The light of the half moon trickled through the small window located high on the wall, dimly illuminating Guy’s large equine form and the small bed he reclined upon. Guy was in that halfway state between sleep and wakefulness when a presence started him awake. Coming quickly alert, he blinked the sleep from his eyes, and immediately his attention was drawn to the brawny form of the stable-master silhouetted in his doorway.
“Up and at ‘em horse-boy.” The stable-master leered at Guy, his silky ruff looking for all the world like the hood of a cloak in the subdued light. “Got a present for you tonight,” he continued, jerking a thumb to indicate something in the hall. Behind the canine, Guy saw another form, a female equine her hands bound before her.
Guy blinked the last of his lethargy draining away, his steel-clad hooves ringing against the stone floor as he sat up. “I didn’t request companionship tonight,” he protested.
The stable-master laughed, a short bark, his one eye gleaming with amusement. “This isn’t companionship. This is stud duty.” With another laugh, he shoved the female equine into the room. Then with one last leer, he turned and walked away, his short tail wagging behind him.
Guy sighed, and reached for his flint to light the lantern. He sat down on the edge of his pallet, and by the flickering lantern light he studied the cowering mare. She was obviously young, nearly too young for breeding he estimated, tall, but not too skinny, her body showing the signs of having only recently blossomed into full womanhood. Her fur was chestnut brown, spotted here and there with patches of white. She sat on the floor huddled in on herself, her eyes downcast. Guy could almost smell the fear, as she peered up at his hulking black furred form through her brownish mane. Seeing him looking back at her, she quickly lowered her eyes. Eyes that Guy noted were the most extraordinary shade of brown, so dark they looked almost liquid.
This was a new experience for him. He had never dealt with an inexperienced female before, and he wasn’t sure how to proceed. But as he gazed down at her, something in him was touched, and he knew one thing he didn’t want to do was scare her more.
“Would you like something to drink?” Startled the mare looked up at him, then quickly looked back down. Trying to keep his voice quiet and soothing, he spoke again. “I’m afraid all I have is water, but I‘ll get you some if you like.” Again the mare said nothing, this time, not even looking up. Moving slowly, and keeping his distance, Guy grabbed the flask, and filled two cups with water. Slowly approaching the mare, he knelt down and offered her one cup.
The mare looked up at him, her fear starting to give way. Tentatively she reached out for the cup. Guy noticed her hands were still bound together. He gently reached out to untie her, she flinched but then smiled at him. To Guy her smile seemed to light the room.
“I’m Guy. Do you have a name?”
“Lithena,” she said simply. Guy smiled at her and sipped his water.
“You’ve never done this before have you?”
“No,” she replied. “But I have heard . . .” She trailed off.
“What have you heard,” Guy prompted her.
“The other breeders. They told me . . . things. That it is painful.” She broke off, and looked down again flushing. Guy had never had a female her first time, but he had heard the same stories.
“I have heard that it usually is too.” He nodded, “But I will be careful and try to make it as painless as possible.” She looked at him in surprise.
“You would do that for me?” She paused then asked, “Why?” She seemed genuinely amazed at his statement.
Guy shrugged and answered, “Why hurt you if I can help it?” He knelt down beside her, and put his hand on her shoulder. She shivered a little, but did not pull away.
“I guess we should get on with it,” she said, reaching for the clasp holding her tunic on. Guy put his hand on hers, stopping her.
“Not until you’re ready. We have all night. They won’t be back for you until morning.” She looked at him, and smiled in genuine appreciation.
TWO YEARS LATER
The arenas dining hall was about half full. The games did not start for another day, and stables were still arriving. Guy threaded his way through the other diners, to an empty chair. The table’s other occupant, a scarred lapine with grey fur, looked up at his approach.
“Two new stables arrived today. They look like they’ve got some good fighters. You think you and your new toy are up to it?”
“It’s called a gyrspike, and I could take you down with it, and not even break a sweat Tark.” The lapine laughed approvingly at Guy’s self-assurance.
“Confidence. Good, you’ll need it.” He might have said more, but just then a commotion erupted on the far side of the hall, as a group of gladiators entered. The two looked over at the new competitors. The lapine was the first to speak.
“Doesn’t look like anybody too dangerous eh Guy?” But Guy didn’t respond, he was staring in shock at one of the new gladiators. A tall muscular mare, with chestnut fur spotted here and there with patches of white, and amazing liquid brown eyes. The lapine looked at Guy, and then looked over to see what Guy was staring at.
“Yeah, I guess she’s pretty enough, but don’t forget she’s the competition here.” However, Guy was oblivious to his companion. “Umm, Guy?” He snapped his fingers in Guy’s face a few times. “Guy?”
Never taking his eyes off the mare, Guy stood up, mumbling, “Excuse me,” as he pushed past the speechless lapine. Almost in a daze, he walked over to the mare threading his way between the other gladiators. It had been two years, and she had matured somewhat, but he was sure it was her.
“Lithena?” Guy’s face betrayed a mixture of hope, and disbelief. Could it really be her? Startled the mare looked up confused. At first she seemed puzzled by the stranger approaching her and speaking her name. But then she looked closer, and memories came flooding back.
“Guy?” Astonished recognition crossed her features. It was rapidly followed by joy illuminating her face like the sunrise after an all night storm. “It is you!”
Guy’s smile lit up his features as well, “It is,” he agreed, not sure what else he could add. The two stared awkwardly at each other for a moment, neither sure what to say after all this time. Finally Guy broke the silence.
“What happened to you? I never saw you again after that night.” Lithena’s face clouded as painful memories rose to the surface.
“You did your job that night. I was pregnant.” Lithena blinked back tears.
“That much I managed to find out,” Guy said. “But later I was told you had been sold. What happened?”
“I was . . . too young to be bred. My labor was hard. I . . . I nearly died. But even though I survived, I could never get pregnant again.” Guy put a hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. I . . . you . . . we had a son.” She smiled despite the tears welling up in her eyes. “He looked like you.”
“What,” he paused, afraid to ask, but he had to know. “What happened . . . to him?”
“Once he was weaned, he was taken from me. Shortly after that I was sold. I was no more use as a brood mare. My new owner at first thought to use me as a pleasure slave. Instead he decided to have me trained as a gladiator.” She blinked away her tears, and laid her hand on Guy’s “I’ve thought of you often since that night.”
Guy smiled back, and assured her, “I’ve thought of you too.” He quietly added, “Will you have any free time tonight?”
“I think so, but is there somewhere we can meet?”
Guy leaned in close and whispered, “There is a place, a loft in the chariot stables. Can you meet me there?”
“I’ll be there,” she whispered back. Excitement illuminated both of them.
Guy leaned down to whisper in her ear again, “I’ll see you there. I need to go for now.” With one last squeeze of her hand, he hurried over to join his lapine comrade. The rabbit, studied him as he approached.
“You’re looking extremely pleased with yourself. She an old friend of yours?” Guy nodded, and tried to hide his grin. He wasn’t quite successful.
“Sort of. We only met once, and we were only together for a few hours.”
“Must have been an interesting few hours . . .”
TWO YEARS PRIOR
The two of them lay together on Guy’s pallet, Lithena cradled in Guy’s arms, her head resting on his chest. Their fur was matted with sweat, slowly drying on the cool night air.
“That wasn’t bad,” she said sleepily. “It only hurt a little, and only at first.” She raised her head and kissed him. “Thank you.”
Guy gently stroked her hair as he replied, “I tried to be gentle.”
“You were.” She paused, then added. “They will come for me in the morning?” Guy nodded slightly and then pulled her closer.
“Yes,” he replied. At this, she looked up at him, tears in her eyes.
“I will never see you again?”
“If we didn’t succeed tonight, you will be returned. But let’s not think of that. Let’s enjoy the time we have left.” Satisfied, she closed her eyes, and laid her head back on his chest, and was soon lulled asleep by the beating of his strong heart.
TWO YEARS LATER
The light of the half moon streamed through an opening near the roof. Stealthily Guy climbed the ladder into the loft over the chariot stables. Reaching the top of the ladder, Guy looks around, but saw no one.
“Guy?” A soft whisper emanated from behind a bale of hay. Slowly Lithena crept into sight. She smiled at Guy, a warm and inviting look. Guy returned it, and moved over to sit on a hay bale, in a shadowed corner. He motioned for Lithena to join him, and she did eagerly.
The two spent the next hour just holding hands and catching up on their pasts. Guy related his training with the gyrspike, and the forging of his own. She told of her initial training in combat and her first experience in the arena.
“So what now?” Lithena looked into Guy’s eyes as she asked the question. “We are together tonight, but what of tomorrow? It is cruel that we can be so close, and yet never be together.”
“Why can’t we be?” Guy asked as he gazed back at her.
“We are in different stables. Soon these games will be over and our masters will take us elsewhere.” She looked down, her eyes brimming with tears. “That is if we even survive. I don’t think I could bear losing you again.”
“We could run away.” Guy’s suggestion caught her off guard. Lithena looked at him in disbelief, unsure if he is serious.
“Are you mad? If they caught us, we’d be put to death.” Guy shook his head.
“Better a few short days with you then a lifetime without. Besides,” he grinned, “They’d have to catch us.” Lithena looked at him again, this time hope mixing with her disbelief.
“Do you think we could manage it,” she asked, to which Guy nodded. Seeing his nod she added, “You’ve thought about this before haven’t you?”
“I have been considering it for some time. There is a tribe of primitive lapines who dwell a few days from this city. They abhor slavery, and I’m sure they would be willing to hide us a short time, and help us on our way.”
“Then you have been planning this for some time,” she stated, looking at him in disbelief. “Why haven’t you left before now?”
Guy tenderly cradled her head in his hands and answered gently, “Before now, I have never had a reason. The risk was too great for just my own life. But for you, it is worth it.” She looks at him, tears of love and joy in her eyes. The moved closer, their eyes closing, in anticipation of that first kiss.
“Ahem!,” came the voice of a scarred lapine, his head poking over the edge of the loft floor. “I hate to break this up, but Guy has a match tomorrow, and if he doesn’t get to his pallet and get some sleep the stable master is going to be pissed.”
“Tark, have I ever mentioned that your timing stinks?”
“Hey don’t blame me. The stable master sent me after you. Said he’d looked the other way as long as he could. So get a move on.” With that the lapine slid down the ladder, and disappeared into the gloom of the chariot stable. Guy looked back to Lithena.
“Meet me here tomorrow night?”
“Nothing would keep me away.” She smiled at him, and Guy found himself wondering if a few more minutes would be worth the stable master’s wrath. But Lithena decided for him, by sliding down the ladder into the stable.
TWO YEARS PRIOR
The peaceful slumber of the two equines was abruptly ended by the entrance of the stable master with two brood guards. The eunuchs leered at the pair, their bloated forms dwarfing the stable masters.
“Up and at ‘em you two. Guy has training, and you need to get back to the slut quarters.” The collie patted the whip at his side to emphasize his point. Then he turned and ushered the two brood guards out the door, saying, “Okay, give them a few moments to get decent. This ain’t a bloody show.” But Guy caught the quick wink he flashed.
Lithena clutched him tightly. “Guy,” she said, fear mixing with sorrow. “I don’t want to leave you.” Guy held her close.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered in her ear. “Mares seldom catch the first time, especially when it is there first time.” He smiled as he got up and grabbed his training tunic and trousers. “I should see you at least one more time.”
TWO YEARS LATER
Tark was helping Guy into his armor. The leather was freshly oiled and the steel studs gleamed, with fresh polished.
“So who is this gladiator I’m fighting?”
“Some lion from one of the new stables. Uses twin short swords. Don’t worry. He’s got nowhere near your experience. You can take him. Then you’ll have plenty of time to rest up for your big date tonight.” Guy looked at him in surprise. “Get that shocked look off yer ugly mug.” The lapine’s tone was unfriendly, but there was a twinkle in his good eye that bespoke humor. “You think you’re the first gladiator to use the loft?” He picked up a helmet without eye slits, and strapped it onto Guy’s head. Guy flinched slightly as he lost the use of his eyes, and put his hands out to help keep his balance momentarily disoriented by the sudden lack of vision. The lapine stepped back and looked Guy over. “Well, you’re ready. Go out there and make sure you make it back for your date!” With that he pressed Guy’s weapon into his hands and ushered him through the doorway to the corridor that leads to the arena.
Blinded as he was by the helmet, Guy could still tell when he had entered the arena, the roar of the crowd, muted before had reached a full crescendo, and the afternoon sun began to warm his dark fur uncomfortably. He walked to the center of the arena, guided by experience, and stopped when he heard the quiet command of the referee. He could barely make out the creak of leather and scrape of steel as his opponent approached from the other direction.
When the referee told them to begin, Guy started by taking a step back, then dropping into a defensive crouch. He set the flail end of his gyrspike whirling around him, to provide a shield of sorts, and because the sound of the rapid and seemingly erratically moving chain made it hard to pinpoint his precise location. He listened for the crunch of his opponent’s feet on the sand, and could tell by the hesitant steps that his opponent was new to this style of fighting, and uncertain. His confidence bolstered, he allowed his mind to wander to thoughts of tonight, and the past.
TWO YEARS PRIOR
Guy tried to keep his composure in the face of the two eunuchs as he stared down at the brood mistress.
“Look, her name is Lithena, she’s a mare, she was sent to me five days ago for brood duty.”
The brood mistress nodded and replied, “I know the slut you’re talking about. What I don’t understand is your interest.”
“I explained that already,” Guy replied exasperated. “She was sent to me for brood duty five nights ago, and hasn’t been back. I want to know why.”
The brood mistress looked at him incredulously. “Well obviously if she hasn’t been sent back it’s because your work is done.” Her voice bore the condescending tone of someone speaking to a child or an utter imbecile. It did nothing to calm Guy down.
“Impossible!” Guy sputtered in shock. “It was our . . . her first time!” The brood mistress smiled at him indulgently.
“True it is rare, but a brood mare can catch her first time.”
“Well can I at least see her?” The brood mistress’s look of shocked outrage could not have been worse if Guy had suggested he was a god in the flesh.
“Certainly not!” The brood mistress glared at him. “Just letting you in here to see me was a tremendous breach of etiquette. We could both be flogged if you’re caught here. To let you into the sluts’ quarters is simply out of the question!”
“Well could she be brought to me? To my quarters or perhaps someplace else.”
“You know better. Once a brood mare has caught, she remains in the sluts’ quarters until she foals. I could no more send her out then let you in. Now unless you have other business with me I suggest you leave before you’re caught here.” To emphasize her words the two massive eunuchs stepped forward. Guy, realizing the uselessness of his cause, turned around and left his fists clenched as he struggled to control his temper.
TWO YEARS LATER
Guy was having a little more difficulty then he had expected. The match had already run twice as long as he had anticipated, with both of them scoring hits, but neither a telling blow. Guy could feel the blood running down his body from several gashes. The leather wrapped handle of his gyrspike was becoming slippery with sweat. Then he heard his opponent moving in on his right. He lowered himself to a crouch, and lashed out with the chain of his weapon. He succeeded in catching the feline around the legs, and was rewarded with the sound of his opponent falling to the sand.
He quickly moved in hoping to end the match, and suddenly felt a fiery pain through his thigh. His opponent had succeeded in landing a good blow. Guy nearly lost his grip on his weapon as his leg collapsed and he found himself on one knee. He attempted to bring the blade end of his weapon down on his opponent, but hits only sand, his opponent apparently having rolled out of the way, and back to his feet.
Over his labored pants, Guy could hear his opponent circling, searching for an opening. Guy decides to give him one, leaving his blade lodged in the sand, and his chain lying still on the ground. He held absolutely still, waiting for his opponent to make a move.
Guy shifted uncomfortably, doing little to suppress the sounds of his motions. He wanted his opponent to hear him, and realize he was on the ground. At last his opponent began to move in. Guy tracked his opponent by sound, and forced himself to wait till the last instant.
His patience was rewarded, when he whipped his blade out of the ground, and thrust the point home. He felt the shock as the tip bit into his opponent, and then began to penetrate through leather armor to the flesh underneath. An instant later, a blast of pain tore through his right shoulder, causing him to release his grip with that hand. When his opponent fell, he couldn’t hold his weapon one handed, and it was torn from his grasp. But he had felt the blow land. Not instantly fatal, certainly, but a mortal blow none the less. Still even a mortally wounded opponent could be dangerous. He had too much to live for now, and decided to play it safe.
Guy listened for a moment, to hear his opponent’s movements, but could hear nothing over the roar of the crowd. Only then he realized if the crowd which had been mostly quiet throughout the match was cheering now, the bout must be over.
Unsteadily Guy rose to his feat, doing his best to keep his weight off his injured leg. He reached up with his left hand to undo the straps of his helmet, and bask in the roar of the crowd. He blinked momentarily blinded by the light of the sun, then his helmet dropped from nerveless fingers and everything stopped.
Guy could not believe what he was seeing. Lying on the ground, was not the body of a leonid as he had expected, but that of an equine. A female equine. One with chestnut fur, spotted here and there with patches of white. In shock disbelief, Guy dropped to his knees beside, her, and tore at the straps to her helmet. At last his fumbling fingers got them off, and he ripped the helmet from her head, to stare into the pain filled liquid brown eyes of Lithena.
“No,” he gasped. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” He gathered her to him, gently pulling her head to his chest, cradling her in his lap.
“I’s ‘kay.” She gasped out painfully. “Didn’t know either.” She paused to gather her breath. “Could have killed you.”
“No,” he cried fiercely, his voice a hoarse whisper. “You’re not going to die. Just hang on. You’ll get better!” He was rambling, unable to grasp what was happening. Lithena painfully reached up and put her finger to his lips to stop him.
“Shhh. I know I’m dying. Nothing and no one can stop it.” Guy’s vision started to blur as tears welled up in his eyes. Dimly he realized the crowd was chanting something. He ignored it focusing all his attention on Lithena, as if by sheer force of his will, he could keep her alive. Tears started to fall from his eyes, landing on her face. She placed her hand on his cheek, and wiped them away.
“Guy, please don’t cry. I’m free. I’m free.” Unbidden, a sob escaped his throat, and his tears fell freely. “Guy please. Kiss me.” She was growing weaker, the light fading from her eyes. “Want to . . . feel your . . . lips on . . . mine . . .” She paused and drew in a ragged, painful breath. “Once . . . before . . . I’m . . . gone.” He placed his lips on hers, in a desperate kiss. Begging silently with all his heart for her not to die. She closed her eyes, and lost herself to the kiss, then after a moment, her body went limp. Her hand fell away from his cheek. Lost in grief, Guy held her to him, unwilling to let go.
After a few minutes a few of the arena guards came to remove him. As they led him from the arena, he realized the crowd was chanting “losobal!”
Losobal.
The black death.
LATER
Guy sat on the edge of his pallet, his eyes staring vacantly at the floor in front of him. He didn’t acknowledge the presence of his lapine friend Tark, who was worriedly hovering over him.
“Look, the stable-master told our owner you were ill. You only had one more match, and you’ve been pulled, citing injuries and illness. You get some rest. I’ve got to get ready. My match is coming up.” Tark waited for some sign of life from his equine friend. Seeing none, he continued. “I’ll be back to check on you as soon as my match is over. Will you be okay until then?” Still Guy sat unresponsive on the edge of his pallet.
Tark left the room, casting worried glances over his shoulder as he did so.
For a long time, Guy sat unmoving. Then he pulled out his gyrspike, and sat contemplating the razor edge of the blade, Lithena’s blood dried on it. It would be so easy, a quick thrust a few moments of pain, nothing compared to what he felt already, and then it would all be over. So easy . . .
“You selfish bastard!” Came a voice from the doorway. Guy looked up to see the form of the stable-master walking toward him. “Gonna kill yourself huh? Make all the pain go away?” The collie reached him, and stood there looking down on him.
“Do you think your lady friend would want that? Did it ever occur to you that she would want you to go on? To live? Did you even stop to think about that?” Guy found himself squirming uncomfortably under the stable-master’s withering glare.
“And what about your friend Tark, and the others in the stable? The ones that would have to clean up the mess one of their ‘friends’ left behind? Did you think about what would happen to me when I told our owner?” Guy could only stare at him quietly. The stable-masters face softened, and he took a seat beside Guy. He pulled the gyrspike from Guy’s hand and placed it off to the side.
“I know it hurts. But the pain will fade eventually.” He pressed a small silver flask into Guy’s hand. “This will help for tonight. You’re excused from exercises tomorrow. But after that, you need to get back to work. That will be the best thing for you.” He patted Guy on the shoulder and allowed his hand to linger there briefly.
“It’ll get better. You’ll see. In time the pain will fade, and only the pleasant memories will remain.” With that he stood back up. He started to walk off, but stopped and picked up Guy’s gyrspike.
“I’ll have this cleaned and put up for you.” With that he turned and walked off, leaving Guy staring numbly at the flask in his hand.