'Let's see: you know most of the palace grounds, don't you? And the Hippodrome is obvious enough. Hagia Sophia and Hagia Irene… Now, show me something in Roma that is as splendid as the dome of Hagia Sophia. You've been down the Mese—I saw no street in Roma so fine.'
'You did not see Roma at her best,' Olivia reminded him.
'You were fortunate to find a house so near the Augusteum, and in so pleasant a location. For many, even those with sufficient funds, such a place would not be possible.' He had mentioned this before and spoke of it now reflectively as he gazed out at the city.
Although the worst of the heat was over the day was still uncomfortably warm and the smell of the place was intense and pungent.
'Come, Drosos,' Olivia said as she held out her hand. 'I will agree that this is a beautiful setting and were I not a Roman I might well count myself blessed for being able to live here.'
'You're shameless, that's what it is.' He took her hand in his and walked with her back toward his chariot. 'You ought to let me order a palanquin for you.'
'Why? You could not show me your precious Constantinople if I were hidden by curtains.' She used the Latin word deliberately.
'Konstantinoupolis,' he corrected her.
'If you insist.' She climbed into the chariot and waited while he gathered up the reins. As he set the vehicle in motion, she shifted her balance with practiced ease. 'How long will it take us to get back to my house?'
'Not very long,' he said. 'We will be there before sunset, if that concerns you.'
'Not particularly,' she said, not entirely honestly. 'I find the day enervating and I long for a bath.' Her Roman-style tub was sunk in her native Roman earth and was especially restorative to her.
'You Romans and your infernal, eternal baths.' He did not sound condemning as he spoke and he smiled in anticipation.
'You may curse all you wish if you will join me.' She watched as a train of heavily laden camels went past them toward the gate that was in the west end of the city but opened on the road to the east, at the edge of the Black Sea.
'Horrible beasts. They spit.' Drosos was in a buoyant mood but Olivia could also sense a restlessness, a discontent that lay under his ebullience. 'I've ridden them. They sway like a ship in heavy seas.'
'How delightful,' Olivia said with a laugh. 'I will leave them to you and I will keep to horses and chariots, if it's all the same to you.'
The streets were more crowded now, and the press of humanity slowed their progress. Drosos held his team to a slow walk, remarking as he did, 'These two are used to the city, God be thanked. If I brought my blacks here, I'd have to bring two slaves to lead them, otherwise they'd bolt.'
'And then?' asked Olivia. 'Where could they go in this crush?'
'Knowing my blacks, they'd try to go up the walls or over the men in the streets.' Little as he liked to admit it, even this team of duns was fighting his control.
'Only the men?' Olivia asked with exaggerated innocence.
'Stop that,' Drosos said, starting to laugh. 'I can't keep my mind on what I'm doing.'
The last part of their journey, once they were away from the streets feeding the Mese, went more easily and they reached her house while the sun still hung in the western sky. As Drosos turned his chariot and team over to her grooms, he pointed this out to her.
'You see, even when we must go slowly through the market, we can make good time.'
'True enough.' She smiled at Niklos Aulirios who opened the door for them. 'Have you had any messages brought to me?' It was a regular inquiry and she did not give him her full attention.
'There was a footman from Antonina not long ago. He brought an invitation for a reception she plans to give her husband's returning officers,' said Niklos. 'I said that if you were able you would attend out of respect for those defending your home.'
She smiled at Niklos. 'You are a treasure, my friend.'
Drosos, who had overheard this, looked outraged. 'They have replaced his officers
'Apparently,' said Niklos, indicating the smaller reception room off the vestibule. 'Will you be sitting here, great lady?'
'After bathing, perhaps,' said Olivia.
'What has got into the Emperor's mind?' Drosos demanded of the ceiling. 'He removes the officers again and again and again and then he becomes angry because there are no victories.'
'He might not understand,' Olivia suggested gently, guiding Drosos toward the rear of the house where she had had her bath built.
'He ought to understand. It's important that an Emperor understand.' He stopped in the middle of the hall and turned toward Olivia, his face darkening. 'Unless he is determined that Belisarius have no victories, and then everything he has done becomes sensible.'
'It may be,' she said, talking as if to calm an excited child. 'But you yourself have warned me that there are factions at court that are so tangled in plot, counterplot and conspiracy that no one can think himself safe there.' She was able to get him moving again.
'Even so, this is a military matter, not part of court life.' He had made fists of his hands and he walked with such determination that Olivia hoped all the doors between here and her bath were open so that Drosos would not have the opportunity to kick them open.
'Military or court, each wields power and those who love power will embrace one as readily as another. Chide me for being Roman if you like, but admit that we Romans know something about playing with power.'
'That changes nothing,' Drosos declared, his brown eyes growing hot. 'If Justinian seeks to restore the Empire to what it was, he'll have to do better than change Belisarius' officers every time someone at court farts.'
'If you are certain that he is misled, why not petition him and ask that he hear your views?' They had reached the end of the hall that ran the length of the house, and the door leading to the bath was closed. Olivia adroitly stepped in front of Drosos and opened it.
'Don't be ridiculous,' he snapped.
'I'm not being ridiculous,' she protested. 'Drosos, you are a Captain of the army and you have some knowledge of the whole Italian campaign. Your perspective might be needed if the Emperor is not to be swayed by those who have ambition and family interests to color their advice.'
He shook his head several times. 'It isn't that simple. This is Konstantinoupolis, and here there are forms that must be served if one wishes to penetrate the court. I would have to speak to the Captain of the Guard. I know Vlamos. He's not a bad sort, but his family is a nest of vipers and they are all eager to see the rest of the nephews and sons and husbands advance. He will give favor to them before he listens to me.'
They had entered the main room of the bath where the holocaust warmed the water of the calidarium giving the whole chamber a haziness from steam that was faintly perfumed. There were brushes and robes set out on benches by the tall arched windows that were covered with oiled parchment. Now that it was sunset, they glowed a deep russet. There were four braziers in the room, all lit, lending their brightness to the steam.
'Would you like me to undress you?' Olivia offered.
'No,' said Drosos. 'I will manage.' He began by tugging the end of his pallium free and starting the complicated process of unwinding it. 'These things are the very devil, aren't they?'
'I have seen other garments as difficult. Remember the togas of Roma; most men hated them, in part because donning them and taking them off was so involved.' She had already loosened her paenula and set the tablion aside. Her dalmatica was looser and more flowing than the Roman version of her youth had been, and she was able to pull it off over her head with ease before Drosos had finished disentangling himself from his pallium.
'You are a beautiful woman,' he said, stopping his task and staring at her.
'Generous praise,' she responded.
'No praise.' He unwound the last part of his pallium and tossed it aside into a disordered heap. 'You are lovely.'
'And you are besotted.' She walked to within two steps of him. 'For that I am more grateful than I can
