Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays everyone! Hope you're all having a great day (although you should be off enjoying yourself instead of reading my stupid stories!) Just to say thank you to everyone who's read and left a lovely review to my stories, you guys are the best! Everyone expectant of a rogue story, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer but I'm already planning it (with the help of one or two of you!) and so I should be getting that out asap, thanks for holding up!
She saw the glow of the fire. She could smell the burning. She heard the screaming. Clutching her knees, Genovefa whimpered in the cage. Her brother lay unconscious beside her, a result of the large bruised lump on the back of his head.
She imagined her parents, her friends, her neighbours, running and screaming as soldiers burned down their home, cutting at fallen bodies with their swords. There would be no survivors. None but them.
As the sun watched over them, high in the sky, the soldiers returned. Some were wounded. Her people knew how to fight back. Blood soaked their swords. Obviously not well enough.
"Let's get these two loaded onto the cart." A soldier said and two more gripped the bars, grunting as they lifted the cage onto the cart.
As the wheels rumbled on, soldiers fell into line, collecting the tents and cleaning their armour.
"Let's move out!"
The young girl shook her brother and the boy groaned, holding his wound and he groggily sat up.
"Drustan!" She cried and as he realised what was happening, his eyes went wide and he pulled his sister into his arms.
"Hush, Genovefa. We'll be alright." He said, his voice shaky and his lips quivering. He didn't have to see the black smoke in the distance to know nearly everyone he loved was dead.
She sobbed and gripped her brother, crying into his chest as the cart rolled along the road, flanked by soldiers. They left the forest and followed the winding road through the hills. Soon, they'd be far away from here. To them, it'd be like another world. And Rome was certainly that.
Weeks passed and the brother and sister rarely left the cage. They were fed and watered between the bars and the fleeting moments of freedom were when they were dragged out and practically thrown in the bushes with an order to 'relieve themselves'. It soon became clear to them that they were to be taken to Rome to be slaves. Most likely, separated. So, in that cage, the brother and sister clung to one another, their last surviving family member, knowing it wouldn't be long before they could never hold one another again.
The bustle of Rome greeted them like a swarm of locusts. It was loud, unsettling and every face gave a look of curiosity at the poor children. By now, many of the soldiers had left, off to tell their stories on how they conquered the barbarian settlements across Britain. The cart rumbled over the cobblestones, horses snorting as they attempted to manoeuvre their way through the streets as civilians edged their way around them in, trying to shop and avoid being trampled. They soon reached a city square where the driver climbed out and with the help of three soldiers that still followed them, brought the cage down to the floor. As a crowd began to gather, Genovefa and Drustan were brought up to a podium. They shook and whimpered in fear at all the alien faces that stared at them. Drustan grabbed his sister's hand and held it tight.
"We'll be alright. We'll be alright-"
"The bidding for the boy starts at two hundred denarii." A man called out, gripping Drustan by his collar and tearing him away from his sister.
"Two fifty!"
"Three hundred!"
"Three hundred and seventy!"
The voices called out until a large man, covered in scars and muscles, roared out the winning bid at 'five hundred and twenty denarii'. Neither Genovefa or Drustan knew what this man wanted him for, but he was about to find out. In bonds, Drustan was shoved down from the podium to the man where he grabbed his wrists and hauled him away.
"Drustan!" Genovefa screamed. "Drustan!"
The crowd exchanged glances as the boy and the girl called for one another. They weren't exactly moved by the emotional separation of brother and sister. They were just noting the strange names that they had never heard before.
Genovefa was pushed forward and the bidding for her began. The sobbing girl went for 'four hundred and ninety denarii' and sold to a hooded man at the back of the crowd. The white apparel did not make any attempt to mask the sinister man, he could have been dressed like the devil and he would have been just as threatening to Genovefa. She couldn't see his face but she couldn't see much through her tears.
"This way." He said and his voice was smooth. It nearly calmed her as he led her through the streets.
"I want my brother." She cried.
"You won't be able to get him back I'm afraid. Gladiators are very valuable. Unless you have the money to pay for him back, I very much doubt you'd be seeing him again soon."
"But, sir-"
"Listen to me, girl." The man stopped and stared down at her. Now, she could see his face. He had curly brown hair that matched his soft hazel eyes but despite this, his features were sharp.
She swallowed.
"You may never see your brother again. You have to accept that. But you're to work for me now. For the Brotherhood." He said these last words in a hushed voice.
"The Brotherhood?"
He looked around before kneeling to her height.
"What's your name?"
"Genovefa, sir."
"Then, Genovefa, you're about to work for the Assassins."