A/N: First part of Lauretia's backstory. Will continue in next chapter.. It could have been more detailed but I wanted to keep this story relatively short. Hope that you still like it. Any review is again appreciated.

Chapter 4

Slowly I let myself glide in to the hot and comforting water. The liquid was engulfing me like a warm blanket, shielding me from the brutal reality. I felt my muscles relaxing for the first time in weeks. I had no idea how much I was in need for a real bathe. As a slave I wasn't used to the luxuries and comforts I'd enjoyed here in the villa. I haven't felt as well and free for a very long time. For once in my life I had luck. At least I thought I did. Bo was so kind and wonderful and I wondered for how long. I was sure that soon all the pleasantries would be gone when she got bored of me. Wasn't it the way every roman acted? I was a plaything, chattel, something to dispose of when not needed any longer. But was Bo really like this? Her words... Her actions felt genuine. Her concern and longing were more than pure lusting after a body... There was more and I wasn't quite sure what it was. She evoked feelings inside me I never knew existed. Foreign but welcome feelings were pulsing through my veins, turning my mind in to a blurry mess.

How could such a perfect specimen exist? Her entire being was drawing me in. Her smell, the way her body moved, her voice... everything was touching a part in me, stimulating it in a way I didn't know it was able to. My mind warned me. I shouldn't trust her. I shouldn't trust anybody especially not some roman nobility, but something told me that she was different. She didn't seem to have this superiority complex like all the others. She treated me like... like an equal. She appreciated what I did and didn't just took it for granted. I came to accept my fate over the years. The fight long gone after countless throwbacks and punishments. It was a miracle that I was still alive after the things I had done. Things somebody else had to pay the price for. That day I gave in. Became the slave they've always wanted. Obedient and shallow. My reason to keep going was taken from me that day and there wasn't one waking hour I didn't regret my actions. I couldn't risk anybody else getting hurt because of me.

But now... being freed, being treated like a real human being again was loosening my confinements. Thoughts long suppressed were about to surface and the coldness that surrounded my heart was melting away. I was scared of the outcome, of her intentions. I was scared that she could be the death of me but in this moment, right here, right now I took the liberty to forget. Just for once. Forget about my past, the present, the future. I was desperately clinging at the feeling that was flooding my entire body.

I smirked slightly when I caught her eyes taking in my naked form. She averted her look quickly and blushed at being caught. It was so sweet and endearing that my heart was about to burst through my chest. There was a desire inside me. The desire to pull her close, to feel her naked skin against mine again. It had felt so right and wonderful being that close to her. Hearing her slightly agitated heartbeat, the heat that was rising up in her at something simple like a touch. I ached for more. I wanted to feel her lips on mine, her strong hands exploring my sensitive flesh. I wanted to fall with her in to a spiral of passion and desire but knew that we neither could nor should.

It would just complicate things. I was her servant and she was my mistress. I wasn't a courtesan and would never be. I had to stay strong. I had to keep away from her no matter how wonderful and free she made me feel.

Freedom... An illusion in the roman empire. Everybody was a prisoner in their own kind. Physically or kept by their own traditions nobody was free to do what they wanted. The only place I'd ever felt free was back home. I missed the woods, the simple but pure life. A life that beautiful that my father stayed. I still remembered the story my mother had told me. I always brushed it off as too romantic but inside I longed for a love story like theirs. My father was a centurio. A young and promising soldier in the roman army. Full of adventure stories he wanted to live through them himself. Being the oldest son of an influential senator he was free to choose his destination. He decided to go to Britannia, why? I didn't know. He just said that it sounded interesting. I had to smirk inertly. My father had always been the carefree man that acted before thinking.

He ended up in a small scouting party. I needed to tell you that he tended to be a bit clumsy and lost in his own world. So it wasn't a surprise when he got separated from his men while he followed a squirrel through the woods. Eyes fixed on the tree tops he didn't see snares and traps set on the ground. He fell in to a spear hole. A thick wooden shaft pierced through his chest and he believed he would bleed to death in there. Fortunately Bran and Drust found him whimpering like baby. For the two experienced hunters it was their first meeting with a roman soldier. Curious they pulled him out and brought him to their village. It didn't look good for him and they expected him to die any day but he was to stubborn to just let go. While the others had already given up it was my mother who stayed at his side. She treated his wound and tended to his every need to the dismay of her father. He didn't trust my father, expected him to be spy of some sorts.

The growing infection was about to kill him but my mother didn't give up. She tried different herbs, concoctions and techniques and eventually he survived the long fight. He became stronger from day to day and he stayed. Actually he never left. He learned their language and fell in love. A love where I was a product of. Leviticus, my fathers name, proved himself worthy over the time and became a member of our clan. He was the one who taught me Latin and Greek, to write and read... He taught me the ways of life in the roman empire while my mother showed me the ways of our clan, trained me to become the next druid.

I was loved and protected. This was the world I knew and I had no desire to ever leave it. No matter how interesting my fathers stories were... This was my home, this was where I belonged to. I didn't need any of those luxuries My father was always talking about. I didn't need exotic food or bath houses. I didn't need theater or gladiator fights to entertain myself. I didn't need a fake world that was stuck in their traditions, a world where a single being meant nothing and personality was a curse.

Despite some struggles in the winter we survived and were happy. Obviously too happy for the fates.

The day everything had changed was still burned in to my mind like it was yesterday...

I was thirteen years of age and just went through the ceremony to become a woman. My body had changed over last few moons and had developed female curves. I was so excited to be finally a full member of the clan. Not long and I'd become a real druid. I was strolling through the woods and enjoyed the warm spring breeze. After the long and cold winter I was welcoming the first warmth of the year. I had decided that day to restock our healing supplies. I knew every tree, every stone and every bush around here. While a stranger would get lost I knew my way around here. I was quick and determined. I had to get what I needed before the sun went down. It took longer than I anticipated but I finally reached the small clearing. Relieved that the things I needed still grew here I pulled out my first dagger my father gave me after the ceremony. The blade was sharp and elegant and beyond anything I had ever seen among the clan members. Was it his own once or did he travel to one of the far settling of his former people? I hope it was the former. The latter was way to dangerous. Being recognized, even after that many years, they'd stone him to death. He was a deserter after all.

I used the knife to cut some of the needed herbs and stashed them in my satchel. It was already late and I had to get back soon so I made my way back in a fast pace.

Just before I reached my home I saw and smelled it. Fire.. and something else... Screams of agony were echoing in the distance. My stomach turned when I recognized the smell. Burning flesh. Panic was creeping up inside me. The sound and the smoke they came from the village. No... please...

I ran as fast as I could just to stop in front of my home or rather the ashes of it. My eyes went wide when I saw the scorched corpses lying in between. They were burned beyond all recognition but my heart already knew the answer. I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I looked around and saw that nothing was left. The houses all burned to the ground, void of any living.

Something inside me broke at that moment. Who was capable of doing this?There was peace between the clans. Others appreciated our knowledge to heal and always stayed on the right side with us. Maybe the roman empire? But why were they here? They had never crossed path with us. We lived far from their compound... At least I thought we did. There was no reason for a fight no reason for such a destruction and death. We were a diplomatic clan using violence only as a last resort. What could have happened to cause all this?

My tears were now streaming freely down my face. My insides hurt in a way I never knew they were capable of. It became difficult for me to breath. "Drust! Eithne! Anyone!" I screamed desperately but got no answers. Screams... I heard screams not long ago.. There had to be someone...

Frantically I ran around but only found burned houses and grass. Flames were still flaring and made it difficult to see. The smoke was burning in my lungs when I kept searching. I stumbled through the remains until I stumbled over something. I wished I didn't look but I did. I emptied my stomach next to the bloody corpse that was once my father. His eyes were still wide in shock. His hands clung to his gladius. He must have tried to defend the village but failed. A long pilum was raging out of his chest and his skin was marred with sword strokes.

"No... No..." I whimpered and stroke his fuzzy cheek. "Come on father... You can't be dead..." I cried. His body was still warm and his blood was still seeping out of his wounds. "There is so much you have to tell me..." but his look stayed blank.

Then suddenly I heard footsteps. "Keep looking you imbeciles. There have to be more. If I want to impress the old man we need more and younger ones" His voice was deep and commanding. Scared I tried to hide behind a group of trees and listened. Maybe I could find out if at least some were still alive. They had to be...

"Are you sure you should call the consul old man, lupus?" Lupus? Wolf?

"Don't worry. He will never know and we are good friends..."

"As you say..."

"How many do we have?" The Wolf asked.

"Three young women... four middle aged and one senile... I took care of the last one. She would have been a burden." I felt my blood turning cold. The only older woman was my grandmother. Those bastards. My hands turned to fists almost drawing blood. I had to control my anger and pain or they would find me. But... would that be that bad? What was left? The village destroyed the others... gone? Where should I go? The other villages? They'd probably ravage them too. I could give up, fight so that I'd might save some but I wasn't a fighter and too weak to find any chance in a open fight with those soldiers.

"That are not enough. You really there aren't more? When I want to impress him I need some more... fresh meat if you know what I mean" The Wolf grinned. I gulped down the big lump in my throat.

The other soldier hollered at that. "You think we could have some fun before delivering?" He grabbed his crotch and I flinched disgusted.

The Wolfs smile faltered and his eyes turned to slits. "No! I won't let you defile the women. They might be lesser but don't deserve that." Oh he was noble now? After burning down my home and killing in cold blood?

"But..." The soldier tried.

"No! You touch them and I'll kill you in a heartbeat. I want them to be pure. If I want to have a chance to marry his granddaughter I need the girls to be in the best possible state."

"You are still pining after that rebellious girl... Good luck with that..."

"I think we got everyone." Another soldier said. Other men followed him. "Oh no..." I breathed. One of them dragged my mother after him. Don't you dare laying a hand on her . Despite everything she must have went through she didn't look defeated. She stood tall and strong in front of the man. That is the mother who raised me but I was scared for her because I doubted that that was the right approach right now.

"Why did you do this?" Her voice was cold. Eyes fixing the wolf with hatred and disgust.

He just smirked at her. "Oh who would have thought one of the savages can speak our language? Did somebody train you like a good little pet you savages really are?" He laughed and his men chimed in. How could he call us savages after everything he did? He was the barbaric, murdering savage not us.

I saw the anger flaring up in my mother while I was still paralyzed. I wanted to help her, run to her, free her but fear kept me in place. The instinct to survive didn't let me run to them no matter how much I wanted to.

"You call yourselves civilized but are nothing more than predators in shiny armors. Killing and stealing what doesn't belong to you. Suppressing and threatening those who despise your ways. You are filth, a disease to the land!" She spat at his feet.

His amused look quickly turned in to rage. He quickly closed the space between them. Towering over my mother he wanted to demonstrate his dominance but failed. My mother wasn't impressed and looked him smug in the eyes. What are you doing mother? He will kill you

"Feisty and annoying... I would love to kill you but you are to valuable... But you won't need your tongue where you are going." He grinned. "Hold her tight and cut out her sharp tongue. Let's see how superior she feels when she can't talk..."

"No!" I screamed and ran forwards. Every concern forgotten. All that mattered was to safe my mother. I grabbed for the small clay pot on my belt and threw it in to the still burning flames. The bang was loud and a bright light was blinding everyone looking in to it.

"Get that girl!" The Wolf barked unable to see. I used that moment to get to my mother and lead her away.

"Laurentia run!" She begged me but I didn't listen.

"I'll save you. You and the others"

"Oh I don't think so..." I heard a deep voice behind me. A heavy blow and the world around me turned black and a life of pain and loneliness was about to start. From that moment I was a slave until Bo freed me.

"Is everything alright Laurentia?" I almost jumped at her soft touch on my shoulder. I must have spaced out for a while, kept in my memories.

I nodded. "Ye...Yes mistress." She was so close to me that it was difficult not to act on my urges. It would be so easy to give in now. But I couldn't. I had to do something first. I promised it and I swore I would avenge her and nothing was going to distract me from it. Especially not now when I was so close to my goal.

But looking in her deep brown orbs full of affection and honesty made it difficult. Wouldn't a bit of happiness no matter how short it might be worth it? Was I even able to feel like that again? Should I open myself or would that endanger my plan?

I couldn't deny the strong pull she had on me, but why? Why did she have that effect on me? Exploring her eyes I felt a familiarity I hadn't felt for many years. Almost like... No that was not possible... She couldn't be her. Unbelieving my eyes scanned over her naked torso and my breath hitched at my throat when I saw that birthmark. How could I have overseen it? Was I to lovestruck, to passion filled to see it? I looked again in the hope that it just had a slight resemblance but the shape was exactly like the one I remembered.

"Ignea?" I breathed and I saw her eyes widen.

A/N: Ignea: Kind of a nickname in ancient rome. Used playfully and means as much as: fiery, hot, wild, burning.