Idris chuckled. “I didn’t say anything. After all, I have never been this far south, so basically I don’t care where we are going, as long as it is not Green Acres. Let’s see.” The Silure looked around and shrugged. “We’re already on the road between Pompeii and Nuceria Alfaterna. Let’s turn around, away from Pompeii. How far south can we go?”

Sextus chewed on his thumb. “Hmm. After Nuceria Alfaterna there’s Salernum, a crossroads. If you want to take the coastal route, it will lead us to Paestum, then through Velia and other towns, all the way down to Rhegium. We could cross over to Sicily from there.” “This is where Felix hails from?” Sextus nodded. “He’s from Syracusa. The other option is to follow the Pompilian Way after Salernum. I’ve never been farther than Eburum, though.”

Idris’ eyes sparkled. “We can change that”, he suggested. “What do you want? Travel down a known road or take a chance with the unknown?” The Roman grinned in return. “You make it sound as if we’re heading straight into the wilderness. Idris, we’re in Italia! No place around here can be called unknown.” The Silure chuckled. “Yet you say yourself that you’ve never been past ... what is it called?” “Eburum.”

“I’d so like to see Velia! Please, Master, can we go there?”

The lovers’ heads turned to face Hermes. “Why would you like to see Velia, of all places?” Sextus enquired curiously. The young slave beamed at him. “I was born there!”

“Then it is decided”, Idris declared firmly before his lover had even time to consider, and nudged his horse.
“Velia it is.”