As I emerged from my dressing room, I was surprised to see my sister fiddling with the lock of my room. I stealthily got behind her and asked, "Looking for something?" "My gods! You startled me," she said, clutching her chest with her hands. "You should," I said, smiling. "So, what are you looking for?" I asked again. "I was looking for you, you fool," she replied. "Never knew it was a crime for a girl to want to surprise her brother," she said, scoffing. "Hmph," I muttered beneath my breath as I sidestepped her to open the door to my room. After I got into my room, she followed behind me sheepishly. "Best way to usher your sister into your room, you know," she said, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," I said sarcastically. "Do you want biscuits and tea? Oh, let me call the servants to bring food for your royal majesty and golds to adorn your legs, for I'm unworthy of your presence. Queen Mother," I implied, rubbing salt in the wound, and all the while bowing incessantly.
"Y-y-y-you imp," she stuttered, pointing to me. "How dare you make fun of me?" she said as she jumped upon me like a flash of lightning, pushing me onto the bed and started hitting me all over my body. "I will teach you manners today since you clearly don't have one, because if you got one, you would have known how to address a lady properly," she said, now laughing.
"Ouch! Ouch! I have learned my lesson, Ma'am. Please forgive me just this once, and I promise to not make the same childish mistake again," I said in a sad, child-like voice.
"Good," she said, and we burst out laughing. "Come here, you playful thing," I said as I pulled her to myself, hugging her tightly. "I have missed you so much, if only you know how much," she said, tightening her arms around me.
"Is that so?" I asked. "Oh, of course it is. Ask Father how many times I have pleaded with him to let me come and see you in Greece, and you received my letters, didn't you? And why didn't you ever write me back? " she said, rushing her words.
"I have missed you too, little sister, I have," I said laughing. "I want to hear everything," she suddenly said, detaching herself from my hug. "Everything about what?" I asked. "Everything about your escapades in Greece, of course. Tell me how it looks, is it magnificent like Rome? And what about their golds? Is it true there are so many silks over there?"
It was when she mentioned gold that I remembered the gifts I bought for her and Mother. I went towards my desk, looking for my pouch, then I remembered not removing it from the pockets of my trousers. I looked toward the place I had left my clothes, then found out that the servants had cleared it to obviously wash it, and I made a mental note to myself to ask Theresa if she had helped me keep the pouch.
"Marcus, am I talking to a ghost?" Emily asked, after seeing I was preoccupied with other things.
"Emily, Greece and Rome differ only in a few things," I replied.
"Hmm, that wasn't the answer I was expecting," she said. "So, if Greece and Rome are not that different, does that mean their men are good-looking?" She asked. I was caught off guard by her question.
"What?" I asked, bewildered. "You heard me the first time. I'm not repeating myself," she said while arranging her tunic.
That was when I was able to look at her properly, and it dawned on me that she wasn't the same sixteen-year-old girl I left at Rome. She should be in her twentieth year now. She was wearing a green, elaborate tunic, with intricate embroidery glinting in the light. The expensive silk rustled softly as she tugged at the hem, ensuring it fell perfectly around her ankles. And with a delicate touch, she cinched the belt at her waist, accentuating her slender figure.
"Emily, you shouldn't be thinking about boys now," I said. "And why is that?" she countered. "B-because… you…you…" I stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.
"My gods! Marcus. I'm in my twentieth year, twentieth year," she repeated, putting emphasis on the "twentieth." "Do you know that Penelope got married? She got married to a young, handsome man in her nineteenth year, and you're here telling me not to look at boys?" she said, almost shouting.
"Wow, Penelope got married, that's good news," I said.
"Yes, it is," she said.
"Emily," I said, moving closer to her. "I didn't mean to advise you against seeing boys, just be careful and don't do something rash because your friend got married first," I continued.
"Friend! Rash! Oh, please," she said, laughing loudly. "If only you knew the story behind her quick marriage," she said, stifling her laughter. But she was interrupted by Theresa, who didn't always know the best time to show her face.
"Mi'lord," Theresa called outside the door. "Come in," Emily said. "Mi'lord" Theresa said. "I should inform you that you should come down for dinner."
"Oh, Miss Emily, I didn't know you were in here," Theresa said bowing down her head. "Oh, gods be praised! You can see me. I thought I was invisible all this while as you try to seduce my brother in his own room."
'Mi'lady, it's not like that," Theresa said, still not raising her head. "Of course it isn't. Perhaps I should leave so you two can be together," Emily said, walking towards her. "I will not have you give me attitudes in my parents' house. Know your place, Theresa," she whispered into her ear.
"Emily, stop terrorizing the poor girl," I said. "Oh, did I terrorize you, dearest?" Emily asked, still at Theresa side, holding her chest in a dramatic effect.
"Begone, Theresa. I will ring for you when I am in need of you," I said. "Yes, Mi'lord, Mi'lady," Theresa said as she ran towards the door.
I chuckled at this. Theresa, for all my status and stature, hadn't shown any hint of fear around me or anybody, but I guess it was different for my sister.
"And whatever are you chuckling about?" Emily asked.
"Nothing that concerns you," I said. Let's go down for lunch, please. I'm so starved if you aren't. This was when my stomach decided to make a growling sound.
"You don't have to tell me in words, I can hear it already," she said, laughing as she hooked her hands into mine. "Come on, let's go and get you stuffed up, big brother. "And maybe you can tell me the story behind Penelope's marriage," I whispered.