Auteurs note: I’ve done some editing fixing the “big wall of text”
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Jake tried to sit up using his good arm, kind of struggling to do so. “Here let me help you” Marius reached out to him, but stopped as Jake flinched. “I promise I won’t hurt you…” A small playful grin came on his lips “…unless of course you want to.” Jake tried to decide if it the joke actually had any truth behind it. He nodded an agreement and was sat up against the bedpost. “So…” Marius pulsing the atmosphere “… how are you feeling?” a day past since Jake woke up in the room. He noticed that beside the bed was the only light, a small table lamp. All windows where either covered up with curtains or just boarded up, letting none too little light in from the outside. “I’m feeling alright.” Marius nodded pleased “Good. I know it’s not the best place to recover, but I hope at least you won’t mind me as company.” He brushed the hair from his eyes, giving view to an eyepatch. The first time Jake saw it he felt kind of disappointed, though not sure why. The events at the party still puzzled him, though he knew for sure Marius was at the center of it all. Michael, Barry… they acted strange, not totally out of character, but as a more enhanced version of their everyday selves. “How did that happen?” Jake just tried to break the silence with conversation, but imminently heard his mom in his head “… don’t be asking people about things they might not be willing to talk about.” He was 3 when she first told him and many more times after. Marius touched the spot where his eye used to be, seemingly lost in thought for a moment. “Funny story actually…”

Marius sat in a corner watching his dad at the desk do his daily routine, reading manifests, taking notes and calculations. Slave trade was a boring job, but there was good money in it. Marius was promised his dad would take him in to the harbor, taking stock of the new shipment coming in from Gaul. “Father? Are you almost done? You promised me to see the new slaves come in.” Claudio just raised his hand to silence his son, making the last few notes. “Alright then, help me store these papers and hand me that box on the self.” Marius exited to help out, like every child would at that age. As fast as he could he did what was asked of him, losing some notes in the process. “Be care full it, I don’t want to lose money just because you are in a hurry to see some ships and slaves.” Marius picked up the notes and placed them on the others, he figured he would sort out the order after they returned. Half way back to his father he remembered he should bring the box, his excitement had him running circles. “Are you done yet goofing around?” Claudius tried to look stern, but had difficulty keeping a straight face. He loved having his youngest child with him. “Now come on I thought you were in a hurry?”

Trying to make a path through the masses in the streets, Claudio led his son towards the docks. Merchants held up their wares hoping to sell them. “Fresh fish, clams and other treasures from the sea.” Marius almost got bumped over as the merchant held his fish up to his father. Claudio pushed the man aside. “Hey, I’m just trying to sell my fresh fish!” Claudio took one look at the fish, a greenish glow shone over the scales and from his gills a clear slime dripped out. “Even if your fish was as fresh as you claim, there is no need to trample over my son.” Marius felt his heart razing as he looked up to the man, expecting he would start a fight over the insult. Tension deflated as soon it came up “3 fish for 2 sickle, special onetime offer” The Merchant seemed to prize gold over honor. “Make it 4… of your freshest and you have a deal.” Marius took the fish while his father paid for them, wondering if it would be even worth the money.

A short while later both Marius and his father where standing on the deck of a ship, bargaining again over a prize. “You say they are in good condition, but most of them are underfed and this one looks like she might collapse anytime.” The girl Claudius pointed at looked to be not much younger than his eldest son. “If she’s sick and infects any other of the wares, we will not be able to sell any of them for weeks.” Marius looked at the girl, taking a few steps closer. Under the filth she seemed to be having some handsome features, they had to paint her blond hair red if they wanted to increase the profit even more. Personally Marius didn’t see the reason why the whole city favored red hair, as the color looked unnatural with the darkened skin most had. “For those five I’ll pay the normal prize.” Claudio pointed at a few more slaves “those I’ll pay one third, the rest half.” The captain rubbed his chin, thinking of what was said. “two-third and half.” Marius knew his father lived for the bargain and in the end would get the right prize. His attention was caught by the blond haired girl once again. She twisted the chains on her wrists, trying to ease the strain. Her white skin show signs of a beating, a few whiplashes on her back, a bruise here and there. “What did she earn a beating for?” His child voice was not heard over the noisy atmosphere of both harbor and ship. “What did she do to earn a beating?” This time one of the crew noticed his question. The man walked up to Marius looking first at the chained girl then the free boy. “Despite her looks, a spirited one that girl is.” He rubbed his crotch, then after remembering a painful incident his jaw. “We had to teach her a lesson, had to make her remember a couple of times as well.” He eyed her up and down once again “To bad we selling these slaves, guess we will have to turn on your ass again swabby!” A young man on the other end of the deck sunk his head. “Ahh we know you like it”. Others started laughing. “Have you had the pleasure of sharing the bed already?” Marius was caught off guard by the question “Well? Did you?” the boy shook his head cautiously. “Want me to show you how it’s done?” Not waiting for the answer the man whistled at the one he just called swabby and motioned him closer. “You come with me, I’ve got an itch” Marius didn’t know what to do, he looked at his father who was caught up in haggling a prize acceptable to both sides, then he quickly slipped below deck. Once his eyes where adapted to the dim light he saw Swabby on his knees, in front of the other man. His head was bobbing back and forth at the man’s crotch. It took Marius a moment to realize what he actually was doing, as he watched lips going over the shaft. “Oohh Swabby, you know how to use that mouth of you” A groan came from the filled throat. The crewman grasped at Swabby’s head, keeping it in a firm grip. “That bitch had… a tight pussy, but you give… better head.” Sounds of slurps filled the damp air, as Marius took some steps closer, hoping to get a better look at what happened. “Ahh, curiosity got…. the better of… you did it?” The panting words sounded like he was running long lengths. The boy just nodded, not taking his eyes off Swabby’s lips and the hard meat between them. A strange feeling stirred in his loincloth, something he usually felt when he just woken up. The fabric didn’t give much resistance, following the stiffening motion between his legs. A gurgling sound came from the crewman’s mouth, like his breath got caught in his body. “So close… stop… want to enjoy your ass, fill it up.” Swabby didn’t waste time, turned around, getting on hand and knees, sticking his bare ass in the air. Marius could see Swabby’s stiffening flesh bouncing between his legs, dripping pre-cum on the wooden floor. A painfully sigh escaped when his rear was invaded by the turgid lustpole, followed by grunts of pleasure. Cautiously Marius took the last few steps closer, curiosity and lust getting the better of him. Swabby’s head was within reach, looking begging up to Marius, then at his crotch. Slowly the boy extended his hand to the swaying face, his heart thumping on the same rhythm as the sounds of flesh on flesh. He could feel hair briefly contacting with his fingers, as Swabby got pushed forward by the Crewman’s forceful thrusts. Opening his mouth in a silent invitation to be filled again, Swabby kept eying the boy’s crutch in front of him. Finally getting a steady grip on the head Marius pushed his tunic aside, exposing his boyish bulge. “MARIUS! The box, time to pay.” Claudius called for his son, looking around the deck for his son. Marius startled backwards, stumbling over his own feet hurrying up the stairs, picking up the requested from one of the steps. A slight smile on his father’s lips betrayed the satisfaction of a deal gone well “Had fun exploring?”

It always surprised Marius how docile slaves are. Here they were walking two dozen wild folk, as his elder brother always called them, some seemed strong enough to push him and his father out of the way, but none of them even thought about trying to escape. He looked at the blond girl again, his father made her carry the fish. Marius could tell she struggled not to a bite out of one of them, but he guessed the crew on the slaveship beat any free will out of her. Thinking about it, he guessed this could have been for the other as well. Must be terrible to have no free will, will to be free. He knew most of them where trophies out of one war or another, spoils to be sold. One moment you’re living your live in the village you have known your entire live, the next walking in chains in a city you didn’t even knew existed. This is the first time he actually saw these slaves as people not property. His pondering was cut short by his father calling for Obron, who can running as fast as he could from the slave’s quarters behind their villa. “My friend, we have some new ones to be trained.” The elderly man looked at his master with the same expression he always had “Dominus, you honor me far too much. What would the neighbors think if they heard you talk this way to me.” Claudius placed a caring hand on the elderly slave’s shoulder “How could I not call you my friend, you have been in our family’s service for ages. You both raised me and my children… ” Claudius started laughing in his chuckling way “…being the though bull you are, you probably will even raise Marius’ children.” Obron just gave his polite smile to both his master and Marius, than turned to the new slaves with inspecting interest. “Dominus, you brought some fine stock today” his eye caught on the blond girl carrying the fish “well most of them anyway. Did she came free with the fish?” Marius looked at Orbon “How do you mean? She’s not that bad.” Obron just smiled in his ever polite and patient way “Ohh my small dominus, you are just too young to see with a grown man’s eyes. She looks too weak to work the fields, too young to work the men, probably will even come short in the kitchen.” Turning to his master again “I hope you didn’t pay too much for her.” Claudius looked at the girl, a wrinkle between his brows betrayed he was in thought. “Marius, I think are old enough to have your own slave. Since you are the only one who the only one thinking this one is worth more than she seems, you may have her. Obron, clean her up and train her to serve my son.” The Elderly slave just gave a sigh, shaking his head. “Dominus, she’s not worth being his first. There is a really nice Greek Slave boy in the last shipment, he will serve Marius much better.” Claudius held up his hand signing his slave to be silent. “That boy already is sold, besides if Marius resembles his brother and breaks his pet, there will be no harm done.” Memories of the carved up girl flashed though Obron’s mind, a shiver going down his spine. He turned motioning the two dozen slaves to follow him, mumbling slightly under his breath. “Lets hope he takes better care of his first…. pet.”

The naked girl stood in front of Marius and the elderly slave, water dripping down from her hair. Beneath the layer of dirt, she hid more bruises and cuts. Marius felt a lump in his throat, not knowing if it was out of pity or cause this was his first look the bare opposite sex. “Well my little Dominus…“ Obron rubbed his chin “… she’s… well…” turning to boy, placing his reassuring hand on his shoulder “… I bet they will pull away in a few weeks. Then she will look much better for sure.” The old man walked over to the shelves on the far end wall, reaching for a jar of red earth. “At least we can color her hair, it will improve her more to your taste.” Trying to mimic his father’s hand silencing gesture, Marius looked at the shy girl’s hair. “I kind of like it this way, there are too many red heads already.” Obron looked at the young boy “You like the blond hair?” shaking his head he put the jar back “how different you are from both your father and brother”. He opened a chest below the shelfs, took out a slave’s tunic and walked back to the girl. In a tongue Marius did not understand, girl was told to get dressed. “Well little Dominus, this is the best I could do for now. I hope you are pleased.” In front of Marius the girl was uncomfortably standing under his twinkling eyes. “Obron, she is more beautiful I can tell.”

It had been seven moons since Claudius gave Sahar to his son, in which he noticed them both forming an uncommon connection for a master to have with his slaves. Maybe he was wrong to give Marius a girl as his first slave, or even slave at all. He hoped his youngest son would not treat slaves as his eldest was known to do, but this was the total opposite. The slaver watched as the two kids ran across the garden filled with fruit baring trees, they appeared to be chasing each other. It isn’t uncommon to feel some sort of an attraction to a slave, being intimate with them even less uncommon. Claudius gave a deep sigh “He’s still a child, maybe he will grow out of this phase” he said to himself. “Dominus, you said something?” Obron walked into the room, startling his master out of his thoughts. “Erm… nothing… nothing” he noticed the look on Obron’s face “you have a message for me?” The slave shifted his weight from one foot to the other “It’s Tanor, he will be back before night’s fall.” Claudius let the words echo in his mind before looking out to the garden again. “Did the battle chance him for the better? More discipline?” The silence from Obron was more the answer he needed. “O well, he might surprise us. Make preparations for his arrival.” With just a nod the slave sped away.

Marius watched his father talking to Tanor “The legion has done well to your appearance, just look at those arms.” Tanor flexed his muscles for his father, enjoying the attention he got out of it. “Twenty-six moons carrying all you own on your back does that to a man father… “Turning his eyes upon his little brother “… maybe it would even do wonders for the little pup as well.” Marius scoffed a bit “I have muscles, I’m just not pushing it in everyone’s face.” Tanor let out a roaring laugh, fitting his new feature. “Relax pup, just pocking fun at you. No need to feel envious, you will grow in time. “Flexing his muscles once again. “Not as big as these of course.” A second roar escaped from his lungs. “Don’t pick on your little brother.” Claudius placed his hand on the muscular shoulder, gently squeezing it’s mass. Tanor was about to say something as Obron entered the large room followed by Sahar and three other slaves carrying platers of various steaming foods. “My Dominus, a feast for your son’s return.” As Sahar placed her plater on the table, Tanor eyed her up and down. “Well, well, well, what have we here? We have a new slave?” Marius was quick to pipe up “Father gave her to me to take care of.” The eldest son didn’t take his eye of Sahar, while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Did he now? And how does she serve you?” a short chuckle paused his questioning “… does she warm your bed?” A red blush appeared on Mariuss’ cheek “She had her own bed.” The candlelight gave an eerie glow to Tanor’s eye. “Does she now? Isn’t that too much honor for a slave, especially one as new as this one?” Claudius sensed the shifting mood “If he likes to pamper his slave, he can. I didn’t judge the way you handled yours did I?” A slight smile came on Tanor’s lips “I guess you didn’t.” Turning to Marius “Make sure your slave doesn’t get used to much luxury. Dogs often bite the hand which feed them.”

An uneasy feeling kept Marius away from his sleep, his brother’s words kept repeating in his head. Trying to get a comfy position he turned on his other side, like he did before to more time he could count. It was no secret what his brother did to the slaves father gave him. He treated them as new toys till he got bored with them, after he just threw them aside. Which in his case means most of them never lived to serve another master. Father persuaded him to sell the last ones before he left with the legion, but it had been a close call. Finally Marius started to drift away into a shallow sleep, the waking thoughts turning in to a nightmare haunting him. Marius saw Tanor looming over Sahar, bursting in his abnormal muscles. His roaring laugh trembling the ground, rend it into small islands drifting on red hot magma. The island he was on floated away from that of Sahar’s. A scream as her clothes where ripped of her body by Tanor’s enormous hands. The sounds of her pleading got lauder and lauder with every second. With a shock Marius woke up to muffled sounds of deep moaning. Quickly making sure he was not surrounded by magma, he jumped out of bed. Still disoriented from his sleep, he tried to pinpoint where the sounds where coming from, a second shock went through him as he noticed the origin was the slave’s quarters. As he got closer to the door separating the main villa from where Obron and Sahar slept, he heard a girl softly cry and plead for someone to stop. Marius started running, only to be stopped in his tracks by what he saw as soon he entered the room. On the bed was Tanor, sweat flowing down his muscular body. His hips thrusting hard and relentless onto Sahar. Her face was bruised, blood trickling from her mouth and nose. “Yeah, you like it rough don’t you” Tanor thrusts forced a deep grunt from her lungs, only muffled by the iron grip he had on her throat. “Please, I no breath. You hurting…” A loud slap cut her short “I already told you to shut up. Marius might like barking dogs, but I’m not him.” Another slap was heard, joined by the sound of bone breaking. Blood splattered from Sahar’s nose onto the leg of the big brute. “Now look what you have done!” With a rude motion he pulled his pole out of her, grabbing the girl at the hair. “Clean it up bitch” with long strokes he wiped the blond locks over the bloodied leg. “Now that’s better” Noticing the blood on his stiff member, he pulled her face towards it. “Might as well clean this two.” Forcing himself into her mouth he first gave a deep grunt, then as Sahar put her teeth in to the flesh, he started shouting on the top of his lungs. “BITCH!!!” With a quick movement he placed his fist on the side of her head, another landed in her stomach. Where first his member stood up with pride in full length, now it started to slightly shrink. “YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!!” He turned to the pile of clothes beside the bed, pulling a dagger from it. “I will gut you from your pussy to your neck.” As he stepped closer Marius jumped on to his back. “TANOR, SHE’S MINE!! DON’T HURT HER!!” Surprised he made a few steps away from Sahar, dropping his dagger to the ground. “Well look who grew a pair.” Tanor easily plucked his little brother from his back and held him up by his neck. “She needs punishment for what she did to me.” Pointing at his crutch. Marius saw two dents in the flesh, blood dripping from the sides on to the ground. Before he could object a second time, Tanor threw his little brother across the room. With a loud crash Marius landed headfirst into a small cupboard, shattering the wood on impact. His vision partly clouded he sat up, trying to shake the disorientation away. Next thing he saw was Sahar standing between him and his brother, the dagger grasped in her fist “YOU NO HURT MARI, YOU NO HURT ANY!” With more luck then skill she trusted the sharp metal into the side of Tanor’s abdomen. Grasping the wound he fell on his knees, feeling the blade on his throat. A gurgling sound was heard as the blood flowed down his chest on to the ground. Slowly sinking forward the sound of his attempted breathing grew silent. Sahar turned to where Marius sat, a small piece of wood could be seen sticking out of his eyesocket. Sitting next to her master, she cradled his body. “Ooh me pore Mari, all be good” Soft sobbing filled the room just as Claudius ran in. “All be good now”

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