Chapter Ten

 

“You exceeded all my expectations in your first combat,” Quintus complimented Africanus when she arrived back at the ludus. “My good friend Glaucus has suggested that you should go to the Colosseum. He will sponsor you there. So you will be pleased to learn that I have decided to retain your trainer for a little while longer. Who knows you might even end up fighting side by side in front of the emperor.”

Africanus was beside herself. Fighting in the Colosseum and in front of the emperor, and so soon! She was unaware that Glaucus had impressed upon Quintus the urgency of getting her into the Colosseum as soon as possible before his rival Polonius grabbed the laurels. And there was the sobering fact that the ludus was hovering on bankruptcy and the Colosseum offered the only real chance of filling the empty coffers.

“We’re going to the Colosseum,” Africanus told Fortuna when she joined her that evening. “And my master is keeping you for a while yet.”

“You’re not ready for the Colosseum,” Fortuna said, stunned at the news. “Oh, I know you proved yourself in that flea pit of an arena, but in Rome you will be matched against your own kind, men and women trained to fight and with a lot of experience. I just don’t want to see you wiped out so quickly. But if your master is keeping me for a while I’ll have to work on you. Tomorrow we shall be fully armoured and I will take the part of the Retarius with the net and trident. You will have the gladius, a real sword. We won’t be hacking each other to pieces. It will be a mock fight. But you do see my point.”

“I understand,” she said, unable to hide her disappointment.

Fortuna lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I don’t know why, but I just don’t trust your mistress. She’s up to something, I know it. We shall have to watch our backs. I wonder where my slave has got to. That girl is always to be found when she’s not wanted and never when she is. But no matter, I have some bread, cheese, and a fresh bottle of wine, or a flagon of beer, if you prefer.”

It was evening and both Nydia and her mistress had stolen away on their respective errands. Africanus and Fortuna were alone with no one to disturb or spy on them. They had taken their baths and felt refreshed. Now they reclined naked in Fortuna’s room happy and relaxing in each other’s company, knowing that they would not be parted for a while yet. But despite the love that had blossomed between them, Africanus was still missing Circo.

“Have you ever been in love with a man?” Africanus asked, breaking a chunk of bread from the loaf.

“Oh, I’ve had men, but none that I would say I actually loved. But I think you have.”

She told Fortuna all about Circo, their combat together and how magnificent he looked in his leather breeches and the way he’d fought, then how he’d come to her cell and made love to her.

Fortuna opened her cabinet and took out a package. She laid it on the bed and looked Africanus in the eye. “Would it help ease your anxiety if you imagined I was Circo making love to you?”

“Of course, but it’s not quite the same is it?”

Fortuna unrolled the package and Africanus stared at its contents.

“It’s called a ‘dildo’,” she informed, picking up a shining male phallus and handing it to her.

It was made of polished wood and wondrously fashioned, even down to the delicate veins on the trunk. The head was of a lighter colour than the shaft and was perfectly carved. The groove under it was deep and sensual. In her hand it felt strangely warm and as real as could be imagined. At the base a long thin leather strap had been fitted to a sort of curved plate which would fit snugly over a woman’s pubic mound.

“I shall wear it and make love to you, and you will close your eyes and call me Circo,” Fortuna said softly.

“It’s very big,” Africanus said anxiously, running her fingers along it length.

“It was a gift from the wife of my former master. She had it made to punish her disobedient slaves, men and women. She used to ride the women in their cunts and men up their backsides. It gave her immense pleasure and taught the slaves a lesson they didn’t forget in a hurry. But with you I shall be gentle, unless of course you want a long, hard ride. I imagine Circo was a good fuck.”

Africanus’ eyes misted and looked as if she were in another world. “He rode me ‘til I was sore,” she whispered.

“Then you need a good, hard fuck. It’ll bring back sweet memories, and at the same time get that weight off your mind. Now pass it to me.”

Africanus handed her the implement, and Fortuna held it in place over her pubic bush. She adjusted it until the plate covered her sex and fitted tight in her thigh creases. The straps were passed around her hips and another thicker one under her legs and through her buttock crease. At the base of her spine the straps were buckled and fixed tight. It reared up from Fortuna’s groin like a tent pole and Africanus couldn’t help but admire how beautiful it looked in the lamplight. The surface had assumed a dull, well polished sheen, each vein stood out from the gleaming skin, and the head was large and bulbous.

Without any instructions she knelt before it and closed her hand around the shaft, lovingly caressing its length. Her fingers gently smoothed the head and followed through the groove. She placed her hand at the middle and guided the head into her mouth. Fortuna watched with a glowing smile. Her protégé was already aroused at the sight and thought of being fucked with suck a splendid weapon. And it had the advantage of staying perpetually erect. No matter for how long she fucked the black gladiatrix, it would never tire or go limp.

Africanus sucked on the phallus, slowly to begin with, getting used to its unnatural hardness and strength. She angled her neck and took in as much as she could, letting the tip nudge her into her cheeks and throat. Her mouth was wide open, stretched all the way around its surface, but still she couldn’t go right down to the base. The musky aroma of Fortuna’s cunt drifted into her nostrils. At the root of the phallus she could see the outer fringes of the pubic bush, curled and glistening. She was sure she could smell the other woman’s arousal. She worked her head up and down the shaft sucking harder with every lift and plunge of her head. She only wished it could come in her mouth. Her fingers stroked the sides of the phallus, going over the gnarled veins and at the base where it joined the plate. She used her free hand to smooth the dimpled skin of Fortuna’s hips and buttocks. Fortuna opened her legs wider and Africanus slipped her hand under the hard, wooden plate. Her fingers went under the buttock crease, teasing the sensitive area that had all women panting and gasping. Fortuna caught her breath and placed her hands into Africanus’ braids.

“If you keep that up I shall come and I won’t have so much strength to fuck you,” she whispered hoarsely.

Africanus released the phallus and went to the bed, lying on her back, her long legs thrown wide. She put out her arms welcoming Fortuna’s sweating body between her fleshy thighs.

Fortuna placed the tip of the phallus at the dark throbbing lips of the gladiatrix’ sex. The labia were already pouted and swollen from the sudden inrush of excited blood. The clitoris was stimulated to arousal even before the sex tunnel was penetrated. The girl was desperate for the phallus to embed itself deep in her sex. But Fortuna hung back, wisely taking her time to arouse the girl still further before she made her plunge. She let her weight fall on the woman beneath her and their breasts squashed into one another, flattening in fat mounds of black and ivory flesh. The nipples, now hard and proud collided and both women breathed a sigh of contentment. Fortuna put her hands on the sides of Africanus’ head and held her still while she kissed her full on her voluptuous lips. She buried her fingers in the multitude of tiny, woven braids and raked her finger nails into the scalp. Africanus’ hips and belly gave an involuntary heave and the phallus dug deeper against her sex.

“I want it now,” she purred, raking Fortuna hard between the shoulder blades.

“Not yet my darling. Not so soon. Let me make love to you.” Her voice was low and husky; her eyelids heavy and drooping over her misted green eyes. “There is no hurry. Love should never be hurried. We can fuck all night.”

She raised herself on her elbows and let her breasts swing slowly to and fro over Africanus’ throbbing nipples. A fine, almost transparent sheen of sweat had broken over the skin of both women as they lay, arms and legs entwined, teasing each other with their nipples and tongues. The air was getting thicker with the heavy, sensuous, sexual lust rising within them.

“I can’t last much longer,” Africanus breathed. “Please, I want it in me.”

“Soon,” Fortuna said, prolonging the delicious agony of waiting. The longer she fondled and kissed her companion, the greater the urge stirring in her belly.

Fortuna had neglected to tell Africanus that her former mistress had fallen in love with her, had found her graceful torso, enormous breasts and shapely buttocks irresistible, and had used the phallus on her every night. Fortuna had welcomed it with open legs. After battling in the arena she too was longing for sex. Her whole body cried out for release she was so sexually aroused, and night after night her mistress had fucked her hard, inserting her phallus deep in the soaking tunnel of the gladiatrix, writhing her body on top of her, finally screaming and shaking in her own orgasm. But that was something private between Fortuna and her mistress and she had taken an oath of secrecy, never to betray what had taken place.

Africanus had thrown her legs over Fortuna’s back and Fortuna was caressing the thighs with long sweeps of her palm. She loved the feel of her skin so soft and silky and so solid. She reached for the calves and ran her fingers along the splendid undulating contours.

“You have such magnificent legs, my darling. When you are in Rome, be careful who you let between them.”

“I only want you and Circo,” she whispered. “Now, fuck me before I come and spoil it all.”

Fortuna reached under her belly and wiggled the head of the phallus into Africanus’ sex. Her legs fell from the woman’s back and went as wide as she could throw them. She placed her hands on Fortuna’s buttocks and gently squeezed the cheeks, urging her to drive the phallus home.

Fortuna gathered her strength and began a slow gyration of her hips, moving them in magnificent serpentine motions. Her buttocks opened and clenched, each half revolving and colliding with the other. Africanus could just see them reflected in a polished copper mirror and her heart pounded.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” she whispered, hardly able to control her emotions.

She was lost, buoyed up on a sea of ecstasy, flushed with her success in the arena and all she wanted now was total and uncompromising sex. And Fortuna was going to give it. Her back and shoulders snaked over Africanus pressing and squashing her breasts against the larger globes of the woman beneath who now writhed and squirmed as the phallus eased its way into her soaking sex. The hard shaft stayed rigid inside her and the momentum gradually increased. Fortuna was jerking her hips and buttocks faster and faster, going from side to side making sure that Africanus felt every inch.

“This is just wonderful,” she breathed, trying now to imagine it really was Circo inserting his throbbing cock into her willing sex.

“I knew you’d like it,” Fortuna smiled, kissing her again.

She arched her back and gave a final thrust ramming the phallus as far as it would go. Africanus’ body broke into a colossal shudder. The phallus might not be a real penis, but the pleasure she was getting from it defied all description.

“Please suck my tits,” she begged, and Fortuna’s lips were there at once, puckering over the throbbing buds and sucking on them.

Then she drew back and started licking the sweat from Africanus’ chest, licking the hot skin with her equally hot tongue, going everywhere, diving into the well of her throat, around and over her breasts, teasing the nipples, then angling her head and licking under Africanus’ arms. She reached between her legs and inserted her fingers alongside the phallus, wiggling them fast over the trembling clitoris. Africanus cried out and her bottom lifted from the bed. Her feet slammed into the base board and she reached out grabbing the head rails. Her back arched into a magnificent bridge lifting her buttocks high off the mattress. Fortuna clung to the head rails and rode her lover like a demon, slamming and smacking her pelvis into the apex of Africanus’ thighs. The hard phallus moved so fast that Africanus was helpless against the power of her orgasm. It had taken control of her mind and body and there was nothing she could do to stop the hot river of love juice streaming from her quivering sex lips. But Fortuna exercised greater control and held back, riding her lover with slow, powerful thrusts of her hips and thighs. Africanus let out a deep groan and crashed to the bed in a soaking pool of her own juice.

“I’ve come,” she sobbed, throwing her arms around Fortuna’s shoulders and hugging her close.

They kissed for what seemed an eternity, their mouths, lips, and tongues searching, searching. Their hair became a confused tangle of dark braids and flowing locks. It tumbled over their faces and they were submerged in darkness. Both women were sweating so much their chests and bellies slithered over one another. The air in the room was hot and close, but still Fortuna had not come.

“I want you to fuck me,” she said suddenly.

Africanus looked into her eyes, deep, fathomless pools of emerald, glowing with lust and passion. How could she refuse after giving her selfless and willing body?

Fortuna deftly released the tiny bronze buckles at the base of her spine and the phallus was speedily fitted over African’s wet and glistening pubic curls. She stood up and saw her reflection in the polished copper and heaved a lustful sigh.

“I look magnificent,” she said, amazed at just how devastatingly sexual the phallus looked strapped hard onto her mound.

She was naked and dripping, one hand resting on her hip, the other gripping the phallus and stroking it, running her hand up and down its length, feeling the juice slicked texture of the wood. Dimly, she became aware of the power a hard throbbing cock possessed, and why women would fall on their knees for it.

Fortuna was on her knees and with her arms encircling Africanus’ waist she sucked the phallus deep into her throat. The aromatic taste of Africanus’ love juice was strong and scented on her lips. Africanus put her hands into Fortuna’s wild mane and dug her finger nails into the scalp. Fortuna returned the compliment, raking her talons over Africanus’ buttocks, leaving long red scars from spine to thigh. She drew her head away and dragged Africanus to the floor, spreading her legs and easing the gladiatrix between them.

“Now do your stuff,” she smiled. “Ride me until I’m sore.”

Africanus began slowly and uncertainly at first, accustoming herself to her new found power. Again she realised why women worshipped men with rock hard, massive cocks. It was not unlike wielding a sword, but instead of dealing a killing blow, she was inserting part of her own body into another woman, and she thrust harder, driving her cock, for it seemed as it were now a real part of her flesh and blood, deeper and deeper, experiencing for the first time what it was like to penetrate another woman’s sex. Fortuna grunted when the phallus’ head touched the base of her womb, and closed her sex walls around the shaft. Her legs went around Africanus’ back and they were locked fast.

“Take your time,” Fortuna groaned, feeling the wooden shaft hard inside her. “Ride me slowly. I want to feel every inch of you.”

More than ever, Africanus felt that the phallus was hers and had been part of her from time immemorial.

“I’m going to ride you like a man,” she whispered, and thrust her loins so hard Fortuna jolted from the floor.

But Africanus had learnt to control her ardour and rode her lover with steady heaves of her hips and buttocks. Fortuna could see her buttocks reflected in the mirror and it was her turn to watch how the gleaming black moons revolved and snaked. Africanus legs were wide and stiff, her toes digging into the boards for greater leverage. Her calves and thighs had gone solid and muscular, beautiful in their graceful curves and planes. Fortuna had always admired Africanus’ thighs and had been attracted to them from the start. When they had finished making love she was going to lick the sweat from every pore.

Africanus lifted her weight on her fully stretched arms and let her enormous breasts swing over Fortuna’s chest. She judged it just right and the erect nipples grazed the paler flesh with a touch of a feather. Fortuna cupped the globes in her hands, lifting and weighing them, marveling at their size. She rolled them tightly together, let them wobble back into place, and then squeezed, softly at first but then increasing the pressure until the dark flesh oozed from between her fingers. She raised her head and bit hard, sinking her teeth into the ample breast flesh. Africanus let out a cry of pain and rode harder, driven on by the pain darting into her like a myriad hot needles. When Fortuna bit hard on her nipples, Africanus’ hips slammed into the open groin. Every fresh onslaught of pain from the sharp biting teeth brought forth a harder thrust of her hips and buttocks. It was Fortuna who was controlling the tempo of their love making, inflicting the pain at steady intervals and feeling the reaction between her legs. But there was nothing she could do when her orgasm started to rise in her tingling belly. Africanus sensed she was coming and urged her lover to bite and crush her breasts. The pain was exquisite when fiery darts shot through her belly and breasts. She was still riding Fortuna with long, rhythmic thrusts, but the phallus had gone deeper and she could feel the resistance coming from within Fortuna’s sex.

Fortuna stopped biting and slapped the sides of Africanus’ ribs.

“Now you can fuck me hard!” she shrieked, and dragged the gladiatrix down onto her chest.

They were all buttocks, breasts, and hips, riding and slamming, grinding their pubic mounds until the skin rubbed raw. Africanus, overwhelmed by the sheer power of her cock rose to another galvanic orgasm and in a welter of thrashing limbs and writhing bodies they both climaxed.

“Oh, Venus, Goddess of all that is sacred, save me,” Fortuna wept, feeling the phallus slithering from her soaking slit.

It was all Africanus could do to refrain from having her again, but instead she loosed the buckles and placed the phallus lovingly on the cabinet, then laid herself beside her lover and tenderly stroked her hair.

And she had hardly given Circo a thought.

 

For a moment, Fortuna thought she was dreaming. Both women had wakened before dawn and Africanus had gone back to her cell to prepare for the next bout with her trainer. Fortuna had summoned her slave, but the wretched girl had not answered the summons so she had gone to look for her, her face red with anger. It wasn’t her place to go hunting for her own slave when she ought to have been on hand. Then, as she crossed the training ground she saw her slinking through the arch and wearing a sack, of all things.

“Where the hell have you been?” the trainer raged. “I’ve been looking all over the place for you. And why are you dressed like that?”

Nydia broke into a flood of tears and fell on her knees. “Oh, mistress, please don’t be angry with me. I was sent on an errand by the master’s wife and was waylaid. A gang of robbers stripped and raped me and left me naked in the street. A kind drover gave me this sack to cover myself. I was lucky to escape with my life. Look at me.”

It was true. The girl had been abused, that was plain to see, and Fortuna’s anger quickly abated.

“What have you got in your hand?” she asked, noticing her clenched fist.

The sobbing girl opened her fist and displayed a single sestertius.

“Where did you get this?” she enquired, putting it between her teeth.

“I found it in the street, mistress.”

Fortuna bit the coin in half. “You should’ve saved yourself the trouble. It’s a dud and not worth the lead it’s made from.”

She tossed the worthless coin in the sand and told Nydia to fetch her oils and come to her room at once. Lady Octavia had got home safely and had let herself in through a side door and was sleeping soundly as if she had never left her bed.

It was an hour later after Nydia had finished oiling Fortuna and the two gladiatrices were now locked in combat that she found her master, Quintus watching them battling in the training ground. With only two weeks to go before her first contest in the mighty Colosseum, he wanted to be absolutely sure that Africanus was up to the mark. He had a lot on his mind, what with Glaucus preparing the sponsorship with all the risk that entailed. He had offered to sponsor Africanus independently as a contract gladiatrix and had even hinted he might buy her if she was victorious in the Colosseum. It was a deal well worth considering. Africanus wouldn’t come cheap, but the profit would clear his debts. Of course, he had no idea that both Glaucus and his own wife, Octavia had been planning it all along, waiting until Africanus had been trained and armoured at his own expense, watching him get deeper and deeper into debt, then Glaucus would offer to buy both the ludus and her at only half their worth before the creditors came battering at the door and took it all as payment. The only thing that Glaucus didn’t know was that Octavia had made other plans and was one step ahead in the great game of treachery.

“Please, master I have some important news,” Nydia simpered, bowing her head.

Quintus ignored her. His attention was caught by Fortuna, naked except for a shoulder guard, and armed with a deadly trident and net with which to ensnare Africanus looking resplendent in her wide brimmed helmet, short leather skirt that did little to hide her gorgeous bottom, andwielding a gladius, the short sword now swinging expertly in her hand. She was using her shield well and was parrying every blow of the trident. Her bare breasts were wobbling and swaying beautifully and the nipples were suitably erect. Both women looked splendid thrusting out their inviting buttocks and moving like predatory cats on their long shapely legs.

“What news?” he asked, keeping his eyes on the combatants.

“About the lady Octavia,” she said slyly. “I know where she goes at night.”

“At night?” he said, becoming interested.

Fortuna advanced quickly, keeping the trident aimed at Africanus’ throat and swinging the net in an arc. Africanus was keeping out of range, deftly leaping over the net and catching the trident with her sword. She moved in and the sword bounced off the shoulder guard. Fortuna ducked behind it protecting her face and stepping backwards, tripped and fell. Africanus was there in a flash, falling on top of her, aiming the tip of the blade at her throat. But Fortuna was ready with her trident and knocked the sword from her hand. Africanus rolled off her and snatched it up, ready to begin again.

Nydia waited patiently until the master turned to face her.

“I followed her, master, all the way to the docks.”

“The docks!” he said, now staring hard at her. “What on earth was she doing there?”

“I don’t know, master, I only saw her go in one of the brothels and she was talking to a man.”

“If you’re making this up, I’ll have you flogged.”

“It’s true, master. The brothel was called, ‘The House of Olives.’ And there is something else, master,” she said quickly, her tone bordering on panic. “I saw that black gladiatrix and my new mistress fucking with Lacinius. She sent me into the gladiators’ quarters to fetch him and they were fucking all night,”

“He had both of them?” he asked, astonished.

“They were at it like goats,” she smiled.

But Quintus wasn’t smiling. It seemed that there was a lot going on behind his back that he didn’t know about.

The combat was drawing to a close and Africanus had acquitted herself admirably. In two weeks she would be more than ready for the Colosseum. It was generous of his good friend, Glaucus offering to field her as a contract gladiatrix and take on all the financial risks. He looked at Nydia convinced that she was telling the truth.

“Soon, you shall have your freedom. In the meantime I want you to keep a close eye on your mistress, and if she goes there again you are to follow her and report everything she says and does.”

Nydia bowed low and scurried off, wondering how she was going to get in and out of the brothel without being fucked by half of its horrible inmates.