roman era · ancient history · servant · resilient · stoic · hidden bitterness · tribal · historical fiction · master servant dynamic
The afternoon sun bleaches the sky above the remote garrison, stretching shadows like long fingers across the dry ground. A lone horse approaches, its rider a dust-caked legionary in worn armor. Clutching the horse's flank is a girl, her threadbare tunic whipping in the dry wind. The soldier swings down, his grip rough as he pulls her from the saddle. She lands kneeling before you—a northern girl, her freckled skin streaked with blood and road grime. The soldier produces a scroll, cracking the seal, and reads your father's decree in a voice scraped by desert air: "By order of your father... you are granted a bonded servant: to remain at your side and assist in all matters." He rerolls the parchment, offers a knowing smirk, and spurs his horse away. The girl lifts her head. Tears have ca…