Chapter 2

Penelope had been nursing Maximus as he was dying of cancer. The pain was so bad that she had to resort to giving him raw opium in his wine so he could sleep in comfort.

She sat at his side every waking moment. She loved him as much or even more so than the day they met at her father's feast. They had their arguments but what couple married this long didn't? But no issue they heatedly debated could come before their love for each other.

At first, Penelope wanted to selfishly hold on to him. However as time passed, she was ready to let her beloved to die in peace. Either she or Attia would run to get opium from a trader if they ran low. When she was sleeping Mary or Isa took over in caring for him.

In the meantime, Penelope trained Attia in the same swordplay, spear throwing, and archery as she did when she was Druses. Attia had inherited her mother's speed and agility. In fact Penelope believed that her daughter was better than she ever was. She enjoyed the exercise even though Penelope was slowing down with age. Many times Attia had tricked her by going one way then pivoting and slapping her in the same manner her mother did many years ago. Only not in the ribs but stinging her ass.

Now that Dagmar was gone, there weren't any magic potion for her to make her husband well. He was the only one she ever had sex with. She taught Attia to remain chaste until she married a man she loved. Penelope even showed her daughter how to masturbate to relieve the strong sexual urges that came with a beautiful seventeen year old body. She had the long flaming red hair and slight build of her mother. Breasts were small but pert.

Noticeable when wearing a gown just like Penelope did at her age. Attia had many men from noble families that lived in southern Spain but none had caught her eye as yet. She, like her mother, would know that man once he walked into her life.

"How do you feel today, Master?" Mary asked Maximus upon his awakening. His face grimaced in pain but then smiled.

"I'm not so good, Mary," he replied. Before coming to Spain he had freed his two slaves at his wife's urging. "Can you get me something to drink?"

"Happily," she rose from her seat and got some wine pouring in a bit of the drug to relieve his agony. She lifted his head as he drank half the cup.

"Thank you," he turned his back to her. Only sleep seemed to ease the ache of the disease that was eating his body away. Maximus knew he had just a short time to live but accepted his fate. He was taught that death was a part of living and then came the after life.

"Sleep well, Master," Mary shed a tear. She felt a light touch on her shoulder. Turning she saw her former lover looking at Maximus. Since they converted to the Faith they never touched each other in lust again. Both vowed to each other to remain celebate.