Carola and Darolus do their best to not draw Legatus Neganus' attention, but circumstances work against them.
Jupiter Hospitalis is a god of hospitality.
The group sitting on the balcony was there to observe the training sessions for the upcoming Pompeii games. Ezekias and the Legate stood at the edge of the balcony while the other guests either sat or stood around the two tiers of chairs arrayed behind them. Carola sat tensely watching as Darolus led Ajax into the ring and walked him through the pattern that had been arranged there for this session. She could see Doctore Viride calling instructions from the closed gateway and Darolus nodding in reply, but couldn't hear the words being exchanged.
"It will be good to have this all settled, won't it dear?" When her Aunt sat down beside her and took her hand, giving her a reassuring smile, Carola bit the inside of her lip to keep from screaming.
"All your mother ever wanted for you was to make a good marriage, dear one." Deanna soothed, seeing the tension on her niece's face. "To be content with your place and your children as she was never able to be."
"Because she could not produce a son who survived infancy." Carola said in a quiet angry voice. Whatever love there could have been in her parent's arranged marriage had withered and died as each subsequent male child did.
"She had you... and she loved you." Deanna said, squeezing her hand and looking over at Callicus who was deep in discussion with Regulus and Batiatus. "As does your father."
"I am a burden. A bargaining chip." Carol said, unable to control her bitterness. "Chattel to be married off for best price or parcel of land."
"You are a beautiful, strong and intelligent young woman..." Deanna said, and then leaned close to whisper into Carola's ear very softly, "...who knows that things are not always as simple as they may seem."
Carola startled back, wondering if her aunt had gotten wind of the deception that the brothers Dixus were planning, but Deanna held her hand tightly, keeping her close.
"Always remember, sweetling, not matter what you may think, your uncle and I have your best interests at heart." She said and her gaze drifted to the man and horse in the ring.
From her high vantage point Carola watched Darolus searching the balcony until he found her, a slight smile breaking across his lips, but she dared not make any sort of signal to him in return.
"Both of yours." Deanna added under her breath.
"Do you have any of that Andalusian stud's get for sale, Ezekias?" the Legatus asked as they watched the big cream colored horse now being put through his paces. He was being jumped over a variety of obstacles such as pits, fence enclosures and low walls, which would appear in the Arena during the beast show, learning their height and breadth. There was no telling which he would have to maneuver around or over to protect the other gladiators and crowd from the beasts.
"Ajax is newly acquired and in training for games." Ezekias paused, hesitating to admit there had been one oversight, but knew it wasn't a secret he could keep and was probably already much discussed in the House, "He did cover one mare, but it was not a planned breeding..."
"He jumped an enclosure fence to fuck inferior stock?" Neganus sniffed in disdain.
"No, she is a mare of my finest bloodlines, presented as gift to Lady Carola, who did not know she was in season when she went riding. Her... companion rode the stallion. It was quite out of their control."
"I see." Neganus said, seeming to lose interest in the topic, turning back to the training ring, his eyes now intent on the man working with the horse, "And the Sagittarius?"
"Also recently acquired; he is from House Monroviatus." Ezekias explained. Again, he was sure the Legate knew all of this already, and was testing him, but wasn't sure why.
"Ha! You spirited him away before I had a chance at him, Lanista Ezekias!" Neganus said petulantly.
"He had prior experience with both horse flesh and bow; I could not pass him up. As you know, it takes many weeks to develop a bond between horse and rider. As my Doctore is so fond of saying, a Sagittarius becomes one with his mount. For them to be ready for Pompeii I had to have him sooner rather than later to begin training."
"And in this training phase, no one else ever rides—what the beast's name? Ajax?—but this slave?"
"That... would defeat the purpose of the training." Ezekias said slowly.
"What punishment did slave receive for endangering life of one of your guests?" Neganus asked, still affecting the bored tone, but there was a cruel gleam of expectation in his eyes that he couldn't hide.
"Darolus saw that she came to no harm." Ezekiel said carefully, "No punishment was necessary."
Young Dixus had knelt at his feet after the incident, recounting it to Doctore Viride and him, willing to accept whatever consequences he had incurred for the error, but was adamant he'd done what he had to protect Carola.
"Isn't that her Custos' task? To protect their mistress?"
"They followed from a distance, but did not deem it necessary to intervene and told us that Darolus acted correctly." Ezekiel said somewhat defensively.
"You should take more care. A powerful stallion should not be left alone with ripe filly of such fine breeding." Neganus said, his gaze swiveling from the young gladiator over to where Carola and her aunt sat in deep discussion.
And there it was. The question without questioning; the insult without insulting. All implication without direct accusation. Why would a man courting a maiden noble woman let her go riding with a virile beautiful gladiator?
"As I said, Darolus acted correctly at all times." Ezekias said, making his point clear: I understand what you're getting at and I dismiss it.
Neganus looked skeptical, his mouth turning down into a little dismissive frown before turning back to stare at the man and horse again.
"How much?"
"Stallion is not for sale..." Ezekias said, with a shake of his head. "...until after games in Pompeii. When he proves himself there it will increase his value and give me profit for investment."
"Same for Sagittarius, I suppose?" Neganus sighed and before Ezekias could reply, he waved his hand dismissively, but his eyes were hot with desire. "I suppose I will have to make due with guest privileges until then."
"I am sorry, Legatus." Ezekias said immediately, "Darolus is in training and cannot be released for pleasures."
"What did you just say?" Neganus asked incredulously. The idea that anyone would deny him anything was almost impossible for him to fathom.
His look of surprise and angry disbelief drew all eyes on the balcony to him.
"Apologies, but that is strict policy of this ludus, Legate." Ezekias said resolutely. "I have many other handsome stock for you to choose from, but those who are destined for Pompeii are sequestered and enjoined against practice—it weakens them, draining their virile essence."
"My cock up his ass will not—" Neganus began hotly.
"Acting as catamite steals power needed for success in battle." Ezekiel interrupted, shaking his head. "I have found much to be gained in maintaining this as policy in my ludus."
The implied criticism of the Legate's behavior with his own gladiators was clear.
A vein pulsed in the Legate's temple and his narrowed eyes maintained their glare on Ezekias, but the other man didn't fold.
"Shall I choose or would you prefer to browse the selection available?" Ezekias asked, raising a hand to summon forward one of his House slaves.
"Perhaps later." Neganus said in clipped tones and then looked back down at Darolus and the stallion.
"As you wish." Ezekias replied, bowing graciously and waving off the slave.
Neganus' eyes returned to look at Carola, noting the look of relief on her face before she masked it and then he left Ezekias' side to join Regulus and the other men.
"Mistress!" Andrea's anxious voice at her ear pulled Carola out of her fitful sleep.
She'd been dreaming of Darolus, but as she lay beneath him, his hands holding her's to the bed, fingers intertwined, joined in the most intimate of embraces, his face had faded and been replaced by his brother's, the self-satisfied smirk and eyes of almost but not quite the same blue mocking her...
It felt like she'd just laid her head on the pillow, but when she opened her eyes, she saw the moon high in the sky through the open window.
"What's wrong?" Carola asked. For the second day and night in a row she'd been ordered by her father to stay in her chambers, even taking her meals there. She worried that he'd gotten wind of her time alone with Darolus at the beach and was punishing her for it, but he didn't give that or any other reason for the sequester.
"You need to come with me." Andrea said, and Carola saw she was holding her travelling gown and dark blue cloak. "It isn't safe here anymore."
"What? Why?"
Andrea motioned anxiously for her to slip on her gown, cloak and sandals, which Carola did as they spoke.
"It's the Legatus. He and the some of the other guests and his men have been in the east wing with many of the slaves... since Lanista Ezekias denied him pleasures with the Pompeii gladiators..."
Carola looked confused. Why would they lock themselves away with...
"They've been having an orgy?" Carola's eyes went wide. "For two whole days and nights? Does my father know? My uncle?"
"Yes, your father told me to stay out of sight and lock myself in here with you."
"Is Tara with my aunt?" Carola asked fearfullly.
Andrea looked away rather than answering.
"They took her?"
"And Rosa." Andrea said miserably, "They had no choice."
Carola's eyes filled with tears. The Legate had been seething after Ezekias' surprising insistence on banning pleasures for Darolus and the other gladiators who were training for Pompeii. In retaliation he'd debauch as many of the rest of the slaves as he could. He could even injure or kill them in the process and would merely have to pay proper compensation to the owners for loss of property.
"You think they will come here? To get you?" People in the household might have mentioned the beautiful blonde slave who served Carola to him.
"No—you! His men were instructed to bring you to him—he will use you in revenge for Ezekias' refusal to release Darolus and the others to him."
"The gods will curse him!" Carola was shocked; for the Legate to do such a thing went against every law of hospitality that there was.
"Men such as Neganus care little for the laws of either gods or men." Andrea said bitterly. She took hold of Carola's hand and led her through the sitting room and out onto the balcony where Darolus stood waiting. When he saw them he stepped out of the shadows and his bronzed arms opened to welcome her.
"My love!" Carola exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck, enfolded in his strong embrace, "You should not be here!"
"The boy, Noa, heard Neganus issue orders about you and came to warn me." Darolus said, holding her close. "Doctore Viride is waiting at the stables with the horses ready to take you to my brother's latifundia. You'll be safe there."
"But Tara? Rosa?" Carol asked, pulling back to look up at him, her heart breaking for her friends.
"Noa said they are still alive, but I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do for them now." Darolus said gently, "You must away or same fate will befall you."
Carola's expressive face showed how she fought that truth, but eventually it fell and she nodded.
"Come with me." she asked.
"I cannot. Without Ezekias' permission I cannot leave House estates upon penalty of death. I would be considered a runaway slave—worse—a gladiator who broke his oath." Darolus reminded her.
They heard the lock step march of Centurions on the steps coming up to the hallway that lead to her chambers.
"We must go now!" Darolus said and led the women to the edge of the balcony.
When she looked over the side Carola saw that both of the Bestiarii from House Monroviatus, Tyresius and Abram waited below. When Darolus lowered each of the women over the side they were caught below by the big men and set down onto the ground. Darolus climbed down after, jumping the last six feet instead of being caught, landing in a crouch. He stood, took Carola's hand and turned, heading for the stables, but a line of Centurions in full battle armor, sword and shields up, blocked their way.
"Now what do we have here?" Neganus drawled mockingly as he stepped out from between the two soldiers in the middle of the line, lifting the spiked club he held on his shoulder to point it directly at Carola and Darolus.
Um yeah. So that happened.
Sorry.