Chapter Text
The doors open and Thalia steps out into the arena, eying the packed stands. Must be an important opponent. The morning sun shines, making her wince as her eyes adjust. The worn armor weighs down on her shoulders, but after all the years it's far from uncomfortable. Her opponent is quite tall and a lot bulkier than the usual women she faces. They're also not dressed properly, they're dressed like her.
"Well well, you look a bit lost." It's a man. She pauses and looks up towards the stands. The sun chooses right then to block her view of her father. That asshole. He thinks this is funny?! Thalia looks back at her opponent, a small chuckle escaping her.
"No, it's just that you're a man. I don't fight men." Her opponent pauses momentarily at her voice before laughing, the sound loud and grating.
"And I've never fought a woman, seeing as how that's against the rules. Also, I don't believe I've ever seen a gladiatrix wearing men's armor either." He unsheathes his swords and begins to walk towards her. "I suppose we'll cause quite the controversy then, won't we Little Mouse?" Her eye twitches slightly at his condescending tone. I cannot wait to see his face when he's choking on his own blood.
"Don't call me Little Mouse." She says and he fakes a pout, beginning to stalk towards her. She lets him circle. Like bees to honey.
"Aw, you don't like it? But you're so cute and little, like a mouse." She turns her head to watch him circle from behind. "Enough play, I'd like to finish this before lunch." He starts to walk up behind her, duel blades drawn at either side. Thalia turns to him, drawing her sword as well. He lunges for her, his sword swinging through the air towards her neck. The slice is heard throughout the arena, loud and gory. The man stumbles back as one of his blades falls into a puddle of blood. He looks down to where his arm should be, the bone sticking out. Thalia lowers her blood-soaked sword, a look of disgust clear on her face.
"Not so cute now, huh?" The man's shock slowly fades as he realizes what happened and he screams, dropping his other sword and falling to his knees. Thalia walks around him and grips his hair, pulling his head back. As she looks up towards the stands, where her father sits, she raises her sword to the man's neck. He's still whimpering in pain, his hand holding his shoulder even as blood squirts out between his fingers. "You wanted this, father." Thalia says to herself as she slides her sword across her opponent's neck. The blade cuts just as cleanly as it did with his arm and he doesn't even have time to scream before he's dead. She holds the head up and a familiar cheer erupts from the arena crowd. The victor, once again. Is this what you wanted, father? She drops the head to the ground and steps over the man's slumped body. Her boots splash in the puddle of blood as she makes her way to the exit of the arena.