She swept in unannounced, her chestnut robes billowing behind her as she passed into the room. Her gait was inclusive yet calculating, and it seemed to draw one in while making one wary at the same time. This was precisely how Remus felt when he first saw the
domina Barbaria, mother to Romulus and thus someone of immense influence on coming events. Her arrival had not been anticipated, and she found the trio of them – Romulus, Remus, and Selenus – quietly enjoying a light meal in an opulent dining hall set off from the main corridor of the Lucallaneum. Tall stone statues of various heroes and statesmen from antiquity lined the walls, snugly placed in carefully carved alcoves, gazing over the room between them without constricting the open space. The tall ceilings helped add to the open and airy impression, and the marble flooring echoed the lady’s footsteps as she strode briskly.
Her auburn hair was scarcely tied and made one think of horses galloping. Her rather protruding nose seemed to be in perpetual sniff and accentuated her pursed lips. Combined with taut skin beginning to show hints of age, and deep green eyes, she exuded a force of her own without need of speech or weaponry. She clicked to a halt near her son and took a few moments to stare down each of them as they sat quiet, hands in mid-air, holding food or goblets. Romulus belatedly attempted to rise and was waved down.
Remus found himself under worse inspection than some of the senior rankers he had remembered over the years. A voice inside him was repeating a warning, that unguarded words at this moment could echo with consequence. He kept silent, putting on a mask of calm curiosity as the
domina finally sniffed with indifference and settled herself on the couch. The Lucallaneum was one of the few residences Remus could recall that retained the traditional seating arrangement of couches around a center table, unlike the more popular trend of hardback seats, which, though far more uncomfortable, did keep one more attentive at meals.
”I see you have made friends, my son, though one wonders who came to whom?” Her eyebrow arched in quiet inquiry as she reached for an olive.
Romulus seemed conflicted, as if wishing to assert himself and yet struck with familiar submission. He bought time by munching on his bread before responding, a calculated compromise.
”They did come to me, mother. The Praefectus here,” he said, casually waving to Remus,
”has been discussing some interesting proposals with me.” He looked at Selenus for a moment, perhaps wondering how to introduce him. With a true aristocratic bent, he declined and settled back into his food.
Barbaria’s mouth twitched slightly in a hint of bemusement at Remus’ title though she did not comment. With a sudden shift of her arm, she propped herself up and went from casual repose to vigilance in an instant. Remus was trying not to be obvious in studying her. He knew nothing of the
domina, though her features were decidedly Roman with only a hint of foreign blood. Her name itself was perhaps a clue, and he dwelt on it for a time. He was interrupted by her voice, which tended to alternate from a soft lilt to a haughty crack at will.
”Proposals?”, she asked softly.
”You had best tell me the complete story.” Her eyes narrowed, waiting for the tale that she expected as her due.
Romulus launched into a brief summary of the events of the past few days, including Remus’ arrival, the death of the guards – which caused the
domina to frown – the Senator’s departure for Rome, and their discussions of the past few days. The telling of the story caused Romulus to appear drained, and he visibly slumped on his couch, sipping his wine quietly. With her son's part completed, Barbaria freely turned her attentions to Remus, openly ignoring her son and young Selenus.
”I see. Having ambition, you arrive unannounced, with violence, and have openly compromised my son. Do you know…praefectus…” she asked, drawing out the syllables with a delicious relish,
”that His Excellency, Lord Odoacer, gives my son an annual pension of six thousand solidi? Quite generous, hmm?” She grew quiet, though her eyes lost none of their piercing intensity. Remus found his lips dry and sampled the dinner wine before opening mouth to reply.
As if waiting for that precise moment, Barbaria suddenly sprang to a sitting position and stood, moving quickly towards one of the outer doors, without explanation or acknowledgment. The movement caused a faint perfumed scent to be the sole reminder that she had been there, and Remus paused in startled surprise. All three of them stared at the departing lady as she swept out of the room, calling confidently as she left,
”The praefectus will accompany me.” The audacity of it surprised even Remus as he found himself standing in compliance. He had not encountered such a sheer force of will in a woman before, realizing how inexperienced he was in dealing with Roman noblewomen. Hastening to catch up and already beginning to resent the ploy, he counted himself fortunate that age limited Barbaria’s charms, lest he find himself in an even more difficult position.
Moving through the tall archway, he emerged into a low outside balcony, bordered by a thin marble colonnade and dotted with short squat braziers that added a flickering dance of light to the cool night air. The lady, having already paraded down the balcony’s length, was now stopped at the far end, her back to Remus, as if unaware of his presence. Swallowing his annoyance, he stepped up towards her and stopped, not wishing to bother with the first move in whatever drama she had planned.
A few quiet moments went by, with only the occasional distant shout of a villa worker or the soft hiss of the light wind on fire to disturb the calm. Finally, Barbaria inclined her head to the side.
”Ambition is not a fault, I find, praefectus.” The inflection she put on the final word caused Remus to grimace slightly, wishing she would dispense with it altogether.
”Vero, one cannot truly call oneself noble without it.” At last she turned and regarded him, her eyes not losing any of their scrutiny. If he wasn’t treading as carefully as he was, he might have admired the performance as one would a dramatic actor in an amphitheatre. He had too much stake in this, however, and that played into her hands.
”Your son shares our ambitions, domina,” he said quietly, pointedly meeting her eyes.
Those eyes now twinkled and her face rose upward in a defiant, proud gesture.
”So I have seen. I am sure you realize that you have already put us at risk?” Her hand came up to forestall Remus’ response.
”Your little nighttime adventure, complete with attack and all, will fool no one. Word will reach Ravenna soon enough, and then there will be an inquiry. Not a promising start to a relationship, I should say, praefectus.”
Remus found himself calculating just how much will this woman exerted over her son. He knew, of course, that it would be unwise to overtly cross her. Was there any room for maneuvering in defiance of her?
”Without me, praefectus, yours is a hopeless cause,” she said, her smile widening.
”We’ve come to enjoy the security of residence here, pension and all. These privileges are but the least we expect should the situation change.”
”And until then?” Remus asked cautiously.
Now Barbaria stood up, her hand sweeping the air in a casual wave.
”Until then, we would be pragmatic. My son won’t be going on any adventures until the prospects improve.” She laughed melodiously at Remus’ barely concealed disappointment.
”You expected something different?” She sighed, slowly walking towards him, not saying a word until she stood beside him, their shoulders almost meeting.
”I’ll confess, praefectus. I am not overly optimistic. Your skill in the field might hold promise yet as a politician?” She laughed and continued walking, headed for the doorway back into the villa.
Remus shook his head, already wondering what he could have done differently to achieve a better outcome. He began to think of arrangements when again she interrupted him, calling out as she moved back into the dining hall.
"But of course we expect Selenus to remain here," she said, confidently anticipating his question.
"We will await word.”
