Abraxas Rex: The Bastard Prince

Chapter 2: The Cove

Twelve years later

Rising from the cold of winter, springtime had brought back with it a revitalization of life. Wildlife, fauna, and flora woke up from their slowed states of hibernation to bask in the warmth and joy brought back with the return of the Sun. Safe to travel, business and recreation had returned to the Empire, no longer having to fear the various dangers that lingered the frigid terrain of the season prior.

In the years since her exodus to the East of the Roman Empire, Calliope had involved herself in the textile industry, which boomed in light of the region being a natural hotspot for trading between the land of the Orients and the Empire. Being able to masterfully craft and weave various cloths, be it in the form of clothing or decorative drapes, her business was small, but highly valued by those who knew of her skill. Her son, Adam, now a strong young boy of twelve years, served as her delivery boy, acquainting himself intimately with the people of the town, as well as the many traders that often passed through.

Unknown to the public, Adam had possessed an inhuman level of physical prowess, to which his mother had told him was a blessing from the gods and was not to be taken lightly. People of extraordinary ability were uncommon in this time, though many had gone out to make names for themselves as wandering adventurers or brave soldiers. This being said, the boy's mother had made it very clear to him that he was not to display his ability to anyone as to draw attention to himself. When he first discovered this aberration, he was reluctant to comply, but having complete faith in his loving mother, he grew to understand the risk of doing so.

Calliope and Adam lived on the outskirts of the market, living quiet lives away from the noise. With complete trust in her son, Calliope allowed him to spend time in the market alone when she was busy with work to explore the vast area and play with the other children he could find. Unbeknownst to her, Adam was quick to fulfill the occasional order he was tasked with delivering, but spent the majority of his time taking on odd jobs to help the only two real friends he had. A girl two years his younger by the name of Elladria and a boy his age named Titus.

Titus was a deeply tanned boy that was well-built for his age due to the harsh labor his father forced upon him. A dark brown, shaggily-haired, green-eyed child, his father was a struggling blacksmith in the market who blamed everyone but himself for his ineptitude. Beatings cast onto his wife and young son were frequent and cruel, leading the two to fear and avoid him when they could. For Titus, it meant wandering the market, begging for scraps so he would not be forced to return home for food, which was almost always followed by a beating. Somehow, he always ended up back home, as it was still a place to lay his head.

Elladria was a small girl, even for her age, with long, straight, jet-black hair and delicately hazel eyes. She was a peasant of the time, living off of the handouts from passersby who couldn't help but give in to the innocent child. Despite her condition, Ella was well-mannered and kind. Many had tried to adopt the tranquil child, but as quickly as she appeared to them, she would disappear. Nimble on her feet, every attempt to seize her by the Roman foot soldiers was unsuccessful as she continued a life of peaceful poverty.

In his rounds through the market, Adam had befriended the two and picked up the odd jobs to support his unfortunate companions. He never had to worry about food, since he had a loving home waiting for him, so every little bit he earned went to both Titus and Ella. Every so often, Adam would extend his home to the two, but be it in fear or humility, they would decline. Adam had given up on trying to bring them home with him, so instead, he found other ways to provide for them. In doing so, he picked up many trades in the odd jobs he took upon himself, be it fishing, hunting, basket weaving, farming, and so on.

Being a hand for hire, he always made a deal with his temporary employers that they would not tell his mother. As much as he trusted her, he did not want to burden her with the truth, knowing in her protective nature, she would not want him to be constantly overworking himself. The occasional times where he'd come home late or exhausted for his mother to question were dismissed by him, usually using the excuse that he was invited for dinner with a friend or played a bit too hard. In these times, Calliope would comfort and tend to her son lovingly.