Fortune Favors

Chapter 18

Nico lounged on a couch at the end of a series of long tables in the Domus Hadius. His dining partner was his cousin, Sabina, who was wearing a stunning dress of eastern silk and had her hair trussed up in elaborate braids and curls that must have taken her women most of the day to do. Sam had gossiped to Nico that Sabina meant to be Eolus's second wife, and Nico couldn't help but notice that while she was plenty flirtatious with him, her eyes kept finding Sam's handsome father across the room.

Meanwhile, Sam's mother, who was lying next to Eolus's elderly father, kept glaring at Sabina. Sam was across from Nico, lying in between Sabina's and Eolus's younger brothers, Titus and Marcus. Both of them were busy teasing Sam about his impending fatherhood, but Nico also noticed that Marcus kept looking longingly at Sabina.

grgNico kept staring at Marcus, and he was wondering if Marcus remembered their meeting. About halfway through the first course, he had his answer.

"I almost didn't recognize you without your black eye, friend," said Marcus.

"You're looking less bedraggled than last I saw you, friend," replied Nico.

Marcus grinned. "I was waiting for you to remember me."

This exchange got Sam's attention. "You two have met?"

Marcus grinned. "We had quite an adventure."

Sam stared at Marcus, and Nico found the look of jealousy and suspicion on his face adorable.

Marcus turned to the stern-looking patriarch seated next to him. "Father, remember when I told you about the Egyptian ship fire? This is the young Greek that saved me from my foolishness."

Maximus Hadius looked at Nico, and he nodded. "This is a good omen," he said.

"What is?" A good omen, I mean?" interjected Sam.

Marcus grinned and told of his near drowning, and as he told it, Nico had been his hero that day. By the end of Marcus's tale, he had painted Nico as selfless, dashing and nearly god-like. Nico reminded himself to thank Marcus at a later time.

"The truth of the matter is I did what anyone in my position would have done," said Nico, who was fascinated that the young man he'd rescued was Sam's good friend and adopted uncle.

Marcus was handsome, resembled his half-brother and father, and apparently old man Haidius had settled some land and money on him. Marcus also seemed kinder than Eolus, at least to Nico. He thought maybe his cousin Sabina ought to set her sights there, rather than try for the heir apparent, especially since Marcus kept glancing over at Sabina with unconcealed adoration.

Nico found the meal quite impressive as well, with a mixture of venison, fish stew, songbirds and even some exotic fruit that he had never even seen, let alone eaten. The bread was also excellent, and it was served warm.

Nico did his best not to keep casting his eyes over at Sam, who looked so handsome in his toga as he chatted amiably with their cousin Titus and occasionally tried to rope Nico into the conversation.

Nico, on the other hand, felt Titus's eyes on himself. Not in a lustful way, but in a way that said: "I wonder if he will marry my sister and spare me the trouble she's trying to get in". Nico sighed. His mother and father had suggested he be open to the idea of Sabina as a potential wife for himself, and he had avoided the subject.

He looked at Sabina, and he thought even if he was inclined toward a woman and for all her beauty and wealth, his cousin seemed like trouble. She was the specific kind of trouble that came when a girl was intelligent, beautiful and had nothing to do all day but worry about her own advancement.