The Gladiator’s Master

by Fae Sutherland

  He paced, tossing his tunic off and onto the clean bedding of his cot at the back of the large room. Even the lure of a clean blanket and fresh ticking wasn’t enough to draw him to sleep yet.

  “Argon?” Demos’s voice came on a whisper from a cot across the room.

  Gaidres ignored his friend. He did not care for subtle concerns about his well-being or whether or not he had pleased their master. Caelius had been well pleased, of that he had no doubt.

  He sat down on the edge of the pallet, hands sinking into his hair. What now? He was not averse to a regular routine of sex of the sort he’d had tonight, but to be a whore for any man, let alone a Roman…It gnawed at him, made him want to kill something. Or someone. Still, there were worse ways to die than having fucked a man as beautiful as Caelius. Gaidres knew most of those ways personally.

  He closed his eyes, and another face flashed across the darkness. Another man beneath him, with green eyes, not dark, with pale skin, not golden. With love in his smile as he drew Gaidres down against him.

  Gaidres opened his eyes and pushed to his feet. He’d learned that looking back only caused one to stumble. He could not afford to stumble, especially not now.

  Chapter Four

  Caelius picked at the dates, stuffed with almonds, rolled in honey and sesame seeds. That, along with wine and goat cheese, made up the last course of the banquet which continued still, though it was late in the night. Valeriana’s giggling chatter drowned out the lyre player and his suggestive poetry. And as much as Caelius would’ve liked to have heard more, it was for the best. It made him think of Gaidres when his mind needed to be occupied by matters at hand.

  Gaidres. The name suited him far more than the one given to him by the Romans. It was a strong name.

  Now that Caelius’s body had lost the lingering ache from Gaidres’s touch, he was keen to experience it again. His thoughts wandered, drawn to that man who radiated fury and pride in equal measures. Caelius found that mix to be even more enthralling than Gaidres’s magnificent body and his skill as a lover. Some men only penetrated women, despite the other things they might do with mouth or hands, and he gloried in the fact that Gaidres had no such inhibitions.

  “You are quiet this eve, husband.” Valeriana’s voice cut through his thoughts. He had been surprised by her arrival in Fidena. She was fickle as a spring breeze. He had considered sending her back to Caere, but decided it was better to have her where he could keep an eye on her. He did not care to leave her with her family as her sole influence.

  “I know. A recent judgment has been vexing me.” Caelius gave her arm an absent pat. “Apologies.”

  “You’re always thinking of politics and never of me,” Valeriana complained. Then she was distracted by the woman beside her, wife of a local statesman, and he was saved having to respond.

  His eyes wandered over the circle of couches until they fell on Petronius. A man who came to rest somewhere between ally and rival depending on his whim at the moment. He was also the one man most standing in Caelius’s way for advancement. Petronius was in turn amused by Caelius’s fondness for young, beautiful men and irritated by the principles that Caelius espoused in his home and tried to foster in the courts. Caelius had served in his current position half a term now and his judgments had not endeared him to the powerful men of the city.

  Caelius turned his attention back to Valeriana as the tables were taken away and the dancers took up their positions in the center of the room. “Come, Valeriana, let us be more social.”

  It was time to mingle, congratulate their host and otherwise engage in the game that some called politics and others survival. It seemed he spent far too much time on politics instead of on his lands and people…or on pleasure, given and received.

  In truth, he had little stomach for the backbiting and dancing in circles around each other that was the heart of politics. A necessary evil, however, because without position a man was nothing in Rome. Less than nothing.

  And now that the Senate had named Augustus emperor, the game was even more dangerous. He claimed not to be the dictator that those before him were and he seemed to want to restore the equality of the Republic, yet Caelius saw little real evidence of that. Why should Augustus give up powers granted to him by the Senate for perpetuity? What man would?

  “This is my favorite part of events such as this.” True enough, Valeriana’s eyes sparkled as she carefully sat up.

  Caelius rose from the couch and held out his hand to help her up. She was breeding, and the stola draped over the mound of her belly. Though he would’ve preferred for her to have stayed at the villa and rest, she had insisted on attending with him.

  “Do you tire?” It was quite late and if she would not take her own well-being into consideration, there was that of the babe she carried.

  “You worry too much.” Her fingers gripped his hand hard as she rose, pressing his family’s ring into her skin. Her mouth made a little moue of dissatisfaction. “I wish you would let me purchase you a new ring, several in fact. The old one hardly suits. I doubt your father would have minded.”

  Caelius glanced at the signet ring that he’d worn ever since his father had passed. It was gold and onyx with the image of a phoenix engraved on its surface. It was a reminder of his promise to his father that he wouldn’t forget everything he had been taught.

  It had been the source of one of the constant quibbles between him and Valeriana ever since he had taken her into his home. For her it represented an old way of life that needed to be put aside to further their interests and the House of Laraniia.

  “The ring stays,” he said in a tone that brooked no further argument.

  Valeriana clung to Caelius’s arm as they began to circulate among the other guests. Her perfume was too heavy, cloying in his nostrils, and all that filled his mind was the remembered scent of Gaidres and how much he preferred it. There had never been love between him and his wife, but his tolerance for her unreasonable demands and pouting ploys for attention had lowered since he’d laid eyes on his gladiator lover.

  “Caelius, you came.” Petronius sidled up beside him and his smile was as false as his wife’s hair. “We thought not to see you this evening, what with the state of your new properties. A shame Craxus left you with such a weight.” The man’s insincere expression sent a slide of distaste down Caelius’s back.

  “The weight is not so great, Petronius. I’ve found more than one fine prize at my uncle’s ludus.” He would be ever grateful to his late uncle for Gaidres, if nothing else. “Do not concern yourself with my welfare, friend. The situation is not near so dire as suspected.”

  “Caelius has already seen to the comforts of the villa. It is so much more grand than the one in Caere.” Valeriana laughed, no doubt making sure she was not forgotten. “I have joined him sooner than we had planned.”

  Caelius’s expression remained pleasant. As grand as his uncle’s villa was turning out to be now that the restoration had begun, it could not begin to compare with their home in Caere.

  Judging from the tightness of Petronius’s expression, Valeriana’s comment had only strengthened Caelius’s assertion regarding the state of his inheritance. And Petronius was not pleased with his presence here in Fidena, nor that it was likely he would not be leaving anytime soon.

  “How fortuitous for you.” Petronius turned to take a cup of wine from a passing slave. “We had wondered if you ever were going to join in the games. Your tastes are so provincial.”

  Whereas Petronius’s vices made his own seem like children’s games. Valeriana opened her mouth, no doubt to agree with Petronius, and Caelius lightly squeezed her arm in warning. Why he had ever thought she would make a proper statesman’s wife, he didn’t know. She cared for parties, stirring up trouble, and little else. Come to think of it, those traits made her an ideal candidate.

  As much as he had enjoyed being apart from her, it was for the best that she joined him. With her time so near, he wanted to be certain she and the
babe were healthy. “I could use the advice of a man with your expertise.” Caelius accepted a goblet of wine as it was passed around. “Your gladiators have given you much renown.”

  Petronius puffed his chest out, as pleased as a cock strutting about its yard. “They have served me well. Though, my family has cultivated our ludus for generations. You’re new to it all, so don’t be discouraged if it takes years before you see any results.”

  “I shall take your advice to heart.” Valeriana shot Caelius a startled glance before her expression smoothed. As pleasurable—and simple—as it would be to knock good Petronius off his self-appointed marble pedestal, the man was not without his uses. Caelius knew well when to bite his tongue and now was one such time. “You have participated in games at the arena of that emancipated slave, Atilius. I had heard whispers that he cut corners during the building.”

  Felix had not been able to discover any credence to them, but it didn’t stop Caelius from wanting to learn more about the arena nearest his new villa. Petronius laughed and waved his hand in dismissal.

  “So speak those with jealous tongues, that they do not have an amphitheatre so grand. It seats over fifty thousand people. And since its unveiling two years ago it has become a very popular amphitheatre for important games. I have been there many times and have not seen any evidence of those rumors. Put them from your mind, Caelius.”

  “Well, as you have said, it will be some time before my ludus or villa is up to being in the public eye. When it is, you shall be one of the first that I’ll invite to see what I have accomplished.”

  “We’d be delighted to have you and your wife visit.” Valeriana cast him a quick look as if to ask if that was suitable.

  Caelius gently squeezed her hand and gave her a ghost of a smile as she beamed. Guilt pricked his conscience over his earlier irritation with her. Valeriana did want what was best for their house, but their thoughts on what was best differed widely.

  “And I will look forward to the invitation.” Petronius had the air of a man who was satisfied with the outcome of their discussion. “If you will excuse me, I see another I must speak with. In the meantime, welcome once again to Fidena.”

  At least the man didn’t consider him a threat at the moment. He had too much to do to worry about Petronius pressing him about his activities, and a little flattery went far with men like that.

  And tomorrow when the wine fumes were gone, Petronius would start to wonder about what prizes Caelius might have discovered. With any luck, by the time Caelius would need his advice or contacts when it came to the gladiator games, Petronius would be willing to help if only to satisfy his curiosity.

  “Why were you fawning over that odious man?” Valeriana hissed under her breath as Petronius walked away. “Caelius, I do not understand you. Your family, position and money are greater than his. Why curry his favor at all?”

  “Because I do not want him to see me as a threat right now.” Caelius cast a covetous eye toward one of the dancers, his garments cut in such a way as to leave nothing to the imagination. The habits from years of hedonism did not fade, though now he preferred Gaidres’s broad body and inner strength to that young man’s lithe beauty. “And I want him thinking about what rewards he might reap if he does give me aid.”

  “I fail to see what aid he could give us,” Valeriana complained as Caelius signaled his slave, letting him know that they were ready to leave and to get their guards.

  “You’re not thinking far ahead enough.” Caelius guided her over to their host to take their leave. “Petronius’s ludus has supplied gladiators for many of the most prominent games. Perhaps one day I’ll be able to make use of his contacts. It is better to keep him as an ally for now.”

  “Do we have to go? The night is not yet over with.”

  “You need your rest. And I would not be a dutiful husband if I did not care for you.” Caelius needed his own rest, as well. There was much to do in the morning and if the gods looked with favor upon him, perhaps he’d enjoy some time with Gaidres.

  Gaidres had expected it, but still when the summons came, his heart raced. He took a deep breath and handed off his rudis to Hierocles, who had been deemed not well enough to train and so was in charge of the weapons. The other man took the wooden sword with a short nod and Gaidres sighed, clapping him on his shoulder before following the guard who’d come for him. He could only imagine how it must feel to have to sit by and watch your peers train and fight and be unable to do the same.

  A few moments later, as he stepped into the atrium, Caelius was waiting, walking along the edge of the shallow pool there. It lay empty now as slaves repaired the tiles Craxus had ruined with years of neglect.

  Gaidres stopped a few yards away, lowering his head. “Dominus.”

  Caelius approached, gesturing to the slaves and the guard. “Leave us.” He placed a hand on Gaidres’s arm and his fingers tingled from the contact.

  Gaidres had tried not to think about what had happened between them, and when Caelius hadn’t called for him the next night or the next or even the next, he’d assumed the man had shifted his interest to other quarry. The way his long fingers stroked Gaidres’s forearm said otherwise.

  “You seem to be faring better. How are the others? Do they recover as well?”

  Why did Caelius ask? The medicus had given his report, surely, and it had been as grim as Gaidres had feared.

  “Some more than others, Dominus.” Gaidres kept his head lowered to hide the helpless anger. He knew the usual fate that would have awaited those who would not regain their fighting strength. He could only hope Caelius had been sincere when he’d vowed not to discard them. “The clean quarters have helped as much as the food and water.”

  Caelius slid his hand up to Gaidres’s shoulder. “And what are your thoughts on who can continue on and who cannot?”

  Gaidres’s cock stiffened at the slide of the other man’s hand across his skin. He struggled to keep his mind on the conversation at hand. “Aemilius, Ianuarius and Hierocles will not recover, Dominus. They struggle with the tasks set to them in the ludus and require more time. Fewer duties.”

  Gaidres knew how likely that was to happen, but he had to ask. All of the men would still be in fine condition if it weren’t for Craxus. Caelius should not blame them their weakness now.

  “The others I hope will return to their former strength with time, though not all. Of them, Demos, Marius and Rufus show the most promise.”

  He met Caelius’s dark eyes and could see that behind the questions, which Gaidres had no doubt were sincere, was another purpose. Gaidres was no fool and the blatant caressing of his arm and shoulder—Caelius’s smooth hands now brushed down the center of his bare chest—left little doubt about the direction of the man’s thoughts.

  “And the new doctoré? How fares he with the men? Is he as skilled as I was told?”

  “Doctoré is a fine warrior, Dominus. Gratitude for finding such a man to train us.” It seemed that all the whisperings of returning the ludus to former glory, glory for which Gaidres had not been present, were true. Caelius spared no expense in replacing much of that which was broken. That also included some of Gaidres’s fellow gladiators and it filled him with regret.

  “That is good to know and what you say about the men is the same as the medicus’s opinion.”

  Gaidres’s mouth tightened. “If you’ve already spoken with the medicus, why ask my opinion?” Was he thinking to see if Gaidres would lie to protect the others?

  “He knows medicine and men’s bodies, but these are your companions. You know their hearts and spirits. If you think, given time and less duties, they will recover, then they shall have it. If not, we’ll find something that will not tax them. It will be difficult, I suppose, to watch others train and go out and fight. The question is, would it encourage them or just frustrate them?”

  Gaidres shook his head. “I cannot say, Dominus. Every man fights for his own reasons. What one would find bearable another would soon
er die than face.” He met Caelius’s eyes. “Only time can answer who among them will bend and who will break.”

  Caelius lifted his brows. “Do you speak of yourself as well, Gaidres?”

  Gaidres’s jaw tightened and he looked away. “I do not break.”

  “No, I do not think you would. I do not seek to break you, Gaidres. Nor even to bend you. I would know you, however.” Caelius paused and Gaidres met his gaze again. “There are no prying ears here, so I will tell you I have thought much about our night together.”

  Gaidres’s breath caught as a flash of memory danced across his mind Dominus on hands and knees, pleading for more, skin gleaming with sweat as Gaidres drove into him. Guilt followed close behind because he had thought about it, as well. In the nights when he lay in his bunk, tossing in the heavy summer air…all he could think of was that the heat of the man before him was greater than any the sun could bring. No matter how he fought to not think such things, it seemed beyond his control. Still, there was comfort in the fact that only green eyes and laughing lips filled his dreams, not Caelius.

  “I am glad you were pleased, Dominus.” Sarcasm dripped from the words. His eyes dropped to Caelius’s lips. He wondered what they would feel like around his cock.

  Their gazes clashed and Caelius’s fingertips brushed over Gaidres’s nipple, sending a shudder of pleasure through him. The man wreaked disturbing havoc on his senses.

  “Come with me back to my rooms.”

  He pressed his lips together, bristling at the order, but pushed aside the urge to refuse. “As you wish, Dominus.”

  Caelius turned, leading the way back to his rooms. “See that we’re not disturbed,” he said to the guards outside his door.

  Gaidres’s cock stirred to hardness inside his subligar, and he glanced behind him to the door and the silent slave who stood just inside and then back at Caelius.

  “Is something wrong?”

  Gaidres shook his head. “No, Dominus. I just…No, Dominus.” In truth, he wondered if Caelius had the good sense to fear him and that was why he kept a slave present. Most likely. Or perhaps he enjoyed an audience.