Cletus
Legacy Name: Cletus

Oh, how much he did hate his idiotic twin brother Rufus, always trying to pacify their father, acting like he knew everything and now he even got chosen by their father to be his assistant, which meant he would later be appointed to fill their fathers vacancy in the senate. It made Cletus sick. How much he would love to get just one chance to prove that it was actually him who was the better of the two. But he knew he would never get his chance – no, not as long as his brother was still here.

Suddenly Cletus stopped and grinned. He had worked out something big to finally get rid of his brother and today he would put his heinous plan into action. He impatiently looked at the large wooden door until it suddenly opened and he could see his brother walking out.

"Oh, Cletus! I never thought you'd come to pick me up." Rufus said with a bright smile. "I'm glad you aren't angry at me anymore for being chosen as father's assistant ."

Cletus shrugged."Father says you deserve it more than me." He linked arms with his brother. "Come on, lets go to our place near the river so you can tell me anything about your new work."

They walked into the near forest where they had spend happier times, when they had been younger. Cletus spent the whole time thinking gleefully about what was to come. Two days ago he had hired some dubious men he'd had met in a wrecked tavern which was not affected by laws of the financially better part of the city. He had offered them a good sum of denar, if they would help him to get rid of his twin brother. Needless to say, they accepted his offer immediately. Cletus had agreed to meet them in the forest near the river where he would lead Rufus.

Rufus sat himself on a fallen tree, when they arrived at the place where they had spent so much time when they were younger. "I wish we could be kids again. Do you remember how much time we spent here?" Rufus asked dreamily, looking at the river. The setting sun turned the water into pure gold.

Cletus snorted in response. "It will never be the same again after today..."

Rufus turned to look at his brother with a questioning look, when he saw three sinister-looking males that appeared right behind his brother.

"Cletus...?" Rufus began to say. Cletus interrupted him with a short chuckle.

"Go and get him," Cletus ordered. One of them roughly grabbed Rufus' arm in a vice-like grip. He reached for the moneybag, he had hidden on his waist and gave it to the one who seemed to be their leader.

"Be sure he actually is dead, when you leave this place, understood?" His tone was very cold.

The man nodded and turned to look at Rufus with a murderous glare, whereas the latter stared disbelieving at his twin brother.

"Why are you doing this to me? We are brothers!"

Cletus only glared at him hatefully. "No, we aren't brothers anymore. Surely father will be devastated for losing you but he still has another son, right?" He chuckled. "It will be me who becomes a senator," he added in a whisper. With these words he turned on his heels and walked away. He had never been a violent person, in fact he hated seeing blood – it made him feel sick. Because of this he didn't want to see what those three man would do to his brother. He could hear his brother screaming behind him but he didn't turn his head once. He quickly made his way back to his house so he could tell his father about how he and his brother got attacked by some trash who wanted to steal their money. He'd tell how he had managed to escape but, sadly, he couldn't help Rufus who was killed when he had tried to flee.

Cletus was sure the Tribune was here to pay his father a visit and for some reason He was actually pretty eager to find out. Cletus took his time walking down the marble staircase and when he finally arrived at the entrance hall of their house, he could see his father and the Tribune already talking quietly to each other. When they took notice of Cletus they abruptly fell silent.

"Cletus, Tribune Maximus wants a talk with you." His father led them to a nearby room and left them alone. Cletus let himself fall down on the comfortably upholstered couch, looking at the Tribune with a mixture of distrust and contempt. "Did something happen?" Cletus asked in a confused tone.

"Does the name Rufus mean something to you?" the Tribune asked.

Cletus tried to act as calm and unfazed as possible."That is - or better was - the name of my brother. He was abducted and murdered by a band of crooks a few weeks ago." He shook his head. "May he rest in peace."

The Tribune smiled a deadly smile. "I was told someone paid a lot of denar to eliminate him."

Cletus gulped, desperately tried to maintain composure."What... What do you mean? What kind of person would want to kill my brother? Don't be ridiculous!" Cletus stood up and looked nervously to the two guards blocking the door. He knew he could never manage to get past them alive.

"We actually know who planned it. We managed to arrest one of the suspects and he started talking very fast. He already told us who hired him." The Tribune paused. "You know what that means, right?"

Cletus opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't think of anything good to say. He struggled to maintain his composure. Finally he managed to speak. "That's ridiculous! Why would I have done something like that to him? Someone is trying to pin a murder on me!" He took another glance at the two guards but it was simply impossible to get past them. He had to talk his way out of this situation - at any cost!

"Try telling your story to one of the beggars on the street. We have evidence. There was a witness who saw you talking with the suspects in that tavern." Maximus fixed him with an icy stare.

"Your so called 'witness' drunk too much wine. I believe you have no idea who you are messing with! My father is senator and I don't have to listen to your unfounded accusations any longer. I want you to leave this house at once!"

"Your father already knows about everything. If my accusations were unfounded, I wouldn't be here."

Almost in the same moment a knocking on the door interrupted them and one of the legionaries opened the door. Cletus' father entered the room, looking at his son with a iron-like glare .

"Maximus... I know what fate is to be expected for him when it becomes public what Cletus has done. That's why I'd like to make a proposal for his life."

Maximus raised his eyebrows.

"Until now he never had to work or do anything himself. I want him to learn how difficult living actually is." He looked from Maximus back to Cletus. "I strip you of the title of being my son – I banish you. You will be a roman citizen no longer. From now on you'll see the other side oflife – as a slave." He took a deep breath. "I still can't believe what you tried to do – killing your own brother because of your selfishness and jealousy." His father continued to stare at him in anger. "Get him out of my house!" With those last words his father left the room and Maximus roughly grabbed Cletus' arm.

"Come on, slave. Let's go."

Cletus, finally came to his senses, screaming in fright and desperation.

"No, no father, please! Don't listen to his lies! Please don't do this to me! I am your son!" His cries were heavy with despair.

Maximus dragged the pleading and crying Cletus out into the open street. He didn't even listen to the conversation of Maximus the two legionaries talking about to sell him to Primus Titus while they dragged him through the most pretentious part of the city.

Eventually Cletus stopped fighting back, thinking about the words of his father. He said his brother had told their father it was actually him who tried to kill Rufus but how was this even possible? Rufus was dead! Cletus desperately shook his head, silently insisting he was simply caught in a bad nightmare and that he'd wake up soon but when he heard the two soldiers talking and planning to sell him, fear took a grip of his heart anew.

"W-wait, I-I have denar – a lot! My father doesn't know about it. Please let me go and I'll tell you the place where I hid it."

The two legionaries started to chuckle softly at Cletus' offer.

"I am sorry to destroy your hopes." Maximus said dryly. "I won't take any bribe. Even if you'd offer me all the gold of the emperor, I'd still sell you to Titus. Besides, since you just lost your status as a roman citizen, you have no right to own and dispose anymore, so strictly speaking, you have no money left." Maximus spoke with no emotion as they made their way to a large building. Maximus knocked on the door. It took a while before a scrawny and jaded man of about forty years opened up. He was wearing a white toga and he eyed Maximus questioningly.

"Antillar Maximus? he asked, looking from Maximus to Cletus.

"I have a new slave for you, Titus."

Titus raised his brows in question.

"He won't be of any use. He won't survive two days in my ludus." Titus made a face while Maximus looked at him sternly.

"You may take him for 10 denar. Feel free to do with him as you please."

"He seems to be no good for anything, if you sell him to me for such a low price." Titus chuckled softly.

"Call it a special price for a friend." Maximus grinned and Titus let him and Cletus enter the building.

"Go and get Crassus." Titus addressed the order to one of his slaves, who made a short bow and left the room to get the person in question.

"Take off your clothes," Titus said to Cletus.

Cletus had been caught in his fearful thoughts so much he didn't heard what the two of them had talked about until Titus told him to strip.

"N-no, please... Not in front of all these people, please..." Cletus begged pathetically.

"Take off your clothes!" Titus said sharply. "You'll do as I say and if you refuse to do so, you'll get a whipping."

"Welcome to the world of slaves," Maximus said calmly.

The first slave came back with a large, wiry, athletic man walkeing beside him. He wore only a metallic breech cloth as well as long leather pants. Several scars covered his torso and arms.

"Primus?"

Titus looked at the man who was obviously Crassus.

"When this maggot finally gets out of his clothes I want you to take him with you. I'll get you some clothes for him and I want him to train together with the beginners, though I don't think he'll last very long..." Crassus eyed Cletus.

Cletus had enough. He wanted to get away from here, no matter where he ended up. He just wanted to get out of this place. He took a step back and stepped on his own toga. Falling down on his back, he looked at the males around him with a mixture of fright and desperation.

"No! No! No! You can't do this to me!" He continued to scream desperately as he tried to crawl away. Titus scowled.

"Crassus... Take him and show him what happens when he disobeys."

Crassus nodded and roughly grabbed Cletus' arm, dragging him out of the room. They went down and through a short corridor where a young Legionary was standing guard. They passed him and walked through a lattice gate into a small chamber. Crassus chained Cletus to a iron ring fixed to the wall and unceremoniously cut the toga from his body, while Cletus screamed in fear of getting cut.

"You have not made yourself many friends," Crassus said dryly before he walked over to the wall to select one of the whips. Cletus desperately screamed and begged when the other man walked behind him, but Crassus was unmoved.

The burning pain went through his body when the first lash hit. Cletus squirmed against his bonds and his screams turned into unintelligible whimpering when the second stroke hit. He didn't know how many time he got hit and he didn't even realized when the whipping finally stopped. Crassus roughly grabbed Cletus' head and cut off his hair and beard. Afterward, he finally released Cletus from his bonds and dragged him into a small cell. Crassus threw some leather pants at him before leaving.

Cletus carefully touched his back with one hand. Even in the dim light he could clearly see the blood covering his hand. He carefully put on the leather pants before he let himself fall down on the uncomfortable wooden pallet. He put his head on his knees and started to weep freely.

"So, you are the new one."

Cletus didn't know how much time had passed when an older-looking man suddenly started to speak to him. The man was leaning on his walking stick and his eyes were blindfolded. He was standing with his head slightly tilted to one side probably to perceive the surrounding world better.

"Apparently..." Cletus mumbled quietly.

He put his head back on his knees and tried to picture to himself how he was lying on one of the lightly padded daybeds while drinking a goblet of wine. He gulped involuntarily and only then he realized how thirsty he was.

"M-may I get some water...?" he croaked. "Please...?"

"You'll have to get the things you want yourself from now on." He put down an earthenware jug filled with water as well as a wooden bowl. Cletus quickly filled the bowl and guzzled down the water.

"Let me take a look at your back. The wounds need to be cleaned, otherwise they will become infected. I am pretty sure you'll have to start with your training tomorrow. Titus won't allow a period of grace." The old man gently started to clean Cletus' wounds. "Let me give you a little advice: if you don't want to get punished, don't disobey again. Otherwise your back will soon look like the one of Marcius."

"But I don't belong to this place! My father is a senator. I am not a slave!" Cletus screamed the last line, throwing the wooden bowl at the wall in front of him as fresh tears fell from his eyes. "I want to get out of here." His voice failed as he began to sob helplessly.

"But now you are here and whatever your father' status is, it doesn't matter anymore. If you weren't a slave you wouldn't be here" The old man's voice was soft as he continued to gently clean the wounds. "The scars will remain. If you listen to the people and don't act like an idiot you should do well in the ludus."

"I have no talent using a sword. I'll just get killed off anyway..."

"Just listen to Crassus' advices. He'll teach you how to use a gladius or a spear." The old man stood up and Cletus, who was totally exhausted, soon fell into a deep sleep full of nightmares.

The next morning he only woke up when somebody roughly shook him out of his sleep.

"Get up." Crassus snapped.

Cletus slowly stood up. His back was aching and his head felt like it would burst at any moment. He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his sight while he followed the other man.

"You missed the breakfast time, so your next meal will be at noon." Crassus led him through a big hall filled with multiple benches and tables. On the outside was a larger yard with sandy ground. He could see two stone benches at the rim of the yard as well as a few wooden training dolls. In the middle were two strongly built males training with wooden weapons. A few others showed some newer-looking slaves how to fight but all of them looked like they at least knew how to use a weapon.

While he looked around the yard, Cletus saw a young man who was standing in the shadow of the projecting roof. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties. His black hair was close-cropped, like everybody's hair was. He was athletic and tanned from hard training and his green eyes seemed to follow Cletus' every move.

Cletus watched the green-eyed male a few moments.

"So, what should I do now? Cletus asked Crassus.

"Now you'll learn to fight. Marcius, today you have the privilege of training him."

Marcius strode towards them and told Cletus to get himself a wooden gladius as well as a shield.

Cletus did as he was told. Marcius nodded and told Cletus to get ready.

When Cletus was fnally ready, Marcius began to slowly circle him. Cletus didn't even try to defend himself when Marcius' spear hit his leg. Cletus screamed and let himself fall, holding up his hands as if he wanted to beg for mercy. He could hear the other males who were watching them chuckle softly.

"Stand up." Marcius growled. "Stand up and take your loveing gladius and shield."

Cletus did as he was told but he acted more out of reflex than anything else. He followed Marcius' moves fearfully. Marcius used his spear to hit him in the stomach, leaving Cletus on his knees gasping for air.

"No skills how to use gladius or shield. No muscles and certainly no stamina." Marcius' voice was very dry.

"That's because I am not a slave like all of you! I don't belong to this place!"Cletus threw the wooden sword in Marcius' direction but Marcius simply stepped aside to avoid getting hit.

"You are here so you are a slave." Marcius said.

Crassus laughed. "You little worm... You are in the ludus of Primus Titus which means you are a slave, whether or not you want to accept the fact. If you think you'll get a special status, you still have to learn a lot. And believe me, I'll teach you, but it will be a painful way." Crassus looked to a heavily built male with an ox-like neck.

"Gallus, show him what happens if he doesn't obey."

Gallus didn't even wait for Cletus to take hold of his weapon and shield. He simply rammed his shield into Cletus' back and Cletus went down again. He lay on the sandy ground retching and coughing. Gallus laughed and kicked him in the stomach. It was obvious, he enjoyed torturing Cletus who was still lying on the ground and by now vomiting blood. Marcius watched in silence.

"All of you, go and continue your training!" Crassus shouted to the watching crowd before he went to Marcius, softly talking to him before he went inside.

"You shouldn't beat him to death," Marcius finally said.

"Don't tell me what I'm allowed to do, Gallus growled.

"Take it as an advice." Marcius answered sarcastically.

When Cletus realized Gallus had stopped attacking him, he staggered to one of the stone benches and let himself fall down on it. He felt utterly exhausted.He could see Gallus was getting really pissed.

"Stop shooting your mouth off!" Gallus growled. He took a few threatening steps in Marcius' direction as Marcius stood motionless/

"I have no need to do so." Marcius answered calmly. Gallus uttered an angry snort.

"Mind your own frigging business! Or next time it will be you, kneeling in the dirt." He grinned and licked his lips in anticipation when he thought about beating Marcius to a pulp.

"You mean like the last time when your face made acquaintance with my fist?" Marcius asked calmly. "Or are you talking about how your face bashed on the stone bench?"

"You dirty son of a dog!" Gallus barked, charging at Marcius with his hands clenched into fists. "I'll kill you!"

Cletus saw Crassus coming back into the yard. He walked to Cletus and sighed. It didn't seem to be the first time something like this had happened.

Gallus obviously didn't stand a chance. First Marcius hit Gallus' jaw with his shield, which sent two teeth flying out of his mouth, then he broke the man's nose with his elbow. Gallus growled hatefully when Crassus finally interrupted the fight.

"That's enough, Gallus!"

Gallus obviously didn't wanted to stop fighting even though he stood no chance against his opponent. He left the place, but only after he provocatively banged Marcius on the shoulder.

Cletus didn't even witness the end of the fight. Because of the pain and the exhaustion he had fainted.

When Cletus finally recovered consciousness, he could see Marcius sitting on a chair near the wall.

"If you want to eat something you should come with me." Cletus nodded and followed Marcius at a respectful distance. The meal was different than what he was used to but after tasting, he had to admit it wasn't that bad.

After some time he carefully started to talk to Marcius. Marcius told him how his parents got killed when he was only twelve years old and a slave trader sold him to Titus' father. Cletus then confessed how he had tried to get rid of his twin brother and how his father had cast him out for doing so.Marcius surely didn't understood how Cletus was able to even try such a crime but he neither didn't seem to despise him because of what he had done. When they finally had finished eating, Marcius stood up.

"I know I'm asking for a lot but could you maybe help me to survive in here?"

"I'll try to..." Marcius begun with an honest voice. "But you'll have to do as I say. You'd better stay away from Gallus. He's an idiot who tries to bend everybody to his will, if Crassus isn't present. I have to go back in my gilded cage now – too many problems..."His sentences started to string together as he turned to leave. "You better go and ask Crassus if you could get a solitary cell. Just tell him you are afraid of Gallus hurting you."

Cletus looked after Marcius for a moment before he stood up and walked over to Crassus who was sitting on a nearby table. Crassus looked at him questioning.

"I- I was wondering if I maybe could get a different living accommodation tonight." Cletus stammered.

Crassus raised his eyebrows.

"Why the hell should I put you in a different living accommodation?"

Cletus dropped his gaze."I am afraid of Gallus..."

Crassus seemed to think about it for a moment.

"You could be right about that." He looked at Gallus who was sitting at a table at the other end of the room, glaring at Cletus with a murderous look in his eyes.

"Marcius, come here." Crassus called. "I want you to help Cletus. Therefore he is going to live with you – in your cell.«

Marcius took a deep breath and nodded.

Gender: Male

DoB: 24.02.

Age: 31

Voice: Monty Arnold

Setting: Ancient Rome

Family: He has a identical twin brother named Rufus. Their father is a senator. They never met their mother.

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Brown

Physical Description: Cletus is rather thin and not very well muscled person. He has smooth facial features and he is physically rather weak.