CRVCIFIXION, Part II
Early the next morning, while Trenus's house was still quiet and most lamps were
extinguished, a hand cracked a slap over Sethra's upturned ass.
The hand was a woman's and it quickly retreated to join the rest of its owner in
the bed above were Sethra lay chained. Giggles and male chuckles broke the
early-morning calm.
"Shall we do it again?" The female's voice giggled, but said no more.
Groggily lifting up her head from the thin mat she curled on, Sethra heard
tussling noises above. She fell back to sleep as the moans of Trenus and
Marcianna making love continued. It hardly mattered. The marble underneath the
mat felt cool.
Sleep returned.
Later that same morning, more in the household arose. Sethra clambered to her
feet. At the top of the steps leading to the bed Marcianna stood. Brunette curls
fell in disarray. Thin fingers clutched a vestes stragulae, or purple blanket,
around her. Ornate gold figures embroidered the material. Trenus's mistress
coldly eyed the nude captive as she fingered jewels on the elaborate necklace.
Slightly turning to face back into the bed, she reported that the "bitch" was
still there. Servants came to help her down the steps. Trenus sleepily stretched
his body. Looking out from the bed at Sethra , he also step out, shook a hand
through his hair and walked down to the floor.
A slave offered Trenus a robe to cover his nudity, but he refused and walked out
into the sunlit atrium. He would savor breakfast with Marcianna, and gods
willing, greet the new day in all his and its glory.
Other attendants came for Sethra. The chain locking her to the base of the ivory
and gold steps was unlocked and she was pulled from the house to be taken to the
amphitheater for preparation.
Trenus shifted. The gleaming silver muscle cuirasses, or breastplate, he wore
with its carved Medussa head, griffins, acanthus leaves and tendrils across the
abdomen was impressive, but the whole thing was becoming more and more
uncomfortable as the day's heat increased. That, and it was hard to sit
pleasantly in his chair with the big hunk of metal wrapped around his chest.
He resigned himself to suffering the price of fame. Besides, from where he sat,
the arena presented an especially coveted view.
The roar of the spectators struck Sethra as she entered the ring. The
amphitheater appeared full. Gaily-colored banners snapped in the light breeze
from the tops of the ring. As her eyes adjusted to the bright sun, she could
make out Trenus and other patricians seated across the sand. Trumpets added to
the noise of the crowd. That whore, Marcianna , must be somewhere in the higher
seats.
The usual roster of male gladiators entertained, but all eagerly anticipated
this moment of the games. In the arena below, they cheered as a lone female
entered. The single braided blonde hair many had seen the day before now waved
freely. Taut muscles clearly shown. The beauty had been equipped with a pilum,
or short spear, a small shield strapped across her back a leather sheath held a
broadsword and holding it ran a wide strap across her chest. And wore nothing
else.
Sethra gripped the pilum. Battlefield experience taught her that it was a Roman
device meant to break just after it was thrown at the enemy, so that it could
not be used in return against their army. Good idea, but she hoped this one
would stay together.
Mixed in with the crowd noise, she heard a growl behind her. Whirling around,
she saw it. The black bear was huge. Standing on its hind feet made it seem even
more of a giant. She quickly back-pedaled toward the center of the arena. The
bear followed.
Saliva dripped from its open jaws. Claws, each the size of her head, flexed.
Bared teeth flashed. It waddled closer, clearly antagonized and unafraid of the
human it tracked. Black eyes glistened over the thick snout. Foul breath went
with the temperment.
She didn't want to get to close to Trenus's box. If she were to be ripped to
shreds by this wild animal, she did not want to give him the satisfaction of a
close-up. Stopping just his side of the center, she faced the bear. Cocking the
arm holding the spear, she aimed and let it fly.
The blow to the chest felled the bear. As it dropped, the spear shaft broke
away, leaving the spearhead deeply imbedded in the animal's heart.
Sethra ran toward the fallen bear to get the shaft. Pools of dark blood flowed
out from its chest. The menacing jaws gaped as if frozen. She picked up what was
left of the spear. More horns blared and she whipped around.
From out of one of the gates strolled a lion. It sniffed the earth, tousled its
mane and spotted Sethra standing away from where the bear had fallen. Slaves
were retreating with the carcass, leaving a bloody wake in the sand. The lion
roared. Fresh meat was in the air.
The crowd roared back.
It bounded across the arena toward Sethra. She feverishly checked the straps
holding the shield on her left forearm as the big cat came closer. The shield
wasn't much, but might offer some protection.
Just under 130 lbs. was nothing to stop over 700 pounds of wild fury. The lion
leapt as Sethra held up her shield. The blow knocked her backward. She hit the
sand hard. The growling beast followed through. Claws from a giant paw swiped.
The leather sheath and strap were ripped away. Sethra rolled as the lion pounced
again.
Good for her, she had earlier removed the blade. The lion landed for the kill,
but instead, met the upturned broadsword.
Dust blew as she achingly crawled from under the killed beast. Sethra was too
exhausted to be aware of the salutations from the fans. She hardly was aware of
being lifted up, freed of her shield, and then placed back down on her hands and
knees. Hair dripped over her eyes as she tried to catch a breath.
The crowd cheered more than just the bravery and prowess of the female. They
also cheered the arrival of Trenus riding in great splendor in his parade
chariot. With him stood the lovely Marcianna. Slaves pulled the vehicle to where
Sethra remained on all fours.
A cruel bit was placed between her jaws. A harness fastened Sethra to the
chariot. At Trenus's command and swing of his crop, Sethra pulled. On hands and
knees, she towed the chariot and its passengers from the amphitheater.
Crowds went ballistic. Their leader snapped the crop again and more bronze
muscles flexed as they worked to pull the chariot out of the stadium and into
the city streets. Most planned to follow. Little seemed more important than the
spectacle before them of their victorious leader pulled by the once-proud
resistance leader.
"I love you", Marcianna said as they rolled out the amphitheater. She wrapped
her arms around Trenus to hug and kiss him, but kept one eye on the female
harnessed before them. "Please, may I have your crop?"
She bussed Trenus's cheek as he gave her the thin leather, and then looked with
both eyes at Sethra's rear. Between the strong thighs she glimpsed what she was
looking for. Marcianna swung the crop hard at the shaven vulva, swollen from
yesterday's abuse.
Sethra choked on the bit as the crop hit. Her head jerked forward. Legs and
hands clawed the stone street to pull harder. She winced as the same spot was
hit again. Sethra pulled more. Unable to close her mouth, drool spat out. She
tried to wiggle her hips to ease the pain, but to no avail.
Marcianna had found her target. She swung again, though harder this time.
