handsome one, that one, and I know you care d for him. But I seem to recall hearing you told another not to allow herself to care for anyone in the ludus lest he or she be taken!”
Nardine had indeed given Rue that piece of advice. “Yes, I know I did say that. I think I just needed… his warmth. He was very, very comfortable.”
Both women smiled at that. “Ah yes, I know what you mean. I am sorry you lost him. He was a fine man, finer than most around this ludus . But you will find another, I am certain, if the mistress will allow it. You are a beautiful woman in your way, Nardine. I wish I had your golden hair, but not the temper that goes with it!”
Nardine smiled again. “I know you are trying to cheer me up Claudia. Thank you for that, I need it. But it isn’t Gaius alone I mourn for. I dreamed of having a baby with him. He’s the type of man I always thought would make a good father.” Never having known her own father, Nardine didn’t know what to look for. But Gaius seemed steady.
“I must confess I never thought of you as the mothering type, Nardine. But just as every woman wants a man, every woman wants a child as well. You wouldn’t be the first slave to give birth in the ludus of Marcus Antonius.”
“But my baby would be taken from me!”
“Not right away and you know that doesn’t always happen.”
“Yes, I know, but eventually. And what kind of future is that for a child?” Nardine remembered her own childhood, when her mother sold her into slavery at the age of eleven.
“If that’s what you really want, Nardine, then you must run away. I don’t know how you would plan on having a baby without a place to live, or without a man, living on the streets, but perhaps you might find employment somewhere. I suppose that would improve your chances. The streets are dangerous.”
“I can take care of myself.” Nardine raised the dagger she kept hidden in her shift. “Gaius taught me how to use this,” she said. “I can protect myself,” she repeated, hoping to convince herself.
“I wish you luck then, Nardine. You are a braver woman than me. I would not risk the punishment, let alone life on the streets. But perhaps you will make it, and perhaps you might survive.”
Nardine knew she must try. She didn’t want to live with the consequences of a life of slavery.
Chapter Two
Abedi sat down on his pallet in the infirmary. New to the ludus of Marcus Antonius, he had just been purchased from another, where he had fought several times as a gladiator. He managed to be light-footed in the arena, a skill that saved his life more than once. Once again, it had saved him during his first match. He had survived but had lost the match after a serious injury to his left leg. His opponent struck him hard with a sword, cracking the bone and causing a great deal of bleeding.
Abedi would have to work to prove himself here where some of the finest gladiators in Rome surrounded him. Tall and competent, almost all of them challenged Abedi to prove himself.
But Abedi , optimistic by nature, could never have survived if he were otherwise. First, he endured being captured as a slave in his native Africa. The slavers caught him in a net one night when he returned to his village from a hunting trip. He never saw his family or his young wife again.
Then, for years, he worked as a galley slave, rowing for days on end and sleeping at the oars , his legs chained to a bench in the bottom of a ship. Brutally whipped more than once, his back bore the marks to prove it. But he learned discipline on the galley, another skill that helped saved his life in the arena. Successful gladiators all were disciplined. Or else they soon died.
Before sitting on the pallet in his cell, Abedi had pulled an amulet out of his loincloth. He arrived at the ludus wearing only that, and yet he managed to hide the pendant once again from the eyes of his masters. Somehow, he had carried it all the way from Africa,
Nardine had indeed given Rue that piece of advice. “Yes, I know I did say that. I think I just needed… his warmth. He was very, very comfortable.”
Both women smiled at that. “Ah yes, I know what you mean. I am sorry you lost him. He was a fine man, finer than most around this ludus . But you will find another, I am certain, if the mistress will allow it. You are a beautiful woman in your way, Nardine. I wish I had your golden hair, but not the temper that goes with it!”
Nardine smiled again. “I know you are trying to cheer me up Claudia. Thank you for that, I need it. But it isn’t Gaius alone I mourn for. I dreamed of having a baby with him. He’s the type of man I always thought would make a good father.” Never having known her own father, Nardine didn’t know what to look for. But Gaius seemed steady.
“I must confess I never thought of you as the mothering type, Nardine. But just as every woman wants a man, every woman wants a child as well. You wouldn’t be the first slave to give birth in the ludus of Marcus Antonius.”
“But my baby would be taken from me!”
“Not right away and you know that doesn’t always happen.”
“Yes, I know, but eventually. And what kind of future is that for a child?” Nardine remembered her own childhood, when her mother sold her into slavery at the age of eleven.
“If that’s what you really want, Nardine, then you must run away. I don’t know how you would plan on having a baby without a place to live, or without a man, living on the streets, but perhaps you might find employment somewhere. I suppose that would improve your chances. The streets are dangerous.”
“I can take care of myself.” Nardine raised the dagger she kept hidden in her shift. “Gaius taught me how to use this,” she said. “I can protect myself,” she repeated, hoping to convince herself.
“I wish you luck then, Nardine. You are a braver woman than me. I would not risk the punishment, let alone life on the streets. But perhaps you will make it, and perhaps you might survive.”
Nardine knew she must try. She didn’t want to live with the consequences of a life of slavery.
Chapter Two
Abedi sat down on his pallet in the infirmary. New to the ludus of Marcus Antonius, he had just been purchased from another, where he had fought several times as a gladiator. He managed to be light-footed in the arena, a skill that saved his life more than once. Once again, it had saved him during his first match. He had survived but had lost the match after a serious injury to his left leg. His opponent struck him hard with a sword, cracking the bone and causing a great deal of bleeding.
Abedi would have to work to prove himself here where some of the finest gladiators in Rome surrounded him. Tall and competent, almost all of them challenged Abedi to prove himself.
But Abedi , optimistic by nature, could never have survived if he were otherwise. First, he endured being captured as a slave in his native Africa. The slavers caught him in a net one night when he returned to his village from a hunting trip. He never saw his family or his young wife again.
Then, for years, he worked as a galley slave, rowing for days on end and sleeping at the oars , his legs chained to a bench in the bottom of a ship. Brutally whipped more than once, his back bore the marks to prove it. But he learned discipline on the galley, another skill that helped saved his life in the arena. Successful gladiators all were disciplined. Or else they soon died.
Before sitting on the pallet in his cell, Abedi had pulled an amulet out of his loincloth. He arrived at the ludus wearing only that, and yet he managed to hide the pendant once again from the eyes of his masters. Somehow, he had carried it all the way from Africa,
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