Complicated

Complicated
Marcus

I wake with a stiff neck and an ache in my back, the chair unforgiving beneath me. For a moment I don’t remember where I am, and then I see Lucius lying asleep in the bed, beaten and bruised, and it all comes rushing back. I remember saving my brother from being torn apart by three goons last night, and instantly, the rage returns. 

Morning light blazes through the window, too bright and too soon. I drag a hand over my face and lean forward, checking on Lucius again. Tonight, the festival begins, and I have too much to do today, too many duties I can’t ignore, but none of it matters as much as my brother’s health and safety. 

Felix is on the floor at the foot of the bed. His ears twitch as he watches Lucius. He lifts his head when I move, as if he’s checking that I’ve got everything under control.

A soft knock at the door has me standing. I glance back at Lucius before pushing myself up and crossing the room, careful not to make more noise than necessary. When I open it, Lydia stands on the other side with a tray in her hands.

I step back to let her in, lowering my voice. “Come in.”

She moves past me quietly and sets the tray down on the bedside table before turning back to me. “I have brought breakfast for your brother,” she says, just as softly. “Your parents also request your presence in the dining room.”

I nod once. “Thank you, Lydia.”

She bows and leaves. As the door clicks shut, Lucius stirs, groaning and blinking his eyes open.

“How do you feel?” I ask, stepping closer.

He gives a faint, crooked smile. “It’s not as bad as it looks. I’m fine.”

My jaw tightens. “You could’ve died. There were three of them and one of you.”

He’s glowering at me already, and he’s only just woken up. “Thank you for saving me, Marcus,” he says. “But I’m fine. I’ll see you at the festival tonight.”

“No,” I say immediately. “You need to stay home. You’ve got to lay low and recover.”

He exhales sharply, annoyance flashing across his face. “I said I’m fine, and I’ll see you at the festival tonight.”

I stare at him for a long moment, frustration and worry tangling in my heart. Shaking my head, I say, “We’re not finished with this conversation, but I can’t stand here and argue with you right now. Some of us have work to do.” I turn and walk out, the duties of the day already pressing down on me. 

Felix follows me into the hall, brushing past my legs as I move. When we step into the dining room, my mother looks up from her plate and gives me a forced smile. “Good morning, Marcus.”

“Good morning, Mother.” I slide into the chair across from my father. 

“Is Lucius awake?” she asks, concern in his eyes. 

“Yes,” I say. “He’s awake, claiming he’s fine and talking about attending the festival tonight like a complete and total fool.”

“He keeps getting himself into trouble.” Mother sighs and takes a sip from her glass. 

“I know.” I pick at the eggs Lydia has set before me. “I can’t leave him to his own stupidity. He’s cocky and smug about it. He thinks he can handle everything until he needs me, and then after I save him, he immediately forgets that actions have consequences. What if I’m not here next time?”

“We’ll have to get through to him somehow,” my father says. “He must learn.”

I jab at my eggs, frustration churning tighter in my gut while my mind spins to the night ahead—the banners, stalls, schedules, and events. Everything has to be perfect tonight, and meanwhile, my brother puts himself in danger like a child. 

“You should be careful out there, too, Marcus,” my mother says. “Our whole family shares every enemy your brother has made.” 

“I am always careful, Mother,” I mutter. 

Felix rests his head on my knee, and I give him pieces of bread and eggs from my plate. 

For the remainder of the meal, I silently think about the predicament my brother has landed me in this time. I shouldn’t have to watch my back today with the festival starting tonight and with everything I’m supposed to manage. And now, because of Lucius, there are people looking for trouble—people I didn’t have to deal with before. Every task, every detail I’ve planned, now comes with a shadow I didn’t invite. It’s infuriating.

I push my plate aside. “That’s enough for me,” I say. “I should get going.”

“Have a good day, Marcus,” my mother says softly, her eyes following me as I rise. 

“I will, Mother. You as well.” I manage a smile for her.

“We’ll see you at the festival tonight,” my father says.

“Yes,” I say. “I’ll see both of you at the festival tonight.” Felix follows me when I move toward the door. “Goodbye for now.” I glance back at my parents.

They wave, but I can see the worry in their wrinkled brows. 

Outside, the morning air is warm, and the city awakens around us as we head toward the forum. By the time we reach the square, the stalls are set, performers are tuning instruments, and the vendors are arranging their goods.

Quintus is already moving among the tents, checking ropes and giving instructions to the merchants. I join him, walking past the tables lined with fresh bread and jars of honey, making sure nothing poses a hazard or is out of place.

“Good morning, Marcus,” he says, glancing up as I approach.

“Good morning, Quintus,” I reply. “Is everything in place?”

“For the most part.”

I look over at the performers. “And the musicians? Are they all here?”

“They’re giving their instruments a final tuning,” he says. “They’ll start soon so people will begin to drift in.” 

We move through the forum, making small adjustments here and there. Felix trots at my side, sniffing at the stalls with meat and bread. I keep one eye on him so that he doesn’t sneak a bite and one on the crowd that’s starting to gather. I don’t want to be caught off guard if the thugs who roughed up Lucius last night try to jump me. 

Mid-morning, a familiar voice calls out. “Quintus! Marcus!”

Cornelia approaches, basket in hand, Julia and Gaius skipping beside her. “We brought a little lunch,” she says. “We thought you might need a break.”

“Perfect timing,” Quintus says, smiling. “We’ve been running around all morning.”

“Thank you, Cornelia. That was very thoughtful.” I kneel to greet the children. Julia tugs at my sleeve, Gaius waves enthusiastically, and Felix sniffs them. When he realizes they’re not the ones holding the food, he settles at my feet.

We spread a cloth near the edge of the forum. Cornelia sets down the basket and hands Julia and Gaius figs and grapes. We eat while the crowd grows noisier around us. People are starting to gather for the evening events. 

When we all have our fill, and even Felix can’t eat another bite, Quintus and I stand. “Time to get back to it,” I say.

Quintus hugs his children, and Cornelia tucks everything back in the basket. “I’ll see you around sunset?” he asks his wife. 

“Yes. We’ll be here.” She rises on her toes to kiss his cheek. He hugs her, and then Cornelia and the children disappear into the crowd. 

Quintus and I move back into the heart of the forum, Felix close by my side. It’s late afternoon, and the square continues to fill with people. 

A sharp voice cuts through the racket. “I said those amphorae go there! Step back!”

Another voice responds, equally sharp, “I was here first! You can’t claim more than your share!”

I glance at Quintus, and he frowns, saying, “Looks like we have our first problem of the evening.”

We push through the crowd, Felix weaving between legs. Two vendors are arguing over the placement of their goods—barrels of wine and a table of olives. Their shouts rise, drawing a small gathering of early visitors.

“Enough!” I call, raising my hands. The vendors snap toward me, heat in their eyes.

Quintus steps in, his voice calm but firm. “There’s room for both of you. We’ll adjust the tables. Move the amphorae three feet that way. Shift your olive table to the left. That keeps the walkway clear and your customers happy.”

Reluctantly, the merchants comply, grumbling, but the argument dissolves as quickly as it flared. 

“We have the same problems every year,” I mutter to Quintus. 

“Yes,” he agrees. “You’d think they’d just get along and enjoy themselves. It’s supposed to be fun.” 

I nod and look around once more, making sure no unwanted visitors are watching me. 

By the time the sun dips lower, the forum has taken on the energy of the festival. Jugglers practice tosses near the fountain, musicians are playing fast-paced tunes to draw more people, and dancers stretch their limbs at the edges of the square. The smell of sweet pastries mingles with the scent of meat roasting over the fires. Children play on the grass, and Felix chases some older boys, eager for the ball they’re tossing.

I spot my parents in the crowd and walk over to them. “Everything looks wonderful,” my mother says with a smile. 

My father claps me on the shoulder. “You’ve done a fine job, Marcus.”

“Thank you,” I reply. “How’s Lucius? Is he really planning to come tonight?”

“He’s up and moving around,” my father says. “We tried to stop him from coming, but he said he would come later, no matter how much we begged him not to.”

“I just hope he stays home,” I mutter, irritation rushing through me.

“I hope so, too,” Mother says quietly, giving me a sympathetic look.

My father rubs his stomach and glances around. “I’m starving. Let’s find something to eat.”

“We’ll see you later, Marcus,” my mother adds, and Father nods, already wandering off to find dinner. 

I realize I need to find Felix, whom I haven’t seen in a little while. Scanning the crowd, I see a familiar face, but it’s not his.

The beautiful blonde woman stands in front of the jugglers, laughing and joking with her friends. I can’t help but pause for a moment, captivated. She is exquisitely, intriguingly, and ethereally beautiful. I decide not to let another chance to speak with her slip away. I take a deep breath and walk over to her.

“Hello,” I say, bowing my head. “I don’t believe we’ve formally met. I am Marcus.”

She looks up at me, smiling warmly. “Hello, Marcus. I’m Fiona.” 

“Fiona,” I repeat, letting the name roll off my tongue. “That’s a beautiful name.”

“Thank you,” she replies.

I glance toward the grassy area where I last saw Felix. “I—uh—could use a hand finding my dog. Would you like to help?”

She tilts her head, eyes bright. “Of course. Let’s see if we can track him down.”

We move through the growing crowd, scanning between the festival-goers and around the edges of the square. A few minutes later, we spot Felix, crouched low and pulling enthusiastically on a rope with some children, his tail wagging furiously.

“Felix!” I call. He pricks up his ears, drops the rope, and trots over to me. 

Fiona kneels down to pet him. “He’s a lively one.” She smiles up at me.

“He loves attention,” I reply. “And he clearly likes you.”

She laughs. “He must be a good judge of character. We don’t have dogs like him where I’m from.” 

“Oh? I’ve seen you around, and I must admit, I was curious about where you’re from,” I say. “You don’t look like the other women from around here.”

“It’s complicated. I’m from a place far away,” she replies, still stroking Felix’s head.

“North of here?” I ask.

She hesitates for a moment, then nods. “Yes. Far north.” She stands. “Well, I should get back to my friends.”

“We’ll walk you back.” I fall into step beside her, guiding her toward the group of women still gathered by the jugglers.

When we reach her friends, I look into her sapphire eyes. “Thank you for helping me find my dog. I hope I see you again sometime.”

She smiles. “You’re welcome, and I hope so, too.”

“Goodbye for now, Fiona,” I say.

“Goodbye, Marcus.” Her smile lingers as she turns back toward the entertainers.

As Felix and I move away to find Quintus, walking through the crowd and carefully sidestepping carts and people, I can’t help but feel a glimmer of satisfaction. Out of all the irritation, frustration, and exhausting demands of the day—Lucius’s recklessness, the merchants’ quarrels, the endless preparations for the festival—I got to speak with Fiona. I got to see her smile, learn her name, and share a few moments that weren’t overshadowed by worry or duty. For a brief, shining instant, everything else fades, and the day feels worth it. No matter what happens this evening, speaking with Fiona made my night.