<strong>~ NPC interactions; food bowls being 'handed' to Ryann and Cingetorix ~ <br/>~ Ludus Training Grounds; Mess Hall ~</strong><br/><br/>While both the new recruits together with those who already bore the mark of the Brotherhood were prepared for the evening's frivolities, other slaves tended to the hustle and bustle of the upstairs kitchens. Meanwhile, a single, large oaf of a man, who wore far more meat than muscles on his bones, stirred a big pot of gruel in the Gladiator's mess hall. Though 'mess hall' was perhaps too fancy a word; it really was just two rows of three wooden tables slotted next to each other, and stools enough to seat a dozen or so male bums. When the stools ran out, there was always the floor. Then, there was no 'kitchen' so to speak. Sometimes, the meals were prepared upstairs and brought down. Other times, like today, a large pot boiled over a simple fire at the back of the 'room'. As for the heavy cook, he had come to be known simply as 'Lurco' – the greedy. One too many a time, he had helped himself to food meant for the Gladiator's, but the Guards did nothing. The Captain in particular found it amusing to be depriving the hard-working slaves of the fuller portions to their well-earned meals.<br/><br/>Today though, at the sound of the ringing bell to announce supper time; the new recruits were to undergo the 'initiation' process, and neither Lurco nor the Guards were going to stop it. True, there would be feasting upstairs, but not a morsel was for the slaves, Gladiators included. Unless the guests desired it for whatever depraved reason they saw fit to indulge. So this would be the one and only meal served to the Gladiators and recruits until the sun once again rose. Knowing this made the initiation process even more worthwhile. As those who bore the mark filled through into the mess hall, bowls were served piled with the creamy white gunk. An oat and wheat porridge mixed with very few scraps of meat unfit to serve the house, but one was lucky if they managed to find a single morsel in their serving. Crusty rolls of bread were also on hand from a basket, but it was a first come first serve process, where many hands would take double their share. The new recruits, along with the golden Champion, were taking longer to be prepared in the bath house, and so three members of the brotherhood used this to their advantage. With the gluttonous Lurco distracted by his own bowl, and the guards idly chatting to the fleeing female slaves whose tasks were complete, the main porridge was ripe for the 'initiation.' Huddling in a corner, two of the laughing men slopped two spoonfuls of the gruel into two bowls. The third slipped his cock from loincloth, and began to prepare the missing ingredient for one of the bowls.<br/><br/>Whether they had been seen or not was yet to be discovered, but when the new recruits would eventually arrive in the hall, the three men would present the filled bowls almost immediately to them.<br/><br/>“Eat up,” one said, trying hard to hold his naughty grin back as he offered the tainted bowl to Ryann. “This will be your last.”<br/><br/>The other, only briefly held the bowl out for Cingetorix, but dropped it before it could be taken. The clay shattering at his feet instead. “Only those who bear the mark deserve to eat,” he stated with chest puffed out. Fists clenching at his sides, he squared up to the new recruit, having already taken a dislike to him. "We will face each other on the sands tomorrow, and you will die with an empty gut."<br/>