Slave Girl 2: Chapter 111 (Patreon)

The girls’ laughter fades and we settle into a quiet, solemn moment in each other’s arms.  And there among the roots of the old cypress something truly magical happens.  A shift subtle yet profound.  Our bond as partners, lovers and friends becomes something more.  Forged by the shared love of our unborn child and the obligation we now held to her and each other Rosa, Cassie, and I become a family.  We all felt it.  We all shared it.  And we are all humbled by it in our own way.  Simultaneously each of us was bigger and smaller.  Bigger because our new purpose was so much grander than the mere sum of its parts and smaller by the knowledge that we were each but one piece in the greater whole.  Our lives had, in an instant, become so much more complex yet also simpler.  Each of our individual dreams and goals were now but a piece in a higher combined purpose, none of them secondary nor primary but an equal tile in a larger mosaic.  Even our regal Lady now had a higher authority that she must submit to.  Each of us looking from one to the other we bask in this surreal moment where three became one.

It was Danae snuffling her pointy snout into our embrace as if to say ‘Don’t forget about me!’ that breaks us out of the spiritual to bring us back to this world of roots and rocks and earth once again.  We chuckle as Rosa scratches between the fox’s ears.  “Don’t worry little sister.  We won’t leave without you.”

We relax back, Cassie at my side with her back against the tree with Rosa still curled up on our shared lap, and let out a collective breath.  After a moment of peaceful tranquility watching the nymphs play among the canopy Cassie gives words the question on all of our minds.  “Now what?”

“We bring in the harvest.  Finish our training.  Have the ball.”  I close my eyes and sigh.  “And I give Toke the fight I promised him.  Then we can leave.”

Both women tense at the mention of the battle to come.  It had become something of a taboo topic among us as none of us enjoyed thinking about the northman’s insane ultimatum.  More so as he had become a friend to our small circle and somebody quite special to Colly.

“Fuck Toke.”  Cassie says at last.  “If he wants to die a fool, let him.”

“He wants to die a warrior.  On his own terms.”  I say as I open my eyes again to stare at the green leaves above.  “In these past weeks of honest living I’ve seen the fire return to his eyes.  I’ve seen joy return to a man who had no hope.  Death or to live his waning years as a ruffian’s slave?  What kind of choice is that for a man like him?”

“A choice he doesn’t need to make.  Why hasn’t he escaped?”  Cassie says.  “It’s not like our security is that great.  He wouldn’t be the first slave we’d lost.  Dad would be upset but he’d manage.”

“I don’t know Cassie.  I cannot see into the man’s heart.”

Rosa lays her head down on my chest and pets my arm.  “I spoke to him about Aristocles finding a way to purchase him.  He and Collywaddle have grown close to him.  I am sure they would be amenable to some sort of arrangement when they could afford it.”  She says softly.  “The stubborn man wouldn’t even hear me out.”

“He wants the battle.  He needs it.”  I say.  “One final test against a worthy foe.  As a Roman I am his enemy, whether I like it or not.  This is about more than life and death.  It’s about…I don’t know.  Honor?”  I hug Rosa close.  “I’ve heard him praying to his god Odin.  He is making peace with this world.  He intends to win our fight.  And I will not deny him an honest victory or defeat.”

“Men!”  Cassie scoffs.

“Indeed.”  I say, not even trying to explain it to her.

“We should tell him that we’re leaving.”  Cassie offers.  “He could come with us!  Take us to his people.  We have no destination yet.  Maybe…”

“I don’t think he would want to return even if he could.”  I shake my head.  “To face his kin after all these years?  No.  He would face an army of angry Gauls before he faced his own tribe.  His bravery has its limits.”

“Sometimes you can’t go home again.”  Rosa whispers.  “No matter how much you might dream of it.”

“Besides.  To be blunt.  I like him and I respect him but I do not trust him.”  I say.  “I do not know who we are going to tell about our departure, but he would not be on my list.”

“Of our child we tell nobody.  Of our move I believe that we ought to tell as few people as possible.  If word got back to Lydia…I am not so sure she would let me out of her sphere of influence so easily knowing what she knows.  To say nothing of others.”  Rosa says.  “The cleaner the break the quicker and better it mends.  To all except our dearest and closest we should simply…disappear.”

“Dearest and closest.”  Cassie grips my arm and lays her head on my shoulder.  “My family will not understand.  They will not approve of this.”

“They would be barking mad if they did.  Me and my demon swoop in and whisk their daughter away for an uncertain future in a far off land?”  I say.  “If I were Horatius I would chase Rosa and I from the province with torches and pitchforks.”  I ponder for a time.  “I would prefer to tell them.  Cas and Horatius deserve that.  Perhaps just before we go?”

“They like you Quin, they really do, but they may try to stop us.”  She says.  “Me at least.”  She hugs to my arm tighter.  “I don’t know what to do.”

“It’s a risk.”  Rosa says, taking Cassie’s hand and holding it tight.  “They are your parents and you know them best.  We will support your decision whatever it is.”

Cassie bring Rosa’s hand to her lips to kiss it.  “Thank you.  Let me think about it.”

“Of course.”

I take a long deep breath then squeeze my beautiful ladies in a great big hug, Danae included.  “We’ve all got a lot of thinking to do.”  I kiss Rosa’s head and then Cassie’s.  “In the meantime, I’ve got work to do.  OOF!”  I grunt as Cassie jams a sharp elbow into my lower ribs.

“Work!?”  Cassie exclaims even as Rosa rubs my hurting side.  “You’re thinking about the fields at time like this!?”

“Hey.  I’m still employed by your father, aren’t I?”  I say.  “I can tell you that it’s going to be hardest thing I’ve ever done to not tell everyone the good news.”

Rosa beams and kisses my chin.  “I know!  I want to shout it from the treetops.”

I look up.  “I think we can trust the nymphs.  I say go for it.”

The three of us laugh and kisses are shared all around.  As I sit and watch Cassie and Rosa share a loving smooch as Rosa’s soft ass presses hard against my snugly caged manhood an idea strikes me.

“My Lady?”  I ask in the voice of the submissive me.

Rosa sits up, her Ladyness coming over her like a fine robe.  “Yes my boy?”

“I know you said that we should wait until after it all.”  I say.  “And I do not question your wisdom.  But…perhaps…we have something worth celebrating tonight?”

Cassie’s eyes flare wide as my meaning sinks in.  “The boy wants out of his cage.”  She smiles.  “Naughty thing.”

“No.”  I say right back, expecting the comment.  “No my Lady.  I would ask permission to remain bound.  I find the focus and drive that my denial gives me would be valuable in my battle to come.”  Leaning in I kiss Cassie’s cheek.  “But there is no reason Miss Cassie has to see it through.”  I nip at her cheek.  “Unless you’re still waiting for marriage that is.”

“Oh!”  Peeps Cassie before she looks to Rosa.

“Oh!”  Peeps Rosa before she turns to Cassie.

“Yark!”  Barks Danae before scampering off to disappear into the undergrowth.

I laugh and hug them again and give them each a kiss.

“Think about it my Lady.  While you’re thinking about everything else.”  I let out a hard breath as my imagination begins to form an image of my Lady and my Miss together in our bed tonight with their loyal boy kneeling at their side.  Gods what a sight!  “I know I will be!”  We get to our feet and I brush my Lady’s dress clean of dirt and bark.  I take Rosa in my arms for an extra special, extra tender kiss.  “Thank you.”

She giggles and nuzzles against my chest.  “I love you baby.  I was scared and now I’m not.”  She lets out a long breath.  “My hero yet again.”

Behind her Cassie beams and softly strokes her back.  Again we kiss.

“Okay.  Gotta go.”  I say as I reluctantly slip from their arms to start back to work.  Turning around and walking backwards I say.  “Think about it?”

Rosa laughs.  “I will my boy.  I will.”  Rosa laughs.  “Now get!  Go make us some money!”

“Ha ha!  Yes my Lady!”

The whole way back to my crew I felt as if I had wings.  I was going to be a dad!  AAAAHHH!  I’d never felt a joy like this.  As I near my hard working men I do what I can to contain myself, though the lively pep in my step could only be muted so much.

Oeneus is the first to spot me.  As I near I give him a cheery way and say.  “Nothing to worry about.  Rosa just got lost in the woods.”

Oeneus looks around at the others who stop their work to watch me approach then back to me.  “I TOLD you!  I KNEW it!”

“No way!”  Gyasi buries his face in his palm and laughs as beside him Lucas gives me a hard scowl.

“The nerve of this guy!”  Chortles Quique while behind him Toke just rolls his eyes and does his smiling without actually smiling thing he did.

“What?”  I say.

“You son of a bitch.”  Julian points at me.  “You LUCKY son of a bitch!”

“Huh?”

“We’re out here busting our ass and you’re sneaking off to get some!”  He exclaims.  “With the two hottest girls in the valley!?  Gods it ain’t fair!  It ain’t fair!”

“It’s good to be the boss.”  Quips Quique.

“Wait.  You thought I…?”  I say, aghast.  “I did not!’

“OHHHH!”  They all hoot in unison as if I’d just confessed to everything their perverted minds could conjure.

Despite my most fervent denials not one of them believe me and for the rest of the day I am teased without end for what didn’t happen.  I didn’t mind one little bit.  Our good humored ribbing and laughter matched my soaring spirit and just made it that much easier to hide the happy truth.  Our jocular voices ring out across the ever shrinking expanse of amber grain that stretched out in front of us.  Fields that I now looked on as the sinking sands of an hourglass.  A tangible representation of the time I had left in this wholesome valley.  I was going to miss these fields.  I was going to miss this life.  A life I’d only gotten the briefest taste of.  And as I look about at my smiling and joking crew…damn.  I was going to miss them too.  But, like stubborn Toke, my mind was set and my heart at peace.  I would enjoy these blessings while I had them but I would not look back once we’d moved on.

Chapter 112