Free The Raven and the Rose by Doreen Owens Malek Page B

eyes and swallowed with difficulty.
    Larthia got up and glanced into the hall, then shut the door. She rejoined Julia and said in a low tone, “This is what’s been bothering you? The way he looks at you?”
    “Not just that. The way he makes me feel.”
    “And how does he make you feel?”
    Julia put her hand to her throat. “Since seeing him I can’t eat,” she whispered, “I can’t sleep...”
    Larthia examined her sister intently. “Maybe his presence at the sacrifice was an accident.”
    Julia shook her head. “He never took his eyes off me. I can feel them still. And now I think the next time I go out to that altar...” she stopped and bent her head.
    “Do you want him to be there?” Larthia asked softly, grasping the situation immediately.
    Julia bit her lip and shook her head, then she shrugged helplessly.
    Larthia reached across the table and took Julia’s hand. “Julia, you know how perilous this is. You can’t encourage a flirtation with this man, I don’t care who he is. Your very life is at stake.”
    Julia nodded sadly.
    “You must remember how opposed I was to Casca’s choice of this life for you, but you’re committed to it now. If you violate your vows you’ll pay the price.”
    Julia wiped her eyes. “Larthia, I haven’t even spoken to him...”she said.
    “Something significant has happened, or you wouldn’t be in this state.”
    “I just didn’t expect to feel this way. Once I entered the service I accepted that certain aspects of life would not be available to me.”
      “You entered the service when you were ten years old! I was only fifteen but I did my best to avoid this fate for you; you know how successful I was. But surely you didn’t think that your training or your celibacy would exempt you from feeling desire.”
    “Is that what I’m feeling? Desire?”
    “Of course. I’ve seen this Demeter, he’s a very attractive man. And he’s also a celebrated war hero. How could you fail to be impressed?”
    “It’s more than that. Men have come here before to record wills, it happens almost daily. But once I saw him, I couldn’t take my eyes off him.”
    “And it seems he feels the same way about you.”
    Julia was silent.
    “He must know the penalties for pursuing a Vestal,” Larthia said quietly. “Is he that reckless?”
    There was a knock at the door and both sisters jumped involuntarily.
    “Come in,” Julia called.
    Margo entered, bearing a tray.
    “Livia Versalia presents her compliments to the esteemed widow of Consul Sejanus,” Margo announced, placing her burden carefully on the table in front of Larthia. It contained delectable pieces of honey glazed fruit, apples and figs and pears cut into slices and placed ornamentally around a centerpiece of whole oranges from the province of Judea.
    “Return my compliments to the Chief Vestal, with my thanks,” Larthia replied.
    Margo bowed and retreated, closing the door behind her as she left.
    “Do you think she heard anything?” Larthia asked anxiously, looking after the servant.
    “Even if she did, Margo wouldn’t say a word to endanger me,” Julia replied.
    “Are you sure?”
    Julia nodded. “I may not be sophisticated in the ways of the world you inhabit, Larthia, but within the confines of these walls I know which people I can trust.”
    Larthia looked at the dessert tray without enthusiasm; she had lost her appetite too.
    “What are you going to do about this centurion?” she asked Julia.
    Julia closed her eyes. “I may never see him again.”
    “But you think you will.”
    Julia lifted one delicate shoulder. “I think from his history that he goes after what he wants.”
    “What is his history?”
    “I don’t know that much, only that he is the son of a freedman farmer from Sardinia.”  
    “But to come from that background and rise as high as he has in the army bespeaks a determination that he will now apply to his pursuit of you, is that it?” Larthia supplied.
    Julia met her eyes