Patricius dreamt that he was back home at the villa in Armorica with his mother and his father. Segovax was playing with him and Aello, who barked and scampered round the courtyard while man and boy played gladiators. Segovax always let him win, or so Patricius used to think, though not without a fight. Thanks to Segovax Patricius had become a fine swordsman, even as a teenager. He was proud that his father Germanus was proud of him. And his father had started to talk to him about his future; about how one day he would govern, just as Germanus had governed. Who knows? Germanus had said, one day Patricius might become a great Roman general; even greater things might happen. Imperator, perhaps?

Dream turned to nightmare. Patricius saw his father leaving for Rome. Patricius had asked Lupus why th...

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