Valka arrives at the Vulpes Inn late in the morning, almost at midday.
She is dressed simple (tunic-dress and sandals) with only a pugio and small pouch on her belt.
She is all cleaned up with no signs of injury or wounds or anything like that.
She knocks at the door hard (even if its open) to let everyone know she is here.
She is on the relaxed side now (unlike yesterday) but her eyes (not good at hiding what she thinks) show she does expect a not-so-relaxed meeting.
"Cassia Nigra" She says loud but not shouting "Are you there?"
"What do you want, Valka Spartaca?"
The door is firmly shut.
"Open the door, we need to talk"
"Or what? You'll force your way in and kill everyone inside? Again?"
Nevertheless, after a short pause, the bolt is withdrawn and the door swings open. Cassia's dressed in her normal wear, though has sword and pugio belted on.
The floor of the Vulpes is still cleared of furniture, and there's still a pile of bodies near the cellar door. Cassia turns to Gravus.
"Get out."
She holds the door open for Valka to enter, and Gravus to leave.
Gravus silently looks to Valka with a resigned expression, and waits for her confirmation to leave.
Valka sighs, she looks obviously disappointed by Cassia's reaction but not mad. Valka steps just inside the door so people from the street can't see/hear.
"I want Gravus here. For 2 reasons: one I trust his advice and opinion. Two cuz part of what I need to discuss involves him. We need to talk and see how this Vulpus thing can work or not."
"Then we're done, Valka Spartaca Tisiphone."
Cassia crosses the floor of the Vulpes to where one of the mules is loaded with belongings. The effort she is putting into maintaining control is evident, almost as if her skin were too small to hold her in one piece.
"If your most important decision right now involves your slave, then I wish you the joy of him."
Valka asks Gravus to stay out of earshot for a little bit.
When he is out of hearing, she tries to use a nice voice when she says this (and for people that kind of know her, one thing Valka ISNT good at is faking it, so ...):
"Look Cassia. again: 2 things. First: I have ALWAYS used Gravus for advice before. This is NOT new. I value his advice. He isn't a slave made to shovel rocks in the mines: he is a slave of quality. The kind of slaves that should advise Governors, not a Barbarian Peregrina like myself. I am lucky to have him. Hades, I'm sure if fortunes would have been a bit different my situation and his could have been easily exchanged! You probably noticed I don't even have him do common work for me. It is below him and you know it. His potions are nothing short of a miracle from the Gods. You know this too. Second: I have asked everyone before, if you remember well, never to order Gravus around. He is not your slave he his mine. Bjarturius made that mistake before, I told him and he had the decency to respect me enough not to do it again."
Deep breath ... and ... continuing:
"Now about the Inn and the Vulpus. All this mess between us started because of Agneta and Gallus. If you want them present here I don't mind. They should probably hear directly from me what I think anyway. I'm surprised at all this. Maybe there are hidden secrets I do not know. And for a while that's what I thought and why I gave both the benefit of the doubt. But last night proved to me they had no clue about anything, and ... besides almost getting us ALL killed by acting without knowing ... from where I stand all I see now is opportunists I barely know that are trying to claim things they haven't fought for, or earned."
Cassia stops at the door and turns back towards Valka, her face is a porcelain mask though her eyes are full of unshed tears.
"This is nothing to do with Agneta, or Gallus, or your precious slave. Order it out of here so we can talk, or I leave now with what is mine."
Valka turns to Gravus and tells him:
"Leave us and wait for me at the Laxium's forum where we met that patrol last night."
When Gravus has left:
"We can talk."
The look of relief which crosses Cassia's face is profound. She bolts the door behind Gravus as he leaves.