Fiori blushed slightly at the teasing, splashing him with a wave of warm water. "I was annoyed. And I was supposed to be… impressive. My uncle wished for me to 'put you in your place'." His expression soured significantly and he tried to soldier on past his tangled feelings about his only remaining relative. "But slavery seems a practice most distasteful, considering my friends."
His lips curled into a jesting grin as he splashed him back. But as the conversation took a more serious tone, he adopted a more grim expression. “Thats another thing we agree on. Slavery is most definitely distasteful. I don’t understand it… Oh, and I certainly am not looking forward to it, but will I ever have to meet your uncle?” The thought of meeting Fiori’s uncle perturbed—and worried him greatly.
"It can be helpful to many. Slavery in our country is… a help, for some. If it is chosen willingly and fully submitted to, it can provide security and safety. I've just seen too many mistreated to want to own a slave myself." He paused at the mention of his uncle. "… You will. Festival season starts in two days time, and he will meet you when it does."
“That part of it doesnt seem so terrible, if they choose it for security,” he thought about it. As long as the said person entered into it willingly, and they were respected as a human, then it might be beneficial. But the thought of being forced into slavery, as he was, made him nauseous.
“Two days,” he echoed contemplatively. “Based on everything you’ve said about him, I’m nervous.”
"Yes. But… even the unwilling have rights, Leviticus." He gave Levi a worried look like he wasn't sure how the other would take his proposal. "I could get you a copy of the codes. It outlines the rights of all slaves. And anyways, you don't need to worry about my uncle. He has grown… weaker. His age eats away at him, he will not risk upsetting me by harming you."
Levi took the offer into consideration. He chewed on his inner lip while he thought, even though he didn’t have much reason in his mind to reject the offer. It’d not only be a very beneficial tool to have, he was also very curious what exactly these laws were. And how many of these laws did the illegal traders that brought him in break? “Oh, that would be helpful. Thank you.” He accepted, and relaxed at what Fiori said about his uncle. “And that’s comforting to know, about your uncle.”
Fiori gave him a warm smile at the thanks, shaking his head. "Don't waste your thanks on this, I'm only doing what anyone else would." He pursed his lips, giving Levi a considering look. "I can get the code for you as soon as tomorrow. You speak my language well enough, can you read in it?"
“I speak it slightly better than I read it,” he replied. “My family was wealthy enough to hire a private tutor. She taught us your language, saying that it was important to know the enemy’s language to better avert miscommunications. It’s definitely been helpful, especially now.”
Fiori laughed and nodded. "Yes, I was similar. I learned your language when the war first started, just in case, and now I've found that it can be of great use. I was surprised by how well you spoke my language when we first met, many icebloods seem to struggle with it."
“Hah, Yes… I’m mostly fluent, but most of my country isn’t keen on learning it. I think they would rather study the countries we’re at peace with.” He pondered. “Do you know any Widonian?”
Fiori nodded, reaching over to grab some soap and start washing off when Levi paused to think. "I do. It's a bit…schoolyard, as I don't have time to practice often, but I am still largely fluent. I could try to speak some with you, if you'd like."
He nodded quickly. “I would like that. I haven’t spoken it with someone in almost a week.” He looked around, wondering what exactly to say. It would have to be somewhat simple, at least to start with. “Eta bania velikolepn’a…” This bathhouse is magnificent, he began, and continued in the same language. “The ones in my country are less ornate.”
Fiori's brows drew together in concentration as Levi spoke to him, obviously doing his best to puzzle out the meanings. "Yes," he answered after a few seconds. "We make them fancy. Cleansing is…" he struggled for the right word, "… big. We are a warrior race so it is nice to feel clean." His words were slightly clipped, a harsher Usigen accent slipping though, but it was still easy to understand.
“That’s very wise.” He made sure to keep his words slow and measured instead of the quick dialect he was used to speaking at home. But at home, everyone was used to hearing it everywhere. “Our bathhouses are paved with polished andesite. And painted pictures of ancient stories hang on the walls.”
Fiori frowned at the Widonian word for 'andesite', not sure what it meant. "We have our stories on the walls too, though they are more present. It's common to bathe after a battle or festival and have a friend tell tales of ancient glories. Um… what is andesite." The word was clumsy on his tongue.
He chewed on his lip, trying to recall the Usigen word for it. “… Andesite.” He slowly recalled in Fiori’s language, then returned to his own native speak. “I see. We often don’t bathe after a battle, unless said soldier is caked in sweat. We do, however, always bathe before entering The House to worship or pray.”
"Ah!" Fori smiled, though it dimmed a bit when he had to focus again. It was hard for him to snap ack into Widonian, but he managed. "We do the same before visiting a temple, for the same reason as after battle. It is a… what do you call it… a ritual. To cleanse yourself of your past before you enter our life or the god's lives."
“That’s a fascinating reasoning,” he admired. He lifted up his arm and rested his elbow on the rim of the pool. “Musicians often play in our bathhouse to fill the silence behind conversation.” At least they did in the royal bathhouse. He wasn’t as sure about the common bathhouses.
Fiori laughed. "It is rather mundane to us. But… having a musician in your bathhouse seems an unnecessary spending of money." The wording was awkward, but he didn't know how to say 'expense'. "Is it the same all across your country?"
“I don’t know,” he answered. “I’ve only been in one bathhouse, so I cannot speak for them all.” Oh, if only he could explain how expensive his royal luxuries could really be. Musicians in the bathhouse were the cheapest. He didn’t pay for them directly, but he had a vague idea at how much it cost to pay the servants they had, who were running the castle and waiting on the royal family hand and foot.
Fiori frowned. "I have been to bathhouses all over the country. Have you never reveled among your own people? Or taken trips to the outer reaches?" It was incredible to him that Levi wasn't aware of conditions across the country. He took pains to visit every corner hen it was possible, making sure conditions were good and bonding with the people.
“Of course I have!” His nose crinkled at the very suggestion he didn’t. “I’ve just never bathed in any other than my own.” He placed his arm back into the warm water.
Fiori considered than and then nodded. "I have, and with all number of people, but I think that's because I do not care as much about nudity. I forgot your sensibilities were different from my own, and for that I apologize."
He nodded slowly and dismissed it with a brief acceptance of the apology. As a prince, one of the only things he would take offense to was the suggestion that he didn’t care about his people. But of course Fiori didn’t know he was a prince, so he convinced himself to let it go. “Families and close friends bathe in alone or in small, instead of bathing with just any stranger. Physical privacy is revered all across the country.”
Fiori hummed, seeming a bit perplexed. "For us bathing is… well, it isn't a public affair, but it's not private. We have large public bathhouses, bathing holes when a proper bath cannot be built, and you visit often to bath and met with friends. It is not something done alone, not unless you are… well off."