the bastard daughter

It’d been a long time since the border skirmishes of 1962, since then the Roman Federal Republic had fully assimilated its non citizen population and merged the Auxilia and the Legions into one cohesive land fighting force.

And the man responsible for this undertaking was none other than Roman senator Parmenion Alexandros Scythicus, a senator from the province of Greater Macedonia and Thrace.

Born to a Greek Macedonian father and a Scythian mother in Pellla Nova on July 17th 1944.

He would go onto join the Auxilia upon his 18th birthday in 1962 and was assigned to Cohors Constantina just before they shipped off to the Armenian Frontier after being attached to Legio XXI Fulminata.

He served with distinction as a scout, hunting down and eliminating Soviet insertion teams, It was during this time that he built a reputation as a good soldier and trusted comrade among veteran Auxiliaries and Legionary’s alike.

He then joined the senate in 1971 as a senator for his province, joining the Veterans party and eventually rising through the political ranks to become President-Consul serving from 1987 to 2000.

That’s who her father is , most would be proud to say that such an accomplished man is their dad. But she couldn’t.

She was Karina Scythicus, daughter of Parmenion and one of the two half-breed’s in his prestigious lineage. Her mother had been a Korean expat who worked as a maid, ended up having an affair with her boss and ended up pregnant as a consequence.

9 months later in the year 2000, right as her father was  leaving the office of the President-Consul, Karina was born.  

She was raised in secret, her older siblings had already left long ago and her mother had been kept from her so most of her early years  were spent wandering her fathers large penthouse in Rome. 

She was the bastard child, loved by her father but also kept out of the public eye. Her father’s wife took a liking to the girl, allowing Karina to have something of a normal childhood until she suddenly had a little sister show up when Karina was four years old.

She never asked much about her mother, as she learned quickly that she’d never get more than a vague answer.

Now Karina was in her mid 20’s, her father had sent her off to his Anatolian country estate to live when she turned 18. She ran the Wine  farms there with graceful efficiency, most people didn’t even know she was the daughter of the great hero Parmenion Alexander. 

[end of prologue] 

Karina walked along the paths of the vineyard, something she did on the daily.

She’d been hoping for a special batch of wine to be made, her father was planning to come visit her soon and she wanted to show him just how much he could do.

She ran into one of the vineyard viticulturist’s, a young man named Cornelius Scipio.

“Scipio, how are the grapes growing?” She asked, hands clasped together calmly in front of her toga.

Scipio smiled, setting down his pruners. “This years batch of grapes will be superb my lady, possibly the best the Scythicus Vineyard has ever seen.”

Karina smiled, it was great news for her to hear. She’d dumped about 700,000 Solidi (roman currency) into working and maintaining the vineyard this year.

700,000 Solidi for all 486 hectares of it.

“Good work, keep doing what you’re doing.” She ordered Scipio before she continued her stroll down the southern vineyards.

The Anatolian sun was beating down on her, she thanked herself for choosing a lighter materialed toga today.

“Cunnis Juno, it sure it hot outside today.” Karina muttered as she fanned herself.

A voice replied from behind her. “It is hot out indeed.”

She recognized the voice, it was her younger sister Victoria.

“Little Sister, you’re up later than usual” Karina greets her, a teasing grin on her face.

Victoria laughed softly, a smile on her face. “I oversept, but still didn’t want to miss your daily Vineyard walk. You always look so serious.”

The two sisters looked across the large family Vineyard farm, situated on the Lycian coast of Eastern Anatolia they always had a gorgeous view.

“Think father will actually come this time?” Victoria asked Karina, hands folded in her toga.

Karina sighed. “I’d hope so, it has been a while since he dumped you on me.”

Victoria gasped in faux offence, hand over her heart. “Sister you wound me.”

Karina laughed, things were never dull with her little sister.

“Even if Father doesn’t show up, we can hoard the Wine for ourselves.” She wrapped an arm around Victoria.

A comfortable silence took over the moment, they let it stay for a while as they stared across the Anatolian coast.

Victoria spoke. “It’s beautiful, i’ve been here for 3 years and yet it still blows me away.”

“Yeah…it’s amazing.”

The sounds of the church bells ringing came a few moments later, but it added to the calming ambience of the place.

Everything was peaceful, they didn’t have to hide in the shadows of their father here. They were free to be themselves.

Victoria spotted something in the distance, it was a Roman Naval Warship.

The ship was a corvette, doing coastal patrols to ensure those sneaky Parthians weren’t trying anything.

The ship’s ensign showed that it was part of Constantinus Invictus, the Eastern command group of the Mediterranean Fleet.

“Roma invictus.” Karina muttered as the ship passed by.

Victoria yawned. “i’m going to head back to the Villa for breakfast.”

Karina gave her a look. “It’s 2pm."

“breakfast for me~” Victoria cooed as she walked off.

Karina sighed and decided to follow her, she didn’t want Victoria making a mess by trying to cook again.

Right as they got to their Villa, a Roman army jeep pulled through the estates gates and made its way up the old Roman road.

Victoria and Karina felt a tiny bit of hope hit them, could this be their father finally visiting them just like he promised?

The flag on the side of the jeep was the sigil of Legio VII Claudia Pia Fidelis.

The jeep stopped in front of the Villa and the passenger door opened, and who stepped out?

Their older half-brother Marcus Alexander Scythicus.

“Little sisters, father sends his greetings.” Marcus walked up and ruffled their hair.

To be continued………..