The Empress of Rome

2: Odious Onesimus

"You!"

Another pebble came flying at me, but I managed to duck.
It made a soft "plink!" as it hit the wall behind me.

It was dark outside, and the tree right outside of my bedroom managed to conceal most of my attacker.
But then I saw him smile.

"Lepidus - cunne!"

His goofy smile grew wider. He threw another pebble at me. I ducked. My fists balled and I felt heat rise up in my chest.

"You already have my attention, vappa!"

"I do, do I?"

He threw another pebble. I dodged and nearly fell out the window, and was just about to spit out another insult-

"Come down here, Ripa. I can't admire you from all the way up there."

I so preferred that nickname to Pina.

The night air was cool and crisp. My hair no longer up in its usual style, but instead, my wild, knotted, brown locks cascaded down my back. Lepidus's pleading eyes were too much for me. His eyes were swirling blue reflections of the day sky and I tried my hardest to catch a glimpse of them through the darkness.

I pondered Lepidus's request for a moment. Turning from the window, I looked back at my sleeping husband, then down at the young man, armed with a handful of pebbles.

Well, Gnaeus sure isn't going to be throwing pebbles at me if I don't give him attention.

I glanced out the window, made a defeated expression so that Lepidus would know that I was coming, then turned from the window. Almost instantly, I remembered. I whirled around and closed the window. I didn't want to risk waking Gnaeus. He would definitely not approve of me sneaking off at night.

I turned towards the door and made my way down, passing the triclinium and trying not to stub my toe in the darkness. My heart was racing. Luckily, bare feet made almost no sound against the floor. I'd almost made it to the front door-

"Domina?"

I turned as my eyes trailed upwards to meet the low accented voice that addressed me. He was tall and muscular, with muscles that bulged against olive-toned skin. His dark eyes, almost black, bore into me through a mop of dark hair on his head. If he hadn't been Greek, he might've posed for a statue of Mars.

"Onesimus!"

"Domina."

Silence.

Neither of us knew how to speak to the other.

•————•

That stinking Greek rat.

I sat on the lectus and crossed my arms over my chest as my husband paced through the triclinium. It was late and the room was dim, only lit by one small candle on Gnaeus's desk. I pouted.

My husband looked at me. Then looked away. Then looked at me again. Then away. Me. Away. Me. He sighed.

"Agrippina..."

His voice trailed off as he ran his hand over his red and white beard. He was thinking.

Onesimus the snitch was standing in the corner of the room. He apparently found my husband more intimidating than me and must've thought he'd get in more trouble if he didn't act like a little fink.
I'd soon fix that.