"So you've been called to the General's tent?" Gaius laughed, as he poured water onto Tullius' hair. "That's got to be a relief. If for no other reason, to forget that you were young once." Kitos had told his son that he wished for Tullius to join him that evening. Knowing his father's preferences, Arkos had arranged for Tullius to be thoroughly groomed - hence he had summoned Gaius, who had been grooming Tullius since he was a boy - and grinned as he left Tullius with him. "You will get a respite, my handsome Roman. Enjoy it. I intend to abstain while you are gone and.. I will be more eager to enjoy you when you return." Tullius took a deep breath as he recalled those words, and smelled the diluted vinegar pour onto his hair. If he had to describe Arkos' sexual appetite in one word, it would be "voracious." If he had two words to use to describe him, they would be "voracious" and "aggressive." In the three days he had - in Arkos' words - "belonged" to Arkos , he had been taken six times. On the second day, Arkos had fucked him thrice. The last one was the most vigorous. Tullius remembered the situation vividly. "I am eager for physical exercise, slave. Come. We will use the makeshift wrestling area." Indeed, the soldiers had cleared a space for their own physical games. When Arkos arrived, the other soldiers bowed their respect, and began walking off, until they realized that Tullius was with him. Tullius' reputation as a proud and accomplished wrestler was well known, but so was Arkos. Arkos opened the chain that held Tullius' wrists to his slave collar . (It was short enough to keep Tullius from stroking his own penis: he didn't dare when Arkos was around him, but that was not always). "PREPARE YOURSELF SLAVE!" Arkos proclaimed. Tullius looked to get his bearings. He saw three members of his army in the crowd, all chained, and all in the control of other high ranking Greeks. "Where are the others?" He thought, for a second too long. Arkos attacked. Relative to other men, Tullius' body was short, muscular, and thick. His legs had been compared to tree trunks, more than once, and he was hard to knock off his feet. Arkos knocked him off his feet. His long, lithe body moved so quickly that he struck at Tullius' ankles before the general had time to think. Once Tullius was prone, he had no advantage over the quicker, younger man, who put him into hold after hold. The pain grew and grew. At one point, when Arkos had Tullius on his back, helpless, Tullius had yelled. "JUST PIN ME AND END THIS ARKOS." Arkos had laughed. "End it? Remember what I told you about a tortoise, slave?" He rocked back and Tullius' cock, pointing up through his loin cloth, brushed Arkos' posterior. Arkos laughed harder. "You would wish, slave. You would be disappointed. And I will end this when you SUBMIT." "THEN WE WILL WRESTLE FOREVER, WHELP!" Tullius gritted his teeth. "Whelp??? And that makes you what? The catamite of a whelp? Or just a BITCH." Arkos rolled Tullius over and grabbed his ankles, crossing them. He was strong enough to cause more pain, as he pulled the legs back. Pinned down, Tullius could do nothing. "And now we have a tortoise pinned on his belly. AH the times!" Arkos yelled. "DO YOU SUBMIT, SLAVE BITCH?" When Tullius didn't answer, Arkos changed position and pushed a knee into Tullius' already sore ass (Arkos had fucked him on waking, and then before the midday meal). He seized Tullius' wrists. Tullius' cock, pushed into the ground, was nonetheless getting more and more stimulated. Dare he cum? Dare he spill his seed on camp ground, without Arkos' position? The fear of retribution, and the pain, combined. "I YIELD. I YIELD TO ARKOS. NO MORE. I SUBMIT." The cries were loud enough for the Corinthians to hear, as well as the few Roman prisoners among them. Their Masters, aroused by what had happened, led them back to their own tents, as Arkos seized Tullius' slave collar and brought him to his feet. He laughed mightily when he saw the projection of Tullius' penis. They had wrestled naked, in the tradition. "WOULD THAT YOU COULD FIND A PLACE FOR THAT, SLAVE. It is I who will find a place for it. For now though...." He pushed Tullius back toward his tent. Tullius, mortified by what had happened and who had seen, kept his head down. In so doing, he didn't see Kitos, in the background, or his hand under his tunic, slowly stroking himself. Arkos took him violently. The wrestling had aroused him, too. What little preparation he gave Tullius before taking him was absent this time, and his grunts were not unlike an animal in rut. "MY BEAUTIFUL ROMAN WHORE. THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE TULLIUS. NOTHING BUT A ROMAN WHORE." Tullius winced. He was, in fact, from south of Rome. He had been "given" to a military school by his family, which had been unable to care for as many children as they had. Tullius was six at the time. He had never seen his family again. His "family" was the soldiers and other military men he had grown up with. It was the third time that day that Arkos had penetrated him. His body, sore already, ached more. He did not push back as hard as Arkos wanted, and Arkos grabbed Tullius right above his hips to pull him in closer. That's how he discovered that Tullius had a hot spot right above his left hip. In squeezing it, Arkos caused Tullius to lose control and the man, who had not had a release since his capture, spent his seed all over the floor of the tent, just as Arkos unleashed a third shower of semen inside of him. "AH. My bitch cannot control himself. I think you will have to suffer for that lapse. In time, Tullius, in time." Arkos pulled his penis out of his captive. "Eventually, YOU will clean it but for now, I will have a servant fetch some water. You must rest. Tomorrow is an important day for you. You will serve my father."
Gaius was preparing Tullius for that meeting. He used the diluted vinegar and water to wash his charge's hair, as he had done so many times before. He oiled Tullius' body all over, and then carefully applied the strigil, cleansing him as much as was possible in a military camp. "Poulos tells me that Kitos has a private bath chamber back in Corinth. Perchance we will get to use it." "We'll be gone well before this army returns to Corinth, my old friend," Tullius seethed. Gaius laughed. "You resist too much Tullius. You must learn to accept the situation you are in. Resistance did you no good when Arkos entered you the first time." Tullius was silent as Gaius continued "He told everyone that you screamed as if you were a boar taking a lance." "Which I WAS" Tullius retorted, and Gaius laughed harder, as he moved the strigil over Tullius' muscular right arm. "You have to take more of that attitude Tullius." "THEY TREAT ME AS A SLAVE. I AM NOT A SLAVE." Gaius dropped his voice, and gently put his hand on Tullius' shoulder. "The life of a slave is not a bad one if you accept your fate, Tullius." Tullius shuddered. He was known for saying the wrong thing, and he had just done so. "My sincere apologies to you Gaius. We have been together so long." "Like a couple married in childhood" Gaius joked. "I take no offense. Were I to die tomorrow, I could say I have lived a good life." "How long have you been a slave, Gaius?" Gaius rolled his head. "Remember, Tullius, I attended academy, so I can answer your question with this one: are any of us ever NOT a slave? " Another chuckle. "But I have been owned for... oh my heavens, I still had my milk teeth and smooth skin. I was not even an ephebe." Tullius looked at him. "Have you ever wished for your freedom, Gaius?" Gaius sighed. "It was never something to consider, my friend. The gods determine our fate. I was given two wives, and seven of my children lived. Of that I know. I learned to read and to write." (This was Gaius' retort to Tullius' ill spoken words: Tullius did not know either). "I have never had an empty belly, and I have always had a place to sleep. What would freedom bring me that I did not have as 'a slave' as you would put it?" Tullius was silent. "For at least the present time, the gods have decided to emphasize that you, like I, are a slave. It would do you well to remember that."
"Master Arkos, your father wishes to have time with your slave." Poulos stood in front of Arkos' tent, with two large sentries, arms folded. Arkos smiled. He was running his hand up and down the back of Tullius neck and stroking his cleaned hair. "I will miss you here, my handsome Roman. Recall what I have told you: I will abstain from spilling seed until you return. My father has a reputation as fierce, and dominant in bed. My mother could tell you that, HA HA HA. But he is old: he will treat you more gently than I have. " "I'd die if he didn't," Tullius thought, recalling the last of the brutal sessions in which Arkos had taken him. "Young Master" Poulos spoke. "We must put the wrist chains on him." "Yes, of course. Although... he has accidentally seeded the ground. Perhaps more exquisite Romans will spring from this space when we are gone. TULLIUS. PRESENT YOUR WRISTS." Sayin nothing, Tullius accepted the shackles that were then attached to his collar. As they walked, Poulos spoke. "Your Gaius is a most wonderful companion, Tullius. You would do well to follow his advice in non-military matters." "I will heed your words Poulos." Poulos smiled. "General Kitos is a very fair man, Tullius. He realizes that with the roll of a die by one of the gods, he could be in your position. Do keep that in mind." He paused. "He also speaks excellent Latin. And Greek. He will probably let you choose the language of discourse." They were before Kitos' tent. Kitos smiled as he exited. It was clear: he had bathed as best as the circumstances permitted when camp was pitched. His hair was washed too. Tullius took in the taller, hairy man, and sighed. He could easily fall in love with Kito: the short beard, the wicked smile, the daring black eyes and the close cropped, curly hair. His arms suggested that he was hairy beneath the tunic. His son's gifts suggested.... "TULLIUS! At long last. I am surprised my son permitted you to leave his sights." He smiled at Poulos who said "Your son does obey filial rules, General. He would not deny you your fair request. After all, this slave IS , ultimately, YOUR slave." "Please come in Tullius. We will have a talk before.... we retire." He turned to Poulos and the sentries. "Tullius is well aware of his situation and that of his Gaius and his men. There will be no problems." He turned to Tullius. "Am I correct?" Tullius lowered his head. "Yes general. You are correct." "You may remove his shackles. And there is no need to not go to your meals. You will know if I require assistance."
He pointed to a small cushion. "It is not the comfort of a chair in an atrium Tullius, but it is softer than the ground. Please accept it." Tullius sat and Kitos picked up a flagon of wine. "Let us share a drink to meetings, Tullius." Tullius made a bitter face. Kitos saw it. "That is fine. You can choose not to drink with me, but... I assure you, you will feel better if you do." "My men. What has happened to them. I only saw..." "Three, Tullius?" "Yes, just three. There were more." Kito sighed. "Yes, Poulos told me that would be your first concern. There were fewer prisoners than you might have imagined Tullius. To the credit of your men, most fought to the death. "But not all! I saw the line of prisoners." "Indeed. " Again he sighed. "Tullius, surely you Romans follow the same tradition Corinthians do and sacrifice to the gods after a victory, do you not?" "Indeed. To neglect such is to bring the wrath of the divine upon you."
At that moment, Tullius realized they were speaking Latin. "Should I switch to Greek, General Kito?" "Not necessary. I learned Latin as a child. And I have tried my best to maintain it." "You speak it beautifully. To return to my men." "As I told you, Corinthians sacrifice as do Romans. When Romans are victorious, what is key to their sacrifice?" "To appease the gods of war, the defeated leader. The general...." He stopped. He saw Kitos smile. "Indeed. By the rites of warfare and sacrifice, your blood should be splashed across an altar. It is not. You have my son to thank for that." "But... sacrifice MUST be made." "And it was, Tullius. It was. Rest assured, the five received all the honors that a defeated soldier should receive. " Tullius sighed. "So they died for me. I carry that guilt." "No, Tullius, you carry no guilt. Gaius will explain to you: each was asked if he would give his life for yours. All agreed. " "That does not suffice to quench my guilt, General Kito." "Sip the wine. It will steady you." Tullius reached for the wine. It was better than any he had drunk since the start of the campaign. "The others?" "You do not see them, but they are at work. Many are grinding the grains we are using to feed all of us, and yourself and Gaius. They will be put to work in Corinth. The three most comely - after you - were selected by our generals to provide companionship before we return home. "And after that?" Kito shrugged his shoulders: "the brothels? Or the generals will keep them. Or they will find other keepers. They will live. The beautiful always do." He rose from his cushion and advanced to Tullius. He rubbed a thumb over Tullius' cheek. "And there are few more beautiful than you are Tullius." His finger dropped down to Tullius' lips. Arkos was right: Kitos was MUCH more gentle and MUCH more subtle. And the subtlety was working, in concert with the less subtle eroticism of Kitos' body. Before he fell under the spell he felt Kitos weaving, he asked. "How did you learn your Latin, Lord Kitos?" "AH. Now that is a tale. It will take much longer than we have to tell Tullius, so I will provide an abridgement. However, you must NOT repeat the tale..." He removed his hand from Tullius' face. "Or you WILL go to the altar, together with Gaius." "How does Gaius play into this General?" Tullius saw the sigh from Kitos well up in his abdomen. "Gaius is my father, Tullius." "BY THE GODS . WHAT?" "Yes. When I was taken from our home, I was brought to Corinth and received training in the same way you did, when you were taken from Abruzzo. " He paused again. "As I have said, we are much more similar than we are different, beautiful man." Kitos rose. He smiled at Tullius. "We will have more time to talk. But night is falling. It is time." Tullius understood. He rose . "May I remove your tunic, General?" Kitos smiled. "It is true. You CAN catch more flies with honey than vinegar. My son still needs to learn that. " What Tullius saw confirmed that Arkos' "gift" came from his father. "My son prefers to take his men from behind." "He does general." "I prefer to see their faces. And I prefer to share lips. Please remove your loincloth, Tullius." "Yes my general." Tullius prepared to lie down. Kitos stopped him. "NO. I will put you on your back. After..." He kissed Tullius fully on his mouth. Any resistance Tullius had disappeared. He put up no fight when Kitos lowered him to the mat. "I can see. You've been used. I will be more gentle. As long as you are agreeable." "Yes General Kitos. I will try to satisfy you." As Kitos entered him, Tullius thought back to what that first "lover" had taught him. "OH. You know the trick of the tightened gluteus. I am glad. It is one of my favorites. You will do it everytime we couple. And...." He smiled as he put his hand on Tullius' left hip and heard him moan. "Yes, I know much more than you may think. But the time for talking has passed." Greek has a verb "to fuck, " and a verb "to make love." In fact, more than one for each. So, too, does Latin. Kito and Tullius didn't fuck. They made love. Twice. Or was it three times? They were interrupted in what would have been the third consummation by the sentry announcing first light, and time to begin breaking camp to return to Corinth.