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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 11:07:44 GMT -5
Mai yawned, stretching as she sat up on her bed. She made her way downstairs, forcing herself to eat breakfast. As soon as she had eaten, she threw on some clothes and made her way outside, heading towards the crowd again. She felt compelled to check the carts just to catch a glimpse of the fair-haired gladiater once more before he was dragged back into the arena, a life or death task. Before she could even get there, however, the hour was up and the gladiaters were headed back into the arena. She tried to look for him in the rows and rows of people but it was too late.
Mai managed to squeeze through the people and find a place to sit and watch near her father, who enjoyed the battles too much for her liking. She felt a knot tie in her stomach as she prayed that no one would have to die.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 11:13:52 GMT -5
A couple of hours of fights passed, while Felix waited a little anxiously for his fight. He couldn't get his mind in the right place for fighting - he just kept thinking about Mai, and how she had smiled at him, how she had defended him. He hoped he would get to see her in the Imperial Box, where the Emperor's family sat. It would be disappointing for him if he didn't.
His armour was fitted, his weapons fetched for him, and he heard his fight being announced. He entered into the Arena to wild cheers from the crowd, though he suspected that they were not mainly for him. They were probably mostly for whoever he was fighting. They would probably want him to win if he was Roman.
Sure enough, he spotted his opponent entering through a different entrance. He looked Roman. This was bad - it virtually guaranteed a rigged fight. Even if it wasn't, he was unlikely to win.
He and his opponent stopped in the centre of the arena, and turned together towards the Imperial Box.
They raised their weapons in the salute of the Romans - something that still felt unnatural to Felix - and called to the Emperor "We who are about to die salute you!"
They waited silently for the signal to begin the fight.
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 11:27:46 GMT -5
Mai gazed at the opponents. She then looked to her father, waiting anxiously for him to give the signal. As she forced herself not to call out, her father gave the signal for them to fight, making Mai's throat tighten in anxiety. "Just watch... Calm down... He won't die..." she whispered to herself, making her father glare at her. "Sit up and watch the fight!" he grunted at her, and she sat up immediately, still frozen in dread.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 11:37:40 GMT -5
Felix had caught Mai's eye while they waited for the signal, and he was grateful that she had been there.
But the signal was given and the fight began, the two men circling slowly and deliberately round each other, eyeing eachother in a calculating way.
The two men were very different - Felix, tall and leanly muscular, light on the balls of his feet, and his opponent, short and stocky, firmly planted. He knew he couldn't do anything to get the other man to lose his balance- he was too solid.
They moved in closer and began sparring with their swords, making decisive jabs and stabs. Over a few minutes of sparring both accumulated some injuries; Felix a slash on his arm and above his eyebrow, his opponent a few slashes on the leg.
Then Felix's opponent began advancing on him, and the pair backed up until Felix's back was almost to the edge of the Arena, right below Mai. But he knew he couldn't afford to get trapped against the wall, so he tried to move out of the way of the other gladiator. But as he was trying to move out of his opponent's path, Felix's opponent gave a strong jab and stabbed Felix in the stomach, just as he was trying to get out of his way.
Felix clutched his wound with one hand and tried to continue to fight, but without realising he had soon sunk to his knees. The world was going in and out of focus, unconsciousness closing in. He felt the blade against his throat, the cool metal that may in a few moments end his life.
He raised his left hand, reluctantly, in a bid for mercy. The crowd would then decide his fate. The crowd was split roughly 50/50 - half had their thumbs down for his death, half with their thumbs up for him to be allowed to live. The Emperor and his family would be the deciding factor.
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 11:48:38 GMT -5
Mai gasped as Felix fell to his knees, clutching her hands to her mouth. She looked to her father, who was still deciding his choice. She quickly put her thumb up, leaning forward so she could be seen. "Let him live, father, please!" she begged to him.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 11:58:02 GMT -5
Felix's vision was slowly darkening, but the last thing he saw was the Emperor's thumb turning up, and Mai with her thumb determinedly skyward.
He felt himself being dragged as he finally lost consciousness.
_______________________
Felix woke up to a blinding pain in his abdomen, but he was alive. That much he was grateful for. As his vision came into focus he saw a figure. His master.
"This treatment is the last money I will spend on you, gladiator" he snapped "As soon as you are well you will be sold off, though who would buy a wounded gladiator I have no idea. You had better fetch a decent price"
His master left, and Felix was able to look down and survey the damage. It was bandaged neatly, and he could smell the sharp tang and feel the sharp sting of some sort of treatment
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 12:14:45 GMT -5
Mai had followed the soldiers as they dragged him to his master, and sat outside the building he was inside, hoping that she could somehow talk them into going inside.
To her luck, a man stepped outside. She stopped him and asked about the gladiater, hoping to bribe him into coming inside. After a while she had no luck, and she sat down again, as the sky darkened.
Mai eventually fell asleep where she was sitting, without knowing.
Sorry for taking so long!
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 12:30:18 GMT -5
[Sorry for taking so long myself! XD]
It was about a month later, and Felix's wound was all but healed up. Today, his master had not-so-nicely informed him that he was to be taken to the marketplace to be sold that day.
He was lead, arms tied behind his back, to the market near the Coliseum. His master was calling to the crowds, saying he would take any price, advertising Felix through his exotic origins. Crowds were drawn in to get a look at the Celtic prisoner-of-war, but none would place a bid on him.
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 12:37:45 GMT -5
(Its ok xD)
Mai walked through the street as usual, in belief that by now Felix had probably been sold to another country. She crossed into the marketplace, shocked to find the gladiator being led through the street. "Wait!" She yelled, running through the street. "I'll take him!" she managed to gasp after running through the crowded marketplace.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 12:47:08 GMT -5
Felix's master swept into a deep bow the moment he saw Mai. As he had Felix by the arm to make sure he did not make an escape, he pulled Felix down with him in a show that in any other situation would have been comical. Felix, being a slave, had to bow a little slower, and so leaned a little lower than his master.
"Of course, my lady. However much you are willing to pay is fine, and probably more than this slave is worth" felix's master smiled as the pair straightened up "I hardly think that the Celt is worthy of such a mistress as you, but if you wish to have him, you, of course, shall have him"
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2016 12:51:58 GMT -5
{Do you think we can do this on a separate thread?}
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 12:52:53 GMT -5
{Do you think we can do this on a separate thread?} [Sure! If you want, we can do it on PM? I'll send you the starter on PM?]
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2016 12:53:41 GMT -5
{I think just a separate thread will be fine}
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 12:54:04 GMT -5
{I think just a separate thread will be fine} [Sure, okay, I'll make it and then link you to it?]
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 12:55:45 GMT -5
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 12:56:10 GMT -5
Mai nodded, "7000 sesterces, or more," she offered, trying not to sound too desperate. She couldn't imagine having him sold off to someone else who would whip him until he fell to his knees. She silently prayed that he would accept her offer, despite her high rank.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2016 12:56:12 GMT -5
{I'll find it, don't worry }
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 13:04:23 GMT -5
"My Lady, you are willing to pay so much for him. Have him just for fifty sesterces. A gift from me, modest though it is" replied Felix's master, already prepared to hand him over "The Emperor's daughter should not have to pay so much for her slaves"
Felix looked to Mai, trying to gauge her reaction, and at the same time wondering what Maia was doing, buying him.
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 13:10:59 GMT -5
Mai nodded, "If you wish," she spoke, handing over the money. She tried her best to stay calm, seeing Felix alive. She gave Felix a concerned look, seeing how bad his wound was.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 13:22:31 GMT -5
There was a clumsy exchange then that involved the cutting of the binds on Felix's wrists, and the handing over of man for money. Undoubtedly Felix's master had enough money to buy one or two good new slaves, fresh from war. He would be happy.
Felix felt a little uneasy, knowing that his release from being a gladiator meant the start of suffering in the Arena for someone else. But he was soon pulled out of this when he caught Mai eyeing his wound, and Felix went a little red. He felt a little embarrassed still at his defeat in the Arena, at the disgrace of it. Celtic beliefs dictated that it was the biggest disgrace to yield in battle. But a defeated gladiator had to yield, whether it adhered to Felix's beliefs or not.
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 13:33:19 GMT -5
Mai tried to change the subject, seeing that he was uneasy. "Here, let me lead you home, you don't look too good." she offered, "Its straight on from he- wait what am I talking about it's pretty obvious where I live. When we get there I'll show you where you will be staying until you heal, it's not much but I hope it's enough." Mai suddenly realised how much she had been rambling and stopped abruptly in her sentence, slightly red.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 13:39:09 GMT -5
Felix couldn't help but smile a little when she went red "Forgive me, my lady, but it would appear that neither of us are particularly good at this. Do not worry about my wound - it has been a month and is all but healed now, save it gives pain on some days."
There was a pause before he continued "I would like to thank you, if I may. You have shown me kindness and mercy when others didn't, and you have saved me from…I do not want to think about what would have awaited me if I had not been sold"
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 13:49:46 GMT -5
Mai blushed a bit hearing his praise, "Thank you... But I didn't do that much. I wish I could've helped you earlier... Or something.." she murmured. "Also, call me Mai. And, forgive me, I never got your name." it was obvious how nervous she was, speaking to people outside of her home, due to the little bubble her father placed her in that ate away at her social skills.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 13:53:52 GMT -5
"It depends on which name you want to use for me," the Celt's eyes flickered down for a moment, as if trying to draw on a long-lost memory "The name they gave me when I became a slave was Felix, but my name back home was Aedan"
He had not heard his own name, nor a word from his own language, on his tongue, nor anyone else's, for 5 years. It felt strange, as if perhaps he was betraying his old life by tainting it with this Roman one. But perhaps it was a good thing, laying his old self bare before this woman.
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 14:07:45 GMT -5
Mai thought for a second, "I guess I'll call you Aedan, if you're ok with that." she spoke finally "It makes you more unique," she smiled. The sky got darker, making her look up. "It's getting dark, my father won't be pleased, I'll take you to your room for the night , follow me"
Mai led him up the road, and towards the large structure where she lived, weaving through pillars and rooms. "This is your room," she pointed to a large guest room with a bed and end table, along with a desk that stood next to the door. "I hope it's cozy, nobody has stayed here for quite some time but the cleaners still wash it every day."
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 14:13:01 GMT -5
"I am more than ok with that," Aedan smiled "It shall be pleasant to hear the name I grew up with used again"
When they entered the palace, Aedan's eyes flickered curiously from room to room, pillar to pillar, object to object. He had never been inside a Roman house before, never mind a palace. This place was more opulent than anything he had ever seen.
Finally, when they reached the room and Mai told him it was his, he nodded, smiling.
"It will be better than any room I have ever slept in," Aedan smiled It was true; he had come from a place of roundhouses, where beds are piles of furs upon the floor, and then he was a gladiator, where the bed is the floor in a cage, like an animal. He had never seen anything like this.
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 14:22:55 GMT -5
Mai smiled, "Have a good night, you earned it Aedan," she chirped, letting him get used to the environment. "I'll meet you tomorrow in the food hall and give you a tour,"
Mai then started to make her way down the hallway, towards her room.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 14:34:04 GMT -5
"Thank you again," Aedan called after her, entering his new room, shutting the door behind him.
He sat on his bed, thinking for a while. He was happy. But should he be? Was he going to end up an old man, content in his slavery? Was he going to grow stupid and complacent, blind to the injustice of his lack of freedom? Was he going to forget his home?
The Celt had fears about becoming happy. He feared he would forget the important things - that the Romans had taken him prisoner, made him a slave, and taken him away from his home.
He had only been eighteen after all, barely a man, when he was taken. Could he forget about that so easily? Did he want to?
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Post by RavenSkies on Nov 27, 2016 14:43:43 GMT -5
Next day:
Mai woke up, yawning. She got up, making her way drowsily downstairs in her nightgown, heading towards the food hall. As she came towards the large rows of tables and chairs she tripped, landing sharply on her knees. She got up still feeling a bit tipsy from her sleep. Her head spun as she ate her breakfast, making her nauseous.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 27, 2016 14:48:09 GMT -5
Aedan had eaten separately, with the rest of the slaves, but the moment he was done he made his way to the food hall.
When he saw Mai, who had finished her breakfast but looked a little nauseous, he looked a little concerned "Are you alright?" he asked softly "you look a little unwell"
He wanted to show her kindness, to repay the kindness she had shown him. Debt was very important to Celts, and he felt that he had a debt to Mai that he needed to repay, even if he probably actually didn't
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