And you know what? It gave me new courage. Those angels reminded me who I really was. I wasn’t really a part of this human drama. I was just an angel passing through.
But that was no reason not to help.
Reuben and I had joined in with our Roman colleagues, beaming loving vibes. For obvious reasons this took all our concentration. Suddenly I thought to check on Aurelia. She’d gone as white as a sheet. She was clutching her bulla as if she was terrified to let it go, whispering something over and over.
But all nightmares end eventually, even this one. The mutilated bodies were dragged out of the arena. Slaves raked fresh sand over the bloodstains. But they couldn’t hide the smell. It simmered in the steamy summer air like something from a Hell dimension.
I don’t know what made me look behind then. It’s as if I knew Orlando would be there. He was talking to the lanista, looking tired and pale. I went weak with relief. He was here, and he was OK!
Aurelia was trying to pull herself together. “Mella, your gladiatrix is on next,” she said bravely.
Star had been paired with Juno, the only other girl fighter on the programme. Probably Star and Juno ate the same rations at the same table, slept in the same room and borrowed each other’s perfume and hairpins. Now they had to try to kill each other or they didn’t get paid.
The girls hurtled towards each other from opposite ends of the arena, swords flashing in the sun. Some guys yelled obscene comments from the stands, wanting the girls to show them what they had under their leather chest bands. But they were quickly shouted down. Star and Juno were big favourites, and I soon saw why. If gladiators were kings of the arena, these girl fighters were warrior queens.
Star was just amazing. Juno was stronger and more cunning, but Star was lighter, faster, far more graceful and took crazier risks. You know how a great dancer can make you feel as if she’s dancing for you? Like she IS you, almost? That’s how I felt watching Star. It was me with the sun beating on my bare neck. It was me out there on the burning sand with an intricately plaited hairstyle and leather thongs tied around my naked arms. Star was an artist; a fabulous, daring, totally lethal artist.
Aurelia was utterly entranced. “I feel as if I know her.” She put her hand to her heart. “I know her in here.”
“I know. Me too!” Then I suddenly heard what I was saying. Star was a killer! As an angel, I had no business admiring her!
It was like I’d hexed her with my thoughts, because the very next second, Star’s foot slipped from under her.
Juno pounced, slashing at her with her sword. Star faltered, then renewed her furious attack. She didn’t seem to notice the blood seeping through her short leather skirt. Star was fighting for her life and there was no room for anything else.
Our dojo master would love her, I thought in awe. When Star fights, she’s like the wind, totally empty. No past, no present, only now.
So I wasn’t surprised when a sweating, bloodstained Star finally stood over her opponent, the point of her sword blade triumphantly grazing Juno’s throat.
“Kill, kill, kill!” chanted the crowd. Star had been fighting for them too. Now they wanted her to kill for them.
The triumphant gladiatrix stared calmly around the arena, as if she was genuinely considering the crowd’s demands. Then she threw her sword down in the sand and raised a clenched fist. “This is not Juno’s day to die, citizens!” she cried in heavily accented Latin. “She fought well. Spare her to fight another day!”
Reuben gave a gasp. I saw a bright drop of blood fall from Star’s leather skirt into the sand; and another and another.
The gladiatrix swayed and clutched her side. She glanced down and seemed astonished to see the spreading crimson stain. Without a sound, she crumpled to the ground, and lay totally still.
“NO!” I yelled. I was on my feet before I’d thought. I was beside
But that was no reason not to help.
Reuben and I had joined in with our Roman colleagues, beaming loving vibes. For obvious reasons this took all our concentration. Suddenly I thought to check on Aurelia. She’d gone as white as a sheet. She was clutching her bulla as if she was terrified to let it go, whispering something over and over.
But all nightmares end eventually, even this one. The mutilated bodies were dragged out of the arena. Slaves raked fresh sand over the bloodstains. But they couldn’t hide the smell. It simmered in the steamy summer air like something from a Hell dimension.
I don’t know what made me look behind then. It’s as if I knew Orlando would be there. He was talking to the lanista, looking tired and pale. I went weak with relief. He was here, and he was OK!
Aurelia was trying to pull herself together. “Mella, your gladiatrix is on next,” she said bravely.
Star had been paired with Juno, the only other girl fighter on the programme. Probably Star and Juno ate the same rations at the same table, slept in the same room and borrowed each other’s perfume and hairpins. Now they had to try to kill each other or they didn’t get paid.
The girls hurtled towards each other from opposite ends of the arena, swords flashing in the sun. Some guys yelled obscene comments from the stands, wanting the girls to show them what they had under their leather chest bands. But they were quickly shouted down. Star and Juno were big favourites, and I soon saw why. If gladiators were kings of the arena, these girl fighters were warrior queens.
Star was just amazing. Juno was stronger and more cunning, but Star was lighter, faster, far more graceful and took crazier risks. You know how a great dancer can make you feel as if she’s dancing for you? Like she IS you, almost? That’s how I felt watching Star. It was me with the sun beating on my bare neck. It was me out there on the burning sand with an intricately plaited hairstyle and leather thongs tied around my naked arms. Star was an artist; a fabulous, daring, totally lethal artist.
Aurelia was utterly entranced. “I feel as if I know her.” She put her hand to her heart. “I know her in here.”
“I know. Me too!” Then I suddenly heard what I was saying. Star was a killer! As an angel, I had no business admiring her!
It was like I’d hexed her with my thoughts, because the very next second, Star’s foot slipped from under her.
Juno pounced, slashing at her with her sword. Star faltered, then renewed her furious attack. She didn’t seem to notice the blood seeping through her short leather skirt. Star was fighting for her life and there was no room for anything else.
Our dojo master would love her, I thought in awe. When Star fights, she’s like the wind, totally empty. No past, no present, only now.
So I wasn’t surprised when a sweating, bloodstained Star finally stood over her opponent, the point of her sword blade triumphantly grazing Juno’s throat.
“Kill, kill, kill!” chanted the crowd. Star had been fighting for them too. Now they wanted her to kill for them.
The triumphant gladiatrix stared calmly around the arena, as if she was genuinely considering the crowd’s demands. Then she threw her sword down in the sand and raised a clenched fist. “This is not Juno’s day to die, citizens!” she cried in heavily accented Latin. “She fought well. Spare her to fight another day!”
Reuben gave a gasp. I saw a bright drop of blood fall from Star’s leather skirt into the sand; and another and another.
The gladiatrix swayed and clutched her side. She glanced down and seemed astonished to see the spreading crimson stain. Without a sound, she crumpled to the ground, and lay totally still.
“NO!” I yelled. I was on my feet before I’d thought. I was beside
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