Y/N'S POV-
I'm too late.. the sound of swords clashing rings through my ears. I grab the only weapon i can find and charge through the gate into the arena. As soon as the doors fly open I remember what it's like to be here. Treated like someone's pet- being forced to dance for their amusement. I can't believe for one second I partially enjoyed it
I spot Hanno and Acasius battling in the centre. Acasius is barely fighting back.. it looks like he doesnt want to. Why??
I run over as fast as i can ignoring the excitement in the crowd bubbling up. When Hanno raises his sword to swing it at Acasius i take my chance to get in the middle of them. I block his sword with mine for as long as I can
Y/N- "Hanno stop.. you don't want this"
H- "How would you have any idea what i want?" he looks angry but not at Acasius, at me
H- "Why aren't you up there will them? Your one of them now. Aren't you?"
Y/N- "No of course not! I'm on your side. I'm always on your side" He laughs
H- "Just take a look at yourself Y/N. This isn't you"
Y/N- "Your not acting like yourself either! Killing him will not make you feel any better nor would Arishat want it. What happened to strength and honour?"
My comment must have set him off as he slides his sword away from mine and suddenly we're intensly battling
Y/N- "I don't want to fight you" I say, narrowly missing his blade
H- "Well I do" he swings his sword hard and fast and each hit I'm struggling to block. He's hurting- there is so much anger he's kept locked inside that is begging to be let out
I catch a glimpse of Geta and he looks extremely worried. He's currently pacing from side to side and Caracalla is- well being Caracalla. I was too distracted looking up at them that Hanno manages to push me over which causes me to topple to the floor and land on my back. I'm a good fighter but I'm no match for Hanno so I don't even bother getting up. I just watch the event unfold before me
Acasius drops his weapon and raises his arm to mark that he surrenders..
?- "Acasius has raised his hand! He has surrendered!" I watch as Geta makes his way to the front to face the crowd and Caracalla stands beside him with Dondas on his shoulder. Geta reaches his arm up towards the sky. I prey with every part of me that the gods are with us today
A- "I dont want to fight you.. I know who you are Lucius Verus Aureluis" I swear my heart practically stops beating as soon as those words came out of his mouth. My best friend- no my "brother" has lied to me all this time. He is the prince of Rome?!
A- "But on my death bed you must know.. I love your mother, Lucilla and your father- Maximus. I would have died for him"
G- "The gods have rendered their judgement" his thumb turns abruptly towards the floor. God, no.. but instead of fighting Lucius just drops his sword and falls to his knees infront of Acasius. My head is spinning at a hundred miles an hour. I crawl over to them with all the strength I have left in me. Lucius must have realised that Acasius is not his enemy- they are two sides of the same coin.
Geta's POV-
Why is the poet not killing Acasius?! He needs to kill him before it gets dangerous. My brother is getting agitated, screaming "Kill him" over and over again. My head is fried but she looks weak- all I care about is helping her
Caracalla turns to one of the guards
C- "Just shoot him" he orders. Before I could react a hundred bows were getting ready to shoot at Acacius.
G- "NO!" I scream a little too worried. If they shoot Acasius the arrows were bound to hit Y/N too. "Just arrest him.. we will deal with him in private"
Caracalla looks at me like I'm crazy
C- "What is wrong with you? He needs to die.. NOW"
G- "Have you heard the crowd chanting his name? If we kill him now there wil be an uproar"
He crosses his arms over his chest and slumps back into his chair
C- "Fine..."
I stand up on my chair to the crowd and shout at the top of my voice with my arms open "THE GODS HAVE SPOKENN"
I put my thumb into the crowd once more but this time i turn it upwards indicating mercy.. at that point i had no idea what repercussions my actions would have... I should have just let them kill him-