<strong>~ Liliana in the outer courtyard of the Ludus, standing near Aulus ~</strong><br/><br/>The man’s hazel-brown hair seemed to reflect the golden sunlight, and the blue of his eyes reminded Liliana of the open skies on a warm summer day. But as her gaze locked with his, she saw that it was as if clouds were passing over an expanse of sky, his fixed stare not seeming to even register seeing her.  As she turned back toward the sands where the gladiators and slaves separately gathered, one of the gladiators glanced momentarily in her direction. The exotically attractive and powerfully built man wore his black hair long, and his tanned skin was a few shades darker than her own soft olive skin tone. The arrogant smirk that he bestowed dismissively upon her spoke of many things, but mostly of a confidence that was enthralling to behold. She chuckled quietly at his smugness, and wondered if all gladiators possessed such self-assured audacity.<em>Perhaps embodying the role of gladiator demands such a bold persona</em>, she thought to herself,<em>for victories in the arena were certainly not wrested from death’s grip by the meek.</em><br/><br/>Turning her back on the captivating spectacle of the magnificent warriors gathered on the training sands, Liliana leisurely walked back toward the Ludus entrance in the outer courtyard. With her long, dark brown hair pulled up off the slender column of her neck to spill down the graceful curves of her back, the slight breeze her movement brought against her heated skin as she moved was a pleasant, if small, relief from the sweltering heat. The lightweight fabric of her soft green gown moved silkily against her body as she walked, the airy folds billowing gently around her moving form.  As her violet eyes spotted the scrawny but kindly aged man she knew to be Antonious and his makeshift merchandise stand, she smiled in greeting at the old merchant as she moved to walk toward him. Well aware that the glittering weight of emeralds displayed in her jeweled hairpins and encircled around her slender wrists would be as an enticing beacon to the merchant looking to line his pockets with coin in exchange for his proffered goods, her smile widened at the merchant’s enthusiastic greeting.<br/><br/><strong>“My dear lady, perhaps I could interest you in some assorted goods?  Perhaps some fine jewelry to appease even the mightiest of gods.”</strong><br/><br/>“Good Antonious, it is my deep pleasure to at last make your esteemed acquaintance,” she spoke in honeyed tones, not surprised the merchant had no idea who she was; the subject of wives was not one to often come up in conversation between businessmen. Or likely not a subject often spoken of by men in general, she laughed quietly to herself. “My husband, Gnaeus Petronia Nerva has spoken to me in high regard of you and of the quality of your wares.”  She graciously began to peruse the various items the merchant had on display on his table as he worked to remove the remaining items from their packing.<br/><br/><strong>“Aulus my boy, could you come help me with this satchel. You seemed to have tied it a little too tight for me.”</strong><br/><br/>Curious as to who the “boy” was that Antonious referred to, she raised her eyes from browsing the merchant’s offerings to see who this Aulus might be. A warm smile lit her face with pleasure as she recognized the stoic countenance and pleasing form of the handsome yet distant man she had noticed near the training sands.<em>Mmm, apparently the two of us are destined to meet after all,<em> she murmured cheerfully to herself as she watched Aulus approach. </em></em>