Eva Varelia served as a priestess in the hallowed halls of the Temple of Venus, where incense curled upward in delicate wisps and the goddess of love reigned supreme.

She had not always been destined for sacred service. Born into a household of wealth and influence, Eva was carefully raised for a life of luxury and political advantage. Her father, a seasoned officer of Rome’s armies, had long ago arranged her future: a marriage to an older man of vast fortune and cruel temperament, whose wealth would have secured the family’s power. But Eva was not fashioned for meek obedience. Beneath her polished grace and love of refinement smouldered a fierce spirit, restless and unyielding—a yearning for freedom that the chains of Roman custom could not bind.

As the day of her betrothal drew near, the marble steps of the Temple of Venus seemed to call her. Within those walls, scented with roses and myrrh, she found a sanctuary. The goddess of love and beauty offered her an escape, not merely from her father’s will but from the destiny others had chosen for her. Here, amidst ritual and devotion, Eva discovered her true path. To serve Venus was to embrace not only worship but independence; to weave love, passion, and wisdom into a life of her own design.

Her dedication did not go unnoticed. Eva rose swiftly in the temple’s esteem, her voice carrying both elegance and authority, her counsel in matters of love sought eagerly by citizens and nobles alike. Educated in philosophy and the arts, she spoke with a charm that could soothe the heart or stir the blood. Yet it was not only her words that drew admiration. She delighted in her own beauty and the admiration it commanded—draped in silks that shimmered like water, adorned with perfumes as intoxicating as a summer night, and glittering with jewels gifted by wealthy suitors and allies.

Though she served Venus with devotion, Eva was no stranger to the subtler games of power. In the city of Aquilonia, where politics entwined with pleasure, she played her part skilfully—priestess, confidante, and enchantress—balancing sacred duty with the mortal delights of influence and desire.