Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author Note: Warning: Slavery, sexual abuse suffered by slaves. An slight AU War of the Damned for Sibyl.
Sibyl could barely remember life before dominus's attentions. Her mother was a body slave and her father a bodyguard, and because of their fair faces, a child had been encouraged. Sibyl had been born of beauty, her eyes large and features delicate. Her dominus had been pleased and took pleasure in looking at her.
Sibyl did not like how his eyes lay heavy upon her, nor how his hands pinched tight at her wrists. Her discomfort earned her less food and her hair pulled tight until tears came. Her mother scolded her quietly.
"Do not discard what so many seek."
Sibyl watched as others were beaten and thrown back to auction for mistakes displeasing to dominus. Sibyl's mother held her gaze, saying much without words. Sibyl stared back as her mother tended to domina, silent and perfect, her eyes blank when dominus called Sibyl closer. Dominus's breath was like rotting fruit. Sibyl prayed for her mother's stillness.
Other slaves watched her through jealous eyes, pinching her when unobserved and sneering at her fine wrappings and indulgent foods. Dominus was preoccupied with her, unwinding more of her each night. Sibyl answered his questions with careful sweetness, and strived to find what pleased him, what would keep her alive and in the same house as her family. She prayed to the gods as he lurched above her, his smell choking her. She could no longer sleep through the night.
Diotimos was her answered prayer. Handsome, but not suited as a body slave, he was put to work in the kitchens and grain house. He worked hard, but loathed dominus, staring and sneering every moment dominus's back was turned. He spoke of escape and freedom.
"Open eyes, Sibyl, observe what fills these fucking rooms. If you do not, you will never gain freedom. You must look."
His words meant little. Sibyl felt the bite of chains, but preferred them to death or slavers. Dominus unwound yet more of her, and then without warning sold her mother and father when other slaves caught his eye. He held no loyalty or affection to those that had served him faithfully. Sibyl didn't get to say goodbye. Her treasured last memory of them was the blank careful masks they wore for dominus and domina.
Her night terrors grew worse. Diotimos took to sleeping at her side, careful to leave her untouched.
"More than one together will see nightmares vanish," was all he said.
And if the other slaves perceived their bond differently, it meant Sibyl was left alone, for Diotimos's temper was a thing to fear. Yet he had laughter in him that touched Sibyl, lifting spirits she thought lost forever. He called her Angerona, goddess who relieved pain and sorrow. He was wrong; for he was the one who relieved hurts as though powered by the gods, until the night he disappeared.
That evening he kissed Sibyl's brow and whispered stories of Neptune's vast rolling seas, Diana's bow, and Liber's flowing wine. He told her, with fresh urgency, to open eyes and observe, to use her fucking words, for there was value in the voice she kept hidden. He talked of Spartacus, the Bringer of Rain, and all he promised. When the sun rose, he was gone. Dominus shouted with rage and buried his anger in Sibyl. She gasped, as though from pleasure, and sent prayers to Saturn for Diotimos. Later, alone and private, she prayed to Angerona, tears hard in her eyes.
She thought of him every cold lonely night, until he returned, wild-eyed and filthy. Her heart leapt and his eyes triumphantly met hers, but all words were stolen from them when dominus struck Diotimos down. Every last ember of hope died in Sibyl, even as she snatched at the keys, at the last thing Diotimos had held, and dominus sneered and proclaimed their deaths. She thought of Angerona and prayed may this be swift, please may I see them again.
Then dominus fell at the hands of a man, an answer from the gods. Sibyl stared with wide eyes, thank you.