Markos
Overly grateful, Markos thanks them all and returns with this information about the this warehouse and the merchants heading to Athens. "So, friends, what do you say? Tomorrow we join these merchants on their way to Athens?"
Margerie grins at him. "Thank you, Markos! Yes, travel tomorrow. Rooms now? You have money enough? I can doctor if need."
Markos
"Then we are set. We sleep and wake early to catch these merchants before they leave for Athens." Markos then retires to the room they purchased for the night.
[Markos is really not worried about spending the money for the voyage by ship on the food and board along the way.]
Margerie follows, retiring for the evening as well.
Early in the morning you follow the directions you were given to find a warehouse, with well armed guards outside who do a very impressive job of looking intimidating as you approach.
Markos
Markos, afraid of these strange men with their weapons, looked to Margerie and Constantine but quickly realized it was up to him to do the talking. In a more timid voice than either of his companions had ever heard come from him, "Excuse me, my companions and I were... my companions and I are headed to Athens to try and catch a boat to take us across the sea... and, and we were told that a caravan was leaving from here today and heading to Athens and we wondered if, perhaps, we might walk beside the caravan for safety."
One guard looks confused "Why would..." the other one silences him with a gesture "Look, we don't take beggars along with the caravan, if you follow at a distance we won't stop you, but they aren't going to feed you or toss you coins or anything."
Markos
"But sirs, we are not beggars, we are skilled in certain things, just not fighting for obvious reasons. My companion is a skilled doctor and I am...I am her helper, I can wrap a bandage quite well despite my... the deficiency that keeps me from fighting." As he raises his arm for them to take better notice.
He looks at the arm, and picks at the wrapping, though he doesn't seem to pay it much attention as he asks "and what about the kid?" nodding at Constantine.
"Well, he is our charge, we have been set to deliver him to a relative."
The older one turns to the younger "keep an eye on them while I see what the sarge says." and turns to walk away.
the younger one stiffens, tightening his grip on his weapon, clearly trying to look more menacing than before, but in reality looking less intimidating yet more dangerous- like he might attack from sheer nervousness and still clearly outclasses you in the bulk muscle department.
Markos
Markos turns to his companions and, speaking slowly, says, "They are trying to decide but did kindly offer for us to follow behind them at a distance."
Antonio
Antonio had been keeping up with the conversation, but had been keeping quiet. He had been distracted by a young girl. He had been trying to flirt with her using only his eyes, but now his attention was back on the task at hand. Antonio looked at the young guard with contempt. An idiot good for nothing more than fighting and dying, he thought to himself.
To Markos he smiled. "Oh, they would be so gracious as to not drive us away? How deeply Christian of them."
The lone remaining guard has his sword pointed in Antonio's direction now. "maybe you missed the bit where caravans don't run on charity, Christian or otherwise" he sneers.
Antonio
Antonio smiled at the man, and in his native Venetian said: "I reluctantly know more about trade and commerce than you could ever learn with a lifetime of effort." He bobbed his head in a polite gesture.
The man thrusts the sword closer to Antonia "How about you repeat that in Greek, you young snot."
Markos
Markos, not knowing what Antonio said but definitely worried that should harm come to Antonio he will, at best, no longer have such a wonderful place to stay as Eipdauros, physically interjects his body between Antonio and the sword raising his arms in a submissive gesture. "We are very sorry, sir. No offense was meant. We are but traveling humbly and saw a possibility of mutual benefit as we are traveling the same direction.
The guard moves his sword from Antonio to Markus "What did the kid say?"
Markos
While he is not quite shitting his pants, yet, Markos is quite close to doing so. He is, on the other hand, mentally berating himself for stepping in to protect this little shit.
"I... I... I do not know sir. He has been educated in languages I have not and he... he could not have meant anything snide by it, he is a good young man as far as I have seen, studies hard and treats people with the respect they deserve." Markos turns his head for a moment and gives a pointed glance at Antonio.
The guard is glaring at Markos and Antonio when the older guard comes back around the building. "What in the name of hades is going on?"
The younger guard straightens up and puts his sword away. "Um, nothin sir."
"I can't leave you for... okay you three, you can come along, but we expect medical assistance if we do get ambushed."