Chevi

Azarion was very close to throwing the bit in the blacksmith's face, just to make him see where exactly it was not filed down well enough. Then again, a slave assaulting a freeborn man could not expect much good after the fact. He would have done such a thing to protect the horses, but not to get a good market deal for his master. So, he huffed and fumed. And then someone else walked right up next to him. As if queues did not exist. “I need a new buckle. For this. Is something wrong?” Azarion wanted to glare at the woman... but once he turned towards her, his eyes widened instead. She was... tall. And strong. And wearing distinctly barbarian clothing, not unlike the women of Sarmatia used to wear. The slave boy was apparently not the only one who was taken aback by her appearance. “Now I know who you are! You’re the gladiatrix! I’ve seen you! I thought you died! You were quite… pleasing, to look at.” Gladiatrix?... This woman used to fight in the arena? Azarion had not been to the infamous amphitheater yet, but he heard stories. He'd heard them before he'd ever crossed into Italia. The Romans loved their bloody fights... apparently even more when 'pleasing' barbarian women fought them. How did she live to tell the tale?... "Are you going to help me with this buckle or what? And that boy, he wants to purchase something too. Instead you yell at him.” "Well, he is wasting my time!" the blacksmith huffed, rummaging around for a buckle that would fit the belt "He is mute as a fish, and seems to think my merchandise is not good enough. What am I s'posed to do with that?" Make better merchandise, you moron!, Azarion noted silently, while making a determined gesture at the bit he was not willing to buy. @Atrice

The boy had gone pale again. Theo could tell that the arena was not really his favorite thing, which made sense, if he had been educated by a Greek medicus before. Greeks in general did not see much value in the blood bath alone. The spectacle, maybe. For Theo, it was mostly a job. While Phaedo struggled with his disgust, Calvunus took over the conversation, quickly steering it in another direction that the medicus could not wholly follow. "Don't you just stick your cock in between the thighs? I always wondered how a man could find any real satisfaction in that. As a way to get started, yeah...But in the end, don't you ever just want to...shove it in?" Theo blinked, a little surprised at the words as well as the genuine interest in the guard's demeanor. He was not making fun on him at all, just... making conversation. "Well, it depends on the person, I'd say" he ventured with a chuckle "I'm rather boring in that regard, I'm afraid. Then again, I spent most of my time in the legions, not in Achaea." @Gil

"You too. Have you taught many boys before?" I taught them not to touch me, does that count? Aia could tell that the boy, despite his polite manners, was curious about her. It must have been the hair - short and red -, or the strange foreign name. She doubted Juliana would have told the kid about where Aia really came from. Children were not great at keeping exciting secrets. Quintus seemed friendly, though, and Aia smiled as she took a seat next to him. "Not many, no. But I'm looking forward to it." "Oh! And I have to introduce you to the horses and the other animals." The child was just the right age to have animal friends, or so Aia assumed. She was not squeamish about animals, as long as she did not have to take care of them in her current position. "Sure" she nodded "Are you learning to ride?"

"Seems nobility is won't be good enough to keep us from speaking in secret. Just doesn't seem right; us being forced to meet in the shadows is all..." "Well, get your own house then, so I can visit and we can have feasts." she grinned at him. The opinion was shared, meeting in places like this was not going to do on the long run. Not for him, with his guard duties, and not for her, because every time she went sneaking out was a risk taken that the domina would start suspecting something. Of course, getting a home for the praetorian was not going to happen from one moment to the next. So, for now, they would make another attempt, at the popina she'd discovered the other day. Decimus patted her on the shoulder, his hand lingering for a moment. Aia wondered if it was normal to be this comfortable with someone's touch, now that she was a Roman woman. She didn't mind. "Whatever must be done, I guess... I suppose you'll be fine on your way home? Don't need any more men killed?" "I'll be fine." she chuckled "Unless you want me to walk you home and protect you on the way." The walk home was likely to be uneventful. The two thugs had long run away, and it was too late, even for bandits along the roads. They rarely walked this close to the city, anyway. "It's called Bibens Avem Popina. On the Via Lata. Owned by a woman named N'tombi. I'll see you there next time." she wrapped the palla around herself, and flashed him a grin "Take care, Decimus." @Sains

All in all, the had gotten off light. Some blood, a dead thug (if he resorted to robbing graves, clearly no one important), and a good scare for the road home. Nothing the two of them could not handle. "I wouldn't say that... A few bad apples can spoil any region. I'd say it was a good on-the-spot pick, but we might want to find somewhere else next time." "A few bad apples?" Aia blinked, paused, and then burst out laughing. Only Decimus could describe a nighttime graveyard as a region that was spoiled by... what, some unexpected graverobbers? Gods, he was adorable, for someone who just mercilessly murdered a man minutes ago. Aia laughed hard enough that her eyes welled up. "Where to then? Perhaps an Inn would be better next time. No one will think anything of us if we keep our heads down... And damned if they do! I don't care! What have we done that's wrong?" "You mean, other than that?" Aia giggled, catching her breath, gesturing widely at the ditch and the corpse. "Nothing yet. It's really about reputation, everything in Rome is, if you want to move up anyway." she wiped her tears away and grinned up at him "And you are foolishly noble, Decimus. I know you." If he wanted to have a chance at the whole career-house-wife plan, he needed to not have the wrong kind of reputation. And she needed the same if she did not want Flavia Juliana to kick her out of the house. "I might now a tavern in the city, though" she added after a pause "I know the owner and she is friendly..." @Sains

Decimus was alright. She was alright. That was a surprisingly good result for an evening that had gone fairly wrong. Maybe meeting in a graveyard might not have been the best idea, after all... At least one witness was dead, and the other one too scared out of his wits to identify anyone. "Aye... I'll drag him into a bush. Just hope nobody makes a habit of visiting too often, this place'll start to stink." Aia sighed, then walked back to the bench, picking up the food basket. No reason to leave any traces behind. She also picked up the candle, and followed Decimus, who dragged the body into a ditch. It would have to do. It was not all that rare around Rome for people on the roads to get mugged. Even if someone found him, it would be a dead case to figure out. "Any blood on you?" "Only from you" Aia noted, examining herself in the candle light. A few dark spots on her hands, one or two on her dress. All in all, not too bad. "If anyone asks, I'll just say I'm on my period." It was messy, but spots of blood were easier to explain as a woman. "That... was a close call, though." she admitted with a sigh, running a hand through her short hair. "I was ready to pelt them with roof tiles if they decided to start a brawl. Maybe the mausoleum was not the best idea..." @Sains

Decimus managed to catch her. He stumbled a little - someone falling into someone's arms, even as small as Aia was, was not not an easy thing to brace for. Aia chuckled as he set her down, finding her footing. She could smell blood on him, and his clothes were definitely sticky. "Nice catch." She picked up the palla, dusting it off as much as she could, before wrapping it around herself again. "I uh... I guess this wasn't how this night was supposed to end?" She looked up at him, catching the grin in the faint light, and rolled her eyes. "Oh, I planned it exactly like this. My plan was to get attacked by grave robbers just so that I can fall into your arms." Women did that all the time, right? Aia reached up to pat Decimus on the cheek, before her attention wandered. "Is he dead?" @Sains

Everything was over before they knew it. The man did the smart thing and decided to run away. Now they were once again surrounded by shadows and the silence of the graves, and it dawned on Aia that she was still sitting on the roof of the mausoleum. Decimus was laughing. She could understand the sentiment. Surviving an encounter brought on a flood of relief, and sometimes reactions one did not expect. Decimus was fine and they were both alive. Aia chuckled too, feeling the tension ebb away, dangling her legs as he walked over to stand below. "Jump down! I'm here." "Sure. But I'm not taking responsibility if you break something..." she sighed, bundling up her palla and tossing it down first. The last thing she wanted for the cumbersome length of fabric to get caught on something on the way down. Once she was left in her dress, she took a deep breath and kicked off. "Alright, here we go!" @Sains

The moment the man stepped through the gate, there was only one way the encounter was going to end. Well, not technically, but knowing Decimus, Aia would have bet her money on one outcome over any other. It was quick and brutal, like it had been on the battlefield. Aia had seen killing before - she had done it, even, and the sight of Decimus ending a life was certainly not new to her. And yet, in the dark, in the flickering torchlight, watching from the roof of the mausoleum, it was quite the gruesome scene to behold. Aia held her breath until the man collapsed to the ground. The second one, shocked by the unexpected attack, had hung back, and when Decimus, blood-soaked, turned to him, he took a step back instinctively. "Run, you bloody fool!" Aia snapped at him from the roof. He did. She doubted her supernatural threats still carried, but Decimus' dagger and build certainly did. She waited until the man disappeared in the shadows, running in the opposite direction from the road. He'd get lost in the countryside for sure. "Are you alright down there?" she ventured, peering down into the shadows. The torches had gone out. "I need... some help getting down from this fucking roof..." @Sains

It was strange, wearing women's clothes for the first time in more than a decade. A slave had to help her figure her way out into it, and even then, there was not much they could do about her short-cropped hair. In the end, they tied a scarf around her head with a few decorative knots. They also wanted to put some color on her face, but she was not quite comfortable enough to trust herself with not messing it up immediately, so she refused. Today was the day, after having arrived and settled in, to introduce herself to the boy she was going to be tutoring, as per the wishes of his illustrious father and patient mother. Aia had to admit that she was nervous; she had not dealt with children often, definitely not any that way outranked her in nobility. If it turned out that she had no talent for them, she would be out of her job faster than she got in. The interprex tried for a friendly smile as she walked up to the mistress of the household, and looked at the boy. "It is a pleasure to meet you, young master Quintus." @Gothic

This whole situation was getting nowhere fast. Aia held her ground (or roof), stalling for time with some sharp words while she racked her brain about possible solutions. For excruciatingly long moments, she had no idea what Decimus was up to, until the torchlight flickered outside the gate, and she caught a glimpse of his face below. He'd shifted his position to near the gate. If the grave robbers decided to come in, there would be a confrontation. Aia felt her heart pounding. "Oh, there might be some fucking in the near future alright" the man responded from below in a very suggestive tone. Aia huffed, and sat down on the edge of the mausoleum roof, dangling her legs. Her hand, in the cover of her palla, felt around the roof tiles. "Why don't you come down, swetheart, and we can introduce ourselves?" Men are so simple. "I wouldn't come in, if I were you" she said truthfully "Whoever is buried here is under the protection of the Egyptian gods. And they are very serious about the sanctity of burials. Are you willing to set off some nasty curse on yourself for a few trinkets?" That, or a knife to the ribs. "Really, go away. I don't even know who you are. It's not like I will tell anyone." There was a pause on the other side of the gate. Aia hoped at least one of the two was hesitating. "No. I doubt that you will." one of the men said finally, and stepped through the gate. @Sains

There was a faint snicker from below as Aia threw herself into the role of a vengeful spirit. Decimus' amusement was contagious, and she had to thank the gods of the night that her smirk was probably not visible from below. Bless him, he boosted her up to the roof of the mausoleum without question whatever kind of insane idea she had in her head. Because this, honestly, truly was the worst one yet. But not entirely wrong. There was confusion below, as the torches stopped moving, and hushed voices conversed in tense urgency. One of them sounded more than a little upsed. Aia stood still, waving her arms lightly to make her palla flutter in the air (there was not much wind to help with the effect). Eventually one figure below seemed to break from the other two, hurrying away in the night. "Fine! Run, you fucking coward, we didn't need you anyway! But you better leave the fucking city before we find you!" another one of the voices yelled after them. Alright, then. At least three became two. Still shit odds, but Aia liked them marginally better. The reimining two, however, did not seem like the type who could be scared off by an apparition. "Well... shit." she muttered. If they came any closer, there would be a fight. "Quite the performance, little lady!" the same voice called out to her, from just outside the fence of the mausoleum "May I assume you and I are here for the same practical reason, or did we walk into your... business hours? Maybe we could come to some kind of an understanding?" For lack of a better idea, and not being able to see what Decimus was doing below, Aia decided to stall for time. Hopefully, he'd come up with the next great idea. "That depends on what your practical reasons are. Are you and your boy looking for a quiet place to fuck? Because this place is kind of unclean, if you ask me..." @Sains

"Probably just some scrawny thugs... I'll see them off if it comes to it. " Hiding was obviously not an option. Flat against the shadows of the wall as they were, Decimus was not exactly the hiding type, and even grave robbers could not be dim enough to not notice them eventually. Running was also not an option, not in the dark among graves. Fighting... was an option. Wouldn't be the first time, and it was clear where Decimus' vote would go. Time was running out now, the thugs were close enough for her to make out three distinct voices, hushed whispers in Latin. They would have a better chance if they jumped them first. Barely. Aia only carried a knife, and that was not exactly a big advantage. "Any ideas?" "A very bad one." Aia admitted as he crouched down. Hiking her palla and tunica up, she glanced up at the block of the mausoleum, judging the height "But if it doesn't work, we can always just stab them. Hold still." The mausoleum was not easy to climb, but it also wasn't impossible, thanks to the ornamental reliefs halfway up the wall. Stepping up on Decimus' shoulder, while it was a wobbly affair, gave Aia enough boost to make it the rest of the way. Once on the slightly angled roof, she had a vantage point at the shadowy landscape, and the light of the torches not far away. From their vantage point, she was barely more than a shadow. Wrapping her palla loosely around herself, she pulled one corner over her head. "Halt, mortals! How dare you disturb my eternal peace? A curse on those who approach with ill intentions: Do kindly fuck the fuck off, you unbelievable morons!" Yes, alright, this had sounded a lot better in her head. But Romans were nothing if not superstitious. And to the uninitiated, some obscure dialects of Gallic probably sounded passably like the language of the dead. Right? @Sains

Early April, 74CE It was a sign of trust from the master that he let Azarion go into the city at all. Of course even he was not naive or stupid enough to hand money to the boy with the FVG brand and set him free into the wind - no, Azarion was accompanied by other, more trustworthy slaves of the household, all with their own assignments and purchases to make, in addition to keeping a close eye on the stable boy. But Azarion did get to go, in the end, and even Alucio's stern face did not hide the fact that he was taking a liking to the little shit. At least enough to trust his good sense when it came to buying supplies for the stables. Azarion, working with the well bred and high maintenance horses his master owned, knew best. He knew that he knew best. Unfortunately, the blacksmith didn't. The other slaves were moving around the market, buying things they had been told to buy. They took turns watching Azarion, but right now, they all had more important things to do, and shopping at the blacksmith's stall looked like it will take a while. Mostly because Azarion could not talk or write, and the blacksmith was getting increasingly frustrated with him. This bit looks like shit, and it will cut the horse's mouth, you moron, Azarion thought as he was pointing at the metal piece, trying to signal by putting his fingers on it that it was not filed down properly, and there was no way in Tartarus he was going to give money for it. The man needed to show a better one, or he would go somewhere else to buy what he needed. "Look, I don't know what you want from me!" the blacksmith growled "It is made of good iron, and I am not going to lower the price for you, whatever your master said." Azaion huffed and groaned, shaking his head. Gods, this was not going anywhere... @Atrice

"Perhaps they've come to pay their respects..." "This time of the night?" Aia whispered, doubtful of the possibility. While some religions involved nighttime rituals, the shadows approaching did not seem like they wanted to be noticed. There was no singing or chanting of any kind. But they were also not travelers, or they would not have wandered from the road. People did much more unsavory things among graves at night - most involved witchcraft, or curses buried in fresh graves. And then there were... the grave robbers. They would go for mausoleums like the one Aia and Decimus were currently sitting behind. Followers of the Egyptian gods tended to go to the afterlife with the goods they wore and used in life. Prime target for criminals who wanted to make quick money, and had no qualms about the shades of the dead. "Uhh.. Well... What should we do?" "Hide" she decided, grabbing up the basket with the food and shoving it behind the bench. "I think they are here for the mausoleum." She stood up, wrapping her palla around herself, and dragged Decimus to the side wall of the mausoleum, where the hedges and trees cast enough shadow. They would not be able to completely disappear, but they would also not be immediately noticable from the front of the building. She pulled Decimus into the shadows as much as she could. "They might be coming to break into the grave." she whispered. If they did, there would be not much of a chance for the two of them to get away unnoticed. @Sains

Justinia was shocked, but she was not ready to give up yet. Maybe it was a slave's sense of duty, or maybe she was determined to help a friend, but she decided to go for water herself. As she went out, Theodorus could hear the murmur of curious people outside the door, craning their necks to see what was going on. He didn't care. People always had morbid curiosity when it came to his line of work. He got the splints and the bandages, and moved back to the bed, working on securing the injured knee as steadily as possible. The girl was still unconscious, but she groaned as he touched her leg. She would be in pain when she woke up. Theo wrapped her knee and leg to hold it in place. Justinia returned with the water. "Thank you, love. Could you please take a clean cloth and wash the cuts on her arm and hand? She must have fallen into the glass shards when she slipped." washing wounds was an easy enough task, and the girl was a quick learner anyway. "I will bandage them when you are done." he finished wrapping the bandages on the knee, making sure it was properly set. He glanced up at Justinia again. "You are not easily scared, are you." @Sydney

It took Decimus a moment to notice the noise. Aia almost thought she had imagined it - they had been talking, laughing, and eating, so it was possible that she had just not been paying attention to background noises - but as they both stilled and listened, it happened again. The sound of a stick snapping, leaves rustling. It could be a nocturnal animal. Or it could be something else. Aia tilted her head, listening for another sound, as she slowly placed her apple back in the basket. If they gave themselves away by shouting or making noise, an animal would flee - but a person might not. And even if they were among the graves at night for their own shady business, so was Aia and Decimus, in a way. That would not work out well for anyone. Scout training kicking in, Aia motioned to Decimus to stay quiet. There was the sound again, and flickering light beyond the hedges in the distance. Definitely not an animal. "What in Tartaus are they doing out here?" she whispered, glossing over the fact that she had no good excuse to be in a graveyard at night either. @Sains

With Calvunus' attention momentarily occupied, Theo had some time to talk to Phaedo. The lad was eager to ask more about being a medicus, and his face lit up when Theo shared some of his story. "My first master was a Greek. He was from Thebes. That's why he loved the theater so much. He always said the Greek playwrights were a thousand times more clever than the Romans. Although he did quite fancy Plautus." "Sounds like a very wise man" Theo nodded with a grin. He wondered what happened. If the boy had a master like that, how did he end up being a prostitute? It was a question for another time. He did not want to tear up old wounds while Calvunus was sitting right next to them. "Did you find serving in the military...helpful? I would imagine the wounds must be very similar to those you see here at the games." "A lot of them are similar, yes." he nodded, noting that Phaedo went pale at the mention of gore. "The difference is, in the arena I don't get to treat anyone until the spectacle is over." Which was definitely a change of pace from trying to keep the injured alive right on the battlefield. "Don't go throwing up all over the place, lad. If you need to hurl, go do it outside!" Calvunus finally turned his attenton back to them just in time to see Phaedo turn pale. Theo glanced at the boy with some sympathy. He doubted he would actually vomit, but it was strange that his interest in medicine did not extend to watching the games. "If you ever fancy a trip to the Venus, drop by and ask for me. First one'll be on the house. No matter how you like it. I know how you Greeks are." Theo chuckled at that. In his own coarse way, it was a generious offer from Calvunus, especially since he probably did not even run the brothel. He really seemed like a friendly guy, even if he was trying to be extra friendly to get some gambling tips out of the medicus. The comment about the Greeks baffled Theodorus a little, not sure what the man was referring to exactly. "I am not... quite aware of the difference here in Rome yet." he ventured "But thank you for the offer." @Gil

"I am sure we will find a use for you. Quintus has tutors already to teach him numbers, although geography would help. You will supervise the household slaves when it comes to maintaining the inventory of the household, along with serving as a discreet guard," The lady stressed that last part. Discreet guard. Aius nodded in understanding, trying to keep her face neutral. She was not a stellar soldier, but she knew how to defend herself, or others, in a fight. If she was given something to work with, even if just a dagger or a knife, she would do her best to protect the child she was in charge of, should the need arise. But she also knew Flavia Juliana could not officially appoint her for such a task, not if she wanted her household to become the talk of society. Her husband sent Aius here to avoid scandal regarding her gender. Still, it felt good that she could be useful as more than just a tutor. It was good to be accepted as capable. "There will be a place for you here, along with a wage," "Thank you, domina" she nodded again. She was put under the charge of this woman by her husband, and Flavia Juliana did not have much of a say about it ahead of time. She accepted the situation with grace, but Aius had no doubt that she would have to prove herself anyway. "If you... have any other questions, I am happy to answer," she added. Flavia Juliana knew her secret already, the secret she had kept from everyone except one person for more than a decade. But now, if she was going to start a new life and gain her trust, she would have to be honest. Or as honest as possible, anyway. @Gothic

“Maybe. But right here and now… does not seem appropriate. Another time, another place. More private.” "Very well" Aia nodded, finishing her cup of wine "It seems like I will visit sometimes, along with my domina's entourage. I'll look for you when I have free time." she stood up, trying to smooth out the wrinkles on her dress. The attempt did not accomplish much, but then again, she also did not care much. "I am glad that we met, Cynane." she added with a smile. Slave or not, Briton or not, the woman was an entertaining person to befriend, and not nearly as boring as some of the Roman ladies were. "Good luck guarding the imperials..." @Atrice

Flavia Juliana was not a bad employer. She ran her household well, and she managed to find things to do for Aia beyond tutoring. She was grateful for having work, and the tasks she had been given made her feel less like she was living on charity. As far as work for a freeborn, unmarried woman went, living in Juliana's villa was definitely a win. "You know, I met her husband. He seemed like a decent man, but a bit boring. As a rule, I guess, most men of his rank start to repeat themselves. Seldom find new adventures to talk about. Won't ever be a problem for me, I hope!" "He seemed pretty speechless when I saw him" Aia grinned. Then again, it was not his fault, having just found out there was a woman serving in his army. As for adventures... Decimus already had quite a few stories to share. "And I doubt you'll run out of stories to tell anytime soon. Not while guarding imperials. Whether you get to tell them, that's another question..." "And what about you? You know those fine street urchins will begin to woo you with song-birds and poems. How do your people even go about that whole... Business?" "My people?" Aia blinked, arching an eyebrow. What did he even mean? Women? Gauls? She looked at Decimus with a deadpan expression "The women of Gaul choose their husband from among men who kill wild beasts with their bare hands and bring them the raw, bloody hearts to inspect." she noted, before she snorted with laughter and swatted at Decimus' shoulder. "I grew up in a province, you fool. Everything was boringly Roman. My father would have picked a husband for me if he hadn't decided to raise me as a boy instead." she shook her head, taking another bite of her apple, but paused mid-bite. "... did you hear that?..." @Sains

Decimus seemed more than a little surprised to hear her findings on the topic of women's wishes. Aia was used to talking freely, even swearing, courtesy of spending so much time among soldiers. In a way, it was comfortable, and she knew she could trust Decimus. Still, the look on his face was amusing as she went into less decent details "Well... S'pose that's all good to know. I never was one for poetry, but I can recite a few." "Remind me to get you drunk enough to do that" she chuckled. Decimus reciting poetry, indeed. "I don't need to mention to you what men find terribly attractive in a woman, you've had plenty of experience in the legion. Seems all they took about is the size of the arse and the breasts... Funny that. And not too many of them are looking for a wife that speaks often, besides to announce food." "And most women like a husband who is not even there." Aia noted, chewing on the apple "My domina, for example. She likes her husband well enough, but since he is in Britannia, she has the run of the household. She likes to do it the way she wants. I hear even husbands who live at home like to leave those things to the wife. Which, honestly... sounds boring on both counts." Also, women who didn't talk? Fuck no. "Probably why a lot of women keep lovers, for excitement." she shrugged. Men wanted what they wanted, and women did too. "They do like to be wooed. Roman men don't do a lot of that, not for their wives, but it goes a long way, it seems." she shrugged again. "The rest I found out... you really don't want to hear." @Sains

"The world of women? I'm sure you're having as much fun exploring it as I would! Has it not become terribly dull?" Aia chuckled, and fished an apple out of the bundle of food. They had made an agreement that she would tell Decimus about what she found out about the hidden world of Roman women - especially regarding marriage prospects. In the past few weeks, she had been getting used to living as a woman, and being a member of a larger household. She interacter with the women of the noble family, her fellow free servants, and the house slaves. They were all women in different ways. Some were horrible. Some were alright. She still had a lot to observe. "Never a dull moment." "Tell me what you know." "Well" Aia smirked, biting into the apple "The good news is, you do not need to be a poet to get a wife. The general concesus is that poets are terribly exciting, but no one wants a husband that talks that much." she chuckled. She had been listening in on gossip, especially when men were the topic of choice. "Money, on the other hand, is important. You better keep your wife comfortable, or she will make your life miserable. Believe me, they have ways." she shrugged, munching on the apple "Size, apparently, only matters to men. I find that one hilarious. If only the guys back in the legion knew that, they would be so confused..." she giggled. "I blame Ovidius for the rest. Of course, decent women don't read that filth. Not officially, anyway." @Sains

Foreign visitors were always the highlight of Roman life. Many of them milled around on the streets, but the really interesting ones, the rich ones, tended to keep their visits to the palace, and the houses of noblemen. Aia loved catching glimpses of them, bejeweled cats or otherwise. They were a visible sign that the empire was vast, and there was an even greater world beyond. "Ah yes... Well, it seemed pretty innocent but the princess seems to think that they're trying to win over the affections of her Uncle. Could be that some Egyptian prince has come of age and they'd like to 'Secure' the peace between our peoples. Can't say I believe Caesar would ever go for that idea, though. I mean come on..." "Egypt and Rome never mixed well." Aia pointed out with a smirk. It had been a century, and the conquest of Egypt was slowly sinking into legend. It was just something about the cultures, so fundamentally different on the two sides of the sea. Rome was strong, but Egypt was old, and they did not like letting the Romans forget that. "Other than that... Well, it's been said that the Egyptians are getting pressured more from the east, Parthians and what not. Would be a sight to see. Another war with those Scorpions. Don't know if I'd like to get a piece of that action, mind you... Too many arrows." "And the scorching heat" Aia added with a frown. She had no personal experience with Parthia, but it sounded like a shitty place to go to die. Besides, Decimus was a praetorian now. They wouldn't need him on the front lines anyway. "You're better off guarding the princess here, barbarian princes come to the doorstep anyway." she added with a grin. "Talking about that, do you want to hear news from the mysterious world of women?" @Sains

“I’d not be surprised if that iswhat they think. Is it though? Since you’ve been behind their closed doors, do you know?” Closed tents, really. Aia had shared a lot of time and space with soldiers of all kinds, and while they were not exactly representative of all men, or all kinds of men, in the empire, she had been one of them long enough to get a general idea. She nodded and chuckled at Cynane's question. "Oh, yeah. That's all they think about. Most of them, anyway." Some were exceptions. “Ask what? You’re very fascinating, Aia.” "Well, that makes two of us." the interprex grinned at the taller woman "Maybe one day I'll tell you my story, and you'll tell me yours." @Atrice