historical background to vengeance of a slave

This book is the first in a series, following a family from their origins in Roman Britain.

The Batavian revolt indirectly led to the taking of Adelbhert and his sister as slaves, and hence began the tale told in Vengeance of a Slave.

This revolt took place between the years 69 and 70 CE. The Batavi was a small tribe living in Germania Inferior, near the Rhine delta. They sent some conscripts to Rome, who became what was known as The Germanic Bodyguard and were personal guards of the emperor.

The emperor Nero was becoming more and more despotic, and so the governor of Gaul, decided to try to do something about it. He found what he thought as a worthy successor to the emperor. A man called Galba. He fomented a revolution, Galba became emperor and Nero committed suicide.

Galba disbanded the Germanic Bodyguard because he mistrusted them as they had been loyal to Nero. The Batavian people took this as an insult.

After the death of Nero, Rome was plunged into civil war. There followed what is known as the Year of the Four Emperors. Galba’s deputy, Otho, overthrew him in a coup, then Vitellius prepared to take the Rhine legions to Rome to overthrow Otho. The Batavi joined the Rhine legions and overthrew Otho at the battle of Bedriacum.

After the battle, the Batavi were ordered to return home, but then Vespasian, commander of the forces in Syria, revolted. He was joined by the legions of the Danube.

Vitellius tried to conscript more than the agreed number of conscripts from the Batavi. This, on top of the insult of disbanding the Germanic Bodyguard, the brutality of the conscripting centurians and the sexual assaults on Batavian boys brought things to a head.

In the summer of 69, Civilis was commander of the Batavian troops in the Rhine regions. He persuaded the tribe known as Cananefates, to revolt and to attack a number of Roman forts.

This was a good time to do this since most of the troops were fighting the civil war in Rome.

The commander of the Rhine regions sent troops to put down this rebellion, leaving the rest of the area vulnerable. Civilis and his men defeated the Romans near what is now Arnhem.

To deal with this insurrection, the commander sent two legions, V Alaudae and XV Primigenea to fight them. These legions included some Batavian cavalry, who defected to their countrymen during the battle and so the Romans lost, after which the Batavians were promised independence.

Civilis wanted vengeance, however. He wanted to destroy the two legions. He besieged their camp. With the civil war in Rome, the Romans could do little about this. They did not have the troops to spare.

Then came the news of Vitellius’s defeat. This had been helped by Civilis pinning down two legions, but his aim was not to help Vespasian. He launched an attack on Krefeld, sending his eight best cavalry troops. This time, the Roman army was successful, destroying all eight troops, but at great loss to themselves.

Civilis then lifted the siege, saying that the legions could have free passage, providing they left everything behind for his men to loot. The two legions left with nothing, but a few kilometers away, they were ambushed and all of them destroyed.

Vespasian, once he had established himself on the throne, sent an enormous army to deal with Civilis and his rebels. On hearing of the approach of the army, one of Civilis’s allies surrendered, but Civilis himself continued to fight.

He made a series of raids from land and from the river, once capturing a Roman flagship. The Romans then invaded Batavia and the revolt was over.

It is against this chaotic time in the Roman Empire that Vengeance of a Slave is set. Adelbehrt’s father and some of the other villagers take the opportunity of a weakened army on the Rhine to raid across the river into the Roman lands. This leads to the terrible punishment of the men at the beginning of the book.

Here is a review of the book.

R. J. Krzak, Award-Winning Author

5.0 out of 5 stars 

A Riveting Story Set in Roman Times

Reviewed in the United States on 30 December 2019

Verified Purchase

Vengeance of a Slave by V.M. Sang is a riveting story set during the period when Rome controlled Britannia. Follow the trials and tribulations of Adelbhert after he and his sister are taken by the Romans from their mother. They eventually end up as slaves in what is modern-day London. Adelbhert performs a nightly ritual to remind himself of the suffering he and his sister have endured, beginning with the crucifixion of their father. He vows to escape and punish those who have wronged him.

V.M. has created a moving story which will keep you turning the pages to find out how Adelbhert and his sister handle their new life. Experience their sorrow, anguish, and finally hope as they adapt to their changing situation. This is the first novel I’ve read of V.M.’s and it certainly won’t be the last! Well done and highly recommended!

And a brief taste of the story.

In this extract, Adelelbehrt is growing up and is not the pretty small child he was when he became a pet. There is a threat to his life with his current owners.

One day, when the children had been slaves for six years, Marcus approached Adelbehrt.
“Have you a minute?” the older man asked.
Adelbehrt looked at Marcus. “What do you want?”
The boy sat on the edge of the impluvium and trailed his hand in the water. The domina did not seem to want him at the moment. In fact, she had not had much for him to do for a while now. He thought the novelty of his appearance might be wearing off, especially as he was now beginning to grow up.
He crossed to where Marcus emerged from the office of the dominus. What did the accountant want? He had little reason to ask Adelbehrt for anything. Marcus was an important man, even if a slave.
As Adelbehrt approached, Marcus began to speak. “How long have you been here now, Adelbehrt?”
“Six years.”
“That will make you about twelve then.”
The boy nodded “About that, I suppose.”
“Now I don’t want to worry you, but you’re growing up. You’re still an attractive boy—attractive enough to still be a pet—but as you get older, yes, from now on probably, the domina will find you less like her pretty, little slave boy.
“Your unusual hair colouring is no longer a novelty. No one comments on it any more. Soon the domina won’t want you as her slave and will find a new pet. Or perhaps she has already. Look at how she dotes on that little dog the dominus bought her.”
Adelbehrt looked at the older man. He had thought long about this himself. He noticed how the domina played with her puppy and spent less time with him. He wasn’t jealous. Not really. In fact, he often felt glad she had another toy to play with. After six years of petting and fussing he felt heartily fed up. Still, he found it galling to be ignored.
Marcus continued and he pricked up his ears and listened. It did not do to ignore one’s elders.
“I spoke to the dominus yesterday. It seems he’s noticed how his wife seems more concerned with her puppy than you and he talked about selling you.”
Adelbehrt drew in a sharp breath at that news and looked at Marcus.
“He said he’d noticed you liked the horses and are good with them, but he doesn’t need another slave in the stables. He thinks he can sell you as a stable lad, though.”
“But…” Adelbehrt did not know what to say. He thought of Avelina. Oh, the little girl seemed happy enough as Claudia’s slave, but she was still only ten summers old. She could not really remember their home by the Rhenus and had completely forgotten their native language.
Claudia treated her well. In fact, they were almost like friends rather than mistress and slave, but Adelbehrt had promised his mother he would look after her. How could he do that if the dominus sold him?

If you are interested in reading more about Adelbehrt and his sister Avelina, click on the link below.

The e-book is on offer for a mere 0.99 (£or $) from today, Saturday 28th until Wednesday 1st September.

It is also available in several other formats, including audio.

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Not one, but 2 books!

Apologies for being a day late with this information. I’ve just got back from holiday this morning!

From now until 29th July you can get the ebook version of Wolf Moon, Book 3 of The Wolves of Vimar, AND The Stones of Fire and Water, book 2 of Elemental Worlds for a mere 0.99 (£ or $).

Don’t miss this opportunity.

You can get the books by clicking on the title, or the cover in the sidebar.

The Stones of Fire and Water is also available as an audio book, and both are available in multiple formats. Just click the link to go to Amazon where you are.

And here is the blurb:

WOLF MOON

The group called Wolf has been enlisted into the Erian Army against their will, and they soon learn that an invasion is planned into their homeland of Grosmer.

As the heroes make their escape, they accidentally stumble upon an old Dwarven city, and become friends with them.

Facing enemies on all sides, the five must find where their loyalties lie, and save their homeland from certain destruction.

To give you a taste, here’s an extract from Wolf Moon:

On entering this large cavern, they noticed they could see, if only faintly. Looking around, dim lights glowed high on the walls of the cave.

‘They could be phosphorescent fungi,’ mused Basalt, who had experience of living deep underground, ‘or they could be some kind of creature that gives off light, like glow-worms or fireflies.’

‘Look,’ Asphodel said, pointing. ‘Those formations over there look like buildings.’

‘Perhaps they’re natural stone formations,’ Grimmaldo mused.

Basalt shook his head. ‘No, those are not natural. They’ve been built in here.’ He approached one standing closer than most of the others. ‘It looks a bit like dwarven work, but there are aspects of the building work that aren’t dwarven. At least, not modern dwarven workmanship. For a start, they’re round. Dwarves used to build round buildings centuries ago but not any more.’

‘Perhaps they’ve been here for that long. Abandoned by the dwarves who built them,’ Grimmaldo suggested.

As they walked through the buildings, though, Thadora noticed something odd. She pointed at the door of one of the houses.

‘That wood looks fresh. It’s certainly not hundreds of bleedin’ years old, Basalt.’

The dwarf frowned. ‘You’re right, there, Thadda. This wood is no more than ten years old.’

‘Then someone lives here,’ said Asphodel. ‘Perhaps they’ll show us the way out.’

Basalt frowned. ‘Something’s odd,’ he said. ‘I’ve never heard of dwarves living in the Mountains of Doom. All our race for thousands of years have lived in the Western Mountains, with a few groups in the Roof of the World. We all know of each other and are in communication. But none have ever, in all that time, been known in these mountains.’

Fero led the way towards the centre of the cavern. They walked for fifteen minutes but still no one, not even Basalt or Asphodel, could make out the far wall. As for the roof, well, that disappeared high above.

Asphodel could see no sign of life, though. When the travellers got nearer to the centre, they found dim lamps burning around the village on tall posts, giving a shadowy light. Here they noticed a dropped basket, there, a fallen vegetable. They saw dwellings here, in this part of the cavern, all built of stone or carved from the cave walls. The settlement seemed the size of a large village or small town, but where, in a village above ground there would have been a bustling population, here nothing stirred. There remained only the signs they had noticed showing that people lived in the village.

The buildings lay scattered around in seemingly random fashion. A large building with double doors lay on the left of where they entered. Not one of the buildings had any windows. They passed buildings with the appearance of houses. A couple, with open doors, had tables, chairs, and even food left. Some looked like workshops that had been left hurriedly, tools scattered around. Then they found a big open area with a large building at one side, a bit like a square in a town above ground. Even here they saw no sign of life. It looked as if everyone left hurriedly.

‘People live here, still,’ Asphodel said. ‘All these buildings show signs of recent occupation. Very recent. I wonder where they’ve gone, and why?’

‘Perhaps they think something dangerous is about to happen, like an earthquake or a volcanic eruption,’ Thadora said.

‘Or perhaps we are the danger,’ Fero pointed out. ‘After all, these people, assuming they are people, have been cut off from outside for thousands of years, if Bas is anything to go by.’

‘What do you mean “If Bas is anything to go by.” I know my people’s history.’

‘Sorry, Bas. Of course you do. What I meant is, these people might see anyone from outside as a threat. We should just sit down and wait, to show them we’re not going to harm them. A bit like you would with a wild deer. After a while, if you are quiet and still enough, they’ll come closer.’

Thadora drummed her fingers. They entered this cave what seemed to her like hours ago, and Fero told them to sit and do nothing. The seventeen-year old was not good at waiting. In her own words she had said, ‘I don’t do patience.’ when Asphodel admonished her for not sitting still.

The others all sat there with peaceful expressions on their faces, barely moving, and not talking. The girl edged slowly away from the others. No one noticed so she edged some more. Her curiosity burned in her like a flame. She really must take a look around this place.

Through the occasional door, left open, they glimpsed rooms as though they had been hurriedly left and their owners would soon return. A meal in the process of being prepared, a child’s toys scattered around, tools left where they lay in a workroom, half-finished handiwork on a chair.

The girl decided she must explore this strange place to see if she could answer the many questions running through her head. Who were these people? Why had they left so suddenly? Why did they live completely under the mountains? Why did no one know of their existence?

When they arrived in this square in the centre of the village, Fero had called a halt. He said if their approach had frightened whoever lived here, they must do nothing to antagonise them or give them reason to fear.

‘Maybe,’ he said, ‘If we indicate we are not in anyway dangerous, the people will show themselves and help us find another way out.’

Therefore, they waited. And waited. Then they waited some more. And Thadora got impatient.

Just as she rose to her knees, about to make a dive for the nearest corner, Basalt spotted her. At the same time, a movement came from the northern end of the square.

Basalt reached out and made a grab at the girl, hissing, ‘Just what do you think you’re doing?’

Because of this, they both missed the entrance of three inhabitants of the village.

AND SOMETHING FROM THE STONES OF FIRE AND WATER

After his return from Aeris with the gem of air, Pettic receives a letter from the king. He is to see Torren and rekindle their relationship.

Soon after, Torren and Pettic meet a strange man and their lives change drastically, as they’re dragged into a mystery surrounding the red dragon Monarlisk and his former mate.

But will Pettic’s magic be enough to help them finish their quest in time – and in the end, will the rightful king be crowned?

As before, a mist rose in front of Pettic and he walked into it with a little more confidence than he had the first time. The mist soon gave way to a view halfway up a mountain.

It was night here too. He looked back but could only see the cliff that he had exited. This was more difficult than the previous journey. There, he exited in a cave and there could be no mistake in the place to return through. Here there was the whole side of a cliff. He looked around for some landmarks to indicate where he had come out. He spotted a rock just ahead that looked like a dog’s head. That he committed to memory and began to walk down the mountainside.

This was a range of large mountains from what he could see. The moon was full here, too, and lending a silvery light to the scene. He could see a valley below, but not any details. Whether there was a village or town he could not make out. He tripped on a rock he had not noticed. Perhaps he should stay here on the mountain until daylight when he could see better where he was going.

It was not cold here, but there was an unpleasant smell. It was a bit like rotten eggs, he thought. He sat down and Cledo lay down next to him. The smell was not good, but a broken leg would be worse, so he lay down next to his dog to sleep.

He woke to hear the sound of creaking leather. He sat up rubbing his eyes and coughing against the smell. He thought perhaps some people had come up in leather armour and slowly opened his eyes.

What he saw astounded him. In front of him, black scales gleaming in the sun, was an enormous beast. It had two black horns protruding from its head and a mane of leathery fronds around its long neck. Its eyes were green and slit vertically, and on its back, now neatly folded, was a pair of leathery wings. It had been the sound of these wings that had woken him.
All the way from its head to the tip of its tail was a double row of spines of varying length, longer on its thorax tapering to small ones at the tip of its tail. The sound of the wings folding away had woken him.

Then the beast spoke.

‘What have we here on my mountain? A little human it would seem.’

‘Yes, I’m a human,’ said Pettic, his voice trembling, but he felt he should say something, ‘but not small by human standards.’

The beast looked startled. ‘You speak dragonish? How come you speak dragonish. Humans have never been able to speak our language before.’

‘Actually, I’m speaking my own language and we can understand each other because of this magic amulet I’m wearing.’

‘How intriguing. We dragons have magic, but no magic that can do such a thing. What kind of magician are you that can make such a thing?’

‘I’m not a magician. This was given to me by a magician on my home world.’

‘What do you mean, “your home world”?’

Pettic wondered if he should be talking to this creature. Dragons were mythological creatures on his world, like unicorns and griffins but did not actually exist. There people considered them to be evil beasts. Were these myths based on fact and were dragons evil? If so, perhaps he should not be telling this creature too much.

‘I think I may have fallen and taken a blow to the head. I really don’t know where I am,’ Pettic told the dragon. ‘Please tell me.’

‘You are on the side of my volcano, near the sacrifice stone.’ replied the dragon. ‘This valley and the one beyond are my territory. No one comes here except to sacrifice. Perhaps that’s why you’re here. Are you the sacrifice, or is it this beast with you?’

Pettic gulped. Sacrifice? This creature wanted a sacrifice and thought that he or Cledo were it. How was he going to talk his way out of this one? It would have to be talk because there was no way he and Cledo could fight this creature and win.

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rock cake recipe

I made these rock cakes the other day. They are among my husband’s favourites.

Here is the recipe so you can make them, too.

Ingredients

250g SR flour

125g caster sugar

125g margarine

1 egg

Dried fruit to taste.

Method

Rub margarine into flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. (Or use a mixer.)

Add sugar and dried fruit and mix well in.

Add the eggs. This is a very stiff mixture.

Break into pieces and bake on a baking tray at 180o C for about 10 minutes.

For the next couple of days, Viv’s Family Recipes will be available of a mere 0.99 ($ or £). Get your copy, and make some more of my recipes collected over the years from friends and family. Click on this link or the book cover in the sidebar.

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Special offer

The Stones of Fire and Water, Book 2 of Elemental Worlds will be FREE from TOMORROW, DECEMBER 15th until Thursday December 20th

Pettic , having found the gems associated with the worlds of Terra and Aeris, now needs to go to the worlds of Ignis and Aqua in order to find the gems associated with those elements.

These worlds are stranger than he could imagine. He meets with a dying race of dragons and merfolk. The requirements to find the stones means he has to help them overcome their problems. He needs to find a solution to the death of the dragons, and to help find a magical sceptre that is needed if the king of the merfolk is not to waste away.

Once back on his own world, Pettic needs to find a way to get to the mini-plane where his friend, the Crown Prince is imprisoned, rescue him and return before an imposter takes the throne. But the imposter looks just like the prince. How can he convince people which is the real one?

Don’t miss this chance to get the book free. And if you wait, Book 1 will also be free very soon.

Click here or on the book image in the sidebar to go to Amazon where you are.

And don’t forget the release of Vengeance of a Slave is in just 2 weeks. You can pre-order by clicking here. If you then send me a copy of your receipt, I will send you a free preview chapter of the next book in this series, Jealousy of a Viking. Email me at vivienne.sang@gmail.com

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Special Offer

Today, and for the next 5 days, Book 2 of The Wolves of Vimar series, The Never-Dying Man, will be available for a mere $0.99, £0.99. If you got The Wolf Pack in the last offer, take the opportunity to get Book 2 now. Click on this link to go to Amazon where you are. http://myBook.to/TheNeverDyingMan
If you missed The Wolf Pack, you can get it from Amazon using this link. http://myBook.to/TheWolfPack

Here’s a bit about The Never-Dying Man

After finding Sauvern’s Sword, the companions set off to help a friend rescue his child from kidnappers. Instead, they stray into Erian and find preparations for war. They are drafted into the Erian army but are recognized by an old enemy, who arrests some of them and takes them to Frelli, the capital of Erian, where they are put in jail.

The Master of Erian frees them and offers them work. Meanwhile, Carthinal has to face some unpleasant truths about himself. Is his desire to further his magical career more important than his friends and country? After they discover terrible truths about the Master and his magical research, they will need to escape in order to tell the leaders of Grosmer about the plans for war.

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Don’t Miss This Offer

 

On March 5th and 6th The Wolf Pack will be available on Amazon.

Hurry. don’t miss this opportunity to get Book 1 of The Wolves of Vimar Series for only $0.99, £0.99.

Two days only.

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About the book.

When Carthinal leaves Bluehaven to go to take the tests that would end his apprenticeship and make him a full mage, little does he realize the changes that are about to take place in his life. Strange prophecies dog his footsteps and he meets new friends. They are sent on a quest to discover a long lost artifact. On their journey they meet with sorrow and pleasure as well as many dangers. Help is found in the most unexpected places, they face their innermost fears and have great surprises. None of them returns unchanged.