[POINT OF VIEW: CLARE]
It was another painful morning, I woke up to the cries of my little brother.
"Don't cry," I told him, but crying was inevitable. My nose was congested too. I hugged my little brother tightly, but that didn't make the hunger go away. While I held him, my stomach let out a little grunt. I bitted my lips and tried not to laugh, but that was not enough.
"I'll get you food soon," I said. I doubt he believed me.
"Nooo, Sis...," He said. "I'll go instead."
I gave him a kiss on the cheek, which made him pout. "Don't be silly," I said.
I slowly stood up from the rugs were we slept and made my way to the door across the cold wooden floor, once at the door I kneeled down on the small alter that I had set up to hold my cross necklace and I did my morning prayer. I then put on my necklace, slipped into my sandals and left the house.
Outside of my house, I was met by the peak of Roman civilization. The beautiful sight of broken windows, abandoned houses, squatters, and the putrid smell of shit. I am sure the emperor would love it here.
"Is this is shit worth dying for?" I asked. I wonder if the soldiers who cross the Danube know that they are fighting to defend a shithole like this.
I kept walking down narrow and muddy street, avoiding the beggars who slept on the floor. The streets were narrow enough that only up to five people could walk on them side to side. As I made it past gloomy alleys, I saw a few rats big enough to devour a small cat.
I knew I was getting closer to the marketplace, since the streets now had prostitutes. When I walked by Marcus' house, he almost pulled me inside. He thought I was one of his whores. Not that he hadn't asked me before, but I was not like the rest of the girls he helped.
"Stupid, it's me," I said.
"Oh, Clare, good morning," Marcus said.
He let go and I kept walking down the street. I eventually started passing by rowdy soldiers that were leaving back to their posts, after likely spending a night of fun here at the slums.
Once I got to the marketplace I could see the local pub. It was of Pannonian tradition to set up the tables outside, for all to see those who were drinking on the establishment. The Germans loved it, the Latins hated it, I didn't care.
I scanned through the people who were drinking, looking for a prospective patron. Most of the soldiers were German and some of them were already accompanied at their tables by other girls. Not that I expected any better, Marcus had a monopoly over the open spaces of this city.
He didn't care that the Germans were cruel, they would either beat me, take advantage of me, or both. If they did that to me, I could only imagine what they did to the whores. Sure, once they were done with me, I could leave their bed well fed, but they wouldn't let me take food for my little brother, which was the only reason I was out here to begin with.
The few Germans that did gave me coins, were usually the ones that had a fantasy of corrupting a cute, Christian, Roman girl. Marcus knew this and he tried really hard to get me to work for him. But no matter how hungry I was, showing up home with plenty of bruises was not something I wanted to do, for sake of my little brother.
I kept looking through the pub and then I saw them. It was two Latin soldiers. Authentic Romans. Drinking at the pub. One of them was an old man, who looked old enough to be my dad. Sitting along with him was a young man who looked a bit effeminate. I've heard from Marcus that soldiers from Ravenna are loaded and sometimes pay his prostitutes an absurd amount of coin. The only downside is that they are sexual deviants and they bring their cosmopolitan tastes along with them. But I was not a prostitute, sure if I could just get their pity I might be rewarded.
I approached the two men, as they were discussing something about religion. Fools, I devoted myself to god, abandoning my pagan ways, and after spending an entire day weeping the floors of the church, I was paid only with salvation. What was there to talk about.
"Good morning gentlemen, what would a girl like myself have to do to be invited a few drinks by two handsome men like you two."
"Sorry little missy, we are drinking tea," The old man said.
"TEA!???" I thought. My company had just been rejected. But then...
"Hey Darling, what is a cute girl like yourself approaching soldiers like us? are you not afraid?" The young man said. It was hardly a question, but even then it was hard to be afraid of some one who looked like they spent most of their days being fed grapes and painting.
"My older brother was a soldier" I said. "I am not afraid of them."
"Interesting, maybe I've fought along side him," The young man said. "What regiment did he serve?"
"The 13th"
"Oohhh, Manlius, where is that regiment located?" Said the young man. His eyes burning with curiosity.
The older man did not respond, instead, he stood up and reached for his belt. I flinched back, covering my face with my arms, as I closed my eyes and looked away. I knew where this was going, I was about to get a beating again.
But then nothing happened.
"Huh?" I could feel his hand. "He was... patting me?"
When I lowered my guard and took a look, the old man smiled. "Here, have these," He said, placing three rather unique gold coins on my hand. My nose congested and I could feel a handful of tears tickle my face. I bolted out with a smile on my face.
"T-THANK YOU," I said as I ran away. "GOD BLESS YOU," I didn't know if he heard me, but I hope he did. As I ran away, I danced, and jumped, we now had money to eat. I ran aimlessly for a while and found myself back at the slums. I was so happy that I got lost for a second, but then finally regained my composure and made my way back to the market square to buy food.
"Wha-"
But before I could leave the slums, I felt a force pull me into an alley. I got pushed face down onto the muddy floor. I tried to stand up but I felt a man on top of me. He removed my sandals one by one, I tried defending myself by kicking him, but he only got angry and then I felt it. He punched me in the face, my entire vision blurred and I felt like a ragdoll. He then removed my dress, and as he pushed me down on the mud, he started thrusting into me. My body slowly betrayed me, first my vision and conscious faded, then as he kept thrusting me, I cummed, soon enough I passed out.
I eventually regained conscious. My belongings were scattered on the floor, and the coins that I had were gone. My attacker had left a bread bun on top of my dress. As in to state, "This is how cheap your cunt is worth."
I was crying, angry, but hungry. Like the disgusting person that I was, I eat the entire bun, all of it for myself. After I cried for hours, eventually someone showed up. By the looks of it, it was some blonde German girl. I thought she was a random local, but then she started speaking to me in a really heavy accent. She was a Barbarian.
"You don't need to tell me what happened here, I know," She said.
"Leave me alone."
"I know who did it."
I did not respond
"It was a Roman Soldier," She said. "They do this at my village all the time."
I hated them all, the Romans, the Latins, the Germans, they took my older brother from me; they took my dignity; they took everything. I hate them all. I hope that all of them kill each other and die.
"If you help me, I will give you revenge and enough money to last you for years," She said.
"R-revenge?" I asked.
"All you have to do, is to do something for me tonight..."