Vorenus had lived as one dead for many years, doing little more than enduring in a foreign land, and affected by only three things that were true. Titus Pullo was the bravest man he had ever known, his children would never forgive him, and Antony could and must not be abandoned.
The island had dispelled some of that coldness from his heart, but when Atia appeared before him, Vorenus felt its touch again, creeping into him with every ragged breath she drew.
He did not speak, and stood watching her with dull eyes from the same place in which he'd stopped.
Atia had closed her eyes again, taking shallow and ragged breaths. She stood on unsteady legs, opening them to look again about her. What sort of place was this? Servillia must have done this, must have paid off Timon to drug her.
It was the only thing that made sense.
Seeing that man, one of Antony's she was sure of it, it made her stand straighter, her shoulders squared. "Well? Have you come to fetch me home then? Where are the others?"
"No others, mum," said Vorenus, squaring his own shoulders in unconscious response. He did not recognise her clothing - she was not the Atia he had turned away in Eqypt, though she could of course have come after. If she had, he would likely know it in short order.
"Please, Antony must have sent you. He found out who had abducted me and was worried, wasn't he?" Atia was rather pleased with that thought, for all she could have sworn not a moment passed between Timon having left and her being here. It was amazing what the drugs they had these days. Perhaps Servillia had paid off a priest? It did not matter, she would find the mole in her home, and then the other woman would pay. Again.
Atia smiled slightly at that thought. It faded when the other's words sank in.
"What do you mean you cannot take me to my home? What other reason would you be here for?"
Seeing Atia of the Julii in the middle of the jungle made Pullo question himself for a moment. But no, he wasn't hallucinating her, she was there, red hair standing out against all the green.
His two lives, the normal one and this sort of fake seeming one were now colliding in a strange, and almost unpleasant, way. Who should he expect next, someone like Cicero or someone he knew well, like his sweet Eirene? Gods, he prayed for the latter.
"Atia?" he finally said. "Are you going to throw up?"
Isabel was certain that any day now the island was going to pull the proverbial rug right out from under her. Things had been far too simple for far too long. Hell, it had even given her a present. Never one to look the gift horse in the mouth, Isabel was wearing that present, a red sari she didn't think she'd ever grow tired of, yet again today
( ... )
Atia was just thinking on the strangeness of this place, wondering what sort of plot had brought her her, and who could be behind it. Servillia, obviously, she'd managed a way to buy Timon. No. It wasn't logical.
She took another shaky breath when she heard the woman great her, her eyes focused on her for the first time. "You," Atia didn't bother with preamble. There was no need. "Where is it that we are? Who has brought me here?"
A threat died before it was spoken as she decided that sometimes honey worked just as well for these things, "Tell me quick and I will make it worth your while when others come for me."
Isabel smiled, though it didn't hold particular mirth. The woman was bossy, which didn't sit well with her. However, the bossiness might be a cover for confusion or even fear, so Isabel would try to give her the benefit of the doubt. She remembered all too well how strange and scary things had been when she first got here....
"You're on an island called Tabula Rasa. No one brought you here. The island did." Isabel's expression said plainly that she knew it sounded crazy. It was, but at least Isabel had grown used to the idea by now, having been here a few months. "Before you even think it, I'm not crazy or anything. Everyone else you're going to meet will tell you the same thing."
Atia huffed out a small sound of disbelief as she stood on still shaky legs. When she spoke,, it was dismissively, "I've never heard of such an island."
"This isn't a game," Or perhaps it was. Perhaps Servillia had outwitted her this time, out maneuvered her. No. Atia refused to believe such a thing. "Come. I'll not stand for this foolishness. Who are you working for? That bitch Servillia?"
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The island had dispelled some of that coldness from his heart, but when Atia appeared before him, Vorenus felt its touch again, creeping into him with every ragged breath she drew.
He did not speak, and stood watching her with dull eyes from the same place in which he'd stopped.
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It was the only thing that made sense.
Seeing that man, one of Antony's she was sure of it, it made her stand straighter, her shoulders squared. "Well? Have you come to fetch me home then? Where are the others?"
Surely he could not be here on his own.
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"I regret I cannot take you to your home."
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Atia smiled slightly at that thought. It faded when the other's words sank in.
"What do you mean you cannot take me to my home? What other reason would you be here for?"
Reply
His two lives, the normal one and this sort of fake seeming one were now colliding in a strange, and almost unpleasant, way. Who should he expect next, someone like Cicero or someone he knew well, like his sweet Eirene? Gods, he prayed for the latter.
"Atia?" he finally said. "Are you going to throw up?"
She looked like she was going to throw up.
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Atia stood on shaky legs. "Throw up? No. Of course not." She'd never heard such a preposterous thing.
"Just," She pressed her hands to her eyes, feeling the pain in her head already, "get me back to Rome and I will see you suitably rewarded."
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"Swear it?" he asked.
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"Fine, fine. Of course I swear it. Whatever you would like, you will have it."
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She took another shaky breath when she heard the woman great her, her eyes focused on her for the first time. "You," Atia didn't bother with preamble. There was no need. "Where is it that we are? Who has brought me here?"
A threat died before it was spoken as she decided that sometimes honey worked just as well for these things, "Tell me quick and I will make it worth your while when others come for me."
Reply
"You're on an island called Tabula Rasa. No one brought you here. The island did." Isabel's expression said plainly that she knew it sounded crazy. It was, but at least Isabel had grown used to the idea by now, having been here a few months. "Before you even think it, I'm not crazy or anything. Everyone else you're going to meet will tell you the same thing."
Reply
"This isn't a game," Or perhaps it was. Perhaps Servillia had outwitted her this time, out maneuvered her. No. Atia refused to believe such a thing. "Come. I'll not stand for this foolishness. Who are you working for? That bitch Servillia?"
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