The years passed by and Jessica was four years old now, she was able to do many things for herself now and required much less looking after. Markus decided it was time to reopen the school, the household needed the income and it would just be a matter of hiring a nursemaid for his daughter. He decided to find the local servant broker houses, and give them the requirements of the job. The main home was owned by Theron, Markus had heard this name before and went out with his young daughter in tow, to seek him out. Markus spotted him easily against the crowd. A man from a far off land, he dressed strangely by the standards of the Impire. Theron seemed to give no heed to this difference though, concerned only with his work and the wealth it brought him.

“A tribesman who wears animal furs, there is no mistaking him”

That is what he had always heard about the man. Markus wandered the market for some time looking for the house and the man he had been told to look for. Markus smiled to himself as he saw him, and knew that indeed that was the only description needed for anyone to find the man. The man stood as tall as Markus and like his tribesman heritage possessed a dark complexion and moderate frame. He was easy to spot in any crowd with just s simple loincloth of fur and a large single cheetah hide hung over his back and shoulders, he was barefoot and wore small pieces of bead and feather jewelry on his fingers and neck. A strong contrast to the toga wearing crowds about him. He interacted with everyone as one of them with no regard for the difference in dress. As Markus approached him and extended his hand toward the man his hand was met by Theron who quickly spoke before Markus could say a word. “The great Markus Verotis, so nice to meet you.” Theron spoke in an accent Markus had only heard a few times before, definitely tribal.

“How do you know me?”

“Ah ha ha,” the man's voice boomed, “ The whole city knows who you are. But it is my job in particular to know who people are. What can I do for you?”

“ I am in need of a caretaker for my daughter.” he said lifting the other hand slightly that was grasped tightly by the small hand of his daughter who stood wide eyed at the strange looking man before her.

“I see,” Theron said as he looked down at the child and gave her a big smile.” and do you have nay special requirements for the caretaker?”

“Not particularly, a woman that has experience with children especially with girls who is willing to take this on as a long term job.”

“ And what about you little lady? What do you want your caretaker to be like?” Theron said as he went down on one knee to bring himself closer to the eye level with the child who quickly withdrew to behind her father's leg when approached in such a way.

She did not answer but only stood there silently peaking out from behind her father.

“Guess she is a little shy,” Theron said and stood to face Markus again.

“ How would you have it arranged?”

“Find me a could candidates and send them to my villa, so that I can pick from amongst them.

What is your fee broker?”

“First let me see what I can find and we can discuss it when it is done.”

With that the men parted ways, Markus with Jessica at his side wandered back into the market to pick up a few things on there way back home. To his surprise as he walked up to the house there were three women waiting at the gate that when asked said they were sent by Theron. He led them inside and sat them at a table and sat Jessica in a corner of the room with a few of her wooden toys and told her to play by herself for a little while. She seemed contented with her toys as Markus sat at the table with the ladies. He quickly began to question them about their experience with children and their skills they had just begun to respond when a servant usured in several more women who said they were there for the caretaker position. He sat them too at the table and began asking the questions again. There was quite a few of them now and Markus continuously kept an eye out on little Jessica, by looking through the gap between a couple of the women. She looked to be happy playing with her toys. He returned to his conversation taking note of any who gave him answers he liked. The conversation brought to silence suddenly by a fit of Jessica's laughter. Markus leaned in his seat to see what had brought this on. There she was in her corner and a small figure squatted down next to her a toy in her hand that she was puppeteering for the child. Markus leaned back in his chair and continued his questions. Shortly after he noticed the the same young woman walking into the next room being led by one outstretched hand by the four year old. Returning after a few minutes with a small plate of food. They sat in Jessica's little area in the corner of the room as Jessica ate. When she finished the young lady took the plate back to the kitchen then returned to play with Jessica. Markus continued to ask questions of the continually growing group of ladies. He regularly would halt the conversation and lean to check on his daughter. A couple of the women began to get visually frustrated with the interruptions to the interview whenever he would stop to watch the two. Markus was coming to the end of the questions he could thing to ask when little Jessica walked up to him and put her hand on her dad's arm She knew better that to interrupt her dad but she knew she would get his attention soon enough. When he had found a stopping point he quickly turned in his chair to hear what his daughter wanted.

“Yes, my daughter”

“Father, what are you doing?”

“Trying to find someone who can watch you when I have work that I have to do”

“Oh, are they gonna be my friend?”

“That is the hope my daughter”

“Can she be my friend?” Jessica asked pointing her little finger in the direction of the one young lady who had been sitting with her, who then quickly bowed her head at the little girls words.

“Did she ask you to say that? Tell me the truth Jessica” he put his finger under her chin and made sure her eyes met his so he could tell the truth of it.

“No Father, she is nice, I want her to be my friend.”

“Young lady” Markus shouted motioning the woman over. She stood with a start and walked shyly over to the group of people. Markus stood and she stopped right in front of him, her eyes affixed to the floor. Markus looked her over, She was small and short, with scarlet hair all together she appeared very young to him.

“I have been watching you, you have come about a job and yet don't come to the table to interview, why?”

“There were so many I uh... Just thought....” her voice trailing off to silence.

“Just thought what?!!!” his voice booming, The young woman shook and cowered slightly appearing visually smaller than she had a moment ago.

“Well?” He said after a few seconds,

“She looked alone and I thought I would play with her.” she said in barely more than a whisper.

“You also went into my kitchen and took food, what do you have to say for yourself?”

“Father” Jessica interrupted “ I was hungry and asked her to have lunch with me.”

“Quiet Daughter, I would have her answer for her own actions.” he said both to his daughter at his side as well as to the woman in front of him.

“The girl was hungry so I got her some food.”

“And you think giving children whatever they want is the way to handle them?”

“No Sir” she retorted back, she had spoken louder than she intended and quieted again before continuing, “she said she had not eaten since morning and as it is past midday I thought it best to feed her.”

“You thought it best to go into my kitchen and take food without permission because my daughter hadn't eaten?”

The young woman shuffled her weight back and forth trying to figure out how to answer him.

“Would you sidestep my authority over this house in order to make sure this little girl is taken care of?”

“If I have to, in order to make sure she is taken care of I would sidestep your commands if I thought it was in her best interest to do it.” the young lady firming up and sticking to her behavior.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Very well then.” Markus said, quickly looking to the other ladies in the room, “how man of you would do the same?” A small murmur of disagreement came up from the group.

“You start tomorrow morning, I assume you were told this is a live in job, We will settle on the exact wages in the morning.”

The other applicants glared at the young lady.

“Do not be that way toward her, She put the care of my child above everything even the employment itself and that is what I want.”

As the ladies filed out some gave the young woman some passing glances, she shrunk back not sure how to react to them. Markus just smiled. They were all jealous of her for getting the job they had all wanted and had been trying hard to get during the long interview.

She was the last in the room when all the other ladies had gone. Markus stood next to his daughter who had been standing there watching the proceedings since she had come up to her father. A small smile almost sinister, spread across her face.

“So what is your name young lady?”

“Sara is my name sir.”

“Markus Verotis, and this is my daughter Jessica, now is there anything you require?”

“I do not believe so , will you be requiring my service any more tonight?”

“I don't think we will, I am capable of taking care of her for a little while by myself,” he said jokingly.

“When would you have me arrive in the morning, sir?”

“As soon as it is light is fine and be sure to bring your basic things with you, you may fetch the rest of your things as you have need of them.”

Sara turned to leave and Markus set about the work for the rest of the day preparing the food for himself and for his daughter's evening meal and making sure the quarters for Sara were being readied. The sparsely furnished roomed seemed sufficient but with all that had occurred he had failed to ask the young lady what kind of lifestyle she was accustomed to or expected. Just another thing he would have to sort out in the morning.

As dawn began to break Markus was woken by a knocking at the gate. He quickly dressed to meet whoever was at the door, it was Sara.

“A little early aren't you?

“I am sorry I was just so nervous, to see you I mean Jessica that I headed over as early as I could.”

“She is still asleep and will be for a while I suspect, I see you have your things.” Markus reached out and took the bag off the ground and the other off of the young woman's shoulder, “Follow me” He said as he led her through the house to the room he had set aside. She looked around the room as Markus sat the bags in the corner. “No one has occupied these quarters since my wife died, as such there may be some things that you may require. Let me know what you need and we can work something out.”

“Do you think about Jullianna a lot?”

“Yes, I miss her and I didn't have the little one I don't know what purpose I would have left in this world.”

“Everyone misses her, Does Jessica know about her?”

“Only what I have told her, She knows that I loved her mother and miss her and I think she realized that she is gone.”

“Speaking of which,” Markus stopped himself as he hear the sounds of tiny sandled feet, wandering around the house. “Daughter, I am in here, with the new “friend” you wanted.” The patter of feet increased as she rushed into the room where they were, quickly stopping once she reached the entry.

“Good Morning to you father, Hi Sara.” the little girl said as properly as she had been taught to.

Sara waved then squatted down to the little girl's height, Jessica rushed over and Sara took her by the hand. “Are you ready for breakfast little one?”

“Yes, What are we having?”

“I think I can figure something out from what you have.”

The two girls rushed off to the kitchen and Markus was left standing alone in the room. He felt alone for the first time in a long time. He had always had his daughter there for the last several years, depending on him, waiting on her, or waiting for her. She had only just left the room and already he missed her. He want past the kitchen and saw the two working on preparing something. He grabbed a piece of fruit for himself and went to get ready, the first crop of students he had had in several years was set to be an army in a few hours and he had to get the place ready and get himself ready, he hadn't taught since the death of his wife.

He ate his fruit and went to the courtyard and began warming up with some lax swings to get himself ready. He went about checking the equipment. He heard Sara in the house calling Jessica's name he thought it best to see what the commotion was all about.

He found Sara in a state of near panic.

“She was right here, Sir. I don't know where she could have gone to, I looked in the kitchen, in her room, my room I have called for her several times, I don't know where she went.”

They headed off to see where she could be, the slightest pang of fear inside Markus. He found Jessica walking down the stairs very slowly taking each stair one at a time with one small hand on the wall as she came down.

“What were you doing up there young lady?”

“Watching you Father, I can see you good from the balcony.”

“Just like your mother,” Markus whispered under his breath. “you scared Sara she didn't know where you were.”

“I am sorry, Sara I didn't mean it.”

“Its ok Jessica, you need to tell me before you wander off”

“I will”

“Sorry to disturb you Sir. “

As Markus returned to the training area the students were starting to gather at the gate. He gathered them up and began explaining how the school would work and what was expected out of each of them.

The men were in formation and following Markus' lead with some basic movements when he noticed a few of them were distracted by something. As he continued he noticed them bumping into each other and one of them moved the wrong direction and collided with another sending one crumpling to the ground.

“You stop concentrating in the field and you are gonna die! what has all of your attention?”

“The women watching us.” one answered.

Markus took two steps back from the balcony and sure enough little Jessica was peering through the slats in the balcony and Sara was standing beside her watching the group.

“My daughter and her new caregiver, They both live here and either may chose to watch us, do not let it disturb you.”

“How did you get her to be a caregiver for your daughter? She certainly has no need of money, she typically avoids men all together why would she decide to live here when she would be exposed to all of us.”

“What is it you mean by that?”

“I know her, everyone in the political circles knows her, Her name is Sara her family and the Casius were close. But a few years ago she basically shut herself off from men all together she is an attractive young woman and every male caller she received was sent away.”

“Rejected and now telling stories of a woman that didn't want you, is that it boy?” Markus chided

A bout of laughter exploded from the group and as they all settled down back to training. As they continued through the day Markus would occasionally check and for the most part they both stayed up there Jessica had brought a few of her toys up to the balcony where she played and watched her father. Sara disappeared now and then inside to retrieve things for Jessica.

When the trainees were gone Markus put some of the equipment away and headed inside only to be met at the door by little Jessica.

“Father did you have fun with your friends?”

“They aren't my friends they are my students, I have to teach them things just as I must teach you things.”

“Like what, Father?”

“I have to teach them how to fight and fight well, how to plan, how to command other men, And you my daughter I must teach to be kind and graceful, and smart, I will teach you to do what is right, always just like your mother would have.”

“Does that mean I am not your friend, Father, because you ave to teach me?” her face suddenly saddened at the thought. Markus knelt down and swept up the child in his arms.

“No silly child, I am your friend, I am also your father, and being your father will take priority. I love you Jessica and I am going to do my best to help you grow up to be a great woman.”

“I love you too father,” the grimace on her face replaced with a smile, the wrigh smile only small children can have, hiding all the possibilities of the world.

They went inside and set about preparing the evening meal together, Sara ate in her room leaving the Father and Daughter to eat in the main dining room together.

“So how do you like Sara?”

“She is nice, We were on the ba – bal we were above you watching you today, did you see us?”

“Yes I did. Why didn't you play inside it is much nicer and cooler inside.”

“I wanted to watch you, Father.”

“Well at least thing about playing inside would you my daughter? I think you would find it nicer inside.” Even as he prodded her he was determined to let her choose her own way, there was already so much of her mother in her. He wanted her to become who she wanted to become as well as a dignified woman of upstanding character.