Claudia hummed. "I can convince mercenaries - some coin should do the trick." She paused. "You should convince your legion, and then use them to deal with traitors. The other soldiers will fall in line." She said, the turned to him. "But that is just my advice."
Aulus chuckled, 'An interesting proposal, but I don't think I am the man you are looking for.' He looked around to see where Barbarous was, 'See that huge Roman with scruffy beard? I think he could give you exactly what you are craving, Ouei. Rewarding him for his loyalty would help me out too.'
Anai nodded. "Then we can still fix it." She got up. "I will let you know when we find the traitors."
"You ask me to go with some brute?" She looks offended for a moment, before she chuckles. "I suppose he does look like the rough sort. And I do suppose I owe you, for saving my daughter and I." Ouei stands and strides over to Barbarous, her ass shaking as she moves, for Aulus' benefit. They speak for several moments, before Barbarous gives Aulus a grin, and walks with the Egyptian out into the trees. Agorix returns to Aulus' side. "Heh. Not your type, or are you just being professional?" She chuckles. "Unless you're so in love with Maat and I that you can't even look at another woman?" She teases.
Claudia nodded. "Very well." She got up. "Do you have any other plans, or should we do it as fast as we can?" She asked.
"I await your summons." She gets up and leaves. Several hours go past, with Hashiyum sending up occasional status reports, saying that she's found and killed some traitors in the tunnels, but not yet found the leaders. She's also, as a precaution, ordered that the tunnel entrance in Anai's chamber be bricked up, though Anai can countermand the order if she'd like to keep it as an escape route. While she's waiting for results, the vizier knocks and enters Anai's chambers. "My lady, the high priestess' son requests an audience, as does the priestess' acolyte."
Aulus chuckled as he watched Ouei and Barbarous leave and Agorix rejoin him, 'Not my type? She looks a lot like Maat, so I think we both know that's not the case.' 'You nearly sound disappointed that I didn't take her offer,' He smiled, offering some of the mead to Agorix too, 'Not that I am not quite fond of you and Maat, but first being all flirty with you and then bedding the general's slave. The men would probably think I took them away from camp to start my own cult here or something.'
She takes the drink gladly. "Not disappointed, just interested. I like learning about you, seeing how you act." She shrugs. "I doubt they'd mind joining the cult, as long as they got a piece of the action."
Aulus smiled, 'Is that so? Got big plans for me?' 'Probably, but getting chased as deserters might dampen the enthusiasm,' He looked to the spot where Ouei and Barbarous disappeared to, 'Well, one of them is getting some action, not sure if Ouei would want to take on more.'
"You'll have to find that out." She shrugs. As he looks over to where Ouei and Barbarous went, he sees that three of the other men have been beckoned over, and eagerly follow.
Anai congratulated Hashiyum, then ordered her to continue the search. Taking Hashiyum's worry into account, Anai ordered a trap to be installed inside the passage - one that would give guards a notice when someone was there, then imprisoned the intruders and knocked them out with fumes. She also had additional guards posted in her chambers. "Both of them? Very well, bring them in." She ordered as she sat in her chair.
Claudia smiled and nodded. "Very well, general." she said as she left the tent with her brother in tow. Quintus was about to move to meet with his loyal officers, but then he paused. If he did nothing, Claudia, mercenaries and her faction would experience the burn of the retaliation from traitors - that would leave both factions weakened and ready to be picked for the takings. That would leave Quintus as the undisputed leader of Campaning.
Hashiyum moves out to implement the trap, as the priestess and warrior enter the room. The young acolyte bows deeply, inadvertently showing off her chest, while the warrior simply nods his head. "Lady Anai." The acolyte speaks first. "The high priestess has sent us both messages through intermediaries. She asked us to come to you and present you with information she has discovered: The location of the high priest." The young man takes over. "She says that all she asks in return is that she be allowed to leave the city without being pursued. If that's not enough for you..." He grunts. "She asks that I be allowed to be the one to bring her in."
Quintus considers the idea, but discards it before long. The short term benefits might be good, but the damage to his reputation, and the creation of a lasting enemy faction, would cause trouble in the long term. Decided, he heads to gather his trusted lieutenants.
Anai hummed. "Why such a change?" She asked. "Why does the high priestess even consider the idea of being brought in, instead of just running. Especially, by you, her son?" She asked. There was no way she could allow such a person to leave the city. She knew too many secrets, and should she join Romans...
Quintus' lieutenants are rather surprised, by seeing him alive, but all of them quickly declares their loyalty to him. It takes him a better part of the night to gather those loyal to him. The day would soon raise, and Quintus has yet another choice before him. Either continue gathering all of the forces loyal to him, and risk detection. Or to strike fast, and risk being overwhelmed. Those are possibilities... Of course, the general might have plans of his own.
