open;

[gluteus]

Who| Maximus and TOTALLY OPEN
What| Maximus gets introduced to the Capitol
Where| After his death
When| whenever you want
Warnings/Notes| none so far! will edit if any come up

He dreamt, before he awoke. He dreamt of endless fields, of his son riding a new horse, of his wife smiling as she welcomed him home. He dreamt of a door...

And awoke to a cold cot and a cold room.

He had been dead. He had felt it, felt his life slip away from him. He'd felt his wife's arms reach out to take him. But as he stared at the ceiling and sucked in a breath, he knew he was not to rejoin them yet. He wasn't surprised. He'd lost. Obviously he was meant to continue in these games until he won, until Commodus was brought before him, until he killed the man himself. Had he not said "in this life or the next"? This was surely the next - or some form of it - and he would not be dissuaded. No. Not even if it meant dying again, and again, and again.

The games, he expected.

The Capitol, he didn't.

 

[ooc: tag in wherever! just note the place in the subject line please c: ]

Comments

[ordonaturalis]

"Oh, but how ever would I manage to ward them off?"

Wanton slaves? Morrigan nearly scoffed. How very hospitable of their captors. And the very basest form of clever. Rewards for fine service, perhaps? She had not reviewed the 'games,' it may be he had died in a particularly spectacular manner following her own embarrassment. Or some other mockery of kindness to breed dependence.

Whatever the answer, Morrigan took another step away, twisting with it so she faced him once more. One hand came up to her face, finger tips hovering over her lips as her voice drifted higher with false innocence, giving her own question mocking consideration.

"By ensuring that, upon their arrival, your attention is occupied in some obvious manner, perhaps? Whatever could I do to supply such a clear...exertion?"

[gluteus]

Still not entirely confident in whether she was earnest or mocking him (though he highly suspected the latter), it took a small concerted effort for him to make himself look nonchalant. It was impossible for his mind not to wander with the meaning of her words, especially given that she was wearing considerably less than she had on the ice, wrapped head to toe in a parka.

"You've proven yourself an intelligent woman," He replied, "I'm sure you could come up with something."

But the further he let his mind wander on the subject, the quicker it returned to the memory of his wife's charred feet. His expression grew solemn. "But I think we can find a bargain in a different vein."

[ordonaturalis]

"Oh, I was raised 'mongst barbarians and the most savage wilds. My imagination is most impressive."

She had been very near to calling the exchange closed. It hardly qualified as demeaning in her mind. Beyond gaining a skill at little more than the cost of- at worst a potentially dull- few hours a week, alliances with men did tend to be far easier to maintain and manage when such acts were used to cement them. Thus Morrigan dropped her hand from her face with a frown as he continued, her tone gaining an slight edge of exasperation as she dropped the innocent tilt with the same speed he had dropped the innuendo in favor of renegotiation.

"Yet, if there is some particular vein you have the urge to drink from in these matters, speak it. 'Tis no boon to either of us to play guessing games 'til we are returned to the area."

[gluteus]

Maximus considered for a long moment, as he swung the sword once and then strode over to the table, still solemn. He tried to shake his wife from his mind but doing so only ladened guilt upon him - guilt that he would ever try to forget. So instead the grief built, silent and invisible, deep in his chest.

"Scouting. I dislike being ignorant in this place, and four eyes are better than two. Spare a few afternoons to scout the city with me, and we'll call it even."

He grabbed another practice sword, turned, and tossed it to her.

"Show me what you know, and we'll work from there."

[ordonaturalis]

She caught the sword with a slight raise of one eyebrow. Scouting the City, was it. How very...practical. On a superficial level, at the least. One accustomed to the woods and wilds may serve as a poor scout of such an urban jungle, but she would not contradict so simple a request. It was her desire to know more of the land as well, and should the worst that came of it be her contributions were less than spectacular it would be no pain to her conscience. Morrigan gave a small incline of her head, indicating her agreement, and allowed the topic to rest. For the moment.

"I believe," she drawled slightly, adjusting her grip on the sword so she was at least holding it properly, her free hand ghosting along the flat side of the 'blade.' Or she did as close as she could to a proper grip given that all her previous experience with bladed weapons tended to be more in the form of knives and sacrificial daggers. "That this would be the pointy end?"

[gluteus]

He couldn't help the smile and a low chuckle, despite himself, as he walked over to her. The smile was almost relieved.

"That is, indeed, the 'pointy end'," He said, tucking his own blade under his arm as he reached out to adjust her grip. "Like this. You need to allow the wrist to pivot completely."