Chapter 9955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ylzT9dTMX
21st August
Ariadne instinctively held a hand over her stomach. Although it had the slightest bump, she was not beginning to show. Telling her fiance had gone better than she had expected; he had frozen momentarily, before beginning to thaw. A smile spread across his face and he was genuinely pleased. He hoped it was a boy. He wanted to name the child Julius.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw02EmDBBZZ
Ariadne walked slowly to the racing ground, wanting to catch Livia before the races began. The women sat separately from the men and so she bid Maxentius farewell and found her friend sitting on the stone benches.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hqlq49e2L
“I was wondering when you would arrive.” Livia said casually. Lowering her voice, she added: “How did he take it?”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoJ240SjsX
“Well. He took it well.” Ariadne whispered. Livia smiled.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2K1b4RnO00
“It looks like the green flag shall be the victor today.” She said, raising her voice back to it’s normal level.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMleg8Pal10
“How can you know? The race hasn’t even begun yet!” Ariadne asked, her eyes scanning the oval racing ground.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgMCeJJIFx
“No; but green have the best charioteers. And the best horses. You can see by the shine of their coats and the health of their hooves that they are in better physical condition. The other horses have been run ragged, even I can tell that.”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9j36JVYiz
Ariadne looked closely and saw that Livia was right, the horses on one team looked far better than those on the opposite side.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzmVi4TkAE
“Then I shall tell my father to bet on green.” Ariadne said and Livia nodded, waiting anxiously for the race to begin.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPhrA1SQZX
Since she was a child, she had loved the racing ground. When she was younh, she would sit with her mother - her father would sit near the front; being both a man and a politician, he was entitled to better seats than the women - and clap her hands and hit her feet on the stone floor, cheering for her favourite side. Her mother would bring a small amount of food, usually bread with some jam or butter, and Livia would eat it eagerly, not taking her eyes of the horses running in large circles before her. When it was over, she would go home with the noise of the crowd and the thunder of hooves ringing in her tiny ears.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhrFU9XNQ9
But this race was different. This race was not to celebrate the gods; It was to appease them.
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Caius sharpened the point on his spear. His darkened eyes gazed around the room he was in; a changing room of sorts. Gladiators around him were strapping on leather knee guards and polishing daggers. Marcus sat with a rather helpless expression on his face.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPpGJVWP7o
“If you keep that look on your face you’ll be an easy target. You may as well hand yourself over to the underworld. I’m sure Pluto will welcome you with open arms, Roman.” Caius said, his tone more harsh than he intended.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe82d8sEFGO
“Why does Tetraites put his newest fighter into the arena?” Marcus asked.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlQPQsjUvu
“Because he knows there are fighters like me in there to save your sorry asses.” Caius said simply, only half joking.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZexzJ0DLrf
Marcus closed his eyes. He was not afraid of the fight, nor of death, he simply hoped that the games would be enough.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkJyHySSQd
Tetraites called his gladiators to the entrance to the arena. The sun streamed through the gate. Caius and Marcus stood at the front of the line, looking out into the empty arena that was filling up with people quickly.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoTB0XdaRw
“The deaths that happen, Marcus,” Caius said, looking at the sand floor of the arena behind the gate. “They have to happen.”
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The arena had quickly filled and as the sun rose higher in the sky, they began to grow impatient. The temperature was increasing and growing almost unbearable for those without shade or water.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonzjYQol9O
Tetraites called his gladiators to him, shooting glances at the trainer from Naples who too called his gladiators into a huddle around him.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemZrvWjHbP
“You are not usually one for motivational speeches.” Caius said lightly, but the darkness that Marcus had seen in his eyes still remained.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuDjDGzpRu
“Usually, I do not send nearly all of my gladiators into the arena at one given time.” He tried not to portray his worry, but he knew that if he lost this fight then he would lose the vast majority of his fighters. The losses over the past year had almost crippled him; if he lost this, he knew that he would be ridiculed in Pompeii. His status as one of the greatest gladiator trainers in the Empire was already on the rocks. He knew that if today ended in failure, that title would be lost to him forever. “You are all good men,” he continued. “I believe that you can win this, but know that the people want blood. They do not want a courteous fight. Do not offer your opponent mercy; they will afford you none.” His eyes scanned each of his fighters. Then, placing a hand on Caius shoulder, he said: “Go out there and make me proud, men.” For only a second, he let slip his facade and allowed his gladiators to see their master as a genuine and honest man, rather than the tough and strict trainer they were used to.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRNIBAia5x
Caius nodded.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8c4lunise9
“You gave me mercy when I was a child. You took me in and you trained me when I was old enough. No matter how many fights I win, I shall never, ever be able to repay your kindness. If I die today, I will know that I died appeasing the Gods to save your soul.”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Qlz8z1oBB
“You shall not die, Caius. Because we shall win this match and all of you shall return home and when you do, I shall have the cooks prepare an excellent feast.” Tetraites said earnestly. “Now. Get out into that arena!” He barked, and the men smiled slightly before turning towards the iron gates that covered the arched entrance.
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The majority of the gladiators from Naples fought with spears, and all of them were steel with long, sharp points. Caius glowered at them menacingly. Marcus wanted to speak to his friend, to ask him for last minute advice, but he knew that Caius would not hear him. Caius was immune to everything around him and the only conceivable thought in his mind presently was ‘kill’.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgNFdT2zy0
The first man to make a move was a young man from Naples. Sensing that Caius was the toughest out of the lot, he made his way for him. Caius defended himself impeccably; the man barely got to within a foot of Caius before he was dead. Caius’ spear moved so fast Marcus did quite realise what had happened until the man fell to the ground and Caius was wiping the blood off his face.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnmg7TjcOg
It scared Marcus, to see the lack of emotion on his friend’s face. To see how easily Caius kicked aside the man’s lifeless body in order to attack another. To see how quickly the bodies piled up around him.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCh0Vq174oz
Marcus did not have the time to dwell any longer, for he was set upon at that moment by a man twice his size. He moved backwards, his feet moving swifter than he ever thought they could. The man looked menacing, with a scar spanning the whole of his left cheek and no small amount of bruises on his arms. Marcus did not have time to think of his next move before he was forced to duck; his opponent had thrust his spear forward with as much force as he could muster and it merely grazed the top of Marcus’ head. Raising his hand, Marcus felt blood, but knew that he had narrowly missed a killing blow.The gladiator opposite him stood in anger, for he was sure that the blow would have met its mark. Without waiting to consider his next movement, Marcus took advantage of his opponents momentary lapse in concentration to thrust his spear firmly through the leather armour and straight into his stomach. He fell to the ground in agony, but Marcus had not the time to feel guilt.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gnBJdto4s
His eyes scanned the arena, and he saw that Caius was fighting two men at once, needing no aid from anyone else. The other Pompeian gladiators also seemed to be winning, though a fair few littered the ground near those from Naples.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6BKr834EF
When there were only six from Naples remaining out of the original fourteen, the organiser of the games stood up. Caius halted, his dagger only inches away from the neck of a Neapolitan.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFGglHrGAG
“Enough blood for today, gladiators. I do believe the god’s are appeased.” He said, looking up at the cloudless sky. Marcus breathed a sigh of relief, and Caius moved his dagger away from the gladiator and offered him his hand to help the man up off his knees. The Neapolitan looked up in thanks to Caius, who could offer only a small smile. He had not yet broken his arena mindset, and so stalked back inside as soon as he was able, leaving the other gladiators (Marcus included) to stand before the population of Pompeii and listen to their cheers.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKx7Qgket0
Marcus felt exhilarated. Coming so close to death and yet escaping gave one an incredible rush, and as he glanced up into the crowds and saw Livia among the ones clapping eagerly, he could not think why Caius had taken such a dislike for the glory one receives in the arena.
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“You thought he was going to die, didn’t you?” Ariadne said gently.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHE7mYaYyvf
“He came close.” Livia said rather bluntly. “Besides, what makes you think I care for him?”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2FiKpKih3
Ariadne smirked.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTbqP8BpzR
“Nothing.” She said simply, with a shrug. She began to walk away and then turned to face her friend with a larger smirk on her lips. “Except that I could practically feel your heart stop when that Neapolitan grazed his head.”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QvkAalVks
Livia shook her head, laughing slightly, before catching up to her friend.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsODkpNOz6w
“Perhaps I should pay a visit to Tetraites. I will be able to see if Marcus is alright that way.” She suggested, no small amount of hopefulness in her tone.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRVHCGK7sW
“I rather think that would raise some eyebrows, my dear friend! Besides, I want you to help me pick the fabric for my wedding dress, and you simply cannot abandon me during my hour of need.”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkanYnaBad
Livia laughed, weaving her arm through Ariadne’s.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0f5V9OU3bj
“You are right, I could not possibly leave you, especially not in your condition!”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9IOKf70dh
Ariadne hit her friend on the arm, and shushed her.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQq3OdzNLcE
“You are the worst secret-keeper in all of Pompeii! To think I should have you as my closest friend and the only person I can share my secrets with! Oh to be so unlucky!!” She laughed.
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“How did I do?” Marcus asked Caius that evening. Caius shrugged.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfaunrGozX
“You survived.”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQMZa0KdK1
“Well, yes. But did you not see how I-“955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPjplGscgF
“Marcus, friend.” Caius said bluntly. “I do not wish to speak of battle.”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbCep0kV9c
Marcus nodded.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcZNkoQ8Vg
“I see. Then let us discuss lighter matters!”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0EG6Ve7dq
“Such as?” Caius said, glancing up and looking at his friend in interest.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMbi4ImGiV
“Such as the woman cheering my name today in the arena.”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUz1Jo3k4T
Caius snorted.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIAkGBMJeU
“To cheer your name would be social suicide for her; no husband would ever have her. She may have cheered for you Marcus, but she was not cheering your name. There is a fine line.”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJHqVLz2mr
Marcus scowled for a moment, before shrugging it off. It was true, after all.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0p2Vvk7FN
“Ah you are right. But she was worried for me, I know it. I saw it in her eyes.”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRloyZajY0
“In her eyes? She was miles above you! I am amazed you could see her at all, never mind make out what was in her eyes!”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmRuL2e90R
“Are you determined to thwart my every statement?” Marcus said lightly.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnDmDN2hpG
“I am determined to set you straight when you are clearly delusional, my friend!”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4EWp9AOD9
“I shall show you, Caius. I shall show you that the lady cares for me.”955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ve1wEC6cB
“And, pray tell, how?” Caius said, leaning back in his chair like a teacher looking at a pupil.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1chTjikl7
“I shall sneak out. Tonight.” Marcus said energetically. “You shall help me! I have a plan.” He demanded.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ613l8JIEv1
“I shall do no such thing!” Caius said, feigning outrage. He paused for a second, and then leaned forward. “What do you have in mind?”
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A/N - Pluto was the Roman name for the God Hades.955Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1cLWlSZHd
Also the quote ‘the deaths that happen, have to happen’ is from a TV show called Da Vinci’s Demons.
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