Book Title: Wall of Stone
Author: Heather Robinson
Publication Date: 23rd August 2014
Publisher: Independently Published
Page Length: 366 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
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Wall of Stone
By Heather Robinson
In AD121 the Twentieth Legion of Rome stands at the northern frontier of Britannia. Forgotten, neglected and dour in spirit, they must still do their duty for an Empire whose meaning is becoming lost to them.
As the lives of the local Teviot family intertwine with the legion, relationships of love and bitter anguish unfurl. Will the invading army push north? Will the disputing native tribes unite in an uprising? Can Marcus be with Jolinda?
When peace is fragile, friendships count for everything...
An excerpt from Wall of Stone
Jolinda knew the argument would not be resolved. Her mother’s views would not change. She was simply strangled by a gripping fog of grief over the matter.
“But we must trade with the Romans,” Jolinda implored. She was speaking in her native Bryothonic tongue, a Celtic language evolved from the Welsh. This was the only language her mother knew, although Jolinda could also converse in the Roman tongue. Her father had arranged for a menthor to tutor her – with great foresight, she realised. “We need their Roman coins to purchase grain and fodder from the southern people who’ve turned to their ways. We can’t grow enough on our northern hills to survive. We’ve always traded with our southern neighbours, the only difference is now we must use their new trading methods, coins not barter. And to get the coins we must first trade with the Romans. It’s just an extra step that’s all. Ma, can’t ya see we don’t have a choice? The animals will starve, we’ll starve. We must trade with them.”
“I won’t let ya father’s memory be tarnished. I will not. He’s been in his grave one moon is all and ya want to forsake him. No, Jolinda, no, he died by their hand.” Her voice rose with exasperation as she spoke the words. How could her daughter even consider the idea? “We’re the fourth generation of Teviots to live freely off this land and we’ll not be forced to succumb to anyone. D’ya hear me? I would rather rot slowly with a foetid wound of maggots than trade with the Roma…” the word died in a trembling choke of misery. Jolinda felt the burden like a hundredweight sack across her shoulders. She went to her mother’s side and gently rubbed her back. Giving comfort to the older woman who was failing in her attempt to stop the tears, brushing them away with the back of her hand as she continued to pound the grain in the large wooden bowl, polished smooth over the years from grinding. Jolinda spoke softly.
“It’ll be all right Ma, I’ll make it all right. Tamsin can take over some of my chores to help ya run the housestead. I’ll farm the land like Da used to. I’ve heard of a new piece of equipment that can be dragged along by oxen to turn the soil. If we can get one maybe we could sow more wheat and barley. The boys can help me. Kye’s pretty good at wielding a sickle these days and young Aaron’s old enough to sow and harvest. It’ll be all right.” Even as she was speaking, Jolinda knew the task was too great. As strong and independent as her father had been, he’d always bartered with the southern folk for extra fodder and grain. It had been easier before the south had romanized. Sometimes he’d exchange goods for meat over the winter months when the hunting was poor. The winters were harsh in these northern crags. Her father had often laughingly said the piercing wind alone was enough to send even a woolly mammoth to find a burrow. A lazy wind he’d called it – goes through ya ‘stead of round ya!
Her heart lifted a little as she remembered his rugged smile and gruff words. A solid exterior had covered a melting heart. Providing for and protecting his family had been his life. He’d found the challenges of the wild countryside fulfilling and the love of his woman satisfying. Energy exuded from every pore, creating an aura of optimism that breathed through the family. Jolinda, his eldest, had a similar trait. A smaller sheaf of energy but her presence always pervaded a room as she entered. She knew clearly, more clearly than she’d known anything before, that she would have to defy her mother’s wishes and trade with the Romans for their coins. With or without her family’s understanding she would do so, or they simply would not survive.
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