~Dusan~(January 19 79AD):
"Yours?", I asked back.
"Ohh... Well I did a lot of household chores.... Master's not as bad as I thought he would be actually! He's not as cruel as many!", He said. "By the way, you never told me your name, brother!"
"Me? I am called Lucius. 20 years old.", I smiled at him.
(January 20 79AD):
I was woken up by Kwame.
"You are a sound sleeper huh?", Kwame asked.
"No I am a light sleeper.", I answered proudly.
Kwame giggled.
"What's so funny", I asked him.
His laughter got only louder. I looked at him questioningly.
"Well yestherday (yesterday) nighth (night) you.... HAHAHAHAHA... You... hahahaha...", He started.
"Tell me after you cool down"
"Yestherday you, afther (after) you slepth, you hugged me so thighth (tight), said you loved me, and tried to kiss me on my cheek!!", He started laughing again. He was not the only one. Everyone in that room started laughing.
I felt humiliated.
To change the topic I promised Kwame to teach the language properly with proper pronunciation.
After that we had our sword practice.
Later that evening Kwame came punctually to learn.
"Say ta", I started.
"Tha"
"Ttaaa"
"Thaa"
" IT'S TA!! Take your tongue and touch the top of your mouth not your teeth... Here!!", I pointed the position in my mouth. "Now say ta!"
"Ta"
"FINALLY!!", I shouted.
Everyone in that room cheered.
"Is thath all?", He asked.
"That", I corrected.
"That... Okay!! I goth ith....", He said happily.
I sighed with frustration.
It took a really long time for him to get used to the usage of 'ta' sound. ALL NIGHT!!! I didn't sleep at all!!!
(January 21 79AD):
After we assembled at the practice venue master Guilford came to check on us.
"I have a very important ANNOUNCEMENT! Listen carefully!! The game would be starting from tomorrow!! You have to fight for your lives and bring me profit!! So practice well, eat well and sleep well today!", With that he left.
"We've got the best master one can ever get!", Commented Kwame.
"Yeah, he's very considerate.", Said another slave.
The day passed too quickly. I didn't want it to! Guess God will give what we don't want!!
(January 22 79AD):
"Wake up!! Lucy wake up!!", Maximus shook me.
"Don't call me that!! Call me Lucius or brother or brother Lucius!", I protested, still lying on the cold floor.
"Ok brother Lucius, today is your big day!! You need to get up!!"
"You mean 'bad day'. ", I corrected.
"You've got some humor!", Kwame commented without misplacing 'ta' with 'tha'.
"I am quite serious here...", I argued.
We were not given our breakfasts... We were being taken to our deaths without a grain of food in our stomachs!!
"THE GREAT HERO VS THE BARBARIAN KING!!", Shouted the commentator.
We were the barbarians... What a pity... Just for entertainment's sake, they name is whatever we are not!!
The 'great hero' guy will select the one to fight with, and the chosen opponent will have to fight. It was kill or be killed.
We all stood there in a row, so that he could choose. The 'hero' was pretty muscular. He was really big and we'll built. This meant that he was really strong. But there is also a weakness. He would be pretty slow.
That meant, I had a chance of winning!! I can move pretty fast and dodge all his attacks, and also slash him with my sword, at the same time. I hoped him to choose me. I didn't want to lose any of the friends I made at the quarters!