Aulus had to confess (under silence of course) that conveying messages was not exactly his best quality.  When delivering messages it was always unclear as to how one would reply under situations such as these.  From what he had currently witnessed Livia seemed quite stable and strong willed in absorbing every word that escaped from the young soldier’s lips.  For Aulus it left him nervous struggling with both his wounds and praying that his words were enough to please her ears.  The matter such as it is wasn’t something that Aulus held dear to.  For him soldiers (especially those blessed by Mars) were bred for one purpose: war.  What did matter to him currently, though he would never admit it, was how his thirst for water was only growing greater with fatigue as a consequence for his lack of hydration. Livia, able to conclude his wear and fatigue wasted no time in addressing his condition.<br/><br/><strong>"You are wounded and near the gates of Hades if you remain standing. You shall be of little use to me dead and I will not have Pompey charge me coin for the loss of one of his men."</strong><br/><br/>How interesting it was to see a noble share a concern for someone who was technically expendable.  Men such as Aulus while still rare in certain realms were still one of many of the loyal men who pledge their loyalty and life for the prosperity of Rome.  “Even when wounded Hades would have to answer to the god of war himself before he’d allow me to enter those gates.  Besides, after delivering this message to you your ladyship I have completed my last duty.  I have been honorably discharged from the legion by Pompey himself thus no one holds dominion over my life as of now.”  Honesty, a very difficult trait to wager.  For Romans it was difficult to maintain honesty for many, especially men, since they always seem to carry a personal ambition that would be willing achieve even if to use deceit and cunning.  Aulus didn’t share such a deceitful trait, in fact his honesty allowed him to maintain his purity, alongside his more unique lack of indulgences.<br/><br/><strong>"You have wounds that need tending, remove your armour so I can assess them."</strong><br/><br/>The request from Livia left him completely surprised, if not baffled.  Why would a noble lady want to get her hands dirty on something that wasn’t hers and also compared to her a lower pleb/peon.  So surprising it was that it had an instant effect on Aulus showing cheeks flushed as the blood that dripped from his neck.  His eyes showed some sign of possible shock but the flushed cheeks would probably serve as the bigger distraction.  His shyness left him turning his head slightly as if embarrassed of the idea of stripping his upper garments for her pleasure, which she disguised with concern over his wounds.<br/><br/>“As you wish…”<br/><br/>How else could he refuse her, he was after all in her estate and therefore inside her realm.  It only seemed natural with that conclusion that he obey without prejudice.  But despite the fact that he would obey, he couldn’t find the courage to face her directly as he prepared to strip down.  It was indeed embarrassing for him to expose himself to another woman.  Like Lilianna before her Livia was the second woman whom wished to observe him even closer, such a thing he was not used to since he had yet to feel the warmth of another women’s flesh against his.  Such matters and thoughts would have to be bottled inside him for he had a request that he was obligated to obey.<br/>His hands reached at the strings of the upper section of his tunic untying the complex knots that he had grown accustom to.  Some seconds would pass however until he could freely remove the strings from his garments letting the leather cloth drop from his bodice.  His physique certainly told a lot about him, it wasn’t bulky like the stock of this Ludus, but it was clear just how strong he was indeed.  The lines of his muscle were so well grooved and carved into his body that it was almost like looking at a tan statue.  Normally to gain muscle mass one had to grow first in mass by eating foods that would perhaps plump the normal citizen.   Aulus however took a more radical approach; it was easy to conclude that there was not a shred of fat on him, or at least fat that was useless, any fat if there was any was used to help shape his muscle that helped expand beyond his smaller frame.  In a way you could say it was looking at a tan marble statue, carrying with it the experience and hidden ferocity that remained locked inside him.  To add to his chiseled features, the history of his battles was written all over his chest and back.<br/><br/>His chest was riddled with a variety of scars to appease to the lady’s eyes.  Sword marks, arrow punctures, burns from what most likely concluded from torture, all aimed at different spots, some even life threatening locations.  Even the wound on his neck seemed like a natural one given the young mans history.  The blood that had escaped from the wound had dried and crusted along the side of his neck and parts of his chest. However the most unique scar had to come from the left side of his shoulder that ran down to the front of his chest in a short but wide scar.  Whatever weapon was used to create this scar, it was only evident that it was quite malicious.  One could describe it as a creature that hooked and ripped apart a side strip of his flesh leaving very little skin behind to allow the wound to heal properly.  Instead it was a mass of scar tissue that nearly created a divot across his chest, leaving the viewer to wonder what could cause such a monstrosity.  During this stripping moment Aulus remained flustered if not shy by the way Livia consumed him with her very eyes.<br/>