Cora Cento

Cora Cento – Age 17, Alba Longa, 754 BC Cora Cento is a sharp, observant seventeen-year-old servant girl working in the palace of Alba Longa. Her dark chestnut hair is braided simply and tied with a leather thong, and her vivid green eyes notice everything, from the subtle shift of a guard’s gaze to the faint creak of a door hinge. Born in the city to a washerwoman mother and a craftsman father, Cora learned early that survival depends on discretion, intelligence, and quick wit. She moves through palace corridors and crowded streets with quiet confidence, knowing when to speak and when to vanish into shadow. Cora has never known the rule of the rightful king Numitor, who was imprisoned by his brother Amulius before her birth. Alba Longa has been under the usurper king’s harsh rule for her entire life. Amulius seized the throne, killed Numitor’s sons, and forced his niece Rhea Silvia into the Vestal order to prevent heirs, leaving the city steeped in fear. Soldiers patrol the streets with suspicion, punishments are swift, and whispers of the old order are dangerous. Despite her lowly station, Cora possesses unusual cunning and subtle bravery. Her position in the kitchens and corridors gives her access to secrets: the routines of guards, hidden doors, balconies, and quiet passageways. She remembers patterns, notices openings, and discerns who is trustworthy. Cora values fairness and honesty over titles or fear, though she has learned to hide her opinions in public. Her intelligence, discretion, and keen observation make her a quietly influential figure in the palace—a girl who sees and knows more than anyone suspects, navigating the dangers of Amulius’ Alba Longa with alert eyes and a careful mind