Bibulus sat on an old stump in the forgery. Slowly he traced his fingers through old crevaced and wear marks that told of all that the wood had seen pass.

"So, young Master, what for the long face today?" asked the smith as he clapped a red hot shoe onto the hoof of one of Corneliaś Eastern Mares.

"Oh, there is a lot of yelling going on, and I had wanted to see my mother."

"Yelling? Magnus?"

"Yeah." The fingers continued to trace.

"Aye, he do yell. Louder than his ol' tata, but he ent a dark man as Strabo were." The shoe hissed in the water as it cooled. " Strabo were dark, he were. Sort of as our Lady Cornelia."

"Is that it ? She seems, well, I don't know. She's never mean to me, or anything, and she gave me that saddle for Saturnalia. But she almost never smiles. Or plays and laughs like my mother even Sextus.”

“Sextus is sunny and roaring like his tata, thah's the truth. Nah so much as his mother. Mucia was quiet and a bit odd. Never knew quite where you stood wiv her. Sextus were young though, when Magnus packed her up for Lady Julia. She were sunny too, though I only met her oncet. These great ladies don' want to spend time here in the sticks, though our Lady Cornelia looks to be different on that score.”

Bibulus frowned slightly. “I like it here, and I think my mother likes it here. But I am not sure lady Cornelia likes my mother.”

Nah, it isn't that that she don't like your mum exactly,”he said between blows on the next shoe, “it's just that great ladies have very specific ideas on how things are supposed to be. Anything that jigs with that is going to ruffle their feathers.”

“Oh like my grandfather Cato,” said Bibulus brightening. “He was very specific.”

“Eh...yes and no. You'll understand better than mysel' when you are older. Anyways, what was our Master on about?”

“Lady Cornelia. She is sick, or hurt, or something. I am not sure. No one will tell me, and I can't ask mother as she is with her, and Sextus is with Magnus.”

The smith scratched behind his ear. “Now thats news. I was to have these firebrand nags of hers ready, and I would save myself the time. Be a lad as Sextus were, and if you can find out, I will let you hold the next one for me.”

Sextus slipped of the stump and raced across the cobbled yard into the main complex. The whirlwind he walked into was greater than what he had left. Magnus was no longer shouting, but Sextus was, and there was something frantic in the way he spoke. An observant boy, Bibulus recognized the tone from once before. Seeing Dacia walking swiftly back towards the kitchen, he raced after.

“Has something gone wrong with Lady Cornelia?” he asked grabbing her skirts.

“What child?¨ the patient retainer asked startled. “ No. No she is much recovered, and very busy with the Lady Porcia.” Bibulus' face blanched. Seeing it, she went on quickly.”It's her time lad. A difficult time for any woman, but she's strong. Now I must go to get something for her.” And she walked off.

Bibulus whirled and raced down the corridors until he got to Cornelia's sitting room. The door was shut. Inside he could noise of movement and a low moan. “Mater!'he bleated. A loud cry followed, and he knew it was his motherś voice. “Mater!” he shrieked pounding on the door. A few moments later the door opened and the look on Lady Cornelia made him freeze. Not ugly or nasty, but gray eyes cool as a winter sky, and a face as still as an unpainted marble statue.

“Stop. That. Noise.” said the statue.

“But...mater...dying,” Bibulus could barely get out.

“Nonsense.”

“....Cornelia...., ” came a weakened voice from inside the room.

“I am coming Porcia,” replied the statue in a firm voice, and closed the door as another moan began. Then it looked back at him, and he couldn't stop the burning tear that was falling. Its advent caused the statue to thaw back to something of the reserved matron he was more familiar with. “Your mother is a mule and as healthy as one. She won't die. But she needs peace and if she sees you crying you'll only upset her. Roman men cry for their mothers, but this is a happy time. Come,” she said taking his hand, “ I want you to stay in my husband's study until you are called.”

They only went a few steps when Dacia appeared.

“Dacia, take Lucius to Magnus' study, and then see to it that as many honey cakes or whatever he wants are sent to him. He's to stay there until called. Then return to me. Here, I'll take those.” “Yes Domina,” Dacia said simply, changing steaming towels for a boy with her mistress.

They arrived in Magnus' study, to find both Sextus and Magnus already there and playing at dice while drinking hot wine.

“Ah, I see you have been confined to quarter's by the lady of the house,”said Sextus cheerily. “This is the business of women, and they'll brook no men. Well, no matter, you are welcome. Sit here by me.”

Bibulus ran to sit next to Sextus, the smith forgotten, so desperate was he to find a friendly face in his fear. “I've never seen her like that. It was a bit frightening.”

Sextus smiled. “Who, my step-mother? Froze you to the marrow?” Bibulus nodded with widened eyes. “Yes, that's ol' Hecate for you,” Sextus went on with a chuckle.

“Don't call her that Sextus, and give the boy ideas,” said Magnus gruffly.

“Oh come father, most of Rome calls her that, and with good reason. There isn't nasty bit in her, but she is the highest of aristocrats, and as cool as they come. Julia was an exception.”

“Well, I like her.” Magnus said firmly. “And not just because of her pedigree, no matter what you think. ”

“Oh father, I like her, well enough. She doesn't play women's games, or gossip, and you always know where you stand with her. She's completely loyal, never whines, and everything is always done to order. “Sextus rubbed the back of his head.

“Do you like her Lucius?” Magnus asked the boy.

“Ye..ess. She doesn't act like the mothers of my friends in Rome, but that's OK.” he started uncertainly. “ I mean, she doesn't get mad if I come back to the house dirty, or spend time in the armoury instead of my studies. She even takes me herself to the stables to talk to Brogus, and sends me with him on errands on your old pony with that new saddle she gave me. Mama is always on me about my studies, but the Lady Cornelia let's me do other things that I want to do.”

“In short, she lets you be a young man, just as she did with me.”

Emboldened, Bibulus continued. “Lady Cornelia also called my mother a mule today, thats why she wouldn't die.”

Sextus and Magnus roared with laughter. “And that says it all, tata!”

“What did she mean?” Bibulus asked, uncertain about the direction of the joke.

“The truth. “Sextus went on when he got his laughter under control. “According to my step-mother, your mother is the combined breeding of a little country donkey and a stock mare. Sheś got some fine blood in her veins, but its mixed. So she is very healthy and solid. Unlike so many highly bred horses, who now are getting over bred, and suffer no end of illnesses. Especially when it comes to times like this.”

“And Lady Cornelia is one of those highly bred horses,” Bibulus finally able to put together all those conversations he heard in a variety of households.

“Yes, she is a Patrician of the highest sort. Higher than my last two other Patrician wives,”said Magnus with a pained expression. “And my two other Patrician wives both died in childbirth.”

“Grandfather Cato said the same thing. He used to yell all the time about them, especially a lady named Servilia. He hated them, saying they were useless and...”Bibulus paused eying Magnus, ¨ ...and he laughed that such a puking ninny woman could again bring you into an alliance. He just hoped she lived long enough to see Caesar fall.”

Magnus' face went red. “Do you think Lady Cornelia is a puking ninny Lucius? Or useless to you?”

“No.”

Sextus heldup his hand to his father for patience. “Alright then. Cato had a lot of great qualities, and that's good. He was brave, and a good soldier. He was a good orator, and he had integrity when it came to Rome's finances. But he was also a man with an obsessive dislike about Patricians. Probably because he had been turned down by Cornelia's mother for being too common, all the while crying about my father's vulgarity. The difference is, my father has always mattered in Roman politics. He mattered to Sulla, and he mattered to Caesar. And when he mattered enough, Cato didn't mind using Patricians like Metellus Scipio and my step-mother to get him. ”

Bibulus squirmed in his seat as he thought about all his grandfather had said, and on occasional, his own mother, over the fanfare surrounding Pompieus Magnus and Cornelia's marriage.

“I have no idea what my step - mother thought about marrying my father, and I don't want to. She did her duty, just as your mother did HER duty in marrying your father. To ridicule either one for doing so, or make jokes about one dying from it is very cruel.”

“I don't want my mother or Lady Cornelia to die! ” wailed Bibulus, getting frightened again by the talk of death.

“And the mule comment was really the Lady Cornelia speaking to herself, as much as you about the strength of your mother. She knows her chances in child bearing are much worse than your mother´s.” Sextus stated seriously.

Magnus snorted.“Honestly Lucius, I hope my wife doesn't get pregnant. I have two good sons, and a noisy daughter well married with her own children. She matters to much to me to take the risk, and I want her company until I die.

Bibulus frowned, tears drying as quickly as they started. “Yes, I understand that now. Is that what's going on? My mother is finally having my baby brother or sister?” Magnus and Sextus both looked at each other, in shock.”

“Um....yes.” Sextus said.”No one told you?”

“No.”

Magnus filled a cup of unwatered wine and pushed it across to Bibulus, whose eye got big as saucers when he grasped it. He sipped, and smiled, while Sextus and Magnus watched on.

“Now,”started Magnus. “We are treating you like a man, and now drinking with you like a man. We have talked to you like a man about our women, so we expect you to behave like a man about this conversation. Don't ever mention to the Lady Cornelia what your Grandfather Cato had to say about her life expectancy or our marriage. She is no fool, and met him a number of times, so she certainly knows his feelings on Patricians. While she wouldn't give a fig about his opinions regarding her geneology, the comment on her mortality would hurt her. I don't want that. We men have a duty to protect our women from all harm, and see to their comfort and health. Your grandfather Cato treated his women, incuding your mother, pretty poorly.”

“Even Marcia?”

“In my opinion, even Marcia. He was within his rights, of course, but this is my family, and that's how I want it here. Deal?”

Bibulus smiled and sipped his wine again. “Deal!” he said happily.

Upon which moment, the Patrician woman under discussion entered, no trace of the statue remaining; her brow was damp, and wisps of her dark hair floated freely. Her heavy dark brows lifted on her slightly flushed face, and she smiled as she looked at her step- son. “Congratulations Sextus, you have a daughter. You may go see it with the mother, if you wish.”

With a woop Sextus leapt to his feet and hugged Cornelia before running down the hall to see his infant and wife. “I am a father...I am a father......”

Giving Magnus an odd look, Cornelia said, “Well grandfather? Shall we go?” For answer he took a large mouthful of wine, embraced her, then let the wine trickle into her mouth as he kissed her. Too surprised to swallow correctly she choked and convulsed. Supporting and patting his wife on the back at the same time, Magnus waved off the excited Bibulus. “Don't forget our deal, “he said to the departing figure.

When Cornelia tried to ask, Magnus just picked up his Great Patrician prize, and sat down on the couch with her in his lap. Helpless from coughing she could only accept his periodic wine kisses that did not improve matters, and occasionally prolongued the coughing. Thoroughly enjoying his wife's helpless state, he continued until her spasms made her fart several times, and her attempts to groan in mortification came out as welps. Whereupon he collapsed sideways laughing hysterically, stroking her her prone figure absolutely adoring her in her complete discomposure. “Don't worry my black wart, Julia farted with the best of them.”

Meanwhile Porcia, her son, and Sextus were experiencing a very different sort of reunion.