>During our long debate, before it was clear to me that we were not going to make a decision, because the decision was already made, I made the point that perhaps we were rushing to conclusions, that maybe it was better to first find out if we could use the woman to our advantage, by making her a Roman, by giving her some authority in the territories, she was, after all, in possession of lands previously gained by a Roman Senator and, more importantly, she was someone with a degree of power among her people.

I prepared a report that was strong in making the case against her, but I could very well use all of the same information to make the case in her favor.

The last word in this was that of Octavian and I believe he had more fear of her than of her more common enemies, the ones that he had to squash, to consolidate his power.

The servant was stretched to her very limits, one more push to the wheel and her arms could break away. Her body glistened under the light of the torches, her skin wet with her blood and sweat. She still wore a loincloth that kept her from being totally naked.

Her long legs were tense, her ankles bleeding, probably broken, like her wrists were.

She was still breathing with difficulty since she could not let the air in and out of her body without making an enormous effort.

"Wake her.", I commanded the torturer, who took the hot iron, pulled the loin cloth off her body and applied the hot tip to her most sensitive of parts.

She screamed as she woke to her pain, totally naked this time, her flesh burning.

I walked to her again, grabbing her head, looked into her eyes and noticed that there was little life in them, and yet I asked again.

"Where is your lady's army?".

I was standing close to Varinia again, observing her pain, the log had moved back and off her shoulders, she was holding it with her arms, the strain was visible on her face and the ropes were cutting into her arms.

The whip was still falling mercilessly, and I was beginning to feel that we were in this for a very long time.

Her executioner had the instructions to make her last seven days on her cross. I was wishing for her to end her ordeal, by any means, by night fall of the very first day.

"Please!", I begged of the silent woman. "Cut this pathetic show short.", "Tell us what we want, and we'll be merciful.".

She didn't answer, as I expected. But I had to try.

The servant didn't have much information. It was impossible to resist such torture without breaking down. There was no need for me to push to another level of the rack.

When I asked where her lady's army was, I was just asking something for the benefit of the torturer, who, if he knew he was killing an innocent would probably put an end to her misery, and I still needed her.

The servant answered slowly, trembling in pain. "I'm her army...I'm here...kill me and you'll kill her army.".

Such courage from a servant. I suspected she was more than a servant. A lover perhaps?

But in my head she was a high member of the rebel's army.

Her physical attributes, her strength, her resistance to torture, her loyalty, all proved she was a soldier.

That was going to be in my report.

Varinia was losing strength, the timber was pulling her arms to the sides, she could no longer hold her body up. If it wasn't for the brace on her neck, she would be on her knees by now.

She was not screaming in pain, so I did not expect any cries of mercy. I was close enough to hear her breathing, her sighs of pain that no one else could hear. I was close enough to hear her whispers, she was talking, perhaps to herself, perhaps she was in delirium.

I could not make out the words, they were so soft, but they were there.

"Tell me.", I dared to ask again. "Are you going to tell me who is behind your plot?".

There was another task for the executioner. He was going to make her ask for mercy at any cost, and just before the end of the seventh day and along with that, he was going to make her swear her alliance to the Empire.

We gave her three names for her to declare as leaders of the plot, her manipulators. They were not popular in Thrace.