Sains

Decimus swiftly followed Didia back towards the disheartening scene that was still unfolding in his own apartment. Now that his body was truly awake to the situation that his wife was in, curled up on the floor like a sick animal, did he fully appreciate the fact that she might actually be in some sort of mortal peril. Her skin was pale, or at least far paler than usual, and for a few moments he began to wrestle with the idea that she might die from whatever great illness had invaded their home. Before he could move to her side, however, he was compelled to not interfere and do what he could with his limited knowledge of the situation. Reluctantly, he kept his trap shut and let Didia set about giving whatever care she could. Cleaning up vomit was a task that he'd undertaken occasionally as a lowly milite, so the familiar feeling of a wet rag and the smell of bile wasn't particularly new. He just hoped that Didia might know how to deal with these illness better than he. In earnest he believed he might as well fetch the medicus after he was done with this poor assignment. @Sara@Chevi

It was difficult not to crack a smile as the door opened and the first thing to meet his eyes was, of course, Didia herself and the young boy who seemed ready to bolt. He would have been ready to catch the boy himself if it had been warranted, but luckily another young man was hot on his heels. While it was well known to most that Decimus was a member of the guard, he hardly appeared the least bit prepared for the role. Clad in a simple tunica and bearing the eyebags of a man who'd not seen a bed for the better part of eighteen hours, he might've surprised anyone else with the fact. "Paenitet Didia, I know you're busy. I was wondering if... Er, I was wondering if you could come by. It's Aia; she's ailing. I don't think it's common." He didn't quite know how else to put it, especially in the company of so many others that drifted just behind her. He expected she might continue on and say that she's too busy, in which case he would go for a doctor, but he'd rather not if it all possible. @Sara@Chevi

Well fuck; that definitely didn't work. Decimus rolled his eyes in frustration and went about putting away the little pot as Aia went on heaving into the bucket. Who was the moron that had told him that nonsense anyway? He supposed it must have been a Greek muttering or something that an auxiliary had said while they were drunk on whatever swill they could get their hands on. Whatever, it didn't really matter. What mattered, of course, was that Aia was about to puke out her intestines into that bucket. The praetorian began to get ready to step out for a moment, throwing on a simple tunica, but he didn't really know where he should go. He could fetch a doctor, but he'd have to walk to an entirely different quarter to find a good one. There was that one fellow, Carbo, that he knew a couple blocks from their building, but he was a known quack. Why people still wasted their sesterce on him he'd never know. Oh well, forget it. One person he did know was just a few doors away. Before he left, he made sure to look back at Aia and shout the only encouragement that was breaking the surface in his fatigued mind. "Don't die!" Oh yeah, that'd do it. What followed was a brief interlude of walking and cursing mixed with a dash of cursing and walking. Whatever was wrong with Aia certainly wasn't anything that he had any particular familiarity with. Personally he'd never seen her curled up in a ball on the floor after eating the oh-so-dangerous combination of bread and cheese. This, he suspected, was something that he may not be equipped to handle. And so, before too long, he was knocking on the door of her friend Didia. He knew Didia as well, though it was far more tangential than the connection that she had with Aia. He supposed that she'd care enough about the fate of her friend to ignore the small intrusion into her morning. And, perhaps most importantly of all, she was a woman. "Hello?.. It's Decimus." @Sara@Chevi

Fuck. Well, what was there to do? Of course, Decimus had a rather rudimentary knowledge of what herbs and remedies might help the situation, but he was unsure if they had anything around that might help her while she lay on the floor. As a preliminary effort, the guardsman grabbed their blanket and draped it across her body as she lay there. He'd likely be staying up now anyways, so it wasn't much of a bother for him. "What did you eat last night?", he asked groggily. For now, he'd make an effort in looking for some herbs in their humble kitchen that might help the situation. He'd heard somewhere that cumin helped, but he'd never really tried it out for himself. Nevertheless, desperate times called for desperate wives tales and soon he'd kneel by her side to produce the spice in a small clay pot they'd set aside. "Open wide." he'd say, holding a pinch of it carefully between his fingers. @Chevi@Sara

The feeling of the covers rustling next to him was nothing new, especially given the recent pattern of nightly guard postings he'd been receiving of late. As such, it was hardly a wonder that he didn't rise immediately with Aia. If he'd been a younger man he wouldn't have minded the assignments as much, but as he aged he couldn't deny feeling Somnus tugging at his eyelids whenever he got anything less than seven or eight hours. Still, he'd try to rise... eventually. It turned out that 'eventually' would come sooner than anyone might have expected as he heard Aia's retching from the comfort of their still-warm sheets. He rolled, his mind not quite coming to the realization that anything was truly amiss. Had she really thrown up? It had sounded like it, but from what little information his eyes had immediately gathered upon parting for a brief moment, she seemed to be cleaning up at the pitcher. There was definitely nothing wrong with that. Why should he get up just for that? Surely he could sleep in for a few more minutes... Then came the all-too-familiar sound of a body slumping onto the floor. Immediately his eyes opened in confusion and he began to get up and face what he already suspected. All at once he felt the blood rush from his head and his vision went dark for a few moments, soon returning with a few steps forward. The muted rush of adrenaline gave him the illusory comfort of being wide-awake, though who knew how long that'd last. "Aia?" he inquired. It was a hopeful call to a woman that, he could now see, was curled up in the fetal position and clutching her stomach. "What's wrong, are you sick?" It was an idiotic question, of course, but he could probably have thought of a better one if he weren't operating on the bare minimum of sleep. @Chevi@Sara

The roars of the crowd were deafening from within the Imperial box, and it would have been some wonder if he'd managed to hear anything that came out of the wretch's mouth with any clarity. Something about death that was clearly directed at all that wished it upon him. Whatever it had been, Decimus was totally uninterested. The only thing that mattered now was to see it ended. No more wandering the streets at night looking for suspicious figures in the alleyways, no more hearing of honest citizens with their throats slit wide like livestock, and, perhaps most importantly, there was Aia. At least he could stand calmly at his post without wondering if she'd be taken from him by the time his shift had finally ended. With grim excitement his eyes flicked from the beasts to the man awaiting the fatal blows. It took a great deal of strength not to join the feverish shouting of the crowd as the lion drew first blood. Gnashing teeth, skin rent from the body and hanging loose like parchment in the vat, and, of course, the screams; it was enough to make any man's breath quicken. Just seeing the bastard in such a helpless state was enough to make Decimus squeeze the decorated hilt of his sword with a strength he might not have known since he'd left the isle. Perhaps even for a fleeting moment he wished it were him in that arena cleaving the man into bits. If it weren't for the sudden glance from Tiberius he may have summoned the strength to crush the bone-handle itself. He could hardly think of anything appropriate to say for his own personal gratitude that the man who had terrorized his city, his friends, and his family was finally put to an end. Jason seemed to have the right idea, and Decimus was happy to follow suit with a quick nod of the head, fiery plume dipping for just a moment before he met the prince's gaze once more. "Rome thanks you, Dominus." However curt it may have seemed, that was likely the best Tiberius could hope for from the centurion at the moment. The sound of crunching bone had drawn his gaze back to the arena and the grizzly site that lay before them all. Finally, it was done. He wondered if Aia would greet him with an appreciation for the way it had happened. Perhaps she still wished he'd been dismembered there on the floor. Dis, he hardly had to ask Alexius how he'd felt. For his own part there was much more satisfaction than there was pleasure. This Tiberius had done something good. Something that much of the public may not have agreed with had they known the details of its orchestration, but something good nonetheless. He only hoped that one day he might return the favor to the nobleman. Only time would tell. @Sharpie@Atrice@Chevi@Sara@Sarah

Decimus could hardly believe that the day had finally come. The moment which had been a source of endless stress for both he and Aia was finally upon them, though he could hardly say that he was overjoyed. What was there to be happy about? It was satisfying to know that the man would meet his end screaming at the sudden grip of a lion's jaws, but other than that he felt little. He stood amongst the Imperials in their decorated booth that bore all the comforts that wealth could buy, but he was certainly not permitted to indulge in any of it, no. He was here in his official capacity as a Praetorian and as such he was expected to do little more than stand stoically and supervise the complement of other guardsmen who were... standing stoically. He knew Aia was in the crowd somewhere, and even though he might have wished to be by her side during such a personal occasion there was no way that he or any other guardsman would be able to get away during the festivities. He'd watch, like the other thousands of Romans in attendance, as the murderous wretch was led into the arena without so much as a cry for mercy. Typical. Either he was convinced that he would be granted some kind of clemency for his actions or he was truly mad. The latter was clearly far more likely. It was a shame that he wasn't more of a natural coward. If Decimus couldn't derive any joy out of the death of such a monster, hopefully the others in their cadre of victims and allies could have gotten something out of seeing such a man grovel and beg as he'd made others do for his own pleasure. Still, the familiar growls and beastly groans from the other gates was a welcome sign that the end was near. He wasn't much of a man for the arena, but damn if the sight of those cats wasn't as impressive as the day he'd first seen them. As for how much damage they would do, well, it all depended of course. Many might believe that such animals would make quick work of the bloody barber, but Decimus could recall several animal executions that went on for several minutes. Hopefully these beasts would toy around for a bit. @Sarah@Sara@Chevi@Sharpie@Atrice

"Aye, well, you did and that's what's important. I'm a bit surprised Alexius didn't get the man before anyone got there if I'm honest." Decimus may have. He hadn't forgotten the men that they'd dispatched at the mausoleum all that time ago. Hell, he'd done men in for less than threatening the innocent. Either way he would see justice; Decimus just hoped that it would be gruesome enough to justify the hassle. "The punishment for his crimes will be gruesome enough. We know enough people to make it happen and there are those that will testify. The law may yet surprise you." he'd comment as reassuringly as possible. It didn't always work, that much was true, but when it did it was a real treat sometimes. @Chevi

Decimus would raise his head to kiss her in return and then rise to follow her over to their bed. She was right of course, but if he were released he knew that he could do nothing to stop himself. He would kill again, or worse, and then they'd have to live on with this man wandering the streets with no end in sight. That is of course if he were let go. He wouldn't be let go. He couldn't be let go. It was unthinkable that that were even an option that was still writhing about above their heads like some unseen serpent. Doubt and uncertainty were the order of the day, but he could only hope that some sleep might clear his head. Hopefully news would come in the next few days. "Well if they'd let off an unproven murderer then I'd hope they'd at least give an honorable murderer a second chance... Hope we don't find out." With that he lay down beside her, resting his hand on her stomach to calm himself. She was here, she was alive, and that was good enough for him. @Chevi

Decimus did his best to relax. He lifted the simple leather breastplate from about his body, once Aia had finished unclasping it, and set it beneath their table for the moment. It was hard, this. He couldn't tell her for certain that he would die at the hands of the state, and she knew that. "He won't get away. Not while I'm alive. I'll kill him in that cell if they mean to let him go." he'd proclaim under his breath. Of course that would mean potentially throwing his life away and being sent to the brig himself, but it would be worth it for the revenge. Or at least he thought. Deep down he knew that he wouldn't enjoy it as much as the rage deep inside of him tried to convince him it would. "And then we'll run to Spain and pick grapes for the rest of our lives." he'd say while turning to face Aia with a short-lived smile. It was an outlandish idea, but the need to lighten the mood was there. @Chevi

An amused snort was all he could offer as she tried to reassure him. As exhausted as he was he still felt an ember of rage smoldering away in the pit of his stomach. He was angry. He was angry; not only at the man who'd struck this new wound upon his wife, but at himself for being absent when she'd needed him most. She lived, and he had only the gods to thank for that, but he could hardly begin to imagine what he would have done if she'd died on the cobbles below the insula. It was almost more than he could take to see her limp over just to fiddle with the stupid clasps on his idiotic costume. Here he was draped in all of the kit that showed others how stolid and dependable he was in the face of adversity, and yet here he was with a wounded wife and not even the man's head to show for it. He wouldn't break down now; not while she labored on through it all. Bringing a rough hand over hers he uttered a reassurance that was as much meant for his own peace of mind as it was for Aia's. "He will die." He said nothing more and only looked over his shoulder in hopes that he would see that she agreed. Even if she feigned it, he wouldn't mind. @Chevi

Quite the night, indeed. Decimus had spent most of it moving about the city informing those who needed to know. He'd told the commander of the guard, he'd stopped on the way to inform the bloody vigiles, and he would have been sent on to the various gates if his centurion hadn't pitied him. All the while his thoughts were of home, of course, because his wife had been shivved by only the most dangerous man in the city. If things carried on like this he wouldn't have to worry about getting home at night for the stress would claim him. "Everyone has been informed of everything that could be said about anything." The alliterated response probably did much to present just how tired he was of the whole mess. Happily he moved to sit in a chair just opposite of the bed in hopes that he might clear his mind and finally get down to talking about this mess with the one who mattered most. "We'll hear more as the week goes. How's the wound?" @Chevi

For a moment, Decimus thought about being a fool and raising his own voice, and he might well have done if Jason hadn't already decided to vocalize why they had come before the Imperial. As far as any would be concerned, it would probably be a fairly easy case to prove. There were eye witnesses to him making an attack upon innocent people at the very least, and though it would be nearly impossible to conclusively prove that the man had committed the murders without a confession, the word of several trusted citizens would help to ensure his death. But if it were only their cries for justice then the man might simply get away with a quick death that satisfied no one. Tiberius, hopefully, could ensure that the man died in some unique and excruciating way that the entire empire could hear of. But he assumed that the young master would grasp that soon enough between the points raised by Roscianus and Jason. For his part he simply needed to stand and watch, much like Alexius. Honestly his night was probably not over by a longshot. The Castra would need to be informed, and he doubted the louts at the Tullianum would take the time out of their night. They were probably just surprised they'd had to rise from their seats for five minutes to take the man of their hands... @Sarah@Chevi@Sharpie@Atrice

And there he was. Tiberius looked about as pleased to see them as they were to be here, but at least it seemed he was willing to hear them out. Years of drill and protocol had taught Decimus better than to speak to a superior, especially an Imperial, before he was spoken to and he was happy that Roscianus was taking the lead in talking to the prince. If Tiberius had any questions, they would be answered, but that's all they could really do. There was no real point in butting in and possibly mucking up the story as someone else told it. At any rate he saw himself as the conduit by which any information intended for the prefect of the guard would travel. He doubted that anything grandiose like martial law or the rounding up of citizens would happen though, they'd already caught the bloody fool anyways. And so, with little to do otherwise, Decimus stood to attention and listened to Roscianus and Tiberius. @Sarah@Chevi@Sharpie@Atrice

Decimus hardly knew what to expect as this slave, Jason as he was called, led them to the home of his master. If it were some rich nobleman who didn't have much stake in a murder occurring in the city then it was surely a waste of time. They'd be lucky if dogs weren't let loose on them for waking him at such an hour. It was only after they'd been informed that his master was the imperial boy 'Tiberius' that Decimus began to feel quite awkward about the entire situation. It was known to everyone, including those within the group, that they hardly looked like anyone that should be within ten miles of an imperial prince. Jason had a fairly good excuse as he was apparently Tiberius's property, but the rest of them were ragged to say the least. Roscianus was bleeding like a stuck pig and Alexius was... well... Alexius. It honestly wasn't that Decimus thought the former Gladiator was poorly or any worse off than he in terms of appearance, but he honestly thought the boy might be scared of such an imposing man. The man was built like an oak and had scars tracing up and down his body for gods sake. For his own part the symbolic toga that he wore to the palace was now dotted with splatters and blotches of dried blood from dragging that horrible man about. The stripe that would identify him as a member of the guard was the only thing that gave him some confidence that their story would be believed when Tiberius finally decided to roll out of bed. He'd known of Tiberius for some time, seen him a bit around the palace. It wasn't regular and he'd never spoken to the boy, but he seemed like he had a good enough head on his shoulders. He'd never heard anyone speaking badly of the man at least. Hopefully their first meeting wouldn't result in a lashing when he got back to the Castra. It was well known that the upper crust didn't enjoy getting up at the behest of others. @Sarah@Atrice@Chevi@Sharpie