Гладиатор

           "Thenlistentome,"saidProximo."Learnfromme.IwasnotthebestbecauseIkilledquickly.Iwasthebestbecausethecrowdlovedme.Winthecrowd,andyou’llwinyourfreedom."

           Maximusknewthathewasright."I’llwinthecrowd.I’llgivethemsomethingthey’veneverseenbefore."

           ***

           IntheroyalpalaceCommodusstoodlookingdownatLucius,asleepinhisbed.Lucillaenteredquietlybehindhim.Shestoodinthedoorway,watching,worried.

           "Hesleepssowellbecauseheisloved,"saidCommodus,gentlybrushingahairfromLucius’sface.

           Lucillamovedforwardquickly.Luciusturnedoverandshethoughthewaswaking."Shh...gobacktosleepnow,"shesaid.Shepulledhisblanketcloserandwatchedhimbreathedeeply,alreadydreamingagain."Come,brother,it’slate,"shesaid,turningawayandknowinghewouldfollowher.

           BackinhisownroomCommodussatonthebedandpickedupadocument.Helookedatit,thenletitfalltothefloor.Thetablenexttohisbedwascoveredinotherpapers-plansfortheNewRomeanddocumentsfromtheSenate.

           "Ican’tsleep,"hecomplained."TheSenateisalwayssendingmepapers.AndmyowndreamsforRomearemakingmyheadache."

           Lucillapreparedadrinkforhim,secretlymixinginsomemedicine."Quiet,brother,thiswillhelp."Sheheldoutthedrinktohimandwatchedashedrankit.

           "ArethepeoplereadyformetoclosetheSenateyet?Whatdoyouthink?ShouldIhavethesenatorskilled?Someorallofthem?"heaskedLucilla.

           "We’lltalkaboutittomorrow.Sleepnow,"shesaid.