A month has gone by since the Roman legions left for Gaul. Everyday, Demos hoped that information would come back to Rome, and every day, he was disappointed. There were rumors in the city that the campaign was NOT going well for the Romans. In addition to the terrain, more suited to goats than Romans, as one Senator said, the weather had turned unexpectedly cold, and wet. Roman soldiers, trained in the confines of Rome, and accustomed to the warmer weather of the south, where they had fought previously, were not prepared, so went the rumors. The rumors went on to say that, notwithstanding advice to change tactics, or to even perhaps retreat until conditions were better, the generals were stubborn, insisting on fighting THEIR war, in a place, and under conditions, that were not theirs. Glaucus, who went to counsel every day, heard all of these rumors. He became more and more convinced that he would have to mobilize in the near future, given his experience in fighting in the northern regions. His information was perhaps more accurate than the information that the slaves in charge of the gymnasium brought back every day. Their hearing was failing, more and more, and by the time they received information , it was usually at least three degrees from the source.
Thinking there was absolutely no need to worry anyone at home about a situation that was out of their control, Glaucus kept his peace amongst the slaves on the estate. He did, however, begin to consider what he would do, assuming he was asked to lead a legion into Gaul. Unquestionably, the two Materans would be pressed into service. Who else? Undoubtedly Demos would volunteer, but what use would he be? He chuckled. The young man was smart, and an adept at languages, as was Urban, but could they fight? Their one wrestling match had been more useful for entertainment, and comedy than anything else. Spirit only went so far in an army. What mattered, was the ability to fight, and to fight well.
None of this kept Demos from worrying, and his worries grew every day with the lack of information. With Glaucus keeping his distance, he felt more and more frustrated. And if his mental anguish about the war grew, so too, did his sexual longings. For all that had happened, he had never gone without a sexual partner for this long: with Portius, it was every day. At the estate, he had opportunities, albeit not regular ones, to be with Marcellus, and there was also the presence of the man to keep him feeling safe and secure: they WOULD be together some day. Now, all of that was gone. When he dreamed, his dreams were more of Glaucus than of Marcellus. And when he dreamed of Marcellus he dreamed often, and correctly, of Marcellus having dalliances with Clodius and others. He remembered that Glaucus had promised Marcellus that he would make sure that no one would approach Demos, but he did not recall any such promises coming from Marcellus.
These conflicting thoughts ran through his head, when he decided to seek audience with Glaucus. He had an idea, which might bring him closer to the man, and also might result in securing more information about the state of affairs. During the hours when Glaucus saw members of the household, Demos petitioned for time. As it happened, no one else had for that day, so he would have a full afternoon with the Master of the Estate. He arrived, and Glaucus had not returned from the city yet. Glaucus' concerns regarding what would be needed, had resulted in longer times at the gymnasium, and more time in session with the rulers of the city. He rode back that day, on a black horse. Part of his trip to the city had in fact been a visit to find a suitable steed, should he need to join the war. Flavius, given his time as a farmer, would be more than able to look after the beautiful stallion.
As Glaucus changed from his dirty and sweaty attire , he realized that Demos was there. "Ah Demos." He smiled. "Yes, I do recall you seeking a meeting, and I am glad you did. I have wanted to speak with you for quite a long time. Would you sit and share wine with me, young man?" Demos assumed the position of submission. "My Lord, I am not worthy to share your table. I am not even worthy to put forth my suggestions." "NONSENSE DEMOS. It is a lonely time at the Estate these days, and in the city. We can both use some company, I am sure. Please sit. I will pour. Would you like to invite Urban to join us?" "By your leave, My Lord, I would ask that we speak to each other, and no more than that." "So be it Demos." Glaucus poured water into the goblets of wine, and passed one to Demos. "Have you learned to properly salute when drinking wine with another man, Demos?" Demos smiled. "Portius had his own way, which I doubt was correct My Lord. He would have me press the goblet to my lips, and he would do the same. Then we would touch lips." Glaucus began to laugh. "Ah, that is my friend Portius. Name the perversion, he has perfected it. I will teach you." Glaucus went through the steps of proper wine service with Demos, the same way he had.... so long ago, with Horatio. AH. Horatio would have been much older than Demos now, but he was about Demos' age when he had become Glaucus' consort.
"DEMOS, you have sought audience, so clearly something is on your mind. Please feel that you can speak freely." Demos blushed , because he realized what he was about to ask. "My Lord, when I was in the house of Portius, there was a slave who's task it was to see to Portius' toilette every day. He made sure his hair was clean, and styled, that the pomade he used was appropriate to the season. He would dress Portius, and he would see to all aspects of his personal affairs. So too, was it at home. Your estate, which is much grander than any I have lived in, My Lord, is the first where the Master did not have a personal assistant to deal with these issues."
Glaucus smiled. "Ah, you are correct Demos. I will be honest. When he was alive, Horatio tended to that for me. With his passing, I have not gone back to it. I did not think anyone would measure up to his standards." "By your leave, My Lord. I would like to give it a try." Glaucus smiled. There was more here. The young man was smart, but naive. He would perhaps turn the tables on the request. "Do let me consider it, Demos. You are right. Time has passed, and one never knows what would have happened. Perhaps by now, Horatio would have left us all anyway. I shall consider it, and let you know in the space of three suns." He saw a silence settle over Demos. "There is more my friend. Take a sip of wine. It may help you to speak more freely." He saw the tears forming in Demos' eyes. "My Lord, there has been no news of the war, and none of Marcellus. If I may speak what is the truth, you would know more than any of us do of the status. Would you be kind enough to tell me." Glaucus smiled. "I will tell you what I know, Demos, but it is not much. I will give you first what will disappoint you personally. I have heard nothing about Marcellus, or Clodius. Not a syllable, not a single letter. Of the war itself, I have only rumor. The rumor is that it does not go well. The conclusion of those who know more, is that we sent the wrong generals to run the legions: they insist on fighting what we call a "summer war" in a winter environment, and they are stubbornly refusing to adapt. "
Demos laughed uncomfortably. "Marcellus. One hundred percent. I TOLD him not to do this." He paused, embarrassed that his thoughts had escaped him. "Please excuse me My Lord, I did not mean to unburden my personal views and problems with you." Glaucus smiled. "Dare I say it Demos, you and I have spoken of this. We both have concerns about Marcellus. I do promise I will provide you with any information that I have, as soon as I have that information." "I am honored My Lord." Demos moved to leave. "Please remain Demos. I enjoy your company . And I would enjoy knowing something that I do not know, and which you can tell me. By the time I knew you and Marcellus, you were already long known to each other. I do not know your history. I would know that if you would tell me. " He smiled. "Shall I secure more wine?"
"My Lord, I would not refuse wine, nor would I refuse the time to sit with you and tell you our story." When Glaucus had poured the second goblets, Demos began "I am the son of an Athenian family, My Lord. My parents - my father was a school teacher, and my mother had died giving birth to my youngest sister. . That is all I knew. There were five of us: three girls, two boys. I am the oldest. A school teacher does not earn much in income, and with a family our size, food was scarce. There was an opportunity: a settling party was moving to Magna Greca. The opportunities were great, but there was danger: the territory abutted Matera. There was no limit to the amount of money to be made, as there were opportunities well beyond teaching. My father, notwithstanding his concerns , moved us there. " Now he paused "We did not know of the strife with the Materans. Until it was too late. One day, our settlement was attacked. By the time the attack was announced, so that the men could assemble, it was too late. Materans were everywhere. They cut down all of the men." He stopped again. "Including my father." We had no choice. The settlement , or what of the adult population was left, surrendered. There were five generals. Marcellus was one of them. He was their leader. What was left of our ruling council, was given a choice: they could collect all of the virgins - ALL of them, male and female, for the generals to choose whom they would have, or they would put the town to the sword. There was no choice."
Glaucus sat there, spellbound. This was a tale he had not heard before. "Then this must have been Marcellus' first command. The one that made him famous." "So it was My Lord. It also made him infamous. No one quite understood why the order was to gather ALL virgins, of any gender, until... well, as the general in command, Marcellus had first choice. " Again he paused. "Need I say more?" "Yes Demos, you do need to say more. I thought that the tradition was to kill the virgins after taking them. At least that was what we were told." "You were told correctly My Lord. But for reasons I do not know, Marcellus favored me. He gave me the opportunity to die, or to come on campaign, and then home with him." Demos laughed, bitterly. "Was there a choice, I ask you? To be fair, he took great care of me, down to letting me live with him in his home, with his wife, and his children, in Matera." "MARCELLUS HAS A WIFE? CHILDREN?" Three. All girls. We were all separated when Rome attacked. I was captured, as were Marcellus' wife and daughters. He and I had been together for a year. His wife detested me, and even more so after Marcellus took me as consort. The rules on this in Matera, are not those of Rome, My Lord. " Demos blushed. "To claim me as consort, he had to pierce me in public. And he did. " "But... you apparently love him." Demos laughed. "One one level, I love him in the same way Flavius loves you My Lord. Were circumstances not as they are... well, I cannot allow myself to think about that. I suspect Flavius cannot either. But yes. I was a virgin. I did not know men, women," he laughed. "Urban and I have talked, so I will add goats to that. I never wanted for anything with Marcellus, and his affection: somewhere between a big brother, and my father. "
He went on. "You are not a slave, My Lord. For a slave, much that you think is no simple matter , is very simple: the mines, the triremes, or consortship. Do I love Marcellus more than I would have loved a woman? I do not know My Lord. I have only known men - no, I have only known two men: Marcellus, and Portius. " "He seeks to know three," Glaucus thought to himself. He also thought "oh, the irony of letting Marcellus know that his adored one has yielded to the only man who has ever taken HIM"
"Demos, this is so much hurt. You are very brave to tell me. " He looked up at the opening in his ceiling. "It is late. You would, of course, be wise to return to your chambers, with Urban, but the emotions.." He put a finger to Demos' cheek to wipe away a tear. "Perhaps you should sleep in my guest chamber tonight." Demos sniffed. "if My Lord wishes, I will remain." "Your Lord wishes that you do what you feel is best." "I will remain in the guest chamber then My Lord." Except he didn't. And Glaucus knew he wouldn't. Sometime, when Demos thought Glaucus was fully asleep that night, he crept into his bed, next to him. Glaucus feinted sleep, and smiled internally. He feinted sleep as well, when Demos crawled out of the bed quietly, the next morning, before his usual wake up time.
While this was happening, Flavius was back with Gerta. He had sought permission to stay with her that night, for they were arguing. Gerta had told Flavius that she found his consortship to Glaucus "disgusting." His response, which was that he had done it to preserve he and Urban while they looked for her, did not persuade her. "I am told, by more than one of the women here, that you seem to be more than interested in doing far more than what your position would obligate you to do. Nor have you fulfilled your obligations as a husband since we have been reunited. " Flavius could not answer that. "You are right Gerta. When I was purchased, my only thought was that I had been saved from the mines. When I was brought to this estate, and learned what my life would be, I thought seriously of trying to end my own life. Glaucus took me very quickly after he purchased me." A pause. "I would lie if I said I did not enjoy it. I would be lying if I said I do not still enjoy it. I will always consider myself your husband, and I am the father of Urban. But if Glaucus gave me the opportunity to renounce the consort ship..." he paused. "I would say no." Gerta paused and thought for a moment. "Urban has told me about the plan : the berries. The berries of peaceful sleep." Glaucus put a finger to his lip. "Please lower your voice Gerta. There are ears throughout the house. " She laughed. "And perhaps they will hear. Unless you promise me that you will do what you can to make this occur. I will have my freedom, one way or the other. Your son deserves better as well. What of his education? They do not permit the slaves to attend school here." "You are right. No, the plan will go forward. I will advise you as it happens"
Back at the slave chambers, Ahmad had persuaded the Hibernian brothers to sleep together with him. Caged, there could be no sword play. Ahmad, however, was so skilled with his hands, and his mouth, that the sounds from their section of the chamber could be heard where Silvus and Antonio had made their own sleeping area. "You may feel as you do Silvus," Antonio spoke to him "but they seem to have made the best of things, and to be enjoying themselves. " Silvus grunted in disgust. "That damned Marcellus. Were it not for him, I would be with my wife now. " Antonio took a risk and put his hand on Silvus' shoulder. "What did you do when we were fighting Antonio?" He laughed. "I had a captive slave every night. I believe I may have picked at least a half dozen rosebuds. " Antonio looked at him. "Glaucus is not that cruel a Lord, Silvus. Think of what MIGHT have been, and maybe you will turn around. Maybe this will help. He reached in and kissed Silvus. Much to Antonio's surprise, he did not pull away. Another pair of slaves, fell asleep in each other's arms.
The next dawn, Glaucus called Marcus to his chambers. "Marcus, Demos was here yesterday with a suggestion, which I do not find displeasing. He discussed my using one of the slaves as a personal dresser. Marcus smiled. "Did he volunteer himself Sir" Glaucus laughed. "Then you know." "My Lord, he had mentioned your name in sleep more than once. Let us be honest. There is very little chance that Marcellus will keep his sword sheathed while he is away from Demos. And he probably feels it is his right. Demos, however, is under interdict. "Well, not quite. Demos made no promises. I was the one who promised no one would approach him. And I will not; however, last night he did sleep in my bed with me. He waited until I was asleep - or seemed so. " He paused. "Marcus, it is very possible that very soon, I will be off to Gaul to rescue Marcellus. That is almost certainly a fact. Should I not enjoy myself before I put my life on the line for this damned republic again?" "I agree My Lord. Demos is your property. You will have what you will have. " Then he paused. "If I may, My Lord, you must be careful about the Goths. I have heard talk of a sleep potion and escape. Something about the garden." Glaucus perked up. "How interesting," he smiled. "You may have just provided me with a new game to play with my Flavius. For now, though, for today: Demos will move into the antechamber as my dresser. And for tonight.... I will have the older Hibernian. Make sure he is properly washed, and ready. " He paused. "I am not even sure I have had him yet." "No My Lord. Collepherus had him, and then..." "You are right Marcus. It is his time."
Marcus went about his duties. He saw the look of joy on Demos' face. And the look of worry on Eamon's face. "It will be fine Eamon. You pleased Collepherus. You will please Our Master."
As this was happening, Clodius was instructing a messenger. The storms were heavy, with strong winds, and it was cold. He urged him to hasten, but to be careful. "It is important for the Republic to know that we are pinned down and without a general. Marcellus has been captured. They have offered to ransom him. But we do not have much time."