Servius has been a slave of the well-respected Lucceius
family for 8 years, and felt very fortunate for his living situation. After all, many of his friends and
family that were taken prisoner following the Roman victory at the Battle of
Alesia did not have a chance to live at all. Caesar and his army were particularly brutal in regards to
many of the Gallic captives. At
the tender age of 14, Servius saw first-hand what might have become of him at
the hands of the executioner. He
gave thanks in prayer each day for his head’s continued attachment to the rest
of him, and what a fine head it was.
An
unexpected growth spurt that accompanied Servius’s late teen years had
transformed him into what Achaicus Lucceius called, “a particularly wise
investment.” Standing over six
feet tall with a barreled chest and arms chiseled from years of service,
Servius’s impressive stature was matched by his kindness and loyalty. His dark brown eyes were earnest and
true, never suggesting anything but the noblest intentions toward his master
family. Despite his lack of formal
education, Servius possessed a quick, yet respectful wit. He was appreciated and enjoyed mightily
by the entire Lucceius family. The
promise from Archaicus of one day acquiring the status of a freed man provided
incentive for Servius, though his fine character did not require it.
Adelia
had been a slave all of her life, born into the custody of the Praetor of Rome,
Marcus Junius Brutus the Younger. Although
both of her parents were also slaves serving Brutus in his impressive
senatorial estate, Adelia could never help but notice the lips and eyes of her
master. When he smiled, she often
saw glimpses of herself. A striking
beauty, it was against the nature of humans to treat Adelia as a
subordinate. Her unblemished olive
skin, raised cheekbones, and sun-streaked, light-brown hair suggested regality
not present. Her slave life was
hardly that, as her delightful demeanor, coupled with her beautifully feminine
physique, frequently granted her the pleasantest of jobs. Although Adelia enjoyed these privileges,
she was by no means weak in spirit.
She dreamed of freedom, and had faith that one day, somehow, the
illusive right that so many took for granted would be hers at last.
