Chapter Five: Harry
WARNING: I don't own Harry Potter or Spartacus or any of their characters. I only own my story and any character I might add.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: PLEASE READ: It's finally time to learn what's happened to Harry! Yay! I must say, even though I didn't get five reviews like I asked, four reviews is close enough for me for this chapter. I'm very excited to get this one up so I'll make an exception and put this one up now:) however, since I'm putting it up one review early I'll want SEVEN reviews in order to get the sixth chapter. There will be no exceptions for that one.
"Talk"
'Thoughts'
Chapter Five: Harry
'Venison's done. Now I just need to wash my hands and get Adam to come and get washed up.' I thought, coming in from the back where we cook the meat over a fire, smiling as I sat the pan full of meat on the table. After my hands were cleaned I went to the front door and had to smile brighter at the sight.
Adam was in Agron's arms hugging him tightly before he was sat down so he could hug the others while Spartacus talked to Crixus.
Adam was hugging a basket to himself as the others began to laugh about something.
It was nice to see everyone together again.
Of course, if they weren't all such big gits for showing my son a war I didn't want him to know a lot about then no one would've gotten banned. My husband would've been allowed in our bed.
He was only just allowed back in there last night.
Sighing I looked back to all of them and raised my voice so it could be heard.
"Adam time to come in and wash up!" everyone looked to me and I saw my husband smile as he put an arm around our son's shoulder.
"Come now love let the boy remain with us for a moment more! He must gain strength and knowledge if he is to take over the farm one day!" the others laughed with Spartacus then and, while I did find it to be cute, my son needed to be washed up. Because of that I glared and pointed beside me.
"Adam. Clean up. Now." This time my husband did let go of our son who rushed up to me still holding his basket.
"Mother can we have these for dinner as well? We even got your favorite!" I looked into the basket and saw corn and strawberries and smiled softly at Adam as I took the basket and nodded at him.
"We can, now go wash up while I get this cleaned and the corned cook real fast." Adam's eyes brightened at my answer and he rushed into the other room.
I laughed and turned to offer a loving smile to my husband and waved to the others before going back into the kitchen.
I threw the corn into the pot and looked to the water which instantly started to boil only to stop so I could get the perfectly, and quickly, cooked corn out of the pot and placed them on another tray and sat them on the table.
I typically don't like to use magic when I cook, but I didn't want the meat getting cold while we waited for the water to boil so I just gave it a hand.
Once that was done I went back to the kitchen and began to wash the strawberries.
As I cleaned them I began to get lost in my thoughts to where I actually stopped cleaning the one in my hand and just stood there looking out the window that faced the backyard.
Eight years. Eight years and not a single Roman has stepped foot on our land.
I sighed and looked to the bathroom door and smiled at it.
'He's been safe for eight years. Maybe I found the perfect hiding place.' I thought and unconsciously held onto my left forearm tightly.
I looked to it and sighed.
Not really wanting to think of that right now.
I shook my head of the thoughts and went back to cleaning the strawberries and putting them into a bowl.
I heard a door opening and a lot of footsteps. "I hope none of you are wearing those muddy shoes of yours. This floor just got mopped and if I find a single footstep of mud I will make all of you clean it again." I threatened in good humor.
"Apologies, but it appears we've left quite a few marks." I paused in cleaning again and felt my own eyes widened in shock and fear.
That was a voice I'd hoped to never hear again.
Slowly, I turned around and found Crassus and Caesar standing there smirking at me with six other Romans behind them.
"It appears we have finally found you." Caesar said and I came out of my shock and grabbed my swords that I always kept in arms reach and glared at them.
"Get out of my house." I growled. Crassus, Caesar and the other soldiers all laughed then.
"That will not happen without you in chains and leaving with us." I held my swords tighter then.
"I'm not going with you, no one from this house is." I said a little louder and Crassus glared.
"You forget your-."
"I forget nothing! I could never forget wanting to be the one to end your life, which will happen if you don't GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" I yelled and backed up when they all stepped forward. I knocked off a few dishes when I backed too close to the counter and glared at the men before me.
"Leave my mother alone!" fear like no other entered me when everyone looked over and saw Adam standing there with a sword held with both hands in front of him.
The Romans all laughed at the sight while I just kept begging for Adam to turn and run.
"It appears a boy wishes to be a man! Let us show him what happens to men who do not know when to remain in the shadows." Crassus said looking to his soldiers.
I saw one Roman take a step to my son and without hesitating I killed the closest one to me then cut the head off another that ran at me. Another blocked my attempted at cutting his head off so I stabbed him with my other sword and cut his head off then when he lowered his guard.
That was when I noticed two had managed to sneak behind me and before I could do anything I was being forced to my knees with my swords taken from my hands.
I looked up from struggling to get free and noticed that Caesar was holding Adam while Crassus held a sword to him from behind, far enough back Adam couldn't see it but from my angle I could see it perfectly.
And I hated the evil object so close to my son.
"You hold title of this one's mother? Fascinating, you must tell of how such a thing is possible." Crassus said and I didn't even bother to glare at him.
In fact, I looked at him with pleading eyes.
"Please, let my son go, he's got nothing to do with this!" I begged and both men laughed.
"I will release your boy, but only if certain words spoken in promise by you are returned to memory." I froze then and looked between the men and my son and smiled at him in what was hopefully reassurance.
"Don't be scared baby. Everything will be okay, I promise." Adam looked to me confused but still held trust in me in his eyes.
I smiled at him once more just as my brothers and sisters made it into the house. Crassus pulled his sword back and Caesar pushed my son into Nasir who held on tightly.
I smiled at them and saw that most were about to attack.
I needed to act quickly. If I didn't my family would be killed in front of me, and I couldn't live with that. Their lives meant more than mine.
With only the thought of getting them somewhere far out of Roman hands I gave one more smile and nodded. "Stay safe." With that a loud pop was heard as I was forced to my feet and Romans tried to reach my family but they were gone too fast.
"Where do they go?!" Crassus growled and I just smirked at him.
"I don't know, but they're far out of your reach, and that's all I care about." Crassus growled once more and turned.
"Get him out of here! And make sure the bodies of these men are not found here!" he yelled as I was forced out of the house.
It was then I noticed Spartacus was on the ground and not moving.
"Spartacus!" I tried to break free but their hold was too strong. Just as I was about to use magic to get them off one hit the back of my head making me see stars and lose focus for a moment.
"Now, now, remember our spoken deal." Caesar said and I tried to give him a hard glared but my head hurt too much for me to attempt a better one. The stars were finally gone though.
One Roman picked up Spartacus and looked to Crassus who nodded.
"See his head removed from shoulders." Fear entered me and I looked to Crassus.
"Kill him and I kill myself." Crassus made the guy pause, which I was grateful for, and he walked up to me.
"You are restrained. How do you plan to perform such a task?"
"You and I both know I don't need hands to kill a man." I said calmly. Crassus just stared at me for a moment.
"You would go back on your word?"
"Just like you're about to." I sent right back.
"I am not-."
"The deal was to let him live and he's alive right now. Kill him and you lose your precious vessel." I said softly.
Crassus looked between me and Spartacus before walking closer to me.
"I will continue to let this man draw breath, provided you do not use magic from this moment on and do whatever it is demanded of you." I looked to Spartacus then.
"And what'll happen to my husband?" Crassus smirked.
"The rebel leader will become a slave once more." I growled then and tried to get to Crassus but his men holding me kept their grip firm.
Crassus and Caesar laughed before looking to me.
"Part of deal has already been struck, I but add the rest of it." he said lightly petting my left forearm. I flinched from the touch and looked away.
"I won't condemn the man I love to slavery. The very thing he fought to end."
"If you do not then you will see his head leave shoulders." Crassus said whispered and I looked to Spartacus once more. Begging him to wake up and kill all the men around him so I could kill the men holding me and before me.
But he didn't wake up, and I would suspect he got hit hard enough to keep him out for another hour or so. Possibly even longer.
"My patience wears thin. If you do not give answer I will let my man take your husbands head!" Crassus growled and I glared at him before dropping it and looking away from Crassus.
"Just, please, don't kill him." I said softly and I didn't need to see to know Crassus was smiling over his victory.
"Spartacus will remain of this world even after he is bought by a Dominus. I know of a man within Ostia who I will inform of Spartacus being auctioned so that he may be the one to purchase your man." He said and stepped closer and grabbed my face to force me to look at him.
"Know this. I am picking his Dominus so that, should I feel you are going back on your word and using magic or not heeding my command, I will send word and your man will be sent to the afterlife. Continue to keep word and your man will continue to draw breath." I just starred at the man before nodding slowly.
Crassus smirked and released my face letting me look to the ground in defeat.
"See him to carriage with the other slaves." Crassus said and it was only then I realized there were two carriages here.
Spartacus was lifted by two men and lead to a carriage where I could see a man with dark brown hair and tanned skin looking out at me.
"Can I not say goodbye to my husband?" I asked and Caesar laughed.
"And allow you to try and awaken him?" I glared at the man then looked to Crassus.
"Please, at least let me say goodbye to him." Crassus seemed to think for a moment before he shook his head.
"Caesar is correct, we cannot risk chance of you waking Spartacus and killing more of my men. You may say goodbye from a distance, but I will not allow you near him."
I fought off the tears then as I watched the man I love be put into a carriage to be turned into a slave.
Eight years. Eight years of thinking I'd hidden my family well was destroyed in a matter of minutes.
"Do not look so saddened. It was by chance we saw Crixus and his bitch walking into the wilds. Once we took to following and noticed the rest of the rebels we followed until we came upon your little cottage. Know, however, we would not have found you without aid." He said and I knew he was trying to get me to hate my family.
But it's not like they knew they were followed.
"And as promised all those years ago, you are now ours." Crassus said as Caesar walked to stand beside him.
"Release him. The little pup knows not to go astray." I glared and roughly pulled from the soldiers grasp when it loosened.
"Now then, shall we proceed to our own carriage? We have a long journey ahead of us. If we are to drop our merchandise off at Ostia and return to Rome within a decent time we must make leave at once." Caesar and turning to head for the carriage.
I turned and took one last look at my home before glaring and yanking from Crassus' touch and walked to the carriage and got in. Luckily the carriage was big enough that I didn't have to sit directly beside the two men, but it was still too close for comfort.
All was quite the first couple of hours until Caesar broke it with his annoying voice.
"I must say, you have gained even more beauty since eyes last laid upon you."
I just glared at him and continued to stare out the window trying to not think of how I must look to them right then.
I'd let my hair grow to just passed my shoulders since the war. I always kept it in a loose ponytail, though after what happened a few hours ago it was a little messy, and my skin had gone back to being fair since we'd finished building our house. I let the same scars from before show and still hid the others from view.
I'd even grown some. Spartacus was now able to lay his head completely on top of mine comfortably when we were standing.
"Caesar broke words with you. You would do well to see them answered." Crassus said bringing me from my thoughts.
I glared at the man then turned my glare back to Caesar.
"Fuck off. How's that for answering?" they both glared but it made me feel a little better to get even a small amount of sass in there.
"You seem to easily forget-."
"I forget nothing. Nowhere did we agree I would watch how I spoke to either of you. As far as I'm concerned no deals have been broken." I said shrugging and went back to looking out the window knowing I'd gained a point.
It went silent again for a good portion of the ride, I kept dosing on and off, and the whole time I could only think of my family.
'Were my son and the others alive and okay? Were any of them hurt? Do they know to keep Adam as far from Rome as possible? Just where the hell did I send them anyways? And what the hell did I even do? Wizards can't apparate people without touching some part of them….I don't think so anyways….' I thought then moved to try and see the carriage in front of us.
'What about my husband? Is he finally awake? How long was he out? How badly is he hurt? He may have a concussion, hopefully someone treats it for him. I hope he doesn't hate me for condemning him to slavery once more. But I just couldn't let him die. Not after everything-.'
"Remove it." I jumped badly at being forced from my thoughts by the voice and turned to the men in front of me.
"Excuse me?"
"Remove it." Caesar said again.
I just blinked at him before cocking my head. "I don't have the slightest clue as to what you mean." Caesar glared then and pointed.
"I do not know what power you hold over it, but I want it removed." It was then I understood and glared.
"No." Caesar's glare deepened.
"Would you like for your man-."
"Now, now Julius." Crassus said making both of us look to him. "If he does not wish to remove it at this time then he does not need to." That shocked even Caesar.
"But Marcus, the vessel has struck deal years prior. Part of deal was to keep the deal within view at all times." Crassus smiled at him.
"Yet we are not to Ostia. Once we have given his man over to the traders and have turned for Rome then he will be forced to reveal it."
"I'm right here you know?" I said making them look to me. "Do I not get a say in what's being discussed about me?"
Crassus laughed. "I am afraid you do not vessel."
"Don't call me that. You know that I'm not some 'vessel'." I said growling.
Crassus just continued to laugh. "Yet all of Rome is still of mind that you hold such a powerful title. And as her humble servant it is my duty to deliver such a fine prize to her peoples." I just glared and looked back out the window to see we'd finally entered Ostia.
'This is it. This is where my husband's fate will be forever from mine.' I thought sadly and noticed that we were passing the carriage that held Spartacus.
I sighed and just watched the city move passed me as the carriage tried to find a decent spot to turn around without much issues.
"Harry!" mine and the men in the carriage with me quickly looked to the entrance to the carriage.
It was then I realized who it was and hope entered me.
"Spartacus." The name slipped out before I could stop it and I rushed to the entrance faster than the men with me just in time to see Spartacus being punched in the face knocking him to the ground.
Anger entered me at the man who dared hit my husband and I moved to try and jump out quickly yet felt tight arms wrap around my waist and force me back into my original spot only for Caesar's ugly glare in front of my face.
"Make such attempt again and see to your man's fate." I glared at him and couldn't resist spitting into his face.
Caesar huffed a laugh before he smacked me so hard my head was forced to look to the right facing the window.
"Caesar!" both of us looked to Crassus who was now glaring at the man standing over me. "Do not leave anymore marks than you have already given!" he growled referring to my obviously growing bruise on my cheek.
Caesar nodded but still sent a glare at me as he sat down.
I returned the glare to him then looked to Crassus as he sighed.
"It appears you have yet to learn that your fate and that of husband's now lies within our grasp."
Before I could give a comeback Crassus looked to the window and yelled for the carriage to stop as he and Caesar moved to the entrance, successfully blocking me from view.
I would've moved to the entrance, if Caesar didn't keep his sword very close to my leg. Silently threatening to stab it threw should I make a move to stand.
"Cornelius!" Crassus said in a cheerful tone.
"Marcus! Julius! What would cause such men of your standing to be within such a lowly town such as Ostia?" Crassus laughed then.
"Yet it is you who has planted roots within city." This Cornelius man sighed.
"Twas the will of my grandfather and his father before him who planted roots within city. Decision was taken from grasp before father's seed created my breath." Crassus nodded at that. "What has brought such fine men to Ostia?" Cornelius asked again.
I didn't have to see to know Caesar was smirking making me glare at him and was very tempted to make a noise or something. Leg be damned.
Yet, my leg wouldn't be the only thing I sacrificed if I moved or made a sound.
"We come baring a gift of the utmost rarity." Caesar said.
"Oh?" Caesar laughed then.
"Does memory of Spartacus, Bringer of Rain and leader of the rebellion, still exist?" Cornelius took in a deep breath then.
"The man is within this city?!" it was Crassus' turn to laugh.
"Brought here on a slave carriage of my very own."
"He is to be auctioned?!" Cornelius asked and I could hear the excitement in his voice making me hate the man without even caring what he looked like.
"He is. Auctions are now open, if you wish to have such a fine prize I would make haste." Caesar said."
The man outside the carriage turned to what must've been a woman, since he called her Caelia, and demanded she return to prepare his Villar for new slaves.
"Gratitude for such fine knowledge Marcus, Julius, such knowledge will not go to waste." Both men nodded at the man outside.
"Know this, I have given knowledge, but not without cost."
"Name it. Your wealth stands the only one to beat my own, see words from mind and I shall give them life." Cornelius said quickly.
"I only request that you stand ready to receive word from me should I require the man's life."
"And why would I accept such an offer when I will have the most powerful gladiator to walk within grasp?"
"Because I will pay for his death should it be required. Twice as much as you shall pay for him. I will also replace him with a gladiator of my very own. Should the need arise of course." Crassus said my glared deepened with every word.
Cornelius was silent for a moment before sighing then laughing.
"You are a mad fool Marcus, yet the temptation of having such a man within my walls is too strong to resist. Return to Rome with the knowledge that should you require his death I shall provide it myself." I didn't have to see to know both Crassus and Caesar were smirking.
"Gratitude." They both said together. They both said goodbye to the man and returned to their seats as the carriage began to move.
"It appears the vessel is learning his place." Caesar laughed and I growled at him as Shadow begged to be released.
"If plans to release your beast I would strongly suggest otherwise." Crassus said and I stopped growling and looked to the man. "Now then, shall we head for Rome?" with that the carriage went silent.
JUST AS THE CARRIAGE ENTERS ROME
To say a week in a carriage with the two men you hate as much as the man who killed your parents was a long trip would be an understatement.
True, there were a few times I tried to sneak away when the carriage stopped long enough for the driver and the horses to rest, but I now carried a broken ankle from the last attempted.
Honestly I'm lucky I only got that, Crassus threatened Spartacus life, but then thought it'd be more fun to make me have a painful ride and so just three days from Rome I gained a broken ankle.
And why didn't I just apparate away? Because the very first time I tried I nearly got splinched when Caesar managed to grab my wrist the moment before. Not really wanting to know what that feels like I gave up the idea of apparating. Even as the men took turns watching me through the night.
This was already looking like a shitty deal.
"I believe it is time for you to remove it." Caesar said and I glared at him.
"No."
I screamed then when Caesar kicked my right ankle hard. "Remove it!" I just glared at him the best I could.
Caesar growled and went to kick my leg once more when Crassus stopped him as he continued to look at me.
"Remove it, and we shall allow magic to be used to heal ankle." That caused me glare at him.
"I'd rather walk with a limp the rest of my life then remove it." Crassus sighed.
"Very well, I shall send word to Cornelius upon arrival." I could feel the color leave my face then.
"Don't!"
"See it removed and no words shall be sent." Crassus said gently.
I just stared between the two of them then. "Why does it even matter if it shows? You already know what it means. You know why I let it happen. So why is it so important for it to be visible?" Crassus and Caesar shared a look before looking back to me.
"It is what binds us all together. With that, our deal was born and because of this we wish to see the physical proof of such a wonderful deal."
"Does me not sitting in front of you not count? You find me and I don't run, that was the deal we made." I said and they both nodded.
"Yes, yes, it is difficult to forget such details of the deal. After all, the deal was created within my own medicus' chambers when a rat was caught stealing herbs." I flinched at that and looked out at all the people going about their lives.
"Spartacus was dying, his wounds had gotten infected."
"Because you did not hold knowledge to heal him yourself." Crassus said and I flinched once more.
"I was never taught healing spells and charms. The only ones I know were from me being in the infirmary so much that they just sorta stuck with me. That worked for a while. But when the spells and charms I knew stopped working-."
"You decided to steal from your enemy so that your precious husband would remain of this world." Caesar finished for me. "A story we heard all those years ago." I glared at him then.
"It seems an important detail was excluded." Crassus said and I looked to him. "In exchange for all of my supplies so that you may try and save your husband, a task I believed would fail yet I was wrong it would seem, along with my medicus' knowledge on how to use them you would be allowed to remain in hiding. Yet if we were to find you-."
"I'd become yours until it was time for 'Rome to finally have her vessel released'." I said looking back out the window.
"A deal that now lays upon your arm." Crassus said pointing to my left forearm.
Unconsciously I held my arm closer to me in an attempt to shield it from their view. "Yet it was never part of the deal that I had to let it be shown."
"When you agreed to be ours should we ever find you is when it became a part of the deal. Becoming ours is to do as we command. And we command you to remove whatever it is you are using to shield it from sight." Crassus said and I looked to him.
The three of us were silent before I sighed and held my arm out to them and looked away as the Concealment Charm left my forearm to reveal Marcus Crassus and Julius Caesar carved, in Roman font, into it.
Not only did they think it'd be funny to carry both their names forever, but it'd be even funnier to actually carve each name into me instead of burning it.
I felt one of them gently take my arm and begin to trace the letters lightly.
All the while I tried to resist yanking it from them.
"The music you created as we each carved our names forever into your skin still hardens my cock." Caesar said lustfully and I did yank my hand from him then and glared at them. Not denying, yet not admitting, that I did scream when they carved into me. I didn't want to show any more weakness to these men than they've already seen.
"No matter," Crassus finally said and leaned closer to me, "While I did not expect to find Spartacus still of this world it would appear you do hold ability to follow instructions." I glared at him then. "However, I am more fascinated with the child. How is it you hold title of 'mother' when you are a man?" I tensed at the bastard mentioning Adam and glared.
"Adam has nothing to do with this. Therefore you don't need to know how it's possible." Crassus actually glared then but dropped it in place of a sigh.
"Did you hold knowledge of him when you were within my Villar?" I just shrugged at that and leaned back crossing my arms over my chest.
"My patience is coming to an end vessel." Crassus growled and I laughed then.
"Didn't know you had any to begin with." I laughed again only for it to turn into a scream when Caesar kicked my ankle again.
"How is it you hold title of mother?" Crassus asked again while I panted in pain.
I just glared at him and looked away still refusing to say.
They could do whatever they wanted to me, but I would never tell them anything about my son.
"I find it just as fascinating that you were able to carry a child with such a wound upon belly." I instinctively cradled the scar that ran across my stomach and flinched at a memory.
Being pregnant with Adam was easy the first six months, but shortly after everyone was reunited it became obvious that whatever damage was done to my stomach was causing me to have a hard pregnancy near the end.
When it finally came the day for Adam to be born I actually almost died. It was by pure luck they were able to stop the bleeding and keep me alive like they were able to. But because of that one incident Spartacus begged me to find a way to prevent myself from becoming pregnant again.
And to this day Adam doesn't know the full extent of his birth nor why he's still an only child.
"I do believe that's still giving you some information on my son. And I'd rather die than tell you about him." I said coming out of my thoughts.
The men before me laughed. "Oh you shall meet your end yet not before your usefulness has run dry." I just glared at him and looked out the window when the carriage stopped at a familiar building.
"Welcome to your new home." Crassus said as he and Caesar stood and exited the carriage. When I didn't move to follow Caesar looked to me with a glare.
"Why do you not follow?!" I just huffed at him.
"You're as dumb as you look." Caesar growled then and I smirked at him. "My ankle is broken dumbass. I can't walk on it. Something you would've realized if you'd broken it out of the carriage and not in it."
Caesar glared but he disappeared only to be replaced by a boy that looked only be a teenager. Fifteen or sixteen at most. He had dirty blonde hair with slightly tanned skin and hazel eyes. He wore normal slave clothing and a red collar around his neck.
"Dominus has requested I aid you in following them into the Villar." He said softly and I offered him a gentle smile and accepted his help to stand and his help to get out of the carriage.
Once I was out he allowed me to put all my weight on him yet I lifted some off of him so that he didn't stumble under my weight.
We followed Crassus and Caesar in silence until we came across a huge wooden door. "These shall be your chambers from the duration of your stay." Crassus said as he opened the door.
The room fit the size of the door. It was huge! The walls were made of the same stoning the rest of the hall was, which was a light greyish color, with a opening that stretched from floor to ceiling with flowing red curtains covering it. Just outside the opening was a small yet fairly wide balcony.
A chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling and a king sized four poster bed decorated with gold and red sat almost directly under it with pure white dress robes laying neatly on top of it. Just across from the bed leaning on the wall was a mahogany desk with a matching chair. A matching dresser sat right beside the window and on either side of the bed was matching night stands with a candle on each of them.
"Beautiful is it not?" I turned to look to see the two men actually smiling at me. "Yet not it does not compare to the one who shall inhabit it." I glared at Caesar and motioned for the boy to take me into the room.
"The robes that now lay upon the bed is what you shall wear from this moment forward." The boy had moved me so that I could lean on one of the frames and I reached down to hold the robes up.
They were beautiful, except for one thing….
"They'll make me look like a woman. I'm not wearing these." I said and tossed the robes back on the bed.
"You shall wear them for they signify your purity as a vessel." I just groaned at him.
"I'm not a vessel nor will I play dress up and pretend to be one."
The men before me remained silent before Crassus sighed.
"I shall send for the medicus to look at that leg of yours. Should I return and not see you within them then I shall send word to Cornelius so that he may send your husband's head." I growled at the men as they shut the door behind them.
I sighed and flopped down onto the bed, resting my elbows on my knees, and hiding my face in my hands.
'This situation couldn't get any worse.' I thought and tensed when the boy made his presence known once more.
"I shall assist in your changing should you wish it. After all, your leg will make the task most difficult alone." I looked up into his shy and scared face and smiled.
"What's your name?" the boy seemed shocked by my question and it was obvious he was trying to decide if answering would cause him punishment.
I offered a small laugh and smiled once more.
"You don't have to be afraid of me you know. I can promise you I will never hurt you or make you do anything you don't want to do." I said. The boy seemed to lose some of the tension in his shoulders but he still held uncertainty in his eyes.
I sighed then and shook my head. "How about I start off then. I'm Harry Potter and you are?" the boy's eyes widened so much I actually worried they'd fall out.
"Why would a being in such a standing as yourself offer me such an honor as knowing your earthly name?" I sighed.
"I'm not a vessel." When the boy looked only more confused I smirked. "Tell you what, you tell me your name and I'll explain everything to you." The boy shook his head then.
"No my lord! You are far to above me to know what I am called." With that he bowed and rushed over to offer his hand. "If you would stand once more sir, I shall aid you changing into the robes Dominus has graciously prepared for you."
I looked at the boy and tried to get him to make eye contact with me. When it became apparent he wouldn't I sighed and took his offered hand while also using the frame closest to me to stand without falling back down. The boy went to remove my shirt but I stopped him with a laugh.
"I think I can manage the top part on my own, but I must admit getting my pants off with this ankle will be difficult." The boy would gain a permanent confused look on his face, I was sure of it, before he left this room.
"But, my lord, you are far too important to be changing yourself. Dominus demanded every slave within the Villar is to treat you as if you were Dominus himself." I glared at the door then and silently cursed the men that trapped me here before smiling softly at the boy.
"Well, you'll soon come to realize that I'm nothing like the gits out there that call themselves your Dominus."
"Git?" I laughed a little louder then remembering the time Spartacus gave me almost the exact same look when I first called him a git.
"Never you mind child." I said and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I can handle my shirt on my own, I only need help with my pants. At least until this ankle is healed, alright?" the boy looked uncertain but nodded and backed up some to give me room to remove my shirt.
Once it was off the boy rushed back over to me and hurriedly tried to stop me from removing my pants. When I stopped him he looked to me.
"My lord you said-."
"I know what I said. And what I meant by helping was to allow me to use you for support so that I don't fall on my arse. I'm a big boy, I can change myself." I said and the boy just stood there not sure what to do.
I just sighed and let the piece of clothing fall before putting a hand on the boy's shoulders so that I could slowly lift my legs out one at a time.
I hissed when I lifted the broken one and before I could say or do anything the boy had the robes in his hands ready to place them over my head.
I just looked at him and decided to give up and allow the boy to help me.
Once the robes were on I looked down at myself and couldn't help but hate them.
'Now I have to dress to match a fake fucking title!' I thought and finally sat back on the bed and sighed in relief.
"Merlin this ankle hurts!" I groaned and looked to the boy to see he wanted to ask me something but was fighting against it.
"I've already told you I'm not like Crassus. Hell, I'm not even like Caesar! You don't have to be afraid of me. If you a question for me then just ask." The boy hesitated before offering a small nod and a sigh.
"Who is this Merlin you mentioned?" I laughed loudly at that.
"I'm sorry," I gasped wiping my eyes as I saw the boy's face become a tomato, "sometimes it's hard to remember that he's not born yet." I smiled at the boy before continuing. "Merlin is the most powerful wizard to have ever walked."
"Wizard?" the boy asked without hesitating that time. The boy seemed to notice this and held a hand over his mouth.
"Apologies. I spoke without permission." I blinked at the bowing boy and sighed.
"Tell you what, I'll stick with my original deal, you tell me your name and a little about yourself and I will tell you more about myself."
The boy went to answer when the door opened. The boy tensed and quickly bowed causing me to glare harder at the men before me.
"Ah it is good to see that you are beginning to follow instructions." Crassus said and out of the corner of my eye I could see the boy was even more confused than he had been since being alone with me in the room.
"Yeah, well, if some picks weren't threatening my husband's life every second of everyday then I wouldn't have to wear this horrid thing." I said with a shrug."
The boy looked shocked by my reaction and the men before me glared before shoving another man into the room.
"Heal his leg!" the medicus bowed and rushed over to kneel before me and gently lifted my leg. I hissed as he gently poked it and the man sighed.
"It did quite the number upon it you have. He will need to be with a month to heal at least." Crassus was silent in thought.
"And should he aid in the recovery with magic?" I looked to Crassus in shock. Even Caesar didn't expect the question.
"Marcus, would it be wise to-."
"If he uses magic within one of our presence then the likelihood of his power turning against orders." Crassus interrupted and looked to me as he addressed the medicus.
"How long will recovery take with aid in magic?"
The medicus thought for a long while before sighing. "The would depend upon the amount used"
Crassus nodded yet still looked to me. "Use magic to heal wound. And make sure you are able to stand without aid afterwards." I didn't even bother to stop my mouth from hitting the floor as I starred at the mad man before me.
"Uh, yeah, don't you remember I don't know how to heal with magic besides the basics? Kinda the reason I'm sitting here now." I said gesturing to the room.
Crassus glared but answered. "I seem to recall a moment within the medicus' chambers where you mentioned the ability to heal broken bones."
"Yes but not to the extent that you're wanting me to do. I was able to heal some broken bones during the war but they still couldn't use the body part correctly for at least a week. You're asking me to learn something right now that it took months for me to even be able to heal a broken finger." I said and Crassus sighed.
"Very well, you shall remain within these chambers for a week as your wound heals properly." I blinked before sighing and closing my eyes.
Within seconds I could feel my magic surrounding my ankle before slowly seeping into it. When I opened my eyes the pain had lessoned considerably, but still moving it too much right now would re-break it easily.
"Now then, I shall assign a body slave to you. They will bring in your meals and aid in dressing and whatever it is you will need while you rest. Come the week's end I shall reveal my plans to you." I glared at him before looking to the boy.
"I want him." Everyone was shocked then.
"You wish for a mere child to aid you?" Caesar asked.
"You don't seem to have any issue with bossing him around. I don't want a body slave, but if you're going to force the issue then at least let me pick the person." I said and offered the boy a smile before looking to Crassus once more.
Crassus was looking at the boy intently before looking to me and nodding.
"Very well, the boy shall be your body slave." Crassus looked to the boy then. "You are to remain at his side for the remainder of the week and aid in whatever it is he asks of you." The boy nodded quickly.
"Yes Dominus."
Crassus nodded before looking to me once more before looking to Caesar.
"Come Julius, we have much to prepare for." Caesar nodded before smirking at me as Crassus shut the door.
"Merlin I hate those men!" I groaned leaning back to lay on the bed.
It was actually quite comfortable.
"Um…." I turned to look at the boy the best I could to see he was looking at the ground blushing. "Why did you choose me my lord?" I smiled at him and back up and patted to the spot next to me.
"Come, sit beside me." The boy seemed to misunderstand as he tensed and his eyes widened in fear. "I don't mean it like that child. I'm a married man and a happily married man at that. He holds my heart and I only hold eyes for him. Like I said before, I won't make you say or do anything you don't want to." The boy looked to me and I smiled as I patted the bed once more.
"I merely wish to get to know my newly found friend." The boy's eyes widened and he obviously didn't know how to react.
"Please, come sit beside me." I asked once more and this time the boy did. Slowly, but he still sat beside me and looked to his folded hands.
I sighed at him. "Now then, since we'll be spending quite a lot of time now, it seems appropriate for you to tell me your name." the boy looked to me again before sighing.
"My name is Caius my lord." I smiled brightly then and touched his shoulder and ignoring the flinch it caused.
"Nice to meet you Caius." The boy looked to me before nodding slowly. "Where're you from?" the boy sighed again.
"I do not know of my homeland my lord. My parents were murdered by Dominus' men when I was but a babe. My life only spared when Dominus saw a valued pet within me." I growled then before smiling sadly at the now tensing boy.
"My parents were murdered when I was a baby too." Caius quickly looked to me with wide eyes.
"Truly?!" I nodded at him.
"By a man who was told a prophecy and believed I was the child it spoke of. He came into my childhood home and murdered my parents. My mother died saving me. Which is how I gained this scar." I said moving my hair back so he could see it.
Caius looked to it in awe before looking me in the eyes once more.
"What did the prophecy hold? Where did you end up after surviving such a horrid moment?" I smirked at him and shook my head.
"I believe you have to reveal a bit more about yourself before I tell you more." I joked but Caius looked uncertain. "It's only fair. You mentioned something about yourself and I mentioned something. Going back and forth like that is only fair. Don't you agree?" I asked.
Caius seemed to think for a moment before slowly nodding. "What else would you like to know of me my lord?" I sighed once more.
"Enough with the 'my lord' and 'sir' junk. I told you my name and that is all I want you to use when you're with me. I'm your equal not your superior." Caius just stared at me then opened his mouth.
"What would you like to know of me H-Harry?" I smiled brightly at that and nodded my approval which made Caius brighten.
"What is it you do here exactly?" Caius tensed and looked away.
"Forgive me, I do not wish to speak of it." I was confused and a little worried then.
"How come?" the boy looked to me once more.
"You hold an aura that has never been within these walls. An aura of love and accepting. I do not wish to lose something so soon after finding it. It may sound selfish and it may sound childish, we have only just met after all, yet you have shown me a kindness that I have never known before. A kindness I do not wish to destroy." I smiled at him and pulled the tensing teen into my arms.
"I can absolutely promise you, child, that I will not judge you in any way. I'm here now, and because of that nothing will happen to you." The boy seemed to think on this for a long while before finally answering.
"I was to clean at first, but once I began to show beauty in the eyes of Dominus I became a tool for pleasure to anyone who wished it." He said softly.
I was quiet for a few seconds. "How old?" Caius understood the question and bowed his head some.
"Ten." It took everything in me to not apparate to the men within this Villar and murder them in the most painful of way.
'The man stole a mere child's innocence?! Ten years old! Crassus will pay for taking something so precious from this child!' I thought before looking to the moving boy in confusion.
"Do you hold disgust for me now? Or do you feel the need to use me?" I could only stare at the child in horror before pulling him tightly to me.
I thought of Adam and my son being in the same position as the boy I now held and tightened my hold. "I promise you child that I will never use you in anyway. Nor do I hold disgust for you." The boy looked to me in shock as I smiled gently at him.
The boy then moved more into my embrace and sighed.
"How is it I hold such trust in a person I only just met?" he asked before tensing and suddenly leaving my arms and bowing.
"Apologies my lord! I did not mean to become so informal with you! It will not happen again my lord, I swear!" I only stared at the boy sadly.
'They've got him so brainwashed. Just a moment ago we were making progress and now he's back to being a slave.' I sighed then and shook my head.
"Caius you're not a slave. I wanted to get to know you. And as for feeling so comfortable around me so soon after meeting, I was sending out calming spells so you wouldn't be so scared of me. Obviously I stopped using them too soon." I said and the boy looked confused.
"Calming spells my lord?" I glared softly at him and he cleared his throat. "Calming spells….Harry…." I smiled then and nodded.
"Something people of my time and world use when they need to calm someone down enough to either make them safe to themselves and others or to simply talk without scaring them too much. Like I was with you." I said and the boy only looked more confused.
I sighed then and motioned for him to sit down. Caius did so before looking to me.
"I'll tell you a story about who and what I really am so that anymore questions you have for me make since." I said and he nodded.
I nodded back and began to explain my old time and the world I became a part of when I was eleven. I told him about Hogwarts and everyone I used to know and even explained Voldemort….the best I could anyways….
And the whole time I was shocking myself. It'd been so long since I mentioned anyone from my past. The last time when Adam was turning six and he asked me to tell him about my old life as part of his present.
The memory still made me laugh and smile just thinking about it.
When I was done Caius was in awe. "Such a world is so hard to image. To sit beside you now, a person of the future, is an honor not most will ever have the pleasure of experiencing." I smiled at him and nodded.
"To say I call people of the past family is even more of a rarity." Caius laughed then and I smiled at the sound.
"Now then," I said changing the subject back to the question game I'd started, "I believe your question was how I survived and where I went afterwards?" Caius nodded and I sighed.
"Well it was my mother's sacrifice that saved me. Voldemort did send the killing curse my way, but it bounced off me and reflected back to him instead. It's how I gained this scar." I said pointing to my forehead. "After that Dumbledore came and took me to my mom's sister's house. Where I became a slave myself." Caius' eyes widened then.
"You were a slave?!" I nodded at him.
"I was. From the time I could first walk I did the cleaning and cooking. My uncle began the abuse about a year later. Abuse that only got worse the older I got." I said and looked to him. "My room was the cupboard under the stairs until I was eleven and got my Hogwarts letter. After that I got Dudley's second bedroom but the abuse continued and actually seemed to get worse. When I was your age I did something that nearly killed a lot of people I loved and they had abandoned me to my fate in that house. So, I decided to end my life."
"But it didn't work?" I laughed softly and shook my head looking at him.
"No, no it didn't work. And I couldn't be any more grateful that it didn't than I am now." Caius smiled at me.
I smiled back when I could see trust entering his eyes and watched him relax a little more. "So, my question now."
The game went on well into the early hours of the next day. Both of us had at some point moved so that I was leaning against the headboard and Caius was laying down resting his head on my shoulder.
I'd learned that Caius was treated differently even with the slaves because of his job in the house. He even was forced to pleasure many of the slaves when the nobles were sated. I'd also learned the boy loved to sing yet did it in private when no one could hear him. Caius also held a passion for animals of all kinds and was none to free the rats before they could be killed by anyone when they entered the kitchen. Caius dreamed of seeing the ocean and maybe even living on it at some point during his life. But as a slave he feared it wouldn't happen.
In turn I told Caius about happy moments with my family and even happy moments with the people of my other time. I told him everything I could about Spartacus and how much the man meant to me and how I loved him enough to risk getting caught by stealing herbs from Crassus. Which I was obviously caught.
I also told him how I got caught, something he'd found interesting since no one was told what happened and no one questioned all the loud noises coming from the medicus' chambers back then. How I didn't know they were close to the chambers when I apparated in and how they'd watched me transfigure a leaf into an endless sac and began to fill it. It wasn't until I turned that I'd found them and a fight broke out. I'd lost when five men jumped me from all sides and pinned me to the ground. It was then the deal was struck and Crassus and Caesar forced my arm on the table to carve into me.
The medicus taught me how to heal both Spartacus and myself then I'd apparated away.
We'd fallen asleep then. A few hours later Caius shook me awake eager to continue the game.
Which is where we were now.
"Why is it you did not simply use magic to escape? You are a powerful being and yet you willingly stayed within this Villar and now you remain within it once more. Why is that?" I sighed.
It was a fair question.
"Spartacus was dying. I knew very well I could've easily just escaped, or better yet killed them all, but I also knew that if I did either of those things I'd lose the man who holds my heart. And that fear alone kept me from leaving and everyone that had been surrounding me alive. As for right now, well, Hermione used to call it 'hero's complex'." When Caius looked to me confused I laughed. "It means I always feel the need to save everyone else before myself." Caius nodded in understanding.
"Yet you hold the power to reach your husband with a mere thought and you could disappear once more."
"True, yet neither of us knows where our son is and if I leave now and save Spartacus then that gives the men keeping me captive the same chance at finding my son as we would. And the thought of those men touching my son again is enough to make me sick." I said and Caius still looked confused.
"He could simply search for him now, and you hold ability to think his name and land where he is, yet you stay as if it would prevent him from searching." I nodded.
"I know fully well there's most likely hundreds of Crassus' men searching for my son."
"And yet you stay?" I looked to him and sighed before smiling sadly.
"Guess I've been figured out." Caius looked even more confused then and I laughed. "I've caused my family enough trouble because of this deal. The trackers I placed on Spartacus' ring and Adam's necklace can let them feel I'm alive just like I know they're both alive right now. Yet the trackers will only allow them to get to each other and not me. If they are able to reach me then they'd run a risk of dying."
"But, are they not in danger now?"
"They are, but Adam is with my brother's and sister's and they know to keep him far from Rome. Should anything happen to me, or even both me and Spartacus, I know he's in great hands. This way I can die knowing there's at least the chance Adam is alive at the end of this. I'd hate for him to grow up without parents like we did, but hopefully Spartacus has used the tracker by now, or soon, to get to our son and is with him and safe." Caius' eyes widened then.
"You mean to allow death to take you when all is over?!"
I could only smile at him. "You cannot! To allow Adam to live in a world without the love and warmth of a mother is simply horrid!" I sighed and nodded.
"I know, but he's safe and alive and loved by his family. If my husband is with them, or manages to get to them, then that's all I care about." I said and Caius just stared at me before shaking his head and asking another question.
Clearly the topic upset him badly.
"Tell me of Adam. How is it you hold title of his mother?" I laughed then and began that long and slightly confusing tale.
Hours later I was setting in bed looking out the opening with Caius napping in my lap.
I looked down at him and sighed knowing I'd have to wake him now.
"Caius. I hate to wake you child, but we both need to eat before dumb and dumber come asking why no food has come." Caius shot up so fast I jumped in surprise and watched him try to quickly get out of the bed.
"Dominus will be most displeased with me! I have not fed you yet and it is reaching the hour of lunch! I shall return momentarily with your meal." I laughed and shook my head.
"You tell your Dominus and his sidekick that the 'vessel' has deemed you untouchable in all meanings. If I'm to play the part of vessel I might as well use the advantages." Caius stared at me in shock then smiled brightly and rushed through the door.
"And make sure you get food for yourself you're far too skinny to be healthy!" I called after him and sighed at the now closed door. I looked out the window again and gently stroked the ring on my finger.
'This time I will not risk a loved one's life. This time only my life will be taken.' I thought determinedly and kissed my ring gently. I looked back out the opening and smiled at the thought of my child.
Never did I want him to know a world without a mother and/or father like I did. But I knew if Crassus and Caesar ever found me and we got separated they couldn't be able to reach me, at least not with enough time to save me, it was the only way to keep them safe.
Yet there was always that hope I'd found the perfect place for my family to hide and Spartacus and I would grow old and watch Adam raise his own children.
Something that now would never happen.
I sighed once more and turned to the door as it opened to reveal and rather happy and relieved looking Caius.
"I crossed paths with Dominus and Caesar. I passed along your message when both became angered and I now returned unharmed because of it. Gratitude cannot correctly describe my feelings towards you." I smiled at him.
"If it keeps you safe then there's no need to thank me." Caius smiled and sat down placing the tray of food before me.
I frowned at the broth and bread causing Caius to be worried. "Is the food not to your liking?" I shook my head.
"Why is it that there's only one bowl and one piece of bread?" Caius blushed and looked away.
"Hunger does not haunt me presently." He said only for his stomach to growl loudly causing him to blush deeply.
I laughed at him and pushed the food towards him.
Caius quickly shook his head and went to argue but I stopped him. "You look like I did at your age. I had huge gladiators forcing food down my throat. Now you have me doing the very same. I'm at a wealthy weight enough now that missing a meal or two won't kill me. You need to eat and put some weight on you. A child your age should be far healthier looking." Caius blushed but took the meal with a quite 'thank you'.
I smiled as I watched him eat slowly at first then devoured the meal groaning in pleasure. "Good isn't it." I laughed causing him to bush deeper.
When he was done eating Caius placed the tray on the nightstand then sat back down and looked at me.
"Why do you care so much for one you only just met?" I smiled at him.
"Because I see myself in you. I didn't get help until I was your age, but it took killing myself to get it. I don't want to see someone with a gentle and kind heart as yours see the same fate I did. I don't want you thinking there's no other way out like I didn't." Caius looked away then.
"How did you come to know?"
"Because when I first looked into your eyes I could see your will to live and fight leaving you. I knew just looking into your eyes that you were close to trying it. Since then your eyes are becoming brighter and brighter." I said and smiled gently at him. "I first thought your eyes were hazel, but now they're so bright they could be glowing. Though not nearly as bright as your blush right now. I said laughing as he got even redder.
"Anyways, might as well get some more sleep. It's not like I can do anything other than stay in bed anyways." Caius nodded and helped me to lay back before looking at the bed longingly. "You know you can lay down too. I didn't stop you last night and I certainly won't now." Caius looked to me then nodded and crawled under the blankets.
I smiled at him and watched him turn on his side and fall asleep.
I sighed softly and looked up at the ceiling before going to sleep myself.
I needed all the strength I could get if I was to survive this week.
Survive this Villar in general actually.
A WEEK LATER
Harry you mustn't push your ankle so much. You only are just able to leave your bed." Caius said rushing after me as I limped down the hall.
"I've been in bed and taking it easy for a week now! I'm tired of it and I want to stretch it anyways. It'll never get fully healed if I don't stretch it." I told him and continued down the hall.
"Yet Dominus has not given permission to leave your chambers. Should he see you-."
"Crassus can blow me for all I care. If I'm going to be forced to live here then the least he can do is let me walk around." I argued.
"I wish you would take leave of this place as I know you can." He mumbled clearly thinking I couldn't hear him.
I did, though, and I turned a stern look to him.
"We've discussed this. I'm not leaving. Not when it'll mean my family will have to go into hiding once more just so I don't get caught and killed."
"Yet they are in hiding now. And will forever be hiding. Dominus and Caesar will never allow them to forever vanish." I glared at him.
"As long as he has me then he won't feel as much of a need to search for my son and the rest of my family. I couldn't save my husband, but I'll die before he touches my son."
Caius went to argue when Crassus and Caesar walked around the corner.
"Ah it would seem your injury has healed nicely."
I just glared but kept my mouth shut as Crassus walked over and rubbed my face.
"Such an ugly look upon such a beautiful face should not be allowed." My glare deepened and I pulled from his touch.
Crassus glared at me before turning to face Caesar. "Change of plans it would seem. We are to return to Ostia for Games that shall be held there." I just stared at him like he had three heads.
"And just why does that affect me?" Crassus turned and smirked.
"You are to accompany us of course."
"No I won't." I said making Crassus glare again.
"You will attend."
"And why would I? And why would you want me to for that matter? I thought you didn't want anyone knowing you had the 'vessel' until you thought the time was right."
"Your words hold nothing but truth." Crassus said looking to Caesar.
"You will hidden under a cloak so that beautiful face is hidden in shadow." I glare at Caesar before shaking my head.
"No. I'm not going back there."
"And if I were to say Spartacus shall be among the gladiators?" I tensed and felt my breath halt in my chest.
"You lie."
"His tongue forms only truth." Caesar said stepping forward. "Spartacus will fight in the Games, Cornelius has sent word of it." Fear and hope entered me all at once.
Fear for the man I loved dying or getting hurt and hope for seeing him again.
"Alright. I'll go." I said and Caius moved to argue.
"You do not speak to the vessel!" Crassus growled causing Caius to jump and look down.
I growled then and pushed the boy behind me. "You don't speak to him that way." Crassus and Caesar both looked to have no idea what to say. All they did was send a glare to Caius before Caesar walked off and Crassus spoke to me once more.
"When this trip is over we shall have words on proper way of speaking to your captors." With that he turned to leave.
"Why do you insist on protecting me?" I smiled and turned to face Caius.
"I would think that's obvious by this point." With that I turned and headed back to my chambers.
Suddenly not in the mood to explore.
AT THE GAMES
"A fine day for Games!" a fat noblemen exclaimed.
"A fine day it is indeed." Crassus said as he forced me into a chair between Caesar and himself.
I was wearing a green cloak with the hood pulled far over my face.
I could feel the stares without even looking at the men and women surrounding me but I couldn't care less about them.
I could only focus on wanting, needing, to see my husband once more. Even if it was from far away.
"Make a since and I shall make sure Spartacus does not leave the arena alive." Crassus warned once more.
I just glared, not caring he couldn't see it, and leaned back in the chair.
"Marcus! Julius!" I tensed at the voice and gripped he arms of the chair tightly to keep from attacking the man who now called himself my husband's Dominus.
"Cornelius! A fine sight as always!" Caesar said standing to properly greet the noblemen.
"A fine sight you are as well!" Cornelius laughed then took the chair directly in front of me and turned to so he could better talk to the men on both sides of me.
It was then I finally got to see Cornelius' face.
He looked like an average Roman. Pale skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes and dark green robes. A woman sat down beside him who wore a matching colored dress as the man beside her. She was slightly tanner with brown hair and green eyes. Two boys sat on the other side of the man. The oldest a carbon copy of Cornelius and the youngest looked like the woman.
Clearly this was his family.
Which made me hate him even more. How dare he flaunt his family around when mine was separated!
"Aquila, lovely as ever!" Crassus said kissing the woman's hand.
Aquila smiled. "A pleasure as well." She said as Crassus turned to the boys, who were named Felix and Ennius, but I stopped caring what was said and just focused on the sands below us.
'My Spartacus will be fighting down there soon. I wonder if he's been treated horribly by this man. Judging by what Caius told me about him I would say he wasn't. Especially with his stubborn, yet sexy, ass.' I thought with a smirk as Cornelius brought me from my thoughts.
"Spartacus is a fine prize! Only, he is still a pup needing proper training." I forced the growl that wanted to escape down as Caesar answered.
"Yes the man has always been one hard to train."
"Yet when placed in proper hands even the mightiest of beasts can be tamed."
I clutched at the chair harder to keep from killing the man as the Magi Straight stood to begin the Games.
The Games went on for an hour when, finally, the one I cared about was called.
Spartacus was called to the sands first, and I wanted to bring down the arena like we did all those years ago as they booed him.
Do they not know all he had given, what he'd almost lost, just to try and make everyone equal? The Senate had all but poisoned any nice thoughts of Spartacus years ago sadly.
When his opponent walked out the crowd cheered for him as I felt a smirk grace my face.
This man would be extremely easy prey for my man. Especially since he fought with a net and spear.
The fight began and just as I thought the man was just no match for my husband.
Spartacus was all but toying with him and even held a smirk on his face as he easily side stepped all the man's attacks before finally going on the offensive and attacked. Not giving the man a second to collect himself as Spartacus' swords attacked from all angles.
Finally, after fighting for ten minutes, Spartacus knelt and spun on his knees quickly and easily cut the man in half from the waist with both swords.
Drenching himself and the ground in the man's blood.
And I couldn't have thought him sexier than I did right then.
It took all in me not to stand and cheer for him as I normally would've. And when Spartacus looked to where I was and his eyes landed on me I had to grip the chair even tighter to keep from shouting out to him.
Spartacus walked off the sands as Cornelius shared a happy laugh with Crassus and Caesar.
The whole while I felt my hatred for the three men grow.
When the Games were over and the men collected their proper coins Crassus turned to me and smiled.
"I did not think you able to remain quiet and unnoticeable, yet you have proven my thoughts false this day."
"It was easy when I knew all you had to do was stop the match and order for his head if I didn't." I growled and for the first time since I was here Crassus smacked me hard across the face.
"That mouth of yours will need to be trained." He growled and gripped my arm tightly forcing me to follow him.
When we reached the carriage he all but through me in as he and Caesar entered and sat down.
"Upon our return I will show you what it means for a vessel to be a 'guest'." I shivered slightly at the thought but still glared and gently rubbed my cheek as I stood to sit on the seat as the carriage began to move.
FOUR WEEKS LATER
Almost a month and a half. That's how much time had passed since the hell that had become my life had started. After we'd arrived back from Ostia Crassus immediately had me forced in my chambers, though now they were more like my cell, and it wasn't until the third day the door was unlocked and Caius was allowed to come back to me and bring me food.
Crassus also began to beat me whenever I told him no. if he asked me to join them for a meal and I said no I'd get a beating then left to starve for about a day and a half.
The beatings were also always done to where the robes I was forced to wear were able to cover them.
To say it felt like living with Vernon all over again would be an understatement.
Caius also wasn't allowed to stay with me all that long. He was only allowed to bring me food and walk with me whenever I was able to stretch my legs, but he was then forced to sleep with the other slaves.
None of that was the worst part either. No, the worse part was that Caesar had slowly become touchy feely with me. Crassus had too, but not to the extent that Caesar had.
And that terrified me. If Caesar decided to do anything I'd have no choice but to use magic to stop him making me break my promise and forever condemning my family into hiding. Never allowed to stay in one place for long in fear of being found.
Because of that I feared every day that Caesar would finally be dumb enough to try anything.
One good thing did come out of all of this, however, and that's that Caius has finally relaxed completely around me.
Despite us not having as much time together as we used to, Caius still managed to grow attached to me. Just as I had become attached to him. In fact, Caius actually admitted that he was jealous that Adam had me for a mother and Spartacus for a father.
It was in that moment I told Caius I'd been thinking about him as another son since almost from the beginning.
The boy got so happy then, that from that day on he actually called me mother. Something I didn't mind at all.
Shortly after that Hedwig suddenly appeared carrying Meadow with her. I was shocked to see them at first then joy entered me knowing that both made it out of that nightmare. I instantly introduced them to Caius who instantly took to them both and grew attached to both of them. It helped that Hedwig and Meadow fell for him as well. Now Meadow hid under my bed and Hedwig landed on the balcony's floor so no one could see her. Every now and then she'd pick up Meadow so they both could go hunting and they'd return before dark.
They were another light I was able to gain in this hellhole.
It was also in that time period that I'd watched Spartacus fight in arenas a total of three times, including that first one.
I treasured those moments. Even though he had no idea I was even there and I wasn't able to speak to him or touch him, whenever his gaze fell on me and being able to watch him fight on the sands was a blessing. I knew full well Crassus and Caesar didn't have to let me sit and watch the Games he was in, but they still allowed it and it was on those days I did whatever it was they asked of me.
I even cooked for them and brought the food to them in bed this last time just to make sure I didn't piss them off and not let me go see him.
Even if I still pissed them off pretty much all day every day any other day of the week.
The door opening brought me out of my thoughts and I smiled at seeing Caius bringing in some food.
"I brought food mother."
"Thank you Caius, just sit it on the table there and I'll eat in a second. You brought some for you as well?" I asked causing Caius to blush but nod.
"Yes mother, I brought food for myself." I smiled then.
"Good, you still have a ways to go before you're at a healthy weight." Caius just blinked at me.
"You're losing weight yourself mother." I sighed at that and walked over to place a hand on his cheek which he leaned into.
"Don't you worry about me. Vernon did a lot worse than what they do to me and I was starved for far longer than they've done to me. Losing a few pounds isn't a big deal at the moment." I said then offered a reassuring smile.
It didn't work, however, but Caius dropped the matter and sat down to see his soup.
I sighed before sitting down to join my adopted son so he wouldn't leave worrying I wouldn't eat the food he brought.
Caius smiled at me and went back to eating.
Once we were both done I leaned back and looked at him.
"No one's bothered you have they?" Caius knew what I meant and he shook his head.
"Crassus and Caesar still don't let anyone touch me because of the threat you spoke all those weeks ago." I sighed in relief then and smiled.
"Good, because I'd kill anyone who laid their filthy hands on you." Caius smiled at me then stood to load up the tray to leave.
"Crassus and Caesar wanted me to inform you of the Games they shall be holding at week's end. Caesar is to return from Ostia two days before."
That was another difference. Caius no longer called Crassus Dominus since the day we'd become a family. It's like gaining one gave him new found strength within himself. Something I'm very glad he finally found.
"Why'd he go to Ostia?"
"Possibly to relay message to Cornelius himself." I nodded at that before standing and hugging Caius tightly to me.
"Stay safe my child." Caius moved more into my holding and nodded.
"I will return in the morn. Goodnight mother."
"Goodnight sweetie." With that Caius left my chambers.
I sighed before walking out onto the balcony and closed my eyes as the breeze gently caressed my face.
In a week I'd get to see my husband again. Just the thought brought a smile to my face and I quickly went to bed so that today could end bringing me one day closer to see Spartacus even if just from afar.
THE NIGHT CAESAR HAD RETURNED
I was sitting on the desk waiting for Hedwig and Meadow to come back from their day long hunting trip when my door opened.
I turned and smiled, already knowing who it was, only for it to turn to horror when Caius walked in carry a tray of food with a huge black eye and busted lip.
I was instantly at his side and took the tray from him then held his face in my hands.
"Caius tell me who did this." I said gently but Caius remained silent.
"Love you have to tell me what happened so I can kill whoever it was that did it." That got a reaction.
In a second I had my arms full of the boy who held me tightly around the middle.
"I beg of you, do not kill him mother. If you were to kill him they would surely kill you sooner." That confused me but I sat it aside for now in favor of taking care of my adopted son.
"Someone hurt you and because of that they will pay, but I need to know who it was and if they did anything else." The flinch Caius gave at my remark was all the answer I need and I instantly saw red.
"Who?" I asked calmly which made Caius flinch more.
"Mother I beg of you-."
"Someone forced themselves on my son and I'll be damned if I don't do something about it! Tell me who it was!" I growled and Caius looked down with tears in his eyes.
"J-Jovian." He finally whispered and I really saw red then.
Jovian was Crassus' best gladiator and a brute of a man. Tanned and bald and brown eyes that held lust for anything with beauty and two legs.
Ignoring my son's pleas I stormed out of the room and towards where the gladiators stayed.
Just before I could reach the end of the hall, however, Caius rushed to stand in front of me and I looked to him.
"I beg of you mother, don't kill him. Do not give them a reason to kill you sooner." There it was again.
That one remark calmed me just enough to look at him in confusion.
"That's the second time you've said that to me." I said and more tears entered his eyes.
"After Jovian….after Jovian I knew I was late getting your food so I went to retrieve it so that you could eat. Yet on my way to your chambers I overheard Caesar speaking to Crassus. They had been discussing something of great importance since Caesar's return this morning yet it was only then I was able to catch the meaning behind their quiet meetings."
"And what were they saying?" Caius looked up to me then and the sadness in his eyes broke my heart in two.
"Th-they have planned the games around the celebration of defeating the rebels-."
"That I'm aware of." I growled just thinking about Crassus' smirking face as he told me.
"What they failed to mention was that upon the sun setting and ending the Games a ritual shall be performed." He looked up to me once more as he spoke. "A sacrifice."
I was confused at first until it finally hit me and I leaned against the wall for support.
Those bastards were going to try and kill me tomorrow.
I looked to Caius once more and my eyes landed on the black eye and bruised lip and all thoughts of me left once more as anger took hold and I stormed off towards the gladiators.
"Do not kill him mother, I do not wish to see you die, and I certainly do not wish to see you die sooner than they originally planned."
I just ignored him and continued down the path leading to the gladiators until I came upon Jovian's cell.
"Well if it isn't the little whore. Come for some more? Who's your friend, he wanting some of my large cock as well?!" the drunken man laughed and I growled as the cell doors broke a part scaring the man enough to knock him down as I stormed in and got in his face.
"I'm his mother you son of a bitch!" with that the prick screamed loudly in pain while I ignored Caius pulling on my arm trying to get me to move.
"You forced yourself on my boy, and for that I promise your death will be a painful one." With that Jovian screamed louder before going silent never to make another sound. After looking at the man I just killed with the killing curse, while also loving using my magic after so long, I turned and took Caius' hand and led him from the cell.
"You there!" I turned and saw guards running for us.
I cursed and took off running tightening my grip on Caius.
"Mother!" I turned and smiled at him.
"Spartacus in two days right? Let's get to town and wait for him there. After that we'll go to your brother and the others and will go so far that Crassus and Caesar will never find us. Where no one will force themselves on you ever again." Caius stared at me in shock before smiling brightly and nodded.
I smiled at him and turned to continue running taking down any guard who got too close to us as we went.
I could see the opened gate and we were almost there when I felt something hard hit the side of my head knocking me to the ground.
Caius cried out for me and knelt beside me as I looked up and saw a very pissed off Crassus and Caesar.
"I aid in keeping your pathetic husband alive in exchange for you to remain within these walls until your usefulness ran dry and this is how I am rewarded?! Dead guards and my best gladiator lying dead after I brought you in and proper attended to you?!"
"You hit me and starved me and treated me like a fucking salve! Then you allow the pig of a man to touch Caius after I warned you no one was to touch him!" I yelled making a point to skip over that I'd adopted him so Caius wouldn't be in more danger than he was now.
"He is a slave! One that has been bred to give me and women alike pleasure when they seek it! And you are nothing but a vessel!"
"One you expect to just sit here and let you kill them! If you think I'll go down easily you got another thing coming!" I growled and they both looked shocked that I knew about their plan but Crassus just laughed.
"No matter. You knowing of the plan will not cease it bringing brought to life. I shall kill the boy now and you shall join him at the end of the Games tomorrow." I looked to Caius in fear then down to my ring then offered him a sad smile before taking it off and handing it to him.
"Spartacus in two days. Find him and show him this so he knows I truly sent you. Let him know how much I love him and how much he meant to me. Tell him to take both of you to Adam and the others and get as far from these lands as you possibly can." Caius' eyes widened as I saw guards closing in around us.
"Mother….no…." I smiled once more as he tried to give the ring to me but I just shook my head and pushed him towards the gate as a guard tried to touch him. I killed him then stole his sword as I pushed Caius more towards the gate.
"Go! Please go Caius! It'll be okay!" I begged and began killing guards who got too close to Caius and those who tried to sneak up on me.
"You must come with me!" he cried and I inwardly sighed sadly before looking to him causing him to be pushed fully out of the gate that I then made close behind me.
Caius ran back to the gate and I just smiled at him as he cried out to me.
"Go." I said again just as something hard hit the back of my head.
The last thing I saw was Caius' crying face before he turned and rushed towards town as blackness took hold.
When I next woke it was to the smirking faces of Caesar and Crassus and pain like I'd never known before as they had their way with me.
PLEASE READ: And there's the fifth chapter! Not the way you saw it going did you? Well, as I said before, I'll need SEVEN REVIEWS before I put the sixth one up. This one I just couldn't wait anymore for that last review. This chapter will be the only exception though. Again I hope everyone enjoyed it and is still with me! Thank you all for the support!
