Slave Girl Pt. 02 Ch. 58-67

"If people see the group of us training they'll think rebellion's afoot." Gyasi, the dark-skinned African, warns as if from experience. "The Empire likes it's legions united and strong and it's people divided and weak."

"See." I say to Lucas. "Trouble."

"All the more reason to do it. Why be sheep when we could be wolves?" Says Lucas. "And nobody else would even need to know. Maybe Felix, but that's it. Just need to find an hour a day. Half an hour. We could hide out in your forest after work and..."

"No way." I say. "This is crazy."

"Mighty Mars would call it inspired. He would reward our passion."

"We can't."

Lucas pauses, then asks. "Why?"

"Why?"

"Yeah, why? Or really, why not? Give me one good reason we shouldn't at least try?"

"Gyasi already gave you one." I think. "Secondly, his master probably won't let him."

"Don't know until you ask." Lucas counters.

"He might not want to. I mean, why would he?"

"Or he might be eager to train." Gyasi suggests. "You said that he really enjoyed sparring with you. And you said the others didn't fight in his style. He might be desperate for proper training partners."

"Sparring." I stretch my bruised side. "If that's what you want to call it." I think for another reason. "So how is he going to train us if he cannot touch us? It's a capital offense for him lay hands on a citizen."

"Only if one of us says something." Says Julian, the other local citizen. "And even if he's not willing to take the risk with us he can demonstrate on Quique and Oeneus here." The pair of slaves from Hispania give a worried glance to each other. Julian laughs and slaps each of their shoulders. "Don't worry. We're not going to let him beat the shit out of you. We need you out here."

"Training slaves to fight? Oh geez."

"It might be frowned on but it's not illegal. As long as they don't use it on anyone. Think Quin, think!" Lucas says, his heart alight with passion. "You know that he knows hand to hand, and if he was a gladiator you can bet he knows his way around weapons too. We could be the most dangerous men in this whole area. Nobody would mess with us. And if anybody wants to bring trouble out here, we bring it right back at them."

I look around the sprawling wheat field. "You see any weapons around here?"

"You have a pugio." He says. "And...this." He pulls his sickle from his belt.

"A sickle?" I scoff.

"Sure. Why not." He gives it a few test swings. "And we've got staves and axes."

"Farm tools." I say. "Besides. It's a moot point. He's in prison."

"Actually..." Says Quique. "There's a good chance he's back at his master's house. The law generally likes to leave it to the owner to look after their property's punishment, unless it's really serious." He pats the other slave on the arm. "We know all about that, eh Oeneus?"

Oeneus wipes the sweat from his branded forehead as he nods his agreement. "Only too well."

"You two too?" I look around at the whole group of them. "I don't even know this man! He coulda killed me. He might be a savage. I'm sure you've heard the same stories I have about those tall fair-haired Northerners."

"What better way to get to know him than getting him out here to work with us?" Says Lucas. "He can't take all of us."

"I mentioned the real bad guys thing, yeah?" I retort. "I'm talking corrupt thugs. Bigots and bullies. Criminals."

"So why let the bad guys keep the Northerner's skills for themselves?" Lucas punches the air. "Let's be ready to meet fire with fire."

The others laugh and nod, quite pleased with this crazy idea of Lucas'. I had to confess that even I was softening to it. After a few hours of trading tall tales of combat and adventure the whole group of us young men were feeling our oats. Also I had been thinking a lot about that fight since it went down. About that helpless feeling of facing off with a superior opponent and how much that bothered me. About the artistry and elegance of the man's style. And about how if I truly learned to fight I could protect my Lady just that much better. I had not forgotten about my brush with death against that harpy.

I finally shake my head. "I can't."

"Come on!"

"No, I mean, I can't. Me." I say. "These guys know me and I ain't exactly their favorite farmer."

"Well...I suppose I could do it." Lucas says, the idea only now occurring to him. "They don't even need to know you're involved."

"They'd know eventually."

"When it's too late."

"Hrm."

"So...you're with us if it does happen?" Lucas says. The man was a dog with a bone. He wasn't going to let this drop easily. "We need your place. Can't do it around here and anywhere else would be too far as to not be suspicious."

"Let me think about it." I say and before he can protest I repeat more forcefully. "Let me think about it."

Ceding to my judgment Lucas nods, happy enough to at least have a maybe. The change in him this afternoon had been night and day. A couple of days ago he looked at me with suspicion and brotherly protectiveness. A couple of days ago we actually fought. Even this morning we started on a bad note as he was bitter and jealous at me being crew boss. Yet now he was looking to me as the leader of not just the day's work but of this little group of new friends. He was rash, bull headed and a bit dim at times, but he had an honorable soul and a fighting spirit. He was the type of guy you wanted to have at your back. He was the type that would never be a great general but I think he'd make one heck of a sergeant.

As we near the farm our group melds in with the others coming in off the fields and as the men head for their evening grub I say my goodbyes.

"Not eating with us?" Julian asks.

"Nah." I look off to my forest and my mood lifts even higher. "I'm goin home." Those words had come so naturally. "See you boys in the morning." I look to each of them. "Damn good work today."

"You too big man." Lucas says. "You'll think about it?"

I chuckle. "Yes Lucas. I'll think about it."

"Ha ha!" He claps. "Come boys. First pitcher's on me."

We say our farewells and go our separate ways. I had just broken off from them when I catch Horatius making for me. I change course to meet him halfway.

Watching his son walking away, talking and laughing with the boys, he asks. "They worked for ya I heard. Even Lucas."

"Yeah." I say. "He took some time but he got into it in the end. They're a good crew. Green, but good workers."

"Only as good as their lead." The old farmer says.

"They made it easy."

"Mmm." He looks me up and down. "Keep it up and I'll see a bonus comes your way Quintus."

"Oh! Uh, thank you sir! Thank you."

He looks off in the direction his eldest son went. "I worry about that boy. You'll have to tell me what you did to get him going."

"Oh, well...my opinion?"

"Mmm." He nods.

"The truth?"

"Go ahead, son."

"He's not a farmer." I say flat out. "The land, the grain, Ceres...these things just aren't in his heart."

"Mmm."

"I got him talking about fighting and after that you couldn't stop him. I don't know if he'll be satisfied with just talk though. Not for long anyhow." I say. "It's none of my business but that man is destined for the legions. If I ever saw a gods called soldier it's him. And the Emperor would be blessed to have him."

The farmer's shoulders slump and in a soft tone he whispers. "Yeah."

"You don't approve?"

"It ain't that. I'd be proud. Proud as a man can be. It's just..." He sighs. "Given what happened to your Pa you know better than anyone the price a family can pay. I...I don't know if my Cas could bear that."

"Yeah. Mom never really did recover. Not truly." I say. "But if the gods are calling him..."

"I know." He slaps my arm with one hand and shakes it with his other. "Good night Master Quintus."

"And to you Master Horatius." I shake his hand back.

I watch him walk off to join his workers and reflect a moment on the brief conversation and then back over this day as a whole. This...awesome day. After an honest day's work I felt so good! I'd impressed my boss, made some friends, and now I got to go home to the most beautiful woman in the world. Make that two of the most beautiful women in the world as Cassie would still be there. I felt things...coming together. Clicking into their proper place. Not long ago I was ready to give all this up to retreat back to my childhood home. I am so glad that I didn't.

My body tired but my spirit strong I walk briskly for home. After a whole day of carrying the weight of expectation and leadership all I could think about was getting back to the privacy of my villa where I could lay down my responsibilities and simply be my Lady's good boy once more.

***

Chapter 61

Kicking my sandals off at my front step I open the door and call inside. "I'm home."

Wafting back out to greet me comes the welcoming aroma of freshly baked bread and roasting meat! In an instant my mouth begins to water. Appearing in the doorway across the entryway comes my Rosa, arms out in front of her and heading right for me. I center myself in her path and take her into my arms. Rosa hugs me close, her cheek pressed tight to my chest, her eyes closed and her face alight with happiness. Wrapping my arms around her slender body I lean in and kiss the top of her head right between the horns. After a sweaty day of handling hard tools and working tough stalks and pulling thorny weeds Rosa's fine, supple body felt even softer than normal in my arms.

"I missed you." I nuzzle her hair and kiss her again. "Gods I missed you."

"Oh Master." She gives me an extra tight squeeze then backs away without actually leaving my arms. She rubs a hand up the front of my dusty tunic and scrunches her adorable nose. "Dirty boy."

Just then the buxom Cassie rounds the corner and greets me with a friendly nod. "Welcome home Quin."

"Hey Cassie."

Rosa's smile grows. "I will bathe my Master. We shall return shortly for our meal. Please set the table out for us Miss Cassia."

Cassie looks me in the eyes...then curtsies to the slave's request. "Yes, Lady Rosa."

"La...what?"

With a fay giggle Rosa pulls the work gloves from my belt and hands them back toward Cassie. Our neighbor hurries forward to collect them, curtsies again, then, with a smile teasing at her full lips, she backs away a few steps and turns to scurry back to the kitchen. Rosa takes my arm and begins to lead me back out the door. "Come along Master."

"Bu..."

"Come along my boy." She gives an insistent tug.

With a backward glance toward the door Cassie had disappeared through I obey. "Yes my...Lady."

We walk in silence to the back of the house and down to the garden. Along the garden path Danae meets up with us, sniffs at my foot, shadows us for a time, then fades off into the forest once again. My slave looked as tranquil as a woodland meadow but the twinkle in her blind eyes let me see the impish joy burbling inside of her right now. She knew that I had questions and I knew she wasn't going to answer them until she was ready. What a little tease she was. Gods how I loved her.

At the pool I find bathing supplies had already been laid out on the rocks. Turning to face me Rosa slides her hands down my chest and stomach before taking a hold of my belt. "Can anybody see us?"

"No my Lady."

With that she undresses me. I stand still watching my Lady dotingly remove my clothes to reveal my sweaty, dust-caked body. She teases me more with a quick tickle of my balls before patting my behind. "Into the water Master."

"Yes my Lady."

I slip into the cool river water and soon settle down upon my favorite rock. Coming right in behind me Rosa kneels at the pool's edge. She slips her hands over my shoulders and down into the water, a cloth in her right hand, and begins to scrub my filthy flesh. Her hands rubbing up and down my fatigued body feel so good.

Her cheek resting against my temple she says softly. "How was your first day at work Master?"

I let out a long sigh as my body truly relaxes. "Amazing. Incredible. Perfect!"

I feel her cheek flex from a smile. "Oh good."

As she cleans me I tell Rosa everything; about how the day began, the aftereffects of her practical joke and how everyone thought I was hung like bull now, meeting my inexperienced crew, how I handled the challenge of being in charge of such a group, how well it all worked out, how well we got along, Lucas' idea to train, and finally I tell her of the praise I received from Horatius including the possibility of a pay rise. "It couldn't have gone better." I say. "I...I did real good today Rosa."

"Yes you did." She croons and kisses my forehead. "I knew you would. They would have to be blinder than I not to see your quality."

"It was all thanks to you."

"Me?"

"Yes my Lady." I say. "I am no leader of men. But I remember how you handle me."

"No leader?" She chuckles. "You sell yourself short my love." With a gentle yet firmly directing touch she has me slip further down into the water until just my head remained above the surface. "Close your eyes." She whispers. With a bowl she scoops water and pours it down over my gritty face and hair. After it was sufficiently wet she uses the clothe to softly scrub, starting at my neck. My body floating and head resting back on the edge, my eyes closed and my face pointed skyward, as my Lady knelt over me to daub and swipe every dirty nook and crevice I am the happiest man in all the empire. She washes my hair, her fingers massaging deep into my scalp, then rinses me all off with a few more bowlfuls of fresh, clean water. "Open." I open my eyes to see my beautiful demon Mistress knelt over me as vast and awe-inspiring as a mythical Titan. Looking down on me she feels my face and smiles at what she feels. Leaning closer she whispers words just for me. "I love you."

"Ohhhh Rosa."

"My boy." She dips down to give me an upside down kiss. I let out another contented sigh. For this treatment I would have worked a thousand hard days. "Give me your feet."

"Yes my Lady."

Crawling through the water I turn around so that my feet floated where my head had just been. She shows them just as much attention, washing the top and the sole then rubbing each toe individually and running the cloth between each of them. She pinches my big toe then sits back. "Stand and face me."

"Yes my Lady." Finding my footing I do as she orders and come to stand in front of her. Kneeling in front of me my Lady commences to clean the lower half of my body. As she scrubs along my belt line she at last turns to the only topic I'd been thinking about.

"Cassie and I had a good day as well. We cleaned, we cooked, we organized and worked at the garden. We got along well."

"I got that sense."

Just as with my head her fingers thoroughly massage the water into my pubes. "I was right about her. She is a good girl. She wishes to serve, just as you did."

"Oh?"

She stops and looks up to me. "Nothing happened between us. I would not do that to you Master."

"Okay."

She continues, washing my genitals with all the care she had everything else. "But she wishes it to happen. She wants you. She wants me. She wants to feel the touch of a man, and a woman. Just the warm touch of another in a moment of passion. She is very...responsive." With the cutest smirk she adds. "The poor girl is horny Master." With the bowl she rinses my dick and balls then moves on to my thighs. "She wishes to stay the night."

"Oh?"

"Collywaddle and Aristocles were a bit more...forthcoming than I expected." Rosa says, her hands running up and down the thick muscle of my left thigh. "Cassie knows we are not bound by tradition. It excites her."

"Oh gods, what did they say to her?"

"Erm...well, everything. Everything and more. In explicit detail. Colly told quite a tale, even making up parts that never happened. If Colly is to be believed you make Mark Antony sound like an awkward virgin by comparison." Rosa giggles. "She is a joy that kobalos." She moves to my other leg. "Her poor master had such a hard on as she told it. He wants you to see her again, soon. He even said he'd pay to watch."

"Watch? Pay!?" I bristle. "I am no..."

"I know." She soothes me. "I know. I told him as much. I also told them not to spread that story around."

"Thank you my Lady." I say. "Having money involved..."

"Changes things." She says with a tender stroke. "I know my love. More than anybody."

"And Cassie liked what she heard?"

"Ohhh yes. Yes she did." She says. "She never said so openly but her interest could not have been more obvious."

"And...she wishes to stay the night?"

"Again, she never said those words aloud. But yes. She does. More than anything she wants that."

"Things are happening so fast."

"Only as fast as you wish them my boy." Rosa replies calmly.

"She...called you Lady."

"Mmm." She grins. "Yes. I am the lady of the house."

"Rosa..."

"As we worked throughout the day, her responding to my requests for aid, a natural...rhythm developed. Me commanding, her obeying." She says. "As I said, she wishes to serve. Very much so. I am not her Lady, she is not my girl, but...she knows her place and she knows mine within this villa."

"I see." I swallow. "Do you...wish her to stay tonight?"

"I wish for my boy to be a happy boy. And a flourishing man." Her hands dip back into the water so that she could clean my knees and calves. "Phthonus is a minor god but one to be trifled with at our peril. He can destroy even that which mighty Venus has crafted to endure."

"God of jealousy." I mutter. "I...I'm not..."

"When we return you will invite Cassie to stay for dinner, or not." She says. "She will understand the invitation for what it is."

"You are my Lady. Maybe...you should command her to stay."

"Should?" She cocks a perturbed brow, one of her pointed ears flick in annoyance. "You are telling me how to be a Lady?"

"No my Lady." I say swiftly. "Apologies."

"Accepted." She continues her bathing of me. "Your Lady commands you to search yourself. If you find the will within yourself, perhaps this is meant to be. And if not, perhaps another evening...or not at all. As you say, this is moving swiftly. It does not need to be. We can speak it out together if you wish, over days or weeks, though I cannot tell you anything that isn't already inside of your heart. I like her. You like her. And she likes us. The pieces are there, it's up to us how we put them together. She could be a dear friend, a treasured lover, or even a wife and mother. Whichever way, what a blessing she will be." She sits back and rinses my legs. "This time would not be simply for pleasure my boy. It would be the beginning of something...new."

I take a deep breath as the gravity of her command settles over me. "Understood."

She smiles warmly and stands, making her much taller than me. She ruffles my hair. "Good boy."

She combs my hair and applies a touch of a lightly scented oil before guiding me out of the pool. With a rough towel she dries me briskly, rousing my flesh to life, then dresses me again in a fresh set of clothes. When she is done she pats my chest with both hands, proud of a job well done. "Voila. Clean boy."

"Just like magic."

She titters. "I am a secret wizard."

"That you are."

We collect up the dirty clothes and bathing stuff. Rosa takes my arm and together we head back to our waiting meal. Somewhere between here and there I had a decision to make.

***

Chapter 62

With Rosa on my arm we reenter our home and make our way right past the kitchen to the triclinium or formal dining room. There I discover the miracles that Rosa and Cassie had worked this day. I had previously cleared out the majority of broken amphora and splintered furniture but those two had taken what remained and cleaned it up so the room actually looked livable. The mosaic floor had been scrubbed, the painted walls cleaned, the musty smells of spoiled wine had been eradicated, some of the remaining usable furniture had been gathered here, and with the window unboarded and opened to provide light from the North end and a couple of flickering lamps lighting up the South end the lively and risque figures that covered the walls could now be seen in all of their bacchanal glory.