A story set in 210 AD. A young woman feeling overwhelmed and like a fish out of water throws the Roman State into an upheaval when she considers escaping her commitment to the Vestal Virgins sacred venerable order which guards Rome against spiritual attack. Here is where the adventure begins. Where it will end was long ago determined by the gods.
"Runaway Virgin" is the story of a young woman, Severina Ovicula, who lived 1,800 years ago, during the time of Imperial Rome (210 AD). She was a priestess of the Temple of Vesta; one of the six Vestal Virgins. She was more a woman of today than of her own time. She was a celebrity in Rome by virtue of her title. But what is the use of celebrity if you can't find love. Not to mention intimacy which for her was forbidden. Something had to give, and it does.
The plot will leave you guessing from one chapter to the next as the pages in this story turn themselves. You are likely to be finished in one or two sittings. This novella is written to entertain and thrill. The Romans were an interesting society. If you know nothing about Roman civilization that will change between the covers of this book. There are some profound spiritual messages woven into the narrative as well. Although they are delivered in a low-key way. A beautiful tale of love, devotion to duty, and family.
Excerpt
The sweet smell of frankincense, a product of the eastern provinces, omnipresent throughout the Temple of Vesta, drifts through the air. Its sweet essence nearly sufficient to induce a trance. From the outer hallway you could see that the inner chamber was illuminated in an orange glow. The eternal flame was in fully stoked thundering bloom. The sunset prayer at the 12th hour was set to begin. The six Vestal Virgins, each wearing a white linen hooded robe, filed into the Temple. One by one they could feel the heat from the flame. Which made the heat of this very warm summer night that much more difficult to bear.
I love historical fiction and remember reading Quo Vadis in high school. By writing about a maverick Vestal Virgin, you are plowing new ground. I like that.
I wish you had shared more excerpt than that description of the beginning of a ritual in the Temple of Vespa.
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