Hadrian guessed that the imperial party should still be making their way north. News had come of a second embassy from the king of Armenia, asking this time that the legatus of Cappadocia be permitted to arbitrate on his claim to the kingdom. Trajan had rejected this as he had rejected the first approach. An army of the size being mustered around Satala was not about to disperse without taking the field. Hadrian had heard that Lusius Quietus was to receive one of two or three major field commands, and no doubt would perform his duties with his usual skill and good fortune. That was no surprise, even if it was frustrating. Trajan was not going to stop with Armenia. He wanted glory, which probably meant war, since it was doubtful that everyone would submit at his approach, whatever the might of his army.

Soon, Hadrian must write and inform the emperor that he had ordered an intervention in Osrhoene rather than permit civil strife within its royal house and risk Parthian involvement. This would take very careful wording, but it was important that the first news of this come to Trajan from him, rather than anyone else. The day after tomorrow was the longest he could leave it, and he would write the draft in his own hand, before letting one of his own slaves produce the neat version.

Nicopolis had not welcomed the Romans and accepted close alliance and a garrison. That was disappointing if not really surprising. Sosius had written days earlier suggesting that the princess had exaggerated her influence over the civic leaders. He had also – and so had other sources – spoken of the eagerness of Prince Arbandes to prevent his sister from creating a base for herself and winning over the Romans. Showing more intelligence than Hadrian had felt the young man possessed, he was none too fussy how he did this, thus willing to fight with the citizens against the Romans, while also happy to discuss the matter with Hadrian in the hope of making himself Rome’s favourite. His father had other children, but the prince and princess were the oldest and by far the favourites. Arbandes, like anyone else who paid attention, realised that the Romans were happier with male rather than female rulers. It was not an attitude Hadrian understood, for he would prefer his servants to be capable and reliable more than anything else. Time and considerable thought would tell whether either of the siblings were worth promoting. For the moment Hadrian – like their father King Abgarus – did not need to commit firmly to either of them.

Hadrian clapped his hands, crushing the moth, before absent-mindedly wiping the residue on a napkin and then reaching for Crispinus’ brief despatch. There was little to say, other than that the attempt to seize the city had failed and that the siege had begun. The legatus stressed his repeated attempts to convince the authorities to seek peace. That was the right thing to do, for it saved time, but all Sosius’ reports suggested that it was extremely unlikely. Only one letter had arrived since the start of the siege, and Hadrian wondered whether his agent would be able to reach him in future, as the blockade around the city tightened. Yet it was best not to underestimate Sosius.