"You are an evil bitch!" Caterina High Mistress reared back as if she had been slapped. "How dare you?!" she cried as she raised her hand
to slap Caterina's face. Caterina turned around and threw her hands over her head. She closed her eyes in preparation for a brain shaking slap. "Leave
her alone!" cried a deep, masculine, faintly accented voice. Caterina slowly turned around. The backside of a tall, muscular boy was in front of her. He
had his hands thrown out in front of him to ward off any blows. Caterina looked past the boy to see the High Mistress glaring, her black eyes gleaming
with a vicious hatred. "Dimitri, move unless you wish to be on the receiving end of this slap. That girl needs to learn her place." Dimitri stayed were he
was, "this girl is the Emperor's future wife and I don't think he would like you damaging her face." The High Mistress lowered her hand slowly and then
stepped back. "You will both be put in the basement with bread and water. Perhaps then you two will learn some respect."
"I give respect where respect is due." muttered Dimitri as he turned around to help Caterina up. She couldn't help but smile at the beautifully, handsome
face of the young man that had helped her. "Come along. I know far to well the way to the basement." Dimitri said with a small, yet charming, smile.
They walked through the long, dark hallways, decorated with gaudy and hideous Roman pottery, statues, and bust of famous Roman emperors. Soon,
they reached a large, wood door with a burly guard standing near by."Hey Rufus. Cat and I are here for the same old, same old. Bread, water, nap
time with the rats, you know the drill." Rufus's sun-beaten face cracked with a grin. "Dimitri! Again? And you got the new girl in trouble too?" Dimitri
turned to Cat with a grin before answering. "This one got herself in trouble. Called the High Whore an evil bitch. Truest thing I have heard in a while!"
Rufus looked at Cat with a look of surprise and admiration. You got quite a mouth on you girly. Though, I have to say, I wouldn't mind saying a few
choice words to the biddy myself!" "Thank you sir. She called me a little slut, so I decided to reciprocate with an actual truth." Both Dimitri and Rufus
started guffawing. Rufus slowly stopped laughing and wiped a tear from his eye, "Well, I think you two should head downstairs before the she-devil
comes along. I will see if I can slip you some soup." "Thanks Rufus!" called Dimitri as he and Cat walked down into the poorly lit basement. '"You
shouldn't have gotten into trouble over protecting me." said Cat in a soft voice. Dimitri gave a short bark of laughter, "Now is that anyway to say thank
you? Trust me doll, I make a living off putting that "evil bitch",as you put it, into her place. She is the Emperor's favorite permanent mistress, but he
likes the kids better that the older girls and boys, which makes her jealous." "Kids?", Caterina asked curiously, "Are there more children here?"
Dimitri looked at her in surprise, "the Golden Palace is only for the Emperor's 'kids'. You will meet the the other six later. We are all under the age of
eighteen and there are several siblings."