Passion and Sand; Taming the Rebel

by Andromeda -

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Taming the Rebel

  A Novel by

  Andromeda

  © 2017 Published by After Hours Publications, Inc.

  www.afterhourspublications.com

  All rights reserved.

  Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage without express permission by the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Contains explicit language & adult themes suitable for ages 16+

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  Introduction

  Rome, the most powerful empire in the world, has two rules: surrender to its authority, or be wiped from the face of the earth. Those that try to revolt are crushed, it's people slaughtered or enslaved, and its legacy lost in the winds of time. For several generations, many civilizations have fallen under the heel of Rome, unable to run from its ever-growing power…

  No one knows, this better than young Ayanna. Enslaved for almost a decade, after she watched her people suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of Rome. She was threatened to lose her head, though was only by the grace of the Emperor's daughter that she is alive. However, Aiyana knows that her life is anything but safe…

  Kaiser was a gladiator, a man made to fight for the entertainment for the glory of Rome. The son of a Germanic Chief, all Kaiser is known for his skillfulness in the arena, but was also thought to be highly untamable. Wanting nothing more than to break his chains, Kaiser was always looking for a way out…

  When he was injured in a fight and Ayanna sent to tend to his wounds; an unexpected romance blossoming between the young couple who have so much in common. But when an unexpected twist in fate befalls them, and the weight of Rome becomes unbearable; Kaiser knows he must make a life-changing decision that shakes Rome to its core in order to protect the ones he loves.

  Chapter One

  The sound of a woman screaming pierced the silence of the Imperial Palace in Rome. Ayanna startled awake from her cot, as she recognized the sound, and quickly scrambled from under the blankets to get dressed. The screaming continued, no doubt waking others within the palace. Ayanna knew that she had to hurry, else her masters would be angry that she didn’t get to the woman’s room quickly enough.

  Shoving the right herbs into her box which she tucked under her arm, Ayanna took off as fast as she could, her bare feet slapping against the cold, white marble. It wasn’t hard to find the source of the screams, and when she neared the bed chamber, the two guards pointed their spears at her.

  “What’s in the box?” one of them barked at her.

  Ayanna frowned. “You know what’s in the box.”

  “Do not sass me, girl,” the other growled. “Else I drive this spear into your—”

  “Let her pass,” a voice said inside the chamber. “Or else I will tell the emperor.”

  Ayanna breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Aurora stride to where she stood, her blue eyes glaring at the guards.

  “Well?” she snapped. “Are you going to let her in or not?”

  “Sorry, my lady,” the guards apologized as they removed their spears.

  “Thank you,” Ayanna whispered as she hurried into the chamber.

  “Those guards are idiots,” Aurora smiled and winked. “But being the emperor’s daughter has some benefits.”

  “Just like being your personal slave, too,” Ayanna said, but even as the words left her lips, they tasted like vinegar.

  How far she had fallen…

  Slaves opened a second set of doors, and behind them, Ayanna saw a woman panting and screaming out in the pains of childbirth. Her face was red as she huffed. Slaves circled around her. Some pressed cooling towels to her forehead, others cleaned her legs. The woman was a very high born lady, the sister-in-law to the Emperor of Rome, and Ayanna knew that if she messed up in any way, then her head would roll.

  “Move,” she said to the nearest servant girl. “I need to check her.”

  Putting down her box on a nearby table, Ayanna seated herself before the woman’s legs and pushed up her gown to see what laid between them. She could see a small patch of dark hair, which she knew was the baby’s head.

  “My lady,” she said. “You are going to have to push. You two, grab her legs and hold them back.”

  The slaves did as she instructed, even though Ayanna was one herself; in this matter, she was the one in charge. Telling the woman to tuck in her chin and begin to push, Ayanna counted to ten out loud as her hands were open to catch the babe. At first, nothing happened, but slowly, the baby began to move through the birth channel. When the head was fully out, Ayanna got a cloth to clean out the mouth and its eyes. However, it made no sound.

  “What’s wrong?” the woman asked. “Why isn’t it crying?”

  “Just push,” Ayanna commanded, ignoring the woman’s question. “Now!”

  The woman did as instructed, but as the baby slowly exited the womb, Ayanna saw the main problem. The cord was wrapped around its neck.

  Cursing under her breath, she quickly ordered a knife, cut the cord and took the baby to the fireside. Gently, she kneaded its chest, before turning it over and holding it upside down. The leftover mucus drained out, and when it did, the baby coughed and then screamed.

  The mother was in tears with joy as Ayanna turned to face her. “You have a daughter,” she said.

  “Thank you,” the woman said with tears in her eyes as the baby was handed to her. “Thank you.”

  Ayanna looked to the slaves. “Make sure she isn’t given any rich foods,” she commanded. “Also, make sure her legs and between her legs are bathed with lemon water, then wrapped for no more than two hours a day. It will stop the bleeding.”

  “Yes, mistress,” the slaves said, and then they bowed and went off to do as instructed.

  Ayanna gathered her things, but before she did, a slave gently touched her arm. “The Lady wanted me to give you this,” she said and held up a small purse of coins.

  Ayanna swallowed. “As a slave…I cannot accept coin, however, my mistress may.” She nodded to Aurora, who was fawning over the newborn baby.

  The slave nodded and went to Aurora’s side to give the purse to her. Ayanna watched them, though there was sadness in her eyes, a sadness that she had learned to hide ever since she became a slave.

  Never would that happen to her. Never would she be surrounded by a loving family, all cooi
ng over a baby that she had birthed. She had lost her family that night.

  She had lost her future that night.

  That night her life changed forever.

  That night she became what was her future now: a slave to the Roman Empire.

  ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

  She was only a little girl when the Roman Empire began to take an interest in Kush, her kingdom. Her mother, the queen, was a mighty warrior, and from the time of her birth, taught her the art of war.

  Second only to Egypt in their region, Kush had conquered the kingdom several times, and many within had their blood, even after the Ptolemy’s had taken over. Rome had Egypt, but they wanted more and soon turned to Kush. The land was rich with natural minerals and grain.

  Several times the Roman officials met with her mother, which she had Ayanna herself sit in and watch, as she was the heir to the throne. The Romans didn’t understand why a child, let alone a girl, was invited to sit at the meetings, but her mother’s word was law.

  At first, Kush allowed the Romans to access their roads and free trade within their lands, but they wanted more. More and more they pushed, and more and more Kush resisted until all-out war broke. Kush, with its position, had the advantage, and for years they managed to fight back Rome. But then, that fateful day came when all Ayanna knew changed forever.

  She was only ten years of age and she still remembered the event as if it had happened yesterday. She remembered the fire. She remembered the pounding of horses’ hooves. She remembered the man in her chambers who gagged her, threw her over his shoulder and escaped the palace. She remembered her mother surrendering herself to their swords, both of steel and body, for her to be released. She remembered the emperor wanting to kill her so that no heirs would be there for Kush.

  And then there was Aurora.

  The same age as her, she begged her father to spare the African princess’s life, and in the end, he listened. He ‘gifted’ Ayanna to his child as a personal slave, though Ayanna knew it was a test. They waited for any excuse to kill her. They knew that the royal blood in her veins made her a threat, but in the end, she proved to be a great asset to the Imperial family.

  A skilled warrior, even to this day, she had saved Aurora’s life more than once. With her knowledge of herbs, she had saved the emperor’s, even when she had plenty of opportunities to kill him. Yet, she did not because she was patient.

  She knew that slaves sometimes earned their freedom if they pleased their masters. The emperor was getting old, and spending more and more time in his beach-side properties, than within the city of Rome. She knew that sooner or later he would die, and when he did, she knew that Aurora would free her.

  All she had to do was wait.

  Chapter Two

  Horses moved slowly down the paths on the well beaten roads. It was a small supply caravan, with no more than three dozen guards to protect the five carts filled with grain, meats, weapons and cloth. It was the perfect target.

  Kaiser made sure to keep himself low, his body covered in green, brown and white paint, perfectly camouflaged among the misty ground. He wasn’t alone. Also hidden in the mist were two dozen of his village’s best warriors, people he knew he could count on in times of battle. They all held a common threat that tied them together: they hated Rome.

  The damned empire had been assaulting their land, pushing the stretch of its borders further and further. They had conquered a lot of land, but the land they most envied was Germania. Lush farmland, rich with natural minerals and more…Rome had its eye on the land for almost a century. But try as they might, they hadn’t counted on one thing: Germania’s people.

  Like the Britons, who refused to give up their land without a fight, Germania’s people were just as strong, if not stronger. They had endured a century of Rome trying to lay claim to their lands, and every time they repelled them. Led by mighty warrior chiefs, the Germanic people resisted time and time again of attempted conquest.

  Kaiser was no different.

  The son of a mighty warrior chief, he would do anything for his people, and right now, his main focus was driving the Romans out of his homeland.

  Gripping his sword tightly, he rose slowly from his hiding place like a ghost and let out a blood-chilling war cry. The air filled with answers to his call and before the Romans knew what was upon them, they were surrounded and attacked.

  They weren’t really fighting men, not that Kaiser cared. To him, they were Romans and deserved to be killed as he’d seen them do countless times to his own people. He didn’t stop until all lay dead at his feet, the ground wet with their blood.

  “Take what they have,” he ordered, “then burn the bodies. We have to go quickly before a search party is sent.”

  His warriors did as they were instructed, tying the horses that had survived the battle to the carts. They quickly went to work in pulling it away from the battle and burning the bodies. Kaiser himself looked over some of the weapons when he found a sword among them, his blood boiled with fury.

  It was a chief’s sword, no doubt, as he recognized the carvings and designs among the hilt. He even recognized the runes along the blade. This sword would have taken a year to craft by a master blacksmith, as everything among this sword was highly sacred. This sword was stolen no doubt, from a fallen chief who didn’t bend the knee to Rome.

  “May the gods watch over you,” Kaiser whispered to the unnamed chief before he turned and joined his clan to walk back to their village.

  ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

  Their village wasn’t far, and the women, old men and children who had stayed behind all rushed out to see the spoils of war. Everything was divided among their people equally, and Kaiser watched with pride as he listened to their excited exclamations of both joy and delight.

  “Nephew,” a deep voice said at his side. “I must speak with you.”

  Kaiser turned and found himself looking at his uncle. He tried to not frown, as his uncle wasn’t exactly his favorite person in the world. After the death of Kaiser’s father, his uncle tried to seize power and rule the tribe, even though Kaiser was a natural choice, being his father’s only child.

  “Yes, Uncle?” Kaiser asked tightly, though he tried to show him respect as an elder. “How might I be of service?”

  “Where did you get all of these items?” his uncle asked. “You truly did not trade for them.”

  “I stole them,” Kaiser answered proudly. “From Roman hands!”

  “That is not something to boast of, Nephew,” his uncle said. “What if the Romans—”

  “I give not a piss about the Romans,” Kaiser snapped. “And it is not your place to question me.”

  His uncle’s jaw tightened, though he knew that he couldn’t make his move as of that moment. “Forgive me then, Nephew,” he said. “When you have a moment, I would like to take you hunting. The deer have returned and I know of a prime spot.”

  Kaiser nodded. “I will go hunting with you, Uncle. How does a fortnight sound?”

  His uncle smiled widely. “That sounds perfect. Farewell, nephew.”

  Kaiser nodded and turned away, however, he did not see the smug and satisfied smirk on his uncle’s face.

  When the day came for hunting, Kaiser was confused as his uncle led him deeper and deeper into the woods, with no exact explanation why. After what seemed like hours, he stopped and refused to go any further.

  “Where are we going?” Kaiser demanded. “I thought you said we were going hunting.”

  “We are, nephew,” his uncle said with a smirk. “Just…not for deer.”

  A twig snapped not far away, and slowly, a dozen men emerged from the trees. Kaiser recognized them as Romans by their dress, and when he saw the rope, whips and nets in their hands, he knew why they were here.

  “Traitor!” he bellowed as he turned to face his uncle.

  Pulling his fist back, he slammed it into his uncle’s face, hearing the stratifying crunch of his nose being broken. The Roman commander barked
an order, and the men moved forward, their items in hand as they went to capture him.

  Kaiser cursed at them in German, as he tried to attack, but all he had was a bow and arrow, which wasn’t good defense against their weapons. A whip snaked around his ankle, and when the holder yanked it back, Kaiser fell forward.

  Quickly, they knocked the weapons from his hands and pointed their own at him, while his hands and feet were quickly bound with rope. Kaiser cursed and bellowed threats of unimaginable pain at them, but in the end, they won. He watched in rising anger as a Roman handed his uncle a large purse of gold and said something to him.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  His uncle smirked as he weighed the purse of gold in his hand. “Congratulations, Nephew. You always wanted to go to Rome. You are headed to the heart of it.”

  Chapter Three

  The hot sun beat down in the training arena, and the grunts of almost seven dozen men filled the air as they swung their swords or lifted heavy wooden beams that had been soaked in water the night before to build up their strength. Barack, the Doctore, walked up and down the line, his eyes sharp for any imperfections.

  A man of medium height, his ebony skin glistened under the sun from the oil that he had rubbed on it to prevent heat stroke. Dressed in light armor, a whip was tightly clenched in his fist as he inspected those around him. A Doctore, was the title given to the chief overseer of the establishment, and he had one job: train the best gladiators within Rome.

  This was the Ludus Magnus, the greatest Ludus in all of Rome. Every single man here was a slave, personally owned by the emperor, but they all held a rank as they were warriors. Gladiators, they all fought for glory and honor in the sands of the arena. Not all liked the weight that was upon them, but if they fought and pleased the emperor, then a rare event happened: an elimination battle, where the winner would receive his freedom.