By Jupiter's Cock!: A Lots/Sparty Crossover (Chapter 6-End)
Title: By Jupiter’s co*k: A Sparty/LoTS story (6-8 of 8)
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker/Spartacus Blood and Sand
Pairings: Cara/Glaber, Ilythia/Cara, Ilythia/Lucretia, Kahlan/Aurelia with (very small) hints of Kahlan/Richard
Rating: Think more Spartacus and less LoTS (M)
Word Count: 18,000 ish total 6,000ish in this part
Spoilers: For the end of Season 1 of LoTS and all of Spartacus
Summary: AU to be sure but as close to the plot of both shows as I could make it… Set within LoTS S01 E22 (Reckoning) and between Spartacus Ep 12 (Revelation) and 13 (Kill Them All)
Disclaimer: Not my characters, I’m just playing with them for a while
A/N: So sorry this bit took too long to post.... It had some much needed editing and I kept getting too lost in the beautiful weather to finish it!
Thanks again to starbuck1980 ...
Chapter 1 & 2
Chapter 3 & 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Lucretia tossed in bed. Batiatus slept soundly beside her but Lucretia's mind kept spinning around Ilythia's smug smile as she brought her to climax two steps from her husband. Her breath caught at the thought, a pale aftershock of her excitement, and she tried to force it from her mind. Yet as she would drift off again she would become haunted by Ilythia's expression and sleep eluded her.
She got up, throwing a wrap around her naked form, and headed into the empty halls of the house. The halls echoed with her light footfall and a cool breeze stirred the hair around her ears. The house, so full of activity during the day, seemed a tomb and Lucretia shivered although she was far from cold.
She entered the guest wing to check on the strangers. She peeked into Kahlan's room, letting her eyes fall on the scene within. A smile shaped her lips. So that is why she had requested Aurelia. Finally something she could hold over the dark haired woman, it would almost be too easy.
Mood improved, she continued to Richard's room. He was mumbling in his sleep, his hand to his erect cock. Lucretia suppressed a laugh and continued. She passed many empty rooms before she came to Ilythia's. She looked in. Ilythia was spread-eagled on the bed, a thin sheet wound between her legs, covering her stomach and one breast. Her breath caught in her chest at the sudden arousal the image caused. She smiled wickedly.
She walked in slowly, more out of confidence than care, and pulled the sheet from Ilythia's naked flesh. Ilythia murmured in her sleep but did not awake. Lucretia tangled her fingers in the curls between Ilythia's legs and yanked gently before sliding her fingers down and teasing the edge of her lips. Ilythia shifted and exhaled. Lucretia continued her ministrations, watching her with a potent mixture of lust, power and self-disgust. She ran her fingertips through her curls again, keeping them ramrod and passing them across her center, mimicking the action of a cock before it slides home. She passed her fingers back and forth until Ilythia's body responded, easing into Lucretia's fingers with an increasing slickness. Lucretia felt her open and slid inside her. Ilythia moaned and pushed hard against the fingers within her. Lucretia felt her own wetness against her sheer fabric and held her free hand to herself, losing her emotional superiority in the act. She slid her left hand into herself and pushed herself to the beat Ilythia was forcing upon her right hand. Lucretia looked down for a moment, her hand mostly hidden from view by her wrap. She looked back to Ilythia to see her jolt awake as she pushed harder and harder onto Lucretia's hand. Her eyes were wide with shock but were forced closed by her coming orgasm. Lucretia felt herself on the edge as well, surprised and scared at how easy it had been to get herself there. Ilythia bucked against the hand, hating it but needing this moment, needing it to finish its deed. She bit her lips against the coming moan and instead heard Lucretia's breath gasp and then labour. She came a moment later, exhaling deeply and feeling the offending hand release her.
Ilythia sat up to see Lucretia exiting her room.
"Was that supposed to be a return?" Ilythia said spitefully, her musical tones cutting through the silence of the house, "Because I don't think this is about my husband or yours anymore. You enjoyed that," She spat.
Lucretia turned from the doorway, an unfamiliar sadness painted in her eyes.
"It was merely proof," Lucretia replied softly with an unexpected somberness, "That we are both caught in this Ilythia."
She turned away and was gone.
Ilythia puzzled over her words. A victory she was sure but it felt hollow. Instead of reaffirming their strife it tied them together in mutual deceit. She had not allowed herself to believe the lust was mutual despite always knowing it had been. Her victory tasted like defeat. And they would both remained firmly entrenched in their ropes, playing their game like puppets until something gave way.
* * *
Aurelia left Kahlan's room for her morning chores within the ludus. The smile on her face fell as she rounded the corner and nearly walked into Lucretia.
"Domina," she said bowing her head.
"Well it is good she hasn't fucked all the slave from you," Lucretia said touching Aurelia's cheek briefly, "Guards."
Two guards came from the shadows at her request and took Aurelia by her arms, past Lucretia and into the cellar.
* * *
Lucretia let the guards pass her and then retraced the steps Aurelia had just made to Kahlan's room. Lucretia entered and seated herself without polite request on Kahlan’s bed.
“Aurelia is no longer yours,” she said to Kahlan, the shock at Lucretia's bold entrance redoubling at her statement.
The words stung Kahlan, filling her with a fear that was fully advocated by Lucretia’s expression.
“What do you mean?” said Kahlan, trying to sound unconcerned.
“I saw you two, last night. She has violated her position and must be taught a lesson,” Lucretia said, her eyes not wandering from Kahlan’s face.
Kahlan had been avoiding Lucretia’s face but she now turned to her, tears edging her eyes with the thought that she had been in part responsible for Aurelia’s current state. She fell to her knees before Lucretia.
“Please do not kill her, it was my fault,” Kahlan said somberly, grabbing Lucretia’s hands in her own.
“Of course it is,” Lucretia snapped, “and she will be punished for you as well.”
Kahlan stood up and blinked the tears from her eyes.
“Then send me to the dungeons with her,” Kahlan said evenly, searching for a way to save the girl she had promised to protect.
“No, you will remain in your room under guard and she will remain in the prisons until she is taught a lesson,” Lucretia ordained. She stood and, with her dress flowing around her, departed, assigning guards to stay just outside her room.
* * *
Richard was allowed in a few hours later. Kahlan jumped up from her seating position and embraced him. He hugged her back but looked at her quizzically when the separated, concern painted on her face.
“What happened?” Richard asked.
“Lucretia found out I was being nice to Aurelia," Kahlan said swallowing the truth of what Lucretia thought, "treating her as an equal,” she continued.
"Where is she now?" Richard asked.
"Somewhere down below," she said, hating to think of what else 'being taught a lesson' entailed. She looked up at Richard.
"Richard you must do something for me," Kahlan said softly, resolve covering the concern in her face as she pulled him deeper into the room.
"Anything, you know that," He said smiling kindly.
"I need you to find the Mord'sith's agiel and give it to Aurelia," she instructed, throwing a glance to the guards to see if they were listening, "She will need to learn how to repel it and then you will need to get it to Cara and have her hide it until we are ready."
Richard nodded, slightly confused. "It doesn't work though," He pointed out.
"I know," Kahlan said, a hopeful glimmer in her eye.
Richard smiled boyishly and nodded. While it wasn’t usual for Kahlan to keep things from him, he trusted her implicitly and would do as she asked.
They spoke for a couple of minutes longer in louder tones meant to allay the curiosity of the guards, and then Richard left to find Cara's agiel.
* * *
Batiatus was in his study pouring over and signing documents when Richard made himself known upon the threshold.
"My saviour of women, deifier of death," Batiatus said with a forced jovially, "what brings you into my presence?"
Richard blushed, “Cara hardly needed the help,” he said, watching Batiatus’s expectant face and launching quickly in to his request, "We were found with weapons, you took them off us, may I see them?" he asked hesitantly.
Batiatus's eyes narrowed for a moment.
"I cannot give them to you to wander my hall," he replied.
"I do not want them for protection but the daggers you recovered, I would like to fight with them in the future," he lied.
Batiatus looked at Richard, not for the first time, as if he was a bit unhinged. "The swords of heros at your feet and you want daggers?" He asked skeptically, "You are mad."
"They have sentimental value," Richard replied convincingly.
"As you wish," Batiatus replied.
"Thank you," Richard replied.
Batiatus nodded and went back to his papers. Richard shifted feet in the awkward silence of the room. When Richard did not depart Batiatus looked up.
"Do you require anything further?" he asked, slight irritation colouring his face.
"I would like to see them?" Richard asked meekly.
"You will have them next time you fight," Batiatus said and raised his hand dismissively. The guard took a subtle step toward Richard. Richard took the hint and left quietly, passing the guard and making his way through the hall once more.
* * *
Kahlan sat neatly on her bed, waiting for Mira to come with her meal. With Richard unable to obtain the agiel she had but one final option. Mira strode in confidently, bowed before Kahlan and left her meal on a tray to the side. Kahlan stole a glance to ensure that the cloth had returned to its place in the doorway, it was a thin fabric but better than none at all, and came up beside Mira. She smiled, brushing aside the hair from Mira's shoulder. Mira bowed her head and stayed standing before her, waiting to be ordered or dismissed. Kahlan softly placed her hands around Mira's neck and felt the release of her power as it flowed from her into Mira before ebbing back into her own body again. Mira fell to her knees.
"Command me confessor," she said softly.
Kahlan looked over her shoulder, she could see the guards’ shadows through the sheer linen, but they had not moved. She told Mira all she dare say, including strict instructions to play the part of the servant just as before. She begged not to be parted from her but acquiesced, as she must, and parted with a solemn promise to do as she had been instructed.
* * *
Aurelia looked out from the darkness of her cell listening to the yells and calls of the gladiators in the distance. They were having women tonight. She was alone in the darkness, left bleeding from the lip and bruised in body by the guards were told to have their way with her. The rape itself didn't surprise her, she had worse in her own house after Varro left. The guards had been meaner than they might have been because of the gladiator's own orgy but she hid inside herself, siphoning precious moments to use as a shield, moments of Kahlan's attention. Moments where she mattered.
But her mind could not erase the defilement of her body; she still felt it after they left and it reinforced her own worthlessness. The confidence she had been building in the shadow of Kahlan's kindness had been shattered and she was left in her cell tear streaked, dirty and void.
She still heard the noises in the background but now they all sounded like Varro, whispering her name, cursing her, loving her.
She had been alone for a few hours when she saw the movement of a shadow at the edge of her vision. A few minutes later she heard steps, light and quick. But it wasn't until the shadow formed into a body that she believed it was a person and not her own imagination conjuring spirits.
It was Mira.
She held aloft a thick piece of leather that matched the description Kahlan had given her of the agiel. In fact she could feel the ghost of pain radiating from it. She drew the power out without realizing it and Mira flinched painfully, holding tighter despite the pain out of obedience to her mistress.
Aurelia took it, and although she had recognized the pain from a distance what she felt was only a whisper of the pain she endured upon contact.
Mira breathed a sigh of relief as the agiel left her hands and she turned, retreating through the shadows.
Aurelia, pain radiating from her fingers to her shoulders, dropped the agiel on the floor. She sat beside it, trying to block it’s pain by focusing on what she had learned from Kahlan. But thinking of Kahlan brought her distracted mind the image of her kind smile and the way her touch felt on her cheek. She found herself smiling and quickly chastised herself for not having the concentration that Kahlan had taught her.
The weapon too pulsed as if in reprimand, it's power snaking from the weapon into her exposed feet and up her legs. She took a deep breath and focused on blocking the agiel’s power but the pain was a constant disruption. She braced herself and moved the agiel with her foot backing herself into the other side of the cage to try again.
"You're doing it wrong," a bored-sounding voice came from the shadows.
Aurelia squinted into the darkness and barely made out the shape of the blonde who had arrived with Kahlan and Richard. She must have been moved from the gladiators to allow for their revels.
"You need to embrace the pain in order to control it," the blond continued.
"Cara," Aurelia identified.
"Yes," the blonde said. "And if you want to do whatever Kahlan has asked, you will need to pick up the agiel and hold it. When you feel like you must let go, and this is essential, you need to hold on to it tighter. It is only by understanding the pain that you will be able to be near it an not bring out it's power."
Aurelia listened carefully, swallowing her fear at the blonde's words and thinking of Kahlan's strength.
"How did you know about Kahlan?" Aurelia asked.
"You talk in your sleep," Cara said evenly, turning away from Aurelia.
Aurelia blushed, wondering what else she had said in her sleep. She was snapped back into the present by the dull throbbing climbing like a vine into her chest. She took a deep breath and closed the space between her and the agiel, leaning over and picking it up with both hands, holding on to it tightly as the agony passed through her in waves.
She felt it in her teeth, in her eyelids and in her fingernails. Hurting in places she wasn't even aware she could feel. When her brain had fought through the pain to allow for conscious thought she was careless enough to think that she would survive. The pain redoubled. She fell to her knees and then to her side, tears streaming down her cheek and soaking the dry dirt floor, making mud that dirtied her hair. She still held on, thinking of Kahlan and gripping the agiel tightly, using her hatred of this place and her life to anchor her, to get a grip on the pain itself. She felt the edge of that grip, tasted it, before the pain redoubled again. She wanted to let go, knew she must but also knew she couldn't. She gripped the agiel tighter and felt the inside of her throat tearing away. She was screaming. The world fell black.
* * *
When the guards came to take Cara back to her berth near the other gladiators she fought them off, making them lumps in the sand before sliding her hand through one of the openings in Aurelia's cage and grabbing her agiel. Its sting was a comfort she had missed and she smiled for a moment at the feel of the pain. Aurelia's eyes fluttered open at its absence, meeting Cara's eyes and Cara saw that Aurelia’s eyes were edged in red. The edges of Cara's lips curled up in a cocky smile and she sheathed the agiel in her boot as another wave of guards followed the first upon hearing the sudden silence of their comrades. Cara left without further fight, a knowing smile painted on her face as the comforting pain radiated up her leg.
* * *
Aurelia watched Cara go, feeling emptiness at the sudden absence of pain. She could feel it still, haunting behind her eyes, in her muscles. She felt stronger though, the emotional pain that had fueled her for so long was no longer a burden, a taskmaster, it was now a brick, a foundation upon which she stood. She sat up, her muscles twinging at the movement, they complained but their complaints no longer worried her. The bruises too had been erased from her consciousness. She closed her eyes and could feel where they took Cara, her agiel pulsing forming an imaginary map in her mind. She stood, going to the lock and feeling it with her hands, frowning. She sat back down and waited patiently, plans flitting through her head like flies before dying upon the hand of reality.
* * *
Chapter 7
Batiatus summoned Richard.
"I have a part for you in the next gladiatorial games," he said after inviting Richard into his study.
Richard stood before Batiatus, brows furrowed.
“You are to play Lucius Mummius Achaicus, the Roman General, with three of his best warriors against the Corinthians in the victory that ensured Roman rule over the tribes,” Batiatus said with the rhetoric of an orator.
“Thank you but why do you give this to me and not Spartacus?” he asked while inwardly jumping at the chance to have three others beside him - assuming they were Cara, Kahlan and the woman who looked like his sister.
Batiatus shook his head, “Spartacus has the primus, I cannot pull him away from that but your fighting skills are almost a match. You will do this,” he finished. It was a statement but his eyes held the question. He wasn’t, after all, his slave.
Richard nodded.
“Who are the others with me?” He asked, trying to keep his curiosity incidental.
“Obviously not Cara, whatever you think of her she is still a woman and will not suit reenactments. Agron and his brother Duro will be two, I have not chosen the last,” he said.
Richard nodded, pretending to appreciate the choice of fighters to accompany him but in reality trying to sort out how to substitute them for his friends.
Batiatus dismissed him and he left, heading carefully to Kahlan’s quarters.
* * *
Richard was allowed to pass the guards and entered Kahlan’s quarters to see Mira kneeling before her, a tear at her eye.
Richard cocked his head questioningly and Kahlan put her hand to her throat to signal confession. Her other hand was limp at her side but clenching a key.
Kahlan put her hand on Mira’s shoulder.
“You have done well, now please return to your duties to Lucretia so she does not expect your true loyalty,” Kahlan said, her eyes kind upon Mira’s anxious face.
“Yes mistress,” Mira said, standing, bowing her head and exiting the room.
“News?” Kahlan asked, taking in Richard’s excitement before he even spoke, “What is it?”
Richard smiled, “I have a plan.”
* * *
Richard went down to the gladiators to find them on break. He walked over to Spartacus, sitting, as usual, in the corner of the room.
"I need your help," he whispered.
"I am listening," he replied, cautiously looking around before focusing on the food in his hands.
Richard told him his plan and what he required from Agron and Duro.
Spartacus continued to look into the distance, biting off another piece of his unleavened bread, chewing and swallowing it.
"I am not sure how to make the trouble worth it for them but it is my only way home," Richard continued when Spartacus didn't respond.
Spartacus turned and focused on Richard, "Their freedom," he finally replied, "It will be worth their freedom."
Richard looked at him quizzically but Spartacus only turned to him and nodded.
"I will see this done," he said with finality, clasping Richard's arm and smiling, "Thank you."
Richard hesitated, confused, but Spartacus released his arm, took the final bite of his bread and moved to sit beside Agron and Duro.
* * *
Mira slid into the dark again, this time Aurelia distinguished her step before she saw her shadow. She brought food and water. Aurelia took it gratefully.
“My mistress wants you well, she told me to take care of you. I want to please her but she thinks only of you,” Mira said, her desperate confession lashing out at her mistress’s affection.
Aurelia blushed, momentarily kidding herself that Kahlan was thinking of her as she herself was continually thinking of Kahlan. But of course Kahlan was kind and her imprisonment would be of concern to her.
“I am sure you please your mistress,” Aurelia said, still finding Kahlan’s power disturbing and now truly understanding how dangerous her training had been. If Kahlan hadn’t been in control… She shuddered at the idea of no longer being in control of herself.
Mira smiled at Aurelia’s kind word.
“She will come to you tonight,” Mira said.
Aurelia’s face lit up, “What else did she say?”
“That is all I know,” Mira said and turned to leave.
Aurelia let her go but stayed at the bars of her cage, looking into the darkness, each muscle and nerve throbbing with anticipation.
* * *
After news from Richard, Cara too awaited the night and, at the appointed time, Richard arrived, unlocked her room and gave her three sets of modified Roman soldier uniforms. They consisted of leather chest plates, strips of material and loose skirts. He said nothing and she remained silent. He left and locked the door behind him.
Cara hid the uniforms behind the door. Although it was a poor hiding place it would fool a quick bed check should one occur. She needn’t have worried though as the next key in the lock was Kahlan holding Aurelia’s arm.
* * *
Kahlan’s guards changed at midnight. She waited for the old guards to leave and the new ones to settle in their position. They sat, as they did every night, and rolled dice upon a piece of fabric, wiling away the hours until the dawn.
She crept to the doorway without making a sound and then purposely coughed. The two men stood, turned and drew their weapons in a moment, re-sheathing them when they saw it was only Kahlan.
“You know we can’t let you pass,” the younger one said.
Kahlan stepped forward and grabbed both of their necks before either knew what had happened.
They both fell to their knees in subservience and Kahlan told them to remain guarding her room and to tell anyone who happened to call that she wasn’t feeling well.
That would hopefully keep them until the games.
She walked past her guards. Mira was waiting for her in the hallway and she followed the slave to Aurelia’s cage.
Aurelia could feel Kahlan, feel her confessor’s power, before she could hear or see her approach.
She stood from the corner of her cage and walked to the bars, wrapping her fingers around them and noticing the cold of their steel for the first time.
Kahlan took the key Mira had given her earlier and unlocked Aurelia, smiling widely. Mira turned away from the reunion and headed to their next destination as Kahlan carelessly took Aurelia’s hand and dragged her after Mira as she lead them to Cara’s room on the outskirts of the gladiatorial cages.
Aurelia could have guided them herself, the agiel’s pain still pulsing in her blood, but she followed Mira and Kahlan, surprised that while she could feel the decrease in distance, it did not increase the pain. In fact the proximity of the agiel calmed her, made her feel stronger than she had moments ago.
Kahlan unlocked the door and Cara jumped from her bed and stood at attention, more to secure her own dominance than to offer herself to Kahlan’s arrival. She pointed to the uniforms behind the door and Kahlan nodded.
She dismissed Mira, who pleaded to stay by her mistress’s side but she still had to help Kahlan from the outside and so she acquiesced and left the three women alone. Once Mira was on the other side of the door Kahlan closed it, her eyes resting on the uniforms Cara had hidden behind the door.
Aurelia picked up the strips of fabric and looked at them questioningly.
"To strap down your breasts," Cara intoned.
Both Kahlan and Aurelia turned to her.
"I am surprised Richard thought of that," Kahlan said, tugging at the material at her back before Aurelia turned her and undid it for her.
"He didn't," Cara responded, watching the two women closely.
Aurelia dutifully took Kahlan's dress and handed her one of the strips of fabric.
Kahlan looked up to see Cara's greedy gaze appreciating her naked form, she blushed and pulled on the skirt before wrapping the strip of fabric around her once before holding out the ends behind her for Aurelia to tie.
Cara bit her lip and watched as Aurelia tightened the cloth around Kahlan's breasts, watching the ample cleavage greedily before they were strapped down.
Kahlan turned and waited for Aurelia to undo her own simple drape before binding her in turn. Her fingers scrapped against the flesh of Aurelia's back and Aurelia took in a quick breath.
"Sorry," Kahlan said, surprised that her nails had caught Aurelia's soft skin.
When they both turned to assist Cara she was already half dressed, the skirt suiting her strangely after the leather one piece. Kahlan took a step forward to help her with her binding but she threw it around her and tied it efficiently on her own.
Kahlan took a step back and sat behind the door. Aurelia glancing at the bed beside Cara and the spot beside Kahlan and the rest of the dirty cell hesitating. Cara glared at her and she took a step back. Finding her back against the wall she sat down, awkwardly, beside Kahlan.
“Now I hope Richard has been able to pull off his part,” Kahlan whispered to neither woman in particular as they all awaited the morning.
* * *
Chapter 8
Aurelia had dozed off, her head on Kahlan’s shoulder, when Richard’s knock came upon the door. Light had been streaming through the small window for the last few hours and both Kahlan and Cara had been counting off the moments in their own ways.
The knock, however, startled Aurelia clear out of her doze and Kahlan jumped, although from the knock or Aurelia’s shock she wasn’t sure.
They each stood up and quickly donned the Roman chestpieces before opening the door hesitantly. Richard, dressed as a Roman general, entered, followed by Agron and Duro. Richard handed Kahlan her daggers, given to him by Batiatus as promised. Agron and Duro, dressed identical to the women, handed off the helmets they had been given to Cara and Kahlan. Cara and Kahlan tucked their hair into their leather chestpieces, donned the helmets and became indistinguishable. Cara took her agiel from her discarded leathers and slid it between the leather armor and her side. Aurelia flinched at the pain she knew Cara was feeling and both Cara and Kahlan turned to her, helmeted, but said nothing. Kahlan did the same with her daggers, placing them between the leather and the cloth against her skin.
Kahlan and Aurelia thanked Agron and Duro, Cara was silent and the men avoided her glare. The women exited and Richard grasped the men’s hands, wishing them well and giving them the key to the room. He then followed the women into the hallway. The area was deserted, although Aurelia wore Richard's helmet just in case. It would still raise alarm but it would not be as obvious as Aurelia's bright hair.
They followed Cara to the gladiator staging area. Spartacus was already there as was someone else, attired as the women were. The gladiator greeted Cara, thinking she was Duro, and Cara pulled the agiel from its hiding place and quickly incapacitated him. Spartacus nodded to Richard and turned away. They quickly pulled the prone gladiator’s body into the shadow and gave his helmet to Aurelia. Aurelia took off Richard's and handed it to him. She took her helmet and momentarily paused under its weight before shifting it onto her head. The door squeaked open, lighting the corridor and welcoming the fighters to the carriage that would take them all to the arena.
* * *
The roar of the crowd seemed louder from this part of the arena. Aurelia looked at the sword she had been given, it felt odd in her hand, but Kahlan dealt her another blow and she blocked it effectively. They practiced for the next few minutes until the crowd grew quieter and Batiatus announced the re-enactment.
“Ready?” Richard asked, putting on his own helmet. Cara nodded, Kahlan nodded and looked to Aurelia. She took a deep breath and nodded.
The gate opened.
“Good luck brother,” Spartacus said as they left.
Richard nodded. “I hope you find peace,” he said before turning and entering the arena.
“And you,” Spartacus said as the gate lowered again and he watched the strangers enter the sun.
* * *
Cara felt the sun on her muscles, the heat puckered at the scar on her arm, reminding her of her last foray into the arena. Opposite her were eight others, helmeted and armed. She stepped in front of Richard and took the first slice upon her blade. The others were circling around Richard and Kahlan, who in turn were keeping Aurelia protected between them. This was not going to be as easy as they had thought.
* * *
Aurelia blinked in the sudden sun. She felt the sand beneath her feet and wondered what Varro had felt in this same arena. She wondered if he would be proud of her now. She looked to Kahlan who stood beside her, guarding her. She would not let either of them down.
* * *
Batiatus looked down at the first strike. One of the three stepped in front of Richard and blocked the strike. He saw a scar on the muscular arm and stood, angling for a better view.
“Cara,” he whispered before sitting again. He waved to Asher. “Get my guards down there, arrest them when they finish,” he said.
Lucretia looked over to him. “Problems?” she asked.
Batiatus smiled through his concern. “Nothing that can’t be remedied,” he said assuredly. He gestured to Ilythia’s usual seat, changing the topic, “Where is Ilythia?” he asked.
“Do not worry my husband. She will be here and be the voice of Glaber as you wish,” Lucretia calmed.
“Good, then nothing will ruin this day,” he said leaning back in his chair and watching the fight.
* * *
Richard was starting to worry about their chances. He and Cara had each killed one of their opponents but Kahlan was in defensive posture, defending Aurelia. Aurelia hadn’t sustained any harm and in truth was doing a decent job with the few moves Kahlan had taught her before they entered the arena, but Kahlan already had a gash on her leg that was bleeding profusely and a smaller one on each arm.
The net came at him and he deflected it, but in doing so he missed a slice from another man to his side. He dodged it but it still slid against his skin, leaving a trail of blood on the Roman uniform. He deflected the next attack but the man with the net had not given up and in a more successful throw managed to pull Richard to the ground. Aurelia saw this and looked at Kahlan to her left and Cara behind her in quick succession, both were fighting on two fronts. She stepped out of the protective circle and stabbed the man with the sword from behind, felling him and grabbing his sword. The man with the net left Richard struggling beneath it and attacked with his axe. She held both swords up in an X and caught the axe between them, the force making her already sore arms scream in pain.
Richard hacked his way out of the net and the man with the axe heard him approach and swung his axe at neck height. Richard ducked thrusting upward. The sword came out through the man’s back and the crowd roared. Richard pulled the man off his sword and let him drop, nodding to Aurelia in thanks as she returned to the protective circle between Cara and Kahlan.
* * *
The other men were dispatched little issue, Kahlan killed one by pulling her dagger on him as she held his sword aloft with her own and then throwing her dagger to one that was about to strike Cara. Richard killed the other one near Kahlan and Cara dispensed with the final opponent.
The noise of the crowd increased as if one voice and Cara, Kahlan and Richard circled around Aurelia, her eyes already fallen closed with the power rushing through her. Richard held on to her while Kahlan grabbed his neck and Cara stood at the ready.
Aurelia could feel the crowd around her as a never ebbing tidal-wave pressing upon her. She tried to take in the power and hold it all in a box as Kahlan had instructed. But Kahlan’s power was released and she could feel it coming toward her, dark but inviting. She tried to block herself from it and the feel of the agiel from the other side but she could not do that and allow herself to consume the power from the crowd. She threw down walls on either side and tried to keep as much of her open to the crowd as possible but the black was invading and the red pain came from the other side and she was growing dizzy from the heat and the sound. She opened her eyes to orient herself and saw darkness and trees. The others were in the clothing they had arrived in and a few paces beside her was a tall grey-haired man. She smiled and then felt a different sort of black take hold.
* * *
Batiatus swung open the door to the room that had previously been Cara’s, already red from anger at the events of the arena. He looked in on Agron and Duro and then turned to his guards.
“String them up and give them 50 lashes,” he said, waving his hand and exiting, his face drawn in aggravation and defeat.
He walked into Spartacus, his face wild with a determination that had Batiatus rightfully cautious.
“Another impressive victory! What can I do for the champion of Capua?” he asked, pushing down his aggravation and concern.
Spartacus scowled, the anger rising in his face although his voice remained calm, "To hold my wife I would have killed anyone who stood between us. Imagine then what I would do to the man who parted us forever."
Batiatus turned quickly and ran straight into Agron and Duro. Batiatus threw his weight against Duro, trying to get the sword from his grip but was greeted with laughter as the brothers blocked his exit and Spartacus painted the floor with his blood.
Throughout the ludus the rest of the slaves were making short work of anyone loyal to Batiatus. Richard was right. He would have peace, through blood.
* * *
Ilythia could hear the cries within the ludus from across the plain, both hating and loving the idea of Lucretia’s blood painting the marble floor. She would return to her life before the ludus, her life in the midst of true affluence and forget (could she?) the troubled months she had spent beneath the roof of Batiatus.
* * *
In the arena a white light surrounded them. Kahlan cautiously felt her power ebb out of her into Richard and the light grew brighter, accented with the lightning blue of Cara's agiel. For a moment she saw nothing and then she saw the background change and her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the wood. Richard, his eyes glowing with the power of confessor and Orden, the stone and the boxes were just as she remembered but strewn to her right, just inside her peripheral vision, was Aurelia still in Roman garb. Before she could comprehend that they had succeeded she saw a sword separate the boxes and green flame erupt from the gap. She released Richard, thrown back from the explosion, and looked up to see Darken Rahl consumed in green flames before falling to the earth, a scorched corpse.
She looked behind Richard and saw Cara and the other Mord'sith hesitating.
"Lord Rahl is dead, you will follow my orders now," Cara said, preempting the Mord'sith attack.
Richard gave a subtle nod in thanks.
Cara sauntered up to him, “I’m sure we'll meet again Seeker, sometime in the future.”
She turned back to the Mord’sith.
“Take the girl,” she said gesturing to still unconscious Aurelia.
“No,” Kahlan screamed running toward Cara past Richard. Richard grabbed her and held her still.
“We can’t fight this many Mord’sith,” he whispered.
Kahlan stopped struggling but stayed within Richard's grasp, not trusting herself to be released. She watched as two Mord'sith picked Aurelia up and followed Cara into the woods without looking back.
After the Mord’sith were out of sight Richard released Kahlan and she turned to him, tears wetting her cheek.
"She has been through so much pain already and now she is in the hands of the Mord'sith!" her voice rose at her own frustrations, tears flowing freely. Richard, helpless in the face of Kahlan's tears, turned to Zedd who was staring at them both, mouth agape, eyebrows raised in confusion.
"How did Jennsen get here?"
* * *
Kahlan remained silent as Richard told Zedd what had happened to them. She couldn't stop thinking of Aurelia, lost in a world not her own at the hands of the Mord'sith. She thought of her innocent eyes, deep in pain and the way they lightened when she had succeeded in repelling Kahlan's power. She remembered her desperation in wanting to escape and her determination as she learned to wield a sword moments before entering the arena. And she remembered her gentle careless touch. Her breath caught and she analyzed her reaction. What was Aurelia to her?
Richard put his hand on her shoulder and she jumped, her breath coming in short gasps. "We'll find her Kahlan, don't worry," He said.
She nodded her head but felt the guilt flush her cheek. She cared for Richard, she loved him, but there was something in Aurelia's eyes that was drawing her in and she was helpless in the face of it.
She had to save her...
Tbc
* * *
A/N: So perhaps it is cruel to end a multipart fic as Tbc. I did so because it is the end of that story but far from the end of Kahlan and Aurelia's. The next bit is different enough to warrant its own title and I will post it as soon as it is finished! Thank you all for reading my craziness. Hope you enjoyed (and will enjoy) it as much as I did writing it...