Fanfiction for m_strangchild - Olympus Awaits, Chapter 3
Title: Olympus Awaits
Fanfiction for: m_strangchild
Three things you'd like in a fic: Porn! An ancient Rome AU where Clark is a gladiator. Hurt/Comfort
Three things you do NOT want in a fic: Lois, anything past season 8, anything where Clark and Chloe don't end up together
Banner art by iluvaqt
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Clark’s emergency repairs held up nicely.
It was a fairly easy journey to the farm. Their host, Diomedes, had introduced them to his wife, Freya, who was more than pleased to welcome guests to their table. Within an hour, Chloe and Clark were enjoying a humble yet hearty meal, while Diomedes asked them questions about their background.
“Your voices and indeed your names are unlike any I’ve ever heard,” he remarked as he refilled their tankards with ale. “What part of Greece are you from?”
Clark swallowed, but Chloe - as usual - was quick on the mark. “The Northern territories,” she replied. “One of the smaller islands far north.”
“Ah, I see. I am not well-travelled, I fear; there is much of the world that remains a mystery to me,” he said with a sigh. “And we are not likely to see much of it if the levies continue to rise.”
“Levies?” Clark asked.
“Taxes on the land issued by the brute that shares my name,” he spat.
“Diomedes of Argos?” Chloe asked, her eyes widening.
Clark frowned. “Who?”
“His reputation as a charlatan precedes him, I see,” their host said contemptuously. “Yes, the very same. He rules the territory with an iron fist, and a greedy one at that.”
“Where’s Argos?” Clark muttered to her under his breath.
“One of the Greek principalities,” Chloe whispered back. “It’s where we are right now.”
Clark nodded. “Got it.”
“Diomedes destroys his own people with his own hand,” he continued. “He levies us with exorbitant taxes that we can’t possibly afford to pay. I have no coin for supplies and livestock. My livelihood is crippled by the burgeoning taxes, so much so that I am wont to sell my farm and consider a move to Mycenae, or Sparta.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Clark replied solemnly.
“… or a smaller village,” Diomedes continued, deep in thought. “Maybe Pylos as Nestor is a fair, wise king.”
Clark finished the rest of his food and drained his cup. “Well, I hope things improve for you.”
“Unlikely, but I appreciate your good wishes all the same,” Diomedes replied with a weary smile. He got to his feet. “The hour grows late; let me show you to your lodgings. On the morrow, I will assign the tasks for labour.”
“We appreciate all you’ve done for us,” Chloe said with a smile.
“It is you who have helped me,” he replied as he led them outside. “The farm has been in my family for generations. I have lived here all my life, and would one day like to pass it on to my own children… but it requires lots of work, and I cannot afford to employ the labour. Your timely arrival is a blessing from Athena herself.”
“I’m not sure she’d agree with that,” Chloe muttered under her breath, making Clark stifle a chuckle.
“I fear you will have to make do with the barn,” Diomedes said apologetically as he led them through the stable. “But the straw is dry and warm, and the animals are agreeable. I often indulge in quiet repose here myself.”
“The barn is more than adequate,” Clark replied with a smile. “In fact, I’m sure I’ll feel right at home.”
***
Thirteenth century farming wasn’t too different from twenty-first, Clark noted. Once Diomedes had shown him the borders of his lands and where all the implements were, he set about tilling and watering the crops as fast as he could without arousing suspicion. He even helped erect fence posts to properly delineate the farm’s borders, much to his host’s delight.
Chloe stayed closer to the farmstead and assisted Freya with the housework. When Clark didn’t come in for lunch with Diomedes, Freya sent her out with a tray laden with bread, cheese, apples and ale for Clark.
“We need to think about our next step,” she mused as Clark took a break to enjoy his lunch. “How the hell are we going to get back to the present? And don’t you dare suggest we have sex again,” she threatened as he opened his mouth.
“I was just going to say that I ran back to the temple early this morning to see if there were any clues in the hieroglyphs that might give us an idea how we got here,” he replied.
“Oh. And…?”
“There was a purple stone embedded in the ground at the very spot where we were standing when we materialised in this time.” He shrugged. “Not sure if it means anything, but…”
“It’s a start,” she said, nodding thoughtfully. “I should have known a stone would come into the picture sooner or later. Did you try rubbing it, or…?”
“I didn’t want to do anything that might send be back without you, so I left it alone,” he replied. “Once we’re done here, we can disappear and give it a try together.”
“Makes sense. How much longer are you going to be?”
He smiled. “I can be done in five minutes, but that’ll look strange. Give me an hour, and I’ll be back at the homestead.”
“Be safe.” She kissed him and picked up the now empty tray to begin her journey back to the farmhouse.
The sound of hoofbeats on the road next to her made her turn around. A large, well-muscled man approached her and then dismounted when he got to her side.
“Well, well, well,” he said smugly as he fell into step beside her. “The old crone didn’t mention he’d hired a maiden, and a shapely one at that.”
Chloe ignored him and picked up her pace, but he easily matched her stride and moved in closer, making no attempt to mask his blatant ogling.
“Old Diomedes must have more silver than he claims to, if he can afford to pay your wages,” he continued.
“He pays me nothing,” she said tightly.
“Oh? Are you perhaps a relative of his, then?”
“Who I am is none of your business.”
“Ooh, what a testy wench you are,” he laughed. “You should show more respect in the presence of an officer of the king.”
“Come to bleed more taxes out of an honest, hardworking man, have you?” she challenged, giving him a snide glance. “You, your king and everyone in your establishment should be ashamed of yourselves.”
His leery smile faded, and his eyes grew flinty and cold. “You would dare you address me thus?” he growled. He grabbed her arm, causing the tray and crockery to fall to the ground, and pulled her up against him. “You will pay for your insolence, woman.”
“Get your fucking hands off me, asshole!” she spat, shoving him as hard as she could.
“A foul tongue, indeed!” he jeered loudly. His hands tightened on her arms, and he lowered his mouth to hers. “I can put such a tongue to good use-”
He got no further. Chloe’s booted foot connected with his exposed shin, and he let go of her and howled like an animal in pain.
“You bitch!” he roared. Chloe took off in the direction of the farmhouse, but had barely covered a hundred yards when she felt his arms around her and they both toppled to the floor with a thud.
“I will teach you a lesson you’ll never forget, you insolent whore,” he hissed, pressing her into the ground as he fumbled with her skirts.
“Get off me!” she shrieked. “Get off!”
Suddenly his weight was lifted off her. She heard his surprised yelp as he was flung into the air and landed hard on the ground approximately thirty feet away.
“She said, get off,” Clark said menacingly, his eyes flashing with barely controlled fury.
***
Chapter 4…