Page 48 of House of Serpents and Slaves

"True enough," I conceded, my thoughts returning to the challenges that lay ahead. I knew that achieving mydream would not come easily - it would require sacrifice, determination, and perhaps more than a fair share of luck. But as I shared this moment of tranquility with my fellow gladiator, I felt a renewed sense of hope and purpose.

My heart raced as I suddenly imagined the life Livia and I could share if we were both free. The sun shone warm on my face, casting dappled patterns of light through the branches of a tall oak tree that shaded our cozy cottage. Verdant fields stretched out before me, dotted with grazing animals that we cared for together.

The days would be filled with simple tasks - tending to our crops, caring for our animals, and mending the fences that bordered our property. We'd break bread at a roughly hewn wooden table, recounting stories of the day's challenges and triumphs. Our children's laughter would echo through the small cottage, filling it with warmth and love. Our nights would be spent wrapped in each other's arms, listening to the peaceful sounds of the countryside - the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant call of nocturnal creatures. In those moments, we would know true peace, far removed from the brutal world we had left behind.

I exhaled slowly, feeling the tension in my muscles dissipate in the comforting warmth of the pool. The scent of lavender oil filled the air, mingling with the steam that rose from the surface of the water like tendrils of mist. It was moments like these when I could forget the harsh reality of our lives and allow myself to be consumed by the dream.

"What do you dream of, Marcus?" Antonius asked suddenly.

"Oh I don't know," I said, feeling like a fool dreaming of something that would be hard pressed to win. To win my own freedom would be almost impossible - to win Livia's too, especially when she was such a favourite of Drusus, I didn't know if there would ever be a chance.

"You must have something in mind," he said.

"I suppose... a small farm of my own, a peaceful life, maybe a family."

"Ahh, a woman," said Antonius, his eyes sparkling as he grinned at me.

I grinned back. "Isn't that what we all want? Someone soft and loving to come home to?"

Antonius just shrugged. "That's what the slave girls are for."

"Someone willing."

Antonius laughed. "Well, brother, I don't know about you but when the slave girls come to my bed, they are most definitely willing."

I didn't reply, but I couldn't help but concede. Antonius did have a reputation, and I'd shared the barracks with him for several years before earning my own room. Unless the women were incredible actors, he definitely didn't leave them wanting in the bedroom.

Antonius smiled at me, then reached out and put his hand on my shoulder.

"I gave up on dreams a long time ago brother. Blood, sand, beer and woman, that's my life now and I make the best of it. I could be dead tomorrow, but if you still have a dream after all this time, you should fight for it, my friend."

I nodded, my thoughts drifting away again as Antonius climbed out of the water and headed for the steam room. My mind wandered to Livia, her passionate embrace still lingering on my skin. A small voice whispered that this could only end in heartbreak considering that in less than a week we would be fighting a new foe in the arena together and her death was not only possible, at her current fighting level, it was likely. I closed my eyes. I longed to protect her from it all, to build a life together far removed from the blood-soaked sand of the arena. She just needed to stay alive long enough for me to get her out.

14

The underground pens always smelled of damp stone and copper. I held my oil lamp higher as I descended the worn steps, careful to avoid the patches of green-black mold that crept up the walls. The guards never came down here this late at night once the animals had been secured. That made it the perfect place to be alone with my thoughts.

Water dripped somewhere in the darkness, a steady rhythm that matched my careful footsteps. The first cells held the regular beasts - wolves and bears meant for the arena games. Most slept, though one wolf raised its head to watch me pass,yellow eyes reflecting my lamplight. The bear in the next cell was new, still angry at its captivity. It lunged at the bars as I passed, but I barely flinched. I'd grown used to the violence of this place.

The deeper cells held stranger creatures, like the four mirage cats curled up the corner like kittens, their claws could slice a man in half. Or the giant skorpi that never seemed to sleep. I’ll admit, those things creeped me out, and I wasn't looking forward to facing one of those in the arena. But it was the last cell I came for. The largest, deepest pen, where the dragon waited. Its ebony black scales caught my lamplight as I approached, throwing scattered reflections across the walls like oily rainbows. The heavy iron collar around its neck clinked as it lifted its head, acknowledging my presence. I settled cross-legged before the bars, setting my lamp beside me.

"Hello, friend," I whispered. This had become our nightly ritual over the past weeks. At first, the dragon had stayed at the back of its cell, watching me with those impossibly blue eyes. But each night I'd moved a little closer, spoken a little longer, until now it would come to the bars to greet me.

"I did something foolish today," I told it, reaching through the bars. The dragon watched my hand, as it always did, before moving close enough for me to touch its scales. They were hot beneath my fingers, smoother than polished marble. "I kissed Marcus. Or he kissed me. Both, maybe."

The dragon tilted its giant head, allowing me to scratch behind its horns where I'd learned it liked best.

"I shouldn't have. It changes everything, doesn't it? Makes it real." I sighed, remembering the way Marcus's hands had felt on my waist, how gentle he'd been despite his strength. The dragon's eye fixed on me, bright as a sapphire. I'd never seen anything like those eyes - they seemed to hold depths I couldn't fathom.

"Marcus is different," I continued, my fingers tracing the ridges along the dragon's jaw. "When he holds me, I forget everything else. I forget what I am, what I've promised to do." My voice caught. "Is that wrong? To want to forget, just for a moment?"

The dragon shifted closer, pressing its head against the bars. The collar scraped against iron, and anger flared in my chest. "They shouldn't keep you chained like this. Any of you." I reached for the collar, my fingers finding the heavy bolt that kept it closed. The dragon allowed my touch there too, though it never had before. "One day, I'll find a way to free you. I promise."

But promises were dangerous things. I'd made another promise, long ago, as I watched my brother’s body fall to the ground. I'd sworn to find the men who killed him, to make them pay. To discover why they'd destroyed our village, murdered our parents.

"Sometimes I think about staying here," I admitted, dropping my hand from the collar. "Finding happiness where I can. Marcus makes me believe it's possible. When he looks at me..." I closed my eyes, remembering the way he'd held me in the training yard, like I was precious, like I mattered. "But then I remember Tarus. I remember my promise. And I hate myself for even considering choosing my own happiness over justice for my family."

The dragon made a low sound, almost like a purr, and pressed closer to the bars. I leaned my forehead against them, feeling the warmth radiating from its scales.

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