City of Gold (City of... #1)

Overview: L.J. LaBarthe is an Australian woman living with disabilities and her cat. She has always loved books, music, and daydreaming. She has written stories since childhood, often drawing pictures to accompany her tales. She won a competition for drawing a picture of Australian Humpty Dumpty, complete with Aussie hat when she was a young child. The drawing was accompanied by an adventure story with Humpty Dumpty she wrote set in Australia. From that moment on, she has not looked back. Part of the (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11278174-first-time-for-everything) First Time For Everything Daily Dose 2011 collection Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire, 1131 AD Gallienus has spent his life in service of his country, and now his scarred body is no longer up for the fight. Assigned to work the gates of Constantinople, he is charged with examining the cargo brought into the city from all over the world. Misahuen is part of the merchant train bringing wares from the Silk Road to trade, but its not Misahuens cargo that interests the wounded soldier. Gallienus thought his heart was too battered to love anything but his country. Does he have the courage to dream of a future beyond service to the City of Gold?