"Pardon me for interrupting your studies, Master, but the thought I've been having has been bothering me the way a fly bothers someone..." Axel began reluctantly.
Roxas turned from his desk to face him. "What is it?"
"Your sister Naminé...I believe I've seen her face before," he tapped his lips as the wheel in his brain turned harder.
"She is one of the Vestal Virgins," Roxas replied, "she is one of the girls who tends the sacred flame of Vesta at the arena."
The wheel stopped turning, and Axel was satisfied with the answer. "Yes, of course."
"She doesn't enjoy tending that particular flame." Roxas said, "The gore is often too much for her."
Now Axel's stomach turned. Had Naminé seen him in the arena, delivering a swift end to some of the gladiators?
"She didn't seem to recognize me..." He mumbled.
"Though she can see the battle more clearly, she doesn't like looking at it." Roxas reminded him.
"Of course not. I'm sorry I disturbed your studies..." Axel gave a slight bow, which was almost involuntary at this point from having to do it so often.
"It's alright, I'm finished with this lesson anyway." Roxas rolled the scroll back up and slid it into a square cubbyhole in a shelf next to his desk. "And it's time to head to the baths. As my slave, you are to escort me."
Axel gave a nod, following Roxas out to the front of the house.
Waiting for them stood Ventus, Terra, and Ansem. Terra would serve as the second escort into the city.
The three noblemen stepped into a litter to be carried into the city. Four male slaves hoisted the litter onto their shoulders, with Axel and Terra trailing behind.
"Master Ventus tells me you were a gladiator before being sold to us," Terra offered to initiate friendly conversation.
"Yes, that is correct," Axel confirmed, "why do you ask?"
"No reason, though I admire your skill in the arena." Terra replied.
"Thank you," Axel mumbled a bit sheepishly. Compliments didn't come by too often, and when they did he wasn't always sure how to respond.
"Have you ever heard of an Amazone by the name of Aqua?" Terra asked.
"Yes, she lived in the same gladiator school as I." Axel wondered how Terra knew of her.
"I see. When Master Ventus goes to the gladiator shows, he admires the one called Aqua. She is quite a spectacle, is she not? What was it like to live in a school with her?"
"I've known her for a while, she was always a very collected person. Her cellmate was none other than the second new slave, Larxene. Larxene is quite obviously her polar opposite." Terra chuckled at Axel's comment, though he hadn't tried to be amusing. He offered, "I could introduce you to Aqua..."
"We aren't permitted to leave the grounds ever," Terra said, "surely you must understand that."
Of course he did, he just hadn't thought about how he was still technically property. Perhaps he was already taking advantage of Roxas's lenience.
"Of course, what was I thinking...?" Axel chuckled.
"Besides, it isn't necessary," Terra whispered, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
The city was much less busy now that the time was close to when the vendors closed their booths and packed up their wares.
The four slaves carrying the litter lay it down on the ground in front of the bathhouse. A few men loitered around, waiting for a vacancy to open. There must've been some room left, for Ansem and his sons strode past them straight into the bathhouse.
As slaves, Terra and Axel would have to bathe very late in the day and only twice a month.
As they loitered around outside waiting for their masters to return, Axel pondered Terra's words about Aqua.
"What was life in the ring like?" Terra asked.
"You know," Axel began, "being a house slave is almost boring compared to being a gladiator. It wasn't necessarily something to enjoy, but it kept me on my feet. Here, I anticipate every task I'm given. It's only my first day, but I'm becoming restless."
"Things will get much more interesting, I'm sure," Terra assured.
"I don't doubt it..." Axel mumbled, remembering Ventus's remarks in the hallway earlier that day.
An hour later, the three men returned with their skin pink and shiny with oil.
The slaves, whom had been resting on the ground, shot to their feet to ready the litter. The noblemen stepped inside and were hoisted onto the slaves' shoulders to be carried home.
The slaves in the kitchens bustled around to prepare the evening meal coena, while Axel helped Roxas into his dinner robes.
The entire family gathered in a large room with reclined chairs circled around a low table. Larxene and some other slaves placed platters of meat, bread, fruit, and cheese on the table. A pitcher containing wine was also placed on the table, but only the men were permitted to drink it.
Axel and Terra, as well as Naminé's and Ansem's personal servants attended the needs of each person, pouring more wine or calling for more bread.
Before too long, Ventus became terribly drunk. He stumbled over to Terra, whom held a basin for the boy to vomit in. Ventus ducked his head in the basin and retched.
Though Axel had seen people become drunk until they were sick, he did not expect noblemen to become so easily drunk. And though Roxas was allowed to drink the wine, his cheeks retained their color to show he had not drunk any.
When dinner was finished with, the kitchen slaves cleaned up the leftover food to be eaten for the morning meal. The personal slaves helped their masters and mistress to bed. Ventus leaned on Terra's arm, his footsteps sluggish on the way.
Axel removed Roxas's dinner robes and exchanged them for a set of sleeping robes. The boy's skin was smooth from the oil slathered in him at the baths, unlike Axel's rough and beaten skin.
Roxas slipped into bed, and Axel closed the door to go off to his place in the servant quarters.
The eerie silence of the house produced goosebumps on Axel's arms. Never before had he been roaming alone at such an hour.
That night he was restless, as much of the energy he normally would have lost during harsh training was bottled inside him.
It seemed the other slaves had been worked to the core, as they slept soundly.
At a very late hour, Axel heard rustling. He assumed it was just a rat scurrying around the quarters, but in the darkness he saw a shape moving around the room.
Perhaps one of the slaves was somnambulant, Axel thought, and disregarded it.
But still, Axel's restlessness urged him to investigate, so he laced up his sandals and followed the shape.
In the moonlight, the shape became visible: it was Terra. Axel had heard before not to wake a somnambulant person, so he sneaked a few footsteps ahead of Terra to look at his eyes. His blood turned cold when he realized they were open, and staring directly at him.
"Axel, what are you doing?" Terra hissed.
"I apologize, I just wondered if you were sleepwalking. I can't sleep," he explained.
"You're not permitted to leave the grounds." Terra reminded him.
"Then what are you doing?" Axel countered.
Terra frowned, realizing his mistake. "I'm just going for a walk, I'm as restless as you. The other slaves know about my habit, so they don't tell the master as long as I don't tell when they sneak out occasionally. I'll let you follow me as long as you tell no one."
"Alright..." Axel agreed reluctantly, and the two slipped out of the house wearing cloaks to hide their collars.
"Where are we going...?" Axel finally asked after walking for several miles.
"I'm meeting someone," Terra replied.
"Who could be so important that you risk your life for them?" Axel wondered.
Terra didn't answer directly, instead he asked, "Axel, have you ever been in love with someone?"
Axel thought for a moment. Immediately, Isa flashed in his mind, but he wasn't sure if that meant he had been in love with Isa. Sure they had been best friends, but there had always been a slightly stronger feeling residing in Axel's heart for him.
"No," he decided, "I've never had the time to experience it."
"I didn't think so, either," Terra agreed, "which is why it was a miracle I had even met her."
So Terra was meeting a girl somewhere. Axel wondered who, but then he recalled the conversation they had had escorting their masters to the baths. It seemed ridiculous to even think that he was having an affair with Aqua, but anything was possible...
They arrived in the subura, which was quite far from Ansem's house. At this hour, the brothels were busy with customers.
Terra led him into an alley behind a brothel, where a girl donned in a men's toga stood with her back to them. In the dim light, her hair appeared blue, but Axel found that she really was the girl he had suspected.
He could hardly keep himself from exclaiming her name.
Aqua whirled around, her expression shocked. "Axel...?"
It was hardly uncommon for gladiators to engage in prostitution to earn extra money. Even Marluxia, as respected as he seemed, was known to sell his body every so often. However, Aqua and Marluxia were free citizens who could choose to engage in prostitution, whereas if Axel had been favorable he would have no choice. Fortunately, Axel never had been chosen for prostitution.
"Axel, wait outside." Terra instructed.
"Wait, I'm curious to know how you two met." Axel interrupted.
Terra sighed. "If you must know, Master Ventus comes down here sometimes and brings me. By chance encounter I met Aqua, but when Master Ventus is around I'm not allowed to speak to her. Whenever Master Ventus doesn't come here, I have to cater to his-needs."
Axel knit his brows, thinking deeper. "Does Master Ventus ever ask for you...?" He asked Aqua.
Aqua groaned. "He is my least-favorite client. But if his appearance means I'll see Terra, I'm willing to put up with it. Besides, it's over so quickly."
With that, the two turned away from him.
Axel slumped against the side of the building, staring at the torchlight.
He knew that if he told Master Ventus, Terra would distrust him and be punished. If he kept the secret like the other slaves, everyone would probably be happier until someone grew suspicious. Then the answer would be tortured out of him.
He sighed, closing his eyes and waiting for Terra to return so they could head back before sunrise.
Translations
- Auribus Teneo Lupum - I hold a wolf by the ears, a saying meaning a situation in which there is no better solution
- Coena - Dinner