In Veritas Memento
Rating: NC 17
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All aspects of Spartacus: Gods of the Arena are owned by Steven De Knight and Starz. This is for pure entertainment value alone.
This story takes place after the episode Missio, yet it veers completely into an A/U after the events of that episode. I am a huge fan of the series Spartacus; however, my favorite character is Gannicus. This is his story.
Warnings: M for a reason. This story is much like the show. It contains bad words and smut! If that is not your cup of tea, turn back now. Although, if cussing and nude scenes offend, are you sure you're a fan of Spartacus?! ;) Hehehe. Kidding. Anyhow, you've been warned.
Pairings: There are multiple pairings, and Gannicus has more than one partner in this story, however, Gannicus/Melitta is endgame. If reading Gannicus with multiple pairings offends you, again, turn back now.
Chapter 30: ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt: The fates lead the willing and drag the unwilling.
In what had become normal routine, Diona joined him in his cell for tipping drink and Tali. Since his drunken seduction of her, she had let her hair down so to speak and no longer had issue with putting him in his place. Usually, he enjoyed their verbal sparring because it reminded him of how Melitta used to tease him, however, tonight they had indulged in much drink and their words were becoming a little heated.
"Why do continuously claim you are without honor?" Diona asked, her frustration with him apparent in her lowered brows and cross expression. "I am beginning to suspect you say such things just to hear me refute accusation."
Gannicus frowned, he did not desire quarrel, but he was irritated with her constant harping on him about his moral compass. "I have no need for you to herald my character, Diona," he replied, his own temper starting to rise. "I am aware of who I am. It is you who lays qualities upon me I do not possess. I am merely speaking truth, not searching for compliments!"
"I do not give false praise. I speak on how I view you. In my eyes you are a good man."
"Would a good man desire to take another man's wife from him? Or seduce friend knowing he did not plan on pursuing more than a quick fuck?"
Diona's eyes widened at that last remark. "You speak with intention to cruelty. Deeds not words make a man, Gannicus. Do not use me as excuse to cast aspersion upon self. I lay no blame upon you for us having a "quick fuck"." She snapped the words, angered he would say such a thing. "It is you who seems disturbed by it, not me." She took a long swallow of her wine, enjoying the freedom it gave her to speak mind. "Trust words, you will not see me throwing myself off yonder cliff because you broke heart. I am no Aurelia!"
As soon as the words broke lips, she gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth as if that could return them behind teeth; but it was too late. They were broken before him and there was naught she could do to halt their venom.
He froze, eyes widening in shock at hearing that name from Diona's lips. His brows abruptly snapped down into a deep scowl. "Where did you hear that name?" he asked very quietly, very calmly—too calmly.
Diona's throat became dry at how still and serious he had become. Nervously, she took a sip of her wine before answering. "The woman in the kitchens, Seraphina."
"You know of Aurelia and her fate, and yet, you still view me as good man?" She nodded, and he shook his head. "Then you are a naïve fool, Diona."
She did not appreciate being called a fool, but she sought to end argument rather than incite it further. "Gannicus, I know you did not do the things that woman spoke of to us."
"Us?" His eyes narrowed upon her. "You speak of my business with others," he said, flatly. "Tell me, Diona, who is us?"
He did not look happy and Diona wished she had kept girl's name behind teeth. "Naevia and I." She paused and wet her lips. "And Melitta," she added softly.
"Melitta was involved in this as well?" His jaw tightened to such a degree a muscle started to pulse along his jawline. His expression made Diona's palms sweat. "You three have been fucking busy, have you not? Discussing circumstance that does not concern you."
"It was not as you make it to be," she said, trying to explain, but he was not hearing it. "Melitta was defending you. She knows you will not do so yourself, apparently."
"There is no defense."
"There is always a defense," Diona argued.
He took a deep breath. "Fine, you want to hear the tale?" He got up and grabbed another amphora of wine. "I will need more wine for this fucking conversation," he growled when he retook his seat. "I will break words on the subject this one time, Diona. Perhaps, if you hear bitter story from my lips, you will no longer pry into matters not of your concern."
Diona had never witnessed him so angry and Melitta's words regarding his reaction when she had broached topic rang in ears, causing nervous anxiety to build; there was no Oenomaus present to stop him should he become too angry.
"Gannicus, apologies. You are correct. I should not have pried. Perhaps we should just allow subject to drop."
"Oh no! You have dug this shit up from dust and shadow. Allow me to satisfy curiosity so we may put it to ground and never speak of it again." He refiled his wine and took a long, healthy swallow before he went on. "As you know, Aurelia was a slave here at the ludus. She was a beautiful girl, as were many of Dominus' slaves." He added with a shrug. "I had just earned my brand when she came to me. She had developed a crush, and I was intensely attracted to the girl, so I took what she offered, ridding her of her innocence."
He paused and Diona wanted to interject that Aurelia offered, he said it himself, but she was afraid he would shut down if she interrupted, so she kept her comments behind her teeth.
He let out a sigh. "She was so fucking young. No experience with men and their ways, but I did not give it a care. I used her and when she lost heart to me, I refused to speak with her again." His eyes took on a sad, faraway look. "When I broke ties in the manner I did, she lost mind. She became obsessed...creating situations to gain my attentions once again." He raked both hands though his hair, pulling it back from his face. "It was fucking insanity!"
The memory of the crazed environment of the ludus after Aurelia drugged them assailed him. Brothers were attacking brothers... Gannicus himself had been forced to nearly kill an older gladiator when the man assaulted him in the baths and attempted to treat him as fucking woman!
He let go of his head, and his hands dropped back to his lap, but his fists were clenched, a sign of his continuing upset. "I drove Aurelia to madness," he admitted softly.
Diona poured herself another glass of wine, hearing the tale from Gannicus himself was even more enthralling that when Melitta had recounted it.
"She received terrible punishment from Titus for actions which jeopardized the entire ludus and I was even harsher in my judgement of her. She had become pregnant and I made clear I wanted no part of a babe that had such a crazed cunt for a mother."
Diona's eyes went wide. That was new information, but she asked no questions. She could see how difficult speaking of the events was for him.
"In the end, Aurelia could not live with the shame," he said, jaw tightening, his distress over the event obvious. "Two days after having the child she claimed was mine, she walked out upon the sands during training, and in front of the men, Batiatus, the fucking Gods and everyone, she threw herself off the fucking cliff, killing herself and the babe because she could not bear what her life had become." His grin was not his charming one where it reached his eyes. It was angry, even cruel. "There. That is the tragic tale of my affair with Aurelia. Does that satisfy your need to discover my secrets, Diona? Or would you like to know how I was enslaved as well? How my father was killed before my very eyes in the doing?"
Trembling under his wrath, great big tears filled her eyes at the acerbic tone of his voice. She had truly unearthed ugly memories tonight, and then…his last words about Aurelia hit her and she gasped. "Did you say she killed herself and the babe?"
He sucked in a sharp breath of surprise when she continued subject. "Why are you doing this?" He grabbed the wine and poured himself another full glass. "Drop fucking subject, Diona!"
"But this is important, Gannicus. The babe…" She paused, debating whether she should say it. His eyes caught and held hers and Diona's stomach knotted with anxiety at how cold his normally jovial expression was. Was this the look his opponents in the arena received just before he ended them?
When she did not break further words, Gannicus prompted her. "What about the babe?"
"It-it..." She took a deep breath to still her racing heart. "He isn't dead, Gannicus. The boy is alive and still here at the ludus."
His face lost all color and he grabbed his chest as if his heart had seized. "What did you say?" His voice sounded more wheeze than his normal baritone.
"The boy is alive."
That could not be. Gannicus had witnessed Aurelia jump. She was carrying a tiny bundle in her arms, he had seen it with his own eyes. "How do you know this?" he asked suspiciously.
"It is the boy, Kleos, who serves the food in the barracks."
His eyes bulged and jaw hung. He laid gaze upon the boy daily. Surely, he would feel a bond or something with the child if he were his. "Who unearthed such secrets and shared them with you?"
His voice was so different than normal. Soft, angry—deadly. "Melitta explained after Seraphina told Naevia and I about Aurelia."
That disclosure utterly unmanned him. "Melitta has had this information and never shared it?" Diona nodded and he looked stunned, angry and hurt all at once. "What proof did she offer besides saying it was so?"
Diona shook her head. "She offered none but her words."
He snorted in disbelief. "Then you do not know it is true then? Do you?"
"No," she admitted. "I suppose I do not, but—"
"Yet, you come to me, ripping open old scabs to create fresh wounds with no fucking idea if the words you speak are truth!" his voice had arisen until he was shouting at her.
Diona was trembling so badly her entire body quivered. "When you said the babe died… I-I thought you should know, Gannicus. I did not mean to cause such pain."
"Fuck!" he snarled, and it was as if he exploded, leaping off the bed in a rage, causing Diona to jump and spill her wine. "You did not mean to cause pain?" He snorted in derision. "Well, you have failed in that endeavor!" He began to pace, running his hands through his hair as if he wanted to rip it from skull. "I have had shit heaped upon more shit in my life... But this…to thrust this agony into my breast once again after six fucking years. That is not a thing I expected from you."
Tears rolled down her cheeks. Why had she not heeded Melitta's warning?
Suddenly he simply stopped all movement. "I cannot fucking do this presently," he muttered and pointed to the door. "You need to go, Diona."
She was shaking so badly, Diona worried she might be physically ill. "But Gannicus—"
"Get out!" he shouted, cutting off her words. "Now, before I break words that cannot be unbroken."
Diona jumped off his bed and ran for the door, her tears blinding her so badly she nearly bumped into the wall in her haste to exit his angry presence. Melitta had cautioned not to repeat her words. She should have listened, but she had not; now he hated her for it. "I am sorry," she said and quickly fled from his quarters.
Gannicus slammed his door after her, chest heaving with an anger he had not felt in years. Not since that witch had informed him in cruelest way that Aurelia had walked off that fucking cliff carrying his child in her arms! He picked up the amphora of wine and bypassing his cup, he began to drink it straight from the jug.
*8*
The next morning, Gannicus awoke with yet another pounding hangover that made him want to separate head from shoulders and stomach to quiver from too much wine. He could barely walk or see, so he did the only thing he could to avoid such a terrible circumstance he grabbed another amphora of wine and started his day off with a drink to cure what ailed him.
Diona's words from last night kept ringing in his ears. Had that fucking witch lied to him? It was more than possible. The woman detested the very sight of him. Yet, Gannicus had seen Aurelia, she'd had something in her arms that horrible day; but, was it the child? He thought back to the day she died, he had been on the other side of the yard when he spotted her by the cliff, so he could not truly see what she held in her arms. If Seraphina had not told him what Aurelia carried was infant son, would he had known what it was? He did not think so. He wanted to go to the kitchens and ask the woman himself, but he had not broken words with her in years. She loathed him, and he returned sentiment in kind. She would have no true words to offer him and Gannicus knew this. Thankfully, they did not share the same areas within the ludus or the woman would have tried to put a knife in him years ago, he was certain.
He wanted to ask Melitta, but they were no longer speaking. He was upset with her for speaking his business to Diona and Naevia, but could not find true anger because he had no doubts she was indeed defending him as Diona claimed. It was a thing Melitta would do. He missed her and, in situations such a this, where he needed guidance, her loss especially pained.
Which brought Diona to mind. He owed her apology before he lost her as well. She did not seek to cause injury and he had overreacted tremendously. It seemed he was continuously bruising her feelings and apologizing later for insult. Hopefully, she would forgive him—yet again. He had few true friends left. He supposed he did keep people at a distance, as Melitta had always said to him, however, Diona had worked her way into heart, and he did not want to lose her companionship.
He sat down on his bed and tipped the wine back, swallowing several mouthfuls. For all his success with women between sheets, Gannicus felt cursed when it came to love. He could find no balance. He either found women who became obsessed with him and tried to gain his attentions through twisted or foul means, or when he finally did fall, it was for the one woman in his world beyond his reach.
"The Gods must be laughing fucking asses off at my folly," he said to himself, unamused at his predicament.
Half an amphora of wine later, he could finally see straight and felt able to begin his day. However, he was in a foul temper. He wanted to fuck yet could not because Octavia! He craved Melitta, but she was not his to have. He had shit upon the feelings of a friend who truly cared for him. And, to add more shit to the pile, if Diona's words were truth, he had agonized over loss of child, murdered by deranged mother, for naught! The boy had been right under fucking nose the entire time.
"Fuck!" he growled harshly, kicking one of his chairs across the room.
He wanted to smash something. Hurt something—someone—anyone! He smiled suddenly as he realized how simple it was to fix at least part of his problem. Easiest way to erase pain was to inflict it upon others. He had a whole yard full of targets just waiting for him. Pleased with that solution, he opened his cell, eager to gather swords and make one (or more) of his unlucky brothers pay for how he presently felt.
*8*
Later that morning, Melitta was on the balcony as her Domina and Gaia discussed the upcoming journey to Rome and what they were bringing on the trip. Her eyes wandered down to the yard. Of course, they immediately sought him out. He was sparring with Dagan and Ashur simultaneously. He was smiling, but it was not his usual jovial, joyful grin. His smile was…angry, enraged even as he waved the men to come at him.
As one, Dagan and Ashur bellowed and rushed forward, swords aimed high. Gannicus adroitly ducked their attack and used his two swords to trip each man, sending them up into the air to land on their backs in the sand with identical pain-filled yelps.
He kicked their swords away and, in an instant, had one of his own pointed at each of their necks, tip under their chins. "You charge like two crazed fucking goats, absent thought between you!" he snarled, before taking a step back and putting his hand out to help first Dagan to his feet and then Ashur. "I am but one man, yet I stand unscathed while your lips are bloodied by my swords. If you are fighting as one, one must press attack, while the other defends," he told them, repeating what he had heard Ulpius, the previous Doctore say time and again.
He assumed a fighting stance, his swords at the ready. "Come, attack me again. This time as one."
Ashur and Dagan looked at each other and it was obvious they did not want to do so.
"You heard your champion," Oenomaus called out, having paused to watch the display like many of the other gladiators on the yard. "Attend!"
With impetus from Oenomaus driving them, Ashur and Dagan again charged Gannicus, shields raised to protect, and swords drawn to injure. However, with lightning speed, the blonde gladiator spun about between them and, with a roar, he struck Ashur across the back with the flat of his sword, sending the bearded Syrian flying towards the sands yet again, while he used his other sword to defend against Dagan's blow by blocking the downward path of the bigger man's sword with his own. It was a well-executed display of attacking while defending simultaneously.
Dagan grinned as Ashur came up spitting sand from his mouth.
Scowling at this brother who bore the brand, yet never passed the test, Gannicus suddenly tripped him, causing the big Syrian to fall backwards, landing on his ass in the sand. He pressed his sword to Dagan's throat. "You find it amusing that your brother is eating sand?" he growled. Gannicus leaned down so he and Dagan were eye to eye. He knew the big Syrian could not understand a word he said, but he broke them just the same, loud enough for all to hear. "A face full of sand in the arena means certain death. Remember that before you find fucking jest in position."
With that, Gannicus apparently gave up instructing them as he suddenly stalked away to begin working alone with the palus, striking it with mighty blows, as if he was attempting to chop the wooden beam in half with his swords.
His demeanor was so unlike the brash, but generally good-humored gladiator that several of the other men gave the champion a wide berth out of fear he might turn temper upon them next. Oenomaus eyed the blonde gladiator beating the palus to death for several long seconds as well, before he turned away with a sigh and instructed the men to get back to training now that the spectacle of Ashur and Dagan getting trounced was over.
Upon the balcony, Melitta worried for him. It was obvious Gannicus was not himself. However, she could not offer words of comfort as she was certain she played a role in causing his temper. Since she had thrown herself on his mercy and begged him to leave her alone, they had avoided one another at all costs. The separation was eating her up inside, him as well, judging disposition.
Watching him, Melitta knew they could not go on as they were. Pleading with him to be the strong one and resist their ever-growing attraction should have solved dilemma, yet it had not. He was obviously suffering. Her marriage to Oenomaus was still crumbling despite not having words with Gannicus in weeks. Her dispassion to her husband's touch had not abated. It had become increasingly worse, and she now avoided his arms as desperately as she avoided Gannicus.
Her eyes went back to the blonde gladiator, and her body responded, nipples hardening at the sight of his half naked body, straining as he swung his dual blades, muscles rippling in a manner most pleasing. She adjusted her robes, trying to draw less attention to her breasts as her gaze strayed back to his lean, masculine form. He stirred her blood. If only she could have him freely without worry or guilt. She had once told him their love was tragic. She had not changed opinion on the matter. If anything, that belief had grown stronger the deeper she fell in love with him. There were times, especially after some of her more gruesome nightmares, she would wondered if the Gods were sending her a message; give him up entirely or suffer the consequences. It was a scary thought.
Melitta finally turned gaze to her husband and, to her shock, he was staring up at her. Her stomach cramped in fear. How long had he set gaze upon her while she had remained utterly unaware? And, to compound her terror, she watched as his obsidian eyes traveled to Gannicus, still slashing away at the palus, and lingered. Melitta's heart began to thump within her chest. Had Oenomaus born witness to her staring at Gannicus in desirous manner? The thought was so frightening, Melitta felt light headed with fear for a moment and had to clutch the railing or collapse.
She managed to force a smile to her face and when Oenomaus returned it in kind, she nearly wilted in relief. Perhaps he had not observed her after all. Deciding she had had enough gladiator observation, Melitta moved several steps back from the railing, her knees still wobbly after narrowly escaping being caught day dreaming about a certain blonde gladiator. She had best be more aware of her surrounding or one of her frightening nightmares might just find its way to reality, in horrible fashion.
*8*
That night, Gannicus was finishing his bath when he saw Diona walk past the doorway.
He hurriedly wrapped his cloth around his hips and rushed after her. "Diona!" he called out.
She froze but did not turn around.
"Apologies," he said softly, coming to stand behind her. "My words flowed from mouth like shit without pausing to receive benefit of thought."
The tears in her eyes when she did face him made him feel even worse. "I should never have put my nose in your business," she said, her voice shaky.
He went to her and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight for several seconds. Finally, he pulled back to gaze down into her upturned face. "No. I am at fault. You break words as friend and I lost fucking sense and treated you badly." He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and gave her his 'charm' smile. "Forgive me?"
"Yes, of course I forgive you," she said, her answering smile warming his heart.
"Gratitude," he told her sincerely. "I do not know what I would do without you."
"Chase your remaining friends away, I am certain."
His eyes widened at harsh comment, but when he saw her smiling, he returned her laughter in kind. "I see your tongue has not lost its edge and I am still favorite subject with which you sharpen wit."
She shrugged. "You are an easy target."
He ignored that comment as they started walking along the corridors. "Where do you go now?"
"Back to the villa. I was returning Crixus to his cell after the Dominus summoned him."
That caught Gannicus' attention. "Dominus summoned Crixus?" Diona nodded. "Which one, Batiatus or his father?"
"The older Dominus, Titus," she replied.
That was strange, and Gannicus' worries regarding Crixus expounded with her words, however, he banished them from thought presently. He did not want to burden her with his issues again. He still needed to break words with her regarding the child but was unsure how to broach subject after he had so ruthlessly demanded topic be banned from conversation.
"Will you come to my cell tonight for a game of Tali with me? I will even let you win," he said, grinning.
Diona sighed. "I cannot. Melitta has assigned Naevia and I the task of cleaning all the candle holders after Domina and Dominus retire for the night. We will be busy for many hours."
He tried to mask his disappointment, but it must have shown because she suddenly chuckled, and said, "Do not pout."
He mock scowled at her. "I do not pout!"
She grinned. "Oh, but you do, and you must stop. It makes you hard to resist and Melitta will have my head if I do not have those candle holders cleaned by tomorrow morning."
"You have such a pretty head, I would hate to be the cause of you losing it," he teased. "I will have to wait until tomorrow to have the pleasure of your company."
They arrived at the gates. "Send for me tomorrow and I promise not to trounce you too terribly."
"Ha!" he said laughing. "You always promise that and yet you always end up spanking me!"
"I promise to be gentle then."
He threw back his head and laughed. "You always promise that too, yet you never are. My ego suffers tremendous blow every time."
The guard opened the gate for her. "As I have said before, ego is a thing you have in great abundance, Gannicus. You'll survive," she teased and with that she raced up the stairs, her giggles following behind her.
He watched her go, pleased to have fences mended between them. Now, if only he and Melitta could find a way to balance scales again. He would not have to drown sorrows in drink just to brace himself for the upcoming day of shit!
*8*
Gannicus was in the dining hall with Barca. They were having their mid-day meal, and Barca was lamenting over the death of a few of his and Auctus' birds. Gannicus was listening with half an ear truthfully because his eyes were focused on the boy, Kleos as he carried on conversation with Duratius a few tables down. This was the first time he had seen the boy since Diona and he had broken words over the boy. Gannicus studied him. He was blonde and the right age…
And then something happened, and had Gannicus not been watching the boy, he would have missed it. Kleos grinned at whatever comment Duratius had made, and Gannicus about fell off the bench he was sitting on. A dull roar filled his ears and his head spun dizzily as he came face to face with a smile he knew quite well since he came into possession of a mirror. It was his own.
"Gannicus!" Barca called, staring at him, a concerned frown drawing his brows down. "What seizes mind, brother? You are white as fucking sheet!"
His heart thumped almost painfully in his chest. "Apologies brother," he said, shaking his head as if to clear it. He had felt lightheaded for a moment when he saw his own grin reflected on the boy's face.
Could it truly be? Had the boy been right here under his very fucking nose for the last six months and he had been none the wiser? It was disturbing thought, the notion that he could be so blind.
"What ails you?" Barca asked, gaining Gannicus' attention again.
"That boy," Gannicus said, pointing, "Kleos. Does he remind you of anyone?"
Barca turned and looked over his shoulder for a moment before turning back to Gannicus with a smirk. "You fucking jest," he said, snorting with laughter.
A scowl formed upon Gannicus' face. "I fail to see amusement in question."
"It amuses because it is obvious who that boy reminds me of. Every fucking brother here has made mention of it—except you—the one whose image he mirrors."
Gannicus' eyes widened at how quickly Barca had put it together. Was he truly so dense then? "You knew the boy bears resemblance?"
"You did not?!" Barca countered, suddenly just as stunned as Gannicus.
Gannicus shook his head with a sigh. "Apparently if I cannot drink it or fuck it, I pay it no mind," he muttered, amazed at himself for missing what had been staring him in the face for months.
Barca chuckled. "In your defense, brother, it has only been recently that you have become gifted with such luxuries as a mirror with which to stare at your pretty face."
That was true. Gannicus had always known he must be pleasing to the eye because of the reaction he received from women and men alike, but his own features were not so easily recalled previously because he had never gazed upon them daily as he did now.
"Gratitude for excusing inability to see what is before fucking eyes. I prefer your reasoning to my own, which calls me fucking idiot for not seeing the obvious. That boy… he is mine." As he said the words a sense of panic started to overcome him. "Fuck the Gods!"
The anxious tone in his voice was not lost on Barca. "Did you never ask what happened to the child, Gannicus?"
A sudden rage filled the blonde gladiator's chest as the reality of Seraphina's lies struck him. "I did," he replied. "I was told Aurelia jumped with babe in arms!"
"Who would tell you such a thing?"
"Aurelia's mother, the kitchen slave, Seraphina."
Barca was rarely speechless, but in this instance, he was. He had no words except, "you cannot be fucking serious?"
Gannicus nodded, his expression somber. "As death upon the sands, brother. I thought I was responsible for the death of the babe as well as Aurelia! I have lived with the knowledge for six fucking years!"
"Jupiter's cock!" Barca scowled. "That fucking cunt!" He shook his head, his sympathy obvious. "Apologies brother, we never knew. But, if you recall, you determined topic was not open to discussion, and were fucking animal if subject was broached. Even words of comfort had you losing fucking mind. We stopped offering after Auctus had to pull you off Duratius after simple apology for your loss."
Gannicus well remembered how he acted after Aurelia had jumped. He had been tormented with guilt. He even lunged for Melitta once when she tried discussing it. Oenomaus had nearly ended him that night by cracking skull against the wall of his cell. Perhaps Melitta had meant to tell him about his son… All these years he had carried the burden deep inside, maybe he would have learned truth had he allowed Melitta a moment for words.
He groaned. "I am fucking idiot!"
"You fell prey to viperous tongue, brother. Acquit yourself."
"I should have asked," Gannicus said.
But then again, perhaps he did not want to know. Gannicus was not a man who ever thought about, nor desired a child. What did he know about being father? His own had been a chieftain, responsible for the entire clan and preoccupied with waging war, as were most Celts. The only meaningful time Gannicus had spent becoming close with the man was the five years they had fought side by side as warriors for their clan. When his father had died in the ambush that saw Gannicus become slave, he had not mourned a father, he had mourned his chieftain and a fellow warrior.
Did he even desire to acknowledge Kleos as his own?
"Perhaps he is not mine. It may be coincidence."
Barca scoffed at his words. "And perhaps one of Hannibal's elephants will come flying from yonder cliff to spirit me back to Carthage!"
"Your words speak to absurdity! Mine do not," Gannicus defended, rolling his eyes at his brother.
Barca grinned. "If you want to discover if the boy if from your loins, break words and see doubts removed."
Gannicus was suddenly nervous again, that sense of panic rising and near choking him in its intensity. "Another time perhaps, he has his duties…"
His words trailed off when Barca burst into laughter.
"You appear as virgin about to get first taste of cock!" the Beast of Carthage crowed. "Do not fucking tell me the mighty God of the Arena is frightened of a boy barely of size to pick up a sword, much less wield it with deadly purpose!"
Gannicus scowled. "I am not making challenge to the boy," he said. "You speak of words, and I have not fucking clue how to break them with a child. Mine or any other."
Barca scoffed. "You've had them with the boy previously."
"That was before…" Gannicus hedged.
"You speak against the sun, Gannicus," Barca said in response to Gannicus' lack of valid reasoning. "The boy lives in a ludus, you are Champion of Capua. He will bask under any attention you give him, child of your loins or not."
And then, taking decision out of Gannicus' hands, Barca stood. "Kleos!" he called.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Gannicus growled, but it was too late.
"Come. Present yourself to our champion," the Beast said, gaining the attention of the boy, as well as the rest of the men.
Gannicus rolled his eyes as a handful of the gladiators, who had resided at the ludus for years, stopped eating to take note of the event. He wanted to thrash Barca for calling for the boy in such a vociferous manner, drawing the entire barracks notice in the doing. Thankfully, most of the men were unaware of the significance of this boy as they were not present when Aurelia had killed herself.
However, he had no chance to take Barca to task for his lack of discretion because the boy practically flew on winged feet, and before Gannicus could do more than blink, Kleos was standing before him.
"What can I do for you, Gannicus?" the boy asked, his dark brown eyes alight with the carefree joy of being a child, even an enslaved one.
Despite having broken words with the boy in the not so distant past, Gannicus suddenly found his tongue unable to function properly. His stomach twisted uncomfortably. "I…uh…"
Barca rolled his eyes as Gannicus, who was never at a loss for words, seemed unable to speak. "The champion would like to know about you, Kleos. For example, how old are you?"
"I have just celebrated my sixth year in Aprilis," he told them with a smile.
Gannicus quickly deducted he was exactly the proper age. "And who is your mother, Kleos?" Gannicus asked, finally finding his tongue. "Does she reside here at the ludus with you?"
The boy's smile evaporated, and he shook his head. "My mother's name was Aurelia, but she is no longer of this life. She waits for me on the Plains of Asphodel."
Gannicus' pulse began to race. It was true. This was his child. He had no idea how he felt about that, and it made him even more wary. "Apologies for your loss," was all he could think to say.
The boy's small shoulders squared at Gannicus' attention. "Gratitude, but I never knew her. She passed to the afterlife just after I was born."
Gannicus nodded, but his mind was absent words to offer.
Barca shook his head at his brother's unusual quiet. "And who is your father then?" the Beast asked, taking choice from Gannicus once again.
Gannicus found himself holding his breath as he anxiously waited for the boy to answer; wondering what the witch had said, hoping it as not too terrible considering her hatred of him.
"I do not know, but Seraphina did not care for him."
Gannicus' brow shot up at the boy's certainty. "And how do you know that?" he asked, words coming absent thought.
"Because sometimes when I smile she says, "wipe that grin off your face boy, you look just like your—" Kleos stopped abruptly. "I don't know if I should speak it. She uses bad words."
Gannicus suddenly chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with mirth at the child's response. "We are all men here, Kleos. I won't tell if you will not."
The boy's grin flashed again and Gannicus' smile faded as breath caught again at how much like his own it was.
"She says 'wipe that grin off your face boy, you look just like your fucking shit-eating father!'."
Some of the men overhearing the conversation laughed, and Gannicus would have too, had the boy not have been speaking of himself. "Has Seraphina told you anything of your father, Kleos? Such as where he is?"
Kleos hung his head and shuffled his bare dirty feet. "My father was a bad man," he mumbled. "He is in Tartarus."
Gannicus sucked in a sharp breath at that. He could not believe what he was hearing. The witch had told the boy he was in the underworld being tortured by fucking Furies for eternity!
"And why is he there?" Barca asked, seeing the stunned surprise and anger on Gannicus' face; he understood sentiment as he felt similar response.
"Because he killed my mother," Kleos replied softly, sadly. "Tore heart from chest and stomped it under heel before pushing her off the great cliff." He shrugged. "Seraphina no longer tells the tale, so I try not give it much thought."
Barca's face showed his shock, while Gannicus saw blood red. It took every ounce of strength the blonde gladiator possessed not to erupt in furious rage! He began taking deep, calming breaths so he did not let loose anger and frighten the boy away.
Immediately changing topic, Barca said to the boy. "Have you ever desired to be a gladiator, boy?"
Kleos' face brightened instantly. "Oh yes! Someday, I am going to ask Dominus if I can move to the barracks to begin my training." His eyes went to Gannicus, who had managed to banish his anger for the moment due to the excitement in Kleos' voice. The boy's smile was all eager anticipation as he said, "Remember Gannicus? You said you would offer instruction."
Barca's brow shot up at that information. "Did he now? And has he honored that promise, Kleos?"
Gannicus shot Barca an exasperated glance.
Kleos' gaze bounced from Gannicus back to Barca and he shook his head. "But I know he is busy preparing for contest in Rome. The champion broke words regarding us Celts sticking together. He does not give false tongue. Right Gannicus?"
Gannicus' smile returned at the boy's eagerness. "You are correct, Kleos. I will find the time. I give word."
The boy nodded excitedly. "Gratitude."
"So, you are a Celt just like our champion, eh?" Barca asked.
The boy's chest seemed to swell before eyes. "Yes, which is how I know if I train hard, I can be a champion too! We Celts are mighty warriors, you know," he told Barca.
His words caused a round of laughter from the other gladiators who were now observing this odd conversation. The boy's words came off a bit boastful and his smile a bit cocky, as was Gannicus' identical grin as he leaned back, arms folded and listened to Kleos "instruct" Barca on the ways of Celts. Sudden pride in the boy swelled heart and Gannicus chuckled at the boy's swagger. It reminded him of himself.
There was not a man in the ludus who, after seeing them together, did not believe the boy was Gannicus' child.
Feeling a sudden need to connect with him, Gannicus leaned forward and placed a hand on Kleos' shoulder, but before he could utter a word, a slave from the villa called out for Kleos, his voice echoing throughout the dining hall.
"Where are you, boy?" the man yelled. "You are needed in the kitchen."
He looked like he wanted to disobey, but Gannicus shook his head at young Kleos. He had no desire to be the cause of the boy receiving punishment. "Go," Gannicus told him, "See to your duties. We will have words tomorrow."
The boy smiled brightly. "Gratitude Champion."
"Kleos," Gannicus called after him, causing him to spin about and face the blonde gladiator. "I will speak to Dominus about starting that instruction."
A huge grin adorned the boy's face. "Truly?"
Gannicus nodded, a strange tightness in his chest. "Truly."
"Yes!" Kleos exclaimed jumping into the air with enthusiasm.
Another round of laughter was heard from the men, Barca and Gannicus' amongst them this time.
"Kleos! Where the fuck are you boy?!"
The boy scowled in the direction from where the voice came and Barca elbowed Gannicus. "Grin is not the only expression boy inherited."
Before he left, Kleos turned back to Gannicus. "Gratitude again, Champion!" he said, smiling from ear to ear as he skipped off to resume his duties, obviously excited and happy.
As soon as the child was gone, Gannicus turned to stare at Barca with a look few had witnessed and survived to tell the tale. "Fucking Tartarus!" he snarled. "That cunt! I will wrap fucking hands around viperous neck and squeeze until eyes bleed and pop from fucking skull!"
*8*
Whew! I hope I portrayed Ganni's nervousness about this situation being thrust upon him suddenly. I know that last scene as long, but I just did not want to break it up. Let me know what you think. Again, thank you so very much to everyone who has taken a moment to comment on the story. :) It truly inspires.