Trapped in the past?

[strippernameserendipity]

Claudia didn't know exactly how it had happened, but the guy she'd been trying to snag an artifact from had caught her instead. She remembered being dragged through some kind of portal, and a conversation with some very strangely-dressed individuals that would have scared even some of the toughs she'd known in her time on the streets. It had been hours before she really understood what had happened, to get even a slight grip on the foreign words and sights around her. Somehow, she'd been sent back in time, when exactly she wasn't certain, and given over to these scoundrels to do with as they pleased. It wasn't until she saw the city that she even knew where she was. Nobody could mistake Rome, even this ancient shining city.

Her wrists tied together and into a string with the other unfortunates, the only real indignities she'd been spared were being stripped of her possessions and raped. From the little she could catch, they thought she would being them quite a small fortune as a wonder. Maybe even one of the senators would find her worth having, and it wouldn't do to damage the goods unnecessarily. Still, she had quite a few bruises and a blackening eye from the casual 'encouragements' she'd received. A halting attempt at what she knew of Latin and Greek had only resulted in snickering laughter and an incomprehensible reprimand with a threatening knife at her mouth. Apparently their definition of 'damaged goods' didn't include the ability to speak.

Now, she was turned over to the slave auction, and there, nothing could have prepared her for the indignities. Her clothes, much the worse for wear after all the travel were unceremoniously stripped off her in front of the noisy crowd as one man gave a long-winded description of her, enthusiasm clear even through the language barrier. She struggled against the touches of interested parties, only her bonds keeping her from being able to strike back.

She'd yanked away from yet another impertinent squeeze when she finally saw a familiar face. It made her gasp, her thoughts latching onto the name that went with it in what might have been a prayer of salvation, but she had to get his attention. And if he was the one from this time, she couldn't just call him by name. Not his real name. Still, she knew one of those he'd used in the millenia he'd been hanging around pretending not to be an archangel.

"Loki! Help me!" The words were in modern english, and that was probably a mistake, but she was too distracted to try for something more appropriate to the era just now. She had to get his attention, maybe get the eager shoppers to give her some space. She had to get out of here.

Comments

[lotsoflaughs]

Gabriel had been taking one of his trips outside Scandinavia to keep abreast of what was going on in other parts of the world. It wouldn't do to be blindsided by any threats or incursions into his domain, for example. There may also be wanting to see and do something new as motivation.

News of the rise of the Roman Empire made it's way even as far north as he was. This was helped, of course, by a detachment of Roman soldiers that managed to get lost, although they didn't actually cross the sea. The news from traders who plied both sides of the water were what made it across.

All this led to Gabriel making his way to the city of Rome to investigate. A change of clothes later to mark himself as from further lands but not far enough to potentially get trouble stirred up against him later, he had mostly free run of the city in the guise of a provincial on his first big trip away from home to see where the laws and trade goods were passed on from.

Further leading to him being in the market, looking at the goods available, be they different kinds of food, fabrics, or livestock. Which included the portion set aside from the rest where the slaves were sold, be they ones sold between buyer and seller with little fanfare or up on the auction block where as many potential buyers as possible could see some of the better ones who might fetch a higher price.

He didn't take much notice of Claudia at first, pressing his way elsewhere. He noticed the hair color but didn't really look at her. Then she was shouting his other name and his head snaps around to her so he could focus on her. Then his eyebrows go up as he takes the time to really look beyond the surface. Well then. That was interesting.

[lotsoflaughs]

After a month, Gabriel has quite a bit more money than he started off with and everyone who was supposed to report back to him had done so. True to his word, they packed up and left after that month, spending about a week traveling normally; be it by walking or hitching rides. They probably didn't really need to leave a trail behind, but he thought it might be a good idea anyway.

After that week, they're in Gabriel's territory within a heartbeat and she's been settled with one of the families who follows him to learn how to manage things like cooking in the here and now.

As can be predicted, his own house is the biggest and the only building bigger is the great hall, since it needed to be able to hold as many people as possible for either important events or more general get-togethers.