I was surprised, but I missed my longer walk home. I was settling into Cardino’s club as one its newest shift managers, responsible for the smooth operation of the club during my assigned shift. As the most junior manager, I was assigned to the morning shift, starting at 6:00 and running to 12:00, in theory. Of course, that meant my day started closer to 4:00 so I was at the club no later than 5:00 and officially on-duty promptly at 6:00. Following my shift, I usually had to hurry to the extension campus for classes, and then arrived back at my apartments by 18:00 or 19:00. Dinner, work on assignments, and then bed was my typical routine. Twice a week, I had dinner with my grandmother in her private apartments. Three times a week, I managed to spend an hour in the gymnasium trying to stay fit. The rest of the time was work, school, or sleep.

Fortunately, today was different. For the first time in five weeks, I did not have to hurry from work to school. For the first time, I would actually get the often promised break on seventh-day. First-day and seventh-day were supposed to be my days off. Until now, they had been filled with school-work or additional training that Master Geraldo, the general manager of the club, or my grandmother felt I needed to get up to speed. Classes were on a break, so I had a full ten-days without that extra workload, and tomorrow I was not scheduled for any additional training. Master Geraldo had even told me I was off the on-call list for the day. If grandmother did not assign anything extra, I would actually be able to relax some tomorrow. I was looking forward to having a mental break, some time just to think, like what I used to do during my longer walk home.

Of course, now, just thinking about the difference was all I had time for as I ducked out of the employee entrance to the club, walked around the corner to the plaza and along the front wall of grandmother’s house. The walk was entirely too short to do any serious thinking. I did not even have the delay of picking up my three house slaves from day-training at the club today. Allia had insisted they spend the day cleaning the apartments more thoroughly today so she would not have to worry about that detail on my day off.

I smiled. She was a task-master within my household. I was able to concentrate on work and school because there was literally nothing to worry about in my home. Allia saw to that.

I bounded up the stairs, realizing I had almost six hours until dinner with my grandmother. It put a smile on my face as I walked into my apartments. Allia was standing near the balcony doors, smiling at me as Ten, Eleven, and Twelve knelt before her, also facing me. The three women were perfectly in the position Allia had instructed them on five weeks ago. Twelve was fully healed from the beating I had administered on that first day, and actually looked better than she had since I first saw her. Eleven, her daughter who I was finally not thinking of as Lexi, was looking even better than she had in school two years ago. The two of them, with their thick blonde hair made attractive contrasts to Ten, who was much darker-skinned and had black hair. She was technically my chambermaid, but I had not used her in the traditional manner such a role implied. She and Eleven had both tended me in the bath and wardrobe, and she was learning massage as part of her day training, but I had not yet had the time or energy to evaluate that part of her education.

“Welcome home, Master Cosimo,” they all said together.

“Thank you,” I replied. I glanced at Allia, the only slave clothed and had a wicked thought about how I might spend my first free six hours. I surprised myself, since I had not really felt like using them in that way so far in Cardino.

“Allia, are there any chores these three have remaining, or have they cleaned to your satisfaction today?” I asked.

“Twelve has been requested to assist with dinner in your grandmother’s apartments, with your permission,” she said.

I nodded. “Of course. Twelve, I expect you to demonstrate your skills well for my grandmother,” I said. She had turned out to be a very good cook. “I’ll be dining with her tonight, of course, and expect to be impressed.”

I flicked my hand at her, and she rose, bowed from the waist, and headed for the door. I spotted a hint of a smile as she hurried out, and took a moment to appreciate the womanly sway of her hips and breasts. I knew she enjoyed working in the kitchen and having the opportunity to cover herself even if it was with the protective jacket and pants of a chef.

“And these two?” I asked.

“Their chores are finished, but you should inspect their work. If you find it acceptable, perhaps they have earned a slight reward. The water in the bay is warm enough for swimming finally.”

I thought that sounded like a fine idea. I knew the apartments would be spotless, or Allia would not have even suggested a reward. I also understood that inspecting their work was my duty as the nominal head of this household.

“I will check their work and decide,” I said. “Do you have plans for the day?” She might be a slave, but she had been the head of my grandmother’s household staff for years, if not decades. I was not going to assume she would accompany us to the slave’s beach for a swim.

“Assuming your satisfaction,” she said, “the mistress of the house has suggested I spend some time with my grandson, Devon. She suggested we visit her country estate until eighth-day.”

Devon was the bodyguard that had accompanied my grandmother to my arrival at Cardino. He had taken over my weekly defense training, and I liked him. He was free, of course, since our system of slavery was not hereditary, but was still a loyal employee to my grandmother. Leaving for the country today and staying until eighth-day suggested more than a family visit.

“Please give Devon my regards,” I said formally. “If there is nothing else, let’s start in the kitchen.”

Ten and Eleven rose quickly and headed for the hallway toward the kitchen. I walked at a slower pace and Allia followed. We strolled past the dining room, its long table framed by the arched doors leading to the patio overlooking the water of the bay. Eleven knelt by the doorway and Ten was in the kitchen, kneeling by the pantry.

I examined the room with its hanging pots and pans. I examined the sinks and preparation areas, looking in cupboards and running my fingers over the sparkling surfaces. The room did seem to be spotless. I checked the pantry, happy to see it stocked with staples and well organized. Both young women beamed at my nods of approval.

We followed the same pattern for the remaining rooms in the apartment. I was surprised to be guided into their quarters. While I had seen them when I first moved in, I had not given any thought to them since. Allia had a private room, kept neat with only a few pictures of her daughter and grandchildren to personalize the space. I suspected she had another room in the main house. The slave dorm was small, barely large enough for the three slim beds and an open lavatory area, but it too was spotless.

We finished in my master suite. The room had been nicely appointed five weeks ago when I first arrived, but not exactly my style. Since moving in, the furniture had been updated. Instead of the slightly feminine decor that matched the canopied bed, I had chosen a more rustic and masculine tone. The bed was still a four-poster, but with wrought iron posts and railings and a darker headboard. The other furniture had been chosen to match, echoing the deeper tones and using soft, dark leather rather than the light-colored fabrics that had once graced the room. I looked at the contrast between the furniture and the early summer light outside and smiled. It felt like my own rooms for the first time.

“Very good, girls,” I said once I had looked through the master bath and my own closets. Everything was in its place and well cared for. “Please make sure Twelve knows I was pleased as well,” I added.

Heads bobbed. and I saw some anticipation in their eyes.

“Let me change, and we’ll take you for a swim,” I said.

They smiled. Ten hurried to my side and began undoing the buttons of my shirt while Eleven went to my closet and returned with a pair of loose swimming trunks that I had not even realized I owned. By the time I was changed, Allia had joined us with a bag of towels which she handed to Ten.

“One last thing, Master Cosimo,” she said before pulling out two golden waist chains. “You wouldn’t want anyone to think these two were wandering about without their owner or his permission,” she said.

I nodded and took the chains from her. Each was delicate, made from fine golden links with a small matching house tag affixed to one end. I motioned to Ten first who stood straight and lifted her arms for me to easily loop the chain around her waist. I fastened it so it would ride easily on her hips. A hand-span of excess chain dangled from the tag’s clasp drawing a golden line from the tag, pointing at the dark bush below. I found the sight intoxicating, but forced myself to step back and motion to Eleven. Soon, she too had a golden chain about her waist.

I imagined there was a hint of arousal in the air, and decided a swim would be just the thing to cool their ardor. Without further ado, I motioned them to the door and wished Allia a good visit with Devon.

Cardino was a resort city, so two attractive slaves being paraded along the plaza was not a sight many would take notice of, but I enjoyed the view of their rolling hips anyway as they led me along the front of the house and toward the terraces leading down to the beach. They held hands as they walked. In other circumstances, I could imagine them as sisters, with Lexi -- Eleven I corrected myself -- being the older sister accompanying Ten out for a treat.

I let my mind wander as we descended the first of three terraces and moved toward the southern end. The main beach was not for slave’s use, of course. The slave’s beach was tucked down at the end of the terraces, and separated by a jumble of boulders. Stairs from the second terrace led down to the pebbled beach. The girls looked at me for permission after dropping the bag of towels at a long stone bench carved into the wall of the second terrace. I nodded, and they hurried down to the beach, joining three other, older women who were wading in the low surf.

I sat down, enjoying the sun-warmed bench and wall pressing against my back, and watched them. I was surprised to see them appear genuinely happy. They played in the small waves, splashing each other and laughing before wading far enough out to actually submerge and swim. The crystal blue water looked inviting. While I was tempted to join them, I knew it would be viewed as scandalous for a non-slave to enter the water here. Instead I sat there and thought about my life.

Grandmother had convinced me that her choice and actions were made for good reason. I had called Aurora and heard a similar tale from her. We both knew the attempted coup, for that is what it was, could have put us both in danger. While we missed each other, our families ensured we both remained too busy to plot a way back together. On our last vid-call, we had agreed to try and have a weekend together before the Senate convened in the fall, but that was months away. That had been nearly a ten-day ago.

My thoughts were interrupted as another owner settled near me on the wall’s bench. I saw a middle aged male slave descending to the water and turned to look at the ancient owner sitting nearby. She looked older than Allia, but still had a sparkle in her eye.

“Good day, young man,” she said in a strong voice. “It’s a beautiful day to let the children out for some playtime, isn’t it?”

I smiled. Her slave was at least a decade older then me. Calling him a child cast her own age in relative terms. “It is a beautiful day,” I agreed.

“Which are yours?” she asked with a nod to the water.

I looked up and saw Ten and Eleven swimming strongly toward a sunning rock a short distance off the shore. I pointed. “Those two.”

She glanced at them and nodded. “I suspected. I’ve not seen them or you out here before. I like to come here nearly every day and get Valentino some exercise. He does love to swim.”

“It must be rather brisk in the winter,” I replied with a smile.

“It just makes him work harder, to finish his laps,” she said with her own grin. “I’m Anya,” she added.

“Cosimo.” I reached out and offered my hand. She shook it with surprising firmness.

“You’re new to town,” she said.

I nodded. “I’m a new manager at the club. I’ve only been here a little over a month. It’s my first afternoon off.”

“You hardly look old enough to be a manager at the club. I’d expect you to still be in school at your age.”

I grinned. “I’m that as well. It keeps me very busy.”

She tsked. “You need to make time to keep your girls in shape. All work and no play won’t just make you a dull boy, it will make them resent you, no matter how well satisfied you keep them in bed.”

Her candor made me smile. “They’re new to service, so have been kept well busy by my first. She hasn’t felt they’ve earned a break until today.”

Anya nodded. “If they are new, and you’re still breaking them in, make sure you don’t spare the rewards too much. My first house slaves suffered when I was learning. I was too much about rules and punishment and not careful enough to provide ample rewards. I ended up having to sell the first two and buying one with more experience. My husband was not pleased with my decisions and actually sent me to the club to learn the proper way to handle them.” A smile touched her lips. “It was very educational. I suppose you already have knowledge of their approaches.”

“I do. I’ve also been taking them for some day training while I work. They are coming along nicely, at least I think so. My first and my grandmother will correct me if I’m mistaken.”

She laughed. It was a warm, rich laugh. “It sounds like your first and grandmother have your own training well in hand!”

I laughed and nodded. I knew there was more than a grain of truth in her insight. “What do you do, besides make sure Valentino gets sufficient exercise, Anya?”

“Oh, I’m retired now. My husband passed and left me well cared for. My daughters manage the business now, and I spend most of my time here at our vacation home. We have shipping interests as well as a few mining concerns near Lake Bentacourt. I’ll likely head up there as the weather gets hot here. That will keep me away from the summer crowds and let the girls use the house for a get away if they feel the need.”

I nodded. “The season should start in a few more ten-days. I’ve been warned that the pace at the club will pick up considerably when it does.”

“Yes, if you are working there, you’ll see the most dazzling as well as the most debauched of our society. I should probably stop by with a few friends before it gets to the silly season. I do enjoy the roof-top restaurant. They have the best seafood in town, and that’s saying someting for Cardino.”

“It’s very good. I’ve had my third girl assist the chef there for a few of her day training sessions. I’ve been pleased with what she’s learned.”

Anya arched an eyebrow at me. “You must be well regarded as a new manager if the club is letting your slave learn there. Most people would pay handsomely for their house slaves to receive such training.”

I shrugged, realizing I might have given more information away than I had planned. Relaxing could be dangerous if sharp people took notice and listened carefully. My mother and grandmother had taught me that.

“So, shipping and mining concerns,” I said to change the topic. “Are you associated with House Mayacea?” I said.

Her eyes widened. Then she nodded. “Not many would make such a connection so quickly, Cosimo.”

I forced a chuckle. “I’ve been grilled on the patrons and their interests for weeks. I just went over your family’s accounts two days ago and recall active membership here, at the Bentacourt club, and at Romanifo. I haven’t come across any other families with that combination.”

She was nodding as I spoke. “Yes, I keep the family membership active at all three locations, since I seldom stay here for the entire year. I suppose we should let some benefits lapse if we’re not using them all.”

I shook my head. “Membership is not tied to a specific club. We just like to know where patrons spend their time so we can better serve you. So long as you are members, you are welcome anywhere we have a location.”

She smiled. “I really enjoy here and Bentacourt. The smaller clubs seem more intimate and friendly. The last time I was in the Capital club, it was more about who could see you and be seen by you. Here in Cardino, it can be just a relaxing day or night or weekend.”

“Is there anything you’d like to see us add or change?” My training was always emphasizing the need to interact and listen to our patrons.

She gave me a sly grin. “I wouldn’t mind having access to your chef’s training for my household.”

I regretted my earlier slip of the tongue, but nodded.

“I will share your request with Master Geraldo. I don’t know how the staff at the restaurant will respond, but I will relay the request.” In my own mind, I suspected this would become a special project for me, just as I was finally getting settled into my new role.

Anya reached over and patted my leg. “While I’ll appreciate the effort, please don’t put yourself out with my request. I am past the point where I could take such rich food on a regular basis. How about I simply come to the club when I feel like something special?”

“As you wish, Anya, but I’m happy to ask on your behalf.”

She shook her head and I was glad to see two naked beauties wading ashore from their swim. While I wanted to use them as an excuse to end the conversation, it would not do to rush to them with towels like I was their servant. Instead, I stood and pulled a pair of towels from the bag by my side.

“Anya, I’m off tomorrow, but will raise your suggestion on eighth-day when I return to work. Anytime you visit after that, please do ask if there is any possibility. Any shift-manager will be able to see the status of the request.”

She did not need to hear about our turn-over log and internal processes to listen to our customers, but I wanted her to know I was serious about asking for her input.

She smiled. “I will ask, just to keep a young man on his toes. Now, you should let your slaves pamper you as you seem to want to pamper them.”

Ten and Eleven arrived, ending our conversation and distracting me with the gooseflesh on their skin from the slight breeze that had picked up since arriving at the beach. I admired their pointing nipples and glistening skin for a moment before handing them each a towel. They both smiled and began drying themselves.

I decided not to go for a swim at the main beach. “Anya, it was a pleasure meeting you and chatting. I hope to see you at the club soon,” I added.

A few moments later, with Ten and Eleven still drying themselves, we started back up the path toward the plaza.

“Master,” Ten said after a final rub of her head and while wrapping the towel around her hips. “This slave thought you wanted a swim as well.”

“After seeing your two’s goose flesh, I decided I’d rather have a hot soak at home.”

Both women seemed to perk up at my words. It was pleasant enough for shorts or skin, but the breeze on wet bodies had to have a chilling effect.

“Master, if it pleases you, this slave should practice her massage as well,” Ten said with a shy, side-ways glance at me.

“Yes, master, we should both practice after we give you a bath,” Eleven echoed.

As part of their day-training, I had insisted they receive training on massage. Grandmother had certain ideas on the minimum training suitable for a chambermaid, and I was not going to argue too much with her. Soon, we were back in my apartments and Eleven was knelt at the deep soaking pool, checking the temperature of the water while Ten hurried to bring heavy towels and a thick robe out to the terrace of the pool.

From the beaches below, grandmother’s home would look like several buildings built into the rocky cliff near the end of the beach along a series of private terraces well above the public terraces leading down to the water. While it was not evident from the outside, each of these smaller private terraces were the private balconies of the various apartments and living areas of the house. I glanced down at the public beach, noticing more cover than skin as the breeze quickened, and then dropped my clothes and slipped into the nearly steaming pool set at one end of the terrace. The water quickly warmed me. The two girls pulled a heavy curtain from the doorway to my master suite and set up a massage table before turning on some outdoor heaters to make the partially enclosed space warm enough for a massage.

Ten began setting out more towels and oils while Eleven dropped the towel she had worn from her swim and stepped toward me. Her muscles were more evident than they had been when we first arrived. She saw me looking at her naked body and then lowered her eyes while carefully stepping toward the pool. She dipped her knees, keeping her back straight, and picked up a small basket of bathing accessories before stepping into the hot water. She looked up again as the water reached her thighs, and smiled when she saw me staring at her. I watched her as she lowered herself in the pool and came closer to me, allowing the basket to float on the surface of the water as she guided it closer to me.

“Master, may I wash you?” she asked softly.

I nodded, and closed my eyes, willing the start of my erection to subside. Eleven was attractive and available, but I was not going to become a cliche of a slave owner.

Eleven made some small waves as she prepared a sponge with soap and then moved beside me and began gently scrubbing my shoulders. I rolled over, holding onto the edge of the pool, and gave her easier access to my back. She worked her sponge across my skin, washing me with just enough pressure to make me feel clean without rubbing my skin raw. She deftly worked her hands and sponge lower, holding my legs up with an arm just above my knees.

I felt Ten join us on my other side. The pair of hands matched one another’s motions and I was soon scrubbed lightly from head to heel. Ten tapped my shoulder, making me open my eyes, and motioned to the neck pillow at the side of the pool. I understood her intent, and rolled over before scooting up and resting my head and neck in the soft cradle. My body stretched out in the water, naturally sinking as they added soap to their sponges and moved close enough to start at my shoulders once again.

I let my eyes drift closed, but kept them open just enough to watch the interplay as Ten worked lower with her hands, trying to look at me and Eleven at the same time. Eleven seemed to take the lead, reaching beneath the water then my hips and then lifting so I rose in the water. I felt their hands join beneath me and saw my groin rise to the surface. They slid down together, supporting and washing me gently. My attempts to not rise failed, and my erection rose into the cooler air. Both women pretended to ignore it, but I could see Ten glancing at it frequently as they continued to bathe me.

Ten was seventeen, the same age as Eleven’s sister, though not nearly as developed as the slave formerly known as Staci was. Ten’s trim figure was more of a promise of things to come. She still had thin hips, some would call them boyish, but they suited her athletic legs and tight stomach. Her breasts were starting to deliver on the promise. In the few weeks I’d had her, they had begun to fill out nicely. I smiled as I spotted her hard nipples, peaking from the water as she washed me.

Eleven smiled at her sister-slave and gave the slightest of nods as they moved down my body. Ten tentatively reached out and brought her sponge up from my thighs to stoke along my balls and shaft. Eleven then moved hers down my stomach to lightly wash my groin. For a moment, both girl’s hands touched me, sending a little jolt through my body to my brain. I closed my eyes fully and tried not to think about what I could, or what I wanted to, do.

The moment passed and they moved on down my legs. All too soon, I was as clean as I would be and was sitting comfortably on the submerged bench. Eleven moved away and touched the controls to raise the temperature of the water slightly. I felt the circulating jets turn on as Ten sat at my side. A moment later, Eleven slid in on my other side. I raised my arms and rested them along the edge of the pool, not really hugging the two naked women, but close enough that I could have. With no prompting or words, they both reached across themselves and began stroking their fingers along my clavicles and across my chest.

It would be very easy to relax fully, let my guard down, and have them both. Somehow, I thought they were a test from my grandmother. Instead of doing what I wanted, I promised myself, yet again, to do what was required of me. I leaned back and let myself relax in the warm water.

What was the test grandmother had set for me? I hardly needed three house slaves to look after me. I knew better than to consider Allia as “mine”. She was and always had been grandmother’s favorite. But the other three, why had grandmother insisted we bring them into the house, other than to separate them from the other potential slaves with knowledge of the attempted coup? One of them, I could understand. Grandmother wanted to test me, to ensure I could manage un-trained household slaves. Living most of my life as a guilder rather than an aristo may have given her concerns that I would not be able to handle my place in upper society, so I could understand a single slave to manage. Of course, the fact I was working at the club and took them in for day-training made my specific handling of them moot, to a certain extent. Even the day training would condition them much more than just household service would justify.

There had to be more to her plans. I thought about their ages. Seventeen, twenty-one, and forty. Ten, the youngest, and had been the bastard daughter of one of the Aristos behind the coup. Her mother was set up as a high-guilder in that man’s offices, responsible for accounting. She had been knowledgable of the plans and his involvement in them, so had been swept up in the seizures. Ten, as an unknowing dependent had been sentenced in the same fashion Lexi had been.

So, all three of them had been high-guilders, they had that in common.

I had been living in the same situation for the last years of my primary schooling. Maybe she felt I would treat them as peers rather than the slaves they now were? Of course, Twelve made that guess questionable. The mother of my former acquaintance, in different circumstances, could have been the real challenge to my authority, but her beating on the first day had cowed her significantly, so I doubted grandmother would consider her a sufficient test for me either. The only idea that had stuck with me, when I had pondered the question before, was that they were all attractive and she thought I would be led astray by easy access to their bodies. The thought made me smile. After visting many of the clubs for various stages of my own training, and after living with Aurora for two years, there was little to tempt me to become that distracted. I was not jaded, and enjoyed recreational sex and other activities as much as anyone, but I also knew how to separate work and play.

A motion beside me interrupted my thoughts. I cracked open an eye and saw both girls moving away and toward the gentle stairs rising at the far end of the small pool. They climbed out, Eleven slightly ahead of Ten, and I admired the glistening water as it dripped from their skin. Lexi had always had a sexy walk. Ten seemed to be taking lessons from her, I noticed. The play of their muscles beneath their skin as they moved was beautiful and fascinating. I continued to admire them as they helped each other dry off and ended with towels wrapped around their hips. Ten moved to the massage table and made preparations while Eleven picked up another towel.

“Master Cosimo,” she started, “are you ready for your massage or would you rather soak a bit longer?”

I sat up and then stood. “A massage sounds wonderful,” I said as I walked toward the exit of the pool. Eleven stepped closer and opened her arms with a towel for me to walk into. She quickly dried me off and then draped another dry towel across my shoulders as she deftly guided me toward the massage table. Soon, I was lying face down with a well warmed towel spread across my back, covering me from shoulders to knees. They each took a side and began massaging my feet and lower legs.

Their motions were more coordinated than synchronized. I knew they would match each other’s rhythm and motions if they practiced together enough. The sensation of four hands working my body together was enough incentive for me to decide to make certain they got enough opportunities to practice. I let myself relax into the pleasant feeling.