Slave Girl 2: Chapter 134 (Patreon)

For the next few hours Cassie and I stand to pray and witness Toke’s departure to the other world. Aristocles not forgotten I send my prayers for him to the heavens as well. Occasionally one of us would step away to check in on Rosa while the other remained. It was fully dark when Cassie returned from one of these trips to inform me that our Lady was awake and aware of what was happening. She’d already guessed what by the smell of the smoke and declined to join us as she felt it ought to be fellow warriors to stand vigil. Mostly in silence we stay until the once tall pyre was reduced to low, smoldering coals. Toke’s flesh had been completely consumed and the charred bones that remained I would bury in the morning. As I at last step away, my duty to my teacher done, I at last felt a modicum of separation from the brutality of the night before.

For the first time since I set it down I touch the sword again. Taking it by the handle I lift it, study it, feel its perfectly balanced weight, then let out a low sigh. “Hahhh.” I turn to face back toward the villa. “I am ready.”

“As am I.” Cassie takes my arm and together we make our way back through the dark and eerily quiet forest. “How you doin?”

“Sore.” I answer as I roll the aching shoulder of my sword arm. “That old tough bastard left more than hurt feelings behind.”

“He was a great warrior.” She says softly as she squeezes my arm. “Though bested in the end by a greater one.”

“Bested? Not quite.”

“Bested.” She says again. “It was clear from the outset who was going to win that battle. All of us were surprised how one sided it was.”

“Heh, didn’t seem that way from where I was.” I say. “I ceded the battle to him.”

“So that he might take a final victory with him to his gods. Because you are a strong and caring man.” She kisses my shoulder. “And that is why I am here. That, and our Lady.”

Back into the open we cross the moonlit clearing at the front of the villa and were just passing by the fountain with the statue of Mercury when a soft voice drifts with the breeze from high above. “Well who do I spy here, Danae? A swordsman and his shield maiden? And what’s this? These two little lovelies appear to be in love.”

Backlit by the pale circle of Luna was the horned silhouette of a lithe, shapely demon seated at the very peak of our roof. At her side was the pointed ears and sleek shape of an alert fox, it’s eyes twinkling green.

“Rosa!” I cry as I drop my sword and instinctively reach out for her, though she was 20 to 30 feet beyond my reach. What was she doing up there!?

“Calm yourself, my boy.” She croons and motions me to lower my hand. It took me a moment to realize it but…she SAW that I’d had my arm raised. She giggles. “You look as surprised as I was.”

“You can see me!” Cassie and I look at each other, her as surprised as I, then back to our perched Lady.

“Yes, my love. Even more handsome than I remember you.” With a smooth sway of her hand she strokes her pet’s furry head. “Danae gifted me her sight during the battle. Had she not things might have turned out very differently.” Taking Danae into her arms she stands, balanced oh so gracefully at the peak. “And what a incredible sight it is. I see you both now as clear as in the day.” With that her eyes glow and…she steps off of the edge of the roof to the open space beyond!

“ROSAAA!”

“Yes Master?” Rosa chirps in her ‘slave’ voice from directly beside me. My head snaps to the side to see her standing not two feet away as if she’d always been there. Letting her fox slip from her arms she tilts her head extra adorably as she looks up at me with wide eyes that were as sightless as ever. “You needed something, Master?”

“How did you…?” I gasp, as my startled mind catches up. The bracelet clearly still worked. “Don’t EVER do that again!”

“Gods!” Cassie exclaims.

Rosa titters and bows. “Apologies, my Master and Mistress.” Gliding up to me Rosa slips her fine hands around my waist. Fun time over her face and tone turns somber. “Toke?”

“Away. At rest. At peace, I hope.”

“And now you can have some peace as well, Quin. You owe him nothing more.” She hugs me tight as I wrap my arms around the slender body and hold her close. As Cassie comes close we shift to bring her into our tight embrace. Her eyes squeezed shut Rosa whispers. “Our family is together at last.”

Cassie kisses Rosa’s cheek. “May we never be parted again.”

“Never.” I echo her sentiment.

Under Luna’s gentle light we hold to each other and savor this long awaited moment of union. Three lost souls find their place among the others. I thought it would take place before a priest and an audience of friends and family, but this private bonding was far better.

“I’ve kept the stove warm as you requested Cassie.” Rosa says when our embrace eventually relaxes.

“Thank you, my Lady.” She kisses her again.

While I scoop up the sword from the ground the gals lead the way back into the house. Just before entering Rosa turns and blows a kiss into the darkness where Danae had disappeared. I enter behind them, lock the outside world away, then lean the strange weapon against the wall beside where Cassie had set her things. Arm in arm in arm the three of us retire to the kitchen.

Cassie cooks, aided by Rosa and I when she asked for it, and as she does so she begins to move and rearrange things to her liking. For the first time in her life, at least until we left this place, Cassie had her own kitchen to command. Not her mother’s or grandmother’s or anybody elses, hers. Her joy in taking her place as mater familias of our household makes my heart feel good. I looked forward to providing her a kitchen again in the future. One we would have earned.

In the welcome heat of the stove the three of us share wine and talk and companionship. Avoiding the unpleasantness of the previous night we speak of other things. We talk about the good times of the past two months. We share laughter, much needed laughter, at Cassie and I’s first meeting in the river where a trouble making slave made it look as if her master was hung like a horse. This naturally shifts to talk about Cassie’s family. In Cassie’s voice we hear her love for her kin and the regret at how she’d been cut away from them. We hear about the bitter argument where things had been said on both sides that left the relationship in tatters and her bond to them severed completely. The topic was sensitive, the pain still deep and fresh, but Rosa and I are there for her every time the emotions become too much. Yet she also talks about her genuine excitement at moving forward as her own woman among a family who accepted her as she was. Of the three of us Cassie was the most eager to set off on our fresh adventure. We speak of the future; of our trip to town, of preparations, of how long we ought to wait, and of possible destinations. And, of course, we talk about our daughter whom already had three loving and devoted parents who could not wait to meet her.

With the kitchen smelling ever more delicious eventually our conversation turns to our friend Collywaddle. She’d lost her beloved master and lover. Right now she in Grumentum, alone and grieving. As a group we dedicate tomorrow to finding her and ensuring that she would be looked after in Aristocles’ absence.

“I hope she is bequeathed to Cal or Max.” I say. “They would look after her well.”

“More likely to his family.” Cassie says. “Perhaps Lydia would take her back.”

“No. There was a reason she sold Colly. She would not want her back.”

“She may be sold at market.” Rosa whispers as a haunted look passes over her.

For a time her words hang heavy in the air. Perhaps Colly would find a good master like Rosa did, or perhaps she would get a cruel one like Toke.

“I know we need the money for our trip and our future.” I say. “But…if Colly is for sale…”

“I’d rather not leave her fate to chance.” Rosa says.

“I could pick up piece work while we travel.” I say. “It would slow us down but…hmm.”

“We had nothing to come here with.” Rosa says, picking up on what I was saying. “And we did fine.”

‘Fine’ was an interesting choice of word, but I caught her point. “With what we’ve already got it should be enough and still leave us a little. Assuming nobody bids her up.”

I look to Cassie. “You said you brought my pay with you?”

“Mmm.” She nods. “Father gave me your share. Its in a bundle at the top of my pack.”

“Hold on.” I hurry back out to the entry way and find the leather wrapped bundle in Cassie’s pack. Back in the light of the kitchen I begin to unwrap it. “I told the boys that I’d chip in for…”

My voice cuts off as I catch the glint off of the neat row of tightly packed coins. Leaning in toward the nearest lamp I squint and press my thumbnail against the edge of the coins.

“What’s wrong?” Cassie asks. “Don’t tell me that Dad stiffed you! That son of a…”

“Cassie.” I say in disbelief. “This isn’t silver.”

“What?” She hurries over to my side.

Turning my hand to show her the gleaming butter colored coins. “This isn't denarii, it's aureus! Horatius paid me in gold!”

“Gold?”

“This is far more than he owed me. Far, far more. It would take me years to…” I shake my head. “This isn’t right. There’s enough here to…”

“…be a dowry.” Cassie gasps. “That’s my…my…” Voice cracking she brings a hand to her mouth Cassie and staggers back a step as tears swell in her rich blue eyes. With her first blink he tears begin to roll. “That stubborn…stupid…pig headed…” She shakes her head and sobs, a sob that she’d surely been holding in since the moment she stepped off of her familial land for the last time. “No. Nooo! After what I…said…to him… Why!?” Rosa is at her side just in time for Cassie to break down. Slumping against her Cassie buries her face in Rosa’s shoulder and weeps. “Why would he do that!? Whyyy!?”

Wrapping the coins I set the bundle down and put my arms around them. Nuzzling Cassie’s hair I kiss her and whisper. “Because a father will never not love his daughter. Even when he thinks she’s wrong.”

Chapter 135