It had been nearly a month since Spartacus had proclaimed himself of his namesake, since he 'accepted' his former life was gone. I had attempted to broker conversation with him a few nights, him either telling me this was his life now; which was a lie. The hatred had been growing in his eyes like a fire. Or he would just tell me how he needed to be at one with his thoughts, either way the man was secluding himself from his friends. All but Varro.

Varro on the other hand had returned to his gambling with the other men, and when he had enough coin from his winnings he would purchase wine. Even use his winnings for his gambling, though he himself was seemingly becoming more and more lost like his champion friend. I had spent the last few games staying in the Villa. Properly handling the coin and making sure all expenses were being covered to their fullest.

A thing that not but a year before would have been seen to be impossible, yet now the chests were near overflowing. Once when I was in the market about a week ago a small boy handed me a letter before instantly vanishing into the crowd around us. It had been from Pietros, knowing enough that he was safe and hadn't in fact fled over the cliff swelled my heart.

'Dearest Jana;

Gratitude for helping me secure my freedom, and for the honesty of which you parted to me about Barca. Only such a friend would be bold enough to risk life for another, I seek to leave Rome and head towards the lands Barca and his people had once called home. I asked a young merchant girl to assist me in writing this to you, I will not write again. Just know I am safe and it is because of you.

Forever your grateful friend,

Pietros'

Knowing the boy was safe, and all those he was finding to help him were keeping him that was was more than enough to allow me at least a small amount of sleep. I have burned the letter quickly, for its discovery and the knowledge of the boy being alive would surely consider my life forfeit. I had told Naevia of the letter before we had gone to sleep that night, she was overjoyed with the news his life was still his and that it was now free.

A thing the rest of us could only dream of.

I had told Dominus before he left for the games this morning that there was to be a auction of substantial men the following day. A few Gauls, Germans, as well as a Phoenician, Numidian and a Celt or something similar. The last Numidian that fought it this house was Oenomaus and the last Celt was Gannicus, the last Germans we had both died shortly after entering the arena so the prospects were rather high that the stock would be very good. He was more than happy at the sounds of shoving purchase into Solonius' face yet again.

The next morning Dominus rounded myself, Ashur and Oenomaus to join him in the market to view the stock. Oenomaus having already inspected each of the men before we had even really been able to view them ourselves. I had to admit I was rather excited, the last time Dominus brought me to purchase gladiators was the day before we secured Spartacus.

He even admitted only bringing Ashur, had been resulting in bad stock. He considered me his lucky charm for the day. Oenomaus quickly returned himself to our side as, as Dominus spoke that fortune favored our house. "A fine selection, enough coin to take our pick." He said as I had to move around Ashur to take my place next to Dominus. "Your competitor approaches." Ashur leaned over my head to tell Dominus.

I looked over at Solonius as he was looking at the wares, which was when I saw them. Their skin muddied and covered in dirt, ankles and wrists chained together. Hair was much longer than I remembered it being as a girl, they were much bigger too. "Agron...Duro…" I felt myself whimper out.

Tears had begun to sting my eyes as I bit my lip in attempt to hold them back and harden them. I had missed out on every bit of their lives, my brothers lives as they did mine. They were almost complete strangers to me, yet also the only things that felt like they were mine. "Solonius, my heart brims with joy!" Dominus said from beside me, "I had hoped to see you here, buying new men for Spartacus to slaughter!" His voice and words gaining the attention of all around.

"Batiatus, now purse-proud and so potent with charm. Seems your slave girl Jana's charms has yet to rub off on you." He said as I looked over at Agron and Duro whose eyes were now on me with sheer disbelief to me being alive. I could feel the tears threatening to spill from my eyes as I attempted to smile to them. I watched as my brothers attempted to whisper to one another their eyes still focused on me.

Dominus and Solonius continued to squabble as I just continued to marvel at my brothers. Their hair looked so tattered much like Reinhard's had when we first came to Capua. Was the way our warriors would wear their hair. Where they fighters? Had that been how they were caught? Did they have wives, had I nieces and nephews? So many questions I had wanted to ask them and yet unless Dominus purchases them, they would never be asked.

"Good citizens of Capua!" The man spoke as he entered the market square to begin the auction. "The auction begins Dominus." Oenomaus spoke as Dominus motioned for me to take my place beside Oenomaus. "To business, then." Dominus grinned softly.

"The Gaul Segovax will demand expense." He told Dominus as I hoped my brothers would be among the suggested to purchase. "And perhaps the German brothers, Duro and Agron." I felt my heart flutter almost as if it were high on the clouds. I felt Dominus place his hand on my arm, "These are your brothers, are they not? Don't think I did not notice the tears building in your eyes. Worry not, I will make sure family is once again reunited." He told me as I almost couldn't contain my smiles, "Dominus, gratitude." I told him as he just grinned.

"Let us begin with a Celtic Gaul of imposing virtues!" The auctioneer spoke as I hadn't realized the man was a Celt as well, he was very large with huge muscles. Imposing indeed, I looked over at Ashur and watched him scribble away even though he knew I knew the levity of all the houses coins far better than he did. His writings were for not, unless they were about something unrelated to the auction.

He pulled the man forwards as Duro looked over at him angrily that he had imposed on his space. Duro was only a few years older than I was, Agron a few more than he was. Duro even as a child I remember him being fairly temperamental and dependent on Agron and Reinhard for protection from others in our small village. The man snapped me from my memories as the bidding for the Gaul had begun.

Coin amounts being tossed every which way, with little to know thought behind any of them. Dominus and Solonius had begun to start betting between each other, much to Dominus' growing amusement to his new found position over his old friend. "I grow tired of bidding." Dominus soothed out his voice curling with sarcasm, he was playing with the man.

"A hundred denarii." Dominus spoke as the auctioneer excitedly repeated the number back to him. "For the entire lot." Dominus responded to him again. "Sold to Batiatus!" The man said excitedly as Dominus handed me a small bag filled with coin. "He gets not a coin more then paid, bring the men back in a cart." He told me as he motioned the guard to come forwards.

"You can then have chance to speak to your brothers. Consider it a gift, for your birthday." He told me as I nodded, "Gratitude, Dominus." I told him as I lowered my head. My birthday was not for another few months even though this would be sufficient for a lifetime of birthdays. I walked off the the guard as the men were slowly brought to where we were keeping the cart, their chains yet to be removed.

I stopped when Agron and Duro approached to be loaded into the cart. "A moment." I told the guard as he stopped handling them. Agron's smile almost doubled in size as I wrapped my arms around them both feeling the tears stream from my eyes. "Ich dachte, du wärst tot!." I weeped. [I thought you were dead!]

"Könnte dasselbe über dich gesagt haben!" Agron told me. [Could have said the same thing about you!]

Duro moved away from us for a moment looking at my crisp clean robes, "Was für ein Sklave bist du…" Duro asked as he looked at my clothing, [What kind of slave are you…]

"Ich bin der Kopf des Hauses. Keine Sexsklavin, du bist krank." I told him as Agron chuckled softly, [I am the head of the house. Not sex slave, you sicko.] Before pulling me into another hug, "Ich war noch nie so glücklich... du bist am Leben." Agron said his voice choking up. [I've never been so happy... you're alive.]

"Alright enough gibber, let's get going." The guard said as my brother were loaded in to the cart, before the guard helped me sit next to him on the front. They were back, and they were alive, a thing I have never thought imaginable. I couldn't wait to tell Naevia or to spend more time with my brothers. I only hoped Dominus did not see them or I as a threat as he had with Sura.

I had brought water out and set it on the balconies one table ready for Dominus, Domina and their guest. I could hear the men below 'greeting' the new men as they were to enter the training grounds. I could have attended Ashur below, though my suspicions of his motives hit me more and more each day. Draining my trust for him, removing my eagerness to continue any such friendship.

I looked over the railing to see that the men were now standing in a line up, the men soon became silent alerting me to the fact that Oenomaus had walked out to greet the men. Give them their introduction to the ludus. He looked at the men as I watched, "What is beneath your feet?" He asked them as I kept my eyes on my brothers.

"Sand?" Duro remarked, causing the men around to laugh much to Agron's appeared annoyance. There was always someone who remarked with that response, before Duro it was a Greek man, before him it was a Gaul, and before him it was Kerza. I knew nothing about my brothers though I suppose it was apparent enough that Duro was the slightly dimwitted one of the two.

"Spartacus." Oenomaus called out, "Sacred ground, Doctore!" I heard him call out. A lot has happened to this man since he first arrived to these lands, he was forced into servitude, fought for his life, lost his love, and became Champion. Though deep in my mind, I knew he was not done having both great and terrible things happen to him. None of us were. "Water with tears of blood." He his as his voice grew much colder.

"Your tears. Your blood." Oenomaus told them. "Your pathetic lives, forged into something of worth…" Oenomaus continued. I couldn't help but continuing my thoughts of my brothers, our similarities. Dark brown hair, brown eyes, we were all tall. Well I figured I was tall even though most of the men here stood as giants. I was seeing my brothers for the first time not covered in dirt and mud like I had at the auction, Duro even had a piercing on his nose it made me wonder if such a thing hurt.

Dominus walked out behind me causing me to stir as he just held his hand up, "Stay there." He told me kindly as I nodded watching the two women stood off to the one side. Naevia and Thessela, Ilithyia's body slave took their places behind them much like I should have been.

"Now, attend your master!" Oenomaus shouted as Dominus took a place next to me on the balcony, all the men below were looking up at Dominus as he spoke. "You have been blessed! Each and every one of you, to find yourselves here, at the ludus of Quintus Lentulus Batiatus. Purveyor of the finest gladiators in all the Republic!" As all the men below cheered at his name, each of them at one point having been in their place. "Prove yourselves, in the hard days to follow. Prove yourselves more than a common slave. More than a man. Fail, and die. Succeed, and stand proud among my titans!" He called out.

The men began to cheer Dominus' name as they had every single time before. This was usually an attempt to show dominance over the newer men, scare them a bit. Oenomaus cracked his whip causing Ilithyia to jump being mildly startled by the intensity of the sound. I knew which part of the speech was coming next, it had gotten Kerza in trouble. I usually got all those who spoke out in trouble come to think of it.

"A Gladiator does not fear death. He embraces it. Caresses it. Fucks it." He spoke as I felt Dominus presents move from my side turning my head to watch as he walked over to the guest. Glaber's wife, they seemed to hate this women and yet invited her over frequently with attempt and hope she will secure them patronage.

They were offering one of the new recruits to her as just another way to scheme their way into path forwards to their own glory. "Who should I choose?" Her voice squealed into my ear, as I looked among the men.

"May I offer a suggestion to aid your dilemma?" I could hear Dominus offer her. "Doctore!" Dominus shouted as he was halted from his speech to the new men. "Our honored guest wishes to access the recruits' virtues." He called out as many of the men below started to laugh. Dominus cracked his whip yet again ordering the men to remove their cloths.

Both my brothers looked at me uncomfortably as I just shrugged to them trying to avert my eyes literally anywhere. As they would be forced to comply, to completely remove myself would be to offend Ilithyia. Such a thing would hold a punishment against me, even though both my only living relatives were below.

"The one on the left…" She had begun to say causing me to lose sense to look at what she was referring too. Segovax the Celtic Gaul, "He has truly been blessed by the god Priapus." She remarked, the man was hung like a horse. It looked misshapen, that or perhaps I had just never seen one of the size before. "A fine specimen." Dominus told her.

"We must celebrate!" She cheered moving to hug Domina.

I turned to Dominus, "Would I be allowed but a moment with my brothers Dominus? All my duties have been completed for the day unless it is that you require me." I asked him.

"Of course not, head below when they are to have their meal." He commented to me before moving off, Naevia walked towards me, "Your brothers? The Germans?" She asked me as I grinned.

"I had thought of them to be dead, Naevia. Them alive brings hope that my mother may yet draw breath herself." I told her with joy. "You must make introduction for me sometime, I am so happy for you Jana." She told me as she gave me a hug. "Before bed, we should celebrate this reunion." She told me before rushing off to attend Domina.

Once I was finished helping prepare midday meal for Dominus and his wife's guest I almost sprinted down towards the ludus to see my brothers again. The excitement of being near family almost all but consuming me. Not even but the day before my thoughts almost overflowing with desire to escape and be free of this place. Now near consumed of thoughts to get to know my family again after so many years apart.

I stood near opening of the grounds watching as my brothers and the other recruits were carrying the wood around in circles. Lucky for them the sun is not nearly as hot as it was during the drought when Spartacus had to do this same thing. Yet judging by the sound of the men they have all but forgotten they were once too recruits.

"Jana?" Oenomaus spoke to me as he walked towards me. I had a small basket with fruit and some bread below a cloth to help my brothers in hopes they would wish to sit with me and eat. Not that anyone need know I had stolen the food in the first place, my joy and excitement almost clearly giving way to reason.

"Dominus, he had said I could come sit with my brothers during their meal." I stated as more of a question then anything else. The man smiled at me softly, "Fine, as so long as you give me one of those apples." He said as I nodded sweetly, "Of course!" I cheered handing him one of the green ones.

"I remember when I was a girl, our village was growing orchards of apples. Red ones. Unless I am mistaken." I told him nervously. "How long has it been?" He asked me. "I was ten when my father and brother left our village to seek better life. Hopes that once we had settled, my mother along with Agron and Duro would join us. She begged for me to stay but I was so excited, that my father allowed me to join him." I told Oenomaus. "Almost fourteen years… since I last saw either of them, and yet upon seeing them I knew they were my brothers." I told him as he smiled.

"They are lucky to have you." He informed me, "Varro the die call your name." I heard Rhaskos say taking my attention to my clearly sand covered brothers to Varro as he linked eyes with me before he seemed to lower his head in shame as he walked towards the men.

"I miss him, Oenomaus. Everyday. It's as if it was only yesterday he fled these walls." I told him as he took a bite of the apple. "I miss him too, there hasn't been such a Champion since those days." He told me.

"Well we've had Crixus, though he has always been of a different kind." Oenomaus laughed at my comment, "That he has." He told me softly before he walked away, Agron and Duro soon to take his place.

"Hallo, kleine Schwester." Duro smirked at me as I rolled my eyes. [Hello, little sister.]

"Wie geht es dir? Wie ist das ausbildung?" I asked them, as Duro looked as if he was about to throw up. [How are you? How is training?] "Es ist verdammt heiß." Duro complained. [It's too damn hot.]

I noticed Spartacus was staring at us, as Crixus knocked one of the recruits into the table near us forcing him to drop the only meal he probably had in a few days. "You will wait until gladiators have filled their bellies." He growled at them as Spartacus spoke up, "Let them eat." He told them as my brother took this opportunity to fill bowls with the slop.

"They must embrace pain and suffering to become gladiators. This is how it is done." Crixus seemed to inform him. "Not by you." Spartacus spoke as the area went dead silent as men began to exchange looks. Ashur who had been watching me with my brothers looked utterly pleased with Spartacus' defiance of the former champion.

"Let them eat." Spartacus said again softly.

"Spartacus, the kind and gentle one." Crixus said as he raised his arms, causing a few chuckles here and there from the rest of his gaul brothers. Spartacus slowly stood up from the table he was at. "Do not mistake me, Crixus. I give no shit about these men. But you are no longer the Champion of Capua. You do not take lead here." He said as I happened upon Ashur who was mid bite looking more and more happy that his enemy, Crixus. Was being put into his place but Spartacus. I had never seen this side to Crixus, I had never known him to be a cruel brute. He had always been sweet and kind to me in passing and even more so now with Naevia.

"You follow." Spartacus told him. "The man who follows is forever at your back. Something to consider champion." He said throwing the remainder of the man's food at him. I looked between my brothers as Agron took my arm and moved me away from the scene.

"Fickerei Gallien." He told me once I was closer to him, away from the mess of food on the ground. [ Fucking Gauls.]

"Agron." I snipped at him, "They are not all bad, Crixus is just… verwundet." I told him softly. [Wounded.]

We all moved and sat at the table behind where Spartacus had returned eating his own meal. Segovax and one of the other new recruits sit with us as I handed the four of them some fruit and bread. The man who Crixus had knocked to the ground revealed with gratitude towards the food after having lost his whole meal.

I looked at Agron with a smile quietly eating some of the food I had brought with me. "Wie geht es Mutter?" I asked him as both he and Duro exchanged looked between each other swallowing hard before forming an answer. [ How is mother?]

"Sie starb zwei Jahre nachdem ihr alle gegangen seid." Duro told me plainly as I felt my chest tighten. [She died, Two years after you all left.] "Wie?" I asked him my voice sounding more coarse than I meant it too. [How?]

"Das Dorf wurde überfallen, wir waren mit ein paar anderen auf der Jagd gewesen, als es passierte." Agron told me softly. [The village was attacked, we had been hunting with a few others when it happened.]

I lowered my head feeling an immense amount of sadness rush through my entire body. Seeing both my brothers alive had given me hope everyone I had once known would be alive too, yet they were all I had left. They were likely all I ever had left. "Do you guys not know anything beyond this babble?" The one recruit asked us, Segovax gave the man a stern look. "Leave them alone, clearly it's not a conversation they want everyone hearing." He told the guy.

"Gratitude." I told him, "They are family, last time I saw my younger sister was nearly eight years ago. Should I ever see her again, we would likely speak in our tongue as well." He offered me a smile. "Gaelic?" I asked him as he looked surprised.

"You're smart for a slave." He told me, "I just took the time to learn. Dominus wished for me to be as intelligent as possible for one of my...station." I told them man, slowly remembering the news I had just been given by my brothers.

"Sister, we had not meant to make you cry." Duro told me. "Jana, we would have come looking for you had we known you were alive, you know this." Agron told me.

"I know, it was just seeing the both of you gave me hope the village and mother would still be alive. After years of convincing myself I was completely alone save for the family I gained here… it is a miracle we should find ourselves together again." I told them as Agron grinned at me. "We will once again run in the fields near the Rhine." Duro told me.

"Such speak of freedom, you would be best to not make mention of it again." Spartacus told him without turning his back. "He is right. Zur Zeit...eat all this, or save it… pass the test." I told them with a soft smile before leaving them to return to the ludus. [For now.]

"You know what tonight is." Ashur spoke from behind me. "Do I?" I asked turning to see him.

"Shall I come get you when I bring the whores to the men… you know so you can spend some time with your friend Varro." He told me as I turned back to see Varro who was staring at me. "Yes, but call me a whore one more time." I told him my voice growing dark as I viciously grabbed his balls. "And you will cease the ability to walk properly." I told him before letting go.

"You know that was not my intent." He told me as he followed me up to the villa, "I just meant, when I gather them, would you wish to be informed. I had not meant to ever imply you be one yourself." He told him his voice slowly returning to his normal tone.

"As you say." I told him before returning to Dominus.

It was later in the night and Ashur had helped me sneak away from Dominus to lead me down to the ludus, me being the only girl who was remotely dressed like a woman and not a dog. He would stop by specific men and ask them if they wanted coin or cunt. Meaning money for wine or other things or a night with one of these...women. Hamilar was one of the first men he asked, he valued wine and proper meats over women of questionable means. Rhaskos second, he of course chose a woman. Much like most of the men did.

As we made our way through the through the halls many of the guards were watching the men with their new...investments. Pleasure likely to come to them later when they were alone, a thing that made me feel slightly disgusted knowing. Though such are the things of men far removed from the company of their own women.

"Ashur, you pass my cell by mistake." I heard Crixus speak from behind a set of bars, him shocked at the sight of me, only to soft assuming I was here on the order of Dominus. Dominus used to send me below for this to make sure that Ashur was not skipping the men's earnings. Those days however have long since passed, and I was here to see Varro. A thing I was just shy of feeling guilt of. "Where is my coin?"

"The mistake is yours. You do not fight, you are entitled to neither coin nor cunt." Ashur told the man as he slowly moved himself to view Ashur much easier, sizing him up. "The Dominus shall hear about this." Crixus told him.

"Oh," Ashur began to laugh. "His very hands set the names. Perhaps next month you should find yourself again among them, should your wounds ever heal." Ashur said as he began to walk away. "I shall have words with Dominus for you, Crixus. Though you may wish to ease up on the new men, it was not so long ago you were among them yourself. I am not used to this brutish side of you my friend." I told him before I started to turn.

"Nor I see this side of you, falling to the baser emotion of men. Varro will never fill the whole Gannicus left in your chest. Continuing such a torrid affair, will only cause you greater pain." He told me as I nodded, "Perhaps this pain, is how I keep myself close to him." I reminded him as he nodded. "The Germans, they are your brothers I hear." He told me.

"Yes, so please try not to kill them." I told him before rushing off after Ashur. "Varro, a moment." I could hear Ashur call out in front of me while I was still walking.

I could hear him sigh, "Your victories amass much coin. Shall I see it transferred to your wife as usual?" He asked him as I rounded the corner much to Varro's surprise.

"You will send his wife eighty percent of his earnings, the rest he is to keep so he can enjoy a bit of wine and games." I told Ashur as I put my hand on his shoulder, "Varro?" He asked him. "What she said, exactly." He told Ashur as he then walked away with the two women.

"What are you doing down here?" He asked me, "Besides saving you from making a mistake? Hope, the same home you had asked me for not but days ago." I told him as he smiled softly. "What about your two new men?" He asked me with a tinge of jealousy in his voice.

"Agron and Duro are my brothers, you idiot." I told him as he smiled, "A relief." He remarked, as we both walked towards his quarters, knowing the night would end in climax. For at least one of us.

We took no time at all in removing my robe leaving it hanging through the window as he helped me up and on his bed as he quickly removed his subligaria. He leaned over me as he began to kiss me his hands roaming my lightly leaving goosebumps all over my skin where his fingers had once touched. I felt him slowly enter me, causing me to gently bite down on his lip letting out a soft groan from both our lips. He pulled me closer to him pushing himself deeper inside of me before he began to rock his hips into me.

Picking ups speed with each of his thrusts, his hands gripping my waist to hold onto me as he had thrown his head back in the ecstasy, I almost couldn't contain my moans as the had been filling the room. Him moving closer to me our lips silencing my moans with his lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he lifted me off the bed as I wrapped my legs around his waist. Bouncing up and down on him as he steadied himself against the wall before sitting down me still upon his lap, his cock inside me. He soon fell back onto his bed, his hands roaming my chest as I continued to ride him as he allowed me to listen to each of his noises causing me to grow with wetness.

"I'm going to come." He told me as I moved myself off of him as we switched places, allowing him to finish himself on my chest. "You are a woman of wonders, Jana." He told me as I smiled, he handed me a damp cloth letting me clean myself off before putting my robe back on.

"I would advise on telling my brothers about this… they might kill you." I told him as I kissed his lips one last time. "Hopefully your debts are paid off soon, and you can go back to being...mildly respectable." I laughed as he rolled his eyes. "So eager to be rid of me." He laughed. "Hardly, you just have a family, and this is fairly wrong." I told him.

"Yet she does the same to me, and has been for years." He told me for the second time. "Good night, Varro." I rolled my eyes before heading back to the villa to wash up for bed.