Gladiators of Rome:Short Stories

IV

IV

Alroy's tent was small like he had said and Frieda's shoulder often knocked against Diomed's in the cramped space but the mud floor was covered by animal fur and it was warmer than the plummeting temperatures outside so she did not argue. Instead she sat cross legged on the ground and waited as Alroy unwrapped some precooked meat and shared it out amongst them.

Diomed thanked Alroy as he shovelled the food into his mouth but Frieda was a bit more suspicious and waited for Alroy to eat before she did. Alroy saw her wariness and seemed to laugh at her trust issues as he reached out and took a small piece of meat from her hand before placing it in his mouth and swallowing it. When nothing happened he held his arms out to side, "Satisfied?"
Frieda narrowed her eyes at him but she started to eat and they sat in a warm comfortable silence for a few moments as they quenched their hunger. A metal flask lay in the centre of their small circle which was half filled with water. She waited for Alroy to drink from that too before she did.

"So," Frieda licked the meat juices from her fingers, her stomach grumbling for more food but she had gotten quite good at ignoring her stomach recently, "You are rebelling against the Romans." She cut straight to the point.

Alroy's jaw paused mid-chew for a second as he looked at her before he resumed eating his food, buying some time before he had to answer. After he swallowed he said, "The chief will explain everything to you in the morning. For now we should catch some sleep."

That wasn't the answer Frieda wanted but she knew if she pressed the matter Alroy would grow suspicious and her eyes turned to look at Diomed. If they found out he was a Roman, let alone that he used to be a Roman soldier, they would kill him as well as her probably for being with him so she agreed to speak in the morning. It at least gave her time to think of answers to any awkward questions which might be raised the following day. She just prayed that Diomed could keep his mouth shut.
Untying her sword sheath from around her waist she laid it down beside her whilst she clutched a dagger in her hand beneath her pillow. Diomed was led with his head by her feet and she knew he had his dagger pressed up against the underside of his arm, concealed by the way he slept. Alroy was asleep on the opposite side of the tent with his back to them which she assumed was to show them some small measure of trust but Frieda wasn't feeling it at that moment, she knew that everyone had their own motives and Alroy was no different. There was a reason he had brought them here. She just didn't know what it was and that worried her as the fire in the cradle began to dwindle, leaving them in complete darkness.

Frieda had started to drift off into a light sleep when she heard footsteps squelching in the soft mud outside Alroy's tent and her eyes flew open. Her fingers curled reassuringly around her dagger as she looked to see Diomed and Alroy were still asleep so she listened to the footsteps carry on around the tent before they passed them completely. Her heart, which had sped up in her chest, slowed down again as Frieda let out a small breath and reminded herself that they were in a camp now so of course she was going to hear footsteps; it was probably just a patrol.
As she started to ease herself back to sleep Frieda heard another set of footprints on the other side of the tent but this time they were two of them and their owners were speaking amongst themselves. Half of her just wanted to go to sleep but the other half was intrigued as to what two people could be speaking of in the middle of the night when everyone else was asleep and especially since a patrol just went past moments earlier. Her curious side won out and she quietly got onto her hands and knees and crept towards the tent's opening. Lying on her stomach she pulled the fabric back a little at the bottom of the tent and pressed her face to the gap and listened. She couldn't see their faces but she saw the outline of two sets of boots, one made from leather and one fur, stood a few feet to her left.