Gladiator of Rome (#1 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 25

Chapter 25 

Pompeia gazed into the bowl of water resting atop Titus's old desk, and admired herself.

The water barely rippled allowing Pompeia to see the way the bland colour of her mourning clothes highlighted her pale skin and the vibrancy of her eyes as they stared back at her.

Pompeia was could slowly warm to the colour of death if it had this advantage on her appearance.

"They are ready, my lady-"

Pompeia looked over her shoulder at the slave whose tongue had slipped.

"-Your Grace," the brunette slave girl quickly remedied, adding in a courtesy to apologise.

Giving the ignorant girl an uncommon reprieve, Pompeia turned back to the bowl of water and took one last glimpse of herself.

She had barely been Empress for the night and already her wishes had not been received.

She had wished for Krista to be put to death in the arena the very next day, but her guards had failed her.

But this morning would be the last time her wishes were ignored.

They had allowed the silly little slave girl to escape and now, as guards canvased the entire capital, Pompeia was forced to watch the games Titus had opened, almost bankrupting the treasury in the process.

It would appease the public, Pompeia knew, but she could not appease anybody whilst Krista was roaming freely in her lands.

The sooner that girl's heart stopped beating the better.

Pompeia kept up the appearance of grieving sister as she passed her new senate with their wives; the nobility showing their respect as they aired their mourning attire of black dresses and veils.

Slipping through their sweaty grasps as they tried to cling to her, hoping to gain her favour, Pompeia let out a slow breath of relief when she finally sat upon her brother's throne.

The action was so natural to Pompeia that for a moment she wondered if she had sat in her old seat by mistake, but one quick glance over her shoulder saw that the chair had been removed and in its place was put her brother's most faithful Commander.

Commander Lucius Niclaus.

Pompeia's spine straightened when she saw Titus's loyal bloodhound sit by her side, leaning towards her as if he wished to speak.

"Your breath is heavy down by neck, Niclaus," Pompeia looked at the aged, disgruntled commander, "Is there something you wish to speak with me about?"

"Your Grace," Niclaus bowed his head before his eyes set on the crowds surrounding them; they were no longer screaming but watching her so intently it felt like she was under persecution, "I only wished to convey my deepest sympathies about your brother."

"I do not need your sympathies, Commander, I need your Gladiatrix," Pompeia turned back to the areba as a gate was opened and the first gladiator of the day walked onto the sands.

"I assure you, your Grace," Commander Niclaus urged, his eyes squinting against the sunlight that bronzed his skin, "I have all of my soldiers out looking for her."

"I hope they carry out your orders better than my guards carry out mine," Pompeia hissed as she remembered her guards being so easily defeated by a girl. She was still thinking on how to punish them accordingly.

Maybe she should put them to death with Krista; after all, what was the use of a guard that could not carry out orders?

Pompeia watched the gladiator as he walked towards their balcony, his blonde hair the same colour of the very sand he knelt on before them.