A/N: This is where we start getting into more adult themes so please don't read if you don't feel comfortable. Just another warning that (at the end of this chapter) there is a reference to sexual violence, so again, proceed with caution. After this chapter, Santana becomes a steady presence in the story, so don't fear! Thank you for all the follows, faves and kind words. I hope you keep enjoying.


Chapter 3: The Chain

July 28th, 79 AD

It had been a somewhat sleepless night for Brittany, her mind filled with visions of the tanned Goddess; of deep, soulful eyes.

The morning had not been quiet. She was awoken by the other slaves sleeping near her in the room stirring, talking amongst themselves as they got up and dressed. It seemed, from the very start, that everyone had a job to do and it would always be done on time, no matter what. The sun was barely shining through the tiny windows and Brittany wondered how and why her fellows would have woken up. Perhaps they were just used to getting up at the same time every day that their body clock had adjusted accordingly.

Rubbing her eyes, Brittany was soon up and dressed, her body a bundle of nerves about her first day working for her new master. She hoped to do a good job and prove that she was a great choice over everyone else he could have picked for this new life. She would prove herself and make her family proud, if she ever got the chance to see them again. It was, at least, some way to thank them for letting her go and allowing her a better life.

"Everyone here had a difficulty their first night," A voice chirped up behind Brittany.

Wheeling around, her heart calmed immediately when she saw the comforting, smiling face of Aelia. Nodding politely, Brittany smoothed down the front of the tunica she had received before going to bed. It felt like much higher quality than the fabrics she was used to, falling over her skin like silk. Compared to the white of her old clothes, it looked shining and pure.

The look in Aelia's eyes was that of a mother. Brittany felt as home with her the night before and even more so now. From what she had seen as they all settled down for the night, all of the other house slaves were very respectful and polite with her. Though they would chat and joke amongst themselves, Aelia would be sitting on her blankets, watching as the life went on without them.

She wondered what things Aelia would have seen throughout her life. If slaves here would come and go while she watched. Did she wish to leave herself? Brittany guessed that she didn't have a family outside of her own and perhaps that was what made her a maternal figure within the house. Did she know the dark haired beauty?

"This morning, I shall show you around," Aelia smiled, snapping Brittany out of her daze and Brittany returned the smile, following her from the bed chambers.

xXx

The house itself seemed like an entirely different world during the day, lit by the rays of morning sun. Despite being in the middle of the city, the quietness was something Brittany wasn't used to. Although she knew that there would have been life on the streets, all sound was masked by the large stone walls and foliage surrounding the villa. If anything, it could have been described as a town on its own, slaves moving around the courtyards quietly as they readied for the master and his family to wake.

Aelia took her from the slave quarters and through the courtyard. Lined with pillars, Brittany could really appreciate the delicately groomed gardens and intricate paint work in the light of day. In the center, a pool of water was glistening, reflections reflected onto a dark marble statue in the middle. She wondered how she had not noticed it the night before, but anything could have been overlooked after finding the girl through the window.

Turning, Brittany glanced towards where she had seen her. The room was dark inside, with no sign of life. Although it wasn't a shock that she wouldn't be sat inside, Brittany couldn't help but feel disappointed. There was still a very high chance that she would never see her again, or that she was just a figment of Brittany's tired mind working too hard to process the day and start hallucinating. She had heard about it happening before; people having visions of Gods and mythical beasts that couldn't have existed in the mortal world. Some even say that hallucinations were a gift to be able to see into other realms where entities roamed, far too beautiful and exquisite for the mortal world.

Perhaps that was what she was.

"Master Loukas wants you in the gardens," Aelia announced as they came to a halt by one of the large pillars surrounding the courtyard. "You are young and the work will not be too heavy for you. You are to clean the water pools, care for the plants and hang out the clothes and fabrics to dry when you are asked. You might be asked to do some other tasks and you are to complete anything that is asked of you. If you have any questions or are unsure of anything, you can find me in the kitchens."

"Thank you," Brittany replied, as a middle aged man approached them with a basket of cloths, a knife and a sweeping brush in his other hand. Taking them, Brittany nodded in thanks before he hurried away to continue his own jobs.

With a squeeze of her shoulder, Aelia left her to her own devices. Taking the boom in both of her unskilled hands, Brittany dragged it along the stone path with a rough swish, starting her first day of work.

xXx

Looking up into the sky, Brittany could see the streaks of orange and violet that could only mean that the Sun was about to set. Her arms were aching and tired from sweeping, polishing and cleaning. She wasn't used to such work, and the day had travelled by so slowly. There was no doubt that it would get quicker and easier, like it used to be helping her father with the goats, but it would be a slow process.

Aelia seemed to be impressed with how quickly she picked up the skills she needed. She had come by when the sun was the highest in the sky to take her to the kitchen for lunch and check that everything was up to standard. Though she didn't say much, Brittany felt proud of her work so far, even if there wasn't too much to show of it.

She never really had a chance to have any friends or any way to fit in back in Oplontis, but Pompeii was different. There was a way of life and a hierarchy to follow. There were other people that Brittany could see as her peers whom she would be eating with, sleeping next to and relying on for company. It was different, but she knew that it was going to be amazing.

Picking up the basket and brush, Brittany walked slowly back into the main villa, heading towards the kitchen to store them for tomorrow's work, just as Aelia had asked her. The house was quiet, and Brittany wondered if she had worked later than she was supposed to. Either way, more work was better than less, and she didn't let it bother her too much.

"How was your first day?" Gaius , the young man she had met the previous day asked Brittany as she put down the supplies, turning towards the kitchen workers, watching him chop up what looked like a green vegetable.

"It was hard, but I've always loved being outdoors," Brittany shrugged with a smile, fixing her tunica.

"Yes, he does like to get the young ones working in the gardens. It's something to show off to his acquaintances," The man smiled with a shake of his head, "Before you, it was a pretty little thing with the longest, brown hair you'd ever see. She didn't last very long before he sent her elsewhere. Had quite a temper, I hear. Said some quite foul things to Master Loukas and his men."

Brittany furrowed her brows, not wanting to believe that anyone could have said anything to upset the kind man of the house. He was giving them a home and a purpose away from living on the cruel streets. She must have been quite a character.

"I would never say such things." Brittany replied adamantly, "Can I help?" She continued, walking up to the counter. With a nod from Gaius to urge her forward, Brittany picked up a vegetable, cutting it as she had watched him do.

"Good. I like you," Gaius smiled, taking the cut vegetables from her pile to collect them together with his own. "It's nice to have someone here closer to my age, though I think you're a little younger."

Brittany chuckled softly as she worked. Gaius was very sweet, and she was just as glad to have him working beside her. "Have they all been here a while? The others? You make it seem like everyone around here is a lot older." Brittany asked, glancing beside her at the hard working boy. He couldn't have been more than a few years older. She wondered how long he had been here.

"It depends. Some have been here for decades. Others just a few years. There are also a couple who have been here less than I have, but I guess that they've worked elsewhere," He shrugged, "But we're still the youngest. Us and the Masters' daughter, of course."

Turning to face him, Brittany saw the amused smile on his face. She had heard the driver who brought her here talk about a daughter before, but it had slipped her mind until now. Brittany had yet to meet her, or anyone else from the family of the house.

She wondered if the daughter could have been the beautiful girl from the window.

Before she had chance to ask or pry any more from Gaius, a voice spoke up behind her.

"Brittany? The Master has requested to see you."

Turning around, Brittany didn't recognise the man. He was middle aged, his brown hair stained with silver streaks. His tone wasn't what Brittany would call friendly, and if it wasn't a case of Master Loukas asking for her, she would have been reluctant to go and instead stay behind with Gaius.

Turning to give Gaius a questioning look, the young man encouraged her to go. After all, she doubted that he would tell her otherwise. It was his job not to. Brittany definitely didn't want to be like the last young girl that he had described. She would be polite and do whatever he asked for her to do. The last thing she wanted was to get taken away from the house after only just getting a taste of being in such a wonderful place.

Following obediently, Brittany was led through the house until she found herself in a bigger room than any she had seen so far. From the looks of it, the decorative art around the edges and the large seats all over the room, it seemed to be the room she had looked into the night before.

As the man slowed them to a halt, Brittany let her eyes drift over to the lounger where she had seen her mystery Goddess and couldn't help but wonder if she would be back tonight. Perhaps she would go out into the courtyard after she had finished whatever she had to do to end her day of work, just for the chance to see her again.

She had to see if she was real.

"Very nice. The tunica fits you well, Brittany."

The voice was easily recognisable as Master Loukas, making his presence known within the room. Smiling softly, Brittany nodded in thanks, delicate hands running over the fabric at her sides.

"Come with me," He ordered her, his voice firm and Brittany did so. Quietly walking through an unknown area of the house, Brittany stayed close behind him until she found herself in a lavish bedroom.

She had never seen anything like it.

The bed in the center was larger than any bed she had imagined before, the cloths and blankets covering it looking thick and comfortable, obviously made from only the highest quality fabrics. Around the walls, vases were neatly showcased on small pillars, carved with intricate patterns and pictures that Brittany wondered told a story. Lit by lamps and candles, the room gave off a warm glow, a world away from the quarters she was used to sleeping in.

Feeling a hand move to her shoulder, Brittany jumped. She hadn't been psychically touched since she said her goodbyes to her parents, so it came as a bit of a shock.

"You really are as pretty as your father said you were. A real golden haired prize."

Hearing his breath tickle at her neck, Brittany shivered. She was feeling very uncomfortable by his closeness, but knew better than to say anything. Master Loukas was her sole anchor of survival now and she couldn't throw that away.

As soon as his rough hands started pulling her tunica away, Brittany's blood ran cold, her stomach dropping as she froze in fear. She had never experienced anything like this before but Master Loukas was a respected man. She would just let him do what he wanted, and then she would be free to go about her own business.

Brittany had never really been hurt physically in her life. Being from such loving parents and a sheltered life, she went about her business quietly. No one ever had any problems with her and she never thought a bad word about anyone else. She was naïve and delicate, but she wasn't unintelligent.

Lying beneath Master Loukas's naked body as he moved above her, she knew it wasn't normal. She had seen paintings and stone work of sex, and though it didn't leave much to the imagination, she would have never paired it with the shooting pain through her pelvis. It was supposed to be sacred between the lovers of Venus, but there was nothing Godlike about Master Loukas. He was burning fire and he was claiming her like the slave she was.

Closing her eyes, Brittany whimpered as she imagined she was back in the courtyard.

Back where she could see her Goddess.