Domina Victrix

Chapter 62: 29 AD, Antioch, Rome, Caesarea, and Capri

Diana stacked the tablets containing her lesson plans and began searching for common items in the house to use during her classees. She had a basket of needles, pins, bodkins, thimbles, thread, and other sewing notions. She also had household items such as spoons, cups, and bowls, along with coins. There was a bowl of fruit on the tablinum. She found a houseman.

"I need a loaf of bread and some cheese," she said. "Also wine, posca, olives, and oil."

He left as she set her things on the marble-top table in the atrium, waiting for her students. In addition to military families, civil servants were often transferred throughout the Empire. Most educated men spoke Greek, but many women did not and almost no one knew Aramaic. Merchants' families were the same way and her classes were well attended by wives and daughters. Marcus poked his head out the door of his office.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

"Class starts at eighth hour," Diana said as she approached him. "I'm adding a shift for beginners."

"This will only take a moment," Marcus said. "I have some prospects for you."

"Who is it?" Diana asked when she sat down in his office.

"Since you put it that way, it's Barca," her father said.

"Father! Urracca hasn't been dead a month!"

"It's not going to happen tomorrow," her father said. "His family has a past, like ours, and he's about as choosy as you. And the one he's chosen is you. He's smart, served under both Juba and Lucius, and is good looking."

"Is he staying for awhile?" she asked.

"He is."

"What has the August One said?"

"Nothing yet."

"How old is he? Juba was thirty-two when he and Victory married."

"He will be thirty and you will be fifteen."

"I still want to teach," she said. "And Marius is showing me more things around the farm so I can manage it one day."

"Then you'll have a worthy consort at your side," her father said. "And, speaking of teaching, we are bringing the Legions to augmented strength, adding two more full auxillia, and may even bring in more support units."

"That's a lot of babies and children," Diana said.

"We need another primary teacher," Marcus said.

"I've never taught children before."

"You've taught Fortuna's boys," he said.

"When do I start?"

"Effective immediately," he said.

"Let the Tribune and the August One know I accept," she said. "I'll need to see Soter about setting up my classes."

"He's expecting you."

.....

Claudius watched as housemen piled Aelia's baggage in the atrium. Within days of their marriage, they both agreed it had been a mistake and they were better off living apart. He was thirty-nine and Aelia thirty. Both had been married before, lost children, and had no other reason to be married other than that their families wanted them to. For the time being, she was joining Sejanus' family in Baiae and Claudius had no immediate plans to be anywhere. Aelia appeared in the doorway.

"I feel like shit," she said. "I hope you haven't knocked me up."

"I hope I have," Claudius said. "I want a child."