Butch awoke late at night to see Kathrine staring at him. She spoke quietly and said to him, "Get up we need to train you!" He look at her quizzically replying, "For bloody what?" she slumped her shoulders, " Have you no brain Optis isn't having you in the fights next week." Butch then stood up stretching he replied, " Why not? i'm the only one who can stand to you!"
"Because you fool you almost killed yourself in an attempt to grapple me."
"It wasn't my fault he has cracked walls."
"Whatever now lets just go please before the rest of the men wake up!"
"Fine." Butch said after a pause
Kathrine led him out to the training grounds and threw him a wooden sword. "Now you need to learn how to block as well as attack." she demonstrated how to hold a sword in blocking position and how to tell where the sword will come down. "Why do i need this." Butch asked, " Because i was almost able to tear your arm off with a predictable strike." she said bragging, " Now that you've got that down you need to learn how to please a crowd. Its basically how, once you've won enough, you get free." She stated, " How so?" Butch asked, "Well if the crowd hates you and you win a tournament do you think they'll want you on their streets? No they want you in the arena so when you plead mercy they can deny you it. Just always remember being a gladiator is about being ruthless and merciful. One without the other is useless."
They trained through the rest of the morning and when the men came outside they were in a particularly nasty spar Butch had managed to punch Kathrine in the face and then kicked her to the ground. She wasn't done yet she sweeped her sword at his knees making them fall out from under him. then she stood up and delt him several nasty kicks to the abdomin. The she tried to finish it by bringing down her shield upon his inprotected dirt covered face. He hastily dodged and jabbed her in the ribs sending her down to the ground. Then he tackeled her down and held his sword to her neck. She held out twofinger as a sign of mercy, " Nice the second the men come out you defeat me thats makes my threat level sooooooo much higher." She said jokily
YOU ARE READING
The Gate
Historical FictionA story of a man stripped of his life and led forced into the arena
