The Chariots Slave (27 page)

The sounds of the drivers’ shouts, the absence of noise
from the crowd, and the steady breathing of her horses
jumbled in her mind. She clung so strongly to the cart that her
hands began to ache. Just as she was tempted to turn around,



to go back, the gates flung open and Diana pulled the team
into the arena.

The carts beside her constantly threatened collision as
their drivers aimed toward the center of the track. Sellah
found the strength to pull herself forward and lean over the
side of the cart, hoping her body would help secure her in
place.

She watched the ground pass her by at record speeds and
began to feel ill. Pulling her head back up was a greater effort
than she had thought it would be.

Once she had managed, she noticed a wall at the end of the
arena before the turn. It took up a good portion of the track
and was built high of staked boulders. It had not been there
the previous day— it must be one of Caligula’s barbarous
additions.

The wall was positioned in such a way that it funnelled the
chariots into its center, to an opening that was only wide
enough for one cart to pass through. There was no way
around the wall.

Sellah groaned in dismay as she came upon it. Green
drivers flanked her chariot, and Diana constantly battled for
position against their teams. Only one of the carts could pass
through. The others would crash into the wall and become a
target for the carts behind.

She struggled to maintain her grip on the cart. It was neck
and neck between Sellah and Jiao. His whip continuously
cracked down on his team as he pressed them on toward the
opening. The space was growing ever smaller for two
chariots to enter.

Her cart often rammed into Jiao’s sending up sparks and
splinters of wood. The closer she got to the opening, Sellah



could tell that it was barely large enough for all four horses to
pass through.

Diana pressed into the horse beside her, causing the team
to push into Jiao’s team. This movement caused Jiao to lose
temporary control of his cart and Diana took the opening to
advance.

As they entered the wall the four horses slammed into
each other, causing them to knock Diana into the side of a
large boulder. She took a hard hit and stumbled. Sellah
watched in fear as the future of the race would be determined
if Diana fell. But the horse corrected herself and pushed on
through the pain, pulling the others along with her.

Sellah screamed for joy as they pulled free from the wall
and into the first turn.
She had watched Thaddius train the other drivers, and he
was very firm about leaning into the turn, so even though it
was against what felt natural, she leaned with the team as
they pressed through.
They whipped around the corner in no time, and Sellah
spotted another wall with the same funnel-like gate. This
opening seemed even smaller than the one before. Diana
would not be able to continue if she took another hit like the
one she just had. Sellah had to think of something, anything
she could do to help Diana. She turned to see Jiao exit the
first wall; his horses had been fastened in such a way that
they could enter one after another. Unlike Sellah’s horses
which had been fastened in a line that made all four reach the
gate at the same time.
It was an unusual way to tie the horses, and Sellah realized
that Jiao must have known before the race that the wall would



be there. The fact that the greens were cheating pressed her
onwards.

She widened her grip on the cart so she could turn to
watch the other drivers, but as she did her hand brushed
against her dagger, the one she had slammed into the side of
the chariot while trying to intimidate Jiao. Instinctively, she
knew what to do. Wrapping her fingers around it, she pulled
it free and pulled her body over to the front of the chariot.

Clutching as tightly as she could to the side with her left
arm, she leaned over the front and began cutting through the
ropes that tied two of the four horses to the cart. Four horses
would not be able to pass the next wall, and she had to
protect Diana. With great effort she sawed away at the
leather, careful not to look down at the ground as it passed
her by for fear she would get dizzy and fall.

After a few moments the two horses were free and they
pulled away from the team and ran against the flow of the
chariots behind her. It took extra effort to push herself back
onto her feet. Leaning over the side had bruised her ribs and
her body ached from the whole race.

Compounding the problem of her pain, she could tell that
losing the horses drastically slowed her chariot. But she had
no other choice; Diana’s life was her only hope of winning.

Jiao pulled in front of her, waving as he passed. His team
filed into a line as they moved through the opening in the
wall with Sellah and Diana on their tail.

With each lap her feet grew more accustomed to the
movements of the cart. She began to gain confidence and
even on occasion release her hand from the chariot’s side.
Diana worked twice as hard to keep up with the four-horse
teams. But try as she might she and the other horse could not




 

gain enough speed to overtake Jiao.

They were coming up to their last lap, and Sellah was in
third position. Most of the drivers had crashed their carts into
the wall. Only six green drivers and Sellah remained. The red
sand line had been laid, and Sellah was desperate to get to it
before Jiao.

“Hijah!” she screamed.

Diana lowered her head and pushed through the
exhaustion. Jiao was just a few feet ahead. The red sand line
coming ever nearer.

She looked around for anything she could use to help her
advance. When nothing was to be found, she screamed in
frustration. And as she screamed, she looked up to watch Jiao
pull his chariot across the red line before her. She had lost the
race.



“No Sellah, you tried, and we thank you for that. But it is
over. We have lost. Let us not risk your life as well,” Simeon
argued.

“Why can I not race. We have another chance Simeon.
Think this over!” Sellah was getting frustrated how he
continued to argue with her. For her first race she placed
third, with only two horses. She knew she could do better, but
he wouldn’t let her try.

“Think about Diana. She has not recovered from
yesterday.” He was hoping that Sellah’s love for the horse
would persuade her not to participate in the final race.

“We are all tired! I know Diana can do this. She chose me
for this. We must at least try for freedom!”
“You do not know the track. It is even more dangerous
than the last,” Simeon claimed.
“Am I not the director of my own life? I will be the judge
of that. Where is the final race?” she asked.
“The Coliseum, where the gladiators compete,” he
explained.
Sellah stumbled backwards. She had feared that building
her entire life. Even the thought of setting foot inside as a



spectator made her feel ill.
“The…the Coliseum,” she repeated.
“This is no joke Sellah,” he complained
Her hand found its way to her mouth as she pondered her
predicament. How could she let fear stop her now?
“I will race Simeon.”

***

 

Sellah hesitated before she spoke the words of trepidation to
her friend. “I am scared Accalia. I do not trust this arena. It
feels as though it breathes death.”

“It is not too late. We can return to the villa,” she half
suggested half pleaded.
“And what of Barachius? How will we survive his rule?”
Sellah watched Accalia pick at a loose piece of wood in the
carriage as she thought about this dreaded prospect.
“We will not,” Accalia admitted as she hung her head. “I
hate this, Sellah, because I can do nothing to help you.”
“But you are doing something! Your friendship means
more to me than you will ever know.”
There was a knock at the door, and Sellah pulled back the
curtain to peek out. Simeon paced back and forth. She
quickly pulled on her helmet and opened the door.
“The race starts in ten minutes?” he said as he barged
through. “Are you sure you want to go ahead with this?”
Sellah cocked her head and stared at him. “What do you
think?”



“I think you may be more stubborn than me,” he half
laughed.
“Precisely.”
“Then it is time for you to get ready. Because this could be
the final race of the tournament, they want the drivers to be a
part of a procession first,” he explained. “I guess there is one
piece of good news. The winner of this arena also receives
one hundred denarii.”
“Such a sum of money!” Accalia gasped.
There was another knock at the door, but before they could
look to see who it was, Vettius spoke.
“It’s time.”
Sellah stood and straightened the blue tunic over her
robes, taking extra care to smooth out the Veneta emblem
over her chest. As Accalia and Simeon fastened her leather
armor she couldn’t help but grow in worry.
“How is Diana?” she finally asked.
“She is hitched to the chariot with the others,” Simeon half
answered.
Seeing that his son refused a proper reply to Sellah,
Vettius stepped in. “She is not fully recovered, but she gave
us no fight when fastening her. In fact, she was rather
helpful.”
“That is unusual,” Sellah exclaimed.
“It seems to me that you, my precious jewel, are not the
only martyr in our domus,” he laughed.
“Martyr?” she asked.
Vettius’s smile dropped. “Yes, you give up your heart’s
desire for the greater good of others. And in more than just
this tournament,” he purposefully let slip.
Sellah choked back his words. They were hard to receive.



Was Vettius right? Did she sacrifice what she truly wanted?
All this talk of emotions was causing Sellah to look forward
to the race. It would definitely take her mind off the thoughts
Vettius had planted in it.

They escorted her to where Diana and the team was, and
Sellah took a moment to greet each horse before returning to
the cart.

“Please help me up,” Sellah whispered in case someone
they did not know was nearby.
Vettius and Simeon took her by the arms and hoisted her
up on the cart.
She found her familiar foot placement and wrapped the
reins around her arm. Not wanting to draw out an
unnecessary goodbye, Sellah gave one quick wave before
leaving.
“Hijah!”

***

 

Large guards accompanied her cart around the arena as the
spectators screamed and cheered for the last blue driver. It
was her, Thaddius in their eyes, against the green.

All drivers from the reds and whites had not made it
through the last round. It truly was a battle of champions.
She gulped back fright as she looked over the guards’
swords. They were unlike any swords she had ever seen. The
sides were hammered to be ridged. She hoped that these
guards were merely for show and not another one of
Caligula’s schemes.




Those who had previously supported the red and white
team seemed to be dressed in blue. For the first time the blues
outnumbered the greens, and it was a sight that made Sellah
proud.

She wished Thaddius could have been there to see it.
In order to keep up appearances, Sellah stood up straight and
waved at the crowd. Thaddius loved feeding into their love
for him by interacting with them. The women screamed and
tossed articles down as gifts for Thaddius.

Sellah tried hard not to laugh as women’s underclothes
landed in her cart. If only these women knew it was another
girl they tried to seduce.

The crowd stomped and sung as one chorus. The sound of
their song channelled down through the stadium and blasted
into Sellah. It was the loudest, most eerie sound she had ever
heard. As they made there way toward the starting gates,
Sellah’s eyes caught the image of Castor and Pollux carved
into the stone wall.

“Please deliver me from this,” she prayed.

Diana pulled into their space at the gates, and the four
horses rested their heads for a brief moment.
“I see you have decided to try your hand at four horses
today,” Jiao taunted.
Sellah picked up her knife and shook it toward him as she
shrugged her shoulders. Playing the proud, robust Thaddius
was fun at times.
Despite her enjoyment of it, Jiao did not seemed pleased.
He turned back to his team and started to discuss their
strategy. Jiao had won two races, and Thaddius three. This
was Jiao’s final chance to prove victorious. If he won this
race, he would tie with the blues. And by Roman rules that