8: Bactrian meeting
Eighth hour (14:10)
As they walked closer to the camp, Tita started to recognize who was who by their demeanor, size, hair style and skin color. Kushana, Ardoksho, Hariti and Asia had been swimming in the river and were now dressed in their tunics and walking up the field towards the meeting tent. Bana, Ralik and Nana had been in the field and were already arriving at the meeting tent. Zarina directed them to start forming a welcoming circle.
Nana, Ziais and Roxana were helping the slave women Leia, Kostantina and Marina to prepare cups of wine for everyone and bring them inside the tent. Zina and Zine had come out of their tent, which was closest to the river. They were waving to her as they walked up the sloping tree line towards Zarina. Tita removed her shawl and smiled grandly, waving excitedly at them with her free hand.
Soon after, Elena and Tita left the trail and started walking across the grassy field directly towards the meeting tent. Zarina and her son Adza started to walk towards them through the field. Elena waved a greeting, and Zarina replied with her characteristic quick wave. After some moments of walking, they were facing each other.
Tita saw Zarina was smiling tensely at first, but then her tension disappeared as Zarina looked at Elena with surprise. When Elena greeted her in the Greek-Bactrian language they spoke, Zarina was stunned into silence. The Elena Effect, Tita thought, almost giggling at how Elena could overwhelm someone as strong and disciplined as Zarina.
Tita had learned that Zarina was a woman who always had quick and sharp words, who could be very cutting with her strong and powerful tone of voice. During their journey from Rome, Tita had noticed that Zarina spoke to her in a gentle voice, but with the others she would shout, screech or bellow as the occasion required.
Zarina was a woman who demanded respect and usually got it. Tita had seen that Zarina’s husband was the quieter, more carefree person of the pair. Zarina was the group’s real leader, commanding with a willpower and decisiveness that belied her slight, thin body.
But now Tita saw Zarina fall under Elena’s captivating spell, likely from Elena’s earthy citrus scented skin. Zarina remained a bit bewildered while looking at Elena’s face, dress, hands and appearance. Then she became aware and stiffened up, introducing herself and her son with her tense smile.
Elena talked to Zarina as they all started walking towards the meeting tent. Adza walked on Tita’s left side as Elena maintained her arm around Tita’s right arm, while Zarina stayed on Elena’s right side, listening intently. Tita smiled at Adza who jumped up and down, calling her name with jubilation. She tousled his hair, and realized he was very much like Remo, a young fan of her ‘leopard skin’.
Elena motioned to Tita and Tita imagined Elena was talking to Zarina about her training for her work as a prostitute. Tita saw Zarina was impressed by Elena, keeping her sharp black eyes fixed on Elena. Zarina was nodding as if to please Elena. Tita could see Elena was dominating Zarina, but in a gentle, effortless way. Experience, Elena had said. Tita started to wonder if Elena really had magical powers. Was she hundreds of years old?
They arrived at the welcoming circle formed by the other women next to the meeting tent. Elena finally let go of Tita’s arm and Tita jumped over to hug Zina and Zine. They squealed with pleasure while hugging and kissing each other. Zina kissed her deeply, and Tita returned the kiss in a tight embrace, Zina’s large brown eyes tearing from joy, while Zine hugged them both. Then Tita turned to Zine, who also kissed her deeply with a tight embrace and moan, and Zina hugged them both. Tita was overjoyed to smell their familiar scents of cinnamon-laced olive oil, fennel and the mint cream they both used on their skin. Tita noted how differently they smelled from Elena’s more captivating scent.
Suddenly all the dancers were greeting Tita. The younger ones Roxana, Nana and Bana gave her hugs and kisses. The ones close to Tita’s age- Asia, Ardoksho, Hariti- kissed Tita on the cheek and Hariti gave her usual bow and very light kiss of Tita’s hand. Then the ones closer to Zarina’s age- Dukht, Mene, Kushana- kissed Tita on the cheek and shook her hands. Finally, Ziais and Ralik, the oldest women of the group, caressed her hands gently with wrinkled smiles. Tita felt overwhelmed and teared up a bit. Then she felt silly. She had been away from them for only two hours or so. Still, it seemed like she had been away for a long time, maybe because she had not expected to see them again.
Zina asked how long Tita was staying. Tita let her know they were only staying for a short while because then she had to go with Elena to Aurelia’s villa. Zina translated this to the group and there was a moment of silent sadness. Then Zarina shouted sharply behind them, clapping her hands loudly- the sign that the tent meeting would start.
Adza opened the tent curtain so they could all enter. Zarina motioned everyone to go in. Tita looked at Elena who nodded for her go on ahead. Zina and Zine quickly pulled Tita in and they sat in their usual spot in the seating circle, directly across from where Zarina normally sat at the far side of the circle. Zina sat down on Tita’s right and Zine on Tita’s left side, as was their custom.
No sooner had they sat down that both Zina and Zine were already caressing Tita’s arms while holding her hands. Zina took Tita’s right hand and guided it under Zina’s tunic to let Tita know Zina was not wearing her subligaculum. Zine did the same with Tita’s left hand and they all laughed with mischief.
Tita noticed Zina and Zine had traces of olive oil on their legs and feet and she imagined they had been enjoying each other in their tent. She also noticed Zina’s eyes were a bit red. Tita deduced Zina must have been crying for a while after Tita had left them. She imagined Zine was probably trying to calm Zina with caresses and kisses. It made Tita feel terribly guilty. She gripped Zina and Zine’s hands, her eyes tearing again, as Tita felt bittersweet for having to leave them again in short while.
As the others sat down on the circle of rugs, Tita smelled the odor of their spicy foods that she now heartily enjoyed. She remembered her first few days in Rome with them, how their spicy food had given her belly some discomfort and her morning bowels protested even more. But over the two weeks she had travelled with them, she became accustomed to their food and enjoyed it. The different odors of their food quickly brought back memories of their nightly meals together. Smell, the most powerful sense, Tita thought, remembering Elena’s comment about perfume.
Once the others were seated in their usual positions, Zarina and Elena walked into the tent and around the circle of seated women. Zarina sat down at her usual location on the far side of the circle. She motioned for Elena to sit to her right side. Elena bowed with a gentle smile, thanking Zarina while some of the women shifted over to make room for Elena to sit.
Zarina asked that the drinking cups be passed around as she introduced Elena to the dancers and toasted to her, taking a sip of their very strong wine that always made Tita a little dizzy. Everyone toasted to Elena, and Tita followed suit, feeling strange to do so. Zarina spoke to them about what Tita assumed was Elena’s invitation.
Zina started whispering in Tita’s ear as she had done over the past two weeks, translating to Latin what Zarina said in Bactrian Greek. Zina explained that Elena had invited them to stay at Aurelia’s villa, if they wished. Aurelia would provide food and drink and the dancers could offer dancing lessons to the girls there. Elena could organize classes with roughly forty girls.
There was general murmuring among everyone and Zina noted with surprise that Aurelia had many women. Tita realized that during their journey together she had never spoken about how many girls Aurelia employed. Tita confirmed to Zina and Zine in a whisper that Elena had said there were currently forty-two with her included and they were expecting six others to arrive in the next few months.
Roxana asked something in their native language, and Zina explained she was asking if Tita was returning to their group. Elena replied that no, Tita had decided to stay with Aurelia’s team and she would start her training with Elena today.
Elena added Tita could stay as long as she desired, that there were no formal contracts with Aurelia. And because Tita was a freedwoman and not a slave, she had every right to choose her own destiny.
Then Elena explained what Tita had mentioned at the tavern, that Tita felt she had much to learn about dancing and that Tita felt clumsy because she was a novice. Elena added that she herself had long experience as a dancer, and that, as they all knew with their own dancing experience, it was important for any woman to practice and figure out what kind of dance was suitable for her. It was important for each woman to understand deeply their own passions, attitudes and bodies and what their bodies desired. So Elena agreed with Tita’s evaluation, because she was just starting to learn about her body.
Elena noted that Tita was an honest girl who wanted to do things properly, and Elena thought taking time to learn more about her body was important preparation to let Tita understand how she wanted to dance and if she even wanted to dance.
Everyone in the tent murmured and seemed to acknowledge this, many nodding in agreement. Zina commented that Elena was incredible and extremely intelligent. She squeezed Tita’s hand, adding she was jealous of Tita. Tita felt proud to be Elena’s student, and she kissed Zina on the cheek for her compliment.
Zina continued translating in a whisper. Elena noted that Tita was staying with Aurelia for the time being and if the dance troupe wanted, they could return at a future date, or leave word of where they were. So that if Tita had a change of heart, Elena or Aurelia could contact them to make arrangements so Tita could travel to them.
There was a wave of exclamations and nodding and smiles as the dancers looked at Tita and back at Elena. Tita felt overjoyed. Zina and Zine both hugged her tightly. Zarina nodded to Elena and she took Elena’s hand and squeezed it while smiling.
Zina sipped a bit of wine and then continued to whisper her translations. Elena spoke while looking at Tita and everyone else. Elena said that she could see Tita had become a loved member of their dancing family. She thanked the whole team and Zarina for letting Tita have some experience with bodily pleasure.
Elena especially wanted to thank Zarina for keeping Tita’s virginity a priority. She added there would be a gift from Aurelia for such exquisite care and treatment of Tita. Elena explained that their enjoyment of Tita’s skin had already made Tita become more self-confident and passionate, which made it easier for Elena to train Tita.
Elena noted that if the troupe decided to stay for a few days, she would hope to be invited to see their nightly ritual of adoring Tita’s skin so she could understand better the general experience. Elena felt what they had done with Tita was extraordinary, given what Elena knew of Tita from her cousin Claudia. Elena noted that Tita had started her journey as a girl with virtually no self-esteem, a girl who felt her spotted skin was a curse from the gods.
But now Tita was a woman who could proudly confirm her spotted skin was loved by women. And more importantly, Tita could confirm that she loved women. She was now a woman who did not hesitate to enjoy in the pleasure of women’s love. Elena added she was sure Tita would never forget her experiences with them, no matter how distant or old they would become.
At this point Elena stood up and toasted to Zarina and the dance troupe and they all clapped in response and sipped the wine. Zarina thanked Elena and also stood up and toasted to her and to Tita. Elena seconded the toast to Tita, explaining that it had been Tita’s choice and luck to find them in Rome and bring them in contact with Aurelia’s group. The Bactrians acknowledged this with smiles and nods, sipping their cups of wine.
Elena and Zarina sat down and Zarina opened the group for discussion of Elena’s proposal. She motioned to Mene and Dukht who sat beside Zarina and Elena. Like Zarina, they also had husbands. Zina translated their concerns about the engagements their husbands were already making in Salernum. If they stayed in Pompeii, how would they handle these commitments and inform their husbands?
Elena noted that Aurelia could send a courier on horseback to Salernum to intercept them today. It was roughly twenty mille passus to Salernum and so a courier on horseback could get there in a few hours. If the courier found them that evening or tomorrow morning, the husbands would be in time to postpone any commitments they had made in Salernum for a few days. The husbands could also delay their trip to Brundisium and return to Pompeii to stay with them.
Zarina, Mene and Dukht continued discussing Elena’s proposal. Zarina then noted they had only one engagement already reserved in Brundisium, but no dates had been confirmed. She felt they could delay that engagement for a month or two without risk of losing the engagement.
A few others commented that Brundisium was a major Roman port, and its port traffic, and the route to it along the Appian way could afford many potential patrons and offers. Zarina acknowledged that they would eventually get to Brundisium, and that it was only a matter of timing.
Tita watched Hariti, the only dancer with light yellowish skin and heavily slanted eyes. During Tita’s two-week stay with the group, she had noticed that Hariti was the most original woman of all the group. Hariti had come from Seres, further east than Bactria, travelling mostly by herself on horseback. She was a warrior who also taught the dancers about self-defense. Tita realized Hariti had the same self-confidence of Elena, the same calmness of worldly knowledge, the same grace in her elegant movements.
Hariti sat in her usual position next to Dukht and Dukht turned to her, asking her opinion. Hariti noted that Pompeii had an arena, and she did not believe Salernum had one. She and the others looked to Elena, who confirmed the same, noting that Hariti made a very astute observation. Elena said that Aurelia knew a few of the event organizers for the arena. Elena also noted that trying to schedule an event at the arena would take time, likely a few weeks at a minimum.
Then Zina expressed surprise at what Elena was saying and became very excited. Elena suggested they could plan a dance spectacle with themselves and Aurelia’s girls. It could be a dance spectacle of 50-60 girls or more. It would require a lot of time for training, but the spectacle could get them many engagements in the area. Elena noted Pompeii was a very wealthy area.
Now everyone was talking excitedly about the idea, while Zarina and Elena also talked to each other. Zina and Zine were also chatting animatedly as Tita sat back to let them talk to each other. It seemed that Elena had raised an idea everyone had dreamed about before- having a large dance spectacle.
Tita remembered Zina saying that Zarina, Mene and Kushana often talked about having a dance spectacle with many women. Zina had explained that the group had made good income from the week-long performances in the Carthage arena. The older women were hoping to repeat that experience so the group could stop travelling for a season, without the anxiety of having to learn about a new place each day.
Zarina stood up and clapped her hands to silence the group. Zina continued whispering her translations to Tita. Zarina said they would need time to consider the options. But she felt they could start by having Elena send the courier to alert their husbands before any more binding commitments were made. Then the group would have time to discuss the options available to them. Everyone agreed to this.
Zarina confirmed to Elena that they would stay, on the condition that their husbands had not made urgent engagements in Salernum. If their husbands had already reserved some engagements, then they would have to evaluate what to do.
Zarina asked that Elena relay to their husbands via the courier the possibilities they had just discussed about the arena. They would await the word of their husbands tomorrow to make a decision and determine their next steps. But in the meantime, they could stay and be Aurelia’s guests for the night.
Elena nodded, agreeing with Zarina’s step-by-step approach. Elena noted she wanted to speak to Zarina privately, and also let Tita enjoy her friends for a little time before they went back to Aurelia’s villa, which was only about a three quarter hour walk from their location. Zarina confirmed and ended the meeting, releasing everyone.