Skaia (84 page)

Nicea shook his head, still not looking up. “No, Master.”

“
I’m sorry,” Abrahm whispered. “I thought he had. I thought that he’d left us alone so we could talk.” He dropped Nicea’s hands.

“
It… it is alright, sir. I was… was just surprised. I am not distressed.”
Fool,
Nicea thought.
I must sound like a fool.

Abrahm smiled at him. “We should wait to talk further until Thaddeus gets here.”

Nicea nodded, and stepped back to continue massaging Abrahm’s back. Thaddeus joined them soon after, and Abrahm grinned. “You should have told me you hadn’t talked with the boy, Thaddeus. I’ve scared him half to death.”

Thaddeus looked at Nicea. “I didn’t think you would object,” he said critically. But he noticed Nicea’s brief look of devastation before his face cleared again. “I’m sorry. I should have told you,” he said more kindly.

Nicea bowed his head a little in acknowledgment of the apology, and then dared question. “Does this mean you will be keeping Skaia, sir?”

“
The two are not related, Nicea,” Thaddeus replied softly. “But yes, I will keep Skaia.”

Nicea was about to express his gratitude, when he felt a hand tracing his spine and cupping his buttock. He turned his head and looked at Abrahm, taking in every detail.

An older man, not physically attractive. Very tall, even towering above Thaddeus. Frizzy graying hair, which hung down his back. And a beard that was even more gray, hanging down his chest. He had strong, regular features, and deep brown eyes that seemed to pierce Nicea’s soul. The boy stared into them for just a moment before dropping his gaze.
This man will consume me.
The thought terrified him, but if it meant that Skaia would be safe…

Abrahm’s voice was deep and very masculine. “So, you would not be averse to belonging to me?”

Nicea’s voice was as light and soft as Abrahm’s was not. “Not if it is your will, sir,” he answered, and then turned to face Thaddeus. “And yours also, Master.”

Thaddeus’ voice was soft also, not so much as Nicea’s, but gentle and caring in its tone. “I only wish you a good life, Nicea. And I know Abrahm will value you, and treat you well.”

Nicea bowed his head again. “Thank you, sir. I will serve Master Abrahm the very best I can.”

“
Then it is done. You will go home with Abrahm today.”

When Nicea raised his head, there were tears in his eyes, which shocked Thaddeus. This boy never showed emotion. “Are you sure you want to go?” he asked in concern.

“
Yes, Master Thaddeus,” Nicea assured him, carefully wiping the emotion from his face. It was a lie, but after so many years of lying to so many masters, he trusted he gave nothing away.

Thaddeus nodded slowly, and turned to Abrahm. “I will send his papers to you in the morning. And his flute.”

Nicea climbed from the pool when told to do so, and watched as the two men completed their bath. And when they went back to the changing room, he stayed close to Abrahm, though he would, from time to time, glance at Thaddeus.

Abrahm’s litter was brought, and the tall, gaunt man invited his new slave to ride as well. Nicea’s heart raced with trepidation as he climbed in, and he fought not to show it, managing a small smile when Abrahm looked across at him.

Thaddeus watched them leave, and murmured a prayer to his father and to Lucius, to watch out for the slave boy. He hoped he’d done the right thing…

Then, turning away, he walked home alone.

After Skaia had done the little maintenance required in the gardens, he’d watched as Thaddeus and Nicea left the domus together. Their routine had not changed—Thaddeus still took Nicea out almost every day. Sighing now, he went to Phaelas to ask for work, as had also become customary in the afternoons.

Phaelas was more careful about the tasks he assigned to Skaia, definitely not wanting to upset Castor again. “I hadn’t expected to have you at my disposal so often,” he said, taking a moment to consider. “I suppose we should start clearing out the storerooms. Start with the main room downstairs. Pull everything from the walls and clean behind the shelves of supplies. I’ll send Gotus to help you when he’s through with his duties in the atrium.”

Skaia didn’t argue. Whatever the work entailed, it would be better than cleaning sponges, or the interiors of the privies.

After several hours of shifting heavy sacks and storage chests, and twisting one of his legs awkwardly, he began to think he was wrong. And eyed the dead vermin and piles of dust and dirt he’d exposed with disgust.

When Gotus showed up, he smiled for the first time since starting his work. “What do I do with this?” he asked, pointing to a dead rat. “How do I get rid of it?”

“
Such a pampered little pretty boy,” Gotus mocked. “I’ll get buckets, and then we’ll dump everything in the sewer.”

“
I’m not pampered, Gotus,” Skaia declared angrily. He pulled cobwebs from his hair and face. “And I’m not pretty, either.”

Gotus grinned mischievously. “The dirt can’t destroy your looks,” he laughed. But when he realized Skaia was on the verge of tears, he moved closer to hug him.

“
I don’t know what Thaddeus is doing with Nicea,” Gotus said seriously. “But it’s definitely not because the Greek is prettier than you.” He pulled back and looked at Skaia. “Well, perhaps it is at the moment,” he teased. “You’ve got webs in your hair, dirt on your clothes and face. Even your fingernails are grubby.” Gotus smiled again. “Just sweep everything into piles. I’ll go for buckets.”

The work was easier with Gotus there. They each filled two buckets at a time and took them to the sewer opening, where the water flowed fast enough that everything they poured in disappeared almost instantly.

“
Where does it go?” Skaia asked.

“
Castor told me it flowed into the Tiber.”

“
The river must be filthy.”

“
Not our problem,” Gotus smiled. “Let’s go for more.”

With the mess cleared from the room, Skaia and Gotus set about rearranging the tall shelving units. “This makes me afraid of what we eat,” Skaia commented. “Rats have obviously been in the bags of beans and cereals.”

Gotus shook his head. “Phaelas soaks everything carefully. After all, he eats the same things we do.”

“
But not the masters.”

Nodding at this accurate remark, Gotus sank down to sit on the newly cleaned floor. “Do you know what Thaddeus is doing with Nicea?” he asked. From the perspective of the other slaves, it certainly appeared that Nicea had become the master’s favorite. Most of them found it amusing—but Gotus worried for Skaia.

“
I’m not sure. In his rooms, he treats us much the same.”
Except he sleeps with Nicea.
Skaia hesitated to voice his worries. “But I fear that, since both Master Glaucus and Master Thaddeus have so little use for me… that I will be sold away.”

“
Nicea cannot care for the old master’s gardens,” Gotus objected. “Thaddeus needs you for that.” At least, he sincerely hoped so.

Tears came as Skaia shook his head slowly. “Nicea becomes more and more proficient. And he knows how to play the flute,” he argued.

Gotus could think of nothing to say. The entire household had come to enjoy Nicea’s music. Frequently, Nicea was not even called to serve at dinners… he played while the family ate.

“
Let’s go. We’re done here,” he said finally. “And we both need to wash before Phaelas will feed us.”

Skaia was hobbling when he returned to Thaddeus’ rooms—and he looked forward to falling on his pallet.

But Thaddeus called him almost at once, with the intention of having Skaia serve at dinner. He was dismayed to see the boy limp, and to read the fatigue on his face. “What happened to you?” he asked irritably.

I cleaned a filthy storeroom and twisted my knee,
Skaia almost answered tartly. Somehow though, he managed to control his anger, and spoke civilly. “Phaelas set me and Gotus to cleaning out the underground storerooms, sir. It… it was harder work than we anticipated.”

Wonderful,
Thaddeus thought.
I finally have another opportunity to be alone with him, and he’s ready to fall down in exhaustion.
“Take one of the pallets to the slave quarters, and then rest. I’ll see you later,” he instructed tersely.

Skaia looked up. “What has happened? Will you…” He stopped talking, his heart hammering.
Am I being dismissed?

“
Just rest, Skaia. I’ll talk to you about it later.”

Picking up his pallet, Skaia carried it upstairs. His legs were trembling, and tears were threatening, but he blinked them away, renewing his vow not to cry again.
If Thaddeus doesn’t want me, at least Nicea will be alright.
He thought of what Nicea had said that first night, that he didn’t need love.
That would be far more acceptable to Thaddeus…

Slipping into the slaves’ quarters quietly, Skaia made his way to the men’s section where he rolled out his pallet in the furthest corner, and curled himself up tightly on it.

Glaucus was talking with Thaddia about Gallia’s visit, and they both looked at their father when he entered the dining room. Crassus and Kaleel had been talking quietly, but stopped.

Kaleel walked to the serving table, and looked around worriedly when Nicea did not come. Glaucus was the first to ask where he was, but Thaddeus reclined on his couch before answering his son’s question.

“
Nicea went to a new home today.” He looked at Kaleel. “Please go to the kitchen and tell Phaelas to send someone to help you.”