An Ordinary Occupation - A Pagan Novella

By Duke Pierce Reade

In an ancient time when Hadrian's Wall was new, a small town's teens must stand up against corrupt officials and the Roman 20th Legion to save their way of life, and they rely on fast thinking and a bit of magic along the way!

"Duke Pierce Reade has a fresh, international style of writing." – Olivia Lyons, Style Influencer

"I like the writing style.  It encourages you to dig deeper, find the meaning with a simple search."– Vinny B, Gaming Storyliner

"Duke Pierce Reade opens a window to third century small town Britannia with its teens and their struggles, no different than those of our time."  – Giorgi Zlkanskdn, History Teacher 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Duke Pierce Reade
• Release date: Apr 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386210184

Duke Pierce Reade

Duke Reade Pierce is an historian, futurist, researcher and writer living and working in a small office high above the street in Chicago where the clamor within those canyons of steel and glass are both an irritant and inspiration, and the sunsets are spectacular.

Book preview

With Illustrations by

Douglas Black

© 2018 Duke Pierce Reade

Publishers

Episode 1

Reda often took the road toward the Wall with his wools to be traded for goods or coin.  He joined other traders who set up stalls, or would prop their wagons beneath a tree along the south face so that the morning sun’s rays would glint and sparkle off of the metal cups and trinkets. 

On a good day Reda would return to his village with some cooking pots, an axe or two, perhaps a block of salt and some silver coins.  The older coins, struck before Marcus Aurelius diluted the purity, ever so slightly heavier, were best. That is if you could find them. 

Each milepost and garrison along the Roman Wall had its share of traders, beggars, and swindlers.  Most of the soldiers were nothing at all like soldiers, but merely sons of local landowners with salaried positions, purchased with political favors and graft.  Reda knew they could be easily bribed and manipulated. 

There were also true Roman Legionnaires. Some were young officers trying to make their mark, some simply old warhorses put out to pasture.  The toughest of these old goats, Granius, was stationed at the Procolitia garrison, between mileposts 23 and 24, west of the road leading north to the Otanedii, Dumnonii and beyond where the northern wall marked the Kingdom of DalRiada.  Prefect of the first Batavian Cohort, Granius claimed decent from a soldier who fought shoulder to shoulder with Agricola against the hero Calgacus at Mons Grampion and acted as though all should bow and kiss his feet for it.  As Reda waited that morning he was hoping Granius had not detained his old friend Pock, at least not with their cart.  This trip was already beyond its tenth day, and Reda’s old friend and confidante Pock was proving himself both necessary and amusing.

But here he came.  Reda could hear the cart creaking and rattling, the mule clopping long before it emerged from the veil of morning fog.  Streaks of morning cut through at just the right moment to illuminate the green and silver mosses between the low rows of blocks along the Way-atop-the-Wall.  Golden rays fell upon a moist green that smelled sweet and earthy. 

Pock hailed from a clan of Verulanium, far to the south, and became the closest of friends with Reda three years earlier while on the run.  A Roman Senator had claimed ownership of Pock’s family farm and installed a military tribune to manage it as a large Roman Villa and they had become serfs in their own home.  Pock fled north after clubbing a Citizen, and Reda discovered him with a cart full of beehives he claimed were Royal Icenian Bees which produced only the most luxurious honey.  Pock often boasted of his own decent from Boudicca herself when wine had his tongue.  Reda later learned the bees kept inquisitive customs agents from locating secret niches in the floorboards. 

Pock’s coat entered the suns favor and a patchwork of reds, violets and an odd mustard hue emerged from gray nothingness.  It was then that the glint of gold hit the sunlight,