Skaia (67 page)

Nicea was in his bed, too. They’d had sex, of course. Bessus and Trestus had used the slave earlier in the evening—it had been his turn. But that wasn’t why Nicea slept in his bed rather than on the floor. The slave had broken down and wept.

Just because we kept our word and didn’t sell him.

Glaucus’ hand crept now to Nicea’s thigh, rubbing it gently. When the boy shifted beside him, Glaucus was tempted to kiss him.

But he held back as he thought of what Nicea was.
A whore.

“
Wake up,” he ordered abruptly. “There is much to do. Tonight we will be home.”

Nicea rose immediately and pulled on his clothes. After Glaucus was dressed, Nicea watched him leave for breakfast in the common room before he quickly packed. When he was finished, he glanced a final time at the bed, before he went downstairs to wait for his masters.

The guards came with all the horses, and the young men mounted with excitement. Trestus raised his hand and called out loudly, “To Rome!”

They galloped away, and Nicea ran to climb into the wagon before he was left behind. As he settled in among the tents and the crates, he thought of the night before. And of Trestus.
Don’t care,
he warned himself.
They are good men—but I am nothing to them.

Still, regardless of what his future might hold, he was glad to leave his past behind

Castor was standing at the gates, and was the first to know when Glaucus was almost home. He sent Gotus to get Thaddeus, and then Thaddia and Crassus. Thaddeus arrived just as the first guard approached.

When Glaucus saw his father he dismounted and ran to embrace him, leaving the horse for one of the guards to attend. Thaddia and Crassus allowed their father and brother only a few moments before bursting between them. Glaucus laughed out loud as he picked up Thaddia and swung her around, her gleeful laughter ringing out. When he put her down, he hugged Crassus and ruffled his hair. Everyone was talking at once, and Thaddeus’ smile covered his face.

Skaia stood back inside the walls of the atrium, watching the reunion. He felt his own mouth start to turn up at the happy scene he witnessed. But then—he noticed the slight blond boy who approached on foot, and submissively waited just outside the gates.

Slave’s clothing. His head bowed.

Nicea,
Skaia realized, and looked back at Glaucus. But his young master was taking no notice of this slave.
Or of me.

When Thaddeus led his family inside, and everyone disappeared, Skaia approached the new boy. Nicea looked up, taking in the red curly hair and the deep blue eyes. “Skaia?” he whispered.

Skaia looked at Nicea’s face.
He’s beautiful.
For a moment, he could not speak, overcome by his feelings of resentment and jealousy. But then he thought again that Glaucus had noticed neither of them. He took a deep breath and spoke. “Yes, I am Skaia. And you must be Nicea.”

The blond boy nodded, and shifted awkwardly. “Please, sir, do you know what I am supposed to do?”

Skaia found his resentment dissipating; if not his jealousy… Glaucus should have seen to him. And not left him alone in the street, in a world that was totally strange to him. Forcing himself to smile, Skaia answered, “Come, I’ll take you to the kitchen. They will take care of you there.”

Nicea tried to smile as well, but could not quite manage it. Though he followed Skaia inside, taking in as much of the surroundings as he could in their quick walk.

When they entered the kitchen, Phaelas approached immediately, a frown on his face. Skaia introduced them, and Phaelas nodded briefly at Nicea before turning back to Skaia and speaking brusquely. “I’ll look out for him now. You get your ass to the dining room. You’re supposed to be serving, fool.”

Skaia tore his eyes away from Nicea. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir. I’ll go right away.”

When Skaia entered the dining room, he noticed that everyone already had drinks, and sighed in relief.

Gotus approached him with the amphora. “You should have been here,” he grinned. “I almost spilled the wine on the guest of honor.”

Skaia glanced at Glaucus, who was laughing with his brother. He managed to smile at Gotus. “Thank you.”

Thaddeus caught Skaia’s eye and motioned him over. “Where were you?”

Speaking softly, so only Thaddeus could hear, Skaia replied, “I took Nicea to the kitchen, sir.”

By now, Glaucus had looked up. “Skaia,” he whispered.

Skaia felt his heart leap to his throat; he walked quickly to Glaucus’ couch and fell to his knees. “Welcome home, Master.”

Thaddeus looked at them and frowned, wishing he had not allowed Skaia to talk him into being here. Such a tender reunion between the two of them was the last thing he had wanted to see. “Go back to our rooms, Skaia,” he ordered sternly.

Skaia started to get up, but Glaucus’ hand settled on his shoulder and held him firmly in place. “No, Father, I wish him to stay.”

XX

Thaddeus frowned at Skaia, very much wanting to protest that he was interfering with the family.
Just as he had the day Glaucus left.

But he refrained, determined not to spoil Glaucus’ homecoming by disagreeing with him so publicly. Thaddia and Crassus, he noticed, were watching in the sudden silence, and he forced himself to smile when he looked back to his son. “This is your homecoming, and your celebration, Glaucus. I am happy with whatever you want.”

Glaucus nodded at his father, also smiling, though the expression did not quite reach his eyes. Removing his hand from Skaia’s shoulder, he glanced downward at the slave kneeling at his feet. “Resume your duties.”

Skaia rose quickly and returned to the serving table. He watched, with a certain amount of jealousy, as Thaddia and Crassus introduced their new slaves to their brother, and Glaucus spoke to both of them, laughing at some remark from Kaleel. Skaia lowered his head after that, determined not to be caught staring. And as a consequence, Gotus had to touch his arm to alert him that more wine was required.

Hurrying forward, Skaia re-filled Thaddeus’ cup, then Glaucus’ and Thaddia’s. No one took notice of him, did not even look at him. When Crassus held out his cup, Skaia did look to Thaddeus for direction, but he was busy speaking with Thaddia… Glaucus was laughing. And so, Skaia gave the child wine, and stepped away.

The afternoon was passed with Glaucus’ stories of his trip. Skaia could hear very little, but he noticed that Kaleel and Thera laughed freely.

After dinner was served, and the meal was finished, Crassus began to nod off, and Glaucus motioned for Skaia to help him back to his room. But Kaleel was at Crassus’ side almost instantly and, again, Skaia returned to the serving table.

When Thaddia left as well, giggling with Thera, Thaddeus shifted couches to be nearer his son. This time, when Skaia approached to refill their cups, Glaucus held his arm. “Sit here, beside me.”

With his heart beating erratically, Skaia obeyed, but looked at Thaddeus, expecting an objection. When none came, he relaxed in the space Glaucus made for him.

The talk was of a play in Athens, and Skaia listened with interest as Glaucus spoke of the masks the actors wore. At first, he was not alarmed when Glaucus’ hand seemed to rest on his leg. But he tensed slightly as Glaucus’ fingers pushed his tunic higher, and began to rub at his inner thigh.

Thaddeus met Skaia’s eyes briefly, but he said nothing.
You wanted to be with my son,
he thought bitterly.

“
Father,” Glaucus said, interrupting Thaddeus’ thoughts. “I still owe Bessus and Trestus their share of Nicea’s price. I promised them I’d ask as soon as we got home.”

“
I’ll have the monies sent to them tomorrow,” Thaddeus assured him. “Now that you’re back, what will you do with him?”

For the first time since returning, Glaucus frowned at his father. “You ordered me to bring him home. He’s yours. If you hadn’t asked for him, we would have been sold him to a brothel before we left Greece.”

Skaia was shocked—first that Thaddeus had been the one to bring Nicea here—and then by Glaucus’ casual dismissal of the young Greek. He spoke up without thinking. “But he is so young, Master Glaucus.”

“
That’s none of your concern, Skaia. Be silent,” Glaucus replied angrily.

Lowering his head, Skaia ceased to be aware of anything other than Glaucus’ hand, as it began creeping beneath his breechcloth.
No, please, no. Don’t treat me like this. Please, Glaucus.

But it was Thaddeus who objected out loud. “Skaia does not like to be touched like that in public.”

Glaucus did not remove his hand. “This is hardly public, Father.” He looked at Thaddeus curiously. “Tell me though, how do you know that?  Have you and your friends fondled him like this?”

Thaddeus glanced at Skaia. The boy’s face was flushed, and his eyes seemed focused on the table in front of him. “No. Not like that, Glaucus. But my friends and I used him to help secure your position—and Bessus’—with the Senate. Senator Scipio was quite taken with him, and touched him much like this in front of everyone.”

Slowly, details of that night came out, and though Glaucus was grateful for his father’s assistance, he turned to Skaia with fury in his eyes. “You did such things? You whored yourself willingly for my father?”

Skaia would not meet his eyes, and Thaddeus intervened again, as he had promised Skaia he would. “He did as I ordered him, Glaucus. And it was not for me. It was for
you
. Skaia does not deserve your anger.” Thaddeus lowered his voice. “And I promised him it would never happen again.”

“
You had no right to promise him
anything
on my behalf. I will use him as I see fit.” But Glaucus removed his hand. “That is—assuming he still belongs to me.”

“
If you want him,” Thaddeus replied, showing some of his own frustration, “then he is yours.”
I promised him.