Queen of the Underworld
Chapter 12: Questionable Intentions
"Dominus no longer wishes his pet to sleep in the house."
Proserpina looked up from her food and regarded the man who spoke those words - Felix. She had always ignored his snide remarks, choosing rather to not give him the satisfaction of seeing her upset. Today it seemed that his very voice would irk her to the point of madness. She was tired, up this morning well before the break of dawn, and wanted nothing more than to be left alone.
"For what offense, I wonder," Attilus replied.
"Do you not know?" Felix said, staring at the girl instead of his companion. "Dominus easily tires of the same bitch day after day."
Proserpina crossed her arms and gave him a small chuckle, waiting for him to continue. Felix's brow furrowed in frustration as he pressed on. "So he sends her down here. But we do not want the Amazon cunt either."
Attilus laughed. "But she is down here to be a gladiator, is she not?"
Felix laughed louder than his friend, the sound bellowing through the room, drawing more attention to himself. "A gladiator? That is a fucking joke. She is not worthy of the title."
"And what makes you worthy?" Proserpina asked from across the room. The men between them looked back at Felix, waiting for his answer.
"I am a warrior! I am a titan!" he said as he pounded his chest with a fist. "And you are but a novelty, here for show."
Proserpina stood up and quickly closed the distance between the man and herself. "I have brought better men than you to their knees," she growled.
"And I would prefer you on yours," he countered.
Without a second thought, Proserpina brought her hands up and slapped both of Felix's ears simultaneously with her palms, throwing him off balance and making him stagger towards her. She punched him in the stomach and, as he double over, she brought her fist back up and hit him in the jaw, sending him into the wall behind him.
Though bloodied, Felix regained his senses and charged towards the girl, slamming her into the floor. She moved her head as he tried to strike her, making him hit the ground instead. With both fists interlocking, she punched him in the nose, then pushed him off of her. She straddled him, punching him with all of the strength left in her.
Proserpina was then pulled off of the gladiator, easily picked up and set back on her feet. She tried to jump on the man again, but was caught around the waist before she could. She was turned and met Spartacus's eyes as he held her face in his hands to get her attention.
"Peace, Proserpina! Let them jest!" he said. "Be the bigger man."
Proserpina jerked away from the gladiator. "And that is how you see me!" she hissed. "A man!"
The girl swiftly stormed off in the direction of her cell with Spartacus close behind. He called her name and she stopped once out of sight of the others. She turned and punched the wall, making the stone crumble where she hit it. Spartacus grabbed Proserpina's wrist and turned her to him. He tried to inspect her hand, which was covered in blood; he did not know whether it belonged to Felix or if it were her own. She pulled her wrist from his grasp, so the gladiator grabbed her shoulders, pinning her roughly against the wall.
"Why do you behave as such?" he growled.
"Why do you treat me as such?" she yelled.
Spartacus stared into her eyes, curious to her meaning and, far from the first time, he thought that they were like honey as he got stuck in the sweet depths. She was still fuming with anger, her chest heaving furiously with every breath, but she made no move to rid his hands from her shoulders.
Spartacus studied the rest of her face. There were no fresh injuries nor bruises and he found himself relieved. The gladiator must not have gotten a hit in. He looked down at her cut lip, slightly swollen from his assault on her earlier that day, and leaned down to press his own against it. His fingertips slid across her flesh to hold her face between hands. Her skin was moist and seemed to burn underneath his touch.
She stiffened for a moment before placing her hands on his chest and shoving him away. They stood in silence, staring at each other until Proserpina opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She tried again and was successful on the second attempt.
"What meaning does your kiss hold?" she asked.
Spartacus shook his head as if he himself did not know. "Adoration," he finally said, "for a goddess."
He stepped towards her again and she put a hand up. "Don't," she whispered, but he ignored her plea. He placed his palms against the wall on either side of her face. Their bodies were close, and Proserpina could hardly breathe. Spartacus leaned down and brushed his lips across the girl's, and this time she let him.
One of the champion's hands found Proserpina's hip and he massaged the bare flesh there before wrapping his arm around her back. He pulled her towards him, pressing their bodies flush together.
"AH! I knew it!" The two jumped apart and looked to where Varro was standing, arms crossed with the usual grin on his face. "How have I not caught you two before?"
"Varro, really -" Proserpina started, but the gladiator interrupted her.
"You think I miss the looks between you?" he said with a laugh. The girl's face reddened. She wanted to run away, but did not have to. A guard rounded the hall and addressed her.
"Proserpina, you are summoned."
-x-X-x-
When she entered the room, her masters were lounging upon a chaise, eating food from a large silver tray. Batiatus smiled as he spotted the girl.
"Behold Proserpina," he announced to the empty room and Lucretia forced a smile. "I assume Spartacus has told you of our arrangement?" he asked.
The girl shook her head. "No. Dominus?"
He plucked another grape from its stem and popped it in his mouth, placing the rest back on the tray. "From now on, you will couple with Spartacus," he stated simply.
"Couple?"
Batiatus sighed as his wife rolled her eyes. "He will fuck you," he told her. "Until seed plants in stomach and you give us a champion."
"A baby! Dominus - I... I was bought to fight!"
Batiatus stood from the chaise and walked towards Proserpina with haste. "You were bought as a slave!" he yelled. "To do anything and everything I request. I own you - your life, your name, your cunt are all mine!"
The girl balled her hands into fists. "I refuse."
Her dominus looked away, trying to gather himself, but when he turned back to the Amazon, he struck her with the back of his hand. Lucretia stood up quickly and the guard made to move, but Proserpina did nothing. She stared back up at Batiatus, face red and lips pursed.
"Let us talk as girls," Lucretia suggested to her husband as she put a comforting hand on his arm. He nodded his head and gave one last warning look at Proserpina before leaving with the guard.
"When did you last bleed?" Lucretia asked when the men were out of the room.
"Not since the first time, Domina," Proserpina said, then ran her tongue over the inside of her swelling cheek.
"How is that so?"
"We can control when we bleed - Amazons can," she explained, "and only do so when we are ready to mate."
"How?" Lucretia asked, more interested than before.
"Stop training," Proserpina said simply. "Gain weight."
Lucretia chuckled. "So you are saying you are not fat enough to bear a child?"
"Yes, Domina."
The womans laughed again and brought something out of the blue skirts of her stola. She handed a black pouch to the girl. "Take a pinch of this herb every evening at supper," she commanded and Proserpina nodded her head. "It will keep seed from planting. In case your Amazon tricks are not sufficient."
Proserpina scrutinized the bloated pouch in her hand. "Why would Dominus command me to lie with Spartacus if you want me to prevent the purpose?"
"He will have Spartacus fuck you," Lucretia said. "Then Crixus, Varro, Felix... anyone he believes would make a champion. Do you want that, girl?"
"No, Domina."
"Then do not question intent."
-x-X-x-
"Your face," Spartacus said when Proserpina returned to the ludus. "How did you come to get this bruise?"
"I am marred all over from training. I have had this injury."
The champion went to touch her cheek, but she flinched away. "I know your every bruise," he told her. "This is fresh."
Proserpina walked past him towards the training field, but changed her mind after a few steps. She turned and stared at the man. "Why did you not tell me?" she asked.
"Tell you what?"
"You know what!" she hissed. She was tired of games. She was sick of being played and toyed with. Her cheek still stung and her eyes were heavy for need of sleep, but she continued. "They intend to mate us like dogs! Was that your understanding with him, Spartacus? That you would fuck me without complaint?"
"No, Proserpina. He did tell me, but -"
"Save your words," she said, "for they will fall on deaf ears."
