Redsand Canyon sepelio

aquene spoke and in her words they came to the end of their conversation. germanicus held back the rest of it: that they had lain together and so this was why he could not understand the hesitation to move toward the natural next step of such things. but he did not want to speculate upon this any more than he had done with ruenna. 

he felt it would be humiliating for aquene, moreso than the annoyance of a chaperone. and so the imperator said nothing, only nodded from time to time.

when the medicus declared that they would not agree and began to spread the plants, germanicus felt himself bemused but did not allow this to show upon his face, lest she feel mocked.

"kallik has always been marriage-minded." his voice was neutral tending toward warm. "he spoke of his loyalty to any future wife he should have."

there was a pause. "when i leave the matrona in the morning, i look forward to returning to our home in the evening. that time is important not only to me as a husband, but as imperator. as a soldier. it reminds me that i did not build mereo alone and that i have a responsibility and a future greater than the one i ever envisioned for myself."

he cleared his throat. "despite the fact that i have clearly trodden upon your sensibilities and grasp of this situation, i am glad that you will remain in mereo." it would have been the same had glaukos or maxim lain with a woman in the canyon. but he would not insist. he had done enough here and did not wish to leave the woman more upset than he had found her.

"and you are correct, aquene. i am not romantic. nor do i view marriage romantically. but it does not have to be so compartmentalized, as you said. every situation has a thousand outcomes. i remain objective so that i might have a contingency for each."

germanicus was ready to be dismissed. yet he did not move. he only waited for her to speak once more with such passion.