I've scraped together legend, history, and a bit of my own fancy to recreate a story I've always loved. This is set around the year 270 A.D. in the ancient Roman empire. The character Felix is keeper of the royal prison and a distant relation to the Roman emperor Claudius. Let me know what you think of this beginning! I always start off short, but it will get longer, soon. I promise.
"Oh, mighty Jupiter, god of earth and sky, I beseech thee for my daughter Julia, who has been inflicted with blindness. I ask that thou wouldst restore her sight."
"Jupiter must be displeased with thee, else he would not withhold his powers," the priest frowned as Felix rose from where he had knelt prostrate before the marble statue. "You have been coming here for many a long year and still he has not heard thee. Perhaps thou must provide a richer sacrifice."
"What more can he possibly require?" Felix bent his head and stretched his hands out with a gesture of helplessness. "I have given so much… so much. And to no avail. It has been years since my Julia went blind and I am afraid she will never see again."
"Let it be as the mighty Jupiter wills," the priest bowed in reverence as he pronounced this. "If thou wilt not provide a richer sacrifice, then it must be thus. Julia will remain inflicted with this punishment of blindness."
It was on the tip of the father's tongue to protest, but he bit back his bitter words. It would not do to anger the priest. With a murmur of consent, he turned and left the marble halls of the great temple. A punishment! So the priest believed that Julia was being punished! And for what? She had been but six years of age when the accident occurred that had taken her sight. Twelve long years had passed and the sacrifices and prayers he had made to all the gods of Rome in those years had been to no avail. No answer was ever given. The gods were silent. And the priests demanded more… always more sacrifice. How could he possibly give more? They would break him yet. But he would find a way… there must be a way.
But Julia was adamant, now as ever. When he arrived home to tell of his yet fruitless prayers, she answered him firmly. As spirited as ever, poor girl, in her world of darkness.
"Father, this must stop. It has to stop. You have said many a time that a richer sacrifice is impossible. I will not allow you to do this any longer. It is time you accepted my fate… I already have." these last words she added in a small voice, hanging her head. It had been a difficult fate for her to accept. But she knew that nothing more could be done. The family must be provided for and she would not allow bread to be taken from their mouths in order to make more worthless prayers.
"Worthless." Felix confided to his wife that same evening. "She's worthless. As dearly as I love her, I have to come to terms with that fact. I'll never be able to marry her off… ever. Who could possibly want a blind wife?"
"Daniel might," Camilla smiled as only a mother can smile… a mother who has seen what has never been declared.
"Daniel… pshaw." Felix scoffed. "And what is he? Nothing! The son of a blacksmith. Even worse off than we are. At least I have command of the royal prison. And even then, if he were a suitable match… would he really want a wife who is stone-blind? No! He may have a foolish boyish fancy but in the end, he will make a wise choice. No, Camilla, there is no future for our Julia. She will end her days here… in this miserable place… carrying food to the prisoners."
