When Aurora was seven years old, her mother was called again to Italy, to watch the princes and princesses while battle was waged against Rome. She was already betrothed to the youngest prince, Mihai, who was eight. She’d heard tales of the bloody events of Italy, but had always had her ears boxed before learning anything important. Mihai terrified her with stories of slaughtered maidens coming to steal her from her bed.

The forces of Alaric formed a camp around the walls of Rome, and there they stayed for two years. Eventually, Aurora and Mihai, now ten and eleven, were sent back to Pannonia, to maintain control with Mihai’s brothers and sisters. Doina accompanied them, and saw to it that they never saw little of each other.

“Aurora!” Mihai called out, running down the hallway of the castle, “Aurora, you can’t hide! The lady’s come for you!” Aurora had heard many stories of the Opara woman, who had done something to her as an infant. She cried, hidden in a cupboard.

“She has not!” She wailed, “No!”