Unconditionally (Spartacus FANFIC -- Gannicus/Caesar/OC)

Chapter XX

That night Naevia and I sat next to each other in our room holding each other as we sobbed for Barca. We had talked to each other in great length about telling Oenomaus or anyone what had really happened to him yet, we both realized it would likely have meant we would be sent to the mines. Sent to the mines or killed in the ludus below, I for one did not want to die while justice still needed to be had. We had tried to sort out a way to help the boy; Pietros flee from the ludus. Which the mark of his master such a thing would not be easy.

When I awoke the next morning I saw that Naevia was standing by the window. Quickly dressing I made my way towards her. "I hardly slept." I told her as she turned to me. "How are we to face the men? They will ask about Barca's leaving the house." She questioned.

"You will say as you had been commanded to, I could not bare to lose you to Naevia. We have lost far too much in this house already." I remarked as she began to move my hair from my face.

"I believe you are to stand below with Dominus as Spartacus' wife arrives." She told me, "I heard Domina... make comments of you being the woman's guide." She explained her tone angry.

"I fear Sura, will not be arriving with her life... yet another one this house is seeing to an end." I told her as she looked at me worried. "Hush your voice. Ashur has not yet removed himself from his room."

"Are you really sure it was him that lead Barca to his death?" I asked her as she lowered her head. "I am not, yet... I feel strongly towards it. Domina has made mind towards him being a snake." She told me.

"I have some faith that maybe he is not as we think. I should not keep Dominus waiting." I told her as I headed downstairs to Dominus chamber as the two of us made our way below in silence. He looked over at me "Ah, there you are. We have things to go over before the arrival." He told me as we walked through the halls. "What is it you wish to go over, Dominus." I asked.

"You are to join me, need to make best appearance of welcoming the woman into this villa." He told me, "There is a new robe waiting for you in the slave quarters, the girls will help you put it on." He told me. "When you are done, come find me." He told me as I nodded before wandering off to find this new robe.

Walking into the room, I saw Aria standing before me as she offered me a smile. The robe, it looked just like Melitta's old robe. I tried to hold back the tears of her memory, Aria made her way to me and began removing my robes as I stepped forwards to put on the new one. "Thank you, Aria." I told her as she just walked away from me to attend her duties.

I found Dominus on the balcony as he called out to Spartacus. "Your wife's cart appears upon the road. I'll be with you presently." Dominus called to him before walking back into the villa and over to me. "Suits you well, I have always seen you as more of a leader of this house than my wife's slave." He told me as I nodded, "Gratitude, Dominus." I told him as we walked through the house to where Domina was standing looking out at the pool where Barca knelt taking his last breaths as a slave. "The pool is clear." She spoke almost as if she were miles away. Was this regret? "As if it...never happened." She spoke again.

For the last while I wasn't even sure if the masters of this house even knew what guilt or regret where, yet Domina here seemed awfully conflicted about what had been done to Barca. She must have known Ashur was involved in the lie, as Naevia said yet. I still held to the fact that maybe, he was innocent of this awful thing.