What a welcome visit. I was just about to take a bit of a siesta. I long to hear the news of the city.

Dear Nydia pour the wine for us.

Nydia, though blind, is quite capable of pouring the wine without spilling it. She serves Lady Reylari, then Pompeius, the gift of wine in lovely silver mugs.

There is also a silver bucket full of snow on the table. Nydia places the wine in the bucket.

"I prefer wine to be a bit chill, says the Lady R_, Nydia are you in the mood to sing for us?" The girl, though shy, loves music, and is always delighted to sing. The lovely blind girl takes a sip from her own silver mug, then takes up her lyre. They are seated in the garden court under the shade of an ancient fig tree. The soft sound of the fountain, and an occasional chirp of a bird are the only sounds in the quiet shaded garden.

This is a marvelous vintage Pompeius! Please tell me about it. Paying no mind to the conversation, Nydia tunes her instument then softly sings a song of her own composition.

"It is alright Pompeius, she prefers to sing and not listen to our conversation."

Pompeius wonders how the Lady Reylari manages all of this? He can see no other sign of a servant be it slave or free?