Chapter Four
Gabrielle and Domina
Despite having trouble falling asleep, Gabrielle found herself roused from a sound sleep well before daybreak. She was instructed to bathe again, to dress, to eat, and then to help Antea as she scrubbed the floors and walls of the villa; Domina, she was told, had a compulsion with clean walls and floors.
Just before the midday meal, a slave girl named Marsa came to Phaedra, telling her that Domina wanted Gabrielle to come to her. After Gabrielle quickly donned a clean tunic, Phaedra instructed her - "Do not speak unless spoken to. Every answer, every question must end with 'Domina'. When you leave, you will never turn your back to Domina -- you leave the room facing her, eyes down."
Nodding her understanding, Gabrielle followed Marsa, being especially vigilant as to the route they were taking, noting every turn, every room they passed, and the placement of the guards. When they arrived, Gabrielle was surprised to find they were in Lucretia's bed chamber. She was lying on the bed, wearing a red, sheer, see-through garment opened at the sides, and nothing else. As they entered the room, Marsa bowed her head, then backed out, leaving Gabrielle to stand at the foot of Lucretia's bed, and under close inspection. For what seemed too long, Gabrielle could feel Domina's eyes on her, and the urge to look up almost overpowering, but she fought it.
"Raise your eyes and look at me," Lucretia finally said. And when she did, Gabrielle saw that her hair was no longer red, but straw blond, similar to her own. "Why is it that your companion resembles me so?"
It wasn't the question Gabrielle was expecting, and she was at a loss of what to say. But knowing she had to answer, she finally said, "I - I have no answer, Domina. An amazing coincidence, I suppose."
And again, Gabrielle found herself being closely scrutinized, as if she was merchandise inspected before purchase, which in fact was what she was. Then Lucretia said, "Remove your tunic."
Gabrielle slipped it over her head and let it fall to the floor. For a half dozen breaths there was silence, then Lucretia said, "You have little fat on you, life on the road is not an easy one, I presume."
"No, Domina, it is not."
"This Xena of yours," 'Xena' being said in a repugnant tone, "you were lovers?"
"Yes, Domina, we are - were."
"Do you think me as beautiful as she?"
Gabrielle had to think fast - Lucretia was leading her into a lethal trap. "More so with your blond hair and fair skin. Both are most appealing."
Lucretia didn't answer, but from her small smile, Gabrielle knew it was the right thing to say.
After another short while, Lucretia said, "Turn around, let me see the back of you."
Gabrielle made the turn, aware that Lucretia was studying her again. The she heard the bed creak and felt Lucretia's body heat as she neared her. Then she felt her shoulder-length hair being lifted, and heard the sniff as Lucretia smelled it, and made a demeaning noise.
"You will tell Phaedra that from today forward you are to bathe and shampoo with lavender scented soap, I have a particular fondness for its fragrance."
"Yes, Domina, I will tell her."
Gabrielle then felt Lucretia's finger tips as they trailed down her back to her buttocks and back up again. Then she felt fingers and thumb as they went around her upper arm.
"Make your arm hard," she was instructed, and Gabrielle tightened her bicep and triceps together. "Almost as a man's," Lucretia commented. "Turn around."
Gabrielle turned back to face her, and they stood barely a hand's width apart, making Gabrielle especially uncomfortable, but she knew not move away. As Gabrielle stared at Lucretia's upper chest, she dared not look up into her eyes, she saw the sheer fabric fall to the floor. Lucretia took Gabrielle by the wrist and placed her hand between her legs at her crotch.
"You know what to do," she said, and Gabrielle slowly began to massage and manipulate Lucretia's center of sexual pleasure. After a very short while, Lucretia said in a panting whisper, "My knees grow weak," and she backed toward the foot of the bed, a grip still on Gabrielle's wrist, holding it in place, and as she sat on the bed, she pulled Gabrielle to her knees. And as she fell back on the bed, with her free hand, she grabbed a handful of hair and pulled Gabrielle's face into her crotch.
At first Gabrielle almost resisted, then the thought came to her - as unpleasant as this was, perhaps it would ingratiate her to this woman, and somehow it would help her and Xena's situation. And even though Lucretia smelled and tasted nothing like Xena, Gabrielle began to enthusiastically kiss, lick and suck those especially sensitive areas. And as she did so, she could hear Lucretia moan in a raspy whisper, "By the Great Cunt of Juno, do not stop!"
It didn't take much longer for Lucretia to approach her orgasm - Gabrielle knew what fueled Xena's passion and put this knowledge to great use. Then suddenly Lucretia grabbed Gabrielle's head with both hands and pulled her tighter into her crotch, rocking and humping against Gabrielle's face. Gabrielle found that both her nose and mouth were covered, making it impossible for her to breathe, but as she tried pulling back, Lucretia's legs surrounded her head, holding her fast. Gabrielle's struggles to breathe only seemed to flame the fires of Lucretia's passion. And even though her ears were covered by Lucretia's inner thighs, Gabrielle heard her screams of ecstasy and release, and just as Gabrielle thought she would pass out, Lucretia's grip released in exhaustion, and she was able to breathe again - panting almost as much as Lucretia.
Lucretia was lying spread-eagle on the foot of the bed, her feet on the floor, with Gabrielle on her knees between her legs, but as she moved to get up, Lucretia grabbed her again by the hair.
"You leave when you are dismissed," she hissed breathlessly.
"Yes, Domina."
"Now, help me to the head of the bed."
Gabrielle had some trouble moving the fatigued woman, but when her head was on her pillow, Lucretia pulled Gabrielle partially on top of her. She put Gabrielle's left hand over her right breast and her left leg between hers then wrapped her own legs around it, and fell asleep. Gabrielle let herself doze as well.
What woke Gabrielle up she didn't know, but she knew her leg was still trapped, and Lucretia's right hand was over hers, which was still over her breast. Gabrielle barely looked up and saw Lucretia's head was lolled back, her mouth was open, and she was snoring, loudly. Gabrielle could barely keep from laughing - a dangerous thing to do. As she lay there, waiting for Lucretia to wake up, Gabrielle began to wish she had a goblet of water, and she needed to wash her face. Vaginal juices were fine during the sex act, but later, as they dried, not so much.
Not long after that a slave girl she hadn't seen before entered the room timidly. She approached the bed, not exactly sure what to do. They exchanged looks, then the girl gently shook the bed.
"Domina," she said softly. But when there was no response, she shook the bed harder and spoke louder. The third time when the girl shook the bed even harder, and spoke even louder, Lucretia came half awake, breathed in loudly, snorted, then said, "What? What is it?"
"I am loathe to disturb you, Domina, but Dominus requests you join him on the arena balcony as soon as is possible."
Lucretia was now fully awake and looked down at Gabrielle as if this were the first time she had seen her, and unceremoniously, shoved her off the bed onto the floor.
"Tell Dominus I will join him presently."
The slave girl hurriedly backed out of the room then ran to deliver the message.
Gabrielle got up and began to put on her tunic. "Is that all, Domina?" she asked, head bowed.
"Yes, thats all. You are dismissed."
Gabrielle backed out of the room, but just as she got to the door, Lucretia reminded her, "Be sure you inform Phaedra of the jasmine scented shampoo."
Gabrielle stopped, confused. "Jasmine?" she thought to herself. "I thought she said lavender."
"There is a problem?" Lucretia asked, irritated about being woken up.
"No, Domina. Not at all."
And Gabrielle backed out of sight, then turned to go to the slave quarters. She had only gone a dozen steps when from a side room someone grabbed her arm and dragged her into it. It was the slave girl Marsa, who had led her to Lucretia's bed chamber.
"I know what you do!" she said viciously. "You think you can worm your way into Domina's good graces by the strength of your tongue inside her. But know this - you are new, and a novelty, and soon Domina will tire of you! I am Domina's favorite, and I always will be. And you are just for the moment."
"You don't understand," Gabrielle said. "I have no say-so over what Domina tells me. I'm only trying to get along as best I can until...."
Gabrielle was about to say "...until Xena and I can make our escape" but Phaedra's warning about eyes and ears everywhere stopped her.
"Until what? Until you can run from here?"
"No, not at all!" Gabrielle insisted. "Only until Domina sees fit to allow me to see my friend, the one I was capture with. We are close."
Marsa made a contemptuous noise, pushed Gabrielle away from her, then left the room, obviously angry. Gabrielle followed her out, and made her way back to the slave quarters, hoping Phaedra would know whether to use the lavender or jasmine scented soap.