One day fate decides to smile on Brennus. He’s hunting in the woods when he is almost seen by a group of Roman soldiers returning to their encampment. He hides until they pass, then decides to bathe in the nearby stream. Naked, he finds a mossy rock on which to lie while the sun dries and warms him. It isn’t long before his instincts tell him he isn’t alone. He discovers a soldier watching him and leaps to his feet, ready to fight. But fighting is the last thing Cyprian, the handsome Roman soldier, has on his mind. Over time the men become lovers, finding happiness in a world gone mad. They agree to meet regularly and for a time, they do. Until one day Brennus is captured by the Romans. Where is Cyprian? Didn’t he see his handsome soldier as he was being led into the encampment? Or will he ultimately be betrayed?

His Pagan Love

“If you can get us another one,” said Cadeyrn, “we can smoke it and have something to fill our bellies in the winter months.”


Winter was indeed drawing closer. Brennus wondered how he was going to be able to see Cyprian, especially when the heavy snowfalls came. The winter would last at least four full moons, and now that he had found Cyprian, he wanted to be with him as often as he could without drawing suspicion


“I’ll do my best,” said Brennus, thinking it would give him a good excuse to return to the woods more frequently, and perhaps see Cyprian while he was there.


Cadeyrn pushed the metal spit through the boar’s mouth, skewering the beast completely, and together, he and Brennus lifted it over the fire and placed each end on the supports on either side of the hearth.


“We’ll eat well tonight,” said Cadeyrn.


And it didn’t take long before the delicious aroma of cooking pork filled the hut. 3


Chapter 7