Eponin, Malonda and nearly all of the Amazon contingent attended her, along with Hercules, of course, which meant that if there was any trouble, or their plan went wrong, they'd be in a position to fight their way clear. Hakine had been stationed in the palace grounds ready to make a dash back to Pompey's and get the other's to the ship should the situation deteriorate, and Nebula had been warned to be ready for a swift evacuation.

The Amazon party, therefore, looked suitably impressive as they swept up the long marble steps into the huge hall that was functioning as a buffet dining room for the occasion. With Hercules on her left, Eponin on her right and a guard of six Amazon's trailing them, Ephiny signed the rest to disperse around the edge of the room and watch for any signals she might make.

Meandering around, Ephiny took tidbits from the trays of slaves as they were offered to her, and accepted a goblet of wine. The others of her immediate entourage refrained from partaking in any of the bounty that they were offered, making it very evident that they were there as guards, not guests.

Music played in harmonic reels from various hidden galleries. The gently soothing sound of rippling harps giving a solid background for the heavy buzz of conversation to lay against. Spotting one of the younger Roman Senators, that Ephiny tentatively liked for his cutting wit, the Regent glided over to engage him in conversation, seemingly oblivious to her ever present escort.

Caesar, it seemed, had waited until all of his guests had arrived before making his entrance with Pompeia on his arm. After a suitable delay, so that it appeared that he hadn't been waiting on the Amazon's arrival, trumpets blared a fanfare and the ruler of Rome and his wife entered arm in arm.

That was the signal for the dance between Ephiny and Caesar to begin. As the Roman tried hard to manoeuvre his quarry into a situation where he could engage her in quiet conversation, the Regent used all her skills to ensure that the closest he got was to wishing her, "Good Evening," while she was part of a large group in the centre of the hall.

Senator Graccus, who was by nature an observer of human foibles, watched the dance with growing interest and respect for the skills that the Amazon 'Queen' was showing. - It's not often, - he chuckled to himself wryly, - that I get to see the prey avoid Caesar with such nimbleness and grace. - He could see from the participant's faces that the Regent was thoroughly enjoying herself, whilst Caesar was looking progressively broodier and far from happy with the situation.

After almost two candlemarks of trying, he finally cornered her, along with 'Heston', her head guard and the six bodyguards, by the indoor fountain that was spouting red wine in place of water .. only to be interrupted by his major domo making an announcement at a pre-ordained time.

"For the entertainment of all, The Great, Julius Caesar, presents to you his personal property and slave, Xena!" He waited as the woman was hustled into the crowded room by ten guards, six of whom held onto the restraint chains that controlled her movements. As she shuffled reluctantly forward, the major domo continued to recite his parroted lines, "Once known as the Warrior Princess and The Destroyer of Nations, this savage woman has been conquered and brought to heel by the Lord Caesar for the safety and glory of Rome."

By the time that the rehearsed speech had been finished, Xena stood before Caesar and Ephiny in a scene that parodied her own first sight of Verchinex. Her arms flexed against the restraint of the beam that it had been deemed prudent to use once again, and her eyes became icy fire burning all those who chanced to meet them.

Caesar threw the major domo a vexed look, before he recovered his suave charm and smiled at the Regent, "I believe you know my slave, your highness," he began smoothly, ignoring the deadly eyes that bore into him, "I thought it only fair that you should get a look at her now that she's fit once more .. after all, the last time you had a close view of her she hardly looked capable of giving your man much of a fight."

Xena threw a look at Hercules who's attention seemed to be fixed somewhere off in space. She returned her focus to Caesar as he continued to speak once more.

"Are you sure that you want to risk that huge sum in your wager?" he asked in a gentlemanly fashion, "She has never been beaten you know?" He lifted Ephiny's hand to his lips, only to have it snatched from his grasp at the last instant as the Amazon moved forward in a slow, considering circle of the chained warrior.

Suppressing the urge to laugh at the exasperated look on Caesar's face, Xena was struck by yet another coincidence linking this to the last time she stood in this room. Hiding the thought, and the laugh that was looking for egress, she focused her senses on Ephiny's slow perambulation until her friend stood before her once more.

Stepping forward, Ephiny was greeted by an almost amused arch of the Warrior Princess' eyebrow as she watched the Regent fight to keep the grin off her face. The effect was to produce a kind of twisted snarl, that she used to good effect when she grabbed Xena's face turning it to one side then the other .. actually looking for any sign of the wounds that had been so prevalent on the warrior before .. seeming to inspect the slave contemptuously.

"I think my wager's safe," Ephiny said at last. "I don't expect this scum to give my man any trouble."

"Amazon, you wouldn't know what to do with a real man!" growled Xena with lewd disrespect.

Glaring at the warrior for a long heartbeat, the Regent hauled off and threw a right hook that connected solidly with Xena's jaw, snapping her head to one side. Slowly, the Warrior Princess turned back to face her friend and then spat full in her face, "Amazon's are just like Romans!" she snarled as the guards struggled to hold her in place, "Neither race has got any balls, and both like their enemies chained when they attack them." She knew that Ephiny would forgive her for the insult, but she saw Caesar's knuckles whiten at her jibe.

"Take her down to the cells until it's time for the fight to begin," he instructed the guards.

As Xena was wrestled from the hall, the major domo began a fresh set of announcements, "A programme of fights has been arranged for the edification and entertainment of all guests interested. There will be seven bouts in all, culminating in the match between The Lord Caesar's slave, Xena, and the Amazon Champion, Heston. The programme will begin in a half candlemark."

Throughout the entire exchange, Pompeia had stood to one side carefully watching her husband's obsession and the current object of his desires, interact with each other. Her eyes hardened as she was sure she detected some wordless exchange between the two women that was at odds with their public display. - There's something other than the avowed hatred between those two, - her sharp mind told her. - That .. that .. Amazon creature is up to something! I can feel it! however much they seem to look daggers at each other! -

By the time Caesar turned back to talk to Ephiny, the Regent had immersed herself back into the social whirl. He sighed as Pompeia approached him and began to disclose her suspicions to him. His natural inclination was to laugh it off as jealousy .. but his wife did have a very keen mind, and she was an astute observer of human nature. So ....

It was late in the evening when Caesar once more got the chance to approach Ephiny. They had both ventured down to the fighting pit for the end of the fifth bout and had gravitated together to watch the sixth match from the ostentatious and comfortable box at the head of the arena. The Regent accepted a seat at the her host's side and glanced around the most elaborate fighting pit that she had so far attended in Rome.

The arena was excavated, fully twenty foot down from the spectator level, and measured in the region of twenty-five foot by forty foot. At each corner of the pit, on the gallery level, was a guard box each capable of holding two men, Ephiny's glance registered the presence of soldiers in the background armed with dart crossbows, obviously intended for when Xena came into fight. She also registered the fact that at least twenty more soldiers, carrying thick, heavy, batons, stood on guard at the back of the gallery.

Caesar watched as the Amazon Queen settled back to observe the combat being played out on the sandy floor of the pit. He knew her eyes had wandered over the security precautions readied for Xena, but then almost everyone else around the pit had too; the steps he's taken were unusual, elaborate and bound to attract attention, Ephiny showed neither more, nor less, interest than anyone else. Thinking of Pompeia's words once again, he made the decision to shrug them off. The punch the Amazon had delivered to Xena's jaw had been anything but friendly!

Allowing her eyes to drift back to the contest between two muscular gladiators, the Amazon failed to notice Caesar lean over, until he said softly, "Why have you been avoiding me?"

Ephiny fought the urge to shy away from him and shudder, instead she made her tone cold and hard, "You seem to have all your time occupied with Politics and that murdering savage you call your slave," she told him cuttingly, "I'm sure that I didn't want to get in the way of your passions."

"How could you possibly think that?" he asked with plaintive artfulness, "As a ruler you know that sometimes the affairs of state must take precedence over our personal preferences."

She turned and looked at him fully, "State duty is one thing, Lord Caesar ..."

"Julius," he prompted with a smile that made Ephiny's flesh creep.

Ignoring him, she continued, "... but an obsession with the Whore of Greece is something else again." She gave him a cold look, "Do you know why she's known by that name to the Amazons?" she asked him bluntly. He shrugged his shoulders and sighed, "I'm sure that you're going to tell me, beloved," he purred, although his spies had long ago furnished that information.

"Because she's laid waste to more Cities, villages and men, than any other woman in history. If she commands more of your attention than I do, especially when hot from our passions, I really see no future in continuing this liaison."

The crowd roared as the fight below them came to an abrupt conclusion. Ephiny had sent Eponin and two of her guards down to the gladiator cells with Hercules in preparation for the coming fight. Her four other Amazon bodyguards were posted outside the two entrances to the private box, alongside the Emperor's personal guards. The rest of the Amazon contingent were scattered amidst the guests with pockets of them close to the Roman soldiers in case there was any trouble.

"I think, perhaps, Lord Caesar," she pointedly used his title, "that we should concentrate our attention on the coming contest .. there is much at stake on it," Ephiny told him with hidden meaning.

"That's true," he agreed, "But perhaps we should stake something of even greater value," he urged ardently.

The Regent looked at him coolly, "And what might that be, Lord Caesar?"

"You passion .. and mine," he smiled, gently brushing a stray wisp of hair from her face. "If my slave wins then we start our 'friendship' again, laying all animosity aside," he told her.

"But what will you give when my Heston wins, as he surely will," she demanded.

"Whatever your heart desires," he told her with a gallant half bow from his seated position. She was very tempted to ask for Xena, but he recognised the flare in her eyes for what it was, "Except for her. I'm afraid she is too important to the people of Rome for me to risk losing on a wager."

Ephiny sighed, "Then your forfeit, should you lose, will be to publicly praise Pompey for all the good he has done for Rome," she grinned ferally, knowing that such a bargain would irritate her tenacious adversary, but since he had proposed the additional wager, he could hardly back out from it.

Caesar ground his teeth in annoyance, "Very well, should your man win, I will give praise to Pompey in the senate," he agreed reluctantly.

Both, turned their eyes to the pit and the entrance of the two final contestants.

Having spent the rest of the day in the baths and under the hands of the masseur, Xena was feeling pretty good. At least she was until they shoved that spar of wood back through her arms, and took her up to the party to show her off. It had been so reminiscent of when she had watched Caesar do the same thing with Verchinex. The difference this time, however, was that she was the exhibit, and she found that she really disliked being the subject of the tasteless pantomime.

The one good thing about it was that she got to play act with Ephiny. She'd seen the sparkle in her friend's eyes, when she leant in close, and knew that the Regent was pleased to see her looking so well. - Gonna have to have a few words about that right hook of your's though, Eph, - she told herself, her jaw still aching from the impact of the blow. - Although, to be fair, you did owe me at least that after what I did to your arm. -

Once Caesar was finished with her at his party, she was escorted to the holding cells beneath the palace and close to the fighting pit. There, she was taken past the barred, cages where the rest of the evening's entertainment were waiting their turn to perform, to a small stone cell, where Flaccus waited.

Standing docily while the wooden restraint was removed from behind her arms, she moved, as directed, to the centre of the cell and sat on the straw covered floor whilst the centurion locked the lead chains from her collar and ankles into four separate ringbolts.

"That should hold you until it's time for the fight," he remarked looking down on her, "By the way," he added, "just in case you were thinking of throwing the fight, you better know that those young slaves will receive ten lashes each."

Intense blue orbs snapped up to hold his grey ones, "Thought you'd say that," she said quietly. "Besides I have no intention of losing to an Amazon," she filled the word with contempt, "concubine!"

"Just so long as you understand the stakes," Flaccus said in an offhand manner.

"How long until I get in the pit?" she questioned, as he turned to leave.

He seemed to consider whether he should discipline her for speaking out of turn before deciding to answer her instead, "There's six matches before yours .. depends how long they take."

She made a barely perceptible nod, before allowing her eyes to drift closed as the cell door shut blocking out most of the light from the corridor beyond. She'd take the chance to doze until it was time for her to perform.