Hasty Renunions

[Nasir]

hasty reunions Nasir hissed as the point of his spear plunged through the Roman's armor at the armpit, slicing the artery and ensuring the man's death as he crumbled to the dirt below. Splatters of blood painted his face as all around him the rebels whooped and hollered, another siege, another victory. Sometimes it seemed too easy. He smiled pleasantly when Spartacus passed by to clap him on the shoulder and nod his head in acknowledgement. Thanks to the rebel leader, Nasir had become a worthy ally, quickly learning the steps to this crazy dance with death they were all participating in. He was taking the back of his hand across his face, smearing the blood and dirt when suddenly something moved and caught his attention. A quick blur that jumped from behind one wall to the next. Nasir hastily recovered his spear, making a face at the noxious splorch sound as it ripped back through the soldier's dead flesh. "Stop!" His voice boomed across the body lined courtyard before he took off in a run after the other. Was he chasing a slave? A Roman? The kicked up dust and smoke from the fires made it hard to tell. Rounding a hallway he found what he was looking for trapped in a dead end. He was definitely not a Roman, but he was young. Nasir took slow and deliberate steps forward, as one might do with a frightened and cornered beast."Why do you flee? We are here to liberate you."

^{tag : Mahdi}

[Mahdi]

WORDS: 000 | TAG: Nasir | NOTES:

The attack had come suddenly and he had been too far away to come to the aid of his Dominus even though he heard his name cried out many times.

"Domitus. Domitus!"

He had tried, the command was too deeply embedded within him for him to shake it off, but before he could bring his blades from his robes and even get to his Dominus, the man had been dead. He was surprised that he felt nothing as he watched the man die. He felt neither sorrow nor joyous relief at his passing. He did not know if he felt anything or what he was supposed to feel.

During the rest of the fighting he had managed to get to the courtyard and thought that perhaps he could get away. He did not know where he could go, but any place would be a better place than where he had been all of his life correct?

Only, he had not counted on the sharp eyes of the warrior seeing him.

He tried to flee and hide, he did, but the other man had managed to somehow keep pace with him and now he was demanding to know why he would run.

"There is no liberation in this world," he said, keeping his eyes downcast and his voice soft and carefully modulated as he had been trained to do. After all, body slaves do not shout. One such as him, well, there were other reasons to keep quiet. "None of us have choice but to bend at the will of our masters no matter what form they might take."

I remember years ago someone

told me i should take Caution. And now when all is done there is nothing to say.

credit to nat of adoxography.

[Nasir]

hasty reunions Nasir frowned. The downturned eyes, quiet voice and meek demeanor were all very reminiscent of the boy he used to be. And it wasn't that long ago he had said the same thing more or less about Spartacus. Moving from one collar to the next... Back then, he was lucky his mistake that night hadn't cost him his life. But now how tides had turned. Now he was counted as one of Spartacus's most trusted brothers, having been branded into the brotherhood, albeit in a different way. "Spartacus is no dominus," He spoke from experience, hoping to reassure the young slave who seemed to spark some small seed of interest. The slave bared the same brown complexion as himself, so it was possible he was also Syrian. But there was something more than that. Something that he couldn't quite grasp. "He only seeks blood and death of Romans." Nasir continued, cocking his head to try and get a better look at those downcast features. "What is your name?"

^{tag : Mahdi}

[Mahdi]

WORDS: 000 | TAG: Nasir | NOTES:

"I have heard that said many times of many people," Mahdi said, trying to be respectful as he was not sure of his fate with these people. "And yet, the death of my kind never stop. We are always still those to be abused and ordered around or moved out of the way to next Dominus at the whims or convenience of others."

Mahdi was not sure what was going to happen to him, and he was not sure he even cared. What he was sure of was that this warrior made him nervous in ways not just because of the prowess with the weapon he had seen -- Mahdi has his own skills, after all.

At request for his name, he lifted his head for a moment, and then lowered his eyes again. "I am called Domitus. It means one who is tamed and Dominus thought it to be a great joke." He was used to telling the story and performing for high-ranking guests so he thought nothing of answering this warrior's question.

"How do you propose that I am to be killed?" He wondered out loud, his voice and demeanor still subservient. "By your spear... or perhaps by the sword of your leader?"

I remember years ago someone

told me i should take Caution. And now when all is done there is nothing to say.

credit to nat of adoxography.

[Nasir]

hasty reunions "Are you so misplaced without your dominus you would seek to die with him?" Nasir questioned, his brows furrowing as the boy's inquiry caught him off guard. Had he not just explained the reason for the raid upon the villa? His sympathies seemed to overflow with this one. This boy's training so ingrained within him that freedom no longer existed. He had said his name was Domitus, and like Agron once told him it was a name much too Roman for the color of his skin. That name was yet another tool of subservience used to wipe out any trace of individuality. It was how his dominus rendered him no more worth than the dirt upon his sandal. It was yet another invisible collar still around the boy's throat. "What is your name?" He asked again, his tone demanding truth this time. "Your dominus holds life and collar no longer."

^{tag : Mahdi}

[Mahdi]

WORDS: 000 | TAG: Nasir | NOTES:

"It is not because of bond to Dominus that makes me question if I am to live or to die, warrior," Mahdi answered carefully. "If I am to die it would not be a great reward to be tied to him in the afterlife. I would hope that the gods to be kinder than that... but then, I did stop believing in the kindness of the gods when I was a young boy and Dominus took ownership of all that I am."

It was quite a bit more than he had intended to say to the warrior standing in front of him. It was not often that he felt that he was off balance because of a person but this warrior he had just seen fight was doing a very good job of causing that. There was something about him that seemed to draw Mahdi in, but there was also something underneath the surface that terrified him; he did not want this man to know everything he had been and done while being owned by this house. He could not answer his mind as to why, but he thought that this warrior knowing what and who he was would be a fate worse than dying by his blade.

When the warrior again demanded his name, Mahdi could not help the flash of pain that crossed his face before he bowed his head again. "Once, a very long time ago, I was a foolish boy called Mahdi who destroyed his own life and the life of the one dearest to him because he would not behave or listen to older boy's wise words." He shrugged slightly, not looking up. "Mahdi was stripped from me and I was formed into Domitus. Domitus is all I know."

Because he had finally, finally been forced to learn his lesson. He had finally been tamed as far as his Dominus and friends were concerned.

He had not allowed himself the luxury to think of his beloved older brother in very many years and he had no idea why he mentioned him now.

I remember years ago someone

told me i should take Caution. And now when all is done there is nothing to say.

credit to nat of adoxography.