"Go back to your oar, 41."Anyone know where this ship is headed? It may need to replenish its stock of slave rowers at the rate things are going.
In reality, galleys were only rowed in battle, when maneuvering in port, or when there was no wind; otherwise, sails were used."Go back to your oar, 41."
I had the same thought - nailing up all your slaves and making them row without rest is like pulling out bits of your engine and throwing them away if some part starts malfunctioning, and then not ever changing the oil. Sooner or later, the ship will simply stop.
A fair point, I have been looking up some facts in order to give some accuracy to the story but hey, like you say, let's keep the story going. Here is the next installment, I have no idea where this is going or how it will end?In reality, galleys were only rowed in battle, when maneuvering in port, or when there was no wind; otherwise, sails were used.
I could point out that - despite what you see in Ben-Hur - the Romans didn't use slaves to row their galleys. That practice didn't begin until about the XVI century when Christian and Muslim fleets used prisoners of war as galley slaves.
But, like Lew Wallace, let's not let historical accuracy get in the way of a good story.
"Two stars to the right and straight on till morning!"Anyone know where this ship is headed? It may need to replenish its stock of slave rowers at the rate things are going.
I think Jollyrei must be feeling especially tolerant... I'd give Goab at least, which means that William is writing like a genius!Excellent story so far. It's harrowing and exciting. You depict the horror of being a galley slave very well. Goab is a nicely dreadful character, as well. I give him a , for the moment. We'll wait to see what the official score is from Wragg.
I suspect the woman will die of tetanus shortly. Not much better than crucifixion. What happens if she gets sick? Throw her to the sharks, I suppose.
Looking forward to more.
OK.The wind had dropped quite significantly by the morning and the rowers were pulling with all there strength to keep the speed constant. The Black Eagle is one of the largest galley's to be built, more than twice the length of a normal galley and carried almost twice the amount of men. Normal galleys usually had fifty rowers, in the case of The Black Eagle there were ninety which were rotated every three hours to keep them fresh. Sometimes, after battle, prisoners from the defeated ships would be taken and made to row for their lives. Failure to accept this would result in death by several different methods. Sometimes they would be nailed to the hull of the ship, special areas of the boat had been reinforced just for this purpose. A few would be kept locked up and, when required, would be lashed to the front of the ship, when engaging the enemy. The sight of a naked slave screaming his head off as the approaching ship is set to ramming speed is enough to install fear into any enemy of Rome. The Black Eagle also carried a handful of women slaves mostly to entertain the soldiers at night, clean decks and to row when required. This was indeed a most impressive galley and was tasked to patrol the shores off the coast of Rome in search of Carthaginian ships.
Livia and Mila were slumped on their oars in a brief rest period. They had been watered and were rubbing their arms and swollen ankles to retrieve the circulation. Goab was pacing up and down the centre of the ship. He stopped and looked at Mila and bent down and lifted her face under her chin. He stared into her blank lifeless eyes and smirked, dribbling spit down his chin which fell onto her face, there was no reaction. He licked her cheek “ you taste very sweet today, maybe I come for you again tonight, let's see how many times I can fuck your arse before you pass out on me.” “Fuck you pig,” screamed Livia, “If I was not chained to this oar I would gouge your eyes out,” Livia stopped abruptly realising that this outburst could have serious repercussions on her. Goab swung around sharply and caught Livia a sharp blow to her temple, the world spun and then darkness.
Livia's eyes squinted as she tried to open them in the bright sunlight. There was a warm, not unpleasant breeze on her face which brought back memories of when she was a child and living with her mother and father and fetching the corn from the fields to make bread. Her matted hair was falling across her face and she went to move it from her eyes when reality set in, she was crucified! Goab had her lashed to the mast by coarse rope, as he had promised, for the first offence. Her arms were stretched out and roped at the wrists and under her armpits. Her tiny feet were lashed either side of the mast and were beginning to swell and turn purple due to the blood flow being restricted. Goab had stripped her fully naked and had rammed a cornu into her which he tied with a small piece of leather so that it would not drop out. “You,re awake then my little one, how do you like the view eh? Get used to it as you will be there all day by which time I guess you will be ready to behave.” Livia sighed but she was not going to retaliate for fear of a more harsher punishment. Goab continued “next time, my beauty, it will not be rope that binds you to the beams it will be cold hard iron. I will take great pleasure in driving them into your wrists while the walls of your cunt squeeze every bit of semen out of my cock as you take the pain. Your feet will be nailed through your ankles so that all can gaze at your inviting little cunt that has given so much enjoyment to my men on this voyage. Well, cannot spend time with you, I have other vermin to keep in line, enjoy the rest!” His laughter was loud and deep as he walked off cracking his long whip as he went. Livia,s eyes closed to blot out the harsh sunlight and with the gentle sway of the ship she fell asleep.
To be continued.........
You are all too kind!!OK.
Now it's
Agreed. I had not read the last appalling, er, splendid chapter. I do hope Goab dies horribly sometime in the future. No great rush.OK.
Now it's
Yes, you're quite right.You are all too kind!!
Deserves an 8, you reckon?A seven on the official Wragg loathometer ... Wow ... impressive!
“Right, who shall we have next” he sneered.
To be continued.... (As long as people like it)
(As long as people like it)
Good, but better if you used paragraphs! They are a writers friend!Goab was looking at the miserable group of naked prisoners with interest. They had just witnessed the barbaric crucifixion of one of their own and were begging to be spared the same fate. Goab leant forward and rested his hand on the shoulder of a young man of maybe nineteen to twenty years old. Tears were running down his soft cheeks and his hands were cupped over his small penis to keep some modesty. “I don't know if you can understand what I am saying,” he whispered in the lads ear. “You will all meet your end in some way, I will decide how and when that will happen, in the meantime I want you to fall at my feet and beg for forgiveness.” The lad looked puzzled, as Goab expected, He obviously had know idea what was being said, much to the amusement of some of the crew. “Shall I have you crucified on the other side of the mast?” he said in a calming voice and with a smile. The lad smiled back, not knowing what had been asked of him. There was more laughter from the crew, they enjoyed this mockery, the lad himself would seal his own fate eventually. Goab grabbed a handful of the other woman prisoner and pulled her up to his face. She winced at the stale wine from his breath, Goab grabbed her mouth and stuck his tongue down her throat whilst inserting several fingers up her arse and stroking her clit with his thumb. She moaned but at the same time brought her knee up sharply in his groin. Goab buckled to the floor with tears falling down his face, some of his crew were roaring with laughter at the sight of this brute of a man being felled by such a petite frame. “Enough!” roared Goab “You” and he stared into her dark brown eyes, “have made a big mistake. Your punishment will be the most severe of all, you will not die quickly mark my words.” He looked back at the young lad, “bring me another beam and some fresh nails.” the boy trembled and held his head making a long, loud moaning sound.“Clunk” the heavy beam was dropped on the deck next to the whimpering boy along with two long spikes and a hammer. Goab walked over to two of his crew and whispered something in their ears. They turned on the young lad and grabbed his legs from under him and pulled him towards the beam. The boy was screaming so loud that his face was bright red. They spread his legs wide and placed his feet on the beam. Goab had also brought two wooden washers and had proceeded to push the points of the spikes through them. To the two remaining prisoners it was clear that he was to be crucified upside down! Goab sat on the boys legs and positioned the left foot where he wanted it. He ordered one of his crew to hold the toes and the ankle so that he could place the point of the spike on the heel. The lad flinched when he felt the first touch of the iron on his flesh. He gritted his teeth as he saw the shadow of the hammer begin to fall and join his body to the wood. “Crack” iron met iron and then the splintering sound as it made its way into flesh, bone and then hard wood. The boys eyes rolled in his head, he had never felt such pain but this was just the beginning of hours of prolonged anguish. Soon it was all over and both feet were pinned to the wood. His penis stood proud and erect as this was normal with the pain and the sudden surge of blood to the organs. A rope was tied to the beam and three crew members lifted the beam and its attachment to the side of the ship. “Let's go fishing” Yelled Goab, as the twisting lad was lowered over the side. Blood was running down the boys legs from the angry spikes protruding from his pierced heels. He looked down to see the crystal clear water edging closer and closer. Now he had something else to take his mind off the pain in his feet, drowning! “Dip him in and let some blood in the water from his feet” ordered Goab. The lad was dropped the last few feet into the chilly water and the shock almost took his breath away. “Pull him up” came the command and once again his body weight hung by his feet. “Just wait a minute” said Goab as he surveyed the immediate area. “There!” shouted one of the crew and he pointed at a silvery fin just breaking the surface. Goab leaned over the side and looked down at the spread eagled boy. “Time for dinner” he laughed, “Lower away” and he gestured for this to be done very slowly. He could see the look of terror in the boys face as first his arms then shoulders touched the water. The attack was quick and brutal, no one saw it coming. The large fish took most of the boys upper body and almost pulled the rope out of the men,s hands. There was a lot of thrashing about and blood foamed over the surface, it was all over in a couple of minutes. The men pulled the rope up with the beam still attached. The beam thumped on the deck and a crew member pulled out the two spikes and threw, what remained of the feet, overboard for the smaller fish. “Tie the remaining two together, I will deal with them later,something special I think.”
To be continued
Yes point taken, only noticed when I had finished (got carried away). Will bear it in mind, next installment soon.Good, but better if you used paragraphs! They are a writers friend!
No problem. Something I have to watch as well!Yes point taken, only noticed when I had finished (got carried away). Will bear it in mind, next installment soon.