by Lynn, R.
“Thaddius?” Simeon’s voice called out from behind. The
men turned to his approach, the words of Acestes weighing
strongly on Thaddius’s mind.
“Simeon, how dare you act so disrespectfully tonight. You
are a representative of my name. I had to spend one hundred
denarii to clear this incident.” He clenched his fist and took
hard steps towards Simeon. “You will repay this! I should
have you lashed,” he yelled. “I cannot look as though I favor
you to the other servants.” Thaddius’s face reddened as he
shouted in irritation at his friend.
Simeon dropped his eyes in shock until understanding
washed over his face and he glared at Acestes. “Then lash
me. I do not care. I did what was right and you know it!” His anger caught Thaddius off-guard; he had never heard
Simeon like this before. He looked to Acestes for an answer
and saw him motion toward the nearby guards.
“Fine! Take him to the court yard!’ Thaddius announced
with a flick of his wrist.
Simeon glared defiantly at him as the guards grabbed his
arms and dragged him toward the exit.
* Once again unable to control her impulse, Sellah ran from her place of hiding and threw herself to the ground in front of Thaddius. “Please Dominus, rebuke me instead. This man saved my life and the life of my friend. I will gladly take his punishment.”
She kept her eyes on the ground. Fear kept her from looking into Thaddius’s dark eyes— they held so much emotion, so much confusion she couldn’t bear it.
* He looked at the girl, unsure of what to do and frozen in wonder. She was brave and bold, and he was beginning to admire those things about her. But she had publicly humiliated Barachius and he could not allow this behavior to continue.
“You! You would risk life to defend a stranger?” Acestes spewed in anger.
“It is the same as he did for me,” she confessed as she boldly turned her gaze to Thaddius. His eyes locked on hers, and for a moment he had forgotten the extent of how serious her actions truly were.
“But now his sacrifice has been in vain as our Dominus cannot have servants approach him without permission. You understand the predicament you have put him in?” Acestes spoke with the confidence of his privileged position.
“Leave her out of this Acestes!” Simeon snarled as he struggled against the grip of the guards.
Acestes raised his hand to strike the girl.
“Acestes!” Thaddius said in warning.
“My Lord, you cannot forget what we have discussed tonight,” Acestes reminded, his eyes gesturing towards Simeon.
Upon hearing his words Thaddius’s face dropped and sadness consumed him. “Let it be as you say,” he said in defeat. He turned his back, unable to watch what was about to happen.
With each resounding crack of Acestes’ fists upon the girl, Thaddius flinched, his back tensed and his own fists clenched. He strained his ears, listening carefully for her
response. But not one sound from her could be heard. Instead, his ears were met by Simeon’s persistent shouts of anger and his struggle against the guards as they dragged him away.
Perhaps Acestes had not hit her. Thaddius turned around in anticipation over the girl being left untouched. In place of seeing his expectations realized, he found the girl’s freshly bruised and bloody body lying unconscious at Acestes’ feet.
Anger raged in him. He and he alone held the
responsibility for this abuse. Yet he could see no other way. Acestes was right. He needed to regain control of this revolt before all of his servants regarded him with no respect.
Until Simeon’s actions that night, he had thought things were in control and that he could be both friend and leader. But now he knew he was wrong. He could not be both.
The cracking sound of the whip began, followed by Simeon’s shouts of pain. Thaddius could not bear to hear his friend’s cries so he turned to leave.
He would drown out tonight with a fresh pitcher of wine and the company of a woman. It was what he knew, the only way to forget his internal pain.
“Acestes, see my quarters well outfitted with wine and women,” Thaddius instructed as he marched away.
“Any girl in particular my Lord?” he yelled after him.
Thaddius paused, the dull ache of guilt picking at his soul. How could he be with a girl, when one he worried about lay hurting on the floor behind him?
“Yes, have that slave girl sent to my room, and send some others to clean her and tend to her wounds,” he instructed, forcing his words to sound strong even though they were filled with sadness.
“But my Lord, I am afraid she will be of no use to you this
evening.”
Thaddius stopped midstride and turned back to the man,
the sounds of Simeon’s lashings ringing in his ears. He grit
his teeth and worked to ignore the cries. “Acestes, she does
not need to be awake to please me. And do not forget that
you are also my servant and are not to question my
instructions!” He spoke with the authority of a true Dominus. Seeing his mistake, Acestes bowed his head and signaled
that he would see to the demands. Thaddius was filled with
confusing emotions. If what he did was right, then why did he
feel so upset?
He stormed past his servants and ignored each of their
greetings as he made way to his quarters. His room was not
large; it consisted of a bed and a settee. He refused to move
into his father’s wing of the domus. He felt as though that
would be admitting his absence, so instead he had to suffice
with his childhood room.
Thaddius sat rigidly on the settee and waited for his
servants to bring him wine. It wasn’t long until one
announced their approach and he beckoned them in. “Would you like a cup my Lord, or your usual request of
the vessel?” she asked.
“Leave the vessel and fetch another. I will drown my
thoughts this evening,” he instructed.
With a bow of her head and a nod of acknowledgment, she
left the room to see to his request. He remained on the settee,
his shaky hands clutching tightly to the vessel of wine. Pulling out the cork, he placed the opening to his lips and
greedily drank, finishing almost all the wine before the
servant returned with the next vessel. When he saw her enter,
he took a moment to pause and breathe, choking on some of the wine in the process.
He smiled at her and motioned the new bottle to be placed next to him. She did as was instructed but offered a worried look before turning to leave. Ignoring her regards, Thaddius turned back to his drink.
The warm glow of the wine began to seep over his body and acted to drown out some of his guilt. With each passing moment he found a new sense of acceptance to what he had ordered done. There was another sound of approaching servants, and he once again beckoned them in. “We have the girl my Lord. Where would you like her?”
He had forgotten his request to have the girl brought to his room and was unprepared to see her. He motioned them to place her on the bed and watched intently as his maidservants washed her wounds.
Even though Sellah was in an unconscious state, whenever one of their garments moved over her swollen cheek, she flinched. Thaddius quickly uncorked the next bottle and began drinking, hoping to ease the feelings he got when he watched her in pain.
The wine soon made its way to his head and all rational thoughts left him. Instead of guilt over Sellah and Simeon, he found himself marvelling at how Sellah’s beauty was still unmatched despite her now swollen form.
“Leave us,” he slurred as he struggled to stand. The room
cleared and Thaddius swayed over to the bed. He gazed down at Sellah, squinting his eyes to properly see her face as his sight was blurred by the wine.
She was beautiful, breathtakingly so, and tonight he would let all thoughts leave him and enjoy her. He was Dominus after all, and he deserved what he wanted.
W ith the jug of wine clutched to his chest, he lurched back and forth, watching as Sellah’s bosom rose and fell with her steady breathing. The anticipation of touching her soft ivory skin sent his head spinning. He took a step closer, but his legs collapsed under the heaviness of the wine, toppling him face first onto the foot of the bed.
He cursed as the last of the drink spilled out around him, staining the white coverings. With great effort he turned his head and focused his eyes toward Sellah. Much to his relief his weight crashing upon her broken form had not stirred her. He remained as he was. The wine clouded his mind, and he soon fell fast asleep.
* Hours passed before the warmth of the sun streaming through the window touched Sellah’s cheeks pulling her back to consciousness. For the first time in her life she lay on something other than the hard floor. Its softness was
engulfing. Yet, the more alert Sellah became, the less she could enjoy her comfortable bed.
Searing pain pulsed in her joints almost to the point of tears. Hoping that a simple adjustment in her position would help dull the pain she tried to roll over.
Panic clutched at her resolve when she could not move her legs. Temporarily blinded by the morning sun, she rubbed her eyes as she took in her surroundings.
Confusion consumed her as she looked over at the man sprawled face down on the bed. He was fast asleep with wine stains on his face and on the coverings around him.
When she finally recognized him, the events of the night before made their way to the forefront of her mind, transforming her confusion into fear.
How did she end up in bed with her Dominus?
He wouldn’t have, would he?
Surely she would remember being forced into the arms of
a man. But try as she might, her memories of the night before ended with the fist of Acestes. Eager to be free from the situation and free her legs, she struggled but to no avail. His weight was pinning her to the bed.
“What wretched merchant stirs me this early?” he groaned in a mounting anger while tossing his free arm in the air.
He kept his eyes tightly shut, no doubt afraid that the light of the morning sun would bring him stabbing pains in his current state. Clutching the coverings close to her body, she dared not speak, afraid to endure his wrath again.
“Vettius!” he called in a voice hissing with anger. When he received no response, he turned his head toward the door and shouted once more, “Vettius!”
Sellah was relieved that she no longer had to look upon his
face, but she would be even more comforted if she could be free from his bedchambers.
As she tried to think of a way out of her predicament, an elderly man entered the room. Upon seeing Sellah, the man offered a familiar smile. She gasped as she recognized the old tonsor from the bathhouse standing before her.
“The rumors are true, it is you!” Vettius beamed as he looked upon Sellah with much affection.
“Of course it’s me! Apollo’s ass, you are slow this morning, Vettius.” Thaddius mistook his old man’s words as directed to him. “And, why does a whore remain to wake me. You know my orders; they are to be removed before I awake. I do not want to be tainted from my memories of our evening with forced pleasantries. The only pleasantries they offer me I have already tasted,” he moaned as he tried to roll over onto his back but was hindered by the empty wine vessel.
If it were not for her fear of further punishment, Sellah would have given him a strongly worded retort. How dare he disregard a women’s gift so.
What kind of monster was lying at her feet?
Vettius must have noticed the look on Sellah’s face and how her knuckles blanched from her firm grip on the coverings, as he chuckled to himself.
“This is no jest, Vettius. Remove this whore!” Thaddius continued to struggle to free the wine vessel.
With tongue clicking and head shaking disapproval, Vettius yanked free the vessel wedged behind Thaddius, causing him to fall on his back.
“The wine has tainted your eyes, Thaddius. She is no whore; she is a rare jewel.” He offered Sellah one last smile before leaving her to the mercy of the other.
* “She is but a whore. Did she not wait at the gate to taste my offerings? I instructed Acestes to choose the finest....” And then it dawned on him. He had, in fact, told Acestes to place his new purchase in his bed chambers, not one of the women at the gate.
Forgetting his splitting headache and disheveled appearance, Thaddius turned his attention to the unusually colored girl in his bed.
His heart sank when he saw that the fire that once burned strong in her eyes was absent. He knew he was partially to blame for the loss. “My apologies,” he muttered, hoping she would hear the depth of what he implied.
“You did not... We did not....”
“Calm yourself. I did not force myself upon you. I have no need for that,” he coolly retorted, his tone surprising even him.
“Right, with all the whores awaiting your bed at the gate,” she replied.
He couldn’t help smiling as she regained her inner courage. But when her words sank in he was taken aback. For some reason he did not like her picturing him as did the others. Her view of him caused anger to burn in his chest. He twisted off of her legs and pushed his body dangerously close to hers.
“That’s right, and don’t worry your pretty little head. I won’t let you sample my pleasures until you beg as they do.”
*
Sellah could smell the stale wine on his breath and feel the warmth of his body. He was just like her father. She had once thought he was different, and that the offering in his gaze held more than most other men. But now she knew she was wrong. Thaddius was as much of a monster as they come.
“Your pleasures are not to my taste. So that will not be a concern.” Her chest rose and fell at a rapid pace; she was scared at the closeness of their proximity. And even more so by the way Thaddius studied her with his eyes.
“Not to your taste? I can honestly say that is the first time I have heard that.” He pinned down her arms and brought his lips dangerously close to hers.
“You sick, narcissistic, bast...” His warm, sticky hand covered her mouth, cutting short her insult. “Now, now, do not say words you will later come to regret.”
She tried to tell him she would never regret it, to yell it at him. But his strong hand only muffled her words.
“Now, I am going to get cleaned and dressed and check on Simeon. You will ready yourself and come with me,” he demanded.
She shook her head in disagreement. “I am Dominus, and I was not asking, I was ordering. So see my will done, and no further harm will come to you,” he advised.
Memories of Acestes’ fists raining down reminded her of what Dominus implied. She did not wish another beating, nor did she think she could survive another. She nodded her head in agreement, and Thaddius released his grip on her arm.
“Vettius!” he called once more.
This time the old tonsor came quickly to his Dominus’s call. Upon seeing the position of Thaddius on top of Sellah, he offered her a brief look of worry before attending to his master.
“Help me up, Vettius. Then see that honey wine is delivered to my bathing room. And for god sakes see that this one is cleaned up,” he said as he offhandedly motioned toward her.
“Sellah,” she whispered. “What?” Thaddius asked, caught off guard by her random contribution.
“My name is Sellah Katarius, not whore, or this one.”
* As Vettius helped him off the bed, Thaddius played her name over and over again on his tongue. It was a royal sounding name, one he felt suited her.
Despite his desire to not look a com
plete fool, the wine he had consumed still seemed to affect his abilities. He stole one last look at Sellah before puffing his chest and teetering toward his bathing room.
* “My dear jewel, I hoped we would meet again. Yet I imagined it under better circumstances.” Vettius walked over to the bed and sat next to her.
“I am glad to know your name, Vettius. Now I can stop referring to you as tonsor.” She smiled, took his hand, and squeezed it.
His fingers slipped away and went toward Sellah’s shoulder. Finding the familiar amulet, he stroked its smooth edges. “I see you have kept your gift!”
“Of course. It is most treasured!” She studied his gentle face. “Are you also a servant of this domus?”
“I was once, but now I stay by my own hand,” he replied.
Her eyes skirted up to the metal collar secured around his neck. He watched her look over it with confusion, and then he watched as her hands drifted up to touch the cold metal of the one bound permanently to her own neck.
He smiled and unfastened the clamp at the back of his collar, pulling the metal band away from his neck. “Mine has been cut open, and I can remove it anytime I like.” He held his collar out for her to see.
It was the sign of a slave who had been granted freedom yet chose to stay with his master.
“You could be free. Why do you stay and serve him?”
“My son, Simeon, remains servant to this domus. I cannot have true freedom if my child is captive. So I remain, contracted into service by my love for my son.”
“How is Simeon?” Sellah diverted her eyes and fumbled with her bed coverings as she asked.
“I am afraid he does not fare well.” Vettius hung his head, the sadness in his eyes causing Sellah to tear up.
“May I go see him? I wish to thank him for saving my life.”
“Yes, that is agreeable. And in fact, he has asked after you,” Vettius replied with a cunning smile. A smile that held information Sellah did not understand.
“He asks after me?” The intimacy of Simeon’s gesture
brought a heated blush to her cheeks. Hoping that Vettius