From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
               [no sex, no violence in this chapter]   
      
                                   Xena: Roman Gladiator   
      
                                           Chapter Six   
      
                           Amazonia, the Amazon Warrior   
      
   After Doctore left, Xena closed her eyes, bent her knees so she could   
   submerge the rest of her until her head was resting on the bottom of the   
   tub. She then began a slow count, enjoying the quiet, cool calmness of the   
   water, savoring every moment. When she reached fifty, she sat back up   
   reached outside to the floor to get one of the rags she had been wearing to   
   scrub the sweat and dirt from her body. It was then that she saw Doctore   
   standing there holding clean linen. He placed it on the edge of the tub and   
   said, "There is food in the dining area," and again walked away.   
      
   Xena leaned forward to pick up the two strips of fabric. They were exactly   
   like the ones she had been wearing except there were no tears and no   
   fraying; they were almost new. After giving herself a good scrubbing, she   
   got out of the tub and wrapped her breasts and loins with the clean linen   
   without drying herself and walked into the dining area. On a table were a   
   bunch of large, purple grapes, a wooden bowl of goat cream to dip them in, a   
   melon that had been quartered long ways, and a large wooden goblet of water.   
      
   "So this is how the winners are treated," she said to herself. "Maybe this   
   won't be so bad."   
      
   With her unusual sense of smell, she detected that the cream didn't smell   
   like it should. She stirred it with one finger and it was thicker than it   
   should have been, and tasting it she could tell it was on the verge of   
   souring, but was still palatable. Next she popped a grape into her mouth,   
   and it, too, was past ripe.   
      
   "Probably rescued from the slaves with purple feet who mash the over-ripe   
   grapes into the first stages of wine," she mused to no one. But she still   
   ate them with relish – it had been too long since she'd had fruit of any   
   kind.   
      
   She then drank the cream down, savoring its richness, and used her finger to   
   scrape out the rest. Next she turned to the melon, which was also past its   
   prime and on its way to natural fermentation,  but she ate it anyway, down   
   past the rind, and said to the room, "I wonder why they never make melon   
   wine? Hmm, maybe they do."   
      
   She then followed it all with the water.   
      
   "Maybe," she said again patting her full belly with the fingers of both   
   hands, "Maybe it won't be so bad after all."   
      
   She wasn't particularly worried about Gabrielle. She knew Gabrielle could   
   take care of herself. And if there had been any problems she, Xena, would   
   have been tied to the post in the middle of the arena and whipped. Or so   
   Dominus swore.   
      
   After throwing the remains of her meal into the garbage pit she walked to   
   the doorway leading out to the arena. And as she watched the training she   
   noticed that there was more intensity among the men. Maybe it was because a   
   woman had been chosen so quickly to participate in combat and they were   
   embarrassed she was so much better. Or maybe she had inspired them. Xena   
   couldn’t decide which it was. But she knew one day some of them would either   
   be dead, wounded and no longer useful, or would go on to be heroes of the   
   arena.   
      
   The sun began to set and training for the day was over and she stepped aside   
   to let them enter. One had pulled a muscle in his back and was half carried   
   to the bath she had used. After he was in it, hot water was added to help   
   assuage the injury. And again Doctore seemed to appear from nowhere.   
      
   "Tomorrow you will begin training for the games."   
      
   "I thought I was."   
      
   "No, you were only training for the opportunity to do so. You seemed   
   somewhat uncomfortable with the shield at first."   
      
   "Well, I've never used one; never had to. But I can see how it can be   
   useful."   
      
   "Have you ever fought using two swords together?"   
      
   "Once or twice, took some getting used to. Why?"   
      
   "Dominus thinks combat with a pair of them will give more impact and drama   
   than with sword and shield."   
      
   "Can I use my own sword - the one I had when I was captured? I'm used to   
   it."   
      
   "No. The ones you will use will be identical. It makes for a more balanced   
   look."   
      
   Xena shrugged her shoulders, it was worth a shot. And she knew there was no   
   way they would ever let her use her Chakram.   
      
   "Also, Dominus has decided that your name will be changed. He recognizes it   
   is too well-known in Rome and wishes to delay Caesar's discovery that you   
   are here for as long as possible."   
      
   "And just who will I be?"   
      
   "Amazonia, the Amazon Warrior. You will let your hair fly free and wildly to   
   add to the effect. And we will paint your face and body. And you will be   
   naked."   
      
   Xena chuckled at the thought.   
      
   "Something amuses you?"   
      
   "No, well yeah. I've had dealings with the Amazons, and none of them are   
   anything like you describe."   
      
   "But no one here will know, nor care. Now, follow me."   
      
   Doctore led Xena to one of the small cells just off from the main barracks   
   room.   
      
   "This is where you will sleep from now on. A privilege reserved for those   
   who have seen, or will see, combat in the arena."   
      
   The small room barely had room for the bed with a straw-filled mattress, but   
   at least she was away from the others and had some privacy. When Doctore   
   left, Xena lay down on the bed. It wasn't bad -- softer than the hard ground   
   she was used to sleeping on, and there didn't seem to be any fleas or lice   
   that she could see.   
      
   She lay there listening to the men as their day was winding down – talking   
   about the day's practice; who else might be chosen for the upcoming   
   competition, and why or why not; the sounds of eating; noises from the   
   latrine. She had almost dozed off when she was suddenly aware of someone in   
   her cell, looking down on her. When she opened her eyes she saw Barsis   
   standing over her. He was naked and was sporting half an erection.   
      
   Ignoring it, she said, "Something on your mind?" She didn't bother to sit up   
   or stand.   
      
   He grinned down at her, thinking her remaining prone was an invitation.   
   "Just thought that now we've got some privacy…." He didn't finish the   
   sentence, expecting Xena to accept his unspoken yet obvious suggestion.   
      
   "Yep, plenty of privacy," she replied. "Enough that when I smash your face   
   into the wall, no one will ever see it. And if you don't get your disgusting   
   self out of here, that's exactly what will happen, in less than a 10-count.   
   One…two…three…."   
      
   Knowing better than to press it, Barsis turned and went out. Just as he was   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)