Parthian Pain

 PARTHIAN PAIN

by V. W. Singer

Mihrdat stood with his back pressed hard against the thick tent pole. He was naked, his body glistening with sweat, and his erection jutted out rigidly in front of him, its head angled upwards. The dancing girl giggled as she knelt before him, teasing his cock with her fingernails. She made tiny, light scratches over his shaft.

He closed his eyes and groaned with pleasure, and he felt the lightest brush of her lips against the tip of his cock. She stroked it with her tongue, licking him like a sweetmeat. Even though he was the prince and she was but a dancing girl, she was controlling his arousal and his cock ached with unsatisfied lust. He didn't want her to stop, but he also wanted to grab her head and make her take his whole length into her mouth and suck him dry. He tried to move his hands, but they were tied to the pole behind him with a silk scarf. He loved being erotically tortured.

The dancing girl knew exactly how to please a man, and she gave his cock several more quick licks, then stood up, her pert breasts bobbing with her movements. "You are a very handsome prince," she purred. She swayed and strutted in front of him, teasing him with her nakedness. His cock twitched and she giggled, made a disapproving expression, waggled her finger at him, then slapped his cock with a twisted length of silken fabric.

He gasped and flinched away from her. It was a delightful pain that shot through his cock, and his erection didn't subside one bit. If anything, it hardened even further.

She made a tsk sound and then began to wind the silken rope around his penis, encasing it tightly in a cocoon of fabric. "Such a naughty cock. I ought to —"

The prince never discovered what she ought to do because an arrow slammed into her back to pierce her heart. He immediately realised that the arrow had been meant for him, and he had only been saved by a sudden sway of the unfortunate girl's body. As she tumbled forward, he saw the archer standing outside the tent, already drawing another arrow. The prince snapped the fragile scarf binding his wrists and dropped down behind the dancing girl's body, just as the assassin let fly. The arrow slammed into the tent post where his head had been. The prince rolled across the floor, grabbed his sword which was leaning against the camp bed, and flung a folding stool at the archer. The man dodged to the side, but the stool struck his knee and he staggered back. The prince leapt forward, leading with the point of his sword, which went past the assassin's bow and plunged into his groin. The archer screamed horribly and fell, clutching at his ruined genitals. The killer couldn't have come alone, and all this noise was going to bring his companions running. Spinning around, Mihrdat grabbed his mail shirt and helmet, slashed the back of his tent with the sword, and stumbled out into the darkness.

He ran, first slipping his arms into the mail shirt, then clapping on his helmet. The heavy rings settled into place around his body as he tightened his belt, and he sped away into the night. To his relief, the killers hadn't cut the horse lines, and his mount was still there. He led her away from the camp, then climbed onto her back, and urged her into a trot. He had to put as much distance between himself and the assassins before they realised he was not in camp and started after him. Riding into the night, he tried to make sense of the events. They weren't at war, despite the usual clashes with the bloody Romans, and as far as he knew, the King of Kings wasn't removing rivals or rebels. On the other hand, who knew what went on in court. If he had to guess it was some kind of internecine feud, part of the constant power jockeying that went on all the time. His heart was heavy at the thought of his friends and guards back at the camp, who were likely all dead.

His thoughts were interrupted by the distant sound of hoof beats. He glanced back, but couldn't see anything behind him. The pursuit had begun.

***

The terrain was rocky and harsh. There were no convenient forests or dense brush to hide in, and Prince Mihrdat was steadily being driven towards the great Euphrates River. Judging from where he had started, he had to be close to Sura. He dimly recalled that there was some kind of crossing there, so perhaps he could get across the river and lose himself on the other side. He took a sip from his saddle canteen and urged his tired horse on in a steady canter. The day was warm and getting warmer. The prince looked back, and he could make out a single horseman riding towards him, about five hundred paces distant. The others had been left behind, their horses worn out, but he knew they would still be coming. This one would ensure they didn't lose his trail and also keep the pressure on him so he couldn't stop to rest or eat. Peering into the distance, he saw the glimmer of sunlight on water, and what might have been people moving about near the banks.

It was too early to hope, but he pressed on, the hoof beats of his mount becoming muffled as the ground softened. The horse's breathing was heavy and laboured, and his own legs felt numb, but he dared not dismount to walk. The assassin was only a couple of hundred paces behind him now, and if he dismounted, he'd be easily caught, or catch an arrow in the back like the unfortunate dancing girl, whose name he'd never discovered. It would be easier to fight on horseback than on foot, even if he wasn't equipped with a cataphract's armour and weapons. He rode past groups of workers, probably slaves, carrying all manner of goods and equipment, although he couldn't tell the nature of their business. He slowed and turned to look over his shoulder again, and frowned. The pursuer had stopped and was sitting in the middle of the road, apparently just staring. When he turned to face his front again he discovered why. Soldiers in Roman-style armour stood to either side of his horse, javelins, short swords, and bows all aimed at him. Prince Mihrdat realised he had ridden right into a Roman raiding force, or what they would call a punitive expedition. Given his armour and weapons, and the way he had been riding, they clearly assumed he was an army scout. "Good afternoon," he said cheerfully in excellent Latin. "I was just passing by on private business," he said, which was absolutely true. The Romans didn't appear to be impressed, and the javelin throwers prepared to cast their pila.

An officer shouted, "Drop all your weapons and get off the horse." He spoke very loudly and slowly as if addressing a child, a very stupid one.

The prince smiled at the officer. He knew he was an officer because of the funny sideways brush he wore on his head, although he couldn't remember what the Romans called them. He mentally snapped his fingers. Centurion. That was it. "All right Centurion, I surrender, no need to throw those pila at me."

The officer gestured sharply, and two men stepped forward and took the reins of his horse. Another man stood in front of him with a sword in hand. The prince slid from the saddle, and one of the soldiers grabbed his arms and bound them tightly behind his back. The centurion grinned. "Scout or not, it doesn't matter. You're our prisoner now. Do you have anyone who'll pay your ransom?"

Ransoms were normal on both sides for nobles and the wealthy. Unfortunately, Prince Mihrdat suspected that anyone who came to pay his ransom would just drag him aside afterwards and cut his head off. "I'm sorry, Centurion. No one is going to pay my ransom."

The Centurion looked over the prince's shoulder and at the assassin still sitting and watching in the distance. He chuckled. "Been diddling somebody's wife or daughter, have you?" He turned to another soldier and said, "Where's the venalicious?"

"The slave trader's just crossing the river, Centurion. I'll go fetch him," the trooper replied before trotting off.

"Right then, you stay there while I see what else we've caught," the centurion said with a grin, and wandered off, yelling at his men.

The prince sat down and watched as the Roman soldiers sorted their prisoners. It appeared he was headed for slavery. He shrugged. Better than a few arrows in the back before being hacked to death and having his head cut off as proof of his death. Then he glanced at the waiting assassin, who pointed a finger at him. It looked like they hadn't given up. Somebody must really want him dead. He sat staring glumly into space, trapped between two extremely unpalatable options, although through the fog of despair, he had to admit that slavery offered a faintly better chance than a bloody death at the hands of professionals. After what must have been two hours, a man dressed in civilian robes of Roman design walked up to him, followed by a slave bearing a large bag slung across the chest with a leather strap. In the young man's hand was a set of joined wooden slats of rectangular shape. The prince recognised them as waxed writing tablets used by the Romans.

The man approached and prodded the prince with a boot-clad foot. "I'm told you speak Latin," he said.

"I do," Prince Mihrdat said in a cultured tone. He guessed that this was the slaver, which meant his immediate future depended on this man.

"I'm a venalicious, and I've been sent by the Tribune in command to buy all you people for slaves," the man said. He had an officious manner that was clearly designed to make the prince feel he was inferior.

Mihrdat ignored the man's tone. "Yes, the Centurion said you'd be here soon. May I know your name?"

"Furius, Furius Paullinus." The slaver cocked his head and studied the prince with a shrewd businessman's eye. "You look and sound like a nobleman, but I'm told you can't offer a ransom. So you're going to be a slave. But if you have skills, it can benefit both of us. I get a bigger price, you get a better life. So tell me what you can do."

The prince nodded. "I understand. We have slaves in Parthia, just like you Romans. Well, I can read and write Latin, Greek, and Parthian. I can do numbers and understand accounts. I'm a good rider and can use the sword, lance, and bow. Also, I can play the barbat and flute." He made strumming motions with his hands and then mimed playing a flute.

The slaver made sure his slave took notes of this. Then his eyes narrowed in a cunning expression. "You're a good-looking young man. There's a more than even chance you'll be picked because some owner has the hots for you. Again, the more special you are, the better your price. The happier I am, the happier you'll be. Trust me."

The prince had been anticipating this. Slaves expected to be used sexually, in any way their owners pleased. Picking his words carefully he said, "I like to be … um, treated roughly, there." He gestured at his crotch. "Usually by women."

The slaver had heard and seen everything and didn't even raise an eyebrow. "And you can keep yourself hard when they do such things?" He smiled when the prince nodded. "Good. Good. I can think of some people who would pay a premium price for such skills." He patted the new slave on the shoulder. "What do you call yourself?"

"Mihrdat. My name is Mihrdat," the young man said.

The slaver frowned. "Romans prefer Greek names for slaves. Easier to remember and pronounce. Let me see. Hmm, how about Rhodon? That's a nice name."

The prince shrugged. "A good a name as any, I suppose. Rhodon I am then."

Chapter Two.

The journey to the Forum Romanum, the main slave market in Rome, wasn't too bad since he was allowed to ride in the horse-drawn raeda rather than being marched all the way back to Italy. This was the first time Prince Mihrdat had set foot in the Roman homeland. He had heard stories about the greatness of Rome and its power, but he hadn't quite believed them. The massive temples, aqueducts, and roads he saw were more imposing than the smaller, more human scale of Ctesiphon, the Parthian capital. But right now, he had other things on his mind. The Romans had taken his armour, weapons, and jewellery, so he was dressed only in a plain knee-length white tunic. They'd also removed the leather ties from his long dark hair. He looked like any other slave. A wooden plaque had been hung around his neck, indicating what he assumed were his selling points, just as if he were an ox. He was also naked. Fortunately, it wasn't cold, and he had been allowed to bathe to make himself presentable, or more correctly, saleable.

The Forum Romanum was a huge rectangular open area that served as the political and commercial heart of the city. It was filled with a mixture of shops and markets. The slave auction block stood in a quieter section close to the Senate. He stood on a low platform, grouped in a row together with the other skilled slaves, craftsmen, artisans, cooks, dancers, Greek scholars, and the simply beautiful. From what the venalicious told him, he fell into both the skilled and beautiful groups. He suspected he was being promoted as having a sexual speciality too. He hoped he wouldn't end up in some manner of freak show.

The auction was held outside in the shade of a large awning, where the Roman elite could examine the goods. A small crowd of potential buyers stood in front of them, and the auctioneer, who was also the slaver's agent, was making a speech about each slave and what their selling points were. The young women were often made to bend and spread, and were physically handled by the potential buyers. Rhodon guessed this was as much a test of temperament as physical quality. Any who showed reluctance or fear would have their price discounted, or they might even be withdrawn. There was no place for such slaves in the homes of the rich. The men were mostly examined for their physiques and skills, although it was obvious that the better-looking ones would be used sexually. Some of the women buyers handled the men's penises with much laughter and giggling amongst them. He noted one Roman woman, of early middle age, slim, beautiful, and visibly wealthy. Unlike most of the other women present, she wasn't with a husband or father, although she had male attendants and guards following her. He also noted that the male slaves she examined tended to wince when she examined their genitals. This didn't bother Rhodon. In fact the absence of a man in the household might present him with possibilities of escape or greater freedom of action, so he watched the woman's progress with interest.

The woman, whose name was Cornelia Metella, eventually reached him. She looked him over, her gaze lingering on his crotch, before she stepped up on the platform, and ran her hands over his body. "They tell me you speak Latin," she said as she stroked his chest and abdomen.

Rhodon nodded. "I do, Domina."

She studied the plaque hanging from his neck and pinched his nipple. "You're very well-built."

He gasped. "Thank you, Domina."

Cornelia took his penis and tugged at it. "It says you can keep accounts and do sums."

Rhodon felt himself getting hard. Normally, for a slave to get erect in front of a free woman was an offence, but the slave sellers had informed him that in this case, it was to be desired if she actually touched his cock. "Yes, Domina."

Cornelia continued to stroke his cock until it was fully hard, and roughly stripped back his foreskin to view the smooth head. "Show me," she said nodding at the large wax tablet on the floor beside him. She set him various writing and mathematical problems and watched him write them out, all the while with her hand gripping his cock. She examined what he had written, while slowly stroking his hardness, raised an eyebrow, and nodded. "Good enough," she said. Then she looked directly into his eyes and said, "They also say you can handle punishment well." Her fingernails dug into his hard cock as an indication of what she meant. While all slaves were subject to punishment, they both knew that wasn't what she meant.

Rhodon winced and then nodded. "Yes, Domina. I enjoy that sort of treatment," he said confidently.

"Excellent," Cornelia replied, and gave his cock a final stroke before she walked off to examine some other slaves. She won most of the auction bidding for the slaves she really wanted, and after the praeco, the auctioneer, had awarded and settled the sale, all the slaves, including Rhodon, were loaded onto a wagon and their ankles shackled to chains bolted to the floor. Cornelia herself rode in a sedan-chair, escorted by her guards and various clients.

They travelled west, and after leaving the city walls, passed by various villas and farms before heading up into the hills. When the wagon entered the tree-lined driveway of Villa Caecilia and stopped in one of the courtyards, the slaves were unshackled and ordered to stand in a row while the vilicus and vilica, the male and female estate overseers, checked the new slaves off against the purchase list. They were then led away to be registered and issued with working tunics. This left Rhodon standing alone in the middle of the courtyard. The vilicus came up to him and said, "The last tabularius was killed by a runaway horse team while inspecting the granary, so I'll be taking you to his ala where all his records and materials are kept. I'll tell you as much as I know about the financial running of the estate and the Era's personal money affairs."

"Era?" Rhodon said. "Your pardon, I'm not familiar with the word."

The overseer grunted. "Like Domina, but when referring to your particular domina. Era. Got it?" When Rhodon nodded his understanding, the vilicus led him into the villa. They passed through the atrium with its central pool and fountain and entered the slave quarters, which were in a large separate wing of the villa. It was well appointed with a large open living room and separate bedrooms for the male and female slaves. The vilicus pointed. "The alea are over there. That one is yours. The one with the ostium, the wooden door. Can't have people running off with records."

***

It was two days later before Rhodon received a summons to attend upon Cornelia in the tablinum. The Domina's office was fronted with a vestibule sporting heavy curtains at either end to provide more privacy. Attending the summons, Rhodon entered the room and saw his mistress seated behind a desk, surrounded by bookcases, cabinets, and writing tables. Strikingly beautiful even when not made up to face the public, Cornelia was wearing a short tunic that barely covered her buttocks and breasts.

"Ah, Rhodon. I assume you've had the time to review our records," Cornelia said.

Rhodon bowed politely. "I have, Era."

Briskly with evident knowledge, Cornelia shot a series of questions at him, testing his familiarity with what he had studied. She smiled and nodded, evidently satisfied with his replies. "I see you didn't lie about your abilities." She leaned back and steepled her fingers. "With that business done, remove your tunic."

Rhodon experienced a brief confusion at the sudden change of topic, then bowed again. "Yes, Era." Without further hesitation he untied his rope belt and pulled his tunic off over his head. He stood naked before his mistress, awaiting whatever she wished to do to him.

Cornelia gave him a quick once over, her gaze lingering on his crotch. She rose from the desk and said, "Now, let's see if you're a good boy." Moving close to him, she placed one hand on his taut muscled shoulder and patted his cock with the other. "Whenever you're naked in front of me, I expect this to be erect and your foreskin drawn back, just like the pilum of my guards. Understood?"

"Yes, Era. Should I do it now?" Feeling slightly silly, Rhodon deliberately pulled back his foreskin until the head became taut and shiny, then began stroking his cock when she nodded her permission.

Cornelia watched him masturbate, and when his cock was suitably hard she said, "Stop. That's enough." She tapped the quivering shaft, testing its rigidity. "Very nice. Now put your hands behind your back and stay like that." She waited for him to obey, then gently took hold of the end of his cock with her thumb and two fingers, and slowly rubbed it as she spoke. "This is mine now. All mine. I'll do whatever I want with it, and you will cooperate as if your life depended upon it. Fail me, and I'll have you castrated and sold to the salt mines. Is that clear?"

Rhodon's cock stiffened even more as he nodded. "Yes, Era. I understand. My cock is yours to use as you will." Pride warred with fear, and both were drowned by an incredible rush of arousal. Her fingers continued to play with his glans, making him shudder, and he bit back a moan.

Cornelia smiled thinly as her fingers expertly teased the new slave's cock. "I'm going to make you come. You will not move." She slid her fingertips down the underside of his cock, stroking his frenulum.

Rhodon shivered, but managed to remain still. "Yes, Era." His breathing was already becoming heavy. He also understood that his opportunities to orgasm were now determined by his mistress's whim, and not his desires.

Cornelia began slowly stroking the shaft of his cock, gently squeezing the head, and then running her finger around his urethral opening. "You have a very nice penis," she commented. "I'm going to really enjoy hurting it." Her hand slid up and down along his shaft. "But not right now." His obvious struggle not to make fucking motions with his hips amused her greatly. By carefully controlling the speed and movements of her hand she kept Rhodon on the edge of climax, but never quite reaching the peak. He was breathing heavily and his thighs trembled. It was so very amusing.

After about five minutes, Rhodon couldn't stand it any longer. "Era! Please, let me come!" He felt like he was about to explode.

"No," she replied with a malicious little smile, and continued to masturbate him. The cock was so stiff and engorged that it even looked painful, and she squeezed her thighs together. She couldn't explain her love of playing with the cocks of her male slaves, or at least selected ones, but it was powerful and real. Rhodon had the potential to be special because he enjoyed it. She was going to have so much fun with this quivering shaft. She would make it spurt like a volcano and make him cry in agony, and always he would present his precious organ to her, no matter what dark and terrible pleasures she took with it. Finally, she decided it was time for him to come, to spill his seed hopelessly into the air. Perhaps some time she would let him fuck one of the slave girls, but he would pay dreadfully for that gratification. With that pleasant thought in mind, she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Come, Rhodon."

Rhodon gasped with relief and ecstasy as a huge orgasm ripped through his loins, and his cock exploded. Somehow he managed to remain as still as a rock while she pumped him, drained him of his seed. But even when the last drop had been extracted, she didn't stop. Her fingers squeezed and rubbed, pulled and pinched until Rhodon was in agony. He moaned, "Please, stop."

Cornelia slapped his balls with her free hand. "No. You have to learn to stay hard when you've just come, so I can play with your cock as I please, when I please. You don't go soft unless I allow it. Understand?"

"Yes, Era," Rhodon said with a shaking voice. His knees felt weak, and every stroke of her hand made him cry out at the sheer intensity of the sensation. "Please, Era," he begged again. He didn't think he could take much more of this.

Cornelia continued to fondle and squeeze his cock until she was sure the poor boy was about to collapse from the pleasure and pain. Then her hand stopped. She waited until he gasped with relief, then smiled maliciously. "Again."

"What?" Rhodon exclaimed in disbelief.

"I said I want to see you come again. Your seed is mine to drain as I please, and I want to see you do it again. Do you refuse?" she asked dangerously.

"N-no, Era. Of course not. It shall be as you command." His body shook, and he squeezed his fingers tight as she resumed stroking his cock. He tried to control his breathing, but he couldn't stop whimpering as her fingers rubbed and stroked and massaged his cock and balls, bringing him back to full stiffness. He felt the pressure build, and it was as if the world shrank down to the core of his body, and sensations exploded from his cock as she drove him up the slope towards the peak again. His cock ached, and she was rubbing harder than before. She jerked hard on his foreskin as she masturbated him, the first sign of pain appearing. Rhodon gritted his teeth and whimpered. It was almost too much to bear, but he couldn't help himself. The pleasure was intense, and his hips began to move unconsciously as he fucked her fist.

"Stay still!" Cornelia snapped. "I didn't give you permission to move while I'm playing with your cock."

"I'm sorry, Era," Rhodon said, every muscle straining. The sensations coming from his cock were maddening. He badly wanted it to stop, and to never end at the same time. His hips continued to jerk, and his cock was becoming harder and harder. The sensations were overwhelming, and he knew he was going to climax soon. "I'm going to come," he said hoarsely.

Cornelia grinned. "Do it," she commanded. She rubbed harder and faster. "Come now," she ordered.

Rhodon's entire body spasmed as he came, and his cock spurted over and over again, the muscles in his groin aching with strain. Once again, Cornelia did not stop stroking his cock, and his muscles writhed and strained as the blinding pleasure of orgasm became a nearly unbearable surplus of erotic sensation that made him want to shout at her to stop. It was like thorns scraping his every nerve as he writhed and shuddered. He almost fell to his knees as she continued to play with his screaming cock, grinning maliciously at his erotic pain. When she finally stopped stroking and playing with his overstimulated cock, he almost slumped in relief. He was startled by the sharp flick of her fingers that made it flap from side to side.

"Always hard, or have you forgotten your duty so quickly?" Cornelia said.

"I'm sorry, Era," Rhodon gasped. He gritted his teeth and tried to force himself to stay erect. It wasn't easy, since he had just had two orgasms. The pain of arousal was intense, but he managed to bring his cock back to a semblance of stiffness.

"Much better," Cornelia said. "Remember, your cock belongs to me. You'll keep it hard whenever you are naked in my presence, or suffer the consequences. I'm not done with it, or you, just yet."

Rhodon had been raised as a warrior, so the need to perform his duties regardless of tiredness or an aching body was something he knew well. And right now, Cornelia's orders held far more power than any weapons teacher or senior warrior. He had never been required to force an erection before in his life, it had always been the reverse, but that wasn't his concern right now, and he concentrated on getting his throbbing cock back up before his mistress became angry. After some long moments of embarrassing stroking of his cock, it finally responded and came up to full hardness once more. Relief washed over him, and he took his hand away and presented his cock to Cornelia. "My cock is hard, as you commanded, Era."

The wealthy young widow tapped Rhodon's cock thoughtfully. "About time. So far, you've been having a good time. I think this is the right moment to demonstrate how this —" another tap "— is really supposed to serve me." Turning to her desk, she picked up a slim rod with a faint twisted texture, the length of her forearm. "This is my Vitis. Our centurions use a bigger vinewood staff to discipline legionaries. I will be using mine to discipline this pretty thing," she said, and tapped Rhodon's cock with the slightly tapered end of the rod.

A chill of apprehension flowed through Rhodon's belly, but he had been expecting this. "I understand, Era," he said. "I am at your mercy."

Cornelia smiled and stroked his cock gently, letting the rod follow the line of his shaft and brush against his balls. "I'm glad you understand that. It means we'll get along well, since I do so enjoy this." With a deft movement of her wrist, she rapped the cane against the shaft of his cock.

The sensation was uncomfortable rather than painful, but it made Rhodon's heart beat faster. She was going to beat his cock. With his hands behind him, he pulled his shoulders back and braced his legs. He was pleased to note his cock remained firm and angled upwards. His foreskin stayed drawn back, so the head of his cock was bare and completely vulnerable.

"Good boy," Cornelia said, and she flicked the rod across the head of his cock.

Rhodon shivered at the sensation. The sharp stinging pain was very different to the gentle touches that had led up to this point, and he breathed deeply as he waited for the next. It hadn't been hard enough to cause a weal, but his cock pulsed at the point of impact. She had good control. That was comforting. There was nothing more frightening than a complete novice swinging a weapon. He realised she was looking at his face to see how he reacted. He nodded and gave her a small smile, and waited to see if that angered her.

It did not, and she returned the nod and then struck again, a bit harder.

This time Rhodon winced at the sting of pain, and he felt his cock throb even more. She was good with the rod. Rhodon stood perfectly still and let her caning continue. It was like a strange sort of torture, and he tried not to flinch as she struck him again and again. He could feel his cock growing sore and bruised from the blows, and the skin around his glans was becoming raw and sensitive. But he knew he could take it, and he was determined to show her his courage.

"I love seeing your cock bounce from each blow," Cornelia said.

Rhodon clenched his jaw as she concentrated her blows on the head of his penis. The pain was sharp and intense, and he felt his cock throbbing and twitching. He couldn't help but move his hips as the blows landed, and he gritted his teeth as she continued to strike him. His cock grew even harder and more sensitive, and he began to sweat. He gasped in relief when the rapping stopped, leaving his cock engorged and painfully throbbing.

"I want to see you come again," Cornelia commanded, tapping the rod against her palm. She watched Rhodon as he played with his cock. She had never seen anyone masturbate with such desperation before, and it was fascinating. He was rubbing his very sore cock furiously, his hand flying up and down as he tried to bring himself to orgasm, all the time inflicting even more pain. The head of his cock was red and swollen from the beating, and it seemed almost raw from the friction. Yet he did not slow down or hesitate. His determination was impressive, and Cornelia was greatly enjoying the view. She almost clapped her hands when he groaned, shuddered, and spurted a third torrent, albeit reduced, of sperm onto the marble floor. Of course, she couldn't let him have it so easy so she grabbed his cock and pumped it vigorously, almost making Rhodon fall to the floor. When she finally took pity on him and stopped she said, "You're never going to fuck me. But I need satisfaction too, so get on your knees and down between my legs. I hope you know how to use your tongue." She sat down on her chair, lifted the hem of her tunic and spread her knees apart. She loved the look of shock on Rhodon's face as he realised what was expected of him. He hesitated for a moment, then knelt before her and tentatively put his mouth on her sex. She grabbed his hair and pushed his head between her legs. "More enthusiasm slave. Or do you find my cunt distasteful?"

The threat was blindingly obvious, so Rhodon immediately began to lick and suck at her sex as if his life depended on it. Which it did. His tongue flicked and swirled over her clit, and his lips gently caressed her lips and folds. To his relief, she was clean and didn't smell bad. In fact, her curl-covered cunt was very neat and pretty, so he threw himself into the act with all the skill and effort he could muster. He knew he was going to be spending a lot of time here, but if he was honest with himself, he didn't mind pleasuring her this way. It was actually kind of nice, and her taste was sweet and musky.

Cornelia leaned back and sighed with pleasure. Rhodon's technique was quite good, and he was putting real effort into it. She was pleased with how he didn't hesitate to put his tongue deep into her vagina, and the way he lapped up and swallowed her juices. She found his cock with her toes and roughly rubbed his abused organ as he worked. "I'm near. Don't you dare slow down, or I'll skin your cock and rub salt on it."

Rhodon kept licking and sucking and kissing as her body began to shudder and twitch. He felt her vaginal muscles contract around his tongue as she came, and her juices poured into his mouth. He drank eagerly, savouring her taste and kept licking her until she stopped shaking, then looked up at her for confirmation that she was satisfied.

Chapter Three

Rhodon wasn't simply a brainless sex toy, and he soon found himself immersed in the day to day running of the estate and Cornelia's overall finances. And yet, she might at any moment call him over and grab his cock. Often she would simply stroke him to hardness under his tunic, then walk away chuckling at his throbbing frustration. He was not allowed to masturbate without permission, so he frequently went to sleep with his cock sticking up into the air and his groin aching with unsatisfied lust. He also had to deal with the shame of being watched by the other slaves. It was rare for there not to be a single slave around, especially the serving girls who attended to Cornelia's needs.

Cornelia decided that he should entertain her during the evening meal. While she reclined on a couch in the triclinium, she had him stand naked before her, obeying her humiliating sexual commands. She loved seeing him in a state of painful arousal, his cock hard and erect, throbbing with need as he stroked himself in front of her. She had given him strict instructions to come as soon as possible, so that his cock could be whipped into an erection again. "Wait," she said, holding up a hand glistening with beef fat. "I want to see you slap your cock. Both hands, one side, then the other." Her hand waved from side to side in illustration.

He hesitated, then raised his hands and slapped his cock from side to side. The pain was intense, and his cock jumped with each smack. The flesh of his glans stung and burned, and his entire groin ached with strain. Biting his lip to keep from crying out, he continued to slap his cock. It was red and sore by the time she allowed him to finish, but continued to jut out proudly.

Cornelia gestured for him to come closer. She placed a lump of meat and a drizzle of sauce on the end of Rhodon's cock. "I want you to be my platter tonight," she said.

The hot meat and sauce, and the salt in it burned his sore cock. Rhodon bit back a hiss, then carefully shifted his hips to present his cock to his mistress's mouth. "Yes, Era."

Cornelia leaned forward and took a bite of the meat, then licked up a trickle of sauce that dripped down his cock. "You're delicious," she said, licking her lips. Her teeth had deliberately grazed his cock in passing, and she smiled as she chewed, spotting the tiny quiver of his toned cavalryman's thighs. "This works well on her cunt as well," she said, nodding her head in the direction of her body slave, a tall blonde-haired young woman who stood silently at the end of the couch, ready to serve more food or fill Cornelia's cup with watered wine. "Doesn't it, Epona?"

The slave girl nodded. "Yes, Era. My cunt holds the juices better than a cock." It was apparent she was accustomed to her mistress's sexual manners.

Cornelia placed another serving on Rhodon's cock. "Do you like my method of serving meat, Rhodon?"

"I am honoured that you use me in this way, Era," Rhodon replied, shifting his hips so that the meat would not fall off his cock, and then stiffened when her teeth scraped his cock once more, this time rasping over the sensitive knob. It hurt, but he was more concerned that he might accidentally come in her mouth. He wondered if she would be amused or have him flogged. Or both. He quivered as her teeth playfully worried at his out-thrust cock. Tiny shards of pain filled his swollen organ, arousing as much as hurting.

"So delicious," Cornelia said. "I do hope I don't take too large a bite." Her tone was flat enough to not be an obvious jest. Her teeth closed around the base of the flared knob, just hard enough to be terrifying, and her tongue danced across the tip, teasing the urethral opening. Then she pulled back, letting her teeth scrape his cock along the way.

Rhodon held his cock very still as she adorned it with various foods, all of which seem to sting or burn, and delicately ate them off. The slow, extended and malicious teasing made his cock ache with frustrated stimulation, and it was nearly impossible not to move his cock, just a little, when it was inside her mouth. Then finally she was done.

Cornelia snapped her fingers and pointed in front of Rhodon. "Epona, on your knees in front of our tabularius. Mouth open. Be very still." Her gaze shifted to Rhodon. "Come into her mouth. Your cock is not to touch her lips, just your seed."

Rhodon looked down at the slave girl as he slowly approached her. Epona was pretty, with golden hair, blue eyes, and a slim but buxom figure. She was clearly young, and probably from some Germanic or Gallic tribe. He had grown up with slaves around him, but now that he was one himself, he found he felt bad about being part of the humiliation of a fellow slave. But then he saw a quick smile on her lips and a wink of her eye before she opened her mouth wide, and suddenly his need to come returned in full force, and his hand began stroking his sauce-encrusted cock. He found having Cornelia watch him masturbate to be increasingly arousing, and despite the battered state of his cock, he was able to quickly bring himself to the edge of orgasm. "I'm coming," he said to Epona in warning.

Epona didn't even flinch as the hot seed spurted onto her face and into her open mouth. Her gaze was steady and focused on Rhodon's face, and her mouth remained open until he was done, with his seed pooled around her tongue. She turned her head so that Cornelia could see, and swallowed when her mistress nodded.

Cornelia was pleased at Rhodon's performance, and how Epona obeyed her perfectly. She knew that many of her Roman peers would not approve of her sexual use of slaves, but that was because she was a widow and couldn't hide behind the veil of her husband's desires. But she was wealthy and of a powerful family, and she knew they were all nothing but hypocrites. She sipped her watered wine and pointed at Rhodon's cock. When the tabularius bowed and hurriedly began playing with himself in order to restore his erection, she looked at Epona speculatively. "I've never required that of you so far, but just because your arousal is less um, thrusting, that is no reason for you to avoid serving me properly. From now on, when you appear nude before me, I expect your cunt to be aroused and ready. Your clit should be hard, your lips swollen, and your hole nice and wet. Fail and you will be punished."

Epona knelt and bowed deeply. Her position as body-slave was a privileged one, so she would do absolutely anything to maintain the favour of her mistress. "Yes, Era. It shall be as you command. My cunt shall be as wet and ready as that of the finest brothel meretrix or delicatae. It has always been at your service, Era." She glanced sideways at Rhodon's quiveringly hard cock and felt a flush tinge her cheeks.

***

Rhodon took a deep breath and looked up at the bright blue sky. The day was warm and pleasant, and the gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of flowers. He was in a good mood as he rode toward the granary, eager to inspect the latest harvest and ensure the estate's financial health. As he approached the granary, he turned his gaze to the ridge of the hills in the distance at the periphery of the estate, and then frowned. He shaded his eyes and stared. It looked like there was a figure on a horse sitting on the hilltop, looking in his direction. But who would be lurking there? It was odd, and he had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Apart from cavalrymen and official messengers, horses were a luxury few could afford. He shook his head. He was probably concerned over nothing, he told himself. With that, he resumed his inspection. However, he did make a mental note to mention it to Cordelia. There was the possibility of bandits looking over the estate. Roman politics were unstable in Rome, and that meant more outlaws. He finished the inspection quickly, then rode his donkey back to the main house, his mind filled with figures and calculations.

***

"The harvest records tally with what's in the granary. Stealing isn't more than to be expected," he said to Cornelia that evening, as he reported his findings.

She studied his notes on the wax tablets. "That's good. I hate having to flog the field slaves, or a greedy overseer." She grinned. "I'd much rather flog that tool of yours."

Rhodon dismissed his concerns, smiled, and bowed. "I'm at your service, Era."

When she gestured at his tunic he quickly stripped it off. He had wiped himself down with a basin of scented water before coming, so he was not unpleasantly sweaty from the day's work. He still worked out with spear and sword each morning, so his body remained lean and hard, despite the relatively easy life he now lived. His cock was erect before he had entered the room, so it was hard and ready as the mistress required, and jutted out proudly in front of him. With a flick of his finger and thumb, he pulled back his foreskin to expose the smooth head, and then placed his hands behind his back and waited.

Cornelia smiled and gestured to Epona. "Come here and play with his cock with your hands. Don't make him come unless I say so."

Epona gently stroked Rhodon's cock, her fingers teasing around the head and down the shaft. She squeezed and pumped her hand, stroking him slowly, until his breathing became heavier. She had been a virgin when she was captured, and this was the first time she had actually touched a man's organ, although she had observed her mistress play with Rhodon's cock, so she knew what to do. However, she feared she might make him come by accident, so the movements of her hand were hesitant and uncertain.

Rhodon realised her problem and hid a smile. Whispering, he said, "Don't worry, I'll tell you if I'm getting close."

"Thank you," she said softly. "I don't want to be flogged."

Cornelia noticed their exchange but let it pass. She stood and walked around them, inspecting the slave girl's technique. "Slower," she commanded. "Work the foreskin up and down."

Epona nodded and did as she was ordered. She was fascinated at how the man's cock felt in her hand, so hard, and yet so soft. She had not realised how sensitive a man's thing was, and had always imagined a cock as a solid thing that thrust into a woman's parts like a spear with no more feeling than someone's fist and forearm. But she could feel him tremble and shake in response to the smallest movement of her hand. When she looked up at his face, she could see his eyes were glazed and his lips trembled. Her own nipples tingled in sympathy with his arousal. She felt the heat radiating from his groin, and she smelled his musk and sweat. Then she saw Cornelia gesture her away with a brusque wave of her hand. She hastily snatched her hand away, just in time to avoid the snap of the supple leather strap, which hit Rhodon's cock with a thump and snap.

Warned by the removal of Epona's hand, Rhodon took the blow to his cock without flinching, letting the fiery pain flow from his cock down into his groin. This was the first time she had whipped his cock, and to his surprise he found it interesting. His cock pulsed in response, as if wanting more. He kept his hands behind his back and spread his legs wide to give his mistress easier access to his genitals.

Cornelia noticed his reaction and nodded her approval. She moved around to the other side, swung the strap around in a circle, feeling the weight and motion of the leather, then struck the waiting cock again. She smiled when she saw it twitch, and bounce up and down as if he were coming. Doing things to that firm, swollen shaft was so enjoyable, especially when she knew he was responding erotically to her ministrations. It was amazingly satisfying, like playing with a toy.

Epona stared at the cock as it twitched and flexed. She was amazed that it was still so hard after being struck with such force. She had heard the thump and seen how the cock had swung around, but thought that surely it had to go soft in the manner she had seen happen to her brothers. When her mistress gestured for her to resume her stroking, she responded eagerly and wrapped her fingers around the waiting cock and caressed it lovingly. She could see and feel the red stripes across its surface, and she wondered if it hurt. But she was surprised when it throbbed and bounced in her hand, and a spurt of fluid hit her thumb. Alarmed, she looked up at his face, but was reassured by his smile and shake of his head.

"Just what comes out when I'm strongly aroused. But I am getting closer," he said, his eyes heavy-lidded from the pleasure.

Then Cordelia gestured again, and Epona watched in fascination as the leather lash snapped and bit at the cock that shook and trembled in front of her face. She could tell that it hurt him, but she was certain he found pleasure in it too. The mistress had never whipped her cunt, not yet at least, and she wondered if she would respond similarly. She felt the heat radiating from Rhodon's loins, and the smell of his sweat filled her nostrils. She licked her lips unconsciously, and then when the strap struck the cock again, her hand went between her legs to squeeze. If he had simply been crying and begging, she might have felt pity, but it was obvious that something else was going on. He was in pain, but there was more. For one, his cock remained rock hard under the lash, standing proud and almost defiantly. Epona wasn't sexy cruel like her mistress, and she would never hurt someone else for fun, but seeing it happen, and seeing how Rhodon responded, made her cunt burst into flame. She rubbed her clit with her finger, and imagined what it would feel like to have that cock thrusting into her. She wondered if it would hurt, and whether she would care.

Rhodon saw the expression on Epona's face, and knew that she was feeling aroused by the torture of his cock. He could see the flush on her cheeks, and the way her lips had parted. He knew he would never get to fuck the mistress, but he wondered if he might have a chance with the slave girl.

Cornelia watched the emotions flicker across the slave girl's face. She had trained Epona well, and the girl knew better than to touch herself without permission in front of her. "Epona! What are you doing?"

The girl jumped and guiltily pulled her hand away from her groin. "Nothing, Era!"

"I should think not." The mistress walked over and grabbed the girl by the hair, pulling her head back painfully. "I think Rhodon's cock needs a rest. Get on your back and pull your knees up and apart. Show me you can handle it as well as he can." She grinned when the girl obediently spread her legs. Cornelia stood astride the supine girl's head and looked down at her exposed cunt. She reached down and ran her fingers through the golden curls, enjoying the feel of the soft hair and the warm flesh. "You have a pretty little cunt, my dear." She parted the soft lips to view the pinkness inside.

"Thank you, Era," Epona said from her position on the floor.

"Now hold very still. I want the lash to fall here," Cornelia said and ran her finger along Epona's slit. "I won't be as gentle as I was with Rhodon, since this is a punishment."

Epona was scared. She knew that the mistress would never rip her flesh with the whip, but the threat was real. "I understand, Era. I'm sorry. I'll be good."

"See that you are." Cornelia swung the lash casually, then flicked it with a snap against the girl's labia. She enjoyed the sight of the quivering it caused and the darker shade of pink it painted on her pale skin, and she was pleased by how Epona bit her lip and whimpered, but didn't cry out or squirm away. She smiled and struck again. This time the girl jerked her hips up involuntarily but made no sound other than a muffled gasp.

Epona had never had her cunt punished before, and previously might have been shocked, but after seeing her mistress's treatment of Rhodon, it seemed only fair and reasonable that her genitals be used the same way. She was devoted to her mistress, who was generally kind and generous to her. She had expected she might be used sexually at some time, although this was a surprise, but she felt neither fear nor resentment. The whip struck again, making her cry out, and her hips instinctively rocked down as if to shield her cunt, but she quickly pushed it back up so that her cunt was once again exposed to the mistress. She was surprised by how her body reacted, as the fiery pain in her cunt quickly transformed into a burning itch, and the more it burned, the more she wanted to be whipped. She had always been highly sexed, which was why the mistress had selected her to be her body slave in the first place, but she had not thought she had such inclinations. The whip struck again, biting right into her slit. She clenched her toes and writhed her hips, and wished she could rub her cunt … or spread her cunt lips for the whip. This last thought shocked and surprised her. Perhaps she was more like Rhodon than she imagined.

Rhodon watched the proceedings with interest. It was strange to see the mistress take pleasure from punishing another woman's cunt, and yet he felt no sympathy for Epona because he sensed she was enjoying it as much as he had. He wondered what it felt like for a woman to have her cunt punished. She obviously was finding it as arousing as he had, but was it similar? Or were women built differently?

Cornelia smiled to herself as she saw the reaction on Epona's face and the way the girl's hips rolled as if offering her cunt to the lash. She had been planning to train the girl to the lash, but Rhodon had fallen into her hands and she had been distracted by having too much fun with his beautiful cock. But now it was time, and there was no reason why she couldn't have fun with both of them simultaneously. She stepped away from Epona's head and walked around the girl's body. She knelt beside Epona's hip, then raised the lash and slapped it against the girl's exposed cunt. The girl gasped and quivered, making Cornelia smile. Close to her target now, she said, "Spread yourself, girl. Open wide for me. Show me your most delicate parts so that I can hurt them." She laughed when the girl hesitated for only a moment, and then she felt her heart beat faster as she saw the girl's fingers reach down to spread her cunt lips. Cornelia looked over at Rhodon and saw he was watching avidly. She nodded approvingly at him when she saw him briefly stroke his cock to maintain the hardness of his erection. "Keep that thing hard," she warned.

"I will, Era," Rhodon said. He didn't add that watching what she was doing to Epona certainly helped.

Looking back at Epona's spread cunt, she swished the leather strap and laughed when she saw the slave girl flinch. She draped the lash over her splayed cunt and drew the supple leather over it. "So pretty. Now hold very still." She raised her arm and snapped the lash down on the girl's exposed clitoris, making sure it hit with the heavy knot of the strap. She enjoyed the sight of the girl's hips thrusting up and her squeal of pain. "Keep it spread, or I'll really give you something to scream about." She struck again, this time aiming for the tempting target of her vaginal opening.

Epona bit her lip and arched her hips as the lash struck, but kept her fingers pressed into her soft cunt flesh to keep it open. She had never dreamt that such pleasure and pain could come from being whipped on the inside of her sex. "My cunt is yours to use, Era. I only wish to serve."

Cornelia nodded in approval. "Good girl. Keep it spread." She swung the strap again and hit the girl's inner labia, and then her clitoris once more, careful to hit with the knot, so she knew the girl would feel the bite of the leather. She was greatly enjoying this and chided herself for not trying out Epona's cunt earlier. Her hand swung the whip again, and she watched avidly as the leather smacked into the delicate pink insides of the slave girl's cunt. Epona's vagina and anus clenched tight, and she laughed. The knot of the lash left a small red bruise each time it struck, and Cornelia concentrated on painting the slave girl's cunt with red marks.

Epona cried out with each blow of the lash, and she rolled her hips in pain and pleasure. Her body jerked with each strike, and she moaned loudly as the fire built inside her cunt. By the time the lash ceased to kiss her painfully spread sex, she was both crying and panting heavily.

"You did well," Cornelia said, giving the girl a pat on her multiply bruised genitals.

"I only wish to serve, Era," Epona said, blinking away the tears that blurred her vision.

Cornelia pulled aside the hem of her tunic. "Now get your tongue in here while I finish playing with Rhodon's cock. You have my permission to cum if you can lick me properly."

"Thank you, Era!" Epona said. She pushed herself up to her knees and buried her face between Cornelia's thighs. With practised skill, she licked and sucked the soft inner folds and stiffened her tongue to penetrate the woman's vagina. Her eyes were half-closed as she serviced her mistress, but she was still aware of the whip striking Rhodon's cock, and the image of it jumping and jerking filled her mind.

The lash danced and stung his cock like a maddened snake, but Rhodon pushed his hips out and stubbornly presented his cock to his mistress for more punishment. Pain stabbed his groin like a spike when the knot of the lash hit the smooth head, forcing a cry of pain from his lips. He could see the lash leaving bright red welts on his penis, but he couldn't tear his gaze from the sight of his cock being whipped. He wanted to please her, and the pain was part of being a warrior. Not to mention, it made him hot.

Cornelia shortened her grip on the lash for better control, and then said, "Hold your cock still for me. I want to work on the head. Don't let it move."

Without hesitation, Rhodon obeyed. He gripped his cock firmly and pulled the foreskin back and taut, which made the head of his cock tighten and shine. Then he adjusted its angle so that it jutted perpendicular to his body and convenient to her lash.

Cornelia swung the little whip casually, enjoying the sight of his cock jumping as if it were a living creature trying to escape the lash. She laughed and swung it harder, twirling the strap so that the knot repeatedly smacked into the smooth crown of the glans, which was already bright pink and swelling with blood.

Rhodon gritted his teeth as the lash bit his cock again and again. The pain was intense, and it felt like she was striking the very centre of his manhood. She had been quite careful in hurting his cock so far, but he knew that more severe and intense tortures were inevitable, and he had been mentally preparing himself for them. In fact, he would imagine them whenever he needed to masturbate his cock to hardness for the mistress, in an attempt to associate in his mind the torture of his cock with the arousal and pleasure he felt.

Epona moaned into Cornelia's cunt as she felt her clitoris throb in response to Rhodon's pain. The thought of his cock being tortured filled her mind with vivid images, and she thrust her tongue into Cornelia's vagina with vigour as she rubbed her swollen clitoris against the mistress's leg. She whimpered softly as she licked the wet sex, and she rolled her hips as if she were the one being punished.

Cornelia paused her whipping and said, "Don't cum until you make me cum, or else I'll whip your cunt again." She grinned as she felt the girl's tongue double its efforts. She was close to her own climax, so she said, "Keep doing that," and returned her attention to Rhodon's cock. "Push it against your belly, straight up. I want to hit the underside," she said, gesturing with the whip. She watched as Rhodon pushed his cock up and flat against his body, exposing the sensitive underside of the glans. Then she took careful aim with the shortened length of the whip and began hitting that especially delicate part of his cock with quick snapping blows that made Rhodon grunt and gasp in response to the sharp and intense pain. "Don't you love my caresses?"

"Yes, Era. Please play with my cock," Rhodon said as he tried to absorb the stabbing jolts of fire that seared his manhood. It seemed to him that the lash was burning through the skin and directly striking his nerves, and he wondered if there was a way to train his cock to accept this sort of torture. His cock was still hard and pointing upwards as he tried to ignore the agony and enjoy the intense sexual stimulation.

Cornelia smiled at the intensity of his responses. She had chosen well with him, she decided. She tossed the whip aside and grabbed his cock in her hand and vigorously stroked it with an expert touch. "You've been good. Now come for me. I want to watch your cock spurt its seed."

Rhodon gasped in relief at the sudden absence of pain, and then moaned as she stroked his cock. He glanced down and watched Cornelia's hand skilfully working his shaft, as well as Epona licking and sucking at her mistress's cunt. Suddenly his body stiffened as the start of his orgasm gripped him. "I'm coming, Era."

Cornelia felt the cock in her hand pulse and stiffen even more, and she came as the milky jets of fluid shot out of the tiny slit at the tip. Her knees trembled, and she grabbed Epona's head for support, but continued to stroke Rhodon's cock after the last drop of his seed had run down his shaft, and giggled as he shuddered and moaned at the surfeit of sensation that was a kind of torture in itself. She released her grip on the now softening organ and said, "So nice to see how much you like your mistress's attentions. Now give me a kiss and be off. I have a lot to do," she said, holding out her hand.

Rhodon shook his head briskly, as if flinging water from his hair to clear his head. The throbbing ache in his cock made it hard to think. He smiled and leaned forward to kiss the back of Cornelia's hand and started to turn away. Then he frowned and turned back. "Era, do you have bandits in this district?"

"There are bandits in every district, despite the best efforts of the Senate. Why do you ask?"

Rhodon told her about what he had seen at the granary. "It may be nothing, but I thought I should tell you."

Cornelia nodded. "As you say, probably nothing. But I'll tell the vilicus to alert the guards."

Chapter Four.

The shepherd sat on the hillside chewing on a piece of dry bread as he watched the flock grazing. It was getting towards evening, and he would have to drive the animals back to the corral soon, and he could have a proper meal. He saw several of the sheep look up in his direction, and he picked up his staff and slowly looked around him, alert for wolves or even some predator, escaped from a circus or some careless venator. But he saw and heard nothing, so he relaxed and leaned on his staff. Something flickered in front of his eyes, but he hadn't begun to react before a line of fire bit into his neck and both breath and blood were suddenly cut off. His eyes bulged, and his tongue stuck out as his fingers clawed at the strong, thin line that was buried deep into the flesh of his throat.

The assassin used his dagger to cut a symbol into the dead shepherd's chest. The stupid Romans wouldn't know what it meant, but it was known to many Parthians, such as his current target. If required, he would risk making his way into the latifundium and past the guards to get at his man, but he would try spooking his quarry first. If he could make his target run, it would be a safer and easier kill. After all, he was an assassin, not some iron-head cataphract.

***

The sun had eased low towards the horizon, and the shepherd's assistant looked around for his master. The shepherd was usually punctual about returning to the corral at sunset, but the sky was darkening and he was getting worried. He snapped a finger for his dog, and set out toward the grazing grounds. The dog trotted at the man's side for a few hundred paces, but then it suddenly stiffened and raised its nose, sniffing the air. The young man looked at it curiously, and then he stopped as the dog darted away and disappeared over the edge of a ridge. The young man ran after the dog, calling it. When he reached the top of the ridge, he stopped short in surprise at what he saw. The shepherd's body was lying on the ground and framed by the grass, his neck open to reveal red muscle and bone. The assistant saw the strange symbol carved into the dead man's bare chest and bit his thumb in terror. "Jupiter protect me," he groaned and ran for the estate, the animals forgotten.

***

Rhodon thought again of Epona's cunt being whipped. The memory kept his cock twitching constantly since he had watched it happen. The Parthian had no desire to whip her himself, although the thought that his mistress might allow him to fuck the slave girl was appealing. On the other hand, he would not mind seeing Cornelia whip her cunt again. He wondered in what other ways a woman's cunt could be tortured for the mistress's pleasure. He gathered the stack of writing slates that needed Cornelia's approval and went in search of her. In the end he found Cornelia in the courtyard, chatting with the head of the kitchen staff.

The kitchen manager was a short, balding man whose tunic was stained and spotted with grease, and he seemed to be almost dancing in his anxiety. "But Era, they have not delivered the lamb today. I can't cook what I don't have."

Cornelia tapped her fingers against her thigh impatiently. "I'll have someone look into it. In the meantime, I'll have roast swan and stewed pork tonight." She noticed Rhodon standing in the doorway and waved her hand. "Rhodon. I haven't seen the vilicus today. Can you look into the slaughter and delivery of lamb. There appears to be a problem."

Rhodon bowed. "Of course, Era." Then he jiggled the stack of slates suggestively.

Cornelia noticed and sighed. "All right. I'm heading to my cubicula to wash up. Come with me and I'll attend to those documents."

Rhodon followed Cornelia into her cubicula, which was a small but elegant room with a bed, couch, small altar to Venus, and a shelf of scrolls. Epona was there, with a basin of water and a clean towel ready.

Cornelia undressed with no concern for the presence of the two slaves, and nodded to Epona.

Epona moistened the towel and gently rubbed her mistress down with it. She started with her arms and legs, working the towel over every inch of skin. Then she moved on to her mistress's torso and back, stroking and patting every curve and crevice. She paused at her mistress's breasts, cupping and squeezing them in the towel as if they were soft fruits, and then she moved on to Cornelia's flat, muscular belly. Finally, she knelt between her mistress's legs and carefully dabbed at the pink flesh of her vulva, and back between her buttocks.

Rhodon watched with growing excitement as Epona washed her mistress's body. He found himself wishing that it was his hands rubbing and caressing her curves, and his mouth lapping up the droplets of water that clung to her skin. In a way, this was good as it helped keep his cock hard as he waited.

Cornelia sat on a chair and raised a neat pink foot for Epona to clean, then held out a hand towards Rhodon, who placed a slate and stylus in her hand.

As Rhodon handed her the slates, Cornelia gave each document a cursory glance and then made notes on each in neat, precise writing. Her long, elegant fingers curled around the stylus, and Rhodon couldn't help but think how they would look wrapped around his cock.

"All done?" Cornelia asked.

"Yes, Era. Should I attend to the matter of the sheep now?"

"In good time. Get your shift off," she said. She studied his taut muscled body approvingly. "I'm told you practise with weapons every morning."

"Yes, Era. It is something I've been taught to do since I was a child," Rhodon said.

"I approve, since it obviously keeps you in good shape. Is there anything you need? Scutum, pilum, whatever."

"Well, if it would not be presumptuous, I would like to have access to a bow and arrows. Parthian style if possible. In addition to maintaining my skill with the bow, it will keep my chest, shoulder, and back muscles strong." He rotated his shoulder in demonstration.

Cornelia studied the flowing movement of his muscles and smiled. "If it keeps you in good form, then certainly. I'm sure the guard armourer can find you something. Hand me a slate and I'll approve it." She studied his nude form, chuckled and added, "Perhaps I should add Personal Bodyguard to your title."

"It would be an honour to guard your body, Era," Rhodon said and bowed extravagantly.

"I think I should examine your hasta," she said, pointing to his cock. Hasta, or short thrusting spear, seemed an appropriate description and Rhodon grinned as he paced closer to his mistress, his cock leading the way. Rather than just grabbing his cock, he felt her hands stroke his thighs, feeling the tight bands of muscle that flexed and tensed under her touch.

"Turn around," she commanded. When he obeyed, she ran her fingertips over his rock-hard buttocks and trailed her fingertips down the tight crease. "Lean forward and spread," she said.

This was new, and for a fleeting moment, he felt a flash of shame, but his warrior's discipline took over and he obeyed. His fingers gripped his cheeks and pulled hard, rejecting false modesty. She wanted to look at his arsehole, so he would show it to her. He wondered if she might actually want to fuck him there, and he decided that he wouldn't mind, even though he would rather fuck her cunt or arse. He wondered what she might use to penetrate him.

Her finger stroked and tickled the skin around his sphincter, and then he felt a fingertip enter his anus and slowly move around in circles, making his sphincter stretch and twitch. Her other hand reached between his legs to grab and squeeze his balls. "Mmmm, you're a good specimen, I must say," Cornelia said.

No one had ever fingered his arsehole before, and Rhodon wasn't sure how he felt about it. But it didn't hurt, and it made his cock twitch, so he just relaxed and allowed her to have her way.

Cornelia enjoyed playing with Rhodon's arsehole and balls. It wasn't the first time she had played with a man's bottom, and it always gave her a thrill. She pinched his cock between thumb and forefinger and squeezed hard enough to make him gasp. "Have you ever had your cock fucked?"

This puzzled Rhodon and he frowned. "No, Era. At least I'm not sure what you mean? I assume you're not talking about normal fucking."

Cornelia chuckled. "No, I'm not. Epona, fetch me that case over there," she said. She took the case from the slave girl and opened it to reveal rows of smooth, polished ivory rods of various shapes and sizes. She selected a plain one with the smallest diameter and waved it in her hand. "This goes here," she said, and pointed the tip at Rhodon's urethral opening, his pee hole.

His eyes widened. He'd never imagined anything like this and felt a pang of fear. Would it damage his cock? Would he still be able to pee? But when he considered the many different rods, he realised that she obviously intended to do it more than once, which meant his cock had to survive relatively intact, no matter how it might feel. His cock had started to wilt in his panic, and he quickly began masturbating to perk it up again before his mistress chastised him. Gathering his courage, he pulled back on his foreskin and presented the tip of his cock to her.

Cornelia smiled in approval of Rhodon's bravery. "Good. Now don't move. This will go in very slowly. The last thing I want is to tear your penis, and I won't allow you to move unless you say it's too painful." She slid the tip of the rod into his cock, very gently and slowly, smiling at his wide-eyed expression.

It was slightly uncomfortable, but not actually painful as yet, but the sensation of something hard going up his urethra rather than down was disconcerting. He gasped when she began sliding the rod in and out of his impaled cock, literally fucking it with the ivory rod. It hurt now, but a part of him also liked it. It was certainly different. His cock was getting used to it, and the pain was becoming a kind of pleasure. The rod moved in and out, slowly, making his foreskin roll back and forth, and then Cornelia's fingers which were holding his cock tightened slightly, making the friction of the rod inside his cock more intense, and more uncomfortable.

"Isn't this fun?" Cornelia said, engrossed with what she was doing.

"Yes, Era," Rhodon said, trying not to gasp. He glanced at Epona, who was watching him with a strange expression on her face. His mistress's fingers squeezed his cock harder, and he let out a little groan when the inward thrust of the rod caused real pain. But he held himself steady, and his cock didn't flinch as Cornelia played with his urethra. His cock was hers to use as she pleased.

Cornelia plucked the rod out and replaced it in the case. She gave the rigid cock a fond pat. "Ready for more?"

"Yes, Era. Whatever pleases you," Rhodon said, his cock throbbing.

Cornelia selected a different rod. This one had circular collars carved around the end of the shaft, small ones at the tip and growing larger as they went down the rod, and then tapering down again. This rod was designed to painfully scrape the victim's urethra. She touched the end of the rod to Rhodon's pee hole. "Brace yourself. Don't move, or you might tear the inside of your cock." With that warning, she pushed.

Rhodon gasped, and then cried out in pain. It felt like his cock was being torn open as the hard unyielding rings were forced into his urethra, scraping its way into his cock. The first ring hurt the worst, but the next three also stung as they rubbed against his urethra. The fifth ring was a bit wider than the rest, and his eyes opened wide in pain as it was shoved into his cock. He clenched his fists in agony, and his thighs quivered from the effort of holding his cock perfectly still for his mistress to torture. The final ring was the easiest, but he couldn't help whimpering as it was forced into his cock. When the last ring had been pushed in, his cock hurt like it was on fire.

"Good boy. Now I'm going to fuck you." Cornelia's heart pounded in excitement as she forced the rod deeper and deeper, revelling in Rhodon's moans of pain. She so loved hurting his cock and knowing that he would permit her to do anything she pleased to it. "Almost there," she said, watching Rhodon's face.

Rhodon looked down in fear and amazement. The ivory rod had been inserted at least six inches into his cock, and still Cornelia kept pushing. It was agony, but still his cock remained fully, rigidly erect. Then a fresh wave of fiery pain filled his cock when she reversed the motion and started to draw the rod out. It felt like his cock was being turned inside out. But he remained determined to let her do as she wished to it, no matter how terrible the pain. That was what his cock was for. He glanced down at the rod and saw that a little blood had seeped out and coated the ivory rod.

"A little blood doesn't matter, Rhodon," Cornelia said. "I know it hurts, but it's good to hurt sometimes, don't you think?"

Shakily, Rhodon nodded. "Yes, Era. My cock is yours to use."

Cornelia wiped the rod clean on the towel. "Now I want you to come for me like a good boy. Epona, make him shoot his seed. Quickly now!"

Epona knelt in front of him and took his cock in her hands. For a moment she just held it, enjoying the feel of his rigid shaft, and then she began to pump her hand up and down, working the foreskin over his cock, but not bringing it over his glans. She pumped faster, squeezing his cock firmly. Rhodon groaned and bucked his hips.

"That's right. Come for me, Rhodon," Cornelia said.

Rhodon gasped and squirmed as Epona milked his cock and made his come spurt and spatter on the marble floor.

"Again, Epona. I want to see him come again," Cornelia said with a malicious smile.

Rhodon shuddered and groaned loudly, not daring to protest. The pain of his torn urethra and the painful sensitivity of the first orgasm made Epona's stroking nearly unbearable, but he bit his lip and endured the torturous masturbation that was as much pain as it was pleasure. He whimpered when his second orgasm was wrung from him, and the come dribbled out of his cock and onto the floor.

"Very nice," Cornelia said approvingly. "Now get dressed and go back to your room. You can tend to your accounts later."

"Yes, Era. Thank you, Era," Rhodon said. But before he could leave, cries came from outside the room. Frowning, he went to the doorway, pushed aside the heavy curtain, and peered through to address one of the slaves outside. "What's going on?"

Looking shocked, the female slave said, "The senior shepherd's dead. Throat slit or something. A murder. Two days ago, they say. The news just came in from the sheep farm."

***

Cornelia looked down grimly at the shepherd's corpse. "Why would anyone, even a bandit, do this to him? No sheep are missing, and he had nothing worth stealing. Did he have enemies?"

The vilicus shook his head. "No, Era. He was a simple man with a wife and two children. He had no debts, nor did his cock wander outside of home."

Cornelia pointed at the dead man's chest. "And what is the meaning of that?"

The vilicus shrugged elaborately, hands palm up. "Never seen the like, Era. Not in the army, nor in the streets of Rome."

She noticed Rhodon's expression and said, "What's the matter? Do you know what it is?"

He gestured with his head to request they step aside, out of earshot of the others. When they were several paces away he said, "I know the mark, Era. It comes from my homeland." He went on to explain about the band of assassins who marked their victims with the symbol, and how it related to him. "You should send me away, Era. These men are very dangerous, and more innocents will die until they get to me, or I am gone. They might even harm you."

Cornelia snorted. "This is Rome, and I am a citizen of Rome. These killers may be scary in your homeland, but I assure you, such barbarians do not frighten me. They are certainly not going to deprive me of my property. They have already killed one of my slaves, and I intend to see them crucified for it."

Rhodon winced. "But Era, these are not ordinary men. They will not be stopped by ordinary means."

She cut him off with a chopping gesture of her hand. "Don't worry, Rhodon. They will be caught and killed." She turned back to the vilicus and said, "Take care of this body and clean up this mess." Addressing Rhodon again she said, "Come with me. I'll talk to the head of the Guard, and you'll tell him about these scary assassins."

Rhodon bowed and tried to hide his doubts and fear.

When Cornelia finished speaking with the Guard commander, Rhodon was summoned to explain the meaning of the assassin's mark. He told his story, making it clear that the men who did this were well-trained in fighting and killing, and would be difficult to find and stop. The commander was a grizzled ex-centurion, and like Cornelia, he was confident in his ability to hunt down the murderers. He had no doubt that the killers would be found and executed.

The vilicus came into the room and bowed. "Era, there's a messenger. Says he's from a friend of yours, and you'll want to hear his news."

"All right. Go about your duties, all of you. I have work to do," Cornelia said.

***

The arrow thunked into the wood and straw target, driving right into the centre of the patch of fabric that marked the point of aim. There were numerous holes scattered around it. Rhodon's marksmanship had suffered over the months of disuse, but since getting the bow he had been practising in his every spare moment. The bow was the cataphract's main weapon, and he strongly suspected he was going to need it. He wished he could have his armour back, but that was impossible for a slave who wasn't a guard. It was almost inevitable that there were going to be more deaths, but this was all he could do to prepare. He loosed another arrow, which landed just off-centre, and then another, and another, each hitting the target in the same spot. His arm ached from the strain of drawing the bow, and he was starting to lose accuracy because his forearm muscles were cramping. With a sigh, he recovered all the undamaged arrows and went to wash off the dirt and sweat. Cornelia had sent Epona to tell him she wanted him to entertain her during cena, the evening meal. Naturally, he wouldn't be eating, so he had some bread and sausage beforehand in order that his stomach wouldn't rumble.

When he got to the tablinum, he found Cornelia already there with a female guest, and Epona was preparing the table for the meal. He bowed low and said, "Good evening, Era. I hope you are well." He bowed again to the woman. "Greetings, domina."

"This is my cousin Livia. I've been telling her about my worthy tabularius," Cornelia said.

Rhodon bowed once more. "Greetings domina Livia."

"He's a tall one," Livia said with a giggle. "I've never seen a Parthian before. Were you captured in battle?"

When Cornelia nodded her permission to speak, Rhodon said, "Sadly no, domina. I was travelling when I ran into some of your brave Roman legionaries and was captured." He saw Cornelia's mouth twitch in a smile at his omission of any reference to the assassins, making him seem simply foolish.

Livia giggled, her poor impression of foreigners confirmed. "Can we have a better look at him?"

"Of course, cousin." Cornelia made an upward flick of her fingers in Rhodon's direction, an obvious instruction to undress.

Rhodon had been expecting this and stripped off his tunic without hesitation. He knew it was important that he demonstrate absolute obedience in front of Cornelia's guest. Naked, he put his hands behind his back and stood erect, feet apart. Naturally, he was powerfully erect, as was expected of him.

"Ooh," Livia said, sounding impressed. "He's well hung."

"He is," Cornelia agreed with a satisfied smile. "He has a cock that is fun to torture."

"You really torture his — that?" Livia said, pointing at Rhodon's erection.

"Do I, Rhodon?" Cornelia asked.

"You do, Era," Rhodon said calmly.

"Then why is your cock all stiff and swollen. Surely, you don't expect to fuck some poor defenceless girl?" Cornelia said mockingly.

"No, Era. It is hard because you desire it to be so," he said.

She smiled. "Good answer. Now come closer so that Livia can have a better look."

Rhodon took two steps forward, his penis jutting out in front of him like a battering ram.

Livia stared at it with fascination. "Is it true that Parthians enjoy having their cocks tortured?"

Rhodon chuckled. "This Parthian does, domina."

"May I handle it?" Livia said to Cornelia. People often got touchy about their favourite slaves, just like their favourite horses. It was better to ask first.

Cornelia waved her hand magnanimously. "Be my guest."

"Thank you, cousin," Livia said. She waved him even closer, and reached out to take his cock in her hand. She had hardly ever touched a cock, since her husband and lovers mostly just stuck it into her and pounded away. Frequently it even hurt because they rarely gave a thought about her arousal or readiness. Yet she was strongly interested in sex, and, she realised, the thought of being able to play with and even hurt a man's cock was something that definitely interested her. She squeezed her thighs together as she examined Rhodon's cock that stood stiff and proud in front of her. She gently pulled the foreskin taut to expose the whole head, traced her fingernail over the little slit, and around the base of the knob. Rhodon's body reacted to the touch and she smiled. Using her fingernails, she very lightly scratched at the smooth skin of the glans, and her smile widened to a grin when Rhodon's hips rocked very slightly before returning to position. "You felt that, didn't you?" she said gleefully.

Rhodon cleared his throat. "Yes, domina." The rubbing and scratching was a combination of an intense itch and tickling, and he felt an orgasm threatening if she kept it up, but there was nothing he could do except warn her if he actually got close to shooting his seed. He wondered if she would want to make him come or to hurt him first.

Livia scratched at the head of the penis again, and this time, when he swayed his hips, she gripped the shaft firmly to hold it still. She was pleased when Rhodon hissed in a breath through his teeth. "Would it spoil things if he came? Most men of my acquaintance become useless once they've shot their load."

This made Cornelia chuckle. "Not at all. Rhodon knows he is to keep going after he's spurted. Would you like to see him come for you?"

Livia nodded eagerly.

"Do you want to do it, or do you want him to do it himself?" Cornelia said.

"Can he do it himself while I watch?" Livia said, eager to see him play with his cock.

"Of course. Watch closely," Cornelia said. "Rhodon, start working your cock, but don't let yourself come just yet."

"Yes, Era," Rhodon said. He shuffled his feet slightly further apart and pushed his hips forward. It wasn't comfortable, but he knew he had to give Livia the best show possible. Using two fingers, he pulled his foreskin back tight, making his knob smooth and glossy, then waggled it from side to side, displaying his hardness to her. Rather than hiding his cock with his hand, he only used his thumb and two fingers to hold and stroke his foreskin up and down the shaft, each stroke stopping just below the rim of his glans before drawing back all the way to his body. It wasn't the most pleasurable technique, but he aimed to put on the best show possible.

"Ooh, he's getting even harder. I can see it happening," Livia said, leaning closer in excitement. She prodded his glans with a fingertip and giggled. "Look, there's this wetness coming out of the hole."

"Don't worry, that's not his seed. Men get wet when excited, just like we women do," Cornelia said. "He wouldn't dare come without permission. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, Era," Rhodon said tensely, his full attention on what he was doing. He could feel the orgasm building, and he knew that if he stopped stroking, it would fade away, but if he kept going, he might come at any second.

"Poor thing, he's desperate to come, isn't he?" Livia said.

"I'm close, Era. I'll come if I keep stroking. What should I do?" Rhodon said.

"Stop. Hands behind your back," Cornelia snapped.

Rhodon suppressed a groan as he took his hand away from his cock, but he obediently placed his hands behind him and pushed his cock towards Livia.

"He's very good, isn't he?" Cornelia said with a smile. "He does whatever he's told." She giggled. "Look at how his cock twitches." She brushed her fingertip over the glans, creating even more twitches, the cock bobbing up and down as his muscles spasmodically contracted. "I wonder if it will go down if I —" She smacked his cock hard with a downward slap of her hand.

Rhodon flinched in surprise and the sudden pain, but instantly resumed his pose.

"He's still hard. Will it stay hard?" Livia said, grinning in delight.

"Let's find out," Cornelia said. She slapped Rhodon's cock again, this time the impact being taken by the entire length of the shaft, not just the knob. Striking from one side, and then the other, she continued to slap Rhodon's cock hard, the impact of each blow reverberating through the rigid shaft and jolting the sensitive nerves. When she stopped, Cornelia tapped his cock with a finger and smiled at Livia. "Looks hard to me."

"Let me have a go," Livia said, fairly bouncing up and down in excitement. She reached out and grabbed the shaft of Rhodon's cock and shook it from side to side. "It's hard!" she exclaimed. "Can I really hurt it?"

Cornelia grinned. "Do whatever you like, cousin. It's his job to take it. And look, he's so hard he's making more wetness come out." She flicked his glans with her fingers, making it bob up and down.

Livia grabbed the cock again and shook it, her arm moving rapidly. Then she began to slap the shaft with her palm, slapping alternately with each hand, the impacts creating a fast rhythm that violently slammed the cock from side to side. Red-cheeked, Livia said, "I'm not hurting him enough. Do you have a rod or whip I can use?"

Cornelia grinned. "Yes, I do." She stood up. "Rhodon, get a rod for the domina to use on you."

Rhodon bowed and went to the bedroom, and came back with a slender, flexible rod. "Will this do, domina?" he said.

"Yes," Livia said. "Give it to me."

He handed her the rod, his cock swaying in front of him as he moved.

"Show me how it's done, Cornelia," Livia said. She knew how to flog, but not how to really punish a slave's cock using something like this.

Cornelia took the flexible cock cane and waved it in the air. "See how it flexes and bends? It's like a little whip. You don't want to beat his cock like you are using a club. You want to use it to sting." She held up her other hand and snapped the tip of the rod against her palm as if it were a whip. She showed Livia the small red weal the blow had made on her palm. "Like that. Sting his cock, all over and around. The head of his cock is the most sensitive part, so save that for the last."

Livia nodded, and took the cane back. "Watch closely, Rhodon. I'm going to sting your cock very badly." She smiled happily.

Rhodon was getting excited again. Livia was not as expert as Cornelia, but she was very enthusiastic. She was peppering his cock with quick, sharply painful snaps of the rod, filling his very sensitive cock with a stream of shocking jolts that both hurt and stimulated him. It was difficult to keep his cock presented for such a barrage of punishment, but he made no attempt to evade the nasty little rod. He just stood with his hands behind his back, and his hips pushed forward.

"Now for the head," Livia said eagerly.

Cornelia smiled, enjoying Livia's enthusiasm. "Do it hard, but be careful not to break the skin. It's quite delicate."

Livia nodded, and raised the rod. She took careful aim at the vulnerable glans and struck with a flick of her wrist.

The rod cut into the exposed glans with a sharp sting of pain that made Rhodon flinch and gasp. The pain was intense, and he wanted to curl up and clutch his genitals. However, he kept himself in position. It was his duty to endure the intimate and shocking pain.

Livia giggled and struck again.

Cornelia watched with interest. Rhodon was enduring a lot of pain, but his cock was staying erect. His glans was dark pink now, and shiny and dripping glistening drops of lubricant. She was impressed by his ability to endure and even enjoy the torture of his cock. "I think that's enough of that for now," she said to Livia. "Let's try something different." Going to a drawer, she brought out a small item which resembled a tooth-brush, but with harder, stiffer bristles. "Let's see how our cock handles this." She gave Livia the item and showed her how to hold it. "Go gently at first. Start at the base of his cock and work your way to the head. You can use it two ways. Obviously you can stroke and scrub with the bristles, but you can also strike with the bristles. They'll hit like a mass of tiny needles. That's especially good for the head of his cock."

"Yes, cousin," Livia said eagerly. She gripped the stiff brush and took hold of Rhodon's cock between two fingers and began to scrub and scratch it with the stiff bristles.

Rhodon gritted his teeth as his cock was vigorously scrubbed by the harsh little brush. It wasn't as immediately painful as the rod, but scratched at the very sensitive skin and nerves of his cock, and in a different way, was just as difficult to bear. The pain was shockingly intense, and he struggled to keep his cock presented for the continuing punishment when his instinct screamed for him to protect his assaulted genitals, especially when he knew the bristles were slowly edging towards his super sensitive glans. Having that scrubbed would be close to unbearable.

Cornelia watched, enjoying the spectacle of Rhodon's agony. She reached out and stroked his thigh to give him some reassurance, but didn't stop Livia from using the brush on the exposed head of Rhodon's cock.

Rhodon cried out in pain as Livia scraped the stiff hairs over the sensitive glans, and his whole body shuddered and writhed. It felt like his cock was being skinned.

Livia chortled as she gripped the suffering cock tightly in her hand, pulling back hard on the foreskin to make the knob as vulnerable as possible, while she busily scrubbed at it with the brush.

"Careful, don't hurt him too much," Cornelia said. "I don't want him damaged. I have plans for him."

"Yes, cousin," Livia said, not ceasing her busy scrubbing and scratching. However, she took care to spread the scrubbing all over and around the glans, not allowing the brush to linger on any one spot. Seeing the glare from her cousin, Livia tossed the brush aside. "Come for me. Let me see you pump your seed," she said, her hand stroking Rhodon's cock.

Even though the head of his cock felt like it was on fire, Rhodon desperately wanted to come, and he willingly abandoned his cock to Livia's enthusiastic, if not very skilled, caresses. He glanced at Cornelia and said, "May I come, Era?" He gasped in relief when she nodded.

Livia stroked fast and hard, watching Rhodon's face intently. She was curious to see if he would come very quickly, or if he could last longer.

Rhodon thrust his hips and groaned as he felt his cock surge towards his long-delayed orgasm. When he came, it was so intense that it almost hurt. His entire body shuddered as jet after jet of his semen shot out and onto the floor or onto Livia's still pumping hand. By now, he had become used to the idea that he would never be allowed to simply come and relax, and he wasn't surprised when Livia continued to pump his cock after the last drop of come had been milked from his shaft. As always, the sensation was unbearably intense, and he moaned and writhed, his knees threatening to give way as every stroke of Livia's hand sent jolts of unwanted sensation shooting through his sensitised cock.

Livia watched Rhodon's cock closely. The head was dark pink and looked sore. A drop of fluid was glistening at the tip. She rubbed her finger over the glans, smearing the fluid. "That was fun. I must see if I can get a slave like Rhodon for myself."

Chapter Four

Livia left for home the next morning in a carriage, escorted by her driver and entourage, including slave bodyguards. The journey was short, less than a day's travel, so the party wasn't large.

Cornelia had summoned Rhodon to see her friend off. "She likes you," she said. "Or to be precise, she likes your cock."

Rhodon bowed ironically. "My cock is honoured, Era." Their relationship had grown familiar, and he was able to speak more casually than when he first arrived, although the respect owed to a mistress and owner was still to be maintained. Of course, Cornelia could speak to him in any way she chose. He grinned when she reached under his tunic and gripped his cock. He had not been prepared, so it wasn't hard, but she didn't seem angry. She stroked him to full erection, then he felt her strip his foreskin back, so he braced himself in anticipation. Her fingernail teasingly scratched at his glans, making him shudder. He knew there were people, slaves and guards, watching, but he was a slave, so shame or dignity wasn't a concern. At least she hadn't lifted his tunic to fully expose his cock. Slowly, her fingernail worked over and around the head of his cock, maintaining a maddening scratch, scratch, scratch. He was rapidly rising towards an orgasm, and groaned in disappointment when she stopped.

Cornelia gave his cock a playful squeeze and then took her hand away. "Come with me."

He wasn't owed an explanation, so he silently followed his mistress into the villa. She led him into the atrium, where Epona was waiting.

Cornelia pointed at the slave girl. "Strip." She turned to Rhodon. "You too."

Wondering what she had in mind, Rhodon obeyed, his hand already on his cock and bringing it to the required state of complete erection.

Cornelia pulled a short leather strap from her belt and tapped Rhodon's cock. "You know how I've been whipping this pretty thing while you stand and present it, well, I've realised that there's no reason why I shouldn't do the same with Epona's little toy too." She turned and tapped Epona's pubic mound.

Rhodon realised that she had been shaved between her legs and stared at the girl's cunt with interest.

"Open up," Cornelia said to Epona, tapping her cunt with the strap. She watched as the slave girl tried to obey. "Feet apart, hips forward. Open your lips wide and make your clit stick out, just like Rhodon does with his cock. From now on, when you're naked, your cunt will be erect and wet just like his cock. Understand?"

Epona nodded as she shuffled her feet apart, feeling both embarrassment and a strange excitement. "Yes, Era." She parted her lips with one hand so that her mistress could properly see her cunt, and then began to masturbate and make her cunt wet and swollen.

"That's better. Now, let's whip your cunt the way I whip Rhodon's cock." Cornelia glanced at Rhodon, and saw him watching with intense interest. His cock was fully erect, his foreskin retracted. "Pull the hood back, just like his foreskin." She watched as the slave girl tugged at the hood of her clitoris, peeling it up and back to bare the pea-sized pinkness.

"Like this, Era?" Epona asked. With a nervous glance at Rhodon, she pushed her hips forward to make her clitoris more prominent. Knowing that it was about to be whipped, it seemed to tingle madly, making her want to squeeze her thighs together.

Cornelia gave Epona a playful slap on her bare pubic mound, then tapped her clitoris with the strap. "Just like this," she said, and raised the strap.

It struck with a tiny smack of leather on flesh, but for Epona the effect was shattering. The sharp pain made her cry out in shock and step back, covering her groin with her hand. The pain was so unexpected, and so intense, that her entire body reacted. Her skin flushed, and she could feel her nipples stiffen. When Cornelia frowned and pointed at the spot in front of her, Epona hurriedly returned to position and bared her clit once more. "I'm sorry, Era. I was just surprised."

Before Cornelia could speak, there was a loud clacking of hobnails against the marble floor, and a guard rushed into the atrium. He ignored the naked slaves and breathlessly said, "Domina, the lady Livia has been abducted. This was thrown through the gate, but whoever did it was gone before we could apprehend him." He held out a papyrus scroll tied with a ribbon. Attached to the ribbon was a single earring, which they all recognised as belonging to Livia.

Cornelia took the scroll and opened it. It was short and to the point. She read it quickly and threw it aside. "Bastards! They've taken Livia as surety for my cooperation. If I don't do what they want, they'll kill her."

"What do they want?" Rhodon said, although he already knew.

Cornelia lifted her eyes to stare at him. "They want you in exchange for Livia. It seems you were right about your assassins."

Rhodon shrugged calmly. "Domina Livia is a Roman citizen. I'm but a slave."

"But my slave." Cornelia said. "No barbarian cut-throat gets away with assaulting a Roman and stealing my property."

Rhodon rubbed his chin. "If that's how you truly feel, perhaps I have an idea …"

***

The assassin had selected a spot quite close to where he had killed the shepherd. He was on a horse with a fine Parthian saddle. Tied to the saddle was a rope that led to Livia's wrists as she stood beside the horse. From his position just below the crest of a hill, he could see for a good distance in a wide angle around him. There was no way for the Romans to sneak up on him, even if they had cavalry, which he knew they did not. Squinting into the afternoon light, he saw the approaching carriage, which was accompanied by about twenty marching men. As per his instructions, none of them carried pila, and he doubted they had any slingers or bowmen. Since they were on foot, he could safely ride away without real risk. He had paid off the bandits who had helped him take Livia, so he was alone. That was better than having such men at his back. When the carriage came to a halt near the designated tree, he took a final look around, and then began to slowly ride forward, pulling Livia roughly along with him.

***

"Domina! Over there," the head guard said, pointing with his gladius at the rider coming towards them. "Should we rush him?"

Forcing herself to remain calm, Cornelia said, "Don't be stupid. He'd slit her throat before you were half-way to him, and then he'd just ride away." The rider stopped within shouting distance, and she saw Livia's strained and frightened face. Standing on the carriage, she pointed at Livia. "Give her to me. Harm her, and by Jupiter Best and Greatest, I'll have you crucified."

"Show me the prince," the assassin shouted in return, using heavily accented Latin.

"Prince?" Cornelia muttered in surprise. Then she gestured, and a guard lifted Rhodon from the bed of the carriage. He was gagged, and his hands tied in front of him. "Send Livia to me, and I'll send the prince to you."

The assassin pulled Livia close and tapped the bow lying across his lap. "Try to run, and I'll put an arrow through your chest. When I tell you, walk slowly towards your friends. If I say stop, you stop, or you die. Understand?" When Livia nodded, he looked up and then stiffened in surprise. The prince was struggling with the guard who held him, obviously refusing to be sent to his death, and trying to escape. Suddenly, the guard's gladius glinted in the sunlight, and then jabbed forward in a vicious underarm thrust into the prince's belly. The bound figure screamed and collapsed. "Fools! What are you doing?" he shouted, and then drew his dagger in preparation to cut Livia's throat.

Cornelia glanced back into the bed of the carriage, then shouted, "Wait!" and waved her hands. "You just wanted him dead. Well, he's dead now, but I can still send the corpse out to you in exchange. My men will carry it out half-way, and you allow Livia to walk towards them."

The assassin shrugged, then turned to Livia. "Remember, walk slowly. Run and I'll put two arrows in your back before you take three steps. If I say to come back, you do it or —"

"I know. Arrow in the back," Livia said, and held up her wrists to be untied.

Two guards appeared from around the back of the carriage. They were bearing the corpse on top of a Roman scutum, the large curved shield acting as an improvised stretcher, the body's head and limbs dangling horribly. At Cornelia's wave, they began carrying it in the direction of the waiting Parthian killer.

"Go," the assassin said to Livia, and nocked an arrow.

Livia walked slowly and carefully over the uneven ground, not wanting to stumble and accidentally get shot. She tried to avoid the grisly sight of Rhodon's body as she paced steadily towards the two guardsmen, her back itching in anticipation of the arrow's impact. Then they set the body down and tipped it off the shield. No, two stacked shields. Then her eyes widened in shock when she realised the corpse wasn't that of the handsome slave.

The guard noticed and whispered, "Keep coming. Get behind us. Quickly."

The assassin frowned, staring at the corpse. There was something wrong. The corpse looked familiar … then he realised it was the shepherd he had killed. "What kind of stupid trick is this?" he roared, and raised his bow.

Livia ducked behind the guards, who snatched up the tall shields and raised them to form a wall as they began to back towards the carriage. An arrow slammed into one of the shields, piercing it entirely. Its point slammed into the chest of the guard's lorica segmentata, but failed to penetrate the armour.

The assassin's hand blurred in motion and fitted another arrow to the bow, his eyes scanning for a gap or exposed body part. But he was so focused that he failed to spot the motion in the back of the carriage.

Rhodon sprang up onto one knee, drawing his own bow as he moved. The arrow was already nocked, and he raised his arm to aim, taking less than a heartbeat to judge distance and windage. The arrow leapt from the bow, its shaft flashing through the air and thumping into the assassin's chest.

The assassin's own arrow struck the shepherd's decomposing corpse, even as his head turned to look at Rhodon — just in time to catch the second arrow in his left eye. He was dead before he struck the ground.

***

Rhodon rubbed his side where the rounded hilt of the gladius had struck him, leaving a deep bruise. He supposed that he should be grateful that the guardsman had managed to miss him entirely when pretending to stab him while standing in the back of a swaying carriage, and while he was pretending to struggle. He stopped outside the curtained doorway of the triclinium. "Era, may I enter?" When Cornelia gave permission, he pushed aside the heavy curtain to the dining and entertaining area. Despite everything, he had paused to stroke his cock to full erection.

"Livia tells me she might recover more quickly from her ordeal if you are here to cheer her up. Besides that, I have something to show you. But first —" She made an upward gesture with her index finger as eloquent as any public speaker.

"Yes, Era," Rhodon said. He gripped the hem of his tunic and drew it up and over his head, leaving himself naked. He set the folded garment on the floor and moved to stand in front of the two Roman women, his cock thrusting proudly like the eagle standard of the legions.

Livia rubbed the rope burns around her wrists, but sighed happily at the sight.

"Before we attend to Livia's recovery, I want you to have a look at this," Cornelia said and held out a parchment scroll. She unrolled it and showed it to him. "Is this Parthian script? They found it on his body."

"May I?" Rhodon said, and then took the scroll. He studied the wax seal, and sighed. "Yes, Era. It is Parthian writing. It is, in fact, my death warrant. The seal belongs to one of my half-brothers."

"Would you return to Parthia if you could?" Cornelia asked.

He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I come from a minor family line. I was content to serve as a cataphract, screw women, and drink wine. But my brothers have decided I'm an inconvenience."

"You're a skilled warrior. Such ability shouldn't be wasted. Remember I mentioned making you my bodyguard in addition to your other responsibilities? It would also make it convenient for keeping you close to me without either of us being the subject of crude graffiti on the walls of the rougher streets of Rome." Pornographic drawings were a popular art form of the lower classes.

Rhodon smiled. "So long as I am able to attend to my other responsibilities —" he looked down at his stiff cock, "— I would be happy to protect your body."

Cornelia nodded. "Very well." She picked up a pair of beeswax candles and lit their wicks from an oil lamp. "With that matter settled, bring that cock of yours over here. Livia wants to try these candles on it." She turned to Epona. "And don't think I've forgotten about you. Take your tunic off and come here. I'll play with your clit while Livia gets busy with Rhodon's cock."

Rhodon hissed when the first drop of hot wax fell on his glans, but then he smiled.

The End.