The Centurion's Woman

Chapter 20

THE MARKET CONTAINED throngs of people talking, yelling and laughing above the noise of carts and animals trying to navigate the crowd. Ennius left their cart and horse at a public stable, paying in advance for the hours they would be in the city, and Verus and Ennius both openly watched Mikey so they could observe her reactions to the sights and sounds. Ixillius let the Celsus brothers lead Mikayla around the booths, keeping them far enough ahead that Alex laughing at them indulging her wouldn't be obvious, and preventing Verus from spoiling the day by throwing acidic comments at the men who offered to buy Alex.

        "You think selling me is funny?" she scolded when he laughed at the fourth offer.

        "For that price, I do," Ixillius bent to speak in her ear. "I have to sell you for enough to repay Verus what you stole." Alex blushed fiercely that the theft of the aureus was known, making Ixillius laugh harder.

        "Gigno will pay him back, I swear," she whispered the promise.

        "I know," he wrapped his arm at her waist, pushing back her cloak to clearly show the ring on her left hand, her armor, and the Roman sword on her left hip. "That's why I haven't told Verus."

        Alex sighed with relief, the breath she didn't know she'd been holding rushing out. The man who'd made the offer to buy her looked at the ring, armor, sword, and collar, and increased his offer. Ixillius laughed very certain terms that Alex was not for sale. Alex elbowed him gently for continuing to laugh after the man had dejectedly shuffled away.

        Alex passed by the tables of fabric and finery that Mikey stopped at to scour through the few carts that had fruits and vegetables that were wintering well. Ixillius chided her for being too full of sense as they continued. Their second hour started around the same time they wandered to the carts that boasted weapons. Alex handed Ixillius the basket of items she'd already purchased as her eyes scanned the bladed and blunt weapons, her husband grinning down at her.

        "You knew these carts were here, and we started over there?" she pointed toward the other end of the market.

        "Of course," he shrugged. "I don't have unlimited coin, and the things you deem 'pretty' are more expensive than the baubles Mikayla was interested in."

        The weapons merchants completely ignored her, instead trying to engage Ixillius. Alex enjoyed the freedom of browsing without being hassled, and Ixillius enjoyed the looks on everyone's faces when Alex found some daggers she liked enough to start picking them up one by one to test the balance. The merchant pushed some plain kitchen knives under her nose as soon as she showed an interest in his table.

        "She's wearing armor, you idiot," Verus snapped at the merchant a moment after materializing out of the crowd at Alex's shoulder. "I doubt the reason is because she expects olives to retaliate forcibly."

        The merchant pulled back his hands, his sales pitch dying in his throat under Verus's glare. Alex snorted a single laugh and went back to looking at the knives she was interested in after noting only Verus was here.

        "Where is Mikayla?" she asked, inspecting the binding at the hilt of one of the knives.

        "Ennius is spoiling her," he smiled, more than a little smugly. Alex paused in her inspection and turned her head so she could look directly at Verus. His features composed into mock innocence.

        "You are trying to make them a couple?" she asked, then rolled her eyes and shook her head when he beamed his best smile back at her.

        "Actually, I'm here to collect both of you so that we don't overrun our two hours."