Fortune's Child: A Novel of Empress Theodora

Theodora: actress prostitute mistress. And Byzantine Empress of the civilized world.Stephen: handsome Syrian boy wizards apprentice palace eunuch. And Secretary to the Empress.How does this unlikely pair become such allies that one day Empress Theodora asks Stephen to write her biography?From a very young age Theodora daughter of a circus bearkeeper in Constantinople sets her sights well above her station in life. Her exquisite beauty sets her apart on stages and in the eyes of men. Stephen a Syrian lad of striking good looks is sold by his parents to a Persian wizard who teaches him a skill in languages that will serve him well. By the time Destiny brings them together in Antioch Theodora has undergone heartrending trials and a transformation while Stephen has been sold again . . . and castrated. Discover the enduring bond that however imperfect prompts Theodora--as Empress--to request palace eunuch Stephen to write her biography.