A servant moved through the Oakenshield's mansion in Roma. The dwarven woman headed towards the kitchen. She knocked on the door.

"What is it?", a voice grumbled from within.

"Is the breakfast ready for the lady?", the servant asked.

"The lady has already left the mansion", the cook answered.

"What?", the servant entered the kitchen. The staff sat at a table in the middle. Enjoying their own breakfast.

"Left early. Something about watching over foundations placements, I think", the cook helpfully supplied.

"My lady … no not again. How can I let my lady awake before me? I am a lousy butler."

The cook offered an empty stool to her. She sat down hesitantly. Debating over rushing to find her lady and receive a scolding again or waiting for her to return.

The cook with his grey hair and friendly smile pushed a sandwich in front of her. Their cook was the only human working in this mansion. The rest of the staff and the ten guards were all dwarves. Most of them with roots in Hispania or Raetia. Ironically it was the cook that had worked the longest for the lady. And she also seemed to trust him the most.

"You should have informed me of the lady's departure", the servant grumbled as she took another bite of the sandwich. Gods she loved butter with ham and bread.

"Little Duvira made me promise to not", the cook replied smiling.

"But why...", the servant blinked at the knowing smile of the cook. "Yes, yes. I know why."

"Don't be harsh on her. She doesn't want to worry you."

"Well, then she shouldn't behave like a little girl. A lady wakes up at a proper time, wearing proper attire… oh by the gods. Did she wear a dress at least when leaving?"

The cook laughed and the rest of the staff grinned.

"Hardly the attire of a passionate craftsman. She kinda wears a dress if the leather apron counts", the cook smiled wildly.

"Oh no. No dress, no gloves..."

"Yes, gloves as well. Thick brown ones. Leather", the cook's laughter boomed through the room again as the servant's face paled.

"Oh, my lady… She will never find a partner like this", the servant lamented.

"Are you sure about that? Wasn't there a man visiting this mansion quite regularly?"

The woman donned her thinking face. Stroking an imaginary beard in the process. "No there wasn't. How did the dwarf look like?"

The cook shook his head and tut-tutted. "Not a dwarf. A human."

"That man from house Brutii? No there won't be anything between them. His family only has the rank of baron. She is a count's daughter. And they are always arguing."

"What loves each other, that teases each other", the cook stated with absolute confidence.

"No. The lady hardly does anything else than working for the prince", she glances at the cook, "and when she isn't the lady rants about the warden of Roma. Oh."

The cook's smile widened. "Told ya."

"Oh no. That isn't proper. He is a human. And his house is closely aligned with the duke. I have to tell Count Rulvir", the servant stood up hastily. Only to get pulled down by the hand of the cook.

"You will do no such thing", he stated with unusual sternness.

"But, but…."

"Are you her butler or the butler of her father?"

"My lady is my liege", the woman answered. Looking at the table.

The cook seemed to think for a moment.

"Let me tell you a story. The story of how I meet the litlle Duvira."

I had been a foolish young boy in my young years. Prideful, nay, I would even say patriotic. You see my home was the duchy of Neapoli. Though to say that would not be correct. My home was the city of Catanzaro.

At that time the duchy of Neapoli didn't even exist. The Earldom of Neapoli, lead by Giustino Vespasianus. The biggest state in the south but far from being almighty. I was fifteen when the earl laid siege to my city. We gave up fighting after a week of combat.

It is hard to remember the precise reason, but I joined his legion. Perhaps it was the dream to rise through the ranks to gain a title or such. Or the opportunity to perform a heroic deed on the battlefield. To enter the annals of history. People would sing songs about me, build statues and name their firstborn child after me.

Oh, how wrong I had been. Earl Giustino continued to conquer the rest of Calabriam. War was no place to gain glory. There was no honour to be won. War knew no winner. Only survivors. I had decided to leave the legion after the fall of the last city.

Messana was my goal. I hoped to leave behind the warmongering earl and his realm. The city welcomed me with open arms. It was a strange world for a young man from Italia.

Our parents told us bedtime stories of double-headed dwarfs, human-eating elves, primitive demi-humans and sea-folk that drowned children. Let's just say I was brought up with a few prejudices.

I tried to find a job and soon found something I could do. There was an old inn with a seemingly just as old naiad as its owner. She hired me. And believe it or not but I was awful as a cook back then. She judged my first dish passable only after I worked for two years in that wooden wreck of an inn.

It took another two years for my past to catch up with me. I thought the gods were playing tricks with me. The earl had come to take the city. They sieged the city for months. A fleet had also stopped us from supplying viva the sea.

The Oakenshield had no navy of their own, but there were plenty of merchant's vessels in its harbour. They took thirty of them and attacked with foggy weather. They ignited the ships and let the wind do the rest. The burning fleet performed a miracle and destroyed most of Neapoli's fleet. The siege ended after four months with the retreat of the earl.

But the siege had claimed something dear to me. My boss died when a projectile hit the inn. I myself survived through a miracle. It felt more like the gods enjoyed seeing me suffer.

I paid for her burial. She had some funds left. Hid them beneath the inn. Then I swore to restore her inn and her name. I swore to continue her legacy. I started to rebuild the inn. Also working as a dockworker to buy materials and to earn a living.

It took me a few years, but I managed it. I was happy with the result. The inn made a profit and I lived a good life for the next decades. Then came the day I meet the little Duvira. She strode in good clothes but nothing I would associate with a noble. I thought she was the daughter of a craftsman or merchant.

"Hello, little girl. How can I help you?", I had asked.

"I'm seven!", she exclaimed.

"A big little girl then", I smiled at the dwarf. She raised her eyebrows studying me. Then her eyes roamed around the inn.

"Who built this?", she asked.

I proudly answered. "Me."

"It is bad. Wouldn't surprise me if it soon collapsed."

"Excuse me?"

"But fret not. That is why I am here."

Just then I noticed the sack lying to her left. Tools looked out of the top.

"You are here to repair my house? What does a little girl know about construction work?"

"I'm not little", she grumbled. "Before you stands the famous architect and craftsman Duvira!", she looked at me. Waiting for me to be impressed and awed.

"Who?"

Her expression fell and she awkwardly looked at the ground.

"Look girl I appreciate the concern, but I would hire a professional if I wanted the inn repaired."

"Give me a chance. Anything, please. Is there not a thing I could repair for you. Then you would see my unrivalled skills!"

I had sighed as the dwarf looked at me with big eyes and a pleading expression. A plan formed in my head to get rid of her. There was an old music box from my boss. Its parts had been damaged when the inn collapsed. I never tried to repair it. Never liked the music it played. It was more of a memento for me.

I gave the box to the girl. "Fix it and I will consider hiring you."

"Yes! Thank you."

Duvira took the box smiling. She opened it and studied the interior for a while. Then she began to gather tools from her sack and the round brown ball had me curious.

She tapped the ball several times. "Wake up sleepyhead."

The ball uncurled and revealed a four-legged creature with a brown carapace. I wondered for what she would use it.

She began to take the music box apart. One pile for the good parts, another for the broken or bent ones. The last one was a bit bigger than the former.

She held the first broken piece to her pet. I recognized the bent part as the component responsible for powering it up.

"Okay, I need your help Sepulcrum."

The pet seemed to have other plans. It laid there and didn't do anything. She pulled something out of her pocket. Some kind of shining dust.

She held her hand in front of the animal. It tried to eat the dust. Duvira pulled her hand away.

"First you help", she said sternly. Her pet rock grumbled.

She held the bent metal part in front of it. I didn't believe my eyes when it started to move. The piece was correcting itself. When it reached its normal form she stopped her pet.

Pet was the wrong word. It just performed magic, with ease. That was a familiar. Her parents must be wealthy I thought.

The pair continued to repair the parts. The animal was even able to connect parts broken in two or parts that had shattered into many pieces. My eyes just grew bigger and bigger.

It took two hours for her to finish. And by the end, I and the entire inn were staring at her with respect. I don't remember who started to clap first, but soon all present people applauded her success.

Duvira stood proudly in front of the box, a bit red in the face, but she enjoyed the praise with a big beautiful smile. "Praise me more."

My customers chuckled and I did as well.

She powered up the music box and it played its song. Another round of applause followed. I had to wipe away a few tears at the familiar melody. Oh did I miss the old lady. She would have loved a child like Duvira.

"Okay, you convinced me. I will let you repair my inn, but only for the right price", I had said.

We sealed the deal with a handshake.

For the following years, she came to visit the inn on regular basis. Repairing parts of it. Sometimes she had a group of men with her that helped with heavier parts. I paid her the regular price and she would use it to buy food at my inn.

"Why do you always spend your pay in my inn?"

"Because it tastes better if you work for it", she had answered.

She finished nearly all parts of the inn. But there came a day where I found out who she really was. She was thirteen then.

A man stormed into my inn followed by a row of guards. I froze at his attire and the coat of arms. What was an Oakenshield doing in my inn?

"Duvira Oakenshield! You come here right this second", he bellowed. Some of my customers slowly sneaked out of the back entrance. I had the urge to hide behind my counter.

The man was two heads smaller than me, but far wider. He looked like a compressed mass of muscles. And he seemed angry.

Duvira looked up from her current position. She sat at a table. Repairing a door lock from one of the upper rooms. The dwarven girl looked at her father unimpressed.

"But I don't wanna go to Neapoli just to celebrate the birthday of some kid!"

"That kid is the heir of Jagu! You will come and build up connections. Consider your own position as heir."

Duvira starred back at her father. Frowning deeply. "Fine but I want to have a wish of mine fulfilled in return."

"Why can't I have nice children like my sister? You have yourself a deal daughter", the elder dwarf scanned the room until his eyes fell on mine. "We will talk about you spending your time here later."

Duvira stood up from the table and went to me. Standing in front of the counter. In front of me.

"Coquus will you join my personal retinue?". Duvira looked at me expectedly.

"What did I say about non-dwarven servants?", her father interrupted.

"That is my wish father. So what do you say? I would love to hire you as my personal cook", Duvira fixed me under her gaze. I tried to find a good reason to deny her. I failed to spit one out.

"It would be my honour little one", I surprised myself with the answer. A smile blossomed on her face.

Her father starred angrily at me.

"It would be my honour my lady", I corrected.

"Better", the old dwarf added. Still sounding unhappy. "Now pack up. I can't arrive later than that multiple dark-elf widow. Maybe we are lucky and her ship sank on its journey."

"What happened then?", the servant asked.

"Not much. We travelled to Neapoli and I cooked for her. Later we went back to Messana and I continued to cook for her. Sold the inn for a good price", Coquus finished his story. The servants stared at him with admiration. "Um, something I said?"

"How do you have such a good connection with the lady? She listens to you, you never worry about her. We thought you saved her life or something like that to earn your position."

Coquus laughed. It took him a while to recollect himself. A smile remained on his face. "I am sorry to inform you that there is no trick to make the lady listen to me. Nor is there a grand story of how I entered her employment. Sometimes things are just simple."

The cook stood up. "Now let us get to work. The mansion needs to be in perfect condition when our little lady returns. Go, go."

The servants scrambled away to start their workday. Some of them thought the cook's last words were a lie. There must be a reason why the lady listens to his advice. They would fail to find an answer.

"Yes. Right. That is better", Duvira said as the builders followed her instruction. It was good that she decided to arrive early. This was the foundation for a fountain and the adjacent bathhouse. Incorrect placement would mean more work for her when she has to connect them to the aqueducts.

The oldest of the builders looked up and spoke to her.

"My lady, I am not an artist. I am a craftsman. Is such precision really necessary?"

Duvira clicked her tongue. "That is incorrect. We are craftsmen and therefore we are artists as well. The only difference is that our art should be able to stand for centuries. And that is why we work proper and precise. Every step is to be controlled thrice. An error could throw us back several days."

The man grumbled but didn't refute. He continued to lay the foundation. Duvira also began to lend her hands. This had surprised the builders the most. Not only came the master-builder of the governor personally to supervise them, no, but she was also working herself. And it hurt their pride a bit that she was faster than some of the experienced pavers. But it was also a good motivation to not slack.

There were also two pavers that glared at Duvira with hate. Though she ignored them. They wouldn't dare to touch her. So she thought.

The group continued to lay the foundation for a few hours. Carefully controlling their process. Watching that the bricks were firmly planted in packs and in scale. A group of guards approached. Duvira noticed them and motioned the pavers to continue while she dealt with them.

"I didn't expect the master-builder herself to be here", Constantine emerged from the group of guards.

Duvira stared at the man. Not saying anything.

"Happy to see me?", he asked.

"What do you want?"

"Mainly I am here to bloat over my victory, but also to remind you of the rules."

"Your raven won. I would hardly consider it your victory. I don't need guards."

"You do", Constantine stated. His humorous tone disappeared. "You are a target and we can't risk your well being. Not with the current tension in the city."

"Fine. Next time I will take guards with me. Now go."

"No, you won't. You never do. I can't forgive myself if something happened to… it is my duty as warden to ensure the council members security", Constantine gestured to six of the men with him. "Those are from the inner guard. They will accompany you from now on. When you leave the Forum that is."

Duvira looked annoyed and angry at Constantine. "Say if I ask Lucius about this. Will he confirm it or will it turn out you acted on your own conviction?"

"It is part of my duty as warden..."

One of the builders sneaked up behind Duvira. The others deeply immersed in their work. Not giving their colleague any extra attention. The dwarf had her back to him.

"See, you yourself are not sure..."

Constantine pulled her forwards. His sword was drawn with the other hand. His gladius skillfully disarmed the builder. The trowel fell on the paved road. The builder tried to run away, but the guards quickly tackled him. Binding him with ropes and a gag.

"I told you", the warden said. "Bring the captive to the prison. Find out everything. You are free to use torture."

"A hit with a trowel would hardly kill..."

Something dropped from the trowel. Sizzling as it made contact with the bricks.

"...me."

"We go to Lucius. This is the first time one of us was targeted", Constantine stated. He pulled Duvira behind him. Holding her hand. It took the dwarf a few minutes to realize that fact. She quickly broke up their hands.

Thankfully Constantine couldn't see her red face.

"Thank you", she said. "I mean thank you for watching out for me."

"That is my duty as warden", he replied. "But if I had made my job properly such people shouldn't even be able to enter Roma."

The pair continued to head to the forum. They watched the residents passing them with tension. Expecting another attack.

Oakenshield and Brutii arrived at the forum. Heading directly to Lucius office.