The Legion

In an effort to gain military acclaim, Emperor Domitian created the Legion I Minerva, and dispatched it to attack the Chatti tribe in 83-85 CE.

In 89 CE Legion I Minerva, along with VI Victrix, X Gemina, and XXII Primagenia under General Lappius Maximus were deployed to quell the uprising in Germania Superior when Lucius Antonius Saturninus and two legions rebelled against the emperor. Saturnus was due to be reinforced by Germanic tribes from across the Rhine, but an unseasonal thaw had prevented the tribes from lending aid and the rebellion was quashed easily, the four legions suffering only minimal losses.

I Minerva was left temporarily in Germania Superior while the other three legions returned with General Lappius Maximus to Germania Inferior. Of the two legions involved in the mutiny, Legion XIV Gemina was ordered to remain in Mainz while Legion XXI Rapax was relocated to Pannonia.

It had only been a few years since the Dacian King Decebalus had launched a sneak attack destroying Legion V Alaudae in Moesia and the stain on legion honor for the defeat of three legions in the Teutoburg forest eighty years earlier had never truly healed. Domitian was angered by the possibility of a renewed threat from the Germanic tribes and wanted to make an example to the world of his wrath.

I Minerva, now under command of Legion Legate Antonius Drusus Scipio was ordered to see the will of the emperor done, meaning an excursion across the Rhine in Alemanni territory with the intent to capture or execute the Alemanni King Hludwig.

Preliminary intelligence reports from across the Rhine suggested the failed bid by Saturninus to defy Rome caused the uneasy alliance of tribes built by King Hludwig to fracture, scattering the various tribes in groups of no more than a couple of hundred apiece back into the surrounding forests and mountains.

Scipio was pragmatic, mobilizing an entire legion and auxiliaries was a laborious and expensive task, so he decided to dispatch three of the legion’s ten cohorts, the 1st, 2nd, and 9th. The cohorts would also be accompanied by a force of 500 auxiliaries with an aim to cross the river and rout whatever remnants might still be in the vicinity. Scipio decided he would remain with the legion proper and assign operational command to Legion Tribune Gaius Flavius.

The young Flavius was born of a patrician family and the appointment of the 19 year old to I Minerva was seen as a stepping stone for a young man with senatorial aspirations. Knowing the inexperience of Flavius, the selection of the I Minerva’s first cohort would provide the Tribune with the talents of the legion’s primus pilus, centurion Tiberius Sextus, an eighteen year veteran of the army and an exceptional soldier and tactician. He would assume battle command should the need manifest.

Centurion Tius Valerius, primus prior of the second cohort and was also a well-seasoned veteran with numerous battle accolades and campaigns to his credit.

With two of the legion’s most celebrated centurions to hold the young nobleman’s hand, Scipio believed the excursion would provide the tribune with some much needed field experience and add some glory to the young man’s name.

The weather had been warm for the time of year and the waters of the Rhine were running fast and high. Having been amongst the first to make the treacherous crossing, Tiberius watched impassively from the far shore. Mobilizing over two thousand men, supply trains, and horses was a laborious task. As the primus pilus observed the operation, one of the supply boats overturned and several men drowned.

“Bad omen to start,” mumbled Quintus Aurelius under his breath from his position beside the centurion. He was Tiberius’ Optio and second in command of the first cohort’s first century.

“Save such words of ill portents, lest those around think your courage has fled you,” chastised Tiberius, a stern expression on his clean shaven face.

“My apologies Centurion,” said Quintus. He had been with Tiberius for four years as his optio. Tiberius was a strict man and harsh disciplinarian, but he was fair and did not brook cowardice.

Primus prior Valerius walked up, red crested helm tucked beneath his left arm. “Strength and honor centurion,” he said, reaching out to take Tiberius’ arm. The two men clasped forearms a moment before disengaging.

“Strength and honor Valerius,” acknowledged Tiberius. “Are you just across?”

“Second cohort is almost completely across, just waiting for auxiliaries and supplies now,” replied the younger centurion.

Tiberius looked to Valerius then to Quintus. “Leave us,” he instructed to his optio. Once Quintus had removed himself, he faced the other centurion. “I am pleased to have you along for this Valerius, this foul weather and uncertain terrain may test our discipline,” commented the senior centurion.

Valerius laughed, “For the glory of Rome.”

“For a pompous emperor seeking hollow honors,” countered Tiberius sourly.

“You think this is a futile exercise?” asked Valerius.

“I dispatched scouts prior to moving the main force over. Preliminary reports suggested Hludwig may have had assembled a force as large as ten or twelve thousand, but if there were ten thousand men here they’ve long since gone. The terrain is sloppy, muddy. Even moving our two thousand men through here will be a test of logistics,” informed Tiberius

“At least we’ve Flavius to protect us,” mused Valerius, flicking a glance in the direction of the young tribune. Tiberius rewarded him with a wry smile.

“If there are stragglers still out there, the cold and wet will probably make them want to be well away from this place, but they may still pose a threat. Maintain your vigilance. I will keep a watchful eye on our young commander.”

“As you will,” replied Valerius, saluting the senior centurion, before leaving.

The remainder of the landing proved uneventful. True to Tiberius’ prediction, progress was slow and problematic for a force of such numbers. Supply wagons sank into the soft ground. Climbing in elevation helped some, but there was nowhere that seemed to be dry. Even at night, with tents littering the hillside amidst the trees, it seemed impossible to chase the damp away.

On the ninth day, finally the rains broke, heat from the sun pulled mist and fog up from the sodden ground. Visibility was reduced to no more than a score of paces. The trail they followed widened and narrowed, treacherous and slippery.

The sounds of trees cracking and falling at the fore and aft of the column echoed through the forest.

“Ambush!” yelled Tiberius, sliding his gladius from its sheath.

Arrows rained down over the column, felling legionaries before they had opportunity to raise their shields. “Defensive positions!” barked Valerius amidst the chaos, swiveling his horse to command the soldiers of the second cohort.

Crashing sounds preceded the appearance of thick logs tumbling down the up slope embankment, slamming into the shield barrier. Screams and horns and of a sudden, the fight was on. Barbarians spilled over the rise and down onto the column, forcing the legionaries down the slope and at a defensive disadvantage.

The fight was utter savagery. The column collapsed in on itself under the sheer weight of the barbarians. The wet conditions seemed to favor the barbarians, as they drove against the Roman line. Arms and legs were hacked and severed, screams and cries of the dying filled the air as men from both sides were cut down by steel. Wide eyes, Flavius watched in horror as men died around him. In an effort to flee, he tried to spur his mount, but the horse just reared back, spilling the tribune onto the ground. A body collapsed on top of him pinning him to the earth, then another and another.

From somewhere in the mist, Valerius heard Tiberius yell “Rally!”

No sooner had the cry gone out, than a spear materialized and felled Valerius’ horse. Rolling to his feet as the animal dropped from under him, he withdrew his blade in a fluid motion. No stranger to battle carnage, he swung his gladius with ruthless efficiency, scything through the barbarian horde mercilessly toward where he had heard Tiberius’ call. He turned in time to see an axe coming for his face. Snapping his head away from the blade he felt the searing pain of metal slicing through his cheek before he drove the tip of his own blade into the throat of his attacker. Climbing through the mass of human wreckage, he caught sight of the primus pilus as barbarians swarmed over Tiberius, the centurion carving his own swath of death before being pulled from his mount and vanishing beneath the tangled mass of frenzied humanity.

“To the Primus Pilus!” yelled Valerius, rousing the troops, but the onslaught was unrelenting as more and more of the Alemanni and their allies appeared until the legion’s defenses broke, throwing the column into complete disarray and scattering legionaries in every direction. “Hold fast!” yelled Valerius. Suddenly from out of the mist King Hludwig himself materialized, a thick towering man of nearly seven feet, body covered in gore. He let out a guttural battle cry and held his two handed war axe high overhead before pushing through his own forces to get to where Valerius stood.

The barbarian king barked something in his native tongue and pointed at Valerius. The centurion nodded slowly and adopted a defensive position. Hludwig raised his enormous axe and swung it at Valerius, a wide sweeping arc. Valerius ducked in low and stabbed Hludwig solidly in the right thigh. The man mountain bellowed in rage and deceptively fast brought his great axe back around. The Roman lifted his gladius to block the stroke. The force of the impact was so strong it nearly tore the blade from the centurion’s hand and drove him backward several steps. His right arm numb from shoulder to hand. Pivoting, Valerius nimbly tossed his blade from right hand to left, and spun, catching Hludwig near the left knee.

The king roared in pain and frustration and charged at Valerius, but he feinted right then dodged left as Hludwig missed and slipped in the mud.

Valerius breathed hard, using the momentary break to catch his wind.

Getting back to his feet, the wounds in his legs bleeding copiously, Hludwig bellowed again, voice deep and filled with anger. Valerius moved in, dodged the overhand chop and drove his sword into Hludwig’s belly, the hilt stopping only when it hit breast bone. Pulling his blade free of Hludwig’s barrel chest, Valerius stepped back. A cry of alarm rose up from the Alemanni in the immediate vicinity of their fallen king. Horns started to sound and the barbarians began suddenly disengaging and withdrawing back into the mist shrouded forest.

Flight

Thousands of dead littered the land, the moans of the dying mingled with the shrill cry of ravens descending on the site of battle.

Immediate threat at bay, Valerius doubled over, exhausted. Antonius Sulla soldier of the 2nd cohort, 2nd century appeared beside him. “We need to dress your wounds Centurion,” commented the soldier, placing a steadying hand on Valerius’ shoulder.

Standing upright, Valerius’ eyes swept the forest floor. Everywhere he looked there was death, the waters ran red with the blood of Roman and Alemanni alike, the stained ground making no distinction. Tiberius lay practically dismembered a short distance off.

“You are the ranking officer,” Sulla said, tending to the more serious of the centurion’s injuries.

“Over here!” someone yelled, “It’s the tribune.”

Valerius pushed Sulla away and walked in the direction of the call, arriving in time to see the young noble being pulled from beneath the heaped bodies of legionnaires and barbarians alike.

The sounds of whistling echoed from all directions around the abbatoir, drifting through the trees from unseen places. Valerius evaluated the situation. The survivors who hadn’t fled into the forest consisted of less than a thirty legionnaires and perhaps a half dozen auxiliaries. Of the eighteen centurions that had accompanied the three cohorts on the mission, only four remained, including Valerius. The others were primi ordines, Marcus Agrippa, centurion of the 1st cohort, 3rd century, Pontius Aquila, 1st cohort 5th century and Decidius Titus, 9th cohort, 2nd century.

“We need a defensible position,” barked Valerius, knowing the dying light might provide some refuge from the barbarians and give the Romans the ability to slip from the field of battle unseen.

“There is difficult terrain to the southeast, rocky outcroppings, might be more defensible, maybe a league distant,” offered Agrippa.

“Prepare those we can for travel and gather what supplies we may, we must leave within the hour,” bellowed Valerius. He summoned Titus and instructed him to get the able bodied to render what aid they could to the inured. He had no idea how long the reprieve granted by the death of the barbarian king would last and wanted to move away from the slaughter.

The whistling continued, a keening sound, seemingly from all directions. Valerius didn’t know if it was a call and answer form of communication, some type of dirge, but he knew they needed to move and fast.

A soldier approached Valerius carrying a leather bound bundle. “This was found on the barbarian chieftain,” he said, presenting the bundle. The centurion took the bundle in his hands and dismissed the soldier. Hefting the small parcel, he opened it to find a small leather-like book with unrecognizable scribbles, and a short ornate knife. Frowning, he re-wrapped the package and put it in his pack.

Letting Agrippa lead the way, Valerius moved up and down the tattered line of soldiers, helping with the injured. Aside from the gash on his face, he himself sported no less than another dozen wounds, but remained stoic, a pillar of strength for the men.

As Agrippa indicated, the terrain became much rockier and difficult to traverse. Finding a more defensively advantageous location, Valerius called for line to halt and set up a defendable positon. It started to rain.

Agrippa bore a smile on his face as he approached Valerius. “Finally, some good fortune,” he said.

Valerius looked around then snorted. “Good fortune?”

“There’s a cave over there,” he said, entrance practically hidden. “We can weather the rain inside while our foes will be soaked and sodden,” he explained.

Valerius frowned, he saw no opening in the rock. It was until he got closer he saw the alignment of stones and trick of the light that made the opening almost invisible.

“Take two men, do not light a torch until inside the cave,” instructed Valerius. He cast a silent prayer of thanks to Fortuna.

The narrow opening in the mountain did indeed open into a vast chamber, large enough to shelter all of the troops. Valerius was the last to enter, armor slick with rain water and blood. He reached up to touch the gash on his face.

“That’ll leave a scar,” Lucius Germanicus, Valerius’ optio said with an amused tone.

Valerius chuckled. “My pretty face,” he said with mock concern. From somewhere within the darkness, someone struck another torch.

The cave was deep, the narrow opening presented an excellent defensive advantage, like Leonidas at Thermopylae, the position could be held by relatively few. Valerius quickly established a body of men capable of constructing a phalanx to block the opening before taking stock of the rest of the troops. Flavius was huddled against the wall, unmanned by the ferocity and brutality of the fight. Nearly everyone in the cave bore wounds, some grave. Closing his eyes a moment, he could feel cool air moving across his face. From somewhere deeper in the mountain there was a source of fresh air.

“We need to get out of here,” babbled Flavius to no one in particular.

Pontius walked over and back handed the tribune across the face. “Act like a man,” growled the centurion.

Flavius clutched his reddening face, “I could have you brought up on charges,” he hissed, glowering at Pontius.

“Shut up,” snapped Valerius. Turning to Agrippa, he said, “I want you to take one other and scout the cave, there’s fresh air coming from somewhere inside of here and I want to know if we have another way out. Let the torches guide you.” Holding the torch up, the movement of air caused the flame to lean.

Agrippa saluted and called Sulla to him. Striking another torch, they ventured deeper into the subterranean gloom.

“Pontius, the opening is your responsibility,” bid Valerius, pointing toward narrow opening.

The centurion saluted and moved closer to the handful of soldiers guarding the entrance.

“Titus, you oversee the wounded, do what you can,” Valerius instructed grimly, knowing some would not survive the night. The centurion nodded, saluted and set about the task of triaging the wounded, separating those likely to die from those with a chance to live.

“Quintus, we are blind inside this tomb, I need eyes outside to see, take Septimus and check the area around the opening to see if we were followed. Any signs of trouble, you are to return here, do not engage,” ordered the primus prior.

 “The gods have abandoned us in this forsaken land,” moaned Flavius.

“If you don’t quiet your sniveling, I’ll have you gagged,” warned Valerius.

“Have you noted the markings on the walls?” asked Germanicus, pointing at the crude paintings adorning the walls of the cave.

Valerius shook his head. In the dim light there were indeed an array of pictograms on the walls. Crude rough renderings of figures on the walls, various sizes and poses, some figures massive, others incredibly small. Turning away, “We need fire,” he remarked absently to no one in particular.

“I’ll see to it,” assured Germanicus, leaving to get some help.

Valerius nodded, leaning his back to the wall and allowing himself to slide down. He closed his eyes again, visions of the battle flashing through his mind.

Within an hour, there was a large fire inside the massive chamber. Valerius smiled, wondering where in creation Germanicus had found wood dry enough to burn in the rain drenched landscape.

Quintus returned with Septimus. The duo approached Valerius where he sat against the wall. “I could not detect any of the barbarians centurion, just Germanicus and the others collecting wood.”

“Remain alert,” whispered Valerius.

Titus approached. “We’ve lost two in the last hour. There are others that won’t survive the night, a few others could go either way,” he advised.

“Give those who won’t see home again what peace you might, water, comfort,” replied Valerius opening his eyes and looking up at the junior centurion. Titus nodded, a grim expression on his youthful face, before he departed.

Valerius closed his eyes, if only for a moment he thought. A sound alerted him, he opened his eyes. He hadn’t realized he had drifted off to sleep. Antonius Sulla stood near him.

“Centurion?” Sulla repeated.

Using the wall to assist, the centurion pushed himself to standing, “Sorry,” he mumbled. “What news?” he asked, noting the fire had burned low. The others in the cave were about their business and had left him to sleep, he frowned, the expression causing the wound in his face to complain.

“I am returned at Centurion Agrippa’s request. He bade me report back that he has found a passage through to the other side of the mountain. He remained to scout the area outside the mountain. The way is perilous though,” cautioned the soldier.

Valerius nodded. “How long have I been asleep?” he asked.

“Some hours I would think,” offered Sulla, shrugging his shoulders.

Valerius may have slept, but he certainly did not feel rested. He dismissed Sulla and walked over to Titus and looked at the collection of injured.

“We entered the cave with thirty-four, we are now twenty nine,” replied Titus. He cast a glance over his shoulder. “Two others will not see morning,” he whispered.

Valerius looked to where Titus glanced, then back to Titus himself. “We will need to depart very quickly,” he said, gaze unflinching.

Titus frowned and nodded. “I understand,” he replied, knowing the two dying men could not travel, Valerius was asking him to hasten them on their journey to the Elysian Fields.

Valerius nodded and the two clasped forearms, no other words needed exchanging.

Off by himself, in the dwindling firelight dancing about the cave, Flavius rocked back and forth, arms wrapped around his knees, babbling something unintelligible.

Valerius walked over. “We leave soon Tribune, gather yourself,” he instructed.

Flavius looked up, face smeared with grime. “We are all dead,” he said, “Ghosts.”

Valerius shook his head and walked over to Pontius at the entrance to the cave. “Agrippa has found a way through the mountain,” he informed.

Pontius nodded. “Good news. I will remain with a couple of men to protect the escape.”

“Give us an hour, you should be able to catch up by the time we are through,” Valerius said.

Pontius nodded.

Moving the through the narrow passages in the mountain was tedious and took the better part of half a day. Their supply of torches was rapidly depleting and almost exhausted by the time they reached the far end of the passage. Pontius had caught up with the main body of the group long before they were through. There was a much smaller chamber at the opposite end and the exit opened onto a narrow ledge twenty feet above the forest floor.

The Other Side of the Mountain

Getting everyone down the twenty foot precipitous drop from the opening in the mountain presented its own challenges. Sheer, and lacking hand holds required the men be lowered down to the last man. There was nowhere to anchor a rope and Marcellus Gallus, being the largest and strongest of the soldiers, had to hang from the ledge and drop into the waiting arms of the others.

“There will be no going back that way,” Pontius said, wiping his hands.

Valerius moved the group a short distance away from the opening and established a camp beneath the leafy canopy of the widely spaced and very tall trees.

Agrippa appeared. “These trees as old as the earth herself, I’ve not seen the like before,” he remarked, looking at the ragtag collection of soldiers. “So few,” he lamented.

“These are not like any trees I’ve seen either,” commented Valerius.

“I’m no forester,” chuckled Agrippa looking toward the thick gnarled trunks of the ancient beech, spruce, and fir trees.

“Any sign of hostiles?” Valerius asked.

Agrippa pursed his mouth and shook his head. “No trace of people, plenty of animal sign though,” he replied. Turning, he pointed back toward the opening in the mountain. “There is a stream not too distant in the opposite direction, I followed it down to a fairly large lake. We might be better suited there,” he suggested.

“How far?” Valerius asked.

“Hour, less if we press,” Agrippa replied.

Valerian nodded. “Our supply of food is almost gone,” he said.

“I’ve seen plenty of game,” Agrippa said. “Once we get to the lake,” he paused to look at the survivors, “Send Sulla and Atticus out with bows.”

Valerius nodded. “Let’s get situated at the location you suggested, though I’m reluctant to put us with our backs to the water with the barbarians having a higher ground advantage,” he said.

“We are barely more than two dozen, our numbers will count for naught when they decide to come,” Agrippa replied, always a pragmatist and harboring no illusions about their chances should a fight ensue.

Valerius smiled and nodded anew. Breaking camp, they started moving down the hill through the abnormally large trees toward the source of fresh water.

Progress was slow despite the gentle slope and easy terrain. Agrippa had been leading the way, but he came running back, hand on sword to prevent it from slapping against him as he ran. “Hold,” he hissed, lifting his hand to halt the two abreast line, winded from the run and taking several breaths to find his voice.

“What is it?” Valerius asked, hand drifting to his sword, eyes scanning the wooded area behind where Agrippa had just come.

Agrippa shook his head but said nothing instead he raised his other arm and pointed toward a small clearing in the trees, snow capped jagged peaks visible in the distance

Valerius frowned. He had known Agrippa many years and had never seen his friend so unnerved or rattled. Walking into the clearing, there was a small rocky knoll overlooking the large lake, he froze in his tracks. “What in the name of the gods?” he mumbled, taking a step backward.

Two nude women of impossible height were standing in the lake, water to their hips. The portion of the women visible above the water appeared to be sculpted perfection and at least seventy feet in height. One with hair the color night, the other of fire.

“What madness is this?” Valerius said, not believing his eyes. Others moved up to the vantage and beheld the scene.

Valerius looked first to the dark haired woman. Her skin pale and unblemished. Her face beautiful with large round eyes that shone with the dusky color of violet sunset. Long raven hair hung down her back almost to her buttocks as she moved about in the water. Wine stained nipples erect atop rounded alabaster breasts. The red haired woman was no less magnificent. Luminous green eyes scintillating as she splashed water at the other woman. He doubted whether either of them had seen more than seventeen or eighteen summers.

The assembled company watched in mute awe as the women, unaware of all the tiny eyes watching them, seemed to be playing in the water.

“They must surely be goddesses,” breathed Germanicus, mouth agape at the scene before him, “Maybe even Venus herself,” he added reverently.

“Wandering the barbarian infested wilds beyond the boundary of the empire is the Roman goddess Venus?” questioned Valerius, eyes also locked onto the gigantic women now embracing one another in the water.

“We are all dead. The dark haired one must be Minerva come to greet us,” exclaimed Flavius, a fevered look on his young face.

“I know not what trick of the mind this may be, but I ache in too many places to be dead,” snorted Agrippa, wind returned, a sour look on his weathered face.

Valerius turned to look at the faces of the men. Most were rapt, fascinated by the unbelievable spectacle in the water below. “We are soldiers of Rome and will conduct ourselves as such,” boldly he stated.

“What soldiers of Rome have witnessed a spectacle such as this save those that have perished in service to the empire?” challenged Flavius, a touch of madness in his young eyes. “Witness the goddesses Minerva and Venus!” He extended his arm in the direction of the two women in the water.

“Whatever manner of mysticism this is, goddesses or no, I agree with Valerius and say we must be prudent in how we proceed,” cautioned Pontius.

“Curse prudence!” hollered Flavius, “Come men, the goddesses await.” He turned suddenly, beckoning others to follow as he began to run haphazardly downhill between the thick tree trunks toward the lake. A couple of others followed.

“Valerius?” asked Titus.

Valerius again looked around at the faces of the remaining men, “Each man must decide for himself what course they would take. If it is your will to follow, then follow. I will abide and there is no disgrace.”

Another nine soldiers set off behind the tribune, including centurion Titus, followed by a few auxiliaries.

Turning sharply toward Valerius, “He’s sure to give us away,” snarled Agrippa.

Valerius shook his head. “What if they are goddesses?”

“What if they are not?” countered Agrippa.

“Fall back,” barked Valerius, nodding at the aging centurion. “And conceal yourselves in the trees.”

Agrippa shook head, “Curse Flavius!” he condemned, but he made no move to hide.

Supplication and sacrifice

The two women were facing one another, embracing tenderly before sharing a lingering kiss. Reaching the bottom of the hill, Flavius scampered across the thirty or so feet between the tree line and the shoreline. Once at the edge of the water, fifteen men at his back, he dropped to his knees. Removing his crested helm, he cast it aside before prostrating himself on the soft soil. The soldiers behind followed suit, divesting themselves of head gear and dropping down.

“Great Goddesses!” bellowed the Tribune, loud enough for the soldiers on the rise to hear. “I humbly beseech you take pity on us. We who have carried your name and honor in life now greet you in death.”

The women broke their kiss, both turning heads to look upon the source of the noise. The dark haired woman, eyes narrowed until she espied Flavius face down on his knees at the shore. A slight smile touched her full lips before she looked to the red head. Twisting in the water, she moved closer to where the men were supplicating.

“Roman,” she said, answering in the language of the empire, voice soft and alluring.

“Legion 1 Minerva, goddess we are yours,” replied Flavius without looking up at the face now less than fifteen yards from where he knelt.

She smiled more broadly, lips parting to reveal even white teeth. “You lead these men,” she said, a statement, not a question.

“These men and the others up upon the hill,” he responded, pointing back in the direction of the Valerius without raising his head.

“Others?” she said, eyes glancing up the forested hillside toward the overlook and then to the redhead.

“We are but a handful Goddess, there are at least another dozen up on the hill,” replied Flavius.

Her violet eyes seemed to sparkle. “Indeed,” she said, “Why do they tarry in the trees?”

“They are insolent fools Goddess,” Flavius indicted. “They linger because they know you will judge them and find them fearful and unworthy.”

“Truly?” said the woman with hair the color of fire, moving beside the dark haired woman, a ripple spreading across the surface of the lake causing water to lap up onto the shore.

The dark haired giantess leaned forward, nearer to Flavius. “Who are you?” she asked, looking down on the humbled tribune.

“I am Tribune Gaius Flavius,” he answered.

“Stand little one, let me look upon you,” she encouraged, reaching out to him, the nail of her right index finger under his chin to lift his face, a wide smile on her beautiful countenance.

Flavius climbed to his feet and looked up into the large comely face.

She angled her head slightly to the side. “You are mine you say?” she asked, tone playful.

“I give myself to you Goddess,” he replied. She turned and exchanged glances with the red haired woman.

Looking passed Flavius to the other men on the shore, she asked, “And what of you men, do you also give yourselves over to us?”

Many heads nodded affirmatively while a couple verbalized an affirmation. She smiled. Leaning backward and sliding back out into deeper water, she said, “Come to me then Flavius, shed your trappings of war and come join with me,” she motioned him with a beckoning hand. The red haired giantess also retreated back into the water a distance.

Flavius immediately dropped his pack and began to remove his armor. When he was naked, he waded into the water, walking toward the dark haired giantess. When he could no longer touch bottom, he began to swim toward her. “That’s it,” she encouraged as stroke after stroke brought him closer. Several others began removing armor and weapons, plunging into the surprisingly warm water to follow Flavius.

Lowering herself in the water, she submerged her entire body, before breeching the surface of the lake so that the bottom portion of her chin and lower lip remained in the water. She came toward him, opening her mouth as he neared, he eased up. She leaned forward and took the top part of his body in her mouth and closed her lips around his thighs. His legs still dangling from between her lips, she rose to standing, water spilling from her smooth skin and splashing into the lake below, she turned toward the redhead. The flame haired giantess reached up and took the other woman’s face between her hands. Leaning in close, she parted her lips around Flavius’ legs and the two women shared a kiss, Flavius vanishing from view momentarily as they pressed their lips together, mouths opening wider and tongues exploring.

When they broke the kiss, the redhead leaned back, Flavius’ head visible between lush lips. She smiled at the men on the shore before puckering her lips and sucking him all the way into her mouth, lips sealing behind him. Turning back to the woman with near ebon tresses, they shared another buss.

Flavius was in a religious ecstasy as he was passed back and forth from mouth to mouth, tongues intertwined around him. Tossed and tumbled he wasn’t sure in which mouth he was, but it didn’t matter.

Kiss complete, the dark haired giantess, now with Flavius in her mouth, maneuvered him into position at the back of her throat and tilted her head slightly before swallowing. The muscular rings of cartilage compressing around him, pulling him down her esophagus and into her stomach. She touched the delicate part of her throat with a forefinger as the tribune passed down into her. Flavius gone, she looked down at the others swimming in the water. Seeing what had happened, several of the men swimming panicked and suddenly reversed direction, swimming back toward shore.

The red haired giantess, like her companion lowered herself down into the water, leaning forward, easily overtaking the one of the soldiers trying to get back to land. Coming up from behind, mouth opening as he desperately tried to swim away, she took him all the way into her mouth before closing it over him. She paused, rearing up slightly to spray water from between her lips before swallowing the soldier. Lowering herself, she captured another and repeated the process.

Three of the stronger swimmers were near the dark haired woman. With deft finger she plucked one from the water by his leg and raised him over her head before dropping him into her waiting mouth. He thrashed and struggled but was powerless to stop her from sending him to join the tribune. The other two tried to swim away. Reaching down, she gathered them up, one in each hand. Turning her head, “Vanessa,” she said, throwing the two soldiers in her hands into the water near the redhead before moving toward the shore.

The redhead folded her legs under her and sat in the water, her thighs just beneath the surface of the lake. She swept her hands through the water toward herself and washed the two soldiers and four others onto her lap.

Septimus turned over backwards in the water, the force of the redhead’s hand through the water pulling him inexorably into the shallow water of her lap, the water shallow enough he could actually stand on her thigh and cough up swallowed lake water. Spurned by panic, he ran as best he could in the waist deep water and dove back in trying desperately to get away from her. Her hand closed around him and he was driven several feet under water before he lifted aloft and dropped back into deeper water beside her. He saw others too, trying to find escape but far too slow and too small to get away from her as she grabbed them and brought them back.

Vanessa smiled, trying to keep all of the soldiers within her grasp. She would grab them and put them near her but keep them swimming, sapping their strength.

The dark haired giantess moved toward the shore, dropping onto all fours near the shoreline. Of the four other men who had not jumped into the water to follow Flavius, three had turned and run back into the trees. Centurion Titus was the only one who remained, standing rooted to the spot, looking up into the large face of the extremely attractive woman as she loomed over him.

“Your helmet is different than the others,” she said, pointing to his red crested helm lying on the ground next to him.

Overawed by the proximity of the stunning woman he struggled to find his voice, “I am a centurion,” he replied, voice shaking.

She smiled off the side of her face. “How are you called centurion?”

“Titus my lady, Decidius Titus,” he replied.

She reached out with her left hand and touched him gently on the side of his face with her forefinger. “You did not flee,” she said.

He shook his head. She smiled and picked him up with her left hand. Leaning back, she changed position to look at Vanessa playing with the tiny soldiers now trying to clamber onto her thighs, leaden limbs exhausted from being forced to perpetually swim.

“We should go after the others Selene,” she said, looking to the forest where the trio of soldiers had fled.

The dark haired woman smiled and shook her head. “We have a bounty here now, let us return and let the others know there are little ones running loose in the forest so they too may share.”

Vanessa nodded, noticing Selene’s closed hand. “What do you have there?” she asked, looking at Selene’s left hand.

Holding it out, she opened it slowly. “Centurion Titus,” she replied.

Vanessa smiled. Looking down at the others in the water, she reached down and collected two in each hand, while Selene captured the remaining two. Rising simultaneously, they stood and moved through the water toward the shore, prizes in hand.

Once out of the water, Vanessa placed the four beleaguered soldiers down near her clothing. Immediately one of the men, rolled onto to his feet and made a mad dash toward the nearest copse of trees. Instinctively Vanessa lashed out with her right hand trying to catch the fleeing soldier before he could reach the trees, snatching him quickly. She made a frowning face at Selene. Opening her hand slowly, she revealed the little broken body of the limp man, a small trail of red oozing out of his nose and mouth.

“Too quick,” lamented Selene with a slow shake of her head.

Vanessa nodded, turning her hand over and letting the dead body fall to the ground before wiping her hands together to get rid of the blood. Dressing, she collected her three remaining men and waited for Selene to follow suit.

Despite Valerius’ order to find concealment, most of the men remained put, watching what had transpired in the lake. To a man, no one could quite believe what they were seeing as friends and companions vanished into the mouths of the two giant women.

“What do we do now?” Agrippa asked, steely gray eyes looking intently on, head shaking from side to side.

“She ate him! She fucking at him!” Pontius commented, his own hazel eyes wide with disbelief and riveted to the women as the strode away from the lake.

Valerius remained silent, shaking his head, as if not trusting what his bright green eyes told him. “This must be some foul dream, some torment from which we cannot awake,” he said, almost to himself.

“Valerius,” Agrippa said, but the centurion didn’t answer. “Valerius!” he repeated, this time grabbing the senior soldier by the shoulders. Valerius blinked at him a few times. “They will be coming for us next, we need to take flight!” Agrippa said with force.

“Back to the mountain cave, we can take refuge there!” Pontius stated.

“No,” Valerius said. “We have no means to ascend the ledge,” he advised.

“What then?” Agrippa asked.

“We curl north around the lake, staying close to the ridge to see if there is a place we can take refuge or shelter,” Valerius said.

“What if there are others? What then?” Quintus demanded.

Valerius turned sharply. “What knowledge have I that you yourself have not seen? I don’t know if there are others, all I know is we need to get out of here as fast as we can!” Looking at Agrippa, “Take point and lead the way.”

Agrippa nodded.

Before the Hunt

Up from the lake, situated in the sprawling broad valley nestled amidst the steep surrounding snow capped mountains was a large villa and several other smaller buildings, an enormous complex of structures serving dual purposes both as residence and house of scholastic pursuit. The colossal size of the edifices suggested the gigantic nature of the residents. At the moment, there were twenty one young women in residence ranging in age from thirteen to eighteen studying at the villa. The three women serving as instructors to the young students also resided on site.

Selene and Vanessa both moved at a near run across the valley floor toward the villa, excited by the find of tiny men. Ascending the broad marble stairs leading up to the main building, Selene espied Tanaquil, one of the three instructors at the villa seated at a stone bench along the wall. Although slender, she carried enormous authority in both her manner and posture. Her mature features many would say possessed the characteristics of classical beauty, were it not for the penetrating gaze of her slate colored eyes. Her dark haired was bound back.

Approaching, both girls nodded deferentially. “Mistress Tanaquil, we are just returned from the lake,” Selene said, voice slightly breathless.

Tanaquil held up a hand and frowned, deepening the lines in her face. “This time is devoted to study, what were the two of you doing at the lake?” she asked.

Both girls looked at their feet.

“I see,” said Tanaquil. “And you felt so riddled and overcome with guilt you needed to come confess, or someone else saw you returning and you’ve come to pre-empt them from telling on you. Well, which is it?” she demanded.

“Neither Mistress,” Selene said, extending her hands forward and opening them, Titus in one, two soldiers in the other.

Tanaquil’s eyebrow arched upward. “Little ones,” she said.

“In the forest,” Vanessa added, opening her hands to show her three captives.

Rising to her feet, she closed the tome she had been reading. “We need to alert the headmistress directly,” she said. Turning, she began walking, the two girls dropping in behind.

Through the villa proper and down into the subterranean basement Tanaquil walked, pace brisk enough to force the girls to half run just to keep up. Stopping near a large metal bound wooden door, she knocked.

“Enter,” invited a voice from the other side of the door.

Tanaquil opened the door and held out her hand indicating for the girls to enter before she herself entered.

Light brown hair tied back, Adeline was splendidly attired from foot to head in clothes that accentuated her feminine curves exquisitely. Like Tanaquil, she appeared more mature than the two young women before her. “Must be of terrible import for you to interrupt me when my time is occupied,” she said, voice firm but not cross.

Selene entered first followed by Vanessa, both bowing their heads respectfully. “Headmistress Adeline,” they said in unison.

“They were at the lake when they should have been engaged in their studies,” Tanaquil said.

 “She is a Soulreaper!” blurted Selene, eyes large and round as she beheld the naked blonde woman standing in the center of a containment circle at the opposite side of the room. Though disheveled and dirty, she appeared no older than Selene.

“What else are they called Vanessa?” asked the teacher without looking at the red head, turning instead to look at woman in the circle. Long golden hair tangled and unkempt, gold eyes full of rage, the Soulreaper barred her teeth, lips curled back into a snarl.

“Harvesters, they are also called harvesters,” Vanessa replied, taken aback by the presence of the dangerous creature.

“And how can we identify them?” Adeline asked.

“Their eyes, The Pale Queen said we will know them by their golden eyes,” Selene answered.

“That’s correct,” acknowledged Adeline.

“What is she doing here?” Vanessa asked, “I thought them to be all locked away in their own plane.”

“Someway, somehow, tribesmen in the surrounding area were able to open a portal between her plane and this one,” Adeline explained. “How they managed to open the conduit, I’m not sure, and how they controlled her is a mystery. By whatever agency, they seemed to have lost that control, and she was set free.”

“How is it that she is here in your custody?” Selene asked.

“The Dark Goddess bought her down then delivered her here,” replied Adeline. “The tribesmen who summoned her called her Hildegarde, translated as protective battle maid or something, so that is what I’ve been calling her, but she has yet to reciprocate communication.”

Adeline turned from Hildegarde to face the two young women. “So, what is it that you needed to see me about?”

Both came forward, opening hands to reveal the half dozen little treasures within, the men clinging tightly to fingers to prevent a catastrophic fall.

Adeline’s eyes brightened. “Now that is most interesting,” she said, looking over the half dozen tiny men.

“Romans,” Selene said. “They appeared out of the forest near the western end of the lake. We were able to gather this many, plus a like again amount we’ve already consumed. One of the men said they are at least a dozen more in the area beyond the lake toward the mountain.”

Adeline nodded then looked up to Tanaquil.

“You will each forfeit two of your prey for the indiscretion of foregoing studying,” Adeline said, pointing at the wooden table where there were several assorted bowls and herbs.

“Does it matter which two?” asked Vanessa, crestfallen.

“No child, keep the one you wish, leave the other two,” she instructed.

Selene looked at the figures in her hands. Choosing Titus, she set the two tiny men on the table. Vanessa frowned, intently studying the men in her possession before selecting one and depositing the others on the table. The frightened men crowded together on the table.

Looking at the girls, Adeline said, “You are excused.” Once the girls were gone, Adeline looked to Tanaquil. “Do you think we should call for a hunt?”

Tanaquil nodded. “I presume Delphine would concur. What of this creature?” she asked, looking over to the golden eyed woman.

“She is stubborn,” Adeline conceded, looking back. “Aren’t you Hildegarde?”

The blonde remained silent.

Standing up, Adeline walked over to the table to better see the four men left behind by the two younger women. Reaching down, she picked up one of the tiny men, a soldier named Marius. Walking over near the circle, she crouched down and rolled the little man inside the boundary of the magical circle holding Hildegarde prisoner. The blonde regarded the little man as he got to his feet, his eyes fearful as he tried to figure out a direction to run. Like a startled deer, he bolted. The moment he moved, Hildegarde reached down lightning quick, snatching him up off the ground.

“No, please,” he screamed, dangling upside down as she lifted him up.

Taking a leg in each hand, she pulled them apart suddenly, ripping his left leg free from the rest of his body, all the while keeping eye contact with Adeline. The soldier shrieked, blood spurting from the several femoral artery in his missing leg. Closing her fist around him, bones crunching and blood trickling out of her hand and down her arm, she stuffed him into her mouth and swallowed, before letting the torn off leg drop from her other hand. The soldiers still on the table got frantic, trying to put distance between themselves and the grisly death they had just witnessed.

“I accept your offering,” growled Hildegarde, her eyes glowing balefully as she dabbed a finger in the dead soldier’s blood and made marks on her face.

“The Dark Goddess has asked me to ensure you receive instruction in the appropriate use of power,” Adeline said, shaking her head from side to side.  “Clarissa herself vouches for you.”

Hildegarde smiled.

“What?” demanded a surprised Tanaquil. “She is a bloody Harvester!”

Adeline nodded. “The Dark Goddess wills, who am I to refuse her command?”

Tanaquil stepped forward, finger pointing at the blonde creature penned in the magic circle. “The moment you lift the circle, she will attack, they are savage wild creatures!”

Adeline stood up, facing Tanaquil. “What would you have me do?” she demanded loudly. “Tell Clarissa no? She has assured me Hildegarde has pledged to abide by the Divine Covenant and may be released,” she informed. “Whether you or I or Delphine, or any other likes it or not, that is the will of the goddess,” she declared, the fire in her eyes brooking no argument.

“She should be forced to swear a code of conduct if she is to remain, get her to kneel before the altar,” Tanaquil countered

 “I will only bend before the Dark Goddess or the Pale Queen, none other,” Hildegarde interjected.

Adeline nodded, “The Pale Queen accepts no vows,” she said.

“I sense her close by,” Hildegarde said.

“No, you sense her daughter, delivered here to us when the girl was but a child,” Adeline explained.

“Release the circle,” Hildegarde said.

Adeline flicked a glance at Tanaquil. With a small gesture, the power energizing the circle was gone. Both instructors allowed magci to fill them, ready to lash out should the Soulreaper attempt to attack.

“Hildegarde,” said the Soulreaper, “As good a name as any other,” she said taking a tentative step outside the boundary of the circle. Meeting no resistance, she smiled.

“You will be treated no differently than any other student here, you will be expected to comply with instruction, failure to do so and I will contact the Dark Goddess myself to see you reprimanded. Harm any other student here and you will be punished accordingly,” Adeline said. “Do you understand?”

Hildegarde nodded slowly. Adeline didn’t like it, though she kept her feelings to herself.

“You will go with Tanaquil, she will see to your arrangements,” Adeline said.

“Me?” asked Tanaquil, startled as if just slapped.

“You have a half hour to make her presentable, then we will assemble at the courtyard to announce the hunt,” Adeline said.

“Will I get to hunt?” Hildegarde asked, eyes shining.

“As I said before, you will be treated just as any other, you will be permitted to participate,” Adeline clarified.

Hildegarde smiled wickedly.

At the appointed time, Adeline and the other two instructors stood atop the stairs of the principal building overlooking the courtyard. Delphine struck the triangular chime thrice, sounding the call for general assembly.

Also standing slightly behind the three women, was Hildegarde, dressed in a simple cotton dress, honey colored hair pulled back. Tanaquil had made sure she was cleaned and presentable.

As the young women gathered before her, voices tittering as they milled about. Once all of the girls were in attendance, Adeline held up her hands. “Providence has smiled upon us this day girls, for two reasons. First, I’d like to introduce our newest pupil, Hildegarde.” She turned and beckoned Hildegarde forward. As she came forward, she was greeted to several gasps.

Taking a step forward, “Silence!” barked Tanaquil, eyes challenging anyone to continue making noise or being disruptive. A hush settled over the crowd of females.

Adeline nodded. “Thank you Tanaquil. Hildegarde is here under the dispensation of the Dark Goddess. If her presence here was deemed to be dangerous, she would not be here, period. You will all behave appropriately and any acts to undermine the will of the goddess will be directly reported to her and you can explain why you defied her.” She paused, allowing the notion to sink in. Defying the will of a goddess, let alone the Dark Goddess carried with it the likelihood of divine retribution and possible execution.

“I will state the obvious, yes she is a Soulreaper, yes you have been taught how unpredictable and dangerous they are, but Hildegarde is bound by the Covenant now.”

“Hilde,” said Hildegarde, “Call me Hilde.”

“You may join the others,” Adeline said, motioning her down the stairs.

The girls at the front parted, averting their eyes. One of the younger girls looked up and smiled.

“Secondly, we are going to have a hunt. In the foothills to the west of the lake, there are a number of roman soldiers, at least a dozen or we have been led to believe,” Adeline announced to the group.

Immediately a susurrus broke out amongst the young women assembled before the steps.

Tanaquil shifted forward, raising her hands, stern expression on her face. The gathering grew silent.

“All of you, with the exception of Selene and Vanessa will be permitted to participate in this hunt. We three shall also not participate,” she indicated the instructors. “Whatever prey you capture is yours to do with as you choose. Any disputes over prey will be resolved by either myself, Tanaquil, or Delphine. Is that understood?” Adeline put to the girls. Heads bobbed in unison.

“A hunt?” asked Lily, Selene’s patrilineal half sibling, moving forward. Like Selene, she was pale skinned with long dark hair, bluey gray eyes. Of all the women studying in the villa, Lily was the eldest and perhaps most powerful.

Adeline nodded.

“Given the scarcity of prey, should not some of the lesser sisters be excluded?” Lily suggested, looking to the more senior girls for support.

Voices rose up in protest. Adeline raised her hands to hush them, “All shall be permitted to participate, thus has it been decided,” she affirmed.

Lily shook her head. Turning away, she drew several of the other girls to her.

“A single note from the horn will announce the commencement of the hunt, three blasts will signal its culmination. You shall all have a short time to prepare yourselves

Hilde walked off a short distance. Lily with another girl named Jessa in tow walked up beside her.

“Hilde?” asked Lily, false smile on her face, bluey gray eyes penetrating.

Hilde met the gaze and nodded.

“You’re an aberration, an abomination. Even pale little Serah can claim divine lineage, but you, you’re just a wild thing belched up from some dark forgotten place. You would presume to consider yourself our equal? They,” she pointed to the instructors, “May say you are to be treated as any other, but know this, from this day until the stars themselves are extinguished, you shall never be my equal,” she hissed, voice venomous.

A slow smile curled itself at the corner of Hilde’s mouth.

“Come Jessa, lets us be away from this vile thing,” Lily said haughtily, making a show of turning and walking away.

“Pay her no mind,” said a delicate pretty blonde girl.

Hilde turned to face the speaker.

“Simone,” she said with a smile.

Hilde nodded.

“She’s got a very high opinion of herself,” Simone said, glancing at the retreating back of Lily.

“The others here defer to her,” Hilde said, eyes intent, analyzing the girls in the assembly as they prepared.

“She is likely the most gifted here, except maybe for Serah,” she said, indicating the youthful white haired girl who was seated off by herself.

Hilde nodded. “She is the progeny of the Death Goddess,” she stated.

Simone nodded affirmatively. “She has been here longer than most, very young when the Goddess of Light delivered her here.”

Hilde watched as Vanessa and Selene approached.

“I see you’ve met my sister,” Selene said with a sour look on her face. “I’m Selene,” she introduced, turning to the redhead, “And this is Vanessa.”

Hilde nodded. “Hilde,” she replied.

“You’re excused from the hunt?” Simone asked.

“We were the ones that found them,” Vanessa said.

Simone’s luminous green eyes grew wide, “Truly?”

A single long note from the horn sounded, the hunt was on.

Several of the girls broke into a run in the direction of the lake, Hilde and Simone parted from Selene and Vanessa, before following the frenzied rush. 

Play time

Excused from the hunt, Vanessa and Selene watched the mayhem begin before retiring. Returning to the room they shared together, a wide expanse, large down mattress, silken sheets.

Selene circled the room, igniting several oil lamps, warm light flickering around the room as Vanessa released bound sheer curtains around the bed.

Turning to face her companion, “Time to finish what we started in the lake,” Selene said with a coy smile, allowing her clothes to fall from her body. Vanessa also smiled, removing her own clothes similarly and letting them drop. Standing before one another, naked, they closed the distance between them coming together and embracing, soft flesh molding to one another. Encircling arms around each other, their mouths met, sharing a deep long passionate kiss, each holding their tiny captive securely in one hand.

Moving over to the bed, they lay side by side, putting the little soldiers on the sheets between their supple young bodies. Hands touching caressing one another, mouths locked in a fiery buss.

Titus looked over to Crassus, both of them wide eyed as the mountains of lovely flesh moved around and over them. Jumping to his feet, Titus started running toward to the foot of the bed, hoping there might be some passage under the Selene’s enormous leg draped over Vanessa’s thigh. Crassus fell in a step behind the centurion, the same urgent need to escape the situation propelling him forward.

Breaking their kiss, Vanessa looked down, knocking Crassus forward with a little flick of the finger causing him to lose his balance and fall face first to the sheet. Grabbing him by a leg, she brought him over her mouth. Still holding the leg, she lowered him in, closing her lips around him and using her tongue to drench him in her saliva. Pulling him out between plump lips, a popping sound when he emerged, she brought the thrashing man down over Selene’s left nipple, tracing the outline of her aureole. Selene giggled at the sensation.

Ducking under the gap in Selene’s left leg bent at the hip, Titus ran, trying to move as quickly as the slippery sheet beneath him and his fast moving feet would allow.

Selene took Crassus from Vanessa, licking his entire length of him with her wet tongue. Resting him in the hollow between her left index and middle fingers, his feet toward the ends of her fingers. She used her thumb to create a back stop behind his head. Drooling a measure of saliva out of her mouth onto her fingers and the tiny frightened man, as Vanessa rolled onto her back. Parting Vanessa’s vaginal lips with her right, she pushed her two fingers with Crassus inside Vanessa’s snug moist opening. The redhead let out a gasp and arched her pelvis to facilitate the fingers penetrating her. Slowly at first, Selene began to glide her slick fingers in and almost all the way out of Vanessa, Crassus fighting desperately to get away but incapable of such before being back inside the beautiful red haired woman. On the last thrust, Selene pushed with her thumb so that when her fingers came out, Crassus was still embedded in Vanessa to his neck, only his dark maned head was visible in Vanessa’s sodden pussy.

Successfully navigating through the entangled flesh, Titus stood at the end of the mattress, looking down. It was so far to the ground from his perspective, he feared the drop would be certain death. He felt a ripple of movement though mattress, almost enough to throw him from his feet as Vanessa got up on her knees and straddled Selene’s head, lowering her pussy to the eager mouth below. Unable to move, Crassus screamed as Selene’s tongue snaked out and began to gently lick at the tender pink flesh of Vanessa’s wetness and his tiny head.

Involuntarily Vanessa began to gyrate her hips as Selene skillfully brought her toward climax. Crassus could do nothing, the copious amount of fluid from mouth and excited vagina made it hard for him to catch a breath. He felt the muscles holding him fast as they began to tremble. The sudden convulsive contractions around him as Vanessa orgasmed crushing the air out of him. Vanessa closed her eyes as waves of pleasure inundated her body.

Taking his head between her lips, Selene pulled Crassus from the swollen pussy into her mouth. A quick flip of the tongue and he was completely in her mouth, being moved around at will with her tongue before he was swallowed and gone.

Vanessa lifted her knee from over Selene’s head and rolled onto her side, beads of perspiration on her flesh. The dark haired woman sat up, smile on her face.

“There you are,” Selene said, looking to the end of the bed where Titus stood.

As she made a motion in his direction, he turned from her and jumped. Suddenly there was a hand around him, lifting him. Selene smiled and shook her head. Moving back up the bed and laying on her back, she lowered him to her own heated sex. He could feel his bones creak and groan under the pressure of her fingers as she pressed him firmly against the moist flesh of her pussy and used him to massage the delicate flesh. As her excitement mounted, her pace increased to the point where she was almost grinding his tiny form into her heated labial folds. Milky cream, a product of her ecstasy drooled out of her vagina and down over her tight anus. She shuddered, allowing the sensations in her genitals to subside before using her right index finger behind his head, and pushing him against the sloppy opening. His head slid easily into her well lubricated hole. She grabbed him around his legs and torso and drove him deeper inside of herself, savoring the little tingles caused by his passage.

When only his lower legs remained outside of her vagina, she beckoned Vanessa over with a glance. The red head dropped to her knees and excited by the sexual musk, lowered her mouth onto Selene’s engorged clitoris and swirled the swollen prominence in a circular motion. Selene clutched Vanessa by the hair and gasped at the pleasure being teased out by the expert ministrations of the red head.

Suddenly, the legs dangling outside of Selene’s vagina began to thrash wildly. The brunette arched her back, overcome by another orgasm. Using her lips, Vanessa enveloped the thrashing legs in her mouth and closed her lips around them, sucking the man out of the reluctant pussy.

He tried to twist and turn to orient himself inside her mouth, but her tongue was too strong as she moved him about at will quickly depleting his waning strength. He held his arms out, pushing off of her teeth as she continued rolling him about the inside of her mouth. Suddenly the angle changed as she lifted her chin. Applying pressure with her tongue, and forced him toward the back of her throat. He struggled to try and find something, anything to clutch onto but she was far too powerful and he too slick. Drawn down her throat, he felt her throat contract and squeeze around him as he was pulled inside and down.

Wayward Lambs

 “We are moving much too slowly as a single unit,” he said, looking from man to man, the injuries of some slowing down the entire group.

“What do you suggest?” asked Agrippa.

“Pair up and scatter, we will meet at the far end of the lake by nightfall, anyone not there by first light will be presumed lost,” he said.

Agrippa nodded, doing a head count. “We are thirteen, I will go scout ahead alone.”

Valerius nodded. “Strength and honor my friend,” he said, seizing Agrippa’s forearm.

“Strength and honor,” Agrippa replied, squeezing Valerius’ arm in return.

Agrippa set off at an easy lope away from the group as Valerius began pairing the remaining soldiers up.

“Tacitus, you’re with me,” Valerius said, pointing to the soldier with an injured leg.

Tacitus shook his head, “No centurion, my leg will only slow you down,” Tacitus said. They both knew it to be the truth.

Valerius shook his head, “I will help you,” he said.

Brutus stepped forward, his nearly severed arm in a sling, “I will go with Tacitus centurion, we make a fine pair,” he said, wan smile on his weathered face. Slipping his good arm under Tacitus’ shoulder, Brutus led him away from where the others stood.

Valerius frowned then nodded his head, “Germanicus, you’re with Marcellus.”

“As you command,” replied Valerius’ optio. Looking at the hulking brute assigned as his partner, “Let us away from here,” he said. Marcellus pursed his lips and nodded.

Pontius stepped forward, “Quintus and Felix, Cassius and Atticus,” he said, pointing at the pairs. The men nodded and immediately set off.

“Pontius, you take Sulla. Lucius you’re with me,” Valerius said.

In no time, there was distance created between the six pairs of soldiers as well as the solitary Agrippa as the men ran through the forest, ducking around ancient trees and vegetation in an effort get away from the area where many of their brethren met their fates.

At 6’3”, Valerius was exceedingly tall for an average Roman, covering a lot of ground with each stride of his long legs. Lucius, while shorter and slight, was very fleet of foot and able to keep up. Angling upslope, the pair climbed toward where mountain rock and tree met, Valerius wanting to find a vantage with which to see back to where the first two huge women had departed. Pausing, lungs heaving, the muscles of his legs felt afire. He bent over, hands on knees to catch a breath. The slash in his face ached as he sucked air into his lungs.

“You want me to climb the tree, take a look around?” Lucius asked, also breathing heavily, though not nearly as much as the centurion.

Valerius shook his head, “I’ll do it,” he said, waving off the smaller man.

“Sure you’re not too old?” joked Lucius, a decade younger than Valerius.

Valerius chuckled, “You’re mother didn’t think I was too old when I last saw her,” he replied with a smile.

“I hope you were gentle with her, she’s not many winters left in her I fear,” Lucius replied.

They shared a laugh, before Valerius said, “Be alert.”

Finding a tree suitable for climbing, Valerius scaled the braches, climbing high up into the tree trying to gain an opening in the foliage that would allow him to look back upon the near end of the lake.

The clear sky overhead and smooth placid water belied the tension gnawing at his insides. A soldier most of his life, nothing could have prepared him for this. The jest of mothers brought thoughts of his own mater drifting across his mind as he regarded the idyllic scenery. He had not seen her in ages, the ongoing campaigns keeping him far from home.

She had come from a fairly prosperous merchant family located in heart of the empire, Rome herself. His grandsire had never held the circumstances of Valerius’ birth against him, despite the fact he had been born out of wedlock when his mother was only seventeen. Valerius had never known his true father, his maternal grandfather a surrogate. In fact, his grandfather had used political connections to ensure Valerius’ legitimacy, going so far as to appoint the boy his legal heir. The Great Fire in 64 CE believed to have been started by Emperor Nero himself to clear space for Domus Aurea forced the family to abandon Rome to the security of a more northerly estate when he was only five. Those were some of his earliest memories. The word estate, an overstatement of a simple land holding where they grew olives and dates. Valerius smiled. Headstrong and tall for a boy of fifteen, he pressured his grandfather for a probatio, a letter of introduction and verification for inclusion into the army. Half a life ago. Valerius chuckled.

The sound of a horn rang out, deep, loud, seeming to reverberate and echo off of the surrounding snow covered mountains, pulling his mind back to the moment. On the heels of the horn, he could hear the sound of thunder rumbling over the landscape, drawing nearer and louder with each passing moment. Valerius watched as first one, then another, then another female appeared above the forest lining the near end of the lake on the opposite shore and still they kept coming. He shook his head in disbelief. Each woman’s gigantic step consuming massive quantities of distance as they continued to come into view. He turned his head and looked out over the trees below, his men were down there in desperate flight. Looking back to the approaching women, he now knew there was little hope of eluding so many giantesses, the size disparity just too great.

One woman, a blonde haired giantess simply dressed, pushed through the trees near the lake, diving head first into the water, arms outstretched, her trajectory intercepting the men’s path of flight as she slid beneath the surface of the water at an alarming pace.

Others also pushed through the trees, circling around the water, while a handful waded through it. A half smile appeared on his face as two of the towering women headed toward the cave opening, he had chosen wisely, but now it all seemed for naught. There were so many and they looked so young. “Gods,” Valerius whispered to himself. Looking down at Lucius near the base of the gnarled tree, he yelled, “Run as if Pluto himself is on your heels,” he urged.

“What of you?” Lucius asked, calling up.

“Go!” said Valerius, waving his arm to get the smaller man moving.

Lucius nodded, bolting out of sight.

Dropping down from branch to branch, Valerius made haste to try and get to the ground. Sacrificing security of landing for speed made his descent reckless, costing him, as his foot entangled and he was pitched forward face striking a large tree branch with a good deal force. Falling uncontrolled now, the next branch he struck threw him cartwheeling backwards, crashing into yet another branch as he tumbled toward the earth. Hitting the ground near the base of the tree, the impact drove the air from his lungs and spots danced before his eyes. Scrambling forward on hands and knees he pulled himself into the tangled roots of the tree, leaning his head back against a thick wooden tendril as the light dimmed from his eyes and the sounds in his ears grew faint and far away, slipping into darkness as unconsciousness claimed him.

Agrippa

Without the others slowing him down, Agrippa moved through the forest like an animal born to it. As a pragmatist, there was no sense in lamenting the twisted fortunes they found themselves inexplicably in, that was defeatist, and a waste of time. Vaulting a gnarled root he came into a small clearing of sorts and what he saw caused him to come to an abrupt halt. Across the clearing garbed in a simple dress of white was woman, a few inches shorter than his 5’11”. His hand went to his sword, curling his callused fingers around the handle of the killing instrument. She had yellow hair, pulled back, hands behind her back. When she saw him, she smiled. He moved to his right, warily circling her. As he got closer to her, he could see her eyes were amber of color. She appeared young, perhaps not yet twenty summers old.

“Who are you?” he challenged, posture alert and ready for combat.

“Who are you?” she asked back in Roman, a smile at the corner of her mouth.

He wasn’t sure if she was asking him his identity, or simply parroting his words. In the distance he could hear the sounds of crashing in the forest. Turning his head, he checked the path of his flight, but could see very little between the trunks of the trees. Refocusing on the woman, he continued to his right, she pivoted her position, continuously facing him as he moved.

“Agrippa,” he said, eyes narrow, fingers clenching and unclenching on his sword.

She nodded. “Agrippa,” she repeated, evaluating him. While he moved with confidence, purpose, there was something in him, some indefinable essence lingering just beneath his gruff exterior. He was a warrior, but something more. She smiled, yes, she had chosen wisely and would enjoy this one.

He shook his head. The whole situation felt wrong, like walking into that cursed trap the barbarians had set. Instinct urged him run, curiosity bade him stay.

“Hilde,” she said, taking a step closer. Closing her eyes, she tried to pick up his scent. Slightly pungent, a hint of fear, but strong and virile. Her smile widened, this one would never capitulate, never beg. She found herself growing aroused.

He raised his left hand between them, “Stay where you are,” he cautioned, menace in his tone.

The crashing and rending of trees sounded much closer, someone screamed, a male, somewhere not too far off.

“You should probably run,” she said, looking to the trees from whence he had emerged.

He started to move into the trees behind her, across from where he had entered the clearing, “You shouldn’t be here,” he barked, throwing a glance back over his shoulder.

She smiled, “Perhaps it is you who shouldn’t be here,” she replied, wide smile appearing on her face. “Agrippa.”

He shook his head and resumed running, baffled by the exchange. Had that woman been some wood nymph or tree spirit? A dryad? He wasn’t sure but given recent events he certainly couldn’t rule it out. He did know if that woman remained, the giant women would most likely capture her. He pulled up, frowning. Looking back, he knew he must do something. Circling back, he espied the clearing, she was still in it, near the edge where he had fled, gazing up at the tall trees. She trailed a hand over the tree, almost caressing it, lovingly. Bringing her hands together, suddenly she began to grow, her body enlarging, the simple dress along with her. Another face appeared above the trees in the clearing, another girl, beautiful, hair like gold, wide smile under verdant eyes.

Agrippa’s heart thundered in his chest, as if it might explode, the pounding so loud he thought for sure it would betray his location.

“There you are,” said the girl, bright smile, “I thought I’d lost you.”

Soon, the woman who had identified herself as Hilde stood over a hundred feet in air, “No,” she said. “Just gaining perspective on our quarry.”

The girl nodded, “Several were captured back that way,” she said, turning her head back.

He frowned and slowly shook his head, each man captured was a sworn brother. He would mourn them appropriately when time allowed, for now, he knew he must be away from this place. He did not understand why the woman had made herself small or why she engaged him as she did, but he did not intend to waste the opportunity provided.

Simone reached forward and opened her hand to display the treasure she held there.

“You caught one?” Hilde said, looking at the unconscious form lying in Simone’s palm. “He is much larger than the others,” she commented.

Marcellus? Agrippa wondered, or Valerius. Marcellus was the larger, but Valerius was also atypically tall for a Roman.

The woman who had called herself Hilde, now grown to her full height, turned to look in the direction he had exited the clearing from. “The chase shall soon be afoot Agrippa,” she said playfully.

The other young woman looked puzzled, “Agrippa?”

“I have chosen my prey,” she said, “He is a prize to be sure, but I think it only sporting to give him a chance to take flight to create distance between us.”

The girl nodded and smiled. “I’m going to go back to the villa register the capture before one of the others tries to relieve me of it, like Lily,” she said.

Hilde returned the nod as Simone wove back through the trees.

His blood ran cold. He moved away, slowly, quietly, unsure of how acute the hearing of these women might be. Kneeling down, he removed his cloak, armor, focale, cingulum militare, and helmet, dressing down to his tunic, braccae, and caligae. Buckling up his balteus, he pushed his discarded equipment in amongst the roots of a tree before sprinting away, holding his sword tight to prevent it from making noise.

“Your time of respite has expired, here I come,” he heard the woman say, not enough distance he thought. Knowing there was no hope of possibly eluding the gigantic woman hunting him by trying to out distance her, he decided he would try and hide. Given the nature of the flora about, he caught sight of a hollow within the roots of a tree. Pausing by a shrub, he withdrew his sword and severed the small bush near its base. Dragging the bush to the tree, he moved in amongst the gnarled roots and pulled the tree over him. Plucking a few leaves, he rolled them between his hands then rubbed his hands on his face before repeating the process with his body. The sound of footsteps grew very close, and from his blind he could see the feet of one of the women, whether it was Hilde or another he couldn’t be sure. Closing his eyes he cast a silent prayer, if today was his day to die, then he would die like a soldier, on his feet and fighting.

The Girl with the Snowy Hair

Valerius was awakened to a strong breeze seemingly blowing directly into his face, the air carrying the sweet but strong smell of fruit in it. Creaking open weary eyelids, head throbbing, he started suddenly, pressing himself more firmly back against the knobbly roots of the tree. In front of him, twenty feet distant by his perspective was the enormous face of girl more child than woman, no more than thirteen or so years in age. She was lying on her stomach, hands folded under her chin. Her lips were puckered and she was blowing air from her mouth into his hiding spot. Her face was several times his full height and framed by long unkempt white hair. Wide blue eyes the color of lapis brightened when he roused. “You’re awake,” she said, mouth reshaping into a smile.

Panic tightened icy fingers in his gut. He could not believe something so large could possibly have moved so quietly he wouldn’t have heard. She had moved like the mist. Nestled in amongst the roots, his avenues of escape were all but blocked off by this girl, the close proximity giving him a true understanding of their size disparity. He could feel his heart pounding like a war drum in his chest, like it did just before battle. He moved his hand slowly and curled it around the handle of his sword.

“It’s okay,” she soothed in his Roman tongue, voice calm as she slowly moved her left hand incrementally closer to his position. “I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispered slowly.

What he had thought might be an ideal hiding place when he fell, now boxed him in, trapping him and making flight near impossible. Pulling the sword part way out of the sheath, he stopped when her expression changed, eyes narrowing, mouth pursing into a frown.

“There is no need for that,” she said.

He remained still a moment, measuring his breath, doubting the sword could actually do any significant damage other than maybe to an eye. Slowly his slid his sword back into its sheath.

Her two impossibly blue eyes held him in her gaze. Her pretty mouth again splitting wide with a grin, teeth even and as white as her unruly mane. “I can see you’re hurt and probably scared, I can help you,” she said again, hand drawing closer.

As her hand drew ever nearer, he suddenly sprung forward toward it, she recoiled back from the unexpected motion. Vaulting over a tangle of gnarled roots to his left, he dodged behind the tree whence he had hidden himself. He could hear movement behind him as she attempted to position herself to intercept him. Clutching the sword at his hip, he ran as fast as he could, trying to weave between the trunks of the old trees. He didn’t see the serpent quick hand as she reached out and grabbed him about his legs and torso with her left hand.

“I got you,” she said triumphantly, holding him securely, pinning his arms to his sides.

He struggled against her grip, but her hand, while delicately structured was far too strong for him to open no matter how much he tried. Despite the unyielding strength, her grip was careful not to crush him.

On hands and knees, she sat back, bum on her heels as she brought him up near her face.

“It’s okay,” she cooed, trying to calm him, reassure him of her peaceful intent. “My name is Serah,” she said softly. “What’s your name?”

He looked into her sweet face, trying to detect duplicity but seeing none. He had seen a number of men lose themselves behind pretty smiles. “I am centurion Tius Valerius,” he replied.

“You are lucky I’m the one who found you centurion Tius Valerius, there are still some others out searching for the remainder of your companions,” she said, nodding her head.

“Are you going to eat me?” he asked, direct and to the point as he looked at her cupid’s bow mouth.

“I do not think so,” she replied after a moment.

She reached her free hand beside him, extending her right forefinger and pointed to the gash on his face.

“Axe,” he said.

She frowned and nodded. “You are a soldier?” she inquired.

He nodded slowly. “You said the remainder of my companions, my men, what did you mean?”

She looked away.

“Serah?”

“Including yourself, at last count there were eleven of you captured. Two others were inadvertently crushed during the early part of the hunt,” she said softly,

Thirteen? There were only thirteen of us. He lowered his head, but then remembered, there were three others who had fled from the lake, meaning there might still be three men out there, still some hope, but only three, his heart sank. “What fate has greeted those unable to conceal themselves from the other giant women?” he asked.

Serah shook her head, mouth pulled into a frown. “It is hard for me to say what the others may do. Hunts are infrequent and when they occur they tend to enflame the blood,” she replied almost wistfully.

“They are probably dead then?” he said.

She nodded slowly.

“What is your design for me?” he asked.

She smiled, “You have come through the mountain to this place. You know what lies beyond the portal, what wonders are there,” she said, “I want you to tell me of it, teach me.”

He frowned, “Teach you?” he asked.

She nodded enthusiastically.

“Then what is to become of me?” he asked.

“I will care for you and protect you from the others,” she said.

“Teach you about where I am from?” he asked.

She smiled. “I must return to the villa and declare my capture and right of property,” she said.

“Right of property? Slave?” he asked, frowning.

“Yes, otherwise one could try and claim ownership of you,” she answered.

He didn’t like it, but considering the alternative, he nodded slowly. At some point, some time, they would make a mistake, and he could escape. As long as the white haired girl didn’t eat him, he still had a chance.

Lily

The hunt had been bountiful for Lily as she looked down on her four tiny little prizes, evaluating them as they huddled together atop the fancy inlaid table in her room.

“By what names are you called?” she asked, tilting her head to one side.

One of the little men moved forward, closer to her, “I am Germanicus, optio of the first century, third cohort of Legion 1 Minerva.”

She nodded, pointing a finger at the cluster of the other three.

Tacitus walked forward, limping noticeably on his wounded leg, stopping a few feet from Germanicus, he looked to him and nodded before looking up, he tipped his head to the side and spit.

She frowned. Curling her hand into a fist, she brought it down quickly, directly over Tacitus, striking the table with a resounding crash, blood and viscera exploded outward, spray spattering Germanicus. Lifting her hand away, she opened it and examined it before picking up a small cloth and wiping away the remnants of the dead solider.

Germanicus stared in horror and the mass of ruined flesh no longer recognizable as human.

Felix jumped to his feet and started to run in the direction opposite the gigantic woman. Laughing, she reached out with the hand she used to mash Tacitus and flick him in the back, knocking him to the ground in a sprawling heap. Seizing his right leg, she lifted him up and off the table, dangling him before her face.

“Where did you think to run to silly little one?” she asked with an amused expression on her beautiful face.

He struggled and thrashed about but did not reply. She shook her hand vigorously and he grew still. Bringing him closer, she parted her full lips slightly and pulled him into her mouth. A quick motion of her head and swallow and he was gone.

She looked at the unidentified soldier, “You, how are you called?” she asked.

“Quintus,” he replied. “Optio of the first century, first cohort of Legion 1 Minerva.’

She looked at the two men, “Optio? You are officers?”

They looked at each other and nodded.

She smiled. “How many are you?”

Germanicus turned to Quintus, “Six?” he lied.

Quintus nodded, “Yes I think that’s right,” he confirmed, understanding what his companion was doing.

“That is unfortunate,” she said, “More than that have been registered, which means you are being deceitful.”

Germanicus stepped forward, “We are not, we were divided into small groups and scattered by the barbarians, in our group there were only six, Quintus and I, Tacitus,” he pointed to the smear, “And Felix,” he nodded toward Lily. “I know not the whereabouts of either Marcellus or Brutus,” he explained, tone slightly frantic, hoping she would not bring her fist down again.

“It is not our intent to deceive or mislead great lady,” Quintus added.

She frowned slightly, “Knowing your perfidious nature, I doubt the sincerity of your explanation, but it matters not. The question upon my mind is which of you shall have the privilege of expending your little spark seeing to my pleasure,” she touched her hand to her chin as she looked at the two soldiers.

They exchanged looks with one another.

“”What do you mean?” asked Germanicus.

She smiled. “Your impulsive need to speak has made the decision for me,” she said, reaching down and taking each of them in a hand.

Bringing Germanicus forward, “To answer your impudent question, you shall the luxury of observing how your companion shall expends his final breath. This will help you better appreciate your own end,” she said as she walked into her private chambers.