Fortune Favors

Chapter 9

Nico watched as three priestesses burned sage and chanted in the atrium of his house. They even put some herbs into the impluvium, making the rainwater that collected in the cistern below free of water demons.

He didn't put much stock in ill omens, but this would put the minds of his slaves and servants to rest. Besides, one couldn't be too careful.

The ritual had taken a few hours, starting first at the house's ancestral chapel and then moving from room to room. The atrium was their last stop, thankfully. As the young women headed toward the front door, Nico paid them generously for their services. Hopefully, that would be the end of that.

He was just about to decide what to do next when there was a knock at the door, and Nico thought maybe one of the priestesses forgot something. One of the slaves opened just one of the double doors and another stood ready to take action should it be anyone with ill intent.

Whoever it was, Nico hoped he had no ill intent, for there stood a young man with hair so golden, Nico wondered if he might be the son of a God. Of course, he knew that wasn't so and that the young man was probably from one of the northern provinces. He'd seen such coloring before, of course, including the eyes the color of the sky, but never had it struck his heart so significantly.

The young man greeted him formally, and then he introduced himself as Eolus Hadius's son and handed him a sack of herbs which smelled wonderful but were not familiar to him.

"They're Gaulish. You will likely not have encountered them as far as Athens," said the young man. "My name is Sammius Hadius, but everyone calls me Sam."

Nico smiled, and he continued to inhale the scent of the herbs. He was sure his cook could make good use of them. "Your name has been Latinized. What was it when you were born?" he asked, hoping the young man wouldn't be offended by the question.

"Sammiatrix," Sam replied softly, "but I haven't used that name in a long time.

"Well, Sam, you may call me Nico," he replied, not wanting to press further. As a Greek, he had the luxury of keeping a Greek name. Most people from the provinces weren't so fortunate.

"I've been asked by Eolus to be your host," said Sam. "He wants you to enjoy your stay, and I'm here to see to that."

Nico listened for any hint of suggestion in Sam's voice, but there was none. The offer seemed innocent enough, and after all, even the Hadius family wouldn't prostitute out an adopted son for a business deal. Unless, maybe, that son wanted to be prostituted.

Sam looked around. "I hear in its time this house was grander that Julius Caesar's," he said, "but are you sure you wish to reside here? There's likely a curse still on it."

Nico shook his head. "If there is, I need to get my money back from the three priestesses who spend the afternoon chanting and burning sage. They charged me quite a lot for the service."

Sam visibly relaxed at this. "Well," he said still looking around, "that's something."

"Did you know Brutus?" asked Nico.

Sam shook his head. "I'm not old enough to remember the time before Julius Caesar died."

Nico looked at Sam, thinking briefly of how their lives had been so changed by long-dead men they had never met. Men who had thought they were saving the Republic but had destroyed it, instead. "I saw Marc Antony more than once when I was a boy. He and Octavia resided in Athens for a while. My grandfather had her over to our house for dinner many a time after Antony...went to Egypt."

Nico wondered if bringing up the unfortunate situation with Antony was rude, but Sam didn't seem offended.

Sam stepped forward, still looking around at the Atrium. "You'll likely meet her again during your stay. She comes for dinner at the Hadius house often. Her younger daughter with Antony is of an age with my mother and Eolus's twins. She's also raising Antony's children with Queen Cleopatra. Those twins are of an age with my youngest sister. So, the Hadius house sometimes feels more like a playground when she comes."

"I am the youngest child," replied Nico wistfully. "I've hardly ever been around children." He paused. "Forgive me, I've not offered you wine, but I've only just arrived, not even spent one night in this place. I'm hardly ready for an honored guest. I've still got a layer of road dust on me."

Sam looked Nico up and down, and he couldn't have failed to notice that his tunic was several shades darker than it should have been.

"Well," replied Sam, "I think it best we get you to the baths immediately. They're not far. It will do you good."

Nico felt his cheeks get warm, as a trip to the baths with this young man would be most welcome. Most welcome indeed.