Gladiators

Chapter Eight

Percy's humiliation was tangible in the almost empty dungeon. Only himself and the guard were in the cold, barren room. Percy had been in the dungeon cell for two weeks- he's kept track by picking up a rock and scratching tally marks on the wall for every day. The way he knew when it was day and night was through a hole in the wall that; if Percy looked through it, he could see daylight or moonlight. Sometimes the stars. The hole was the size of one eye, so he could see pretty well.

Percy has not had water in three days. Before he'd gotten that bowl of water, he hadn't had water in five days. Percy hadn't eaten almost anything in all those nine days, and what he had gotten was half a loaf of bread. He hadn't slept in at least two days, feeling too vulnerable.

The only reason he didn't look like death warmed over is that the dungeon had dirty pools of water everywhere. All Percy had to do was touch the disgusting, filthy water, and he would get a little boost of energy. But little puddles of filthy water could only get him so far, and it can't fix his hunger.

The guard who had kept his post had only seemed to grow more disgusting and repulsive as time went on. He wouldn't stop leering at poor Percy. When he had food, he ate like a pig. Percy would've thrown up if he had anything to throw up. When he had ale, he was even more vulgar and disgusting than usual.

Unfortunately, tonight the guard had had six mugs of ale. "You're a pretty little thing, ain't ya?" He slurred, stumbling over to Percy's cell. Percy curled himself up in the corner, cowering away from him. The man's eyes were glazed over, and he had a wicked look in them.

"Ya know, that future little emperor said nothing of not touching you." He slurred, reaching for the keys on his belt. Percy was shaking uncontrollably. This was far worst than losing his virginity to Jason. Jason was a Roman, yes, but the prince of them. This was a peasant.

The guard got the door open, and he stumbled over to the whimpering Percy. Percy scrambled up and tried to run for the door, but the bigger, muscular man grabbed him and smashed him again the wall. Percy struggled against him, but the man punched Percy in the gut, which had the starving boy doubling over in pain.

The man grabbed some rope off his belt and tied Percy's hands, leaving him defenseless. Percy struggled against his binds, but couldn't even loosen them. The man yanked down Percy's pants and began taking down his when they both suddenly heard the creak of the door opening.

The guard cursed and began rumbling with trying to get his pants back on. Jason appeared at the bottom of the stairs, and if looks could kill, a massacre would have occurred in that moment. "What do you think you're doing?" Jason boomed from across the room, causing the guard to yelp and look up, finally getting his pants back up.

"Uh, sir! I was just... Uh, helping the prisoner! He'd somehow gotten his pants down and tied his hands... Yeah, that's it!" The guard stuttered out, moving away from Percy. "Is that why your manhood was sticking out of your pants, and my pretty Perseus looks terrified?" Jason growled, prowling forward.

"Uh, yes sir!" He replied unsure, looking terrified. Jason swung his fist, hitting the guard square in the nose with a sickening crack, causing blood to spurt out of his nose. The guard landed with a thud on the ground, and Jason walked to a still cowering Percy, efficiently pulling the boy's pants up, lifted Percy up bridal style, and walked past the cowering guard who still laid on the floor.

They walked out of the dungeon, where two male guards were standing. "Throw the man in the cells. Shackle him. I will deal with him later." Jason growled, and the guards nodded and went in. Percy buried his head in Jason's chest, never so glad to see him.

Jason carried Percy back to Percy's room, past a confused Hazel and Frank, and into Percy's room. Jason sat Percy on the bed, slowly taking off the ropes. There were rope burns on Percy's wrist, which he had sustained from a combination of how tight the ropes were and from how hard he had struggled against them.

Percy was still shaking. Jason went to fetch some water, and Percy whimpered at the lose of warmth. Jason quickly came back to him, applying the water to Percy's wrists. They healed instantly, and Percy instantly felt better from the water.

Jason went to move away again, and Percy grabbed his hand and clung to it. Jason looked into Percy's pleading eyes for a while before sighing. "Hazel." He called, and the girl instantly popped her head inside the room. "Yes, my Liege?" She asked.

"Send me food to this room." Jason ordered curtly. "Anything specific?" She asked. "Two plates of my evening meal, and drinks." Jason ordered. Hazel nodded and closed the door.

Jason moved Percy under the covers, tucking the younger man in. Jason sat next to Percy, holding the other's hand because Percy wouldn't let go. A servant soon came in, holding trays of food and drinks. She sat it down on the bed, as Jason directed, and quickly let the room.

Jason fed the food to Percy, who didn't protest at being babied. He was still too shaken up by the ordeal. Jason ate after he had fed Percy and given him water to drink, and Percy slowly began falling asleep, finally comfortable.

But just before he fell asleep, he felt Jason get up off the bed and heard him open the door and whisper something to someone, but his mind was too foggy with exhaustion to make out what he said.