Darolus tries to find a way to present Merlonius' plan to Carola as they spend some alone time together. And yes, some of it is naked alone time.

Explicit sexual Carylness.

"He told them to leave us alone; that we didn't need witnesses when sharing pleasures!" Carola said, blushing, sounding scandalized, while urging her palomino mare, Artemis, into a canter.

Dixus gave Ajax the cue to follow, chasing after her. He had wondered how his brother had managed to keep her two Custos at bay. They were standing guard at the entrance to the secluded cove about a half a mile away from where she and he rode their horses alone the edge of the surf, ordered to do so by Doctore.

"This must be a popular trysting spot if even Doctore Viride knows about it." Dixus said, reining in his mount to match her speed and smiling at her sweet embarrassment. "Though I'm surprised your Father agreed to let you go riding today."

"It helped that the whole household is in an uproar because of Legate's visit..." she slowed to a trot and then walk, "There's something that I need to tell you, Darol."

"Oh?"

"He stopped off at Uncle's ludus first, to make purchase. He might have chosen Aaronus or one of your other friends." she said, looking at him sadly.

"It is a possibility we all knew... hoping we never had to face each other in the Arena... but that is life of gladiators. We do our master's bidding, as does any slave." Darol said stoically. His ambivalence about Aaronus hit him full force then. He certainly didn't want the man dead, but he still hated how the guilt over what had happened between them, even after he'd declared his love for Carola, weighed on him. With what he had to ask her to do today though, it was no time to rock the boat with such a revelation. He needed her total trust if he was going to help his brother.

Futuo! Had he really decided that, then? That he trusted Merlonius' word enough to risk both their futures on the plan?

He felt her hand touch his arm, drawing his attention back to her flushed face, full of concern.

"It is warm; we should cool the horses in the surf and then head for the shade of the tree line to rest and take refreshments before returning." he said with efficient practicality.

"Rest? Is that what we're calling it now?" Carola asked and pulling her mare to a stop she gave him a seductive smile. The beautiful golden horse danced to the side, her tail twitching, and gave a squealing whiny, answered by a loud almost screaming one from Ajax.

Dixus suddenly had a thousand pounds of very excited stallion on his hands, literally champing at the bit to get to Carola's mare.

"Shit! Get off her! Now!" Dixus yelled at her, seeing the confused look leave her face as she saw the huge erection the big horse was sporting.

Carola practically leapt off the mare into the surf, going under. Sputtering, she was pulled back up by Darolus who lifted and carried her away from the beach. He didn't stop until they reached the tree line and even then didn't set her on her feet until he knew she was breathing well.

"Artie wasn't in heat this morning!" Carola said, upset. She knew the signs of a mare coming onto estrus and hers had exhibited none of them. She also knew how dangerous it was to ride a mare in that state around a stud.

"Sometimes they are on the edge of it and a mare simply gets pulled into it by just being around a stallion—if Doctore didn't see it I don't expect you to have." Dixus told her. "She's young as well; this is probably her first time."

"Then I hope it's as wonderful as mine was." Carola said as they watched the two horses do a mating dance as old as time. "Gods..." she said, feeling a wave of heat pass over her as she looked at the long jutting member of the cream colored horse bumping against its belly as he sniffed her horse's arousal. She winced with empathy when Ajax nipped at Artie's rump, then laughed as her little mare got snippy and kicked out and whirled on him, teeth snapping.

"She's got spirit." Darolus drawled as he came up behind her and put his arms around her waist.

Carol felt the warmth of his body at her back, her wet clothes making her start to feel chilly in the shade of the trees. When he felt her shiver he urged her forward, more into the sun and she welcomed its warm rays on her skin. Even more welcome was the feel of his warm lips on her nape.

"Keep watching them." he ordered, raising his hands to the fibulae brooches fastening her gown and opening them so he could tug the sodden cloth down to her waist, where her belt held it in place. Her nipples were already tight from her chill and ready for his touch. She sighed, relaxing in his arms as he kissed her neck, but then he felt her gasp and tense and lifted his head just as he closed his hands over her pert breasts.

The mare had stopped fighting, giving into to her fate. She was holding her tail to the side, her back legs in a broad stance, her head lowered, breathing heavily as the stallion nuzzled her back with his long nose and neck in what seemed like a caress. Then all at once he reared up, his front legs bracing against her hips, holding her in place and prodding against her opening. When he bucked his hips forward in penetration she squealed and tried to pull away, but he was ruthless, his long neck snaking out and his teeth latching on to her neck to hold her still. Then all the fight went out of her and she gave a low groaning whinny as he filled her completely.

"My gods..." Carola swallowed, in awe of the power displayed by the animals.

"Do you want that, my love?" Darol asked, his agile fingers circling her breasts, his wet cloth covered erection riding the cleft of her ass, "To be taken like that?"

She wanted it so much she could barely breathe.

"See how she responds to him?" Darol asked, now rolling her taut nipples between his fingers. As the stud pounded away Carola saw that the mare was arching up her back and pushing back with each stroke, not simply accepting, but participating.

One hand left her breast and moved to unfasten her belt so he could finish stripping away her clothes and then found her soft and quivering mound.

With an explosive groan, the stallion arched forward, pouring himself into his mate and after a last few weak thrusts, he released his grip on her neck and pulled out, still half hard, and returned to all fours, snorting and tossing his head. The mare stood still with her head down, her sides heaving until Ajax came up beside her, his body tight against her side, twining their necks together. He whinnied in triumph and then they took off, running down the beach together.

"Did watching them make you as wet as I am hard?" Darol asked and then gave a groaning chuckle as his fingers found the sweet slick answer.

Looking around them Darol saw what he was looking for, a tree that was half fallen over, the canopy above it clear so the sunlight came through. He lifted her up and carried her to the smooth barked trunk that lay at hip height, almost horizontal.

"Grab onto the tree with both hands." he instructed and then he lowered her hands until she was bent forward, her perfect peach of an ass high in the air. Quickly removing his wet tunic and clout, he knelt behind her and ran his lips all over her with soft kisses until she was squirming back against him. He had her widen her stance and then held her open, moving underneath to find her clit and tongued it until it was swollen and tight. Then he just licked, drawing on her deeply, spreading her wider and using his strong tongue to plunge inside her pussy as deep as he could go before using the slickness to move back and rim her smaller opening, then pushed his tongue inside there too, making her moan. He used his index finger to slowly press inside her pussy at the same time and she shuddered at the gentle double penetration.

"It feels so good—right there too—can you? Like I did for you..." she gasped.

Darol lifted his mouth from her but kept his finger where it was and she gave a little whimper of protest.

"You want me back there too, greedy girl?" he asked, and she pushed back against him. Laughing, he removed his finger and shifted, standing to replace it with his cock, hissing at how tight and wet she was. He slid in easily and gave her a few slow shallow thrusts until he plunged in, balls deep.

"Gods, yes, Darol!" she cried, tightening even more around him, holding him deep inside.

"Both or just here?" he asked, sliding his wet finger over her small puckered opening in a careful caress.

"Both." she groaned, going up on her tip toes to try and force the issue. His hand on her breast moved to her abdomen to give her more support as she teetered forward.

"Push back against my finger as I push in, sweetling." he instructed and then started to press in through the tight ring of muscle with just his fingertip. When she gave a sharp cry of pain he immediately withdrew.

"It's too much." he said, leaning over her and smoothing his hand down her spine in apology and then slid it over and around her hip to her stroke her still engorged clit.

"No oil to make way easy as for you." she sighed, sounding frustrated, but when he felt her pussy tighten around him and heard her moan as he played with her, he had a thought.

"I may have something just as good." he told her and began a slow rhythmic thrusting. Just before he was about to come he pulled out and shot right onto the cleft of her ass before plunging back into her pussy, still hard. Using the spunk as lubricant he tried the other passage again, circling first and then easing his finger in slowly.

"Relax—remember push back against it." he urged, "When the burn fades it should start to feel good."

He felt her struggle to obey, but ever so slowly, as he eased in with patient pressure she began to open. He rewarded her by starting up the movement of his hips again in slow languorous thrusts. Leaning forward just a bit more he slid his other hand to her mound and circled her puffy clit above his pistoning cock.

"It... it's... so good...more..." she gasped, bombarded with sexual sensations, her head spinning, holding onto the tree for dear life.

"More." he panted and leaned over and closed his teeth over her nape, not biting down hard enough to draw blood, but holding her there with a sharp snap of pain, just as Ajax had done to her mare.

With a startled cry she bucked back against him and exploded in ecstasy, screaming and tightening so hard on his cock and finger that he saw black spots behind his eyes as he hit a second wave in his ongoing orgasm, his cock jerking inside her and then fell back wards when his legs gave out, struggling to land them safely on the soft sands, still inside her as she lay on top of him.

Every time. She wrung him out like this every single fucking time. He wasn't even sure if men could have multiple orgasms, but that had sure felt like one.

"You are my stallion." she sighed and then giggled, the shaking of her body still so tight around him making him groan with aftershocks. He held her to keep her still, enjoying the feel of her plush ass pressed against his hips and breasts plastered to his arms as he finally softened enough to slip free of her.

"Again." she pouted when she felt him leave her.

"Mercy, my goddess." he pleaded, only half in jest. "I'm not used to doing this night and day..." any more... he added silently to himself. This was the third time they'd had sex in the last twelve hours, and that wasn't counting when she'd gone down on him beforehand in the haymow. He wasn't as young as he used to be and his sweetling was wearing him out.

Sighing, she sat up and pushed her sweaty hair back off her red cheeked face and looked around, squinting against the sun's brightness.

"We should catch the horses." she said, seeing that they had found a patch of salt grass at the tree line and were contentedly grazing.

"They're fine." he said, moving around so he was cradling her back against him.

"Doctore will be cross with us—I do not think he meant them to breed." she said with another sigh.

"Nor does your father, us." Dixus said dryly.

"I would love to have your child." Carola told him, turning back to face him and raising her hand to his cheek, her expression wistful.

"What if I told you that could be possible?" he asked her, taking her hand in his. "That after a time of hardship we could have our child and perhaps we could both be free."

"It is a lovely dream, my love." she said, resting her head back against his chest.

"Merlonius broke words with me earlier today."

Carola sat up and looked back at him in surprise. She knew that the elder brother had disowned the younger when he had sold himself into slavery.

Darolus' face was set in a contemplative but determined look.

"He called me brother and told me of his plans for our regained House."

"He wishes you to be free? To return to help him run your House?" she cried excitedly, her hands gripping his biceps.

"In a way... yes... that is what it may become."

"I don't understand."

"He has a plan... and needs control of your House lands and coin to meet purpose."

"When you and I marry you will become my father's heir, his son in law." Carola reminded him, "You may merge your land with Merlonius' if you wish."

"That is not bargain he seeks. He needs control of your House now. He also needs an heir, to carry on House name."

"And he presumes to get it on me?" she asked indignantly, pushing back away from him and kneeling to face him. "Never."

"He cannot sire a child, but that must not be known." Darolus said, sitting up straighter, and they both knew why. Male infertility was a loss of manhood and so status to run a House.

"Then how... wait... he will marry me, but then orders you to plant seed in me to grow his heir?" she asked incredulously, "You act as hired stud?" she yelled, pointing at the horses down the beach.

"I know how it sounds—"

Shaking her head in disbelief, Carola rose and started gathering up the wet clothes, trying to shake the sand out of them, her anger shown in her short quick movements and refusal to look at him.

"Carol, we have to at least consider this." Darolus pleaded, standing and trying to help her with the garments, resulting in a tug of war over his tunic. She finally released it and it snapped back, splattering him with salty wet sand. He patiently shook it out and draped it over the broken tree to dry and then took the others from her and hung them up on low branches as well.

"You would turn over our child to him?" Carola asked after a few minutes of silence watching as he worked, "Allow him to claim your babe as his?"

"It would have you as mother," Darolus said. "I would be free of the Arena and he promises we would be together in all but name."

She stared at him, unsure how he could be so sure the brother who had abandoned him to slavery would keep his word.

"What's to keep him from taking me to his bed regardless of any bargain, as is his conjugal right when I take wedding vow? Or selling you back to ludus once I have delivered heir?"

"His word as a Roman." Darolus said, staring back, his mouth tight.

"I do not trust him." She said resolutely, "And neither should you."

"And if this is the only way we have of ever being together?" he asked, barely controlling his fear and frustration, "Would you choose Ezekias instead? Share his bed, give him children while he has right to send me to Arena to die and be rid of rival for your love?"

"No." Carola cried out at that scenario and her hand flew to her heart.

Dixus came closer, putting his hands on her shoulders, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Please my love, think about what my brother is offering us." Darolus urged. "I wish things weren't how they are, but reality must be faced. As property I have no rights... you have choice in this only because father indulges you... Merlonius needs your decision before the Legatus arrives."

"So soon?" she gasped, her eyes filling with tears as she stared up at him.

He nodded and then his right hand moved to cup her cheek, waiting for her answer.

A tear spilled over as she struggled, but finally dipped her chin in agreement.

Darolus let out the breath he'd been holding.

"If he hurts you I'll kill him." Carola said fiercely and threw her arms around his neck.

"I'm meant to say that, my little warrior." Dixus grinned in approval, gathering her close and kissing her tenderly.

Carola gripped his damp mane of hair and deepened the kiss, twining one long slender leg around his thigh.

"Again." She breathed against his lips, nipping at the full lower one, "Please." It was not an order from mistress to slave, it was a desire to make love as equals; to share it with the person each trusted most in this world.

As they lowered to the sand, he hoped he had not betrayed that trust with this bargain.

In ancient Rome, any children born into a state sanctioned marriage are the legal offspring of the two people in the marriage, regardless of who was the father genetically. At that time of course they wouldn't have been able to determine who the father was if the woman had been having regular relations with both her husband and (an)other(s) unless the child looked markedly unlike the husband. In cases like Merlonius' infertility, a "pinch hitter" preferably a brother or close cousin to keep the bloodlines intact, would be asked to secretly provide an heir.

For Merlonius' plan to work, he would have to take Carol & Darol's first child as his (if it was not male, that could cause further complications). Darolus is willing to accept this as the price for his freedom to be with Carola. He will act as uncle to his child and still be part of its life, but can never claim it as his own.

Thanks for reading;-)