Thea leant back as Germania hungarily ate her stew. She watched as Roscius returned from the back rooms with the Celt Keridwen. He quickly strode over to her, muttering quietly in her ear. He had paid a couple of weeks accomodation in advance, and Thea was pleased at the price. As Roscius handed back the pouch of money she had given him to pay with, Thea put it away without checking the amount left in it. She had owned Roscius a long time now, and trusted him explicitly not to steal from her.

As Roscius took a step back to wait on his mistress, Thea returned her attention to Germania.

"So, Germania, what compelled you to come to sunny, cheerful Britain?" Thea asked, glancing out of the window at the cold drizzling rain that had started outside.