Just having a little bit of fun, some words might not be accurate or true to the time period. Apologies. Enjoy and thanks for reading!
AURELIA
The villa was busy. Servants were clamoring to finish their daily duties and return to their places, and the southern courtyard was filling with my father's newly acquired inventory. I was used to this kind of noise at the beginning of every season. The clattering and clinking of metal chains was carried up on a summer's breeze and ruffled my delicate window coverings, before settling in my room, brushing through my hair. I tucked the loose strands behind my ear and tried to focus on the words before me. I was comfortable as I lay on my stomach on top of a linen covering over a feather down mattress.
I basked in the privilege of growing up the daughter of a prominent Dominus and the privilege of reading the written word. It wasn't common for girls to be able to read. When I was a child, I was one of few females sent and accepted to school. I was grateful for the opportunity to be able to read, even if it had been a difficult experience.
The villa we lived in was large, but not large enough to keep the atrocities that my father was involved with hidden from the curious eyes of a child. My life was filled with sneaking away to the viewing balcony, watching as men below dealt blows strong enough to kill one another. I had witnessed men having their bodies sliced open as amateurs miscalculated their marks, and I had even witnessed blows dealt so forcefully to the head that the recipient did not wake up. I wish I could say these were the worst of housing gladiators, but their living quarters were something left for want. A single bath for the twenty occupants and a single toilet house. It always appeared dirty to me, even though slaves were assigned to clean it daily.
Slaves weren't uncommon in our home. I had my own personal slave named Camilla. I had grown up with her as she was assigned when I was a child. The daughter of another slave in the villa, she was only a few years older than me. Camilla and I had more of a friendship than a master and slave relationship. I loved her dearly and often doted on her behind closed doors. I only allowed her to do anything for me when my parents were around, and that was only to appease them. She was dear to me, and I would not allow anything to harm her so long as I was around.
After listening to the shouts and grunts from afar, I decided to abandon my reading and made my way over to the balcony where I knew my parents would be standing. Camilla rose from her spot to follow me, and I offered her a friendly smile to stay her as I walked out of my chambers. I had complained to my father that the gladiators smelled strongly of sweat and sinew, but he had done little to improve their situations. The aroma assaulted my nostrils as I drew near, and I noticed that I didn't shy from it as I usually would have. There was something different in the air, or maybe something different about me. Regardless of what was going on, the smell was almost enticing to me now.
As I approached the outdoor space, I noticed my father's figure leaning against the solid railing as he peered below. My mother was standing a little further back, her arms crossed across her chest as, I'm sure, she wore her usual scowl. My mother detested my father's 'little hobby' and had begged that he turn to other lucrative opportunities. However, there was no denying that my father was good at what he did, and just as quickly as he had lined our pockets, he had made a name for us. I sidled up to his large frame and gave into the comfort of the arm that came to wrap around my shoulders. He pressed a quick kiss to my forehead before turning back to the commotion below.
"Aurelia, go back to your room. This is no place for a child." My mother pursed her lips as she tried to pull me from my father.
I resisted and tucked in closer to the man next to me. "I'm not a child. I'm nineteen and fully capable of handling whatever it is that you two are fussing over up here."
My father's chest shook as he chuckled. "Let her be, Flora. Our little girl believes she is no longer little." He looked down at me, a twinkle in his eye. "Let's humor her today."
With a scoff, she released me. "You dote on her too much, Julian."
My father held up a palm at her face and she immediately went still, staring at his fingers. I had never witnessed him lose his temper or strike my mother, but he didn't need to. He was usually so kind and gentle in nature that any change in his demeanor was enough to halt anyone's actions, my mother included.
She clicked her tongue. "Fine." With a jerk of her head, she looked down at the new recruits.
I followed her gaze and I quickly realized why she was watching. One of the trainers was lining them up for inspection. My father let go of my shoulders and started in the direction to go downstairs.
"Wait! Can I come?"
He stopped and assessed me. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."
"Oh, please, Father? What if I want to commission one for my own?"
He stopped and smirked. Julian Ectorius was usually very set in his ways unless you found a way to surprise him or catch him off guard. Tonight, I was fortunate to have succeeded in the latter. He hummed and narrowed his eyes slightly before he held his hand out to me.
"Julian," my mother started.
"It'll be alright. She needs to see how I do things. After all, she is old enough to marry now. I don't want her husband to believe he can get away with bossing her around. Education is her best ally."
As before, my mother fell silent as I slid my palm into his. He led me downstairs and into the courtyard where the half dozen men stood shoulder to shoulder. Some were shackled and a couple weren't. I immediately pointed it out and nudged my father in the side. We were at least six feet away as we walked slowly by them, my father angling his head as he studied each body.
"The ones who are bound are slaves. They're either war criminals or criminals of society."
"And them?" I indicated the few who were standing unbound and of their own free will.
"They signed a contract to fight for our villa. One year of service and after that they will be compensated."
"Why would anyone willingly sign up to be a gladiator?"
My father continued to lead me down the line of men. Some were smirking at me with nasty looks on their faces. I scooted closer to my protector.
He gave my hand a squeeze. "To them, the money is good. Maybe they have a family or maybe they want to buy property of their own. Or maybe they want the glory. Either way, I just need them to fight and not die." He grabbed the chin of one snarling man and turned it from side to side.
"What of the men who are enslaved to fight?"
He threw his hand to the side, forcing the man back a step. "Fight and live another day or die in the arena."
I swallowed. "That sounds awful, though. They have no way to be set free?"
He raised his voice as he answered me, "Oh, I can free them if I decide they have repented enough and are ready to rejoin society. But I only free the most obedient and successful of the enslaved."
We stopped before the men who were unshackled. The man right before me stared straight ahead, his gaze unwavering. His brown hair was cropped short, and his skin was tanned to the tone of a laborer. There was something pleasant to it, the golden hue of his muscle ladened arms and thighs. His blue eyes seemed to be made all the brighter in contrast to his skin.
"And what do you fight for?"
He didn't look down at me and his jaw flexed. My father waited for his response, but the man hadn't uttered a word. My father clicked his tongue and jerked his head toward the man.
"What is your name?"
"Leo, Dominus."
"Do you think you are too good to answer my daughter?"
