Skaia (27 page)

A strange question. Why would Thaddeus care?
“No, sir,” he answered calmly and backed away toward the serving table.

Thaddeus watched him set aside the water bowl and towel before calling him back. “Why haven’t you eaten? That paltry lunch I fed you cannot have lasted all day, especially with all the walking you did.”

Skaia was surprised that Thaddeus would consider his hunger. Slaves were fed only twice a day, though sometimes Castor would provide the masters’ leftovers at mid-day before they spoiled completely. If he was to have an evening meal, he should have eaten by now. Surely Thaddeus didn’t want to hear of how he’d cleaned the rooms and then slept.

Besides, Castor had offered him nothing. He wondered if he was supposed to eat what was left from dinner. Did servers do that? But he was delaying and Thaddeus was beginning to frown. He expressed another truth. “I… I don’t want to eat before I’m whipped, sir. The pain can make me nauseous sometimes.” He thought he sounded stupid and he flushed.
Why had Thaddeus even asked such a thing?

Whatever the reason, Thaddeus seemed satisfied with the answer and asked to have his cup refilled. Skaia followed him when he left the dining room, barely noticing as the house slaves moved in to clear the serving table and the plates the masters left behind.

Instead of turning toward the peristylium and his private quarters, Thaddeus walked through the atrium and into the front garden. Skaia walked behind silently, his foot beginning to hurt again, wondering if he would be whipped outside.

“
Do you know the stars?” Thaddeus asked suddenly.

Stars?
Skaia looked up at the sky. The night was clear and the stars stood out brilliantly against the darkness. “Master Glaucus tried to explain them to me once, sir.”
When we were children.
“But… but I don’t remember.”

“
Come here.” Skaia came closer, and Thaddeus put his arm around the boy’s shoulder, showing him the constellations of Cassiopeia and Andromeda. “Did you have such things in your country?”

Skaia was not comfortable being so close to Thaddeus. He thought his voice was shaky when he answered. “I’m sure they were the same stars, sir, but they were named differently. The North Star was the one my father watched.”

Thaddeus had Skaia point out the North Star, but said nothing else. He finished his wine and threw his cup on the grass. “It’s time for bed.” Skaia followed him to his chambers, still wondering what was happening.

Though Thaddeus had said it was time for bed, he took his seat before his desk and thumbed through various papers. Skaia watched him silently for some time, not sure if he should go to the corner and kneel, go to his pallet—or prepare to be whipped. Finally, he pulled off his tunic and approached the desk. Wanting only that whatever Thaddeus intended to do be over.

Thaddeus looked up almost immediately when he was aware of Skaia’s presence, and his eyes widened in surprise. The slave’s body was lovely. Soft skin, as his father had reminded him. Pale, almost hairless. Slender, light musculature. “What is this?” he finally asked. “Are you offering yourself to me?”

Skaia shook his head, his gaze remaining on the floor.
I will never do that.
“I… I thought you wanted to punish me, sir.”

Thaddeus’ look turned curious. “Did you really think I would sell you today?” he asked.

Skaia blinked away sudden tears. He had put those horrible moments out of his mind; at least, he thought he had. “I… I didn’t know, Master. But it was the only thing I could think of when you took me to a slave market.”

Thaddeus nodded thoughtfully. “My father thinks I’m too harsh with you.”

Skaia startled and looked up. “But… in the dining room, he said he approved of what you did.”

Thaddeus studied the boy’s face.
Hurt. Fear.
“You didn’t hear the whole conversation.”

“
Yes, sir,” Skaia replied automatically. And then dared speak again. “Was… was it so awful, that Glaucus should like me, sir?”

Thaddeus sighed and leaned back in his chair. “My son was much too easy on you, Skaia. He should have been the first one you sucked just as he was the first to fuck you. He should have shared you with his friends, rather than protecting you from them.” Thaddeus paused, wondering how much more he should say. “My father and I both think Glaucus’ feelings went well beyond liking, Skaia. And that would be catastrophic for a young Roman patrician about to enter public life.”

“
Oh.” Followed by a hitch in the boy’s breathing.

With that simple sound, Thaddeus lost all of his sympathy. “Did Glaucus teach you nothing, boy? Not even how to hide your damn feelings?”

Skaia lowered his eyes to the floor.
No—Glaucus never made me hide my feelings. He was my friend…

Thaddeus was talking again, his anger very apparent. “Listen to me, slave. I mean this seriously. Forget my son! While he’s gone, he is nothing to you. I never want to hear his name pass your lips again. Not to me, not to anyone. Is that absolutely clear?”

Forget Glaucus? It wasn’t possible.
Still, Skaia forced himself to answer obediently. “Yes, Master.” Tears filled his eyes again as he thought there was no way he could obey that order.

Thaddeus stared, wondering again at Skaia’s softness. No slave should ever show such emotion—under any circumstance. This boy had learned little of proper behavior from his son. Had certainly not learned he was only a work-beast with a voice.

The tears also made him wonder if Skaia truly cared for his son. Not that it mattered. This attachment would be destroyed. From both sides.

“
Lean against the wall,” he ordered. Skaia obeyed and Thaddeus saw the muscles in the slave’s arms tense when the strap was lifted from the desk. He fought the impulse to offer comfort and instead spoke sternly. “Count.”

The first strike was hard, cutting the skin. Thaddeus was sorry as soon as he saw the blood and deliberately tempered the next nine.

Skaia was not without pain, but he found it bearable now. He kept count, and never cried out. He was surprised when the tenth strike was the end of it. He actually remained where he was, thinking Thaddeus would surely resume the beating.

But Thaddeus came closer, satisfied with what he’d done. He held the strap out to Skaia. “Kiss it and thank me.”

Skaia did as he was told, well used to Thaddeus’ demands by now. He knelt to return the hated strap. When Thaddeus took it, Skaia looked up. “Master, why did you stop?”

Thaddeus shook his head in angry frustration. “You’re talking without permission
again
! Are you absolutely determined to be beaten bloody?”

Apparently so,
Skaia thought as he lowered his head quickly. But he answered softly, “No, Master. I’m sorry.”

“
Get me a wet cloth,” Thaddeus ordered abruptly.

Raising to his feet, Skaia made his way to the washstand and brought the cloth, wondering all the while what it was for. He stood silently, with his head bowed while Thaddeus set the strap on his desk. When he came back, he twisted Skaia around roughly, pulling the cloth from his hands. He felt the boy’s muscles tense beneath his hands. “Relax, fool. I’m just going to wash the blood off your back.” After he’d dropped the bloody cloth carelessly on the floor, he turned Skaia again to face him. “Remove your breechcloth and get in bed.”

Skaia nodded, though it seemed his heart would burst from his chest. He had known this was coming. He didn’t want it and he had no way to stop it. He felt like he understood nothing. Thaddeus had continued his leniency, ending the whipping with only ten strikes of the strap. And now the man would fuck him. He obeyed the orders and tried to blank his face not to show his fear. He had never been good at it… Glaucus had so seldom done anything that frightened him.

Thaddeus put out the candles and all but one of the small lamps before he climbed in bed, too. Roughly, he pulled Skaia over and crushed his lips in a brutal kiss. When he demanded entry, the slave submitted immediately and let him in.

Kissing him for several minutes, Thaddeus engaged the boy’s tongue in the play. Gradually, he ended his brutality, biting at Skaia’s lips almost gently and toying with his nipples, bringing them to hardness and kneading them between his fingers. Gently this time, giving only pleasure. When he reached his hand to Skaia’s groin, the boy was almost fully erect.

“
Handle me, too,” Thaddeus ordered. Skaia slipped down in the bed so he could better reach Thaddeus’ cock. He handled the master gently and cautiously moved his mouth to Thaddeus’ chest. Thaddeus moaned and arched into Skaia’s mouth, then abruptly pushed his head away. “Suck my cock.”

Skaia tried not to think at all as he slipped lower, climbed between Thaddeus thighs, and enveloped the heavy length in his mouth, touching with his tongue and sucking. His hands went to Thaddeus’ scrotum, manipulating the balls gently. Very soon, Thaddeus was thrusting and making his distinct sounds of pleasure. Skaia thought that it would soon be over, that Thaddeus would finish like this. He prayed for it.

But Thaddeus suddenly pulled his cock away. “Turn over now.”

Skaia was terrified, absolutely certain that Thaddeus would hurt him far worse than Glaucus had. But he did not hesitate to assume the correct position, hoping to avoid the man’s utter wrath. He lifted his buttocks in the air and shifted his legs apart, the way Glaucus had instructed him.

“
Hold your ass open,” Thaddeus demanded. Skaia almost cried as he laid his head on the pillow and spread his cheeks wide. Thaddeus looked at the small pucker, so unlike Flavius’ boys; still appearing virginal. He moved his finger to touch it and heard Skaia’s whimper. “Did Castor oil you?” he asked.

Oil? The medicine?
“Yes, Master.”

Thaddeus pushed a single finger inside, and almost groaned with disappointment. “Not enough. And he didn’t loosen you either.”

Skaia almost collapsed at the anger he heard. Only Thaddeus’ arm around his waist kept him in place.

Thaddeus felt for something on the nearby table, awkwardly uncapped the jar with one hand, and then pushed some creamy substance inside Skaia’s body. “I will try not to hurt you,” he said more kindly. “Relax, and work with me.”

Skaia had no idea what that meant, other than not to fight. In spite of his best intentions, he released the hold on his buttocks when he felt the second finger enter, and the pain began to build. But, even through the haze of pain, he realized Thaddeus was not being deliberately hurtful. The master’s fingers were gentle as they worked at the rim of muscles, pushing and pulling.

When Thaddeus pushed even more of the cream inside him, there was no pain at all. It seemed to go on for so long that Skaia actually relaxed and, against all expectations, began to enjoy the sensations. He wondered why Thaddeus did not take him, but certainly he would not complain. The pleasant sensations turned into something else—his belly tingled, his cock grew hard. He
needed.

“
I’m going to enter you now,” Thaddeus said softly, interrupting Skaia’s thoughts. “I’ll be slow. Keep your muscles relaxed.”

Certainly there was fear. But it was mixed with anticipation. With desire.
Oh, Belenus…
Skaia prayed silently.
Help me.

Thaddeus was true to his word. He pushed in slowly, watching as the head of his cock was swallowed. Then, slowly pushed deeper. There was no tearing. The boy’s body opened and adjusted to him. Thaddeus held still for long moments, luxuriating in the warmth that surrounded him so closely. When he started to move again, he watched as Skaia’s flesh clung to him, stretching as if the boy did not want to release him. The sight was intoxicating. He reached around Skaia’s hip, and found the boy’s now flaccid cock. Gently he handled the soft flesh, and stroked it until it grew hard again.

Shifting his angle of penetration, Thaddeus searched for the sensitive spot inside the boy’s body. He knew he had found it when he heard Skaia gasp, felt his body jerk and his cock throb.