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  From the Dark to the Dawn

  From the Dark to the Dawn:

  A Tale of Ancient Rome

  Alicia A. Willis

  Seasons of His-Story Publishing

  “Alicia Willis transports readers back to the troubled clash between the crushing might of Imperial Rome and the vengeful determination of the Celtic occupants of ancient Britain. From the Dark to the Dawn: A Tale of Ancient Rome will delight readers of historical fiction.”

  -Douglas Bond, author of Hostage Lands, Hand of Vengeance, and many other books of historical fiction and non-fiction.

  “A well-crafted tale set in a fascinating epoch. Alicia Willis delves far deeper than the "guts and glory" stories that many write about Rome and gets you into the brains of her characters. Her meticulous research is obvious, and the story itself is God-glorifying, entertaining, heartwarming, and heart-wrenching. Well done!”

  -John J. Horn, author of the Men of Grit series.

  “Alicia Willis sketches a stirring tale that delivers a powerful message of friendship, forgiveness, and God's grace. An authentic period piece, it leaves you with a greater awareness that God's ways are higher than our ways and we are on this earth for His purposes. Anyone with a bend toward historical fiction will thoroughly enjoy this book. Definitely a moving, worthwhile, and edifying read!”

  -Josiah Jost, actor/writer with Jostie Flicks.

  “From the Dark to the Dawn is a remarkable tale of Christianity in the midst of oppressive Ancient Rome. Alive with historical detail, action, and vivid descriptions, it presents the life-changing power of God's love and forgiveness in a way that will strengthen your faith, encourage, and inspire you.”

  -Caitlin Hedgcock, author of the Baker Family Adventures series.

  “From the Dark to the Dawn is a thrilling tale of friendship, persecution, and redemption. Alicia Willis skillfully portrays, with unfeigned accuracy, what it may have been like to be a Christian living under the rule of an oppressive Roman Emperor. The relationships she establishes between her characters are palpably real. Historically authentic and doctrinally precise, this book will have you swiftly turning pages as the author takes you through a time fraught with war, injustice, fear, and persecution, but also where God's sovereignty, grace, and mercy are fully evident. Another outstanding book!”

  –Jeanne Drennan, freelance writer and author.

  “From the Dark to the Dawn encouraged me in my own walk with God and touched my heart deeply. It is not easy to read, but hard to put down. Emotionally difficult, yet inspiring. It is a book the reaches down into the depths of pain and climbs to the heights of joy. It is a book that pulls the reader closer to the heart of God.”

  -Sarah Holman, author.

  “Alicia Willis' From the Dark to the Dawn is an incredibly well written book, built on the Biblical principal of forgiveness, shows us the power of a man willing to give God what little he has and forgive his tormentors. This book will surely go down in history sitting beside Pilgrims Progress. My only disappointment was reaching the end. This book wouldn't let me go! Every page demands you read the next. Alicia Willis expertly weaves a story of suspense, love, and action into an amazingly fun read that will keep you coming back. This is historical fiction at its finest. I highly recommend it to any young teen or adult looking for a good read!”

  -Michael Camp, reader and representative of Victory Baptist Church.

  From the Dark to the Dawn: A Tale of Ancient Rome

  Copyright © 2014 by Alicia A. Willis. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written consent from Seasons of His-Story Publications.

  Cover illustration copyright © by Rachel Rossano Designs and Alicia A. Willis.

  All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version.

  From the Dark to the Dawn: A Tale of Ancient Rome is a work of fiction. Where historical persons or places appear, they are used fictitiously; however, every attempt has been made to ensure historical accuracy. Other elements and characters are the work of the author’s imagination.

  In the dark turbulence of ancient Rome, a rebellious Iceni captive meets his match in his Roman master. When Christianity enters the picture, the clash of race and rank is intensified as Philip seeks to win his master to the Lord and survive the terrors of persecution under Nero. A tale of faith, persecution, redemption, and romance.

  Seasons of His-Story Publishing

  Other Titles by Alicia A. Willis

  The Comrades of Honor Series:

  To Birmingham Castle

  In Search of Adventure

  Rising to the Challenge

  Novellas:

  God of Her Fathers

  Remembering the Alamo

  To my sister Lydia.

  Thank you for the enthusiasm you have always portrayed for this story. You are the best sister anyone could ever have. I love you!

  And to Joshua Hoppman. Thank you for your friendship! You have always been such a support to me in my writing endeavors. God bless!

  Contents

  Introduction........................................................................................ 11

  Part I..................................................................................................... 1

  Chapter One.......................................................................................... 2

  Chapter Two.......................................................................................... 6

  Chapter Three..................................................................................... 10

  Chapter Four....................................................................................... 13

  Chapter Five........................................................................................ 16

  Chapter Six.......................................................................................... 20

  Chapter Seven..................................................................................... 23

  Chapter Eight....................................................................................... 26

  Chapter Nine....................................................................................... 30

  Chapter Ten......................................................................................... 34

  Chapter Eleven.................................................................................... 37

  Chapter Twelve................................................................................... 41

  Chapter Thirteen................................................................................. 45

  Chapter Fourteen................................................................................ 50

  Chapter Fifteen................................................................................... 53

  Chapter Sixteen................................................................................... 58

  Chapter Seventeen.............................................................................. 63

  Chapter Eighteen................................................................................. 67

  Chapter Nineteen................................................................................ 72

  Part II.................................................................................................. 80

  Chapter Twenty................................................................................. 241

  Chapter Twenty-One......................................................................... 245

  Chapter Twenty-Two...........................................
.............................. 250

  Chapter Twenty-Three....................................................................... 255

  Chapter Twenty-Four......................................................................... 261

  Chapter Twenty-Five.......................................................................... 268

  Chapter Twenty-Six............................................................................ 272

  Chapter Twenty-Seven...................................................................... 276

  Chapter Twenty-Eight........................................................................ 281

  Chapter Twenty-Nine......................................................................... 285

  Chapter Thirty.................................................................................... 291

  Chapter Thirty-One............................................................................ 297

  Chapter Thirty-Two............................................................................ 298

  Epilogue............................................................................................. 301

  Glossary of Terms.............................................................................. 301

  Introduction

  I cannot say writing From the Dark to the Dawn was easy. Truth be told, completing the story was one of the greatest ordeals–and blessings–I have ever undergone. To me, this is so much more than a story of an ancient land. In some ways, it is a mirror of our own lives today.

  We as a people, in whatever country we call our home, are very comparable to ancient Rome. There is no debate in saying we face many similarities in our problems. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon tells us there is nothing new under the sun. If we traveled back, I think our cultural and personal problems of today could find correlation in what our Christian brethren experienced in decadent Rome.

  Only, we have it so much easier.

  Yes, we face temptation. We experience the darkness of the world. It grieves us to see sin abound, even as it did in Rome. In our own way, we too abandon and murder children, participate in forms of slavery, and substitute the gladiatorial games with violent videos. It is in those aspects that we are similar.

  But, solely by God’s grace, our culture has not yet reached the pinnacle of corruption Rome saw in her time. When considering the extreme immorality that governed nearly every individual, I think we are blessed. We are not culturally obligated to commit fornication, to worship false gods of sensuality, revelry, and war. Our culture has not embraced the morally degrading practice of human slavery.

  And I think few of us really know what it means to suffer persecution for Jesus.

  Yes, we are scorned, our liberties curtailed, our standards mocked. But few of us have truly faced persecution. When was the last time you saw your pastor covered in oily pitch and burned at the stake? Your children thrown into an arena and fed to starving lions? When did you have to huddle in the dark when you met with your brethren and whisper the hymns to keep from being overheard?

  For that matter, when was the last time we went to church? Our brethren risked their lives to meet; we complain about the length of a sermon or meeting for a midweek service. We are so blessed.

  I learned so much in writing this book. Many of the prayers expressed through the characters you are about to meet were my own. So were some of the temptations. Perhaps not in the same way, but in many similarities. Through God’s grace, I have learned the importance of serving Him because I love Him – not to be rewarded. I have learned nothing will separate me from His love. He has taught me about forgiveness, about trusting His strength when all hope seems gone.

  And now I pass these things onto you.

  This book is historical-fiction, not a sermon. But I think we can learn so much through a story, particularly one that really could have happened and is completely accurate in its portrayal of the era. Through the story of the characters, I hope you will be blessed and uplifted in your Christian walk.

  Taking a brief digression, allow me to say that every effort has been made to ensure historical accuracy. Years were spent in research, and I had the fantastic assistance of some very wonderful historians and teachers. Among them were Guy de la Bedoyere, David Potter, and John Yates, to each of whom I express my thanks.

  Additionally, allow me to say that the customs, views, and expressions used throughout the book are modes of the time period, some of which cannot be considered the personal or religious views of the author.

  May God bless each of you as you experience the darkness of the world and the new dawn only He can bring about in the lives of a lost, hurting world. Ad maioram De gloriam, to the greater glory of God.

  -Alicia A. Willis

  Part I

  The people that walked in darkness

  have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath

  the light shined.

  ~Isaiah 9:2

  Chapter One

  61 Anno Domini

  British Isles

  Philip crouched in the tall grass, his heels poised to spring. His pulse raced, pounding against his chest. The smell of smoke and death was gagging. All around him, carnage and the bodies of thousands of his tribesmen were haunting reminders of yesterday’s battle.

  Indistinct shouts sent chills running up and down his spine. The Roman legionaries ran like red ants through the plain and glades, plundering, capturing, killing. Massacre was still in their blood.

  They would kill him if they found him. Or, worse still, they would enslave him.

  Philip peered through the grass. The sun glistened off of thousands of pieces of armor and weapons, half-blinding him. Many of the weapons had been stolen from the Romans themselves. Now, their fallen glimmer was a mocking reminder of what they had lost.

  They had failed. His people lay dead in the thousands.

  Philip’s heart lurched as a legionary ran in front of his hiding place. He stumbled over a longsword, evoking a short chuckle from his comrades. The sight, trivial as it was, was a small consolation. The longswords of the Iceni had been no match for the Roman gladius. Short and efficient, the Romans had killed thousands of them with it. But at least it had played a small part in humiliating one of them.

  His mind felt numb. It relived the events of yesterday, torturing him. How could this have happened? Their queen had been so certain.

  On the rise of dawn, Queen Boudicca’s chariot had ridden past their lines. Her stern voice had echoed across the plain, a haunting pre-battle speech.

  “I am avenging my lost freedom, my scourged body, the outraged chastity of my daughters,” she had said. Her flashing eyes and flying red hair added fierce weight to her words. “Heaven is on the side of a righteous vengeance. You will see that it is in this battle you must conquer or die!”

  It had been a prophetic speech.

  At the first charge, thousands of Iceni were killed by the Roman’s javelins. The scene repeated itself on the second charge. And, when their angry fighting spirit had been torn from them and total disarray wrecked their lines, General Suetonius had pushed his auxiliaries forward in small units. The entire Iceni army had been surrounded.

  The butchery had quickly turned into a massacre.

  Philip shut his eyes, trying to wash out the horrifying images replaying in his mind. They had been so sure of victory. The Druid priests had assured Boudicca the forest gods were on their side, that they were right to stand against the lust of Rome. They would rule the world.

  And, for a short time, it seemed the gods favored them. The Roman settlements Camulodunium, Londinium, and Verulamium had already fallen. Why shouldn’t all of Briton be reclaimed from the Romans?

  Victory was so certain the Iceni had brought their women and children with them. After all, they had three times as many soldiers as Suetonius. The Roman army was so inferior that the general could not e
ven stretch his line of legionaries to meet their massive Iceni line, even at one soldier deep.

  Beric, his own father, had brought his wife and two daughters along. He had left them with the other women and children along the ring of wagons and animals. And, up until the very last minute, Philip had begged him to not leave him with the women.

  “I am a warrior, father! Not a child. Let me fight alongside you. Let me prove my loyalty to our queen and you.”

  But Beric’s mind had been firmly made. At thirteen years of age, Philip was no match for a tough Roman legionary. Philip recalled his firm voice, the slight brush of his hand upon his bare shoulder.

  “No, my son. We have warriors enough. Stand and watch the defeat of Rome. The legions have nothing to gain but our enslavement. We are fighting for freedom, for justice. Let the fall of their eagles show you what a proud thing it is to be a Briton!”

  Philip felt a returning smart of resentment in his throat. The eagles had not fallen. The frenzied Britons had been slaughtered. And if his father had let him fight, he would not have lived to witness the deaths of thousands of his countrymen. I would not have seen my family die.

  When the Roman auxiliaries had closed in around the Iceni, their cavalry had not spared the wagon ring harboring the women and children. Enraged by the Briton’s revolt against their mighty empire, they massacred them. The terrified screams of his mother and sisters were memories Philip knew he would never forget.