Sulla had made his way up the Palatine. He could have hired a litter to carry him from the baths and his impromptu meeting with Addisonius, but there was still plenty of daylight and he had been away so long from his beloved Rome that he wanted to savor her ever changing splendor. How odd he thought that the more she did change the more she stayed the same. At least architecturally speaking that is. Rome on a human level shifted and changed with the tides of the Tiber. He reached out and took hold of a sprig of Italian Cypress and slid the fragrant foliage off the twig as he continued walking. He held it to his nose and took a deep breath; “Yes”, he thought, “Things change too quickly here, I will have to keep my wits about me if I am going to keep my head!” He chuckled, as he let the sticky shrubbery fall from his hand. “First things first, I guess.” He said aloud.

He lifted his hand to shade his eyes from the glare of the sun. In the distance he could see Dardanus standing at the gate to his home, “My home”, he mused with a short smile, for he had not been back to Rome since his father and uncle had both died, making him paterfamilias of his particular branch of the Livii. “Mine”, he smiled broadly.

“Everything is settled Dominus”, Dardanus tipped his head, “It is well that I had written ahead to prepare them for your arrival. I am positive that you will find everything that you require is in place.”

Sulla smirked, “Oh really Dardanus”, he walked past his freed man in powerful strides, Dardanus had to two-step to fall in stride behind his master, “You are quite sure of that?”

Dardanus looked puzzled, “Why yes Dominus, that is, well, unless there is something that I’ve overlooked, I’m positive that everything is... ready for every possible…eventuality”.

Sulla kept turned and walked backward, grinning at Dardanus’ confusion, “Every possible eventuality?” Sulla mocked him and turned around again. “I highly doubt you have even begun to think about the POSSIBLE EVENTUALITY that is about to rain down upon this house hold.” Sulla laughed loudly as he passed through the open doors and thanked his new door slave, the thought of the look on Dionysia’s face when she threw up all over his feet hung in his mind. Dardanus followed briskly, very confused. “Come along Dardanus, we have much to do before the sun sets.”

Dardanus rumpled his forehead, “Yes but…”, and then he caught himself and literally shook his head, “Yes Dominus.”

Sulla slowed down and let Dardanus come up along side him. He slung his arm over Dradanus’ shoulder; something Dardanus was not entirely comfortable with, “ Ahhhh, don’t be anxious”, Sulla assured him, “I just can’t stand it when you think you’ve got it all handled. You should know by now that nothing in my life will ever be stationary.” Dardanus nodded and let Sulla take his arm from his shoulder before he dropped back behind his master at a comfortable distance.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Later that evening…

Even though it would have only been a short walk to his cousin Diantha’s house, Sulla let Dardanus call for his litter; he knew that he had to establish his reputation. A fine set of four matching Aegyptians, dressed in an azure blue. When Dardanus found the time to make his life so comfortable and respectable he couldn’t begin to fathom, but in Dardanus he knew he had found a precious gem; someone in whom he could trust. After all, in these uncertain times, the wrong word in the right ear could kill a man and ruin his family.

“I shall not require your services until the morning Dardanus; I will have the livery see to the litter upon my return. I want you to take the night for yourself,” Dardanus began to protest, Sulla grasped his shoulder with his strong hand, “NO BUTS!” Sulla smiled, “I will not even be here and there is nothing that you have not already taken care of. Besides, I shall be looking forward to one of your stories when I break fast in the morning”. Dardanus nodded. “Let’s go.” Sulla commanded as he let the sheer curtain fall down between him and Dardanus.

The litter rose and jutted forward and Sulla let his life melt away. His thoughts were focused on his cousin, Diantha. He felt terribly guilty for accepting her advice to stay away from Rome, but he knew she was right. There was very little he could have done after Primus had killed himself. Very little he could have done to help her or Druscilla. He shook his head, covered his eyes with his hands and lowered his chin to his chest. Whenever he thought of what had happened he felt responsible, responsible for what Secundus had done; had been able TO DO in his absence! He should have made more of an effort, but really, what could he have done? He clenched his jaw as the litter pulled into the round about in front of Diantha’s Domus. He pushed the sheer curtain aside and as soon as the litter was set down he approached the door. He took a deep breath, “Will she yell? Will she tear at my hair? Will she turn me away?” he thought everything but the best.

“Marcus Livius Sulla Atrebas”, He told the salve, announcing himself, “Tell the Domina that I wish to speak with her”. The slave bowed his head and opened the gate onto the atrium. Sulla slowly walked in; waiting was harder than fighting a battle he thought. He dragged a hand thru his hair, “I just hope I’m not too late.” He whispered under his breath, as he began to pace.