Unconditionally (Spartacus FANFIC -- Gannicus/Caesar/OC)

Chapter XIX

All morning Dominus was out to Market with Ashur and a few slaves in attempt to find Spartacus a new set of armour for the games as Domina and Naevia were below attending to Crixus. I took this time to do some snooping, something felt wrong. The tone Ashur had taken with me about Barca did not sit well with me, and knowing how close he was growing with Dominus I was worried. I walked myself below into the Ludus avoiding Domina and Naevia as they made their way back up to the villa.

That was when I saw Pietros near the back playing with the birds he and Barca tended too, must like he had with Auctus not but a few years before. I walked slowly towards him as I could see he was alone. I lifted my robes up to avoid getting dirt on them as I could see the mud was being tracked through the halls. I moved the door open a small bit more watching him, I counted the boy friend though we did rarely have much contact since he had been purchased.

"Pietros, may I have words?" I asked him as he put one of the birds back into a cage turning to me offering me one of the worlds kindest smiles. He really was such a delicate thing, I could see why Barca had taken such a shine to him.

"Why of course, you are Dominus' body-slave... Jana. Barca has mentioned you a few times when he would remenice of his past days." He told me excitedly.

"Only good things, I would hope." I smiled at him as he welcomed me into the room. "Of course, Barca always says he has love for things that are small and delicate." He told me. He was not wrong, Barca was such a gentle giant for things like us.

"I was wondering if Barca had told you, of his dealings the other night. With Ashur, the Syrian?" I questioned him. Pietros eyes lit up, "Yes! He told me that he had finally won enough coin to buy our freedom. We will have a life together, I have never known freedom." He told me happily.

I smiled at him, he was such a soft heart, so kind, yet so naive that he reminded me of Naevia, Diona and I when we were younger and Diona was...yet still among us. "That would be most wonderful." I told him softly, "I would like to ask you of but one thing..." I questioned him.

"Of course, anything." He was quick to say. "Should you be asked, of Barca's hands in the night with Ovidious... I would implore you to say that he did kill them, all of them." I told him as his face contorted. "That would be a lie though." He told me as I nodded, "Sometimes, we must lie to keep those of which we love alive." I told him as he sat on a bench looking around.

"Barca is in danger?" He asked me as I shook my head, "I don't know. Though I have had this awful feeling in my stomach since a few words were spoken between myself and a friend that left me unsettled. I care for Barca, he has been there for me as best as one could be in our silence towards mutual topics..." I explained to him slightly.

"He spared the boy... he told me... is that why he is in danger?" He asked me.

"I believe so, should the suspicion be confirmed that he failed to kill all witnesses... The punishment could be his life... I would not wish to see that." I told him, though I knew Barca. He was one of the most loyal to the bone gladiators in this house. The child was very much among the ruins in that burnt down villa, it was Pietros that had been lied too.

"I would not either, I will make sure to lie for him. I would not ever wish for Dominus to think Barca betrayed him or his commands." He told me as I smiled, "I would not wish to see either of you parted from one another either." I told him as I slowly left the room the boy was in.