The Priestess accompanied Her Husband from their tent allowing him to lead the way, as was her custom. She knew he didn't mind her walking abreast with him but she was trying to let The Acolytes see what they wanted to see; a demigod. Surely gifted at healing and inked in knowledge her husband has been touched by Apollo.
Outside a crowd had gathered around The Captives; one of whom was being beaten. The Crowd parted as her Husband approached.
On their knees before them knelt The severely beaten Housekeeper and a man she recognised as a Centurion of the Roman Army. A man she had only caught glimpses of when he had stayed at the Farm as the Farmer had hidden her. Up close she was surprised to see The Centurion was handsome; well built with chiselled features. Her husband wasn't ugly his body was trim but his features were plain, she caught herself thinking if her husband was touched by Apollo then surely The Centurion must be touched by Mars.
Her Husband looked at The Captives and immediately vomited. She thought she saw a glimpse of recognition sweep over her Husband's face as he looked at The Centurion before he turned green. So much for game face she thought. She turned to the faces of The Concerned Acolytes. Most of them had never seen weakness before in their leader.
She addressed them. “All but the guards back to work! These spies will be judged by our divine leader.” The Acolyte Guards were mostly the freemen and slaves that had joined her coup at the Farm, she trusted them. Her Husband pulled himself together. “Kill them both!” he muttered and turned to walk away
She was shocked to see a ruthless side to her Husband she didn't think he possessed. Then she was more shocked at what came next. The Centurion cried “Fellatio!”
She was confused as her Acolytes by the Centurion’s exclamation and that her Husband's complexion, apparently, could grow greener. The Housekeeper, through swollen eyes, stared at Centurion in disbelief his jaw agape.
Her husband eventually smiled and in English muttered to himself ‘fair’s fair.’ He looked at his followers and, in Latin, said ‘If anyone wants their dick sucked by The Centurion form a queue… when you're done kill him.’ With that he turned away.
The Confused Acolytes looked around at each other. Although there were no rules about love in the camp it appeared no one wanted to force themselves upon The Centurion. For a moment The Priestess imagined The Centurion sucking dick and she was surprised to find the thought slightly aroused her. She quickly suppressed that feeling. ‘Wait!’ everyone now stared at her to see if she would openly defy Her Husband. ‘Surely we should question them to see what they know.’
Her Husband shrugged. It was a though he'd given up. ‘As long as they wind up dead you can do as you like with them.’ He returned to their tent. Everyone winds up dead she thought it’s just a matter of time.
The Priestess turned toward the captives. ‘What are you doing here?’
The Centurion bowed his head. ‘The Housekeeper told me of how you murdered The Farmer and His wife. I came to investigate The Shaman’
‘We liberated ourselves from a cruel man.’ She repeated her new tribes mantra. The Priestess turned to the Acolytes who had captured the duo. ‘Where were they?’
‘In the woods by the firing range my lady.’ The senior of the two Acolytes said. ‘The Children were at target practice.’
She nodded it at been at her commands that the children be acquainted with the new weapons. It had been a stroke of genius on behalf of her Husband to recruit children to their cause. They were so pliable. Just the simple act of providing them with food and shelter had endeared her to them. They needed next to no persuading to follow her orders and their small fingers were perfect for manning the ammunition production line.
‘You've seen too much!’ She concluded,‘You both must die.’
‘Wait!’ The Centurion belowed. ‘I've seen enough to believe in you. Spare me and I'll swear my allegiance to you. I will serve you. I'm useful I know the legions the tactics the fortifications, the supply lines.’
‘Well fuck you all!’ The Housekeeper interjected.
She hesitated ‘I will consult with my husband but first a test of your loyalty. Kill this man.’ Both men's hands were tied behind their backs but it didn't stop them from both leaping to their feet. They began to circle each other.
The Housekeeper snarled at The Centurion. ‘Bring it on, if I'm to die today then I'm taking you with me.’
The Priestess had intended to cut The Centurion's bonds and arm him but now the men circled each other and the Acolyte Guard had formed a ring around them she became curious to see the outcome of the fight.
The Centurions posture was upright and he side stepped calmly eyeing The Housekeeper’s gait looking for a weakness. The Housekeeper lent forward slightly and swayed his torso from side to side like the head of a cobra whilst his feet bounced like a fawn's. Both men were trying to loosen their bonds.
The Housekeeper struck first and lunged at The Centurion with his chest. The Centurion deftly side stepped the lunge and left a foot which tripped the Housekeeper feet. The Housekeeper stumbled to the floor and The Centurion began to kick him in the back. The Housekeeper screamed as the Centurion’s heavy kicks landed on his bound hands but then The Housekeeper managed to catch The Centurion’s foot and with a twist brought his opponent crashing to the floor. The fall winded The Centurion and he was slow to recover, The Housekeeper used the time to slither around and threw his face at The Centurions, biting down on his nose. It was The Centurion turn to scream in agony as the Housekeeper rose to his feet and spat out a mouth full of blood and tissue. ‘I am Revenge!’ he screamed to the heaven's.
Revenge walked the pit cursing at the Crowd. The Centurion slowly rose to his feet and the crowd gasped to see that Revenge had taken off The Centurion nose. Revenge turned to admire his work. The Centurion flew across the ring, like a demon, and headbutted Revenge. Revenge hit the ground hard and almost before doing so The Centurion was kicking his face. Revenge couldn't move and his face became an unrecognisable bloody pulp.
After about a minute The Centurion used a foot to roll a twitching Revenge onto his back and then stood on his throat until the twitching stopped.
The Crowd cheered; Some because they had known and hated the Housekeeper but most because, well, everybody likes a violent spectacle.
The Priestess wasn't sure how she felt. She was pleased the Centurion had won and very pleased that The Housekeeper was dead but she was disgusted by the blood but also at herself as she had to admit that it had been a thrill to watch the men fight, especially at her whim.
Then The Centurion collapsed.