Albionoria-Ndiau

A Relief Hard to Bear Marcus could still remember it in all its detail. The hand buried harshly in his hair, pulling his head back until his neck hurt, baring his throat. The knee pushed against his back, bending his spine, his own knees on the cold ground, kneeling as no Roman should ever kneel before a slave. Helpless, humiliated, betrayed. How he hated Esca then. Had he ever hated anybody as much before in his life, he could not remember. It carried him through each day, that hate. Gave him the strength to ignore the growing pain in his old wound. Made his eyes seek out the treacherous slave as they had before sought out a trusted ally.