Villa Bath
One of many small spas within the Circerae villa, this one could accommodate a mere half-dozen bathers. Like the larger versions, it has padded benches for massages (usually given just to Gladiators) but lacks the hot-air drying rooms or constantly hot water that the larger, hot-spring based baths provide. Instead there are towels and a manually controlled valve for circulating hot water from another source.

When Calligenia informed him that this was the same bath her mother regularly uses after her duties to the city are finished, Layth decided to stay and keep the water hot for her. The does were ready for some lunch in any case, once they felt recovered enough from his ministrations to move on their own again. So it is that Tyche arrives to find him waiting, and registers a look of surprise. "My, but my guests keep showing up where and when I least expect them to today," she comments.

Layth dips in a formal bow. "Good afternoon, Lady Tyche," he says. Coming back up, he pushes his lop ears back, adding, "I was tending to your daughter, Calligenia, earlier and she had mentioned you also frequent this place. So, I thought I would offer to assist you. If you do not wish it, I can leave you alone here." At her comment, his brow arches a bit and he adds, "And I take from that comment, you have spoken with Tasha today? Well, unless you have new guests that arrived after we had left on her journey."

"Aldara Tasha visited me at my place of work," Tyche notes, and drops her towel before entering the water, since she can see that it's still hot. "Thank you for keeping the bath heated for me," she says to Layth.

"It was no bother to do so," Layth comments as he retrieves the fallen towel, folds it, and sets it on a nearby bench. "I hope your visit with her went well?"

"She needed the advice of someone with more experience," Tyche notes, and adds, "And also wished to inform me of a potential trading opportunity in the future. I wish to see what comes of the current one first though."

"Ah, which I imagine disappointed her to some degree. She sometimes lacks patience. Always charge ahead before the dust of the present settles," Layth comments as he goes to check the fires that keep the water warm. "What sort of advice did you offer her?"

"To be patient and let things sort themselves out in their own time," Tyche notes. "And then… she hugged me."

"I have offered her that advice on more than one occasion. She usually ignored me," Layth comments with a small shrug, "I hope she listens to yours. Perhaps she needed to hear it from another woman. But whatever comes, comes. When we leave, is your daughter expected to again travel with us or is she taking her own path?"

"Calligenia will be going with you, to bring her shipment to Rephidim… and make sure it gets there this time," Tyche says, with a little sigh. She rubs at her forehead with one hand and looks down at the water.

"Do you wish me to keep watch over your daughter secretly? I know that she would not so willingly accept an offer of help, but everyone needs help sometimes," Layth offers as he walks back to the edge of the pool and crouches down. "And since I am here, do you wish for me to bathe you? If not, that is most understandable."

"Xavier is supposed to look out for her," Tyche says, and then nods to Layth's second offer. "I've had a trying day, and gentle hands would do much to help me be civil at dinner. Are you not bound to Aisha's clan still, to be her bodyguard?"

"I am to attend to Aisha, yes. But I imagined Aisha would continue to be with Calligenia, so I thought I would offer as I expected to be traveling with both. As for Xavier, forgive my intrusion here … but he has other issues in his life I believe he would like to attend to. There is someone special to him that he does not get to see much of," Layth comments as he discards his own towel and slides down into the water and makes his way towards the other doe. "So, I am offering as his friend, to try and help him."

"You are a thoughtful friend then, Layth," Tyche notes. "And shrewd. I would feel guilty trying to keep you here all to myself now," she comments with a grin.

His brow goes up a bit at that. "Keep me here?" he asks as he fetches the soaps nearby. Gliding behind the doe, he lathers up his hands and starts to work them firmly, but gently, into the muscles of her neck and shoulders.

"Well, you are an attentive and attractive man," Tyche notes. "Not many such would come to me willingly."

"Because they fear you?" Layth asks as he continues his work. "Forgive me, but I do not. My mother was also a strong woman and my life was hard. After such it is just hard to fear certain things. I find you an interesting, confidant, and beautiful woman. And in truth, part of why I offer for Xavier to relieve him of some responsibilities it because the journey into the mountains had a lesson in it for me too. I met my mother again after all these years."

"How was your reunion?" Tyche asks as she relaxes. "And I do not know if it is fear they feel, so much as that they would rather spend their time with younger does who can give them children."

"Ah. Well, where I grew up, it is not always about breeding to meet with a woman," Layth notes as he runs his fingers along her ears, "But to also enjoy the company and closeness." At the question about his mother, he pauses for a moment. "In truth, I had always expected I would hate her, be angry, and say so many things. And yet, when I met her again, I did not. She was … dying. Of her entire family, I was the only survivor. I could not be angry, all I could do was comfort her. The night we reunited, she died in my arms."

"She must have died very happy then, to know that you lived," Tyche says, leaning back into the buck. "I would have. Was it Abaddon who led you to her, perhaps?"

"Abaddon, luck, the will of the winds, who can truly say?" Layth comments as he wraps his arms around Tyche when she leans back. Lathering up his hands again, he both holds the doe and gently washes her stomach, followed by her chest. "I try not to look so much into the reasons for things, but simply follow the path that flows before me. Too much searching for reason simply detracts from enjoying the journey."

"Following the flow," Tyche murmurs. "Much easier than guiding it, I should know. You are no longer Tasha's consort, if I am to understand her current situation."

"I am the dust left behind in her current path," Layth answers as his hands slip back a bit and works the does sides. "But that I am used to; I bear her no ill will for it. She burns for a time, then moves on. It is her nature."

"And what about you, Layth?" Tyche asks, tilting her head back so she can see him. "Do you ever burn?"

"Properly inspired, yes," Layth answers simply and looks down to Tyche. "But I am like a fire built from wet logs. It takes longer to ignite, but I will also burn longer as well. A slow, strong fire instead of a wild and quick one, to use the analogy."

"Hmmm, the smoldering sort?" Tyche asks. "Is that what kept the water so hot then? I am tempted to test your stamina now. Well, later… "

One brow goes up this time. "Later would be most wise. Otherwise you may not be awake enough for your dinner," the buck counters with both a calm and amused, and yet confident, expression. "Nor could I finish your bath," he adds and pauses to place a fingertip on her nose. "And it would be remiss of me to not make sure you looked your absolute best."

"Ah, you really do know how to handle women, don't you?" Tyche notes, looking forward again. "This is not something you learned in Amazonia, clearly. Yet Xavier lacks this outworlder skill. It is uncommon then, I take it?"

"Well, that I must attribute to growing up amongst the Khatta. If they have done one thing well, it is how to take any activity and make the enjoyment of it last as long as possible. It is an art of theirs," Layth answers as he resumes his work. He rubs his thumbs firmly at the base of her skull. "As for uncommon … well, perhaps. It does help to have a certain level of calm to manage such well. Xavier is many things, but he is not very calm. Always worried, he is."

"He ages before his time," Tyche mutters, eyes closed and chin almost touching her collarbone now. "And he has not the excuse of children to explain his madness. But the outside world seems cruel in such ways. If only it were more… civilized. Like Dianus. Although even this city is often a burden to manage."

"His choice of companions does not help him in avoiding worry," Layth can't help but say. "He seems to have a drive to try and protect others 'from themselves' as he would probably put it. And the outside world is not cruel; it is diverse. Many species, many cultures, each with different hopes and dreams. To understand them you really have to try to see the world from their eyes."

"That has never been an Amazonian trait," Tyche comments. "If you wish to help my daughter, then teach her this 'empathy for non-Lapis', and how to be calm. Xavier tells her why to be so, but not a method for achieving it."

"If you do not mind the question … you like Xavier, don't you?" Layth inquires. "As for Calligenia, I will try to teach her to understand others. It is not a skill easily learned. The first key of it is to not consider what others can offer you, but what you can offer them."

"I never had any sons," Tyche notes. "I never chose to. Most men bore me quickly. But Xavier is unlike other Amazonian men. He sometimes stands up to me, despite his fear. And he seems to think I wish to take over his world. You also speak of things Calligenia is already good at, as far as her negotiating skills are concerned. It is when others try to take advantage that she… loses her decorum."

"Ah. Then she needs to learn that if she gives into that emotion, her 'opponent' has already won," Layth notes. "And it's not about negotiating for something to understand someone. It's sometimes being willing to help others without expectations of anything in return. Their response to that will tell you much about their character. Yes, some people will try to take advantage of that; and from that you learn that the person in question is not trustworthy." With a bit of a lopsided grin, Layth asks, "And do I bore you?"

"No, you are also very un-Amazonian," Tyche notes as she melts under Layth's expert fingers. "Help others without expecting anything in return. Hmmm. That seems to defy common sense, but if you say it is useful, then please try to instill it into Calligenia. I hope it does not cause problems later when she is running Dianus though."

"Well, it does require sense on when to use it. And that also requires learning about a culture before going there. For example, I wouldn't be so open in the city of Babel," Layth answers as his head dips down and he nibbles along Tyche's ear. Then lifting the doe out of his lap, he sets her on the underwater bench and moves around to her front. "All that is left are your arms and legs. Then you are welcome to exit and dry. Or, of cours,e you can exit and I'll dry and groom you. Your choice… "

"And miss out on the full bathing experience?" Tyche asks with a grin, and then holds her arms and hands out.

"Be careful what you ask for," Layth remarks as he does Tyche's arms first. It's a simple massage and wash. Her legs, well, it would be a simple procedure there too … except it also tends to involve a lot of lingering in more sensitive areas closer to the hips as well as with a lighter touch. At this point every contact is more of a hint than anything. Perhaps the buck is trying to lure her into wanting more later…

"Are you trying to seduce me, Layth?" Tyche asks archly, but with a grin.

"Seduce is such a harsh word. I prefer to call it inducing curiosity," Layth notes and returns the grin. "Or at the very least, you look a lot more relaxed now than you did earlier."

"Yes I do feel more relaxed now," she admits. "And a bit… younger."

Layth slides forward, arching his back a bit until he's nose tip to nose tip with the doe. "Younger? Well, being relaxed does that," he notes as he draws up one of his hands and traces it along her cheek, adding, "It also helps you relax away the concerns and creases the day's stress brings upon you. It also helps you conserve energy for later activities." His brow arches pointedly, then the buck withdraws. "Now, we should see about getting you dried and groomed for your meal."

"I am starting to feel hungry," Tyche notes, arching her own brow. She gets out of the water and waits for Layth. "I should bathe you next time."

"I would not not object to that," Layth comments as he slips out of the water; which gives her a much better view of his physical build with the usual fluff of fur matted down. Going to get the towels, he asks, "Who is your evening meal with, if I may ask?"

"Celosia, tonight," Tyche replies. "She will tell me of the goings on within the Temple of Ashtoreth. It can be dull, but I must stay informed of such things."

Returning and beginning to dry Tyche, the buck inquires, "Do you wish me to return to you later in the evening? Or … if you give me access to a private chamber, I can prepare an experience I doubt you will have had before. A little bit of the cultures from the outside world, as a hint… "

"You should not skip your own supper," Tyche notes, but nods. "You can ask Chloe to show you to a suitable chamber, and she will inform me of it later."

The doe turns her head slightly to look at Layth, and asks, "Is this one of those 'doing something for another without expectation of reward' things you were talking about?"

"I will not skip my meal, of course," Layth says with a nod as he works with the towel. The question gives the buck pause. "I suppose it is," he admits, "You looked so tired earlier I just thought you could use some attention where you are the focus. But I must confess I did get a small reward… "

"Oh?" Tyche asks, curious now. "What was it?"

"I was able to see you grin," Layth answers and actually winks to Tyche.