‘Why do you not kneel to me, gladiator? I can hardly believe that your Roman masters did not teach you the deference demanded of a slave.’

‘I am no longer a slave, Your Highness,’ Ajax replied firmly. ‘Neither are my followers. We are free men, by right of arms. We acknowledge no master and have no loyalty to any kingdom. Therefore we kneel to no man.’

‘I see,’ Talmis replied slowly, and his lips framed a faint smile. ‘Such hubris is a bold approach when you stand unarmed in the middle of my army’s camp. If I wished, I could have you cut down to size, should you refuse to kneel to me. And what is a man without his legs?’

‘If you harmed me, you would have to kill my men also. And that would deprive you of a useful ally in your fight against Rome. Not to mention those of your men we would kill before you destroyed us.’

‘I think you underestimate my bodyguards, gladiator.’

‘Really?’ Ajax smiled. Then, before the men either side of him could react, he turned and snatched the spear from the man to his right, thrust the shaft between the man’s legs and flipped the shaft up so that the guard’s leg shot up, and he toppled heavily on to his back. Ajax spun round, spear held in both fists, and blocked the thrust aimed at his chest by the other man, then slammed the butt into his face. Dazed, the man’s fingers released his spear and it slipped to the ground. Ajax hooked his foot behind the guard’s boot and thrust again with the butt of the spear, sending him thudding to the ground. He spun the spear round and stood over the guard, holding the tip of the spear an inch from his throat. He paused, then lowered the spear and grasped the man’s hand and hauled him up before thrusting the spear back into the hands of the first guard who had only just scrambled back on to his feet.

‘And I think you underestimate gladiators, Highness.’ Ajax resumed his position between the two dazed guards who eyed him warily.

Talmis had sat up quickly as Ajax disarmed his guards and his hand was resting on the handle of an ornate dagger handle. He released his grip and chuckled. ‘I should not have doubted you. I had heard rumours that Rome’s slave warriors were men to be reckoned with. Now I see the rumours are true.’

‘We are not slaves of Rome any longer, Your Highness,’ Ajax replied with quiet intensity. ‘And we choose who we offer our service to. For now, we would serve you, as Nubia wages war on Rome.’