"You have not ..." Gannicus attempted, but found himself unable to finish the thought. She had never laid with a man before, she knew was the end to that sentence. A fact well known to her, but choice had been stripped from her hands and if she had little choice, he had even less. They were all mere playthings in the hands of Gaius Julius Caesar. What could a simple lanista do to refuse the desires of such a man? A man more than capable of destroying everything they held dear should he be denied.

Octavia wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him down. She brought her lips to his ear and whispered, "Then be gentle." She could feel him swallow what was left of his refusals before nodding and bringing his lips to her neck. She let out a slow stream of breath; her heart pounding in her chest so loud, she was certain all those around them could hear it. As he slipped her dress over her shoulders and kissed down her neck, she let out a sigh, running trembling hands through his hair, the gazes of everyone around them hard on her.

He brought a hand to her exposed breast in an attempt to arouse her, but the more naked she became, the more she trembled. He relieved her of her weight, aiding her down to the ground with one arm around her waist and as he kissed down her chest. She stole a glance and met Caesar's gaze.

He was watching with wild intent, moistening his lips before taking a long draw of wine. She let out a whimper, turning her gaze to the ceilings as tears burned in her eyes. Gannicus appeared, blurry in front of her, pressing his forehead to hers and brushing his lips against hers briefly before kissing her temple and her ear, "There is only us, Octavia." One of his hands was running up her thigh. "There is only me, touching only you. Do not give your gaze to him, give it only to me," he said and her heart fluttered as she nodded, relaxing in his embrace as he shifted her skirts around her waist and parted her thighs.

It hurt. That was her first experience, but Gannicus whispered prayers of apology to her and moved gently until it faded. And it did fade, she realized, and Gannicus was above her, moving as slowly as she wanted. Her heart was racing for another reason, her clenched hands were relaxing, and her tightly closed eyes were slowly opening.

She looked up at Gannicus to see sweat beading his brow, his jaw clenched in concentration. She reached up, touching his cheek, stealing his gaze for a moment. She gave him the briefest of nods before shifting her own hips into him, receiving a short moan of pleasure in reply. He moved with more purpose now as she let her own gasps pass her lips. It was Gannicus above her, as she had always dreamed it would be. Gannicus touching her gently, stroking her in places she had always longed to be touched.

Her hands clawed his back, her own back arching in approval. Her eyes shot open at the sudden overwhelming pleasure that coursed through her body, causing her to tremble beneath him, forcing him to shudder soon after. Their breath came heavy in unison, and it was all she could hear until the clapping broke through. Her eyes widened in horror as Gannicus slowly withdrew himself from her, helping her up as gently as he could.

"Domina?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said, pull the straps of her gown back over her shoulders.

Turning her gaze from Gannicus proved a mistake, when her eyes met Caesar instead. Octavia expected him to be the first to speak, to offer appreciation for her performance, but the man sat silent, his eyes never leaving hers. It was Gaia who spoke first. "If only all men fucked with such purpose," she murmured, casting her husband a teasing gaze.

"A sentiment shared by all women," another voice followed, but Octavia couldn't tell who'd spoken. As those around her fell to laughter and praise upon their performance, Octavia felt herself grow sick. How long could she sit there, among them, like some fucking animal on display?

"Melitta," she called, grimacing when her voice betrayed the desperation she felt. Gannicus had tried to remove himself from the girl as much as possible, in hopes of avoiding request for repetition, but turned to her again upon hearing such a feeble voice come from a girl so prone to firm command.

Melitta was on her in an instant, warm, soft arms wrapping around her as the woman helped her to her feet. Octavia could feel every eye in the room upon her and wondered if the slave woman would be bold enough to tear her from their grasp. "As she said," she heard her father's voice say, "it is long past the girl's bedtime."

"The girl has served as play thing for long enough," said Crassus, casting Caesar a chastising look that caused the man to smile.

Melitta did not need further permission to swiftly drag Octavia from present company, shoving past Crixus on their exit. It was only when they were removed to empty hall that Melitta slowed in favor of comforting embrace. Octavia had not imagined such a small woman capable of the strength her embrace currently carried, and it threatened to cause bodily harm. "Melitta," she murmured, placing a small hand upon the woman's shoulder. "If you embrace me any tighter, I may no longer find myself among the living."

"Apologies, domina," Melitta replied, wiping at her eyes as she released her master and took a small step back.

"None … required," Octavia muttered awkwardly, unsure of how to speak to the woman who appeared to be shedding tears on her behalf. She wondered why her eyes did not threaten to spill, as well. She had been on the verge a few moments ago, but could breathe again now that she was so far removed. "I would see memory of this night washed from skin."

Melitta nodded, biting down hard on a lip that yet trembled. She grabbed hold of Octavia's hand, as if fearing one of the Romans may reappear and decide they were not yet done with the girl, and led her to the bath. Melitta could not tear eyes from her domina as water was drawn. She could think of no time in her sixteen years where Octavia had been so still. She had not made a movement since arriving, and had found a particularly interesting crack in the floor that she had yet to look away from. "Domina," she called gently, pulling the girl from her own head.

"Something I had always wanted," Octavia murmured distractedly, mistaking Melitta's concern for announcing that her bath was ready. She let out a sharp gasp as she stepped into the water and found it too hot. "It was not so long ago you spoke of hastening the moment," she said, flashing Melitta as smile as she stepped deeper into the tub.

Melitta sat at the edge of the pool, watching Octavia closely. "We do what we must in the house," she said. "The memory will fade with time, as do all things born of misfortune."

"Misfortune?" asked Octavia. Had it been misfortune? She still felt a fluttering in her chest when she thought of Gannicus. It was only when thoughts drifted to Julius Caesar, or loving parents, that fluttering feeling became more grievous. "I had not thought my father to agree," she admitted. She knew it was beyond his power to refuse Caesar, but she still thought he might. "My mother …" She had heard not a word from Lucretia during or after her performance.

Melitta stared down at her in silence until Octavia glanced up at her, "She is not ..." she tried, pouring pitchers of milk and honey into the tub. Octavia sighed and relaxed against the edge of the tub, letting the hot water scorch the Roman looks from her skin. "Your mother is …"

Melitta dipped the sponge in the water and began gliding it against the girls bare shoulders, "He was kind," Octavia muttered to her slave, seemingly moving on to a new subject as Melitta yet struggled from the last, playing with the swirls of milk in the water.

"Put memory from your mind, and look to memories to come," Melitta insisted. "Gannicus will remember his place, it would do you well to remember yours."

"What am I now?" she asked. "A toy for Romans to taunt?"

"A beauty for us to behold," a voice called from the archway. Melitta and Octavia jumped in unison and looked to the source. The water around her suddenly felt very cold around as Julius Caesar leaned against the marble with that same wicked smirk he had worn not an hour before. "Shame you felt need to part so soon."

"She is still a child," Melitta explained, standing straight. "One who must get rest."

"Not before she bathes, it would seem," he said, walking closer to the tub. "Apologies, if my desires have brought you ill comfort. No harm was intended." Octavia swallowed as she stared up at him.

"She needs rest," Melitta insisted. "Your presence will be missed—" Octavia squeezed her hands into fists and tried to sink into the water, hoping she could disappear into the waters and out of Caesar's wandering eyes.

"My presence should be of little concern to you," Caesar said, his tone cold, though his gaze was kind. "Presence of wine in my hand should take precedence, now make it so."

Melitta looked as if she were going to ignore him, but a powerful step forward had Octavia muttering, "Go." Melitta looked down at Octavia, a furrowed brow and tight frown. "Now, so you may return sooner." Melitta skittered off quickly, leaving the bath room and disappearing from sight. Caesar watched after her before turning back to Octavia, who, once again, felt more vulnerable than she had in her entire life.

"I have seen men of the senate cower before Marcus Crassus," said Caesar, turning his back on her as he walked around the pool again. "Not you," he added, glancing back at her. He snapped his fingers and a handful of her own slaves found him, making quick work of removing his armor. "Why now do you shrink before Caesar?"

Octavia watched him carefully as her slaves stripped him of the rest of his clothing. "Crassus has brought me no harm," she murmured. Caesar looked to her in surprise and her gaze quickly shifted to the water.

"Have I?"

She flinched when the water around her splashed. Why had she sent Melitta off? Why had her father allowed Caesar to wander their villa freely? "I have found myself at your mercy more than once," she grumbled.

Caesar was grateful she seemed incapable of meeting his gaze, for it prevented her from seeing the smile that might've deterred from the sincerity of his words. "A man often falls victim to his own desires," he admitted. "Apologies that I have not controlled mine better."

"A thing of little note, given your imminent return to Rome," replied Octavia. How long could such men truly dawdle in a city such as Capua? They had more important tasks to attend to, and more important people to torment.

Octavia nearly leapt out of her skin when she felt a hand brush against her own. He had been on the other side of the bath the last time she had looked upon him. How had he approached so silently? She clutched her fingers into a fist and pulled it up to her chest, over her rapidly beating heart. "I would not have you fear me," he said, gently enough she did not mistake it for a command, as most things Caesar said were.

"And I would have you clothed," she said carefully, daring to glance up into his smirking face in time to see him chuckle. "You mock me?" she inquired.

"Never," he said, touching her cheek, her shoulder. "Apologies, your beauty has me enamored. To touch you is to verify existence."

"You speak kindly, but your gaze speaks perversely," she said.

"Allow me to be more clear," he said, slipping his hand beneath her arm and cupping her breast. She jolted back, pressing against the side of the bath, wincing when her head struck the edge. "Relax," he suggested, reaching around her neck, taking a handful of hair. "I'll not have you spill any more blood," he said.

"Any more?" she regretted instantly, her face turning red. She had been warned, of course. Sex was not a foreign concept, and she'd witnessed plenty of slave girls to know what happened the first time. Gannicus had merely made her feel less pain, he had shown her what it truly was meant to be. Her heart swelled in her chest despite the situation.

"Does the thought still thrill you?" he asked. "I was unaware you were still pure. Though it seems you have recovered quickly. Does thought of the Celt still bring you to desire?" he asked, slipping his hand away from her breast and into the water.

"No," she insisted, slinking to the side, only to have him grab her wrist and pull her in. He brought her close and she attempted to put her arm between them, clutching her opposing shoulder. "Melitta will return soon—"

"Then I will send her off again," he said, leaning close to Octavia, his eyes narrowed as if studying her, every bit of her, from the crook of her neck, to her collar and her chest. He even went so far as to run his thumb across the moles on her shoulders. "Again, I will not have you fear me."

"Presently, I feel more displeased," she admitted and he laughed again, throwing his head back slightly. "You mock my feelings again and insist on telling me which to feel."

"I insist on what you shouldn't feel," he corrected. "I request that you relax." Octavia felt her frustrations growing along with the beating of her heart.

"CAESAR!"

The voice cracked like a whip, challenging anyone to ignore it. Octavia felt the hairs on the back of her neck prick up, and the anger wasn't even directed at her. Caesar himself seemed less impressed, letting his eyes roll back into his head before looking over his shoulder. "Marcus," he replied, glancing to see the girl's body slave standing beside the man. He had to admit, he was impressed by her tenacity in protecting her domina.

"See her dressed," Crassus commanded, waving Melitta forward.

Caesar contemplated not relinquishing his hold on the girl. What would Crassus do? But then he felt a tiny hand on his chest, pushing him away weakly. He obliged her, taking a step back and watching as the slave girl pulled her from the bath and wrapped her up in something.

Octavia paused next to Crassus before fleeing. She nodded to him and nodded to Caesar in turn. "Gratitude for your attendance," she said so quickly neither man was quite certain they had heard her correctly. And with that, she was gone.

"You could not have waited?" asked Caesar, sinking down into the water with an air of insolence.

"You have kept me from Rome," Crassus began slowly, "because of this child." It was not a question, but rather an observation Crassus cursed himself for taking so long to notice. The smile that passed Caesar's face was enough to make Crassus consider wading into the waters himself to strike the belligerent fool. "This ends now. We move to Rome at morning light."

"You move to Rome," he corrected. "My time here is not at an end."

"Gaius-"

"She thinks me a monster," Caesar interrupted.

Crassus could not recall the last time he had seen his friend sulk in such a way. It had been many years, when he had been but a boy. "The girl has a discerning eye for truer nature," he replied, feeling almost sympathetic. Where women were concerned, Crassus thought it best to keep them in the dark as often as possible. Gentle hearts, and all that. Perhaps being surrounded by the beasts in her father's ludus had enlightened the girl to how men were. "A skill your wife in Rome does not possess. Get yourself dressed. We shall seek her out presently."


A/N: Aaaaandddd now it comes to an end. Unfortunately, this is all we ever wrote for this story. If I post any chapters in the future (which I probably will), they will take considerably longer to write.

Special thanks to:

Guest: I'm glad you enjoyed it! There's definitely a huge (painful) lack of Spartacus fanfiction on here. Write and post some of your own for me to read. :P Thanks for the review!

Vikihungerrgame1: Hahahahah it wouldn't be Caesar if he didn't come in and ruin things! I also hated the scene in the show (and the Melitta/Gannicus pairing, to be honest) but it fit too well for us to not use it. As for Gaia, I'll be totally honest - when my friend and I wrote this, we wrote it as a meshing of all the seasons, so Spartacus was there, for example, and so was Ilithyia. For the purposes of making this something not god awful to read, I removed all traces of Blood and Sand, but a lot of Ilithyia's lines had to be given to Gaia. I actually loved Gaia and now that you've mentioned she seems that way, I feel compelled to write a scene of redemption for her. Thanks, as always, for the review! :)

HelloWorld: Haha I love how protective you seem of Octavia! Unfortunately Octavia is not special in the grand scheme of things. Especially not when it comes to the desires of people like Caesar and Crassus. Remember, at some point Caesar will literally rule all of Rome - a lanista from Capua has no power to stop him, though Batiatus certainly wanted to. He didn't want to have Varro killed and yet he had to for the son of a magistrate. The richest senator in the republic and a man considered to be descended from a God are much more difficult to contend with.

Everyone talking about Gaia like this makes me feel so bad! As I said above, a lot her lines were originally for Iliythia, which is why she seems so awful. She'll have a redemption scene soon, damn it. As for your other unfinished comment … I don't know where it was going, but if it was heading for Spartacus and Gannicus having public sex …. I'm down. :P Thanks for the reviews!