Marius woke much later to somebody softly shaking his shoulder, and Kyle’s eyes swam into hisvision. “I am sorry to wake you, dominus, but you need to get ready.”
He moaned, his mouth dry, but the headachegone. “Let’s go to the bath...”
Kyle pulled him up to sit and gave him some water. They walked then to the bath where he bathed Marius, making sure he got a little massagetoo.
Later, Marius stood in his toga on the terrace, waiting for the guests, hisfiancée... how absurd... He shook his head lightly, still foggy with his hangover. He walked to the dining room, checking on the preparations, and noticed that everything was ready, the room brightly lit, filled with flowers which made the air sweet...too sweet.
He drew a big breath at the window, watching the sun set in its own blood when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Marius didn’t need to turn around to know whose it was, and he clasped that hand, softlysmiling. “Welcome, my friend.”
He turned to faceClavius, the man’s eyesshining. “How are you?”
Mariusshrugged. “I feel like shit... I thought you might not come... Kyle told me that I wasn’t very nice to you.”
Clavius’ eyeswidened. “Kyle told you? You don’t remember?”
Helaughed. “No... notat all... my memories went sometimes during dinner.”
Clavius’ face wentgrim. “You don’t remember what we fought about? This is worse than I thought.”
“Why?”
Claviussighed. “You told Seraphina about you and Kyle... I managed to soften it and pull you out of there, but she wasn't impressed... to put it mildly...”
Marius frowned, but they got interrupted by Kyle, who walked to get them. “Dominus, your guests are here...”
The men walked down to greet them, the slaves kneeling in the background, and Marius flinched at their sight, his stomach knotting.Sixtusopened the door and knelt straight away. Gaius was leading the way with his wife, followed by Seraphina and then her parents. They greeted Marius andClavius, Seraphina eyeing herfiancéwith a strange light in her eyes, her eyes drifting to the kneeling slaves.
She smiled atMarius. “Introduce me to your slaves. Soon, I will be theirdomina,and I would like to see what I’m dealing with.”
Marius swallowed but didn’t object and he led her tothem. “Get up.” He waited until they did, their headsbowed. “This is my future wife, Seraphina, yourdomina,soon.” They bowed, silent, and he went down theirrow. “This is Shayla, she’s an excellent cook and Melissa, her helper. These keep the house: Lisandra, Brianna, who’s Melissa’s daughter, and Kyle.Sixtus, who is near the door, is leading them and makes sure everything works smoothly.”
Seraphina only half listened to him, her eyes on Kyle. Her eyes drifted to Marius, then back to the slave. She looked atMarius. “But Kyle is not only tending to your house, right?”
Marius’ face wasblank. “No, he is also assisting me with daily tasks.”
Shesmiled. “You said something else yesterday but fine, maybe it was the wine talking...”
He fumed silently but didn’t comment, and Seraphina turned to theslaves. “They are not going to be enough when I move in, but we can see to this later. And the little girl? What for?”
A tinge of anger crossed hisface. “I decided to buy her. She’s very useful.”
She shrugged, looking them overagain. “Kyle and that young girl... you could breed them? It would add value to your household.”
She watched his face darken and hid a smallsmile. “I am not so much into increasing the number of slaves I have.”
“Sure, but think about. It’s common practice.”
Kyle and Lisandra blanched, but their heads stayed down.
She addressed them then, her voicecold. “Your dominus only had praises for you, but I expect the utmost obedience from you when I move in.”
She turned then, lacing her arm around Marius’, his teeth gritted in anger. They all walked up to the dining hall,Sixtusurging the slaves to serve the food and wine.
Lisandra’s hands were shaking, her face pale,and Kyle had to stop her, taking herhands. “Look at me... pull yourself together?”
She did,panicked. “What if she’ll make us...you know... I was joking last day... I don’t want to be a breeding mare...”
Her eyes welled up, and Kyle pulled her into hisarms. “You won’t be... just don’t think about this. Dominus won’t let it happen.”
