by David Adkins
He nodded. “I am quite capable but I suppose he wants a spy in my midst as the games are so important to him.”
“And I am the spy,” I grinned. “He spends more time worrying about the games than he does about the Empire.”
“It is so hot and even hotter in my office. Shall we sit down in the small shaded courtyard away from the training to discuss matters?” he asked, wiping his brow. “It is sometimes difficult to hear above the noise of combat. Many of the gladiators and gladiatrices are training hard at the moment with the games not far away.”
“That would be fine,” I said and I followed him to a bench just outside his office.
We sat down. “You are only concerned with the gladiatrix contests?” He asked the question while mopping sweat once again from his brow.
“Two in particular; the one featuring Medusa and the one with Aria concern me.”
“There are three; one on each of the first three days. The games are not as long as last year and it is difficult to make them as spectacular, with what we have at our disposal.”
“Do you mean less money or less resources?” I asked.
“Both. Marcus Gracchus was the main financer of the games last year and this year we do not have his limitless coffers to work with. We do not have my daughter, either to set the gladiatrix contests alight. Her battle last year with Amina was a classic that may never be matched.”
“You doubt that Medusa and Geta will be a classic then?” I asked.
“They are both very capable gladiatrices and from what I hear Medusa is very strong. It should be a great trial of strength and neither will be overcome easily but the contest will lack the flair, skill and agility that Corelia brings to the arena. Also neither Medusa nor Geta have the beauty that Corelia also brings to the arena; the beauty which captivates her fans. It will be a fitting match for the third day but perhaps not a great one.”
“You are very proud of your daughter,” I mused.
“I am, but I would not wish her back into the arena for, though she was the best, there is always the possibility that the slightest mistake could bring about defeat and downfall. Nothing is certain in the arena, Parthenian.”
“Then I am glad she is not competing,” I said with feeling.
Petronius continued. “The first gladiatrix contest on the first day will be between two comparative novices from my school, and will be announced as such so expectations do not run too high. The contest will then be better than expected and both contestants will bring beauty to the arena. Domitian should enjoy this one.”
“There is also the beauty of Aria,” I reminded him.
“There is but her contest brings with it another problem.”
“You mean the opposition of Corelia,” I suggested.
“There is that and Corelia was opposed strongly to it but Aria insisted and Corelia has given her consent.”
That surprised me. “Then what is the problem?”
He sighed. “Aria will fight on one condition only and that is that she fights a certain person who is not a gladiatrix. The Emperor does not know of this clause and will expect more.”
I felt a sense of dread. “Who is she fighting?”
“Aria came from Tibur last week with a prisoner in tow, and it is this prisoner that she intends to fight. We can give the woman some basic training but she will be no match for Aria, who is a seasoned gladiatrix, even if she did retire early.”
I was breathless. “She intends to fight Glyca in the Colosseo.”
“That is the woman’s name,” he confirmed.
“Aria and Glyca,” I gasped.
He nodded. “They are both very attractive women which will please the Emperor but I fear that Glyca will be exposed as a gladiatrix fraud, though Aria has stated that she will make Glyca look capable before she kills her but that will not be easy.”
I had spent the week wondering what was to become of Marcella and now I knew. She was destined to be murdered at the hands of Hylas’s wife. I did not want Marcella to die but once again I was helpless. “Why is it not easy?” I asked.
“In doing so she would be taking risks and both Corelia and Hylas have insisted that she takes no risks.”
“Has Hylas agreed as well?” I asked in disbelief.
“Like Corelia he was strongly opposed to the contest, but Aria intended to go ahead anyway claiming the support of the Emperor himself. They have both reluctantly agreed because they know that Aria will win and because she will not change her mind.”
“She wants revenge,” I said.
He shrugged. “Revenge and motive are not my worry. In presenting a good contest to put before the Emperor and the people, I need Aria to make Glyca look better than she is, and this is also why I am giving her some rudimentary training. However, I have Corelia insisting that she will only allow the contest to go ahead if Aria gives her word to fight clinically and take no risk.”
“I see your dilemma,” I sympathised.
“I am hoping for a good fight with Aria winning and the Emperor satisfied,” he said.
“Where is Glyca now?” I asked.
“She is in her cell but I shall bring her out later for some training.”
“May I see her?” I asked.
“Of course, I will take you to her.” He led me across the courtyard to the gladiator’s accommodation. We descended some stone steps to the depths of the large barrack-like building. “After you have seen Glyca would you like to see Aria?” he asked.
“She is here as well?” I was surprised.
“She may have the prospect of an easy victory but she is still training,” he said. “She is in the large courtyard practicing her sword skills.” We were now passing a few damp and dreary looking cells. “These are kept for errant gladiators who need to learn obedience. Glyca is in the end cell and so I will leave you to your conversation with her.”
“Thank you, I will talk to Aria after Glyca.”
Once again I was looking at Glyca through the barred window of a cell door. She looked rather scruffy which seemed so unlike my sorceress, and yet still so very attractive. She was staring at the floor and I could only see part of her face as the rest was covered by her long, untidy, dark hair. “I hope you are well,” I said inadequately.
She looked up slowly. “Parthenian, you have got to get me out of here.”
I shrugged. “It has gone way out of my hands now.”
“Why are you here then, to gloat?” she sounded bitter.
“Never that,” I assured her.
“I suppose you know that I am to fight in the Colosseo against that gladiatrix, Aria. She wants to wreak a terrible revenge on me.”
“You can hardly blame Aria for that,” I reminded her.
She put her head in her hands. “She is a gladiatrix with much skill and much experience and so I have no chance. I am to be humiliated and murdered in front of sixty thousand people.”
“I wish I could do something, Marcella. Can you fight at all?”
“In a brawl I could hold my own with any woman but we both know that that is not enough.”
I nodded. “They will give you some training.”
“Only enough to make sure that the Emperor is not presented with a farce,” she said bitterly.
“I feel helpless,” I said sadly.
“Did you speak with Casperius?” she asked.
“I had a long conversation with him in the carriage on the way back to Rome from Tibur. I know I frightened him a lot particularly, when I reminded him what would happen in the event of your death. I reminded him again the other day. You are right he is superstitious, and he is scared but he says your troubles are all of your own making and he will not be responsible for your folly. As yet I am afraid, he is still resolved not to help you or appeal to the Emperor on your behalf.”
“Keep working on him, Parthenian, and make sure you get through to him for he is my only hope. I promise you that if I survive I will be a reformed character though I will still be
your siren.”
“I will,” I assured her.
She stood up and came to the door. “Kiss me, Parthenian. I know I do not look my best but kiss me anyway, Parthenian.”
I nervously leaned forward and kissed her through the bars of the cell. I thought it might have been a trick but even the renowned sorceress could not conjure up a trick in this situation. The kiss lingered and then I slowly moved away. “I must go, Marcella.”
She looked at me triumphantly through the bars, knowing that I still wanted her. “Do your best, Parthenian.”
“I will.”
I rejoined Petronius. “You do want her to put on a good show against Aria?”
“Of course, I do,” he assured me.
“Then keep her healthy; make sure she is fed well and make sure that both she and her cell are kept clean.”
“I take your point, Parthenian.” He led me back across the small courtyard and into the larger one where some gladiators and gladiatrices were relentlessly practicing their sword and shield skills. I spotted Aria banging away on the shield of her opponent and then I watched as they changed around and Aria had to withstand a barrage. After we had watched for a few minutes Petronius called out. “Aria, there is someone to see you.”
She broke away and then turned around. “Parthenian,” she smiled and approached me, sword in hand, while Petronius walked away leaving us to talk privately.
“Do you intend to go through with this?” I asked.
“The chamberlain is concerned about me,” she teased.
“Of course I am concerned about you, Aria.”
“Could it be more than concern? I warn you, Parthenian, that Hylas can be a jealous man.”
“Stop what you are doing, Aria, and answer me plainly.” Sometimes her flirting would have flattered me but not on this occasion.
She pulled a serious face. “I intend to go through with it, Parthenian.”
“This is crazy. You are upsetting Corelia and Hylas for they have no wish for you to do this. Even at this late stage Corelia may have some influence with Domitian to get you out of this.”
“And let some other gladiatrix have the pleasure of cutting out Glyca’s heart. I do not think so.”
I realized then that there was no hope for Marcella. Even if Aria did not fight Glyca herself then she would give that task to another gladiatrix and Marcella would still have no chance of survival. “Why are you doing this?” I asked.
“That is rather a silly question, Parthenian. When I discovered that Glyca had poisoned Hylas and almost killed him then I vowed to cut her heart out and feed it to the dogs. I cannot quite do that but in the Colosseo I can put my foot on her neck and slit her throat. It is called revenge, Parthenian. Do not forget that she tried, with your help, to murder Hylas again. And what about the others she has murdered? And you ask me why.” She was shouting now.
There was nothing more to be said. “I understand,” I said.
She placed her sword at my throat and smiled. “Do not try to prevent this happening, Parthenian. I doubt that you have any influence with the Emperor but if you do have then do not try to get this stopped.” There was menace in her voice.
“Are you threatening Domitian’s chamberlain?”
“As if I would,” she smiled, and withdrew her sword. “You are a strange one, Parthenian. I never quite know what you are up to or which side you are on.”
“Sometimes I do not know myself, Aria,”
“I must return to my training.”
I watched as she resumed inflicting damage on her partner’s shield and then I rejoined Petronius. He escorted me to the gate. “Everything is obviously in hand but if you do not mind I will come again at least one more time, closer to the games.”
“You are most welcome to,” he assured me.
I walked back to the palace deep in thought about the coming gladiatrix contests. Everything was in hand as I had said to Petronius, but nothing was entirely satisfactory. Three contests and they all had their weaknesses. The first between two novices from whom not too much could be expected. The second between Aria and Glyca, which could be very one-sided. The third was between Medusa and Geta and might just fall short of what was expected from the main event. There was much cause for concern but of most concern was the contest between Aria and Glyca. I did not want this contest to happen but there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Chapter 17
Tibur - Late Summer AD90
Another week passed by at the Imperial Palace with little incident. The late summer heat seemed to get ever more oppressive. Casperius managed to round up a large pocket of Christians near to the Caelian Hill who would provide much needed fodder for the Colosseo. Domitian was delighted as he had become obsessed with the threat posed by the Christians and these captured souls would decrease their numbers and provide entertainment for the masses while deterring others from converting to the dangerous cult. Domitian saw these people as a threat to the state because he believed they undermined Roman beliefs, culture and society. To me they seemed harmless in the main though there had been a few incidents in the city in recent times, such as the death of the Praetorians in the Subura.
In the palace the Christian threat was never mentioned by the rest of us and it was not a subject I wished to dwell upon. Julia had almost set herself up as a rival Empress and Domitian was too busy to get involved in the resulting acrimony. Apart from the games the only other thing on his mind was the birth of a successor, and the palace held its collective breath that Julia’s pregnancy would eventually provide a healthy boy. He made no plans for further visits to Tibur and so I reached the decision that I would go there myself, for I wished to see Corelia and Hylas again. I received the permission of Domitian on the pretext that I wished to speak with Corelia on the subject of the games and the Empress also reluctantly agreed to let me go.
With the games now less than four weeks away I set off for Tibur early in fairly good spirits despite my fears for Drucilla. The trip down the Via Tiburtina was becoming a regular journey for me. I arrived at the villa at midday and was greeted at the gate by the guard, Fabius. I was now somewhat well known at the villa gladiatrix. “Who is at home?” I asked him.
“Corelia is in the villa but Hylas and Aria are both in Rome,” he informed me.
The thought of Corelia being alone was intoxicating and so I welcomed his news with enthusiasm. I banged on the villa door and it was opened by a servant. “Would you tell your mistress that Parthenian is here paying a visit.”
“Follow me and I will let her know you are here,” she said shyly. “I have just filled a bath for her so you may have to wait.”
I followed her along a corridor until we arrived at Corelia’s chamber. She knocked at the door and called out. “Parthenian is here to see you, mistress.”
“Tell him to wait outside, I am still in my bath.”
“Did you hear what she said, master chamberlain?” she inquired.
“Indeed I did, I will wait,” I answered.
She hovered around reluctant to leave.
“I will wait here until she calls; there is no need for you to stay for I am sure you have work that you have to get on with.”
The young woman lowered her head and reluctantly left, leaving me outside Corelia’s room. I remembered how on that previous visit I had burst into her room and witnessed a wondrous vision. I could not help myself and I looked up and down the corridor to make sure there were no other servants around. Gently I pushed the door open just enough to see inside. Corelia’s bath was at the far end of the room but I could see it clearly. The problem was that I could not see Corelia clearly. I could only see the top of her head and her blond hair as she leaned back in the bath enjoying the caress of the warm water. I continued watching and willed her to stand up and start drying herself. Fortune was not smiling on me for all I saw was her foot rising out of the bath, but it still held me spellbound until once again it disappeared from sight back into the water.
> “I am getting out now, Parthenian, so please close the door.”
I hesitated, realizing that she had been aware that I had been watching her.
“And stay on the other side of the door,” she added.
I pulled the door shut. “Are you angry?” I called out.
“Yes,” she replied but she did not sound it.
I waited for some time and then at last the door opened. “I am sorry to keep you waiting, Parthenian. I am sure you understand why.”
She had dressed but to my dismay instead of wearing one of her long flowing stolas she was dressed in riding gear. “Are you going somewhere?” I asked.
“Aria and Hylas are at the school in Aqueem Tuticum and I was preparing to visit my father at the Roman school. I will soon be leaving because I would like to arrive before dusk.”
I was disappointed for it had crossed my mind that if I were to stay the night then apart from servants and guards, we would be the only two in the villa. “It is my fault for arriving unannounced.”
“I was going to have a cup of mulsum in the garden before I left. Will you join me?” she smiled.
The same servant brought us our drinks and I relaxed in the sunshine. “It is nice weather now and not as hot as it was,” I observed.
“Last year at this time I was training hard in the heat for the contest with Amina.”
“The greatest ever gladiatrix battle and you were the victor,” I smiled.
“And my last battle,” she smiled back.
“Are you still angry with me, Corelia?”
“I am, for you were spying on me.” She reprimanded me.
“But you knew that I was spying on you so it does not count,” I pointed out.
“But you did not know that I knew, so it does count.”
“I am only human,” I said. “It was such a disappointment that I did not get to see you again in all your glory.”
She laughed. “I let you gaze upon my foot.”
“Thank you, Corelia, and delectable it was too.” I sipped at the mulsum. “It is very sweet,” I observed.
“It is how I like it.”