The Chariots Slave (5 page)

Sellah clutched tightly to Accalia’s hand, thankful they would
be together. Despite their curiosity to the passing world, the
girls kept their gazes to the floor of the supply wagon.

Sellah was afraid to lock eyes with Thaddius again. The
first time had stirred up a series of emotions in her that were
unfitting.

Plus with her eyes down she did not have to look upon the
manservant Simeon. She could feel his eyes on her, and she
wasn’t sure how to act. After all he had saved their lives. She
glanced up to offer him a smile and noticed him looking at
her amulet. It reminded her of the valuable treasure she was
given. She ran her fingers over the eagle and it helped to calm
her nerves.



slid across the seat so that she could peer out the side of the
wagon.

A dozen or so woman were struggling to get to the front
of the group, and guards worked hard to push them back. She
pulled Accalia to her so that she too could see what was
before them.

Simeon smiled as he watched the girls try to piece together
the scene. “They come for Thaddius; he is very popular with
the ladies,” he laughed. “This is why we must ride like
produce in an supply wagon. It offers much needed
concealment from the girls.”

Sellah turned in time to see Thaddius glare at his friend,
warning him with his eyes to silence his tongue. She smiled
and returned to Accalia, watching in disbelief at how
unbecomingly the women behaved. As the cart enter the
gates, the guards struggled to push back the now desperate
women. Hands and various items were tossed into the wagon
and the women threatened to rip Thaddius out. Simeon
diligently pushed back every advance, and the wagon slowly
made its way into the domus with Thaddius unharmed.

As soon as they were through the gates, Thaddius jumped
out and stormed off toward the horse stalls.
“My apologies,” Simeon said. “Give me a moment while I
go talk to him.” He ran off after Thaddius, with the guards in
toe, leaving the girls unattended. Sellah turned to Accalia and
gave her a look of invitation.
“Oh no, we should stay here and wait for them to return!”
Accalia warned.
But Sellah did not listen to her friend’s caution; instead
she took off after the men. She passed Simeon who had
stopped to talk with another man and continued silently after



Thaddius. When she came upon sounds of frustrated arguing,
she hid behind a fig tree.

“My Lord, how was your time at the auction?” an older
gentleman asked as he approached Thaddius.
“Not now, Acestes, I require a moment of peace.”
Ignoring Thaddius, Acestes pressed on, “Did you acquire
any men tonight?”
Thaddius sighed and turned to the man. “I purchased two
women,” he answered as his hands worked hard at massaging
his brow.
“Women? But my Lord we already have seven servant
girls. This is a waste of your coin.”
“Do not tell me what I already know.”
“Did you procure them for sexual reason? Because my
Lord, there is a multitude at the gate who will freely satisfy
those needs?”
Thaddius was furious with Acestes’ assumption. He
clenched his fists and came face to face with the man. “I did
not buy them for self-gratification. I purchased them to free
Simeon from an altercation he got into with Barachius!” His
frustration was obvious.
“I see. Well, my Lord, I understand your connection with
the boy. But I must warn you, as your father’s most trusted
advisor, your father’s success was based primarily on the
obedience of his servants. He was a bold and relentless
Dominus at times but well respected by all. Simeon
frequently disrespects you in public. You must not allow him
to go unpunished for this.”



“Thaddius?” Simeon’s voice called out from behind. The
men turned to his approach, the words of Acestes weighing
strongly on Thaddius’s mind.
“Simeon, how dare you act so disrespectfully tonight. You
are a representative of my name. I had to spend one hundred
denarii to clear this incident.” He clenched his fist and took
hard steps towards Simeon. “You will repay this! I should
have you lashed,” he yelled. “I cannot look as though I favor
you to the other servants.” Thaddius’s face reddened as he
shouted in irritation at his friend.
Simeon dropped his eyes in shock until understanding
washed over his face and he glared at Acestes. “Then lash
me. I do not care. I did what was right and you know it!”
His anger caught Thaddius off-guard; he had never heard
Simeon like this before. He looked to Acestes for an answer
and saw him motion toward the nearby guards.
“Fine! Take him to the court yard!’ Thaddius announced
with a flick of his wrist.
Simeon glared defiantly at him as the guards grabbed his
arms and dragged him toward the exit.

Once again unable to control her impulse, Sellah ran from
her place of hiding and threw herself to the ground in front of
Thaddius. “Please Dominus, rebuke me instead. This man
saved my life and the life of my friend. I will gladly take his
punishment.”

She kept her eyes on the ground. Fear kept her from
looking into Thaddius’s dark eyes— they held so much
emotion, so much confusion she couldn’t bear it.

He looked at the girl, unsure of what to do and frozen in
wonder. She was brave and bold, and he was beginning to
admire those things about her. But she had publicly
humiliated Barachius and he could not allow this behavior to
continue.

“You! You would risk life to defend a stranger?” Acestes
spewed in anger.
“It is the same as he did for me,” she confessed as she
boldly turned her gaze to Thaddius. His eyes locked on hers,
and for a moment he had forgotten the extent of how serious
her actions truly were.
“But now his sacrifice has been in vain as our Dominus
cannot have servants approach him without permission. You
understand the predicament you have put him in?” Acestes
spoke with the confidence of his privileged position.
“Leave her out of this Acestes!” Simeon snarled as he
struggled against the grip of the guards.
Acestes raised his hand to strike the girl.
“Acestes!” Thaddius said in warning.
“My Lord, you cannot forget what we have discussed
tonight,” Acestes reminded, his eyes gesturing towards
Simeon.
Upon hearing his words Thaddius’s face dropped and
sadness consumed him. “Let it be as you say,” he said in
defeat. He turned his back, unable to watch what was about to
happen.
With each resounding crack of Acestes’ fists upon the girl,
Thaddius flinched, his back tensed and his own fists
clenched. He strained his ears, listening carefully for her

Instead, his ears were met by Simeon’s persistent shouts of
anger and his struggle against the guards as they dragged him
away.

Perhaps Acestes had not hit her. Thaddius turned around
in anticipation over the girl being left untouched. In place of
seeing his expectations realized, he found the girl’s freshly
bruised and bloody body lying unconscious at Acestes’ feet.

Anger raged in him. He and he alone held the
responsibility for this abuse. Yet he could see no other way.
Acestes was right. He needed to regain control of this revolt
before all of his servants regarded him with no respect.

Until Simeon’s actions that night, he had thought things
were in control and that he could be both friend and leader.
But now he knew he was wrong. He could not be both.

The cracking sound of the whip began, followed by
Simeon’s shouts of pain. Thaddius could not bear to hear his
friend’s cries so he turned to leave.

He would drown out tonight with a fresh pitcher of wine
and the company of a woman. It was what he knew, the only
way to forget his internal pain.

“Acestes, see my quarters well outfitted with wine and
women,” Thaddius instructed as he marched away.
“Any girl in particular my Lord?” he yelled after him.
Thaddius paused, the dull ache of guilt picking at his soul.
How could he be with a girl, when one he worried about lay
hurting on the floor behind him?
“Yes, have that slave girl sent to my room, and send some
others to clean her and tend to her wounds,” he instructed,
forcing his words to sound strong even though they were
filled with sadness.



“But my Lord, I am afraid she will be of no use to you this
evening.”
Thaddius stopped midstride and turned back to the man,
the sounds of Simeon’s lashings ringing in his ears. He grit
his teeth and worked to ignore the cries. “Acestes, she does
not need to be awake to please me. And do not forget that
you are also my servant and are not to question my
instructions!” He spoke with the authority of a true Dominus.
Seeing his mistake, Acestes bowed his head and signaled
that he would see to the demands. Thaddius was filled with
confusing emotions. If what he did was right, then why did he
feel so upset?
He stormed past his servants and ignored each of their
greetings as he made way to his quarters. His room was not
large; it consisted of a bed and a settee. He refused to move
into his father’s wing of the domus. He felt as though that
would be admitting his absence, so instead he had to suffice
with his childhood room.
Thaddius sat rigidly on the settee and waited for his
servants to bring him wine. It wasn’t long until one
announced their approach and he beckoned them in.
“Would you like a cup my Lord, or your usual request of
the vessel?” she asked.
“Leave the vessel and fetch another. I will drown my
thoughts this evening,” he instructed.
With a bow of her head and a nod of acknowledgment, she
left the room to see to his request. He remained on the settee,
his shaky hands clutching tightly to the vessel of wine.
Pulling out the cork, he placed the opening to his lips and
greedily drank, finishing almost all the wine before the
servant returned with the next vessel. When he saw her enter,



he took a moment to pause and breathe, choking on some of
the wine in the process.

He smiled at her and motioned the new bottle to be placed
next to him. She did as was instructed but offered a worried
look before turning to leave. Ignoring her regards, Thaddius
turned back to his drink.

The warm glow of the wine began to seep over his body
and acted to drown out some of his guilt. With each passing
moment he found a new sense of acceptance to what he had
ordered done. There was another sound of approaching
servants, and he once again beckoned them in. “We have the
girl my Lord. Where would you like her?”

He had forgotten his request to have the girl brought to his
room and was unprepared to see her. He motioned them to
place her on the bed and watched intently as his maidservants
washed her wounds.

Even though Sellah was in an unconscious state, whenever
one of their garments moved over her swollen cheek, she
flinched. Thaddius quickly uncorked the next bottle and
began drinking, hoping to ease the feelings he got when he
watched her in pain.

The wine soon made its way to his head and all rational
thoughts left him. Instead of guilt over Sellah and Simeon, he
found himself marvelling at how Sellah’s beauty was still
unmatched despite her now swollen form.

The room cleared and Thaddius swayed over to the bed.
He gazed down at Sellah, squinting his eyes to properly see
her face as his sight was blurred by the wine.

She was beautiful, breathtakingly so, and tonight he would
let all thoughts leave him and enjoy her. He was Dominus
after all, and he deserved what he wanted.

back and forth, watching as Sellah’s bosom rose and fell with
her steady breathing. The anticipation of touching her soft
ivory skin sent his head spinning. He took a step closer, but
his legs collapsed under the heaviness of the wine, toppling
him face first onto the foot of the bed.