Slave to the Romans

CHAPTER 4

I was being fucked by Dominus in the lioness position, crouching as he mounted me from behind, when the earth moved. The building shook. I was frightened and cried out, saying "What is it?" He pulled out, and turned me round to slap me hard across the cheek. He was already going limp, and I think was frightened himself.

"How dare you speak without permission!"

"O Master?"

"Speak!"

"A thousand apologies. I was frightened. I never knew of such a thing. Do you wish to continue?"

"Not now. You have spoiled it. Tell Luna you are to have five strokes of the cane and she is to tell you about what happened. Anyway a woman's arse is never as good as a man's. I don't know why I bother with anything but your cunt. Now I must check the buildings."

He wiped himself with a towel (showing that he must have been shaken himself) pulled on his loincloth and strode off importantly.

As instructed, I went to Luna. She had to beat me hard enough so that the marks would show to prove that it had been done. Unfortunately with my dark skin this was harder than would be necessary for a light skin. I knew this was a punishment for her as well.

She told me that such shaking of the ground occurred occasionally on this mountain. It usually caused only minor damage, so people were used to it. It had been so for hundreds of years, so people were not frightened. She had something else to tell me as well.

An important man was coming, and as a gift he was being allowed to take my virginity in order to ingratiate Dominus with him for some business.

It was the next day when the man arrived with his wife and a small retinue. She had two slaves, probably sisters, very pretty with red hair and white skin. I thought they must never go outdoors. Of course, I had spent hours getting Domina ready, but with Luna's help, I was also made very presentable and seemed to be appreciated by the guest as I served him wine. Even his wife seemed to approve. She had not said much, but it was clear she was not generally impressed by the household.

"Very pretty, isn't she?" said Dominus eagerly.

"Indeed," said the guest and his wife smiled and nodded.

"And virgo intacta," added Dominus with a smirk. They raised their eyebrows and the guest looked expectant.

"I thought you might care to change that tonight, if you wish," said Dominus.

"Too kind," answered the guest, inclining his head graciously. "What do you call her?"

"Nubia"

The wife snorted. "Nonsense! She's nothing like a Nubian. One of the southern tribes, surely, perhaps from the coast." (She was right.) "Well, let's have a look at her."

Luna came forward and removed my clothes very gracefully. I stood and faced them. They were smiling, and Dominus was grinning as if he would burst. The wife waved her hand round and I turned and heard a gasp.

"Have you been beating her?" enquired the guest in a dangerously pleasant voice.

"Of course!" chortled Dominus, failing to see the danger. "You have to discipline slaves. She spoke without permission yesterday."

"I disagree," said the wife smoothly. "I never have to beat my female slaves. They are all loyal and well-trained. And look at those scars on her buttocks! You really ought to take more care of your possessions, dear." (Which I imagine was directed at Domina.) "Get her dressed, and serving wine."

Then she clapped her hands and said "Girls, show yourselves."

Her slaves must have been used to this for they removed their robes elegantly and turned around slowly in opposite directions, so we could see the unmarked milk-white skin on their lovely young bodies. Smoothly they dressed and took up their positions.

Meanwhile Luna hurried with my tunic, and I took up my place with the wine jug.

The guest spoke.

"I think I will leave this black slave to you. However, if you have a nice boy for tonight that will do."

Dominus indicated Cretus, and the wife raised her eyes to heaven.

"A little old for my taste, and I would not want to rob you of your companion. In fact, I think it might be better if we left soon to get to Pompeii before nightfall. We do thank you for the meal and you hospitality. It has been so nice to get to know you better."

"Delightful," added the wife.

When they had gone, Domina started shrieking at her husband, using some coarse street Latin.

"Do you know what she said to me on the way out? She said she was sorry for me. And I heard her say to her husband that they couldn't expect better from provincials. Provincials! You pigshit husband! I have hardly any possessions and you have to spoil them! You said Nubia was for me, but she was really for you, and you had to scar her! She had two pretty handmaids without a mark on them, and probably more at home. I can never look that woman in the face again, I have been so humiliated."

Once again Dominus showed his lack of judgment by saying "Well, I may as well deflower her now, as he said."

"You will do no such thing! You have already devalued her by marking her: you're not going to halve the price by taking her virginity. We can sell her at next month's slave market and get a new one."

She then began a long whine about how a hard she worked and what a small budget and how few slaves and she never goes anywhere, and so on. Then she suddenly stopped.

"Oh no! Now I understand. He said Cretus was your companion, and she was sorry for me. They think that Cretus fucks you!" I knew this was the deepest possible humiliation for a Roman man. It was considered normal to bugger other men who had no choice - slaves or prisoners. But for a man to allow himself voluntarily to be fucked by another meant he was lower than a woman. The only thing lower was to be fucked by a slave.

She only stopped her tirade because the house shook, and we heard some things breaking. Luna led her away crying. Dominus shouted "Get out of my sight, both of you," so Cretus and I departed.

+ - + - + - + - +

CHAPTER 5

The house shook again later. And again. And then the dust started.

It was annoying at first. Fine grey dust came down out of the sky, and the slaves could not keep up with it. It got into the mouth and eyes and clogged the drains in the street. People said it was being blown from some distant desert, and we prayed for rain to wash it away. Then it was more like grey snowflakes, and it became hard to walk through. We had to shovel paths rather than sweeping it away, and it piled up on roofs. Sometimes when it cleared a little we could see what looked like smoke on the mountain, perhaps a forest fire giving wood ash. Some people said they could see fire on the slopes.

I was sent to get some food and found that prices had doubled, so I did not have enough money. I was beaten and had to go back again. The citizens hardly went outside. There were only slaves and soldiers on the streets, and it was so dark that many carried torches. I heard that people were leaving, but others said that it would soon finish.

It became so bad that only the men slaves were sent out to get food. They returned with very little.

Dominus and Domina were obviously frightened and took it out on us, complaining about every little thing as we struggled to keep the dust out and serve them with food and wine.

There was another shake. Suddenly there was a bang, I was knocked over and the room filled with dust. The ceiling had collapsed. I suppose it was the weight of the dust on the roof. Pulling pieces of debris off me, I got up on my hands and knees and tried to see what was going on. Cretus had also been knocked down and I crawled towards him. Thankfully he stirred and also got up. We held each other for a moment. The dust was settling a little so we stood up where the air was a little clearer.

A beam had come down, and Dominus was pinned under it. Cretus went across and started removing stones that were on the beam in order to move it. I heard some noises further away where Domina and Luna had been and went towards them. I turned back when I heard angry voice of Dominus.

"Hurry up and get me out, you useless barbarian!" This to the man who was working to free him!

Cretus took another large stone and dropped it straight on Dominus's head. He turned to me and spread his arms with a shrug. I think Dominus would have been saved if he had only given a word of thanks, or maybe even if he had said nothing.

At that moment there was a strangled gurgle from where the women were. A figure covered in grey dust like the rest of us staggered forward. It was Luna. "Unfortunately Domina was suffocated by the dust. It filled her mouth." She smiled.

The door was opened and Sextus came in. "Master, I heard a crash. Are you both safe?" Then he took in the scene. He looked at Cretus. "Is he dead?" The answer was a nod. "And the Domina?"

"Also," said Luna.

"Are you sure?" He went over to the body and bent down. Then he grabbed the head and twisted, producing a small crack. "Shit down the latrine at last!" He helped himself to the signet ring and found the key to the strongbox in Dominus' pouch.

"Listen," he said. "There is something wrong with the mountain and I am fairly sure we are all going to die. I intend to die a rich man. I am sorry I never got to fuck Nubia's cunt, but if I were you, Cretus, I would do it now. I expect Nubia does not want to die a virgin anyway. Here is what I owe you." He tossed me a small purse and went off to get other valuables from the house.

Cretus looked at me. "Do you want me to?" I was grateful that he asked.

"By all the gods yes! Make me a woman before I die!"

"The bath-house," said Luna, which was a good idea.

The water had kept some of the dust down, and we were all three able to rinse ourselves. Luna said "Get on with it. I will go and get some things and come back. If I don't, try to get down to the sea."

I brushed the dust off one of the lounging cushions and lay down on my back. He got above me and said "It will hurt. Are you sure you want me to do this?"

I said "Yes! Hurt me, but fill me with your seed. Give me what I have longed for before I die."

He said "I have no name but Cretus, but I know Nubia is only your slave name. Can you tell me who you are really?"

I kissed him and told him. He kissed me, spoke my name and said "I love you." In Latin, of course, the only language he knew. Then he pushed in.

It hurt, but not as much as I feared and not for long. I suppose I had become used to being hurt. The he was in me and moving slowly. I felt I was wet as if I had been pleasuring myself. My cunt felt stretched but just right for the first time. I held him tightly, and it was so different to being used by those Roman swine. I did not try to be quiet, but encouraged him in my own language, telling him to take me as a woman, to fill me up, to give me his seed, and that I loved him. He would not know the words, but I knew he would understand the meaning.

I felt happier than I could ever remember, and as his seed came into me I felt the moment of joy. I shouted out the name of the true mother goddess in that moment of fulfilment.

We were both still locked together in wonder, and crying a little when Luna came back. She had some clothing, a water skin and some bags, which turned out to contain a loaf and some olives, a bottle of wine, dried fruit and a little money. There were also some good sandals. She gave each of us a pouch containing a wet cloth, which she said we should use to wipe our eyes when needed outside.

We quickly washed and dried, then covered ourselves with expensive clothes, with a cloth over our nose and mouth, and just our eyes showing. Then from the happiest moment of my life, I went into one of the worst times.

+ - + - + - + - +

CHAPTER 6

We mainly had to go downhill, through streets filled with dust and ash, and dust blowing in our faces. In some places the wind had blown the dust into piles which made it hard to progress. And our eyes! They were filling with stinging dust with every step, and the mouth cloths were getting clogged. We had to keep stopping to wipe our eyes and close them for a little while. We had to use some of the precious water to wring out the wiping cloths, and we had not gone far. There were very few other people about, struggling like us. We saw some other part-collapsed buildings and some dead bodies, including a couple that looked as if they had been stabbed, and I think one or two that had just been overcome by the dust and exertion.

There was a dead soldier. Cretus pulled the body over to discover that the sword and purse were missing, but spotted a spear hidden in the dust, which he took. He showed it to Luna and said "The blind beggars!"

She understood immediately, but they had to explain it to me. Apparently these beggars sometimes travel in groups of three, the first testing the ground with a stick and the others following holding on to the girdle of the one in front. They take it in turns. So this is what we did.

Luna got some bandages from her bag and she and I blindfolded ourselves. Cretus took the lead, partially looking, partially feeling with the spear, followed by Luna and then me. We took short steps and agreed we would change every hundred paces. It was terrible stumbling along hardly able to breathe, but gave my eyes some relief till it was my turn.

I let go of Luna's girdle and the spear was placed in my hand. I waited till she said she was ready at the back. Opening my eyes only a little and for a moment, I took a step, then another, feeling and leaning on the spear, and wiping my face with my other hand. Even so, I fell over twice before Cretus behind said "stop". I had forgotten to count. So we went on for what seemed like eternity.

Luna was leading, and suddenly stopped. We heard voices, and Cretus and I raised our blindfolds. Sheltering in a partially ruined house were some slaves with cloths around their heads. Then one said "Patrician bastards! Let's kill them!" In our fine clothes, they had taken us for citizens, and could not tell men from women, we were so wrapped up. They may have been waiting to rob people.

Cretus shook the spear and shouted "I have killed my master and I will kill you!"

One laughed and said "Salute, brother! Go and kill some more!"

As we got down near the harbour, the air began to clear because of the wind from the sea. We did not have to walk as blind beggars, and had to wipe our eyes less often.

On the beach we were able to wash ourselves a little in the sea, and shake out some of the dust from our clothes. Obviously it would be ideal to take a boat, but this was not going to be easy. The boats were guarded by soldiers, while many people, generally looking like slaves, huddled at the foot of the mountain slope. There were two bodies on the beach laid out with a spear pinning them to the ground, to show that the soldiers were serious. Luna said we should try to buy passage. She had a little money she had earned over the years, and asked Cretus if he had anything. He said he did not. I said I had a few bronze coins from Sextus, and gave her the purse. To our surprise it was mostly silver, quite a few denarii.

We talked to some of the slaves and they said that boats were mainly waiting till the weather improved. Some had cargo to deliver, some to collect, and some were waiting to fish. Some smaller rowing boats had been stolen by runaway slaves until the soldiers took charge. We did not know what to do, so found a place among the other fugitives. We shared half a loaf and some olives from the supplies we had brought, with a little wine and water. We buried our purses a little, and sat on them to rest, with our bags and waterskin behind us against some rocks. Luna said that I should try to sleep, and she and Cretus would take it in turns to stay awake. She made a little tent from a silk scarf to protect my face from the dust. I was exhausted and was quickly asleep.

When I awoke, they were both asleep and someone was sliding the spear out of Cretus' hand. I called out, but they ran away. The bag with food was also gone. With daylight some food sellers came round charging outrageous prices, but we decided to keep our money for now. All we could think of was waiting for death from the dust, or if it went away, going back to the house and farm to see what could be salvaged, now our owners were accidentally dead. Presumably we would belong to one of the brothers.

At about noon, I was hailed, and there was Sextus with a good size bag and a dagger in his belt. He sat down and gratefully accepted some water.

"I think Vulcan is angry," he said, rather cheerfully. "I don't know what it is, but I am sure the mountain will kill us if we stay here. I'm going to try to get us out. He gave us the bag and the dagger, and went along towards the boats.

We had seen people approach before and be turned away. Slaves were knocked down with a stick. One or two citizens with their slaves were firmly turned away by the captain, no matter how much they protested. Sextus went and spoke to a soldier and was allowed to speak to an officer. I guess him being an old soldier may have helped, or perhaps he knew someone. He was then allowed on board one of the cargo ships. After about an hour he returned to us, and said he had persuaded the captain to sail and take us. From his loot bag he took a couple of brooches and told me and Luna to pin them inside our tunics. I hid my purse inside my loincloth. He also got two purses which he put inside his belt pouch, and put the dagger inside the big bag. He warned us that he did not know if the officer could be trusted or was just waiting to arrest us.

As it happened we were allowed on board without difficulty, and Sextus gave the officer a smart salute. The sailors began to get ready to leave, and the captain questioned us about what had happened and what things were like up in the town. He was evidently satisfied and gave the order to depart. As the wind was toward the shore, this was done by rowers in the lifeboat towing us out. Seeing this, people started running towards the ship, many of them waving items of jewellery. They were cut down without hesitation by the soldiers, but more pressed forward, causing the soldiers to move back. As we moved away we could see people in the water trying to get to us, but without success.

It seems that the captain was known to Sextus because he often collected goods from the business, which is why he was waiting. Having been told that the Dominus was dead and the town covered in dust, there was no reason to wait. The sailor he had sent to the town a couple of days ago was unlikely to return, but Sextus and Cretus could do some of the work as part payment for passage. Of course, I suspected that Sextus had traded something else as well.

+ - + - + - + - +

CHAPTER 7

Sextus and Cretus had taken their places on the oars, so there was just me, Luna, the captain and the steersman on the deck. As we moved away I began to see there was a great cloud rising from the mountain and spreading out like a mushroom. I could also see what seemed to be fires high up in the mountain. Sextus was right - there was something terribly wrong: the mountain god must be very angry.

As we pushed past the end of the bay, the sailors were able to bring in the boat and unfurl a sail. The wind was apparently not a good direction, so we had to zig-zag to move away. Finally we were far enough out to unfurl the main sail. However, we were still having to move back and forth to make distance, and moved pitifully slowly.

As it grew dark a new terror appeared. What at first seemed to be hail was in fact small stones. I picked one up off the deck and it was too hot to hold. Some of the stones were actually floating on the water, which was magic I could not understand. We could see what seemed to be larger stones falling in the distance. As the number increased, the captain and steersman put cushions on their heads and told us to go below. I do not know what the sailors did, but I could hear the impact of stones on the deck and in the open hold, and understood that we were running for our lives.