by P J Mann
He hugged Saul, holding him tightly.
“You’re right. You are one of our properties, but I can certainly recognize your value; for this reason, I am not going to sell you away. I will take care of you for as long as I am alive.” He released his hold on Saul, then grasped his shoulders and looked straight into his eyes.
Saul’s lower lip quivered. “You and your family have treated me in a fair way, and here I am being disrespectful. Please forgive me.”
“No need to ask for forgiveness. I appreciate your frankness. I guess it is important also for a Master to understand the feelings of his slaves. I don’t believe you can do your best if your owner does not take any pride in your duties. A well-treated slave serves better than a mistreated one,”
“I just need time,” Saul whispered.
“I need a friend, and I like you more than the other boys. When I ordered you to call me by my name, I did it for a reason. Life at home is lonely without a companion my age. As soon as I saw you, I realized I was given a chance to end my loneliness.”
Saul thanked God for having mercy on him, for him being sold to fair Masters.
Saul glanced at Flavius, “thank you, Flavius.”
His friend sat on the grass and patted the ground beside him, inviting Saul to do the same. Flavius laid his head on Saul’s lap. “Sing for me,” he ordered.
The idea of singing in daylight made Saul feel uncomfortable, but he knew that Flavius had been waiting the entire day to hear him sing.
“I know it might sound foolish, but since last night, I can’t forget your voice and the way it reached my heart.”
Saul’s heart heard the plea in his voice, sensed it came from Flavius his friend, not Flavius his Master. He knew the request would have been made even if he were free. It felt good.
Saul closed his eyes, trying to relive the memory of his mother singing to him. He took a deep breath and sang the same tune from the previous night. He hoped that the gentle breeze whistling through the trees would bring his voice to his mother, that she would know her son had been sold to a good Master and she shouldn’t be afraid for his fate. Her son didn’t need her song anymore, so he would sing the melody for her, letting the wind carry his voice to her ears and to her heart. He knew she was listening and felt her smiling.
Flavius concentrated on the song. Saul’s voice caressed his soul. It transported his senses high in the sky to a foreign land he never visited, but of which he had heard a lot about. A place far away, surrounded by hills where olive trees stood under the scorching sun. He saw the contrast between the fields, pastureland and the bare territories, burned by the sun. He saw a land where thousands of stars brightened the night, and where fantastic things used to happen.
Saul’s voice, soft, gentle and sweet, cast a spell, so full of emotions Flavius could touch with his hands. The intensity and passion made him wish it would never stop, and when Saul’s song ended, Flavius felt a sense of loss washed over him.
“That sounded even better than last night; maybe I was too sleepy to appreciate the beauty of your chant.” Flavius sat up. “The gods gave you an extraordinary gift.”
Saul played with a rim of his tunic. “Before last night, I’d never sung. I’m glad it pleased you. I'll sing for you whenever you desire,”
“The day will soon be over; we'd better go back home, or we will be in trouble. However, this time, I will be the one blamed. As a Master, I have to take care of both of us—your needs, along with mine.”
Chapter 4.
Their horse rides became a sort of tradition, and after school during the summer period, they went to the farm every time Marcus Tiberius didn’t need Saul’s services.
There in the woods, Flavius would ask Saul to sing for him, and every time, he was charmed by Saul’s voice, as his beauty stunned his senses and pleased his soul.
The following year, in March, as they returned home after their ride through the woods, they found Marcus Tiberius waiting for them.
“Flavius, you are later than usual. What happened?” he asked with a severe expression on his face, and arms crossed on his chest.
“I’m sorry, Father. We were riding and didn’t realize the time was passing so fast,” he tried to justify.
“No matter, dismiss Saul and come with me to my working room. I need to talk to you.”
Flavius looked at Saul. “You may go. See you tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, Master, thank you.” Saul turned, walking away from the main room.
Flavius and Marcus Tiberius walked silently together to the working room. “Did I upset you, Father?” Flavius asked, worried.
“No, son. I'm not angry, but time is flying, and you are soon going to be fourteen years old. It is time to think of your future, particularly your career. Do you have any idea of what you would like to become?”
Flavius didn’t know how to answer. Law or a diplomatic career were his targets, but it wasn’t easy to choose.
“I-well, I am not quite certain yet. We talked about it once, and I told you I would be interested in becoming a lawyer or a diplomat,” he replied, unsure.
“I believed so. That's why I have been thinking it over and came up with the perfect solution. Starting tomorrow, you will spend two weeks working with Lucius Claudius Blasio; he is a well-known lawyer and might give you an exact idea of what it is like to work as a lawyer. After that, you will change for another two weeks, working for Publius Julius Fulvianus, who has extensive experience in the diplomatic field. He will show you his job, then I will allow you two weeks to make your final decision, so you can be educated for your career.”
Flavius remained open-mouthed. This was stunning news, for which he felt grateful to his father and excited for the perfect opportunity.
“Father, I cannot believe this. I have no words to say. Thank you,” he mumbled.
Marcus Tiberius smiled. “Another step will be finding a suitable wife for you, but for that we have some time, so let’s not rush the events.”
Flavius didn’t pay attention to what he was saying; his mind was fully concentrated on the following four weeks, which would seal his future career.
Suddenly, his expression turned pensive and glanced to his father. “But I won’t have much time to spend with Saul.”
“He will be busy helping me with my work so, in any case, you won’t have much time to spend together. Don’t worry, there will be time to entertain yourself with our new slave,” Marcus Tiberius replied, chuckling.
“Yes, Father,” Flavius replied.
Marcus Tiberius sighed. His son was growing quickly into manhood, and yet his behavior was, from time-to-time, still childish. He hoped the following four weeks would help him to gain the maturity he should have for his age.
“You may go now. Soon it will be time for dinner.”
When he was alone in the room, Marcus Tiberius went to lie down on the couch, thinking of his son, his career and, eventually, his future bride. He thought that Saul needed to know about the changes in the plans, particularly for what concerned his daily schedule, so he called for having him in his presence.
After a while, Saul appeared in his room. “Did you call for me, Master?”
“Yes, I did. You have gone to school for about ten months already. How is it going?” Marcus Tiberius asked, trying to find a suitable way to update him about the change of plans for the following four weeks.
“It is going very well. Our teacher is a knowledgeable one. Thank you for allowing me to continue my education with him,” he replied.
“Come nearer. Why are you so far away?”
Marcus Tiberius watched him as he walked and found himself intrigued by that tiny, graceful figure. As Saul drew close, he caressed his soft hair.
The scent of horses on the slave’s skin aroused him. He shook his head, trying to focus.
“The reason I called you is that I have arranged four weeks for my son, during which he will be working with two of the most influential people in Rome. T
he first one is a famous lawyer, the other a well-known diplomat. I hope he will be able to decide on his career so that his education might have a final and steady direction. This means he won’t have much time to spend riding horses with you or entertaining himself with your company. Anyway, I will need you every day from tomorrow on to work with some translations. Eventually, Flavius will spend the evenings with you,” Marcus Tiberius explained, caressing the skin on Saul’s arm absentmindedly.
Saul nodded, aware of the gentle touch on his skin. He thought he was becoming fond of Marcus Tiberius and wished to stay with him for the rest of his life. Being in his presence was relaxing, giving him a feeling of safety, that nobody could harm him ever.
Marcus Tiberius sighed, continuing to caress his soft skin, then he abruptly stood and smiled. “Now, you can go. Be sure to have a bath to get rid of the horse. See you tomorrow, immediately after school,” Marcus Tiberius ordered, dismissing him.
“Yes, Master, thank you.” Saul obeyed and walked toward the bath.
There, in the light of the oil lamp, he cleaned himself carefully. He made sure to use the same aromatic oils Nana used on his skin after the bath he had the day he was bought at the market. He ran his fingertips on his skin, recalling how it felt when Marcus Tiberius touched him.
That night, Flavius could not fall asleep. He was too excited about the next two weeks and the deal his father could seal for his career.
Lucius Claudius Blasio was well known for his abilities, and he was the most in-demand lawyer in all of Rome.
Aspiring lawyers would give all their possessions to get this chance. He didn’t know how to show his father the gratitude he felt in his heart.
He turned many times on his bed, to no avail. Thoughts of his future ricocheted in his head. A few hours before it was time for the slaves to awaken him, he finally fell asleep.
In the morning, a gentle shaking welcomed Flavius to the new day, the most important one in his life, so far. “Good morning, Saul. Do you know why today is going to be the best day of my life?” Flavius asked, jumping out of his bed.
“Yes, Master, your father informed me. I’m so happy for you. This will be a fantastic chance for your future,” Saul said, as he and Rufus helped Flavius dress appropriately for the occasion.
“You can say that again, my dear Saul,” Flavius replied excitedly.
Rufus said, “Master, I will pick you up from school at midday and accompany you to your working place. I will do this every day. It shows your wealth when you are seen to have a personal slave taking care of your needs.”
“I’d rather have Saul accompany me,” Flavius pouted.
“Master Marcus Tiberius needs him for his work,” Rufus insisted.
“Yes, sure.” Flavius shrugged.
After a while, the boys were ready to walk to school. As they arrived at the place where they were supposed to divide the weight of the tablets, Saul shook his head.
“No, Flavius, not with that dress; you can’t allow yourself to get dirty or to ruin it. I will carry them every day by myself. They are heavy, but I can manage on my own,” Saul objected, continuing to walk. He tried to convince himself that these efforts would at least be beneficial to the development of his body.
As he carried the bag of tablets on his shoulders, he thought about how he was not an equal like Caius, even though his master tried to treat him like a friend.
They arrived at school with Saul already exhausted, but he knew that he had the whole day to concentrate on the lessons. He would do his duty, getting the most out of it for excellent results, to show Marcus Tiberius that the investment in educating him wasn’t a mistake.
For the whole day, Saul considered his relationship with Flavius and realized that there wasn’t any need for his master to behave like a friend.
He needed to convince Flavius to behave as his father did, as a Master was supposed to, not as a friend. He decided to talk to him as soon as the first chance arose.
The time at school passed too fast for Saul but too slow for Flavius, who anxiously waited for the beginning of his working day with Lucius Claudius Blasio.
He could not focus on anything his teacher said and didn’t much care either. He knew that Saul would follow carefully and explain the lessons to him later that evening.
In the middle of the day, Rufus appeared in the classroom to bring his Master to his first day at work.
Saul waved, “Have a good day, Master; I will be waiting for you at home to hear about your first experience and explain to you what we have done at school. I could see you weren't paying attention today.”
“I will call you as soon as I return home.”
“Thank you, Master,” Saul whispered, watching them go out of the classroom.
“Have they left you all alone, Slave?” a voice asked behind him.
He turned his face and saw Caius smiling at him. “So it seems. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go. My Master needs my services today. See you tomorrow, Caius.” He loaded the tablets’ bag on his shoulders.
Caius shook his head and watched him go. “See you tomorrow, Slave!” he yelled.
The days grew longer, and the new season announced itself with a chilly wind, although it was supposed to be spring. Saul shivered at the brisk change in temperature. He wasn’t used to colder temperatures, and, that evening, he was sure the wind blew as cold as the breath of death.
He hurried through the streets of the city, hoping to arrive soon at home where it was warmer, and he could release his shoulders from the weight of the tablets.
On that evening, the road felt longer and harder, and he missed Flavius. Not so much for the fact that he would have carried his own tablets, but mostly because he would have talked to him, making the distance feel shorter.
Relief flowed through him when he spotted Marcus Tiberius’ house.
When he arrived at his Master’s room out of breath, he said, “I’m sorry, Master, were you waiting for me?”
Marcus Tiberius looked at him and beamed. “You came just in time, Saul; you’re not late at all. Come closer.” He stood up and looked at him, puzzled. “Is anything wrong?”
“No, Master. I guess I’m a bit tired. Without Master Flavius, the trip felt longer.”
“Let's start, then. I need you to translate this text. You can go to work at that small table, and I will take care of other documents here.” Marcus Tiberius handed him a pile of written papers.
Saul looked at them and replied in a quiet voice. “Yes, Master,” and went to his workstation, wishing to forget the bitterness in his heart.
He could not understand why he felt bitter, and what was the real reason for it. Then an idea grew in his mind, an idea that scared him.
He was envious because, one year ago, he was supposed to have had the same life and opportunities as Flavius—but now everything was lost forever.
Saul was aware that he should have adjusted to his new life and be thankful to God that he was sold to a good Master. However, as he saw Flavius leaving with Rufus, excited about his career opportunity, Saul felt incredibly sad in his heart.
Raising his gaze toward Marcus Tiberius, he watched him work, oblivious to what happened around him. Saul felt comforted by the view of his Master with a creased forehead, dedicated to his work. It gave a sort of relief to his restless soul. The man embodied the difference between a miserable fate and Saul’s present life. and again, he squirmed at the realization of being ungrateful, for complaining about the life that man gave him.
Saul shook his head and tried to concentrate on his work, hoping to forget his futile complaints, and for a while, he was entirely absorbed in his duties.
“Saul,” called Marcus Tiberius.
“Yes, Master.”
“You looked worried. Do you have something to share with me?”
Afraid his thoughts were too loud, reaching his Master’s heart, he shook his head. “Why does your head say no, but your eyes say yes?”
“Because
my thoughts are not worth mentioning, Master.”
Marcus Tiberius smiled at him. “How is your work proceeding?”
“I’m almost ready.” Saul beamed proudly and returned his attention to his work. Minutes later, he stood and handed the papers back. “Now, I’m done.”
Marcus Tiberius looked closely at the translations, “Very well, Saul, very well, but I’d like to know everything that goes through your mind. Tell me your worries.”
“I feel ashamed of them.” Saul lowered his gaze to avoid looking into his eyes.
“I gave you an order. You don’t have any right to disobey me,” Marcus Tiberius reminded him.
“I felt envious of Master Flavius, for he is everything I once used to be,” Saul said, lowering his gaze and twisting his fingers.
Marcus Tiberius frowned at Saul and grabbed his hands in his own. “Forget the past; that life does not belong to you anymore. Now you are my slave in my house. When I brought you here, I stated explicitly that you were something that I own; you replied you understood. This happened about one year ago.”
“I know, Master, and I’m terribly sorry about these thoughts. I’m doing my best to acclimate to my new life. Please don’t be upset, Master. I'll try harder not to disappoint you.”
Marcus Tiberius caressed his face with the back of his hand. “I’m not going to punish you. I know you are a smart boy, and I expect you to fit perfectly into your new life.”
A profound sense of shame and guilt pervaded Saul’s heart. He didn’t deserve such a kind Master if he could not be the slave he needed.
Tears fell from his eyes. “You need a better slave, Master,” Saul whispered.
“I already have the slave I’m looking for.” Marcus Tiberius held him and stroke his silky hair.
Saul relaxed against him, as the gentle stroking soothed his pain away. He hoped the shame grabbing his soul would disappear as well.