“Please, Milichus. You can’t do this; prostitute our only child to the emperor.”
Raea Milichida paused in the effort to loosen her cloak clasp so her waiting slave could remove it from her shoulders. The plea in her mother’s voice was distressed and Raea’s heartbeat skipped at what she said. She was an only child which meant she was the one they discussed.
“She is my daughter to do with as I choose.” Milichus Claudis’ voice dripped with venom as he spat out the words.
From her earliest memories of her father, Raea knew he considered all women in his household as chattel. Obviously disappointment at his wife’s inability to produce a son for him colored his relationship with her and with the only child of her womb—a daughter.
“She is our only child.”
The whine in Liveea’s voice caused Raea to shiver. Milichus hated weakness in anyone and her mother’s tearful words just finalized whatever her father intended to do. Raea was sure it wasn’t going to be something she found desirable, especially if it involved the emperor.
“It is not my fault you have been unable to produce more than one female child. Stop now with the tears woman. I do not intend to support a penniless, widowed daughter for the rest of her life. She will have dinner with Nero tonight. Cease the sniveling now.”
Nero. The gods help her. Why would Nero want to have dinner with her? They had never met. Raea’s only glance of the Roman ruler had been from a distance and what she saw of him didn’t impress her. Furthermore, the gossip at the baths painted a picture in which she didn’t want to be included. |
