From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
       I know ---   
   I know ---   
      
   this is NOT the forum for stories, but I am tired of no one posting here.   
   and I can understand why. Why should anyone visit here since Xena as been   
   off the air since June 2001 , so --- since it's apparent that no one is here   
   any more to say anything, then here goes---   
      
   [and BTW, this story contains graphic descriptions of violence and sexual   
   activity. It takes place in the Ludus as described in the FX series   
   "Spartacus."]   
      
   Apr 18, 2010   
   (10 years since I wrote this?)   
      
                               Xena: Roman Gladiator   
      
                                       Chapter One   
      
                                          Captured!   
      
      
   Xena stoked and banked the campfire one last time before she and Gabrielle   
   settled down for the night. And one more time, Gabrielle looked over at Xena   
   with the questioning look on her face.   
      
   "Just a couple more days," Xena said, answering the question Gabrielle no   
   longer had to ask. "Two more sunrises and we'll be in Napoli. And then it'll   
   be just a matter of booking passage to Prevaza. Less than thirty days after   
   that and we'll be safe and sound back home in Greece."   
      
   "It sounds like forever to me," she answered. "I know we haven't had any   
   problems, but being this close to Rome makes me nervous."   
      
   "An eight-day journey on horseback makes you nervous? This is a big country.   
   That's a lot of land to search. And it's not like we left a wagon trail. And   
   besides," Xena went on, "no one will be looking for us here. They think we   
   went north toward the mountains."   
      
   "Did you really have to kill him? A Roman soldier of all people!"   
      
   "It was him or us, you know that."   
      
   "Okay. Okay, I know. It's just, well I would have done things differently. I   
   don't know what or how, but different."   
      
   Xena didn't bother to respond. They both knew when it was time to stop   
   discussing the fact that Xena wasn't about to let a corrupt Roman centurion   
   rob them, and then try to kill them when they fought back. It was a   
   lose-lose proposition. If Xena and Gabrielle hadn't been in disguise while   
   in Rome, Xena would have had to fight all the way there and back just for   
   being Xena. But their weapons were never far away -- Xena's favorite sword   
   and Chakram, and Gabrielle's sais.   
      
   Early the next morning when it was barely light, Xena heard Gabrielle making   
   her way to the trees to relieve herself. She waited, half asleep, for her to   
   return and to get the fire built up to start breakfast. Xena let her eyes   
   close, but then there was a noise, muted and muffled, not at all like the   
   sound Gabrielle would make coming back to the camp.   
      
   Xena sat up, her hand instinctively gripping her Chakram. Just then   
   Gabrielle stumbled into the clearing and Xena could see her hands were   
   behind her, and a rope around her neck. Suddenly behind her, and surrounding   
   half the camp were soldiers armed with short swords and shields, battle axes   
   and pikes.   
      
   "If you want me to kill your friend, make a sudden move. Any move!"   
      
   Xena slowly moved her hand away from her Chakram, making sure both her hands   
   were visible to one who spoke. It was obvious he was a Roman lieutenant.   
      
   "On your feet! Slowly."   
      
   Xena obeyed. Right now there was nothing she could do, but her eyes were   
   everywhere -- checking out the weapons, the number of men, where they were   
   standing, who appeared inexperienced and nervous, and who were the veteran   
   warriors.   
      
   "Hands on your head!"   
      
   When Xena was slow to move, he jerked Gabrielle's head back by her hair and   
   put a dagger to her neck, slicing it and leaving a small trickle of blood to   
   run down to her collarbone.   
      
   "You're making a big mistake," Xena warned. "If anything happens to her,   
   none of you will live to see the sunrise."   
      
   "If you don't want her dead, you'll do as you're told," he retorted as he   
   pressed the tip of the dagger against her throat, causing yet another   
   dribble of blood.   
      
   He nodded his head and Xena heard someone behind her move. Then her hands   
   were brought down and manacled behind her and a loop of rope was tightened   
   around her neck. Both she and Gabrielle were tied together, front to back,   
   an arm's length apart, with rope from neck to neck.   
      
   The lieutenant ordered that their supplies and Xena's sword, Chakram and   
   Gabrielle's sais were to be gathered up, then they were marched off, their   
   backs to the rising sun. Xena couldn't help but notice they were NOT being   
   taken toward Rome.   
      
   As the sun rose higher in the sky nothing was said -- it was evident these   
   men were on a mission. And still Xena studied them as they traveled. They   
   were Romans, no doubt, but not part of the Roman Legion of the capital city.   
   They were part of a private army, much like the generals who carried out the   
   Senate's orders but had their own armies.   
      
   Finally, they stopped for a brief lunch. Xena and Gabrielle were given a   
   swallow of water and nothing else. While the solders talked among   
   themselves, Xena tried to comfort Gabrielle while attempting to overhear any   
   part of any conversation that would give her a clue as to what their   
   destination was. When she realized that wasn't working, she waited until the   
   lieutenant walked past.   
      
   "Where are you taking us?" she asked abruptly.   
      
   For a few moments he said nothing, then answered curtly, "Capua." Then he   
   walked on.   
      
   Gabrielle looked at Xena questioningly. "I've never heard of Capua. Have   
   you?"   
      
   Xena nodded slowly, a serious look of concern on her face.   
      
   "What?" Gabrielle asked.   
      
   "I've only heard it mentioned a few times. There is a ludus there."   
      
   "A what? I don't know what that is."   
      
   "It's a gladiatorial school. They train men to fight in the arena –   
   sometimes to the death."   
      
   "But why are they taking us there?"   
      
   Xena didn't answer, but only shook her head.   
      
   They traveled the rest of the day until sunset. Xena and Gabrielle's hands   
   were unchained from behind them to the front and they were given a handful   
   of some kind of fatty meat for supper. Then chains were shackled around   
   their ankles and to a tree for the night.   
      
   The next morning they were roused at daybreak, given more water and a   
   handful of gruel to eat, and once again headed west. It was just before dark   
   when they arrived at an impressive villa. Someone met the Roman lieutenant   
   and told him where to take the prisoners. Xena overheard him being told that   
   the Dominus and Domina were eating supper and he would inspect them later.   
      
   As they were taken to jail cells, Xena paid close attention to everything –   
   the armed guards no more than twenty paces apart and always within site of   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)