Michelle Styles - The Gladiator's Honor

'A dagger! Valens, watch out! Behind you!' Julia's cry echoed in his ears. 'He has a dagger!'

Valens reacted without thinking and spun with his sword held out. In slow motion, he watched Aquilia hurl his body towards him, a dagger in his right hand.

Aquilia's charge led him straight on to Valens's sword. Valens's arm shuddered from the impact and he dropped the sword as Aquilia fell backwards. The crowd roared its approval.

Julia collapsed back down on her seat, hardly listening to the crowd. Every muscle trembled. Only her eyes shifted, following every move Valens made as he stood before Caesar's box.

She saw Aquilia's body being dragged away by the guards dressed as guardians of the underworld and shuddered. It could have so easily been Valens lying there.

She had no idea whether she could face seeing Valens in the arena again, and yet she knew, should he fight, that she would be there, willing him on.

She passed a hand over her brow and pushed the thought away. The only thing that mattered was that Valens lived and breathed. He was alive! And she would hold him in her arms again.

Caesar held up his hands, signalling for silence.

'Gladiator, take off your helmet, in order that I might look on your face and know your name.'

Valens slowly lifted the steel helmet. He held up his head and met Caesar's clear gaze. His father stood at Caesar's elbow, his visage sterner and older than Valens remembered, but there was a queer half-smile on his lips. Valens drew a deep breath and knew what he must do.

'I am Gaius Gracchus, the son of Marcus Graccus Quintus, who is sometimes known as Valens the Thracian.' His voice rang out through the arena, echoed and bounced off the seats.

A few catcalls of shame echoed around the arena.

'How came you to be a gladiator, Gaius Gracchus? I remember you as a junior tribune in Zama.' Caesar's question silenced the crowd.

'Pirates captured me and sold me to a gladiatorial school when my ransom failed to arrive.'

'A ransom should always be paid.' Caesar turned towards Senator Gracchus as if expecting an explanation.

'My father mistakenly believed I had died, Caesar. And I wished to live. There is no honour in dying in a pirate's hold.'

'Agreed, and have you avenged your capture?'

'The pirate who captured me died a coward's death.' Valens nodded towards Aquilia's body.

The crowd roared its approval. The sounds of thousands of pairs of feet stamping shook the arena. Caesar held up his hands again and waited for silence. This man will go far, Valens thought, he knows the people.

'Gaius Gracchus, I cannot give you your rightful place back in society. Our laws are such that no man who has fought in the arena may become a senator. I regret I cannot change them, even for a captive.'

'I understand, Caesar.' Valens bowed his head. There would be no miracle happy ending for him.

'However,'Caesar continued, 'after that performance you just gave, that performance that gave honour to my father and his death—ask a boon and if I can grant it I shall. An estate? Jewels? What you would like? What is it that is in my power to give?'

Valens looked at Caesar and then turned to look where Julia stood, hands clasped together, a pleading expression on her face. He knew what she wanted him to ask for, what Caesar expected him to ask for. But the wooden sword was no guarantee of Julia's hand. Valens knew with every beat of his heart that Julia mattered above everything else in his life.

'I would ask for the hand of Julia Antonia in marriage. There is no one or nothing that I want more on this earth than to have her by my side.'

Caesar frowned, and the crowd sat in stunned silence. Valens felt the prickle of sweat cascade down his back as he waited. The tension was worse than waiting for his bout with Aquilia to begin.

'I don't know if I can grant that,' Caesar said at last, his voice sounding less sure than previously.

'Why not? You are her father's patron. Surely you can ask? My suit will hold more weight if you are backing it.'

Caesar motioned to Julius Antonius, who stood up and stepped forward. They had a brief whispered conversation. Valens could see Antonius pointing to where Julia stood and shaking his head.

'I cannot give you the answer you want, Gaius Gracchus Valens,' Antonius shouted. 'My daughter is a free woman and makes up her own mind. You will have to ask her!'

'And I say yes! Yes, I will give my hand to you,' Julia shouted across the arena, hoping her voice could be heard above the din of the crowd.

She knew it had to have been heard as Valens's face broke into a wreath of smiles. Her heart turned over when she thought of what he could have asked for. But he had asked for her. Suddenly the only thing that mattered was for her to feel his arms about her and know he was safe.

She started forward and tried to climb over the barrier. She knew a good deal of her leg would be exposed to Rome, that her behaviour would be talked about for weeks or months to come, but it did not matter. Valens was the only person who mattered.

Two security guards ran over to her and helped her into the arena. When her feet touched the ground she sprinted towards Valens's side. Her sandals slipped on the sand and she had to slow down. It seemed to take an age to reach his side, but suddenly she was there, feeling the warmth of his breath against her cheek.

Her hands touched the cold steel of his armour before encountering the yielding softness of his skin.

'I say yes,' she said again, looking into his eyes and knowing that this was where she belonged. 'Yes, I will be your wife.'

Valens touched his lips to hers. And she was oblivious to the stares and cheers.

'It appears, Gaius Gracchus, you do not need any help from me on that score.' Caesar's voice cut through the noise. 'The lady has made her own choice. But what I would say is that a free woman needs a free man.'

Caesar made a signal with a hand and two servants came out, carrying a wooden sword.

'I give you your freedom, Gaius Gracchus Valens. Long may you enjoy it with your wife!'

Julia watched as Valens grasped the sword with one hand and held it aloft. The roar of the crowd echoed in her ears.

'I love you, Gaius Gracchus Valens,' she whispered.

Valens bowed his head and whispered back, 'I love you with all my heart and all my soul.'

Epilogue

One year later on an estate outside Pompeü

The warm breeze brought a scent of thyme and roses, lifting Julia's hair and tickling her nose. She leant back against the stone wall and gave a happy sigh. With only the birdsong and the faint splash of the stream at the bottom of the terrace, she enjoyed the perfect peace of the estate. Rome with its incessant busy streets seemed like a half-forgotten dream. She lifted her eyes to the green-covered slopes of Mount Vesuvius and thought how timeless this place was.

She leant over and tucked the blanket around Marcus where he lay peacefully sleeping in his basket. Already three weeks old, and his little legs were constantly kicking the covers off. She had never realised how much love and joy a child could bring.

Bato lifted his head from where he lay resting at her feet and gave a happy bark at the sound of approaching footsteps.

'I hoped I might find you and Marcus here. Some scrolls have arrived from Rome.' Valens came towards her and Julia patted her hand on the bench. After giving Bato a pat on the head, he sat down and stretched an arm about Julia. She lay her head against Valens's chest, savouring the steady thump of his heart as Bato settled himself at their feet, and put his nose under his paws. 'I thought to open them with you.'

He handed her a scroll with Claudia's familiar scrawl on the front. Julia rapidly scanned it.