Roma Victrix Read Free Page A

protector. Nevertheless, his successor had honoured the terms of Frontinus’s agreement and the Deiopolis was still free from that most ruthless arm of imperial power – the tax office.
    â€˜Thinking deep thoughts?’
    Lysandra turned as Varia joined her on the balcony. ‘Not really,’
    she smiled. ‘I am just giving my eyes a rest,’ she gestured to the pile of paperwork.
    Varia made a face and then lifted her hands. A krater of wine dangled from one, in the other she held two cups. ‘You really should let the scribes do their job, Lysandra,’ she said, pouring for them both. They touched cups and Varia drained hers as Lysandra tipped a small libation to the ground below. ‘You don’t have to do all the tasks yourself. And you’re making more work for them – leave business to the business people. You’re too Spartan for commerce.’
    â€˜You have mentioned that more than once,’ Lysandra commented.
    Both of them knew that it was a pointless argument; Varia was always going to think that Lysandra did too much and knew too little, and Lysandra knew that of the hundreds of women that lived in the temple compound, she was the most capable. As such, she had to oversee everything. ‘I have not seen you for a few days,’ she said.
    Varia moved inside and sprawled onto a couch. ‘I’ve been training hard. Living the Spartan lifestyle.’
    â€˜Then you should have watered this wine,’ Lysandra observed primly.
    â€˜You don’t water your wine anymore,’ Varia observed.
    â€˜I am not training these days – I have no time for it. But we are not talking about me,’ she smiled. ‘You look fit. Strong.’ It was true. Varia had grown in more than stature since they had first met six years ago. The scrawny, waifish slave girl had long gone, and in her place was the confident, self-assured woman that stood before her. Lysandra took credit for that – following her example, the young Roman could not fail to become a better person. She had also blossomed into quite the beauty, her elfin features framed by lustrous dark curls, her eyes as dark as night. ‘Have you been working with Thebe?’ she asked after a few moments
    â€˜Yes. And I have been working on some new moves of my own design.’
    â€˜So I have seen,’ Lysandra commented. ‘Sword spinning and leaping about might well look impressive, Varia, but in a real bout it would just get you killed.’
    â€˜Then you think I’m ready for my first bout? Thebe will not say as much but she knows I am.’
    Lysandra put her cup down on the balcony. ‘We have been through this, Varia. I do not want you fighting in the arena. There is no point to it anymore. Thebe no longer fights. I no longer fight – if there was cause for it, yes, I could agree. But it serves no purpose.’
    â€˜There are no slaves here, isn’t that what you keep telling everyone?’
    Varia shot back, a hint of anger in her voice. ‘All the gladiatrices here fight by choice. And I have been training longer than any of them. You started training me when I was thirteen years old!’
    â€˜You are still too young,’ Lysandra said, sternly.
    â€˜I’m nearly twenty – a grown woman and older than you were in your first bout.’
    â€˜That was different.’ The Spartan felt the cords that held her temper in place begin to fray. ‘I had no choice. You do. And the women that fight for us now, do so for pay. You do not need money, Varia. All your needs are provided for. You have had the best education and physical training a young lady can receive outside of Sparta. This desire to test yourself in the arena is foolish at best and vainglorious at worst. I would have thought that you would have learned something of humility.’
    â€˜And where would I have learned that? From you, I suppose?’
    Varia rose to her feet.