Lea had been kept so busy recently, she had scarcely found a free hour to call her own. She therefore appreciated the moment of leisure she had found all the more. Though the current news from Rome's Adriatic Provinces could not exactly be called uplifting. Lea took a fortifying sip of wine, before reaching for the latest reports.

Sicilians and Macedonians, some time aided and abetted by Phrygians, Armenians and Phoenicians were running around at large across the Adriatic provinces. The Roman Legions were valiantly battling the attacs and had won a number of victories, but sometimes reinforcements had been unable to arrive in time and there had been some defeats, too. Unfortunately the pirates proved difficult to pin down for any decisive battle, but were proving elusive.

And currently – Lea nearly choked on the fig she had started to nibble on – the Sicilians were standing in Raszien, the province as whose praetor she had been appointed, after the Romans had temporarily abandoned Steiermark. History had a way of repeating itself it seemed, this looked to be the Steiermark affair all over again.

But, Lea reflected - while thoughtfully eyeing the array of cheeses laid out before her - at least that province was another nearly uninhabited one, few Romans cared to live in the shadow of the Macedonian castle.

And even the youngest of the Roman legionnaires stationed in those fought over provinces must currently be turning into battle hardened veterans in the space of just a few months.

Lea would have to get all the details of the battles, just as soon as those valiant legions returned.

Meanwhile a life devoted to naught but training and administration also had it's rewards, Lea thought, while deciding on a slice of Parmesan for her next ravages. All hail Rome's quartermasters and excellently organized supply trains. The pirates lacked these advantages of efficient Roman organization, Lea had heard, which however was at it should be of course. It would have been altogether too much, had the pirates managed to get hold of Rome's supply trains as well. As it was, they seemed to be living hand in mouth off the land.

Ah, it was good to be Roman, Lea thought, while turning her attention to an almond stuffed olive. The Romans knew not merely how to train and to fight, but also how to live well and to celebrate. Lea was already looking forward to the triumphal marches and festivities, that would surely be called once Rome's legions returned home from the Adriatic provinces and of hearing in detail all the tales the heroes would have to tell of the battles they had fought.