A/N: So this is my first chapter of Isadora and I really hope you like it. It takes place some time after Spartacus defeats the Shadow of Death and his wifes death. For the most part I plan on going along with the original plot, but dont be surprised if something random happens. But yeah, enjoy and please review :)

Chapter 1: House of Batiatus

Isadora Paccia Quintus was shoved roughly by the guards. She had no idea where she was, but only what she was doing there. The sun shine down on her brightly as she stood in a line with four other women she did not know. Her body was covered in filthy rags that hardly covered her flesh from the harsh travel she had endured. Isadora looked around the room; the ceiling was open, sunlight cascading from the heavens, she stood next to a pool filled with water and to her right was an open area covered in furniture, food, and drink that her tongue yearned to quench. The guards stood behind her and the other women, their hands firmly clutching the handle of their blades. Isadora suddenly heard voices approaching and looked across the pool only to see two men. One was old, probably in his late forties, early fifties, and was colorfully robed. The other walked with a limp and had something strapped to one of his legs. He looked like he was in his late twenties, early thirties. The men quickly approached the women and stood before them. The old one spoke first.

"You are in the House of Batiatus. I am your Dominos, I bought all of you off the slave market; it is my coin that pays for your being here, my coin that pays for the food you eat, the water you drink, the clothes that will soon be on your back. You are here to serves me and whomever I command you too. You now work for the greatest Ludus of gladiators in all of Capua, home of the infamous Spartacus, slayer of Theokoles." Batiatus stopped and looked at the women. He gestured to one of the guards. "What are their names?"

The guard pulled out a piece of parchment and read the list, reading Isadora's name last. Batiatus furrowed his brows and cringed in disgust. "Which one shares my name?" He asked the guard. The guard pointed to Isadora's back, Batiatus' eyes immediately going to her. He stepped over to her and gave her a very slow once over. Her skin was a light bronze, her eyes as dark as night, and her dark hair long and messy around her face, giving her a sexy appeal to Batiatus.

"Ashur," He said. "From whence does she come from?"

"I believe she is from Carthage; the same area as Barca." The man with the limp said.

"Another Carthaginian." Batiatus said with a smile that filled Isadora with worry. "Perhaps she will bring us as much good fortune as Barca has." He stepped back and looked at the lot. He pointed the three girls, one of them being Isadora, told them to step forward. "You three go with Ashur, the two in the back stay here." Batiatus left and Ashur stepped up with his hands clapped together.

"Aren't you three the lucky ones. Come, we shall get you ready." He quickly led them to the bathing room where they would be cleaned and dressed.

***

Spartacus sat at one of the tables with a bowl of water-downed soup in front of him. He looked over at his fellow gladiators and watched them train; wooden swords clashing together, the sound of shield hitting shield reverberating through the Ludus. The air was stifled with the scent of sweat and blood; the sun beating down on the men only enhanced the odor. Varro came and sat down across from him.

"I grow tired of this shit they give us." He said, filling his spoon with the liquid then pouring it back into the bowl with a look of disgust. Spartacus smirked and swallowed a spoonful.

"Really? I though you rather enjoyed it." There was silence between them, both looking out at the men training.

"Do you still have aspirations of leaving this place?" Varro suddenly asked. Spartacus looked at him then at the murky water that filled his bowl.

"I do not know. Eventually yes. But the world has become a foreign place to me. I do no know if I would be able to find my way back to it."

"You are Spartacus, the slayer of Theokoles. I'm sure you could conquer returning to the real world." He replied with a laugh meant to bring merriness, but instead brought grief to his friend.

"I have no reason to go beyond these walls anymore." Varro knew that he was referring to his deceased wife. He remembered watching her die in his arms, how that if it had been his own he surely would have broken down and killed himself. But Spartacus was strong, stronger than most of the men there. He also had the Gods on his side, which wasn't very bad either.

"Your freedom is reason enough." Varro said. Spartacus looked at him. "Even though your wife is gone, you still have your freedom that is worth fighting for. You have a better chance of making it out of here than anyone. And I believe the Gods would not allow such a great man to rot here until death calls."

Spartacus filled his spoon with the slop then poured it back in the bowl. "You speak the truth. I grow tired of this shit as well." Varro burst into laughter and leaned over the table, slapping his friend on the shoulder a few times. They continued eating and conversing, the shouts and bangs of training in the background, until suddenly, a loud clang erupted throughout the ludus. Heads shot up and looked at the direction that it came from. A woman entered wearing a one shouldered light blue dress. Spartacus could tell that she was very uncomfortable as the men started to approach her, whistling and making obscene comments about her. He knew that she was a slave from her apparel, but had never seen her before. He watched her as she walked by, both sharing a long glance. He looked over his shoulder her and watched her; she walk talking to Doctore.

"Varro," Spartacus said without looking at him. "Who is that?"

"I don't know. I've heard word that Dominos and Ashur went to market today and got a new batch of slaves. I thought it would have been men, but apparently it was women. Probably more he can put his disgusting cock in."

Doctore nodded his head and dismissed her. She briskly left his side and kept her head down while she walked. Spartacus's gaze was fixed on her and knew that something was going to happen. The woman started to pull the gate open and slightly jumped when it was slammed closed suddenly. Spartacus looked back to Doctore, however, he was no where to be seen. The room grew silent as one of the gladiators tried to make a move on her. The man lowered his head down to her ear and whispered something that made her push him away roughly.

"Disgusting pig." She spat at him and tried to open the gate again, however, this only urged him forward.

"You have a dirty mouth. I like that!" He picked her up roughly by the buttocks and went over to one of the tables. The other men cheered him on, knowing very well how it was going to end. He cleared off the table with a swipe of his large arm and put her down. She fought ferociously with him, more than any woman Spartacus had ever seen. He covered her mouth with one hand and crept the other up her dress; that was enough. Spartacus shot up from his seat and went to the gladiator, grabbing his shoulder and shoving him back before colliding his large fist with the gladiators face. The man fell to the ground, hitting his head on the table behind him.

"Ohh Spartacus you're no fun." One of them side with a laugh before returning to him meal. Others began laughing and returned to what they were previously doing. Spartacus turned to the woman and offered to left her off the table.

"It is not wise to come here." He said, the woman accepted his offer and he gently lifted her off the table and set her on her feet.

"I never desired to." She replied simply. She quickly adjusted her dress and shook the fear and rigidity from her. There eyes met, and at that moment, something happened between them. There was a long moment of silence and the world seemed to stop around them. The clang of the gate abruptly broke the moment and a woman popped her head in.

"Isadora come! Dominos is looking for you!" The woman had fear and urgency on her face and gestured for Isadora to come quickly.

"I am coming Cornelia." She lifted her dress and quickly left, giving a second glance at Spartacus. Spartacus stood there, digesting what just happened. He felt a hand slap down on her shoulder and looked to see Varro.

"You never cease to be the hero." He said with humorous sarcasm. He looked down at the knocked-out gladiator and smirked. "You could have been a bit more gentle."

"He is a disgusting pig." Spartacus replied.

"What?" Varro did not understand.

"She said that he was a disgusting pig. She was right."

"Do you speak of that woman you saved so gallantly?" Varro looked in the direction she went.

"Yes." Varro stood in front of his friend and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why did you look at her so?"

"I don't know what you mean?"

"Don't act like you don't know what I am talking about. You are interested in her are you not?" Spartacus thought for a moment, but couldn't come up with a significant answer, all he could think about was her face and how beautiful she looked. "Jupiter's cock." Varro said with a laugh, taking pity on his friend. "Did you at least get her name?"

"Isadora." Spartacus liked the way saying her name sounded from his lips. Her name was simple, but made his heart pound in his chest momentarily.

"Isadora?" Varro said, testing the name out almost. "I like it. It's sexy in way." He said with a grin and slapped Spartacus on the back before returning to the table.

***

"Where have you been this whole time?" Cornelia, a fellow slave of Isadora's that resided at the ludus for a few months, said. Cornelia was a few years older than Isadora, and did not have as much beauty. In this Cornelia hated and envied Isadora, even though she barely knew her. "You were only to tell Doctore he was summoned and that was all."

"I cannot be helped if animals take advantage of me in broad day light." Isadora adjusted her dress a little and continued in a brisk pace toward the room that Dominos was in. "They are much stronger than I. I could hardly defend myself."

"If not for Spartacus you surely would have been tainted by that beast." She replied.

"I fear that Dominos plans to be my first. He is unaware of purity." Isadora's expression fell at the though of loosing her virginity to a master and not her newlywed husband . . . deceased husband. Cornelia took Isadora's arm and stepped to the side, hidden by darkness.

"You must inform Dominos of this. He is not the kind of man to take a woman by force."

"But what if I do this and it only urges him further? What if I tell him of my purity and he would to take it for his own?"

"It is a risk you are going to have to take." Cornelia took her arm again and led her to Dominos.

Once they arrived to one of the bedroom chambers Dominos ordered Cornelia to leave. The room was large, but fairly empty. There was a bed on the left wall, large desk a few feet from it, and where Isadora stood there was a table with a jar of wine and two cushioned seats. Dominos leaned against the desk and looked at Isadora. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"Do you know why I have summoned you here?" He asked.

"No Dominos."

"You are a slave Isadora; meant to serve me. If I command you to do something I expect it to be done, if I ask something of you, you have the option of fulfilling my desire or not. Do you understand where I am going with this?"

Isadora was hesitant to reply. She wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about. "Yes Dominos." She said in uncertainty. Dominos wiped his hand against the desk, a cloud of dust bursting into the air and slowly falling to the ground.

"I heard word not to long ago that a gladiator laid a hand on you. Do you see this to be true?"

"Yes."

"Was it while you were informing Doctore for me?"

"Yes." She replied. Dominos sucked in a breath and shut his eyes. "It is not common for my slaves to take action toward a woman. It seems to me that you have awakened some of their cocks." He said looking at her. He tapped his foot on the ground and cursed to himself. "I also heard that Spartacus protected you?"

"Yes Dominos. They are much to strong, I could not defend myself."

"It is fine. It has been a while since they have been without women." He paused. "There is to be a celebration tonight, to congratulate the men on their victories with wine and women; I have already sent Ashur out to make the arrangements. All of the slaves are to attend except for the personal ones. Even though you are not my personal slave you are not to attend the celebrations. You will not have your well being put in jeopardy again."

"Dominos?"

"I am aware of your virginity." He said. Isadora understood and thought of what Cornelia said. "A ludus is the worse place to be a virgin. Most men would kill to fuck a virgin, and many have died because of it."

"Yes Dominos. I understand."

He took a deep breath. "Good." He pointed to the jar on the table. "That is empty. Bring me another one filled with wine." Isadora bowed her head in gratitude and grabbed the jar before exiting.

***

Isadora was hesitant to go down the steps where the gladiators slept. The wine shelf was right next to the steps, the gate being at her back. Taking a deep breath she quickly went down the steps and placed the empty jar next to the pile of empty ones and searched for a new one that was completely filled. She pulled one out and shook it. The liquid sloshed around a lot, hinting that it was almost gone. She continued doing so until she found one that was almost completely full. She unlatched the lid and pulled it open, peering inside. She closed the lid again, satisfied with the one she found and was about to go back up the stairs when someone suddenly called her.

"Isadora." She looked over her shoulder hesitantly, clutching the jar close to her chest. She could not see the man who spoke her name; his face hidden in the shadows. She stepped closer and was surprised to see Spartacus. She looked around, searching for guards or any of the other men on the other side of the gate.

"Is it you that spoke my name?" She asked.

"Yes. And a beautiful name it is." Spartacus clutched the gate bars.

"I have heard much about you. But have yet to see you in the arena." She said, breaking the silence.

"Are you not from Capua?"

"No. Carthage."

"Then what are you doing here?" He asked. Isadora's expression fell and her eyes met the floor.

"It is a long and sad story."

"As is everyone's that comes to this place." There eyes met again. Isadora was tempted to step closer to the gate, to see him as a whole. At that moment Spartacus wanted her to; he wished that the gate was not there so that he could feel her skin against his, and gaze upon her completely without restraint.

"Dominos waits for me." Isadora said, thinking it would explain everything.

"Let him wait a moment longer." Isadora set the jar down on the ground and stepped closer to the gate and clutched it as Spartacus did.

"What was your reason for saying my name?" They stood very close together, looking deep into each others eyes. "You must have a reason for wanting my attention."

"To see your face and hear your voice again."

"Are you to make this a common thing?" Isadora searched his eyes for something, but did not know what she was searching for.

"If I must."

"What is your intent Spartacus? Do you wish me to pay you a debt because you saved me?"

"I only desire to know the girl that fights against gladiators." He said.

"Any other would do the same."

"No they would not. They would let them have their way or do so willingly. You only fight a gladiator if you want to die."

"Then what does that make you?" There was a long moment of silence. Spartacus did not know what to say. He was interested in the woman that defended herself against animals that could easily kill her. Her beauty also captivated him and the thought of her had wandered his mind since earlier that day.

"A fool." He replied.

"A fool you are Spartacus. But a brave one that yet lives to see another day."

His heart pounded in his chest at the sight of her, and her voice made him want to be closer to her. Spartacus could not command these sudden feelings and this awakening inside him to subside, he could only act on impulse. And at that moment, his impulse was to press his lips against hers.

Without thinking, Spartacus urged himself forward and brought his lips to Isadora's. His lips grazed against hers, feeling their warmth and tenderness immediately. Isadora stepped back and looked at him before it could go any further.

"You must forgive me." He said with heavy breath. "I only act on impulse." He leaned his forehead against that bars and listened as Isadora grabbed the jar and slowly walked back up the stairs to Dominos.