The Chariots Slave (22 page)



Accalia. “I do not mean to be rude, but may we have some
privacy?”

“Oh, yes, my apologies.” Accalia gave a conspiratorial
wink to Sellah before turning to leave. “I will ready a bed for
you near the door, so you do not disturb the other women
when you return.”

Sellah watched Accalia leave before turning to Simeon.
Being alone with him was nerve racking. They hadn’t had
time to talk about the almost-kiss in the tent, she had hoped to
avoid it, but now that was not an option.

She accepted his outstretched hand and offered him a
forced smile.
They walked past the stables and into a portion of the
gardens to where a pool of water glimmered in the light of
the moon. With a firm hand on her back he directed her over
to the pool and took a seat on its ledge.
Sellah sat next to him, and he removed his cloak and
wrapped it around her shoulders.

“I know we have not known each other for a great deal of
time. But Sellah, I have grown to care for you.” He stopped
to watched her, watch how the light of the moon sent
shimmers of gold through her hair and how it reflected off of
her pale skin. She was beautiful, he wasn’t sure he’d ever get
used to her beauty.

“I am at the age were it is appropriate to start my own
family. And I can think of no other match for me than you.”
Trying to calm his rising nerves he took in a deep breath



before continuing. “You are bold yet kind. Beautiful yet
humble. Innocent yet intelligent. I have never met anyone
like you.”

She lowered her gaze from his, his eyes held so much love
that it was almost smothering. But his words, his words
touched her more than any other she had heard. Simeon was a
good, kind man. He would be a good choice for a happy
future.

He grabbed her chin and gently lifted her face so he could
look upon her. “I would be honoured if you would consider
me to be your husband,” he finished.

race? I am sorry I couldn’t be there. I was in town getting my
hair colored. Do you like it?” Calista’s asked as she twirled
her now bright-red-locks in her fingers.

When he had seen her approach, he sighed in defeat. All
he had wanted was to make it back to his quarters and avoid
crossing her path.

“Yes, it looks lovely,” Thaddius offered with a tone that
reflected he did not care.
Yet despite his indifferent response, she grabbed his hand
and pulled him toward her. She wrapped her arms around his
neck and pulled him into a kiss. At first he held his head back



as she awkwardly tried to pull it down. But then he realized
he had no reason to deny her himself, she was after all his
future wife.

His lips met hers, and he could smell the sickly sweetness
of her over-perfumed skin. There was no fire, no passion that
urged him to continue, so he pulled his head back and looked
down at her.

“Calista, I have another race in the morning, and I
desperately need my rest. You can stay in my room, and I
will stay in my father’s quarters,” Thaddius pulled her hands
from around his neck and turned to leave.

He did not look back at her as he walked into the villa and
down the hall to his father’s room. Ignoring the rising
emotions at the familiar smells and sights he closed the door
behind him and took off his sandals and crawled into bed.

He had barely been able to close his eyes and fully enter
rest when the door to the room creaked open.
Propped up on his elbow, he gave Calista an angry look as
she entered his room uninvited.
“What is it now? Can you not see I am trying to find
sleep?”
“I just heard you gave a ride to another woman. If I am to
be your bride, it must be me showcased with you on your
chariot!” She stuck out her bottom lip and swayed her hips.
Thaddius rolled his eyes when he knew she was not
looking. He really had gotten himself in deep with Calista.
“You are right, and tomorrow you can ride out to the gates
with me. Now leave me!” He rolled over and pulled the bed
covers over his head. He could hear Calista huff in frustration
as she stomped out of his quarters.

It took him longer than necessary to find sleep. His mind
worried about racing without Diana, about the events with
Simeon, and the wager with Barachius.

He tossed from side to side, never descending to a
dreamless state. And when the light of the morning sun
streamed into his room, it did not offer him peace. He was
deeply worried about the day ahead.

There was a knock on his door. Thaddius groaned as he sat
up and rubbed his eyes.
“Enter.”
“Good morning,” Vettius beamed as he brought in a tray
of food for Thaddius.
“Good morning,” Thaddius grumbled as he got out of bed
and walked over to his basin to splash water onto his face.
“Someone is in a foul mood,” Vettius joked.
In response to the jest, Thaddius threw his face cloth at
Vettius and started eating the food on the tray.
“When you are done, you need to go to the stables and
chose a new lead horse. Everything else has been packed and
ready for transportation to Circus Maximus.” Vettius
diligently went about the room, straightening out the bed
covers and picking up Thaddius’s mess.
“I don’t want another lead. It doesn’t seem right,”
Thaddius complained as he stuffed his mouth with food.
“You have no other option, Thaddius. Besides, all those
horses adore you. A change of lead horse gives you a chance
to prove to the green team that your skill far exceeds your
lead horse.”
“Do you honestly believe so?” Thaddius raised an
eyebrow at Vettius.
“I do indeed. Now hurry up and meet me by the horses.”



Vettius grabbed the now empty tray, shaking his head at the
mess Thaddius had made in his haste to eat quickly.

into the transportation cart and closed the door.
“The next of the races will be on Circus Maximus,”
Thaddius replied as he looked toward Lucius. “It is a
privilege to ride upon the sand of its arena. For almost fifty
years the world’s best drivers have competed there.”
“I have never been to the Circus Maximus, tell me what is
it like?” Lucius put his arms behind his head and closed his
eyes to picture the arena in his mind.
Thaddius smiled as he remembered his first time at the
Circus. It was a wonderful yet frightening place.
“It is big, alarmingly so. It can hold hundreds of thousands
of men. But it is beautiful. The track is one of the finest I
have seen. It is long and oval, and in the middle of the track
is the spina that is decorated with obelisks of the sun,
immortality, and images of the gods. Wherever you are on
the track a different god watches over you. It is a powerful
feeling.”
Thaddius’s heart beat in anticipation. It was on the Circus



Maximus that he was proclaimed Victor of Rome. The Circus
was now like a second home to him. He had even decorated
his villa with some of the same obelisks.

“How many laps is the second race?” Calista asked, as she
picked at her nails.
“Seven,” Simeon interrupted. His arms were crossed and
he tapped his foot impatiently on the floor of the cart. No
doubt he was still mad at Thaddius for the other day.
“How do you know which lap you are on?” she asked as
she looked innocently toward Thaddius.
“At each end of the spina is a set of seven eggs. After each
lap around the track an egg gets removed. That way you will
know how much farther you need to go.” He looked at
Lucius to make sure he had heard as well.
“An egg? That seems senseless. Horses don’t lay eggs,”
Calista threw in.
Sellah coughed, in a transparent attempt to cover her
laughter.
“They are in memory of Castor and Pollux,” Thaddius said
as he looked upon Calista in frustration. Yet all he received
was a blank stare indicating that she had no clue about the
tradition. He sighed before he continued, “You know, born
from an egg, laid by their mother Leda, who was impregnated
by Jupiter in the form of a swan?”
She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.
He threw up his hands in defeat as he looked to Simeon,
Sellah, and Lucius for help.
“Castor and Pollux are the patrons of horsemen and the
equestrian order. They aid our soldiers on the battle field!”



Lucius exclaimed. He too was in shock that she had never
heard of such important deities.

The silence in the cart worked to brew Calista’s
annoyance. She did not like the way people were looking at
her, so in an attempt to change the topic, she focused on
Sellah.

“That amulet you own looks to be above the state of a
slave. Did you steal it from someone?” Calista studied the
silver and alabaster pin with envy clearly in her eyes.

Sellah held her gaze and brought her hand over her amulet
to hide it from Calista’s sight.
“Thaddius, control her tongue,” Simeon growled as he
wrapped an arm around Sellah to offer her his support.
Sellah stiffened under his forward touch in front of the
others.
Calista stared at Thaddius, her mouth dropping open as
she waited for him to scold Simeon for talking so rudely
about her.

But Thaddius did not notice Calista’s offense; instead, he
watched Sellah’s reaction to Simeon. Her delicate hands
fiddled with her stola. It was something he had seen her do
many times.



speak for the remainder of the drive or I will have you
removed from the cart.” He glared at Calista who snapped her
head back in bewilderment and opened her mouth to form a
retort.

“I was not jesting. Your status of my betrothed does not
spare you in this instance,” he warned.
She crossed her arms and shut her mouth as she frowned at
him for the rest of the drive.
Soon the images out the window distracted them all
enough to forget Thaddius’s outburst. They watched as the
crowds walked in groups toward the circus. Spectators were
clothed in the colors of their favorite teams.
There were twice as many people attending this race than
the first. She could barely see through the throngs of
spectators as they made their way toward Circus Maximus.
Blue supporters pushed back people so that Thaddius’s
entourage could make its way through. They waved and
clapped and sang Thaddius’s song.
Lucius, soaking in each moment, hung out of the window
waving at them, grabbing as many hands as he could as they
passed.
Thaddius smiled. He remembered the days when he was as
excited to see his supporters and greet them before the race.
“Lucius, you may speak to them,” he offered.
Lucius pulled his head inside and looked to Thaddius to
confirm he had heard correctly. Thaddius smiled and nodded
toward their supporters.
“Thank you, thank you!” Lucius called out. “We will
crush the greens!”
The supporters went wild screaming for him, asking him
questions, and Lucius relished the attention.

Thaddius watched for a while before he turned his
attention back to Calista. She was obviously not pleased that
Lucius was permitted to speak and she was not. She glared at
Thaddius and offered grunts and groans of disapproval.

“If you keep this up, I will grant everyone a voice but
you,” he threatened. Thaddius could not stand pouting
women. He found them extremely irritating.

Snapping her head away from him, she raised her nose
proudly in the air and quietly watched out the window,
smiling and waving to people as they passed. If she was not
going to get Thaddius’s attention, she could at least gain the
crowds.

A shadow cast over the people indicating that they were
close to their destination. Sellah poked her head out the
window and looked up to see a large stone building blocking
out the morning sun. Its huge presence was astounding, and
she couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.