Chapter 6

It was a cool morning so Antal made Piroska wear his heavy tunic draped around her shoulders. It fit her like a robe as she wrapped it around herself and her baby. Breakfast was bread, cheese and the leftover goat's milk. Once they were done Antal took the tiller from Gyorgy allowing him to get something to eat and take care of his necessities.

They were still about six hours from making Eregli when a long, slim red-painted boat shot out of a hidden bay heading directly for them.

"Shit!" Gyorgy exclaimed. "Customs!"

"What are you worried about, Gyorgy?" Antal asked mildly. "We're heading downriver, empty. Even if we were loaded, we'd just tell them were heading for the docks. How could they prove differently? Besides, they never bother anybody going downriver."

That didn't appear to be the case this time as the Customs boat pulled alongside on the strength of its twelve oars and ordered him heave to. Antal could have outrun them with enough head start even with the tiny sail they had but never in a close-in sprint. Besides he had no intention of doing so; he had nothing to hide.

"Stand by for boarding!" came the call after he'd dropped the sail and they'd glided to a stop. The customs boat shipped oars as it came alongside and after lashing them together a junior customs official and two soldiers jumped over.

"Where are you going?" the official demanded.

"Back to Eregli," Antal replied pointing downriver.

"Where have you been and what was you're business" the official barked.

"Pickin' up a load of slaves me grandpappy left me when he died up 'round Sile ways," he answered with a thick accent.

"What did you take up 'round Sile ways," the official sneered.

"Nothin'," Antal frowned. "Don't need no fish up there, I reckon."

"What else are you carrying?"

"Nothin' 'cep nets," he said pointing to the net pile near the center of the boat.

"We'll see about that," the official sniffed. "Sergeant! Have a look under those nets!" The two soldiers grunted and groaned as they moved the heavy nets. Antal almost smiled. He made sure to wet those nets every other day or so to keep them smelling like the sea and to keep dry rot out. Nothing says "smuggler" like a boat filled with dry rotted nets.

"There's nothing here, sir," one of the soldiers shouted after they'd turned the mess over.

"Hey! Be watchin' you don't tangle them, hear?" Antal shouted. "Take me a day 're more to get 'em usable. What's you doing botherin' lawful folk heading downriver, anyway?"

"Shut up, simpleton," the official snarled. "The Herceg himself ordered all vessels on the river to be boarded and inspected. We're going to stop the damn smugglers once and for all!" He paused and smiled oily, "In fact we're going to institute a new river transport tax and we might as well start today. Unless you have a gold crown I'm going to take one of these pathetic slaves as payment. The tall one, with the tits. Throw the bastard over the side and get her aboard."

"You ain't takin' none of me property," Antal growled. His boat pole was trailing in the water but it could be instantly in use. It wouldn't be easy; there had to be at least twelve not counting the slimy official, but he was the first one going over the side.

"I'm going to the Herceg 'imself!" he shouted. "We'll see what he sez 'bout you taking what's mine."

The official briefly reconsidered. There was no river tax although there could be one in the near future but it certainly wouldn't be anywhere near the value of a slave. If in fact this river rat actually made it to the Herceg ... Now if it was the Customs Master it would be no problem; he'd just have to split the take with him. But the Herceg... ? Not worth the chance.

"Fine, scum!" he growled and climbed back aboard his own boat. "But soon enough you'll be paying for the privilege of using Eregli's waters! Sergeant! Cast off and get us out of here!" Antal watched as they rowed back toward the bay they'd come from.

Vrsula walked up to him clutching Dorottya tightly to her chest. She was taller than he was so she actually looked down at him.

"Thank you," she said softly. It was the first time he'd heard her say anything. She had a nice voice, low but very melodic with more than just a hint of an accent he couldn't identify.

"Wasn't any big deal," he muttered. "You're mine now and I don't give anything away to a thief like that."

"You were ready to fight," she continued as if he hadn't said anything. "I could see that. The thanks of a slave may be worthless, but I wanted you to know anyway.

"Yeah, well I'm still probably going to sell your big-titted ass when we get home," he grumbled. He was surprised for the second time when she actually smiled and leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. It seemed like it was his trip for getting kisses.

"You saved our lives twice. I won't forget that," she said before she turned around and walked slowly forward.

"Looks like the rumors were right," Gyorgy said as he came back to stand by Antal. "They're tightening up on river travel. What do you think that'll do? It's going to be a lot more dangerous out here."

"It'll just about strangle Eregli," Antal answered. "And our prices just went up."

Ilona, Barbala and Catalyn rushed to the front door when they heard Antal entering but stopped dead in their tracks with a gasp when they saw who was behind him.

"Antal, what is going on here?" Ilona demanded with her hands on her hips. "And who are these ... persons ... with babies, no less?" Her eyes narrowed and zeroed in her son. "Is there something you want to tell us?"

"Powers, yes!" he sighed loudly in exasperation. "This has been one hell of a trip. Of course I'll tell you all about it but the first thing that needs to be done is to get them all a bath and then something to eat." He sniffed his own clothing and added, "I suppose I need one also.

"Anyway," he continued, "ladies, this is Katta; she has a mouth on her." He tapped Katta on the head and she gave Ilona a rueful grin. "Vrsula: she doesn't say much," he placed his hand on the woman's shoulder. "And this is Piroska; she doesn't say anything," he said placing both hands lightly on the child's shoulders. Piroska shivered and moved back into him while looking at Ilona with wide, fear-filled eyes. "She's had a very hard time of it," he said softly. "Please be gentle with her.

"The babies we'll sort out later," he said with a wave of his hand

"After we get cleaned up, I — we'll — tell you the whole story," he grimaced. "Suffice it to say for now that it is a lesson in how no good deed ever goes unpunished." Katta twisted just a little and softly jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow. Ilona raised her eyebrows in amusement while Catalyn looked on green-eyed with jealousy.

"Then I suppose we should get all of you cleaned up because I'm dying of curiosity," Ilona remarked.

"You get the supper, Ilona. You'd be quicker getting as much ready as it appears we'll need. I'll get these three ... no, six, a bath and Catalyn can take care of Master Antal," Barbala said moving behind the three ragged slaves and herding them toward the back bathing room. As they left, Piroska was darting quick glances back over her shoulder as if to ensure Antal hadn't left; Catalyn ran over to him and hugged him fiercely.

"Are you replacing us?" she sobbed into his neck.

"No," he chuckled stroking her hair. "I had no intention of even ... acquiring these three, er, six, and I have no intention of losing any one of you."

"Good! Because you're not allowed," she looked up at him crossly.

"Not allowed?" he asked ominously although he did smile just a little, to himself at least. "Is my little slave forgetting herself? Do we need to retrain her?"

"You mean, the chair?" she gasped and he nodded. Suddenly she grabbed his hand and pulled him boldly over to the aforementioned piece of furniture. Letting go she hiked up her house dress and lay down over the back.

"Yes master, I need to be retrained," she said her voice muffled by the back cushion.

"I'm not sure how much punishment it is if you go to it so willingly," he chuckled and slapped her lightly on one exposed cheek. She shivered and moaned.

"It's terrible, Master," she groaned as he ran his hands over her smooth young buttocks. "But I deserve it. I should be punished for forgetting my place."

"Yes, you should," he said sternly. "And I know just how to do it." Kneeling he parted her buttocks exposing her pink pussy lips glistening with her excitement. Leaning forward he began to lightly lick them from the nubbin at the top of her slit up to the puckered little rosebud of her ass. She quivered and moaned until he was sure she was about to climax, then he stopped. Standing up he smacked her butt again and chuckling told her to stand up.

"Don't stop, please..." she whimpered. He slapped her ass again.

"Up you go, wench," he said. "That's all you're getting until it's your turn tonight."

"You are so mean," she pouted when she was again upright.

"Then let that be a lesson to you," he admonished with a chuckle. "Now, off with you and draw my bath. I need to get the stink of the trip off me."

"As you command, Master Antal," she said skipping towards the back of the house.

He wandered into the kitchen where Ilona was cutting vegetables and throwing them in a large soup pot on the stove. He paused for a moment in the doorway admiring her softly rounded ass and shapely back. Moving quietly, he snuck up behind her, gently curved his hands around her body and gently grasped her full breasts as he nuzzled her neck.

"Mmm, you'd better be quick about it," she said. "My master will be home soon." He chuckled. She sniffed and looked back at him. "You smell like pussy."

"I had to discipline Catalyn," he chuckled again.

"What do I have to do to get punished like that?" she teased pushing her bottom back into his hardening cock.

"Be wary or I will," he warned as he lightly pinched her nipples through her house dress.

"Doesn't sound like much of a punishment," Ilona hissed at his manipulations and leaned back against him.

"Oh, I gave her a good licking all right," he whispered. "But I stopped before she could climax. She was being bad so I had her over the chair."

"You are such a brute," she sighed. "I'm surprised you didn't fuck her while you had her there."

"Yours is the first pussy I want to be in when I get home," he said as he released her breasts and moved his hands down her front until he was lightly pressing on the juncture between her legs.

"Then do it," she said looking back at him with a coy expression. Bending forward she pushed the cutting board out of the way and laid her chest on the counter. Reaching back, she hiked up her dress until it was over her hips exposing her magnificent ass. "Take what is yours."

"I don't think I would be able to last long," he warned.

"This is for you, not for me," she said. "I just want to know I'm the first one you want to have."

"You always are," he whispered as he loosened his breeches and let them drop to the floor. Moving in between her splayed legs, he rubbed the tip of his iron-hard cock against her wet outer lips and began to press in slowly.

"Oh Powers," she groaned. "That feels good." With slow, short strokes he was soon buried to the hilt in her moist heat.

"Oh Antal, I love when you take me," she sighed and reached back to run her hands up and down his sides as he began to thrust more vigorously into her.

"It won't be long," he grunted. "You are so damn tight!"

"Cum inside me, Antal!" she urged. "Give me your gift!" True to his word Antal stroked into her a couple dozen times and then released his seed with a ferocious grunt.

"Damn! That feels good!" he wheezed as he waited for his cock to soften before removing it from his mother's body.

"Yes it did," she cooed.

"I'm sorry I didn't last long enough for you to be pleasured," he apologized. "It was too damned long and you felt too good."

"It was wonderful," she said as she turned around after he had plopped free of her hole. Kneeling down she grasped his breeches and pulled them up for him. "I take it you didn't use your new slaves for relief on your trip?"

"No," he admitted. "Only got them yesterday under circumstances that made doing something like that seem a little inappropriate. I promise to tell all of you after supper, but only after supper. I will warn you I'm doing it after supper because you might not feel like eating once you've heard it."

"As bad as all that?" she asked as she tied him up his breeches. He nodded. "Well, I'll take you word for it. Now run along and get your own bath; you are a bit ripe."

"And that's how it happened," Antal shrugged. He couldn't use his hands because after he had shepherded them all into the outer room after supper Piroska had climbed into his lap holding her baby like she belonged there. He was patting and stroking her hair as she trembled against him her face buried in his chest, baby clutched tightly to her bosom using Antal to shield them both.

"By the Powers!" Ilona exclaimed. "That's inhuman!" Her face was contorted in shock; Barbala's with disgust and Catalyn ran from the room where they soon heard her being sick in the privy area. Katta stood to one side her face wrinkled up like she was trying not to cry and Vrsula did little more than stare intently at Antal emotionlessly.