Sure enough, as I pushed closer to see, he moved into view. He shook the fishmonger’s hand and walked the length of the stall, Tiberius at his side.
“What a beautiful catch this morning,” Tiberius remarked. He paused to look over the fish. “And look at that fat red mullet! Someone will be happy tonight. I’ll eat my hat if that mullet isn’t bought by Apicius or Publius Octavius!”
“It’s a very fine mullet.” The fishmonger held it up for better viewing. “It’s the largest you will find, at four and a half pounds.”
Tiberius nodded his approval.
As Sejanus turned to look at the mullet he caught my eye in the crowd.
“Look, here’s Apicius’s man now!” He waved me forward.
I came close, my heart pounding. I had never been surrounded by so many soldiers before nor had I ever been so close to Tiberius, the man destined to be the next Caesar.
“Apicius will be glad of that fish for his supper, I expect!” Tiberius gave me a grin and nod of the head.
“In truth, I’ll be glad of that mullet tonight.” Sejanus laughed. “Considering I’ll be dining on his couch!”
“Well, in that case”—Tiberius waggled a finger at the fishmonger—“sell this man your mullet!”
The fish was bigger than any mullet I had ever seen by at least two hands. It glistened red, its scales reflecting the light. Its gray eye was wide and dull but somehow seemed to be looking right at me.
“How much?” I hoped my nervousness didn’t show.
“Fifteen sestertii.” The fishmonger grinned.
No wonder he was smiling. It was an exorbitant price despite the fish’s size.
I started to say “Fine,” but was cut off.
“I’ll give you twenty-five sestertii.” The voice, stern and deep, came from somewhere behind my right ear.
I looked over my shoulder. A man had pushed himself through the guard and now he came to stand by my side. Buccio. Why did he have to show up now?
Sejanus called out over the crowd, “And here’s Octavius’s man!”
“Ha! What are the chances?” Tiberius chuckled.
I couldn’t let Buccio outbid me or Apicius would have my head. “One hundred sestertii.” It was six times what I would normally have paid for a fish of that size.
“Two hundred fifty sestertii.” Buccio looked smug.
My nervousness was turning to anger. I could not justify spending so much on a damn fish! “Four hundred fifty sestertii.” I barely managed to push the words past my lips.
“Eight hundred sestertii.”
A crowd had begun to gather, both to gawk at Tiberius and to see what bidding madness was taking place.
I hoped that if I greatly upped the price Buccio would stop bidding. “Two thousand sestertii.” The crowd went wild. My stomach was churning. I’d paid that much for a pair of new donkeys last week.
It didn’t work. He smiled at me sweetly, as a man would at a child.
“Five thousand sestertii.”
I looked at Tiberius and Sejanus, dumbfounded. Slaves often sold for less. Both seemed to be waiting to see what I would do next. If I walked away, what would be the outcome? Would Tiberius appreciate my sensibility or would he be displeased? What would Sejanus say to Apicius at dinner if I failed to bring home the fish?
The fish had huge smooth pink-red scales. It had been sitting in the open air longer than I cared to think about. The eye gleamed at me.
“I concede. I cannot be such a fool to pay so much for a fish.” It came out bitterly but I did not appreciate being humiliated.
Buccio flashed his teeth at me. “Caesar won’t think Publius Octavius a fool when he is dining on such a catch tonight, I assure you.” He handed the fishmonger a pouch.
The merchant beamed, looking like a boy on Saturnalia morn opening presents. Five thousand sestertii was as much as he was likely to make in a year.
“May Roma leave her blessing upon you,” I said formally to Tiberius and Sejanus with a deep nod. I made to leave.
“I will be sad not to dine on that fish,” Sejanus said.
I looked back and responded, mostly for Tiberius’s benefit, “I promise you a meal far superior, sir.”
Tiberius and Sejanus chuckled as I walked away.
I vowed there would be no fish at all that night. Instead I headed for the Forum Suarium. Nothing but the finest pig would fill our bellies.
? ? ?
On the way to my room I ran into Glycon. “How was your day?” He looked at me as though he already knew the answer.
“It has been bad but I intend to make it good.” Maybe if I was as cryptic as he was he would leave me alone.
“As the stars said.” He gave me a slight, sage smile and walked on.
I stayed in my cubicle as long as I dared. I hated being in the same room with Sejanus, and facing both him and Apicius was doubly bad. When Sejanus visited, Apicius became cruel and said biting things to the slaves and sometimes to Aelia. He was like a two-headed Janus, showing one face to Sejanus, and the other, uglier one to the rest of us.
When I heard the slaves announce Sejanus’s arrival I couldn’t dally any longer. I ran down the corridors to the atrium, arriving when Apicius did, Sotas in tow.
“I am pleased you and Apicata could join us tonight,” Apicius said.
Sejanus held Apicius by the shoulder for a moment, as one would an old friend. I thought I saw Apicius tense up but the moment passed. Sejanus didn’t notice.
“My wife is more pleased, I suspect. She has been haranguing me to come for a visit.”
“I imagine your schedule is hectic,” I said, slipping the words in to make my presence known.
“That is true, especially of late. Thrasius, my man, good to see you for the second time today!”
I tilted my head and smiled, hoping my loathing for him didn’t show on my face. I was not his man.
“Second time?” Apicius indicated we should walk with him toward the triclinium.
“We saw each other at the market this morning,” I responded, hoping Sejanus would leave it at that.
Fortuna was not smiling down on me.
“I must say, that red mullet would have been a fine meal tonight. Tell me you have another delicacy for us instead?”
I cleared my throat, knowing Apicius would have my head later. “I do. I promise it will be pleasing.”
Apicius glared at me. It was a gaze I did not want to be under. “What was wrong with the mullet?”
“It was more money than I cared to spend.” I knew it was the wrong thing to say. I should have mentioned how long that fish was out in the sun, but the words were already out of my mouth.
“Tiberius and I were inspecting the Forum Piscarium this morning and we saw the finest red mullet we had ever seen. Tiberius joked that either you or Octavius would buy it up. Then we saw Thrasius standing next to us! Imagine our delight! Then, just as he would pay for the mullet, one of Octavius’s slaves appeared with a higher bid! The gods were listening to Tiberius!” Sejanus said.
Apicius was not amused. I could not see his face as he walked in front of me but his tone was dark. “Didn’t you counterbid?”