Good. Rafail nodded his approval at his bodyguard's compliance, though he hadn't expected anything less. Balius could be difficult to handle at the worst of times, and he had earned himself his fair share of punishments in the years he had been owned by the Marikas household, but for the most part, he appeared to do his job as Rafail willed and so long as things were the way he wanted them, he saw nothing wrong with that. He was taken by surprise at the man's following query, however, fixing him with a hard gaze as considered an answer to the question. It was rare that he ever made a specific plan for his shopping trips, normally interested in visiting the stalls and seeing what was on offer before he made any real decisions. He bought whatever he saw that might strike his fancy, and that was the closest to he came to preparing anything.

"I suppose there are certain things I desire that could constitute a plan." Rafail raised a finger to his lips, tapping it against them in a mock thoughtful manner, almost as though to taunt his questioning. "I want new sandals, and I want a gift of sorts for Althaia - maybe Elissa, depending on who I feel I like the best tonight - and I wanted a new horse but Papa said he would bring me a Leventi one when he next travels to Taengea." He glanced down at his chiton, frowning at the sight. "And I only had this chiton made yesterday but I really don't care for the green as much as I thought so I'll have to have to find something new while we're here. Perhaps if you behave I'll buy you something as well, although I don't wish to see you panicking because you've received too fine a gift. I know sudden splendour would likely terrify you. It's obviously not what you're used to."

As far as Rafail was concerned, that seemed a good enough explanation of his thought process, so he turned away from him, hands now on his hips as he surveyed the market to make his first choice of stall to visit. "Is there anything else you so dearly needed to know?" It was an almost sarcastic comment in nature, almost requesting that Balius test him with another tediously placed remark. "Oh, and I am in the mood for a pair of brunettes tonight so do let me know if you see anything that might take my fancy." Not that he was sure he could trust the gladiator's judgement entirely but there was a chance he might surprise Rafail.

The young Marikas gestured for the burlier man to follow him, striding towards the first stall which had caught his eye, one that seemed bursting with precious jewels. He had never been able to resist anything shiny and, besides, Papa had provided him with plenty of drachmae to spend on this fine day and he intended on making use of every last obol. Naturally, his eyes fell on one of the largest pieces on show, a diadem inlaid with pearl. It was just the sort of thing he would have and was considering for a mistress so, plucking it from the table, he held it out to Balius, irritated enough from his interrogation to want to humiliate him further. "Try this on. I want to see how it looks on someone with darker hair. I'm too blonde."

"Mm, it depends on my mood," Rafail replied absent-mindedly as he browsed through the rest of the wares on display, eyes shifting over the many options. He had never truly understood why Balius fussed so at the idea of possibly having to 'entertain' his pair of mistresses when he was otherwise uninterested in doing so or irate at one of them. The man was in the service of House Marikas and, as far as the younger of the pair was concerned, that was nothing more than a sign that he should be accepting every command without question. Rafail knew for certain that both Althaia and Elissa were stunning beauties that any man would have wanted, and he could not understand complaints. "I shall have to see if I am in any mood for either of them by the time evening falls. My schedule is not yet fully decided."

Waiting for Balius to pick up the diadem as had been requested and nestle it amongst his short-cropped black locks - Rafail almost shouting out to ensure he was careful with the delicate accessory - he chuckled when it was finally resting on his head. It wasn't exactly the sort of thing you'd imagine a man like that to wear, the pearl bright in the sunlight, pretty and ladylike, but it offset his dark hair nicely and had he had thinner and more feminine features, it might even have complemented his looks. But Rafail was not in the habit of dishing out such praise to many outside of his own stunning reflection and for all his usual audacity, Balius was not exactly deserving. Instead, he hardened his expression as the bodyguard began joking around with the situation. This had not been intended in such a lighthearted manner, and he couldn't bear to see his attempt at a cruel gesture be responded to with such humour.

"Stop flirting with the peasantry!" he fussed, reaching up to snatch the diadem back off the gladiator's head, a scowl on his face as he slammed it back down onto the table of wares with little regard for its fragility. It did not irk him so that Balius chose to act so coquettish around half the woman perusing the market as, had she been his type, the young Marikas would have already spent his affections on her, but more so that he would so easily disregard his attempts at humiliation. "You are supposed to be securing me a good new fuck for tonight, not wasting every opportunity attempting to find a woman who might actually wish to lie with you outside of a base need for satisfaction!" Punishment was most certainly on the horizon for the man, and Rafail hoped he was well aware of that fact as he turned back to the merchant and made a loud request for all of his items designed with rubies.

He only half-noticed as each item was brought out and carefully explained, eyes scanning off to the side as though there were something twice as interesting going on behind the vendor - a sign that he just didn't care what the cost or providence of each piece was and was instead waiting until Balius ordered the idiot silent, sure that a merchant easily counted as 'the poverty'.

When the nonsensical speech was finally over, Rafail waved a hand between Balius and the salesman, already started to move towards the next stall. "Pay."

Now. As Rafail ran his fingers through the soft silks on display in the following stand, attempting to decide which of the colours would look the finest against his light complexion while, at the same time, his mind ran through which punishments would be most suitable to correct his guard's behaviour. It wasn't until Balius had returned to his side that he spoke again, though there was still a small hesitation before the words left his lips. "When we return home, you may wait in the courtyard, and I shall speak to Papa about your...irritable nature today and how you all but ruined my shopping trip, and I would expect a flogging if I were you, if not something suitably worse. Is that understood?"