Everything spoken between my OC's is in German. Written in English for obvious reasons. Until she is speaking with the main cast.
Jana (13-18) is portrayed by Marie Avgeroploulos
Jana (19+) is portrayed by Jana Kramer
I looked up to my father and older brother as we reached the market, learning the language of the Roman's was going to be a task in on it's own. I was still yet young; thirteen of age so learning their tongue would be a thing of simple learning.
"Father, when will we bring mother and the rest of the family here to Capua?"
"As soon as we find ourselves in good standing among the Roman's." He told me pushing a small piece of my long hair behind my ears. "You my dear child will never have to see chains upon your wrists.
You will never know the whip of slavery." He smiled at me as he walked into the shop leaving me outside with my eldest brother Reinhard.
"Jana, get over here you silly child." He teased as I had made my way to him. "Father bargains for a home and place in the shop. I fear we would have better luck if I where to join one of the Ludus. Become a Gladiator." He boasted.
One of the Romans passing by made a comment to us that neither of us understood and only caused me to smile up at my brother, "Gladiator? You jest brother." I told him as we soon heard a commotion in the shop our father had been in. The look on my brothers face soon changed as he looked to me, "Jana, go and hide in there." He pointed to a small courtyard not to far from where we stood.
Once I was there I saw men lined up in chains with signs around their necks, women along another in a similar look. Was this how the Romans treated their slaves? Was this where my father wished to move our family? I turned around quickly to see what had become of my brother Reinhard and my father only to see a sword being pierced through my brothers back as he was running from the door of the house.
I had gone to scream when I felt hand clasp itself over my mouth, I looked up at the man, he was older and wore clothing of prominence and vibrate blues. His eyes where soft and kind, his hard a light brown he did not appear like the other Romans. He seemed kind. I looked at him yet still in fear as he hushed me pulling me away. I had no other option but to follow as he brought me back to a villa high up on the hill over looking the city. There was fear gripping my entire body, fear of me becoming like the chained slaves.
I looked at him as he brought me into a room where I believed his family to be, a young man with the same face and hair as the older one, standing next to a woman in a pink gown and long brown hair. Two younger slaves made their way towards me with smiles as they lead me away down a hall filled with other slaves. I had no idea what it was they where saying, only that I was still gripped with fear and the sadness of my lost brother and father and the hopes to return to Germania.
It had been two years since I had first moved into the Villa of Batiatus. Now standing at the age of fifteen I could speak the same language of all those in the house, Titus had offered to let me stay untouched of mans touch and the mark of slave. Both of which I was filled with gratitude for, I stood next to him on the balcony as he watched the men train below him.
"Beautiful isn't it?" He had asked me as I filled his cup with water.
"I find it fascinating, Dominus." I told him as I stood there peering over the railing.
"You need only call me Dominus in front of esteemed guests, my child. Come I know you understand how the games work, tell me what you know." He asked me ushering me to stand closer to him to see.
"Barca, he fights hoplomachus same as Auctus yes?" I asked as he chuckled nodding, "He does, and Rhaskos?" He questioned me.
"The big brutish man?" I asked seeing Titus smile nodding to me, "Murmillo, and Gnaeus over there he fights Thraex." I explained.
"You have a love for the game yet?" He asked me as I smiled, "My brother Reinhard had once spoken of joining a Ludus to take up in the games." I explained.
I could hear him sigh; "A loss yet still heavy felt. I had my men give your father and brother proper burial their bodies where cleaned and set on pyre." He told me as I smiled. I had missed their burnings and cleansings, at the time I couldn't understand them and had refused to leave the room the girls Naevia and Diona led me too.
I was grateful towards both girls they where the ones who had taught me how to speak, amongst many other things. The girls had grown up here their entire lives. I think Naevia had told me she was born in this Ludus.
"What would you say if we went down and watched the training more close up, would you like that?" He had asked me.
"Is that alright?" I had asked with a smile.
The man nodded to me as Santos and I followed him downstairs to the Ludus below the house. I was standing as near to Titus as I could following him through the Ludus. I stood at his side while he spoke to Ulpius the Doctore of the Ludus. We had stood there for a short time watching the Gladiators train; it was all incredibly fascinating really.
That was my last fond memory of Titus before he had left for Sicily for his weaning health. Titus's son Quintus and his wife Lucretia had ended up assuming the control of the Ludus in his fathers' absents. Things where good, they allowed us slaves to almost live as if we where apart of the house rather than just errant slaves. Lucretia insisted I continued to be unmarked as a slave, as I was here by my own wishes. I also remained untouched to her demands as well. She was a wonderful domina, she always treated me so kindly as if I where her child.
I was almost at my 18th year; Naevia, Diona and I had planned on celebrating our birthday's on the same day. We were as one and had been since we where children. I couldn't have wished for a better family since losing my own, my other two brothers hadn't come looking for father, Reinhard or I since I was 13 there was no chance of them, believing us to still be alive.
"Jana, Domina would like you to accompany us to the arena." Melitta offered me a kind smile. Melitta was the wife of Oenomaus one of the Gladiators. He was by far one of my most favorites amongst the Gladiators; he had survived against Theokoles when no others had. He was one of Titus's Champions.
"Yes, Melitta." I nodded to her leaving Diona and Naevia in the kitchen to their giggles. We all knew who was fighting in the arena today, and we all knew of my childish feelings towards the Gladiator.
Gannicus was a Celt, he was tall and very strong, and he had bronzed skin from the sun he was constantly fighting under. His hair was long and a dirty blonde in color. I had always found him charming, often when I was with Domina and Dominus on the balcony watching the training he would smirk up at us. Domina had always teased me about it saying he was looking to me. I knew he wasn't but the thought had always brought redness to my cheeks.
"This is your first time attending a game in the arena?" Melitta had asked me as we waiting by the door for Dominus and the Domina, we where to meet with Dominus's close friend Solonius in the market on our way to the games. I had never cared for the mans eyes upon me, he had told me once it was rare to find a beauty that had come from East of the Rhine. It always made me fairly uncomfortable.
"It is, I am nervous Melitta. What are they like? Just like the training?" I had asked her. She just smiled at me softly before nodding to me, "Not at all, there is no surrendering in the games, it is a fight to the death." She explained to me as I nodded nervously.
"Worry not, Gannicus for all his showmanship will not die this day." She grinned at me again causing my cheeks to redden once again.
"Melitta, good you found Jana. I had hoped one day she would replace you as my body slave when you and Oenomaus finally leave the Ludus." We had heard Domina say this before she never meant it. Melitta would always be her Body Slave and they would always be in this Ludus, Domina had told me before she enjoyed taking me with her to the markets, she enjoyed the talks we would have. She liked that she could trust in me completely that I would not betray her. I kept many of the Domina's secrets, some even Melitta didn't know.
"She will be a perfect replacement some day Domina." Melitta spoke back to her softly as she and I walked out the door behind them. Meeting up with Solonius took nearly no time at all, and getting to the packed arena was even less of a trip.
"Stay close to us Jana; I would hate to lose such a fine help." Dominus said to me moving me so that I stood beside him. "Thank you, Dominus." I nodded to him as he just smiled back to me. Domina seemed to be in high spirits today, which was good considering the heat was near unbearable.
"The fights are particularly entertaining today, wouldn't you say Jana?" She smiled softly at me. "This is not what I had expected Domina." I told her, "It is very interesting." She just smiled sweetly at me.
There where often times Domina and Dominus would tell people that I was their child and I had gained habit of calling them by those names as I had grown up along side man of the slaves. I would have loved to be their child however it was not so, and anyone who heard my accent would have figured the ruse out.
Even though Titus had often referred to me as Quintus's child too when I was younger and we would be in the market. I had often wondered about such things, thinking it was his way of keeping me away from the branding of slave. However as I got older I realized it was to wed me off to a man of means to bring more honor into the house. I was too young to be brought off as Titus's child, but I was a decent age to be his grandchild. I really hoped that was never the case and people believed me a slave and not a roman child.
"It is isn't it." Dominus asked me, "We'd enjoy them more viewed from the pulvinus." He had said his tone sounding rather irritated.
"F-ing s-it eater." Dominus mumbled under his breath staring at the other Lanista.
"Let's Vettius preen like a woman. You'll school him in the ways of men when Gannicus takes to the sands." Domina spoke as she poked me softly in the side causing my cheeks to again redden with color.
"What's this?" Dominus asked me rubbing his own cheek staring at me.
"It is nothing Dominus, just a bit warm outside." I smiled back moving slightly to avoid one of the rowdier patrons in the already rather rambunctious crowed.
"Ahh, absent Tullius and the Magistrate to bear witness, what's the f-ing purpose?" Dominus began to argue. "One man in today's games. One only, and the seat seeding to impress stand empty as Vettius' f-ing head." I heard him speak as he soon turned his attention to Solonius who had stepped out for a short while to gain answer on where the two missing guests where.
I had turned my attention to the games before me; the one man was on the ground fighting to stand up, fighting to get out from below the Gladiator who held the higher ground. This was much like watching Dominus's Gladiators train but much more violent, blood was all over the sand and the walls of the arena. Dominus usually forbid bloodshed in the Ludus to avoid injuring Gladiators before games.
Once the man had finally managed to stand up his life was ended by one swift sword thrust through the neck, I couldn't help myself but cheer of the victor as I heard the Dominus laugh, "Young Jana here has a greater love of the games it seems than any other in our household." Dominus explained again avoiding using the term Slave when describing me.
"It seems so, Quintus. You're man Gannicus is next?" He asked as I watched them drag the dead mans body from the arena.
That was the one part of these games that I didn't quite understand, they dragged these men's bodies away as if their life before their death held no meaning or worth. Just pulled along in the dirt and bloody sand into a pen full of other bodies as the victor would stand there earning his cheers and applause before leaving the arena to clean up and have wounds tended.
Another man soon entered the small arena shouting out gathering the crowd's roars and cheers, these games held little to no meaning as they where before the sunset. Winnings where less and their names where never usually announced unless the man seemed to be gaining notoriety within the arena.
"Gannicus takes position!" Domina called happily from behind me as I had noticed I was getting more excited about watching my current hero in the arena soon to take up the sands.
I watched as he entered the arena, his grieves up his legs showing little to no skin but protecting him from any cuts from the enemy. His chest bare and yet his left arm was covered. He held two swords in hand as he walked out of the arena with a large smile etched onto his lips.
He looked up towards Dominus before scanning the crowd, how I had often wished for his gaze to linger on me ever so lightly. However I would never voice my desire, such thoughts where not allowed. The Domina would be most upset with me wanting more than to just look at him.
"Now there's a f-ing Gladiator!" Dominus roared from behind me causing me to smile for just a moment, I had never expected to ever be apart of the events like I had. I was surprised they never pulled me back or ever asked me to act like Melitta did, a proper slave.
I almost missed hearing Vettius start the match as I watched the man swiftly attack Gannicus. I couldn't take my eyes off the match, I had watched him many of times practicing below with Barca and Auctus. This was so much more violent. At any moment one of the two men could die, the thought alone gave me chills.
"The man thinks the game is a jest." I heard Melitta say as she approached my side, "He does laugh an awful lot… does he not fear death?" I asked her.
"Any Gladiator that wishes to be Champion would not fear guying a glorious death in the arena." She explained, "He's a mad man." I told her with a soft smile.
Gannicus was wild jumping up onto the stands, doing flips on the wall. He was tiring the other man out, or well he was at least trying to do such a thing. He had already managed to injure the man once on the back slashing him with both his swords. The opponent had taken off his helmet and was staring at Gannicus wickedly with anger. Gannicus however was ignoring it thrusting his swords triumphantly into the air as if he had already won the match.
"Is your man ever of a serious note?" I heard Solonius ask the Dominus from behind me causing me to smirk, a question I had often asked Melitta who was of a close friendship with him, her and Oenomaus.
"He'd strip naked and fight with his c—k, as long as he wins." I heard the Dominus laugh, "However that is not a game I would ever bring my ladies to watch." He quickly said causing a stout laugh from the Domina, and earing an eye roll from Melitta. I was sure Melitta had seen more than enough of Gannicus than she would have liked to see of the man.
"Would he really?" I asked her softly. "Gannicus would do just about anything to gain the favor of the crowd." She responded to me.
The other man had charged at Gannicus cutting his arm slightly while the crowd distracted him. Everyone seemed almost shocked that he had missed the entire thing. That was when Gannicus did something most stupid, put his weapons in the sand. He disarmed himself in the middle of a fight, "Has he gone mad?" I questioned,
"A question I might ask myself." I heard Domina's voice from behind me.
I watched in suspense and horror as Gannicus advanced at the man whom still had both his shield and sword in hands. Dodging the man and attacking him with his fists, as if he where in a normal street brawl. He soon rolled back towards his swords taking them out of the sand pushing the sword into his enemy's stomach earning him the roar of the crowd.
The man had fallen to his knees as the entire arena chanted for Gannicus to kill the man. The man advanced at Gannicus as he pierced his back with his sword, I wanted to tare my eyes away but I couldn't. I had heard Dominus say something from behind me however the crowd's chanting over took every inch of the arena drowning him out.
"Gannicus,-" I heard him yell as Gannicus put his swords on either side of his neck looking around at the arena as they cheered, his eyes for the first time landing on me as he seemed to arch his brow at me smirking. I just smiled at him before nodding ever so slightly towards him.
Gannicus than looked back to the man before slicing him open killing the man almost instantly. He turned and raised his arms up in victory as he had finished the game just as the two empty seats in the pulvinus become full. The Dominus would not be happy about this, and he wasn't he was shouting in dismay that his once chance for Gannicus to be seen was taken away.
Gannicus move around cheering wildly at the arena before pointing his one sword in my direction winking at me as Melitta pulled me back, "That is enough of that." She smiled at me as the Domina looked to me, "Tell Doctore to see Gannicus back to the Ludus, take Jana with you." Dominus ordered another Slave as he put his hand on my shoulder.
"No where did Dominus say touch the girl, she is to join you." Domina spat at the man as she and Melitta followed after Dominus. "I apologize Jana." He said to me as I nodded, "No need to apologize, I will follow you?" I offered as I followed him to the lower levels to wait for Doctore and Gannicus to be ready to leave the arena.
"Ah Jana." Ulpius offered me a smile as the other slave and I made our way towards him. "Ulpius." I nodded, "The match went well." I told him as he let out an annoyed gasp.
"I am more than less happy with the results, Gannicus never listens to my training it is like training a wild beast." He sighed sending the other slave to gather Gannicus.
"I am surprised Dominus parted with you for even a moment, you are their prized slave." He mocked me.
"I am Titus's prized, I do not believe Dominus looks to me any bit a prize." I laughed softly. "Oh trust me, if not the gods. Dominus has plans for you." He told me as I swallowed hard at the thought.
"Jana… I had thought I heard your laugh, did you enjoy the game?" Gannicus asked me as he approached me.
I had gone to answer him when Doctore had begun to argue with him about putting his swords in the sands, disarming and fighting with his fists. I noticed the entire time Doctore was yelling at the man, he continued to have the same grin on his lips as if the entire thing was just a simple joke to him.
"I would like to use my winnings to share with all the men back at the Ludus, much like last time." Gannicus said pulling me from my thoughts. He wasn't talking to me but the sound of his voice was enough to make me wonder what it was he was saying.
"I am sure arrangements have been prepared and sent to your quarters. Enough of this talk, Jana is still yet young and has no need to hear of your barbaric ways." Ulpius told him as Gannicus roared out with laughter.
"Some day soon, Jana will no longer be the young flower you all treat her to be, she will be a woman. Gifted in the same arts all fine women possess." He smirked.
"Gifted in what arts?" I questioned throwing him off.
"The art of seduction." Gannicus smirked at me, causing a chill to roll up my back; I had never been spoken to in such a crude manor before. It was something new all together; I had just hoped he wouldn't get in trouble with Dominus for uttering such words. I was to remain untouched such words suggested other plans. And yet the way he spoke to me, I enjoyed it.