Straight to business.

When you enter the estate’s dining room, the meal is already being laid on the table. Clearly it’s not a lavish affair, but there are piles of fruit and a small cooked hen set out for you. Adolphus has set aside the chair at the head of the table for you, and he, Antonia, and Albina are waiting for your arrival. When you arrive, they sit when you do, and all of you begin to eat.

The food is simple, but delicious. You make small talk for the better part of an hour as you work your way through the meal - the road has left you hungry. Adolphus seems to be enjoying testing your knowledge of the world and current politics, while Antonia mostly smiles indulgently and chimes in with an occasional question about life in Rome. Albina {if Albina < 0}seems nervous from your previous interaction and doesn't meet your eyes, keeping her eyes fixed on her plate with a blush instead{elseif Albina > 0}watches you eagerly and laughs at your jokes{endif}. Finally, Adolphus sighs and pushes his empty plate away.

"Well, Lord Gaius, no doubt you're not here just for a social visit. You've questions about how the estates are being run?"

"It's not a question of your conduct, Adolphus. Veritex tells me, though, that you've been having problems with some sort of bandit group?"

Adolphus scowls. "Aye - us and every other farm in the region. The bandits hit hard and fast, usually during a harvest, and steal any gold they can see and any crops that they can carry. I hear that on some farms they've kidnapped some of the field slaves as well, though fortunately that hasn't happened to us. We did lose part of an excellent grape harvest just a few weeks ago, though."

You frown. "Why on earth hasn't the local Roman Legion put them down? Aren't they supposed to keep the peace in the Empire?"

Adolphus spreads his hands. "They claim that they'd love to, but since the bandits seem to strike a different farm every time with no pattern, they never arrive until after the bandits have left. Their commander, Centurion Sirius Filotus, claims that they've tried to track down the bandits with no success. Truth be told, I don't know how hard they've looked."

You shake your head. "Well, is there anything we know about the bandits?"

Adolphus shrugs. "Precious little. They're relatively well-equipped; they strike on horseback, coming out of the hills to raid and grab what they can carry. Then they disappear again. Guerillas, as it were."

Albina speaks up {if Albina < 0}quietly{elseif Albina > 0}eagerly{endif}: "They say that the bandits are led by a woman. They're calling her the She-Wolf of the Tiber."

Adolphus scowls. "Those are nothing but rumors. If they are led by a woman, we've not seen her here."

Just then, the **** serving the meal goes to refill your goblet as you lean back, and the two of you bump against each other. Some of the wine in her jug slops over the rim and nearly spills on you. "Polyxena! Be careful!" Antonia scolds her.

You glance over and see {if Polyxena > 0}familiar {endif}green eyes meet yours. Polyxena is clad in a simple tunic, but it does little to conceal the curves of her body. "Lord Gaius, our house ****, Polyxena," Adolphus says, introducing you. "Usually more graceful than this."

"Apologies, Dominus," Polyxena murmurs, though she's smiling in a slightly flirtatious way. {if Albina < 0}Albina is blushing furiously and can't look straight at the two of you. {endif}You shake your head.

"Nothing to worry about, Polyxena." You wave her off with a smile{if Polyxena > 0} and a little wink{endif}. Then you sigh, returning to the topic at hand. "Well, whoever they're led by, they can't be allowed to continue this **** against our lands. I'll look into this and find a way to put a stop to it; you have my word."

Adolphus smiles. "Well, that was manly said, Lord Gaius. Let me know how I can help you! I'm eager to see the problem ended."

Your conversation dissolves into light chitchat, and then, realizing that the afternoon is drawing on, Adolphus invites you to take a quick tour of the grounds with him. Everything is as you remember it: the sprawling wheat fields on one side, the terraced vineyards on the other. As the sun begins to set over your lands, you smile, looking over them in the golden light of Italia. You're proud to have inherited this beauty from your family, and now it falls to you to defend it.

After a quick supper, everyone begins to retire for the evening. After the many stimulations of life in Rome, you're finding the quiet here rather lulling. {if Polyxena = 0}But then, during dinner that Greek **** Polyxena was flirting with you...you smile as you think about her shapely body and green eyes. You could probably make your way to her room and have some fun with her as long as you wait until everyone is abed...{else if Polyxena > 0}On the other hand, there is that Greek **** Polyxena...you enjoyed her body immensely. You could probably sneak down to her chamber as long as you wait until Adolphus and his family are in bed.{endif}