After taking one more puff out of his pipe, Octavius lowered his pipe back into an ashtray he had put inside his tent after he witnessed the young woman arriving to report something. Obviously she was travelling on foot, and hence, she was very tired. Moreover, she was lightly wounded in the process. It was her duty to scout about Chalcivitas and report about the position of the guards on the walls of Chalcivitas, which would aid in the reclaiming of the city the day after this one. It seems that she succeeded, but without her horse. Nevertheless, Octavius had no time to bother with such things, and he listened to what she was saying, after she spoke to a soldier who was on the night watch. She explained herself by speaking about the Hadrianite security in Chalcivitas and how it could be dealt with, but also news which interested Octavius more personally, regarding Alexander, his brother, fellow prince of Chalcion...
"Alexander?" the young commander asked: "Tell me everything you know."