The slave on duty answered, but saw no one in the darkened street. Then he looked down at the wet stones. A small package.

His first reaction was to throw it out because it was wrapped in nasty rags. It obviously had come a long way. However, curiosity about his master's 'secret' life got the best of him, and he carried inside.

"I will deal with it," the steward said frowning. Who promptly opened it, and found inside a small skin wrapping around apiece of pottery. The pottery had been stamped with a signet ring he recognized as one of the great families. The skin had a simple short message.

"Under siege by Parthians but completely ignored by Rome. Get me help from the Senate and you will find more allies than you imagined."

Being a human under it all, the steward debated sending a letter to the Pompieus household. But the ethics to his duty, and frank fear of great families who took out perosnal problems on their servants restrained him.

He left the items ion the study of his master for when he returned.