Chapter Two
Avelina felt as though she had only been asleep a few minutes when she was awoken by a commotion. She lifted her head to see Seppius still fast asleep next to her, his arm holding her close to his body. Before she could shake him awake, another slave burst into his quarters. Avelina quickly brought the blankets close to her body to cover herself, but was relieved to see that it was just Frieda, an older woman that she had been close to since brought here from the Germanic realm. Frieda also hailed from the same corner of the world, and always watched over Avelina.
She looked surprised to see her lying naked next to her Dominus, as they had done well in keeping it a secret, but this was not a moment for inquiry. Seppius finally stirred at the intrusion, and sat up to glare at Frieda.
"What is so vital that you need interrupt my sleep?" he demanded, angrily.
"Apologies, Dominus. There are soldiers here who require an audience from you."
"At this hour?" he growled, throwing back the blankets. This sudden turn of events caused alarm to flare in Avelina. What was happening? Had Seppius done something wrong?
"Inform them that I will join them shortly," Seppius told her, and with a final look at Avelina, she departed. Avelina jumped from the bed, and clothed herself, before helping Seppius finish dressing. She met his eyes briefly and wondered if the same worry that resided in his eyes reflected in hers. Before she could say anything, he was gone, leaving Avelina feeling useless. She decided to follow him into the front entrance, in time to see Seppia rush to meet him.
"Brother, what is happening?" She was dressed in her nightgown, and looked very concerned.
"I am unaware. Go back to your chambers, and I will inform you once I am finished." Seppia nodded, unusual, as she was normally more disposed to argue with her brother.
"I am frightened!" she whispered, clutching to him. Seppius gently pushed her off, and stroked her cheek.
"It is unnecessary," he comforted her. He then turned to see Avelina watching their exchange. "Avelina, make sure Seppia is cared for."
Avelina moved forward to collect the girl. "Come Domina; let us find something to distract you." Seppia willingly went with her, clutching tightly to her in fear.
"Perhaps you can fix my hair in one of your braids, Avelina?" she suggested, her eyes brimming with tears.
Avelina gave her a small smile and nodded. "Of course, Domina." She lead the girl down the corridor, quickly turning back to look at Seppius. He watched her with a look that she could not decipher, before he turned to go meet his visitors.
It seemed as though hours had passed since Seppius had left to speak with the soldiers. Seppia was ringing her hands anxiously, chewing her bottom lip. Avelina sat beside her on the bed, gently twisting the girl's hair into an intricate braid.
"What is the topic of such extensive discussion?" Seppia wondered, sounding irate.
"I am uncertain, Domina," Avelina replied, trying to appear calm, but her insides were twisted in nervous knots. She was unsure of the time, but knew it must be the middle of the night. "Perhaps if you closed your eyes for a while?" she suggested to the younger girl. "Sleep might be a welcome respite to your worries."
Seppia shook her head. "I wish to be awake when my brother returns. Where is he, Avelina?"
"Apologies, Domina, but again, I am uncertain." Avelina wished she could have some answers herself.
Fortunately they did not have to wait much longer. The sound of footsteps was heard in the hallway, and Seppius appeared. Avelina almost gasped when she saw him, as he looked pale and unwell.
"Brother, what is it? You look dreadful!" Seppia cried. Avelina had to control the strong urge to go over and offer him comfort.
"It's the House of Batiatus," he began, his voice unsteady. He cleared his throat, and attempted to gather himself. "There was a rebellion among the gladiators. They slaughtered everyone."
Seppia looked stunned. "But cousin Sextus was to spend his evening there tonight!"
Seppius nodded, looking even worse. "He did. The afterlife has greeted him."
Seppia burst into tears, and instead of rushing to her brother, she collapsed into Avelina's arms, sobbing heavily. Surprised, she wrapped her arms around the girl, stroking her hair to comfort her. She looked up into Seppius' face, wanting to pull him into an embrace as well. He looked so overwhelmed with emotion, she wanted to kiss away his pain and make him forget his sorrow.
"Are you absolutely certain?" Seppia bawled, tears pouring freely from her eyes. Finally Seppius moved from the doorway and sat next to her on the bed.
"Yes, I demanded that the soldiers take me there, so I could see with my own eyes." Something in his expression indicated to Avelina that he would never forget what he saw there. She knew that their cousin and his wife had been like second parents to the siblings since they had lost their own, and that this injury to their family would not be without much grief.
"Who could commit such a horrific deed?" Seppia gasped, now leaning against her brother.
"Only soulless animals that no nothing except behaving like savages," Seppius replied, through gritted teeth. Avelina could see his angst was quickly turning into rage.
"May Jupiter himself strike them down for their crimes," Seppia proclaimed.
"No," Seppius started, his voice cold. "I will not rest until I see them pay for their actions by my own doing." He turned to Avelina. "I must go. Bring Seppia's slave here, so that she may stay with her for the remainder of the night."
Once Avelina had summoned Seppia's slave, she sat down on the steps leading to the servants' quarters, and took a deep breath. She was unsure of what to do with herself. Normally she would be permitted to retire to her bed, although she knew she would not sleep. What she wanted was to go to Seppius, to comfort him, but it seemed inappropriate. She was not his wife, she was a lowly slave that he sometimes turned to for physical enjoyment, and yet that did not subdue her desire to go to him.
The urge was too strong to ignore, and when she quietly crept into his quarters, she saw him seated upon his bed, his back to her, with his head in his hands. She could not tell if he was just resting or weeping. She moved around the side of the bed, and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. He was so deep in thought that he started at the touch, looking up at her with surprised eyes.
"Why are you not in your quarters?" he demanded, and Avelina was suddenly worried that he might be angry with her for roaming the villa at such an hour.
"I thought I may be of some service to you, Dominus…."
Seppius lowered his eyes and shook his head sorrowfully, giving a small scoff. Finally he looked back up at her standing before him. He kept silent, and she sat down next to him on the bed. Tentatively, she took his hand in her own, stroking her fingers over his skin. He watched her with a peculiar look on his face, still keeping silent. Avelina moved her fingers up and down his arm, before finally slipping her hand into his tunic, resting over his heart, feeling it beat a pattern into her hand. He stared at her, waiting for what she would do next. She leaned into his neck, gently kissing him up to his jawline, before nibbling on his ear, rubbing her face against his to feel his stubble gently scrape against her flesh, the sensation being one she strongly enjoyed whenever she was with Seppius. He moved his lips to hers and kissed her enthusiastically, his hand coming up to anchor her face against his.
Their mouths moved together, slowly and fully. Avelina would pull away every few moments to look into his eyes, her heart aching when she saw the pain reflected within them. "Let me help you forget," she whispered to him, before seizing his mouth again. She kissed him with purpose, trying to add as much comfort to the deed as possible. He held her close, extracting her kiss for all the solace he could. She tugged at his clothes, wanting nothing more than to pacify his worries for a short time.
"Let me aid you in conquering your grief," she murmured against his lips, and he nodded, moving her underneath him, and peeling off her dress. He kissed her everywhere, from her lips to her hipbone, as though he could find the cure to his agony in her skin. Avelina stroked his hair, his cheeks, his shoulder blades, anywhere she could reach. He looked so distressed that it made her heart ache, and she desperately wanted to abolish the expression from his face forever. His kisses became more passionate and urgent, almost causing Avelina to suffocate from lack of breath. His thrusts inside of her were deep and hard, creating a painful pleasure. She kept her cries muffled, not wanting to distract him from this outlet for his misery. Seppius finally collapsed on top of her, and Avelina brought up her arms in order to hold him closely against her. He permitted her to do so for only a moment, but then pushed her away abruptly.
"I will need my mourning clothes."
Avelina nodded, slightly dazed, and pulled her dress over her head. She went to his assortment of tunics, searching for the black ones. She recalled that he had not worn these since his father died, a few years earlier. It would not be a happy task, to dress in them again, reliving previous anguish, and she pitied him. He watched her lay them out on a chair.
"Their slaves murdered them," he said, suddenly, causing Avelina to freeze mid-task. "Slit their throats, stabbed them through their hearts and guts, and made them suffer. There was blood everywhere. I did not know the body held so much until tonight." Avelina swallowed her revulsion and tried to push away the horrible images she conjured in her head.
"Is that what you long for?" he asked, his voice rigid and cold. "To drive a knife into my heart while I sleep? Watch the light fade from my eyes after you have tired me from a long, hard fuck?"
Avelina gasped at his words. He was the one stabbing her through the heart, but lacking a weapon, he used venomous expression instead. She turned to refute his accusations, but was cut short when he crossed the room, still naked, and grabbed her tightly around the arms, squeezing hard, hoping to bruise her soft, smooth skin.
She grimaced in pain, and feelings of satisfaction churned within him. Slaves had robbed his beloved cousin of life. Vile, dirty slaves, and at this moment, she was the closest thing to them.
"Dominus, please!" she yelped, tears filling her eyes and spilling down her cheeks, but he would not relinquish his grip on her. He moved one hand to her throat, squeezing tightly, but not enough to deprive her of air. Even still, her blue eyes widened in fear.
"They do not stand a chance against the glorious beast that is Rome," he growled at her, while she struggled to free herself from his grasp. "Every slave will be put to death that dares to rise against their master." As he said this, his eyes held a warning. "I will not rest until justice is granted." He finally let go of her.
"Remove yourself from my presence immediately," he said, turning away from her. Avelina did not need to be told twice. She walked as quickly as she could out of his chambers and back to her own sleeping quarters. Once she sat on her bed, the soft flow of tears that fell from her eyes turned into a flood. She sobbed freely, trying to keep quiet as to not wake anyone, but it proved impossible. This was the end of their attachment. She always knew that it would finish someday, but it did not feel any less painful. She lay her head down and cried herself into exhaustion, hoping her eyes would not be too swollen come dawn. She did not want Seppius to see her in any form of distraught state. She wanted him to think he meant nothing to her, that he was just an itch she needed scratched. Now she just had to make herself believe it, and she would be victorious.