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The Coliseum was dotted with numerous shops and the like; after all, watching people fight to the death, or at least close to it, is a popular source of entertainment.
I myself walked through the dirty streets surrounding the Coliseum, ignoring the shops completely. I was on a mission; I had no time for trivial things such as that.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Aglaia Champion," a man's voice drawled from a small tavern nearby. I stopped and looked at the speaker. He had long black hair and he was a handsome man, with deep blue eyes and a strong chin. He wore a simple brown shirt and white trousers that did not match his peasant-like shirt. On his hands were black gloves that did not cover his fingers. On his face he wore a sardonic smirk.
"What of it?" I asked him in an almost belligerent tone.
The man raised his hands in an exaggerated posture of apology. "I'm not trying to start anything, I assure you." He laughed. "I watched your match against Achelus. Nicely done. Though I probably would have killed him if it were me."
"Well, it wasn't."
The stranger laughed again. "No, it wasn't." He kicked the crude wooden seat in front of him away from the table. "Feel free to join me. I'm paying," he added quickly.
My head shifted slightly in what was probably a nod. Moving slowly, I sat in the chair and faced him.
"Bartender, a drink for my new friend, if you wouldn't mind," the man yelled over the commotion of the tavern.
"Right," the bartender replied in a gruff voice.
The man turned back to me. "My name is Perseus, and I need your help."
"And why should I help you?" I asked, tilting my head to the right. My helmet connected with my breastplate with a clang.
Perseus chuckled. "You can take that off, you know. I'm not going to pull an Achelus and try to hit you in the head."
I smiled slightly and took off my helmet, placing it on the table. Though I didn't admit it to my new companion, I was glad to have removed the helmet. My head was sweating from having it on constantly.
Perseus was staring at me.
"What?" I demanded of him.
"You know, you're actually quite the looker. I don't know why you hide your face like that."
"Let's just say that there are some people that I'd rather not have recognise me."
Perseus laughed merrily at that. "I understand. Most of us mighty warriors have pissed off one person too many." He leaned back in his chair as the bartender arrived with a tankard of very sour-smelling ale. "You know, I don't actually know your name."
I gave him a look. "My name was announced at the match."
"So I wasn't paying attention to that loud-mouthed announcer, big deal."
There was a pause. "So?" Perseus asked me.
"So what?"
"So tell me your name."
I sighed in frustration. "Ranulph Kristofferson."
Perseus grinned. "Nice to officially meet you, Ranulph Kristofferson. So I'm assuming you're German?"
"Something like that," I replied warily. "You?"
"Greek." He said it as if it didn't actually mean anything.
"You were saying that you needed my help?" I said then, getting to the point.
"Yes." Perseus leaned forward. "What do you know of the Trojan Challenge?"
"Nothing at all." That was true.
"Well it's rather simple. It's a team challenge; two warriors up against another two. There's a total prize of 100,000 gold pieces."
I whistled in surprise. "That's 50,000 each."
"Yes it is. And I don't know about you, Ranulph, but I really need that money."
I looked at him but said nothing.
"Well," Perseus continued, "I think that you and I could do wonders in the Trojan Challenge together."
I mulled it over. I actually quite liked this man. His easy-going good humour was infectious. Also, those 50,000 gold pieces sounded very appealing.
"I'm in," I said shortly.
**RS**
Narrator
A short distance from Ranulph and Perseus, a petite blonde woman stood unobtrusively next to a wooden pole. "The Trojan Challenge, huh?" she murmured. "Well, they do look like good fighters…" She giggled. "Not to mention that they're very handsome." Calmly, she walked away to her waiting companion, who stood leaning against a wall, her arms crossed.
"Find something?" she asked in a rich voice.
"More like someone," the blonde purred.
"Cassandra, we don't have time for that."
"I know, I know, we need to find someone to help us out. But…" she paused dramatically.
"Just get on with it, Cassandra," the other woman said wearily.
"You're no fun, Hilde," Cassandra said sullenly. "I managed to kill two birds with one stone. I found two warriors to help us out, and they look so hot!"
Hilde rolled her brown eyes heavenward.
"You know that guy who won the Aglaia yesterday? The one who you said seemed familiar to you?"
Hilde nodded. "Ranulph."
"Well, he's gonna enter the Trojan Challenge with a Greek guy named Perseus. They both look like really good fighters."
Hilde straightened up off the wall, uncrossing her arms. "Tell me more."
I'm sorry if either Cassandra or Hilde seem OOC in this. I wasn't sure exactly how to write for them, especially Hilde.
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