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Slave Girl 2: Chapter 150
🕑 Added 2024-07-13 17:59:33 +0000 UTCOnce lunch was had the time had come for us to deal with the most nerve wracking bit of business we’d come into town to deal with.
Laying her slender hand over mine Rosa says softly. “We must speak with Lydia.”
“I know.” I nod. “I told Bellicus we’d be in. She’ll be expecting us.”
A fear takes hold of my heart. Lydia was the greatest threat to our budding family. She knew of Rosa’s secret power, a power that would see her executed without process or trial if it was ever revealed. She was a good woman and had done well by me but by the grim tone she had spoken to me about my gifted slave in the past I knew that, despite not harboring any ill will toward us, she would not hesitate to follow through with her warning. She would see Rosa slain not simply because it was the law but because she believed in those laws. It was simply too dangerous for a slave to wield magic regardless of their character. This mysterious incident now, which involved magic with Rosa present, shone a light of suspicion upon my Lady that could be our ruin. The curse upon my land still had time to strike.
“It will be okay.” Rosa says, sensing my apprehension just from the tension in my body. “Take heart, my love. We’re going of our own free will. Had she wanted to she could have brought us in in chains.”
“True.” I say, taking some heart in her words.
“Mathter?”
“Yes, Colly?”
“May I wait for you here?” The goblin asks, looking even more fearful than me. “I, um, I think I would have trouble telling fibth to my former mithtreth. Theriouth oneth anyway.” She sighs. “She can be thcary thometimeth.”
I pat her arm. “Actually, the fewer we have there the fewer accounts we need to keep straight. She’ll want to speak to Rosa and I for sure…” I look to Cassie.
She gives me a nod as she picks up on my point. “I’ll take Colly with me to the stables then go around and pick up our purchases. We’ll meet by the gate.” With a nervous glance toward Rosa she adds. “If we don’t see you by the time our shadows become taller than we are we’ll come looking.”
“Might be wiser to flee.”
She smirks. “You really think I’m going to do that?”
“No. No I don’t.” I chuckle. “You think you can handle that stallion by yourself?”
“He’s a male isn’t he?” She says brashly. “Yeah, I can handle him.”
I laugh and give her a hug and a kiss. Rosa takes hers right after. “Wish us luck.”
***
“Breathe, baby.” Rosa whispers as she squeezes my hand. “It’s going to be okay. Your Lady is here.”
I squeeze back and do my best to settle my spirit. We sat in the same cobbled courtyard where I first met the mage, her fountain burbling beside us as we sat waiting for her. We are not left to wait long as the young slave boy who was Colly’s replacement reappears, holding the door open for his mistress to enter. In the same fiery robes and glittering jewelry as she always wore Lydia approaches us. The warm smile on her face was that of someone seeing old friends, the cold stare of her eyes told a different story however.
“If it isn’t the lovely slave Rosa.” She says cordially. “And her master Quintus. It is good to see you again, friends.” As is proper to people of our lifestyle she had addressed the Lady first and boy second.
“Lovely to see you again, Mistress Lydia.” Rosa bows her head as is proper for a slave addressing a free woman. “Your husband is well, I hope.”
“He is well.” Taking a seat upon the shaded bench across from us she arranges her robes then sits tall, ready to turn to business. The fact we had not been offered refreshment was not lost on me. Her shrewd eyes study Rosa for a time before she starts. “Bellicus has given me a full report of the events.” Her gaze flits to me and holds me in its grasp. “Curious events indeed.”
“A tragic happenstance.” Rosa answers with a calm I never could have summoned. Head down and hands folded on her lap Rosa was the very picture of submissive innocence. “We had no clue to the platform’s sleeping power.”
“You could not see it?” The question confuses the slave who waited at his owners side as Rosa was clearly blind.
“No.”
“Has your sight left you?”
“No.”
“Mm. Unfortunate.” She tilts her head. “And once it was awoken, what did you do?”
“What could I do?” Rosa says meekly, pressing in tight to my side. “I hid while Quin and the others fought it.”
“You were not tempted to help?”
“Of course I was.” Rosa says with very convincing frustration. “But I could not. I didn’t know how. If you had you trained me…”
“Not an option.”
“Yes, Mistress Lydia.” Rosa bows her head.
“I understand you’ve become involved with the peasant women.” She says, her eyes focused on Rosa searching her face for any twitch or flinch. “A sort of ettiquette school or something?”
“Yes. I am adapting to my new home as best I can.” Rosa says. “Using the skills that I have.”
“Quaint.” She pauses. “You’ve not touched magic since you’ve left here?”
“No.” Rosa lies. “Hecate’s mysteries hold nothing but painful memories for me. Green Silvanus rules my soul now.”
“But her mysteries might have saved lives.” Lydia presses. “If only you’d had her power.”
“Her powers did not save my father.” Rosa answers grimly. “Or my mother. Hecate’s powers are great but they cannot steer the course of fate.”
“Hm.” Lydia shakes her head. “You are a blank wall. The hubris of a girl like me to think that I can question a Lady.” She turns to her slave. “Philonik, please take Master Quintus’ slave and fetch us drinks.”
At my side I feel Rosa tense up. “If you have questions I will answer them.”
“I will question whom I wish.” Lydia replies. “And I have many questions for Quintus here. I would like to hear in his own words how he conquered this foe by strength of arms alone.”
“The magic was in flux…”
“I will ask him, Rosa.”
“But…”
“Silence, slave!” Lydia snaps, for the first time showing disrespect to Rosa. “I wish to speak to your master alone. Citizen to citizen.”
Rosa stews and I scowl at the affront but we both remain silent. In another venue Lydia would have been punished for such brazen disregard of a Lady’s station. But here in the wider world she held all the power.
“Is there a problem?”
“No, Mistress Lydia.” Rosa says while gripping my arm. “My master and I are an open book. We have nothing to hide.”
“I thought so.” With a wave of her hand she commands. “Away with you both.”
Rosa gets to her feet. Reluctantly she takes the arm of the other slave and is lead away.
The moment they were out of earshot Lydia’s demeanor softens, though her eyes remain hard. “Congratulations.” She nods to my living collar. “Even finer than your first.”
“Uh, thank you.” I say. I knew she too wore her Sir’s collar though hers was cloaked by invisibility magic. “You should not have spoken to my Lady as you did.”
“I must do my job, Quin.” She says bluntly. “She may play the Lady behind…”
“She does not play at anything. She IS a Lady.”
“Apologies.” She bows her head.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” I say, wanting this to end as soon as possible. “I’ve told the investigators and Bellicus everything there is to tell.”
“Indeed.” She says. “But you have not said it to me.” Her gaze locked on mine she mutters something under her breath and waves her fingers through the air. All at once I feel…a presence touching my consciousness. Invasive, unwelcome, probing, it was an intrusion I had felt before in a quiet glade many miles from here.
“Magic!” I gasp.
“Do not fight me, Quin.” She whispers. “I seek only the truth.”
“No.” I try to move but find that I can’t. “No!”
“Calm yourself.” Lydia says. “Struggling will only make it painful. I will get what I need either way. This is too important to be left to chance.”
“No.” I hear my voice as if from a distance as the courtyard, the fountain, even the mage’s white hair all melts away leaving me alone with those eyes! “Noooo.”
“Now, Quin. Answer my questions…”
“What’s this?” Comes another voice, the silky sweet voice of my beloved. Two curled horns rise up from behind the head of the wizard followed by a crown of violet hair and then two glowing eyes. Rosa had portalled back to us! I didn’t even realize she’d been so foolhardy as to bring it in with us. “Mmm, mmm! Would you look at alllll this yummy mind magic.”
“What!?” Lydia startles. I feel the tendrils of her spell swiftly retreating from my mind.
“Nuh uh uh.” Reaching her hands around Lydia’s head snatches the mage’s spell before it could be dispelled. “I’m going to need this. Thank you so much for providing it.”
“Hrm!” Lydia trembles, her face a mask of concentration. Beads of sweat sprout up across her forehead.
My Lady giggles as she brings her hands toward Lydia’s temples. “Feeling you resist kind of tickles. Is that the best you can do? He he he!” Lydia kicks out with a convulsion but seems powerless to do anything else. “That’s it? You wizards aren’t nearly as scary as they say you are.” Leaning in she whispers in her ear. “You can fight if you want but struggling will only make it painful.”
“Hah!” Lydia gasps, her trembling becoming a spasm as she tried desperately to resist Rosa’s usurping her own power against her. “Unnngh!”
“Shhhhh.” Rosa’s impish smile becomes an angry demonic glare as her hands press into the sides of Lydia’s head. Through a fanged grimace she whispers. “Did you really think I would ever let you touch my boy? Did you think I would let you threaten my FAMILY!” Her eyes flare bright!
“HAH!” Lydia’s body jerks then goes stiff, her hands still outstretched toward me. This mighty wizard was powerless against my Lady’s power! I watch in shock as a crimson trick of blood rolls down over her lips from her left nostril as her eyes rolls back into her head.
“My Lady?”
“Patience, my love.” Rosa says. “I’m disciplining this naughty girl.” The corner of her lips right against Lydia’s ear she hisses. “The investigation is over. There is nothing more to look into. Quin answered every question to your satisfaction. It was simply a tragedy. Bad luck and ancient blood magic. But the magic was old and fraying. It’s potency all but faded to time. All the questions are answered. Understand?”
“Hnnghhh.” The older woman whimpers through open lips.
“Good girl.” Rosa says. “You are no longer interested in us. You are no longer interested in what happened with the minotaur. You are no longer interested in me. I am just a slave girl, nothing more. I showed a glimmer of potential but it all came to nothing as I cannot channel magic myself.” The green glow in her eyes swirl, the same luminescence now creeping up the patterns in her horns, as her crackling snarl underlies her intense words. “I am beneath your interest. I am harmless. Completely harmless. As harmless as a mouse.”
“Harmmm…lessss.”
“Good girl.” Rosa smiles a fearsome smile as she pats Lydia’s cheek. “And one last thing. Never disrespect a Lady.”
“Yes…my…Ladyyyyy.”
“Good girl.” Holding one hand to Lydia’s head she produces a handkerchief with the other and wipes the blood from from the paralyzed woman’s face. “Such a good girl.” In a blink Rosa’s menacing aura turns cute once more. She looks my way and winks…then blinks from sight.
I sit across from Lydia, stunned at what I’d just witnessed, and watch her slowly return to her senses. After a few seconds she lets out a sharp breath and shakes her head. Blinking a few times she looks across at me. “Quintus?” She pauses and blinks again before rubbing her temples. “Of course. Quintus.” She relaxes and returns to her natural sitting posture. “You hold me no hard feelings I hope.”
“Uh…no.”
“Good.” She nods. “Please understand that I had to be sure.”
“Of course. Yeah.” I say. “So are you…sure?”
“Quite sure.” She smiles. “Simply bad luck meeting ancient magic. Your Lady is quite harmless. That is a big relief to me I can tell you.”
“Yeah. You and me both.” Harmless!? After what I had just witnessed I could hear Lydia’s words from past once more echo in my mind, ‘She might be the most dangerous person I have ever met.’
“Now where is that slave with my…” Lydia stops. As she was repositioning and smoothing her robes she catches sight of a single drop of blood that had dripped from her chin to stain her orange garments. My heart is pounding as she stares at it, confused. “Hm.” With a whisper and wave of her fingers she lifts the stain from her clothes and makes it disappear.
Just then the slave Philonik comes rushing back into the courtyard roughly dragging Rosa along behind him. I spring to my feet and march forward. “If you do not unhand her this second…”
That was all I needed to say as the terrified boy lets her go immediately. I am quick to interject myself and hold her protectively at my side.
“Mistress Lydia. The demon wandered away from me. She must have entered the sanctum as I could not…”
Lydia waves her boy’s concerns away. “Calm yourself, Philonik. She is blind and probably lost her way. That’s all.”
“But…”
“I became lost.” Rosa says. “Apologies Mistress Lydia.”
“But…”
“No apology necessary. I blame my slave for not looking after you properly.”
“But…!”
“Silence.” Lydia commands. “We will forget this, this time.”
“Uh…” The poor slave looks around at us, completely befuddled as to what had just happened. “Thank you, Mistress.”
“The idea!” Lydia laughs and walks to join us. “The boy is paranoid. Little Rosa is as harmless as a mouse.”
“Er, yeah. That’s her.”
Rosa titters. “We hate to refuse your hospitality, old friend.” She says in a chipper tone. “But we have many pressing matters in the city today. If our business here is concluded we…”
“Of course. Of course.” Lydia says. “Everything is cleared away. I will not hold you up any longer.”
“Oh good.” Rosa grins.
“Rosa.” Lydia gives a respectful bow of her head which causes her slave to cock a brow. “Master Quintus.” She nods to me. “Perhaps my husband and I may see you again soon?”
“Perhaps.” Rosa answers. “No promises.”
With that we say our goodbyes and stride out the front gate. As we walk I gawk at my happy, adorable slave clutched to my arm. Sensing my sight on her she looks up and bats her big magenta eyes and peeps. “What?”
“What? What!?” I exclaim. “What was THAT!?”
She giggles and bumps me with her hip. “Just a bit of fun.” She tugs at my arm. “Come along, Master. The others are waiting.”
