They just stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds until Amaya shyly lowered her gaze and looked at the floor. The moment when it seemed like there was only the two of them faded and reality caught up with them.
"Do you need me, sir?" she asked quietly, still lowering her head. Luca would have liked to put his hand under her chin and lift her head so that he could see her face clearly again, but he forced himself to do what he wanted not giving in "No Amaya. You can go," he replied reluctantly, giving her some space. She immediately pushed past him and walked back down the long hallway to one of the rooms to continue cleaning. Luca looked after her. This woman was not a slave. The way she walked, the way she acted... Everyone noticed that she came from a rich and educated family. He went to his bathroom and freshened up to head into town. He had to distract himself to be able to think clearly again.
Amaya tried to forget him, but she just couldn't get his gaze out of her head. That look wasn't ordinary. He had looked at her so deeply and she almost convinced herself that he felt something for her. She quickly pushed the thought aside. A Roman would not get involved with a slave girl - and certainly not if he was one of the most important and handsomest men in Rome, whom the most beautiful Roman women desired. She ran her hands through her long, dark hair and looked out the window. _God please! I don't want to fall in love with him. _ She had spoken the words out loud and saw Luca riding away on his horse through the courtyard.
"Do you think your God can change something about that?". Amaya jumped in shock and turned around. "Nila!", she didn't even notice that she was calling the Roman woman by her first name and ran into her arms. How she had missed the old lady! She wrapped her arms around her and kissed her head. "I'm glad to see you too, Amaya," she said, laughing. Embarrassed, Amaya took a step back and noticed the blush rising in her cheeks. "So what did I just hear? I told you not to to speak to your God. It is far too dangerous." - ,,I have no one else to talk to...". Nila sat down on the bed. ,,I have given up my faith, my love. No matter how many times I went to the temples and prayed to the different gods , when my husband was sick, it didn't help. I could just as well have talked to a wall. The result would have been the same: I lost him." Amaya looked at Nila pityingly.
"Because they are no more alive than a wall, Mistress. I know my God hears me." Nila smiled slightly, but her eyes were full of sadness. "Then why didn't he protect you and your family?" - "God allows things that we sometimes don't understand. But I know that he has a plan. I have no right to this life. That I wake up every day , comes only by his grace. He gave me life and can also take it from me." The room went silent. "And how can you speak to him here without a temple where he dwells? Everything was destroyed, Amaya." Tears welled up in Amaya's eyes. How could the Romans think that a god could be imprisoned in a building? "My god doesn't need a temple, Nila. He lives inside me. I am his temple." Now she started to laugh mockingly: "You don't really believe that...".
Before she could finish speaking, there was a knock on the door and Terra walked in. She glared at Amaya and stopped in front of her. "How dare you do Lana the same haircut as me? You should have seen her face! Well at least Luca didn't look at her when he walked past."
Amaya got up so that she was at eye level with Terra. Terra wouldn't harm her in front of her aunt. "I'm sorry, Mistress." - "Next time you ask me first." Terra slammed the door behind her and Nila rolled her eyes.
"How can you stand it?" She had just said the words when she grabbed the shocked Mouth. ,,Oh sorry. I shouldn't talk about my niece like that." Amaya smiled at her and walked to the window. How long would he be gone? He had just ridden away and she already missed him... Nila told her something about the last few weeks and Amaya tried to listen to her. But again and again she saw Luca's face in front of her and his loving gaze, which still sent a shiver down her spine.
She had never felt anything like this in a man, although she had many prospects who had asked for her hand. But none of them had looked at her the way Luca had. She had never felt anything like this in a man, although she had many prospects who had asked for her hand. But none of them had looked at her the way Luca had. She had never felt anything like this in a man, although she had many prospects who had asked for her hand. But none of them had looked at her the way Luca had.