Chapter Text
When Lute woke up the next morning, she didn’t immediately understand why her back hurt so much. It was only after a few moments that she remembered the mistake she had made the night before, attacking Adam, and how he had slammed her to the ground with his full strength. Instinctively, she reached for the small of her back: it didn’t hurt too badly, but it was definitely throbbing, so much so that it felt like a knife was lodged in her pelvis. Just by touching it, she could tell there was a huge bruise there. Well, she couldn’t say she hadn’t deserved it. At least it didn’t hurt so much that it had kept her from sleeping, which was something.
When had she fallen asleep, anyway…?
Her eyes flew open as the memory of the previous night came rushing back. She didn’t remember the exact moment she had fallen asleep, but she remembered clearly everything that had happened before with Adam. What he had told her, the confession he had made, the way he had comforted her after…
Tears threatened to spill again as she recalled that awful conversation, and she had to fight hard to hold them back. Just thinking about Britannia made her feel a heavy weight pressing down on her heart, like her life force was being drained away. But deep down, she didn’t mind having received that wake-up call: even though it hurt to think about her home, she still felt lighter for finally letting go of all the crap she had bottled up for so many months.
With some effort due to her sore back she sat up and looked around. She was still in Adam’s bed, and the room was just as it had been, except for the light filtering in through the window, a few papyrus scrolls scattered on a small table, and the fact that the spot beside her was now empty. He had left.
She immediately blushed when she realized she had spent an entire night in a man’s bedroom; even though nothing had happened, her modesty was now in full rebellion. Luckily, Adam wasn’t there to see her, or he would definitely have teased her for the way she was covering her face with her hands.
Where had he gone, anyway? Well, maybe he had wanted to give her the room to herself. Even though he could have slept on another bed or even beside her, perhaps he had decided to offer her as much privacy as possible and had gone to sleep elsewhere. Until the day before, Lute wouldn’t have believed him capable of such a gesture, but after the kindness and consideration he had shown her, it no longer seemed so unthinkable. Adam wasn’t as one-dimensional as she had assumed, so maybe there were still many sides of him she hadn’t yet seen.
She picked up one of the papyrus scrolls left half-open on the table next to the bed. It was the History text he had read to her the day before: the Bibliotheca historica, the book about Alexander the Great. Lute couldn’t make heads or tails of the Greek language, but she honestly wished she could understand what was written on that scroll. Adam had read her only one of the more than forty books of that work (if she remembered correctly, it was the seventeenth), and even then, they hadn’t even made it halfway before she gave in to exhaustion (¹).
Still… she couldn’t deny she had been fascinated. She had never really liked books, but she had to admit it was truly interesting to read about the past deeds of commanders who had performed extraordinary feats. As Adam had read to her, Lute had imagined herself riding alongside the legendary Alexander the Great during the Battle of the Hydaspes River, while their enemies charged forward on elephants...
Speaking of which, she finally knew what an elephant was, thanks to the illustrations in the book (²). She now knew about a whole bunch of animals she had never even heard of before. The world really was huge.
She set the scroll down on the bed and tried to stand up, but her poor legs had other plans: the night before she had been able to get up and move around almost normally, but at that time her muscles had still been fully engaged. Now, after a full night’s sleep, they needed to wake up one by one, and that was anything but pleasant with her aching back. As soon as Lute stood on her feet, her legs trembled violently, and she felt a sharp cramp at the base of her spine, forcing her to collapse back onto the bed. But of course, Lute was more stubborn than a mule, and so, despite her body was practically begging her for mercy, she kept trying until she was finally able to stand steadily.
She gathered the scrolls from the table and returned them to the shelf. She had an excellent memory and clearly remembered where Adam had taken them from, so even if she couldn’t read the titles on all of them, she still managed to put them back in order. As she did so, she couldn’t resist the curiosity to glance at the titles of the others. Many were in Greek, making it impossible to guess their content, but she could at least read the ones in Latin: De Bello Civili, De Re Militari, De Bello Alexandrino, De Bello Africo, De Bello Hispaniensi, and of course, placed somewhat apart from the others, De Bello Gallico, the greatest work of Julius Caesar, which Adam often quoted (³).
Lute hesitated for a moment, then gently picked up that very scroll. Though it was clear it had been read many times, it was extraordinarily well preserved, a sign that Adam must have always handled it with utmost care. But what caught her attention was a dark stain in one corner, which she quickly recognized as a drop of blood; Adam must have read it even while he was wounded, probably while recovering from battle. That book had clearly accompanied him for a long time.
Lute wondered if she should put it back to avoid damaging it, but she couldn’t resist and unrolled it. It was written in a Latin even simpler than the commonly spoken kind, and it almost felt like a collection of notes, a style she found quite fitting for a great commander. She began to read the first lines.
Gaul as a whole is divided into three parts: one inhabited by the Belgae, another by the Aquitani, the third by those who in their own language are called Celts, in ours, Gauls. All these differ from each other in language, customs, and laws. The Garonne River separates the Gauls from the Aquitani; the Marne and the Seine separate them from the Belgae. Of all these, the Belgae are the bravest, because they are farthest removed from the culture and refinement of the Roman Province, and merchants rarely travel to them, bringing those things which tend to weaken the spirit, and they are closest to the Germans, who live across the Rhine, with whom they constantly wage war. For this reason, too, the Helvetii surpass the rest of the Gauls in courage, because they fight almost daily with the Germans, either repelling them from their territory or taking the fight to them. One part of Gaul, which has been said to be inhabited by the Gauls, begins at the Rhône River, is bounded by the Garonne, the Ocean, and the territory of the Belgae, also touches the Rhine from the side of the Sequani and the Helvetii, and stretches toward the north. The region of the Belgae begins at the farthest parts of Gaul, extends to the lower course of the Rhine, and stretches north and east. Aquitania extends from the Garonne to the Pyrenees and to that part of the Ocean which faces Spain; it runs from the west to the north.
Lute read all of that information almost in one breath. She had never imagined that a glorious commander would take so much time to describe the people he was about to conquer. And it wasn’t just that: it was as if Julius Caesar, in writing that book, had wanted to add something else, a strange sense of respect toward those people, describing their bravery and strength. In a way, it was a smart narrative choice: the Gauls were so strong, yet the Romans had defeated them, so Rome’s glory was even greater. But at the same time, it felt as though Caesar genuinely admired his enemies and wanted their extraordinary qualities to be remembered even after they were conquered.
She wondered if anyone had ever written about Britannia with the same admiration… but thinking about how their conquerors had behaved, it was hard to believe. None of the soldiers she had seen had seemed like someone who respected the people they were subjugating. She doubted anyone would ever write a De Bello Britannico or anything like that.
Maybe that’s what Adam had meant when he said that Rome had once been different.
She kept reading, discovering that the first book barely mentioned Rome, and not even Julius Caesar’s name appeared: the entire section was dedicated solely to the description of Gaul, discussing the culture and customs of the peoples who lived there, all portrayed with meticulous detail. Sometimes Caesar even made comparisons between Gallic and Roman culture, even comparing their gods, as if trying to show in every way that they were not such different people, indeed, even if they were barbarians, they could almost be considered cousins.
She would have continued reading for a long time, but a loud growl from her stomach reminded her that she still hadn’t had breakfast, that she had barely picked at her plate during dinner the night before, and that she had spent a considerable amount of energy in the arena and in the fight with Adam. Even though she considered herself quite resilient, her body needed proper nourishment and was now tired of waiting. So, albeit a bit reluctantly, she rolled up the scroll and put it back in its place, then finally left the room.
From the light filtering through the corridors of the Ludus, it had to be late morning already, and indeed, she wasn’t surprised to find the kitchen almost empty; almost, because someone was sitting at one of the tables. Vaggie was there, and it was clear she'd stayed just to wait for her. Judging by her messy hair and the dark circles under her eyes, she hadn't slept well. "Hey" Lute greeted her a bit uncertainly.
"Mh" was all Vaggie replied. "Where were you? You weren't in the infirmary"
"I slept somewhere else" Lute answered. "Were you looking for me to...?"
"Make sure you were still alive" Vaggie muttered. "And you are, so..."
"You were right" Lute said abruptly.
Vaggie froze so thoroughly it was as if a god had turned her into a stone statue. "What?" she asked, sure she’d misunderstood.
Lute sighed. "You were right" she repeated. "I... wasn’t doing well. I had as much crap inside as you did. And... I'm afraid of what we might found once we go back home"
Vaggie seemed to have completely forgotten how to think. "You... how... what sorcerer did this to you...?"
"Vaggie, please, don’t mimic Angel" Lute grumbled. "I’m serious. You were right and I didn’t listen. I put myself in danger and scared you. For what it’s worth... I’m sorry"
Vaggie took a deep breath, trying to think clearly again. She didn’t remember her older sister ever saying such things, and she couldn’t deny she was touched. "This is... a big day for me" she admitted in a whisper. "Where did your stubbornness go...?"
"I'm stubborn and proud, not stupid. I know when I’ve screwed up" Lute replied. "And... thanks for getting mad at me the way you did last night. And for the slap too. I think I really needed that"
Vaggie was silent for a moment, then stood and looked Lute straight in the eyes. She seemed unsure whether to believe this was really her sister or some trick from a god (⁴). Well, given their past, it wasn’t such an absurd option.
Lute lowered her gaze and even bowed her head, something she hadn’t done... well, probably since birth, not even in front of their parents. "I’m sorry. Truly. And... I’ll try to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I won’t..."
Vaggie grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in; before Lute even realized it, she was in an embrace. She felt the usual impulse to push her sister away, but this time she resisted and even made an effort to return it, at least a little. She didn’t love hugs, though she wasn’t averse to physical contact, but she could endure it for a few minutes.
Vaggie looked up at her. "Sometimes you’re really such a fool" she said. "If you want me to forgive you, then stop being a stone from now on, okay? When you’re not okay, come to me and ask for help, just like I do with you"
Lute’s eyes widened slightly. "Vaggie..."
"Sister, I know you suffer just as much as I do" Vaggie said. "We faced the same mountain of crap together. The fact that you're tougher and braver than me doesn’t make you immune to emotions. We’re sisters, we’re supposed to protect each other. So let me take on your fears just like you take on mine. There’s no shame... in crying sometimes"
Lute bit her lip. "Yeah... maybe you’re right" she admitted.
Vaggie was stunned: it was the first time ever that her sister admitted it was okay to cry. Even if she had never stopped her from doing it, she also never hid the fact she thought it was something for the weak, and the only time Vaggie had seen her shed a tear was during the destruction of their hometown. "Are you... sure no one cast a spell on you...?"
"Oh, shut up!" Lute snapped, annoyed, pushing her away and sitting in a chair, grabbing some apples from one of the plates.
Vaggie couldn’t help but smile. She was happy that even with a change of heart, her sister still had the same personality. "Does it still hurt?" she asked, referring to her back.
"I can still walk" Lute replied simply.
Typical Lute's answer. "By the way, you're exempt from training for a month" Vaggie warned her, since when Husk had said it, her sister was still unconscious.
Lute growled irritably, hating the idea of not being able to wield a sword for a month, but didn’t protest. "Fair enough" she admitted.
"Wow, just a growl? You did reflect last night" Vaggie teased. "Where were you? Did you spend the whole night pacing the courtyard to clear your head?"
"No, I slept in Adam’s bedroom" Lute replied distractedly while munching on a pear.
Vaggie’s eyes widened so much they looked like they might roll out of her skull: "You did what with Adam!?"
Lute raised an eyebrow, then understood and blushed like a ripe apple. "What!? No! What the fuck do you think!? We didn’t do... that! (⁵)"
"Then why were you in a man’s bedroom!?" Vaggie asked, blushing herself.
Lute’s soul twisted in embarrassment, but for some reason, this time the feeling was strangely softened. "He... helped me think" she confessed.
The blush on Vaggie’s face faded, replaced with a suspicious look. "How exactly?"
"We... talked" Lute said. "It was... really therapeutic. He’s... wiser than he seems"
Vaggie knew Adam was educated, he’d shown that many times, but she’d never thought of him as someone who could give advice, let alone as a wise man. "Really? What deep topic did you talk about?"
Lute was about to answer, but then she closed her mouth. "I can’t tell you. It’s confidential"
"Oh, come on! You know I can keep a secret" Vaggie protested.
"It’s not confidential for me, it’s confidential for Adam" Lute replied. He had shown her his brand and confessed his past in secret, and she couldn’t betray that trust. "He told me... very personal things last night. I can’t, in good conscience, tell you without his permission"
Vaggie was curious, but seeing her sister so determined, she didn’t push. After all, it wasn’t right to encourage her to blurt out someone else’s secrets. "So you two slept in the same room?" she asked anyway.
"We weren’t in the same bed" Lute clarified. "At least I don’t think so... I fell asleep while we were reading"
"Reading?" Vaggie repeated.
"He showed me some of his books" Lute revealed. "They’re interesting. I think you’d like them too"
"Seriously? You liked them?" Vaggie asked, knowing her sister wasn’t exactly a book lover.
Lute shrugged. "Well... the Romans write well. And so do the Greeks" she said. "And they have a..."
"Girls!" a familiar voice yelled, and both Vaggie and Lute adopted a tired expression. A couple seconds later, Angel’s face popped between them: "So this is where you were! We’ve been looking all over the Ludus for you!"
"Angel, leave them alone" Cherri said, appearing behind him with Pentious and Husk, pulling him back by the hair before turning to Lute: "You feeling better?"
"Yeah. Thanks for asking" Lute replied.
Cherri widened her only eye, and even Pentious, Angel, and Husk froze. "Excuse me?"
Lute sighed. "Please, don’t start with that" she sighed. "I’m doing a bit better and I’m glad you care. Just... be serious, please..."
"Someone cast a spell on her!" Angel shrieked, backing away and pointing at her. "Quick, we need to take her to a temple...! (⁶)"
"Why are you always like this!?" Lute couldn’t help shouting, ignoring Vaggie who was giggling.
Thankfully, Husk stepped in. "I’m glad you’ve recovered. But don’t make any sudden movements for a while" he said, professional as always. "Where were you last night, by the way? You can’t disappear from the infirmary without telling me"
Lute was about to reply, but Vaggie, with wicked glee, loudly said: "She slept in Adam’s bedroom"
Everyone, even Husk, spat out their saliva; Pentious almost choked on his. "WHAT!?"
Lute shot daggers at Vaggie with her eyes. "Why did you tell them!?"
"Because I’m still a little mad at you" Vaggie replied with a mischievous smirk. "Serves you right for scaring me"
“Ooooh, fuck, holy fuck! By Jupiter’s sacred name, Pen, you were right again!” Angel shouted, referring to that moment in the arena when his friend had joked that Lute and Adam should kiss.
“I-I wasn’t serious!” Pentious stammered, more shocked than ever. “I didn’t actually think that it would have happened...!”
“It’s not what you think!” Lute exclaimed, her face already turning red.
Cherri slapped her on the shoulder: “Wow, girl… I knew you were bold, but I didn’t think you’d lose your virginity before me…”
“WE DIDN’T DO THAT!” Lute shrieked. “He just let me… sleep in his bed…”
“Classic guilty conscience excuse!” Angel cried. “Oh, great gods, now this is a headline...!”
“NOTHING HAPPENED!” Lute yelled again, while Vaggie burst out laughing.
“We really have to tell everyone!” Angel went on. “And damn, this time I’ll really go to a playwright! With this story I’ll make so many sesterces that...!”
Lute grabbed him by the neck, cutting off his breath. Her glare was so icy that even Vaggie stopped laughing. “Nothing happened” she repeated, but this time her voice sounded like it came straight from the Underworld. “And if any of you dares to spread this around and I find out about it, and I will find out, and then I find you, and I will find you, I’ll make you regret that you were born. Clear?”
No one dared argue. “Crystal clear!” they assured her.
Lute sighed and finally let go of Angel. “Guys, seriously, nothing happened. He just kept me company and we talked a bit”
“Cough… well, that’s still surprising, considering he almost broke your back” Angel muttered, rubbing his neck. “By the way… how did that happen?”
“Don’t ask” Lute cut him off firmly. “It’s something personal between me and him. Don’t pry. Please”
There was a long moment of silence, and then all four gladiators nodded. “Alright. We’re not snoops” Cherri assured her.
“I just want that you don't repeat that” Husk muttered.
“I won't” Lute said, softening a little. “Thanks again”
“Don’t mention it. That’s what friends are for, right?” Cherri said with a wide smile, though she then added: “But seriously, stop thanking us. It’s getting creepy”
Lute rolled her eyes in exasperation at that last comment, though she was far less irritated than usual. To change the subject, she asked: “Anyway, why are you guys here? Haven’t the training sessions already started?”
“Oh, right!” Pentious exclaimed. “We came to find you to tell you! No training today, Adam told us to wait for him in the great hall, he wants to talk to us”
Both Vaggie and Lute widened their eyes in surprise. “What? What does he want to talk about?”
“No idea” Angel replied. “I guess we’ll find out there”
“Let’s go, then” Lute said, heading for the door.
“Oh yes, let’s not keep the man you shared a room with waiting!” Vaggie said to her, with even more mockery than before. It was clear she intended to tease her about this for a very long time.
Lute’s eyelid twitched dangerously, but then her lips curled into a wicked smile. “Hey, guys! Wanna hear some real news?” she said to the others. “Vaggie never told anyone, but she was absolutely terrified of the dark until she was fourteen, she never wanted to sleep alone! Even now, if a hallway is too dark, she runs through it to reach the end as fast as possible! One time, when we were kids, her candle went out and she screamed so loud the whole house heard her!”
There was a moment of silence, and then Cherri, Angel, and Pentious burst out laughing, and even Husk let out a chuckle and a few grunts. Vaggie turned so red it looked like the veins in her face had burst: “What the...! Why did you tell them!?”
Lute’s smile widened. “Sweet revenge” she said simply, then she turned and walked toward the door, quickly followed by the others.
It didn’t take them long to reach the great hall, during which, of course, that idiot Angel didn’t stop mocking Lute and Vaggie, risking his life with every word as both girls considered giving him a good old-fashioned dismembering. The other gladiators were already gathered, so they sat down and waited. After a short while, Adam arrived, accompanied by Peter, who carried several scrolls and just as many bags of coins. “Everyone, today you’re going to the port” Adam announced.
They were all surprised. “The port?” Husk repeated. “Why?”
“Because I want to catch a murderer” Adam replied.
That news was even more shocking. “Isn’t that supposed to be the authorities’ job…?”
“Tsk! The praetor’s a fool, always missing the mark” Angel muttered. “But why us?”
“Because I’m the victim” Adam answered. “Yesterday’s bull wasn’t an accident, someone poisoned it. They were trying to kill me. And I don’t like leaving enemies free to breathe, so now we’re going to find the one who thought it’d be a good idea to send me on a little trip to the Underworld”
That made everyone’s jaw drop. None of them had expected that revelation. But shock quickly turned to anger. “Someone released that bull!?” Vaggie shouted furious, since her sister had almost died because of it.
Lute also felt a surge of wrath, but she kept it more under control. “Why would they do that?” she asked instead.
“That’s one of the many things I plan to ask the murderer when we catch them” Adam replied, then he nodded at Peter, who began distributing scrolls and bags of coins. “Here’s what you’ll do: split into pairs, and each of you will go to a different section of the port. The scroll lists all the ingredients needed to brew a potion that would drive a bull insane. Not many merchants deal in that stuff, so find them and ask questions. I have good reason to believe the murderer... or at least someone who’ll claim to be the murderer... is still there and trying to get on a ship. So check the ships scheduled to sail today. Once you find them, capture them and bring them to the Ludus. I’ll handle the rest”
Lute raised an eyebrow. The plan seemed a bit odd. “How are you so sure the killer’s still at the port?” she asked, suspicious. “Couldn’t they have already left yesterday?”
“Oh, trust me... I have good reason to believe they’re still there” Adam said, with a strangely knowing smile.
Lute narrowed her eyes, trying to read the lanist’s true intentions, but Angel’s shrill voice ruined her concentration: “So we just split into teams of two, investigate, and beat up some cowardly bastard, huh?” he said with a laugh, then grabbed Husk by the waist. “I’m teaming up with Ursi! We work great together!”
“Since when!?” Husk snapped.
“Oh, come on, you know we’re a great match! I don’t have the wits to spot clues, but I’ve got the muscles to flatten a murderer once you find them. You’re the brain, I’m the brawn!” Angel said with a grin, then he shoved Pentious toward Cherri. “Pen goes with Cherri! A smart Greek and a woman possessed by Mars, another brain and brawn combo! Perfect pair!”
“Uh… alright” Pentious said uncertainly, glancing at Cherri. “If that’s okay with you…”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Cherri asked innocently, though she didn’t hide the irritation in her voice. Clearly, she hadn’t quite gotten over the subtle rejections from the previous night.
Pentious swallowed nervously, unsure what to do. He looked to his friends for help, but no one said a word. Eventually, to break the tension, Vaggie raised her hand: “Uh… Peter, you didn’t give anything to me and Lute”
“Don’t worry, that was on my orders” Adam said. “You two aren’t going to the port. You’re coming with me”
Both Vaggie and Lute widened their eyes in surprise. “Where to?” Lute asked.
“To meet a figure almost legendary in this city… the politician” Adam replied. “We’re going to the home of the First Consul”