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Chapter Text

"One thousand five hundred!"

"One thousand six hundred!" 

"One thousand eight hundred!" 

The crowd kept offering more money, shouting louder and louder to be noticed. Above the stage made of wooden planks, a little man with a long mustache dressed in an elegant brown robe was pointing his cane at each of the people who spoke, urging them to offer more: "Come on, my dears! Has your beloved Wally Wackford ever delivered you poor-quality goods? Remember, this slave can read and write, can do arithmetic, is excellent at manual labor and has great wit! Come on, who offers more?" 

"Two thousand!" 

"Two thousand for the gentleman over there! Any more offers?" 

"Two thousand two hundred!" 

"Two thousand two hundred, two thousand two hundred! Anyone have another offer...?" 

"..." 

"... sold for two thousand two hundred sesterces!" 

The crowd made a disapproving noise. "Lucky bastard" they grumbled as the buyer went to pick up his new slave with a wide grin on his face, clearly mocking them. 

Wally slammed his cane down on the stage, calling attention to himself: "And now, as always, we come to the highlight of the day, to the delight of you who have kept your money until now! Allow me to present to you a commodity the mere sight of which will make your eyes pop out of your head!"

And having said this, two people who until that moment had remained hidden behind a curtain were forcibly dragged onto the stage, and the crowd gasped in amazement upon seeing them. They were two women very similar to each other, to the point that it was clear that they were sisters, or at most cousins; they both had hair that looked like it was made of silk, which although very poorly combed due to how much they were wriggling, was still enviably beautiful. They had large and partially sharp eyes, similar to those of birds, and their faces had angular but at the same time sweet features that recalled an extraordinary exoticism. Their skin was pale, which suggested that they came from the north, and the few rags they wore showed off their curves.

The crowd was enraptured by such beauties; those who had already spent their money on other things now cursed themselves, while those who had been wise and had waited rejoiced in satisfaction. "Extraordinary, right?" Wally exclaimed loudly. "My dear friends, today I bring you two jewels directly from Britannia (¹)! Look at them, they have made a very long journey, yet they are still in full strength, which says a lot about their resistance! Sure, they are a little thinner, but they still have all the necessary flesh in the right places! I can assure you that they are tireless workers, and there is no job that they cannot do! As you can see they are a little rebellious, but nothing that the infallible dialect of the stick and the whip cannot sort out... and then, come on, you all know deep down that the best mares are the ones who don't want to be tamed!"

The crowd laughed loudly at that joke, making the two women grit their teeth in shame and anger. "Wally, you didn't tell us you sold goddesses too!" one of the buyers exclaimed amid laughter. "There is no doubt that those two are daughters of Venus (²), no mortal can be so perfect! Don't you fear the wrath of the gods?"

The crowd laughed even louder, and Wally didn't stop himself from laughing too; and then he said: "Well, I hope that Jupiter (³) will forgive me then! Come on, let's start: I'd say we start with the youngest, and save the oldest for last! Who offers the most? We start with two thousand sesterces this time, it's a more than fair price!" 

"Two thousand three hundred!" 

"Two thousand five hundred!" 

"Two thousand eight hundred!" 

The youngest slave kept her fierce expression, but nevertheless began to sweat profusely; her heart was pounding as people raised her price as if she were a horse or an ox. Instinctively she approached the other: "Lute... when...?" 

“Shut up” the other slave warned her in a harsh voice. "Remember what I told you, Vaggie. Keep your head up. The more indomitable you seem, the more they'll want you, and the longer this auction goes on, and the more time we'll have to think"

Vaggie initially didn't understand those words, but then she realized that Lute was constantly staring at the gladius of one of the legionaries who was guarding the market to make sure there were no fights. She immediately understood her intent and fell silent again, and returned to showing confidence as she had been told to do.

As usual, laughter had led to the sound of metal clashing. And obviously, it all ended with the dampness of the grass wetting her exposed arms and the coldness of the sword that found itself near her throat. "So?" her older sister had asked her confidently, while trying to hold back her laughter (⁴). 

Vaggie let out a grunt. "Come on, stop joking" she tried to say, as the blade came dangerously close to her skin. 

Her gaze had become worried, as Lute didn't bother to move the sharp metal away. She felt the sweat run down her back, her breathing rate and heart rate increase, along with the blade starting to press on her neck. 

And then, as soon as the tip of the sword had grazed her skin, it had been sheathed and Lute, who until half a second before had been about to kill her, had held out her hand, showing a broad smile on her face and laughing raucously. "Tsk! You have the agility of a deer, but unfortunately you also have the heart of one" 

Vaggie let out an annoyed snort, but still she shook her hand and let her help her to her feet. After a sigh and waiting for her heart to return to its regular beating rhythm, she turned to her angrily: "Have you perhaps gone mad? Did you really want to kill me?" 

Lute had only laughed harder in response. "Still afraid of death, huh?" she teased her. "A true warrior scoffs at that!" 

"Tsk! If you were the one who ended up on the ground, I bet you wouldn't be so bold!" Vaggie replied.

"I've been there plenty of times when I trained with the older warriors. I never showed fear" Lute told her with a grin. "It is much better to die as a warrior than to beg for mercy and bow to the enemy" 

Vaggie rolled her eyes, annoyed by all that display of superiority, but in the end she simply punched her sister on the shoulder and walked away offended. Lute obviously hadn't let her go and had chased her mockingly: "Come on, don't be like that! Not everyone has the heart to be a warrior. You're better suited to be... hmm, maybe a handmaid?" 

"One day I will beat you, and I swear that that day I will make you beg me to spare you!" Vaggie told her resolutely. 

"That day is still far away" Lute told her, although she then added: "But I'll give it to you... you're finally forcing me to fight seriously with you" 

Vaggie didn't show it out of pure pride, but in her heart she felt ecstatic. She knew that Lute never said things that she didn't really believe, so that meant that she was really succeeding in giving her a hard time. Which was a win for her and motivated her to train even more. 

They returned to their home, in the center of the town (⁵), and threw away their weapons and sat at the table, eating greedily to recover all their lost energy. Even though neither of them wanted to admit it, their smooth muscles ached so much they could barely lift the cutlery. “Shall we fight again this afternoon?” Lute proposed. 

"We have to see the elder (⁶) in the afternoon" Vaggie reminded her. 

Lute rolled her eyes: "Tsk! I don't want to spend the day listening to an old man's tales of our ancestors or the battles between the gods, or hearing him babble in gibberish. Let's skip it for once"

"Knowing the traditions is our duty as the chieftain's daughters" Vaggie reminded her. "And knowing languages ​​will also help us to receive emissaries, especially now that our land is becoming more united..."

"You mean now that the Romans are breathing down our necks and forcing us to form a united front against them" Lute said with a grunt. “I would much rather be with our parents on the battlefield killing those dogs than stay here learning their fucking Latin” 

Vaggie bit her lip. "Well... I like Latin" she said a little hesitantly, earning a dirty look from her sister. "Come on, if we learn this well one day we can converse with a Roman. Don't you want to know the people that everyone calls the most powerful army in the world?" 

"I'll believe they're that strong when I see them" Lute answered her skeptically. "They are human like everyone else, so they can die under my sword" 

Vaggie giggled lightly. “Whoever marries you, marries a monster” she told her sister.

Lute was about to reply, but she suddenly stopped. Vaggie also froze on the spot as she heard the sound of alarm bells announcing the arrival of enemies. They both sprinted in unison and grabbed their weapons, and ran out of the house, finding the town in chaos. Frightened people had started running towards their homes to seek shelter, abandoning whatever activity was in full swing and crowding the streets in a disorderly manner. Vaggie and Lute made their way to the bell, where they found a horse that hadn't even been tied, a sign that the owner had dismounted and ran away in a hurry; and in fact one of the border sentries was intent on sounding the alarm. "What happens!?" Lute yelled at him. 

The sentry stopped ringing the bell and ran to her. His face was as tired as if he had been running for days. "My lady!" he screamed. "A terrible thing has happened! Our army has been ambushed by the Romans!"

Lute blanched, and Vaggie looked like she was about to faint. "Our father...?" the younger sister stammered.

The sentry shook his head. "There are no survivors" he said. "The Romans massacred everyone, the entire army is gone! Now they are going to raid the defenseless towns! They will be here soon!" 

"We must organize a defense immediately!" Lute exclaimed. "Order all remaining warriors to prepare! Bring the people to...!"

The ground shook beneath their feet, and the sound of hooves from dozens if not hundreds of galloping horses filled the air. An instant later, numerous knights dressed in iron armor entered the gate of the northern palisade, which had not yet been closed due to the short notice, and destroyed its hinges to prevent it from being sealed again, effectively depriving the town of its only defense, the walls. After them came many other soldiers on foot, already with swords drawn, who broke down the doors of the houses and began to massacre the population. "Oh, gods protect us, they're here!" the sentry who had brought the news shouted, and then he fled as fast as he could.

Lute and Vaggie hadn't been as quick to react: their gazes were frozen on their town being sacked. "We have to... we have to do something!" Vaggie exclaimed as she recovered. 

Lute gritted her teeth. She hadn't felt her heart beat so fast in years. "We can't stop them from taking the town anymore... we have to get the people to safety! Let's get everyone to the southern gate, and then hide them in the woods!" 

The two sisters started running at breakneck speed throughout the town, or at least in the part not yet invaded by the Romans; fortunately the people were too scared to disobey, and did not hesitate to follow the commands of the only ones who seemed to know what they were doing. The entire population poured out of the town in the opposite direction from where the Romans came from, they passed the agricultural areas and finally reached the large woods; there they split up and each went to hide on his own. The woods were very large and the Romans would hardly have been able to find them in there once they had penetrated far enough into them. The advantage of the Britons was that they knew that territory well and knew how to orient themselves, while the Romans did not.

Vaggie and Lute had stayed behind to make sure as many people as possible made it to the cover of the trees, and so they could see and hear the Romans sacking every corner of their beautiful town. Vaggie couldn't hold back her tears as she watched their homeland be desecrated like that and plundered of everything they had. She couldn't remember ever feeling so angry and afraid at the same time. And looking at Lute, she realized that even her sister, normally so impassive and arrogant, had lost her confidence: she was staring at the town with a grim look, but her hands were shaking and a few small tears were present on her face.

However, there was no time to cry for long: some Romans in fact reached the fugitives at the edge of the woods and began to capture them. They didn't just want their town's gold, jewels, animals and food, they wanted the people too. Lute and Vaggie knew that this was not the time to despair, and they launched themselves against their enemies to gain more time; as usual they stood back to back, so as to protect themselves from every angle. But when their swords tried to strike the Romans, they shattered on their mighty shields. Both girls opened their eyes wide in amazement, and immediately realized why the Romans were considered the most powerful army in the world: their organization, equipment and fighting ability was on a whole other level than what they were used to. 

The Roman soldiers pushed them back with their shields, and then one of the mounted men charged at them and hit Lute in the chest with the butt of his spear, which fell on top of Vaggie from the recoil. Both girls nearly passed out, and even though they tried to get up, the pain in their chests was excruciating. The soldiers were quickly upon them, and seemed ready to spear them, but the man on horseback stopped them with a mighty: "No! Tie them!"

Lute and Vaggie could barely make out what he said; the little knowledge they had of the Latin language was fortunately sufficient. They were still too shabby and were unable to resist when the men took them and tied them securely. “These two are too beautiful to die” the soldier on the horse, who was evidently the leader, told them with a sneer. "And I've always liked rebellious women"

The Romans had not settled in the town, but on the contrary in the space of less than an hour they had built an entire extremely fortified camp, which made it practically impossible to attack them. They were indeed an efficient army, there was no doubt about that. It was no surprise that they had defeated the Britons with such ease. 

The looted riches had been piled up in one corner of the camp, while the people in another; it was clear that the Romans had kept the most 'quality' people for themselves, because there was not a single old man or child among them, and all of them were physically beautiful and fit, and obviously they were mostly women for reasons that were quite easy to understand. Lute and Vaggie had been placed a little further aside, probably because they were considered precious; and in fact none of the ordinary soldiers had yet come to 'claim' them as they did with the other prisoners. Fortunately some of the Romans spoke Briton, and this combined with their rudimentary knowledge of Latin had allowed them to understand more or less what their tormentors were saying to each other. They had thus discovered that the simple soldiers were called 'legionaries', that their leader was a 'centurion', and that those who had invaded their city were nothing more than a 'cohort', a small piece of the entire Roman army which was in fact much more immense (⁷).

As darkness fell, some soldiers had come to take them and dragged them to the tent of the centurion, who was the same man on horseback who had decided to spare them. Obviously the two of them had been at their throats the whole way and it had taken six men to get her to the tent; apparently, just as Lute had always insisted, the Romans were humans like everyone else, and once deprived of their tactical and strategic advantage and their equipment, and based only on a contest of strength, they could be opposed. It seemed almost absurd that those legionaries who were having such a hard time making her walk were the same ones who had destroyed their swords and knocked them down effortlessly a few hours earlier. 

When he saw them arrive, the centurion burst out laughing: "Look! You were so pompous with your armor on, and now without it you tremble like children in front of these two women?"

But the legionaries were not offended at all; in fact, they seemed more fearful than angry. "Sir, don't be fooled!" they warned him as they continued to try to restrain Vaggie and Lute. "These two are Phobos and Deimos (⁸) in disguise, they are not human beings!" 

The centurion laughed even more when he heard the two women compared to the children of the god of war. "Well, their father Mars allowed me to take them then! Come on, let them into the tent; I'll take care of them from here on"

The legionaries threw Vaggie and Lute into the centurion's tent, which was larger and more luxurious than the others, and full of food, riches and comforts. In particular, a piece of furniture that left no doubt about its use was the voluminous bed positioned at the back of the tent, clearly designed to accommodate multiple people. "I apologize for my men's behavior, they tend to be a little abrupt" the centurion told them, speaking very simplified Latin to let them understood his words. "I'm sure that after we've eaten and drunk our fill, we can...

While the centurion was busy closing the tent, Lute grabbed one of the wine cups and slammed it with all her strength on his head, with the result that the man fell to the ground; but she didn't stop and jumped on him, continuing to hit him. Vaggie broke one of the table legs and tried to use it to smash the centurion's head into a pulp, but she didn't make it in time as the legionaries, alerted by the noise, entered and blocked them again. 

The centurion stood up, spitting some blood from his mouth. "Mh. You really are wolves in sheep's clothing, mh?" he murmured in a clearly irritated voice, but then smiled again, this time much more sinisterly: "Okay, I'll treat you as such. I made the mistake of letting my guard down with you once, I won't do it again"

And having said this he sent the legionaries out again. This time he remained wary, and wasted no time in offering them food or drink: he advanced towards Vaggie with the clear intent of pushing her into the bed. But to his surprise she turned out to be much stronger than she seemed and although he was still more robust and powerful than her, she still managed to provide considerable resistance. This was enough for Lute to trip him and Vaggie to take the opportunity to throw a strong knee right in his testicles, making him fall to the ground in pain, and then they both launched themselves at him again, beating him, before unfortunately being interrupted again by the legionaires.

The third time the centurion was smarter: instead of keeping them both free, he had Vaggie tied to one of the legs of the table, so that she could no longer intervene, and after sending the legionaries away again he took Lute and with a bit of effort dragged her into the bed and placed himself on top of her, so that she couldn't free herself due to his weight, and in particular he leaned on her legs to prevent her from hitting him with her knees. At that point he began to undo her bodice to expose her breasts, but to his surprise Lute instead of pushing him away grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him towards her, and gave him a powerful headbutt. The centurion was stunned for a moment, and that was enough for Lute to stick two fingers in his eyes, making him cry out in pain and blinding him for a few moments; because of this he slipped to the side, and she thus managed to free herself and reverse the situation, since he was now the one stuck. And to make matters worse for the centurion, Vaggie had not stood by and watched in all this, but taking advantage of the moment she had grabbed some of the knives from the table with her teeth and used them to free herself, and as soon as she was free to move again she ran to help her sister and stuck the knife in his shoulder; she had aimed for the heart, but he had moved at the last moment. Needless to say, even in this case the legionaries had been alerted by the screams of their leader and had rushed in before the two women could kill him.

This time the centurion took a little longer to recover, and the intervention of a doctor was necessary to treat him. When he was able to get to his feet again he was furious. "What's wrong with these two!?" he growled, looking at the two women. "Are they possessed by Mania (⁹) by any chance? Since when are beautiful girls also so ferocious?" 

"We warned you, sir" the legionaries told him. "If you really want to have them, we advise you to keep only one of them in the tent with you, and to tie her hands and feet to the bed, and possibly keep an armed soldier with you, or at least have weapons at your disposal" 

The centurion bit his tongue. He was itching to get revenge on Vaggie and Lute and make them understand who was boss, but following that advice would have been more humiliating than ever. It would have been like admitting that he, the mighty centurion, was incapable of having a woman without her being completely physically blocked and without him protecting himself with weapons. The entire army would have laughed at him (¹⁰). 

In the end, he chose that his dignity was worth more than two stubborn women. So to save face he pretended to have had an epiphany: "Wait a minute! I had a better idea" 

"What do you mean, sir?" the legionaries asked him.

"It is fortunate that these two with their behavior have cooled the libido that Venus had induced in me as soon as I saw them" the centurion said aloud. "Taking them now would be foolish. Let's sell them as slaves. Do you have any idea how much people in Rome would pay for two beauties like that? If we wounded them with our swords, or tied them too tightly with ropes, or beat them too much, or took away their virginity, their price would drop. If, instead, we leave them intact and unsullied, they will earn us a lot of sesterces. After all, Rome is full of beautiful women who are much tamer; it is better to use these two wisely, so that they give us wealth. After all we came to war to enrich ourselves, not to enjoy the local beauties"

And in doing so he had basically backed away and emerged with a sort of dignity, given that he had not given up but had only thought of making better use of his war spoils. Even though the legionaries suspected that their centurion was simply tired of being beaten, they still trusted him and no one dared to ridicule him. "Okay, it's decided. As soon as we return to Camulodunum (¹¹) we will sell them to our trusted merchants. So keep them tied up, but treat them well. They are still quality goods" he said, although then he added with quite some malice: "But don't give them even an ounce of food. Hunger certainly doesn't leave physical wounds, and in this way they will at least tame themselves a little, and make less of a fuss when they will be sold"

The legionaires nodded, and they dragged Vaggie and Lute to a horse post, where they tied them back to back and left them there, leaving a couple of sentries to keep watch over them. As soon as they were sure that the Romans would have no longer bothered them, both could not hold back a sigh of relief. "Did you understand what they said?" Lute asked, knowing that her sister knew Latin much better than her. 

Vaggie nodded. "They want to send us to Rome" she replied. "They will sell us as slaves" 

Lute let out a growl. "Fucking bastards..." she hissed. "I refuse to submit to them. We will escape" 

"I'm with you" Vaggie told her. She too had no intention of stooping to being a slave of Rome. "What's the plan?" 

"I'm working on it" Lute replied simply.

They had tried four times on the way to Camulodunum, but for four times they had failed. The surveillance in the Roman camp was too high, it was impossible for them to escape. "I can't believe it!" the centurion had exclaimed after they had been recaptured for the fourth time. "They haven't eaten for a week, how can they still have so much energy? Is a god really helping them? Ah, luckily we're here; soon they won't be my problem anymore" 

Once they entered Camulodunum, the Roman soldiers immediately took them to a caravan where other slaves were already being sold, and the centurion had bargained with the owner; in less than twenty minutes they had closed the deal and he left with a bag full of coins. The slave trader then took them to Londinium (¹²), where he resold them to another merchant, who this time put them on a boat, and took them to Gaul. And so they passed from one merchant to another and continued their journey towards Rome.

Vaggie and Lute had thought that once the Roman army had abandoned it would have been easier to escape, but the slave traders had turned out to be much smarter than expected and knew how to prevent their goods from leaving. And furthermore, hunger was truly a cruel and implacable teacher, and in the end, willingly or not, they had been forced to become at least a little more docile in order to have something to eat; even though they had clung to all their pride to resist, in the end their bodies had demanded some nourishment, and they could no longer ignore the cramps in their stomachs. The slave traders did not whip them like they did the others, probably because they considered them precious goods and did not want to 'ruin' them, but they still pulled them by the chains if they misbehaved and deprived them of food, water or sometimes even clothes and therefore modesty in order to teach them to be good.

The only positive thing was that at least they had been taught the Latin language better: even if they still weren't able to speak it perfectly anyway, both Vaggie and Lute were now able to understand what other people were saying to each other. One of the slave traders who apparently knew the Briton language had made him repeat it ad nauseam, since apparently a good knowledge of the language raised the price of the sale. Knowledge was also evidently valued in the slave trade, and in fact every merchant had been very pleased to discover that the two of them could read and write and had knowledge of history, mathematics and politics, and that they could dance and sing and also brandish weapons. It was ironic that everything they had learned as the chieftain's daughters was now considered nothing more than a profitable addition to a valuable commodity.

Finally they reached Rome. When the city of seven hills had appeared even just in the distance, both Vaggie and Lute had had no doubts that this was truly the center of the world: never in their lives had they seen a place that even from the distance appeared so large, rich and elegant. The towns of Britannia were pathetic piles of huts in comparison. Rome was gigantic, and everywhere there were roads, bridges, aqueducts, ports, temples, columns, sculptures, and an infinite number of other works of all kinds. It was an amazing city, there was no other way to describe it. "So, this is Rome..." Vaggie had muttered as soon as they stopped in the market square, so the slave trader could set up his stall. 

"Tsk! They're just rich. They're worthless otherwise" Lute grumbled sourly. 

Vaggie bit her lip. “If they sell us, we will be separated this time” she reminded her sister. "We won't have any more attempts" 

"I know" Lute said, and without being noticed slightly raised her right sleeve, where a dagger that she had managed to slip from one of their guards was hidden. "Be ready" 

"What if we fail this time too?" Vaggie asked a little scared. 

"Then we will die as free women" Lute replied. "I prefer a shroud to living as a slave" 

Vaggie nodded. "Okay" she told her. "May the gods help us, then"

“Three thousand five hundred for the gentleman over there!” Wally was continuing to count the offerings. "Come on, come on, who offers more? Remember, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! You won't find beauties like this anytime soon!" 

While he was busy talking and the crowd was distracted, Lute had already outlined the whole plan in her mind: use the knife to cut the ropes that bound her and Vaggie, immediately launch herself at the nearest legionaire, take his sword, use it to make their way into the market, unleash chaos and take advantage of the distraction to enter one of the houses and hide, perhaps taking the owner hostage. At that point they would just have had to wait for night to try to escape the city. 

Very slowly she twisted the knife hidden in her sleeve and cut her strings, and then unnoticed she passed it to Vaggie, who in turn freed herself. They both stood still, and then, as soon as it looked like Wally was starting to slow down with the bidding, they sprang into action; it was like seeing two hares running away from a predator, and before anyone could react they were already on top of the nearest legionnaire and Lute had pulled his sword from its sheath, while Vaggie had stolen his spear; having done this as usual they stood back to back and swung their weapons. Predictably, the civilians immediately became frightened and caused chaos, inadvertently preventing the legionaries from intervening, and the two of them took the opportunity to run away.

They had hoped to be able to reach the other stalls to throw the goods on the ground and cause even more chaos, perhaps even freeing the animals for sale, but their plan was unfortunately nipped in the bud: it took the legionaries less than a minute to recover from the surprise and they moved as a single organism, surrounding them. The discipline and strategy of the Romans could be clearly seen even in the streets of their own city. Lute and Vaggie found themselves surrounded by swords ready to impale them. 

They both made a disheartened noise. They knew that this plan had very little chance of succeeding, but they had hoped to at least get within ten meters of the slave stall. They both tightened their grip on their weapons. "See you in the afterlife, sister" Vaggie whispered. 

Lute nodded. "Don't you dare enter it except with your head held high, or I swear that..." 

BRANG! 

The sound of breaking wood rang throughout the street and froze everyone in place, even the legionaires. Lute and Vaggie looked over slightly and saw that the stage they had been on a few minutes ago had just been smashed by a huge double axe. Wally was pale and looked like he had almost been hit, and when he saw who had thrown the axe he became even paler: "L-Lanist Adam!"

A man advanced through the crowd. He was gigantic: at least two heads taller than the other people and with shoulders as wide as an entire shield, he looked more like a bear than a human being. He wore an elegant white robe and had short brown hair and golden eyes focused on Vaggie and Lute. With extreme calm and without taking his eyes off them, he approached the stage and tore the axe away from the wood, slinging it across his back as if it were made of feathers. “Ten thousand” he said in a voice that resembled a grunt. 

Wally was speechless for a moment. “Um… what…?” 

"Ten thousand sesterces" the man repeated. "And I take both of them" 

Vaggie and Lute didn't understand what was happening; it was as if that big guy radiated an intimidating aura over everyone present. Even the legionaries did not dare to move. The whole crowd was murmuring in amazement.

"Is that really him?" 

"Yes, it's him!" 

"The best lanist in all of Rome (¹³)?" 

"He's always here at the market, but he usually doesn't buy anything" 

"Of course. He only takes the most promising slaves. Why do you think all his gladiators are war machines?" 

"So... he's interested in those two?" 

"Well... surely they're ferocious, but... women? Really?" 

"Ignorant! Don't you know Cherri? She's a beast in the arena, even the lions run away!" 

"It's true! And she is actually at the service of the lanist Adam!" 

"So has he really found two new gems for his warrior collection?" 

Wally was the most shocked of all, but he quickly recovered at the prospect of getting money: "O-Of course, lanist Adam! They're yours! Eh eh! You can pay right away or..." 

"Peter!" the man named Adam shouted loudly, and immediately another guy pushed through the crowd; he was much shorter and thinner than him, and had blond hair and a much more effeminate face. It wasn't hard to figure out that he was an eunuch (¹⁴). "Pay this merchant, and give him an extra for the broken stage" 

“Yes, sir” the eunuch named Peter responded immediately, and he took out a pouch full of coins from his purse.

Adam ignored the trading that was taking place behind him and walked calmly towards Vaggie and Lute, eyeing them carefully. The legionaries moved aside as he passed, almost as if he were a wolf among sheep. "Do you speak Latin?" he asked them. 

Vaggie and Lute looked at each other, unsure what to do, but in the end they nodded: "Yes"

"Then you'll have no trouble understanding what I'm saying" Adam told them. "From today, you belong to me. So come with me" 

Lute raised her sword towards him: "We belong to no one! You can't…!" 

In one motion, Adam picked up his axe and swung it; in a split second, both Lute's sword and Vaggie's spear broke in half. Both women were paralyzed as they watched the iron shatter into pieces, and even more so when they saw Adam put the axe back on his shoulder without showing the slightest sign of fatigue. But while they were still trying to understand how a man could cut metal with an axe he grabbed them both by the neck and slammed them to the ground. 

It was like being hit by an avalanche: Lute and Vaggie saw the world turn upside down and then the hard ground appeared under their backs, followed by the pain that the impact caused them. They tried to free themselves, but Adam's fingers were locked around their necks and seemed to be made of iron. "Mh. Interesting" he commented, and he turned his gaze towards Vaggie: "You have a strong heart, and you don't want to lose... but you..." and he looked at Lute, who returned his gaze with the same intensity. “… you are something more… you think no one can ever tame you, don’t you?”

Lute didn't answer him, continuing to maintain a ferocious expression. Even though she was in such a precarious position, she was unwilling to let go of her pride. And this only seemed to amuse Adam, who finally smiled slightly. "Yes, you have a chance to survive" he said as he picked them up and set them on their feet, and finally he let them go. "Let's go" 

Lute and Vaggie stepped back and rubbed their necks. That man was like a mountain, and not just because of his height. Just then Peter returned to his master: "Sir, the payment is concluded, as you requested" 

"Good" Adam said, and then he turned back to the two of them: "I'm officially your new master now, so I won't tell you again: now you have to start walking. Move those legs or I'll grab you by the ears and drag you all over Rome. The choice is yours, you can follow me voluntarily or be treated like two naughty children in front of everyone. Nothing changes for me, the dignity is yours, not mine" 

Lute and Vaggie clenched their fists and teeth, but they knew that this was a real threat, and that their new master was strong enough to be totally capable of doing what he promised. So, even though it was a blow to their pride, they walked after him and his eunuch. It was better than being dragged by the ears before the eyes of the whole of Rome.

It hadn't taken them long to arrive in front of an enormous circular structure, so tall that it seemed to challenge the sky. Even though they had never seen it and knew very little about Rome, they too recognized the Flavian Amphitheatre (¹⁵), the gigantic jewel arena of the empire. Adam led them to another building adjacent to the enormous amphitheater, on whose sturdy gate stood a mosaic bearing the letters: Ludus Magnus. 

"This is your new home" Adam announced as he opened the gate. "Peter, take them to their quarters. Tell Cherri to get them cleaned up, and have them bring them something to eat. I want them in shape by tomorrow morning to start their training"

"Yes, master" Peter replied, and then he nodded to the two women: "Follow me, please" 

Vaggie and Lute looked at each other, but then, realizing that Adam was still staring at them, they decided it was best to obey, at least until they understood what exactly their fate would have been. So they followed the eunuch, while their new master closed the gate again behind them and went another way.

Chapter Text

Lute and Vaggie had no idea what was going on as they walked through the halls of that strange building, following Peter. They hadn’t expected the day to end like this: from their point of view, they were either going to escape or die in the marketplace. Instead, that strange man, Adam, had bought them and forced them to follow him without even batting an eye.

They couldn’t understand what he wanted from them. When a man bought a slave, it was usually quite clear what he was after, but both of them had the feeling that Adam wasn’t interested in using them for lascivious purposes. Or at least they hoped so, since they doubted they could oppose him if he tried to take them by force; they hadn’t even managed to move him when he threw them to the ground, so if he wanted to hurt them, it wouldn't take him any effort. However, if that had been his intention, he would have ordered them brought to his chambers right away, not somewhere else... and then, why had he mentioned training?

Well, at least they were still together; that was something. The gods had granted them at least that small consolation.

“You’ll like it here” Peter was telling them; now that his master was no longer present, he seemed a bit more timid, clearly because Adam wasn’t there to protect him in case the two of them decided to hit him, and so he was trying to come off as friendly. “The first few days will be tough, but then you’ll get used to it. And everyone here is kind and friendly once you get to know them. Here in the Ludus (¹) we have good food, comfy beds, and bath tubs…”

Vaggie listened, hoping the eunuch would have also explained what they were supposed to do, but that information never came. Lute, on the other hand, simply walked beside them with clenched teeth, trying to ignore her wounded pride and keep a cool head.

Eventually, they emerged into what looked like a large courtyard, and the first thing that greeted them was the rhythmic sound of weapons clashing. They were wooden weapons, clearly meant to avoid serious injury (or at least irreparable harm), but there was no mistaking that they were weapons. And indeed, the courtyard was filled with people completely covered in armor of all different shapes, each holding a different set of (obviously fake) weapons, and they were fighting each other as if in a real battle.

Vaggie couldn’t help but be stunned, and even Lute, despite trying to remain indifferent, was fascinated. All those weapons, even the simpler ones like swords, had shapes they had never seen before and looked meticulously designed to be infallible. But the people were just as impressive: each of those warriors, though weighed down by their metal armors, moved incredibly fluidly, using highly complex moves within seconds. It was as if they weren’t even thinking: that fighting style was etched into their bodies as much as their own skin. Neither Vaggie nor Lute could remember ever seeing Britons fight that way; they weren’t remotely used to this level.

Peter stepped forward, clearly relieved not to be alone with them anymore, and called out loudly: “Lady Cherri! Lady Cherri, please come here for a moment!”

His eyes were fixed on one of the warriors: tall and slender, clad in iron plates that didn’t hinder movement, leaving parts of their skin exposed to allow ease of motion. Their chest was bare, perfect for moving swiftly from corner to corner to dodge strikes, with only a band covering her breasts, indicating she was a woman. In her left hand she held a short wooden sword, while in her right she gripped a lasso twice her height; even that rope was designed not to cause too much harm in training, but the way she spun and struck her opponents made it clear that if she had a real whip, she would have broken their bones like they were butter. By the time she heard Peter call her, five warriors were already lying on the ground around her, none of them daring to get up. “Oh, what do you want?” she shouted as she approached the eunuch. “Can’t you see we’re training? Come on, tell me what it is, I want to whip Pen’s butt until the sun goes down!”

Despite her threatening tone, Peter didn’t seem frightened; he clearly knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t have hit him. “Master orders you to take care of them, Miss Cherri”

Only then did the warrior seem to notice Lute and Vaggie’s presence, pausing briefly; then she removed her helmet, revealing a feminine face and hair so long it reached her knees, somehow tucked into her headgear until now. She had some light scars, but the most noticeable was one that ran across her face at the level of her left eye... and that eye was missing, likely taken by the same blade that left the scar. Still, she wasn’t unattractive; on the contrary, the smile she gave them made her appear even more pleasant: “New recruits? Oh, finally more girls! I was so tired of all these dumb boys, we need more women here (²)!”

And with that, she literally threw herself at them and wrapped them in a hug. Both Vaggie and Lute’s eyes widened, clearly uncomfortable. They felt even more awkward when Cherri began to feel them up. “Wow... a bit on the skinny side, but definitely muscular! Good for you: you’re already halfway through training. Just need to learn the technique and bulk up a bit more, and you’ll be ready for the arena!”

“Uh… thanks” Vaggie tried to say, hoping she’d stop touching her.

“Oh, so you can talk! Phew, for a moment I thought you didn’t speak my language” Cherri laughed. She really seemed like a social butterfly.

The other warriors, alerted by her loud voice, had stopped fighting and turned toward them. They, too, looked eager to meet the newcomers and approached with great interest. One of them, like Cherri, was clad in light armor and held a net and a trident (obviously fake, otherwise he would have likely killed someone), removed his helmet to reveal a somewhat effeminate male face, with mismatched eyes and messy hair. “Welcome!” he greeted. “It’s always great to have new friends here in the Ludus! What are your names?”

“Um… Vaggie” she replied, and since Lute didn’t seem willing to answer, she added: “And this is my older sister, Lute”

“Pleasure to meet you! I’m Angel, but all my fans call me Pulvis, Dust (³)! Because that’s all that’s left of my enemies when I’m done with them!” he introduced himself, then he turned to the other warriors. “Hey, what do you think these two will become? I bet they’ll be retiarii, like me!”

“Nah, you’re way off” another warrior said. He had a short sword and a shield, which unlike the weapon, was real and looked quite heavy. When he removed his helmet, he revealed a face with clearly non-Latin features, long black hair forming almost a mane behind him, and sharp, pronounced cheekbones. “I’ll tell you: the younger one will be a secutor, and the older one a murmillo (⁴). Trust me, I have an eye for this. I’m always right”

“Ah, screw you, Pentious” Angel grumbled. “Just because Minerva often gives you good insight doesn’t mean you’re always right! Be more humble. What’s that word you Greeks use? Habris?”

“Hubris (⁵)” Pentious corrected him with annoyance. “And I’m not being arrogant. Simply, if a god helps me, I execute their will”

The two of them seemed ready to pick up their weapons and resume fighting, but Cherri smacked them both hard in the face. “Cut it out, you two! Bunch of troglodytes, is that how you introduce yourselves to the newcomers? Don’t mind them, girls; they’re just apes. Don’t learn from them”

“Um… no problem” Vaggie murmured, though she had no idea what an ape was (⁶), and was a bit surprised to see those two aggressive men fall silent and rub their faces with their tails between their legs. “So... sorry, but… the thing is, they haven’t told us anything, so... what exactly do you do here? Are you warriors... mercenaries?”

The soldiers looked at each other briefly and then burst into laughter. “Mercenaries? Do you think we’re that cheap?” Cherri asked, patting her shoulder. “We’re the best of the best: gladiators!”

“Gladiators?” Vaggie repeated, confused.

“Mhm, you really are from far away, huh?” Cherri said. “Alright, so, a gladiator is...”

“They fight in that giant amphitheater” Lute interrupted. “They face each other to the death in games to entertain the emperor”

Vaggie looked at her in surprise. “How do you know that?”

Lute shrugged. “I listened to conversations at the slave market” she muttered bitterly.

The gladiators seemed to lose a bit of their cheer. “Oh... I see. You really were just bought, huh?” Angel muttered with a bit of sympathy. “I’m sorry... I know it’s not fun becoming a slave. Where are you from?”

“The Romans call it Britannia” Vaggie replied, then she asked: “So... this is what you do? You kill each other to amuse that sadistic emperor?”

“Oh, no... all of Rome comes to see us” Pentious corrected her. “And we don’t kill each other, we kill people from other Ludus! We’d never dare kill one of our own, we’re a family”

“And we don’t just fight humans” Cherri added. “Sometimes we face beasts. And sometimes we re-enact real battles. There are even cases when the amphitheater is flooded and we stage naval combat”

Vaggie swallowed hard. “It sounds macabre” she said.

“The Romans love it” Angel replied with a shrug. “And after a while, you start enjoying it too”

“Risking your life?” Vaggie asked skeptically.

“Well... risk is part of the game” Angel answered. “And besides, none of us have lost a match in years. The training Adam puts us through is…”. He paused, then he exclaimed: “Oh right, I forgot! Guys, prepare yourself: tomorrow the legendary Taurus will even be more angry than usual!"

The gladiators all burst into laughter again. “Taurus?” Vaggie repeated, remembering that the word meant 'bull' in Latin.

“It’s the nickname we give Adam when he enters in this courtyard with us, especially when there are new recruits. You’ll see why tomorrow” Angel said between laughs. “Come on, guys, place your bets! How wrecked will Taurus leave them on their first day? I say they won’t even be able to walk anymore...!”

Cherri knocked him out with a punch. “Stop scaring them!” she snapped. “Don’t mind him, I told you, he’s an idiot…”

“It doesn’t matter” Lute said through gritted teeth. “We’re not scared by stupid words”

Cherri was surprised. “Mhm, you’re a tough one, huh?” she said, eyeing her. “You’ve got the look of someone ready to kick ass just because someone gave you a dirty look. You’re a born badass. Well, good for you, I love badasses! And being a badass definitely helps kick butt in the arena”

Lute didn’t reply, barely raising an eyebrow. Cherri looked a little disappointed, but eventually she shrugged. “Well, looks like I now know who’s the tough but friendly one and who’s the introverted ass-kicker” she said, then she motioned for them to follow her. “Come with me, I’ll take you to the baths so you can wash off all that dust. If you came all the way from Britannia, you definitely need it. And you, bunch of horny boars, prepare the hall for a banquet (⁷); they’ll need to stuff themselves properly!”

Lute and Vaggie were still unsure about many things, but they followed Cherri, preferring to play along... at least for now. They felt quite humiliated at the idea of becoming someone else’s toy, and in Vaggie’s case, also nervous about being forced to fight other gladiators who, from what she’d seen, were clearly dangerous. Well, at least if it ended badly, they would have had a warrior’s death; it was better to be that kind of toy than entertainment for some drooling old man and his guests.

The baths turned out to be numerous pools of varying temperatures, and after showing them around, Cherri led them into one with warm water. Lute and Vaggie wanted to stay alert, but as soon as they entered the pool, they couldn’t help letting out a sigh of pleasure. All the exhaustion they’d built up seemed to melt away in that wonderful water. It was nothing like the cold baths they were used to back in Britannia.

Cherri entered with them and picked up some small bottles containing strange mixtures; she scooped out some and reached to rub it into Lute and Vaggie’s hair, but they pulled back. “It’s just a cosmetic” she explained. “It cleans your hair better. It’s not poison”

Vaggie and Lute looked at each other, and then the former chose to trust her, though not completely: she had the cosmetic handed to her instead of letting it be applied directly to her hair, and she put it on herself. As soon as she finished and dipped her head into the water, it was as if magic had happened: all the accumulated dirt came off her hair, leaving it clean and silky once more. She couldn’t stop touching it, feeling it finally like it had been before she was captured. Seeing her so happy, Lute gave in and allowed her sister to apply the cosmetic on her head, and deep down she couldn’t deny that she was glad to have clean hair again. “What kind of sorcery is this? (⁸)” she asked, looking at the cosmetic.

“No sorcery, just a concoction” Cherri replied with a smile. “They're common here in Rome. This is even a cheap model; if you tried the ones for the rich, you’d feel like you were born again”

Lute grabbed a lock of her hair and squeezed it, not remembering ever having it so clean, not even after washing it three times in a row. “A piece of advice… you’d better cut it” Cherri told them pointing to their hair.

“Why?” Vaggie asked. “You keep yours long”

“I got used to it over time. At first, I cut it all off" Cherri replied. “Trust me, it’s much better to start training with short hair. It’s harder for someone to grab you and drag you across the rough floor of the courtyard"

Vaggie bit her lip; she had always been proud of her long, silky hair... but in the end, she decided it was better to listen: if they were truly going to fight, long hair would only have made things harder. So she let Cherri take some scissors and cut her hair into a short bob. Lute, on the other hand, had always kept her hair short, and didn’t complain when Cherri trimmed the few strands that had grown during the journey.

Once they had been thoroughly cleaned and dressed, Cherri took them to an adjacent room, clearly a changing room, and gave them clean clothes. It was a short skirt, similar to the ones gladiators wore when fighting, except it was gray instead of red; and for the upper body, they wore a black tunic fused with chainmail, which was quite heavy. “Do you wear these all day?” Vaggie asked.

“They’re made that way. It’s easier to move in a skirt during combat if you're used to walking in one. And it’s less of a strain to bear the weight of armor if your body is used to carrying weight all day” Cherri explained, putting on similar clothes herself. “You’d better get used to it, the real armor is much heavier than this”

“No problem” Lute said, rolling her shoulders to adjust. It was annoying to move with all that weight, but she could handle much more.

Once they were clean and dressed, Cherri gave them a tour of the entire building (they remembered it was called the Ludus), showing them the quarters that would be their living space, and then took them to a slightly larger room full of strange instruments. “This is the infirmary (⁹)” Cherri explained. “Husk isn’t here... I assume Angel dragged him into the kitchen”

“He’s your doctor?” Vaggie asked.

“Now he’s yours too” Cherri reminded them. “Get ready to hear lots of scoldings from him, he’ll give you one every time you end up here. He’s grumpy and irritable; when he’s in a really bad mood they call him Ursi (¹⁰), because he’s like a bear woken from hibernation. But he’s a good man deep down; he’ll always patch you up, and if you need good advice, he’ll give it to you”

“Good advice?” Lute repeated.

“He’s the classic grumpy bear who always knows what to say and how to guide others” Cherri explained. “Angel always teases him, saying he must be the son of Eubulus, the god of good counsel. He’s the one who invented the nickname Ursi, by the way. Never call him that in front of him, though... you’ll make him explode with rage”

Neither Vaggie nor Lute wanted to inquire further. “Is there anything else to see?”

“No, I’d say we’re done” Cherri answered, then she smiled at them. “Come on, let’s go eat, so you can get to know the others better. And I bet you can’t wait to fill your stomachs”

And so, she led them to a hall where the other gladiators were already gathering, where there was an enormous table and numerous beds scattered around it. As soon as they saw them, the gladiators welcomed them cheerfully and practically forced them to sit down on the beds, then filled their plates with food and handed them over. Vaggie and Lute ate cautiously at first, but soon couldn’t hold back, and despite their pride, they began devouring the food without even chewing. They had spent so much time with empty stomachs or surviving on scraps like peels or apple cores that they had forgotten how good real food tasted.

“Ah, that hit the spot, didn’t it?” Angel exclaimed, lying next to them and stuffing himself too. “Luckily the Ludus kitchen is well stocked; after a day spent swinging weapons, you get an appetite like a beast!”

“My friend, please, show some manners in front of the ladies” Pentious said. Unlike Angel, he was trying to maintain some decorum while eating, and he had even politely filled two cups of wine and offered them to the girls, though they refused them, not wanting to risk getting drunk.

“Ladies? Tsk! Pen, with arms like those, in a month they’ll break your bones with an elbow jab” Angel laughed heartily. “Looks like Cherri’s going to have some new friends to beat you up with!”

Pentious blushed. “She’ll beat you up too!” he protested.

“Even better! That way I’ll have an excuse to go to the infirmary more often!” Angel said cheerfully. “Did you hear that, Ursi? I’ll have a reason to see you every day!”

“Shut up and do me the favor of die” was the answer that came from a man sitting a short distance away, who looked like he’d been dragged there against his will. He was extremely hairy, so much so he really did resemble a bear, and had thick eyebrows and a somewhat flattened face.

"Oh, come on, you care so little about me, parum cattus (¹¹)?" Angel asked, winking.

Husk gave him a murderous glare. "Call me that again, and I’ll personally drag you into the courtyard and shove your own trident up your ass"

"Oh, gods, what a threat! May Jupiter spare me!" Angel said, pretending to be distraught. "Pen, save me, you that are the Greek and therefore the smart one in the group (¹²): isn’t there some kind of oath doctors take? What was that guy’s name... Hipporimantos?"

"Hippocrates (¹³)" Pentious corrected him with a sigh.

"I swore never to harm a human being" Husk said in a hissing voice. "And you are not a human being, Angel, you’re just a spider clinging to my scrotum who never stop bothering me. So I’m fully authorized to squash you under my feet"

"Mmm... kinky" Angel replied. "Please, keep talking dirty..."

"Ahem!" Vaggie exclaimed to get their attention, worried that Husk might actually get up and beat Angel to a pulp. So, just to change the subject, she threw out the first topic that came to mind: "So... you’re Greek? Not Roman?" she asked Pentious.

"Nah, he’s from Athens" Angel answered for him. "Can’t you see how smart he is? He went to philosopher school and everything!"

"Uh..." Vaggie murmured. "Athens... that’s a city, right...?"

The gladiators fell silent for a moment, then gave her understanding smiles. "You’ve really never been outside of Britannia, huh?" Cherri asked rhetorically, then she nodded toward Pentious: "You’re the smart one, so give them a geography lesson"

Pentious nodded, then he grabbed a plate of beans and began shaping them into figures. "Here, this is Britannia, your homeland" he explained, pointing to what looked like an island. Then he pointed to the continent: "This is Gaul, here’s Iberia, here’s Germania, and we’re here, in the middle of this peninsula, that is Italy. And down here..." he pointed to another, more distant peninsula: "... is Greece. Athens is right here"

Vaggie was fascinated, and even Lute couldn’t hide a bit of interest. "Wow... the Empire includes all this?"

"Oh, no... the Empire is much bigger" Pentious replied, pointing to more parts of the map. "It stretches all the way to here, not even counting the buffer states and independent provinces"

Vaggie nearly choked on her own saliva. The Roman Empire was truly gigantic. She couldn’t imagine how one man could rule such an immense territory. Lute was also surprised, but focused on something else: "So, Greece was sacked just like Britannia? Were you kidnapped from your homeland too?"

Pentious looked a bit embarrassed. "No, no... Greece was conquered by Rome more than two hundred years ago. I became a slave after my family fell from grace because my father was involved in some subversive meetings. Criminals become slaves here in Rome"

"Oh... I’m sorry" Vaggie murmured, then she turned to the others: "Did you also come from far away?"

"No, I was born a slave" Cherri answered. "My mother was a slave, so I was too. They sold me to Angel’s family, and when he was sold, Adam bought me along with him"

"Sold?" Vaggie repeated. "Your family fell too...?"

"No, my father disowned me and sold me" Angel explained. "Let’s just say my family and I didn’t exactly have a healthy relationship. So when they got the chance, they disinherited me and turned me into a slave. Cherri was my slave before, so she came to the market with me"

"And that guy... Adam... he bought you both?" Vaggie asked.

"Not exactly. First, we were owned by someone else, but then he resold us, and that’s when Adam bought us. Initially, he only wanted to buy me" Angel explained. "But Cherri refused to leave me, making it clear it was either both of us or none. Adam was impressed and bought her too"

"Did you care about each other even before?" Vaggie asked Cherri, surprised that there could be such a bond between a slave and a master.

"He’s always been like a brother to me" Cherri replied with a smile. "Here in Rome, it’s normal for strong bonds to form between slaves and their masters. There have even been cases of slaves being freed and adopted by the family. Some of them became wealthy heirs. Sure, there are plenty of bastard masters... but also plenty of good ones"

"Oh... I see" Vaggie murmured, surprised. Apparently, Roman customs weren’t as rigid as what she was used to; back in Britannia, a slave remained a slave for life. She looked at Husk: "And him...?"

"Oh, he’s just weak to his vices! Right, Ursi?" Angel said to him.

"Go fuck yourself" was the only response Husk gave, downing whole cups of wine like they were water.

Angel laughed heartily. "He was so lucky, you know? He had a nice inheritance that would have allowed him to live without working all his life, but he squandered it all on gambling! He had so many debts they arrested him and sold him as a slave. The gods gave him wealth and he insulted them like that, can you believe it?"

"I hate you" Husk grumbled.

Cherri chuckled. "Come on, stop teasing him" she said to her friend, giving him a little punch. "Husk, you know he just wants to mess with you. We love you, we’re all family here!"

"Of course" Husk replied, going back to drinking more wine. It was a miracle his liver hadn’t exploded yet.

Vaggie gave a small smile. Even though she had just met these people, she felt wrapped in warmth, as if it was normal to feel a kind of camaraderie here in the Ludus. "Oh, so you can smile after all!" Angel said to her. "And you’re cute when you smile! You should do it more. Your sister smiles well too, or does she always have that stick stuck in her..."

"I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you" Lute warned him, staring as if she wanted to incinerate him. Angel chuckled but quieted down, not wanting to push his luck too much.

They continued eating and laughing for a while, then the gladiators suggested to Lute and Vaggie to go to sleep, because the next day would be very tough. The two girls returned to the quarters Cherri had shown them. "We’ll do two-hour watch shifts" Lute said as she lay down. "I’ll stay awake first, you sleep"

"Wouldn’t it be better if we both slept?" Vaggie asked. "If they really want us to fight, we should be strong tomorrow. I doubt they’ll attack us while we sleep after paying so much money for us"

"I still prefer to stay alert" Lute replied.

"They don’t seem like bad people" Vaggie opined. "We don’t know our new master, but the others..."

"I don’t trust them" Lute stopped her immediately. "And that man is not our master. We don’t submit to anyone, don’t forget that. Now sleep"

Vaggie wanted to argue, but she knew her sister could be as stubborn as a mountain goat, so she gave up, lay down on the cot, and closed her eyes. Sleep took her almost immediately: tiredness combined with a washed body, a comfortable bed, and a full stomach were practically impossible opponents to resist. She found herself sleeping deeply like she hadn’t in years.

Chapter Text

Despite their intent to keep watch, Vaggie and Lute only managed to hold out for four hours before crashing. During her shift, Lute had already felt her eyelids growing heavy, the full stomach and comfortable bed were putting her resistance to the test. When she finally woke Vaggie to take over, she had fallen asleep immediately, and unfortunately, her sister hadn't lasted either and dozed off again shortly after. She knew Lute would have been furious with her, but she simply couldn't stay awake. Her body was begging for rest.

In the morning, they were woken up by a bucket of ice-cold water to the face, which made them literally jump. The one who threw it was the eunuch Peter, who seemed to find the whole thing rather amusing. “This is our wake-up call” Cherri explained to them, she too soaked like a drowned rat. “Dry off and get dressed, we’re going to the courtyard in half an hour”

Both women let out angry grunts in response.
“Weren’t you supposed to be keeping watch!?” Lute immediately scolded Vaggie.

“Sorry, I just really couldn’t stay awake anymore” her sister replied.

Lute huffed. “Next time you’re falling asleep, wake me up”

“You were sleeping so well too” Vaggie shot back. “Come on, Lute, nothing happened. We both needed a full night’s sleep”

Lute did feel properly rested for once, but she still didn’t give in. “Vaggie, we’re in Roman territory! Even breathing here is dangerous, you can’t let your guard down like that!”

“But it doesn’t even make sense to waste our energy needlessly” Vaggie pointed out. “Sister, be reasonable: if that man, Adam, wanted to hurt us, would he really need to trick us? And the same goes for those gladiators. Yes, we’re strong, but you’ve seen how they fight, it’s something our technique can’t match. They don’t need to deceive us”

Lute narrowed her eyes, clearly not liking those words, and Vaggie expected her to throw a punch, but instead, her sister just bumped her shoulder and went to get dressed. Well, considering how she usually behaved when she was angry, that was already something.

Knowing it was best not to keep their new master waiting, they got ready quickly and then followed the other gladiators, who led them into a room filled with armor and all kinds of protective gear. Each of the others seemed to know exactly which pieces belonged to them, and Vaggie and Lute were given rather light armor, clearly meant for beginners. They were quickly taught how to put it on, and as soon as they were finished, they were taken to the courtyard.

In front of the gate, they found barrels filled with wooden weapons, and each gladiator took one; Vaggie and Lute were handed two short swords. “Do we really have to use these?” Lute protested, being more accustomed to a longsword.

“They’re the standard weapons for novices" Pentious explained. “You’ll use them until Adam decides which category you belong to (¹)”

“Category?” Vaggie repeated.

“There are many types of gladiators” Cherri said, twirling her training rope. “I’m a laquearius. I fight with a whip”

“And I’m a retiarius” Angel said, showing his trident and rope. “I use different kinds of weapons”

“And I’m a secutor” Pentious added, grabbing his heavy shield. “I rely on defense and offense”

Vaggie and Lute were rather impressed. Now they were starting to understand why these fighters moved so perfectly: having specific categories allowed them to focus on mastering their particular weapons, favoring technique and strategy. “The master chooses how we’ll fight?” Vaggie asked.

“Yes, the gladiator’s role is chosen by the magister, the trainer” Angel explained. “Normally in other schools, it’s someone hired by the lanista, but here Adam is both the lanist and the magister. He likes beating us”. A grin formed on his face: “Come on, let’s be ready! Let’s not keep the terrifying Taurus waiting!”

The other gladiators laughed, then opened the door and stepped out into the courtyard, forming a perfect line. Vaggie and Lute joined them and stood still, waiting. On the other side of the courtyard, right where everyone was looking, there was another door, more elegant, a sign that beyond it lay a house far richer than the one where they had spent the night.

They had to wait about ten minutes before that door finally swung open and Peter came out, making way for his master. “Greet the magister!”

“Greetings, magister, sir!” all the gladiators shouted in unison. Vaggie and Lute quickly followed suit.

Peter stepped aside, and Adam emerged from the doorway. Vaggie and Lute felt a chill run down their spines at the sight of him, still feeling his hands clenched around their necks. And this time, Adam looked even more menacing: not only had his once-satisfied expression been replaced by a fierce one, but instead of the white tunic, he now wore a full suit of armor, similar to that of a centurion but much thicker, yet he moved in it as if it weighed nothing. A stuffed wolf's head rested on his right shoulder, and the symbol of the god Mars was engraved on the left. A long red cloak flowed down his back, and his double-headed axe hung across his shoulder. But the most terrifying thing was his helmet: i looked like a classic Roman double-plumed helmet, but was comfortably covered in onyx, the two plumes were raised above the helmet giving it the appearance of two horns curved forward, and ending with two golden, sharp points.

Even among those gladiators, Adam inspired awe and dread. Dressed like that, he looked like a god of war, and no one would have been surprised to see him astride a giant horse with bronze hooves and iron teeth.

Adam began walking in front of the line of gladiators, inspecting them silently. He passed the first three, but at the fourth he delivered a powerful punch to the stomach, doubling the man over: “You! Straighter shoulders!”

The gladiator gasped for air but forced himself back upright with great effort, complying with his master’s command. Adam moved on, repeating the gesture whenever he saw something he didn’t like.

“Head higher!”

“Eyes straight!”

“Legs closer together!”

Vaggie and Lute, of course, didn’t know exactly what he expected to see, but luckily they were at the end of the line and could hear the corrections he gave to the others. Thanks to that, they adjusted their posture each time, hoping to match his standards as closely as possible. When Adam finally stood in front of them, his eyes narrowed slightly. “Hm. I see you’re at least trying, for a couple of rookies. Good for you” he said. “But you still suck!”

And with that, he punched Vaggie square in the chest, knocking her to the ground. For her, it felt like being hit by a boulder launched from a catapult. Lute was instantly blinded by rage and raised her wooden sword to strike Adam, but he dodged effortlessly and punched her too. “Get the fuck up!” he barked. “From now on, every time I walk out that door, you will be standing in the following position: body perfectly straight like a candle, head high, eyes fixed forward, legs still and together, arms at your sides! And you will stay in that position until I say otherwise! Well? Why aren’t you in position yet? Do you want more!?” (²)

Both Vaggie and Lute were in terrible pain, but despite that, they forced themselves back to their feet, though they were unsteady. “Hmph. Since you’re new, I’ll let it slide this time" Adam said. “But know this: I expect you to be back in position within ten seconds after I hit you, and I should not have to tell you to get up! If you’re even a second late, I’ll teach you the proper timing by beating it into you with the handle of my axe!”. He glared at them: “You think this pain is too much to bear? You need a little rest, perhaps? Pathetic! You wouldn’t last five seconds once thrown into a real arena! A true gladiator laughs at blows like these! Just wait until you’re fighting lions, then my punches will feel like kisses in comparison! So? Are you too scared? Don’t feel like doing this? No problem at all! Give me a minute and I’ll go grab some paper and ink to write a nice letter to our dear emperor, telling him I can’t entertain him with my gladiators after all! It's not a crime, right? Don’t you dare go pale on me, you filthy worms! I didn’t buy you so you could live a life of caviar and silverware! I need warriors, not bunnies and kittens, am I clear!?”

Vaggie and Lute were still breathless from his punches, but they forced themselves to respond:
“Yes, magister, sir!”

Adam looked straight into Lute's eyes: "You look like the tough one, sweetie! What's your name?"

"Lute, magister, sir!" Lute answered promptly.

"Ah, very interesting. Now I have a way to identify your slap-worthy face!" Adam said to her. "Tell me, since you can't get that snout off your face: what did I buy you for?"

"To fight, magister, sir!" Lute replied.

"Exactly! But in this state, you wouldn't last half a minute, so get that challenging look off your face!" Adam ordered her. "I like that expression of yours, but you have to wear it when you're in front of a lion! As long as you're in front of me, lower your crest!"

Lute bit her lip in anger. "Yes, magister, sir"

"Mph! You say that but you don't look like you're talking about it!" Adam said to her. "You seem to be stubborn to the core. Well, I like you! Fuck yes, I like you! You're an ignoramus who can barely hope to survive a minute, but you have guts! You are dangerous! From this moment on, you to me are Ubera Sicarius(³)!"

Lute nearly choked on her spit. “You…!”

“Excuse me?” Adam cut her off. “Finish that sentence”

Lute had every intention of punching him, but she held back with all her willpower. “I have nothing to say, magister, sir”

“Really? You weren’t going to call me an asshole?” Adam asked.

“No, magister, sir” Lute replied, even though her pride was burning.

“Mph! You look like the kind of person who’s going to piss me off sooner or later! I’ll keep an eye on you!” Adam warned, and then finally he stopped staring at her… and turned to Vaggie. “And what’s your excuse?”

Vaggie paled: "Um... excuse of what, magister, sir...?"

"I am the one who asks questions here until proven otherwise!" Adam shouted at her immediately.

Vaggie nodded immediately: "Y-Yes, magister, sir!"

"Good, thank you very much! Do you mind if I take charge for a while?" Adam asked her in a challenging tone.

"No, magister, sir!" Vaggie answered immediately.

"What's your name?" Adam asked her.

"Vaggie, magister, sir!" Vaggie answered immediately.

"Good, sweetie! So, Vaggie, are you nervous?" Adam growled.

Vaggie bit her tongue: "A little, magister, sir"

"You're right, this is not going to be an easy life! In this job, every single misstep can be a one-way journey straight to the afterlife!" Adam said to her. "Tell me, am I the one making you nervous?"

Vaggie sweated profusely: "Um... yes, magister, sir"

"And you're right again! Because I'm going to be breathing down your neck until I'm sure you can walk back from that big arena behind us on your own two feet, which means I'm going to beat the shit out of you!" Adam shouted at her. "How tall are you?"

"Uh... here..." Vaggie didn't know what to say: she didn't know the Roman measurements of length!

"You don't even know how tall you are!?" Adam growled. "Pentious! Where the fuck are you!?" 

"Here, magister, sir!" Pentious exclaimed, running immediately beside him. 

"Tell me, you who are the intelligent one of the group: how tall do you think she is?" Adam asked him.

Pentious looked quickly at Vaggie, and then he answered: "I would say... about a passus and half a cubitus (⁴)"

"Thanks, that's why we (⁵) need a Greek on the team! Get back in line!" Adam told him, and Pentious quickly got back in the middle of the others. "A passus and half a cubitus, huh? They didn't make piles of shit that high before! Well, unfortunately for you, you're still too short to hope that a lion won't jump right in your face! Have you ever seen a lion?" 

"No, magister, sir" Vaggie answered honestly.

"Well, then imagine the deadliest creature you can think of and multiply it by a hundred!" Adam told her. "If you want to scare them, you have to show your balls! Do as your sister does, show me a warrior's face! Come on!" 

Vaggie forced herself to make the most ferocious face she could think of. It was indeed quite scary, but that wasn't enough for Adam: "You don't scare me, you have to apply on it! Try hard, do I make myself clear, dear Vaggie?"

"Yes, magister, sir!" Vaggie replied.

"I'll be asking you about it again, so get to work!" Adam told her. "And I don't like the name Vaggie, only the daughters of senators and governors are called Vaggie! From now on you are Vaginae (⁶), clear!?"

Vaggie blushed with embarrassment, but still she answered: "Yes, magister, sir"

“Good” Adam growled, then he began pacing the courtyard with pride in his stride. Even though he was speaking directly to Lute and Vaggie, he clearly wanted the other gladiators to see and hear him too, to remind them of the rules. “Keep this in mind: no matter how good you get out there, no matter how many fights you win, it doesn’t mean a fucking thing! For the rest of your life, the moment you step into this courtyard, you’re worth nothing. Your only purpose will be to obey me! Out there, you can be whoever you want, but in here, you’re a speck, the lowest form of life that the gods ever put in the world, nothing but miserable piles of amphibious organic matter commonly called shit! In this place we practice equality, which means no one of you is worth a fucking damn thing! You could even be the emperor for all I care, but the second you set foot in here, you fall in line and shut your fucking mouth! Since I’m a hardass, I don’t expect you to like me. In fact, you’ll probably hate me. But the more you hate me, the more you’ll learn, and the better chance you’ll have of leaving the arena with your head still on your shoulders! No matter how skilled you become as gladiators, in here you will always fear the handle of my axe, because I will not hesitate to use it on you! Is that understood, you miserable dickheads!?”

“Yes, magister, sir!” Vaggie and Lute replied, and the other gladiators echoed them.

“The fuck, I didn’t hear you!” Adam roared.

“YES, MAGISTER, SIR!” everyone shouted at the top of their lungs.

“That’s what I thought” Adam said. “Good. Here’s today’s program: we’ll start with thirty laps, then…”

Vaggie leaned her head slightly toward Angel, who stood next to her. “That's why you call him Taurus…?”

“WHO SPOKE!?” Adam shouted, freezing her in place. How had he heard her? “Who the fuck spoke!? Who is the useless botched little shit dribbled out of his mother’s cunt that just signed his own death sentence!?”

The gladiators remained silent.

“Oh, so it’s no one, huh!?” Adam roared. “I’ll kill you all with workouts so brutal your muscles’ll pop out your asses!”. He then grabbed Angel by the throat: “Was it you!?”

“No, magister, sir!” Angel replied. Despite being yanked around, he held his stance and didn’t even flinch.

“Bullshit! I know you’re involved somehow!” Adam growled.

Vaggie clenched her teeth, clearly shaken by the display of rage, but then she shouted: “It was me, magister, sir!”

Adam fell silent, then took a few steps toward her. “Well, well. Look at that. We’ve got ourselves a brave girl” he commented. “I appreciate honesty. Yeah, I like you, sweetheart; if I had a brother, I’d give him to you so you could fuck him!”

Then he shoulder-checked her, harder than the previous punch, knocking her flat on her back. She hit the ground and spat up some saliva. “You filthy sack of shit, I’ll tear you apart, you got that!? Here you won’t speak, you won’t laugh, you won’t cry! You will shut the fuck up and fall in line, and if you don’t like that, head to the kitchen and grab some salt and pepper so the beasts in the arena can season you well before they eat you! Get up and pick up your weapon, so I can show you why you ain’t worth a fuck!”

“Leave her alone!” Lute shouted, striking him on the shoulder with her wooden weapon. She had probably aimed for his head, but because of the height difference, she couldn’t reach it.

Adam turned slowly to face her. He didn’t seem surprised she had dared to hit him. “Ah... I figured” he said with a strangely satisfied tone. “You’ve got guts, sweetheart, I’ll give you that. But you still need to learn your place, and I know exactly how to teach you!”

With that, he threw another punch; Lute reacted immediately and blocked it with her wooden sword, but the impact still sent her stumbling back a few steps. Adam lunged at her and began striking again and again, forcing her to retreat further and further. “Is that all you’ve got? Come on!” he taunted her. “If you’ve got guts, now’s the time to show them!”

Lute clenched her teeth; just parrying Adam’s blows was making her muscles ache terribly... and to make it worse, he was still fighting barehanded, which stung her pride even more. If Adam had picked up his axe or even a small dagger, he would have broken through her defense in a heartbeat. That man was a monster when it came to raw strength.

Still, she wasn’t willing to give up. The fire inside her reignited and she switched from defense to attack. She knew she couldn’t pierce Adam’s armor with a wooden sword, and even if he hadn’t been wearing armor, hitting his body wouldn’t do much, given how durable he clearly was. She had one hope: use her shorter height to duck under his strikes, get beneath him, and land a blow to his neck. That, at least, would have hurt.

But Adam didn’t let her.

Just as she slipped low to slide under him, he suddenly dropped his weight to the ground, grabbing her by one leg and lifting her like she was nothing. “Too slow” he warned her. “Anyone else would’ve broken your spine by now!”

And with that, he slammed her across his knee, yanking on her limbs. He was clearly holding back, otherwise he would’ve snapped her like a breadstick, but even so, Lute had to bite her tongue not to scream. “Why don’t you open your mouth?” Adam asked, clearly amused. “Don’t want to give me the satisfaction of hearing you scream? Pride is useful, but it won’t save you when it’s not me holding you like this, but another gladiator who actually wants to kill you…”

While he was speaking, Vaggie launched herself at him from behind. She had managed to get back on her feet and retrieved her wooden sword, intending to strike his head to make him release her sister. Adam noticed the movement and dodged at the last second, but even though she missed, Vaggie managed to wrap herself around his neck and squeeze.

At last, he was forced to react: he let go of Lute and raised his hands, grabbing Vaggie by the shoulders and spinning her through the air before slamming her down. At that speed, if she had hit her head on the ground, she would have likely cracked her skull, but Adam had deliberately twisted her body to keep her from hitting a vital spot.

He turned back to Lute. Despite the terrible pain in her back, legs, and arms, she was trying to reach for her sword again, ready to fight, but her fingers were trembling too much to grasp the hilt. Adam was on her in a flash, lifting her off the ground and squeezing her shoulders hard enough to make them crack. “NO!” Vaggie cried out weakly, raising her head. “Don’t hurt her…!”

“Hm. Family love is a powerful thing, huh?” Adam said with a cruel smile, then he looked Lute in the eyes: “Go on, say it too. Be like your sister. Tell me not to hurt you. Do that, and I’ll stop”

In response, Lute clamped her lips shut even tighter, as if she refused to let a single sound escape. Adam’s smile only grew wider at the sight. “You’ll never beg for mercy, will you?” he said, oddly proud. “You’ll never let me break you. You’ll never let anyone break you”

Lute’s lips were trembling, wanting to scream from the pain in her shoulders, but still she refused. Her face was turning red from holding her breath. “That’s a quality I admire" Adam said, but then his face turned serious: “But learn to pair it with wisdom. Don’t charge headfirst at the first enemy you see. If you want to survive, read the situation properly next time”

And with that, he finally let her go. Lute collapsed to the ground, unable to stand any longer, and then passed out (⁷). Vaggie crawled over to her, likely fearing she was dead, but when she felt her breathing steadily, she let out a sigh of relief. “Take her to the infirmary” Adam ordered. “Get some ointment for the bruises and let your muscles relax for a bit, then come back here. I’ll wait twenty minutes. If you’re not back by then, the punishment gets worse”

Vaggie didn’t even think of refusing; Lute would probably be stubborn enough to still say no, but she didn’t want to get beaten again. So she hoisted her sister onto her shoulders and carried her off. Adam watched her go with a grin. “Even after all that beating, she still has the strength to lift a full-grown body. Very promising”

Luckily, Vaggie had a good memory and remembered where the infirmary was. As soon as she entered, she found Husk already holding ointments, as if he had been expecting her. “Just one unconscious?” he grumbled, almost sounding bored. “He went easy on you, he must really like you"

“Urgh... shut your mouth and hand that stuff over!” Vaggie muttered, setting Lute down on one of the cots. Even though she tried to hide it, it felt like every inch of her body was on fire.

Husk gently took the ointment and began spreading it over the bruises on both women. He started with the visible ones, but soon had to move to more intimate areas, like their backs and stomachs. When he started to lift Lute’s shirt, Vaggie stopped his hand, but he shook his head. “Girl, I’ve seen Cherri naked more times than I can count. We see bare bodies in here every day. I know it’s not pleasant, but forget your modesty. I’m a medic, I will have no lascivious thoughts looking at you. You have my word”

Vaggie bit her lip and turned bright red with embarrassment, but then nodded, removing her shirt and letting Husk remove Lute’s as well. She still covered her own chest with one hand and her sister’s with the other. True to his word, the medic showed not even a flicker of interest in them, and actually finished as quickly as possible so they could get dressed again. “Thanks” Vaggie said quietly as she put her shirt back on.

“Just doing my job, miss” Husk replied. “Since you’re new, I won’t lecture you just yet, but I will give you a bit of advice: stop acting like rebels”

“We weren’t rebelling!” Vaggie protested. “Is that guy that is a maniac…!”

“Girl, rookies always end up in here on the first day, and always because they’re too stubborn” Husk told her. "And Adam is not crazy, he’s just getting you ready for what’s coming. If you value your life, be grateful for those bruises. Trust me, all the beatings you take during training will prepare you for the real challenge ahead. Sooner than you think, you’ll laugh remembering that your first day here only earned you a couple of bruises"

Vaggie had her doubts, convinced those bruises would still hurt even after ten years of training. Husk probably noticed and sighed: “Girl, listen to me: just focus on training. Save that rebellious attitude for when you face the lions, that’s when you’ll need it. Here, it’s only going to get in your way"

Vaggie let out a grunt, clearly not in the mood to listen. Still, she couldn’t help asking out of curiosity: “What are lions? Some kind of wolf?”

Husk chuckled. “Wolf? Lions are at least five times bigger than a wolf (⁸), with teeth as sharp as knives and claws even deadlier. One bite from them and your bones are gone, one swipe and you’ll lose your organs, even a shoulder charge from them can be fatal. You could tie a rope around one of those beasts's jaw and have five muscular men pull on the other side, and still they would not move it an inch. And lions aren’t even the deadliest things in the arena. Tigers are bigger and far more dangerous. Then there are bears, bulls, rhinos, and sometimes even elephants, which are basically walking hills. And the most dangerous beast you’ll face will always be the man, and they’ll be men trained to kill in any possible way. So get your act together and learn, if you like seeing sunlight”

Vaggie clenched her fists, feeling her body tense, which only worsened the pain from her bruises. She took a deep breath and stood up. “I have to go back to training”

“Your sister too” Husk reminded her.

Vaggie shook her head. “No, I’m not letting her face that brute again. Let her rest”

“Girl…” Husk warned.

But Vaggie didn’t listen. “Thanks for the ointment. Goodbye" she said, and quickly walked out of the infirmary.

Husk shook his head, glancing at Lute still unconscious on the cot. “All the same, these rookies…” he muttered. “You never learn, even after the first beating”

Unbeknownst to him, Lute was already starting to wake up. She hadn’t opened her eyes yet, but her mind had begun to stir, and the pain from the bruises helped bring her fully back to awareness. Just the memory of that Roman bastard hitting her was enough to enrage her, not so much because of the pain (which, honestly, hadn’t been unbearable), but because of the humiliation. Lute had always been full of pride, and being beaten like that by someone who had fought her bare-handed, even while Vaggie had been helping her, stung deeply.

She hated to admit it, but she had to face the truth: here in Rome, the warriors were on a whole different level compared to Britannia.
Being a decent swordswoman or having good physical strength wasn’t enough. Lute didn’t want to call herself a pushover, but she was honest enough to admit that here, in the heart of the known world, she was nothing more than a small fish.

At least she hadn’t given that Roman the satisfaction of hearing her beg for mercy.

That, she would never do. She’d rather hang herself than beg. Vaggie might be able to set aside her pride when the situation became truly dangerous, but she couldn’t.

She wanted to be mad at her sister for pleading with that Roman, but she couldn’t. After all, that’s just how Vaggie was: too kind to stand by while someone suffered. That same kindness was what had pushed her to ask Lute to teach her swordsmanship, so that she could protect the people they cared about. Even if in the end, it had all turned out to be useless.

Too kind. Too pure-hearted to cling to pride like Lute did. Too soft to remain unmoved in such a cruel environment.

She had probably blamed herself for what happened, and while Lute appreciated her concern, she didn’t want that. It hadn’t been Vaggie’s fault. Nothing that had happened to them was Vaggie’s fault.

The blame rested solely on Rome and its damned people of murderous lunatics.

In the courtyard, the gladiators had remained still, not moving from their positions. They would have stayed there all day if their trainer hadn’t told them otherwise. Adam, too, had remained in place, leaning against a wall, and as soon as he saw Vaggie return, he immediately approached her: “Your sister?”

In response, she met his gaze without hiding her anger, though she still got into position like all the other gladiators. “She needs to rest”

Adam brought his face closer to hers. “I thought I was clear. Both of you were supposed to be here in twenty minutes”

“I’ll train in her place” Vaggie replied.

“Really?” Adam asked, tilting his head. “You want to train for two people? Do you even know what that means?”

“No” Vaggie admitted. “But I don’t care. If you want me to stay here until tomorrow morning, I will”

“And what if you pass out?” Adam asked.

“Then you’ll kick me awake, and I’ll get back up” Vaggie replied.

Adam stayed silent for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Ah… you two really are sisters. Both of you stubborn as fuck” he said. “Alright, double training it is. Let’s start with...”

“Wait!”

Vaggie froze.

No.

She silently prayed she was wrong and that wasn’t her sister’s voice. Just once, she hoped Lute had some common sense and hadn’t gotten out of bed the moment she woke up after being beaten unconscious. But of course, that hope was dashed the moment she appeared at her side. “Why are you here?” she hissed.

“She recovered fast, it seems” Adam said with amusement.

Lute shot Vaggie a glare. “Don’t you ever leave me behind again”

Vaggie couldn’t help herself. “Why do you act like this?”

Lute paused for a second, then turned to her and in their mother language said: “We’re in this together, we face it together. We go home together, or neither of us does”

Vaggie’s eyes widened. It had been weeks since she last heard her sister speak in Brittonic, since they had agreed to speak only Latin to master it faster. Hearing that sound again made her heart skip a beat. “You're stubborn bastard” she replied, also in their native tongue.

Lute didn’t change her expression, but the light in her eyes made it clear she, too, was happy to hear someone speak in Brittonic again. “I know” she replied with a slight smirk.

Adam’s shadow loomed over them. “I’d love to spend the day watching this lovely family squabble, but this isn’t the theatre! Time to begin! Fifty laps around the courtyard, and if I see you slacking, I’ll make you regret it! Move it!”

Lute and Vaggie didn’t need to be told twice. They started running immediately, even though they clenched their jaws against the pain from their bruises. Adam gave a satisfied smirk. “What a determination” he murmured under his breath.

“They’re really promising, huh?” Angel couldn’t help but whisper to him. “I bet they’ll be the best around here”

“Probably” Adam replied, but then his face darkened: “And you, why the fuck you talked without permission?! All of you, move your asses and do fifty laps! And you, failed stand-up comedian, get on the ground and give me two hundred push-ups! And count them out loud!”

The gladiators obeyed and began their own training. “You two are seriously impressive” Cherri said to Lute and Vaggie as she caught up with them. “It’s the first time I’ve seen Taurus that pleased with rookies”

“That guy is insane” Vaggie grumbled, trying to conserve as much breath as possible while glancing at Adam, who had now sat down on top of poor Angel, who, to his credit, was doing push-ups without complaint.

“In a few months you’ll thank him” Cherri said, giving her a small pat on the shoulder. “And by the way, this is just the beginning! Get ready, Taurus is going to breathe down your necks for a long time!”

Vaggie let out a groan of disapproval while the other gladiators burst into laughter. Lute, on the other hand, didn’t seem to hear any of it. She remained stoic as usual, focused solely on her training.

Chapter Text

The wooden sword in Vaggie’s hand found the unguarded opening on Adam’s right flank, but he avoided contact by shifting sideways with a smooth, swift motion. Vaggie gritted her teeth and immediately changed tactics, slashing through the air in an attempt to strike his neck. But Adam simply dropped down, bending at the knees, then stretched out one leg and spun halfway around, striking her ankle with his shin.

Vaggie crashed onto her back, hard, and the next instant, the wooden blade hovered at her pulsing jugular as the man loomed over her with a wicked smile stretched across his face. “Tell me what you did wrong”

Vaggie rubbed her head and tried to think quickly, knowing he would have gotten angry if she had stayed silent too long. Then she answered: “Well... I was thinking that...”

Adam smacked her forehead with the wooden sword, not hard enough to wound her, but enough to leave a sizable bump. “Exactly. You were thinking!” he barked.

Vaggie bit her lip. That phrase had been repeated to her countless times, and yet she still couldn’t grasp what it truly meant. How was she supposed to fight without thinking!?

Adam tossed the wooden sword back at her. “On your feet! And this time, try to give me a less pathetic show!”

Vaggie let out a quiet groan. She was exhausted, and every inch of her body ached horribly. But despite it all, she stood back up without complaining and returned to her guard stance. “Yes, magister, sir”

Adam didn’t wait another second and attacked again. This time she didn’t hesitate: she immediately ducked under the strike and aimed for his waist, targeting the gap in his armor to hit the muscles responsible for movement. But Adam grabbed her sword by the blade and yanked it toward him, clearly trying to unbalance her. Instead, Vaggie let go of the hilt and jumped up, slamming her knee into his chin and throwing him off for just a moment. That was enough for her to reclaim her sword and latch onto his arm, attempting to drag him to the ground to neutralize his height advantage.

For a moment, it seemed she might succeed. But Adam twisted his arm at the last second, making her stumble, then struck her in the back and sent her face-first into the dirt.

Vaggie spat out a bit of the ground. Even after all these weeks, the taste of sand, blood, and sweat was still a disgusting mix in her mouth.

Adam grabbed her by the arm and forced her to her feet, making her look him in the face. “You’re like an apple made of shit” he growled. “And even if now you’re not rotten anymore, an apple made of shit is still an apple made of shit!”

Vaggie tried to pick up her sword, but her fingers couldn’t grip the hilt: her muscles ached too much. Adam only sneered at the sight. “If you can move, you can still fight” he told her. “Pick up the weapon, or...!”

Another wooden sword brushed against his back in a clearly provocative gesture. Adam chuckled in amusement. “Still the same as always, huh?”

Lute narrowed her eyes and pressed the sword a bit firmer against his back. “It’s my turn” she said firmly.

Adam turned to face her. “You really can’t sit out a full lesson, can you?” he asked rhetorically.

“It’s my turn” Lute repeated, unfazed.

Adam’s grin widened. “So be it” he said with satisfaction, and immediately lunged at her.

Needless to say, as usual, that day had ended with a visit to the infirmary to get their bruises treated. “You two again!?” Husk shouted as he prepared the ointments. “Is it really impossible for you to be decent for even one day!? You stupid...!”

“Oh, come on, Ursi. Don’t be like that” Angel said with a chuckle. “You know how Taurus is. At least they came back on their own two feet”

Husk shot him a furious glare: “Shut up! You're lucky I let you in too!”

“Hey! I’m injured too!” Angel pointed out, gesturing to the nasty scrape on his right shoulder, which was bleeding a bit.

“If you had actually applied the ointment I gave you and been careful not to reopen the wound, you’d be healed by now!” Husk snapped.

“It’s not my fault if every single time Cherri fights like she’s possessed by Mars (¹)!” Angel protested.

Vaggie let the two of them argue, unable to stop a small smile. By now, she was used to seeing these squabbles: Angel visited the infirmary almost as much as she and her sister did. Sometimes he came along to help an injured comrade, and other times (less frequently) because he was the one hurt. Any excuse was good enough to go bother Husk, who more than once had looked like he was about to beat him with a stick.

She glanced at Lute, who as always was lying flat on the cot. That’s how it always ended: Adam would start the lesson by attacking Vaggie, knowing full well that once she began to falter, Lute would intervene; at that point, he’d fight Lute, and eventually Vaggie would join in, turning it into a two-on-one. It always ended the same way: with both of them thoroughly beaten. If Vaggie was the one to eventually surrender and admit she couldn’t go on, Lute was the one who would rather collapse from exhaustion than give up. Adam seemed to enjoy the game, even encouraging them to keep going.

Vaggie let out a deep sigh. It had been two months now since she and Lute had joined the Ludus and begun that grueling routine. Adam truly was a Taurus, a bull: it seemed like wearing them down had become his life’s purpose. Still, Vaggie couldn’t deny that the training was paying off. She could see it clearly every time Adam ordered her and Lute to train with the other gladiators instead of with him.

Back in the early days, neither of them could last more than two minutes against Angel, Pentious, or Cherri. But now, they could put up a bit of a fight, and even though they still lost, they were able to force even the more experienced gladiators to take them seriously for a while.

Vaggie was sure that if she had returned to Britannia and had tried to face the best soldiers of her homeland, she would have won without much effort (²). Every trace of softness had been quite literally beaten out of her body, replaced with a blend of strength, endurance, and technique she’d never imagined she could possess. You could say everything about the Romans, but one thing was certain: they truly could turn a human being into a war machine.

Over the course of those two months, they had settled into life at the Ludus... more or less. Lute, of course, had kept her distance from the other gladiators, but at least she no longer looked around as if she expected to be ambushed at any moment. She no longer kept watch at night, and now she shared the baths, dorms, and kitchen with the others without complaining, even if she rarely spoke.

Vaggie had been a bit more open: if this was going to be their life for the time being, she might as well make the best of it. So, she made some friends. Cherri turned out to be genuinely interesting company, and Pentious was amusing, though terribly awkward. Angel... Vaggie had to admit, he was a good guy and she liked him, but he also had a real talent for getting on her nerves. Still, it was nice to spend evenings with them, laughing and joking before going to bed and preparing for the next day’s training.

As she was mulling this over, the infirmary door burst open and Cherri appeared, carrying Pentious over her shoulder. "Hey, look who’s back from the arena!" she said with a grin.

“Pen!” Angel greeted him. “How’d the match go? Did they beat the crap out of you?”

“Ugh... shut up, idiot!” Pentious hissed as Cherri set him down on the bed. He lifted the hem of his gladiator skirt (³) slightly, revealing a large, bleeding wound. “Husk, stitch me up”

“You got caught off guard again!?” Husk shouted, furious. “You damn fool, I’ve told you a thousand times that you can’t drop your guard in a fight! Aren’t Greeks supposed to be smart!?”

Pentious took the scolding in silence while the medic dabbed ointments on the wound and applied bandages, making him grit his teeth in pain. Vaggie winced a bit at the sight: “Does it hurt that much?”

“Tsk! If it really hurt, he wouldn’t keep making the same mistakes!” Husk grumbled angrily.

“Yeah, he’ll screw up again soon enough. That wound is nothing, it won’t teach him a damn thing” Cherri said with a laugh. “All of you are gonna lose an eye someday, like me. I used to be reckless too, then the gods punished me properly. Since then, no one’s been able to fuck me over”

Vaggie swallowed hard. Since she and Lute had arrived at the Ludus, they hadn’t yet suffered any real injuries. Adam covered them in bruises, sure, but the worst he’d inflicted were some scratches. Vaggie often didn’t understand how the gladiators could laugh after being beaten with sticks, but every time one of them came back from a fight, it made perfect sense. Her bruises were nothing compared to the kinds of wounds one could get in the arena.

A groan behind her made her turn; she saw that Lute had opened her eyes. She helped her sit up, and the first thing Lute did was look at Pentious and ask: “Who was your opponent?”

“A retiarius” Pentious answered, groaning slightly as Husk continued treating him. “Judging by his face, I think he was Egyptian”

Lute narrowed her eyes. “Tell me about the fight” she said simply.

Pentious nodded and began describing the match in detail, pointing out the mistakes he’d made. That was always how it went: every time a gladiator returned from the arena, Lute would ask to hear the full account of the battle. She wanted to gather as much information as possible on her future opponents so she could be ready when her turn came. It was one of the few times she became talkative, asking question after question, not caring whether her conversation partner was on death’s door or not.

“… and that’s all” Pentious finally concluded. “If I hadn’t let myself get distracted, that retiarius wouldn’t even have scratched me...!”

“Well, at least you already know what your mistakes were” Adam’s deep voice came as the lanist stepped into the infirmary a moment later. He was no longer dressed in his armor, but in his usual white tunic that he wore outside the training yard. “I hope those wounds teach you a lesson, you idiot”

Pentious lowered his head. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again”

“I hope not. Today you got away with a surface wound, tomorrow it could cost you your life” Adam warned. “I know it’s easy to get excited when you’re about to win a fight, but never forget: the only time you can celebrate is when your opponent is dead or has yielded. Until then, your mind must remain unshaken”

Pentious nodded. “I know. Next time I’ll keep my excitement in check”

“Good. The gods won’t always spare you. Don’t forget that Patroclus died because he got carried away in battle and ignored Achilles’ warnings (⁴)” Adam said. “Take a week off, then you’ll train with Angel for a while. I expect him to use every dirty trick in the book. That way you’ll finally learn to keep your guard up”

“I will” Pentious assured him.

“And I will be as dirty as possible” Angel said with a grin. “Sorry, Cherri, I’m stealing your favorite opponent for a bit”

“Nah, no biggie. I’ll just kick someone else’s ass… and then I’ll kick both of yours too” Cherri replied with a wicked smile.

Adam smiled as well: a little gentler than usual, unlike how he was in the training yard. “Mh. Good, you little shitheads. That’s what I like to see" he said, then his gaze turned to Lute and Vaggie, hardening again: “And what are you two still doing here?”

“We came to get treated, magister, sir” the girls replied immediately.

“Well, if you can stand and talk, then you’ve got no reason to stay!” Adam roared, back to his usual gruff self. “Take this sack of crap back to the dorms and throw him on a bed, then go clean the bathrooms! If you’ve got energy to chit-chat, you’ve got energy to work!”

"Yes, magister, sir!" Lute and Vaggie replied in unison. Adam let out a grunt, then stormed out of the infirmary, loudly calling Peter's name, probably to give the eunuch some orders.

As soon as he was gone, Vaggie let out a tired sigh. "That bastard never gives us a moment's peace" she grumbled.

Lute, on the other hand, didn't say a word. Instead, she grabbed Pentious by the arm and lifted him. "Less talking, more working, sister. Come on"

She could have carried Pentious alone, but she knew that when Adam gave an order to both of them, it meant both had to carry it out. So she let Vaggie help her. Cherri laughed. "Come on, don’t make those faces. Angel and I will help you out in the baths"

"Hey, why are you volunteering me too!?" Angel exclaimed.

Cherri gave him a caress, but she did it in an almost threatening way. "Because I’m like a sister to you, and what kind of brother would be so rude as to leave his sister alone?" she asked in a mock-innocent tone.

"Hey, did you forget who you're talking to?" Angel shot back. "I'm the king of rude!"

"Nah, you're not rude. You're just a moron" Cherri said to him.

"Hey!" Angel protested, pretending to be offended.

"It's true. I’ve known plenty of morons, but never one like you. You’re such a big moron, that if the gods decided to hold the moron games, you’d still get disqualified because you’re too much experienced" Cherri teased him.

Angel scowled and crossed his arms. "Well, in that case, this moron is too dumb to help you clean...!"

Cherri’s caress turned into a painful twist of his ear. "What was that? I didn’t hear you"

"Ouch… Husk, help me! What kind of medic stands idly by in the face of such agony…?" Angel yelled. In response, Husk grabbed him by the scruff and tossed him out of the infirmary without a second thought.

The gladiators burst out laughing, and Vaggie joined in, even though she knew Lute was silently disapproving. Still, it was just too funny. Those guys were hilarious. "Well, you’ve got a week off, Pen" she said to Pentious as they carried him. "Aren’t you happy?"

"Tsk! Three days would've been enough" Pentious grumbled. "Adam is exaggerating, I don’t need to be benched that long!"

"Don't let Husk hear you, or he'll chain you to the wall (⁵)" Angel chuckled. "Our magister's just making sure you don’t risk reopening that wound. And he’s right, when we train again I’m gonna be totally unfair. So get ready, because I’ll hit you in that wound too!"

"Screw you! I swear, I'll make you eat dust as soon as I'm back in the yard!" Pentious yelled, making Angel laugh again.

Vaggie sighed. "When is he going to be with us too the human Adam, instead of always the beast Taurus?" she couldn’t help but wonder aloud.

On the first day, she had been convinced their lanist was nothing more than a violent brute who enjoyed beating his trainees... and maybe that was partly true, but as the weeks passed, she realized Adam was something else, too. In the training yard, he was always Taurus: strict, unforgiving, always ready to hand out punishment. But outside of it, he showed a much less threatening side, almost friendly. He joked with the gladiators, treated them with a sort of rough affection, listened to their requests and complaints, and made sure they weren’t mortally wounded and received proper care. More than once, he had praised them or calmly explained their mistakes. It was as if he had two different personas: Taurus in the dust and sweat of the yard, and Adam outside it.

But with Lute and Vaggie, even outside the courtyard, he remained as fierce as an enraged bull, living up to his nickname. Every time he crossed paths with them, even by chance, he gave them tasks, often heavy ones. "That’s just how he is" Cherri told them. "When he decides you're ready, he’ll show you more sides of himself. Until then, you'll only know Taurus (⁶)"

Lute growled at those words. Vaggie knew why her sister was upset: being ready meant being promoted to tirones (⁷), meaning that Adam would have assigned them a gladiator class, and they’d finally stop using the standard training swords. They’d get more advanced weapons and learn lethal techniques. It also meant that they could finally be called into the arena, and consequently, begin earning sesterces to pay for their freedom (⁸). Lute clearly couldn’t wait to reach that level. But after two months, Adam still hadn’t considered them ready, and there was no sign he was changing his mind.

"He’ll promote you eventually. I had to wait six months before becoming a retiarius" Angel told them. "Don’t rush it, you’re already way ahead of where I was after two months here"

"Yeah, well, I’d really prefer if he promoted us now" Vaggie grumbled. "At least then he’d stop assigning us chores every time he sees us!"

"Well, someone has to clean the Ludus. Poor Peter deserves a break every now and then" Pentious said. "I bet he’s celebrating right now, I mean, half his workload gone...!"

In response, Lute and Vaggie roughly dropped him onto his bed, since they’d arrived at the sleeping quarters. "Shut your mouth" they said as he groaned from the pain in his wound.

Cherri chuckled, then she winked at him. "Want me to kiss it to make you feel better, mighty gladiator?"

Pentious blushed. "D-Don’t make fun of me! I’m not a kid!"

Cherri laughed heartily, but still she helped him get comfortable on the bed. "Come on, rest up, so you can get back to having fun with us. You’re already going to miss the Ides of March, try not to miss anything else"

"The Ides of March!" Pentious exclaimed, slapping his forehead. "Shit, that’s tomorrow! Dammit, just today I had to end up in the infirmary…!?"

"Next time, don’t let your guard down in the arena" Cherri said mockingly.

"The Ides of March?" Vaggie repeated. "What’s happening tomorrow?"

"Oh, it’s just the day Julius Caesar died (⁹)" Cherri replied. "And Adam honors the occasion in his own way"

Vaggie raised an eyebrow. Despite sometimes seeming foolish, Adam had often demonstrated a deep knowledge of history, especially regarding the exploits of past military leaders. He frequently quoted his favorite book, De Bello Gallico, using it as a source of wisdom and instruction. And the man who wrote that book, Gaius Julius Caesar, the conqueror of all Gaul, was one of the people Adam admired and respected most. It was no surprise, then, that he would want to honor Caesar’s death, which had occurred on the Ides of March. “How does he honor it?” Vaggie asked.

“Oh, you’ll see” Cherri replied with a laugh. “Tomorrow’s going to be fun!”

The next day, all the gladiators seemed happy and excited, as if they were looking forward to some grand game. Despite Vaggie’s persistent questions, they refused to tell her and Lute what was going to happen, so as not to ruin the surprise. But the moment they stepped into the training yard, both of them immediately understood what was in store. “Today marks the fall of one of the greatest generals Rome, and therefore the world, has ever seen” Adam declared. “Therefore, the best way to honor him is with a battle!”

That would have been the day’s program: a mock battle in memory of Julius Caesar. It would also serve as training for future mock fights in the Flavian Amphitheater. Adam had divided them all into two teams. Vaggie and Lute were grouped with Angel on the side of the Gauls, while Cherri was among their Roman adversaries. Before the battle began, she ran a finger across her throat while locking eyes with Angel, who swallowed hard, realizing she planned to have fun at his expense. To make matters worse, Adam himself had joined the Roman side to even out the numbers, though he used only a wooden staff as a weapon, to keep things fair. “It is our duty as warriors to honor the great commanders of the past!” he thundered. “Let the mighty Caesar watch us from the Underworld, and make him proud of this spectacle!”

And so, the battle began.

At first, Lute and Vaggie had been a bit worried, but then they understood why the other gladiators were so excited: the game really was fun. The entire yard had been modified with fake fallen chariots and uneven terrain, creating the illusion of a real battlefield. There were plenty of places to hide or stage ambushes. The only rule was to fight until you couldn’t stay on your feet anymore; only then was retreat allowed. And neither Lute nor Vaggie had any intention of staying down while they still had energy in their bodies.

For once, they weren’t restricted to using just wooden swords. Various types of weapons had been scattered across the yard, and they could even steal them from opponents. Everything was allowed, no matter what gladiator category one belonged to. Vaggie and Lute found themselves switching weapons multiple times, getting valuable practice with many different ones. It was an exercise disguised as a game, and a very useful one.

Adam, of course, was like a monster to anyone who faced him. Yet many gladiators chose to engage him willingly; they wanted to test themselves against the fearsome Taurus who had molded them. Even landing a single solid hit or lasting a few seconds longer than usual was a badge of honor. They saw him as an invincible mountain. He defeated them, yes, but even though he could’ve knocked them out, he never did. The purpose of the game was to give everyone a chance to show their full potential in battle. Knocking them out right away would’ve served no purpose. So Adam simply knocked them to the ground and moved on, allowing them to get back up, fight someone else, or even ask him for a rematch if they were particularly masochistic.

Vaggie and Lute had adopted a survival strategy: knowing they couldn’t overpower the seasoned gladiators directly, they kept a bit on the sidelines, avoiding confrontation and gathering better weapons. Then they would jump in once their opponents were already tired. That way, they could fight on equal footing and bring them down. Still, Lute couldn’t take her eyes off Adam. Maybe it was the excitement of the game, the adrenaline, or the fact that after hours of combat he was finally sweating a little, making him seem more human, but she wanted to face him.

Fighting the others wasn’t enough for her. This time, she had much better weapons at her disposal than usual. She could do it.

Her body had been hardened.

The blows from wooden weapons barely hurt anymore.

She was no longer the small fry she had been two months earlier.

With a shout, she launched herself at Adam, who turned toward her and blocked her blow with his arm. A sneak attack would have been wiser, but she didn’t want to hit him from behind. She wanted to look him in the eye and show him she wasn’t a pushover anymore. She wanted to see his face as he realized he had been training a wolf capable of tearing him apart.

And Adam seemed to understand her perfectly. “Yes...” he said in a low voice, as if he had been waiting for that moment all day. “Let’s play!”

And with that, he moved like a catapult; Lute dodged the blow, and the staff struck the courtyard ground with such force that it snapped in half. Lute slid beneath Adam, in the same way she had tried to the first time they had truly faced off, but this time she was much faster and more precise. She struck him in the knee to make him lose balance. He staggered slightly, and she took the opportunity to hit him in the stomach with a wooden trident.

Adam seemed to feel the blow at least a little, but he still didn’t move from his position. Instead, he grabbed the trident and tore it from Lute’s hands. “Nice try” he said, then clenched the trident and broke its shaft with nothing but the strength of his fingers. “But this isn’t the right weapon for you!”

And with that, he headbutted her. She couldn’t dodge in time and went rolling away, but even so, Lute twisted mid-air and landed back on her feet. Her eyes looked like they were wrapped in flames. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve got others at my disposal” she said, gripping a wooden sword in each hand. “I’ll show you what you’ve created!”

“I can't ask anything better!” Adam said, and then, with a roar that almost made him seem like a predator, he lunged at her, wielding the remaining piece of his staff. Lute reacted instantly and resumed the fight.

It was a primal, ancestral battle, guided by instinct; Lute felt her mind working faster than it ever had before. It was as if the world had slowed down before her eyes. In front of her, there was only Adam, and every fraction of a second her brain offered ten different ways to hit him and thirty ways he could counter or retaliate.

She, a wolf of Britannia, small but agile and swift. He, a bear of Rome, massive and of unmatched power.

To Lute, being hit by Adam felt like being hit by the whole of Rome. Every time he knocked her back or slammed her to the ground, it felt as if Rome itself were hurting her again and trying to subdue her, and she refused it. She refused to be subdued. She wanted to beat Adam, because that would mean beating Rome at least once.

“You’ll have to do better if you want to play at this game” Adam told her as he broke one of her swords.

Lute reacted at once, striking his arm with the other, and with her free hand grabbed a retiarius net she had previously picked up and tied around her waist. “We’re not playing”

Adam smiled in satisfaction. “I know”

Lute growled and hurled the net at Adam, trapping his left arm; then she advanced, striking first with a thrust, followed immediately by an uppercut; both missed, deftly blocked by his right hand. But when she was less than a step away from Adam and had her back turned to him, with a lightning-fast flick of her wrist she reversed the gladius in her hand and managed to graze his side, right between the gaps in his armor. The idea was to at least leave a serious bruise, but Adam had anticipated the move and shifted just enough to reduce her attack to a mere light touch. He took advantage of the moment to grab her by the hair and drag her back. “You’re still thinking too much” he warned her.

“And you don’t think at all” Lute replied, unafraid. “Did you forget wolves hunt in packs?”

And just then, Vaggie appeared between them and slammed Adam’s arm with a shield, making him lose his grip. However, he had clearly expected it and moved his other hand, dropping the net onto her and using it to tear the shield from her. “I didn’t forget” he told them. “In the arena, you won’t always get to fight together... but after all, I’m no ordinary enemy!”

And with that, he charged at them with a roar, trying again to strike them with the staff, but missed once more and instead completely shattered his weapon; of course, that wasn’t a problem for him. He had always been comfortable fighting bare-handed. His fists were all he needed.

Lute and Vaggie were left with only one sword each, but that was enough. The Roman’s golden eyes, now a concentrated mix of euphoria and impatience, locked with the determined eyes of the two women, as the memories of months spent in that courtyard raced through his mind. He knew both of them wanted to beat him. And he loved it.

Vaggie and Lute tried to use the brief seconds of mutual observation that followed to find a gap in Adam’s technique, but they couldn’t figure one out before he hurled himself at them again with a strength they never would have expected from a human being... at least, not before meeting that war machine in human form. The two women attacked simultaneously, each taking one of his flanks and striking at a different arm, forcing the Roman to engage in a real two-front battle. Adam seemed to falter for a moment, but then charged straight at Lute, abandoning all defense on his right side and using his cloak to shield himself from Vaggie; he tore the sword from her hands and knocked her to the ground, and with that same sword disarmed her sister, giving her the same fate.

Disarmed, the two women let instinct take over completely: without even thinking, they picked up two weapons from the ground, a sword for Lute and a spear for Vaggie, and seized the moment of distraction Adam took to discard their old blades. Together, they charged. Like two boulders launched from a catapult, they hurled themselves at his chest and struck him directly in the sternum; they didn’t rely solely on strength, they threw their entire body weight into the blow. Adam grunted, then he lost his balance and fell to the ground on his back.

That event quite literally seemed to freeze time: all the gladiators stopped to see what had happened. They were stunned: it was extremely rare for anyone to manage to knock Adam to the ground. They couldn’t help but admire the two Briton women.

It lasted barely two seconds: at the end of that time, Adam was already back on his feet. Vaggie and Lute stood back-to-back, just as they had done at the market, to face him together. But he, now showing a speed at least three times faster than before, snatched the weapons from their hands. Both of them braced for a blow, but to their surprise, Adam didn’t move a muscle. He simply stared at them intently, as if he were observing something extremely interesting.

He could still feel the adrenaline burning in his blood, and he had to call upon his self-control to resist the urge to resume the fight. It wasn’t the first time he had ended up on the ground, but every time it was a new sensation. Very few had ever managed to shake him this much. Sure, he had no shield now, no weapons, and he was already tired from all the previous fights, but that didn’t make the feat just accomplished by Lute and Vaggie any less impressive.

That eye contact seemed to last an eternity. Then he shouted: “Angel!”

“I'm here, magister, sir” the gladiator said, appearing at his side, although quite battered from all the battles he’d fought.

“Go to the armory and bring me the real stuff” Adam said simply. Lute and Vaggie didn’t understand what he meant by that request, but Angel, on the other hand, widened his eyes and seemed on the verge of smiling before hurrying off. Adam turned back to the two of them: “A sword and a spear. Why did you choose those weapons among all the ones scattered on the ground? Tell me!”

Lute and Vaggie thought for a moment, then the latter answered: “I chose the spear so I could strike from a distance”

“And I picked the sword because I could still use it in close combat in case you managed to get near me" Lute added.

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “That’s the explanation you came up with just now... but you didn’t think about that when you picked them up, did you? You just grabbed what felt natural to you. You didn’t think”

Lute and Vaggie nodded. “Yes” they admitted.

Angel returned, walking quickly despite carrying weapons that were anything but small: a sword, a spear, and two large helmets adorned with fake horns, smaller and sharper than those on Adam’s own helmet. “Good” Adam said, taking the helmets from the gladiator’s hands and forcefully placing them on Lute and Vaggie’s heads. “Congratulations, little shits. From today, you’ll train as real gladiators”

Lute and Vaggie widened their eyes and lifted their heads despite the weight of the helmets. Angel was smiling at them encouragingly, and even the other gladiators looked genuinely happy for them. Cherri had even tossed aside her whip and raised her thumbs. They had finally been promoted.

Adam picked up the spear and handed it to Vaggie. “From today on, you’ll never touch a sword again. It’s not for you. You’re suited for defending yourself, attacking from a distance, and eliminating enemies with well-placed strikes. You’ll use the shield, sometimes the gladius, and most of all, the spear. From now on, you are a hoplomachus (¹⁰)”

The gladiators’ mouths dropped open in surprise.

“A hoplomachus?”

“Seriously?”

“Isn’t that one of the hardest classes to fight against?”

“Wow! The girl’s got real talent, then!”

Over the past two months, Vaggie had become familiar with the various types of gladiators, and she knew that the hoplomachus was one of the most prestigious classes, practically unbeatable by any other warrior type except for one or two. They were nearly invincible war machines. She couldn’t help but smile proudly as she took the spear in her hands.

Adam turned his gaze to Lute, who as always was wearing an expression of indifference and defiance. He smiled, in a strange mix of satisfaction and tension. “You, on the other hand... you’re more versatile. You can fight from a distance, but especially up close. And you don’t like staying in a safe zone, you always want to be the first to attack. For you, there’s only one class that fits”

With that, he took the sword. A sword whose blade had an extremely particular shape, similar to a crescent moon. The gladiators’ eyes widened even more at the sight.

“That’s a sword for a...!”

“No way!”

“Incredible!”

“She’s that good!?”

“Is he really going to make her a...!?”

Adam placed the sword in Lute’s hands and stared intensely at her, then shouted at the top of his lungs: “Let’s welcome our new thracian (¹¹)!”

Chapter Text

“Holy shit, why did the gods make me miss a scene like that!?” Pentious exclaimed. “A thracian! They’re so rare! And I missed its birth! Great Jupiter, why…!?”

Cherri’s fist landed squarely on his forehead, shutting him up instantly. “You should be thanking Jupiter for letting you live another day, you idiot” she scolded him. “At this rate, you’re really going to anger the gods!”

Pentious rubbed his aching head. After Adam had finished bestowing Lute and Vaggie with their new roles, he had declared the training over. The gladiators, while a little disappointed that the fun had ended too soon, were nonetheless thrilled because the Ludus had gained two extraordinary fighters. Angel and Cherri had dragged Vaggie and Lute to Pentious to share the good news, and he had immediately started acting like he was performing in a tragedy. “Sorry, sorry! It’s just that... come on, a thracian! The Ludus hasn’t had one since... I don’t know, when I got here there weren’t any!”

“It’s just another category” Lute muttered, unfazed.

“Just another category? The thracian is the best of the best!” Angel said with a grin. “They say it takes real talent to become one. You need a light, agile body, a sharp and cunning mind, a brave and competitive soul… yeah, that’s definitely you”

Lute still showed no emotion; even if it was unlikely, she didn’t want to risk Adam watching them and realizing that she was proud of being recognized as one of the best warriors. The problem was, nearly everyone around her kept teasing her vanity. “Come on, sis, aren’t you even a little happy?” Vaggie asked with a wicked smile.

Lute shot her a glare; Vaggie could read her like a book and knew perfectly well what she was really feeling, so why was she sabotaging her like this!? That girl! “I don’t care what kind of gladiator I am. I just want to learn how to survive in that arena”

“Ugh, can’t you stop being so cold for once?” Cherri muttered in exasperation, then turned to Vaggie: “Tell me, is your sister actually Pluto’s daughter? Because she looks like a corpse dragged out of the underworld, and I’m not just talking about her pale skin!”

Lute nearly choked on her own spit and shot Cherri such a murderous look it was as if she were trying to incinerate her. For once, Angel didn’t back up his friend and elbowed her: “Hey, don’t say his name out loud! You wanna get the god of the dead’s attention? I’d like to stay alive, thanks!”

“You’re right. Sorry, guys, I went too far” Cherri replied (¹).

Vaggie bit her lip. From what she had learned over the past few months, Pluto was the name of the Roman god of death, and they tended to avoid saying his name out loud, referring to him only by his titles. After all, no one wanted to attract the attention of death, and saying a god’s name was believed to be a way to make oneself noticed by them. In a way, it was similar to how the Britons treated their own death god, Donn (²), which had led Vaggie to believe that they were probably the same god, just with different names. After all, nearly every Roman deity had a Briton counterpart, so it wasn’t an unlikely theory. Maybe names could be translated just like any other word in a language, and thus Pluto was simply the Roman translation of Donn.

Since Lute didn’t seem particularly inclined to join the conversation, Pentious changed the subject and turned to Vaggie: “You too, extraordinary! An hoplomachus! They’re rare as well, and incredibly tough to face. They usually fight only against another hoplomachus, or at most a murmillo, who’s still at a disadvantage against them. The only other category that has a real chance is the thracian”

“You’ve basically both gotten the top category, but in opposite roles” Angel said. “It sounds like a story! Do either of you know a playwright? I could pitch it to them!”

Vaggie blushed. On one hand, she was proud of all the praise and of having become one of the top gladiator types; on the other hand, she was glad because having such a difficult role to face would give her more chances to win, and therefore survive. Gladiators didn’t always die in the arena; from her friends’ stories, Vaggie figured it only happened about one in five times (³). Still, it could happen. Being in a rare category not only made it harder for opponents to fight her, but also increased the chances that the crowd would ask for mercy and the emperor would grant it.

Honestly, she couldn’t wait to start training. And she knew that deep down, Lute felt the same, even if her sister kept pretending not to care. Both of them could feel their blood boil at the thought of being trained to become two of the strongest warriors in Rome, and therefore in the known world.

Angel clapped his hands: “Well, let’s not just stand around! I’m going to ask Adam if I can take you girls out. Let’s go celebrate your victory!”

Lute and Vaggie’s eyes widened. “Wait… take us out?” the former muttered. “We can go outside?”

Since they had arrived, they had never left the Ludus, and their routine had consisted solely of the training yard, the infirmary, their quarters, the kitchens, and the long corridors. They hadn’t imagined it was even possible to leave. “Yeah, Adam lets us go out sometimes, especially when he’s in a good mood” Angel replied. “Now that you two have been promoted, he’s got no reason to keep acting like a taurus outside of training. I’m sure he’ll say yes!”

And with that, he ran out of the quarters to find the lanista. Vaggie and Lute exchanged puzzled looks. “I thought we weren’t allowed to leave” Vaggie said. (⁴)

"If the master allows it, yes" Cherri explained to her. "In Rome, slaves are often sent to run errands on behalf of their master; they’re not constantly kept in chains. Here at the Ludus we have everything we need, but sometimes we still want to go out for a bit of fresh air. Adam allows us to, as long as we don’t break curfew and it doesn’t interfere with our training"

"Slaves can move around freely?" Lute repeated in astonishment. "Then why don’t they escape?"

"Because escaping from Rome is harder than escaping from Polyphemus’ cave (⁵)" Pentious replied. "And you can’t live if you’re a fugitive slave. Unless you have immense luck, they’ll catch you sooner or later. And if they don’t catch you in Rome, they’ll catch you in another city, unless you manage to leave the empire altogether. Have you ever heard the story of Androcles?" (⁶)

"Pen, my sister and I were born and raised in Britannia" Vaggie pointed out to him. "We don’t know your stories"

"You’re right, sorry. Okay, let me tell you" Pentious said, clearing his throat. "Androcles was a slave from Forum Cornelii (⁷), a city a bit north of Rome, and he managed to escape all the way to Africa, crossing the whole Mediterranean. There, he met a lion in pain because it had a thorn from a bramble stuck in its paw, and Androcles, moved by pity, removed it. Some time later, the legionaries found him and brought him back to Rome, where he was sentenced to be devoured by lions in the Circus Maximus. But the lion he was meant to face turned out to be the very same one he had helped, which in the meantime had also been captured. The lion refused to attack him and instead greeted him like a happy cub. Thanks to this, the emperor granted him a pardon and even allowed him to keep his lion friend, who stayed by his side until the end of his days"

"Wow… nice story" Vaggie admitted.

"Yeah, it's cute" Pentious replied. "Anyway, this story has a happy ending, but also a warning: no matter how far you go, Rome always catches up with you in the end. Androcles made it all the way to Africa, yet the Romans still found him. So if you're a slave, don't waste time trying to escape from Rome, because they'll get you eventually. And chances are, you won't be lucky enough to be protected by a lion like Androcles was"

Vaggie and Lute exchanged discouraged glances. The latter was digging her nails into her thighs and gritting her teeth. "Is it really that hard to escape from Rome...?" she hissed.

"It's easier to escape from the Underworld than from Rome" Pentious replied, trying to keep some tact. "Not even the great Spartacus (⁸) managed to do it. For people like us, it's just not worth the effort"

Lute couldn't hold back her frustration. She had hoped that the chance to leave the Ludus was a good omen; she was even willing to behave if good conduct could earn her some freedom. But instead, it seemed that freedom was just another lie. Rome was a gigantic prison, and unless she and Vaggie made it to the very edges of the empire, those bastards would find and catch them. The small cage that was the Ludus had simply been replaced by a larger cage that closed the whole Rome, which in turn was enclosed in an even bigger cage that was the entire empire.

Vaggie placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder to comfort her, but Lute pushed it away, as usual. Vaggie sighed; Lute really didn’t know how to deal with her emotions. She preferred to bottle all her rage inside rather than show even a hint of weakness. Vaggie admired her for her inner strength, but at the same time, she thought it might be better if Lute would just let go a little.

Angel returned shortly after, beaming, dragging Husk along behind him. "Girls, great news! Adam agreed to let us go out, and I even convinced Husk to come with us!"

"You didn’t convince me, you're forcing me!" Husk grumbled.

"Oh, come on, Ursi, don’t be difficult!" Angel said, pinching his cheek. "You need to get out of that infirmary of yours once in a while, and not just when you go buy herbs or make sacrifices to Aesculapius so he’ll keep helping you! Besides, our cadets just got promoted; it’s only right that we celebrate a little"

Husk gave an annoyed huff but then cracked a small smile at Lute and Vaggie. "Congratulations on the promotion"

"Thank you" Vaggie replied, beaming. As usual, Lute merely raised an eyebrow.

"Ugh, so you're all leaving me?" Pentious murmured, since he still couldn’t get out of bed because of his wound. "That’s so sad..."

"Really?" Cherri said with a mischievous smile, and climbed onto his bed. "If you’re feeling that lonely, I can stay with you"

Pentious blushed as he saw her crawl over him on all fours like a wild animal. "C-Cherri?"

"I’d feel bad leaving you all alone. You fought like a brave gladiator... what kind of reward would that be?" Cherri said as she leaned in closer to his face, her expression reminiscent of a predator. "And besides, no one’s going to come to the quarters for a loooooong time... if I stayed here, wouldn’t that be nicer? At least we’d be two..."

"C-Cherri, you’re too close!" Pentious exclaimed, pushing her back a little. "Please, don’t joke about stuff like this, you know I don’t like it...!"

Cherri's face changed expression completely. "Joke?" she asked in a voice that sounded like it came straight from the Underworld. "You think I’m joking?"

“What…?” Pentious murmured, but she got up and walked away with quick steps, not even giving him a glance. He was left more confused than ever. “But... what did I say wrong?”

“No idea” Angel answered. “Girls, did you understand anything?”

Vaggie was glaring at Pentious with complete disapproval, and unbelievably for once Lute mirrored her exactly. “You’re an idiot” they said in unison before following after Cherri.

Pentious was totally lost, and so was Angel. Both turned to Husk: “You’re our advisor, so what’s up with Cherri? All the other times when she was just pretending to flirt, she’d laugh it off”

Husk shook his head in disappointment. “It’s easier to understand the thoughts of the gods than those of women” he told them. “But in this case, you’re just two morons”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?” Pentious protested.

“Figure it out yourself” was all Husk said, before turning and walking away too. “Cherri would probably cut my balls off if I told you”

“Hey, wait! At least tell that to me!” Angel shouted, chasing after him, leaving Pentious alone in his utter confusion.

Eventually, everyone except Pentious gathered at the gate of the Ludus. They said goodbye to Peter, who reminded them they had to be back before sunset to respect the curfew, and then finally stepped out into the streets of Rome.

Vaggie and Lute felt very intimidated, though they tried not to show it: it was their first time outside the Ludus, and even though they still saw it as a prison, in a way it had also become a safe haven in their minds. They had no idea what they’d find out here, since their only memory of Rome was the path they had walked after being sold as slaves. “You’ll see, you’ll like Rome” Angel told them encouragingly. “It’s not bad at all, in fact, it’s beautiful! Let us show you around, we know all the best spots by heart!”

Well, at the very least, Cherri, Angel, and Husk turned out to be great tour guides. First, they gave the girls a full tour around the Flavian Amphitheater, offering a detailed explanation of how it worked and everything that happened inside. Then they took them to the Tabularium, the building that housed the empire’s public records, outside of which several white-robed senators were deep in discussion about philosophy and politics. They then showed them the rostra, where public speeches were delivered; and from there, the grand arches, the marble columns coated in gilded bronze, and the golden-clad marble statues of emperors, heroes, and gods. They also took them to the Pantheon, the enormous temple dedicated to all the gods. “Wanna go in and say a prayer?” Cherri offered.

“We don’t worship your gods” Lute said through clenched teeth.

Vaggie tried to be more understanding. “But… if this temple is really dedicated to all the gods, then it must include ours too, right?” she pointed out.

Lute shot her a furious glare. “What are you doing!?” she whispered angrily. “We’re not going in there! You want to dishonor our gods?”

“We wouldn’t dishonor anyone! You heard her, it’s for all the gods!” Vaggie replied, also whispering.

“For all the Roman gods” Lute corrected her bitterly. “I’m not gonna praying to the gods of this bastard people!”

Vaggie narrowed her eyes. She was starting to have enough too. “Listen here, sister...!”

“Hey hey hey!” Cherri stepped in between them. She hadn’t heard what they were saying, but their faces said enough. “No need to fight! It was just a casual suggestion, we can come back whenever you feel like it, okay?”

Vaggie was tempted to reply that no, she would have entered the Pantheon and went pay her respects to the gods, since the last thing she needed was for the gods to punish her even more. But in the end, seeing the expressions of her friends, she decided it wasn’t worth starting a fight, so she let it go. Even so, she couldn’t hide the frown on her face, and Lute didn’t stop glaring at her.

To ease the tension a little, Husk proposed: “Look, it’s clear that visiting our major monuments isn’t really your thing. Why don’t you just take a stroll around the square? That way, I can buy a few herbs for my medicines”

“Good thinking, great idea! See, I knew bringing you along was the right call, Husk” Angel said, giving him a hearty slap on the back, earning a grunt in return.

Vaggie’s mood lifted a little at the funny scene, but she still felt gloomy. What was Lute’s problem? Vaggie hadn’t forgotten what the Romans had done to them, far from it, but she was at least trying to enjoy this city that, to her, was exotic and extraordinary. You didn’t find things like this back in Britannia, yes, but that didn’t mean she had forgotten Britannia. In her heart, it was still home; she just didn’t let the distance ruin her mood, and she allowed herself to enjoy the wonders in front of her.

She had to admit, she was getting rather irritated. Why did Lute always have to be so negative and closed off? Rome was full of bastards, yes, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t visit it or pray in a temple that was literally dedicated to all the gods!

Lute could really be stubborn and stupid sometimes.

Rome had many squares, so Cherri, Angel, and Husk led Lute and Vaggie to the closest one, which turned out to be very large indeed. Everywhere there were carts and vendor stalls from all over. Some sold vegetables, some bread, others cooked food, wooden goods, clothing, or game meat, there was everything except, maybe, fishmongers. But those were probably closer to the harbor… or rather harbors, since there was surely more than one. And although most of the sellers and buyers were Roman, it was still easy to spot all kinds of faces, different skin tones, different ethnicities, hair textures, cheekbones. Rome seemed to gather in itself every people and culture in the world.

Beyond the stalls there were also shops, scattered around the square and continuing down the side streets. It was clearly a highly commercial area of Rome, probably due to its closeness to the Circus Maximus and the Capitoline Hill. And, of course, among those shops were also those that offered a different kind of pleasure than food. “Are those… women of pleasure?” Vaggie asked, pointing to some very elegantly dressed women waving from beneath the porticoes, inviting men to enter through doors adorned with bas-reliefs of the goddess Venus.

“Is that what you call them in Britannia?” Angel asked. “But yes, that’s a lupanar (⁹). Sorry, we were hoping you wouldn’t notice…”

“It’s fine. We have prostitutes in Britannia too, we’re not shocked” Vaggie replied. She had seen prostitutes every time she walked through the streets of her hometown, and they were considered normal. And it was probably the same for the Romans, since no one even tried to hide when entering the brothel. Angel had likely just feared that, being women, she and Lute would have been scandalized, but honestly, it didn’t faze her at all. “But it’s the first time I’ve seen a building where they can actually work. Back home, they just walk the streets, and if a man wants them, they do it under a bridge or behind the trees…”

“We prefer to have some privacy here” Angel told her with a small smile. “Rome is full of lupanars, especially in this area since there are so many people. It’s practically impossible to reach the Circus Maximus without walking past at least one”

“They say even Emperor Claudius’s wife had a cell here to satisfy herself with all the men she wanted” Husk muttered. “So get ready to see a lot of lupanars when you leave the Ludus, you won’t be able to avoid them”

“I told you, it’s not a problem” Vaggie repeated, and Lute just shrugged.

“HEY!” a high-pitched voice interrupted their conversation. “Guys, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you around! How’s life in the arena?”

A woman from the lupanar approached them with a wide smile. She wore voluminous clothing that still managed to show off her curves, especially around the hips. Her hair was light-colored and cut short like the other prostitutes’, and she wore a large hat adorned with multicolored peacock feathers that enhanced her appearance. Her eyes were outlined in black makeup, which made them look like dark wells when she closed her eyelids, and due to her very large pupils, she didn’t look much different with them open. Her face was covered in some cosmetic that highlighted her pale skin, making it appear almost silvery.

She was truly a stunning woman, there was no denying it. “Hi, Rosie” Angel greeted her. “How are you?”

“Oh, the usual. Venus keeps smiling on me and making my job easy” the woman replied with a broad grin, flashing pearly white teeth that were polished to near perfection. “It’s been a while since you Ludus Magnus gladiators dropped by for some fun, and I haven’t seen your master in ages! Has something happened?”

“Adam’s just been busy training the two new recruits” Angel explained. “You know how Taurus is, when he’s training someone, that’s all he thinks about. And he makes all of us do the same grueling routine, so afterward no one’s got the strength left to come here”

“Oh, so the rumors that Adam bought two new recruits are true!” Rosie exclaimed, her gaze falling on Lute and Vaggie. “Are these the lovely young ladies? All of Rome is saying he purchased two Britons of incomparable beauty!”

“Yes, that’s us. I’m Vaggie, and this is my sister, Lute” Vaggie introduced herself. She felt a little intimidated, not just because the woman was extremely tall, but because she seemed to have the ability to draw all attention to herself just by existing. “So… do you guys come here often?” she asked her friends.

“I don't” Cherri replied. “But they do”

"Hey, don't sound like I'm here because I need it!" Angel protested. "I'm here to help the boys. They need someone to teach them the ways of pleasure before they make their debut, and I'm happy to sacrifice myself" (¹⁰)

Vaggie raised an eyebrow. Boys? Why not girls? “I come here often” Husk said without the slightest hint of shame; after all, there was no point in hiding it, since it wasn’t exactly a morally unacceptable thing.

Vaggie was about to ask him if he also preferred men to women, but Rosie stopped her by grabbing her cheek and giving it a gentle shake. “Damn… you two really are adorable!” she said. “I missed my chance that day, I should’ve gone to the market and bought you myself! Tsk, I’ll complain to Adam as soon as he finally comes back to me... If he let you out, it must mean you’ve finished recruit training, so he should be back soon. I hope he hurries, I’ve missed him!”

Vaggie knew Rosie didn’t mean anything malicious, but she still felt a bit offended at the idea of being bought and used as a prostitute. Okay, by now she had come to accept that from an outsider’s perspective, a slave had no will of their own apart from that of their master, and so for Rosie that comment had only been a joke... but it still bothered her a bit.

She looked over at Lute, expecting her to explode with rage, and indeed she saw her sister clenching her fists slightly, but thankfully, Lute managed to hold her anger in. “So that brute is also a regular customer of prostitutes” she muttered bitterly.

“Adam? Oh yes, he often comes by to enjoy the company of my girls… especially me” Rosie replied. “He likes women. And women like him, for that matter. All the girls in my lupanar adore him, he’s one of the few men who’s never made any of us fake an orgasm. And from what I hear, he’s desired by many unmarried girls… and quite a few married women, too. Come on, what woman could resist such a masculine man? To turn him down would be an insult to Venus”

“If that’s true, then why isn’t he married?” Vaggie asked curiously. She had never really considered the question, but she was sure Adam didn’t have any woman living in his house, and it did seem odd considering he was undoubtedly attractive to women, and with his considerable wealth and education, he surely hadn’t lacked marriage offers.

“Ah, he never wanted to marry again after that bad fight with the emperor" Rosie answered her.

Vaggie froze in shock, and Lute raised an intrigued eyebrow. A bad fight with the emperor? What was she talking about?

But before they could ask any questions, Rosie gestured toward the lupanar with a smile: “Anyway, why don’t you try out some of Rome’s finest? I have some truly gorgeous boys. Or if you prefer girls, even better…”

“What the…!? No!” Lute exclaimed in disgust, immediately stepping back. “Do I look like someone who goes to prostitutes!? For your information, I’m still a virgin! I’m not some floozy!”

“I didn’t mean...” Rosie tried to explain.

“Oh, I hope you end up in the realm of the dead!” Lute snarled, turning and storming off in fury. She didn’t care if Rosie’s invitation had been innocent, she’d reached the limit of her patience.

“Lute!” Vaggie ran after her. “Stop! You’ll get lost if you stray too far from the others!”

“Who cares! Apparently, the guards here in Rome do their job well, they’ll drag me back to our prison themselves!” Lute snapped, turning into the first alley she could find in an effort to put distance between them.

“Lute, calm down! Rosie didn’t mean anything bad!” Vaggie pleaded with her.

“I don’t care!” Lute shot back. “I’m not going to stand here and be insulted any further by this people of... URGH!”

Too busy bickering with her sister, she hadn’t noticed where she was going and ended up bumping into someone. The street they were on now was a side road branching off the main one, lined with more lupanars, but here and there were also strange shops from which white smoke was billowing. The person she had collided with was wearing an elegant purple-red tunic and had their back turned. When they turned around, they revealed an almost round face, a nose so flat it was practically nonexistent, and large reddish eyes framed by unusually shaped, wide glasses. Their hair was styled strangely, wrapped around two golden sticks jutting backwards like antennae, but the left one was much smaller than the right, nearly bare, and beneath it was a large scar. “Hm? Who the fuck just hit me?” the man grumbled.

“We’re sorry, sir!” Vaggie quickly said, hoping to defuse any hostility. “It was an accident, I swear!”

The man stared at them intently; he clearly didn’t have good eyesight, as he seemed to be straining to see. But as soon as he realized who was in front of him, his demeanor immediately changed. “Oh no, no problem at all! I could never be angry at such beautiful young ladies” he said, turning fully to face them. In one hand he held a long wooden pipe, from which that same strange white smoke was coming, and he smiled, revealing a gold tooth just below the same spot on his head as the scar. “Tell me, are you looking for work? I could hire you. Or maybe you're looking for some fun? I can give you anything you want…”

“We're not interested” Lute said, getting back on her feet. “Thanks, but we’ll pass on your offer”

“Wait, my dear!” the man said, reaching out with his free hand. She noticed that his grip was gentle and soft, yet somehow reminiscent of an eagle’s talon. “Don’t you want to at least think about it? Come on, after all, I made you fall... let me at least buy you some wine. Just once, nothing more...”

“I said no!” Lute repeated, shaking him off.

The man looked surprised, clearly not expecting her to break free so easily. His gaze grew more guarded. “My dear, you’re really strong. Is that natural or...?”

“Girls!”

Angel, Cherri, and Husk called out as they caught up to them, much to Vaggie’s relief who had started to worry that Lute was about to punch the man. She was fairly sure that a slave hitting a Roman wouldn’t have ended well. But as their friends got closer, Vaggie noticed they all had tense expressions on their faces, even Husk. Angel, in particular, looked like he was ready to fight. “Get the fuck out of here, Val” he hissed, with a fury in his voice Vaggie had never heard before.

The man in red grunted. “Hmph. I should’ve guessed, I smelled some shit” he said narrowing his eyes. “Get the fuck out is something that I should tell you, Angel-Cakes. If I remember right, I swore I’d kill you if you ever set foot on one of my streets again”

“Valentino, the streets aren’t yours, and I’m not afraid of you” Angel warned him, stepping up and standing face to face with him. “And if you want to throw down, go ahead. Let’s see how you fare against a gladiator from the Ludus Magnus”

The man named Valentino gripped the strange wooden pipe tightly in his hand. “You’ve truly become quite the rebel” he growled. “If I had known things would turn out like this, I would’ve never sold you off”

“Well, gods favor smart people. And you don’t fit in such category very well, so what else could you expect?” Angel retorted.

“Are you calling me stupid? Interesting. Remind me, who owns almost every lupanar, gambling den, and pleasure house in Rome, and who is just a pathetic slave who got lucky enough to be bought by a master who turned him from a spineless worm into something barely resembling a man?” Valentino said. As he spoke, he took a drag from the wooden pipe and exhaled a puff of smoke. “If anyone else spoke to me like that, I’d have them beaten to a pulp. You’re lucky my beloved Vox doesn’t want problems with your master, otherwise I’d have had your legs broken”

“And you’re lucky Adam doesn’t like trouble and you’ve got your ass covered by the second consul, otherwise I’d be the one breaking your legs” Angel shot back. “Now we’re leaving, and don’t you dare follow us”

“Don’t worry, I have no interest in second-rate whores” Valentino said, gesturing toward the exit of the street. “Go on, and do me a favor and get eaten by the lions next time. At least those beasts will get a meal, and in the afterlife you’ll finally be able to say that your life served some purpose”

Angel and Valentino stared each other down like two wild beasts ready to tear each other apart, and then finally, Angel turned and began walking toward the exit. Cherri and Husk each took Vaggie and Lute by the arm and pulled them along. “Let’s get out of here” they whispered to them, while Valentino continued to watch them go, a look of disgust twisting his face.

Chapter Text

Cherri, Angel, and Husk dragged Vaggie and Lute back to the main road, and they quickly followed, realizing that it was best not to be left behind. Once they were far away, Cherri put a hand on Angel's shoulder: "You okay?"

"Sure" Angel replied, though his fists were shaking slightly. "Sorry, guys, I'm going to get some wine"

And with that he quickly walked away, not giving them time to respond. Cherri looked at Husk, and he nodded. "I'll talk to him" he said, and quickly followed Angel.

Cherri sighed deeply. She looked genuinely upset. "Sorry, girls... Husk will calm him down"

"We're the ones who should apologize, it was our fault" Vaggie said quickly. "You... know that guy...?"

Cherri nodded. "Remember I told you Angel and I were sold to someone else before Adam? Well... it was Valentino"

Vaggie bit her lip. "Oh... he treated you badly...?"

"Badly is an understatement" Cherri snarled. "Valentino is a first-rate piece of shit. He owns almost every brothel in Rome and he put Angel to work in many of them. And he often... well... had fun with him, let's say. And believe me... he really is a monster"

Vaggie swallowed, and even Lute lost his neutral expression for once. "You're saying he...?"

"Yeah, you guessed it right" Cherri said, putting a hand to her face. "Sorry... it's not nice to talk about it"

Vaggie could imagine how difficult that situation must have been for her friends; the memory of the centurion who had tried to abuse her and her sister was still very vivid in her mind. “You too…?”

“No. According to Valentino, I wasn’t pretty enough to be a prostitute, so he made me a skivvy” Cherri replied. “He probably would’ve sold me off right away, but he kept me around to make sure Angel stayed under his control. He knew exactly how to break that poor boy’s mind… he wanted to make him his best prostitute”

“If that’s the case, why did he sell you?” Vaggie couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“It was one of his tricks: whenever Angel did something Valentino didn’t like, he’d send both of us to the market with a ridiculously high price, so no one would buy us. Then he’d pay people to come by, look us over, and talk loudly about what they wanted to do to us. That way, Angel would start thinking Valentino wasn’t so bad after all, and when the day ended without anyone buying us, he’d beg for forgiveness and do whatever Valentino wanted” Cherri explained. “But one day, his plan backfired, because Adam bought us despite the high price. Only after that did Angel finally realize what a horrible master Valentino really was”

Vaggie fell silent, disgusted by such cruelty. She was about to say something, but Lute spoke first: “I’m sorry for you. I shouldn’t have let you meet him”

Both Vaggie and Cherri looked at her in surprise; it was the very first time Lute showed a hint of empathy. Apparently, even she found this too much to ignore. “Well… it’s all in the past” Cherri said, trying to lighten the mood a little. “Valentino can’t do anything to us now, and he’s already gotten what he deserves. Did you see that scar on his head? Adam gave it to him when he tried to come to the Ludus to reclaim Angel”

“What!?” both Vaggie and Lute exclaimed.

“Oh yeah. That asshole came to the Ludus to buy Angel back, and when Adam refused, he tried to take him by force. So Adam hit him in the head with one of his iron gauntlets” Cherri told them.

Vaggie and Lute shivered. Adam’s iron gauntlets were made of sharp plates that could cut through tree bark. “How did he survive?”

“Pure dumb luck, unfortunately” Cherri replied. “But he still spent three months with the doctor before he could walk again. The blow had torn off half his head, and it hit so hard that even one of his teeth flew out. That’s why he has a gold one now”

“I can see why he hates you now” Vaggie murmured.

"Yeah. He’s basically banned everyone from the Ludus from entering his establishments, and since he owns half of Rome, there aren’t many places left for us to have fun. One of them is Rosie’s lupanar, which is why our gladiators often go there" Cherri told her. "But as you saw, he’s not stupid; even when we run into each other, he just steps aside in the end. He doesn’t want to tempt fate again, even if he still holds a massive grudge"

"Shame, I wouldn’t have minded beating him up" Lute muttered bitterly.

"If you beat him, then Adam will beat you" Cherri warned her. "Valentino is dangerous, and he’s very close to the second consul. He can cause a lot of trouble if he really gets pissed off. Do like we do, just ignore him"

Lute had very different thoughts on her mind, but just then, Angel and Husk returned; Angel had regained his usual cheerful expression and even seemed to have completely forgotten what had just happened. "Hey, ladies! Shall we continue the walk?" he said to them.

Vaggie and Lute were left with their mouths hanging open. What had just happened? "Did he give him some special medicine, by any chance?" Vaggie whispered to Cherri, subtly pointing at Husk, unable to think of any other explanation for such a sudden shift.

Cherri chuckled. "No, just good advice" she replied with a sly smile. "I told you… Husk knows how to use his words, when he really wants to"

Vaggie was stunned; was Husk really that skilled with advice, enough to trigger such a transformation in such a short time? If it weren’t for the fact that apparently this was something he did often, she might have believed a god had come to help him.

In any case, she didn’t have time to dwell on it, because Lute stepped forward and bowed her head slightly… well, she moved it just slightly, but knowing her, that could be considered a proper bow. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have wandered off and forced you to meet that man"

Angel’s eyes widened, and even Husk looked quite surprised. "Uhh… did someone cast a spell on you or something?" Angel asked her.

Lute’s eyelid twitched. "I’m apologizing to you, idiot!"

"Yeah, and that’s exactly the point! Since when do you... URGH!" Angel doubled over as Lute punched him square in the stomach. "Shit… they told me sarcasm never killed anyone…!"

Lute looked ready to tear him to pieces, and she probably entertained the thought for a moment, but in the end, she held back. "I am capable of apologizing" she said. "I realize it was my fault you had to face your former master and risk getting into trouble. I would be dishonoring myself if I didn’t at least say sorry"

Vaggie allowed herself a little smile. Say what you will about Lute, but she never stayed indifferent in the face of something wrong. If she realized she had put someone in a bad position, she was capable of apologizine, even if she did it with considerable irritation.

“Come on, come on!” Angel hurried to say as he stood up, wincing in pain. “You don’t need to apologize, really. Honestly, Valentino was the one risking trouble; if he’d reacted, I would’ve been more than happy to break his arms”

“Great, and then we’d have the second consul at the Ludus gate” Husk reminded him.

“So what? We wouldn’t have opened” Angel replied with a smirk. “If the second consul could do anything against Adam, he would’ve done it already”

“Between him and Adam there’s just an unspoken agreement, a non-aggression pact” Husk warned. “Don’t think he can’t make our lives difficult. He’s still one of the most powerful men in Rome”

“What are the consuls?” Vaggie took the opportunity to ask. Ever since she’d arrived in Rome, she’d never really tried to understand the political structure of the empire; for her, only the emperor and the Senate existed.

“Right, you wouldn’t know. Well, consuls are men elected by the Senate or appointed by the emperor to assist him in his duties. Normally there are two, sometimes more” Cherri explained to them. “At the moment, Rome is ruled by three people in total: the emperor Lucifer, the first consul Zestial, and the second consul Vox. And the latter is very close to Valentino, which is why Valentino uses him as a shield”

“Vox is a bastard” Angel commented with a harsh voice. “I remember him, when he used to visit Valentino. He acts all serious and respectable, but he’s the most corrupt of them all. All he does is plot for more power, and he doesn’t even hide that he’s interested in the throne”

“Why doesn’t your emperor get rid of him?” Lute rightly asked. “His power is absolute, isn’t it?”

“It’s not that simple” Angel replied. "Since the death of Emperor Hadrian, the empire has no longer had a truly strong central figure (¹)"

"What do you mean?" Vaggie asked him.

"Emperor Hadrian went to the Underworld fourteen years ago, without an heir. He actually had one, his adopted son Antoninus, but he died under mysterious circumstances" Husk explained. "The Senate took advantage of the absolute political instability to take back much of the lost power. For a whole year, the empire was torn apart from the inside. Then, finally, the new emperor was elected: Yahweh, of the Astra dynasty. He reigned for three years, but unfortunately he was already old and did not last long, so the throne passed to his son: the current emperor, Lucifer Matutinum Astra (²)"

"So the current emperor has been on the throne for ten years?" Vaggie muttered, quickly calculating. "Lucifer Matutinum Astra... a bit of an arrogant name, don't you think?"

"That family all have names that resemble stars. Patricians (³) like them like to have high-sounding names, and they were one of the most important families in Rome before they became the imperial family" Husk explained. "Anyways, as I told you, the senators took back a lot of their power during the time of instability, and they didn't worry about the damage they were doing to the empire while they were busy with their own internal struggles. Emperor Yahweh took care of pacifying the borders and chasing away the barbarian populations, but he was too old to fix the politics. So the senators kept their power. Since Lucifer took the throne, he's been trying to centralize everything in his hands again... but it's certainly not easy. Especially with Vox around, since he had already been consul for way past his term (⁴), and he controlled many armies and had the friendship of several centurions”

“If the emperor expelled Vox from Rome, he’d lose control over a large portion of the empire’s military. That would cause serious problems across the nation" Cherri explained. “Since then, Vox has kept trying to increase his power, but fortunately he’s opposed by the first consul Zestial, who’s trying to wrest control from him. It’s said that in the Senate there’s a constant power struggle between these two men, plus of course the emperor, and unfortunately Vox is very hard to take down”

For Lute and Vaggie, that made sense: even in Britannia, whoever commanded the armies held the power. If Vox truly controlled a good portion of the imperial militia, the emperor couldn’t just get rid of him lightly. It would mean throwing the empire into chaos. Naturally, then, the emperor preferred to be cautious and continue that political war rather than resort to extreme measures that would harm even him. “Does Adam have power too?” Lute asked. “If this Vox doesn’t want trouble with him…”

Cherri, Angel, and Husk exchanged hesitant looks. “Well… technically Adam doesn’t hold any power… but if he wanted to, he could easily reclaim it” Angel said. “He was the most famous general of his time, and the current emperor’s right-hand man”

“What!?” Vaggie and Lute exclaimed in unison. “Adam was close to the emperor?”

“Oh, yes. People used to say he was his sword. Adam conquered seven provinces while in his service… four alongside the current emperor, who by the time was of course not the emperor yet, and three on his own” Cherri explained. "The two of them were an inseparable duo before, you know? Back when Emperor Hadrian was on the throne, they were already out there making names for themselves. They both had their places in the Senate secured even before the question of who the new emperor should be even arose"

"All of Rome still admires him. They say he was invincible. If he ever returned to the Senate, it would be easy for him to reclaim his influence” Angel said with a laugh. "But, well, the shit that everyone knows happened, and now Adam would rather die than do the emperor a favor"

“Return to the Senate…” Vaggie murmured, realizing that this meant he must have left voluntarily, and Rosie’s words echoed in her mind: “He left because of a… bad fight with the emperor?”

Cherri, Angel, and Husk nodded grimly. “Let’s say… basically the emperor stole his wife”

Vaggie’s eyes widened, and even Lute raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”

“Yeah. The current empress, Lilith, was once Adam’s wife. She was an Egyptian princess whom he had conquered during a campaign in Southern Egypt” Angel explained. “But before they could enjoy their wedding, Adam had to go to war again... and it wasn't a short campaign this time. Emperor Hadrian sent him against the Parthians, one of the most warlike populations and historical enemies of Rome. For the first three years everything went well, but then Emperor Hadrian died, so Adam had to travel from one part of the empire to another to quell revolts under the orders of Emperor Yahweh. During this time Lucifer joined him, and it was there that they accomplished their greatest feats... but Lucifer forgot to tell him one little detail: after four months that he had left Rome, a wrong report reached Lilith saying he’d fallen in an ambush of Greek pirates. Lucifer, in an effort to comfort the wife of his right-hand man, married her. Only after the wedding did they find out the report was wrong, and that Adam was alive and well. So, when he returned home after almost eight whole years of war against every barbarian in the whole empire, instead of finding his wife waiting for him, he discovered that she was married with the new emperor, and that she had already a eight-year-old daughter. That day, he left the Senate and all the imperial honors, and became a lanist (⁵)”

“Well… I get that must’ve been awful…” Vaggie murmured. “But… isn't that a bit of an overreaction? Give up all his life for that..."

"That seems even too little to me" Lute commented. "If I were in his shoes, I would have killed the emperor. From what I understand, those two met again after three years and fought together for at least another four, and during that time the still-not-emperor never said a word about his right-hand man's wife? That was a really asshole move, obviously he knew Adam would have been pissed and preferred to betray his trust rather than risk to lose him in such a difficult moment"

"Yeah, I admit that part is really bad" Vaggie confessed, although she could understand a little bit that it was difficult to reveal something like that to someone you considered a friend... but the emperor had four whole years to spare. "But... come on, it wasn’t really anyone’s fault. The report was wrong, and the emperor meant well…”

“Sure, meant well…” Husk muttered, rolling his eyes with obvious disdain.

Vaggie bit her lip. “What do you mean?”

“What we told you is the official version” Cherri said. “But even if it’s just rumors, everyone in Rome noticed that the current empress gave birth only six months after the wedding with the still-not-emperor. Fastest pregnancy in the city’s history. And when their daughter, that now is the princess, was born, she was perfectly healthy, just like she’d been in the womb for a full nine months”

It didn’t take long for Vaggie and Lute to put the pieces together. “So… she and the current emperor were already having an affair?”

“No one knows for sure. Like we said, it’s all rumors… but the facts speak for themselves” Angel said. “A lot of people in Rome wonder whether the emperor and empress were fucking regularly while her husband was at war. And when she found out she was pregnant, they have forged a false report to give her an excuse to remarry, and thus legitimize the birth of their daughter. Which is a good thing since otherwise we wouldn't have a legitimate princess, since she is their only child”

“Ugh. What assholes” Lute commented. Even if she didn’t like Adam, she now liked the emperor and empress even less.

“Yeah, but don’t say that out loud. If someone who hates your guts hears you, they could accuse you of lesa maiestatis and have you whipped” Husk warned her. “And definitely don’t bring it up around Adam, he gets real touchy when that subject comes up”

“More touchy than usual?” Vaggie asked rhetorically.

“Much more” Angel replied, then glanced at the sky, which had started to darken. “Come on, let’s head back to the Ludus. Let’s not give Adam an excuse to go back to be Taurus immediately because we missed curfew”

Everyone agreed: it wasn’t worth risking the wrath of the lanist, so they returned to the Ludus just in time, right before Peter shut the gate. Husk grumbled his way back to the infirmary, but when Angel followed him, pestering him as usual, he didn’t send him away. Apparently, he still thought there was something worth saying. Cherri, on the other hand, went to check on Pentious, although judging by her expression, she was still quite irritated, suggesting that the poor injured gladiator was in for another scolding.

As soon as Vaggie and Lute were alone, the former stepped in front of her sister, blocking her path. “We need to talk”

Lute let out a grunt. “Look, I know, it was my fault” she said. “I’m sorry, okay? If I’d known about Angel’s ex-master, I wouldn’t have run that way…”

“I know” Vaggie cut her off. “You have a lot of flaws, but you’re not that kind of person”

Lute raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Then what do you want to talk about?”

Vaggie tried to explain it in a way that wouldn’t spark her sister’s temper. “What happened today was an unfortunate accident, but it could’ve been avoided if you hadn’t reacted with so much hostility. Why do you act like that?”

“Act like what?” Lute asked.

“You know exactly what I mean!” Vaggie exclaimed. “Was it really that hard to relax for just one day… no, one evening? Why do you keep acting like everyone around you is human garbage?”

Lute’s eyes narrowed. “Because they are, sister. Have you forgotten they’re Romans?”

“No, I haven’t forgotten. But not all Romans are bad!” Vaggie protested.

Lute’s pupils seemed to catch fire. “The only good Roman is a dead Roman” she snapped. “They’re nothing but degenerates who enjoy watching people kill each other in that massive arena of theirs! Their only goal is to steal lands from other peoples and use them for their own pleasure!”

“Lute, I hate them too for what they did to Britannia, but these people have nothing to do with that! Did you see Angel, Cherri, Husk, Pentious, or that Rosie on the battlefield? They’re not the ones who destroyed our homeland!” Vaggie objected.

“They’re still the same people” Lute growled. “A tree that grows red apples can’t produce a yellow one”

“Seems to me you’re just refusing to see the yellow apples” Vaggie scolded her.

Lute’s fingers clenched dangerously. “I should be the one asking you why you’re acting like this!” she hissed. “You say you haven’t forgotten, and yet you keep trying to blend in with this bastard people! You fraternize with them, you justify them, you even suggested going to a temple of their gods! You’re dishonoring our family!”

Vaggie turned pale. “I didn’t...!”

“Our family died because of the Romans, sister!” Lute reminded her. “Our land was pillaged, our people enslaved, our cities stolen! Hating this people is our duty as daughters of Britannia! Your only thought should be escaping this shit-stained city and going back home!”

“I do still want to go home!” Vaggie shot back.

Lute’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Do you? Because it seems to me you’ve completely forgotten about that goal”

Vaggie bit her lip, shame rising in her heart. It was true, her mind had been so occupied with training and getting to know the people of this incredible city that she hadn’t thought about returning to Britannia in over a month. She knew that was a grave offense to their family and people: her duty, as the daughter of the tribal chieftain, should have been to return and fight to free them from Roman oppression. Her parents were probably cursing her from the afterlife for her lack of will. (⁶)

Maybe Lute was right. Maybe she really was being influenced by Rome. While her sister, upon learning they were allowed out of the Ludus, had immediately thought of escaping (before realizing it was impossible), Vaggie had simply thought about visiting the Eternal City. That wasn’t the behavior or the mindset that was expected of her.

Seeing her hesitation, Lute shook her head in disappointment. “I’ll leave you with that thought, and I hope you reflect on it” she said. “You can’t belong to two peoples, sister. Choose which one you stand with. And know this, if I hear you propose going into a Roman temple again, I’ll beat you like you deserve!”

She turned to leave, but Vaggie grabbed her by the arm to stop her. The two sisters looked at each other for a moment, then the younger one murmured: “Lute, listen… alright, you have your way of dealing with this situation, and I have mine. If you want to keep hating all Romans indiscriminately, fine. But please, don’t do anything reckless. I don’t want you getting into trouble with the wrong person, like you nearly did today. What I’m trying to say is… even if this people offends you deeply, don’t lose your head. Hold back the hostility. It went well today, but tomorrow the gods might not be on your side”

Lute’s expression didn’t change, but a flicker of light passed through her eyes. At least that concern came from a sister’s heart, and that was something she could understand. “I’ll keep that in mind” she said simply.

That was enough for Vaggie. "Okay... thank you, sister" she simply said, and then turned and walked away down the hall with a rather melancholic expression.

Once she was alone again, Lute closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She was sorry to be so hard on her sister, but she couldn't pretend nothing was happening. She and Vaggie had duties to their country, and the latter was clearly forgetting them, too enthralled by Rome. As the eldest sister, she absolutely had to avoid that.

"Bad fight?"

Lute froze and whirled around, finding Adam leaning against the door. "You... how long have you been here?"

"I just saw your sister walking away with a beaten dog face, I didn't hear what you said. Your dirty secrets are safe... unless you want to tell me" Adam told her.

Lute breathed an internal sigh of relief: she knew the lanist wouldn't take well to what she and her sister had talked about. "It's between me and her, you don't have to bother, magister, sir"

"Now that you're a real gladiator, outside the training yard you can call me Adam" he told her with a smirk. "Are you sure you don't want to free yourself a little? I'm good at listening"

"I have no doubt about it" Lute replied sarcastically.

"Tsk! Honestly, this closed side of you really pisses me off, but at the same time I can't help but find it endearing. Seriously, you're..." Adam said to her, but suddenly he stopped and his expression changed abruptly: "Have you been smoking opium, by any chance?"

"Huh?" Lute muttered, not understanding. "I haven't smoked opium, I don't even know what that is..."

"Have you been near a white smoke?" Adam asked her in an oddly hasty voice.

"I..." Lute muttered, but then she remembered the smoke emerging from the strange stick Valentino was holding. "Yes, a guy smoked it in my face"

"Well, go wash yourself right now" Adam ordered. "It's disgusting"

Lute raised an eyebrow. "You don't like opium, sir...?"

"I don't like the smell of it, so get it off your back" he told her, but she could see that as he spoke he was gripping his right wrist in a way that was a little too strange to be casual... and his fingers were definitely too tense. "Anyways... there are not many people in Rome who smoke opium (⁷). Who was that guy?"

Lute knew there was no point in denying it, so she answered truthfully: "His name was Valentino"

Adam's expression, though still strangely tense from the opium, became more grim: "Valentino? Why did you meet that prick?"

Lute would have liked to probe more into the opium issue, but she simply replied: "To make things simple, I got a little angry because some woman proposed a prostitute to me, I separated from the others, and I ran into him. Nothing happened, just a couple of threats from Angel"

"Hmm. So that's why Husk was after him for once" Adam muttered, showing that he had already met the other two gladiators, or at least made sure they were back. "But I'm surprised you lost your temper so quickly, you're much colder during training. Is there more?"

Lute didn't like all that questioning; it was clear that Adam was trying to read her mind. Whether he had good or bad intentions, she didn't care: she didn't want him to do that. So with a bit of malice she asked him directly: "Why don't you like opium, sir?"

Adam narrowed his eyes: "Don't change the subject"

"You changed it first, sir" Lute pointed out.

Adam snorted deeply. "Don't push my patience, little girl"

In response, Lute took two steps toward him, and was pleased to see Adam step back slightly so he couldn't smell the opium she was wearing. This made her want to smile, but she held back because she knew better than to push it too far. "You told me to go wash up, and that's what I'll do" she said. "Good night, sir"

And with that she started to leave, but before she could take another step Adam grabbed her arm. It wasn't a grip like the ones in training: it was less strong, not meant to hurt her, but at the same time it seemed more authoritarian. Adam kept his distance and turned his head to one side to smell the opium as little as possible, but he still stared at her intensely with the corner of his eye: "Bitch, I know you're pissed off with life and the world, I can see it in your face. And I saw the look on your sister's face, she's worried about you and at the same time ashamed of what you've surely said to her. If you don't want to talk to me about it, do it, but take my advice: don't be a rock. I know for a fact that it always ends badly"

Lute was speechless for a moment, but then she resumed her glare and yanked Adam's hand, freeing herself from his grip. “Good night, sir” she repeated again, this time with a firmer voice, and turned abruptly. Adam didn’t follow her, but out of the corner of her eye she could see his shadow rubbing his neck.

Lute went to wash up; as she washed the smell of opium off her, she kept wondering what had caused Adam to react that way. Even though she wanted to ignore the man, she was at least a little curious. Finally, unable to answer, she went back to the dormitory and lay down in her bed, next to Vaggie. Even though they both knew the other was still awake, not another word was spoken.

Chapter Text

Four months had passed since the Ides of March, and it was now July; during those four months, the gladiators had done nothing but train intensely. Lute and Vaggie, now that they had been promoted, had each begun training on their own to get used to their new weapons. Often, Adam would make them fight against him or against each other to get them accustomed to the fighting style their future opponent would (probably) use. If the two months following their arrival in Rome had been necessary to strengthen their bodies, minds, and instincts, those four months after the Ides of March had been enough to take them to the next level. By now, they could fight on equal footing with the other gladiators and often ended up outperforming them.

“Ugh…! Enough, I surrender!” Pentious shouted after being thrown to the ground yet again by Vaggie.

In response, she waved her spear in front of his eyes with a smug smile. “You sure? I can keep going all day!”

“Not fair! A secutor can’t fight an hoplomachus!” Pentious protested, trying to retain a shred of dignity.

Vaggie threw her spear to the ground. “I’ll fight using only my shield then” she said, lifting the heavy metal piece. Barely six months ago, she would have struggled to move it, but now she swung it around as if it were made of feathers.

Pentious hissed in terror. “Damn it, I thought you were nice! You’re worse than Cherri…!”

The cracking sound of a whip froze him instantly. “What do you mean by that, Pen?” Cherri asked, approaching with an adorable smile that, given how she was caressing her whip, only came off as threatening. “So, you’re saying I haven’t been nice to you?”

Pentious turned pale and tried to back away: “N-No, you misunderstood! I just meant...!”

Cherri flicked her whip, which wrapped around his ankle and dragged him toward her. “Sorry, sweetheart, I’m stealing your opponent” she said without losing her unsettling smile. “Apparently, there’s been a misunderstanding between us. He thinks I haven’t been nice to him all this time... well, I’ll show him he’s wrong”

“No, no! Cherri, please! Vaggie, save me!!!” Pentious pleaded.

Vaggie couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “Seriously, you face lions in the arena and cry like this because of her?”

“GIVE ME BACK THE LIONS!” Pentious literally screamed, a second before Cherri forced him back on his feet with his weapons and proceeded to beat him mercilessly.

Vaggie felt a bit of pity for him, but didn’t intervene: Pentious had brought it upon himself. Next time, he would have thought twice before badmouthing someone. Especially someone who had become even more irritable towards him after being rejected without him even realizing it.

Still, Pentious wasn’t the unluckiest person in the courtyard: that title unquestionably belonged to Angel, who had ended up fighting Lute, who was now literally holding a foot to his face. “Ugh… okay, okay, you win” he mumbled at last.

“Tsk! That fast?” Lute teased him, but she lifted her foot off his face anyway. “Get up, I still want to train”

“No, please!” Angel begged. “I’ve had enough!”

Lute ignored him and grabbed him by the collar, forcing him to his feet. “If you can talk, you can fight" she told him.

“Ugh... since when did you decide to start acting like Taurus…?” Angel muttered.

In response, Lute swung at him, and Angel moved swiftly to block it. “Hm. Your reflexes are still sharp, so stop whining” she said. “Let’s continue!”

Vaggie felt a twinge of sympathy. She knew Angel could still train, he hadn’t truly reached his limit, and he was just looking for an excuse to avoid more beatings. The constant exertion would do him good. Still, she felt it was her duty to intervene: “Sister, Pen can’t spar with me anymore, Cherri took him back. Want to train together for a bit?”

Lute immediately turned toward her, and her expression made it clear she was interested. Since she and Vaggie were gladiators from opposing categories, and those categories would almost certainly face each other, fighting one another meant preparing directly for their future opponents. That, combined with their already strong sisterly rivalry, meant they both looked forward to training together. Too bad that before Lute could respond, Angel exclaimed: “Great idea! Thanks for coming to save me, Vaginae! Go ahead and beat each other up; I’m out of here, okay?”

Vaggie narrowed her eyes the moment she heard the nickname Adam had given her. The pity in her heart vanished instantly. “You know what? Angel actually has the right to train properly too” she said to Lute. “I propose we fight him together, what do you say?”

Angel turned pale: “No, no, no, wait, mercy…!!!”

That day, Angel ended up in the infirmary with multiple bruises, a few scrapes, and even some bleeding cuts caused by splinters from the wooden weapons. Pentious followed him just five minutes later, still wrapped in Cherri’s whip. Husk had laughed heartily when he saw the state they were in. “How many sesterces do you girls want to beat the crap out of these two idiots again tomorrow?” he asked the three of them with a grin.

“Urgh… you’re bribing them… just to get me sent here more often… so you can… take care of me…?” Angel muttered. Even in that state, he was still making sketchy comments.

Husk’s smile disappeared. “Fuck off. Don’t make me kick your ass out of here”

“In my condition, you would committ a murder" Angel murmured. “Girls, couldn’t you have gone a little easier?”

“Quit whining. I’ve seen you come back from the arena with much worse. And I did go easy on you” Lute replied, as expressionless and impassive as ever.

“And besides, maybe next time you’ll avoid inappropriate comments” Vaggie added.

“Oh come on, you don’t react like that when Adam calls you that…!” Angel protested.

“Adam is a mountain, he would destroy me if I tried to teach him a lesson” Vaggie pointed out. “You clearly aren't a mountain, so I feel fully entitled to beat you up properly”

“You’re cruel, every last one of you!” Angel replied, pretending to cry. “Pen, at least you’re on my side, right? By the way, are you still alive?”

His friend didn’t even turn his head. “Please… if Thanatos (¹) wants to take me, let him do it now” he murmured. “The Underworld is better than this…”

Husk shook his head in disappointment. Watching gladiators who were used to fighting lions and bulls whining like that after being beaten up by women not even using real weapons was downright ridiculous. Those two idiots really needed to get a grip. To avoid telling them what he really thought, he changed the subject and addressed Lute and Vaggie: “Jokes aside, I’m seriously impressed. You two are clearly way too strong for the rest of the gladiators in the Ludus now. It’s amazing you’ve reached this level in just half a year”

“Well… we’ve always had a knack for fighting, you know that” Vaggie replied, blushing slightly. Lute just shrugged like she always did.

The two of them hadn’t talked again about that argument they had had four months ago; both had just continued on as if nothing had happened, as if each of them silently accepted that the other would handle the situation in her own way. Lute had remained the same: distant, introverted, uninterested in making friends, and focused entirely on getting stronger to make sure she could survive the challenges ahead. Sometimes she had left the Ludus with the others and used the time to study the city, trying to come up with an escape plan; unfortunately for her, Rome was truly massive and, more importantly, heavily guarded, so she hadn’t been able to come up with anything solid.

Vaggie, on the other hand, had changed at least a little: after being scolded by her sister, she had stopped getting distracted and had also started thinking about how to return to Britannia. Now that Lute had brought it up, she could no longer ignore what was her duty to her homeland, her people, and her home. She had occasionally tried to come up with plans, but quickly realized they would all fail due to the sheer amount of Roman surveillance. However, even though she had promised herself not to be lured in by the beauty of Rome, she had continued to make friends with her companions and visit the city whenever she could.

Honestly, she just couldn’t help it. She hated the Romans for what they had done to her homeland, but at the same time, she was fascinated by them. Everything they did, from painting to poetry, seemed to contain a multitude of cultures, as if the Romans hadn’t conquered and destroyed them, but rather absorbed them. Even the simplest things, like selling a piece of bread, carried a remarkable exotic touch. It was as if the Romans were proud of themselves and their power, yet at the same time held a reverence and admiration for other peoples, seeing them not just as tools for their amusement, but as people they could learn from.

Lute probably saw this as cultural theft, and maybe she was right; but for Vaggie, Rome was exactly the kind of world she had always dreamed of: a perfect crossroads of all peoples, without anyone being judged for their religion, race, ancestry, or origin (²). If they hadn’t been so bloodthirsty and violent, she might’ve even thought of the Romans as peacekeepers.

She had to admit it was really hard to keep up her hatred for the Romans. It was as if the people who actually lived in Rome were completely different from those who had pillaged Britannia. Her parents in the afterlife were probably begging the god Donn (³) to punish her severely for such thoughts, and she wouldn’t blame them, but even so, she just couldn’t help it.

As she was lost in these thoughts, the infirmary door suddenly swung open and Peter rushed in. “The master wants you all in the banquet hall. He needs to speak with you”

“Urgh… do we really have to, man?” Angel groaned. “Pen and I are dying…”

In response, Husk nearly knocked them out of bed. “Quit acting like children and move your asses” he ordered, forcing them to stop pretending like they were in some tragedy.

Battered and sore, the two gladiators made their way toward the great hall, helped (very little) by the girls who, despite everything, still felt a little guilty for having beaten them up that badly.

In the banquet hall, they found Adam already there waiting for them, along with the other gladiators, but he didn’t complain about their delay; on the contrary, he jokingly teased Pentious and Angel: “Well, look at you two, need help walking? If I didn’t know you had zero chance with those girls, I’d have assumed you just had a good fuck"

“Ugh… those aren’t girls, they’re beasts in disguise” Angel replied. Needless to say, he got a triple punch from Cherri, Vaggie, and Lute at the same time.

Adam burst out laughing. He, too, hadn’t brought up the conversation between him and Lute during the Ides of March; it almost seemed like he had forgotten about it, though she was sure that wasn’t the case. On the contrary, now that Lute and Vaggie had become official gladiators, his attitude toward them had changed as well: outside the training yard, he was no longer Taurus, just Adam. Even if his attitude could sometimes be annoying, especially because he too enjoyed giving them nicknames and teasing them, it was still decidedly more human than before: he spoke to them like a normal person, no longer constantly assigning tasks, complimented them, and often took them aside to explain their mistakes and help them improve their combat techniques. He also didn’t attend every training session anymore; he was often there, but sometimes he would leave to attend to personal matters, as if silently telling them he no longer thought they needed his constant presence and that he trusted them to train on their own.

Adam really was a... strange person. He seemed capable of switching from a violent, harsh, and inflexible personality to a joking, understanding, and slightly vulgar one in just a couple of seconds. No one could really tell what he was thinking, or whether his words were sincere. He was a living enigma.

Well, since he’d stopped treating them like crap, Vaggie was fine with it. Lute, on the other hand, would have liked him to react more, especially after their conversation four months earlier, but she hadn’t managed to make him angry the same way again.

Once everyone was seated, Adam cleared his throat: “Little sacks of shit, I’ve called you here to announce how you’ll be fighting during the Ludi Apollinares (⁴)!”

The gladiators let out pleased grunts. From what Vaggie and Lute had learned, the Ludi Apollinares were one of the most important festivals in Rome, dedicated to the sun god Apollo; they took place in the first days of July, but only the last day was reserved for gladiatorial combat. “It’s about time they told us!” Cherri exclaimed. “The festival starts in two days, what were they waiting for?”

“Apparently our urban praetor thinks we don’t have shit to do and spend our days scratching each other’s balls waiting to be told to enter the arena” Adam snapped with a bit of irritation, then gestured to Peter, who handed him a scroll he immediately opened. “Anyway, it’s been decided that this year’s games will be one-on-one battles. Here I have the list of who you’ll be fighting”

The gladiators looked a little disappointed. “One-on-one? Oh, come on, how boring” Angel grumbled. “I was hoping for a nice big fight. Last year we fought with ships… (⁵)”

“Apparently this year they don’t feel like drying the whole amphitheater” Adam muttered. “This is the praetor’s decision, and it’s already been approved by the emperor, so quit whining”

The gladiators didn’t hide their displeased expressions, but none of them complained. They knew they couldn’t change the praetor’s decision, let alone the emperor’s. “At least will we get interesting fights?” Cherri asked, a bit bored.

“My dear one-eyed wonder, an interesting fight would imply there’s someone who can keep up with you. Are you seriously suggesting that in all of Rome there’s a gladiator capable of defeating someone I trained?” Adam asked rhetorically.

Everyone immediately shook their heads. “No, I was just wondering if we could at least have a little fun before kicking their asses” Cherri replied, sparking collective laughter.

Adam laughed as well, then returned to a semblance of seriousness. “Anyway, the praetor apparently knows how to do something right, because he matched gladiators from various Ludus schools with opponents who might at least put on a decent show. Pentious, you’re up first; your opponent is a murmillo from the Ludus Gallicus. He’s got a great grip on his sword, but wobbles with the shield, especially his left thumb…”

He went on, accurately explaining to each gladiator who their opponent would be and what their strengths and weaknesses were; no one knew how he had gotten all that information, but he had probably gone to watch the fights even when none of them were participating. He really seemed like an ordinary trainer giving advice to his students... although in his case, a better comparison would be a general instructing his soldiers on how to face the enemy.

Eventually, he got to Vaggie and Lute. “You two will make your arena debut during these games. You’re among the last to fight, but don’t think that’ll make it any easier. I expect you to give it your all and not embarrass us, am I clear?”

“Yes” both Lute and Vaggie replied in unison. They were both excited and (more so Vaggie than Lute) a little nervous; this would be their first real battle in the arena, no longer a simulated spar in the courtyard with fake weapons.

Adam went back to the scroll. “Vaggie, you’ll go first. Your opponent is another hoplomachus, a German from the Ludus Matutinus. He’s taller and bulkier than you, but that works in your favor…”

“… because I can use the height gap to pass the spear over me and strike below the belt” Vaggie finished for him.

Adam grunted. “You could’ve avoided interrupting me, but at least you know how you’ll need to fight. Good, these past months weren’t a complete waste. Well done, girl, we finally found something you’re actually good at”

Cherri gave Vaggie a playful elbow and a wink (hard to do with just one eye) making her blush. She knew that from Adam, that was no small compliment, so she couldn’t help feeling a bit proud of herself.

The lanist’s gaze turned to Lute. “As for you, your opponent is also a hoplomachus, from the Ludus Dacicus. At least a head taller than you, broad shoulders, narrow waist, extremely strong arms”. He fell silent as if pondering what to say, and then, to everyone’s surprise, he said: “You know what? You don’t need me to say anything. If everyone were as ready to face any kind of opponent as you are, Rome wouldn’t have needed three wars to destroy Carthage (⁶)”

Everyone was stunned; it was the first time Adam had given such a compliment. The only one who showed no emotion was Lute herself, impassive as ever, though deep down she did feel a little proud. As usual, she refused to show it. “I’ll live up to expectations, sir” she simply said.

“I hope so” Adam replied, then he closed the scroll and turned back to address them all: “Remember this well: once you're in the arena, only one rule applies: everyone fights, no one quits. If you fail to do your duty, I’ll come down there myself and kill you suckers personally. Is that clear?”

“Yes, magister, sir!” the gladiators shouted in unison, broad smiles on their faces as they began to anticipate the games.

Adam handed the scroll back to Peter and then clapped his hands. “For the next two days, I expect you to keep training hard; but once the Ludi Apollinares begin, I don’t want to see you in the courtyard. For an entire week, you’re free to do whatever you want: go to shows, celebrate, and most importantly, honor Apollo so that he may show us his favor in the games. That way you’ll be well-rested when it’s time to step into the arena on the eighth day. Any questions?”

Vaggie raised her hand to ask something, but Adam only laughed at the sight. “Too bad, I’m not willing to answer, I only asked out of fake politeness. I have an appointment tonight. Oh, by the way…”. He gestured to Peter, who pulled a sack full of sesterces from his pocket: “Split these among yourselves and use them to have some proper fun. And know that I’ll be betting double that amount on you at the games, so you’d better not lose!”

And with that, he left, followed by his loyal eunuch who handed them the sack of coins. The gladiators opened it immediately and smiled in satisfaction at the amount of sesterces inside. “Yeah! With this we can pay for the theater, make an offering at the temple, and still have enough left over to visit the lupanar every night!” Angel exclaimed happily. “Good thing, I wouldn’t want to leave my boys lonely during the festival, that’d be rude!”

Vaggie was no longer surprised by such comments; during those four months, she had come to understand that Angel was one of those men who liked other men. There were some in Britannia too, though they were treated with more coldness; in Rome, customs were much more liberal… though Vaggie still doubted that people of the same sex could marry or anything like that. From what she had gathered during her time in Rome, such relationships were seen as driven by lust, not love, and thus couldn’t create lasting bonds (⁷).

Cherri handed Vaggie and Lute their share of the money. “Here, so you can enjoy the festival”

“Um… how exactly are we supposed to enjoy it?” Vaggie asked uncertainly. “We don’t know this festival…”

“Oh, there are a lot of cool things” Pentious explained. “Circus shows, tragedies, comedies, chariot races… you’ll have fun”

“Sounds like a lot" Lute said suddenly. “I assume it’ll be crowded”

Vaggie understood that Lute was considering whether the festival might be a good opportunity to try and escape, and honestly, it didn’t seem like a bad plan. She remembered how, during the celebrations dedicated to the gods of their tribe, their hometown would become so crowded that if you got separated, you wouldn't see each other again for three days. However, Angel quickly put an end to those thoughts: “Don’t worry, you won’t have to step out of your precious comfort zone or get too close to those disgusting things called people. Here in Rome, we like to avoid chaos. During the festivals, the city’s surveillance is tripled, so there’s never too much confusion even while everyone’s celebrating. You don’t need to fear abandoning your introverted nature”

Lute was tempted to grab Cherri’s whip and strangle him with it, or maybe just take her Thracian sword and poke him a little, just to make him feel some physical pain; she wouldn’t have minded. What stopped her was the disappointment of realizing that even this time, escaping from Rome was impossible, which dulled her murderous instincts a bit. Vaggie was also a little disheartened, though not as much as her sister. “Mh. You Romans really are paranoid”

“If the legionaries left their posts, this city would fall into chaos. Can you imagine a place this big where everyone does whatever they want, especially during a festival where they’re all riled up by the gods? People end up dead even on regular days, imagine if there were no guards” Angel told them. “The emperors have long made sure there are as few problems as possible during these holidays. After all, they’re the ones who have to clean up the mess afterward”

“Right…” Vaggie murmured, realizing something. “During the games, we’ll see the emperor, right?”

Lute was interested too. As far as they knew, the emperor wasn’t always present at the arena fights, but it would be absurd if he missed games dedicated to one of the most important gods in the pantheon. That meant they would very likely see him that day.

And indeed, Angel confirmed it: “Yes, he’ll be in the imperial tribune along with his wife, his daughter, and the most important senators. You’ll see him as soon as you walk in”

Vaggie and Lute exchanged glances. They were both thinking the same thing: what did the man who ordered the destruction of their homeland look like? Would he be terrifying or handsome? Would he be as imposing and threatening as Adam, or have the delicate appearance of a demigod? Would his gaze be deep and piercing? Would it send shivers down their spines?

In Britannia, it was natural for the strongest to rule, so the fact that Adam was so powerful but still only the emperor’s right hand suggested that the man in charge might be literally invincible. Sure, Roman customs were different from Briton ones, but… come on, obviously the emperor of Rome had to be big and authoritative, right?

Well, they would find out soon enough.

Two days flew by, and on the third, the Ludi Apollinares began. As soon as the sun rose, the priests of all the temples sang hymns to Apollo and sacrificed deer and stags, animals sacred to the god, and released flocks of crows, considered his servants. Roosters, another animal sacred to Apollo, were made to crow all at once, and in some of the more conservative temples, snakes were even released and then had their heads crushed, in remembrance of when he defeated the terrible Python (⁸). As the sunlight bathed the city, Romans rushed to gather laurel branches and flooded the streets, dancing and celebrating, loudly thanking Apollo for his continued protection.

The next seven days were quite lively. Rome seemed to be possessed by a strange energy, and all its inhabitants wanted to do was have fun, whether they were men, women, or children. It was as if Apollo himself had descended among them and was leading the games in his honor. And yet, despite everything, the city remained orderly. Angel hadn’t been wrong: the legionaries’ presence had greatly increased, and the moment someone began to behave erratically, they were immediately stopped. They weren’t arrested, of course: if someone went mad during the games, it clearly meant they were possessed by Apollo, so they were untouchable. The guards just made sure they didn’t hurt anyone else.

Lute and Vaggie were both a bit thrown off by all the joy, especially Lute. It was as if the very air had become fizzy, and her body felt electrified, which secretly scared her a little. Was the Roman god trying to possess her against her will? After all, gods were known to take an interest in mortals, especially beautiful women. She was pretty sure she was just being paranoid, but just to be safe, she decided to spend time not only with her sister but also with the other gladiators. Angel, Pentious, Husk, and Cherri were a bit surprised by Lute’s sudden desire to stick around, and Vaggie teased her a little, but Lute didn’t care. Better the company of those idiots than the risk of being manipulated by a Roman god.

Each day they did something different: the first day they watched circus performances, the second was for acrobatics, the third for dancing. It was incredible that each of these activities took up a whole day, yet every performer had such a captivating presence that it was impossible to look away. Time itself seemed accelerated, and before they knew it, morning gave way to evening, evening turned into night, and night into a new morning full of more celebrations.

On the fourth day, they went to the theater to watch tragedies. The chosen play told the unfortunate love story between Apollo and the nymph Daphne (⁹). When it ended, they all felt a bit down. “Poor girl” Vaggie had commented. “She didn’t deserve that ending”

“Well, it wouldn’t be a tragedy if it ended happily” Angel replied. “Sadly, that’s just how... Pen, are you okay?”

Pentious had the look of someone doing everything in their power to hold it together. He hadn’t moved from his seat and stared at the stage with a stone-faced expression. “I’m fine” he answered in a strained voice.

“No way, are you trying not to cry?” Cherri teased him.

“Not at all” Pentious replied, still not moving. “This didn’t affect me in the slightest…”

“Do you think Daphne died?” Vaggie asked him with a hint of wickedness. “I mean… does she still have consciousness now that she’s a tree?”

At that, Pentious broke down completely. “Buuuh! Damn it! It’s such a sad story!!!”

“Mh. I thought I’d laugh, but honestly this is just pathetic” Cherri said, still teasing him, but she hugged him tightly anyway. Seeing a well-known gladiator crying and sobbing in a woman’s arms was almost as moving a spectacle as the one on stage, and it was no surprise that many heads turned their way.

Vaggie looked at Lute: “Did you like it?”

Her sister was also doing her best to keep a straight face, but the light in her eyes betrayed that even she had been moved. “I admit the Romans are good at theater” she finally said, trying not to show too much emotion.

Angel clapped both of them on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about crying sad tears now, it’s all good. Tomorrow, you’ll cry twice as much from laughter! It’s comedy day!”

And for once, Angel turned out to be completely right. The next day, Vaggie ended up rolling on the floor with laughter, and even Lute, who had tried with all her might to resist, eventually gave in and started giggling like an idiot, though she did her best to hide it. The play that day was about the newborn god Mercury playing pranks on poor Apollo. It was hilarious to watch the sun god frantically search for his stolen cattle while his little brother left false trails to mislead him. Even more hilarious was when Apollo found Mercury in his cradle and tried to convince his mother, Maia, that the baby was guilty... only to get scolded for accusing a child and mocked for letting himself be robbed. And the ending, where the two gods became friends after Mercury gifted Apollo the first lyre, made everyone smile (¹⁰).

“You were right, it was hilarious!” Vaggie said, wiping tears from her cheeks.

“Pff! Poor Apollo!” Angel laughed. “Imagine him walking around and everyone shouting, ‘Ha ha, you got robbed of fifty cows by a baby!’”

Vaggie had to dig her nails into her thighs to keep from bursting into laughter. “Stop it, please! My stomach’s going to explode!”

Cherri gave Lute a playful elbow. “So you can laugh, huh? You should do it more often, you’re ten times cuter that way”

“Cut it out” Lute replied, instantly snapping back into her usual sourness. “You just ruined the fun”

“Oh no!” Angel said with fake sadness. “I propose we tickle her until she laughs again!”

“Try it and I’ll strangle you” Lute warned. Her words only made the gladiators laugh harder, but at least none of them actually tried it, and that was enough for her.

On the sixth day, there were the horse races: dozens and dozens of men on chariots competing to see whose horses could run the fastest and who could shove the other competitors off the track the most. It was an exhilarating game, but also risky and at times deadly. It was probably one of the events Vaggie and Lute enjoyed the least.

The seventh day, on the other hand, featured the gymnastic games: the athletes competed in shot put, discus throw, javelin, and running. That was when they noticed someone familiar in the crowd. “Hey, is that Adam?” Lute asked, pointing at a man who was unmistakably their lanist.

“He’s probably here to give advice to the athletes of some school” Angel explained. “Owners often pay him to give their athletes a bit of tutoring, just like he does with us"

“He must be really well-known if athletes actually want him around” Lute commented. Even though she had already been told Adam was an important figure in Rome, it still surprised her to see how sought-after he remained. “Why doesn’t he compete himself? With that body, he’d definitely win”

“The games are only for amateur athletes” Pentious explained. “Neither we nor Adam can participate. It wouldn’t be fair, the gap would be too great”

Lute raised an eyebrow. “So tomorrow I can be thrown into a fight to the death with a seasoned gladiator, but you can’t enter a harmless game because it would be unfair?”

“Well… when they prepare the gladiator fights, the organizers make sure they’re as balanced as possible” Pentious tried to justify it.

Lute let out a grunt, clearly disapproving of Roman hypocrisy. She kept watching Adam as he spoke to the athletes, and she didn’t miss the admiring looks the young men gave him; it was obvious they saw him as a mentor, a role model. And she certainly didn’t miss that the moment he removed his tunic to better demonstrate his movements, many female heads in the stands turned toward him with dreamy expressions... including quite a few women who were clearly already married. "Tsk! Flirts" she couldn’t help thinking as she heard them whispering excitedly like deer in heat. "Show some self-control!"

The Romans really didn’t have a shred of modesty.

And besides, what did they even see in him? Sure, he was handsome and very strong, so what? What else did he have beyond that? Were Roman women so shallow that they desired a man solely for such superficial qualities? Admittedly, those muscles were tempting, anyone would want to be swept up in those arms, but beyond that...!

“Lute, are you okay?” Vaggie asked, shaking her. “You’re bright red”

“I’m angry” Lute replied with a huff.

Vaggie didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure you don’t have a fever?”

"Tsk! As if I’d get sick the day before a fight” Lute answered confidently, refusing to look at Adam any longer. Damn it, that man irritated her so much it felt like her brain was on fire.

Fortunately, the athletic games began shortly afterward, and she was able to focus on them instead of that pompous brute. The competitions went on all day, from footraces to javelin throws. At the end of the day, the victors were awarded, they sacrificed animals to Apollo and received laurel crowns. Adam was then approached by the athletes to thank him for his wise advice. They invited him to eat and drink with them, which he gladly accepted; and of course, some women quickly followed them, and Lute definitely noticed that. Really, not an ounce of shame, she thought, seething.

And then came the eighth day, the one all the gladiators had been waiting for. That morning, they all woke early, had a frugal breakfast to make sure they had enough energy without feeling heavy, washed themselves, got dressed, and went to retrieve their weapons. This time, they didn’t pick up the practice ones, but their real, sharp, and deadly combat weapons.

After thoroughly preparing themselves, they headed to the courtyard, where Adam was already waiting for them. He too was fully armored in his imposing gear, with his usual double-headed axe strapped to his back and his horned helmet on his head. In his hands he held a massive wooden staff, three meters tall, which replicated Apollo’s caduceus, with a banner hanging from it bearing the symbol of the Ludus. “First, we will parade through the amphitheater” he explained to them. “Heads high and posture proud. I will walk in front, as your magister, and all of you will follow behind me”

And with that, they all lined up in single file behind him and headed toward a tunnel that connected the Ludus directly to the Flavian Amphitheater. They arrived in front of a heavy iron gate, beyond which lay the sandy arena. They remained there for an indefinite amount of time, waiting, while the roar of the spectators filling the stands echoed around them.

Then, finally, the trumpets sounded and the gate swung open, and they made their entrance into the arena.

Chapter Text

"CHARLIE!"

Lilith considered herself a very patient woman. It really took a lot to make her lose her temper, and when it happened, it was more out of worry than anger; her husband often compared her to Juno, who among her many epithets and titles also bore that of the goddess of patience (¹). However, there were moments when even she couldn’t stay calm... like that day, when she stormed into her daughter’s room as if she were a Fury coming from the Underworld. “Charlie, I’ve been waiting for you for an hour! You’re still not ready!?”

She found her daughter sitting in front of the mirror, not even dressed yet, while her faithful slave Keekee was brushing her hair and applying cosmetics to her face. “Yawn... hi, Mom” she greeted her, barely opening her eyes.

Lilith almost pulled her hair out at that sight. “You’re still at this point!? You should be ready to leave already! Why does it look like you just rolled out of bed!?”

“Because it's like that, mistress” Keekee said, bowing her head submissively. “The young lady couldn’t wake up. I tried everything, but her sleep is really deep”

Lilith stood silent for a moment, then she shook her head in disappointment. “Aaaaah, you’re unbelievable” she muttered, massaging her temples. “Charlie, this is already the third time since the beginning of the month that you’ve failed to wake up properly, and we’re only at the end of the Ludi Apollinares! Are you sure you’re alright? You know you can tell me if something’s wrong”

“Mom, really, I’m fine” Charlie replied with a sluggish voice. “It’s just that... lately I’ve been having trouble sleeping, that’s all”

Lilith calmed a little at hearing her speak like that; her maternal affection overcame her irritation, and she felt bad for her daughter. Still, she knew she had to be firm: if someone didn’t give that girl a scolding now and then, she’d never learn. “Well, if the gods are making it hard for you to sleep, skipping the morning rituals to the household deities because you overslept won’t exactly win their favor. And it certainly won’t spare you a good scolding from your grandmother, who is surely very angry with you right now!”

Charlie didn’t answer; instead, her head dropped onto the vanity table and she started snoring again. Keekee was tempted to laugh at the scene, but she held back so as not to anger her mistress. Lilith, by contrast, let out a long sigh to steady herself. “Come on, sit up” she finally said, taking her daughter’s head and forcing her to sit straight. “Now fix yourself up. We have to accompany your father to the games shortly”

“Uuugh... do I have to?” Charlie protested. “You know I don’t like them…”

“You are the daughter of the emperor of Rome, and that means sometimes you have to do things you don’t like. Get used to it” Lilith scolded her with a stern voice. “I can tolerate you skipping your duties to the household gods, the hearth, and the dead (²), because those are family matters that happen inside the home, and the only one who gets annoyed is your grandmother. But the games are seen by the whole city. If you and I don’t show up, rumors that could make your father look ridiculous will start. So grit your teeth, and woe betide you if you fall asleep in the tribune!”

“Mmm… fine, Mom” Charlie grumbled, annoyed, though she didn’t sound like someone who truly understood. Lilith simply sighed, praying to the gods to help her not lose her temper, and started applying her daughter’s makeup with Keekee’s help.

Sometimes she simply couldn’t understand her daughter. Charlotte Matutinum Astra, playfully nicknamed Charlie by the family within the household, princess of the greatest and most powerful empire in the world, envied by all the young girls of Rome and undoubtedly desired by many young boys… and yet, she could be so reckless at times. Aaaah, the youngsters really did lack their wits sometimes.

Fortunately, one quality Charlie certainly didn’t lack was beauty: her long golden hair, skin so pale it looked pearly, rosy cheeks, and eyes framed by long lashes were so stunning that even without being perfectly styled, she was still a sight to behold. While any other girl in that state would have looked like a drunk barely recovering from a hangover, Charlie still appeared as elegant and flawless as ever. Venus had indeed been very generous with her… though the same could not be said for Mercury, as two of the qualities she lacked most were cleverness and timing (³).

Once they had finished dressing her, Charlie seemed to have perked up a little, though she still had dark circles under her eyes and it was clear her eyelids were begging to close. But despite that, she gave herself a bit of a jolt and tried to regain a decent posture. “There, now you look presentable” Lilith said, placing the final clips in her daughter’s hair. “Charlie, really, I’m starting to worry. It’s not normal for you to be this tired in the morning. It almost seems like you’re not sleeping at all at night”

“Mom, I’m fine” Charlie repeated. “I’ll find a way to sleep more, I promise”

Lilith narrowed her eyes. She didn’t want to be suspicious of her own daughter, but it was becoming increasingly difficult not to be. “Are you sure you don’t have anything to tell me?” she asked in a very stern tone.

Charlie gave her a confused look. She truly seemed not to understand what her mother meant. “No, Mom”

But to Lilith, that reaction still seemed too innocent. She knew her daughter like the back of her hand, and she knew that under normal circumstances, Charlie would have reacted far more vehemently, asking why she didn’t trust her and why she kept asking questions. Of course, it could be that she was just too tired after a sleepless night… but Lilith wasn’t convinced. “Are you telling me the truth?”

Charlie once again didn’t show a hint of nervousness, but Lilith still noticed a single bead of sweat forming on her forehead. “Mom…”

But just then, the voice of the guards rang out from behind the door: “Your Majesties, the Emperor wishes to enter”

“We’ll talk about this later, now pull yourself together!” Lilith told Charlie, quickly fixing the last details of her appearance, then she called out in a loud voice: “The princess is presentable. You may enter freely, my husband (⁴)”

The double doors swung open with a soft click, pushed by the two muscular guards who protected Charlie’s chambers: Razzle and Dazzle, a pair of twins who appeared to be of Persian origin, identical in every way except for their eyes, the only trait that allowed people to tell them apart. As soon as they opened the doors, they stepped aside and bowed, allowing a man to enter. A very short man, dressed in a white toga and wearing a laurel crown on his head. “Charlie, my beloved!” he exclaimed, and without the slightest concern for maintaining the royal dignity he ran toward the princess and hugged her tightly. “What happened to you? Why didn’t you come to the celebrations? Are you ill? Do you feel weak? Is your head spinning? Maybe you have stomach pains? I’ll call a doctor right away! Fetch the best physicians in all of Rome! All of them, drag them here by force if necessary…!”

“Dad, calm down!” Charlie cut him off immediately, almost putting a hand over his mouth to shut him up. “I’m perfectly fine, I swear!”

“Your daughter is just a sleepyhead” Lilith reassured her husband, who at that moment seemed anything but the emperor of the most powerful city in the world.

Well, that was just how Lucifer was. When he entered the Senate, watched the spectacles in the Circus Maximus, or even just stepped outside the house, he knew how to be authoritative and uncompromising. But as soon as they were alone at home, he transformed into a lovable caricature of himself, made all the more ridiculous by his short stature, overprotective of his daughter and constantly seeking his wife’s attention. If word had gotten out that the terrifying emperor of Rome was actually this affectionate in private, probably no one would have believed it. “What a relief!” he exclaimed once he calmed down. “But Charlie, this has been going on for a while now! Maybe a medic control wouldn’t hurt...”

“Let’s not go overboard” Lilith interrupted him. Even though she herself had suggested it earlier, she preferred to avoid alarming her already overly protective husband. Best to nip it in the bud.

Charlie smiled at her father: “Dad, really, don’t worry. I’m absolutely healthy”

Lucifer smiled with satisfaction, but before he could say anything, a much sterner voice came from outside: “If you’re absolutely healthy, then you have no excuse for neglecting your duties to this household. May I ask why you’ve started behaving like some vulgar peasant?”

Charlie swallowed hard, recognizing the voice. A few seconds later, a shadow appeared behind the door: it was a woman who looked like a pillar, she was so tall she had to duck to fit through the doorway. Her long hair had turned white, and her skin was coated in bronzing paint that gave her a tanned hue. She was old, but showed few wrinkles, and even though she struggled slightly with walking, she could still move with fair speed, albeit under the watchful eye of two slave attendants, ready to intervene in case she fell.

Charlie immediately bowed her head. “Hi, Grandma” she greeted. “I’m glad to see you’re in good health”

Those words weren’t enough. Sera, that was the name of the emperor’s mother, wasn’t one to be softened so easily. “Your mother and I had to honor the household gods on our own. As the future matron of this house, you should have been there with us, especially today, the last day of the festivities dedicated to Apollo! And instead you spend the morning sleeping!?”

“Mother, Charlie simply made a mistake” Lucifer tried to intervene, attempting to mediate. “I’m sure that...”

Sera shot him a scathing glare. “You shut up! Be grateful I no longer have much strength in my body, or right now I’d grab a broom and beat you with it!” she threatened. “Maybe then you’d learn not to abandon your own mother halfway through a walk just to run here, as if I were something to be thrown away! I don’t need a cane yet, but I am fifty-eight years old (⁵)! You should be whipped, ungrateful son!”

Lucifer bit his lip, and even Lilith gave him a sharp look. Yes, he had been worried about Charlie’s health, but dashing off to her room and leaving his elderly mother behind certainly wasn’t proper behavior. In fact, it was downright rude.

Still, Charlie stepped in between them. “Grandma, don’t take it out on Dad. It’s all my fault. I’m sorry”

Sera turned her attention back to her. “Charlotte Matutinum Astra, I cannot tolerate behavior like this at your age, you’re no longer five years old. How do you expect to help your future husband rule an empire if you can’t even carry out the most important household duties? Honoring our ancestors, the dead, and the gods of the hearth should come naturally to you by now! During these festivals, I should find you already in the lararium when I arrive, not skipping this sacred duty yet again!”

“Hey, don’t scold her like that!” Lucifer protested. “She’s just...”

“Silence!” Sera snapped. “Out there you may be the emperor of Rome, but inside this house I'm the one in charge! Until I rejoin your father in the Underworld, you’ll obey my rules! And even after that, your wife will be the one in charge, because there’s no way I’m leaving this household in your hands!”

Lucifer instantly fell silent, looking even smaller than usual under his mother’s fiery gaze. Normally, that scene might have seemed comedic, but in that moment, no one found it funny, not even Keekee, Razzle, or Dazzle, who all shivered slightly under Sera’s scorching stare. Old and frail as she might be, she still knew how to command respect.

Charlie sighed, then spoke up again. “Grandma, you’re right and I’m sorry. I don’t know why I was sleeping so deeply…”

“If sleep is the problem, we’ll fix that right now!” Sera exclaimed, then she turned to Razzle and Dazzle. “How loud are your war cries?”

The two guards looked at each other in confusion, but then they answered: “We could be heard outside these walls, mistress”

“Perfect. From now on, if my granddaughter doesn’t wake up, you have to scream as loud as you can and smash your weapons against your armor!” Sera commanded them. “Let’s see if you can still sleep through the sound of a real battle ringing in your ears!”

“Oh, come on, now you’re going too far” Lilith intervened. “That’s ridiculous”

Sera shot her a glare. “It’s your fault she’s not properly educated (⁸)! You can’t let her get away with everything, she needs to learn a lesson now and then!”

“First of all, how I educate my daughter is my business” Lilith replied sharply. Elderly or not, she wasn’t about to let herself be insulted. “Second, Charlie is capable of learning from her mistakes. There’s no need for such drastic measures”

“Oh, yes, I can see how well she’s learning. This nonsense has gone on long enough!” Sera retorted, stepping toward her threateningly. “I’m tired of...”

“Grandma, please, calm down!” Charlie interrupted them both. “Mom, Grandma is right, I messed up. And Grandma, don’t take it out on Mom. I’m solely responsible for my own actions. And you’re right, I should be more responsible and attentive to my duties. I ask for your forgiveness”

Seeing her bow her head, Sera softened a little.
“Hmph. I’m glad to see you at least acknowledge your faults”

“I’d have to be blind not to” Charlie said, lifting her head again with an expression like a scolded puppy. “And I’ll work to make things right. I promise that from now on, my behavior will change. I swear it”

Sera bit her lip, her heart aching slightly at the sight of those puppy eyes. Even she couldn’t resist them. “Oh, fine” she said at last, resigned. “I’ll forgive you this time too”

Charlie smiled triumphantly and hugged her tightly. “Thank you, Grandma! You won’t regret this!”

“Try not to turn it into yet another broken promise” Sera warned, though even she didn’t sound fully convinced. Still, she stroked Charlie’s hair. “We spoil you too much in this house, feel guilty for being such a little charmer! And fix your makeup, look at those dark circles under your eyes! You have to take better care of yourself. If you don’t sleep properly, your body will weaken! You’re already so skinny, any man who brings you to his home will think he’s holding a twig! How am I supposed to see great-grandchildren if you are like this, huh?”

Charlie simply kept smiling smugly, knowing she had dodged yet another bullet. Somehow, no matter what she did, she always managed to bring harmony back to the family. Even if actually it was usually more like the adults who gave in and let her win.

Seeing that peace had returned, Lucifer spoke again. “Mother, we must go now. Please, spend the day resting”

“Tsk! If only I still had the strength to endure the heat, I’d gladly enjoy the games at the arena. Lucky you, still young!” Sera replied, then turned to Charlie with a sly smile. “I’ll spend the day embroidering a tapestry (⁹). When you return, come visit me so you can help, and we’ll finish the celebration together”

“Of course, Grandma” Charlie assured her. Sera was pleased and then had her slaves escort her back to her quarters.

As soon as he made sure she was gone, Lucifer let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness, she didn’t get too mad. Good job, Charlie: keep her under control with those puppy eyes!”

“Stop encouraging her!” Lilith snapped, elbowing him in the sternum. “Charlie, your grandmother isn’t entirely wrong. You need to start behaving like an adult. I’m not expecting you to always be on top of things like a perfect matron, but you can’t sleep in late on the last day of the Ludi Apollinares or skip the household gods’ celebrations. You’re a princess and you’re already seventeen (¹⁰), start acting responsibly”

“I’ll try” Charlie replied innocently, in a tone that made it very clear she wasn’t taking it seriously.

Lilith sighed deeply. “Sure, try. After all, it’s always me your grandmother yells at, anyway”

“Oh, come on now, don’t pout” Lucifer said with a smile, trying to lift her spirits. “Let’s focus on today’s events. We don’t want to be late for the arena!”

And with that, the imperial family left their enormous home and made their way to the imposing amphitheater that towered over all of Rome. When they arrived, it was already late morning, and the arena was packed to the brim with spectators, so much so that it looked like it might overflow. The roar of the crowd could be heard clearly even from outside. Naturally, they didn’t enter through the main gate but rather through the entrance reserved for the upper class, where they found a group of men in elegant white togas waiting for them. They immediately bowed their heads as they approached: “Ave, Lucifer (¹¹)” they greeted him.

Lucifer’s eyes focused particularly on two of the men. One of them was tall (even taller than Lilith, who was already quite imposing), with a chiseled face, green eyes, and extremely black beard and hair, so much so that they seem like those of the night. “Ave, Zestial” he greeted, then he looked to the other, who was shorter and fairer but still carried an air of authority: “Ave, Vox”

The first and second consuls of Rome bowed their heads respectfully once more, then turned to Lilith and Charlie. “Ave to you as well, Highnesses”

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, noble senators” Lilith greeted them, and Charlie quickly mimicked her. “Where is your wife, Consul Zestial?”

“I apologize for her absence. Our eldest daughter fell ill, and she wanted to stay home to care for her” Zestial replied.

“The youngs have had a bit too much fun during these joyful days” Vox said. “Even my daughter fell ill from over-celebrating. It’s easy to lose a sense of modesty during the games. Not all daughters are as virtuous as yours, my empress”

Normally, Charlie would have blushed at the compliment, but she knew Vox was only saying it to gain favor with Lucifer and the senators. What she felt instead was the bitter taste of hypocrisy, since she herself had nearly missed the games. 'Virtuous' was the last word she’d use to describe herself.

Fortunately, the two men quickly forgot about her and turned their full attention to speaking with Lucifer. After all, it was the emperor (or, failing that, the empress) they were interested in, not a young princess with no political clout. Charlie knew she was there more as a decorative accessory than a real person, but she gritted her teeth and endured it. Being the daughter of the emperor of Rome wasn’t all luxury and ease, after all.

Once the formalities were over, they entered the amphitheater properly, heading for the elegant imperial tribune. Lucifer sat in the center, with Lilith and Charlie behind him, and all the senators and consuls arranged themselves around them. The spectators greeted the emperor’s arrival with joyful cheers and applause. Lucifer waited about twenty minutes, then he raised his arm; at that gesture, everyone fell silent at once. “Romans!” he exclaimed, and his voice echoed throughout the amphitheater. Though he wasn’t shouting, the arena’s structure made the sound resonate so everyone could hear. “These Ludi Apollinares have been magnificent! Jupiter has blessed us with good weather, so we could always gaze upon the sun god’s chariot in the sky (¹²)! Let us then honor Apollo on this final day in the most glorious way possible! Let the games begin!”

At his words, trumpets blared and birdcages were opened, releasing flocks of doves into the sky. The Roman people applauded loudly and shouted their emperor’s name with passion. The arena gates opened, and the gladiators entered to a triumphant ovation from the crowd. They marched in orderly rows around the arena, following their magistri who proudly carried banners bearing the symbols of their respective Ludi. There was the Ludus Gallicus, the Ludus Dacicus, the Ludus Matutinus, and of course, the Ludus Magnus, the most famous and admired, which immediately drew the crowd’s attention and applause.

After circling the entire arena, the gladiators returned through the tunnel from which they had come, while the four magistri went to the center of the arena and planted the poles bearing their emblems into the ground. Then they bowed to the emperor and withdrew.

The trumpets blared again, and the first gladiators who would fight returned to the arena, ready for battle. As was customary, they performed a few gestures for the crowd, which responded with applause and excited whistles. Then, when they were about ten meters apart, they stopped and grew cautious. There was a brief moment of stillness, and then, with a shout, they hurled themselves at each other.

The games had officially begun.

Chapter Text

Lute wore an expression even more disgusted than usual, and her eyelids kept twitching with irritation; the other gladiators had stepped back a bit, since she looked ready to tear apart the first person who got in her way. She kept staring through the gate, her eyes fixed on the imperial tribune. “Are you fucking kidding me!?” she hissed furiously. “That little runt is the emperor!?”

“I suppose you imagined him a bit differently” Pentious commented, scratching the back of his head and hoping she wouldn’t decide to take her anger out on him.

Lute clenched her teeth. She knew Roman customs were not like those of Britannia, and that the man in charge wasn’t necessarily the strongest, but still, she had at least expected an emperor who was tall, imposing, and authoritative. Knowing that the greatest empire in the world was ruled by someone so short and apparently fragile felt like a mockery to her, and it made her blood boil.

Vaggie was quite disappointed too. Rome had surprised her more than once, so she’d braced herself to face something unexpected, but this was ridiculous, even for her. “Seriously, you had no one better?” she asked the other gladiators. “Even I am taller than him, and I’m not exactly a giant!”

“Don’t judge too quickly” Husk warned her while tending to Cherri’s shoulder, which had a cut from her last fight. “He may have been robbed of a decent height by the gods, but he knows how to command respect. He’s been on the throne for ten years for a reason. And he fought in wars when he was younger, so he knows how to handle himself”

“Maybe, but I still find it really sad” Vaggie remarked. I mean, even the emperor’s wife was taller than him! And so was that girl sitting with them that almost certainly his daughter.

Lute turned her gaze away in disgust, refusing to look any longer at that miserable insect. Knowing that Britannia had suffered because of a man who was a whole head shorter than her made her furious. To distract herself, she looked at Adam, hoping he too would be glaring at the emperor, given their history. But to her surprise, he was looking everywhere but the tribune. He kept his eyes on the arena, giving advice to the gladiators, never once dropping his composed facade as a good trainer.

Despite the resentment she felt for him, Lute couldn’t deny being a little surprised (and intrigued) by that behavior. Adam seemed completely unfazed by the fact that the emperor had stolen his wife, and that said wife was right there, on the opposite side of the amphitheater, sitting beside the child born from that betrayal. And yet, Lute didn’t miss the fact that he never once made eye contact with the imperial family. Even though his movements looked natural, to her it was obvious they were deliberate.

Lute truly couldn’t figure that man out. She didn’t understand the point of that strange passive resistance. If someone had wronged her like that, she wouldn’t have held back from constantly showing her hostility and doing whatever it took to get revenge. Why didn’t Adam just go kill the emperor? Even if he died trying, at least he would’ve kept his honor (¹).

Who knows. That man was seriously strange.

Just then, the ongoing match ended, and Angel returned to a round of applause from the crowd. “Another win, go ahead and congratulate me!” he exclaimed, throwing away his weapons and pulling off his helmet as he rejoined the others. “Hey, Husk, come patch me up, I need your magic touch...!”

“You’ve barely got a few scratches on your face, you can wait” Husk grunted at him. “There are people who need my help more urgently”

“Oh, come on, are you saying I mean that little to you…?” Angel protested.

“One more word and I’ll throw you in the lion’s cage (²)” Husk warned him.

Adam stepped forward and addressed Vaggie: “You’re the next”

Vaggie nodded, tightening her grip on her spear. “I’ll put on a good fight” she promised.

Lute gave her a small friendly elbow nudge, which for her was practically the equivalent of a warm hug. “Good luck, sister” she said. “Kick their ass”

“Yeah! Smash their face in!” Cherri said with a smile.

“And their legs too!” Angel added.

“At least the nose!” Pentious cheered.

“Come back in one piece” was all Husk said, though he did give her a small smile.

Vaggie nodded. She had to admit she was really nervous: until then, the only time she had fought to kill was during the invasion of her hometown, and that hadn’t exactly ended well. Even though she was confident in her abilities, this was still a game where she was betting her life.

And then, to her great surprise, Adam placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, confused, not expecting such a gesture from him, but he simply said: “Don’t let panic take over. Remember, you can win this. Keep your mind calm and follow your instincts”

Vaggie was taken aback, never having thought that Adam would show such a paternal attitude toward her. Had he sensed her nervousness and wanted to encourage her? Or was this just what he said to everyone preparing for their first entry into the arena?

She didn’t have much time to dwell on it: Adam removed his hand from her shoulder and gestured toward the arena with a nod of his head, letting her know it was time to enter. Vaggie nodded, and after one last glance at her friends and her sister, she gathered her courage and stepped into that field of sand and blood, welcomed by the roar of the crowd.

On the imperial balcony, Charlie had been trying to keep her cool as much as possible, though she strongly disliked watching people fight each other while risking their lives. She had considered pretending to feel ill to leave, but in the end, she had chosen to stay: at least if she remained, she could try to plead with her father to spare the life of the loser during the final judgment, though she wasn’t always listened to, since Lucifer had to take the will of the Roman people into account. She had to admit she hadn’t paid much attention at the beginning, when the gladiators were parading before them, and so she was genuinely surprised when she saw Vaggie step into the arena. “A girl? Didn’t the Ludus Magnus only have one woman...?”

“Yes, but I’ve heard their lanista recently acquired two more” Vox explained with a smirk. “Two Briton beauties, from what I’ve been told. This is probably their debut”

“Your knowledge of other people's affairs is admirable as always, Consul Vox” Lilith said rhetorically.

“You know I like to stay informed” Vox replied simply, then he turned to Zestial: “And I’m certainly not the only one who knows everything about everyone. You knew about it too, didn’t you, my esteemed colleague?”

Zestial narrowed his eyes, cursing the second consul. If he answered yes, he’d look like a gossip; if he said no, he’d be ridiculed for admitting that things could happen in Rome without the first consul knowing. In the end, he chose a compromise: “I’ll admit I had been informed, but I didn’t bother to investigate. After all, I see no reason to make a fuss over a lanist buying two slaves. How Adam trains his gladiators is his own business, don’t you think?”

Vox didn’t lose his smile, but his eyes twitched slightly with anger, as Zestial had successfully thrown the jab back at him. But before he could respond, Lucifer asked: “Since you’re both so well-informed, why don’t you tell me what to expect? Who are you betting on in this match?”

“My Emperor, you know well the reputation of the Ludus Magnus” Vox said. “The question isn’t who will win, but how long the fight will last before that girl gains the upper hand”

“I also believe she’ll win. To this day, Adam has never thrown anyone into the arena who wasn’t capable of surviving” Zestial confirmed. “But I don’t think she’ll kill her opponent. She doesn’t have the face of that (³)”

Charlie had barely listened to the conversation, which to her ears was simply disgusting: they were talking about a person as if she were a racehorse. Her eyes were locked on the new gladiator: even from that distance, she could see the tension in her. Understandable, if this was really her first time; poor girl, who knows what she was feeling...

Vaggie looked at her opponent, who was also walking toward her; unlike her, he was showing off a bit to the crowd, which meant he had probably been in the arena several times before. He was a taller and more muscular man than she, thankfully not as large as Adam, but still it was clear that she couldn’t rely on brute strength to win. Just in terms of weight, he had the advantage.

“No... I can’t go in with this kind of negativity!” Vaggie yelled to herself in her mind. “In a real fight, you face all kinds of opponents; a true warrior doesn’t care about differences in size! Stop being nervous and remember your training. I could let him attack first, and dodge the blow and... no, too risky, I don’t know how fast he is yet. I could fake him out, then; strike first, force him to use the shield…”

With every step, countless thoughts formed in her head; it was as if her mind had accelerated exponentially and become sharper and keener than ever before. By the time they finally stood face to face, ready to begin, Vaggie had already fought him to the death thirteen times in her mind.

Now it was time to do it for real.

Her opponent let out a roar and charged first, running toward her like an enraged bull; his spear wasn’t raised yet, but Vaggie knew that as soon as he got within range, he would use it to strike, exploiting the height difference to bypass her defense. But contrary to expectations, Vaggie didn’t move, letting him charge straight at her; and the moment he raised his spear, she leapt, showing extraordinary agility despite the weight of the metal plates, bridging the height difference. It lasted only a moment, but it was enough for her opponent’s spear to embed itself in her shield. The other gladiator let out a confused grunt, but Vaggie didn’t give him time to react: the moment her feet touched the ground again, she twisted, causing her opponent to lose his balance thanks to the fact that the spear was stuck in her shield, and struck his thigh, making him bleed.

The gladiator screamed in pain and finally released the spear, backing away to a safe distance; at that point, he drew his gladius and took cover behind his shield. Now wounded, partially limping, and at a disadvantage in terms of weapons, he preferred to play defensively rather than keep attacking. Vaggie took advantage of the pause to detach the spear from her shield (since otherwise it would just get in the way) and threw it far away so he couldn’t retrieve it.

The two of them began circling each other like two hungry beasts, staring each other down. Vaggie knew the fight was far from over: she clearly remembered Adam’s warnings: the only time to celebrate was when the opponent was dead or had surrendered. She never thought she’d thank her harsh master, but now she realized he was right: her opponent’s guard was still perfectly up, a sign that if she lowered hers, he would strike immediately. No breaks were allowed here.

This time, it was Vaggie who took the initiative: she charged at her opponent with her spear raised and drove it forward violently. The gladiator, just like she had done earlier, defended himself with his shield, and as soon as the spear lodged into it, he lifted the shield, intending to wrench it away from her. But instead, Vaggie used it as leverage, pushing against her grip to launch herself into a jump. The gladiator was completely caught off guard: suddenly, Vaggie was no longer in front of him, and her weight had thrown him entirely off balance. Before he could regain his footing, Vaggie struck him on the back with her shield, sending him crashing to the ground, and pinned the hand holding his gladius with her foot.

The spectators roared with excitement, their voices echoing throughout the amphitheater; some shouted: “Giugula!”, while others called for mercy (⁴). “What did I tell you?” Vox said, satisfied. “Ludus Magnus always delivers nothing but innovative talent”

“Truly an interesting match” Lucifer said with pleased amusement, raising his right hand with a closed fist, his thumb perfectly horizontal.

Vaggie sweated a little from her forehead. She knew what that meant: it was the final judgment. If the emperor raised his thumb, her opponent would be spared; if he lowered it, his life would be over (⁵). She had already reached for her gladius to cut his throat should he choose the second option, but her fingers trembled slightly at the thought of slitting someone’s throat like that. She would have much preferred to kill her opponent in combat, not while he lay helpless beneath her.

Charlie bit her lip, realizing the girl didn’t want to kill her opponent. Moved by compassion, she gently touched Lucifer’s arm: “Father, please, that gladiator fought well; I’m sure he’ll give us more thrilling fights in the future. Let that girl spare him”

Lucifer smiled at her, then obliged his daughter: he raised his thumb upward, declaring the gladiator would live. Vaggie let out a breath of relief and finally released her opponent, who was clearly shaken from his brush with death, but still stood with dignity. They exchanged a quick glance of mutual understanding, and then he returned to his Ludus area. With that brief eye contact, he had let her know he held no grudge; after all, this was their profession.

Vaggie felt proud of herself as she listened to the cheers and shouts of acclaim from the crowd. She had done it... she had survived her first battle. She looked once more toward the imperial tribune, her eyes landing gratefully on the blonde-haired girl, knowing it was thanks to her that the emperor had so easily chosen to spare her opponent. She had been truly kind and good-hearted, and Vaggie admired her for it.

When she returned to the others, she was greeted with even louder cheers. “Well done, girl!” Cherri said with a laugh. “You were amazing!”

“Next time I’m betting big on you!” Angel exclaimed with a grin. “Pen, come on, you're smart: do the math on all the money we can scrape together! Next time we give it to Peter and have him bet it all, we’ll make a fortune here! (⁶)”

“And not even a scratch” Husk noted with satisfaction, pleased that someone had finally shown caution in the arena.

Vaggie smiled proudly, and even more so when Lute came up beside her and gave her a nudge, gifting her one of her rare proud expressions. “Nice work, sister” she said, making Vaggie blush.

Adam let out a satisfied grunt. “You didn’t do too badly” he said to her, and despite the teasing, his face still showed pride, although he quickly turned serious again: “Lute, it’s your turn now”

Lute nodded, grabbing her weapons. “Try not to do too much worse than me, sister” Vaggie teased with a small laugh.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to humiliate you by doing much better” Lute replied with a smirk. Judging by her expression, she seemed eager to fight.

Adam crossed his arms. He seemed to consider what to say, then he just told: “I pity your opponent. Go kick his ass”

“With pleasure” Lute replied and walked into the arena with her head held high. Vaggie felt a bit tense watching her sister head off to battle, but she knew Lute wouldn’t go down easily, and she had complete faith in her.

Charlie had listened to the men’s chatter just enough to catch that there were two Briton gladiators, so she wasn’t surprised when she saw a second girl enter after the first. Unlike Vaggie, Lute showed not the slightest sign of tension: on the contrary, she radiated an almost supernatural calm. It was as if she were in her natural element, as if fighting to the death brought her joy. “So, this is the second new prodigy of Ludus Magnus” Lucifer remarked upon seeing her.

“Considering how skilled the first Briton girl was, I’d be surprised if this one wasn’t better” Zestial said, rubbing his chin. “She even looks older and more mature than the other. This will be fun”

“I say thrilling” Vox added, leaning back in his seat. “I’m really curious to see if that lanista truly found two gems, or if one of them shines even brighter than the other”

Lute kept walking across the sandy arena, never taking her eyes off her opponent for even a second. The hoplomachus she would face was even larger than the one Vaggie had fought, but she felt no fear. “Adam is far bulkier, this can’t scare me” she thought. Though immediately after, she exclaimed in her head: “Shit, have I really become numb to big opponents from fighting him so much? Fuck, that makes me feel like I should be thanking him!”

She felt disgusted at the thought. She’d rather slit her own throat than thank Adam, even in her own mind.

As always, she was the one to break the heavy atmosphere of tension that had formed between her and her opponent; she never waited, she struck first. She swung her sword at the hoplomachus’s head, colliding with his shield. Lute grinned at the sound, not the dull thud of wooden sticks but the high-pitched screech of steel, like fingernails on a smooth surface, accompanied by sparks. Damn, it had really been too long since she fought with real weapons.

Her opponent pushed her back forcefully with his shield and thrust his spear at her. Lute knew the hoplomachus had the advantage of reach, but his weapon was also heavier, less precise, and less lethal in close quarters. In no time, the two of them were locked in a deadly, rapid dance: her Thracian sword clashing at almost impossible speeds for the spectators to follow against the sharp spear of the hoplomachus. In what felt to Lute like several minutes, but in reality were only seconds, her relentless strikes, targeted with extreme precision at the shaft of the spear, snapped it in half.

The hoplomachus was forced to toss away his best weapon and draw his gladius. He trembled when he saw Lute staring at him like a hawk locking onto its prey. Had she looked into a mirror at that moment, she probably would’ve compared herself to Adam: the same impassive mask, the same warrior’s ferocity in her coal-black eyes, now lit with ember-red sparks of challenge. It was impossible not to feel fear just looking at her.

Good. Instilling fear in her opponent’ heart was exactly what she wanted.

She pushed her opponent away from her and, with a quick feint, deflected his attack at the last second, preventing him from defending himself. The edge of her blade sliced cleanly across the side of his arm, just above the elbow, and the first blood splattered onto her cheek, much to her deep satisfaction. The gladiator grimaced and hissed, while she seized the opportunity to swing from right to left. Just a little more and she might have torn the gladius from his grasp.

At the last moment, however, her opponent ducked, aiming for her right thigh and forcing her to leap back to dodge, muttering a few British curses under her breath. She wasn’t hurt, but she was irritated nonetheless. No one could try to harm her without her permission. “Oh… you are a very dead man!”

This time, Lute lunged at her opponent with even more vehemence and rage, forcing him to stagger backward. She managed to slash his shoulder again and land a punch on his cheek in a moment when their blades were locked. The sight of blood, of the wound on his flesh, seemed to further awaken that devastating and primal fury lying dormant in her heart, erupting like a volcano, lighting her irises with an unnatural crimson glow. She could swear her blood was burning, as if real fire flowed through her veins. Even though her hands, face, and hair were slick with sweat, her body felt filled with raw energy, desperately yearning to be unleashed.

“Damn… she’s wrecking him” Angel commented as he watched the scene with the others.

“She’s really a fury in battle” Cherri added, quite satisfied, then winked at Vaggie. “You can relax, your sister’s already won”

“I know” Vaggie replied. She’d been a little worried at first, but now that Lute was clearly dominating the fight, she was completely at ease.

Adam, as usual, observed the scene from a corner, silent and attentive. Unlike the gladiators he wasn’t commenting, true to his philosophy that a fight wasn’t over until it was completely over. Even so, he had to admit, it was hard to imagine a scenario where that hoplomachus could turn the tables. Lute was far too skilled for him.

As he thought this, though, he noticed something: on the other side of the amphitheater, the slaves in charge of operating the gates, cages, horns, and so on were gathering strangely. It looked like someone was asking for help with a problem. “Isn’t that one of the corridors for the beast cages?”

Was there some issue? Odd, no sounds were coming from that direction. And the slaves weren’t calling for more experienced guards. Maybe it was just a sick animal they were trying to tend to...?

Strange.

Lute, of course, hadn’t noticed any of this, and even if she had, she wouldn’t have cared much. Her attention was focused entirely on her opponent. She charged again, swinging her blade toward his chest, and managed to leave a deep gash on his side before he shoved her back with his shield. Lute growled and raised her shield in turn, which crashed against his, and the two began pushing, each trying to gain ground. They stayed like that for several seconds, locked in a test of raw strength. The hoplomachus had size on his side, but Lute was stubborn enough not to be trampled by such a pathetic obstacle. The grimace of strain on her face was nothing compared to the tight, desperate expression on his.

Then a sharp pain in her chest knocked the wind out of her, forcing her to step back and abandon the position. Had that insolent bastard dared to kick her? Now he had crossed the line.

The hoplomachus tried to take advantage of the situation to counterattack, but what happened next was utterly confusing to him: Lute charged so fast it was like watching lightning bolts crash from the sky, barely visible, but powerful enough to make the arm holding his weapon tremble under the force. She moved like a fierce and powerful wolf, yet with the agility of a feline. She smashed her shield into his chest, knocking the breath from his lungs; the poor hoplomachus felt like his chest couldn’t inhale or exhale anymore, utterly frozen, and for a moment his world turned black, his senses muffled, as if he’d been plunged underwater.

Lute struck again and again, making him lose his balance until he fell, his back hitting the dirty arena floor. She quickly mounted him, knees on either side of his hips to pin him down, while the cold steel of her sword pressed against his throat.

The entire crowd exploded in victorious cheers, shouting her name. A wide, sadistic grin spread across her face, and she was not surprised to see the terrified look in the gladiator’s eyes. Almost as if driven by her own bloodlust, the whole amphitheater roared: “GIUGULA!”

Charlie once again tried to intervene on behalf of the defeated man, but she was too late: Lucifer had already raised his fist and lowered his thumb. Seeing this, Lute grabbed the gladiator’s head, lifted it slightly, and with her sword, slit his throat. Blood splattered onto the ground, staining it red.

The spectators erupted in triumphant applause, shouting with joy. Romans really do love their blood, Lute concluded in her head. It annoyed her to do them a favor, but she couldn’t deny the deep satisfaction she felt.

Suddenly, though, she felt a strange vibration.

She hadn’t noticed it until that moment, but as she was laying her opponent’s head back down, her fingers brushed the sand and felt it. She placed her entire palm on the ground and felt it more clearly: a constant, rhythmic vibration, like someone beating a drum.

Lute narrowed her eyes. She had felt similar vibrations back in Britannia, when deer stampeded in fear of hunters: their hooves striking the ground in unison could be felt even from afar, if one touched the earth with a hand.
But there were no deer herds in Rome…

“MOOOOOOOO!!!”

Luckily, Lute was standing near the center of the vast arena and had just enough time to hear the powerful bellow and throw herself aside before a bull burst forth like a hurricane from the beast gates, charging exactly where she had stood two seconds earlier. The dead gladiator’s body was reduced to pulp under its massive hooves.

The enormous beast weighed no less than two thousand asses, had a coat black as pitch, and horns so thick they resembled those of an ibex. It snorted and growled constantly, violently pawing at the ground.

Lute turned pale; she wasn't the type to panic, but at that moment she couldn’t stop the frantic beating of her heart. She hadn’t expected to face a beast ten times her weight in a one-on-one fight, especially not now, already exhausted from the previous battle. But there was something else, something instinctual: it was as if her body itself could sense that there was something wrong with that bull, something that shouldn't be there. And seeing how the animal kept viciously attacking the gladiator’s corpse, as if determined to tear it to shreds, only confirmed her instincts.

The crowd had fallen into a state of confusion and shock; it wasn’t unusual for beasts to fight in the arena, but they were always announced, just like the gladiators, and they certainly weren’t released while a previous fight had only just ended. On the royal balcony, Lucifer was seething with rage. “What is the meaning of this!?” he roared. “Why is there a bull loose in the arena!?”

“I'll send someone to check immediately!” Zestial replied, quickly ordering his servants to go down and find out what had happened.

Lucifer clenched his fists, sending a chill down the spines of the senators; these were the moments when they were most grateful that their emperor rarely showed anger. When he was furious, despite his short stature, he could terrify anyone. “Find whoever is responsible for this incident and bring them to me right now!” he commanded.

“Father, we have to do something!” Charlie cried, rising to her feet. She had gone completely pale with fear. “That girl is going to be crushed alive!”

Lucifer gritted his teeth, knowing his daughter would be devastated if that happened. “Find a solution!” he snapped at the senators, who rushed to take action.

The bull turned toward Lute, letting out a deep, resonant bellow; she noticed that it was drooling, and mucus was dripping from its nostrils, something that clearly wasn’t natural. But even more unnatural were its eyes: they weren’t filled with rage or bestial ferocity... no, they just looked insane. It was as if the bull had no idea where it was or what it was doing.

She didn’t have time to ponder further, because the beast charged at her with a bellow, the ground trembling beneath its hooves. Lute dodged to the side just in time to avoid its horns and attempted to strike its flank with her sword, aiming to sever the tendons and cripple it. But cutting through the tough skin and steel-hard muscles of a bull wasn’t the same as slicing through human flesh. Though she managed to draw some blood, Lute couldn’t drive the blade deep enough and had to release it when the bull tried to kick her; she knew that if it had landed, her bones would have been shattered without question.

The bull turned toward her again, even more enraged than before; it didn’t even seem to notice it had been wounded. Any ordinary bull, after receiving a cut, even a small one, would have withdrawn, especially after exhausting itself so much. But instead, this one was just as aggressive and furious as before. In just two steps it was on her and struck her with its head; though it hadn’t been able to charge, and she had protected herself with her shield, Lute was still sent tumbling at least three meters. Her shield shattered, and the bull was on her again, rearing up with the clear intent to crush her with its hooves.

Lute felt her heart stop. So this was it? This was how she would die?

The gods truly meant to kill her this way!?

No… no, they couldn’t! Not when she still hadn’t returned to Britannia! Not when she was still so far from her homeland! Not when Vaggie was still in Rome…!

They couldn’t…!

They…!

A familiar double-bladed axe struck the bull directly in the side, with such force that it knocked the beast aside; it landed again on all fours, bellowing in pain from the bleeding wound. Lute saw a shadow appear in her field of vision, and for the first time she was happy to see that horned helmet.

“You…!”

“Get back to the others, now" Adam ordered, spinning the axe in his hands while keeping his eyes locked on the bull, which was already preparing to charge again. “This one’s mine”

Chapter Text

Adam had quickly lost interest in what was happening near the beasts’ enclosure, since the slaves still hadn’t called for strong guards, a sign that there likely wasn’t any real danger. The fact that they were crowding around could easily be explained by a situation none of them were prepared for, like a sick animal, but surely not a rampaging one. So he had returned his focus to Lute’s fight without worrying about the rest.

Too bad that when the bull entered the arena, he instantly regretted his recklessness. He and the other gladiators hadn’t even had time to celebrate Lute’s victory before they thought they saw her crushed under the hooves of the enormous beast. Shit, this really was a nightmare.

“Fuck!” Vaggie exclaimed, grabbing her spear and immediately starting to run to her sister’s aid. “We have to help her…!”

Adam grabbed her shoulder and shoved her back with such force that she fell to the ground. “Stay here!” he ordered her.

“She’s my sister!” Vaggie protested.

“She’ll live” Adam promised her. “But you stay here!”

Vaggie clenched her teeth and tried to get up, but Adam’s piercing gaze froze her in place. She trembled slightly from rage and fear, but in the end, forced herself to obey. That was enough for Adam. “All of you, don’t move from here!” he ordered the other gladiators, who were already getting ready to jump back into the fight. Then he rushed toward Lute, his axe already in his hand.

Normally, charging alone at a charging bull would be considered a suicide; Adam didn’t overestimate himself, he knew perfectly well he wasn’t a demigod, and though he was strong, he couldn’t possibly take on a bull four times his size relying on brute strength alone. But Adam also knew that sending in the gladiators would be counterproductive: they were emotionally tied to each other, so even those already wounded and exhausted would follow their companions. On top of that, once the guards finally acted, they’d begin pelting the bull with arrows; and in that case, too many people nearby would only make hitting the animal harder. Even though attacking the bull as a group was technically safer, Adam knew someone would definitely die that way. It was far better to face the beast alone: he just needed to give Lute time to escape and reach the stands to climb them, then leave the rest to the archers.

By the time he reached her, the bull was almost killing her; she had defended herself well, but the animal had already broken her shield and was about to trample her. Not even a tough girl like Lute could survive if a beast that weighed over a thousand minas (¹) stomped on her. Adam swung his axe and aimed for the bull’s side, where he knew the muscles for movement and partly for breathing were located. Fortunately, the bull was rearing on its hind legs, and the impact knocked it off balance, pushing it away and preventing it from falling on top of Lute.

Adam immediately placed himself in front of her. The bull was bleeding profusely from the wound he’d inflicted; under normal circumstances, it would have backed off. Animals, even scared or enraged ones, avoided fighting dangerous foes if they could flee, and in such a big arena, the bull definitely didn’t feel cornered. Yet, contrary to his expectations, the beast kept slamming its hooves into the ground and snorting, seemingly unaware of the wound in its side. “What the fuck…?”

“You…?” Lute murmured just behind him. She was clearly surprised someone had been crazy enough to intervene.

Adam gave her a shrug. “Get back to the others, now. This one’s mine”

“What!?” Lute said in disbelief.

“Get back on your feet and run to your companions. I’ll hold this bastard off” Adam repeated.

“You’re insane! You want to fight that thing alone!?” Lute shouted. Even though Adam was strong, she knew the bull was far too powerful for him. “You’ll never make it! It’ll kill you!”

“I don’t plan on dying” Adam answered simply. “That’s an order. Go!”

The bull bellowed and charged again; it showed no concern for the wound, which only widened the more it moved and bled, and its speed hadn’t decreased in the slightest. Adam moved suddenly: “Okay, change of plans!”

“What are you... hey!” Lute yelped as Adam grabbed her by the waist with one arm, holding her like a sack. That was how he fought: using his right hand to whirl his axe and keep himself out of the bull’s horn range, while with the left he held her, tossing her around so much she nearly vomited.

The spectators had gone completely silent; for the first time since morning, the amphitheater was still. The unexpected entrance of the bull had already shocked everyone, but watching an armored man dive into the fray with complete disregard for danger was even more staggering. And in the imperial box, both Lucifer and Lilith had gone deathly pale. “That’s…!” the emperor whispered through clenched teeth.

“He really wants to fight that beast?” Zestial murmured in surprise. “I’d heard Adam feared nothing, but I didn’t think it was this literal”

“He’s trying to protect his gladiator” Vox commented with a hint of disdain. “Foolish. We would’ve reimbursed him if she’d died (²)”

“Who cares!?” Charlie shouted, leaping to her feet. She couldn’t sit still anymore, but as soon as she stood, she nearly collapsed from how badly she was trembling. “Don’t just stand there! Do something, stop this madness!”

Lucifer looked like he was about to rise as well, though unlike his daughter, it wasn’t to protest but to act. Lilith placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. He shot her a furious look, but she held his gaze and silently forced him to remain still. No matter what was happening, the emperor couldn’t risk his life. “Relay these orders to all soldiers” she told the servants. “As soon as Adam creates some distance, target that bull with spears, javelins, and arrows. Keep firing until it dies”

“Yes, my empress” the servants answered, and ran off immediately.

Meanwhile, Adam was still dueling the bull. His goal was simple: now that he had Lute, he just needed to escape. The problem was that the bull wouldn’t let him. No matter how many times he dodged its charges, it spun around immediately and came right back. Adam noticed it was turning unnaturally fast for a beast that size, and dark patches had started to appear around its legs, signs that it was tearing its own muscles by moving in ways beyond its body’s limits. “What the fuck is going on!?”

“Something’s wrong” Lute told him.

“Wow, thanks for the clarity!” Adam snapped. “If you don’t have anything useful to say, shut it!”

“You don’t get it, smartass!” Lute snapped back, not even minding her tone under the stress. “Something’s wrong with its mind! It’s like it’s not even in its own body, it doesn’t feel pain and it doesn’t care if it dies! Something’s gotten into its head!”

Adam tightened his grip on the axe handle. Those pale, milky eyes filled with animal madness were indeed too unnatural for any regular beast. Had a god possessed it? After all, Neptune had once unleashed a bull on Crete... maybe he’d decided to do it again…? (³)

The bull charged again, and Adam had to retreat and block with his axe. Luckily, the bull kept repeating the same movements, enough for Adam to start predicting them, so he managed to graze it across the head. The beast bellowed in rage as a massive wound on its muzzle, deep enough to show part of its mouth, began bleeding heavily... but again, it ignored the injury and charged once more.

Adam clenched his teeth. “I can’t really fight while I’m holding you. I’m gonna throw you. Can you land on your feet, or at least all fours?”

“Yes” Lute confirmed.

“Then I’ll throw you behind the bull, so it’ll ignore you. Once you land, run as fast as you can, doesn’t matter where. Just get away” Adam said.

Lute bit her lip. “And you?”

Adam gave her a smirk. “Do you worry about me now?”

Lute growled. “Of course not! But you’re helping me, if you don’t promise you’ll live, it’d dishonor me!”

“Well, I’ll survive. No risk to your honor” Adam said. “Now go!”

And with that, he hurled her straight ahead, making her fly right over the bull, that was rapidly charging again, and land behind it. As soon as she hit the ground, Lute followed his order and ran, although after not even ten seconds she stopped to look back. The bull was reaching Adam, who was once again dodging it, but since he’d spent time throwing her, his movement was slower than before.

And then, there was red.

Lute felt a lump in her throat when she saw one of the bull’s horns pierce Adam’s armor and draw blood from his left side. Even though he ultimately managed to shove the beast back by striking its shoulder with his axe, he still staggered, clutching the wound. For some reason, she held her breath. Probably because Adam had hurt himself just to save her, but she didn’t want to see him die like this.

The entire amphitheater seemed to hold its breath. No one, from the imperial box to the lowest bench, dared make a sound. Even the gladiators didn’t move a muscle. It was so quiet that you could almost hear Adam’s blood dripping onto the arena’s sandy floor. On the imperial stand, Lucifer’s fingers tightened slightly on his seat.

But then, to everyone’s surprise, Adam straightened. With a sharp tug, he tore off a piece of his cape and tied it around the wound, then looked at the hand he’d used to stop the bleeding, covered in his own blood. And to Lute’s shock, instead of fear, he smiled, even sticking out his tongue to lick his lip. “Aaaah... fuck, I haven’t been hurt like this since the war!” he exclaimed, then he looked at the bull, already charging again: “You just signed your death warrant, bastard”

And having said that, he threw away his axe; he slammed it down with a thud, splitting the floor of the arena. Everyone held their breath as they saw him do that senseless thing: why deprive himself of his only weapon? But Adam ignored the stares of the entire arena and cracked his neck, and then he spread his arms wide, as if to invite the bull to come at him with all its strength.

The gesture shocked the spectators. “Wh-what is he doing!? He’ll get himself killed!” Charlie exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hands.

Even Lilith looked like she might faint, probably thinking Adam had truly given up and chosen to die with dignity instead of being worn down. But when she looked at her husband, she realized Lucifer’s expression was extremely focused, almost blank. “You mad bastard…” the emperor murmured through clenched teeth. “You really want to do it… may the gods protect you, you son of a bitch…”

The bull charged again, clearly intending to gore Adam alive, but still he didn’t move from its path. On the contrary, he stretched out his arms even more and opened his palms. A grin spread across his face: “You know what the Cretans used to do, big fucking cow?”

And with that, he grabbed the bull’s horns and leapt; the beast’s head was pulled backward by the force and weight of the jump. Even with its massive strength, the bull struggled to support that bulky body covered in dense iron armor. Adam landed on its back, and while the bull’s head was still up, he wrapped his arms around its neck and used the metal plates of his armor to carve deep gashes into it. Blood burst from the animal's skin like a fountain.

The crowd exploded into surprised screams and applause. Now that they’d recovered a bit from the shock, they were treating it like a proper show again, and they were loving it. In the royal tribune, the shock was even greater. “What... how did he do that!?” Vox exclaimed, eyes wide.

“Jumping onto a bull’s back using its horns... is that even possible?” Zestial murmured, stunned.

Charlie had nearly fainted at the sight, and judging from her mother’s face, she’d probably lost ten years of her life too. Lucifer, on the other hand, wore an incredibly grim expression. “Taurocatàpsia (⁴)” he barely murmured.

Everyone turned to him. "What do you mean?" Zestial asked him.

"An ancient practice dating back more than six hundred years before the founding of Rome" Lucifer explained. His tone was confident, but one could still hear a faint note of relief, proof that even he had held his breath for a moment. "The Cretans used it; it's a kind of dance that involves jumping over a bull by grabbing its horns"

"Really? Is that even possible with such heavy armor?" Vox asked in amazement.

"The bull does most of the work" Lucifer replied. "Besides, normally an athlete can be thrown over the bull’s body. The weight of the armor is what allowed Adam to land on its back"

The spectators weren’t the only ones stunned, so were the gladiators. "What the fuck... how did he do that?!" Angel exclaimed. "Pen, tell us! You're the smart one of the group!"

"I... I don't know! I've never seen anything like it!" Pentious murmured, more confused than ever.

"You think he’ll teach me if I ask him?" Cherri asked, slightly intrigued.

Vaggie was completely speechless; unlike the others, she hadn't constantly kept her eyes on Adam, far more worried about her sister’s fate. So the moment he threw her aside, her gaze had fixed on Lute instead, and she’d even cursed her a little for stopping instead of running. But out of the corner of her eye, she had still witnessed the scene. In Britannia, she had heard tales of men grabbing deer by the antlers, but she had always dismissed them as exaggerations; this was the first time she had seen someone leap onto an animal like that, an animal at least three times the size of a deer, no less. For a moment, she wondered if this was even humanly possible or if a god was helping him.

Lute, too, was frozen in place, especially when she saw Adam tear through the bull's neck with just the strength of his fingers. She had struck it with a sword and barely managed to pierce the muscles, yet he, using only the metal plates of his gauntlets, had it bleeding profusely. The bull was thrashing violently, and yet Adam wasn’t letting it go. He didn’t move an inch. Lute instinctively grabbed her right arm, the one she had used to swing the sword just moments earlier, and could still feel the muscles burning from the effort it had taken just to drive the blade a little into the bull’s flesh. An effort that Adam didn’t even seem to register, as he continued to increase the strength of his grip.

Lute found herself gritting her teeth as she looked at the satisfied expression on the lanista's face. It was something different from the usual, different even from Taurus. It was something more primitive and beastly, a bloodlust that had gone unfulfilled for far too long. Suddenly, she understood why that man had once been the emperor's right hand, and why all of Rome admired him: there wasn’t a single trace of hesitation or uncertainty in his eyes, only the will to kill the enemy, paired with a sadistic grin that could probably terrify anyone.

Lute felt her pride burn. She already knew that Adam had been going easy on her, Vaggie, and even the other gladiators. But she had never truly realized how vast the gap between them was. She had assumed she was starting to reach his level, but that illusion had now been shattered. Just how much had he held back during their training...?

Yet despite her shock, she forced herself to think clearly. Adam probably planned to continue strangling the bull until its throat was completely torn out, but Lute could see that the wound in his side was opening wider and wider; with all the violent movements, the tension of his muscles alone was tearing the skin apart. Adam was clenching his teeth to ignore it, but if he opened it too wide, the blood loss could be a serious problem.

Lute didn’t know if Adam was overestimating himself, or if he knew his limits well enough to know when to end it, but she didn’t want to wait to find out. She had to do something to help him, even if he had told her to leave. After all, no warrior let another die before repaying a debt, and if Adam lost against the bull, it would turn on her. Yes, those were her reasons.

She ran to the axe stuck in the ground and pulled it out with an effort; the weapon was extremely heavy, perhaps even heavier than the gladiator shield she fought with. She picked it up and was tempted to use it to get closer to the bull and drive it into its body, but she wasn't sure she could get a good blow in before the animal hit her with its hooves. So instead she made a move that cost her a fair bit of effort, but it did the trick: she raised the axe and threw it straight at the bull.

The weapon stuck in one of its legs, making the animal moo, losing its balance and falling to the ground on its side; Adam, on the other hand, released the beast and jumped back to the ground, using his axe as a counterweight to move in time to avoid being crushed by the animal. By now, the bull was in a far worse state than he was: its neck and shoulders were full of bleeding gashes, and its muscles and tendons had been so shredded that the animal could no longer lift its head or properly move its front legs.

And yet, the bull still refused to give up. Instead of collapsing or even backing away, it kept snorting and drooling desperately, only worsening its own injuries. It was even spitting, and Adam noticed something: some of the animal’s saliva was strangely milky white, not a natural color. “What the...?”

He was forced to cut off his thoughts as the bull turned and tried to kick him. “Okay… reflections later” he thought as he dodged. “Now what?”

By this point, the bull couldn’t charge anymore, and Adam, even if injured, could still run. If he simply fled far enough away, the archers would finish it off. He knew they were already in position and just waiting for him to move out of the way to avoid hitting him. He could’ve just ended it there and called it a day.

However, even though he knew that would’ve been the logical choice, he didn’t move. He didn’t want to run away... not now, not when he was finally starting to enjoy himself. He had been away from battle for far too long. "Fuck, I missed this!" he screamed with a laugh.

And besides, he wasn’t about to give the dear emperor the pleasure of killing that bull with damn arrows. That was his prey, and he wasn’t giving it up. He didn’t want to owe Lucifer anything. "This is my prey" he decided. "And a lion does not share his kill!"

He took up his trusty axe once more, and this time it was he who charged, staying well away from the still-active hind legs and aiming instead for the front ones, now slowed down by injury. With a roar, he struck the bull’s right leg with all his strength, shattering the bone; the bull buckled and collapsed to the ground, unable to hold its weight any longer. But instead of lying on its belly to protect its vital organs, the beast spun and kept kicking wildly into the air. "It’s like its muscles are moving on their own..." Adam thought, a bit stunned.

Still, it was already over: now that it couldn’t charge, the bull had no hope. Its massive size now only made it an easier target. Adam moved again with the axe, striking each of its limbs in turn, breaking them one by one until the animal was left completely defenseless. Yet it still thrashed, trembling violently, moving its head to try to gore him. "Damn, buddy, you've really got some issues in your mind..."

And with that final thought, Adam stepped up to the beast’s head and drove the axe into its skull. The bull continued to twitch even with the axe buried in its brain, but after barely a minute, it stopped moving entirely. Whatever had happened to it, it had still been a mortal creature.

Adam finally let out a cry of victory. Gods, he’d almost forgotten how good it felt to take a life. It reminded him of being young again, back in that forest clearing with the wild boars, when he and Lucifer had...

He shook his head with a grunt, not wanting to remember those moments. They belonged to another life, he reminded himself.

Having cooled his euphoria, he ignored the applause and cheers of the crowd and looked down at his wound. Now that the adrenaline was fading, the pain was returning; he couldn’t suppress a grunt as he touched it and felt it burn. He tried to wrap it more tightly with his cloak, but smaller, feminine hands beat him to it, fastening the bandage more securely. "Good thing Husk is here" Lute said to him. "Come on, let’s go to him, he’ll patch you up"

"Ugh… so you do care about me?" Adam said with a smirk.

Lute gave an annoyed huff. "You saved my life, after all, I'm not that ungrateful! Now move!" she shouted, dragging him away. "And... thanks"

"What, are you able to thank me? Did you hit your head, or did you finally realize how amazing I am?" Adam teased her.

Lute was tempted to leave him there and say to him to go fuck himself, but she held back. "I told you to move!" she said, tugging on his arm, forcing him to walk.

Watching them go away, Lucifer allowed himself a slight smile. "You haven’t lost your touch" he murmured to Adam, even knowing he couldn’t hear him.

Lilith was still shaken, though beginning to recover. Charlie, meanwhile, still had a hand clutching her dress at her chest... though strangely not over her heart, but a bit lower, just beneath her throat. "Thank you" she whispered, probably to the gods above, for averting a disaster.

Vox was clenching his fists. “Did I see that right!? That man really killed a bull by himself!?”

“You say that like you’re disappointed” Zestial said to him.

Vox narrowed his eyes. “Don’t accuse me of such pettiness. I’m just shocked, that’s all. How many people do you know who can kill a bull alone? And if he hadn’t tried to protect his gladiator, he wouldn’t even be wounded!”

“Enough talking” Lucifer ordered them both. “You’re annoying me. Speak only if you have something useful to say”

“Yes” they both replied, immediately felt silent to not disturb their emperor.

Some minutes passed, and then Zestial was approached by a pair of his attendants, who whispered something in his ear. He listened, then he said: “I’ve been informed of what happened”

Lucifer instantly became attentive. “Explain”

“Apparently, no one is responsible for this incident. The bull broke free on its own” Zestial explained. “The animal had started getting very sick during the earlier matches. The slaves thought it was just a weakness, since it couldn’t even stand, so they didn’t call the guards to tie it down. But suddenly, the bull stood up again and with tripled strength broke through the enclosure, killed several slaves, and escaped”

Lucifer narrowed his eyes suspiciously and exchanged a quick glance with Lilith; the two of them understood each other perfectly even without saying a word. After that brief connection, Lucifer’s expression went blank again. “If that’s the case, then perhaps it was the will of the gods?”

“Maybe it’s a sign” Vox proposed. “The bull is a symbol of Neptune (⁵). Perhaps it means Rome will face a powerful enemy from the sea, one that will seem invincible, but just like the bull, will be defeated”

“Nonsense. Bulls are also symbols of Jupiter (⁶)” Zestial countered. “It means Jupiter intends to make us suffer trials, but will ultimately grant us victory, just as he did for the Achaeans before the walls of Troy (⁷)”

Lucifer tapped his fingers lightly on his throne to regain their attention. “To appease the wrath of the gods and calm the people, send someone immediately to retrieve the bull’s carcass and have it sacrificed with full honors. After this day is done, contact the temple priests and the best oracles, and ask them to interpret this omen. I will also ask my mother, who is old, and as is well known, the elderly are wise and better understand the gods’ will (⁸)”

“Wise decision” both Zestial and Vox said, fully approving.

Lucifer was satisfied to have silenced them; he knew that if he let them speculate on the gods’ intent, they’d only risk spreading baseless rumors. Now that calm had been restored, he settled comfortably back into his seat, watching Adam vanish into the tunnels of the amphitheater amid roaring applause. “You still manage to surprise everyone, old friend” he thought.

Chapter Text

As soon as Adam had reached the gladiators, Angel and Cherri hurried to support him and help him sit down, while Husk already had the medical supplies ready. “Holy shit, that was the most epic thing I’ve ever seen!” Angel exclaimed with a wide grin. “At some point, I actually expected you to take that bull down with your bare hands!”

“I don’t think I could’ve do that, but that’s the version I’ll tell” Adam said with a satisfied laugh.

“I can’t believe he did it! Did you see that? Did you see what he did!?” Pentious was screaming like a crazed goose. “You saw it, right? You saw it!?”

“Did he hit his head while I was gone, or is squawking like a hen in heat just his default setting?” Adam grumbled.

“He’s just excited” Angel replied, then he started clapping his hands loudly: “Anyway, how do you even do that move? Will you teach me? Huh? Huh?”

Adam rolled his eyes. “Why do I even bother asking…” he muttered to himself, disappointed by the behavior of his gladiators. “Husk, come here, hurry up and stitch me. I need to talk to someone, and I want to do it as soon as possible”

The medic immediately got to work, quickly disinfecting and stitching the wound. Despite the needle going through his flesh, Adam didn’t complain once, a sign that he had clearly been through this kind of procedure many times before. He only let out a few annoyed grunts, more from the gladiators’ questions than from the pain.

Lute had moved off to the side, watching the scene with her usual scornful expression, though deep down she, too, wanted to know how Adam had managed to move like that, though she wouldn’t have asked even under torture. She wondered if that man truly had supernatural powers or was the son of some deity, because otherwise she couldn’t comprehend how he had managed to leap onto a charging bull while wearing full armor and carrying an axe on his back. If she had tried it, she was certain she would’ve ended up in the afterlife within seconds.

And then, that gaze… Lute found herself shivering at the memory of that man’s expression. For a moment, he had seemed even worse than the bull. Those razor-sharp eyes, that satisfied smile tasting blood, that hunger painted on his face... it was as if he were in his natural habitat, as if impossible challenges were his daily bread.

“What kind of man are you…?” she found herself thinking, though of course she received no answer.

Her thoughts were interrupted when two arms suddenly grabbed her and squeezed tightly. Lute turned at once and realized it was Vaggie hugging her. She felt the impulse to tell her to let go and maintain a little dignity, but then she remembered she had just nearly died, and her sister had probably seen her crushed under the bull’s hooves before Adam saved her. Just for that she allowed it, though after a few seconds she still said: “That’s enough, I’m fine”

Vaggie lifted her head and gave her a scolding look. “For fuck’s sake, can’t I even hug my sister after she’s been one step from death?” she snapped, and seemed just barely able to stop herself from calling her a bitch.

“I’m still in one piece” Lute pointed out. “I didn’t die”

Vaggie shook her head in frustration. Damn, sometimes Lute just didn’t get it. “Make sure you stay that way” she said, finally releasing the hug. “And you should thank Adam. He saved your life”

“I already did” Lute replied. Well, it wasn’t exactly a thank you, but that was the idea. She had no intention of offering any more praise to that man, knowing full well he’d revel in it.

Vaggie raised a suspicious eyebrow. “Really?” she asked, clearly not believing her.

Lute’s eyelid twitched in irritation. “I do know how to express gratitude, you know!?” she snapped.

Vaggie seemed more likely to believe the sun was black and the sky was dark, but she didn’t argue. “In that case, I should thank him too” she said instead, then she turned to Adam. “Hey… thanks for saving my sister. We really owe you that... no, we owe you everything”

Adam, as usual when they weren’t in the training yard, put on a smug expression. “Tsk! No need to thank me. You know that fighting monsters and rescuing damsels in distress is what heroes do best”

“A bull definitely doesn’t count as a monster, you don’t even remotely look like a hero, and most of all I’m not a damsel in distress!” Lute protested.

Adam burst out laughing. Damn it, he’d said that exactly to poke her where it hurt most: her pride. “Come on now, Ubera Sicarius, you won’t call me a hero? I know more than a few girls who dream of being carried like princesses while a man fights for them”

“I’m not one of those girls, and besides, you carried me like I was a sack” Lute retorted. “And it was truly a mystical experience being tossed around like that”

Adam’s grin only widened at her words. “You know, you really have a unique way of showing gratitude. It’s like you're saying ‘I hope you die’ all the time”

“It’s a natural gift” Lute replied with a wicked little smirk.

“If now they kiss, I’m gonna puke” Pentious muttered.

Lute turned red as a mature apple: “What the...!? How can you even think that!?”

“Ahahaha! Genius, Pen, I love you!” Angel laughed heartily, almost toppling over, and the other gladiators erupted in loud, collective laughter. “That’s exactly why we need a Greek, you always have the best ideas!”

“I’m about to murder you all!” Lute growled.

“Oh, come on, is it that terrible?” Adam asked wickedly. “I wouldn’t mind”

Lute was crimson. “Shut your mouth!”

“Why? Don’t tell me you’ve never kissed anyone before!” Adam teased. He clearly wasn’t serious, he just loved getting under her skin. “Oh shit, you really haven’t!”

“Yes! So what? I don’t know how things work for you degenerate Romans, but where I come from, girls remain chaste until marriage!” Lute replied furiously.

“Well, same for us” Cherri said. “But kissing doesn’t take your virginity, right?”

“It’s still dishonorable” Lute shot back.

“Are you really that strict in Britannia?” Cherri muttered, scratching the back of her head. Sure, Roman girls avoided overly open relationships with men, but many still kissed someone who wouldn’t end up being their husband, just to experience it. After all, a kiss was just a kiss. It didn’t risk staining a girl’s reputation, as long as she had the sense to stop there (¹). “Vaggie, have you ever kissed anyone?”

“Uh… no” Vaggie admitted honestly, but more because no one had ever interested her enough to want to kiss them than out of modesty. In fact, she never really liked boys much, even though her peers talked about them like they were the best thing in the world.

“Wow, I knew you were both virgins, but I didn’t think it went this far” Adam laughed. “Want me to help fix that, at least a little?”

“I’d rather stay alone forever” Lute replied. “I’d rather die never having had a kiss than receive one from you, you pig!”

“No, you wouldn’t. But you’ll surely die before you admit it” Adam said, and no one could argue with him: if there was one thing Lute excelled at, it was being stubborn.

Lute let out an exasperated huff. “If you know that, stop making indecent requests”

“As you wish. No more kissing requests” Adam said, then raised his right hand: “Can you at least hold my hand until this rough and brutish medic is done stitching me up so painfully?”

“I’m right here” Husk reminded him without even looking up.

Lute was about to explode. “I’m about to hit an injured man!” she warned him.

Adam laughed even harder. “Seriously, are we at the point where even touching a man is a problem? Like, really…?”

Lute’s pride flared so hot that it incinerated all traces of shame left in her, and she grabbed the hand Adam had held out and squeezed it, as much as she could through his metal gloves. That action caused a mass silence, even from Adam, who looked more surprised than ever. “What? It’s what you wanted, right?” she said challengingly, even though her cheeks were reddening even more.

She expected a mocking comeback from Adam, but he didn’t say a word. On the contrary, almost as if he understood how uncomfortable she felt, but also that she’d never pull her hand away before Husk finished, he closed his fingers gently around her palm to help her hide the slight trembling, making sure not to hurt her with the metal covering his hand (²). The other gladiators, including Vaggie, were about to laugh, but stopped themselves when they saw Lute looked ready to tear to pieces whoever dared make a sound.

There were a few moments of silence, broken only by the sounds Husk made as he tended to the wound, and then the rhythmic sound of quick footsteps announced someone's arrival; it was Peter, whose whereabouts, up until that moment, only Adam had known. He approached and immediately addressed his master: “Master…” he began, but stopped confused as soon as he noticed the way Lute was holding his hand.

“Ignore that” Adam ordered him before he could ask any questions, preferring to keep his servant alive. “What is it?”

Peter cleared his throat: “Ahem! The emperor invites you to return to the arena once your wound has been treated. He wishes to offer you all the deserved honors and thanks for...”

“Is that an order?” Adam interrupted curtly.

Peter shook his head: “No, master, it’s an invitation”

“Then go tell him I’m not interested (³)” Adam cut him off.

The gladiators looked at him, surprised and confused. Adam was by no means a modest man, and it was the first time they had seen him reject praise. Moreover, they couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t take credit for a victory that would be remembered as one of the most valiant feats in Rome. “But, magister…” Pentious tried to protest.

Adam stopped them all at once: “I don’t accept thanks I don’t deserve. A thank you is owed when someone does you a favor. I didn’t act to do the emperor a favor, I acted to save one of my gladiators. I have no reason to expect anything in return when I didn’t actually do anything for him” he explained to them, then he turned to Peter: “Go tell the emperor that, and add that I’ll be satisfied if he sends compensation to the Ludus for what happened”

Peter nodded, then left immediately. Unlike the others, he didn’t even seem all that surprised by his master’s decision, as if it wasn’t the first time he’d behaved this way. The gladiators remained silent, not contradicting their magister, but still looking confused. Especially Vaggie, who even though she had only known Adam for six months and was sure she had figured him out pretty well, still couldn’t understand why he didn’t want to be praised when he clearly deserved it.

But maybe Lute did. Lute found herself thinking she might understand Adam’s reasons, and strangely enough, she even found herself agreeing with them. She didn’t know exactly what had happened between him and the emperor, or if the story about the stolen wife was true or if there was something else behind it, but either way, it was clear that Adam had no intention of letting go of his wrath towards him. Accepting thanks from the emperor would mean admitting he had just done him a favor, and thus silently agreeing to put the resentment between them aside, and Adam didn’t want that. He preferred to reject any potential reward rather than give the emperor the impression that reconciliation was even possible (⁴).

After all, Adam didn’t need a laurel crown (⁵). He already knew he had accomplished an incredible feat, and all of Rome had seen it. He wouldn’t lose anything by refusing. On the contrary, turning down a reward was yet another slap in the face to his enemy, the emperor.

Lute honestly approved. She still didn’t fully understand the meaning of that strange passive resistance, since she was a more direct person who preferred to settle scores immediately, but she had now been in Rome long enough to understand how things worked. It was a way of opposing an offense and humiliating the emperor, since the whole people would know that such a valiant warrior refused even to receive gifts from him.

Incredibly, Peter didn’t return, a sign that the emperor had indeed passively accepted Adam’s decision and hadn’t tried to insist or even order him to come out into the arena and be praised. Adam remained seated until Husk had completely bandaged the wound, and then finally stood up, letting go of Lute’s hand, which, lost as she had been in her thoughts, she had almost forgotten she was still holding. She blushed and pulled her hand away at once, with an almost disgusted gesture (as usual, really). “Mh, perfect” Adam said as he adjusted his armor. “I’m off, guys. Got some things to do. You stay here, if they call you up to reward you, go. And if I’m still not back by then, head back to the Ludus. I’ll have Peter bring you some money so you can enjoy yourselves tonight”

“Hey, wait! Where are you going?” Angel asked him.

“Don’t move that wound too much or it’ll open again!” Husk scolded him.

Adam dismissed them all with a wave of his hand: “Told you, I’ve got stuff to do. Bye!” And with that, he quickly walked off down the corridors.

The gladiators looked at each other, confused by that swift and unexplained departure. “What’s gotten into him?” they wondered.

"Do you want to know who fed that bull?"

Adam was in the beast pens, standing before what used to be the bull’s enclosure, now shattered. Around it, several corpses were being gathered and carried away. The head of the guards had been caught off guard by his presence, and more so by his demands. “Also who usually looked after it, washed it, brought it water. Everything” Adam replied.

“Sir, the slaves did everything” the head of the guards answered. “And as you can see, they’re dead…”

“You want me to believe you didn’t keep track of their movements?” Adam growled. “What kind of shitty guard are you?”

The head of the guards scowled. “Sir, I ask you not to speak to me that way, or I will be forced to…!”

Adam raised his right arm and slammed him against the wall, producing a loud echo that rang through the corridor and made several people turn their heads. “You want to go against me, boy?” he asked, staring into his eyes. “You think you’re tougher than a bull?”

The guard began to sweat. “Please, sir… you're injured…”

“Injured? If that’s what you call this, then you’ve never set foot in the scorched lands of the Parthians. You should try, they are really beautiful in this time of the year” Adam said. “I, on the contrary, heve been there, and sometimes I still go there for tourism (⁶). So believe me when I say this is a harmless scratch to me. I’m not afraid of smashing you to pieces just because I took a horn to the side. So now either you tell me what I want to know, or I’ll make you tell me. Your choice”

The head of the guards swallowed hard, crushed by the sheer presence of the man before him. But before the situation could escalate further, a female voice said: “Do as he says”

Adam turned his head slightly and let out a sigh when he saw a tall woman behind him, her face mostly hidden beneath a hood, but her golden hair was unmistakable. “Right away, Empress” the guard stammered quickly and rushed off to fetch the requested information.

Adam snorted as he watched him flee with such little dignity, but he didn’t care. What mattered was getting what he wanted. “Ave, Lilith” he greeted the empress.

“I see you’re as thrilled to see me as ever” she said sarcastically.

“You have no idea” Adam replied bitterly. “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be up in the royal tribune with your husband and daughter?”

“Yes, but I figured I’d find you here. Lucifer and I have reached the same conclusion you did” Lilith said, crossing her arms. “You think that bull was poisoned with something that drove it mad, don’t you?”

Adam let out a sharp exhale. “It certainly wasn’t acting normal” he replied. “So either the gods possessed it to kill my gladiator, in which case I need to sell her again quickly before I draw their wrath on me, or someone made it go mad with some kind of madness-inducing poison, and I need to find out who and why they wanted one of my soldiers dead”

“Maybe your gladiator wasn’t the real target” Lilith suggested. “Anyone who knows you knows you don’t abandon your soldiers, whether they’re legionaires or slaves. They knew you’d intervene and fight the beast”

“You’re saying someone tried to kill me?” Adam asked rhetorically, but tension still edged his voice. “Ridiculous. No one has tried that in years. They know better than to come after me”

“But Vox might have decided letting you live is too dangerous" Lilith said calmly.

“Vox knows I have no interest in serving the Emperor” Adam replied. “He’s not stupid and would never give me a reason to turn on him. He knows the best course is to maintain the silent truce between us”

“But in such a delicate moment, even someone as careful as him might’ve changed his mind” Lilith pressed.

Adam fell silent for a moment. “Delicate moment...?”

Lilith nodded. “Things are more tense than ever. In the Senate, they’re ready to tear each other apart” she explained. “Lucifer plans to use the Parthian situation to force Vox into transferring part of his armies to Zestial, reducing his power. At the same time, we suspect Vox is stirring up trouble in Britannia, reports of revolts keep coming in, and strange rumors are spreading...”

“Rumors, hmm?” Adam said. “What kind of rumors?”

“Apparently someone is leading the rebels in Britannia, a man with a constant wicked smile” Lilith replied. “They say he’s a druid, and that he uses magic to lure Roman troops into traps”

“Nonsense” Adam snorted. “If this smiling man really had magic or divine help, why not use it directly against the Roman army instead of setting traps? He’s clearly just a regular man using cheap tricks”

“Lucifer thinks the same” Lilith said. “But rumors are enough to demoralize troops, and with all these uprisings, things are only getting worse. We believe Vox has caught on to Lucifer’s intent and has bribed soldiers in Britannia to commit atrocities, provoking the locals to resist and giving himself a reason to keep the troops there. I don’t know if this smiling druid is Vox’s invention or a real person fighting for his people, but either way, it benefits him”

“All very interesting” Adam muttered. “But I fail to see how any of this is my problem”

“Don’t play dumb, you already know” Lilith scolded him. “If you returned to the Senate and volunteered to take charge of Britannia, morale would immediately return, and Vox would lose his excuse to retain power. In fact, if you returned, you could easily gain control of a large part of the army. With your fame and charisma rallying the soldiers, and Lucifer identifying the corrupt centurions, Vox’s power would crumble”

“So you think he tried to kill me? Is that what you’re saying?” Adam asked in a flat tone. “It would make sense, but that’s not like him. Vox doesn’t risk making enemies unless he’s sure he can defeat them if the assassination fails. And he knows I don’t fall into that category. He wouldn’t be so stupid”

“But someone under him might be” Lilith pointed out. “Vox would certainly reward anyone who brought him the head of someone he despises. Maybe a senator wanted to impress him”

Adam let out a deep grunt. “Years of saying I was done with all this, and they still keep trying to drag me back in” he grumbled more to himself than to her. “Well, whoever’s behind this, I’ll find them”

“And then?” Lilith asked. “You can’t take justice into your own hands if your enemy is powerful”

“We’ll see about that” Adam replied. “And anyway, I just want a little chat. Just to make it clear I don’t intend to get involved in their political games ever again”

“Or you could put yourself in a position where eliminating you becomes impossible… by returning to the Senate” Lilith said.

Adam shot her a glare. “I said I’m not getting involved in political games again” he repeated.

Lilith lowered her gaze, disheartened. “Adam, please. Did you even hear what I told you? With you at his side, Lucifer could finally regain full control and cleanse the rot. You two were unbeatable in your time. Won’t you at least do it for Rome?”

“I’ve made my choice, and I’ll never again do favors for Rome, much less for the Emperor” Adam replied. “I’ve spilled enough blood and made enough widows and orphans for your cause. I’m done with this shit”

Lilith’s face was a mix of sadness and resignation. “You once believed Rome could be great again, ruled by ancient and honorable principles” she reminded him. “Don’t you want to help make that real?”

“I used to believe in a lot of nonsense” Adam replied sharply. “The age of the honorable Rome is over. The corrupt rule it now”

“We can fix it, if we work together” Lilith insisted.

Adam didn’t budge. “Is it an order?” he asked coldly.

Lilith sighed. “Adam…”

“Is it an order?” he asked again.

Lilith shook her head. “No… no, it’s just a request”

“Then the answer is no” Adam said bluntly. “This conversation is over”

Lilith fell silent. Her expression showed she had expected that answer. At that moment, the head of the guards returned, holding a scroll. “I’ve written down the names of all the slaves involved, who bought them, what the bull was fed, where the food is regularly purchased, and the slaves’ movements from the past month” he explained, handing it to Adam. “Everything you might need is in here”

“Good. From here on, I’ll handle this myself” Adam said, taking the scroll. He turned again toward the empress and gave her a scornful look. “I’d like to say it’s been a pleasure, Lilith… but it never is”

Lilith didn’t react to the provocation. “The choices of your life are yours alone, Adam” she said. “But don’t forget that Achilles lost the one he loved most because he couldn’t let go of his wrath towards Agamemnon (⁷)”

Adam simply shrugged. “Then I’m in no danger. I’ve got no one left to love”

And with that, he walked away quickly without another word. Lilith remained alone in the dark stables, then she pulled her hood a little tighter to better hide her face and left as well.

Chapter Text

After the games had ended, the imperial family returned to their villa. Fortunately, the bull incident had been resolved in the best possible way: the people had enjoyed themselves, the gods had received a great sacrifice, and ultimately, nothing serious had happened. Lucifer had taken part in the final celebrations of the Ludi Apollinares, and then, when the sun finally set and marked the official end of the festivities, he was able to withdraw and return to the comfort and, above all, the privacy of his beloved home.

As soon as they returned, he and Lilith went to Sera’s quarters to speak to her about what had happened; they knew it wasn’t worth trying to hide it from her, since the slaves would surely tell her sooner or later, and besides, her counsel could truly be useful. The moment she saw them, the elderly lady immediately dismissed the servants, having already understood that there were important matters to discuss. She listened attentively to their words, barely speaking until they had finished. “So you believe the bull was poisoned?” she finally asked.

“We suspected it even before, and Adam confirmed it for us” Lucifer replied. “There’s no doubt someone was behind this incident”

Sera took a glass full of wine and brought it to her lips, sipping it slowly as she always did when thinking. Then she said: “Regardless of what the oracle and the priests declare, you must spread this version in Rome: that with this event, the gods wished to reaffirm the glory of the Empire, because the man armored like a general triumphed over the terrible beast, just as our soldiers always triumph over barbarian peoples, no matter how fierce they are”

Lucifer nodded. In this way, what had been an unfortunate incident (and possibly an assassination attempt) would instead become a tool for propaganda, as Rome would believe it all happened because the gods wanted to show their approval of his reign and prove they were still on his side. “Seems like a good idea, yes” he agreed.

Sera continued sipping her wine. “Do you have any idea who might have ordered this assassination?”

“At first, we thought of Vox” Lucifer answered.

“That would make sense. Killing Rome’s greatest warrior and a potential ally of yours would be a clever move for him” Sera commented, though she didn’t seem entirely convinced.

“But Adam doesn’t believe it was him” Lilith interjected. “And neither do I. Vox is always very careful with his actions. Even if using a bull to kill an opponent might seem like the perfect, untraceable murder, it’s actually quite problematic, and there are breadcrumbs that could reveal the culprit’s identity. Vox wouldn’t use such a trick unless he was absolutely certain he’d come out clean”

Sera remained expressionless, swirling her wine slightly as she observed its contents. “Adam is right” she finally said. “I don’t believe Vox is behind this”

“I was sure you’d think so too” Lucifer said. “I’m convinced the mastermind was just one of his affiliates, hoping to gain a reward by eliminating a potential enemy of the second consul”

“Or at least someone who sympathizes with Vox” Lilith added. “Anyone who understands Rome’s political situation knows how delicate this moment is. We should have ordered the matter to be kept more secret; that way, it would have been easier to identify the culprit”

“It would’ve been pointless” Lucifer said with a sigh. “Too many people would have needed to stay silent. Any guard, servant, slave, distant relative... there was no way to prevent a leak. And the Parthian advance isn’t exactly easy to hide, and anyone with half a brain could piece things together and figure out what’s going on in the Senate”

Sera drummed her fingers lightly on the glass, drawing their attention. “What’s done is done” she said simply. “However, regardless of who’s truly responsible for the incident, this at least proves that Vox is beginning to feel the heat”

“Probably” Lucifer agreed. “He must have shown signs of tension, and so his affiliates decided to act and get Adam out of the way. His death would have at least brought them joy”

Sera ignored that entire discussion, interested only in the confirmation her son had just given her. “So I must deduce that things are going well in the Senate?”

Lucifer and Lilith weren’t surprised by the question. Typical of Sera: she didn’t care who tried to kill whom, only about how those actions could affect the rest of the Empire. She hadn’t become the former empress solely because of the man she married. “Yes, for the moment we’re making good progress. We’re backing Vox into a corner” Lucifer answered. “Using the Parthian advance as an excuse, Zestial will soon ask him for troops. We’ll take advantage of that request and the ensuing war to eliminate commanders loyal to Vox and replace them with Zestial’s men, so that the soldiers remain under his command even afterward”

“And Vox will agree to this?” Sera asked.

“If he agrees, he loses part of his troops and becomes vulnerable. If he refuses, I’ll accuse him of opposing the safety of Rome and I'll destroy him politically” Lucifer replied confidently. “I doubt he’ll choose the second option, it would be too great a dishonor even for someone in his position. He’d lose all credibility and be crushed immediately (¹)”

“He could try to buy time” Sera pointed out. “Sooner or later, Zestial will have to push back against the Parthians, he can’t stay on the defensive forever. If Vox were to refuse to attend Senate sessions by pretending to be ill, he could stall long enough to force your hand before handing over the troops”

“We’ve already considered that” Lilith said. “The path we opened to the Parthians doesn’t go through inhabited lands, and the few cities in the area are fortified. With only light resistance from our troops, it will take months before they become a threat to the people of Judea or Anatolia (²)”

Sera seemed satisfied with that answer. If the enemy army would take so long to reach inhabited lands, then Vox wouldn’t be able to use any excuses to buy enough time. Sooner or later, he would be forced to give in, or risk being accused of cowardice (or worse, of treason) and lose all support in Rome. “You’ve thought of everything, I see” Sera commented. “But if that's the case, can I know is that bloodsucking deceiver still sitting in his seat in the Senate?”

Lucifer bit his lip, realizing that his mother had raised her eyebrows as she always did when she was irritated. So it was Lilith who answered for him: “Zestial hasn’t requested the troops yet because he suspects Vox would use the unrest in Britannia as an excuse to refuse”

Sera’s eyes narrowed further. “You mean that mysterious smiling druid who terrifies our glorious Roman soldiers so much?”

“He’s actually much less of a threat than he seems” Lilith said. “But Vox can still use his frightening reputation and the British rebels as a pretext to keep his troops, or at least hand over a smaller number of them to Zestial”

"We suspect he’s bribing the officers stationed in Britannia so they won’t respond efficiently, thus stirring dissent among the population" Lucifer added. "I’m conducting an investigation. If I can find even one person willing to testify, I can disgrace Vox and force him to fulfill his duty to the homeland..."

"And in the meantime, he’ll have found another scheme to save himself" Sera said, her voice laced with bitterness. "Why don’t you just send a worthy commander and have him take care of this druid who’s leading the rebels?"

Lucifer bit his lip. "I don’t have one at the moment. All the best commanders are already defending the provinces, in Germania or Africa..."

"There is one" Sera hissed. "What are you waiting for to send him?"

"Adam no longer fights for me, and you know it" Lucifer replied.

"Then order him!" Sera exclaimed, with far more emphasis this time. "Send a herald to his house immediately and order him before many witnesses to take up arms, unless he wants to be accused of treason against Rome!"

"I have no intention of forcing him" Lucifer said.

Sera raised the hand holding her wine glass and hurled it at her son’s face, but of course he dodged it effortlessly. In fact, the elderly woman practically hurt herself, rubbing her arm afterward, no longer having the age for such sudden gestures. But even so, her eyes remained ablaze. "Now you play the moralist, you foolish son!?" she roared. "What is it, you think that by letting that man alone he’ll forgive you!? That your conscience will somehow be cleansed!? That chance is gone, so stop holding back from using your power! You are the emperor of Rome, if you order him, your best warrior will go to war!"

"I don’t want to give Adam more reasons to hate me" Lucifer replied, not meeting his mother’s eyes. "I already have enough enemies in this empire, I don’t need another. My decision is final"

Sera looked like she was about to slam her fist on the table, but she held back to avoid hurting herself. "If your father could see you now..." she growled through clenched teeth.

Lucifer didn’t react to the provocation, and Sera knew she wouldn’t be able to change his mind. Even if he sometimes seemed a bit malleable, he was adamant when it came to his decisions. He wouldn’t have been able to govern such a vast empire otherwise. "Mother, I’ll find someone who can go to Britannia and fix the situation. I would go myself..."

"You can’t" Sera cut him off immediately. "You’re an emperor with no male heirs, you can’t risk dying in battle! Do you want your mother, your wife, and your daughter to be left without a man to protect them? (³)". She shot a glare at Lilith: "Of course, you could do it if someone here managed to give you a son!"

Lilith was no stranger to those barbs: Sera wasn’t the only one who blamed her for being unable to give Lucifer an heir, thus guaranteeing the future of the family and the dynasty. Having a son who could one day take his father’s place as emperor would allow Lucifer to go to war himself, knowing that if he died, the empire wouldn’t collapse into chaos as it had before his father took power. Yet, despite making love as often as they could, Lilith hadn’t gotten pregnant again after Charlie. "I assure you, we’re trying" she said nonetheless.

"It doesn’t matter, you never will be succesfull. I tried everything to appease Juno’s wrath (⁴), but she’s always remained deaf to my prayers and sacrifices" Sera said acidly. "Instead of wasting time, find a good husband for my granddaughter!"

Lilith knew exactly what her mother-in-law was referring to: all of Rome believed she had been cursed by Juno, goddess of marriage and childbirth, so she could never give her husband an heir, as punishment for evading marital duties long ago. Divorce was entirely legal in Rome (⁵), but it still followed a process and required the consent of both spouses. Faking her husband’s death to legitimize a daughter born from an affair didn’t exactly qualify as that. It was no surprise, then, that gossip said that the goddess of marriage was determined to make her pay. Lilith, honestly, believed it a little herself; but even so, she wasn’t about to let her mother-in-law walk all over her. "We’ll marry Charlie off when the time is right"

"She’s been of marriageable age for three years! (⁶)" Sera protested. "What are you going to do, let her stay alone her whole life!? Have you thought about what would happen to her if Lucifer were to catch a deadly disease and die? You both know the senators would sell her to the highest bidder! She’s the emperor’s only daughter, which makes her a target! If she’s already married, at least you’ll avoid her falling into the hands of some power-hungry man three times her age!"

"I promised my daughter I’d let her marry someone she chose" Lucifer said.

Sera rolled her eyes in exasperation. "What a foolish promise. If the daughters of emperors could marry whoever they wanted, Rome would be ruled by dark-eyed outlaws and muscle-headed gladiators"

"Charlie can choose" Lilith replied, narrowing her eyes. "She has judgment when she wants to"

Sera’s fingers clenched so tightly that her old knuckles cracked. “My dearest daughter-in-law, if only you had died in childbirth, or if your husband had been overtaken by rage and killed you after your betrayal!” she said, her voice dripping with venom. “At least that way my son could have remarried a woman who wouldn’t bring him shame and would give him an heir! You can’t even raise your daughter properly, who is seventeen and still acts like she’s nine! And now you’re telling me she’s capable of choosing a husband without regretting it later? We both know that’s nonsense. The way you’ve raised her, that girl doesn’t have her head on straight! If you want to do something useful for her, stop clinging to ridiculous promises and find her a proper match, someone noble of heart who can support this family on the throne, so Charlie has a good man to rely on besides her father, and your husband can have a decent son-in-law to inherit the empire! Or, if you truly won’t do that, at least teach your daughter some common sense, which she clearly lacks, because if she had any, she would be the first to propose marriage herself!”

Lucifer had grown used to his mother’s comments about his wife over the years, since she had never approved of the way they had married, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to strangle her, or at least snap back. He was restrained by Lilith herself, who, without drawing attention, grabbed his arm under the table and squeezed tightly, signaling she didn’t want him to respond. Instead, she said: “My dearest mother-in-law, as I’ve told you before, how I raise my daughter is my concern. But in any case, I was not the one who promised Charlie she could marry someone of her own choosing. That promise came from my husband, the Emperor of Rome himself, and his word is law. And if I remember correctly, you, unlike me, were a so virtuous wife loved by Juno, and bore several children, and yet only my husband survived, while all his brothers were either killed in war or assassinated in their sleep. The gods made sure only he would live and take Rome’s throne, wiping out the rest of the bloodline. Doesn’t that suggest the gods favor his decisions? The gods approve of the method of succession Lucifer has chosen for Charlie, even if it’s unorthodox for an imperial family. So, unless you want to anger the gods, keep your mouth shut and stop saying things that might draw their wrath”

It was not hard to see that Sera saw red at her daughter-in-law’s words: her pupils briefly looked like flames, and gazing at her was like staring into the dark abyss of Tartarus. She was about to scream, but as her mouth opened, she gave a faint gasp and clutched her robe at the chest. Her head wavered, and both Lucifer and Lilith thought she was about to faint, but she managed to pull herself together, at least a little. “My poor heart can no longer handle so many emotions” she murmured more to herself than to them, then she fixed her gaze on Lilith again. “Cursed be the day I agreed to let you marry my son, you treacherous serpent. I should have let you die after childbirth instead of going to such lengths to save your life!”

Lilith remained impassive. “And for that gesture, I will always be grateful to you. But even so, I will raise my daughter however I see fit, always”

Sera hissed and rested her head on one hand. “Ugh, do as you wish. You clearly don’t care what I say” she growled, dismissing them with a wave of her hand.

Since she seemed to have given up, Lucifer and Lilith rose from their seats. “I suggest you rest, Mother” he said cordially, though the tone was clearly forced.

Sera shot him a venomous glare. “Lucifer, I’m warning you” she said through gritted teeth. “If you drag this family into ruin, to the point that the senators force my granddaughter to marry a man like Vox and place him on the throne, I will go to the public square, strip myself naked, and hang myself in front of everyone. I will make sure that for the next thousand years, you are remembered as the emperor who drove his mother to suicide. And even when I drift through the cold waters of the Acheron (⁷), I will curse your name for all eternity”

Lucifer clenched his fists and looked like he was about to reply, but once again, Lilith grabbed his arm to stop him. “Don’t worry. Charlie will never marry a man like that” she said.

“I hope so. I speak from experience when I say that there’s nothing worse than having in the family someone you end up hating” Sera replied, looking directly at her, making no effort to hide who she meant.

Lilith narrowed her eyes but didn’t respond. Instead, she tugged on her husband’s arm, urging him to leave, and they left Sera alone. As soon as they opened the door, they found themselves facing Charlie, who had obviously been waiting until that moment. "Are you finished talking?" she asked, a little hesitantly.

Lilith smiled at her: "Of course. Go see your grandmother, she needs your kindness"

Charlie nodded and entered, closing the door behind her. Once they were alone again, Lucifer could no longer hold back a growl. “Why do you stop me? I can’t stand the way she treats you!”

“Lucifer, you know she doesn’t speak that way out of malice” Lilith said patiently. “She’s just worried about you and our daughter, and you can’t deny her fears are somewhat justified”

"That’s no excuse to make such comments about her daughter-in-law!" Lucifer protested.

"It’s not worth making an enemy of your mother. She only wants what’s best for you, and you know it" Lilith said to him. "Lucifer, you know that what she says about me is what all of Rome thinks. I can handle it. Stop worrying about me"

Lucifer let out a deep sigh. "You’re definitely stronger than I am" he murmured. "To endure such insults..."

"We women are made to endure" Lilith said. "It’s in our nature"

"Then you women must be born with hearts far stronger and more resilient than those of us men" Lucifer replied.

Lilith smiled, slightly flattered. "Lucifer, your mother only wants what’s best for you, for Rome, and for Charlie as well. You can’t blame her for seeing me as an obstacle, it’s what I am. If only I could give you a son..."

"Don’t listen to her" Lucifer said. "You’re not cursed by Juno. The gods are angry with me, not with you. You have nothing to reproach yourself for"

Lilith sighed. "Lucifer, I doubt the gods would leave the empire without an heir. It’s clear that I’m the problem. I know you don’t like it, but have you considered...?"

"No" Lucifer interrupted firmly. "I will not take one of the slaves"

Lilith shook her head. After years of being unable to bear a male heir, she had once proposed a solution to Lucifer: take one of the slaves, get her pregnant, and then pretend the child was hers, thus legitimizing the heir. It was a solution she herself disliked, but she was willing to set aside her pride if it meant securing the empire’s future. "Lucifer, all great men have a mistress. You don’t need to fear offending me, I'm the one giving you permission..."

"I already told you no" Lucifer said, placing his hands on her shoulders and holding her tightly. "Lilith, I don’t need another woman. I only want you. You’ve helped me immensely in ruling this empire, I couldn’t have done it without you. I don’t need to be unfaithful to protect my position. We’ll have an heir, and if we can’t, then I’ll adopt someone (⁸). But I won’t have another woman besides you"

Lilith couldn’t help but feel happy, and she kissed her husband on the lips. It was not a chaste kiss; they explored each other’s mouths with real passion. But eventually she pulled away and looked at him intensely. "We need to talk about Charlie"

Lucifer sighed. "Don’t let my mother influence you..."

"Lucifer, stop ignoring the problem" Lilith scolded him. "We can debate whether Sera is right to resent me, but we can’t deny she’s right to worry about Charlie’s future. She’s a good girl, but it’s true she doesn’t have her head on straight yet. She’ll never choose a good husband like this, and as long as she’s alone, she’s in danger, especially in a time of political instability. You know the only reason Vox hasn’t yet tried to kill you and marry her is because he’s not sure he can control the Senate once he’s on the throne. I know it’s unpleasant to think about, but we have to consider the worst-case scenario, for our daughter’s sake. Otherwise, we don’t deserve to be parents"

Lucifer lowered his gaze. He suddenly looked exhausted. "And there are fools who envy me for this laurel crown..." he murmured faintly. "Don’t fear for our daughter’s future. Even if I die before defeating Vox, there will be someone to protect you"

"Lucifer, Adam won’t protect us. He hates me" Lilith said.

"No, he hates me" Lucifer corrected her. "He, the gods, they all hate me, not you. I’m the one who broke the oaths that bound us. Trust me, I know that man as well as I know myself: he will not let you and Charlie become pawns of some bastard. It’s not in his nature to break the oath that he made to my father, he would rather die than stain himself with such dishonor. If I’m no longer in the way, he’ll defend you without hesitation"

Lilith didn’t seem entirely convinced, but she didn’t insist. She knew her husband knew that man far better than she ever could. "I trust you. But we still need to do something for Charlie. We let her live carefree for seventeen years, now we at least have to teach her some common sense"

Lucifer wanted to object, as he loved his daughter just the way she was and adored still seeing her smile like a cheerful, cuddly child. But he couldn’t deny that she was now an adult and needed to start acting like one. "Alright... maybe you’re right"

Lilith was pleased to see her husband reasoning, something rare when it came to their precious daughter. "I’ll try to talk to her seriously this time" she said. "By the way, I hope she was able to calm Sera down"

"That's a pointless question" Lucifer said with a chuckle. "You already know she did it"

And he wasn't wrong: in Sera's room, any sign of the previous tension had vanished. She and Charlie had started embroidering together, and the princess, without even trying, had managed to bring a smile back to her grandmother's face. Well, that was Charlie's gift, after all: no matter how angry the people around her were, she somehow always seemed to restore harmony. "Ah, you're a blessing to my old heart" Sera said as she looked at her granddaughter's work. "You're really improving at embroidery"

Charlie knew her grandmother didn't give compliments in vain, so she was quite flattered. "Thank you" she said, showing the canvas she was embroidering, which turned out to be a seascape full of fish. "I've been practicing a lot lately"

"And it was worth it. See, when you put in the effort, the results are visible? You have so many qualities, make them count!" Sera said proudly. "Although I don't understand why you only embroider fish"

Charlie bit her lip a little. "Well... they're cute" she replied.

"If you want to embroider a seascape, why not add Neptune driving his chariot (⁹)?" Sera suggested. "It would enrich the scene greatly"

Charlie shrugged: "The canvas is almost finished now, I should unravel it all to add that. Suggest me that next time"

Sera thought there was still enough space on the canvas, and she knew her granddaughter wasn't being sincere: she could see in her face that she simply didn't want to embroider what she'd suggested. She was a little disappointed, but in the end she decided that perhaps Charlie had had a very specific embroidery in mind and wanted to create it, without outside interference. So she pretended to believe it and let her do it.

The final result was magnificent: the canvas Charlie had embroidered was a great blue sea, harmonious and perfect, with fish of every species that, instead of attacking each other, lived in harmony. There were soles meticulously cleaning the seabed, snappers collecting shells and moving them to the rocks, octopuses grabbing those rocks and tying them to schools of sardines with seaweed, which then moved them to an area where they wouldn't harm anyone; and then there were moray eels whose malleable bodies showed the way, anchovies dancing to entertain the other fish, dolphins singing, and finally, above them all, a large shark watching over them all, protecting them from danger. Everyone was working for the good of others, without anyone trying to dominate anyone else. "It's wonderful" Sera commented, looking at it. "What does it represent?"

"I think..." Charlie murmured. "... that it represents only a harmonious world, where everyone has their place and is happy and... is as valuable as everyone else"

"A truly beautiful world" Sera admitted. "But there's no way a shark is as valuable as a sardine"

"Why? They were born different, but they're both part of the same community" Charlie asked her.

"But they're still different, and thus of different value" Sera replied. "The shark is essential to protecting the fish community and governing it wisely, just as your father the emperor is to Rome. A sardine is... just a commoner. Even if it died or passed away, it could easily be replaced. The same isn't true for a shark. That's why the shark is more valuable and the gods pay more attention to it. Just as the emperor and the patricians are more valuable to Rome than a common peasant, and therefore the gods pay more attention to them (¹⁰)"

Even though that explanation was perfectly logical, and indeed a perfect representation of Roman society and any other society in the world, Charlie still didn't seem happy about it. "Wouldn't it be much better if... those watching over us from the heavens... saw us all the same?"

Sera shrugged. "I don't know. The gods created the world this way, so it must be better this way" she replied simply.

Charlie sighed. She looked a little disheartened. "Well... I'm glad you liked the canvas, Grandma" she said. "I'd better go now"

Sera looked apologetic. "Hey, I didn't mean to offend you... you did a great job, and the world you imagined is nice. It's just... it's not the real world"

"I know, Grandma. Thanks" Charlie said. "I think I should go back to my room and try to get some sleep. Maybe then I'll wake up at the right time tomorrow"

Sera smiled at her and lovingly rubbed her hair: "You're really judicious... when you want to be. Go ahead, get some rest. You need it"

Charlie smiled at her, and after giving her grandmother a hug, she left the room and returned to her quarters. Razzle and Dazzle were there, waiting for her as usual. "Please, don't let anyone in" Charlie told them.

"Of course" the two guards responded promptly. "No one will enter without your specific permission"

Charlie knew they were telling the truth. Razzle and Dazzle had been her guards since she was a child, and they treated her as if she were the most important thing in the world. They obeyed her orders even more than her father's. Even if Lucifer had arrived with an army of guards to break down the door, they wouldn't have budged and would have fought to the death, or until Charlie gave them permission to let them in.

Charlie smiled at them and wished them a good evening, then entered and closed the door behind her. Keekee was already there waiting for her, a small smile on her lips. "How did it go, mistress?"

"Come on, you know I don't want you to call me that" Charlie said with a smile and a light punch on her shoulder. "Use my name"

Keekee rolled her one eye. "You're always the same" she said. "Do you want... well, you know, that... tonight too?"

Charlie nodded. "Is the way open?"

Keekee smiled at her and pulled a bundle and a rope from under the bed. "You can go" she said, opening the window and pulling down the rope. "The guards won't be passing the north wall except at midnight. The coast is clear"

Charlie gave her a tight hug. "You're always the best, Keekee" she said, then took the bundle and opened it, taking out a cloak and other clothes, which the slave helped her put on. "I'll be back soon"

"I hope so. I care about my head" Keekee replied with a wink. "Just come back before your mother comes and threatens to break down the door"

Charlie nodded, then she climbed onto the windowsill. There were at least two stories between her and the ground, but the rope was solid. She lowered herself down and then ran to the northern side of the perimeter wall, the highest and most solid part, which indeed had few guards. There, she pushed aside a bush that hid a hole, large enough for a person to squeeze through. She crawled inside and emerged on the other side, finding herself outside the villa.

Chapter Text

The gladiators had returned to the Ludus as soon as the games had been officially declared over; after all, even if they liked to show off, almost none of them wanted to hang around that field of dust and sweat any longer than necessary. You never knew when another bull might decide to go crazy... better to stay away. Besides, they all much preferred to stretch out on the kitchen cots and enjoy some good food rather than sit on the hard floor of the amphitheater.

"Alright" Angel announced, raising a cup full of wine. "Let’s drink!"

"Let’s drink!" the gladiators echoed in unison, then downed their cups; of course, they’d diluted the wine with a bit of water, otherwise they would’ve gotten drunk too quickly, and no one wanted the evening to end too soon. Pure wine was only for those brave enough to tempt fate with the god Bacchus (¹)... like Husk.

"Aaaaaaah, that hit the spot!" Cherri said after she finished drinking, then she gave Vaggie a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Congrats, your debut in the arena was amazing! You really kicked the ass of that big guy!"

"Thanks" Vaggie replied, not hiding her pride. "I admit, winning was... satisfying. Even though I’m glad I didn’t have to kill my opponent"

"Oh, we know. You’ve got too kind a heart" Angel teased her, then he winked at Lute. "You, on the other hand, are the sadistic one of the family, so I presume you had fun"

"It was nothing special" Lute replied plainly.

"Wow, I was expecting a sharper comment" Angel said, a bit surprised. "Aren’t you happy? You were one of the best today, you looked amazing out there!"

"Cut it out. We all know I wasn’t the one who stole the spotlight" Lute said bitterly.

The other gladiators exchanged confused glances; everyone except Vaggie, who rolled her eyes. "Are you seriously complaining because Adam saved your life?"

"I thought I’d gotten closer to his level" Lute mumbled as she picked at something on her plate. "I thought that with all the training, my strength had caught up to his. But it turns out he’d always been holding back with me"

"Is this really the time to think about that? You should be thanking the gods you’re still breathing!" Vaggie scolded her.

"Still, she’s not entirely wrong" Cherri said, sounding a bit down. "I feel a bit bruised in the pride too. I knew Adam was stronger than me, but I didn’t realize just how gently he’d been handling us"

"I didn’t even think it was possible for a man to fight off an enraged bull alone" Pentious chimed in. "If someone had told me that, I’d have thought a god had driven them mad"

"Yeah. I’d be surprised if people don’t start comparing him to Hercules (²)" Angel said, referring to the famed hero of superhuman strength. "Hey, now that I think about it, this could skyrocket our Ludus’s reputation! Maybe we should pay someone to make a mosaic to commemorate the event and hang it on our front door (³), so everyone knows the kind of badasses we’ve got in here!"

Lute let out a grunt and pushed her plate away. Honestly, she wasn’t hungry anymore. Her bruised pride was tightening her stomach.

Vaggie knew her sister wouldn’t cheer up easily, so she mischievously changed the subject to one she knew would get her attention: "By the way, how did it feel to hold the hand of the hero who came to your rescue?"

Lute turned so red she almost looked like an apple. "What the...!? I only did that to shut him up, and you know it!"

The other gladiators burst into laughter. "Oh, come on, you didn’t feel anything when all those muscles brushed your skin?" Cherri said, putting a hand over her mouth to suppress a giggle. "If it were me, I’d let arms like that knead me all day..."

"I’d rather hang myself" Lute snapped, and she was completely serious.

"I’d love that" Angel said, striking one of his usual dramatic poses. "I’d be thrilled to be held by arms that huge... I envy you so much! Maybe I should jump into the lion pit, so a hot muscle guy will come save me too..."

"I hope they leave you there to feed those beasts, who are certainly more useful than you" Husk grumbled, drinking like a sponge as always.

"Ooooooh, Ursi, are you jealous?" Angel teased. "Don’t worry, when I said ‘hot muscle guy,’ I was actually talking about you..."

"Then you’d be dead, because there’s no fucking way I’d risk my life for you" Husk shot back. "If it were us against the bull, you’d be dead and I’d be laughing" 

"That’s not true at all" Angel said, rubbing up against him. "You’d cry like a little girl if I died"

"If I could, I’d pay Pluto to drag you straight to his realm" Husk growled.

"Hey, don’t call death like that!" Pentious exclaimed, stiffening. "We’ve already had enough bad luck today! I want to stay alive!"

Husk didn’t change expression, but he seemed to regret his words. "You’re right" he muttered, setting his wine cup down. "I’ve drunk enough tonight. Don’t bother me until I sober up"

"You need a nice walk" Angel said. "Come on, guys, since we’ve got permission, let’s go out for a stroll. We need some fresh air"

"I agree. Even if Adam stole the show, we still kicked serious ass, and now a lot of people know who we are. Let’s go enjoy our well-earned glory" Cherri said, massaging her temples. "And I drank a bit too much too, a walk will do me good"

"I always tell you not to overdo it" Pentious said, taking the cup from her hands. "Come on, let me help you up..."

"Oh, thank you!" Cherri said, leaning all over him, and in the process she revealed a bit of her shoulders and the base of her breast. "Mmm... maybe you and I could stay here, what do you say?"

"Cherri, you’re drunk" Pentious replied, turning his head so as not to look at her chest.

She responded with a sly wink: "And what if I weren’t? Wouldn’t you rather spend the night with me instead of going to the lupanar?" she said, running a finger along his neck and blowing into his ear.

"Cherri, please!" Pentious exclaimed. "Okay, you're drunk, but you know I’d never treat you like a prostitute! I could never sleep with you, I mean, you’re you...!"

Cherri rubbed herself even harder, and this time her breasts became clearly visible. "What if I wanted to be treated not like a prostitute, but like something deeper? Much, much deeper...?"

Pentious was confused for a moment. "You mean like a concubine? Cherri, I could never...!"

Cherri slapped him hard and pushed him away, then she got up on her own, albeit a bit unsteadily, and stormed off angrily. Pentious rubbed the spot she hit and looked at his friends, who were all giving him reproachful looks. "What...?"

"You really don’t get it, do you?" Vaggie grumbled, then followed after Cherri along with the others. Pentious stood dumbfounded for a moment, then hurried to catch up, hoping at least Angel would help him.

Halfway there, however, Lute shook her head. "You go ahead. I’m not in the mood"

"Are you sure?" Angel asked, a bit disappointed. "We could have some fun, and there’ll be lots of admirers"

"I’m not interested in fame" Lute replied. "And I really don’t feel like taking a walk. I just want to lie down"

Vaggie raised an eyebrow. A normal person would definitely be tired after an experience like that, but she knew her sister was more tireless than a sprinting deer. "You really don’t want to, sister?"

Lute nodded. "Have fun" she said simply, then turned and disappeared down the corridors.

Vaggie let out a low grunt, a bit irritated by her sister’s antisocial behavior. Angel gave her a playful punch on the shoulder. "Well, her loss. Come on, let’s go; I want to stretch these gorgeous legs of mine"

As Adam had promised, Peter left them some money and, for once, didn't remind them of the curfew, simply wishing them a good evening. Even though the Ludi Apollinares had ended at sunset, Rome was still full of life: very few had truly stopped celebrating, and many were using the occasion to enjoy themselves a little longer. And of course, many people recognized them, having been at the Flavian Amphitheater that day, and stopped them to greet them. Some shopkeepers even gave them food to congratulate them. "How kind" Cherri commented, eating a large slice of still-warm bread, though her expression was somewhat gloomy.

Pentious kept chasing after her, trying to be forgiven. "Cherri, listen, whatever I said that upset you..."

"Your mother did the world a disservice by giving birth to you" Cherri snapped acidly. "Do me a favor and disappear until at least tomorrow morning, or I swear I’ll grab a rope and whip you right here in front of everyone!"

Pentious gulped and decided it was safer to retreat a little, walking back over to Angel and Husk and keeping his distance. Vaggie chuckled and stepped up beside Cherri. "Let me guess, he still hasn’t figured out you were being serious?"

"He’s just an idiot" Cherri said, chewing her bread more aggressively.

Vaggie tried to stifle a laugh. "I don’t want to interfere in your business… but honestly, unless you spell it out for him, I don’t think he’ll get it"

"I practically showed him my back and even my huge boobs!" Cherri burst out. "What man stays indifferent in front of that!?"

"A thick-headed man who’s too kind to take advantage of a friend" Vaggie replied. "And besides, Pen sees you half-naked every day during training. He’s probably immune to temptation by now"

"Next time I’ll strip entirely. Let’s see if he’s immune to that" Cherri grumbled, then sighed. "Fuck... I love that he’s so kind and thoughtful and doesn’t want to take advantage of me, but goddamn, how stupid does he have to be to miss those signals!?"

"Men are dumb" Vaggie said, giving her a little shoulder bump. "Don’t take it too hard"

Cherri huffed. "Yeah… they really are" she muttered, then grinned slyly. "And what about you? Spotted any dumb men in this herd of drunken monkeys?"

Vaggie shook her head. "Honestly, no"

Cherri was a little surprised. "Really? After all these months fighting alongside half-naked men, you haven’t developed interest in any of them? Not even a little something physical? Come on, it’s just us girls. You can tell me. I won’t go blabbing"

"I know you wouldn’t" Vaggie replied. "I’m being honest, none of them appeal to me. To be fair… I’ve never really been that interested in men in general"

"Really?" Cherri murmured, then raised an eyebrow. "Wait, maybe you are… sapphic? (⁴)"

Vaggie looked confused. "What?"

"Sapphic. You know… you’re not into men… but into the other gender" Cherri clarified. "Basically like Angel, but reversed"

"You mean, I like women?" Vaggie asked.

Cherri shrugged. "Well, maybe. If men don’t interest you, maybe you could… find pleasure with a woman. It happens a lot here in Rome, even if people don’t talk about it openly… mostly it’s men who brag about loving other men (⁵)"

Vaggie honestly didn’t have an answer. In fact, she remembered that sometimes, back in Britannia, when she saw some of the warrior women fighting her sister, she’d found herself thinking how much she wanted to touch their beautiful hair… and maybe their skin, too. But was that really enough to count as attraction? Who knew. "I don’t know… I’ve never had any experience with anyone, so I really can’t say"

Cherri chuckled. "If you want, I could give you some experience. That’d make Pen a bit jealous"

"More likely he’d become convinced you’re clearly not into men and get even more confused by your signals" Vaggie replied.

Cherri let out a resigned sigh. "I know" she admitted. "Well, want to go to the lupanar? I’ll pay for a nice, experienced prostitute, and you can test it out. My treat"

"Absolutely not!" Vaggie exclaimed; even if she wasn’t as modest as her sister, she still wanted to remain pure. And even if the person in question was a woman, she didn’t want to let someone access her most intimate parts. "And anyway, I’d rather not lose my virginity to a prostitute"

"You’re such a prude. Well, your choice, not mine" Cherri replied with a laugh, then she asked: "What about your sister? Has she really never kissed anyone, like she claims? With her personality, I wouldn’t be surprised..."

"Lute likes men" Vaggie said quickly; she knew that for sure, since her sister had made the occasional comment about the men in their tribe back in Britannia. "But she’s very selective. She’ll never give herself to a man she doesn’t consider worthy. She’d slit her own throat first"

"Oh, I don’t doubt that" Cherri said. "I feel sorry for the man who ends up marrying her, he definitely won’t be the one wearing the pants in that house"

Vaggie shrugged. "Well, it’s not exactly an issue right now. Not many men are lining up to marry a slave"

"Don’t be so pessimistic. You never know what the future holds" Cherri said. "And since your sister’s always looking for a way to escape, I wouldn’t be surprised if you two end up free someday"

Vaggie’s eyes widened, and she turned sharply toward her. "You…!"

"Yeah, I figured it out. Don’t worry, no one else suspects a thing" Cherri said with a slight wink. "Those idiots trailing after us are too dumb to notice, but I’ve got a sharper eye. I’m a woman, I recognize the look in another woman’s eyes when she asks certain questions. I know what’s going on in your head"

Vaggie bit her lip. She silently thanked the gods that the person who’d figured out her sister’s plan wasn’t a snitch: she doubted Adam would take it well if he learned one of his gladiators was planning to run. "Thanks for keeping your mouth shut'

"Don’t mention it. That’s what friends are for" Cherri replied with a warm smile. "I get why you want to go back to your homeland. I was born a slave here in Rome, I’ve never known any life but this one… but I can imagine what it’s like to be torn from your own land and forced to serve someone. I don’t blame you for trying to escape"

Vaggie sighed. "You’re too kind" she murmured.

Cherri put a hand on her shoulder. "Do what you think is right. Just… please, when you decide to make your move (if you do), be careful. I don’t want to hear you got slaughtered by the archers"

Vaggie managed a faint smile. "Thanks" she said, then her expression fell again. "Listen... if I tell you something, will you promise not to tell Lute?"

"My lips are sealed" Cherri assured her.

Vaggie sighed. "It's just that... I want to go back to Britannia, I want to see my home again... but at the same time, it feels more and more impossible" she murmured. "I should want to leave Rome at all costs, like Lute... but the longer I stay here, the further away my home feels, and I feel exhausted just thinking about trying to reach it. It's like a distant dream you forget the moment you wake up. I'm not even sure that... that..."

"... that you want to escape from Rome?" Cherri finished for her.

Vaggie lowered her gaze. "My ancestors are probably cursing me from the afterlife" she said. "But... yeah. I want to see my homeland again, but at the same time... Rome is beautiful. I don’t want to live here as a slave, but aside from that... it’s not bad. And even if I went back to Britannia, what would I find? My family died in war, the people of my tribe were either enslaved or killed, I’m not even sure if my hometown still exists. I want to see the forests and the mountains again, to feel the cold air on my skin… but at the same time, at least here I have friends, it’s a beautiful city, there are so many things to see, so many cultures intersecting...". She covered her face in shame. "Ah, may the gods forgive me, I’m a failure as a daughter and even as a sister"

Cherri understood how Vaggie was feeling. She didn’t know much about how morality worked in Britannia, but it was probably not too different from Roman values, at least in some aspects; a child was expected to carry on their parents’ legacy, and if they had died, they had to avenge them and rebuild what was lost. Vaggie should have been focused solely on returning to Britannia and reclaiming their home, like Lute was doing; no wonder she felt so ashamed because, deep down, she didn’t want it that badly. "I get it… it must be hard to feel torn between two worlds"

"Lute would hate me if she knew" Vaggie murmured. "What… what do you think I should do?"

Cherri shrugged. "Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve never had to worry about honoring my ancestors, avenging my parents, or protecting my homeland. The only family I’ve ever had is Angel, and I already failed once at protecting him. My only goal in life is to get stronger so I can really save him if he ever ends up in the hands of another Valentino. So… if you want my opinion, a person should focus on protecting the loved ones they still have, not risk everything for the dead. But like I said, I was born a slave and I have no sense of honor; the gods already decided I had to be cursed with bad luck from the moment I was born, so I don’t need to worry about angering them for not fulfilling my duties"

Vaggie gave a soft smile. "Well… I still think there’s wisdom in your words"

Cherri blushed. "Honestly, that’s the first time anyone’s ever called me wise"

"I mean it" Vaggie assured her. "When he finally notices your feelings, Pen will be a lucky man and—OUCH!"

Someone suddenly appeared from a nearby alley and bumped into her; Vaggie only took a single step to the side, and though she staggered, she didn’t fall: she was used to much harsher blows, and being caught off guard wasn’t enough to knock her down. The other person, however, had fallen to the ground. "Are you alright?" Vaggie asked him.

"Ugh… yeah, sorry, that was my fault" the other person muttered, but before turning or getting up, he touched his face as if checking to make sure everything was intact, probably to see if he had broken his nose. When he finally stood up and Vaggie could see his face, she was taken aback: he looked remarkably like the princess she had seen earlier that day on the honor stand in the arena. He had the same pale skin and even the same eyes; the only difference was a thick blond beard and mustache, and shorter hair… though it was hard to tell exactly how long it was since he was wrapped in a cloak with the hood still up. "Forgive me, I was being rude..."

"No problem" Vaggie assured him. "Why were you running?"

"Uh… I was… escaping from a thief" the young man replied, glancing back at the alley he’d come from, which was thankfully empty now. He let out a sigh of relief and looked back at Vaggie, and his eyes widened. "Wait… it’s you! I… saw you today in the arena!"

Well, no surprise there, since half of Rome, if not more, had been present. "Yes, that was me, you’re not mistaken" Vaggie confirmed. "And you are, sir?"

The young man paused for a moment, then he answered: "Charlie. My name is Charlie"

Chapter Text

Charlie had always found Rome beautiful, whether it was day or night: by day the sunlight illuminated the marble columns and the imposing buildings, and by night the thousands of torches cast a reddish glow that gave the city an almost magical atmosphere. And during festivities like the Ludi Apollinares, even at night the city was still bustling with life. Of course, it wasn’t that late yet, since the moon and stars weren’t very high... but still, in a normal city the streets would already be empty. That was definitely not the case here.

Charlie walked briskly, wrapped in her cloak, trying to hide her long hair as best as she could. She felt a little sorry by taking advantage of her parents’ distraction to slip out again, especially she knew that her family in that moment weren't noticing her absence only because they were too busy reflecting and trying to understand what had happened at the arena. A part of her felt guilty to go away while they were so in distress, but in the same time, she couldn't do much about it.

"Ave, sir" a passerby greeted her with a smile.

"Ave" she replied quickly, hurrying away. There were times she wished the Romans weren’t so sociable: that way she wouldn’t have to worry about greeting everyone along the street. She would have much preferred to remain silent and go unnoticed, she thought as she rubbed the fake beard stuck to her face.

Even if she might appear flighty on the surface, Charlie wasn’t stupid: maybe she was scatterbrained, reckless, and had often her head in the clouds, but she wasn’t dumb. She knew very well that if someone saw a girl who even remotely resembled the princess, word would spread in a moment, and eventually, it would reach her parents who wouldn’t take long to put two and two together. Charlie wasn’t afraid for herself, but if someone had followed her... others might end up in serious trouble. Besides, she knew that a young girl alone in the lower quarters of the city wasn’t exactly safe: malicious people, unfortunately, existed even in Rome. So, she opted for the safest solution: dressing as a man.

It hadn’t been that hard: she just had to gather a good amount of straw and fashion a fake beard and mustache to cover the lower half of her face, making it harder to recognize her. She had also worn a cloak with a hood, tucking her long hair inside, letting only a few blond strands show. Lastly, she had used some cosmetic to hide her beautifully rosy cheeks. It wasn’t a perfect disguise, but so far, it had been convincing: no one had recognized her, and at most, people had chuckled and commented that the boy who had just passed by had a rather effeminate face.

Eventually, she reached a poorly lit alley, and although she would normally have avoided it, she stepped inside after making sure no one was watching. There was only one door at the end of the alley, marked with holes seemingly caused by termites and time... but if you tried to connect them in your mind, they formed the image of a fish (¹). Charlie looked around, then knocked on the door, tapping each hole in sequence.

There was a brief silence, and then someone inside repeated the same knocking pattern.

Charlie blinked, confused, and knocked again; once more, someone inside mimicked her. She tried a third time, and once again was answered... and this time, it was accompanied by giggles that made it clear she was being teased. "Emily! Stop playing and let me in!" she whispered as loudly as she dared.

The door finally opened, and Charlie immediately slipped inside and shut it behind her. She found herself in the entrance of a modest house, barely furnished and lit by a single torch. The one who opened the door was a girl with tanned skin and hair so silver it looked like moonlight, greeting her with a smirk: "Sorry, I couldn’t resist"

"Emily, dear!" Charlie exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug.

The silver-haired girl hugged her back, then helped her remove the cloak, freeing her long blonde hair. "Seriously, you’re terrible at dressing like a man" she said with a laugh. "You could at least try a little harder!"

"I can’t help it, I’m just not good at it! Back home I’ve always had Keekee to dress me, and she certainly never gave me men’s clothes!" Charlie replied, finally peeling off the fake beard and letting out a relieved sigh. "Damn, it itches so much..."

Emily only laughed more at those words, helping her put her clothes back on. Charlie had no problem letting her do it: even though normally letting someone other than a family member or her trusted slave undress and dress her would have been embarrassing, she didn't mind her doing it. She trusted Emily like a sister.

Charlie and Emily had met just a year earlier, when the young princess had tried to run away from home for the first time to see Rome outside of the, in her opinion, excessive protection of her family. She had met Emily at a market stall, where she worked as a errand girl. The two girls had bonded quickly, and continued to meet after that day: she had been the first real friend Charlie had ever had. Little did she know then that from that day on, everything would have changed for her.

The young princess couldn't help but notice how different Emily was from other people, especially because she kept only the bare minimum of all the money she had painstakingly earned during the day, while she used the rest to buy bread which she then distributed to children in the streets. She had a nobility of spirit that clashed greatly with the typical Roman arrogance and greed. Perhaps it was precisely that sweetness she displayed, combined with their friendship, that convinced Charlie to reveal who she truly was, despite the risks. She had feared Emily would stop looking her in the same way as soon as she learned she was the princess, but instead, her friend's attitude toward her hadn't changed at all.

On the contrary... Emily had in turn revealed her secret to Charlie. A secret that, if told to the wrong person, could have cost her a horrible death. But it was a secret Charlie didn't regret knowing.

"You know you can come here dressed as a woman, right?" Emily said, still helping her.

"And you know the whole of Rome knows who I am" Charlie muttered. "If they saw a girl with long blonde hair wandering around, rumors would spread fast, and my parents would find out. If I’m dressed as a man, nobody asks questions, and even if rumors spread, my parents will only hear about a boy who vaguely looks like me"

Emily shook her head. "I should scold you for hiding out of fear, but I know you wouldn’t listen anyway" she said with a trace of reproach, though her smile didn’t fade.

Charlie blushed with shame and instinctively brought a hand to her neck, searching among the folds of her tunic until she pulled out the string of a pendant. "I know I’m sinning by continuing to hide" she murmured. "But... I just can’t find the courage"

And with that, she fully revealed the pendant: a simple string, in the center of which was tied a wooden cross. Just a plain wooden cross, not even well-carved, but she held it as if it were a treasure.

Emily sighed and took her hands. She could feel clearly how Charlie’s limbs trembled under her fingers. "Sit down" she said, guiding her to a small canopy.

Charlie was taken slightly off guard. "But... the hymns will start soon..."

"I don’t think what you need right now is to join the others in Mass" Emily replied, sitting on the canopy and gesturing for her to do the same. "It’s better you unburden your soul a little first"

Charlie hesitated a bit, then sat beside her. "Sorry" she whispered. "Because of me, you’re missing the prayers..."

"I can pray on my own. I’m sure the Lord will understand" Emily replied with a smile. "So? What’s troubling you so much?"

Charlie rested her head in one hand, still clutching the cross with the other. "I don’t truly feel part of this community (²)" she mumbled sadly. "I keep calling myself a follower of Christ, but I’m doing nothing for Him. I don’t truly follow His teachings. I don’t even have the courage to tell my family about my faith"

Emily placed a hand on her shoulder. "Charlie, it’s normal to be afraid, especially for someone in your position. Don’t doubt that you’re following Christ; He holds you always in His heart. He watches over us... even if we often forget how to listen His voice"

"I just wish I could... do something" Charlie whispered. "I’m the princess of the greatest empire in the world, and God made it so I could hear His call... I know it’s a sin of pride to think this way, but I’m sure He has some plan for me, otherwise He would’ve made me born as a peasant. But... I don’t know what He wants, and I’m constantly surrounded by temptation. I keep sleeping late to avoid the household rituals with my mother and grandmother, because I don’t want to bow to false gods... but deep down I know I should do more. I should speak up, try to convince my family to stop worshipping idols, to save their souls. Today I went to the arena... I saw my people, so many lost souls, taking pleasure and cheering as poor souls killed each other, soaking the earth in blood. And all I can do is beg my father to spare the loser’s life, and sometimes I can’t even manage that. I’m the princess of a corrupted people, obsessed with wealth, and behind my back, they all see me as a mere political tool. I should act... I’m sure God wants me to act... but I don’t know the way, or even have the courage to show myself. I’m failing Him"

"You’re not failing anyone, Char" Emily said with an encouraging smile. "The Lord is never disappointed in His children. He’s saddened when they lose their way, but never disappointed. And He is certainly not disappointed in you"

Charlie smiled faintly, a little downcast. "Thank you" she murmured with a sigh. "I just wish I knew what to do to help these people. I wish they could break free from this spiral of violence, that they could... be better. But I don’t even know where to begin. I don’t know if God is sending me signs, or if..."

"Charlie, don’t try to rationalize the Lord’s plans" Emily said firmly. "You don’t follow His path with reason or intellect, only with faith. He works in inscrutable ways, but when the time comes, faith allows those who listen to hear His voice and understand the path to take. Don’t rush it. If the Lord wants to make you His instrument, all you have to do is be ready to welcome Him in your heart; He’ll make it clear what you’re meant to do"

Charlie’s smile widened, and this time it was truly genuine. "Thank you, Emily. You’re an angel"

"Pff! Not even close" Emily replied, then added: "Seriously though, stop tormenting yourself and focus on saving your soul... you need it, seeing how often you continue to break the Second Commandment"

Charlie turned crimson with embarrassment and shame. "Right... don’t take the Lord’s name in vain" she muttered, placing a hand on her forehead. "Fuck..."

"And you really need to work on your vocabulary too" Emily scolded her with a teasing giggle.

Charlie lowered her head in defeat. "Thanks for being so patient with me" she mumbled.

"No need to thank me. I knew what I was getting into the moment I agreed to baptize you (³)" Emily replied with a wink. "So, shall we go to the Mass, or do you have a few more sins to confess?"

Charlie was quite sure she had plenty of sins on her conscience, since she didn’t consider herself a saint, but she didn’t want her friend to miss more of the mass. So she simply replied: "No, let’s go"

Emily nodded, and the two made their way to another room where a staircase led to an underground level. They descended quickly and arrived in a relatively large chamber, probably originally built as a storage room, but now filled with kneeling people, hands clasped in prayer, repeating the words spoken by a man cloaked in red holding a Bible. The two girls knelt as well, careful not to disturb anyone, and joined in the prayer, following the priest’s guidance.

In Rome, Christians were considered a dangerous cult: even if they did nothing subversive, their beliefs were seen as a lethal poison to society. Their claim that all people were equal in Christ’s eyes, and thus the division between patricians and plebeians was absurd, made them a target of the ruling class’s wrath. Since Christ had been crucified, his followers had been persecuted and killed; while some emperors had been more lenient, most preferred to eliminate the problem before it could spread. After the political instability that restored power to the senators, the situation had become even harsher: they absolutely did not want subversive ideas spreading. Lucifer was fairly indifferent, but even now, being Christian could get you sentenced to be torn apart by lions in the Circus Maximus (⁴).

Charlie knew she was playing with fire: if anyone discovered her Christian faith, not even her status as the emperor’s daughter would save her from serious punishment (⁵). Maybe they wouldn’t kill her, but they would make her regret being born. The consequences would be disastrous even for her family: Lucifer would be ridiculed, and his grip on the empire would falter. But despite that, Charlie had still decided to take the risk. Christ’s call had rung in her heart ever since the day Emily first read her the Bible, and she hadn’t been able to refuse it. She instinctively felt the hand of God on her, and her heart longed to grasp it and let it guide her. It was dangerous, but it was a risk she was willing to take for her faith... even if deep down she still felt she wasn’t doing enough.

As soon as the Mass was over, the Christians were let out one by one; they couldn’t risk the legionaries seeing too many people leaving the same house, or they would grow suspicious and arrest them. Charlie was the last to leave, since she first had to put her entire disguise back on, and then, after saying goodbye to Emily and promising to return for the next Mass, she too slipped out. It was already deep into the night; she bit her lip, knowing she would end up sleeping in late again the next day.

Despite the late hour, however, Rome was still full of life: normally it wouldn't be, but since the Ludi Apollinares had just ended, people were still celebrating, drinking, eating, and enjoying themselves. Well, at least that would make it easier for her to go unnoticed, she thought as she hurried out of the alley...

Too bad she was so busy looking around that she forgot to look right in front of her, resulting in her bumping into someone and falling to the ground.

"Are you alright?" a female voice asked her.

Charlie quickly felt her face to make sure the fake beard was still in place… yes, it was. “Ugh… yeah, sorry, that was my fault” she answered, trying to sound as masculine as possible, then finally got up and turned to face the person she had bumped into. “Forgive me, I was being rude…”

“No problem” the other person reassured her. “Why were you running?”

"Uh... I was... escaping from a thief" Charlie answered, using the first excuse that came to mind. To make the lie more believable, she looked toward the alley as if checking to see if anyone was still chasing her, and even let out a fake sigh of relief when (obviously) she saw no one. She hoped her interlocutors would simply assume she’d been pursued by some criminal who had given up once she encountered other people.

Finally, she allowed herself to get a better look at the other person, and her eyes widened in surprise. At first, she didn’t recognize her, having only seen her from afar, but then those exotic features, that hair and skin, became unmistakable. That was the Briton who had fought in the penultimate match! "Wait... it’s you! I... saw you today in the arena!" she couldn’t help but exclaim.

"Yes, that’s me, you’re not mistaken" the woman... Vaggie, if she remembered the name correctly... confirmed. "And you are, sir?"

Charlie froze, unsure of what to say. But then, fortunately, her brain reminded her that the silly nickname her family used could also pass as a boy’s name. "Charlie. My name is Charlie" she answered. Better to use something she was used to, rather than inventing a name from scratch: less chance of forgetting it or failing to respond if someone called her.

"Charlie? Nice name! I’m Vaggie" the gladiator introduced herself.

"I know, I know your name. And you..." Charlie said, pointing to the other woman beside her. "... are Cherri, right?"

"In the flesh" Cherri replied with a grin, puffing her chest a little. "Always nice to meet a fan"

"Hey, girls, what are you up to?" a shrill voice called out to them. Charlie looked past Cherri and Vaggie and was surprised to see two more famous gladiators approaching: one was Angel, the fearsome retiarius nicknamed Pulvis, and the other was Pentious, the great secutor. With them was a third, shaggy man whom Charlie didn’t recognize.

"We just ran into a charming young man" Cherri replied.

"Ave" Charlie greeted them with a smile. "I know all of your names... except his" she said, pointing at the shaggy guy.

"That’s Husk, our medic" Vaggie explained.

Angel stepped forward with a wide grin. "Girls, we leave you alone for two minutes, and you’re already hanging out with a man? Damn, talk about initiative! Who’s this handsome young buck?"

"His name is Charlie" Vaggie answered, and then, noticing Charlie’s discomfort, added in a reassuring tone: "Don’t worry, that’s just how he interacts with people. He’s a good guy, really"

Feeling reassured, Charlie grew more sociable.
"Well, it’s truly a pleasure to meet you all. What are you doing here? The Ludus Magnus is quite away..."

"We were taking a stroll to help this masculine beast here walk off the eight mugs of pure wine he chugged" Angel said, throwing an arm around Husk’s neck.

In response, the shaggy medic narrowed his eyes. "The last person who touched me there got their hand back a week later in a bag. You have three seconds to let me go"

Angel, of course, completely ignored the threat. "You don’t want my hand there? Then where do you want it...?"

"Angel, I’m going to kill you" Husk warned.

"Oh come on, Ursi, I know you care about me" Angel said with a wink.

"The only living creatures in this world that could care about you are the worms that’ll eat your flesh once you're finally under the ground" Husk growled.

A crystalline laugh interrupted their ‘peaceful’ exchange. The gladiators turned to the source and realized it had come from Charlie, who immediately covered her mouth with her hand. "Sorry" she said. "I didn’t mean to..."

"Nah, why are you apologizing? You have every right to find us funny!" Angel said with a hearty laugh. "You’re in the right company if you want to laugh yourself to death from morning till night, and you haven’t even seen anything yet! We haven’t even show you our best!"

"I call it our worse" Husk muttered.

Angel patted his shoulder. "He’ll make you laugh too" he told Charlie. "Trust me, he looks like a bear just woken from hibernation, but he’s a softie inside"

"I hate you" Husk replied flatly.

Charlie bit her tongue to avoid bursting out laughing. Even though they had told her they wouldn’t be offended, it still didn’t feel polite... and she didn’t want her fake beard to fall off. "Don’t mind them, they’re just like this" Vaggie whispered with a little smile.

Charlie was about to reply, but Cherri suddenly slung an arm around her neck. "Ehy, listen..." the woman said. "I know we just met, but... you’re really cute, you know that?"

Charlie blushed at her closeness. "Uh... well, my mom always says I’m a good-looking... boy..."

"Oh, a mama’s boy, huh?" Cherri teased, brushing a finger down Charlie’s neck. "If you want, I could be your mommy..."

Charlie quickly pushed her away, terrified she’d touch the beard and realize it was fake. "Um! Sorry, but I’m not interested!" she blurted out.

Cherri didn’t seem like someone who gave up easily, but Pentious grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back a bit. "Leave him alone! It’s clear he’s not into it" he said, though he immediately added: "And since when are you into effeminate boys? You’ve always said you like muscular men..."

"Ooooh... is that jealousy I hear?" Cherri teased with a sly smirk.

Pentious raised an eyebrow and blushed slightly.
"Jealous? Me? Why should I be... OUCH!" he yelped as she elbowed him in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Cherri looked ready to explode. "What more signs do you need, idiot!?" she yelled, kicking him for good measure before storming off furiously.

"Ugh... wait, what do you mean? Cherri!" Pentious called after her, trying to get up and limping after her in pain.

Charlie wasn’t exactly an expert in romance, but she wasn’t completely clueless either, and it didn’t take much to put two and two together. "Um... she was flirting with me to make him jealous, right?"

"Correct" Vaggie answered with a sigh. "Sorry, you got dragged into..."

"No, it’s fine" Charlie replied. "I kind of like the idea that I helped a couple get together... even if I don’t know how well it worked"

"Wait, so Cherri does want to get with Pentious!?" Angel exclaimed, mouth agape.

"Oh, now he gets it!" Husk snapped. "Seriously, you and your friend are the thickest skulls in Rome"

Angel buried his face in his hands. "Shit... shit, shit, this is insane! Pen! Pen, we need to talk! As your future brother-in-law, I have to...!"

"Don’t even try it!" Husk shouted, grabbing him by the waist. "If Cherri finds out we told him, we’re both dead!"

Normally, Angel would’ve made a dirty joke about the way Husk was holding him, but this time he was too shocked. He kept trying to move forward, dragging the medic with him. "No way, I have to get this off my chest! Pen! Pen, get back here!"

"Shut your damn mouth!" Husk yelled, grabbing his face.

But Angel still didn’t give up. "Urgh... you won’t stop me! Pen! Damn it, let me go...!"

And so the two of them disappeared down the Roman alleys, bickering the whole way, leaving Charlie and Vaggie alone. The latter was red with embarrassment: "Sorry... they’re just like that"

Charlie was trying her hardest not to laugh. "They’re hilarious!" she exclaimed.

Vaggie gave a faint smile. "Yeah, they definitely are" she admitted, her voice a bit sweet, which sounded very pleasant to Charlie’s ears. Then she asked: "Hey... since you got dragged into this weird romantic mess, let me make it up to you, so you don’t remember tonight only for Cherri fake-flirting with you. My lanist gave me some money, let me buy you something to make up for it"

Charlie thought about it. Logic told her she should go home, so she wouldn’t wake up even later than usual tomorrow... but she genuinely liked these people’s company. She wanted to know them a bit better, at least that Briton girl.
"Alright" she said with a smile. "But only if you promise not to spend too much, I don’t want to take your money"

"No worries, I wouldn’t even know what to use it for anyway" Vaggie replied honestly, touched by the boy’s kindness. With a nod, she led him to the nearest market stall.

Chapter Text

“… so you think that bull was poisoned. Very interesting” Rosie said as she adjusted his bandages, which had come a bit loose after all the ‘activity’ they’d just engaged in. “And why exactly do you think I can help you?”

Adam was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling with an almost vacant look. He had spent most of the evening going through the records given to him by the captain of the guards, searching for any clue that could lead him to the culprit’s identity. If someone had truly tried to kill him, he wanted to know who it was and teach them a lesson. And even if he hadn't been the target, he still wanted to beat the bastard up. It was better to nip the problem in the bud than wait for the killer to try again.

Unfortunately, after carefully inspecting the logs, he’d found no leads: nothing the bull had been fed seemed to have poisonous properties. It was possible someone had snuck in, but Adam doubted it: it was extremely hard to enter the Flavian Amphitheater without being noticed. There had to be a clue somewhere, an answer hiding in plain sight. So, he went to the one person who could best help him: Rosie.

Even though it might not seem like it at first glance, that woman was an expert in all kinds of herbal lore; she had to be, since she frequently used aphrodisiacs and perfumes to ‘ignite’ her clients’ desires. She knew every herb supplier in Rome better than even Valentino, despite his far larger trade network. And she had a razor-sharp mind, capable of noticing clues where others saw nothing. She was the best person to ask for help in this field.

So he had gone to her lupanar, and after taking the chance to release some tension with a healthy round of under-the-sheets activity, they finally got to the real reason he was there. “You clearly fought a bull today” she said while finishing with the bandages. “Usually I need to call two more girls just to keep up with your stamina. Though I’ll admit, even with your side torn open, you still managed to make me sweat quite a bit”

“I could make a woman faint in the bed even while I'm dead” Adam replied without hiding his pride. He knew Rosie wasn’t just flattering him: after they were done, she’d needed over half an hour of rest before she could even move again.

“Oh, no doubt about that” she said, laying down on his chest and stretching out like a cat. “So, how can I help?”

Adam grunted. “I checked the bull’s food supply records for the entire past month, but found nothing” he said. “They haven’t even changed suppliers. The bull ate the same things he’s always eaten. I also checked on the people who worked closely with the animal, but no new slaves were bought in the past month. And the water doesn’t seem to have been tampered with either…”

“What about the straw?” Rosie interrupted.

Adam raised an eyebrow. “Come again?”

“Some substances don’t need to be ingested to mess with your mind. Just skin contact is enough. Or simply inhaling them through the nose, or contact with the eyes (¹)” Rosie explained. “The animal cages at the Flavian Amphitheater are filled with straw, since it makes the animals feel more comfortable and tones down the smell. So…”

Adam narrowed his eyes. He hadn’t considered that possibility… honestly, he hadn’t even known it was a possibility. “Actually… the straw gets replaced once a week, and the last change was yesterday" he said, thinking aloud. “If someone put something in it…”

If there were poisons that entered the bloodstream just through touch, anyone could have sprinkled them onto the straw and let the bull get infected. Or they could have mixed in hallucinogenic mushrooms or herbs and waited for the bull to eat them by chance. That could very well be the clue he was looking for. “I need to question the slaves responsible for changing it"

“I don’t think that’ll help” Rosie replied. “If I wanted to kill you with an enraged bull, I wouldn’t pay someone to poison the straw. I’d find out where the straw is bought, go there all flirty and sweet, and while those stupid men were smiling like stupid sheep at my compliments, I’d secretly contaminate it. That way, no one could trace it back to me”

“But then the poison would affect everyone who handled the straw on its way to the arena” Adam pointed out.

“Not necessarily. It depends on how much is needed for the poison to take effect" Rosie answered. “You just water it down to make sure it’s less potent. That bull spent hours surrounded by that straw, probably lying in it, absorbing or inhaling the poison. Anyone else handling it would’ve touched it for less than an hour. At most, they’d get a slight headache"

Adam considered her words carefully. Yes, that theory was plausible. “If that’s the case, then it’ll be hard to identify the culprit” he said. “Even if I went to the straw supplier and asked for a list of everyone who was there yesterday, it’d still be a massive number. Tons of people buy straw for animals. And the straw used for the Amphitheater’s beasts is set aside to dry for weeks. The killer might’ve been there long ago. Or could’ve sent someone else to throw me off the trail"

“Likely” Rosie confirmed. “Whoever did this is smart. They took every precaution not to be caught”

Adam rubbed his chin. This might have seemed like a dead end, but if there was one thing he’d learned in over twenty years of warfare, it was that everyone left a crack in their seemingly perfect defenses. “You said this poison had to be diluted. I assume that means it needs to be carefully prepared?”

“Poisons are almost always natural, especially the ones that make you lose your mind (²)” Rosie replied. “But if you want a poison to work just the way you want and when you want, then yes, it has to be processed precisely”

“And whoever set that bull on me clearly knew what they were doing” Adam said. “Which means they’re without a doubt an expert in poisons. There aren’t many people in Rome who can handle toxic herbs and fungi with that level of precision, am I right? (³)”

“No, there aren’t” Rosie confirmed. “Do you want me to give you their names so you can interrogate them?”

Adam stayed silent, thinking carefully. “No” he said. “I can’t go breaking down an herbalist's door and torturing someone without evidence. Even if they’re mostly useless, this city still has laws”

“You could if you asked for a special permit” Rosie said.

“Still not feasible. The praetor won’t give me one unless I have at least some proof, and rumors and suspicions aren’t enough” Adam replied.

“If the praetor refuses, you could ask someone higher…” Rosie began, but he shot her a cold glare before she could finish. She felt a chill run down her spine as his cold, merciless eyes fell on her. “I wasn’t talking about the emperor. You could ask the First Consul. He’d love a chance to land another blow against Vox, since whoever sent that bull after you is likely close to him”

“Zestial?” Adam grunted. “The First Consul won’t help me with this. If my suspicions turn out to be wrong and we find nothing, he’d be humiliated. He won’t take that risk while the Senate’s in such a fragile state”

Rosie was silent for a moment, then shrugged. “I don’t know enough about politics to say” she admitted. “You men are exhausting with all your schemes and tricks. I prefer when you just kill each other with swords. It’s simpler that way”

Adam rolled his eyes. “Seriously, everyone calls you a rose and just sees the flower, but you’ve got thorns sharp as razors”

“I’m a servant of Venus, and she’s a goddess who loves starting wars (⁴). Shall we remember Troy?” Rosie replied without an ounce of guilt in her voice. “She’s not Mars’s lover for nothing”

Adam grunted, though he knew she was right: ironically, the gods of love often caused more bloodshed than the gods of war. But that was the nature of gods: they found the conflicts of the mortals entertaining. “I can’t go roughing up herbalists… but I can look into the movement of poisons coming into Rome” he said, thinking aloud. “There aren’t many merchants in that field. Someone must have gotten supplies from them. Merchants are easy to bribe, if I pay them well, they’ll tell me everything I want to know. If I can find out who bought the ingredients and trace their movements, I might be able to track the bastard down”

“Hmm. That could be a solid approach” Rosie commented.

“Can you give me a list of all the herbs, mushrooms, or substances needed to create that kind of poison?” Adam asked.

“Not only can I list the ingredients” Rosie replied, “I can even give you the proper combinations for each type of skin-penetrating, mind-twisting poison (⁵)"

Adam nodded. "Thanks. As usual, you're a great help"

"Don't thank me. It doesn't cost me anything to help you" Rosie replied. Then she added with a sly note in her voice: “But I’m afraid you’ll have to carry me to the bench, my legs are still drained of energy, and I’d rather not collapse onto the floor”

Adam grinned, then stood up and lifted her by the hips. “Weak legs” he teased her, settling her on the bench and wrapping the sheet around her.

“It’s not my fault you’ve got the energy of a lion” she replied simply, picking up a papyrus and starting to write. “And there’s no need to cover me for modesty. This body is nothing you haven’t already seen”

“Oh, I’ve explored it thoroughly” Adam said with a laugh, playfully nibbling her ear.

Rosie let out a soft moan of pleasure, then quickly scribbled something on the papyrus and handed it to him. “Here, this has everything you need to know” she said, then she rubbed her head against his chest. “If you’re in the mood again, I’ll have to call in one of the other girls, I’ve got no energy left. Though I’m sure they’re lining up outside the door, eager to get in”

Adam was tempted, but he knew better than to overdo it. The more he pushed himself, the more he risked worsening his wound. Better to stop here. “No, I’ve had enough for today” he said, getting dressed and tucking the papyrus into his tunic. “Assassins don’t catch themselves on their own. I need to prepare”

“As you wish” Rosie said, rising on shaky legs and letting the sheet slip from her shoulders. She leaned against his back and blew softly on his neck. “But please, come back soon. Don’t leave me alone for months again. You know I want to enjoy you as much as possible while you’re still doing me the courtesy of not marrying”

Adam smiled mischievously, but instead of a lewd comment he asked her: “Did anyone bother you while I was away?”

Rosie narrowed her eyes. “Is it really so hard for you to believe that I actually care about you? Seriously, you need to rebuild your trust in women” she scolded. “Anyway, no, nobody bothered me or caused any trouble. By now they’ve figured out that even if you disappear for a while, you always come back eventually”

Adam grunted. He knew Rosie loved having him in her lupanar, not just because of the kind of sex he gave her (which no one else could), but because his presence meant protection. Rosie ran one of the few lupanars in Rome still outside of Valentino’s grasp, and of course he didn’t like that. Normally, Valentino would have threatened her and her prostitutes, maybe even burned the building down, but since Adam was a regular there, he kept his distance. Rosie wasn’t afraid to fight her own battles, she’d never let anyone walk all over her, but her enemy was a powerful, wealthy, and dangerous man, so having someone like Adam around was a valuable asset (⁶). Adam was one of the few people in Rome that Valentino genuinely feared, especially after he had nearly killed him. That’s why Rosie did everything she could to please him and any of his gladiators who came to her lupanar. As long as Adam kept coming around, Valentino wouldn’t dare stir up trouble; in fact, he wouldn’t even pass by that street. That was also why Adam trusted her enough to use her as an advisor: betraying him would do Rosie no good. Any monetary reward she might get would be fleeting compared to the peace of mind she enjoyed as long as she was under his protection.

Adam finished getting dressed and stepped out of the room. Just as Rosie had predicted, several girls were waiting outside, pretending to busy themselves the moment the door opened, clearly hoping to be called in. They all let out nervous giggles when they saw him and cast envious glances toward their matron, who had already laid back down on the bed to rest. Adam felt satisfied: he always liked seeing women line up to sleep with him. It meant he still had the magic touch.

He made his way through the streets of Rome. It was late by now, but he knew his gladiators were probably still out celebrating, so the Ludus would be almost deserted. That was always the case during festivities, and he didn’t mind giving them that freedom. It was fine for him: at least he could think in peace, without having to worry about them making a mess in the kitchen. Tomorrow, he’d deal with scolding them and beating the hell out of them for getting drunk and passing out in some Roman alley until morning.

As he walked, he thought back to Rosie’s words. Maybe she was right, maybe getting some political support wasn’t such a bad idea. The emperor was out of the question... but the First Consul was actually a valid alternative. Zestial would never openly take sides, but he could help in indirect ways. For example, by keeping Adam informed of all the maneuvering currently happening in the Senate.

Adam kept thinking about Lilith’s words, about what she said of Vox that was feeling cornered. He didn’t think that corrupt politician had personally tried to have him killed, but it was very likely the assassination attempt came from someone close to him. Lilith had told him about what was happening in the Senate, but Adam wanted more than just talk about some rebellious Briton or a damn smiling druid. The more he knew, the better he could prepare for whatever chaos was coming... after all, whatever happened in the Senate affected the entire Empire, and therefore him too.

Helping the emperor was out of the question… but protecting his physical safety and his property didn’t fall into that category.

Zestial could help. He and Adam weren’t exactly best friends, but they’d remained on decent terms even after Adam had left the Senate. As long as Zestial wasn’t risking his own reputation, he’d be happy to have someone around who clearly irritated Vox. Just seeing the most famous lanista in Rome walking in and out of his house from time to time would be enough of a slap in the face to his rival.

As expected, when he reached the Ludus, many of the lights were off, a sign that the gladiators were either sleeping (unlikely) or out partying (much more likely). He hoped he wouldn’t have to go looking for Angel the next day because he’d woken up in a barrel of sardines at the harbor again, like last time; if that happened, Adam would make sure to beat him senseless for a whole month. He handed his cloak to Peter, told him to put everything away, and then he gave him permission to go to bed, much to the eunuch’s relief, who was clearly exhausted. After that, Adam decided to stop by the kitchen for a bit of wine before going to sleep.

To his surprise, he found that there were still torches lit in the kitchen. When he stepped inside, he found Lute tidying up the dishes, and judging by how spotless the place was, she must’ve thoroughly cleaned it before he arrived.
“Hey, Ubera Sicarius. Since when are you into housework?” he asked her.

Lute didn’t even glance at him. “The others left, and Peter couldn’t stay here cleaning and waiting at the door at the same time” she replied simply.

“Mh. So you decided to do him this kindness?” Adam asked playfully, leaning against the wall. “I didn’t think you were capable of such generosity. I didn’t even think you had a heart”

Normally Lute would have snapped back, but this time she remained expressionless. “I needed something to keep me busy”

“You could have gone out with the others. Your sister did, from what I see” Adam pointed out.

“I don’t like walking around Rome” Lute replied as she put away the last dishes.

Adam rolled his eyes. “Look, I’m not a mind reader. I have many qualities and I’m fucking amazing, but I can’t read people’s souls” he grumbled. “Tell me what’s wrong, or do I have to take you to a temple and ask some priest to give me a reading on what’s going on in your head?”

Finally, Lute turned toward him and furrowed her brows slightly. “Why do you care? My paranoias can’t bother you”

“I don’t like my gladiators having things distracting them” Adam answered. “It’s dangerous to get distracted”

Lute’s eyebrows furrowed even more. “So that’s what worries you? You don’t want your source of income distracted from training?”

Adam let out an annoyed grunt. “Seriously, someone takes a bull’s horn in the body for you and you still can’t accept that maybe I don’t want to see you hurt?”

“If you’d left me to die, you’d have lost a slave you worked on for six months to make a gladiator” Lute shot back. “You were protecting your business, not me”

“Seriously, I’m starting to get tired of your attitude” Adam grunted.

Lute clenched her fists. She didn’t know why, but ever since she’d returned to the Ludus, she’d felt a fire inside her, like every muscle desperately wanted to spring into action. “How did you get so strong?” she asked him.

Adam sighed. “So that’s the problem? You’re jealous that I’m stronger than you or some bullshit like that? I thought you were more…”

“Stop not taking me seriously!” Lute yelled, cutting him off. “Cut out this shitty behavior! I asked you a question, answer me!”

Adam’s irritated look faded, replaced by a serious one. He’d noticed something was wrong, and it wasn’t her usual surliness. He recognized that look in her eyes... far too well. “Lute…” he said firmly. “… go to sleep. Now. We’ll talk about this when you’re clearer”

Lute’s eyes flashed. “No”

“Lute, this is an order” Adam said.

Lute took a couple of steps toward him, clenching her fists tighter. “And if this slave doesn’t obey your order, what will you do?” she asked, almost challengingly. “Huh? How will you force me to your will, Roman?”

Adam narrowed his eyes. Maybe he should stay calm, but he couldn’t help but say irritably: “Seriously, in Britannia are you all so…?”

Lute grabbed a knife and threw it at him with all her strength, and Adam moved just in time to avoid it piercing his eye. “Fight” she hissed.

Normally Adam would have torn apart anyone who tried to stab him in the head, but at that moment he stayed cold. He could clearly see something had snapped inside her, something quite problematic. “This won’t end well for you” he warned. “End this nonsense now. Don’t make me put you to sleep by force”

Lute didn’t move. The fire inside her was burning too fiercely now. “Fight” she repeated. “And this time, show me the true you”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “No one can handle the true me” he said in a threatening tone.

Lute wasn’t intimidated at all. “We’ll see about that!” she answered, then she jumped at him.

Chapter Text

Lute wasn’t sure she knew what she was doing, but strangely for once, she didn’t care. It was unusual: normally she liked having perfect control over her mind. After all, the mind was the fundamental quality of a warrior, even more than muscles. It was imperative that it always functioned at one hundred percent, never faltering.

But now, her mind was foggy. It was as if a tornado of emotions had taken over, and she was unable to put them back in their place. Fortunately, she had enough rationality to realize something was wrong, so she had preferred to let Vaggie go off with her friends and stay alone, hoping to fully recover her clarity before anyone noticed. However, even though she had tried to go back to her quarters to sleep, the silence had become deafening to her, making her feel even more oppressed by the storm raging inside her and seeming to spread throughout her entire body, as even her muscles began to twitch as if begging to be moved. Eventually, she got up and started walking around the deserted Ludus looking for something to do, and as soon as she reached the kitchen, she began tidying up just to keep her body moving. And amazingly, it worked: focusing on manual work helped calm her mind...

... but then Adam arrived, and her mind immediately started to churn again. The mere sight of that Roman, whom she now knew was much stronger than she had imagined, made her blood boil; she literally felt as if she had explosive steam in her veins. She tried in every way to keep calm, but as soon as Adam dared to mention Britannia, she saw red.

And now she didn’t care what she was doing anymore. She just wanted to hit the person in front of her.

As soon as the distance between them closed, she immediately aimed for the legs. Even though her mind was foggy, her body still remembered well what to do, and she knew that throwing her opponent off balance was the best option. If she could at least knock Adam to his knees, he would lose his height advantage and the fight would be more even.

But Adam didn’t even try to dodge; on the contrary, he himself ducked and grabbed Lute by the shoulder, pushing her away. “I don’t want to fight you, not tonight” he said.

Lute growled. She hated it when her opponent didn’t take her seriously, and at that moment, she hated him even more. “You’re not allowed to decide for me!” she yelled.

She charged again, and this time used a much more complex move: she pretended to attack him frontally, but at the last moment jumped onto one of the tables and went behind him, kicking him in the back. Adam was pushed slightly forward by the blow and she grabbed the knife she had thrown at him earlier and which was still lying on the floor, clearly intending to strike him in the back, but he spun around suddenly and blocked her arm, making her drop the weapon. “Come on, girl, I'm the one who taught you how to fight!” he said, then with his free hand grabbed her neck and pushed her against the wall.

Lute gasped. Adam’s fingers felt like marble, and indeed she didn’t even try to pull them off, knowing she would fail right from the start. However, it wasn’t her precarious position that made her anger grow. “Why don’t you go all out!?” she snarled. “I know damn well you can squeeze me harder!”

“If I squeezed harder, I’d cause you internal injuries!” Adam replied.

“So what?” Lute pressed him. “How many times have you done it already? How many times have you had someone in this exact position and didn’t hesitate to kill them? Why should I be different!?”

Adam clenched his teeth. Lute was furious because all he saw was a strange worried look in his eyes, without any sign of anger. “I know you want me to lose it” he said. “This isn’t the way!”

“The way for what?” Lute hissed.

Adam narrowed his eyes: “The way to face all the shit you have inside”

Lute’s eyes flashed. “Don’t you dare!” she shouted, and using the wall as leverage, she pushed off and lifted her legs; Adam stopped her before she could hit his face and break his nose, but she was fast enough to strike him in the sternum with a kick. That was enough to push him back a little, enough for Lute to break free and put some distance between them.

Adam, however, didn’t react. He could have grabbed her before she slipped away from his grip, but again he didn’t. “I know exactly what you’re doing!” he told her. “You think you’re the first brat with a mountain of shit on her shoulders I’ve seen? I’ve crossed half the known world and seen every kind of person with trauma weighing on them! They’re all the same deep down, in the end everyone explodes like you’re doing now!”

“Shut up!” Lute screamed. “You don’t know a shit about me!”

“Oh, instead I know everything about you!” Adam answered. “You keep pretending to be the coolest and toughest, but you have your problems too! What person dragged here from the other side of the world to be sold like a tool wouldn’t? But instead of facing them, you stay cold and serious because you can’t afford to be weak, because if you give in to weakness then you lose control!”

“I told you to shut up!” Lute yelled even louder.

“Your sister at least vents, she distracts herself with your fellow gladiators. But not you” Adam continued ignoring her. “You have responsibilities toward her, toward your parents, toward your gods, toward who knows what else I can’t think of right now, and for that, you try to convince yourself that your heart is closed, but it’s just a cauldron of emotions ready to explode, like now!”

The fire in Lute’s soul burned stronger than ever, and she grabbed the knife from the ground again and charged at Adam, who without difficulty disarmed her and blocked her with his powerful arms, holding her tight. “See? Normally you’d never fall for such a simple trick. You’re not thinking straight!” he said. “You’re not fighting me, right? You don’t hate me because I’m strong! You hate that there’s a Roman stronger than you!”

“Shut your fucking mouth!” Lute yelled. “You Romans aren’t stronger! You’re just better skilled! If I learned all your tricks, you wouldn’t beat me!”

Adam tightened his grip: “Is that what you were telling yourself while they disarmed and captured you?”

At those words, Lute seemed to gain the solidity of limestone marble, and with a furious jerk, she headbutted Adam, managing to hit him in the face this time. “Stop...” she hissed as she broke free. “... talking!”

And with that, she spun around, kicking Adam’s legs and forcing him to step back; the lanista finally let out a pained grunt, though very subdued. “I know you don’t want to hear it” he growled. “But I learned firsthand that it’s better to face this shit before doing something stupid!”

“Don’t talk like you know!” Lute shouted, punching him, which he blocked with his arms. With every punch, she felt the recoil grow stronger on her arm, but that didn’t stop her. “You don’t know shit! You don’t know what I went through because of your cursed people!”

Adam grabbed both her hands. “Stop it right now! You’ll tear your tendons if you keep hitting that hard!”

Lute’s eyes narrowed to slits: “Stop holding back, asshole. Fight for real!”

“Why? You want to prove to yourself you can beat the mighty Roman?” Adam asked. “Or maybe you hope to die gloriously trying?”

“I can beat you!” Lute growled back.

Adam grunted. “And is it me you want to beat, or something else?”

Lute was breathing so hard it almost hurt her diaphragm. The more Adam spoke, the more the fire inside her ignited and became violent. And there was something else… for some reason, Adam was fading from her eyes, and sometimes she seemed to see his face, sometimes a man covered by a helmet on horseback charging at her, followed by a mighty army...

No.

No!

She mustn’t let herself be influenced!

He was just trying to distract her!

“I don’t care what you have in mind!” she yelled, her eyes glowing with a sinister light. “I will crush you!”

And with that, to Adam’s surprise, she leapt up and, using the very hands he was holding her with as leverage, launched herself into the air, drawing a perfect arc with her feet; Adam immediately let go, knowing that if he held her, he would break her wrists, and she landed straight on his back, wrapping herself around his neck. For the first time, the lanista was speechless: it was easy to understand that Lute had just copied what she had seen him do with the bull. Even if it couldn’t be called a perfect taurocatàpsia, it was executed with great skill. “You… learned that move after seeing it only once?”

“I can learn anything. You should know that, you trained me!” Lute replied, starting to tighten her grip on his neck. Adam tried to grab her, but she moved like an agile spider on him. “What are you waiting for? Throw yourself against the wall and crush me instead of trying to catch me!”

“Urgh… if I throw myself against the wall and you don’t move in time, I’ll definitely kill you!” Adam warned her. “I know your plan, you want to slam me back-first into the wall and take advantage of that moment to push off and strike my throat. Normally I’d approve, but right now you’re not in the right condition to come out unscathed from such a complex maneuver!”

Lute was fuming. “Enough… I said enough!” she shouted. “I’m trying to kill you! Stop worrying about me and fight to take me down!”

But Adam remained adamant: “Forget it. I’m not planning to kill you today!”

“You…!” Lute growled like a furious beast. “You think you can decide for me!?”

Almost instinctively, as if imitating a furious lynx, she sank her nails into Adam’s tunic and pulled; she did so with such force that it tore, and he, caught off guard, ripped off the shreds and let them fall to the ground. His upper body was exposed again, showing the powerful muscles… and also the many scars covering his body, the one left by the bull, still open and bandaged, being the most evident. The only part still covered was his right shoulder, over which a white cloth was tightly tied.

Lute tightened her grip even more, scratching deeply at the lanista’s chest. “You can’t decide if I live or die! Only I can!” she shouted. “You and your damned bastard people think you can control me, but you can’t! You think you can do whatever you want to all the other peoples, but you can’t! You think you’re stronger than me, but you’re not at all!”

“Ugh… stop moving, damn it!” Adam exclaimed, trying repeatedly to grab her.

Lute didn’t let him. “How many of these scars were inflicted on you by someone who was just defending their land, huh!?” she yelled while hitting every single scar. “How many times have you ordered to turn them into slaves!? How many times have you torn them from their homeland!? How many times have you taken away all their humanity!? The best general of Rome, that’s what they called you, right!? The one who conquered seven provinces for the emperor who then betrayed him!”

A sinister light flickered in Adam’s eyes: “Don’t talk about things you don’t know!”

Lute didn’t listen at all: “Your bastard people can’t even get along at your own home! You only know how to exploit those who can’t defend themselves from you! You’re not even warriors, you’re just jackals! You act nice, smile, pretend to care about others, but you try to deceive even your prisoners of war just to keep them on a leash like dogs, because you know very well that if we, after learning all your skills, turn against you, you’re finished! You prefer to deceive us, making us believe that life as gladiators here in Rome is good rather than face us on equal terms! You have no honor!”

Adam seemed to have many things to say, but then, perhaps because he couldn’t decide how to start, he said: “No one’s trying to deceive you, that’s exactly the point!”

“Shut up! You’re the worst of all!” Lute growled. “You just try to tame me, I’m just your little amusement, right? Me and my sister entertain you and then make you money! But now I’m tired!”

She scratched Adam’s skin again, this time right over the many scars, managing to reopen some of them. Some blood emerged from them, and the lanista couldn’t hold back grunts of pain and, to Lute’s delight, finally also a bit of anger. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like feeling the pain of these wounds again? Don’t you want to feel the revenge of those who inflicted them on you before you killed them?”

“Stop it right now!” Adam shouted, trying again to grab her.

“No, I won’t stop!” Lute replied, then started untying the white cloth that covered his right shoulder: “And what are you hiding here?”

Adam stiffened: “Don’t even try…!”

“Why shouldn’t I?” Lute asked, dodging his hands and slipping her fingers under the cloth to scratch there too. “What other secret are you…?”

She stopped.

The whole world seemed to freeze the moment Lute touched the skin beneath the cloth. Her fingers weren’t touching smooth flesh, nor the grooves of a wound: it was something else there. The skin was rough and pitted, as if burned repeatedly until charred, and at the center of the shoulder there was a hollow, too deep and wide to be a simple wound. Lute felt a shiver run down her spine upon touching it, as if her body instinctively sensed the undeniable metal that had caused that strange shape.

Adam had frozen too. His eyes had widened the moment he felt her fingers touch the skin on his shoulder. Every muscle seemed to have turned to stone, and even turning slightly to look at her seemed to cost him great effort. For the first time ever, Lute saw a brief hint of distress in his gaze.

Time seemed frozen for an eternity. Then Lute’s lips moved on their own: “But… this is…!”

She didn’t have time to say more: with a sudden move, Adam grabbed her by an arm and slammed her onto the floor. He himself seemed not to notice what he was doing, and at the last second he seemed to regain lucidity and pulled her back slightly, but it was too late: she crashed onto the hard chiseled tiles with such force that she spat blood. Lute saw complete darkness and her hearing went dead. She remained conscious for barely a couple more seconds, then she completely closed her eyes.

Chapter Text

"... and so Angel barged into the infirmary screaming like a newborn..."

"... seriously? And Husk didn’t beat him up?"

"Nah, he did that afterward. First, he was nice and treated his shoulder. Then Angel asked him for a kiss to ease the pain, and Husk poured on a string of insults worthy of the best dockworker"

"Pff! Husk’s really a softie deep down then"

"Yeah, but don’t say that in front of him. He cares about his reputation of Ursi"

"Pff! Ah ah ah!"

Vaggie wasn’t quite sure how it had happened, but she and Charlie had ended up talking about practically everything while sitting side by side on some marble steps. What had started as a polite offer to buy her a piece of bread to make up for her friends’ inappropriate behavior soon turned into a beautiful conversation. Vaggie hadn’t expected it to last that long, but Charlie’s voice seemed to have the power to hypnotize her. It was truly a pleasant sound to hear. "You’re really an interesting boy, you know?" she said at one point.

Charlie blushed, even sweating a little: "Well... thanks, people don’t often call me an... interesting... boy! You’re kind"

"I’m just saying what I think" Vaggie replied.

Charlie blushed even more. She hadn’t expected to find the company of someone who had been a total stranger until a little while ago so pleasant, yet it was so. She felt really comfortable with her. "You’re interesting too" she quickly said with a smile.

Vaggie looked away. Damn, even with that strange, unkempt beard, that smile had something magnetic. It seemed capable of melting a heart made of metal. "W-well... I wouldn’t call myself..."

"Ah, there you are!" a shrill voice exclaimed.

Vaggie and Charlie turned and saw Angel approaching, followed by Cherri, Husk, and Pentious. There didn’t seem to be any particular tension in the group, so it was quite likely that Husk had managed to convince Angel to keep quiet in front of Pentious, and Cherri had stopped sulking... somehow. "Oh, guys. You’re back already?" Vaggie asked.

"Back already? Girl, you have no sense of time. Look at the moon" Angel said, pointing to the sky. "It’s really late now, we have to go back to the Ludus"

Charlie paled, realizing the moon was already quite high in the sky and the stars were fully visible (¹). "Oh, fuck!" she exclaimed, looking up. "You’re right, it’s very late! Sorry, I have to go!"

After talking so much with Vaggie, she had completely forgotten she couldn’t stay out too long without someone at home noticing. She hoped Keekee had managed to keep her parents away from her room... if even just one person had gone to visit her it would have been a catastrophe. Damn her and her empty head.

Vaggie found that sudden rush a bit strange, but she nodded anyway. "Alright. Bye then. It was nice meeting you"

"Same here!" Charlie replied with a big smile, then added: "Hey... I’ll probably be walking the same way again in a week. Want to meet again?"

Vaggie nodded with a smile. "Sure. If my master lets me go out again, I’ll definitely come"

Charlie was about to hug him, as she always did when she was happy about something, but she held back and just said goodbye; after all, they weren’t that friendly yet, they had known each other for barely a couple of hours. She greeted the other gladiators too, then said goodbye to Vaggie again for the second time, and finally decided to run off home, though before getting too far she still turned around to wave goodbye a third time.

Vaggie kept waving until Charlie was completely gone. Too bad her smile immediately faded as Angel nudged her: "So, has Venus finally decided that you need to get busy (²)?"

Vaggie instantly blushed: "What the fuck... we just had a conversation!"

"Oh, come on, don’t be so modest!" Angel replied, grinning like an idiot. "I can recognize that look..."

Vaggie raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked sarcastically, since that idiot hadn’t noticed for months that Cherri, the person he basically grew up with, was interested in Pentious.

Angel winked mischievously: "Next time you see each other, everything has to be perfect! Leave it to me, I know what I’m doing..."

"Warning: he doesn’t know anything" Cherri commented loudly, trying to hold back laughter.

Vaggie pushed him away with a grunt: "We won’t do anything weird"

Angel looked annoyed: "Oh, come on, trust me! I’m a master at creating the perfect conditions for true love to blossom, I’ve done it a thousand times..."

"He hasn’t done it even once" Cherri added again.

"Hey, that’s not true!" Angel protested. "I’m an expert, I could pick anyone on this street and make them fall in love with me in an instant!"

"There’s a difference between love and libido (³)" Pentious rightly pointed out.

Angel grunted: "You’re against me too? What a shitty future brother-in-law...!"

"What?" Pentious muttered, not understanding, but before Angel could reply, Husk elbowed him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

Vaggie took a deep breath: "Guys, seriously, we just talked a little. There was nothing, just a friendly chat between two random passersby. Charlie’s a nice person, that’s all I think"

Finally, her friends stopped with the annoying hints. They could be said to be many things, but they knew how to respect limits when someone asked them. "Well, it’s your choice" Angel commented, patting her on the shoulder. "And I agree, I liked that guy too, though he seemed a bit too modest. But otherwise, he was cute"

"Even if he was really effeminate... even more than Angel when he tries" Cherri commented. "Seriously, if it weren’t for the beard and the man’s clothes, I would have definitely mistaken him for a woman"

"Come on, don’t be so rude" Vaggie said, knowing men rarely liked being compared to women appearance-wise (⁴), except in rare cases. Even if she herself couldn’t deny that Charlie really looked like a girl: smooth, cared-for skin, long lashes, and even his gaze strongly resembled that of a young girl. Well, maybe it was just because he was still seventeen: some men matured later than others.

"Oh, what do you care? He’s not here now, he can’t hear us" Cherri reminded her.

"It’s still not nice to talk like that about someone" Vaggie replied.

"Tsk, I think he’d laugh too" Angel commented. "Well, we’ll find out in a week, right? When we meet him again I’ll ask if he’s naturally that feminine or if he uses cosmetics, let’s see how..."

"You’re really an asshole" Vaggie couldn’t help but say.

"I know, I know" Angel replied as if it were something to be proud of. "Anyway, next time I’ll follow you, and I won’t lose sight of you for a second! Let’s see if there really will be just a friendly conversation between two passersby..."

Vaggie preferred to ignore him to avoid feeling the urge to kick him again. Angel could be really inappropriate sometimes: was it so hard for him to believe two people could have a normal conversation without lewd intentions? That guy seriously had some mental issues.

And then... come on, it was ridiculous just to think about it. Who would be interested in falling in love with a slave fighting in an arena? Only a lunatic(⁵). Not to mention Lute would almost certainly kill her in that case. Vaggie appreciated Charlie’s company, but she was definitely not the kind of girl to fall in love with someone she’d just met and who didn’t know how to use his brain even when his heart was beating fast.

She liked Charlie as a friend. That was all there was to say about their relationship. Nothing more, nothing less.

While she was lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice that they were almost back at the Ludus; the sharp voice of Peter, who had just come out of the gates and was running toward them, brought her back to reality: “Husk, luckily you’re already here!” he exclaimed, looking at the medic. “I was about to come find you, you have to come to the infirmary immediately!”

Husk immediately dropped his usual grumpy demeanor: he knew that when someone had the nerve to come call him, it was definitely something serious. “What’s going on?”

Peter swallowed hard: “Adam brought Lute to the infirmary and told me to call you right away. She got hurt... and it looks serious, she’s not waking up”

Vaggie instantly turned as pale as plaster: “What are you saying!? What happened to my sister!?” she shouted, grabbing the poor eunuch by the collar of his tunic.

Peter went pale: “I-I don’t know! Adam just ordered me to come find Husk...!”

Vaggie’s adrenaline was already making her brain boil and what little rationality she had left was slipping away, but Angel stepped in, pulling her away from Peter: “Girl, calm down. Now we’re going to the infirmary and we’ll figure it all out”

Vaggie was smoking, but still tried to keep a clear head and follow Husk, who unlike her hadn’t wasted any more time and had already rushed inside the Ludus. However, Angel held her back again. “What are you doing!?” she exclaimed.

“Vaggie, sorry, but I’ve spent enough time with Husk to know it’s better not to touch a patient until the doctor authorizes you” Angel warned her. He had suddenly become serious like few other times. “Now we go into the infirmary quietly and stay out of the way, no fuss, and let Husk do his job. You’ll run to hug and slap your sister after he tells you it’s okay”

“He’s right” Pentious said, backing up his friend. “Once one of the gladiators broke a rib, and we shook him so much we nearly damaged a lung. Husk almost killed us that time”

Vaggie gritted her teeth, but the tone and serious looks from her friends forced her to try to slow down the adrenaline in her body. “Okay... okay, I’ll stay calm. Let’s go now” she said, and finally her friends nodded and let her run toward the infirmary.

When they arrived, Husk was already examining Lute, who was lying on a bed and was even paler than usual. Adam was sitting nearby, arms crossed, watching the scene with a rather tense expression. Vaggie felt the urge to run to her sister, but remembering her friends’ words, she forced herself to stay back and just asked: “So?”

Husk grunted: “Breathing and heartbeat are regular, so lungs and heart are still functioning well. I didn’t find signs of encephalitis or brain injury, so she’s not in immediate life danger” he replied, perhaps giving all that info at once to calm her. “The other organs also don’t seem damaged at first glance... uh?”

Husk had just turned Lute’s body slightly to check her back properly, and by pulling back some of her clothes he saw a huge bruise at the base of her pelvis. “What the... how did she get this!?”

“That was me” Adam said suddenly.

Everyone looked at him shocked. “What?” Vaggie barely whispered.

“We both had a lot on our minds and decided to train” Adam quickly explained. “I underestimated her resistance and threw her to the ground with all my strength. I realized at the last moment what was happening and tried to pull her back, but it was too late”

“You’re out of your mind!?” Husk shouted angrily. “I’ve seen you break ink stones with your bare hands! You can’t use all your strength on someone who weighs less than half of you, it’s a miracle you didn’t kill her! (⁶)”

He probably would have gone on for at least ten minutes, but Adam froze him with a look: “I know! Now shut up and treat her!”

Husk swallowed, clearly scared by that outburst: when Adam really showed anger, or even just irritation, he was truly scary. He quickly got back to work, carefully examining the injured area to ensure no serious internal damage.

Under normal circumstances, Vaggie would have punched Adam, or at least tried to; she didn’t care how strong he was, no one could treat her sister that way. However, something stopped her. She knew Adam knew how to hold back, and even though she was tense, his excuse that he had underestimated Lute sounded quite weak to her ears... and looking at her friends’ faces, it was clear they felt the same. Something was off, but no one dared ask questions.

After a few minutes, Husk relaxed a bit. “You did the right thing pulling her back” he said to Adam. “The blow was violent, but since you pulled her upwards, the pelvis and legs hit the ground first, absorbing most of the impact. If you hadn’t pulled her back, she would have landed on her spine and now she wouldn’t be able to walk anymore... in the best case scenario”

“So?” Adam asked simply.

“The tailbone hit first, it’s slightly cracked, but luckily that’s a very strong bone. Thanks to it that acted like a shield, the other bones stayed intact. There don’t seem to be internal injuries, and if there was bleeding we’d see stains by now” Husk explained. “There shouldn’t be serious problems. She’ll limp for a few days, and it’s best if she doesn’t train or fight for at least a month, but she’ll be fine”

Everyone sighed with relief. “Then why isn’t she waking up?” Vaggie asked anxiously.

“Her body was shaken by the impact and it’s still recovering. Like ripples caused when you throw a stone in water, it takes a while to calm down (⁷)” Husk replied. “She’ll wake up within an hour. And by an hour I mean worst case, knowing her resistance I doubt we’ll have to wait more than twenty minutes. When she wakes up, she’ll be already able to go back to the dorm on her own legs, though with some difficulty”

Vaggie closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, finally reassured; her friends gave her some pats on the shoulder to comfort her. Her sister wasn’t in danger and would be fine, which was all she wanted to know.

Adam drew attention to himself again: “Enough. This is still an infirmary and must remain as empty and quiet as possible” he said to his gladiators. “Go back to your rooms and sleep”

“I’m not leaving until my sister opens her eyes” Vaggie replied immediately.

And for once, Adam didn’t show any irritation at being disobeyed. “Alright, you can stay” he answered. “But everyone else, get the fuck out. Now"

Angel, Pentious, and Cherri looked at each other, then obeyed and after a last nod to Husk and especially Vaggie, left. Adam was about to follow them, but Husk stopped him at the door: “I need to talk to you. Girl, keep an eye on your sister for me for a few minutes”

And before she could reply, the door shut behind her. Vaggie squinted, and even though she knew she shouldn’t, she pressed her ear against the wood to hear what they were saying on the other side. “Now that we’re alone, you’re going to explain what the fuck really happened!?” Husk was shouting.

“Mind your own damn business” was the only answer Adam gave him.

“I know damn well you weren’t training!” Husk growled. “If you had been in the courtyard, she would have abrasions on her back, and the impact would have been much less violent thanks to the soft ground! You clearly slammed her against a carved floor! What were you doing!?”

“I told you to mind your own damn business” Adam replied again.

Husk let out an angry huff. “I know she did something to make you lose your temper, you never use your full strength. What...?”

Vaggie heard a loud bang, and even though she couldn’t see it, it was easy to understand that Adam had just punched the wall. “Maybe you’ve forgotten your place, Husk” Adam said threateningly. “You’re our medic and the grumpy uncle of this fucking big family, but the boss here is and always will be me. If I tell you to shut up, you shut up. Got it?”

There was a long moment of silence. Then Husk answered submissively: “Yes, master”

“Good” Adam said. “Forget any doubts you have. Focus only on doing your job as a doctor. If anyone asks, it went the way I told you. Now get back to work”

With that, footsteps were heard moving away. Vaggie ran to sit beside Lute, and when Husk came in, she pretended to have been there all along. The doctor was clearly frowning but said nothing and went back to doing his duty, applying ointments and creams on Lute’s bruises.

Vaggie tried not to be seen as she clenched her fists. So she was right... something really had happened. It wasn’t an accident; Adam had hit Lute that hard on purpose. But why? She wanted to be angry, and indeed she was, but she couldn’t stop wondering about the reason for such actions.

A faint moan caught her attention: Lute blinked slightly, then finally opened her eyes. “Uh... where...?”

“Sis!” Vaggie exclaimed, grabbing her by the shoulders. “Do you feel okay?”

Lute was extremely dazed and didn’t seem to have a clear idea of what was happening around her, but she still answered: “I think... yes”

“You might feel disoriented for a while, but a night of sleep will fix everything” Husk told her, then he headed for the door: “Well, now that you’re awake, my presence isn’t needed anymore. I’ll leave you girls alone. If you need me, my quarters are next to the infirmary”

And with that, he left. Vaggie was a bit surprised but then understood why: Husk knew she would ask Lute questions and didn’t want to hear any of it. After the conversation with Adam, he had decided he didn’t want to get involved. After all, Lute was no longer at risk of further complications now that she was awake again, so there was no reason to fear leaving her alone with Vaggie, since her safety was guaranteed.

Well... more or less. Vaggie still had to decide if her sister’s safety was really secure.

Lute lifted herself up a little, just enough so she no longer saw the world from a vertical perspective; in doing so, she clearly felt pain in her pelvis and legs and couldn’t hold back a groan of pain. Of all the beatings she’d taken in her life, this was definitely one of the worst. She expected Vaggie to at least lend a hand, but instead she stood still, staring at her intensely. “What happened?” she asked.

“What?” Lute murmured, still a little confused.

“How did you end up like this?” Vaggie replied. “Adam said you were training together and he hit you too hard, but I know damn well that’s not true. You fought, didn’t you? You really fought”

Lute stayed silent. It was rare for Vaggie to talk to her like that, and this time she knew Vaggie wasn’t looking for a peaceful confrontation. “Yes” she admitted.

Vaggie clenched her fists and took a deep breath. “Did he attack you?” she asked. “Did he want to hurt you? Maybe he was drunk and lost control?”

Lute shook her head. “No” she answered without hiding anything. “I provoked him. He didn’t want to”

Vaggie put her hands in her hair. She stayed silent for a long moment, then burst out: “Can I know what the fuck was going through your head!?”

Lute didn’t even get angry hearing her sister speak to her like that. She knew she deserved it, after all. “I know you’re angry...”

Vaggie didn’t let her finish: careless of the fact that she had just recovered, she slapped her hard across the face, so hard it made Lute’s head jerk slightly. Lute’s eyes went wide, and she touched the spot she’d been hit, not remembering a single time in her life her sister had dared to slap her. “Vaggie...?”

“Do you want to die or what!? Is that what you want!?” Vaggie yelled. “What kind of crazy maniac decides to face a man who just a few hours ago knocked down a bull by himself!? What the fuck were you thinking!? What were you trying to prove!?”

But Lute had no answer. Not because she didn’t want to respond to her sister, but because she simply didn’t have one. The last few hours felt like a dream, as if she hadn’t really been controlling her body. She herself now realized clearly that what she did was a stupid action, and she couldn’t remember what thoughts had led her to that point, if any at all. “I don’t know” she said.

Vaggie was about to slap her a second time but only with an enormous effort restrained herself. “You promised me you wouldn’t do stupid shit!”

“I know” Lute confirmed. “But... really, I don’t know what came over me. It’s the truth”

Vaggie shook her head with disappointment. “You must have hit your head as a kid, it’s the only explanation I have for you sometimes!” she said. “That’s enough! I’m willing to put up with your fucking pride only when it doesn’t put your life at risk! Either you drop this stupid stubbornness, or I swear I’ll chain you to the bed!”

“Vaggie, calm down” Lute tried to soothe her. Her head still hurt, and she wasn’t in the mood for a fight. “It’s not...”

“No, I’m not calming down!” Vaggie yelled, turning red with anger. “You need to get yourself together, alright!? I get it, you don’t like this place, I know, fine! But you can’t go around picking fights with men way stronger than you just to prove you’re still the best! You’re not, okay!? You’re not stronger than Adam, you can’t stand up to him!”

That was definitely the point where Lute was most sensitive, and as soon as Vaggie dared to touch it, it caused a pain sharper than the one in her legs. “I just have to get better...”

“No, you don’t! You don’t have to do anything, dumbass!” Vaggie told her. "There’s no point being as strong as Adam or stronger, it won’t change anything! You don’t have to train yourself to exhaustion and maybe get hurt just to prove you’re better!”

Lute gritted her teeth. “I don’t care about proving I’m better”

“Then why!?” Vaggie exclaimed in frustration.
“What the fuck is going on in your head, will you tell me or not!?”

Lute found Vaggie’s face just a few centimeters from hers, eyes locked on hers. Maybe it was because she was still physically weak from the blow, but for the first time she felt like it was her sister who had the upper hand. Maybe it was that intimidating aura that made her confess: “I want to be stronger because it’ll make it easier for me to escape from here and go back home. Remember? The home we promised each other we’d return to. In Britannia. Together”

She hoped that tone would at least intimidate Vaggie a bit, but instead she put her hands on her face: “Don’t mess with me, you’re not that dumb"

“What did you just say!?” Lute exclaimed.

“You heard me right!” Vaggie growled. “Do you think you can lie to me? I’m the younger sister, but even if I didn’t see you come out of our mother’s womb, I know you like the back of my hand! And I know you’re not stupid enough to think that physical strength will help us in what’s in every sense an almost impossible feat! Sure, it’s useful against a single man, but what if ten come at us? Twenty? Maybe a hundred? Whether we’re strong or weak won’t change a thing! It’s what’s inside our heads that will let us survive and maybe get home, and at first I thought you were using that, but after tonight I’m starting to have my doubts!”

“You... how dare you talk to me like that!?” Lute growled, feeling anger ignite again in her heart.
“I’m your older sister!”

“And that’s exactly why I feel obligated to tell you when you’re wrong!” Vaggie yelled, and a couple of tears fell from her eyes. “You’re the only damn family I have left! Maybe even everything left of what I called my clan! Do you really think I’ll let you die over something as trivial as your pride!? If I see you’re putting yourself in danger I’ll tell you, and screw everything else!”

Lute fell silent. "Vaggie, I..."

"You're not stronger than Adam, okay!? You're not, and you can't be!" Vaggie screamed in her face. "You can't go around looking for matches against opponents stronger than you, just for your own stupid self-pity!"

"My self-pity!?" Lute snarled.

"What else would you call it!? I know you, just like me, are broken!" Vaggie retorted. "And it's okay to be broken! Fuck, who wouldn't be!? Not even a god would remain unmoved by what happened to us! And maybe if you tried to cry like I do, instead of holding it all in, you'd stop doing this shit!"

"Don't...!" Lute was already exclaiming, but something inside her seemed to prick her throat like a needle and render her speechless. Suddenly, she felt lost for words. "Deal with the pain however you want, but leave me with mine"

"No. Not when your pain makes you do such stupid things!" Vaggie told her. "I won't let you risk your life. If you want to die, you'll do it when you're old and bent, not now. I refuse to let you die now!"

"Vaggie... stop it" Lute muttered. Her head was pounding. "I just want to get you home..."

"Then why don't you ever ask what's happening back home?" Vaggie asked.

Lute fell silent. "Huh?"

"Let's assume we escape Rome, retrace our steps through Gaul, and somehow make our way back to Britannia" Vaggie said with a sharp look. "What's the plan then? What do we do? Where do we go? Do we continue on to Caledonia? Do we gather a rebel group to drive out the Romans? Do we just go back to our homeland and be okay with it? Have you even bothered to know if our town still exists?"

"I...!" Lute tried to say, but fell silent again.

Yeah... why hadn't she ever thought of that?

She wasn't stupid; she knew full well that one action led to another. When she thought about escaping Rome, she certainly didn't stop at the initial flight, but also tried to think about how to cross the Alps and then Gaul to return home. So... why hadn't it ever occurred to her to ask what to do once they returned to their aforementioned homeland?

Why hadn't she ever asked around about the current situation in Britannia...?

Vaggie was silent for a long moment, and then she turned away indignantly. "Let me tell you, sister: you really need to get a grip" she said. "I'll leave you with this thought. I'm going to sleep. I need to cool off a bit before I talk to you again"

And having said that, she left without waiting for her response, slamming the infirmary door shut and leaving her alone.

Chapter Text

For the first time in her life, Lute couldn’t bring herself to be angry with Vaggie. It had always been Vaggie who was scolded by her, being the older sister and therefore the more experienced one; and Lute had never liked when Vaggie dared to try to scold her back. But this time, she couldn’t blame her: she would have reacted much worse if it had been Vaggie lying on that cot.

She put her hands over her face. Damn, what was happening to her? Why did it feel like her mind had stopped working properly for an entire day?

And then... Vaggie’s final words kept echoing in her ears.

Why had she never asked questions about how to get back to Britannia...?

She couldn’t understand it.

The more she thought about it, the more her head hurt.

Damn, maybe she really was going crazy...

“So your sister just ditched you?”

Lute moved her hands away from her face and looked toward the door. Adam was there, leaning against the frame. The man had his arms crossed and wore an expression unlike anything she had ever seen on him before: no more fierceness or carefreeness, just a strange calm mixed with resignation and a hint of pity. “Did you come back to see me... or were you just waiting here for me?”

“I was in the room at the end of the hall” Adam replied. “I figured sooner or later your sister would leave you alone, so I waited to talk to you privately”

“It’s very late” Lute said. “You could have come tomorrow”

“I knew you wouldn’t just go to sleep” Adam replied. “Would you have been able to wait until tomorrow?”

Lute shook her head. No, she wouldn’t go to sleep and would probably be crazy enough to try to break down the door of his room. “No” she admitted.

Adam nodded. “Me neither” he said, finally stepping away from the doorframe. “Can you walk?”

Normally Lute would have immediately answered yes, if only out of pride, but this time she was more cautious and first put her feet on the floor. She felt some pain in her legs and pelvis, especially where the bones met, but she managed to stand. “Yes” she finally said.

Adam gave her a nod. “Then come with me. We’ll need some wine”

Lute suspected Adam just wanted to get away from the infirmary to avoid Husk overhearing them, or at least to go somewhere more private, but for once she didn’t voice her thoughts. She followed him obediently to a part of the Ludus she had never been to before, definitely outside the gladiators’ quarters. They reached a room full of barrels, where Adam took two cups and filled them with wine from one of them. “Lemnian wine” he told her, offering her one. “It comes from the island of Lemnos, near Greece. They’re good at making wine”

Lute took the cup and brought it to her lips. For the first time, she sipped it without worrying it might be drugged. “Thank you” she said simply.

Adam took a long sip from his, then roughly wiped his mouth. He set the cup down on one of the barrels with a faint clink. “Go ahead, ask me” he said in a tired voice.

Lute gripped her cup a little tighter. For some reason, she felt nervous. “On your shoulder... that’s not a wound” she said, looking him in the eyes. “That... is a brand, right?”

Adam remained silent, but he pulled aside his white tunic, revealing the shoulder that had always been hidden until now. Beneath the tunic was a white cloth covering his skin, which he slowly untied and removed. Lute couldn’t hold back a gasp of surprise when she finally saw what the clothes had hidden: on Adam’s skin was branded the symbol I, which in Roman numerals meant ‘first’ (¹). But not only that: the brand had burned the skin and flesh so deeply that part of the bone underneath was visible, a sign that whoever had inflicted it must have plunged the hot iron far deeper into the shoulder than necessary.

Adam grunted deeply. “I don’t show it often” he said. “I don’t have good memories tied to it”

Lute raised her hand slightly, stopping halfway. “May I...?”

Adam nodded. “Go ahead and touch it. It hasn’t hurt for many years now”

Lute gathered courage and then touched the brand. Her fingers trembled slightly as they traced the rough shape the flesh had taken. She could almost feel the hot iron that had created that horror. “How?” she asked in a thin voice.

Adam sighed. “The centurion who captured me that day wanted to make me scream at all costs”

Lute’s heart skipped a beat. No, she must have heard wrong. “What did you...?”

“When the Romans conquered my land, I stayed behind to let the rest of my tribe flee east” Adam told her. “I killed so many soldiers that the others were afraid to come near me. They took me by exhaustion, shooting arrows into my back. The centurion leading the expedition wanted to break me, and to hear me scream, he ordered this brand to be carved into my body. He told me that since I was the best soldier, the first warrior of my tribe, I should always bear the symbol that best represented me. He ordered the blacksmith not to remove the iron until I screamed. I didn’t give him that satisfaction: I clenched my lips until I fainted”

Lute went pale. It felt like her mind exploded and she struggled to put thoughts together. “You... are a slave?” she finally whispered.

“I never let anyone call me that” Adam replied. “But yes... for a short time in my life, I was a slave. Just like you”

Lute felt her heart pounding. Adam had been a slave? She had always assumed he was a free man. “Who are you really?” she asked at last, wanting to clear things up once and for all.

Adam took a deep breath and put his tunic back on, covering the brand again. “I was born in the land the Romans call Germania, at east of Gaul” he answered. “My was a beautiful town near the sea, where people lived by fishing and hunting (²). I had always been strong, and since I was capable to grab a weapon I trained myself to become a great warrior: at just fourteen, I was already capable to fight my father and three other men and win. Once I became a man (³), I was already considered the strongest warrior of the tribe. The Romans arrived when I was sixteen and conquered my land, taking me as their best prey. They brought me to Rome to sell me as high-quality product; they were convinced I would become the city’s best gladiator. But it was instead the First Consul, the one who would later become Emperor Yahweh, who bought me, and he entrusted his son to me”

“His son?” Lute repeated. “You mean... the current emperor? Lucifer?”

“Yes. Back then he was just thirteen” Adam replied. “At the time, no one could have imagined the chaos that would soon erupt, but senators have always been accustomed to power games... and potential assassinations. Yahweh had bought me because he wanted to give his less experienced son someone to protect him. He told me that, since I was older and more experienced, I should have guided and protected him in the difficult challenges that awaited him (⁴). He promised me freedom in exchange for my service" 

"So you became a slave to the Astra family?" Lute murmured.

"As I told you, I never allowed anyone to call me that. Not Lucifer, not his older brothers, not even Yahweh" Adam replied. "For the next four years, Lucifer and I lived together. I taught him what I knew, and he too taught me what he knew. I made sure he learned to fight and defend himself. At the end of those four years, when I turned twenty, Yahweh freed me and adopted me into his family, with the name of Adam Primus Astra (⁵), and he promised me anything I wanted if I would join the army and bring honor to the Astra family. I did, and in a single year I went from being a simple legionaire to a renowned centurion, a feat that normally takes a person fifteen years to accomplish (⁶)"

"Why would Yahweh ask you such a thing?" Lute asked. "What did he gain from you being in the army?"

"Honor and glory for the family... but more importantly, it meant I could pave the way for Lucifer when he would have been old enough to join me. An army is the perfect place to kill the heir of a great family, and Yahweh therefore preferred that I be a part of it so I could protect Lucifer once again" Adam explained. "Then... Emperor Hadrian ordered me to go to war against the Parthians. After three years, he died and the empire fell into a state of extreme instability. Lucifer had to go to war, just like all the other princes. He joined me, and we spent the entire government of Emperor Yahweh in war". He gave a deep snort: "Lucifer and I faced enemies of all kinds, throughout the empire. Many wanted to kill him, both Romans and barbarians. We traveled half of the entire known world, fought battles, faced tyrants and dictators, conquered cities and lands. But in the end, we always triumphed... together"

Lute felt her throat dry. Adam’s words matched what she already knew about him: so that was what people meant when they said he and the current emperor were close? They had met that way, a slave and a future emperor, and together faced all the dangers an unstable Rome represented? Wars, invasions, assassinations, rebellions? “Were you friends?” she couldn’t help asking.

Adam tensed a little. “To me, he was closer than a brother” he finally answered, giving no further explanation.

Lute understood he didn’t want to talk about it, so she dropped it, even though she wished to know more. “Have you ever been back to Germany?” she asked instead.

“Of course” Adam replied. “As soon as I became a centurion, I left Rome for my homeland. As a high ranking army officer, I had a clear path to any corner of the empire, and I wanted to see again the land I had lost more than four years before”

Lute bit her lip. “And...?”

“And I didn’t like what I found” Adam said somewhat curtly. “That was no longer the land I remembered, it was no longer my home. So I returned here to Rome, where I had already made my life”

Lute thought there was surely more Adam wasn’t telling her, but she didn’t press him; after all, it was a rather personal question. And anyway, it didn’t change the rest of the story and its outcome: Adam had ultimately decided to return to Rome, not as a slave but as a free man. “Why?” she asked. “Why did you choose to become a Roman? After what they did to you and your land...!”

“It wasn’t Rome that tore me away from my home” Adam interrupted immediately. “It was the corrupt people who took power taking advantage of the instability before the father of the current emperor came to the throne. They were responsible, not the Romans”

“How can you say that?!” Lute couldn’t help exclaiming. “A people who serve evil rulers are just as guilty as them...!”

“Really? Isn’t that people forced to serve the evil rulers just to feed their families? How do you think soldiers make a living? What do you think would happen to their wives and children if they refused?” Adam asked. “No one is free in this world, Lute. Not even Romans who call themselves free citizens. There’s always someone holding them in chains”

Lute tried to reply but her voice died in her throat. She didn’t know much about the power dynamics in Rome, and maybe that was why she found no words to argue back. Suddenly she felt a great chill, so she shrugged and shivered.

Adam gave her a tired look, seeming to pity her. “Lute, I went through this before you” he said. “I too, for a time in my life, hated the Romans, much more than you think. But I’ve seen enough wars and atrocities to understand that this people are no different from all others. Just like them, they only want to see the sun rise another day, to wake up with their beloved wife in their bed and their children in the cradle. They are neither monsters nor evil... they are just afraid of what the real monsters would do to them if they didn’t obey”

Lute still didn’t answer. Instead, she lowered her head, unable to hold those eyes. She hated being pitied... but being pitied for that hurt her strangely more.

Adam evidently understood her despair and turned his head so she wouldn’t feel his eyes on her anymore. “You asked me why I chose to return to Rome” he said. “It was because I believed in an ideal. Rome hasn’t always been like this, corrupt and ruthless; there was a time when Romans were a great and noble people, and through them peoples who had been at war for centuries or even millennia united under one empire. Peoples who once saw their homes burned, their children killed, and their women taken every year now lived in harmony under Rome. And I... and Lucifer... thought we could bring the empire back to that ideal, make Romans peacemakers and not just jackals. That’s why I chose to stay in Rome and fought for it for many, many years”

Lute shrugged even more tightly. “And then what happened?”

Adam grunted. “That’s my business” he replied simply.

Lute understood he wouldn’t tolerate further questions on that topic. “Do you still believe it?” she asked instead. “That Rome... can really be what you dreamed of?”

“Yes” Adam told her without hesitation. “Lute, I know it’s hard for you to believe, but Romans can really be again the wonderful people they once were. In all of them flows the same blood that produced extraordinary politicians, generals, and thinkers. This city hosted artists, poets, and philosophers who enriched human knowledge and touched the hearts of those who listened, bringing justice and crushing the wicked who tried to enslave the poor. Even those who were enemies and believed in different ideals, like the great Julius Caesar and the noble Cicero, had deep respect for their opponent. This is what Rome was and what it still can be, instead of a continuous power struggle among senators who hate each other. Rome just needs someone who can embody that ideal and restore it... and unfortunately, Lucifer is not the right man for that”

Lute wondered what had really happened between Adam and the current emperor to make him lose trust in him; she doubted that simply stealing a wife was the cause of such resentment. No, not resentment... Adam seemed only disappointed when he spoke of it. It sounded like someone who had believed a lot in a person, only to be disillusioned. But at the moment, a more pressing question was on her mind: "Even after you lost trust in your old companion... didn’t you return to Germany?"

Adam shook his head. "I haven’t set foot in my land since that time I came back and chose to leave"

"Why?" Lute asked in a faint voice.

"I told you, I didn’t like what I found" Adam replied. "Everything had changed, even the air felt different to me. And... the people I wanted to see again... were no longer there. I felt like a stranger in a foreign land. There I had nothing but painful memories. Even if I hadn’t returned to Rome, I would have left for somewhere else anyway"

Lute clutched her dress over her heart. She was feeling unwell, and it wasn’t just in her head: it felt as if something inside her was breaking. It was like her own body was revolting against her.

Adam remained silent for a moment, then murmured, "It’s not really my reasons you care about, is it?"

Lute gritted her teeth. For the first time in her life, she was genuinely afraid to ask a question. "Adam..." she barely whispered, feeling her heart tremble as she called him by name. "... what will I find when I return to Britannia?"

Silence fell between them, broken only by their breaths. Lute could hear her own labored breathing, but her ears were more focused on Adam’s, which had grown tenser and more rhythmic. Finally, he spoke: "There’s no use in me trying to lie to you, Lute. I’d rather speak frankly"

Lute’s body tensed like a violin string. What was happening to her? Why was she suddenly struggling so much to breathe? Why was her heart pounding so hard? Why... did she not really want to hear the answer?

Adam narrowed his eyes. "You won’t stay in Britannia" he said firmly.

Lute felt as if a heavy weight had suddenly fallen on her.

"You won’t make it" Adam continued. "Whether you return to your land as a fugitive slave, as a free woman, or as who knows what else, you won’t be able to stay there. Even if you came back right now, the Britannia you’d find wouldn’t be the one you remembered (⁷). The town you left behind will be different, the houses will be different, the fields will be different. People will speak differently, many will speak Latin, and some children might not even know your native language. There will be merchants bringing goods from distant places, goods that will replace the tools you are used to seeing in your people’s hands. Blacksmiths will use new techniques for weapons, artisans will carve wood differently, warriors will have different training routines and aspire to join the Roman army. Everything to your eyes, even the forests or the mountains, will feel alien. And you won’t be able to stay in that place. Maybe you’ll hold on for a few months, maybe even years, but in the end, you’ll choose to take a ship and leave forever. Maybe you won’t return to Rome, but you won’t want to see Britannia again. To you, that land will be nothing but a concentration of pain, sadness, and nostalgia. You’ll remember a Britannia that will never exist again. Even if you manage to create an army big enough to drive out the Romans and build a perfect replica of the land you remember, it will always remain only a replica. Rather than stay in such a place, you’ll prefer to leave for unknown shores. At least there, you won’t risk suffering for a painful past"

Lute clutched her chest even tighter. Why was she seeing darkness? Why were her legs trembling so much? Why did she feel like she was about to faint?

That man was lying. He was definitely lying. He just wanted to dissuade her from trying to escape the Ludus. She would return home, and she would find the home she remembered...

The home she remembered...

Why did that home suddenly seem more like a blurred memory than something real...?

Adam showed no satisfaction in seeing her like that. On the contrary, his face held only sadness. "I’m sorry" he said simply, as if no other words came to mind.

Lute trembled violently, so much so that for a moment she seemed on the verge of an epileptic seizure. "Please... stop"

Adam didn’t understand immediately. "What?"

"Stop talking to me like that. Please... say a word of hatred. Insult me. Hit me. Do something bad to me" Lute pleaded. "If you keep acting like a good man... I won’t be able to convince myself... that you’re lying to me"

Adam lowered his gaze. Then, very gently, he raised his hand and placed it on her shoulder, making her flinch. "I know you want that. I wanted it too, once. But lying to you won’t make things easier" he said sadly. "All I can say is I’m sorry. The gods are cruel... once you lose a home, you won’t find it again. You can only build a new one"

Lute took a couple of deep breaths, then couldn’t hold back any longer: every barrier, every defense, every support she had clung to broke so hard she could feel them shatter inside her head. The tears she had held back for so long burst forth like a river, unstoppable. Her knees gave out completely, and fortunately Adam caught her before she fell and hurt herself. He held her for a moment, then very gently lowered her to the ground, kneeling beside her, and helped her rest against his chest, holding her tightly in his arms.

Adam didn’t say a word. Not one of mockery, not one of comfort. He simply let her vent, holding her almost like she was a child. Every now and then he stroked the back of her head to soothe her, but besides that, he did nothing else.

They didn’t know how long they stayed there; maybe ten minutes, maybe an hour. It didn’t really matter in the end. Lute kept going until she had let out all the frustration, anger, and pain she had been holding inside for all those months, and even after she stopped crying, she didn’t move from her position, continuing to clutch Adam’s tunic and lean against him. She wouldn’t have been able to get up even if she wanted to... she simply didn’t have the strength.

Adam waited calmly for her to fully vent. Only when he was sure she had finally finished did he break the silence: “Listen... you’re free not to believe me if you want, that’s fine. I don’t expect you to trust someone who, for you, is just a master forcing you to fight in an arena. But if you want my advice, at least stop bottling everything up. It’s not good for you; it leads you to do stupid things like fighting a battle you already know you’ve lost. You have a sister who cares about you, confide in her. Or if you don’t want to show vulnerability to her, split your problems and then share each piece with different people. It’s the only way not to go crazy while waiting to return home... and also the only way not to collapse when you get there and don’t find it”

Lute clutched his tunic a little tighter. “I can’t get up” she whispered barely audible.

Adam nodded. “I know” he said, and before she could protest, he grabbed her by the back and legs and lifted her up.

Lute let out a surprised sound and blushed deeply, unused to that kind of physical contact; she had carried her sister like that many times when they were little and her sister was too tired to walk, but she had never been the one carried like that, at least not unless she had fainted from exhaustion. And certainly never had a man carried her that way. She couldn’t help but hide her face in her hands out of embarrassment.

She expected Adam to make some usual comment, but instead, he remained silent and didn’t even look at her, as if he wanted to ease her embarrassment a little. He carried her to a part of the Ludus she had never been to, until they reached an elegant bedroom. There he gently laid her down on the bed. “I know you hate showing weakness, so rest here until you’re tough enough to go back to the dormitory with your head held high” he told her. “If anyone asks, you spent the night in the kitchen clearing your head. No questions will be asked”

Lute looked around. The room was quite large, lit by several candles clearly designed to last a long time. There was a single window, covered by a pane of glass set in an iron frame, but unlike the windows Lute had seen in the rest of the Ludus, this one was cut in half and had what looked like a latch in the middle, as if it were a door. Along the walls were many beds, in the perfect Roman style. They used beds for everything: beds for writing, eating, receiving guests. Only the one she was lying on seemed intended for sleeping, made of fine exotic wood and covered with feathers from some colorful bird she didn’t recognize. Besides the beds were marble tables holding strange and clearly precious objects, and round four-legged small tables with bowls full of food. There was also a massive wardrobe and a sealed chest, both placed opposite the door, and a shelf piled high with scrolls. Rugs, blankets, vases, tapestries, mats, and quilts completed the furnishings. “Is this your bedroom?” Lute asked him.

“I use it for sleeping” Adam replied. “You can have the bed all to yourself, I won’t disturb you. I have to work tonight, so I’ll stay on one of the small couches”

Lute bit her lip, feeling uneasy about staying in a man’s room, especially lying on his bed. To dispel her embarrassment, she tried to focus on something else: “That window... why is it so strange?”

Adam gave a small smile, then went to the window and turned the latch; to Lute’s great surprise, the window opened just like a door, letting in fresh air. “A Greek invention (⁸)” he said. “It’s the same hinge mechanism used on doors, just applied to a window. It’s useful for changing the air every now and then”

Lute was amazed. In Britannia, windows were just holes in the wall, so she had already been surprised when she arrived in Rome and discovered they used glass to cover them; finding out they had taken an extra step was quite astonishing. “And these feathers?” she asked again, pointing to the colorful feathers covering the bed.

“They’re peacock feathers” Adam told her, then took one of the scrolls from the shelf and began to unroll it.

Lute was confused by this behavior. “What is it?”

“A bestiary. It was written by a guy called Pliny the Elder” Adam answered, then showed it to her. “Here, this is a peacock”

Lute gently took the scroll, afraid she might tear it, and couldn’t help but let out a surprised sound when she saw the drawn image of a magnificent bird with a long, multicolored tail. “It’s... beautiful” she admitted.

“I assure you they’re more beautiful when they are real. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to see one, here in Rome we raise them” Adam said. “It’s native to the forests of India, far to the east from here”

“What kind of place is that?” Lute asked him.

“Oh, no idea. I’ve never been there myself, I only made it as far as Persia” Adam replied, then took another scroll. “I know something about India only thanks to this”

Lute looked at the new scroll, and what she saw were characters and letters she couldn’t understand. “I can’t read this language” she admitted.

“It’s Greek” Adam told her. “It’s called Bibliotheca historica, written by a guy named Diodorus Siculus (⁹). It talks about many events from the past, but my favorite part is the one about Alexander the Great, which also mentions India”

“Who was he?” Lute asked.

“A great conquering ruler who created the largest empire in history after Rome’s” Adam explained. “He came from Macedonia all the way to the gates of India, and it’s said he found black oil flowing from the earth there”

Lute took the scroll and held it in front of her eyes. Even though she didn’t understand what was written, the elegant, decorated script made her sense it was something truly solemn. “Can you read this language?” she asked.

Adam nodded. “I’ve learned to read and speak many languages. When you’re always at war in different parts of the world, you need to be sure you can understand your soldiers” he said. “Though... I mostly learned as an observer. It was someone else who studied languages and acted as interpreter most of the time”

Lute immediately understood who the other person Adam was referring to was, but said nothing, knowing it wasn’t a good topic for him. “You must have... really lived many adventures” she murmured.

Adam shrugged. “The world is big” he told her. “And it’s really beautiful if you don’t dwell on the negatives. There are lots of things worth seeing. The only thing that’s always the same is people... all assholes in the same way, no matter where they’re born. Everywhere there are just dreamers wanting to set sail for far lands, lovers wanting to return to their beloved, and grumpy old men complaining about the irresponsibility of youth”

Lute found herself smiling a little at that joke, even if only slightly. “What’s the most beautiful place you’ve seen?”

Adam thought for a moment. “I’d say Rome, but that wouldn’t count, so... I say Egypt” he answered. “It’s a really unique place. An entire civilization built just around a huge river, with ancient palaces and obelisks towering into the sky. And there are giant triangular tombs as tall as hills”

Lute sat up on the bed. “Can you... tell me about that place?”

She didn’t even know why she was asking. Maybe she just wanted a distraction, and that was a good way to get one. Or maybe it was for another reason.

Honestly, she didn’t know. She just wanted to hear someone talk.

Adam didn’t ask why she was asking all these questions. Instead, he simply sat down next to her. “Of course” he replied.

Chapter Text

Vox had learned one very important thing in his life: as long as he was in public, he always had to appear respectable and understanding. It was the best method to gain support and consolidate his position in the Senate. That’s why he had spent years perfecting the expression he wore in public, an ideal balance between confidence and open-mindedness; he was particularly proud of his smile, flawless in every corner, capable of captivating anyone who spoke to him (¹).

However, there were moments when Vox didn’t smile, even in public. When he was surprised, for example. Or when the situation he was handling was serious and required a concerned expression. Or again, when he had to look sorry about something.

Or… when he was truly pissed off.

That was why, as he headed home, he got into his carriage and shut all the curtains to be seen as little as possible. He had also ordered the driver to take the least crowded roads, minimizing the chances of running into anyone who might want to talk to him, or even just greet him. Because he knew perfectly well that this time, he wouldn’t be able to hide the ferocious expression on his face, the one that made him look like he was ready to commit murder and dance on the corpse, laughing to boot.

Well, that option wasn’t entirely off the table actually.

As soon as he reached the gates of his home, he stormed into the courtyard and ordered the massive gate shut. And once he could be sure that no one could see him (no one but his slaves, obviously) he completely abandoned any remaining attempt to appear like someone who wasn’t planning to eviscerate the first person in his path. Deep down, he couldn’t even blame the slaves for staying away, as they always did when they saw him in a rage. Only one had the courage to approach: his most trusted servant, Papermint. “Welcome back, master” he said with his head bowed. “You have a visitor”

Vox clenched his fists. “Seriously? Who the fuck at this hour of the…?”

“Voxxy!” a familiar voice reached his ears, and Valentino emerged from the doorway with his arms wide open and a broad smile.

Vox rolled his eyes. “Of course” he muttered, then he gave him a better look. Valentino was as charming as ever, but his red tunic was slightly damp with sweat, a sign that he had rushed there in a hurry, and the faint flush on his face showed he’d been shouting at someone in anger. The same someone he was surely now trying to keep him away from.

Valentino wrapped his arms around his neck. “Voxxy, I was at the games and saw you, and I just couldn’t resist the urge to come see you…!”

“You don’t need to see me to feel the urge for me” Vox said, his voice dripping with acidity. “Don’t fuck with me. You were at the games, you saw the bull, you understood too, and you rushed here to get ahead of me. Now you’re buying time, hoping that for once she’ll listen to you and hide until I calm down. Stop right now and tell me where she is”

Valentino clearly bit his tongue, but he didn’t lose his smile. “Voxxy, if you wanted me to bring one of my girls over, you could’ve just told me…”

“Papermint” Vox growled to the slave, done playing games. “Where is that plague I have the misfortune of calling my daughter?”

The slave bowed his head again, submissive as always. “The young mistress is in her rooms, master”

“Good” Vox hissed, and immediately stormed toward the house, throwing the door open so forcefully it nearly came off its hinges.

Valentino ran after him and tried to block his way. “Voxxy, my love, wait! Let’s talk about this…”

“Val, step aside. I have to kill my offspring” was Vox’s only reply as he shoved him aside.

“I did it!” Valentino blurted suddenly.

Vox raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing him. “You? Really?” he asked sarcastically.

“Yes! Yes, I wanted… revenge on Adam!” Valentino said hastily. “I stole one of her poisons and gave it to the bull… it’s me you should be mad at, not her!”

“And how did you get past the guards? How did you know the correct dosage of poison? Do you even know how many corridors are in that wing of the amphitheater?” Vox asked.

As expected, Valentino was speechless. Vox knew perfectly well he couldn’t answer those questions and that he wasn’t the culprit. No, the person who had caused him more trouble than usual today was only one. “Out of my way!” he snarled, pushing Valentino aside, who staggered backward; despite the height difference, Vox was impressively strong. His companion tried to stop him again, but Vox didn’t give him the chance and quite literally kicked open the doors of the women’s quarters.

The slave girls inside cried out in surprise and shrank back in fear at the sight of him. “Master, you can’t come in here (²)!” one of them exclaimed. “The young mistress isn’t presentable…!”

“I don’t give a fuck! This is my house, and I generated that living disaster, so I’ll do as I fucking want and you all need to shut your fucking mouths! In fact, everyone get the fuck out!” Vox roared. “Velvette! If you’re not standing in front of me in the next ten seconds, I swear by all the gods I’ll tear down every wall until I find you!”

The slaves whimpered in fear and hurried to obey, rushing out; Valentino ushered them through the door and shut it behind them, trying to avoid of making a show. Vox stood still like a marble statue, arms crossed behind his back, posture straight as a pole; even his breathing was inaudible, as if he had stopped that too. Then came the soft sound of footsteps, and a young woman around twenty emerged from one of the rooms. “Welcome home, father” she greeted him with a respectful bow of her head.

Vox took a deep breath. There she was, the daughter he had sired with that damned Carthaginian (³) princess he had married for political gain, who had fortunately done him the favor of dying in childbirth (⁴) and leaving him with a newborn. Velvette was a girl with dark skin and exotic features, showing her North African heritage in clear ways. Those who had met her often described her as the perfect blend of Latin blood and what had once been the eternal enemy across the Mediterranean: flawless face, flawless curves, flawless skin, even flawless nails. She had inherited her father’s blood-red eyes, which, combined with her dark skin and long lashes, gave her a gaze both charming and intimidating. Her hair was an artistic masterpiece: waist-length, with a unique reddish-brown hue that she further tinted with cosmetics to give it a rosy sheen. She styled it in two massive pigtails so voluminous they made her head look three times larger, held up by ivory supports shaped in spirals that culminated in a tiara atop her head, adorned with a piece of finely worked gold. Everything about her was simply stunning.

At the time, Vox had been disappointed that his useless wife had died without even giving him a male heir (⁵), but he had soon changed his mind; his daughter's beauty, even as a child, meant she would become a perfect political tool. By marrying her off to the right person, she could be useful to him in his political schemes. However, he had quickly set that idea aside when, at just six years old, Velvette had walked into his study and begun reading the household’s accounting books. When Vox found her, he discovered she had written an entire scroll full of numbers that would allow him to cut expenses by more than half, all without ever having had a single lesson in economics.

It quickly became clear that Velvette had inherited her father’s brain, perhaps even surpassed it in certain fields. So Vox had her educated, buying her any book she asked for and hiring good tutors. After she turned fourteen, he even bought her alembics and cauldrons and allowed her to experiment, as she had shown a talent for alchemy and spent every free moment concocting potions. The slaves often whispered that she was a witch. As she grew older, Vox became more and more convinced that she was too valuable to give away to just any husband; the man who would have her would need to be worthy, not some simple senator or the heir of a wealthy family. Velvette agreed: when she reached marriageable age, she asked her father not to turn away suitors outright, but to let her test them, promptly humiliating them with her intelligence. Vox suspected she wasn’t truly looking for a husband and simply enjoyed making fools of those men, but he was fine with that. After all, it only enhanced her reputation; the more unattainable something was, the more it was admired and desired. Even though she was still unmarried at twenty, no one in all of Rome spoke ill of her (⁶). On the contrary, it was her suitors who were deemed unworthy.

Vox liked that: he wasn’t that old yet, and didn’t need an heir right away. Keeping Velvette at home was a joy, not just out of obvious fatherly love, but because his daughter was immensely useful to him. Her extraordinary mind was a resource he valued more than gold.

Of course, that was when she actually used such mind. Because there were times when Velvette seemed to forget she had a brain and did things so reckless that calling them foolish would be an understatement, causing Vox no small amount of stress and fury. Even so, he had never been as furious with her as he was in that moment… though, to be fair, she had never done something this stupid before. “You’re looking quite well for someone who claimed to be sick this morning” he said, his voice so cold it could have frozen the air. “What, did you stay away from the scene of the crime because you were afraid you’d laugh and give yourself away?”

Velvette didn’t react to the jab, remaining perfectly polite: “I take it the games were intense for you”

“Vel, don’t fuck with me!” Vox roared. “Tell me the truth! Now!”

“Voxxy, maybe we can talk about this calmly…” Valentino tried again to soothe him.

“You shut up!” Vox growled, silencing him with a fiery glare before turning back to his daughter. “What did you do!?”

Velvette stayed silent for a moment longer, then discarded all traces of politeness, folding her arms with a bored look. “Why are you asking questions you already know the answers to? You’ve already figured out it was me”

“You…!” Vox saw red and raised his right hand, clearly intending to slap her, but with what looked like superhuman effort, he stopped himself and forced his fingers closed. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done!?”

“I tried to remove a problem for you, so you’d have one less thing to worry about while the Senate is in chaos” Velvette replied without changing expression, as if explaining something obvious to a child.

“You did much more than that!” Vox shouted. “You tried to kill one of the most famous men in Rome in broad daylight, in front of the whole city!”

“No one will realize it was an attempted murder” Velvette said.

“Yes, they will! The emperor, the imperial family, half the Senate, everyone already suspects that enraged bull wasn’t a coincidence!” Vox growled. “Now someone’s going to investigate, and I’ll have to bribe a ton of people to make sure it doesn’t trace back to you! If word gets out that my daughter tried to kill the emperor’s former right hand, it’ll be a catastrophe!”

“I left no clues” Velvette answered.

“There are always clues!” Vox snapped. “And Adam will definitely follow them, now that he knows someone wants him dead! I’ll have to find a way to placate him before this turns into a disaster, and it’s all your fault!”

“I was trying to help you!” Velvette protested, though Valentino kept motioning for her to stay quiet for once.

Vox had to inhale deeply just to keep himself under control. Damn it, sometimes he really regretted not giving his daughter a few beatings as a child like normal fathers did, maybe then she wouldn’t have grown up so arrogant, even toward him. “I don’t give a fuck what your intentions were! You can’t do something like this without telling me first, so I can stop you before you pull some bullshit like this!”

“You would’ve objected” Velvette replied acidly. “You refuse to see the danger even when it’s right under your nose!”

“Okay, okay, maybe it’s time we all calmed down” Valentino said, gently placing his hands on Velvette’s shoulders, but secretly tightening his grip as a clear warning. “I’m sure you didn’t mean...”

“No, no, Val, let her speak” Vox interrupted. “I’m really curious to hear what shortcomings she thinks I have”

Valentino fell silent but squeezed Velvette’s shoulders even harder. Any other daughter in her place would have bowed her head and apologized to her father. Unfortunately, Velvette wasn’t just any daughter, and despite Valentino’s warnings, she was far too stubborn to back down. “You heard me! You can’t just let problems live, you have to annihilate them immediately! Zestial, the Emperor, sure, you can deal with them with politics and schemes… but Adam? Do you know how much respect the army still has for him? If he ever chose to return to the Senate, the Emperor would have his loyal right hand back, and that would be your downfall! Lucifer would send him to seize control of your legions, and every single one of your plans would fall apart! And even if he never does it, you’d still have everything to gain from his death. If Adam had died today, it would’ve been the Emperor’s fault, since everything that happens during the games is his responsibility! It would’ve been another blow to his reputation, and many of the soldiers who still admire Adam could have finally turned against Lucifer and taken your side! I’ve told you a thousand times: we have to kill him, but you refuse to listen to me and get your hands dirty one more time!”

“Vel…” Valentino whispered into her ear.

“Val, shut your mouth!” Vox hissed. “And you, young lady, are talking about things you don’t understand! There are reasons I don’t go around trying to kill certain people directly. It’s not as simple as offing a plebeian or some random senator! Power is political, it’s earned through time and intelligence, not by upsetting delicate balances and making dangerous enemies!”

“It’s earned through force” Velvette shot back. “And you’ve never had any qualms using it, and you never will, so I don’t see why you’d hesitate now”

Vox had to muster every ounce of strength not to explode. Hell, if anyone else had spoken to him with such arrogance, he would’ve turned them to dust, even if they were the Emperor himself. “I have qualms because there’s no point provoking someone who definitely won’t return to the Senate… unless we give him a reason to! Adam will never let go of his wrath toward the Emperor, but if we piss him off, he can still cause us trouble!” he snapped. “Now lower your damn head, girl! I didn’t buy you all those alchemy books and fill your lab with glassware so you could go around making poisons and killing people without my permission!”

“You’re not listening to me!” Velvette screamed in his face. “I know you’re not stupid enough to miss the danger, so why won’t you listen to me!?”

Valentino clenched his teeth. Even he wouldn’t have dared call Vox stupid, not even in his most furious moments. And indeed, he felt a chill as he saw Vox’s expression change. “Watch your tongue, girl” Vox warned, his voice cold. “I’m your father, and you will obey me. Don’t you ever dare pull something like that again!”

Velvette narrowed her eyes. “I will, if you keep choosing to act like a coward”

That was the last straw.

“Oh, that’s how you answer me!?” Vox roared, grabbing her by the arm. “Fine! I’ll do what a real father would!”

“Urgh… let me go!” Velvette snarled, trying to break free, but his grip was too strong.

Valentino tried to intervene again. “Vox, wait...!”

“VAL, STAY OUT OF THIS!” Vox roared like a lion, shoving him aside and dragging Velvette out of the room. The house slaves trembled at the sound of doors being thrown open, but none of them, even Papermint, dared to speak up.

Vox hauled Velvette down to the cellar and shoved her inside roughly, nearly making her fall. “You’re staying here for at least a week!”

“What the fuck!? You can’t lock me in here!” she screamed.

“Oh yes I can! I’m your father, if I wanted to chain you up and sell you at the market, I could (⁷)!” Vox shouted. “There’s plenty of water in the barrels, so you won’t die of thirst. But forget anything else. Eat the wood if you’re hungry!”

“Let me out!” Velvette screamed, running for the door.

In response, Vox shoved her back. “Since my only daughter doesn’t even know what respect is, I’ll handle it like this” he said, grabbing the door handles. “Let’s see if you don’t learn some goddamn sense once the stomach cramps kick in! Oh, and get used to waking up cold and aching, because you’re not getting a mattress or even a blanket. But look on the bright side, you can make friends with the spiders now”

Velvette was red with fury. “You asshole!”

Vox didn’t listen. He slammed the cellar door shut, turned the key, and for good measure, jammed a thick wooden bar across it. Then he turned to two of his guards, who had come running at the commotion.

“You two!” he barked. “Stand here and watch this door. No one opens it, ever! And if my daughter threatens you or tries to convince you, ignore her! If I find out the cellar was opened even once, you will be hanged. And so do your families!”

The two guards swallowed hard and immediately took position in front of the cellar door, weapons already drawn. The last thing they wanted was to risk their master’s wrath, they knew perfectly well he wasn’t bluffing. Vox would absolutely kill them and their entire bloodlines in ways too horrific to imagine. Even if the Emperor himself had ordered the door opened, they’d still wait for Vox’s permission.

Vox stormed back into the house like a caged tiger, made his way to the pantry, and poured himself a large cup of wine. Only after the fifth did his muscles relax enough for him to finally sit down.

Two familiar hands touched him from behind. “Voxxy…”

“Don’t try to talk me down, Val” Vox grunted. “This time, she crossed the line. Any other father would’ve already chained her up and whipped her until she begged for mercy”

Valentino couldn’t entirely disagree. Even he admitted that Velvette had been far too defiant... though honestly, he’d expected it. The moment he saw what had happened at the games, he’d rushed to the villa, using the time Vox spent greeting the Emperor to try to convince her to apologize and play the part of the repentant daughter. But of course, it had been like talking to a wall. Since turning sixteen, Velvette, who before used to listen at least a little, had become more stubborn than a mule.

Still, Valentino didn’t want to see her punished too harshly. He’d met Velvette back when he and Vox first started working together, first for business, then for the mutual pleasure of fucking each other. After all, they were both depraved and vile men, it was inevitable the gods would pair them. Velvette had only been twelve at the time, and while Valentino had initially seen her as a beautiful thing he’d have gladly put to work in one of his brothels (not that he ever told Vox that), he’d quickly grown fond of her.

She had this way of beating him in conversation, despite being less than half his age. Before he knew it, Valentino had started to see her almost like an adopted daughter. Watching her grow up had been… nice, until puberty turned her into a female version of Vox, who always looked like she was halfway through recovering from the worst hangover imaginable. Her mind had stayed sharp, but her temper had worsened, leading to frequent clashes with her father, clashes that usually forced Valentino to play mediator.

Though no fight had ever gotten this bad before.

Well, at least the punishment hadn’t been too harsh. As Vox had said, any other father might’ve done far worse. Even Valentino, who knew damn well Vox wasn’t the type to raise his daughter with a whip, had seriously feared the worst this time. Maybe a few days alone in the dark cellar wouldn’t be so bad for her after all.

Still, he knew better than to push Vox too soon. He had to relax him first. So he offered: “You’re clearly stressed. Why don’t we end the night the right way? You know I can help you unwind…”

Vox grunted at the feel of his fingers on his neck. “I’m tired, Val”

Of course he was being difficult. “I could just give you a good massage” he said. “I do have to know all the right moves to train my girls properly, don’t I?”

Vox let out another grunt, but stood up and headed toward the bedroom.

Valentino smirked. He knew damn well he wouldn’t be doing just a massage, and hurried after him. Now was the time to show off his best skills.

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”

Chapter Text

Adam hadn’t given the gladiators any further explanations; as soon as he finished telling them what to do, they all headed toward the port. After all, they had long since learned not to question their master’s orders, and in any case, the task assigned to them wasn’t too difficult: actually, it could even be considered a day off disguised as a special mission. They all welcomed the chance to take a stroll through the port and take advantage of the situation to buy something special from the merchants who brought exotic goods; after all, everyone knew that although there were markets all over Rome, it was easier to get truly rare items at the port since the merchants had just disembarked and their goods were still mostly unsold.

Lute and Vaggie obediently followed Adam as well, who was dressed even more elegantly than usual: besides his white tunic, he wore some golden ornaments. It was clear they were going to meet someone very important, and indeed they were. “Um... why are we going to the house of the First Consul?” Vaggie couldn’t help but ask as they traveled in the carriage.

“I told you, because I want to catch a murderer” Adam replied, lounging back in his seat.

“Yes, but how can the First Consul help us?” Vaggie wondered. “And why did you bring the two of us?”

“The First Consul can help us in many ways” Adam said. “As for you two… well, first of all because you’re my favorites, so I want you with me… then because you’re pretty, and you might smile a little at the First Consul to soften him up, but be careful not to get noticed by his wife, she’s very irritable and she is the one in charge in the house…”

“I’m serious!” Vaggie exclaimed, blushing a little.

Adam burst out laughing. “Too easy. Alright, here are my two real reasons: first, she’s still recovering” he said, nodding toward Lute. “So at the port she wouldn’t be of any use since she can’t chase anyone, and we both know she hates sitting on the bench, so she might as well help me here. And you’re always glued to her, so I can take you both for some fun together”

Vaggie blushed even more at the rather suggestive comments, but Lute, on the contrary, remained stoic as always, showing no irritation at all. “And the second reason?”

Adam’s expression didn’t change, but his gaze grew sharper: “Very simple: although you’ve made your debut in the arena, you’re still little known, and today that could be an advantage, so it’s better if you don’t show yourselves too much”

Lute narrowed her eyes, trying to grasp the meaning of those words. Well, in a way it was true: many people had seen them fight yesterday, but it was unlikely many had noticed their faces hidden by helmets, since neither of them had wasted time showing off for the crowd. Maybe some with good eyesight could recognize them, but it was safe to say that most of the population didn’t even know what they looked like yet. Probably that wouldn’t be the case in the future, but for now, after only one fight, they could still move around without being recognized if they stayed away from the areas they usually frequented when walking outside the Ludus with the other gladiators.

Which meant… they were perfect for an undercover job.

But what kind of job…?

The carriage stopped, and Adam gestured for them to get down; Lute and Vaggie obeyed and found themselves in front of the gate of a huge villa. “Wow… the First Consul lives here?” Vaggie murmured.

“The Second Consul’s house is even bigger” Adam commented sarcastically, then looked at Peter: “Go to the port and wait. As soon as the guys have caught a suspect, come and notify me”

“Yes, master” the eunuch promptly said and drove off quickly.

“Hmm, very well. Now let’s see if I still remember how to talk to politicians” Adam commented, heading toward the gate and knocking loudly to be let in. “Damn, it’s been a while since I came here. I wonder if it’s still like I remember or if they’ve renovated the interior…”

“Have you been to the First Consul’s house before?” Vaggie asked.

“It’s been a year… or maybe more? Ah, never mind. I rarely come here in person; usually, Zestial comes to me or we meet somewhere. Or he sends someone to talk to me on his behalf. But sometimes he invites me to a banquet” Adam answered. “Zestial and I aren’t exactly great friends, but it suits him when I do him favors, and it suits me when he does them for me. And then… well, I like meeting his wife, she’s absolutely stunning. Okay, with her it’s always look but don’t touch, but it’s totally worth it, she’s a real sight for sore eyes”

Vaggie blushed even more, and Lute couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed too… not to mention that both of them thought it wasn't a good idea to talk like that about the wife of someone so important. If the First Consul heard Adam, they doubted he’d take it well. “Is there anything we need to know? How should we behave, how should we speak?” Lute asked, trying to change the subject.

“Just let me do the talking” Adam replied. “And if you’re addressed, behave as you usually do, just a bit more politely. Avoid the drunkard street jokes that idiot Angel surely taught you”

The two girls weren’t at all sure that explanation was enough, but just then the gate opened. It opened more slowly than usual, and when it was fully ajar, the reason became clear: the one pushing the doors was a girl who clearly had never worked hard in her life and was struggling more than ever to move the wood even a few centimeters. “Oh… oh, it’s you! Ave Adam!” she greeted the lanist with a smile.

There was nothing strange about that scene, yet Adam widened his eyes: “Uh… Ave Clara. What are you doing?”

Neither Lute nor Vaggie could initially understand: how did Adam know the name of that slave… because she was a slave, right? She was dressed in a ragged servant’s outfit, so she must be… or not? Looking more closely, she didn’t seem like someone used to hard work: her body was slender but her arms lacked real muscles that surely would have appeared if she spent days laboring. Her skin was tanned, which wasn’t strange given it had been a holiday with plenty of sun until the day before, but the problem was that it was a bit too much, suggesting she had used some tanning oil, a commodity a slave certainly couldn’t afford. Her face was very well cared for, especially her long lashes, definitely not typical of servants. Her hair was soft, almost like a cloud, and though a bit dirty, it was clear it had been perfectly washed the day before.

The girl turned as red as a ripe apple. “I’m… opening the gate for you” she said simply, clearly trying to avoid the topic.

“Oh, come on, you know what I mean!” Adam insisted. “Why are you dressed as a servant? And why are you here opening for me? Shouldn’t you…?”

“Clara is just learning the importance of discipline” a rather authoritative voice answered, so much so that both Vaggie and Lute immediately snapped to attention like they did in the training yard. “A mother must teach her daughters that actions have consequences”

Two more people came into view. One was a girl about Clara’s age… no, maybe one or two years older, with much paler skin (clearly not using tanning oil, but instead some cosmetic that gave her skin a sheen, like Rosie’s) and blonde hair tied in a ponytail with an elegant clip painted black, vaguely shaped like two horns, with the symbol of Jupiter engraved on it, whose sacred animals included the bull. Despite the difference in appearance and the fact she was dressed very elegantly, it was immediately clear that she and Clara were related, not only because they had the same eyes but also the same lashes, cheeks, nose, and very similar expressions.

But it was the other person who immediately drew everyone’s attention, seeming to radiate an absolute authority, like the supreme ruler of the house. She was a woman much older than the two girls, probably in her thirties or more, but despite that, she showed no sign of softness. Rather, she was tall and slender, as if she were ten years younger. Her skin was pale, as shown by her finely manicured hands, but from the neck up it was dyed with a cosmetic that darkened it, giving it a slightly purplish hue; over her upper face, she wore an ornament that surrounded her eyes almost like a mask, enhancing her long lashes and the color of her pupils. Her hair was very long and tied with precious black silk ribbons that formed what almost looked like two horns, and it was incredible she could move her head normally despite all that weight. It was clear, from the sunlight and the regal bearing she exuded, that she was the matron of the house, not only because of her authority but also her noble posture and the precious black and white toga she wore.

Adam bowed his head respectfully. “Ave Carmilla” he greeted the older woman first, then he looked at the other girl: “Ave Odette”

“Ave Adam” both replied politely, and then Odette spoke: “It’s nice to see you! It’s been a while since you visited”

“Sorry, Odette, but you know when your father and I have to talk, we often end up doing it outside these nice walls” Adam joked. “Wow, you’ve grown even more since the last time I saw you. How old are you now, seventeen?”

“I turned eighteen in January” Odette replied. “And Clara turned sixteen at the end of February (¹)”

“Wow, you’re already so grown up? Damn, time really flies! It feels like yesterday you were barely knee-high to me!” Adam laughed amused. “You’ve really become a beautiful young woman. I’m surprised you don’t have a husband yet. Three times lucky will be the man who will be fortunate enough to bring you to his home (²)”

Odette blushed deeply in the typical way young girls do, but a rather threatening cough from her mother immediately made her sweat cold. “Adam, please don’t try to seduce my daughters” she said irritably.

Adam winked at her in response. “What’s wrong, jealous because I’m not giving compliments to just you as usual? Maybe you should smile at me every now and then…”

“Stop provoking me” Carmilla said, quite annoyed. “It wouldn’t take me long to throw you out of this house”

“If you find someone strong enough to drag me out, go ahead” Adam teased, but seeing the woman’s eyebrows arch dangerously, he raised his hands in surrender: “Alright, alright, I’ll stop. Seriously, you have no sense of humor”

Carmilla huffed irritated at those words, and unfortunately for Clara, her mother noticed that she had nodded at what Adam had just said: “I think it’s appropriate to serve wine to our guest. Go get the amphorae”

“What!? But I just finished putting them in the cellar!” Clara protested.

“And now you’ll put them out” Carmilla replied without any sympathy, then narrowed her eyes threateningly: “And woe betide you if you try to drink even a drop, got it?”

Clara swallowed, then obeyed and ran off toward the cellar, while Odette watched her with a bit of pity. Adam was somewhat curious: "If you don’t mind me asking, why did you dress her as a slave and treat her like one?"

"It's her punishment for getting drunk to the point of passing out during the Ludi Apollinares" Carmilla answered him. "Yesterday she couldn’t even get out of the bed, and I had to spend half the day helping her vomit instead of enjoying the games. So now she’s paying for it, and dearly"

"Mom, you’re making her sound like a drunkard" Odette murmured.

"If she cares about her reputation, then she better learn not to get like that" Carmilla replied bluntly. "I don’t tolerate such behavior from my daughters. Next time one of you has to be carried home by the guards, I’ll make you sleep with the dogs"

Adam laughed heartily: "You’re as strict as ever. Will you ever take that stick out of your...". He stopped abruptly, noticing her look. "Okay, alright. Anyway, I came to talk to your husband"

"Zestial isn’t home" Carmilla told him. "He had some people to meet this morning; he’ll be back soon. Meanwhile, come in, you can wait for him inside"

"Gladly, I always appreciate your hospitality" Adam replied with a broad smile.

Carmilla rolled her eyes, but after just two seconds her eyelids narrowed again as her gaze landed on Lute and Vaggie. "Who are they, by the way? I hope they’re not another... gift for my husband"

Both Vaggie and Lute blushed noticeably, and only the fact that they were in the presence of the wife of one of the most powerful men in Rome (and thus the world) stopped them from shouting indignantly at being called that. Adam waved his hands to dissipate the tension: "No, no, not at all! Come on, Carmilla, you know that last time was just a joke..."

"You brought prostitutes into my house" Carmilla said with some irritation in her voice.

"That was more than two years ago! Come on, your husband asked me to bring something to spice up the banquet, and I did! All the guests enjoyed it, am I wrong?" Adam replied. "And I already told you I was joking when I said they were a gift for Zestial! Come on, Carmilla, he loves you and you know it. Do you think I’d waste time paying him a prostitute when he has one of the most beautiful women in Rome waiting for him in bed? If I had such luck, they wouldn’t see me at the lupanar even if Jupiter gave them the eyesight of the eagles!"

Carmilla clearly didn’t like the somewhat ambiguous way Adam described her, but she was evidently used to it, and let it go. "Alright, then who are they?"

"Right, I haven’t introduced you yet" Adam said. "You’d know them if you came to the arena yesterday: they’re my new gladiators. Real legends in the fight, extraordinary"

Vaggie and Lute felt a bit proud to be called that, since Adam rarely gave such compliments, but they didn’t have much time to think about it because Carmilla took a couple of steps toward them. "Hmm. Zestial told me you had two new jewels, but he didn’t describe them well" she said, looking them over as if examining prey.

"Probably didn’t want to make you jealous" Adam said mockingly. "Although, I think it would’ve been good, I bet you’re more passionate when you’re jealous..."

"I’m about to throw you out!" Carmilla warned him.

Adam shook his head. "Seriously, you really can’t joke with her" he said to Odette, who, unlike her sister, wisely refrained from nodding, though she didn’t seem too opposed to that statement.

Carmilla shook her head in disappointment. "What are your names?" she asked the two girls.

"It took you long enough to ask" Lute thought, but she still tried to remain polite: "I’m Lute, and she’s Vaggie. Honored to make your acquaintance... wealthy matron" she said, bowing respectfully, followed by Vaggie. Even though neither liked to show such submission, it was appropriate in this situation.

Carmilla scrutinized them like a hawk studying its prey. "Hmm. It seems like you trained them well" she commented, fixing her gaze on their arms and legs. "Good balance, healthy and proportioned, coordination... the younger one uses the spear and the older one the sword, right?"

Neither Vaggie nor Lute could help widening their eyes: had this woman really understood so much about them just by looking? For a moment they thought she was teasing them and that she had actually learned everything from her husband, but then Adam said: "You’re always good at judging warriors, I see. Even if a few years ago you would’ve also already guessed their preferred fighting style"

"I don’t visit the militia as much as I used to" Carmilla answered. "But I can still handle soldiers and weapons"

So she really was an expert in that field? Why would a Roman matron have to know weapons so well? Vaggie and Lute, especially the first, felt a bit of admiration for her.

Carmilla looked at them for a moment longer, then turned and motioned for them to follow. "Clara must have finished getting the wine by now, come with me" she said, then assumed a threatening expression: "And don’t you dare touch the slaves!"

"Hey, I’ve never touched a girl who didn’t want to be touched" Adam answered innocently.

"I don’t care. I don’t want such behavior in my house!" Carmilla snapped. It was clear she was calling on all her patience to stay calm.

They entered the house and Carmilla led them to the triclinium, meaning the dining room, named this way because the couches where guests sat were placed on three sides of the room, while the fourth was left free for service. In the center there was a table on which slaves were placing numerous food items (especially fruit), and of course plenty of wine. Lute quickly understood why Carmilla had ordered Adam not to touch the slaves: as soon as he entered and lay down on one of the couches, many of them began whispering and making noises like excited geese, which irritated her quite a bit; even Roman slaves had no shame. Fortunately Carmilla noticed too and shot them a stern look, silencing those coquettes, though they continued sneaking furtive glances at the guest who clearly had nothing chaste about him.

Adam began eating some grapes while Clara poured him a drink, and judging by the sweat on her forehead she was struggling quite a bit to lift the amphora; definitely, she wasn’t used to working. Adam noticed and let her go when his cup was still half full, but Carmilla didn't allow Clara to set down the amphora until she had filled everyone’s cups, including her mother’s and sister’s. "Your hospitality is always wonderful, Carmilla" Adam said to the matron.

"It’s my duty (³)" Carmilla replied simply, then her gaze sharpened. "So, what do you want to talk to my husband about?"

Adam’s smile widened, and he reclined even more on the couch, as if wanting to sprawl out: "I know you’re too smart not to have figured it out already. Why ask me such questions?"

Carmilla drank her wine from the cup with perhaps too much emphasis, emptying it completely in a couple of seconds. "Someone wants to kill you" she said, looking at the empty bottom of the cup. "They set a bull loose on you, and now you want to make them pay"

"See? You already know" Adam said, continuing to eat grapes.

Carmilla shook her head. "Whatever you have in mind, don’t expect help from me or Zestial if it’s something foolish"

"Oh, come on, have I ever dragged you into some crazy mission? For those, I manage on my own" Adam replied with a grin. "I know very well your husband won’t expose himself unless I make him a good proposal. I have something that will make him look good in the eyes of the Senate, especially now that the situation is so... difficult, from what I’ve been told"

Carmilla’s eyes narrowed so much they almost closed. "Leave us alone" she ordered everyone in the room.

Odette looked confused. "Us too, Mother?"

"Yes, you too. Leave, and as soon as your father returns, tell him to come here immediately" Carmilla answered, then shot Clara a glare. "And you, hands off!"

Clara, who was trying to grab an apple, immediately pulled back. "But I’m hungry...!"

"Then go to the slaves’ mess hall. Eat what’s there" Carmilla replied.

"But that food sucks!" Clara protested again.

"You should’ve thought about that before. Now deal with it" Carmilla answered sternly. "Now out, all of you!"

The slaves didn’t need to be told twice and hurried out of the room, and Odette also got up from the couch and followed them, giving Clara a few pats on the shoulder to comfort her. Adam nodded to Lute and Vaggie: "Apparently, the lady of the house wants to talk to me privately. You two go out too, but stay right outside the door. I’ll call you back when it’s time"

"Okay" Lute answered, standing up with Vaggie. Even though Adam knew they wouldn’t gossip, Carmilla had no reason to trust them, so even if they were curious, they had to give them space.

Just outside, they closed the door and leaned against the wall, waiting for Adam and Carmilla to finish talking. From the corner of her eye, Vaggie noticed Odette and Clara at the end of the corridor: Odette was passing some blackberries she’d hidden under her sleeve to her sister, and Clara was putting them in her mouth like a starving person. Definitely, those two had never worked or rationed food in their lives. "Isn’t Carmilla overdoing it a bit?" Vaggie asked her sister. "I mean, I get that getting drunk isn’t good, but treating her daughter like a slave seems like a punishment that’s a bit too harsh"

But Lute didn’t agree. "Didn’t you hear the part where Carmilla said she was carried home by the guards because she had passed out?"

Vaggie nodded. "Uh... yeah, why?"

“Vaggie, if Clara had ended up like that at home, or at least in the company of trusted people, Carmilla wouldn’t have cared even if she went into an alcohol-induced coma. She would have given her a good scolding, pulled her hair, maybe locked her in her room, but nothing more” Lute explained to her. “The fact that she was brought home by the guards means she was out there alone in the city, which likely means she snuck out or wandered too far, and on top of that didn’t hesitate to get drunk. If the guards hadn’t been there, she would’ve been asleep in some street corner. What do you think happens to a young woman in those situations? Especially a young woman from a good family, a family with a lot of political enemies? If the guards hadn’t found her in time, or even just if the guards who found her were less virtuous, who knows where she’d be right now. You can’t be surprised that Carmilla’s so pissed off, she probably already thought she’d lost her”

Vaggie finally put the pieces together: “Oh... well, yeah, now it makes sense that Carmilla’s so strict”

“The harsher the punishment, the less likely Clara is to do something that stupid again, and disappear for good” Lute said, crossing her arms. “Remember when there were festivals in our town? The rule was always: drink and eat as much as you want, but stay in the town center, in front of the long house (⁴). Why? Because there were guards there, our friends were there, our parents, a bunch of people ready to stop any troublemaker trying to do something when you weren’t fully aware. But outside the town center, if a girl wandered around drunk, she risked never coming back home, and if she did come back, she definitely wouldn’t come back intact. And compared to Rome, our town is just a grain of sand, here it’s definitely way more dangerous”

“I understand” Vaggie murmured. “By the way, don’t Roman women usually get married at fourteen? Why are both Odette and Clara still unmarried?”

Lute shrugged. “Who knows. Maybe their parents haven’t found a good husband for them yet. Or maybe the upper classes follow different moral principles than the common folk. Ask them, do I look like an expert on Roman senators’ customs?”

Vaggie rolled her eyes at her sister’s usual grumpiness, though she was used to it by now. “You’re right, actually” she said. “Maybe I’ll go talk to them, they seemed nice...”

“Hey, I was just saying that!” Lute stopped her. “Adam told us to stay here in front of the door”

Vaggie was silent for a moment, then a smirk formed on her face: “Since when do you obey Adam so easily?”

Lute blushed. “We’re in a delicate situation, this is the house of one of the most powerful men in Rome! Adam clearly knows more than we do, so it’s better to do what he says”

“Really?” Vaggie asked with a teasing tone. “Are you sure it’s not because you slept in his room?”

Lute gritted her teeth. In a way, Vaggie was right: spending the night with Adam had helped her understand the man better, and maybe that’s why she felt more inclined to follow his instructions, since she now knew he wasn’t someone who acted recklessly... at least not always. But obviously, she wouldn’t admit that even under torture. “You’re babbling”

“I don’t think so” Vaggie said, still chuckling. “Tell me, are you sleeping in the dorm tonight, or going back to...?”

“Do you want me to tell the others about when you wet the bed?” Lute asked to shut her up.

Vaggie blushed deeply. “That isn't fair! I was five! Every kid does that at that age!”

“I never did” Lute replied with a superior tone.

“Yeah, but I doubt you’re completely a human being” Vaggie shot back, annoyed, but didn’t argue further. Lute just chuckled, happy to have won.

Chapter Text

Left alone with Carmilla in the room, Adam immediately felt the atmosphere grow tenser. Sometimes he wondered how she did it: Carmilla hadn’t moved a muscle, not even changed her expression, yet she seemed ten times darker than before. And as usual, she was the first to break the silence: “I hope you’re aware that what happened to you cannot be a random murder”

“That thought crossed my mind, yes” Adam replied. “No one’s tried to kill me even once in recent years. So either I’ve made a new enemy without realizing it, or someone thinks I might represent a threat”

Carmilla grunted. “At least you have enough sense to reason like that”

“That hurts” Adam said with a grin. “Why is your tongue always sharp as a sword? I’m surprised Zestial still has a mouth, with a tongue that cutting, every time you kiss him you should...”

“One more sexual comment and I swear I’ll cut your balls off” Carmilla interrupted him threateningly.

“Nah, you can't. My balls survived Germania, Dacia, Africa, and Anatolia (¹), they’re protected by the gods!” Adam teased her.

Carmilla took a deep breath. “Noble Juno, please give me patience...” she murmured under her breath before returning to seriousness: “This is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. Zestial was worried last night. The attempted murder against you is a symptom of something much worse”

Adam lost his smile. “Explain”

“You’ve probably already figured out much of the story yourself: whoever unleashed that bull on you wanted to eliminate a problem for Vox. Regardless of who the culprit is, the motive is clear enough” Carmilla said. “But have you asked yourself why they chose to target you, instead of an easier but more important prey, like a political rival?”

Adam was caught off guard by the question. “Well... because Vox feels threatened...”

“That doesn’t answer the question” Carmilla told him. “Why you? Why not a senator from Zestial’s faction? Someone who can drive a bull mad surely knows how to create a poison that leaves no trace and put it in someone’s cup, making it look like a heart attack. So why kill you with such a complicated plan, and not someone else?”

Adam had no answer to that. He wasn’t a politician and didn’t understand those dynamics. He knew how to look for clues and uncover plots, but he wouldn’t have discovered half of what he knew without Lilith and Rosie. He was a soldier; his place was on the battlefield, not in treacherous schemes.

It was Lucifer who could think about those questions and piece things together, not him...

Seeing he didn’t respond, Carmilla resumed: “The reason, Adam, is the two girls you brought with you today”

Adam looked at her confused. “The Britons? What do you mean?”

“Zestial conducted investigations” Carmilla said. “Almost all Briton slaves brought to Rome were bought by senators from Vox’s faction or merchants affiliated with him. Those bought by others... didn’t last long”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “Are you saying... Vox doesn’t want Britons around?” he murmured. “But why? It doesn't make sen...”

He stopped suddenly. No... no, it made sense. Lilith had told him how Vox probably planned to use the unrest happening in Britannia to refuse to submit to the emperor’s demands and lose control over the legions. To do that, he had to cause unrest. And to cause unrest... atrocities were needed.

Cruelty was typical of wars, but the Romans still had their own ethics when conquering other peoples. Their goal was to pacify the territory, not to pillage it. After all, a people subdued by violence would surely rebel soon. That’s why the Romans usually allowed conquered peoples a wide margin of freedom, letting them continue their traditions, customs, and especially avoiding destruction, burning, and looting outside of battle. Of course, they still took gold and the most beautiful women, but apart of that they tried not to be too cruel, instead seeking to be appreciated and accepted by the common people as new rulers (²).

That was the glory of Rome, the glory pursued by great conquerors like Julius Caesar. They didn’t just take and steal, but integrated conquered peoples into their empire. That’s why Rome became the largest and most powerful nation in the world.

However, if Vox wanted to cause unrest in Britannia to the point of sparking rebellion, he would certainly ensure Roman soldiers committed violence, cruelty, and persecution. And such acts carried out on an already conquered or soon-to-be conquered people were considered extremely dishonorable (³). If the truth came out, Vox’s credibility would be destroyed not only in the Senate but also in the Roman army, costing him much support. So it was imperative no one found out, and only news of rebellions without cause reached Rome.

“The testimony of a slave is worth nothing” Carmilla told him. “But it can be very valuable to the heart of their master. It’s not uncommon for a Roman to grow attached to slaves to the point of considering them friends or even falling in love (⁴). How do you think such a Roman would react when his slave, in tears, told him about the terrible experience in their homeland?”

“So senators and merchants close to Vox buy Briton slaves to keep them from falling into hands that might care?” Adam asked. “Aren’t they losing money?”

“They lose nothing. They just have to buy the slaves and resell them across the Mediterranean" Carmilla replied. “With Valentino’s trading network, they only profit”

Adam rubbed his chin. “Even so, I don’t see the danger. Even if a Roman found out what was happening in Britannia from their slave, it would be easy to silence them...”

“One, yes. Many, no” Carmilla pointed out. “Many Romans together can make their voices heard before the emperor (⁵). Especially if they have a charismatic leader to follow”

Adam was starting to understand. “They think that leader might be me?”

“You retired, but you still have the admiration of the army and much of Rome. Some Romans who hear stories from their slaves can be intimidated or silenced directly, but if those Romans find a leader to follow, they’re a force not to be underestimated” Carmilla said. “And you made a spectacle when you bought those two Britons six months ago. Do you think Vox didn’t know? He and Zestial were talking about it just yesterday like it was public knowledge. Put the pieces together and you can understand why Vox would very much like to see you dead”

Adam narrowed his eyes. Yes... now everything made sense. If Vox was really making sure his soldiers committed atrocities to incite the British peoples to rebel, then it made sense to keep any incriminating news from leaving that northern island. And Adam knew he still had great influence even without power. It was logical Vox feared his involvement enough to let something slip that made someone close to him try to kill him.

Bastard...

“And he’s doing all this...” Adam murmured. “... just because he doesn’t want to lend some legions to Zestial?”

“Losing legions means losing power” Carmilla answered simply.

Adam clenched his fists. Damn, nothing had really changed since he’d been taken prisoner. The corrupt rulers of Rome still used people’s lives to increase their own influence and wealth. “If I have those two girls interrogated now, will their testimony be useful?”

“The testimony of a slave is worth nothing” Carmilla repeated to him a second time, her voice somber. “They can say whatever they want, it carries no political weight and it certainly isn’t enough to incriminate Vox. Even if the emperor were possessed by Mania (⁶) and decided to consider a slave’s testimony valid, thus destroying his reputation, Vox could bring a thousand other slaves to testify the opposite. I told you, he and his affiliates are buying them all, and it’s easy for them to indoctrinate them”. She let out a deep sigh. “What Vox fears is the reaction of the people. Like any politician, he needs to maintain an image of himself as incorruptible. That’s why he’s making sure such news never reaches the ears of the people… and he despises those who might incite such people”

“And I’m the first on the list. That sucker…” Adam muttered under his breath. “Are there really no proofs?”

“Zestial is looking for them” Carmilla said. “But finding concrete evidence is easier said than done. Vox is good at covering his misdeeds”

“Obviously. Fucking politics…” Adam grumbled, then asked, “I heard about some weird guy with a smile who stirs up rebels in Britannia. Is he also one of Vox’s creations?”

“You know about the smiling druid?” Carmilla asked, a bit surprised. “I don’t know who he is or if he’s one of Vox’s creations. Actually, he seemed quite surprised when the news reached Rome. But in any case, it definitely is convenient for him”

“Mh. Yeah, having a lunatic stirring up the Briton peoples against the Romans is useful for his position” Adam said. “Carmilla, tell me the truth: how bad is the situation in the Senate?”

Carmilla didn’t change her expression, but her grip on her glass visibly tightened. “Worse than you can imagine” she replied, chewing over the words. “Every time Zestial comes home, it seems like he’s fought lions in the Circus Maximus”

“The Senate has always been a den of beasts” Adam remarked.

“But this time it’s much worse” Carmilla said. “Every day is a battle to the death between Zestial’s faction and Vox’s, and it keeps getting worse. Soon Zestial will ask for troops to resist the Parthian offensive, and Vox will insist on keeping them to hold back the Briton rebels. Whoever wins this violent debate will gain a huge advantage over the other… and as you can imagine, Vox is willing to do anything to keep his power”

Adam knew what that meant: Vox was ready to unleash any cruelty on ordinary people and use any foul play or underhanded tactics against senators to guarantee his position. Typical of him. “Sounds like a real shitty situation”

“It is” Carmilla said, and for a moment she even seemed fragile. “Why do you think my daughters are still unmarried? We can’t trust anyone anymore. Even the senators closest to Zestial might stab him in the back at any moment. I don’t have the courage to marry Odette or Clara to a man who could secretly be one of Vox’s followers. Even the best bachelor in Rome is now an incalculable risk. Fuck, even you would be a safer choice, which says a lot”

“I’ll take that as a compliment” Adam said. “But since I know for sure you’d never want me in the family, I can get an idea of the crap you’re dealing with. I had a rough idea when I saw your daughter dressed as a kitchen slave”

“Clara can be thankful she got off so lightly. When she disappeared the day before yesterday, I almost died of a heart attack” Carmilla said with a slight tremor in her voice. “It was lucky the guards who found her were novices with no political convictions and only good will in their work. I burned offerings to the gods all night to thank them”

Adam said nothing, lost in thought. The situation was much more serious than he had imagined... now he understood why Lilith had seemed so tired when they met. He had definitely underestimated the problem. Maybe if he had talked to Lute sooner, he could have learned something about her past and understood everything much earlier.

He felt angry, more than usual... he didn’t know why. It wasn’t the first time Vox had done evil, and every time Adam got mad about it... but this time was different. This time, the desire to make him pay for what he was doing to Britannia... to Lute’s people... was definitely stronger.

Just then the door opened, and a tall, thin man entered, wrapped in a very elegant toga. “Ave Adam” he greeted him quickly.

“Ave Zestial” Adam replied. “I was expecting you”

“I know. They told me” Zestial said, sitting next to his wife. He looked really tired; Carmilla hadn’t exaggerated when she said it seemed like he’d fought beasts when he came home. “Hi, darling”

“Wow, you look wiped out, and it’s only lunchtime” Carmilla commented, pouring him a generous amount of wine. Zestial gladly accepted the cup, even kissing his wife. “How did it go?”

“I had to negotiate a bit, but I reached an agreement” Zestial answered, giving no more details, but Carmilla seemed to understand, just nodding. Then he turned to Adam: “Honestly, I expected you would come to see me”

“Apparently, I’m predictable” Adam muttered, narrowing his eyes. “So that means we don’t have much time, since Vox has probably thought about this too. So let’s get to the point: I want to help you”

Zestial narrowed his eyes and looked at Carmilla; his wife just shrugged, indicating Adam hadn’t yet revealed his intentions. “Have you talked about the… current situation?”

“Quite enough” Carmilla confirmed.

“Then you know you can’t ask me for anything too dangerous” Zestial told Adam. “I can’t expose myself and risk even a shred of my credibility. Too much is at stake”

“I know. But like I said, I want to help” Adam said. “I think I have something in my hands that could help you damage Vox, at least a little”

Zestial and Carmilla remained silent for a long time. “I hope you know what you’re getting into” the first consul warned him. “Vox has a huge network”

“Well, maybe it’s time to uproot it a bit” Adam said. “All I ask in return is authorization to capture some criminals on my own… and some private lessons from your wife”

Carmilla grunted, but she sensed this time it wasn’t one of Adam's usual sexual innuendos. “What do you have in mind?”

Adam’s smile widened. “Listen…”

Chapter Text

The sun was now high above Ostia (¹), bathing the waters of the Tiber (²) in a crystalline light. The port, already bustling with life at the first hours of the morning, now buzzed with the shouts of merchants, the clanking of crates, the cries of slaves, and the wailing of seagulls. The air was a mixture of rancid oil, salt, rotting fish, and human sweat: a stench that filled the nostrils and would never leave. This was Rome's largest port, the place where ships from all over the known world arrived, bringing goods from every land, which would then be transported to the markets of the Eternal City.

Pentious and Cherri were walking in one corner of this immense port. They had spent the previous two hours tracking down the merchants Adam had recommended, and thanks to that, they had managed to glean some details about a suspicious person who indeed seemed to have purchased exactly the right ingredients recently. "Hmm. I don't know why, but he looks familiar" Pentious commented, looking at the drawing he had made, piecing together the various testimonies.

"Why? Have you been hanging out with criminals lately?" Cherri asked him.

"Of course not! It's just... he reminds me of someone" Pentious replied. "I'm sure I've seen him somewhere, but I can't remember where"

"Probably the same place where you forgot your brain" Cherri said with a jab.

Pentious swallowed. "Um... changing the subject, doesn't it seem strange to you that Adam said this person would say they were the murderer? It seems a bit..."

"What the fuck do I care? I just need the opportunity to punch someone" Cherri interrupted him, cracking her knuckles rather menacingly.

Pentious bit his lip. "Um... look, Cherri, I was thinking... maybe we'd be less suspicious if we pretended to be here to buy something"

Cherri nodded. "That makes sense. What do you want to buy?"

"Oh, actually, I was hoping you'd tell me" Pentious said. "Is there anything you... want?"

Cherri was shocked for a moment, and then she couldn't help but smile. Was Pentious trying to buy her something in an attempt to make up for something he didn't even know he'd done? "Thanks, but I can't think of anything. We have everything at Ludus..."

"Well, pick something you wouldn't easily find! Something exotic! I don't know, like..." Pentious said, looking around, and then his eyes lit up: "Oh! That! Look, it's perfect!"

Before Cherri could protest, Pentious had grabbed her arm and dragged her toward one of the stalls. It was a rather bizarre stall, filled with strange objects, but Pentious's attention was focused almost exclusively on what was prominently displayed on one side: a large wooden globe on a pole, surrounded by concentric circles. "It's a Ptolemaic model!(³)"

Cherri was so confused that for a moment she even forgot she was trying to be angry with him. "A... what?"

"A Ptolemaic model!" Pentious repeated, his eyes aglow. "Oh, look! I haven't seen one this well-made in ages! How detailed!"

"So much excitement over a wooden ball?" Cherri asked.

"Cherri, it's more than that!" Pentious replied. "This is a map of the entire cosmos!"

Those words caught Cherri's attention. Was that strange wooden contraption not just a map of the world, but of the entire cosmos? "Really?"

"Yes! This is the Earth, at the center of everything" Pentious told her, pointing to the large wooden ball in the center (⁴), and then to everything else: "And around it revolve the moon, the sun, the fixed stars, and the five dancing stars"

"Dancing stars?" Cherri repeated.

"The planets. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn (⁵)" Pentious said, pointing to five small wooden balls placed around the central one, which, unlike the others, had a strange spring that regulated them.

"Why are they called dancing stars?" Cherri asked curiously.

"Well, as you can see, the moon, the sun, and the other stars obey the law of the circle: they revolve around the Earth in a perfect circle" Pentious replied, pointing to all the other wooden balls that were governed by a rigid system. "But the planets are different; they appear in different parts of the sky in seemingly meaningless patterns. In the past, it was thought that they arrogantly disobeyed the law of the circle, but Ptolemy proved that this isn't the case at all. Simply, as they revolve around the Earth, they circle back on themselves. These circles are called epicycles. So they obey the law of the circle, they simply make two instead of one. That's why they're called dancing stars (⁶)"

Cherri was silent for a long moment. Then she sighed: "Tsk. The gods should have consulted me before creating the world"

"Hey, don't say that" Pentious said. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, come on, you can't deny that this is ridiculous" Cherri grumbled. "Why the combined effect of two circles, if everything else makes a perfect circle? It doesn't make sense. I would have made it all much simpler"

Pentious bit his lip. "Well... I don't really know why" he admitted. "But if the gods created it this way, they must have had their reasons, right?"

"Maybe. It just seems like overcomplicated to me" Cherri commented. "Well, maybe they were bored and wanted to have fun. If they're happy this way..."

Pentious remained silent, looking somewhat downcast. He looked back at the model as if hoping for an answer. Cherri realized that perhaps he had been trying to impress her, and that he was disappointed by her reaction. But before she could apologize, a salesman came up to them and said: "Hey, I appreciate you discussing philosophy, but either buy my stuff or move on and don't block the other customers from seeing it"

"Sorry, sorry!" Pentious said quickly. "Um... how much does it cost? I'm interested..."

"Five hundred sesterces" the salesman replied.

Pentious nearly choked on his saliva. "Five hundred sesterces!? That's a steal!"

"This is a valuable model. Can't you see how detailed it is?" the salesman replied. "Five hundred sesterces, not one less"

Pentious broke out in a cold sweat. "Well... maybe if I use all the money I've earned over the last few..."

Cherri covered his mouth before he could continue. "Sorry, it's too expensive. Goodbye" she said to the vendor, and then roughly dragged her companion away.

Only when they were far from the stall did she finally allow Pentious to speak. "Coff... why?" he exclaimed, breathing deeply.

"Because I know you would have ended up buying it" Cherri replied. "Spend your money more wisely"

Pentious looked down like a whipped dog: "But... it was so beautiful..."

Cherri sighed: "You're smart enough to build that model yourself" she pointed out. "Buy a piece of wood for a much cheaper price, and then work it"

Pentious's eyes widened. "Uh... I hadn't thought of that"

"I had no doubts" Cherri muttered. "You're a Greek and you're so smart, but when it comes to cunning, you're an idiot"

Pentious scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. "Sorry" he said. "It's just... the last time I saw such a beautifully crafted Ptolemaic model, I was still in Athenian school (⁷). When I first saw it, I remember being amazed. I hoped you'd like it, too"

Cherri smiled slightly. She already knew it: in his own way, Pentious had only been trying to impress her. "I liked it" she said. "Now I know what the sky looks like. Even though I still think it's overly complicated"

Pentious seemed pleased that she liked it, but instead of focusing on that, he went back to talking about the model: "Well... maybe it's not that complicated. Maybe there are forces at play we don't yet understand. Or maybe..."

Cherri's smile faded immediately. "I gave you a perfect occasion, it was your turn" she muttered tartly.

Pentious fell silent. "Um... what do you mean?"

Cherri closed her one eye and took a deep breath. "Good Juno, give me the patience..." she murmured under her breath.

Pentious swallowed. And then he seemed to steel himself and said: "Look, Cherri... I think we really need to talk"

Cherri opened her eyes again, looking at him as if she wanted to glare, but she let him speak anyway. "Then talk" she just said.

"Thanks! Well, the thing is, it seems obvious to me that lately I've been doing things that make you angry" Pentious told her. "And... well, I think... let me be clear, I'm not implying anything... that I've noticed some... well... signals from you..."

Cherri's eye narrowed. "You say so?"

"Yes! I mean, like I said, I'm not implying anything! I could be wrong" Pentious said nervously. "But lately I've noticed that you seem excessively clingy with me, and that every time I tell you to back off, you get offended, and that it bothers you when I don't try to..."

"Oh, by all the gods! Do you want to fuck or not!?" Cherri exclaimed in one breath.

She'd shouted it out without thinking, and as soon as she realized what she'd said, she blushed. Especially because she'd literally shouted it in the middle of the street, and indeed, several heads had turned toward them. Even though she wasn't exactly modest, flaunting her intentions so blatantly made her want to bury herself (⁸).

Pentious had put on an expression that would have been a compliment to call stupid: he looked like he'd literally been hit in the head with a stick. "I-I... well... um..."

Cherri's face suddenly changed: from embarrassed it became hard and tense, like a marble statue. "Over there" she said in a whisper.

"Huh? What...?" Pentious muttered, still shocked.

Cherri responded by taking his head and turning it. "Our man" she said. "He's right over there"

Pentious looked in the direction indicated, and what he saw was a person who seemed to fit the description perfectly: short, with a flat face, disheveled hair, and a somewhat fishy appearance. He was wearing a very dirty tunic, indicating he hadn't changed in at least a day, and judging by the dirt, he must have been trying to blend in unnoticed by passing through places where other people wouldn't normally go. All signs of someone trying to hide.

Pentious narrowed his eyes, his face also becoming serious. That could just be someone who resembled the person they were looking for; all those signs could be misleading... but the look of fear the man gave him as soon as he turned toward them and saw them certainly wasn't. And neither wasn't the way he istantly turned and ran like a madman.

That was when Cherri sprang into motion. There was no warning, no hesitation: she simply leaped forward like a wolf stalking its prey. One moment she was beside Pentious, the next she was running with a speed one wouldn't normally expect from a young woman.

The man ran in the crowd, that was like a liquid wall. Cherri pushed, cursed, but moved faster and sharper than the rest. She vaulted over a basket of pomegranates, knocked over a child, but she never looked back. Her eyes were two nails driven into the man’s back.

They passed through the amphorae zone, where hundreds of terracotta jars were being unloaded and stacked in rows. The man slipped among the shards and cut his hand. Cherri heard the gasp and read the panic in it. The man was clearly not used to being hurt. But despite this, he didn’t stop.

He turned into what looked like a dead-end alley, and then he tried to disappear behind a curtain of canvas, emerging into an inner courtyard. Cherri followed a heartbeat later. The women who were washing clothes there screamed and backed away, knowing it was best not to get involved, and they broke out in a cold sweat when she arrived too. However, one of them, probably in an attempt to make her disappear as quickly as possible, pointed silently in one direction. Cherri thanked her with a nod and continued the chase.

Out the back door, she heard his breathing again; it was ragged, broken, clearly belonging to someone who knows was being hunted. He probably wasn’t a runner, as well as a warrior. He was desperate, and desperation made for clumsy movement.

She vaulted a low barrier and landed in another street, finding herself in the dockyards. There, ships loaded with oil and wine waited for departure. She ran past them, and some sailors turned to look at her. She knew that she had to stop him before he was able to reach a ship that was about to sail.

The man now tried to climb a wooden bridge connecting two docked ships. His hands were bleeding, his side stained red. But despite this, he still wasn't stopping his run. “Stop!” Cherri shouted.

Of course, he didn’t. He continued to climb the bridge with all the strength he had left. Cherri emitted a grumble, and then she started to climb too.

The planks of the bridge buckled beneath her weight: the salt-soaked wood groaned as if ready to split, but held firm. Anyone else would have stopped in fear of falling, but Cherri didn't care, even though she knew that a fall from that height would cause serious injuries. She didn’t look at the dark water beneath, didn’t pay attention to the sailors yelling as she stormed past like a thunderbolt, shoving them without mercy.

The man staggered across the second ship, tripping over coiled ropes. He tried to lower himself over the side, maybe hoping to reach the dock by way of the stacked sacks. Cherri followed, a breath behind him. Her heart thundered in her chest, but her breathing remained steady. She had been trained for this. For her, leaping was easy as drinking a cup of wine. 

She landed amid the sacks of grain, nearly lost her balance, but corrected in one fluid motion. The man had dashed beyond a line of barrels and now ran toward the unloading area, where slaves and freemen toiled side by side in sweat and heat. There the port became a forest of cranes, pulleys, levers, and shouts; the smell of tar grew stronger, almost suffocating. Wagons groaned past, hauling firewood, marble, and Egyptian linens. It was relentless chaos, a human anthill.

Cherri followed him between the pillars of freshly unloaded marble. He ducked beneath a swinging crane load, barely avoiding a huge block. The counterweight crashed down just behind her, but she didn’t even flinch. “He’s headed for the warehouses!” a hoarse-voiced dockworker shouted her, probably believing that the man had robbed her.

Cherri didn’t thank him. She just ran towards that direction.

The warehouses were low, dark, foul-smelling buildings, their red-tiled roofs sagging, doors always ajar. Everything was stored here: spices, fabrics, tools, weapons, animals. Everything had a price. After all, there in the commercial center of Rome, even air could be bought and sold.

The man disappeared into that maze. Cherri slowed down, knowing it was too risky to run blindly inside. She advanced slowly but steadily, her senses at their peak, just as she was in the arena.. The brick walls echoed only her own breathing.

For a while, there was silence. Then a crash.

Someone had knocked something over. A jar, maybe.

Cherri turned just in time to block the attack: the man lunged at her with a wooden staff. She blocked it with her forearm and countered with a strike to his throat. He stumbled back, spitting blood, but he didn’t fall: Cherri hadn't hit him so hard after all, otherwise he would have lost his neck. “Why don’t you die!?” he hissed.

Cherri shrugged. “Because I’m not done” she just answered. "Come with me and I won't hurt you too much"

"Do you think I'm stupid!?" the man shouted in a trembling voice. "Adam will kill me as soon as he gets his hands on me!"

"And you think dying by my hand is better?" Cherri asked rhetorically. "Poor fool. I have a face as sweet as a nymph, but I'm not as gentle"

The man didn't reply; he swung again. In response, she dodged low and struck his leg. The staff dropped, but she too lost balance for a second. He shoved her against a crate and fled, limping. She got up without a scratch and chased after him again.

They burst out the back of the warehouses into daylight. The sun hit their eyes, dazzling them for a moment, and the air that was turned thick with heat hit their faces. The noise of the port returned: metal, voices, mingled stench.

Now they ran along the piers, past fishermen’s nets and moored boats. Cherri noticed that the man was starting to feel the weight of the chase: his legs often stumbled and he was not standing upright. His resistence was not good as hers, and clearly he knew it, because he grabbed a harpoon by a docked boat.

Cherri's eye widened. Okay, that could be a problem. “Shit…!” she muttered.

But before the man could throw it at her, Pentious appeared behind him and lunged at him, grabbing him by the waist and forcing him to move. This meant that when he threw the harpoon, it completely missed Cherri. Pentious, however, made the mistake of checking her safety instead of focusing on his opponent, who slipped out of his grasp and dived into the sea beside them, swimming as fast as he could. Pentious dove in too, uncaring that he was in danger of being hit by the ships, while Cherri continued to chase them from the harbor.

The two of them reunited farther ahead: Cherri found Pentious struggling out of the water under the weight of his helmet. "That bastard used the current to escape me!" he growled. "He went over there!"

Cherri nodded and entered in a nearby tavern like a storm. The patrons went silent at the sight of her, then returned to drinking. After all, the port was used to madness.

She saw a blood smear on the back door, and without hesitation she kicked it open and stepped into a small courtyard surrounded by high walls. The man was there, kneeling, his back to the stone. He was coughing and breathing heavily due to the exhaustion. He turned to her with widening eyes: "Still you!? Why don't you leave me alone...!?"

Cherri said nothing. She just walked toward him and punched him in the face. He fell backward, but this time she didn't stop and punched him twice more, knocking out a tooth. "The first one is for all the hard work you made me do, the second because today was supposed to be my day off and it wasn't your fault, and the third... well, because it's hot today" she told him, and then she began tying him up. 

Pentious caught up with her a few moments later, still covered in seawater. "Oh, you got him" he said with relief.

"Yeah" she replied. "Where did you come from earlier, by the way?"

"You ran off before I could chase you, so I went around" Pentious explained. "I figured I'd find you near the warehouses, which would be the best place to lose someone"

Cherri gave him a knowing smile. "Well, thanks. It would have been hard to dodge a harpoon at that distance"

"You don't need to thank me" Pentious said, smiling back.

They both looked at each other with satisfaction, and then remembered the conversation they'd had a few minutes earlier and blushed, turning away. It was so obvious that even the man Cherri was tying up muttered: "Um... are you two lovers, or...?"

"Mind your own business!" Cherri snapped. "Rather, who are you?"

The man made an angry noise: "What the fuck... you don't even recognize me...!?"

There was a moment of silence, and then Pentious seemed to have an epiphany: "Wait a minute... Baxter!?"

"Who?" Cherri muttered, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, now he recognizes me!" the man snapped.

"Cherri, it's Baxter!" Pentious said. "That's why he looked familiar to me! Remember? That merchant who tried to scam the Ludus last year!"

Cherri looked shocked: "Who? That idiot who tried to sell Husk kelp, claiming that they were magical herbs straight from Neptune's garden?"

"That was just a joke!" the man named Baxter snarled. "I used to sell you some amazing stuff!"

"Sure, sure" Pentious said in an annoyed voice. "Come on, get him on his feet. Let's take him to Adam"

"No! Please, let me go!" Baxter begged them. "Yes, it's true, it was me! I drove that bull crazy! But I was just trying to get revenge! I fell from grace after your lanist exposed my scam, no one wanted to trade with me anymore! I'm full of debts! Didn't I have the right to want to see him dead?"

"Wow, you are quick to confess" Cherri commented. Even to her it sounded a little suspicious: she expected Baxter to at least try to deny a little. "You'll tell him that, we'll see how he reacts" 

"Please! You know he'll kill me!" Baxter begged them. "Come on, we've always been good with each other...!"

Cherri covered his mouth with a cloth. "How annoying you are" she said.

When they left the tavern, predictably, they hadn't taken three steps when two legionaries appeared before them. After all the commotion they'd made, it was a given. "What's going on?" one of them asked grimly.

"Don't worry, soldiers" Pentious said. "We just caught a criminal. This man stole from our Ludus this night"

The legionaries grunted. They were evidently accustomed to such scenes, since every criminal who wanted to escape Rome came to the port to embark. "You still should have notified the praetor anyway, and let this man be brought to a public hearing by the authorities (⁹)" they told him anyway.

"You know how our lanist is. The Ludus Magnus isn't known for waiting for legal proceedings" Pentious said with a laugh.

The legionaries shrugged. "Take him, you'll save us the trouble" they told him. "But know that if you don't bring him to the praetor by the end of the day, we'll have to come to your Ludus. Criminal or not, there are laws, and they must be respected"

"Very clear. Don't worry, we'll do it" Pentious assured him.

The legionaries left, muttering among themselves. "Wow. They were quick to convince" Cherri commented.

"They probably see scenes like this every day. There are quite a few who prefer to take justice into their own hands" Pentious told her. "If we were anyone else, they probably would have been more cautious. But the Ludus Magnus has no reason to tarnish its reputation or seek trouble with the law"

"Well, the important thing is they left this idiot to us" Cherri said, then she slapped Baxter: "Walk, I want to return for lunch!"

Chapter Text

"Go ahead, talk! You better do it while you still have a mouth!"

Angel had been ranting at Baxter for twenty minutes now. After Cherri and Pentious captured him, they took him to the Ludus and locked him in a room, sending Peter to inform everyone else. Technically, the gladiators had orders to do nothing until Adam arrived, but Angel, as soon as he returned, had come in anyway, tied Baxter to a chair, and began interrogating him like a ferocious guard.

Too bad his interrogation wasn't having much effect. "I've already told you everything, you idiot!" Baxter snapped. "I've already confessed and begged for mercy, why do you keep pestering me?"

"Well, I don't trust you" Angel growled. "Tell me, where were you at midnight yesterday?"

Baxter raised an eyebrow: "What kind of question is that? The attempted murder happened during the day!"

"Oh, so you're trying to be difficult, huh?" Angel exclaimed, grabbing him by the collar and raising his fist: "This friend of mine will loosen your tongue...!"

"Okay, okay! There's no need to threaten!" Baxter said. "So, I don't know what good this is to you, but... I was already at the port, looking for a ship to board, but unfortunately almost none sail at night"

"Ah, so you were trying to escape!" Angel growled.

"Um... yes, that's what someone normally does when they're risking capital punishment" Baxter pointed out.

Angel slammed his fist on the table: "And why didn't you board right away as soon as morning came!?"

"I tried, but the merchants aren't stupid. Even though I offered to work as a cabin boy for free, they refused to have a man on board who was, in their words, clearly a fugitive" Baxter replied. "So I thought I'd go to a merchant I know..."

"And why do you know him!?" Angel barked, slamming his fist again.

Baxter was silent for a moment. "Because I did business with him. He sold me herbs..."

"And why did you buy herbs!?" Angel said, slamming his fist for the third time.

Baxter didn't even try to hide the fact that he thought he was an idiot. "Because I'm an herbalist?" he asked rhetorically.

Angel brought his face closer with a ferocious grunt: "Hmm! Clever, you're trying to divert my attention by answering a question with another question! Well, you're not fooling me!"

Baxter shook his head in disappointment. "Oh, fuck! Look, I'm really fed up now! I know my rights, you know? You can't lay a finger on me without the praetor's consent (¹)! Take me to him, I have the right to a proper interrogation, not this farce with this maniac!"

"Ah! I knew you'd play that card!" Angel exclaimed with a satisfied smile. "Do you really think scum like you have the right to appear before the praetor!?"

"Yes! I'm a free Roman citizen, unlike you!" Baxter replied defiantly. "You're the one who shouldn't even have the right to speak to me! A slave can't interrogate a Roman!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, I can interrogate a dead men!" Angel replied.

"I know I'm a dead man, but until I'm convicted, I'm still a Roman citizen!" Baxter said. "I want a lawyer (²)!"

"And why would you want a lawyer!?" Angel barked.

Baxter looked at the other person in the room: "Will you explain it to him?"

Husk, sitting across from them, was holding his hands in front of his face. He'd only come in with Angel to make sure he didn't do anything stupid, but now he regretted it. "Forget it, you're the one who deals with this idiot today" he said.

"You can't stand him anymore either, huh? Well, I kind of understand" Baxter muttered.

Husk shrugged: "Thanks"

"Hey! Don't befriend the suspect!" Angel exclaimed.

"Suspect? I already confessed, idiot! I'm no longer a suspect!" Baxter snapped. "And anyway, waiting for me to be sent to the Underworld doesn't make me insensitive to those who are suffering real torture, like this poor guy who has to put up with you every day!"

Husk let out a light laugh. "I'm starting to like him" he commented.

"Excuse me? You're supposed to be on my side!" Angel snapped.

"Sorry, Angel, but you don't have to be an expert to tell that this isn't an interrogation, it's just you acting like a lunatic" Husk pointed out.

"Oh, come on! I'm... urgh!" Angel muttered, then looked sad. "It's just that I've always wanted to be the guard interrogating the criminal! And since I'll probably never be in law enforcement..."

"You're more likely to end up in the chair where I'm sitting now" Baxter commented.

"... so I thought I'd take advantage of it! If I don't do it now, when?!" Angel continued, ignoring him, sounding like a Greek tragedy.

Baxter rolled his eyes. "Look, I'll save you the trouble: bring me something to slit my wrists with. I might as well kill myself at this point"

"Forget it! I won't let you die with honor (³)!" Angel growled.

"Well, then you kill me! Anything is better than spending another minute with you!" Baxter replied. "And anyway, I'm not going to take this charade anymore! Ask me all the questions you want, I'll only speak when the magistrate comes through that door or..."

"Is the First Consul of Rome fine too?"

All three turned toward the heavy door, which opened, revealing a tall, menacing figure, followed by Adam. Husk and Angel snapped to attention. "Ave, First Consul" they greeted.

Baxter's face paled. "The First Consul? What? I-I wasn't expecting him... who else is coming? The Emperor...?"

"The day the Emperor walks through my gate, it will mean I'm dead" Adam blurted out, looking at Angel and Husk. "I told you not to touch him"

"We didn't" Angel confirmed. "I just wanted to scare him a little"

"He's telling the truth, I checked" Husk muttered. "He was just being an idiot, as always"

"I confirm that" Baxter said, making everyone turn their attention to him. "What? He's an idiot, I'm not lying"

"We definitely believe you on that" Adam said. "Husk, the First Consul's wife is in the backyard with the girls, make sure she's treated properly. And keep this moron at bay, I don't think she'll be as lenient with him as she is with me"

"As you wish" Husk replied, grabbing Angel by the scruff of the neck and dragging him outside.

Zestial sat down across from Baxter. Adam closed the door and then did the same. "Now that the First Consul is here, this is a real interrogation. Which means we can do whatever we want to you to get you to talk" Adam said, rubbing his hands together. "So you're the one who tried to kill me?"

Baxter still seemed a little intimidated by Zestial's presence. He clearly hadn't expected it. "Um... yes, that's right" he said, his voice shaking slightly. "It was me"

Zestial nodded slightly. When Adam had asked him to be present at the interrogation, and thus make it official and legal, he'd had a slight qualm. But fortunately, Adam had been right, and the suspect had already confessed. At this point, even if things hadn't gone as they'd hoped, Zestial would have lost just an hour of his time, but it wouldn't have affected his reputation in any way. He'd arrested a criminal, nothing more.

With this knowledge in mind, he focused fully on finding a way to bring Baxter down. "We already knew from Cherri and Pentious that you did it" he told him. "You certainly had all the knowledge necessary to commit such a murder. However, I can't see the reason. Why?"

Baxter hesitated for a moment, as if unsure of what to say. But then he muttered: "I wanted revenge"

"Revenge?" Zestial repeated in a curious voice. "For what?"

"Because he ruined me!" Baxter growled, chin pointing at Adam. "I was his best supplier of medicinal herbs..."

"No, you were just one of the many. You weren't special" Adam pointed out.

"Well, the stuff I sold you was perfect!" Baxter snapped. "But then, a year ago, I tried to sell him some slightly spoiled herbs..."

"Some slightly spoiled herbs? You showed up here with a cart full of useless stuff" Adam snapped. "And among that stuff were mint and rosemary plants disguised as medicinal herbs. It was a complete scam"

"It was a tough time!" Baxter justified himself. "I would have brought you better stuff next time..."

"It's still a scam" Zestial pointed out.

"Yeah, you're lucky I didn't report you and just kicked you out" Adam told him.

"Well, you could have done it less blatantly!" Baxter exclaimed. "You could have just told me to go away, but instead you dragged me out the gate and kicked me, in front of a whole crowd! Word spread quickly that I'd tried to scam you. All my other buyers got suspicious and checked their stock, demanding refunds...!"

"Just say you scammed a lot of people and they found out" Adam muttered.

"They wouldn't have found out if it weren't for you!" Baxter growled. "I had to go into debt to repay my clients, and then no one wanted to do business with me anymore! I had to sell everything, even my house! I have nothing left, and soon my debtors will be upon me and make me a slave! I was about to throw myself into the sea, but then I thought: if it's going to end like this, then I might as well bring Pluto (⁴) a gift when I present myself before him! And what better gift than the most famous lanist in Rome, the same one who brought about my downfall!?"

Both Zestial and Adam, who had been impassive until then, stiffened. "Don't say his name!" Adam exclaimed. "Do you want to make things worse?"

"What the fuck are you talking about!? Worse than this!" Baxter snapped. "Maybe if I call him enough, he'll get you too! Pluto! Pluto...!"

"Enough!" Zestial exclaimed, slamming a hand on the table.

The room fell silent. Though he often didn't speak out loud, Zestial knew how to exude real authority. He paused for a moment, then he said: "You say your motive was revenge, very realistic. And as I said, you had all the means necessary to produce the drug that drove the bull mad"

"Yes, First Consul" Baxter confirmed.

"However, there are too many pieces of the story I still want to know" Zestial said. "How did you poison the bull?"

"I put the poison on the straw" Baxter said.

"What straw?" Zestial asked again.

"The one brought into the Amphitheater three days ago" Baxter replied.

"Is there anyone who can testify?" Zestial asked, raising an eyebrow.

Baxter was speechless for a moment. "No, well... I was careful not to be seen..."

"Well, you must be protected by Mercury (⁵), then, because it's really hard to go unnoticed considering the amount of people in the Amphitheater" Zestial said.

Baxter sweated a little: "No, I didn't poison it at the Amphitheater, but before it entered..."

"Oh, then I'm afraid something's wrong. The straw delivered three days ago wasn't sent to the animals right away" Zestial said, lying through his teeth. "Didn't you know it's kept in storage for at least a week?"

Baxter paled: "What? Well... they must have rushed things..."

"We'll have to check it out" Zestial said, standing up. "Adam, please, keep this criminal here a little longer. I need to ask around"

"What!? Why!?" Baxter exclaimed.

Zestial gave him a sharp look: "You seem strangely in a hurry, for someone facing the death penalty"

Baxter bit his lip. "I've already confessed!" he muttered.

Zestial approached him and looked him straight in the eye. "Yes, you confessed" he said. "But I don't believe you"

Baxter seemed to gasp: "What... what do you mean...?"

"That I don't think you're a murderer at all. A criminal, sure... but not a murderer. I recognize the faces of those who know how to kill, and you don't have one" Zestial told him. "I think someone offered you something to pretend to be the murderer"

Baxter made a strangled noise: "That's... that's absurd! You're going to execute me, what could they offer me if I'm about to die anyway?"

"Then you won't mind if we delay your death while we investigate. Guards!" Zestial called loudly. The door immediately opened and two of his personal guards entered. "Investigate all of this man's recent movements. Interrogate everyone who has seen him... including his family, if he has any"

"Yes, sir" the two guards replied immediately.

Adam noticed that Baxter looked genuinely anxious. Apparently he had been right. So he backed up Zestial: "And once we've questioned everyone, what do we do?"

"Well, if everyone confirms his story, then we'll execute this criminal and call it a day" Zestial answered. "If we find any discrepancies in the testimonies... well, we already have his confession, so it would be obvious there's something very shady going on, so we'd be authorized to proceed with any means to get the truth out, including the torture"

Baxter went white: "The... the torture?"

"Of course. For you and anyone else involved" Zestial said. "Sure, we'll go easy on women or children, but somehow they'll have to confess..."

"No!" Baxter exclaimed. "No... please...!"

"There are laws in this city, and I must uphold them. If I back down and accept a bland confession that is obviously false, what kind of consul would I be?" Zestial said. "Unless you have something to say now..."

Baxter was sweating profusely by now. And finally he confessed: "Okay, okay, I admit it! Please! You have to listen to me, I... I...!"

Zestial smiled smugly. "Order canceled. You may leave" he told his guards, who promptly obeyed. He and Adam sat down again in front of Baxter. "As I assumed, you're not the murderer"

"No" Baxter confessed. "But please, you have to execute me! If they know that I talked... if they find out, I'll...!"

"You know you risk the death penalty, right?" Adam said. "I doubt anyone could do anything worse to you"

Zestial nudged him lightly. "There are things that frighten a man more than death" he warned, and then turned back to Baxter: "Stay calm. Tell us what you know, and you have my word we'll help you as much as we can"

Baxter let out a sob: "R-Really?"

"You're still a criminal, and you lied to the First Consul. You will be punished for this" Zestial warned. "But I don't think your life is what matters most to you, do you? You're protecting someone else. Tell me who it is, and I'll have this person protected. I swear it on the sacred name of Jupiter"

Baxter nodded. "Okay... okay" he stammered. "I... I have a sixteen-year-old daughter. Her name is Crymini, and she's all I have left. With all my debts, I risk her being taken and sold as a slave (⁶), or prostituted on the streets! I was desperate, I didn't know what to do, so... I agreed to a deal"

"Someone paid you to pretend to be guilty of murder" Zestial anticipated. "Is that correct?"

Baxter nodded shakily. "They offered me a large bag of sesterces, enough for my daughter to rebuild her life elsewhere. But if I'm not convicted, or if it gets out that I've been a snitch, she won't get that money! Please, she doesn't know anything! I left her a letter, I didn't tell her what I was doing...!"

Zestial stopped him by raising a hand, and Baxter immediately fell silent. The First Consul remained silent for a long time, thinking carefully. He wanted to continue the interrogation immediately, but he was sure Baxter would be very reluctant to talk even now that he had been discovered. He had to prove his good faith.

So he put on his best smile and said: "You're an herbalist. I assume your daughter learned something from you"

"Yes, I taught her something" Baxter replied. "She helped me a lot when I started losing money and ran out of staff"

"Hmm. Interesting" Zestial commented. "Tell me, is she good at it?"

"Well... in some things she's even better than me" Baxter admitted. "I haven't had time to teach her much, but she knows how to handle herbs or distill opium perfectly..."

"All useful medical stuff" Zestial said, and then turned to Adam: "My friend, your slave, Husk... he was looking for an apprentice, right?"

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Husk? He never mentioned it to me..."

"He did to me. You know we're great friends" Zestial told him, blatantly lying since he'd never met the doctor except briefly before. "And anyway, from what I understand, he's always alone in the infirmary, and every day he has to take care of all your gladiators. He could use a helping hand, don't you think?"

Adam narrowed his eyes, realizing what Zestial was trying to do. He wanted to punch him, since he was basically shifting the problem onto him, but he bit his tongue and played along: "Actually, I admit he's been a bit overworked lately"

"Then it's clear why he's looking for an apprentice" Zestial said. "Wouldn't it be better if such apprentice already had a good knowledge of herbs and medicines? Sure, there's a great gulf between a herbalist and a doctor, but it's still better than someone who knows nothing"

Baxter looked incredulous. "Are you proposing... to pay for my daughter's apprenticeship?"

"No payment" Zestial told him. "Husk is a slave, so if he's ordered to take on an apprentice, he will; and as we said, he's really needed one lately, so he'll be happy to have her. She can have the apprenticeship for free; in fact... she'll be paid to work"

"Anyone who works in the Ludus is entitled to free room and board" Adam told him. "I can't say I'll pay her much, since an apprentice isn't as good as a qualified doctor, but since your daughter won't have to worry about housing and putting food on the table, and if she is smart enough to manage her money wisely, in a few years she could afford a place of her own"

"See? She'll be warm, well-fed, have a salary, and on top of that, she'll learn the job of a doctor, even if we're talking of a woman" Zestial said smugly. "With a little luck and intelligence, in five years or so she'll be able to work for herself, buy a house, and maybe find a good husband and start a family. Sounds like a promising future"

Baxter was breathing deeply. "Would you... really be that generous?" he stammered.

"It depends" Zestial replied. "If you tell us everything you know, and this information proves useful, we'll consider it"

Baxter bit his lip. "Swear it" he said. "Swear to all the gods that you will do as you promised, and I will tell you everything. Please, I need to know that Crymini will be safe. You can do whatever you want with me, but swear you will not condemn her to beg in the streets"

Zestial turned to Adam. He was silent for a moment, and then grunted. "Oh, fine. I swear by all the gods that I will hand your daughter over to my doctor and protect her. May their wrath befall me if I lie" he said somewhat reluctantly, then he glared at Zestial: "But any excess expenses are yours to pay"

Zestial ignored him and looked back at Baxter. "Satisfied?"

Baxter nodded. "Yes, yes. I'll tell you everything" he murmured. "The man who paid me... his name is Loan"

"Loan?" Zestial repeated. "I don't know any criminals by that name"

"In the slums, they call him Pistris, Shark. Loan Shark" Baxter explained. "He's not a criminal... he's someone who finds scapegoats for criminals. Someone who's committed a crime comes to him, gives him a lot of money, he keeps some, and gives the rest to some poor, desperate man to take the blame. He chooses people who have fallen on hard times with desperate children to support, like me"

"And you trust a man like that?" Adam asked skeptically. "Who says he'll actually give your daughter the money?"

"He always has. He's well known precisely because he keeps these agreements" Baxter replied.

"Understandable, otherwise no one would do business with him" Zestial commented. "You said he's well known. I assume he's covered up a lot of crimes"

"Oh, yes. Hundreds" Baxter confirmed. "If you have a lot of money, he'll find you the perfect scapegoat for any crime"

"I see..." Zestial rubbed his chin. "Shark... I've heard rumors about that nickname, but I've never been able to connect it to a face. If my information is correct, he might be involved in some senators' shady dealings"

"Which I bet are from the Vox faction" Adam said. "If we arrest and question him, we could deal a serious blow to his network"

Zestial nodded. His face had become extremely determined. "How did you meet this man?" he asked Baxter.

"Poor people like me are recruited by his men, but the people who want to pay him go to the Centurion's Inn. It's in the harbor, near the ships. Ideal for a quick escape and boarding" Baxter explained. "The owner, a woman named Mimzy, had a deal with him, and ever since then he's used her inn as a business location. Only shady people go there"

"Just as I thought" Adam said with a chuckle. "There are only two places where shady deals happen: under bridges or in seedy inns. And if this Loan Shark also works for high-class people, he certainly doesn't meet them under a bridge"

Zestial clasped his hands on the counter. "This Mimzy... would she be willing to testify for us?"

"I don't think so. She's very afraid of Loan" Baxter replied. "She tried to escape a couple of times, but he always caught her"

"And her waiters? The cooks? The dancers who entertain the guests?" Zestial asked again.

"They change every few days" Baxter answered. "Mimzy buys and sells one slave after another, always on Loan's orders"

Zestial and Adam looked at each other again, both understanding each other with just their eyes. Then they stood up. "I think we're done" the First Consul said. "Guards!"

His guards entered immediately. "Take this man to the cell, I'll deal with him later. After that, send someone into the slums without being noticed and find a woman named Crymini" Zestial ordered.

"My gladiators will take care that last thing" Adam told him. "They're less conspicuous"

Zestial nodded. "Fine. Do it!"

His guards nodded and took Baxter by the shoulders, placing heavy chains on his wrists. He, however, didn't put up the slightest resistance. "Thank you" he told them.

"Don't thank me. Don't forget that you're in deep debt and that you've been convicted of perjury. I won't go easy on you" Zestial warned. "But your daughter will live well"

"That's all I need to know to thank you" Baxter said, and then he was dragged away by the guards.

Adam and Zestial left the room and returned to the living room, where everyone was waiting. "Oh, no blood?" Angel asked, seeing them arrive. "I'm a little disappointed"

Carmilla stood up and walked over to her husband: "Well?"

"There was no need to torture him" Zestial said. "And now we might have a very strong lead"

"We know who paid that idiot" Adam said. "We just need to arrest him and interrogate him, and this time I'm hoping there'll be a little good torture"

"First, we need a confession" Zestial murmured. "Even though we could attack the inn and capture this Loan, and then force him to confess, that would be very problematic for my image. Vox might say Loan spoke because I forced him. Considering the magnitude of the crime, we need solid evidence first, and Baxter's testimony is not enough. Loan's spontaneous confession would be perfect"

"I know. And I already have the perfect method" Adam said, rubbing his hands together.

Zestial sighed. "The inn workers have something to do with it, right?"

"I told you, I was sure it was a seedy inn. It's always like that with criminals" Adam said. "All we have to do is send someone to work there, and have them fool this Loan Shark. Preferibly someone unknown, very likely a woman so that guy will let his guard down sooner, and also... good at dancing, so it'll be easy to get her hired"

Both Zestial and Adam looked at Carmilla. She was silent for a moment, and then rolled her eyes. "Oh, all right" she said, then she looked at Vaggie: "Girl, come with me. I'll teach you a few tricks"

Chapter Text

"Okay, and with that, we’re done" Mimzy said as soon as she finished dressing Lute up. "Aren’t you two adorable?"

Lute let out a grunt. She’d known this woman for less than half an hour and was already fed up with her. "Is this supposed to be an inn or a lupanar?" she asked, pointing at her dress, which was decidedly revealing.

Mimzy snorted. "Girl, I bought you to serve, and that’s what you’ll do, whatever the customers ask. If they want wine, you bring them wine. If they want something else… you give them something else. Clear?"

Lute had to summon every ounce of patience not to punch her right then and there. "Crystal clear, mistress" she said with extreme effort.

"Good, and remember to smile more. Be more like your sister" Mimzy said, pointing at Vaggie, who was at least making some effort to look pleasant. If Lute’s outfit was skimpy, Vaggie’s was barely a handful of ribbons, with just a few scraps of cloth covering her chest and groin. "It’s such a shame you can’t walk properly, I’m sure you’d have made an excellent dancer like her!"

"Yeah, I’m real sorry about that" Lute muttered sarcastically.

Mimzy leaned in close to her face, angry. "Hey, girl, drop that attitude, okay? I don’t know how your old mistress treated you, but here, I use the whip if you don’t behave!"

In response, Lute froze her with a glare. Mimzy shivered, an instinctive warning running down her spine telling her not to push her luck. "Understood, mistress" Lute said, her voice cold as ice.

Mimzy swallowed. "Uh… good, good. I’m glad you understand" she said, trying to save face. "Now get ready. You serve the tables, and you get ready to go on stage"

Lute and Vaggie nodded, and Mimzy took the opportunity to quickly slip away. "I hate this" Lute muttered the moment she was gone.

"At least you have actual clothes on" Vaggie said, glancing at the ribbons covering her. "I feel ridiculous in these…"

"The good thing is it’ll be over soon" Lute said. "Come on, let’s go"

They headed for the door that connected the kitchen to the main hall, from which a loud chatter could be heard. Peeking through the gap, they saw numerous customers sprawled on couches. "Loan must be over there" Lute said, nodding toward a spot where several people were gathered.

"Will you be able to recognize him?" Vaggie asked.

"I hope so" Lute replied, picking up a tray and placing mugs of wine on it. "Okay, let's do this. I’ll start serving, and you get on stage and do... that thing Carmilla taught you"

They nodded at each other, then pushed the door open and stepped inside. The smell hit them first: a pungent mixture of watered-down wine, rancid oil, and torch smoke, much stronger than in the kitchen. The tavern was a single large room with just one entrance on one wall, rather low, shaded by a heavy curtain of rough cloth, thick with road dust. It was dimly lit, with sunlight barely filtering through a couple of small, unglazed windows covered by wooden grates (¹).

The walls were coated in rough plaster, stained with smoke and wine splashes, but here and there faint decorations could still be seen: red and black lines traced with cheap pigments, perhaps the remains of geometric patterns or crude animal figures. The floor was made of uneven stone slabs, also stained with wine and wet footprints. In the corner opposite the entrance, a plastered stone counter dominated the room, where Mimzy ladled wine into rough terracotta cups; smaller jars held olives, honey, and fermented sauces. There were only a few tables, low and crude, with worn, wobbly wooden benches; by contrast, the couches for sitting or lying down were numerous. In one corner, the floor was raised to form a small stage for musicians and dancers to perform. Near the counter, a wrought-iron brazier spread heat and the smell of roasting meat. Smoke gathered under the blackened ceiling, slowly escaping through an open window.

The clientele was loud and colorful: merchants returning from the market, slaves finished with their duties, sailors covered in dust and sweat, and a few drunkards banging their fists on tables demanding more wine. Voices overlapped in a constant buzz of laughter, curses, and whispered negotiations. From some corner came the sound of dice rolling on wood, followed by shouts of joy or anger. It was a filthy and unwelcoming place, but surprisingly full of life.

Lute wasted no time and began weaving between the tables, serving wine to those who asked. It didn’t take five seconds before crude comments started reaching her ears. She gritted her teeth and endured, though she didn’t spare a freezing glare for anyone who tried to touch her, making them instantly back off. She tried to stay as inconspicuous as possible, but her eyes were fixed on the group of at least ten sitting in the middle of the tavern. Particularly on the man in the center, who was treated with deference even by his companions: there he was, Loan Shark.

He was a man of average height, broad-shouldered but with a prominent belly from too much wine. He drank like a sponge and kept eating, even stealing food from his companions, who never dared protest. The description Baxter had given left no doubt: it was him.

Lute, however, didn’t approach right away. She knew that in this chaos, even though Loan sat near a window (the same window where Adam and his soldiers were surely already positioned), no one would hear what they said. She needed to wait for the tavern to grow quieter.

Just then, Vaggie stepped onto the stage. All eyes were instantly on her, and it wasn’t hard to see why. "Hm. Who’s that tasty chick?" Loan said loudly enough for everyone to hear, and the whole group burst out laughing.

Vaggie blushed slightly and had the urge to step down and break his bones, but held herself back. Trying not to think about her modesty, she took a deep breath and began to dance. In her mind, she went through every step and motion Carmilla had taught her, and then she brought them to life.

It was a simple dance, the steps weren’t complex, but it was fast and nimble. It was based mostly on spinning her body and swinging the ribbons around her at different angles. First slowly, then faster and faster. Soon she was moving so quickly that the ribbons seemed to become concentric circles around her.

At first, the tavern echoed with laughter and lewd remarks, but then it all seemed to die away. The voices quieted, and the spectators’ expressions lost their lustful look and turned into one of surprise. It was as if they’d been caught in the whirlwind of her dance and had no interest in anything else.

Vaggie was surprised too: even though Carmilla had promised her this would happen, she hadn’t really expected it. Yet she couldn’t hear a single human voice anymore. Even the drunkards had gone silent to watch her. The faster she moved, the more the ribbons seemed to form hypnotic circles that drew the spectators’ eyes like moths to a flame.

Vaggie kept dancing. She often found herself repeating steps and movements she had already done, after all she only knew a few, but it didn’t matter: the longer she held their attention, the better. It felt strange to move so fluidly after months spent tensing her muscles to strike opponents as hard as possible.

Another step, another movement. The dance went on, and everyone’s eyes stayed fixed on her. Vaggie’s eyes, however, even in the middle of her demanding performance, never left Lute, who was now moving closer to Loan...

"Dance? Me?"

Vaggie was quite confused. In fact, you could tell she wasn't making any sense of it. She kept staring at Adam like he was crazy. Not that Lute was much different: she, too, had a decidedly unconvinced expression.

"Girls, seriously, it's going to work" Adam told them. "The plan is simple: we'll dress you up as slaves and a few guards as slavers, send you to where we know Mimzy will buy the slaves who work at her tavern, and let her buy you. As soon as Loan arrives, Vaggie will dance to distract everyone, and Lute will take advantage of the opportunity to approach him and get him to confess, all while we, along with the praetor, the soldiers, and a whole lot of other people, will be stationed outside, listening to his words, and ready to intervene as soon as he spills the beans. Easy, right?"

"With all due respect, this plan seems absurd to me" Lute opined. "How am I supposed to get him to confess?"

"You have to convince him you want to make a deal with him" Zestial explained. "Loan certainly won't openly admit he's the criminal he is, but if you can pique his interest and he seals the deal, that will be enough"

"Then you can stand back and stay out of the way, and we'll take care of capturing him" Adam told her.

Lute reflected that the plan did actually make so much sense. As Adam had said earlier in the day, she and Vaggie were still relatively unknown, so a criminal like Loan was unlikely to recognize them; and he would certainly be much less wary of a woman than a man. If she used a little eloquence, perhaps she could get him to confess. "But why do I have to talk to him, and Vaggie dances? Can't I dance?"

"No way!" Vaggie exclaimed. "Husk said you shouldn't make any sudden movements or overexert yourself!"

"Exactly, as she says. Sorry, Ubera Sicarius, but I'm afraid this time you'll have to do that horrible thing called socializing"  Adam told her.

Lute groaned, feeling her stomach turn at being deemed unfit for a role simply because she'd gotten hurt. But then again, she'd asked for it. "Okay" she muttered. "But what's the point of dancing?"

"Yes, that's what I'd like to know too" Vaggie said.

Carmilla clicked her nails lightly. The gesture alone seemed to bring everyone to attention. "Don't underestimate the power of a dancer" she told them. "If someone knows how to move properly, people's eyes can't stop looking at her. A woman who truly knows how to dance can capture the eyes of an entire army and extinguish their minds like a candle flame"

"The dance my wife will teach you is designed to attract attention (²). If Loan's attention is focused on you, your sister will fool him much more easily" Zestial added. "A man like Loan certainly expects that he can meet one of my undercover agents, but if his mind will be clouded and your sister will play her cards right, he will give in"

Vaggie was speechless. Carmilla seemed to be escaping a sense of power simply by moving. What did she mean by that? A dancer was certainly beautiful to look at, but could she really have such an influence on people?

Lute was also a little shocked, but did her best to hide it. "So, to recap... you pretend to sell us out, this Mimzy buys us, Vaggie performs as a dancer to distract everyone, and I take advantage of the opportunity to make a deal with Loan while you listen, so you have the proof you need?"

"Basically, yes" Zestial confirmed. "If we're successful, I can arrest him and then use every means at my disposal to interrogate him. Then I'll make him reveal all the crimes of the Vox-affiliated senators he's been covering up"

"And the one who tried to kill me" Adam added, a little annoyed.

Carmilla rolled her eyes. "Shall we begin?" she said to Vaggie, motioning for her to go into the courtyard. Even though she'd asked, it was clear from her tone that she wouldn't take no for an answer, so Vaggie nodded and they went outside.

Lute leaned closer to Adam: "Will this dance really help?"

He chuckled. "Trust me, Carmilla knows how to turn dance into a weapon of absolute control" he told her. "Even if you don't believe it now, it will surprise you. How do you think she married the first consul of Rome, aside from that fabulous body?"

"I'm here" Zestial reminded him.

Adam gave him a mischievous look: "So? Are you saying that your wife isn't a beauty blessed by Venus and that you wouldn't spend your days just watching her dance veeeeeeeery close to you if you could?"

Zestial was silent for a moment. "I withdraw my objection" he said in the end.

Lute didn't know how it was possible, but it was really happening: in front of her, the men were completely distracted from anything else. Their eyes, including Loan's, were fixed exclusively on Vaggie. And it wasn't for lustful purposes: Lute could clearly see that their eyes weren't focused on the exposed parts of her body, but rather they were observing the entire dance, completely mesmerized by her movements.

Okay, that was really surprising her. She'd thought the dance Carmilla taught was just... well, to attract men's unchaste thoughts. How did that woman know how to capture people's attention like that?

She shook her head. She shouldn't think about it now; she had more important things to think about. So she went to Loan and placed the tray in front of him. "Do you like my sister, sir?" she asked in a low voice.

Loan shook himself and smiled pleased at the sight of her, even though he was still distracted by Vaggie's dancing. "Oh, are you two sisters?" he asked. "Well, it is evident. You're both as beautiful as pearls, as if the gods had fashioned you from the sea foam (³)"

"What a flatterer" Lute said, sitting down next to him. "I wish more men could speak so well. Are you a poet?"

"Heh, heh! I dabbled with some verses when I was young" Loan replied, and as he said this he lightly touched her bare leg. "But if it's for a woman like you, I can compose a poem even now..."

Lute felt the urge to punch him, slam him to the ground, and break his arm by twisting it, but with a tremendous effort of will, she restrained herself. Instead, she approached him, but at the same time she held his hand firmly: "I didn't sit next to you because I'm hoping for that kind of favor"

Loan immediately narrowed his eyes. His face became more serious. "And what favor... are you hoping to receive from me?"

Lute gave a knowing smile. "Do you know why I made my old mistress tire of us and send us to market today? Because I knew Mimzy would be there to buy us" she said. "I wanted to get to you, the Shark"

Loan snorted. "I don't know that name" he said dryly.

Predictable. "Maybe this will refresh your memory" Lute said, pulling a whole sesterce from her stocking.

Loan's eyes twinkled slightly. "It convinces me to listen to you a little more" he said, immediately taking the coin. "Where did you get this?"

Lute smiled even wider, then she pulled up her dress, revealing the pouch of sesterces she'd hidden there. "My old mistress was a fool. I stole them from her before she sold us" she said. "They can be yours, if you're willing to give me what I want"

Loan was clearly interested, but still holding his tongue. Almost as if he didn't want to be too tempted, he turned his head and looked back at Vaggie dancing. "What are you paying me for?" he asked.

Lute straightened her dress. Damn, she was too ashamed of having just exposed her thigh, but she held it in. "I want to kill someone" she said dryly.

Loan didn't take his gaze from Vaggie, and his expression didn't change. "Who?" she asked.

"The centurion who captured me and my sister. His name is Lucius Magnus" Lute replied, using the first name that came to mind. "That man not only tore us from our land, but he dared to take our virginity by force. If you're wondering why I don't walk very well, it's because that bastard violated me so badly that I still bear the scars. And he dared to touch my sister, and for that I can't forgive him. He must die"

Loan let out a deep grunt. "You must really hate this man" he commented. "Aren't you afraid I'll report you?"

"I've done everything I could to get to you" Lute told him. "I know what you're doing. I know you're the Shark. I want to buy your services for my revenge"

Loan was silent for a long time. He kept looking at Vaggie almost obsessively. It was as if her dancing was drawing him to her. "I don't kill people" he said.

"I don't want a hitman. I already have my plan to kill that man. I want to be the one to end his pathetic life and send him to the Underworld" Lute replied. "What I want... is for my sister to live peacefully after I've done this. I don't care about myself, but if they find out, she'll be blamed too. So I need someone to take the blame"

"I see..." Loan murmured. "How much are you willing to pay?"

Lute was a little surprised again. She was sure that normally Loan would have been more careful: he wasn't an expert in investigations, but she was pretty sure that a criminal like that was very careful about who he was dealing with. Instead, it was as if Loan's mind was half-functioning: the more he watched Vaggie's dance, the more completely enthralled he seemed.

A shiver ran down her spine. She was beginning to suspect that what Carmilla had taught Vaggie wasn't just a dance, but witchcraft. But still, this wasn't the time for such questions, so she said: "I have two hundred sesterces with me now, plus another five hundred hidden in my room (⁴)"

Loan let out a deep snort. "That's not the kind of sum I normally deal with" he told her. "But it's not the worst I've heard either"

Lute narrowed her eyes. She'd done it now... she just had to push him a little more. "I'm willing to pay anything, sir" she said seriously, though she couldn't help but blush: "Even a payment... in kind, if you wish"

Loan sneered slightly. "You're really prepared for anything, aren't you?" he murmured, and then he patted her on her neck: "Go ahead and deal with this guy. I'll find a scapegoat"

Lute's eyes lit up slightly. "So we have a deal?"

"Yes" Loan confirmed. "If you're willing to pay what you promise... I can guarantee someone else will take the blame for the murder"

"Good" Lute said, standing up immediately. "That's all we wanted to hear, right?"

Loan's eyes widened, but it was too late now: the inn suddenly went dark as several guards jumped on the windows, blocking the light, and others violently broke down the door, storming in. Everyone inside seemed to snap out of their trance and scrambled to their feet, trying to escape. Some tried to grab weapons, but of course the legionnaires quickly subdued them.

Loan stood up angrily, drawing a dagger. "Swine!" he roared, throwing it at Lute.

She immediately dodged it and punched him in the stomach, making him spit up blood. "This is for daring to touch me" she told him in a cold voice.

Loan gritted his teeth. "Y-You...!" he hissed, and tried to strike her again, but she dodged him again. "Who the fuck are you!?"

Lute smiled, amused to see him struggling so badly. Loan probably wasn't an amateur, he certainly knew how to fight due of his job, but compared to her, he was like a child with a knife. She almost felt like he was moving in slow motion.

She quickly looked around. The guards were blocking all the entrances. Technically, now that her task was over, she should just walk away and let them do their thing. However, her fighting spirit couldn't ignore the challenge, and she began to strike Loan hard. With quick, precise strikes, she struck deeper into his stomach, knocking him off his dagger, and then aimed a kick at his right leg to knock him down...

She never hit her target: a sharp pain struck her in the pelvis and sent her sliding to the ground. For a moment, she thought she'd been stabbed, but then she remembered Husk had told her not to fight. Damn, right now...?

Loan smiled wickedly. "Uh, problems?" he said cruelly. "Well, I'm going to...!"

A moment later, something hit him hard in the face, knocking him to the ground with a smashed nose. Lute's eyes widened as she saw Vaggie standing before her, her leg still raised. Apparently, she'd twisted her body in midair, as if still dancing, and kicked Loan. "Wow... how did you do that?"

Vaggie looked as surprised as she was. She'd moved more instinctively than intentionally. "Uh... I'm not sure either" she admitted.

"Gnnnn!" Loan groaned, standing up. "You two, I swear that...!"

A powerful hand grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him to turn around. Loan blanched as he found himself face to face with Adam, who was dangerously glaring at him. "I... I surrender!" he muttered.

"Sorry, I'm not the type that accept surrender" Adam replied, and struck him squarely in the face with a single punch. Loan literally flew a meter and landed on a table with a loud crash, never to move again.

Adam approached Lute and Vaggie. "Are you okay?" he asked, though it was clear he was looking at Lute with much more apprehension.

"Still in one piece" she replied, trying to get up, but her back was still hurting too much.

Adam bent down as if to help her, but then, realizing it would be inappropriate, he pulled back and gestured to Vaggie, who lifted Lute by the shoulders. "Damn, I think Husk's going to lecture you" she said.

Lute grunted in response. Adam snorted. "Good job" he said, watching the guards lift Loan. "Let's get to Ludus right away so Husk can fix you up"

"I'm not that mess up" Lute grunted.

"And you're a terrible liar" Adam replied. He seemed unsure of what to do. "You should have backed off immediately"

Lute narrowed her eyes a little. Adam didn't look disappointed, just tense. She knew he was right, but her pride prevented her from admitting it. "He touched me, he deserved a lesson"

"Touched you!?" Adam exclaimed. "Where...!?"

"On my leg" Lute clarified. "But it was still annoying"

Adam let out an irritated growl. He looked ready to break Loan's legs, but he held back. "Well... next time, if there ever is one, hold your temper. Your health isn't worth beating up an idiot. Wait until we tie him to a chair and then you can beat him to death"

Lute nodded. "Understood. Anyway, do we have what we need?"

Adam nodded. "I, Zestial, and every guard we brought heard everything. Now we have his confession" he replied, watching Loan being dragged out. "From here on, we can interrogate him as we please"

Both Lute and Vaggie knew what Adam was referring to: Zestial would now torture Loan to find out everything he knew about the attempted murder, and who knows how many other crimes. It was likely going to be a long thing. Honestly, neither of them disliked it. "What about her?" Vaggie asked pointing to Mimzy, who was being dragged away from the counter by a guard and brought in front of Zestial. 

"Sir!" Mimzy exclaimed. "Please, I didn't do anything! I'm just a simple innkeeper..."

"You've periodically given shelter to a criminal" Zestial replied.

"He forced me!" Mimzy said. "I assure you! He threatened me several times! I didn't do it voluntarily, I've wanted to get rid of him for a long time!"

Zestial narrowed his eyes. "Our source informed us that you've attempted to escape several times. Is that correct?"

"Yes, exactly!" Mimzy replied.

"In that case, you have nothing to fear. We'll verify your story, and if you were truly forced, you'll be let go" Zestial told her. "Just stay calm and cooperate with the authorities, and answer the questions we ask you"

"Certainly!" Mimzy replied immediately with a smile. "Trust me, when you're done you'll agree that I'm innocent! I've never done anything wrong in my life, I've never even stolen a potato! Totally honest!"

"Of course" Zestial muttered, and then noticed one of the guards approaching with some scrolls in his hand. "What are these?"

"We searched the innkeeper's bedroom. Nothing was out of the ordinary except these" the soldier replied, handing them to him. "Looks like someone's been writing the innkeeper a lot of letters"

"It's just an old friend" Mimzy said. "It's not a crime to keep in touch, is it?"

"They must be a really good friend to write so many letters and pay a ship to send them to you" Zestial said, opening one. It wasn't made of papyrus, it was a rougher material, similar to parchment (⁵). But what surprised him was the writing. "Adam, look at this"

Adam looked at him in confusion and took the letter. What greeted him was a language that definitely wasn't Latin. Even the alphabet was different. "What the fuck... what language is that?"

"I was hoping you could tell me" Zestial said. "You've been in half of the world during your prime. Does it remind you of something?"

Adam grunted. "It's definitely neither Eastern nor Southern. These look like runes, so it could be Germanic. It's definitely from Northern Europe" he replied, and then handed it to Lute and Vaggie. "Is it Briton, by any chance?"

They looked at it carefully. "It's similar to Briton, but no" Vaggie replied. "There are some differences..."

"It's Caledonian (⁶)" Lute said suddenly.

There was a moment of silence. The sentence didn't seem like anything special, but Zestial stiffened. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Lute nodded. "I've seen this rune (⁷) before" she said, pointing to a symbol at the bottom of the letter, where a signature would normally be placed. "It's called Algiz, the equivalent of your A (⁸). I assume it's the initial of the writer's name"

Zestial narrowed her eyes. Adam, too, began to stiffen. "Why do you look tense?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nothing" Zestial replied briskly, then turned to Mimzy: "What does the A stand for?"

"Arcturus" Mimzy answered. "That's my friend's name"

"So you confirm that your friend is a Caledonian?" Zestial asked her.

"He's originally from those lands, but now he's a merchant. He travels wherever he can do business" Mimzy replied. "He sends me letters in his own language, and I send them to him in Latin, so only we can read them. You know, sometimes they contain... embarrassing details, if you know what I mean"

Zestial took a deep breath. He could have ordered Mimzy to read the letter to him, but he had no guarantee she would tell the truth. He also had no way of verifying that Arcturus was the sender's true name. "Can you read Caledonian?" he asked Lute.

She shook her head. "I know that rune just because I saw it on a monolith in a sacred ground, when my father took me on a diplomatic expedition to a Caledonian tribe. I don't know this language"

"I understand. You!" Zestial said aloud, looking at one of his trusted guards. "Find me someone who can read Caledonian and bring them to me. And you" and he handed a small piece of paper on which he had quickly written something to another guard: "Take this to my wife"

The guards nodded quickly and hurried out of the inn. Adam grunted. "Is there something troubling you?" he asked Zestial.

"Just a suspicion, nothing more. Anyway, it's not important right now" Zestial replied, and gestured for the other guards to take Mimzy away. "Let's worry about Loan now. I have a lot of questions to ask him, and now we have an excuse to interrogate him"

Chapter Text

"I told you, didn’t I? Huh? Didn’t I say it?" Husk was yelling furiously. "I told you not to make sudden movements and overexert yourself! Damn it, fighting definitely counts as that! You little...!"

Lute had stopped listening to him a while ago. Her pelvis hurt quite a lot, but at least nothing was broken, and that was enough for her. As long as it was just sore muscles, she could endure it.

"Come on, Ursi, stop tormenting her" Angel said with a laugh. "She had the criminal right in front of her, what was she supposed to do?"

Husk glared at him murderously. When he had seen the state Lute was in, he had kicked everyone out of the infirmary so he could treat her in peace, except for Adam because he was the boss, and Vaggie because she was her sister. But somehow Angel had managed to sneak back in, completely ignoring Husk’s orders. "She could’ve left it to someone else, like the twenty guards posted all around her!" Husk shot back. "Stupid girl, be grateful muscles heal fast...!"

"He’ll keep this up for the next forty minutes" Angel said, ignoring him. "If you want, I can try to lure him away..."

"Shut your mouth!" Husk snapped.

"Why? Don’t you want to be lured away by me?" Angel replied with a sensual wink.

Husk’s eyes flashed. "You little...!"

Fortunately, that was enough to draw his attention away from Lute. Vaggie took the chance to approach her: "Are you sure you’re okay?"

"Yeah, just a lot of pain. I’ll recover" Lute replied. "But you, now tell me how you did that. It’s the first time I’ve seen you spin in the air like that"

"I told you, I just applied the dance Carmilla taught me to... well, fighting. I didn’t think it’d be that effective" Vaggie said. "Maybe that’s what she meant when she said it was useful in many ways..."

"Carmilla is more special than you think. Rarely does anything she teaches have just one use" Adam said, stepping closer. He was less grim than before, but still looked a bit upset.

Lute lowered her head slightly. "I know I shouldn’t have put myself at risk and fought. I’m sorry, sir"

But Adam shook his head. "No, you have nothing to reproach yourself for. You got Loan to confess, you did well" he said. "I’m the one who should apologize. I should’ve stepped in earlier. I overestimated my reaction time. I should’ve foreseen it"

Both Lute and Vaggie looked at him in surprise. Well, more Vaggie than Lute actually. Lute looked far less astonished. "Thank you, sir. You don’t need to apologize" she said.

"Well, sometimes even someone as magnificent as me has to admit a mistake" Adam grunted. "Now rest properly, and don’t you dare get up for at least a day. You, Vaginae, keep an eye on her"

Vaggie bit her tongue at hearing that ridiculous nickname yet again, but swallowed her irritation. After all, Adam had already gone out of his way enough for a day. "I’ll tie her to the bed if she tries to get up"

"Don’t you dare!" Lute barked, trying to sit up indignantly, but the pain in her pelvis forced her to stay still.

"Free to do so" Adam said to Vaggie. "Sorry, Ubera Sicarius, but this time you’ll have to behave"

Lute clenched her teeth, angry at the restriction, but didn’t argue further. "What are you going to do with Loan now?" she asked Adam.

"I’ll wait until Zestial is done with him" Adam replied simply. "Loan has done favors for many senators, and now Zestial can use him to incriminate his political opponents. The deal we made was that, in exchange for his help, I’d let him have the criminal until he’s gotten all the information he needs. After that, I can ask him about my attempted murder"

"Mph! Zestial could let you ask him now" Lute grumbled.

"A deal is a deal. My attempted murder isn’t politically important" Adam told her. "If I find out who tried to kill me, I’ll just have someone to punch, or at best a small scandal. But if Zestial questions Loan about all the corrupt senators, he can strike a big blow against the second consul’s network. That’s what he cares about, so I have to wait"

Lute grunted. It didn’t seem fair to her that Zestial got to ask questions first when they were the ones who caught Loan. But then again, the first consul was the one who had risked the most in this whole matter, so it was normal that he wanted his payoff right away.

Adam sighed. "Waiting doesn’t please me either, but that’s how dealing with politicians works. You always have to give them the biggest slice of the cake, or they won’t even listen to you" he said. "Anyway, I’m going to see how far along they are. You two focus on resting. You’ve earned it"

"I want to see what happens!" Lute burst out, trying to get up again.

Vaggie shook her head. "We'll tell you later, what’s the problem?"

"I don’t like being left out" Lute grumbled.

Adam glanced at Husk, who was threatening to strangle Angel: "Can she be moved or touched?"

"Huh? Yeah, but carefully" the doctor replied.

"That’s enough for me" Adam said, and without warning grabbed Lute and lifted her up.

She turned bright red immediately. "What are you doing!?"

"You wanted to come and see, right? Now you can" Adam told her.

"Wow, now he’s even carrying her like a sweet princess!" Angel exclaimed, bursting out laughing. "Of course, it’d be even better if they were both naked like the statues of heroes... (¹)"

Lute went even redder, basically glowing. She looked at Vaggie, but even she was holding back a laugh. "Sorry, but you kind of asked for it" she said.

Lute clenched her teeth and looked away. She knew Adam was smirking at that very moment, eager to tease her, so she refused to look him in the face and let him see how embarrassed she really was. Not that it stopped him from saying: "Pff! What a shy little virgin"

Lute shot him a death glare. "I’m not a shy little virgin" she said through gritted teeth. Okay, she had never known a man carnally, but that didn’t mean she didn’t know how it worked.

Adam chuckled with satisfaction, but didn’t tease her further. They quickly returned to the Ludus’ main hallway, where of course Lute turned bright red again, being seen like that by the other gladiators. She froze them with her glare, as if to say “don’t you dare say a word”. Adam walked to a door where a small group of people was gathered, including Carmilla, who was leaning against a corner in her usual frown, silent. Adam set Lute down on one of the cots along the wall, then turned to Carmilla: "Well?"

"Zestial is making him talk" Carmilla said, and at that very moment a bloodcurdling scream came from behind the door (²), sending chills down almost everyone’s spine.

"Wow, he’s not going easy on him, huh?" Angel murmured, a bit intimidated.

"Weren’t you the one who said you wanted to see, and I quote, ‘a little healthy torture’?" Husk grumbled.

"Yeah, but... come on, I was just saying that for effect" Angel said, swallowing hard and flinching at another scream.

Husk snorted, but still gave him a small pat on the shoulder. Even if the man next to him was a fierce gladiator, Husk knew there was a big difference between hitting someone in a fight and hurting them when they couldn’t defend themselves. Angel was perfectly capable of fighting, and maybe he could even carry out an execution, but torture a man who cannot defend himself wasn’t in his nature.

Suddenly the door opened and a guard came out, handing a scroll to Carmilla. She read it quickly, wrote something on it, and handed it back; the guard immediately ran toward the entrance of the Ludus, probably to pass on her orders to other soldiers. "What was that?" Adam asked her.

"Loan’s latest confession, about a senator whose face you probably don’t even remember" Carmilla replied. "Few details, but combining them with what I already know, I deduced some things and sent my guards to investigate"

"Wait... combining it with what you already know?" Vaggie repeated, stunned. "Are you saying you remember by heart all the previous findings of... well, this case?"

"I remember every detail of every relevant event that happens in this city" Carmilla replied curtly.

Vaggie couldn’t help letting out a sound of admiration. That woman was proving more and more interesting to her. She couldn’t help but wonder what other qualities she was hiding.

Adam grunted. "Well, I’m glad you’re getting results"

Carmilla nodded. "It seems we really will have to thank you in the end, Adam" she admitted. "The information we’re gathering is already enough to start very deep investigations against certain senators from Vox’s faction, which in turn will reveal new clues and open the way for new investigations, which..."

"Yeah, yeah, spare me all your political crap" Adam cut her off. "Will this be enough to deal a hard blow to Vox?"

"It’ll be enough to deal him a blow. Better than nothing" Carmilla replied. "I doubt this alone will bring him down, and Loan surely doesn’t know even a thousandth of Vox’s enormous hidden network. But we’ll damage him at least a little"

"Mph! Good, at least you’ll get what you want" Adam commented. Another scream echoed through the Ludus. "Anyway, tell your husband not to go too far. I don’t want Loan dead before I get my hands on him"

"He’ll survive" Carmilla assured him. "Zestial knows exactly how much pain a man can take without dying (³)"

"He better, because I want my damn answers after all this shit" Adam said. "I need to know who was the genius who tried to...!"

"Sir!" Peter suddenly exclaimed, appearing out of breath. "At the gate... there are...!"

Adam was a bit surprised to see his loyal servant so sweaty and panting, a sign that he’d run like mad. Still, he said: "Whoever it is, tell them to politely get the fuck out. I’m not receiving anyone today..."

"I think you’ll want to receive this one" Carmilla said.

"Huh?" Adam muttered, confused. "What are you...?"

"Sir... the empress!" Peter managed to say as he caught his breath. "The empress is at the gate!"

Adam stiffened. "What!? What the fuck are you...!?" He stopped as soon as he realized and glared at Carmilla. "You...!"

"Sorry, but there are things the imperial family must be informed of" Carmilla said. "I knew you’d never let the emperor in, you’re stubborn enough to slam the door in his face, so... I had the empress called"

"You bitch!" Adam roared, making his gladiators flinch: they didn’t expect him to speak that way to the wife of one of the most powerful men in Rome. "This is my house! You can’t just invite whoever you want!"

Carmilla didn’t flinch; on the contrary, she met his gaze head-on. "Do you think she wouldn’t have come sooner or later anyway?" she asked rhetorically. "This is a serious investigation led by my husband, the first consul, that will damage many senators. Rumors are surely already spreading throughout Rome, and it’s no secret you’re involved. The emperor had to be informed, and since this is serious business, he can’t just ignore it. A formal invitation is far less offensive than waiting for someone else to inform him or, even worse, request his help while giving him a misleading version of events. I chose the first path"

Adam clenched his fists tightly. "You could’ve at least warned me"

"I knew you’d make a scene, and I didn’t feel like listening to your excessive complaints" Carmilla replied. "I know you don’t like the imperial family, but there are social rules to follow. I made a compromise and had the empress come instead of the emperor, taking advantage of the fact that it’s expected for a woman to inform another woman (⁴). As for the rest, sorry, but you’ll have to control your temper"

Adam probably would have replied in a very ungentlemanly way, but before he could, Peter asked: "Sir... shall I let the empress in, or...?"

Adam growled, then looked at Carmilla, who gave him that severe look again. In the end, he relented: "Oh, fine. Fuck this shit, let the bi... the empress in"

Peter nodded and ran off. Adam made a sound like an enraged bull and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. The gladiators looked at him nervously. "I’d say he’s angry" Vaggie whispered. "Do you think the empress is going to... be a problem?"

"Royals are always a problem" Husk muttered. "All of you, be respectful and speak as little as possible. In fact, in Angel’s case, don’t speak at all"

"Hey! Why?" Angel protested.

"Because I like my head where it is, and you’d get us into trouble" Husk replied. "Seriously, greet her and say nothing unless you’re asked to"

No one disagreed with him, not even Lute. Whatever their opinion of the empress or her relationship with their lanist was, it was better not to antagonize such a powerful woman. Adam might not be afraid of offending the imperial family, but that didn’t mean they could get away with it.

Outside the Ludus, the carriage bearing the Astra family crest was parked right in front of the gate: even Zestial’s guards had stepped aside to make way for it. Lilith had already stepped down and was standing motionless in her usual statuesque pose, staring at the gate. And for once, she wasn’t alone. "Mother, why are we here?" Charlie asked.

Lilith sighed. "Were you listening when we left the house?"

Charlie blushed a little. "You told me to change quickly, I was rushing and half-asleep, and I didn’t... really listen" she admitted. "Sorry"

"Don’t let people hear you say that. It’s not exactly a good look for the princess of Rome to be ‘half-asleep’ in the middle of the morning" Lilith said sternly. "We’re here because an investigation is underway and Carmilla requested my presence. You remember who she is, right?"

Charlie shivered. Normally her mother gave her a loving look even when she was exasperated with her, but when she wanted to, she could silence her with just a stare. "Of course I remember! Absolutely! I’d be an idiot to forget...!" she said, stumbling over excuses, hoping Keekee would come to her rescue. Fortunately she did and whispered the answer to her ear: "She’s the wife of the first consul!"

"Exactly. And if the wife of the first consul, who, let's remember, is an important collaborator of your father, requests my presence, that means it’s important" Lilith told her. "So now we’re here"

"Oh..." Charlie murmured. "But... did Carmilla say I had to come too?"

"Of course not. But you’re coming anyway" Lilith told her. "It’s time you started acting like a princess, which means you can’t spend your days doing nothing. You must learn what it really means to rule an empire"

"I’m already taking lessons" Charlie pointed out.

"There’s a difference between learning from books and living it in person. Lessons are just theory, you need to move on to practice" Lilith replied.

Charlie tilted her head. "Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed or something?"

Lilith shot her a look that could kill. "My rude daughter, I’m just worrying about your future as your mother. If you don’t want me to drag you along with me all the time from now on, prove to me you’re ready to face your future. For example, by not relying on your slave to remember the name of one of the most illustrious women in the city you live in!"

Charlie shrank immediately at those words. Okay, maybe today wasn’t the day to argue with her mother. She wasn’t thrilled about having to stick to her like that, but if Lilith wanted it, she had no choice.

It wasn’t that Charlie didn’t know that, as future empress, she had duties: if it were just that, she’d have been happy to learn from her mother... well, almost, since she was pretty sure Lilith would quiz her when they got home to make sure she’d been paying attention. But the problem was that she already knew that whoever they met would just give her fake smiles and sweet words, all while trying to take advantage of her. She hated that hypocrisy, and hated even more being treated like a precious object to be bartered. She much preferred people who showed their true colors, but she knew that would never happen as long as she presented herself to them as the empire’s princess.

Lilith seemed to notice her daughter’s mood, and her gaze softened a little, but she remained stern: "I know you don’t like it, but this is the life you’re destined for. So pull yourself together and learn to navigate this world. Sorry, but it’s time for you to grow up"

Charlie stayed silent, not wanting to contradict her mother. She tried to appear confident and hoped nothing would happen that might embarrass her, or worse, give her mother an excuse to scold her. "If it’s so important, why isn’t Dad here?"

"When you’re outside the house, don’t speak of him so informally" Lilith reminded her. "And anyway, he’s not here because I was the one invited... and the master of the house isn’t very fond of him"

Charlie raised an eyebrow, but couldn’t ask more, because the eunuch who had greeted them returned to open the gate. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Empress" he apologized. "The master awaits you inside"

Lilith narrowed her eyes slightly. "May I ask what mood your master is in?" she asked as she entered.

Peter shrugged. "Well... everything’s gone well today, so I’d say he’s in a good mood... though rather..."

"That’s enough" Lilith cut him off. She didn’t expect the eunuch to admit that Adam wasn’t thrilled to have her there, and didn’t want to push him. At least, if everything had gone well for him today, there was a better chance he’d limit himself to staying silent and grunting.

Once inside, Adam came to greet them. After all, no matter what kind of relationship they had, she was still his empress, and he had to respect social conventions. "Ave, Lilith" he greeted her in a flat voice.

"Ave, Adam" Lilith replied. "So you’ve taken to catching criminals?"

"Only because it concerned me personally" Adam answered curtly, then looked at Charlie. "Hm? Why’s the little brat with you?"

Charlie blushed slightly at being called a brat, as if she were five years old. She hadn’t expected Adam to show her warmth or affection, but she had at least expected a little respect. Still, she swallowed her pride and, unlike him, responded politely: "Ave. I came at my mother’s request, since she wishes to show me how to fulfill my roles"

"Hm. Learning to rule, are you? Well, glad to be part of the lesson" Adam muttered. "Follow me, and don’t be surprised by the screams, we’re still interrogating the criminal"

Charlie bit her lip. "By interrogating, do you mean torturing him?"

"What other forms of interrogation do you know?" Adam replied with a slightly malicious smirk. "If you want experience, little princess, here you can have plenty of it"

And with that, he turned and motioned for them to follow. Charlie was tempted to retort, she didn’t like that tone at all, but Lilith immediately grabbed her arm and gave it a firm squeeze. From her mother’s look, Charlie understood it was better not to create unnecessary trouble and let the veiled insults slide, so she stayed silent.

Charlie obviously knew who Adam was, his name was well known throughout Rome, and she had seen him many times during the games at the Flavian Amphitheatre. However, she had only met him in person once, when she was eight years old. She remembered being terrified of him, not just because of the armor he wore, but also because of his grim expression that seemed to radiate violence. That enormous man, like a bear covered in metal with merciless eyes, could only terrify a child, and indeed she had immediately run to hide between her mother’s legs, who had then ordered the slaves to take her away at once.

Consequently, this could be considered the first time she was truly interacting with Adam, or even seeing him in a tunic instead of full armor. And it was definitely not a pleasant interaction. She had known Adam for barely ten seconds, and she already disliked the way he seemed to look down on her.

Adam led them into the main hall, where the gladiators, guided by Peter, were setting the table with some food and drinks for the guests (⁵). Charlie immediately smiled as soon as she recognized some familiar faces. "Ave, everyone!" she greeted them cheerfully.

The gladiators immediately stopped and bowed their heads. "Ave" they replied.

Lilith gave her a disapproving look. "Behave more formally!" she whispered sharply. "They’re the ones who should greet you first, not the other way around! And show less enthusiasm!"

Charlie bit her lip at once. Great, she had already given her mother an excuse to scold her later at home.

"Help yourselves to whatever you want" Adam told them, pointing at the table. As the rules of hospitality dictated, it was his duty to offer something to his guests. Even though he didn’t bother hiding his displeasure at having them in his house, he still would not violate the sacred laws of the gods.

Lilith nodded and took a cup of wine; she probably wasn’t really thirsty and was doing it only because not returning the courtesy would have been impolite. She gave Charlie a slight nudge, signaling that she should do the same. Fortunately, Charlie was wise enough to take only a little: the wine turned out to be quite strong, much stronger than what they drank at home. Charlie wasn’t used to drinking much, and the little she did drink was always sweetened with milk or honey. This wine, however, was only lightly diluted with water, clearly the kind of drink meant for warrior physiques, and she had to do her best not to spit it out.

Normally, people who hosted her and her family in their homes would not stop talking for a single minute, constantly trying to flatter them and gain their favor. This time, however, there was none of that. Adam denied them nothing, he kept having food and drink brought as a proper host should, but he stayed seated on the opposite side of the table, saying nothing and staring at the wall with a grim look.

After a few minutes, Carmilla arrived. "Ave, Lilith" she greeted immediately. "Ave, Charlie"

"Ave, Carmilla" Lilith replied, rising at once. "Your husband?"

"He’s finishing washing the blood off his hands" Carmilla said. "He’ll join us soon"

Charlie went a bit pale. So they really were torturing someone. She tried not to let it show that the thought upset her, but still couldn’t help asking: "Was there... a lot of blood?"

"Plenty. It’s been going on for an hour" Carmilla replied, then she turned to Adam. "As soon as Zestial arrives, Loan is all yours. But remember, he has to stay alive, he still has more to confess"

"Mph! About time" Adam grumbled. At least there was one good thing about Lilith’s unexpected arrival: it had sped things up.

Carmilla lost interest in him almost immediately. Instead, she leaned toward Lilith and whispered in her ear: "We need to talk. We’ve found some letters that appear to be... Caledonian"

Lilith’s eyes narrowed to slits. She remained completely silent for a few moments, then turned to Adam: "Would it be possible for me and Carmilla to use your baths?"

"You’re my guests. You can" Adam replied (⁶).

"Thank you" Lilith said, then looked at Charlie:
"Entertain our host until I return"

"Okay... wait, how am I supposed to entertain him?" Charlie tried to ask, but her mother had already left. She and Carmilla seemed to be in quite a hurry, and they had left her alone. "Uh..."

"You can relax, I’ll tell your mother you were a perfect guest" Adam said in an almost bored tone.

"Uh... thanks, but there’s no need" Charlie said. "You don’t have to lie for me..."

"Wow, such nobility of spirit" Adam said. "So, what is it that interests your mother so much?"

Charlie bit her lip. "I’m sorry, I don’t know" she admitted.

"You must at least have some clue" Adam pressed. "Didn’t your mother say anything of interest before leaving the house?"

"Uh... no, not at all" Charlie said, though she was lying a little. Lilith had probably said something, but Charlie had been too distracted to catch it.

Adam was silent for a moment. "Has Caledonia been mentioned in your house recently?" he asked.

That question confused Charlie even more. "Uh..." she murmured, not sure how to respond. Her parents had indeed mentioned that land every now and then, but she wasn’t sure why, as they tended not to discuss politics too much in front of her. She didn’t know if it was a good idea to talk about it, or if Adam would start asking questions she wouldn’t know how to answer. In the end, she chose the safest option: "No, never"

Adam grunted, then asked her nothing more. He didn’t seem to fully believe her, but at the same time didn’t look thrilled about talking to her either. He kept staring at the door as if hoping Zestial would walk through it any moment and free him from having to stay there.

Charlie was starting to sweat. "Uh... may I have some more wine?" she asked, hoping it would help ease the tension.

Adam gestured to the one holding the wine jar, who was Vaggie, who quickly hurried over to pour it for her. "Here, princess. I hope you like it"

"Thank you" Charlie said with a smile. "You’re always so kind"

Vaggie blinked in confusion. "Always so kind?" she repeated, not understanding where that 'always' came from, since this was the first time she was seeing the princess.

Charlie started sweating again. Damn her loose tongue and empty head. "Uh... yes, because... the other day I saw you in the arena and... I noticed you didn’t want to kill your opponent!" she quickly explained, hoping it sounded like a plausible lie. "From that, I could tell you must be a kind person!"

Vaggie raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked, clearly unconvinced.

"Of course! What else could it mean? We’ve never met before!" Charlie said, praying she’d believe it and not say anything that could make someone suspect the two of them had met before.

Vaggie still didn’t look entirely convinced, but then, remembering that the girl in front of her was a member of the imperial family, decided to let it go. It was better not to provoke people with that much power. "I see. Thank you for your compliment" she said.

Charlie let out an internal sigh of relief. She was sure she had already sweated enough to fill the cup in her hand. This definitely didn’t look like it was going to be a calm conversation.

Chapter Text

Carmilla had taken Lilith to a secluded room, where they knew no one could hear them, and had ordered a couple of guards not to let anyone in. It wasn't very orthodox to behave that way in someone else's home, but neither of them cared at the moment. "So?" Lilith asked.

Carmilla pulled out the letters Mimzy had seized. "Zestial found them at the inn where we arrested Loan. It wasn't expected, it was a stroke of luck"

Lilith took them and looked at them intently. "Runes..." she commented. "Are you sure they're Caledonian?"

"I had it checked. The style is definitely Caledonian" Carmilla replied. "Which matches what we know about the... smiling druid"

Lilith narrowed her eyes. "So that bastard really did gain access to Rome, too..." she muttered under her breath. "Does anyone else know?"

"Not yet. Zestial has only informed me, and I've only informed you" Carmilla replied. "Only a few trusted guards know we found these writings... and of course Adam and his two slaves, but he doesn't seem to have spoken to anyone so far. Even if he knows nothing, he's smart enough to understand that it's a sensitive matter"

Lilith had no doubts about that. Adam might not have been the smartest person in Rome, but he had been a great centurion, so he knew when to keep quiet about something. And most likely, as was his wont, he had decided he didn't want to get involved and was therefore avoiding the matter. "It would be best to advise them not to speak up" she said. "It's best to keep this information confidential. If word got out that the mysterious smiling druid might have spies in Rome, it would be serious"

Carmilla nodded. She, too, understood how dangerous this would be, not because of the immediate risk (there was no way for the druid to attack Rome directly), but because Vox would surely exploit this to stoke fear of the individual and rally more senators to his side, as well as request more legions to confront the man. Militarily, the smiling druid wasn't much of a problem, but politically, he was a lethal tool.

Lilith returned the letters to Carmilla: "Where is this Mimzy now?"

"Locked in a cell" Carmilla told her. "She keeps saying she's innocent, and that these are just letters from an old friend of hers"

"And...?" Lilith asked.

"And so far, we have nothing to contradict her version" Carmilla told her. "I called an interpreter, obviously without telling him what I suspect these letters are, and he confirmed that they are merely friendly messages. The person writing them appears to be a simple merchant describing his trade, and there are no discrepancies between the various letters"

Lilith grunted. With such a large number of letters, one would normally expect to find something that revealed deception. A person could impersonate someone who wasn't in a single letter, but with so many letters sent weeks or months apart, it was difficult not to find contradictions. So either the person who wrote them was truly an ordinary man, or he truly was a master of deception. "Could it be a code?"

"It's possible, indeed, very likely. But unfortunately, we don't know enough about the Caledonian runes to figure it out" Carmilla answered. "These runes are equivalent to letters, but they can also be words, and worse, many of them vary according to each tribe. It's an extremely complicated language, perhaps on par with Egyptian hieroglyphics. And even the best interpreters in Rome know very little about this style of writing. If there is a code, it will take years to decipher it"

Lilith rubbed her chin. "What does Zestial think?"

"He says the chances of someone here in Rome exchanging simple messages with a Caledonian are infinitesimal, but so many letters are impossible. The costs would be too great, certainly not something an innkeeper like Mimzy or a simple merchant would spend lightly. Especially considering that from the letters they don't even seem to be lovers, just good friends" Carmilla replied.

Lilith nodded. She'd thought about it too: to send a letter from one part of the empire to another, you'd need to pay a messenger, which wasn't a great price if you were talking about nearby cities. But if the messenger had to go far, for example to Gaul, he'd need to own a horse, and so the price would rise significantly. Furthermore, once he reached the coast, he'd have to embark for Britannia, and then pay someone to transport him by ship. Considering that he'd eventually have to cross notoriously dangerous territory to reach Caledonia, then the cost of such a messenger would be enormous. Mimzy would have to spend half of what she earned in three months to pay for the transport of a single letter (¹).

No plebeian would spend that much just to keep track of a distant friend. Sure, if it were a single letter over the course of several years, it might be credible... but so many? It was too much money. "You said this Mimzy was the innkeeper at the place where you arrested Loan, right?" Lilith asked.

"Exactly" Carmilla confirmed.

"And Loan was arrested for covering up the misdeeds of several senators close to Vox" Lilith continued.

"Precisely" Carmilla confirmed again.

"Which leaves us with two possibilities" Lilith said. "The first is that Loan knew everything, or at least something, and was acting as a spokesperson between Mimzy and Vox, and therefore this smiling druid is truly a Vox invention. The second is that Loan was merely a tool of Mimzy, who deceived him into thinking she was subservient to him, but in reality was observing him as he performed favors and thus gained information about the Senate. This would make the smiling druid an enemy in his own right, trying to figure out how to exploit the stormy climate of Roman politics"

"The reasoning is flawless" Carmilla said, nodding. "I'm more inclined to believe the second hypothesis. Loan is a coward; after the initial torture, Zestial only had to push him a little to get him to talk. If he'd known Mimzy was involved in something shady, he surely would have accused her to divert our attention and save himself"

Lilith grunted slightly. "Hmm. But we can't take anything for granted" she said. She also agreed that a prisoner under torture would readily admit something that could save him, or at least allow him to negotiate a plea bargain. If Loan had known, he would surely have tried to trade that information for his life. But you never knew.

Carmilla was silent for a moment, and then asked: "May I ask how you think the Emperor will react?"

"Not well" Lilith admitted. "But he will be grateful for your contribution"

Lucifer wasn't one to lose his temper, at least not in public, but Lilith could totally imagine him furious as soon as he discovered that the nation's enemies might have spies in his own city. She hoped that Loan's capture and the consequences it would have for the corrupt senators would help boost his morale, as he would almost certainly take his wrath out on them. On the plus side, the potential spy had been captured, but there was no guarantee there wouldn't be more...

...

... perhaps that could be an advantage.

"Release her" Lilith ordered.

Carmilla raised an eyebrow: "Excuse me?"

"Release Mimzy. Tell her you have no proof she's involved in anything, pretend you think she's really just an innkeeper. Convince her we want to leave her alone" Lilith told her. "And then, as soon as you release her, put someone on her tail. Have her watched every day, every hour, every second. Never let her out of your sight. Spare no expense, use your best spies"

It didn't take Carmilla long to understand: "Do you want her to lead us to other spies?"

"If there are any, she probably has a way to contact them" Lilith said. "And if there aren't, and she's the only one... then that means we can get the messages we want to reach the smiling druid"

Mimzy was still just a simple innkeeper; she didn't have access to the Senate's true secrets, which is why she'd found someone like Loan who did. Which meant that if they sent someone they trusted to her and convinced her that she could use her to her advantage, they could give her the information they wanted. For example, they could send a young senator and convince Mimzy that he was in love with her, and she would then use him to learn everything about the Senate, but he would only tell her what Lilith and Lucifee wanted. This would undoubtedly weaken their enemy, or at least confuse him enough to slow his advance.

"It's a good plan" Carmilla admitted. "Zestial has the right spies. I'll report everything to him"

"As soon as you discover anything, inform me or the Emperor immediately. Consider it a top priority" Lilith ordered.

Carmilla nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty" she replied, bowing her head respectfully. She was silent for a moment, and then she asked: "What do we do about Adam?"

"If I know him well, he already intends to stay out of this. He won't investigate further if he considers it a favor to my husband" Lilith replied. "Just tell him this matter is now under Lucifer's scrutiny, and he'll let it go"

"Yes, typical of him" Carmilla confirmed. "But will he keep quiet?"

"Adam hates my husband, he doesn't hate Rome. And he knows revealing something like this would cause damage" Lilith replied. "He won't talk. If he decides he doesn't want to be involved in something, he'll just forget about it"

Carmilla wasn't entirely sure, but deep down, she didn't know Adam as well as Lilith did, so she decided to trust her. After all, if the Empress decided something, she couldn't contradict her.

Lilith put her hands on her chin: "In any case, if we truly have an enemy trying to infiltrate the heart of Rome, then we must ensure we restore unity as quickly as possible. Taking down Vox and his allies has now become even more imperative. For starters, what information has this Loan provided us?"

"... so I decided to track down the asshole who set me on that bull" Adam was saying. "I mean, who do they take me for, a pushover? I'm Adam, for fuck's sake! You want to kill me with a bull? What a bullshit, I've fought entire armies that rode elephants, and this guy thinks..."

Charlie was regretting trying to talk to Adam. Not knowing how to 'entertain' him, as her mother had told her, she'd decided to simply ask him how he'd conducted the investigation: after all, it was important from her point of view. Too bad Adam had gotten quite excited about the story, and while Charlie had initially been happy because at least the tension had eased, now she was truly fed up.

"... at least they could have left me some of that bull as spoils" Adam continued. "Well, I understand sacrificing some of it to the gods, but damn, it could have become steaks that would have been fabulous! I remember that time in Hispania Ulterior (²), we were besieging the city of Corduba (³), since the governor was an opponent of the old emperor, and to supply the army, we went to the nearby fields and brought back to the camp a huge bovine, at least 1,200 minas (⁴), and cooked it with..."

"Um... I'd love to hear the rest of the story, but I think we're getting a little off-topic" Charlie stopped him. "Could you guys just focus on the important details of the investigation? You can tell me about your war exploits another time"

Adam grunted, not appreciating being interrupted at all. "Ugh, okay. So, I sent my gladiators to capture some idiot at the docks, but I knew he'd just be a scapegoat. Through him, Zestial and I traced Loan, who's a criminal who finds desperate people willing to take the fall for money. He'll take me to the real killer as soon as I can torture him"

"Oh... okay" Charlie said, trying not to dwell on the torture part. "Well, you did an excellent job. I guess I owe you some thanks..."

"Nah, I'm not interested in rewards. I acted in my own self-interest" Adam replied briskly. "And if it weren't for the fact that Zestial doesn't hurry, I'd already be paying a visit to the asshole who tried to kill me"

"Yeah, about that..." Charlie muttered. "As princess of the empire, I must remind you that you cannot take justice into your own hands. You must bring the culprit to a public hearing and let them stand trial"

"Tsk! What do you take me for? I'm an upstanding citizen, you know!" Adam snapped.

"I don't doubt that" Charlie replied. "I'm just reminding you that this city has laws, and you risk ending up in the wrong if you don't obey them"

Adam waved his hand nonchalantly. "I respect the law. I would never dream of committing a crime" he replied, but immediately after he added: "It's not a crime if I go and arrest some asshole who then forces me to beat them up because they dare to resist"

Charlie barely restrained herself from slapping a hand to her face. Okay, Adam was a soldier, and she knew from experience that soldiers tended to want to resolve things their own way, which meant beatings, but that was going a bit too far. "I'm afraid it's illegal anyway" she said tiredly. "Don't you think you're risking getting into trouble with someone powerful?"

Adam grunted. "All right, Princess. So what do you advise?"

Charlie smiled. Okay, maybe he was willing to listen. "Well, I suggest you file a complaint with the city magistrate or someone important... and since Zestial and my mother are already in this house, you can file it with them. They'll then send certified soldiers to arrest the culprit, who will then be tried publicly according to the law, and ultimately punished"

"Ah, but where's the fun in that?" Adam replied.

Charlie's smile immediately collapsed. Any progress she thought she'd made vanished instantly. "With all due respect, I don't think fun is the most important thing in a murder investigation"

"It is for me. After all this mess, I want at least a satisfaction" Adam told her with a laugh.

"But..." Charlie tried to protest again.

"Stop worrying about me, girl. I'll handle this my way, I always have, and long before you were even in your mother's womb" Adam said, then looked at the door. "How long will Zestial take? Come on, don't make me wait..."

Charlie's eyelid fluttered slightly. Seeing her so upset, and preferring not to anger the princess of the empire, Vaggie approached and offered her more wine. "Want more?"

"Yes, please" Charlie replied, then she whispered: "How do you put up with that guy?"

Vaggie shrugged. "I know he's a little self-centered..."

"A little!?" Charlie repeated irritably.

"... but he knows his stuff. Trust me, he knows how to handle this situation" Vaggie concluded, though she added: "At least I hope so"

Charlie rolled her eyes in disappointment. And then she said: "Well... since your gladiators contributed, I think it's appropriate to thank them too. Why don't you let them sit down so they can get some rest, too?"

The gladiators, including Vaggie, looked at her in shock. Sure, everyone had their own personality, and some were nicer than others; but it wasn't conceivable from their perspective that a princess would be willing to sit next to muscular and potentially sweaty warriors. "That's not necessary, Your Majesty..." Vaggie tried to say.

"No, no, go ahead" Charlie told them. "This is your home, after all, and you've worked hard today. It's only right that you eat and drink a little too"

The gladiators looked at each other, then at Adam. He seemed completely uninterested in the matter. "Oh, do whatever she wants. As long as she's good, I'm fine with it"

"Maybe don't say it out loud!" Charlie shouted in her head, but with a tremendous effort of will, she refrained from saying it to his face. She didn't want to start an argument. After all, Jesus always said to turn the other cheek, right?

The gladiators obeyed and sat down, though they remained very tense and for once, minding their table manners. To make things easier for the princess, they had Vaggie and Cherri sit next to her, since, being women too, they were more in tune and certainly smelled nicer. "So, how was it catching a criminal?" Charlie asked with a smile.

"Uh... normal, I think. We're used to fighting" Vaggie replied.

"Yeah, it was nothing special. We just had to fu—uh, I mean, we just had to do a bit of chasing and fighting" Cherri said, trying to keep the colorful language as low as possible.

"And I didn't even do anything useful" Angel grumbled. "Don't get me wrong, I was ready to fight and then get that suck-uh, that criminal to confess, but they beat me to it"

"Well, I still have to thank all of you" Charlie said with a broad smile. "As a princess, I extend my sincerest compliments for the work you've done, no matter what you did. You've all been important"

The gladiators were growing more and more surprised. Normally, when a slave did something useful, the master took the credit, and so far everyone had only thanked Adam. Sure, he'd complimented them, but to the outside world, they were just his tools. They were happy to at least receive some thanks. "You don't have to, Your Majesty. You're too kind" Vaggie said with a small smile.

"No, I'm just being fair" Charlie replied with a much wider smile.

That expression calmed the gladiators' hearts: it was as if that smile had the power to inspire peace and tenderness. Vaggie couldn't help but be a little fascinated... and even curious. She was sure she'd seen that smile before...

But before she could ask herself any more questions, Peter returned breathlessly: "Sir! To the gate...!"

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Adam exclaimed. "Who the fuck is that this time!? I swear...!"

"It's the Second Consul, sir" Peter told him.

Adam froze, and so did Charlie. "The Second Consul?" she asked. "Why is he here...?"

"Who cares? Send him away" Adam snapped. "I have enough politicians in the house, I'm not letting him in too"

"Wait" Charlie stopped him, then looked at Peter: "How did he ask to come in?"

"Why should I care?" Adam asked her rudely. "This is my house, I let whoever I want in"

"Please, wait a minute" Charlie begged. "I know this is your house, but I know Vox well... well, I know him a little. And I know he never does anything unless he's carefully calculated it. So if he knows about your... attitude... don't you think he wouldn't have come here knowing you'd slam the door in his face?"

Adam was silent for a moment. And then he nodded to Peter: "Okay, answer her question"

Peter nodded: "The Second Consul... well, he showed up at the door in a grand manner, making quite a bit of noise, and loudly declared that he wanted to give you a gift. A crowd is already forming outside..."

Adam's eyes widened. And then he exploded: "SON OF A...!"

In Rome, a lot of things were based on actions, not formal declarations (⁵). This was why when senators visited someone else's home, they usually tried to remain discreet. Showing up unofficially, complete with an audience, meant that within half a day, all of Rome would know whether the host had welcomed that person or not. And based on his actions, the host himself became the subject of speculation and gossip.

Vox had essentially put Adam at a crossroads: if he let him in, he publicly declared his sympathy for him; if he refused, he publicly declared his sympathy for the opposing side, namely Zestial. And since everyone knew Zestial was very much on the emperor's side, it was akin to declaring that Adam was now also inclined to help him. And Vox knew full well that Adam would die before even hinting at a potential reconciliation between him and the emperor.

In short, Vox knew Adam had no choice but to let him in!

"I'LL KILL HIM!" Adam roared, nearly knocking the table off his feet. "FUCK ALL THAT, I'M GOING TO GO OUT THERE AND GIVE HIM A...!"

The gladiators immediately jumped on him to restrain him: "As much as I appreciate violence, I think we should avoid it here!" Pentious shouted at him.

Adam let out a tiger-like growl: "That damned, treacherous snake... how am I supposed to...!"

"I'll take him in" Charlie said suddenly.

Everyone looked at her in surprise. "Hmm?" Adam muttered.

"I'll take him in, not you. This way you won't have to take sides" Charlie explained. "I'll say that you generously made your house available to the investigation since you captured the criminal, and therefore this house is currently under the jurisdiction of those conducting the investigation, and since I'm the highest-ranking person here, it's my duty to let people in and out, not yours. This way you won't become the target of slander"

Adam remained silent, and despite his anger, he tried to think. That idea wasn't bad, after all. "Why would you do that?"

"Because you clearly don't want to get involved in politics, and it would be unfair of me to let them drag you into it against your will" Charlie replied. "I only have to look at my father and mother to know no one would like that"

"Hmm. Sure" Adam muttered suspiciously.

Charlie sighed. "I won't ask you to return the favor, if that's what you're worried about"

"Yeah, yeah, okay, I get it" Adam muttered. "Cherri, go find Lilith and Carmilla, and Pentious, you go find Zestial. We'll try to keep the asshole at bay"

And with that, he motioned for Charlie to follow him to the door. "Since you're apparently in charge now, can't you just tell him to go away?" Adam asked.

"I don't know enough about politics to know what impact that would have" Charlie replied. "Let's do this: I'll pretend the house is a bit crowded, so I'll let him in alone. And then you'll stick with him and keep an eye on him the whole time until my mother gets here"

Adam grunted. He didn't like the idea of ​​having to stand next to Vox for too long, or even more than a minute, but it was actually the best way to avoid trouble. "Fine, if it helps everyone get out of here with their asses covered"

"Maybe keep your tongue down" Charlie muttered tiredly, and then motioned for Peter to open the door.

They found Vox standing right at the gate, already with his magnetic smile plastered on his face, dressed in his finest. Behind him were a long line of guards and servants, and a rather large crowd of people. Apparently, Vox had really made sure to attract attention. "Ave" he greeted as soon as they opened the door, and then bowed his head respectfully to Charlie. "I'm surprised to see you here, Princess. You look as beautiful as ever"

"Thank you, Consul Vox" she replied, trying to sound as friendly as possible. "Why are you here?"

"Well, as Consul, I have a duty to uphold the law in this city, and so I wanted to thank Adam for his contribution today" Vox said, looking straight at him. "Can we talk about this inside?"

Adam had to do his best to keep from punching him, but fortunately, Charlie quickly intervened. "Of course, Consul Vox. As Princess, I grant you permission to access the location where the investigation is currently taking place, which is the house this man has kindly placed at our disposal"

Vox was silent for a moment. Well, he had gained access, but he seemed a little disappointed that he hadn't been able to get Adam into complete trouble due to Charlie's interference. "I understand. Well, in that case..."

"I must ask you to leave your servants outside" Charlie told him. "Please understand, this is a sensitive investigation; we can't let too many people in"

He expected at least some resistance, but Vox seemed fine with it. "Of course, it's perfectly understandable" he said, and gestured to one of his servants who was carrying a jar, who placed it in his hands. "This is a small gift for the master of the house. It's a little heavy, but I can carry it myself"

Adam and Charlie had some complaints, but they certainly couldn't stop him from bringing a gift into the house, since it was customary to offer it to the master of the house, and refusing would be a grave offense. So they let him in and closed the gate, and once inside, Adam took the jar and opened it. It revealed a reddish powder. "Sugar?" he muttered, confused, as he took some and held it to his nose to smell it.

"It's better than sugar. It's a special seasoning that combines sugar and beetroot. Excellent for flavoring meat and fish. I can assure you it will give them a wonderful taste" Vox promised him (⁶).

Adam closed the jar and handed it to Peter. He wanted to order him to throw it away, but he restrained himself. "It was a welcome gift" he said with feigned cordiality.

"Consider this my thanks" Vox said. "I've been looking for evidence against Loan for some time. He's a criminal who's been causing trouble in Rome. Even though you turned to Zestial to capture him, you've still solved a problem for me"

"Strange, given that many of Loan's statements incriminate senators from your faction" Charlie didn't hold back.

"That's precisely why I was looking for him. Do you think I could tolerate such corruption? You should know that I faithfully uphold the laws of your father and Rome" Vox replied. "Princess, don't look at the world in black and white. Just because those senators were part of my faction doesn't mean I approve of their behavior. Rooting out those bad apples is in my best interests, too"

"What a liar" Charlie thought in disgust, and fortunately, just at that moment, her mother came back briskly, followed by Carmilla and then Zestial, who looked even more worried.

"Ave" Vox greeted respectfully. "It seems I should compliment you, esteemed colleague"

"Apparently" Zestial replied with the same feigned cordiality. "I'm surprised to see you here"

"What can I say? I couldn't possibly stay away while Rome's entire political elite is already gathered here" Vox replied mockingly. "All that's missing is the Emperor, and we can move the Senate directly here..."

"That'll never happen" Adam snapped. "Well, now that you guys are all gathered, that's your problem. I'm going to take care of Loan; I've waited long enough"

And with that, he almost ran off. Vox, Lilith, Carmilla, and Zestial let him go, and in fact seemed more inclined to talk among themselves. Charlie didn't agree. "Hey, wait!" she exclaimed, chasing after him. "Don't you think we should...?"

"Vox is your problem, and I don't intend to get caught in it" Adam replied, opening the door to the room where Loan was locked up. "Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do"

He found Loan sitting in the same chair where they'd tied him up, except that he now had several broken bones, numerous burns, and wounds almost all over his body that were dripping blood. Zestial had definitely not gone easy on him. Good, Adam thought: he'd be less reluctant to speak quickly. "I hope you enjoyed your break, because now it's my turn" he said, patting him on the shoulder, touching him precisely where there was a large wound that made him groan.

Charlie paled at the sight. Maybe she should have stopped outside the door. "Do you... do you really have to...?"

"What? Didn't you want to gain experience? Here you go" Adam said, then shook Loan: "So, you little bastard, speak up: who tried to...?"

Suddenly, Loan began to squirm. Adam immediately pulled his hand back and realized that the wound he'd touched was bleeding... excessively. Soon, the other wounds reopened at once, as if the damaged blood vessels had completely burst. A cascade of blood gushed from Loan's body. "Shit!" Adam exclaimed at the sight of him, trying to stem the flow.

Charlie had gone white: "What... what is...!?"

"Go get Husk!" Adam exclaimed as he tore off pieces of his tunic to close the wounds. "We have to stop him from bleeding out..."

But just then, Loan's body shuddered one last time. His head rose slightly toward the ceiling, as if he were desperately gasping for air, and then fell back lifelessly. His heart, already too weak from all the torture he'd endured, couldn't take it.

Charlie was paralyzed, and then she couldn't help herself: she leaned against the wall and vomited. Adam, too, couldn't understand: how could this have been possible? Loan had held out this far, and Zestial knew how to limit his torture. Why, just when he was on the verge of discovering the name of his killer, he was...?

Suddenly a thought crossed his mind, and he raised the hand with which he had touched Loan. It was covered in blood, but a little red powder still clung to it. The sugar Vox had brought him. "Bastard" he hissed furiously.

Chapter Text

"My empress, please, I'm telling the truth" Vox said for the umpteenth time with a smile. "Do you expect me to stoop to such acts?"

"Yes" Lilith replied curtly.

"I'm sorry to hear you think so little of me" Vox said, his smile still intact. "Come now, Your Majesty, I assure you I had nothing to do with this. I didn't do anything, I didn't even approach the victim. It can happen that someone dies after being tortured for so long"

Lilith narrowed her eyes. She knew Vox was lying, she knew he was somehow involved in Loan's murder. But after more than half an hour of questioning, she hadn't found a single detail that contradicted his story. Vox had indeed always been under their noses, and none of his men had entered the Ludus: the only connection to Loan seemed to be the sugar he'd given Adam, but she couldn't understand how that could kill anyone.

Speaking of the host, he was fuming. It was clear he wanted nothing more than to attack Vox, and only the presence of so many high-ranking people was keeping him at bay. When Loan died, Adam had returned furiously to the entrance to grill Vox, and fortunately Lilith had managed to calm him down before he raised his hand on the Second Consul, giving him an excuse to have him arrested. Now he was sitting in a corner, glaring murderously at Vox. Lilith no longer feared he'd attack the Second Consul: once his initial anger had cooled, Adam knew how to act reasonably enough... almost always.

She rubbed her temples. She was also stressed, and if she'd acted on her urges, she would have slapped Vox herself. Luckily, the gods was still helping her, granting her a lot of patience. Or at least self-control.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Charlie, who was sitting at the table, staring at her hands, her beautiful face very pale. She had recovered somewhat from the experience, but it couldn't be said she hadn't been affected. It wasn't the first time she'd seen someone die; it had happened during games, but seeing it from afar was one thing, seeing it happen right in front of her was quite another. Lilith wouldn't have been surprised if her daughter had nightmares for a few nights.

She wasn't the only one who had noticed the princess's state of mind. Vaggie had been a little hesitant, but finally approached, offering her a cup. "Here" she said. "It's wine mixed heavily with milk, it'll relax you a bit"

Charlie took the cup and drank with pleasure. Vaggie started to step back, but the princess stopped her: "Wait... stay. Keep me company. Please"

If someone had told Vaggie the day before that she'd hear 'please' from the princess of the most powerful empire in the world, she never would have believed it. But in that moment, she wasn't surprised. Maybe it was because Charlie seemed so fragile at that moment, but in her eyes, she was just someone looking for help. So she sat down beside her, even though she wasn't sure how to comfort her. "The first time is hard for everyone" she told her. "Don't be ashamed to show fear. I too threw up when I saw someone die before my eyes"

"When was it?" Charlie couldn't help but ask.

"I was ten years old" Vaggie replied. "Our tribe was extremely small compared to this city: when a criminal was executed, it was done in front of the longhouse and everyone came to see. It was easy for a little girl to climb onto the roof and watch"

Charlie took a deep breath, then she drank some more. "How do you get over it?" she asked. "How... did you get used to it?"

Vaggie shrugged. "Over time, both watching someone die and killing them yourself lose their weight. I'm not saying it's easy, absolutely not... but it doesn't have the same impact anymore"

"So... should I just grit my teeth and move on?" Charlie asked her.

"I think so. We've all done it here" Vaggie replied. "Focus on the fact that you couldn't have done anything anyway. And anyway, it wasn't a good person who died. He was a criminal"

"I know" Charlie told her. "But I would have preferred him to die according to the law and justice of this city. Dying in that cruel way was... I don't know. Tough"

Vaggie was silent for a moment. "Honestly, to me, any way of dying is the same. But... if you think differently, I understand"

"Yeah... don't mind it" Charlie murmured. "I know I'm a little unconventional"

"Hey, don't say that" Vaggie said, giving her a small smile. "I didn't say you're wrong. It's nice that you care about everyone getting their justice right, even a man like that. I think it's... good"

A little color returned to Charlie's face: "Do you really think so?"

"Yes. You will be empress one day, and that's a quality an empress definitely needs" Vaggie replied, then she blushed: "Um... obviously I don't mean that as empress you'll have to deal with men like that... I mean... I meant that your qualities... well..."

Charlie chuckled lightly. "Okay, I get it. Thanks" she said with a smile.

For some reason, Vaggie felt her heart warm. That girl's laugh was something so crystalline and sweet it seemed like her mouth was filled with honey. Yet, she was sure she'd heard it before. "Excuse me, if it's not inappropriate, can I ask you a question?" she asked.

"Of course" Charlie replied. "Which one?"

"Do you have a brother by any chance?" Vaggie asked. "Very similar to you, but with a very angular blond beard..."

Charlie's forehead immediately broke out in sweat. "No, no! I'm an only child! Mom and Dad, er, I mean, my father the Emperor and my mother the Empress, have been trying for years to have a male heir, but it still hasn't happened!"

"Really?" Vaggie murmured. "Because yesterday I met someone who..."

"He just looked like me, it can happen! I assure you, I have no brothers!" Charlie said hastily, and then she tried to change the subject: "Speaking of siblings... I feel sorry for your sister. I mean, she risked her life against that bull, and now you have no idea who set it on her"

Vaggie immediately darkened. Charlie felt a little guilty: she had made her forget her doubts, but she had also brought her anger back. "Yeah..." she said, looking at Lute. "She didn't take it well either"

Charlie looked at the person she was looking at. Lute was still sitting (or rather, lying) in the same spot as before, unable to move much due to her wound. Just like Adam, she was also shooting daggers at Vox with her eyes.

Charlie couldn't blame her. Not only had Lute been on the verge of death when the bull had rampaged through the ring, but Adam had put all that investigation into finding the culprit, and she had hurt herself even more trying to catch Loan. It must have been frustrating that after coming so close to victory, they were finally left with nothing.

Just then, Zestial returned, carrying the jar of sugar Vox had brought. "So?" Lilith asked.

Zestial shook his head. "I've examined the contents four times, even tested it on numerous animals. No poison" he told her. "It's really just a mixture of sugar and beetroot"

"See? I had nothing to do with it" Vox said, his smile widening in triumph.

Charlie felt her stomach turn at the mere sight, and was about to yell at him, but Adam jumped up before her. "Are you kidding me? You didn't find anything!?" he roared angrily.

"They can't find something if there's nothing to find" Vox sneered. "It wasn't me, I told you"

"Of course, and Loan died by accident!" Adam growled.

"It can happen. Come on, Adam, you've been in war, you know better than I how fragile a human body is. It doesn't take much to break it after it's been so battered" Vox told him. "I'm sorry you have to abandon your investigation, I really am. You did, however, obtain some valuable information on the corrupt senators. Better than nothing, right?"

Adam almost grabbed him by the toga, only to be stopped when Lilith grabbed his arm. "Let me go" he said, hissing like a bull.

"Adam, please, your behavior could give rise to a misunderstanding" Lilith said, staring into his eyes. "You certainly don't want anyone here making slanderous accusations about you, like you were about to physically assault the Second Consul of Rome in a house full of witnesses, do you?"

Adam let out a beastly growl, but what little rationality remained in him made him understand the warning. Extremely reluctantly, he lowered his arm. "Okay" he said through gritted teeth. "Vox, come. If my behavior in public is a problem, let's talk alone"

"Adam!" Lilith warned him again.

"I'll bring him back alive and unharmed" Adam told her. "But I want to talk to you in private"

And to everyone's surprise, Vox nodded. "Okay" she said without the slightest fear. "I'd like to talk to you in private, too. I'm sure that after a face-to-face chat without interference, you'll be convinced that I'm not the culprit you're looking for"

Charlie suddenly had a flash of inspiration. "Psss! Which is the emptiest and most isolated room in here?" she whispered to Vaggie.

"Huh? Well, I think it's the wine storage room (¹). Third door after the kitchen" she replied. "But why...?"

Charlie didn't listen to her any longer: taking advantage of the fact that no one was watching her, she stood up and immediately ran toward the hallway. Luckily, she had learned where the kitchen was earlier, and once she found it, she quickly looked for the third door Vaggie had told her about. She found herself in a cold, dark room with no windows, only a lot of barrels and a large table in the center. She hid behind some of them and waited.

It wasn't long: after a few minutes, Adam opened the door and placed a flashlight on a wall bracket to illuminate. Behind him, Vox entered with his usual haughty bearing. "Hmm. Not the worst place I've had a conversation" he commented, looking around.

Adam closed the heavy door behind him. "Now we're alone" he said. "Come on, talk. Now you can take off the mask. What trick did you use?"

Charlie crouched behind the barrels to hear as best she could. Eavesdropping wasn't exactly orthodox, in fact, she was pretty sure her mother would give her a good scolding afterward, but she wanted to hear. She was sure Vox would speak up now that he was alone in a room without anyone to hear him. She hoped those two wouldn't notice she was there.

Vox smiled wickedly. "I told you, no tricks. You can control it as much as you want, there's only sugar and beetroot in that jar" he told him, and then his eyes narrowed and his smile widened. "Just... don't eat it when you have an open wound"

Adam snorted like a bull. "Why?" he hissed.

Vox shrugged and paced calmly around the table, dragging his nails on the wood. "You know, here in Rome, few people know this, since we don't usually use sugar. We prefer milk and honey. But those who study certain phenomena... and luckily I have one at home... know that sugar and beetroot are powerful vasodilators (²)"

"And what the fuck does that mean?" Adam snapped.

"It means they make the blood vessels expand. The more you consume, the more they expand and the blood flows faster" Vox explained. "Under normal circumstances, this is absolutely harmless. You could eat a whole jar of sugar or a whole bunch of beets, and your blood vessels wouldn't explode... at most, you'd have a serious case of indigestion. But Loan... damn, he was so weak. Zestial is skilled at torture, and knows where to strike without creating wounds that kill... but those wounds still expose the inside of the body, and they don't kill only as long as the blood vessels are normal. If you suddenly expand them... what little resistance the body can offer instantly collapses, and blood flows through the already open wounds"

Adam gritted his teeth. "So you knew Loan would die. You killed him...!"

"I didn't do anything. What can you accuse me of, Adam? Of bringing you sugar as a gift?" Vox asked with a chuckle. "We both know no one could ever condemn me. In everyone's eyes, I'll be a kind man who wanted to give you a gift, and you'll be an asshole who preys on an innocent man without any proof. Go ahead, tell everyone I killed a man with sugar, let's see how many will believe you"

"I'll tell Zestial!" Adam threatened. "Fuck, yes, I'll tell Lilith too! They'll make you pay for this..."

"How? Calm down, Adam. They don't have proof either" Vox told him. "Sure, they could summon someone who knows the vasodilatory properties of sugar and beetroot... but how could that prove I know them? I'm not a scholar. If they accuse me, I'll simply say I didn't know the effects of sugar and that I'm terribly mortified. But ultimately, I can't be blamed for anything. I didn't even approach the alleged victim, you did"

Even from her hiding place, Charlie could sense Adam's frustration growing. She, too, was furious: Vox was talking about murder as if it were a fun game. In fact, he was proud of having gotten away with it. If she'd previously felt contempt for the man, now she felt even more.

Vox stopped walking and dug his nails into the wood even harder, making a slight screech. "Face it: you've lost this time" he said to Adam. "You can't accuse me, and now that you don't have a lead, Zestial won't risk his reputation any further by helping you. You've still dealt me ​​a blow, since my rival will surely use the information he snatched from Loan to get my affiliated senators in trouble. We can consider ourselves even"

"Don't you dare consider me even to you" Adam growled. "Fine, you won this round. But if you think that'll stop me..."

"Oh, I know it won't stop you. I'm afraid I know you" Vox stopped him. "That's why I brought you another gift besides that jar, something I'm sure you'll appreciate even more"

Charlie heard a metallic clank. Curious, she leaned forward slightly from her hiding place and could see that Vox had just placed a whole sack full of coins on the table, whose whereabouts, until then, no one knew. "Money?" Adam asked with disgust.

"It's a hundred thousand sesterces" Vox told him. "With this you could buy yourself ten slaves like those two Britons... or buy yourself a vineyard and produce your own wine that you love to get drunk on (³)"

"Are you trying to bribe me!?" Adam barked.

"No. I'm offering you a different kind of justice" Vox replied. "You've been wronged, I understand. Now, take this as compensation and abandon the investigation. I can promise you no one will try to kill you again"

"So it was really one of your circle who set that bull on me?" Adam muttered.

"It's someone very dear to me" Vox replied. "And I can assure you they have been punished for their actions, and they won't do such a wicked thing again"

"So I should just let it go?" Adam grunted. "After they tried to kill me?"

"Those were the actions of someone who didn't think straight, equal to an infant. Consider them as such" Vox said. "If it had been anyone else, I would have killed them for you already. But as I told you, this person is dear to me. So, let's end this here. Accept this compensation from me and go back to your quiet life as a lanist"

Adam was silent for a moment. Charlie wondered if he was considering accepting the money, but his next tone of voice was so disgusted that she knew it had only been a forced pause, dictated by anger. "I'm not taking your dirty money" he said disgustedly. "I'm not like those senators ready to kiss your ass for a few extra sesterces. Use these tricks for the wretches willing to accept them"

He expected another witty retort from Vox, but instead he remained impassive. And then, as if they were having a normal conversation, he asked: "Adam, do you know how to lower the price of a slave?"

Adam narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about now?"

"Nothing. I was just noticing you're still as protective as ever. I assume the old centurion inside you is a hardy soul. Always ready to leap into danger for your soldiers... even a miserable slave" Vox told him. "I assume everyone here is playing at being a happy family. That Briton girl, too... she's truly a force of nature. And the way you protected her, even from that bull... I'm sure you don't want to lose her. You wouldn't want her to have an... accident, would you?"

Adam's face turned stone: "Don't you dare...!"

"A slave like that certainly has a very high value, but it's easy to lower that (⁴)" Vox continued. "She can fight, but break her leg and she'll never be able to do it again. She has a beautiful voice, but cut out her tongue and she'll never be able to use it again. As for virginity... well, I don't think I need to explain it to you, do I?"

"You...!" Adam growled, almost salivating. "How dare you threaten one of my gladiators, here in my house!"

"I dare" Vox replied shamelessly. "I told you, the murderer you want to punish is someone dear to me. So if you want to take them away from me so much, I assume you're willing to lose just as much, am I wrong? In fact, we could say you gain. The value of the person I'm protecting is so far away from that of a miserable slave that even in the Underworld they wouldn't dip them in the same river (⁵)"

Charlie had to summon all her self-control not to come out and punch Vox. She herself felt dirty just hearing him speak. He discussed destroying someone's life as if it were equivalent to changing a knick-knack.

Luckily for her, Adam didn't seem far removed from her emotional state. "You asshole!" he roared, punching the table so hard it cracked as if it were about to break. "You think you can come to my house, try to bribe me, and threaten to harm one of my gladiators!?"

"Yes" Vox replied. "Now you have two options, Adam. In the first, you accept my offer, and each of us goes our separate ways, never bothering the other again, as we've done all these years. In the second... you refuse and continue to investigate, and I... therefore feel justified in reacting. Your gladiators are strong, no doubt about that... but we both know I have a lot of friends. When they leave this house, they'll be in for a real hard time. Let's take that Briton girl as an example again: a true prodigy in combat... but do you think Valentino will have any trouble setting a trap, drugging her thoroughly, and then... doing something to her while she can't defend herself?"

"You can tell your sycophant that if he does that, he's dead" Adam told him. "In fact, I'll tell him myself. I'll pay him a visit as soon as you're all gone from my house"

"And will you also do it to everyone who works for Valentino? Or to those who work for me? Or to anyone who's willing to do me a favor?" Vox pointed out. "You can threaten those you know, Adam, but you can't threaten everyone. It's time you learned that true control isn't achieved through violence"

"Oh, no?" Adam growled.

"No. Of course, violence is useful, but control is maintained through popularity, money, and a lot of henchmen no one knows about and ready to act at a word from me" Vox told him.

"I won't let you win" Adam said again. "You can't do anything while my gladiators are in my house..."

"Yes, you're right about that. So you could lock them up here forever and forbid them from leaving the Ludus. A nice strategy" Vox told him. "But what about when they have to fight in the arena? I could place an assassin with a poisoned dart anywhere in the Flavian Amphitheater, and it would be instant death. One of the disadvantages of gladiators is that they always fight half-naked, it's easy to hit them"

There was silence again, and this time Charlie was sure Adam was thinking hard about an answer, any answer. Vox had literally backed him into a corner. The Second Consul had played his cards brilliantly.

But Adam wasn't ready to give up just yet: "No... no, I can't accept it" he hissed. "I won't allow you to threaten me and my gladiators! I swear to you, Vox, if you dare touch one of them, I will personally come and kill you! I may not know who the killer is, but I will know that you ordered it! If you think I'm afraid to break down your gates...!"

"I know you're not afraid" Vox told him, his voice suddenly cold: "Although I think sealing the gates to prevent everyone from escaping is a more convenient method"

For Charlie, that was yet another sarcastic retort, but Adam froze at those words. Literally, for a moment, he seemed to forget to breathe. "What did you say?" he said in a very low voice.

Vox grunted. "What? Did I unlock a memory for you?"

"You... how do you know...?" Adam barely whispered.

"What's that face?" Vox asked teasingly, though he didn't sound amused at all. "Afraid of ghosts?"

Adam grabbed the table and flipped it over violently, letting out a roar as the heavy wood hit the floor; Charlie jumped and nearly slipped out of her hiding place. Like a raging bull, Adam lunged at Vox and grabbed him by the robe, slamming him against the wall. "If you're a ghost, you won't mind if I break your neck!" he said, but this time there was no fury in his words: it was something different, deeper, colder. "How do you know!?"

Vox groaned as Adam's elbow tightened on his neck. "I was there that night" he said. "I was outside the gate... but I heard what happened inside. I know everything you know... and also something you don't"

Charlie swallowed. What were they talking about now? What night? What had happened?

Adam raised his fist, ready to smash him in the face. "Speak, and I'll consider letting you live!"

But Vox didn't lose his confidence. On the contrary, he returned Adam's murderous gaze with strange confidence. "He's alive" he simply said.

Adam blanched. "What?"

"You heard correctly" Vox said. "He's still alive, Adam"

"You're lying!" Adam roared. "They told me that...!"

"Since when do you trust senators? They were lying" Vox replied. "I saw him myself, fleeing over the wall. I tried to chase him, but he disappeared into the fields before I could catch up. But I know it was him. The moon was high in the sky and lit up his face... and we both know he has an unmistakable mark"

Charlie still didn't understand. Who were they talking about? It was definitely someone extremely important to Adam, because he was breathing deeply as if he'd just been told his worst enemy was alive. Maybe it was like that.

"Impossible" Adam whispered, as if he couldn't believe it. "You're making this all up..."

Even though he was still squeezing his neck, Vox smiled: "Maybe yes, maybe not. Maybe you're right, and I'm telling you lies. Or maybe I'm telling the truth. But either way... do you really want to kill your only potential lead?"

Adam let out a sort of mix between a growl and a strangled sound. And then, almost mechanically, he let go of Vox. For the first time since entering that house, Charlie saw him lower his gaze.

Vox rubbed his neck and straightened his tunic. "It looks like you can't threaten my life anymore, not without risking losing your only hope of finding who you know. And that also takes away your only real advantage over me" he said with satisfaction. "See, Adam? This is true control. Learn it"

Adam clenched his fists. "Where is he?" he asked.

"I won't tell you. I don't want to give up this advantage so quickly. I just revealed a secret I've kept for nine years, you'll have to wait another nine for me to reveal another" Vox replied mockingly. "I can only tell you that you can forget about finding him on your own. You need me alive. So, while I know you'd be crazy enough to attack me in my own home if I provoked you too much, even if it meant getting you executed, you won't take such reckless steps now. And if you do me some... favors, I might decide to give you some clues"

Adam looked like a caged lion, but his hands were tied. While a large part of him wanted to disbelieve Vox, a small part couldn't help but do so. And as long as that small part existed, Vox was untouchable. Even if Adam decided to investigate on his own, he couldn't eliminate the only one who might give him a clue, not until he was sure he had at least one other lead available.

In the end, he made the only decision possible. "I won't come looking for whoever killed me. You can leave my house and never come back" he said scornfully. "And take back your dirty money, I don't want it"

"Are you giving up my generosity? If you insist" Vox said mockingly. "Go on with your normal life, I won't bother you any further. Whenever you want a clue, you know where to find me"

"I don't need you. I'll find him myself" Adam replied.

Vox chuckled. He was sure Adam would refuse to do him favors, but deep down, that was what he wanted. If Adam agreed, he would then have to give him information, and consequently, sooner or later, he would exhaust what he could provide, and Adam would surely take revenge. But that problem didn't exist now, because Adam refused to bow to him and clung to the prospect of searching on his own, as he always had. And Vox knew that, as long as this situation lasted, Adam wouldn't attack him for fear of losing his only potential lead.

He didn't fear Adam showing up at his door anytime soon. The man was too stubborn; he would persevere for years before giving up and accepting that he had to rely on him. Consequently, Vox had plenty of time of absolute tranquility ahead of him. "As you wish" he said mockingly. "In that case, I'll take my leave"

"Get out of my fucking house right now" Adam growled.

This only made Vox grin wider. "Thank you for your hospitality. It was magnificent" he said with false politeness, then he headed for the door and left.

Charlie heard Adam punch the wall and breathe deeply as if he were a caged lion. And then, he too walked toward the door and left. She waited a little longer, just to be safe, and then finally emerged from her hiding place and left as well.

Vox and Adam returned to the great hall. Lilith was pleased to see that the second consul didn't appear to be injured, though judging by the way he'd adjusted his toga, she was pretty sure Adam had grabbed him by the throat. "Are you finished?" she asked.

"Yes, yes, it wasn't him. Now, everyone, get out of my way" Adam grumbled. "I've been kicked in the balls enough for one day. So, with the last shred of rationality I have left, I kindly ask you to leave my house"

"With great pleasure" Vox said, looking increasingly satisfied, then he shot a challenging look at Zestial: "It was an intriguing spectacle, esteemed colleague"

"You were worthy of the spectacle, just as the spectacle was worthy of you (⁶)" Zestial shot back.

Vox's smile faltered a little at that jab, but he didn't reply and walked away. Zestial and Carmilla, after politely saying goodbye, also chose to leave: they no longer had any reason to stay, and it was clear that Adam was nearing breaking point. Lilith, as usual, was the last to prepare to leave, and just then Charlie returned. "Where were you?" her mother asked.

"In the bathroom" she replied, using the first excuse that came to mind.

Lilith clearly didn't believe it, but she didn't question her. "Thank you again for what you did today, Adam" she said simply, in her usual regal tone. "And thank you for your hospitality"

Adam nodded. "Yes, thank you too for coming and all that. Now leave me alone"

Lilith didn't reply, and motioned for Charlie to follow her out of the Ludus. There, the slaves opened the carriage doors for them, and she ordered them to take them back to their villa. The horses neighed, and the carriage sped off down the road, leaving the Ludus Magnus behind.

As soon as Charlie and her mother were alone, she didn't wait any longer: "Mom, it was Vox!" she exclaimed immediately. "I heard him, he admitted it to Adam!"

Lilith raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

Charlie bit the inside of her mouth a little. "I eavesdropped" she admitted.

"Charlie..." Lilith muttered tiredly.

"Yeah, I know, I shouldn't have, it's undignified and all! But it's not important right now!" Charlie told her. "I heard Vox admit to killing Loan. He knew sugar did... something that caused the blood loss! It was all a plan to silence him! Adam didn't say anything because Vox is...!"

"Blackmailing him?" Lilith anticipated her.

Charlie paused. "Well... yes. How did you...?"

"Because I know Vox well... and I know Adam too" Lilith replied. "Let me guess: he threatened to harm one of his gladiators if he didn't give up"

"Yes, exactly! Especially that girl, Lute!" Charlie confirmed.

Lilith sighed. "Typical of Vox... and typical of Adam. As much as he brags, he doesn't like putting his soldiers in danger"

Charlie was silent for a moment, and then she said: "There's more"

Lilith raised an eyebrow. "And what?"

"Adam didn't want to give up. He threatened to kill Vox, even if it meant going to prison and having his head chopped off" Charlie told her. "But Vox... told him about one night. And about locking the gates with someone inside. And he told him... that he was alive"

She expected her mother to be confused, bewildered, or to ask another question, but instead her reaction was completely unexpected: Lilith went chalk-white. "What did you say?" she said in a voice that was almost a whisper.

Charlie felt a chill, having never heard her mother use a voice like that. "That's right" she confirmed. "I couldn't quite understand, but Adam was furious when he heard it, he didn't want to believe it. He asked where this 'him' was. Vox refused to tell him, so Adam let him go so as not to kill his only lead. That's why he gave up"

Lilith continued to look at her as if Charlie had just told her she'd encountered a ghost. "Don't tell anyone about this" she ordered.

"Mom?" Charlie murmured.

"Silence! I'm your mother, and you will obey me!" Lilith growled. "Not a word to anyone! Not to Keekee, not to Razzle and Dazzle, not to your grandmother, not even to your father, is that clear?"

Charlie was taken aback. It was the first time her mother had spoken to her like that. She had never seen her so tense. "Mom... who is this 'him'?" she asked hesitantly. "He's certainly someone important to Adam. A rival? An adversary of Rome? Perhaps his worst enemy?"

"All three of those things and more" Lilith replied. "Don't ask any more questions. Forget what you heard"

"But..." Charlie tried to protest.

"You will!" Lilith shouted at her, and she didn't get up from her seat only because the carriage wasn't high enough.

Charlie cringed under those stern eyes. Yet, she was sure her mother wasn't angry. It was fear. But fear of what?

In the end, she decided it was best not to press matters, at least for now. "Okay" she said. "But even if we forget that, there's still everything else! Vox is guilty, he killed a man, he blackmailed another, and in his own home to boot! We must punish him!"

Lilith finally lost her fierce look and remained silent, clearly considering Charlie's words. But then she said: "I agree he needs to be punished, but not today"

Charlie's eyes widened. "Mom! He's a murderer!" she protested.

"And what proof do you have that he is?" Lilith asked her. "Your testimony? Are you going to tell people that Vox killed a man with sugar?"

"I'm the princess of the empire! My word must count for something!" Charlie exclaimed. "Dad can...!"

"Your father can have Vox arrested and convicted, yes. There's nothing stopping him from doing so. But it would be a disaster" Lilith told her. "Vox controls a third of the empire's armed forces and half of our political class. Do you have any idea what kind of reaction an arrest without any evidence would trigger? It would be a riot"

Charlie gritted her teeth. "What are you saying? That Vox can ignore the law just because he controls part of the army?"

"No, I'm saying there are times when you need to use your brain, not your impulsiveness" Lilith told her. "Let's assume your father does it, and have Vox hanged without any proof other than your word. Normally, that could be done; if he were any other senator, it would be fine. But Vox is a man of enormous power. All the senators affiliated with him will demand the reason for his death, and will use it to incite his legions against us. It would be a full-scale civil war, and as soon as that happened, every ambitious man, every political rival, or even every barbarian ruler would not hesitate to take advantage of the situation, forcing us to fight on countless fronts. The empire would be torn apart from within, just as it was after the death of Emperor Hadrian. Do you have any idea how many years of war and how many human lives it took to restore a modicum of stability?"

Charlie opened her mouth, but then she closed it again. "Uh..."

"And all this assuming your father kills Vox immediately, on the spot, without a trial or even a formal execution. If he did things the way they should be done, Vox would almost certainly escape. He has many friends, Charlie, friends who can get him out of Rome and defy even the most effective surveillance" Lilith told her. "As soon as he regroups, he'll accuse you of making it all up and that your father is gullible. He'll use the situation to start a civil war himself. And even if the odds are in our favor, thousands of people would die"

"If he has so much power, why doesn't he start a revolt now?" Charlie asked her.

"Because he doesn't want it either!" Lilith replied. "Do you think a revolt is the first choice for seizing power? It's the absolute last resort. Vox doesn't want a civil war, first because he doesn't know if he'll win, and second because even if he did win, he'd find himself ruling a fractured empire, having to piece it together like your grandfather and father had to. That means battles, hardships, assassinations, conspiracies. It's much more convenient for him to try to control the Senate and defeat Zestial politically, and then kill your father with some poison and take his place on the throne. So he'd have a solid empire under his control, not one he'd have to repair"

Charlie tried to keep up with her mother's thoughts. And indeed, she struggled to find anything to counter them with. Soon, the ardor she'd shown before faded.

Lilith shook her head. "I know Vox deserves to pay for his crimes, but it's not the law that matters here, it's control. And as long as Vox has control over so many essential functions of the empire, he can't simply be convicted unless there's absolute proof of his guilt. Any other type of conviction would only provide an excuse to spark a rebellion and a subsequent bloodbath" she told her. "Charlie, learn to distinguish situations. There are times when you can accuse someone, and times when you have to hold back. Vox will be punished for all his crimes when your father manages to wrest the power he currently holds from him. Until then, you have to grit your teeth and wait"

Charlie hung her head. "Is there really no other way?"

"If there were, your father and I wouldn't have been working for years to take down that bloodsucker" Lilith replied. "I know it's frustrating to have to wait when you know you're right. But in these cases, we have to endure"

Charlie nodded dejectedly, leaning her head against the carriage window. Lilith sighed, not appreciating seeing her daughter like this, but deep down she knew it was for the best. Charlie would one day have to take part in the management of the empire, and as such, she would have to advise her future husband on how to govern well. It was imperative that she understand that actions could have serious consequences.

Charlie, for her part, was truly dejected. It wasn't the first time she'd felt helpless in a situation, it had happened to her several times, but it was truly frustrating to know a man was a murderer and still let him get away with it. She felt dirty inside. She was the princess of the empire and had more limitations than a normal person...

...

A thought crossed her mind. She was the princess of the empire, and that held her back. But... what if she tried to do something when she wasn't the princess of the empire?

Chapter Text

As soon as he saw the carriage returning to the mansion, Lucifer rushed down to the gate to greet his wife and daughter, but Charlie, after only a quick, polite hello, hurried back to her room. "How bad was it?" he asked his wife.

Lilith sighed. "A lot. But it's better this way. She has to learn to face the reality of the empire, and now is better than later"

Lucifer hung his head sadly. He didn't like his daughter being sick, but deep down he knew his wife was right. He couldn't protect Charlie from the evils of the world forever.

Lilith gave him a serious look: "We need to talk. It's important" 

Lucifer knew his wife spoke to him like this when there was truly something serious at stake, so he nodded quickly and motioned for her to follow him. They went to his bedroom, where they were sure no one could hear them. "Well?" he asked.

Lilith quickly told him everything, leaving out only the conversation she'd had with Charlie in the carriage, or at least the part about 'that night'. Lucifer was obviously outraged by Vox's behavior: "How dare he... not only kill someone, but threaten a man in his own house (¹)..."

"You know Vox is capable of much worse" Lilith told him. "But Lucifer... that's not the important part right now"

Lucifer grunted. "Yes... the smiling druid" he commented harshly. "He's already managed to infiltrate Rome..."

"It's not sure it was him" Lilith told him, though she didn't believe it either.

"Any Caledonian writings on our soil has to be treated as if they were his" Lucifer said. "If he sent spies to Rome, then he's planning a larger offensive. For now, he's only carrying out raids and brief skirmishes to build up his forces and resupply his army, but he'll likely make his move soon"

Lilith inhaled deeply. She was the most skilled in many aspects of empire management, but in warfare, Lucifer was the most experienced. "What do you think this move will be?"

"The Hadrian's Wall, of course" Lucifer replied. "It's the best defense of our territories in Britannia. If he could get past it, he'd have access to our true territory, not just the villages and colonies we've established beyond it (²)"

"Is that possible?" Lilith asked. "Overtake the Wall? It's built to be insurmountable"

"Nothing in this world is insurmountable" Lucifer replied. His gaze darkened. "If his spy has already alerted the smiling druid to our internal strife, he already knows this is the best time to attack. If he's crazy enough to think he can challenge Rome, he will"

"He's hopeless against the entire empire" Lilith said in a harsh voice. "But if he gets past the Wall, Vox will use that to his advantage"

"Exactly. That's what worries me" Lucifer said. A dark shadow passed over his face. "We can't wait any longer. We can't face an external and internal enemy at the same time. It's time to put an end to Vox's dominance"

Lilith couldn't help but feel a little fearful. When Lucifer wore that expression, she, too, felt awestruck. It was the expression he used to silence everyone in the Senate, the one he'd worn all his years at war. A look that exuded overwhelming authority.

"We'll do it at the next Senate meeting, in exactly a week" Lucifer decided. "Send a message to Zestial, telling him that this is the day he must request the armies from Vox. In the meantime, make sure as many senators as possible know about the Parthian situation. In fact, blow it out of proportion, make it seem extremely serious and in need of immediate resolution. We must make sure Vox is absolutely cornered that day in the Senate"

Lilith nodded. That way, Vox would have no escape. If the senators thought the Parthian problem was a minor matter, they might side with him; But if they thought it was serious, no one would dare defend him. If Vox refused to hand over even a portion of his armies, and thus weaken his power, he would be a traitor to Rome. Lucifer knew Vox would almost certainly surrender and do so, but deep down he hoped Vox would be stubborn enough to refuse, so he could accuse him of treason against Rome itself and have him crucified in the middle of the central square.

"This has gone on too long" Lucifer hissed, leaning against the bed. "In a week, either Vox agrees to diminish his power... or I'll make him pay"

Lilith hugged him from behind. "Fine" she whispered. "We'll do it this way. In a week"

Lucifer basked in his wife's touch. "We'll get through this" he told her. "For Charlie. We can't leave her a broken empire like my father did to me. We'll fix things, and then the gods can even send me to the Underworld if they want"

"Don't even say that as a joke" Lilith said, kissing him softly. Lucifer returned the kiss, and then gently pulled her into bed with him. After so much tension, they both needed to savor each other.

After the empress and the princess left, a bit of calm returned to the Ludus. Well, more or less: Adam had continued to grunt like an enraged boar for a good two hours, but finally, as evening approached, he calmed down a bit. The gladiators had remained at attention the entire time, fearing his reaction, but now, since he seemed to have regained some composure, they too had calmed down.

The Ludus, however, hadn't yet returned to normal: guards had had to come to remove Loan's body, transcribe the testimony, and take away everything related to the case. Fortunately, they were good at their jobs and didn't disturb the residents. By evening, only a couple of guards remained, and as they prepared to leave, they also took Baxter away to prison. As they passed the master of the house, he asked: "Can I at least see my daughter first?"

Adam rolled his eyes, but still he nodded to Husk, who very patiently walked practically across the whole Ludus to the room where the gladiators had taken Crymini. They'd found her in the area Baxter had directed them to, and she'd been shocked to discover what her father had done. Fortunately, after all these hours, she seemed stoic again.

Only Angel and Husk had seen her so far, so when she arrived at the entrance to the Ludus, it was a surprise to everyone. She was a girl with a narrow waist, but rather prominent hips and breasts, and very pale skin. Her hair was blonde, though it had some darker, reddish highlights. Her mother was probably of Germanic descent, though Baxter's Latin influence was also quite noticeable. She wore a simple, light brown tunic and had a rather frowning expression.

Baxter smiled when he saw her. "Crymini, darling" he said.

"Father, is it true?" Crymini asked him. "Were you an accomplice to a crime?"

Baxter nooded. "Yes" he admitted.

Crymini didn't look relieved at all. "Why did you do that?" she snarled. "Now you'll have to go to prison! We could still...!"

"I don't expect you to not be ashamed of me (³)" Baxter said. "But I did what I did for you. Don't worry, you'll be fine here. They'll treat you well"

Crymini grunted. "What if I don't want to stay here...?"

"Oh, stop it" Husk grumbled. "Your father traded his life for you. The least you can do is not throw a tantrum. He gave you a home, a job, and a warm bed to sleep in at the expense of his freedom. You should be grateful"

Crymini gave him a scornful look: "Mind your own business, old man!"

Husk wasn't the least bit intimidated. "Listen to me, and say goodbye properly instead of getting angry with him" he simply said. "You don't know when you'll see him again. You'll regret it if your last memory of the two of you is filled with resentment"

Crymini bit her lip, feeling the weight of those words. And then Adam said: "Yes, it's like he says. By the way, you have to listen to him, because from now on he's your teacher doctor. You're his apprentice now"

"What!?" Crymini exclaimed, her eyes widening.

"Hey! You didn't tell me that!" Husk blurted out. "What's this shit!?"

"The facts" Adam told him. "I swore to the gods that I would provide a home for this girl and that you would teach her how to be a doctor, so do it. And don't worry about the expenses, I'll make Zestial pay for it"

Husk was obviously not happy at all, but he couldn't contradict a direct order from his master, so he simply grunted furiously. Crymini looked at Baxter with tears in her eyes: "You... found me a teacher doctor?"

He nodded, smiling. "I know he seems grumpy, but I know him, he's good. Don't make him too angry" he told her. "He will teach you well. You will be able to become a doctor and earn the living you deserve"

Crymini clenched her fists slightly. And then, she hugged her father tightly, her eyes shining. "Survive" she only whispered.

Baxter couldn't reciprocate because of the chains, so he simply rested his forehead on her shoulder. "I'll do my best" he told her. "Build a better future for yourself than what I could have given you"

The guards let them do it for a minute, then yanked Baxter away. Crymini watched until they disappeared through the gate. "What will happen to him?" she asked.

"His crimes aren't that serious, he'll get off lightly (⁴)" Adam told her. "Now go back to the room they gave you, it's yours now. Go to the infirmary tomorrow morning and... well, I don't know, just get Husk to tell you what to do"

Husk glared at him. "Thanks so much for dumping the problem on me" he grumbled.

Crymini didn't like those words at all. "I'm not a problem" she said irritably. "I can already do a lot, old man! Don't talk like I'm a burden!"

Husk sighed. He felt his headaches would only get worse in the future. "Fine. Come tomorrow at first light" he said in a tired voice.

Crymini let out an irritated snort, but still turned around and went back to her room, presumably to go to sleep. At least she didn't look like she was going to be late or sleepy on her first day of work. "Okay, that's it" Adam grumbled as Peter closed the gates. "Angel, Vaggie, take Lute back to the infirmary. The show's over, and she needs to rest. Husk, take one more look at her before you go to sleep, just to be safe"

"I'm not an infirm person" Lute snapped.

"Yeah, but you can't walk yet, so you need to rest. Come on, do it, then we can all go to sleep and put this shitty day to bed" Adam said, looking around. "And where are Cherri and Pentious, by the way?"

Cherri had gone to the bathrooms to wash up, since she hadn't cleaned herself properly yet and wanted to at least get the sweat off her. When she'd finished, she was about to return to the others, but as she went, she noticed a familiar shadow in the Ludus courtyard. So she went out, finding Pentious sitting in a corner, staring at the sky where the first stars were just appearing. "Hey" she said.

Pentious almost jumped. "Oh... hey" he stammered. "I've been... waiting for you. Can we... well... talk?"

Cherri crossed her arms, feigning indifference, though she hoped Pentious wouldn't notice her rapidly increasing heartbeat. There was no point in leaving that conversation until later. "Okay" she replied. "I guess that's a must, after today"

Pentious nodded. Realizing she was waiting for him to make the first move, he lowered his head: "First of all... I owe you an apology. I should have picked up on your cues, and in any case, I shouldn't have decided to tell you about this in the middle of a strange situation and force you into such an undignified confession. I'm mortified"

Cherri took a deep breath. Okay, that was typical of Pentious: he apologized first, then talked about the rest. It was one of the things she liked about him... but right now, she would have really appreciated him getting straight to the point. "Fine, apology accepted. And...?"

Pentious swallowed hard. He was more nervous than he'd ever been in his life. "Cherri, listen... I think it's best to make things clear from the start"

Cherri had prepared herself for a possible rejection: after all, Pentious had every right not to reciprocate her feelings, and she couldn't force him. But still, hearing him speak like that, her heart felt much heavier, and her legs went a little weak. "Don't you like me?" she asked. "Do you... think I'm ugly?"

"No! No, it's not that. Don't ever doubt it, you're beautiful" Pentious answered immediately. "But..."

"So it's because of my deformity?" Cherri asked again, touching her missing eye. "You don't want people to say your woman is one-eyed?"

"What do I care!" Pentious snapped. "People can say whatever they want, I'm not influenced by gossip! If someone doesn't have the courage to say something to your face, but only talks about it behind your back, it's not even worth listening to..."

"So what's wrong with it?" Cherri asked again. "Is it because of the way... I am? Because I'm vulgar, arrogant, devoid of any grace, and ignorant of all the things you're passionate about..."

"Cherri, stop!" Pentious exclaimed. "Why do you keep talking about yourself as if you were worthless!? You call yourself vulgar because you have the courage to tell people what you really think? Arrogant because you have the courage to face challenges that make others tremble, and you refuse to be anywhere but at the top? I wish I had half of these qualities of yours! You have a heart so strong it would make even the great Achilles pale! Lacking grace? Yes, perhaps you don't know a few rules of etiquette, and sometimes you're a little out of line, but who cares! And why should I mind that you don't know the names of the stars, or mathematics, or the ideas of things, or the observation of the natural world, or the names of the great Plato, Aristotle, or Euclid? Those are just abstract philosophies! You know a lot of other things I don't know, concrete things, and you have far more judgment than I do in many fields! How can you belittle yourself like that? You are one of the most extraordinary minds and personalities I've ever met, and you talk about yourself as if you were a silly bumpkin?"

Cherri's face had turned red. She knew Pentious was good at flattery, he'd already proven it many times though never in the realm of love, but being described that way by him was making her heart do somersaults. Cherri had never admitted it out loud, but she'd always felt out of place whenever Pentious cited one of his philosophical studies or spoke of some great man from the past; she felt ignorant and often even ridiculous when she pretended to understand what he was talking about, and she'd often imagined he thought she was truly stupid, even if he didn't say out loud to be polite. She'd certainly never expected Pentious to describe her like that, and even scold her for feeling so inadequate.

Pentious took a deep breath. "Cherri... you're not the problem. Look at me"

Cherri didn't understand: "What should I look at...?"

"Exactly. There's nothing in me worth looking at, because I can give you literally nothing" Pentious said in a harsh voice. "You're wonderful, Cherri, and any man would be lucky to have you, but... I'd be arrogant and unfair if I pretended to be that man. I have nothing, only philosophical reflections that I barely apply to the real world; you call me intelligent, but I didn't even realize I'd become a burden to you. What could I give you? Even if I could buy both of our freedom, and even if I could find a good job teaching philosophy, or even just enough to get a small house... I know you'll regret your choice in the end. Because I'll fail to truly give you what you deserve"

Pentious wasn't making this up just to get out of this without hurting Cherri too much. He knew she'd prefer the cold, raw truth to a beautiful lie, and even if he didn't like it, he'd tell her. Everything he was saying was what he truly thought.

When Cherri confessed to him that she was attracted to him, even in the midst of his shock, he was over the moon. He couldn't deny that he, too, had strong feelings for that warrior with long, silky hair who moved with a whip like a dancer, and who, even though she often ended up beating him in the courtyard, also showed a kind, altruistic, and at times even noble soul. What man wouldn't love a woman like that? Pentious had never thought the gods would grant him such good fortune. But at that point, he found himself at a crossroads.

The first path he could take was to let her kiss him, tell that they loved each other, and live happily ever after. And in doing so, condemn Cherri to a relationship with him. A relationship that would undoubtedly make them both happy at first, but which would then slowly fall apart. The reason? Simple. He was him, Cherri was Cherri. A man like him absolutely didn't deserve a woman like her. She... she deserved so much better. Not in terms of beauty, but rather in terms of character. Not because he was a studious fool and she was a fun-loving prankster: opposites attract, after all. No, the main reason was that Pentious knew he would never, ever, be able to give Cherri what she wanted. Even if he wasn't aware of her desires, he knew for certain that, as time went by, he would disappoint her. And then disappoint her again. And again. And again. And they would continue that way until their relationship fell apart.

Pentious would never want to have a relationship with her only to disappoint her over and over again, to force her to cut off the people who truly deserved her so she could stay with him, in a relationship he knew from the start would never work. That would be unfair to Cherri. So, even though it hurt, he'd chosen option number two. Disappoint her, yes, but only once, in that courtyard, with that rejection. Make her understand that their love would never work. "I'm not the right man for you" he murmured. "You deserve better, much better. You're beautiful, strong, and kind, and you can aspire to find a man who will free you, marry you, and truly give you the happy life you deserve. I... I'm not capable of that. I'm not even capable of providing for myself. Home, family, future... I don't even know when I'll be able to give you even one of these things. So, please... find someone else. Someone who will truly give you what you desire, and who will see you as the wonderful woman you are, even more than I do"

And after that, he remained silent, his head down, waiting for her reply. He didn't expect her to react well: she'd probably slap him, and why not, maybe even drag him to the armory to beat him up a bit. But that was okay. He was kind of in the mood to slap himself, after all.

Cherri, however, didn't react immediately. She remained silent, as if wanting to make sure he was truly finished. And then she said: "You're right, I deserve better. Much better. And I can have better"

Pentious felt a bitter taste in his mouth, but he nodded anyway: "Exactly. So..."

"And yet I chose you" Cherri said. "Do you really think I have such poor judgment?"

Pentious stopped. "Um... what...?"

Cherri grunted. "Do you think I don't know I could seduce a wealthy merchant or even some senator's son, get his ransom, and live in a state of luxury for the rest of my life? Do you think I don't know I have countless male fans who wish they were there to catch me every time I fight in the arena? Or do you think I don't know that life with you would be difficult, if not exasperating?"

Pentious wasn't sure what to say. "Well... I..."

"I ask you again: do you think I have poor judgment?" Cherri asked.

"No, of course not" Pentious replied promptly. "But..."

"Then why do you act like you don't have it?" Cherri scolded him. "I've thought about it too, Pen. I know life won't be easy, for you or for me. I'm not one of those fools who let love blind them, I can see the obstacles that lie ahead. And yet, I still want you"

Pentious was speechless. "But... why?"

"Why? Because you're different" Cherri told him. "It's true, you're not the smartest or most cunning of men. You're a stubborn idiot who wouldn't notice a leaf even if it were right in front of his eyes, and you need someone to keep you from spending your money on frivolities. You're bound to do something stupid in the future that will make me want to send you to the Underworld early". She took a deep breath. "But at the same time, I also know you'll say the right words to calm my anger. Because you're also kind, simple, and willing to fight for what you care about. You don't take advantage of others, and even now that you have the chance to have a beautiful woman in your bed, you're thinking of what's best for me before yours. Because even though I'm giving you my approval, you don't want me to suffer, and that's the most important thing to you. You're willing to suffer just so you don't see me sad. Tell me, where can I find another man like that?"

Pentious's eyes widened. He looked more shocked than ever. "You... think that about me?" he murmured. "But... I don't do it intentionally..."

"It's precisely because you don't do it intentionally that I want you. Because everything you do is genuine, and therefore I know it will never change" Cherri replied. "Pen, I'm fine with that. I know there are obstacles, but they don't scare me. You don't have to give me a home, a family, and a future right tomorrow. I like living here, so we can take our time to buy ourselves freedom. And I'm fine with spending the rest of my life stopping you from making unnecessary purchases or slapping you when you don't understand something obvious. You'll have your work cut out for you, too, with my temper and impulsiveness. But that's okay. We can build our future one step at a time... and by build our future, I mean together. You don't have to be afraid of disappointing me, because I want to do things together. I'm not one of those women who expects her husband to do all the work while she stays home and just warms his bed. So, if I were disappointed in you, I should be disappointed in myself, too, don't you think?"

Pentious remained silent. This time he wasn't shocked; his expression was unreadable, at least from Cherri's perspective. She couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Finally, she shrugged. "Look, if you don't want me, that's fine. Just tell me, without making excuses like..."

Without warning, Pentious grabbed her waist, pulling her toward him, bringing their faces together. Cherri suddenly found herself leaning slightly onto her back, with him leaning into her. "What the...!? What are you doing!? Are you mad!?"

"Yes!" Pentious replied quickly, and pressed his lips to hers.

Cherri's single eye widened at the contact. The taste of Pentious's tongue entered her mouth, and for a moment it was intoxicating. Then, almost instinctively, she reciprocate the same way. And this time she couldn't help but feel her heart pounding, so much so that she felt an explosion all around her.

Finally, they separated again, only to breathe. Two breaths that were in sync. "Wow... that was... kinda hot" Cherri murmured, unable to keep the blush from spreading across her face.

Pentious looked like he was about to faint, but he still tried to maintain a sense of dignity: "Lady Cherri, if you really want me, even if I'm not the strongest, most handsome, or most intelligent of men... then may the gods forgive me, but I can't back out! I'll do everything in my power to make you happy!"

Cherri was stunned for a moment longer, and then a smile spread across her face. "I know you will" she told him in a soft voice, a rare thing from her.

Pentious fidgeted with his fingers, as he always did when he was nervous. "O-Of course I'll do things properly!" he exclaimed. "I'll talk to Angel right away, ask his approval..."

"I'm sure he'll approve" Cherri reassured him. Angel wasn't technically her brother, but since he was the closest thing she had to family, she also wanted him to agree (⁵). She doubted he'd object... though he'd certainly take advantage of the situation to make fun of his future brother-in-law.

Pentious was still sweating from nervousness, and involuntarily looked up. It was then that she noticed something: "Oh, look"

Cherri, in turn, looked up and saw the starry sky above her, and in the center of it, a very bright star, which unlike the others, wasn't flickering. "Venus is high above us" Pentious told her. "The goddess of love approves. That's a good sign, right?"

Cherri smiled wider. That omen was beautiful, but she was even more touched by the fact that Pentious, once again, was trying to surprise her in his own way. "Just know that you'll have to build me one of those models. One as nice as the one you wanted to buy" she said. "I want to learn about the sky, too"

Pentious nodded. "Yes... but you know, earlier, while I was waiting for you, I was thinking that... maybe you're right. Maybe our model of the cosmos is wrong"

Cherri raised a slight eyebrow. "Pen, I don't know anything about these things. The people who made those models were intellectuals"

"Yes, but even they can be wrong. And I... I think you're not wrong" Pentious told her, looking dreamily at the sky. "Maybe... maybe there really is a simpler solution. Maybe it's not the planets moving in two circles, it's... just us looking at things the wrong way"

Cherri rested her head on his shoulder. "Do you believe in me more than in people with decades of experience?"

"Exactly because it's you, I believe it" Pentious replied with determination.

Cherri smiled, then she grabbed his arm. "Okay, enough with philosophy. Now get back into hot mode"

"Huh?" Pentious blushed. "You mean...?"

"You know exactly what I mean" Cherri replied, and without warning, she threw him to the ground, and before he could get up, she was on top of him. "Eat the plate in front of you, you wonderful idiot"

And with that, she kissed him again. Pentious was shocked for a moment longer, but then he too did the same. They both brought their bodies closer together, so they could feel as connected as possible. And this time, they wouldn't stop for anything.

"This time, stay here, or I'll tie you to the bed" Husk grunted. "You've already moved enough. Like it or not, you need to get your rest"

Lute grunted as she stared at the infirmary ceiling. She hated having to lie in bed indefinitely, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it. The pain in her back was intense enough that she knew she needed to give her body some rest this time. "Can you at least tell me how long I'll have to stay here?"

"At least a week" Husk replied. "I've given you some more arnica medication, and I'll be giving you more every day. It'll relax your muscles until they're loose enough to move freely. After that, you'll still need to refrain from fighting or making any sudden movements for a while, as you should have done all along"

Lute nodded. "Okay, I get it. I'll be good, I promise. Are you happy?"

"Hmph! You better" Husk growled. "Don't make my life any harder, now that I also have to take care of a brat..."

"What a fuss" Lute commented. "That girl doesn't look so bad"

"I already have to take care of you idiots, so you can imagine how happy I am to also have to watch over a naughty young girl" Husk grumbled, lighting some candles to spread a healthy aroma through the infirmary.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Husk yelled for someone to come in, and Adam entered. "Am I bothering you?" he asked.

"No, come in. I'm done here" Husk told him, and then went off to another wing of the infirmary to do something else, as he always did when he didn't want to hear anyone talk anymore.

Adam sat down next to Lute. "Your sister?" he asked.

"Husk ordered her to take Angel away by force" Lute replied simply.

Perhaps those words would have made Adam laugh under normal circumstances, but not now. "I'm sorry" he said in a heavy voice. "I failed to bring to justice the person who almost had you killed"

Lute opened her eyes slightly. She hadn't expected Adam to apologize to her for that. "No... no, you don't have to apologize" she said. "I know you had a reason to back out"

Adam looked at her in surprise. "Really?"

Lute let out a slight grunt. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't upset. But... even though there's a lot I don't know about you yet, I think I've come to understand that you don't act haphazardly. And you're certainly not easily intimidated. It would be immature of me to accuse you of cowardice without knowing what happened"

Adam was silent for a moment, and then he snorted. "Someday, the person responsible will pay" he told her. "I don't know when... but it will happen"

Lute smiled slightly. "Is that a promise?"

"Yes" Adam confirmed.

"That's enough for me" Lute said. "I can be patient when circumstances call for it. Do what you have to, I don't doubt your word"

Adam smiled back. "Damn... are you getting soft on me, Ubera Sicarius?"

"Tsk! In your dreams" Lute replied with a challenging look. Not a real challenge, just a playful, knowing challenge. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"For now, you rest" Adam told her. "Then we'll get back to normal life. And then... we'll see"

"It'll take me a while to get back to training" Lute warned.

"Yes, Husk already told me. And I know wounds at least a little, I know when it's best to rest" Adam told her. "Just focus on recovering. The battle is over, the brave warrior can sleep"

"I'm not sleepy" Lute protested, even though it was clear her eyelids were begging to be closed. All the fatigue accumulated during the day was now weighing on her.

"Of course" Adam told her. "And I'm not fucking handsome. Oh no, wait, I am. Just like you're sleepy"

"That's not true" Lute protested. She paused briefly, and then she said: "Listen... since I have to stay in bed for a while... could you do me a favor?"

"Which one?" Adam asked.

"When you have time... could you come read me that book from yesterday? I'd like to... know how it ends" Lute replied. "And... can you lend me one of the books written in Latin? At least I can read those alone, even when you're not here"

Adam was a little surprised by her request. But then he nodded. "Okay, no problem" he told her. "If you want, I can also teach you Greek, so you could read the books written in that language, too"

Lute nodded slightly. "That would be... nice" she said with a huge yawn.

Adam chuckled lightly. "Come on, go to sleep now. We'll talk about it tomorrow"

"I'm not sleepy..." Lute repeated again, but this time she couldn't stop her eyelids from closing. Within moments, she had already fallen into the arms of Morpheus.

Adam shook his head. Ah, that girl. She would have said she wasn't sleepy even in her deathbead rather than admit she was tired.

As he watched her sleep, he couldn't help but think how pretty she looked.

He was a little surprised by that thought, too. But deep down, there was no denying it. When she wasn't frowning, but instead had that peaceful, relaxed expression, she was gorgeous. Her moon-white skin seemed to glow in the candlelight.

Adam's smile widened slightly. He reached out and gently brushed her hair back from her face. She was so peaceful...

"DON'T YOU DARE!"

Adam jumped. He grabbed his right elbow and squeezed it tightly. "Husk!" he almost shouted.

"What's wrong? Is she getting worse?" Husk asked, arriving promptly.

Adam took a deep breath. "Is there... opium somewhere?" he asked in a trembling voice.

Husk opened his eyes in surprise. He couldn't remember ever seeing his master so tense. No, not tense, it was something else. He seemed scared of something, terrified, in fact. Which was worrying, since Adam showed no fear even in the presence of an entire army. "I... well..."

"Answer!" Adam growled. His eyes were darting from side to side, as if he feared that the god Pluto himself would appear before him at any moment.

"Yes" Husk confessed. "I use it for my medicine. I probably spilled some on the candles while I was work, so... HEY!" he exclaimed as Adam pushed him away and ran toward the door.

Husk was stunned. Shocked, actually. "What's gotten into him?" he whispered in a faint voice.

Adam ran outside the gate of the Ludus and looked up at the starry sky. He took a deep breath of fresh air, almost as if hoping it would detoxify him. "It's okay" he whispered to himself, leaning against a wall. "I haven't inhaled too much... I just have to... wait until..."

"Are you trying to escape again!?"

Adam trembled when he heard that furious voice behind him. The smell of salt, seaweed, and rotting corpse filled his nose... again. "Go away" he whispered.

"Oh, no, I don't go away!" the voice growled. "Don't you dare, do you understand!? Don't you dare bring another whore into my home! I've had already enough trouble chasing away that Egyptian princess, I won't let you bring a filthy Briton slave into my bed!"

Adam gritted his teeth. "Go away" he said again. "Go back to where you belong"

Something grabbed his right wrist, but it wasn't a human hand: or rather, it was, but it was extremely thin, so much so that the fingers felt like claws digging into his flesh. "I want to be looked at when I speak!"

Adam clenched his fist and rubbed his wrist with his free hand, trying to push it away. As he did so, he couldn't help but look at that hand, and saw the cadaverous, bluish, partially decomposed skin, dripping with salty seawater. "Go back to the Underworld" he said with a whisper.

Another hand grabbed him around the neck, and this time he could feel those skeletal fingers digging into his skin. "I told you to look at me!" the voice hissed. "LOOK AT ME!"

Adam couldn't help but turn his head, and was faced with a gruesome sight. A face had appeared before him, a woman's face that had probably once possessed a beauty enviable by any woman in the world, but now it was hollow, so much so that the bones beneath were exposed, and the skin was rotten and smelled of death. The long golden hair that had once surely been as beautiful as a cloak was now dry, faded, torn, and broom-like. The ears and part of the nose had fallen off due to decay, and what looked like dead seaweed was stuck to the skin, dripping with seawater. But most terrifying were the eyes: red as blood, not even an entire battlefield could compare.

Adam trembled and tried to close his eyes, but the entity's voice stopped him: "Don't look away! LOOK AT ME!" she screamed at him. "That's my home, and that's my bed, and you are MINE! Dare to show any sign of appreciation for that Briton slut, and I swear this time I'll make her beg for her life! I didn't suffer the shame of being replaced by a princess, I won't let a slave do that!"

Adam tried to free himself from that monstrous grip, but it was in vain. "Stop it" he whispered. "You don't belong to this world anymore. Leave me alone"

"You can't escape that easily!" the entity told him. The red in her eyes grew ever more terrifying. "You can't escape forever, do you understand? I'm still here! I'll always be here! You'll never be free of me! You wove that rope, and I demand that you keep your vows! You can't have another! I'm still waiting for you! AND I'M TIRED OF WAITING!!!"

That last scream came with the force of thunder and seemed to shake the heavens, as if even Jupiter himself had been terrified. Adam slid to the ground and placed his hands before his face, shaking as if he were suffering from a fever. He closed his eyes and refused to open them for a long time.

No further words reached his ears. When he finally had the courage to raise his head and open his eyes, the cadaverous entity was gone as quickly as it had come. However, he could still feel its icy touch on his wrist and neck, and the putrid smell of salt filled his nose. "It's all right... she's gone..." he whispered to himself, leaning against the wall. "She's gone... she always goes, eventually..."

Chapter Text

Here is an illustration of the artist kat_in_the_shell on Tumblr, that I thank and I suggest to everyone who likes this kind of art to follow, about the previous chapter of this story. You can find the page here: https://www.tumblr.com/kat-in-the-shell?source=share

The wind swept across the moor like an invisible wolf, sharp and icy, kicking up clods of wet mud and dead leaves that rustled between the legionaries' boots as they huddled together, their heavy, rhythmic steps on the wet ground reverberating in the tense silence before the storm. Above them, a leaden sky, swollen with clouds, hung like an iron ceiling, menacing, burdened with a weight that seemed real, a harbinger of ruin, of incomprehensible evil. The centurion leading the army, a veteran of many campaigns, felt the weight of that shadow on his shoulders, and despite knowing wars, sieges, and deadly rides, he had never felt such deep, dull fear, a shiver that came not from the cold or sweat but from the very premonition of something beyond human comprehension.

He could feel the fear of his soldiers. They all knew that what they were about to face was reputed not to be a common human at all, but a being with supernatural powers. The army leaders kept repeating that these were just legends, stories invented by the enemy to frighten them, but stories had the power to destroy morale. The legionaries marched perfectly as usual, but whereas they normally advanced ready to take glory and the lives of their enemies, they were now clearly fearful of what they would find. As the ranks advanced with shields raised and gladii at the ready, the wind carried with it an acrid smell of mud, stagnant water, wet iron, and dust that seemed to seep into every pore, and the soldiers gritted their teeth, silent, because something kept them suspended between discipline and fear, and even the most hardened veterans felt their hearts pounding, sensing that the heavens above them were not just a simple sky but a lurking judge, ready to strike anyone.

The legion advanced toward the woods where the Britons were hiding, but the Britons soon came upon them. It was foolish, stupid: the Briton army numbered three thousand soldiers, the Roman legion five thousand (¹), not to mention the difference in weaponry. It was obvious to anyone, even the most inexperienced leader, who had the military advantage. It would have been much smarter for the Britons to stay in the woods and attack the Romans from the cover of the trees, rather than face them in open battle where defeat was virtually certain.

But the Britons were not afraid, while the Romans were. Because in front of the barbarian army was a terrifying man. He was tall and slender, frail in appearance: he wore long red and purple robes, and strange ornaments on his fingers. He wore no helmet or armor, and in his hand he held only an intricately carved staff. Yet, despite his defenselessness, he struck terror into all who looked at him: his lips were compressed in a monstrous smile, and his blood-red eyes seemed to be staring at tasty prey. Which, combined with his grayish skin and his hair that seemed to form horns, gave the impression of a monster emerging from Tartarus.

The Roman legionaries tightened their grips on their shields, feeling the need to use them for defense. Even the centurion hesitated for a moment. Everyone knew what they were facing.

"It's him!"

"The smiling druid!"

"The one with the magical powers!"

"He doesn't even have a weapon... is he really a wizard?"

"What does he plan to do?"

The centurion narrowed his eyes. There he was, the smiling druid, now known throughout Britannia for his magical powers... and his violence. It was said he loved blood and the smell of corpses as much as ordinary men loved gold and beautiful women. And apparently the rumors were right, at least when it came to his ability to inspire terror simply by his presence.

The smiling druid suddenly spurred his horse and advanced toward them, alone. He reached roughly the middle of the battlefield, where he stopped and lowered his staff, a clear diplomatic gesture. The centurion understood this common gesture and gave the order to lower the Roman standard, signaling that they too were willing to talk.

Normally, at that signal, the enemy commander would have advanced toward them. There was no fear of assassination: ambassadors were sacred to all peoples, always (²). They didn't touch each other. No one, not even the most corrupt commander, would ever dream of attacking someone who had come to negotiate, even if they had gravely offended him.

But the smiling druid didn't move, and instead motioned for them to come to him. The centurion wrinkled his nose: that was clearly disrespectful, since normally the one who came to negotiate was the one who was supposed to go to the enemy army, not the other way around. But he swallowed it anyway and urged his horse on. Although unlike the druid, he didn't go alone, but accompanied by three other soldiers.

Just to be safe, that is.

Once they were face to face, the centurion could see that the smiling druid was even more frightening than he had looked from a distance. His skin wasn't just tinted with some gray dye, as he had thought: that was his natural color. His skin was gray from who knows how long he had spent away from sunlight. "Hello" the druid said, in a strange, croaking voice, as if his throat were deformed.

The centurion grunted. "You could have come ahead of us. We don't kill people who just want to talk"

"I don't trust you Roman dogs" the druid replied. "I'll make this short. Run"

The centurion raised an eyebrow. "Run?"

"Yes. Right now" the druid replied. "And before you run, leave your armor and weapons on the ground. You'd better have as little metal as possible on you, it'll slow you down. If you can get over that hill over there..." and he pointed to a hill in the distance: "... you have my word I won't pursue you any further"

The centurion gritted his teeth at the outrageous request. "And who is making this request to us?"

The druid raised his head even higher, with quite a pride. "I am Alastor, and I am the new king of the land you call Caledonia. And I intend to conquer Britannia as well, freeing these peoples from your dishonorable hands"

The centurion slapped his horse's reins, making a sharp sound. "Good, Alastor, King of Caledonia" he said. "In that case, know that your royal demands are beyond outrageous. Never, ever will my army be guilty of cowardice. Your army cannot win today, and it will not win"

"Everyone says so" Alastor replied. "But you will run soon, Roman. The gods have already decided this fate for you. Their hand is upon me, and I will not hesitate to lay it upon you"

"Your lies have no effect on us" the centurion replied. "You are only a man, and all men fall before the Roman army. You will make no difference"

Alastor narrowed his eyes, and his smile widened. He almost seemed to have hoped for that answer. "So be it" he announced, turning his horse. "Prepare for your death, then!"

And with that, he galloped away, returning to his army. The Romans also returned to their own army. One of the soldiers turned to the centurion: "Sir, what if that man is telling the truth? What if the gods are truly on his side?"

"Nonsense" the centurion replied, trying to hide his fear. "Come on, close the ranks! Prepare for battle!"

The army obeyed him promptly: Roman discipline was even stronger than fear. Yet, the closer they got to the edge of the forest, the more their hearts tightened, for the sky grew darker and stormier. On the other side of the battlefield, the barbarians hadn't moved: Alastor had dismounted from his horse and begun drawing strange tribal symbols on the ground, and the staff in his hands seemed to reflect the flashes of light coming from the lightning bolts that were beginning to appear among the clouds.

The centurion narrowed his eyes. "As soon as we're close enough, shoot that bastard with arrows!" he ordered his men. Whether he was actually preparing a spell or just putting on a show to scare them, they had to kill him...

A bolt of lightning suddenly struck in front of them, striking a tree that exploded on contact. Fear coursed through the Romans: that couldn't be a good sign. Many began to wonder if this was a warning from the gods. "Keep calm!" the centurion ordered. "Lightning always strikes trees! Don't be afraid of the storm!"

But the lightning continued to fall, too many to be a simple storm. First it struck the trees, and everyone noticed that they were striking the trees scattered in the moorland around the Romans, not those in the woods behind the barbarians. And then, the lightning struck the people.

One after another, boiling bolts fell among the Roman ranks, raising the smell of ozone, burning flesh, and red-hot iron. The thunderous crashes vibrated the air, like destructive trumpets announcing their end. The soldiers lowered their shields, and any word the centurion gave to restore order was lost in the roar. The sky was no longer natural; it was an invisible weapon striking only them, and the air vibrated with tension and fear.

And despite the violent spectacle around them, despite instinct telling them to look up to try to shield themselves from the lightning, all eyes remained fixed on Alastor. The smiling druid stood amid the symbols he had drawn, which he had then set alight, dancing amid the flames. And the more he danced, the more the lightning seemed to fall among the Roman army, ignoring the barbarians before them. "Taranis, ruler of the skies, grant me your strength (³)!" he was shouting, looking at the storm clouds. "Unleash your wrath upon these invaders! Never again may they defile your land with their presence! And you, Morrigan (⁴), ruler of death, send the terrible Cú Sith (⁵) to feast on their souls!"

The barbarians around him had begun to emit tribal sounds, waving their spears like war banners, as if to urge him on. The names of their deities echoed through the air almost louder than the thunder. The Roman soldiers panicked at the sight.

"It's he who throws the lightning!"

"Witchcraft!"

"The gods are on his side!"

"He truly has magical powers!"

"Flee! We must flee!"

The centurion gritted his teeth and raised his hand, trying to make himself heard, but just then the sky truly exploded: a bolt of lightning struck in front of the legion, striking two men, their bodies stiff and smoking, their strangled screams mingling with the roar. An eerie silence fell for a moment as everyone held their breath, and then another bolt struck from the left, knocking entire ranks to the ground. Shields vibrated, hands burned, and the acrid smell of burning flesh filled the air. The barbarians' shouts rose, the echo of their triumph mingling with the constant roar of the sky, while the Romans felt the grip of fear tightening their hearts.

“Jupiter curses us!”

“He is angry with us!”

“Run! Run!”

The centurion tried in vain to calm things down, but his own voice died in his throat, swallowed by the thunder. Each lightning always struck the Romans, never the Britons. Another bolt exploded, this time directly beside the centurion, kicking up smoking clods. A legionary engulfed in flames fell rolling directly in front of him, and the smell of burning skin made him dizzy and almost vomit.

Trembling, he looked up and saw Alastor again, high at the edge of the forest, his cloak and hair blowing in the wind, his staff raised toward the sky, as if he were actually summoning the lightning. The storm grew stronger and more violent, and more and more lightning ripped across the sky. It was then that the barbarians moved: like a wave, they hurled themselves against the Romans. They had no formation, and normally such an assault would have crashed against the Roman ranks without causing a single death; but the Romans were now gripped by madness, their ranks no longer in close formation. As yet another bolt of lightning obliterated another part of the legion, the soldiers screamed and ran, pushing and trampling each other. No one listened to the centurion as he ordered them back into formation.

The barbarians reached them with a collective roar, hoarse and ferocious, a bestial chorus that seemed to merge with the roar of the heavens and shook the soldiers to the core. Their bodies were painted blue, their faces streaked with tribal markings, their hair disheveled, and their eyes wide with madness, all signs that made them look like evil spirits in the midst of a storm. They brandished crude swords and wooden shields, but the Roman soldiers didn't even try to fight back, even though they could have easily defended themselves, dying under their blows.

Even the centurion had now lost hope. His heart pounding like a mad drum as he watched the retreat... no, not even a retreat, but naked and blind flight. Years of training and victorious campaigns, all reduced to nothing: the legion had been crushed not by the iron of men, but by the terror of the heavens. “Why, Jupiter?” he murmured, and just then a bolt of lightning struck within feet of him, hurling him into the mud. The heat seared his skin and bones, his ears ringed, his vision blurred; but he still staggered to his feet, and just then he noticed a detail.

Amid the smoke rising from where the lightning had struck, the earth had shifted, revealing something beneath it. There was an iron plate. An iron plate that clearly hadn't been there long.

And now that he looked closely, even the trees that had been struck first, which almost seemed to have served as initial bait, now completely burned, could be seen to have an iron bar at their tips...

The centurion gritted his teeth. "A trick... it's all a trick!" he exclaimed. He had no idea why the lightning was striking the iron (⁶), but it was clear that was the cause. Alastor must have placed the iron ahead of time, first on the trees, then under their feet: the lightning had initially been attracted to the tallest ones, and then lower and lower. That's why...!

"Bastard!" he exclaimed, and reinvigorated with new strength, he ran toward a horse; the animal was skittish, but he leaped on it anyway and forced it to calm down. "Everyone, get back in formation! It's just a trick! There's no sorcery...!"

But his men ran, screamed, and threw down their weapons; no one listened to him anymore, they had lost their minds. The centurion gritted his teeth: he knew the battle was already over. The scattered soldiers were being torn to pieces by the barbarians, who, undoubtedly under orders from their leader, were pursuing them, carefully avoiding the areas with iron. By now, even if all the Romans had discovered the ruse, they were too scattered to be able to reconstruct their formation.

The centurion tightened his horse's reins, then wheeled and galloped toward Alastor. Lightning struck around him, but he ignored it. If he could kill the enemy commander, the enemy's morale would plummet and they would retreat. This would give the Romans time to regroup properly, calm their hearts, and try again. He couldn't win, but he could still avoid too many casualties.

Seeing him ride toward the enemy, some of the bravest soldiers were filled with renewed fervor and followed him. The barbarians attempted to block his path, but even those few Roman soldiers were enough to handle them. The legionaries threw themselves against their opponents, heedless of their potential death, all to give their centurion a chance to reach the enemy leader.

In the end, it was so. As the first rain began to fall among them, the centurion, now leading only five soldiers, reached Alastor. He immediately charged, clearly intending to cut off his head, but in a lightning-fast move, the druid stepped out of his way and pulled a knife from under his robe, slicing through the horse's tendons. The animal fell to the ground with a whinny of pain, crushing the centurion's leg.

The other five soldiers rushed at Alastor, who moved as if he had no bones, parrying their attacks with his staff and returning blows with his sharp knife. However, while he was undoubtedly skilled, it soon became clear that he stood no chance against five men alone. Although he managed, after much effort, to impale one of them with the sharp tip of his staff, he soon afterward had to hold on to it, panting from the effort, while his four remaining opponents were still fresh.

The centurion dragged himself off his horse; his leg was sore, but he could still move it. Fortunately, the muddy ground and his armor had softened the blow. With a roar, he drew his gladius and swung it; Alastor dodged the blow at the last moment, but was still struck in the left shoulder. His blood soaked the ground, staining the magical symbols he had drawn.

The centurion smiled with satisfaction. "The gods have abandoned you, eh?" he said to Alastor, who was clutching his aching shoulder. Without further ado, he raised his gladius to finish him off. "Rome has triumphed over you too! This is your end, King of Caledonia...!"

But suddenly his words were cut short by a blade passing through his neck; he barely spasmed, and then fell back to the ground. Before dying, he barely had time to see someone behind him: someone incredibly short, but undoubtedly of considerable strength. It was a woman dressed similarly to Alastor, with only one eye: the other was absent, an empty socket from which the eyeball had been carefully extracted. Her hair was long and styled in an absurd way, part of it obscuring her forehead and missing eye, which were decorated with tribal symbols.

The small woman gave him a maniacal smile, and then leapt at another soldier with the agility of a cricket, slitting his throat cleanly. The other Romans let out a cry of fear.

"The mad priestess! It's her!"

"The crazy servant of the smiling druid!"

"Keep calm! We're three against two, we can still...!"

The words of the one who was trying to regain command were cut short by Alastor, who leaped on him and plunged his knife between the gaps in his armor. The other two tried to intervene, but the mad woman leaped on them as well. In moments, the last two confused soldiers were killed by the combined efforts of her and the smiling druid.

Alastor leaned on his staff. The wound on his shoulder was bleeding profusely, but the woman immediately tore off a piece of her dress and bandaged it. "Thank you, Niffty" he murmured.

"Duty, sir" she told him with an innocent smile. "Don't get distracted. You have to lead the troops"

Alastor shook his head. "I don't need it anymore. Look"

Ahead of them, the Romans' flight continued: soldiers were rushing through woods and swamps, falling into ditches, slipping amid roots and branches, or getting stuck in the mud that swallowed their feet and legs, only to be overtaken by their enemies who killed them. The corpses of over a thousand of them were already strewn across the battlefield.

"Hmm. So it's already over" Niffty commented. "Too bad. It was the most fun game yet"

Alastor disagreed. "It's not enough" he said.

"Why? We won" Niffty pointed out.

"Yes, against a measly legion. If I want to defeat the Roman army, I need much more!" Alastor exclaimed. "I can't always wait for the conditions to be favorable. If you hadn't been here today, I would have been in serious trouble"

Alastor was arrogant, but he knew he wasn't invincible. His only advantage was the fear he could inspire in his enemies, but that fear wouldn't always win. The Romans were too good at war: it only took a few brave men to defeat his guard and get to him. If it hadn't been for Niffty's intervention, or if the Romans who rushed toward him had been just a little more numerous, he might have died that day.

And besides, Alastor knew he couldn't always choose the battlefield and the conditions. What if a Roman commander discovered his position and attacked him on the wrong day? Or what if he had to assault a fortress? The difference in strength was too great.

"At this rate, I'll never conquer the Wall" Alastor muttered. "This is only a fleeting victory. I need an army, an army with skills equal to the Romans. I need soldiers capable of protecting me and with iron discipline"

"Your fame attracts many tribes" Niffty pointed out. "Sooner or later, our numbers will be sufficient"

"Numbers may increase, but not cohesion among the troops. These rabble not only have a tenth of the Roman coordination, but they are also divided among themselves. Some tribes were enemies before the Romans arrived. Not to mention the difference in weaponry... even if we continue to loot bodies, my blacksmiths cannot reproduce such technique" Alastor said. "I need more"

Niffty smirked. "You wish to know more, then?"

"Speak!" Alastor exclaimed. "What does your missing eye see, my Ovati (⁷)?"

Niffty looked at him innocently. "If you want to know what the gods allow me to see, you know what you have to do"

Alastor needed no further prompting: with a feline lunge, he grabbed the centurion's body and cut off his head. He raised it above his own, letting blood drip down his face and into his mouth. Then, like a butcher, he stripped him and began to slice open his belly. He pulled out his entrails and spread them before Niffty. "Here" he said. "What do you see?"

Niffty lowered her head toward the entrails, then closed her good eye and pushed her hair aside, exposing the empty socket. Even so, she seemed to be staring intently at something. She remained silent for a long time, grinning maniacally every now and then.

And then, finally, she spoke: "Continue to make your name known. Let the people of Britannia know the king of Caledonia, and when the summer comes, go to the Wall. You will cross it"

"I will cross it?" Alastor repeated. "How?"

"You will know when you will be there" Niffty replied. "You will reach all the way to the sea. But once that is done, you will also encounter an enemy unlike any you have ever faced"

"I fear nothing and no one" Alastor replied.

Niffty didn't reply to those words. On the contrary, she laughed. A rather mad, almost sympathetic laugh. "Wait until you know your opponent before you say such words, and be careful not to say anything that will bring the wrath of the gods upon you" she warned him.

Alastor grunted, but didn't reply. Instead, he asked: "When I defeat this enemy, will I finally find the person I seek?"

"This enemy will lead you to the one you seek" Niffty replied.

"So I will defeat this enemy" Alastor said, satisfied. "Good. I don't want to know anything else"

Niffty laughed again. But when she opened her eye, her innocent look immediately returned. "So, do you know what to do now?" she asked, as if she had no idea of ​​the conversation that had just taken place.

"Yes" Alastor replied, watching his troops slaughter the scattered Romans. His grip on his staff tightened. "I will get what I want... one way or another"

Chapter Text

The sun was beating down on the Flavian Amphitheater, turning the sands of the arena bronze. Vaggie entered with more confidence this time, and allowed herself to look around the steps. They were less crowded than they had been during the Ludi Apollinares, after all that was only a daily spectacle and not a festivity, but there was still a goodly crowd.

Angel, Pentious, and Cherri, ahead of her, began raising their weapons toward the crowd and shouting as if savoring victory, receiving applause in return. "Come on, girl, let's get going!" Angel said, nudging her.

"Um... shouldn't we be focusing on the fight?" Vaggie muttered uncertainly.

"The fight hasn't started yet" Pentious told her. "Until the trumpets sound, we can bask in the glory"

As the two men continued to strut their stuff before the crowd, Cherri nudged Vaggie. "Don't worry, you're with us this time. We won't let you get eaten"

Vaggie swallowed. She'd already had her first experience in the arena by then, and she wasn't afraid to fight; but this was the first time she'd been sent into the Amphitheater with three other gladiators, which spoke volumes about the danger of the challenge that awaited them. "Will it really be that bad?" she muttered.

"It's a little scary the first time, but don't worry, after that it almost gets fun" Cherri replied. "If you have a panic attack, back away to the gate. We'll keep the beast occupied while you recover"

Vaggie's eyes narrowed slightly at that. "I won't run away" she grumbled.

"I'm not calling you a coward. Everyone panics a little the first time. If you're unsure, run away and let us do the work. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about" Cherri said, pointing to her missing eye. "Better a wounded pride than a missing body part"

Vaggie bit her lip. Perhaps it was better to listen to the more experienced gladiators, but the thought of running away still bothered her. Even though she knew when a challenge was too great, she didn't like the idea of ​​running away from the enemy. Especially since she knew Lute would kill her.

The trumpets blared, announcing the day's new spectacle. "Oh, here we go!" Angel exclaimed, and he, Pentious, and Cherri got into position. "The hunt begins!"

Vaggie quickly followed suit, raising her spear and especially her shield. Ahead of them, on the other side of the arena, the gates to the beast area began to open. It was like watching a monster open its mouth, revealing a deep, dark throat.

From the corridor, a deep roar shook the air, and Vaggie felt goosebumps as she heard it. The roar was followed by the sound of claws striking the ground, as if someone in iron boots were advancing. And then, a shadow emerged, followed by the beast that spawned it.

A huge African lion, its jaws yellow like burnt gold, appeared at the entrance to the arena. Its paws dug into the sand, its mane a whirlwind of dust and rage. Its every movement was like a celebration of the word power: its muscles contracted, its claws scratched the ground, its jaws opened slightly, revealing its knife-sharp teeth. The spectators held their breath, then erupted in a unanimous cry: “Beast! Beast! Beast!”

Vaggie turned white: “We have to fight that!?”

“It's not even a very big one” Angel told her in a slightly mocking voice.

“You’re right. I bet it doesn’t even weigh four fifty minas” Pentious said. “We’ve seen much bigger ones (¹)”

Those words didn’t encourage Vaggie at all. “Come on, don’t be so scared” Angel said, more understanding this time. “Remember, there are four of us and it is alone"

“Yes, but it's also four times bigger than us!” Vaggie pointed out. She already knew what a lion was, the other gladiators had described one to her, and she’d even seen illustrations, but this was the first time she’d seen one in person. And damn, the descriptions couldn't begin to capture the sense of terror and helplessness that monstrous beast's mere presence evoked.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She had to stay clear-headed, or she already knew this would end badly. Mentally, she reviewed the warnings and advice Adam had given them before they entered the arena.

"Remember: there's no point in trying to outmaneuver a lion with sheer strength, none of you would stand a chance. Even if you all charged it at once with the strongest blow you could muster, it would prevail. Your true advantage is your cunning and, above all, your stamina. The lion is a force of nature, but it tires quicker than you. Use this to your advantage"

Vaggie gripped her spear tightly. Her three friends were already crouching, ready to pounce at the right moment. The world itself seemed to slow.

The lion stared at them, its chest rising and falling with predatory slowness. For a moment, its eyes seemed to glow with golden light. Then, like a lightning, it roared and leaped forward.

Pentious was the first to move. He leaped sideways, his sword already poised, but the lion was upon him in the blink of an eye. The beast's speed was impressive. Its paws clawed at the sand, and the lion leaped with a roar of muscle. Pentious rolled backward, narrowly avoiding the blow that would undoubtedly have ripped his chest open.

Cherri cracked her whip: a hiss, a snap, and the leather sliced ​​through the air near the lion's muzzle. The animal turned with a furious roar, its eyes like live coals. Cherri stepped back, her arm poised for the next strike. Pentious leaped to his feet, ready to fight again.

“Keep it busy!” Angel shouted, unfurling the net. “I’ll take it from the side!”

The three gladiators had now formed a circle around the animal, and Vaggie quickly joined them. The goal was to disorient it, make it paranoid, and strike when it least expected it. But the lion was still at the height of its energy, and if it had targeted just one of them, it would undoubtedly have prevailed. The beast opened its jaws and roared, and from that distance, the gladiators felt their bodies freeze momentarily at the force of the sound.

Vaggie advanced slowly, the tip of her spear low, like a snake poised to strike. With every step, her legs felt stiffer, but she didn't stop. In her mind, she already knew what she had to do.

"Your best strategy is to keep it in the dark. You who use long-range weapons must aim for its eyes. Deprive it of its sight, and it will be disoriented. That will give you the advantage"

The lion growled, lowering itself to the ground. It was the prelude to another leap.

This time, Cherri was the target. She swung her whip above her head and brought it down hard on the lion's back. The leather shattered with a sharp sound, and the beast spun around, its mouth open in a feral cry. It leaped at her.

That was the moment Vaggie had been waiting for, and she threw her spear. On the other side, Angel did the same with his trident. They both knew they had only one chance.

The two weapons struck the lion's head. They didn't have enough force to penetrate the hard skull, but they sank into the flesh nonetheless. The right eye exploded in a gush of blood, but the left one remained attached. The lion let out a roar of pain and missed its leap, rolling into Cherri, who was pushed away by the beast's weight.

The lion immediately stood up. Its head was covered in blood, and its entire body seemed decidedly tense and furious. Cherri tried to get up, or at least retreat, but the animal was on her in an instant. Its paws trampled her, the whip falling from her hand. Cherri couldn't hold back a cry of pain as she felt the beast's jaws sink into her arm. Blood stained the sand, and the crowd erupted in a roar.

Cherri knew that if the lion had pulled its head back slightly, it wouldn't just break her bones but rip off her entire arm and perhaps even a good portion of her shoulder. Fortunately, this wasn't the case: Pentious lunged forward, screaming at the beast. His sword slashed through the air, striking the lion's side. The beast roared, releasing Cherri's arm, which, while still bleeding, was at least still attached to its body.

Pentious's sword cut deep, but it wasn't enough. The animal turned toward him, its one remaining eye clouded with fury. Pentious lost his composure as soon as he met the lion's gaze. "Uh... sorry?"

The lion swung at him with a paw; Pentious moved away as quickly as he could, but the beast's claws still tore open a large wound that ran from the base of his thigh to his rib cage. Blood soaked the arena floor like a river. Pentious fell to the ground, but before the lion could attack him again, he grabbed a handful of sand and threw it into its eye. The animal stopped and raised its head to brush the sand off, and that single moment was enough for Vaggie, who had meanwhile retrieved her spear, to leap onto its back and drive it straight into its eye.

The lion roared and moved so violently that Vaggie was literally thrown, and when she hit the ground, she rolled painfully, covered in bruises, cuts, and a good deal of dust. Moaning and trying to ignore the pain all over her body, she stood up, watching the lion thrash furiously. It was now completely blinded, but that didn't mean it was defeated.

"Once you've removed its eyes, don't let your guard down. The lion won't be able to see you, but it can still hear and smell you. It'll panic, and that will make it very dangerous. However, that will also be its downfall. Instead of rushing it like idiots, use this to lure it into your trap"

Vaggie raised her spear and slammed it on the ground, making a metallic sound. The lion instantly turned toward her, revealing its bloodied face and battered eyes. Vaggie slammed her spear again, and the lion immediately charged, claws and jaws ready to bite and tear. But this was exactly what she wanted.

Angel appeared among them and threw the net, which fell on the lion like a shadow trap. The animal roared and writhed, becoming entangled. Angel cried out in joy, but it was too soon: with a tremendous snag, the beast tore through the mesh and leaped upon him. The pitchfork lashed out, but one of its claws grazed his chest, leaving a deep gash on his cheek.

Vaggie acted instinctively. She ran toward the beast, thrusting her spear forward. The iron penetrated the lion's shoulder, but not deeply enough. The beast screamed and spun, wrenching the weapon from the gladiator's grasp.

For a moment, all was confusion. The lion, wounded and maddened, circled, searching for a new target. Angel was on the ground, bleeding but alive. Pentious tried to attract the beast's attention, striking its flank with rapid blows. Cherri, half-doubled in pain, tried to strike its legs with her whip, incapacitating it.

Vaggie took a deep breath. She tasted the iron of dust in her mouth, sweat running down the back of her neck. She picked up the fallen spear, got up again, and prepared herself.

The lion lunged again, aiming for Pentious. The gladiator tried to defend himself, but the animal trampled him, knocking him down. His sword slipped from his grasp. Its fangs opened, ready to close on the man's throat. Pentious, however, still undaunted and raised his shield, using it to strike the animal's head with a violent blow.

"And when the lion is too tired, too focused on one thing... that's the moment when it won't feel an attack coming from behind. And when it lowers its head, it'll expose its neck. That's when you'll have to strike"

Vaggie lunged forward, brandishing her spear in both hands. The sun glinted off the tip of the iron, a white flash that crossed the arena. While the lion still had its head down, trying to break Pentious's shield, Vaggie leaped and plunged the spear into its neck with all her might.

The thrust entered the base of the lion's mane, piercing flesh, bone, and jugular vein. The roar died away into a dull gurgle. The beast spasmed a few times, then collapsed onto the sand, trembling for a moment longer, and then it remained still forever.

An eerie silence fell over the arena. Then, a moment later, the arena erupted in a roar of triumph. Thousands of hands went up, thousands of voices shouted the names of the victorious gladiators.

Vaggie stood still, breathing heavily, the spear still lodged in the lion's body. She could feel her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. Damn, she could remember very few other times in her life when she'd had so much adrenaline rushing through her.

Pentious coughed, then moved the dead lion's head, still resting on his shield. "Good job" he said to Vaggie with a proud smile.

"Please, let's just go home" Vaggie muttered, barely having the strength to stand.

Cherri came over and helped Pentious up. Both had bleeding wounds, yet they didn't seem to feel much pain; in fact, they continued to smile as if nothing had happened. "Thanks for the help, brave gladiator" Cherri said to Pentious, though she then twisted his ear: "But next time, at least have the audacity to aim for the head!"

"Oh, come on, I acted on instinct!" Pentious protested. "And besides, that bastard wouldn't stay still...!"

"Hey, lovebirds!" Angel blurted out, and he, too, was getting up, using some scraps of his gladiator skirt to staunch his wound. "Will someone come give me a hand? Pen, as my future brother-in-law, you should be here by now!"

Vaggie watched as the lion's blood mixed with the sand, forming dark rivulets that ran down the center of the arena. It seemed unreal to her that her friends would joke like that after facing such a beast. But then again, they were more used to it than she was.

Angel put his arm around her neck, probably more for support than friendship. "Congratulations, girl! Your first lion kill! Oh, I'm so proud, they always grow so fast!"

"Shut the fuck up" Vaggie snapped.

"Oh, don't be like that. You'll get the hang of it soon" Angel said with a wink. "And remember, that wasn't a big one!"

Vaggie ignored him. As the other gladiators continued to cheer, the slaves approached and dragged the lion's carcass away. As this happened, Vaggie couldn't take her eyes off the animal. It had been an enemy, yes, but also something more. In that blind fury, that savage strength, she had seen nothing but a being imprisoned, driven to fight for survival, applauded by those who knew not the price of blood. A creature not so different from herself, after all.

She couldn't help but wonder if, if she were the one to die, the slaves would drag her away and throw her away in the same undignified manner they were treating the body of that beast.

She wanted to leave as quickly as possible, but she knew she had to put on at least some show, so she raised her spear, still dripping, and pointed it at the audience. The stands immediately rose in a wave of applause and cheers: women waved veils, men banged their fists on the steps, children threw garlands at them. The audience cheered, satisfied with the bloody spectacle they had just witnessed.

Vaggie lowered her spear and turned, and walked out of the arena with her companions, under the relentless sun. Behind her, the roar of the crowd mingled with the breath of the wind, and for a moment she thought she heard, amid the clash of weapons and the applause, the distant echo of the lion still roaring. She knew it was only her imagination, but even so, she prayed that its journey to the afterlife would be sweeter than the departure.

"You're an idiot!" Husk snarled. "You've got a lion in front of you, and what are you doing? You're cheering just because you got it trapped in a net! You deserve to...!"

"This is going to go on for ten minutes, so pretend you're somewhere else" Angel said with a laugh, which only made Husk even more irritated and violently tighten his bandages. "OUCH! This is a low blow!"

"At least as long as he's picking on Angel, he'll leave us alone" Cherri whispered to Vaggie with a giggle.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Angel snapped. "Pen! Come here and take the lecture for me"

"Why should I do that?" Pentious grunted.

"You want to marry my sweet little sister, don't you?" Angel sneered.

"I'm not your sister, I'm not sweet, and we're almost the same age" Cherri reminded him.

Angel ignored her. "I could change my mind, you know? If you want me to keep giving you my blessing, you have to show me you're ready! Come on, come over here and help your future brother-in-law! Prove your toughness by absorbing all of my dear Ursi's righteous wrath for me..."

Vaggie rolled her eyes at the scene. It had been three days since Pentious and Cherri had officially declared their intention to be a couple, and needless to say, Angel had been overjoyed and had immediately given his approval to everything. But predictably, within ten seconds he had started taking full advantage of the situation, using any excuse to mock his friend. And unfortunately for Pentious, Angel was a master at finding such excuses. "I think this is going to go on for a long time" she whispered to Cherri.

She shrugged. "That's just how he is" she said. "It's not a problem, he already knows not to cross the line. And if he crosses it, I'll teach him manners"

Vaggie giggled. She was happy for her friends, too, and hoped they'd find happiness together. At least Pentious could finally understand that Cherri's hints were because she really wanted him to make a move. "Anyway... are you okay? Those wounds are pretty..."

"Ah, I've seen worse" Cherri quickly dismissed her. "These are just harmless scratches. Tomorrow they won't even hurt anymore"

Vaggie cocked her head to the side. Her entire body ached from the beatings she'd received, but her friends had entire body parts torn apart. Sure, Husk's healing worked wonders, but it still struck her as incredible that gladiators could joke about those things and call them harmless scratches.

Just then, the door opened again, and Lute entered, supported by Crymini. "Old man, we've finished the walk" the latter said.

"Then put her back on the bed and go take me the ointment" Husk simply said, and Crymini promptly did as he said. After three days, he'd agreed to let stubborn Lute walk a little every day, so her muscles could get used to the movement again, even though she'd still have to spend most of the time resting. She'd welcomed this, since she was going crazy from sitting still all the time.

"Hey, you're back" Lute said when she saw them, and immediately looked at Vaggie; once she was sure she didn't appear to be seriously injured, she reverted to her usual expression and calm. "So, how did it go?"

"Your sister killed her first lion" Cherri replied with a broad smile, patting Vaggie lightly on the back.

"And she held her own, for a first" Pentious added. "Not all newbies can keep their cool the first time. I almost fainted when it was my turn"

Lute, as usual, didn't react much, but a proud light still flickered in her eyes. "Mph. Good for you, sister" she said contentedly. "It's frustrating I missed it"

"Only you would find it frustrating not having to fight that beast" Vaggie grumbled.

"Come on, you'll have other chances" Angel said to Lute. "I heard a new tiger is due to arrive in a couple of weeks. A huge beast, at least seven hundred minas, and it has a passion for human flesh"

Lute smirked, as if already relishing the challenge. Vaggie, on the other hand, nearly choked on her saliva. "Seven hundred minas!? (²)" she exclaimed, remembering that Pentious had said the lion they'd just faced didn't even weigh four hundred and fifty minas. "Are tigers that big!?"

"Oh, yeah. Imagine a lion, but without a mane, with orange and black stripes, and much stronger and angrier" Angel replied. "We once fought one that looked like it could take down an army. I still have the marks of its teeth on my butt"

Vaggie swallowed. "Where do animals like that come from?" she asked, not understanding what corner of the world could give rise to such predators (³).

"Tigers come from Asia" Lute explained. "That's a land in the east. Lions, on the other hand, come from the south, from what's called Africa"

Vaggie gave her a surprised look: "How do you know that?"

"It's in the book" Lute replied, pointing to a scroll on one of the nightstands next to her bed.

"Wow, you do nothing but read these days, huh?" Angel teased her. "I didn't think you were the bookish type..."

"I'm bedridden, I have nothing else to do!" Lute snapped. "And what are you even suggesting!? I memorized the annals of my ancestors in Britannia!"

"I was just saying you seem like a sword-worshipping type, not a book-loving type" Angel replied, and then his smile became more mocking: "Or maybe... you don't actually love the book, but the person who comes to read it to you..."

Lute glared at him. "You have three seconds to shut up"

"Oh, come on, you make it sound like it's a bad thing" Angel said, chuckling. "I wish I too had a handsome, tall, hot man who comes to read me a book while I'm in bed, I'd instantly become a scholar..."

Lute couldn't get up to punch him, so she grabbed the first object she found and threw it straight at his head. "OUCH!" Angel exclaimed. "Hey! I'm a wounded man...!"

"Then hurry up and bleed to death and go to the afterlife!" Lute growled.

"Tsk! I wish" Husk muttered.

"Oh, don't be like that. You know you'd miss me" Angel said with a wink.

Vaggie slapped her face. Lute had tried her best not to let anyone know that she'd asked Adam to keep her company and read her books while she was bedridden, but unfortunately for her, word quickly spread, and it had obviously become everyone's favorite topic. Vaggie also loved teasing her sister about it, but unlike Angel, she was smart enough to do it when Lute was away from any potential blunt objects. To prevent the situation from escalating, she coughed: "Um! So tigers are much worse than lions. At this point, I expect we'll find a dragon here, too"

"A dragon?" Cherri laughed. "Well, maybe. I've never seen one"

"Really? I assumed there were some here in Rome" Vaggie said. "Aren't you the center of the world?"

"So? We're the center of the world, not the place where the gods placed all their creations" Pentious told her. "You don't find a dragon walking on a beach in the morning..."

"I found one this way" Vaggie interrupted.

Everyone immediately turned to her. "You found a dragon!?" they exclaimed almost in unison.

Vaggie blushed a little. "Well... actually, Lute found it first" she admitted, pointing to her sister, who smiled slightly with satisfaction.

"You saw a dragon!?" Angel exclaimed at the top of his lungs.

"It was just its skeleton" Lute explained. "Vaggie and I were accompanying our father to a meeting with another chieftain from a tribe that lived near the sea. And I really wanted to go dragon hunting..."

"Just to know, how old were you?" Cherri asked.

"Huh? Nine, why?" Lute replied.

"So you hunt dragons when you were nine?" Cherri asked incredulously.

"Not only did she hunt dragons, but she dragged me, a seven-year-old girl, with her" Vaggie told her. "Our father always scolded us for that"

"You sound like you didn't like it. You were the first one to suggest running away from the adults" Lute reminded her. "Anyway, when we got close to the coast, she and I grabbed daggers and went to the beach to look for a dragon. We searched for a while, and then I found one. It was just a carcass, only bones and a few strips of skin, but it was truly enormous"

"The skull alone was bigger than a grown man. In fact, if it had been alive, it could have swallowed a grown man whole. And it could have caught the lion we fought today and snapped it in half with one bite" Vaggie said. "And the body was gigantic, so much so that we could walk between its ribs. We're not even sure how long it was, since part of the tail had been washed away by the waves. And it had two enormous paws near its head"

"Not to mention the teeth" Lute said, her eyes almost dreamy. "They were conical, sharp, and longer than a grown man's hand. Unfortunately, only the ones in the lower jaw were left, so maybe the ones in the upper jaw could have been even bigger. After all, the canines are on top, right?"

"We took two of those teeth and tried to make necklaces with them" Vaggie said, her voice also a little nostalgic. "But they were so heavy we couldn't hold them around our necks, so we ended up making daggers out of them. When we returned, our father and his guards were incredulous and asked us where we'd found them. We were tempted to say we'd killed the dragon, but then we chose to tell the truth. After all, no one would ever have believed that two little girls alone could kill such a large beast (⁴)"

All their friends stood still, listening in complete silence. No one said a word, at least until a familiar voice exclaimed: "So you two, at seven and nine, found a dragon and made daggers with its teeth? Damn, I knew you were badass, but this makes me so proud"

Adam had appeared at the infirmary door, as he usually did when he came to check on the gladiators after their daily fight. "Tell me, did you happen to go troll hunting when you were three?" he asked.

"No, just orcs" Lute mocked him.

"Wow, really brave" Adam said with a smirk. "I can understand why you girls grew up like... this"

"Sorry to steal your place in telling cool stories" Lute said.

"Hey, who said that?" Adam grunted. "For your information, you're not the only ones who've found a legendary creature. I have a cyclops skull in the warehouse"

"What!?" everyone exclaimed. "We have a cyclops in the warehouse!?"

"Just the skull. It's the only part I managed to carry" Adam replied proudly. "I found it while crossing a mountain. It was sticking out of the ice, and next to it were its bones, as well as the tusks of a beast it was probably fighting when it died... there were only two left, but they were more than twice my size. I pulled the skull out of the ice and carried it on my shoulder down to the valley (⁵)"

"That's cool!" Angel said with dreamy eyes. "Can we go see it?"

"It depends" Adam replied. "Husk, how are they doing?"

"They don't have to stay in bed" the doctor replied simply.

"Then go ahead. Ask Peter where it is" Adam said.

"Yay! Let's go right now!" Pentious exclaimed.

"Oh, yeah" Cherri said with her one wide eye, then grabbed Vaggie's arm: "Come on, you come too!"

"But I...!" Vaggie tried to protest, but she was dragged away. At least she wasn't the only one, as Angel grabbed Husk and carried him away, ignoring his protests.

Adam chuckled smugly. "Sorry, what did you say? That you stole my top spot for cool stories?" he asked teasingly.

Lute turned her head in annoyance. "Hmph! Just because you have that skull here. Your story wasn't even that great"

"Really? I skipped all the details because I wanted to be nice" Adam replied. "I could have told you about the biting cold seeping into my bones, about my men dragging themselves behind me through the snow, about how everyone looked at me in admiration as soon as I broke through the ice and lifted the skull. What did you do? You went playing on a beach and by sheer luck found a dragon?"

"I was actually hunting! It wasn't playing!" Lute snapped.

Adam laughed heartily. "You're always so irritable, Ubera Sicarius" he teased her. "How's your recovery going?"

Lute grunted softly. "I'm... better" she simply said. "In a few days, Husk will finally let me go"

"Are you that upset about missing the fight?" Adam asked her, amused.

Lute hated that he could read her like that. "Well, it wasn't the only lion in the world. I'll kill another one"

"I'll make sure you fight a bigger one" Adam told her.

Lute glared at him. "You're annoying"

"No, I'm not" Adam chuckled. "Look, since we're talking so much about animals, I found this new bestiary. It's in both Greek and Latin, so you can practice"

Lute couldn't help but widen her eyes for a moment, though she quickly hid it: "That's... interesting"

Adam only laughed again at her defensiveness. He really enjoyed teasing her. "Come on, I'll show you the first few pages" he said, handing her the book. Though she continued to show irritation and a frown, Lute nevertheless gladly accepted.

Chapter Text

As Adam had said, Peter had been happy to direct the gladiators to the right warehouse, so Angel, Pentious, Cherri, and Vaggie, dragging Husk along with them, had found it rather quickly. And once inside, the enormous skull with a single eye socket in the center of its forehead immediately caught their attention. It was perched on a small pedestal in the corner of the room, and was almost as tall as a grown man. "Holy shit" Angel exclaimed as soon as he saw it. "We actually have a Cyclops skull! Who knew?"

Vaggie was astonished as she gazed at the gigantic skull. She felt as if it were looking back at her. "It's... extraordinary" she murmured. "How big was it in life?"

"Judging by the size of the skull, no less than seven perticae (¹). Maybe even more" Pentious said admiringly. "I can understand how Polyphemus was capable of eating Ulysses' companions (²). For such a large creature, men are nothing but snacks!"

"Ugh... and it's really heavy, too" Cherri muttered as she tried to lift it. Despite her extraordinary gladiator strength, she had a hard time even moving it. "How did Adam carry it down a mountain?"

"Well, he's strong" Vaggie reminded her. "Guys, didn't any of you really know we had this beast in the warehouse?". She could understand, having only been at the Ludus for a few months and not in the habit of snooping around, but she was surprised no one else knew about it.

"We've never been here" Angel replied without much shame. "And Adam never told us about it"

"He wanted to prevent any of you from breaking that skull" Husk muttered.

"Wait, you knew!? And you didn't tell us!?" Angel exclaimed. "You're supposed to be on our side, Ursi...!"

"The master forced me to keep it a secret, and honestly, I didn't give a damn" Husk replied, his usual sour tone.

Vaggie wasn't surprised. "Well, maybe it's best to avoid touching it too much" she said, looking especially at Pentious, who was still fiddling with the skull.

"Yeah, I say that too" Cherri said, dragging her boyfriend away. "By the way, was your dragon bigger?"

Vaggie shrugged. "The skull was longer, but also narrower. I can't tell which one is bulkier"

"Wow. Well, then the competition is still on" Cherri said as everyone filed out of the warehouse. "You and your sister should tell more cool stories, so Adam will feel stung and reveal some more of his occult secrets"

Vaggie chuckled lightly. In fact, if Adam hadn't revealed he had a cyclops skull all those years, it meant he'd only brought it up because Lute had challenged him. Well, as strong as their lanist was, he wasn't exactly a champion of maturity. "So, what do we do now?"

"Well, I say we go celebrate!" Angel told her. "You killed your first lion, girl. We're partying tonight!"

"You guys are injured" Vaggie reminded them.

"Nah, I told you, they're just scratches" Cherri said with a smile. "Husk, we can go, right?"

Husk grunted. "If you don't get too worked up, your wounds won't reopen. Otherwise, you can do whatever you want; you're not so badly injured that you need much rest"

"YAY!" Angel exclaimed. "I knew I could count on you, Ursi! Come on, everyone out of the Ludus! Let's go celebrate!"

Vaggie wasn't sure it was a good idea, but Husk had given his approval, so she decided to go with it. After all, it was only her third time out of the Ludus, as they hadn't planned any outings since the last one. It had been almost a week by now, so a little fresh air wasn't a bad idea.

Even as night fell, Rome remained very crowded, though decidedly less so than during the day. Merchants were still clearing out their stalls from the squares, and many were still open. "Aaaah, that was such a good idea!" Angel exclaimed as he bit into a tasty focaccia he'd just bought. "So, girl, what do you want to do?"

"Uh... a walk would be fine" Vaggie replied.

"Oh, come on, you're the party girl tonight! Be creative!" Angel told her. "Do you want us to take you out for wine? No, even better... I know a place to buy some good hemp (³), we can have a nice smoke! Or would you rather go to the lupanar...?"

"I don't want to go to prostitutes!" Vaggie exclaimed indignantly, making her friends laugh.

"Oh, you're just as prudish as your sister, huh?" Angel said, then he added in a mischievous voice: "Wait... maybe I get it. You don't just want a walk... you're hoping to meet a certain handsome, feminine-faced young man along the way"

Vaggie blushed. "You're delusional"

"No, I don't think so. In fact, you know what? Let's go right to where you last saw each other!" Angel exclaimed, grabbing her arm. "I bet he's already there waiting for you. He probably heard you fought and knows you were going out celebrating today. We'll find him there, I'm sure of it! After all, you promised each other you'd meet again, right? Let's not keep him waiting!"

Vaggie's protests were to no avail: Angel basically grabbed her by the waist and dragged her toward the area where they'd last met Charlie. And of course, Pentious and Cherri didn't even try to help her, laughing the whole time like two idiots. Husk had refrained from intervening out of pure decency.

Vaggie, honestly, was hoping to see Charlie again. Or rather, she was hoping to see him a lot... but far away from Angel. She was sure he would do something to make the situation extremely awkward.

Unfortunately, the gods didn't seem to be on their side, because when they arrived, Charlie's cloaked shadow was right there, sitting on some stairs as if waiting. "There's our handsome young man!" Angel exclaimed as soon as he saw him.

Charlie looked up. His blond beard was better maintained this time, and his features seemed a bit more masculine. However, Vaggie immediately noticed that his gaze wasn't the best. "Oh, guys. It's nice to see you again" he said.

"Looks like you've been waiting for us" Pentious commented. "I hope you haven't been here all week, huh?"

He'd said that jokingly, but Charlie replied: "No, I've only been here for the last two days... just for some hours, by the way"

The gladiators were surprised. "Wait... you came here the last two days hoping to meet us?" Vaggie repeated.

"Yes. I would have come to your Ludus, but... it's better if your lanist doesn't know what I'm about to tell you" Charlie told them, drawing deep breath. "I need your help"

The atmosphere immediately cooled. Charlie swallowed a little, but inside her mind, she mutrered that after all she'd expected it. Asking for a favor wasn't the same as ordering someone to do something from the height of her authority. "A favor, huh?" Angel repeated. "Why are you asking us? We've only met once"

"Yes, but you're involved in what I'm about to tell you" Charlie told him. "So you have reason to keep your mouth shut"

Those words didn't sit well with them. "When someone says that, they're usually involved in shady business" Husk muttered suspiciously.

The others seemed to think the same, but Vaggie said: "Guys, let him speak. Let's hear what he has to say first"

Charlie smiled slightly, then turned serious: "I need you because I'm trying to get Vox into trouble"

"You mean one of the most powerful men in Rome?" Angel said skeptically. "Thanks, but I'll pass..."

"It's Vox's daughter who tried to kill your lanist" Charlie blurted out. "And who almost killed your comrade"

The gladiators froze. It was clear they weren't expecting this. "What?" Vaggie muttered.

"That's right. Vox confessed to Adam when they went off to talk in secret. Well, he didn't exactly tell him her name, but he left a lot of clues" Charlie explained.

"How do you know that, I'm sorry?" Husk asked, the only one left who was thinking rationally.

"I was there. Don't ask me how or why, just know that I overheard their conversation. I can repeat it to you in detail if you want" Charlie said.

"Prove it" Cherri challenged her.

"Vox admitted that he killed Loan" Charlie replied. "The sugar he gave Adam was used to dilate blood vessels. He bragged about it to him. He was proud of having committed the crime"

The gladiators looked at each other. That was solid enough evidence: none of the people at the Ludus that day, not even the most intelligent, knew the properties of sugar. This made it easy to believe that Charlie had actually eavesdropped on the conversation in which Vox confessed. "Can sugar really do that?" Angel murmured.

"Apparently, yes. It surprised me too" Charlie said. "And now, I need your help"

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Emily was helping Charlie put the finishing touches on her disguise to make it truly foolproof. This time, something better than the makeshift false beard she always wore would be necessary, since she was about to meet people who had seen her up close without the disguise, as it was imperative that no one recognize her. So, Emily had acquired some makeup and was now completely overhauling her look to make her as masculine as possible.

"I have to at least try" Charlie replied. "I know it's risky. But I can't just sit there and do nothing"

After what had happened that day, Charlie hadn't stopped thinking about the conversation between Adam and Vox. She'd thought about it over and over again, trying not to forget a single detail. Even though there was much she didn't understand, she still remembered that Vox had said that the killer Adam was looking for, the real one, was someone close to him. From there, she began to put the pieces together.

There were very few people for whom Vox showed genuine affection. One of them was the famous merchant Valentino, who also had a good motive for wanting Adam dead; however, it didn't make sense for him to suddenly act after all these years. A man might wait a lifetime for the right opportunity, but that didn't seem to be the case at all. Furthermore, Charlie had sent Keekee to secretly investigate Valentino, and she had confirmed that he didn't appear to have much knowledge of medicine and herbalism. Which left only one potential culprit, the only other person Vox held dear: his daughter Velvette.

It made sense. Charlie barely knew Velvette, having seen her only a few times, but all of Rome spoke of her extraordinary intelligence, which rivaled her father's. And her vast knowledge in various fields, including medicine, was certainly no secret, since she enjoyed testing potential suitors with that as well. She had everything she needed, therefore, not only to assassinate Adam, but also to suggest that Vox use sugar to kill Loan.

Of course, there was no motive... but Charlie knew very little about politics. It wasn't impossible that Velvette had decided to help her father by removing a potential obstacle. Why Adam, Charlie didn't know, but it was probably a political reason she wasn't aware of.

In any case, Charlie was sure Velvette had something to do with it. If she could find any incriminating evidence, she could give it to her parents, and they'd handle the rest. Or even the slightest inkling that she might be involved would cause a scandal that Lucifer would surely know how to exploit.

The problem was how to find said evidence. She couldn't just show up at Vox's house and demand to inspect it: even if she had the power, she doubted he'd left any obvious evidence. She'd only risk making a fool of herself and tarnishing the honor of the imperial family. So she'd devised a plan.

The solution was simple: lure the three homeowners away from their residence, sneak someone in, and then have them leave before they returned. How? Well, that was the easy part: she just had to make sure Vox was busy in the Senate, which was simple; Valentino wasn't home much already, so she just needed to choose the right time. And finally, she herself could invite Velvette under some pretext, as upper-class Roman wives and daughters often did. No one would suspect anything.

The real problem was how to sneak men into Vox's house, and above all, how to ensure they weren't discovered by the guards and slaves. So Charlie had devised a plan... not exactly legal. Technically, she wasn't doing anything wrong, but... she had taken something from her family's storage rooms without permission.

"This is amanita (⁴)" Charlie said, showing Emily some dried mushrooms. "They come from the far north, beyond the land called Germania. They're extremely rare. My family has received several as gifts and leaves them drying in the storage room. I had Dazzle and Razzle take some away"

Emily looked at her with considerable reproach. "You remember that stealing is a sin, right?"

Charlie blushed deeply. "I'm not stealing! It's technically my property too... even if only as an inheritance (⁵)" she said. "And anyway, I plan to confess it to my parents... after we're done with this"

Emily sighed deeply. "Temporary morality (⁶) doesn't work for the Lord" she said in a tired voice. "You really need to save your soul..."

Charlie bit her tongue. "I'm sure God will understand"

"Second commandment (⁷)" Emily warned her for the umpteenth time.

Charlie hung her head. Damn, she was truly a terrible Christian. "Anyway, these mushrooms have powerful hallucinogenic properties. They're better than many of the drugs circulating in Rome. Valentino would surely pay a fortune for them. So, the plan is to sell him a cart, which I'll send directly to Vox's house... and in that cart, I'll hide someone who will come out once inside the gates, explore the house, and look for evidence"

"There are many things that can go wrong" Emily told her. "I know you want to do good, but it's dangerous. If these people you intend to send are discovered, that blood will be on your hands"

"I know. I know many things can go wrong, and that it's dangerous. But... I have to at least try, Emily" Charlie said, assuming a very sad expression. "My whole life, I've had the same thought. I wondered why in this world, the better a person is, the more they suffer, while those who commit crimes actually benefit and prosper. This city is full of these slimy men who trample on others as if it were nothing. Vox, who is the second consul of Rome, the highest office after the emperor, is the perfect example of all this. How can this be called fair?"

Emily's expression was pitying. "Charlie..."

"I was raised as a princess and have always lived within my own boundaries, knowing nothing of the world. I'm tired of being on the sidelines" Charlie said. "I don't want to become a puppet empress who does nothing but warm a throne while others make the decisions. I want to do everything in my power to build the Rome I dream of, a Rome where men like that are no longer in charge. I know I'm not ready for many things, and perhaps I never will be... but I want to at least try. I must help my father finally eliminate Vox from the command hierarchy. If that happens, this will finally be a solid and united empire again, and I will be able to convince my father to pursue true Roman peace. And perhaps I could even..."

Very slowly, she took out her crucifix. She looked at it intently, as if the simple wood were made of gold. "If my father had total control of the nation, perhaps I could finally convince him to end the persecution of Christians. We could finally preach the true faith without hiding. Maybe I could convince him to free the slaves and put an end to those horrible spectacles in the arena. We could... have a better Rome"

Emily placed a hand on her shoulder. "Charlie, you really do have a big heart" she said. "But..."

"I know that almost nothing I just said will come true" Charlie said. "I'm not stupid, okay? I know it's a pipe dream, I know that almost nothing I dream of will ever come true. But if I let that hold me back... if I stop pursuing this dream... if I refuse to do something, who will? Jesus teaches us that a small act of kindness and love can change the whole world. If I can succeed at even one small thing, someone else after me can continue the work, and again and again, and maybe sooner or later Rome will be the one I dream of. I know I'm hoping for a fantasy... but if I hope hard enough, maybe I can help make it a little bit real"

Emily was silent for a moment, then smiled. "You really are a wonderful person" she said. "Okay. Let's try. What do you need me for?"

Charlie's eyes widened. "Um... how did you know I wanted help?"

"Because if you didn't need anything, you would have asked Keekee to dress you up" Emily answered. "And you're certainly not here to confess your sins, so what do you need me for?"

Charlie bit her lip. "Um... I'm a little short on staff. You know, I have, like, four people I can actually trust if I want to do something secretly" she explained. "Razzle and Dazzle have to be with me at all times, and Keekee will have to go with my mother to the Senate to make sure Vox stays there. And I'll have to keep Velvette busy. So... I need someone to carry the goods I'm going to sell to Valentino into Vox's house, stall while the people I recruit rummage through the house, and then leave, taking the wagon with them, hiding them inside. And since you're a saleswoman, and therefore know how to talk, you could..."

"I see. Pretty easy" Emily said.

"Sorry to bring you into this..." Charlie murmured.

"Don't apologize. But promise me that once this is over, you'll do A LOT of penance for the theft you committed" Emily replied with a wink. "And by that penance, I mean I want you to memorize the second commandment. If I hear you take the Lord's name in vain again, I'll tear your ears off"

Charlie smiled. "Thank you, Emily. You really are my best friend"

Emily shook her head. "Don't thank me. Actually, who are the people you intend to send into the home of one of the most dangerous men in Rome?"

Charlie fiddled with her fingers. "I might have... an idea"

"... my sources tell me the princess will invite the second consul's daughter to a meeting, to discuss among women what happened at your Ludus" Charlie quickly finished explaining. "Coincidentally, it will be right when Vox is dropping by the Senate, and Valentine isn't expected back until late in the evening. There won't be anyone there except slaves and guards. It's the perfect time to strike"

The gladiators were looking at her doubtfully. "Let me get this straight" Husk muttered. "You expect us to trust you and raid the home of the most sadistic, bastard man in all of Rome?"

"Well, that's not the craziest thing we could do" Cherri said. "Why don't you talk to Adam about it?"

"Adam won't do that. Trust me, Vox really... threatened him" Charlie replied.

"How?" Angel asked skeptically. "Adam isn't afraid of anything..."

"He's afraid for you. His gladiators" Charlie told him. "Vox threatened to... make something very bad happen to that bob-haired friend of yours if Adam didn't surrender"

The gladiators fell silent. It wasn't hard to understand what she meant by 'something very bad'. "That vile bastard dared to threaten my sister!?" Vaggie snarled.

"Exactly" Charlie confirmed. "That's why Adam won't do anything unless he's certain of victory". The reason was actually even deeper, but Charlie preferred not to discuss the rest of the conversation he'd overheard. After all, it wasn't important right now.

Vaggie took a deep breath. "So... you'll sell this stuff to Valentino, have some friend of yours bring it to Vox's house, we'll hide in the cart, go in, look for evidence, and then come out. That's all?"

"Yes" Charlie replied. "I know it's not a perfect plan, but trust me, even the smallest clue that could connect Velvette to the crime will be useful. I'll take care of turning everything over to the Emperor. Even if it's not enough to frame her, it will be enough to make Vox suffer"

Vaggie remained silent, and then she leaned in. A little too close for Charlie's taste. "Look me in the eyes" she said. "Are you telling me the truth?"

Charlie swallowed a little: she hadn't expected her to be so close. But she still replied: "I haven't lied to you once this entire night"

Vaggie stared at her intently. And then she pulled back. "I believe him" she said. "I will do this"

"Hey, are you out of your mind?" Pentious protested. "This is a crazy mission...!"

"And it's my sister that Vox dared to threaten and that this Velvette tried to kill" Vaggie said annoyed. "You guys don't have to join me. I'm just asking for a couple of favors. Husk, cover for us with Adam, tell him we're sick or something. Pentious, Cherri, you... keep an eye on Valentino, please. And Angel, you be my lookout"

"Vaggie, you can't put yourself in danger like this" Angel protested. "Think carefully..."

"I want to do this, guys" Vaggie told them, then looked at Charlie: "And I trust him"

There was a moment of silence. And then Angel himself nodded. "Okay" he said. "If you want to do this, then we can't leave you alone. I'll keep an eye on Valentino"

"Angel, that's not necessary" Vaggie protested. "You don't have to..."

"I know that bastard better than anyone" Angel told her. "I know how he spends his days, where he goes, what he likes to eat. And it may not seem like it, but I'm good at hiding. I won't let him out of my sight for a second"

"In that case, I'm coming with you" Cherri told her.

"No, you go be Vaggie's lookout" Angel corrected her. "If things go badly, we'll need the toughest warrior we have, and I'm not that"

"Then I'll come" Husk said, offering himself without hesitation. "I'll keep you company"

"No. You have to cover for us with Adam" Angel told him. "And you can't leave the Ludus during the day, too many prying eyes"

Neither Cherri nor Husk were happy, but Pentious stepped forward and put a hand on Angel's shoulder. "Guys, don't worry" he said with determination. "I'll watch over him"

Angel smirked. "Good job, Pen. Make yourself useful as my future brother-in-law right away" he said.

"I'll keep him out of trouble" Pentious reassured Husk, then he looked straight at Cherri: "You have my word"

Husk hesitated for a moment, unsure of this, but then nodded, choosing to trust. Cherri, in turn, grabbed Pentious by the scruff of the neck and planted a kiss right on his lips, which nearly made him faint. "Sorry, you were too hot just then" she said.

"Hey, hey, Pen! Love is all well and good, but she's still my sister! Don't do that in front of me!" Angel scolded them, even though he had a satisfied look on his face and a smile plastered across his face.

Charlie was smiling too: "Oh... since the last time you two got together?"

"Yeah" Cherri replied, holding Pentious on the verge of collapse. Everyone burst out laughing.

Suddenly, however, Vaggie became serious again. "Can you guys leave us alone?" she asked her friends. "Go back to the Ludus, I... I want to talk to our new ally"

"Ooooh, are we already that close?" Angel asked with a wink. "No way, I want to see everything... OUCH!"

Cherri grabbed him by the ear and dragged him and Pentious away. Husk shook his head, and then, after apologizing to Charlie for his friend's stupidity, he left as well. "That guy sure has a way of being" Charlie couldn't help but comment.

"My friends are all a little... um... peculiar" Vaggie said, quite embarrassed.

"Maybe, but they're also sweet... in their own way" Charlie said with a smile. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Vaggie's gaze instantly changed. Her expression was still the same, but Charlie could clearly see the light in her eyes becoming colder. "I just wanted to ask you something" she said. "How do you know the princess?"

The smile faded from Charlie's face. "Uh... no, you misunderstood! I don't know her personally, I only have informants..."

"They're really good informants if they even know who the princess wants to invite to her house for a chat" Vaggie said in a calm but firm voice.

"Um... yes, they're very good, because... they work in her house" Charlie replied, using the first excuse that came to mind.

"And how can you be sure they're right?" Vaggie asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or better yet, how can you base your entire plan on the princess's whim? How can you be sure she won't change her mind at the last minute? She didn't promise you anything, did she? Aren't you risking us and yourself?"

"Um... urgh... there..." Charlie stammered, sweating coldly.

Vaggie's eyes narrowed. "Forgive me for being rude" she said, grabbing her face.

"Hey! What are you trying to do!?" Charlie exclaimed.

"I'm testing my hypothesis" Vaggie replied, and without another word, tugged hard on the false beard, which tore off without much resistance, revealing the feminine face it hid.

Charlie went white as soon as this happened, and put a hand over her mouth as if desperately trying to hide. Vaggie, however, smiled triumphantly: "I knew it! You're the princess...!"

"SSSSSH!!!" Charlie shouted at her. "Don't scream! And give it back to me right now!"

Vaggie didn't object, and immediately handed her the false beard back; in fact, while Charlie put it back on, she even acted as a shield, hiding her from prying eyes. Only when Charlie had completely put her disguise back on did the two girls look at each other again. "I was sure it was you" Vaggie said then.

Charlie swallowed hard. "Please don't tell anyone" she begged.

"Of course not... er... Your Majesty" Vaggie replied, regaining her respect. Now that the initial euphoria had passed, she was remembering that the person before her was still the princess of the whole empire, and that if she wanted, she could hang her as easily as Vaggie drinking a glass of water.

Charlie didn't know what to do. Even though she knew her disguise wasn't exactly perfect, she had never prepared for a situation where she'd be discovered. Maybe she should have. "How did you understand that?" she asked.

Vaggie shrugged. "You knew what Adam and Vox had said, and coincidentally the princess... so you... had disappeared when they went to talk, and you'd even asked me where the most isolated spot in the Ludus was. It was clear that only you could have eavesdropped. Add to that the fact that you and your... male alter ego, let's say... are basically identical, especially in behavior, and that when you came at the Ludus you seemed to know me a little too well for a first time... and it was easy to put two and two together. Either you were the princess, or you were her secret twin that the royal family wanted to keep hidden"

Charlie bit her lip. Shit, just three almost casual encounters had been enough for Vaggie to figure her out. She hoped no one else had put the pieces together. "Did anyone else figure it out?"

"Not that I know of" Vaggie replied. "But unless you've had the same... confidence with others that you've shown me, I doubt it"

Yes, that was what had truly betrayed Charlie: the fact that she had opened up too much to Vaggie. Vaggie might have believed that there was someone with the same face and voice as the princess, and that this person possessed an extraordinary secret flow of information, but surely it wasn't possible for two people to be so similar in speech, behavior, movement, and even laughter. If Charlie had been more careful with Vaggie, perhaps she would have had a chance of deceiving her.

Aware, however, that the princess was still very uncomfortable, Vaggie decided to reassure her at least a little: "You have my word I won't tell anyone. It's a promise"

Those words brought a slight smile to Charlie's face. "Thank you" she whispered. "I know I can trust you. You have... a kind soul"

Vaggie blushed a little at those words. "I don't know how much of a kind I am, but... thank you, Your Majesty" she said.

"Please, just call me Charlie" the princess said. "I don't like titles. And... technically, I'm not supposed to be royal right now"

"Oh... okay... Charlie" Vaggie said, and then her eyes twinkled slightly. "So... that's what you do? You disguise yourself as a man to sneak out and punish criminals?"

"Um... you're idealizing me a little too much"  Charlie quickly corrected her. "I've snuck out many times, but it was for... my own reasons. This is the first time I've tried to do something useful for the city"

"Oh..." Vaggie muttered. Well, actually, maybe she'd let her imagination run wild a little too much: it was strange for a seventeen-year-old girl to come up with ingenious plans to track down criminals. "It's still noble. You should be proud of yourself"

This time it was Charlie's turn to blush. "You're... really kind" she said. "I just want to help right an injustice. I know there's not much I can do, but... I have to try. I can't just sit in my house and embroider anymore"

"But why?" Vaggie couldn't help but ask. "Why don't you ask your father, or your mother... for help?"

"I already did. My mother knows everything I saw that day, and she definitely told my father" Charlie explained. "But that's not enough. My word is worth little. To truly destroy Vox, we need concrete evidence. My father... he doesn't tell me about it, but I know he's worried. He has his own plans to take down that bastard, but he has to tread carefully, too. If I could find evidence that Vox might have tainted an investigation by the First Consul, my father could use it to fight him, or at least force him to tone down a bit. That would allow him to outmaneuver him politically and perhaps finally eliminate him"

Vaggie didn't understand much about politics, so she didn't bother asking questions, knowing she wouldn't understand. "I understand. It must be frustrating to feel... helpless"

"Yes, it is" Charlie admitted. "I hate to see my people oppressed by such people, who perpetuate evil under the guise of honor and glory. I'm just a princess with no political clout waiting to be married to the next emperor, but... if that's to be my destiny, I at least want the empire to be strong and peaceful. If that were the case, perhaps I could... improve some things I hold dear. Maybe that's what..." she was about to say, 'God wants from me', but she bit her tongue before she said the last words.

Vaggie was silent for a long moment. "I understand" she said finally. "I know what it's like to feel like you're not in control of your own destiny"

"Yeah. And it's even worse for you" Charlie said. "People like you are the ones I want to help. I hate seeing you kill each other in the arena, I hate seeing men forcefully subjugate other men, I hate corruption, I hate everything that's rotten in this country. You wouldn't be here if certain evil people had gotten what they deserved long ago"

Vaggie's eyes widened, deeply affected. She knew what Charlie meant: if it weren't for the people who favored expansionist policies of pillage and massacre, she would still be in Britannia. This hurt her heart a little, and Charlie evidently sensed it, because she blanched: "Oh... I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to bring up bad memories..."

"No, no. You don't need to apologize. It's just the truth" Vaggie told her. "You don't have to apologize for what others did to me. Don't ever feel guilty for things you had no control over. Besides, it wasn't... all bad"

"Really?" Charlie asked skeptically.

"Okay, yeah, it was shit" Vaggie admitted. "But... at least I met some real friends. And I met... you too. I'm not sorry about that"

Charlie's eyes widened. "Oh... really? Are you happy you met me even though I deceived you?"

"You're a good girl... if a little unusual" Vaggie said with a smile. "I'm glad I met you. You're... a special princess. The empire will be lucky to have you as its empress"

Charlie blushed. "I... well... thank you" she said.

Vaggie's smile widened. And then she burst out laughing: "Can you believe it? I managed to make the princess of the world's greatest empire blush! You should write poems about me!"

Charlie gave her a mischievous look. "Careful, plebeian" she said in that same joking tone. "With that attitude of yours, I might decide to send you to the gallows at dawn!"

This only made Vaggie laugh harder. It was all so surreal: she, a mere slave, talking and joking with the princess of Rome as if they were best friends. The situation was too absurd. "Oh, what a terrible threat! Please, Your Majesty, forgive me from your throne!"

Charlie was now laughing too. "Well... I could do that if you bowed to me and said I am the brightest star in the sky!"

"Pff! In your dreams!" Vaggie replied, laughing even harder. Charlie laughed even harder, and her crystalline laugh made Vaggie's heart skip a beat. Truly, she'd never heard anyone laugh so beautifully.

They laughed for a while longer, and then finally stopped. Charlie wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'd better go now" she said, looking up at the moon.

"Yes, me too" Vaggie said. "The others must be wondering where I've gone. Knowing Angel, he's probably thinking we're making out"

Charlie blushed again: "Um... what?"

"Never mind, that's just the way he is" Vaggie said quickly. "Don't take everything he says seriously"

Charlie preferred not to probe further. "Thanks again for keeping my secret" she said. "And for the help you are giving me"

"No problem. I too want to make the person who almost killed my sister pay" Vaggie replied. "But... when we're done with this... mission, so to speak... could you tell me more about what you do when you sneak out? Um, I mean... do you want to meet again?"

Charlie hesitated for a moment, but then smiled tenderly and nodded. "Of course" she replied. "I... I don't see why not. It would be nice"

That was enough for Vaggie. "So... bye. See you tomorrow"

"I'll wait anxiously for it" Charlie said, then turned and walked quickly away. Vaggie waited a moment, then did the same, heading for the Ludus. Neither of them knew why, but as they walked away from each other, they strangely felt their hearts beating slightly faster than normal.

Chapter Text

In the end, as usual, Vox had proved too lenient with his daughter... at least from the perspective of everyone else in his villa except her. Velvette had regained the right to leave the cellar after less than a day of captivity, but now she was permanently confined to her quarters, unable even to call her slaves. This, for her, accustomed to being waited on hand and foot, was unacceptable.

In the end, as usual, it was Valentino who managed to restore some measure of harmony between father and daughter: after properly 'relaxing' Vox, he pointed out that the best way to eliminate any witnesses without leaving a trace was to use one of Velvette's potions, or at least seek her advice. Vox had calmed down, thanks in part to all the activity under the covers, and finally agreed to go and ask her for help. Velvette had been tempted to keep her mouth shut out of spite, but since those few hours in the cellar had made her realize she didn't want to wake up with spiders in her hair, in the end she suggested to use sugar, explaining its vasodilatory properties. Vox then developed his plan and destroyed the evidence, proving once again how useful it was to have a daughter with such an extraordinary brain.

After returning home, Vox (again at Valentino's considerable insistence) had agreed to at least partially remit the punishment and allowed Velvette out of the cellar, confining her to her rooms. This would have been acceptable, if it hadn't been forbidding anyone, including the slaves, from interacting with her. Now Velvette, who normally had at least five people that dress her, bathe her, apply makeup on her, and prepare her meals, had to fend for herself. If it weren't for the fact that she categorically refused to act like a vulgar peasant, she would have given up all those things altogether.

The worst part was undoubtedly the food. They brought it to her, but never cooked it. That, too, was something she had to do. She could eat it raw (most of it was vegetables and fruit, after all) but she refused to ruin her palate that way. She'd made it clear she'd rather starve than eat that stuff, and as usual, she was more stubborn than a mule when she got her mind set on something.

Finally, after four whole days, she heard a knock on the door. "Hey, Vel, it's me" Valentino's voice reached her. "Vox said now you can come out..."

"If he needs me for anything this time, he has to come here crawling and ask me!" Velvette shouted back.

Valentino seemed to have expected this reaction. "You two really have stubbornness in your blood" he commented, perhaps thinking she wouldn't hear. "Listen, are you presentable? Let me in and we'll talk about this face to face"

"Get out of my rooms" was Velvette's only response.

"I brought you some moretum (¹) and defrutum (²)" Valentino told her. "Is that enough to convince you to open the door for me?"

Velvette's mouth immediately watered. Four days of fasting were definitely starting to take their toll. "Ah, fuck it. I'm presentable, come in" she said, somewhat grumpily.

Valentino entered alone, probably to spare her the humiliation of being seen with her hair undone, no makeup, and her dress a little sagging. He carried a plate of bread covered in a whitish cream that gave off an inviting aroma, as well as a jar containing a syrup that smelled of grapes. Velvette's stomach rumbled at the mere sight. "Asshole" she growled, grabbing some slices of bread and stuffing them in her mouth. "Taking advantage of someone who's hungry"

"I've done much worse, and you know it" Valentino told her. "And anyway, the food trays are out there. You could at least have some soup..."

"Never!" Velvette blurted out as she savored the bread. The taste made her mouth melt. "I'd rather starve to death than lower myself to touching food that's not properly cooked! That's for the poor, I have standards!"

Valentino shrugged, lying down on one of the loungers. "Look, I know you're still mad at Voxxy..."

"I don't want to hear about you fucking my father last night" she told her bluntly. "Go fuck each other's asses far away from me"

"Oh, actually, I've been the only one fucking him these past few days" Valentino told her shamelessly. "Usually he fights me for dominance, but I took advantage of the fact that he's so tired to gain dominance..."

"And now, thanks to your words, I'm regretting ever opening the door to you" Velvette grunted.

"I think your stomach thinks otherwise" Valentino teased, watching as she poured a generous amount of defrutum over her bread. "Come on, you should be happy your dad still knows how to give it so much. Even if he can't keep up with me anyway..."

"Why is it that all you can think about is sex!?" Velvette exclaimed. "Are you secretly Priapus (³) in mortal form!?"

"No, but I wouldn't mind fucking him too" Valentino replied mockingly. "They say it's heavenly to fuck a god..."

Velvette avoided commenting further, since unlike him, she was keen to maintain a minimum of decency. She couldn't care less about what Valentino and Vox did under the covers; in fact, as far as she was concerned, they could have more fun than they already were, but she couldn't stand the fact that Valentino always ended up talking about nothing but that, even when the conversation was serious. She'd still been raised as the daughter of a great senator, and polluting her ears with such indecent comments irritated her greatly, especially when she was already angry about something herself.

Seeing that she didn't respond, Valentino decided to change the subject: "Look, I know you were waiting for Vox to come back and apologize, but..."

"I'm still waiting for him" Velvette replied angrily. "He can forget about my help until he begs my forgiveness on his knees"

"Vel, this isn't the time to throw a tantrum" Valentino pointed out. "And if I'm the one telling you, then it's true"

Velvette snorted. Yes, she knew that when even Valentino, the most childish, hedonistic, and capricious person in the entire empire, said it was time to stop being childish, then there was a reason. She knew it herself, knowing how tumultuous the Senate was and that it was only a matter of time before the fire broke out. "Hmph" she simply said.

"Come on, Vel, can't you just bury the hatchet?" Valentino asked, somewhat fed up. "You had a bad fight, okay? That's enough..."

"A bad fight!? He locked me in the cellar!" Velvette snapped.

"And you deserved it" Valentino pointed out.

Velvette glared at him. "Are you on his side now!?"

"Vel, please. I know you're smart enough to know that a father usually does much worse if his daughter dares to talk back to him in that arrogant way" Valentino told her.

"If he would listen to me, I wouldn't need to talk back!" Velvette replied. "But he never does! He always wants his own way, even when I'm right!"

"Vel, he listens to you" Valentino told her. "He doesn't admit it openly just because he's proud, but to him, your advice is more precious than gold"

"Really? He keeps spreading potential new problems even though I've been telling him to take care of them for months!" Velvette exclaimed. "What does he think, that he'll be able to hide his misdeeds in Britannia forever? Sooner or later, a slave will speak out, and Adam happens to have two! What if they can convince him to act? We can't afford to have a loose cannon to deal with when we already have Zestial and that damned Emperor breathing down our necks!"

"Vox has already taken care of Adam" Valentino told her. "He has his ways of keeping him quiet..."

"I could have silenced him forever!" Velvette growled. "I could silence a lot of people forever! But no, he doesn't want to, because it's too risky! If he wants to reach the pinnacle of this empire, he has to take some risks..."

"VEL!" Valentino suddenly exclaimed.

Velvette's eyes widened. It was rare for Valentino to raise his voice at her. "What?"

"Tell me, do you think I became the richest merchant in Rome by never taking risks? I've thrown myself into the fray many times, often at great danger. So I know exactly what you mean" Valentino told her with a strange seriousness in his voice. "You're right, you have to take some risks... but only if they're an acceptable risk. Because in some cases, if something goes wrong, what you're up against is something that will make you long for the Underworld"

Velvette bit her lip. "I don't follow you"

"I'm saying that you shouldn't mess with the wrong people, not without the absolute certainty of being able to beat them" Valentino said. "And Adam is one of them. Do you think he can't do anything to you if he finds out it was you? Do you think just because there's no evidence, he'll stop? There are men against whom it's not enough to take away their right to appeal to the law"

Velvette remained silent for a long moment. "Why are all of you so afraid of him?" she asked finally.

Valentino grunted softly. "Do you know Michael?"

Velvette raised an eyebrow, surprised by the request. "The emperor's brother? Of course I remember" she replied. "I was just a child then, but I know who he was. The one who died in the fire at his villa..."

"It wasn't a fire" Valentino told her.

Velvette's eyes widened. "Huh?"

Valentino took a deep breath. "The only reason you still have a father is because Vox has a habit of making you wait" he said in a heavy voice. "If that hadn't been the case, he would have met the same fate as Michael and his followers"

"What fate?" Velvette asked. "Are you saying... the rumors about it not being an incident are true?"

Almost seven years ago, when Velvette was just thirteen, an unexpected tragedy had struck the empire: a good portion of the old senatorial class had died in a fire. These senators had been gathered by Michael, the new emperor's brother, in his home for a banquet... obviously only on paper: in truth, they wanted to discuss Lucifer's ascension to the throne, who in just three years had already proven himself a troublemaker. Senators liked weak and easily influenced emperors, not those who set out to reform the empire, and Lucifer was clearly not popular. Vox had also been invited... and he was the only one to return. Because that very night, a violent fire completely destroyed the villa and the surrounding fields, killing Michael and a large portion of the senatorial class.

Vox had been saved by the fact that he wasn't accustomed to arriving precisely on time to meetings, knowing that keeping people waiting was much more useful since it emphasized his superiority. Thanks to this, he hadn't yet arrived at the villa when the fire broke out. Velvette had already suspected at the time that something else was afoot: when her father returned home, he had seemed very shaken... too shaken. And he hadn't wanted to talk about what had happened. Velvette knew that meant something was up, and in fact, even though she spoke of rumors, she was actually voicing her own suspicions.

"Seven years ago, an unexpected guest showed up at Michael's house" Valentino told her. "This guest sealed the gates of the entire villa. Vox wasn't late... he simply arrived to find the doors already locked. Fortunately, the person who was doing that hadn't wanted to wait for him"

Velvette felt a lump in her throat. "Was it Adam?"

Valentino nodded. "Yes" he confirmed. "Vox recognized him from the windows. He could see what he was doing"

"Was he the one who started the fire? Did he let them die locked in there?" Velvette asked, expecting an affirmative answer.

But Valentino's face darkened more than ever. "No. He only started the fire after they were already dead, to prevent them from being buried and entering the Underworld (⁴)" he replied in a heavy voice. "Everything else... he did with his own hands"

Velvette was speechless. "Huh?"

"Vox saw it clearly. He saw everything" Valentino told her. "Adam didn't use fire, he didn't use weapons. He just showed up dressed in his centurion armor. And then, he slew two hundred men with his bare hands. He turned Michael inside out. He took his time with each of them, making sure they died as slowly as possible. The senators tried to fight back with the few daggers they had, or to confront him using their numbers... but it was all in vain. It was as if Mars himself had descended from Olympus and was staining the floor with blood. Vox barely glimpsed his face before running away... he doesn't talk much about it, but from what little he told me, it was like looking into the eyes of one of Echidna's children(⁵)"

Velvette swallowed hard, imagining the scene. Now she understood why her father had returned so shaken that day. "Why did he do it?" she asked. "Did Lucifer order him to...?"

It would have made sense. Those senators, and especially his brother who had a claim to the throne, were causing Lucifer problems. It wasn't impossible that the new emperor had decided enough was enough and had sent his best soldier to clean up the mess. It wasn't the first time an emperor had resorted to such methods, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

But Valentino didn't answer. "It's much more complicated than that" he said. "Ask Vox. It's not my place to tell you the whole story"

Velvette wanted to protest, but she didn't. She knew that even though Valentino was the funnier and more accommodating of the couple, there were times when even he was adamant. This was one of those times: this time, a tantrum or a flirtatious look wouldn't be enough to persuade him. His expression clearly demonstrated it. "Okay... I'll ask him" she simply said.

That seemed enough for Valentino. "Velvette, I told you all this because I want you to understand that there are people you don't want to piss off" he said. "Vox and I have had experience with men like Adam; we know when it's time to take things a bit further and negotiate. So you have to listen when your father tells you to talk to him before you act"

"But..." Velvette tried to say.

"I know you're smart, Vel. You don't have to prove it to me, and you certainly don't have to prove it to Vox" Valentino told her seriously. "But this isn't a question of intelligence, but of instinct and experience. If you're truly as smart as I think you are, accept that fact and try to learn from your mistake. Instead of jumping on the first idea that comes to mind, no matter how good it seems, talk to your father, or at least me. There are things you can't see using pure logic alone, and if you're not careful, you might be pitting yourself against the wrong person. Ask yourself why Vox is so careful before upsetting years-old balances"

Velvette wanted to retort, but no words escaped her. Even though her pride was burning, she couldn't deny that Valentino's words made sense. Maybe this time she had really gone too far...

Just then, the door opened and Vox reentered, grim as ever. Valentino stood up immediately, instantly regaining his charming expression and demeanor, but he brushed him off without even looking at him. His eyes were fixed on Velvette. "You've re-dressed yourself. Good" he commented with a grunt. "I hope you've learned from your mistakes"

Velvette glared at him and felt the urge to tell him to go fuck himself, but this time she lowered her head anyway: "Yes, Father"

"Good, because you have work to do" Vox told her. It was clear that he, too, knew that Velvette was still as stubborn and bitchy as ever, and he didn't seem very inclined to change that. "A letter arrived. The princess invited you"

Velvette raised an eyebrow. "Invited? For what?"

"I assume because she wants to discuss what happened at the Ludus Magnus" Vox replied in a rather annoyed voice. "Tsk... the empress has got it into her head that her daughter must learn to rule, and this is the result"

Velvette rolled her eyes. "I guess I can't refuse" she said. It wasn't a question: she knew full well she couldn't refuse a direct request from a member of the imperial family.

"You're right. So go and entertain her for an afternoon" Vox replied. "I don't care what you discuss. Just make sure she doesn't get any strange ideas. That impertinent girl is taking a few too many liberties"

Vox, like anyone attracted to power, liked weak and naive princesses, so he didn't at all appreciate Charlie taking the initiative to welcome him to the Ludus Magnus and proclaiming the building under his control, invalidating his plan to embarrass Adam with the sacred bond of hospitality. From his perspective, the princess was already treading too far outside her purview, and he would have much preferred it if she went back to being the passive woman living in her parents' house. Political instruments shouldn't have a will, and Charlie, being the most valuable political instrument in an empire still without a male heir, was no exception.

Velvette agreed. Such pawns shouldn't become erratic. The princess of the empire was only there to marry the future emperor and bear his heir: she didn't have to do anything else, in fact, it wouldn't even be a bad thing if, once her duty was done, she died in childbirth. If she began to take initiatives of her own, she would be difficult to control. And considering that sooner or later she would be empress, it was imperative that this not happen. "All clear" she simply said.

Vox's request, of course, wasn't as simple as she'd phrased it. Vox was certainly not the type of person who contented herself with dissuading others. What he was asking of Velvette was to use this meeting to find something she could use against the princess, to stop her if she tried to do something very foolish against their family or their position. Everyone had their weaknesses: whether it was affection for a slave, interest in a particular thing, or any other seemingly small detail, there was always something that could be used to force the other person to take a backseat.

"You must present yourself to her this afternoon, so call your slaves and start preparing properly" Vox told her, turning toward the door. He started to leave, but then stopped: "Oh, Vel?"

"Yes?" Velvette asked.

Vox turned, and while his expression didn't change, there was a knowing look in his eyes. "Next time you feel like killing a real Roman warrior, use an elephant (⁶)" he told her. "That way you can be sure he won't get out alive. Don't forget that ours is the most powerful army in the world, and if you want to kill its strongest warriors, you have to aim very high"

And with that, he left without changing his expression in the slightest, as if he had just given a piece of politeness, a trivial matter. Valentino followed him immediately, but not before casting a final, knowing glance at Velvette. She, for her part, sat in front of the mirror and waited for the slaves to come and fix her hair and makeup.

Charlie was nervous like she'd rarely been in her life. Not because of what she was about to do, after all she had nothing to do with the most difficult part of the plan, but because of what the friends she'd asked for help were risking. She wasn't in any real danger; even if the plan failed, it would be difficult to trace her, and she was fairly certain that Vaggie, the only one who knew her true identity, would keep her mouth shut... but she and the others certainly wouldn't have a pleasant fate.

Well, there was no turning back now. It was too late for second thoughts, she thought as she watched the carriage bearing the Fulgura family crest (⁷) enter the gates. Now she could only do her duty with her head held high.

"Ave, Charlie" Velvette greeted her as she stepped out of the carriage, with extreme reverence.

"Ave, Velvette" Charlie greeted her in return. "I hope I haven't disturbed you with my sudden invitation"

"You needn't worry, your invitation was very welcome" Velvette replied in a tone that sounded very false to the princess.

Charlie steeled herself. She and Velvette had met before; it was inevitable, given that they were both daughters of illustrious people. Even friendships and interactions between daughters had political value when it came to people of their caste; it mattered little that such daughters were five years old and barely aware of what was going on around them. Charlie had always felt uncomfortable with Velvette, not only because of the three-year age difference between them, but also because she had a way of speaking that, while others found extraordinarily commendable, to Charlie sounded a lot like the voice of a snake.

However, this didn't stop her from acting cordial. Appearances were everything in high society. So she ushered Velvette into her home and led her to her chambers.

As was customary, Charlie and Velvette sat next to each other in front of the mirrors. They were both expected to behave according to the rules of good manners, so they couldn't simply sit at a table and look each other in the eye. Charlie had prepared the standard entertainment for high-class women: first, they would enjoy a beauty treatment from the ornatrices (⁸), then they would eat good food, and finally, they would work together on a canvas (⁹).

The slaves immediately began styling their hair in elaborate hairstyles and filling it with combs, pins, ribbons, and hairpins. "Hmm. Is this a carbunculus (¹⁰)?" Velvette commented, looking at the bright red gem on one of the pins.

"Yes. A gift my grandmother gave me on my fourteenth birthday" Charlie replied. "She said it would be useful to impress the man I was going to marry"

Velvette looked at the red gem with considerable envy in her eyes, though she hid it well. Even for someone like her, accustomed to surrounding herself with pearls, amethysts, emeralds, and garnets, a ruby ​​was certainly a rare stone. "A truly precious gift" she commented. "Was it useful to you? Did you find the man to marry?"

"No one has caught my eye" Charlie replied simply. "And you? You're twenty now. Aren't you afraid of dying a spinster?"

"I won't give myself to a man I don't deem worthy of me" Velvette replied in a superior voice.

Charlie chuckled lightly. "I understand. May I ask what your requirements are?"

"Someone who is wealthy and of a social standing worthy of mine" Velvette replied. "And sadly, there's no one who actually fits those bills right now"

"Is that all?" Charlie asked. "Aren't you interested in... well, loving him, or... how he treats you?"

Velvette smiled a little wickedly. "Love is optional in the marriages of women like us, princess. If we're lucky, we'll find it; if not... that's fine too" she replied simply. "As for how he'll treat me... well, I'll take care of training him. Believe me, I can be very persuasive"

Charlie tried not to show it, but she sweated a little. Velvette's words sounded a lot like those of a woman who was ready to poison her husband in his sleep if he dared even answer her a little rudely. No, even more: like those of someone who was ready to administer a slow, painful poison to her husband, and then waved the antidote before his eyes and refused to give it until he begged on his knees, only to smash the vial on the floor and laugh heartily at his misery. "Princess, are you sweating?" the slave who was styling her hair asked apprehensively.

"It's a little warm in here" Charlie replied with the first plausible excuse she could think of.

"Yes, I agree with you" Velvette said, then glared at the slaves. "What are you waiting for? Call someone to freshen us up"

"Maybe don't act like you're at your home" Charlie thought, a little irritated. She knew that from Velvette's perspective (and that of almost everyone else in Rome), slaves were just objects doing a job, but it would still be polite to let the mistress of the house give the orders.

However, she gritted her teeth and endured. As long as Velvette was comfortable, it was unlikely she would want to leave anytime soon. Charlie had to make sure to keep her as long as possible, and if he started insisting that she stay, his guest would surely become suspicious. It was much better if Velvette simply enjoyed the treatment she was receiving and wanted to enjoy it to the end.

Now, Charlie could only hope that everything would go well.

At the same moment, in fact, Vaggie was preparing to enter Vox's villa.

Chapter Text

"Are you really sure you want to do this?" Cherri asked.

Vaggie shrugged. "We're already outside the Ludus, aren't we?" she pointed out.

That morning, Husk, as planned, had covered the four of them so they could get out. Adam hadn't questioned it too much: after all, all of them had been injured in the fight with the lion, and even if they weren't serious, it was justifiable that they were getting days off. With any luck, Adam would spend the day training the other gladiators in the courtyard, and they'd have time to get back to the dormitory before he realized they were missing.

Cherri bit her lip. "Vaggie, I understand we're talking about your sister, and I understand you want to get back at the person who almost got her killed. But this is really dangerous"

"I know that" Vaggie replied. "I want to do it anyway"

"You don't even know that Charlie guy" Cherri said. "How can you be sure he'll actually hand over the evidence to the Emperor? You don't even know who he really is"

Vaggie gave a small smile, which she quickly hid. "I know enough to trust... him" she replied. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course" Cherri replied.

"Then let me do this" Vaggie said. "And don't be afraid for me"

Cherri was silent for a moment, then nodded. Even though she wasn't at all convinced, she still wanted to believe that Vaggie knew what she was doing. Or at least that she was capable of not getting killed.

As they continued, Vaggie found herself thinking that Rome was decidedly different during the day. She'd never really been able to enjoy it, since when she'd been outside the Ludus during the day, she'd either been at the slave market (and she didn't have particularly fond memories of it) or on missions for Adam. When it came to leisurely strolls, she'd only enjoyed the city late at night or at night. And she had to admit that if Rome was beautiful at night, it was even more so during the day. "You're definitely full of merchants" she commented, since she couldn't walk a single street without running into at least a dozen stalls.

"Center of the world, have you forgotten?" Cherri teased. "It has its advantages when it comes to trade"

"Surely anyone here who knows how to deal with merchants will make a fortune" Vaggie said. "Speaking of merchants, how was Angel today? You know, since he has to watch over his old boss..."

Cherri sighed. "I don't like it" she admitted. "But Pen promised me he'd keep him out of trouble. I know that the two of them together don't make a full brain, but they're reliable... when they put their minds to it"

Vaggie bit her lip. "I wish he hadn't gotten involved" she said, feeling quite guilty.

"Me too. But that's just how Angel is" Cherri told her. "He's a total idiot... but when it comes to helping his friends, he'd be willing to give up his life for us"

Vaggie nodded, smiling slightly. Yes, that was Angel. He was stupid, opportunistic, arrogant, incapable of understanding the situation, and very dishonest in his game, but he was a kindhearted person. If it came to helping a friend, he'd even be willing to challenge a god.

Eventually, the two of them reached the designated spot. There, they found a cart already prepared, covered with a very heavy, dark tarp that hid what was inside. The cart was harnessed to a young donkey, and its owner, a silver-haired girl, was kindly feeding him carrots. "Um... hello" Vaggie greeted her.

"Oh, it's you. Good" the girl said to them. "Charlie sent me. You can call me Emily"

Oh, so she was their courier. "Nice to meet you" Vaggie greeted her. "So I just have to hide in here?"

"Yes. I'll take you in" Emily replied. "Vox has already left for the Senate, and his daughter will be going to the princess soon. As for Valentino..."

"We already know he's at the docks; Angel knows his movements" Cherri interrupted. "Are we sure we can trust you, girl? You don't seem very suited to being a spy"

"I'm a merchant, I know how to stall for time by negotiating prices and displaying my goods" Emily replied. "And since Valentino himself wants this stuff, I don't have to worry about the servants throwing me out before I decide the deal is done"

Just as Charlie had predicted, Valentino had been immediately ecstatic when she offered him the northern hallucinogenic mushrooms. The wealthy merchant hadn't even considered how the blond-bearded, effeminate-faced boy had acquired them, and had demanded a shipment. Charlie had then promised to send one of her aides to his house with the goods to discuss the price. So now, not only did Emily have the doors to the Second Consul's villa open, but the servants wouldn't dare refuse the deal, so she could negotiate as much as she wanted and buy Vaggie as much time as she needed. Of course, if Valentino, Vox, or Velvette had been present, it would have been more problematic... but with them away, Emily had nothing to fear.

Vaggie climbed onto the wagon and hid under the tarp. It was quite hot there, but she had endured worse while training in the courtyard under the scorching sun. "Let's not waste time. Let's go"

"I'll be outside the gate. If anything goes wrong, I'll climb over and come get you" Cherri told her, then glared at Emily: "Try leaving the house without her, and I'll rip your head off"

Any other person would have been irritated or at least offended, but Emily didn't even lose her smile. "I don't abandon anyone" she simply said. "Don't worry, I'll bring your friend back to you"

Cherri was a little surprised by such understanding reaction. "Uh... well, keep your word" she said briskly, not knowing how to react.

Emily nodded, and then very gently took the donkey by the bridle and began leading him down the street; Cherri, on the other hand, climbed onto the rooftops and followed them from above. Even though they hadn't arrived yet, Vaggie remained perfectly still, giving no sign that she was there. It didn't take Emily long to reach the Second Consul's villa, which, though a bit outside the city, wasn't far from it. Once there, she knocked loudly and waited for them to let her in.

Papermint, who, as usual, was in charge of the house in his master's absence, opened the door. "What do you want?" he greeted her.

"I've come to discuss an order from Mr. Valentino" Emily said cordially. "I've been ordered to deliver here"

Papermint nodded. "I've been informed. Please come in"

Emily entered, wheeling the cart into the courtyard. Vaggie leaned slightly from the wagon, and in that brief moment she immediately identified the positions of the various guards and, more importantly, the darkest spots due to the sun's position, where it was easiest to hide. She waited for Emily to stop the wagon, and then, as she began to speak to Papermint, she jumped out. That single second, while the servants and guards were focused on the cart's owner, was all Vaggie needed to reach a slightly hidden spot among the bushes lining the wall. From there, it wasn't difficult to reach the house's entrance, and after distracting the guards by throwing a stone, she ran to the door and entered immediately. Fortunately, the doors of the homes of the wealthy (or even just well-off) people weren't locked during the day, as slaves, servants, and guards had to pass through frequently; she knew this because it was the same at the Ludus Magnus. The bronze doors slammed shut behind her without a sound, and the faint shadow cast by the early morning light barely filtering into the atrium (¹) was enough to obscure any trace of her presence.

Now came the really difficult part.

Vaggie knew she would be hard-pressed to find a diary written by the Second Consul himself, containing names, debts, secrets, and a confession to a crime committed by his daughter, in plain sight. What she needed to find was as much evidence as possible that could connect Velvette to the raging bull, or even to the sugar that had killed Loan. It was virtually impossible for her to find a signed confession, but even proof that Velvette knew how to drive a bull mad would be enough: if such evidence were in Charlie's possession, her father, the Emperor, would surely know how to exploit it.

Vaggie took a deep breath, counting her heartbeats, and then took two steps forward. Her foot brushed the mosaics covering the atrium floor: blue and black sea waves with a dolphin chasing a smaller fish. The tiny marble and limestone tiles risked creaking if she wasn't careful. Vaggie knew that inside that house, every step was a risk: even the slightest noise could attract the attention of a guard, a slave at work, or anyone else present.

Fortunately, in the center of the atrium was an impluvium (²) were the water was falling, something that perfectly masked any noise she made. Above the impluvium, the ceiling was open, allowing the water to reflect what little sunlight there was at that hour of the morning. In front of it was also a sundial (³), positioned at the precise spot where the most sunlight entered at any time of day, and which therefore could provide the exact time at all times, except, of course, when night fell.

Vaggie passed by the lararium (⁴), the small domestic sanctuary, where two statuettes of Lares (⁵) were illuminated by a still-burning lamp, and incense fumes hung in the air like veils. Those months in Rome had taught her that the wealthy would leave lights burning all night in front of those statues, and apparently the lamp had been filled with enough oil to keep it burning until that moment. Vaggie was surprised by how much oil had been wasted on that.

In fact, every object in that house seemed to speak of a life of wealth: the mask of an ancestor on the wall, the painted amphorae, the small bronze caduceus hanging from a hook near the exit. Everything spoke of the rank and wealth of the master of the house. Everything proclaimed that this was no place for someone from the mud. While Zestial's house had been rich but still more modest, everything here seemed to emphasize the difference between the second consul and all the other plebeians.

Vaggie found it a bit tasteless. But then, she couldn't expect anything else from a man like Vox.

She headed toward the harem, the territory of the only woman in the house. Every step was a tightrope: she knew well that at any moment a slave could notice her, a guard could hear her, or even a dog could detect a new scent. She had to move as quickly as possible, and as quietly as possible. She hoped the gods were on her side that day.

Arriving in front of the gynaeceum, she paused. The threshold was decorated with Corinthian columns, and the mosaic floor depicted the goddess Venus and her lover Mars (⁶). An image that would not normally have been found at the door of a women's room. The mosaic almost seemed to warn those who dared to enter that doorway that love and war were always intertwined.

Vaggie remained hidden behind a pillar, watching the slaves come and go. Once she had counted exactly how often they occupied the gynaeceum, she entered. She had only a few minutes before the slaves returned, and she had to make the most of them.

As expected in such a lavish villa, the gynaeceum consisted of a series of rooms: bedrooms, rooms with weaving looms, and other areas for domestic activities and female retreat. The wealth was evident here, too: objects of gold, silver, and ivory, and others studded with precious gems or even carved from them, filled every corner of the room. Even the mirrors, or the frames, or the chair supports, were precious.

Vaggie was a little tempted to take at least a pin. However, she quickly gave up. Even though everything in that place would have brought her a lot of money, she wasn't a thief; and besides, even if she resold it, it was hard to ignore that she had stolen it from someone important. She risked getting into trouble that way.

She searched as quickly as she could, and finally came to what appeared to be a small study for the lady of the house. There, the smell of parchment and beeswax hit her like a wall; there were carved shelves full of scrolls, wooden tablets with bronze clasps, a cabinet with family seals. A lamp still smoked, half-extinguished, on a small table. The smoke rose slowly, drawing gray spirals in the air that slowly dissolved.

Vaggie quickly opened all the drawers. Inside were papyrus scrolls, neatly arranged, separated, and marked with ivory tags with engraved names: Medicina, Plantae, Animalia, Herbae. Vaggie quickly began reading them, discovering that they were treatises on medicine and herbalism, accurately describing all the medical knowledge of the Romans.

This proved, at the very least, that Velvette certainly had the tools to know how to drive a bull mad. But she needed something more: she needed a book that accurately explained how to do it, and a way to trace that book back to Velvette. Only then could she truly be incriminated.

Vaggie searched further, flattening her ears against the furniture and banging her fist against it to feel for false bottoms, but found none. Realizing she wouldn't have much luck there, she headed to an adjacent room. There, she was surprised to find numerous stills, flasks, and glass containers. It was finely crafted glass, proving it must have cost a lot. Packages containing herbs, potions, and poisons filled the shelves.

This one held more promise.

Vaggie searched carefully, looking for any hidden compartments. And finally, she found one: hidden under a drawer was a cedar box, tied with a waxed cord. The knot was undoubtedly an administrator's, used to seal private documents. She untied it gently, without breaking it.

Inside, a bundle of papyrus scrolls, tied together with linen thread. On each scroll, a description of an experiment performed with herbs and other substances, along with an explanation of their effects. On the back of the box, a hand-engraved name: Velvette Squalus Fulgura. (⁷)

Vaggie beamed.

This was what she was looking for!

A shiver ran down her spine. This was an extremely difficult task. If that box were in the Emperor's hands and he read its contents, Velvette's fate would be extremely precarious. It wasn't proof she had committed a crime... but it was proof she knew exactly how to do it.

Without waiting any longer, she moved toward the exit, clutching the box to her chest. Every fiber of her body screamed to run, but her mind commanded her to stop. Moving quickly meant failure. She crossed the atrium again. The water in the impluvium seemed to move with her breathing.

She approached the window and looked out. Emily was still there, in the same spot where she had left her, still engaged in animated conversation with Papermint. The guards were still there, too.

Vaggie stood still, waiting. And then, at the first opportunity, in the one brief moment the guards were distracted, she stepped out and ran back into the cart, which had now been emptied since the goods were on sale. As she did so, she tapped lightly on an amphora, quietly enough for Papermint not to hear but loud enough for Emily, who was closer, to notice.

That was enough. Realizing that Vaggie had returned, Emily stopped playing hard to get and closed the deal. Deep down, she, too, wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. Papermint was happy to finish the deal, and after a final brief exchange, paid her and escorted her back to the gate. There, he bid her courteous farewell and let her go.

Emily left faster than she had arrived: even though it was unlikely, she didn't want to risk being there if one of the hosts suddenly returned. She returned to town and looked for a fairly hidden alley. Only there did she finally stop, but still gave Vaggie no sign to get out. That is, until Cherri jumped off a roof and said: "It's okay, no one followed you"

Finally, Vaggie emerged from under the tarp, taking a deep breath. Not just because of the heat, but also because of all the tension she'd been feeling up until that moment. "I found it" she said, showing the box.

"Is the proof we were looking for in there?" Cherri asked.

"It's not absolute proof, but I hope it's enough to at least do some damage to that criminal family" Vaggie replied. "I'll give it to Charlie tonight..."

"I'll bring it to... him" Emily offered. "I know how to contact... him.. even without a scheduled appointment. You guys should come over tonight anyway; Charlie will definitely want to thank you"

Vaggie nodded and handed her the box. "Thanks for all your help" she said.

"You're welcome. You did most of the work" Emily replied. "I hope to see you again someday... possibly under less dangerous circumstances"

"So do we. Good luck!" Vaggie and Cherri said goodbye, then left. Now they just had to pick up Angel and Pentious, then get back to the Ludus and sneak into the dorm before Adam came to check on them.

After finishing their hair and makeup, Charlie and Velvette began embroidering, as ladies usually did when they met. They sat at two looms, facing each other, and began weaving threads. The slaves had brought them threads of every color, or even different shades of the same, so they could indulge in whatever they wanted. As they worked, they grew quieter, but both still looked up from time to time to look at the other.

Velvette had to admit she was surprised by Charlie. She had expected her to immediately begin the interrogation, thus making herself vulnerable and revealing some weakness. Instead, Charlie had been patient, and continued the conversation as if they were just two casual friends. In fact, when Velvette had attempted to ask a few overly invasive questions, Charlie had remained defensive and not let herself be caught off guard.

They couldn't ignore the subject forever, however. Finally, Velvette spoke up: "I assume you've called me because you want to talk about what happened at the Ludus Magnus"

Charlie smirked. "They say a good servant is one who can interpret their master's wishes well" she said. "Are you trying to ingratiate yourself by anticipating my requests?"

"Well, you're my princess. I'd be foolish not to want to interpret your wishes" Velvette replied.

The tension in the room suddenly seemed to intensify, so much so that even the slaves looked at each other a little hesitantly. "Yes, I admit I want to talk about what happened at the Ludus Magnus" Charlie said as she continued embroidering. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing your father or anything like that. I'm just curious to know what you think. After all, you're known throughout Rome for your intelligence"

"Hmm. The request is deliberately broad, and she's not looking up at me" Velvette thought. "Damn, the girl's grown up..."

They used to say that the eyes were the windows to the soul, and it was absolutely true: from the movement and light within them, it was possible to understand what a person was thinking. Of course, it was impossible to truly read her mind, but things like understanding her mood or whether she was lying or not were possible. Velvette knew this, and in fact she could always recognize when one of her slaves dared to lie to her, so much so that she had earned a reputation among them for being able to steal your memory just by looking into your eyes. But since they'd started that conversation, Charlie hadn't met her gaze even once.

The princess was truly learning...

"Well, it's complicated for me to answer since I wasn't there" Velvette said, remaining deliberately vague. "I admit that the sudden death of a potential witness is suspicious. However, from what I've been told, the prisoner had suffered serious injuries from torture. It's possible for a person to die in that condition"

"I was there" Charlie told her. "Zestial was careful, and Adam didn't hit him too hard. I don't think he should have died"

"Are you trying to insinuate that my father might have killed that man?" Velvette asked in a friendly but firm tone.

"I'm not insinuating anything" Charlie replied. "But please, forget for a moment that your father was there. How would you judge the situation without him?"

"Don't answer directly, but steer the conversation in a seemingly more innocuous direction. Hmm, the little princess really is less stupid than I remembered" Velvette thought. "Well, if I were to assess the situation from an outside perspective, I'd also think it was a murder. However, there are two important details that don't add up"

"Two?" Charlie repeated.

"Yes. The first is the method" Velvette explained. "From what I understand, the prisoner died because his blood vessels ruptured, exposing his wounds. Now, it is indeed possible to induce such a reaction with garlic or willow bark, or other substances like tarragon (⁸). Alternatively, you can use theriac, a multi-ailment drug that contains numerous ingredients and requires special preparation (⁹). However, all of these things leave marks on the person. You can't hide the smell of garlic or the warming of the muscles caused by tarragon. It would be obvious if it were a murder caused by these substances..."

"I've heard that sugar can also cause similar reactions" Charlie interrupted her.

Velvette's eyes widened. "Sugar?" she repeated with a lump in her throat.

"Exactly. That's easier to hide, right?" Charlie asked innocently.

Velvette gritted her teeth. "How does she know that!? Did she perhaps contact some expert herbalist? No... there are no herbalists in Rome with such knowledge. So, has she researched Eastern peoples like me? Or does she have some other source?" she thought frantically. "Well, I don't know these properties of sugar. I don't know how truthful it is, but I'll look into it"

To deny it outright would have been to admit that she was certain of her words, and therefore that she had experimented with sugar. It was no different than saying that she knew about the vasodilatory properties of that stuff. The best option, therefore, was to feign ignorance and remain vague. "I see. What's the second reason?" Charlie asked.

"The motive" Velvette replied. "At that moment, in the Ludus Magnus, there were only those who had a vested interest in getting the prisoner to talk, and therefore in keeping him alive. The only one who could have been bothered was my father, because the prisoner's confessions were opening investigations into some senators affiliated with him. However, killing the prisoner in front of so many witnesses would have been like tacitly admitting his guilt and therefore damaging his reputation. My father would never have risked such a thing at a delicate moment like this. Rather, even assuming he was involved with these corrupt senators (and I'm not saying he was), he would have distanced himself from them and cooperated with the investigations to demonstrate his non-compliance with such people. That would have been his move, the move of any politician in that situation"

"Yes, that would have been his move if that had been his only interest. But Vox wasn't just protecting a few corrupt senators, he was protecting you. A little tarnished reputation and some suspicion for the safety of his daughter must be an acceptable price, I assume” Charlie thought. Velvette’s arguments were logical, and she had expected that. After all, if it were possible to find an incriminating factor for Vox using logic, her mother would have found it that very day at the Ludus Magnus.

Just then, Velvette cut the last thread. “I’m done” she said. “What do you think?”

Charlie had to admit that Velvette could embroider really well… well, actually, she seemed to be able to do almost everything really well. The canvas she had embroidered represented Hercules at the crossroads (¹⁰): the hero was in the center, his gaze fixed on the crossroads where two women showed him the way, with an easier path representing Vice and a more complex and impeded one representing Virtue. However, Charlie noticed a detail: “Shouldn’t Virtue be on the right (¹¹)?”

Velvette shrugged. “Oh, I didn’t notice… I embroidered them backwards” she commented with mock regret. "Well, it's so easy to reverse them. It's rare that we immediately understand which virtue truly is, don't you think?"

Charlie narrowed her eyes slightly. "I don't think so" she said. "Simply sometimes people refuse to see it. Or prefer to pretend that one is the other"

Velvette smiled rather slyly. "I admire your devotion" she said. "But please understand. We are not like the heroes in stories. We are not always protected by the gods. For people born outside this circle, virtue sometimes isn't enough. The pursuit of glory requires something more"

"What glory?" Charlie asked, a little challengingly.

"Power, wealth, honors. How can an emperor or a general obtain all this if not through blood, deceit, and sometimes even murder?" Velvette asked, her voice growing increasingly aggressive even as she continued to smile.

"Well, maybe we should pursue another kind of glory" Charlie retorted.

"Another kind of glory?" Velvette repeated. "And what other glory could there be?"

"The glory of doing the right thing" Charlie replied. "The glory of building the future not through deceit, treachery, or the suffering of others. It's the hardest road, just like Hercules's... but it's a greater glory"

Velvette's eyes sparkled slightly. "A greater glory, huh?" she said, her smile widening. "Forgive me if I'm indiscreet, but... would you mind showing me what you've embroidered, even if you're not finished yet?"

Charlie stiffened a little at her request and remained silent for a second, but then moved aside to make room for her. "Of course. Please, take a look"

The canvas she had embroidered was a landscape: incidentally, it depicted Rome, and specifically the Capitoline Hill. The city was depicted with remarkable precision, and the details were meticulously crafted. The sky was an evening one, with only a few stars and the moon barely visible. "Really beautiful" Velvette commented, looking at him. "You have extraordinary talent"

"You flatter me. You embroidered better than me" Charlie said with false courtesy.

"Don't belittle yourself. I've never seen such detailed scenery" Velvette told her. "It almost seems like you've been to this part of the city before"

Charlie sweated a little, but didn't show it. "I was there once, while passing by in the carriage. I looked out the window and fell in love with the scenery"

"You must have a really good memory to embroider a place so beautifully after seeing it only once" Velvette said.

"I always remember the things that really impress me" Charlie replied. "Only those, unfortunately"

"Hmm. I have a photographic memory for almost everything, but I have trouble deciding what's best to remember and what not. You seem to be luckier" Velvette told her. "Anyway, like I said, it's beautiful embroidery. If it's not too intrusive, may I ask if you could show me some of your other canvas? I'm really curious, you have incredible talent"

"Thank you, but when I embroider at my house, I usually do it with my grandmother" Charlie replied. "She keeps all the canvas in her rooms. I don't want to bother her, you know... she's in poor health"

It wasn't exactly true, but it was at least a plausible lie considering Sera's age. "Oh, I understand. Don't worry, I would never ask you to bother the Emperor's mother" Velvette said. "Can you at least tell me what you usually embroider?"

"Almost always landscapes" Charlie replied.

"Landscapes, huh?" Velvette said in a strangely inquisitive voice. "Why landscapes? It's unusual; usually, mythical scenes are embroidered"

"I like embroidering reality" Charlie said.

"Oh?" Velvette exclaimed in a slightly hoarse tone. "What are you talking about? Gods are real... right?"

Charlie sweated slightly. "I meant I like embroidering what I see" she said, hoping she sounded believable.

Velvette smiled a little complacently, and for a moment seemed to be trying to delve into Charlie's soul with her gaze... but then she burst out laughing: "Of course, of course! How could I not have figured that out myself... damn, I must be really tired. Forgive me, I was inappropriate"

"Don't worry, you don't need to apologize" Charlie said, hoping to end the conversation quickly. "We've been working for a while, it's natural that you're tired"

That was true: through the windows, it was easy to see that it was now only an hour before dusk. Charlie and Velvette had been embroidering all afternoon, and that was no small effort, especially on the mind. The princess was also starting to feel truly tired. If it weren't for the fact that she wanted to stall for as much time as possible, she would have already asked her guest if she wanted to leave.

Fortunately, just then Keekee returned, bowing her head slightly: "Your Majesty, the Senate meeting is over. Your father and mother will be returning shortly, and they want you ready to dine with them"

This wasn't true at all: that was just the coded message. Keekee had received word from Emily that the mission had been successful, and that she could finally let Velvette go. Charlie wanted to cheer, but she remained stoic: "I understand. Sorry, Velvette, but I have to ask you to return to your home"

"Oh, don't apologize. I also have to go back to welcome my father. That's the behavior of good daughters, right?" Velvette replied. "I still enjoyed my time with you very much. Let it be known that the Princess of the Empire knows how to express her hospitality very well"

Charlie was pleased, and like a good hostess, accompanied her to the gate. Velvette climbed into her carriage, but before giving the order to depart, she asked: "Excuse me, one last question: since I haven't been able to see your finished canvas, may I ask what you planned to embroider on the base?"

"A road" Charlie replied.

"Really? I think a harbor with a sea would look better" Velvette said. "Don't you think embroidering the sea, with lots of fish jumping out of the water, would be really beautiful?"

Charlie bit her lip. "Well... I like embroidering the sea" she admitted. "But I don't embroider it on every canvas"

"Yeah, yeah. Well, have a good evening" Velvette said goodbye, and then the carriage departed, driving away down the road.

Charlie stood still, watching her until she reached the bottom of the hill, and then turned to Keekee: "Did it go well, then?"

Her faithful slave took a small box from under her dress: "Emily sent you this. I really think your father will find it interesting"

Charlie lit up. She didn't even know what it was yet, but she was already cheering. "YES!" she exclaimed, happier than ever.

Meanwhile, in the carriage, Velvette pulled a piece of embroidered cloth from her sleeve. "How stupid. Did she really think I hadn't noticed she'd just cut it?" she commented, looking at it. The piece of fabric belonged to the base of the canvas, and it clearly showed that it would show a port and then the sea. And in particular, it showed a fish in the water, which was clearly what had prevented Charlie from finishing in time, since the details were so sublime it seemed alive, and which she had cut away as soon as Velvette started asking overly invasive questions. "That girl is really good at embroidering fish..."

Chapter Text

Vox had returned home after a very long day in the Senate; it had been quite exhausting, even for him. When he returned to his villa, all he wanted was to have some good food prepared and drink a lot of good wine, and then go and have fun with Valentine in bed. Perhaps he wouldn't even mind using some of the narcotics his boyfriend was stockpiling in the house's storage room.

However, all these plans were immediately put on hold when Papermint came to him and said: "Master, you must come to the gate..."

"Are you kidding me?" Vox muttered. "It's almost night. If there really is someone coming to visit me at this hour, they can't complain if I slam the door in their face..."

"It's the emperor, master" Papermint revealed.

Vox froze instantly. "The emperor?" he repeated in a rather tense voice.

The emperor at his villa, uninvited, and late at night to boot? It was definitely not a pleasure visit. And considering he was talking about someone he wasn't on the best of terms with, even though they maintained a certain cordiality in public, that could only mean one thing: trouble was brewing. Whether Lucifer was there to ask a favor or to challenge him, either way, the situation was worrying. "Send him in" he ordered Papermint. "Tell him to come to my study. We'll talk there"

His trusted slave nodded and quickly hurried away. Vox remained seated in his chair, waiting. Various scenarios, plans, and strategies were forming in his mind, calculating the various possibilities to uncover the reason for this unexpected visit.

Lucifer arrived in his study shortly thereafter. "Ave Vox" he greeted him. "Forgive me for coming to meet you so late, it was a last-minute decision (¹)"

"No problem. You know my house is always open to you" Vox replied, then nodded to Papermint. His slave nodded and quickly left the room, closing the doors.

Lucifer made a small, amused noise. "You send your slave away, and you haven't prepared a good reception (²)" he commented. "Your hospitality is lacking"

"My hospitality is always impeccable" Vox replied. "And precisely for this reason, I carefully consider my guest's needs before welcoming him. Forgive me if I'm arrogant, but I believe that if you showed up here so late, you don't want the content of this conversation to become public. Am I wrong?"

Lucifer smirked. "No, you're absolutely right" he said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. "Don't get me wrong, it doesn't matter to me if what we say gets out there, but... I think you'd prefer secrecy"

Vox narrowed his eyes. "I'm listening. What's the reason for your visit?"

Lucifer hesitated for only a moment, and then pulled a small box from under his robe. "I only came here to return this" he said, showing it to her.

Vox was at a loss for a moment, but then his eyes widened. Like a jet of icy water, the memory of that small cedar box he'd given to Velvette years before hit him. He knew his daughter hid her worst experiments inside.

"From the look on your face, I assume you recognized it" Lucifer said with satisfaction, opening the box and revealing the notes inside. "Your daughter dropped it at my house while talking to my daughter. I rushed here to return it to you as soon as I found it"

Vox knew that Velvette would never have taken those notes out of the house, much less to their enemies' villa. Which clearly showed that it was just an excuse. The truth was that someone had broken into his house... but when had it happened? He understood immediately: of course, it had been that very day! It had all been a plan by the emperor, that's why the princess had invited Velvette to her house... perhaps even that long meeting in the Senate had been part of the deception, to keep him away from home!

How could he have let himself be fooled like that!?

Lucifer took out the notes and waved them lightly. "I must humbly apologize, but... I couldn't resist to take a look at them" he said in a falsely regretful voice. "And I must say, Vox, the rumors about your daughter's intelligence are not empty words. She's truly an expert in every field... especially herbalism"

"You have done WHAT!?"

Lucifer was a man who thought he'd seen everything in his life, who believed that nothing could surprise him anymore. If he'd walked into the Palatine and found Jupiter himself sitting on the throne, he probably wouldn't have been shocked. But he certainly didn't expect his daughter to ask him to speak privately that evening and confess something like this.

Charlie lowered her head. "Sorry, Dad", she said, then handed him the box: "This is the evidence you need against Velvette. Use it to corner Vox"

Lucifer took it with slightly unsteady hands. "Charlie... I appreciate you wanting to help me" he said. "But it was a terrible risk..."

"I know, Dad. But I couldn't just sit there and do nothing" Charlie replied. "I'll accept any punishment you want. But if I'm to inherit this empire, you can't ask me to stand by while evildoers rule it"

Lucifer remained silent. And then he looked at Razzle and Dazzle, the only two other people present: "Tell the slaves to have my carriage prepared"

The two guards looked at him in confusion: "Now, Emperor?"

"Yes. I don't care if it's almost night, have it prepared immediately" Lucifer ordered them. The Persian twins nodded, and then immediately ran to carry out the order.

Lucifer looked at his daughter. Charlie said nothing: this time she didn't try to make puppy eyes. She knew that, regardless of her motives, she had still gone behind her parents' backs and it was right that she should suffer the consequences.

Lucifer leaned against the wall and tapped his fingers lightly on the plaster. "Were you aware of what you were doing?" he asked her. "Did you know you were putting people in danger, and that you yourself could get into trouble?"

"The person I sent to Vox's mansion wouldn't have talked" Charlie replied. She hadn't told her father the names of those who had helped her, or how she'd recruited them, and he hadn't asked. Which was a good thing. "And yes, I knew the risks I was taking and the risks I was putting others in. But I still decided to act. I couldn't just wait"

Lucifer sighed. "You're just like me when I was young" he couldn't help but comment.

"And is that... a good thing?" Charlie asked, unsure how to interpret that.

"Yes and no" Lucifer replied. "When you're young, you tend to be impulsive, a factor that disappears with experience. However, it's also the time when you act the most, without wasting time with discussions. You could say there are advantages and disadvantages"

Charlie took that as a positive. "Are you angry?"

Lucifer shook his head. "No, I'm not. I couldn't be. In fact, I'm proud of you" he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "In times of need, you didn't hesitate to put yourself out there. I'm not saying you don't lack many tools... but you showed you have the heart of an empress"

Charlie blushed. Her father often complimented her, but it was rare for him to do so in such a mature way. When that happened, it meant they were genuine, heartfelt compliments. "Thanks, Dad" she said.

Lucifer smiled at her. "Charlie, you did well. But please, next time, tell me first. Don't put yourself in danger by being impulsive; always think with your head first" he said. "Or at least find someone who can bail you out if you get into trouble"

Charlie chuckled lightly. "Did you need to be bailed out when you were young?"

"Oh, many times. Luckily, I had someone to count on... just as he had me to count on" Lucifer told her. "Char... promise me you'll talk to me about it from now on if you take such initiatives, okay? I'm happy if you want to take care of the empire, it's your future, after all; but allow me to assist you as your father"

Charlie hesitated for a moment, and then looked at him seriously: "I promise I'll talk to you about it, Dad. But I also tell you that if I feel your answer isn't the right one, I will act to protect my people"

Lucifer didn't get angry at those words; on the contrary, his smile widened. "Those are the words of a leader" he told her proudly.

Charlie couldn't help but feel a little touched by that statement. Well, she was still human, and hearing her father speak of her like that piqued her pride. As soon as she saw Emily again, she would have to confess that sin of arrogance too.

Lucifer cracked his knuckles. "I'd better go visit Vox right now" he said, his voice growing happier.

"Good luck" Charlie said, then she sweated a little: "Um... you're not going to tell Mom, are you?"

"Absolutely not. Your mother is the most tolerant person in the world, but if she finds out you've been going behind our backs and taking such risks, I'd be surprised if she didn't start breathing fire" Lucifer told her. "Not a word, not to your mother or your grandmother. Those two would slap you... and then roast me alive because I didn't scold you properly"

"So you're afraid for yourself" Charlie said in a mock-disappointed tone.

Lucifer blushed. "Absolutely not! I have no reason to be afraid!"

"Yes, you are. You're afraid of Mom" Charlie replied, growing more and more mocking.

"Ridiculous! I, the Emperor of Rome, ruler of the most powerful nation in the known world, am afraid of my woman? Tsk! You're delusional" Lucifer said, growing more and more embarrassed.

"Of course, great emperor" Charlie said mockingly. "Be careful, I might confess to her about that time you almost lost me on the street when I was five"

"Don't do that!" Lucifer shrieked without even thinking.

Charlie laughed heartily. "See? You're afraid of Mom"

Lucifer let out a growl of anger; fortunately, at that moment, Razzle and Dazzle returned to tell him the carriage was ready, so he could at least leave while trying to hide his embarrassment. "Pray to the gods that they don't give you female children!" he snapped at the two guards, who were quite confused, all the while Charlie continued to laugh.

"You can imagine my surprise when I read these pages" Lucifer said as he leafed through the notes. "So much knowledge... you must be proud to have such an intelligent daughter"

Vox clenched his fists. He knew that wasn't a compliment. "I am" he replied anyway.

"Good" Lucifer said. "You know, these notes don't prove anything, except your daughter's genius... but they still raise suspicions. Don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing her of anything... but it seems clear to me from these pages that she had all the skills to drive a bull mad... or kill a man with sugar. There aren't many in Rome who can match such knowledge in this field"

Vox's gaze had become so cold that he seemed on the verge of taking a dagger and stabbing the emperor right there and then. "I assure you, these are just studies for academic interest" he said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sure of it" Lucifer replied in a feigned friendly tone. "That's why I came here to return these pages to you. I don't want any... unfounded rumors to be spread"

Vox knew it was an offer. He knew Lucifer held the upper hand: even if he had returned the notes as he claimed, he would surely have had copies made, at least the parts he was interested in. And even without them, the Emperor's word would carry more weight than any other: if Lucifer were to spread the word that he had seen Velvette's notes confirming her guilt, the only way Vox could exonerate her would be to show the original notes, effectively starting a scandal. "What do you want?" he asked dryly.

Lucifer clasped his hands. "Well, clearly we need to put things right so no one can accuse you of anything if these notes become public" he said with a broad smile. "Fortunately, this is the right time. As you well know, in a few days the Senate will be discussing the Parthian issue"

Vox didn't need any further explanation. "You want me to give up my legions" he said, chewing on his words as if they were iron.

"Don't call it giving up" Lucifer replied. "See it as an opportunity. After what happened at the Ludus Magnus, some senators are already doubting you; use this as an excuse to restore your image. You can say you want to provide legions to stop the Parthians to demonstrate your loyalty to Rome. Such a selfless gesture, done exclusively for the good of the empire, would erase any suspicions about you. Then, even if your daughter's notes were made public, you could safely say it was merely academic. No one would ever believe that a man virtuous enough to give up some of his power to protect the empire's borders from our enemies could use such knowledge to commit such crimes"

Vox felt the urge to jump down his throat. Everything Lucifer said was absolutely true: the Romans placed great importance on actions even before words (³). Granting his legions would have been seen as an act of absolute selflessness. Even if Velvette's notes were discovered, no one would have dared accuse him of anything: even those who didn't believe the excuse of academic interest wouldn't have dared open their mouths. To any accusation, anyone would have replied that even if they were true, Vox had already abundantly atoned for any guilt, and there was no point in hounding him. He could emerge from this with his reputation spotless, even better than before.

However, to do so would have meant giving up the legions under his control; even if he were only lending them, handing them over to someone else was tantamount to risking their choosing to remain under that person's command. And fewer legions meant less military power and, consequently, less political power. Those who control the armed forces have more power than others: that had always been the rule, and throwing away one's troops was therefore nothing less than madness.

Shit...

Seeing him so tense, Lucifer doubled down: "You should be happy. In a time of peace, to quell such rumors, you'd need to do much more, like resign your position or even go into voluntary exile. Instead, thanks to the Parthian invasion, you can get away with it while remaining in your Senate seat, only with your military power halved for a while. It's a good deal, Vox"

"You can stop talking, I know when my back is against the wall" Vox said with a grunt. "You've won. I'll hand over half my legions to Zestial. But don't come complaining to me when the unrest in Britannia becomes unmanageable due to a lack of soldiers"

"We'll deal with the Britons another day" Lucifer replied. "Today, let's focus on more pressing issues, like the Parthians"

Vox knew Lucifer wasn't referring to the Parthians at all, but to him. "Thank you for visiting" he said, rising from his chair. "But now, given the late hour, I must ask you to leave (⁴)"

"Yes, it is indeed very late. If I don't return soon, my wife might start to worry" Lucifer said with feigned cordiality, also rising. "Oh, don't look like that, Vox. The ways of the Parcae (⁵) often force us to choose and give up something; the gods are capricious after all. It happens to everyone"

"Wise words" Vox replied, then added in a low voice: "But don't forget that even emperors are subject to the whims of the gods"

Lucifer's smile faltered a little, but he didn't give in to the provocation. "I think you need a good night's sleep. I wish you a good night, Vox. Take comfort in knowing you made the right choice. A few legions aren't worth a daughter"

"Yes" Vox said in a voice like the rattle of a beast. "I'll remember that"

The two of them stared into each other's eyes for a brief moment, but it seemed a long time in their minds. And then, Lucifer calmly walked to the door and left the villa. As soon as he was alone again, Vox grabbed the first thing he found and threw it to the ground with a roar of pure rage.

Charlie had been tense until her father returned, anxiously waiting to find out what had happened. For a while, she'd feared that Vox would find a way out of this situation too. But fortunately, Lucifer had returned home with a smile plastered on his face, which meant, even if he didn't say it directly, that everything had gone well; he'd even winked at her as confirmation. Charlie had been over the moon... and she'd mentally thanked her father when, after her mother had asked him why he'd rushed out when it was almost night, he'd made up a plausible excuse. Charlie was brave enough to challenge Vox, not to face her mother's wrath, which would surely come as soon as she learned she'd done something so dangerous and potentially tarnished the imperial family's name. Even though everything had ended well, Charlie was sure that if she knew the truth, Lilith would really give her a proper punishment this time.

Of course, she couldn't keep all this triumph inside, so after everyone went to bed, with Keekee's help, she left the mansion again and ran full speed toward the city, nearly dropping her disguise several times. It took all her self-control not to start prancing like a deer. When she was in the throes of joy, she always felt the need to express it fully.

She went to the usual alley, hoping to find her new friends there so she could thank them. However, to her surprise, the usual five people weren't there, just a familiar silver-haired girl. "Hey" Vaggie greeted as soon as she saw her approach.

"Oh, hi" Charlie said. "I expected everyone to be here... how come you're the only one here?"

"Long story short, our magister was in the infirmary when we got back, and to keep him from asking questions, Angel and Husk started bickering to distract him... a distraction that turned into a truly endless argument" Vaggie replied. "As for Cherri and Pentious... they went off to... well, you can imagine"

"Oh... well, good for them" Charlie said. "So... it's just you and me?"

"Apparently" Vaggie replied, trying not to show her embarrassment.

The story she'd told was only partially true: yes, Husk and Angel had started bickering like idiots to distract Adam, which obviously ended with Angel really pissing Husk off, and yes, Pentious and Cherri had gone off to... do romantic things she wasn't sure she could explain in front of a princess. However, what Vaggie hadn't mentioned was that all four of them (well... all three, since Husk hadn't said anything about it, but hadn't objected either) had already decided beforehand that she should come alone, to "give her space" with Charlie. Vaggie had no trouble understanding what they had in mind, especially since Angel hadn't even tried to hide it: from their perspective, it was the perfect opportunity for a woman and a man to be alone... since they still didn't know Charlie was actually a woman, and they hadn't yet given up on the idea that she was interested in a romantic relationship with that boy they didn't know was the princess of the empire.

Well, at least now the two of them could talk freely, since they weren't risking revealing secrets. "So? How did it go?" Vaggie asked.

Charlie smiled at her. "Great. My father got what you stole" he replied. "Now Vox is in trouble"

Vaggie was satisfied. She would have preferred to know that the Emperor had executed Vox and the girl who nearly killed her sister, but she knew in her heart she hadn't found any solid evidence of a crime. Getting them into trouble was still a victory.

Charlie opened her cloak slightly and took out a small bag. "Here" she said. "It's only fair that I pay you for your help"

Vaggie was a little surprised. They had never talked about payments, so she'd assumed she wouldn't get any. "You don't have to give it to me" she said. "I don't want money..."

"Then give it to your friends. Do what you want with it" Charlie replied. "You helped me, I can't leave you empty-handed. I'm sure the two lovers will appreciate having something that will help them build a future. And even that slightly overly exuberant boy... Angel, right?"

"Yes. And you're right, I really think they will appreciate it" Vaggie said, taking the bag. She didn't know what to do with the money, but Cherri and Pentious were planning to build a life together... having some funds wouldn't hurt. "Where did you get it, by the way?"

"I've been saving some money my parents gave me over the years" Charlie replied. "I didn't steal it this time; it was their gift"

Vaggie blushed a little. "Are you sure you want to give it to me?"

"Why not? I haven't inherited anything yet (⁶), but still that money is not such a big deal for me" Charlie replied. "Living in a luxurious mansion and being the princess of the world's largest empire has its advantages"

Vaggie had to admit that Charlie was right; even if she didn't have any money entirely of her own, she could still get it by simply asking. A little less money wouldn't have made a difference to her. "Fine. I'll make sure it gets to Pen and Cherri" she said finally, slinging it over her waist. "Surely they'll appreciate it"

"And Angel and Husk?" Charlie asked.

"Husk would likely spend his share of it in wine in less a day. As for Angel... I'm honestly scared of what he'd do with this money" Vaggie replied. "But I'll give them their share, though, I promise"

Charlie was initially shocked, but then realized Vaggie was teasing her... well, more like making fun of the truth. "Seriously, tell everyone you have my absolute gratitude"

Vaggie smiled at her. "If they knew the emperor's daughter had expressed her gratitude to them, I bet they'd get a big head" she said jokingly.

Charlie burst out laughing at that. And for some reason, Vaggie immediately felt her heart skip a beat when she heard her laugh. How could someone laugh so beautifully? It was as if it made her very soul jingle.

As soon as Charlie stopped laughing, she became a little more serious: "So... it's really just the two of us tonight"

Vaggie blushed a little. "It seems so. But I don't want to take up your time, you can go whenever..."

"Hey, I already told you not to treat me formally" Charlie said, patting her on the shoulder. "I'm here now, right? Might as well spend some time together. Last time was nice. If that's okay with you, of course"

A princess asking permission to a slave... now Vaggie had seen it all. "That would be... nice" she replied with a smile.

Charlie smiled back, almost dazzling her. "Then come with me" she said, taking her hand and leading her away. "I'll show you around. Just let me know if my disguise comes off, okay? And also when it starts to get too late"

"Uh... okay" Vaggie replied. For some reason unknown to her, her hand's sense of touch seemed to have increased tenfold in the places Charlie was touching. And her heart was racing, too.

"FUCK!"

Vox grabbed yet another ornament and slammed it to the floor, shattering it violently. Valentino and Velvette were sitting on the loungers in front of him, intent on watching him. The rich merchant in particular was sweating a little: "That was a fine Egyptian vase...!"

"I don't fucking care!" Vox shouted. "I've never felt so humiliated! That damned emperor that isn't even as tall as my shoulder, if I'd listened to my instincts, I'd have killed him on the spot!"

He was about to break something else, but Valentino intervened to stop him: "Um! Maybe you should have a drink" he said, handing him a glass of wine.

Vox grabbed it and gulped it down, not even bothering to dilute it with water. "YOU!" he snarled, pointing at Velvette. "Stupid girl and your shitty ideas! This is all your fault!"

Velvette didn't bat an eyelid. "Yes" she said. "You're right. I was wrong"

The sudden admission of guilt caught Vox and Valentino off guard: they weren't used to hearing Velvette apologize. Vox was silent for a moment, then drank another glass of wine. "Tsk! It's all pointless now" he blurted.

"Maybe not" Velvette told him. "I have something that, compared to it, the notes the emperor brought you are nothing"

Vox raised an eyebrow. "Did you discover something while you were with the princess?"

Velvette nodded. "Did you know that the dear princess believes there's another kind of glory besides wealth, fame, and power?" she said. "She thinks there's glory in doing the right thing for others, in refusing to pursue those things if it means making someone else suffer"

"Huh?" Valentino muttered. "What kind of glory would that be? Everyone can see that it's ridiculous. A general can't achieve glory without shedding blood, a merchant can't achieve wealth without being cunning and deceiving someone, an emperor can't achieve fame and respect without displaying his authority and crushing his enemies. There's no kind of glory that's based on doing no harm; anyone who pursues it will never be remembered"

"Yes... but there are some people who believe that the glory that's worthwhile isn't that of this world" Velvette said, a small smile forming on her face. "Not only that. While we were weaving, she drew a landscape... and when I asked her why, she replied that she likes to embroider reality. And when I reminded her that the gods are real, she evaded the question"

Valentino and Vox looked at each other in confusion. This behavior was quite unusual for them, too. First she said it was better to pursue a kind of glory that didn't guarantee any real fame, and then she let it slip that she didn't think the gods were real? They couldn't figure out what was going through the princess's mind.

Velvette grunted. "You haven't figured it out yet, have you?" she commented impatiently, and pulled the fish embroidery from her sleeve. "She did this. And the style is profoundly different from the rest of the canvas; it's much more detailed. Which means that girl usually embroiders fish. Do you know what I mean?"

"Does the princess have some kind of fish fetish?" Valentino asked as he drank some wine, hoping it would ease the headache he was getting from the confusion.

Velvette rolled her eyes. "You two wouldn't go anywhere without me" she commented annoyed. "Guys, she's a Christian"

There was a moment of silence. And then, Valentino's epic laugh erupted. The rich merchant literally spat out the wine he was drinking, and for once, he didn't care that he'd stained his red tunic. "The princess of the empire... a Christian? Ha ha ha! Vel, that's really good! I could laugh all night! Ha ha ha!"

Velvette narrowed her eyes in irritation: "I'm serious!"

"Pff! Come on, Vel, stop joking!" Valentino replied continuing to laugh. "Can you imagine if the princess of Rome were actually a Christian? Her mommy and daddy would never let her! The princess who goes to those hidden masses and starts worshipping the cross on which their god died? "Hey, people, I'm the emperor's daughter, but trust me, we're all the same in the eyes of Christ!" Come on, this is too absurd!"

Even Vox, though he avoided laughing, found this ridiculous. He'd expected a big revelation, and instead Velvette had come up with an idea that was decidedly unrealistic. The princess a Christian? Impossible, the emperor would never, ever allow it. No patrician father would ever allow it. What father would have allowed his daughter to join that sect that went around saying that gods didn't exist and that all people were equal? ​​No one. As permissive as Lucifer was, he would never have allowed such a thing.

Velvette closed her eyes and took a deep breath to maintain her composure. "Valentino, you know Greek, right?"

"Obviously, I couldn't do business with the East otherwise" Valentino replied, still chuckling.

"Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" Velvette said. "Translate that into Greek"

"Easy. Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr" Valentino replied as he poured himself more wine.

"Good. Now just take the initials and put them together. What word does that make?" Velvette asked, crossing her arms.

Valentino laughed for a couple more seconds... and then stopped. The smile froze on his face, and then, very slowly, gave way to a very thoughtful and shocked expression. Silence returned to the room, an extremely heavy silence. Even Vox, who had already thought about the same thing, had become cold and still as stone. "Ichthys" Valentino finally answered (⁷).

Velvette waved the scrap of cloth with the fish. "A girl who believes there's glory in doing the right thing, who let it slip that she doesn't believe the gods are real, and who surrounds herself with fish all the time" she said. "Open up your eyes, people. That princess is a Christian"

Valentino and Vox looked at each other in shock. Of all the bizarre things, this was definitely the one they least expected. "Shit. This is some crazy news" Valentino muttered. "How can the emperor possibly be okay with this?"

Vox looked at Velvette, and from that exchange of glances, he understood everything. "Because he doesn't know" he said softly. "Hmm..."

Once the shock had passed, his mind was back to full speed. If the princess was indeed a Christian, then the scandal would be enormous. The opportunity was truly tantalizing. Vox smiled slightly as a plan took shape in his mind.

"Wow... I can almost imagine the scandal as soon as it comes out!" Valentino exclaimed, sneering. "The dishonor, the shame... I bet the emperor won't even be able to show his face in public anymore. We really have to tell everyone"

"Calm down. It's too early to be flaunting it" Velvette stopped him immediately. "We need proof"

Valentino was forced to come back down to earth. "Uh, you're right. Well, I'll unleash my best men tonight. I'll have them hunt down all the Christian communities and arrest them all, and then make them confess using my... methods"

"You don't need to search all of Rome. Go to the area halfway between the Capitoline Hill and the port of Ostia, west of the Flavian Amphitheater" Velvette told him, remembering the landscape Charlie had embroidered. "I'm pretty sure you'll find something there"

Valentino rubbed his hands together. "Leave it to me. Just tomorrow, all of Rome will know we have a Christian princess...!"

"No" Vox stopped him.

Both Valentino and Velvette looked at him in surprise. "No?" Valentino repeated. "Why? Think of the scandal..."

"What do I care about a petty scandal? I'm aiming for a bigger victory" Vox said. "We mustn't reveal it. We must make sure she reveals it"

Both Valentino and Velvette immediately recognized Vox's tone of voice: it was the tone she used when she was planning something extremely sinister. Her face was twisted into a wide smile, and her eyes seemed to glow with a red, evil light. "Why?" Valentino asked, who instead hadn't understand. "It seems overly complicated..."

"No, Val, he's right" Velvette said, beginning to understand. "If it came out that the princess is a Christian, it would be a huge scandal... but her parents would probably lock her in the house until she gets over this fantasy and spread the word that she's been adequately punished and that she's repentant. A huge scandal, yes, but nothing more in the long run"

"And if she reveals it, does that change anything?" Valentino asked.

"Of course. If she says this in front of an audience, she'll prove herself unrepentant and a repeat offender, as well as contemptuous of the gods. At that point the emperor will have to take a position" Velvette said, smiling wickedly herself. "Oh, this will be fun..."

Vox was already anticipating the chaos that was to come. Once the princess publicly confessed the truth, the emperor would have to decide whether to defend her or let the crowd punish her. It wasn't hard to see which would be the obvious choice. Vox would use this to rally support and accuse the imperial family of weakness, and that the young princess was the cause of the gods' wrath. Then all he needed was a small disaster, and everyone, including the army, would rally to his side. With such strength and such widespread support, he could march on the Palatine (⁸), overthrow the emperor and the few remaining supporters, and then proclaim himself the new ruler. The Roman Empire would be entirely his, and he would have complete control over it, having ascended the throne as a hero.

It was all so perfect...!

Of course, making this happen in real life wasn't so simple. Every step would be complex and fraught with obstacles. But he wasn't someone who would be displeased by such difficulties. "We have to ensure that the princess not only confesses publicly, but that she is a committed and, above all, unrepentant Christian" he said. "We must proceed with caution. Val, send your men to spy on the Christian communities, find the one the princess is visiting, and then report back to me"

"It will be done" Valentino assured him. "And then?"

Vox sneered. "I have a plan... a very terrible plan to put her faith under pressure" he said. "Oh, wait until her parents find out..."

Chapter Text

"At that time, Argos was by all accounts the most important city in the territory now called Greece. The Phoenicians arrived in Argos and offered their wares for sale. Four or five days after their arrival, with their goods almost exhausted, several women came ashore, among them the daughter of King Inachus: her name was Io, and the Greeks agree on this point. According to the Persian scholars, while the women lingered near the stern of the ship, buying the goods they most desired, the sailors encouraged one another and pounced on them. Many managed to escape, but not Io, who was captured along with others. Having re-boarded their ships, the Phoenicians sailed away, heading for Egypt..."

Lutes read the papyrus with some fluency. There were some words he struggled to understand, but they were few. Admittedly, Lutes read rather slowly, but his pace never changed, demonstrating a certain mastery of the language. Adam chuckled: "Damn, Ubera Sicarius, what kind of brain do you have? You can already read Greek quite well"

"Well, now you're just making me read Greek letters" Lute said, lowering the scroll. "The language is still Latin, even if the alphabet is different"

The scroll she was reading was a piece of work by a man named Herodotus (¹), who had written accounts of distant peoples. Adam had copied it for Lute, translating it into Latin but leaving the Greek alphabet. It was obviously still impossible for Lute to read it in the original language, but this way she could at least practice reading in an alphabet she wasn't familiar with.

"You're still learning much faster than I did" Adam told her.

"I have a good memory. From having you read me books in Greek, this alphabet is now familiar to me" Lute replied. "How long did you learn this language?"

"It took me two whole years to learn the full language" Adam replied. "And anyway, I often relied on an interpreter afterward, or on very simple words and phrases. It took me a long time to truly master the language"

"Well, I guess there's a difference between reading it and actively speaking it" Lute said in a slightly morose voice. She barely knew the Greek alphabet now, and that was already quite complicated, involving more letters and sounds than the Latin one.

"Tsk! Are you so impatient to no longer need me to read to you, Ubera Sicarius?" Adam asked teasingly.

Lute looked at him with her usual frown: "I don't like being dependent on you" she replied dryly.

Adam smiled with satisfaction. "Is it so terrible for you to accept that you need someone?"

Lute ignored him, knowing he was only purposely annoying her. "Actually, have you ever been to this city?"

"Argos? Once" Adam replied. "Today it's part of the Roman province of Achaea (²). I can't say it still lives up to its glorious past, but it's still a beautiful city. What I liked most was that it has a large bath complex. It was especially nice because it had a couple of mixed baths, and the Greek women are particularly beautiful to look at"

Lute blushed slightly at that last comment. She didn't know why, but the sexual innuendo was bothering her even more than usual. "Why were you in Argos?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"It was the year immediately after Emperor Yahweh rose to power. The city of Corinth had the unwise idea of ​​taking advantage of the moment to rebel" Adam explained. "Argos, instead, remained loyal, so we used it as a base to prepare for battle"

"Did you have a good chance?" Lute asked. She discovered she was as interested in that story as she was in the ones in the books.

"I had only one cohort. Three hundred and eighty legionaries and one hundred and twenty cavalry. Five hundred soldiers in total (³)" Adam replied. "Our enemies, on the other hand, numbered six thousand, with over a third of them on horseback"

Lutes's eyes widened slightly. "So they were more than ten times of your numbers" she said.

"Yes. But we Romans don't win wars by sheer numbers alone" Adam replied. "Corinth was planning to take Mycenae, to form a barrier against us. They already had Tiryns and Epidaurus on their side, so if they succeeded, they would have built a veritable wall and could have attacked us on multiple fronts"

"And how did you win?" Lute asked him.

"Easy: we played their game" Adam replied. "While they marched toward Mycenae, we went there first and took all the supplies they would otherwise have taken. And then, we left and headed for Tiryns. And so, when the Corinthian soldiers reached Mycenae, they found the city empty and without resources, while we had conquered defenseless Tiryns. By doing so, we frightened them, because we seemed ready to move toward Epidaurus and then from there toward Corinth. So the Corinthian army turned back, but by doing so, we brought them exactly where we wanted: a region characterized by valleys and hills, where a large army would certainly be severely tested"

"A favorable territory for you" Lutes said, understanding the rest of the story. "Did you position yourself on a hill?"

It was logical: by standing on a hill, the Roman army would have a great strategic advantage, since the enemy would have had to climb it. But Adam, on the contrary, smiled proudly: "Do you think we're so limited, Ubera Sicarius? We didn't station ourselves on a hill... we stationed ourselves on two hills divided by a valley"

Lute's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't considered that possibility. "That's... clever"

"Oh, indeed. One hundred and ninety legionaries and sixty cavalry per hill, arranged deliberately to form a human barrier. In the center, a deep valley whose shape made it impossible to escape once you fell into it" Adam explained. "When the Corinthian army arrived, their soldiers were tired from limited supplies and the rapid march, while we were fresh and ready for battle. The leader of the enemy army didn't want to attack us, knowing we had the tactical advantage, but I, along with my best men, rode against them, slaughtering some of them, then retreated, allowing them to pursue us. And so they fell into our trap"

Lute didn't want to appear admiring. She really didn't want to. But she couldn't hide the glint in her eyes. "How did it go?" she asked, unable to contain her curiosity.

"Their cavalry, as expected, attacked first, but due to the steep terrain and tired horses, they were easily knocked off. Once the first horsemen fell, they dragged down all the others. Most were killed by their comrades and the rolling horses, and all the rest fell into the ravine, wounded and bleeding" Adam explained. "By then, the Corinthian army had lost all its cavalry, and it was our turn. My one hundred and twenty horsemen and I rolled down the hills like a wave, crashing into the enemy army, which had not yet regrouped. We suffered a full two thousand casualties before our adversaries could stop us. Then we retreated again. The enemy had already lost four thousand men in total, while we only lost seventeen"

Lutes was aware of the extraordinary efficiency of the Roman army, but nevertheless, every time she heard such numbers, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. But after all, she had personally experienced the efficiency, training, and strategy of their troops. They were truly an army unlike any other in the world. "How did you defeat the remaining two thousand?"

"We began descending the hills, giving them the illusion that we intended to attack them directly. Our enemies advanced, but as they did so, they also began to climb the steep terrain. We were moving much slower than normal, and so we ended up meeting them halfway up the hill" Adam replied. "The enemy clashed with our shields, and the legionaries slaughtered them with spears and gladiuses. The enemy's front line rolled down, crushing the rest. Then the knights attacked again, pushing them further down and wreaking havoc. Almost the entire enemy army tumbled into the ravine and was finished off by the archers. What remained was quickly annihilated. We picked them off like wolves among sheep"

Lute clenched her fists slightly. "You truly are formidable warriors" she whispered.

It was the first time she'd admitted it. She'd always refused to say out loud that the Romans deserved any compliment. But she couldn't deny it: their military prowess was on a whole other level compared to what she knew.

Perhaps in Britannia, the defending forces of her hometown had been wiped out in a very similar way...

...

Lute felt a slight pang in her chest. She had no reason to have any enmity with Adam, since he hadn't taken part in the campaign in Britannia. However, with all the wars he'd fought, there had surely been someone who had hated him as much as she hated those who'd taken her home and her freedom. He was still a Roman soldier; in fact, he'd been the greatest warrior in the empire. Was it right that she felt so comfortable with him?

But then, why did she ask herself such questions? Wars were like that. The gods had created a world where humans had to fight to survive. You eat or you are eaten. Lute dreamed of returning to her home and freeing it from the Roman yoke, but she couldn't deny that subjugating and occupying was the nature of all peoples. After all, her tribe had often subjugated others, too.

Lute bit her lip. The memory of what Adam had said to her that night, when he'd first knocked her out, came back to her. Perhaps she was starting to see things from his perspective... perhaps she, too, was coming to accept that the Romans were like all other peoples, and that was why she was thinking such things. And strangely, she felt quite at peace with it.

Thinking about that conversation brought something to her mind: "Why do so few books talk about Germania?"

Adam was surprised by the question. "Well, it's a little-known land (⁴)" he replied.

Lute hesitated a moment. "Can you... tell me about it?" she murmured finally.

"Huh?" was Adam's reaction.

Lute bit the inside of her cheek. She knew her question was a very personal one. "I'd like you to tell me about it... since... you were born in that land"

Adam remained silent. It was rare for him not to respond directly. He usually always had something to say, and when he did, it was always for some reason that, at least by his standards, could be considered profound.

Lute turned her head away slightly. "Forget it. I shouldn't have asked..."

"Why do you care?" Adam asked her suddenly.

Lute was surprised by his tone. Adam didn't sound tense, or like someone about to relive sad or unpleasant memories. After all, after all these years, he had probably come to terms with his less pleasant past. No, it was as if he were hesitating for another reason, something Lute couldn't understand. "I just... want to know more about Germania" she replied. "And about you" a strange voice added in her head.

Adam closed his eyes. Lute expected this to be a flat refusal, but instead he said: "Germania is a land almost entirely covered in forests. The people who live there are diverse, some separated by so many trees and vegetation that they don't even know each other exists. Yet they all have one characteristic in common: they are taller than the men of the south"

Lute was quite surprised that Adam was mentioning this to her, even though he had seemed opposed to it a few moments earlier. "Oh... really?"

"Yes. We are a tall people. Our men are strong and muscular, and our women, when they get angry, scare even bears" Adam told her. Unlike the Romans, the Germans live in small communities, supporting themselves by hunting, herding, and rudimentary agriculture. Tribes often move in search of new, favorable lands, and if they don't find them, they opt for raids. Society is led by elected leaders and is based primarily on kinship ties. They have no private ownership of land and live in simple huts made of wood and earth, and dress in leather and wool tunics. Before contact with the Romans, they had no written laws, but that doesn't mean they are an ignorant people: each tribe and clan has different traditions, knowledge, and stories from the past, which are passed down orally"

Lute listened without interrupting. Only when he paused for a moment to catch his breath did she say: "It's similar in Britannia. We too live in a primarily rural and tribal society, based on agriculture and herding... although we also engage in extensive trade, especially in raw materials, for example tin"

Adam smiled slightly. "Well, according to ancient legends, Germania and Britannia were once one land"

Lute's eyes widened. "Do you have such myths too?" she asked surprised. "In the stories of the elders, many centuries ago, we Britons could reach the continent on foot..."

"According to our legends, what is now a sea was once a great land where our ancestors lived. But one day the gods submerged it" Adam said. "We're not the only ones talking about it, though. Herodotus also spoke of a people who lived in a great land to the north, called Hyperborea, which was then destroyed by the waters. And if I remember correctly, Plato also speaks of a certain Atlantis. So, if so many myths speak of it, it must be true (⁵)"

"It would certainly seem so" Lute admitted. "So... did our ancestors perhaps meet?"

"Probably. Perhaps the Germans and the Britons are brother peoples" Adam replied. "Or maybe not. Only the gods can know"

Lute found herself agreeing with him. If Britannia and Germania had once been one land, perhaps their two peoples had truly been one, then divided by the fury of the waters. After all, they had such similar customs and habits, and lived almost identically... perhaps they really did have a common origin.

"And you?" Adam asked her suddenly. "What about your land?"

"Huh?" Lute muttered, confused.

"I told you about Germania. Now you tell me about Britannia" Adam said. "Apart from copying us a little, what do you do?"

Lute immediately frowned. "We don't copy you" she said through gritted teeth. "At most, the opposite"

"You say so? In my opinion, if our peoples were truly united in the past, you are the ones who have taken after us" Adam said with a smirk.

Lute knew he was just saying this to tease her, but unfortunately for her, her pride didn't care and wanted to be unleashed at all costs. She managed to stop it by reminding herself that this way she would only be playing into his hands, and she didn't want to give him that satisfaction. "Well, Britannia is full of forests and swamps, and has few mountains" she said.

"I don't care about geography" Adam told her. "What about your people?"

"We're tough guys. Our social standing is determined solely by the sword" Lute explained. "At the top is the warrior class, and then a class of free workers, semi-free workers, and finally slaves. Our chieftains are all superb fighters"

"Hmm. I can easily believe that, considering how badass you are" Adam commented with a chuckle.

"That's natural talent" Lute replied with a devious smile. "Yes, I come from a long line of extraordinary warriors. All the men and women in my family have always expressed themselves solely with the strength of their blade. That's what made us so strong"

"Oh, I have no doubt about it. I understand why you wanted to hunt dragons at nine" Adam said.

Lute blushed slightly. She didn't want to admit it, but she felt proud to know he had been impressed by her. Sure, he'd taken advantage of the opportunity to show off, as he always did, but at least in private he'd recognized her courage.

It was then that she asked an even more personal question: "And your tribe? What was it like...?"

This time Adam hesitated a little longer. "It was... beautiful" he replied, his voice a little dreamily. "Not the largest tribe, not the smallest. Not the strongest, not the weakest. But we were one of the few truly sedentary ones, as we lived in an area very rich in resources. The sea provided us with fish, and the forest provided us with prey. Our position was favorable, so no other tribe had ever managed to plunder us". He let out a light sigh: "The sea... was the most beautiful part. We had a very high cliff from which we could admire it. That view... I can't explain it, it was beautiful. I've seen many seas in my life, I've traveled all over the Mediterranean, and I was even one of those crazy people who ventured a little into the Atlantic (⁶)... but even if it's just water, every sea is unique. They have different colors and scents, and different creatures that inhabit them. And I've yet to find a sea as beautiful as the one I admired from the cliffs of my homeland"

Lute smiled slightly. "I've only seen the sea a few times in my life... mostly when they transported me and Vaggie across the Mare Britannicum (⁷), so I don't have many fond memories of it" she murmured. "But I remember the first time I saw it, as a little girl, when I was only five. My father was escorting an important group of merchants, and he'd brought me along to show me. I remember... I remember being amazed. I'd never seen so much water all at once, reflecting the sunset light in a blaze of color. It was... beautiful"

"Yes. It's always beautiful" Adam murmured. "When I was young, I had an extremely simple routine: I'd go into the forest to train all day, and I'd kill any beast that dared to confront me..."

"So you hunted?" Lute asked.

But Adam shook his head. "No. I only killed the beasts that attacked me. In that wild world, that was the only rule I set for myself" he replied. "Of course, I was the one who went into their territory and harassed them. But if they ran away, I didn't chase them. I never used a bow and arrow to kill prey. I didn't shoot them from behind, only from the front"

Lute had no trouble believing it. For many hunters, that would have been crazy, but after she'd seen Adam fight a bull and nearly rip its throat out with his bare hands, all with a smile on his face, she could easily imagine him in that context. She could clearly see him, the young Adam, alone in the forest, facing only the wolves and wild boars that chose to attack him. It was exactly what she expected of him.

"Anyway, as I was telling you, I spent my days in the forest, and then I'd return home as soon as I noticed the sun starting to set, to go and watch it settle into the sea" Adam told her. "I never wanted to miss it. It didn't matter if I was fighting a wolf, if I noticed the sky starting to darken, I'd run towards the cliff, even with the wolf still chasing me"

"Did you really like it that much?" Lute couldn't help but ask. After all, she'd never seen Adam go to admire the sun setting over the Tyrrhenian Sea, even if it was as far as the port of Ostia. "Was the sea that beautiful where you are?"

"That sunset was the most beautiful thing I've ever known" Adam told her. His voice had become even lower, and his gaze grew duller: "That light, those colors, the whistle of the dolphins approaching the coast, and sometimes the whales... and that magnificent song that harmonized everything with..."

He stopped suddenly. Lute raised an eyebrow: "Song...?"

"Forget it" Adam said briskly. "It's nothing. Don't listen to me"

Lute was confused by this sudden defensive reaction. And she didn't miss the fact that Adam was touching his wrist, just as he had done when he'd smelled the opium on her months before. "Sir...?"

"That's enough for today" Adam said, getting up and heading for the door, not even bothering to grab his books. "It's nighttime now, and I have to go check that idiot Angel isn't doing any harm... or rather, punish him for the harm he's certainly done. Sleep, you're still recovering"

And with that, he left, closing the door behind him. Lute remained still, staring at the closed door, her eyes blank. And in that moment, she couldn't help but wonder what had happened to make him react that way.

Back in the hallway, Adam barely took a few steps before stopping. He didn't do it voluntarily, he just stopped. For some reason, he felt the need to breathe deeply and relax his tense muscles. He could feel the extremely sensitive nerves coursing like lightning through his veins.

He looked down at his right hand and instinctively touched his wrist again. He could feel the strong, hard muscles, tempered by a hundred battles, but now they were even tighter than usual. His fingers moved slightly, as if they were closing around something.

"You're the fairy, aren't you?"

"Huh? What?"

"I've heard you sing every day, from the cliff. I always come to listen to you. Your singing is the most beautiful thing I know. No mortal could replicate such beauty. And your voice is the same as the one I hear singing. It's definitely you, you're the fairy singing over the sea!"

Adam closed his eyes with a deep grunt, and his hand clenched into a fist. "It doesn't matter" he whispered to himself. "It's in the past. It's over"

And with that, he resumed his walk and walked away down the corridor. He didn't notice that the infirmary door was slightly open, and that Lute, defying all of Husk's warnings, had risen and was looking at him from the doorway. And he certainly didn't notice the strange, trembling light that passed through her eyes at that moment.

Chapter Text

The sun was slowly rising behind the Palatine Hill as the Flavian Amphitheater began to fill. At that hour, before the crowds filled every terrace, the amphitheater still seemed like a sleeping creature. But beneath the arena, where thousands of pipes and sluices had been prepared, the water was already flowing with a dull roar, echoing through the stone corridors like an omen.

At first softly, then increasingly louder, the water invaded the arena. The sandy ground greedily drank in the precious liquid, which raised the dust and made it slightly dirty. The waves were soon held back by the walls and turned to white foam, and the water level began to rise rapidly (¹).

The noise was so loud it could be heard from the Ludus Magnus. The gladiators couldn't help but listen to the crashing of the waves. And Adam in particular was laughing raucously: "Ah ah! Get ready, suckers, today is going to be fun!"

"Does he like naval battles that much?" Vaggie asked Cherri softly.

"No, simply today's naumachia (²) was proclaimed in memory of the Battle of the Nile (³)" Cherri replied. "You know... one of Julius Caesar's battles"

"Ooooh... now it makes sense" Vaggie murmured, knowing full well her lanist's passion for the legendary Roman leader.

This wouldn't be just any battle: to celebrate the apparent victory over the Parthian forces, the emperor had ordered a naumachia, a mock naval battle. From what Vaggie understood, such events were rare and expensive; flooding the arena and filling it with ships was no easy task. But the emperor was happy these days, and so he had granted his people this wonderful pleasure.

It had been a month since Vaggie had helped Charlie find something that would get Vox into trouble; not even a week later, he, under pressure, had surrendered half his forces to Zestial in a gesture of great generosity to demonstrate his good faith. Zestial had since departed for the East and successfully held back the Parthian advance. There was no talk of a crushing victory yet, of course, but it still demonstrated the First Consul's military prowess.

Vaggie had continued to meet with Charlie after that day... well, only once or twice a week, and never for more than an hour, so it was actually very short time. The princess had kept her informed of what was happening in the Senate: after what had happened, Vox seemed to have lowered his head considerably and become more passive, focusing on defending the half of the military power he still possessed. Vaggie was pleased to have helped deal them such a heavy blow, as she well remembered the Second Consul's arrogance when he'd come to the Ludus, so the fact that he was keeping a low profile spoke volumes about how much they had managed to injure him. She was happy that Charlie was willing to talk to her about those things... well, actually, she was happy just because they were spending some time together. She had to admit, the princess's company was truly pleasant.

Of course, the imperial family's victory over the Second Consul wasn't all sunshine and rainbows... at least for her and her gladiator friends. Because the emperor had called for that mock naval battle to celebrate. Of course, that was also a political tool: the more Lucifer entertained his people, the more he showed off his wealth, the more support he received. Which for the people meant an extraordinary spectacle... but for the gladiators, it meant a very difficult battle. "Have you ever fought on... well, a ship?" she asked her friends.

"Once" Angel replied. "It was a year after Cherri and I ended up in the Ludus. I was so seasick I couldn't even stand up!"

"Tsk. What a weakling" Cherri teased. "Don't worry, girl, it's just like a normal battle. If you ignore the shaking, the unstable wood, the unbalance, the splashes of freezing water, and whatever cute pets they threw in the way"

Vaggie didn't miss the last part and was about to ask for an explanation (what does she mean, pets in the water?), but Lute's voice snapped her out of it: "Stop worrying. We'll get out of this alive, like always"

Vaggie sighed. Lute had recovered during those four weeks; in fact, predictably, she'd recovered faster than Husk had expected, managing to be fully fit to train and fight in half the time. Of course, even her body was too stubborn to wait a normal recovery like everyone else. Today she would finally return to the arena, and she seemed eager to do so. Vaggie, however, would have preferred it if it had happened under less dangerous circumstances. "Are you sure this is okay for her?" she whispered to Husk.

"I heard you!" Lute growled, slapping her on the back of the head. "I'm not infirm, I can fight!"

Husk sighed. "Medically, she's perfectly healthy now" he replied. "If she wants to fight, let her fight. I'm more concerned about those in the other boat than her"

Vaggie rubbed the back of her head with a little irritation, but didn't dare protest. She knew Lute's pride was the one area she absolutely mustn't touch, so it was best not to comment further. At least Husk had confirmed his agreement, so it was okay... or so she hoped.

Adam clapped his hands together. "Okay, you little dickheads, today is serious! I want the spirit of the great Julius Caesar to be honored by the performance you're going to give him! You must replicate his feats flawlessly! I won't tolerate a single mistake! You're..."

"Um!" Vaggie interrupted. "Excuse me for asking, but... are they going to put any animals in the water?"

Adam snorted at the interruption, but replied anyway: "Of course they are, what do you expect? You have to relive the Battle of the Nile, in every sense of the word!"

"Okay... so...?" Vaggie murmured, not knowing what that meant.

"The Nile is a river in Egypt, where Caesar fought almost two hundred years ago" Lute explained. "Many man-eating animals live there, and I assume they'll be here too, right?"

"Oh, yes! But don't worry, I asked around" Adam told her with a smirk. "They confirmed me that you were lucky: no hippos, just crocodiles"

"Crocodiles!?" Vaggie exclaimed. "Aren't those giant lizards...?"

"Exactly. At least three and a half passi long, and weighing over eighteen hundred minas (⁴)" Pentious said, giving her a friendly nudge. "Sixty-eight teeth as sharp as knives, a mouth half your length that can shatter iron, impenetrable armored hide, a muscular tail, curved sharp claws, and the ability to swim as fast as arrows shot in the wind"

"Not to mention a love of human flesh" Angel added with a chuckle. "It always has to be specified"

Vaggie swallowed hard. "Okay... it's no worse than a lion, right...?"

"A crocodile? In an arena full of water? You'll beg to have the lion back" Adam replied. "Don't be such a pussy! If the soldiers could do it on the Nile, you can too! And I just told you you were lucky; there are no hippos, so you can only be grateful!"

Vaggie was already sweating. "Is it really better?" she whispered to Pentious.

"Can you imagine a muscle-bound pig as tall as you, with jaws that could bite off your entire torso and teeth longer than one of your legs? That's a hippopotamus" Pentious replied. "So yeah, we got lucky"

Lute nudged Vaggie. "Stop acting like a scary rabbit" she scolded her. "When we can start, then?"

"Ubera Sicarius, you know how it works" Adam told her. "Until we hear the horns, no one moves"

Lute snorted, but then fell silent. Adam rubbed his hands together, then became serious again: "Well, all kidding aside, don't take this lightly. While you wait, mentally review all the balance lessons I gave you, and then put them into practice. If you shift your weight efficiently, you'll be able to move easily even on a floating platform. And remember to stay away from the edges... not only is it easier to fall into the water, but it's also easier for something to suddenly jump out and grab you. Keep your mind steady, and even if it seems like victory is near, don't get too excited. Whatever you..."

He continued like this for another ten minutes, as he usually did. Vaggie forced herself to memorize all his advice, knowing it would be very useful. Every battle was different, but this time she really didn't know what to expect: fighting on floating platforms, surrounded by water, against other gladiators aboard small boats, and monstrous creatures waiting for her to fall so they could feast on her blood... she struggled to believe this was a chaos controlled by engineers and architects, not nature.

The wait ended with the unmistakable sound: a long, deep trumpet blast. "There they are" Adam said, hearing them. "All right, assholes, it's time to show your worth. Come on! Whoever comes back tonight will get double the food! In fact...". He seemed to have just had an idea: "Let's put a prize up for grabs: whoever of you manages to deal the final blow to the enemy ship will receive a whopping one thousand sesterces (⁵) from me. You can buy a very large quantity of wine, bread, cheese, and oil, and maybe even a good bit of pork, or some trinket of your choice. I've bet ten times that amount on your victory, so make the most of it!"

The gladiators, of course, cheered, banging their weapons on their shields. They obviously didn't need to buy food, since they already had everything they needed at the Ludus, but with one thousand sesterces they would have access to a lot of stuff. It wasn't a small sum of money, so it wasn't surprising that they were excited.

Cherri jumped to her feet as if someone had set her on fire. "Let's go, then!"

"Today we all make it back in one piece" Pentious said with a smile, rubbing his fist on his shield. "And we win!"

Angel snorted. "Don't bring bad luck. But yeah, let's get back in one piece. And kick their asses"

The gladiators set off down the same underground corridor, as they had done many times before. The doors opened with a heavy bang, and a wave of light filtered into the underground corridor. Fresh air came from the now-flooded arena, poeticizing the strong smell of stagnant water, wet wood, and iron.

When they reached the other side, Lute and Vaggie were a bit shocked by the spectacle. The arena of the Flavian Amphitheater, usually covered in sand, had now transformed into a huge oval lake. The water didn't seem very deep, but because of the sand mixed in, the bottom couldn't be seen. Bridges had been built along the sides, floating platforms connected by ropes and rickety walkways. There were also two ships... or at least, the closest thing to a ship that could be recreated in such a small space: floating, but small. One belonged to their team: a light vessel with blue and gold trim, equipped with oars and a small metal spur. The second, darker, belonged to their opponents; it was longer and more massive than theirs, and had eye-like designs on the prow.

The men on the other ship were already in position. They were all gladiators specialized in naval combat: scissores (⁶), sagittarii with short, waterproof bows (⁷), at least one dimachaerus (⁸) and one murmillone (⁹). And from the ferocious expressions on their faces, it was clear they had no intention of losing.

As she climbed onto the ship, Vaggie looked around. In particular, she stared at the imperial dais. The imperial family was there as usual, including Charlie. The two girls exchanged glances, and Vaggie almost thought she could hear the princess's worried voice begging her to come back alive. "What are you looking at?" Angel asked.

Vaggie shook. "I was looking for the crocodiles" she replied.

"They'll probably let them in later" Adam told them, leaning on the edge of the boat as if he were going to climb in, though he remained on the platform. "Listen, their ship is bigger than yours, but it's based on an Egyptian ship. You have a Roman ship. Don't go for a head-on collision; that would be foolish. Use your ram wisely. Keep the ships at bay until you've found the weak spot. Until then, row to the central platform and use the boarding technique"

"And when did we find the weak spot?" Pentious asked, strangely more serious than usual.

Adam smiled conspiratorially. "Then pretend to run away, accelerate their ship, and then come back and hit them. A bigger ship also means less maneuverability... they won't be able to change direction as quickly as you if you make them gain enough speed"

The gladiators nodded, and then Adam stepped away and untied the rope holding the ship, retreating to leave them alone. The water rocked and the wood creaked. Angel immediately took the main oars while Vaggie and Lute positioned themselves on the sides for balance; Cherri and Pentious, being taller and therefore heavier, stayed near the bow. "All right, let's do it" Pentious said. "Row!"

"Hey! Who made you captain?" Angel snorted, but followed the order anyway. Everyone began working the heavy oars, and the ship moved.

The distance to the central platform was short, but the water was artificially agitated by pumps and underground pipes, simulating a raging river. The ship was rocking dangerously, forcing them to exert double the effort with the oars to keep it stable. Vaggie was already feeling short of breath, but she knew she couldn't afford to take a break, and following Lute's example, she continued rowing with the power of an ox, sweating despite the cool water.

On the other side, the opposing ship also began to move, cutting through the water decisively. Pentious narrowed his eyes. "Of course, they're heading straight for us" he commented. "We've gained enough speed. Angel, stop rowing from behind: come here and raise your shield!"

"I repeat, who made you captain?" Angel exclaimed in a mock annoyance, and then leapt to the front of the ship, weapons already in hand.

The first to strike was one of the sagittarii: a short arrow flew in a drawn bow, but Angel didn't flinch and moved his shield in its path: the arrow stuck in the metal surface with a sharp crack. Angel didn't flinch, but instead raised his trident and threw it: "Lucky I brought three today!"

The advantage of having a ship was that they could save other weapons for later, without having to worry about weighing themselves down. Angel's trident crossed the arena and hit the sagittarius squarely in the shoulder. The man screamed and fell to the deck of the ship. "Hmm. I was aiming for the heart, but that's fine. At least he won't use that shitty bow of his again" Angel commented.

Predictably, the other sagittarii zeroed in on him, having identified him as the most dangerous given his long-range weapons. That was exactly what Pentious had in mind: with Angel acting as bait, the others would be left alone and could row without fear. He certainly didn't fear for his friend's life; he knew he wouldn't let those arrows hit him so easily. "Row!" he shouted even louder.

"Wow. Pen, you look sexier than usual today" Cherri commented with a mischievous smile.

Pentious blushed slightly. "Um... thanks" he murmured, unsure how to react.

The ship gained speed, heading toward the central platform where wooden structures with hanging ropes and beams had been built: a sort of artificial archipelago. However, the opposing ship was trying to cut them off. "They're blocking our path!" Vaggie exclaimed.

"They won't make it" Pentious said. "We're too fast. Row with all your might!"

The gladiators growled like beasts and pushed. The bow of their ship seemed to graze the enemy's, but then it passed it. "We're here!" Pentious exclaimed with satisfaction. "Lute, Vaggie, it's your turn! Cherri, Angel, you stay on the ship, but position yourself behind, ready to push me! I'll take care of the front!"

The floating platform was both a place to fight and a weapon: a ship couldn't move too fast around it, or it would crash. Therefore, Pentious alone could now keep the ship out of range of the enemies. The centrifugal force of the water and that of his muscles was enough. Therefore, the others could fight. "Whatever you say, Captain!" Angel said, emphasizing the last word to tease him. "Come on, girls! Time to break their asses!"

Lute and Vaggie grabbed their weapons and leaped onto the platform; they staggered for a moment, but quickly regained their balance. Even so, they were now on unstable ground: wet wooden planks, loose beams, ropes swaying above the water. They had to be very careful not to fall.

The enemy ship hesitated for a moment, considering whether they could seize the opportunity to attempt to sink theirs, but they quickly realized that with the platform in the middle, it was a dangerous, if not impossible, undertaking. So they took the only other option: they came within boarding distance, and then the murmillone leaped onto the platform, followed by the dimachaerus, while the scissores prepared to cover the sagittarii.

Just then, a sharp sound was heard, and one of the half-submerged cages opened. Vaggie and Lute noticed three shadows slipping from beneath the water, and for a moment, what looked like a big flat tail covered in sharp plates. "The crocodiles are here!" Pentious shouted at them. "From now on, anyone who falls in the water is dead! Stay in the center of the platform!"

Lute and Vaggie stayed together, back to back. "Good" Lute whispered, raising her short sword. "Let the party begin!"

The murmillone was the first to reach them. Tall, robust, with a crested helmet and broad shield, he strode confidently across the rickety platform. He didn't speak. He was one of those gladiators who lived to fight, who never showed fear or joy. Lute didn't hesitate and leaped forward to engage him. Vaggie then faced the dimachaerus, a gladiator with two short blades and light armor, who moved with deadly elegance.

The murmillone charged Lute; his shield was truly enormous and covered in decorative metal spikes, and the man behind it knew how to use it. She knew she couldn't parry it: the difference in weight and strength was too great, it would have knocked her into the water. So instead, she dodged it, using her lighter build to slip her sword between the folds of his armor.

The platform swayed beneath their feet, but she was light and managed to keep her balance. Adam had also trained her to fight on unstable ground, and that training was now paying off. The murmillone struck from above with his gladius, but she parried it, twisted her wrist, and slid sideways, striking the back of her opponent's knee with her sword. The blade didn't quite penetrate, but it was enough to unbalance the murmillone, bringing him close to the edge of the platform.

Her opponent snarled. He swung his shield forward, trying to crush Lute like an insect. She leaped back, slid onto a beam, grabbed a rope, and slid down behind the murmillone. The platform swayed dangerously beneath them, and water splashed, soaking their helmets. Lute dimly noticed a dark spot approaching.

The murmillone turned, irritated, and found Lute smiling. "Too heavy to keep up with me" she teased him.

That sentence was the spark. The murmillone charged, blind with rage. Lute waited, motionless. Then at the last second, she bent her knees, let her body slide like a leaf through the air, and inserted her sword into the slit in his armor at hip level. The murmillone let out a gasp and fell to his knees, spraying blood into the water. Lute reached out to grab his neck and slash his throat...

But at that moment, the water exploded.

Lute barely had time to see two enormous reptilian jaws appear before her, and then they closed on the murmillone's body. The cracking sound of bones was so loud that they seemed to be shattered, and Lute was hit by a cascade of blood. A moment later, the muzzle of a huge, scaled, triangular beast, its teeth visible and enormous, its eyes cold and bloodthirsty, loomed before her, holding the murmillone in its jaws. The crocodile glanced at her for only a moment, then returned to the water, dragging the murmillone with it; the man was screaming in pain and fear, knowing he was doomed. The other two crocodiles joined in the feast, tearing off limbs and body parts as if munching on appetizers.

At that scene, the entire arena seemed to freeze for a moment. The dimachaerus fighting Vaggie hesitated; it was probably one of the first times for him too. Vaggie also felt a sense of panic, but as soon as she locked eyes with Lute, she remembered where she was and what she was doing: without hesitation, she took advantage of the situation to drive her spear into her opponent's chest. The armor obviously slowed it, but the sudden blow knocked the dimachaerius off balance, and he fell into the water. The man desperately tried to get back onto the platform, but the crocodiles were quicker and grabbed him by the legs, severing them with a single bite and dragging him underwater.

Vaggie felt sick. She'd faced beasts before, but never anything like this. Those giant reptiles weren't like a lion, against which at least you had a chance: if they caught you, you were done for. And what was worse, they'd eat you alive.

"Don't lose your focus" Lute scolded her. "The battle isn't over"

"Uh... yes, yes" Vaggie muttered, trying to calm herself. "Those creatures..."

"... already have their meal now" Lute said. "So if we fall into the water now, we have a few seconds before they notice. If you get a chance, use it wisely"

Vaggie knew her sister could be cold, but she still surprised her every now and then. "I'm more afraid of you than the crocodile, you know?"

"Yes, for a long time now" Lute replied. "Let's go!"

Meanwhile, the others weren't sitting idly by: the enemy sagittarii continued to pepper the ship with arrows, and Angel was staunchly defending it. Pentious was constantly moving the ship, always keeping it on the opposite side of the enemy. "The scissores are coming" Pentious whispered to himself as he studied the battlefield and saw two more gladiators leaping from the enemy ship. "Those two girls will be fine, but our enemies are definitely more numerous than we are. Classic Roman battle (¹⁰)... Cherri!"

"Yes, Captain?" Cherri asked.

"What? You too? Oh, never mind" Pentious said. "If I approach them from behind, can you jump onto their stern?"

"You know I can do it even with my eye closed" Cherri replied with an excited smile.

"Then launch at my signal and take out those sagittarii. Without them shooting arrows, I can manage the ship alone, and you and Angel can go help Lute and Vaggie" Pentious told her.

"Got it" Cherri told him. "I obey. You're the captain, after all"

Pentious sighed at this latest mockery, but he still pushed his oars even harder and concentrated. The ship moved quickly, almost hitting the floating platform. The enemy must have been expecting an attack, because they deliberately moved aside to avoid being hit, but at that point Pentious shouted: "NOW!"

Cherri used her whip like a rope: she wrapped it around one of the masts (which was there for show, since the arena didn't need wind to navigate) and launched herself forward. She landed on the enemy ship, right behind the sagittarii, who, caught off guard, didn't react in time and were hit full in the back. Cherri grabbed one and threw him bodily into the water.

"Okay, she'll take care of that on her own" Pentious commented. "Angel..."

"No need to say!" Angel told him, and threw himself onto the platform next to Lute and Vaggie, hurling his trident at one of the scissores. "Come on, girls! I'm starting to have fun!"

Pentious was pleased, but he knew it was only a matter of time before the situation would reverse again. He could barely register the number of enemies on the ship, but he knew there were still too many. If they continued like this, he would tire too quickly. He had to sink the enemy ship... but the problem was that the only weak point he'd been able to find so far was the side hull, and he'd never be able to reach it, not until the enemy had at least moved the ship.

He had to do something... change the game...

...

Wait a minute.

An idea formed in his mind. Of course, how could he not think of it? He shouldn't stop the enemy from turning the ship... he had to turn his own faster than they could.

It was a crazy idea, but it was worth a try. Rowing harder than the others, he moved away from the platform, but not too far. The enemy noticed, and they too gave chase. The two ships were soon side by side, separated only by a small amount of water. "What's he doing?" Vaggie asked.

Angel narrowed his eyes. Pentious no longer had to worry about the sagittari, but it was still extremely dangerous to expose himself like this. "That crazy son of a bitch" he couldn't help but mutter.

Pentious was more focused than ever. It was all math. In his mind, he quickly calculated the weight of the ship, the centrifugal force of the waves, the hardness of the material. Infinite numbers flashed through his brain. And then, he turned the oars completely.

The ship changed course ninety degrees; it was a lightning-fast movement, and no one was surprised to see it tilt, so much so that it seemed to capsize... but it didn't. Because the current Pentious had calculated, the artificial current being produced by the pumps, was crashing against the floating platform, creating a wave that was being sent back. And that wave was what kept the ship, despite its extremely precarious position, from falling. A moment later, the rostrum (¹¹) crashed into the enemy ship's hull, splitting it in two.

There was a moment of silence, and then the audience erupted. Cries and shouts filled the arena with a force almost greater than the waves. "HE DID IT!" they screamed in victory, while loudly calling out Pentious's name.

The enemy ship sank rapidly: the gladiators on it tried to save themselves, but Cherri prevented them from jumping onto the platform with her whip. The crocodiles did the rest, dismembering everyone who fell into the water. Only when the ship was almost completely submerged did Cherri abandon it and leap onto the platform. "Damn, that was kinda tough" she commented, watching their ship try to close in. After the maneuver he'd just performed, Pentious's muscles were on fire, and he was having a bit of trouble steering it.

"I have to buy him some wine later" Angel said with a smile. "Come on, let's take care of these remaining half-assed idiots!"

The two scissores were still standing, and behind them, a few other gladiators were managing to climb onto the platform, taking advantage of the crocodiles' busy tearing apart their comrades. They had to defeat them to truly conclude the naumachia. Each arm of the scissors had a curved blade and heavy armor; they were gladiators trained to fight against retiarii, but even in the chaos of a naumachia, they were at their best.

Lute lunged at the first, shield in front; Vaggie aimed for the second. Angel and Cherri instead focused on the other survivors. In an istant, the battle resumed, more violent than before.

Just like Lute and Vaggie, the scissores also attacked together; the sound of clashing metal reverberated across the water like thunder. Lute and her opponent exchanged furious blows: blade against shield, iron against armor. Lute was fast, but so was her opponent; the scissor knew this and tried to outflank her.

Vaggie met the second scissor with her spear, trying to keep him at bay. Each thrust was precise, but the scissor severed the spear's tip with those curved blades. Vaggie found herself forced to draw her gladius and fight in close quarters.

Lute narrowed her eyes: the scissores were too close. They had to be moved further apart. So she leaped onto a side beam, using a rope to swing over the head of the scissor who was facing Vaggie. With a perfect landing, she struck him from behind, cutting off a piece of his protection.

The scissor whirled around furiously, and Vaggie took advantage of that: with a powerful thrust, she drove her gladius into the enemy gladiator's side. Blood sprayed everywhere, and the scissor fell into the water. He tried to climb back up, but Vaggie blocked him.

For a moment, their eyes met. Vaggie could see a glint of fear in the scissor's eyes: not for her, but for what awaited him in the water. Even though they were enemies, Vaggie felt pity grip her heart. She noticed a dark spot approaching, and even though it was dangerous, she ducked and struck the scissor's head with her gladius. It was instant death, but she could see a glimmer of gratitude in his eyes. A moment later, the crocodile grabbed the corpse and dismembered it.

Lute, meanwhile, continued her fight. Her scissor was more agile and constantly trying to bypass her shield. She endured blow after blow, growling like a beast because she couldn't return them as she wanted. And this, of course, inflamed her spirit.

Lute advanced, crushing her opponent to the edge of the platform. Each step made the wood sway, but she still managed to hold her ground. The scissor attempted a feint: a strike to the left, then a leap to the right. Too easy. Lute saw it, and raised her shield like a battering ram.

The blow was so powerful that her opponent lost his balance and fell backward. Lute took advantage of this to strike him squarely in the side with her sword. A clean blow, a sure death...

But in that final moment, the scissor seized the opportunity to exact his revenge. Taking advantage of her position, he grabbed her wrist and, using his own weight, dragged her along with him. Lute quickly freed herself, but a moment later, she was completely surrounded by water.

She wanted to make a sound of despair, but of course only air bubbles emerged from her mouth. The blood of the scissor was still surrounding her, and she knew exactly what that would attract. And sure enough, an unmistakable dark stain appeared before her.

The crocodiles were still tearing apart the gladiators who had already fallen into the water, and there was plenty of food; but some of them had preferred not to share and had taken the opportunity to hunt for themselves. Just like the one that was coming at Lute at that moment. Even from that distance, she knew immediately she wouldn't be able to escape: it was too fast. And even if she had aimed her sword at it and stuck it in its mouth, the impact would still have broken her every bone.

Fuck. She felt hopeless. Just like against the bull...

Apparently the gods had decided they needed to let her die killed by a beast.

Well, she still wasn't willing to accept that!

She unstrapped her helmet and breastplate, and threw away her shield as well. Each was stained with the blood of the scissor, and she threw them where the man's body was floating. It was a huge gamble, but it worked: the crocodile zeroed in on them, drawn by the smell. It was like watching a boulder with a mouth roll down a mountain: the scissor's body was split in two by the crocodile's force, and its jaws shattered the iron objects. Then Lute swam over it and thrust the sword between its eyes.

On the floating platform. The others were stunned. Vaggie immediately tried to jump into the water, but Cherri stopped her: "No! You'll get killed!"

"Let go of me!" Vaggie screamed. "I can't...!"

The water exploded; the crocodile's body emerged, its head pointing upward. Angel, Vaggie, Cherri, and even Pentious from the ship, widened their eyes as they saw Lute hanging from the beast's head, her sword stuck between its eyes. The crocodile was emitting a furious hiss that seemed to penetrate the bones. Lute gritted her teeth: the animal was so strong, that she was barely able to keep her hands on the hilt of her sword. She quickly looked around, and then swayed sideways, using her weight to force the crocodile, or at least its upper body, to fall onto the platform. "Angel! The trident!"

Angel threw her trident, and she rammed it with all her strength into the beast's skull. The crocodile had incredibly tough skin, and she had to use every ounce of energy she had to pierce its skull. The terrible predator spasmed a few times, and then stopped moving.

Lute finally allowed herself to breathe. Her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. The crocodile's corpse began to slide into the water, but she refused to let go, holding on tightly. Seeing this, her companions came to her aid and dragged the beast's body onto the platform. At that point, she leaped onto the crocodile and raised her sword to the sky.

The entire amphitheater erupted in a roar.

The audience was in a frenzy. No one had expected anyone to kill one of the crocodiles! It was an extraordinary feat!

"You're going to kill me with a heart attack sooner or later" Vaggie whispered to Lute.

In response, her sister, despite her exhaustion, gave her a mocking smile. "Shut up and let me enjoy the glory" she said superiorly.

"Great girl!" Angel said, clapping her on the shoulder.

Lute staggered slightly; even though she was acting tough, exhaustion was starting to take its toll. "Do that again and I'll throw you into the water" she warned him menacingly, causing him to retreat immediately, making Cherri laugh.

Pentious managed to bring the ship back close to the platform, and they climbed aboard. They then sailed to beneath the imperial tribune, where the emperor was already standing, a smile on his face. "Congratulations!" he exclaimed, raising his hands. "Congratulations to all of you, gladiators! You gave us an extraordinary naumachia! Pride to the entire Ludus Magnus, which proved invincible even on ships, with feats I never thought I'd see today!"

The entire audience applauded, and then the emperor, the empress, and the princess threw laurel wreaths on the gladiators. They grabbed them and placed them on their heads, proudly displaying them as a symbol of their victory. Vaggie caught the one Charlie had thrown, and though she tried not to show it, she gave her a brief smile. The princess, in return, gave her a quick wink, as if to congratulate her on having survived the naumachia. At that point, the gladiators remained to bask in the glory for a few more minutes, and then turned around, taking the ship back to the entrance to the underground passage that led to the Ludus Magnus, where Adam was already waiting for them with a proud smile, along with Husk, who already had bandages and healing material ready.

The show was over, and the arena began to empty, becoming dry again; the crocodiles, realizing that the water level was dropping, swam toward their cage, which was deeper and therefore more suitable for them, dragging with it the remains of those they were still devouring. The spectators began to leave, and so did the Imperial family: Lucifer, and consequently everyone else accompanying him, rose and headed for the exits. He was soon engrossed in a conversation with some senators, and Charlie, as usual, was staying quite on her own. Lilith had spoken to Carmilla for a while, and when they were finished, she was about to join her husband, but a familiar voice stopped her: "May I speak to you for a moment?"

Lilith turned, finding herself facing Vox. "Of course" she said. "What do you want to tell me?"

"As you well know, I am a very upright and correct person" Vox told her. "So I hope you understand that what I wish to report to you is not the result of malice on my part"

Lilith frowned. Vox had recently completely changed his demeanor, abandoning his usual arrogance and acting much more cautiously: after all, he had suffered a terrible defeat in the Senate, and his military power was now halved. Even though he still held firm in his seat, he knew he could no longer act like he wanted. But it was a long way from calling him an upright and correct person. "What are you talking about?"

Vox approached her, lowering his voice. "I've heard some rumors. I would have spoken to the emperor about it, but... I don't know how appropriate that would be, so I thought of you"

Lilith was growing less and less comfortable with the situation. "What rumors?"

"I'm not accusing anyone of anything" Vox said. "But the fact is, lately, a lot of people claim to have seen the princess wandering around the city's slums at night. To be precise, in the area halfway between the Capitoline Hill and the port of Ostia, west of the Flavian Amphitheater"

Lilith's eyes widened. "What are you insinuating?"

"Nothing, I told you. I know your daughter would never do that" Vox replied. "I just thought it appropriate to inform you. I took care to silence these rumors... but you know, people talk a lot. You should take action"

Lilith inhaled so deeply that she almost seemed to hiss like a snake. "You're right, my daughter would never do that" she said dryly. "Thank you for informing me. Please leave"

"Of course. I just wanted to do my duty" Vox replied, walking away reverently. "There are rumors about everyone here in Rome. It's nothing to worry about, just verify that they're not true"

And with that, he left, unable to suppress a satisfied and somewhat malicious smile. Lilith remained where she was, her fists clenched slightly. Her eyes had narrowed, and a strange lump was forming in her throat.

Chapter Text

Charlie was relieved that the naumachia had ended with Vaggie and all her other friends still alive. She knew the Ludus Magnus had a reputation for never sending gladiators into the arena without a good chance of winning, but there was always a risk, and it was your life. Charlie had been on edge the entire time, dreading seeing Vaggie fall into the water. After all, no matter how strong a person was, no one stood a chance in a direct confrontation with a crocodile.

At least, that's what she'd believed. After seeing Lute emerge from the water, holding the monstrous reptile in her hands, such certainty was shattered. She knew it had probably been luck rather than skill, but that didn't make the feat any less remarkable.

Well, maybe she was the one who tended to underestimate the strength of the warriors. After all, just a month earlier, she'd seen Adam kill a bull single-handedly, with no tricks or deception, just pure strength and technique. The skills of the gladiators at the Ludus Magnus were truly on another level.

Well, Vaggie had survived. So had Pentious, Angel, and Cherri. And even that other girl, Lute, Vaggie's sister, whom Charlie hadn't yet had the chance to meet, at least not formally. That was a good thing. She was happy about that.

But a part of her knew there was nothing to be happy about. Yes, the people she cared about had survived. But others had died. Others had been thrown into that arena and met a horrible death in the mouths of crocodiles. And that just because the people of Rome wanted to have their fun.

When the euphoria of her friends' safety had dissipated, she only felt a great sadness for those people who had died for no real reason. She didn't even know their names, yet she felt a strong sense of pity for them. She couldn't help it: that's who she was, she was empathetic. And the deaths of those people weighed on her like all others.

And so, that night, at Mass, instead of praying for herself, she prayed for them. She prayed for those people she didn't know, who had died that day. She hoped that God would be benevolent and welcome their souls into the kingdom of Heaven.

"Hey, are you okay?" Emily came to ask her as soon as Mass was over.

Charlie sighed. "Yes, yes... it's nothing" she murmured.

"Charlie, you've never been good at hiding when your heart is heavy" Emily said. "What's bothering you?"

Charlie didn't answer right away. And then she asked: "Emily... is there a chance that even a person who doesn't know Christ can be welcomed into Heaven?"

Emily was surprised. "Why this question?"

"It's for the people who died in the naval battle today" Charlie explained. "They died horribly, I... I wish they could have peace now. I don't think they were Christians, so... can they be welcomed into Heaven?"

Emily knew Charlie's good heart well, but sometimes she still touched her. "Never change" she said, sitting down next to her. "Your question is... complex. Humanity was cursed by Satan thousands of years ago, but Christ, through his sacrifice, opened a door for all of us. He welcomed all who followed his path into the kingdom of heaven. Believing in him is the key to entering that door. But..." and her tone became more serious: "... believing in Christ is not just singing his name in hymns. It's welcoming him into your heart and following his voice. Christ never said you need to know his name or his life, only follow his path and believe in it. Therefore, if a person followed Christ's voice, even without ever knowing him, they could enter Heaven. He opened the door for all humanity, not just for a few. His influence is not limited to this corner of the world, but to all of it. Even in lands so far away that they are unknown to us and to which no ship sails (¹)"

This gave Charlie a little hope. "So... could those people be in Heaven now?"

"I don't know, Charlie. It's not for us to know, not in this life at least" Emily replied. "Those people were shedding blood, so I don't think they followed Christ's path. But what I believe matters little in the Lord's mind. Perhaps, in those final moments, they heard Christ's call and welcomed him into their soul. Or perhaps not. Only the Lord knows"

Charlie had to admit that Emily was right. It was true, gladiators were still violent people, often criminals or prisoners of war, or even people who devoted themselves to that life for money or bloodlust. It was unlikely that those who died in the naumachia had ever followed Christ's path in their lives. But that was just her opinion: as Emily had said, it wasn't for them to judge. In fact, claiming to know where someone would go in the afterlife was simply arrogance, and arrogance, as she well knew, was a grave sin.

She could only pray. Pray and have faith. And hope that those people were finally at peace.

Charlie ran her fingers over her crucifix. "I feel ashamed" she confessed. "Today, at the naumachia, I just thought that... that Vaggie and the others would get away with it. I rejoiced when they won. Only afterwards... did I realize the price of that victory"

"Charlie, you're human, too" Emily told her. "You can't blame yourself for fearing for the lives of people you care about at that fateful moment. You still felt pity for those lives"

This didn't cheer Charlie up. "This has to end" she murmured.

Emily put a hand on her shoulder. "I know it's bad" she said. "But don't rush. The day will come when Christ will reign on Earth, and humanity will finally abandon its barbarism and violence. Be patient and keep believing"

Charlie nodded. "I have to go home" she said, getting up and starting to put her disguise back on.

Emily helped her do so. "Go to sleep. You need it" she said, then looked her straight in the eyes: "You have a good soul, Charlie. Very few people have a heart like yours. Never forget that"

Charlie smiled slightly and gave her a hug. Then, as usual, she left the old house. After making sure there was no one on the street, she headed home.

As she walked, her mind continued to wander. Emily's words had comforted her a little, but only a little. As much as she tried not to think about it, all the horrible things happening in Rome kept coming back to her, to the point of being normalized like a game.

Sending people to die in an arena. Enslaving men and women, torn from their land and their dignity. Simulating a battle and laughing as human beings met a horrible fate.

Charlie wanted a different Rome. A Rome that didn't treat people like cattle. A Rome that prioritized justice and nobility. A Rome where Christians no longer had to hide.

Charlie looked up at the starry sky. Almost without meaning to, she asked in her mind what Christ wanted her to do. Emily had repeatedly told her that it wasn't up to them to interpret God's plan, but she couldn't help but feel as if she were disappointing the Lord's expectations. She was a princess! The princess of the largest and most powerful empire in the world! How could she do nothing?

But eventually, she came back down to earth. In those weeks, she had learned how difficult and dangerous it was to govern, even for her parents. Changing Rome wasn't something that could be done in a day. She too, after all, was only human.

With that thought, she reached her house. She entered through the passage in the wall and, being very careful not to be noticed, went under her window and knocked on the wall a few times. As usual, the window opened and a rope slid down.

Charlie waited until it reached the ground, then grabbed it and began climbing. Having done it so often, she had become quite fast at climbing. Not as fast as the athletes competing in games (²), but fast enough to climb the entire floor in less than a minute.

But just as she was about to grab the sill, something unexpected happened.

A hand suddenly grabbed her arm, so hard its nails dug into her skin. Charlie let out a small noise of surprise and pain, but the other person pulled her up hard, not caring that it was hurting her. She felt herself being pulled and dragged upward, making her muscles ache quite a bit, but any physical pain vanished as her head cleared the window and she found herself facing her mother.

Charlie paled so much that her beautiful red cheeks seemed to vanish. Lilith's face was chalk-white, and her expression sent a shiver down her daughter's spine. Charlie's heart began to race.

That eye contact lasted only a moment, which to her felt like an eternity. And then Lilith pulled her up completely, dragging her through the window, not caring that her daughter's arm was turning red from her grip. Charlie fell to the floor of her bedroom. "Mom..."

Lilith's slap hit her so hard that her head spun and she staggered backward. Her right cheek felt a burning sensation so intense it felt like her skin had just caught fire. As far as she could remember, Lilith had never hit her so hard: she had slapped her a few times as a child, but none of them were even close to that.

Lilith hissed like a snake. Her eyes seemed to blaze. "I had to slap you at least once" she said through gritted teeth, flailing her hand a bit because the slap had been so hard it had hurt her too.

Charlie didn't dare meet her mother's gaze, so she looked around the rest of her room. It was then that she realized they weren't alone: ​​Keekee was in a corner, her head down and her body trembling, not daring to move in the presence of the furious empress. Razzle and Dazzle, however, were kneeling on the floor, hands behind their backs, surrounded by Lilith's most trusted soldiers.

"So that's why you slept so much in the morning, huh?" her mother said. "And I was stupid enough to pretend your excuse was believable"

"Mom, I'm sorry..." Charlie tried to whisper.

"AH, YOU'RE SORRY!" Lilith screamed, and unable to contain herself, she slapped her again. "My daughter runs away from home at night like a thief, and you think an 'I'm sorry' is enough to calm me down!?"

Charlie trembled and immediately lowered her head. She felt as if just looking her mother in the eyes was enough to incinerate her. She couldn't remember her ever giving her such a murderous look. Her mother was scary when she got angry, but in that moment, she seemed to have transformed into Echidna (³).

"Do you know who I had to hear this from? Vox! Someone saw you, there's already rumors going around!" Lilith roared. "Be thankful I had the foresight to convince your father to accompany your grandmother to a nocturnal sacrifice to Summānus (⁴), because if they knew this, he'd go bald from tearing out his hair, and she'd have a heart attack!"

Lilith grabbed Charlie by the ear and forced her to stand up. "My daughter! Running away from home like that! Damn, you could have never come back! You were out there alone, without an escort, without protection! They could have kidnapped you! They could have killed you! How many times? How many times have you run away!?"

Charlie didn't have the courage to answer, but it wasn't a good idea, because that only made Lilith angrier: "Answer me! How many times!?"

Charlie cowered under her gaze. "M-Many" she answered.

"You...!" Lilith raised her hand as if to slap her a third time, at which Charlie immediately closed her eyes and instinctively lowered herself a little, anticipating the pain. At that sight, her mother hesitated for a moment, and then lowered her hand again, albeit very reluctantly. "How could you!? You're a fucking adult! You're seventeen (⁵)! Women your age are already married or have established careers! And instead, what do you do!? Run away from your parents' house at night like we're holding you in chains!? You're the princess of the empire, damn it! How can you be so childish and stupid!?"

She unceremoniously tossed her daughter away, making sure to at least throw her onto the bed; Charlie was pretty sure she had done this because she was squeezing her fingers so tightly that if she kept twisting her ear, it would rip off. "I thought you were a girl with more sense!" Lilith continued. "Your father and I have always given you everything! We've always been lenient with you! But if this is how you repay us, you can be sure I'll give you every slap I've held back from giving you all these years! Running away from home like this, at night, when anything can happen to you! You stupid, reckless little girl, I swear that I will...!"

Lilith looked seriously on the verge of making her words come true, so much so that her fingers were twitching as if they wanted nothing more than to land on Charlie's cheeks. She was so furious that even Keekee, Razzle, Dazzle, and her own guards didn't dare raise their heads. Charlie had shrunk so small she looked like she was about to curl up on the bed.

Lilith gritted her teeth so hard you could hear them grinding, and then with what seemed like an inhuman effort, she took a deep breath and held back any impulse. "Where have you been?"

Charlie swallowed. What was she going to say now? "M-Mom..."

"Where have you been!?" Lilith roared. "I want to know right now where in Rome you went, what you did, and who you met! And I swear, if anyone dared to deflower you...!"

"What?" Charlie exclaimed. "No... no, Mom, that's not the case! I'm not going to meet a man..."

"Is it a woman, then?" Lilith asked sharply.

"I'm not meeting with... with a lover" Charlie stammered.

"Oh, yeah? And what other reasons could you have for running away at night?" Lilith asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "You can go anywhere during the day, you're not locked in this house! So what other reason would you have to sneak out?"

Charlie bit her lip so hard it bled. She desperately tried to think of an excuse, but anything she could think of seemed ridiculous. Her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of her chest made it hard to think of anything.

Lilith grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look into her eyes. "Charlie..." she said in an extremely low voice. "... the truth. NOW!"

The sweat on Charlie's face intensified. Simply looking into those furious eyes made every voice instantly vanish from her throat. She was almost struggling to breathe.

Lilith didn't like the silence. "All right. Hard way, then" she said, letting go of her chin and standing to her full height, then fixed her gaze on Keekee: "You! Go get me a whip, and then undress yourself"

Keekee jumped and went pale; she immediately dropped to her knees. "My mistress, please...!"

"You were complicit in my daughter's transgression. Now you must pay for it" Lilith told her without the slightest empathy. "Do it, now!"

"No!" Charlie exclaimed, grabbing Lilith's arm: "Mom... Mom, please, no! Don't hurt her...!"

"Then talk" Lilith snapped.

Charlie's face drained of what little color remained. "M-Mom..."

Lilith shook her off, probably because she didn't want to risk her daughter's pleas influencing her. "Last chance" she warned her. "Speak now, or I'll whip your slave first, and then I'll whip both your guards. Choose quickly"

Charlie trembled. Her gaze flicked to Keekee, who already had tears in her eyes from fear. Then, with shaking hands, she slowly pushed aside her collar and pulled out the crucifix she'd hidden beneath her clothes.

The room seemed to fall completely silent, as Lilith stopped breathing for a full ten seconds; for a moment, she looked as if she were about to faint. She had become as still as a statue, and her gaze had gone from furious to utterly incredulous and terrified. "No" she whispered in a faint voice. "Tell me it's not true"

Charlie shook her head. "Mom... I'm a Christian" she confessed.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!?" Lilith screamed. Her voice was no longer firm and threatening: she was almost shaking, and from the sound of it, it seemed like she was struggling to breathe.

Charlie tightened her grip on the crucifix, praying to Christ for strength. "It's my faith" she said. "I go out at night to go to the community"

"How can you do something like this!?" Lilith shouted at her. "Do you have any idea what would happen if someone found out!? Accompany yourself with... with those dangerous lucifugi (⁶), with their poisonous ideas...!"

"I'm not like that!" Charlie protested. "They're good people...!"

"What the fuck did they teach you!?" Lilith snarled. "To disrespect the gods!?"

Charlie swallowed. "Here in Rome, freedom of religion is allowed" she whispered. "Everyone worships whatever gods they choose. Why can't I worship mine?"

"Because it's not a religion!" Lilith said. "It's just a dangerous cult that creates disorder, undermining the foundations of our society!"

"A society built on division!" Charlie exclaimed. "Here in Rome, people are divided into castes, and the powerful and rich exploit the weak without consequence. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, teaches us that we should all treat one another with love, as brothers and sisters. It's a beautiful world what he speaks of! What's wrong with believing that?"

"How foolish can you be!?" Lilith roared. "Those rabble, those Christians, with their bullshit about all being equal in the eyes of their god, don't even respect your father's authority (⁷)! They don't bow to him, and they haven't bowed to any other emperor! They insult the gods and bring their wrath upon us, and they create false beliefs that could cause riots and bloodshed! They're nothing but a sect of madmen!"

Charlie trembled. She knew well how the Romans viewed Christians, but still, her heart sank at those words. "It's not like that" she whispered.

That was the last straw for Lilith. "Give me that crucifix" she ordered.

Charlie clutched it to her chest, her fingers curling around it. "No"

"GIVE IT TO ME!" Lilith screamed.

Charlie shook her head again.

Lilith's eyes flashed. "Oh, in the name of Jupiter!" she exclaimed, out of her mind, and then she grabbed her arm; she tried in vain to take the crucifix, but Charlie adamantly refused to let it go. Lilith gritted her teeth, and then dragged her to the brazier: "Let go of that crucifix! Now!"

In response, Charlie tightened her grip on her hand. "No" she replied again.

"Do it, or I'll burn your hand!" Lilith threatened her (⁸).

A couple of tears rolled down Charlie's eyes. "No" she repeated.

"I'll burn it!" Lilith screamed, bringing her hand closer to the brazier. "I will!"

Charlie closed her eyes. She felt the heat of the flames near her hands, which almost seemed to threaten to burn her. But still, she didn't let go of the crucifix. "Lord, forgive her" she whispered.

"Let go of it now!"

"Lord, forgive her, she doesn't know what she's doing"

"I'm going to burn it!"

"She doesn't know what she's doing... she doesn't know what she's doing...!"

Lilith gritted her teeth. Her eyes trembled, and so did her fingers. For a moment she hesitated, and then, with a scream, she finally let her go. Charlie scrambled away, finally away from the fire.

Lilith leaned against the wall. She seriously looked like she was about to fall to the floor and pass out. "Why do you behave like this!?" she shrieked.

Charlie brought the crucifix to her lips. "It's my faith" she replied simply.

Lilith looked like she was about to scratch the wall. "Why?" she stammered slightly. "What's so important about that piece of wood shaped like a cross? Why, of all the gods you could have chosen to worship, did you choose the one who could unleash disaster and bring you ruin?"

Charlie looked at her mother. The raging monster she had been seemed to have transformed into a fragile glass sculpture. "Mom... you can ask me anything... but you can't make me give up my faith" she said. "I'm prepared to suffer the consequences. But I won't deny what I believe in"

Lilith remained silent, staring at the wall and breathing heavily. And then, very slowly, she straightened and walked toward the door. "You'll get this fantasy out of your head" she said, looking at Charlie. "By hook or by crook, you will. I won't let you endanger your life and the dignity of your family"

And with that, she looked at her guards with murderous eyes: "If any of you, even one, dares speak of what you just saw, I'll have you all hanged" she warned them.

Her guards immediately bowed their heads. "Yes, Empress" they replied immediately, without hesitation.

"Good" Lilith said, then pointed to Razzle, Dazzle, and Keekee: "Take them to the dungeons. I'll decide what to do with them later"

"Mom, they didn't know what I was doing" Charlie told her. "They just covered me up while I was leaving; they didn't know..."

"If you think I'd buy such a bland lie, shut up" Lilith snapped. "Keep my daughter locked in here until further notice! Even if the Emperor himself returns before me, don't you dare open this door!"

Her guards nodded and dragged Razzle, Dazzle, and Keekee away. Lilith took one last look at Charlie, and then left. The door slammed shut.

At that point, Charlie couldn't hold back any longer: she threw herself onto the bed and buried her face in the pillow, bursting into tears. All the pent-up frustration poured out. The tears quickly soaked the bed, so much so that her eyes seemed to dry up.

Lilith continued down the corridor for a few steps, and then fell to the floor. Her legs gave out. Luckily, her guards intervened and caught her before she hit her knees and broke any bones. They tried to call out to her, but she didn't hear them.

Lilith's mind was shrouded in fog. She couldn't hear anything. Only the weight of what she had discovered was crashing down on her. Her daughter's tearful face, clutching the crucifix, appeared before her as if haunting her.

Why?

Why, of all the ways the gods could punish her, with her own daughter...?

"Empress? Empress!" one of her guards called out loudly, shaking her.

Lilith regained consciousness. "I'm fine" she said, struggling to her feet. "Prepare my carriage"

"Yes, Empress" the guards replied, rushing to carry out the order.

Lilith took a deep breath. The situation was critical, and she knew that Vox, and perhaps even someone else, already knew something. She couldn't let anyone reveal something like that. She had to take action, and quickly.

And she knew exactly who was the only person she could turn to that would surely keep quiet about that thing.

I've had some free time lately, and almost without thinking, I found myself drawing all the Hazbin characters in their Roman outfits. So, in this and the next chapters, I'll be posting these fanarts so you can get a sense of what the characters in this story actually look like. I'll post them in groups of three here on AO3. Alternatively, if you want to see them sooner, I'll post one a day on Tumblr, along with a summary of their details. Here are the first three:

Chapter Text

Here is a fanart about Roman Adam and Lute created by the artist elea-r on Tumblr, that I thank and I suggest to everyone who likes this kind of art to follow. You can find their page at this link: https://www.tumblr.com/elea-r?source=share

"AH AH AH! Come on, you little bastards! Drink up!" Adam was yelling while laughing raucously. "Tonight, the only law allowed is Bacchus's (¹)! If I see even one of you still sober tomorrow morning, I'll make you run around the courtyard so much your feet bleed like dust!"

The gladiators didn't need to be told twice, and after raising their mugs full of wine, they drank it greedily. They had obviously diluted it with milk and honey: if they had drunk it neat, they wouldn't have lasted more than three sips before the room began to spin (²). There was a moment of silence where only the sound of throats gulping down the delicious liquid was audible, and then the laughter resumed, along with several burps.

After the naumachia was over, Adam had wanted to reward his gladiators with a lavish banquet. And like all Roman banquets, it had gone on for hours. It was late at night, yet the Ludus Magnus was still in full swing.

Everyone was eating copious amounts of roast meat and boiled potatoes, resting a bit, and then going back to eat. Some had even gone to the bathrooms to vomit and then returned for more (³). And of course, they were drinking like fish: the barrels had been dragged from the cellar and opened, and everyone was dipping their mugs in and gulping down as much wine as they could.

"DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!" Angel and a few others were shouting, while Husk, ignoring any caution he should have shown as a doctor and set a good example, had buried his face in one of the barrels and was drinking greedily.

"Old man, stop it! You'll go into a coma like this!" Crymini, also present, tried to stop him.

"Hey, girl, let him do it! Trust me, it's still early for his liver to give out!" Angel said with a loud laugh, watching the wine level drop. "Come on, come on, come on! You're almost there..."

Husk continued drinking nonstop, under the gaze and encouragement of the gladiators, and finally the wine level dropped by a full hand. "HE DID IT!!!" Angel shouted, and everyone erupted in cheers of victory.

Husk finally raised his head and tumbled to the ground. He didn't even look like he could lift an arm anymore, let alone stand. Luckily, Angel and Crymini caught him before he collapsed. "You beat your old record!" Angel congratulated him, clapping him hard on the shoulder. "See, girl? And you didn't believe it!"

Crymini had to admit she was surprised. Never in her life had she thought she'd see a man lower the level of wine in a barrel by a hand in one go. "Old man, you may be decrepit, but you sure have the build of a bull" she couldn't help but say.

Husk grunted in response: "Give me a mug of posca (⁴)."

Crymini was a little surprised by the request, but she obeyed nonetheless. Husk took the mug and drank it greedily, ignoring the acrid taste of vinegar on his tongue. He drained it all, then let out an extremely loud burp. "I'm fine now" he said, standing up, albeit unsteadily, and raising the mug: "More wine!"

The gladiators erupted in laughter and cheers. "This is our Ursi!" Angel exclaimed, laughing loudly.

Vaggie and Lute were sitting across the table, devouring a whole plate of pork. Although they'd already eaten quite a bit, and were usually careful not to overeat, they both realized that after the naval battle, they urgently needed to replenish their energy by filling their bellies. "Wow. Husk would truly be able to challenge Bacchus to a drinking duel" Vaggie commented, not suppressing a small smile.

Even Lute had to admit she felt a little admiring. Husk's constitution was definitely on another level. She hadn't drunk nearly as much as he had, yet her mind was already clouded, and her body felt much lighter and softer than usual. "Hmm. If it were a sport, he'd be a champion" she commented thickly.

"Pff! Ah ah!" Vaggie burst out laughing. She was also quite tipsy by now, and that manifested itself in verging on hysterical laughter. "You made a joke, sister! I haven't heard you do that since... since... fuck, I don't remember! Ah ah!"

Lute gave her a push, but it was obviously very weak due to the excessive amount of alcohol in her system. She had to honestly admit, it felt good. It wasn't the first time she'd drank until the line between reality and dream began to blur: since she was fourteen, she'd been having a good time at parties in her hometown. However, it was the first time she'd let herself go since arriving in Rome.

She didn't even know why she finally wasn't worrying about getting drunk, like the other gladiators did. Maybe it was because she'd gotten used to that place, or that company, or maybe she felt safe there. She didn't know, and her mind certainly wasn't in the right state to answer. All she knew was, damn, she'd really missed that feeling of being literally intoxicated by alcohol.

It was really nice. Thinking only about drinking, eating, and laughing. Letting the wine wash away every worry. She had to admit, she really loved it...

The sharp sound of something slamming on the table brought her back to reality. She turned and saw that Vaggie's head was now resting on the hard wooden surface, and it didn't seem to have landed gently at all. "I'm starting to see the room spinning" she muttered thickly.

"Tsk! You're so weak" Lute teased, even as her pupils struggled to stay aligned and her head threatened to slip from the hand it was resting on.

"Girls!" the shrill voice of a rather drunk Cherri exclaimed, landing on them from behind and wrapping her arms around their heads. "What did I miss?"

"Ugh... where were you?" Vaggie asked, struggling to support her friend's dead weight on top of her.

"What are you asking? It's a banquet, we're supposed to have fun, so I went to have fun with my man!" Cherri replied, pointing somewhat unclearly to a spot in the room.

Vaggie and Lute looked where she was pointing and saw Pentious lying half-dead on one of the loungers. He looked like he'd been drained alive. "What did you do to him?" Vaggie couldn't help but ask.

"What didn't I do to him?" Cherri corrected her, slurring her words. "The room next to the kitchen was empty, we had to take advantage of that"

"Mph" Lute muttered. "I get it you're together now, but do you really have to show it to everyone?"

"What? Jealous?" Cherri asked mischievously, which immediately made Vaggie burst into laughter (with the help of the wine). "You should find someone too! Trust me, chastity isn't that fun"

"Oh, stop it!" Lute exclaimed, pushing her away, causing her to nearly fall off her chair. Fuck, the alcohol was really taking its toll. "I care about my virginity..."

"Come on, sis, don't be such a bigot!" Vaggie laughed, her eyes now completely misty. "Why don't you go to the man you shared a room with once before?"

"What... I told you not to bring that up again!" Lute growled, blushing hard, and not just from the wine.

"Pff! Ah ah! Look how embarrassed she is!" Cherri screamed, laughing her head off, sliding to the floor because her legs were too weak to hold her up in her hysteria. "She looks like an apple!"

Lute pushed her away in response, resulting in all three of them falling to the floor. And then, she couldn't help but laugh, too. They all laughed nonstop. With so much alcohol in their bodies, it was impossible to remain stoic.

"Hey, girls!" an Angel who barely looked like he could walk shouted as he approached, while a Husk, now on the verge of an alcohol-induced coma, lay on top of him. "Did you see that? Ursi broke his record!"

"Yeah, we saw that" Vaggie said, trying to get up, or at least get back into her chair, and it took all her remaining balance to do it. "You're great, Husk!"

"Tsk! You're just amateurs" Husk muttered slightly, trying to pick up the mug again. "Now let's put some more liquid in the body...!"

"Let's follow the order of the king of the party!" Angel laughed loudly. "Hey, Pen, what are you doing lying there? Are you still alive?"

Pentious barely let out a mutter. "I've seen things a human being can't even imagine" he muttered in a strangled voice. "The things I've felt... the things I've done..."

"He'll keep babbling like this for a while" Cherri told them. "He'll come to his senses eventually... maybe"

Everyone burst out laughing. Then they raised their mugs again for more. Husk was now lying on the table, and everyone was wondering how he wasn't dead yet, given that people who had drunk less than half as much as him were already passed out.

Suddenly, there was a thud, caused by Adam jumping onto the table. He must have been drinking quite a bit, too, because his cheeks were flushed, and he had even removed his tunic, revealing his superb physique. "Wow..." Angel commented with a wink. "I love it when he undresses"

Vaggie nudged Lute. "So that's what you saw that night?" she teased her, giggling like a fool because the alcohol was going to her head.

In response, Lute blushed deeply and, like a child, grabbed her hair and held it over her eyes. Sober, she would never have reacted so ridiculously, but wine had the power to lay bare any emotion. It wasn't the first time she'd seen Adam bare-chested, but now, between her spinning head and her foggy thoughts, she felt the need to cover her face in embarrassment.

Adam raised his mug proudly: "Well, you fucking idiots! Now that you're all drunk, let me tell you I like that you're not the half-asses you were when you first arrived here! I've rarely seen such an exciting naval battle!". And with that, he pulled a bag of sesterces from his pocket: "Time to pay the debts! Pentious, you stupid asshole, take it! You took down the enemy ship, so they're yours!"

And having said that, he threw the bag at Pentious, who had barely managed to raise his head and caught it square in the face. The clinking sound of a thousand sesterces rang out with his groan of pain. The gladiators burst into loud applause and hauled him up, forcing him to raise his fist in celebration.

"And yet you're not the only star today!" Adam said loudly. "Honor and glory to our dear Ubera Sicarius, who killed a male crocodile weighing two thousand minas (⁵)!"

Lute smiled triumphantly, and then, though with considerable difficulty due to her spinning head, she climbed onto the table and let out a victory cry. All the gladiators began cheering her and shouting her name like howling monkeys. Some even threw bean crowns at her, as if to simulate laurel wreaths.

Adam took advantage of the fact that she was also on the table to give her a hard slap, which almost knocked her over. "Lucky for you, I managed to make a few deals with my acquaintances in the arena!" he said with a broad smile. "Here's your prize!"

The door opened, and Peter (he too clearly already drunk) entered, dragging a huge tray on which lay a sack of roast meat. But it wasn't just any meat: everyone, seeing it, immediately realized it wasn't pork or beef. And since the skeleton had been left behind, it was immediately clear what kind of beast it was. "Tonight, we're eating the crocodile!" Adam proclaimed. "Ubera Sicarius, you get the first bite!"

Lute didn't need to be told twice, but she took one of the crocodile's legs and put it in her mouth. Even cooked, the crocodile meat was quite tough, but she didn't give in until she'd torn off a large chunk. She had to admit, it felt a certain satisfaction to eat the beast that had tried to devour her. The gladiators cheered again, and then run on the new dish to get their share.

After that, the amount of alcohol in their systems became too high for them to remember what had happened. They might have remembered a few glimpses, like Angel stripping naked and singing dirty songs, or Adam testing Husk in a burping contest. But considering how low humans fell when drunk, and that they were already idiots when sober, perhaps it was better not to remember.

Adam woke up much later. It was still night, but it had probably been hours, since the torches had gone out. All the gladiators were lying on the floor of the dining room, some on the tables, some even on the trays, snoring deeply. Adam was leaning against a wall, and had evidently fallen asleep sitting up, since he could feel his back pain.

The headache from the previous drunken session hit him hard. A bit of stomachache, too, but he had no intention of vomiting. At least now he couldn't feel the room spinning, a sign he was already recovering quite well.

He started to get up, but found a weight on his shoulder; he turned slightly and found Lute's face resting on his arm. She had evidently fallen asleep snuggled against him, and by sheer luck, she had remained balanced instead of falling off. And judging by her rather serene expression, she seemed to find the bed quite comforting.

Adam was surprised for a moment, then couldn't suppress a small smile. Very gently, he picked her up and laid her on the floor, careful not to wake her. Lute remained asleep, but she still let out a slight groan of discomfort when the warm, comfortable surface was replaced by the hard, cold floor.

Seeing this, Adam placed a rag under her face to make her more comfortable. He also brushed her hair away from her face, so she wouldn't wake up with it in her mouth or in her eyes. Now, if it weren't for the fact that her cheeks were redder than usual and the excessive sweat on her clothes, no one would have realized she'd gotten drunk. Even though she'd probably struggle to talk to anyone before noon the next morning.

But now she seemed so calm and peaceful. Adam thought he wished he could see her this serene more often, instead of the tense way she usually was. She was truly beautiful when she smiled so spontaneously...

He shook his head and grunted. This wasn't the time to think about it: the headache was killing him, he had to go take care of that. He'd only taken two steps before he bumped into the table on which the tray of crocodile bones rested (well, some... most were scattered on the floor, or even transformed into ridiculous ornaments by the gladiators). It wasn't a big deal, except that Pentious, who was sleeping on that table, fell to the floor with a thud.

Apart from him, no one woke up despite the loud sound. Pentious stood up in pain, gurgling as he felt like a hammer hitting his head. "Mmmmm... is it morning...?"

"Not yet" Adam replied, continuing to walk, trying to be more careful.

Pentious clearly didn't even realize where he was. "Where are you going?" he asked thickly.

"To recover" Adam replied. "Will you join me?"

Pentious didn't know what to say, but he knew he wanted to get rid of that throbbing headache as quickly as possible, so he followed him into the kitchen. The remedy was an inordinate amount of ice-cold posca. They both drank a lot of it, and finally managed to regain some sense, or at least not feel like their heads were being smashed by a battle axe.

"Shit, it's been a while since I've been this drunk" Pentious muttered when he no longer felt like every sound was shattering his ears. "What do you say, should we wake the others?"

Adam shook his head. "Let them sleep a little longer" he replied. "We'll wake them in the morning. What's the rush, do you want to go back fucking your woman already?"

Pentious let out a gasp. "Don't mention it to me. I have to make sure Cherri never gets that drunk again. She has no inhibitions when she's drunk"

"Tsk! Don't be such a pussy" Adam scolded him. "If your woman is thirsty for you, then make sure you satisfy her. And make sure she never gets enough and never tires of you. You have to be the one to set the rules of the game. You're a man, act like one"

Pentious hung his head, a little ashamed. He admitted that Adam was partly right: he absolutely had to improve his stamina, or Cherri would kill him before he was forty. He didn't think a woman's lust was that hard to satisfy.

Adam chuckled mockingly at his reaction, dealing even more blows to his already fragile pride. But then, perhaps because he had now largely recovered from his drunkenness, he became serious again: "Speaking of your woman, we need to talk about what you did yesterday. I'm referring to your taking command of the ship, and especially your risky move to win"

Pentious was confused: "Magister, sir, I don't understand... what does Cherri have to do with..."

"It does. Don't try to treat me like an imbecile" Adam warned him. "You've become more reckless and authoritarian lately; those are qualities I appreciate. But I know why you're doing it. You were desperate to win those one thousand sesterces". His gaze deepened: "You want to buy your freedom, don't you?"

Pentious hesitated a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, magister. I want to buy freedom, for myself and for Cherri"

Adam grunted. "You want to start a family, that's natural. You have my approval. But putting yourself in danger like that for a thousand sesterces isn't worth it. You can't get married if you're dead"

"It was a calculated risk. I didn't act recklessly" Pentious told him. "And one thousand sesterces was worth it. Even just one sesterce would have been worth it, actually. I need to accumulate as much money as possible; every little bit counts"

Adam was silent for a second. "Hmm. So you're really serious about this" he commented.

Pentious nodded. "I've always admired Cherri, and I've often dreamed of her and me being together, but I've suppressed that feeling because I didn't think I was worthy of her. But she wants me too, and she's confirmed that she accepts me for who I am. So... since we both want this... I have to start a family"

Adam remained expressionless. It was hard to tell if he was proud, happy, or judgmental. "You're finally acting like a real man" he said finally. "I hope you realize I've invested a lot in you and her"

"I know" Pentious confirmed. "I've done the math again and again. To buy me, you spent eight thousand sesterces, and for Cherri you spent twelve thousand, for a total of twenty thousand. The armor we wear costs about eight hundred sesterces each, the weapons about five hundred, and you've had to repaint them several times over the years we've served you. Add to that all the time you spent training us, all the medicine you bought for us, the food, the lodging, and a lot of other stuff that would take too long to list. The final figure is nothing short of enormous". Pentious grunted. "I'm a famous secutor, and Cherri is even more famous than I am. For every fight we have, you earn at least ten thousand sesterces for me and twelve thousand for her. If we deduct all the winnings we've sustained and all the expenses you've invested in us, she and I still owe you a total of three hundred and forty thousand sesterces"

Pentious was no fool: he knew that for a gladiator, buying his freedom meant reimbursing his lanist for everything he had invested in him. Adam had never spared any expense in providing his gladiators with the best weapons, the most efficient armor, the perfect training, the right food for their diet, and the medicine necessary to heal even the worst wounds. He had invested enormously in making Pentious and Cherri the extraordinary warriors they were now, and even if he wanted to help them a little, he couldn't simply cancel the debt. That would have meant suffering a huge loss (⁶).

Adam listened wordlessly, then took another sip of posca. "There's more" he warned him. "Once you've repaid me, you'll both be free, out of the Ludus. You'll have to pay for a house, and you can't do that without a job. You need to accumulate some money before you leave this place, or you'll find yourself living on the streets"

"I'm aware of that, magister" Pentious replied. "That's why even those thousand sesterces are important to me. Every coin counts if I want to buy a house and create a happy life for me and her"

"Hmm" Adam murmured. "You Greeks are good at math, so do it for me: how long will it take you to pay for everything, from right now?"

Pentious had already done that calculation. "Cherri and I earn a total of twenty-two thousand sesterces from each fight. Assuming you always let us fight together from now on, we'd need at least sixteen victories to buy our freedom. With an average of two fights a month, you'll have your money in eight months. This, of course, doesn't take into account all the expenses you'll incur in those eight months, so to break even, I'd say it would take at least a year. If we then add to this the cost of a modest house or a farm, that is, between twelve hundred and two thousand sesterces, plus whatever I'd need to buy to start a business... I think I'll have all the money I need in a year and a half from today. If there are no setbacks, of course"

"And there always are setbacks" Adam commented sharply, seeming to consider. "Hmm. You're right. You and Cherri earn me twenty-two thousand sesterces per fight. That figure can't be raised arbitrarily, since it's not me who sets it, but the audience and arena staff. However... I could bet more on you"

Pentious was a little surprised. "Magister, sir, you don't have to risk going into debt for me"

"Nonsense. Who said I'd go into debt?" Adam said. "Are you suggesting that a gladiator trained by me could lose? A bet only becomes a debt if you lose"

Pentious bit his lip. That was true, but betting always came with a certain risk. Adam bet on them every time they fought, but he was always very cautious. While he never threw anyone into the arena without making sure they were ready, you could never know for sure.

"Tsk. Don't look like that, idiot. I don't like being responsible for a new couple's unhappiness" Adam told him with a grin. "If you're really serious about Cherri, then we'll find a way to make you earn money sooner. We'll figure something out. You won't have to wait a year and a half or more"

"But, magister..." Pentious tried again.

"Instead of trying to refuse my beyond-excellent generosity, you should think carefully about what you intend to do once you get out of here, and prepare accordingly" Adam told him. "I don't want you knocking on my door because you can't find a job. If you come back here asking me to let you fight, I'll grant such wish by throwing you against an elephant alone"

Pentious swallowed, knowing Adam never made idle threats. "Yes, magister, sir... you're right"

"Good. And try to improve your pathetic stamina in bed" Adam warned him. "I'd like to visit you in a few years and find you still alive and able to walk. It's unacceptable that a man should fear his own woman in bed. You better improve on that. Don't make me ashamed of you"

Pentious blushed, and to hide his embarrassment, he took another sip of posca. He was glad his lanist was willing to at least lend him a hand, but still, he'd shattered his pride. Not everyone had the stamina of a bull, damn it!

Just then, however, there was a loud bang. Then another. And another. Someone was banging loudly on the front door. "Hmm?" Adam muttered. "Who's there at this time of night? Peter...! Oh, right, he collapsed on the floor too"

"So... what do we do?" Pentious asked.

"What kind of shitty questions are you posing? We'll go open the door, obviously" Adam muttered. "If they're reasonable, we'll tell them to come back tomorrow, and if they're troublemakers, we'll beat them up. Easy, right?"

That was Adam's basic plan against anyone who dared show up at his house at night: fuck, it can even be a god, but no one could disturb him before the sun was clearly in the sky. So, as he dragged himself toward the front door, trying to hide as much as possible the fact that he was still in the throes of a hangover, he was already ready to grab a club and beat the unfortunate person. Too bad that when she opened the door, she immediately recognized the hooded figure who was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. "Lilith!? What...?"

She didn't wait for him to invite her in and entered without much ceremony. "Your Majesty!" Pentious shouted shrilly, immediately bowing his head.

Lilith ignored him completely. "I have a job for you" she said to Adam.

He was stunned. "Huh?"

Lilith pulled a sack from under her tunic and tossed it at his feet. "That's two hundred thousand sesterces" she said sharply. "With this, hire a ship and a crew; what's left is payment for your services. Leave at first light"

"What!?" Adam exclaimed. "What are you talking about!? How am I supposed to find a ship before this morning!?"

"Find a way!" Lilith replied. She seemed to be struggling to breathe properly. "You will go to Katane (⁷), in Sikelia (⁸)"

Adam wasn't known for being the epitome of patience, and having just recovered from a hangover headache certainly didn't make his task any easier. "Okay, look, you may be the empress, but you can't just come here at the fucking middle of the night and order me to find a ship in an absurd short amount of time and leave immediately for the other side of Italy! Give me an explanation...!"

"YOU WILL!" Lilith suddenly shouted. 

Adam froze. In all the years he'd known her, he'd rarely seen Lilith raise her voice. And even though he was half-drunk, he could clearly see the fear, anxiety, and tension in her eyes. Something was wrong. "Pentious, go wake Peter" he ordered his gladiator.

Pentious nodded quickly and ran away, clearly glad to no longer be in the empress's presence and risk getting involved in something he wouldn't like. Once alone, Adam looked Lilith straight in the eye. "Okay, we're fucking alone. What's going on?"

Lilith trembled slightly. "You have to help me protect my daughter"

"Your daughter? Wait, that blonde bimbo with her head in the clouds who came here last time?" Adam grunted. "She's the princess of the empire. Talk to your husband if there's a problem..."

"She's a Christian, Adam" Lilith said.

Adam immediately fell silent. His face became extremely surprised, and partially shocked. "What did you say?"

Lilith bit her lip so hard it bled. "Charlie is a Christian. I don't know how it happened, but she is. If... if this gets out... I don't know what could happen to her" she stammered. "Vox, or any power-hungry senator, will start a revolt! The entire people of Rome will rise up! No one will accept having a Christian princess! You know what they do to people like her! They'll crucify her, Adam (⁹)!"

Lilith looked like she was about to hyperventilate. Adam couldn't remember ever seeing her so scared. Well, given the situation, it was understandable. "Um... okay, but what does this have to do with me?"

"You must take her to Katane, in secret" Lilith replied. "In less than a month, the festival dedicated to Isis (¹⁰) will be held. During that festival, I want Charlie to dance in honor of the goddess, in front of everyone. If she does, any accusation that she is a Christian will be forever nullified. You know that for us Romans, actions speak louder than words"

Despite the situation, Adam reflected that the plan actually made sense. If Charlie demonstrated respect for the gods, any rumor that she was a Christian would immediately be considered ridiculous. It meant protecting her forever. "Okay, but I repeat, why me!?"

"Because I know for sure you won't tell anyone" Lilith replied.

"First, you have no guarantee on this point, since I hate you and your husband" Adam snapped. "Second, you have Lucifer! Ask him to do it...!"

"My husband can't leave Rome. And I don't want Charlie to hate him the same way I'm sure she hates me now. I don't want to ruin her relationship with her father too" Lilith explained. "Lucifer doesn't know anything yet, which is precisely why you have to leave by dawn, before he returns home from the nightly sacrifices. I'll tell him just then, so he won't be complicit in this. He and Charlie can continue to be a happy family"

"That's no excuse for me to get involved!" Adam protested. "Send someone else!"

"Anyone else would be a risk, and you know it" Lilith replied. "I need someone who will not only get the job done, but also keep their mouth shut and, above all, bring my daughter home"

Adam clenched his fists. "Listen, I...!"

"You swore!" Lilith interrupted him. Her gaze was shining. "Have you forgotten? You swore by the gods to Emperor Yahweh that you would always protect the Astra family!"

Adam didn't immediately throw a punch just because killing the empress wasn't exactly easy to hide. "Your husband broke his end of the promise, I have no obligation to him!"

"But Charlie didn't!" Lilith retorted. "Lucifer broke his end of the promise, not Charlie! And she's still a member of the Astra family, so you're obligated to protect her! You have an obligation to her! Or do you want to take back the words you uttered with the gods as witnesses? Do you want to draw their wrath?"

Adam gritted his teeth so hard they screeched. His muscles tensed so much they were visible even under his tunic. "How dare you..." he snarled. "... use that oath to force me!?"

Despite her intimidating tone, Lilith held his gaze. "You have to protect her" he whispered. "You can refuse to protect me, but you have to save her. Lucifer believes that if he weren't there, you'd come to her rescue. Please, just this once... prove him right"

Adam let out a snort so loud it sounded like a bull. Lilith felt a chill run down her spine for a moment, as he seemed ready to grab her and snap her spine; but even so, she didn't look away. And finally, Adam's fists clenched slightly and he closed his eyes. "You're a bitch" he said through gritted teeth.

"I'm a desperate mother. No mother can live with the thought of her daughter being crucified" Lilith replied. "Please"

A deep silence fell between them. Just then, Pentious returned, carrying Peter, who, having just been woken up from his drunken stupor, wasn't exactly fit to run. "Master, did you call?" the servant asked frantically.

Adam nodded. "Take this money and go to the docks. Find me the safest, most unsinkable ship, one that wouldn't give way even if Neptune himself struck it with his trident (¹¹)" he ordered. "I don't care how much you pay, we'll sail in the morning"

Peter looked at him, astonished: "In... in the morning, master?"

"Yes. So hurry!" Adam snapped. Peter didn't need to be told twice, grabbed the money, and ran outside. Adam turned to Pentious: "You go wake up your buddies and make sure they sober up. We need to talk later"

"Yes, magister, sir" Pentious replied, then hurried away.

Adam snorted. "The escort will be made up of my gladiators, people I trust, and I'll check to see if there are any sailors among them. That way you can be sure no one will tell" he told Lilith. "Bring your daughter to Ostia at first light. And know that I'll charge you for any extra expenses, and I intend to incur quite a few. And I want at least another hundred thousand sesterces upon my return"

Lilith didn't even once give a second thought. "Thank you" she simply said.

"Don't thank me. You make me want to vomit the wine I still have in my body, and I don't intend to waste it like that" Adam replied. "Now get out of my house. You've ruined my night enough already"

Despite his rather insulting tone and words, Lilith showed no offense and, as Adam had just told her, left. As soon as she was back outside the house, he let out a bear-like growl and slammed his fist into the wall: "Every fucking time I think I'm out of it, they throw me right back in!"

Here's other three fanarts. This time the Astra family:

Chapter Text

Here we have two more fanarts provided by artist elea-r on Tumblr, whom as usual I thank and to whom I leave the link for their page (https://www.tumblr.com/elea-r?source=share). I have to say that this guy is really good in drawing.

Lute's first thought when she awoke was that someone had poisoned her, because only poison could explain the intense headache and burning in her stomach. But then she realized that if she had been poisoned, she would surely be dead by now. More simply, her body was in the process of detoxing from the previous night's alcohol.

She certainly didn't appreciate the way she was awakened: a series of hard taps on her forehead from that imbecile Pentious. "Come on, wake up!" he was shouting at her.

Lute was tempted to kill him on the spot. "Stop that right now or I'll send you to the afterlife" she warned him menacingly.

Pentious swallowed hard at the threat, but he pulled her up anyway. "Sorry, but you have to get up" he said. "It's important. Sober up, then I'll explain"

Lute looked like she wanted to glare at him, but seeing the other gladiators being woken up as well, she realized that perhaps something serious was indeed afoot. So, albeit reluctantly, she dragged herself to the table, trying to ignore her headache. "He woke us up the same way" Vaggie said, handing her a mug of posca. "Drink some, it'll help"

Lute gladly agreed: anything was better than continuing to feel like someone was pounding in her head. Fortunately, the posca did its job well and cleared her head a bit. "When did we fall asleep?" she asked as soon as she was able to speak normally.

"Hmph. I don't remember anything after that crocodile meat binge" Cherri told her.

"Did we eat crocodile? I don't even remember that" Angel muttered as he rubbed his face. "Shit, I'm so drunk... I feel like Jupiter gave birth to Minerva. Maybe I should go to Vulcan's temple... (¹)"

"Stop being such an idiot" Husk grumbled as he gulped down the posca. Unlike the others, he seemed to be doing pretty well.

Vaggie looked at him enviously. "How can you be so fresh?" she asked thickly. "You even drank more than us..."

"After the first eighteen times, you don't feel the hangover anymore" Husk replied simply.

Lute glanced at Pentious, who was still distributing the posca among the gladiators. "Hey, asshole! Why did you wake us?"

Pentious sweated profusely. "Um... Adam will tell you when he gets here, now just focus on recovering" he replied quickly. He wasn't sure how much he could talk about what he'd seen, and in the absence of instructions, he'd simply decided to wait for their magister's return.

Lute grunted at that response. And she wasn't the only one. "What the fuck is wrong with him?" Vaggie asked. "He's more nervous now than during the naumachia"

"Don't ask me. I'm still summoning my self-control not to kill him for rousing me from my sleep" Cherri growled.

Lute raised an eyebrow. Pentious's behavior still seemed too strange to her: he seemed in a great hurry for them to sober up. It was clear there was something serious he didn't want to talk about. Even though she didn't show it, her inner alertness had returned.

Luckily, the gladiators were built strong, and it didn't take them long to recover: sure, their heads still hurt a little and their stomachs burned, but at least they could think normally and move without feeling like their bodies weighed a ton. It was then that Adam returned, and judging by the fact that he slammed the door shut and looked furious, it was clear he wasn't happy. "Well, you're all awake" he grumbled. "Okay, you little bastards, I'll make this short: they've framed me again, so now I have to go"

There was a moment of silence. "Are you talking about one of your nocturnal adventures?" Angel asked in a jaunty voice.

"What? No! No one give birth to a child... I hope so" Adam replied. "It's just that a bitch..."

"A very good, high-class woman!" Pentious corrected him in a shrill voice, earning the gladiators' confused looks.

"... came to remind me of an old promise, so now I have to go on a trip. Don't ask me what it is, because I won't tell you, at least not all of you" Adam concluded. "Here's what happens now: those I call will come with me. The others can go to the dormitory and sleep. I'll leave Peter a list of the fights and training sessions you'll have to undertake in my absence. If, when I return, I find you haven't followed even one of my orders, I'll beat you to a pulp. Am I clear?"

Everyone nodded immediately. It had been a very concrete threat. "Perfect. Then only Lute, Vaggie, Angel, Cherri, Husk, and Pentious remain. Everyone else, get the fuck out. Now" Adam said curtly.

The gladiators obeyed promptly and stood up, leaving the dining room; They were certainly curious, but they were smart enough to know better than to get involved. The six who had been called, however, were quite nervous: Adam never called them by their real names unless it was something truly serious. The lack of his usual nicknames was worrying. They kept looking at Pentious, who was sweating more than ever.

As soon as they were alone, Adam grunted: "Well, here's the situation: the Empress has come to visit me"

Lute, Vaggie, Cherri, Husk, and Angel's eyes widened: "The Empress!?"

"Pff! Finally!" Pentious exclaimed, lying down on the table. "I couldn't hold it in any longer..."

Adam nodded. "Yes, she came here tonight, so as you can imagine, what we're about to do is not exactly public. So from now on, you are to keep your mouths shut, do everything I tell you, and don't ask questions"

Everyone nodded. If the Empress had only wanted a friendly chat, she would have come during the day. The fact that she'd come at night underscored the secrecy of the matter. "We'll escort the princess" Adam announced. "Long story short, she did something she shouldn't have done, and now she must atone..."

"The princess!?" Vaggie exclaimed, almost jumping from her chair. "What did she do...?"

"What part of 'don't ask questions' are you unclear about!?" Adam roared, immediately silencing her. "What the princess is guilty of is none of your business. You mustn't ask her, and if for some reason she does tell you, you must cover your ears. This is one of those situations where the less you know, the less trouble you have"

Vaggie closed her mouth, realizing it was best not to press her. However, the tension remained in her heart. What had happened to Charlie? Was she okay? Was she in danger...?

"Our job is simple: take the princess to Katane, guard her until the Isis festivities are over, and then bring her back here to Rome" Adam explained quickly. "Husk, you'll come with us in case we need a doctor. Can your apprentice manage without you?"

Husk hesitated for a moment, but then replied, "Crymini is still inexperienced, but she knows how to prepare medicine, how to dose it, and how to apply it. Unless she needs to perform more complex operations like surgery, she shouldn't have any problems"

"Good. Because if the princess gets sick during the trip, I want the best doctor I know with me" Adam said. "Cherri, Lute, Vaggie, you'll be the princess's escort. You're women, so you can keep an eye on her even when she's changing or going to the bathroom. Pentious, you're the smart one of the group; we could use you in Katane. And Angel... if things get dangerous, we'll use you as a human shield"

The six of them nodded; their roles were simple and reasonable. It seemed like Adam had really thought of everything, at least when it came to military planning. Well, he was a general, after all: if he was ordered to protect a target, he knew how to do it. "The trip to Katane should take a week, and we'll set sail in the morning" he said.

"In the morning!?" Husk exclaimed. "But it's almost..."

"Yes, I know, it's very early! But this is the time I've been given" Adam grumbled. "Since we must depart in secret, we can't say the princess is with us. If word gets out that she was rushed onto a ship and sent far away, it would be a problem. Therefore, we'll say she's just a patrician's daughter going to visit a dying relative, and so she must hurry. Once we reach Katane, I'll pay the sailors to leave immediately, perhaps giving them some goods, so they'll never see the princess in formal attire and never realize who they've really transported. We'll wait a few days in secret, and only then will we go to the acropolis and announce the princess's arrival to the city, pretending it was a normal journey, complete with formal letters and so on. As for the return journey, we can do it on a normal ship, and at a leisurely pace. Is that clear?"

The gladiators nodded. "Are the five of us enough to defend a princess?" Angel correctly opined. "What do we do if pirates come upon us?"

"No one will know the princess is traveling with us; they'll have no reason to attack us. And we'll sail along the coast, taking the safest route. Even in the event of storms or pirates, we'll be safe" Adam replied. "Once we reach Katane... well, there we'll announce the princess to the entire city, and then the local legionaires will defend her"

Everything was clear, but Lute asked anyway: "Excuse me, but why do we have to do this?"

"I said no questions!" Adam roared. "Is it that hard to understand this simple concept!?"

Lute immediately fell silent. She would have gladly pressed Adam to get the truth out of him, but she didn't want to do it in front of the others. She suspected it was a very personal matter.

"Now go get ready. I want you at the door within thirty minutes" Adam said. "If it makes you happy, I managed to extract a price of three hundred thousand sesterces for my services. After deducting the cost of the ship, the crew, and all the various expenses, that's a good sum; I'll take my share, and you can split the rest. Everyone benefits, so get to work"

His tone was decidedly impatient, signaling that he didn't intend to stay there and talk anymore, so the gladiators listened and went to get their things. They didn't have much to choose from and little time, so they limited themselves to a few changes of clothes and, most importantly, their weapons. Anything else they might need, they could buy once they got to Katane.

"Wow, what a situation" Angel commented. "What do you think the princess did to get herself shipped to the other side of Italy in total secrecy?"

"You heard Adam, don't ask questions" Husk grumbled. "And he's right, in these cases it's better to pretend you don't have a brain. The less we know, the better"

"Oh, come on, aren't you even a little curious?" Cherri said. "Pen, do you know anything?"

Pentious shook his head. "The Empress came and started telling Adam he was going to Katane, and then he told me to go get Peter. When I got back, they were already done talking" he replied. "That's all I know. I assume they made the deal while they were alone"

"That sounds very suspicious" Angel said with a chuckle. "But anyway, I don't like this story. It seems like we're in for a lot of trouble"

"When you deal with powerful people, you're always in for trouble" Husk commented. "So let's keep our heads down and do as we're told, and hope we get home alive. And let's pretend we're decent people, at least in front of the princess. Especially you"

"Hey! Why are you looking at me!?" Angel protested, then he realized: "No, sorry... stupid question"

Husk snorted. "Good, at least you have enough brains to figure it out" 

Of everyone, the only ones who weren't talking were Lute and Vaggie: both were just packing their things into a bag, trying to maximize space. They remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts. They both had a lot to think about, after all.

Vaggie was wondering what had happened to Charlie. Had the plan she'd been involved in backfired? Yet everything seemed to have gone well... perhaps Charlie had tried something else and gotten caught? But why hadn't she involved her again? What was going on?

Lute was also confused, but more by the fact that Adam had agreed than by what the princess had done. She knew full well that Adam despised the imperial family, so much so that he didn't even want to receive thanks or credit from them. So, what had made him agree to be the princess's escort? It certainly wasn't the money. As much as she hated to admit it, the man's past and thoughts were still very much a mystery to her.

Well, in any case, they were in now. After finishing their preparations, they went to the gate, where Adam was already waiting for them. Without further ado, Adam handed Peter the gate keys, instructed him on how to run the Ludus in his absence, and then set off briskly toward Ostia.

When they arrived, it was still night, but the sky was clearing a bit. Rome was still asleep at the time, and only the ships that needed to set sail as quickly as possible were seeing any movement. Like the one they were supposed to capture. "Hmm. Not the worst I expected" Adam commented as soon as he saw what Peter had managed to find.

It was actually a pretty good ship: it was an oneraria (²), wider and rounder than warships; this made it slower, but also more stable and safe. It was about fourteen perticae long and more than four wide (³). It was undoubtedly built to carry a lot of cargo, and therefore had plenty of room on board.

The gladiators climbed aboard and began arranging their belongings and choosing where they would sleep. There were a few cabins, but clearly these would be reserved for the princess; they would sleep in the hold. Not that it was a problem, but it was still best to decide right away where they would sleep, as some spots were more comfortable than others.

The sailors were already there waiting for them: even though they'd been hired on such short notice, they were willing to do anything for the right price. Adam would have preferred to have only trustworthy men at his disposal, but unfortunately, he needed at least twenty people to steer a ship, so he had to accept it. The sailors, however, quickly agreed that they'd been hired to take a patrician's daughter to Katane to be with her dying grandfather in his final moments; if they had any doubts, they hadn't expressed them. After all, sailors were accustomed to the strange, and they knew that the best way to live a long life was to do the job without ever asking questions.

They didn't have to wait long: a carriage arrived shortly thereafter, escorted by guards. It stopped not far from the ship, in front of some large crates that would hide from prying eyes. Adam understood, so he nodded to the gladiators and together they headed there.

Once they were sure no one could see or hear them, the guards knocked lightly on the carriage door, and Lilith stepped out; despite the situation and the rush, she still had her usual authoritative bearing. "Well?" she asked simply.

"The ship is ready" Adam replied. "As soon as we're all aboard, we'll set sail"

Lilith nodded. She didn't even ask if the people Adam had brought with him were trustworthy: if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for her. "Charlie, get out"

The princess hesitantly leaned out of the carriage. Evidently she hadn't been informed of anything, because she was quite surprised to see Adam and the gladiators waiting for her. For a brief moment, she and Vaggie locked eyes, but then, knowing they couldn't speak freely in front of everyone, they looked away. "Charlie, this man will escort you to Katane" Lilith told her. "He'll protect you with his life. Try not to make it difficult for him"

Which translated to 'stay out of trouble'. "Yes, Mother" Charlie replied submissively. "What... what do you want me to do to Katane...?"

"Soon there will be the festivals dedicated to Isis" Lilith explained. "You will dance publicly for the goddess. Then you can return home"

Charlie's eyes widened. "What? Mother, I... I can't do that...!"

Lilith glared at her. "You will" she said sharply.

Charlie paled under those fiery eyes, but still refused: "I don't want to do it"

Vaggie was quite confused, and she wasn't the only one: the other gladiators were looking at each other blankly. Why was Charlie making such a fuss? It was just a dance, right? Nothing too terrible...

Lilith grunted, but she seemed to have expected that answer. "You will, or something very bad will happen to someone" she said. "Bring her here!"

Her guards went to the back of the carriage and dragged a bound figure forward. Charlie's eyes widened as she saw her: "Emily!"

It was indeed her: the girl had clearly been taken by force, and was now bound and gagged. Charlie started to run toward her, but her mother blocked her with a hand. "You will dance" she warned. "Or she dies"

Charlie paled even more, and looked like she was about to faint. Vaggie and Cherri were also shocked, having recognized the girl who had helped them into Vox's house. "Lilith, what does this mean?" Adam asked.

"The source who warned me about my daughter's... unbecoming behavior also told me where to look" Lilith explained. "I sent my guards to search that place, and they found several suspicious people, but most importantly, this girl. She's a Christian, and therefore, a criminal. She was the leader of one of their communities". Her gaze hardened: "Adam, take this prisoner with you. If my daughter dances, I forgive this girl for her crime, so you will release her to Katane. If my daughter doesn't dance, however... kill her however you see fit, she's already condemned to death anyway"

Adam remained silent, and then shrugged: "Perfect, someone else to watch over" he simply grunted.

Charlie seemed unable to stand. "Mom, please" she begged. "Don't hurt her..."

Lilith remained cold. "You heard what I just said. If you dance for Isis and honor the name of the imperial family, she is free. If you don't, she will be punished according to the law" she replied. "The decision is yours now. Take the one you won't regret"

Charlie let out a sob, and then fainted completely. Lilith's eyes widened, fearing she was about to fall and hit her head, but fortunately, Angel leaped between them and caught her in time. Lilith's stern expression dropped for a moment, replacing it with one of concern, and she touched her daughter's forehead as if to reassure her. For a moment, she trembled slightly... but then her authority returned. "We have nothing else to say. Set sail" she ordered.

Adam nodded. "Cherri, Lute, bring the princess aboard. Vaggie, you take the other girl. Lock them in the best cabin, I'll go see them later"

Cherri and Lute nodded and immediately did as they were told. Vaggie, however, was much more hesitant: "Sir, are you... really okay with this?" she asked, pointing to Emily.

"I already told you not to ask questions!" Adam snapped. "Anyway, what do you care? She's just a criminal. If they order me to kill her, I'm only doing this city a favor"

Vaggie bit her lip. She went to Emily and, apologizing with her eyes, grabbed her arm and dragged her onto the ship. She didn't resist, as if she had already accepted her fate.

Adam and Lilith exchanged a look, and then she returned to the carriage and left. He let out a growl like a beast, and for a moment seemed to consider changing his mind, but finally decided he was now in too deep. So he climbed aboard and, as soon as there was sufficient sunlight, ordered the sailors to set sail.

Lilith had been carried to the top of Palatine Hill, and from there she watched the ship slowly drift away across the sea. Even after she could no longer see it, she remained gazing out at the vast expanse of water for a while. Only then did she return to the carriage and have herself taken home. After retiring to her chambers, she chased away all the guards and slaves, leaving herself alone.

At that point, she could no longer contain herself: she threw herself onto the bed and, burying her face in the pillow, burst into a desperate cry. All the emotions she had been holding back until that moment exploded in all their violence. She cried so hard that she wouldn't have been surprised if a puddle of water had formed at the foot of the bed.

She didn't know how long she remained there sobbing. Perhaps she would have stayed there forever if it hadn't been for two familiar, gentle hands that touched her shoulders. "Lilith"

Lilith whirled around, finding Lucifer's worried face staring at her. Her husband was sitting next to her, looking at her with an expression somewhere between confusion and apprehension. She let out another sob, and then hugged him tightly, desperately seeking physical comfort.

Lucifer hugged her back. He didn't know what was happening, but he knew his wife needed it. "Lilith... why are you crying?" he asked.

Lilith sniffed. "I... I had to send Charlie away"

"Huh?" Lucifer murmured. "What are you...?"

"She's a Christian, Lucifer" Lilith revealed. "Our daughter is a Christian"

Lucifer's eyes widened, partly in shock, partly in fear. His face immediately became more serious. "Please, tell me everything" he said.

Lilith told him everything. By the time she finished, Lucifer was shocked, and she was crying and shaking harder than before. "I had to do that. I had to protect her" she stammered, trying in vain to hold back the tears. "But now... now she surely hates me...!"

Lucifer gritted his teeth. "Those Christians... how... how dare they ensnare my daughter...!?" he hissed, barely holding back his anger. He had never been an emperor who cared about those people who gathered in secret, since he had other more important things to worry about, but now, for a moment, he felt a serious urge to imitate his predecessors and have those rabble crucified as they deserved. He was held back only by the thought that doing so would risk arousing suspicion for this sudden decision, made just as the princess was on her way to Katane to pay homage to a seemingly random goddess. "Why didn't you warn me...?"

"I don't want her to hate you too" Lilith replied.

Lucifer sighed. Even then, his wife had been concerned about keeping the family together as much as possible. "Hey... hey, don't say that" he said. "Charlie doesn't hate you..."

"How can she not hate me?" Lilith sobbed. "I'm forcing her to give up what she believes in. I threatened to... have someone killed if she doesn't obey..."

"You did it for her" Lucifer told her. "You wanted to protect her"

"That's not how Charlie sees it" Lilith replied.

Lucifer gently wiped away her tears, caressing her cheeks. "She'll understand eventually" he said, looking into her eyes. "She just needs time. I'm sure she doesn't hate you"

Lilith sniffled, then buried her head in Lucifer's chest, crying again. He hugged her again, stroking her head comfortingly. It wasn't usual for his wife to break down like that, but in that moment, she seemed really fragile to him, as if she could break like a piece of glass at any moment.

Here's other three drawings. This time the other gladiators of the Ludus Magnus:

Chapter Text

Here we have another fanart provided by the artist elea-r on Tumblr, whom as usual I thank and to whom I leave the link for their page (https://www.tumblr.com/elea-r?source=share). From up to bottom: Adam, Lute, Husk, Vaggie, Peter, Angel, Cherri, and Pentious.

Charlie didn't know how long she was unconscious. When she regained consciousness, the first thing that hit her mind was a slight sense of uneasiness, as if the place where she was lying was shifting and not perfectly level. Then the smell of seawater reached her nostrils, and the memories immediately flooded back, making her sit up straight. "EMILY!"

Her brain registered multiple pieces of information at once. First, she was in a ship's cabin: she'd never seen one before, but those wooden walls and the slight undulating motion were hard to mistake. It was a small cabin, but it was clear that whoever had prepared it had made an effort to make it cozy: the bed she was lying on wasn't just a straw mattress but was covered with sheets and pillows, and there were several bedside tables with some fruit on them. But the only thing that mattered to Charlie in that room was the other person: Emily, who was sitting in the corner, unable to get up because of the ropes binding her.

Charlie stood up and immediately rushed to remove the gag: "Good heavens, are you okay!?"

Emily was finally able to breathe normally, and couldn't hold back a moan of relief. "Yes" she sighed. "Don't worry, they didn't hurt me..."

Charlie grabbed her and hugged her tightly. Emily couldn't see her face in that position, but she could clearly feel her clothes soaking from her tears. "I'm sorry" Charlie stammered between sobs. "It's all my fault... it's all my fault...!"

"Hey... hey, don't worry" Emily said, trying to comfort her. "It's okay..."

"No, it's not okay!" Charlie shouted. "Look what I've done... look at the situation you're in now...!"

Charlie continued to cry and mumble incoherent sentences for at least half an hour; Emily initially tried to comfort her, but then simply let her pour out everything she had inside. This seemed to do her good, because eventually she stopped crying... though that was probably also due to the fact that she was running out of tears. "It's all my fault" she whispered. "I'm sorry, Emily... I'm sorry, I'm sorry...!"

"Charlie" Emily stopped her, her voice firmer this time. "Look me in the eyes"

Charlie finally looked up and met Emily's lovely blue eyes. The two girls stared at each other intensely for a few moments. Charlie searched Emily's eyes for any sign of anger or blame, but found none. "Charlie, I forgive you" Emily told her. "And I forgive your mother, too"

Charlie sniffed. "I put you in danger" she whispered. "You're risking your life because of me..."

"Charlie, being persecuted for my faith is a fate I already knew I couldn't escape" Emily told her. "I'm not afraid of dying, you know. I don't blame you for whatever happens. I forgive you and I forgive your mother, who needs forgiveness far more than you do"

Charlie wiped her tears away with her sleeve. "I should have listened to you" she murmured. "I should have told the truth from the start... so Mom wouldn't have known where to look for you... instead I kept quiet, and so someone told her..."

"Charlie, that's how it is now. We can't change the past" Emily told her. "Maybe things would have turned out differently, or maybe not. We can't know, and it doesn't matter. What matters is now and tomorrow. And now I want you to smile at me"

Charlie's heart was still very heavy, but her friend's words were at least warming her soul a little. She slightly curved her lips into a smile, to which Emily scolded her: "Not like that! Smile like you do. I've seen you smile, and I know you're not so ugly when you do it!"

At that point Charlie couldn't help but chuckle lightly, and her lips finally stretched into a bright smile. Even though she was still shedding a few tears, she seemed much more serene. "You're too good to me, Emily" she whispered. "Too, too good..."

"Nah. You're the one being too hard on yourself" Emily replied. "Anyway, now that you're more serene, can you free me?"

Charlie's eyes widened, realizing that in all that time she still hadn't freed Emily from the ropes binding her wrists and legs. "Oh shit! Sorry..."

"Language" Emily sighed.

Charlie bit her tongue. Shit, she was a terrible friend if she'd forget something so important. "I'll untie you now..."

"Those knots are too tight" Emily told her. "You have to use a knife"

"Yeah, right" Charlie said, frantically searching for something sharp, but of course the best she could find were a few splinters of wood. Not knowing what else to do, she went to the door and knocked loudly: "Hey! Hey, is anyone out there!?"

There was a moment of silence, and then she heard voices: "The princess must have woken up"

"Hmph. About time..."

"Wait!"

Charlie froze at the sound of that voice; her heart did a little somersault. "Vaggie...?" she whispered.

"I think we should inform Adam right away" Vaggie was saying. "Go get him, I'll take care of entertaining the princess until he arrives"

"Uh. Yeah, that makes sense" the other voice, which almost certainly belonged to Cherri, replied. The third voice remained silent, but judging by the sound of receding footsteps, they must have agreed.

The door opened a few moments later, and Vaggie rushed in. "Charlie, are you okay!?" was the first thing she exclaimed.

Charlie was tempted to hug her right away, and held back only for fear of getting her into trouble too. "Y-Yes... but Emily needs..."

Vaggie quickly closed the door behind her. "Adam will be here soon" she said to Charlie. "We don't have much time. What happened? Is it serious?"

Charlie didn't know what to say. She wasn't the smartest girl of Rome, but those few questions had made her realize that Vaggie knew nothing about what had happened. Which made her wonder how much she could reveal without putting herself in danger.

In the end, she decided to avoid the subject for now: "I'll explain later, now help me! Emily's still tied up..."

"Yes..." Vaggie muttered, scratching her head. "I know you don't like it, I don't either, but Adam said to keep her like this..."

"I'll take responsibility for this with Adam" Charlie told her. "Free her"

Vaggie didn't want to incur her master's wrath, but after all, she had a direct order from the princess now, so she might as well take advantage of it. She ran to Emily and, using her gladius, cut the bonds. The girl was finally able to stand up and rubbed her wrists, which were red from the bondage. "Thank you" she said.

"Don't thank me. I'm sorry I didn't free you sooner" Vaggie said, genuinely sorry.

Emily didn't seem to hold any grudge against her, and that made Vaggie feel a little better. Charlie took some of the fruit from her plate and handed it to her friend, sitting her down on the bed. Although she looked healthy, Emily hadn't eaten in a long time and her blood had been blocked by the ropes, and she urgently needed something to recover.

As Emily ate, Charlie turned to Vaggie: "So... you're escorting us?"

Vaggie nodded. "Don't ask me how it happened" he said. "Adam simply told us to follow him on this journey. We have orders to protect you"

"Why you of all people?" Charlie asked, confused.

Vaggie shrugged. "I have no idea" she replied honestly. "I tried to ask, but..."

The cabin door opened just then, and Adam entered, ducking slightly so as not to bump into the door due to his height. "Good morning, princess" he commented as soon as he saw Charlie, and then grunted as he looked at Emily: "Why is she untied?"

"I ordered Vaggie to untie her" Charlie said immediately. "Emily will travel like this. She's a human being and should be treated as such. You can't keep her tied up all the time!"

Adam glared at Vaggie, but didn't scold her. After all, it had been the princess's order. "Tsk! She's a criminal, so I'm treating her like one. I don't want her jumping into the sea and trying to swim to shore"

"I won't try to escape" Emily said.

"Of course, and I certainly believe it" Adam muttered sarcastically.

Charlie raised her eyebrows. "Emily stays untied. That's my will!" she exclaimed in an authoritative voice.

Adam rolled his eyes. He didn't seem annoyed, just bored. "Ah, fuck it, we'll talk about this later" he grumbled. "Vaggie, get out of my way. I have to talk to these two"

Vaggie bit her lip. "Magister, may I...?"

Adam glared at her. "So you just don't understand. Don't ask questions or listen when you shouldn't! Now get out!" he ordered.

Vaggie was hesitant, but obeyed anyway. As soon as she closed the door, Charlie asked: "Am I to assume you're the only one who knows I'm a Christian?"

"Yes, your mother only told me, and I kept it to myself" Adam replied dryly. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd continue to keep quiet, Princess. In case you're not clear, anyone who finds out is going to have a fucking target on their back. You've already caused me enough trouble, so don't cause me any more by spreading your little secret around"

Charlie narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going to hide my faith anymore" she said.

"I don't care. As long as I don't bring you home to your mother, you do as I say" Adam replied.

Charlie wasn't sure whether she was more irritated by the language or by that extremely disrespectful behavior. "Why did Mom ask you?" she asked.

"Because unfortunately, she knows I can keep my mouth shut, and more importantly, she has a way of grabbing me by the balls" Adam replied in a rather annoyed voice. "Look, none of us want to be on this ship right now, but we're all in it now, so just behave and avoid causing me any more trouble, okay?"

"If you don't want to be here, then take me home!" Charlie replied.

"Forget it. We'll go home when you've done what you have to do" Adam told her.

Charlie gritted her teeth. And her fists, too. "I won't dance" she said in a very low voice.

"Whatever. The neck that's going to be broken is your friend's, not mine" Adam replied. "You're doing her the disservice, not me"

Charlie jumped up, bringing herself to eye level with him... well, at least she tried, given the height difference. "That's your answer!?" she shouted. "Are you really okay with this!? Would you kill someone just because I refuse to obey you!?"

"Yes, absolutely" Adam replied without even hesitating.

Charlie couldn't resist the temptation and slapped him, which obviously didn't even dent his skin, but actually hurt her much more, so much so that she had to wave her hand to ease the pain. "How can you be so cruel...!?"

"Cruel? Girl, I don't know if you've noticed, but this girl is a criminal. Do you think I care about her life?" Adam replied. "And technically, you're a criminal too, so you'd better listen to me, since I'm doing this to free you from any accusation. Oh, and just to be clear, your mother is the one who ordered me to behave like this, so blame her, not me. I would have been happy to spend this morning sleeping and then going have fun with my favorite prostitutes, she's the one who came to bother me by reminding me of an oath I swore to the gods"

"There are no gods" Charlie hissed. "There is only one god, and I'm sure he would never approve of your actions!"

Adam closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to steel himself. "Okay, look" he finally said. "Think what you want about me, but I'm taking you to Katane. We'll be there in a week, we will stay there not even two more weeks, there'll be the Isis festivals, you'll dance a little, and then we'll all go home and that's it. Got it?"

"I won't dance!" Charlie repeated again. "I'm not paying homage to a false god!"

"I told you: you don't dance, she dies" Adam said, pointing to Emily. "Cry, scream, do whatever you want. I don't give a shit. If you refuse, I'll break her neck"

"I'm not afraid of dying" Emily said calmly.

Adam rolled his eyes. "Fuck, what's wrong with you Christians?" he commented. "You and your stupid martyrdom (¹)... think about saving your own ass, or at least try to die for something worthwhile"

"Dying for your faith is worth it" Emily replied. "I've placed my soul in the Lord's hands. Death for me is just a path I'll have to take sooner or later anyway. Christ will provide"

"Shit, how much spiritual bullshit do they teach you at your late-night meetings?" Adam snapped. "Look, if you want to die, do it after this girl here has danced. You may not be afraid of death, but she sure is afraid of losing you"

Charlie bit her lip. Unfortunately, she had to agree with Adam. She knew Emily would rather die than see her deny Christ, but the thought alone made her heart ache. The image of her with a broken neck flashed through her mind, making her want to vomit.

Adam made a satisfied noise as she watched her face turn pale. "Hmm. Well, it looks like we finally understand each other"

"Charlie, you don't have to do this" Emily told her. "Don't think about me. I wouldn't forgive myself if you gave up saving your soul for me"

"Oh, what the fuck!" Adam exclaimed. "Can you two think rationally for five minutes!? You, princess, will just dance! You won't even have to say a word, I and some other priest there will do the talking! You will just have to do a few dance steps and then it will all be over! Then your friend will be free, and you will be free too, since no one will ever be able to accuse you of being a Christian again! Five minutes, that's all your mother is asking of you! Then you will have the rest of your life to apologize to your god! Isn't he the one who always forgives? He will forgive you for this little transgression, right?"

"That's not how it works" Emily replied. "We don't kneel before false gods, and we don't pay homage to them"

"Well, your god isn't coming to save you, so this time you will have to" Adam said.

"Christ will save me. In this life or the next, he will provide" Emily replied. "If the Lord has chosen this to be the way I die, so be it. I willingly accept being the instrument through which Charlie's faith will be tested. And when I'm dead, Christ will welcome me into the beautiful heaven, and I will live in eternal bliss in his kingdom"

Adam wasn't even angry or annoyed anymore: he was just wondering what kind of mental disorder that girl had. "You Christians are absurd" he finally muttered.

"For us, the soul is more valuable than this mortal life. We focus on saving it" Emily replied, and then narrowed her eyes slightly. "You should think about saving your soul, too. You really need it"

Adam had completely given up on making a sensible statement. That girl must really be out of her mind. "Ah, fuck it, I give up" he said, then looked at Charlie again. "Well, I've made things clear. It's up to you now. You have a month or so to decide whether you want to save this crazy woman or let her suffer the martyrdom she so desires. Just let me know first, so I can prepare"

And with that, he walked briskly toward the door. "Just don't tell anyone the truth" he warned them. "If you don't want to do it for yourselves, do it for the others. Because if my gladiators find out, it'll be trouble for them. And if the sailors, who aren't people I trust, find out... I'll have to throw them overboard, and we'll have to stop at the first available port to pick up more, and I don't want to delay our arrival any longer"

And with that, he walked out and closed the door behind him, leaving them alone. As soon as they were alone, Charlie couldn't hold back a growl of anger: "How can a man talk like that about other people's lives!?"

Emily sighed. "He's a soldier. It's easy for him" she simply replied.

Charlie placed her hands on her forehead and massaged her temples to ease her anger. She hadn't liked Adam very much when she'd first met him, but at least he'd seemed reasonable... in his own way. After hearing him speak to Vox, and seeing how much contempt he felt for the Second Consul's actions, she'd convinced herself that Adam was harsh and a little rude, but at least hid a good heart beneath that facade. But now, after he'd treated Emily like dirt and her like an object, she was seriously reconsidering her opinion. "That man urgently needs God's help" she commented harshly.

"Second commandment" Emily reminded her for the umpteenth time.

Charlie bit her lip, mentally calling herself a terrible Christian again. But at least those few words had eased the tension a little... just a little, though. "Emily, what should I do?" she whispered. "If I don't do what he wants, you'll die. And my mother will probably have other Christians captured to force me. A lot of people will die..."

"Charlie, I'm fine with that" Emily told her.

"But I'm not!" Charlie protested. "I can't stand by and watch them kill you. I... I can't do it!"

Emily put a hand on her shoulder. "Charlie, you have a good heart, I understand. I know it hurts you to see others suffer" she said. "But you don't have to sacrifice your soul for me. I wouldn't forgive myself if you gave up your faith to save me"

Charlie took a deep breath. "Emily, I... I don't think I can do it" she murmured. "If he threatens to kill you, I... I think I'll do what he wants. I can't... I can't watch you die"

"Charlie, death is just another path. We all have to take it sooner or later" Emily told her. "And you know I'll be fine. Christ will take me to heaven, as he did with all the other sheep in his flock. He warned us that we would be persecuted... but he also promised us another life after this"

Charlie's hands shook. Instinctively, she reached for her crucifix and held it tightly. "It's not death that scares me" she said. "It's the thought of seeing others die because of me. If that happened... I wouldn't be able to forgive myself"

Emily felt Charlie tremble under her touch. She wanted to tell her again that she shouldn't worry about her life, but she knew it would be useless. The princess had already received too much emotion for one day, so she simply hugged her to comfort her. Charlie returned the hug willingly.

Meanwhile, Adam had returned to the hold, where the other gladiators were waiting for him. The sailors were busy on deck, so they could talk there without anyone hearing them. "Idiot girl" was the first thing he said. "She doesn't listen and does nothing but complain, and her friend is even dumber than she is!"

"Um! I don't think it's a good thing to talk about the princess like that" Pentious muttered, a little frightened.

"Oh, what do you care? There's no one here to hear you. I curse even the emperor himself when I'm alone" Adam grumbled. "Well, listen, I'm fed up, so here's what's going to happen: I'm going to sleep now, so I can at least cool off a bit, while you guys monitor the situation. Don't let the princess leave her cabin, no matter how much she protests. And interact as little as possible, since she's idiot enough to tell you why she's here, and like I said, it's better if you don't know anything. Is that clear?"

"Yes" the gladiators confirmed.

Adam was satisfied and left, muttering what sounded like insults. "Good, at least that's clear. Lute, come with me. I need someone to give the sailors a few orders, and you're the one I can tolerate the most here"

Lute nodded and, after nodding to the others, followed him. Once they were alone, Angel asked: "Now that he can't hear us anymore, what do you think the princess has been up to?"

"Shut up" Husk warned him.

"No, I think we should be asking ourselves" Cherri said. "That other girl, the one with the silver hair, is the same one who helped us get into Vox's mansion"

"Really!?" Pentious exclaimed. "I suspected you knew her, judging by your reaction, but...!"

"Yes, it's her" Vaggie confirmed, knowing there was no point in denying it. "I think she and... the other guy... were working for the princess, and the Empress found out"

That explanation was plausible. "It actually makes sense" Angel commented. "Yeah, well, how else could they have brought the evidence that Vaggie had stolen to the imperial family? Of course, they were working for the princess! Now it's all clear..."

"But what's the point of making the princess dance?" Pentious asked, confused. "And then... come on, would the princess really be friend with a Christian?"

"Maybe that girl... Emily... isn't really a Christian, they just accused her of being one as an excuse to execute her if the princess doesn't obey" Angel suggested. "That would make more sense..."

"Um... while we're at it, what is a Christian?" Vaggie asked, having never heard that word before.

"Oh, they're just a criminal sect that goes around saying that gods don't exist and that the only true god is a guy who died on a cross to save us" Angel explained. "Oh, and they also say we're all equal in the eyes of their god and therefore we shouldn't bow to the emperor or respect the division between patricians and plebeians. In short, they're troublemakers"

"And as you can imagine, the patricians don't like them, and the imperial family liked them even less" Cherri told her. "So the princess would be truly crazy to associate with people like that"

Vaggie was stunned. She didn't understand anything. "What do you mean gods don't exist...?"

"I told you, those people are crazy" Angel told her simply. "Which strengthens my argument, that the Empress only accused that Emily of being a Christian to have an excuse to kill her if her daughter doesn't do what she wants. Come on, it's impossible for a princess to actually be with Christians... can you imagine? The heir to the world's greatest empire, friends with someone who says we're all the same? Not even on hemp (²) could I think of such nonsense"

"Okay, but I still don't understand the dancing part" Pentious said. "What's the point? Couldn't the Empress just ask her...?"

"Enough!" Husk exclaimed loudly, silencing everyone. "Maybe you don't understand, but this is dangerous business! Anyone who learns the truth could find themselves in the afterlife tomorrow! So stop speculating and mind your own business, if you care about this life!"

The others shut up. Husk was right: as curious as they were, they couldn't deny that learning certain truths was undoubtedly dangerous. "Yeah..." Pentious said. "Let's do what Adam told us. Come on, it's not so bad to go on a sightseeing trip after all. Katane is really beautiful... and with any luck, we'll see Mount Etna erupt (³)!"

Of all of them, Vaggie was the only one who still wanted to find out the truth: she wanted to know what really happened to Charlie. But she couldn't ask her friends to put themselves in danger for her, so she let it go. Instead, she asked: "What is Mount Etna?"

Pentious smirked. "Well, how can I explain this to you...?" he said. "Have you ever seen a mountain that spits flames?"

Vox had spent the night awake, waiting. He hadn't even moved from his seat, merely staring ahead with clasped hands. His body was still, but his mind was in full turmoil.

Finally, at the first light of dawn, Valentino entered, slamming the door. "It's done!" he exclaimed with a smile. "As you predicted, they set sail!"

A grin formed on Vox's face. "Excellent. Papermint, go call my daughter" he said to his slave, who promptly obeyed. "Everything went according to plan"

Vox had thought everything through in detail. He hadn't waited a month to reveal the truth to Lilith just for fun: he had purposely waited until Italy had few festivals dedicated to the gods. That way, it would be easy to understand where Lilith would send her daughter.

It was all so easily predictable. Could the Empress pretend nothing had happened after discovering her daughter was a Christian and that at least one person already knew? Of course not. Haste would have led her to make the only decision available: have the princess honor the gods in front of everyone, so that any accusations would be dropped immediately. And she certainly couldn't wait until the holiday season arrived in Rome, since during that time, other rumors might surface, putting the princess and the entire imperial family in a precarious position. Therefore, Lilith had taken Charlie and sent her elsewhere, to have her honor the gods immediately... exactly as Vox wanted, because that meant the princess was now much more alone and therefore vulnerable.

"At this time of year, the festivals for the gods are held only in Katane, Syracusae (⁵), and Panormus (⁶). All cities in Sikelia" Vox said. He had already ruled out cities outside Italy, knowing Lilith would consider it too long and dangerous a journey for the princess. "It'll be easy to find out where they're headed, though I'm pretty sure they're going to Katane for the festival dedicated to Isis"

"It won't take me long to find them" Valentino assured him. His spy network was vast and well-prepared: it had been easy for him to find and follow the imperial family's carriage, thus knowing they had set sail. It would be just as easy to find them once they docked, no matter which city. "By the way... there's something unexpected"

The smile faded from Vox's face. "Explain"

"The man the Empress hired... is Adam" Valentino told him.

Vox didn't react immediately, but from his fierce expression, it was clear he was planning to kill someone on the spot. "How did the Empress convince him?"

"Probably she blackmailed him" Valentino replied. "From what my spies told me, he didn't seem happy at all"

Vox grunted. "Well, it doesn't matter. In fact, an unhappy guardian is even easier to circumvent" he commented. "In fact, this way we can get rid of two problems at once. When all of Rome knows that the princess is a Christian and the revolt begins, whoever accompanied her will surely be accused of being a sympathizer. We can get rid of that braggart bastard once and for all"

"Oh, I like it" Valentino said, feeling the itch on his head where Adam had wounded him years before. "In fact, you know what? While he's away, I'm going to do some vandalism at his house..."

"Calm down" Vox stopped him immediately. "We mustn't make any rash moves. Until we win, we must continue to tread carefully. So no, no vandalism at the Ludus Magnus. It would only attract rumors and suspicion"

Valentino grunted in disapproval, but Vox ignored him. Just then, Velvette rushed in. "How did it go?" she asked immediately, without even saying hello.

"As we planned... except for Adam as the princess's escort, but that's irrelevant" Vox said. "Now it's your turn, Vel" 

Velvette smiled wickedly. "Leave it to me" she said. "I'll make sure that fool publicly reveals her faith... at a ceremony for the gods, no less. So, where are we going?"

"For now, to Sikelia. Then, as soon as Val knows which city, you'll go there" Vox said. "After that, everything will be in your hands"

Vox would have gladly gone to ensnare the princess himself, but he knew he couldn't leave Rome, not at such a delicate moment: he had to be there, ready to exploit the news as soon as it arrived. So it would be Valentino and Velvette who would go to Sikelia. Valentino, with his network of spies, could discover the princess's whereabouts and the weaknesses of her escort, and Velvette could exploit them to meet her and, with her smooth talk, convince her not to renounce her faith and reveal it before everyone. When the ceremony for the gods arrived and the princess declared that they didn't actually exist, they would win definitively.

It was all a perfect plan.

Velvette stretched. "Ah, I've always wanted to take a trip to Sikelia. They say it's very beautiful this time of year" she said contentedly. "But I want to travel in comfort"

"Don't worry, who do you take me for? I've already had my favorite ship prepared" Valentino said, patting her on the shoulder. "You know I always want the best luxuries"

"I'm pleased to see you so ready to leave" Vox said. "Wait until at least noon, and then you can go. Leaving too early would be..."

"... suspicious" Velvette anticipated him. "Yes, we know"

Vox didn't appreciate being interrupted, but he chuckled anyway. "We're so close" he said, flashing a wicked smile. "Very soon, I, Vox Squalus Fulgura (⁶), will be the one to sit on the emperor's throne!"

Here's three more arts for this story:

Chapter Text

Adam had finally managed to get a decent night's sleep, making up for what he'd lost that morning if Lilith hadn't shown up at his door to bust his balls. Luckily, he was used to sleeping on a ship, and even though he hadn't been on one in years, the constant rolling of the waves hadn't bothered him. He'd slept a full twelve hours, woke up for dinner to check everything was okay and grab something to eat, and then went back to sleep. There wasn't much to do on the ship, so he might as well make the most of it.

However, he couldn't sleep uninterrupted either, and in fact, he woke up that night and couldn't get any sleep. He stared at the ceiling of his cabin for a long time, maybe hours: after all, he had no idea what to do once he got up. But eventually, even that bored him, so he got up with a grunt and went to the deck.

The sky was still starry, but it was getting lighter: morning would soon come. Adam leaned against the edge of the ship and looked toward the east, knowing that was where the sun would rise. At least it would provide an interesting view, he thought, trying to find the silver lining in the situation.

Too bad any peaceful intentions were instantly dashed when he heard a familiar voice: "Are you awake too?"

Adam grunted and turned, finding himself face to face with Charlie. The princess was there beside him, and with her were Vaggie and Lute, watching her back like hawks. "I told you not to let her leave the cabin"

"I actually wanted to leave her there" Lute said irritably.

"She insisted!" Vaggie tried to justify herself. "She just wanted some fresh air. She's the princess, we have to obey her, right?"

Lute rolled her eyes, clearly not appreciating the continued willingness her sister was showing. Vaggie bit her lip: she'd actually wanted to take Charlie up on deck because no one was around at that hour, so they could talk a bit and clear up the situation, but Lute hadn't left them alone for a second. Vaggie wasn't sure if her sister was so cautious because she suspected she had an ulterior motive or simply thought she considered her too soft to handle the princess alone, but either way, she hadn't been able to spend a moment alone with Charlie.

"Don't blame them, I'm the one who wanted to come up on deck" Charlie said in defense. "I couldn't sleep. I'm not used to being on a ship"

Adam let out a slight snort. "Well, you're here now. Don't make too much noise, so you don't wake the others in the hold"

Charlie was a little surprised by his reaction. Adam was definitely calmer than he had been with her the day before. He hadn't been polite, but at least he hadn't shut her up right away this time and had held back his insults a bit.

She scratched the back of her head. Maybe the night's sleep (and the entire day before) had mellowed Adam a bit? Well, maybe he, like her, had just had a bad day. After all, he'd been forced (Charlie wasn't sure how) to board a ship with minimal warning and babysit a young girl who'd made him nervous from the very first moment. Maybe now that he'd calmed down a bit, he was different from the rude guy she'd spoken to earlier.

She decided to seize the moment. "Can I talk to you for a second?" she asked.

Adam didn't appreciate the request at all, it was clear from his expression, but at least he didn't refuse flatly and instead waved Lute and Vaggie away. As soon as they could no longer hear, he grumbled: "What do you want?"

"I assume you're still intent on taking me to Katane" Charlie began.

"Tsk! It seems obvious to me. Do you think we've changed course?" Adam replied irritably.

"I don't know. I don't know anything about ships or the sea. We could sail in circles and I wouldn't notice" Charlie answered honestly. "Just so you know... if I refused to dance for Isis, and instead told everyone I was a Christian, what would you do?"

"Why would you do such a stupid thing?" Adam said, and his look seemed to momentarily fear she might actually do it.

"It's just a hypothetical question" Charlie replied. 

"So what's even the point of asking?" Adam asked again.

"Because sometimes the answer to a hypothetical question reveals a lot about a person" Charlie replied.

From his perspective, she hadn't said anything strange; however, Adam immediately seemed to take offense. "Did your father teach you that?" he asked.

"Uh... yes" Charlie admitted. "He says it helped him a lot during his youth"

Adam let out a deep snort, and Charlie wasn't sure whether it was anger, annoyance, disinterest, or maybe even nostalgia. "That idiot is always the same" he simply commented.

"Hey, I remind you, we're talking about my father" Charlie said irritably, not appreciating the disrespect, though she tried to remain polite. "Answer my question, please"

Adam was silent for a moment, as if he were contemplating whether or not to insult her parents again, but in the end he said: "If you do anything stupid like that, I'll take you, put you on a ship, and then bring you to the furthest place I can think of. If I took you back to Rome, you'd be dead"

"So you care at least a little about me" Charlie commented.

"I'm bound by an oath" Adam replied. "Whether I like it or not, I'm unfortunately obligated to protect you. That's why I hope you do what you have to do without any fuss, so you'll be safe and I'll be free"

"If you want to protect me, take me back" Charlie told him.

"I'm afraid our definitions of protection don't match" Adam replied dryly.

"I know I could die. I'm not stupid" Charlie told him. "But my faith is more important to me. Okay, you don't believe in Christ, I understand, but I do. I've pledged my soul to him, so if you want to protect me, don't make me turn my back on him"

Adam shook his head. "Seriously, you Christians are all crazy" he commented. "If you don't want to turn your back on him, why are you here talking to me? Don't dance, that's your choice. I can drag you to the altar, but I can't force you to follow the music"

"You know I'll do what you want if you threaten to kill Emily" Charlie replied. "I can't bear to see someone die because of me, even if I know they'll have a life after this"

"Then maybe you're not so sure about your faith after all" Adam grumbled.

Charlie narrowed her eyes. "You're not listening to me...!"

"No, YOU're not listening!" Adam snapped. "You say you can't bear to see someone die because of you? Well, then dance. Because if you don't prove to the entire empire that you're absolutely not a Christian, thousands will die because of you. What do you think, that the angry mob will just crucify you? Have you even thought for a moment about what will happen if this gets out?"

Charlie bit her lip. The honest answer was that she had no idea. She'd been too upset these past few hours to even think about it.

"I'll tell you what will happen. First, the people will demand your life. Then, as soon as your father refuses to comply, a single charismatic leader will be enough to lead that angry people. The first to die will be your father, stabbed like they did to Julius Caesar, even though he is not even remotely comparable to that great man. Then they will break into your house and take you, your mother, your grandmother, and all your slaves, guards and servants, and they will kill you all, but not before venting their most bestial instincts on you" Adam told her. "At that point, the one who leads this rebellion, who will almost certainly be someone like that sucker Vox, will be appointed the new emperor, and to show off his power, the first thing he will do is order a new persecution. Anyone suspected of being a Christian will be crucified and their leader thrown to the lions in the Circus Maximus (¹). Thousands will die, and it will be all because of you"

Charlie paled at that vivid description, feeling his insides twist. Suddenly, she felt as if someone had tied a rock to her shoulders. A very heavy rock, indeed.

"If you don't want to be responsible for the deaths of your family and a lot of other people, stop throwing tantrums and do your duty" Adam concluded. "Whether you like it or not, we're going to Katane, and there it'll be up to you to decide whether to ruin Rome or leave things as they are. Ask that guy who died on the cross for help if you want, but it won't change a thing. Use your brain instead of your ridiculous faith. Like I told you, you'll have your whole life to ask forgiveness from your crucified god"

Charlie bristled at hearing him define her faith that way for the umpteenth time, but she didn't reply. Her heart tightened. "Hmm. You have nothing to say, do you?" Adam commented, seeing her so silent. "I guess I've convinced you"

Charlie clutched her chest, touching the crucifix hidden beneath her clothes. "There must be another way" she whispered.

"Well, welcome to real life, sweetheart" Adam replied. "Life sucks, get over it. You can't have your barrel full of wine and your wife drunk at the same time. That's why I'm not getting married, so I can keep drinking to my heart's content"

"Don't you even think about it?" Charlie begged. "My father..."

Adam's gaze suddenly hardened. "What about your father?" he said coldly.

Charlie was taken aback. Adam had often shown aggressive reactions, but this was decidedly different. It was almost disturbingly cold. "My father... he used to talk about you sometimes... when I was a kid. He said you were the reason he's on the throne now"

Adam narrowed his eyes, as if he didn't appreciate the compliment at all. "Hmm. At least he knows how to give credit where credit is due, that little dwarf"

"My father always considered you a brave warrior. Even at the Ludi Apollinares, with the bull thing... he was worried about you, and he quietly complimented you when you won" Charlie said. "Listen... I don't know what happened between you two, and honestly, I'm not sure I want to know. But please... if you were able to win so many battles, it means you know how to conceive great strategies. Can't you... can't you at least try to think of ways to avoid this situation? I beg you, please..."

A creaking sound stopped her. It took her a moment to realize that the sound had been made by the wood of the ship's railing. Adam had his hand on it, gripping it so tightly that a small crack had opened. "Tell me, what fantasy world do you think you live in?"

"Huh?" Charlie murmured.

"You think I won all those battles because I found a way to save everything? That's not how war works, you idiot girl. If you want to win, you have to be prepared to lose everything" Adam told her in an extremely harsh voice. "You have no idea what I had to sacrifice to allow your family to rule this empire. Don't you dare make such demands of me again. My oath requires me to protect you, not to obey your every folly"

Charlie felt her breath catch. Not because Adam had just cracked wood with his bare hands, not because he spoke so gravely, not because he even seemed to have grown even larger and more menacing. What took her voice was the shadow she saw pass over his eyes in that moment. An extremely dark shadow, one she didn't remember seeing in her parents even in their darkest moments. "What have you lost?" was all that escaped her lips.

She'd spoken without thinking, and in fact, her eyes immediately widened and she put a hand over her mouth. Adam froze for a moment, as if he'd just been stabbed. The atmosphere around them became more tense than ever...

"Sir?"

Adam turned, seeing Lute and Vaggie approaching with strange expressions. "I asked you to leave us alone"

Lute looked displeased, but Vaggie spoke first: "Um, it's just... what should we do with Pentious?"

"Huh? What are you... talking...?" Adam asked, not understanding, but then noticed they were pointing to the top of the mainmast: "Wait... the fuck!?"

Atop the wooden pole was a familiar figure with black hair blowing in the wind. He hadn't noticed it before because of the darkness, but now that the sky was getting lighter, it was quite obvious. "We noticed him now" Vaggie told him.

"What the... is that Pentious?" Charlie muttered. "But... I saw him before too! He was already there when we went up on deck! I thought he was a crazy cormorant..."

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me that during this entire conversation we've been having for the past half hour, that idiot has been hanging up there, at least fifteen perticae (²) above the deck of the ship, alone, in the wind, and with no means of protection?" Adam exclaimed, and then, not caring that the sun hadn't risen yet, shouted at the top of his lungs: "PENTIOUS! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, YOU IDIOT!?"

Judging by Pentious's expression, he'd been trying to remain unnoticed all this time. "Um... I have a problem, magister, sir" he replied somewhat hesitantly.

"Speak louder, I can't hear you! You're fifteen perticae above the ground (³)!" Adam shouted at him. "Come down, you moron!"

"Is that a rope on him?" Lute asked, squinting to get a better look.

"Dunno. At least he won't fall" Vaggie commented.

"If he falls, even if he survives, I'll throw him in the sea, because he's too dumb!" Adam grumbled. "Pentious! Get down! Why are you such a moron!?"

"Hey, what's going on?" Angel asked, emerging from belowdecks, along with Cherri, Husk, and Emily, who, judging by their expressions, looked like they'd just woken up. "Why are you screaming? You're waking up the whole ship..."

"Tell that to that idiot buddy of yours" Adam said, pointing to Pentious.

Angel's eyes widened: "What!? He's still up there!? He said he'd come down immediately...!"

Adam sighed. "Who knows why, I'm not the least bit surprised that you're involved" he commented.

"Hey, no, I had nothing to do with this! Well... almost" Angel replied. "Pentious and I were taking shifts on watch, and when he came to relieve me, he asked me for a rope before I went to bed. He said he wanted to climb to the top of the mainmast, tying himself with it so he wouldn't fall, because he wanted to watch the stars to take notes about something that I didn't understand. He assured me he knew what he was doing"

There was a moment of absolute silence. "Pentious" Adam shouted in an annoyed voice. "You tied the rope wrong and you're stuck, right?"

Pentious didn't answer immediately, but finally a faint "Yes" reached their ears.

Adam put a hand in front of his face, and Angel couldn't help but laugh loudly. "I'll go get him, I'll be back in a minute" Cherri said, half embarrassed, half amused, and immediately began climbing the mainmast.

Charlie was biting her tongue to keep from laughing. "It's truly never boring with you" she couldn't help but say.

"That's just the way we are, princess" Angel replied with a mischievous smile. "If you want to see the best of us..."

"Shut up!" Husk exclaimed, elbowing him. "Behave properly in front of the heir to the empire, you idiot!"

"I didn't say anything improper!" Angel protested.

"But you were about to, and don't deny it!" Husk replied.

This time, Charlie couldn't help but giggle. She feared she'd offended someone, but Angel and Vaggie laughed too. Just then, a small ray of light struck her eyes. "Hey" she exclaimed, running back to the edge of the ship. "It's dawn"

The sun was slowly rising, illuminating the sea with its colors. It was an extraordinary sight, even better than the one seen from the port of Ostia. The great red ball was emerging from the east, as if a hand were pulling it from the water (⁴). Everyone stopped for a moment to gaze at it. "It's beautiful" Emily commented, enraptured.

"Wow... I've watched many sunrises in my life, but... this is a whole other story" Angel commented, serious for the first time.

Charlie smiled tenderly as she watched the sun rise. It was so peaceful, so far from the chaos they were experiencing there on the deck. "It's... wonderful" she commented, and then looked at Vaggie: "You're from Britannia. When you crossed the sea, did you see anything like this?"

Vaggie frowned. "We traveled in the hold with the slaves... we didn't enjoy the view"

The smile faded from Charlie's face. "Oh... I'm sorry" she whispered. "I apologize, I... I shouldn't have..."

"Hey, it's okay" Vaggie said, giving her a little shove. "It's in the past now"

Charlie smiled again at the friendly gesture. "Thank you. And sorry if I'm a little silly sometimes"

"Wow, Princess, have more confidence in yourself" Angel said.

Charlie and Vaggie blushed, realizing they had begun to speak confidently in front of everyone. But any tension was dissipated as a jet of water exploded from the sea. It was as if something had blown violently, and indeed, a large shadow slipped beneath the waves. "What is that?" Charlie exclaimed. "A whale?"

"No" Husk said. "It looks like a dolphin... but it's really big..."

Several animals leaped out of the water. They looked like dolphins, but they were black and white, much bulkier, and much larger. They moved as if they were playing, and whistled loudly in a strange, amusing note. "How strange..." Vaggie commented. "What animals are these?"

"They're orcas" Adam said, speaking without warning.

Charlie's eyes widened. "Orcas? Aren't those the animals that kill whales, too?"

"The strongest predators in the seas, yes" Adam replied. "They're rare in the Mediterranean, you were lucky to see them (⁵)"

"Um... that doesn't reassure me" Angel said, a little tensely. "Are we sure they won't attack us?"

It wasn't an unfounded fear: the orcas were enormous. Even the smallest ones were longer than a crocodile and weighed at least five times as much. The largest ones, moreover, reached almost three perticae in length and seemed capable of leaping onto the ship and smashing it with their snouts (⁶). And since some of them came close to the hull, it wasn't such a far-fetched hypothesis.

But Adam shook his head. "Orcas don't attack ships, or humans" he simply said. "They're just curious. They'll be gone soon"

Lute raised an eyebrow. Adam's voice sounded strangely more tense than usual. Much more tense...

"Oh, good, I'm calm now" Angel commented with satisfaction. "Seriously, if one of those beasts came upon us, I wouldn't know what to do. They really look like the kind of guys you don't want to piss off..."

Adam suddenly slammed his fist on the railing, startling everyone. His gaze had turned murderous. "If you don't know how to respect these proud and majestic creatures, shut the fuck up" he said to Angel, looking him straight in the eye.

Angel swallowed. It was the first time Adam had demanded respect from an animal. Until that day, he hadn't shown the slightest interest in the beasts in the arena. He spoke of them as formidable opponents, but it was clear he only saw them as prey. That's why his reaction had been unexpected. "Y-Yes, magister, sir"

Adam snorted. "I'm going back to the cabin" he said dryly. "And you, take these two back to theirs before the sailors return to the deck"

With that, he hurried off. The others remained silent for a second. "What's gotten into him?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know. It's the first time I've seen him react like this" Vaggie said. "You guys...?"

"No, it's the first time for us too" Husk said, his gaze becoming quite tense. "Something tells me we've inadvertently unlocked a memory he's been trying to keep dormant"

"Well, I'd rather not tease him any further today" Angel said. "Come on, let's do as he said. Princess, follow us to your cabin"

Charlie had no desire to go back to being locked up, and would have much preferred to stay there and stare out to sea, but she didn't want to put her friends in trouble, so she chose to obey, at least for this once. The others escorted her below deck and then led her and Emily back to their cabin. At that point, Lute said: "You take care of them, I'm going to see if Cherri managed to get Pentious down from the mainmast"

And with that, she quickly left, before anyone could ask her questions. But she didn't return to the deck, but went into the hold, where the wine barrels were kept, and grabbed a large mug. Then she went back up, reached Adam's cabin door, and knocked.

He came to open it immediately, and seemed quite surprised to see her. "I didn't ask for wine" he said.

Lute nevertheless handed him the mug. "I didn't ask for it either, when we talked" she said. "But as you said, it's useful when... someone is a little upset"

"I'm not upset" Adam grumbled.

Lute pushed the mug closer to him in response. "Drink some" she simply said.

Adam grunted. "I'm not saying I'm upset" he said, grabbing the mug. "I'm saying it would be a waste to put it back in the barrel"

With that, he returned to the cabin, but left the door open; Lute took this as an invitation and entered. Adam sat on the bed and drank, but he didn't immediately empty the mug, as if he wanted to savor it. Lute hesitated for a moment, and then said: "Sir... a lot has happened in the last few days..."

"I don't need a nurse" Adam snapped.

"I know that. I have no doubt you can handle this yourself" Lute said. "But... do you care to... talk about it?"

Adam snorted, but shifted slightly, as if to give him a little more room on the bed. "I'm just annoyed by all these idiots" he replied. "By that bitch of an empress, by that idiotic princess, and also by all the imbeciles I unfortunately made the mistake of bringing along"

Lute sat down next to him. She knew Adam wasn't just angry: his muscles were too tense, his breathing too slow, his face too calm. He was trying to contain something inside him. She knew it well, since she, too, had tried to keep it all inside.

She didn't know what to ask, so she muttered: "Why did you agree to this mission?"

Adam drank some more. "That fucking bitch with a laurel wreath on her head unfortunately knows me, and she knows how to take me by the balls" was his only response.

Lute knew Adam didn't like the empress; in fact, if the story of the stolen wife was true, he probably considered her at the same level of a whore, but it was still unusual for him to spew so many insults at once. "What did you talk about with the princess?" she asked almost unconsciously.

Adam stiffened, his grip on the mug tightening. "I thought I made it clear about not asking stupid questions" he growled, drinking the rest of the wine.

Lute sighed. Whatever Adam and Charlie had talked about, it certainly hadn't stirred any fond memories in him. She doubted the princess had done it intentionally; with that spoiled childish look on her face, she surely couldn't be that clever, but it had happened anyway.

And now, what was she supposed to do?

Lute had no words of comfort. She had never been someone good in comfort. The only way she knew was to slap the unfortunate man and tell him to get over it and get moving instead of feeling sorry for themselves, and she seriously doubted that was the right way in this situation. But she couldn't think of anything else.

She was silent for a long moment. And then, not knowing what to ask, she murmured: "Sir... why do you respect orcas?"

Adam shrugged. "They're strong and courageous animals" he replied.

"Even lions, or bulls" Lute said. "Why do you respect orcas, and not other animals?"

Adam grunted. A shadow seemed to pass over his face. "Because orcas aren't just animals. They don't speak... but they know how to make themselves understood"

Lute wasn't sure she understood. "How do you know so surely?"

Adam was silent. For a moment, he seemed to be considering sending her away. But then he said: "An orca was a friend of mine"

Lute's eyes widened. "One of those huge animals was your friend!?" she asked breathlessly.

"Yes. Many years ago" Adam replied, looking at the wine as if he were reflecting in it. "An orca that lived in the sea in front of my hometown"

Lute was astonished. It wasn't uncommon to hear of men befriending seemingly dangerous animals: in Britannia, there were plenty of stories of warriors befriending wolves, and in Rome she'd even heard that story about that guy, Androcles, who befriended a lion. But she'd never heard of anyone befriending a fish... much less a fish as big as a boat that was ferocious enough to hunt and devour even whales, the great giants of the sea.

Was something like that really possible...?

How had it happened? Adam had said it happened when he still lived in his hometown. So it had been in Germania, when he spent his days hunting wild beasts in the forest...?

...

If it had happened in Germania... was it a fond memory, or a painful one?

"Do you want to... tell me?" she murmured, very hesitant.

Adam stayed silent for a moment. "Nah. You wouldn't believe it" he said.

"If you're the one telling me, I'll believe you" Lute replied. "Only if you want to, of course. You don't have to force yourself for me"

Adam looked at her, and then let out a small laugh. "Look at you... you've gotten really soft, you know that?"

Lute blushed: "I'm not... soft!"

"Yes, you are" Adam teased her.

"I'm not!" Lute blurted out, feeling her pride burn.

Adam gave her a knowing look: "Honestly, I like you both strong and soft"

Lute was stunned. "Huh?" she asked, not understanding what he was meaning.

Adam stretched his limbs slightly. "Okay. If you really want... I'll tell you this story" he said. "For some reason, I'm okay with you knowing it"

Lute wasn't sure how to interpret those words, but she said anyways: "Okay"

Adam smiled at her. "Listen, then..."

Three more arts, this time the Vees:

Chapter Text

Adam had always been strong.

From the moment he was born, it was obvious that he was bigger and more muscular than anyone else his age. After all, he came from a family of tall, massive warriors: his father was the tribal chief and had arms as broad as shields, his mother was a warrior almost his equal. They had met when their tribes were at war, and fighting as if they were dancing, they had fallen in love. Both had decided that only the other had the right to be their other half, because no one else could match them in combat. And so they had taken command of both tribes and unified their people into one.

Adam was born strong, and he had always had only one goal in his heart: to become the strongest of all. Among the Germans, strength was everything, because being strong meant having power. It meant being able to command and look down on others. And that's what Adam wanted to be.

Ever since he could hold a weapon, he had trained. He had faced all the strongest warriors in his tribe, and after every defeat he rose again. He had tempered his body, strengthened his muscles, and forced every tendon, nerve, and joint to become swift and perfect. By the age of thirteen, he was already a full passus and a pes tall (¹).

It was precisely at that age that he heard it for the first time.

His tribe lived near the sea, and there was a cliff overlooking a large bay. Adam loved visiting it, and watching the vast expanse of water gently moving with its waves. And it was there, at the age of thirteen, that he heard the song.

Adam was ecstatic to hear it. It wasn't a song like the one the women of his tribe sang at festivals, nor like that of the priestesses who sang for the gods. It was a song... different, deeper, that seemed to penetrate his heart. He began running along the cliff, searching for its source, but he couldn't find it.

In the days that followed, he returned. The song always began at the same time, as the sun began to set over the sea. He searched for the person singing, but he could never find her. The only thing he saw, for a brief moment, was a flash of blond hair, so long it seemed to be a train, which disappeared before he could figure out how to reach it.

For the young Adam, there was only one explanation: the one singing had to be a fairy. One of those spirits who dwelt in the ocean waters, and whose beauty and voice could make any man fall in love. Because he had fallen in love with that song, even if it was only an almost ethereal voice, and he never wanted to lose it again.

He decided that, if he couldn't see the fairy, he would at least make sure she saw him. So he went into the forest and killed a deer, and after taking the most succulent parts, he climbed down the cliff. Not far from it was a small rock, barely emerging from the water; it was there that he deposited his loot, leaving it as an offering. The next day, the meat was gone, and strange flowers that looked almost like seaweed had been left in its place.

Adam smiled, realizing the fairy had appreciated his offering. In that moment, he decided that from that day on, he would spend his days hunting, bringing back only the finest prey. He refused the bow and the spear, because they were weapons that struck from a distance, weapons for cowards; and he also abandoned the sword, because he considered it too fragile and unsuitable for delivering powerful blows. Only one weapon mattered to him: the mighty axe, which he personally crafted with the tribe's blacksmiths to make it exactly as he wanted. And so, armed with axe, shield, and light armor of wood and metal (²), he set out every morning into the forest, seeking out his new adversary.

He used no traps or ranged attacks: he announced himself clearly, and if his prey ran away, he didn't pursue. He only faced those animals that didn't flee but stayed to fight. He had promised himself to bring the fairy only the best prey, and there was no value in killing an animal by stabbing it from behind as it fled. No, he wanted only those brave and strong animals that weren't afraid to fight. In that wild world, it was the only rule he imposed on himself.

Boars, deer, wolves, wild oxen: in that forest there was everything, and he fought them all. He never retreated, and there was no need to hold back. He came close to death several times, sometimes sustaining wounds that seemed capable of killing him; yet, he always survived.

At the end of the day, he brought his kill to the tribe, where he was acclaimed. His parents were proud to see their son transformed into a warrior, unafraid to battle the most powerful beasts. The tribe's warriors respected him, and the women watched him with interest and passion. He basked in the glory, but what truly mattered to him was what he would do next: take the best parts of the animal he had killed, usually the liver or heart, and bring them to the cliff. The other tribesmen didn't know why he did these things, but they didn't ask: after all, it was well known that every great warrior had his own rituals to thank the gods for their support, and it was right that he be left alone while he performed them.

The fairy always accepted his offerings. When Adam reached the sea, always at the same time of sunset, the song began, as if waiting only for him. He listened, then swam to the rock and deposited the meat there. The next day, it always disappeared, and in its place was a shell, or a colored stone, or one of those strange flowers, or trinkets made from all these things.

And then, on his fourteenth birthday, there had been a storm. Nothing unusual, as it often happened in winter; but this time, the storm brought something. The fishermen announced that a large orca, the sea's most powerful predator, had arrived in the bay. It was alone, which was unusual for an orca: the storm had probably separated it from its pod. The animal had taken up residence in the bay, and this was a source of concern for many, as its presence could diminish the fish population or even pose a danger to ships.

Adam had seen it: when he went to the reef, he noticed the orca's dark shadow under the water. Sometimes he had even seen it slightly surface. It was larger than a shark and massive like no other creature he had ever seen. And even though he'd never seen its hunt, Adam heard fishermen's stories about how even whales were terrified of that creature.

How strong must that marine creature be...?

And yet, one day the orca came to visit him. Adam was placing his offerings on the rock, and just then the animal approached. He clenched his fists, fearing it was going to eat the meat, but instead, as soon as the orca emerged from the water, it revealed a large shell between its teeth, which it held delicately. Adam then understood that the orca was coming on behalf of the sea fairy, and so he gave the meat to it.

That routine continued for days, weeks, months. The orca arrived every day, always at the same time, bringing a new gift from the sea. And the singing never stopped; on the contrary, it continued with even greater fervor, as if the fairy wanted to reassure Adam that she appreciated his gifts and that he was right to trust the animal.

The orca had been shy at first, quickly retreating once the exchange was made, but then it began to stay longer. Adam, in turn, had approached it, first cautiously, then more courageously. Finally, even though he never strayed far from the rock, he began diving into the sea when the orca arrived, to meet it on shared territory. Actually, to meet him, since after a long time he discovered the orca was a male.

Adam knew the orca could kill him at any moment, but he had never done so. In fact, the orca seemed as intrigued as he was. His gaze was filled with a lively curiosity, not unlike that which Adam normally saw in human eyes. It was as if he were curious to get to know this little land creature who brought such delicious food every day.

Adam began bringing something for the orca too: along with the heart and liver he offered to the fairy, he gave the animal a few more pieces of his prey. The orca reciprocated by bringing him fish, usually herring. Adam couldn't believe an animal could understand concepts like gratitude or even trade, yet that was what was happening. That orca had an intelligence that no other animal, not even faithful dogs, possessed.

And the day came when the orca even allowed him to pet him. Instead of recoiling, he let Adam touch his muzzle. It was smooth, but the young warrior could feel the powerful muscles beneath. A beastly power seemed to surge from that skin. And it was in that moment, as he felt that strength and looked at the animal's white patches, which seemed to recall the phases of the moon, that the intuition came to him. "Kadmon" he said. "That's how I'll call you"

The perfect union: on one side, the Germanic word for power and war, on the other, the name of the moon god (³). And the orca, even though he didn't understand its meaning, understood that the word was a way of identifying him. He accepted that man from the mainland calling him that, and every time Adam uttered that name, he arrived. He had become Kadmon, and he liked the name.

Adam soon stopped being afraid of the orca. He respected his strength, but he didn't believe he would ever attack him. He and Kadmon often found themselves swimming together, and when Adam couldn't join him at the rock due to bad weather, it was the orca who came to the cliff to see him and let Adam throw his offerings into the sea, bringing them to the fairy as usual. And when the clouds dispersed and the sea calmed, Adam returned, and Kadmon welcomed him with great celebration, happy that he hadn't left. A powerful bond had developed between them, maybe unusual, but not at all strange to them (⁴). After all, they were both the apex predators of their environment: they could only bond in friendship once they met.

And the day came when Adam became a man; at his fifteenth birthday, he became a full-fledged warrior of the tribe. Despite his young age, he was taller than everyone else (⁵), even his father, and was now stronger than anyone else. Everyone respected and admired him, considering him a warrior superior to all. There were celebrations, and then he and the other warriors set out to hunt an entire herd of wild boars; it was a rite of passage for the tribe, and usually the young men faced the weaker boars, but Adam, as was his custom, attacked the male and killed it after a fierce fight.

His victory was celebrated for a long time, and that was precisely why he was late arriving at the cliff for the first time. When he arrived, despite running, the song was already almost over. But perhaps it was precisely because he hadn't shown up in time that the fairy had emerged, because when he finally reached the cliff and looked out to sea, he noticed half-hidden among the rocks that same long blond hair he had seen during the first few days...

... and then, Kadmon emerged from the sea and grabbed that hair with his teeth, dragging it under the water with a splash.

Adam's eyes widened. "No!" he shouted, scrambling down the cliff as fast as he could. He tried in vain to reach the orca, but all he saw was its tail emerging from the water as it sank, dragging the fairy with it. Adam dived into the sea and swam, trying to reach them, but he barely made it to the usual small rock. He still had his armor, shield, and axe, which prevented him from swimming fast.

He pounded his fists on the rock, letting out a frustrated cry. How could this have happened!? The fairy... the fairy with the beautiful singing had just been killed by the orca. He had sworn to her, and he hadn't been there when she truly needed him. He had arrived late, and Kadmon had killed her.

Kadmon...

How could he!?

The water in front of the rock rippled, and Kadmon emerged. As usual, he seemed happy to see him. But this time, Adam let out a war roar and instead of stroking his muzzle, he punched him.

Kadmon recoiled, confused. That punch hadn't injured him, but it had still hurt. And he didn't understand the reason for that attack. Why was that land creature screaming and hitting him...?

Adam gritted his teeth. "You'll pay for this" he growled. "You bastard!"

And with that, he swung his axe and struck the orca's right side, just below the jaw.

Kadmon's eyes widened. For the first time in years, he felt something tear through the thick layer of fat beneath his skin. He had no idea how Adam had shaped the metal, in fact, he didn't even know what metal was; but he knew it was hitting him, damaging his flesh. It was hurting... really, really badly.

In that moment, only one thing came to his mind: the swishing of the tail of his most feared rival, the sperm whale.

For the first time, he was experiencing a pain unlike any other, one where his skin was being cut and torn, then violently pushed inward. In the orca's mind, what could have hit him could only be something with the same force and weight of a sperm whale's tail, because only that had ever caused him so much pain. Yet, his eyes confirmed that it was that bipedal being with his strange staff who had struck him.

That was the moment Kadmon stopped hesitating.

His powerful body shifted, every muscle igniting. Adam felt it just in time to raise his shield, but this time it wasn't like being struck by a bear's paw or a charging boar: he was thrown backward with a force he'd never felt before. It was so strong, so fast, that for a moment he feared his arm would break. The only reason nothing broke was that he was in the water; otherwise, the recoil alone would likely have broken his back.

Kadmon didn't just push him away. Adam was no longer just a harmless strange creature: he had become an adversary to be reckoned with. The orca was furious at the wound he'd sustained, and he wasn't about to stop.

His tail lashed out, cutting through the water. Adam defended himself with his shield again, and again he was thrown away. He could feel every fiber of his body vibrating like the strings of his people's musical instruments. He was forced to spit the air from his lungs, and with it, a lot of blood (⁶).

With an effort, he surfaced and took a deep breath. "Fuck... it's like a boulder hit me..." he couldn't help but think. "I managed to parry the blows... but it still did so much damage..."

If it weren't for the water cushioning the force and partially pushing him back, Kadmon would surely have broken his bones by now. The orca's power was on a completely different level than any creature he'd ever faced. The boar's tusks, the deer's antlers, or the wolf's claws were nothing compared to it.

He saw Kadmon's shadow approaching. The orca was ready to attack again. But so was Adam. "There, he's about to swing his tail again" he thought, positioning himself so that his shield was always in front of the animal. "Come on, what are you waiting for? Hit me!"

Kadmon's tail struck him again, but this time it knocked him out of the water; Adam flattened himself on the shield, letting it absorb most of the blow and release its force, though he still had to grit his teeth and spit out more blood. But as he was in the air, he turned and brought his axe down. When he landed, he was on the orca's back, and his axe was the first to hit, with all the acceleration of the fall.

Kadmon felt as if the force of a whale had struck him, but all concentrated in one tiny point, which cut his flesh, causing a gush of blood to explode. It was as if something had combined the teeth of a shark with the strength of large marine mammals, but even more precise, even more concentrated. Adam managed to drive his axe deep enough to slice through the muscle beneath, though he was then forced to stop due to the thick layer of fat.

Kadmon retreated, using his superior speed to get away. Adam couldn't help but smile victorious, but he knew he was far from defeating his opponent: he'd inflicted some wounds, yes, and they certainly hurt, but the orca's internal organs were still intact. On the contrary, he still felt the force of the animal's tail blows, shaking his body, making his heart and lungs tremble. Of the two of them, the orca was still the stronger.

"I have no chance of hitting his heart or any other vital organ, there's too much flesh between them. And I can't imagine how thick the bones are..." Adam mused, gritting his teeth. "The fins... yes, the fins! Maybe if I can cut off his fins, I have a chance! He won't be able to swim anymore, and I'll be able to fight him on my own terms!" 

Kadmon was confused, frightened, and even furious. That land creature, barely a hundredth his weight, had managed to tear his flesh. He had used his own attack against him. How dare that being hurt him...?

Adam swam toward him, swinging his axe, creating small waves. The orca immediately responded, leaning sideways and swinging his big tail. That was exactly what Adam wanted: when the tail struck his shield again, this time he didn't let it throw him away. In that brief moment, he grabbed the orca's tail and held it steady, even though the recoil felt like it was about to blast his heart out of his chest. Kadmon flailed to break his grip, exposing his fins. Adam didn't hesitate, and struck the right fin, where it connected with the rest of the body.

Blood gushed, but the axe failed to break the hard bone. Kadmon let out a loud whistle of surprise and pain, and struck Adam hard with his fin. The young warrior was thrown backward, while the orca flailed its fin in the hope of dissipating the pain.

That was the moment Kadmon had enough.

The orca swam away from Adam, and then turned. Their gazes met again, and this time Kadmon's was one of absolute murder. As if his own fury had given him strength, he abandoned any strategy of using fins or tail, and instead charged at Adam head-on.

Kadmon focused exclusively on using his hardened head, striking with all his speed. Like when he'd defeated the shark, like when he'd taken down the humpback whale, or like when he'd annihilated the sperm whale. The attack he'd used against the ocean's most powerful adversaries was now unleashed on this small land creature (⁷).

Adam barely saw him, and survival instinct told him to move, but it was too late: the orca's snout smashed into his shield, which cracked as if it were made of plaster. Adam felt all the orca's immense force drive his arm; muscles tore and bones crushed until they broke. His own shoulder was thrust backward so forcefully that it felt like it was about to pop out of his back. The only reason he didn't die instantly was that Kadmon just grazed him, but even so, he felt at least four ribs break and his organs felt like mush.

Adam had never taken so much damage in a single blow. The orca's strength was something his opponents on land were nothing compared to. Driven by survival instinct, he swam toward his rock and clung to it with his still-functioning hand, dragging himself out.

Kadmon swam around the rock, keeping an eye on it. Adam saw the orca's eye emerge from the water. He almost seemed to challenge him, screaming for him to come back and fight, or he would leap out of the water and drag him back into the sea. And considering how small the rock was, it wasn't an impossible thing.

Adam breathed deeply, hoping his lungs hadn't been damaged; fortunately, they hadn't, but he still felt pain with every breath. With his still-intact hand, he replaced his shoulder, which made a dull thud as it snapped back into place. Adam felt a searing pain, but it was better than leaving it like that. Still, he knew he couldn't fight with that arm anymore.

And yet, despite the pain, a part of him rejoiced. His pride was swollen. Because looking into Kadmon's eyes, Adam could see anger and ruthlessness, but also a trace of fear. Well hidden, but it was there. And that was enough to make him realize the orca hadn't held back against him.

"You used all your strength, didn't you, Kadmon? Just like you do with your prey" Adam found himself thinking. "This orca, the most powerful predator in the seas... recognizes me... as a worthy opponent...!"

Normally, Adam would have considered this an immense honor. Being deemed a valuable foe by the most feared creature in all the seas would surely earn him a place among legends. But in that moment, he didn't care. His anger was stronger, his rage uncontainable. He kept thinking about when he'd seen the fairy in that orca's mouth.

He couldn't forgive him...!

"Son!"

That voice entered Adam's ears unexpectedly, catching him off guard. He looked up and saw a small crowd of people gathered on the clifftop. Someone had obviously seen him, or heard his battle cry, or something; the fact is, his tribe had gathered there, and they were watching him. Even from that distance, he could hear them talking.

"Did you see him?"

"The orca attacked him with all its might!"

"I've seen them in the sea, that's how they flip whales!"

"And the orca felt the need to use it against that boy?"

"Impossible! Did he really push that animal that far?"

"Either way, he had really great courage to face it"

"Yeah... but now it's over"

Adam chuckled. It seemed like at least his legend would live on. He looked at his father and mother, standing in front of everyone, the former with a frightened look on his face, the latter already with tears in her eyes. They already knew that, even if they jumped off the cliff, they would never reach him before the orca attacked again.

"You're already giving me up for dead, aren't you?" he thought with a chuckle. "Look at the faces of all these people... but no. You don't have to... worry". And with an effort, he got to his feet. "I'm not... finished yet"

The whole tribe seemed to freeze as he stood up and stared intently at the orca. "He's back up" his father whispered. "He doesn't want to give up...!"

"Come on, big guy!" Adam shouted to Kadmon. "I'm here, do it!"

The orca seemed to rise to the challenge, as if he had been waiting for nothing more. His eyes narrowed, and then he swam under the water. Adam tightened his grip on his axe, waiting. And then, the sea before him exploded, and Kadmon leaped toward him.

The rock was small, with little room to maneuver, but that was enough for Adam: he knew the orca wouldn't jump too low, or else he'd risk injuring himself on the rock, and that left him enough room to dive to the ground and avoid it. Even though Kadmon was the strongest predator in the seas, his experience didn't help him in a fight above water. Adam took advantage of this, slipping under the orca and swinging his only good arm, which he used to swing his axe.

"This is all I have, Kadmon" Adam thought. "I only think about winning, about striking my opponent with a quick and very strong attack. Every muscle is flexible, every joint is hinged. My arm, tempered by hunt after hunt, is now as agile and quick as a weapon. This blow is the culmination of everything I've learned, and it contains all my strength!"

Kadmon's muzzle crashed into the axe's edge, which cut through flesh like a knife. The metal pierced part of his jawbone, and then he was dragged back, not by Adam's strength but by that of the orca herself. It sliced ​​through a large portion of his belly, causing blood to gush, and then they both fell into the water, creating a wave.

The entire tribe had been held in suspense during that scene, and they sobbed as they saw the water turn red. "It's blood!" Adam's father shouted. "But whose is it?!"

There were a couple of splashes, and then silence. And then, Adam's head emerged from the water. He swam toward the rock on his own two legs, barely supported by his shoulders, and barely dragged himself along it. "Well, it's natural" he muttered, looking at his arm. "After all, they're not weapons. They're just bones and muscles"

His arm had bent unnaturally, and the pain testified that almost every bone had broken. His fingers were also fractured, bent from the strain of holding the axe. In that state, they certainly couldn't hold onto his weapon, which had in fact sunk into the water. "His arm...!" he heard his mother exclaim.

"It's no wonder. I'm strong and extraordinary, but... I'm still just a man. I can't stay whole if I hit an animal of that size coming at me at that speed" Adam thought. "Enough. The battle is over. Now... I can stop"

With an effort, he pulled himself up, his two arms dangling from broken bones. His gaze was fixed on the red stain of blood that continued to grow in the water. "I really gave it my all, Kadmon... and so did you" he thought, then used every last energair he had to raise his arms in victory: "I did it! I killed the beast, and I'm still standing!"

His entire tribe erupted in cheers. The entire reef seemed to tremble with the force of their triumphant roars. Each of them shouted his name with all their strength.

"He did it!"

"He took down an orca all by himself!"

"This is extraordinary!"

Both his father and mother had relieved expressions on their faces, but also extremely proud. They looked at their son with a fire in their eyes that had never burned so brightly. "Amazing" his father murmured. "My son, barely a man, has accomplished such an incredible feat!"

Adam lowered his arms, letting them cheer him on. But deep down, he felt no joy. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, he felt only a great sadness. "Fairy, forgive me" he whispered. "I avenged you... but I failed to protect you..."

The sea exploded behind him.

In Adam's eyes, time seemed to slow down. He turned and saw Kadmon's face emerging from the water again, now cut by a wound running down his belly, the same one he had inflicted with his axe. The orca reached him and struck him full in the chest.

The last pieces of his armor broke, and Adam felt his ribs crack and his sternum fracture. He was thrown backward and landed in the water, pushed by the orca's weight. He barely heard the desperate "NOOOO" from his tribe before his ears filled with water.

Adam found himself sinking. "Oh... so I also failed to avenge you, fairy" he thought. "Forgive me... I failed on every level. I'm sorry"

Kadmon was swimming above him. Their eyes met again. "Yes... at this point, I can't expect to make it out alive" Adam thought with the last fragments of his consciousness. "You win, Kadmon. Claim your victory. Eat me, as you did all your great opponents. Not just my arms, not just my legs, not just my head... take everything. Leave nothing behind"

That was his last thought, before the lack of air and his battered body made even that impossible. At that point, he completely surrendered to the force of the water and let himself be dragged to the bottom. After all, in that state, he would never be able to swim. His eyes remained fixed on the orca above him, waiting for the moment when he would tear him to pieces.

And yet, Kadmon didn't attack.

He remained there, barely moving his fins and tail enough to keep from sinking. His gaze was fixed on the man slowly descending beside him. A gaze that, now that his adrenaline too had run out, was devoid of his previous anger or fear. A gaze... of admiration.

In every age, culture, and people, there was a common behavior among all human beings: faced with an extraordinary feat, something that seemed accomplished by divine will, they could only remain speechless. Their heart filled with admiration for that person. No one could remain indifferent, and one felt that feeling of respect and devotion toward that extraordinary person.

Kadmon wasn't a human being, he was an orca. But orcas also had cultures and peoples, that the humans called with the simple name of pods. They had different languages ​​and customs, and they hunted different things. They forged strong bonds with each other and even fierce rivalries (⁸). Even though they had fins and lived in water, they weren't so different from humans at heart. And they too, faced with a seemingly impossible feat, could only show respect and devotion.

That had been his victory. Kadmon knew it, it was obvious. But never, never before, had he encountered an enemy like the one he had just faced. An enemy who had defied all odds, and who had managed to earn his admiration.

Challenge. Fight. Win. Eat. Attack. React. Fight. Win. Eat.

That had always been Kadmon's life. And in that sea filled with creatures large and small, food never seemed to be in short supply. There was never a shortage of those to catch it from. Kadmon had survived the mighty tails of humpback whales or the powerful bites of sperm whales. He and his pod fought the ocean's greatest giants, and he was always on the front lines.

He never backed down. He and his pod always won, and he was the one who delivered the final blow. He never had to hold back, because he was fighting the most powerful creatures. He faced the heaviest of the heavyweights, and he was proud of it.

This had been his life, until the day that powerful storm separated him from his pod. That day he had come here, to that bay, drawn by the same song that had enchanted Adam. He had settled in that bay, and there he had met a new friend.

Yes, Kadmon understood this. He was an orca, an animal, but he understood. That being who lived on land, Adam, was his friend. A friend who then, for a reason he didn't understand, had become his enemy.

But that had been an enemy unlike any other Kadmon had ever faced. He had been an enemy smaller than him, one who struck with that strange staff and whose body was covered in wood. An enemy who kicked with his small feet and punched with his small hands.

A being... so weak, without tail, fins, or fangs.

And yet, his attacks were intense. They were exceedingly strong and painful. Just like the bites, tail blows, and fin swipes of the mighty sea creatures.

Sometimes, it's not necessary to explain something with words. Kadmon didn't understand the meaning, but he understood the essence: that small man had made a sacrifice. He had gained a strength that he shouldn't have had in exchange for enormous effort. And he had transformed those small limbs into fangs, fins, and tail.

A success Kadmon had never seen before in the great sea.

Even without words, he understood. And for the first time in his life, Kadmon made a different choice. He decided not to kill and devour his opponent; instead, he gently took him by the mouth and swam away with him, carrying him to the place he had shared with only one other before.

Adam saw the orca's teeth close on him, but he felt no pain. He didn't feel death approaching, even though his entire body was numb. He barely felt the movement of the water as Kadmon dragged him away. The last thing he saw before passing out from lack of air was the surface of the sea turning to rock, and he realized they had entered an underwater cave.

Adam stopped. He wasn't sure when he'd stopped talking either. He just found himself staring blankly at the now-empty mug in his hands.

Lute had been silent throughout the story. Her eyes were so wide they looked like they were about to roll out. "And then?" she asked. "What happened?"

That had been the most extraordinary story she'd ever heard. She'd heard tales of men taking down wolves and bears, she'd heard Vaggie tell how she'd killed a lion, she'd killed a crocodile herself, and she'd seen Adam take down a bull single-handedly. Yet none of those feats even remotely compared to the one Adam described.

It didn't matter that Kadmon had won in the end. Because to push an orca to the limit like that, and even earn his respect, was a feat that defied human limits. Lute thought back to seeing those enormous creatures at dawn, and she could only imagine the immense strength they possessed. Having the courage to challenge one and push him to give his all, to use attacks that he normally used against whales, was something worthy of all admiration.

Adam flinched slightly at the question. He seemed a little surprised. "Hey... so you really believe me?" he asked, as if he hadn't expected it.

Lute nodded. "Are you lying to me?" he asked rhetorically.

Adam shook his head. "You know I don't take credit for anything I don't deserve, Ubera Sicarius"

"Then why are you asking me if I believe you?" Lute replied. "I know you're telling the truth"

Adam smiled a little, but it faded shortly after. "Well, like I was telling you, Kadmon took me to that cave" he replied. "Inside there was a small cavity filled with air, where I could breathe. I passed out as soon as Kadmon brought me up there. I only remember him pushing me toward the shore. And then... then..."

Adam fell silent again. Lute noticed his fingers tightening. "Was the... fairy... in the cave?" she asked without thinking.

Adam's shoulders tensed. But he still let out a very soft: "Yes... yes, she was there. Alive"

Lute hesitated for a moment, then touched his hand lightly, relaxing his stiff fingers. Adam was a little surprised by the contact, but he didn't comment, as usual. This time, he was just confused. "Lute...?"

"You don't have to talk to me about this if you don't feel like it" she said seriously.

Adam snorted softly. "You don't have to treat me like a child, I..."

"I'm not. I know you've probably already dealt with whatever's in your past" Lute told him. "But... I know from experience that dealing with it once doesn't mean you can laugh about it a second time. So don't force yourself. You don't have to tell me everything now. When you're ready... tell me the end of the story. I'll always be ready to hear it"

Adam was speechless. He hadn't expected such a reaction... not from her, at least. "Uh... okay. Okay, I'll do that" he said. "Thanks, Lute"

She smiled knowingly. It was a sweeter, less mischievous smile than her usual sarcastic grin. A smile that could almost be called sweet... at least until she realized she was still holding Adam's hand, and she immediately blushed. "I... I'd better go!" she exclaimed, standing up abruptly. "Excuse me, sir, I... I'm going to check on the others!"

Adam watched her rush from the cabin. Normally, he would have found that reaction amusing, but that wasn't the predominant feeling in his mind at the time. He honestly didn't know what it was either. There was definitely too much going on in his head at that moment.

Here's other three arts:

Chapter Text

Alastor stood on the bank of a river; his most trusted guards were with him, but they dared not approach or disturb him while he was thinking. He just stayed still there, gazing out over the distant landscape to the south. There, stretching across the horizon, was a strip of stone that seemed to divide earth from sky. The insurmountable wall separating north and south.

Hadrian's Wall.

Beyond that wall lay the Britannia Superior, the first true Roman territory. One could say that this was the true border with the actual Britannia, and that the land between it and Caledonia, which the Romans called with the unoriginal name of Britannia Inferior (¹), was merely a passage between the two peoples. Crossing the Wall therefore truly meant bringing the war into Roman territory (²).

But of course, this was easier said than done.

There was a reason no one had ever managed to cross the Wall, even though it had been built over twenty years earlier and numerous armies had attempted to assault it. The wall was three and a half passus high and almost two thick; In front of it were a berm and a deep ditch, fortified with rows of pointed stakes. Along the wall were fourteen auxiliary forts and eighty blockhouses, one for every mile (³). Two turrets were placed between each pair of blockhouses, used as observation and signaling posts. Each blockhouse had at least eighty soldiers, while the larger fortresses had many more, several hundred, for a total of nine or even ten thousand soldiers guarding the Wall.

And this was only counting the northern section of the Wall, because Alastor knew that on the other side lay something even worse: a military road that ran the entire length of the Wall. A route so well maintained and planned that a marching army could travel from one sea coast to the other in just two days, providing immediate relief should any of the forts be attacked. This road connected to other military roads leading south, providing an intricate system that would allow additional troops to reach the relief of those stationed there. And since up to thirty-five thousand Roman soldiers were permanently stationed in Britannia, any invading army from the north would be facing something literally indestructible.

With so many men, such a superb defense, and above all with the Roman military and strategic prowess, Alastor believed it would take at least ten times as many soldiers to even breach the Wall. And of course, it wasn't possible to recruit three hundred and fifty thousand men (⁴). Even if he sacked and conquered every town and village in Britannia Inferior, he could never obtain enough resources to raise and support such a large army. He wasn't Rome, after all.

The only solution he could think of was to use the places where the Wall couldn't be built: the rivers. The smaller ones had been diverted, but the larger ones were allowed to flow freely, since even Roman engineering expertise could not alter the insurmountable works of nature. Like the Vedra River (⁵), the same one on whose bank he now sat, admiring the Wall opening in the distance to let the water pass.

The Vedra was, at least as far as Alastor knew, the widest river crossing the Wall: it divided it by a great distance, perhaps even a dozen perticae. Clearly, a wall could not be built across such a large river: the water would have breached it instantly. But the Romans knew how to defend the passage: an enormous bridge had been built across the river.

It spanned the river on a series of at least eight hexagonal stone piers, almost three passus apart, and was over twenty perticae long and about one perticae wide (⁶). The masonry was simple but substantial, and the piers were fitted with iron dovetail clamps set in lead, holding the stones firmly together. Hundreds of archers could be stationed above the bridge, and just as many along the inner banks; crossing it with a fleet of ships was a daunting task, and even if successful, Alastor would be left with a fraction of his original army.

Not to mention what he would find on the other side. Britannia was not like the lands to the north, where Roman cohorts were few and far between: it was truly Roman land, colonized. Fortresses and military roads were everywhere. If he had any hope of invading, he had to at least find an efficient outpost: a place easily defended, or at least difficult for the Romans to reach.

After all, once beyond the Wall, it wouldn't be a raid or a raid anymore. It would be real war. War against Rome. And wars weren't fought by hiding in the woods and biding their time.

So, what was he supposed to do?

"Do you like the river so much?" Niffty asked, appearing beside him from who knows where.

Alastor wasn't surprised in the slightest. He was used to her behavior by now, and he knew she was always around him even if he couldn't see her. "I like the river" he told her. "But I can't enjoy it, not with my mind so busy"

"Really? Too bad" Niffty said, dipping her legs in the water. "It's so cool, I could take a bath!"

"Don't do that, you risk hypothermia. It's not summer yet" Alastor told her. Even though it was spring, it still wasn't a good idea to dive into a river this far north. A quick swim was allowed... but Niffty was very small, and more importantly, she was often oblivious to the danger: if she strayed too far from the shore, the current risked dragging her away, and the cold water would kill her before she could swim to land.

"Ugh, okay" Niffty complained. "Are you thinking about your friend? It's been a while since she wrote you something"

"Mimzy?" Alastor murmured. "No. It hasn't been long enough since her last letter. I have no reason to believe she's been discovered"

Although Alastor was a man who valued punctuality, he knew he couldn't expect it when it came to letters. Not when those letters had to cross half of Europe. Even if Mimzy hadn't sent any communications lately, it was still too early to begin considering whether to send a new spy.

"It's going to be a hot summer" Niffty suddenly told him.

Alastor raised an eyebrow: "You know it's because of your divination?"

"No, it's because of the water level" Niffty replied. "It's higher than usual, so the ice is melting fast up north. If the ice is melting fast, it's because the weather is warmer. So it's going to be a hot summer"

Alastor was surprised by her response. "Have you been here at the Vedra River before?"

"No, never" Niffty replied with her usual innocent expression.

"Then how can you say the water level is higher than usual?" Alastor asked.

"The markings on the rocks" Niffty replied, pointing to the stones, both on the shore and in the water. "Water flows, and as it flows, it erodes the earth and the rock. The earth doesn't retain the markings, but the rocks do. The rocks are more hollowed out where the water reaches in winter and summer, because those are the longest and most stable periods; while in autumn and spring, they are less hollowed out, because the water level changes a little every day. But this year, the water level is slightly higher than the spring markings on the stones, which means there's more water. And if there's more water, it means more ice is melting, and if more ice is melting..."

"... it means it's going to be a hot summer. I get it" Alastor said. "Sometimes I forget that you too know the secrets of nature... better than I do, it seems"

"It's part of the knowledge passed down to us Ovates" Niffty explained. "We can only see what the gods allow us to see, but people don't always accept that answer. So we've learned to recognize the signs to always provide answers to the most common questions, like how flourishing and hot this year will be"

"You're right. People can be really unpleasant when they don't get the answers they want" Alastor grunted. "You told me I'd understand how to cross the Wall once I got there"

"Oh, did I tell you that?" Niffty asked innocently.

"Sometimes I wish you could remember what you see" Alastor muttered. "Maybe now you could tell me what to do"

Niffty shrugged like a confused child. "I see what the gods allow me to see" she told him for the umpteenth time. "It's not for me to question what they told you through me"

Alastor didn't argue further, knowing it would lead nowhere. Unfortunately, he knew it was true: the gods revealed to mortals only what they wanted them to know. Those who hoped to question the gods whenever they wanted were just plain idiots. Alastor was sure that even if he asked Niffty for a new prophecy, she would only repeat what she'd already told him weeks before.

As he was immersed in these thoughts, he heard a splash, and a moment later, a small wave soaked his clothes. He turned and realized that Niffty had thrown a large stone into the water. "What are you doing?"

"I'm catching water fleas!" Niffty replied, laughing maniacally.

Alastor didn't understand at first, since the insects swimming under the water would surely have moved away before the stone hit... but then he understood. He realized it because Niffty simply positioned herself in front of the spot where she had thrown the stone and lifted her skirt like a net, and into it, dozens of small insects, fleas, water spiders, and even two small fish settled without the slightest resistance, barely able to move. Niffty hadn't thrown the stone with the intention of hitting them; rather, she had created a sudden wave that had hit and stunned those swimming near the surface, and now she just had to catch them and stab them with her knife.

Wait a moment...

Alastor's eyes narrowed. Very slowly, he knelt down, picked up a blade of grass, and lowered it to the water; as expected, countless insects climbed up to feed. And then, Alastor slammed the water, sending a wave crashing into the blade of grass. Though the plant didn't move much other than a jolt, all the creatures on it were swept away and fell into the river, dazed and confused.

Alastor stared at the blade of grass. Then he raised his gaze and looked at the bridge in the distance. A sinister image began to form in his mind.

Yes...

That was the answer!

"Niffty, it looks like I have you to thank again" Alastor said, grinning. "Even without using your divination, you showed me the way"

"Huh?" Niffty muttered with her usual blank, innocent expression. "Really?"

"Yes" Alastor said. "I have a plan"

"Yes! I love it when you say that!" Niffty exclaimed with a broad smile.

Alastor chuckled. "I have a task for you" he told her. "Take some scouts and search the surrounding area for a valley. It must be fairly deep and possibly well-hidden. As for the rest of the army, send them here to the river, or any other river they can reach. I want them to fish for the largest, most ferocious sturgeon and catfish they can find. Alive. I want them alive"

"It will be done" Niffty replied, hopping as if eager to carry out the order. "And you?"

"I need to recruit some new men. I need some expendable pawns, so I'll buy some mercenaries" Alastor explained. "But I want to ask you something first"

"What?" Niffty asked.

"I need a man... or a woman, you know I don't discriminate" Alastor replied. "What matters to me is that it's someone ready for anything, willing to undertake even the riskiest and most foolish task if paid well. Someone who will do what I tell them when I tell them, and not back down as soon as they're out of my sight. Can your missing eye tell me where to find this person?"

Niffty grinned slightly. "I don't know" she replied innocently. "Ask the gods. They'll give you the answer"

Alastor's smile widened, and then he walked toward his guards. "You!" he shouted, pointing to one of them.

The man in question immediately jumped to attention: "Yes, sir?"

Alastor tapped his forehead. "You know I don't tolerate cowards in my ranks, right?"

It was a lie: he was fine with cowards, because he led by fear. What he couldn't tolerate was anyone fearing the enemy more than he feared him. "Yes, sir" the man replied.

"Then why did I see you retreat when those Romans fought back the other day?" Alastor asked.

The man broke out in a cold sweat: "Sir... there were three of them against me... I barely escaped with my life...!"

Alastor didn't let him continue: he pulled out his knife and slit his throat cleanly, splattering blood onto the ground. The man fell to the ground clutching his neck, trying in vain to cling to life. "And now you pay with it" Alastor told him just before he expired.

Despite the grisly scene, none of his men uttered a sound; they knew they would be next. Alastor picked up the corpse and dragged it before Niffty, where he quartered it. He tore the flesh and drank the blood, and offered the entrails to her. "Tell me... what do you see?" he asked.

Niffty closed her one good eye and exposed her empty socket. She stared at the entrails, or seemed to, and then raised a finger and pointed to a spot to the northeast: "Go there. You'll find the one you seek"

"That way is Bremenium (⁷)" Alastor commented. "Should I go there, then?"

Niffty merely sneered at the question, as if she thought it was silly. "Go" was her only answer.

Alastor realized he wouldn't get any further explanations. "I understand" he said. "That's enough"

Niffty covered her empty eye socket with her hair again, then reopened her good eye. "Hey! What did I say?" she asked, again in an innocent voice.

"You showed me the way" Alastor replied, then looked at his guards: "Prepare horses, and a lot of silver. We're leaving immediately"

His men obeyed immediately. Alastor didn't have to wait more than half an hour for everything to be ready. He quickly transmitted his orders to the entire army, telling them to follow Niffty's directives, for she was acting on his behalf. He wasn't afraid that anyone would rebel against her by taking advantage of his absence; they were all too afraid of him. Once everything was ready, he set off northeast, accompanied only by his most trusted guards.

Bremenium was a Roman fort, but a small town had grown up around it over the last seventy years (⁸). Alastor knew he was entering dangerous territory: even though many of the Romans from Britannia Inferior had retreated further south, a few soldiers still remained in the fort, and if they learned he was there, they would try to capture him. But after all, he planned to recruit mercenaries anyway, and for that he had to enter a town: the risk was always there, so he might as well take it.

He arrived in Bremenium as the sun was setting: excellent, he liked moving in the shadows. He hid his face with a small cloth and entered, pretending to be a simple traveler. The guards at the gate let him pass quickly, especially thanks to the silver coins he placed in their hands.

Once in the town, it wasn't difficult for him to find a place where it was easy to find people willing to kill and fight for money: a tavern set apart from the rest of the houses, where the noise of large, loud, and probably drunk men could be heard even from outside. Some were even outside the door, and it was immediately clear, even though they had no weapons or armor, that they were used to fighting and were there precisely because they were waiting for someone willing to pay them for a knife job.

Alastor ordered his guards to stay outside to watch the horses while he entered. The smell of fish, soup, sweaty men, and mugs of alcohol immediately filled his nostrils. The interior was extremely simple: a few tables, many chairs, and numerous large, fierce-looking men drinking, laughing, playing silly games, and some of them even rolling on the floor in the heat of a fight. A few skimpy-clad slave girls wandered around the place, rubbing themselves against any man they found interesting; Some of them even approached Alastor, pretending to remove his cloak, but he quickly pushed them away. "My ladies, please. Have some respect for yourselves"

The women's eyes widened, clearly indignant, but they didn't give up. "Man, are you here all alone?" one of them asked him. "I can keep you company... if you know how to pay well"

Alastor knew she was staring at the bag of coins hanging from his belt. Without much celebration, he leaned his staff over her and led her a few steps away, then walked over to the counter and banged the bag loudly, making it clink and even spilling a few coins. "I know how to pay well, but for a different kind of service" he said aloud.

Immediately, everyone in the tavern seemed to turn toward him, even those who had been drunk on the floor moments before. Their eyes immediately heated with greed at the sight of the silver. They had immediately sensed the possibility of excellent payment for their work.

Only one man didn't move, and Alastor noticed him immediately: a man standing alone in the corner, sitting at a solitary table. His back was turned and somewhat shadowy, as the candle beside him was out, but he could still see that he was tall and well-built. He had several empty mugs of alcohol in front of him, and he was still drinking from one, proving his resistence.

Alastor was immediately interested, even if only out of curiosity. He knew the man was only pretending not to have felt the money. He decided not to ask questions and play along, just to see how he reacted.

He had other things to worry about right now, anyway. "Dude, you look rich" one of the mercenaries said, walking directly in front of him. He was rather lanky, with a long head that almost made him resemble a shark, and a shock of hair that Alastor thought was rather ridiculous. "You have a lot of silver"

"I also have plenty of gold, though it's not with me right now" Alastor replied.

The mercenary sneered. "You already know we'd have killed you if you hadn't specified that you could pay us more, huh?" he said. "I already like you"

It was true: if Alastor hadn't pointed out that he had much more money than that bag, the mercenaries would have jumped on him, killed him, and then fought over the money. No one said no to free money. Alastor certainly wasn't afraid of those half-asses, but that didn't mean he wouldn't prefer to avoid a pointless fight.

The mercenary who had spoken to him cleared his throat: "If you're looking for someone to work with, you can talk to me. I'm always willing to sell myself for the right price, and I have many friends here who are ready to follow me. My name is Chazwick Thurman, but you can call me Chaz"

"Let's skip the pleasantries" Alastor said. "I need men willing to kill. Who's interested?"

"Bruh, we're all interested here" the man named Chaz laughed, and several nodded as if to confirm. "Who do you want us to fight?"

"The Romans" Alastor replied curtly.

The expressions of all the mercenaries immediately changed, first from surprise to wariness. Chaz himself immediately lost his smile. "The Romans?" he repeated. "I hope you're kidding, because no one challenges Rome"

"I do" Alastor said, removing his hood and revealing his face.

He knew he would be recognized immediately, and he wasn't disappointed. "A face with a constant smile and scarlet eyes" Chaz hissed. "Are you him? The one who claims to be the king of Caledonia?"

"The one who dares to challenge Rome, yes" Alastor replied. "And I'm here to recruit a few more men"

There was a moment of silence, and then Chaz burst out laughing. "Look, look! The asshole farted!" he exclaimed. "Everyone knows you have to be crazy as shit to fight the Romans, but damn, you really are. Sorry, none of us are stupid enough to think you can win"

"The Romans aren't invincible" Alastor replied.

"Yeah, tell that to someone as crazy as you" Chaz said. "Maybe you're skilled enough to win against a few cohorts, but you'll never get past the Wall. It's inviolable"

"I found a way past it" Alastor replied with an almost eerie calm.

Chaz was silent for a few seconds, then he grunted. "Yeah, and I'm the god Jupiter"

Alastor narrowed his eyes. "I see you've already assimilated their gods"

"Does that surprise you? Plenty of people here have already. Not everyone is as crazy as you, thinking these invaders can be driven out. They are the law now, and those who don't obey them will come to grief. We must accept that and bow our heads" Chaz replied.

"So you've abandoned the freedom your ancestors fought for" Alastor commented scornfully. "I should have known better. You look like a man who speaks boldly, but you have the heart of a deer"

Chaz gritted his teeth. "Well, this deer-heart just found an easy way to make a lot money" he told him. "The king of Caledonia is here alone, and there are many of us. I think we'll kill you and hand your head over to the Romans. They'll surely reward us for..."

"DON'T DARE!"

The entire tavern seemed to freeze. Alastor didn't flinch, but the mercenaries' faces instantly lost all color. It was as if they had just heard the terrible voice of the goddess Morrigan calling them from her infernal realm.

A single sound broke the silence: the creaking of a chair moving. The man who had been sitting with his back to him until then stood up, cracking his shoulders with that single movement. Extremely calmly, he raised his mug to his lips and drank the last few sips, then dropped it on the table. Only then did he turn around.

The other mercenaries seemed to freeze as soon as they saw his eyes; they were bright yellow, and seemed filled with venom, like a snake's. The man had a slightly pointed nose and a rather wide mouth, in which anyone could see that his left canine was gold-plated and much longer than it normally should be. He wore full armor and a gray cloak, which made him look even more sinister, especially since it was partially covered in dried blood. The horned helmet on his head only made him look larger and more menacing.

The man walked calmly toward Alastor, never losing eye contact. The king of Caledonia returned his gaze without showing the slightest fear. On the contrary, his smile only widened.

The man snorted slightly, then he looked at Chaz: "Do you know who I am?"

Chaz nodded shakily: "You... you're Striker. The Gwyddbwyll (⁹)"

"Do you know why they call me that?" the man named Striker asked him.

Chaz swallowed hard. "Because you've killed dozens and dozens of high-class Romans" he replied. "You've murdered several magistrates, procurators, and imperial legates... rumors said you even killed a centurion..."

"It's not a rumor" Striker said, placing a hand on his interlocutor's face.

Chaz almost fainted at the touch: "Of course... of course, of course, I would never doubt that...!"

"The Romans destroyed my village three years ago" Striker said, his voice like a snake's hiss. "They killed my wife... and my daughter too... and they LAUGHED while they did it! And now you dare say to me that we should passively accept this race of violent southerners as our rulers? Is that what you're saying?"

Chaz trembled violently: "No... no, no, that wasn't what...!"

Striker didn't give him time to respond: the hand that had been touching his face became a vice, and he plunged the other into his mouth. With pinpoint precision, he grabbed his left canine tooth and tore it out in a single motion. Chaz screamed in pain, and as soon as Striker let go, he fell to the ground, rolling around and clutching his bleeding mouth, crying like a child.

Striker only snorted slightly at the sight, and kicked the younger mercenary away from him. "Nice tooth, I'll keep it" he said, making Chaz's canine tooth dance in his hands like a coin, and then finally turned to Alastor: "So you are the king of Caledonia?"

"In person" Alastor confirmed.

"I'd heard stories of an extraordinary man who managed to unify the northern tribes, but I never believed it... until you had the balls to challenge Rome" Striker said. "They say you have magical powers, that you are favored by the gods. Is that true?"

"The gods enjoy watching me kill the Roman dogs that infest this land" Alastor replied. "I suppose it pleases them. They help me in their own way"

"Mmm" Striker grunted. His gaze seemed to be trying to penetrate Alastor's soul, but he returned it with an even more disturbing look: unlike Striker's, his was cold and half-amused, as if he were watching a fly. "Prove it. Form a square! (¹⁰)"

The other mercenaries immediately moved and moved the tables, creating a square area in the center of the tavern. Alastor chuckled and walked into the square without a trace of fear. Striker grabbed an axe and entered as well. "Aren't you bringing a weapon?"

Alastor drew his knife. "This and my staff is all I need for you"

Striker snorted, and then attacked: the axe came down diagonally, clearly intending to smash his skull. Alastor took only a half step back, so the weapon instead hit the floor, knocking off a splinter of wood. Alastor responded, thrusting his staff forward with a sharp thrust. The tip grazed the edge of his opponent's armor, scraping the iron and narrowly missing its target.

Striker's eyes widened, recoiling. "You missed me on purpose" he hissed.

Alastor's smile widened. "You're clever" he said. "Show me how much you are"

Striker growled, his pride wounded; his axe rose, twisted in his wrist, and came down again, this time aiming for the legs. Alastor lowered his staff in time to deflect the blow, but the impact vibrated the shaft and forced him to let go of one hand to avoid breaking it. Striker immediately seized his opportunity: the axe struck again, rapidly, in a series of short blows that hammered Alastor's arm, forcing him to defend himself.

But that wasn't enough to stop Alastor: the staff recoiled, scraped the floor, and then swung forward with brutal force. Striker let out a soft groan as the tip penetrated his shoulder; not deeply, but enough to tear flesh and blood. His axe fell for an instant, bouncing on the floor, but he ducked and quickly caught it, then charged, using his own body like a battering ram. The blow knocked Alastor back, making him stumble slightly; Striker raised his axe again, but the staff moved again, rising sideways and blocking the blow midway.

The distance had closed, no longer room for long weapons. Alastor swung his knife and struck his side, but the blade bounced off the reinforced leather. Then, he succumbed to the combination of force and dropped the staff. Striker cheered, but Alastor kneed him squarely in the face. Striker felt as if a hammer had just struck his jaw, and he dropped the axe.

Alastor swung the knife again, but Striker wasn't ready to give up yet: he began to fight with shoulder thrusts, elbow thrusts, and rough grabs. Alastor played along, but still didn't hold back from striking him with his blade: the iron entered his thigh, deep, drawing a muffled cry from Striker's lips and sending him sliding to one knee. Alastor elbowed him, knocking him completely to the ground, and then leaped on him, placing the knife against his throat. "Dead" he simply said.

The tavern seemed to be as quiet as the woods during a deep frost. No one dared move. And then Striker whispered: "You held back"

Alastor replied, widening his smile. "So did you" he said. "You usually don't fight with your left hand"

Striker grunted, then slammed his hand on the ground, declaring defeat. Alastor moved away from him, allowing him to stand. The other mercenaries remained silent, waiting to see what would happen. And then Striker said: "You said you were looking for men"

"I need them for a special job" Alastor said.

"And you say you can get over the Wall" Striker said again.

"I can" Alastor replied simply.

Striker grunted. "I'm always ready to spill Roman blood" he said. "But a man does not live by blood alone"

Alastor nodded and tossed him the bag of silver. "This is just a small advance" he told him. "You'll soon have much more wealth"

"Good" Striker said, taking the money, satisfied that Alastor spoke his language. "What do you want me to do?"

Alastor chuckled. "For starters, let's kill a few Romans. Just to get to know each other better" he told him.

Striker smiled in response, pleased with the prospect. "We're with you. Am I right?" he asked aloud, and all the mercenaries immediately nodded. "You agree, you limp balls?" he also asked Chaz, who groaned and nodded in response, not daring to refuse.

That night, the hundred Romans still stationed in Bremenium were all slaughtered. Alastor and his men were like shadows, striking when the soldiers least expected it; they sacked the fort and stained the ground with blood. The next day, the headless corpses of the Romans were displayed on the walls of Bremenium, while Alastor, accompanied by Striker and all the Altean mercenaries, set out to return to his army.

Here's three more arts:

Chapter Text

"... five hundred and two... five hundred and three... five hundred and five... oh, fuck"

Keekee realized she'd made a mistake. Now she had to start counting the cracks in the ceiling all over again. Well, she had nothing else to do, so at least she could keep herself busy.

Two days had passed... or maybe three? Maybe even more. Keekee wasn't sure she could keep track while locked in that small, cramped cell. There was no rising and setting sun here, and the air was always the same: cold, stagnant, with only the smell of torches filling it. The only sign of the passage of time was when the warden came to bring meals, but even that faded after a while, as it was never clear which was lunch and which was dinner.

Keekee had expected Lilith to come soon to teach them a lesson they wouldn't easily forget, but the empress seemed to have forgotten about them. She, Razzle, and Dazzle had simply been locked in cells in the basement of the house (¹), and had received no visitors since. These cells were very small, windowless rooms, with only a wooden door with a slit for accessing the jailer's meals and a straw mattress to sleep on. Apart from that, there was nothing.

Keekee had been locked in one of these cells, while Razzle and Dazzle had had to share the one directly across from them; evidently, the warden had wanted to give her a little more privacy because she was a woman. At least this way they could still talk to each other, since their voices passed through the food slit and into the other cell. It was a good way to pass the time, though after a while they had completely run out of things to talk about, and found themselves immersed in an almost oppressive wait.

Keekee was seriously resentful of her confinement. The rations they were brought weren't nearly enough to feed her, let alone quench her thirst. It was easier for Razzle and Dazzle: they were soldiers, trained to survive famine and drought. But even though she didn't eat dishes as good as those prepared for her mistress, she'd never had to ration food and water. Every time the meals arrived, she stuffed her mouth, but those meager bits of food and that little water only seemed to whet her appetite and thirst even more. Keekee wasn't sure if Lilith had ordered them to be fed that way as punishment or if it was standard for prisoners, but she considered it torture nonetheless.

Well, better than being locked up in Carcer Mamertinus (²), she forced herself to think.

As she was thinking this, she heard footsteps approaching; she immediately ran to the slit to see, and from the other door, Razzle and Dazze did the same. The familiar figure of the warden appeared in their field of vision and approached Keekee's door; but this time, he didn't just pass something through the slit, he unlocked the door. Keekee didn't understand at first, but then the gardener opened the door and stepped aside slightly, letting in someone she knew well. The rather short figure of the Roman emperor was easily recognizable, even through her eyes, now accustomed to the darkness.

Keekee instinctively took a step back, and then immediately knelt down and lowered her head, not daring to look Lucifer straight in the face. She didn't know what to expect, whether a furious word or a slap. Lucifer, however, dashed all her expectations, because all he did was hand her a jar of water. "Drink" he ordered her.

He'd evidently expected her to struggle to speak because she was thirsty, so he'd decided to get ahead of it and give her some water right away. Keekee didn't need to be told twice and brought the jug to her lips, drinking greedily. Her parched tongue and drained throat seemed to scream with joy as the water finally flowed into them. Keekee didn't leave a single drop on the jar, and only then did she set it down and lower her head again.

Lucifer remained silent for a long time. And then he finally opened his lips: "My wife has already told me everything. But I want to hear it from you. So tell me: why are you in here?"

Keekee's fingers trembled slightly. "Master, I..."

"Lift your head" Lucifer ordered. "I want to see the look on your face"

Keekee tensed even more, but took courage and looked up. As soon as their eyes met, she felt the urge to cower beneath them. Lucifer had always treated her with kindness, but now there was no trace of it on his face. The friendly master who loved to joke with his family was gone, and now there was only the cold, unyielding emperor of Rome before her.

"What are you waiting for? Speak" Lucifer urged. His tone was growing colder. "Why are you here?"

Keekee felt a lump in her throat, but she opened her mouth anyway: "Because I helped the princess leave the villa at night to meet some Christians"

"Hmm" was Lucifer's only reaction. "And you were aware of what she was doing?"

"Yes, master" Keekee answered sincerely.

Lucifer inhaled deeply. Even though his expression showed no change, Keekee could almost feel the air around him thickening. It was as if he were giving off hot steam, and even as she knelt, her legs began to tremble.

Lucifer turned slightly, pacing the cell. "Your family has served mine for nearly a century and a half now, ever since my grandfather's grandfather brought your ancestor here to Rome after the campaign at Meroe (³)" he told her. "For five whole generations, you have lived under the roof of my dynasty. Each of your ancestors has always been impeccable, faithful, and trustworthy, even more so than a warhorse. And my family has always rewarded that loyalty by giving you everything a person could desire. Have I failed in that regard?"

Keekee didn't answer. And there was no need, since it was a rhetorical question. Lucifer and his family had always treated her and her ancestors well, far better than other masters treated their slaves. There was nothing to reproach them for.

"I've always treated you kindly" Lucifer continued. "I trusted you enough to let you be my daughter's personal slave, a task that people far more experienced and deserving than you would desire. I gave you a room right next to hers, with a comfortable bed, and good food you didn't even have to fetch from the cafeteria. I bought you beautiful, comfortable clothes, and I let you use the bathrooms freely so you were never dirty. My mother often styled your hair when you were young and still you didn't know how to do it well. My wife treated you almost like a second daughter despite the vast difference in status. What exactly did I let you lack?"

Keekee bit her lip. "Nothing, master"

"I must have let you lack something. Why else would you resent me so much?" Lucifer hissed through gritted teeth. "Or was it something I did? Something I did that offended you? A word I said to you at the wrong time? A gesture that disgusted you?"

Keekee trembled. She could no longer look him in the face: the emperor's gaze was so calm it frightened her. "I have no... resentment toward you"

"Oh, yes? Why, then, did you allow my daughter to put herself in such danger, acting under my nose?" Lucifer growled. "You say you have no resentment toward me, so you had no reason to let her do something so stupid. Was it a god, then? Did some Olympian descend and cloud your mind? Did the goddess Mania (⁴) herself come to drive you mad? Or was it the goddess Nemesis (⁵), to punish me for my past sins?"

"No" Keekee replied in a voice so small it was almost inaudible. "I... I did it for my will..."

"Then why!?" Lucifer roared, losing his initial calm. "Why, in the name of the gods!? Why didn't you warn me right away, as soon as my daughter started getting close to those Christians!? Why did you let her put herself in such danger!?"

Keekee sobbed. "She asked me not to say it" she replied. "She was happy to go to those..."

"Happy!? You should have worried about her safety, you stupid slave!" Lucifer roared. "You let my daughter leave the house alone! Anything could have happened to her! And yet you let her do it just because she was happy!?"

"You know it's hard to say no when she smiles" Keekee tried to say.

Lucifer looked like he was about to punch the wall. "I entrusted you with the care of my daughter precisely because I considered you a smart girl, fit to stop her when she was about to do something stupid! If you had warned me right away, I could have stopped this thing immediately! We would have had a few arguments as a family, but nothing a little time wouldn't have resolved! Instead, now those fucking Christians have gotten into my daughter's head, and not only could this have irreparably damaged her relationship with her mother, but the consequences if this thing got out could be very serious!"

Keekee didn't reply, and bowed her head so low that her forehead touched the floor. She had never seen Lucifer so furious: even though he wasn't raising his voice very much, she felt as if he were going to kill her right there and then. "I... I'm sorry" she whispered, hoping the emperor's anger would subside. "F-Forgive me, master... please...!"

Lucifer ignored her, turning toward the adjacent cell, looking at Razzle and Dazzle. "And you two!" he roared. "My best Praetorians (⁶), the guards in whom I placed the most trust! I have entrusted you with the most important task of all, protecting the future of my family and the entire empire! Charlie is not only the most precious thing the gods have given me, she is the one who will one day ensure the continuation of the dynasty! She is the sole heir to the throne of the most powerful nation in the known world! If she receives even a scratch, that scratch is not a wound that will heal on its own in a couple of days, it is a matter of state! You should have kept an eye on her night and day, not let her wander around Rome alone, risking her being attacked, robbed, injured, or worse! How could you betray my trust like that!?"

Razzle and Dazzle did not raise their heads. Even though they did not have their weapons and armor, they still remained upright and impeccable in their customary military stance. "When you placed us in the princess's service, you expressly ordered us to carry out her every command, and hers alone" they told him. "We obeyed. Our loyalty is exclusively to her"

"Being a loyal subject isn't just about blindly following orders, it's also about protecting your master, even from yourself!" Lucifer replied. "And you clearly don't understand that!"

"I fear you don't understand how important her faith is to the princess" the two guards replied.

Lucifer clenched his fists tightly, but with a superhuman effort, he managed to maintain his composure. With utter indignation, he headed back toward the cell door. "If anyone else had dared betray me like this, at any other time or under any circumstances, they'd already be in the Circus Maximus, filling the bellies of lions" he said. "Pray to the gods that my wife's plan succeeds. If that happens, I will take into account all the good service you have performed over the years and simply exile you. If not... well, my daughter will likely be in mortal danger and my throne threatened, so I think I will use my last days, when I can safely sit on it, to inflict the worst punishment I can think of. In either case, I hope you have fond memories of Charlie, because you will never see her again"

Keekee sobbed and clutched the emperor's leg. "Master, please... I have lived with Charlie my whole life... at least let me say goodbye to her...!"

Lucifer shrugged her off without much empathy and quickly closed the cell door. He didn't even give her a response; he simply handed the keys back to the warden and left. After all, he had no reason to explain his actions to them; he was the emperor, and he could do whatever he wanted.

Keekee collapsed against the door and buried her face in her knees, tears streaming down her face. Lucifer had always been a good master to her, and hearing him so disappointed and angry hadn't just scared her, it hurt. And the thought of never seeing Charlie again, whom she considered almost like a sister, gripped her heart like a vise.

"Don't be afraid, miss" Razzle shouted from the other cell, trying to comfort her. "If we have to go into exile, we will protect you"

Keekee sobbed. "That's not why I'm crying"

The two guards sighed. "We know" Dazzle murmured. "Be strong, miss. No one knows what the future holds. Have faith"

Keekee didn't answer; she just sobbed silently. Razzle and Dazzle sighed, but they didn't know what else to say. They weren't very good at comforting people.

Lucifer emerged from the dungeons, returning to the outside of the mansion. Once there, he took a moment to take a deep breath. What a shitty situation, was all he could think.

One of the slaves came to speak to him: "Master, there's a guest at the door"

"The Aranea (⁷) matron?" Lucifer asked.

The slave nodded. "Yes, master"

"Send her in, I'll call my wife" Lucifer said unceremoniously, as he usually did when he expected something to happen, implying he was waiting for this visit.

The slave nodded and hurried away. Lucifer headed for the women's quarters to call Lilith. He found her in her chambers, to his surprise in the company of Sera. "Mother, what are you doing here?"

"Can't I meet my daughter-in-law?" Sera asked rhetorically. "I wanted to know if my niece sent any letters"

"It's been too short a time" Lilith told her. "She hasn't reached Katane yet. You can't send letters when you're at sea..."

"She hasn't even stopped at any ports? There are many cities along the coast of Italy" Sera said, narrowing her eyes. "Why take a journey without even a stop?"

"Charlie wanted it" Lilith replied. "She wanted to get to Katane well in advance, so she could prepare..."

"Really in advance, considering you didn't even tell me she was leaving" Sera commented sourly.

"Mother, we told you. It was a last-minute decision" Lucifer told her. "Charlie begged me to let her do something like a real princess, so I obliged. We did everything in a hurry"

"So in hurry that she didn't have time to say goodbye to her grandmother?" Sera asked rhetorically.

"Such a sudden departure kept her busy, and when she came to say goodbye, you were asleep" Lilith replied. "She didn't want to wake you"

"Hmph" Sera muttered, her eyes glaring. "Well, when she gets back, I'll give her a long lesson about good manners anyway"

"You'll think about it when she gets back" Lucifer told her. "Now please, go to rest, Mother"

Sera narrowed her eyes even more, then turned and left rather quickly for her age, followed by her slaves. "She knows something's wrong" Lilith sighed as soon as she was gone. "Your mother isn't stupid, Lucifer"

"If we tell her the truth now, she'll have a heart attack" Lucifer replied. "Let's at least wait until Charlie does his duty and this situation is resolved, so at least she won't have to deal with the anxiety of a potential disaster"

Lilith couldn't blame her husband. Even though she didn't get along very well with her mother-in-law, she still didn't want to see her die. If Sera knew what had really happened, the worry would surely kill her... and Charlie wouldn't forgive himself. Better to at least wait until things calmed down, so that Sera wouldn't have to deal with the anxiety of waiting.

Precisely for this reason, Lucifer and Lilith had told her (as well as everyone else in Rome) that leaving for Katane had been Charlie's decision. Officially, she had been the one who had insisted on going to do something important as princess of the empire. It was a little strange that everything had been done so quickly, but they both hoped that people would believe that excuse at least long enough for the whole thing to end... even though Sera, after all these days, was already becoming insistent with her questions.

However, Lucifer and Lilith quickly forgot about that, as they had other things to worry about. They hurried to the main hall, where Carmilla was already waiting for them. "Please bring us good news" Lucifer murmured as soon as he saw her.

Fortunately, Carmilla seemed quite serene. Or at least, not as serious and stern as usual. "I received a letter from my husband" she said. "Zestial wants you to know that the war with the Parthians is coming to an end"

Lucifer and Lilith immediately became attentive. They, too, were obviously receiving reports on the campaign against the Parthians, but Carmilla and Zestial communicated with each other using hidden codes in letters that only they knew. And through them, they could pass on information that only they needed to know. "Tell us more" Lilith pressed her immediately.

Carmilla nodded. "Zestial has confirmed that the Parthians have been driven back beyond Siria (⁸). Two-thirds of their army is now completely destroyed. He plans to launch a decisive attack within a week. Then they will be completely driven back into their own territory, and the campaign will be over"

"An excellent victory" Lucifer commented. "But I already know this part, I read the war reports"

Carmilla knew the Parthians weren't the part Lucifer was most interested in. "Zestial has done his part of the plan well. He's successfully integrating the troops Vox lent him into his army" she explained. "He's convinced the more pliable centurions to switch sides, and many of those who refused are dubious. Only a few are staunch extremists"

"What's Zestial's plan for them?" Lucifer asked. Which translated meant how the First Consul planned to eliminate those problematic elements. After all, you couldn't kill dozens of centurions too blatantly.

"During the final assault on the Parthians, Zestial will send these extremist centurions as the first infantry. That alone is dangerous, and he also has some very good archers on his side who will pretend to have missed their aim if necessary" Carmilla said. "And if there are any survivors, Zestial already has several doctors ready to pour poison into their wounds"

"Excellent" Lilith commented. "Once the extremist centurions have been eliminated, all the doubters will almost certainly side with Zestial"

It was the law of survival: even if the centurions merely suspected possible assassinations, it would be enough to scare them. And with the faction truly loyal to Vox eliminated, they would easily realize it was in their best interests to side with the victor. Zestial would then need only a little smooth talk, a lot of money, and promises to win their hearts. At that point, the First Consul would officially hold command of most of the Roman army.

"With all these troops aligned with him and his crushing victory over the Parthians, Zestial will enjoy tremendous prestige" Lilith said. "As word spreads, many other centurions and legates in the empire's other provinces will switch sides, as will the senators. With Zestial holding most of the military power, Vox will be cornered. Then, we'll just have to crush him"

"It's an efficient plan, and one with a good chance of success" Carmilla confirmed. "My Emperor, Zestial has already informed me that he plans to publicly declare that his military power actually rests with you. That way, even though the troops will be under his command, they will become permanently under your direct control. It will be a very powerful takeover"

Lucifer nodded. Even though the entire Roman army was technically under his command, since he was the emperor, everyone knew that Vox and Zestial actually held enormous power over them: since they were the ones in command of all those troops, privately they had the power to refuse to follow orders, because they could use those troops against the empire if they chose. This was the result of the long instability that had preceded Lucifer's reign. He currently had only a portion of the army under his direct control, while the other two portions were held by Vox and Zestial.

But the Romans placed extreme importance on words and actions. Once Zestial publicly declared that his troops were in fact the emperor's, so it would be. He could remain in command, but it would be clear to everyone who was giving the orders. If, after doing so, Zestial backed out for any reason, he would be covered in dishonor and considered a liar, destroying his reputation and thus his control over the masses. In short, he couldn't go back on his word, and throughout Rome, his entire portion of the army would belong to Lucifer.

Considering that Vox had lent troops to Zestial thanks to all the planning done to pressure him (and Charlie's machinations), once the First Consul publicly handed his men over to Lucifer, the emperor would officially have three-quarters of the Roman army under his direct control. With Vox so weak and the First Consul and the emperor so close to each other, many senators would choose to side with them. This would have repercussions on the various provincial commanders, magistrates, and other centurions still under Vox's control, who would quickly decide it was best to entrust themselves to the emperor. Vox would be left alone with only his most loyal followers; at that point, Lucifer would simply have to use all the political and military power he had acquired to crush and eliminate him. And with his disappearance, the empire would finally officially return completely to the imperial family's absolute control.

Of course, this would only be true on paper. Even after Vox's disappearance, Lucifer and Lilith would have to work tirelessly for years to re-knit every complex cog in the gigantic machine that was the Roman Empire. But in any case, with their greatest adversary eliminated, they could finally truly rebuild a strong and solid empire. The unity not seen since the days of Emperor Hadrian was finally possible again. Lucifer and Lilith's dream of leaving Charlie a secure throne could become a reality.

"Send your thanks to your husband" Lucifer said to Carmilla. "Tell him that, when he's done that, I'll reward him appropriately"

"I'll tell him" Carmilla replied. "I'm sure he'll be honored by your words"

"We owe him a great deal. It's fortunate he's not as interested in the throne as Vox is" Lilith commented.

"Oh, after all he's been through just as First Consul, the last thing Zestial wants is to be in an even higher position. Just looking at you two is enough to tell he doesn't want to be emperor at all" Carmilla said jokingly, though there was a hint of truth in her words. "At worst, if we had sons, he might consider arranging a marriage with your daughter to have a grandson on the throne. But him? He wouldn't even think about it. That's all your fun"

"And that just goes to show how smart he is" Lucifer grumbled, since he, too, if he'd been warned of what was in store, probably would have thought twice before becoming emperor. "Enough with that. What about our... other problem?"

Carmilla sighed. "My spies continue to monitor Mimzy, but so far she's not displaying any suspicious behavior. However, it's clear she has something to hide. Since the day we caught her, she stopped sending letters to her mysterious friend. If she were truly completely innocent, she would have continued, since she wouldn't have thought she was doing anything wrong"

"Which exponentially increases the likelihood that she's working for the smiling druid" Lilith said. "We need to figure out how he managed to sneak into Rome. He's the most dangerous enemy we have after Vox"

"I agree. The reports I'm receiving continue to confirm that that damned Caledonian isn't ceasing his raids. He's now feared throughout Britannia Inferior" Lucifer said. "As soon as Vox is eliminated, it's imperative we devise a war plan to eliminate this northern druid. Whether he has magical powers or not, he must go"

Carmilla seemed to frown. "I've been searching with Mimzy, hoping to find something that might help us understand how she might have met the smiling druid" she said. "I didn't find anything that connected her to him... but I did find a connection to someone else"

Lucifer and Lilith immediately narrowed their eyes. "Who?"

Carmilla bit her lip. "It might not mean anything... but it seems that Mimzy, when she was younger, was hired quite regularly as a dancer by... your brother"

Lilith's eyes widened and she immediately turned to Lucifer. He seemed to have turned to stone. "Michael?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"That's right" Carmilla replied. "It seems she was a constant presence at his banquets. Which might not mean anything, of course; everyone hires dancers... but it's suspicious, given who we are talking about"

Lilith noticed that Lucifer's shoulders had tensed more than usual. She placed her hands on his shoulders to relax him. "Michael is dead" she said aloud, reminding her husband. "If Mimzy contacted the smiling druid during those banquets, it must have been through someone else"

"I thought so too. I went searching for old documents, but as you well know, very little remains of... well, everything relating to Michael and his followers" Carmilla replied. "Therefore, I wanted to ask your permission to examine his letters, messages, everything he wrote privately. He might have written something that could help us identify the person Mimzy used to reach the smiling druid"

"Permission granted" Lucifer said immediately. "You may read whatever you want. Examine whatever you want. If my deceased brother was even remotely involved, we must know and find that person"

Carmilla nodded. After that, she preferred not to bring up the subject further, knowing it would be unkind for the Emperor and Empress to discuss it. So she quickly said her goodbyes and left, leaving them alone again.

Once they had no more guests, Lilith looked at her husband: "Lucifer... you know Michael never called the same waiters and entertainers too many times. If Mimzy was constantly invited to his banquets, someone must have requested her presence"

Lucifer leaned against the wall. "I know" he murmured.

Lilith bit her lip hard. "Lucifer... you know who the one person Michael was always happy to please was"

Lucifer gritted his teeth. His fingers were shaking slightly. "Do you think Vox told Adam the truth?" he asked his wife, referring to what Vox had told Adam to convince him to give up the investigation, which Charlie had overheard. "Do you think... that boy... is really still alive?"

"I doubt Vox would make up such a lie" Lilith told him. "And you know, if anyone knows the people of the North, it's definitely... him"

Lucifer took a deep breath. "The ghosts of the past truly never stop haunting us" he commented harshly.

Lilith said nothing. For the first time, she seemed truly at a loss for words. "What do we do if he's truly still alive?" she finally murmured.

Lucifer shook his head. "I don't know" he admitted. "For now, let's focus on the real problems we have. About that boy... we'll think about it another time"

Three more arts:

Chapter Text

"A product that's nothing short of legendary!" the slave trader was announcing. "Coming directly from the cold lands of the North, beyond the borders of the glorious Roman Empire! A giant of unparalleled power! He's so young, only sixteen, and yet he's already at a level that many would consider almost superhuman! Here he is! An unique, incredible, unstoppable... German!"

Adam had barely listened to all those words, which only made him want to grab that little dwarf and break his arms. And maybe his legs, too. And why not, even his spine.

He'd been brought to Rome for two days now, but the slave traders had kept him hidden until then, without showing him to anyone. They'd bound his hands and legs with shackles, forcing him to remain motionless on his knees. It was the only way they could feel safe around him: they knew full well that he would have loved to kill them, and they didn't dare approach him unless he was held down by at least three thugs.

Adam knew they considered him valuable, and that infuriated him. He couldn't stand anyone treating him like an object to be sold. He wasn't a slave, and never would be. But those men, those Romans, insisted on wanting him as one anyway. And since he was the highlight of their auction, they had hidden him all this time behind a curtain, bound with those damned shackles.

As soon as the auctioneer finished his speech, the curtain was removed. Sunlight streamed into his eyes, and he could finally see the market square before him. A huge square, unlike anything he'd ever seen, made of cobbled streets and houses of solid stone and brick.

Rome was truly... singular. Strange. In ways even he wasn't sure what emotions it evoked in him.

The crowd of Romans in front of the stage remained silent. Normally, people at the slave market would talk, comment, discuss the performances of the slaves on display. But this time, no one spoke: everyone was silent, staring at the man in front of them. Some even backed away. It took a few moments before they spoke again, and even then, it was only in whispers.

"Damn... he's huge"

"He's as big as a statue"

"He looks like he can bend iron with his hands"

"He sure does look pissed off..."

For some reason, everyone felt the need to speak softly, as if afraid of angering him. Only Adam knew why: survival instinct. When he'd first entered the forest as a young man, he'd felt a sense of danger, even when he saw creatures he didn't know and couldn't sense their strength. The same was happening now: even though his hands were bound by those shackles, anyone who looked into those fierce eyes felt their survival instincts kick in. They sensed he would have loved to rip their heads off.

Only one person didn't appear intimidated. Adam noticed him immediately: he was a man slightly behind the crowd, as if he'd been walking down the street aimlessly and had stopped out of interest. He was tall, not a giant like Adam, but still quite large; the toga he wore hid it, but his shoulders were quite broad, emphasizing his physical prowess; his arms were muscular, typical of someone accustomed to wielding weapons. He was clearly in his late forties, but he still wore it well, sporting rather thick hair and no beard. He was accompanied by a dark-skinned woman slightly taller than him, probably his wife, and a young man who looked very similar to him, perhaps his son, who looked the same age as Adam or slightly younger.

"I'm glad you're so impressed!" the slave trader exclaimed. "Well, it's hard not to be in awe of this marvel. This barbarian (¹), hailing from the distant lands of Germania, has the most ferocious and indomitable warrior spirit you can imagine. Even the glorious Roman soldiers defeated him only through exhaustion. He is one passus, one cubitus, and a whole palmus high (²), and weighs three hundred and seventy librae (³). A true tower of power that you'll likely see only this time (⁴)! If you need someone to kill, dismember, and above all, fight for your amusement, this is the man for you! His only flaw is that he can't speak Latin and is rather slow at learning it. So, who offers more?"

False: Adam knew Latin. Not well, but he had learned it by listening to his captors. The Romans had tried to teach him Latin to raise his price, and he had made the most of those lessons, even though he wasn't particularly gifted with languages; but he had never uttered a single word of that language. He refused to speak to the Romans, to stoop to arguing with them. And besides, it was useful for gleaning information, since those fools thought he didn't understand when they spoke.

A man stepped forward from the crowd, eyeing him closely. "Hmm" he said. "This fellow is quite powerful. With the proper training, he would be unmatched in the arena"

"You are mistaken, Lanist Abaddon" the man at the back of the crowd said, speaking for the first time.

Both the man named Abaddon and the slave traders let out a surprised noise as they recognized his presence. "Ave, First Consul Yahweh" Abaddon greeted him. "I didn't expect to meet you here today"

"I was strolling through the marketplace and found myself here" the man named Yahweh replied, walking toward the stage as the crowd moved aside to let him pass.

Abaddon greeted him cordially, then turned to the woman with him: "Ave Sera" and then to the boy: "And ave you too, young Michael"

"Ave" the boy replied. Now that he was looking at him closely, Adam could see that he, too, seemed quite physically fit, though not on the same level as himself or his father.

Abaddon turned to Yahweh again: "Why do you say I'm mistaken?"

"Because this barbarian needs no training" Yahweh replied, sounding as if he were stating the obvious. "He already has all the training he needs. He just needs to fight"

Adam tried not to show it, but he felt the urge to raise an eyebrow. That man, Yahweh, had a strange look on his face. It was as if he had known him forever... or rather, as if he was knowing him simply by looking at him. As if he had the ability to read his soul.

He wasn't the only one confused. "What do you mean, Father?" Michael asked.

Yahweh made an amused noise. "Do you always have your gladius (⁵) with you?" he asked his son.

"Yes, Father" Michael replied, opening his robe to reveal the short sword hanging at his side.

"Good" Yahweh said, then looked back at Adam: "Remove those shackles"

The slave traders paled slightly: "First Consul, this is a dangerous man. A violent..."

"You should learn to sell your wares better" Yahweh told them rhetorically. "Take those shackles off him"

"Yahweh, that's not what we're here for" Sera sighed, though her voice sounded tired, just like she was accostumed to such situations, or at least very familiar to them.

"It'll be quick, honey" Yahweh replied without even looking at her. His wife put a hand to her face in disappointment.

The slave traders hesitated, but then, albeit with great trepidation, they approached Adam and untied the shackles. They were timid at first, but then, seeing that he wasn't reacting, they became a little more confident. Adam let them do it without even moving, which calmed them down at least a little. "There you go" one of them said. "Now it's..."

The fist that landed on his gums was so strong that it shattered two of his teeth and knocked him off the stage, nearly hitting someone in the process. Adam stood to his full height and wore the fiercest expression he could muster, looking Yahweh straight in the eye. He could have tried to run, but he knew that if a Roman had ordered him to be released, then he was either reckless or had something up his sleeve. And in his peripheral vision, he could see several legionaries already alerted and approaching, weapons ready.

Yahweh showed no fear. On the contrary, as calmly as he could muster, he said: "Michael, son, what are you waiting for? Aren't you going to defend your father?"

The boy hesitated for a moment in confusion, but then stepped forward, unsheathing his gladius. Coward... facing an unarmed man with a weapon. That was what Adam wanted to tell him, and he didn't only because he refused to speak Latin. Though honestly, he would have done so only out of pride: after all, he too had used weapons when facing beasts stronger than himself. It was normal for the weak to use weapons to face the strong. There was no difference in that moment: Michael was facing an unarmed Adam with a sword, but to Adam, his own body was already a devastating weapon.

Michael charged with a shout and lunged at his side; Adam immediately moved and attempted to grab him. The boy managed to dodge, taking advantage of his smaller and lighter stance, but Adam wouldn't leave him alone. His fists moved very fast, quick, precise, and lethal.

Michael barely managed to step back enough to avoid it. "Okay... okay, you're strong" he whispered, before attacking again. This time he was smarter: he changed his thrust halfway, aiming for his shoulder. And not just any random spot: if it had hit him, it would have severed a tendon, rendering his right arm useless.

Adam had to admit to himself that the boy knew how to fight. He was good, no doubt about it. But still, he was too slow for him. His fist hit Michael square in the stomach, making him spit. His grip on the gladius loosened slightly, and Adam grabbed him by the wrist and threw him away with considerable force.

Michael landed with a groan of pain, but in midair he had managed to turn, protecting his vitals and key bones, so he didn't suffer much damage: in a few moments he was back on his feet. His gaze was tense, but he showed no sign of giving up the challenge. Adam was a little intrigued by this, but not terribly so.

He charged like a bull, and shouldered him so hard that he fell back to the ground; Michael lost the gladius, which fell with a clatter to the ground. Now that he was without his weapon, he finally showed fear. Adam raised his hand, ready to strike him in the face...

"Enough"

Adam felt his attack suddenly stop, his breath caught in the recoil. Two strong arms had wrapped around his waist, holding him tightly. They were the arms of Yahweh, who had somehow appeared between him and Michael, positioning himself almost horizontally.

Adam's eyes widened. His warrior mind immediately registered what had happened: Yahweh had grabbed him just above the legs, away from his upper body, so as not to feel the momentum of his arms and torso, but instead, it was he, Adam, who felt the recoil. Yahweh had positioned himself almost as if he were a pike, and in doing so, he had held him back despite their size difference.

And then, the unthinkable happened.

Yahweh lifted Adam slightly, decreasing his contact with the ground, and then moved his feet forward, dragging him backward. Adam found himself displaced from his starting position, sliding several feet, unable to offer any resistance against this man who didn't even reach the base of his chest. Yahweh's goal was clearly to drag him to the nearest wall and slam him against it.

Adam gritted his teeth and grabbed the man's body, but it wasn't enough: Yahweh was pinning his spine, preventing him from lowering his back and using the powerful muscles of his shoulders and arms to push him off. Adam had faced many creatures in that same position, wild boars that had struck him in the same spot with much greater force; but the boars couldn't grip the base of his spine to keep him from lowering. Now he could only rely on his hands, but even though his fingers tightened enough to make his opponent groan, without his shoulders to pull them up, they couldn't provide leverage.

But Adam wasn't about to give up. Knowing his opponent was smaller and therefore weaker, he changed tactics: he gave a strong push with his torso, driving his legs down and regaining traction with the ground; then, he pushed with his feet. Yahweh continued to push him, but their speed rapidly decreased, until they both stopped. Even though it all lasted only a few seconds, from his perspective, time seemed to slow down, as it always did when he fought against formidable opponents.

Yes... that man, that Roman, was a true opponent.

Yahweh seemed astonished that they had stopped: he clearly hadn't expected him to react so quickly. Finally freed from the thrust, Adam managed to move his back enough to raise his arms and throw them down violently. Once he struck, the man would surely let go...

But Yahweh didn't stay still: he himself let go, before Adam could strike. While he was still in midair, Yahweh released his grip on his waist, knocking him off balance. Adam found himself falling forward, and Yahweh grabbed him by the leg, pushing him. Using her own weight and momentum against him, she sent him crashing into the wooden stall, cracking it slightly and causing some of the wood to fall.

The calm seemed to return as quickly as it had begun. The people only then unclenched, as if they had been in a trance. "Yahweh, are you okay?" Sera exclaimed, running to her husband.

Yahweh was breathing deeply. His face was drenched in sweat. "Bastard" he whispered. "He forced me to get serious"

Michael, who had approached to check on his father, couldn't help but let out a small noise of surprise. As far as he could remember, his father had never said anyone had forced him to take matters seriously. He was always the one who dictated the terms of the fight, never the other way around. It was the first time he had seen him so tense.

A creaking noise distracted his attention. Adam had gotten to his feet, grabbing one of the sticks to give himself strength to stand again. His skin was covered in splinters, and his back was covered in bruises, but he paid them no attention.

The Romans around him were speechless: "He's back up!"

"It didn't hurt him!"

"Wood fell on him, and he's back on his feet anyway!"

"A normal person would have fainted!"

"Is he really just a man?"

Adam ignored them all: his gaze was fixed solely on Yahweh. His heart was pounding, and a visceral excitement was filling him. Since he'd turned fifteen, no human had ever challenged him like this. Yet, this Roman, smaller than him and the warriors of his tribe, had played him like this.

His body was already anticipating the challenge. His spirit burned, just as it had when he'd faced each of his beastly enemies. He'd been waiting too long for an opponent who could truly give him a hard time.

Before him, Michael stood before his father, holding his gladius to defend him. Many other legionaries stepped forward to stop him. They were all armed, and he had only a staff with him...

But Adam didn't care. And to everyone's surprise, he threw away the staff, depriving himself of his only weapon. He looked only at Yahweh, ignoring everyone else.

If the people found the scene strange, the same didn't apply to Yahweh. "I understand" he said aloud, stepping forward. "Michael, step aside. Everyone, don't intervene"

Michael looked at him in surprise: "Father...?"

"He wants to know me better" Yahweh said, removing his toga (⁶). "And I want to know him, too"

"Let me... know him" Michael protested.

"It's not you he wants" Yahweh told him. "If you want to challenge him, show him you're someone worthy of his attention"

Michael gritted his teeth. He knew what those words meant: Adam didn't consider him a worthy enemy. He wasn't someone he considered important to face. Even though Michael knew he still had much to learn, his pride burned at the thought of an unarmed man thinking fighting him was a waste of time.

Adam watched the scene intently. That was something he could understand: a father exercising his authority over his son. But the fact that not only the boy, but the legionaries as well, obeyed meant that this man must be someone important. His authority extended not only to the family unit, but to everyone around them. Adam didn't know the Roman hierarchy, but he understood that.

Yahweh stepped forward. There was no fear in his eyes, only a strange curiosity. Even facing a man several steps taller than him, he had that calm, almost intrigued look on his face. The sight infuriated Adam a little, and he gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes, clearly intent on aggression.

Michael watched his father apprehensively as he approached the enemy. "Mother, what do you think?" he whispered to Sera. "Does Father have any hope?"

Sera, on the other hand, had become impassive again. Her initial fear and concern had vanished, and she seemed to be calm again. "Don't ask foolish questions" she said reproachfully. "Your father doesn't fight battles he doesn't know he can win. He knows what to do against that barbarian"

Adam was the first to attack.

His hand moved like a whip; Not a fist, the fingers were slightly open, ready either to close or to open in a slap. Yahweh reacted quickly, raising both hands to create a sort of shield with his forearms. Adam's hand crashed into them, and he felt the hard bone in his palm; however, he didn't stop there, and his fingers closed tightly behind one of his arms, forming a vice from which Yahweh couldn't escape. Having blocked him, he raised his leg to strike him with a knee.

But Yahweh didn't stay still: instead of trying to parry the blow again, he lunged toward him, taking advantage of Adam's raised leg and thus being off-balance. Adam slid toward him, losing focus on his attack, and Yahweh used his free hand to strike him; not in the chest, but under the shoulder, at the juncture between his body and his arm. This triggered a reaction that, unintentionally, caused Adam to open his fingers for a moment, freeing Yahweh, who immediately retreated, moving out of Adam's reach.

Adam staggered slightly, quickly regaining his balance. He had faced beasts of all kinds, and each time, he had had to study them and understand their weaknesses to defeat them where his own strength was insufficient. And now this smaller man was doing the same to him. He was studying him and identifying his weaknesses, and exploiting them to keep up with him despite their size difference.

Yahweh was breathing heavily. Even though he'd handled it masterfully, he'd been so close to being hit. And he knew that a blow from that huge mallard would mean serious damage, given that they were fighting without armor or protection. "You're not used to playing the stronger, are you?" he asked rhetorically with a smile on his face.

Adam didn't answer. He simply raised his head as high as possible and cracked his neck. He let Yahweh gaze at his muscles and the scars that testified to his countless battles.

"Yes..." Yahweh commented. "You've always faced only those stronger than you. You've learned to fight against any enemy more powerful than you, but you're not used to fighting someone who doesn't surpass you in strength"

He wasn't wrong. Adam didn't say it out loud, but he was sure that his simple look was enough of an affirmative answer. The proud, fierce light in his eyes was unmistakable.

"An extraordinary experience, to say the least. You are worthy of your strength" Yahweh told him. "But I fear you won't be able to use your opponent's weight against him this time. This time, you are the heavier one. Your usual style won't suffice"

Once again, Adam saw that the man was right. He was accustomed to facing beasts larger and stronger than him, and he had learned to use their weight, momentum, and strength against them. But this time, he had the size advantage. Which, paradoxically, made the fight more confusing.

Michael bit his lip. "Why does Father talk so much? That barbarian doesn't understand our language anyway" he whispered to his mother. Sera simply shrugged in response.

This time it was Yahweh who attacked: he moved like a bow arrow, lowering his body almost horizontally and launching himself at him, aiming for Adam's lower body. He knew it was foolish to attack the torso, where the strong arms defended, so he aimed for the legs. He slid between them and twisted to one side as he did so: the goal was to strike the knee from behind, generating the involuntary urge to bend it, thus making Adam fall to his knees...

But this time Adam was ready and anticipated him: he bent his knee, but according to his own rules. He bent it so that his body fell backward, hitting Yahweh squarely. He managed to escape just in time before being crushed, but Adam nevertheless struck him with an elbow in the shoulder, so hard that for a moment it seemed he was about to shatter it.

Yahweh didn't scream, but he still grabbed his shoulder and stepped back in pain. Adam quickly got up to continue the attack now that his opponent was weakened, and used his longer arms to strike him again as before. Yahweh ducked and grabbed his arm to knock him down...

But before he could do so, Adam twisted his hand and grabbed his hair, pulling him sideways. Yahweh completely lost his balance and fell, and to avoid hitting his head, he held onto Adam's arm, pulling him along and using it as a shield to cushion the impact. Even so, the rest of his body felt the impact of the fall. Adam fell slightly, but remained standing, almost on all fours, staring at his opponent from the higher ground.

Yahweh was sweating, but he was still smiling. Not a mocking smile: it was an excited, satisfied smile. The typical eager smile of people who had been searching for something for a long time and finally found it. "You're truly on another level" he said. "You've already adapted to me"

And finally, Adam smiled back. The same smile he had every time his heart pumped like fire at the taste of challenge. That small man was giving him the same thrill as the powerful adversaries of his homeland.

Adam raised his elbow, clearly intending to bring it down and break his teeth. He was already anticipating blood, when suddenly Yahweh touched his wrist with his hand. "Hey" he said. "Let's stop now"

Adam's eyes widened. Not out of offense, but out of confusion. Yahweh clearly wasn't in such a desperate position; he had no reason to stop the fight. Why give up now? And besides, technically, they hadn't dictated any term for that fight: why did Yahweh think that Adam would accept the surrender and let him live?

"I've known you enough" Yahweh told him. "I know you still have much to give, but I don't want to know more. What you've shown me is enough"

Adam raised an eyebrow, but then he understood. Yahweh was telling him that he knew he hadn't given everything, but there was no reason to reveal it now, not in front of all these people. Because anyone who knew someone's strengths and weaknesses could become a potential enemy and use them against them. It was logical, it was understandable.

"How about we stop here?" Yahweh invited him. "We'll continue another time. Now let's get to know each other in a more civilized way. We are still humans, and human beings don't know each other only through violence and blood, but also through feasting and discussion"

For a moment, Adam was conflicted. On the one hand, he absolutely wanted to continue, to see how far this man could go and what he was hiding. But on the other hand, he couldn't deny that, strategically, he was right, and it was better to take a different approach: after all, even if he won, he was still surrounded, and he knew the Romans wouldn't let him go even if he defeated their leader. They didn't have the same rules and sense of honor as the northern peoples.

Finally, even though his blood was boiling, he forced himself to restrain himself and moved aside, allowing Yahweh to stand. He smiled even wider. "I knew you were reasonable" he said, picking up his toga and putting it back on. "I must admit, you're a warrior like few others. Not everyone can adapt to an opponent so quickly. You must have defied death many times, right? And you've never run away. You've always faced it"

Adam remained silent, unsure how to react. He wasn't entirely sure what Yahweh wanted. On the one hand, it sounded like he was praising him, on the other, he seemed to regard him as a rare beast. He just couldn't quite understand him.

Yahweh smiled satisfied. And then said aloud: "Michael, please pay this merchant. I'll take this marvel"

Michael's eyes widened in surprise. It was impossible to know what he was thinking: he clearly hadn't expected his father to give him such an order, but at the same time, he didn't seem too opposed to it either. Part of him seemed to long for a rematch, while another seemed to be trying to peer into Adam's soul to glean more information about this strange man.

"Yahweh, you can't!" Sera protested. "You can't entrust Lucifer to this brute! We were here to buy someone to teach him..."

"I wanted someone to teach Lucifer how to survive" Yahweh said. "And this man is a survivor. I can't ask for anything better"

"He is too young (⁷), and he doesn't even speak Latin!" Sera pointed out. "How do you expect him to teach if he can't even express himself in our language?"

But Yahweh chuckled. "Oh, no... he knows Latin" he said. "He may not speak it very well, but he understands perfectly what I'm saying"

Adam couldn't help but look surprised. He hadn't expected anyone to see through his mask. How had he done it? Maybe he'd made some mistake? Maybe...?

His reaction was quite telling, as everyone realized Yahweh was right. "Wait... he understood what we were saying!?" the slave traders exclaimed. "We tried a thousand ways to teach him Latin..."

"And he learned it. He just had no reason to talk with you" Yahweh replied. "A lion wastes no time conversing with lambs. It has no need for smooth talk or deception. For a lion, strength is all it takes to exterminate lambs. It only speaks with other lions. If this man refused to speak to you, it's obviously because he never considered you to be lions"

Adam didn't know what the word lion meant, but he knew it must be a large, ferocious animal, given the metaphor with lambs. It was amazing how the man could read him. Did he have some supernatural power? Was a god helping him? Or was he just very good at reading people's signals?

Yahweh turned to him again. "You haven't let yourself be tamed, and I doubt you ever will. You undoubtedly have the heart of a warrior" he said. "But there's something else driving you, isn't it? There's something you're chasing. Something that was taken from you and you now long for"

Adam narrowed his eyes. And then he moved. He walked toward Yahweh, and everyone tensed, presumably expecting the fight to resume. However, Adam stopped less than a step away from his interlocutor, looking him straight in the eye.

Yahweh held that gaze without wavering. "I have a job for you" he announced. "Complete it well, and you have my word that I will not only restore your freedom, but I will put every resource of mine at your disposal to help you achieve what you seek. So, do we have an understanding?"

Adam let out a loud snort. And then he finally opened his lips, and before everyone's astonished eyes, he spoke for the first time, in very crude Latin: "What do you want me to do?"

"Sir?"

Adam opened his eyes with a grunt. He realized he was sitting at the table in his cabin; in fact, he was practically lying on it. Some scrolls were scattered across it, along with an inkwell containing quill and ink (⁸). Whatever he was writing had faded, having fallen asleep on it, and the stains on his toga testified to that. "Hmm. Fuck, I'll have to wash it" he commented harshly, then remembered someone had called him; he turned to the door and saw Lute waiting there. "Uh... hello"

Lute was clearly embarrassed to find him in that state. "I tried knocking, but you weren't answering" she said.

Adam quickly got up and put away what he was working on. "Um... you were right to come in and wake me" he said. "Staying on a ship makes me sleep more soundly than usual"

Lute suspected this was because Adam had probably slept on warships quite often, and so being rocked by the waves was like being in a mother's arms for babies. She found herself giggling to herself at the thought, because for some reason the analogy felt so right.

Adam narrowed his eyes. "What are you thinking?" he asked annoyed.

"Nothing, sir!" Lute answered immediately, though she didn't even try to hide the fact that she was lying.

"That's not true" Adam replied, his voice half angry, half embarrassed.

This only made Lute chuckle more. "I was just thinking you must really be a heavy sleeper. What were you dreaming about that was so pleasant?"

"I wasn't dreaming" Adam said dryly.

"That's not true" Lute replied, though then her tone became more serious. "Good or bad dream?"

Adam hesitated for a moment. "Neither in particular" he finally answered. "Fuck, being on this damn ship with that dumb princess is messing with my brain worse than that time I overindulged in garum. I can't wait to get back to land..."

Lute raised an eyebrow. That reaction seemed a little... off-topic, even for Adam. "Sir, what were you drea...?"

"Just distant memories" Adam said briskly, and then added: "You know, I quite remembered why I liked you so much right away"

"Huh?" Lute muttered, confused.

Adam shrugged. "Ah, don't listen to me" he just said. "Rather, why did you come calling me?"

Lute wanted to ask a few more questions, but she quickly answered: "If you're eager to get back to land, you're in luck, sir. I came to inform you that we're close to Katane. Pentious is shouting it to the entire ship, he wants us all to go to the bow and see"

"See?" Adam repeated, not understanding. "See what?"

"He says Etna is erupting (⁹)" Lute explained.

Three more arts:

Chapter Text

Charlie sat in the corner of her cabin, staring blankly at the wooden ceiling. Honestly, staying there was starting to feel truly suffocating: she was used to roaming freely throughout her home, and no room she entered could be considered small. She knew she'd been given what was probably the best cabin on the ship, and that sleeping in a place all her own was a luxury compared to sleeping in a hold full of sweaty, snoring sailors, but she still felt as if the walls were shrinking, trapping her ever more.

Throughout her time on the ship, she'd spent her days locked in her cabin, only emerging at night when few sailors were awake and therefore very few could see her (and interact with). Every time she stepped out and breathed the fresh sea air, she felt as if she were being born again. Adam probably would have much preferred her never to leave her cabin, but the gladiators had kept letting her out, using the excuse that they couldn't disobey the princess of the empire, and eventually he'd given up.

Charlie had been grateful for that concession. Even so, she felt like a caged animal. She'd often wondered why birds kept in cages looked sad despite being fed every day and protected from predators, but now she understood it perfectly. It was truly awful not to be the master of her own destiny.

"Mmm"

Charlie turned toward the bed as soon as she heard that groan. Emily was sitting up, yawning quite loudly. "What time is it?" she asked, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"I think it's still daylight" Charlie answered. "I don't think it's even past afternoon"

Emily got up from the bed, trying to smooth out her tangled hair. "You too should get some sleep" she said.

"Forget it" Charlie replied. She'd slept some times while she'd been on the ship, of course, but none of those slumbers had been peaceful. She wasn't used to all the pounding of the waves. She absolutely couldn't go to sleep on a full stomach, because as soon as she lay down, the food in her belly seemed to rebel, making her sleep quite difficult and making her constantly wake up with the urge to vomit... but at the same time, she couldn't stay on an empty stomach for too long, because the emptiness in her belly seemed to agitate her organs for some reason and made her nauseous. Because of this, she'd never been able to get a good eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.

"Keeping fighting the sickness won't make the seasickness go away" Emily warned her. "You have to try to ignore it. The more you ignore it, the more you'll get used to the ship"

"Oh, and you're an expert on this?" Charlie asked rhetorically.

Emily shrugged. "At least I can sleep well" she said with a wry smile.

"Yeah, and you have drool on your mouth" Charlie pointed out.

Emily blushed and immediately wiped her face: "Why didn't you tell me right away!?"

"It wouldn't have been as funny" Charlie replied with a laugh.

Emily almost jumped on her in response: "Let's see if you think this is funny!" she exclaimed, starting to touch her.

"Ha ha! Stop! You're tickling me! Ha ha!" Charlie almost screamed as she struggled to escape her.

"That'll teach you how to keep me drooling!" Emily replied.

"Oh, come on, you're so touchy!" Charlie said, still laughing. "I didn't even tell you your hair looks like a nest..."

"My hair looks like WHAT!?" Emily exclaimed in mock indignation, tickling her even harder.

They continued this improvised game for a few minutes, and then finally stopped and sat on the bed, where Charlie began to fix Emily's hair, trying to get rid of the bizarre hairstyle it had acquired while sleeping. "I really don't understand how you sleep so soundly here" Charlie said at one point.

"Not everyone has lived in an imperial villa, sleeping on the softest, most comfortable beds and surrounded by silence until they woke up" Emily reminded her. "I'm used to sleeping in less than pleasant conditions. I've never been on a ship, but it's not much different from sleeping in a wagon"

Charlie sighed. "Right" she murmured. "I always forget that I'm a spoiled princess..."

"Oh, you sure are spoiled" Emily said with a wink. "But as long as you don't let such vices cloud your heart, you're still on the right track"

Charlie couldn't help but smile. Emily always knew how to turn something that made her feel bad into something funny. It seemed to be her natural gift.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "May I come in?" a familiar voice asked.

"We're presentable" Charlie said loudly. "Come in"

The door opened and Vaggie entered, closing it behind her. She raised an eyebrow at the sight of the princess of the empire helping a prisoner with her hair, but she didn't seem overly surprised despite the unusual scene; she had probably grown accustomed to considering Charlie a somewhat unusual princess, and she didn't seem to mind. "The coast has appeared on the horizon" she announced to them.

Charlie's mouth dropped slightly. "Oh..." she murmured, immediately understanding what it meant.

"When will we arrive?" Emily asked.

"The sailors say we'll reach Katane in less than an hour" Vaggie replied. "They say it's less than three miles (¹) to go"

Charlie took a deep breath. Nothing had changed, but suddenly it felt like the weight of the situation had become more intense. Maybe it was because they were so close to their destination, and even though they would have to wait a bit before the Isis ceremony, she felt closer than ever.

Vaggie seemed to notice her mood, but wasn't sure how to cheer her up. "Uh... you can rejoice, you finally won't be seasick anymore" she tried.

Throughout that week, Charlie had at least listened to Adam and hadn't told anyone the reason for the trip, not even Vaggie. She, in turn, hadn't asked, even though she clearly wanted to know more. But despite that silence, Vaggie, like the other gladiators, wasn't blind and knew that something was bothering Charlie. Her mouth might not speak, but her behavior did.

Vaggie felt bad about it. She didn't know what Charlie had that was bothering her so much, but she still wished she could help. However, knowing something was wrong and understanding what was actually wrong weren't the same thing. A person could be as supportive as they wanted, but it didn't do much good if they didn't know what the real problem was.

Emily put a hand on Charlie's shoulder: "Hey, don't be like that. There's still time" she reassured her. "Don't give up hope"

Charlie smiled at least a little. "Thanks" she said, squeezing her hand for strength.

Vaggie was happy to see her spirits lift even a little, but at the same time, a strange irritation formed in her heart. Even though it was completely illogical, she didn't like that it was someone else who had made Charlie smile. For some reason, it gave her a strange, tingling sensation in her chest. "Um! Anyway, once we get there, we're not going right away..."

"Yeah, I know we're not going to the temple right away, Adam already told me that" Charlie said briskly. "I know I'll have to hide for a while longer, you don't have to tell me"

Vaggie bit her lip. Charlie was feeling down again now, and it was making her feel bad. "Hey" she murmured. "Listen, I know this isn't a good situation, but... just try to hold on, okay? I don't know what you're going through, but I'm sure there'll be a way out"

"Thanks" Charlie said. "You don't need to encourage me..."

"I'm not encouraging you. That's what I truly believe" Vaggie said, looking her straight in the eyes. "Don't lose faith. There'll be a way"

Charlie was a little surprised. Vaggie's eyes exuded such determination and confidence, as if she weren't just saying those words to console her. And for some reason, she felt her heart warm at this, as if that confidence were seeping into her. "You're right" she said finally. "I mustn't give up"

Vaggie smiled at seeing her confident again, and strangely, the sight made her heart rate increase a bit. Apparently, so did her blood circulation, as her face felt a little warm. Not knowing what else to do, she turned her head away, hoping no one would notice.

Just then, fortunately, Emily diverted the attention: "Hey, is someone running?"

Charlie and Vaggie strained their ears, and indeed, they heard the rhythmic thump of footsteps coming from the door. "Looks like it" Vaggie said. "Maybe it's..."

The door opened so fast it almost broke. Pentious's excited face appeared, a huge grin plastered across it: "Girls!"

"Pen, for fuck's sake!" Vaggie shouted at him. "You can't go into the princess's cabin without permission! What if she was undressed...!?"

Pentious completely ignored her. "Stop wasting time and get on deck right now!" he shouted. "You can't miss it, it's incredible!"

Despite her indignation, Vaggie couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with her friend. Charlie and Emily were also confused. "Why? What's going on?" the princess asked.

"Mount Etna!" Pentious said with a large smile. "Mount Etna is erupting!"

The three girls' eyes widened. "Really!?" Charlie exclaimed, also suddenly excited.

"Wait... Mount Etna is that mountain that spits flames, right?" Vaggie asked, remembering the conversation they'd had days before.

"Yes, the volcano!" Pentious replied, then grabbed them by the arm and dragged them outside. "Come on, come on!"

The four of them ran until they reached the deck of the ship. Vaggie was honestly more curious than ever: just a few days earlier, she'd discovered that a mountain could spit flames, and now she was about to be lucky enough to see it! Emily and Charlie were also eager to see it: they knew what Etna was, since Charlie had learned about it in her lessons and Emily had learned about it from merchants, but neither of them had ever seen it in person. It was said to be a spectacle beyond imagination, and they weren't about to miss it.

Angel, Cherri, and Husk were already on deck. They, like some other sailors, were leaning against the edge of the ship for a better view. "Oh, there you are!" Angel exclaimed as soon as he saw them. "Come here, quickly! It's extraordinary!"

The three girls leaned over the railing, greeted by the calm sea and the strip of land that cut across the horizon. They were truly close to their destination now, as the walls and docks of Katane could be seen. But it wasn't the city that dominated the landscape, but the high mountain behind it.

Etna was something ordinary Romans were unaccustomed to: immense, looming, a mountain that seemed more like the domain of the gods than of men. For Charlie, Emily, and all those who had lived their entire lives in Rome without ever leaving, and who were consequently accustomed to gentle hills and orderly fields, the sheer size of that solitary mountain was unsettling in itself. But what made everyone's jaws drop was the fact that it wasn't still.

A column of smoke rose from the crater, dark at the base and reddish where the sun struck it. At times, incandescent flashes pierced the mountain's summit, like open wounds in the rock, and the volcano seemed to breathe, swell, expel fire. The lava flowed slowly down the slopes, forming luminous veins that contrasted with the black of the ancient stone. Even from that distance, it was easy to see that the molten rock was hot enough to melt a human being as if they were ice in the sun.

That sight had left everyone speechless. It was truly a spectacle beyond imagination. Looking at it, you could almost sense a primordial force, an energy that didn't ask permission to exist. "Is that really a mountain?" Vaggie asked, not understanding how a mountain could spew fire and molten rock. She couldn't help but wonder if at any moment the volcano would rise, revealing itself to be the mouth of a fire-breathing monster.

"This is truly incredible" Charlie commented.

"I told you!" Pentious exclaimed, laughing with excitement. "Damn, we were incredibly lucky!"

"I admit, it's really beautiful to see" Husk said, having put down his mug for once.

"The works of nature is always amazing" Emily commented with a broad smile. "The Lord truly created an extraordinary world"

"It's spitting again!" Angel shouted, pointing to the tip of Mount Etna, which was spewing more lava. "Damn, that's so cool!"

"Are we sure it won't hit the city?" Vaggie asked, a little worried. Maybe it was the distance, but it seemed to her that the volcano was right next to Katane, meaning the lava cascade could engulf the buildings and burn them down.

"Don't worry, Etna erupts every year" Pentious told her. "Katane has been here for centuries, and it's never ended up like Pompeii"

"Pompeii?" Vaggie repeated. "Why? What is Pompeii?"

"What was. It was wiped out a little over seventy years ago (²)" Charlie explained. "It was a city in Campania Felix (³). In that region there is another volcano, they call it Vesuvius. Unlike Etna, it never erupted. But when it did, it was so powerful that it destroyed the entire city. Well, two cities... there was also nearby Herculaneum"

Vaggie's eyes widened: "Are you kidding me!?"

"I wish" Charlie muttered. "But don't worry, I told you: Etna isn't dangerous"

Despite the encouragement, Vaggie sweated a little. "Can volcanoes really destroy cities...?"

"When they're really powerful, yes" Pentious confirmed. "But the ones that erupt frequently are pretty quiet. Stromboli is also almost constantly active, but it doesn't harm anyone (⁴)"

"Uh... thank goodness" Vaggie said, trying to cheer herself up. The thought of that mountain exploding so hard it could wipe out an entire city was so terrifying it made her swallow.

Thankfully, a familiar laugh shook her out of that thought. "Ha ha! I haven't seen that sight in a while!" Adam exclaimed as he climbed onto the bridge. "I hope you appreciate the view, you little bastards"

"Have you seen it before?" Charlie asked.

"Sure, I've been to Katane often before" Adam said. "You were lucky, though. Finding Etna erupting isn't a given. What do you say, Ubera Sicarius?"

Lute was completely speechless for once: her eyes were so wide they looked like they were about to pop out. Vaggie chuckled lightly at the sight (taking a slight taste of hypocrisy from her reaction earlier), earning her a glare. Lute was a little embarrassed when she realized the expression she was wearing, but despite that, she couldn't change it from her usual frown: the spectacle was too umbelievable.

The sea, which until moments before had been familiar and reassuring, was reflecting that bright red light emerging from the mountain in restless flickers. The air carried with it an acrid odor, of sulfur and ash, mixed with salt. As she smelled it, Lute felt her chest tighten without knowing why, as if her body had understood before her mind that she was facing something that could annihilate her as easily as she squashed an ant. It wasn't just wonder: it was pure, instinctive fear, the sudden awareness of her fragility.

Lute wasn't very accustomed to such emotions, but in that moment she felt a sense of absolute smallness, as if every ambition, every certainty she'd accumulated over a lifetime had been reduced to nothing before that burning mountain. Etna wasn't observing her, it wasn't judging her, it wasn't confronting or threatening her: it simply existed. And in that existence, it forced her into silence. Lute felt a profound, almost religious respect rising within her, as if she were witnessing a divine manifestation.

The houses of Katane, even those grand palaces of wealthy families who displayed their superiority among other humans, now seemed tiny at the foot of that giant, gathered as if in an act of defiance or faith. Lute couldn't help but wonder how those people slept so peacefully, and she found herself considering them both admirable and mad at the same time. Living in the shadow of such power must have required a great courage, or perhaps an ancient resignation, passed down from generation to generation.

Mount Etna continued to erupt, indifferent to the advancing ship, to those people watching it. The mountain was oblivious to their admiration, their fear, all their emotions. And precisely in that indifference lay its terrible, magnificent grandeur.

Lute remembered how, as a child, she had looked at thunder and lightning with fear and respect. How those storms of her homeland had seemed monstrous and inviolable. Then, as she grew older, she'd begun to fear them less. But now, facing that volcano, she felt the exact same thing... except it was much more profound, and she was an adult.

"I want to see it better!" Cherri exclaimed, grabbing Pentious's arm. "Come on, let's climb the mast!"

"Hey, wait for me! I want to come too!" Angel exclaimed, starting to climb as well.

"Idiots! At least tie yourselves up with ropes!" Husk shouted, the only rational person left, and chased after them to force them to at least put on some protective gear.

Adam shook his head. "What a bunch of imbeciles" he commented as he watched them climb the mast like monkeys. "Please tell me you're not going to do the same"

"I don't know how to climb" Charlie replied.

"Neither I" Emily confessed.

Vaggie was silent for a moment. "Um... someone has to stay here and protect the princess" she said.

Lute shook her head. "Sorry, you realize we're on the sea, right? There are no obstacles, it's all flat, no need for high ground. Climbing the mast won't give you a better view of the volcano. It's for spotting distant things, not things you can already see"

"Ah! Well done, Ubera Sicarius, at least someone here uses her brains" Adam commented with satisfaction.

Lute snorted slightly. "How is that possible?" she asked. "I mean... how can a mountain spew fire and molten rock?"

"Oh, volcanoes are the forges of the blacksmith of the gods, Vulcan. We can't see them, but inside them, in their boiling hearts, he and his Cyclopes craft the weapons of the gods (⁵)" Adam explained. "But in the case of Etna, it's even more incredible: beneath that mountain lies the monster Typhon, imprisoned by Jupiter, who roars and breathes fire when he's restless (⁶)"

"Typhon?" Lute repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What monster is he?"

"He's one of the Titans. He's taller than the mountains, with a hundred dragon heads on his shoulders, wings that block out the sun, fiery eyes, and legs made of coiled serpents. They say he's the father of all monsters" Adam replied. "He's the son of Gaia and Tartarus, and he's so powerful that he defeated Jupiter and briefly conquered Olympus, but then the gods counterattacked and imprisoned him beneath Mount Etna" 

Lute was quite intrigued. "Hmm. In Britannia we have stories about monsters, but they usually involve fighting heroes, not gods"

"Then our monsters must be significantly worse than yours" Adam told her with a wry smile. "We obviously kept the best for ourselves, while you only kept the ones who managed to escape to the far North"

"Or maybe our gods are so powerful that they let the worst monsters escape here to your lands" Lute replied with the same mockery.

Adam just seemed amused by her retort. "I love it when you're so cocky" he said with a laugh. "But I'm afraid you're fooling yourself"

"Why? Can you prove me wrong?" Lute replied with a satisfied smirk.

Adam fell silent with a grunt. "Ah, fuck, I hate you all" he said, turning away as if he were an immature child.

Lute chuckled at the sight, glad she'd silenced him. "No, you don't hate us" she said softly.

"I heard you!" Adam snapped irritably.

"Come on, come on, don't argue" Charlie interrupted. "There's no point in being arrogant if you don't have a clear answer. And also in arguing about who has the strongest gods, since..."

She was about to say 'since gods don't exist', but Adam grabbed her shoulder and squeezed it a little harder than usual, taking her breath away. Charlie was about to protest, but his glare silenced her. Apparently, even while he seemed to be paying no attention to her, Adam understood exactly what she was about to say.

Emily stepped in and removed her hand from Charlie's shoulder, glaring at him. "Why so tense? Afraid of the truth?" she asked rhetorically.

"Shut up, prisoner" Adam snapped. "I didn't ask your opinion. In fact, now that I think about it, I didn't even give you permission to leave your cabin. Go back below"

Emily didn't like those words at all, and despite coming from a man at least three times her size and bulk, she returned his ferocious stare without a trace of fear. Charlie intervened before the situation escalated: "All right, let's go back to the cabin"

"Good. Both of you, when we dock, you'll have to be as inconspicuous as possible, so go put on something to hide your faces" Adam said, as he pushed them (not very nicely, it had to be said) below. "A veil, or a drape, or..."

Vaggie let out a soft sigh. "Don't you think Adam's treating those two a little too roughly?" she asked Lute.

"It was worse with us" her sister reminded her.

"Yes, but we were supposed to be trained to fight" Vaggie opined. "Now he just seems rude to me..."

Lute shrugged. "Look, whatever happened between him and the empress that convinced him to come here with the princess, it definitely wasn't nice. And those two, I'm sorry to say, are really annoying. And something tells me what they say to each other gets on his nerves even more because they know something we don't..."

"Aren't you justifying him a little too much?" Vaggie asked suddenly.

Lute narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?"