Slave Girl 2: Chapter 58 (Patreon)

Well and truly spent I help Rosa in cleaning up, both our bodies and our bed, then melt into her bosom.  My ear against her chest I listen to the soothing beat of her heart as she strokes me and cuddles me and sends me off to sleep.  The sleep might have only been a few hours long but it was the deepest, hardest slumber I’d enjoyed in awhile.

As the first of Sol’s direct golden rays reach our windows once more I am surfacing again.  A lifetime of farm work had instilled in me a sixth sense of when it was time to rise, especially come harvest season.  As nice as this was I find myself champing at the bit to get out amongst the grain again.  I take a deep breath and stretch the tightness from my bones.  To my right is my Lady, my slave, my Rosa buried beneath a heap of covers with just lovely face showing.  I smile.  Slipping carefully from the blankets so as not to disturb her I carefully fold my half of the top cover over her so that her heat loving body could be that much warmer.

“I love you.”  I whisper.

I walk out to the center of our room and properly stretch out.  The side the northman had thrown me down on was sore but I’d had much worse in my time.  After a quick round of position practice I gather my clothes and pad silently from the room.  From the bottom of the stairs I can hear the twin snores of our guests reverberating through the villa, Colly’s high and nasally and her master’s low and throaty.  It was a miracle either of them could sleep given the volume of their dozing duet.  I just smile and shake my head.  Cupid had made a good match there.

Soon I am standing out back looking out over the glorious dawn lit countryside that was my new home.  I am both lifted and humbled by the sight of it.  I give a short prayer to my goddess for blessing me with this opportunity to work her bounty then head down to the river to give myself a proper scrub down before the sweaty toil ahead.  As I bathe a yawning, squinting Danae wanders out of the wild as if to bid me farewell.

“I heard you had a late night too.”  I say to her as I work soap through my thick hair.  “I hope the hunting was good.”

Her only reply is to lick her snout then disappear back into the green again.

All cleaned up I dress and head back up.  As I jog up the final few stairs to the columned terrace I am surprised to find Cassie standing there waiting for me.  Unlike the sleepy Danae and the slumbering trio inside she was wide awake and well groomed, clearly she’d been up for some time already.  Lit by the dawn’s glow her voluptuous body looked damn fine even in her simple white peasant’s dress.

“Oh!”  I say.  “Am I late?”

“Nah.  The men are just getting up.”  She says as she approaches.  In her right hand is a basket with the most delicious smells coming from it.  My empty stomach growls loudly the moment the mouthwatering aroma reaches my nostrils.  Cassie smirks and shakes her head.  “Ah, ah.  Not for you.”

“You cruel tease!”

She laughs.  “Breakfast is waiting for you at the farm.”  I could already picture the spread of steaming rib-sticking food that Cas had laid out for the men.  As early as the working farmer rose, the working farmer’s wife rose just that much earlier.  I suspect that was true where ever men tilled the land.  “She feeds everyone working our land and you’re no exception.  And Dad says it’d be better if you eat with them so you can settle in with the boys.  I hope that works for you.”

“I’m appreciative.”

“Oh, and here.”  She reaches into the basket and pulls something out of it.  Some leather is slapped into my hand.  I look down to see a newly made pair of work gloves.  “Thought ya might be needin these.”

“Another gift?”  I say as I look over the fine craftsmanship and feel the tough yet supple leather in my grip.  “You are too kind Cassie.”

“There are worse things to be.”  She smiles.

“I WILL return this generosity someday.”  I tell her.  “You have me at a disadvantage right now.”

She straightens up, both hands and the basket tucking behind her.  “I look forward to that.”  There is this odd…moment as each of us were momentarily at a loss for words.  Mercifully she breaks the silence before it gets awkward.  “And don’t worry.  I’ll keep a good eye on everything here.  You have my word.”

“Thank you…again!”  I stand looking down at her at a loss as to how I could show my appreciation.  After an awkward hesitation…I lean down and kiss her on the cheek, leaving us both blushing.   “Ahem.”

“Ahem.”  She fiddles at her skirt bashfully.  “Um, anything I ought to know?”

“Yeah.  We’ve got a couple of guests.”  I say.  “Here from the city.”

“I was wondering who was shakin the walls.”  She quips at their snores that she must have heard when she arrived at the front.  “I didn’t think that would be Rosa.”

“Yeah, well, one of them is a kobalos.”

“Oh!”  Her brows shoot up in surprise.  “A goblin?  Here?”

“She’s a slave but she’s also a friend.”  I say.  “Her name is Collywaddle.  Treat her with respect.”  Her blue eyes sparkle in the morning light as she peers up at me.  “What?”

“Nothin.  Just…”  She grins.  “…you are so different.  You really do make your own rules around here.”

“Ha!  Tell that to my Lady.”

She laughs.  “Okay, goblin, got it.  Anything else?”

“Uh, yeah.”  I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck.  “Things are different here.  Hey, if you happen to see anything, anything…unusual…”

“Unusual?”

“Yeah.  I’d appreciate it if you kept it between us.”

“What are you…?”

“Rosa’s going to have a hard enough time settling in here.”  I say.  “And I know how tall tales can catch and grow like grass fire amongst…us.  I just don’t want to be any harder than it has to be for her.”

“Yeah.”  She nods, not quite catching my full meaning but getting enough of it.  “Of course Quin.”

“Good.”  I smile.  Glancing out over the railing to the garden and river where I had just bathed below I ask.  “So how long were you standing here?”

Another merry smirk brightens her face.  “I just got here.”

“Uh huh.”  I say dubiously.

“And the gazebo was in the way anyway.”

We share a laugh.

“I’m going to get going.  Don’t want to be late on my first day.”

“I think that’s a good idea.”  She winks.  “See you after work.”

We stand once more unsure of exactly how to respond to one another until I spin and march off.  I grab the shrubbery shears that I’d borrowed along the way and soon I am on the road.  I had only gotten a half night’s rest but there is a spring in my step and a lift to my shoulders as I stride between the waving amber fields.  Though it cost me an hour of sleep some good lovin and cuddlin had rejuvenated my spirit far more than mere slumber.  And running into Cassie this morning had buoyed me mood even more.  Life was good!

My positive energy must have been obvious as I am greeted by only smiles and warm welcomes when I arrive at Horatius’ farm.  Even Cassie’s overprotective brothers seemed pleased to see me.

“How ya doin big guy?”  Felix calls.

“Great Felix.”

It is only after a few minutes that I catch something was up.  There weren’t just smiles, there were some coy looks and covered laughs as well.  As I met folks and shook hands I find that they weren’t just happy, they were downright mirthful.  There was an undercurrent of giddy humor that seemed focused on me though I hadn’t a clue why.  And the greetings seemed to be following a common theme.

“Hey big fella.”

“Hi.”

“Mornin to ya big man.”

“Mornin.”

“So that’s the new neighbor.  Larger than life!”

“Uh, yeah.   Hello.”

And so forth.  It is not until Granny gets in on it that I realize what was happening.

“There’s the young bull.”  Cackles Granny when she spots me join the grub line at the back of the house.  My face turns warms as her eyes glance down to my groin for just an instant.  I had almost forgotten about that trick Rosa played on me when I first met the Cassias.  Granny hadn’t forgotten it though.  And the tall tale, or in this case long tale, had spread.  When it was my turn at the table and she is passing me my plate heaped with porridge, eggs, cured pork and flat bread she asks boldly.  “And how is our low hung neighbor this fine harvest morning?”

The innuendo broken wide open the gathered men explode with laughter.  Some of them even slap my back as if to congratulate me on my blessing.  My blush turns from pink to red.

“Mom!”  Cas scolds.  “Boys!”

“Nothin to be ’shamed of it is!  He he he!  Why if I was fifty years younger…WHOOO WHEEE!”

The men are roaring.  Even the stern faced Horatius was chuckling.  “Go get’im Granny!”  Hoots one of them.

“MOM!  I am so sorry Quin.”  Cas apologizes while valiantly trying to hold back her own giggles.  She passes me a mug of watered down wine and gives a hard look to all of those around.  “You stop that.  NOW!”

The men’s laughter turns to snickers and eventually settle to murmur.  Cas was clearly not somebody to mess with.  The mood was good though, the teasing not mean spirited.  Just the regular give and take of working folk.  But what a thing to be known for.  I just hoped Cassie hadn’t gotten her hopes up!

Chapter 59