Nova Baiae Rhodri's Story Chapter One "A Chance Encounter"
Posted by Jean-Christophe: April, 2019
This is a story of slave fiction which contains elements of coercion and male on male sex. If you are under eighteen years or the legal age of your jurisdiction, you need to leave NOW. Similarly, if you find the subject matter offends you or is not to your taste, then read no further.
This story is the product of the writer's imagination and not based on any actual persons or events. Please respect the integrity of the writer's work and don't do any rewrites, make alterations or add another person's artwork without permission.
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Chapter 1:
On a good day, the ferry ride from the mainland to Nova Baiae takes about three hours. Today is such a day with calm seas and no head winds to slow us down as the ocean-going catamaran's twin bows slice through the sun flecked waves. Porpoises playfully pace themselves to the vessel's speed and provide me with an interesting diversion as they breach the surface before plunging back down into the ocean's oily depths.
I look at my watch and see we are two and a half hours into our trip; eagerly I scan the distant horizon searching for the low, cloud bank that usually heralds the presence of land. This is my first trip to the island of Nova Baiae and my excitement mounts. Soon I am joined by other tourists who, like me, are eager for their first glimpse of this fabled island.
"Is this your first trip to Nova Baiae?" A deep, rich baritone voice asks.
Surprised by the question, I turn to see who is asking and see a man aged in his mid-thirties standing at my side. He is accompanied by two, young, male slaves probably no older than twenty who are semi-naked and wear an ornate gold collar around their necks. The slaves' only attire are miniscule cinctures made of a semi-transparent, turquoise-blue material fastened around their trim waists. If the loincloths are meant to give the slaves some sense of modesty then they fail dismally; both slaves sport massive erections which are highlighted through the stretched fabric of their only article of clothing. Obviously, the slaves are "excited" and leaking profusely; a fact evidenced by the dark moisture of their precum staining the over-stretched fabric of their loincloths. The man, who is obviously the slaves' owner, holds leashes which are attached to their collars. Even as I watch, the man tugs at their leashes and instructs the slaves to.
"Ajax! Apollo! Remove your loincloths and toss them overboard. You have soiled them and they are of no further use. You'll both be whipped when we arrive at my villa for despoiling my property."
At the man's reference to "my villa", my interest is aroused. It suggests he is a permanent citizen and a wealthy resident of Nova Baiae; a fact attested to by the presence of the two slaves he has in attendance.
I see the look of abject fear flicker across the handsome faces of both slaves at their master's promise of an imminent whipping. Nevertheless, both slaves immediately remove the soiled scraps of meagre material from around their waists, screw them into tight balls and toss them into the sea. As one who is environmentally conscious, I am slightly annoyed by this act of wanton pollution but it is hard to blame the slaves. After all, they were simply obeying their master's orders under threat of punishment.
Now free of their loincloths, both slaves automatically adopt the display position with their hands clasped behind their heads of shoulder-length, black hair and with their unshod feet spread widely apart. It's obvious they are familiar with this position - no doubt they are often required to display themselves for their owner's benefit - and they do so beautifully. Each thrusts his chest forward and sucks in his belly so the ridged abdominal muscles are perfectly highlighted. And both push their pelvises out so that their tightly cinched genitals are obscenely displayed to all those around them. And this gives me an unimpeded view of their imposing physiques.
The first thing I notice is they are identical in build and appearance and I decide they are brothers and most probably are twins. Each wears his black hair at shoulder length and has grey, green-flecked eyes and pearly-white teeth. As is customary with all personal slaves their glabrous bodies are free of hair which serves to enhance their physiques. And to further emphasize their muscular bodies, each is coated with body oil which catches and reflects the mid-afternoon sunlight. Naturally, my eyes are focused on their groins and the absence of pubic hair does highlight their generous endowments. Both slaves have large, plum-sized balls held close to the body and each sport a massive, twitching erection which points out at an elevated angle from their groins and is leaking profusely. Obviously, these two boys enjoy being displayed by their owner and are putting on quite a show for him and the envious onlookers.
"Do you like my slaves?"
The man has caught me staring at his property and guiltily I turn bright scarlet from embarrassment.
"I'm sorry," I blurt out my apology, "and forgive me. I shouldn't have been staring so openly. But they are spectacular to say the least."
And then I remember his first question to me.
"And yes! This is my first trip to Nova Baiae."
"Then you are in for a treat. The island is interesting. I should know as I live there."
"You are a permanent resident of Nova Baiae?"
"More or less! I own land on the island but I have business interests on the mainland as well and I share my time between the two. But the island is my true home and I am happiest there. My name is Karelius, by the way. That's my island name. On the mainland my name is William Faraday III. But on the island a permanent resident must adopt a Roman name. And you are?"
"Rhodri! Rhodri Fraser."
"I'm pleased to meet you Rhodri." And Karelius vigorously shakes my hand in welcome.
"What should I call you, Karelius or Mr Faraday?"
"Call me Karelius, Rhodri."
I can't believe that I have meet a "native" of Nova Baiae and as yet I haven't arrived at the island. It is a place I'd often read about but had never visited. It is legendary in as much as it is owned by a private consortium of like-minded business men who, like me, have a passion for the lifestyle of the ancient Romans. On the island, they replicate that lifestyle and live hedonistic lives as did the privileged, wealthy Romans at ancient Rome's playground at Baiae on the Gulf of Puteoli.
"And what brings you to Nova Baiae, Rhodri?"
"Curiosity, Karelius! I've always had a passion for Roman history. So much so that, I have just completed an Arts Degree in Classical Greek and Roman history as part of my education. And I've come to sample what it is to live like as an ancient Roman before embarking on my professional career."
"Ahh, a man after my own heart. With your training, do you speak Latin, Rhodri?"
"Yes, I do, Karelius. And Classical Greek, also."
"Clearly you are an educated man who is sympathetic to the lifestyle we live on the island. I like that, Rhodri. Normally, I shy clear of the tourists who mostly come just to gawp or to over-indulge in sex with the whore slaves in the island's brothels. The tourist resorts are set up to cater for those types and I admit they do contribute significantly to the island's economy. But they don't truly see life as it is lived by the locals. Tourists take quick day trips through the countryside and return to the town for a night of slave-fucking and then return home believing they have sampled life as it was lived in ancient Rome. Nothing is further from the truth. For the permanent residents, Nova Baiae isn't a theme park. It's how we genuinely live our lives."
"Well Karelius, I guess you could say I'm an aficionado for the ancient Roman lifestyle."
"And does that include supporting slavery, Rhodri?"
"Very much so, Karelius. Slaves were very much a part of Roman society and they were integral to its rise as the world's first super power. Slaves are synonymous with Rome and without them she would never have achieved her success both as a republic and as an imperial power. And I'm assuming the same is true of Nova Baiae? Slavery is practiced on the island after all!"
"Indeed, it is Rhodri! As it is on the mainland and elsewhere. Here, we are no different. The only difference is that our slaves live very much like their ancient Roman counterparts. We see a slave simply as a talking tool or a beast of burden."
"I have heard that about Nova Baiae and I have come to see it for myself, Karelius. I am writing a paper on slavery in ancient Rome and I hope to study the slavery that is practiced on Nova Baiae."
"Here, on the island, we have many slaves who work on our farms and serve in our villas."
"From where does the island obtain its slaves, Karelius?"
"The majority come from the mainland markets brought to us by slave-traders, Rhodri. However, I also buy on the mainland. In fact, I've just bought seven prime males on this trip who are destined to work on my farm. And there is some buying and selling of local slaves between owners on the island. We have a small but thriving local slave market every Saturday. As today is Tuesday, you won't have long to wait before the next slave sale takes place."
"Do you own a farm, Karelius?"
"Indeed, I do, Rhodri! In order to qualify as a citizen on the island one must be a land or business owner. Nova Baiae operates on the ager publicus laws of the late republic. Simply put this states that all land is owned by the state – in our case by the local Senate as we like to call our syndicate – and it limits the amount of land that any one citizen can lease to 325 acres. I have a latifundium on which I produce wine, olive oil, figs, pomegranates and other fruits for export back to the mainland."
"Can anyone qualify for citizenship?"
"Not really, Rhodri. The Senate – and I am a senator by the way - has certain criteria that a potential citizen must meet to qualify. And one of those is that he must buy a lease for a business or a latifundium as evidence of his good faith. Even then, his application is subject to the closest scrutiny by the senators and any one senator has the right of veto."
"Then you are privileged, Karelius."
"Indeed, Rhodri! I am one of the privileged few allowed to live on the island. I am blest! But let me repeat my earlier question. Do you like my two slaves, Rhodri?"
"Very much so, Karelius. What's not to like about them. They are spectacular."
"Do you own any slaves, Rhodri?"
"I'm afraid not, Karelius. I'd like to but unfortunately, I don't have the money to buy a slave of the calibre I would like to own."
"Yes, slaves can be expensive to buy. I know from the seven I just purchased at a mainland auction house to supplement the workforce on my farm. But they are strong, lusty brutes and the whips of my overseers will soon recoup my money from their labor. And whilst there, I indulged myself; I bought a most handsome, blond haired, blue-eyed slave who is destined to become my body servant and bed buck. I saw him standing forlornly at the rear of his pen and I couldn't resist him. Currently, I have a penchant for such slaves."
Where are they Karelius? Are they with you?"
"They are locked in travelling cages down in the cargo compartment. The master of my slave-stables will be awaiting our arrival on Nova Baiae. He'll organize their unloading and there will be carts waiting ready to transport them to my farm. There, they'll be collared and branded and made ready to begin work at first light tomorrow morning."
"How many slaves do you own, Karelius?"
"I have just over one hundred slaves working on the farm. I work on the ratio of approximately thirty slaves to one hundred acres of land. At most times that's sufficient although at certain times of the year such as at harvest time and the pressing of the grapes and olives, the slaves are over extended. But my overseers manage to coax the extra effort needed from their charges. And then there are my household slaves and my pleasure slaves. They number about forty, give or take a few. And I have four teams of litter-bearers who number another forty-eight. I'm afraid I am rather self-indulgent when it comes to my owning slaves. I'm always looking for new delights and I have a high turnover among my sex slaves."
"Am I permitted to ask - do these two slaves serve you sexually, Karelius?"
"Indeed, they do, Rhodri!" Karelius laughs at my question. "Indeed, they do. A slave exists for his master's benefit and pleasure. That's why they are travelling with me. They were well used by me and some of my friends and business associates on the mainland. I'm sure they are relieved to be returning home for a respite after the heavy pounding their asses received. But they did manage to bring some business my way. I have to say making a handsome, tight-assed slave available to your business associates to fuck sweetens the most difficult business negotiations. This is especially true of any Arab or Asian businessmen I deal with. They certainly love to fuck white slaves. I suppose it plays to their egos and gives them a sense of superiority."
"I'm sure both slaves are good at their work. Have you had them long Karelius?"
"By my reckoning I've owned them for close to a year now. I bought them at the island's slave-market. However, it's almost time I was shot of them. I do plan on selling them in the near future. I know there'll be a ready market for them among the island's residents. They elicit a lot of favorable comments wherever I go."
"I'm not surprised, Karelius! They are superb. Are they brothers?"
Yes, they are twins and I learned their story after I purchased them. Their curiosity brought them to the island seeking adventure and they finished up being enslaved for a breach of the island's laws."
"What did they do that saw them enslaved."
"I understand they were guilty of drunkenness and hooliganism. We welcome tourists to Nova Baiae, Rhodri but we do insist that they obey our laws and behave while they are on our island. As for these two, their drunken hooliganism was my good fortune wouldn't you say, Rhodri."
Indeed, it was, Karelius!"
I feel sorry for the two brothers and I wonder what form their "hooliganism" took that saw them warrant such severe punishment. It also serves as a salutary warning to me. I must ensure that I remain sober and keep the laws of Nova Baiae. After all, I have no wish to end up sharing the fates of Ajax and Apollo. The slaves are appealing in their nudity and I wonder if all slaves are kept naked on Nova Baiae. My curiosity is aroused and I ask.
"Karelius, I hope you don't mind but I have a question. Are all the slaves on the island kept naked?"
"Oh yes, Rhodri! The island's Senate – that's our governing body – decreed that all clothing is forbidden for a slave. They must be kept naked at all times. Perhaps you noticed I had my two slaves remove their travelling loin-cloths before we go ashore. That was to comply with our local laws and customs."
"Why is that, Karelius? What is the rationale behind the Senate's ruling?"
"Primarily, it's a question of security and to guard against any slave insurrection. Naturally, a naked slave can't conceal weapons on his body and it is open to total scrutiny at all times. And then there is the question of appearance. I think you'd agree that a naked male slave is more ascetically appealing than a clothed one. Slaves entertain their masters by being nude, wouldn't you agree, Rhodri?"
"I'd have to agree with you, Karelius. Your slaves, Ajax and Apollo are certainly pleasing to the eye in their nudity."
"Thank you for your gracious compliment about my slaves, Rhodri." Karelius seems genuinely pleased that I find his slaves appealing. "Whereabouts on the island are you staying, Rhodri?"
"As yet, I haven't decided, Karelius. My mainland travel agent assured me there was no need to book ahead for my accommodation. He advised that I should wait and decide which inn to stay at on my arrival. He told me there are several first-class tabernae on the island."
"Hmm, that's true to a point, Rhodri. Mostly they are cauponae where you can rent a bed, buy a meal and hire the services of a male slave for the night which for most visitors who come here to eat, drink and fuck is sufficient. But they are generally boisterous places and I hesitate to recommend them. Perhaps the best of them is the `Caupona Soterus' on the Via Herculaneum. Soterus runs a tolerably decent establishment; his food is excellent; his wines are among the best and his beds are clean. It can be raucous of an evening but by way of compensation his rates are reasonable and he does have some delightful house slaves. I have sampled them myself and I know them to be tight-assed and eager to gratify their master's paying guests. That would be my recommendation, Rhodri."
Thank you, Karelius!! I'll check it out as soon as we arrive."
"Which won't be long now, Rhodri. There's Nova Baiae looming on the horizon. We should be docking in about thirty minutes."
Eagerly, I scan the horizon and see a mountain peak piercing a low cloud bank. And as I look at the mountain peak, I am reminded of Mount Vesuvius looming large over the Bay of Naples. I have visited Pompeii and Herculaneum several times and became lost in the past as I walked their ancient streets and toured the long-deserted homes and shops. Always, in my mind's eye, I imagine their narrow streets thronged with bustling crowds of free men and slaves going about their daily lives. It had fired my imagination and that is the reason why I am visiting Nova Baiae. I have come to sample, as best I can, how it would have been to have lived two thousand years ago when Roman civilization was at its peak.
To be continued . . . . . . .