<div align="center"><strong>~ Cingetorix leaving the training sands to bathe ~</strong></div><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Doctore - <br/>“All of you. Bathe. When that is finished, you will eat. Then you will wait upon the pleasure of the Dominus.”</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Like a statue, he stood stock still, eyeing the doctore with steely blue eyes as he was instructed to bathe and eat before being presented to the Dominus. He watched in defiant resolve as the doctore stared at the woman to his right, explaining to her what she could expect of her new life here at the Ludus Leonis Scopulus Tarraconensis. He witnessed the recognition spark in her eyes as she understood his words and the meaning in them. Aside from her sleeping quarters, she was to be treated as any other slave being trained as a gladiator. She would receive no preferential treatment here. Train hard and succeed, or die. Those were the options presented them<br/><br/>He almost felt sorry for her, but he had long since lost his capacity for such feelings. It seemed that his only friend in this life now was his hate for all things Roman; a hate that was consuming him, killing who he was and giving rise to a different man. The thought of his dead wife still haunted him on occasion in an attempt to rob him even of this. Reminded by her of the virtues found in people, her memory often sought to sustain the few remaining virtues that she had found and loved in him and even to revive virtues long lost to him.<br/><br/>He was jolted from his tortuous reverie by the site of this woman to his right who had now ripped free her scant remaining thread of clothing, tossing it aside without a second thought. She stood stark naked and defiant as ever amongst a Ludus full of men, as did the bear of a man opposite her. He had heard no instructions to strip here and so saw no requirement to do so. He couldn’t understand these two bringing such unwanted attention upon themselves in this strange, new environment where they were dog meat and everyone else were the big dogs.<br/><br/>They were directed to the gladiator bath by some guards and he quietly took up the slack in the chains about his wrists and ankles, ruined by their cleaving with the massive shield. Giving his head a subtle shake at the pair, he followed behind Ryann and Berenagrius as they began to leave the training sands, though not so close that he might be confused in be friendly with them by anyone who might be watching them. At this thought, he glanced about, as though to see who might be taking particular interest in them.<br/><br/>At the eastern edge of the training grounds, near the gate, he noticed a dark haired Roman woman talking with a merchant and another guard, but to his relief he had noticed no overly interested onlookers at the moment.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Berenagrius-<br/>"Not sure if you understand the Roman tongue boy, but you might want to put some quick in your step if you don't want a beating again."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>“Boy.” The word rubbed him the wrong way and he found himself liking Berenagrius less with every passing second. The man’s casual attitude about everything that was happening was really troubling to Cingetorix as well, acting as though they were simply visiting some unpleasant relative and Ryann was his long lost cousin who needed reminding of how unpleasant this relative really was. The man might be big and strong, but he had his doubts when it came to the man’s wits. He made a mental note to try and steer clear of this man whenever possible.<br/><br/><div align="center"><strong>~ In the Gladiator Bath house ~</strong></div>Finally reaching the bath house, Cingetorix silently moved towards one of the baths. He tugged at the wrappings of his loin cloth, loosing his manhood and tossing the dirty cloth aside before stepping down into the bath. The water was cold and dirty, but it would serve its purpose of cleaning the dirt, sand and sweat from his body. Knowing, nor trusting no one, he glanced over his shoulder at Berenagrius and Ryann again as he began cleaning himself as instructed, paying special attention between his legs, his backside and his pits. Soon he would be fed and then would be presented to his new Dominus and Domina. He could only hope they were more respectable than his former Dominus.<br/><div align="center">(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5302/5630767144_6c264784a4_m.jpg)</div>