridor into a grand hall. Sitting at the top of a long table was him. The man who had killed my parents and who had taken me from my home. He smiled widely as I approached. “Eleni! So glad you could join me. Take a seat, enjoy some food. We have a lot to discuss.”

[kmacroxs]

So far, so good. When I saw your name listed as the author, I knew I would enjoy it.

[RainbowSky]

Two

“Eleni! So glad you could join me. Take a seat, enjoy some food. We have a lot to discuss,” the man cried. I eyed the seat warily and continued to stand. “Now, now, Eleni! I insist you sit,” he adds, his voice taking on a menacing tone.

“If it’s all the same Sir, I would like to stand,” I request. He slams his hands on the table, the sound echoing around the hall.

“It is not a request. Sit down!” he growls. I nervously look at the chair and before I even have time to move, the guard has swept me up and dumps me on the chair. He then ties the ends of the chains to the table leg. I can’t escape. He leaves the room.

There is an awkward silence as the man at the other end of the table looks me up and down. He then picks up and apple and begins to eat. “Eat Eleni. This is the only offer of food you are going to get for… hmmm… twenty-four hours or so. I promise it’s not poisonous.”

I reach forwards, the chains rattling as I grab a pear. I bite in and savour the sweetness. There is an awkward silence as we both munch on our fruit. I finish the pear and place and core back on the plate. As I wait for him to decide to inform me of why I am here, I look around the hall. The tall marble ceiling is covered with arches and curves. The mosaic floor is of an ocean scene. A pretty mermaid is just peeking out from under a chair leg.

There is a sigh at the other end of the hall and I look up expectantly. He is throwing an apple up and down in his hand. “I suppose you are wondering why you are here and most importantly why you are alive?” he asks. I nod meekly. “Very well. My name is Septimus Piso. And to be quite honest with you, your father owes myself and other members of society a considerable amount of money. Money which your family don’t have available.”

I open my mouth to protest this fact but he raises a finger. “Ah, no speaking. Not yet anyway. You can ask your questions afterwards.” I feel my blood boiling at the way he is speaking to me but chained to the table, I am not able to do anything but sit and listen. “Were you aware your father was a gambling man?” Septimus asked me. I shook my head. “Then allow me to expand a little. He was. At least once a week, we would gather at a house to place cards. And every time your father would bet a little too much and lose it all. Of course, at first it didn’t matter. You had all the money you’d brought from Greece with you but then it got to a point where your mother would have got suspicious. So he began betting with money he knew he couldn’t afford and leaving a lot of people aggravated and without their winnings. There were a lot of demands for payment until he eventually promised to pay it off within the week. And guess what he promised against.

You Eleni. He promised you. And the home you lived in and your possessions. If he didn’t pay within the week, we were allowed to take and sell whatever we could, including you princess.

Now, I’m not sure what he told you last night when he returned from home, but I’m pretty sure he had no intention of paying up and thought we would let him off. So he probably made up some excuse for you and your mother, knowing full well we would be coming as we had informed his so at lunch. It wasn’t a secret. It was a fact. So now Eleni, the question remains what do I do with you? Any questions?”

I took a moment to comprehend all that had been said. My father had… lied to us. We hadn’t been robbed because we were Greek, we’d been robbed for… what? Paying off his debts? I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. I couldn’t allow myself to believe these lies. Septimus was not my friend, why would he tell me the truth? My father though… I had to believe he was a good man, for my own sake than anything else. “What does happen to me?” I ask, my voice more steady than I expected.

Septimus grinned delighted at me. “I’m so pleased you asked. Now, I did think about keeping you for myself. Having you work here as a slave. But your Greek. And a princess. Not that I will share that little secret with anyone else. Oh, by the way, how does it feel to be the new heir?” He didn’t wait for a reply, which was probably good as my mind was reeling from the fact he knew the truth of my heritage. “So instead, I’m going to sell you. There is an auction this evening. All your possessions will be sold there as well as several slaves from various sellers for the rich to buy. And I’m sure that you will be the most valuable possession at the auction. You do lose all your rights though once your sold. You won’t really even be viewed as human, just a possession to be used by your masters and mistresses.”

I felt a shiver ran through my spine. I knew all about slavery. We had them in Greece as well, but I’d heard that the Romans were less… gracious with their slaves. That although I may have one role within a household, I was also at every whim of the family, including if they wanted… I shuddered slightly, pushing the thought from my head. I looked up and saw Septimus watching me closely. I tried to hide my worry.

“But before that, I have some things I need to learn and a decision to make about how to present you. So I need you to answer honestly Eleni. What languages do you speak?”

“Greek and Latin,” I managed to splutter out.

“Good, good. And education. What have you studied and learnt? Both here and in Greece,” he questioned.

I thought for a moment. This was a tougher question to answer. “I can read, speak and write both Latin and Greek. I studied literature. I studied dance, music and poetry in Greece. I learnt to play the flute and lyre. I also learnt how to cook, sew and look after a home. I also learnt maths and some politics, slightly. As an heir to the throne, there was a need for me to be kept up to date with the world and how to rule,” I responded delicately.

He glowered as if I education wasn’t important. “Yes, you had a great education due to luck and heritage. You’d make a good teacher though. Age?”

I hesitated for a moment. I knew the following would be seen as awful. “Eighteen,” I mumbled. He seemed very taken aback by that. “I know. Most marry at thirteen or fourteen. But we’d only just moved here and were still settling down. Besides, I don’t need to be married to rule.”

There was some grumbling from the other end of the table but Septimus didn’t say anything. He paused and looked at me. “Are you a virgin?” My eyes widened in shock but I nodded dumbfound that he would even ask that question. He nodded. “Then finally how to present you. Most slaves will be naked so potential owners can inspect them, so should I do the same? Or should I play up your Grecian side and dress you as a Greek? Or display you as a Roman? Hmm… I’ll have a think. In the meantime, enjoy your time in the cell Eleni.” With these words, the doors opened again and in walked the guard. He untied my chains and I reluctantly followed behind, knowing in a few hours what my fate would be.

A/N: Thank you for the lovely comments so far. I'm really enjoying writing this one so far. The Romans were my favourite period of history to learn about although not sure I'd be too keen to be a Roman. What do you think? How should Septimus dress Eleni? And who should buy her? A man? A woman? A family? What should her "main" role be in the household? (because let's face it we all know her secondary role already).

[lotusdriver81]

So far so good.

I'd like to see her dressed as a "grecian princess" but in an obvious revealing attire, it would be a shame to reveal her body so early on.

She should be bought by a family with male and female offspring of the parents (would give her some way of serving all of them)

Be nice if they eventually found out her heritage perhaps

Others might have some ideas too though.

[kmacroxs]

My vote is for an upper class family, with one daughter and two sons. The father is frequently gone for long periods of time due to being in the military, so decisions are frequently made by the wife.

[Jojo246]

As soon as I saw who it was written by I knew this would be good. Also good luck in your new job

[RainbowSky]

Three

I’m not sure how long I was left in the cell, the chains retied to the wall, but by the time someone came to collect me I was frozen stiff, my back ached and I just wanted to be warm again. I trailed behind the person who collected me, up lots of stairs and was led into an elegant bedroom. My ankle and wrist cuffs were removed, the guard left the room and I heard the click of a lock. There was no escape, even now.

I walk tentatively towards the bed. On it lays an elegant white knee-length chiton. The chiton has elegant gold bands at the hem, neckline and waist. Next to it is a light blue himation. There are also some pins to help me attach it.

I am about to strip out of my dirt covered tunic and stolla when there is another click by the door and Septimus walks in followed by two guards carrying a large metal tub filled with water. I swallow hard. “You need to wash before you get dressed in those clothes,” he said pointing at the Greek style clothing on the bed. “Then get dressed, prepare your hair and wait until we retrieve you.” He and the guards all leave again. The door clicks again and I know I am alone.

Stripping down, I quickly climb in the lukewarm water and use the rough soap to scrub my skin of the dust and dirt that accumulated being dragged through the streets the previous night and sitting in the cell all day. I also soap my scalp and hair.

Feeling slightly refreshed, but certainly cleaner, I scramble out the tub, drying myself with a towel. I notice bitterly that neither a strophion or perizoma nor a mamillare or a subligaculum had been provided. I debated bitterly if I should wear my old ones and decided that would be advisable. I knew it was perfectly normal for many to go without undergarments, but I had grown up in a household where that was not the norm. I then artfully arrange the chiton over the top. In doing so, I noticed that the side of the chiton had ben cut open. I put it on and was relieved to see the slits stopped before anything was exposed but I felt self-conscious knowing my legs were on display. I then pinned the himation over the top, admiring the colour.

I finally sat in the chair in front of the vanity and using a comb brushed out my hair before carefully braiding it up and around. I looked at myself carefully and realised that we were obviously playing up my Greek side.
The door eventually opened again and Septimus walked in. He pushed a laurel wreath crown down on my head, sitting it artfully atop the braids and without a word beckoned me out the room.

It was only a short walk to the auction house. Septimus had me stand on a revolving platform and hung a plaque from my neck. I didn’t want to read what had been written on it. My ankles and wrists were chained again and attached to the base of the stand. He then left and I knew it wouldn’t be long before the public would be allowed in.

I held my head high, proud of who I was. I did notice I was one of only a few female slaves being sold today. Within minutes, hundreds of people were swarming the building, inspecting the various goods for auction. I drew a lot of attention from the males, who made comments about my appearance in Latin, and who hoped I wouldn’t understand their remarks. I felt self-conscious and tried to readjust my chiton to cover my legs more but the revolving stand meant it kept getting caught in the gentle breeze and fluttering away from where it was positioned.

As the crowds began to thin as people headed into the auction room, a family stopped in front of me. There was an older woman, a young girl and what looked like twin older boys. “Oh mummy, she’s so pretty. Can we get her?” the little girl asked, peering at me, her eyes wide in fascination. The twins, who were stood slightly behind their mother and younger sister, elbowed each other and exchanged a smirk. I didn’t like that at all. “Look her hair is so beautifully done. And I need an ornatrix. The last one was useless,” she added sullenly. I secretly wondered what had happened to the last one. She stepped closer to read my plaque. “She’s Greek as well. She could double up as my tutor. You can’t keep teaching me forever mother and last time father was home he said he would look into finding me a Greek tutor.”

The mothers eyes gazed up and down over my body. I tried not to flinch under her deep, loathing stare. “I suppose she is passable. And I guess it would save us money in the long run to get you a slave who can do both,” the mother responded haughtily. “It will depend on how much she goes for though princess.” And with that, the family departed. I did catch that the twins were also helping to fight their sisters case. I shuddered in fear of what might be about to come.

A/N: Greek and roman word dictionary below
strophion: leather band worn by greek women as a bra.
perizoma: a loincloth worn by Greek males and females
mamillare: a leather band worn by the Romans as a bra
subligaculum: a piece of material worn as a loincloth by Roman men and women.
Chithon: a Greek tunic like dress
Himation: a piece of fabric often used as a Cape worn by the Greeks.
Stolla: a piece of cloth dropped over a a roman tunic by woman.

[lotusdriver81]

Love it. That's a great start to her journey with anticipation as to what may happen to her. Like how you described the clothes, I did use google to help me visualise a bit though. Looking forward to the next part. Obviously being stuck in the hot sleeping bag helped you, perhaps it should be your regular creative space lol

[RainbowSky]

Four

Once the auction stopped, the platform I was on stopped spinning. I could hear a murmur of voices in the other room as the other items were auctioned off. My heart felt a sharp pang. My things. My belongings. That was what was being sold at auction. I felt tears well up in my eyes and I blinked twice to force them back. There was no use crying over something I couldn’t change.
A short while later, a quaestor began gathering up the slaves for auction. I was the last person in the auction to be sold. Our chains were attached together and we were led like dogs towards the auction room.

As the auction of the slaves began, each slave was untied and guided towards a raised platform. Those that were dressed, were stripped naked so that the gathered potential buyers could see any defects for themselves. I wrapped my himation tighter around me. I could just about hear the voices from the other quaestors and the buyers. Most of my fellow slaves were being sold for around 1000 to 2000 sesterces.

It was a long, agonising wait as I inched closer and closer to the front of the queue of slaves. Finally, I was at the front and I could see the slave before me being bared naked for all to see. Within a matter of minutes, he was sold and escorted off the platform to a quaestor, who took the payment from the buyer, asked a quick question in Latin, before handing over the slave (still cuffed) and a small key.

“Our final slave for today is of Greek origin,” I heard a quaestor say. I felt a shove as I was pushed forwards. I stepped up onto the platform. I squinted in the sunlight but could see the open air room was almost full. “A very skilled woman. Let’s start at 2000 sesterces.”

It was a whirlwind as voice after voice yelled out numbers in Latin. It was going to fast, I couldn’t actually keep count. There was silence for a moment. “Our final bid so far is 7500 sesterces. Is that all?” There was more silence. “Then sold for inspection, otherwise we will resume bidding if the inspection does not suit the buyer.” I was confused by this but led down the stairs.
I came face to face with the mother from earlier. “Strip,” she demanded. I quickly removed my chiton and himation. I realised my privacy was being respected. I suspected Septimus had something to do with this. She wandered around, checking my skin for blemishes and marks. When she was satisfied, she handed over the money. “Put them back on,” she added. I quickly did. The quaestor then removed my shackles and allowed me to follow my new mistress out the room.

She met the rest of her family at the edge of the building. The little girl was playing with a wooden doll on the floor and the boys were leaning against the wall, looking down at their sister with contempt. “Come along,” the mother demanded. The child scrambled up from the floor and the twins began to follow. I hesitated for a moment but trailed some distance behind them, following their brisk walk through the square.

I recognised the section of the town we were walking in. It was an area where important public ministers or important members of the Roman army lived. The villas here were at least two stories high, often three or four. We kept walking and the villas got larger and larger as we did so, until we eventually stopped in front of a three-floor villa.

The villa was surrounded by a stone wall with a large iron gate in the middle. As the mother approached, two slaves opened the door and she bustled everyone inside. I gasped. The gates opened onto a large open courtyard. The floor had a mosaic pattern on it that depicted colourful swirls. There was a large water feature in the middle. There were also several raised floor beds, filled with flowers of all colours and many also had vegetable growing in them. The villa itself was set a distance back from the gates, forcing everyone who visited to walk through the majestic courtyard to the shade provided by the pillars and roof in front of the door. The villa itself was a H shape, with the legs of the H on the left- and right-hand sides of the courtyard. In the courtyard there were many slaves wandering about gardening and harvesting the food. Others were hurriedly moving from one place to the other. There were 4 citrus trees near the front door, two lemon and two oranges.

I hurriedly followed the family through the front door. “Fetch Alexander,” she said to a slave as she handed her stolla to them. They nodded and scurried away. She turned her eyes on me in disapproval. “Wait there,” she demanded before wandering off. The other members of the family also departed and I shivered in fear as to what was about to happen when I met Alexander.

A/N: Roman dictionary below

Quaestor: roman public official in charge of the selling of slaves (among other jobs)

Sesterce: 4 sesterce made up a denarii (most commonly used money in Rome). This means Eleni cost 1875 denarii, which is equivalent to $81562.50 in today’s money.

[kmacroxs]

Seems to be going well so far. I did notice that you seemed to utilize elements from both myself and lotus, which was a nice touch.

I have some interest in ancient societies, including Greece, Rome, and Egypt. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

[RainbowSky]

Five

I stood looking around the entrance room and was stunned by the beauty. The marble pillars gleamed. The tiled floor was spotless. The wooden furniture showed hints of a family. A piece of jewellery on the table. A piece of colour fabric draped around a lounge chair.

It turns out Alexander was the Vicarii of the house. He stared me up and down and smiled approvingly. “Buongiorno. I’m Alexander. You must be the young Mistress’ ornatrix. Follow me to the slave quarters and I’ll explain the rules of the household,” Alexander told me. He swept back the way he had come. “What’s your name by the way?” he asked.

“I’m Eleni,” I whispered quietly, awestruck by the majestic house we were walking through.

“You are Greek, yes?” he asked. I stared at him surprised. “Your accent. It is not… normal. Besides Mistress said that you were to double up as the young Miss’ tutor.” I nod. “I’m sure you two will get along well.” He led us down some stairs and past the kitchen where about 7 or 8 slaves were hard at work. He then led us down another set of stairs towards the cellar. It was cold down here. We walked past the cellar and I saw we were in a cold corridor with open doors down the left side. We walked past the first three rooms and then Alexander indicated the fourth room. “You can stay in here. You are sharing with two others – Lucia and Aurelia. I doubt you will actually spend much time here anyway. The young miss may request you live in her room. Doubling as her security as well.” I looked around the sparse room. On the floor were three bales of hay and some worn blankets were spread over two of them. A neat pile of blankets were folded at the foot of the third, which I assumed was my bed.

Alexander coughed loudly and I turned my attention to him. “Things you need to know. Stay out of trouble. The Mistress doesn’t like anything to go wrong and she punishes extremely harshly. Sir is kinder, but is often not here as he is a commander in the army. When he is here, show no interest in him. If the Mistress suspects her husband could be having an affair with the help, well… lets just say you don’t want to find out. You are at the beck and call of the entire family. If they are having a big dinner then expect to be on serving duties and not just waiting for the young mistress to return. Basically, you just need to do exactly what you are told,” he explained. I nodded to show I had understood. “Good. Now, follow me. I will show you around the house.”
After a quick tour of the villa, which made me wish I could be back home in Greece at the palace, I was finally reunited with the young girl who I was to serve. Her mother was in the room as well.

“She needs tutoring. Five hours a day. Latin, mathematics, dance, music, the arts, cooking. Anything you deem necessary. I will check her work at the end of each day. If she has not learnt enough or the standard of work is not good enough, there will be consequences. You are also in charge of helping her get dressed each day and doing her hair. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary. Do you understand?” the Mistress demanded.

“Yes Ma’am,” I replied quickly, keeping my eyes trained on the floor.

She carried on as if I hadn’t spoken. “Do not look directly at anyone, do not speak to anyone, do not touch anyone,” she added. “I do not want my family or my property* being tainted by your Greek blood.” She swept out the room, pushing past me as she did so. The door closed and the little girl let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m sorry about mother, she runs a tight ship here. She makes me nervous when she acts like that,” she added. “I’m Livia. You’re Eleni, right?” she asked. I nodded. “It’s ok. You can talk to me. I’m not like my mother. I’m not worried about your Greekness. Besides, if you are going to teach me you need to talk to me.”

I smiled slightly and looked up. Livia was right. I needed to talk to her. “You’re right. I’m sorry. How would you like me to address you during our sessions?” I asked politely. While she mulled this over, I had a chance to actually take her in properly.

Livia looked like she was about ten years old, but seeing her in thought I realised she was older. More like thirteen. She was small for her age and very petite. She had long, almost hip length, light brown hair. The sun that was shining through the window made it seem lighter and shinier than it was. She had big green eyes that were curious, with a hint of mischief hidden. She had a kind face and a ready smile. Maybe I could grow to like it here.

“You can call me Miss Livia. That will also keep my mother happy as you are using a title but also being more approachable with me. I will call you Eleni, if that is alright?” Livia said after a moment.
“That would be perfect Miss Livia.”


A/N:*Referring to the slaves in the villa as her property. Roman dictionary below.
Ornatrix – a roman hairdresser responsible for the brushing, styling and removal of hair.
Vicarii – a slave in charge of other slaves, including the punishment of them

[RainbowSky]

Six

I slept restlessly that night. Being in a new place had me a little freaked out, plus my roommates (Lucia and Aurelia) weren’t as pleased to see me as I was to see them. On my way back from the bathroom, I had caught the two of them discussing me in Latin. To them, I was the Greek Slave. And therefore not worth interacting with, unless they wanted to be ostracized by the others. At their words I felt my heart sink. I had hoped that being in a house with so many slaves would allow me to have friends, but either my heritage or the Mistress’ dislike for me was going to be my enemy.

Early the next morning, I awoke to find Alexander next to my bed. “Rise and shine Eleni. It is time to get up,” he added. I rose from my bed and quickly got dressed before scurrying upstairs. It was silent in the house as most of the household were asleep except for the personal servants of the family and those who were on the breakfast shift in the kitchen. I followed the other family slaves into the dining room where I ate a bowl of watery oats. Whilst we were eating, Alexander gave us our instructions for the day.

• After breakfast, wake up Miss Livia with a tray off fresh food.
• Whilst eating, I was to open the shutters and select a dress from the wardrobe and prepare the vanity with all the items needed
• Help her with her hair and get her dressed
• Educate her for a minimum of four hours during the day
• Attend to her every need (this may include accompanying her on any trips outside the house)
• In the evening, help her undress and get ready for bed

It all seemed pretty straightforward until Alexander handed me a timetable. “The Mistress has put together a timetable of all the lessons she expects you to teach her daughter. I hope it doesn’t prove too much for you,” he said with a wicked glint in his eye.

I stared down at the detailed timetable. My eyes widened at some of the things I was expected to teach. The one that was most worrying was piano. I had never played piano before. I understood music but to play a piano… At least that wasn’t until Wednesday. I had a few days to prepare.

I swallowed down the last of my oats and went back into the kitchen. One of the slaves handed me a silver tray. “This is for the young mistress,” they added. I nodded and carefully carried the tray upstairs to her room at the top of the villa. I pushed the door open and placed the tray down gently on the side. Livia looked so peaceful asleep.

I went over to her side. “Miss Livia,” I called quietly. “Time to wake up,” I added. She shifted slightly under her covers and then opened her eyes.
“Morning Eleni,” she mumbled quietly. I smiled. She sat upright in bed. “What glorious things await us today?” she asked.

I grabbed her breakfast tray and brought it over. “Your mother would like me to teach you some Greek today, as well as some art, literature and sewing,” I explained as I made sure the tray was balanced on her lap. I then wandered over to the shutters and opened them, allowing the sunlight to fill the room. I paused there for a few moments, allowing the sunlight to hit my face. I breathed in a breath of fresh air before turning back around. I loved the outdoors so being stuck indoors as a teacher was going to be a challenge.

I heard a groan from the bed behind me. “Urgh, she is so fussy. Why can’t she just let me have fun?” Livia complained.

I smiled at her. “She just wants what is best for you. Having an education is important as it can get you well paid jobs and an understanding of the world we live in. It will also help you find a husband,” I explain calmly.

She rolled her eyes at me as I went into her closet. I held up a chiton for her. She shook her head. “Find me the pink one,” she asked. I nodded. There was a moment of silence as I searched for the chiton and she ate some more breakfast. “You have a good education though and you’ve ended up a slave,” she said eventually.

I pulled the dress out and she nodded in approval. I placed it on the chair. I took a deep breath before I replied. “That’s true. But I had some unfortunate circumstances that effected my life,” I explained cautiously. “If they hadn’t happened, I would have a lot of job prospects. Quite important ones as well,” I add.

Livia eyed me cautiously. “How did you end up being a slave, Eleni?” she asked me. I bit my lip as I lay out her makeup and hair pins on the vanity. I shook my head. There was no way I could relieve that just yet. Luckily, Livia didn’t push for answers. “I’m done,” she said. I removed the tray and placed it on the side table before helping her out of her nightdress and into her day clothes. When she sat in front of the mirror, I began to braid and plait her hair using the pins silently. Every time I looked up, I saw her watching me with a curious look on her face.

After a long while of silence, I was finally finished. “All done Miss Livia. You look wonderful,” I told her.

“Thank you Eleni,” she responded.

[redtiger]

More, please?

Quick question, though. The piano-forte was not invented until the start of the 18th century. What instrument did you have in mind?