There was a very firm and unimpressed look as he leaned forward, watching the slave with a mix of fury and a strange level of awe. What guts this man had. "Gauis Marcus Augustus. And it's not a name that I should ever hear come from a slave."

Maybe this one wasn't his. Maybe he was a stray slave who had run off or someone who had worked on his senate and he'd merely forgotten the name. It was the only way to explain the strangeness of the situation. Perhaps this one was indeed a free man. Once. It wasn't much like anyone could stop him if he just so happened to want to keep this one. And he rather did, actually.

He was very amusing. Why, he even managed to coax a small smile from Marcus. "Don't you know, my foolish friend. You should call me your Master."