Mars
Xena awoke just as dawn approached. Her eyes fluttered open and all she saw was darkness around her. These barracks lacked sunlight and she wasn't sure if it was actually morning or the middle of the night. She lifted herself up off the hard cold ground and winced at the slightest movement. Her ribs ached and her shoulders were sore from the journey and from yesterday.
She leaned against the wall and wrapped an arm around her exposed midsection. Taking a glance down at her legs she saw bruises in places she had never seen before. The stone against her blazing backside caused her to cringe. Lashes, Sorso gave her so many lashes.
Being a slave was not something that Xena had planned or had in mind when she decided to attack Caesar. She once worked for the Romans and her tribe were servants for Caesar. Of course her people decided to join Rome only because the job paid well and everyone had their fill of blood and battle, but Caesar wanted more. He wanted to control all the tribes of Thrace. That was his plan all along.
Xena knew that Caesar wanted the Roman Republic for himself and no one else. Catching onto his plan immediately after he conquered the Gaul territories, she knew that her people and alike were next. She couldn't and didn't allow that to happen. So, she attacked his army when they marched through the mountains of Thrace months ago.
The mighty Julius Caesar thought that he could take Thrace and all of her tribes under his belt without a fight. The Gauls put up a fight but it was short and he threatened them to surrender or thousands more would die. The Gauls not only surrendered but allowed Caesar to take their land under Roman rule. Gaul was part of the Republic now and Thrace would be too.
Leading her people and other adjoining tribes against Caesar, she was able to push him out of her territory catching the Roman army off guard in the dead of night. Caesar lost thousands of men that night, and that was when he knew that Xena was going to be a problem. He needed to eradicate her and make her people submit.
Being in the ludi under Pompey's rule, Xena figured that she would be stuck here for a long while. She could not just simply escape without being bumbled by Roman guards and soldiers. She wanted to escape this horrible place. She wanted to return to her home and live a normal life –the life she had before Caesar came along.
She feared that day would never come. She was once a free woman but now she was a slave. A slave of Rome and Caesar was going to make sure she'd never forget it and would also make sure she'd never forget the pain that she caused him and his elite army.
He's got to go, Xena thought. Somehow, some way, Caesar and his Roman Republic needed to be eliminated.
"Sleep is for the weak, Thracian," Callisto appeared in the cell doorway. She sprawled her arms on the iron rods and smiled wickedly down at Xena. "My sword awaits you on the sands." She gave her a slow wink and tapped her fingers on the wall as she left the cell.
Xena frowned and stood slowly, feeling all the aches and pains from yesterday fighting against Gabrielle. She had the opportunity to take her life yet the blonde did not. Gabrielle said it would be dishonorable to kill someone who is unarmed. Xena did not know the meaning of honor and apparently, according to Gabrielle, neither did Callisto.
Callisto ran up behind her blonde Greek counterpart and wrapped her arms around her neck. Gabrielle's eyebrows furrowed upon feeling her rival's touch, her sensual yet sadistic touch. "I know we haven't settled our differences yet, Gabby, but I want the Thracian. She is mine."
Gabrielle let out a scoff and wrapped her wrists for today's training. She shrugged the wiry blonde off her shoulders. "Somehow, I don't think Xena is going to let you have her." She turned and saw the determination in those big brown eyes. "She tried to kill Julius Caesar, that's why she's in here."
The thin blonde let out a loud cackle, alarming the other gladiatrices around them. "She is insane!" she shouted and folded her arms allowing her laughter to dissipate. "I'm going to have fun with her."
"Have fun with who?" Xena appeared and all the women turned at the sight of her. Many stopped eating their morning meals and chewed quietly as they gawked at the tall brunette.
Callisto turned around and Gabrielle's eyes grew in fear seeing Xena. Callisto playfully hit the Thracian in the shoulder and Xena flinched, refraining from showing any sign of weakness or pain. "We were just talking about you, my dear. I was telling sweet Gabrielle that you will be mine."
"I belong to no one," Xena said, lifting her chin.
The wiry blonde laughed on a one note. "We'll see about that. I'd like to see what you're capable of. Yesterday was just a test and you were very good." She sauntered around Xena, circling her like a vulture. "I want to see what else you can do when you're fully healed," she hissed.
Callisto left the barracks and grabbed two practice swords to begin training with anyone who dared to challenge her for the day. The male gladiators were already training with each other as usual. Gabrielle lowered her gaze, trying to not stare at Xena for too long.
"Callisto is all words no action," Gabrielle mentioned and Xena shot her a glare. "She talks a good fight but doesn't deliver. She is reckless in her training and that's why she falls to my sword every time," she chuckled at that, finding it very amusing.
"Yet she challenges everyone," Xena alleged and the blonde nodded. "She would be the first one to die in battle."
Gabrielle arched a brow at that. She had never been in a battle before. She was taken here when she was rounded up by slavers in her home town, Potidaea. All healthy young women were gathered up by Roman slavers and delivered to the nearest Roman noble.
She was auctioned off like a piece of jewelry and Pompey saw potential in her and she was sort of grateful to be in this place instead of living as a sex slave in Greece. Her life was better here than it could have been, but she saw that Xena didn't think so. Xena didn't want to be here and she resisted every command given to her.
A lone wolf for sure, she thought. "You're obviously a warrior." She mused and Xena's eyes softened.
"My people have fought for centuries against people that threatened to invade. Caesar was no exception."
"But now you are a slave. You have no freedom anymore," Gabrielle said, darkening the mood. "Julius Caesar will put us in The Games soon. With enough coin you are able to buy your freedom."
Freedom. Xena wanted to be free but she didn't want to fight mindlessly in a bloodbath fight to win it. She didn't want people to bet on her to gain freedom. She wanted to revolt, but knew she couldn't do that. It would prove too difficult.
"Is that what you're doing? Buying your freedom?" Xena asked.
Gabrielle nodded. "I don't have any other choice and neither do you."
"There's always another choice."
"Not here, Xena. You are someone else's property. It would do you good to realize that and maybe life won't be so hard for you here." Gabrielle gave a brief smile then walked onto the training grounds, grabbing a shield and sword.
Xena quirked her mouth and leaned on a large wooden post, watching Callisto fighting one of the women and Gabrielle getting ready to spar with Olympia. Two women of almost equal height and stature. None of the women here matched Xena's build except a few. She didn't fit in here, but who could? These people were from all over the Roman Republic and Greek states. Nobody was from the same walk of life. The only thing everyone had in common was that they were...
Slaves.
The men from afar observed Xena. While some gawked, others made leering gestures at her, which she was absent minded of. Adonis leaned against the wall, taking a short break from sparring with his partner, Sefius. Both Greek men who were trained in a different ludi before being bought out by Pompey and his cohort, Caesar.
Adonis, matching the Greek God description of blonde hair and tanned skin, ladled water into his mouth without taking his eyes off of Xena. His jaw tightened as soon as he saw Xena's eyes cast a glance over at him. Embarrassed for gawking like an awkward school boy, he averted gaze.
Sefius, a dark haired tanned young man, no older than a simple teenager, nudged Adonis' shoulder. "You fancy the new recruit?" he wriggled his eyebrows.
"I fancy no woman, but only wish to be in the arena," Adonis geared himself to fight again. He stretched his arms over his head and exhaled heavily. He began walking onto the hot sands until a hand grabbed his arm and he was flung to the ground.
He blinked, staring up at the man who flipped him onto the hot sand. Frowning he hopped to his feet and got within inches of the dark haired man's face, challenging him. "You got a problem?" he spat, touching foreheads with the gladiator.
A man with a stout haircut, muscular arms, broad shoulders and sun-kissed skin rivaled Adonis in size. He cast his pearly whites with a cheeky grin and shoved Adonis backward, sauntering towards him, rubbing his wrists.
"I don't have a problem," he said and Adonis growled.
He charged right for him and Sefius wrapped his arm around his training partner. "No! Don't!" he warned. Adonis huffed and his chest rose and fell heavily as he stared at the dark haired Spartan gladiator.
"I will best you in the sands," Adonis spat at the Spartan's feet. "Given the title of the God, Ares, means nothing. Your title as champion in the arena will be forfeited." He threatened.
The Spartan, who was given the title of Ares due to his strength and thirst for blood in the arena, stood glaring at the young gladiator. "I am undefeated and will remain that way." He said and waved as Sefius pushed Adonis onto the grounds, convincing him to spar instead of argue.
Ares smirked and began wrapping his wrists. The young boy held his practice swords behind him. His eyes lingered on the new recruit. The Thracian. He had never seen a woman like her before. The other women in this ludi were nice to look at. All had chiseled arms, thighs and taut washboard abs and some were good looking enough. But the Thracian had a different beauty about her. She was different than other women.
"The Thracian," he turned to another gladiator by the name of Kai. "I hear she was giving Sorso the run around. Is it true?" he peered over at Kai.
The long haired gladiator nodded. "She is not obedient. I think she will have a hard time fitting in here, especially with the women. Callisto claims she is good in bed but I bet the Thracian could rival her." He snickered at the thought.
Ares frowned and snatched the wooden sword from the young squire boy. He walked into the hot sun and his eyes never left Xena and she caught him looking her way. He gave her a half faint grin and she raised a brow at his flirtatious behavior from afar.
Sorso cracked his whip against the hot sands and snapped his head around towards the new recruit. "Xena, pair with Gabrielle." He ordered and the squire handed Xena a practice sword.
She slowly waltzed onto the training grounds and Gabrielle smiled at her, holding her shield and sword close. She didn't want to fight anyone and she certainly didn't like being told what to do. But if she must fight then she wasn't going to turn that down, especially being paired with someone so much smaller than her.
She swung her sword around and Gabrielle blocked the blow with the wooden shield and then thrust her sword forward close to Xena's calf. Xena grinned and grabbed Gabrielle's arm and tripped her with a simple flick of her leg.
Gabrielle landed hard on the sand and gasped as Xena held the sword to her throat. "This is a sparring exercise," she reminded her.
"I know," Xena stepped away allowing the blonde to gather herself. "I am feeling a lot better than I was yesterday," she smugly grinned and Gabrielle shook the sand out of her hair. She caught the dark haired gladiator looking her way again and a frown crossed her lips.
Gabrielle charged forward to ram her into the ground. Xena, distracted, quickly recovered and dodged Gabrielle's attack and elbowed her in the back, causing the blonde to groan loudly. The petite blonde gladiatrix's eyes darkened and turned around to see a big grin on Xena's face. She did not seem to understand that this was a sparring exercise.
"You fight as if you want to kill me," Gabrielle alleged.
"Isn't that the idea?" Xena teased.
"In the arena maybe, but not here. You don't fight like you want to win. You fight like you want to kill. That's now how it's done around here," Gabrielle straightened her posture and twirled the sword with her wrist.
Xena bowed from the waist, "oh, please, show me the way, Gabrielle." She said in a most playful voice that irritated Gabrielle, she could tell.
Gabrielle cocked her head and hummed softly with a faint tight lipped smile. She flung her sword and shield aside. Xena looked at her confusedly and held the sword close to her. "Fight me bare handed."
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Xena asked, a bit concerned for this young woman.
"Well, I already broke your nose. I'm sure I can break something else," Gabrielle's eyebrows creased and her smile widened with glee. She held her wrapped fists close to her face. She wanted Xena to get angry, she wanted to see what she could do. Weapons were a distraction and only skilled gladiatrices and gladiators used them. The true test would be hand to hand combat.
Xena scoffed mockingly and tossed her sword aside. She didn't even bother to set her stance but instead walked right towards Gabrielle, towering over her, twice her size in weight and height. "I'll give you the first hit," she whispered sensually, teasingly, almost maliciously.
The Greek felt her stomach knot up and her throat form a lump. Glaring up into those steely eyes she saw a challenge or perhaps she was making fun of her. "You don't think I'm a challenge?" she asked in a curious tone.
Xena leaned into Gabrielle and whispered, "I was trying to be polite." She grabbed Gabrielle by the shoulders and flipped her over onto her back.
Callisto stopped sparring with Olympia and laughed seeing Gabrielle lying flat on her back with the Thracian woman leering over her. "I told you that she would be mine, Gabby! I told you so!"
Gabrielle groaned and hearing Callisto's maniacal laughter was enough to set her off. She hopped to her feet and threw a punch directly at Xena's jaw, which was quickly avoided. Xena side stepped her and then grabbed her wrist, locking her elbow in place. Fear instilled in Gabrielle's eyes as soon as she saw Xena's palm ready to strike her elbow.
She's going to break my arm. Gabrielle was not one for playing dirty but she decided that Xena was definitely a challenge for her. It wasn't her size, it was the way she fought. She fought like a warrior not a gladiatrix. She fought to kill. There was a difference.
She kicked Xena in the shin and then bent down picking up a handful of sand and threw it in Xena's eyes. The tall Thracian covered her eyes with a single hand and groaned lowly.
Ares watched from afar, no longer finding his sparring partner nearly as interesting as the spar between the Greek and Thracian. He grinned and saw Xena stumble, trying to rid the sand from her eyes and Gabrielle breathing heavily, sweat dripping down her back and glistening abdomen.
"Finish her, Gabrielle!" Callisto shouted.
Her vision blurry and disoriented, Xena still had her eyes on Gabrielle. The fuzzy picture of the blonde taunting her from a few paces away. Shards of the sand invaded her eyes, causing her ducts to tear. She shook her head, blinking rapidly and calmly smiled, lowering her stance. She now understood that Gabrielle was fearful of her.
"You are afraid," Xena's voice eerie and still.
Gabrielle stood straight, not bothering to match Xena's fighting stance. "I am not afraid of you."
"You said you were a woman of honor yet you throw sand in my eyes. You play unfairly. What are you now? A hypocrite?" Xena tried to get a rise out of the petite gladiatrix.
Gabrielle's heart skipped a beat and surely she now understood Xena's tactics. She was a woman of many words an she sure knew how to use them especially at the opportune time.
Callisto almost felt jealous that Xena was able to get to Gabrielle so easily. She wanted to have that honor of besting Gabrielle not only with a sword but with words. She was also jealous that Gabrielle was given the chance to fight Xena.
"Why is she not fighting back?" she growled and kept watching the two having a staring contest. "Blood will be mine," she smiled deviously and marched over to Xena with swords in hand.
Ares grabbed Callisto by her arm and flung her onto the sands a few feet from where he stood. "You will not interfere." He advised.
Callisto growled and stood, shoving her palms into Ares' chest. "You are not in charge of this ludi, Ares!" she spat in his face and he shoved her away, putting hand to her face and she growled, almost biting one of his fingers.
She saw that look in the Spartan's eyes and smirked. "Oh Ares, you naughty boy, you," she said playfully in a high pitched tone. "You want Xena all to yourself, don't you?" she came closer to him and her fingers roamed his bare muscular chest. Her fingertips swirled around his nipple. "Well, you can't have her because she is mine."
Ares grabbed her wrist firmly and she flinched, trying to pry his fingers off of her aching wrist. "Doesn't look like she's anyone's bitch, Callisto and certainly not yours." He tossed her aside and continued to watch Xena and Gabrielle, folding his large arms with a big smug grin on his face.
Gabrielle threw a punch and Xena blocked it with her elbow. She threw her other fist forward and Xena grabbed it with ease. Gabrielle growled and threw her arms out to the side, releasing herself from Xena's hold. She was growing impatient. She swung her leg around to roundhouse kick Xena but her counterpart seemed to know her every move. In a split second her eyes widened and she gasped.
Thump.
Gabrielle felt heat radiating off her entire body. She was mad, very mad. She looked up to see Xena gaping down at her.
"Have you had enough?" Xena asked with a sly grin.
Callisto chuckled, biting her fingernail. She marched forward with no weapons in hand. "You've had your fun, Gabrielle. Now it's my turn."
Gabrielle snarled and jumped to her feet. "No, she's mine!" she yelled and Callisto bat her eyes, surprised at such behavior coming from her Greek counterpart.
Julia above in the balcony arose late in the morning and leaned on the balustrade observing the gladiators and gladiatrices. She saw the men were not fighting and neither were the women. All except two. Her eyes lit up as she saw Gabrielle and Xena at it once again.
Nara, her slave came to her side with a fresh glass of wine. She took the glass without taking a glance. "The Greek and Thracian are at it again! How exciting," she mused and sipped the wine.
Pompey joined his young wife on the balcony and smiled seeing Gabrielle and Xena once more. "It seems that Xena is feeling better," he noted.
His wife nodded. "Do you see the way Gabrielle is glaring at Xena? She wants to kill her."
Pompey hummed and rubbed his chin. "Such fire in those Greek women. Callisto I would have thought would best Xena, but Gabrielle must have it in for the Thracian bitch."
Gabrielle charged right for Xena and wrapped her arms around the tall brunette. Both crashed into the hot sand and debris filled with air. Gabrielle wrapped her strong thighs around Xena and stared into her blue eyes with a wild smile.
Xena frowned and grabbed Gabrielle's arms and rolled over and was now on top of the petite gladiatrix. Still, Gabrielle had her thighs clinging to Xena like a boa constrictor squeezing its prey. Xena pinned Gabrielle's arms to the hot sand.
Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. Nowhere to escape.
She leaned into the blonde's face with a big cheeky grin. Sweat dripping onto Gabrielle's forehead. "You fight well." She whispered. "For a Greek."
Sorso cracked his whip against the hot sand, alarming everyone. "Xena, that is enough!" he yelled and still the Thracian did not obey. "Release her!"
Gabrielle's chest rose and fell heavily as she stared into Xena's eyes –her very enchanting eyes. She was defeated this time. Perhaps this was payback for yesterday. She kept hearing Sorso yelling and another crack of the whip, yet Xena still lingered, her fingers firmly wrapped around her arms. Pinned to the sands below.
"Are you two going to swap spit or fight?!" Adonis joked and began laughing. Soon the other gladiators laughed along with him.
Sorso grabbed Xena by the arm and without resisting, Xena climbed off the blonde and Gabrielle's thigh muscles relaxed, releasing Xena from the constricting hold. There, she lay on the sands, defeated, bemused and maybe even a bit excited. Her belly swelled with a odd sensation that she had not felt before. Almost like nausea but not quite so.
Gabrielle rose from the sands and locked eyes with Xena before she was taken away into the barracks. We will meet again.
That evening after training was complete, Gabrielle sat outside the barracks, under the roof, staring at the sands. She didn't know why Xena was such a difficult opponent. She thought she would have a tough time facing the Thracian because of her size, but her size didn't mean anything. Despite Xena's height and weight, she was very light on her feet, almost like a dancer. She didn't even use her height to her advantage like most people would in a match.
Gabrielle couldn't figure this woman out. She was everything that a gladiatrix should be. Strong, good fighter, quick reflexes and not to mention, she wasn't bad looking either. Everyone seemed to notice that, especially the male gladiators. Gabrielle was sure that's all the men could talk about. They probably didn't even care for Xena's combat skills. Typical, she thought.
Lifting her eyes she heard footsteps and saw the champion of the Republic approaching. She was tempted to roll her eyes, but did not and remained stoic. "Ares," she said flatly.
The Spartan smiled and leaned on the wooden post, admiring the full moon in the sky. "I saw the little spar you had with the Thracian," he mused.
Gabrielle couldn't refrain anymore and she gave a dramatic eye roll. She didn't feel like discussing this and heard the women in the barracks cackling over her defeat which was why she came outside to avoid it all.
"You enjoyed that, huh?" she said with little to no emotion.
"Enjoyed it?" Ares scoffed. "I loved it." He took the empty seat next to her and she stiffened, scooting away. "You underestimated her, Gabrielle."
The blonde sighed. "I know. I thought I understood the way she fights, but I don't."
"Obviously," he teased and she shot him a glare. "Don't be so sensitive, Gabrielle. The boys and I are placing bets for when you fight Xena again. My money is all on you," he winked and nudged her arm.
She cringed in disgust and stood, no longer finding his presence worth her while. "I'd rather you place a bet when we enter the arena." She walked off to back into the female barracks to face her doom.
"Don't be a spoiled sport, Gabrielle!" he called out. Sighing, he looked to the moon, sitting by himself in the darkness. Not such a bad idea, he thought. Although, he longed to see Xena fight with Gabrielle again. He could almost feel Gabrielle's hatred seeping from her skin during that match. He wanted to see more, plus he did not mind seeing the Thracian wearing next to nothing, drenched in sweat and sand, fighting other women.
He nodded, pursing his lips, reliving the memory of Xena besting Gabrielle in his mind over and over again.
Gabrielle walked through the barrack halls and saw Callisto locking lips with a Gaul woman by the name of Talrissa. She raised an eyebrow and Callisto reared her head backward as Talrissa pressed her lips onto her sternum. Her head lolled and eyes locked with Gabrielle. Both women staring at one another and Callisto smiled from ear to ear.
Her hand reached out and Talrissa wrapped her arm around Callisto's back, bringing her close. "Would you like to join us, Gabrielle? There's always room for more," the wiry blonde teased and wiggled her fingers trying to entice Gabrielle.
"I'll have to pass," Gabrielle said politely and walked onward hearing Callisto moan loudly. She shook her head, disgusted and that image of a topless Callisto forever burned into her mind and Talrissa suckling her skin like a succubus.
She was about to pass Xena's cell and she lurked in the dark, observing the brunette in the shadows. Xena sat by herself, tending her wounds from yesterday's fight. Now she would have new ones to bear but only a few bruises, nothing more.
"You don't have to hide," Xena called out as she was picking at a scab on her arm.
Gabrielle gasped lightly and emerged from the dark corners. She stepped inside the cell shyly. "How did you know I was there?" she asked.
Xena bit her bottom lip and kept picking at the scab with her fingernail. "I have good hearing," she muttered and then lifted her eyes to see the shocked blonde in her doorway. "Are you going to just stand there or what?"
"I...was just going to my cell." Gabrielle pointed down the hall. "It's that way."
Xena smirked and brought her knees close to her and hung her arms over her knees, staring at the blonde. "Is this going to be a regular thing?" she asked and Gabrielle furrowed her eyebrows. "We fight. And then you appear in my cell at night."
Gabrielle felt that odd sensation rippling inside her gut again. "We are not enemies."
"And we are also not friends," Xena mused.
Silence fell between them.
"Your words, not mine," Xena added and couldn't help but smile as she saw the gears turning in the blonde's head.
Gabrielle thought it best not to get too close to Xena, especially at a time like this. This wasn't the place for friends.
"Right," she smiled briefly and then went on about her way to her cell.
Xena watched her walk down the hall and turn left into a cell. She bit her fingernail and kept grinning, leaning against the wall.
AN: Ares is in human form, not a God.