Guardian of Rome (#2 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

3 months later.

 

Their screams of terror sounded in the night.

Flames gripped their huts and smoke billowed into the black sky above them as chains were slammed around their wrists.

Their new masters arrived from nowhere and destroyed their village, killing the old and enslaving the young.

The mothers prayed for their children, the fathers fought to defend their home whilst infants cried and smoke surrounded their bodies.

Simple villagers who were having their lives catastrophically changed in a single night; most would be taken to the mines, others would become sexual slaves and some would even be destined for the arena itself.

Dozens of scared eyes searched the forest, their prayers for help going unanswered by the Gods.

But as they cast their eyes down to the ground, too beaten to stand, a new sound travelled through the burning village.

It was a sound of warriors. It was the sound of hope.

A young woman, her clothes torn at the shoulders and her hair falling over her face, stared into the forest.

Darkness and shadows revealed nothing more than trees to her innocent eyes but in an instant the trees had morphed into beings.

Their branches were pulled back, their leaves flapping in the wind, as people emerged from the forest, sent by the Gods to protect them.

The soldiers, who had been chaining their wrists together, turned and drew their swords at the threatening noise.

Too far away to see their faces, the young woman watched with anticipation and fear as the new arrivals charged into the village.

As they grew closer, the light from the fires illuminating their faces, she saw that there were two women and three men.

She was shocked to see women carrying swords but they looked the image of ferocity and vengeance.

One had a mass of blonde curls rumbling down her back whilst another had hair almost as black as the sky above them.

The young woman watched them with fascination as they hit the line of Romans, their swords striking true.

And for the first time since the romans had arrived, the young woman felt a glimmer of hope spark to life inside of her.

* * *

Planting her boot against the Roman’s chest, Krista pulled her sword from his thick chest and looked around her.

The night sky was turning brighter as dawn approached, the fires were being tackled and the screams had turned to tears of relief.

Crouching by the soldier’s body, Krista wiped the blood from her sword on his tunic when she heard her name being called from behind her.

Glancing over her shoulder, Krista’s mood was instantly lifted when she saw who was approaching.

Sheathing her sword, Krista left the villager and hurried into the long grass, meeting Artorius half way.

Holding out her arms, Artorius placed their son into her arms and she held him close, inhaling his sweet scent.

Krista no longer yearned for battle as much as she yearned to feel her son in her arms. After being parted for so long, Krista never wanted to let him go.