Gladiator of Rome (#1 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Krista was escorted by guards her entire journey from the cells, across the courtyard and through the hallways of the Governor's house until she was brought to a stop in front of a doorway, two guards posted outside. Their spears were held at an angle so as to make a cross in front of the entrance, barring anybody access to Commander Niclaus.

"Come!" The Commander's voice, a deep and rough sound that made her skin feel like it was being dragged across stone, rang out, striking a chord near the bottom of her back. That was the voice of the man who killed her family and as she thought about them images of their faces flashed in front of her eyes. She thought about them every day but it was growing less frequent as the years went by. 

As the commander finished speaking the spears being held over the doorway were pulled back to allow her through but she could not move, the soles of her feet felt as if they had become one with the floor. She knew she had to move and just as she made a conscious effort to do so the guard behind her raised his leg and booted her hard in the back, knocking her forward. 

As she stumbled forward past the guards she tried to catch her balance but her momentum carried her forward until she fell to her knees in front of the Commander. Quickly scrambling herself back up onto her feet Krista could feel her cheeks grow warm with embarrassment and humility. Looking down quickly her eyes focused on a solid oak desk in front of her. The wood was carved with wings holding the corners together whilst the legs were shaped like those of a lion with a paw at each base.  The flames from the torches flickered in the polished surface. 

"I watched you today. You were good in the amphitheatre," The Commander's skin-tearing voice suddenly filled her ears from behind her which made her flinch slightly. She had not expected him to be there but she could feel his eyes burning into the exposed flesh at the nape of her neck. As she listened over the soft crackle of fire from the torches, her eyes still enamoured with the floor, she heard the commander moving around to the side of her. She could sense him pause beside her, his smokey aroma, which he had tried to cover with thick layers of scented oils, clogging her nostrils. Her breath caught in her throat as she wondered what he was going to do but after a few moments he took another step and walked past her towards his desk. 

"Drink?" He asked as if she was a free woman and they were enjoying a pleasant evening together as opposed to what she truly was which was his slave. Surprised, Krista lifted her head and he caught her gaze immediately, daring her to break contact first. As she stared into his green eyes the room suddenly grew darker as if all the torches had been put out and the walls fell away and were replaced with a village where huts were on fire around them and thick black smoke filled her chest and all she could see was his blazing green eyes smiling down at her. She felt like her chest was going to explode as she gasped for air and the room came rushing back in around them, the burning huts vanishing. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly as she struggled for breath, her gaze falling to the floor as she could not bear to look him in the eye. He had not appeared to have aged a day since he murdered her family and it had brought it all back to her. Closing her eyes briefly she forced herself to look back up. She had tried so hard to show him that what his actions no longer affected her and thus she was a good investment to keep close to ruin it now. 

As she looked back up she could see his bushy eyebrow was raised in question as he still held a chalice in one hand and a decanted full of wine in the other. She shook her head in answer to his question. She did not trust herself to speak right then. The commander gave a small shrug and poured himself a drink, turning his back slightly as he did so. Looking back to the solid oak desk Krista now only saw that there was a golden dagger resting on top of it. The handle was turned towards her and Krista's heart nearly skipped a beat. The heel of her foot lifted off the ground slightly and her arm started to move forward in excitement. She just needed to grab it and plunge it into the Commander's back whilst he was turned away from her, taking a slow luxurious sip of his drink.