Roma Victrix (44 page)

‘I thought I had you there,' the younger gladiatrix gasped.

‘But yet I
knew
I had you,' Illeana too allowed herself to bend and suck in air. ‘Remember that, Pyrrha,' she tapped her forehead.

‘It's up here that counts as much as your sword arm.'

‘I will remember it,' Pyrrha looked up through her sweat-soaked curls. ‘I will beat you next time.'

‘No,' Illeana rose to her full height. ‘You won't.' She smiled taking the bite out of her words, but inside she was irked that she had come so close to defeat. ‘But you ran well,' she added by way of conciliation.

‘Great race, ladies, great!' Vigilo trotted up to them. ‘Nice entertainment to round off the day's training.'

‘We're here to entertain?' Illeana joked. She turned her attention back to the other
tiros
. ‘The rest of you – keep running!'

‘You have visitors,' Vigilo said. ‘From Rome – the Flavian.'

‘Ah, that will be our money,' Illeana said to them both. ‘Vigilo, can you arrange escort for my team to the coast? We will pick up a ship there and sail down to Paestum.'

‘As you wish,' Vigilo tipped a finger to his forehead. ‘I've had the messengers sent to your quarters,' he added. ‘They've got refresh-ments.'

‘You are too kind.' Illeana favoured him with a smile and was pleased to see even this grizzled old trainer blush as she turned her full attention to him. ‘Come on, Pyrrha – let us bathe and greet our people.'

They did not tarry long in the bathhouse and soon were on their way to the guest quarters. Illeana entered first and the sight that met her raised her ire. Sitting on the couch, the couch where Pyrrha had so recently been pleasured by the gladiators, was the handsome Gaius Minervinus Valerian. With him was one of the other men from the Flavian – the tattooed one – Settus, that was it. Both men rose as she entered.

‘Valerian!' Pyrrha squeaked in shock.

‘Pyrrha…' the handsome former tribune gazed at her a moment, emotions writ clear on his face. ‘It is good to see you… are you well…?'

‘What are you doing here, Valerian?' Illeana cut him off. ‘Settus.

Wine.' The balding ex-soldier looked as though he was about to complain, but Illeana raised an eyebrow and he got about the work in the surliest manner possible. ‘Well?' she turned back to Valerian.

The Roman tore his eyes away from Pyrrha and cleared his throat. ‘Maro received your message and we were instructed to bring the funds to you.'

‘Instructed? Or volunteered?'

‘Volunteered the both of us,' Settus supplied. ‘Here's your wine.'

He shoved a cup into her hand, causing some of it to slop onto her skin and irritated her further by not even bothering to apologise.

‘Pyrrha, Settus,' Illeana said. ‘Leave us.'

‘I'm fine.' Pyrrha was doing some gazing of her own.

‘Out!' Both Settus and Pyrrha looked as though they were contemplating rebellion but after a few moments Settus broke the uncomfortable silence with an oath. He necked a cup of wine and stamped out, followed by Pyrrha whose expression and gait spoke volumes.

Illeana turned her attention to Valerian as soon as the door shut behind them. ‘I thought we had an agreement.'

‘I'm just doing my job here,' he replied. ‘I work for Maro and Maro wanted the money brought to you. I wanted a break from the Flavian, so here we are.'

‘I'm not a fool, Valerian, don't treat me like one. I asked you to stay away from Pyrrha until her training is complete!' Illeana prided herself on her self-control, but the sudden and unexpected arrival of this would-be paramour had irked her.

‘I mean to ask for her hand,' Valerian shot back, his dark eyes full of challenge.

That
took her by surprise. ‘You what?' Illeana could scarcely credit it.

‘I mean to marry her,' Valerian said firmly. ‘If she will have me.

This is no life for her and I would see her living in comfort. Having everything she wants.'

‘On a fortune you've built by selling shit?'

‘Money is money. It doesn't care where it comes from or where it's going. Besides this has nothing to do with you, Illeana. It is up to Pyrrha.'

Illeana put her cup down and sighed. The former tribune was full of earnest intent – she could read it in his eyes that he was in love with the girl. ‘She wants to fight, Valerian.'

‘Only because she has no choice.'

‘You know that isn't the case.
I
don't know why she wants to fight either, truth be told, but there is something that drives her.

There is a need in her to be acknowledged as her own woman. She once said to me that she didn't want to live in anyone's shadow. I've pressed her on her past and I'll tell you this – she's told us all a pack of lies. There is more to this girl than you and I know.'

‘I don't care about that,' Valerian was obstinate. ‘Her past is her own business – and it's a business that I don't care about. I won't judge anyone on their past, it's how they are now that counts – not what happened to them before!' His eyes shone suddenly with repressed tears which shocked Illeana to the core. ‘I left my past behind,' he continued, voice taut. ‘I won't let it ruin my future.'

She wanted to remain angry with him but could not. She understood love – and understood that there was no place for it in the life of an arena fighter. ‘Valerian,' she said after a few moments.

‘Don't do this now. Not now.'

Valerian gathered his emotions with visible force of will and poured a stiff cup of wine. ‘I must. I don't want to see her get killed. I love her,' he added as though to affirm it in his own mind.

‘I can see that you do,' Illeana looked down and then raised her head to meet his eyes. ‘Then you must listen to me, Valerian. If you ask her and she says yes and you take her away from all this, there will always be a part of her that resents you – and herself.

She needs this – I don't know why, but she does.' Valerian made to speak, but she held up a hand, cutting him off. ‘Let me finish.

You've been around the Flavian long enough to know that women who fight are not like… normal women. There is a need in all of us to compete – the ones that don't have that… that spark within them die very quickly. You know, the slaves that are taken and made to fight? They are just offal. Sacrifices to whet the sand's appetite for what is to follow. Those of us that
choose
to fight do so because we need to. Men want to prove themselves – and there are women like that too. Don't take this away from her, Valerian.

Wait till she has fought her next bout and then ask her – don't fill her mind with things other than staying alive. I beg you – she must focus on her next fight or she will get hurt – or worse. Will you promise me this?'

‘And what if I do as you say and in her next bout she is…?' he could not bring himself to finish. ‘What then?'

‘She will win,' Illeana assured him. ‘I've seen her in action already.

She's a natural – these provincial arenas don't have the class of fighter we produce in the Flavian. She has already fought and beaten the best Capua has to offer, and Capua is second only to Rome.

Though it pains me to say it, Valerian, she pushes even me hard when we train. Trust me – all will be well.'

Emotion warred with good sense across his face and finally he capitulated. ‘I will not speak of marriage, then,' he affirmed. ‘But I will not pretend that I don't have feelings for her. And I will accompany you to her next fight so that when it is over I can ask her.'

Illeana wanted to push it but could tell he would not be moved.

‘I don't think that's wise,' she said resignedly. ‘And you'll lose your job. If you don't return, Maro will replace you.'

‘I don't care about that. I just want to be with Pyrrha.'

Illeana chuckled then. ‘Clearly. Very well, you can accompany us. Send Settus back with word – I'll write a message to Maro that I want you here. Even if I do not,' she added. ‘I'm trusting you on this, Valerian. Don't speak of it to her.'

‘I give you my word,' he replied stiffly. ‘What you say makes sense, even if I hate the fact that it does.'

‘Then we're done here,' Illeana placed her cup down. ‘Just tell her that you've been assigned to scout out fresh prospects for the Flavian – that's why you're accompanying us.'

Her eyes followed him as he left the room. The meeting had left her tired and drained – and there was something else. She poured herself another cup of wine and sat in thought for a moment, realising that it was a tiny spark of jealousy in her heart. What must it be like, she wondered, to have someone so in love with you that they would risk everything they had just built up to be with you.

Of course,
everyone
loved Aesalon Nocturna – the Midnight Falcon had a list of admirers so long that the walls of the Flavian could be filled with their names. From the Emperor of Rome to its lowest Subura cut-throat, she had won all their hearts. Her beauty, her skill, her grace – it all made her something to be desired, something more than mortal perhaps.

But what of Aemilia Illeana? Since her husband had died, there had been no one for her and, until that moment, she had needed no one. But now she wondered if perhaps it would be good to quit the arena, find a house away from the captial, drink good wine, eat rich food and grow fat and content with a man at her side.

She stood and went to the full-length bronze mirror, looking at the demigoddess in its reflection. ‘What then of your legend, Aesalon Nocturna?' she asked it. ‘They don't make statues of fat country wives, do they?' Illeana laughed aloud at her own moment of melancholy. There would come a time when she was too old to fight. Her tits would sag and no amount of callisthenics would keep her arse taut and her belly flat. Then the crowd would no longer chant her name and all she would have would be the memories of her glory.

Time enough for retirement then.

Valerian composed himself as he stepped out of Illeana's room. He had come here with an intent but now he saw that the
Gladiatrix
Prima
was right. Straightening his shoulders, he made his way over to Pyrrha who was giving Settus an impromptu tour of the Capuan
ludus
.

‘Well,' he began, ‘it is good to see you again, Pyrrha.'

She smiled at him, tilting her head and closing one eye as the sun shone in it. ‘And you, Valerian.'

‘Yeah, well, this is great,' Settus put in. ‘Let's get into town, have a few drinks and head off back to Rome in the morning.'

‘You know that I'm here on a scouting mission,' Valerian fixed Settus with a look, imploring him to understand.

‘What?' Settus said. ‘I thought that we were just supposed to drop off the money and head straight back. That's what Maro said.'

Valerian sighed. ‘Yes, and also that I was to continue on with Illeana to the next arena and report back on the talent – if there's any to be found. I'm to negotiate with
lanistas
and see if we can't buy some new stock.'

Settus frowned. ‘Why didn't you mention this on the way down?'

‘I thought Maro would have told you.'

‘That cunt never tells me anything. So we're going on a trip are we?'

‘Well,
I
am –
you've
got to go back and tell Maro that Illeana agrees that I should go with her…'

‘I thought…' Settus stopped and looked first at Pyrrha and then Valerian. Like the sun on a winter morning, understanding dawned on his face. ‘Right. Back to fucking Rome on me tod. Fuck's sakes.'

He shook his head. ‘All right then. I'm going into town to get pissed out of my head, then I'll go back tomorrow. On my own. Thanks a lot. See you then, Pyrrha.' The former
optio
turned about and stalked off.

Pyrrha watched him for a moment and then turned back to Valerian. As soon as she did, Settus spun around, making a shuffling gesture with his hand, mouthing the words ‘you fucking wanker' at Valerian, his expression full of glee. No doubt the Flavian would be alive with gossip if they returned there.

‘So we'll be spending some time together then,' Pyrrha said.

‘Yes, yes,' Valerian cautioned himself not to be too enthusiastic.

He wanted her to know that he cared for her but, as Illeana had warned him, he did not want her distracted. ‘I don't really enjoy gladiatorial shows,' he added. ‘Maro thinks that because I won't get caught up in the action, I will have a dispassionate view.' He was starting to believe the fantasy himself.

‘Well, I certainly hope you'll watch me fight,' she stepped a little closer to him. Valerian was struck by her beauty and he sensed a change in her. She was more confident, sure of herself and he reckoned that being in the company of Illeana was teaching her to use her sexuality as a weapon.

He cleared his throat. ‘Of course, I'm looking forward to that.

Illeana tells me that you're very good.'

‘She's right,' Pyrrha said. ‘I am very good.' Her eyes made it clear to him that she was not speaking only of fighting. This was not like the girl that had left Rome so recently and the change in her both excited and perturbed Valerian.

He was, however, not above a little teasing of his own. ‘I can't wait to find out for myself.'

‘It'll be worth the wait,' she said and, before he could react, she raised herself on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the mouth.

It was fleeting, brief, but the sensation jolted through him. Pyrrha laughed and made off, leaving Valerian staring after her.

‘Jupiter is angry,' Murco commented; even here in the fighter's cells at Paestum's arena, the crash of thunder could be heard through the thick walls. It had been raining heavily all day and a storm had now come – not that that would serve to douse the enthusiasm of the crowd.