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“Tell me of how Melitta came to be in your cell that night”
Gannicus had spent years wandering the Republic as a free man, years to contemplate the events that led Melitta into his bed and into his heart. He has thought often of her smile, of the way she teased him ever unimpressed with him in every way. He remembers her laugh when she took drink with him and Oenomaus in his cell, he recalls the tears on her cheek as Roman perversions lead them to lie together, remembers the look on her beloved face as her life’s blood bubbled past her lips. He remembers a great many things yet how to convey them to Oenomaus evades him. Their bond so tenuous and newly reforged through Spartacus’ maneuverings with drink and contest.
“It is a long story, full of pain that I might yet spare you, my friend.”
“We are free men, we have nothing but time and with you ever present at my side, I would have answer. Tell me what became of you and my wife.” Gannicus would not take mind back to tragic past with bond so recently mended but how can he deny the man the truth of what happened after years absent knowledge of what transpired between them.
“Will you take back your forgiveness if I do such a thing.”
Oenomaus turns his head toward him, his eyes are calm no longer does hate seem to be simmering within his dark irises. “I would have understanding of what happened, now tell me.”
So Gannicus parts his lips to tell the unfortunate tale. “You know of the fated parties at the House of Batiatus and the depravities that begun to take place at them during my time?”
Oenomaus nods slightly, his eyes far away, likely picturing the atrocities that took place within during the years since Gannicus won his freedom.
“I was paraded before the Romans as Batiatus’ champion and the guests asked for demonstration of my...skills.” Gannicus smirks, and takes a careless sip of his wine but his eyes are so haunted the subtle boast lands flat. “The Roman picked Melitta to lie with me for their amusement, I looked to our dominus to stop him but of course he did not, the preening shit so eager to please his betters. We did what we had to to survive, absent fucking choice.”
“This does not resolve how she came to be at your side the night before you were to be sold.” Oenomaus looks conflicted,his face twisted in anger but his eyes full of sympathy. Does he feel sorry for their circumstances? Angry with him for laying unwanted hands on beloved wife? His tortured expression does not give answer, but Gannicus thinks perhaps both are true.
‘I am getting to unfortunate night, it is hard to recall memories of subjugation under Roman hands. I used to think that being a slave absent choice was easy but there is no harder thing to be free of choice. Nothing more painful than to be forced into action that goes against heart’s desire. I did not wish to lay hands on your wife, on my own friend, but the Romans forced my hand. An unfortunate thing. Yet after that night I could not stop thinking of her, the affection I felt for her as a friend shifted into something more. She encouraged me to turn my thoughts from such and to forget what passed between us but I could not stop the coming tide of my feelings for her.”
“You loved her?”
“I did”, I do Gannicus thought. Looking upon her brought a tightness to his chest, something warm and dangerous building there with every passing day and he had wished for nothing more than to lay his lips upon her in a private moment. One of their own choosing. It was a feeling Gannicus had never felt before with any he had lain with before or since. She was as a goddess and after being so blessed he could never forget her touch.
“And that night?” Oenomaus prompted.
“Yes that night, I to be sold to Tullius, she had come my cell to share a final drink of pilfered honeyed wine. Despite all my advances after that night in the villa she was steadfast in her fidelity to you. I suppose emotions ran high with me to be sold the next morning and we shared gentle words, a kiss, and perhaps it would have been more if the poison did not begin to take her.” Gannicus feels hot tears winding their way down his cheeks but he dares not wipe them, he lets Oenomaus see his grief, his regret. No longer hiding, but hoping. Praying to the gods that he does not hold faith in that Oenomaus will still embrace him despite past transgressions.
“So we both loved her then.” Oenomaus says simply
“That we did.”
“You still betrayed my trust to covet my wife so, I understand that within those walls every slave stood absent choice but it is bitter to the taste to know that after you still sought her.” Oenomaus cannot meet Gannicus' eye and he feels that he will never rise in Oenomaus' eyes again. A deserved fate but a painful one nonetheless.
“I cannot atone for what I have done, brother.”
“A man’s fate often takes him far from his desires, yet somehow our fates led us to Melitta. It is a beautiful thing to be loved by one such as her. I have lost much in my life, brother, I would not lose you as well. We will put aside broken past and we will greet her in the afterlife after slaying many Romans.” Oenomaus steps towards him, finally meeting his gaze and then enveloping the smaller man in his embrace and Gannicus tucks himself tighter into his arms relishing the closeness. His relief a living thing. His brother still loves him and holds him close to heart, he can fall a happy man.
“Yes, brother, we shall.”