Corinna had set the roasting pan down on the table so hard that part of the broth had splashed out--and the sudden noise caused both Olaf and his father to start in surprise. When Eirik asked for details of what she knew about his son's new friend, she shook her wooden spoon at them and her voice took on a harsh tone.

"Very well, master Eirik--you asked for it!...." and she began a long list of crimes and pranks and misdeeds which it hardly seemed possible for one person to commit in such a short life, and her voice grew ever more excited as she went on. It seemed that Giton was to blame for every bit of trouble that her belovèd master had ever been in--and also responsible for every stroke of misfortune which had befallen the family since Philandros first met the boy.

Olaf could follow most of the story, but as Corinna continued and grew more excited, he began to miss bits of it because she spoke so rapidly. He looked at his father, who was just nodding and making sympathetic noises, but Eirik merely gave the smallest shake of his head. Later, son his look said.

When Corinna had finally come to a stop, Eirik looked at Grumio, who had remained busy sorting herbs. The gardener shifted a bit, and looked around for any more leaves he might have missed, but he finally met the german's gaze. He gave Corinna an apologetic smile. "Well now, he was always a...lively...boy, if you know what I mean. More ideas than brains then--as most boys will be."

Corinna banged the lid on the roasting pan, and buried it in the charcoal of the oven to heat, and muttering dire implications about letting that thing into the house, she snatched up a dust cloth and stormed out of the kitchen. Grumio smiled a bit, and spoke a bit more freely now that the men were alone.

"See, Corinna's very fond of the master--him being an only child and losing his papa so young--we all are fond of him, but she was like his mother. Giton lived in town--Herculaneum--and he would come out with his father to play at the villa's parties sometimes; well, Philandros had met him once, and they became friends right away as the young master had very few other boys his age nearby to play with...." Eirik nodded, while Olaf was just listening in fascinated silence to this tale of his love's childhood, which was so unlike his own!

"Master Philandros, likes reading, and always had--but he wasn't much for exercising...while Giton was just the opposite; the two together were always running around, looking into things, seeing how things worked, and trying to find ways to pass the time--and once in a while--they would try to 'improve' things--much as Corinna won't admit it, I think Philandros actually had most of the ideas, and talked Giton into helping him--but when things went wrong, it was always Giton she blamed, since he was the bolder of the two."

Olaf couldn't understand why Corinna was still mad about these things after so many years, and his look at his father showed that confusion clearly. Eirik answered that look in their native speech. "She sees him as a threat to her 'boy', son--if he's around, there's a chance Philandros will be tempted to do something stupid or dangerous again."

"Is that it then--she just doesn't want Giton to be around because he might make Philandros do something crazy?" Olaf had switched to their native language so he could express his thoughts better. Eirik nodded.

Olaf turned to the gardener and gave him a small smile of thanks. "I not bring Giton inside--but I still see him." The stubbornness which his father had, Eirik could now see in his son as he squared his shoulders and turned to leave the kitchen.

"If Philandros was friends once--maybe he want to be again...is between them, not other people."

Olaf joined Giton out in the street and they headed to Asellina's Inn, which he had heard served a nice grilled fish. He could feel his mouth begin to water at the thought of the coming meal, and he let his gaze drift over to the greek as the wheels in his head began to turn.