[ Marcus picks up the bread as Julius speaks, roughly breaking it with a twist but all in a lax and lazy manner, and placing the other half on the other man's side of the table. He then sees about sharing between them the ale. ]

Well, I shouldn't want to make things awkward.

[ Amusement is there, fleeting, blink and you'll miss it. ]

It was a late invitation. In many ways. I met Petra just as winter was getting its teeth in.