Last book I read cover to cover. Runes by Richard Monaco. A Fantasy novel set against the backdrop of ancient Rome and Britian. [Ace Fantasy, 1984, 278 pages] This isn't Historical Fiction, yet figures such as Caesar, Brutus, Marc Antony make their appearances.
There's a lot going on in this novel, even though it's not that long. There are several intertwining storylines going on involving many scheming characters. In addition to that, our Earthly world is but one of three planes of existence. The others are the Underworld and another golden, Heavenly realm.
The protagonists are Leitus and Bita. Bita is a British girl, and the subject of a prophecy that says she will bear the children of the Gods. Kidnapped from her home as a young girl, in the first chapter of the book, she grows up as a farm slave in Rome. She is the face of innocence, naïve, ignorant. Yet she has the power of sight into the other realms. Leitus is a young aristocrat studying to become a doctor. Early on, Leitus' lover Claudia is found murdered. Leitus discovers the shocking scene, is seen there and accused of the murder.
Subius is a freed Gladiator oath-bound to protect Leitus. As fugitives, the two flee with some of Subius' companions. They stay shortly with Leitus' uncle, where Leitus meets Bita. She joins their group and makes love to Leitus once. The two don't exactly share a sunny picnic together, it's a very awkward relationship. They are soon separated, as the Roman army 'enlists' Subius, Leitus, and their companions. In this way Leitus learns the ways of war.
Bita is captured by the sorcerer Iro, and is put through many tortures. Marc Antony ends up stealing her away, after hearing that she is a 'witch' and a significant part of events to follow. He doesn't keep her with royal hospitality. He at one point attempts to rape her, but she casts him off with a strong, irresistible command, proving to him that she indeed has powers he cannot see. Throughout Runes, Bita is often seen as a damsel, being captured and rescued multiple times. But there is no mistaking her power of sight into the other realms, and the role destiny has chosen for her. There are scenes of the three spirits that inhabit the Heavenly realm, discussing Earthly events; they even merge together into one being at points to assist the mortals.
Leitus and Subius are eventually promoted to Commanders of their own Roman forces through their deeds. Subius indeed fought with Spartacus, Leitus' real father, years before Leitus birth. Leitus learns this and it seems to hearten him, thinking himself a hero. He attempts to take the capital with a small army he acquired, loyal to him merely because of his parentage. As Roman armies return to the city from abroad, his force is overcome, and Leitus ends up nailed on a cross high above the city. Subius rescues him from death, but not without virtually crippling his hands.
Through the inner sights of Bita, the British wizard Namolin, Claudius' brother Iro, and even Leitus at certain points, the demon king Aataatana is revealed in the Underworld. He wishes to merge the two realms and rule over them, using Bita's divine child-to-be as his regent in the world above. This plot makes the scheming of the various Roman senators and generals seem much less important. Aataatana plots to steal the child of the Gods, so captures and keeps Bita during her pregnancy. The demon king uses three orbs that serve as gateways to the Underworld, giving the owner vast knowledge, and sight into the Underworld itself. He uses these connections to the Earthly world to manipulate humans gifted with this sight, even making promises he intends not to fulfill.
The final chapter is epic! All of the storylines converge on a ritual set up by three wizards (Namolin included) and Iro. During a rare lunar eclipse, Iro means to bring forth Aataatana. In a bloody combat sequence, a few subplots are resolved. This involves Leitus rescuing Bita from the Underworld. He is aided in this by three entities from the Heavenly realm, who grant him a sword of light, which destroys many winged demons in the realm below. After the struggle with the divinely inspired Leitus, Aataatana is held back from his Earthly incarnation.
To cap off the story, the sword guides Leitus and Bita back to the Earthly realm. After travelling through mystic realms, the sword pulling them along their way, Leitus and Bita finally reach a peaceful place, a great field near the farmlands where they can share intimate moments. After they met, only briefly did they have anything like this kind of peace. Their first encounter was followed by months on end of war, kidnap, and torture. Throughout these struggles the two would constantly think about one another, so memorable was their short (and prophesied) meeting. At last they reach this satisfying resolution. Bita decides to name their son Arturo. This caps off a violent story in a tender way, lover to lover.
Good Fantasy title. It has little to do with actual Roman mythology, it is a world of magic all its own. According to the Afterword Runes has sequels, but I don't know how many there are or their titles. If I come across them I'll pick them up. Pretty obscure find though, from the title page it appears Runes went straight to paperback without a hardcover printing. Richard Monaco must be better known for his other works, such as Arthurian tales in Parsival: Or a Knight's Tale.
Till next book!
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