章節 12: THE PARTY II
The house was choked with people and the party was in full swing. When Thrall informed Orion about having lots of things to keep his boredom away, he was not lying. Musicians were strumming or beating their instruments as they made music. Servants weaved in between guests with more servings of meat and rum and people chatted or danced with each other as the night progressed.
Orion was the center of attention from the very moment he stepped foot into the house. People whispered and moved from his path as they saw him and those brave enough approached him to introduce themselves and forge a connection with the Royal trainer. All such people met the glare of Thrall who stuck as close as possible to the Royal trainer.
Thrall's friends were impressed with his ability to convince someone like Orion to attend a mere birthday party. They all assumed Thrall had called in a huge favor to get the royal trainer to grace such a small occasion with his presence. As the night dragged on, more and more people garnered enough courage to Walk up to Orion and introduce themselves.
He would always smile whiles receiving such people. Knowing fully well why they were approaching him. Thrall noticed that Orion wasn't accepting anything from the servants who would offer him either food or meat. He was also looking more bored as the party continued and Thrall was at his wit's end. He had already hired musicians, and jesters and had even gone as far as borrow some of his friends' female slaves (for a price of course) who he had made perform several times Infront of the guests.
But while the other guests enjoyed the performance of the musicians as well as the body of the slaves, none of them had sparked even a smile from the royal trainer and Thrall was beginning to think he had wasted his money on the party
Rollo who had been keeping an eye on Orion had noticed the Royal trainer's bored look as he sat in a chair that had been specially reserved for him, surrounded by his assistants and guards. Rollo smiled as he saw his father's defeated face as he kept stealing glances at Orion. It looked like the gods had smiled on him and things were going even better than he had expected. Rollo walked to his father to put the final part of his plan into fruition.
"Father" Rollo called as he reached Thrall who was standing in a corner a little farther from Orion. Thrall raised a brow at his son but said nothing in response.
"The Royal trainer doesn't look like he's having fun to me" Rollo stated the obvious which got him a snort from Thrall.
"If things continue this way, Orion will think our house and this ceremony a waste of his time. That could have grave consequences for our connections and future endeavors." Rollo continued.
"Do you think I don't know that?!" Thrall snarled. He felt insulted that his fool of a son who had never shown any interest in business was lecturing him about connections whiles he had spent all his life forging them.
"If you don't have any suggestions to make, scram and quit wasting my time! I will enjoy this party if I were you because this will be your last!" Thrall informed his son whose poker face didn't waver.
Thrall had been thinking of how to throw away his son from the house for quite a while now and the answer had come to him in the form of the raid Rollo was practicing for. After the raid, he'll declare Rollo a man capable of making his own family and throw him out. It was time the boy left him alone. He was already regretting spending all that money on his birthday and the boy just kept angering him more and more as the night wore on.
"As a matter of fact, I have a solution to the problem," Rollo said smugly.
"It's common knowledge that Orion is a man of action and enjoys spectating gladiator fights during his spare time. Why don't we give him some action here as the party goes on? I'm sure he'll appreciate it." Rollo suggested.
"Are you suggesting that we make our guests fight each other for Rollo's entertainment?" Thrall snarled at his son.
"Not really. I suggest we make the servants have a go at each other. Nothing serious. This Way, Orion will be entertained. The servants won't get too hurt and we get to forge our connection with the Royal trainer as well. It's a win for everyone." Rollo drove the final nail into his plan and watched as his father pondered over it for some time.
"By the gods, I think it will work. I could even recover some of the funds I spent organizing this stupid party by making everyone bet on the fights. This is the best idea you have had in all your life, Rollo. I will inform everyone right away." Thrall's eyes shone at the possibility of making some quick coins whiles entertaining his most important guest at the same time.
Rollo on the other hand felt a little insulted by his father's words but swallowed his pride and gave him a fleeting smile. At least his plan had already been a success. All he needed now was to ask the guards to drag that slave from his smelly prison and up to the party after his father's announcement.
Thrall's announcement about making his servants fight as a form of entertainment was welcomed with cheers by everyone at the party except the servants themselves. They cursed Thrall in their hearts as his friends cleared a space in the room for the clash between servants. The only silver lining they had was that Thrall forbade the use of weapons during any fight so they were bound to still be alive after each fight.
Also, his plan to make his own slaves fight each other had been dismissed by his friends who said it would make the fight too boring since the slaves would be unwilling to hurt their friends, so instead, Thrall's servants will be fighting the servants of the guests who accompanied their masters to the party. Thrall's servants had taken small comfort in the fact that at least their friendship within the house wouldn't be threatened by the cruel turn of events.
They knew it would be useless to protest. Thrall was their master, and he had the power to make their lives as miserable as he wanted. Their position was no better than slaves. They only had different names and were slightly treated better than the latter so they sucked up their pain and prepared to do their duty.
For the first time since he had stepped foot in the house, Orion stood up from his seat and went to join the crowd of spectators as the first fight was about to begin. This did not go unnoticed by Thrall and his son, Rollo. The former was calling out odds for the bets with a huge smile on his face whiles the latter beckoned one of the guards over to his side.
"Go and bring me That filthy slave below our feet. Our meeting is long overdue, and I think me and him have some catching up to do." Rollo ordered the guard with a wicked grin as he saw the Royal trainer take out some silver coins from his side pouch to bet on the first fight's outcome.
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