From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
                                           Xena: Roman Gladiator   
      
                                               Chapter Fourteen   
      
                                           In The House of Cicerius   
      
               [another challenge in the arena -  violence]   
      
   As Batiatus predicted, their arrival was closer to midnight than sunset, but   
   Cicerius and Selena welcomed them with open arms, and copious amounts of   
   wine and food. Xena and the gladiators were taken to the locked facility set   
   aside for visiting warriors. Gabrielle and the other slaves were taken to   
   Batiatus and Lucretia's bedchamber with instructions to remain there, and   
   not to wander the villa. They were there only to serve the immediate needs   
   of their master and mistress. The guards were housed in guest barracks.   
      
   The next morning at dawn all the gladiators were roused, fed, then sent into   
   the arena for practice. It was twice the size of Batiatus' and was   
   surrounded on three sides with walls that supported elevated seating for   
   spectators. The fourth side had a similar balcony for Cicerius and his   
   guests. While Xena and her four companions kept to themselves, Doctore   
   talked with Skyrn, his counterpart, trying to discover just who Xena's   
   opponent would be, but no one would say anything other than tomorrow was the   
   day she would die in the blood-soaked sand.   
      
   Batiatus and Lucretia made an appearance near midday. With Cicerius was   
   someone Batiatus didn't recognize. He was introduced as Otho. Batiatus only   
   knew his name, and of his reputation as a very wealthy imperator who had   
   powerful allies in Rome.   
      
   And after a satisfying midday meal Lucretia, Severa, Otho's very young wife,   
   and Selena left to walk through the extensive gardens and talk of the latest   
   gossip from Rome.   
      
   Cicerius, Otho and Batiatus went to observe the gladiators as they went   
   through their practice routines. And despite his persistence, Batiatus could   
   not get Cicerius to reveal Xena's opponent, nor even the opponents for the   
   four he brought for the preliminary bouts. He couldn't help but noticed that   
   Otho was strangely silent most of the day. As Cicerius gave them the grand   
   tour of his brand new arena, Batiatus kept an eye out for any potential   
   opponents, but none of Cicerius' gladiators seemed particularly threatening.   
   If Otho had brought any competitors, Batiatus had no way of knowing who they   
   were.   
      
   "And as you can see here," Cicerius was bragging as they walked the floor of   
   the arena, "five thousand spectators is only a rough estimate. I'm sure we   
   can accommodate twice that many if need be. And look there," he pointed at   
   the balcony area reserved for the aristocracy, "Twice as much room as yours   
   for seating guests, with entrances on both sides so the slaves can more   
   quickly serve the wine and food."   
      
   "Yes," Batiatus replied, now becoming tired of Cicerius not-so-subtly   
   pointing out the inadequacies of his own arena. "But tell me -- this   
   opponent of Xena's, I have seen no one who seems especially menacing."   
      
   "And the sand we walk on," Cicerius continued as if he hadn't heard,   
   "imported especially from the lands of the pharaoh -- well known for its   
   incredible property to soak up the blood that is inevitably spilled, then   
   clumping into masses that are easy to rake, hastening the next contest."   
      
      
   The day passed quickly for Cicerius and his guests,  but more slowly for the   
   slaves, who did little but stand by, talking in low tones, and waiting in   
   case Dominus or Domina required attention. Theirs was a long wait between   
   the time Dominus and Domina arose at midday and retired just before   
   midnight. Such was their excitement over the coming competition, mixed with   
   their exhaustion from the journey, that Batiatus and Lucretia each used a   
   slave to bring them both almost to orgasm before he mounted his wife.   
   Fortunately for Gabrielle, Dominus chose Sateria, who was older, and knew   
   exactly what he wanted and needed. Lucretia secretly wished for Barsis, but   
   instead selected Hermes, known for his propensity for oral sex.   
      
   But the day passed the slowest for the gladiators belonging to Batiatus.   
   Their practice workouts were of the most generic kind, not wanting to show   
   potential adversaries any of the tricks shown to them by Doctore or Xena.   
   Even Xena laid back, resting, and wondering just who had Cicerius chosen for   
   her.   
      
      
   The next morning the weather had changed from warm and balmy to cold enough   
   one's breath could be seen. And again, the superstitious men took this as a   
   sign that the cold hand of death was reaching down for them: someone, or   
   possibly more than one, would die that day. And knowing that her adversary   
   was likely to be horrific, many looked to Xena as the one to meet her fate.   
   Some reveled in the thought, others were saddened that such a magnificent   
   warrior's life was to end.   
      
   Of course Xena dismissed all such notions, unsuccessfully trying to explain   
   it was just the weather. Winter wasn't so far off and Autumn temperatures   
   always were unpredictable. But though he tried not to believe the talk, even   
   Doctore was apprehensive.   
      
   As usual, the first matchup began just at midday. The four preliminary   
   matches were mostly uneventful; exciting at times, but no one was seriously   
   wounded, and as Batiatus had foreseen, the men Cicerius had chosen weren't   
   up to the quality of his, and they lost. At first Batiatus was somewhat   
   puzzled as to why Otho had no men to challenge his, until he realized he had   
   to be the one who brought Xena's adversary, and was not just an invited   
   spectator.   
      
   But the final contest was the one everyone was waiting for, and as the event   
   drew closer, the wagering became more intense. The betting among the crowd   
   was mostly even. Xena's reputation from her previous encounter swayed many   
   of them, but the element of an unknown challenger who must be one who could   
   win caused many of them to bet against her.   
      
   In the balcony, Batiatus wagered heavily on Xena despite slight misgivings   
   about doing so against an unknown quantity. He knew Cicerius was no fool.   
   And he also knew that Otho would not have come so far unless he thought his   
   man could stand toe to toe with Xena and defeat her. Lucretia also was   
   concerned, but as was her place, could only offer harmless advice and   
   encouragement, hoping he wasn't exceeding his ability to pay off the wagers   
   if Xena was defeated.   
      
   In the holding cell, Doctore was preparing Xena for her combat. Again, she   
   wore only the loincloth; no boots or sandals, and bare breasted. But instead   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)