Round 3 - The Colosseum

It's time for the last event of the third Roman round! The Emperor and his unmarried siblings has gathered on their balcony to watch the third Colosseum fight - and for the first time, it's a gladiator fight! The gladiators has a special rule, that says they have to lose a total of three fights before getting killed.

You might recognize gladiator Marianus, the teen one. And who is he fighting? None other than his older brother, Tacitus Nixeira. They aren't brothers in more than name, since Tacitus was taken from the family as a child to work in the service of the Callarai family, where he's had quite a nice life. The Head of the Callarai's mother, Chinwe, started a secret relationship with him and this round, he married a slave named Martina and had a daughter. The question is if he'll survive the night to see any of them again.

The boys each take a deep breath, getting ready for what has to be done.

And then, they fight. Never had a fight start this quickly before - no slaps, pushes or anything, just straight on.

Growing up in a rich household has proved advantageous to Tacitus, who's had access to workout equipment, and therefore has the same amount of body skill as his gladiator brother. So believe it or not, but he wins! It seems like our mighty gladiator debut is a bit of a flop, but I do believe that the slaves growing up in the apartments won't stand much of a chance against them.

Now, what happens to Tacitus? Does he go back to the Callarai household? No! Since there is room for three gladiators in their household, he takes the spot of the third one. I have a feeling the mood between him and his brother won't be great when we return there next round...

Round 3 statistics:
Births: 7
Weddings: 1
Deaths: 3
Funny enough, the same amount of births and deaths as last round. Now we head for the fourth Roman round (also known as Round 16 if we count total rounds).

Round 3 - Gladiators

Since we now have two gladiators, I've made them a household where they can live and work out in between their Colosseum fights.
Row 1: Septimius Zima (adult gladiator), Marianus Nixeira (teen gladiator)

I'll be honest with you, their only way of working out is through this barre. So let's just pretend they're doing something more masculine and strong and stuff. (I used to dance ballet and I know it takes a lot of muscles, but maybe not the same ones you use for fighting, haha. Eh, it doesn't matter!)

Septimius has quite a lot of visitors. First, his older brother Tatianus comes by.

His twin brother Seneca as well.

And his oldest sister, Fulvia, steps by too. Poor Marianus has to settle with nothing but phone calls from little Horatia Zimeca, his dead sister's daughter.

When they head to the Baths, the gladiators decide to use different tubs. It might have had something to do with the fact that Marianus bathed in his birthday suit.

Seems like Caecilius Callarai can't live without an enemy. Now, it's the Emperor's slave Drusa Nixeira who's taken the role.

"I find you unattractive so I must slap you!"

Caecilius then proceeds to jump in the bath with Marianus in his full-body bathing suit and talk about ghosts. Marianus looks slightly uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Septimius has, I guess, more preferable company...

More working out when they arrive back home with all their moods perfectly green.

On the last night, Marianus decided to sneak out with his cousin Otho. Let's pretend he didn't arrive in a car (I should fix some default replacement for this, haha).

Round 3 - Nixitus

A new household! It's finally time for the neighborhoods possibly unhappiest sim to start her own family. She'll be living alone without her husband, though - Tacitus is busy working at the Callarai's (and having an affair with Chinwe, but let's not tell Martina that... She's way too fragile).
Row 1: Martina Nixitus (Head of the family, sitting)

Finally! Martina is getting married. This was supposed to already have happened, but her last betrothed died before their wedding. Now, Martina Zima is marrying Tacitus Nixeira, becoming Martina Nixitus. As usual, the husband keeps his original last name to avoid funny rhyming names.

Lol. Tacitus doesn't seem too attracted by his new wife. Poor girl, rejected on her wedding night...

Eventually, they do however exchange some diseases.

And the following day, they both start developing feelings for each other. For some reason, Tacitus master Caecilius came with him to the apartment. He proceeded with being so mean to Martina she started crying. No surprising acts from either of them...

Martina can barely believe it when her belly becomes a little bigger! How she's waited for this.

She's very good at taking care of herself during the pregnancy, keeping her mood in the green (even the freaking hygiene!) and resting whenever she can.

Second bump! Great times for Martina.

Well, life has it's ups and downs, doesn't it?

Oh my lord, it's time!

It's a little girl! Now I only need seven more girls in a row to make the amount of boys and girls even, hehe. I can wish, can't I? Martina names her baby Paula.

In the process of making a sibling for their baby girl, the newlyweds become best friends.

Martina is a family sim and has been unhappy pretty much since she first got her aspiration, because of all the deaths in her family. Now, she's finally happy with her life.

Round 3 - Nixsana

The Nixsana's are still just a household of two boys, but this is the last round they spend alone together (unless something unexpected happens, of course...).
Row 1: Cassian Nixsana (Head of the family, sitting), Otho Nixsana (brother, sitting)

Apparently, Cassian has a thing for Iuliana Zima, one of his childhood friends. He doesn't make any proper move at her, but he dreams about her with all those hearts several times during the round. She's married though, and I don't think Cassian's crush is leading anywhere...

Just like last round, the boys make the days go by through playing, all the time. I'm not joking, all the time.

Their mother Temitope came by. She looks like the oldest sim lady I've ever seen on this picture, haha.

Cassian and Otho also spend some time with the poor neighboring kids, who's still living alone in an apartment after their mother's death.

For some reason, these two never use the hot tubs at the Baths, but rather play at different locations instead. At least they played some Marco Polo in the water this time...

When they arrive back home, it's Cassian's birthday. Time to become an adult!

Here he is. He doesn't look as creepy as normally when he smiles, which is, good, I guess...

Last thing before the end of the round was the "boys" demonstrating that just because Cassian now is all grown up, it doesn't mean playtime is over.

Round 3 - Nixeira

The Nixeira's are a small, simple slave family, living in one of the apartments.
Row 1: Prisca Nixeira (sister, standing), Quintus Nixeira (Head of the family, sitting), Fulvia Nixeira (wife, sitting), Antonia Nixeira (second daughter, standing).
Last time we saw this family, they had Antonia's twin sister Drusa living here too. However, she's been taking into service at the Palace and lives there now, with two other relatives from this family (Prisca's twin sister and their mother, who died this round).

The family is making an effort to make sure that Antonia doesn't feel lonely now that her sister left the household.

She won't be the only child for much longer though, as her mothers belly reaches the last bump.

Already time! The reason for the big gap between the twins and this child is a very late miscarriage, that Fulvia had last round.

And it's a boy! He has black hair and brown eyes, just like his sisters. They name him Germanus.

Stinky Quintus is a criminal, and pretty good at what he's doing, too.

Prisca decides to play fetch with a stray dog on the third floor balcony. Hmm...

It's Germanus first birthday! Cassian decides to watch, as creepy as always.

Here he is, looks just like his sister Drusa. Have to check if they are clones, I hope not...

Fulvia is pleased to see her belly growing once more. Another one on the way!

Quintus brother Tacitus stops by to help with the kids, but it didn't turn out to be a success.

Second bump! Fulvia just keeps smiling. Glad to see her happy, she was pretty devastated after the miscarriage last round.

Finally, access to some water. Quintus relaxes at the Bathing House.

Meanwhile the pregnant and the child keep each other company, since they can't join Quintus in the bath. At least they can shower.

When they arrive back home, Fulvia starts giving birth in front of a terrified crowd.

A happy Fulvia delivers her second son, called Cicero.

The same night it's time for Antonia to become a teenager, like her sister Drusa already has at the Palace.

Here we have her! Antonia and Drusa are my firstborn fourth generation sims in this neighborhood. She's a pleasure sim, and she's very neat and nice.