Book Ideas That I Have

In Roman Times

Working on a solid title for this book Ideas, but I guess this works for now.

This is the story of a gladiatrix, or a female gladiator. Her name is Kyrie. She's the daughter of a Greek farmer. She has lived on a mountain near Athens her while life, helping to grow oranges.

One day, when she is eighteen, she is told by her father that he has bargained for her hand in marriage to a high-up official in their little town. That evening, she is out picking oranges when she's abducted by slave traders.

Packed onto a slave ship, she is transported to Rome, when he she about on the market and bought by one of the most victorious gladiator Matrons in Rome. From there, she resigns herald to her fate, and works to survive and eventually earn her freedom. She trains hard and long, and goes into the ring.

She catches a glimpse of a soldier who was "guarding" the slaves on the market the day that she was. He notices her, as well as her friend that she mad won the ship over.

When he defends her friend from being raped by another soldier, coming to blows with the other soldier, he is given a dishonorable discharge from Caesar's army and sent to be a gladiator.

By chance, Kyrie and Anthony, as she discovers is his name, are matched against each other in the ring. As she owes him a debt if gratitude, and he has an absurd interest in her, they refuse to kill each other, only giving the crowd a show.

They are then portrayed as star crossed lovers, destined to kill each other in the ring, and draw a full stadium every time.

They do fall in love, and meet whenever they can at the walls of their "barracks".

I'm not entirely sure what I want to happen though. I do know I want Caeser to like them, specifically her. I know I want for him to root for them. I know that I want them to eventually run away from Rome together, and return to her former home. I know that by this time, her father has died, and her mother is running the orange farm, much happier now that her husband is dead. I know that Anthony and Kyrie get married and run the farm and have children and live happily ever after. But it's actually writing the story that I haven't gotten to yet.

CHAPTER ONE
I'm gathering oranges from my father's orchard, when I hear Mami call my name.

"Kyrie!"

"Coming mother!" I gather my basket under my arm, climb out of the tree, and brush the lingering bark off of my skirt. I say skirt, but it's more like lengths of fabric settled around my hips. Mami never lets me wear men's clothing, even though it is easier to maneuver in.

I walk the short distance to the kitchen door. When I enter, I am hit by the smell of baking bread.

Celeste, our indentured servant, turns to me and whispers, "The Snake is upstairs!"

My eyes widen, and my heart hammers in my chest. Not this again, I think. 'The Snake', is Armano, the man my father is trying to convince me to marry. By 'convince ', I mean 'is shoving onto me', even though he is four times my age, has beady eyes that warrant distrust, has three wives that mysteriously died, and has the reputation for being a... womanizer.

But he is the wealthiest man in our district, and that's all that matters to my father. Heaven knows that you are not permitted to marry out of your district. It would be like an heir to a throne marrying a penniless waif.

I shudder at the thought of becoming his wife.

Giving Celeste a grateful smile for the warning, I begin my march up to the gathering room.

When I arrive, I see my father, Mami, and Armano already seated. I take note of the strategic searching arrangement, with Father and Armano on one settee, and Mami sitting on another with an empty seat beside her. I gulp before taking my place directly across from Armano.

"Daughter," my father begins, "Armano Haring had come to call."

Keeping my head down, I look up through my lashes and murmur demurely, "This is good." For you, I add silently.

Armano clears his throat. "I have come to ask for your hand."

Do you want to chop it off, or shall I, is what I'm tempted to say, but I reply with a quiet, "Is that so?"

"Yes," he responds. There's a pause. Then, "So?"

I look up, barely containing a smirk. Instead, I present Mr. Snake with an innocent, questioning gaze. "I'm sorry?" I ask sweetly.

Mami takes my hand warningly beneath a fold of my skirt.

"What is your answer?" Armano demands.

"To what question? As I recall," here Mami squeezes my hand tightly and I revert back to my original tone of voice, "there was no question asked."

Armano sputters a moment. "Well I'm asking now. Will you accept my offer of marriage?"

I pause. "Might I request a few days to think over your... kind offer?" I

"No."

I blink.

"I want an answer today. Now."

My father takes in my look of growing irritation that I cannot hide and says, "But of course she will marry you! Why would she not? You can provide everything she could ever need or want! But you know women, always playing hard to get." He makes an attempt at a laugh, but it comes out strained.

You can tell how much he wants this. A fifth of the money he would gain from this marriage could fuel his farms for a dozen years. For me to refuse would hurt his reputation in our district, his livelihood, and his standing with Armano himself.

"Then we shall marry before the week is out." Armano leers at me, or rather, my chest. "You will be mine, my dear, and we shall live a long and...prosperous life."

I cringe inwardly, but somehow manage to produce a small, fake smile.

A/N. This one has been in my head for a LONG time, and lemme just say...this one's gonna be good