Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel (5 page)

 8 

C
laudia wearily followed her maidservant through the maze of halls and was glad to reach her room. After they entered, Hotep bolted the door, almost fiercely.

“Are you afraid of something, Hotep?”

“I am always afraid, but there is one I fear most.”

“Sejanus?”

Her maid looked startled. “How did you know?”

“I saw the way he was looking at you.”

“He takes those he chooses and they fear to say anything. He has great authority with the emperor. You do not need to fear for no one would touch the emperor’s ward.”

“Oh, Hotep, how can I protect you?”

The girl smiled sadly. “The other servants watch out for me, Dominilla, but Sejanus is careful. He waits like a spider to strike when a girl is alone. There are dark places in the palace. Two of the maidservants have disappeared since I’ve been here.”

Claudia was horrified. What could she do? Perhaps there was a way she could speak to the empress tomorrow.

She awoke the next morning to sun pouring in the window. It took a moment to remember where she was. She saw Hotep waiting patiently
with a tray. The aroma of fresh bread wafted toward her. One cup on the tray held
mulsa,
a drink of water with fermented honey in it, and another held a small cup of diluted wine to dip her bread in. To Claudia’s delight, there was also a fresh pear.

Claudia thanked her but said nothing of her thoughts about Hotep going by herself from her room to the kitchen.

The girl must have read her thoughts, for she murmured, “He is not here in the early morning.”

After Claudia was dressed for the day, with a belt under her growing bosom for support, they took Felix to the garden. Claudia asked Hotep to tell her about Egypt.

“We had a farm, near the great river, the Nile. My two brothers and I used to cut papyrus from the marshes. My father sold it to be made into parchment. We also grew wheat and barley and had fig trees. We had two cows. My father was better off than many in Egypt. He had to give a large portion of the harvest to Pharaoh’s men, but we were happy. One night Roman soldiers came from the river. They took all our food, and then took us captive. I heard my mother screaming and then she also was led away. I never saw my family again.”

“Oh Hotep, I’m so sorry.”

She smiled. “The gods have protected me. I am fortunate to work in the palace. That is not the fate of some of the other slave girls.”

“I am glad you are here.” Claudia looked at the sky. “It is nearly time for the noon meal, then I must go to the Empress.”

“Wait in my room, Hotep, and take care of Felix.”

“Yes, Dominilla.”

Once again Claudia followed Milo through the palace and found herself before another ornately carved door, covered with gold leaf. Milo knocked and was told to enter. He waved Claudia in, bowed to the empress, and retreated.

The empress sat in a large impressive chair as her two maidservants hovered nearby.

“Come closer, Claudia. Let me have a look at you.”

She did as she was asked and stood quietly in front of the empress.

“You are tall for your age. When is your birthday?” She spoke in Latin, a test.

“May, my lady.”

Livia smiled. “Ah, after the goddess of spring. Your Latin is good. Who was your teacher?”

“My grandmother, Scribonia.”

The empress frowned. “Ah yes, Scribonia. Augustus divorced her.”

“The day my mother was born, my lady.” She stopped short of saying
to marry you.

“You speak your mind. I would caution you not to be impertinent to me.”

Claudia kept her face bland. “I was only stating what I know. I did not wish to offend.”

The empress sighed. “You have courage. It may stand you in good stead, dwelling in this place.” She leaned forward in the chair. “Have you ever been to the baths?”

Claudia chided herself for her quick tongue. She must be more cautious. “No, my lady, we, uh, remained in the villa.”

“Well, then it will be my pleasure to introduce you. No Roman matron would go a day without attending the bath. We learn there of what is happening in Rome.”

Claudia realized it was in her best interests to be submissive. She had a feeling the empress had much to teach her.

Livia quizzed her in Latin a little further, then discussed weaving and needlework.

“Do you sing? Play the lute?”

“I play a little, but have only sung to myself.”

“We will obtain an instrument and you can demonstrate your skills. You will have a husband to entertain one day.”

“Yes, my lady.” Claudia did not look forward to playing before the empress.

“Come to my quarters after your morning meal, Claudia, and we will proceed to the baths.” With a wave of her hand, Claudia was dismissed. Hotep was waiting.

“Have you been here all this time?”

“No, Dominilla, I took Felix out to the garden and waited in your room. It seemed that it was time to come for you, so I came.”

Claudia looked up and down the hall. “You didn’t encounter anyone on the way, did you?”

Hotep shook her head and smiled her gentle smile. “No, Dominilla, no one.”

 9 

W
henever she encountered Sejanus, Claudia had a sense of darkness. Felix was a comfort but no real protection against the evil that stalked the halls of the palace. Claudia tried to protect Hotep by forbidding her to go about the palace in the late afternoon or evening.

Hotep often told her things she heard from other servants, how Sejanus filled the ears of Tiberius with thoughts of many plots against him. Those of noble rank fawned over the prefect, considering him the power behind the throne.

“He appears to be devoted to the emperor, for once, when they were traveling, part of the grotto where they were eating collapsed. Several men and servants died, but Sejanus protected the emperor with his body and saved his life. The emperor trusts him completely.”

Claudia listened quietly. “But others do not?”

“No, Dominilla, those who oppose him fear his power growing and now the emperor is talking about leaving Rome . . .”

“Leaving Rome? When?” Would Sejanus be in charge of her? That was a thought that caused her heart to race.

“No one knows, but they feel he is grooming Sejanus to run the empire in his place. There is talk about the Isle of Capri where the emperor has a palace.”

As Tiberius invoked the blessings of the gods and they began their meal, Claudia had a strange feeling of uneasiness. Something was wrong but she didn’t know what it was. She had a strong urge to return to her room but wondered how she could do that gracefully. Was something wrong? She began to rub her head and cover her eyes with her hand. Perhaps she could feign a headache.

Tiberius was the first one to notice and she realized he watched her more than she imagined. “Are you ill?”

“No, Majesty, only a small headache.”

His large, luminous eyes focused on Claudia. Finally he nodded. “Milo, escort my ward to her room.”

The servant bowed and helped Claudia up as another servant quickly slipped her sandals on her feet. When she entered her room, Hotep was nowhere to be found.

She took an oil lamp and hurried down the dark hall toward the kitchen. Suddenly, in the shadows she heard voices, a girl, weeping, and the harsh voice of a man. Then there was the sound of fabric tearing.

Claudia knew the girl was Hotep and with a jolt of fear, she realized who the man was.

Choking down her fear, she gathered her courage and called out, “Hotep, are you there? I have been looking everywhere for you.”

In the shadows, the man turned and his eyes blazed for a moment in the light of the lamp. When he realized who it was, he stepped back quickly, letting go of Hotep.

His voice was low and smooth. “I heard your maid’s cries, Dominilla. It seems she fell and hurt herself. It delayed me from joining you at dinner. You are finished then?”

The lie was blatant and anger boiled up in her heart as she faced him, yet something told her to be wary of what she said. He was a powerful force in the palace. She hoped he would not see the fear in her face as she struggled to remain calm.

“No, my lord, I had a headache and the emperor excused me to rest. Hotep was not in my room to attend me. How fortunate of you to be near to help her.” She kept her voice innocent and soothing.

He gave a slight bow of his head. “It was my pleasure, Dominilla. Please excuse me as I myself am late joining the emperor for dinner.”

Her heart pounding, she watched him swiftly walk away. When he was out of sight, Hotep fell at her feet. “Have mercy on me, Dominilla. I only went to the kitchen to get some food for Felix. I disobeyed you. Do not have me beaten.”

Claudia lifted the girl to her feet. “Hotep, I’m not going to beat you. I’m only glad I was here in time. The gods must favor you, for I felt strongly during dinner to return to my room and then searched for you. Did he hurt you?”

“Not in the way he wished to. You were very brave, Dominilla. We are fortunate you are the emperor’s ward.”

On the way back to Claudia’s room, Hotep told her of others in the castle who had crossed Sejanus and disappeared.

Claudia was now more fearful than ever. That night she had a dream and saw the face of Sejanus, twisted with hate and anger, his hands reaching for her throat. She tried to scream, but no sound came. She woke suddenly, drenched in perspiration. What kind of a place had she come to?