#oc x tenax

[egocentered]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Those About to Die (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con Relationships: Tenax (Those About to Die)/Original Female Character(s) Characters: Tenax (Those About to Die), Claudia (Those About to Die), Original Female Character(s) Additional Tags: Romance, Slavery, Sexual Content, Ancient Rome Summary:

What made him wander around the slave market that day, he could not say. Somehow, a dark and bruised human form caught his attention from the corner of his eye.

"Now this one should be firmly handled for she’s kind of a wildling," the slave merchant loudly claimed as he pushed the girl to the front of the stage in a rattle of chains, "beware of your throats! "

Tenax hold his stance as the lean creature rose in front of a suddenly quiet crowd. Chained both at her wrists and feet, her black dishevelled long hair hardly dissimulated the bruises and swellings on the tanned skin of her face; and the ripped dress could not cover the shades of purple marks on her arms and thighs, and yet, there she stood tall and proud, glancing at the crowd with a ferocious disdain in her clear eyes.

[labeteenmoi]

Kings of the Subura

Part 2

Fandom : Those About To Die

Pairing : Tenax x OC

Warnings : Mentions of violence, rape and slavery

Summary : Wavering feelings and power teachings

Note : if you want to be tagged for the next chapter, just raise your finger

The bell rang.

“The race is on! Bets are over!” the man behind the counter shouted as he closed the jar filled with betting odds amid protests from the latecomers.

Another chariots race Tenax already knew the results of. He didn't even have to fix it anymore; he had the greatest power in the Subura: information. Tenax knew all there was to know about anything race related: who runs for money, who runs for glory, who runs for life. He also knew about all the power struggles involved: who owed who, who owned who, who fucked who. Incidentally, what the horses ate for breakfast and how much quality shit they had had mattered too, and he knew that too.

However, all that power, his pride and joy, mattered a little less lately. As he was distractively watching the chariots enter their second lap in a cloud of dust as they passed in front of the stable’s door, his mind shifted to the creature that roamed his house like a caged tiger, yearning for freedom, or at least for a hint of it in the streets of Rome, something he had always denied her.

Almost a month had passed since he had brought her home and the least he could say was that this woman’s pride was beyond imagination. No matter how good the care and security he provided to her, she resisted fiercely and that was probably the very reason she was growing on him. He liked it, her irrepressible spirit of rebellion—not in deed, she did what she was told, but her attitude was untamed, her eyes insolent, her repartee sharp on the rare occasions she bothered to answer him. Briga was far from purring while rubbing against his leg — she still seemed constantly tense, on alert, watching his every move whenever he got too close to her, but Tenax could see a change in the way she looked at him, a formal coldness had slowly replaced the ostentatious hatred she used to address him, and sometimes, he could swear, there was even a hint of curiosity.

It was only in the quiet, soothing moment of Claudia's bath that she seemed to find real comfort. The occasional glances he threw at her at that moment, a moment far too tempting for him to constantly be able to hold back, gave him the opportunity to witness a few rare moments when she let her animal sensuality express itself. In the incandescent darkness of that room, she looked something like a snake, undulating and glistening. Then she would see him and stare as if she had spotted a prey; fascinatingly deadly.

What never ceased to amaze him was how oblivious she seemed to all of this, oblivious to this aura of danger that emanated from her, unconscious to the attraction she exerted on him. Either she had no clue, or he was extremely good at hiding it. Anyway, it could be of use for his business. Not that it was his plan all along, he wasn't the kind of man to do things on a whim usually, except when it came to her apparently. Tenax could recognize an opportunity when he saw one.

The last silver fish tipped over to a cheer from the crowd announcing the final lap. Tenax's eyes widened in the ray of sunlight that streamed through the door's skylights as if suddenly coming to. The rider of the blue faction, Scorpus, had taken the lead, as usual. He didn't seem very happy about it though, whipping his horses with rage.

Tenax didn't linger after the race ended that day, each time a little less than the last. His home had gained in appeal lately, in a way, he wanted to return there more and more as the days went by.

At this twilight hour, it was bath time, so it was not surprising to find the first rooms empty. However, the quiet of the place struck him as soon as he passed through the door. No light came from the kitchen which was unusual, and the slight whispers of Claudia and Briga's conversations in the bathroom were muted.

Tenax stiffened, moving cautiously towards his room. He pushed the door open wide with a slight creak. The air that reached his face was thick, loaded with humidity and floral scents. Someone had indeed used the bathroom but as he moved a little further into his bedroom he saw the bathroom was empty.

When he turned again, peering into the darkness at the back of his room, a movement of air made the hair on the back of his head stand on end, immediately followed by the cold contact of a blade on the side of his neck. He froze for a couple of decisive seconds. Gritting his teeth angrily, he suddenly stepped back, hitting hardly the body of his assailant that he carried in his momentum against the wall behind him. The knife bearer let out a slight hoarse gasp under the heavy shock. Tenax immediately realized that this body was much lighter than he had anticipated. It was her, of course. He turned around quickly, pushing aside the hand that held the blade with one arm and grabbed the slave's neck, who didn't seem surprised.

"What are you doing?" he growled sharply.

Briga grabbed the hand on her neck.

"...You should have knocked." she muttered sarcastically under her breath.

Tenax took a breath, trying to calm down a little. He loosened his grip on her throat just enough to let her gulp.

"Drop the knife now." he snapped with a hint of worry in his wide opened blue eyes.

Her eyes narrowed as she formed a slight smirk before letting go, the kitchen knife fell heavily to the floor with a loud clatter.

Tenax sighted lightly, she could have pressed a little harder on that knife if she had really wanted to, cut just a bit at this exact point of his neck and he would have bled to death at her feet no matter how quickly he had reacted. She knew how to kill, now he knew, and it could be useful in the future, well, since she had chosen not to end his life on the spot of course. He should have felt dread but instead, he felt somehow aroused. The aftermath of gambling with his life when the odds seemed quite off. Suddenly, his thoughts interrupted: something on his peripheral vision seemed strange, there was way too much skin.

Lowering his face, his eyes fell on a damp chest to which were stuck soaked strands of her black hair that heaved with each deep breath she made. He moved away a little, realizing that he was still pressing his all body against her, and then saw her stomach and further down, her legs; she was naked and still wet. Tenax's hard gaze faded little by little, as it travelled the firm contours of her body.

The fine grain of her skin, tanned no doubt by the sun of her native province, appeared clearly to him now that he saw it so close. Claudia's care had borne fruit; she was immaculate, as if she had never been bruised. Despite the dizziness of such a magnetic vision, he began to feel observed and suddenly raised his head and met her piercing gaze. Briga was indeed watching him in silence, without any sign of embarrassment at being thus exposed to Tenax's eyes, without any sign of aggression despite his proximity and the contact of his hand on her neck, the elbow of which grazed the tip of her breast. She was too busy scrutinizing his reactions to her nudity to care much.

Briga still didn't know if she could trust him and somehow, she needed to prove to herself that he was just like these others perverted men who caused all her troubles. She needed to confront and kill this increasing attachment feeling he had awakened in her over the weeks she had spent with him. She had seen his haunted eyes when he thought he was alone in the room, the inner struggles he sometimes seemed to have when coming home. She had heard the screams at night, his wanders in the darkness of the apartment trying to catch his breath. He had secrets and dark thoughts that usually seemed to disappear as soon as he laid eyes on her. Do vile men ever feel remorse?

Maybe he was different after all, and that mere thought was enough to make her mad. More than once, she had trusted a Roman only to be painfully played in the end, how could she still be so naive? So, she often looked on his face for the same scornful looks that she had seen on the faces of her Roman delinquents. His occasional, not-so-accidental glances while she was taking her bath couldn't be that innocent.

Tenax suddenly had the feeling he was somehow being put to the test. That was some vicious way but certainly the most effective one, clever girl. He did want to feel more than just her neck under his hands, he wanted to smell these scents of rose oil all over her body which turned out to be all the more intoxicating once applied to her skin, to kiss her lips, but above all, he wanted her to want it too. He was closer than ever. So close, and yet, that enticing creature was expecting to see him losing control. He would hate not to disappoint.

He raised his head in a controlled inhale, hardening his expression.

"Where is Claudia?" he curtly asked, closing a little harder his hand on her neck.

She startled slightly, blinking at the pressure.

"She’s resting," she let out looking him straight in the eyes, "she felt ill.”

Tenax sustained her look, he wasn’t sure she was telling the truth. After all, she had just reminded him that she wasn’t as harmless to him as she had let him believe lately. He searched her face for any signs of a shifty glance but saw none, she seemed sincere enough to reassure him. He asked more calmly:

"Where is she?"

"In the guests room."

As she had answered in a soft voice, veiled by the pressure on her trachea, his eyes had landed on her lips. She talked so rarely that he had barely ever seen them moving. Fleshy velvety dark-rosed lips that never smiled, only sometimes grinned disdainfully at him when not firmly shut. But now they were parting slightly under his sudden hypnotized glance. Briefly looking up, he saw a glimpse of confusion in her eyes as she witnessed his softening mood, felt her breathing becoming barely perceptible under his hand but her pulse quickening.

Strangely, his own pulse caught the same rhythm as hers. A warm sensation invaded his own chest, a shiver ran up on his skin and before he knew it his hand was no longer holding her neck but simply laying on her collarbones, still held by hers.

It was as if time had frozen, the surroundings had disappeared, and they were all alone in the middle of an undefined mist. Their gazes travelling over their faces, he slowly leaned in, uncontrollably attracted towards her mouth that trembled a little at his approach when, suddenly, the walls of the apartment began to shake from violent blows.

Tenax and Briga opened their eyes wide in surprise, abruptly emerging from whatever spell they were under. The knocking started again, someone was banging on the apartment door with their fists and shouting "Tenax!! I know you're here!"

Tenax suddenly turned his head towards the door behind him:

"Scorpus!" he breathed shortly. "Get dressed," he addressed Briga eagerly.

She took a few seconds to react, her mind still foggy from what had just happened, then hurriedly grabbed the dress lying on the bed. Tenax opened the door without waiting and at the same time Scorpus burst into the apartment in front of a dazed Claudia who had rushed from the corridor.

With a quick glance, the man caught a glimpse of bare legs in the half-open bedroom door as Tenax was closing it.

"Scorpus! What's going on, my friend?" Tenax said hurriedly, opening his arms wide to the newcomer with a faked smile, pretending to ignore his rudeness.

The man had stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the closed door behind Tenax with a disconcerted look, before looking back at his host who was advancing. He seemed to regain his senses and pointed an accusing finger under the latter's nose:

"Where's my money?" he barked.

"Scorpus, I warned you not to bet on the lap," Tenax sighed, "the white faction has been running new horses that are younger than yours..."

"What?!" Scorpus shouted indignantly, "You didn't tell me anything!" he bellowed.

"Of course I did, you were probably still drunk…" Tenax retorted, shaking his head in disapproval.

The man sighed heavily, ostentatiously rubbing his eyes in disappointment. He looked up at the closed bedroom door, holding his hips, and seemed to ruminate for a few moments before fuming loudly:

"I lost big on that, Tenax!"

Tenax approached him, opening his arms again in a gesture of comfort as the man cast furtive glances at the door. Ignoring his friend’s approach, he kept on:

“And who’s in your room there?” he asked suspiciously, pointing toward the bedroom.

"Nobody." Tenax hastened to answer as innocently as possible.

Scorpus wasn’t listening, he walked around Tenax who didn't have time to hold him back, and pushed the door open, revealing Briga inside who suddenly sat up. Seeing that she had had time to get dressed, Tenax let out a discreet sigh of relief.

The newcomer stared at her for a few moments, stunned, while Briga, motionless, gave him a stone-hard look.

"Who are you?" he finally asked, visibly intrigued.

Briga remained unmoved, eyeing the visitor up and down.

Scorpus tilted his head, seemingly offended by the girl's silence.

"Who is she?" he insisted to Tenax behind him.

"No one," he sighed as he stamped his feet on the ground, "just… a slave..."

"A slave!" Scorpus exclaimed, a smile growing on his lips. He looked back at the girl, ogling her without shame. "What's your name?"

Silence still as the only answer, the man was starting to look seriously upset.

"Briga is her name, and she won't answer you..." Tenax intervened.

"Why? She can't talk?" he asked curiously before returning his interested gaze to the girl. "I bet this pretty mouth can do other things though..." he mumbled to Briga, whose eyes narrowed in return in a murderous glare.

Tenax heard it too and rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Because she hates you, Scorpus. She hates all of us, don't take it personally." he sighed heavily, shooting a complicit grin at Briga whose fierce eyes oscillated between him and the visitor. It had been a while since Tenax hadn’t seen such a fierce look on her face, he could tell a cold anger was slowly rising in her, her knuckles were turning white.

Scorpus stamped his feet, hesitantly waving his body towards Briga but held back in the face of the hostility emanating from her.

"No one hates Scorpus, I'm not a fucking Roman." He retorted in a mock-outraged tone, ostensibly giving her a smile of the kind he usually gave to his future conquests. Nothing seemed to stop this rake in front of a beautiful woman.

The thought of the knife left on his bedroom floor crossed his mind; Tenax started to fear for his friend’s life if Briga ever remembered it as well.

“What else can I do for you, my friend?” he cut in impatiently, loud enough to catch both their attention.

“Oh, well…” Scorpus mumbled, trying to stall for time before being openly dismissed from the place, “you’re not going to help me, then?”

"There's nothing more I can do Scorpus…"

"You should take her to the races one of these days," Scorpus unexpectedly eluded, "I'm sure she'd appreciate seeing the great Scorpus at work!"

He puffed out his chest, a display that still didn't seem to impress Briga whose gaze had not softened one bit.

"Or else you introduce her to your debtors, Tenax, if she looks at them long enough like that, they'll quickly settle their debts!" Scorpus noisily laughed.

Tenax chuckled. Of course he had thought of it, he had realized her silent hard looking presence could indeed have a certain power of persuasion. Surely others besides him could perceive this feeling of danger that her attitude gave off, Scorpus did seem to feel it as well or he would have been closer to her already, Tenax believed.

“I’ll consider it Scorpus,” he answered, “now I have things to do.” He concluded firmly, tilting his head towards the door.

Scorpus bit his lip in frustration, nodding at Briga with a salacious look.

“Of course, my friend!" he eventually gasped, "I’ll see you at the Circus in three days!”

Slowly stepping back without taking his eyes off her, he added with a wink:

“See you soon, Briga…”

Tenax accompanied him through the entrance door, holding his breath for any new try at poking at his slave. Scorpus passed the door but suddenly turned back and whispered in his face with a dubious look:

“What were you doing in there with her?”

"Goodbye, Scorpus" he replied with a contented smile, closing the door in his face.

Tenax held the door for a little longer, taking some time to recollect his thoughts. Finally turning around, he caught eyes with Claudia, holding her hands together in a confused expression.

"I’m sorry, Master, I…"

"I know." Tenax interrupted gently, "Are you feeling better now?"

"Hum… yes, thank you, Master."

He glimpsed at Briga, just long enough to see her staring into the void, when Claudia kept on:

"I’ll prepare supper right away, Master. Briga, please come, child." She called in a still sleepy hoarse voice.

Her name came to her as a distant sound in the air, only after some instants she seemed to have heard it and raised a confounded face to see Claudia and Tenax looking at her in puzzlement.

The way this man had looked at her had shaken her core. All these weeks locked in the security of Tenax’s apartment almost made her forget what it was like to be preyed upon like this, submitted to the depraved eyes of men willing to abuse her.

Regaining her senses, she saw concern in Tenax’s eyes, and it reminded her that she could breathe, he was there. Swiftly seized by the soft and warm sensation of being so close to him only instants before, for a mere instant she wished he was holding her again, leaving her all the more stunned.

"Briga?" Claudia called gently.

She shook her head and walked across the room quickly at the renewed call, unconsciously avoiding all the eyes on her; a confusion that first left Tenax speechless. It seemed so unlike her to appear overwhelmed like that and something told him it wasn't just about him and the unexpected letting go they had experienced a few minutes before. In some way it was bothering him and that was so unlike him.

Briga had eaten with Claudia in the kitchen as usual, mostly in silence from what Tenax had perceived from his sit at the table, only to reappear in front of him for the sole purpose of clearing the table. He tried to cross her eyes that she seemed to avoid.

"That will be all Claudia, you go rest home, the cleaning can wait." He announced suddenly, staring at Briga who finally met his eyes with a hint of suspicion; it was unusual for him to send her home so soon.

Briga immediately stopped and waited by the table in silence, staring at Tenax, both wary and curious about what would happen once Claudia left. When she did, the heavy silence between them lasted for a moment until Tenax calmly ordered:

"Sit. Please."

Please? That was new and rather intriguing to her. She was more used to him showing who the master was than that. Further arousing her curiosity, she complied and took a place at the table in front of him, keeping her hands on her lap and her eyes firmly locked on his.

He took a slow sip of wine, pondering how to address the elephant in the room.

"You didn't like the way Scorpus looked at you." Tenax finally let out.

Briga took a breath.

"I've seen this filthfy look on Roman's faces before." she bitterly said, thinking back to what these men had done to her.

Tenax nodded slightly, showing he knew well what she was referring to.

"Hmm… You see, I’ve learned in the streets that rage arises from fear, it’s like a defence mechanism. As impressive as your rage mays appear at first sight, it mostly reveals weakness."

She slowly tilted her head and intensely glared at him, unsure to appreciate the direction Tenax was taking there.

He softly smiled at her expected reaction; calling her weak and getting away with it was probably a privilege all his own and he certainly appreciated the sensation it provided. But beyond that, he mostly wanted her to understand his point, it was key to the purpose he aimed for. So, he resumed, calmly but more firmly than before, imposing her to listen through.

"When men look at you like Scorpus did, it means they covet you and that, Briga, gives you power; the power to either refuse… or accept, at your own terms. In my world, that is called an opportunity. You could use that to get what you want. You could use them..."

"Refuse or accept?" she interrupted sharply with an ironic frown, his voice almost hissing, "As when you have the choice? What power do you have when you are held by both arms… or chained?"

For a split second Tenax felt his mind on the verge of wandering; finally, there was a chink in her impenetrable armour, willingly giving away an ounce of what might have happened to her. He felt the urge to know more, but now was not the time, so in a controlled inhale he simply nodded thoughtfully, holding her stare with a surprising intensity:

"We are all bound to something."

Briga narrowed her eyes, wondering in what way could a man like him ever feel restrained. It just then occurred to her that outside these walls she did not know anything about him. She didn’t know much about him even inside these walls for that matter.

She observed him silently for some time. Being used by people, using other people… This would have never occurred to her before, not in the simple life she used to have back in Lusitania. But now she was in Rome, very far from her home, her way and her life. Adapting may well be her only way out of there someday.

"So, does that mean… I could use you?" she finally addressed him, biting her lip in an equivocal way.

She was getting it. Tenax rejoiced inwardly. He grinned back and playfully answered:

"You are free to try."

"Am I? You do want something from me… but you’ve never looked at me like that." Briga dared, eyeing him up and down ostentatiously. There was indeed a shift in the balance of power between her and Tenax, she could feel it now; something about domination that felt quite pleasant.

Tenax straightened up imperceptibly, a contented pout on his face. He knew the feeling that Briga was displaying, maybe a little too much. She still had a lot to learn though, he had to put her back in her place. He stared deeply in his slave’s eyes and softly said :

"Hmm…Well, that must be because I don’t covet what I already own."

[maverickscorner]

Faber suae fortunae

Or Maider's love story towards freedom.

Chapter 7

Maider and Tenax woke up after only a few hours of sleep.

And it showed.

They both had dark circles under their eyes, and they struggled to get out of bed and meet each other in the main hall and outside the house.

–Good morning– said Tenax.

Maider replied with a grunt that was meant to be a greeting but remained just a grunt.

Tenax sighed, and they started walking down to the Circus Maximus.

Maider seemed lost in thought. She wasn’t speaking.

"Strange", Tenax thought. "She’s usually quite talkative".

He also thought that he liked hearing the sound of her voice, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

–So?

–Huh?

–Why the morning silence?

–I thought my lord and master wouldn’t mind a bit of quiet.

Tenax looked up at the sky.

–What’s wrong?

–Tenax– she said, seeking his gaze –A conversation takes two people. One talks, and the other responds. And vice versa.

–Do you think I don’t know the rules of etiquette?

–I have my doubts, but that’s not the point.

–So what is the point?

Maider chose her words carefully. She knew how easily he could get irritated, but she had woken up particularly combative herself.

–I appreciated that you listened to me last night. But when it came to listen to you...

She shot him a meaningful look. He furrowed his brow.

–I’m not a puppet, Maider. I don’t speak on command.

–I’m not so insolent to imply that. I know what you’ve done for me, and I appreciate it very much. And perhaps it's that... you’re not just my master. I trust you. I’d like to have that same consideration from you.

Tenax stopped. He looked at her, a little taken aback. Maider had the audacity of a front-line legionary. He wasn’t exactly sure what to say.

–I’m not like you, Maider– he told her.

Maider felt a little hurt.

–Oh, thanks.

–No, you’re... an open book. My book is better left closed.

Maider met his gaze.

Time stood still again.

–If it makes you suffer, so be it.

Tenax shook his head.

–I can’t afford to suffer, or to feel any other emotion.

Maider stepped closer to him.

–But you do. Sometimes... I can see it.

Tenax didn’t look away from her.

–Let that be a secret between us, then.

Maider seemed torn. Despite belonging to him, Tenax had always treated her with great delicacy. Now, as she selfishly felt that something was about to blossom between them, she didn’t want to force things or follow her instinct too much.

Even though her instinct had always gotten her out of the tensest situations.

So, not knowing what else to do, Maider nodded firmly without saying anything.

She nodded and strode towards the tavern.

Tenax found himself standing in the middle of the road, alone, decidedly bewildered.

Time before, another version of himself would have cursed her for her behavior, or worse, dragged her back home and forced her to scrub the main hall’s floors with the smallest brush.

But this was Maider.

And Maider was important to him.

So he went after her.

–Maider!

He noted with some disappointment that she was only slightly shorter than him and had a particularly fast pace.

He sighed in frustration and finally caught up to her.

–Damn it– he said –You’re ridiculously fast.

–My father didn’t leave me much, except long legs– she muttered.

–You said you don’t know anything about me, but I don’t know anything about you either– he said, impulsively.

She raised her eyebrows, surprised.

–I told you about my trauma.

–Yet you didn’t go into many details.

Tenax realized he had chosen his words poorly when he saw her flush with anger.

–And what should I tell you, my lord and master? I believe you have no shortage of imagination!

–And yours, with me? Do you think a master is obliged to tell his slave what happened to him as a child?

Maider understood. Tenax fell silent. He had said too much.

–Tenax, I...– she began.

–Forget what I said.

–All right. I would never ask you such deep things without you being sure to tell them.

–Good.

Without realizing it, they had arrived at the tavern.

–Maider...

–No, you’re right. I overstepped, and I apologize.

And she moved towards the entrance.

Tenax gently took her hand. A pleasant shiver ran from that touch through the rest of their bodies.

–In my life, I’ve always had to fight. I was... I was a slave too. A beautiful kid.

Maider sighed, looking into his eyes.

–You're still not that bad.

Before Tenax could internalize those words and blush like a teenager, they heard footsteps. It was Nica.

–Maider!– the little girl exclaimed, hugging her –I missed you.

Maider smiled at her.

–Good morning, little one! Have you eaten?

–Yes. Can we have the singing lesson we talked about yesterday?

–Of course! Let’s go.

–Yay! Bye, Tenax!– Nica said, waving her hand. He returned the wave with a smile.

He watched Maider walk away with Nica, feeling a sense of unspoken that took his breath away. He told himself he needed to learn how to open up in the healthiest way possible.

Otherwise, she would make him do it without him even realizing it.

And he would thank her for it.

***

Tyrone was a thirty-seven-year-old man, Cala's age, with dark skin and an imposing physique.

Tenax had hired him into the Golden Faction shortly after the deaths of Andria and Fonsoa Corsi. They needed someone to help Elia with the horses, and Tyrone, in Numidia, had owned a farm with a stable of thoroughbreds until the Romans confiscated it. Then, widowed and with a seven-year-old son, he had left the little boy with his sister and traveled to Rome in search of a work that would allow him to send some money home.

Although Domitian had wanted the chariot races to end, the Roman people were still too attached to the various Factions, so the stakes, after some uncertainty, had been purchased by three great Roman families, who had recreated, in addition to Tenax’s Golden Faction, the Blue, White, and Red Factions.

So yes, it was at Tenax's Golden Faction that Tyrone had found work as a stableman, alongside Elia Corsi, who had recently become the father of a beautiful baby girl.

Their shared passion for horses had brought Tyrone and Elia closer, and Elia had introduced Tyrone to his wife Jula, and then to her mother Cala.

There had been an immediate spark between Cala and Tyrone.

From just catching glimpses of each other at the stables, he had asked her out a first, second, and third time. With her children's blessing, Cala had agreed, and they had started a wonderful relationship that had been going strong for several months. Despite his height and bulk, Tyrone was an extremely gentle man, and Cala loved this characteristic of his.

That day, shortly after lunch, Tyrone joined Cala at the tavern.

Seeing him, Cala's face lit up. She put down what she was doing and walked over to him. They kissed.

–Hey, so great to see you. Do you need something to eat?– she asked him.

–Yes. Has Maider performed already?

–Yes, she just finished. Look, she’s over there...

And she pointed to a table where Maider was devouring a roasted chicken leg.

Cala smiled.

–That girl is a force of nature. Every time, it’s as if she hasn’t eaten in days.

Tyrone laughed.

–Singing makes her hungry, Cala.

Then he lowered his voice, glancing around.

–And Tenax?

–Probably in a meeting with the other Factions’ owners or the officials in charge of the games. Busier than ever, and yet...

–Yet?

Cala lightly slapped his shoulder.

–I didn’t think you were so gossipy, my dear.

–Come on, don’t keep me in suspense.

–And yet, this morning, the kids saw Maider and him arguing just outside the tavern.

Tyrone furrowed his brow.

–Huh? Isn’t that a bad thing?

Cala took his arm, leaning closer to him.

–Aura, who was nearby with Iris, told me there was a good percentage of sexual tension involved.

–What?

–You heard me right. There’s strong chemistry, but they’re still studying each other. As far as I’m concerned, I hope this mutual study continues and bears fruit.

Tyrone smiled at her.

–You care a lot about him, don’t you?

–We’ve been through a lot. He deserves to be happy, just like I do.

–Then we’ll see, my dear. If it’s meant to be, it will happen.

She kissed him, watching Maider from a distance.

–Let’s hope so, my dear. Let’s hope.

***

Hey guys! Eli here. Hope you like this new transition chapter. Let me know in the comments what you think ❤️ Thank you sm

[justinewt]

Pugna Inter Fratres - THOSE ABOUT TO DIE REWRITE Chapter Five

[THOSE ABOUT TO DIE MASTERLIST]

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter (08/30/2024)

Summary: Being reunited with her brothers was the best gift Aldea could have ever asked for. Some tensions here and there rose amongst them after things didn't turn the way they expected, especially between Elia and Fonsoa. They disagreed over the way to handle things after something happened to their horses and Andria and Aldea were kind of in the middle of it, but the latter would soon move on from that after that - though momentarily - after the arrival of two numidian women in her home.

Words: 6.9k

Warnings: title means "fight between brothers" // Those about to die spoilers (episode 2 "Trust None"), fluff

The moon was higher in the sky when they reached Aldea’s house. No one was standing outside the front door. Tenax must have dismissed Dacia and Noro already. She and Scorpus climbed a flight of stairs, his toga slightly slipping off his head as he began pounding on the door. Aldea joined her hand at her waist, looking around, waiting for Tenax to come open the door and they finally heard the lock slide open on the other side. They leaned back in surprise when they came to face with Tenax brandishing a butcher knife. He realized it was just Scorpus and Aldea and he lowered the blade, stepping away from the door.

“By the Gods. What are you doing?” The charioteer walked in, looking at his friend as the latter put away the knife. Aldea followed Scorpus inside. The door creaked as she pushed it behind her, and she quickly went in the bedroom to put her cloak away and combed through her hair with her fingers, proceeding to braid them for the night as she glanced at the two men.

“What do you want?” Scorpus pulled out something to show him and she heard a thud as he placed it on the table. Tenax shrugged. “What’s this?”

“One cotter pin, cut halfway through. My racing partner is dead, and I would be if I hadn’t switched rigs.” Tenax walked towards him, picking up the cotter pin to take a closer look. “Was this one of your fixes? Scorpus loses, you collect big. I break a few bones or my neck to make it look real.”

He frowned, putting down the pin, “No, of course it’s not. I told you; I have much bigger plans for the both of us than a few more rigged races.”

“Then find out who sabotaged my rig and kill them.” Tenax acquiesced, letting out a quiet sigh. Aldea slowly approached them upon hearing Scorpus pick up something else from the table, noting how it apparently looked a lot like his horse Incitatus with a chuckle. She saw her husband took a little gold horse figurine from the driver’s hands and dismissing him, telling him to take his winnings on his way out. “Aldea.” He gave her a nod and as he put one foot on the landing, he turned towards Tenax, pointing at him. “Don’t take me for granted.”

“I don’t.” He replied with a tight smile before locking the door and turning to Aldea, shooting up his eyebrows, spreading his arms open in despondence, urging her to explain herself and she knew he wanted to know where she had been and why she was coming home so late. And yet, she still asked a stupid question as if she hadn’t understood. She didn’t think before speaking. “Well?”

“What?”

“Where have you been?”

“I told you. My brothers are in Rome, so Nica took me to them. We attended the race, and I spoke with them before Scorpus offered to walk me home.” She got closer to him and slid her fingers over the collar of his tunic, locking eyes with him. There was a bright smile stretching her lips. “I never thought I’d see them again, and they’re here, in Rome. I can see them everyday now.”

“That’s great, Aldea. I just want to make sure that you’re safe.” He placed a gentle hand on her stomach, and she put her hand on top.

“I am as safe with my brothers as with Dacia and Noro. And Gavros and Scorpus were there too. I'm alway well surrounded.” Their faces had gotten close to the point of being mere inches apart, the tip of their noses rubbed together. They shared a tender kiss, and she went to bed while he left the apartment, having to take care of Scorpus’ sabotaged-rig problem. She slept soundly that night, with no nightmare, dreaming of her youth. She was around 6, compelling a then 8-year-old Fonsoa to play mom and dad with toddler Elia. He had always been such a sweet, angel-looking boy, even more so then with his big eyes, staring at her and following her and Fonsoa everywhere. In the early years of her brother’s life, it was more of an innocent game for her, but she realized over time that ever since he was born, even though she was only 4 then, she had always taken her role very seriously and loved taking care of him. There were only two things she truly loved doing, caring for her baby brother and being with their horses. She was happy with living this life forever.

The memory she relieved in her dream changed, it was a few years later, Elia and she were laughing bubbly, rolling in the tall grass to go down the hill and she woke up. She felt as though she was on cloud nine as she took her time to get out bed and put on her stola and cloak. Those memories put her in a state of absolute peace of mind. She was so used to Tenax being gone the whole night that she didn’t even notice he still wasn’t home, and she left for the Circus Maximus, to meet with her brothers at the stable. It wasn’t the afternoon yet, she would have some more time to spend with the three of them before they had to show the horses to Scorpus later on, and she would be with them then too. She didn’t have to work today as there wasn’t any races or fights, and in any case, if she didn’t want to work one day, Tenax wouldn’t actually care. He only let her work because she wanted to keep herself busy. If she felt like spending the day at home or at the bath or the theatre, she could.

She arrived at the Circus during hora undecimal, about half an hour before noon and they walked together to Tenax’s tavern to eat together. They got quite a few glances as they exchanged in Spanish the whole time, speaking at a fast pace too, as they asked their sister about her life in Rome, how she came to know Tenax – whom they still had yet to meet – and she told them the whole story. She told them how she followed this young sailor she thought she was in love with and got stuck on a merchant’s ship and was sold as a slave upon arriving in Rome, bought by Tenax and made a freedwoman a couple months later. She said the merchant never returned to Rome, keeping it to herself that Tenax had the later killed because of what he had done to Aldea. They would get scared for her, knowing Tenax’s doing, and she would have to reveal details she wanted to keep secret. It wouldn’t do anyone any good to know that she was forced to have intercourse by and with the merchant for over a week and that he broke her collarbone because she tried to fight back. She wasn’t hiding the latter under a cloak for nothing.

“You were sold as a slave?” Elia reacted instantly when Aldea said it, raising his eyebrow in a mix of utter shock, worry and anger.

“It’s okay now, I’m free. Tenax lets me work and do basically anything I want. He only asks me to be careful where I go. Rome can be dangerous.” She took a sip of her wine, looking down at her plate. “But he has over a dozen men working for him, and I know that he asked them to keep an eye out for me so I’m safe anywhere I go.”

“He seems to be a good husband.” Andria noted while Elia squinted his eyes, slightly frowning. He still doubted that whoever was her husband was a good enough husband for his sister and it made her smile amusedly. She gave her older brother a nod. Tenax proved to be a good husband indeed. She went on to tell them about their time as a married couple and it was enough for Fonsoa and Andria to hear that she was happy and well treated, or they wouldn’t have let her go back to Tenax, maybe even dragging her back home to Baetica if she needed to be saved from her marriage, but there was no need, and they could see that. Even Elia understood she was happy in her relationship. And now she had her family with her. It felt as though life was smiling on her once again. Ever since she became her own woman again at the end of summer 75 CE, four years ago, almost only good things happened to her; she eventually got into a relationship with Tenax, they got married and now she was expecting a child, and she was reunited with her brothers. She let it slip, during the conversation, that she was pregnant and the shock on Elia's face, his eyebrows raised as high as possible and his wide eyes, made her burst out laughing. He let his cutlery fall on the table, clattering against the wood.

“What— estás realmente embarazada?” He exclaimed, asking her if she was actually pregnant, grabbing her arm. Fonsoa and Andria chuckled, proceeding to congratulate their sister. Fonsoa, sat next to her, giving her a broad, proud smile, putting his hand on her back.

“Your child will be blessed to have you as a mother.”

“You were a natural.” Andria added, a soft smile on his face.

“You see, Elia, we’ll become uncles. You need to grow up.” He teased him, stretching his arm behind Aldea to push his brother’s shoulder with a chuckle. Elia dodged his hand, leaning to the side and let out a groan, annoyed to het pushed around by his brother. Fonsoa gently squeezed Aldea’s shoulder, insisting that she will be a great mother, and they finished their meal. A few minutes later, during hora quartadecima, a couple hours after they started eating, they met with Gavros at the Blue faction’s stable and prepped the horses for the try out on the tracks. They geared up four of their dozen Andalusians, attaching them to a rig and Andria warmed them up, making them run for a round in the arena. Fonsoa leaned against the door, his arms crossed while Elia, his hands on his hips, was growing impatient and aggravated by Scorpus’ delay. He still wasn’t there, and they had been waiting for what felt like an eternity. Aldea looked at the sun, up in the sky, indicating it must have been hora sedecim, and if she wasn’t home by the next hour, she thought that Tenax was going to wonder what she was doing out there that was making her so busy that she was missing dinner.

“Where is he?” Having to wait so much made Elia snappy. Gavros put his hand on his shoulder, assuring the driver was coming and he did a few seconds later. Scorpus appeared behind them as the chariot was approaching and Andria brought the horses to a halt.

“They’re small, your Andalusians.” He walked past Andria and stepped on the rig.

“It is not their size that makes horses fast. And no whip. They run better without it.” Scorpus still picked up his whip and Elia glared at him as the charioteer drove away. The horses went gradually faster and within seconds they were full on galloping. They saw Scorpus give a few snaps with the whip but eventually putting it away and instead only snapping the reins, his dark curls blown in the wind. Elia’s angry face gave way to a cheerful smile.

“They’re fast.” Gavros noted. After a full drive around the spina, Scorpus slowed down the horses and got off the rig, letting out a sigh of relief. He was clearly more than satisfied with the beasts and immidietaly made an offer to the brothers.

“Twenty thousand serteces for the ten. But… the three of you stay on as stable hands to get the most out of them.” Elia’s smile faded after getting excited at the price he had proposed. While Fonsoa and Andria agreed to it, he didn’t seem that excited anymore and looked upset.

“We agreed to go back!” Aldea’s head twitched. She didn’t know they were supposed to go home. They hadn’t told her yet.

“Elia. Look around. Do you really want to go back?” Andria asked.

“Yes!”

“We’re in Circus Maximus, and this is Scorpus, he’s trying to buy your horses and hire us. And we got out sister back.” Fonsoa stepped towards his brother. Aldea held her arms, crossed over her chest and kind of looked around, seeing Fimbria watching them in the distance. He crossed her gaze as he was leaving and she squinted her eyes, wondering why he had been staring at them. Elia kept on arguin, insisting Scorpus wanted to trap them in Rome, which he called “a sewer of a city” and the high price offered to them for their horses didn’t seem to make him budge.

“I will take the money, but we agreed to come here, sell the horses, find our sister and go back! We found Aldea, we can go back.” She bit her lips, listening to him. She would have gone back with them in a heartbeat if she hadn’t met and fallen in love with Tenax, and she was married now, it wouldn’t feel right to simply ditch him after years together.

“We could really be someone here. Make a name for ourselves.” Andria tried to convince him to change his mind. Elia shook his head, briskly licking his lips. “Horses, as many as you want.”

“I have all the horses I want, back in Baetica.”

“Boys. Scorpus is waiting.” He rose his voice, drawing attention to him. Andria gave him a nod, briefly turning back to his brothers, proposing to vote on the matter. Fonsoa was in, of course but Elia, unable to stay put, restless, refused to vote and walked away, nudging Fonsoa as he left. The latter called out his name and took a few steps after him but stopped himself and turned back to Andria.

“I��ll go talk to him.” Fonsoa softly grabbed his sister’s arm.

“He’ll be fine. He’ll come around.”

“We have a deal.” Andria then declared to Scorpus. The latter extended his hand towards him.

“The little shit stays as well, yes?” Andria acquiesced, giving his hand a firm shake. As he was leaving, he looked over his shoulder at Aldea. He was going to see Tenax at their home and waited for her to decide whether she was coming with him. Fonsoa comfortingly rubbed her back, reassuring her about Elia. She gave her brothers a hug and walked back to the Suburra with Scorpus. He jumped up the stairs and pushed the front door open. It had been left unlocked and he directly went inside. Aldea closed the door behind them. He had basically run down the street and was out of breath.

“I have just driven… the fastest horses in my life.” Tenax glanced over at them, sitting in the kitchen at the dinner table while Claudia served him something to drink. He tilted his head, looking at Aldea as she made her way to the table and sat across from her husband before the plate set up for her. Claudia gave her some food.

“Are you sure?” Scorpus leaned on the table and sighed.

“They’re the horses of Aldea’s brothers… they fly with the wings of Pegasus. So, I bought them. Well, with your money.”

“So you’re in?”

“Of course, I’m in.” Aldea followed him with her eyes, not really knowing what they were talking about as Scorpus walked behind her and grabbed a piece of bread from a bowl. Tenax looked aside, leaning his elbow on the table, bringing his hand to his face, thoughtful. Scorpus eventually left, leaving the couple together to finish eating.

“You were with your brothers?”

“Yes. I spent the day with them. I’ll go see if they’re at their place after. I need to check on Elia. He wasn’t too happy about having to stay in Rome.”

“Elia, that’s your…”

“My little brother. I hope he’ll come around… I’ll try to convince him to stay. He doesn’t like Rome, to say the least.” She sighed through her nose, chewing on her food. Tenax didn’t say much else on the matter of her brother being unhappy in the city. She knew he didn’t want her to leave, but he loved her and no matter how reluctant he would be, he would let her go if she chose to go back, but put down her fork and held his hand, hopefully letting him know she wasn’t planning on leaving. She was set on convincing her brother to stay. She wasn’t about to let go of the boy she raised and watched grow into the handsome young man he was today. “What were you talking about, with Scorpus?”

“Come. I have something to show you.” He stood up, wrapping his fingers around her hand and slightly pulling her towards him. She got up in turn and he led her to the bedroom. After pressing on one of the tiles on the wall, he pushed the hidden door open with his shoulder and briefly let go of her hand to go fetch something in the criss-cross shelves at the back of the small, secret room where he kept all his most valuable items and property titles. There were hundreds of those in those shelves, but Aldea knew about all this and had known for a while so she was a little puzzled what he might have to show her. He grabbed a tube and turned to her with an excited smile.

“What’s this?” Unscrewing one of the ends, he showed a scroll inside.

“500 shares of the Blue Faction.”

“500—” She was shocked. they grabbed onto each other’s shoulder. “What? How did you get your hands on 500 shares of the Blue Faction?”

“Rufus made a round bet at yesterday's race, betting his wife's shares on Scorpus to win in the last to second round.”

“Oh, that’s why he pulled back in the middle of the race and stayed behind until the last round? I knew there was something like this going on but, well,” She chuckled in disebelief. “I didn’t know this was what was at stake. What will you do with it now?”

“I’ll sell it to the highest bidder, and with the money, Scorpus and I can start our own faction.”

“That’s great news.” She caressed his cheek, the tip of her finger brushing of his beard’s hair, and she softly pressed her lips on his. He then closed the secret door and they both left home. She headed for her brother’s place, a couple streets away, while he headed for the Esquiline Hill to go negotiate with Consul Marsus over the 500 shares. They weren’t the lead owners of the blue faction, and he knew they would want to have this advantage over the woman who he and his wife had lost the position to, Caltonia. By buying those shares, they could retrieve their position as lead owners and he was going to use this fact to get the consul to buy those shares, giving him enough money to fund his ambitions. He would still need to get approval from the Aedile Ludi, who was no other than the emperor’s youngest son, Domitian. She wasn’t too worried about it. Her husband could be cunning and had a certain way with words, he would probably get Domitian to approve a fifth faction by the time the next race came around.

Aldea went to see if her brothers could be found in the room, they were renting but the housekeeper apologizes to her and told her she hadn’t seen them come back yet. Aldea returned to her apartment and Tenax returned in the first hour of the night. She wasn’t going to wander around town, pregnant and on her own so she would wait for either of her brothers – she hoped it would be Elia – to come to her instead.

“So? How did it go?” She asked, as Tenax walked in the room. He went straight to grabbing her face and kissing her, letting her know it did go as well as hoped.

“I sold the shares to Consul Marsu, nine thousand serterces.”

“And Domitian? What did he say?” His fingers sipped into her hair, his thumb caressing her cheek.

“I piqued his curiosity. I told him he would have half ownership over the faction, in secret, and that a river of money awaits us.”

“Well, I’m sure he’ll approve your faction. He needs money. He’s been spending the empire’s fortune in every single betting tavern across town. With all the money he’d earn from this, he wouldn’t have to care about his debts anymore.”

“Yes.” He kissed her again, more strongly, as he was thrilled by the thought of finally being able to set his plan in motion and get his own faction. It would get them more money and allow him to sit next to his very own faction’s banner and be somewhat at the same level as the patricians that owned the other four. She didn’t share his ambitions, as she had no such ambitions to begin with, but she supported him in his endeavors and he needed and wanted this, to elevate himself socially, though he would probably not say it in so many words. After all he had been through at the hands of the powerful patricians of the roman empire, it felt, to me, as being a rightful revenge and she would be by his side throughout it. That was one reasons, if not the main one, as to why she couldn’t leave. It felt wrong to abandon and give up on him after the life they had built together, and all they had shared. And they were expecting a child. She couldn’t possibly deprive him of his child, and right to be a father.

She moved away from him, approaching the window as she heard quick steps outside their house. She saw the old woman who watched over Tenax’s property where her brothers were staying. The housekeeper was about to walk through the front door until Aldea called out to her, making her look up.

“You wanted to know when your brothers came home.” Aldea gave her a nod and left, after telling Tenax she wouldn’t be long. She walked to the other insula and as she entered, she could hear them argue in the distance. Because of how clear their voices sounded; she guessed their door was opened. She slowly walked up the stairs.

“Elia, how many times do I have to say it? It’s not forever. We’ll all go back together soon.” Andria tried to calm him down.

“When, exactly? A—After you’re grooms instead of stable hands? After you start driving?”

“Give it a chance. One fortnight, then decide.”

“No.” He was quick with his answer. His mind was still very much made up and he was dead set on leaving Rome. He felt betrayed and lied to, and he told them as much. “You’ve lied to me. Both of you. You never intended to go home. Did you? We said, we come here, sell our horses, find Aldea and go back home.”

“Elia…” She heard Fosnoa sigh. “We sold our horses, and found Aldea. You've been talking about finding her every hour of the day for years. We found her.”

“Yes, and I’m sure she wants to go home too.” She quietly sighed, her hand on the railing as she paused in her tracks.

“Elia, she has built a life here.” Andria said. “She’s married and happy, and she’s with child. You can’t expect her to leave it all behind? Don’t you want to stay here, be close to her?”

“You can’t say that’s not all you’ve wanted, ever since you were a child.”

“Take good care of Ferox.” Elia ignored Fonsoa, turning away from him as he finished packing his things, but he must have seen movement from the corner of his eyes because he turned his head and saw Aldea coming up the stairs. She saw him, mouthing her name and he looked down at his bag, almost shameful of the fact he was getting ready to leave.

“Elia.” She spoke softly, but he avoided looking directly at her, darting glances her way.

“You never intended to go home.” It almost sounded like an accusation. She sighed.

“I never expected I could go home one day. And I met people here, in Rome, that made me love my life here. Elia… please look at me.” She put her hand on his back, and he finally made eye contact with her.

“Do you know how much father’s missed you?” Fonsoa spoke his name, but it didn’t stop Elia from speaking. “First he lost… our mother, and then you. Do you know how much your disappearance destroyed him?”

“Elia. Enough.” Fonsoa rose his voice again, grasping his shoulder, and this time, Elia shut his mouth and went quiet, slightly flaring up his nostrils and shaking his head, freeing his shoulder from Fonsoa with an abrupt shrug. Aldea could see on his face that he felt awful for being mean to her but also that how much he felt hurt and let down by his siblings overshadowed the love he had for them, and especially for his sister.

“Please, Elia. Sleep on it. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He wouldn’t look at her and she couldn’t the hurt in her eyes before she turned on her heels and left. As she walked down the stairs, she locked eyes with Fonsoa, still standing in the middle of their room and his eyes told her he was sorry about this. She gave him a soft smile and went back to her home. Tenax opened. He had been waiting for her to go to bed. Seeing she looked down, he stared at her worriedly, caressing her cheek. She took his hand and kissed it. She just wanted to go sleep it off, hoping Elia would at least stay in Rome for the night, or even better, change his mind altogether. The day had started off well and did not end on a high note.

Tenax and Aldea woke up the next morning, got dressed, ate some breakfast quickly and then left, heading together for the Esquiline Hill, hoping to find Scorpus there. But he wasn’t home and so began a search of the neighborhood to find their friend. Aldea stayed on the other side of the street while Tenax went to check if he was in the brothel he frequented but again, he came out of there alone and shrugged, exchanging a glance with his wife. They kept looking and found him at a tailor’s shop, looking at colorful pieces of fabric. Tenax ordered the tailor to get out and he snatched the fabric away from Scorpus after he drapped himself with it and threw it back on the table at the center of the room. Aldea, her hands joined by her waist, waited right by the entrance and could hear them even though Tenax was careful to speak quietly.

“Is this what you call discreet?”

“Word will get out, once we get Domitian’s approval.

“If… we get approval. Come. He’s meeting us at the stables to look at the Andalusians.” Scorpus smirked at the news, patting his shoulder on his way out. As he walked past Aldea, he, as Scorpus does, gave her a flirty look and smile and she shook her head amusedly. Looking back at Tenax as he followed him, Aldea saw his eyes briefly widen in annoyance. They then heade towards the stables of the Circus Maximus and got there about a dozen minutes later. The Blue faction stables’ doors were opened ajar, and they were unpleasantly surprised by what they saw inside. Elia was crouched next to Ferox, Fonsoa and Andria standing nearby. In all the other stalls, the horses were lying on the straw, barely breathing and lethargic. Aldea looked at them in worry while Tenax swore through his gritted teeth.

“Gavros went to get a physician.” Elia told them.

“Why didn’t someone tell me?” They turned around upon hearing Felix’s voice behind them. The young boy came running towards them.

“Domitian, he’s here! Outside!”

Tenax sighed heavily, “As I said… Fuck!” He turned to the brothers. “All right. I’ll divert him. Aldea, I want you out of here.” She wasn’t going to argue with him. He had other other fish to fry – bigger fish. She followed him outside and walked to a piller against which she leaned, seeing him talk with Domitian from the corner of her eyes. He tried to slow him down, to give everyone in the stables, just a little more time to find a quick solution to keep up appearances. On her way out, she heard Scorpus tell everyone to close the stalls’ curtains so they would find a short-term solution. Domitian wasn’t buying whatever Tenax was telling him to keep him out of the stables and he walked inside. She saw Felix come out and Aldea approached but when Domitian turned back to left, she stepped aside, hiding behind the large door. Plebieans bowed as the emperor’s son walked past, followed by Tenax and Scorpus. Before he turned to the other two, all three had their back to her so she slipped inside to go to her brothers. Fonsoa held out his arm, placing his hand on her back, drawing her towards him. Gavros arrived with thr physician and the man with the white beard knelt near the horse, holding a small flame to his eye to take a closer look.

“Augendus, the best there is.” Gavros spoke. “He was once veterinaries for the Greens.”

“You were right, Gavros. Most definitely nightshade.”

“What can you do for them?”

“Bury them.” He shrugged, shaking his head and looked up at Tenax.

“I’m not in the mood for jokes.”

“There’s little you can do. A magnus might say put crows in their stalls for three nights… and use bells to call out the Orci spirits from their livers.” Tenax smirked in disbelief.

“I’m not gonna bet my life on that one. Do what you can.” He then took a step towards the Corsi brothers, glaring and poiting a threatening finger at them. Elia stood up. “No one has seen this. If you tell a single fucking person, you will die in ways you cannot imagine. Do you understand?” Aldea stayed silent as he addressed her brothers. It wasn’t her place to speak, even less to cut him off. She shouldn’t even be in there and was mainly allowed to be present because of her link to the six men inside. Even simpler than that, as his wife, she stayed out of his business, and this was business. The fact it involved her family didn’t matter. she wasn't going to undermine his credibility by speaking when she should remain quiet. “Don't believe my threats to be empty just because you are my wife's brothers. Remember… the only person you have to fear more than Domitian… is me.”

“We understand, sir. We have seen nothing here.” Andria acquiesced. She could tell he was intimidated and took Tenax’s words very seriously, and he was right to do so. A faint smile appeared on his face, like a ray of sunshine managing to break through the clouds momentarily. This was as much a friendly “nice to meet you” smile as it was a threatening “if something happened to Aldea, I’ll kill you” kind of smile. He then motioned for Scorpus and Gavros to follow him outside and left the Corsi in the stables. The poor horses groaned at their feet. Leading his sister along with him, Fonsoa called to his brothers to go talk in private in a stall a little further in the stable.

“All right, little brother, you win. This is getting too dangerous. I say we play along until dark and then slip out of the city.” Aldea frowned, slightly shaking her head. She held her arms, looking around. Elia took his eyes off the ground and glanced at his brother.

“To go where?” Andria asked.

“Anywhere other than here. Home?”

“I’m not gonna leave our horses to die.” Elia argued.

“Now he wants to stay?” Fonsoa smirked in disbelief.

“We have reared these horses since they were foals.” He insisted. “I love them. And I’m not going to leave them behind.”

“The Emperor’s son has seen us.” Andria added. “How far would we get if we run? We have no option. Fonsoa, you said it yourself last night… we can’t expect Aldea to leave the city either. She’s married and with child. I say, we throw in with Scorpus and Tenax.”

“It will be fine if you listen to what Tenax says, Fonsoa.” Aldea then spoke, following Andria as the later walked away. She looked over her shoulder when she heard something slam against wood. Elia was still in the stall, with Fonsoa following in his siblings’ footsteps. She sighed through her nose, quietly. He had been shoved by Fonsoa into the wall of the horse’s stall. She watched her brother walk past her and turned back, going straight to Elia.

“I’m fine.” He said under his breath as she grabbed his shoulder and made him look at her, putting her finger under his chin to lift his head. He softly pushed her hand away and she took a step back to give him some space and sighed before walking to the door where Andria was peeking out, looking at Scorpus, Tenax and Gavros. She arrived as Tenax pointed at her brother, ordering him to keep someone safe and since Scorpus led him away with him, pretending to go fetch some fresh horses, she understood he had sent Andria with Scorpus to go get something. She crossed eyes with her husband after he sent Gavros to get guards to stand.

“Where is my brother going with Scorpus?” Tenax looked around, bringing her towards the wall.

“We’ll talk about this later. Right now, I need to deal with this. I want you to go home.” She stared at him for a few seconds before nodding with a sigh. He saw she wasn’t really pleased to leave so he gave her a comforting look and she walked away. Before she even left the area of the circus, she glanced behind her, thinking of her two brothers and she was surprised to see Fonsoa, carrying a sack, leaving the stables. He didn’t notice her right away, staring into space angrily. She stopped in her tracks and waited for him to look at her which he eventually did as he came closer. He came to a halt.

“Where’s Elia?” At her question, he looked away with an annoyed snort and kept on walking. She called his name and walked with a brisk step to keep up with him. Seeing her struggle, he apologized and slowed down his pace. “Are you leaving?”

“Yes. I’m not spending another night in this city.”

“Fonsoa…” He turned to her, stopping suddenly and grabbed her shoulder.

“You’ve been living with this man for four years? We’ve been here for two days and it’s already getting dangerous. He threatened us.”

“I told you; everyone will be fine as long as you keep this situation to yourself. His threats weren’t empty, but he won’t harm you. He has to be like this. Life in Rome is quite unforgiving.” She tried to explain but he shook his head.

“No. I won't let this be my life, or yours, or my nephew's.”

“You can’t make me leave.” She argued with a scoff, leaning back, starign at him in incredulity.

“Aldea, this man is dangerous.”

“I’m the one living with him, Fonsoa. I know him. I get to say if he’s dangerous. Please, just trust me when I tell you that he’s not.”  She couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with him in the middle of the street and switched to Spanish mid-sentence. They argued all the way home until they stopped by the front door of Aldea’s insula. She looked desperate to convince her brother to change his mind and tired to fight with him.

He sighed, apologizing, “Lo siento, Aldea.”

“Please, reconsider.”

“I’ll see you later.” He gave her a kiss on her temple, and she watched him as he walked away and stood there until he disappeared from her sight, and only then did she enter the insula and get into the apartment where she got to cooking to keep herself busy while Tenax wasn’t home. Claudia came out of her room and proceeded to help her cook, cutting the foodstuffs together in the kitchen by the candlelight. Not long after, the two women stopped when the door suddenly opened, and a young Numidian woman was pushed into the room. Aldea looked at her, squinting her eyes in confusion. Tenax came in after her, closing the door behind her. He asked Claudia and Aldea to leave them and the Spaniard didn’t move for a couple seconds while the housekeeper went back in her room, but after a second look from Tenax, she walked past him and the young woman, glancing at her from the corner of her eyes and she closed the doors behind her, leaving them slightly ajar, peeking out. Tenax stretched out his hand towards the chair, asking the girl to sit but she glared at him, somehow reminding Aldea of herself when she first stepped in his home.

“I said sit.” He pointed at the chair again, with his index finger, the light making his signet ring shine.

“After you take me, sooner or later you will fall asleep, and when you do, I will slit your throat.”

“You’re going to still my throat?” He nodded his head, and she could feel him shoot up his eyebrows in skepticism. The girl gasped as he took a step towards her and grabbed her by the throat. Aldea carefully pushed the door, so as not to make any noise, though she wouldn’t have been punished if he saw she was listening – he expected she would and knew she was – and she approached her ear from the opening as Tenax lowered his voice, speaking closer to the girl.

“I own you. You are my slave.” Aldea frowned, not understanding why he would buy a slave, after not doing so ever since he bought her. He didn’t actually need a slave then; she didn’t know why he would need a slave now. “I can do whatever I want with you.” Someone started pounding on the door. The loud knocking interrupted him and Aldea grabbed the doors handles and opened them entirely, stepping outside of the bedroom as he pulled out his dagger before unlocking the front door and came face to face with another Numidian woman, standing on the landing. Tenax exhaled, seemingly exasperated. “You don’t give up.”

“I’m her mother.” He sighed, inviting her in with a gesture. She rushed towards her daughter, and they threw themselves into each other’s arms. Tenax glanced over his shoulder upon feeling Aldea come up from behind her. The look she gave him was asking for an explanation, but he responded with a wave of the hand, meaning he would deal with her later and he turned to the newcomer as he put away his blade.

“I already told you. She’s not for sale.”

“Everything is for sale. At the right price.”

“Not her.” She stood before her daughter, as if shielding her while Aldea watched Tenax from behind, puzzled by what was going on.

“Why did you buy her?”

“I need to know things about the person who bought your other daughter.” Aldea joined her hands at her waist, nodding to herself, now understanding why he bought a slave out of nowhere.

“I see. You seek to use this daughter as a go-between to my other daughter to spy on your enemy. I have an alternative.”

“I’m listening.”

“I will be your go-between.” She offered. Her daughter parted her lips, about to protest but her mother continued. “But you don’t touch her. And when this is over, whatever it is, you allow me to buy her… at your cost.”

Tenax scoffed, taking a few steps in the woman’s direction, “No. When all this is done, I will consider selling her to you for whatever price I like.”

“I need lodging.” He smiled, amused and chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at Aldea and showed the room at the back of the flat.

“You can stay with your daughter for a couple of nights.” He stressed the last few words and turned around, slipping his hand from Aldea’s shoulder to her back as he led her to bedroom with him. They would finally have some time to talk, just the two of them. Aldea had a lot of things to ask him to clarify the situation. The last thing they heard before he closed the doors behind them was the woman telling them her name, Cala.

[To be continued…]  

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter (SOON)

Published (08/20/2024) by Andrea

[sharingmystoriesetc]

Faber suae fortunae

Or Maider's love story towards freedom.

81 A.D.

Maider's life had never been easy.

Firstly, because of her family.

Her mother, an authentic oriental beauty, according to her father, had died giving birth to her.

And her father, a jewish nobleman and intellectual fallen into disgrace, had entrusted her to the Ben-Hur family, in the beautiful Jerusalem.

There, Maider had grown up as a sister to the family's heirs, learning to read, write, and do arithmetic. She had been educated to be Sarah Ben-Hur's maid of honor, who was her age. The two had become friends, and Sarah and the rest of the family loved Maider dearly.

They loved her sense of humor, her playfulness, and her voice.

Maider, in fact, had a wonderful singing voice. Clear, powerful. Juda Ben-Hur told her she was the most talented singer in all Jerusalem. Maider didn’t think it was true, but the praise never failed to make her blush.

Her father Jeremiah visited her from time to time, and every single time he taught her a new song. When Maider sang, time seemed to stop. And Maider could feel a strong connection to the divine, with whom she had never had, in her opinion, a good relationship.

Then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed.

The Romans oppression to Jewish people was growing stronger, and one day, a Roman officer visiting Jerusalem saw Maider at the market and ordered his soldiers to take her as a slave. As a possession of the Empire.

She, a young woman with thin light eyes and straight dark hair, would fetch a lot of money as a slave for a wealthy Roman family, and would be a perfect lover for him during the voyage back to Rome.

Maider, blessed with an extraordinarily strong personality and resilience, couldn’t help but burst into tears.

The Ben-Hur family couldn’t do anything but try to persuade the Roman officer. But it was all useless.

Maider was chained and taken to Jaffa’s port.

Her father desperately ran after her, shouting to try to buy her freedom, but a legionnaire struck him with the hilt of a dagger, leaving him unconscious on the street.

Maider started screaming, but the legionnaire gave her the same treatment as her father.

And everything went black.

***

Maider woke up in chains, being pushed to board a ship.

In fact, a merchant ship bound for Rome, as she had learned.

She tried to wriggle out of the grasp of the legionnaire who held her chains tightly, but it was all in vain.

As soon as the Roman officer saw her, despite the huge bruise on her temple, he found her very exotic and beautiful, and with a smirk, ordered her to be taken to his cabin.

Maider was thrown into the officer’s cabin as the ship set sail.

She and the man looked at each other. He was handsome, but his dark eyes transmitted coldness and toughness. He looked at her like a butcher watches a piece of meat.

Maider shivered.

He had a defined physique. If she rebelled, he would overpower her in seconds. So, instinctively, she held out her hands.

"Wait, slow down. Let's be reasonable for a second”.

The officer gave her a puzzled look.

"I was told you were educated, but not that you spoke my language so well”.

"I speak several languages. And I also know that my value as a slave would decrease if you got me pregnant”.

He smirked.

"We'll take that risk”.

Maider shivered again, but did not show it.

"Listen, I beg you. I can make it enjoyable. I'm a virgin; you'll sell me better in Rome with that characteristic. But I've heard stories. Ways I can satisfy you without you taking my virtue”.

He laughed.

"I know what you're talking about. But it's not as satisfying”.

"I can imagine. But let me try. I'm not the only slave on this ship, and I'm sure there are other women just as beautiful whose virtue is less important than mine”.

Maider felt like sinking for what she had said, but she had to stay alert. At that moment, it was life or death.

She didn’t know that, but she had been lucky. The officer was smarter than the average. He quickly realized that with some adjustments, he could get the best out of the situation. He would humiliate the girl but preserve her virginity. And he would still sleep with any other woman he wanted. It seemed inviting to him. Something new.

"All right, young slave. Show me what you can do”.

Maider tried to isolate her mind. She would have liked to cry, scream, and struggle.

But it would have been useless.

The officer had to think she was strong, intelligent, and cunning, at least as much as he was.

No matter how much he humiliated her, he had to consider her his equal.

Only then would she arrive in Rome unharmed.

She gave him a lascivious look and approached him.

***

Twenty days of hell.

Twenty days in which Maider managed not to be violated but humiliated herself in every possible way.

Twenty days in which she slept in the officer’s cabin, on the floor, letting herself cry only when he was asleep.

Twenty days in which she almost lost herself. Almost. Because in moments of solitude, she sang her parents’ songs to herself and felt she was not alone.

Once arrived in Ostia, the passage to Rome was without particular problems.

The other slaves on the ship called her the “officer’s whore," and whenever they saw her, they did not spare her insults.

Fortunately, at Ostia they were divided. She, as she would later understand, was among the high-ranking slaves destined for noble Roman families.

She was cleaned and well-dressed.

In Rome, they put a sign around her neck and pushed her onto a small stage.

She was in the Esquiline, a noble area full of villas and beautiful buildings.

Despite this, she observed the faces of her potential future masters, terrified.

A tear ran down her cheek. Fighting on that ship had been useless: she would become the slave of a ruthless Roman, and who knew what he would do to her.

She thought of Jerusalem. The Ben-Hur's house, her friends, the life she had considered difficult, which now seemed like paradise.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a real gem here! A 25-year-old slave from Jerusalem. No, she's not entirely Jewish: look at her thin eyes. Her origins are from the far East. An exotic and educated virgin jewel, a girl everyone would want in their home!"

Sneers and smirks among the bystanders. The noblewomen observed her impassively.

Maider held back a sob.

"The auction starts at one thousand sesterces!"

And, for no apparent reason, she began to sing:

"You can't take my past

You can't take my history

You could take my pa, but his name's a mystery..."

At that very moment, the Aedile Ludi was passing through the market. He was a thirty-three-year-old man, not too tall, with dark hair and blue eyes. Once the king of the Suburra for his shady dealings, he had recently left the neighborhood to live in the Esquiline. That morning, he was leaving home to go to his betting tavern, which still earned him a certain income and from which, for some reason, he could not separate himself.

That man was named Tenax.

And hearing her singing, he stopped abruptly.

He then met her gaze.

Green eyes into blue eyes.

For a moment, time stood still.

Maider stopped singing, looking at him.

The auctioneer took the opportunity to grab her chin.

"What did I tell you? A constant surprise, this exotic jewel!”

Maider looked at him with disgust. Struggling.

"Get your hands off me!"

The man slapped her.

Usually, Tenax would not intervene. He was a man of gray morality, but for some reason, this time he felt he should act.

He met the girl's gaze again.

He was captivated.

He stepped forward and said:

"I offer three thousand sesterces!"

The auctioneer looked at him in silence.

Maider looked at him in silence.

The bystanders looked at him in silence.

"Oh, Aedile Ludi..." murmured the man, "All right. She's yours, if you want her”.

"Yes”.

And he signaled for the girl to come down from the stage.

Maider obeyed, eager to escape the grasp of that horrible man.

Tenax grabbed her by the arm, handed the man a bag of money, and together they walked towards home.

***

Maider looked at him with a mix of fear and fascination.

Fascinated because she found him to be a handsome man.

Afraid because she feared that behind those big blue eyes hid a violent man who would take advantage of her without pity.

After all, he hadn't even untied her.

Among the thousand doubts occupying her mind, an uncertain question escaped her lips:

"Who are you?"

He was surprised to hear her speak.

"My name is Tenax”.

"I am Maider. What does it mean that you are an… ehm, Aedile Ludi?"

Tenax gave her an even more surprised look. Was she a talker, or was it anxiety making her babble?

"That I oversee the games at the Flavian Amphitheater and the Circus Maximus”.

"Oh. So you're an engineer”.

"Are you studying me?"

Maider met his gaze. He understood her immediately. She appreciated his sharpness with a bit of fear.

"When I'm nervous, I tend to babble. Not knowing what you want to do with me makes me nervous”.

Tenax felt exposed. The girl was right: what the hell did he want to do with her? She was too clever to relegate her to washing the floors of his large villa.

Indeed, and he hated to admit it, he found her far too interesting to make her a simple slave.

"You will stay with me. I have a housekeeper who will assign you tasks. Done with the questions?"

"Actually, no. But if you command me to be silent, I will”.

Tenax sighed.

"Actually, I don't know what I prefer. Slaves are usually few of words”.

"Until a couple of weeks ago, I was a free person. I was educated in a great Jewish family. I can read, write, do arithmetic..."

"And sing”.

They met each other's gaze again. Maider blushed.

"Only for a selected few”.

Tenax wanted to laugh but did not show it. He saw her open and close her hands: her wrists were still tied.

"If I untie you, will you run away?"

"I would get lost after five minutes”.

"Probably”.

He paused for a moment and cut the ropes tying her wrists with a dagger. Maider sighed in relief, massaging the abrasions.

"Thank you, Tenax”.

He gave her a nod of acknowledgment.

Once they arrived home, Tenax knocked on the door.

"Claudia! It's me”.

After a few seconds, a middle-aged woman moved the heavy door aside.

"Tenax. I wasn't expecting you so early”.

Then her eyes fell on the girl. With an eloquent look, she asked her master who she was.

"Her name is Maider. I want you to show her the house. If you have any particularly heavy tasks, get her to help. Get to know each other”.

With that, and with a nod of his head, he left.

Claudia extended her hand.

"Come, dear”.

Maider smiled softly at her, taking it.

***

Hey! It's Eli here. Thank you for reading! Let me know in the comments if you liked this chapter and if you want to read more ❤️

Here you have Maider and Tenax ❤️

[rav9n-16]

Would anyone be willing to do one on the wonderful series that just came out "Those about to die " ? PLS 🙏🏻✨️

There are so few !!😫

[doflamingadonquixote]

For those interested, I have started to publish a ff on Tenax/OFM.

Let me know what you think of it.

TATD needs to get more recognition.

[sharing-my-stories]

These about to die

Those about to live

Where: AO3

Warnings: blood, death, Smut, SA

Pairing: Tenax X fOC

Long time Fic

[roleplayfinder]

Hello there, 21F here! Probably a long shot, but I'm looking to do a "Those About to Die" plot with me writing as Hermes.

In turn, I'd like to write against either a canon character (Titus, Tenax, Domitian, etc) or an OC.

I would also be down to stray from the fandom itself and do a more original plot - I would still be writing as Hermes, or at least, an adaption of him with the same face claim.

This would be a romantic plot, with NSFW, mature themes - we can discuss the details.

If you'd prefer to do the original plot, we could do something along the lines of Achilles and Patroclus, a character taken as a spoil of war, king/prince x servant, perhaps something more fantasy based too like an orc or some creature invading a kingdom and keeping said character as their pet. I'm open to most suggestions.

I'm mainly looking for mxm, but I'm not opposed to mxf.

Interact and I'll reach out!

.

[labeteenmoi]

Kings of the Subura

Part 1

Fandom : Those About To Die

Pairing : Tenax x OC

Warning : slavery, violence, mentions of rape, sex

Summary : Slaves are easily bought but then have to be dealt with

What made him wander around the slave market that day, he could not say. Somehow, a dark and bruised human form caught his attention from the corner of his eye.

"Now this one should be firmly handled for she’s kind of a wildling," the slave merchant loudly claimed as he pushed the girl to the front of the stage in a rattle of chains, "beware of your throats!"

Tenax hold his stance as the lean creature rose in front of a suddenly quiet crowd. Chained both at her wrists and feet, her black dishevelled long hair hardly dissimulated the bruises and swellings on the tanned skin of her face; and the ripped dress could not cover the shades of purple marks on her arms and thighs, and yet, there she stood tall and proud, glancing at the crowd with a ferocious disdain in her clear eyes.

"I’ll take no claims," continued the enormous bald merchant, "as I’ll let you have her for the cheapest price: fifty sesterces!"

The crowd gasped in surprise, both appealed by the bargain of such an undersold slave, and worried by the aftermath of having around such a dangerous looking thing.

"Oh, come on people, have no fear, even wild animals can be tamed! Look at her, a Lusitanian, hardworking people these are! Don’t let yourself be fooled, she speaks the language," the man kept on, a hint of anxiety slowly rising in his voice.

But no hand arose from the now timid audience for what seemed an eternity.

"Twenty!" Finally claimed a man’s voice in the back.

Some astonished faces turned around to see Tenax rising a finger at the merchant, a confident smile on his lips. The merchant recognized him and his angry look from such a ridiculously low offer slowly faded into a somehow submissive expression before declaring:

"Twenty sesterces for Tenax, yes! Please come take your belonging."

As she was being pulled down the stage, she glared at the man who approached to stand in front of her. Despite her disillusioned expression, he narrowed his big, piercing blue eyes, searching her face with a serious look as the sign from around her neck was removed.

"I’d keep her chained if I was you, Tenax…" the fat slaver whispered as he handed him the key. Tenax took it but did not bother to answer and imperiously grabbed his slave by the arm before leading her through the crowd which parted as he advanced.

The chains on her ankles were barely long enough to allow for any real strides, so she almost jogged through the streets of the market square to keep up with the pace the man set for her. Not once he looked back at her, all she could see was his curvy brown hair on the back oh his head, and the tight grip of his hand on her arm.

A few turns further and they entered a tall building as she had only seen on her way through Rome with the men that had transported her from the port of Ostia directly to the market. It wasn’t a house; it was several houses in one. Tenax lead them upstairs and through another heavy door into what looked like a real house this time. The room was vast, adorned by a large table and wooden benches around. There was a small corridor on her left that led to other rooms and a closed door at the opposite side. He took her towards the table and flipped her over to face him.

It took her a few seconds to have her sight accommodated to the dim light of the place despite the window behind them, but as soon as her eyes crossed his, she regained her composure and fiercely held his gaze.

"Sit." he dryly said.

She did not move. A cold smirk grew on his face as he advanced closer and pressed a hand on the base of her neck.

"I said sit." he threateningly repeated, pushing her firmly.

Unbalanced, the girl fell heavily onto the wooden bench behind her and angrily looked up at a smiling Tenax. However, the knife hanging at his belt suddenly caught her attention making her stare; it didn’t go unnoticed.

"Do you know what happens to slaves that kill their masters?" He asked in a heavy tone, crouching before her.

Only silence and furious glances responded to him.

"They are crucified," he said. "Hanged on a large wooden cross outside the city for the crows and flies to feast on and the men to laugh at. If they try to run away, they are left to their master’s will." He paused for a moment, observing a slight wavering in her eyes.

"I would probably get more than my money back selling you as fresh meat to the wild beasts of the Circus Maximus," he resumed, now almost whispering. "or as amusement for the gladiators perhaps… Do you want to take a shot at any of those?"

She was giving in; he could sense as her head tilted a little. With a now satisfied smile, he reached for the key in his pocket and bowed a little more towards the chain holding her ankles. She looked with disdain at the man: how on earth could someone consider owning another human being like an object was beyond her. Still, the calm and confidence he displayed were quite disarming. She could tell he was used to be respected and obeyed without too much effort; another man who considers himself above the others, another stinky Roman. However, by the way he had observed her at the market, this one seemed a bit different; unlike the other men she had encountered so far that either looked down on her with disgust or lubricity, he seemed more intrigued than anything else.

As her expression unwillingly soften while lost in her thoughts, Tenax started fidgeting the lock of the chain. His face near her knees, the bruises on her thighs appeared deeper than he had thought. A diminished slave brings in less for the merchants, so they are rarely heavily mistreated unless they are particularly hostile. These contusions were large and fresh from their still purple color and went from the top to the inner thighs. Even if he did not doubt her hostility already, Tenax also knew the slavers had gone far and beyond discipline with that girl.

He threw the chain behind him and looked up at her, her wandering gaze and milder expression, almost sad, laid on him and turned harder suddenly, but not as much as before. Swollen torn lip, black eye and filth created a very opaque mask on her face. One would expect to see a distressed person in this state, but she seemed to make a point of not showing weakness every time he laid eyes on her.

"Good." He resumed, softer than intended. "Now that we are clear on that," he kept on, hardening his tone, "I’m your master and as such, you’ll call me so and obey my commands. That’s how this works for you now."

He paused, waiting for a sign of approval that never came.

In a frustrated sigh he stood up and proceeded to free her wrists. Again, he caught her eyes focusing on the knife now at her sight level, stopping him in his tracks. His sudden immobility rang an alarm in her head but too late to back down; Tenax swiftly reach to her neck and lifted her up against the table, knocking over the bench behind her in a loud crash. He wasn’t smiling anymore, an angry expression on his face with wide open eyes. She instinctively grabbed his wrist to alleviate the pressure, but he squeezed harder instead, making her clench her jaw in pain.

"Do not test my patience," he coldly hissed between his teeth, leaning his face so close she could feel the heat of his skin on her cheek. "Now I want to hear you say it, or I’ll squeeze all the air out of you: are you going to obey?"

The girl did not whimper a sound, a hint of defiance still in her eyes, so he kept on pressing her throat with a growing threatening glance. She soon found herself gasping for air, but he kept on, relentlessly.

"Yes…" she hardly let out in a wince of panic.

Tenax relieved his grasp allowing her to let in some air but did not let go of her neck. His features however remained tensed, only after a last infuriated blue glance he let her go.

"Claudia!" He curtly called out.

An old woman with a worried face suddenly emerged silently from the adjoining corridor, as if she had just materialized at the sound of her name.

"Wash her, and treat her wounds," he ordered without taking his eyes off the girl who was rubbing her neck and trying to catch her breath.

"And the chains, master?" Claudia asked in a neutral tone.

"They stay, until I decide otherwise." Tenax advanced imperiously towards his slave, "Until I consider her trustworthy."

Looking up again, her gaze hardened. The will of this man, determined to dominate her, further fuelled her inclination to resist him.

"Come on girl." Claudia said as she swiftly slipping between them. Grabbing her arm, she gently but firmly carried her towards the closed door, ending their little ego battle.

She let herself be guided without much resistance through the door. On the other side was a spacious bedroom with a large bed against the wall, just as dark as the previous rooms despite the window and the daylight still visible through the pierced shutter, and a small adjoining room that contained two pink metal basins of different sizes in its centre, a large terracotta jar and a few small, closed pots. There were no windows in this room, only a few flickering flames on an oil candelabra hanging on the wall diffused a little light that the ochre-coloured walls diminished a little more. The air there was warmer, almost humid, despite the absence of a door.

Claudia left her on the threshold then grabbed the jar and tipped it into the small basin. Clear water gushed out. Still without a word, Claudia poured a clear powder into the water from one of the pots, then a thick liquid from another. The slave watched her slow and assured gestures in silence; this woman was meticulous, precise. Her face, completely absorbed in her task, showed no fear but rather a sort of maternal worry whose sweetness was exacerbated by the folds of her forehead and at the corners of her eyes.

The girl did not feel threatened by her presence, the man wasn’t there to watch her, so she allowed herself to let go a little. A slight numbness began to invade her as her body seemed to relax, her shoulders sagging and her breathing became deeper, as if her chest was becoming lighter. She couldn't tell if it was the powder’s scent, the soft light, the light rustles of small footsteps on the stone floor and pots gently clinking together, or the lapping of flowing liquids with herbaceous scents mixing, but she let herself be carried away by the slight tingling on the back of her neck. It tasted of serenity, she hadn't felt this way since she had been torn from her home weeks ago, weeks that felt like years already

"These oils will soothe the pain of the blows." the old woman said softly, tearing the slave from her torporn with a slight start.

Claudia looked up, stared at the young girl in front of her for a few moments in silence, then held out her hand.

"Come," she murmured, "come closer."

The slave hesitated at first, but finally came forward. This woman meant her no harm, and the temptation of a real wash was not going to displease her deep down.

Claudia placed her hands on her shoulders and guided her to the centre of the room, gently pressing her to kneel on the thick fabric that decorated the stone floor. She stood behind her, gathering the mass of her long, tangled black hair to push it to one side over her shoulder to undo the coarse knots of the shapeless, dirty and worn dress that covered her back and that slid to the floor around her folded legs. The slave jumped as Claudia applied the cool, oil-scented water to the skin of her back, she gritted her teeth as she delicately rubbed the bruises on her limbs, and in the hollow of her thighs, particularly painful. Her thoughts strayed to the unpleasant memories of the times spent at the mercy of these men who abused her, especially the first time. She clenched her fists, making the chain that held her wrists rattle sharply.

Claudia quickly withdrew her hands, no doubt aware of the torment that was assailing the girl at that moment.

"I'm sorry... for what happened to you." she said softly near her ear, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

The slave exhaled deeply, fighting back the tears that threatened to flood her eyes. Claudia resumed her task, wetting her hair before coating it with a floral-scented powder that she distributed by massaging all over her hair. She tilted her head back to rinse, water running down her face and taking the painful memories with it.

When she opened her eyes again, straightening her head, she saw him. In the space that separated the entrance to the bedroom from that of the bathroom, Tenax was watching her. The light of day behind him was backlighting, she could not see his face, but he could see her perfectly: he saw her suddenly raising her shackled arms on her exposed chest, her face closing and her gaze hardening. There was something captivating about the vision of this fierce creature looking so vulnerable at this moment. Tenax continued to look at her despite her protective moves, not to impose his will on her though, he just could not take his eyes off this beautiful body glistening in the warm glow of the flickering flames. An unusual emotion seized him, suddenly tearing him away from his contemplation and he finally turned around, clearing his throat to regain his senses as he left the room.

Long minutes passed before noise was heard from the bedroom. Claudia came out followed by the girl and found Tenax sitting at the large table, a glass in his hand. He stared at her for a moment: she looked less wild now with her hair clean and styled in a long ponytail. She wore a dark dress tied above each shoulder; Claudia, always so provident, had chosen an item of clothing that did not require removing her chains. Her face now free of her locks, Tenax could finally see her eyes more clearly. That was where her fury resided: despite her opaline green eyes, her gaze under her black eyebrows was dark as a storm. Her expression, however, seemed more peaceful than before, Tenax noted. The vision of her slender body and damp skin suddenly returned to him, he took a sip of wine to regain his composure and chase away these thoughts.

"What's your name?" He questioned without looking at her.

The girl was still staring at him, walled in her silence. Tenax looked up and smiled with a falsely understanding look. With a sigh he got up and walked towards her, ignoring Claudia who moved away as he approached:

"I remind you that I own you now, and you'll do as I say," he said as calmly stating a fact, planting himself right in front of her. "Just accept your fate."

A slight smirk widened the corner of her mouth, Tenax understood that she had no intention of doing so.

"Or don’t!" He kept on before leaning very close to her ear, "But then you already know what I’ll do of you," he whispered. "Be smart, slave," he viciously insisted on the word, "your life could get a lot worse than it already is."

A shiver ran up her spine from the breath on her neck. Or maybe it was the threats, or the disgust she felt at that moment realizing that this damn Roman may have a point after all. She didn't want to belong to anyone, it was against her nature, but was she ready to face an atrocious death or suffer a thousand more torments in other disgusting hands for the principle of not giving up anything to him?

He recoiled slowly, watching her smirk fade from the corner of his eye. He turned around with a satisfied expression, ready to leave the room as the girl seemed lost in thought, weighing the pros and cons of now becoming a well-behaved and obedient property, this man's property.

"Briga." she finally muttered.

She would give in, for now.

Tenax stopped dead in his tracks and turned around slowly, an exaggerated questioning look on his face.

"What?"

She inhaled and exhaled deeply, as if she was gathering all the calm she could muster.

"My name is Briga." she reluctantly repeated more intelligibly.

A slight conquering grin grew on Tenax’s face, he shamelessly exposed it in front of her slave, waiting for her expected irate pout. Once she did, he approached again and grabbed her wrist firmly. Visibly satisfied by the lack of resistance other than her defying gaze, he unlocked the chain and set her arms free.

"Go help Claudia in the kitchen." he proudly ordered.

Claudia broke off their intense exchange of glances again by taking her away.

“Claudia, make sure she doesn’t spit in my food!“ he teased loudly behind them.

Under other circumstances, Briga would have found it amusing.

Claudia brought her some potatoes and onions to peel off, while she would put the meat on the stove.

"You'll see, Tenax is a fair man. Give it time." Claudia said, discretely eyeing Briga’s reaction, but she remained impassive.

When Claudia brought the food to the table Tenax quietly asked:

"How are her wounds?"

"Some will heal quickly, others not..." she hesitantly answered.

Tenax, was expecting a more detailed report, but seeing the worried look on Claudia’s face he asked:

"What is it, Claudia? Speak freely"

She took a breath, anxiously looking at her master.

"She's hurt… and angry…understandably so if I may… What they did to her..." her voice trembled a little. "But she'll calm down, master, with time"

Tenax appreciated the concern Claudia showed for this girl she didn’t even know. She had all the mercy and kindness he lacked.

"I doubt it," he ironically let out, "but I’m more tenacious than she is, don’t worry."

Claudia smiled softly before returning to the kitchen where she served a plate for the two of them.

"Eat, child, you must be starving." She kindly said, addressing Briga with a warm smile at the fatigue she could see on her face.

At his table Tenax kept listening to any noise or voice that he could perceive from the kitchen. She sure would be a tough one to tame, that stubborn girl hadn’t said any more words, even to Claudia who treated her so well. But he was a man of challenges, and his appetite was even the more enhanced by her rebellious behaviour.

"Settle her in her room then you can go home, Claudia." They could hear Tenax say from the other room.

Briga froze, a new shiver ran through her realizing she would be alone in the house with this man. His intentions were still unclear to her, he seemed to live alone, no wife, no family around that would need her assistance. He enjoyed having the upper hand on her, she had well noticed that, but she feared that he would reveal himself to be much more brutal once Claudia would not be around anymore. For a second she thought about grabbing Claudia’s hand and never let her go, but she had already left the kitchen through a corridor. A few minutes later she reappeared and called for Briga. She led her into a bedroom, small but it had a bed, and a window, too small to allow a child’s body to go through it.

"You’ll sleep here, girl. I’ll see you in the morning." Claudia said before nodding gently and leaving, letting her alone with her thoughts and fears.

There she stood, motionless and alert, expecting to hear Tenax enter the room in her back and violently push her down, and be the disgusting man he surely is, as are all Romans; and abuse her, and hurt her like she was nothing more than a doll existing only to satisfy perverted and filthy desires.

A strange feeling suddenly interrupted her running thoughts: there he was, standing behind her at the doorstep, silently, his imposing presence filling the room. Her mind went blank, and her blood ran cold; she was exhausted, and he was strong, there wasn’t much she could do to avoid the inevitable, but she’d be damned if she didn’t try. She closed her eyes, breathing short, tensing her aching body, waiting for it. The door closed, a key was turned in the lock, then the silence. He was gone.

Her body collapsed beneath her as if all her strength had left her at once. There she laid on the hard bed, numb, uncontrollable tears rolling down her cheeks as she fell asleep. Resisting was hard, she had well deserved a rest at that moment.

[maverickscorner]

Faber suae fortunae

Or Maider's love story towards freedom.

Chapter 8

Maider swallowed.

She had stepped onto the tavern's stage, chitaràs in hand, ready to play.

Dozens of people stared at her in anticipation.

"They want to dance and have fun," Maider thought. "And here I am about to play a ballad. What if they lynch me?"

She looked past the crowd, towards Cala, Aura, Iris, the children, and... Tenax. He watched her without the slightest hint of fear.

Green eyes met blue eyes.

He believed in her.

She had to look away.

Maider wondered if she would ever be able to hold his gaze longer, gently caressing him and pressing her lips to his.

Someone in the audience cleared their throat.

This was not the time to daydream.

Maider smiled at the audience.

-Good evening, everyone, I'm Maider, but you probably already know that. Tonight, the last song will be something different. I hope you like it- she said, then added more quickly: -If not, please don't throw tomatoes, eggs, or, generally speaking, spoiled essentials at me. Thanks.

Cala and Aura laughed, as did the rest of the audience. Tenax put a hand over his face. It was the same old Maider.

Eventually, a timid smile of amusement appeared on his face, though no one seemed to notice.

Maider had already begun to pluck the chitaràs' strings. Reilo, having put away the drum, had taken up a lyre and was accompanying her from the back.

Cala looked at Tenax and was surprised to see him utterly captivated by her. She smiled to herself, as if she knew a secret.

And Maider began to sing.

-Stone cold, stone cold...

The lighthearted mood from before slowly faded into a heartfelt and attentive atmosphere.

The song spoke to each person about their own traumas and struggles. It reflected the yearning for redemption of people who had bowed their heads too many times without reason. The hearts of all Rome, within the dimly lit space of Tenax's tavern, beat to the rhythm of Maider's song, which transcended personal pain to become a universal experience.

Cala thought of when her children had been taken away from her, and how she had fought hard to get them back.

Aura and Iris, tightly holding each other, thought of the difficulties they had faced in their relationship, and how only being together had remedied everything.

The audience clung to their loved ones, appreciating their closeness as never before.

Tenax, in the corner, realized in that moment that he had been wrong.

Until now, he had believed that only brutal spectacles could move people, change opinions, and shape views.

And yet now, the girl with the most beautiful voice he had ever heard was enchanting dozens of people with the story of a shared suffering.

The crowd watched Maider with astonishment and emotion. The kind of admiration that a gladiator fight or a chariot race could never elicit. The kind of connection that forms from heart to heart. From soul to soul.

And for a moment, he saw himself as a child again: a black eye, a split lip, bruises all over, freshly abused by his master. How he would cling to Ursus, his only companion in that hell.

The thought of Ursus made him shiver.

His old friend had become a cold-blooded killer, whom he had later had to eliminate.

And he, Tenax? Could he say he was better than Ursus?

He looked around. His blue eyes settled on Cala, Aura, the children, his tavern. And then on Maider.

Yes.

Tenax was better than Ursus.

Because Ursus had lost himself.

And Tenax was still Quintus.

Maider finished singing.

There was a moment of stunned silence, then the crowd erupted into thunderous applause.

Maider searched for the eyes of her new family. When she met Tenax's gaze, he smiled at her.

Maider blushed to the tips of her ears, something she hid by standing and bowing to the audience.

-Encore! Encore! Encore!

She heard exclamations from all around. They wanted her to sing again.

She met Tenax's gaze: he gave his approval; then Reilo's, who was happy to keep playing.

So she sat back down.

And the tavern filled with music once more.

***

It was a little later than usual.

Maider and Tenax were on their way home.

The next day was Nundinae, and therefore a day of rest. The tavern would be closed, Maider free to relax, and Tenax to strengthen his relationships.

They were both still a little shaken by what had happened earlier.

Even after Maider had performed the encore, people had struggled to disperse, chanting her name and clapping to honor her. Only when she had told them to leave they did so.

This worried Tenax to death.

Not only people were beginning to recognize her on the street, but if her fame continued to grow so quickly, he would have to let her go.

And he would lose her.

And if, instead, he decided to keep her with him? Would he be considered greedy, or would people start to whisper that what he felt for her was more than just business interest?

-Tenax?

Maider shook him from his thoughts. Tenax turned to her and met her eyes. He had to look away.

-Yes?

-You're quiet... Is everything okay?

-You were quiet this morning too.

Maider shrugged.

-I was pretty upset this morning.

-And now you're not?

-No. I feel at peace. And I'm glad the song was so well received.

Tenax sighed.

-People love you.

Maider smiled to herself.

-Yes, I know. I never thought singing would become my way to redemption, but...

-Way to redemption?- Tenax frowned.

-Yes, from my condition. From slavery.

Tenax felt a bit hurt, but he could understand. She seemed to notice.

-Don't get me wrong- she said -I couldn't have wished for a better master than you. But I've never lost hope of regaining my freedom.

Tenax swallowed.

-Would you go back to Jerusalem?

She sighed. She really didn't know what to say. In Jerusalem, the Ben-Hur had been her only family for so long. Her father had always made his presence felt. But here... in Rome, she had truly felt like she had a real family. She finally felt useful, felt important.

-Maybe- she replied -I'd like to check on my father's condition and my adoptive family, and tell them that I'm okay.

-I can have a letter written to them. I have trusted people who would carry out the task with the utmost discretion.

They met each other's gaze. Then looked away.

-Thank you, Tenax, but... This morning you told me that you also experienced slavery. I imagine you can understand me.

Tenax stopped, looking into her eyes and lowering his voice. They were almost home.

-I had a master who abused me every night, Maider. I... I tried to be kind to you. If I failed, I...

She took his hands in hers. She squeezed them. Her eyes were holding back tears.

-You saved me, Tenax. I can never thank you enough for that. I would never want to hurt you. My respect for you...

-Respect?

Maider nodded.

-Yes. You were forced to build an armour around yourself for so long. But I know you have a good heart. And that is the most extraordinary thing I've seen here in Rome. To hell with the statues, the stadiums, the amphitheaters...

Tenax wanted so much to kiss her. There was no one on the street, but Rome had ears and eyes everywhere.

So he held her hand and led her inside the house.

-Come with me.

Maider nodded, her heart in her throat.

Tenax opened the door with his keys, not wanting to disturb Claudia.

He closed the door behind them and looked into her eyes. Maider felt undone: those large blue wells seemed to delve into her soul.

-No one has ever told me they had respect for me- he murmured -Because of my origins, I've always been regarded as nothing more than a sewer rat. I fought fiercely to become Aedile Ludi so that people would respect me. I've killed, Maider.

He shook his head.

-I've killed, and everything I've done haunts my dreams every night, which is why I can't sleep. I dream of that, and of what happened to me as a child. I tried to murder my true self because it would have been my greatest weakness if it had come out. I changed my name because my old one would have been erased from history. I thought I didn't care about anything or anyone, and then... and then you came along.

He gently brushed back a stray lock of hair and tucked it behind her ear. Maider's heart was pounding.

-You make me feel important. You passed through hell to get to Rome, and then I bought you as if you were a piece of meat. You should have hated me, and instead, all you've done is care for me. Care for everyone you've met. I'm not the most extraordinary thing here in Rome. You are. I...

Maider's lips were on his. Tenax responded to the kiss immediately, bringing a hand to her neck.

They kissed with necessity, passion, urgency, holding each other tight. They kissed for a long time, as if time, space, and even Rome had ceased to exist.

They only parted when Tenax leaned his forehead against hers, taking a deep breath. In their minds, celestial music. Explosions, epiphany. It was like a revelation.

-You’re free, Maider- he said, caressing her -You’re free. You don’t have to do this, if you don't want to.

-Don't you ever think that. Please. Shut up and kiss me.

Tenax obeyed gladly. Maider placed her hands on his cheeks while he held her close.

Claudia arrived in the room on tiptoe. Seeing the scene, she suppressed a squeal and went back to the kitchen.

They separated once again. She caressed his lips with hers. They laughed.

-Until this morning, I thought you hated me...- he murmured.

-You’re so bright, don’t say such nonsense.

He laughed and shook his head.

-What if I told you we’re doomed?

-We have to keep it a secret.

-Yes, absolutely. They could use you as a weapon to blackmail me. I won’t allow it.

-I trust you completely. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.

He stroked her hair.

-We need to think it through carefully. And anyway, I wasn’t rambling before. You’re free. I want whatever is between us to be...

Maider kissed him, her fingers tangled in his hair. Tenax kissed her back breathlessly.

-Is that enough of an answer for you?- she asked.

He nodded.

-Uh, yes. Got it.

-Good.

They looked into each other’s eyes.

-Tenax?

-Mmh?

-We could be the most unconventional couple in all Rome.

Tenax kissed her, smiling.

-Is that a threat or a promise?

-A deal.

He pulled her to him. Maider laughed.

-So be it.

-So be it.

***

They fell asleep in the main hall of Tenax's Esquiline villa, on one of the sofas.

In eachother's arms.

No nightmare disturbed their sleep that night.

***

Hi! Eli here. And they finally kissed ❤️ Loved writing that, but that's just the beginning ❤️ Let me know in the comments what you think.

Here the song's Maider's playing. I imagine her voice to be exactly like that.

Thank you ❤️

[maverickscorner]

Faber suae fortunae

Or Maider's love story towards freedom.

Chapter 5

Maider took a sip of watered-down wine with a thirsty demeanor.

She had been singing at regular intervals throughout the day. It was dinner time, and thus time to go home. At the end of her shift, Cala and Audra had placed some spicy meatballs in front of her – which she had understood were called "Isicia Omentata" – and some bread, and she, ravenous, devoured everything under the amused gazes of the two women.

Now, she was watching Cala and Tenax tally up the day's earnings out of the corner of her eye, with particular interest in any differences compared to previous days, which had essentially been without musical entertainment.

The final calculations left them speechless.

–Damn– said Tenax.

–Yes, I know– Cala followed.

They briefly glanced at Maider, then went back to their conversation.

–A 30% increase hasn't been seen since Scorpus was racing.

–I know, Tenax. The girl has talent.

Maider took another sip of wine.

–The girl can hear you.

They met each other’s gaze.

–I enjoyed singing in front of so many people. I didn’t think I was that good, but I must say I outdid myself. I know many more songs, even in Latin. I’d like to keep performing.

Aura came closer to her with a friendly demeanor.

–You’re very good, Maider. This success is well deserved.

Maider smiled at her gratefully.

–However…– Tenax said.

They all turned toward him.

–You must be aware, Maider, that your talent is extraordinary. If you continue to perform, your name will spread from mouth to mouth. Your fame could become dangerous.

–You promised to protect me– she said, looking at him sternly –Or does that promise no longer hold?

He slammed his fist on the table.

–Watch your mouth. My promises are made in blood. You are my slave, and as long as it is within my power, I will always watch over you.

–When will it no longer be within your power?– Maider asked, shivering.

Tenax sighed.

–I’ll be honest with you. If your name grows, it will be impossible for me to keep you bound to me. I’ll have to set you free, let you go. And then I won’t be able to guarantee your protection.

Maider stood up, pacing the room.

–As much as I want freedom, now is not the time. I need a protector, and… as much as it pains me to admit it, I trust you. And I like Cala and Aura. Oh, and the children too.

A childish laugh was heard from behind a curtain.

Tenax sighed again.

–Shouldn't you be in bed by now?

There was a sound of hurried footsteps retreating. Then silence.

–All right. As long as you’re bringing in these profits, you are a valuable asset, Maider. My asset. And as such, you will be protected. Now let’s go home. Cala, you close up.

Tenax passed by Maider without giving her a glance. The girl looked at him, disappointed. She met Cala’s gaze.

-I know, dear, he has… quite direct methods. But I think that was his way of thanking you and telling you he’ll keep you safe. He appreciates you, in his own way.

Maider gave her a half-smile.

–Thank you, Cala. See you tomorrow.

Cala and Aura bid her farewell, and Maider followed Tenax out.

***

It was summer, and it still wasn’t dark.

Maider observed the pink sky over Rome, following her master down the road towards home.

Tenax, for his part, was lost in his thoughts.

He had lied to Maider.

He considered her an extraordinary singer, and as soon as he freed her, she would be hired by the most popular Roman families, who would make her the most famous artist in the city. At that point, she wouldn’t need his protection anymore, but she would have theirs. God, she could even hire her own personal guards.

The truth was that Tenax didn’t want to part from her.

He had seen the magnetic way her voice drew people in, and for a moment, a very brief moment, he had imagined himself lying on her lap in a meadow, while she sang tenderly to him in a foreign language, stroked his hair, and called him Quintus.

Fortunately, he had quickly snapped out of that terrible vision, but he had to slap himself particularly hard, leaving his cheek flushed.

For the gods' sake, he was Tenax! He had been for twenty years and still was now. He was Aedile Ludi and would soon become an advisor to Domitian, who adored his bloody ideas for the games.

–Panem et circenses, Tenax, remember. Give the people what they want, and they won’t want our heads when we impose a high price to pay.

That’s what the emperor had told him that morning. For some time, Domitian had looked at him in a way that transcended the chemistry between emperor and official. It almost seemed as if he desired him.

Tenax shuddered. He didn’t like being looked at that way. It was the same way his master had looked at him for so many years as a child. His father.

–I noticed you didn’t eat at the tavern. Will you eat at home?

Maider’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He was tremendously grateful for it.

–Yes, I like eating at home– he told her -Claudia is an excellent cook. And with this heat, I relax in the peristilium. The water is always pleasantly cool.

–You’re right, it’s really hot. But never as hot as in Jerusalem. There, in the summer, it’s really scorching. Sometimes with the Ben-Hur, we’d go near Jaffa and swim in the sea. God, I love swimming in the sea. Have you ever done that?

Tenax’s expression hardened. But then he met her gaze and softened.

–When I was little. Now, in Rome, we use the thermae. And if you have a large enough villa, you have an indoor pool.

–I see.

They passed over the hill and continued straight. The house was in sight, about fifteen meters away.

–Did you know I can swim?– Maider said.

Tenax gave her a tight-lipped smile. A spontaneous smile.

–Is there anything you can’t do?

–Uh, housework.

Tenax laughed, but then quickly composed himself.

How long had it been since he last laughed?

I mean a spontaneous, amused laugh, not a condescending or sadistic one.

Damn, he hadn’t laughed in a lifetime.

He looked at Maider as one looks at something very strange or something very beautiful. She blushed and looked away.

–We’re here.

Tenax knocked three times on the door, and Claudia opened it for them. They said their goodnights, and each went to their rooms. A million questions swirling in their minds.

***

–Tenax? Hey, Tenax?

Tenax snapped out of it. He was at Domitian’s court, presenting the plans for the upcoming games. Venationes, or hunts, in labyrinths, reminiscent of the Minotaur myth. First, they would throw slaves or prisoners into the arena. Then the hunters would kill the beasts.

–Forgive me, emperor. I was saying that a rhinoceros recently arrived from Africa. It’s very large and very fierce. We believe it will provide more than an adequate spectacle.

–Excellent, excellent. I can’t wait to see this plan in action.

Tenax gave a tight-lipped smile. Around them, dancers had begun to perform to the music.

–Thank you, emperor. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must return to my duties.

–Of course, dear. Are you sure you don’t want to stay? I’ve heard that at your old tavern, you have a new artist, but my musicians are also quite good…

Tenax shivered. He met Domitian’s lascivious gaze and bowed his head, choosing his words carefully.

–Thank you, Caesar. Unfortunately, my obligations today prevent me from staying. I won’t miss the next one.

Domitian seemed satisfied and let him go.

–Very well, very well. I’ll hold you to that, Tenax.

Tenax bowed his head again and walked away.

As soon as he was far enough, he allowed himself to breathe again.

He cursed himself for thinking he could control Domitian.

Damn it, it seemed like Domitian would do anything to control him.

Tenax wouldn’t allow it.

Once outside the palace, he headed to the tavern at a brisk pace.

***

It was evening.

Maider had sung another song from her repertoire, and Tenax had noticed with both pleasure and apprehension that the crowd at the tavern continued to grow.

She had repeated the previous day’s song, and everyone had burst into a joyful dance, singing at the top of their lungs, betting, and drinking.

Now she and Tenax, having left Cala and Aura to close the tavern, were heading home.

He seemed more tense than the night before. Not that he had been relaxed the previous night, but she could see him immersed in tense thoughts. Some unknown force pushed her to try to calm him.

She liked it when those big blue eyes of his relaxed and allowed themselves to smile.

–Uh, how did it go with the emperor?

Wrong question. Tenax tensed more than ever.

-Fine.

-Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. Do you… do you have any passions?

Tenax stopped.

-What?

She tried to explain herself.

-Uh, yeah, do you like doing anything, or reading anything, or watching anything?

Tenax blinked a couple of times.

-I like money.

-And is that your passion?

Tenax resumed walking.

-Perhaps. Yes.

Maider fell silent.

-Again, I didn’t mean to be intrusive. I was just trying to make our walks home more interesting.

-They’re already interesting. Look at the monuments, the buildings.

-The monuments speak of a greatness built on the backs of slaves. You speak of a greatness you built with your own hands.

Tenax stopped again, looking at her with an expression that deeply affected Maider. A surprised and... vulnerable look.

Tenax sighed.

-Even my greatness, if it truly is such, was built on the backs of slaves.

Maider didn’t understand, but she remained silent.

Tenax continued walking.

He was referring, as always, to a slave he knew well. His old self.

He was referring to Quintus.

***

It was two in the morning.

Maider couldn’t sleep; it was terribly hot. And then, she had too many thoughts in her head. No matter how hard she tried, what she had done to survive on that damned ship, with that damn officer, kept haunting her thoughts and dreams.

She dreamt of being there, in that cabin, dirty, forced by her own self to be seductive in order to survive that physical and mental ordeal.

Days had passed, yet Maider felt dirtier and more like a whore than ever. A woman her father and the Ben-Hur family would have rejected. Perhaps even stoned.

What would Tenax, Cala, and the others think if they knew the truth?

Would they look at her the same way, or with disgust?

She really didn't know.

And yet, she couldn't sleep.

She left her room, intending to find some cool air, and found Tenax soaking in the peristilium pool.

Tenax, who had been keeping his eyes half-closed, heard her arrival and snapped out of it. He was relieved to remember he was wearing light short trousers.

-Maider?

-Tenax, good evening. I couldn’t sleep because of the heat, so I thought I’d pour a jug of water over myself to cool off. That’s the whole story.

-I see.

A moment of silence. Maider kept staring at the pool. Tenax understood.

-Oh, do you want to… swim?

-I don’t want to disturb you.

-No, no, the pool is big. You can stay on the other side, if you like.

-Really?

-Yes. But don’t…

While Tenax was saying yes, Maider had remained in her linen tunic, taken a running start, and had literally dived into the pool.

Tenax was hit by a wave of water.

They both resurfaced.

Tenax looked at her with wide blue eyes, while she laughed amused. When he saw his expression, she pressed her lips into a thin line.

-MAIDER!- Tenax shouted, wiping his face with his hand -HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?

She raised her hands.

-It seemed fun, and I was hot!

-I ALMOST DROWNED!

-I bet you would not. The water's not so deep.

Tenax had a bewildered expression.

Maider let out a giggle.

-Come on, you have to admit it was fun…

Tenax looked up at the sky, and seeing her laugh, finally smiled.

-You’re completely crazy.

Hearing the commotion, Claudia burst into the room, holding a pan.

-TENAX! Is everything all right?! I heard noises, and I’m… Oh.

Maider burst out laughing. Tenax sank into the water, wishing the gods would put an end to his suffering.

***

Hi! It's Eli-Maverick. You would expext to find Maider's story on another account (@sharingmystoriesetc), but it was me all the time. It's time for me to take courage and publish on my main profile. Hope you like this chapter, I loved writing that. Let me know in the comments what you think. Thank you.

[maverickscorner]

Faber suae fortunae

Or Maider's love story towards freedom.

Chapter 10

Tenax watched Maider write, captivated.

Although he was mostly illiterate, and secretly very ashamed of it, he understood that it wasn’t the Latin alphabet.

-What language is that?

-Aramaic- Maider replied. -It was the language I used to speak with my father and my adoptive family. It’s easier to communicate with them this way.

-And also more discreet- Tenax observed.

She smiled at him.

-Not that I’m revealing any great secrets. I’m just telling them that I’m well and safe. That I’m free, in short.

-Got it. And in how many languages do you know to read and write?

-Four, but I’m fluent only in Aramaic and Latin. The others… let’s say I get by.

-That’s still quite a number.

-Yeah. You’re looking at a girl who received an aristocratic education.

Tenax chuckled.

-The best one around.

-You can bet on it.

Maider finished writing. She had noticed how Tenax was watching her, interested, and had guessed that he didn’t know how to read or write. Although they had grown quite close, she still didn’t feel ready to explore parts of him that Tenax preferred to keep hidden. She wanted to discover every side of him, but in due time. She, with her impulsive character, would force herself to be extremely patient with him. She cared for him. Tenax deserved it.

Maider let the ink dry. Then she rolled up the parchment, tied it with a string, and handed it to Tenax.

-The destination is the Ben-Hur house in Jerusalem, on Temple Street.

-Alright. We’ll head to the market soon; we’ll meet Porthos there.

Maider looked surprised.

-The market? Isn’t today a holiday?

Tenax realized he had made a mistake. He was used to making decisions without considering anyone or anything. But now there was Maider, and he cared about her. Maider had a decision-making power, a voice, and even the ability to change his decisions.

"Way too much power, but I can’t do anything about it".

-Yes, you’re right. But at Nundinae, in the heart of Rome, there’s also the most important market of the city. People from all over the empire come to sell everything: from food to tools to clothes...

-Hold on, did you say clothes?

Tenax stopped. He nodded.

-Yes, clothes. There are…

Maider’s eyes lit up. Tenax couldn’t even finish the sentence before she burst out like a flood:

-Oh, please, let’s absolutely go! I’ve saved up some money from working at the tavern, and I’d really love to buy a new dress! Claudia was so kind to lend me her old ones, but in Jerusalem I had a whole wardrobe of my own, and here I only have two or three used dresses, and... Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful, but...

Tenax stood up, walked around the table, and stood beside her, gently placing his hands on her cheeks.

-Maider?

-Yes?- she said, captivated.

-I understand, it’s all fine. We’ll go buy some new clothes. You don’t need to overwhelm me with words every time. I care about you. I like seeing you happy. Alright?

She nodded. She hugged him gratefully.

-Thank you, Tenax. I like seeing you happy too, for the record.

Tenax pulled back a little to meet her gaze. They kissed.

-When I’m with you, I get pretty close to it- he confessed -But at the market, we’ll need to be very discreet. No one knows you’re free, nor that there’s something between us. I’m a very... controversial figure, sometimes despised. I care too much about you to let someone hurt you because of me.

-It won’t happen- Maider said -We’ll be discreet. I’ll be discreet. We’ll pretend I’m still your property.

-So be it. Go get changed, then. We’re leaving in ten minutes.

-Alright, my lord and master...- she said, bowing to him with a wink.

Tenax blushed but hid it, watching her slip out of his embrace and head towards her room.

He shook his head.

"You’ll be my undoing".

And he couldn’t be happier about it.

***

The Nundinae market was truly immense.

Maider was immediately captivated, bouncing from one stall to another with enthusiasm. The vendors, charmed by her exuberance, offered her samples of various foods or let her feel how soft the fabric of dresses was or how smooth the metal surface of various tools was.

Tenax watched her with a smile he couldn’t erase, even though he knew it would be more convenient to do so.

He only stopped smiling when he saw people on the street recognizing Maider.

-Hey, look, it’s Maider!

-Yeah, it’s her!

-It's the girl with the most beautiful voice in Rome!

-The one who sings at Tenax’s tavern!

Tenax sighed. Maider’s popularity was growing visibly. It wasn’t that he wanted to keep her chained to him, but he cared about her and worried for her. The word “fame” didn’t necessarily align with “safety.” He had seen it with Scorpus and with himself.

He saw Maider approaching him with her usual smile, and his mind lightened immediately.

-Tenax! That stall has some beautiful pans. You have to come see them; I’m sure Claudia would love them!

-Oh, yes!- said Claudia, joining them with shopping bags in hand. -Claudia would absolutely love them!

Tenax rolled his eyes. He took a small pouch of sesterces from his belt and handed it to the women.

-Alright. Just don’t spend it all, okay?

Claudia and Maider struggled to contain their excitement and, arm in arm, headed for the stall.

***

In the center of the market, there was a square with several stalls dedicated to food. People drank and ate while seated at wooden tables. In one corner, a small group was playing rhythmic music.

Before Tenax could stop her, Maider recognized Reilo among the group and ran to him.

-Reilo!- she exclaimed.

The young man smiled at her from afar and waved. The two greeted each other warmly. Tenax stayed at a distance, keeping an eye on the situation. From time to time, someone would acknowledge him, bowing their head and murmuring "Aedile Ludi". He responded with a polite nod, but nothing more. He had already given Maider’s letter to Porthos, asking for the utmost discretion.

The group stopped playing; Reilo and Maider spoke with the other musicians, discussing something unknown to Tenax. He grew nervous.

“I've never known a girl more stubborn than you, Maider...” he thought. He had told her to be careful, and she...

-Good morning, citizens of Rome!- Tenax heard her saying from the musicians’ platform -How about having a little fun?

Everyone turned towards her. Many recognized her and applauded.

Maider counted to four, then the group started playing a particularly rhythmic tune. She clapped her hands, and the crowd followed. Many stood up.

Maider began to sing.

-My baby wants a tunic, she’s been asking me all night long...!

Tenax’s eyes widened. He looked around as the song continued. People started dancing.

-One, here comes the two to the three to the four...!

Tenax scanned the area. The praetorians at the edges of the square watched the crowd without concern, chatting amongst themselves and occasionally glancing at Maider. Tenax clenched his fists.

-Everybody at the bar getting tipsy!

The crowd was having the time of their lives. People danced together, happy and carefree, to the infectious rhythm of the music. This was Maider’s magic.

Tenax relaxed his muscles, trying to enjoy the moment. He was probably worrying too much, but he would have to talk to Maider seriously after the performance. He always became incredibly nervous when he couldn't keep the situation under control, and it was time to tell her, because sometimes, perhaps due to the carefree nature of her personality, she acted quite wild.

And yet, he couldn't be too angry with her for it. He cared about her mostly because she was different.

Even though her difference, in a city like Rome, could be very dangerous.

***

Further back, on the opposite side of the square, a group of Jewish slaves watched Maider with disgust.

-It’s her- one of them said -The girl from the Hur household who now performs for these damn Romans.

-Another woman of our people prostituting herself for the favor of the oppressors- the eldest said.

-And worse, she sings and plays songs from our folk tradition, but translates them into Latin!

-What should we do, then?- asked another.

The old man seemed to think for a moment.

-She must be eliminated- he said -Or God will pour His wrath upon us.

The other men nodded, and the group withdrew into the shadows.

***

Hi everyone! It's Eli. Things are starting to happen! Hope you like this new chapter. Let me know in the comments what you think. Hugs and kisses ❤️

P.S. This is the songs Maider sings ☺️

[maverickscorner]

Faber suae fortunae

Or Maider's love story towards freedom.

Chapter 9

Tenax was a rather light sleeper.

I mean, you don’t become the King of the Suburra without making a few enemies, and any sudden noise in the night or the sound of footsteps would wake him up immediately. He’d grab his dagger and point it straight ahead with little logic, but with immediate focus.

Now, sleeping next to the woman who had reawakened his emotional sphere after years and years of aridity, Tenax realized he was no longer used to sleeping with company, like when he was younger.

Yes, because Maider snored.

Quite loudly, in fact, in the morning.

“For the love of the Gods...”

They were still partially entwined from the night before.

Tenax, his eyes half-open with effort, carefully pulled away, still drowsy, to look at her face.

Maider slept inelegantly, with her mouth slightly open. Her hair was a mess, and she had just as inelegantly clung to his right arm.

Inevitably, Tenax found it very funny. But he held back: he didn’t want to wake her.

So he just watched her in the morning light.

He still found her beautiful.

He thought about the night before and the kisses they had shared.

Tenax had never experienced the feeling of having butterflies in his stomach.

Yet, that evening, when Maider had kissed him impulsively, it had been an epiphany for him.

The discovery that beyond fighting for power and wealth, there could be so much more in life. Something deeper. And from master, he had found himself a servant, from teacher to student, learning new things about a feeling he had never fully considered: love.

He had known her for ten days, and yet Tenax felt a deep affection for Maider, for many reasons: because she could stand up to him; because she was direct but also sweet, kind, and compassionate; because she was clumsy but incredibly talented; for her voice, for the way she looked at him; because she had drawn out things from his past that he had only revealed to a very few chosen ones. Because she respected him, understood him.

“Because... maybe she loves me?”

Maider snored a little louder. Tenax sighed.

He heard soft footsteps behind him and immediately turned. It was Claudia.

—Tenax...— she whispered.

—Good morning, Claudia— he said, searching his mind for a believable lie to cover the situation —Maider was very tired last night, so... well, she fell asleep here, and I...

—Master, how long have I been in your service?— Claudia murmured again.

Tenax furrowed his brow.

—More than ten years, I think.

—I know how to keep a secret. I've kept many over the years. I’ll be discreet.

Tenax nodded in acknowledgment.

—Thank you.

—I wanted to tell you that she’s a good girl, but she is a very heavy sleeper. She wouldn’t wake up even if there was a fire. You have to call her and shake her. That’s what I do in the morning.

Tenax raised an eyebrow.

—Good to know. Thank you.

—No problem. It’s almost time for breakfast. Shall I start preparing it?

—Yes, thank you, Claudia. Make plenty; maybe Maider will be hungry, too.

—Alright, I’ll get started right away.

Claudia bowed her head and walked away on tiptoe.

Tenax turned back to Maider. She had stopped snoring but was still firmly clinging to his arm.

Tenax decided he had to wake her up because his arm was starting to tingle. He tried to slide it out, but she mumbled.

Tenax sighed.

—Maider?— he tried.

Hearing his voice, she seemed to stir.

—Tenax?— she murmured, her voice thick with sleep —Is that you?

Her eyes were still closed. Tenax gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She smiled with her lips closed and opened her eyes.

—There you are.

—Good morning. Could you kindly let go of my arm?

She immediately loosened her iron grip, and Tenax sighed in relief, moving his arm to wake it up.

—Sorry— she said —I didn’t mean to hurt you.

—You didn’t. Did you sleep well?

She nodded.

—Yes, very much. And you?

—Me too. I haven’t slept this many hours in years.

She brought a hand to his cheek, caressing him. Tenax allowed himself to relax into her gentle touch.

—And I finally felt at home- she said.

Tenax placed his right hand gently over hers.

Maider blushed all the way to the tips of her ears, but that didn’t stop her from moving closer to him, placing her hands on his cheeks, and kissing him on the lips.

Tenax wrapped her in his arms, deepening the kiss.

Maider pulled back just to look into his eyes.

—I never thought...

—What?

—That you were capable of loving like this.

—Neither did I.

Maider smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips.

—Aren’t you hungry, my lord and master?

Tenax felt slightly excited by those words but concealed it.

—You’re a free woman, remember? Now you can do whatever you want.

Maider seemed to think about it.

—So I’m allowed to eat two peaches instead of one?

—Yes, and then you can go back to bed if you’re still sleepy. It’s Nundinae today; it’s a holiday. You’re free... we’re free to do whatever pleases us most.

She ran her fingers along his jawline.

—Are you telling me you have no meetings to attend? No emperors to see? No hands to shake?

—There aren’t many people who want to shake hands with a plebeian, even if he holds an important office. And besides... I wasn’t joking when I said it’s a holiday. Doing business on Nundinae is considered an offense to the Gods.

—Ah, yes, the Gods. Do you believe in them?

—Occasionally, when I feel particularly alone or...

He stopped. He looked her in the eye, a bit embarrassed. Maider gave him a sweet look.

—What is it?

Tenax shook his head.

—Could you stop pulling things out of me that I’d rather keep hidden?

Maider furrowed her brow.

—I’m not doing anything, Tenax.

—That’s what terrifies me.

Before they could delve deeper, Claudia entered the room. She was holding a tray of food in her hands.

—Sorry for the interruption.

As soon as Maider saw the food, her eyes lit up. She quickly stretched and stood up to head for the dining table.

—It’s fine, Claudia. What’s for breakfast?

Tenax stifled a laugh.

—Ah, yes, your one true love: food.

—I heard that— Maider said, eyeing the tray —And that’s absolutely not true. Well, it depends on the food.

Claudia laughed, but then remembered Tenax’s presence and stopped.

Tenax, for his part, got up, amused, and joined them at the table.

He gently placed a hand on Maider’s shoulder.

Claudia wore a more than surprised expression. She couldn’t wait to tell Cala everything.

***

Maider finished her breakfast, licking her fingers. Tenax, sitting across from her, was studying her.

She met his gaze.

—Has no one ever told you that staring is rude?

—Has no one ever told you to eat slowly?

Maider shrugged.

—You should’ve seen me at the Ben-Hur family’s court. I was a lady with impeccable manners.

—Sure.

Maider pretended to be offended.

—It’s true! I imagine twenty days of torture traumatized me in that sense as well: I was given only a few crusts of bread each day, and since then, whenever I see good food, I literally pounce on it.

Tenax seemed affected by her story.

—I’m sorry, Maider.

She smiled at him, reaching out her right hand across the table. He took it in his left.

—Don’t worry. I’m here with you now, and that’s what matters.

Tenax stroked her hand.

—Maider?

—Yes?

—What’s your last name?

—Oh. I can tell you my full name. It’s Maider Margalit Bat Yirmeyahu. My parents liked names that start with M.

Tenax seemed impressed.

—It’s beautiful.

Maider blushed.

—Thank you.

—And having parents who love you is beautiful too, I mean.

She seemed to understand his pain. She found no other solution but to continue talking about herself, stroking his hand. He would reveal himself in time, when he wanted to.

–For as little as I knew them, yes. My mother died giving birth to me. Her name was Yahel, but I think it was the Hebrew name she took once she arrived in Jerusalem. She came from the East, the far East. She had the same eyes as mine, according to my father.

Tenax thought he wanted to tell her that he adored her eyes, but he restrained himself and silently nodded.

–My father, Jeremiah, was madly in love with her. When she died, he practically lost his mind. He started squandering all our possessions on gambling, but he wasn’t very lucky. He lost everything within a few years.

–I’m sorry, Maider,– Tenax murmured.

–Wait, the story gets better,– she joked, making Tenax smile –My father always had one great fortune: his charm. He had many friends, especially Yaakov Ben-Hur, son of the great Judah Ben-Hur.

Tenax furrowed his brow.

–Great? I don’t know his story.

–Oh, it’s very beautiful, but also long. I’ll tell you another time,– she cleared her throat –Anyway, my father, in a moment of lucidity, decided to entrust me to Yaakov, his dear friend, to raise me as one of his own children. It turns out that Yaakov gladly agreed, promising my father that he would teach me to be a lady-in-waiting for his daughter Sarah, and over time, find me a good match.

–Wait, so... you’re noble?

Maider seemed disappointed.

–That’s what you got out of my whole story?

Tenax mentally scolded himself. He looked into her eyes, regretful.

–I’m sorry, it’s kind of an obsession of mine. Please, go on.

Maider squeezed his hand. It was all okay.

–Well, yes. My father was part of the Sanhedrin, our... uh, Senate. It’s the highest rank in our nobility. And, by the way, the Ben-Hur family is also part of the Sanhedrin. They... were special, Tenax. They really treated me like a daughter, raising me in luxury and comfort. Maybe too much.

Tenax furrowed his brow.

–Too much?

Maider sighed.

–I was terrible at everything a good wife and mother, or a lady-in-waiting, was supposed to do. I was a bit of a wild child, maybe I still am. The only way I could make others proud of me was by singing. My father taught me so many songs. He always said they were the thread that connected us. I miss him, Tenax,– she said with a sigh –I think he saved my life, but he doesn’t know it. He probably believes I’m dead, and that breaks my heart.

Tenax let go of Maider’s hand and tapped the table.

–Claudia!

Maider looked at him, surprised. The woman quickly arrived.

–Yes, Tenax?

–Please, bring Maider some paper and a pen; she needs to write a letter. Tomorrow morning, I’ll have Porthos send it to Palestine.

Maider looked at him with shining eyes. Porthos was one of his most trusted men and often served as his bodyguard.

Claudia smiled and bowed her head.

–Right away, master.

And she left.

Maider stood up and approached Tenax. She sat next to him. He looked at her with an expression that was half vulnerable and half mesmerized.

–You don’t have to thank me, really,– he murmured –I’m doing it willingly, not...

Maider pressed her lips to his. Tenax placed his hands on her cheeks, caressing her.

They pulled apart, their foreheads touching. Maider laughed softly.

–What is it?– Tenax asked.

–In the ten days we’ve known each other, I’ve never heard you talk so much.

He laughed. She kissed him.

–And I’ve never heard you laugh either.

Tenax shrugged.

–I guess it’s all thanks to you, then.

Maider blushed to the tips of her ears. She kissed him again, for a long time.

***

Hi guys! It's Eli. Thanks for reading and waiting. This chapter costed me a few hours of sleep. But hey, everything for the TATD fandom.

From the next chapter on, we'll have heavier themes: our loved characters will have to face several threats.

Thank you for following and see you next chapter ❤️

[maverickscorner]

Faber suae fortunae

Or Maider's love story towards freedom.

Chapter 6

Domitian loved being emperor.

Before, people bowed to him almost reluctantly, obeying an unwritten law that placed his father and brother above him, making him part of the chain of command but almost certainly the last link.

Now, his people worshipped him.

It was enough to grant larger rations and more games, and the crowd, with its protests, was appeased.

With all the contacts he had, it was easy to get goods and people wherever and whenever he wanted.

And to hell with the Senate. Despite being a Roman institution of tradition, Domitian hadn't hesitated to declare himself "Dominus et Deus," meaning "Lord and God," limiting the power of the senators who had so threatened his father's and brother's rule.

He built temples, stadiums, statues to glorify his name, and the people, seeing such a display of wealth, were already beginning to recognize him as a deity.

And Domitian had no intention of ending up like his father, who was deified by dying on his feet: he would become a god in life and benefit from it over the years.

The people would love him.

More than his father. More than Titus.

It was evening. Domitian looked at the two men sleeping beside him, with whom he had just spent a night of passion. One had short hair and dark skin, with a muscular build. The other was slimmer, with red hair. They had satisfied him, but now that he was emperor, he could find slaves like them whenever he wanted.

He got up forcefully, put on his robe, and approached the balcony of his imperial room.

Rome glittered below him in the light of torches and braziers. There was silence, mitigated by a faint and continuous hum. The city's breath.

He looked toward the Colosseum and smiled. What was supposed to be the building for which his father would be remembered had become his personal playground. An arena where anything was allowed. The place where he could make people love his thirst for revenge and sadism.

He thought of Tenax and smiled again.

That man was of rare intelligence and cunning, and he was crafting for him true stories to follow with attention. Cruel stories, sure, but stories. With a beginning and a happy ending.

And then, he was a man with a thousand plans and a thousand assets to manage. His golden faction, still battle-hardened and glorious, his tavern, his properties, and the Aedile Ludi activities.

An interesting man.

Domitian thought he had never had sex with such an interesting man, and the thought ignited his desire.

He could have forced Tenax. As a plebeian, he could not refuse an order from his lord and master.

But for his perverse pleasure, he wanted Tenax to give himself to him. To kneel before him without a choice.

To realize he was his and only his.

They had shared so much in their climb to power.

It was time to share everything.

In due time.

-I can wait- he murmured.

The wind carried it away.

***

Tenax was at the tavern.

Evening was approaching, and Maider was performing for the last time.

-I was twenty-four years old

When I met the woman I would call my own

Twenty-two grandkids now growing old

In that house that your brother bought ya!

The crowd danced, drank, and clapped in time. Reilo, the drummer, had red hands from playing so much, and Maider herself was visibly tired.

Tenax watched her, captivated. As much as it pained him to admit it, he loved hearing her sing, and for the past week, he had looked forward to nothing more than their walks to and from home to talk a little with her.

He knew she had trouble sleeping, much like him. She hadn't felt like telling him why, and he didn't ask to avoid making her uncomfortable: but when the topic came up, it was one of the few times she lost her playful demeanor and withdrew into herself, which pained him.

Then again, he wasn't particularly inclined to talk about his past either, so they talked about other things, or, rarely, didn't talk at all. But with Maider, conversation topics always came up.

-Tenax?

The man turned. Cala had gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

-Yes?

-Can we talk privately for a moment?

-Sure- he nodded, then pointed to the curtains separating the back of the tavern -After you.

Once safely away from prying ears, Cala said:

-I know Domitian is no longer furious with Kwame. It seems... it seems that being emperor is distracting him from his hatred towards him. He's focused on something else, which is good.

Tenax swallowed.

"Oh, wonderful, damn it."

-I just... I just wanted to thank you for protecting him these past two years. I know it hasn't been easy, and that you've always tried to keep him out of sight, so that people would slowly forget about him. With the emperor's indifference, the people will follow, and perhaps it will be possible to buy his freedom.

-I don't know if Domitian will ever offer him the wooden sword, not after what happened. But perhaps it could be possible to pay his ransom; he's become an "elder" of the arena by now. I've made sure others became stars, and that he remained a legend. I'm not saying it will happen right now, but with the right amount of sesterces...

-Oh, with the work here I've saved up quite a bit. And Kwame has received gifts and money he's saved over time. He has his own small crowd of admirers.

-At least fifty thousand sesterces will be needed, Cala.

Cala sighed.

-I can manage that.

Tenax looked her in the eye. Cala had become a friend over time. There was a moment when he would have wanted to kill her; but that was another time, and perhaps it was also another Tenax.

-I could help you, if needed.

-I don't want your money, Tenax.

-I'd give you what you lack, and then you could pay me back over time. I thought I was doing you a favor.

Cala studied him. His blue eyes avoided her gaze.

-Since when did you become a good person?

He gave her a tight-lipped smile.

-Just needed a little digging, I guess.

On the other side of the curtain, Maider finished singing with a decisive chord on her chitaràs.

The crowd erupted in a thunderous applause.

-It's time to go home- Tenax said.

Cala lowered her head.

-At your command, Aedile Ludi.

Tenax looked up at the sky, then walked past her, pushing aside the curtain.

***

Tenax couldn't sleep.

He got up from bed. He was only wearing short linen pants.

He would go to the main hall, have a bit of wine, and maybe he'd be able to get some sleep.

He had only taken a few steps when he heard a voice singing softly.

The notes floated in the evening air, reaching gently into the hallway of the rooms.

Tenax followed those notes as if drawn by a siren's song.

Of course, they were coming from Maider's room.

Was she still awake? And why was she singing so softly?

He gently pushed the door ajar to hear the lyrics better. Maider was sitting on her bed with a lyre in her hands, singing:

-Stone cold, stone cold, you see me standing but I'm dying on the floor...

Tenax felt touched by those words. Perhaps he moved too abruptly, or maybe he sighed too loudly, but Maider heard him and stopped singing. She hid the lyre behind her.

-Who's there?

Tenax stepped forward with his hands raised.

-Tenax?- she asked, concerned -Did I wake you? I'm so sorry, I...

-I'm the one who's sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop- he quickly said -But I couldn't sleep, and then I heard you singing...

Maider's expression softened.

-I couldn't sleep either. Too many bad memories. Music... it's how I heal, I think.

The room was lit by a faint candle. Tenax noticed that Maider's narrow eyes, in that dim light, glistened more than usual.

He didn't intend to stay at the door like a broom handle.

-I'm coming back to my room. But please, keep singing, don't...

Maider was moved as if by a supernatural force.

She stopped him.

-Wait!

They locked eyes. Green eyes met blue eyes. Time stood still.

-If you want, you can stay. I just finished composing the song, and a second opinion would be nice.

Tenax hesitated only for a moment. Then he entered.

-Alright.

He took a few steps towards her, then gestured towards the end of the bed. Maider nodded.

-Go ahead. The bed is yours. This house is yours.

Tenax considered that she was right. But part of him felt compelled to be respectful. He sat at the foot of the bed.

-So, this song?

Maider nodded. She had been too focused on him, on his sweaty, half-naked body. On those big, expressive, and incredibly blue eyes.

-Oh, yes. Here it is.

She cleared her throat. And began to sing, modulating her voice.

-Stone cold, stone cold...

Tenax listened to every word. The notes from Maider's mouth floated in the air, reaching peaks of musical perfection that Tenax had never believed he could hear.

It was the story of a deep, sharp pain. A story of abuse, of suffering, and the hope for rebirth.

He watched Maider as she sang and thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Yes, Tenax, the former criminal, the king of the Suburra who had made himself with fists and stabbings, believed that a twenty-five-year-old Jewish girl, a slave, who had suffered such great abuse that she couldn’t sleep, who sang accompanied by a lyre, was the missing piece in his life.

The piece that could ideally reunite him with Quintus.

That could make him stop fighting.

Maider finished. She had sung with all her heart. When she performed, she tried not to reveal too much of herself to those who listened. She just wanted to entertain people, and that was enough.

But now, next to that thirty-five-year-old man with countless scars and a nebulous past, she felt she could confide in him. She felt she could give him her heart for safekeeping, even if only for a little while. Even if he was her master.

No one dared to say a word. That song awakened their traumas, but at the same time, it bound them and healed them. Tenax swallowed with difficulty.

—It's beautiful. I want... I want you to perform it tomorrow.

Maider snapped out of her reverie.

—It's personal. Perhaps too personal.

—I know. I can see that— he looked at her —But I have no doubt it will touch everyone's hearts. You can play it in the evening when there are fewer people.

Maider sighed.

—I suppose I have no choice.

—Trust me. It will help you.

Maider looked at him.

—I think... letting you hear it has already helped me.

Tenax hesitated.

—You've helped me too. Everyone has their traumas, you'll see that... people will like it as much as I do.

—If that's the case, fine. I'll try.

—I don't doubt it.

Reason told him to get up, but he remained seated.

—Is... is that why you can't sleep?

Maider set the lyre aside.

—What happened on the journey to Rome marked me deeply. For days and days, I pretended to be someone I'm not, just to protect myself. Just to... avoid suffering more. But I suffered anyway, and a lot.

A tear ran down her cheek, but Maider didn’t notice.

—You think you're a certain type of person, then life puts you to the test, and you discover that you're willing to do anything just to survive. When I was on that stage, at my sale as a slave, I thought I would break. I had tried not to until that moment, but I saw it as inevitable. And then...— she laughed softly, shaking her head —I sang those few words and I saw you. And I understood...

—Yes?

Maider hesitated.

—I understood that I wouldn’t break.

Tenax nodded. Had he expected more?

—Got it.

He reluctantly stood up. He started to head for the door.

—Tenax...

He closed his eyes. He reopened them and turned around.

—I know nothing about you— Maider said to him.

He sighed.

—It's better that way. You wouldn’t look at me the same.

Maider shook her head.

—Put me to the test.

Tenax felt his heart tighten.

—Not today— he told her —Good night, Maider.

And he left the room.

After taking a few steps, he leaned against the wall and let himself fall.

His head in his hands.

***

Hi everyone! Eli here. Hope you liked this new chapter. Let me know in the comments ehat you think. Thank you ❤️

[justinewt]

Familia Mea Mihi Omnia Est - THOSE ABOUT TO DIE REWRITE Chapter Four

[THOSE ABOUT TO DIE MASTERLIST]

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

Summary: 5th of Augustus, 79 CE. Another food riot in the city led to chaos in the city and the only way to distract the roman citizens were games. A chariot race was called and Tenax and Aldea got ready quickly. There wasn't supposed to be race that day but it meant they had to go set up for betting. Aldea didn't expect who she would see at the Circus Maximus, right before the race even started.

Words: 4.3k

Warnings: title means "my family is my everything" // Those about to die spoilers (episode 1 "Rise or Die" and one scene from episode 2 "Trust None"), fluff

It was very late that day of Augustus, the sun had set when Aldea saw Tenax come back to the tavern after leaving with his right arm, Dacia, one of the most loyal men that worked for him. Tenax trusted him to the point that he was the one he asked if he needed someone to watch over his wife. She knew that, but she didn’t know that Tenax hadn’t just asked him to keep an eye on her. He had given word to every single man working for him, making the betting tavern the safest place she could be at, which was why he let his pregnant wife keep on working – because she liked working, yes, but also because she was safe there.

Once the betting tavern closed after the last race ended a while ago, she went to the orphans they had under their care. She had known them for about as long as she known Tenax, and even longer than they had been a couple. She quickly saw the two men leave the tavern and she knew where they might be off to now, while not knowing anything at all at the same time. Tenax was off doing what Tenax does – dealing with people. Whether that meant only threatening or killing them. She had grown accustomed to his business and though she didn’t like it – she knew he didn’t either – but she knew who she had married, and she was surprised with how easy it was for to turn a blind eye to his actions. His business was what allowed for their comfortable life, despite being plebeians. They rarely spoke of it anyway, but he didn’t keep her in the dark either. If she asked about it, he would tell her certain things, keeping quiet on his actual crimes to preserve her, but if she really didn’t want to know, she just didn’t ask. And she often simply didn’t ask about where he had been the previous night. She loved him, knowing very well he was considered a criminal – the king of the Suburra. Aldea herself had gotten a nickname, which came from Scorpus’ habit to call her Spanish princess.

She had cooked dinner for the kids while laughing because of how impatient they were to get food from her and ask about her baby. She was about four months pregnant at this point, but still barely showing, especially dressed in her tunic and toga. They always argued with each other on whether it would be a boy or a girl. It seemed they were taking their older siblings’ role very seriously. It was beyond funny and adorable to her. By the time she was done cooking for them by the torches’ light. The children had moved out of the way to let Tenax pass. She put down the pot on the table and looked over her shoulder, locking eyes with him as he gave her and the children a smile. As she served the food to the children, she watched Tenax walk away, two of his men lifting the curtains to clear the way for him to the betting counter. She had also worked at the counter during the day already, as she did almost every day whenever there were races or gladiator fights, there were several of one or the other every day. The gambling tavern of Tenax was the largest and most profitable in all of Rome. People knew Tenax, though it wasn’t his real name, and they knew her too, from afar. Tenax was the only plebeian roman of all the Suburra to have married a former Spaniard slave.

Tenax then came back and once the kids had finished eating, he took them with him to the ludus beastus at the other side of the Circus Maximus. She went to the stables to meet with Gavros, whom she sometimes helped caring and prepping the horses. She grew up with horses and it only made sense for her to hand around the beasts, in the absence of being able to ride them. The couple was awakened from their sleep the next morning by the screams and shouting of the mob in the streets of the Suburra. Aldea turned on her back, leaning on her elbow after Tenax sat up with a start. He stared at the window before pushing the blanket aside and getting out of bed.

“What is it?” She asked quietly as she joined him by the window. People were running down the street, shouting to go to the Palatine – the emperor’s palace adjoined to the Circus Maximus. Another food riot probably, but they saw, right outside their house, three young men standing there and letting everyone run past them. One, with red hair, put pouches of what Aldea assumed to be coins in the hands of his friends and they left in the opposite direction. They started this riot for some reason and both Aldea and Tenax understood this, though they had no idea what was going on with those three. Maybe Tenax would find out eventually, but Aldea would just go on about her day. About 20 minutes later, they heard the rumbling of drums echoing through the whole city, meaning there was going to be a race today. It was clear that it was to distract the mob and interrupt the riot because there wasn’t supposed to be a race today, but now there was. Dacia and Noro came in the apartment, looking a little concerned and anxious.

“Drums.”

“I’m not deaf.” Tenax was fastening the large leather belt at his waist as he walked up to them. Aldea stood in the back of the bedroom and threw her cloak over shoulder, securing it right above her broken collarbone with a brooch. She never went out with just her beige stola, which was sleeveless.

“Scorpus is nowhere to be found. Fimbria has looked everywhere.” Noro said.

“I can guess, I’ll go get him. You two get set up for the betting.” They followed him to the door, giving a nod to Aldea to greet her as she walked through the apartment with them and went to Claudia, their housekeeper, in the kitchen. The latter still stood by the front door. Upon noticing Aldea come out of the house with them, Tenax glanced at her – she knew he wanted her to stay home because of the riot but she wasn’t about to sit on her ass the whole day – and Dacia directly told him she would be safe with them and not to worry so he just ordered to keep her away from the stables and he left on his own to go find Scorpus, where he was always found, in a brothel. She wouldn’t risk venture around the stables until after the race because once people saw Tenax bringing Scorpus around, they would definitely get followed by a crowd and it would be dangerous for her. She stayed at the betting counter, working with Dacia taking the bets. It was already set in her mind that she would go to the stables once everyone had gone to watch the race.

“Aldea! Aldea!” Nica, one of the kids came running in the tavern, calling out to her. She took a bet, motioning for her to wait a second and she walked out from behind the counter, kneeling in front of the little girl to be at her height.

“What’s going on?”

“I was at the stables, helping Gavros with Incitatus. I saw three Spaniards standing in front of the blue faction stable.”

 “Okay. You’re telling me this because I’m a Spaniard? I don’t know them all, you know?” She chuckled with a shrug, an amused grin on her face. Her mind instantly started thinking about her brothers, but she didn’t know what they would be doing in Rome years later, and tried not to take the kid’s words seriously to not get her hopes up and end up disappointed and sad, as she usually did when thinking about her family. She missed them terribly. Her brothers had always been her best friends, and their absence definitely left a large hole in her heart. “Are you sure they’re even actually Spanish and not just a little tanned?”

“You’re from Baetica, right? One of them said he had a letter of, uh, of introduction from Baetica.” No words left Aldea’s mouth. She felt a little stunned, wanting to believe it and not wanting to believe it at the same time. She didn’t know the kids remembered everything she had told them about her family, how she was from Hispania baetica and had three brothers. She told them about her family in the beginning, but it was hard to talk about them after a while, feeling like she would never get to see them ever again and she stopped talking about it, but they might be there, and she was having conflicted thoughts over it. Maybe they were just three random Spaniards, that happened to be from the same region as her but were totally unrelated. Maybe it was the case, and maybe they knew the Corsi family name but not the actual family. They weren’t the only ones to raise horses in the whole region. She quickly sent the kid away, telling her they would go back to the stables after the race had begun and the stables would be less hectic. The bell was ringing loudly as Tenax came in, letting them know Scorpus was racing, and the name was added to the slates on the wall behind them.

“Blue Faction!” He exclaimed, slamming his hands on the counter. “Nine to three odds, driver… Scorpus!”

Hearing this, betters clamored to the desk, rushing in droves to place more bets. There was twice as more work once Scorpus’ name was announced and Aldea couldn’t exactly slip away to go check who were the Spaniards that Nica saw at the stables. What she did instead was to ask her to run back to the stables, see if they were still there, and ask them their names. The little girl remembered Aldea’s brothers’ names and darted across the tavern.  She counted the seconds that passed until she came back, some 5 minutes later. Nica was positive, excitingly telling her that the names of the three men were indeed the same as those of her brothers: Andria, Fonsoa and Elia. Aldea took a shaky breath, shocked and looked around, unable to think clearly for a brief moment. Nica was pulling her arm. Tenax saw the trouble in her eyes and came up to her, a hand on her shoulder.

“Are you feeling all right? Do you need Dacia to walk you home?” He probably thought that because she was pregnant, she was feeling tired or ill, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. The shock and excitement were such that she was just straight up stunned.

“My brothers are here.” She finally said before letting Nica drag her to the stables. She didn’t take the risk to run so they walked with a brisk step, but Aldea stopped in her tracks midway, staring in the distance. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw them at the end of the hallway. She could only see Andria and Elia. As the latter took a step aside before turning around, she saw Fonsoa walk away in the opposite direction. Elia was the first to see her and make eye contact with her, and his heart definitely skipped a beat as well. He took big steps, soon sprinting towards her and almost throwing himself at her, wrapping his arms around her, both sobbing as they repeated each other’s names. None of them could believe it. She couldn’t believe she was reunited with her brothers, minus Fonsoa who would join them later.

“Oh, mi querido hermanito—” She sobbed. “Mi precioso hermanito… My precious baby brother, Elia.” The bond between Aldea and Elia was even more special since she and Fonsoa had raised him from birth since their mother died in childbirth, and Andria was always off with the horses. They had their father and their grandfather, great male figures present in their lives, but she was the sole and only maternal figure Elia ever had. He cried in her arms, mumbling in Spanish, articulating so little she couldn’t understand everything he was saying. She wasn’t surprised he had gotten so emotional; he was her little, sensible brother. Andria joined them, putting his arms around his younger siblings and held them tightly, gently cradling his sister’s head in head. They took a step back, not fully breaking their embrace, all three of them wiping their tears with smiles on their faces. “The race is about to start. We should go get our tickets if you wanna attend. You’ll see, the Circus is so big. It’s great.”

“Yes. We’ll talk later, when Fonsoa comes back.” Andria acquiesced, giving her a kiss on the temple and they walked to the entrance. Aldea was about to get coins from the pouch she carried under her cloak, but Elia was adamant as to buy her the ticket and they squabbled in spanish at the ticket office and she laughed, sharing an amused look with Andria, letting her little brother pay for her. They climbed the stairs and found themselves nice seats. Elia was so happy to see his sister again, he clinged onto her hand. The crowd was cheering, waiting for it to begin. Now that she was sat and no longer in the heat of the moment, she realized she hadn’t told Tenax where she was going but she figured one of the kids, or someone around them must have seen her leave with her brothers. Three Spaniards hugging and crying, talking in Spanish in the middle of the Circus Maximus’ stables shouldn’t didn’t really go unnoticed. 

The siblings giggled, looking around them. Elia was so excited to be there, it was adorable to see. Aldea took it upon herself to explain it all to them, pointing at the factions’ booths, showing the consuls and senators sitting in the colors of their factions, and she showed the imperial platform. The emperor, dressed in his bright white robe was already sitting there with his younger son, Domitian. Their attention quickly went to Passus, the games’ master, as he addressed the crowd, his voice echoing through the sports’ arena.

“Citizens of Rome.” Lots of people in the crowd cheered louder, standing up. Passus held out his hand towards the gate behind which the drivers waited. One behind the other, they paraded around the spina. “I present to you: the contestants! Four factions, eight chariots and eight drivers! Try or die! For… victory! The Greens, seeking a win, after loss, after loss… after loss… And the Reds, is it painted red or is it blood from the last seen shipwreck? And the White Faction, with Xenon, their lead driver. The Adonis of the Esquiline!” Aldea laughed, seeing all the women giggling and cheering and covering their faces. But they weren’t the only fans of Xenon’s. Lots of people were screaming his name. “And wiping up the rear! The Blues, with Kirko and the Great Scorpus!”

“Scorpus!” Aldea cheered, raising her hand and Elia’s up in the air as she shouted her friend’s name joyfully.

“Ah, you see, Elia? She gets it.”

“I get what?” She lowered their hands, turning her head towards Andria.

“We saw Scorpus in the stables. Elia said he didn’t seem that special.”

“He still doesn’t.” The young man shrugged.

“Oh, he’s great. I know him well. He’s a friend of mine and my husband.”

“He’s your friend?”

“You have a husband?” Andria and Elia’s talked over one another, their questions overlapping but she could tell who asked what. They both heard her despite the loud crowd, but they didn’t pick up on the same detail. She wasn’t even surprised to hear Elia ask about her husband, staring at her, looking somewhat upset. Aldea had always been amused by how expressive her brother was. They weren’t even listening to Passus at this point.

“Yes. You’ll meet him later. He owns the largest betting tavern in all of Rome. We got married last year. I was really sad not to have you, my dear brothers, with me. But now you’re here and I couldn’t be happier. How I’ve missed you!” She sketched a large smile, grinning from one ear to the other, as she playfully rubbed her little brother’s hair, putting her arms around his shoulders to hug him before turning back to the arena. The drivers had returned behind the gate, waiting in their lanes until Passus let a white handkerchief fall to the floor and the stall doors opened, unleashing all the charioteers onto the tracks. Aldea loved watching the races. Her eyes followed Scorpus the whole time. Xenon’s supporters cheered for him as he took the lead during the first few rounds. At some point, Scorpus’ peer, Kirko, got into an accident and he went flying in the air, landing on the tracks.

“Shipwreck!” The crowd was chanting. Aldea frowned slightly. It was the only thing that didn’t amuse her at all when it came to chariot racing – the death aspect of it. It was a dangerous event afterall and there was at least one shipwreck per race.

“Aldea?” She turned to her left and looked up, seeing someone stand next to her. She had recognized Fonsoa’s voice, and they locked eyes. He was as shocked as Andria and Elia had been back at the stables. He drew her into a hug and pressed his cheek against hers. They could feel each other smile broadly. He grabbed her shoulders, taking a good look at her. He was in disbelief but couldn’t stop smiling and shook his head, chuckling. Fonsoa kept his arm around her back, holding her shoulder – thankfully the good one or he would have been wondering why there was no bone. They turned back to the race as bell chimed. “What did I miss?”

“Not much.” Andria told him as they watched people come out from the stalls under them, rushing to come and collect the fallen drivers and horses after the shipwreck. Kirko managed to stand up, clearly disoriented. He walked in the middle of the tracks after everyone had cleared out because the chariots were coming back. Aldea closed her eyes, turning her head towards Fonsoa and sighing through her nose when the young driver got ran over and strampled by the mounts and the wheels of the rigs. As the second to last round came, Elia pointed at Scorpus with his hand. He was behind in the race.

“Look at those two centre horses, they’re barely pulling.” He complained. Aldea knew why that was the case. He wasn’t doing it for no reason, there must be some money to be made from doing this, making someone’s bet fail on purpose perhaps but she kept quiet. Elia was unimpressed by Scorpus and didn’t seem to like him, probably because of his arrogance and the way he carried himself like the celebrity he was. Those two things were very funny to Aldea and were the reasons she liked Scorpus.

“He’s famous for his come-from-behind victories.” Aldea said. Then the last bell rang as they entered the last round of the race. It would be over in a minute or so. She laughed and cheered when he raced past his contestants, taking the lead within a dozen seconds. Xenon came up next to him and the two drivers were neck and neck and with one snap of the reins, Scorpus was first again and won the race. Aldea jerked to her feet, Fonsoa’s hand falling off her shoulder. She cheered loudly in excitement at her friend’s victory and sat back down. The solemn trumpet called the end of the race and people began standing up to leave. The Corsi siblings eventually left as well. As they walked, they came by a bunch of prostitutes standing to the side and Fonsoa was drawn to them like moths to a flame and she chuckled, shaking her head. Elia didn’t shake his head for the same reason, frowning. He looked upset and quite annoyed by their brother ditching them for a harlot. Andria playfully punched his shoulder.

“You brought horses to Rome?” She asked.

“Yes, do you wanna see them? Ferox has missed you. Come.” Elia’s smile returned and he grabbed her wrist. She didn’t flinch or wince, but she blinked as a reflex when he pulled on her wrong arm. She subtly switched the arm he held, and they walked to the stables. She was excited to see Ferox again, it was one of the horses she took care of back home and her and Elia’s favorite. She saw the way Andria looked at her after Elia took her arm and she knowingly ignored it. She wouldn’t be able to lie to her big brother and had no desire to get into all that she went through before coming to Rome. She didn’t want to stain the memory they had of her, as if she was the one who had done something wrong. Though she knew it wasn’t, she still couldn’t stop putting the blame on herself. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind when she saw ten Andalusian stallions, white as snow; Beautiful beasts. She observed them and recognized Ferox and went to pet him first.

“Aldea?” Gavros’ voice rose as he approached the three Spaniards. His eyes were going back and forth between her and the two brothers he had surely met earlier.

“They’re my brothers. I told you about them, you remember?”

“Oh, they’re your brothers?” He seemed pleasantly surprised and smiled, nodding.

“Where’s Tenax? I didn’t see him when we walked past the tavern.”

“He must have gone to see Scorpus in the drivers’ changing room if he wasn’t there.” She acquiesced, looking back at the horses happily, petting them.

“Who’s Tenax?” Elia asked.

“That’s my husband. You’ll meet him soon enough.

“It is getting late; we should get you home.” Andria spoke. She nodded in agreement and stepped away from the horses. Elia noticed Gavros walking by the stables and bringing Incitatus inside the blue faction’s one. His siblings followed him in there. Elia walked up to the seasoned stablehand while his three siblings stood by the door.

“How do you know Andalusians?” Elia enquired.

“I drove them. A long time ago.”

“You raced? Well, there are no horses out there to equal our Andalusians.” Scorpus walked past the siblings, marching with a quick and assured step into the stable. He saluted Aldea upon seeing her, giving her a friendly and jokingly flirty smile. She laughed.

“How are they?” He asked, passing by Gavros and Elia, going to see Incitatus in the stall at the very end of the stable.

“Sorna and Sista got their legs cut from the debris. We’ll have to rest them for a week.”

“Andalusians, huh?” Scorpus then walked back to Gavros and Elia. He leaned on a stall door and chuckled. “Gavros, and Aldea, have a high opinion of Andalusians. I think they’re pigs.”

“They’re faster than your bays, sturdier and more nimble.” Elia crossed his arms, facing the charioteer, ready to throw hands with him if he kept on criticizing their horses. Gavros watched the young man as he walked around him. “If they’re pigs, what does that make your Bays?”

“Listen to the boy, who does he remind you of?” He smirked, looking at Gavors.

“I was thinking me. But now… I’m thinking you.” Aldea chuckled at this comment.

“Tomorrow afternoon… I’ll take a look at your Andalusians.” Elia excitingly reached for Gavros’ arm. Fonsoa and Andria went up to them while Scorpus stopped by Aldea.

“I’ll walk you home. I have to go see tenax for something. Does he know you’re still here?”

“I told him I was with my brothers.” He stopped, raising his eyebrows and looking over his shoulder at the three Spaniards around Gavros, pointing at them with his thumb. He was surprised, to say the least.

“They’re your brothers? The brothers you’ve been telling us about? I see where the little one gets his temper from.” He scoffed, softly poking her shoulder with his fist.

“I’ll say goodbye and we can go.” He nodded and stood right outside the stable, grabbing onto his large leather belt. Elia saw her and immidietaly jogged towards her, almost taking leaps instead of steps. He seemed sad and almost worried to let her go, and she laughed quietly with how urgedly he took her in his arms and how tightly he held her against him, as though he feared to let her go. She smiled, closing her eyes and rubbing his back, cradling his head in her hand.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? I won’t disappear overnight again.” It broke her heart to have to promise that. She wished it never happened to begin with. She felt a deep sens of guilt for having already disappeared on them years ago, and maybe making them think she was dead all this time and having to grieve a living person. Or maybe they still had the hope she was somewhere out there, all this time. She was convinced that Elia had refused to believe she was dead, no matter how long it had been since she had gone missing. It took a good minute for Elia to break the embrace, and she caressed his cheek tenderly as he stared at her with a sad frown. He just wouldn't take her eyes off her as if she was going to disappear into thin air, right before his eyes. She then hugged her two other brothers as well and walked out of the stables with Scorpus.

[To be continued…]  

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

Published (08/18/2024) by Andrea