Slave Girl: Chapter 74 (Patreon)

Keeping conversation to a minimum so as not to attract attention, on we press along the winding mountain path.  We forgo eating beyond whatever easy forage we found along the trail.  Each step felt more urgent than the last as we got closer and closer to our final destination.  We do come across a fresh mountain spring where we freshen up properly as well as completely slake our thirst.  The brief yet crucial stop breathes new life into us.  The road eventually descends back into the trees and for the latter part of the day we are traveling along a hilly valley between the higher peaks.  Beyond a few tense moments with a curious bear the rest of the day passes without incident. 

Our footfalls are slow and heavy as we crest yet another hill.  There we stop.  In the distance we could make out a few spires of smoke drifting up out of the verdant canopy.

“A town?”  Rosa says with rising hope.

“More like a village I’m guessing.”

“Can we get there tonight?”

“We’ll make it.”  I say.  “Even if you need to ride again.”

A look of iron determination comes over her.  “I can make it Master.”

I was so damn proud of that woman, she had come so far.  Our spirits buoyed we forge ahead.  Evening turns into dusk and we knew that we had to be getting close.  Despite how tired we were we are downright giddy when we see the walls and torchlights of the village ahead.  We laugh and hold hands as our pace quickens, our minds already enjoying the comforts and security of the village ahead.

“Who goes there?”  A voice asks as we approach.  A town guard steps out into the center of the open gate.  Beyond him the trail turns into a earth packed street that leads to a small town square.  There should be a inn somewhere around that square.

“Are we glad to see you!”  I say as I approach the man with my hand extended.

He gives us a once over, his eyes narrow suspiciously.  I couldn’t blame the guy.  We were rough looking and wearing the most ridiculous clothes, from his view we were a couple of wild vagrants coming in on a sparsely traveled trail.  This too could be rectified here.  Surely there would be a general store to purchase proper attire.  We come to a stop a few feet back.

“Greetings.”  My hand still outstretched I say.  “It has been a long road and we could really use…”

“No Amazons.”  He cuts me off gruffly.  “She’s gotta go, and so do you kid.  On your way.”

My heart drops, as does my hand, as the jolt back to civilization proves to be an unpleasant one.  “Sorry?”

He motions to Rosa, his eyes dip for a second down to her crotch.  Unbeknownst to either of us Rosa’s makeshift capelet turned shirt was parted near the bottom leaving a clear view of the bulge at the front of her shorts.  She quickly covers up but it was too late, he had seen the truth.

“Move along.”  He orders us.

“Move along?”  I say.  “Move along!?  Move where?”

“Round the wall, back the way you came, I don’t care.  You’re just not coming in here.”

“No.  No, you don’t understand.”  I say.  “We aren’t beggars, we’ll be no trouble, we have money.”

“Good for you.  Take your coin and move along.”

“Sir.”  I say as politely as my weary mind could muster.  “We’ve come a very long way.  We’ve had a…difficult journey.  This is my slave.  I am a land owner from near Grumentum.”

“I suggest you move on through then.  Sooner you leave here the sooner you get there.”

“But it’s almost dark and…”

“I guess you better get going then, before you lose all light.”

“Sir…it’s not fair.”  I plead with him.  I couldn’t believe this was happening.  “You don’t know what we’ve been through to get here.  You don’t understand.  We just want a dry place to sleep and a warm meal.  That’s all.”

“Listen kid.”  He steps closer and lowers his voice.  “You don’t want to bring her in here.  For both your sake.”  His hard eyes soften with his voice.  “It’s not safe for you here.  Get outta here before you draw any notice.”

“But…”

Rosa lays a gentle hand on my arm and whispers.  “We’re not welcome here Master.”

I look to her and shake my head.  I felt so fucking angry and helpless all at the same time.  We’d worked so hard to get here only to be stopped by this bullshit!?  I wanted to give my Lady a comfortable night.  Who were these people to deny us that simple service?

“It’s not fair.”  I say to her.  “It’s not fair!”

“No.”  Rosa says.  “It’s not.”  She looks at the guard.  “Thank you sir, we are in your debt.”

“Sorry about this Ma’am.”  He nods.  “May Mercury watch over your road ahead.”

“And I hope Janus stands with you at your gate tonight.”  She says with impeccable manners.

“Hurry now.”  He urges us.

“Come on Master.”  She pulls my arm and leads me away.

As we walk around the tall wooden walls of this backwater forest village I am still muttering at the injustice of it.  We didn’t deserve this.  Rosa didn’t deserve this.  Out on the road when it was just her and I it was easy to forget about the ugly side of society.  It isn’t long until we are on the other side the settlement and walking away from it, we find that the road had returned to smooth stones and pavement with smooth ruts along where wagon wheels would roll.

“I think that was where the short cut meets the main road again.”  Rosa says with admirable composure.  “I feel a bit safer already.”

I stop and look back at the village with its comfortable rooms and hot suppers.  “That’s not right.  That’s not right to turn us away.”

“Master.”

“I should report them to the governor.  You are a legal slave.”

“Master.”

“I am a citizen!  They have no right to do this.”

“Master.”

“I’ll…I’ll…”

“Master!”

“What?”

Her eyes motion off to the right side of the road.  I turn my head to see a sign, on that sign were the words: Grumentum: 25 miles.

“25 miles?”  I say, the meaning slowly sinking in.  “25 miles!  We can do that in a day!”

“We’ll get there tomorrow.”  She says with a tired smile.  “And I’ll be a bit more careful when we approach the gates this time around.”  Reaching down she scratches her nuts in a most unladylike way.  “No need to go rousing jealousy among the menfolk.”

I laugh and shake my head, my anger from just a second ago all but gone.  “How do you DO that?”

“Do what Master?”  She bats her eyes.

“Never mind.”  I look around.  “One more night in the bush then.”

“What is one more?”

After the watchman’s warning we put a little distance between us and the village before spotting a still pond just off the road.  We set camp along the shore.  Still being in a fairly untamed area we skip building a fire and simply find a secluded spot where we could hide away and catch some sleep.  We set our belongings to the side.  Rosa peers out over the glassy surface of the lake, the heavens splendor reflected in the dark water.  She stands still and perfectly quiet.  

“Pretty.”  I say as I look over her shoulder at the starry lake, to no answer.  

I leave her in peace with her thoughts and try to feel about for a decent place to rest.  The moment I sit down and rest my back against the trunk of a tree Rosa comes to curl up onto my lap.  I wrap my cloak around her and hold her tight.  She balls up and starts to rock back and forth, it isn’t long before she begins to cry.

“Rosa?”  I whisper.

My Lady only breaks down more.  She was in no state to talk.  She nuzzles into my chest and clings to my body as her weeping turns into heavy sobs.   I couldn’t be sure why she was crying though I heavily suspected.  It wasn’t what happened at the village, it wasn’t the wear and tear of the road, it wasn’t even her striking me.  She had held a brave face for as long as she possibly could, but the terror of our encounter with the harpy had at last come to the surface.  It could only be bottled up for so long.  Monsters were her greatest fear, and with good reason.  A monster had taken her parents from her and her sister while she was still of a very impressionable age, leaving them orphans fending for themselves.  I couldn’t even imagine the horror she must have felt when she found herself alone in the harpy’s lair.

I hold her.  I soothe her.  I stroke her and I kiss her head.  I keep my girl inside of my cloak and inside of my safe loving embrace until she gradually cries herself to sleep.  It is only once I feel her small warm body relax against me and hear her soft deep breath that I close my eyes to find my own slumber.

Chapter 75