Tribal Warrior (a Gladiator fan fiction)

Chapter 1 - Introductions and Information

Maximus

At the beginning, the Germanic woman seems frightened, almost like a wild animal that has been put in a cage, but she still has a bite. I have to chase the onlooking legionnaires away again and again, and finally threaten them with punishment so that they retreat and leave the cowering Germanic alone. She sits on the floor of the hospital tent with a bowl of warm soup in her hand and a blanket around her shaking shoulders. She was only wearing a light linen shirt when she arrived at the camp, and as it is already getting damn cold at night, she is now understandably cold. I try to find out why she is here, is she perhaps a spy, at least that is what some centurions suspect, or is she part of a deception. 

The guards reported that they discovered warriors at the edges of the forest who disappeared as soon as the Germanic woman was in our camp. Maybe I should have had her killed immediately, then I wouldn't have this trouble now. When I finished the thought she looks up at me, without any sign of fear her green eyes bore into mine. "Why didn't you kill me?" she wants to know, she speaks with a certain accent, but her Latin is impeccable, and she sounds almost...disappointed? What is going on in her head? Since I don't have to justify anything to her, I answer truthfully: "I'm not sure, you were unarmed..." she just looks at me uncomprehendingly. "You should have killed me, because now that I'm here, my fate is even worse." Now it is my turn to look at her uncomprehendingly, "Isn't life better than death?", I want her to tell me. "Yes, but what are you going to do with me? I am a prisoner of war. And prisoners of war who are not bailed out either get killed, sent to the arena, or end up as slaves." She has a point. "But strictly speaking, you came to us under whatever circumstances, and if you turn out to be harmless, i.e. not a spy or part of a trap, then I'm sure something can be arranged," I mused, watching the Germanic woman's face brighten. She nods slightly and drinks her soup contentedly, her shoulders relax. 

 "What is your name?" I want to know from her as I look her over. She is gorgeous, short dark brown – almost black hair and the greenest eyes I have ever seen on a person, she also has the pale skin typical for Germanic people. She is extremely thin, almost as if she hasn't had enough to eat lately, why is she here? "My name is Nava," she interrupts my thoughts, a beautiful name, fitting. "Tribune Maximus Decimus Meridius," I introduce myself with my full name. "What is a tribune?" she wants to know curiously. Her face reflects genuine interest, perhaps she is not a spy after all. 

I keep a close eye on her over the next few days and have twice as many guards posted at the palisades in case of an attack or if she does plan something. But Nava seems quite peaceful, she makes no sign of wanting to hurt anyone here. She stays in the hospital tent and listens very carefully to the instructions, she is curious, sure, but I don't have the feeling that this curiosity has a malicious reason. She just wants to learn how the legions work, how Rome operates.

 A week after her arrival, she asks me: "How can I prove that I am not a spy, that I mean you no harm?" I think for a moment before answering, I still know next to nothing about her, I only know that she has been peaceful until now. "You could explain to me why you are actually here?", I now demand of her. "Oh...yes...", she looks unsure, and it seems as if she doesn't dare to tell the truth. Does she have something to hide after all? "There was an argument...", she says uncertainly. I wait for an explanation, but she says nothing more, she seems to be lost in thought and her face reflects something like sadness. "What about your family?" I ask cautiously if she really was sent here because of a quarrel, then her family would surely have said something against it, wouldn't they? She looks at me with glazed eyes "I don't have a family any more...my mother died when I was very young, my big brother was killed and my father doesn't care about me. He disowned me," her voice trembles, and it seems as if she has to fight back her tears. "Why?" I ask gently, I must know why should she be cast out? "I attacked my brother's murderer," she replies coldly, a brief hint of anger visible on her face.

Over the next few days, Nava continues to earn my trust, she is very cooperative and also provides some information that can definitely help us. Among other things, she told us about the divided relations between the tribes, although she can only tell us what she knows and since she has been here, that may of course have changed. However, the other commanders are getting impatient, they no longer see any use in keeping Nava here after she has shared her information with us, as she is only: "Taking up rations and space." Ridiculous! Just ridiculous! From what I understand, she is insanely disappointed in her people and has alienated herself from them. She no longer sees herself as a member of them after her brother was killed. I know she is grieving. Sometimes I hear her whispering softly to herself, in her mother tongue, almost as if she were talking to him, as if she were telling him about her day, her new life.

"Tell me, Tribune, how long are you going to keep the little Germanic girl here?" an Optio wants to know from me. "As long as she proves useful to us," I reply, annoyed after answering this wretched question for the hundredth time. "She's already said everything, she doesn't know any more! Or does she?" he continues challengingly. I don't pay him any more attention and make my way to the small additional tent where Nava is staying. She's a good girl and insanely clever, we can't just send her away. I remember what she told me. About the circumstances of her banishment.

I briskly enter her tent: "Tell me, Nava, can you fight?"