Slave Girl 2: Chapter 113 (Patreon)

To my great surprise, and Toke’s even greater one, Cassie steps to my side then proceeds to shove her way between and force our instructor over the past month and a half back a step.  Both of us look down confused on her as she now stood between us with the energy of a loyal guard defending its master.  Cassie goes to shove him again, aiming for his chest, but ready for it now he easily deflects the push.

Undeterred she jabs a finger into his pec instead.  “You bastard!”

“Cassie…”  I say in a low voice as around us the men stood baffled at the outburst.  Among the others only Gyasi knew of the contest coming between Toke and I and he was the only one now who didn’t look utterly perplexed by the scene unfolding.  If anything, I swear I see a little smirk on him as his archery protege gives our trainer a piece of her mind.

“No!”  She barks and pushes my hand away as I try to pull her back.  Stepping in on Toke again so that her bound bosom thumped against his stomach she glares up at him.  “You bastard.  After all he’s done for you.  You still mean to go through with this madness!?”

“This is not your concern, Roman.”  Toke tells her bluntly, his hard glare every bit the match to hers.

“He defends you.  He tries to sympathize with you and understand you.  He’s treated you with nothing but honor and respect.”  She seethes.  “He is THE most compassionate, kind…”

“Cassie.”  I say again, my voice more firm this time.  Softly I lay my hands on her shoulders.  “Please.”

Grinding her teeth she lets out a snort then reluctantly allows me to pull her away.  She wanted to say more, ohhhh how she wanted to say more, but she holds her tongue so as not to undermine my authority as her future husband.  Knowing well how difficult it was for her to submit to male power I am quite touched at the respect it showed from her to show me deference in this public sphere.  I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect spouse.

It was then I noticed that Toke’s hard words, Cassie’s fiery tone, and the rustle of confusion had not gone unnoticed by our silent audience.  Rosa was on her feet, her hands outstretched in front of her.  While she might be half Amazon right now her appearance was pure demon!  Her sharp fangs her bared, her pointed ears tilted back, her chin tucked to let her horns rise higher, and behind her sinuous tail swayed and curled like a hunting serpent.  Most concerning of all however was the glint of eldritch green that I could just make out in her eyes and gradually creeping up the pattern in her horns.  Someone unaccustomed to it would have easily mistaken for a trick of the dapple light but I knew it for what it was.  I didn’t know in what way but she was tapping magic!

“Everyone calm down!”  I call in a booming voice which settles not only my crew but my overprotective Lady as well.  “Everything is okay.”

Lucas is the first to speak.  “What’s going on?”

My gaze meets Toke’s burning glare where our wills meet and begin the battle the would finally conclude tomorrow night.  “You’re sure about this?  No shame in changing your mind Toke.”

He slowly shakes his head no, as I knew he would.  I had tried with him.  In these past weeks I had done everything I could think to do for him to see me as more than my citizenship.  But, as I assessed all that time ago, the man was broken.  He wanted escape and I was his vessel.  As Cassie said, I did sympathize with the old warrior.  I even liked him!  And that is precisely why he chose me.  Because I actually gave a shit.  He knew that our battle had weighed heavily on my conscience and that I would, despite everything, mourn him when he was gone.  He had found himself the perfect enemy.  One to whom he actually mattered.  It saddened me that this bonded brotherhood of hard earned growth and achievement had to end like this, but my patience with Toke had reached its end.

“Toke and I will be doing battle tomorrow.”  I announce.  “For real this time.  You are all free to come watch.”

“No.”  Toke says.  “Just you and I.”

In just the way he did to me I shake my head no.  “No.  You have no power here, old man.”  His blue eyes narrow with rage at my insult, even more so at me wresting control of this situation away from him.  It was a rage I welcomed.  Our war had been waged.  For one full day he would be my enemy.  “Tomorrow night when Hercules is high in the South.”

A murmur runs through my crew as behind me I feel Cassie step close and lay her hands on my back in silent support.  “For real?”  Julian asks as he looks back and forth between our unwavering glares.  “So that’s why he’s trained you so much harder.”

“Yes.  He wanted his last foe to be a worthy one.”

“Last foe?”  Quique exclaims.  “This is to the death!?”

“No.”  I say.  “Until one of us can no longer fight.”  In a graver tone I add.  “Though death looms depending on the outcome.”  I look about to my crew.  “Nobody will speak of this beforehand.  Nobody will interfere.  Nobody will try to stop the fight or what happens after.  Understood?”

Again they mutter among themselves.  They were still unclear on what exactly was happening but through the respect Toke and I had earned in their eyes they agree to my order.

“This won’t work.”  Toke says.  “This game you’re playing won’t stop what’s coming.”

“Playing games is your specialty, not mine.  And I don’t want them to stop it.”  I say.  “I want them to witness.”  I look to Rosa.  “Rosa.  Could you go to town with Cassie tomorrow and see if Collywaddle is available?”

“Um…yes Master.”  Rosa bows.

“What are you playing at, welp?”  My foe hisses.

“You call me Master Quintus, slave.”  I say flatly as anger burns hot in his cold blue eyes.  “You once told me that I was the type of man who needed a purpose in order to bring out the best in me.  I believe that is the same with you.  And I want to defeat you at your best.  Since your life means so little to you then you will fight for pride.  What greater humiliation than to fall, once more, to a Roman’s hand.”

“Revenge is the only fuel I need.”  He growls, his shaking fists clenched tight at his sides.  “Roman.”

“Too easy.”  I say.  “I’m not going to make this easy for you Toke.  If you win the death that you so long for I want you to see the tears in your lover’s eyes and hear her lamentations.  Have you the courage for that, berserker?”

His every muscle is taut as he sneers.  “Foolishness!  This is foolishness!”

“Agreed!”  I shout.  “Let us call this off and find another way.  I am only your enemy because YOU wish it.”

“No!”  He waves his arm.  “Enough talking!  Send them away!  We do it now!”

My voice steady and controlled I say.  “Are you really so afraid to face a little goblin girl?  I never took you for a coward Toke.”

For a moment his long, lean body tenses.  I recognized now the way his weight settled and stance shifted that he was preparing a kick.  Knowing that he was not about to open his long anticipated final battle with a cheap shot I stand tall, my arms loose at my sides.

Seeing that he could not bait me he takes a step back.  “Very well, Roman…”

In a steel hard tone borrowed from the dominant Peisandros I tell him.  “I told you to call me Master Quintus, slave.”

Burning with a fire that threatened to consume him he grinds his teeth as he says in an eerily low tone.  “Very well, MASTER Quintus.  I will defeat you in front of your people.  In front of your women.  I will sing your downfall in front of them and your cursed gods.”  He stomps the platform.  “Be here tomorrow at midnight and we put an end to this for good.”

“I look forward to it.”  I say as I step into the space that he had just vacated to stare him down.  “Until then…get off of my land!”

Silent tension fills the forest.  There is a moment of real uncertainty as Toke hovered at the edge between honor and anger.  Those around us wait with held breath to see if the northman would keep his word or put down his upstart pupil.  Toke, refusing to take another backward step, strides forward instead…to brush past my shoulder and continue on off of the platform.  There is a collective gasp from the others as Toke leaves both our presence and our fellowship.

Chapter 114