This story is set not more than a few years after the sack of Athens by Sulla, 86 B.C. THE POMPEII REDEMPTION by Joe Doe A ROMAN MATRON DECIDES TO MATCH HER BEAUTY AGAINST HER SLAVE'S "Did you enjoy the auction today, Olivia?" Lady Narcissa languidly asked. "If YOU did, Lady," the slave girl replied, keeping her eyes down, as she continued brushing her mistress's hair. "Well, I certainly did," Narcissa replied, leaning back on the couch. "The House of Flagellatus always puts on a capital show. Their auctioneers aren't afraid to use the whip. They really know how to put the little bitches through their paces." "I am delighted that you were pleased, Lady," the slave girl said, glumly. "What's not to enjoy?" the beautiful patrician said. "I love seeing the look on their faces when the auctioneer strips them naked. There is something unbelievably exciting about watching beautiful women squat and bend and wiggle in front of the men who are bidding on them. The look of terror in their eyes is simply exquisite.... Don't you agree?" "As you say, Lady," the slave girl replied, softly. "I'm always amazed at how wet some of the bitches get," Narcissa said, warming to the subject. "Not that I can blame them, with the men calling out to them, and the auctioneer rubbing the whip between their legs." She dropped her voice and stared absentmindedly into the distance. "I have to admit that, even as an observer, I find the whole business quite...stimulating. If I didn't have these auctions to go to, I think I'd simply die of boredom." The woman sat up slightly and took another sip of wine. "You know, one of those girls was actually a Roman citizen," she said. "Of course, 'was' is the operative word. Her father was a senator accused of treason, and the next thing you know he's dead, and she's on the block. I think I may have met her once, during the festival of Apollo, I believe." She swirled the wine in the cup. "She was very beautiful, and I enjoyed seeing her naked," she went on. "She was obviously a woman of quality. I really don't understand why she didn't fetch better price." She frowned. "What do you think, Olivia?" she said. "You may speak freely. I promise I won't punish you. Why didn't she sell for more?" "She lost control of her bladder, Lady," Olivia said quietly. "I think seeing her...foul herself...there on the block must have offended the bidders." "I really don't see why," Narcissa replied. "It was quite obvious that the girl was in shock. I mean, to be stripped naked in front of all Rome! To be paraded around the auction block like a farm animal in front of all your friends...." "Not to mention her former slaves," Olivia added. "They auctioned her slaves off at the same time." "Don't interrupt. I gave you leave to speak candidly, but not to forget your place." "I am so very sorry, Lady." Narcissa smiled as the beautiful young slave humbly dropped to her knees. "As I was saying, I still don't understand why she didn't bring a better price. There are few things more exhilarating than watching the fear and humiliation of a girl on the block, fresh to her collar. I adore the look of panic in their eyes as they are forced to strip and squat. It was just that look that attracted me to you." "Yes, Lady," the slave said, her voice tinged with sadness. "Silly girl! Stop bowing and start brushing my hair. Staring at my feet does NOTHING for my hair!" "Yes, Lady. Of course." "As I was saying, it was just that look of terror that attracted me to you. Your father was an important man in Athens, wasn't he?" "Yes, Lady. We were one of the leading families of the city." "And yet, when our legions sacked Athens, you found yourself on the auction block," Narcissa observed. "How delicious! I mean, here you were, on top of the world one day, and at the bottom of the heap the next. Forced to squat and jump and leap around naked while men groped your body. What could be more entertaining than watching that? I simply can't understand why that woman didn't fetch a better price. "In fact, I think there were a few women in the audience who actually felt sorry for her," the patrician added, softly. "Can you imagine such a thing?" The salon fell silent. The slave girl continued her brushing, and the mistress continued sipping her wine. "Do you think...I would fetch a good price?" the lady asked, thoughtfully. "I mean...on the block. Do you think the men would pay a high price...for me?" "I would never dream of such a thing, my lady." "You cost me a pretty penny," Narcissa observed, archly. "Do you think that I would fetch a better price than you?" "I am but a worthless slave, and your beauty is beyond man's ability to calculate." "But calculate it they would, if I were in the slave market." She laughed. "That's what a slaver does, isn't it? Strip women naked and set a price on their beauty? It's a simple question, really. Do you think my price would be higher than yours?" "I am too unworthy to compare myself...." "I told you that you might speak freely, girl," she snapped. "If I need to tell you again, I'll tell you with the whip. Now, just answer my question. Would I bring a good price at the slave market?" "Yours is a beauty beyond compare, my lady," the slave girl said, her eyes cast downward. "You are my mistress and, as such, the most beautiful woman in the world. It would be impossible for me to judge your beauty." There was another long pause as the smiling patrician drained her cup. The slave girl immediately refilled the enormous chalice. "Do you remember when I threatened to sell you, Olivia? As I recall, Senator Porcus had grabbed your bottom, and you'd spilled wine on my Persian rug." "Yes, Lady. I am so sorry. It was an accident." "The point is, I took you to the House of Flagellatus, and they stripped you naked for an evaluation. They really put you through your paces, as I recall. It was quite a thorough examination, which I enjoyed immensely. Do you remember?" "Yes, Lady," Olivia replied, her voice so betraying her bitterness that anyone of even moderate empathy would have noticed. "And then, for sport, you watched those four Nubian slaves use me, while you ate your lemon cake." "Yes, I do recall that," the patrician said, casually. "The cake was delicious. They always do things right at the House of Flagellatus." She smiled, remembering. "But, after all, I didn't sell you. You had to be punished, of course, but I let you return to my service afterwards." "After you whipped my bottom in front of the entire household and threw me in the field hands' slave pens for a month," Olivia said, clenching her teeth. "I lost count of how many slaves used me. They still leer at me, and call out to me, whenever I pass the pens." "But then I honored you by placing my family crest on your bottom, before returning you to my personal service. I even let you watch as the artisan prepared your brand." "Yes, Lady, thank you.... You are too kind." There was another long pause as the mistress finished her cup of wine, hiccupped daintily, and began another. "I've never been to Pompeii," she said. "No one knows me there. Perhaps we can both go tomorrow. The House of Flagellatus has a branch there." "Please don't sell me, mistress," Olivia said, once again dropping to her knees and placing her face at her owner's feet. "Don't put me on the block. I'll do anything...anything!" "Don't be silly, girl," the woman said, kicking her away. "I'm not displeased with you, and I'm not going to sell you. You are my most loyal and abject slave. That is why I want you to help me with a little...ah...experiment." "Mistress?" the slave said, clearly puzzled. "I've always wondered what sort of price I'd fetch on the block. I would like you to take me to the House of Flagellatus...as your slave." "But...I don't understand...," Olivia said, clearly confused. "The guards will accompany us until we get to the city. Then I will dismiss them. You and I can change clothes in the back of the wagon, and you can take me to the House of Flagellatus. You will tell them that I am your slave, and you would like them to make you an offer." Olivia stopped brushing and came around the couch to sit next to her owner. "Are you sure you know what you're asking, Lady? You can't be serious! You...a slave?" "I'm most totally serious," Narcissa said. "Indeed, I think you should leave me there overnight, so I can have a day of block training. I want to know what it's like to be paraded on the block, in front of men." "You realize," Olivia said, choosing her words carefully, "that the men will...examine you. Not as a free woman -- as a slave. And slave girls are sold naked." Narcissa blushed slightly, as she lowered her head and nodded. Olivia smiled. There was a long pause as Olivia considered the matter. She handled all of her mistress's business affairs and always considered problems from every angle. At last, the slave girl spoke, casually. "Of course they will want to see your enslavement papers." "You know how to do that," Narcissa countered. "I had you fill out the enslavement papers when I tricked that little bitch into her collar. You remember the one -- she'd snubbed me at some party." "Yes, of course," Olivia said. "But the papers will have to be totally authentic. The House of Flagellatus would recognize a forgery. And forging slave papers is a serious offense. If convicted, you would be collared for real." "Authentic?" Narcissa arched an eyebrow and took another sip of her wine. "Well, yes, I suppose that would be best. And it will be only temporary." "Also, of course, you will need to free me, for the nonce," Olivia added. "Free you? Whatever for?" "You don't see a problem with two slave women going into an auction house, one to sell the other?" Olivia asked, incredulously. "If they ask to see my citizenship papers, and discover I'm a slave, they'll put us both on the block. No, for your little ruse to work, I must be freed." "Yes, I suppose so," Narcissa said, once again emptying her cup, which Olivia hastened to refill. "Besides that, Lady, you should also give me a considerable sum...say 10,000 aurei...so that I can buy our way out of any...well, compromising situation that arises." "Fff-what! Ten thousand gold pieces!" Narcissa sputtered, sobering slightly and almost spilling her wine. "That's a fortune! That's equal to...unh...." "That would be 200,000 denarii, Lady." "Absurd! An ordinary person could live in luxury forever on such a sum." "Well, perhaps not forever.... But, regardless, our expenses could be heavy. For example, what if your keeper decides that he must use the whip to teach you to move properly on the block?" Olivia said, lightly. "What would happen if I didn't have the funds with which to bribe him? And...who knows? What if some terrible disaster should strike, and you actually did wind up on the block? Without enough ready money, I might have to go all the way back to Greece to find help." "Point taken -- 10,000 gold it is," the mistress said, with a slack smile. "My, this wine is yummy. More?" Olivia again refilled the chalice. "I will see that plenty of this vintage is packed for our trip tomorrow, Lady, so that you may indulge yourself during our journey." "Well, it does impede my judgment, but I guess a slave girl really doesn't need to think," Narcissa said, merrily. "Tomorrow, YOU can do all the thinking!" "Do you remember my family crest, mistress?" Olivia asked, dreamily. "An image of a smiling girl?" "What of it?" the bored patrician said, slurping her wine. "I was just wondering if they made brands at the House of Flagellatus," Olivia said, softly. "Of course they do," the mistress said, staring vacantly into her cup. Suddenly, she had a thought. "Olivia, I know that you love me. But tomorrow I will be your slave, and you must be strict with me. I know it will be hard on you, but you'll need to make sure that I'm properly examined, so that a correct price can be set. I'm sure to fetch a higher price than you, but only if you are...ah...rigorous." "Don't worry, Lady," Olivia said, trying to maintain a straight face. "I will, indeed, be very strict, very rigorous." END Edited by C. Lakewood