A/N: So, wow, chapter 15, please enjoy :) Thank you again to everyone who has reviewed this story so far, I got so excited to see that I had over 50 reviews! Maybe we can get it to 60? :)
Warning: There is a description of a gladiator tournament in this chapter, and while it's not really really graphic, there are some aspects of violence that are alluded to quite clearly, so I just thought I should warn you if you don't want to read that sort of thing.
Also, on the last chapter I managed to make a nice big historical mistake, I suggested that the fire went out after only maybe a day, since Jeff was freed rather quickly; only it turns out that the fire lasted around a week instead, so I'm claiming creative licence here :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.
It was nearly two weeks after the fire that had consumed a large portion of the city; three of the fourteen districts had been completely destroyed, and a further seven had suffered a large amount of damage.
Nick and Jeff, meanwhile, were being forced to become accustomed to life inside the palace. There were constantly other slaves attempting to fuss around them, clearly hoping that they might receive some sort of favours from either Nick or his father if they were especially helpful. Nick had to actually tell one slave girl off for managing to open the locked door to their room one morning, just so that she could light them a fire; not only was Nick still having trouble dealing with seeing even the smallest flame, Jeff had actually been sleeping next to him at that point. Fortunately, Nick had been able to get rid of her before she noticed that Jeff was there, and he was glad of that.
There was also the matter of Sebastian, who'd taken to also opening the locked door, and bounding into their room whenever he felt like it. In fact, one morning they'd both completely overslept, and Sebastian had barged into the room and thrown himself on top of the bed itself, loudly demanding to know if they were both naked. After telling him to be quiet, Nick had answered that they weren't naked, but they'd greatly appreciate it if he left them alone. They'd had no such luck, as Sebastian had promptly torn the sheets from the bed, and demanded that they get up. As soon as the other boy had finally departed, Nick had commented to Jeff that next time he'd tell him that they were actually naked, and Jeff had doubted that Seb would respond any differently. He was probably right.
There was also still the issue of Nick's parents. Although the palace was large enough for them to have their own set of rooms a fair distance from Nick and Jeff's, it didn't mean that either of them didn't pass by occasionally under the pretence of wanting to ask something, but really just keeping a firm eye on the two of them.
Jeff had just managed to overpower Nick in the tickling war that the brunette had started, and was currently straddling the other boy's waist in an attempt to hold him down, when there was a sharp knock on the door, and the sound of Nick's father's voice. In a panic, Jeff let Nick go, before the brunette hurriedly fixed his clothing, and Jeff disappeared through the adjoining door into his own room.
"Father," Nick said, politely greeting his father as he opened the door to him, "I wasn't expecting to see you here at all."
"Well, I would have sent a slave to fetch you to our rooms, but I have an important meeting to be attending, and so I thought that I'd just pass by with a message," Nick's father replied.
"Of course," Nick nodded, understanding completely that his father would definitely find a meeting more important than talking to his own son.
"I realise that your mother and I never really addressed the outburst you made after we settled a suitable marriage for you," his father explained, "And as strange and ungrateful as that occurrence was, I thought I should inform you that the betrothal is being cancelled because Flavius' family lost a lot of their wealth in the fire, and now cannot pay their daughter's dowry."
Nick breathed a small sigh of relief. He'd been pushing the thoughts of marriage to the back of his mind and hoping that if he didn't think about it, then it suddenly wouldn't become a reality. And anyway, spending time with Jeff tended to take Nick's mind off anything else.
"But that doesn't mean that your outburst was acceptable, Nicholas," his father continued speaking, "If anyone knew what you'd said, then you might have ruined the reputation of this family, for who wants a son who claims to have fallen in love with some unsuitable girl? If she had been suitable, then you would have clearly presented to me the idea of marrying her beforehand."
Nick's throat went dry as his father assumed that he was in love with a girl; what would he do if he discovered that it was actually Jeff?
"I'm not in love with anyone, Father," he said finally, hoping that Jeff wasn't listening. He hated that he couldn't voice the fact that he was in love with Jeff; it made him feel as though he was implying that he was ashamed of his love for the blonde boy, which he obviously wasn't. "It was a mistake, that's all. I panicked in that situation, because I wasn't sure that I was ready to handle such a large commitment just yet."
His father frowned.
"Just don't let it happen again," the older man said, "Good day, Nicholas." He turned and walked off down the corridor. Nick breathed a sigh of relief to see him retreating, and he closed the door, leaning against it heavily as he took joy in the fact that he wasn't going to be forced into a marriage.
"I take it you didn't mean what you just said?" Jeff asked, appearing across the room in the doorway of the other room, "About making a mistake."
Nick shook his head.
"Jeff, I'd never call you a mistake," he said, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, I just don't think my father would see it the same way."
Jeff smiled and put his arms around the shorter brunette.
"I know that," he said, "I'm just glad that you don't have to get married to some girl."
"I don't want to marry anyone but you," Nick said firmly, gazing up at the blonde, who blushed and gasped suddenly.
"You want to marry me?" he asked shyly.
Now it was Nick's turn to blush.
"I could have asked it in a more romantic way, I suppose," he said, "But yes, I want to marry you, Jeff." He quickly stepped out of Jeff's arms, and took both of Jeff's hands instead. He took a deep breath, before gazing up at the other boy. "Well, here goes," he said, "Jeff, I love you more than anything else in this entire world, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So, Jeff, will you marry me?"
Even though he'd guessed what Nick was going to say, Jeff couldn't stop his eyes from going wide and his mouth dropping open in shock. He looked down into Nick's eyes and felt tears brimming in his own. He loved the boy in front of him so much, and he just knew that he wanted to spend forever with him.
"Yes," he nodded, as the first few tears began trailing down his face, "Yes, Nick, I'll marry you!"
The biggest grin spread out across Nick's face, and he kissed Jeff with as much passion as he possibly could; the whole kiss becoming symbolic of the promise and commitment that both boys wanted to make to each other.
"I love you so much," Jeff whispered, as he leant his forehead on Nick's own.
"I love you so much as well," Nick whispered back, pulling the other boy in for another kiss.
"Something tells me that I'm not going to enjoy today," Jeff muttered, as Nick ushered him up a flight of steps to their seats in the amphitheatre.
"Lots of fighting and death for the entertainment of the populace?" Nick made a face. "Can't understand why anybody would enjoy it."
Jeff cast his gaze around the packed stands.
"Yet there's practically a full house here," he said, "I just don't get what the fascination with the whole spectacle is."
"Well, you didn't actually have to come," Nick pointed out, "My father was only forcing me to go." Jeff raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the boy next to him.
"I'd much rather be here with you, than back at the palace by myself," he replied, quickly brushing his thumb across the back of Nick's hand as he went to turn into their row of seats. They would be missing Wes and David today, since they were still hiding in the Subura with Wes' father, and none of them dared to appear at such a public event.
"There you are," Sebastian said, looking up as the two boys took their seats next to him and Hunter, "I was starting to worry that you'd got distracted or something." He winked at them as he spoke, but the other two decided to blatantly ignore his comments.
"Is Thad fighting today?" Nick chose to lean over to address Hunter instead.
"I think so," Hunter replied, grinning as Sebastian pouted, "But not until much later."
Nick nodded.
"Great, so we have to sit through an entire of day of violence," he said, "Completely and utterly pointless violence."
"Technically the executions are not pointless," Sebastian cut in, smirking clearly to show that he knew he was annoying Nick purposely, "They're a punishment to those who have committed crimes against the people and the empire, therefore deserving to be…"
Nick turned to him with a hard look on his face.
"One word for you, Seb," he hissed, "Wes."
Sebastian's smirk disappeared immediately, and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I forgot about that," he said.
"And the rest of us as well," Hunter piped up helpfully.
Sebastian smacked him on the arm.
"You're supposed to be on my side," he said, "It's not fair if you gang up on me with these two."
Hunter grinned, and kissed his cheek quickly, before anybody else around them saw.
"Alright, Seb," he laughed, "I'll protect you from them instead, because look how scary Nick and Jeff are, I mean, I've never met anyone as intimidating as Jeff."
Sebastian pouted again, pushing Hunter lightly as the other boy mocked him.
"You're all so mean to me," he said, sounding like a petulant child.
"Yes, don't let the big and evil and scary Jeff get you," Nick joined in, as Jeff laughed at him. "We wouldn't want him to hurt poor, ickle Sebastian now, would we?"
"Why am I friends with you?" Sebastian sighed, glaring at the three of them.
"I'm pretty sure it's because you love us," Nick said, grinning widely.
"No, I love one of you," Sebastian corrected, "I tolerate you two." He looked at Nick and Jeff, who both made heart symbols at him.
"I think it's true love, Jeffy," Nick said, looking at the blonde, who faked a sob and pretended to dry his eyes.
Sebastian rolled his eyes, and turned back to Hunter.
"Who do I have to pay to put the two of them down in the arena with a vicious animal?" he asked.
Hunter laughed.
"That's a little harsh, Seb," he replied, "I think they're just trying to get you back for everything that you've done to them."
Sebastian pouted yet again, but he didn't get to say anything in return, because the air was suddenly filled with the deafening noise of a trumpet fanfare. In fact, it was so loud and piercing, that Nick was sure that Jeff had actually jumped when it had started.
The fanfare was followed by a large procession, the statues of the gods, like in all other parades, were carried at the front so that people could see them clearly. They were followed by slaves carrying the palm branches for the winners, and a scribe to record the results of the fights. Lastly, came the Emperor, surrounded by a retinue of attendants carrying the armour and weapons for the gladiators, and the gladiators themselves.
"There's Thad!" Sebastian cried, waving madly at their friend, who glanced up at them and rolled his eyes at Sebastian's antics. "He saw us!"
"Yes, he did," Hunter replied, patting Sebastian's arm, "Now, please calm down before you embarrass yourself any more than you just did."
"I didn't embarrass myself," Sebastian said indignantly.
"Are sure about that?" Jeff asked, "Because then why did the people behind us just groan and say how awful it is when somebody gets a little bit too excited to see these gladiators?"
"I don't like this," Sebastian said suddenly, turning to Nick, "Ever since you and Blondie got together, he's become a lot more confident, and now he's making fun of me too."
"Get used to it," Nick said, with absolutely no sympathy, "Because Jeff and I are just getting warmed up; you'd better be looking forward to the rest of it."
"You're all…" Sebastian began, but Hunter interrupted him.
"Shh," he said hurriedly, "They're announcing the names of the gladiators who are fighting now."
The names of the gladiators were announced, and the arena was quickly cleared to get ready for the first fight.
"What happens first?" Jeff asked, watching as some slaves were readying cages at the sides.
"They'll release some wild animals into the arena, and then they send out specially trained gladiators to fight them," Nick explained, and Jeff immediately looked worried.
"What sort of animals?" he asked.
"You'll see in a minute. It varies from show to show, but since the Emperor is putting this one on, it's likely to be as exotic as possible."
Just as Nick spoke, the cages around the arena were sprung open, and an assortment of animals were set free. At one point, Jeff gasped and lent forward in his seat.
"Nick," he patted the other boy's arm to gain his attention, "What's that animal down there, the striped one?"
Nick peered over the edge and down at the animal in question.
"That's a tiger, Jeff," he said, wondering why that animal in particular had caught the other boy's attention, "Tigers are some of the rarest animals that they put into these fights."
"I've seen one before," Jeff said slowly, and Nick's attention was immediately piqued as he wondered where the other boy would have come into contact with a tiger.
"You have?"
"Yes, in my village when I was younger," Jeff continued, "Some men were travelling through, and there was one with them in a cage. All the other children used to try and get as close to it as they could before it growled at them, but I used to just sit in front of it and talk for hours. It never growled at me, it just watched me while I spoke, and I convinced myself that it was really listening to me. It sounds stupid, but I think that tiger was the closest I'd ever had to a friend before I met you."
"That's not stupid," Nick said, "Hey, actually, was that around six or seven years ago?"
Jeff thought for a moment.
"Yes, I think it was," he said eventually.
"I remember that tiger," Nick said, "They brought it in for another one of these events, originally it was only going to be exhibited, but the Emperor convinced the trainers that it should be made to fight one of the gladiators."
"What happened to it?" Jeff asked quietly, already dreading the answer.
"I'm sorry, Jeff," Nick reached out and clasped the blonde's hand in his own, "But it was killed in the arena."
Jeff nodded understandingly, but he still looked rather sad; Nick imagined that it must be upsetting to discover that your first friend had been killed, even if that friend had been a tiger.
The beast fighting lasted for around two hours, surprisingly with minimal injuries to the fighters, and some of the animals too. Although Nick was glad for the gladiators, he knew that the Emperor, and also the crowd, would now be hungrier for a vast amount of bloodshed in the afternoon's entertainment, and that meant there would be a lot less mercy on the losing fighters. For that, he could only hope that Thad was thoroughly prepared for this fight, because if he wasn't, the results could be disastrous.
It reached midday, and the executions had just been announced, therefore Nick quickly turned to Jeff.
"Do you want to stay?" he asked, "Otherwise, we can go and buy some food."
Jeff shook his head.
"I have no desire to watch anymore of this than I need to," he said, "Food sounds like a much more appealing option."
Nick nodded.
"Okay, Hunter and Sebastian, if you're staying here, we'll buy you a pie to share or something," he added to their two friends, who were still seated.
"Are you sure that you and Jeff don't want to stay and watch all the nasty things that are about to happen?" Sebastian asked evilly, "Jeff, did you hear that one time they got a…"
"Thanks, Seb," Nick cut him off as Jeff's eyes went wide with horror, "You don't need to terrify him."
"I'm just getting you back for earlier," Sebastian replied, "I mean, you practically threatened me."
"Yes, we threatened you with Jeff," Nick said, "Jeff, who is probably the nicest person you will ever meet. I think you'll find that all your arguments are invalid now." He grinned, and then turned quickly to follow Jeff down the steps.
When they arrived back in their seats, the executions had almost finished.
"Is this the last one?" Nick asked, gesturing to the arena as he handed over the pie to Hunter and Sebastian.
"Yeah," Hunter replied, "And it's a horrible one, they set the lion on five prisoners around ten minutes ago." He grimaced. "Four of them were killed quickly, but the lion's been chasing the fifth around the arena for a few minutes now."
Nick and Jeff both glanced down into the arena to catch sight of one terrified criminal being chased by an especially savage looking lion, which was gaining distance on him rather fast.
"I can't watch," Jeff said faintly, burying his head into Nick's shoulder.
"Neither," Nick agreed, and also looked away.
There was silence for another minute or so, and then a sickening thud and a cut off scream. Nick winced at the sound, and Jeff practically whimpered into his shoulder.
"It's over," Hunter said, signalling to them that they could both look again.
"I'm not sure I can deal with watching Thad fight now," Jeff commented, looking as though he was going to be sick.
"We can always leave," Nick said, "We can go back to the palace right now."
"As appealing as that sounds," Jeff said, "I don't think you're going to want to explain to your father why you suddenly got up and left the show."
Nick made a face.
"I know, but I'd rather you were happier…"
"Nick, I'll be fine," Jeff interrupted him quickly, before the other boy felt too guilty for having to stay, "Anyway, if it gets too bad, I'll just have to use your shoulder to hide my eyes."
"Sounds fair enough," Nick replied, grinning at the idea of being able to get closer to Jeff.
"Hmm, why did I know you'd go for that?" Jeff teased, prodding the brunette in the side.
Nick's retort was lost in Sebastian's sudden shout.
"They've just announced Thad's name! He's going to be fighting first!"
All conversation was abandoned, as the four boys leant forward to watch their friend carefully.
Thad was a great deal smaller than his opponent, who was almost towering over him as they both sized each other up for the fight.
Of the four types of duelling gladiators, Thad was a Thraex, a fighter known for their agility, which was all Thad had as an advantage, as height and strength were unlikely to overpower his opponent alone. Being a Thraex meant that he was equipped with a short, crooked sword and a smaller shield, while for protection he had leg pads on, chain mail on his sword arm, and a helmet. His adversary was a Murmillo, who carried a lance, a sword and a larger shield, as well as armour on his arms, a single leg pad and a helmet.
The referee stepped forward, looking to the Emperor for the signal that the fight could begin. The Emperor gave the sign, and then Thad and his opponent were alone in the arena, save for the referee, who stayed well out of their way.
"I almost just want them to get on with it," Nick muttered, the tension from the two men just sizing each other up was starting to get to him.
As soon as he spoke, the Murmillo made the first move. He was heavier and stronger than Thad, and he slashed at the smaller boy with his sword with as much force as he could muster. But Thad was agile, and he leapt quickly to the side, never taking his eyes away from his opponent.
"That wasn't a wise move," Hunter commented, as the Murmillo struggled with the impact of such a strong blow on thin air, and it made him unstable on his feet for a second or two.
However, before Thad could make his own move, the other man had righted himself, and had turned back to him again. Even from the crowd, the four boys could sense Thad's sudden apprehension.
"He should have taken that chance," Hunter said, and Nick glanced over at him, suddenly realising that they were likely to get a complete commentary on Thad's fighting techniques throughout the match.
"Come on, Thad!" Sebastian yelled as loudly as he could, only to be slapped by Hunter.
"What are you doing?" the other boy asked, "You're distracting him."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"And the other thousands of screaming citizens aren't?" he asked.
Nick turned to Jeff with a smirk.
"Hunter is taking this whole fighting thing far too seriously," he said, "I mean, it is serious, obviously, because Thad's life is at risk, but it's still quite amusing to watch him tell Sebastian off."
"It's amusing watching anyone annoy Sebastian," Jeff remarked, clearly too loudly for Hunter, because he quickly hushed him and told him to focus on the fight.
In the arena, the two gladiators were again circling each other, occasionally making swings at each other, which were nearly always blocked, parried or avoided.
Suddenly, the huge Murmillo lunged forward with surprising speed, and caught the top of Thad's arm with the edge of his sword. The smaller gladiator was knocked to the floor with the force of the attack, and the large Murmillo raised his sword above his head so that he could slam it down and end the fight.
The four boys in the crowd watched in horror as the huge gladiator plunged the sword downwards.
A/N: Eeek, sorry, another cliffhanger :) And I have to point out that what happens in the next chapter will be the beginning of the end, so you have been warned :)
Historical Points:
1. Roman marriage will be further explained in a later chapter, but I will just put here that gay marriage was legal in Roman society.
2. All details that I included in the descriptions of the gladiators themselves, and the fights and executions are as close to factually correct as I can possibly make them, so thank you to Eraman for some of the information used. There was actually an entire gladiator show during Nero's reign, in which nobody died, but this would have most likely been looked upon as a highly unentertaining show by Roman standards.
3. Hunter references minutes when talking about the executions, even though minutes weren't actually invented until much later in history, around the 1200s. I've used minutes just because it's a convenient smaller measurement of time.
Thank you for reading, and please review to tell me what you thought. Or ask a question about the story or the history behind it :)