The sun was already setting as the cars stopped in a small alley a little bit off the Via Vittorino da Feltre. Amar held the door open for Rachel, Liv, and Zach while two bodyguards took their places by Mr. Moretti's side who was as giddy as a kid in a candy shop. From the outside, the Domus looked barely any different than the other sandstone houses in the street, perhaps a bit smaller, but as soon as the group crosses the threshold, it was like they stepped back in time.

The narrow entrance hall led into a larger atrium, the central point of the house. The walls and doors surrounding the atrium were painted with colorful frescoes. Roman figures, hunting, dancing, living through the warm reds, cool blue's and shining yellows. The pool in the middle of the atrium was much smaller than the one in Mr. Moretti's mansion, bordered by a thin line of marble, shining brightly against the rest of the mosaic floor. At the end of the Atrium two alcoves, one on each side led the group past ceramic death masks from imaginary ancestors to the culina; the kitchen. The room was much darker than the rest of the house, illuminated only by a hole in the ceiling. Pots and bowls were staged out on a wooden table, the only piece of furniture in the room, safe from a large stone oven, with to pits on top, covered by metal braziers.

"I think it is best if I explain the cooking first," Mr. Moretti said as he gathered the rest of the group around the oven.

"No need," Liv exclaimed, "it is very straight forward. We can bake in the oven, and cook on the metal braziers if we place the embers from the oven in the pits."

"Bravissimo, Ms. Davis. I am impressed." Mr. Moretti complimented before slapping Zach playfully on the back, "you have found yourself a good wife, Mr. Perrez."

"Oh, we're not married," Zach stammered as he tried to escape the old man's death grip, in vain. "Well, for the coming year you will be." Mr. Moretti commented, "A man and woman living together without being married would be inconcepibile in ancient Rome."

Liv inspected the papyrus rolls with several recipes, stashed away on some planks. Her mind preoccupied with the various Roman dishes when at last, the conversation between Mr. Moretti, and Zach reached her ears. "Wait. Does that mean that I have to cook? Do we not get servants?"

"Not until you can afford a servant. Which reminds me," Mr. Moretti pulled out a silken pouch and placed it Zach's hand. "This is your money. You may use it as you please, but do remember that this amount of food here, will last you a week, at most, until it rots away."

"This is barely 50,- euro," Zach said.

Mr. Moretti nodded agreeing, "the equality of 25 denarii, an average monthly weighs during Domitian's reign."

"We can't live on 50,- euro for a whole year. How do we make more?" Liv sputtered.

"The paterfamilias can earn more by working, of course. But those are worries for later. Let us first finish the tour of the house." Leading the way, Mr. Moretti guided them to a room at the other end of the alcoves. Where the kitchen was dark and small, this room is bright and richly decorated with paintings depicting Bacchus, the god of wine. Three chaise lounges, padded with furs and cushions were placed around a low square table, filled with a pitcher for wine, several cups and a bowl of grapes. A window at the end of the room allowed you to look into the small enclosed garden at the end of the Domus.

"In the garden, you will find a lemon tree, several grape vines among some other plants. E naturalmente, the shrine for the household gods. It is mandatory that you both maintain good relations with the gods in order to keep the collective piety of the empire high."

Liv peered out into the garden before turning around to face Mr. Moretti with a horrid expression, "Are we expected to bring sacrifices as well?"

The old man grinned delightfully, dialing up his theatrical movements like an actor waiting for his encore. "Ovviamente, a prayer without sacrifice is thought to be useless and not a proper consultation of the gods. The Lares will require wheat, honey cakes, and incense at the break of dawn. The Lemures might be placated with black beans and spring water at midnight."

"And how will we know when it's midnight?" Zach joked, "I doubt you'll let us keep our iPhones."

Mr. Moretti's grin turned into a menacing smile, while he snaps his fingers. "Thank you for reminding me, ragazzo. Amar, collect their phones please."

Amar nodded dutifully before taking both phones from the two archaeologists who sigh in defeat. Placing both phones carefully in a box, Amar opened his mouth to say something, but Mr. Moretti's booming voice overpowered all.

"Don't worry, there is a sundial in the hortus, and you will find a clepsydra here." Mr. Moretti opened one of the painted doors lining the atrium to reveal a small bedroom. It was more modest than the rest of the house, furnished with only a bed and the clepsydra. The clepsydra consisted of two golden containers, water flowing slowly and evenly from one into the other - markings showing the passage of time. Curiously Liv and Zach examined the device before turning their attention to the bed standing in the middle of the room atop a mosaic rectangle on the floor. The bed was raised off the ground and lined with a beautifully decorated headboard and footboard. The linen mattress was stuffed with soft, bouncy wool on top which lay several colorful linens and two small cushions. Each cushion embroidered with the initials OD & ZP.

"Olivia Davis and Zachariah Perez. How sweet." Liv remarked.

Mr. Moretti bowed his head in gratitude. "I knew you two would appreciate that little detail. And last but not least, in this room, you have some sanitary facilities since it might be a bit harder to go to a public bathhouse, for now. Once I have found a proper bathhouse that fulfills all my requirements I'll let you know."

An archway leading to the room adjacent to the bedroom led the couple to a chamber with a granite bathtub, a chamber pot, and two folding screens for modesty. Rachel entered last, her mouth nearly dropping to the floor when she spotted the chamber pot. "Is this the toilet? That's ridiculous! How do you even use it?"

"Oh Rachel, it's just a chamber pot." Liv laughed as she hovers over the pot in a squatting position. "See, you just hover over it, that's all."

"Laugh all you want Livy, but how do you wipe?"

"I believe that this is the item you require," Amar explained as he gives Liv a sea-sponge attached to the end of a long stick. Rachel gagged as she witnesses in horror how Liv demonstrated the use of the sponge. "Rather, you than me, girl!"

With a cough, Mr. Moretti drew the attention back to him in an instant, gesturing to the two piles of neatly folded clothes. "Ms. Davis, Mr. Perez, if you would be so kind as to get dressed in the appropriate tunics, then Amar can show you how to wear your toga properly."

With a delightful squeal, Liv hurried behind the folding screen, while Zach eyed the other people in the room hesitantly before disappearing behind the other. "Can I keep my bra on?" Liv asked from behind the screen.

"Did the Roman invent bra's, Ms. Davis?"

With aggravated force, a bra was tossed onto the floor. Behind the other screen, Zach reappeared in a cream tunic that reached just above the knee, held in place by a thin leather belt tied around his waist. He quickly handed Rachel his neatly folded clothes, before Amar places an indigo-colored 14 feet long toga over his shoulder. The fabric hung heavily on his shoulder, pulling him almost out of balance as Amar circled him, pulling the toga around his waist, securing it with the belt and draping the remaining flap over his arm, forcing Zach to hold his arms stiffly folded to his chest. Zach was about to voice his discomfort when his eyes caught sight of Liv and his breath stocked. Her white tunic fell all the way to her ankles, the high-waist accentuating her slim figure. From her shoulders down to her elbows, the fabric is fastened together by several copper fibulae clasps, forming the sleeves. She looked like a marble goddess who had been granted life by Venus, a vision in white.

Amar brought her a saffron-colored palla; a much shorter and lighter piece of decorated linen which he drapes over her left shoulder, under the right arm and then over the left arm again. "When you go outside, remember to use the palla to cover your head to show that you are a respectable woman," Amar added as he fastened the last fibulae on Liv's shoulder. She nodded in understanding, her blush deepening as she noticed Zach's infatuated stare.

"Bellissimo, you two now look the part as well. Miei figli, we will bid you goodnight. Get some rest in your new home. Tomorrow is your first day as Romans." With that, Mr. Moretti left the Domus with Amar on his heels. Rachel gave Liv one quick hug and flashed Zach an encouraging smile before following her boss to the cars, leaving Zach and Liv all alone in their little piece of history.

"Isn't this amazing. It's like a dream come true." Liv yelled, letting herself fall onto the soft bed. Her bright smile brought a grin to his lips, but Zach still couldn't shake that nagging feeling of doubt that has been plaguing his mind the whole afternoon. "It is remarkable. I just hope we can do this."

"Of course we can do this. If there is anyone who can live like this for a year, it's us. Remember that excavation in the Red Sea Hills, we survived that together."

"How could I forget the excavation where we met," Zach smiled, "But that was one night. This is an entire year."

"Relax, we'll do just fine." Liv mused as rolled over to take in Zach standing there meticulously dressed like a Roman senator. So powerful and proud it made her heart skip a beat. "How about tonight we explore something Roman between the sheets?"

The laugh that escaped from Zach's lips broke the commanding facade for a moment, "I don't think that's such a good idea, babe. We are both still jetlagged, let's get some rest for now."

With a gentle kiss, Liv agreed to his plan. What's one night, when they have a whole year ahead of them? After they've helped each other escape the constricting wrappings of the clothes, they settle in for the night. Liv curled up against Zach's warm back when she could hear the rumble of wagons outside.

It was faint at first, but soon the clicking of hooves and the low-pitch droning of wheels became deafening.

"Do you hear that," she sighed annoyingly.

Zach sat up to identify the source of the sound, "yes, it comes from outside."

Pulling the covers away, he goes to check at the front door. Only to return a moment later, "there is no one there."

Liv jumped up. "Well, it must come from somewhere. Who the hell could be riding a carriage around in the middle of the night?"

"Wagons and carriages are only allowed in the city walls at night," a booming voice with an all too familiar Italian accent answered from the atrium.

"Mr. Moretti? What are you doing here?"

"I am not this Moretti mister, you speak of, mortal." The voice responded as both Liv and Zach enter the atrium to trace the sound back to the statue standing in the middle of the pool. "I am Jupiter," the statue proclaimed.

"And I am tired! Can you please turn off the wagon sounds." Liv yelled.

"I can. But then you wouldn't be living like Romans."

A moment of tense silence washed over the two as they exchanged a solemn look of annoyance. Rest would be an unobtainable luxury tonight.

A/N: A slightly longer chapter to explain the house the best I can. Next up, we're going to watch how well Liv and Zach will fit into the daily life of the past. Till next week!!

Total word count: 4713