Chapter Text
“Nasir tells that you stood at Spartacus’ side from the birth of rebellion.” The Bedouin chieftain said as he settled himself in the shade of the tent where Agron was sitting resting away from the sun’s scorching rays. “It is a tale I would see committed to memory to be shared upon desert nights to come; those fallen to live forever in the memories of our sons and daughters until time itself ends.”
Agron took a deep breath; “It is not a tale of glory; but of loss.”
“Not loss; beloved of my wife’s brother. One of sacrifice willingly made for others.” The Bedouin whose name Agron now remembered was Fayid replied. “There is no greater glory. Many tribes have gathered here to hear of Rome’s shame from the lips of one who had a hand in laying such upon the mighty Roman republic. Let us gather round fire this night to hear your words.”
“Pollux was with us from beginning; he is well able to tell of it.” Agron replied.
“Yet he did not stand at Spartacus side as brother and leader.” Fayid side somberly. “Nasir tells how Spartacus named you the last of those who stood beside him when rebellion started. Pollux fought; but you my friend stood a leader; and are well versed with the motivations of the man. More importantly you stood as his brother in all ways I am told. You knew him in ways that Pollux did not. Contemplate request and know that it is celebration of his life to share memory of him with others.”
Agron watched as the Bedouin stood and made his way over to join his wife. He found himself honoring Fayid’s request to contemplate what it would mean to break word on the rebellion. So deep in thought was he that he found himself startled when Laeta joined him.
“Furrowed brow brings to mind the man who once walked streets of Sinuessa.” She said. “What troubles soul now?”
“Fayid would have me tell of rebellion. As if fucking entertainment to pass time.” Agron grumbled.
“Do those east of the Rhine not pass down knowledge from father to son as do the rest of us?” Laeta shook her head when the German just looked at her. “You have given them a great gift by returning Nasir to his family; now they would return fucking favor by seeing those you held to heart honored by remembering their story to pass down from father to son. By breaking word; you honor Spartacus, Crixus, and all those you have lost. Gannicus’ son will know of his father. And all those who followed you here to these desert sands will remember with you. Your words will tell of it; but we will remember with you and learn of those moments unknown to us.”
Agron approached the fires where a large crowd was gathered that night. Nasir was at his side holding the hands of Saxa and Donar while the others who had arrived with him trailed after the German. Silas stood directing the former gladiator to his seat in the place of honor.
As every one settled themselves an unknown man spoke up; you would share tales of gore with women and children gathered round you?”
“The telling of it is of less upset than the living of it.” Agron replied flatly. “All those you see gathered were there to live through the worst parts of the tale you are about to hear; and they survived.”
“Yes and many women and children died at the hands of Romans like Crassus and Caesar.” Laeta added. “There are even those who stood Roman who were touched by injustice and suffered same fate as those who rightly rebelled.”
Nasir sent the Roman woman a smile. “As many women wielded weapon against them.”
Fayid now stood up. “We gather to hear tale of rebellion from one who was there at beginning and survived its end. Agron came to us leading those who survived to the freedom of desert sands. Among them beloved brother of my wife; he is owed respect as their shaykh.” The gathered shaykhs murmured their assent and Fayid gave a small bow in Agron’s direction.
Agron took a deep breath. “For me the rebellion began the day my brother and I were taken in battle against the Romans and their fucking Gaul allies. Duro and I were brought to Neapolis chained like dogs alongside men from other tribes east of the Rhine and a handful of Gauls who had shown themselves to be anything but friends of Rome. Duro and I were sold together to the Ludus of Quintus Batiatus; to be trained as Gladiators. It was there that we met Spartacus, And Crixus. And it was there that the schemes and plots of Romans sowed seeds of rebellion.”
“Plots and schemes?” Fayid asked. “They could not settle upon one or the other?”
“Batiatus held dream of public office and would stroke cock of any he thought able to support his madness and sacrifice every man in the ludus to it. The first to die was before we joined the ludus; a gladiator called Barca murdered by Batiatus own hand at the urging of a Syrian called Ashur. The next to fall was a Roman by birth; yet stood among the Brotherhood of gladiators. His name was Varro.
It happened when Batiatus opened the ludus to Capua’s magistrate in honor of the man’s son passing from boyhood to manhood.”
“A day not to be forgotten.” Pollux added. “It was the day Duro stepped out of his brother’s shadow to stand up to Crixus. He gained the respect of everyone who witnessed his defiance that day.”
Nasir released Saxa who wrapped her arms around the gladiator’s neck hugging him tightly. Agron returned the hug then guided the girl to sit in his lap before he continued.
“Spartacus and Crixus were set to fight in exhibition that night as finale to the festivities; yet at last moment the boy called for Varro instead. Spartacus stood champion of Capua at the time; there was never any doubt how the match would end; yet the boy would only be satisfied with death.” Agron said voice gone flat. “It was Varro himself that dealt first injury by grabbing sword and plunging it into place where shoulder met neck while upon his knees knowing that both of them would be put to death if the boy’s bloodlust was not sated; and so Varro died with Spartacus sword buried in his neck; Batiatus more than happy to kill a man, a father and husband, at the whim of a boy not yet of years to grow hair upon his chin. It was bitter lesson; as we all now knew that Batiatus would sacrifice us all if it took him closer to his goal. I know that for Duro and I it was the moment we knew that Batiatus would not hesitate to set us against each other if he thought it to gain favor.”
“Yet things were not so bad; until Glaber granted his patronage.” Pollux said. ”That is when life went from miserable to unbearable within ludus walls. Before Glaber we at least had the illusion of freedom within its walls.”
“You were forced to fight to the death for Roman entertainment. How could such be bearable in any way?’ Fayid asked.
“Yes we were forced to fight; yet we were not chained like rabid dogs. Such was the case when Glaber agreed to patronage.” Agron stated. “Glaber was the one who had Spartacus brought to these shores in chains. There was no love between the two and Spartacus was set on the man’s death; he held Glaber to blame for the death of his wife, Sura.”
“And Glaber knew that Spartacus was proof of his disobedience to Senate. Spartacus had after all served under Glaber in the Roman Auxiliary. Yet Spartacus was always of keen mind and saw through Glaber’s attempts to bait him. Would that Crixus had been as keen of mind with regard to Ashur. Where Spartacus saw consequence of his action in moving against Glaber in that moment; Crixus rose to Ashur’s bait; taking offense in seeing Ashur’s hands upon the woman he loved, Naevia. When Crixus moved to attack Ashur; Glaber was given excuse he needed and we were placed under Glaber’s own men chained like dogs and released only to train. Crixus was placed in cell to await death and Naevia was put to cart; passed from villa to villa until she was taken to mines at Lucania; remaining days to be of toil within the depths until death released her to the afterlife.
This was the moment when rebellion truly began. My brother and I were chained near to Spartacus and he spoke words of escape that fell upon our wanting ears; we both joined him in that moment and the three of us began quietly speaking to the others, spreading word that as just as eagerly received by all save the Gauls who followed Crixus. It was only when Crixus learned that Batiatus and his wife had made him next sacrifice and poisoned him before match to death against Spartacus that Crixus joined him in plan toward escape. It was Crixus who called for us to ‘kill them all, and the Romans learned that even a chained dog is dangerous.
We attacked Glaber’s guards slaughtering them where they stood and taking their weapons. When a key was found we freed ourselves until all were free of fetter. Mira a house slave who had replaced Naevia as body slave to Batiatus wife unlocked gate between ludus and the house. Spartacus, Crixus and many others entered the house while we continued seeing Glaber’s guards to the afterlife upon ludus sands. It was then that a Roman shit robbed Duro of his life with sword meant for my back. Duro pushed me aside at last moment taking the blow. I parted the shits head from neck before Duro even fell to ground; and there cradled in my arms the only one left in the world that I loved died in my arms.”
“We will remember him.” Fatima said placing her hand on Agron’s arm. “I will remember him. As you are now my son; so stands Duro.”
“I do not remember much of what happened after that. My memories are tinged with bloodlust.” Agron admitted. “I do not know what is memory and what is thought of ravening beast I had become. It is only when we attacked a small villa outside of Capua that I again became myself.”
Nair now laid his hand on Agron’s shoulder. “The night grows long and rest would do us all well.”
Agron turned toward the Syrian and gave a small tired smile. “Gratitude.”
“It is not a tale to tell in one night.” Nasir said. “And on the morrow I will add my words to yours as the tale is also known to me from this point. It was in that villa that we found each other and it rightly becomes our tale.”
“Go find rest.” Fatima said as she pulled Saxa into her lap. “I am sure that between Laeta, Sibyl and I; we can see the little ones to their own rest.’