Skaia (31 page)

“
Gotus? Oh, gods, Castor—will he be sold, too?”

“
Certainly not,” Castor answered immediately, as if the very idea was absurd. “But Thaddeus will not have his orders questioned—and he wanted to put out the fear of being sold to all the house slaves. Selling off Menion with no explanation seemed a good way.”

Skaia nodded his understanding, but he was still worried for Gotus. His friend was content here—it would crush him to think he might be sold.

Castor seemed to read the emotion on his face. “Don’t you dare tell Gotus, Skaia!  If he causes any more problems, he
will
be sold.”

“
No… No, sir. I won’t.”

“
I must go now,” Castor said as he stood, uncertain that he’d been wise to share so much with Skaia. “It’s time to lock everyone away for the night.” .

The pallet,
Skaia thought.
I have to ask him.
He spoke before Castor entered the antechamber. “I do have another request, sir.” He swallowed down his shame. “When I was chained today, sir, I… I wet myself. And my pallet, too,” he whispered. “I need a new one.” His eyes looked down at the floor.

With this dilemma, Castor could actually sympathize. He almost smiled. “It’s not that uncommon, Skaia, with everyone locked in the cells every night. I was surprised you never did when you were a child.” He reached out to lift up Skaia’s chin. “Bring the ruined one to the kitchen. I’ll have a fresh one waiting.”

Skaia smiled his appreciation and his voice carried his relief. “Thank you, sir.”

Puella had spilled Thaddeus’ seed and was in tears when Antius told her to lick it up from the floor. But she managed to keep it down and went to the next of the guests.

Antius and Flavius joined Thaddeus at one of the empty tables to discuss his suggestion. “This is very dangerous,” Flavius pointed out. “I agree with your reasons, but it will not do to get on that bastard’s bad side. He doesn’t forget those who have opposed him.”

Thaddeus was silent for a moment and then asked, “What will your people do, if Caesar tries to enforce the edict? Will they obey it?”

Antius and Flavius exchanged looks. And this time, it was Antius who spoke. “No, they will not. Either they will close down their businesses entirely. Or, more likely, they will revolt.” He lowered his voice. “I heard this morning that the same problem exists all over the city and the pressure to publicly protest is growing.”

Thaddeus shook his head. “Caesar may be a megalomaniac but he is not stupid,” he stated flatly. “He counts on the support of the masses. When he realizes that he is risking that support, he will be grateful that we’ve saved him. Besides,” he smiled, trying to break the tension, “I thought you were sure Pompey would defeat him.”

“
Not that sure,” Flavius laughed. “But you make a good argument. I will follow your lead.”

“
And I,” Antius agreed. “I can’t afford to lose my income from those I supposedly protect.”

With fresh cups of wine in hand, Antius pressed Thaddeus about why Skaia was absent. “We were looking forward to his being here.” He glanced at the slave girl who was busily sucking the second of his other guests. “Especially Puella. She could use some relief,” he grinned.

Thaddeus shrugged. “I’ve whipped him often the last few days. I didn’t think he was fit enough to provide satisfactory entertainment.”

“
Is he still disobeying you?” Flavius asked in surprise. “I certainly thought he’d be past that now.”

“
His skills have improved, but his attitude is lacking.” Although Thaddeus remembered that the boy had seemed willing enough to come here.

Antius smiled wryly. “Gods, Thaddeus. Only you and your father would worry about a slave’s attitude when he’s being obedient. But if he upsets you, why not just be rid of him? Sell him at the market. You can tell Glaucus he died.”

“
No. Not at the market,” Flavius protested with a broad smile. “Sell him to me. I’ll give you more than you would get from a dealer or at a public auction. And I don’t give a shit about his attitude. Having that pretty mouth around my cock in the morning would make me happy enough.”

Thaddeus was surprised at how much his friends’ suggestions troubled him. The thought of Skaia belonging to Flavius, giving himself to Flavius, was particularly unsettling. He forced himself to laugh. “Are you serious, Flavius? Why would you want a slave who refuses to obey?”

Flavius grinned. “From what I’ve seen, he obeys readily enough. I doubt any of my own slaves could continue to lap up vomit for so long. Even if I threatened them with castration. Who cares if Skaia doesn’t like it, as long as he does it?”  He adjusted his balls conspicuously. “Besides, I might even make him happy. I don’t share my bed-slaves.”

Antius laughed. “You both partake of mine easily enough,” he said glancing at Puella again. “It’s never seemed to bother you that a few other men loosened their holes first. Or stretched their mouths.”

“
Fucking your slaves is one thing, Antius,” Flavius frowned. “But I don’t want anyone’s spunk but mine inside the ones I own.”

Laughing off the comment, Antius then had a serious suggestion for Thaddeus. “If you want Skaia to whore, Thaddeus, to cheapen him in Glaucus’ eyes, you could just send him to one of the brothels for a few months. They’ll break him completely for you. When he gets back from
that
experience, I’m sure you will be satisfied by his attitude.” Antius grinned. “Of course, you might not want him back after his ass loosens, and his pretty mouth has sucked so many others.”

Thaddeus began to wish he’d never told his friends anything. Their sons had grown up with slaves as well and had never gotten overly protective of them. Of course, their slaves were not the type to—as his father put it—inspire men’s lusts. He resolved not to speak of Skaia again. To them or anyone other than his father.

Puella had finished with the last of the guests. Just wealthy merchants, not men of any importance. Antius approached them and thanked them for accepting his invitation to dinner. It was clearly a dismissal and after only a few more moments of awkward conversation, they took their leave.

As soon as they were gone, Antius pushed the slave girl over a vacated couch and called his friends to join him. “I’ve unfortunately had too much to drink, but if either of you want to use her cunt, feel free.”

Flavius shook his head. “I’ve had enough of girls. They cry too much,” he grinned. “What about that young Jewish boy?”

“
Of course,” Antius smiled. “I’ll get him for you.”

As Antius left the room, Thaddeus looked down at the girl and handled her breasts. Tears were slipping from her closed eyes and he smacked her face. “No crying, girl. You should be grateful to receive my seed.”

Puella opened her eyes and her voice was choked. “I’m sorry, Master. I will do whatever you want, sir.”

What Skaia had said.
For a moment, Thaddeus was so shaken he was tempted to send her away. But the thought of Skaia had hardened his cock.
She is only a slave,
he reminded himself.
And most definitely not Thane.

He lifted his tunic, pushed aside his loincloth, and ploughed into her.

X

Skaia was not on his pallet in the antechamber when Thaddeus returned and he was immediately irritated not to find the boy where he expected him to be. But when he saw his slave in the corner of the dimly lit public area, his mood softened. “Why are you still up? I’m very late and you should have been asleep hours ago.”

What can I say?
Skaia almost panicked.
Why am I still up?
Even though his body had yearned for rest, he had stayed up deliberately to
thank
Thaddeus. For the dinner—and, if possible, in some way, for his unexpected kindness to Menion. Now, he rose to his feet without his usual grace and bowed his head, realizing there was no way for him to express anything. “Yes, Master,” he whispered. “I’m sorry, Master. Shall I go to my pallet now, sir?”

Thaddeus shook his head, walked into the bedroom and sat down on the edge of his bed. “No. Since you’re up, you may as well get me a cup of wine.”

You already reek of it,
Skaia thought, but he filled the cup from the small amphora and took it to Thaddeus.

Thaddeus studied the boy’s face in the dim light of the small oil lamps as he sipped at his wine. When he recognized the weariness, his tone softened even more. “Since you didn’t sleep as I had expected, what
did
you do with your afternoon?”

“
I… I cleaned your room, sir.”

Thaddeus looked around. He was used to his quarters being perfectly kept, but he vaguely recalled what they had looked like when he unchained Skaia and left for the baths. Everything had been a mess, much more so than usual. And now it was perfect again.
It’s what he’s supposed to do,
Thaddeus told himself. Nothing unusual or commendable. It was exactly what Thane would have done. He looked up at Skaia again. “That’s all?” he asked, lounging against the pillows.

Skaia wondered what else he was supposed to have done. He forced himself to look at Thaddeus. “I… I ate the food Castor brought, sir. Thank you, Master.”

Thaddeus ignored the words, downed his wine, and got up to use the chamber pot. When he came from behind the screen, he looked at Skaia again. “Help me undress. After that, I have no further need of you tonight. Antius’ slave girl has satisfied my needs quite thoroughly. You may go to your pallet and sleep.”

Although Thaddeus had intended his words to be a reprieve of sorts for Skaia, he thought for a moment he had seen a look of dismay on the slave’s face as his sandals were unlaced.
Impossible,
he told himself as he slipped between the sheets. He was asleep before he could consider it further.

Skaia hung the tunic and placed the shoes in the cabinet. He did not look at Thaddeus again as he walked to the dark antechamber. But as he lay down on his pallet and pulled the light blanket up, he recognized that he was disappointed to be dismissed—and in some strange, inexplicable way, jealous of that unknown slave girl…