(Untitled)

[tavar_of_alera]

Last time Tavi was in the Bar, he'd intended to write to his family. Instead he ended up Bartending.

This time, he's bound and determined to actually get those letters written, because it actually is relaxing and keeps it from taking up time at work

Comments

[stealth_bandage]

... huh.

Usually you don't see members of the Legion in anything but their armor. Then again, usually Arcade only sees members of the Legion long after they're already dead.... their slaves, now, that's another story, both in terms of attire and in terms of being alive.

This could be bad. Or not. He's not sure.

"[You're a long way from Caesar's lands, stranger,]" he finally says in Latin. There isn't a Legion slave alive who won't have some form of gut reaction to the sound of the language, whether they actually speak it yet or not.

[tavar_of_alera]

Tavi looks up after a moment, and frowns. Something flashes across his eyes, which narrow ever so slightly.

That is not Aleran (or whatever language the Bar happily translates into the Aleran he is so used to, bar the few idioms he translates to Aleran ones himself).

However, some of the phrases are vaguely familiar--and the name Caesar catches his interest. He heard about Gaius Julius here, from Marcus Antonius in fact, and has read a book written by the same several times over. The pronunciation is odd, too, and after a moment he smiles wryly.

"Sorry--one of the valets says something about what I think you just said--something about Romans? Anyway, that might sound a bit like Old Aleran, but that was at least fifteen hundred years ago, probably."

[stealth_bandage]

Hm. Arcade's no intelligence analyst, but he'd be willing to bet that wasn't the look of someone who recognized Latin. Not a Legion agent, then, or a slave out of Legion lands. Probably for the best.

He relaxes, and says, "My apologies. You resembled some of the people from my side of the door who'd be using the language on a daily basis. I wanted to be certain without being too intrusive."

[tavar_of_alera]

Tavi is an intelligence analyst, and one with informative instincts. The man is worried about something, and tried to be subtle about that digging for information.

A few possibilities flash through his mind. "Really? I've been told time and again I look Roman, and again, one of the valets is known for his theories about them, but I've never been clear on the details."

It's said genially, and with curiosity. It is, after all, half true.

[stealth_bandage]

"I see," says Arcade. "Then the name 'Caesar's Legion' doesn't ring any bells for you? Other than it being Roman, obviously. Not that there's anything I could do about it if it did, but frankly, this place is better off without them."

All of which is absolutely true. It's just that there may be a slight difference between the Caesar Arcade is thinking of, and the Caesar every other person who has ever mentioned the Romans to Tavi is thinking of.

[tavar_of_alera]

Tavi raises an eyebrow very slightly.

"Not the Caesar part," he lies through his teeth, "though we have Legions of our own." After another moment, his head tilts slightly as he regards the man. This was certainly interesting. A grudge against some Legion, somewhere, might be dangerous. "Better why?"

[stealth_bandage]

"Oh, expansionist ambitions, coupled with boundless militarism, adherence to doctrines of total war, and a complete willingness to dispense with anything resembling human dignity or freedom in the name of achieving their goals-" Arcade shrugs. "I really don't think they'd stop long enough to hear the orientation lecture that explains about how this place isn't actually located anywhere near Caesar's lands. It'd be gladii first, questions later, if at all."

[tavar_of_alera]

Tavi can't help it: he thinks of Kalarus' Legions of Immortals, of the origins of Alera and the civil wars.

His face, however, remains relaxed. "Most of my people ask questions first." Though maybe after lashing out in shock and setting fire to something before that, if they're particularly excitable and don't have the kind of control Tavi and his nearest and dearest do.

"Besides," he adds lightly, "I don't think any Lords of my Realm would see much use in conquering a tavern, especially one with a manifest--spirit of wood." Another lie: some might, with the ability to get through to other worlds if they could control the doors.

But that's mostly Kalarus and his insanity, and Tavi is actually confident in his own ability to stop Kalarus in the Bar if it came to that, alone or with his other Alerans and friends he's made here.