A man of few words, measuring their worth and impact to actions, these were also few to the outside beholder.
However, that was not the case at all.
Lord Laurentius was not a man who liked to bathe in the light of recognition and glory, he worked from the shadows, not the shady suspicious ones, but the silent fecund ones and by this, against his desires, had gained the most graceful reputation and honorable mentions and titles.
He adhered to the rules, but that did not mean he did not question them and verify their virtue, making the doubtful ones change when called for with a furiousness that one would not expect from his dull eyes. And this again gained him a furious stand no one dared to affront.
He was a man who appreciated arts importance to draw a whole picture of an empire lacking nothing. Though not personally interested in it, he could criticize any painting or statue with the accuracy and vision of an artist.
A man who read extensively through history, and distinguished the mistakes from the rightful choices, his inborn wisdom was never stunt in its growth and expand, and thus he was a valuable advisor and asset at any place he was appointed to, and only fools failed to see this and did not rely on the man fearing the power and resilience his presence projected, though not brightly but firmly and undoubtedly.
A soldier at core, he joined the army and led many battles straight and forward, sparing noble enemies with a noble death, never ridiculing his foes by words or slights, but by the edge of his never defeated blade when they deserved so. He trained soldiers and shaped them into order and grace. Deeply respected, he did not fear the percussion of taking matters into his own hands at perilous times when the higher commanders proved hesitant or incapable. He was a straightforward man, but that did not deter him from accepting the necessity of tricks during wars when needed, though rarely having to opt for them, further highlighting his name in the army as a formidable power of nature that gods had bestowed the battlefields he waded through with. But such sayings did not please nor interest the man.
The emperor had joked once that if Laurentius had wished to, he could seize the country with the fierce loyalty the soldiers he commanded displayed and revealed proudly, without being afraid of being accused of treason. However, the emperor never feared him. Not because Laurentius lacked ambitions but because he was content with his purpose, viewing it more important than the emperor's role who could not attend to everything personally, so he on a way was "the order keeper" and the latter was so disappointed when the former senator and commander preferred to join his family when his sister's husband, Marcus, was appointed as a governor to a dying town in hopes of reviving it, a hope that was held more passionately by the latter's son, and thus the counselor tried to focus his attention and pass his wisdom to the young bright boy to no avail as the boy gradually lost himself in the a maze he created from dreams out of their time and need, but the older man still stood by his nephew's side, a shadow revealing himself amidst the light to guide the lad despite his many mistakes. He still did not give up entirely on him because where the seed of potential was sowed, it could grow, and patience was one of the counselor's most consistent virtues.
A man of rectitude that was reflected in his actions, not a single bad rumor could be traced back to him. And even when envious competitors tried to mar the man, the slight was returned not by the target of their vicious rumors but by the many who admired him. The only still circling rumor was about his long hair that the Roman did not adapt. Some said he wanted to distinguish his dull appearance but this speculation did not align with the man's personality and many refuted it.
Few speculated, it was in honor of his late wife who had lustrous long dark hair and whose marriage was short lived as she fell prey to illness. At the day of her death and funeral, no one saw the husband shed a single tear but who could tell what resided in a man's heart? Although this theory did not seem convincing to many people as the man displayed no emotions at any occasions, even amidst the most heated battled and perils, maintaining his composure throughout them, a funeral no different from these occasions, he still never took another wife and some claimed to have seen him visiting her grave regularly.
His domestic life was his own, and no one dared to peek through it as it held no holes to peer through, confined in the mysteries of love and devotion, or perhaps indifference and acceptance. No one could tell.
A man of war more than of counseling, his decision to take that part at a remote place and a fading city surprised everyone and left them questioning, was he a family man viewing his familial duties with the same importance as his political ones, especially when the two were interwoven in that province?
His sister passed away few months after their arrival to that province, and Marcus never took another wife as well. Some said it was a display of honoring Laurentius and his family, since the latter took a great part of raising the two kids, his nephew and his niece whose mother also passed long before Marcus's wife.
Regarding Germanous, the boy always tried to get on his uncle's nerves just to see how far his anger could reach, but always lost the bet as the latter was never stirred viciously. As the nephew grew up, he was convinced Laurentius did not differ much from a pillar or a statue, then realized his mistakes but still did not try to rectify his relation with him, focusing on himself and his visions.
On the other hand, Sabina was more attached to her uncle, trying to imitate his walk and pattern of speech and adopting his realistic visions and weighing of facts against possibilities and dreams before they drifted slowly apart, out of her own accord for reasons no could guess but the woman. Was it a sense of hopelessness, a need for autonomy or simply a change in visions?
Despite their drifting yet still joint paths in that city, the older man never abandoned them and continued carrying out his duties and extending his care toward them, even if they did not realize that or appreciate it enough.
Reality was not a cage to the counselor. He roamed free and proud, never having to let go of his principles or virtues. It was because he realized where reality's bars stood, and separated dreams and imagination from facts and actuality that he treaded the reality as if it was a field, its fence not unmovable as many believed, but rather easily bent to the will of man when it was necessary and beneficial.
This fact that his nephew had failed to understand, trying to jump in vain and even pathetically at times above these bars was what diverged their ways. In a similar sense, the rigidity Sabina showed in holding to those bars, trying to break them rather than modifying them was also what distanced her from her beloved uncle.
Despite being assigned as a counselor, he did not let go of the army, training new soldiers much to Germanous's fears, but the boy could not object, because he was the perfect man for the job and the city's garrison never fell into dispute or disarray under his command.
His blade was another reflection of his personality; a black steel no one knew where he got it from, radiating with power and held with competency, never missing aim and never enjoying torturing his defeated foes, delivering death always with a single strike that took few seconds or even less.
But even such virtuous man held a dark side, not a perverted or lecherous one, but a righteous mercilessness when advantage was taken from the weak, when the innocent souls were tortured and defamed. It was not pleasure he was deriving as he was cutting Angus limb by limb, but the dark side of justice, still righteous though ruthless and tarry.
Unlike his younger relatives, he did not expect the world to bend to his principles or visions, but when necessary corrections were needed, they were carried out mercilessly.
As he was not a fan of the arena games, because they proved no more than vulgar entertainment and reflected no true just punishment, merely an unneeded torturous trial that should be served within a dignified short period, he still did not oppose them. Once again, because he knew the world would not embrace his visions. It was said his wife also disliked these games and never found the thrill the other women sought in them. So he only started attending them by Marcus then Germanous's side, after his wife passed away.
He was the sole exception to the crowds, including both his relatives, to not take interest in the newly rising dual wielder. While he praised the technique as a true soldier did to another, he was not fond of the flashy movements and arrogance that accompanied such talent, wasting it in the pits of pettiness and haughtiness not befitting a real warrior.
Many thought of him as a man of many mysteries and no contradictions. But he was not the image they supposed he was. He was just a man with an integrity rarely found, and thus highly feared. Added to his silent presence and soul hunting stares, that virtue fed the paranoia of many people, the top of the list his own nephew and current governor.
He knew of his two relatives feud but never took sides and never intended to. If their feud was ever to disrupt the balance of this city or its citizens safety, he was certain his black steel would not choose either's side, but the virtuous path his integrity created.
That moment was not that far ahead.