I was born in the heart of the known world, in Rome, yet I haven't seen much of the big capital. My father was a military man like so many others; surprisingly enough he lacked any ambition for politics - a straightforward and not-to-fuss-with soldier. I haven't seen too much of him since he was campaigning in Gaul and Britain and rarely returned home. His family name earned him a rank he probably wouldn't have achieved on his own, yet he did quite well.

According to his wishes, mother and I lived with his brother, Cincinnatus, quite an eccentric who had successfully managed to marry into a well-off family. Cincinnatus was a rake to the boots in more than one way, and consequently his country estate, where we all lived most of the time, was populated with his offsprings from several of the slave women. His wife, Albina, wasn't too pleased about this but, knowing her, I'm sure she immediately arranged things to her liking.

Life on Uncle Cincinnatus' country estate was easy-going - at least for a freeborn child like me. My best friend and also intimate companion ▶ Rufio wasn't that lucky since he was the result of Cincinnatus' affair with a slave woman, the catlike Abaskantis from somewhere in the deserts of the East. He was a few years older than me and awfully kind and indulgent when it came to my countless quirks and mad ideas. I used to call him 'cousin Rufio' because I truly liked him - and partly because I well knew how much it annoyed Aunt Albina, to whom I used to point out that Rufio was my cousin after all - slave or not.

When I was thirteen father summoned us to Britannia where he had finally settled down. He'd been promoted to 'govern' over a small part in the north-eastern territories, nothing too important, really, but he acted as if he had been entrusted with the governance of all Britannia by the Imperator himself. He was a stranger to me, a cold and pompous one at that, who immediately started complaining about my appearance and behaviour.

Of course nothing about me was to his liking, and he blamed mother and his eccentric brother for spoiling me; he started 'correcting their mistakes' at once. It was a miserable time for me. The weather was cold, the sun gave no real warmth at most times, and of course the locals weren't too fond of us, no matter how eager they were to hide it. And, most of all, I terribly missed my friend and comrade in mischief, Rufio. I don't know what has become of him, and I sincerely hope he has been treated well! So you see, it wasn't only the weather that felt so chilly to me in ▶ Britannia.