#nasir

Agron looked ready to protest, but Nasir did not give him the chance. He turned on his heel and headed once more for the shadow of the ludus wall to await Diona’s arrival. 

When she stepped out with her minder in tow, Nasir easily fell in step beside her. The guard, the same one as the prior day, obviously didn’t care about Nasir’s presence. It wasn’t unusual for slaves to speak to one another when they were sent to the market. It was one of the luxuries of being a slave allowed past the house’s walls. 

“Did you find the name of the Germanic warrior housed within the ludus?” Nasir asked without fanfare.

She gave him a sharp look before rolling her eyes. “Yes, I did. Any threats you may have ready upon your tongue are not needed.”

Nasir tried not to take offense. She wasn’t wrong to think he would resort to them again should she prove unwilling, but he had not forgotten her words from the prior day. If he could obtain the information without equating himself to the Romans once more, he would certainly choose that path. “And?”

“Your dominus should know that mine is unlikely to sell him. He provides my dominus with ample entertainment even now, before setting foot upon the Colosseum sands. Batiatus’ desire to see him fight beside his brother would need to be great and reflected in the coin he’d propose.”

“So it is Duro.”

“Yes,” she admitted, though she seemed bitter to do so. Perhaps Diona believed Nasir or his dominus would take their frustrations at being unable to acquire Duro for relatively cheap out on her. 

Nasir couldn’t help glancing back in the direction of where Agron was hopefully waiting near the ludus. Agron would be overjoyed, though Nasir questioned what state they would find Duro in when they finally breached the walls. Would he be able to fight? Entertainment for a Roman, especially one of a standing such as Cossutius, could mean a great many things. 

“Gratitude, for the information you have provided. Duro, he still stands whole?” Nasir dared to ask. “My dominus would not be keen to pay for a damaged slave.”

“As far as word has reached my ears. A bit beaten, as all new recruits are, but there have been no whispers of injury or punishment exceeding what is to be expected. As I said, he is boisterous.” Diona shook her head as if recalling a specific incident. “I do warn you, your dominus may not find him as manageable once he is reunited with his brother. He spoke as if the man were a god when he was first brought to the ludus and was whipped for his insolence.”

It did sound as if Agron and Duro were cut from the same cloth. Nasir may be hard pressed to guide them to escape from Roman reach instead of burning a path to freedom. They had been lucky so far but the goddess would only favor them so far. Eventually she would abandon them and the brother and Nasir would stand little chance against an army. 

He nodded his thanks. “I shall inform my dominus of such before I make an approach on his behalf to yours so as to not waste time or words.”