Chevi

“They like their wives shy and boring. So maybe you wouldn’t want to be one. Do you… want to get married here?” Aia chuckled at the question. Indeed, the Romans liked their wives shy and boring, but they still went to the brothels for exotic women, and to the arena to see warriors like Cynane fight. It was a strange, dual idea of whan women could and should be. If Decimus was to be believed, most men had simple tastes, and saw no contradiction. Was it natural? Probably. Was it fair? Absolutely not. Probably not even to the women of nobility. "Not unless I have to." she admitted. Or if she found someone she wanted to marry. Which, even in a city this size, was not a likely event. “She’s not the worst; she’s quite young, after all, and she has been through her own hard times. I think she likes having a female guard. She has nothing to fear from me.” "I can see why that would be good" Aia nodded. One was supposed to trust her own bodyguards, but the stakes were very high when said guards were men, watching over a young lady. Not everyone was Decimus, after all. "So, were you... married, back home?" @Atrice

"An outfit will be presented to you by one of the household slaves, along with showing you to your quarters," Aius nodded, and did her best to look grateful. She would have quarters, and an outfit. A woman's outfit, at that. It all sounded strange, suddenly belonging to the husehold of this well-mannered Roman lady that would dress her, and give her a place to live. Aius was not sure if she could live up to the expectations of a tutor in exchange. Oh well, if they found out she was useless, she would worry about finding another place, and not before. "My husband trusts you yet I do not know you. Tell me about yourself," Trust was a strong word, really. Her husband was a pragmatic man, one that knew how to avoid a scandal, and how to appreciate someone's skills, even if she turned out to be a woman. Aius would not have claimed she had the Proconsul's trust, but whatever he wrote in his letter, at least it was helping. "I'm from Gaul, originally" she decided to start at the beginning, and tell the domina what she wanted to know "My father was a peregrinus. Merchant. I lost my mother when I was a child. We followed the legions to Britannia when the conquest started, and... when I was left alone, the only skill I had was speaking languages, so I volunteered as an interprex." @Gothic

"No, Dominus. I will help as best as I can." It was really a small chance, finding a slave, and a woman at that, who had worked with a medicus, in a brothel. But it didn't hurt to ask. Justinia was quick on her feet, at least, not making a fuss, which was much appreciated, because the injured girl was making fuss enough to make this next step hard. She drank most of the wine in big gulps, and now she looked woozy, but no less terrified. She began to sob again when Theo told her the news about her leg. Justinia disrobed in one smooth, well-practiced motion, and Theo's eyes widened. "Will this work? It's not hard, but if she stuffed it in her mouth it might be better on her teeth and possibly muffle any screams that she has." "Tha... that's a good idea" he concluded a few heartbeats awkwardly late. It must have been natural for the girl to be undressed in front of strangers, but Theo, with his military background, was not used to women doing that in front of him without a second thought. He cleared his throat and took the silk robe, rolling it into a thin piece before he turned back to Flora. "Bite on this, love." Looking around, the finally grabbed the wooden tray the wine had been served on, and slid it under the injured leg on the bed. "Alright... uh, Justinia, come over here. You will have to hold her leg in place so I can pop it back in. Can you do that?... May I?" he asked, before he reached for her hands, placing them on the other girl's thigh "Hold here, as strongly as you can. Put your weight on it." he looked up at the injured girl "Sorry love, but this is going to hurt. I'll do it as fast as I can. Ready?" The question was to Justinia, more than to the patient. The latter had nothing to do with this, other than bite down and brace herself. Justinia, on the other hand, was important to what happened next. @Sydney

The plan was not stellar, but it would work. For now. They were working with what they had, which was guard duty for the praetorian, and household limits for the girl who was a tutor to children. They had faced worse odds in Britannia, but for now, the garden of the dead would have to do. Decimus considered it, and had no better ideas to propose. "Alright, alright. It sounds like a good plan, though I'm not sure if I'll be able to protect you from any ghosts if we should come across them. " "It's alright, I will protect you" Aia grinned back at him. They had to leave the pantry now, both of them had a place to be before their absence was noticed. Next time, the place might be more chilling, but it would also give them more time to talk. Aiai found that she liked the idea of meeting Decimus again. She had missed her only friend. "How shall we communicate? You can always send for me at the castra but how will I contact you under the eye of your lady?" Aia sighed and rubbed her forehead. "They really make this very difficult" she frowned "I guess you can leave me a message at the mausoleum, until we figure something better..." she waited until Decimus looked around and made sure the hallway was clear before she exited the pantry as well "Now I just need to find the way back to the room..." she muttered, looking around, then turned back to look at Decimus, and smiled "I'm happy we met again, Decimus. We will figure out the rest." @Sains

The look on Decimus' face spoke volumes. Romans, even the most valiant and disciplined ones, had a fear of the dead. Not many women would ask anyone out for a nighttime meeting among the graves by the road. Or maybe they would, Aia mused. Women sneaking around could go to great lenghts. "Oh, fantastic, A mausoleum. Much better than a pantry, I have to say." Aia rolled her eyes. "Not better. But less likely to have living people around." The pantry was cozy and had food, but a servant could walk in any time. And it was in the middle of the palace building, which did not make it the best place to meet regularly. "I don't know if Pluto will favor us after these meetings when we shall finally come to meet him, but I can't imagine we'll be well received. But if it is the best place..." "We wouldn't be meeting in the mausoleum" Aia sighed "Why do you think they made a garden in the first place? The monument even has a little poem on it. Stop, traveler, and say my name, or something like that. It's not defiling the grave, it's... visiting." she shrugged "At least let's meet next time and see. If it spooks you, we'll think of something else?" @Sains

"Sordid women usually disguise themselves, you're no stranger to that concept." "Are you saying I have something in common with them?" Aia snorted. Disguise might not be a bad idea, though. She filed the thought of wearing a wig away for later, as she turned to the more pressing issue of finding a good place to meet. It took some thinking, but then the idea hit like a lightning bolt, and Aia's face it up with sudden enthusiasm. Sadly, Decimus was following several steps behind, not knowing the name that she blurted out. Then again, Aia did not expect him to. "Who?.. What would that person have to do with this?" "Nothing, she's dead" Aia clarified, then realized that her clarification might need more clarification "It's not her, it's her mausoleum. It's along the road to the villa, not far from the inn. It's a big thing, with a wall, and a small garden, and a vine canopy out of all things. Her family really paid a fortune for it. We could meet there to talk, and no one would know. I doubt anyone goes there at night." @Sains

”By the gods, I wish. But no. I’ve only thrown my good money away on him today. I thought perhaps the gods might bring me some justice and take his rotten soul in recompense – not that that would do me any good.” Theodorus, out of habit, made the sign against evil with his hand. It was bad form to test the Fates like that in his profession; he was trying to keep the gladiator alive, at least as long as it promised a good recovery. It seemed like the imposing man was not the owner, at least. Theo would have hated to have to explain his work to someone who had high stakes in the murmillo's life. ”You must be the medico then? Come! Let me buy you a drink, and you can tell me which of your charges I should bet on next time. I dare say the man who holds their health has as good a chance at picking a winner as the man who cleans out their latrine.” "Quintus Flavius Theodorus" the medicus introduced himself. It was clear, despite the Roman name, that Latin was not his native tongue. The idea of a drink was great, after a hard day of work. He fell in step, but kept his shoulders tense. "I am afraid I don't know much about the games themselves, though. I just make sure the fighters don't expire unless it is in a spectacular fashion." The young man followed along, but hung back. He seemed like a slave, maybe a personal servant to the tall man. He was pretty, but also had keen eyes that grabbed the medicus' attention. ”Dominus, can you say, what wounds the man has suffered?” "I assume you have seen most of them if you were watching from the arena" Theo noted cautiously, a little bit surprised by the young man's question. Did he have a personal interest in the betting too, or was he just asking out of curiosity?... "Stabs and cuts, which lost him a lot of blood, but the nasty thing is, a blow to the head. I had to pick pieces of his skull out of the wound. A clean break, though, so he has a chance to recover, Asklepiós willing..." @Gil

Justinia seemed to have an acquired instinct of obedience, but she also seemed like a naturally bright girl. She brought wine, following unspoken instructions, and Flora drank most of it down with a mix of anguish and fright. In the meantime, Theo rolled up her dress to look at the knee. It was definitely bent the wrong way, and as he laid his hands on the joint, the injured girl wailed. The other women and men at the brother would have to work extra hard to keep their customers happy with sounds like this seeping through the walls. "If I may ask, will she be okay?" "That is a very good question" Theo muttered; the girl was frightened, and Justinia seemed worried. If a prostitute slave lost the use of a leg, she would have a hard time earning her share for her owner. The medicus frowned as the touched the knee again. The girl was bleeding for several smaller cuts, but the big problem was her leg. "Good news and bad news, love. Your knee doesn't look broken, but it is definitely out of the place it should be. You could be crippled for life if I don't pop it back in." he noted, taking his cloak off "Alright, Justinia, have you worked with a medicus before?... I mean, in a professional capacity..." he trailed off, looking around "Because I'm going to need an extra set of hands here, if you think you are up to the task. And something for her to bite on. And something hard, like... a tray, maybe?" @Sydney

It smarted a little, saying that she was no warrior, after having served in Britannia. But Aia was smart enough to know when to talk, and when to keep a secret. Cynane did not question her statement. “I thought you weren’t. I guess in Rome, that is a good thing. Few Romans appreciate a free woman capable of fighting. I’m glad they at least did not take that from me.” "The Romans like their women shy and boring" she smirked, remembering the conversation she had with Decimus "That is not great for my marriage prospects..." The tension between them seemed to ebb away, and Cynane told a slave to bring some drinks. Aia found that she was happy the other woman did not chase her away. She was an interesting person, and Aia liked meeting interesting people. "So, what is your mistress like? And what does she think about you guarding her?" @Atrice

”Salve, friend! We call to inquire after the health of Amyntas. Any news to tell?” Theo jumped at the voice, turning around to see a man and a pale-looking youth standing nearby. They did not look familiar, and he doubted they belonged to the Ludus, since they did not come in to ask. The medicus sighed, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. Amyntas' fate was in the hand of the gods, but even slaves and gladiators sometimes had people who actually cared about them beyond the arena. Friends, maybe? "He is alive, for now" he responded cautiously "I'm doing the best I can, gods willing. I'm on my way to get some more supplies. Do you own him?" @Gil

There was a lot of sobbing and whimpering, but eventually, Theo managed to find out that the injured girl was named Flora (at least they called her that in the borthel). The rest of the women were ushered outside, hopefully to go on their way and reassure their clients that nothing serious was happening, although there might be some more screaming later on. Eventually, only the girl in the see-through blue dress was left behind. “Justinia, Dominus. Yes, I can stay and help. Whatever you need from me, Dominus,” "Excellent. My name is Theodorus, you can call me Theo." the medicus moved to the bed, trying to get the frantic girl's attention "It's alright love, I'm here to help. Have you been drinking? I saw some wine on the floor. You might want to drink a bit more if you have it, and I'm going to take a look at your leg. Is that alright? I'm just going to look." he told her, while motioning to Justinia to bring some more wine for the woman. She was clearly in pain and the less conscious she was for the next events, the better. @Sydney

A rather beautiful young woman in a see-through dress greeted him inside. She did not seem injured, so Theo assumed that she was here to act as a guide of sorts. His eyes wandered over her for a moment, until he reminded himself that there was a patient waiting. "Hello dominus. The woman is right in this back room, follow me. I think she slipped on some wine. She is covered in glass and her leg is bent in a way I haven't seen before. I'm very worried for her. There is also many of our prostitutes gathered around her, I can try to move them if you wish." "Yes... yes, that would be helpful, thank you" Theodorus admitted, once again the phrase 'many prostitutes' losing its appeal due to the context. He followed the young woman down the hallway to the room where a woman was wailing on the bed, her leg bent in an unnatural angle, and some blood soaking into towels from her cuts from the glass. A crowd of worried women surrounded the bed. Theo made his way through them, blinking in th eheavy cloud of perfumes. "Alright, ladies, I need space to work, and... what is you name, dear?... she does not need an audience for this. You. What's your name?" she looked up a thr girl in blue who had escorted him to the room "Can you stay? I might need some help here. Unless you are squeamish, in which case, I need someone who isn't." The last thing the medicus needed to deal with was a second person fainting or something while he was trying to help. @Sydney

Whenever Theodorus imagined going to a brothel, he generally pictured himself entering through the front door, with a purse full of money. Apparently, the Fates had other ideas. Their ways were twisted and roundabout, much like the alleys of Rome, and they led the medicus to another door, and into another situation. Honestly, the whole thing seemed a little bit strange. From what he could make out from the messenger's words, someone at the brothel had been hurt in some sort of a freak accident, in a way that reminded someone who worked there (a former gladiator in a cushy new job) that the injury might be best treated by a medicus who had seen a lot of similar injuries, namely, someone from the Ludus. A late night run and some knocking later, Theodorus, never to say no to a medical adventure, was on his way to see what the gods were preparing to throw at him. He had already been in bed, so he was not showing his best, his hair sticking out in messy ways, and his tunic haphazardly thrown on with a cloak on top. He blinked, looking around curiously as he was ushered inside, the air in the Domus smelling of... various things, perfumes among them. "Uh... where is the patient?" @Sydney

“She was my cousin. Or is. Is she still alive?” "As far as I know." Aia nodded. The queen of the Brigantes was granted honorary citizenship, while the empire annexed her lands and her people under her claim to the throne. At least that was the last thing Aia knew of her. She made a mental note to ask Decimus next time if he knew more. It was strange, meeting this enslaved cousin of a legendary queen in the middle of Rome. Aia wondered if she knew. The conversation turned to her own adventures with the Britons, and how she had run away from captivity. “That’s understandable. You’re no warrior then, are you?” Aia bit her lips. No, she was no warrior, not in the sense that Cynane was. She had served in the Roman army, unknown to all that she was a woman, but she had never been as great with her weapons as she was with other skills. She could handle a sword or a dagger, though. She had seen battles and raids. All the things that she could not disclose to someone without risking the story catching on at court. "No. I'm definitely not a warrior." @Atrice

Another day in the arena, another full afternoon for the medicus. Business as usual. It wasn't one of the big feast days or special celebrations, but the gladiators were still in high demand. On days like this, gory deaths were less frequent, but injuries were common. Having been a medicus in the Ludus for a couple of months now, Theo had learned that his patients tended to come in with non-lethal injuries... or not at all. Still, every once in a while, a gladiator garnered enough favors from the audience and the sponsors of the games to live, even if he lost his fight. Today was one of those days. Fan favorite, a large Macedonian murmillo named Amyntas, got to keep his life after his defeat... provided that Theodorus could keep him alive at all. It had been a long afternoon of hard work, but it seemed like that the medicus was winning his own game against the Fates. Initially the injured gladiator had to be held down, but he soon passed out from blood loss and pain, which frankly, was great, because Theo could finish his work in peace. Wounds closed and bandaged, nothing remained but waiting and seeing. The long day also depleted the medicus' supplies of herbs and bandages, so Theo, after scrubbing most of the blood off, and changing into a clean tunic, picked up his bag and left the Ludus, hoping to buy some supplies and maybe dinner for himself. Maybe some wine as well. Aesculapius knew he deserved it. @Gil

Pontia is great I wonder how they could meet though. I know Vestals had special places in the Colosseum, so she might know a thing or two about the games?... @Gothic

So I have absolutely no ide how to pull off a meeting, but I would be delighted if Theodorus and Pontia met Just for the contrast of personalities. But I'm also open to other plot suggestions, all of your people are great... @Gothic

Soooo, my new dork Theodorus served (although in the East and in Germania), and he tends to be overly friendly, so if you think him and Gaius meeting could be fun, I'd be happy with a thread @Echo

Aia was not entirely convinced that her pupil was here of her own volition, or if she had any interest in languages at all. But she was determined to make a decent effort, so she offered her a choice first, hoping the girl would be more enthusiastinc about learning something she choce. Aia took a seat as well, resting the wax tablet on her knees, trying to look more sophisticated than she felt. "Very well, Gallic it is," "Gallic it is" Aia echoed with a nod, happy that Caecina chose her native language. At least she was confident of her knowledge of it, although teaching someone else one's native tongue was not as easy as it sounded. Aia paused, considering their options. "Maybe we could start with some useful phrases? Let's imagine you would like to have a conversation with someone who speaks Gallic. What kinds of things would you usually talk about?" @Echo

Memories brought back the language she used to speak among soldiers, and Aia felt a little ashamed. Then again, she was in the presence of a warrior, and she doubted that Cynane would be bothered by a crude word or two. She probably heard worse in the arena. “It’s fine. Which tribe captured you? I am of the Brigantes.” "Like the queen?" Aia ventured. There was a fearless female leader, after Eppitacos. She mostly knew stories about her, never having come face to face with her in negotiations or on the battlefield, but she at least knew the tribe's name. It took her a moment to find her way back to the question. "I... am not sure. I didn't spend much time with them... I ran away at the first opportunity I got." she admitted. Running was not usually very heroic, but neither was dying as a captive. And she had been lucky that the Roman soldiers found her before she was captured again. @Atrice

There was really no good way in Rome for an unmarried woman and a man not related to her to meet in private. Especially if they did not want to start rumors of doing things they were not even doing. Aia could not sneak into the palace alone, and Decimus could not exactly knock on Flavia Juliana's door and ask for a meeting with her. Living in two different worlds was awfully complicated. "Well now, there's no need to endanger yourself to come and see me. My work lasts into the night, many days, though it varies... Perhaps I should meet you half of the way. I know of the villa, after all, and of an inn around there." "How do sordid women normally do this?" Aia muttered, rubbing her temples, trying to think a good solution "If I meet you at an inn nearby, someone is bound to notice, sooner or later... I could go dressed as a man, but that makes it harder to sneak in and out. We can meet here, when the domina is visiting, but I can't tell when that happens..." she sighed "You know, being a woman makes it really hard to talk to whomever I want to..." she blinked, as another thought occurred to her mid-sentence. "Wait. Caecilia Trebulla!" @Sains

QUINTUS FLAVIUS THEODORUS 43 | 9 April 31 CE | Plebeian | Medicus (Ludus Magnus) | Bisexual | Original | David Tennant <> Personality. Theodorus is friendly, curious, and talkative. He is eager to ask and eager to learn, and has no qualms about starting up conversations with complete strangers. He has an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and a keen interest in the workings of the human body. No issue is too small to marvel at, and no mystery, illness or ailment is too insignificant to present a challenge. Blessed with a scientific mind, Theodorus like to study his patients as much as cure them. He does have a friendly and easy-going disposition, which tends to put his patients at ease (unless they are annoyed by how much he talks, which tends to happen). He has a hard time adhering to strict rules and regulations, despite his time in the military, and has no talent for diplomacy, but he is honorable, and honest to a fault, which can be to his advantage (although it is a double edged sword sometimes). There is also another, less often shown side to him: Despite his interest and enthusiasm for medicine, the suffering he has seen on the frontier has not passed him by. Sometimes he tends to get melancholy, and he is angered easily if he sees people needlessly hurt. He has no qualms about human bodies, but he does not handle the sight of unnecessary cruelty well. Also, despite his friendly and talkative nature, when a situation gets dire, he changes into his more serious, veteran medicus self, sets pleasantries aside, and he goes to great lengths to save a patient's life. Appearance Theodorus is sinewy rather than muscular, and tall rather than bulky (5'7"). His hair is dark brown and cut short, and he tends to sport stubble more often than not (sometimes he can't afford a barber, and sometimes he simply forgets). His beard is starting to turn salt-and-pepper from its earlier dark color. He has brown eyes with wrinkles that signal both good humor and a lot of nighttime squinting over books. He tans easily under the Italian sun, and has a bright, friendly, occasionally quirky smile. He has slender hands and deft fingers, which is an advantage in his job. His face is especially expressive, and makes it hard for him to lie, or even feign emotions, even if it would be to his advantage. He also finds it difficult to sit or stand still, and he has a tendency to pace and gesticulate while thinking or talking. He usually wears simple tunics, cloaks of common colors when the weather requires, and broad-brimmed hats to protect him from sun and rain. He is most often seen carrying his bag stuffed with medical tools, supplies, and book scrolls. Family Father: Demetrios Mother: Aglaea Siblings: 3 younger sisters - Iokaste (41), Ligeia and Chryseis (39) Spouse: None Children: None Extended family: None Other: None History 31 CE - Theodoros is born in Corinth, in the province of Achaea. His father, Demetrios, is a physician in the local Aesclepeion. As the only male child, Theodoros is trained by his father from an easly age in the science of medicine. His mother is also well versed in the use of herbs and remedies, and supports local women with advice in medical matters. She works as a maia, a midwife. 33, 35 CE - Three daughters are born to Demetrios and Aglaea - the older is named Iokaste, the younger twins are named Ligeia and Chryseis. The household is noisy and happy. Theodoros loves his younger sisters, but the more he learns about medicine, the more he wishes to see more of the world, gather more knowledge and experience, and explore more ways of healing people. 47 CE - With his father's (hard-earned and much begged) blessing, once he is 16 years old, Theodoros joins the Roman army on the eastern front, and becomes a medicus-in-training attached to the Legio XII Fulminata. During the occasional skirmishes along the frontier, he gets his first chance to treat battle wounds. He is mentored by a veteran Ionian Greek medicus named Marinos. They mainly speak Greek, but Theodoros' Latin is improving. 52 CE - Revolts break out in the province of Achaea. Romans move potentially dangerous auxiliary units (those with a significant number of Greek soldiers that might sympathize with the rebels) away from the province. Theodoros is moved to the Rhine frontier, to Germania Superior, and serves as medicus to the Legio I Germanica. He has a hard time adjusting to the new scenery and the new languages, but his skills as a battlefield medicus are improving fast. Back home in Corinth, his family weathers the conflict in relative safety. Theodoros loses touch with them, except for the occasional (once a year, once in two years or so) letter. 62-63 CE - Tumultuous years along the Rhine frontier. The legions of Germania Superior play an active role in politics, and when the frontier weakens, the German tribes begin to see an opportunity. Theodoros faces the Luggi & Marcomanni invasion with the legion, and sees more bloodshed than he thought he would in a lifetime. The Roman legions are eventually victorious, and the frontier is strengthened again, but those two years leave a deep mark on Theodoros, who tends to mask the memories with a mix of dark humor and dedication to his vocation. He throws himself into studying medicine any way he can. 72 CE - After 25 years of service, Theodoros receives his military diploma, and with it his Roman citizenship. He takes the name Quintus Flavius Theodorus, in honor of the emperor. As per Augustus' orders almost a century ago, he also receives equestrian rank, and a piece of land... in the province of Pannonia. Theodorus (now using the Latinized form of his name) is dreaming of traveling to Rome to continue his studies of medicine, or maybe traveling Achaea and Egypt to learn more. Reluctantly, he travels to Pannonia instead to inspect his newly granted lands - and finds them little more than a field or rocks and thornbushes. The taste of equestrian citizenship sours in his mouth. He quickly finds a local buyer for his land, and sells it for a meager amount of money, that is only enough to get him to Rome and set him up in a small apartment for a few months. Since he cannot produce the minimum income required to maintain his equestrian rank, even though he is still a citizen, he slides back to the level of plebeians. 73 CE - Theodorus arrives in Rome and finds a place to rent in a building of apartments. Since he has no income and no connections, he looks for a job that fits his skills. He is eventually hired as a medicus at the Ludus Magnus, where he can put his battlefield experience, and his expertise with flesh wounds and broken bones to good use. After the initial distaste for the gladiator games, he realizes that there is a lot to learn, and that there is money in making sure the expensive slaves don't die of minor wounds. Eventually, he moves into a small room at the Ludus, and continues practicing as a medicus, with occasional forays to consult other physicians and healers around the city. Chevi | CENTRAL EUROPEAN| DISCORD

"Just like the old times... You're right of course, we can't do anything like this again." "Pity." Aia noted with a smirk as she got to her feet too. She stumbled, accidentally stepping on the edge of her dress, and swore in Gallic under her breath. Pantry was all nice and cozy, but it did not exactly allow for free movement. She brushed some crumbs and flour from her clothes. They were in agreement that they would need a better meeting place. "Does your Lady come to the city often?.. I still walk the countryside from time to time but I doubt I'll be going as far as your Villa." "She visits sometimes" Aia admitted "And I am free to come and go when I am not working at the villa. It's... not as easy to come and go as a woman, but I will still come to the city more often than you come to the countryside. When are you usually off duty?" @Sains

Being the warrior she seemed to be, Aia guessed that Cynane must have been taken in battle. She did not seem like a woman who would go down without a fight, one way or another. "Yes, I was. We thought we had them. But we didn't. And now I hear my land is entirely conquered by them. There is no home for me, because of Rome." There was sorrow to her voice, even though she was doing her best to restrain it. It must have been hard, seeing one's land conquered. The Romans tended to improve the places they added to the empire, so technically, she still had a home, it was just a province now - but Aia did not work in sensitive negotiations for ten years to not know when to keep her mouth shut to survive, so she did not point that out. Instead, they sat in silence for a while, deep in thought. Aia realized it was the first time she actually talked to a Briton that was not a fresh captive, and not on the other side of a negotiation. She was a person, with a history not all that different from her own. "I'm sorry." she said finally, for lack of a better thing to say. It was not an apology, but sympathy. "I don't really have a home either." She had a household she worked in, but that was far yet from feeling like a home. And ever since she had started traveling with her father all those years ago, Aia had never settled enough to call a place home either. "You know, I was captured by your people once." she added after a pause "Back when Eppitacos was chief. I'm not gonna say I wasn't scared shitless, but they treated me fairly..." she paused again, realizing her slip into soldier's language, and cleared her throat "... pardon me." @Atrice

Decimus was taken aback once he realized the mistake he'd made. Aia chuckled, amused at his embarrassment. It had not been a great faux pas, but in a way, it was telling. And it gave her a chance to make a jab at him, which was always appreciated. "That's all?.. You wish to know what's happening in the world?" "That's all" Aia grinned. The world was a large place, with lots of things stirring and brewing. 'All' was quite a broad term, when talking about the Empire. But in a way, still a lot more straightforward than marriage. "Not much to say then... Heh. Y'know for a moment there I actually thought you cared about the other thing... Anyways, Britannia has grown quiet since we've been gone. Well, quieter anyways. I doubt those people will ever truly been taken, even if we fly a banner from every damn hillside they own." Aia did care about the topic or marriage. Theoretically. Eventually. She would have to warm up to the whole idea of the institution, but for now, knowing things outside of the household was helping her transition to a different way of life. She nodded at his assessment of Britannia. "I bet they will cause trouble before long. The moment the next warrior king or queen comes along." she agreed. "Men are still being moved around the empire in droves from that infernal place... Most to Cappadocia I hear. Might be that something's brewing up. May wish to learn Parthian before to long, 'Interprex'. As for the hill, I hear little, my lady is not much for gossip around me. I doubt she trusts me enough yet, but it'll come with time. Are you one for gossip now that you've arrived in this place?" "Parthian is not a bad language" Aia mused, and then tilted her head at his last question "Only if the gossip is interesting. I don't think I care much about who is sleeping with whom..." Well, maybe asking Decimus to trade gossip had not been the most solid plan. He was too honorable for his own good. Aia smiled warmly at him anyway. "But it is just good to talk. You know... without having to watch what I say. We'll need to find a better meeting place than this, though. Not that I mind the food, but we are bound to end up as gossip too if we are not careful..." @Sains