In northern Britania, in the land of the Saxons, there was a wedding in the works. The bride, a beautiful Saxon princess. The groom, a brave Roman prince. They had conquered all the odds to be together. This wedding signified the dawning of a new era of peace and prosperity in all the land.

But, this story really begins nearly a year earlier. A Roman prince by the name of Orcus, son of Gaius Marius, is preparing to leaving Rome, and lead the Roman army to the southern Britania near Hadrian’s wall. The Romans were planning an attack on the Saxon capital in northern Britania. Before leaving Rome he led the army to the Pantheon so they could pray to the gods for victory and safety. Then, the army commenced their march down the Appian Way, marching north for many weeks.

On the other side of this upcoming battle was a charming Saxon princess named Freya. She was know throughout the Saxon kingdom for her beauty. Well-to-do men in the kingdom offered dowries to King Woden for his daughter’s hand. The man that offered the largest dowry was a man called Shropsher, a rich merchant. This man was troll-like in appearance. To many he was positively repulsive, he was rude, dirty, and horridly hideous. King Woden gladly accepted the man’s very gracious dowry of 200 stones of gold. Freya was then betrothed to marry Shropsher. She was very despondent to this news. She was very troubled by the impeding marriage. Fortunately, a battle was on the horizon, so a wedding would not be coming immediately.

Orcus and his army finally reached southern Britania. Before beginning a full onslaught on the Saxon capital, he wanted to send scouts to the capital on a reconnaissance mission to find out what they would be up against. He chose twenty of his best soldiers to go o the mission, he also chose to go on this mission. He devised a plan of action to sneak into the city and gather as much information as possible, then in the dead of night the furtively set on their journey they knew it would be arduous and long, but it was best for the army. Orcus and the twenty soldiers split up and only moved at night, in order to avert detection as well as they possibly could. After, nearly a week of sleathy travel through the rolling hills of Britania, Orcus reached the capital. As he walked through the streets the only illumination was that of the moon. After, meandering through the city for what seemed to be nearly an hour, he saw a dim glow coming from a window. He knew that he shouldn’t get any closer to see what was inside, but he possessed an intuitive spirit that so strongly compelled him to look that he simply could not resist it. As he approached he was very fearful of what might be inside, if it were a soldier it would be Orcus’s certain death, for he left his weapons in a cave where he would get them later, he knew if he carried his weapons it would cause a great raucous when he walked. When reached a point where he could she inside the window he a silhouette and he was relieved to find that it was not a soldier, but it appeared to be that of a woman. She then came into view and he was so taken by her uncomparable beauty that he could help but, stay to take in her beauty. She looked toward the window, he quickly hid hoping that she didn’t he him.

Freya began to walk toward the window hoping to find who was looking into her window. She was very startled by the figure looking into her window; she felt that it was a benevolent being so she felt strongly compelled to find who it was. Orcus knew in his mind that he should leave for his own safety, but his heart told him to stay and to ease his mind, that a woman that beautiful could not possess any malevolence in her heart. When she reached the window she first looked to her right, then to her left, she gasped, ‘He is an Adonis,’ she thought to herself ‘I have never seen such a pulchritudinous in my life.’ When he saw her in her full glorious beauty he was breathless, ‘She is without doubt more beautiful than Helen of Troy, and even Venus the goddess of beauty herself.’ They stared into each other’s eyes speechless, so taken by the other’s beauty, until finally Orcus spoke in his sweet tenor-like tone “What is your name?” She replied in her melodious voice, surely more beautiful than that of the Muses, “My name is Freya, princess of the Saxons.” ‘How can I let this happen?’ he thought to himself, ‘She is a Saxon, and if that isn’t bad enough, she is the princess of the Saxons.’ “What is your name?” ‘I can’t tell her who I really I am if I do she will surely have me killed, but if I tell her and tell her of the upcoming attack, maybe I can save her’, “I am Orcus, prince of Rome.” She sighed as if in disappointment. “What is the matter Freya?” he said, already knowing the answer to his question. “Our love is forbidden, it would never be allowed by our families or our nations.” Freya said with distress. “I know, but if we plead for the gods’ favor on us maybe it will be granted, and our love can conquer all.” Orcus said in a comforting tone. Orcus knew the dawn would soon be arriving, so he needed to leave, but before he left there was something he needed to tell her. “In a fortnight an onslaught of Roman soldiers will strike this city, warn the citizens and save everyone you can. After the battle I will come back to find you.”, with that he kissed her and quickly left the town. He slept through the day in the cave where he had hidden his weapons. His dreams were filled with images of her and hopes that she would be safe. With the fall of the sun and the onset of the darkness of the night he left the cave, headed to the Roman encampment.

Once he arrived at the camp he continued as planned, the soldiers prepare for battle. But, instead of take the entire army Orcus chose to take only one legion of soldiers. The army was shocked and rather offended that they did not get to enter into battle, but they dared not question their commander’s judgment. Orcus then divided the legion into twenty cohorts, also something that was unusual about Orcus’s plan was that he ordered his soldiers only to kill if they needed to but otherwise just to take enemies as prisoners. At this the soldiers were dismayed, one of the soldiers named Perseus said to Orcus, “What are you thinking, this is not the Roman way?” Orcus responded saying, “ What is this mutiny? Just who are you to tell what is the Roman way? The Roman way is a way of change and newly found clemency to our enemies.” “Sorry sir, I had no ground to question authority. I sincerely beg your pardon.” Perseus entreated. “Now get some sleep, for at dawn we attack.” Orcus said to all his soldiers.

Freya told her father of the impending attack, but implored him not to take drastic or violent measures. King Woden would hear none of the sort, he prepared his best troops and best weapons to counter the upcoming Roman offensive. Even through this Freya continued to pray to the gods that they might grant favor to the young lovers.

At dawn, before departing Orcus gathered his troops to pray to the gods for safety and victory, Orcus also pray for the favor of the gods. After marching for two days Orcus’s cohort is met by part of the Saxon army. As the two opposing group approach one another the Saxons begin shooting arrows into the Roman cohort. The graciously granted Orcus and Freya their favor and wanted the young lovers to be together. But the Fates resented gods thinking they had the authority to create destiny. One of the arrows shot into the cohort struck Orcus and wounded him fatally. The rest of the cohort continued toward the Saxon capital, leaving Orcus there where he was killed. Then hands of the underworld begin to reach up out of the ground to take his body into the after life, he was being taken down, down into the depths of the underworld. When Jupiter the king of the gods appears to Orcus and tells him that it is not yet his time to die and that the fates only have as much power as you let them have. “With the gods on your side you can make your own destiny.” Jupiter told Orcus. Jupiter then left Orcus. Orcus began to fight the hands of the underworld that were pulling him down, he would let nothing stop him from being with the woman he so dearly loved. He was finally able to successfully escape the grasp of death and the underworld, this was only even possible because he was bestowed with the power of the gods as a gift for being such a devout servant. At last he reached the surface and was caught up with his army, which by now was in the capital. Most of the city had been captured with very little loss of life. Orcus began searching the city hoping to find Freya, he kept searching and searching to know avail. He kept searching beginning to feel very discouraged that he could not find her he nearly gave up hope. Then finally after searching what seemed an eternity he found her, he over joyously embraced her. He said to her that he wish they could be together forever. She replied, “And I wish the same.” Then he said to her, “In that case will you marry me.” “I would love to.”, she said with tears of joy beginning to gently fall down her cheeks. “But I do not think my father would approve.”, she said as she looked to her father. King Woden seeing how in love his daughter was with the young Roman boy, consented to their marriage.

Orcus immediately ordered a messenger to go to Rome to tell his father of the upcoming wedding. Upon receiving the news Gaius Marius was over-joyed and he declared, “My son is now ready to be king. He has become his own man and stepped out of his father’s shadow. Orcus’s family along with a majority of the Roman citizens began a journey to northern Britania, to be in attendance at the wedding and to the crowning of the new king of two nations. The wedding had thousands in attendance, it marked the dawning of a new era of peace and prosperity in all the land. Romans and Saxons were able to live side by side as brothers. And it was all thanks to two young lovers who possessed a love so powerful that it conquered unmatched adversity and brought peace to two once rival nations. Love truly can conquer all.