The Birth Of The Beta

24. THE COST OF KINDNESS

Magnus launched the account scrolls across the office, landing at the feet of a smug-looking Antonia.

“Look at this, Antonia, they are haemorrhaging money,” Magnus shouted, incredulously.

“You’re right dearest, they don’t need meat every day. I’ve heard that other schools in the area only give their gladiators meat nearer to the games. It’s bad enough that we have to give them a wage, because of your father’s bizarre contracts,” Antonia huffed.

“I’m sure he was trying to run this place into the ground, so there is nothing left to give me,” he spat.

Antonia seductively walked over, swinging her hips like a pendulum. She bent down to retrieve the scroll, and ensured that Magnus had a clear view of her cleavage that she was baring to him. She gently patted his shoulder in support.

“Thankfully, we have time to stop the flood of funds before there really is nothing left,” She tried to sooth him. “What is this figure here?” Antonia asked as her eyes skimmed over the numbers, with a critical understanding of where the necessary cuts had to be made.

“That’s Aoife’s winnings from her arena victories, there’s almost enough to start her own gladiator school,” Magnus snorted without humour, but Antonia let out genuine laughter.

“I think you are reading that wrong my darling, that money belongs to the Heaton House’s miscellaneous fund. Aoife has already had her winnings. How else could she have paid for all that expensive décor in her room?” Antonia smirked deviously, before picking up the ink and quill and, with an executioner’s precision, cut through the column of sums and rewrote it as a profit of the house, deftly killing off Aoife’s future.

Magnus was impressed by his future wife’s shrewdness. Using her cutthroat method, she had just made them rich, and at the cost of a she-wolf who he thought of as his father’s pet, more than a valuable asset.

“You’re quite right, my dear,” Magnus affirmed, patting her thigh like he would a dog.

When Winnifred went to collect the money from Magnus to buy the ingredients they would need for the week at the market, she was shocked by the significantly lighter pouch she was handed.

“Buy what you can to keep the staff adequately fed for a week with what we have provided in the pouch. Take a gladiator with you to ensure that no-one tries to steal it, because we won’t replace it, and any over spend will be deducted from your wage,” Magnus instructed her.

If the situation weren’t so concerning, Winnifred would have laughed, if anyone was going to try to steal it from her, she would have apologised for the embarrassing amount they had gone to the effort of pilfering. Cautiously, Winnifred perused the market stalls. Making the quick decision to avoid the butchers as she wouldn’t have enough to buy meat, she also avoided the bakers as it would be cheaper to make the bread then buy it. Although the money was lighter, the burden of spending it wisely was heavy. With what she had been given, she managed to buy oats and nuts to fill out the breakfast meal. She bought half the amount of eggs than she normally would but decided she could scrabble them to disguise the shortfall. She bought flour to make bread. This had made the biggest saving even though it would cost her the most time to make. Madla, who had escorted her to the town square, continued to give her sideward glances checking that she was OK. She had bitten her nails down to a painful length, and was practically gnawing on her lips. She bought so little that he wondered if she had forgotten that she was supposed to be buying food for the entire house.

“They haven’t given me enough money, Madla. They told me I had to make this small amount cover the cost,” She was openly panicking now, and the realisation of how impossible this task was dawned on her. She looked to him for help.

“You’ve done your best,” He comforted her, “Let’s go back,” He guided her to the barely loaded cart, while her eyes continued to dart across the stalls at all the purchases she was unable to make.

Madla wasn’t lying. He really did think Winnifred had gotten the most from the little she was given. Despite her age, she was clearly very resourceful and sensible. Insightfulness was a quality that Madla had always possessed, and by this one act of restriction he could tell that the kindness in the home of Heaton House would soon become a shameful piece of history that the new owners would try to bury. By the time they arrived home, the gladiators were already lined up to help carry in the supplies. They were completely stupefied when they saw what was in the cart.

“Were you robbed on your way home?” One of the men joked, but the reaction from the others was expectant silence. Winnifred once again explained the situation, promising to try and make the meals as tasty and filling as possible to compensate for the little they would have. Even Caius, the young guard, cringed in the background.

The grumbling from the men caused Antonia and Magnus to appear, shortly followed by Aoife, Pepin and the remaining gladiators. Magnus called for the gladiator’s attention, loathing having to explain anything to a group he considered to be animals. Unfortunately, the men were too irate to pay him or his wife-to-be any attention. Verging into rebellion, the men shouted and jeered, until the thunderous roars from the two Beta wolves settled the discontented crowd. Magnus’ reaction was to sneer at Aoife and Pepin, who had just prevented a riot in the courtyard, before he addressed his angry assembly.

“It has come to our attention that Heaton House has hit a huge financial deficit, because of my father’s generosity. He is a man unable to refuse any request. In order to secure the future of this Ludus, we must adopt more frugal habits,” Magnus projected to the gathering.

“And what will you be giving up?” Pepin bounced back, but received no answer.

In response to the defiant reaction, Antonia felt it was best to channel her father’s methods for dealing with recalcitrant subordinates.

“The cost of kindness isn’t free. The banquets you enjoy are more than most citizens ever experience. The equipment we purchase to ensure you are at the pinnacle of your strength eat into our budgets as surely as the daily food that fills your bellies. We have recently learnt of a barge given an impressive sum each month to transport wolves home if they wish. Not to mention the thousands spent on slaves, who are then given their freedom, but never arrive at the Ludus. These accounts tell us that it is possible to be generous to a fault. The agreement with the barge has been discontinued. To save our home, we must start to bandage the outflow of money. You are welcome to discuss your contracts of employment, but as started to be realised early comes with a fee, the contract with the shortest release date is eight months away,” Antonia’s unemotional outline of facts was more frightening than her emotional tantrums. They could all see her true nature: dangerous.

The courtyard was eerily silent. Disbelief was toxifying the air, as the gladiators shook their heads. They didn’t have savings from their fights, they never had to worry about their future with Cornelius. Aoife spotted Madla in the disillusioned crowd, and waded through the grumbles, disappointment and anger to get to him. This one idea that she had, elevated the heavy guilt she was feeling on her conscience, she had brought all the men here with promises of safety. She had unintentionally lied.

“Madla, I’m so sorry I brought you here, that I brought most of us here, but you do have a choice. Cornelius never made you an employment contract, he was too sick. You still have your freedom papers. You can leave, if you want to…I really think that you should. Please you must go before you are trapped here, before we can no-longer live free,” She rushed out her words with urgency, relieved when he nodded.

“I’m leaving!” He called out, shocking the crowd and greedy humans. “You have no contract with me, I have no inclination to stay, and be treated like your cash cow,” he immediately headed to the gates in a calm unhurried manner, his plaited hair swinging from side to side with each step. The remaining gladiators cheered at his unruffled exit, which had shocked Antonia and Magnus. Although Madla seemed pococurante, he was troubled that he owed Aoife a debt he might be unable to repay. This bothersome thought stayed with him as he blended into the market bustle.

After the gladiators had returned to their rooms, they were attempting to come to terms with the fact that they were trapped in a contract that they were unable to read. The barge that had been a vessel of hope in case the slavery law was passed was now gone, and their chance of escape was a wreck at the bottom of the sea. All they could do was accept their situation. Aoife went to the office where Magnus sat in the chair as if it were a throne, and Antonia rested her hand on his shoulder.

“Cornelius kept my winnings from the games to one side, I would like to use them to buy the release from my contract,” Aoife clearly stated.

“Unfortunately, my father’s book keeping skills were very clumsy. If there was any money of yours he didn’t write it down, and I have no idea where it is, if there ever was such a thing,” Cornelius smiled gently, in an effort to make his lies believable.

“Your father’s booking keeping was meticulous, and his management of this Ludus was scrupulous. I have no doubt he would have written down the money that is mine, as I have no doubt you are hiding it,” Aoife retorted.

“Can you show us where?” Antonia jabbed at her, while raising a challenging eyebrow. Neve wanted to scratch her entire face away, more so because Aoife couldn’t show them where her money was.

Antonia was delighted at her enemy’s expression, she pulled the killing shot, and ended the conversation with a simple, “I thought not,” smiling the entire time.

Returning to her room, Aoife invoked one prayer on repeat to Selene.

“Please let Cornelius wake up, please let him wake up soon, for all our sakes!”