The loud singing of birds outside the window woke her up. Kiana blinked in confusion, trying to orient herself as to where she was in the first place. Then she noticed the strangely warm pad she had been sleeping on and the arm pressing her against a large hard body. She turned her head sleepily and suddenly found herself face to face with her master: Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa!
He smiled at her and asked, "How did you sleep, Kiana?"
"Better than I've felt in months, sir," she replied, stretching a bit and smiling at him now as well. It was true. It was the first night in months that she was obviously not plagued by nightmares. She hadn't felt this peaceful and rested in a long time. She didn't even want to have to leave the warm bed and snuggled up to him. As if he had read her thoughts, her master asked good-humoredly, "Would you like to have breakfast with me?" while pressing her a little closer to him.
"Shouldn't I get to work sooner, master?" asked Kiana uncertainly, lowering her eyes. With the new morning, she also remembered again the unpleasant aspects of her new life. She was still his slave and had to work for him first and foremost. Kiana was about to wriggle out of his grip and leave the bed, the other slaves would wonder where she was anyway after she hadn't spent last night in their quarters, but her master tightened his grip on her.
"How about I give you the day off and we spend the day together? I have to head south soon and it would be my pleasure to have you all to myself one more time today before I leave." There was a mischievous grin on his face and Kiana could imagine what he had in mind. But it no longer frightened her. She would be only too happy to repeat last night with him. With a gleam in her eye, she inquired, "Are you serious, sir?"
"Of course I mean it." Still grinning at her, he then lifted her chin to kiss her. Kiana returned his kiss and this time she gave herself to him completely. She didn't want to stop and a little braver due to last night, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Marcus turned with her so that she was under him, pressing her into the sheets as the door opened and Laura came in to wake her master and open the curtains. Kiana froze, but Marcus just laughed and fixed her right where she was as he casually addressed the other slave, "I'll take breakfast here today. See that the trays are brought in, Laura. For two people. Otherwise, I wish not to be disturbed this morning."
"Well... Of course, master," Laura said, looking in horror at Kiana, who was buried under her master. Without another word, she turned to comply with his request as quickly as possible.
"Where were we," Marcus asked, starting to kiss Kiana again.
"Master please, the slaves will be right back with breakfast..." she tried to avoid him. She didn't want to make love to him while she felt the others could see her doing it. She was embarrassed enough that the other slaves now knew exactly where she was last night and what she had done with her master. But Marcus didn't seem to mind in the least.
"I know, I ordered it," was all he said as he began to play with her earlobe with his tongue.
"But then shouldn't we ... I mean?" she began, starting to moan beneath him. "Shouldn't we what," he inquired. "Shouldn't we stop? The other slave girls will be able to see us!"
"And what's the problem?" Marcus now began to move his kisses along her neck and let his hand slide further down, past her belly.
"We're naked!" tried Kiana again, clenching her back against him as he stroked his hand over her pubic.
"I'd love to hold you in this state all day," he grinned, pushing her legs apart with his knee as the doors opened again and Laura came in with her mother Enya, each holding a tray. Both were trying very hard to look down and concentrate on their work.
"Put it down on the table," Marcus said in their direction, not looking at either of them as he was busy sucking on Kiana's nipple. Mother and daughter were almost back to the door when Marcus thought of something else. "Oh, Laura?"
"Yes, sir?" The girl stopped at the door and looked at the floor mosaic with her head held high.
"Tell the groom to saddle two horses around noon, my stallion and one of the mares."
"Yes sir. Of course." The door was closed quietly and Laura hurried away to pass on her master's order.
"What are you up to, sir," Kiana inquired in surprise, trying to concentrate on the conversation for a moment before another moan escaped her. He certainly knew what he was doing, she was still thinking as he slid one of his fingers inside her to stimulate her. "Riding out with you, didn't I say that last night?"
"Yes, you did say that ..."
"But you didn't believe me when I said I would keep my promise?"
"Yes, I did, but...."
"You are so speechless today, are you at a loss for words, my love?" he teased, now looking at her with a mischievous grin. Kiana found it really hard to concentrate on the conversation as she was about to lose herself in his amber eyes. "You are so different from what I expected, master," she answered honestly.
"Better or worse?", Marcus immediately wanted to know.
Now Kiana started to laugh out loud. This question was simply ridiculous. She clasped his head and pulled him closer to her to kiss him.
"Infinitely better!" She looked at him full of affection and tenderness before she started to open her legs for him. He couldn't refuse this invitation and penetrated her again to eat her out before breakfast.
~*~
After they had breakfast, Kiana accompanied her master to the stables. She felt more excited than she had in a long time. Finally she was allowed to sit on the back of a horse again.
"Aren't you afraid that I might try to escape, master?"
"I thought you didn't want to run from me anymore? I rather felt earlier that you couldn't get close enough to me!" He grinned broadly at her. In such a good mood Kiana had actually never seen him before. I wonder if it was because he had slept with her.
"No, I don't want that anymore either," she said, looking down at the floor. She realized again that she didn't want to leave him. She should try to run away from him, but just the thought of never seeing him again was unbearable to her by now. Marcus clasped her face with both hands and looked at her seriously for a moment. It was as if he was trying to read in her eyes whether she was really telling him the truth.
"Good, because I trust you Kiana," he said softly. Kiana swallowed. She knew he wouldn't ride out alone with her if things were different. "I really hope you don't abuse it." A slight shudder ran through her as she realized how much trust he put in her and what the consequences would be if she broke it.
"I don't intend to, sir," she answered him honestly. He looked at her again seriously, but then without another word led her into the stable corridor, where two slaves were already waiting for them with the saddled and bridled horses. Marcus stepped up to his stallion and gently stroked his nostrils. The horse neighed softly and stretched its head towards him.
"Kiana, this is Dionysus." Then he nodded to the mare beside him. "And this is Ariadne. She can be quite spirited. But she is basically gentle and obedient. She's sensitive to leg pressure. See if you can handle her." Kiana carefully approached the little gray mare and slowly raised her hand so the horse could sniff it. Then she stroked the soft fur on the animal's neck and gave Marcus a grateful and happy look. Ariadne reminded her of her own mare, Rana. She would have no trouble with her, she felt.
"Certainly, sir." One of the stable boys prepared to help her mount, but her master was quicker and lifted her himself, so that all she had to do was grab the pommel and swing her right leg over the saddle. Immediately she let herself sink back, enjoying the exhilarating sensation of feeling the horse's power beneath her. She grabbed the reins and smiled at Marcus, who swung himself into the saddle with a practiced swing and steered his stallion down the stable aisle toward the exit. Ariadne pranced lightly while Kiana took the reins. Then she gave the mare the command to follow him with a firm squeeze of the thighs.
Outside, she immediately joined her master so that they rode side by side. At a walk, they followed the wide entrance avenue and headed for the gate in the enclosing wall that surrounded the governor's estate.
Now Kiana wanted to make him sweat a little. She spurred her mare on and started cantering away. Ariadne immediately fell into a canter, but it took only seconds for Marcus and his stallion to be back at her side.
"You'd better wait until we're through that copse up ahead. After that, I'll show you a suitable race track. You always have to expect rabbit holes here, and the ground is too rocky for a race."
"I'm sorry sir, I'm just so happy to finally be back in the saddle."
"I can understand that." Marcus grinned broadly and parried his stallion to a slightly slower pace. "Did I actually tell you that I grew up with horses? My family has been running its own horse breeding operation for a long time. My stallion, Dionysus, comes from my stud farm in Sicily."
"And Ariadne?"
"She comes from a breed here in Gaul. These agile easy going horses come from the Gallia Narbonensis area. I acquired some mares from there last summer and want to cross them with my Roman stallions. The foals could have promising racing qualities. By the way, Ariadne is already pregnant. I had her covered by Dionysos in the spring and am very excited about the results."
"You can't see anything yet," Kiana noted in amazement.
"She's only three or four months along. The gestation period is eleven months for horses," Marcus explained to her.
"I know that, sir. We had a few horses ourselves and my father, even let me ride his stallion Svadilfari from time to time. He had a real temperament."
"A Gallic horse?", Marcus wanted to know with interest.
"Yes, but not a gray like Ariadne, but a black. He broke out more than once, too, and I went off a couple of times to catch him again. I rode after him for hours with my mare Rana until I could catch him again." Kiana smiled at the memory. Once Svadilfari had run away with the mare from the neighboring farm, and that was the first time she had been able to observe how a mating worked. The stallion had pranced out around the mare all the time, trying to nibble at her withers and bite her. She had lashed out at him, but had not run away, but had emitted spiky sounds from time to time and at one point allowed him to mount her. Eleven months later, the foal had been born and her father and the other owner had fought over who had to pay compensation to whom because of it and who now owned the foal. It had been black, with a white star on its forehead. Just like Svadilfari. But suddenly she noticed a connection that she had not noticed before. Kiana turned white as a sheet.
"What are you thinking about, Kiana?" asked Marcus, who had been riding silently beside her the whole time.
"I'm thinking about... how to get pregnant, master," she whispered more to herself. Her whole body was suddenly paralyzed. Could it be that she could now get pregnant too? By her master? She felt the panic spreading through her. She had not thought of that when she had gotten involved in this game. All the time she had only been afraid that her master would take her by force. But that a child could come out of it...
"Kiana, you know how a woman gets pregnant, don't you?" he asked, slightly irritated.
"I'm not sure, sir. I couldn't help thinking about how my father's stallion had covered another mare." She looked at him now with panic. "My mother always told me that as a good wife, it was my duty to give heirs to my husband. However, I never asked how exactly to do that. Sir, after what we did last night, could I get pregnant by you?" she asked him, her voice sounding an octave higher than usual. Marcus looked over at her and replied seriously, "Yes Kiana, what we did tonight may well result in you conceiving my child. But not necessarily. There are women who don't get pregnant for years, or not at all."
"I don't want to get pregnant!" Her voice sounded so pleading that he stumbled.
"And why not? What would be so bad about that?"
"This child would be born into slavery! I wouldn't want to do that to a child." Kiana averted her eyes from him and stared at her horse's mane. She did not want to bring a child into this world. She felt tears suddenly welling up inside her, and she prayed as desperately as she had ever prayed in her life to the gods, especially to Epona, that she had not conceived a child with him last night.
"Am I treating you so badly, Kiana?" For the first time that day, she heard displeasure in his voice.
"No, you are not." On the contrary, he treated her better than she would have expected. "But that doesn't change the fact that I am your slave, and I know that I am at your mercy without protection if you change your mind. Just as my child would be."
She had heard so many stories about the Romans. One in particular, however, had struck her in her childhood. A childhood friend of her mother's was also sold into slavery after the fall of the Venetians against Caesar and fell into the hands of a cruel master. He had repeatedly violated her and impregnated her several times. From this union two children were born. A son and a daughter. To torture her mother, her master had also repeatedly abused the children. When their mother died, he had sold both of them, as they were thus only troublesome mouths to feed. The son had been lucky. He fell in with a gracious master, a legatus. As a body slave, he traveled with him through the provinces of Rome and also served him as a translator. Rather by chance, her mother recognized the connection with his mother. Sadly, the young man confessed that he did not know what happened to his sister. However, he suspected that she had been sold into a whorehouse. Kiana well remembered how her mother had cried for two days for the loss of her old friend and the fate of the children.
"Now listen to me!" Marcus had ridden up closer to her. "As my slave, you will fare better than the wives of most Gauls you know. You have an absolutely special position, haven't you realized and noticed that yet? I'll protect you, Kiana. And if you get pregnant, I will protect that child as well. You have my word!"
Kiana looked up at him from sad eyes.
"I want to trust you sir, but I have heard of so many cruel fates that children born into slavery have had to endure."
"Kiana, what do you think I would have done to any other slave who escaped from me?" His voice suddenly sounded harsh. Kiana realized that she had offended him with her words, and she instantly regretted it. It was not at all the thought of having a child with him that disturbed her. It was the circumstances alone. And although Kiana was sure that he had not intended it, she realized once again what fate might befall her as a slave as well.
"Me ... killed," she murmured softly.
"It is among the possible punishments for escape," he confirmed. Kiana's hands grew shakier and her breathing quickened. She had seen enough crucified men and women on the roadsides of her homeland. Those horrible images had burned deep into her memory. They, too, were among the reasons she had learned to hate the Romans for what they had done. She knew that her father himself had once or twice relieved a crucified man of his suffering by driving a spear straight through his heart. Removal was no longer possible with this method of execution, since the iron of the nails was driven through the bones and the man condemned to death would only face a life as a cripple. Kiana did not even feel her own restlessness transferring to her horse. It wasn't until Marcus reached for the reins and Ariadne calmed down again that she realized how close she had come to flying off her horse.
"Kiana, I don't know how many times I have to tell you! You don't have to be afraid of me. I could not, would not, and will not hurt you! Then do you seriously think I could want to harm my own child? My own flesh and blood?"
Kiana shook her head. If he put it that way, then she didn't doubt that his child would be safe with him. She was also basically aware that she could no longer compare him to the Romans she knew from the villagers' stories. Her master had never done her any serious harm. But still, he could if he wanted to. And if he did, there was nothing she could do about it. She had no rights. And she would have no rights to her own child either. That much she knew about Roman law.
"No sir, I don't think so."
Marcus reached for her hand and looked at her urgently.
"No matter what happens. You are safe with me. I swear that to you."
"I still find it hard to accept that I am your property, master," she confessed to him in a quivering voice.
"Just because you are mine doesn't mean I will abuse that power over you, Kiana. What more do I have to do to make you trust me?"
Kiana shook her head.
"You're already doing everything right, master," she confessed to him quietly. "Just stay as you are!"
They had been riding at a walk through a small grove all this time, but now the view of a lake opened up before them, with a wide path of tamped-down clay leading to it.
"How about you get to make a wish in case you beat me in a horse race," Marcus asked her.
"Anything," Kiana pecked.
"If it's not your freedom, then yes," he confirmed to her. Kiana considered for a moment, then a wide grin spread across her face.
"If I win, then I get to keep Ariadne and ride her as much as I want?"
Marcus laughed out loud again.
"Fine by me, but only with company! And what do I get if I win?"
"What do you wish for me master?"
Her master also had to think for a moment what he could possibly ask of her, a simple slave. He already had everything money could buy. But then a mischievous grin spread on his face as well.
"A kiss from you."
Kiana started laughing loudly and agreed to the wager.
"Whoever gets to that fallen birch tree back there at the other end of the lake first! On the count of three. One ... Two ... Three!"
And with that, he gave his heels to his stallion and charged off at a racing gallop. Kiana spurred her mare and galloped after him. But her horse could not keep up with the pace of the warhorse and she could barely keep up with him. Still, Kiana experienced the familiar rush of speed as the little white mare also fell into a fast racing gallop and chased after the stallion. She shifted her weight forward and ducked close over the mare's mane to offer as little resistance to the wind as possible. And thanks to the lighter weight on her back, Ariadne began to catch up. With a gap of two horse lengths, she finally passed the birch tree shortly behind Marcus. Both parried their horses and laughed.
"Looks like you owe me a kiss," he said, dismounting from his horse. But seeing her disappointed look, he added, "But I'll still give you my permission to ride out with Ariadne if you feel like it."
He pulled out a blanket from the saddlebag and spread it on the ground.
"Thank you, sir," Kiana happily replied and also dismounted from her mare. Then she took the reins of both horses and tied them to a nearby tree. When she ran back to her master, he had already taken a seat on the blanket and stretched out his arms to her.
"Come here, my sweet little honey bee," he said softly and pulled her into his arms, rather kissing her tenderly and possessively at the same time. Kiana returned his kiss, enjoying feeling his lips on hers. He started to run his hand under her dress and gently slide up the inside of her thighs, but that's when Kiana broke the kiss and looked at him pleadingly. Marcus stopped in his motion, irritated, and regarded her with a frown.
"What is it," he asked anxiously, pulling his hand out from under her dress.
"Please sir ... is there, any way without me getting pregnant?" she asked quietly, afraid of upsetting him again with her words. Marcus' brow furrowed even more, but he seemed to consider. Then he grinned broadly at her and traced her slightly open lower lip with his thumb.
"Yes, there is indeed." He applied light pressure to her, causing her mouth to open a little wider. He lightly ran his finger inside and Kiana instinctively began to suck, producing a satisfied grin from her master.
"Do you remember what I did to you last night? How I kissed you between your legs?" he asked, pulling out of her again. His eyes grew as dark as obsidian with desire as he did so. What he had in mind seemed to please him extremely well.
"Yes, master. You have spoiled me with your tongue."
"That's right, and that's exactly what you can do to me now. So if you don't want to get pregnant, this is the safest way." He eased off of her and motioned for her to kneel. With a practiced grip, he began to remove his weapon belt and clothing, but in such a way that his gladius remained within easy reach. Then he stepped close to the kneeling woman and grasped her chin, making her look up at him. Kiana returned his gaze questioningly, not understanding what to do now.
"Go on, put it in your mouth!"
Kiana's gaze darted from his face to his semi-erect member. She swallowed once, but then approached his tip with her lips to kiss him gently there.
Marcus moaned softly and buried his hand in her hair.
"Use your tongue with it, Kiana," he instructed her, panting. Just from his movements, Kiana could tell that he was extremely satisfied by this way and if she could prevent pregnancy this way, it should be fine with her. Kiana began to carefully lick and suck on his glans and immediately felt him getting even harder under her caresses. He slowly began to push further into her mouth and Kiana had to stretch her jaw more and more to accommodate him. It felt uncomfortable as her mouth was not used to such a wide stretch and her jaw began to ache. But she tried to ignore the pain as she breathed in and out through her nose. Was she doing it right? Marcus began to moan and thrust into her, pushing her head forward at the same time with his hand on her neck, making her swallow him even deeper. She tried to suppress the gag reflex, but she couldn't. It was too much for her. She began to cough and gasp and tried to push him off her. But Marcus didn't let go of her, but kept pressing into her throat until Kiana started to really gag, and gasp. Now she tried to push him off her with all her might. She felt like she was going to choke. Tears were running down her face and unlike their last night of love, this time she really just felt like his slave, on whom he was satisfying his lust. Marcus let go of her and Kiana toppled forward. She could just barely support herself with her hands. She gasped and choked, while her tears, uncontrollably ran down her. Kiana backed away from him as he took a step toward her.
"What's wrong?" he asked, half indignant and half concerned. In two steps he was with her. He pulled her into his arms, lowered himself to the ground with her, and held her close.
"What's wrong?" he asked again, this time more insistently. But when she still didn't answer, he shouted her name and forced her to look at him. Kiana desperately tried to tear herself away from him. Marcus, however, did not give in, and so she let herself sink into his arms and cried.
"I ... that was ... I ... I felt like ... I was suffocating ..." Marcus gently stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.
"Shh, you'll be fine," he whispered softly. "You'll learn to do it. Next time ..."
"I certainly won't try that a second time, sir," Kiana interrupted him shrilly and pushed away from him again. Surely he didn't seriously expect her to let him do that to her again!
"Kiana, we tried this because you don't want to get pregnant. If it's too much for you and you don't want to try it a second time, then we'll do it the classic way! Your choice!" growled Marcus, and Kiana stared at him, aghast. He let go of her, but he gave her no choice. She was his slave and had to obey a direct order. What would happen if she refused the other one as well? Wasn't it now part of her duties to sleep with her master? If he wanted to sleep with her, then she had to bend to his will and risk pregnancy. Kiana swallowed. He had promised her to take care of her child and not abuse it. So willy-nilly, she had to take the risk. Because she disliked the other alternative even more. She simply could not satisfy him with her mouth. Shakily, she lay down on the floor and stared at the sky. She tried to control her tears, but the more she tried, the more they came pouring out of her. Marcus eyed her for a long time as the frown line on his forehead deepened. Finally, without a word, he stood up and began to dress.
"Get up Kiana! The ride is over. We're riding home!"
"Master?" Kiana looked at him in surprise. Marcus, however, did not dignify her with a glance, but began to put the bridle on his stallion and tightened the girth. Kiana ran to him. She didn't understand the world anymore. Why was he suddenly angry with her?
"Master, what did I do wrong?"
"Kiana, just shut up and don't talk to me today. Think about it, maybe you'll figure it out on your own. Now come on!"
"I'm not leaving here until you tell me what I did wrong!" Kiana crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked at him defiantly. "I did what you wanted me to do!"
"Just do what I tell you and saddle your horse!" He still had his back turned to her and was now working his stallion energetically.
"Master, I don't understand ..." But that was obviously the straw that broke the camel's back. Marcus turned to her and now Kiana backed away in shock. He had never looked at her so angrily.
"That would have been rape just now! Do you think that's what I'm in the mood for? I don't want a trembling, crying woman under me! I could have had that before!" Kiana hadn't even realized how her behavior had hurt him. She had been too busy with herself. Ashamed, she took a step back and shook her head.
"No, my master. Forgive me, I did not think of that."
Marcus snorted in disbelief. "You didn't think that if I took you in that state it would be tantamount to rape?"
Kiana shook her head.
"I know it is your right to sleep with me, master, and I didn't want to upset you any more. I didn't know what to do. One way I can't and the other way I didn't want to." Marcus took her face energetically between his hands and looked deep into her eyes.
"You should seek out Andromeda in my absence. She knows more tricks than I do for not getting pregnant. But I don't want you to think you have to sleep with me just because I demand it. I never want to see that from you again, Kiana!"
He studied her moist eyes for a moment before lowering his lips to hers and kissing her. Long, deep, and searching. Kiana returned his kiss and again she felt relief spread through her.