Chapter 3
"Do you know why Dominus wishes to see us both?" Gannicus asked Oenomaus, as the guards escorted them both to the villa. The day had been spent fighting before the funeral pyre of Titus, and Gannicus was sweaty, tired and in no mood for Batiatus's schemes.
Oenomaus shook his head in frustration. He had told Gannicus beforehand that Batiatus planned to send no one to the mines. The matter of who would place where and what to do with Dagan had taken all night. He had returned to see both friend and wife asleep. "I only know that the matter has to do with Tullius."
"If he sells me to that fuck…"
"He will not. Ease mind, our dominus will never kneel to the likes of that dog."
"For the sake of the new arena? He would suck that man's cock if it meant the primus in the opening games."
"Gannicus…" the whispered argument was shelved as they both entered Batiatus's office. The man himself looked unkempt and tired. He motioned the guards away and stood looking at the two men for some time. Gannicus shifted uneasily, while Oenomaus stood at attention.
"Do you know why you have been summoned?" Batiatus abruptly asked. Both looked at each other briefly, then turned their attention to him again.
"No, Dominus." Oenomaus answered, while Gannicus shook his head.
"This," here Batiatus gestured to a document lying in front of him, "is my father's final act. A bill of sale transferring ownership of Gannicus to Vettius."
"Vettius?" Gannicus asked, puzzled.
"Tullius's lapdog. If sale goes through, you will be transferred to his ludus in fucking Nola, and then made to fight your brothers. The greatest gladiator in the Republic, against my men! This House would fall to ruin in months. I will see cock parted from body before I allow that to happen."
"Then Gannicus is not to be sold?" Oenomaus asked quietly.
Batiatus shook his head. "I have plans for Tullius and I need your aid in dispatching the villain once and for all."
Oenomaus shook his head. "Dominus, we dishonor ourselves with this scheming and intrigue. This is not what your father would have…"
"Fuck honor!" Batiatus spat back. "Where was the honor in killing an old man? Tulllius sent the wine that carried death, and you expect me to do nothing? Do not forget your place Oenomaus." He paused, looking at the man's stricken expression, then softened his tone. "Times are going to be different now, but I would have you by my side. It is what my father would have wished."
Oenomaus nodded. "Dominus."
Batiatus turned to Gannicus. "You will be the key to my vengeance... unless you have some objections as well?" he added sarcastically.
Throughout the conversation, Gannicus's mind had drifted, until he heard the mention of wine. It was the same wine Melitta had bought for us to share. The past few days had been so chaotic the gladiator had not had time to think of the significance of that fact. If Melitta had not shattered the amphora she would have drunk the wine. Gannicus thought, horror creeping into his mind. She would have died. For that possibility alone, Tullius needed to leave this world.
Gannicus shook his head in response to Batiatus's question. "See me delivered to Tullius and I shall see your father avenged." He answered simply.
Batiatus cocked his head. "My father never favored you, yet you entreat to be the instrument of his vengeance?"
"The man has wronged me as well." Was the calm reply. Oenomaus nodded in understanding, still disturbed by the content of the conversation.
Batiatus scoffed. "Very well then. Get ready to depart the ludus in a few hours. We shall see that villain's blood on our hands soon enough."
"Dominus." Both men murmured obediently as the guards took them away. Batiatus looked at the bill of sale, plans swirling through his head.
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"You should not have been so harsh with Solonius." Lucretia muttered to her husband as the slave shaved the scruffy beard off. "You treat him as a brother, and then as a slave. He will not endure it for long."
Batiatus sneered. "Solonius has the spine of a snail. I love the man as a brother, but we have always been this way. Fear not Lucretia, he will remain true."
The husband and wife were quiet for some time as the slave finished shaving off the beard, and Naevia helped Batiatus put on his clothes. Melitta stood to the side, silent, looking in concern at the girl. Since Diona's fled Naevia had grown thinner and now looked sick .Melitta wondered what she thought of her friend's escape, abandoning Naevia to the tender mercy of their masters. I must take time to speak to her, comfort her.
"Be careful Quintus." Lucretia's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Tullius is a snake, and even wounded snakes are deadly."
"Ease mind, Lucretia," her husband answered impatiently. "Our house will be avenged all its insults, and Tullius will soon be an unfortunate memory."
He stood up as the guards brought in Gannicus and Oenomaus. Her husband caught Melitta's gaze and nodded, solemn. She then locked gazes with Gannicus, who had been looking at her intently. She immediately averted her gaze, but Lucretia caught the exchange between the two.
"We are ready to leave, Dominus." Oenomaus addressed his master, a thread of distaste for the task evident in his tone. Batiatus ignored it, and turned to Gannicus.
"You are clear to your purpose?"
Gannicus bowed his head. "Dominus."
"Then let us leave. We do not have much time, and a great deal to accomplish." Batiatus turned to Lucretia, and kissed her quickly. "Ease mind." He whispered against her lips. "I shall come to you triumphant, with my father and Gaia avenged."
She kissed him back. "May the gods watch over you, and see Tullius dead."
He nodded, and then left, along with Oenomaus and Gannicus, who threw one last glance at Melitta before they exited the villa. Lucretia and Melitta watched the men go, both silent.
"Melitta," Lucretia commanded. She walked up to her mistress, wondering what she wanted.
"Bring up the Gaul, and make sure that nobody who is not necessary sees you."
"Domina." Melitta bowed and started to leave. "Wait." The command halted her in her tracks.
"Be ready…after we are done," a grimace of distaste overcame Lucretia's face, "to shave his beard and hair. If I am to lay with him, I would at least have the illusion of decency."
"I shall make sure he is pleasant to your eyes." Melitta answered dutifully.
Lucretia scoffed. "This is not about pleasure Melitta. This is because I love my husband above all others, and I will secure his legacy. The house will have an heir." She turned to look at her body slave. "I say this because I trust you, and I know you will not betray me. You are loyal to this house."
"Domina…" Melitta had no answer.
"You are a great comfort in these wretched times. The gods took mercy on me that you were not killed by the wine as well."
Melitta started at the pronouncement.
"Go." Lucretia commanded distracted by Naevia coming in with fresh wine. Melitta bowed and left to get the Gaul.
If I had not smashed the amphora, I would have drunk the wine…I thought I needed the courage to tell Gannicus my feelings. She thought. I would have died, like Dominus did. Gannicus would have died. The thought made her weak, and she leaned against the wall for a moment. The she straightened up and began walking.
I need to see him, determination coursed through her veins. The Gods gave me a second chance to live, and I will not see it squandered.
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Gannicus stared at the pathetic man begging for his life. In the end, for all his bravado, Tullius was a coward, promising Batiatus anything he wanted in order to have his life spared.
This is the man who almost killed my love, he thought as Batiatus shoved his father's ashes into Tullius's mouth. This is the man who came close to parting heart from chest.
"The gods will see that you will be punished for all your transgressions! You will pay someday!" Tullius screamed he struggled to get up.
"Yes," Batiatus agreed, smiling savagely. "But not this one!" With that, he shoved a knife deep into Tullius gut, pushing the man to the ground. Gannicus took out his own knife, stabbing the bastard several times, each blow a punishment for almost taking Melitta from him.
As the nearly dead Tullius was being bricked into the walls, Gannicus turned to see Oenomaus shaking his head in disappointment. He stared at this friend, then turned to see Tullius's last moments.
But for the hand of fate our reason for living would have been lost, he thought to his silent friend. Be happy that I have removed such malignance from our lives. But he would never be able to tell Oenomaus such musings.
He knew as the days would pass the distance between himself and his sworn brother would increase as the guilt overwhelmed. Even though Gannicus knew he was betraying the one man he respected above all others, his feelings for Melitta took precedence. We are slaves, he justified to himself each day could be our last. Would the gods punish me for grasping at happiness? Surely they have better affairs to meddle with.
"Gannicus! What seizes you?" Oenomaus's voice broke into his thoughts. He turned to see the others leaving, and hastened to his brother's side.
"I was merely contemplating what Doctore had told me about hubris." He lied smoothly, turning to see the wall where Tullius resided now. "And those cunts who fall from it."
"See to it that you do not join their numbers." Oneomaus replied brusquely, still bothered by what they had done.
"Do not worry so, Brother. I have many reasons to live." Gannicus replied, solemn.
Oenomaus looked at his friend in surprise at the uncharacteristic reply, but Gannicus refused to say more as they made their way back to the ludus.
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As they entered the villa and Dominus began to regale Domina with tales of how they had killed Tullius, Gannicus caught Melitta's eye as she came in with the wine. A small nod was exchanged between the two, and Melitta hid her relief at finding him safe.
"Doctore, see to the men," Batiatus ordered. "Barca was injured. I would have you look on him and see extent of injury, and how it will affect his fighting."
"Dominus." Oneomaus answered respectfully, making his way to the outside. Gannicus followed. On his way out, Oenomaus gestured to Melitta to follow him, and after a quick glance at her Domina, who nodded permission, she did.
"Are you alright?" her husband asked gently. Melitta nodded, unable to look at him, for fear he would see the guilt in her eyes.
"Yet you do not look upon me." He said.
"Apologies." Was the soft reply. "I am merely tired at the chaos surrounding us. My eyes fall because I cannot see your sorrow in addition." What kind of reply is that? She chided herself.
One that Oenomaus accepted. "Ease mind. Soon this ludus, and we, shall see better days." He lifted her chin and kissed her quickly, though she locked gazes with Gannicus during the kiss.
He made his way towards both of them. As he cleared his throat, Oenomaus ended the kiss.
"Oenomaus…I would have words with your wife."
"Regarding?"
"Diona."
"The escaped slave girl? Why?"
"Because I pitied her, and wonder what her fate will be. I would like to know if I could ask Dominus for her friend. To spare her the same fate." Gannicus replied, thinking quickly. He remembered what Melitta had told him about Naevia, and it seemed a reasonable suggestion. Oenomaus frowned "Very well, but I think the girl will be too busy mourning to appreciate your noble gesture." He walked away, disappearing into the darkness.
"We must speak." Gannicus turned to Melitta. "There are many topics I wish to broach with you."
"When?" she questioned.
Gannicus frowned in thought. "Oenomaus will go to see Barca tonight. Come down to the pantry and I shall meet you there. We can talk through the gates."
Melitta nodded, turning away before he gave into the temptation to kiss her.
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"We tread on treacherous ground." He spoke later on. Melitta stood a few feet in front of him, facing away, arms wrapped around herself. Gannicus gripped the bars, wishing she was in his embrace instead.
"I wish we could stop." She replied plaintively. "This…what we are doing…it is like a half-life." Melitta turned to him, tears in her eyes. "Like a wound that keeps bleeding."
"If I could stop, I would." He sighed. "Oenomaus…it does not speak well of me that I am willing to betray him. But what I feel…"
Melitta stepped toward him, resting her forehead against the bars. "What we both feel. When I realized we both could have died from the wine…I do not want to squander the second chance the gods are giving us. But the danger we invite Gannicus! Pause and think again before we truly decide on this path. Is what you feel for me true? Or are you a child, fascinated by a toy that can never be yours?"
"Melitta…"
"I know the words exchanged during that night." She said, referring to when Oenomaus had been taken to Dominus and they had both given into their passion again. "You said nothing would keep you from me. But Gannicus…surely…we can…" she struggled to find the words to express the conflict between loyalty and love. What she wanted to say, even she did not know.
"The feelings did not come overnight, Melitta!" he interrupted her. She reared back in surprise, stepping away from the bars.
"What are you saying?" Melitta asked softly. Gannicus exhaled, resting his forehead against the gates.
"I am saying that these feelings are not a result of that night. All that night did was make me face what I had so deeply hidden. The truth is that I do not remember when I started loving you. What I do remember is what I felt when I heard you were to be given to Oenomaus; it was the only time I envied him."
"Gannicus." The word was half question, half plea. A plea for what, Gannicus could not guess.
"I envied him you, Melitta." He replied eyes and demeanor absent jest. Seeing her shock, he took a step forward, plastering himself in front of the bars.
"And so now you know my deepest sin. I am stripped bare in front of you." His voice was hoarse. She started at him arrested by the intensity of his eyes.
"There are no more secrets between us. Everything I am, everything I could be…it is all in front of you now. I can only pray to the Gods that you find something of note in me, and stay."
She did not smile at him, but took a step closer, putting a hand on his cheek through the barrier between them.
"Now we are truly known to each other," Melitta whispered. "I too have felt for you from the start. But loyalty stayed my heart. Now I have no secrets from you…nor do I have the strength to walk away."
He grasped her hands as she continued speaking, hushed "I would rather have brief moments with you, than live a long lifetime without." She laughed ruefully. "See what you have reduced me to?"
He smiled at her, pained and elated in equal measure. "If you are reduced, then I am nothing more than the dust beneath your feet, for I have always been below you."
"No!" her intensity took him by surprise, as she glared at him. "You have never been beneath me…no matter what you think I know you. You are a good man."
"And yet here I stand, betraying the brother who has been my lifeline in this ludus."
"We are both traitors then. And if there is punishment, we shall both suffer it. Do not think you walk this path alone. I come willingly, with eyes open."
He nodded, then moved closer to her, "So be it. Know that I am yours until death beckons, and even he shall not take me from your side." He whispered against her lips, before taking them in a passionate kiss.
Neither of them saw Naevia watching, mouth open in surprise.