Chapter Nine: Flavia: In which my life disintegrates
My jaw dropped. Alesia was amazing. A walled fortress that no Remen, no matter how hard they tried, could penetrate.
The city was a days journey from one side to the other. The walls encircled the entire city. They was the height of three men an' as thick as four.
We entered by way of a giant stone gate. The Gallic king, Vercintorix, himself met us inside an' took us on a tour of the city. Then, the army went one way an' the nurses went another.
Liza an' I chose our room an' got ready fer a few days of rest.
"The Remens is comin'! The Remens is comin'!" Liza an' I was up in a heartbeat. We ran out onto the streets an' tried to figure out exactly what them Remens was up to.
The army took their places behind the gate an' the archers got ready to fire. Marcus tried to get Liza an' me back inside before the battle started an' we was killed in the fightin'.
"Kaesar himself is with 'em!" Marcus said. "Please go back inside!"
"If Kaesar himself is with them Remens, then I am stayin' right here." I said. "Our jobs as nurses involves stayin' with the men in case they gets themselves injured."
"She's right Marcus." Liza said. Marcus frowned but gave in. So we stayed.
The city fell after a week. Vercintorix rode out an' surrendered to Kaesar. Marcus found me afterwards an' I was very glad that he was okay. But he had a look in his eyes that I hadn't seen before.
"Via," He said.
"What Marcus?" I asked. "An' where's Papa?" He opened his mouth an' closed it again. Then he sat down on the ground.
"No," I whispered. "No, no, no, no, no!" I sat down next to Marcus an' cried into his shoulder. "He can't be dead!" Marcus didn't respond. He just rocked me there on the ground in the dust. Eventually, Marcus spoke.
"Where's Liza?" He asked.
"Dunno." I said snifflin'. "I last saw her doin' her job."
"We need ta get ya outa here." Marcus said, his grammar worsenin'.
Liza ran up.
"The Remens are in the city." She said.
"We have to go now." Marcus said.
During the chaos of all the Gauls tryin' to escape, Liza, Marcus, an' I was seperated. The only comfort I had was that them Remens didn't always kill their prisoners. But, the alternative wasn't always better. That depended on how much people was willin' to pay.
Marcus an' I was caught by the Remens an' our hands an' ankles was bound. Then we was thrown into an empty house with all the other captive Gauls to await what them Remens was gonna do to us. I leaned on Marcus.
"Mama ain't gonna take this well." I said. Marcus put his arms around me with difficulty an' then leaned his head on top on mine.
"She most certainly ain't gonna take this well." He agreed.
Them Remens brought all us captives out to a makeshift podium an' lined us up behind it. Marcus stood in front of me.
Slowly, one by one, our countrymen was sold off to rich, stupid Remens. Marcus was sold to the guy who owned the gladiators. I would probably never see my brother again.
It was my turn then. I was pulled up onto the podium.
The announcer made up a buncha stuff about me an' then asked fer money. Several Remens bid fer a long time fer me. Eventually, the announcer declared "sold!" an' I was marched down the podium to the idiot who wanted me.
It was actually a few idiots. Since they was all part of the army, they drew straws to see who got to watch me. The young one drew the short straw an' nearly jumped fer joy. I didn't know why. I'd be a handful.
The soldier an' I started fer the capitol city of Reme, called Reme, after dawn. The soldier tried to strike up conversation.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"Why should I tell you?" I snapped. He looked unperturbed.
"I prefer to call people by their actual names." He said. "I'm Mark."
"Flavia." I said.
"It's a nice name." He said.
"Hmph." I said.
