Agrippina slept for a long time. When she woke up, it took her a few moments to remember who and where she was.

She was in a small tent that contained nothing but the cot she occupied, and a low table where someone had laid out food. Next to her breakfast was a new and clean plain white cotton dress, and a pair of shoes.

There was no one else around, but she could hear voices from men outside. She stayed still where she was, and tried not to give any sign that she had woken up, in case someone was watching her in secret.

Gradually, she convinced herself that she didn’t have anything to be afraid of. She stretched and hopped out of bed.

First, she got dressed. Then she realized that she ought to make the bed she had just slept in before she did anything else. Only then did she feel comfortable sitting down to eat.

The food was cold, evidently someone expected her to wake up much sooner than she had. Agrippina didn’t particularly care whether it was warm or not. There was bacon and bread spread over with butter.

She devoured all of it the moment she had her hands on it.

When it was all over, she felt stuffed. Once she was finished eating though, she was left with a choice: to remain in the tent, or to go outside.

Her new owner might wish her to stay there, so that he knew where to find her if he wanted her. On the other hand, if she went out to find him and ask what he would like her to do, then maybe that would show him how anxious she was to please him, and he might appreciate her initiative.

But then she also might get in the way of something, or interrupt something, or otherwise mess things up if she went out to look for him.

Agrippina went back and forth on the matter.

She looked around the tent. It was very small, undecorated, and the cot had a straw mattress. For someone like her, it was luxurious. In her mind, that argued against her remaining where she was.

Agrippina made up her mind and stepped outside. Her new owner seemed very kind, and she wanted to make some positive sign to show him that she appreciated it. Even more, she wanted him to know that she didn’t just sit around and cry all the time.

Outside, the sun was high in the sky, from what she could see through the trees. So, it must have been near midday. There were several knights around. Some were moving purposefully, like they had a task, other just milled around talking to one another. She didn’t see any sign of camp followers. She also didn’t see her master anywhere.

Agrippina plucked up her courage, and approached one of the knights who seemed to just be loafing around. “Excuse me, Ser?”

The knight looked around, then flicked his gaze downwards to her. “I’m not a ‘ser’, little one. What do you want?”

“I’m looking for my master. Do you know where he is?”

“And just who is your master?”

“Um, he said his name was Cosimo. He’s the- b- uh-” She tried to think of what her old owner had called him.

“The Baron?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The knight – or rather, the not-knight – laughed. “The Baron’s much too busy to be bothered with you just now, little one. Why do you want him?”

“I’m here-” The whole situation seemed so strange now that she was asked to articulate it. “-because he rescued me and brought me here.”

The soldier stood up and positively towered over her. “Don’t lie to me, or I’ll cuff you. What are you doing here?”

Agrippina could see that things were going very wrong. She already wished that she had stayed where she was. “I’m not lying, Ser- I mean… Not-Ser, but… I’m telling you the truth.”

She looked around for something or someone that might help her. Then she spied the barbarian who followed them as the rode back from her old owner’s camp.

“The barbarian, he followed us. He knows I’m telling the truth.” She pointed at him

“Well?” The soldier called out.

The barbarian acted as though he hadn’t heard anything, and the soldier tried again. “Adolfus!”

The barbarian turned his head lazily from his cups towards them. “Hermm?”

“Girl says you can vouch for her.”

“That one?” Adolfus craned his head forwards and made a show of looking at her very hard. “Never seen her before.”

“But-?” Agrippina couldn’t understand why he wasn’t telling the truth. “But it’s not so. He’s lying.”

“Alright, I’m taking you back to the other refugees and you can find whoever takes care of you.”

“But I don’t have anyone who takes care of me.”

The soldier picked her up and put her over his shoulder. “Someone will look after you. If I catch you in the camp again, you’ll get a lashing.”

Agrippina tried to wriggle free, but she was held fast. “You did ride here with us! Tell him, please!”

She could barely see for the tears running down her face, but the barbarian only watched him take her away.

How could this be happening? Why did she leave the tent? Why? Why?

“Wait!” Adolfus called out, and the soldier turned, so that Agrippina could no longer see the barbarian. “Actually, that little runt was with us. I forgot.”

“Gods, Adolfus. It could have been my head, if I threw some girl he took a shine to out of the camp.” The soldier put her back down. “You can deal with her then.” He pushed Agrippina in the barbarian’s direction.

She walked over indignantly as Adolfus drained the bitter dregs of his last drink. “Where is our master?” she asked.

“I have no master, runt. The Baron is consulting with Ser Octavio.”

“Take me to him, please.”

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“Why should I?”

“You did ride with us. You lied to that soldier to get me into trouble.”

“Runt, I don’t remember anything before an hour ago.”

“Why did you stop him then?”

“Felt sorry for you, I suppose.”

“Well, then. Please help me find my master.”

“Hermm. Fine, runt.”

The barbarian stood up and waved for her to follow him. He took her through the tents and people. So escorted, she was not halted again. They walked through the camp, and then out to where the number of tents and trees began to thin, and eventually to a small town on the edge of the forest.

It was really more of a village than a town, Agrippina thought as they entered it. From the looks of the houses and such, it must have been home to less than a hundred people under normal circumstances.

These, however, were not normal circumstance for the small town. There were dozens and dozens of soldiers everywhere she looked.

The two of them made their way towards an inn in the center of the town, which appeared to be its only distinguishing feature. Above the door was a sign, bearing the image of a lion with a golden mane, sleeping on top of a bed of roses.

The roses thorns surely would have made it very uncomfortable to lay that way, but it was just a picture, so Agrippina didn’t let it bother her.

Inside were more soldiers, and in the center of the room, Agrippina saw her new owner sitting at a table. There were three other people there with him.

On his side sat the middle-aged knight who had been ordered to count her old owner’s ransom.

On the other side was a knight in a suit of full plate armor, which must have been terribly heavy and uncomfortable to wear. He sat on the edge of the bench, with a leg on either side as though he were riding a horse.

Next to him was a beautiful young woman with long reddish brown hair, which reminded Agrippina of the great big redwood trees in the forest. She wore a long dress like the color of dried pine needles. She was even prettier than Agrippena’s mother, who until that point, had been the most beautiful woman Agrippina knew. The most striking feature about her was that she wore a breast plate, one crafted specifically to fit a woman’s shape. On the left side, over the heart, was emblazoned a pretty little bird in front of a big tree.

Agrippina would have liked a better look at it, but she didn’t dare approach them.

It was obvious to look at her that she was a great lady, and she was in an important conference with Agrippina's new owner. Agrippina would have liked to hear what they were saying, but the inn was much too crowded and noisy for that.

Then to her horror, she heard the barbarian bellow out, “Boss! I brought a girl for you! Gods, but it’s loud in here. Boss!”

Agrippina grabbed him by the hand and yanked it as hard as she could, which in comparison to the barbarian, was not really very hard at all. “Be quiet! He’ll hear you!”

“That’s the idea, runt.” The barbarian tried to raise a hand to attract their owner’s attention, but she jumped to hold it and attempt to restrain him. Fortunately, no one at the central table had noticed the disturbance they were causing yet.

“No, you can’t! It’s too dangerous!”

“Spirits and ancestors! First you want me to bring you to him, and now you want to hide from him.”

“We mustn’t disturb our owner while he’s conducting important business. It’s plain that’s a very great and highborn lady he’s with. It’s not our place to interrupt them.”

“I could give a god’s damn about who’s great and highborn. I just want you out of my beard. Boss!”

This time, the exclamation did catch their owner’s attention, but only because he was already facing them as he stood up from the table.

Agrippina was terrified that he would be angry, but when he saw them, he smiled and knelt down so that he was on a height with her. He held out his hands towards her.

Agrippina was so relieved that he wasn’t cross – and so anxious to forestall any anger that might arise – she immediately forgot any sort of propriety. She closed the distance between them as quickly as her legs could carry her, and buried her face in his doublet.

“Your daughter, I presume?” Agrippina realized the great lady was watching them and kept her face hidden.

“My Lucretia is staying safe in the city with her maternal grandparents. This is a girl we liberated from the household of the Imperial Kefaliya.”

“The scrawny thing is awfully familiar with her betters, isn’t she?”

Her new owner still held her close, but Agrippina pulled herself away.

Once she was free, Agrippina gave a deep curtsy to the Lady. “I’m very sorry, my Lady. Please forgive me.”

“She’s only a child, Stirba.”

The Lady Stirba raised her hand. “And children require discipline.” Agrippina thought she might strike her, but the Lady Stirba was only adjusting the strap of her breastplate. “In the interests of our newly formed friendship, I will leave that discipline to your discretion.”

The Lady Stirba turned and walked away.

As she did so, she spoke – ostensibly to her companion in the plate mail – but loud enough that anyone else who cared to listen could overhear as well. “She looks like a wild animal. Let us hope that our new friend the Baron does not clutch her too close to his breast, only to find her rabid.”

Agrippina watcher her depart.

Once the Lady Stirba was gone, she heard her new owner murmur in a low voice, “What a charming woman.” Then she felt his arms around her again, and her new owner hoisted her up into the air. “And what are you doing here, Agrippina?”

“When I woke up, I didn’t know what you wanted me to do, master.”

“I’m not your master, Agrippina. I told you before, my name is Cosimo. Or ‘my Lord’ if you really insist on using titles.”

Agrippina wrapped her own arms around him. “Oh. As you wish, my Lord. What would you like me to do for you? I’m sorry I slept so long, my Lord. But I was so very tired, and I promise that I won’t ever let it happen again.”

“Why should I need you to do anything for me?”

Agrippina wasn’t certain what her new owner meant, but he was so wonderful and kind that not knowing didn’t even make her afraid. “What should I be doing then?”

His Lordship carried her out of the inn. “I suppose there aren’t any children around the camp for you to play with, but I’m sure we could find some around the village if we looked.”

“I want to help you, my Lord.”

"You do, eh? Well, why don’t we go to see Father Marius and his acolytes need any help at the field hospital, why don’t we?”

The middle-aged knight was waiting with their horses. His Lordship put her on the horse first, and then mounted behind her. The three of them passed by the barbarian traveling on foot as they all went back towards the camp.

They came to a stop beside the hospital, much as they had the previous day. Her new owner dismounted them both, and called over the priest. “This little one wishes to assist your acolytes in their duties.”

Agrippina was put in charge of carrying a basin of water for the acolyte nurse who helped her the previous day. It was easy, and she was only working a few hours before his Lordship returned and told her that he was taking her to dinner.

They ate dinner in his private tent with the other members of his council. They had plates of all sorts of food like sardines and carrots, or asparagus and anchovies. She sat on the Baron's knee again, while the council discussed important business.

Now that the Imperial armies had been defeated, King Louis was certain to now emerge victorious in the War of the Bastards. The Velian capitol city of Vermillion had been put under total siege.

Agrippina didn't know what any of that meant. She knew that she was an Imperial, or at least she used to be. But his Lordship was on the other side, with the Republic. She liked him much better then anyone on her own side, so she was glad they had won the war.

Now that Stirba had secured her own power in Shadowtree after the death of her cousin, she was courting an alliance with Baron Claudius the Large. Baron Cosimo was concerned, but he also wasn't sure the union was long to last.

When the council meeting was over, his Lordship asked Agrippina if she wanted to go on a walk with him, and she agreed right away. He didn't carry her, but Agrippina walked beside him and held his hand.

A fortune teller had arrived nearby, and his Lordship wanted to visit her because he had heard her powers were proven to be genuine. Agrippina had never seen a fortune teller before, but she had heard about them and was very excited to see a real one.

The diviner had a big purple tent with lots of pretty silver trim everywhere. Inside a high elven woman sat beside a table bearing a crystal ball. The room smelled strongly of incense.

She spoke the moment they entered. "Come in and sit down, my friends. I'm sorry Baron, but your matter shall need to wait. The news is dark, and you won't wish the child to overhear it."

His Lordship looked startled by her words. Something about the woman made Agrippina shiver, and she tried to hide behind him.

The fortune teller continued. "However, there is something I must tell to the little one first. Come here, child. Don't be afraid, and I will tell you a secret that will bring your mother back to you. I promise that both of you will be safe and happy together for one jubilee if you do as I say."

A jubilee was seven whole years. Agrippina could hardly imagine being safe and happy for so long, and she wanted to see Mother again so badly, that she went towards the woman at once. She looked back at Baron Cosimo, but he was so shocked he didn't stop her.

The fortune teller leaned forwards and began to whisper into her ear. "Now listen to me very carefully, Agrippina. And remember all I tell you for when the time comes..."