The Ergastulum
Part 4
Blessed, pain-free oblivion slowly retreated with shouts to wake from
the hallway outside the Greek sister's cell.
"Toilet and then to the fields slaves!" came the shouts from each naked
and freshly oiled ergastularius as he or she jogged the corridor ringing the
cell bars with their crops. "Move or it'll be the worse for you!"
Andara was the first to stir and her initial movements proved painful as
her muscles and tendons rebelled against being disturbed. A long groan emitted
from the girl as she gingerly pulled herself into a sitting position. "Eris,
she croaked through her parched throat, "Wake up sister-hurry! We must be
ready!" Andara was thrilled to see her older sister's breasts had regained
their natural shape following her abuse the night before. Unfortunately, her
skin was terribly discolored from the deep bruising she'd suffered. Andara took
a moment to check her own wounds when she was startled to see Keres asleep, flat
on her back, next to her.
"Oh Keres! You're here! We'd thought you were gone...dead under the
horrible torture!" Keres's eyes fluttered and her head turned toward the voice
beckoning her awake. Andara leaned in close and tenderly peppered her twin's
face with joyful, soothing kisses. Eris soon joined the girls in a joyful,
though restrained reunion. Their aching bodies prohibiting any robust embraces.
As they cuddled, Lena arrived at their cell and turned the
well-lubricated lock to enter. Her naked ebony body glistened with perfumed
oil. Ornamental gold chains encircled her neck, wrist, waist and ankles. Large
bejeweled golden rings hung from pierced earlobes and nipples. Eris was the
first to notice Lena had joined them and nodded to her sisters to take notice.
Lena began in a low, serious voice: "Women, I know you are exhausted
and terribly raw but please draw upon every ounce of pride and strength you can
muster to take on this first training day. Listen to what you're told and
execute commands immediately. Your speed in responding will be of greater
importance than the skill in which you carry out the orders. When you think you
can go on no longer, pray to your gods to help see you through. Your demeanor
today will dictate how your remaining training is conducted. Indeed, it will
determine if you live or die. I will attempt to visit you during the day.
Remember, once we leave this cell; do not speak unless so ordered. Attend to
your toilet quickly so you will arrive at the training arena on time. Lena bent
to encircle Eris and Andara's waist to help them to their feet. Still too
groggy to sit, the sisters then assisted Keres up as well. Lena gently steered
the three sisters in silence from their cell to the toilet area adjacent to the
bath then toward the first day of training.
"I know you'll do well today," Lena said as they hustled through the
corridor. "Hold your tongues and use your energy to accomplish tasks - not to
fight the Romans. Here, you are but slaves and cannot win. Keres was finally
alert enough to begin to ask Lena how she could be so docile. However, as she
began to speak, her jaw cramped from the contortions the bronze orb had
generated just hours before. Lena chuckled a bit as she tenderly stroked
Keres's grimacing face. "Just as well you can't speak - your mouth has caused
you enough trouble already." We're here," Lena said as the women arrived at
another massive bolted wooden door. "When I open this portal, run with all the
speed you can muster. It is a large arena so don't be concerned about the
direction you go. Run as fast as you can. Follow the others until my sister,
Simban, tells you to stop. She is in charge of training new arrivals. Simban
is an outstanding trainer and pleases our masters by getting results quickly.
Unfortunately, while effective, she is cruel. Remember my instructions...now
run!"
Lena pushed open the heavy door and the sisters sprinted wild-eyed into
the arena. Their aching bodies fought against each raised leg and every swing
of the arms. Skin abrasions, which had scabbed over during the night, were
reopened and clear tissue fluid seeped free. Arms pumped furiously as the women
ran into the huge arena. Instinctively they veered to the right to follow the
outline of the massive ring. Many other naked people were running in different
directions in the arena. Several groupings of men ran in lockstep carrying
large timbers held out straight above their heads. Women ran balancing water
filled skins on their heads and others with timbers across their shoulders.
Some were unadorned and some bore metal weights held to their breasts with rings
piercing their nipples. Trainers, who as necessary, spurred them on with short
whips. All in the arena were drenched with sweat and mucous from the extreme
physical exertion. Dust was ever present in a cloud generated by the many pairs
of feet hammering the ground. The runners' perspiration did little to settle
the dust as it evaporated from the heat as it the ground. The addition of urine
and feces also didn't help; indeed it made proper footing treacherous.
The air was strangely silent except for the wheezing of racers trying to
catch their breaths. Only one person remained still. Lena's sister Simban held
a place in the middle of the arena observing the runners in a casual yet
concentrated manner. Unlike her trainees, Simban was not naked but wore a
pleated half tunic made of white starched linen. Like her sister however,
Simban was beautiful. She was bare-chested showing taut ebony skin that bore
the marks of many whippings. Simban evaluated her three newest charges from her
vantage point in the middle of the immense ring. Two appeared to be twins.
They ran gracefully and, obviously as Lena had instructed, very fast. They were
slim with long wavy black hair. Nice breasts but little hips-somewhat boyish
she thought. The third, slightly older sister was certainly a fully developed
woman. Her gait was as one of having born children-wide hips and a rolling,
sensuous stride. She was a bit plump with enormous breasts that appeared to
have been very beaten. The Greek sisters maintained their rapid pace until they
had circled out of Simban's view. Keres then reduced her speed from a full
gallop to a fast trot.
"Save your strength sisters," Keres gasped. "We don't know how long
this will go on." Eris crossed her arms over her chest to still her pendulous
breasts. Andara was fascinated by the sights in the arena and did not hear
Keres's advice to decelerate. She was startled when a naked man wielding a crop
joined the pace along side her. "Where...who...?" Andara stammered.
The crop landed on her shoulders, "No talking slave! Run!" bellowed the
ergastularious and administered another whack to punctuate his order. Andara
tuned to the front and picked up her pace breathing deeply through her mouth. A
stocky male trainer had joined the jogging Keres who was prodded to pick up her
pace. Eris grasped her chest tightly to spare further breast pain and soon fell
behind.
"You!" Simban shouted pointing at Eris, "approach." Swallowing hard,
Eris veered from her path and vectored toward Simban. Keres began to head in
the same direction but was redirected with two rapid blows to her rump.
As she approached Simban, she was ordered to halt. Standing before her
with crossed arms she bent forward gasping for breath and trying to control the
urge to heave brought on by the exertion.
"Stand straight slave," Simban ordered, "and keep your arms to your
side!" Eris did as directed but could not still the rapid breathing now
exacerbated by fear. "Your name slave," Simban said almost politely.
With a measure of pride, Eris looked to Simban and responded, "I...I am
Eris, madam. Daughter of..."
"Silence!" Simban bellowed with a slap to Eris's belly. "You have no
family-you have no heritage! You are a slave in the Roman Empire! Hands behind
you back, eyes toward the heavens!" Eris immediately complied. Staring
skyward, Eris flinched as smooth hands touched her breasts.
"You will address me as Lordess you Greek whore! When you run, your
arms will always be at your side. These teats must never be concealed."
Quieting a bit, Simban gently massaged Eris's mammary glands with both hands
while continuing her lecture. "Your breasts must always be on display. My
sister told me that these endured much torment yesterday. That's a pity as they
are very lovely." Simban increased the intensity of the manual manipulation,
drawing whitish fluid from the nipples and added, "Aha! A breeder! These great
teats are laden with milk. No doubt emptying them will reduce their weight and
your discomfort while running." A powerful squeeze to both breasts punctuated
by sharp fingernails brought a wail from Eris. Simban dug her nails deep into
the damaged tissue then quickly drew her hands away raking the breasts and
leaving minute tracks of blood on Eris's skin. Upon release, Simban
administered a slap across to Eris's cheek. "To your knees slave! Hands locked
behind your head and spine straight!" Simban ordered. Eris complied quickly as
her knees dropped onto the packed dirt.
"Gylo," Simban ordered, "bring...that slave." Simban had identified a
Mongolian woman of 30 or so years. She ran alone with sloshing water buckets in
two hands. Gylo motioned to the woman called Xua, who jogged toward Simban and
dropped to her knees before the kneeling, tearful Eris.
"Slave, draw this mother whore's milk." Simban ordered.
Xua moved quickly to Eris's chest and began suckling her right breast.
Simban gave Gylo a nod and he moved behind Eris. Eris's hands dropped and she
drew back as Xua's lips contacted her nipple. At this movement, Gylo unleashed
two rapid back and forth blows of his whip along Eris's shoulders.
"Do not move whore!" Simban bellowed. "Hands behind your head! Flinch
again and I'll have tose teats bound so tightly they burst!" Eris quickly
returned to her position as Xua returned to the breast. Grateful for the
liquid, Xua grasped Eris's breast with both hands and massaged it to express the
maximum amount of warm, sweet milk possible. Powerful sucking was accompanied
by nipple gnawing to further stimulate the flow. Xua had been ordered to do
this many times before. While it was at first repugnant, she learned that it
was necessary for survival. The more enthusiastic she acted in accomplishing
this humiliating task, the easier became her treatment. She found too that if
she feigned the suckling activity as erotic, her harsh treatment lessened even
more. Xua arched her back, swayed her rump, and made contented murmuring sounds
as she swallowed Eris's bodily fluid. Soon, Xua moved to the left breast to
draw from it.
Eris remained motionless while suffering the degradation and discomfort
of having another woman at her breast while surrounded by laughing Romans in a
massive, filthy arena of pain.
Eventually Simban ordered Xua to stop and directed her to return to her
running. Wiping her mouth, Xua gently patted Eris's quivering hips in a sign of
regret and empathy as she rose and raced away.
Gazing at Eris, Simban said, "I imagine a great load has been taken from
you slave. I trust you'll be able to continue your training with the proper
posture now. I believe you enjoyed the Mongol's ministration at the nipples.
Perhaps you'd wish to pleasure another in return for the kindness I've granted
you."
Eris looked up at Simban with a horrified expression, "Please
Lordess...No! I've been humiliated enough!"
"I did not give you permission to speak slave. And your ungrateful
attitude is displeasing. Have you learned nothing yet? Now use you mouth to
pleasure me...or be racked-I give you the choice."
Eris paled at the notion of a racking and knew it would be
agonizing-certainly more painful than what she was being ordered to do. She
straightened herself but remained on her knees and hobbled to Simban. She
attentively kissed Simban's knees and thighs.
"Now between my legs slave," Simbian directed as she stepped to spread
her legs apart to allow Eris access.
Forcing down rising bile, Eris extended her neck under Simban's tunic
until her lips made contact with moist nether hair. Slowly, Eris pushed through
the moss and nibbled on the wet folds of skin beneath. Several moments passed
before Simban ordered Eris to extend her tongue. Resigning herself, Eris did as
she was told and probed Simban's warm, musky cleft knowing she must appear eager
to please. Simban remained in a widespread stance smiling down at the slave
between her legs. "You're doing well woman."
With those words, Eris relaxed a bit and decided to attempt to force
Simban to climax so the ordeal would end. As her shoulders slumped and her
tongue and lips became more kinetic, Simban's head rolled back somewhat and her
juices started to flow heavily. Eris lapped what she could and increased the
pressure on Simban's clitoral nub periodically thrusting her tongue deep into
the black woman's cavity. Simban reached down to snug Eris's head into her
groin. Eris's own body began tingling as she worked her tongue. The exhaustion
that permeated her battered body, coupled with having Xua suck her breasts had
combined to stimulate her deep sexual feelings. Faster and faster Eris worked
her mouth until Simban shuddered and her legs shook. A gush of liquid flowed
through Eris's parted lips. Now with a sheen or pleasure induced perspiration,
Simban then began to straighten allowing her legs to come together and push
Eris's head away.
"Finally whore you are able to conduct yourself properly," said a
slightly breathless Simban. "Now stand up slave. I recommend that unless you
wish to spend tonight hanging by your teats, you rejoin the others and let those
udders swing free. Now run! Faster cow!" Sambian yelled after Eris until she
picked up her pace.
The sisters were now distributed among the multitude of sweating,
panting bodies throughout the arena and had lost track of each other. Their
escorts punished a stumble or slowing with blows to any accessible body part.
Andara had vomited twice but was not allowed to stop to rest. Her chest, groin
and legs were covered in bile. Keres sprinted unrelentingly making it difficult
for her escort to keep up. She ran with her eyes barely open. Supreme mental
concentration centered on only continuing.
Eris ran with the throb in her damaged chest from the jostling breasts
that kept her weeping. The sprints continued. Others had fallen -stumbling
over a rock or slipping in feces--and attempted to regain their footing as whips
repeatedly struck. Some lay motionless-unconscious or writhing in exhausted
surrender as the whips rained down. After an untold time, a trumpet blared and
all except the Greek sisters immediately fell mid-stride into the dirt.
An ergastularius barked at the three standing women, "Drop slaves-rest
now!" The sisters gratefully fell to the earth in panting heaps. After several
minutes, a trumpet again sounded and the slaves slowly rose and began a slow
shuffle to a wagon that entered the arena. Andara was overjoyed to see barrels
of water being unloaded from the cart and that slaves were being allowed to
drink. Keres touched Andara's shoulder directed her vision behind to where Lena
was talking with Simban. Eris arrived at a grounded barrel and quaffed large
handfuls of the welcomed liquid. As Keres also drank her fill, Lena arrived at
her side.
"Don't talk, just listen. My sister was impressed with your endurance
and determination. If you can maintain the remainder of the day, I think she
will get you to the fields immediately. This is unusual-slaves normally remain
in training for at least two weeks. Best wishes my friend."
Keres smiled at Lena as she drank deeply. As the hydration frenzy
continued, the sisters were able to maneuver to regroup. With the slurping to
drown out her voice, Eris whispered, "I cannot go on sisters. I was forced to
taste the sex of another woman and have a barbarian suckle me. The humiliation
is unbearable. And the pain in my breasts is terrible. Simban told me if I
faltered again, she would hang me by them-I will die here today."
"Hush," hissed Keres. "You're still alive and able to complain aren't
you? So you were humiliated! How can that be? We are all stripped naked and
urinating and defecating and vomiting! What is left to cause embarrassment?
You must ignore these things Eris. You must live for us and your children!"
Strong hands grabbed Keres around the neck and swung her around to face
a glowing Simban. "I had hopes for you sweet slave, said Simban with a shake of
her head. "You're physical endurance was impressive. However, now you chatter
away like an African parrot well aware that you are forbidden to speak." Keres
was unable to retort as the rough hands of an ergastularious choked her.
"Perhaps you have not been properly run today and you just have too much energy
to stay still. We'll take care of that...Gylo! Pierce and weight her." As
Gylo drug Keres to toward the wall surrounding the arena, Simban added, "When
she's properly affixed Gylo, have her pull the sled for three rotations."
With a few minutes, three other Romans had joined Gylo in holding Keres
spread-eagled against the arena's wall. A man approached her wielding a long,
pointed metal rod. He pinched her nipple tightly and began to bury the rod's
sharp end into her skin. Keres began to scream and as she did, the rod
punctured her skin and pierced her long, dark hard nipple. The rod was pushed
through and replaced by a thick silver ring that was inserted through the wound.
The Roman then inserted the rod into her other nipple. Keres gasped at the
sizzling pain and bucked wildly against her captures but to no avail. With her
breasts skewered and the rings in place, Keres had her hands buckled together in
leather behind her and then allowed to fall into the dirt. She wailed and
writhed miserably at the pain in her breasts. Suddenly she was lifted from both
sides and held before the grinning Gylo.
Holding dark metal hoped objects before Kares he teased, "These lead
weights will be affixed to both rings slave. They will be increased each time
you stop the forward movement of the sled. Initially, each teat will hold a
half of a pound."
Gylo fastened the lead pieces to the rings as promised-first the right
nipple, then the left. Attempting to straighten against the pain and pressure,
Keres felt a wooden handle forced into her hands to her rear. She noted through
her anguish that the handle was being bound to the leather encasing her wrists.
Once finished attaching the sled, Gylo again stepped before Keres. "You are now
the engine for the 200 pound sled behind you. At my command, begin running. If
you falter, you'll taste the whip, should you stop, weights will be added at
each piercing point and poundage added to the sled. You will circle the arena
three times before you will satisfactory complete this task-I advise you not to
fail. Go!"
Gylo's flagellum lashed out onto Keres's painful breasts and then again
across her belly before she could establish enough torque to begin forward
motion. The friction of the heavy sled settled in the dirt behind her had to be
overcome before she could move. Her legs pumped hard and her sore, blistered
feet churned the dirt as the whip urged her on. Her weighted nipples jiggled
furiously as she leaned forward to gain purchase on the ground and over come the
sled's inertia. More blows to her back gave the strong Greek woman the extra
will to finally break the sled free and begin her three circuits of the arena.
As she moved away, Simban ordered an end to the slave's watering period.
"Run them again in pairs now Gylo, Larger carrying the smaller then reverse."
The whip fell upon Keres repeatedly until she had gained enough momentum
to satisfy Gylo. Gasping under the load and at the pain in her breasts, she
trotted as fast as possible. The lead affixed to the nipple rings added
buoyancy to her breasts and until she could establish a rhythm, caused her great
distress. Based on her many years experience in racing on Rhodes, she estimated
the arena was at least a half mile in circumference. She's run much greater
distances in the past of course, but not in this exhaustive and punished
condition. Every bit of her body had been stretched, abraded, whipped and cut.
Her muscles, joints and tendons ached from her head to her calves. The soles of
her bare feet were raw from the constant friction of the runs. She was nearing
the end of her first lap when the flat-bottomed sled behind her hit a rock and
grounded its nose into the dirt and stopped her cold with a painful shock to her
shoulders.
Keres struggled to dislodge the sled from the slight trench it had
created against the stone but Gylo arrived at her side quickly. "Be still
slave, " he commanded. Facing her, Gylo grasped Keres by the neck and gently
massaged it while leaning in close to her sweating face: "You are indeed a
hearty wench Greek. These additional weights will cause you pain but I doubt
they'll slow you."
Shaking her head to clear her sweat-covered face of matted hair, Keres
spat a mouthful of mucous mixed with bile on the ground next to Gylos's sandaled
feet. Heedless of the consequences, she whispered, "You are correct Roman, I
will survive whatever you might make me endure to satisfy your demented sense of
superiority." Still close to her, Gylo spoke, "Woman, what in the name of
Jupiter consumes you? You fail to realize you are a slave now. It is not up to
me, Simban, Kaeso, or any of us here in the ergastulum to offer you release.
We're not here training you of our own volition. We too are slaves-born in this
condition or sentenced to it as a result of the loss of citizenship. If we fail
to obey our orders or not succeed in training you into complete submission-we
and our families will suffer as you do or be executed-we have no choice woman."
Keres spat again at the ground and responded to Gylo with labored
breathing and a defiant scowl. Sighing, Gylo fished for more lead rings in the
pouch of his tunic. He had the option of adding a full pound to Keres's nipples
but instead, chose the half-pound weights. He made sure Keres saw that he
picked the smaller weights. Gently Gylo cupped her moist left breast and
attached the additional lead. Equally gently, he lowered it and then saw to the
right breast. "You are carry a full pound at each nipple woman. Should you
stop again, I will have no choice but to add another full pound each. If you
halt a third time, the weight added may pull the rings through the nipples and
you'll have to be re-pierced."
"That will not happen Roman," Keres replied, "I swear to Apollo I will
kill you or make you kill me before I will be pierced again." In a tone of
barely hidden admiration, Gylo replied, "Then ensure you complete your circuits
slave-both our families would miss us I'm sure." Gylo ambled toward the sled
and lifted it from its stuck position. "The sled is free slave. You may
proceed."
Unhesitatingly, Keres's legs began pumping with renewed vigor. She
leaned forward and with quivering arms stretched behind her, began accelerating.
Gylo jogged behind immediately behind. Soon Keres completed the first circuit
and was heartened that she had figured out the proper stance to generate the
least resistance to the dead weight of the sled. She had found the proper pace
to cause only slight discomfort from her weighted breasts and other than the
burning sensation caused by the actual piercing, she wasn't suffering too badly.
Her second lap proceeded well without her feeling the lash. As she
entered the third and final lap, she saw her sisters come within view. They
were aboard the backs of two male slaves who jogged slowly under the additional
burden. Having developed a suitable pace, Keres took the opportunity to gaze at
others within the arena. All were trotting with another on their back. Most
had a larger person beneath them but several tiny women were carrying much
bigger men. These small wretches were suffering mightily under the whip.
Kerses soon passed several stumbling couples and was excited at the prospect of
having but a half of a lap to complete. She then noticed Simban approximately
50 yards away and standing directly in her path. Keres pumped her legs to veer
to the left to avoid her but Simban ambled into the new path. Again attempting
a different course, Keres angled to the right but Simban moved into that vector
as well. Keres was quickly closing and unconsciously picked up her pace to gain
momentum. Not totally sure how to proceed, Keres gazed back over her left
shoulder with a questioning expression toward Gylo. Gylo simply shrugged his
shoulders. At approximately 25 yards, Keres chose to proceed on course.
Breathing hard, she dug in with each footfall and barreled straight ahead.
Through eyes stinging with sweat, Keres glanced up and saw that Simban was still
directly before her-standing with legs spread and arms crossed-she was not going
to move. At the last possible moment, Kerses adjust her trajectory as much as
her load would allow and crashed pass Simban with just a glancing blow.
Suddenly Keres arms were racked back as the weight she hauled increased. Still
running hard, she glanced back to see Simban had jumped onto the sled as it
passed. Keres was unprepared for this move and her momentum slowed until she
was barely making forward progress.
"Slave! Keep up the pace," Simban bellowed and added the lash to
Keres's back. Keses shouted in pain as Simban's whip's many lead-tipped lashes
ripped into previously damaged flesh. Grunting loudly, Keres hammered the
ground hard realizing it would be nearly impossible to restart the sled should
she ground to a halt. Again Simban's vicious lash cut into her back and Keres
screeched in reaction. Keres dug into her soul to draw upon any remaining
strength in reserve to keep the sled moving. Mounted couples jogged past and
shouted encouragement in spite of being rewarded for their support with the
taste of a whip. Mucous streamed freely from Kares's nose and mouth and her
lips were parched and cracked from the relentless gasping for air. Sweat
streamed from every pore as the Greek woman fought the weight. Simban's whip
continued to slash at Keres's vulnerable back and the resulting blood flowed
freely. Without warning, the weight Keres fought so intensely lightened and she
lunged forward stumbling and crashing face first into the dirt. Too drained to
reposition, Keres feared the worst when Simban's voice sounded in hushed tones
in her ear: "You completed the third lap before you fell slave-no further
weights will be added. Gylo will take you to the bath-speak not Greek-I know
you are appreciative and I will not have your insolent mouth earning you a night
on the roasting on a spit. Through her parched lips, Keres spat in Gylo's
direction. It was a weak attempt and the meaning was not lost on Simban but it
was ignored. Simban stood and motioned to Gylo adding, "Take this one to the
bath. Have the runners switch positions and continue for another hour. You may
then cease for the day. When this one is bathed and fed, bring her to my
quarters...oh yes; leave her nipple rings in place. Oh and Gylo, her sister-the
mother-put Xua in her cell. I want the cow milked each morning so the training
is not interrupted again."
