AU Bingo Ficlet: "Saturnalia"
This is for my au_bingo WILD CARD slot, which I'm going to fill with another "Historical: Ancient Civilizations" story about Ancient Rome. Same names and universe as "The General's Homecoming," but I'll provide a list after just for reminders.
"Saturnalia"
“Where is our wine?” Zenais giggled as she sat atop her master’s couch, garlands draped over her curly hair. “You’re too slow with our wine!”
The rest of the house slaves cheered her on. Saturnalia festivities had transformed them for one night from the servants of this house to the masters.
“Here is it, domina,” Laurina called. But she took her time sauntering out with the flask, wandering around the room to stare at each little knick-knack, performing such an obvious imitation of the easily distracted Briton food slave that everyone began to nudge him and laugh as he buried his face in his hands in pretend humiliation.
The rites of Saturnalia demanded that the natural order of the world be upended … but only for one week. Slaves who thought their brief time of freedom and power was to be abused were reminded forcibly of the right order of things as soon as the festival ended. Masters who took undue offense, or who failed to observe the Saturnalia, would of course ultimately be punished by the gods for their impiety.
In Laurina’s households, however, the Saturnalia had always been auspicious, she liked to think. Her servants enjoyed the novelty but did not overstep their boundaries. And Laurina used the time to make the slaves laugh - to love her, even. She wanted them to love her, though she had little love for them in return. Nobody kept secrets better than slaves who loved their mistresses, and Laurina understood better than most that secrets were the true currency of Rome.
So she poured them ample wine mixed with honey, and let them have as much time as they would to gamble during the one week it was allowed. Unlike most masters and mistresses, Laurina and Aquila actually prepared the feast meal themselves, and did a good job of it, too. While she performed her duties during the feast, Laurina imitated one slave after another, amusing them with her acting abilities while ever so wittily, by example, providing gentle corrections to slaves whose service could be improved.
Better work from her slaves, a happy and trusting household, the approval of the gods: Such benefits were well worth pretending to be a slave for one night.
It’s undignified, Gaius Varius had said. She could hear his whisper in her ear, as though she still lived in his home, as his wife. Of course we must serve them, but we don’t need to simper like mimes.
It serves a purpose, Laurina had replied, and he’d accepted this. Though he had never joined her in her playacting, he’d let her do it and even come to be amused by her antics. After the first year, Gaius Varius joined her in the kitchen to help cook the feast and had turned out to be surprisingly handy at it. One night in the privacy of his bedroom, as the culmination of her playacting, she had even pretended to be a slave girl from one of the brothels, and how her staid husband had transformed …
But that was long ago. Laurina silenced the memories and brought her attention back to the here and now - where her not-so-staid husband, Aquila, was now pouring wine for their laughing slaves. Zenais’ pretty face glowed as Aquila leaned closer than necessary to her.
It was beneath the dignity of any Roman matron to be jealous of her husband’s slave mistress, however beloved, but some of Laurina’s friends were anyway. She was not. She merely watched, unsurprised, unaffected.
Her alliance with Aquila had never been about romance; they were not unlike many other Roman marriages in that respect. No, they were partners in a domestic and political alliance that had proved fruitful. If he found sexual happiness in a woman whose status could never rival Laurina’, that only added to the stability of their union.
And yet seeing the light in Zenais’ eyes reminded Laurina so painfully of how much more a marriage could be -
“What a din,” Aquila said as he came to his wife’s side, just as Aeliana appeared with a silly garland around her head. Laurina put her arms around her daughter as Aquila spoke. “It seems to me that Saturnalia lasts longer every December.”
“Rumor has it Caligula intends to shorten it to five days next year,” she said.
“If he even tries it, there will be rioting in the streets, mark my words. The Divine Augustus couldn’t change the Saturnalia; that means no one can.” Aquila fondly stroked his daughter’s hair. “Did we have gifts for everyone?”
“Lots of candles,” Aeliana promised. Laurina had let her help with arranging the gifts this year, a small step in learning how to run a great household. Hopefully her daughter would make a fine match soon - though it seemed the appalling idea of marrying her to Gaius Varius had died.
Aquila had never decided against it, and the foolish girl still got starry-eyed whenever Varius was spoken of, so what had changed things? Why had the plan not come to fruition? Not knowing drove Laurina mad. She had intended to work against it, but whatever had happened was not by her design.
“It’s always such a relief when the holidays are over,” Laurina said.
Perhaps she spoke too sharply, because both Aquila and Aeliana looked at her in surprise. “But, Mother, you enjoy the Saturnalia, don’t you?”
“At first. It goes on too long. I hope Caligula succeeds in cutting it short. It’s disgraceful, some of what goes on.” The massive orgies grew more brazen each year. Of course, she knew her momentary irritation had nothing to do with prudishness.
“They need more wine,” Aquila said, righting the red freedman’s cap he wore for the festivities. “They’ll be holding their aching heads until after lunchtime.”
With a small smile, Laurina said, “They’d best recover before that. I intend to eat lunch.” And she only prepared one meal during the Saturnalia. In all things, Laurina liked to believe she knew her limits.
Only Gaius Varius had ever made her question that.
END
Cast
Laurina = Irina
Aquila = Sloane
Aeliana = Nadia
Zenais = Emily
Gaius Varius = Jack
"Saturnalia"
“Where is our wine?” Zenais giggled as she sat atop her master’s couch, garlands draped over her curly hair. “You’re too slow with our wine!”
The rest of the house slaves cheered her on. Saturnalia festivities had transformed them for one night from the servants of this house to the masters.
“Here is it, domina,” Laurina called. But she took her time sauntering out with the flask, wandering around the room to stare at each little knick-knack, performing such an obvious imitation of the easily distracted Briton food slave that everyone began to nudge him and laugh as he buried his face in his hands in pretend humiliation.
The rites of Saturnalia demanded that the natural order of the world be upended … but only for one week. Slaves who thought their brief time of freedom and power was to be abused were reminded forcibly of the right order of things as soon as the festival ended. Masters who took undue offense, or who failed to observe the Saturnalia, would of course ultimately be punished by the gods for their impiety.
In Laurina’s households, however, the Saturnalia had always been auspicious, she liked to think. Her servants enjoyed the novelty but did not overstep their boundaries. And Laurina used the time to make the slaves laugh - to love her, even. She wanted them to love her, though she had little love for them in return. Nobody kept secrets better than slaves who loved their mistresses, and Laurina understood better than most that secrets were the true currency of Rome.
So she poured them ample wine mixed with honey, and let them have as much time as they would to gamble during the one week it was allowed. Unlike most masters and mistresses, Laurina and Aquila actually prepared the feast meal themselves, and did a good job of it, too. While she performed her duties during the feast, Laurina imitated one slave after another, amusing them with her acting abilities while ever so wittily, by example, providing gentle corrections to slaves whose service could be improved.
Better work from her slaves, a happy and trusting household, the approval of the gods: Such benefits were well worth pretending to be a slave for one night.
It’s undignified, Gaius Varius had said. She could hear his whisper in her ear, as though she still lived in his home, as his wife. Of course we must serve them, but we don’t need to simper like mimes.
It serves a purpose, Laurina had replied, and he’d accepted this. Though he had never joined her in her playacting, he’d let her do it and even come to be amused by her antics. After the first year, Gaius Varius joined her in the kitchen to help cook the feast and had turned out to be surprisingly handy at it. One night in the privacy of his bedroom, as the culmination of her playacting, she had even pretended to be a slave girl from one of the brothels, and how her staid husband had transformed …
But that was long ago. Laurina silenced the memories and brought her attention back to the here and now - where her not-so-staid husband, Aquila, was now pouring wine for their laughing slaves. Zenais’ pretty face glowed as Aquila leaned closer than necessary to her.
It was beneath the dignity of any Roman matron to be jealous of her husband’s slave mistress, however beloved, but some of Laurina’s friends were anyway. She was not. She merely watched, unsurprised, unaffected.
Her alliance with Aquila had never been about romance; they were not unlike many other Roman marriages in that respect. No, they were partners in a domestic and political alliance that had proved fruitful. If he found sexual happiness in a woman whose status could never rival Laurina’, that only added to the stability of their union.
And yet seeing the light in Zenais’ eyes reminded Laurina so painfully of how much more a marriage could be -
“What a din,” Aquila said as he came to his wife’s side, just as Aeliana appeared with a silly garland around her head. Laurina put her arms around her daughter as Aquila spoke. “It seems to me that Saturnalia lasts longer every December.”
“Rumor has it Caligula intends to shorten it to five days next year,” she said.
“If he even tries it, there will be rioting in the streets, mark my words. The Divine Augustus couldn’t change the Saturnalia; that means no one can.” Aquila fondly stroked his daughter’s hair. “Did we have gifts for everyone?”
“Lots of candles,” Aeliana promised. Laurina had let her help with arranging the gifts this year, a small step in learning how to run a great household. Hopefully her daughter would make a fine match soon - though it seemed the appalling idea of marrying her to Gaius Varius had died.
Aquila had never decided against it, and the foolish girl still got starry-eyed whenever Varius was spoken of, so what had changed things? Why had the plan not come to fruition? Not knowing drove Laurina mad. She had intended to work against it, but whatever had happened was not by her design.
“It’s always such a relief when the holidays are over,” Laurina said.
Perhaps she spoke too sharply, because both Aquila and Aeliana looked at her in surprise. “But, Mother, you enjoy the Saturnalia, don’t you?”
“At first. It goes on too long. I hope Caligula succeeds in cutting it short. It’s disgraceful, some of what goes on.” The massive orgies grew more brazen each year. Of course, she knew her momentary irritation had nothing to do with prudishness.
“They need more wine,” Aquila said, righting the red freedman’s cap he wore for the festivities. “They’ll be holding their aching heads until after lunchtime.”
With a small smile, Laurina said, “They’d best recover before that. I intend to eat lunch.” And she only prepared one meal during the Saturnalia. In all things, Laurina liked to believe she knew her limits.
Only Gaius Varius had ever made her question that.
END
Cast
Laurina = Irina
Aquila = Sloane
Aeliana = Nadia
Zenais = Emily
Gaius Varius = Jack