Fortune Favors

Chapter 4

Sam may not have been a Hadius by blood but being Gaulish had a few advantages of its own. He thought about this as he stared up at the pristine but relatively modest house, where Augustus lived with his family. Certainly, it was a fine residence, but Augustus was so wealthy he could have had a palace the size of Palatine Hill itself. That wasn't Augustus's way, though, as Sam well knew. Augustus was emperor in all but name, but everyone knew better than to ever name him as such. He was the humble first citizen, protector of the people.

Adjacent to the house was a shining and newly constructed Temple of Apollo, which Augustus had built after lightning had struck a section of his home. The temple's sanctuary was accessible from inside Augustus's home, which likely served both the emperor and the god well.

Sam ascended the stairs to the front door of the house, and the guards smiled at him and waved him through. He may have gone through the front, but he headed straight for the kitchens. His eyes scanned the room where multiple slaves, some Gaulish, some Germanic, some Egyptian, some Roman, all worked over various pots and fires. Augustus's household had at least three hundred people, so there was more than just Augustus and Livia and their children to feed.

Sam finally noticed a familiar figure bending over and seasoning a large pot of something. Sam strode over, and he inhaled the steam that wafted from the stew. It smelled wonderful, of the herbs that grew wild in Gaul.

"It's the first citizen's favorite," said Katurīx, a young Gallic man with shaggy red hair and a scar across his cheek. Kat spoke in their native Gallic tongue, and Sam relished the opportunity to practice the language his mother would have had him forget.

Yet, it was always bittersweet to see Kat. Sam's old friend seemed well, and of all the places he could have been transported, this was not the worst. Still, Kat and Sam had been equals as boys. Now, Sam was an aristocrat and Kat was a slave. The fates could be capricious and cruel that way.

"The more he loves your cooking, the better off you'll be," said Sam, who was always surprised at the ease of which the Gallic tongue came back to him.

Kat grinned. "You always were good at stating the obvious, Sam," said Kat. "I miss the old country, of course, but I'm content. How are you? How is your beautiful Lilli?"

"In confinement," said Sam proudly. "May the gods be with us, and she and the child will come through safe."

Kat grinned warmly. "I'm sure all will be well. I wish you both the most happiness, but what brings you here?"

Sam reached into his satchel and pulled out a small sack. He opened it and gestured for Kat to take a whiff.

"By the gods," he said. "That's the finest pepper I've ever smelled, and we get the best here. At least, I thought we did."

Sam nodded. "Eolus has a private store. In his cups, he brags that it's better quality than Augustus's, straight from a Hindu trader."

Kat closed the bag and pushed it back toward Sam. "Do you think you can get an audience with Augustus directly? Give it to him personally?"

Sam nodded. "I've got a message about Maximus that I can only deliver in person."

"He's been in good spirits lately," replied Kat, "but any message about that old friend might dampen his mood."

Sam hoped it wouldn't dampen it too much, and Augustus would protect him against the machinations of other families and perhaps his own. He left Kat and the kitchens and headed into the foyer and told the secretary there that he had an appointment.

He was led into a small room, where Augustus sat at a desk and was writing something. Sam admired this. Augustus could employ a thousand scribes, but he wrote most of his correspondence himself.

Sam greeted him, formally in the Roman style, and Augustus smiled and got up. He kissed both Sam's cheeks, then briefly kissed Sam's lips. There were few men outside Augustus's family that he greeted this way, and Sam was honored to be one of them. The most powerful man in the world was in his thirties, but he still looked youthful and comely, with sandy hair and bright, intelligent eyes.

"It's good to see you Sam," he said earnestly, "not that I don't enjoy your missives. You have a great turn of phrase. I can practically picture the sour looks between Eolus and Maximus and Marcus based on your letters. They aren't just helpful, they quite entertain me."

Sam grinned. He'd been writing Augustus vivid letters since the day they had first met at the Circus Maximus shortly after Sam arrived in Rome. Augustus sometimes joked that Sam should write an epic poem about what he had seen in the Hadius household.

"I've also brought you this," said Sam, holding out the bag of pepper.

Augustus took the bag and inhaled. "This is the stuff Eolus thinks is superior to mine? Well, he may be right. So, I thank you. If you can find the location of the Hindu trader, do let me know. Now, what can I do for you?"

Sam smirked, and then he explained about the olive oil and the trade negotiations.

Augustus looked annoyed, especially about the brothels and the idea that Sam had been asked to engage in immoral pursuits in service of gaining the contract.

"A young married man like yourself shouldn't be asked to compromise yourself," said Augustus.

Sam leaned over. "You've seen my wife, sir," he said. "She's the finest Rome has to offer. I need nothing else in a woman."

This pleased Augustus greatly, as Sam knew it would. Augustus frowned on the hedonism that reigned back in the days of Marc Antony. His vision was of a Rome where strong morality kept man's baser instincts in check. While Sam had heard rumors that Augustus and his wife threw private bacchanalias for the elite of Roman society, Sam didn't believe those stories.

"Well," replied Augustus, "I care not what some Greek does here in Rome, so you give him what he wants. You make him happy without sullying yourself, and then from my end, I'm going to make certain that none of the other families interfere. Just remember, I'm doing it for you not Eolus or your mother or the gods forbid, Maximus. I'll see to it you and your family be compensated. Your children, Sam, will be the future of Rome."

With that, Augustus hugged Sam, and Sam smiled to himself. Maximus and Eolus had no idea that Sam was close with Augustus, and the thought filled him with happiness. He also briefly remembered his real father, and he hoped he would understand. If Gaul couldn't be free, then at least Gauls could have a place in the great empire.