Page 40 of Benet

He’d gone to thank the goddess for bringing him and Marushka to safety and a happy outcome, and Dmitri as well. The grove was unaccountably peaceful and he’d fallen asleep. When he woke after a few hours, he couldn’t remember any dreams or visions of the Great Mother but he felt tranquil and settled, as he hadn’t truly done since he’d been a free man before, fighting for his original home worlds.

He’d found everything he’d been looking for and more and Benet was eager to experience the new adventures of being mated and being a Badari Gladiator in more than just name.

The spectacle had ended. Dmitri summoned his horses and did a flashy mount to their backs, thundering out of the arena much as he’d entered. The applause was thunderous. The ten men he’d ‘vanquished’ rose to their feet and bowed and Dmitri drove his chariot into the arena for a final wave to the crowd.

Benet was more than satisfied with the performance and the way the audience received it. He had a few mental notes but nothing major.

Attendants raked the sand hastily and then the trumpet sounded again, with the official fanfare for the march of the gladiators. Benet stepped out of the tunnel and onto the sands, leading the House of Badari to the ruler’s box for the oath. Prince Pargen sat there today and Benet would gladly swear allegiance to him.

There was to be a private dinner later that evening for the prince and the inner circle of Badari and mates at the Vasclavian estate and Benet was keenly anticipating his chance to thank the royal for his behind the scenes help in obtaining Benet’s freedom from Outlier.

But for now he was going to fight for the honor of the House of Badari and to show off for his mate, if the truth be told. Marushka sent him a pulse of love through the mate bond as he lifted his sword to recite the gladiators’ oath along with all the other men and women on the sands today.

As he marched to his starting position for the first round of non-lethal fights on the program, Benet knew himself to be unbeatable and content with his life. Soon enough he’d resign from the arena life as Kyden had and spend all his time on his duties running the portions of the House of Badari which were his domain, but he intended to give his best efforts at every opportunity until then.

He raised his shield and pointed his sword at the highly ranked opponent facing him, who did likewise. The men nodded a greeting to each other and then as the horns blew, they stepped into the ritualized violence that was their stock in trade, their expertise and the audience’s passion.

Benet the Badari Gladiator was home.