Special Day

Always the one to avoid an overnight docking fee if he could help it Nikias has us setting off mere minutes after the cargo coming and going had been attended to, meaning Rosa and I get back just in time so as not to cause a delay. This captain and crew could be damned efficient when they wanted to be. Neither of our surprise we find Cassie standing at the bow staring forward over the waves as our homeland receded behind us. At her feet sat Collywaddle happily scrubbing her own toes with her special toe brush.

“Glad to see you two didn’t run away together.” Cassie quips.

“My pet.” Rosa comes up beside her to lay her hand on hers. “Is that jealousy I hear?”

Cassie shrugs. “Didn’t appreciate being excluded is all.”

“You weren’t excluded.” Rosa says softly. “It was something special for Quin and I, tying off the past so we can move into our future.”

After we explain what we’d done Cassie’s demeanor warms once more. “Ah. I get it. Sorry.”

Rosa takes Cassie’s arm and lays her head on her shoulder, the wind whipping both their hair behind them. “I could never leave you behind, my girl. I love you too much.”

“And I would never run off from you.” I tease. “I’m too scared.”

Cassie smirks and swats my chest. “Better be, boy. I’d track you down like a bloodhound.” Her smile dimming she asks. “Speaking of hounds…”

“Didn’t see any sign of it. Nothing out of the ordinary. No sign we were hunted, though we didn’t stick around to push our luck. Although…” My gaze shifts to Colly. “…we did leave a breadcrumb. A calculated risk, but one worth taking.”

Colly looks up at me, wondering why I was staring at her. Stopping her scrubbing she puts the brush into a pocket. “Need thomething, Mathter?”

“I do. I need you to stop calling me Master.” I go to one knee and take her hand. “We talked to an advocate. About manumission.”

“Manumith…mith…?” Her face bunches up as she struggles with the word. “What’th that?”

“It’s your freedom.” I smile, squeezing her pudgy hand tight. Behind her Rosa is beaming while a dawning smile appears on Cassie’s face as she picks up on what was happening. Glancing over my shoulder to ensure nobody was listening I say. “You are not an Amazon, Colly. It turns out your freedom was as easy as a letter.”

“What?” She gasps, her wide amber eyes staring into mine in disbelief. “Wath!? Ath in…?”

“As in it is already done.” My free hand comes to rest on her shoulder. “You cannot be a citizen and I am responsible for any crimes you commit during the first year of your freedom, but you are officially a ‘freedman’ Collywaddle. You are free!”

Clutching my hand in both of hers is rocked by the dizzying sensation of freedom. This was a moment she had dreaded, her fear of being untethered from her owner making her believe that she would be abandoned and alone. My hand tightens around her shoulder, my grip on hers grows stronger, and my unwavering gaze all signaling to her that I was still here and that I wasn’t going anywhere. Rosa and Cassie join the moment, kneeling around the overwhelmed goblin who still sat on the deck. The embrace her from the sides, engulfing her in love.

“Congratulations, Collywaddle.” Rosa trills as she kisses one of Colly’s big ears.

Cassie rubs Colly’s wide head. “A free woman at last. As it should be.” She says, then jests. “And now you can’t go running to ‘master’ for protection when you annoy me.”

“Oh…I…I…I don’t know what to thay.” Colly’s big eyes glimmer with tears and her bottom lip begins to tremble. She leans into Cassie for a hug and then into Rosa for another before pulling herself to her feet and launching herself into me. Wrapping her stubby arms around me she hugs me for all she’s worth. “Mathter, I mean…Quin.” Squeezing her eyes tight she trembles from squeezing me with all her strength. “Quin! My friend. My betht friend.”

I knew leaving a record behind us had been a risk. It would take time for the paperwork to be filed and, more than likely for something like this, there was a good chance it would quickly get buried within an archive somewhere. Even if there were people specifically looking for my name the Hostia Negra would be many miles away. I had left no indication of where I was heading or who I was with, so it would take some detective work to track Rosa and I to Greece, which was only a stop on our journey as it was. Whatever happened, this joyous moment of long overdue liberation had been so worth it.

Kissing her head I say. “I love you too, Collywaddle.” Pulling away I cup her cherub cheeks in my hands and stare down into her glimmering eyes. “We brought treats. The absolute sweetest things would could find. Globi, positively drenched in fresh honey. Enough to share with the crew tonight.”

“Ohhhh, Thir! I mean! Quin.” She grins from ear to ear.

“This is sort of a birthday, Colly.” Rosa says warmly, standing back with Cassie to give this moment to Colly and I. “A second birthday. Your first day as a free woman.” Beside her Cassie smile tilts, a turn toward the trouble-making. She whispers into Rosa’s ear which causes our Lady to giggle. Rosa then says. “In honor of your birthday…Quin is all yours tonight.”

“Oh!” Colly peeps.

“Oh?” I question.

Rosa gives that sharp, definite, adorable nod she does when she’s made up her mind. “For one hour Cassie and I will make ourselves scarce. What you do with him in that time is completely up to you. I’m sure you two will come up with something…appropriate.”

“Ohhhh.” Colly’s eyes widen and her smiles grow as she looks me up and down hungrily. “I wath gonna thneak off with Grub again, but…”

“Grub is invited too.” Cassie interjects. All three of our head’s snap to Cassie. She is fighting laughter, her blue eyes twinkling with mirth, as she stares back at me.

“He ith!?” Colly says.

“He is!?” I echo.

“He is!” Cassie answers. “It’s her freedom day, Quin. You wouldn’t deny her on her freedom day, would you?”

“Well, of course not, it’s just…” I stammer. “Maybe Grub wouldn’t be interested or…”

“Ohhh, he would, he would!” Colly insist with growing excitement.

Ever more amused Cassie tilts her head. “You’re not threatened by a threesome with another man, are you big guy?”

I had come bearing honeyed-treats and libaration and suddenly I was being committed to a threesome with two goblins!? When had this conversation gotten away from me? “I never said…”

“He’s not even half your height and a less than a quarter your weight.” Cassie continues to prod. “You like threesomes well enough with Rosa and I. Is your ego so fragile you can’t handle a bit of masculine competition? The big bad Wingslayer can’t best a common goblin?”

Rosa can’t stop giggling. She tugs on Cassie’s sleeve and says. “That’s enough, my girl.” Leaning in she whispers. “Is he blushing?”

Cassie chuckles. “Red as a lobster, my Lady.” Rosa’s sighs softly and she swoons a little.

Not picking up on the joke, if indeed it was a joke, Colly jumps and twirls then grabs my tunic. “Ohhh, thank you, Quin! Thank you! Mathter Arithtocleth uthed to watch me and it wath tho fun. Made me feel all thexy and hot. But actually HAVING two hot virile thtallionth at onthe…ohhhhhhhh!” She slumps into my arms. “It’th a dream come true! You’ve made me the happietht gobbo in all the Empire. No thad thex thith time, I promithe!”

As I hug my former slave I glare up at Cassie and her dastardly grin, more playful than with real malice, and say to Colly. “It would be my pleasure. Anything for you on your special day, Collywaddle.”