Maximus was sitting on a bench within the cage, trying to tune out the noise of the crowd when something caught his eye. There was a young boy, no older than his son would have been, wandering around the edge of the cage. He was clothed in rich garments that were a dark green color that flattered his pale skin. He was a rather handsome boy with hair so dark a brown that it was nearly black and a small yet full mouth. Still, it was his eyes that truly captured Maximus's attention. They were most striking blue that he had ever seen, staring at him in a way that was almost unnerving.
The boy seemed to sense that Maximus was watching him, gesturing for him to come to him with a small smile.
Maximus did as he was bid with a look of amusement on his face. The boy was hardly more than a child but he had gestured for him with all the imperiousness of a grown man who was use to being obeyed.
"Gladiator, are you the one they call the Spaniard?" the boy asked. His smile widened as Maximus nodded, making him look more like a child than he had before. "They said you were a giant. They said you could crush a man's skull with one hand."
Maximus held out his hand, looking down at it as he answered the boy. "A man's, no." He paused for a moment, glancing over to the boy again. "A boy's."
The boy grinned at him, laughter sparkling in his eyes, in a way that made Maximus unable to stop from smiling himself.
"They have good horses in Spain?" the boy asked with a genuine interest in his voice.
"Some of the best," Maximus replied. He pointed towards the horses that adorned his breastplate. "This is Agrigento and this is Sparto. They were my horses. They were taken from me."
"I'm sorry," the boy said. "I like you, Spaniard. I shall cheer for you."
"They let you watch the games?" Maximus frowned.
"My uncle says it makes me strong," the boy said. "And my mother knows that I like to watch the battles."
"What does your father say?" Maximus asked.
The childlike nature disappeared now to replaced by a solemn look that made the boy seem far too old. "My father is dead," he said. "He has been for quite some time now."
A servant intervened before Maximus could gather his thoughts, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Master Decimus, it is time," he murmured.
The boy nodded to the servant who moved away to wait for him before he turned back towards Maximus. "I have to go," he said.
"Your name is Decimus?" Maximus asked.
"Decimus, after my mother's favorite friend," Decimus responded. There was a faint smile on his mouth as he spoke. Then he was running off towards his servant who ushered him off towards the Colosseum.
Decimus…that was the name of Tessa's son. Maximus scanned the faces of the crowd as he sank back into the safety of the shadows.
Tessa walked out onto the royal platform with the rest of her family to the cheers of the crowd. The gladiators raised their weapons with the traditional cry of, "We who are about to die salute you!" Commodus raised his hand in a form of salute towards the men before turning to take his place at the throne. However, Tessa noticed before she turned to follow him that there was one gladiator that hadn't made any sort of salute towards the emperor.
She didn't have much time to dwell on the oddity of this, though, because the voice of the announcer boomed out through the Colosseum.
"On this day we reach back to hallowed antiquity to bring a recreation of the second fall of mighty Carthage. On the barren fields against the formidable armies of the barbarian Hannibal full of mercenaries and warriors from the brute nations bent on merciless destruction. Commodus, your emperor, is pleased to give you the barbarian horde!"
Tessa noticed that her son didn't join in with the rest of the crowd as they booed, which was slightly strange. Decimus had always adored to watch the games, although she had never been fond of letting him attend them at such a young age, and would often join in with the rest of the crowd.
"The Spaniard is down there," Decimus said. "I promised him that I would cheer for him."
Tessa ruffled his hair with a smile. "He is a lucky man then," she said. Decimus flashed her a quick grin before turning back to the arena as the announcer began to speak again.
"And now, the legionaries of Scipio Africanus!"
The gates flew open to admit the warriors on their chariots to fly into the Colosseum to surrounded the gladiators gathered in the center of the arena.
Commodus bent down, tapping Decimus on the shoulder so that the boy turned towards him. "It looks like your Spaniard might be in trouble."
Decimus stared back at his uncle with a solemn expression on his face as he shook his head. "I don't think so," he said.
Candace peered down into the arena with raised eyebrows. "It would appear that Decimus's prediction was correct," she said.
Commodus chuckled at her comment, winking at Decimus as the boy beamed proudly. There was amusement in his voice as he turned to talk to the announcer. "My history's a little hazy, Cassius, but aren't the barbarians suppose to lose the battle of Carthage."
"Ah, yes, Sire," Cassius stammered. "Forgive me, Sire."
"No, I rather enjoy surprises," Commodus said. He glanced over at the gladiator who was riding through the arena on a horse. "Who is he?"
"They call him the Spaniard, Sire," Cassius replied.
"I think I'll meet him," Commodus said.
"Yes, Sire," Cassius said, bowing before he left.
Commodus rose as the trumpets sounded to announce that he would be coming down the arena. He turned towards Lucilla and Tessa who were sitting near the lower half of the platform. "May I borrow your sons for a moment?" he asked. "I think they would like to meet our Spaniard."
Lucilla voiced her approval with a wave of her hand as Lucius bounded off to his uncle. Decimus paused before his mother, letting her press a kiss to his forehead before he joined Lucius.
Candace noticed that there was a strange look on Tessa's face as she watched the trio leave. She leaned over towards her sister, speaking in a low voice so that Lucilla couldn't eavesdrop on them. "Are you alright?" she asked.
Tessa gave a slight start, turning towards Candace as though she had just woken from a deep sleep. "It's nothing…just…" She glanced over at the arena. "The way that Spaniard fought reminded me of someone."
Candace frowned at her sister's words. The same thought had been nagging at the back of her mind as well as she had watched the man fight. But before she was able to voice that she had felt the same way, the emperor's guards began to spill out into the arena to surround the gladiators.
"Drop your weapons," the general ordered. The gladiators paused for a moment before letting their weapons fall to the ground. "Gladiator the emperor has asked for you."
"I am at the emperor's service," the Spaniard said.
The gladiators kneeled down as Commodus entered the arena with Lucius and Decimus on either side of him. "Rise, rise!" he said as he approached. He pulled the boys in front of him as the men rose. "Your fame is well deserved Spaniard. I don't think there's ever been a gladiator to match you. As for this young man he insists you are Hector reborn." He patted Decimus on the head as the boy grinned at the Spaniard. "Or was it Hercules? So why doesn't the hero reveal himself and tell us all his true name? You do have a name?"
"My name is Gladiator," the Spaniard said. He turned around to walk away from Commodus, something which made Candace wince. She knew that her brother wouldn't take well to such an action.
She was proven right hardly a second later as Commodus pushed his nephews behind him to stride forward. "How dare you turn your back on me! Slave, you will remove your helmet and tell me your name!"
There were a few tense moments in which Candace wondered if the Spaniard would actually dare to refuse the order, but then he reached up to remove his helmet. But then he turned around to reveal someone that Candace had never thought she would ever see again, someone who was suppose to have been killed in Germania.
"I am Maximus Decimus Meridus. Commander of the legions of the North, general of the Felix legions, loyal to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife, and I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."
Commodus staggered backwards, calling for his guards to come to arms. The other gladiators surged forward as the guards came to surround them, ready to defend their comrade if need be.
Tessa shot up at once, rushing towards the edge of the platform. Candace threw her arms around her sister to stop her from going any farther and could feel the way the other woman was trembling. Commodus glanced up towards the royal platform, locking eyes with her, and she shook her head desperately at him. It had been different before when he could have convinced Tessa that Maximus's death had been a pure accident, but to kill the man now would be far too cruel.
The crowd seemed to carry the same opinion for they had begun to chant out, "Live! Live! Live!" Commodus turned towards the crowd, pressing his finger to his lips in an attempt to urge them to be quiet. Then he looked back over at Maximus as he held out his hand, deliberating what his fate would be. Candace released a sigh of relief as he held his thumb upwards to signify that Maximus was safe…at least for now.
