Justina: Daughter of Spartacus (Justina Saga Book 1) by Ryan Lew

Author:Ryan Lew [Lew, Ryan]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Proof of Concept Press
Published: 2017-11-16T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

Livius was reading when Justina found him sitting in the large chair of their main gathering room. She had fond memories of that chair. As a little girl, she would slide in next to her father, her arms filled with a pile of books. The two of them would sit together reading for hours, her father teaching her the words and helping her sound out the letters.

When she saw her father in the chair, she slipped in beside him, though she didn’t fit as well as when she was little. Still, her father made room and placed his arm around her.

“How is my daughter?”

Justina rested her head on his shoulder. “I have completed my chores for the day.”

Livius smiled. “That is not what I asked.”

“I am well,” Justina said. She loved her father, loved him very much. Though he was not her biological parent, she had never seen him as anything but her father. For his part, he had shown her the same love, always treating her as his natural daughter. Whenever she felt like an outsider in the family, it was her father who made her feel welcome, who brought her back to the fold. He encouraged her to be whatever she wanted to be. When her desire led to learning how to wield a gladius, it was her father who showed her, taking the time to make sure she held it properly, thrust it the way it was supposed to be thrusted, showing her the proper footwork. He even saved up to buy her armor that more suited her build.

“Then why has my daughter been walking around the house the last few days with a large wrap on her head?” he asked. “I assume there is a story to go along with such an injury?”

Justina moved in closer. “Really, I am well. This injury is merely motivation.”

“Motivation?” Livius repeated. “How so? Are you looking to become the Medicus? Attempting to learn how to properly attend bandages?”

Livius chuckled at his own wit. Justina smiled.

“I am motivated to get better at my combat skills.”

“Is that so? To what end? I cannot have you and your brothers beating each other up. How would that look upon my household? Taking my family to the square only to have wandering eyes question all the injuries that stem from this house. They may suspect me the culprit, and I only beat up dead animals these days.”

This time his wit caused Justina to chuckle.

“Do you not want your daughter, your only daughter, to know how to protect herself?”

Livius paused before speaking. “Your mother and I are of few agreements of late. However, we are as one in our hopes for our daughter to find a man worthy of her to wed and make us grandparents someday. We have told you numerous times, women do not need to know battle skills. They need to know how to raise children and be a good partner to their husband. I allow for you to play with swords as a hobby, but anything more than that, Justina, is but a dream.

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