It was clever, the general thought. The girl looked as innocent as a young lambkin. The blankness in her eyes, however, told him that she was doing what she had to do to survive. She was certainly not enjoying the three men now pushing themselves into the three orifices of her lovely body. About him Aspar saw men and women in the audience slack-jawed and wide-eyed with lustful enjoyment. Several couples, physically involved themselves, were moaning their own pleasure as the players upon the stage were bringing this little piece of depravity to its natural conclusion. As the quartet collapsed in a heap of entwined limbs, the curtains were drawn back across the stage.
Jovian appeared, to the cheers and shouts of the audience. “You have enjoyed our little entertainment?” he asked coyly, a winsome twinkle in his eyes.
They shouted their approval at him, and he beamed, pleased.
“Are there any ladies here tonight who would like to enjoy the special attentions of one of our handsome young barbarians?” Jovian inquired slyly. He was immediately bombarded with eager requests. The three brothers were quickly auctioned off, appearing from behind the curtain to join their happy partners for the night. To Basilicus’s astonishment, Senator Romanus’s lusty wife gained possession of one of the players, and disappeared with both him and her young lover.
“What about the girl?” came a shout from the audience.
“Oh, no!” Jovian answered with a little laugh. “Our virgin is not for anyone else’s amusement—for the time being. Perhaps one day, gentlemen, but not right now. My brother and I are pleased that you have all enjoyed yourselves at our playlet. There will be another performance in three nights. Do tell your friends.” Then he disappeared behind the curtain like a small fox popping back into its den.
Aspar stood up. “I have some business to conduct,” he said to his companion. “Will you remain, Basilicus?”
“I think so,” the prince said. “After all, I am here.”
Smiling to himself, Flavius Aspar left the small theater. He had sought light amusement at Villa Maxima for a number of years, and he knew precisely where he was going. He found the two Maxima brothers in a small interior room, gleefully counting their proceeds from tonight’s performance.
“My lord, it is good to see you!” Jovian hurried forward while Phocas looked up just long enough to nod at the general. “Did you enjoy our little entertainment? I saw Prince Basilicus with you.”
“Nothing escapes your sharp eyes, does it, Jovian?” the general said with a laugh. “The performance was unique. A bit hard on the girl, I would say. Is that why you limit her appearances to twice weekly?”
“Of course, my lord. Cailin is very valuable to us. We would not want to harm her in any way,” Jovian said.
“I want to buy her,” Aspar said quietly.
Jovian felt his heart jump in his chest. His eyes met those of his brother nervously. This was certainly not something that they had even considered. “My lord,” he said slowly, “she is not for sale. Not now, perhaps later.” He felt a tiny bead of perspiration begin to slide down his backbone. This was the most powerful man in the Byzantine empire. More powerful than the emperor himself.
“One thousand gold solidi,” Aspar said, and he smiled to show he was unoffended by Jovian’s refusal.
“Three thousand,” Phocas answered. There was no sentiment in Phocas Maxima. Jovian might protest, but another girl could be trained to take Cailin’s place. Besides, the playlet was no longer fresh.
“Fifteen hundred,” the general countered quickly.
“Two thousand,” Phocas replied.
“Fifteen hundred,” the general replied firmly, indicating the bidding was done. “Have the girl delivered to my private seaside villa. It is just five miles past the Golden Gate. When you arrive tomorrow, the majordomo there will have your gold for you. I trust that will be satisfactory, gentlemen.” He did not for a single moment believe he would be denied.
“We would prefer, my lord, if the gold were delivered here to us. I do not think either of us relishes returning from beyond the city walls laden with such a treasure,” Phocas explained. “When the purse is brought to us, we will gladly send the girl to you.” He bowed politely.
“Very well,” Flavius Aspar answered, and then seeing Jovian’s downcast features, he said, “Do not be sad, my old friend. The Virgin and the Barbarians was becoming quite commonplace. Shortly no one will believe that your little protégé—what did you call her?—is a virgin. Create a new playlet for your audience, Jovian. You will lose nothing by it. Those who have not seen this playlet will be twice as eager to see the next one, and those who have seen it will be equally eager to see what is next.”
“Cailin. Her name is Cailin. She is a Briton,” Jovian said. “You will be kind to her, my lord? She is a good girl fallen on hard times. If you ask her, she will tell you her tale. It is most fascinating.”
“I did not purchase her to hurt her, Jovian,” the general told him. Then he said, “Gentlemen, no word of this transaction is to be gossiped about, even to my friend Basilicus. I do not want anyone to know of my purchase.”
“We understand perfectly, my lord,” Jovian said smoothly, now beginning to recover his aplomb. Knowing Cailin’s history, he had always secretly felt a bit guilty about making her the centerpiece of his entertainment. He realized that as General Aspar’s mistress she would be far safer, and possibly even happier. “We will see less of you now, I expect,” he finished.
“Perhaps,” Aspar answered. Then nodding to the two men, he departed the chamber, closing the door behind him as he went.
“The gods!” Phocas exclaimed. “We have had the girl in our possession less than three months, brother dear. Her performances made us fifteen thousand solidi, and her sale has brought us another fifteen hundred solidi. An excellent return on a slave who only cost us four folles to begin with, even considering the cost of her keep, which was really quite negligible. I salute you, Jovian Maxima! You were correct!”
Jovian smiled broadly. A compliment from Phocas was as rare as finding a perfect pearl in an oyster. “Thank you, brother,” he said.
“You will tell the girl?”
“I will speak to her in the morning. On the nights she gives her performance, she bathes, and goes to her bed immediately following it. She will be sleeping now, and she always sleeps like the dead afterward.”
Sleep. It was her only escape. Cailin had believed she was strong. She had almost convinced herself that she could do what they asked of her. But she did not think she could bear much more. It was not that anyone was unkind to her. Indeed, everyone went out of their way to make certain she was comfortable. She was pampered and fussed over by everyone at Villa Maxima. Jovian was almost devoted to her. Apollo, Castor, and Pollux adored her openly. They had even gone as far as to show her a lion designed in a mosaic, point to it, tap their chests, and then point to her. They were telling her, in the only way they could, that she had the courage of a lion. It was flattering, but it was not enough. She had recently overheard Jovian speaking about a new entertainment he was conceiving for her. It surely couldn’t be any worse than what was happening to her now.
To her surprise, Jovian joined her the following morning for the first meal of the day. “I could not sleep,” he told her, “and so I went early to the marketplace. See the fine melon I have brought you. We will enjoy it together while I tell you that you have had the most incredible piece of luck, Cailin.”