Gladiators of Rome:Short Stories

I

I

70AD

Somewhere in the distance a rooster had begun to crow and the air smelt of warm sunlight as Lazarus stepped out of his hut, stretching his arms wide and lifting his face towards the sun.

"Mornin' Lazarus!"

Looking back at the sound of his name, Lazarus saw Paulinus, with his satin hat tilted forward on his head as he pushed his wooden cart, carrying fabrics from all of Rome, over the cobbles towards the market.

"Morning," Lazarus smiled back as he watched Paulinus carry on down the street with the other merchants.

Seating himself upon an upturned bucket outside his home, Lazarus began to pull on his sandals and wind the straps up around his calves. Once he had fastened them into place, he simply sat there for a moment and looked around him.

People smiled at him as they passed him and he would smile back enjoying the peace when a pair of warm, smooth hands skimmed over the top of his shoulders from behind.

A small sigh of contentment left his lips as Cardea rested her chin on his shoulder, her fingers cupping his shoulders as her plaited hair tickled his skin.

"Morning husband," Cardea murmured, her finger tracing idle circles on his skin, "You're going to be late if you sit here much longer,"

"Mm," Lazarus complained, "I shall get ready in a minute. Ibicus will be a while yet, but for now-"

Cardea let out a small squeal as Lazarus turned and spun her around, pulling her against him until she was sat on his lap, her arms trapped against his body.

"I just want to spend some time with my wife," Lazarus smiled as he kissed his wife, his arm wrapped around her waist.

"Oh, you are a bad man Lazarus," Cardea eyelids fluttered open to reveal sparkling eyes the colour of the most deepest and warmest oak, her plump lips pulled back in a warm smile so he knew she did not mean it.

Lazarus kissed her again.

Cardea placed her hands flat against his chest and rested her forehead against his.

A deep sigh left Lazarus's chest as the real world and their situation began to pound at his head once again, unable to leave him be, "What would happen if we just left?"

Cardea pulled back and stared at her husband. Oh, but if only they could.

"You know that we cannot," Cardea finally replied, "Orlandus would find us-"

"-Not if we were smart," Lazarus clutched at his wife, praying she would change her mind and say yes but he knew, deep down he knew, that they wouldn't make it very far either.

"He would still find us," Cardea ran her fingers down the side of his face, "Besides this is our home now."

Lazarus nodded solemnly about to stand up, "I should get ready for work. Ibicus will be here shortly."

"Mama! Papa!"

Lazarus felt Cardea react instantly when she heard their son's voice. She unwound her arms from her husband and reached them out to Patroclus, who had come tottering out of the hut in search of them.

"Mama," Patroclus cooed as Cardea pulled her son onto her lap, his dark hair stuck up at the back from where he had been sleeping on it.

Lazarus rested a hand against his son's back, keeping him safe, and his breath was stolen from him when he saw that his hand spanned the entire space of Patroclus's back.