Daughter of Rome (Belle x Rivine)

It was the year of four emperors in Rome. The tides were constantly changing and those once in favor found themselves cast out or those once out of favor were suddenly back in. Only those with sharp wit and tongues of gold seemed to constantly find favor with the ever changing powers that be. One such men was Sabina’s father. A senator of great power and influence. To escape the bloody tides that seemed to flow most every day he bargains for a legion to take north to Hadrian’s Wall. The legion would relieve the current legion that was there and leave Sabina’s father in power in the north. When word came to Sabina she begged and pleased to remain in Rome. However, her father held firm that for the safety of his family they would all sojourn to the north.

And so as the weeks passed arrangements were made for travel. Sabina watched all of her precious things get packed away tidily into trunks. She spent her afternoons and evenings with friends wishing them farewell and promising to write. The morning they were to depart Rome dawned pearlescent gray a layer of mist lying over the fields. Sabina, her mother the Lady Lepidia and younger brother Arius settled into their comfortably appointed wagon to begin their long journey northward. All around them marched the new legion hungry for action. Their household also followed, servants, goods and supply laden carts trundling down a road to the great unknown as Sabina thought of it.

The journey was rather uneventful but as they left the warmth and sunshine of the south behind it also grew damp and chilly. Sabina longed to escape the confines of their wagon and stretch her legs but they rarely stopped for the north was filled with dangers. Finally after many weeks their journey concluded and Sabina was more than happy to see it ended. Their wagon halted before a gray and white stone house. Sabina peeked through the window of their wagon and shivered beneath her fur covering. It looked cold and imposing against the dreary background that the day made. Servants rushed forth and into the home to light fires and begin warming it as others began unloading the wagons and carts.

Sabina’s own family stepped from their wagon bundled against the chill and the damp. Once on solid ground Sabina stretched before reaching up and slowly lowering the hood to her cape. Long dark hair spilled out in waves down her back and the palest aqua colored eyes gazed around her. Taking Arius’s hand Sabina follows her mother up the stairs and inside their new home. It was barren but clean. She supposed one might be able to make the best of it. Already she missed the warmth that was Rome and teeming markets and even her friends. She was no idiot, she knew not a single one would set foot in the north to come visit her. Sabina turns at the soft clearing of a throat to see her own servant Thea standing there.

“My lady if you’ll follow me I can show to the rooms your mother has said are to be yours.”

Sabina nods and follows Thea.

“Thea?”

She asks.

“Are you not the least bit afraid that some Northern heathen band is going to attack us?”

Thea turns to look at her mistress and shakes her head.

“I have faith in your father my lady and the legion that has come north with you to protect us all from the godless heathens that roam these lands. Mind you that you do not go wandering and especially not without an escort my lady.”

Sabina just lightly shrugs and steps through the doors that Thea had paused before. A great roaring fire had been laid and the room was already beginning to warm. Sabina shrugged from her outer garments and went to stand before the fire. All about her servants moved unpacking her things and readying her rooms.

“I fear Thea that I shall never get this chill out of my bones again. Do you think it ever gets warm here?”

Thea just clucks at her mistress and sets about directing the rest of the unpacking.

“Never fear my lady I am sure as soon as this fire finishes warming the room you’ll be cozy and toasty before you know it. I will have a meal brought to you as well. Some warmed wine might help with that chill.”

“Thank you Thea.”

Sabina tells her as she moves to stand before one of the windows. Dusk was nearing and her eyes roamed the edge of the trees just beyond the walls. She gazed hard narrowing her eyes she could swear she saw movement in the shadows. Another shiver wracks her body and Sabina wraps her arms about herself before turning away. As she walks away from the windows she gives a brief backwards glance. This world was dangerous and oh how she longed for her Rome.

Einion stood i the shadow of the trees, a few miles away from one of the larger Roman forts on the frontier. It had been more then a month since they had first started to notice the legionaries withdrawing from their camps, being replaced by levies from lands to the south. He had seen this with his own eyes. He had watched as centuries withdrew from forts to be replaced with the levies. Most of the southerners had no experience in combat, but that is why they were sent north. Rather then having to watch coasts that were never assailed they were to be blooded on the frontier against the barbarians to the north. Einion had been more then willing to oblige the commanders of the Roman troops in this desire.

For the past several weeks he head lead foray after foray into Roman lands, his warband using the cover of darkness to their advantage. The levies did often leave torches burning on the walls, wanting to see any foes that would come. But what they had not learned was that torches made them blind to what was beyond the light, as well as providing good light for those wishing to shoot them. Furthermore he had kept a close eye on any patrols that were sent out. He would often harass these patrols at night. Perhaps they would light campfire after campfire all around them, making the Romans think that they were surrounded. Or he would have his warband spend the night blowing horns and depriving all those in the Roman camp of sleep. Other nights they would kill just one of the sentries, leaving him for the others to find. All of these tactics served a simple purpose; to sow fear. Some patrols he would let go. Some he would butcher. All these green soldiers knew was that they had left the safety of the south and had been sent north to face an enemy the likes of which they were ill prepared to face.

This campaign's sole purpose had not been only to kill Romans though. His forays against the outposts had been at night, but during the day he had been petitioning chieftains, landed men, anyone who would listen to him. They had come to know how the Romans thought and Einion new well that the day would come when they would try to drive north again. So why should they wait for that day? Why should they wiat for the Romans to gather their strength? His raids were proving already how it could be done, how they could take the fight to their enemy, avenge those they had lost.

But as Einion watched parts of another legion march into the very fortification he had watched other legionaries leave from a month before, his heart sank slightly. His campaign to this point had been against untested troops, levies who could barely hold formation together. But these were legionaries, doggedly trained and tested in battle. He gripped the haft of his spear as he watched them, his mind a whirl. He remembered well what a legion could do in battle. Against his father's wishes he had lead some other youths south and joined Boudica's revolt against the Romans. The final battle had been.... horrific. And now here the legions were again, coming to impose the will of Rome on he and his people.

He was pulled from his thoughts as someone cleared their throat behind him. Einion glanced over his shoulder to see his closest companions and a shield bearer, Bran. The dark haired man motioned to the fort with his head, then asked Einion, "And what do you plan to do about that?"

Einion looked at his friend for a moment, then looked back to the fort. He was silent for awhile, then said softly, "We let them settle in, get comfortable. Let them think that all that they have heard from the levies are stories, fabrications meant to frighten them. Let them lull themselves into complacency."

He turned away then, walking toward his friend and pausing beside him. He looked into the other man's eyes, his emerald eyes burning with an inner flame as he said, "Then we will show them that they too can bleed..."

Sabina crawled into bed that night and slept restlessly. Her dreams were plagued by dark things. She awoke while the world was still dark and lay there unable to fall back asleep. Finally when the first streaks of dawn began to stretch across the sky she arose and slipped from her bed. With a shiver she quickly splashes her face from the chilly water in the basin to clear the vestiges of her sleepless night away. She slips into woolen gown and carefully braids her hair tightly. Soft leather boots are slipped on her feet and she slips from her room and moves silently through the house and out towards the stables. In the dim light she greets her favored animal friend, her horse. She was grateful her father had allowed her to bring him. Sabina offers him an apple while stroking his ebon neck and speaking softly.

“How is my boy hmm? How is my Zeus?”

With one last pat she carefully begins to saddle him and leads him from his stall. Swinging up into the saddle she straightens and takes a slow deep breath in through her nose. Already the urge to run was winging through her veins and the taste of freedom was a delight upon her tongue. Clucking softly she digs her heels into Zeus’s sides and trots him out of the yard. Once several yards away from the house and stables Sabina glances back momentarily. Then turning around and gazing at the wide open fallow fields before her she gives Zeus a sharp jab with her heels and sends him shooting off into a run. He easily traverses the ground his hooves eating up the earth and sending horse and rider quite some distance in a mere matter of time.

Sabina’s hood had fallen back and the wind whipped at her braid tugging it free so her hair flew behind her in a tangled banner. Her cheeks flushed and a smile curved her lips. Sabina lets out a rather unlady like whoop and then her laughter rings out. It felt so good to ride like she did at their summer home. The ride helped erase some of her sadness about having left her home in Rome behind. Sabina eases Zeus to a stop and slips from the saddle to wander slowly beneath a copse of trees while he grazed behind her.

Einion and his companions, all twenty of them, had shared a meal in the small wood, confident that they would not be found. They had set a watch for the night but were fairly confident that nobody would find them. The Romans had long ago learned to fear the woods in Britain, for it's natives used the trees and brush adeptly or cover, shamelessly bleeding the invaders dry. But, because of that, the roman had learned to stay out of the woods for the most part, or travel in numbers too great for Einion and his people to sensibly oppose them. So, with confidence that he and his compatriots would be fine, Einion bedded down for the night to sleep.

The warrior woke the next morning, yawning and stretching. It was not quite dawn yet, but he liked to rise early. It allowed him to collect himself and wake up before the tasks of the day demanded his focus. He rose from where he had slept, picking up his cloak and then shaking it out before he slung it back around his shoulders. He took a broach from his belt and then pinned the cloak in place, his fingers running over the dark blue wool for a moment. The cloak was of good quality, made by a woman he had know since he was a child. He had seen goods for sale in Roman towns from places that were so far away it was hard for him to believe that they existed at all. But he liked the simplicity of knowing where the food he ate came from, who had made the clothes on his back, who forged the iron of his weapons.

Sighing Einion turned then toward the spring that was nearby. He walked out of camp and over to the source of water for the small creek that ran out of the woods. He knelt beside it and reached down, cupping his hands and filling them with some of the fresh, clean and cool water. He then splashed his face and scrubbed the sleep out out his eyes. He cupped his hands and filled them with water again, rinding out his hair and shivering a bit. The cold water certainly did help stir him in the morning, that was for sure.

But then he paused, hearing someone speaking from the direction of the camp. Curious he rose and made his way back to the fire to find one of the sentries speaking to Bran. He moved over quietly and asked. "What is going on?" Bran glanced at him, then looked back to the sentry, one of the youngest in their group. "Aed here claims that they have spotted a Roman scout nearby," Bran said, still looking at the youth. Aed glanced over to Einion, then nodded and stuttered a bit as he spoke, "I...uh...we... we did see one." Einion nodded, then glanced to Bran, asking, "And why is it you are disputing his claim? He has earned his spear." Bran blinked, then inclined his head, conceding the point. It was better to be safe then sorry after all.

Einion then glanced back to the young man and asked, "I assume the scout is being watched?" Aed nodded in simple response. Einion nodded and then moved to his things, taking up a bow, quiver and his sword belt. He slung the quiver and bow over his back and then belted the short sword on. Once that was done he looked to Aed and said softly, "Lead the way." The young man moved off and Einion followed after him. Bran went as if to follow himself, but Einion shook his head. Bran frowned and then nodded, settling down to get the fire going again.

Soon enough he and Aed were within eyesight of the "scout". He looked at her, then glanced to Aed, shaking his head. This was no scout. The Romans never let their women fight. So who was she? Well whoever she was he would find out. That horse she had with her was the finest beast that he had ever seen. It was more then enough reason to reveal himself to her. He motioned to Aed to cut off the path back to the fort, then moved out from behind the tree he had been hiding behind. He moved out, his blue cloak blending with the greenery and shadows fairly well. He saw two others moving out with him, all aorund her in a loose circle. He knew that three more, including Aed, would be hidden from her.

Einion moved silently, getting right up beside the horse, putting a hand on it's neck and patting it gently before he spoke to her in rough Latin, "Who have here?"

Slender fingers were trailing over rough bark and a softly hummed tune slipped past lips when Sabina’s peace was shattered by a foreign tongue speaking stilted latin from behind her. A soft gasp and she whirls eyes going wide as she surveyed the person before her. Slowly they move across facial features and then down taking in the bow peeking over his shoulder and the sword resting at his side. Her right hand slips into the folds of her cape wrapping around the hilt of a knife. Her eyes return to his face.

“Who are you?”

Sabina was proud of herself for keeping the tremble from her voice. Fear however, skittered down her spine like icy fingers. She had an idea who she was faced with and her eyes quickly darted trying to see if more lurked within the shadows. They were the natives of the north. The tribes that gave Rome so many problems and the families that settled here in the shadow of Hadrian's Wall nightmares.

She nervously wet her lips with the tip of her tongue and gripped the hilt of her knife tighter in a palm that had begun to sweat ever so slightly. Perhaps a patrol would come soon. Or so she fervently hoped one would. Her father was going to kill her for not taking an escort. She would most likely be restricted to the home for a fortnight before he would even consider letting her go riding again.

Sabina swallows.

“You should leave…the…the soldiers will be here any moment.”

She nervously looks about her again debating her chances of escape. Zeus would come at her whistle and she had practiced enough times flinging herself onto his back with the horse on the run. Thanks of course to her Uncle Antony who was a general in Rome's army. He had spent many summers with Sabina and her family and taught her many things in case of a potential eventuality he would say. Sabina bites her lip her gaze returning to the stranger in front of her. She shifts on the balls of her feet preparing to whistle for Zeus should the stranger not buy her story about the soldiers coming at any time. She truly didn’t know how often they patrolled only that they did per her father’s orders.

Einion smiled at her as she asked him who he was. His blue eyes focused on her as she continued to run the fingers of one hand through her horse's main while the other held it's reins. His keen eyes did not miss the motion of her hand, how she tried to be discrete in it's movements. It was that she had gone for a weapon of some kind. This did not phase the warrior though, for he was rather sure that he would be able to fight her easily enough, even unarmed.

"Am Einion, a warrior," was his simple response to her. He had to wonder what had possessed this woman to come out here riding. Had she accompanied the new legion? Was she unaware of the dangers of this place? Einion was sure that he would find out soon enough.

When she spoke next, saying that soldiers would be there soon, he chuckled. Einion shook his head slowly, smiling at her slyly and then said to her, "No soldiers. You alone..." He paused for a moment and then motioned to himself and the other three nearby who could be seen. "Alone, but we are here."

He considered for a moment, then looked over the young woman's shoulder to one of his men, switching over to their own tongue. "All of you move closer. Spears leveled. If she remains still, then you take her and bind her." The man nodded and the three began to close in on her, spears pointing at her.

Einion arched an eyebrow and asked her, "Who you?"