• Chapter 1

    Nala stared out her window at the high noon sun. It would be long before her father called her for supper and she wanted to go for a ride. She called for a slave to bring her cloak in case it got cold when the sun went down. She knew it wouldn't be but some of the slaves reported things to her father. Nala strode into the stable an d a slave immediately started getting her horse saddled up. She glanced around the stable and leaned against the wall wondering why it was made out of marble, though the floors were made of wood for the horses safety of course. She knew that her family had a lot of money, they always had, but a resource as valuable as marble shouldn't be wasted on a stable. Once her horse was brought to her she mounted easily and rode off across the north field, towards the forest.

    Nala reined in her horse at the edge of the forest. The leaves were gleaming in the sinking sun, and all the animals were returning to their homes for the night. Suddenly, she saw the tall grass shift and an enormous dark orange tiger stepped out into the fading light. Nala held her breath as the magnificent beast glanced up at her and then continue to walk along the edge of the forest. She had never seen a tiger so close up or so near the city. Her father, the reigning Caesar, had made hunting tigers illegal since they were almost extinct.

    Suddenly the tiger fell, a spear protruded from its side. Two hunters ran out of the forest but stopped cold when they saw her and realized who she was. They looked back at the dead tiger and up to her and started running. They quickly disappeared from sight but Nala remembered their faces vividly. A pathetic whining sound started coming from the grass, and a tiny tiger cub stumbled out. He nosed his mother and nibbled on her ear, begging her to get up. When she didn’t move the cub snuggled against her warm belly.

    Nala slowly climbed off her horse and crept towards the orphan cub. It hissed at her and prodded his mother’s side with a tiny paw. Nala reached forward and the cub swatted at her hand, but she didn’t back away. She placed her hand gently on the cubs back, feeling the skin shiver at her touch. Nala stroked the soft fur and picked up the kitten by his scruff. The small body immediately went limp as if his mother were carrying him. Nala struggled to get back in the saddle while holding the cub, but she finally remounted. Cradling the cub in her arms, she told her horse to go home. The stallion quickly trotted across the fields towards the great city of Rome.

    Taking only back roads, Nala came to her family’s villa and handed her horse to a slave. She burst through the doors to her father’s room with the cub still in her arms. Caesar looked up, shocked at the intrusion, and his guest stood in respect. “Father,” she walked right past the guest, “there were two men in the forest today. They killed this cub’s mother. They ran away but I remember their faces. We could find them.” Caesar looked at the terrified cub and his hard eyes softened.

    “We’ll talk about this later Nala. You know better than to come in unannounced when not summoned. I’m very busy. My life can’t stop every time you want something.”

    “But Father, they broke the law. You should be interested in this too. It’s not only because I like tigers and…”

    “We will discuss this later,” Caesar interrupted. Nala frowned, turned on her heal, and stalked out without acknowledging the visitor. On the way to her room the cub started to whine pitifully. Nala tried holding him a different way but the meowing continued, she put him down on the cold marble floor but that made the cub whine louder. Finally, she took the cub to her slave’s quarters. Sarabi, Nala’s slave, took the baby tiger to the kitchen and started to heat some milk in the stove. She poured the milk into a bowl and dipped her fingers in it. She put them in front of the cub’s mouth and he started to suck on her fingers. Sarabi slowly lowered her fingers below the surface of the milk and the cub’s mouth followed. Once the milk was gone Sarabi lifted the cub into Nala’s arms and he fell asleep listening to her breathing.

    Nala and Sarabi went to Nala’s room and watched the cub sleep. “What are you going to name him?” Sarabi whispered.

    Nala looked up. “I’m not sure yet, I hope my father will let me keep him.” They both looked up as Caesar walked in with Nala’s older brother, Marcus, behind him.

    “I thought you were joking Father! Nala with a tiger cub, remember that every pet you have ever given her has died within the first two months.” Marcus grinned broadly and leaned against the wall.

    Nala glared at him and handed the cub to Sarabi. “Father, I want to keep him and take care of him.” she walked over to her bedside table and picked up a pastel and two sheets of papyrus, “that’s probably not why you’re here though. I’ll start drawing the hunters.”

    “Nala,” Caesar sat down on the bed and stroked the sleeping kitten, “where did you say you found the cub?”

    Nala looked away. “By the forest.”

    “You know you’re not supposed to go near the forest. We’re at war with the French, and they just took Piombino. That’s too close for comfort, what would we do if they captured you?”

    Nala sighed. “I can take care of myself Father. Besides, that horse you gave me would gallop back to our great city at the first sign of danger.”

    “Yes he would, but you had to dismount to pick up the cub did you not?”

    Nala handed Caesar the drawings and turned to Marcus begging for support with her eyes. Marcus pushed off the wall into a standing position, “Father, don’t be so hard on her. I’m sure she’ll never do it again and besides if she hadn’t gone to the forest she never would have found the tiger.”

    “She’s nearly sixteen, she should know better than this Marcus. You can’t always come to her rescue.”

    “I know,” Marcus sighed, “but what is to be of the tiger? Certainly not the arena!”

    “Of course not! Do you really think that I would send a tiger into the arena when I have laws against hunting them? No,” he turned to Nala, “you may keep him if Marcus can find a trainer for him.” Caesar stood and called for his slave as he left, handing him the pictures of the criminals. “Give these to the guards, I want these men found.”


    Chapter 2

    Marcus sat down next to Nala on the bed and stroked the cub’s soft fur. “A trainer will be easy to find, a cub this small isn’t dangerous.” ‘

    Nala hugged him tightly, “thank you so much Marcus, I would hate it if he got sent to the arena.”

    Marcus pushed her away, “all right I can’t find a trainer if I can’t breath!” He laughed and walked out of the room. As soon as he left the tiger cub woke up. His big blue eyes scanned the room, taking in all the new wonders. He twitched his ears, listening to Nala.

    “Hey cutie, did you have a good nap?” The tiger tried to stand up but fell as his paws sank into the mattress.

    Sarabi laughed, “Heay muphasah.”

    Nala stared at her, “what language is that?”

    Sarabi picked up the cub and set him on the floor. “It’s Arabic for klutz”

    Nala smiled and picked up the cub again. “Muphasah. That’s your new name, my little klutz.

    Nala was sitting in the southern garden watching Muphasah explore when Marcus found her. Behind him a tall, muscular, blond, Spanish slave followed nervously. “Nala meet Julius. He trained the Kings horses and hunting dogs in Leon before we took over.”

    Nala called Muphasah and he slowly made his way towards her. Julius watched the cub as Nala stooped to pick him up. Marcus hit Julius on the back of the head, “Bow to her, she’s your new master.” Julius reluctantly bowed then drew his attention back to the cub.

    Nala followed his gaze, “his name’s Muphasah. It means…”

    “Klutz.” Julius finished for her.

    Nala smiled, “you speak Arabic.”

    “A little. I mostly speak Spanish and Greek.”

    Marcus went to the entrance of the garden and began speaking to the guards. Nala set Muphasah down and he sat on Julius’ foot. “You’re very intelligent for a trainer are you sure that’s all you did in Spain?”

    Julius looked down at his feet, “I was just a trainer. My mother spent the little money we had on schooling for me. She wanted me to do more with my life than train animals.” Muphasah started to whine. “He’s probably just hungry.” Julius reassured Nala’s worried look. He picked the cub up and Nala showed him the way to the kitchen. Marcus followed slowly behind them.

    Julius gently set Muphasah on the floor and put a bowl of milk in front of him. The cub looked up wonderingly and Nala started to kneel so she could help him but Julius stopped her. “Let him learn.” When the cub realized that no one was going to help his bluntly stuck his muzzle into the bowl. Muphasah quickly snapped his head back, sputtering out milk.

    He stood up and circled the bowl. He slowly stuck his tongue into the milk and started lapping sloppily and cautiously. Once he figured out what to do the milk vanished in seconds, although quite a bit was on the floor.

    “They usually start eating meat at about two months. He looks to be about one and a half months so milk will be fine for now.”

    Nala started to ask a question but Marcus cut in, “That’s enough for one day, time to get you back.” He pushed Julius towards the door but Nala stopped him.

    “The slave’s quarters are that way Marcus.” She pointed to the kitchen door that led inside the house.

    Marcus shook his head. “Not for this runaway. He lives with the gladiators and trains their horses.”

    “Runaway?” Nala looked at Julius he doesn’t seem like the kind of slave that would try to run. But apparently I’m wrong. Nala said to herself.

    “Oh ya he’s been caught three times. He’s quite the escape artist.”

    “I thought it was impossible to escape from a ludus.”

    “So did we but this one’s given us reason to rethink the whole system. But we’re pretty sure he wont get out again.” With that Marcus turned and led Julius away, leaving Nala with the now sleeping cub.

    She meandered through the vast halls of the palace with Muphasah in her arms. As she stared at the murals of battles and horses on the marble walls she couldn’t help but think about Julius. There’s no way he was just a trainer. Even if he went to school, even I don’t know tree languages. Marcus knows at least five, maybe more, but that’s because of his job. He needs to know several languages if he’s going to be emperor some day.

    “That’s it!” Nala exclaimed. Muphasah turned over in her arms and a passing slave looked at her strangely.

    “Do you need something my lady?” he asked

    “No, no carry on.” Nala hurried outside to the stables, “I’m going to take a trip to the ludus Muphasah. A prince! How come I didn’t think of it before?”

    When Nala walked through the doors to the stable no one greeted her or started getting her horse for her. All the slaves seemed to be searching for something. Marcus, finally noticing her, walked up and explained. “Julius tried to run, we know is that he’s somewhere in here. If he gets a horse we’ll never be able to catch him.”

    Nala glanced around the room and saw Julius almost immediately. He was hiding in a hay stack in a corner. He clamped his hands together and silently begged her not to give him away. For a reason she couldn’t understand she didn’t.

    Muphasah started squirming so she put him down. Right away he started to go to Julius’ hiding place. “Muphasah come here, come back.” She clapped her hands and the cub pounced on a piece of straw Nala had disturbed.

    Nala giggled then scooped up Muphasah and quickly stood up. But her attempt to keep Julius a secret failed and she winced as a slave called out “I’ve found him!”