Kyle and Lisandra arrived with their dinner, silently laying the table, Kyle’s worried eyes on Marius who sat there, livid.
Clavius broke the silence after they’d left, his face grim. “You might hate me right now, but I’m the only one who’ll tell you the truth, even if it hurts... You have to think about your reputation, especially in this cesspool of a city.”
“Sure, father...”
“Don’t mock me, my friend... one day, you’ll be thankful.”
Marius sighed, his anger and appetite wiped. He lay back on his couch, closing his eyes to the world.
Clavius pushed gently. “Won’t you eat?”
“No... I’m not hungry.”
“Nonsense!” Clavius ate then, alone, when Kyle came back to assist them, and he perked up. “Ah, at last! Come, fill my cup, boy, and make your brooding master eat.”
Kyle’s eyes drifted to Marius whilst he filled their cups, and he then sank to his knees next to him, brushing his shoulder.
Marius smiled, not opening his eyes. “Don’t order him around... I’m not hungry.”
“The hell you aren’t!”
Clavius started throwing olives at him, hitting him square in the face and he sat up, his eyes wide.
“What the...”
His friend laughed. “Stop wallowing in your misery and eat.”
Marius laughed, shaking his head, when there was a commotion at the entrance and they raised their heads, watching Marius’ father storm into the garden, his eyes on his son. Marius rose to greet him, slightly surprised. Gaius stepped in front of him and, with the same motion, backhanded him in the face, making him almost lose his balance with the force of the blow. Marius’ hand flew to his cheek, his eyes wide with anger, but Gaius was not done.
He grabbed Marius by his tunic with both hands and pulled him close, his face inches from his face, his voice raw with wrath. “What were you thinking?! I will not allow you to fill your house with whores!”
Clavius sat, shocked and Kyle tried not to breathe, kneeling at their feet, his eyes on the floor.He hit him...
It took a couple of moments for Marius to emerge from his shock, his mouth filling with the taste of blood where his teeth had cut his cheek.
He wrenched himself out of his father’s grasp, making the old man sway on his feet, his eyes blazing with anger. “Get out of my house!”
Gaius smiled at him. “You don’t order me around, not when I’m still at the head of this family!”
Marius seethed, his voice booming. “This is my house! Get out!”
His father just crossed his arms, facing him off. “No. And don’t even think about raising your hand on me, Marius. I will have you locked up and take your slaves.”
Marius looked at him in disbelief. “What... you can’t do that...”
“I can do whatever the hell I want, son, and you know it. Now, let’s get to the point. I will not tolerate you becoming the topic of gossip, not now when you are engaged. It is an embarrassment and a dishonor. So, your marriage will happen fast to wash away the gossip that you’re surrounding yourself with young boys, and you need to get rid of one of them very fast... this is not an option, it’s an order.”
Marius laughed through his anger. “Go to hell! I'm not selling my slaves!”
Gaius slapped him, hard. “Watch your tongue!”
Marius saw red, and he grabbed his father’s toga, pushing the old man back when Clavius jumped up, pulling on his shoulder. “Come, come, let him go... Marius! Please...”
He reluctantly let the old man go, his chest heaving, and Gaius’ eyes shone. “At least your friend has some sense... You have until tomorrow to get rid of one of them.” His eyes drifted to Kyle. “I’d suggest you sell this one here, at least, you’ll get a decent price, and you won’t be tempted to bed him.”
Marius laughed. “No way! Get the fuck out before I change my mind and haul your ass out of here with my bare hands!”
He was shaking now, Clavius could feel it, his fear and shock overtaking his raw anger, the adrenaline coursing through him, and Gaius just smiled, readjusting his toga. “Rude on top of it all, and disrespectful... nice...” His eyes bore into Marius’. “Very well. You brought this onto yourself, Marius. You don’t want to obey me? There will be other ways for me to get you where I want you to be.” His cold eyes gleamed, and he left, the garden all of a sudden too quiet.
