The Optio kept walking at a fairly average pace. There was no hiding the sound of his nailed boots, the metal studs that were on the bottom of the soles were too conspicuous for him to even attempt to be stealthy at all. He knew he could have worn some simple shoes or the calfskin's an old friend had given to him for his birthday but he had packed them to the bottom of his chest and he couldn't be bothered to waste the time in getting them out. Besides, the military boots was just another indication to somebody else that he was not to be messed with. Least one could hope for that. There was always a chance some one felt lucky or could actually bring the muscle to back their words.. The alley he was walking down split to another one to a fork and he made his way down. The walls surrounding him were tall and made everything around him dark. Shadows were twisted into grotesque forms where he had to remind himself that they were just shadows and nothing beyond a wild imagination.
He yawned, his eyes briefly being forced closed as his jaw opened wide and he rolled his shoulders as he progressed through the unlit road that was barely more than five feet apart. It wasn't long before he started getting the feeling that someone was following him. He kept his stride as it had been before but he certainly paid attention to any sound other than the ones he was making himself. It was a slight tread, he had almost missed it and every so often it would disappear before he picked it up again. He played along, quite happy to let the one following him think he had his prey covered as they progressed down the path. The other's tread grew more cautious after a while and the Optio frowned slightly as he lost track on the footfalls. This was someone who clearly knew the business of following folk. Not well enough to have escaped notice but enough to make him lose his position on his follower it seemed.
The Guardsman paused briefly his hand resting upon the pommel of his sword as he strained to hear more tell tale noises of his follower. He chanced a look behind him but saw only an empty street before it was swallowed up by darkness. He frowned, perhaps he was just simply letting his imagination grow wild. He snorted and shook his head before he moved on again. Had he continued to look harder he might have caught the signs of his pursuer emerging from a small nondescript alcove. It was the sort of alcove you had to know was there to know its place. Clearly the Optio hadn't known about it even if he had used this road several times before. The moonlight dimmed as the celestial body was shrouded by clouds and he grew nervous. The area darkened considerably but he strode with a forced confidence. Anything that might deter an assailant was useful. He still heard nothing but the occasional night bird that gave off a horrific screech. It was another normality of Rome for him and paid the bird no mind as he hurried on.
It happened swiftly and without warning as someone grabbed him from behind and slammed him against the wall in the darkness. He blinked as his head struck the stone and his vision went a little hazy. His instinct was to reach for his sword that hung from his waist but a sharp edge caught at his throat followed by a deep chuckle. "I wouldn't do that friend. Not if you wish to live," the voice spoke with a gravelled texture, as if rasped over a cat's tongue. He kept his face covered and Titus could only see the pale glints of his assailant's eyes. The knife pressed with meaning and Titus raised his hands whilst trying to commit every little detail of the man to memory. The man was well built and tall, certainly of a strength to handle others alone. From what he could make out in the dark, the man's clothes were darkly coloured and there was an odour that rose up that was unmistakably urine. He wrinkled his nose and surmised this man might be in the fuller's trade. He could make out nothing of the face so he focused on remembering the voice.
"All right, all right... See? You realise what you're doing though, right?" he questioned, it was an offence to attack any member of the army but officers in particular. It didn't aid the man's favour that he had assaulted an Optio of the Praetorian Guard. It would mean more if he had been in his full kit but he hoped the man didn't realise that. Or at least not completely.
"Yeah, what you going to do about it?" the other rasped as he searched his prey's pockets finding very little on him. Titus wasn't in the habit of carrying much knowing just how dangerous Roman streets were, especially at night. "I'll be taking this, I think," and Titus felt fingers try to undo the belt to his sword. Titus might have tried to overpower the other but the edge of the blade reaffirmed its presence and one wrong move could easily cut his throat apart. Titus didn't particularly want to die to a thief in the middle of the city and thus had to bide his time. "These will fetch a pretty denarii... Not that you're going to be alive to know about it," the voice gave a haughty little laugh. It was a laugh he would easily remember if he heard it again. Titus frowned as he stared back at the other. He could hear something in the darkness, something his attacker was too otherwise focused to notice.
"Who wants me dead?" he asked and the man tutted shaking his head.
"Be more than my life's worth revealing that to you, friend,"
"If you're going to kill me, what difference will it make? No one is here to hear you," Titus winced as the blade pressed more tightly against his throat, his gullet shifting uncomfortably and the male pressed his weight harder against him before he spoke.
"There's always some chance of someone hearing. Any last words before I send you to the shades?"
"Yeah, let me go and you might be lucky to walk out alive," he growled, realising he had little chance of getting out of this. The man chuckled and patted Titus on the cheek, his body ensuring his prey couldn't wriggle away nor give space for Titus to react. "I'm thinking I will... But you'll tell me all you know of the Empress first,"
"What?"
"Don't play games with my, Optio. They know you've seen them. They require confirmation," the raspy voice continued and Titus frowned, turning confused at what he was hearing.
"I don't know what the fuck you're babbling about," he struggled again and hoped that the sound of footfalls heralded a friend rather than another foe or at least would provide distraction enough for Titus to gain leverage over his situation. He grimaced and could feel blood trickle down his skin as the knife cut in.