Varinia held the timber over her shoulders, I could tell the weight of the wood was pulling her back, straining her neck that was still held by the iron brace. I thought she was going to let the wood roll off her arms since it was loosely placed on her.

The executioner was to her side, busy with his set-up, he pulled the rope that held the log to raise her arms slightly and then proceeded to secure the rope to the side of the post.

The log was now leaning on Varinia's shoulder but the rope kept it from rolling back and falling.

I turned to see the crowd watching the crucifixion of the woman, who, in our view, they considered a leader.

By placing the log on her shoulders the executioner officially began her slow execution.

While the servant cried at my feet the torturer arrived and began to prepare for his coming task. He released a chain that was attached to a wall and it hung from the curved ceiling above us. It was long enough to reach our heads. The guard grabbed the servant's wrists and pulled her to her feet, he made her face me, holding her by the shoulders while the torturer placed her wrists in heavy shackles.

I talked softly.

"Tell me all I need to know and they well set you free. Tell us, who is the general at the command of your lady's army?".

The woman cried softly. "Please my lord, I don't know what you ask, I only serve my lady in the house, I know nothing of armies or generals.".

I stood close to Varinia, watching her face as the executioner pulled a rope over her shoulder to tie the heavy timber to her arms.

She didn't flinch as the rope was pulled, burning her skin off her arm. Still stoically resisting her pain, unwilling to make it easier on her.   She was just as she was described by her servants, friends and admirers. I learned of her elegance, kindness and sense of justice, all in agreement with what we suspected. Only a person of her character could lead the rebel tribes of Thrace. They had no unity, they were acting all as leaderless packs of desperate and hungry wolves, attacking our armies but without effectiveness.

They needed a leader and there was one who wanted to be that leader: Rhescuporis, but he only had the Sapaei with him and he didn't have the trust of all Thracians. But with Varinia at his side he could become a great power, she was the symbol he needed and she had to be destroyed. But what of the others, the other tribes whom she surely contacted? Her servant was of the Bessi and she was her link to that tribe, we were sure.

"What tribe are you from?", I asked the poor servant as the torturer made her face me, before going to the wall where the chain was attached. He pulled the chain to raise the woman until her feet were a few inches off the ground. She could still rest her toes on the dirt below, but if she moved, her body hanged from her wrists.

She was still wearing her robe and undergarments, only her arms were exposed and her feet bare. She was wearing an anklet, as it was the custom of her kind. It told that she was a servant of the house of her mistress, whose initial was on the anklet.

It was a symbol that made claim to her while at the same time protected her. It was easy to be taken as a slave if a woman belonged to any of the less known tribes.

"What tribe do you belong to?", I insisted. "And don't lie!".

Many Thracians denied their original tribes if they were still part of the lost rebel groups, it was safer that way.

She was silent for a moment and then told me, "I'm of the Bessi.".

I was fixed on Varinia's face as the torturer went through the long process of tying her arms to the heavy timber. Her arms, open wide, forming the shape of the cross, were thin, not like a warrior that practices the art of sword fighting. But they were strong. She was holding the timber without much effort. Indeed, if she was strong, she was going to resist for long.

I was fearing that I was going to be with her for the seven days that I had as a limit to bring her to her confession and final execution.

"This will give you a taste of what is to come to you if you don't collaborate.", I told her, while she kept her eyes closed. She didn't answer, of course, her head leaned back in pain as the rope was pulled again behind her.

Was there admiration for her in me? Yes. It was obvious she was a leader and had the strength of one, it was justified that she should be stopped, but I could not deny the fact that I wished our leaders had her courage and honor.