A Gladiators Trial

The sounds of glass breaking woke Zaya first. Alarm ran through her as she snapped awake and instantly rolled off her bed and under it. She felt her heart racing as she blinked the sleep from her eyes. She was in her mothers Temple. The Gladiators downstairs in the Ludus. The Ludus was always kept locked during the evening. Men were not welcome in the Temple. That had always been Tempests biggest rule. Zaya tensed when she heard foot steps. Cautious ones. Small whispers. She bit her bottom lip as she tried to think. She didnt hear the guards or the servants so something must have happened. Had there been a traitor among them? Had something happened to the staff? Was her former slave master here to reclaim her? NO! She wouldn't go without a fight.

She swallowed down her fear as she slipped out from under the bed. She tiptoed carefully to her balcony and slipped out onto it. She was quiet as she climbed onto the railing and onto the temple roof above her. She heard her door open slowly and went still. Listening. Waiting. She heard things being moved and faint grunts that almost sounded familiar. She crept slowly across the roof, peeking over the edge above the gardens at the center of the temple. She saw several large bodies moving around, searching. They wore black clothes and hoods to shield themselves. Some held what she recognized as guns. She cursed. She should run. Get to the Ludus doors and unlock it to release the Gladiators. Let them defend the Temple. But she stiffened at the thought.

Because she was a Gladiator. A fighter. A fae princess. This was her home too. She clenched her jaw before she carefully crept to the edge of the roof. She landed silently as she jumped down behind one of the strangers. A tight headlock and a hand over his mouth and nose, quickly suffocated him into unconsciousness as she laid him down. She started for the second man when a light shined on her. "Got her!" She heard growled as moment before she was tackled, her eyes blinking to adjust to the sudden lights. She cried out as she hit the marble before she punched her attacker square in the face and rolled them so she was ontop of him. She flipped off him and faced a third man. He landed a punch to her abdomen before she landed a kick to his groin that doubled him over.

Then came the second man again from behind, grasping her hair and yanking her back. She spun on a heel and punched his Adam's apple before she broke free. She fought like she never had as the men came at her. Zaya kept her mind focused on the fighting until the temple gardens were a mess and the men were all strewn about like rag dolls. That's when she heard it; the applause. Zaya pushed herself up from the floor, dropping the gun she had used to shoot three of the men. Zaya wiped a hand across her bloody mouth as she looked up. "Doctore?" She asked in shock as he reached out a hand to one of the masked intruders and drew him to his feet. Doctore, the trainer of the Gladiators, looked to her with something she had never seen before; Pride.

She looked at the men began to regain their feet and remove their hoods. "What-?" Zayas confusion deepened as she saw the familiar faces of her mothers Gladiators. Her favorite, Gannicus, smiled at her with amusement as Doctore approached her. He picked up the gun she dropped and opened the chamber to show her the bullets...."Blanks?" She asked in shock as the three men she shot stood uo unscathed. "You spend more time training than any of the men. Yet your mind wars with so much fear and self doubt, you fail more than any other. Your fear keeps you small, Little Mouse." Doctore said as he tapped her temple lightly. "But take away observing gaze, put will to the test, and see yourself victorious." He said as he patted her shoulder. Zayas eyes widened as she looked at the men, then to Doctore as realization hit. This had been a test. Her test.

She felt tears well as her favorite, Gannicus, approached her. That charming grin looked devilish as he handed her a flask and she sipped it. The Mead was sweet on her tongue as he brushed a smear of blood from her bottom lip. "Welcome to the Family, Little One." He said as the men all began to whistle and cheer her name as Gannicus picked her up and sat her on his shoulder. Zaya swallowed the sweet mead as Gannicus carried her around the gardens as the men rallied in excitement. As they did so, she realized Doctore had been right. She had always been scared of failing. Put too much pressure on herself. Pushed herself too hard. Tried to be like the men. Training even harder than they did in attempt to gain victory and skill. But never stopped to realize the only thing holding her back was her own mind.

At last, Zaya had her victory.

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