Ein Kampf um Rom: Historischer Roman. Zweiter Band

In the waning light of a late summer day, a modest farm on the outskirts of a Gothic settlement buzzes with the mixed sounds of Roman slaves and Germanic laborers. Young Athalwin, barely nine, watches over the household with a mixture of pride and frustration, yearning for a weapon worthy of his ambitions. The rhythm of daily chores is broken only by the chatter of servants and the occasional bark of restless dogs, painting a vivid picture of a world caught between two cultures.

The peaceful routine is shattered when a hunched, cloaked stranger appears on the fence, his massive wolf‑skin mantle and iron‑tipped staff making an uneasy impression. He confronts the farm’s guard dogs with a calm that unnerves even the bravest boy, hinting at deeper loyalties and a looming clash beyond the fields. As Athalwin and the other inhabitants grapple with the stranger’s motives, the story begins to trace the larger struggle for Rome’s future, where personal honor and the weight of destiny collide.