<span style="font-family:Assistant">It was not the dark-haired Diona that had been appointed to taking care of Aelius. It had been Blaesia - a red-haired slave that was almost equally as beautiful as Cassia’s favourite. The Domina had always been known to surround herself with the most charming women, obviously not afraid that their beauty would become a challenge to her. While she was confident, she also believed in differences of status and how that defined their difference. It was not a pretty face or a seductive body – it was power and success that mattered in Rome. Who would dare replacing her with a slave if that caused their downfall? Not a single Roman, if you’d ask her.<br/>
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Blaesia had prepared a decent meal for Aelius after she had helped him to scrub the blood and the dirt of his body. She had even left a fresh tunic for him to put on – still a rather cheap piece of clothing, but it looked good for a gladiator in training. It was definitely not a tunic that any slave fighter was allowed to wear, especially not in the ludus of Maximus Naevius. But Cassia had been persistent; if her personal slaves were to be presentable, so would her personal gladiator be. <br/>
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“Follow him.” The Domina had demanded after Blaesia had returned from her duties, and Aelius was about to be taken back to the ludus by two of the mansion’s guards. She had furrowed her eyebrows in slight disdain after noticing the redhead’s puzzled expression. “I wish to have knowledge of their reactions and behaviour towards him without my presence. The fear of being whipped or beaten will grow into an everlasting facade. Do follow the man and report your newfound information to me upon returning.” <br/>
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Of course she had followed up the orders of Cassia – how could she possibly ignore them and risk falling from her favour? Only a fool would commit such a crime. So there she was, a slave on bare feet and a crimson red tunic that dragged the rough sand after her due to the length of the skirt. It was warm and it was painful, but she did not complain. She simply followed after the guards, quietly, realizing that it was best to remain hidden for now. Blaesia was able to slip through the crack of the gates as they started to close shut behind the back of the guards and Aelius – and so she was inside of the ludus. Locked up like a gladiator, relying on her Domina with a dangerous kind of devotion by risking her life for being caught. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about Doctore – he would be furious if he saw her here, especially because she could not explain why. She could not tell the truth without betraying Cassia – which would cost her –her position in the villa.<br/>
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Blaesia was stuck like a rat in a trap, and little did she know that she was mere a lost pawn to the Domina, who had been planning ahead like the cunning fox she was.</span>