the head midwife of the village, a role she had embraced with steady hands and steady faith. Her husband, a tribal administrator, had given her a place of privilege in the community, but the Romans had shattered that life when they took her three children. Vengeance now burned within her—a quiet, seething rage that surfaced in her unwavering determination. Where once mysticism had guided her decisions, pragmatism now ruled. Her reliability, hardened by grief, would be a lifeline for the group.