Slave Girl Ch. 44-52

Chapter 44

The elder sees us approach and slows to see what our business with her is. She was well into her eighties if she was a day. Hunched as she is she stood even lower than Rosa though in her youth she would have been much taller. Her tanned leathery and her knobby calloused hands spoke to a lifetime of honest country living. Her movements, while labored and stiff, still had a dogged vigor to them. Long curly pure white hair drapes down over her back and shoulders from out under a wide brim hat. Her clothes were of good quality but common and worn thin in places. Her weathered wrinkled face looked like a map of a river and its winding tributaries, it had a sternness about it but a kindness as well. Her right eye was a lovely sky blue, her left the same but clouded. The creaking wooden cart she pulled was simple and sturdy, much like the woman herself, and about half full. The contents are covered with a sheet of sewn goat skin.

"Hail." I say as she and I come to a stop in front of each other.

She looks up to squint at me with her good eye. "Hail young Quintus."

I pause, momentarily confused at her knowing my name.

"Hello again Drusilla." Rosa says as she comes to stand beside me.

"Hello Rosa my dear." She says with a guarded grin. "What's all this?"

"Rosa tells me you are continuing along the Appian to the next temple." I say as I pull the pack from my shoulder. "That is right along the way for us. If you aren't opposed to it perhaps we might travel a time together. I could pull your cart for a time. It would be no trouble Ma'am."

"My Master has the fortitude of a horse and the strength to match." I feel her very subtly touch my hand. "He carries me on the regular without it even slowing him down."

"He carries his slave?" Drusilla says.

"My Master is a kind master." Rosa titters. "If a bit odd."

She looks to Rosa and then back to me, a bit suspicious. "I cannot pay you."

"I would be insulted if you did." I chuckle.

"We have been shown kindness on our trip." Rosa adds. "We want to pay it forward. A rope is made of little fibers."

"Strands." I correct my slave. "Many strands."

Her cautious expressions softens, knowing I was among her faith going a long way to initiate a trust. She takes a long look at me, a long look at Rosa, and then one more sizing up of me again. She lets out a breath, her shoulders slump, and sets her burden down. "Bless you. Ceres bless you young man."

"And to you." I smile warmly. Heaving my pack up onto her cart I say. "Jump on in Ma'am, we'll make good time and you can take a rest."

"It's not too much?"

"Ha! Back home I used to haul the big mule wagon around, I won't even notice you on there." I boast. "Strong back, weak mind. That's what Grandpa always said."

Rosa gives me brief scowl. "Well he was half right."

"Well I won't turn my nose up at a ride. These old bones are aching."

I help her into the cart. As she finds a solid perch atop the load I grab the smooth well worn wood at the ends of the two long handles and slowly lift. With a firm grip I lean my weight into it and start down the road. It felt good and right to feel a load to pull against again. Rosa falls in to walk along side of the cart. I had barely gotten five steps before the two began talking, seeming to continue whatever conversation they'd had back near the temple. I settle into a nice pace, the wheels clacking and the cart creaking behind me, and let the women talk. If Drusilla had any reservations about Rosa being either demon or Amazon she doesn't show it. Likely she was simply grateful to have someone to chat with. We are a few minutes on when the conversation naturally turns to us.

"Excuse my sayin so, but an exotic slave and a commoner?" Drusilla says. "You're a funny pair."

"You don't know the half of it." Rosa quips.

"Oh, I bet I do." The woman chuckles. "My husband and I had slaves once. I know what happens when nobody's looking."

"Drusilla! My Master is an honorable man."

"As was my husband." The mirth in the old lady's voice evinced not a hint of judgment, only amusement. "Though he never went messin with no Amazon."

"You are bad." Rosa says, her tone betraying a bit of humor in her own tone. "My Master is a proper Roman."

"Ohhh, I am sure he is. I can see he is a fine upstanding specimen of Roman manhood. Mmmm."

"Ha ha ha!"

"I am right here!" I protest. "Could you two hens keep it down back there."

They share a laugh and Rosa makes a few clucking sounds before they fall back into conversation. Despite my gripe they are soon back to talking about me again.

"I am guessin by your beauty that young Quintus here is unmarried."

"Not yet." Rosa says. "We're going to start a new life."

"Mmm, figured so. No farm wife I know would approve of a slave like you my dear, no offense."

"None taken." Rosa says. "It isn't what you think though. Master...saved me. I would have been disposed of had he not been there."

"Disposed of? Pfff! What a stupid thing that would have been. Perfectly fine young lady like you."

"Thank you." Rosa says. "I wish everyone thought like you."

"I didn't always." She says. "Ten years ago I wouldn't have even spoke with ya. It's a funny thing my dear. I've outlived my husband, my brothers and sister, and eventually every close friend I ever had." There is pause before she says softly. "The people I loved, the people I lived for, the people that gave my life purpose. It's only after I lost every other reason to keep going that my goddess showed me what's really important."

I look back over my shoulder to see the pair looking at each other, the old lady sitting facing my slave and Rosa walking along with her hand holding the edge of the cart. "What did she show you Drusilla?" Rosa whispers

The woman's crooked fingers rubs Rosa's brand. "The beauty of a flower." She looks up to face the sun. "A bright warm day." She looks to me and smiles. "The kindness of a young man." She looks back to Rosa. "A slave made friend. Blessings abound, all around us at every moment. We just have to have the eyes to see them."

"I like that." Rosa says.

"I would trade that wisdom to have them back again, to have it all to live over, but that isn't the way of things." She sighs, a little smile on her face. "But it is solace to my tired soul. Treasure your youth, hold onto this time for as long as you can. Once it is gone...it's gone forever."

Rosa takes her hand to give it a supportive squeeze. "Your children?"

Drusilla shakes her head sadly. "It wasn't meant to be for us."

"I'm sorry."

"My goddess had her reasons. It's okay." She assures Rosa. "Everything is okay." She takes a deep breath and looks around to the fields and hills then back to Rosa. "Look at me, bringing us down on such a fine day. And old folks wonder why the young'uns never want to talk to us. Ha! I was given my parcel of time and it was a good one. A very good one." She pats Rosa's hand. "Made all the better by meeting you my dear." She then adds wryly. "And your stout ox too."

"Ox!" I exclaim.

"Shush ox." Rosa giggles. "The hens are cackling."

"Moooo!" I balk.

The three of us enjoy a mood lifting laugh. The pair continue to talk. Drusilla had a wonderful openness and curiosity about her, not unlike a child's. She asks Rosa about being a demon and being an Amazon. Rosa shares some of her challenges, a sugar coated version anyway, and in return asks Drusilla about her life. Life grew in the old woman's voice as she told us about her life as the wife of an olive farmer. She had so many stories. Funny, sad, serious, and even a bit of history as she told us of how their land bordered that of Cassius Chaerea's family, the famous soldier who assassinated Emperor Caligula. She spoke of the good times and bad she and her husband went through, though even latter was told with a joyful zest. Given the perspective of age and the separation of time it seemed the challenges brought just as much happiness as the triumphs, if not more so. It really was a life well lived.

My mind drifts forward to the years to come. Would I be an old man someday telling the youth of my days? Would Rosa? Would we be telling our tale together? Would it be as well lived as this woman's? Would we look back at our ups and downs as joyfully as she was? Where would this fateful journey rank among those memories? These thoughts make me feel good inside.

The miles glide by easily on the smooth road. With Drusilla riding and the fact that I could only travel at a pace Rosa was comfortable with on a normal day it turns out helping the old woman wasn't costing a thing beyond a bit of extra effort on my end, which I did not mind a bit. We stop for a long lunch under the narrow shade of a cypress. Drusilla is only too happy to share a bit of bread, nuts and oil with us.

After lunch it was Rosa's turn to speak. She spoke not of the past, she rarely did, but of what she saw as a bright future...and it tears my soul to shreds.

She told of finding our land and getting established. She spoke of being a slave to a successful farm. She spoke of slave quarters and her just being one of what would be many more as my farm grew. She explained how I would find myself a good wife, a woman appropriate for a farming man like me. A good and proper woman with the skills of a farmer's spouse and connections to the local community. She spoke about me finding an extended family through my wife. She said how much she looked forward to caring for and helping in raising my children. She said she would love them like her own. She spoke about MY future, the fate she saw for me, with her as just a small part of it.

"Will you find a partner?" The woman asks. "A good slave man to love?" Rosa answers with a gesture, which I do not see. "Such a shame you Amazon's cannot bear children of your own." Drusilla says, ignorant of the truth as I had been until just recently. "It is the highest of blessings."

Just as the old woman had said to her earlier Rosa replies softly. "It's okay. Everything is okay. I am at peace with my slavery. I am so proud to be Master's property. I am happy with what I have." There is a pause before she whispers. "But...I would never wish to bring a baby into a life without freedom."

The words are a spear straight through my fucking heart.

Chapter 45

I love her. She is my Lady. Yet she is also my slave. I knew that of course but hearing that reality summed up so clearly in Rosa's own words drives the point deep. There is no sadness in Rosa's voice, if anything there was a genuine excitement, but it didn't change how I felt about it. My beautiful Lady deserved to be the center of her own life not an adjunct to mine. And yet...what could be done? As a slave Rosa could not marry, own property, run a business, or really do anything that was outside of her role as my slave. Every right and privilege she had was an extension of her being my property.

I keep my grip tight and my pace steady. We were heading more Southward now and the land rolled with hills and valleys. I continue to listen as I mull what I had heard over.

"Well I cannot argue with that." Drusilla says in a matter-of-fact tone. "I wouldn't have wanted that for a child either. Take heart my dear, you will touch the lives of others in so many ways. You don't need your own children to make your mark."

"I know." Rosa says. "You are proof of that."

They chat pleasantly for many more minutes when the old woman calls to me.

"Quintus." Drusilla says.

"Yes Ma'am?"

"My eyes aren't what they once were. What is that up there? On that rise? Is that what I think it is?"

Looking back at her I see her squinting past me. "Yes, I can see the outskirts of Aeclanum."

"Ah." She says with a hint of disappointment. They would have a temple here, this is where our paths would diverge.

Rosa picks up on it too. "Well...I suppose we could continue..."

"No, no, no." Drusilla assures Rosa with a pat to her hand. "You two have your own journey ahead. Although...perhaps one more rest break before we get to town?"

"Absolutely. Hang on." I say as I pull the cart off of the level road toward a splotch of shade provided by a small lone tree near the edge of a vineyard field. I hold the cart level as Rosa aids Drusilla off of it then set it down. The old woman then pulls a short stool from the cart and sets it up in the center of the shade. She sits and rests as Rosa finds our waterskin to pass it around for a much needed drink.

"You okay?" She whispers to me as she daubs some sweat from my brow. "You've been going hard all day."

"Never better." I say.

"You aren't pure human either, I swear." She chuckles.

"Young Quintus is a worker." Drusilla says. "A mover and a doer. The lifeblood of the Empire. You look after your Master Rosa, he's got important work ahead of him. The most important work."

"I will." Rosa smiles.

"He'll need fuel to feed that work." She says bluntly. "How's your cookin?"

"Oh, uh, I mean...good."

"Good?"

"Quite good. But..."

"But?"

"Well..." Rosa glances my way sheepishly. "I'm used to preparing finger foods. Food for parties. Appetizers and dainties and the like."

"Dainties!?" Drusilla has a good old belly laugh at that. I can't help but laugh too. "Your man's going to need more than that to sustain him. Come here girl. Come and learn."

I lay down on the grass a few feet away from them. Not far off the traffic along the road flows by but the three of us have this little space to ourselves. Rosa sits at the feet of the older woman as Drusilla gives her a crash course in the basics of country cuisine. My slave devours every bit of knowledge, asking questions and making clarifications along the way. This woman's knowledge would be a lasting blessing and give Rosa a head start on her life to come. I already knew I would be thankful for it. I close my eyes and relax, not quite napping but just floating near the surface of sleep as the pair of them talk.

"It's not so hard once you get practice." Drusilla says at last. "You'll get better with time and find your own style."

"Well what you taught me will certainly help." Rosa says. "Say, Drusilla...once you are done your pilgrimage, once you've made it all the way to Brundisium, what's the plan? You sold your land and you'll be a long way from home. What is your next adventure?"

"I think my adventuring days are over my dear."

"Oh pish." Rosa giggles. "I was thinking...if it's okay with Master, maybe you could come visit us. Maybe a long visit. The farm is in Lucania, along the Aciris river. It would be a much shorter trip then going all the way home again."

"You are more than welcome." I say without opening my eyes. While caring for an elder would only add to our challenges Drusilla would bring with her an invaluable wealth of knowledge and experience. Rosa and I were alone, Drusilla was alone, and we all got along. It seemed a good fit. Perhaps Ceres put her in our path for just this purpose.

There is long silence before the woman speaks again, her voice low. "You two...you make an old woman's heart feel good." There is a sigh. Before Rosa can reply she continues. "The thing is...this journey, my journey, ends at Brundisium. If I make it that far."

"Drusilla?"

I open my eyes to look over at them. Rosa now knelt at the old woman's side, Drusilla's squinting eyes looked out onto the lovely rolling landscape.

"I am having these spells you see, like my mother did in her dying months. My grandmother too." She takes a deep breath. "This task given to me by my goddess will be my final one."

"Oh, Drusilla."

"Shhh." Drusilla hugs Rosa. "It's okay. It is the way of things. As I said, I have had a good long life. A life better than most."

Taking the old lady's knobby hands in hers Rosa squeezes them tight. Her eyes glimmer with tears but there is a tender smile on her face. "Yes, yes you did. I heard it in the stories you told, I saw it in the kindness in your eyes, I felt it in the way our lives touched. I'll never forget you Drusilla and I'll remember those lessons you gave me. I promise."

Drusilla nods, a calm joy in her weary face. "And I know you will have that future you dream of my dear. You stay close to that Master of yours young Rosa, you stay close and you look after him. He's gonna need you and he'll do right by you in return. I can see it in him." She looks over to me. "Isn't that right Quintus?"

"Uh...yeah. I'll do my best."

Drusilla nods in that way older folk did when they really had faith in you.

Rosa gives me a warm look then looks at Drusilla a moment before getting to her feet. Rosa moves around to behind our travel companion. Laying her hands on the woman's hunched shoulders she asks. "When was the last time you got a massage?"

"Massage!?" Drusilla laughs. "Oh my dear, I don't think I've ever really...ohh...ohhhhh!"

Without even waiting for the go ahead my slave begins, kneading her thumbs up either side of the spine below the neck as her fingers grip the shoulders. "You just sit there and relax." She says in a tone that would hear no argument. "Let me make you feel good."

"Ohhh my dear girl! Ohhhhh!" In Drusilla's long life she'd never felt anything like Rosa. "Ohh my goodness!"

I grin and close my eyes again as Rosa's skillful hands work their magic. It was probably the best half hour Drusilla had experienced in a decade.

When it is over the old woman had a sort of hazy smile, one I knew well from Rosa's affections. Just the way she sat was more natural and less stiff. She stands and rolls her shoulders and tilts her back in amazement. "I feel twenty years younger! You are a miracle worker my dear."

"Thank you." Rosa says. "Glad you enjoyed it."

She picks up her stool, a resolute look upon her face. "Feeling like this I'll get a mile or two more, easy."

Sitting up I rub my face, feeling well refreshed from the rest. "We still have some way to go before town."

"Nah, I've slowed you two down long enough. I want to know you're up ahead of me getting on to that new farm of yours." She puts the stool into the cart as Rosa and I walk up behind her. "It gives me strength knowing you two have such a bright future waiting for you." She reaches in under the covering and rummages around a bit before pulling out a small woven basket. In this she searches and finds a cloth pouch, and from out of this she pulls something. "I want you to have this Rosa. A little keepsake for our time on the road." The old lady turns to face us.

In her hand is a fine silver bracelet. The hoop is made of two silver wires spiraled around each other to form a nearly complete ring. Connecting the two ends is a round clasp depicting the two faces of Janus. Two tiny matching garnets are set into the eyes of the god of a red so deep it bordered on violet. It is beautiful in a common way. Simple and elegant, not like the flashy extravagances of the wealthy.

"It has been in my family for generations. The gods only know where we got it." She says as she looks down at it, turning it so that it shines in the sun. "I wanted to pass it down to my daughter but...well, you know." She says wistfully. "Or even a niece. Wouldn't you know it though, my siblings had all boys." She chuckles. "What are the chances?" She holds the item reverently. This was something very special to her. Her most prized possession. "Janus, god of new beginnings. Two faces. One looking to the past." She holds it closer to herself. "One looking to the future." She holds it out toward Rosa. "Seems right that you should have this."

"No!" Rosa shakes her head.

"I ask you pass it on to one of your Master's daughters if he is so fortunate." She says. "But it is yours now."

"No, I can't accept this."

"Oh yes you can young missy!" Drusilla says firmly as she thrusts it into Rosa's hand. "And you will!"