Spartacus: Blood and Sand

'The Harpy of Corinth'

Chapter 8- Sword and Shield (Love and Chains)

With every victory in the arena, you gain more coin and notoriety for your skills. With that, come better living quarters. Many gladiators have wives and children outside the ludus and within such as Oenamaus and his wife Melitta and my friend Varro trying to earn his wife's freedom. I came to this ludus with nothing of worth, a slave from a fallen city. Now I emerge a gladiatrix, 'The Harpy of Corinth', and I have set my eyes on a woman, an Anatolian named Iva. I shall not forget that evening when we first met.

Ashur passed by my cell this morning, "Kadri...Kadri...Kadri...your reputation on the sands is earning you greater coin after you defeated the Pontic Sisters, the Dominus is considering you accompanying him to the games in Pompeii," Ashur said handing me my earnings, "with every kill you make in the arena, it will earn you greater esteem and greater coin, soon you may earn your freedom...and the freedom of the one you love," it came as a surprise that he about me and Iva. So it was not Varro I heard that night.

Iva is what the Romans call an Ancillae, a female slave that works in the villa. At times I see her fetching water from the well or following the Domina and seeing to her needs. Batiatus would look down and watch as his gladiators train in the sweltering summer heat. The clatter of wooden swords and spears is endless from the morning sun to the evening moon as is the snap of Doctore's whip. Theseus my rat has since left my cell, possibly to find living conditions for himself. There is so much for a rat to find in Capua.

It gladdens my heart to know that I helped him along his way as it does to see me getting along with Crixus the Gaul. I was being trained with sword and shield, a style I have grown accustomed to in war. I kicked Crixus's shield using my kick like a spear thrust to throw him off balance. My wooden sword clashed with his when the edge of my shield struck his cheek, "Good, you learn quickly, I may yet make a Murmillo out of you," Crixus praised in his own way, "now keep eye on me, and anticipate my attacks,"

He pushed me back, and I stumbled my feet. I attacked head-on into an aerial and my sword struck his until we were locked. He moved his sword, and I spun around his back to have his sword at my neck but also mine at his at the same time to the amazement of the men. The crack of Doctore's whip signaled the end of the day's training as the sun setting in the far off mountains. I placed the blade of my wooden sword to my chest, and bowed to Crixus. I handed my wooden sword and shield to young Pietros.

That evening, I heard talk among the men about her. When it comes to the subject of the woman, many of these men place thoughts in their cocks. Crixus says if it weren't for my skills with the sword, I would have been fucked to madness. After my supper, I went in search of Iva. Though we have our differences, there are some things about us that are similar. She is a touch shorter in stature than me, but her hips are as smooth and wide as mine without the many battle scars. A strong woman she must have been.

I came upon her sitting near the fig tree, "How fair's your training, Kadri?" She asked, lightly touching a place near she was sitting, inviting me to sit down with her. I took up her offer. I am a gladiator, even if I am now among the more experienced of the lot, it does not mean I am treated any different than the others, "some of the men hold you in high regard, it must have taken much time for such a thing to take form," she was correct, I was no stranger to the scorn from the men. I still receive it from new recruits.

"Such words are true," I replied, placing a gentle hand on her thigh. Iva lightly smiled, and held mine. She lightly giggled as I began to blush, "and what of you? Is your being there not sparking envy among the other women in the villa?" I asked, I do not share much conversation among the men, aside from Crixus, Spartacus, Barca, and Varro. I will not give my body to them, just my friendship. My heart would be given to the woman sitting beside me. Iva looked at me, and lightly shook her head 'no' to my question.

"It is no burden to me, I do receive some scorn from the women but I ignore it, after all, they are just words," Iva replied, from her words I could see her inner strength, "the Domina seems to hold me in some regard, I think my tits and ass make for such a reason," she joked, and I laughed lightly at her humor. I sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. She, in turn, placed her head on mine. Her brown hair was soft and fluffy like the clouds in the midday, "one day, I shall grace this scarred body with loving touch,"

As she turned to look up at me, her breasts pressed against mine, "It can be tonight if you so desire," I replied, standing up and wrapping my arms around her from the back, and kissing her neck. She moaned to my kisses and embrace, and turned to face me with my arms wrapped around her waist. She placed her hands just above my chest, and looked into my eyes. Her forehead touched mine. My hands snaked down lower and lower until she shook her head 'no' at me. I groaned like an abandoned puppy.

"Not tonight, Kadri," She said with soft hushed words. Iva cupped her hands on my cheeks and graced my lips with a kiss, "but soon...very soon," She went back to the villa. As a parting gesture, I gave her a light tap in the backside. It warms my heart just hear a simple giggle from her. I was alone at the old fig tree. With her kindness, I find her sense of humor to be most amusing. Her touch is gentle as is her kiss. I went back to my cell that night, and looked at the stone walls. I have only two victories to my name.

I looked to see that I had company come to my cell bars. It was Pietros the Egyptian, "You love her, do you not?" He asked, I nodded 'yes' to him, "you are truly blessed to have her company as I am with Barca," I nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder, "you are a good friend, and fierce in the arena, just like Barca," I lightly tittered at such a reference, "I have been meaning to ask you, what has become of Theseus? I have been wanting to meet him," Pietros asked, I lightly sighed at the thought of the little rat.

"He has since gone to find another place to call home," I replied, "hopefully none of the cats on the streets make a meal out of him," I lightly touched and tapped his cheek, "I have much gratitude to have you as a friend as well, Pietros, you best run along now, Barca maybe expecting you," He smiled at me, and walked away. I went back to my cot, and tried to get some sleep. The next morning, the day's training began as I was paired with Varro, "come now Varro, I would be most insulted if you take me so lightly,"

"A beautiful woman that hits like a man, surely you make the myths of the Amazon seem true, Kadri," Varro complimented me, and added an attack to his words. He is a good man, even if he is Roman. He not only fights for his freedom, but the freedom of the one he loves. He is no different than me in my intentions, "just part me from my cock already, Harpy, facing you makes it seem useless," He joked laying on his back, and looking up at me. I tittered at his joke, and offered him a hand up from the sands.

"Don't put mind to such thoughts, Varro," I replied, lifting him back onto his feet, and continuing the day's training with other new recruits. One particularly nasty fellow is a Dacian named Gnaeus. Of all the men, he seemed to show me the most scorn. As Iva does among the women in the villa, I took Iva's words of wisdom from the other night to mind, and I did the same when it comes to dealing with him. After all, all he has are words to say against me. They mean nothing if one does not put action behind them.