If she would stop pulling at my hair, I would be happy. My hair needs to achieve perfection so I tolerate Merytaten pulling, using hot irons to make curls in my hair and I tolerate her stringing pearls and gold ornaments in. If my dad would not let me dye my hair blonde, in today's fashion, I would have to make my hair look extra special to stand out. He wouldn't even let me use wigs! He said my hair was perfect just the way it was. But, what did he know?

Caius' birthday was tonight and the celebration was rumored to be spectacular. He brought dancers from Egypt and Crete, and even some animals to be exhibited. He knew how to spend his father's money. Because I was his best friend, I needed to look better than the other girls he had invited. Not only that, but I wanted to be in his good graces. I noticed the way he looked at me. Yet, he always hid behind the mask of friendship. Still, Caius was a good match for marriage. If only dad would think the same way.

I complemented the color of my dress, red, of course to bring out my olive skin, with some red makeup also brought from Egypt. I didn't have an Egyptian slave girl for nothing. She had taught me the secrets of makeup of the queens. Since she used to belong to a princess… or so she says. I chose to believe her. Her stories from that ancient land entertain me when my father refuses to let me go to the Circus Maximus. I was amazed that he let me go to Caius birthday! If it were not that we spent most of our childhood together and my father and his father were business partners, he wouldn't have… I knew it.

-"Merytaten, is my litter ready?"

-"Yes, mistress. I told your guard to have it ready."

-"Good."

Merytaten was busy now putting myrrh-scented oil into my arms and hands. I was almost ready.

-"Domina, you have to tell me all about the party when you get back."

-"Don't be silly, girl." Merytaten lowered her head. "You have to go with me. Father will never approve of me going by myself. You'll have much fun there." Merytaten's face lit up at my news. "I know you want to go. I've seen you flirting with Diogenes, the cook." Her dark skin turned pink at my words.

-"I am sorry."

-"Don't be. How can I get in the way of Eros? Go on, get pretty… I can finish with the oil myself."

I stared at the mirror satisfied with the results of hours of work and preparation. Merytaten was finished faster than I thought her capable. If I didn't know better, and her tunic did not betray her, she almost looked like an equal. I stepped into the litter of blue fabric, the one my father had made especially for me. He was on the other side of the litter to give his last few words before I went my way to the banquet.

-"Be careful of Caius, little Venus!" He said grabbing my cheek. He still thought of me as a child. "I don't want anything bad happening to you."

-"Do not worry Father. I can take care of myself and I brought Merytaten with me, just as you said I should."

-"Good girl. Have fun and don't be back late."

-"I won't."

-"I love you." He said as he kissed my forehead and closed the litter's curtains.

-"Love you too, Pater!" And we were off to Caius' house, which was a little further down the street of Palatine Hill.

When we arrived, we could hear the music from outside. We could hear the drunken laughter and jokes being made. I took a deep breath as my father's men put the litter down and helped me out of it. These Nubians always made me uncomfortable.

I entered the vestibulum and across the atrium at the end of the impluvium, I saw Caius, looking as vir  as ever. He looked directly at me, eyes burning up in lust and I smiled. I knew he was still after me. But then something else caught my eye, Phoebus incarnate was sitting next to him. The god of the sun in the very flesh, and what flesh it was. And he looked at me with the same vivid curiosity as I looked at him. Had he not been in the company of women before? Perhaps not. I saw as he exchanged words with Caius and I went directly to him to say my greetings. O dea! I said under my breath.

-"Salve Venus carissima!" Caius said before I could utter a single word.

-"Mi Caius" He kissed me in my hand just like he did when he first met me, 10 years ago. "My congratulations. Utinam beatus seas!"

-"Tibi gratias! Now, I want you to meet a good friend of mine,  Albinus Germanicus, son of Aurelius Albinus Germanicus,  this is Marca Venus Licinia, daughter of Marcus Dives Licinia." Albinus raised an eyebrow.

-"I am very pleased to meet you, Venus Licinia." Aurelius said with a smile.

-"So am I." I smiled back. "The son of the great Germanicus! I've heard he won great battles in that barbaric land."

-"That is true. He settled there afterwards. Caesar gave him dominion over those lands. I was born and raised there." I couldn't help my eyebrow rising.

-"I see." I say, looking at him from head to toe and smiled again. This man was perfection.

-"Come." Caius interrupted. "Let us go to the triclinium, I'm starving!"

The large dining hall was full of every delicacy known to the empire. The walls of the triclinium shone with candlelight and the frescoes seemed to become alive under its light. I swear I saw a nymph running away from a faun.

 I sat on the lounge chair next to Caius and Albinus was on his other side of Caius. Peacock was served to him, of course, being as expensive at it is. I could go on an on about the food and the wine but… I get sick to the stomach just thinking about how much food it was. Then the dancers came. I paid attention to them at first, but then I got bored and went to the perystilium to gather a rosebud to put in my hair perhaps… if only I could find the right shade of red.

Merytaten was busy flirting with the cook, but she managed just fine and she sought after my every wish. But since the dancers had started she had taken up the opportunity to make her move. I smiled and approved when she silently wished a few moments alone with him motioning me with only her eyes.