Little was known in Rome about the tribe of the Goths, except that they led a relatively quiet life in the far north, ruled by the wise Archon Vana Runedottir. And while that tribe had never been close friends to Rome, Rome had not had any trouble with this tribe either.

But recently many Romans had been disturbed to find messages on their doorsteps from one Bato II of the Goths, a warrior, who, it was said, had not been born to the Goths, but rather had emigrated to that tribe from parts unknown. No one had seen how the messages had arrived.

Lea herself would not have taken any special interest in the doings of the Goths, had not that nation thrust itself into her awareness by these messages. Lea had been the personal recipient of not one, but three such messages.

The messages asked, why the Romans lived in Rome, actually implying that Romans might want to leave Rome to join some far off tribe, presumably the Goths.

The mind boggled. Why on earth would any sensible Roman want to leave their luxurious villas or comfortable apartments in the city of Rome, the congenial company of the other Romans, the rousing discussions of philosophers, citizens and senators in the Roman Forum, the opportunity of a glorious career in the Roman Legions, which, as everyone knew, were the greatest armies in the world?

That person leaving those messages showed a lot of presumption. But at least the affair was not a total waste, good parchment was expensive, and most Romans found good use for a sheet of parchment after cutting off the crabby little message at the top.

Further inquiry from various travelers to the Northlands revealed, that that Bato II had joined the Goths with the stated intention of only using the Goths as a waystation towards his "destiny" and was now reported to be stirring up dissent amongst the Goths.

The reports sounded ominous.

Lea always liked to see a woman getting ahead and besides, Lea had never been able to resist the opportunity to poke her nose into any matter, even if it really was none of her business and to offer unsolicited advice. She therefore resolved to send a private message of support to Vana Runedottir, and wrote

QUOTE:
To Archon Vana Runedottir,

permit me to send you my best wishes Archon Vana Runedottir, may your grip on the reigns of leadership ever remain firm, may you live long and rule wisely.

Remember well the fate of those unfortunate tribes, who admitted strangers into their ranks, only to find one day, that the strangers had wrested control of their tribe from them and usurped the throne.

Those tribes often ultimately perished, led into one arduous war after another by ambitious despots, till naught remained of their culture.

Having no interests besides war, such overly ambitious leaders often neglected their tribes' property, having no patience for farming, or building a strong future for their tribe and keeping but a single stronghold, from which they waged war unceasingly. Such tribes would be forever limited in their growth to the number of warriors who could live in the one stronghold. They would never be able to make their mark on the map of the world.

Legend even told, that in some far off time and distant place, a despot, once the situation got desperate for him, led his nation's army into far off lands, then dissolved the army and fled with the nation's treasury, leaving his former nation amidst ruins.

May the gods lend you strength and grant you a stable governorship Vana Runedottir that such a fate may never befall your nation.

Lea, Roman Tribune, fellow woman warrior

Well, of course no outsider could truly determine exactly what was happening in some far off tribe or completely judge the motives of all the members of that tribe. But Lea hoped, that the Goths would consider most carefully all possible facets and outcomes of any action they took. To Lea it seemed the most natural thing in the world to build for a lasting future that a nation would be proud to bequeath to it's children, instead of taking short sighted actions.

While she might be doing that Bato a grave injustice, he had acted in a manner designed to arouse the gravest suspicions of his motives, and it was always sensible to take all feasible precautions against disasters that might possibly lurk on the horizon. Lea firmly believed in the old adage better safe than sorry.