Carnage

Chapter 6: Hole In The Wall

I won't be like my father. Arie had said nothing at the time but she will make sure that the same mistake would not be repeated. Disobedience was an ugly word for this, she thought. Arie was simply utilising loopholes. Junius was marching through the apartments, his hand hovering over his mouth. The man moved deftly to avoid a stream of faeces thrown out of one of the many small windows. Arie scrunched her nose but made sure to keep looking at him. If he showed any sign of seeing her, that would be the end of it. There was no gaps between the buildings to hide in. The number people crowding the little road she walked on did not matter as something told her she could get spotted quickly. 

 Junius ducked into an unseen hole in the wall and for a wild moment, Arie thought he was trying to evade her. She crept closer, swirling through the masses and stood out of the 'door'. It has beads hung on long threads as the barrier. The sound and the acute smell made it very obvious. Brothels, of course. He was a man and a Roman at that. Arie pinched her nose as the heat and reek of rot and excrement were nearly driving her insane. Someone was speaking and Arie could barely hear Junius' reply. She took in short breaths and leaned as close as she could.

"Marius..." they became quiet and then their conversation was audible again, "Come with me, she's waiting,"

 There was no use waiting to hear more because she could see them going further away through the beads. Arie took off running strongly until there was a significant distance between her and the brothel. This part of the city was saturated with the tall buildings as well but the tenants disposed off their waste with more dignity. There were more domi here with shops opened in nearly every house. Arie was going wait until she was sure Junius had left before backtracked and tried to pry some information. Not to look too suspicious, she went about inspecting goods and buying a few fruits. She ate them without peeling. Her knife was safely tied to her forearm but paranoia prevented her from removing it. The sun was setting by the time she set off again. 

 Finding the specific brothel was hard as she failed to notice all the others in her haste. It was incredibly fortunate that she remembered the specific colour of the beads, periwinkle with while stripes down the middle. The door opened up to a multistory structure with closed off cells. Her eyes fell immediately to a blond man sitting on a stool with his eyes practically burning her. He wore a white toga over a dull orange tunic. His face had very sharp features with the tip of his nose being harsher than any Arie has ever seen.

 "What do you want, foreigner?"

Arie had made sure to wear to wear simple Roman clothing and her face were partially obscured by her hair.

 "I've seen enough of you," Marius slurred. "Get out or speak,"

 "You can provide someone for me?" Arie asked as haughtily as she could. She pitched her voice lower than it, not low enough that it squeaks when she speaks louder. The man leaned back not quite as hostile as before but he still looked unfriendly.

 "Tell me what you want. The specifics will cost you," he added as Arie opened her mouth.

She took a few steps towards him. Sauntering was never her specialty but she thought she managed it quite well.

 "I'm not one of the whores, sorry and I won't say it again-"

 "You're not what I have in mind," she cut in huskily. "I want a boy, balls that have just dropped and he must look pretty,"

 "Anything else?"

 "Shaved clean completely and orphaned,"

The man's watery blue eyes gleaned. "Up front," he said holding out his hand. Arie removed her purse biting her lips. This was meant to buy satin and one more slave to help pick up the slack in the building of the bath. He snatched it with contained glee and counted the coin before trying to give some of it back.

 "How long that last me with him?"

 "The whore? A month if you come every other day in a week," he answered.

 "Then keep it. I'll see him when I can and with more money,"

She turned to leave but spun to give the man more instruction. The grin slid off his face quickly.

 "Make sure not to tell him why you are doing what you're doing and..." Arie removed one last coin, a Greek one, and threw it at him, "Don't speak about this to anyone,"

 "Not a word."

She inclined her head and walked out. The sky was low-hanging and dark. With the shadows from the building blocks, she hid. Using her dagger, she cut into the clothes especially around her arm, hissing when the blade caught her skin. Warm blood ran down her arm, smearing on the clothes and wall behind her. For good measure, she roughly bruised the skin on her neck to make it seem like there was an attempt to strangled her. When she got to the villa, Arie could not look at Nadu as the latter exclaimed in shock. Junius had made cutting remarks about how she fails at doing simple tasks. It took all her willpower to give him a knowing glare. Instead she lamented not having stopped the thief before walking away dejected to clean herself all the while Nadu continued to fuss over her. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Wow that took me so damn long to write. The next update will be faster and longer hopefully