Zul'Zae'ju'Jin
the Hugger Troll
The Centurion blinked somewhat when she did wake, his hand moving away in case she thought it was her captors and ended up reacting negatively to that too. She looked scared and he could not blame her. He would be too even if he was able to hide it beneath the mask of his rank and duty. Kaeso watched her wake with concern, his brow furrowed and he feared something was wrong in her. He hoped not. He would have no idea how to fix it other than to find some sort of physician. Her word's were not what he had entirely expected for the first things to be said and he reached to scratch his chin. His nails caught on several day's worth of growth. he cleared his throat as she continued with such an influx of questions and Kaeso made no protest when she took the syringe clearly knowing what it was and from what she said what was in it.
"We're not in the Shades, no..." he replied feeling for all the world a little lost as to how to react and what to do but he knew once they had calmed down to think straight, he could find his feet again. He just had to think it through. He would have found her reactions funny if not for the experiences they had been through. He supposed there was a level of freedom again now. Hugo was not here with them and they weren't tied up. Kaeso's mood soured, if they ran into the wrong sort of people, that could change easily, Roman citizens or not.
Valerie seemed less than impressed with the change of clothes but he couldn't help with that. To wear what her people wore in his time would get them questioned, locked up and possibly end up with a worse off fate than that which they had been bestowed through the contents of the letters. He made sure she had enough time to change understanding well enough it wasn't exactly a private place and that she was also a lady, in more ways than one now. He made sure what he was wearing was in the right place, also taking one of the longer straps and tying it around his waist giving his tunic a less of a pillow case effect. For him however, it was more to simulate a sword-belt. He felt naked without his weapon and the thought made him scowl again. His armour was in Valerie's car! He would have to pay for a new set of armour all over again.
He rubbed his face after than realisation and sighed deeply. He supposed he would not need it for a little while to come but it was still frustrating. Kaeso watched her with the strange device and she did indeed seem to know what it was and what it did. Receive messages? That was not foreboding at all, he mused and he frowned as it went back into the satchel for safekeeping. They would have to keep that hidden away too.
Kaeso ensured he kept an eye on her and he could see she was fidgety and nervous, like a horse when it knew a predator was nearby. Skittishness was not something Kaeso valued but he had to remind himself that despite her great mind, she was far more intelligent than he was and he could readily admit that, she was still a woman and very much out of her comfort zone. "Yes... Thus the toga. It's not all a bad thing... We can find out what wealth and holdings you now own under this letter's decree," the fact they were lying to achieve that end did not sit well with him but if not for that then she could find herself in worse places. His world was a world he understood but he understood all too well how rough, dark and tough it was.
"You're a social class above me now, but not all high born folk are above us in mannerisms. Some are understanding," he nodded with a smile. He could name a few but one name that stood out for him was Vespasian. He was a man who had gained the love and respect of his men because his origins had come from the low classes. His father had been a Centurion under Pompey and through his career in later life and had ensure that his sons had prosperous futures. What's more, Vespasian had never seemed to forget his humble beginnings and was often seen fighting in the front lines just as much as he kept to the rear. Thus Kaeso learned not every one of the high classes was an arse to those beneath them. He saw little need for Valerie to have to act like them but she would need to remember it.
His head ducked as soon as she spoke of her life being in his hands and he understood that all too well. Even with the hidden meanings in the words of the letter, he had a sworn duty to protect Rome and all her citizens. Valerie, inserted or not, now counted amongst that number and he was dutifully obliged to her both as a Centurion and as a friend. Kaeso lifted his head and found her struggling with the placing of her toga. He had to try and hold back his grin of amusement and cleared his throat as she blushed with what he assumed to be embarrassment. He rose and stepped closer to her, "Here... let me."
Kaeso reached and helped her with her toga, adjusting it so she could move her arms without restriction and so that it sat right upon her shoulder and around her body. "There, almost Roman," he smiled softly at her as his hands rested on her arms. One look and he knew that if she were indeed a horse, she was close to bolting there and then. For a moment he struggled on thinking how to phrase what he wanted to say without shouting her face down like he would a legionary, "Look at me,"
"We're in this together. You've taken care of me in your time. I'll take care of you in mine. I won't leave you or abandon you, not if I can help it. Close your eyes and take a deep breath, let it out slowly and open your eyes again,"
He waited patiently for her to do so before he nodded, "We'll head into the city... I'll have to find the Legion administration office at some point but we'll head for the Forum... There's sure to be people there that know the family you're now the daughter of. See if this man has a house in the city where we can stay."
Kaeso would have preferred that. To find a tenement of decent standing would cost him quite a bit of coin and though he would keep his word and promise to her, he didn't want to eat too much into his savings or gratuity. He stooped to close the satchel and he looped it over his head, resting its strap in his shoulder. He looked back to her, "I'm ready when you are." He spoke gently, his tone letting her know that he was happy for her to decide when to leave or not. He glanced over the hedgerow and saw that they were near the Appian Way. He looked back to her, letting her have a moment to process.
"We're not in the Shades, no..." he replied feeling for all the world a little lost as to how to react and what to do but he knew once they had calmed down to think straight, he could find his feet again. He just had to think it through. He would have found her reactions funny if not for the experiences they had been through. He supposed there was a level of freedom again now. Hugo was not here with them and they weren't tied up. Kaeso's mood soured, if they ran into the wrong sort of people, that could change easily, Roman citizens or not.
Valerie seemed less than impressed with the change of clothes but he couldn't help with that. To wear what her people wore in his time would get them questioned, locked up and possibly end up with a worse off fate than that which they had been bestowed through the contents of the letters. He made sure she had enough time to change understanding well enough it wasn't exactly a private place and that she was also a lady, in more ways than one now. He made sure what he was wearing was in the right place, also taking one of the longer straps and tying it around his waist giving his tunic a less of a pillow case effect. For him however, it was more to simulate a sword-belt. He felt naked without his weapon and the thought made him scowl again. His armour was in Valerie's car! He would have to pay for a new set of armour all over again.
He rubbed his face after than realisation and sighed deeply. He supposed he would not need it for a little while to come but it was still frustrating. Kaeso watched her with the strange device and she did indeed seem to know what it was and what it did. Receive messages? That was not foreboding at all, he mused and he frowned as it went back into the satchel for safekeeping. They would have to keep that hidden away too.
Kaeso ensured he kept an eye on her and he could see she was fidgety and nervous, like a horse when it knew a predator was nearby. Skittishness was not something Kaeso valued but he had to remind himself that despite her great mind, she was far more intelligent than he was and he could readily admit that, she was still a woman and very much out of her comfort zone. "Yes... Thus the toga. It's not all a bad thing... We can find out what wealth and holdings you now own under this letter's decree," the fact they were lying to achieve that end did not sit well with him but if not for that then she could find herself in worse places. His world was a world he understood but he understood all too well how rough, dark and tough it was.
"You're a social class above me now, but not all high born folk are above us in mannerisms. Some are understanding," he nodded with a smile. He could name a few but one name that stood out for him was Vespasian. He was a man who had gained the love and respect of his men because his origins had come from the low classes. His father had been a Centurion under Pompey and through his career in later life and had ensure that his sons had prosperous futures. What's more, Vespasian had never seemed to forget his humble beginnings and was often seen fighting in the front lines just as much as he kept to the rear. Thus Kaeso learned not every one of the high classes was an arse to those beneath them. He saw little need for Valerie to have to act like them but she would need to remember it.
His head ducked as soon as she spoke of her life being in his hands and he understood that all too well. Even with the hidden meanings in the words of the letter, he had a sworn duty to protect Rome and all her citizens. Valerie, inserted or not, now counted amongst that number and he was dutifully obliged to her both as a Centurion and as a friend. Kaeso lifted his head and found her struggling with the placing of her toga. He had to try and hold back his grin of amusement and cleared his throat as she blushed with what he assumed to be embarrassment. He rose and stepped closer to her, "Here... let me."
Kaeso reached and helped her with her toga, adjusting it so she could move her arms without restriction and so that it sat right upon her shoulder and around her body. "There, almost Roman," he smiled softly at her as his hands rested on her arms. One look and he knew that if she were indeed a horse, she was close to bolting there and then. For a moment he struggled on thinking how to phrase what he wanted to say without shouting her face down like he would a legionary, "Look at me,"
"We're in this together. You've taken care of me in your time. I'll take care of you in mine. I won't leave you or abandon you, not if I can help it. Close your eyes and take a deep breath, let it out slowly and open your eyes again,"
He waited patiently for her to do so before he nodded, "We'll head into the city... I'll have to find the Legion administration office at some point but we'll head for the Forum... There's sure to be people there that know the family you're now the daughter of. See if this man has a house in the city where we can stay."
Kaeso would have preferred that. To find a tenement of decent standing would cost him quite a bit of coin and though he would keep his word and promise to her, he didn't want to eat too much into his savings or gratuity. He stooped to close the satchel and he looped it over his head, resting its strap in his shoulder. He looked back to her, "I'm ready when you are." He spoke gently, his tone letting her know that he was happy for her to decide when to leave or not. He glanced over the hedgerow and saw that they were near the Appian Way. He looked back to her, letting her have a moment to process.