The first time I saw the city of Rome I was chain to a cart as it was pulled through the streets. I couldn't believe how large the city was. The colors, smells, and sounds took my breath away. And so many people. All looking and pointing at us as we were taken to our fate. And what was to be our fate you may ask; to serve the city and it's people as slaves. I would not let them shame me, I thought. You may wonder how I can to be here chained and far from my land and home.

I was born in Egypt. My family was poor, but then so was our village. I grew into a beautiful young woman. My skin was darken to the bronze of my people and as I developed the curves of womanhood many of the men began to look at me. One day I was in my village in Egypt when the raiders came. They must have been looking at the village since they cut us off from any escape. We had few if any real weapons but we did put up a fight. Those of us who wasn't killed or wounded were rounded up. The men chained, were lead away to spent their lives working in the mines or chained to the oars, and the women were put into groups, the old ones were either ship off for cheap labor or killed, and the young women and young boys were taken for sale in Rome as slaves. I was in the latter group.

We were first taken to the ships, then we were sent to unknown lands. When our ship landed I and the others were taken out still chained by the neck and placed into a cart. Papers were exchanged and we were off.

The roads that lead into the city were the best roads that I have ever seen. And when we came to the gates my breath was taken away. This city was so much larger then my village. In my village you could walk across it in an hour, but in a cart it took us half of the afternoon to reach the slave pins deep in the heart of the city.

I was taken to the area where the best looking women were caged like beasts. For the first time in my life I saw women of all colors. There were some who's hair was white as their skin, but they were young. Other's had hair the color of the early morning sun; fire red and pale skin. And others hair were as black as mine but their skin was yellow. It wasn't long before the slavers came in and ordered us to strip. Many of the women started to cry, but he said we wasn't to be raped, our innocent was worth more on the block.

We were to be washed, perfumed, and our hair was to be fixed. Then we would be shown to our future masters that very night.

After we had removed our clothes we were lead to the great baths. These people had built a house around a pond I thought; I had never seen nor heard of the baths before. The water was warm and they poured this stuff over us and rub us down. I looked at the other girls that were in the bath. All were young and beautiful. One of the bath slaves was from Egypt and she told me a little about my sisters.

The girl with the white hair, even the hair between her legs was white was from the far North where it is always cold. The girl with the flaming fire hair was from a far off Island to the North West. And the one with the yellow skin was from the land of Chin to the East.

Once the bath was finish we were taken still nude to a room where there were couches and large men were standing by each. We again feared that we were be taken but the bath slaves told us that these men had the knife used on them and they had no need of our bodies. We were told to lay on the couches and let the slaves rub oil onto our skin to make it shine.

After this was done we were taken to another room, still nude but the oil made us glow in the flame of the lamps. Here were the buyers of our flesh. Our wrist were chained to overhead beams and we were pull to our toes. Now the buyers walk around us looking and touching us. Never have I been treated this way. Someone grab my breast while another hand rub my ass. I saw that the other women were receiving the same treatment. We were poked, touch, and looked at for what seem like hours. I must not let them see my fear nor humiliation, I thought.

But now the bidding was to began.

Once we had been checked out the auction started. The first girl was removed and taken to a stand where this man told the buyers about her and where she came from as he ordered her to show herself off. He used a stick on her body to point out a feature or to make her respond.

Then people started calling out the price that they wanted to pay for her. This is what happen to each of us. I saw that those who responded when their private areas were touched brought the higher price.

I was the sixth girl to be sold. I was now taken to the stand so once again I could be shown. I stood tall without embarrassment of my naked body. I could not see the bidders in the darken room but I heard them yell out my price, one voice kept out bidding the others. He is the one that bought me. When I saw him my heart sank. He was short, bald, and fat. I could not see myself being taken by one such as this. I wanted to run but the chain held me fast. I made an oath to die before he could have his way with me.

I was taken to carrier. Once there the fat man said, "Here she is Master, a sweet flower of the of the land of the pharoses." A curtain open up and I looked at the face of my true owner.

He took my breath away. I was looking at a man...no a god; he was so big and powerful looking. "My name is Maximums Longviuos, and welcome to Rome" he said.

I was pick-up by someone and put into the the box with my new master. I felt the carriers picking us up. My master held me in his strong arms, his arms were as big as my body, and there was no fat on them.

Now for the first time I spoke to my master, "And what would my master have of me?" I asked.

"Everything" he replied. "You do not know who I am do you my flower?" he asked. I shook my head no.

"I am a gladiator, a fighter, the best there is in Rome," he told me. "Like you I came to Rome as a slave, but now I am a free man. I have power, wealth and fame," he told me. "When I saw them bring you into the city, I notice that the others held their heads down but you held yours up, as if you was above even those who held you in chains."

He kept speaking as we was carried through the city. "I know that the gods have chosen me for greatness and I see that they have chosen you also," he said.

I realized that he was rubbing my neck with his strong hands, and it felt so good. "When we get to my house we shall become as one," he said. I knew that I would be taken by a man for the first time and that this man was the one that had been chosen for me, I was so happy that I could hardly wait to get to his house. What would it be like? What had the fates chosen as my role? I knew that I soon would find out.

Maximums's house was hugh, why it seem as if my whole village could fit into it. My master ask if I wanted my own room or to share his. I replied, "I didn't know a slave had a choice."

"Do not think of yourself as a slave, but as queen of this house," he replied, "for how you came into my life doesn't matter. For the fates took you from your land and me from mine and brought us here at this time for their own reasons."