Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2020 20:13:28 +0000 (UTC)
From: ropingtop@aol.com
Subject: Glaucus and Marcellus installment 27

It was rare that Glaucus woke with a smile.  He did the next morning.
Taking Ahmad to bed always did that to him. No matter how active they
were overnight, or how little sleep he had, he was always happy after a
night with Ahmad.  So it was , even with the day in front of him.  When
he woke, he saw Ahmad awake already , smiling at him. "My Lord would not
deny me a morning kiss, would he?"
No, he would not.  He kissed Ahmad and pulled him closer.
"Ahmad, you are one of the joys of my life.  I must bring you to my bed
more often."
"My Lord, if I may speak freely?"
"Of course my sweet.  " Again he hugged the man.  "Best now before the
day begins.  I fear it will be trying."
"As do I My Lord.  And that is why I would speak now."  Glaucus smiled.
"As you will."
"My Lord, surely you know that while I have been in the sexual service of
many Masters,  it is only in yours that I have permitted myself to be
taken.  To be pierced."
Glaucus thought back to the first night, and grinned.
"You did not so much permit yourself to be taken, Ahmad,  but were
taken.  "
"Ah, yes.  You are right as to the first time My Lord.  Surely you know
that a slave has many ways of insuring that he is never taken again if he
does not wish it."
"Did you not wish it Ahmad?"
"That was never the case with you My Lord.  I believe you know that
Collepherus summoned me to his bed often while he lived."
"I knew of that, certainly."
"Perhaps you do not know that Collepherus freed my cage every time, and
every time, I pierced him."
"No.  I did NOT know that Collepherus.  So, in addition to the
Hibernians, you were piercing Collepherus.  "  He paused.  "Any others?"
"Collepherus was more than sufficient for me with the brothers, My Lord.
You are the first man to have taken me more than once."
"I am flattered Ahmad."
"No My Lord.  I am the one who is flattered.  With the many choices
available to you, you chose me.  I will admit, that there were
difficulties at first.  I did not want it.  But I have always felt
fulfilled, and satisfied, and as if it were destined that if I were to be
conquered sexually, it would be by you."
"I was not going to let anyone else have you Ahmad."
"And nor was I My Lord.   I am honest with you.  Other men have tried.
They are now eunuchs.  "
Glaucus raised his eyes.  "You..."
"Ha ha.  No My Lord.  I am MUCH too subtle for that.  Too clever.  Not as
clever as you, for sure, but I have my ways."
"So..."
"Yes My Lord.  When I realized that you were more clever than I, when I
realized that you would always know where to touch me to make me yield,
I surrendered to myself.  And I have sworn by the gods that no other man
will have me but you."
"That is a serious oath, Ahmad."
"It is well meant."  "My Lord, this is much too forward for a slave, but
I will say it.  The house is abuzz with what will happen now that the war
with Gaul is over.  Indeed, it has been said that the war in this estate,
is just beginning.  Whatever your answer to my last question, rest
assured, My Lord, I will be your eyes, I will be your ears, and I will be
your shield"
"Ahmad, I am moved beyond words."
"And My Lord, should you be given cause to consider it,  dare I say not
only would I be honored to be chosen as your consort, I would be honored
to remain in your service as your sex slave.  I DO ask that you promise
me today, My Lord, that whatever comes of other slaves in this house, you
will never send me to another Master."   Then he began to slowly cry.
"Ahmad, my sweet, adorable Ahmad.  You have been with me the longest, now
that Collepherus is gone.  I will always have you with me.  ALWAYS."  He
sighed.  "The issue of consortship is a difficult one.  Indeed, I suspect
I know how Flavius will decide, but it has not yet happened. " He
laughed.  "Of course, the slaves know before the Master does. Do you know
Ahmad?"
Ahmad looked away.
"It is said you are the smartest man in the city.  Would I have raised
this if I did not know the answer?"  Glaucus sighed
"Thank you Ahmad.  I am grateful for your counsel.  But I will hear
Flavius out.  We will talk more."
Ahmad kissed him.  Only Ahmad could do that without fear.
"I should return to the quarters, My Lord.  I will be there, as needed or
wanted."
As Ahmad made his way back to the sex slave quarters, Marcus entered.
"Salve Lord Glaucus.  I would remind you that you have a meeting with the
clan of Flavius this morning.  Will you break bread first?"
"Thank you Marcus.  Indeed, I believe I will.  Please ask the three to
join me for our morning meal."

Glaucus washed and dressed quickly,  then prepared himself to meet with
the clan.  Marcus came to him first.
"They are here My Lord."
"Very well, let them enter."
As slaves they did not greet Glaucus but waiting for his
acknkowledgement.
"SALVE  Glory to Rome.  Please join me for morning meal."
"We thank you My Lord"  Flavius said.  They joined him and even Ulrich
shared in the wine.  It seemed that he was drinking to gather courage.
"ULRICH.  I am far less frightening than the Gauls.  I do not have a
scabbard ready to slay you.  It is clear you wish to speak.  Please do."
Trembling, Ulrich did speak.
"My Lord,  my family and I considered our status all night.  We had very
little sleep."   "Personally, I must thank you for your gift  and
intervention.  I must also thank you, for my family, but also for myself,
individually, for your kindness in saving us from what might have led to
our deaths.  I must also add my thanks for saving me when Portius would
have abandoned me."
Glaucus just smiled.
"We will accept the offer.  The three of us.  If the senate deems it to
be so, we will become freedmen."
Glaucus looked at them.  Ahmad had prepared him.  Flavius then gathered
himself.
"I would like to add , My Lord, my thanks for saving me, and for
indulging my desire to find my Gerta.  That is a gift that I hope will
serve you well before our gods."  Then a very deep pause.  "My Lord,
serving as your consort was an honor that I did not deserve.  I hope that
I served you well."
Now Glaucus spoke.  "More than well Flavius.  As you know, I could
intervene in this, and compel you to remain.  And were things not as they
are, I would.  You served me far better than I imagined you would."  He
turned to Gerta.  "If I may speak frankly, slave Gerta, you show
tremendous ingratitude to your husband, to your son, and to myself.
Nothing that we have is granted to us by right and had I considered
things more carefully, I could very well have ensured that you were NEVER
found.  But I did. And that is out of gratitude to your husband. Today, I
would do it out of gratitude to your husband and your son.  But you
madam, are an unfortunate, shrill, ungrateful woman.  I would ask you to
leave , as I will have further words with your husband and son."
Gerta tried to gather her dignity.  She was ready to say  "it would be my
pleasure to never be in your presence again," but a look from her husband
stopped her.  She left without another word.   Then Glaucus turned to the
two men.
"Gentlemen.  I will miss your service to the house of Glaucus.  Ulrich,
your bravery surpasses that of many professional soldiers, and many
Romans.  I ask one thing of you, young man: that from time to time, you
visit the house to engage me in a game of chess."   Ulrich smiled.
"You will lose, My Lord, but it will be to my joy to play chess with
Glaucus, and not Lord Glaucus. " He rose.
"I suspect you would have words with my father"  Again Glaucus smiled.
"You are wise beyond your years Ulrich.  Your father should be proud, and
worried."
"I am both My Lord."  Ulrich stood and left.
Glaucus simply smiled at Flavius.  The man could not maintain his
composure.
"Would that this republic permitted freedmen to remain as consorts to
their Masters."
Glaucus sighed.  "What perhaps most do not understand, is that we are all
servants in some way."
Flavius nodded.  "It would seem so My Lord.  I must personally thank you
for providing me with more pleasure than I ever thought possible in my
life.  "
"And I will thank you for the same Flavius. " He rose.  "You were a
superb consort.  Unfortunately, I feel your wife probably will never
understand her good fortune.  As with Ulrich, you may feel free to visit
the house at any time."
Flavius bowed.  "It would be an honor, My Lord."
Then Glaucus smiled.  "Perhaps you and Ulrich would like to visit when it
is time to harvest the sleep berries."
Flavius looked at him.  "Then you knew?"
A roar of laughter came from Glaucus.  "OF COURSE I KNEW.  They do not
speak of it here, but the women in my family are a long line of witches.
I knew of the berries as soon as I saw the leaves.  Would you care to
know why I did not have the plants destroyed, and you and  Ulrich
tortured?"
"I would My Lord."
"Because I saw the brilliance of using them.  Dried, they are not as
potent as fresh, but they will do.  And I will retain them, in the event
that I ever... need them.  "  "Am I clear Flavius?"
"You are My Lord."  He looked down.  "My Lord, the senate will not hear
our petition until tomorrow.  If it is your wish..."
"Flavius, I am not much for sentimentality, and while yes, I would enjoy
your pleasure one more night, I am not enamored of endings." He reached
out to clasp Flavius' forearm in the way that freedmen do.
"Take care of your son.  Find him a good wife.  One better than yours.  "
Flavius grinned.  "We all must bear our share of pain in the world."
"Share yours with me Flavius."  and he smiled.  "Remember that I have the
berries."   Flavius then left.  Glaucus, who never drank heavily in the
morning, needed two more glasses of wine to restore himself.
"My Lord, "  Marcus was at the door.  "I know your morning has been busy,
but Demos wishes audience with you."
"Demos?  Very well.  Please see him in."
Demos stood before him , head bowed.
"Demos!  I am surprised to see you.  I thought you would be very busy
with... "
"With Marcellus My Lord?  HEH!  " Demos made a sign that Glaucus had seen
once or twice before.  It was a hex sign.
"What is amiss Demos?"
"My Lord, nothing is amiss.  All has been righted.  Marcellus'
stubbornness, and his lack of gratitude, are known by us both.  I was
unaware of his mendacious nature.  " He looked up.  "I no longer consider
him my consort.  And I have told him so."
"DEMOS.  This is very sharp startling news.  Should you reconsider?"
"I will not."  He paused.  "Has he seen fit to thank you for the bracelet
that saved his life?"
"He has not.  But he was told the bracelet was yours. "
"And I refused to live by that lie any longer.  I told him.  YOU are
responsible for his life, not I."
Glaucus laughed.  "I believe that, unlike you and I, Marcellus refuses to
take responsibility for his actions. "
"Only when they are in his favor.  But enough of him My Lord.  You will
have to decide whether or not to retain him in your house. Whether you do
or not, I would like to say something."
"You have said much already Demos.  But please."
"My Lord.  When you took Marcellus in my presence, I learned that he was
even more mendacious than I thought.  He had told me you were fat, with
an unattractive body, with no care for your partner in bed. That he
suffered every night.  My Lord, I was there.  All was untrue"
Glaucus rested his head on his chin.  Clearly there was more.
"My Lord, when you placed me as your assistant steward, I worried.  I
worried greatly.  And I worried because of what I had seen of you, in the
bathing rooms.  Could I control myself?  Could I refrain from desiring
you, the man who had conquered the man who conquered me?  " My Lord, I
can no longer.  I realize that you are without consort now.  And I also
realize that I am not of the type you desire, however... if you would
consider me as consort, even as an occasional bed companion,  I would not
argue the point." He bowed, embarrassed by how much he had said.

"I believe I have had two proposals in the space of a morning"  thought
Glaucus.  "Is it wrong to feel somewhat like Aphrodite?"  He rose,  and
lifted Demos' face so that he could look at him eye to eye.
"You flatter me with your proposal Demos.  And I am grateful."  He
sighed.  "This is a time of much tumult in the house of Glaucus.  By  the
end of today, I imagine Silvus and Antonio will  have left.  By tomorrow,
the clan of Flavius will have left us.  Soon, as a high priest of Rome, I
will be called upon to sacrifice Gallic soldiers to our gods.  And then
there IS the matter of Marcellus. " He walked about his chamber.

"Let us talk in several days, Demos.  We both have views on what should
be done.  And I would appreciate your counsel. Would you speak with me as
equal on this matter?"
Demos looked at him.  "My Lord, I could never speak with you as equal,
but I will speak with you.  I will be outside of your chambers at all
times.  Simply summon me.  "
"I will do so.  " He looked at Demos.  "I believe you could use a
restorative salt bath.  Unfortunately, the bath chamber is not staffed as
of now; however, if you would, I will perform the ritual."  He smiled.
So did Demos.
"My Lord.  To wash a slave is beneath you."   Glaucus smiled.
"It is my house.  I will do what I wish.  It is your choice Demos.'
"I will ready myself for the bath, My Lord. "
"Very well.  I shall see you there in the space of one quarter of the
hourglass' tick. "

After Demos left, Glaucus mused to himself.  "How much is our world a
wheel, within a wheel, within a wheel.  I would be presumptuous to say
that all are now accounted for but Marcellus, but I shall return to him.
"  He clapped his hands to recall Marcus.

"Yes My Lord?"
"Marcus, please advise Ahmad that he is summoned to my chambers tonight.
He should be prepared to dine with me first."
"So it shall be My Lord."

And Glaucus dressed.  He needed to appear at the Senate to speak on
behalf of Silvus and Antonio.

And of Marcellus?  He too knew of the berries and considered, before
deciding that his life was too valuable to surrender it as such.  He was
confined to the house for now.  But perhaps...
He took the bracelet, and gave it to another slave.
"Please take a message to Freedman Clodius.  The message is simply  "I
wait for conclusions."

In the bath chamber,  Glaucus examined the young, fair body of Demos.
"Here my young man.  There is no need to be caged in the bath."  He
opened Demos cage, and Demos' imprisoned sword sprang to life, when
Glaucus removed his own robe.
"On all fours, Demos.  If you are to audition to be my consort, let the
audition begin."

Several spans of the hourglass later, as Ahmad sat with Glaucus for
dinner, he smiled.
"SNAILS My Lord?  You have not been known to need an aphrodisiac before."
"Nor have I ever had the pleasure of your company two nights in a row
Ahmad.  Think of them as restorative for what I know will happen."

"Restorative indeed"  thought Ahmad.  "The entire house knows of that
'bath' this afternoon.  So I have competition.  That blond Greek, does
not know with what he deals."
"Let me see if those snails are working,"  Ahmad smiled, as he slipped
under the table, and took Glaucus' sword in his mouth.
"AH YES.  Indeed they are.  We will have a fine evening indeed, My Lord."