Second time luckier?

[Atrice]

Teutus sounded like he really knew what he was doing, with running a business at all. He had some sort of education and he knew how to make use of it. What he wanted Alexius to do was mind the security of the warehouse, it seemed. He said he didn’t know what to look for when it came to fighters and he even smiled. He needed Alexius. That felt nice. To be needed like that. And to hear someone say it… it wasn’t often he heard that he was needed, not like that anyway.

 “I can definitely add strength and security.” Alexius said with a smile. Teutus added that he’d of course pay and Alexius nodded.

 “Pay is always a good thing. Well… we must take a look at that warehouse then. But perhaps first, move on to warmer waters?” He suggested and glanced around, he could honestly use a drink too, but then recalled that he probably shouldn’t, because he had way too much already. But just one drink wouldn’t hurt, would it? Maybe he could ask one of the slaves here on the way to the next bath. Maybe Teutus would want a drink too.

@Sharpie

[Sharpie]

"Warmer... d - definitely," Teutus replied. He was a little chilly, probably chillier than Alexius because he hadn't been so active on entering the pool. Alexius was bigger than him, too, so of course Teutus was going to get colder quicker.

"Have you had breakfast?" he asked as he scrambled out of the pool. "Because if not, we could get lunch from a food stall on the way down, otherwise it'll be a proper caupona afterwards."

He was surprising himself with how much energy he seemed to have for this thing. Perhaps it was just his family situation that made him feel as if he was wading through hip-deep river mud?

"Either way, I want at least a quick scrape down before we leave," he added.

 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Alexius felt cold too, but it wasn't that bad. It was what this bath was for, after all. A cold bath to start off with, it felt cleansing and it definitely woke you up and sobered you up too! But he could use something warm first, and a bit of wine, if he could find any. Usually there was wine to be had around here, you just had to speak to the right people. And since this was the thermae closest to his home, he knew people pretty well around here. Teutus got out of the pool first, speaking about breakfast. 

"I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday, I think? I went out for more wine. Maybe I grabbed something to eat too? Anyway, I definitely could use something." Alexius honestly couldn't remember, food had not been his top priority yesterday, after spending such a great night with Charis and then Teutus had arrived and made things awkward. And they surely would not have been so awkward, if Alexius had been smarter. If he'd known that they knew each other... he sighed, keeping that thought to himself while they moved on towards the tepidarium of the thermae. On the way Alexius spied a slave he'd talked to before and the guy promised to come over with some wine soon. 

It didn't take long for Alexius to soon sit down on one of the benches of the tepidarium, feeling the heat around him. He glanced around, not a lot of people were here besides he and Teutus. Well they'd be finished soon enough.

@Sharpie

Edited October 2, 2021 by Atrice

[Sharpie]

"Not since yesterday?" No wonder he'd been in such a mess this morning when Teutus had knocked on his door! "We're not worth missing a meal over, Charis and me, you do know that? I suppose you didn't get much sleep either?"

Fine, it was going to be a decent lunch at a decent sit-down thermopolium, then, rather than a mere quick takeaway from some grubby caupona or hot food stall.

He joined Alexius on a marble bench in the tepidarium, stretching his legs out in front of him and leaning back on the wall behind him with a contented sigh.

"So... how did you end up in Rome anyway? I mean, if you don't mind telling me. If you'd rather not, we can find something else to talk about. Like the weather." He managed a smile, glancing sideways at his friend to see how he would take the query.

 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Teutus seemed stunned that Alexius hadn't had much to eat since yesterday, but why would he bother eating, when it was drinking that made him at least forget somewhat what happened and how stupid he'd been. But Teutus said they were not worth missing a meal over and assumed he hadn't slept much either.

"I think I was asleep when you came? But really... don't worry about it now." After all, here they were at the baths and he'd had a bath in cold water and now he'd sit here and enjoy the heat of the tepidarium. Why was it so important whether he ate or not? And why had Teutus not paid attention, when Alexius tried telling him that he shouldn't think such ill thoughts about himself. He was worth more than he thought! Didn't this whole incident with Charis just prove that? That they were both worth more than they thought?

Then Teutus changed the subject, wanting to know how Alexius ended up in Rome.

"Half of Rome already asked, so why not? Short story... I was captured and enslaved as a child, brought to Rome and sold to a man here. I don't remember his name. But he lost his fortune and my sister and I, we were sold and I haven't seen her since. I was sold to a ludus and became a gladiator a few years later. Eventually the owner of the ludus died and his son took over, and we... got along, you might say. He freed me. I did go back to Germania, to the Chatti tribe, where I was born, but there was nothing for me there. The village had been burnt back then and since I was a kid when it happened, no one recognized me or knew me. And for them, I was too Roman. I wasn't one of them. So I came back. And here I am, still." He paused and smiled, "I guess that wasn't the short story. But not the long story either." And in the end, it was the same. Here he was. Unable to find a place to properly fit in though. After all, he was a freedman, yet a former gladiator. Born in Germania but he grew up in Rome and lived most of his life here. Yet he could not hide his heritage, with his height and his strength. 

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"I'm sorry," Teutus told him. It was probably a common story among gladiators and others, but that didn't mean he couldn't feel sympathetic for someone who'd been caught up in that. And he knew a little of that neither one thing nor the other feeling, though not as it pertained to the actual people you belonged to; Teutus was as Roman as any free citizen, after all, speaking Latin with the fluency and accent of his Roman father. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to return home to find things had changed so much that Alexius didn't fit with his own people any more.

"And you haven't thought about going anywhere else in the Empire?" he asked out of curiosity, nodding as a slave with an oil bottle and strigil approached them.

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Teutus said he was sorry to hear about Alexius story, but Alexius just shrugged, "Don't be. That's just how my life turned out. The gods have some messed up ideas sometimes." He added with a smile, it was only when he thought about it that he felt a bit sad about it, so most of the time, he tried to not think about it. He stayed busy, he enjoyed having a good time with wine and pleasure and sometimes a brawl. He didn't think about his past too often. It didn't do him any good anyway. Teutus would know if had thought about going anywhere else in the Empire.

"I haven't, no. Maybe I should, but this city... it's been home for most of my life. I know it and I know the people here. I don't know if I'd feel that anywhere else." So it just made most sense for him to be here. Besides, he could always find work here. And all the people he knew. Think if he left Rome and everyone behind! He couldn't imagine doing that. Not now that he knew he didn't belong in Germania either. 

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Teutus couldn't help the startled laugh that bubbled up at Alexius' words. "I'll say they do, just take a look at my life if you want any more proof of it." He shrugged. "My father had some sort of relationship with one of his slaves when he was younger, which led to me being born, as a slave. Then he married but all he got from that was a girl before his wife died. Then he gets a crush on Charis and she has a boy... Is it any wonder I'm messed up, too?" He shrugged under the slave's ministrations.

"No, you don't have to answer that one, it wasn't a serious question." And if Charis hadn't told Alexius the whole story, well, he'd be bound to put the pieces together somehow. Anyone could add two and two when things were plain enough.

"At least with Rome, there are a lot of people here from all over the place, it's not as if you're the only person here who was born outside the Empire. Though that probably doesn't help much."

 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Alexius smiled, but also gave Teutus an apologetic look, when the other pointed out how messed up his life was too. The gods must have had a few amazing days planning out Alexius' and Teutus' lives. And they were far from the only ones with messed up lives. What was up with that? On the other hand, while Alexius did keep the Roman gods and especially enjoyed the festivals, he wasn't the most religious person of them all besides that. It wasn't like he paid much attention to the gods on an ordinary day. And he never went to sacrifice anything. Maybe he should try, see if that did something? Or maybe it was too late. He didn't answer Teutus' question though, when the other told him not to.

Teutus tried to make Alexius feel better then, by pointing out that Rome held people from all parts of the Empire. 

"It's true I feel more at home here than anywhere else. It's a good mix, here. But I still encounter people who frown at the fact that I'm a freedman, I was once a slave and I wasn't born here. Not that I can do much about it, it's not like it was my choice, any of that." He shrugged, while watching Teutus being pampered by a male slave. It would be his own turn soon enough. He still sometimes felt weird receiving such attention from a slave, because he held such a position once too. But he had gotten more and more used to it over the years.

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"Well, decent people won't mind much - and you can do things that Senators can't. I started my own business, which is something even my father can't do himself. He'd have to use a freedman or a slave to run anything like that." Which he did, like any other Senator Teutus could name.

"You keep telling me I shouldn't think so little of myself, so I'll tell you the same thing. Say it enough, one of us might get it." He let out a long quiet contented breath as the knots were worked out of his shoulders and back.

"Rome's so full of people from all over the Empire and beyond it, and really, nobody who matters cares anything about your past and where you've been. Probably the only person who really cares is you - everyone else is too busy worrying about what you think about them." At least, that was what Teutus had gleaned over the years from all the conversations he'd listened to and taken part in. People had called him 'astute' to his father when complimenting Teutus to him, though Teutus was never quite sure whether that was a compliment or a veiled wish that Tertius' secretary would be somewhat less observant. Not that people really paid much attention to slaves, of course.

"I think the thing is, you can choose what to do with your life now. I mean, I've got work if you want it, for however long you want it, and if you decide to leave Rome and travel to, oh I don't know, Alexandria or Antioch or Hispania, you can do that if you want." Though Alexius did have responsibilities, of course - his own son, for one thing. Teutus wouldn't mind meeting him one day.

 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Decent people would not mind much? But this was Rome and it was full of the opposite... people who were not decent people. Sure, many of them were, but there were also many who were indeed just fucking Romans. Not that Teutus was one of them. He was different. And now he pointed out that Alexius seemed to think little of himself too, which surprised him to hear. He never thought about it like that! His friend went on about how little people really cared about his past and his story. That was both good and bad. It meant that he shouldn't worry so much about what people thought. On the other hand, it also meant that... people simply didn't care about him. Except for the select few, who knew him and his story already. Like Teutus. 

"I suppose you're right. But it's easier said than done... not worrying about what other people think." Alexius said, "Not that I worry too much, I think, I am who I am... but it is always there, I guess?" He said thoughtfully. It was a rare thing for him to have such deep thoughts about life. But really, he didn't think he usually cared a lot about what people thought. He lived his life as he wanted to, after all. Or tried, anyway. Teutus continued, pointing out that it was their choice to do what they wanted with their lives.

"I think I'll take the work you got." He said with a smile and paused, placing a hand on Teutus' shoulder, "Who wouldn't want to work for someone like you? I know we don't know each other that well yet... and yet we kind of do." He added with a wink, but then turned serious again, "You're a good friend, Teutus." 

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"Why do you think I get so down on myself?" Teutus asked, shifting so he could look up at the other man. He suspected that Alexius lived life the way he did so that he didn't have to think too hard about hard painful things.

It was an odd dichotomy, how Romans treated their freedmen. On the one hand, they weren't slaves, they had risen about that and could do almost anything (if they didn't want to enter politics, that was). And on the other, there was always that stain of their slave past that some people just couldn't overlook no matter what. He shrugged mentally. If people were too caught up on what a man had been and they couldn't see what he was now, they weren't worth bothering with.

He rolled over, unilaterally declaring the massage done, and sat up as the slave stepped back. "I do try to be. I might not always get it right, but I do try. A man needs friends, after all, and the best way to have good friends is to be one."

Teutus hadn't really had much opportunity to make friends; the other slaves in his father's household had always held him somewhat at arm's length due to his relationship with their master, so it was nice to hear that Alexius thought he was a good friend. He just hoped that he could manage to keep it up - he really hadn't had all that much practise at it.

"Shall we get dressed and go and have a look at this warehouse, then?" he suggested.

 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Teutus was right in his assumption about Alexius – he did live his life the way he did, so he didn’t have to focus on all the painful things that had happened in life. And the way he lived, well, it wasn’t perfect, but it worked. And why fix something that’s not really broken? Although a proper, steady job would be nice to have, if Teutus would give it to him once he had his business properly set up.

 Then Teutus seemed to decide that their time in the thermae was over. He rolled over and sat up. Alexius sighed, not really feeling like being done, but he supposed Teutus was right. He was glad Teutus appreciated his comment on being a good friend. A lot of Romans could learn from this young man, Alexius thought to himself.

 “You’re absolutely right.” He said and sat up too, giving an appreciating nod to the slave that had taken care of his body. It might be the slave’s job, but that didn’t mean Alexius would just see right through him like many Romans did. Teutus suggested to get dressed now and look at the warehouse.

 “Right, the warehouse… of course… let’s do that.” Alexius said. At least he felt better than he did this morning, where he’d been a shadow himself when Teutus showed up by his door. Drunk, tired and feeling like a failure. Teutus had done something to improve all of that. See, he was a good friend. Alexius slid off the bench, moving towards the apodyterium to get dressed and move on with the day. Maybe he should try and talk to Charis at some point too. If she even would… and was allowed to.

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"It's by the river, I think it's in a very good position for goods coming up the river from Ostia - I believe it has its own wharf. And it's a decent size, too," Teutus said. "I know you were a gladiator and I think you've been a personal bodyguard - I don't know if you have an eye for security, but you'll be better than me at spotting any potential security problems with it."

He took the towel that one of the apodyterium slaves offered him, roughly towelling his hair dry before drying himself off and reaching for his clothing. It hadn't been touched and he found a coin in his purse for the attendant.

"It's down by the river, or course," he said, once he was dressed. "I believe that one of the nearby units is taken by a slave-trader who has teams that he hires out, so there won't be nay issue when it comes to the loading and unloading, either."

 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Alexius smiled while they dried themselves and got dressed, and Teutus told about his warehouse and suggested that Alexius might be better at spotting security issues than he would, "I might be better, yes... I will do my best. I always do, when I'm paid." He said, "And if anyone tries stealing anything, I'm also sure I'll be better than you at beating them up." There was a broad smile on his face, he would look forwards to such a chance, even if he should actually hope for it to not happen at all. No one should want to steal from his friend. But if they dared to try! Oh there'd be problems... for the thieves! 

Soon he slipped his tunica over his head and Teutus said there was a slave trader who had a warehouse nearby. Alexius wrinkled his nose, "You're really going to have your own slaves? I don't think I could ever do that... but I suppose, as long as you're not the kind of master who mistreats his slaves, it's alright. And I don't think you will be that kind of master, at least." Somewhat alright, anyway. Being owned by someone else would never sit well with him. Teutus owned their lives, after all. Their bodies weren't their own. Just the thought of that itched him the wrong way, but who was he to tell Teutus how to run his business? He clearly knew more about it than Alexius. And he grew up in a Senator's household. He was used to slaves doing ordinary work. 

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Of course he was going to have slaves, how did Alexius expect him to run the whole thing otherwise? "I meant, that I'd hire labourers by the day as and when I need them. Otherwise, I'll need at least a clerk, and a messenger or runner, hopefully one who's got experience of serving drinks and the like. The sort of people I hope to sell to aren't going to want to buy if I'm the one doing everything, after all."

And of course Alexius would be better at beating up any would-be thieves than Teutus would - he could probably break Teutus' arm with one hand, without breaking a sweat. Teutus was trained as a secretary not a gladiator, after all, and had never needed the sort of muscle Alexius sported. Abs like a washboard - he was damn good-looking, under that tunic...

"I'm never going to have slaves just for the sake of having them, if that's what you're worried about," he added, clapping Alexius on the shoulder - yes, he was far more solidly built than Teutus was!

 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Teutus tried to explain why he'd have slaves, but Alexius was still puzzled about why a former slave would want to hire and even own slaves, "You know you can get free Romans who will do the same for you? People, who are not slaves. Maybe former slaves, like you and me. There are plenty of skilled people in Rome with nothing to do, trust me." Alexius knew quite a few former slaves and freedmen, many of them living across the Tiber among the poorest in Rome. And he had to voice his opinion anyway. What good would it do Teutus to hire a friend to work for him, if said friend could not speak his mind? Then he might just own a slave, trained to not speak his mind. Alexius was free to do so, after all. And it was important to him. 

Alexius looked at Teutus clapping his shoulder in a friendly gesture, "Oh that's not it, it's more the... whole concept of it. I know Rome wouldn't function without slaves, but... it's hard to explain. Many of them had rough lives before. But I'm sure you'll be a kind master. You know what it's like, after all." Maybe Teutus would even free his slaves, eventually? Alexius should probably be glad he didn't have the means to buy his own slaves. Because if he did, he'd free them anyway and then that would be lost coin. He'd rather spend his coin on drinks and food. And trips to the thermae. And the insula he stayed in. That's all he needed, really. 

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Teutus just gave Alexius a slightly baffled look. Why wouldn't he use slaves? Free people always had an opinion on how things should be done and usually didn't care who heard them saying those opinions. He'd use slaves because that was the way of it, hie own personal feelings on the matter aside - anyway, he was no longer a slave, and given the right opportunities and incentives, any other slave need not remain a slave. They wouldn't get those opportunities if nobody made use of them, either, that should be perfectly obvious.

"People - the sort of people I want to sell to - have certain expectations," he added. "I'm sure you understand - and if you prefer to hire free security guards, that would be fine. Just let me know what you need, all right?"

The walk to the prospective warehouse wasn't a long one, and when they came in sight of it, Teutus pointed. "There. I'll let you have a proper look around - I presume you'll want to look at the access to it and everything."

 

@Atrice

 

[Atrice]

When you were born free and enslaved as a child, it could go two ways. Either you'd not remember freedom or deliberately forget about it, because that was just easier, when you were a kid. Or you'd remember it and not understand why some people had to rule over others like that. And own others. Alexius had always hated being a slave, even as a kid. He'd yearned for freedom for as long as he could remember. And since he was freed, the only time he owned slaves was when he was a lanista. And technically they were not his slaves, since he was still employed by his former master. He also experienced how they had a hard time suddenly having him as their superior, when he used to be one of them. He hated they had to be punished. He too knew what it was like to be beaten for not following orders from your owners. No, owning slaves was not for him. He remembered everything about it far too vividly.

But of course, Teutus grew up as a different kind of slave in a different kind of home. He had probably never been beaten or tasted the whip, he'd never been silenced like Alexius had. His experience was different. But still, Alexius tried to brush over it, because he knew Teutus would be a good master. He just had to be. Else Alexius wasn't sure he could work for him and he wanted to believe that he could.

Teutus looked surprised at Alexius' statement and then said he had to do it, because there were certain expectations to him and of course he could hire free security guards for the warehouse. Alexius smiled, "I may do that. I know a few who might be up for the task." Former gladiators like himself would be useful. They had arrived at the warehouse now and Teutus pointed it out. 

"That would be a good start." Alexius said, looking at the building, "It's big. And it's yours." He smiled, "You must be pleased." 

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"It isn't mine yet," Teutus pointed out. "I'll only take it if you don't spot anything seriously wrong with it from a security point of view. I need it to be more secure than someone bringing olive oil into the city, after all." He wasn't about to discuss his actual imports out here, where anyone could overhear, but Alexius knew enough about his plans that he didn't need to, he thought.

"As I said, you know far better than I do about how to guard things - if you don't think this can be easily guarded, or if there are other problems I haven't spotted, there are other warehouses and one of them might be better. Though I think this is a good one."

It was certainly good from the point of view of transport and bringing things in without advertising what was on the premises to all and sundry who might have less than legitimate interests in the contents of the building.

"As for working for me, I'd pay a fair wage. You'd be in charge of the guards, and I'd pay you properly for that responsibility," he said, and named a sum.

 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Teutus pointed out that the building was not his yet, and apparently that's why he wanted to view it with Alexius - apparently, his opinion on this mattered. Well that was a first. Or, maybe not a first, but it was so rare that any free Roman thought his opinion mattered in something. And although Teutus was a freedman too, Alexius considered him to be more a Roman than himself. He had a Roman father, after all. Even if they were not the best of friends. But he was glad to hear his opinion mattered. That made him more sure of this job and whatever it was he had with Teutus. They were friendly with each other? They'd spent a night together? Alexius slept with another of Teutus' friends last night... and now they were going into business together? He wasn't sure what it was. But there was mix of relationships here.

They began exploring the area around the building, which seemed alright. Easy access, but that also meant it was difficult to really hide. Which was good, if they wanted to avoid anyone stealing. And of course they wanted to avoid that.

"I'm most experienced with guarding people... but at least a building stands still all the time. It just needs to be defended properly. Or, guarded." He added with a smile, "So far it looks good, I think." He said and Teutus explained what he'd pay Alexius for.

"It all sounds good. To be honest, working for you may be better than all these... random jobs I've been taking. I haven't had a steady job in a while." He said, looking at Teutus, not sure he'd understand what that was like though. They were both freedmen. But besides that, their lives had been very different until now.

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"Even so, you've probably got more idea than I do about thinking defensively about things," Teutus pointed out. "I suppose I should be trying to think about how to break in, if I wanted to?" It looked pretty solid and even from the river side there wasn't much that he could see where someone could break in and get things away without needing time.

Cheaper and bulkier goods wouldn't need the sort of protection that lighter more readily transportable goods would, and high-value goods were sure to come under scrutiny from some of the less-desirable parties in Rome. Teutus wasn't about to risk things if he didn't need to.

It did seem a solid enough building, though.

"You've got experience of protecting people, at least. People move, and the sort of thing I'm building my business on are relatively movable goods, so your expertise will help with protecting them. And anyway, you've got the looks of someone in training, who knows how to use his fists or a sword. It'll be a steady job with a good rate of pay, if you want it."

Everyone needed a chance, and it couldn't have been at all easy for Alexius to scrape by on the ebb and flow of casual work offered to him. A steady job with a steady income would mean that he could maybe move into a bigger apartment in the future, for instance.

 

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[Atrice]

Alexius nodded at Teutus' thoughts about how to think about defending the building, "That's a good thought. Let's take a look at every entrance and windows, if there are any." Alexius suggested and so far, it looked very good. What about the roof though? If anyone could get to the roof, that might be easy to break if you knew how. If you really wanted to get in, you'd be creative about it.

Teutus voiced how he thought Alexius might be good at protecting the goods and the people moving the goods. Then Alexius smiled, when Teutus said he looked like someone in training... who knew how to fight. 

"Yes, I do know all of that. I can fight with weapons... and without." Alexius said with a grin and a wink. Sure he'd be paid and was happy to hear that Teutus would provide him with a steady job. A steady income was nice. But Alexius was still mostly thinking about the actual work he'd do, "Sometimes actually, weapons are in the way. Maybe I should teach you a thing or two, just in case you'll ever need it. You don't need to be very strong to fight properly. Half of it is really about technique." 

He stopped as he was still looking at the building too, "I think it looks good so far. What about the roof?" He glanced upwards, "Looks like a flat roof to me. You think anyone could enter the roof, and through that, the building itself?" 

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Edited December 13, 2021 by Atrice

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"I don't see any way of reaching the roof," Teutus said, trying to figure out where he'd start looking for access there if he wanted to get in that way. "It's not like a domus or insula, with an atrium or courtyard inside, either." He scratched his cheek as he thought. "I guess good guards would put people off trying that sort of attempt if there were some sort of regular patrols around the building?"

Of course the vigiles wouldn't do anything of that sort, hence the need for private guards like Alexius.

"Does it look like the sort of place you could guard easily? Even if you needed one or two others." A team of guards with regular shifts or something - he wouldn't leave the entire security of the place to one man on his own, that would be asking for trouble, but if Alexius was up for it and knew where to look for others like himself, Teutus was willing to pay for the security and the peace of mind.

 

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[Atrice]

Alexius nodded at Teutus, when he pointed out that no one could reach the roof, so that was fairly safe too. And good guards would definitely put off people trying to break in.

"I'd probably hire a few more guards, yes, but I think it could be guarded fairly easily. There aren't that many entrances either." He replied. It didn't look like it would be that hard, but of course it depended on how luxurious and expensive goods Teutus planned on keeping in there. He thought it would be fine though. He turned to look at the surroundings of the building and then at Teutus. This day sure turned out interesting and... different. It started out with him being drunk and tired and not in the best of moods. It had turned better. He was glad Teutus would still work with him. 

"I think it's all good though. I'll find some strong men to help guarding it. Now..." He patted his stomach with a small smile, "I just realized we haven't had anything to eat yet. Shall we go and find a good place?" 

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