The horse and his boy

[Chevi]

However nice it might have been to converse with Nymphias, Azarion's chances had flown away like a flock of birds the moment Bassus decided to butt in and make it all his fault. He got to play the gallant rescuer, on top of being a star charioteer. All that was left for Azarion was to take Borena back to the stables.

Nymphias decided to follow, rather than hanging back. He was not sure what to make of that.

“He seem really angry. He won’t… hit you? If he does, I will hit him.”

Azarion snorted at the first question and shrugged.  Bassus might hit him. He had the right. It would not have been the first, or the worst, beating he'd get as a slave.

The second comment, however, made him pause and turn back to look at Nymphias. He looked her up and down, and then chuckled. He imagined her hitting Bassus. That would be a sight to behold. I'd pay to see that.

“But you were very brave person for going on top horse. You are braver than Romans.”

Azarion grinned, shrugging again. Did she really think so, or was she teasing him? He tapped the tattoo on his calf. Of course I'm braver. I'm not a Roman. I'm Sarmatian.

@Beauty

[Beauty]

Nymphias worried for the boy. What if the charioteer was mean to him? Her domine never was cruel, nor was his wife but they were stern and had many rules that made very little sense to Nymphias. If she ever had the ability to write in Latin, or at all, she’d have made a very long list of their rules and read each and every one of them back, just to show them how stupid they sounded.

But then she noticed Azarion look her up and down before chuckling. Nymphias breathed out of her nose like a horse. Was the charioteer, right? Was Azarion flirting with her? When she wasn’t moping, she liked to delve into her imagination where half the men of Rome were fighting for her affections but she wanted to be ever faithful to the radiant Helios, who she’d just met and barely knew as a result.  

Then he pointed down at his ankles, showing her a tattoo on his calf. She tilted her head, trying to get a good look at it.

“Did you get hurt?” she said, believing that was what he was trying to say. She hadn’t seen him twist his ankle but then again, she’d been flat on her bottom and terrified. “What if you tell the man that you try saving me? And that your ankle hurt trying to saving me. Maybe he will be not more angry but less.”

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Bassus be damned, the girl was kind of cure when she was angry. She huffed as he pictured her beating up the charioteer. Azarion had no doubt she would try, too, if she had the right reason. He just didn't believe the reason would be himself. 

“Did you get hurt?..."

He shook his head. He was fine. The tattoo reference probably went over her head. It almost always did, this far from Sarmatia.

"What if you tell the man that you try saving me? And that your ankle hurt trying to saving me. Maybe he will be not more angry but less.”

Azarion chuckled. Sure, Bassus, or any charioteer for that matter, would just be like poor stable boy, got hurt riding one of our prized horses to impress a girl. She did not really need saving back there. Not while he had Borena under control. But she looked worried now, and a little bit guilty about the whole thing. Azarion sighed as he led Borena into her stall and closed the door - he would have to groom her soon - and then turned back to face Nymphias, placing a hand on her shoulder, trying to make gestures she could understand.

I will be fine. He won't beat me. Not severely, anyway. Sorry I scared you.

@Beauty