He awoke with a headache- the kind that reminds you that you're alive but makes you wish you weren't. Lasius grit his teeth and opened his eyes. Another figure in the Mendicant tent turned to regard him; an imperious
Anaphite, towering over him with knives and instruments in hand.
"Ah, good," his deep and rumbling voice announced, "you're awake. I was beginning to worry you had taken a concussion."
Lasius pushed himself up; he was lain upon a cot up off the floor and the thick waft of incense hung in the air like an ethereal mist. The figure bent over their deck along a tent wall lifted a large bowl, offering it to the Arcanii.
"Your Tribune wished you to have a good meal upon waking. Your centurion wishes your presence once you fit to walk," he listed off with a tone of boredom, "If you forgo drinking liquids in the field, you will find yourself back in my tent again. I'd prefer to focus my time on serious concerns, if you don't mind."
Lasius nodded as he accepted the bowl. Stew, probably some fish and greens, with a bit of hard tack and jerky. He swung his feet off the cot and took a drink from the bowl, relishing the slightly warm broth. His eyes shut again as the salty smell rolled like sea spray across his face, some feeling of ease coming with an unseen hunger being satiated. The faintest hint of a smile graced his lips, and when he opened his eyes again he was surprised to see the Anaphite looking at him.
"That good?" He asked, before giving a low chortle, choked off quickly after its birth, "You
humans are usually more expressive than this when it comes to food."
"I prefer an even temper" Lasius answered, finally rising, "is best maintained with every joy in moderation. No strong emotions, no strong outrage."
The Anaphite regarded him quietly, those alien eyes boring into him with some stern appraisal. The gaze broke when the flaps opened, in stepping a tired looking Legionary. He paused, looking between the two of them for a moment, before hiking a thumb over his shoulder, "Uh... Arcanii, when you're ready? My boy's and I'll show you to your tent."
Lasius looked between the two others; whatever appraisal was underway had been fulfilled for the Anaphite had turned around, his tall ears gently swiveling at sounds not even he could hear. His hands worked across his tools, cleaning and maintaining.
"Thank you, Legionairy, I will be along in a moment."
As Lasius turned to leave, the black-furred Jackalfolk by the desk gave a low comment, one just high enough to need to he thought over to be undetstood... "We will be watching, Arcanii... don't die too soon."
Those words danced through his mind as he followed behind two talkative Legionaries, tossing around some gossip from the camp. Lasius almost didn't realize they were being spoken too, looking up just in time to catch the bare context needed;
"...- some horse riders, right? Think you could like... wizard up some caltrops or spikes?" He asked, turning to look at Lasius with his friend.
"Ah-" Lasius began, thinking for a beat, "Mm. Yes, I... yes. That is well within my power. Manipulating the earth is fairly easy," he began to make the somatic motions without actually casting anything, "draw up spikes of earth about ten yards in front of our cohort. Yes..."
He looked them both in their eyes, glancing between them with a neutral face. They seemed satisfied, relaxing somewhat and slowing down, drawing Lasius into their conversation actively.
"Well, say we get surrounded..." one of them started, "think you could help us keep our shields up?" Lasius nodded, slowly as if to say 'of course, you idiot', and earned the other Legionary a swat on the arm, "Told you. Nothing an Arcanii can't do."
"What's your name," asked the second man, turning slightly as they walked, "Septus is the know-it-all, I'm Graccus," he informed Lasius, offering a hand. Lasius clasped it with little certainty, giving it a shake.
"Ah... Lasius. Lasius Harconnus," he replied, uncertainty in every syllable; what was this? "Just Lasius works."
"Lasius," Septus said with a grin, "What about turning some of our water rations into wine? Eh?"
Graccus rolled his eyes as Lasius grimaced, "Ah, no... such transmutations are temporary, and I've no skill as such. Even if I could," he said, am unexpected disappointment entering his voice that he had not foreseen, "... I doubt the stupor would persist beyond an hour."
The two Legionaries of Cohort IV, Contubernium IV, simply chuckled and shrugged, Graccus giving Septus the smack across the arm this time. The three walked a short distance before reaching the administrative quarter; "Well, sir, it's been a pleasure. Ah, and thanks for the hand with the lumber, this afternoon," Graccus said with a smile, "We're gonna get a few more hours of sleep, dawn's not long off."
The Arcanii smiled meekly, a meager thing that didn't say much. For such a muted response one must take it as displeasure... but, the footmen didn't seem to mind. They shook, wished him well, and made off. With them gone, Lasius looked up; dawn was to be soon, already the stars were beginning to grow faint. He certainly had been out...
He turned and made for his tent, raised with his sudden downturn of health by the rest of the Arcanii. A kindness, certainly, probably requested by the tribunes after the fuss that Janus kicked about. He made for his tent with little rush; inside, a solar lamp slowly released the sunlight it captured over the day and his foot locker had been set at the foot of his cot.
He sat at his desk, finally setting his dinner down. A motion and a can cantrip later, a stone spoon kept from the ground to his hand. It was a small trick, the kind students in the Arcanii Mysterium traded like gems in barter. Spells like this weren't exactly legal tutelage, but knowing them wouldn't catch him in trouble. Not since graduating, at least. He tucked into his (closer to breakfast) meal with gusto, growing hungrier as he ate. When he finished, he simply abandoned the spoon and bowl and took to his cot. Tomorrow would, hopefully, be a much less eventful day.
Lasius wasn't sure he wanted anything more than to be annoyed at the dust anymore. Too much excitement, this expedition had been. Hopefully his next assignment was something quiet.