XWP - Awakenings
Gladiator, Bard - Awakenings 6
Ms. Hunter Ash
ripperbard7@yahoo.com
frost92@post.com
rating: PG13
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“Yrsa! Yrsa!” Ketli came running into the yard in front of the long houses, skidding to a stop in the dust as she picked up Sasha. Xena grinned at the young boy, he had grown four inches and was beginning to take on a lean look. He was going to tower over his adopted father, Iolaus/Ivar, Xena thought.
“What is it, Ketli Ax Hand?” she asked, using his nickname from the battle at the hunting cabin, always causing him to stand taller with pride. It was a warrior’s nickname and one that he carried well, she thought.
“Rider approaching, I think it’s Herkavar.”
“Hercules! Iolaus, get out here!” she yelled, shading her eyes against the sun and grinned as she caught sight of the familiar figure coming up the road at a trot.
Iolaus walked out of the long house and grinned at the sight of his friend.
“Gods, I’ve missed him so much!” he complained.
“Me too,” she agreed, but probably not as much as you, she thought with a smile.
Hercules jumped off the horse with a grin that Xena couldn’t help but feel her heart soar with hope.
“I’ve got word!” he said breathlessly as Ketli went to his horse. “Brutus sent word to the Amazons and your families that he has word about Gabrielle and would meet with you on the border as soon as he sends word.”
Xena felt her knees go weak and Hercules caught her by the arms and handed Sasha to one of the women gathering around them with a grin.
“Gabrielle?” she whispered.
“He wouldn’t say what it was except that she was alive and well and now safe. He said that he could only tell you what has happened to her,” Hercules grinned.
“Could it be a trap, he is Caesar’s aid?” Iolaus asked.
“Yes, very possible except that he sent this,” he pulled a parchment out of his shirt and handed it to Xena. She quickly unwrapped it and scanned - many of the words were in Amazon symbols and the rest was Gabrielle’s writing.
“Family, I am well and safe but cannot say where I am, it is still unsafe for me and my family. If the gods are kind I will be safe soon. Your daughter and friend, G.”
“Oh gods, Gabrielle!” Xena began to cry as Iolaus grinned.
“When do we leave?” he asked.
“As soon as I saddle Argo,” Xena answered and Bestla, one of the older women, began yelling for food bags to be packed and horses saddled. As the men began pouring in from the fields Hercules repeated his findings and everyone began celebrating the news that Yrsa the Vigilant’s little mate was alive and might be returning to them.
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Within a candlemark the two women were bundled into the bottom of an open wagon with barely a cloak and a few possessions of clothes. Each had a chain between their legs, wrists and another chain between those, effectively keeping them from moving very easily or far and unable to even reach their own faces. Nikki had been very pissed off when she had been searched and her former master had found the hidden dagger in her boot and the spike hidden in the wrappings of her crutch.
A small female slave drove the wagon while Brutus and two Roman escort soldiers rode beside it and another behind it. Gabrielle and Nikki could see no way to escape.
The first night camped on the road found the two women with another chain attached to theirs and it ended with a lock through the wagon wheel. Neither woman could possibly escape.
Brutus finally approached them, while they ate, the third morning a meal of bread and olives.
“Gabrielle, trust me. Caesar doesn’t know where you are. He didn’t send me. I had to use his name and your real story to get Lycrassis to honor his bargain and sell you to me,” he whispered, keeping an eye on the soldiers and slave.
“What? You’re not going to turn us over to Caesar?” she whispered back, careful not to look at him.
“No, you’re not going to end up on that damned cross,” he growled.
“What about them, they know who I am?” Gabrielle asked, indicating the soldiers and slave.
“Never mind,” he said simply.
“You can’t kill them!” she protested.
“Your life or theirs, Gabrielle. They live and I turn you over to Caesar and Xena possibly dies as well. Decide now,” he said brutally.
“Brutus,” she pleaded.
“Don’t ask me again,” he walked away.
The fourth morning found the soldiers and the slave dead and Brutus driving the wagon with his new slaves.
Neither Gabrielle nor Nikki said a word as he led the horses carrying the bodies into the woods and came back with only the horses. Without a word he had climbed onto the wagon seat and started back on their journey to Rome.
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The next morning found the warriors leaving at sunlight. Two of them with aching heads from too much mead and ale and a warrior mother trying not to laugh at them. She leaned down and whispered in Sasha’s ear, checking the straps that held the little one close to her. Hercules frowned and Iolaus groaned at her sense of humor that early in the morning. They didn’t complain too much, it had been too long since they had heard the warrior laugh.
Everyone was praying it was good news. Neither Iolaus nor Hercules wanted to be around if it wasn’t. They both knew Xena couldn’t take any more bad news about her mate.
They had set up camp near the border in a secluded clearing off the main road to the North and Hercules had gone to the nearest barracks only to find that Brutus hadn’t arrived yet.
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Just before entering the City, Brutus placed blindfolds on the women and pulled up their cloaks.
“A lot of slaves aren’t permitted to learn the city as a precaution against escape and plotting. Don’t say a word when we get to the gate,” he instructed.
Within minutes they had entered through one of the gates, having the guards examine Brutus’ ownership papers of the two slaves and his Imperial ring. Then the women’s senses were assaulted with massive noises, smells, and movement over cobblestone roads. They could both sense massive movement alongside of them and both trained scouts were having difficulty separating noises and smells as they traveled along.
“Liberius, these are two new slaves for my apartments. I will see to their training personally. Take their things to my guest room and then take them up there. Have a blacksmith come and strike those chains off of them as well. Leave the collars in place.” Brutus instructed. “Women, stay in the wagon or face the lash,” he ordered.
“Yes, my Lord,” they both answered meekly.
A candlemark later and the women were finally alone in the small apartment Brutus called home when in Rome. He motioned for them to sit on one of the sofas as he unbuckled his armor.
“I’m sorry about all of this. It took longer to get out Britannia than I had planned and then Lycrassis wouldn’t sell you, either of you. I had to force his hand. You’re going to have to stay here until I can get an assignment somewhere near the north and get you out of Rome,” he said as he stripped out of his armor down to a simple tunic.
“All of the Roman Empire is looking for me and you bring us to Rome?” Gabrielle asked.
“Where else? They are looking for an innocent young Greek bard with long reddish blond hair and gentle soul. Do you think that they will see that in you?” he asked simply.
Gabrielle frowned. Her hair was short and had turned totally blond from being in the sun all the time and her skin was lightly tanned and scarred from numerous encounters in the Arena and practice field. Her body was no longer just fit, it was superb and the dangerous abilities she now had showed when she walked. The only thing practically the same was her green eyes and there were probably plenty of women with green eyes in the city.
She shook her head.
“Besides, you are the personal slave to one Marcus Brutus, honored citizen of Rome only behind Caesar, Octavian and Marc Anthony. Caesar hasn’t seen you so he can’t recognize you. They won’t be looking for you in my apartment,” Brutus grinned.
“Brie, when you make friends, you make it count, don’t you?” Nikki grinned and Gabrielle blushed.
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Impatiently, the three warriors and infant waited a week and moved further into the forest.
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It was only a week later when Gabrielle found herself being pulled out of the bed she shared with Nikki by rough hands. Instinctively she kicked out and punched, sending whoever flat to the floor.
“Gabrielle, damnit! It’s me!” Brutus hissed.
“Then say something, damnit!” she cursed back at him, grabbing a tunic from the end of the bed as Nikki grabbed the other one, and threw it over her sleeping shift. Brutus hadn’t said a word when he realized that Nikki ended up in Gabrielle’s bed every night. He had heard the bard screaming and crying in the night and knew the other woman was the only comfort he could give Gabrielle.
“Caesar!” was all he said as he regained his feet.
Gabrielle went pale and grabbed for her boots. “What about him?”
“He’s heard that I have two fighters as slaves and wants to meet you. He’s interested in a match in the Arena!”
“Oh by the gods! This is a nightmare!” Nikki complained.
“No kidding!” Brutus snapped.
“What are we doing?” Gabrielle asked, lacing up her boots as Nikki quickly followed suit.
“I’m going to try and get you both out of here before he sends his escort to take all of us to his house. If we don’t get out of here then you’ll be in the Arena by tomorrow afternoon!” Brutus whined.
“Does he know who I am?” the bard asked, grabbing her cloak and helping Nikki to her feet, handing her trainer the woman’s crutch.
“No, or you’d be in his dungeon, not the Arena. Lycrassis was careful not to risk your life too much, Caesar won’t be as considerate. Come on!”
They had almost reached the door when a pounding stopped them.
“Do we fight?” Gabrielle asked, pulling her sais out.
Brutus sighed and took the weapons from her, sticking them in his belt. “No, we’d never get out of the city before they cut us down or took us prisoner. I’ve seen their tortures, Caesar would know who you are by noon.”
Brutus answered the door to find a small squad of Roman Praetorian guards.
“Julius Gaias Caesar requests that you and your two female fighting gladiator slaves accompany us to his villa immediately,” the squad leader said simply.
“We were expecting you, as you can see. Lead the way,” Brutus said simply, motioning the women to follow behind him.
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After an hour with Caesar, Gabrielle’s head was spinning and she was impressed. ‘Gods, I thought Ares could be charming and dangerous at the same time!’ she thought to herself.
They had all managed to keep up the story of Gabrielle’s past as a Germanic barbarian, trained in Latin and Greek on the border. The telling of her capture had been easily enough as was tales of her training and fighting. Not as easy was keeping his piercing eyes from seeing through everything else, she thought.
Gabrielle was tired, stressed, terrified and getting fuzzy. He was handsome, brilliant, charming and powerful. The bard could begin to see why the Warlord Xena had once been had been drawn to him. She could also understand Xena’s hatred of the powerful Roman. He had used her, tossed her aside and crucified her, even to the point of breaking the woman’s legs. All because she was no longer useful to him.
Gabrielle knew that any who were no longer useful to Caesar probably wind up that way or wished they had. The bard wondered how Brutus had kept one step ahead of Caesar.
“Well, I am impressed. I see a well trained body, a sharp mind, quick reflexes and quick instincts, even though you are all still half asleep. I want to see you in action, Brie. What do you say to a match with one of my fighters?” Caesar asked.
Gabrielle hesitated, catching Brutus eyes as he nodded. The bard already knew that she didn’t dare refuse.
“If my master agrees, great Caesar,” she said humbly.
“Good, then it’s settled. Two days from now I’m executing a Senator for murdering his wife. You’ll be the fight before that.” Caesar turned to Brutus. “What weapons and armor would you prefer for your fighter? Talk to my Lanista and arrange it.”
“Light leather and she is astounding with these, Caesar.” Brutus pulled out the sais and handed them over to Caesar who handled them easily, twirling them, spinning them and then throwing them perfectly into a wooden house beam.
“Very nice, indeed. This should be enjoyable,” he said with a grin. “Until then, you are all my guests. The young women will be taken to the slave quarters and you can stay in my guest room, Brutus.”
“As you wish, Caesar. May I escort my fighters down?”
“Yes, and you may spend the next two days with them practicing, if you wish. A soldier always needs practice as well as gladiators, don’t you agree?” Caesar asked with a smile.
“Of course, Caesar. You should know, being the greatest general Rome has seen,” Brutus said easily.
“Do they share a room and the same bed?” Caesar suddenly turned and asked.
“Yes, Caesar.”
“Fine, have the head of my slaves arrange it.”
As they walked down the stairs towards the slave quarters, Gabrielle fell in beside Brutus while Nikki kept the slave leading them talking.
“He knows!” she hissed.
“I don’t think so. He wouldn’t schedule anything this soon, Xena would haven’t time to get here,” he shook his head.
“What was that crack about you needing practice? He’s about to kill you!” Gabrielle protested.
“No, I can’t believe that,” he hissed back.
“Gods, there’s no way out of this, is there?”
“I can’t see one just yet. Listen, let me do some thinking and planning. You’ll probably have to face the fight but in the confusion after the fight and execution, we might be able to get away.”
“You’d turn from Rome?” Gabrielle asked.
“I’d turn from Caesar,” he said grimly.
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A day in the Arena turned into a month, and then another two months, each week another fight for the small woman.
Gabrielle was about to face another fight when Brutus entered the small cell of his fighter. He began helping her adjust her light leather armor.
“I’ve got a way out. After the fight Caesar is throwing a victory party, he has bet heavily on you and plans on honoring you at the party. You’ll be put on display, fed and given drink and I’ll probably have many offers to buy you or at least rent you out for the night. I’m going to take one of the Senators up on that offer.”
“What!?” Gabrielle shrieked and Brutus grinned.
“Don’t worry, he’s a good friend. Nikki and I will meet the two of you a couple of streets over with horses. He’ll tell Caesar that you overpowered him when he sought to grab you a little too soon and you got away. I’ve already received permission to leave Rome on a mission to the border of Germania with Nikki. Caesar was more than pleased to separate you from her, by the way.”
“Gods, is everyone after my body?” the bard complained and Brutus laughed.
“Just concentrate on the fight for now. Caesar doesn’t honor dead heroes very often, especially if he loses money on them.”
“Thanks!”
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The months dragged on for the three Greeks and infant. Fortunately the weather was still good and warm for fall. Many days found the warrior woman practicing her fighting skills and hacking away at trees, logs and whatever might be in her way. The tension was driving all of them crazy. They felt they were close to something but stuck.
Xena hated waiting.
