“You heard my friend, Kyle. What he said yesterday at dinner.” Kyle just nodded and Marius asked. “Is it true?”
The slave pondered his response, especially in the light of the morning’s event, but just sighed then. “You can do whatever you want with me, dominus.”
“Even if it means I won’t touch you again?”
Kyle stayed silent a bit, torn between his feelings, but just closed his eyes. “Yes, it is your right to decide what you want. So, if that’s your decision, then I have to accept it, dominus.”
Marius stayed silent a while, his mind fogged by the wine. “But if I decided to use you in bed... would you like that?”
Kyle looked at him. “I would accept your decision, dominus.”
Marius smiled mockingly. “That’s not what I've asked...”
“Yes, I would like that, dominus.” Although he was not sure, having only seen the rough side of him, but he didn’t want to anger him either, it was not his choice, anyway.
Marius sighed, closing his eyes. “You can leave now, Kyle. Get some sleep.”
The slave looked at him, slightly puzzled, but got up and slowly left the room, Marius already asleep.
In the morning, Marius woke with a splitting headache, Kyle already next to his bed with a cup of water and he downed it eagerly, sighing. “I shouldn’t drink...”
The slave didn’t comment, and Marius got up to dress, Kyle holding his tunic ready with his shorts. He dressed, the sun already high, and his stomach grumbled as he sat down to eat, glancing at the slave. “Have you eaten?”
“Yes, dominus.”
He nodded, content. “You should eat. You’re too skinny.”
Lucius liked me that way, but he kept his thoughts to himself, enjoying that he didn’t have to starve anymore. “Yes, dominus. I will make sure I eat.”
He waited until Marius finished and collected the platter, leaving to the kitchen. Marius went down with him, looking for Sixtus, their old family slave gifted to him by his father to run his household. “Sixtus, do we need more slaves?”
The old man thought about this, his eyes drifting to Kyle. “Depends on how you want to use Kyle, dominus. He is quite versatile, but if he’ll be caught up with...”
Marius waved him away. “Not full time...”
The old man nodded. “Then in that case, we might maybe just need one more to help the cook and one more to help around the house with cleaning.”
Marius nodded. “How are the new ones?”
Sixtus spread his palms. “You know how this goes... the cook is a seasoned slave. She’s been in a good household and knows what she’s doing. The young girl however... she can’t stop crying... and she is latching on to Kyle, being of the same age...” Marius’ face darkened, but he didn’t comment. “So, there’s also your stable slave, but he is fine, too.”
There was a knock on the main door and Sixtus stepped over to answer the door, letting Clavius in.
“My good friend!”, the centurion grinned, shaking Marius’ arm. “Come on! I’ve come to take you to have some fun today. We’ll go and visit the baths, have lunch, and go to enjoy some nice girls!”
He winked at him, and Marius sighed. “Maybe not end this whole day in a brothel?”
But Clavius was tugging at him, grinning. “You’re exhausting yourself with your new fuck boy?”
Marius frowned. “No... of course not.”
Clavius pouted. “Oh... not to your liking?”
“Leave this.... let’s go.”
Clavius watched him carefully, but didn’t comment.
They left then and Sixtus returned to his duties, walking to the kitchen where Kyle was helping the cook. “Kyle, come with me. Lisandra can take over.” The young girl was crying again, silently sniffling, and Sixtus grabbed her arm. “Stop this or dominus will have your hide! This is no way to behave here.” She tried to stifle her sobs but failed and he left her, gutted. Maybe she should be sold, he thought, leading Kyle to an abandoned interior garden to the right of the atrium.
