Elisabeth Storrs Libri

"Four unforgettable characters are tested during a war between Rome and Etruscan Veii. Caecilia has long been torn between her birthplace of Rome and her adopted city of Veii. Yet faced with mounting danger to her husband, children, and Etruscan freedoms, will her call to destroy Rome succeed? Pinna has clawed her way from prostitute to the concubine of the Roman general Camillus. Deeply in love, can she exert her own power to survive the threat of exposure by those who know her sordid past? Semni, a servant, seeks forgiveness for a past betrayal. Will she redeem herself so she can marry the man she loves? Marcus, a Roman tribune, is tormented by unrequited love for another soldier. Can he find strength to choose between his cousin Caecilia and his fidelity to Rome? Who will overcome the treachery of mortals and gods?"--

"All the drama and sensuality expected of an historical romance, plus a sensitivity to the realities of life in a very different time and world..." --Ursula K. Le Guin In 406 BC, to seal a tenuous truce, the young Roman Caecilia is wedded to Vel Mastarna, an Etruscan nobleman from Veii. Leaving her militaristic homeland, Caecilia is determined to remain true to Roman virtues while living among the sinful Etruscans. But, despite her best intentions, she is seduced by a culture that offers women education, independence, sexual freedom, and an empowering religion. Enchanted by Veii but terrified of losing ties to Rome, Caecilia performs rites to delay becoming a mother, thereby postponing true entanglement. Yet as she develops an unexpected love for Mastarna, she's torn between her birthplace and the city in which she now lives. As war looms, Caecilia discovers Fate is not so easy to control, and she must choose where her allegiance lies. The Wedding Shroud is the first book in the Tales of Ancient Rome saga. Subsequent books in the series include The Golden Dice and Call to Juno.