Barbarian Prize

by Deanna Ashford

  As Aulus stood up, Gaius walked hungrily forwards and with some difficulty sank to his knees beside Taranis. He tried to pull away but Aulus grabbed hold of the chain holding his wrists together. The senator was stronger than he looked, as he jerked the chain, forcing Taranis back down on to the bed.

  ‘What a vision of delight,’ Gaius said with lustful excitement as he leant forwards and began to lick the droplets of wine off Taranis’s belly.

  Taranis shuddered, as the moist mouth slid inexorably down towards his sex. Aulus gave a soft laugh and tightened his hold on the chain.

  Gaius made a hungry sound deep in his throat that made Taranis feel physically sick, as the loathsome toad’s flabby tongue slid over his balls and cock. Before he knew it, Gaius was sliding his fat slobbery lips over the head of his penis. Taranis had been partially aroused by the feel of Aulus’s hands on his body, but now his erection sank like a stone. The feel of that hot wet mouth trying to near swallow his shaft was disgusting and his repugnance was highly visibly to Aulus.

  ‘Don’t you enjoy my friend’s attentions?’ he said. ‘Gaius so wants to fuck you, Taranis.’ He gave a coarse laugh. ‘He denies it, of course, but I know that he’s fantasised about you fucking him. How do you feel about that, slave?’

  Taranis didn’t reply, as he endured the foul creature’s slobbering attentions. Then, to his relief, Aulus grew tired of this game and he let go of the chain. Taranis immediately sat up and managed to jerk his body away from Gaius, not even wincing when the toad’s teeth accidentally grazed the head of his penis.

  Gaius seemed surprised that he had been denied what he wanted, as he raised his head and frowned, staring with frustration at Aulus. Taranis could see the sweat on Gaius’s low forehead, and he smelt the overpowering scent of roses which clung to his flabby skin, while his fat lips gleamed with gobs of saliva. If there had been anything other than a little wine in his stomach, he would have thrown up all over Gaius, as the foul creature reached greedily for his cock again.

  ‘No, leave him be for now,’ Aulus said sharply. Grabbing hold of Gaius, he hauled him to his feet. ‘Now, Taranis,’ he said, as he watched his prisoner clamp his hands protectively over his sex. ‘You have to choose.’

  ‘Choose?’ Taranis repeated.

  ‘Between Gaius and I,’ Aulus said with a cheerful grin. ‘Either I call the guards in here and have them chain you down like you were earlier, then let Gaius play with you for as long as he likes.’ He picked up the key to Taranis’s chains. ‘Or you get down on your knees and beg me to fuck you. Then you submit to me quite willingly.’

  ‘There is no choice, is there?’ Taranis stared with loathing at Gaius. ‘I have to choose you, noble senator.’

  ‘Just as I thought.’ Aulus looked very pleased with himself.

  ‘But you said I could have him,’ Gaius complained, pouting petulantly.

  ‘Sorry, old friend.’ Aulus shrugged his shoulders. ‘I let the slave decide and it appears that he wants to please me. I told you that this would happen, didn’t I, Taranis?’

  ‘The chains,’ Taranis said at last, in a resigned unhappy voice. ‘You will have to release my legs, my lord, if you wish me to fall to my knees and beg you to fuck me.’

  Aulus chuckled, seeming very pleased with himself, as he undid the manacles fastening Taranis’s ankles to the bed. He stepped back, still smiling, as Taranis rose to his feet. Taranis didn’t trust the senator to keep his side of the bargain. Once he’d given himself to Aulus, it was highly likely he’d let Gaius have his way with him as well, just in order to make his humiliation complete.

  Taranis stepped forwards, bending his knee as if intending to genuflect before the senator. He did no such thing, as he twisted slightly and headbutted Gaius hard in the stomach. The breath driven from his fat body, Gaius fell against the wall with a hard thump. Aulus turned towards the door intending to flee, but Taranis was quicker. He lunged forwards and hit the senator hard across the side of his head with his clenched fists. Half-stunned, Aulus made no attempt to fight, as Taranis looped his manacled hands around the senator’s neck and pulled hard, forcing the length of chain deep into the senator’s throat, nearly throttling him until he began to choke.

  Gaius was still sprawled on the floor, legs akimbo, desperately gasping for breath, while Aulus was fast losing consciousness, as Taranis hissed in his ear, ‘I’m going to chain you down, senator, then I’m going to fuck you, just like you fucked me.’

  9

  THE AMPHITHEATRE IN Pompeii served as a visible representation of the might of the Roman Empire and Cnaius Alleus Nigidus Maius was its most important benefactor. He had personally funded numerous games, including the current four-day event, which was being held to honour the new Emperor and also celebrate the festival of Vulcanalia. Each day of the games was more or less the same. First were the Venationes, the animal hunts, then criminals were executed by being thrown to wild beasts to be devoured in the arena. In the afternoons came the most popular events, the gladiatorial contests, with gladiators from the local troupes and sometimes from the famous gladiatorial school in Capua. On this occasion, during the last day of the celebration, there would also be a spectacular recreation of the battle of Troy.

  This was only the first day of the proceedings, yet the crowd was even better than expected and almost all of the 24,000 seats in the arena were filled.

  Julia glanced anxiously at Cnaius as he escorted her through the wide tunnel at the south end of the arena. ‘It is all arranged,’ Cnaius said. ‘You may speak to him for a short while.’ They stopped by a heavy wooden door, which had an armed guard posted outside. ‘Not long, Julia. The Venatione will be finished soon.’

  Julia could hear the excited shouts of the crowd as the beastfighters attempted to slay the two bears and three wild bulls that had been let loose in the arena. ‘Thank you, Cnaius.’ She knew that she could never have arranged this without his help.

  ‘I just hope all goes to plan.’ He walked away, not wanting to be present when she bribed the guard with twenty asses, a tidy sum when a whore could be purchased for just one.

  Making sure that there was no one around to catch sight of him letting the woman in to see the prisoner, the guard opened the door and Julia slipped inside. There were no windows in the small chamber and it was only dimly lit by two flickering oil lamps. It was stiflingly hot and smelt rank, which wasn’t surprising, as it was used to house prisoners and also dead gladiators were brought here to be stripped of their equipment before being taken away to be buried.

  Taranis was seated on a low stone bench built into the wall. He was wearing only a brief grubby loincloth and to Julia’s consternation he was chained hand and foot.

  ‘Julia!’ He sounded surprised to see her.

  ‘I’ve been so worried,’ she said, upset to see him like this.

  Taranis smiled warmly at Julia, as she sat down beside him, trying to resist the temptation to embrace him and tell him how much she still cared for him. There were a number of half-healed cuts, and many bruises on his body, which he’d received in the final struggle before he had been captured. After Taranis had escaped from the senator’s house, Aulus had despatched a number of his private soldiers to hunt him down. Taranis had eventually been spotted leaving the city by the Erculano Gate and the soldiers had waylaid him on the road leading to Lucius’s villa. Julia could only presume that he had been desperately trying to reach Sirona.

  ‘I didn’t think you’d ever forgive me, let alone come to see me like this,’ Taranis said haltingly. ‘I’m sorry I had to deceive you.’

  ‘I understand why you did.’ When she had learnt of his capture and subsequent imprisonment, she had come to realise that she would always care for him no matter what. He had hurt her but she had willingly forgiven him, even more so when she had discovered, via her mother, that Taranis and Sirona had been betrothed in Brittania. If Taranis cared half as much for Sirona as she cared for him, then she could easily understand why he had wante
d to see the woman he loved just one more time.

  ‘Forgive me, but I have to ask,’ Taranis said awkwardly. ‘Sirona, is she safe?’

  ‘Lucius loves her, and he was all too willing to forgive her. In fact, he’s convinced himself that it was entirely your fault.’

  She saw the relief etched on his face and for a moment she felt incredibly hurt, wishing that he might care for her that strongly.

  ‘Thank you, Julia.’ He sighed heavily. ‘I know now that Sirona and I were never meant to be. At least I was captured before I reached her, so she wasn’t somehow implicated in my escape. Now all I hope is that in time Sirona may find happiness with Lucius.’ He looked tenderly at Julia and she saw the sadness and regret that clouded his blue eyes. ‘You must not concern yourself for my fate.’

  ‘I can’t help it.’

  ‘I didn’t lie to you that time when I visited you in your bedroom. I do care for you,’ he faltered. ‘This is all such a mess.’

  Taranis had been condemned to suffer the very worst fate that could be imposed on a criminal. He would be tied to a stake in the arena, to be torn to pieces and then consumed by wild beasts. His crimes had been compounded because not only had he attacked both the senator and the aedile, before trying to escape, but also he had humiliated them both in a most impressive fashion.

  All Pompeii had been laughing when they had learnt that Aulus and Gaius had been found in a most embarrassing and compromising position. Taranis had stripped them both naked, then strapped Aulus across the table, just as he had been. Then, he had tied Gaius over him as if he were fucking the senator. What had made it even more entertaining was that when they had been found Gaius had been obviously aroused. According to the slave who had freed them, Gaius’s engorged cock was trapped between the senator’s buttock cheeks and he had been jerking up and down, as much as his bonds allowed, desperately trying to reach a climax.

  ‘Of course, in the circumstances, my stepfather is livid and utterly humiliated.’

  Taranis grinned. ‘It was just too tempting to leave them like that.’

  ‘We haven’t much time,’ she said, realising that she had digressed from her initial intentions here. ‘There are things that I must tell you.’

  ‘They can wait.’ His chains were loose enough to enable him to slide an arm around her shoulders and pull her close. Taranis kissed her as passionately as he had on the night he’d made love to her. Determinedly, she forced herself to pull away from him. ‘I thought that you had come to say goodbye,’ Taranis said in confusion.

  ‘Not goodbye,’ she replied, amazed at how well he was managing to hide any fear he might be feeling.

  ‘Surely Poppaea hasn’t somehow managed to stop this insanity?’ He gave a wry smile. ‘After all, I’m worth too much to her as an investment for her not to do something.’

  ‘She tried, but it proved impossible. Aulus and Gaius have too much influence in the city and you humiliated them completely.’

  ‘Then how can this not be goodbye? Lions, tigers, wolves, whatever beasts they choose, I’ll have no chance against them. If I were left free in the arena, I might be able to defend myself, but tied to a stake –’ he shook his head ‘– survival is just an impossible dream.’

  ‘Not entirely impossible.’ She lifted her skirt and removed the slim sharp dagger she had strapped to her leg. ‘Cnaius has arranged for the ropes fastening you to the stake to be partially severed. Not enough for the cuts to be visible, but with luck you can break free. And with this –’ she put the dagger in his hand ‘– at least you may have a chance.’

  ‘A chance is all I need.’ He pulled her to him and kissed her again.

  Taranis, now free of his chains, was escorted by a number of armed guards along the tunnel towards the arena. Above the roar of the crowd, he could just hear the agonising screams of the first two criminals, as they were pulled to pieces by the wild creatures let loose in the arena.

  His reunion with Julia had by necessity been brief but it had given him hope. A hope born of desperation but there nonetheless. Even if he did manage to break free of his bonds, one small dagger was less than adequate protection, but at least he’d die like a warrior and not a slave.

  As they approached the barred gates, he heard loud roars, which could only have come from some large cat. Lion, tiger or leopard, it really didn’t matter, they were all lethal, even more so when they’d been specially trained to attack men like him. Taranis saw a number of slaves, protected by armed guards, drag the mutilated remains of two bloodied corpses out of the arena. Inside, he knew that animal handlers would be trying to force the big cats back into their cages before the next event, involving him, of course, began.

  Taranis swallowed hard, choosing not to look too closely at the two half-eaten criminals, as the guards tightened their hold on him, fully expecting him to struggle and try to run away, but he had no intention of behaving in such a cowardly fashion. As was usual for such executions, a slave stepped forwards, carrying a small bucket of animal blood and a sponge. He dipped the sponge in the blood and went to dab it on Taranis’s arms and chest, but a richly dressed man stepped forwards to stop him.

  ‘No,’ Cnaius said. ‘The magistrates have deemed that this criminal is to die very slowly. Blood will encourage the beasts to attack in a more frenzied fashion and it will all be over far too quickly.’

  The slave had no intention of disobeying their noble benefactor, so he hurried away, that part of his duties now complete.

  ‘I’ve done what I can,’ Cnaius said quietly to Taranis. ‘Now it is up to you.’

  Taranis had no chance to reply, as the barred doors were flung open and the guards marched him swiftly into the arena. He held his head high, determined not to struggle or beg for mercy like a common criminal, and the crowds were surprised by the sight of this man walking so calmly to his death. Only Christians were brave or foolish enough not to display fear, as they sacrificed themselves in the honour of their god. Yet this man was no follower of the Galilean, he was the barbarian who had set all Pompeii talking; the pleasure slave sold for an outrageous sum who had so humiliated both a senator and an aedile.

  Strangely enough, there was no roar of excitement from the crowd, just an uneasy silence, as Taranis was bound securely to the thick wooden stake, still stained with the last criminal’s blood. It was the 20th of August and the sun beat down unmercifully on the pale sand of the arena, while the crowd was grateful for the thick linen canopy stretched above them, which protected them from the intense heat.

  Taranis wasn’t even aware of exactly how hot it was; he was too intent on psyching himself up for the fight ahead, just as he had before every battle in the past. His arms were bound to his side, and it was impossible for him to reach the dagger concealed in his loincloth so he had no choice but to try and break the ropes. He just hoped that the man that Cnaius had bribed had done his job of cutting them properly. As the guards departed, he began to pull determinedly against his bonds, to his relief feeling them give just a shade. They were not going to be easy to snap, but with desperation came strength.

  At last the crowd uttered a sound, a loud roar of surprise laced with disappointment, as one of the narrow barred doors was pulled open and three large wolves loped into the arena. Most had expected something rather more impressive; the last two criminals had faced two hungry leopards, which had pulled them to pieces in seconds. Taranis struggled with his bonds, warily watching the three wolves circling the arena. The creatures were unsettled by the unfamiliar territory and unaccustomed noise, as they hugged the inner wall of the amphitheatre. Just above them, most of the important citizens were seated in the ima cavea, which was divided off from the rest of the onlookers by a narrow waterless moat.

  He felt the ropes give even more, and some of the strands started to snap, just as the crowd gave a second, even louder roar. Another creature was being driven into the arena, a massive lion with a thick golden-brown mane. It bounded forwards, blinked in the bright sunlig
ht and promptly sat down on its haunches, looking around the arena as if assessing its size. Taranis knew that it had probably been confined in semi-darkness, in a small cramped cage for hours, maybe even days, so it wasn’t surprising that it was a little disorientated.

  His struggles became even more determined. The creature wouldn’t take long to recover and he knew that it would have been starved for days. Taranis gritted his teeth, his muscles straining beyond endurance, as he pulled harder. The ropes dug deep into his flesh, then he felt them give even more, as his struggles forced the frayed strands to part. Meanwhile, a number of animal handlers had run into the arena. They prodded the lion with their long-handled spears, trying to drive the creature towards Taranis. With an angry roar, the lion turned on them, trying to claw at the men. All three, in a perfect display of cowardice turned and ran, while the lion loped after them. Just before they reached the refuge of the gate, one almost tripped and dropped his spear. Not pausing to pick it up, he darted into the tunnel after his companions and the door slammed shut just before the lion could reach them.

  Was the spear Cnaius’s doing or was it just a welcome gift from the gods? Taranis wondered, as he at last managed to free his hands and arms. The now rather angry lion suddenly spotted Taranis and, perhaps thinking he was an easier mark, padded towards him. Part way across the sand, the creature paused and sniffed the air, before turning its head to watch the three wolves still slinking round the edge of the arena, unwilling to try and attack Taranis now that an even larger predator was around.

  Taranis slowly and cautiously moved his arm, feeling for the dagger concealed in the back of his loincloth. It felt comforting to hold even this small weapon in his hand. At least the wolves were creating a small diversion, he thought, as he bent to cut the ropes tying his ankles to the stake.