Heart's Desire

Chapter 3

Once the gladiator fights were finished, my father headed down to where they gathered, since he wanted to speak to the champion. I wandered around, trying to find that one who went after the champion. Immediately finding them, due to their height, I walked over to them. As soon as I was nearby, I cleared my throat.

"Excuse me," I said.

The gladiator turned and smiled at me. Their amber eyes was something I was not expecting along with their long black hair that was in braids, well, the sides were in braids. The center part of their hair was slicked back.

"Hey there," they smiled.

"I just wanted to tell you how amazing you were fighting that lion. You made short work of it."

"Well, I had to get the crowd going one way or another. Mr. Champion does it in his flashy moves, but how I was taught was to go right for the kill. No need to show off. I let how I take down an enemy speak for itself."

"You definitely got the crowd rooting for you," I said. "It got me rooting for you. I think I like you better than the champion."

They chuckled, "It's a pleasure to have the Caesar's daughter like me. Odessa," she said, sticking her hand out. "Odessa Stone."

"Y/N. Stone? As in the famous Stone family?"

"Yes."

"Your father was well known in the arena. Even being the champion himself at one point."

"That's why I wanted to be a gladiator myself. I wanted to uphold my family's name. My siblings are still too young to take on this kind of work."

"How old are they?"

"They just hit double digits," she said.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty."

I nodded my head, making a mental note that she was around my age.

"Talented for as young as you are. And for being a woman."

She chuckled, nodding her head, "That was the one thing my father did. He made sure I was strong enough to take on another man. He didn't want me to be beat up pretty quickly when it came to fighting other gladiators in the ring."

"He taught you well," I said, as she took off the armor.

Underneath the top part of her armor appeared to be bandages around her chest. Her abs stood out like they were carved from marble itself. How they were rigid and very prominent. There were a number of scars littering her upper body as well. Some were over her abs while some were on her upper chest, where her collarbone was. Her shoulders were broad and muscular, the same can be said with her arms. She had thick biceps and forearms and her hands looked like they could cover my entire face. She was intimidating to say the least.

"Whoa," I whispered.

She turned and chuckled, smiling slightly, "See something you like?"

"Very much," I said, my heart racing and I could feel my face growing warmer by the second.

"Well, I know my place," she said with a sad undertone. "I shouldn't be meddling in with royal affairs."

"Royal affairs?"

"I am nothing but a lowlife, Y/N" she said. "I shouldn't even be talking to you right now."

"I could care less."

"Uhm," she pointed behind me and I found my father standing there.

"Odessa was it?" he asked.

"Yes, Caesar."

"You put on a wonderful performance, even if it was short. You really made your point out there. Do you even like being a gladiator?"

"Yes, Caesar. I come from a family of gladiators. My father was champion at one point."

"Ah, yes. It was before Y/N's grandfather was Caesar. Well, hope you have a good day, Odessa. Come on, Y/N."

"Yes, father. It was nice getting to speak with you, Odessa," I said.

"Likewise," she said, bowing her head slightly as we left.

We walked out of the Colosseum and headed back towards the palace, where I would be lectured about not speaking to gladiators and people beneath me like them. But if I were to take over, wouldn't that be my job? To speak to those who were beneath me? Well, I didn't see them as such. They were just another person. And I needed to treat them with respect if they were going to one day treat me with respect.

"Y/N, I have no problem with you speaking to the gladiators," my father began his lecture. "But you must not talk to Odessa."

"Why, father?"

"While it is true her father was at one point the champion, Odessa is a strange case. Her being a woman and a gladiator, it was not a woman's place to be there. But her father insisted that she could hold her own. So whenever I put her on trial against gladiators that were as strong as the champion, she had some struggle, but was able to prove herself. Her father was there so even if I attempted to refuse her access to be a gladiator, her father would refute. He'd bring a group of people to my door and insist that his daughter joined."

"But she held her own. She proved she was strong enough."

"I find her odd."

"Just because you find her odd does not mean the others don't. I think you're just jealous that the champion finally has competition when it comes to that fight."

"I take it you are rooting for Odessa."

"Yes. The champion has been in that position since I was a young girl. He's getting slower and weaker. Odessa has a chance on beating him."

"Strange that you'd bring the champion into the conversation."

"Why is that, father?"

"You are not yet to be wed."

"Mother didn't marry you until she was well into her late twenties."

"Do not speak of your mother," my father whispered.

"Right. Sorry," I said, remembering how my father doesn't want to be reminded of what happened to her. Sometimes I blame myself for my mother's death. But my father ensures me that it was not anyone's fault. Some times it just happens. He was grateful I came out healthy and have been given the chance to raise me than risk losing both my mother and me. While my father was stern with some things, he was caring. Especially when it comes to me.

"Anyway, I was thinking about asking the champion to take your hand."

"Father, he is ten years older than me. Can't I find someone I love?"

He smiled, nodding his head, "I suppose so. My father didn't press me to marry someone and your mother's family didn't press her to marry someone. But I am getting older and so are you. You are to wed and provide an heir."

"I know, father."

"Good," he said as we entered the palace.