Slave of Desire

"No, no, no, this just won't do! We need at least two slaves for the garden, three new chefs and you promised me a personal servant for our anniversary. Don't even try to palm me off with just two new workers! Our plantation makes enough money, so I DEMAND a personal servant just for me. What theHades, even thatlupa Alkmene has her own attendant that helps her with her daily work, and their plantation is only half as big as ours"

Ioana was getting riled up, but this time she had to prove a point to that worthless waste of air that was Alexandrus, her husband for ten years. It wasn't that she didn't love him, but his constant 'business travels' to the Aegean (which she was sure included some distraction with willinghetaerae) did not make it easier for her. Add to that the lack of distraction in Rome of the year 188 a. d. and you have your stereotypical bored Roman housewife, desperate for something to happen in her life. One of those distractions would be the yearly slave auction, that shook up the whole community and gave the more well-off citizens of Rome the possibility to ogle and buy scantily clad women and men, that the bravelegionarii brought back from the crusades to the high north. Today was finally one of those days and Ioana was very excited, what exotic specimen the soldiers would have brought back. Ever since her friend Agrippa got her own personal hunk of a servant, all the girls in their circle of friends got green with jealousy. One by one they convinced their respective husbands to get them a personal slave as well, until only Ioana was the only one, that had to spend her nights with an empty bed. But this was about to be changed.

"Butmea pulchellus, think of all the expenses we had this year. We installed a new watering system for thevinum, the drought destroyed almost all ourolivarum harvest and with the death of three of our workers, we just cannot afford a personal servant for you this year. How about, we just buy two new harvesters for the fall and I treat you to a nice dinner in..." Alexandrus tried to appease her, but Ioana wouldn't have any of it.

"NOT HAPPENING! All of my friends already have their own servants. Do you know how embarrassing it is for me, when everybody talks about how easy their lives are, while I am slaving away in the household like some ... some ... some filthy savage? We will buy a personal slave just for me, or you can forget about touching these" (she gestured to her chest) "for the next weeks!" Ioana clarified. While backtalking to your husband was normally frowned upon in Roman society, Alexandrus was too much of a wimp to ever raise his voice to his wife.

"You know darling, I can never deny your wishes... Tell you what, we go to the auction and if one of the slaves catches your eye and is ... easy on my purse, I will buy it for you. How does that sound? Who is your favorite husband, hm?" Alexandrus relented and puckered his lips for a kiss.

"Well, for the lack of competition..." Ioana murmured to herself and gave her spouse a quick peek on the lips. She never got the appeal of smearing one's saliva onto the face of another person, all of her friends really seemed to like it, but for her it was just a means to get Alexandrus to shut up for a few precious moments.

"What was that?" asked he, after receiving his obligatory kiss.

"Nothing,adamator, just thinking out loud." she replied and went to the closet, to get her favorite toga and prepared herself for the upcoming trip to the market."

"I wonder, what kind of slave I will get." Ioana thought to herself, while draping the heavy cloth over her shoulder. "Maybe some muscle-bound hunk, that can help me with the furniture. Or an untiring and docile aide, who is scrubbing the floors while I am relaxing on mycubile. Hm, I wonder if they have poets or artists in the north, he could read me poetry after a long day. No wait, those savages probably don't know how to read at all. Oh well, I am sure, I will get somebody to make the girls jealous." These were the thoughts, that were running through her head, while she went out of the door, closely followed by her husband. If she only knew, how this fateful day would change her future, she may have felt differently about it.

A couple of minutes later, Ioana and Alexandrus arrived on the marketplace, where the slave traders were already auctioning off their wares. Since it was already late in the day, the best stock was already out sold, but sometimes they reserved one of the best specimens for the end.

"Welcome, welcome, come near, come near, only the best breed from the high north, freshly delivered by our brave soldiers. How about a hard-working Gaul for thecomtessa?" the announcer tried to sell his wares to the bystanders. While Alexandrus was buying the necessary workers for the plantation, Ioana was looking around, if some of the slaves caught her eye. Normally the best of them were brought to the front, because those made the most money for the slavers, but none of them really were the one she was looking for in a personal servant.

"Mea pulchellu, I have found all the workers we need for the plantation and I still have a couplesestertii left, so if you really insist on a help, I think, we can finally buy a servant one for you. Even though I still think, that..." Alexandrus started, but quickly shut up after a glimpse from his wife. "Yes, yes, I did not say anything. So, did you find one to your liking?"

Even after looking the available meat up and down, Ioana was still not convinced of any of the choices presented to her. She touched the muscular arms of a few male slaves, examined the remaining female northerners, but none of them really clicked with her. That was, until a male in the background caught her eye. With his bald head and a body height of only 4cubits, he did not really stand out of the remaining slaves, but while his companions were flaunting themselves and trying to get bought by a noble family, to prevent getting doomed to a life in the mines, this particular guy was just ... standing there, looking at his potential new masters. When his eyes met Ioana's, his formerly stoic face flinched shortly and a smile formed on his lips for the fraction of a section.

"Uff." Ioana moaned, she didn't know how, but this small, cocky smile made her ... tingly, all over her body. How did ... why had she ... did that guy just ...

"That one, over there." she said without thinking and pointed to that mysterious male, who already seemed to have lost interest in her and looked over the crowd of onlookers with disdain on his face.

"Ah, a good choice,comtessa. While he may not look like much, this particular specimen killed around twoduodecim of our best soldiers with his bare hands, before we were able to restrain him. A perfect decision, you want your owngladiator to send him to the circus and fight for your honor? Then he is the perfect candidate for you. But even for gardening he is one of the most suitable of my stock, with his never-ending stamina he can finish every task you give him in half the time it would take a normal worker." the salesman began his spiel, while Alexandrus listened eagerly and Ioana was still looking at the strangely fascinating man in the background.

"Hm, I don't really know, we were looking for a more ... domestic worker. And while I believe you, that he would get the job done, maybe we need something a bit more ..." Alexandrus gestured to a female slave of around 20 years, with a bust that rivaled her own head "...female?"

"No, we take that one, over there." Ioana insisted and pointed to the slave, who just looked in her direction again and gave her another quick smile, that made her shiver. "I do not need another one of your dirtyhetaerae in my house. It's enough, that on your frequent trips to the Aegean you probably share your bed with..."

"AAAAAAND we take that specimen over there, he seems like a bargain, how much did you want for him again, you said?" Alexandrus interrupted her, embarrassed to be outed in public about his vices, that he so often indulged.

"I am not one to judge, but from one man to the other, giving your wife a boy toy might be a good distraction for your personal ... excursions." the slave trader whispered with a lowered voice and winked conspiratorial to Alexandrus, who did not seem to get the connection between a slave and a toy of any kind. "Anyway, since you are valued customers of mine, I would depart from this particular specimen for about ... let's see ... 8.000sestertii?"

"8.000SESTERTII? For that money I could buy ..." started Alexandrus, but a mean look by his wife stopped him right in his tracks "...exactly this particular slave, which I truly believe is worth his money. Isn't that right,mea vents?"

"Great choice,dominus. If you would just follow me, then we can clear all the formalities. My associates will deliver your slave to yourdomicilium in the early evening. I am sure he will bring you and yourmatrona a lot of pleasure." the salesman smiled his 100.000sestertii smile.

"One last question, does this slave has a proper name? Or what should we call him?" asked Ioana, momentarily taken out of her trance, that seemed to be induced by the handsome stranger.

"While of course you can call him what you want, we were unable to get a proper name out of him. The only thing I can provide you with is his so called 'combat name', some kind of nickname the warriors of his tribe get before a fight, to symbolize their traits in battle. His particular combat name seemed to be 'The Peaceful is willing to', which seems kind of ironic to me..." answered the trader and twirled his mustache.

"'The Peaceful is willing to'? What kind of name ...? He is willing to do what?" inquired Alexandrus, while he counted the money into the slaver's open palms.

"Don't overthink yourself, those savages probably don't know the meaning of their own names, as far as I am concerned, you can give him any name you want, evenstultus canis, if you would like that." answered the addressed and laughed about his own joke.

On the way home, Ioana was lost in her thoughts. The joy of having her own servant was mixed with a feeling that she couldn't really describe, her whole body seemed to be on fire, when she thought back to the northerner, that was now her own property, to do with as she pleases.

"'The Peaceful is willing to'..." she thought. "I wonder, what he is willing to do..."

But this was a question, that would be answered soon enough, and in a different way, that Ioana imagined.

"Don't worry,angelus oculis, I will be only gone for around fourmenses, around theides ofsextilis I will be back in your arm." promised Alexandrus, while the chariot was already waiting outside to carry him to his business meetings the Aegean. "If you promise to be good, I will bring you a small present, doesn't that sound nice? Am I not the perfect husband for you? Hm?"

How could one man awaken so much disdain in a woman, Ioana asked herself, as she was putting up a brave front and gave her husband a smile, that was faker than the jewelry, he got her for her tenth anniversary.

"Yesyes, don't get yourself killed, make some good deals and enjoy your trip." she told her husband, but her thoughts were already at all the free time, she could enjoy now for herself. Maybe she could meet the girls in apopina for a few glasses ofvineas ... Or watch her favorite chariot racer in the circus ... But before that, she would have to instruct her new servant for his duties, so the house would be perfectly cleaned, when she'd come back.

"...at least that's my opinion, what do you think?" her husband interrupted her train of thoughts.

"Err, yes, I completely agree with you,ursus meum." she replied, being caught completely off-guard by his question. Oh well, it was probably something about his trip she did not even want to understand.

"Great, then enjoy your alone time. I love you." Alexandrus closed his eyes and leaned in for a kiss.

"Mh, love ... too..." she mumbled and gave him a short hug instead.

"Take your time, take your time, there is nobody here, that is missing you." Ioana thought to herself, as she waved after her husband's chariot, which was disappearing behind the horizon. Oh well, no sense in thinking about someone absent, she would still have to finish a few tasks, before she could start to leisure. And she knew exactly where she would start.

"Ok, first he needs to scrub the marble floor in the living quarter, those stains from the lastcelebrationem are still highly visible. Then myconclave needs a bit of dusting, just thinking of sleeping there one more night makes my nose tingly. Hm, and for the afternoon, I can already see him waving aventilatum in my direction, while I just lay down on mylectulus and enjoy the warm rays of the sun ... and maybe an amphora ofvineas ... Yes, today I shall celebrate the next fourmenses, that I don't have to spend with mystultus of a husband." Ioana thought, while she was slowly walking into the slave quarters, to assess her newest acquisition.

A she entered the small chamber, that mysterious man she couldn't keep her thoughts of was sitting on the cold floor with his eyes closed and his palms open. It almost looked like he was praying or in a trance, but this wasn't really possible, thought Ioana. Those filthy savages only worshipped brutal deities that demanded human sacrifices by the thousands. Alexandrus told her all about it, after he came back from one of his endeavors in the north. That's why they started those crusades, to protect those barbarians from themselves. And she would be doing her part, by introducing him to a better society and giving him the possibility to renounce his wrong faith. She would teach him the proper way and...

The northerner had opened his eyes and looked at Ioana. For a few seconds, nobody said anything or moved a muscle. The he slowly rose from his sitting position and stretched his arms and neck. Up close he locked even nicer than on the big pedestal in the market square. Ioana shivered, she'd love nothing more than to ...

The stranger coughed slightly and took Ioana out of her trance, that she involuntarily entered again. Concentrate, she told herself, the first impression is the most important part of a relationship. A strict mistress-slave-relationship of course, she would show him, who needed to obey whom.

"So..." she began and examined the northerner again. "The Peaceful is willing to? That is your name? Well, somebody wasn't loved enough by his mommy, I guess, hm?" Yeah, that's good, show him who's boss by mocking him, he would soon learn his rightful place at her feet. The power that she would have over him ... it gave her whole body a rush.

"Hrmpf" he answered and looked to the side. Good, thought Ioana, he is not answering and averting his gaze, this power-play was easier than she thought.

"Then I guess, I have to play Mommy and punish you, if you do not follow my exact lead. So, for beginners, I want you to get up, grab a broom and dust myconclave, ok? When you are done, you will come to me instantly to get your new orders. We will do this untilcrepusculum, then you can make me dinner and go to your chamber for the night. That is all, any questions?" Ioana told her slave and with every word she felt more powerful. Oh, how she reveled in her dominance...

But instead of replying, the addressed only nodded shortly and walked away to start his deeds given to him by Ioana. After he left, Ioana was left all alone in the small room. As she was looking around, her eyes fell upon the small piece of clothing, that the northerner wore for the night. With a light disdain, she picked it up and examined it.

"Tztztz, like a small boy, leaving behind his stuff, when he goes out to play... What's next, I need to hire another slave, to clean up after my slave?" Ioana chuckled to herself, while she was slowly turning the loincloth in her hand. It was fairly big, bigger than the underwear her husband wore. As she was spinning it around, she could smell the fair hint of a scent, just like the droplets of odoratio she liked to rub on her temples, when she went out for a night with her girlfriends. And while she was thinking about the last time, she visited the circus and ogled the scantily clad gladiatores in the arena, she involuntarily moved the cloth to her nose.

"Hmmmmmm..." she murmured and she took a long whiff, the odor filling her nostrils. It smelled so ... masculine. While her husband always used differentodoratios and smelled like lilac and gooseberries, this scent was more ... raw. As if you would filter pure testosterone and fill it into a flacon. The smell made her dizzy, lightheaded and also a bit ... aroused? She softly moaned and took another whiff of the intoxicating smell, that made her feel so womanly, so vulnerable and so helpless. The fingers of her right hand slowly travelled down her stomach and followed the good feelings the arousing scent triggered in her body.

"Oh Zeus, what am I doing?" she murmured, as her fingers slowly entered thesubligaculum she was wearing and started caressing her neither regions. As she took another whiff, a bolt of lightning shot through her whole body, but concentrated on that special nub between her legs that was so painfully neglected by her husband. Slowly, but steadily her fingers applied a bit more pressure and her middle finger even tried to gain entrance into her sanctuary, when suddenly a sound startled her.

"Huh?" Ioana exclaimed, as she saw the northerner coming around the corner again, carrying a broom and a big dustpan in his hand. Panicking, she realized she was still holding his worn underwear to her nose, so she instantly dropped it and tried to take on a more dominant stance.

"There you are! I found your dirty underwear and I would really prefer not having it lying around in the house. Please put it in thelavatio, where it belongs. From where you are coming, you may not wash your clothes at all, but this is a civilized household." Ioana reprimanded her slave and tried her best to wipe off her wet fingers on her toga.

The northerner looked her up from head and toe and the fixated his gaze on the dropped cloth, that was lying on the floor. With a smirk on his face he picked it up and went in the direction of thelavatio, while whistling a cheerful melody.

"There he goes, striding like he owns the place. I really have to teach him obedience, or I might lose his respect totally. Well, if he does not like the carrot, he may react to the stick. I will check his progress and if I find even the smallest amount of tardiness, I will make him rue the day he was bought by me. And oh, I will find something. That's it, I am going to show him the superiority of Roman nobility." With these thoughts Ioana went to herconclave, that episode had made her all riled up and she couldn't wait to lie down and unwind a bit.

Arriving in her room, the first thing she noticed was how incredible clean it was. In those few minutes she was dreaming downstairs, her newest slave had dusted off all therepositoria in the room, scrubbed the floor and even made her bed. The whole room looked like a convoy ofpurgato dominarum got bored and decided to make it shiny.

"Well, well, well, it seems, I underestimated him. If he is as fast and thorough with the rest of thedomicilium, he could have cleaned it even before dinner. I think, this was money well spent." Ioana grinned, threw herself on the bed and stared at the ceiling.