Jack climbed the stairs balancing three meals on a tray with one hand. When he ordered, the owners had tried to give him one meal meant for servants and two meant for slaves. “You will give me three meals of equal quality, be that slave or servant.” Jack ordered. The couple that was running the place shared a look and nodded, rushing to prepare what he had asked for.

  He was surprised at how quickly the food was prepared until he realized it was simply a hearty soup and some bread that had been baked that morning. Getting to the door, he knocked. “It’s Jack. Can I come in?” He asked, unsure if they had both had a chance to finish bathing.

  After a beat, he heard Merrow call, “Come in, Jack.” Opening the door, he froze, seeing Merrow lounging in the tub before shaking his head with a sigh at her now familiar antics.

  Closing the door, Jack admonished her, though his tone was amused, “You could have finished without me coming in.”

  “We’re clowder. Why would I worry about you seeing me like this?” she asked, getting out of the tub, the water dripping from her fur. Jack pointedly averted his gaze instead, setting the tray on the table and turned to Ingra. “Why don’t you start eating while I get my bath.” He said, then moved to the corner where he had spotted some privacy screens.

  She gave him a questioning look, especially as he seemed to do his best to give Merrow privacy even when she was overtly flaunting her nudity. Jack noticed the wolf-kin’s nose twitch before her eyes flitted to Merrow, then back to him. “Which one is yours?” Ingra asked as she made her way to the food.

  “Doesn’t matter. They’re all the same. Jack answered.

  Ingra stared at him. “What do you mean? Beast-kin don’t get the same meals as human slaves.” She insisted, believing him only when she saw three identical meals on a tray.

  “I’ll have a bath while you eat,” Jack said as he finished getting the privacy screens in place to block the view from the table and bed, and started to disrobe. While he had grown more comfortable being nude around others and nudity in general, he wasn’t given much choice as a slave, he was still more comfortable bathing and stripping in even faux privacy.

  Jack jumped when Merrow all but materialized beside him. “Let me help you get settled before I eat.” She said. Her hands grabbed at his tunic, her dexterous fingers quickly helping him out of his tunic then his pants. Jack didn’t bother trying to fight her on it. This wasn’t the first time she had insisted on doing this for him.

  “Thanks, Row.” Jack said in resignation. All the while he could feel Ingra’s eyes on him and Merrow, as it seemed both had simply walked around the little privacy the screens provided. In only a few moments Jack was nude, he watched as Merrow folded and set aside his clothes as he slipped into the… clean water? “Row, how is the water clean?” Jack asked, standing beside the tub, dumbfounded for a moment before shrugging and slipping in.

  “Magic.” She said. “Ingra showed me how it worked.”

  “Thank you, Ingra.” Jack called to the wolf-kin, relishing in the warmth, and letting the day’s fatigue melt away.

  “I didn’t do it for you, human. I just didn’t want to have to fetch fresh water for your bath,” she said, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

  Jack soon finished with his bath and grabbed the robe Merrow had left nearby, putting it on before watching as she pulled a concealed lever before the tub bubbled. “Would it clean our clothes if we put them in there when it’s doing that self-cleaning?” Jack asked, his curiosity peaked.

  “No, it destroys everything in the tub aside from the water. I don’t know how it works, but I was instructed that should I ever pull that lever while my Dominus was inside, I would be skinned alive while they force-fed me healing potions.” Ingra replied, her casual tone a chilling contrast to what she had said.

  “Got it don’t pull the lever when there’s something in the tub.” Jack said with a gulp. Putting the screens back where he found them, Jack moved over to the table and started eating. The soup had gone cold while he was relaxing in the bath, but he didn’t care. Choosing to quickly wolfing it down and using the bread to lap up the remaining broth and vegetables.

  While he ate, Jack watched as Merrow took each of their clothes and dipped them in the water, giving them a good scrub before hanging them on a line he hadn’t noticed the first time he had entered the room.

  “Alright, you two should go lay down on the bed and get some sleep. I’ll take the floor.” Jack said, taking up one of the extra blankets he had one of the rabbit-kin servants bring up while they ate.

  The words surprised Ingra and got a hiss from Merrow. “You will do no such thing. If you are sleeping on the floor, I will be sleeping with you.” Merrow said in a tone Jack had learned to fear.

  He still tried to persuade her knowing all the while it was futile. “Well, I am not forcing Ingra to sleep on the floor, and I doubt she would be comfortable with me in the bed. Besides, you two are going to be forced to ride in the cage while I think I’ll be in the carriage the entire way.” Jack said.

  “If you keep your hands to yourself, I wouldn’t mind you using the bed, human. It’s big enough.” Ingra said, though Jack noticed her eyes remained firmly on the floor and her ears were pinned to her skull.

  Before Jack could say anything, Merrow looped her arm in his and began leading him to the bed. “Perfect, I’ll take the middle, and Jack can cuddle me.” Merrow purred. She turned to Ingra and gave her a negligent wave, saying, “You can just stay on your side of the bed.”

  Jack sighed, part of him didn’t want to sleep on the bed knowing that Ingra would be uncomfortable. But if he was honest with himself he would much rather be in the bed than on the floor. “If you are really against sleeping with me, I can leave you be,” Merrow said, her voice shaky her arm tightening in his.

  “That’s not it, Row,” Jack said, rubbing his face with a hand the other stuck between Merrow’s arm and her furred chest, “I just don’t want either of you to think I am taking advantage.”

  Merrow pouted, “You can take advantage of me if you like.” She muttered just loud enough for him to hear as she let him go and crawled into the bed.

  Jack sighed and rubbed his temples. She was still wearing nothing but her fur. She was definitely not human, if her fur, lack of breasts and digitigrade legs were any indication. Though, he had learned from Orion that apparently all the sapient species could interbreed to an extent. The old healer had told him, “The gods decided that love should prevail over species.”

  Shaking his head, he climbed in after her, taking the edge of the expansive mattress, giving Ingra and Merrow plenty of room to sleep without forcing them to touch him. Merrow had other ideas. The cat-kin scooted back and curled up next to him, her head on his arm, her tail curled around his leg.

  “Night, Jack.” She murmured quickly, drifting off to purr filled dreams.

  “Night Row,” he said into the aether.

  ***

  Jack woke to something tickling his nose. Shaking his head, he eventually got it to stop, but now he realized there was what felt like a heavy fur blanket right on top of him. With a groan, he tried to turn over and get more comfortable, only to have the blanket growl. He froze at the sound. Looking down, he saw Ingra looking up at him, her teeth bared. “Why are you touching me, human?” She asked her voice a low, menacing growl.

  Jack stayed as still as he could as he spoke, “Look where you are Ingra, I have no idea how it happened, but somehow you ended up crawling on top of me sometime in the night.”

  Ingra let out another growl and pressed her clawed hands into Jack’s chest before rolling off the movement waking up Merrow who had curled up at Jack’s side though in moments her back was arched in a very feline manner hissing at Ingra who was crouched and ready for a fight.

  “Stop it, both of you.” Jack admonished grabbing Merrow by the waist and dragging her off the bed with him as he rolled off. “We need to get dressed and ready.” Jack said, pointing out the window at the twin moons hanging low on the horizon, “If I’m reading the twins correctly, we only have another hour at most before sunrise.”

  Merrow went from hissing to curling around Jack and purring up a storm. Ingra, on the other hand looked out the window and nodded. “You’re right. I’ll set up the screens and get dressed. Peak and even your cat-kin won’t save you, human.” She threatened, though at this point Jack thought it was more out of habit than actual hate.

  “We should do the same, Row. So let me go and let’s get dressed.” Jack said, ignoring the fact that she was rubbing him with her entire body.

  “Fiiine.” She whined, letting Jack go and dancing over to their clothes, ignoring a growl from Ingra, who was trying to grab her own clothes.

  Jack sighed, he didn’t even try to fight Merrow as she dressed him, though he did swat at her when she tried to rub her face on nearly every square inch of him. “Either help or get dressed yourself you’re only making it take longer otherwise.” He admonished.

  Slightly longer than was necessary, the trio were dressed and heading down to the stables. As soon as they exited the building, they spotted Octavian and his guards waiting as the cart and carriage were being hitched by the odd reptilian mounts that he had seen the legionnaires riding back when he was first captured.

  Octavian had spotted them and waved them over. Looking over the trio, he grinned knowingly “Tamed the pup, did you?” He asked only to wave his hand, “No need to tell me the details. It’s obvious, as you wouldn’t let her walk around unbound and without a muzzle otherwise.” He said.

  This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

  Ingra growled but stayed put when Jack put his arm between them. “Behave, Ingra, or I will be forced to punish you, and neither of us wants that to happen.” He muttered just loud enough for her to hear.

  Ingra still had her teeth bared, but she bowed to Octavian before stepping behind Jack and waiting for them to finish talking.

  “As you can see, she is still not tamed, Dominus. However, she has begun to listen to her betters.” Jack said, lowering his head.

  Octavian chuckled, ignoring how wary his guards were. “that is good to see my Vilicus.” He said, his eyes periodically darting towards Ingra, but aside from a raised eyebrow, he didn’t react to her current freedom.

  “I would have you ride with me once again. We are only about a quarter day’s journey to the mine, and I need to inform you of the latest news.” He said, gesturing for Jack to enter the carriage.

  Jack bowed, saying, “Of course, Dominus,” turning to the pair behind him. “Get in the cart and behave.” He ordered. Merrow bowed and moved to obey. Ingra hesitated, baring her teeth before nodding and following.

  Jack checked a sigh of relief that Ingra was listening, if begrudgingly, and stepped up into the carriage.

  ***

  Somehow Ingra controlled her initial impulse to attack the fat bastard that had killed her mother. Instead, she listened to that odd human. Jack had been kind so far, but she had been tricked before. Entering the cage, she sat as the man’s bodyguards closed and locked the it. “You don’t have to act so grumpy all the time.” Merrow teased.

  “I’ll act however I want.” Ingra snapped back instantly regretting it. “I’m sorry. It’s not you.” She said, curling in on herself.

  Merrow watched her for a second before inching towards her. Eventually taking a seat directly on her left and leaning into the slightly larger woman. “Want to talk about it?” she asked softly, just loud enough for the other beast-kin to hear.

  “Octavian ordered the murder of my mother when she refused to sleep with him.” She blurted out softly, surprising herself. With the admission, the entire tale came pouring out of her. How her pack had been captured. How they were sold as a lot to Octavian to work in his estate, before they were deemed too unruly to be trained as house slaves. Even how he would periodically pick out one of the females to force himself on, finally she described her mother’s execution.

  By the end of it, Ingra was silent, her facial fur stained with tears as she leaned into Merrow. The cat-kin in question had her arm draped around Ingra’s shoulders. “You’re part of the clowder.” Merrow stated after a few minutes of silence. Ingra went to argue only for Merrow to shut her down. “No arguing. I’ve decided. You’re now part of my clowder, and I’m going to protect you as family, and so will Jack.” She said, her tone broaching no argument.

  “Why do you trust him so much?” Ingra asked after a few moments. “I know he saved you. But there has to be more to it than that.” She insisted.

  “He treats us as if we are the same as he is. Even the other humans from his world don’t do that.” Merrow explained. “They either look at us like little better than common beasts, or as tools for sex. Jack doesn’t, as blinded by hate as you are, even you should have seen that by now.”

  Ingra didn’t respond, instead just sitting there letting Merrow comfort her as the cart rattled down the stone paved road.

  ***

  “The mine was attacked by orcs?” Jack asked, hoping he had heard Octavian wrong. Orcs were what the pig-men Jack had first seen riding the giant wolves back on earth. While working in the warehouse, he had learned that a few of the lesser tribes had been folded into the empire, but most of the larger ones were still a thorn in their side. Raiding the outlying settlements and towns. while the various legions had tried in vain to corner them and either wipe them out or bring them into the Hispanian fold.

  “My sources say there is a great Khan who has united the tribes to war against the empire.” Octavian sighed. “I have sent for a mercenary force to come from Primum Castra. It will be several weeks to a few months before the main force arrives, but I don’t think the Orcs will raid again so soon. The guards I left there repelled them with minimal casualties.”

  “That is good to hear, Dominus. How did the laborers fare?” Jack asked.

  Octavian raised a brow. “Quite a few died in the raid, but I already have replacements coming. They should arrive along with the first group of reinforcements.” He replied. “It was no great loss. Many of the miners were criminals who would otherwise be sentenced to death. They were the ones who died first. The only survivors beyond the guards are the demi-humans and beast-kin.”

  Jack nodded absently, lost in thought. “Is something wrong, Vilicus?” Octavian asked.

  “No, Dominus, I was just trying to think of how this new information will affect my strategy to maintain the ore quota.” Jack replied, worried at how easy it had become to pull total bullshit out of his ass.

  Octavian nodded, a grin splitting his face. “Good, you are once again proving that I made the right choice in purchasing you.” He said, then yawned. “I think I will nap. They woke me early when the messenger arrived, and I wish to get more sleep. Wake me when we are in sight of the mine.”

  ***

  Several, thankfully quiet, hours later, Jack spotted a palisade in the distance. He didn’t wake Octavian until he was sure they were actually heading toward the fortification, and by that time he could tell they were hastily made using whatever they had on hand including fabric that looked like it had once belonged to tents rather than rope to lash the varying sized pieces of wood together.

  “Dominus, I believe we have arrived.” Jack said, gently shaking Octavian’s knee. The man snapped awake, startling Jack.

  He looked out the window and frowned. “Why didn’t you wake me earlier, we are practically inside the palisade.” Octavian complained.

  “I wanted to be sure I was correct, Dominus. I didn’t wish to wake you unnecessarily,” Jack said, his head bowed.

  Octavian looked discontented but didn’t say anything more about it instead he looked out the carriage window and growled, “Why aren’t those beasts and demis working?”

  Jack looked out and saw they were inside the palisades now and there was a large group of beast-kin, mainly wolves, and a few groups of what he at first thought were short humans next to tall lithe ones until he noticed the pointed ears and realized they were dwarves and elves, respectively.

  “Jack, as your first task. I order you to get those slaves back to work.” Octavian barked.

  “I will see to it immediately, Dominus.” Jack said, not waiting for the carriage to fully stop before he exited. He went to the cage cart. “Open the cage.” He barked at the driver, who looked first confused, then indignant.

  The man started to admonish Jack when Octavian yelled from the carriage door, “Do whatever my Vilicus says, or it will be on your head.” After that, the man scrambled to unlock the cage and let out the two beast-kin.

  “What’s happening, Jack?” Merrow asked as she walked up to him. Wrapping him in an embrace. She whispered, “Ingra is part of the Clowder.”

  Jack nodded minutely, pushing her off to maintain appearances. “Ingra, I need your help to get your pack and the other laborers back to work.” Jack said, doing his best not to look behind him.

  Ingra looked at Octavian, then at Jack, finally looking to the milling slaves, and nodded. “Understood… Vilicus.” She said before taking off toward the milling group of wolf-kin.

  “She’s part of the clowder now, huh?” Jack muttered, beginning to walk down toward the group he saw Ingra having an animated reunion with.

  Merrow nodded. “I adopted her, and you can’t convince me otherwise.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Jack said to her, his lips twitching as he fought a smirk, all the while making sure his body language was as non-threatening as he could make it while still maintaining an air of command.

  ***

  “Daughter, we thought we had lost you.” Ingra’s father Talka grunted as he wrapped her in a tight hug.

  “I was saved by the human coming behind me. Please listen to him father, I still don’t trust humans, but he has been true to his word so far, and the cat-kin vouches for him.” She said, surprising herself, that she actually believed it.

  “The one walking towards us with the cat in heat?” Talka asked, his nose twitching.

  Ingra looked over her shoulder, spotting Jack, her tail swaying back and forth behind her unbeknownst to her. “Yes, father, she has claimed me and the human as part of her clowder.” She said ignoring the raised eyebrow her father gave her, “Please, father, you know how the Dominus is when we aren’t being worked to death.” She insisted.

  As if on cue, Jack called, “I need all of you to resume working.” Standing only a few yards from the group of wolf-kin.

  There were murmurs in various languages. Ingra recognized Elven, Dwarven, and even some of the other bestial languages. “Father.” She insisted. Talka growled then nodded. “Spread the word, we all must get back to work.”

  Ingra watched as several of her pack broke off to inform the leaders of the various races. “I can’t guarantee they will listen, but they will be told.” Talka said. His eyes staying on Jack even as he talked to his daughter.

  “Thank you, Father.” She whispered, then turned and walked over to Jack. “My father has sent word to the other races that we are to return to work.” She told him, her head bowed, tail still swaying slowly behind her.

  “Thank you, Ingra.” Jack said, then addressed her father. “How many tents do you have left?” he asked.

  “We have none. Only the guards and overseers have shelter.” Talka said, his tone respectful even as his haunches raised.

  “Father…” Ingra began to admonish only to stop when Jack raised his hand to shoulder level. “I will talk to the Dominus about allowing you to sleep in the mine at night and have meals in the sun.” He said, then asked, “Do you have enough blankets?”

  Talka gave him a questioning look and shook his head. “We have no blankets. They were taken at the same time as the tents.”

  Jack clicked his tongue in irritation. “Understood. I will see if I can round up enough blankets for anyone that needs them. Can you get me numbers on how many will be needed between the beast-kin and demi-humans?” Jack asked, then shook his head. “Better yet, can you inform the leaders of each group that I would like to speak with them to make sure everyone has what they need.”

  Looking around at the growing assembly of the various races he called, “Please have whoever leads you meet me at the mine’s entrance. I will bring what blankets and other supplies I can gather in the meantime.”

  Ingra watched as Jack turned and walked off toward the group of buildings where she knew the Dominus would be staying in luxury while they would be sleeping on cold stone. Even still, part of her trusted that Jack would do as he said, even as she followed her father and the others into the mine.

  ***

  Jack walked over to Octavian, who had his arms folded across his chest while talking with a man dressed in some kind of reinforced leather breastplate with leggings plated on the front with bronze, bracers of similar quality strapped to his forearms. “How many more men do you need to keep my investment safe?” Octavian growled.

  The armored man took an involuntary step back before he forced himself to straighten. “I would need at least another twenty to forty men depending on their level of training, Uncle.” He said.

  Octavian’s displeasure only grew. “This mine’s current output would barely cover the expense of hiring that many more men. Let alone keeping them provisioned.” He grunted, his mood changing when he spotted Jack. “My Vilicus, please give me some good news. Are the slaves back to work?” he asked, his tone hopeful while he still looked defeated.

  “They are Dominus. I have come to gather some blankets and bedrolls for the slaves. If they are forced to sleep on the floor of the mine, their productivity will drop.” Jack explained. When Octavian frowned, he thought the man would argue, but instead he nodded and rotated his hand for Jack to continue.

  “I wanted to gather what I could and bring them to the leaders of the various races present. If the mine’s output is a problem, I could see about having them work in shifts with one shift working while the others sleep. I will admit that I am ignorant of the normal day-to-day operations here, but that was something we used to do back in my world.”

  Octavian nodded and looked thoughtful. “I like this idea and order you to implement it. I will also authorize you to procure whatever items you deem necessary to that end. However, I expect either an increase in the quota or at least maintaining the current amount until new workers arrive.” He said, then waved for Jack and Merrow to follow him. “I will show you to the warehouse and inform the quartermaster of your status as my voice when I am not visiting.”