Valeria let the corners of her mouth turned up in a larger and warmer smile. Imagine Merula pretending not to know someone when he knew everyone who was anyone or was going to be anyone. He probably had his reasons and she’d find out later. She always found out what was going on. Dear Merula was not one of those husbands who treated a wife as an object to be locked up and kept ignorant. Equal partnership, which was exactly the way she wanted it.

She felt her husband’s glance and winked very slightly. As a matter of fact, she was able not to even break the conversation she was having with one of the most minor senators. He had a son of an age to enter the senate, but the only asset the young man possessed was an old name. Sad to know that some of the old families were falling into trouble. Of course, it seemed that many came to Valeria Flaccia in hopes of getting a word or two in the right ear. There were senators asked for fewer favors. Still, the young man was rather entertaining, quite clever, and nothing like his father. She might just say something to Merula.

Of course, he had something to tell her. Talking to Consul Nerva meant only one thing: he was going to Africa and she was going to be staying home. Of course she would. There would be the baby, Arsinoe and her education, the largest domus in Rome, the large staff, and acting as Merula’s proxy for everything but speaking in the Senate. She’d be busy and spend even more time corresponding. Well, so be it and so be her giving him a bit of a hard time when he asked her. He’d be a fool to refuse and Merula was not a fool.

It was good to be out. It was quite a lovely way to make a splash while beginning a political career. Plus, an Aemili gladiator had made the finals. Everyone in Rome had been talking excited for a while. She had done something wicked and given her maid the day off with a few denarii to spend. The girl had been told not to come back before dark. Taking care of a patrician lady and her large wardrobe had to be so tiring.

Tiring as backaches and lack of sleep. She was tired and kept awake by the horrible little thing in her womb. It had to be a daughter. Only a Calli woman would insist on causing such inconvenience. The kicking was probably a complaint that the temporary home wasn’t made of marble and she had no silk to wear. The birth couldn’t be soon enough, not that it wasn’t a wonderful thing to know that there was a little person growing inside of you.

But still, the weight gain ! Moving was getting much harder and she had lost the wonderful Valeria walk that looked like dancing. Merula better take the full year in Africa, or so she thought. He wasn’t going to get his hands on her anytime soon, that was for sure. Being big as a cow was no reason to become one and Juno Lucina would be getting large offerings in exchange for staying the hell away along with any October Horses. At least for a few years, if Claudia was that right about the feelings one got from babies.

She sipped a glass of wine as the senator continued talking about how a few families held Rome’s government in their hands. Then would come the talk about how someone would wrest the power and return it to the people. Really, that man was too old to be so idealistic and she knew for a fact that he wouldn’t mind if that someone were himself or his son. Imagine saying such things to an Aemilii. For the sake of his son, hopefully insanity didn’t run in the family. Worse would be political stupidity. It was one or the other and the former was vastly superior to the latter.

The final match would take place soon. How lovely it was to be able to be able to concentrate on games that had nothing to do with politics. Everything was so open and the rules were so simple, unlike the games going on in the consular box. An Aemilii gladiator was in the final match, so it would be quite interesting. He’d face one owned by Porcia’s husband and she felt disapproval. If the man could afford gladiators and running for consul, then why did Porcia live in a part of town Valeria wouldn’t set foot in ? Surely some of that money could be used for a villa on the Palentine. Of course, that was Porcia’s affair, not that of someone who had never worried about money and would never worry about money. Now, if Podex would only win, her day would be complete.