Greek Love

*NEWLY REVISED!*


Disclaimer: I don't own fake.

Sunlight fell through the high stone windows and caused the white marble floor to glow with a brilliant radiance beneath Dee's feet. The tall, raven-haired man sat in an elevated stone seat fitted with several plush cushions, and he looked rather cross despite the opulent setting. A large tray of fruit lay nearly untouched next to his hand, and the voices drifting from the entrance hall did not improve his mood.

"I have my orders," a thick, heavy voice said obstinately.

"Be that as it may, my lord will have no visitors today," an older, more stubborn female voice reported. Dee smiled. There was supposed to be a strong line drawn between master and servant in Athens, but he would always feel a distinct fondness for the older woman who had watched over him since he was a child. He knew her better than his own parents, and when he was young he had often called her 'mother'. Now he heard her voice again, more persistently saying, "Please come back again later when my lord may be more inclined to see you."

But the swarthy voice would not be gainsaid and when a maidservant came to him to ask what to do, Dee told her, "Tell him to come in, he has disturbed my thoughts already with his shouting. Let us fulfill his duty so that I may send him away as soon as possible."

"Very well my lord," the girl said and left to report back to the older woman on the other side of the door.

It was disappointing, though not unexpected, to be disrupted so early. Maybe it would do him some good, though. Thrusting his anger and frustration onto this man might help him be rid of it. Although that seemed unlikely, as Dee couldn't even seem to figure out where his discontent was stemming from. It was partly because of that intolerable senator Berkely, but that didn't account for his growing sense of loneliness. He had taken many lovers in his life, but none of them fulfilled him. And often he felt worse after his conquests, especially when he couldn't reciprocate the other's feelings. This had been the case the last few months with a younger boy, he simply called 'JJ'. Dee regretted ever taking him to his bed, but there was nothing he could do now. Last week he had discreetly arranged to have the boy sent to another part of the city in hopes JJ would transfer his affections to someone else. Later, his servant had reported how badly JJ had taken the removal, and it had left a sour taste in the older man's mouth.

As the owner of the offensive, heavy voice was presented before Dee, his mind was forced to return to the present. The man's girth was as thick as his speech and the pungent scent of sweat stung Dee's nostrils. "Yes?" he asked abruptly, without the usual polite overtones attached.

The short, stocky man was somewhat put out by the tone in the tall, overpowering man's voice, but he stood his ground. "My lord," he began with an awkward, curt bow, "I was told to report to you immediately-"

"By whom?" Dee interrupted.

"B-by the administrator of the city. He said any fresh slaves were to be brought to you for examination," the man stumbled.

This was unexpected news and Dee now cleared his mind to bring his full concentration to the situation at hand. He disliked any idea of slavery or forced servitude and had decided to take a direct hand in overseeing the treatment of such unfortunate souls, finding them suitable work or, at the very least, placing them in homes where he knew they would not be mistreated. It galled him that he couldn't simply set them all free. However, there was often no place in Greek society for those outside the social system, despite being 'free'. Those who couldn't find work inevitably ended up in the brothels. Which was worse? Dee often wondered during at moments like this, as the line of chained men and women was shuffled before him.

He went down the line one by one, and inspected everyone to see how strong or weak they appeared, how suitable they were for certain kinds of labor, and where he might place them. He could read the misery in their eyes and tried to shield his heart from their silent pleas. Although he didn't want to be indifferent to their plight, he also didn't want his heart to break under the weight of their obvious pain. And it was always a fine line to tread.

"Send this one to Berkely," Dee instructed regarding a particularly striking young woman. As much as he hated the man, Dee knew he treated his servants well and was especially kind to those he favored sexually And, Berkely wasn't the type to force anyone, as others might.

"And this one?" the short, gruff man asked, as he shoved forward the last man chained to the line. Dee looked up to rebuke the unpleasant man for handling the slaves so roughly, but his voice caught in his throat as he gazed into the most stunning pair of deep, onyx eyes he had ever seen. Their beauty was only accentuated by the contrasting pale hair crowning the man's head. But it wasn't just the unusual color of the eyes that caught Dee off-guard. It was the intensity of emotion, the depth of knowledge. The man's gaze seemed to look right through him.

"My lord?" the stocky man asked after a moment and Dee turned his eyes from the strange man before him who had affected him so deeply.

"Unlock this one. I'll deal with him personally."

"Very well, my lord," replied the other man and soon the large marble hall was emptied of all but Dee and the silent, enigmatic stranger.



*******Hmmmm... What does Dee have in store for our little sandy-haired slave? Reviews welcomed! ^_^