5. Chapter 5
To Velia’s relief, Achilles didn’t leave.
A week of rigorous training passed. Velia thought she could already see new muscles forming on the novice’s body.
He was learning the basics of combat, though Ferox seemed to be focusing more on general exercises like running and lifting stone weights to build strength.
Ferox was a thorough, if relentless, teacher.
Once she was sure Achilles wouldn’t abandon her, she met with Oppius, the official in charge of booking gladiators for the upcoming games.
The middle-aged man had an office, but Velia knew he would more likely be found at one of three taverns nearby.
He wasn’t at the first one, but she found him at the second, tucked into a corner with a jug of wine on the table before him.
Another man sat at the small table across from him, and Velia recognized him as the manager of another ludus.
Oppius must be busy as the games approached, and Velia hoped there would still be space for Achilles in the roster.
Velia lurked off to the side, waiting patiently for the conversation to finish. As soon as the other man vacated his stool, Velia swooped in.
“Velia,” Oppius greeted her as he topped up his wine cup. “I thought everything was already settled with Lucullus. I’ve got all your men on the schedule.”
“I have one more for you,” she said. “A new recruit. His name is Achilles. Surely there’s another novice you can pair him up with.
You know how much the crowd loves a fresh face.
” Matches between novices were always of great interest to the audience; everyone wanted to predict who the next favorite would be and declare they’d supported him from his very first match.
Oppius considered. “I might be able to squeeze him in.”
“You’re going to want to.” Velia leaned forward. “I have three reasons for you. Firstly, his hair is the most blinding shade of red you’ve ever seen. Hurts your eyes to look at. It’s very distinctive. People will love it.”
Oppius looked unimpressed, so she plowed on with her second reason. “Also, he’s left-handed. Quite rare, isn’t it? Once he’s trained up, that alone will give him an edge over nearly everyone.”
Oppius lifted his wine cup to his lips.
“And speaking of training…” Velia allowed her lips to curve into an anticipatory smile. “I’ve gotten Ferox to train him.”
“Really?” Finally, interest sparked in Oppius’s gaze, and he set down his cup. “Ferox is training him? I heard Lucullus managed to get him back…”
Velia nodded, feeling absurdly proud of herself. “They’ve been working from sunup to sundown.”
“That is interesting,” Oppius murmured. “Can the best gladiator in the city turn an absolute novice into a serviceable fighter in a matter of weeks? Everyone will want to find out.”
“Oh, he can,” Velia assured. “So, you’ll take him?”
Oppius nodded. “I do have a slot or two to fill. I can give you a thousand sestertii for his first appearance. I’ll include it with the rest of the fees I owe Lucullus.”
“Thank you, but this one will be paid directly to me,” Velia said. “Achilles is my gladiator.”
Oppius’s eyebrows shot up. “Your gladiator? Does Lucullus know of this?”
“Of course. He suggested I take Achilles on in the first place.”
Oppius leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “Are you sure about this, Velia? I know you’ve been working for your uncle for a while, but there’s a difference between taking messages and managing your own gladiators.
Listen, you’re young, pretty…wouldn’t you prefer to find a nice man to settle down with before it’s too late? ”
Velia tilted her head coyly. “Is that an offer?”
Oppius raised his eyes skyward in exasperation. “Not if my wife has anything to say about it. I only meant, if word gets out that you spend your days managing gladiators, no man is going to want you.”
His voice was earnest, and Velia knew he meant well. Oppius was a generally reasonable man, and had barely batted an eye when Velia began showing up as Lucullus’s representative. But it seemed his sense of propriety drew the line at her actually managing her own gladiators. “I can live with that.”
“I have a nephew,” Oppius continued. “Very nice. Not bad-looking. He runs a workshop that makes garum. It’s very profitable, you know. I could introduce you.”
Velia wrinkled her nose. “Not interested. Especially in someone who probably smells like fish guts all the time.” She was done with this line of conversation, and she held out her hand, palm up. “Do you want my novice or not? Remember, he’s Ferox’s protégé.”
Leaning on Ferox’s fame was the right move, for Oppius surveyed her for another moment, grumbled something under his breath, and sighed in defeat. “All right. Deal.”
She rewarded him with a smile. “Thank you. You won’t regret it, I promise. Achilles is going to be the talk of the city by the time the games are over.”
Velia walked back to the ludus, bouncing the pouch of coin from Oppius in her hand. Despite her excitement over booking Achilles’s first match, a nagging voice in her head questioned if it was too soon. The games were only two weeks away. What if Achilles needed more time to train?
No, it had to be this way. He’d face another novice, so they’d be evenly matched in skill and experience.
As in, neither would have much of either.
And the sooner Achilles started fighting, the sooner she’d get paid.
The two hundred sestertii she’d received today were just a deposit; she’d get the full amount after the match took place.
Once he started winning, she could charge more for his appearances.
After returning to the ludus, she divided the coins into two equal halves, then went to find Achilles and Ferox.
It was midday, so they were eating lunch in the dining chamber, bowls of steaming lentil stew on the table before them.
Lucullus kept a careful eye on his gladiators’ diets to ensure maximum nutrition.
They rarely ate meat, except at the public banquet the night before the opening of new games, and mostly consumed hearty porridges and bean stews, along with a special drink made of ashes that kept their bones strong.
Velia addressed Achilles. “I’ve booked you to fight on the opening day.”
Achilles’s head jerked up, interest sparking in his eyes.
Velia turned to Ferox, laying half the coins on the table beside him. “This is your half of the deposit.”
Ferox swept the coins into his large hand and continued eating.
Achilles cleared his throat. “I have a request,” he announced.
Velia raised an eyebrow. “Yes?” Ever since the incident with the graffiti, he had refrained from making any requests or complaints.
“I want a woman,” he declared. “At least once a week. All the others have them.”
She grimaced. “That might cost more than you’re worth.”
His gaze raked over her in an evaluative manner. “If you’re looking to save money, I can make do with you, but I’d prefer one with larger breasts.”
A growl rumbled in Ferox’s chest. Velia shot him a quelling look as she considered the request. It wasn’t such an abnormal ask.
Achilles was right; gladiators were usually given regular access to a courtesan.
And with his first fight coming up, perhaps it would keep him happy and motivate him to train harder.
“I’ll arrange it for the day before the games, as a reward for all the effort you’ve been putting into training,” she finally said, though in fact she had no idea how to actually enact such a thing. She’d figure it out. “With someone else,” she clarified. “Not me.”
Ferox reached over and snatched the mostly finished bowl from Achilles’s hands. “Lunch is over. Go warm up.”
Achilles sighed, rose to his feet, and trudged away.
Ferox set down the bowl he’d seized. “You shouldn’t let him speak to you like that.”
“He said nothing disrespectful,” she countered. “He was only suggesting a way to be more economical.” Her mind turned to this fresh problem she needed to solve. “I need you to help me find a brothel. Somewhere decent, with reasonable prices. I don’t know where to go for such things.”
His eyebrows shot up. “What makes you think I know?”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re a man, aren’t you? Men always know where the brothels are.”
He glowered at her. “Ask your uncle.”
“I can’t do that!” The thought of going to Lucullus with such a question made her skin crawl with embarrassment.
Besides, this was her problem to solve. She needed to show Lucullus—and everyone else—that she could succeed in this independently.
This wouldn’t be the first time she’d have to engage a prostitute for one of her gladiators, after all.
“I suppose I could go looking for a place on my own. Shouldn’t be too hard to find, if I ask around—”
“You can’t traipse around the streets asking for directions to a brothel!” he hissed.
“So you’ll come with me?”
He narrowed his eyes. Finally, his shoulders slumped. “I might know a place,” he admitted.
“Excellent!” She bestowed a smile upon him—not that he appreciated it, from the way he was glaring at her. “We can go this afternoon once your training is finished.”