Grabbing a sword nearby, Mevia frantically slashing towards Spiculus. He dodged all of her attacks with ease. Panting and roaring, she refused to give up. When she was about to lay her sword on his neck, his monstrous arms extended towards her,capturing her forehead with his right hand, and he knocked her head to the ground. His hand strongly pressed her head on the ground and he could crush her skull any moment.

“Your Majesty, we have to stop the battle now!” Seneca shouted. As he observed the strange reaction of the crowd.

A sudden silence within the crowd when they saw the woman raise her hand.

Is that missio, the surrender gesture?

When Spiculus glanced towards her raised hand, she put down her index finger. The crowd laughed and cheered when they notice that gesture.

Angered, he pressed his hand hard to crush her, but slipped when she turned her head around to escape from his hand. Spiculus regretted, he should have choked her neck instead. Taking the instant opportunity, Mevia stabbed the sword on his right palm. The cheering crowd further demotivated him.

“Why? Why are they cheering?” Outraged by the blood gushing out from his right hand, he grabbed her hair by his left hand, pulling her back to his side and gripping her head between his right elbow and the side of his body.

“Your Majesty…” Seneca approached Nero.

In exasperation, Nero grabbed Seneca by his tunic.

“I ordered a good gladiator fight between Spiculus and a beautiful young boy! A show that is supposed to represent me and my bride. The young boy is supposed to surrender to Spiculus and I will grant them both freedom for the crowd to cheer and bless my union with my bride. How dare you arrange a woman into the arena? Are you trying to insult me?” Nero questioned in anger.

When the other officials heard that, they tried to sneak out from the royal podium. Noticing their suspicious movement, the Three Elders stopped them by blocking their way. They knew those were the plebeian aediles who arranged the gladiator show. Those who knew the amphitheater was not merely an entertainment arena, but it was a political theater which allowed confrontation between the ruler and the ruled people.

“Everybody knows I, the emperor, adores Spiculus and Spiculus represents me on the ground! What… What are those pairs of monstrous arms?” Nero continued barking his fury in front of Seneca. While Seneca squinted towards the Three Elders, who returned him with a threatening stare.

“Are you suggesting that I rule with ruthless fists?” Nero continued to question him.

Seneca felt in danger. Not just Nero accused him of arranging the show that insulted him. Creating such monstrosity? He could never able to do such a thing. But the Three Elders…

“Your… your majesty, please… stop the fight…” Seneca replied with tremble in his tone. And Nero suddenly regains his sense of thought. Raising his right hand, the trumpet blew to signal a stop.

The crowd again went into total silence, and Spiculus loosen his grip and yanked Mevia away from him. He stared straight to the royal podium, waiting for Nero’s next instruction.

As Nero felt troubled, he observed the crowd, even though he was the emperor, he knew his position came from the people. His eyes stopped on the statue of Zues, the king of all gods. Like a powerful figure, if non worshiped, it is just a figure. People only refer to the figure as god when they worship the figure. He knew this quite well.

He cannot put Spiculus to death for that pair of monstrous arms, as he knew Spiculus was his figure. Yet he hesitated to put a mere woman to death as she represented Sporus. Setting any of them free would defeat the purpose…

When indecisiveness hit, Sporus grabbed his left arm, leaning her head to his shoulder. The action suddenly calmed him.

“Your majesty, let the most vile decision not come from your own mouth. Let me be that voice.”

…to be continued…