Hey guys! Welcome to my new project called Blood and Sand. So you see, I recently found my new addiction for Roman films and TV shows, notably: Spartacus. I wanted to try and incorporate the Ninja world, into the Roman world.
Please note that normal conventions of English won't show in conversations. Shakespearean speech will be the common way characters will interact in this story.
Give it a shot and please enjoy!
Prologue
In the country of Konoha, the Roman citizens enjoyed a fair happy life under the rule of the Senate. With an era of peace across all borders, trade has been extensive, and the wealth of most classes sky rocketed. With the wealth rising, Romans starting to spend hefty coin on manual labor, slaves. If there was one class a Roman wanted to avoid, is to fall in the status of slavery. Life is robbed to indefinite servitude, unless freedom is bought, earned with the will of their Dominus or Domina. But death, death itself was mostly the fate of many who serve Romans, for disobedience and betrayal. Day after day, slaves work to please their dominus or domina in the hopes that one day their meager existence of life will become easier.
Yet there are those who were condemned to slavery for heinous acts of violence, poverty, or prisoners of war, who yearn for freedom. The ability to walk down the streets a free man, woman and child, without carrying the weight of a slave collar around their necks, or slave brands across their skin. One slave alone cannot usurp the power of the Romans with force alone, but numbers. Even with few attempts, the Roman army of the numerous Roman cities will sweep them away.
Those who await to see the Roman society crumble at their knees. But until that day, slaves work day and night to please their masters until the bitter end. In the end, most stop trying. they stop dreaming of freedom, instead they dream that they would be fed every night, and dream that they would live to see the next day.
Their fates are tested every day.
Their fate entirely rests on the Gods themselves.
Rough hands pulled the man's body, forcing him to rise to his feet. The morning sun is harsh on the back, as the Roman soldiers dressed in red capes half carried and half dragged the man to join the line of others before him. He tries resisting the arms that seize him, but grow weak because of the energy that escapes him.
"Here's another slave for choosing." The soldier said, addressing the man dressed in simple robes who carried scrolls on his waist.
"Send him right there, next to the Gaul." The auctioneer, named Iruka replied, "Yet another Thracian joins the ranks of slavery, huh?"
The soldiers chuckled, causing the man in chains to growl menacingly, "Just like dog that should be put in place."
The man they were referring to seethes, as hands yet again force him to stand and take his place on the podium, grimacing as watchful eyes stared at him.
The soldiers then stepped back leaving the auctioneer to begin his inspection. The man named Iruka circled him, his eyes trialing up and down his body. The man barely clothed, felt his arms raised, his teeth checked (not without trying to bite the auctioneer), and his hair checked.
"Your name slave?"
"I do not answer to a fucking Roman," the man replied, his black eyes glaring at the man. "If it weren't for these fucking chains, I would send your body to the fucking afterlife!"
Iruka was not pleased as he backhanded the man, causing lip to split as the man spat out blood. The man stood back up defiantly gazing at him once more before returning silent. The auctioneer adjusted his robes before addressing the slave once more, "If the gods favor you, you would yet live to see another day. If not I would be happy to send you to the mines to wither and die."
The slave swallowed, causing Iruka to smirk, "Now then. I would you have speak your name, or face the mines."
I can't be sent to the mines, I have to find him! I have to be free somehow…
"…"
Iruka backhanded him again before looking over his shoulder to see the crowd gathering for the day's auction for slaves. "Fucking Thracians."
Roman men and women holding full purses of denarii and gold, eager to buy slaves for their own bidding, a bidding that can range from the most menial chore to the most abusive consequence. That is the life within the great city of Konoha. Status divided between the free and those bound by chain, never to be freed.
"Let's start the bid at 5 denarii!"
A young woman in her late 30's, with hair of blond, and skin of porcelain walked briskly throughout the streets of Konoha, her destination clear, heading straight for the auction. Her ludus (a gladiator school), was in need of new fighting men, as most were sent to the death in the arena. She had hopes of breaking in the new slaves to give her a fighting chance to raise the proud name of the Princess of Konoha. Her ludus (Roman school of Gladiators) must rise as champion in all of Konoha. Her last champion had earned freedom after a spectacular match at the new Arena, and with no recruits holding the mantle, she was in desperate need of some raw talent.
To her side was her favored doctore( trainer of gladiators), bearing the name Kakashi Hatake, an honorable men she can give counsel to in times of decision. She can count on him to make sure what she chooses was right. After all she did had a minor habit of using all her denarii on trivial things, she already spent enough money buying yet another gambling set of dice.
"Domina, the auction is about to start, we must hurry," Kakashi's gruff voice pulled from her sudden urges, at the sight of fancy robes hanging from a rack.
Tsunade rolled her eyes, and flipped her hair with the back of her hand, "Yes indeed."
The pair brushed by quickly through the streets, their destination the auction.
"Let's start the bid at 5 denarii!"
The auction started, and so did her grin. Leaning against a column, she noticed that other high ranking men and women were looking interested at the new line of recruits. And she had to agree, they weren't to shabby.
She noticed that one man had his hair in a bob, with unimaginably large eyebrows that were staring at the floor with shame. He seemed to be bought off a trading route that was across lands to the Far East. And to the right of him was another man who really chubby with curly hair, and there is no doubt that the pudgy man is a Gaul. Tsunade almost wanted to roll her eyes at the sight, it was almost unbecoming of a fat slave being sold to the public. But the man at the very man caught her eyes, and she had to smirk.
The man stood defiant, shoulders back with eyes of hatred baring down at every other Roman on the street. And she knew right away that he was a Thracian. They were known to be rebellious, violent, and damn hard to control. She nearly laugh at the thought, it was a challenge she certainly wanted to beat. She wanted to break him, and have him fight for her in her ludus. And yet there was a scowl on his face, that seemed permanently etched across his features. But the fire. The man that stood before all with eyes full of hatred and thirsty for blood awaited a chance to fight. Fight for what? The fire in his eyes, was something that-
"Domina."
"Kakashi?" She asked absently, while still holding a staring contest with the seething Thracian."There is no worth to buy this lot, they are not worthy to be in our honorable ludus."
Tsunade threw her head back and laughed, "Kakashi you honor me, but was it not you that the citizens of Rome doubted on? Yet I raised you, trained you, made you a God in the arena, and you were once Champion of Konoha."
The white hair man before her shifted his stance and almost pondered accordingly. His scar on his left eye was one of his mementos of his previous gladiator days, and he owed his life to his domina. Ne releneted and bowed his head at her, and Tsunade patted his shoulder. Tsunade loved the man, he was certainly someone to have by her side, "You will train them. And you will make men rise to honor the name of our ludus."
He patted his right hand to his chest, "Your will, my hands."
She turned back to the auction, and noticed that the price had gone up to 6 denarri, now it was the time to play her game.
"20 denarii for the whole lot!"
The crowd looked at her with shocked faces, there was no way that 3 men that barely looked like anything special would cost that amount of coin. Especially if they were was a Thracian in the ranks. But she paid no heed to them, as she ordered the Roman soldiers to send them off to the ludus.
At the House of Tsunadius
Tsunade had ordered every slave to be blindfolded and gagged as they were transported to their new home. Without any bearings, she minimizes the risk of slaves escaping into the city unseen. When they arrived, she placed them in cells, and had them stripped from their slave garments, into loin cloths and had them cleaned. And then afterwards they were bound against the wall, with a choker on their necks, as they awaited for Tsunade to return for their fates.
"Bring the Thracian in front of me." She ordered, as on of the guards forced the Thracian to fall on his knees. The man cursed as the chains around his wrists tightened, and his body forced into the sand on his knees. Lips were curled into yet another snarl, as his face was wrenched back and his eyes staring at those of the Roman who bought him.
"The gods consider you lucky that you were bought today slave. Under my house, I dont want disobedient dogs in this ludus, and I don't want the men to look like beasts that came out of Jupiter's ass. " Tsunade remarked, tapping his shaven cheek. "Pray that I won't regret my decision to choose you-"
The man spat at her, causing her eyebrow to twitch in anger, "Like I would ever serve Roman scum!"
Tsunade leaned back and crossed her arms, and asked one of the soldiers to draw their gladius. She made a show of forcing the Thracian on to his back, with a dagger pressed against his throat. The man winced and twitched as he felt the metal press against him. His heart beat was erratic at the thought of dying here right now, without completing his goal.
She caught sight of the fear in his eyes, and regret, "I would have you crucified for not showing a little bit of gratitude. Know your place in this world slave, or I would see you from it permanently. But there are some aspects about you that are redeemable. But you see I'm like no other domina. You serve me, and I may provide you something that you desire."
At the mention of desire, his eyes perked up, and Tsunade grinned knowing she found a way to win him over.
"Now then, will you serve me?"
"Hn." He turned away from her, causing Tsunade to sigh.
"Very well then. "
"What is your name?"
No answer.
"Do you like to test me Thracian?!" She roared, causing him to wince, "Guards!"
At the mentioning of guards, she saw the Thracian tense at the sounds of swords being drawn. She walked down on him, and glared at him once more, "Speak Thracian, or see your body casted into the afterlife."
The man hesitated and he took the time to look around and catch his bearings. And he also took the time to acknowledge his place in the world. He condemned to be a slave,, and until he can figure something out, he was stuck here under a woman that said that she can grant him anything he desires, as long as he honors her and the ludus. His mind darts back at the shilloete of a man who he wants to protect and ultimately save. He knows that he has no choice. He desperately wanted freedom and to continue his search, but his fate is here in this godforsaken ludus...
He has to bide for time.
He knows his chance will come.
He just has to wait.
"I bear the name Sasuke."
Hope you guys enjoyed it!
Next chapter: Sasuke experiences his first day as a new recruit, and there he will meet the rest of the gladiators in the House of Tsunadius.
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Feelings? Thoughts? Issues?
On the side note: I am looking for a beta! If you guys want to help me, send me a PM?
Let me know :D
-Okaami-chin~