Taurus by Christine Elaine Black

Author:Christine Elaine Black [Black, Christine Elaine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯), General Fiction
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2013-03-24T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Lady Virga, alone in her bedchamber at her favorite time of the day, indulged in her secret pastime. A born scholar, she devoured any and all writings from Rome, including banned texts. Her grandmother and her brother forbade “the poisonous writings of a rotting empire” that circulated the country. Virga refused to comply by the sin of omission—what they did not know did not hurt them. Reading texts written by Calvinius “the scholar,” who studied Christian ideology, had become more and more popular. His true identity remained unknown to the masses, and the popularity of Calvinius increased the more he wrote against Rome and its centuries-old policies. He represented a new breed of man that believed all cultures must blend together to create a new world order under a code of common principles followed by all people, not just Roman citizens. His idea that the great thinkers of the world should unite to advance civilization, instead of fighting against one another, poised mankind on the brink of a new age.

Virga crafted ways for women to fit into this new world order, envisioning a woman’s role in shaping and influencing society. Her thoughts matched the ideas of Calvinius, and she hoped to meet him one day and discuss his wise and worldly views, views which proved him an older, well-educated man.

No longing in Virga’s heart ached for revenge against the Gregorian family. She wanted peace and unity with her neighbors to the west, to study without disruption the history of Panua and Rome once, long ago, joined under one government.

She sighed and picked up the latest text from Calvinius. She had tried to communicate with him in code, passing letters through a network of spies, but, caught between the two most powerful people in Panua, she watched and waited, hoping someday to escape the restrictions imposed by her strong-willed grandmother, who cared nothing for happiness and family peace. Power dominated the old woman’s mind, and marriage connections with rich, influential families strengthened her hold on Panua. Virga’s heart longed for conciliation with Rome and the Gregorian family, along with the chance to meet like-minded Romans, linked in a treaty of friendship, without the bonds of enmity.

With her long, blonde hair fanned out across the pillow, Virga despaired of ever meeting a man of interest. Grandmother Lidia focused on Taurus’ need for a woman to provide Panua with an heir, but as soon as he filled the fortress with sons, it would be Virga’s turn to politically align with a house of her grandmother’s choosing.

Her pink lips curved into an amused smile when she thought of the Roman girl, Kalliassa, and her unexpected arrival that had brought a breath of fresh air into an otherwise stale world. Virga observed in awe the power she wielded over her brother, even though he believed he controlled the situation; they were caught in a hopeless path of destruction, made all the more interesting by the girl’s refusal of conventional roles. She rode horses, travelled

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.