“So I have,” the man chuckled softly, delicately holding his little girl upon his knee with one hand and allowing her to gnaw on one of the fingers upon the other. He couldn’t help but puff out his chest the slightest bit as his new companion complimented his home and the decor within. “My wife is rather fond of decorating, she hand-picked nearly every decoration and tapestry you’ll find within this place. I’ve never been particularly skilled artistically, so I leave most of it for her and just offer her my purse when she needs to coin to purchase new items,” he commented pleasantly as he glanced around the beautifully furnished room. Ajax then shifted his gaze back to Maximus, offering the man a genuine smile that lit up his soft gaze beautifully.<br/><br/>“You may be honored to be my guest, Maximus, but I must admit that I’m honored to have you.” Directly after he’d spoken these words, however, Maximus fessed up about his confusion around Ajax’s abundant kindness. He furrowed his brow slightly at his friend statement, his smile fading and his lips pressing into a thin line as he mulled over his words and wondered to himself whether or not he’d crossed some sort of line. He had been accused many a time by those close to him of being too open and inviting, and it had certainly gotten him into trouble before. But Maximus didn’t seem the type to have the intent to cause him and his family harm, and on the off chance that he was Ajax was sure he could overpower him or, at the very least, hold him off long enough for those that he loved to get out of range of any violence.<br/><br/>“Yes, my friend, I have been very inviting. I suppose perhaps I become a bit too enthusiastic about inviting new people into my life, at times, and my wife enjoys telling me that I’m far too trusting of those who may seek to do us harm,” he laughed softly and shook his head slowly, prying his pointer finger from his daughters mouth and wiping her saliva off on his robes before reaching up to rake his fingers through his hair. “I like to think myself a generally good judge of character though, and listening to you preach on those steps made me feel as though I gained a glimpse into your mind … And I have to admit that we see eye to eye on many issues. Tell me, Maximus, if our minds are aligned, as I believe they may well be, then what reason could I have not to place my trust in you?” It was a naive point of view for a man of his age to hold, that much was certain, but it was clear from the confidence he held in his tone that he believed his words beyond a shadow of a doubt.<br/><br/>“We see eye to eye on many things, you understand. Hearing you speak was comparable to a handful of hours of introspection and it was truly delightful to find that someone out there thinks in the same manner as I do. So many are comfortable with the rut our society and our Gods have settled into, but I’m not, and I don’t think you either … So you see, Maximus, that is why I’m so inviting to a man such as yourself. It is because I hear myself in you, and I hope to know you better before you leave this place, to understand your philosophies more deeply. Do you understand now?” he murmured, a friendly grin having painted its way across his handsome features once again, causing a slight crinkle to form at the outer corners of his eyes.<br/><br/>Not a moment after Maximus had finished his long-winded admission, the door that he’d entered and returned through just a few minutes prior swung open, and a young girl dressed in nicely made, but plain clothes strode in. “Master, and Sir, I apologize for interrupting.” she bowed her head, maintaining an averted set of eyes as she rushed forward grasping a pair of metal cups in one hand and a bottle in the other. “The wine you requested, Master, from your personal cellar.” she set the cups down and poured each of them their shares before setting the bottle in front of them and turning to Ajax whilst holding out her now empty hands. Ajax carefully lifted up little Elpis from his knee, and he handed her off to the caretaker. “Now you be good, you little sprite,” he cooed softly as he handed the happily gurgling child over to her favorite servant. He then chuckled softly and shook his head as he watched the pair of them hurry out.<br/><br/>“Ah, now the drinking can begin. I find that conversation flows more easily between new friend after a few cups of fine wine have found their way down the throats of said friends,” he commented light-heartedly as he lifted his cup and held it up towards Maximus, “Shall we indulge?”