Awkward encounter

[Sains]

It had been something, that attack. Nothing had been said about it in public, of course. What was there to say? Announcing to the city that a princess of Rome had nearly been carted off into slavery by a group of lowly bandits wouldn't exactly put faith into the hearts of the laymen. The civil war was still a recent memory in the minds of many citizens, and the last thing that the purple needed was rumors of instability on the peninsula. What had the guard been told to do about it?.. Well, very little. There wasn't much to do besides increase the amount of road patrols going out, but that could only do so much and there wasn't really anyone to look for. In some ways it almost seemed like Britannia. It wasn't nearly as intense as Britannia, but one could draw similarities. As for Decimus, well, he wasn't really too shaken up about it. Having a little action to break up the mundane activities of city life had been interesting to say the least, not to mention the fact that he'd found a lovely girl to finally call his own because of it. 

It felt good to reflect on it all. It occupied his time at the very least, and who knew how much longer he'd be sitting at the bar waiting for this unknown ankle biter to get bored and run off back to his slaves and roasted songbirds. 

 

@Chevi @Atrice

 

[Atrice]

How disappointing that Decimus did not react to Aia calling out to him at all. It would be interesting to hear about that attack on Claudia and her party from his side too, since he was the one most injured, from what he’d been told so far. But Decimus did not respond to Aia and Marcus proceeded to ask Aia more about that event instead. She said they’d been attacked by bandits, who went after the princess. And the Briton bodyguard had apparently been something special. His interest was stirred. She was… strangely tempting in her own way.

“What did she do? She’s quite interesting… I’ve seen her at the palace too. She’s like… vigilant and fierce, constantly.” It was weird to think that the Briton bodyguard… well she was from Britannia and Marcus was born there, but he definitely did not consider himself from there. He was a full-blood and born and bred Roman man and there was no way anyone would take it from him. But he also hadn’t forgotten where he was born and that it might be interesting to return someday.

@Chevi @Sains

[Chevi]

Aia tried her level best not to glance in Decimus' direction more often that it would have been natural had she not been secretly meeting him for a sleepover. Talking to Marcus about other things was a great distraction for now. She sipped her drink, hoping the slave would get back fast with the litter, wherever he was bringing it from. In the meantime, she brought up Cynane.

“What did she do? She’s quite interesting… I’ve seen her at the palace too. She’s like… vigilant and fierce, constantly.” 

"She saved the princess' life" Aia noted with a grin "At one point, the leader of the bandits had her, and Cynane just... threw her freaking sword at him. Right in the neck. I would not have believed if it I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. I knew she used to be a gladiatrix, but... damn."

@Sains @Atrice

[Atrice]

It was odd that Decimus the Praetorian Guard did not respond when Aia called out to her... but what was even more odd was that she kept glancing his way. She thought he didn't notice, but she seemed distracted and he did see in which direction her gaze went. Not that he turned to look more closely. It was strange. Perhaps they had a history or something together? And she managed to upset him and now he wouldn't talk to her. That's the story that made most sense in his head. Now they were talking about him though, the attack on the princess came up and now they were talking about that fierce Briton bodyguard... who had apparently saved Claudia's life. Aia told the story and Marcus' eyes widened when Aia said that Cynane threw her sword right into the man's neck.

"Damn!" He agreed with Aia's comment on that, "I don't think I'd have believed it either. So she killed him? I guess having a former gladiator as a guard is a good idea... they do know how to fight, if they're survivors." Marcus said thoughtfully and downed some more wine.

Not many moments later, a familiar face turned up in the door. Silvanus was finally back and he approached Marcus, seeing that he had found someone else and someone familiar to talk to. Silvanus gave her a look, but Marcus looked up at his slave, "Did you find some transportation?" He asked and Silvanus nodded, "There is a litter waiting for you, domine. Are you ready to leave?" Silvanus didn't think he looked ready, since he had company now. Marcus looked at Aia, not liking the idea of leaving her alone here, even though she was his senior. She was also still a woman, after all.

@Chevi

 

[Chevi]

Luckily, Aia's story about Cynane being an amazing warrior managed to distract Marcus from the other bodyguard at hand. Thank the gods for terrifying Briton women.

"Damn! I don't think I'd have believed it either. So she killed him? I guess having a former gladiator as a guard is a good idea... they do know how to fight, if they're survivors."

"Oh, he was definitely dead. Drenched all of the princess in blood, but she got away unhurt." Aia nodded proudly. She was proud to have witnessed such a feat, and also kind of proud to know Cynane in person. Besides, it never hurt for a young man like Marcus to hear about what some women could do when they were angered.

Finally, Marcus' slave returned, and Aiai bit back a sigh of relief.

"There is a litter waiting for you, domine. Are you ready to leave?"

Marcus glanced at her, and Aia froze as she realized the game was far from over. Clearly, she was a young unmarried women from his household, and therefore Marcus, being the good kid he was at heart, felt responsible for not leaving her lone in the poppina.

"Go ahead" she waved a hand with a light smile "I still owe a chat to my friend here, once she is done with work. I won't get lost, I promise."

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Well how could you not be fascinated by the story of that odd Briton female bodyguard, who was both good looking and apparently very deadly! That she threw a knife that just straight out killed the bandit, that was fucking amazing! Marcus would have loved to see that. Maybe he should ask Claudia if she could get her bodyguard to show off her gladiatrix skills sometime. Put on a show of sorts for them. That could be interesting!

Meanwhile Aia said that the man was definitely dead and the princess had been drenched in blood afterwards. Marcus tried to imagine it and didn’t know if it was sexy or disgusting.

“Yeah obviously she did. No thanks to her bodyguard!” He was still amazed and was definitely going to think about it next time he ran into that woman in the palace. He didn’t really consider much what some women could do when angered. But he might have some hot dreams about her.

Then his body slave appeared and had found a litter for Marcus. Well he better leave then… but leave Aia here alone? He didn’t like the idea of that and gave her a look. She seemed a little bit tense, which was odd, before she said he could go and she had to chat to her friend and would not be lost.

“It’s not you getting lost I’m worried about. It’s… Rome at night.” Marcus said. He had a litter to travel in and Silvanus, who could fight if he had to, but Aia… she was sort of skinny and… well she was not a bodyguard, that’s for sure! “You sure you’ll be alright? We better hope then that Juliana won’t find out I left you here alone.”

@Chevi

[Chevi]

“It’s not you getting lost I’m worried about. It’s… Rome at night."

"I know." Marcus was a sweet kid. He couldn't have known that Aia had been in the legions, unless his mother shared the secret, which was doubtful. He definitely couldn't have known she had been sneaking out to meet Decimus, and the poppina was not the worst place they had met. But he cared enough to want to make sure she would be safe, and Aia appreciated that.

"You sure you’ll be alright? We better hope then that Juliana won’t find out I left you here alone.”

"She won't" Aia smiled, shaking her head "And don't worry, I'll be safe. If I stay too late, my friend will let me sleep here in her room, and I'll go back to the palace early in the morning. But thank you for asking. Have a good night, Marcus." 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Marcus could be a sweet kid when he wanted to. And he didn’t like leaving a woman here on her own, even if she was older and probably more experienced than he was. It just didn’t look good, he thought… and he also worried about what Juliana would say. Aia coming here on her own, seeming tense and all that. There was still something off about it, he just could not figure out what it was.

Aia said Juliana would not find out about this and she’d be safe… she could sleep here and return tomorrow morning. He sighed.

“Alright… if you’re sure. I suppose I’ll see you next time we have lessons, then.” Marcus said and stood, "Stay safe, alright?" He said to her one last time, before he followed Silvanus out to the litter waiting for him outside. He was a bit drunk, but it didn't feel as bad now and besides, he was thinking now. There was something he didn’t buy about Aia’s story for being there, but maybe he was wrong and it really was as she said. Maybe one day he’d find out… maybe not.

@Chevi