A/N: Oh my, thank you so much for all the reviews, follows and favorites! You're all so positive, and it really makes my day when I read your kind words. I'm enjoying writing this so much and immersing myself in this little world, and it's awesome to think that other people are loving their story as much as I do.

BrittanaOTP4Life: I'm glad you like it! Santana and Brittany are both most definitely whipped by one another, but aren't they always ;) As for what you would like to see, you'll have to read and find out as we go.

Triggers: Just a warning that this chapter does contain references to sexual violence, so you have been warned.


Chapter 6: To Your Health

August 1st, 79 AD

Brittany's night sleep had been filled with dreams of the beautiful Santana; her shy smile, her deep eyes and sultry voice. Before they met, the blonde wasn't sure it was possible to be so enamoured by another person. All the beautiful poems and stories she had heard through her short life were starting to make sense. The woman had come into her life so suddenly, Brittany knew that she had to be almost like a gift from the higher powers. With all the life changes she was experiencing, and with the overbearing existence of her Master, Santana was a siren of brightness to balance out her life.

That whole morning, Brittany couldn't help her smiles. Even Aelia noticed the swing in her step and Brittany had just shrugged in response of any questioning. Santana wasn't a secret, but she wanted to keep their special moments just to herself for the moment.

In Brittany's eyes, the sun was shining like gold that morning. The idea that Santana was in the villa near her and could possibly join her in the gardens to see her was thrilling. It gave her a reason to work hard and fast so she could afford to steal away those precious moments. Never having really had a real friend before, Brittany was wired to enjoy every single moment she could.

Smiling to herself, Brittany dipped the scrubber in the water container to dampen it before continuing to scrub the stonework ground. From her position on her knees, the cool air blew through the loose strands of her hair, keeping her chilled from the sun. The weather had been hotter than the usual summers, and Brittany was grateful for it. She loved the heat. Coldness was a mirror of loneliness, heartache and despair – but heat? It warmed her heart.

Though her body ached with the long days of work, the much needed sleep she had gotten was all the fuel she needed to feel full of more energy. Besides getting a few pointers from other house-slaves, some motherly care from Aelia and her precious time with Santana, Brittany had been mostly left to her own devices. The closest Master Loukas had gotten to her since her night with him had been at a distance, and Brittany was starting to think that her nightmare may be over.

Pompeii was looking brighter and brighter.

Brittany tried to swerve her mind into thinking about what life was like outside the walls of the villa. She had seen the streets, barren in the midst of the evening, but the day was a whole different world. She wondered if the Gladiators were as regal as they were in the stories she had been told. Here, they were rumoured to be the biggest, strongest and bravest in the Roman Empire. She wondered how full the stadium would get for fights. Would the warriors just fight other men, or would they be put to the test with brutish beasts?

She thought about how glorious the markets would be in such a city. The rich fabrics, ripe fruits and beautiful stone works of art littering the streets to make a livelihood. Brittany tried to imagine the beauty of such a city brought to light; the smiles on the faces of the citizens and the joy of the children as they ran between the ever moving bodies on the pathways.

No matter how much she attempted to fantasize and imagine, Brittany's mind was always tugged back to the raven haired beauty that captivated her thoughts. She could only imagine what she was doing.

Brittany could see her, so clearly in her mind, tucked up on one of the grand chairs in the room she had first seen her in, her nose stuck deeply into another leather bound book. Her eyebrow creased in concentration as her dark eyes skimmed over every letter to transcribe it into her beautiful mind. She could imagine her walking down the regal streets of Pompeii, head held high with her status and all eyes turning to admire her as she floated by. Anyone who had a well-working set of eyes could see how stunning she was at a glance. There was no doubt that she turned heads wherever she went, without even the knowledge of her family and blood.

"I think you cleaned that spot well enough, don't you?"

A chill ran down Brittany's spine the instant the soft words hit the shells of her ears, and she didn't need to look up to know that Santana was looking down at her, a playful smirk on her lips.

Peering up from under her hair, Brittany's heart skipped a beat as she caught sight of Santana, the sun illuminating from behind her as she smiled down at her. Her dark tunica was perfectly complimentary to her flawless skin, a basket was hanging loosely from her arm.

"I was stuck in my own mind," Brittany replied with a bashful smile, moving to her feet and brushing the dust from her white robes.

"I bet it was beautiful. In your mind,"

Brittany felt her face heat with a blush, which Santana responded with a wider smile, dimples creasing on her round cheeks. She must have loved making Brittany blush as much as Brittany enjoyed the reverse.

"Have you eaten?" Santana questioned before Brittany had the chance to open her mouth. It was as though, since Santana came into her presence, Brittany had only just realized her own basic needs. She hadn't yet eaten and perhaps been so caught up on her thoughts that she missed Aelias' call for lunch.

"No, not yet.. I must have forgotten," Brittany whispered, her eyes darting to her feet. She wasn't sure why she felt a little shameful for her actions. Perhaps it was partly because of her lack to take care of herself in order to take care of Santana's house the way she should, or that she may have to leave the side of the person she had been thinking about since the moment she woke up to fill her stomach.

"Good," Santana replied, making Brittany's eyes rise with unanswered questions, "I brought us something. You seem to like it out here, so I wanted to join you, if that would be okay,"

Nodding dumbly, Brittany's heart thumped as Santana moved to sit down, pulling the basket into her lap. Aside from her parents and most recently, Aelia, Brittany had never had anyone care for her so much. Santana was from a whole other world and a whole other class, but she treated Brittany like an equal. A friend. As simple as having lunch with her seemed, Brittany was extremely touched.

"Thank you," Brittany whispered as she moved to sit by the tanned beauty, her face bright with what could only have been described as sincere joy.

Brittany watched as Santana carefully pulled out a package wrapped in fabric and handed it over to her. Opening the thin string, Brittany uncovered the most tender meat and sweetest looking bread she had ever seen, making her stomach growl with desire. The only meat she had ever really eaten back in Oplontishad been the off-cuts from her fathers' herd. It was definitely nothing like this. Just the smell was heavenly, and Brittany couldn't believe that Santana would be sharing something so rich with her.

"Eat up," Santana instructed softly before taking a small bite of her own, her own package settled in her lap. With a small nod and a thankful smile, Brittany tore off a piece of meat and brought it between her lips. The moan that left Brittany's body was involuntary, but Santana seemed satisfied that she had brought her new friend just simple joy.

They ate in silence, but it was comfortable. Brittany was happy to just be next to the beautiful woman, enjoying the gifts she had bestowed upon her. Though she wasn't sure Santana saw it in such a way, for someone like Brittany, it was the highest form of flattery.

"I love Aelias' sweet bread. I have ever since I was small,"

When Santana finally broke the silence, Brittany turned her head curiously as she finished her last mouthful of meat. She knew Aelia must have been working for Master Loukas for quite some time, but she had never thought that it may have pre-dated Santana's existence.

"I didn't know she had been here so long," Brittany replied softly, her blue eyes almost begging for the need to know more. Aelia was already so dear to her, and being such a big part of Santana's childhood almost made Brittany feel more attached. Anything about Santana, she wanted to know.

"She has. Everyone comes and goes, but she has been here for as long as I can remember." Santana smiled, obviously quite fond of the older woman. "She taught me to read,"

"She can read?" Brittany asked, unable to hide her surprise. She had assumed with the position of the house-slaves, that they were from poor families too.

"Of course. Most people can, can't they?"

Brittany's eyes flickered down to her lap. Back in Oplontis, it was just assumed that anyone who wasn't from a family of wealth lacked the education to be able to read. Brittany wasn't unintelligent at all. She had always longed to be able to dig into the amazing books she heard so much about and watched the richer folk carrying around with them like prized possessions. She had never learned how to read or how to write. She wasn't destined for anything besides low work or slavery, so she was never given the chance to.

It was never something she saw to be a flaw.

"I suppose," Brittany replied, not being able to hide the soft hurt in her voice.

She could feel Santana's eyes on her, watching her every facial movement and every flicker of her eyes. Her face burned with embarrassment, hoping and praying to the Gods that whatever façade surrounding her in Santana's eyes hadn't been broken.

"You can't read?"

Brittany only shrugged in response, not sure what she was supposed to say. It took her a few moments to find her voice, small as it may be.

"I never had anyone to teach me,"

With the smallest ounce of bravery, Brittany risked a glance to the side. Santana was staring at her intently, but her face was soft and serene.

"I shall teach you one day, if you would like. Books are overrated anyway," Santana shrugged. "I enjoyed your stories about roses much more,"

It was all Brittany needed to light up once again, her lips parting with a smile to show off her teeth, beaming at the wonderful woman. She was just full of surprises and Brittany never wanted to miss a single one.

Turning back to finish her sweet bread, not being able to stop the smile that solidified its place on her lips, Brittany tried to steer the conversation back. As much as she loved the way the tanned Goddess looked at her, it was too distracting to eat. Her stomach flittered and fluttered too intensely.

"Does Aelia have any children?" Brittany asked after taking her final bite. It had been something she had always wondered. The woman was just so motherly.

"I don't think so," Santana replied after a beat, taking the cloth from Brittany's lap and placing it with her own back into the woven basket. "I have never heard of them if she has, but she helped raise me. She aided my mother in childbirth,"

Not being able to stop the way her head perked up, Brittany's eyes traced over the side of Santana's face. She had been longing to know about Santana's mother ever since Master Loukas had spoken of her the day before, but it would have been out of place to mention it unprovoked.

"Where is your mother?" Brittany asked, though she had somewhat of an idea. She wasn't a member of the household, so it was easy to presume she had passed away.

"She died when I was a baby. I don't remember her, but Aelia has always acted like a mother to me,"

Brittany could see the lines creasing at the corners of Santana's dark eyes, and her heart ached for her. Though she seemed to not really know her mother at all, Brittany couldn't imagine the pain of not having one. Aelia was a great, kind woman, but it wasn't the same.

At least, Brittany assumed as much. Aelia had always seemed so knowing when it came to Master Loukas' advance on her, so perhaps their relationship went a lot deeper. It could have been that they used to be more of a husband and wife after Santana's mother had passes, especially seeing as she raised his child.

"Did you father and Aelia have relations? Like a husband and wife?"

Brittany knew, from the instant she opened her mouth, that she had spoken out of turn. Santana's eyes shot up from where they were gazing into her lap, piercing into Brittany's with such distaste. It was a look that Brittany had only ever seen when she had addressed Gaius the day that they met. It was a look she had always hoped would never fall onto her.

It was a look that made her feel sick to her stomach.

"How dare you suggest that," Santana spat at her, rising to her feet. Her body was stiff and strong – a world away from the soft, Goddess-like persona that Brittany had tattooed intricately into her memory. The blonde felt herself shrink and cower away under her.

"I didn't.." Brittany tried to start.

"You did. I think you should think twice about what you are suggesting about the man who has put a roof over your head, slave."

As Santana turned around on her heel and snatched up the basket, Brittany could only watch as she stormed away. The sun overhead had slipped behind a cloud, as though Santana was taking the warmth of sunshine along with her as she left Brittany behind, shivering and panicked in the courtyard.

xXx

Brittany continued for the rest of her day with a heavy heart.

No matter where she tried to force her thoughts to wander to while she conducted mindless chores, all she could see was the hurt and anger invading Santana's once bright and beautiful eyes.

Making Santana think ill of her was the last thing Brittany had ever wanted to do. The Masters' daughter had opened up such a kindness to her; something Brittany had never felt before in her life. She craved the woman's attention and wanted to steal away every last glance she had to offer in the chance that maybe, the woman would be able to see herself the way that Brittany did. She was a Goddess, and Brittany had hurt her deeply.

She had hurt herself by losing her first true friend.

When the sun set in the barren, cold sky, Brittany sighed to herself as she rose back to her feet. She had spent the entire day cleaning and scrubbing the floor and her knees and arms screamed at her with pain. She longed to take a bath and curl up in her small bed, willing for the next day to be better than this one. Perhaps tomorrow, Santana wouldn't hate her. Perhaps tomorrow, she would wake up and this would have all been a horrific dream.

Barely registering where she was going, Brittany's sandal-clad feet dragged along the smooth stone path into the villa, eyes glazed over with her own troubled thoughts. Her stomach almost hurt with regret and she was almost too caught up in her own sorrow to notice when a strong, firm had reached out to grab her forearm.

"I want you tonight, my golden haired girl," The rough voice in her ear caused every hair on Brittany's body to stand on edge, a fierce shiver stabbing into her back.

Though her first instinct was to pull away, Brittany knew she was powerless to Master Loukas. He owned her, just as he owned the villa and the flowers she spent her days beautifying to his liking. She was foolish to think that his only need for her was to take her innocence. He was her paid prize.

Giving into him, Brittany followed numbly as he tugged her through the villa, already feeling the darkened bruises forming on her fragile arm under his fingers. He seemed tense and troubled, and Brittany knew he was going to use her to rectify his foul mood.

Feeling a tear slip down her cheek, Brittany whimpered as he tugged her closer, his grip tightening as they neared his bedroom. She looked around wildly to see if anyone would step in and put a stop to it, but it was a pointless act.

She was his property to do whatever he wanted with, even if it caused her pain.

Feeling a set of dark eyes boring into her, Brittany sought them out and she felt as though her stomach dropped to her knees, the urge to throw up hovering tentatively in the back of her throat. The expression in the dark orbs in the shadows was unreadable, but Brittany didn't care. She didn't want to know. Fragile, ashamed and frightened, she was alone, no matter who watched, cared for or currently hated her.

With a pathetic plea to be set loose, Brittany was dragged into Master Loukas' bedroom while his daughter watched from the shadows. Though a tiny sob left Santana's lips, it was impossible for Brittany to hear it over her own.