Chevi

The red-haired man did not seem to mind Azarion's company. The Sarmatian boy must have been a strange sight, even in a clean tunic and freshly cut hair - the tattoo, the fugitive brand on his arm, and the various scars showing on his skin told stories by themselves, although not everyone knew, or cared, how to read them. "I'm Rufus. I suppose it's obvious why." Azarion nodded. The red hair. Rufus was for red-haired people. Not many of them were native Romans, but they seemed to be popular as slaves brought in from the northern provinces. It reminded Azarion of the German tribes across the river. "I guess you saw me writing. I don't suppose you write, at all?" The damned writing again. Azarion sighed and shook his head. By now, he was probably beginning to seem strange to the talkative redhead, so he added a few hand gestures, tapping his lips to let him know he could not speak either. If he could he might have introduced himself, but as things stood, still no one managed to get his name. Not even his master, who generally called him "Boy," or "You little shit," depending on the occasion. @Sharpie

Justinia got to work on cleaning the cuts and scrapes, as thoroughly and gently as she could. Theo glanced up occasionally while he finished working on the injured knee, and noted that, even if she was hesitant about the blood and the pain, the girl was doing a fairly good job. Others might have run away, or been sick, going through this whole ordeal. Maybe she had seen more things like this than others. “If you knew me, I’m scared of a lot of things. But there are times when one needs more help that I cannot justify my own fear getting in the way, Dominus.” "One develops courage by surviving difficult times", Theo quoted in Greek, mostly out of habit. There had not been much use for literacy and philosophy in the legions, but some things stuck with him from his early education. Father had never been a great admirer of Epikuros, but he did admit some of his ideas were worth remembering. "You have done well so far. When Flora wakes up, she will have a lot to thank you for. Any my job would have been a lor more difficult without your help." He moved on to bandaging the clean cuts, putting some ointment on them to help with the pain and the healing "May I repay your help in some way? You have more than earned a reward." @Sydney

Azarion was not entirely sure why his master brought him along for the visit. Maybe it had to do with horses, he mused, maybe they were negotiating about one? There were not many things he could be an expert on, but horses definitely were one of them. Otherwise, it could just have been one of Alucio's strange whims, cleaning up the mute stable boy and taking him along because why not. Either way, Azarion felt out of place, and tried to carry himself with the quiet dignity of a body slave, while also trying not to squirm in the new, itchy tunic. The moment they arrived, Alucio told him to wait in the garden. Oh well. He could do that. He was not sure why he had to come all this way and then not even have anything to do, but he was a slave, and his only job was to shut up and obey. He had really perfected the first part already. He noticed the red-haired slave in the shade, but didn't approach right away. Other slaves, depending on their position in the household, could be just as rude as their masters. This one looked calm enough, but it was not like Azarion could just walk up and start a conversation. The writing, though. That intrigued him. Not many slaves could write, unless it was part of their job. Azarion couldn't, which really made communication hard. Watching the redhead scribble, he slowly moved closer, lost in his own thoughts, until he was finally noticed. "Hello. Care to join me?" Friendly. Azarion was not sure what to do with that. Other slaves had been friendly to him before, and even free people sometimes, but it was hard to let go of suspicions that fast. He nodded in greeting, and then, after some hesitation, he took a seat in the shade, next to the redhead.

She had caught Decimus off guard with her question. They had both been drinking, and neither of them was exactly an expert when it came to talking about... mundane, everyday things like looks, or, gods forbid, feelings. The whole thing was amusing, or at least that was what it seemed like to her, and she chuckled as he heroically did not back out of his line of thought. "Well.. Let me just say your efforts haven't been totally in vain these last few weeks. Honestly I'm still trying to decide what suits you better, make-up or mud." She did blush this time. It was a very Decimus thing to say, and since he was certainly not trying to flirt with her, she had to take the compliment at face value. It felt nice. Aia never thought of Aius as particularly handsome, and she was still trying to figure out if she made a decent woman or not. The other women in the household had been doing their level best to help her settle into her new looks. They got another round of drinks. Decimus was losing some of the tense posture he had as a praetorian. It looked good on him. She was also feeling the heat of the alcohol in her body. It had been a while since she'd ventured out drinking. Not since she arrived to Rome and changed into women's clothes. "Well, mud is not currently in fashion in Rome, or so they tell me." she noted. Her make-up was not really strong (she hated the face powders and the eye liners), but at least it did a good job. Good to know. "But... thank you." she added with a smile. Decimus somehow made her feel better about the whole thing. "Let's talk about the house, then, since you can't really have a wife in the castra, can you" she decided, moving the conversation to a less awkward topic, and sipping her drink "What kind of a home would you want? If you could have any kind." @Sains

"Matchmaking is so unnatural though... No heart in it." Aia smirked at Decimus over her drink, but there was a softness in her look. "D'aww, Decimus. You're a lover at heart." Who would have thought, knowing him from the battlefield? "Perhaps you'll see me chasing girls about the forum, bumping into them and making them drop their baggage like a fool until one decides to give me a go! It's worked for a few friends of mine... For a night at the very least." Aia chuckled at the idea. Sure, by the rule of large numbers, it was bound to work once or twice... about as many times as he would get beaten up for bumping into decent Roman women. Then again, Decimus had a simple charm about him, so maybe he had better chances than most, with the cheerful naive girls at the market anyway. Aia shook her head, amused at the whole line of thought. Gods bless this man. There was something in his eyes as he looked at her in the candlelight of the tavern. Both of them had been drinking quite freely, but the moment, it was nice. Aia's sarcastic smirk softened into a smile. "Mind you... I'd not take a girl home from a tavern, heard nothing good of that sort of thing... Y'know if I weren't here I suspect men might be buying you drinks all through the night. A perk of your new status." She actually blushed, just a little. "You mean, men just can't resist a royal tutor?" she ventured, but she knew her attempt at avoiding the compliment was weak at best, so she gave up with a laugh "Decimus, are you trying to say that I look good as a woman?" she tilted her head, looking at him for a moment before giving him a break "And, for the record, you are buying me drinks." @Sains

"Ah, good. A little civilizing influence then - bet your comrades taught you how to fuck properly!" Theo was not going to argue with that statement. True, he had not been celibate for the entire time of his service, and some of his lovers had been men. But as far as the claim of teaching him the proper way of fucking went... well. Things like that, at least when done well, in Theo's mind went both ways. And Romans, however proud Calvunus was of his people's masculinity, were in no way significantly better or worse than the rest of them. Not that Theo was going to point that out. The medicus thanked the woman for the food, and shot her an apologetic look on Calvunus' behalf. Some women liked men like that, but others decidedly didn't. Calvunus seemed to be oblivious to both, gods bless him. "What parts of the Empire did you see, domine? Were you able to do anything besides march and camp and care for the others?" "I was stationed in Cappadocia first, after I left Achaea" Thea answered, digging into his meal "And then we were moved to the Rhine, to Germania." After the revolts, but that was a longer story for another time "Did not get much time to see the sights... Although we did cross some cities on the way that were worth seeing. Ephesus, for example... also, we once moved all the way down to Hierapolis." @Gil

Well, at least the tall women understood what he was trying to say. Azarion glanced around, but the other slaves were still very much occupied with getting their own shopping done. His unlikely ally was the only one that could help figure out the mess with the unfriendly blacksmith. “Hey! I see why he didn’t want it. It’s too sharp. But I don’t imagine you can fix it now. Do you have a better bit hidden in your stash?” “I’ll take a look. See if you like this.” Azarion nodded to the woman, making a grateful gesture. At least, if the blacksmith produced no other piece, he would know he was not being swindled. He would rather make extra rounds to find the right one than return to his master with something that would hurt the horses. None of the horses deserved that kind of treatment. “It would be so much easier if you could communicate though, wouldn’t it? I don’t imagine you know how to write. If your master is smart, he’ll make sure you learn. But I imagine he’s not.” Azarion shrugged. Yes, it would be easier. It wasn't even that his master didn't want him to learn, it was just... he could talk back less as a mute, and no one really wanted to hear his opinions anyway. He shook his head, signaling that he did not know how to write, then gestured at the bit and made some cleaning motions to show that he worked in the stables. Not much need for scholars there. Tilting his head, he looked at her, making another gesture - could she write? Did they teach her, or was she not that kind of a slave either? @Atrice

“Of course, Dominus. I’ll find something good for you. It’s not free though.” "That's alright. I have decided to treat myself." Theo noted, closing his eyes with a content sigh. He could smell the fresh scent of citrus as Helenus made a choice for him. Good lad. Theo had learned to live with the bare minimum for so long in the legions that he somehow simply forgot that he lived in the heart of civilization now. Not that he was rich - unfairly, not nearly as rich as he should have been -, but he had some coin for simple pleasures, and life was dreadfully short anyway. “Which kind of exercise, if I may ask, Dominus? If you don't want me to talk, I'll be quiet, Dominus." "The kind where I have to restrain a gladiator to stop him from tearing his stitches" Theo sighed, wincing as his muscles resisted the massage at first "Not that I have not wrestled larger men before, but really, at least they should allow me to help without fighting... Talk away, lad, if you want." @Atrice

Joking and chatting was always nice, especially over cups of drinks, but Aia did not forget that they both also had plans, and things to help each other with. On her part, she had promised to help Decimus with... women, in general, even if she was not the best representation of them. The man needed a decent wife, and from the looks of it, he had a bit of a trouble finding one. Or figuring out where to put her. "No luck on either of those fronts, I'm afraid... Finding a home so near the hill is a difficult thing to manage, and it would have to be for obvious reasons. As for a wife... Well, I've little time to speak to any women about town. More than half of them are laden with children anyways." Aia chuckled, hiding her smirk in her cup. She'd never really thought about what it would be like to actively search for a woman who was wife material. "'Guess it couldn't hurt to make more of an effort... Where to look though. The market? How would you talk to someone in all of that noise?" "Unless you want to purchase one... no, probably not the market." Aia grinned "I mean, it really depends on what you want from a wife. If you want to seduce a pretty girl, then yes, the market, you can chat them up there and help them carry their baskets or whatever. The festival days are good for that too I'd guess. If you want someone that will keep house well for you... talk to some matrons and see who's looking for a husband with a steady job. If you want to marry up the ladder... then you're gonna need a matchmaker that knows what they are doing." @Sains

Helenus handed a cloth to Theo. He was fine walking around naked, as most visitors of the baths were; there was nothing new or unnatural about the human body to him. Quite the opposite, it was humans' natural state, and while clothing was useful in many ways, Theo enjoyed his time spent in the bath without it. He followed the young man to the massage table, the cloth wrapped over his shoulder, and lay down as instructed. “Please lie down, Dominus. It does not seem you brought your own oil for the massage, but we have some. Do you prefer scented or no?” "Pick a nice clean scent for me, please?" Theo hummed, already feeling more relaxed. He did not care for smelling like a prostitute, but he was also quite done with smelling blood and sand and sweat all day. "Something that smells better than blood." “Also, I need to know if you want me to massage your entire body or if some parts are more important than others? Any special treatments you desire?” The last part of the question sailed right by Theo, who was very much focused on getting his sore muscles in order. He sighed, closing his eyes. "My shoulders and back are killing me. I'm not used to that kind of exercise... If you could put me extra effort into those, I'd be eternally grateful." @Atrice

It was hard not to like Quintus immediately. He seemed like a bright boy; it spoke to his mother's talents that he was well behaved, but he had a spark of spirit that made him more interesting than many other children. Not that Aia had met that many. "Oh yes, I am going to be a better rider than all the Parthians. Don't worry, I will teach you how to ride and, wait, what are you going to be teaching me about? You don't look anything like my other tutors." "I will be teaching you languages, to start" Aia responded with a chuckle. She imagined the boy teaching her how to ride. It was amusing idea, given that she dressed as a woman now. She had never been in the cavalry, but she knew how to ride a horse. It was just convenient, when one traveled a lot. Juliana decided to leave them alone for now. Aia found that she was less nervous than she had been a few minutes ago. Maybe the boy would be easy to handle. Or maybe he would turn into a little monster the moment his mother was out of sight. "It's okay, I know. How is Pater?" Aia blinked at the conspiratory whisper. "Know wha..." she sighed, smiling at the boy. He knew she'd been sent by his father. That was nothing to worry about. "Your father was well, the last time I met him. Very busy with running a province." @Gothic

"Aye, all that's true! You've been favored by Fortune herself with all of your good luck. And you've gotten to eat from both sides of the table!" "Half of it was army bread" Aia chuckled. She survived a lot, and her life could have been calmer and better under different circumstances, but all in all, she was happy with what the fates had measured out for her far. It led to sharing a drink here on her own time, and she was alright with that. "I trust your goals are coming along nicely though? The children are speaking proper Gallic with their slaves and making their mother run mad?" "Quintus is adorable. He makes friends easily." Aia smiled "He is more interested in horses than languages at the moment, but he is a bright child. He has a future in politics... maybe I will be a respectable matron once he comes into power." she chuckled, sipping more of her drink "What about your plans? Found a house for the wife yet, or the other way around?" @Sains

Once the money was about to walk away from his table, the blacksmith did change his tune. Azarion rolled his eyes as he agreed to serve the woman with a belt buckle. That was the easy part, really, and he left it up to the woman to try to understand what Azarion wanted exactly. She seemed up for the challenge. She picked the bit up and examined it. Azarion watched with his eyes narrowed. Did she know the first thing about horses? She looked like a Northerner. “I see why you don’t want this. But I’m sure it can be fixed.” Well, at least she now knew what his problem was. Azarion nodded at the first part. It was bad craftsmanship. The second part, though? He arched an eyebrow at that. Then make him fix it, he gestured widely at the blacksmith who had his back turned to them. Azarion tapped the sign around his neck that marked him as a slave, I'm not going home to my master with something that needs fixing. @Atrice

Theo could feel his muscles relaxing as he soaked in the hot water. There was nothing better than a bath after a day of work. He could hear people idly chatting around him, but the words flowed by without meaning. He had gotten good at filtering out other people's conversation while he was in the legions. Time also flowed by unmeasured, until a familiar voice spoke above him. “Dominus. I am ready to massage you when you are.” "Splendid" Theo grinned, hauling himself out of the pool a little sluggishly. Hot water relaxed his muscles, but now he was keenly feeling just how tired he was. "Lead the way, Helenus." @Atrice

Aia wondered what it would be like to see Decimus among his family. People in the legion seemed to be soldiers, born all grown up like Minerva, and she did not usually waste time on trying to imagine them in a civilian setting. But being friends with Decimus, she could not help but trying to picture his parents and his childhood home. Maybe it was just because she didn't have either of those anymore. "Aye, they're proud enough. I imagine one day my village my erect a statue of me... Wouldn't that be nice? Perhaps I'll tell them to erect another near me, paint the hair all red." "Oh yeah, a full figure statue in a toga. The Divine Decimus." Aia grinned, finishing her drink off so that she could order a fresh one as well. People got statues left and right these days, but most of them were imperials or very wealthy senators and the like. She chuckled at the idea of getting her own statue one day. Not likely. "It's too bad that no one will ever know of your military exploits... Great as they were." "Aia, Slayer of Barbarians, Speaker of Languages." she held her chin up, striking an elegant pose with her palla wrapped over one shoulder "Yeah, not likely. But I got out of it alive, that's gotta count for something, right?" she shrugged the palla off "I'm not a war hostage and not a slave. And I'm not married to some wrinkly old fart, thank the gods. That's a win in my book." a server girl showed up to refill their drinks from a pitcher, and Aia nodded in thanks to her. @Sains

Praetorians were something one got used to very fast when one was frequenting the Palatine. They watched over the safety of the imperials, and added a certain aura of veiled threat with their mere presence. Selected from veterans and deemed the best of the best, they were serving the imperials personally, swapping the frontiers for a different kind of battlefield... if they did their job really well, they would not have to fight at all. And then then were the other guards, the ones selected to be impressive. "Mmm... You're probably right. And don't even bother mentioning me, I am the guard that everyone expects to see. Another Roman in a toga watching over the Princess? I'm expected. She's the flashy exotic companion that impresses everyone. Everyone's seen a veteran around here before..." "Not one like you they didn't" Aia noted with a chuckle. Decimus was special, not for his looks or for his battle prowess, but for the kind of person he was. Aia wondered whether the princess knew what kind of a man was watching over her safety. "I bet your parents are proud, though?" @Sains

The idea that Decimus and Cynane were protecting the same person was all kinds of amusing. They were both good at what they were doing, but in the end, they were as different as it came: a Briton woman and a Roman man, each other's opposites in personality as well as history. Aia could only imagine what their work interactions would be like. "It's interesting... No, we've not done anything like that. The princess expects full professionalism between us and I don't think contests of strength would promote good blood." "No fun" Aia pouted, before drinking more of the mead. It was sweet, and much cleaner than some of the other beers and meads offered in the city. "I would crush her, mind... She looks like she'd be able to handle a sword well enough, though. Probably lopped a few heads in the Arena, though I was never around to see it." "Crush her? Really?" she arched an eyebrow "I don't know, she looked pretty powerful to me. And anyone who gets our of the arena alive has to be something special. I mean, yeah, we've faced her kind of the battlefield, but let's be honest, they put up one hell of a fight." It seemed so far away now, Britannia, the legions, living as a boy, all of it. It sounded almost funny out of Aia's mouth, talking about war. "I bet the princess likes to have someone like her to show off." she paused, then flashed a grin at Decimus "Next to her very own veteran praetorian, that is." @Sains

"Told 'em I slew the lot! It wasn't exactly hard to prove with a bloody blade." "Well, you kind of did." Aia smirked over her drink. Decimus did kill one of the grave robbers, and if he had not been there, well... well, for one, Aia had not have been there either, because what the heck would she be doing in a cemetery at night, but also, she would not have been able to bring down three men alone. So, if Decimus wanted those laurels, he got them. As long as he was not swapped for someone else in his job. "That Briton is something else though... Big and brutish girl. I don't imagine you've met her?" "Who? Cynane? Of course I've met her" Aia grinned. She'd encountered the Briton woman not long after she joined Juliana's household. It was clear from her grin that she liked her, or at least thought that she was damn fascinating "So, how is it, working alongside a Briton warrior woman? Have you arm wrestled her yet?" @Sains

“I’m Helenus, Dominus. I’ll put away your things once you’re undressed and if you want me to give you a massage, I can. I recommend you do a warm bath first though, it helps the massage.” "Right on, lad" Theo agreed with a good-natured smile as Helenus undressed him. It was much easier to get out of his tunica when someone else was helping. Theo had never been rich enough to keep his own household slaves, so someone else helping him in such a simple task was a treat he was not yet used to. He was aware that a slave did that out of a sense of duty, and not caring, but for today at least, he could put those worries aside. "Come find me in a bit." Once undressed, he left Helenus to store his things, and headed for the hot water bath. The steam was already seeping into his skin, relaxing his muscles. Theo sunk into the hot water with a content sigh, closing his eyes and enjoying the simple luxury of hot water. Helenus probably knew how long it was polite to leave someone to soak, so he simply waited for the young man to show. Until then, the medicus was happy to just float and relax. @Atrice

" 'Spose youd've preferred the full cuirass?" "Yes, and the weaponry." Aia grinned at him over her drink. Like he didn't enjoy showing off in uniform. If Aia had managed to get away with being a soldier a little longer, maybe she would have gotten one too. She doubted she would ever take it off. Then again, Decimus liked to be dressed simply, unless he was on official duty. "They didn't care one bit. Said I got mugged! Guess it's not too uncommon in a place like this, though. And your mistress? What did she have to say?" "Nothing" Aia shrugged "Managed to clean the dress without her noticing." it had not been easy, but Aia was not exactly a stranger to blood stains. And the domina did not bother with the cleaning of the household clothes unless they were her own, and not properly clean. "Mugged, huh?" she chuckled, licking her lips after the mead "Let's hope your mistress doesn't hear about that. A bodyguard getting mugged does not exactly sound great... she might swap you for that Briton woman she's got." @Sains

Well, on the upside, they did not have to meet in a graveyard anymore. Not that a popina after dark was much more respectable for that, but at least it was warm, and was run by someone friendly. It was easier to slip away too, since they were once again visiting the imperial palace. All Aia had to do was walk down to the Via Lata, and make sure she was not noticeable. Good thing she had scouting experience. Walking into the tavern, she looked around. Not a crowd tonight, really, but enough people that they would not stand out, sitting at a table. Aia nodded to the person behind the bar, and walked to the table in the back where a familiar figure was already sitting, guarding two mugs of... something. The table was obscured from immediate view in a corner of the room. Aia smiled as she slipped into her seat opposite from Decimus. "Look at you, dressed up like a civilian!" she gave his embroidered tunic an appreciative nod. It was a nice outfit. On her part, she was wearing one of the simple dresses Juliana had outfitted her with, a shade of blue-grey that worked well with her hair. The palla was a darker blue, concealing her from view on the way here. She shrugged it off her shoulders now, and adjusted the blue ribbons holding her growing hair in some kind of a respectable shape. "And you got drinks! Lovely. I needed one." she added, grabbing the mug that was left out for her "Long day. So, how are things among the praetorians? Did you get into trouble after last time?" @Sains

The woman did not look like she was going to let the matter go. She had the look of a warrior. Azarion had seen female warriors back home, it was nothing out of the ordinary, although she did look very much out of place in the middle of Rome. She gave the blacksmith a look that made him shrink back. “In case you were not aware, that’s one very good way to lose customers. What if he lets his friends and his superior know? Or don’t you want to help him because he’s a slave and a boy?” The blacksmith opened his mouth, and Azarion was sure he was going to point out once again that he was mute. Which, honestly, was kind of the point - Azarion had trouble letting his master know things, given that he also couldn't write. But the woman was gearing up for a fight, and Azarion was glad to have someone on his side. "No, it's..." “Maybe you can find better merchandise elsewhere?” She winked at him. Azarion got the message, and nodded, tossing the bit back onto the table. "Alright, alright, wait!" the blacksmith rolled his eyes "Fine. I'll get you the buckle first, and then I'll deal with the kid. Maybe you could help me figure out what he actually wants?" @Atrice

One of the bath slaves walked in his direction. Many of them worked in the baths, especially the bigger ones, and the good ones knew exactly how to make one's visit comfortable and enjoyable. Theo himself did not expect much of them other than some help and some guidance; some men liked to take advantage of some of their services if they could get away with it. As for the medicus, all he was hoping for was a hot bath and a thorough massage. "Hello there" she flashed a friendly smile at the young man that walked up to him. "Yes, please. I need to get out of these clothes, and my shoulders are bothering me. Long day at work. Your help is appreciated." He could do most of the undressing alone, if he had to - but why bother, when he didn't? Theo walked over to the area for undressing, followed by the slave, and set his bag down. He only carried it out of habit; it wasn't his full medicus baggage, just some trinkets that he might find useful occasionally. "What's your name?" @Atrice

Nones of May, 74CE If there was one thing Theodorus absolutely loved about Rome, it was the baths. Sure, Greeks liked cleanliness and exercise too, but by the gods, Romans had taken the whole bathing thing, and elevated it to an art form! The buildings themselves were a marvel to behold. If he had come from some barbarian land, Theo would have honestly believed they were palaces. And the best thing? They were open to everyone. The public ones, anyway. It had been another long day at the Ludus. One particular gladiator did not handle his injuries too well; it was one thing to stitch and bandage, and quite another to try to wrestle the patient while ding it. Theo had some help doing it, but at the end of the day, his muscles were sore and he was ready to take some time for himself. Assured that none of his patients were dying, he set out for one of the thermae to treat himself. Walking into the building, Theo glanced around with a smile. He liked to visit different baths, so he was not very familiar with this particular one yet. He could figure out his way around, but there was no rush - he was here so that he did not have to do everything on his own, after all... @Atrice

Sorry for the delay! OOC Name: CheviCharacter Name: AzarionLink to active thread: Blacksmiths and barters Character Name: Aia/AiusLink to active thread: You, me, and the dead woman Character Name: Quintus Flavius TheodorusLink to active thread: At the Ludus Magnus