Tanaquil Shares How She Was Widowed

We met with no idea of what we would discuss. Facing the uncertain nature of my husband's condition, I had little to offer but listening. It was Julia, wonderful unrestrained Julia, who asked Tanaquil how she became a widow. Tanaquil seemed hesitant in light of my plight. I assured her it was okay. And her story unfolded.
The entrance court to the palace was empty except for one guard posted to await Tarquinius' summons for escort back to the Curia for the afternoon meeting of the Senate. In the courtyard the dozen lictors sprawled on the ground under ivy covered trellises awaiting that summons. Outside the palace entrance all along the street half sleeping residents leaned against the walls of closed silent houses.
Two ruffians, armed with axes commonly used by rustics, attempted to enter the palace. They were stopped by the insistent guard. They began to argue between themselves as to the next move. When they raised their voices the guard ordered them to leave. The raised their voices more and soon there was such a ruckus that on either side of the door crowds gathered, lictors and slaves inside the palace, extra guards and residents on the outside. The ruffians raised their voices ever and ever louder and began to fling their axes. Lictors from the inside and guards from the outside surrounded them and restrained their physical activity. But they were unable to quell their shrieks. For one after the other, then both together, the yelled at the top of their voices for the king.
They were summoned to the king's office. Held before the king by guards the ruffians were at last silent.
"Now," said Tarquinius, "let us see if we can get to the bottom of this unseemly childish escapade. I am going to order you released. You will stand at peace, or I have you restrained in a way you will not like. Then I shall hear what each of you has to say . I will hear first one and then the other. Is that agreeable?" They nodded. "Each of you will remain quiet and in control while the other speaks. Is that agreeable?"
With lowered heads in an apparant show of shame both nodded.
The guards released their tight grip on the men but they remained alert. Neither ruffian moved. "Now you," Tarquinius said to the shorter of the two. "come here. Now what is the cause of this disgusting display?"
Lifting his head the man breathed deeply as if calming his spirit and collecting his thoughts. Finally he said, "It all started before the beginning of the month. I had these three young ewes--good ewes, anybody'll tell you that if you just ask. For since their first lambing they all three gave me twins-- and one one time triplets. That was three times already and with no trouble at all."
The taller of the two paced slowly back and forth behind Tarquinius. He made no noise save the sound of his boots on the tile floor.
"Siccius-- that's Siccius back there." He pointed to the pacing man. Tarquinius did not turn. He merely nodded. "Siccius got it in his head he'd swap in some pitisome worn out ewes for my prizes. And he did it. Just as bold as you like but I found out the same day. And the ones he slipped in have shaggy skimpy wool and they have lost most of their teeth. I bet they can't even lamb anymore, and if they can I know they won't be giving me no twins or triplets."
Siccius continued to pace, occassionally swinging his axe, but otherwise in control. The guards relaxed, sensing the king had the situation under control. Tarquinius rolled his eyes and sighed. "Just get to the end and spare me the petty details."
Siccius in one fluid movement took a step forward behind the king. He lifted his axe with both hands and brought it down with such force that it split Tarquinius' skull. Leaving the weapon in the wound both men made a dash for the door and fled as guards knelt before their fallen dying king, his head still holding the axe. And that was how it happened.
"How awful," Cartimandua said. Julia's eyes were filled with tears. "But did they get away with it?" I asked
Tanaquil assured us the villians were found and brought to justice. "But it did not bring back my husband," Tanaquil said.

A Hitch in my Plans

My idea of regular meetings with Julia, Carti and Tanaquil was dealt a blow. My husband was diagnosed with leukemia-- the nasty kind. My time was filled with doctors, hospital personnel and managing the homefront by myself. Finally we did get to meet. Julia was of great comfort. She shared her own 'husbands in trouble'. Her accounts seemed to soothe me. She survived the illness and death of two husbands. And even though they are not at all like mine I feel a connection.
"My first was Marcellus", she said. "A cousin destined to succeed my father Augustus as Emperor of Rome. Marcellus was little more than a boy. I was a starry eyed teenage." As it developed Marcellus fell victim to his sense of entitlement and became what many called 'an overindulged brat'. He never had the chance to outgrow adolescent foolery. While his Uncle Augustus was away on empire business, Marcellus fell ill. His illness lingered and worsened. He died. A common belief of 'foul play' permeated the city. The notion was that Augustus's wife Livia had a hand in his death. It was known far and wide that Livia wanted her son, Tiberius, from a previous marriage to succeed my father, Augustus. And it was Livia who nursed Marcellus through a simple stomach upset, turned bad and then terminal.
"I was devastated," Julia said. "For though the marriage was arranged, I treasured my time with Marcellus. I think what I liked most was the sex. He was my first sex partner. And the sex was phenomenal. Livia accused me of harlot behavior."
But Marcellus died. Tata gave me little mourning time before he married me to Agrippa, a man of Tata's age, his colleague in establishing the Empire after so many years of civil war. Tata needed Agrippa and to keep him in service he needed me to be in Agrippa's service.
Agrippa was not the lover Marcellus was, but he was fertile. Five children we had in short order, two girls and three boys with claims to the emperorship. His death came after an illness, at an age more appropriate for death than Marcellus's was."
As we talked I was so engrossed I could hardly wait for more. We decided--we even vowed to meet often-- as my time around my husband's chemo allows.