Gladiator (Part XII)

Gladiator (Part XII)

‘A good victory my friend
A little sloppy but you survived ok
Servius I bring you news
I think you may want to sit for this’

These words concerned me
My Latista
My friend
Would only speak to me this way
Should my love be concerned
‘Gaius has something happened to Serena?’

‘In a sense yes but she is ok
She has asked me to come to you
To speak words of her love
To bring you joyful yet tainted news
Serena is with child’

Stunned I collapse to the floor
Words from by Latista continue to be spoken
Still most are lost amongst the hazing thoughts in my mind
Through all of these brutal months
Through all we have endured
At no time had I considered this
As my thoughts clear
I latch on to the words of my Latista once more

‘Servius I understand the shock
The concern you must feel
But you need to be strong here
You must stay fast by her side
Thoughts of you are all that keeps her spirit alive
She fears you will love her no more’

‘What?
Why Gauis would she fear this?’

‘Servius have you not listened to a word I’ve said?
There is no way to know the true nature of the father
It could be yours
Still it could be that of another Gladiator’s prize
Or one of the Roman bastard soldiers
That raped her soul and nearly killed her
There is just no way to know
She hopes it to be yours
She believes it has to be yours
That her body could not betray her to another
Still how can anyone really know?
Can you still love her Servius?
Will you stand by her?’

‘She could hold my son, my daughter
She wants the child inside her to be mine
If she believes it to be mine
Then that is enough for me to believe
Gaius, Serena is having my child
Of course I will stand by her
Tell her I love her
Tell her I love my child’