Skaia (61 page)

“
Nothing, Master.”

Sitting back in his chair, Thaddeus was not at all sure how to approach this situation. He knew that Skaia had truly intended to kill himself this time.
Had almost succeeded.
“Are you going to try it again?” he asked. Skaia looked at his lap, and remained silent.

“
Skaia, look at me,” he demanded. When Skaia’s tear filled eyes met his, Thaddeus leaned forward. “I don’t want to lose you. Please promise me you won’t try that again.”

Skaia looked down, averting his gaze. “Can you promise you will never make me do such things again?” he whispered.

Thaddeus did not have to ask what Skaia meant. It was obvious enough. He had known Skaia was upset, but he had certainly not anticipated such a reaction as this. Not when Skaia had known his sacrifice was for Glaucus.

“
Yes,” he replied finally. “I promise you. If the dinner tonight did not accomplish my goals, then I will find another way. I will never use you like that again. For any reason. I promise, Skaia.”

Skaia only continued to look at the blood that was dripping slowly from his wrist to his pretty new tunic—and did not speak.

“
Please, Skaia,” Thaddeus tried again. “Promise me.”

The boy took several deep breaths. “If you keep your word… I promise.”

Thaddeus started to argue that he had promised, but stopped himself. “Very well. I’m trusting you, Skaia.” When Skaia did not comment, Thaddeus stood from his chair and pointed to the bedroom. “Now, go lie on the bed for Castor to examine you.”

Skaia had just gotten out of his tunic, and Thaddeus had arranged him on the bed, when Castor limped in. With Phaelas following closely behind.

Sitting beside Skaia’s head, Thaddeus stroked the boy’s hair while Phaelas wiped his injured wrist, and applied the powder that would stop the bleeding. “Shift over, Skaia,” Thaddeus urged softly. “Let Phaelas treat your neck.” Skaia turned his head the minimum that was required, and did not open his eyes. Phaelas was quickly done and started to step aside for Castor.

“
Get me a wet cloth,” Thaddeus requested quietly. Phaelas obeyed and to his amazement, watched as Thaddeus washed the boy’s face, removing the dark smudges that ran from his eyes.

When Phaelas had moved aside, Castor checked Skaia’s anus first, then called for Phaelas to repeat the examination. “To teach him, sir,” he whispered to Thaddeus. When the men were done, Castor sent Phaelas to fetch some medicines, and drew Thaddeus to one side. He started to whisper again, but Thaddeus told him to speak up, so that Skaia should hear, too.

“
The boy is torn, but just a very little. I… I suspect he was tense when he was taken. There is only a little abrasion inside. He should heal quickly, sir. But… but he should not be used anally until he’s well. I mean—if you don’t want him hurt.”

“
Of course, I don’t want him hurt,” Thaddeus declared angrily. But he softened his voice as he faced the bed. “Skaia, do you understand Castor? That you will heal and be fine?”

“
Yes, Master.”
I’ll never be fine…

When Phaelas returned, Castor put the healing cream inside Skaia’s body. “Nothing else is needed, sir,” he said to Thaddeus. “If… if he is just allowed to rest, he really should be alright.” Thaddeus nodded without speaking and Castor left, with Phaelas hurrying to hold his arm.

Thaddeus stroked Skaia’s back gently, and noticed the boy flinched at each touch. But he couldn’t keep his hands away. And, finally, he started to talk.

“
The evening went very well, Skaia. Scipio and Marius were pleased with… everything. Glaucus’ position is almost assured now.” When Skaia remained silent, Thaddeus offered the boy the option to sleep on his pallet.

And watched sadly as Skaia chose to leave his bed.

Nicea looked on as the Romans began to mount their horses. The luggage was already packed in the cart, and he had not been told what to do. So he stood quietly, expecting to walk behind them. But Glaucus looked back and rode towards him. “Get in the cart,” he smiled. “You can’t be expected to walk all the way to Rome.”

Nicea nodded and allowed himself to return the smile. “Thank you, Master.” On the shorter journeys since the Romans bought him, he was often not allowed to ride. He felt grateful to Glaucus.
It’s really true,
he thought.
I am being taken to Rome.
But he dared not believe it completely.

Bessus had said, from the beginning of Nicea’s time with them, that he would be sold to a brothel when they left Greece. Nicea knew that a brothel owner had bid for him when he was auctioned in Thebes. And, after the young Romans had bought him, he had heard them discussing that they would get back much of their money when they sold him. And Glaucus had agreed.

Only in the last month had Glaucus mentioned taking him home. But little had changed in the circumstances of his service. All three men still used him sexually, though Glaucus would not allow them to take him in view of one another. It had been some relief. But not enough to completely assuage his worry. Now that they were leaving Greece though, he began to have real hope.

They stopped for lunch, and Nicea hurried to serve everyone the leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. Again, it was Glaucus who noticed that he did not eat, and told the others to share with him. The guards threw him bits of meat, some of which hit the ground. Nicea picked them up, but did not eat them. Bessus only frowned, and refused to give him anything, though Trestus offered him a slice of choice meat. Glaucus walked to the boy and handed him a piece of bread. Nicea gratefully accepted what he was offered, but never met their eyes to thank them.

When they halted for the night, they decided to sleep in the open rather than set up tents. One of the guards sent Nicea to gather wood for the fire. After his first trip, Bessus called him to get their dinner.

Nicea hesitated, and finally went to Glaucus to kneel. “Please, Master… What am I supposed to get?”

“
Bessus, show him where the breads and dried meats are stored,” Glaucus called out.

“
Why doesn’t he know where they are kept?” Bessus called back, annoyed.

Glaucus did not try to hide his anger. “Because no one has shown him!”

“
Well, he’s your slut now. You do it.”

Nicea’s gaze fell to the ground, and his voice was very low. “I’m sorry, Master Glaucus. I’ll look through the chests in the wagon. I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

But Glaucus would not let it go. “If you won’t show Nicea, Bessus, will you at least show me?”

Bessus glared at Glaucus for a moment, but finally stood. “Come on, whore, I’ll take you.”

Nicea rose silently and followed him. It took Bessus several minutes, sorting through the chests in the wagon, but at last he found the right one. He looked to Nicea. “Can you keep track of it now?” he asked scornfully.

“
Yes, Master. I will. Thank you, sir.”

Thank you, sir.
Bessus suddenly felt the fool. This slave had served them perfectly for all the long months they’d had him. He’d never resisted or complained. Even now, he was apologetic for not knowing something he had no way of knowing. “I’m sorry, Nicea”, he mumbled. “I should not have been so harsh.”

The slave stood silently, his head still bowed, and Bessus turned away. Nicea watched him for just a moment, wondering what had prompted an apology. Then he quickly began to fill plates. After everyone was served, the guards again sent Nicea to look for more wood. And when he came back this time with his arms full, Trestus ordered him to wash the dishes.

It was almost dark now, and Nicea stumbled through the brush to find the small creek he’d seen before. He filled his bucket and came back, kneeling as close to the fire as he dared to wash and dry the dishes. Then he packed them again, and set them in the wagon. He glanced at everyone sitting around the fire, wondering if he should join them. Finally he sank to the ground, leaning against the wagon wheel.

Trestus called him to get the blankets, and he climbed in the wagon and back out, handing each man some bedding. When he was done, Glaucus requested he sit with him.

“
Did you get something to eat Nicea?”

“
No, sir.”

“
Anything to drink?”

“
Yes, sir. Water from the creek.”

“
Is there a spare blanket for you?”

Nicea was trembling with the cold now, and his voice betrayed it. “There is one left in the wagon, sir, if no one else needs it.”

“
Come, let me see you situated.”

Glaucus stood up, and Nicea followed him as he got in the wagon and shifted the chests to one side, finding the relative softness of the tent, and smoothing it out flat. “Lie here,” he said, patting the bed he had made. Nicea obeyed, and Glaucus looked through the food chest, pulling out a small bit of dried meat, and a hard roll. He handed them both to Nicea, and covered him with the remaining blanket.

After he had climbed out of the wagon, Glaucus spoke again. “I promise to see that things are better organized tomorrow. I’m sorry things were so hard for you tonight.”

Nicea looked up. “It is nothing, Master. I am fine.”

Glaucus nodded, and headed back to his friends at the fire. But he vowed things would change, and that Nicea would no longer be responsible for every task. On the way to Greece, everyone had shared in the responsibilities. They could take on some of them again during the trip home.

Thaddeus came into his chambers from dinner and looked at Skaia in the corner. After the fateful dinner party he had not called on the boy to serve at dinners. And he had given Skaia permission to sit anywhere he wanted in their rooms. On the bench. On the bed. Anywhere. Yet still, he would always go to that corner, and kneel quietly with his head down.