My Beloved Emperor
In the arena surrounded by thousands of people cheering for their chosen gladiator, I stood at one of the corners waiting for my opponent to show up on the opposite door.
Wearing only a silver breastplate that had grown tarnished over the years, I gripped my newly polished sword as I lifted my gaze on the platform where the a man of power sat.
"Win the fight and I shall have you as my wife."
His words rang in my ears that it almost made me lose my mind. It was a tempting offer for a gladiator like me who had been fighting in this arena countless times for several years.
Helios was no simple man with authority but he was a conqueror of many lands. His handsome face and lean body that seemed to be sculpted like that of the gods enchanted many women. And I was no different. I loved him. And before I knew it, he destroyed my kingdom.
And here I was, in this very stadium under his watch to see if I was worthy to be called his empress. And given this only chance, I would never let it slip away.
The horn was blown as my fated enemy came to sight. Compared to me, she had the body of a man—muscular and huge. Her weapon was a double-blade axe—its sharp edges reflecting the scorching sun—that, for sure, would cut my head off if I was not careful enough.
I returned my gaze full of determination at Helios before walking towards the woman whose face I cannot remember because of the stitches. She came charging first with a loud cry and swung her weapon at me. I took a quick step on the side and saw the split on the ground where the axe landed. While she pulled her weapon to make another swing, I grabbed a handful of dust and threw it right on her face.
She let out a bellowing scream as she stumbled backward rubbing her eyes. This made the crowd go crazy.
Before she could regain her sight, I ran towards her and with one swift swing of my sword, her blood rained on me. The scarlet liquid trickled from forehead down to my cheeks, marking my victory. A thud resounded in my ears as she fell on the ground, writhing and gasping for air as her eyes begged me to spare her. However, she could only die and become one with the dust.
As the crowd went wild, my eyes settled on Emperor Helios who was now walking towards me as if he had already predicted the outcome of the fight. With his white and red robes, he looked more dignified and handsome that even the blazing sun could shy away from his attractiveness.
"You made it, Felicia," he said with open arms.
I handed him my sword as a sign of surrender, wrapped my arms around him and buried my face onto his chest.
"I made it," I whispered.
As he had his guard down, I grabbed that chance to avenge my people, my kingdom and my pitiful self. I clutched his hand that held the bloodstained weapon and plunged the sword right into my abdomen. For the first time, I saw his baffled and shocked expression. At last, I was able to take away the person he claimed as his most precious possession.
I cupped his cheek and leaned my forehead onto his. With my last breath, I claimed with a devious smile, "You do not deserve happiness, my beloved emperor."
