Page 30 of Dominion
CHAPTER TEN
Three more weeks into training, Mateo was getting used to handling two swords. Cervantes took no mercy on him as they trained, but at least his wound was practically healed. The gladiators had given him some respect as they’d been witness to his training and the dedication he’d put into it. He’d been alternating between steel and wood so that he was used to both as he practiced parrying attacks and other defensive and offensive maneuvers.
Feilong had once told him the origins of the style in which he trained, saying it was a form ofkenjutsufrom Japan. Of course, the country of Japan had long since been destroyed in the great flood of 2012, as had been most of the world. History did travel and some knowledge was never lost to time. Something Mateo was grateful for. It had been said that samurais would battle each other with the style and that fascinated Mateo.
Over the three weeks that he’d been able to interact with the gladiators, he’d learned their names and where they’d come from, how long they’d been there. Some had been there since they were children, growing up at the ludus, like Gregor. Boris had been taken from the lushlands of Soria in the celestial city of Gemini.
During their discussions, the men had already given up hope of ever being freed and the only freedom they sought now was a glorious death in the arena, which did come to one of the gladiators at the last Games. Mateo didn’t know Sonder well, but he was still saddened by his death. Sonder’s lover, however, had moved on to another gladiator’s bed. Mateo didn’t bother to think much on it, since maybe it was Liam’s way of coping with a loss that could come at any time, even to himself.
Mateo had learned a lot in three weeks, like why they only had candles and not electric lamps. Their dominus was wealthy enough to own a ludus, but not wealthy enough to move up in status like other men and women the gods had given favor to. The ones who upheld the laws and kept the humans in line. Those in power. They could afford such luxuries. It was explained to Mateo that Rama hoped to one day be amongst the elite through the glory of his house.
With each victory, Rama came one step closer to his goal, which was why his gladiators had to be the best in the land. Knowing this information now, he understood why Rama had given him to Eloy for pleasure. He wondered just how much favor his virgin ass brought their detestable dominus. The thought made him hate Rama even more.
After the long day of training, they ate dinner, then it was bath time. Mateo learned that these little pleasures were something to be indulged in. Moments that belonged to them. Lunch, dinner, and bath time. These were moments when they weren’t constantly watched. Where orders weren’t given, unless out of necessity. Where they could be free while still in captivity. He’d learned to enjoy these moments too.
He sat in the tub, washing the sweat, blood, and dirt from his arm, and examined the thin cut over his bicep, which was now more muscular than it had been a month ago. He wasn’t a waif to begin with, it had been said to him that he came from good stock. His body was already muscular naturally because of all the hard work it took to live in the badlands. But he was starting to see progress in his physique that he did like.
Out of nowhere, Titus, the current champion of the ludus, climbed into the tub next to him, smiling. “It doesn’t look bad,” he said, gesturing to the wound.
Mateo looked at the cut on his arm again and nodded. “Yes. It was stupid of me. A mistake I’ll not repeat.”
“Smart,” Titus said. “Let me get your back.”
Mateo started to get an uneasy feeling, knowing where this interaction could be heading. Still, he turned, allowing the champion gladiator to wash his back. When the man’s hand reach lower to his ass cheeks, he turned back around.
“Gratitude, Titus,” he said, not wanting to insult the champion of the house. His last fight had sent a surge of amazement through the crowd, it was said. He’d killed his opponent in record time, much to the dismay of the house of Elise, whose female gladiators were extremely formidable. So, Titus’ miraculous win would surely go down in history as one of the greatest matches. For his reward, he was given to the goddess, Odessa, for her pleasure.
The smile on Titus’ face widened as he moved closer, pressing his chest to Mateo’s arm. He leaned over near his ear. “Let us give each other ecstasy,” he said. “I’ve been watching you, you have skill. Let me mentor you.”
Mateo was more naive of the way things worked when he had first gotten to the ludus, but he was much wiser now and the meaning behind Titus’ words didn’t escape him. He’d once heard the term mentioned before when listening to two gladiators making a trade. “Quid pro quo”. Basically, nothing was free, and if you do for me, I’ll do for you. If he had sex with Titus, the gladiator would help him train.
Would that be something he could turn down? Only a fool would. He wanted to survive. Wanted to live past his test to meet his first opponent on the sands. He wanted to be the best of the best so that one day, he could gain his freedom the way Rama had.
He turned to Titus. “Here?” he asked, making a decision he hoped he wouldn’t regret.
Titus shrugged as if to say, why not? “Sure. You’re not shy, are you?”
He’d long since gotten over whatever shyness he had. Looking around, some men were watching them, while others were tending to their own needs and desires. Mateo looked back at Titus. “Let us do it in the corner, over there, with the oil.”
Titus turned and looked at the empty corner and nodded. He climbed out first, then helped Mateo. They walked over to the corner, grabbing a bottle of passion oil along the way. They had several different kinds of oil they could use, but this one was the favorite among the men who often fucked in the baths. It was said to heat up with friction, making sex more intense.
Mateo wasn’t sure intense sex was something he wanted to experience, but he would use it anyway, especially if it got him what he wanted. Training from a champion. He poured some oil onto his fingers, then slipped them inside of his asshole, while Titus oiled up his cock.
Mateo looked over his shoulder, watching Titus, but overhisshoulder, he could see Boris looking on. The gladiator’s gaze was full of rage and jealousy, but he dared not approach. Titus being champion of the ludus gave him privileges the others didn’t have. For instance, he had his own room next to Cervantes. The food he ate was of better quality than theirs. He was allowed to have more possessions, and when he spoke, other gladiators listened and followed orders.
Kodac was his friend and second only to him in the ludus as far as skill went, which was why he’d gained Rama’s favor and why he held a higher position over the gladiators, too. He was Cervantes’ assistant and had also trained Mateo, as well as the others. Mateo hoped that by fucking Titus, it would keep him from having to ward off the others, which he’d been doing with great difficulty. The men were quite hungry for his body and didn’t seem to like being rejected.
“Relax,” Titus said as he aimed the head of his cock against Mateo’s asshole.
Before turning back around, Mateo had gotten a good look at the cock that was about to breach him. Nine inches and thick, though cut. Titus wasn’t one of the men who repulsed him, so he hoped he wouldn’t become one after they had sex. This was the first time he was going to have sex with others watching, and that alone made him a little nervous.
“Relax,” Titus repeated. “It’ll hurt more if you are this stiff.”
“I’m sorry. Never did it in front of people before,” Mateo said.
“Now’s a good time to start,” Titus said.
Mateo blew out the air in his lungs as Titus pressed forward, the tip of his cock breaking past his sphincter. Mateo grunted as he was stretched again. Since losing his virginity, he’d had sex with three males. Eloy, his first. Cervantes and Rama. The last being five times, and thanks to the lesson Cervantes had taught him in the hallway that night, he was able to get hard when Rama was fucking him.
