Gladiators of Rome:Short Stories

Frieda & Diomed - Return to Britannica

Short Story: Frieda & Diomed – Return to Britannica

Year: 83AD
True Historical Background: By 83AD most of Britain had been consolidated under Roman rule by Agricola, Governor of Britain. Agricola had moved north to modern-day Scotland where he masterminded a string of military forts across the country from east to west which would enable him to campaign north of the Forth-Clyde Line which separated the rebellious northern lands from the Roman south.
Northern Britannica was home to Calgacus; a chief of the native tribe Caledonii who had been resisting Roman rule by attacking their supply and communication lines. But in the late summer of 83AD Agricola received news that 30,000 Caledonii were gathering on the hill named by historian Tacitus as Mons Graupius. Assembling his legion, Agricola marched on Mons Graupius to confront Calgacus and his rebellion.

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This short story will be set in the year 83AD and resolve around Frieda's return home to Britannica after their defeat of Pompeia at the end of the second book 'Guardian of Rome'.

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Synopsis:

After being away for ten years Frieda struggles to reconnect with the land of her birth as she tries to locate her missing sister, Alena, with Diomed by her side.
After finding the charred remains of her village Frieda and Diomed are led to believe that the Roman Commander Valerius knows the location of Alena. But on their way to the garrison where Valerius resides they are embroiled in a peasant's revolt to reclaim their homeland. 

If Frieda wishes to learn of her sister's fate she must first aid another man's rebellion but will the discovery of someone she thought was dead jeopardise everything she hopes to gain? And as the two armies march to Mons Graupius to fight, Frieda will find that she has bigger decisions to make, and a bigger role to play, than she ever thought possible.