Nothing is easy, nothing is impossible

Sara sighed, feeling her feet burn because of the sandals that did nothing but blistering her.

It had been at least three hours since the mistress went around the various market stalls.

The arrival of a group of foreigners had attracted all the upper middle class women and it was rumored that the fabrics they sold were precious and extremely precious.

This was enough to attract their mistress and make them spend a fortune in order to be envied by the other noblewomen.

"Apparently the good old Sesto has deceived you!" One of the mistress's group of friends said "We do not envy you dear. Even if it is a well-known thing: those who profess themselves innocent always betray you!" Said another.

"The hope is that Azrael will soon change in your favor the idea that everyone has become elves!" she defended one.

"It is the gods who guide his steps! As soon as he wants souls to feed himself, we will indulge him!" The mistress answered nervously.

The defeat of Narwain and Galdor had not been frowned upon!

Now everyone believed that the immortality of the elves was not a gift but a condemnation! And that Azrael was really led by the gods since he was the only one of his race still alive, knowing nothing of the lava that was seething beneath the surface!

"Will your husband come to the auction today? I heard there will be very rare beasts!" Asked a lady.

“He will be present! I apologize but urgent duties force me to return to my house!" The mistress answered before hurrying towards the carriage.

Hanna had barely had time to get in when a scream made her peek through the door.

Bandits!

They were attacking them!

The mistress began to scream hysterically while Sara tried to protect her by pushing her towards the carriage and standing between her and the bandits.

The few guards in tow were immediately neutralized, proving useless as Hanna believed.

“You come with us!" One of them said to the mistress "And if your husband really cares about you ... he will pay lavishly to save your life!" Yeah, too bad he was talking to the wrong person!

But Sara had such a ferocious look that it was easy to be wrong!

Especially since the mistress looked like a frightened hen, at that moment no one would have thought that she was the real mistress!

Hanna thought about it and realizing that the bandits could miss target, since even their robes were precious despite being slaves, a clear demonstration of the mistress' immeasurable ego, she decided to act!

"If they kidnap the mistress he will take it out on us! If they take us out ... since we are not princesses in danger and that Thranduil is in chains twelve hours a day, nobody will look for us! And even if you do the part of the damsel in danger that the Knight must save would be intriguing, this is not the right time!”Hanna thought in a matter of seconds.

She sneaked down the other side from where everyone else was and headed for a counter, left unattended, full of pans and other metal objects.

Luckily she had been crazy and reckless in her youth, so much so that she tried many sports one after the other.

Including clay pigeon throw, archery, horse, swimming, artistic gymnastics, kung fu ... some practiced for a few months but sufficient for the rudiments to take deep roots.

She took a large pan by the handle, rotated his torso with his shoulders and then, like a spring, sprang, letting go of the object.

As soon as the first hit the target she began to grab whatever happened to her to throw it. The mistress' screams made her very comfortable, so she could be sure not to hit her, nor Sara, by mistake!

The bandits were taken by surprise but tried to react.

They would have reached Hanna to make him pay if Sara hadn't decided to follow her friend's example and started throwing bottles, small vases and other heavy objects against the intruders.

The bandits withdrew by hiding among the various stalls, except to flee in terror when they saw the city guards arrive.

"The most exciting shopping of my life!" Sara commented as soon as Hanna reached her and the mistress still upset.

"And here are other likes that go fuck themselves!" "Better! Because besides those you could have also taken a complaint!" Sara said trying to dampen her friend's enthusiasm. "But don't they make fines here ?!" Hanna observed confused

"True! But if I could have made a video we would have had to be in our world and there the fines are pretty salty! ..... But I said complaints! What do the fines have to do with it?" Sara asked her.

"What do I know! It was you who followed my absurd line of thought without batting an eyelid!" Hanna teased her before making the wise decision not to speak any more, hoping that once at home the owner was not angry enough to take it out on them and blame them for everything ...... as usual!

It was fortunate that Azrael watched over them because otherwise Barahir would certainly not have limited himself to just yelling at her!



*



"Another day to forget!" It was Sara.

“But what if you said the shooping was unforgettable? You have to make peace with yourself, sister!" Hanna.

"But can you shut up ten seconds?" Sara again.

Silence.

"Done! Are you satisfied? Look, it's not me who screams all our problems in the wind!" Always and only Hanna.

The cell door was opened and two angry girls entered while engaged in a fight of glances. Thranduil could not hold back a smile. How did they make friends if they spent most of their time arguing?

“Are they?" "Yes them, “them”!" The second entry belonged to Atticus, but the first was unknown!

"Who are you?" Hanna asked putting her face in front of the bars of the small window that joined the two cells.

A boy. Young. Curly and dark hair, like Sara, only she had it straight.

“Why do you care to know?" Asked the boy.

"Why would I want to know who I'm talking to ?!" Hanna pointed out. "My name must not interest you! Soon I will be dead or put up for auction again!" The boy replied.

"Admirable optimism!" Hanna said sarcastically.

"Anyway ..... my name is Sara, while she is ....." "No!" Her friend interrupted "What?" The other confused asked "Let's play his game! Let's leave him with the doubt!" Hanna said with a treacherous smile on her face.

The boy snorted "I know who you are! Sara and Hanna, the two lovers of the angel of death!" Then he turned to his cellmate "and you are Attic, gladiator trained and raised by the only surviving elf of his race!" He concluded.

".... The only survivor?" Sara asked amused "Of course the Romans shoot bullshit!" Commented Hanna.

“Will you please me to keep quiet? I would like to sleep and I would like not to have to hear chickens fluttering all night!" The boy said as he lay down on his cot added just for him.

“Faites attention à la façon dont vous parlez, mon enfant!"(Pay attention to how you speak, child!) Said Azrael articulating the first words of the week.

"I don't remember much, since my French is from first grade secondary school, but does "enfant" not mean child?" Sara asked for a confirmation, but whose main purpose was far from it.

"Did you call me baby?" The boy exploded like an atomic bomb.

No, worse!

But Sara smiled enthusiastically: she had hit the mark!

“Well, his reasoning doesn't make a difference! You are only a child compared to a thousand-year-old creature!" Hanna said amused.

"And you're just his slut!" The boy answered coming very close and threatening to the bars.

The silence and a cold fell in that little space that those present occupied.

Azrael was so fast that the boy realized he had his hand clenched on his neck only when the grip was so strong that it prevented him from breathing.

The human took the tin glass and began to beat it on the bars with excitement while the girls had grabbed the elf one by the shoulders and the other by the arm, in an unsuccessful attempt to stop him.

Atticus was also busy trying to get his hand off the boy's neck but to no avail!

“Let him go!" Sara screamed "I want to kick him in the ass in person if you don't mind!" Hanna gave her hand.

Nobody could do anything else because the guards came in and quelled the fight.



*



"It didn't go wrong!" Hanna said the following morning.

"But do you feel when you speak?" Sara asked puzzled.

"He could have been dead, but he's still alive!" Her friend replied only to observe the other doubtful "Are you all right?" Churches.

Sara sighed looking at her frightened "Did you see the reaction he had? We couldn't stop him!" She looked worried.

"He wanted to defend my honor! It was noble and at the same time useless on his part!" Hanna explained.

“And if he had such a reaction with us? What would you do? Would you keep your promise? An elf would never have reacted like this! I don't think that's who we believe!" Sara said as she tormented her hands.

"An elf didn't go through what he went through! It's normal for him to be different!" Hanna replied fiercely "And I trust him!" she finished saying before she started rubbing the floor angrily.

“Sara, Hanna ...." a voice immediately made her silence and raise. It was Barahir. The girls greeted him with a slight bow and a "Master!" Respectful.

"... I demand that you make the elf understand that that boy must grow up and transform him into the best gladiator in the entire Republic, not kill him!" He ordered furious.

So it had been his idea ?!

Otherwise it was not clear why, suddenly, the poor Atticus had to endure that troublemaker!

Although it could have been simply bad luck since the gladiators purchased by the master were so numerous that sometimes in a cell there had to be three together!

Only Azrael was left alone, and for good reason: he was a hot head, period!

"Will jump for joy!"Hanna thought as Sara replied with "As you wish, master!”.

There was at least one thing Hanna had learned: keep your mouth shut!

He probably lived up to Marco Polo when he discovered America!

A short time later, the girls, thanks to Barahir's permission, went to find the newcomer.

Escorted by guards because if something happened Azrael could no longer be controlled! As soon as they were inside the cell they found with regret that the boy had been chained. Very bad!

That is, a normal person does not have a conversation with the other who is in chains!

Their good intentions could be seen in another light because of this tiny detail!

"They call you the Celtic!" Hanna started.

"They say you are very fast! Your opponent does not even have time to see the blade pierce him! Yet you are considered very young to be so good!" Sara continued realizing that the boy's hatred gaze towards them had not softened in the least!

Flattering him was useless!

"Why do you hate us?" Hanna asked deciding to get right to the point.

"Why should I do it?" He asked back "I don't know! Unless you all look like that, then I suspect we don't like you too much!" The girl replied.

The boy sighed, looking away.

"Do you believe that Azrael behaves with us as he does in the arena? If it were so, I wouldn't miss him a hundred meters away!" Hanna said.

Sara looked at her suspiciously. What did he have in mind?

"Why would I care about that monster?" The boy asked "Why did you stare at him all the time?" The girl asked back.

He hesitated for a moment, before speaking "There are many legends! Obviously nobody knows who he is! ...... but when I saw him ...... I could not describe him! It was both incredible and terrifying!" The boy said as if he were reliving those emotions "When I looked him in the eyes ..... I was vulnerable! It was as if ....... he could look into my soul! I believe that the Romans are convinced that feeds on the souls of its victims!" He said sincerely.

“Did it hurt you?" Sara asked, pointing to the neck with a finger, glad that it had finally opened with them.

He smiled "No. I've had worse!”

He stared at them carefully, before speaking "How did you end up here? You were not born slaves!" He asked curiously.

“How do you know?" Sara asked in surprise.

"Your hands! They are like those of the masters apart from a few new wounds that you will have procured once you become slaves! And your attitude! I believe that you are born only thanks to the elf!" Said the boy.

"We have been slaves for a few months!" Sara replied "But I don't think we'll ever go home!" Hanna continued.

"Admirable optimism!" He mocked her.

"That joke is mine!" The girl snarled.

"Our families don't know we've been caught! They wouldn't even know where to start looking for us!" Sara admitted bitterly.

"My family ...... was slaughtered by the Romans! I look forward to being able to balance the accounts one day!" Said the boy.

"But are you crazy to say things like that ?!" Sara asked, looking around and noting that the guards were watching each other, but at a distance that could not hear them.

Luckily!

"You will get along with Azrael, then!" Hanna admitted.

“Why should I ever?" He asked angrily "He too wants revenge. Wait .... going in order: revenge, escape, freedom and ........ revenge!" Hanna said as if she were listing the shopping list.

"Really?" He asked in amazement.

"Yes! But if we want to do things right, we must lower our heads and obey the master first!" Sara introduced the real reason for that chat.

"Explain yourself!" He said curtly. To Hanna's grim look she replied "It was not an insult!".

“These big cocks ..... it was the same very rude!" The brunette pointed out.

"The queen of refinements has spoken!" Her friend teased her.

"Anyway, the master wants me to refine your technique with Azrael! He will teach you everything he knows ..... no, maybe not everything, since it would take you much more than your whole life to learn it ...... but what will allow us to escape and savor freedom!" Hanna said also making a little reasoning during the explanation.

The boy smiled, standing up "My name is Milo!" He said holding out his right hand.

The girls took turns taking her "It's a pleasure!" Sara said.

“I'm not sure!" Hanna admitted.



*



“I know we didn't start off on the right foot ...." Milo began to speak.

Atticus watched the two with growing interest to know if the boy would be able to make himself heard.

It was evening and they found themselves together again.

Azrael was comfortably seated on the bed on the opposite side from where the girls were who were instead comfortably lying, apparently disinterested in the conversation.

".... but we have common goals!" Milo continued to glance anxiously at his cellmate. Atticus did not interrupt his gaze and taking it as an incitement to continue the boy decided to go on "I want the Romans to pay for what they have done! The master's request is an opportunity! I will be able to improve in view of the day when I will have my revenge!" Said the boy.

Azrael seemed completely absorbed in his thoughts, in the face of the legendary education of the elves ........... so Hanna decided to give him a little kick on the calf, with his foot, to wake him up.

"Se vous pouvez survivre, vous apprendrez!"(If you can survive, you will learn!) The elf replied without tone.

"But why don't you learn to speak our language?" Milo asked annoyed even if Atticus had immediately translated.

The girls stiffened and turned instantly, turning away from him, trying to suppress laughter.

"Why don't you learn French?" Hanna asked "So expand that culture you don't have!" Sara said and then widened her eyes.

Hanna had the same reaction "You are right not to believe it! This is insolence worthy of mine! What happens to you?" she asked barely holding back the laughter.

“It's the result of your company!" Sara replied.

The girls burst into hysterical laughter that went on for several minutes.

It was Atticus who saved them from the risk that they would have a great stomach ache from too much laughter "Is it true what I heard? Did you do it to a group of bandits?" He asked sure of the answer.

"Yeah ......" Hanna replied "Apparently!" Her friend queued.

"The fastest pan in the west is unrivaled!" Hanna admitted.

"What is this twest you're talking about?" Milo asked curiously.

The girls looked at each other ........ and laughed again.

"What's their problem?" Milo asked that he was already annoyed by the character of the two young women.

"I don't know where to start. But in this case I would say that they have little fun and often say meaningless things!" Atticus replied with a smile on his lips.

Fortunately, the joy of the two friends was contagious!



*



Milo could not hold back a curse when he found himself eating sand for the fifth time in a matter of minutes.

The elf's speed was surprising!

He was both terrified and thrilled at the idea of having to spend the remaining hours of training being humiliated in an attempt to learn something!

Was it a peculiarity of the elves, or only of Azrael, to make the opponent experience conflicting emotions at the same time?

Atticus and the gladiator who was training with him, stopped the fight to give him an amused look and laugh together.

But if the stranger's laughter was to taunt him, Attico's laugh seemed softer and more sincere.

Milo recovered in a matter of seconds ignoring his sensations and concentrating on the elf who was looking at him seriously, not showing anything from his cold gaze.

The boy sank again with a wooden sword, aiming straight at the opponent's chest.

But his weapon was blocked by the other's arm and released from his grasp as soon as he made a turn on himself, hitting him in the back once completed.

It was a move he knew well, but so fast that he could recognize it only once the other had completed it!

"Thanks to you ..... I will never fall into the arena!" Milo said knowing full well that he was speaking alone.

He was surprised when Atticus translated for him. "Il est convaincu que tu le feras invincible!" (He is convinced that you will make him invincible!)

"Tous les hommes tombent. Seuls le chemin et le moment sont différents"said Azrael in a tone so cold as to make the boy shiver.

Milo recovered mentally.

Her father would have this pointed-eared being lowered in less than five minutes!

It could not be less! In memory of his people!

“All men fall. Only the way and the moment are different!" Translated Atticus as he cast an uncertain look at his father.

What did he want to refer to?

From experience he knew that there was a hidden meaning in every word he said, but at the moment, whatever it was, he could not grasp it!



*



"So the dwarves are still inside the mountain?" Hanna asked.

Sara quickened her pace, speeding her walking in circles in the cell. The interrogation had begun.

"Why shouldn't they?" Thranduil asked curiously to hear how they would justify themselves.

“Kingdoms are born, thrive and fall! It's nature!" Hanna said "Let's say that in their case it's the orcs!" Sara corrected her.

Would Orcs Attack Erebor? With enough strength to be able to conquer it? He might have thought it impossible, but those girls had shown him that nothing was impossible, in so many ways!

“Orcs are part of Arda's nature!" Hanna pointed out.

"You are wrong again! Orcs are an elven offspring corrupted in mind and body by Melkor who crippled and tortured the elves imprisoned in Utumno during the First Age!" Sara said to turn pale before Thranduil's perplexed gaze.

Would he ever learn not to spoil all the things he knew about Middle-earth before saying too much?

"What boredom! Oh thank goodness ....... there is wine!" Hanna said grabbing a bottle to latch on and take big gulps.

“But since etiquette is not an opinion, you leave that!" Sara took it back, tearing the bottle from her hands and mouth.

“He is a noble elf and offers his things to guests!" Hanna said taking back the stolen.

"No! You can't know! You said yourself that it can't be the same elf we heard about!" She protested her friend by recovering the wine.

“It will be if I say so!" Hanna replied "What?" Sara asked "Kind and welcoming!" The other replied, clinging to the bottle again.

“You can't expect everyone to be at your orders all your life! Your father and I endure you because after all we know what you really are and we love you!" Sara said sincerely.

“My father has always met my every request! And that's what I expect from those who call themselves my friends!" Hanna said with her mind already clouded by alcohol since the little food eaten that evening had already been digested.

"Well! Then I will remove myself from the role of “best friend "!" Sara said taking the bottle and finding that more than half was now empty.

"You are a spoiled girl!" Said the elf.

“If you're looking for it!" Sara attempted to direct her attention to her ... failing miserably.

"You are a saint instead! Raised in a castle, treated like a Prince!" Hanna mocked him.

"Are you stupid?!" Her friend resumed her, fearing to lose the elf's favor.

"I didn't earn respect only with my title!" claimed Thranduil that he didn't want to get a young girl to put his feet in the face.

"Tell me, who can be more arrogant and full of himself than a rich nobleman compared to a humble peasant?" Hanna asked teasingly.

“I'll take it for a yes!" Sara said putting her hands in her hair.

“You are tedious! But perhaps because you have not received a good education" Azrael continued to tease her.

"Point for him!" Sara supported him.

“As far as I can hear, they teach you to insult women around you! I thought only dwarves were a terrible company!" Hanna said knowing she had removed the safety from a hand grenade.

"Bad comparison ...... as always sister!" Sara commented.

"Did you give me a dwarf?" The elf protested.

"See for a while!" She replied with a glare at her friend who seemed interested only in making the commentary.

"Don't you dare ....." Thranduil was interrupted by Hanna who quickly sat down next to him on the bed, reaching his palm with her face "……do what? Compare yourself with someone you look like? Or better , of which are you the exact copy?" She asked with a grin.

Other than bomb, that evening would have given birth to the third and fourth world war combined!

"Here is the glaring proof necessary to ascertain that wine is harmful to health!" Sara could only say this, fearing the elf's next reaction.

But to make her remain open-mouthed was Hanna who eliminated the distance between her and Thranduil by placing her lips on his!

Notes:

And here is Milo! He's only 16 but he's already smart enough for his age!
It seemed the least because it could survive a type of life like that!
It's promising, but only with Azrael can he become a champion!
Hanna is too proud to let herself go or to show herself as someone really is ... except for Sara!
So I decided to give her a push....... with the wine!
What do you think? Some idea?
In the end I stretched more than expected! We will move towards rebellion and Spartacus further on, sorry to have deceived you, dear readers!
I apologize if the chapter is overly long, as always there are too many things to say and little time to do it!!
See you soon,
X-98