A Day in Rome

[Khan_Benitera]

Khana nodded gently and gave a soft, somewhat sad smile before he started drawing once more. He drew two figures, identical to one another and holding hands and pointed at himself and an empty space beside him. However the next picture was far more depressing than his previous ones.

It was a picture of the same figures only one of them was dead and the other seemed to be bowing, morning him. He pointed lightly at the mourning figure and then himself, his face betraying his sadness. It seemed he had been a twin as well, but his brother had not made it in his journey across the sands.

He heard footsteps aproach and he looked up to see the other twin aplearing with food. He gave him a small grateful smile, but the sadness still lingered there. What he wouldn't have given then to have his brother with him once more.

[PrincessLUV]

"I don't NEED anything but escape myself," she replied laughingly. "Tell me how you always manage to get out of her view. Look at her watching me like a hawk even from a distance. I imagine she just wanted to see if I'd run off and find trouble."

She looked up at her guard, pleased her father had assigned someone young and kind rather than the brute that had guarded her mother and herself years ago. No, she enjoyed Grad very much so. He knew when to speak and what to say. He was more than capable of dealing with her nonsense.

"We should lose her, see the city ourselves. I've never been any further than this. Please Grad?" She practically begged as her nurse's back was turned.

~
Cato looked over Aticus, grinning slightly as though he was pleased with the result of his order. He filled in Aurora's empty seat and leaned forward to speak.

"Tell me, soldier, what is your stance on the Emperor and his conquests of the west?"

[Tsumugi Kotobuki]

"My lady, you know I have to follow your orders, so shall we go?" Grad looked down at her and smiled, it always paid to be in someone's good graces. "Just stay close to me Aurora, if I lose you, it's my head." Grad quickly grabbed her and put her arm through his, "I'll take you to the Coliseum, you have seen it from far away, but this day you will see what most other slaves go through, and how lucky the slaves under your father..." Grad looked back, luckily Fatima was still turned and he took it as an opportunity to move forward. "Come my lady, we shall depart," they disappeared into the crowds.

[PrincessLUV]

Aurora smiled at grad, then frowned, then smiled again when he led her away to the Coliseum. She knew that her father was a good master to the men under him, having seen how the other wealthy citizens treated their own. She had never seen the Coliseum though, knowing of the fights that went on but little else. Her father would gamble there and pick up men. As they passed a stall she laid down coin and took a simple shawl to cover herself as they blended into the crowd.

"It wasn't an order, Grad, but merely a request. I enjoy your company whether you'd believe it or not." She smirked a little, showing him her face as they neared the great stadium.

[Sphere]

Roman watched the older male's expression, his own turning into one of horror when the other male had shown that he was a twin as well, like himself and Rowan but it seemed that his twin brother didn't survive the ordeal with the bandits. If Khana had been as close to his twin as Roman was with Rowan then he shuddered to think what the older male was feeling. He didn't think he could bare loosing Rowan. He'd rather die with his brother than live on without him. Just then Rowan came in, passing food to them all. Khana smiled but he looked a bit sad.

"Rowan... I found out something about Khana." Roman said once his brother was close enough to be wrapped in a half hug. A quick exchange of words and Rowan was filled in on what was going on. Feeling like he understood the other's pain, he grabbed the clay block his brother had been using earlier and drew 3 figures in a hut, pointing the figure to each individual it depicted and basically asking Khana to come stay with until they got things sorted out.

[Tsumugi Kotobuki]

Grad laughed and looked down at Aurora, she was a very attractive girl, which was more the reason why he had to keep her close, for if she was just walking beside him, he didn't dare think about what would happen. "My lady, please, do not smirk at me so, I may fall for you......" Aurora's face changed immediately to one of shock, seeing this he quickly said, "I'm joking, I'm joking, don't take it so seriously." Grad looked back down the path, they were almost there. The sound of cheering and the clash of metal against metal. "Prepare yourself for the smell, I'm used to it having been in many battles."

Grad bought Aurora's and his seats, once they were seated the clash they had heard had just ended. Now a new one began, there was a man and a woman on opposite sides of each other. "The woman is Vixen. She is one of the best gladiators in the Coliseum hell, even I had a rough run with her, but were good friends."

[PrincessLUV]

He saw her shock, but missed the blush that came after as she adjusted the shawl. Honestly she wouldn't mind his affections, though her father would never approve. He had set her up, with much failure, with many politicians and other aristocrats. He did not realize she was not to the taste of many or too intelligent for the ones who found her to be a lovely form.

She allowed Grad to lead her to the seats, listening to his commentary with great interest as this was new to her. So this was where father found his slaves and warriors. His 'little army' she called it as they were the most protected household in the empire next to the emperor himself though you would never know it. There were not many men but all had great skills.

"I didn't realize you were a gladiator..."

[Tsumugi Kotobuki]

"I was only one for a short time. It was fun, but I was one of the lucky ones. See, your father chose me, because I was a friend to practically every gladiator in the Coliseum. I was young and strong, but I was also educated and well versed in many languages other than ours," Grad was still watching Vixen, the man was good, but he lacked spirit and strategy, "His first words to me, after he bought me, were 'I want you to protect my daughter, no matter the problem. Befriend her, teach her, and.......' This is the best part 'Never let her out of your sight. She is my everything, now that she is gone.' Anyways those were his words to me." Grad placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it a little, "I've done good so far haven't I?"

[PrincessLUV]

Aurora bit her lip, smiling a bit but trying to stop herself. He had done a fantastic job, providing her safety in her father's stead as well as friendship. Frankly, she believed he was the best person under her father's employ. Fatima was fantastic but she was harsh at times and too protective. Like a mother...She leaned forward, trying to concentrate on the fight so she wouldn't get Grad into trouble with her thoughts and actions.

"We're the lucky ones to have you, Grad," she said as the man below took a harsh blow from Vixen. He didn't seem all in but he was talented, that was nothing to be missed. The fight was close to reaching a climax and cheers erupted around her as blows were dealt one by one. She was on the edge of her seat now, almost entranced by the movement of the bodies. She imaged her guard in battle, Having never seen such a thing. It made her cringe, the thought that he could lose, so she directed her thoughts to the warrior woman. The female was glorious and unforgiving, fighting for survival and reputation. It made her heart pound as her hands clenched in excitement.

The blow was dealt, the man flew to the ground causing a small dust storm as the crowd erupted. She felt like such a rebel being there! Fatima was likely having a heart attack while convincing herself that everything was ok. She jumped up with the others around her only to be jousted. Pretending nothing happened she shifted the shawl and turned to Grad.

"This! THIS is amazing!" She looked back over the crowd. Terrible but amazing, she thought as she cheered withe crowd, not knowing the consequences of losing.

[Axion]

Aticus raised an eyebrow at Cato's question, wondering what the purpose of it was. There was no doubt something to be gauged based on his response, but he was not going to make up the right answer. He was simply going to approach it as he would anything else, with his honest response.

"Well they pay me to fight, so financially the conquests are welcome. Does that mean I would hate it if I got to stay in my humble home, no that would be welcome as well. I realize that is not much of an answer, but it is my answer."

As Cato was a warrior prior to his current position, Aticus had a feeling that his answer would be understood.

[Khan_Benitera]

Khana blinked a little as he ate the food gratefully, it would at least stem the hunger for now it seemed. He watched a bit curiously as the twin that had returned spoke with his brother and he went back to eating his pear, letting the two have their privacy as he looked up and down the nearby street. He would need to get moving soon, he would have to find someone who knew him, or a Temple at least so he could fix his language barrier problem.

He blinked as the other twin drew a picture of something on the tablet, asking him if the three of them could stay together. He stood back up to his full height, but gently shook his head before taking the ink from him and drawing a picture of a large house, the Emperors house that was built like a temple almost before pointed at it, and then himself, he needed to get there first.

[Tsumugi Kotobuki]

Grad watched as the final moments of the battle had come to a close. He cheered with Aurora, but then in the arena a man walked out into the middle. "Ladies and Gentlemen, before we finish this day up, I present your winner, Vixen!!" A roar erupted out of the crowd and then it suddenly got all quiet. "As for the loser... What should be done to him? He was beat by a woman one that fights better than him....."

They cheered two words, Lions Den. Grad had to get Aurora out of here before that happened. The crowd cheered and got even louder, this was a sign that the lions had already been released. "Aurora this isn't suitable for your eyes...." Grad watched as the Lions had begun. Their roars were terrifying, the man ran screaming and begging them to let him out, but the gates didn't budge. Then they pounced....

[PrincessLUV]

Cato listened carefully to the boy's words. It seemed he was an honest young man, not looking for approval which could prove dangerous on his ice under the wrong supervision. He liked the answer though, he wasn't going to say it but he liked it very much. This man wanted a paycheck but not at the expense of lives. Lives would be on the line though. Many.

"Fair enough. I won't ask you to go to battle, not for now anyways." He leaned back on the plush couch, "I'm bringing in some dangerous men to do minor work for me. I want you to ensure they are tame no matter the circumstance. Can you handle that?"

~

The crowd was so excited, and so was she. Her thought was the victor would get spoils and the loser would be likely to fight again. The crowd began to chant 'Lions Den' and she had no idea what that was. Everything happened so fast. The great beasts lunged at the man, he had no chance. She knew people fought lions but this was no fight. It was a feeding. She barely heard Grad speaking with the pounding in her ears. Everything slowed down only to speed up as teeth gouged the skin. Aurora felt dizzy she turned burying herself in Grad's chest without thoughts of the consequences. She could hear a man tell Grad that if she could not handle the fights then she shouldn't be brought to the event. Frankly, it made her angry. She turned swiftly and slapped the man leaving a harsh red mark as he called out. Her eyes widened and she grabbed Grad's hand.

"That wasn't great was it? Should we run?" The man reached for her but she was already off, letting go of his had to navigate the crowd. No wonder her father was so strict.

[Tsumugi Kotobuki]

Grad was behind her all the way. Until he decided to pick her up and run with her under his arm. Grad ran all the way back to where the Market was. He set Aurora down and tried to catch his breath, "Well that was fun," Grad gave her a wide smile and started laughing, "You gave him quite the mark to remember you by." He recalled her reaction to the Lions feeding off the man. Her face against his chest, it gave him a soft feeling inside. His face showed what he was feeling right now, in its own bright red way. "I'm sorry you had to see that, the crowd chooses what the verdict is, I was one of the lucky ones. I don't blame you if you don't want to go back there ever again." Grad then hugged her to calm her down some.

[Axion]

Aticus took in the words spoken to him, nodding as it was all explained. Despite Cato not wanting to show it, he knew his answer was accepted. He gave a light smirk, adding quickly to the end of his answer.

"You do know, however, that if anyone else asks, my answer will not be what I told you. I gave you my answer in confidence, warrior to warrior. Should anyone ask you to repeat my answer, my answer was 'Glory to Rome! All her enemies will fall before our might!' just so we are on the same page..."

He raised an eyebrow at the mention of the dangerous people coming to his estate, his smirk widening as he was asked if he could handle it.

"To answer your question about being up for the job, I answer it with a question of my own as the answers are the same. Was I once a champion gladiator? I will ensure they are kept in line, though I will be blunt, I will only kill them as a last resort, or if they violate any instructions you deem punishable with deadly force, I hope this acceptable."

Aticus was more than capable of killing and was quite good at it, though in this instance, he did not foresee too many situations that would merit it.