“I will be your voice…” Sporus whispered to the Caesar’s ear. Knowing every single word from his speech may decide the rise or fall of his popularity amongst the Romans.

She offered herself to be in the position to be blamed. Let the people of Rome point their fingers at her for all the necessary hard decisions which will be despised by the public.

Nero nodded lightly, given a permission for her to continue. Whatever plan in her mind, she had prepared a callous decision to end this conflict. After all, what was the role of an Empress? To be the wife of the Caesar? To be the role model of all women of the empire? Perhaps, a mere vessel for the emperor to put all blames and subject of his disposal when she no longer needed. Just like all the other empresses before her.

And she knew them! Not those poor women who died with various unreasonable condemnation. She knew the senators, the officials, even her handmaids, their eye unable to hide their perception on her. They made light of her, seeing her as a lowly cup bearer, an worthless eunuch.

Because of that, Sporus needed to be ruthless! She need to be feared by those servants. Knowing the fact that she will not be respected simply due to unable to conceive an heir to the Caesar. The Empress title alone will not secure her position for long. Therefore, she must be feared.

She had no records of leading a victorious battle. She had no miracles or blessings from the Gods and Goddesses. Nor she was any descendent of great royal bloodlines. Nothing is backing her! And her only and immediate way to execute her power and authority is through ruthlessness!

Raising her right hand, all people focused to her direction. Sporus peeled herself away from Nero and said, “You had fought well! Noxii woman!” The announcers repeated what she had just said, making sure the spectators received the message.

Sporus need to divert the public attention from Spiculus. Her strategy was to ignore him as much as possible. That was to avoid people directly relate him with Nero. Staring at Mevia who was laying on the sand floor, struggling to flip herself up, Sporus continued.

“…but you did not win this battle! Even though you won the battle, the prize is meaningless for a woman!”

Looking straight towards Nero, Sporus resumed: “…A woman, has no freedom! The empress, is to serve the emperor!”

“I gave up my own freedom, so I may serve the man I love, serve the nation, for the empire! I gave up my own freedom!” She shouted, and the spectators moved by her cry.

“If freedom is what you seek, then you shall be granted the opportunity! But with one condition! Only a man shall earn his freedom! You will gave up your womanhood!”

Confused by Sporus’s speech, Mevia was dragged by two guards to the centre of the arena. The spectators were all confused. Until the guards brought in a burning fire pit and they started to heat up two metal prongs.

“The Roman Empire under the reign of Caesar Nero, is a great nation with opportunities, hopes and dreams! Everyone can be anyone as long as we are willing to sacrifice for our dream!”

When the guards with the metal prongs getting closer to Mevia, she realised that they are going to torture her. Struggling to escape, but to no avail. With the burning red metal prongs, they tore her breasts off. The burning metal solidify her blood, scaring her chest. They let her scream in agony, loud and terrifying. Making sure the spectators heard her cry, and see her pain.

The audiences were all in silence. They use to be enjoying brutal killings and tortures but normally, the plot involves the enemies or the criminals being killed or tortured. The message Sporus trying to hint to them, was about the pain she had endured when she was castrated. A pain she want every spectator to witness, the pain she had endured in order to become their Empress!

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