The Purple Shroud

Theodora and Justinian have been crowned Emperor and Empress, but ruling an empire is no easy task. The two sects of Christianity are still battling for dogmatic supremacy, and the empire's borders are not secure. But the most pressing concern is close to home: Constantinople's two factions, the Blues and the Greens, are beginning to unite in their unhappiness with rising tax rates and government cutbacks. When that unhappiness spills over into all-out violence, tens of thousands are killed (including someone very close to Theodora) and many of the City's landmarks are destroyed. In the aftermath, Theodora guides Justinian in gaining back the love and trust of the people, her unerring instinct for what the people want proving invaluable. Theodora comes to realize that being the Augusta is simply another role she must play, though the stakes are much higher and there is no offstage. It's a role she was born to play.