Alea Iacta XI: Romantic Comedy Chp. III: Sneaking into the Imperial Palace
Cornelia immediately confiscates the poisonous cosmetics from all of the wet-nurses, and goes to inform Hadriana and Cimbrus that she thinks that the immediate threat, at least, is solved.
"Thank you. So, you think Mamerca is behind this?" Hadriana asks shrewdly.
"Well, at the least, she's been encouraging your slaves to use poisonous cosmetics on their breasts. But she may not have known they were harmful." Cornelia responds, diplomatically.
"Ah, yes, Mamerca, the perpetual deceived innocent victim," Hadriana comments sarcastically.
"Now, dear, she's my aunt! And she was under mind control by Scaevola - it wasn't her fault that her son went evil and insane! She's in mourning now, and we should all be sympathetic," Cimbrus remonstrates.
"Of course. Highly sympathetic. Nevertheless, Cornelia, I would like you and your allies to...keep an eye out for the activities of the nobilissima Mamerca, discreetly and untraceably if possible. She may indeed simply be a grieving mother...or not." Hadriana orders.
"Certainly, nobilissima Hadriana, we'll do what we can. Though i may be a bit busy the next few days, as i'm being sued."
"Ah, yes, we heard about that," Cimbrus comments. "You understand of course that we cannot interfere directly - it would taint the faith that Romans have in the system of law. Still, we may be helpful in other ways, as you shall see."
"Thank you very much, and of course I would never want you to distort justice on my behalf." Cornelia genuflects and leaves.
***
Meanwhile, Meloch, as usual, isn't waiting for any official orders to investigate Mamerca. "Can you get me into her quarters?" he asks Lucretius.
"Um...I doubt her personal quarters, not without arresting her, but I might be able to get you into that wing of the palace. But why would I be traveling with a pygmy slave?" Lucretius answers, puzzled.
"You won't be," Meloch answers, and winks out of sight, along with me. I hope, desperately, that this stealth mission goes better than the last one - at least the real monkey is along this time. Why Meloch thinks that sneaking around the Imperial Palace will be easier than breaking into a young lawyer's apartment, I don't know.
Lucretius approaches the well-guarded entrance of the south wing of the palace, where Mamerca keeps her apartments. The door is guarded by two enormous German slaves with long red moustaches drooping down to their shoulders, both standing rigidly silent at attention. "Ah, I'm Decurion Lucretius, of the Praetorian Guard. There's been a report of some dangerous cosmetics - poisoned, in fact - and we're checking the supplies of all the noblewomen and their favored slaves to make sure that they're safe."
One of the Germans turns and opens the door a crack, and mutters to a small, Egyptian male slave in the room beyond. The door opens, and the Egyptian comes out. "I'm sure all of the nobilissima Mamerca's cosmetics are of the highest quality," he says rudely.
"I'm sure they are, but you know how much of a system we have here - I'm afraid I need to check them, " Lucretius bluffs.
The Egyptian ushers him into a small atrium where an onyx ibis statue shoots water into an elegant red marble fountain. Meloch creeps behind, trying to move as silently as possible, although the Egyptian looks around, a bit confused by some small noise. "Wait here," the slave says abruptly. "We'll have the cosmetics brought out to you." He turns and disappears through a door lined with a beaded curtain at the end of the atrium; Meloch and I barely manage to slip through behind him without the beads being too obviously disrupted, although the Egyptian turns again, looking for the sudden gust of wind. Lucretius coughs loudly, and sits down on the edge of the fountain to wait.
The Egyptian passes through several more chambers, each adorned with extremely expensive and elegant art, mostly from the Eastern half of the Empire. Meloch and I follow, and Meloch, who took the opportunity before entering the wing to cast Detect Magic and Detect Poison, notes a variety of highly magical objects that he lacks the time to study in detail. Eventually, the Egyptian, after giving an order to a young woman to have all the slave's cosmetics brought out to the Praetorian, passes through a final doorway curtained with dark blue silk from the East embroidered with stars in golden thread, a fantastically expensive material. He genuflects to the floor before a middle-aged, thin woman with her grey-brown hair pulled tightly back in a bun in the 150-year-old traditional style of the Empress Livia.
"Nobilissima, there is a Praetorian Guard in the atrium with an unusual request. He claims to be investigating poisoned cosmetics and asks to investigate your and your slaves' supply, to make sure they have not been contaminated."
Mamerca's face reveals neither surprise nor any other emotion. "Poisoned cosmetics? I see. Well, i shall go and assure him that we have no such thing in this wing of the palace. Iris? Charmion? Gather up all the cosmetics on the table." Two maids begin collecting a truly extensive collection of small pots and jars on a marble side table into a basket; Meloch sidles over and determines that, while several radiate minor enchantment magic, none are poisonous or necromantic in nature. Mamerca herself, meanwhile, is wearing a powerful serpent amulet radiating conjuration magic and a night-blue cloak with stars, radiating strong abjuration magic, as well as a more conventional Roman dress and stola. She hands the cloak off to a slave before proceeding out of the room, momentarily leaving Meloch and I alone in her private quarters - but with the invisibility about to run out.
Meloch makes a quick search of the room, noting two large heavy chests and one small, locked chest, which nearly blinds his inner eye with the amount of abjuration and evocation runes carved subtly into its cedar-wood surface. He looks longingly at the cloak, tempted to try to steal clothing for the second time in two days, but eventually leaves it behind and slips back out into the atrium, notably disturbing the beaded curtain as he does so.
Mamerca, meanwhile, has been having a polite conversation with Lucretius, who looks over the makeup jars and then apologizes for wasting her time. The Guard's discreet Detect Pantheon concentration reveals that she is a devout worshiper of Isis, the Egyptian goddess of magic, wisdom, and darkness, as well as of the Emperor cult. Soon, Mamerca turns to exit. " Come, Iris, Charmion, we must be back to our studies. Thank you for ensuring our safety, loyal Lucretius," she murmurs gracefully.
Lucretius pauses a moment, struck by names that seem oddly familiar. "Iris and Charmion, nobilissima? Were those not the names of the last Cleopatra's personal maids?"
"You're very well read, Decurion," Mamerca smiles back, a bit coldly, perhaps. "Yes, indeed. Loyal unto death, they were. A good trait in slaves, I have always thought." She glides out of the courtyard, leaving only the murmur of the fountain in her wake.