Peonies

Chapter 2:Guests

Kracken

Kracken

Discaimer:I don't own them and I don't make any money off of them.
Warning:Male/male sex, slave Duo, language, violence.

Peonies

Guests

"Master?"

Old Sentonus was head of the household, a very thin and sour faced slave, his tunic hung on him as if he were a collection of gnarled sticks. Heero frowned, caught in the act of contemplating the coming delights with his new slave. He supposed he had looked flushed.

"Yes?" Heero grunted , trying to regain composure.

"Your Uncle Marcus is in the hall."

Heero felt acute annoyance, but he couldn't refuse to see the loudmouthed drunkard. He supposed the man had been circling, like a vulture over the dead, waiting until proper mourning times were respected, before descending and seeing what stipend he could wheedle out of his nephew. It was something to remember that Heero's father had refused to allow his uncle entrance to the villa while he had lived, disapproving of his brother's gambling and drinking habits.

"I'll see him at once," Heero grumbled, changed his silken robe for a more business like toga, and left a curt order that Duo was to be kept out of view.

Sentonus looked slightly affronted, as if he Heero's order were obvious. Here was another one who didn't approve of Heero's pleasures, but a slave's opinion hardly mattered to him.

"Ah, nephew!" Marcus greeted Heero in the hall with open arms and a tear or two that looked real enough. "I would have attended the funeral rites, but the gout, you know. This damned leg cripples me for even a litter."

He was a fat man and balding, a red nose testament to his indulgences, but Marcus decided on the course of the hypocrite almost at once.

"Dear boy, you must see that you are far too young to shoulder such grief and responsibility on your own." He kept one fat arm draped over Heero's shoulder, his heavy joweled face close to him. His breath reeked of wine and onions. "You need an elder with wisdom to tend to your estate and accounts. Why, already I am hearing rumors of some of your ill thought out choices, and your slave was almost rude to my person. They rebel against your inexperience, I assure you. They need a firm hand."

Heero gritted his teeth. His uncle could petition the state and have him put under his wardship. He was overly young to run his father's affairs. It was a threat that could only be quelled with bribes. His Uncle was making it clear that he needed to be appeased.

Heero put on a false smile and edged out from his uncle's embrace. "I am moved by your concern, Uncle," he replied. "But I assure you that I have things in hand. My father left me well prepared to be master of my affairs." He turned to his Uncle and motioned him forward towards the more intimate gathering room, where friends were usually treated with wine, delicacies, and conversations. "Come, we will drink some of my father's fine wine while I tell you about the funds that he left for you."

His uncle smiled, pleased. "You are most generous," he replied jovially. "Your father would be very proud of your manner."

"Thank you," Heero said and motioned Sentonus to bring the refreshments.

As they settled on divans, sweet incense filling the room, and a few slaves setting out low tables, Marcus said carefully, eyeing the elder women, "Where is the new one that you purchased? There was much talk about it, you realize? A lovely boy. A virgin as well. You do yourself no good to be thought of as a decadent."

He was fishing. Heero frowned, covering it by arranging a pillow more comfortably underneath his arm. His uncle wanted the boy, he guessed, wanted it to be part of his bribe.

"He has a disease," Heero replied, as if such talk embarrassed him. "It seems he was a virgin until the slave pens. Another slave took advantage and his sickness comes from that. He didn't reveal it, so I can't fault the dealer. The damage is done, though. I suppose I will have a few weeks work out of him before he wastes and dies."

Marcus went pale. "Well," he replied uncomfortably. "You are kind to let his last days be of service."

Heero inclined his head, showing modesty. "It was an ill thought out purchase, I agree. He was- is very lovely. It is a shame that he will die so young. I have learned my lesson though. I won't be so foolish again."

"I am glad to hear it," Marcus beamed, but his eyes were still flicking towards the open doorway to the rest of the villa. "Might I see his beauty? I must admit, that my curiosity has been peaked."

"Of course," Heero agreed, though he was inwardly feeling cautious. If the boy said something unwise at this point, his ruse would be found out. "Sentonus!" he called out. When the old slave appeared, he ordered, "bring Duo here."

Sentonus looked disapproving but he followed orders. In a very short time, he ushered a nervous Duo, in a white tunic, into the room.

He was so very beautiful, but masculine at the same time. With a hard, lithe, body, and well rounded shoulders, his face was impish; a boy Bacchus that promised mischief and delight. Those purple eyes were lowered properly, now, but there was a tenseness to him, as if he expected to have to run. Perhaps, Heero surmised, he thought that he was about to be 'entertainment' ? That he was ready to rebel intrigued Heero. It didn't seem the stance of a slave and Heero supposed that it was left over autonomy from his time on the streets. One wouldn't expect it in a slave born a slave.

Marcus was looking at Duo with open lust. He tried to hide it in the next moment as he said, as if Heero might retract it, "You are sure he has a disease?"

Duo blinked, but that was all.

Heero had held his breath in trepidation, but now, sure that his lie wouldn't be found out, he softly let it out and replied, "I'm afraid so."

"Such a waste," Marcus sighed. "I hope that the slave who gave it to him was killed. I'm sure that the gods will welcome this beauty among them, though, and that he will light up hades with such eyes."

Duo blushed, but then looked pale and a bit unsteady on his feet.

"Are you feeling ill, Duo?" Heero asked, almost believing it himself.

"Yes, master," Duo replied in a very small voice.

"You may go and rest, then," Heero ordered.

Duo gave a slight bow of his head and then turned to go. Marcus caught sight of the tattoo and his lust ran even hotter. "A shame," he growled. "Yes, I do hope that the slave who cursed him with sickness died painfully."

Heero shrugged as if it were less of a matter to him. Duo had played it perfectly, not too much, and not to little. He was convincing in his master's lie, perceptive in understanding that such a lie needed to be enacted. Rather than pleasing Heero, though, it made him wary. A trick played on his uncle could very well be a trick played on himself. Duo was clever.

Marcus drank himself almost under the table. It was late before his slaves could be called in to take him back to his home, by that time, Heero wasn't in any mood for taking advantage of his slave. The man had managed to vomit on his way out and watching his slaves clean up the mess, had soured him.

He was exercising. Heero watched Duo from the cover of a column as the boy bent, stretched, and contorted himself with graceful slowness. Dressed only in a small loincloth for modesty, the tattoo snaked along his side, delicate and beautiful in it's bright colors. A few of the slaves watched, askance, but none of them were women. It wouldn't have been seemly.

Duo ended his exercises with an effortless handstand, his braid trailing on the marble floor. He held it, muscles locked and corded in his arms, for what seemed an eternity, and then he lowered his feet back to the floor and came upright as lightly as a summer breeze.

Heero motioned the other slaves to leave and they did, with embarrassment. Duo seemed oblivious, but Heero saw a glint of purple look his way under lowered lashes as Duo took a cloth and toweled off.

"Who did you train with?" Heero asked.

Duo went to his knees and bowed his head, jewelry flashing in afternoon sunlight pooling on the marble beneath him. "A man from the East," Duo replied softly. "He was an acrobat."

There was a tenseness about Duo's shoulders. Heero didn't trust it. "An acrobat," he echoed, thoughtfully and then added, "I've seen such grace in their warriors."

A small twitch of a clenched jaw and then Duo replied neutrally, "He may have been that at one time as well, I don't know."

"Are bed slaves trained as warriors as well?" Heero wondered suspiciously.

"I wasn't raised as one, so I don't know, master," Duo replied, eyes staring down at the sun by his knees.

Heero reached down and picked up Duo's braid. He ran the thick, soft, length through his fingers and then tugged lightly. Duo stood obediently. "Did he teach you any arts in the bed chamber?"

Duo's hands made a small, nervous clutching together motion and then he replied, very low, "None."

"Perhaps you have a natural talent?" Heero surmised. "I think I would like to find out."

Duo's shy, fearful bow of obedience, created a small tremor in Heero's gut. Used to the roughness of warriors, he was feeling uncertain, almost out of his element, to contemplate sex with a slave that was as close to a piece of art as a man could be. It demanded care, a savoring of the experience. He wouldn't rush things like an eager, untried boy, even though he was very near to feeling just like one.

Heero drew Duo into a smaller room with a divan and several low tables by a pool of fish. An opening in the ceiling let in light, and urns held cascading yellow and white roses spilling over their rims. It was a perfect place to revel in Duo's perfection.

"Off," Heero commanded, motioning to Duo's brief clothing as he divested himself of his toga.

Duo's hands were trembling as he laid himself bare and Heero felt it as he took Duo by the shoulders and pressed him down into the divan's cushions. He let his gaze wander over the lightly muscled body of his slave, lingering at the genitals that were exciting, but not excited by their master bending over them.

"Show me," Heero bade him softly.

Duo swallowed hard, but obediently raised and parted his shapely legs, revealing his puckered entrance to Heero's eyes. It was enough to set Heero on fire. He was on Duo then, body pressing him down, moving between Duo's upraised legs. He ignored Duo's pants and small sounds of anxeity as he raised Duo's one leg up higher and then reached with his free hand to feel the very tight entrance with his rough fingers. He wouldn't get in easily with things as they were, Heero knew. Duo needed loosening, even though Heero had copious amounts of precum oozing to smooth the way.

A middle finger delved into precum and then pushed against and defeated all resistance. Duo made a sound of pain and confusion. His body tensed and struggled a bit involuntarily as Heero shoved his finger in as far as it would go. Duo's body reacted, stiffening, as Heero began a slow fuck with that finger.

"Hnnn!" Duo groaned. His leg thrashed in Heero's grip. Heero smiled as he stared into Duo's dazed eyes, liking the way the boy panted and moaned as he worked him.

At last, Duo's body opened and the tightness around Heero's finger gave way. He pulled his finger out and then captured Duo's other leg. Bending the boy back, he brought himself into position. The head of his cock found the defenseless opening and began shoving in.

Duo cried out. "Nooooo! Stop, please, master! Please, stop! It hurts!"

Heero looked down at Duo's wide eyes in shock, and saw the tears streaming down his slave's face. Cock barely inside his newly conquered territory, Heero battled the impulse to slam in and claim the rest. The thought of damaging his new possession held him in check as well as a clenching relectance, that he didn't quite understand, that didn't want to see Duo in pain.

"It will pass," Heero assured him. "You are untried. Once you grow used to my size..."

Duo gasped through his pain and tears, "I-I will try, master, to stand the pain. I-I wish only to p-please you."

Heero tried to remember seeing other couplings among the soldiers. Some had been in pain, but he had been assured of the pleasure, and the shortness of such discomfort. Of course, he thought in doubt, they had been trying to woo him into their beds. Their advice on such matters might, therefore, be suspect. A young, untried, slave might need more preparation than he, Heero, had at hand at the moment.

Heero used his iron control to lever off of Duo. "Perhaps oil," he muttered, flushing with the discomfort of his aborted pleasure, "or a salve."

Duo caught his engorged erection in one hand, tear filled eyes looking guilty. "Master? I don't want to displease you. The other slaves, they sometimes... I could..." His hand suddenly made a tight sheathe and pumped Heero's erection.

Heero gasped. This way he knew well. It would certainly be a pleasure and a way to keep his control, at least until he had the things he needed to smooth the way with Duo. "Do it," he commanded.

It didn't take long, being in Duo's tight hand and looking down into his very handsome face. Duo's own cock was unaccountably hard and, knowing that the act gave Duo some excitement, increased Heero's own. He spurted in short order and Duo coated him with it with wide eyed fascination.

Heero sighed with relief, his body singing with pleasure, but then he gathered back his wits and disenganged himself reluctantly. "Stay here. I will return shortly."

Duo sat back on the divan with a nod, that nervous look reappearing.

Heero looked back at him as he snatched up his toga and went to the door. The image of Duo, sitting among flowers and sunlight, wide, anxious eyes watching him go, caused him to hurry his steps, eager to return.

"Master?" Sentonus came out of the shadows, and gave Heero a grave bow, as he handed him a scroll.

"What's this?" Heero snarled impatiently.

"It was delivered by a slave from the senate," Sentonus explained.

Heero unrolled the scroll and then felt a chill. They wanted his attendance at once, a matter of debts unpaid and a distribution unfulfilled. It seemed that others wanted their bribes as well. Heero couldn't ignore it and hope to remain in his autonomy.

"Get my senate robes ready," Heero ordered, his mind suddenly filled with other things than the slave waiting for his return. If he didn't pay his bribes, then it was very possible that another man would be enjoying Duo's virginity, along with his estate, and monies.

TBC

Back to chapter one

on to chapter three


This page last updated: