By Faith

"You called my lord?" Bathsheba stood in the entry way with her hands at her sides.
"Yes my shoulder! Hurry it bothers me." He said, eyes shut, as he fought the immense pain. Bathsheba rushed over and began to work the muscles on his shoulder. "Wait." he said and removed his satin tunic. "Proceed."
As she began to rub his shoulder once more a sigh of relief escaped his lips. Her cool hands felt soothing on his back, and the fact that they were Bathsheba's hands felt soothing to his mind. It seemed all his mussels relaxed, and all his worries washed away when she would massage him. OR even when she was near, all his worries passed. He gazed at her face, and studied her beauty. When he first saw her he noticed her beauty, and thought he'd seen better, but now she looked more beautiful then before. It seemed every time he saw her she got more beautiful, and beautiful. Whenever he would hear her cheering up the other servants a since of longing filled him. A longing for her no doubt, but another longing that he couldn't seem to fathom. He needed to learn more about her, now was the perfect opportunity. "Bathsheba tell me about your home." He grabbed her hand and set it on his knee. 
SHe began to massage his knee before she answered. "My home is destroyed now my lord."
He loved hearing the sound of her voice. "Tell me how your home once was."
She slowly closed her eyes "It was small and we all shared one room, yet it seemed the smaller it was, the more close the love was." She looked up at him, then smiled faintly to herself.
"Love? What Love could you possibly have in a miserable place like Jerusalem?" He chuckled.
"My family loved me, I loved them, and we loved God."
"Which one?" he said in sarcasm as adjusted his sitting position.
"The only God, my lord." SHe closed her eyes as if scared of what she was saying.
Atretes tensed, but decided to let that statement pass. "May that be what you jews think, but we Romans know best, there are far more then just one god. Not one any god could control the different elements of life." He looked down at her, and notice what he had said silenced her. "Tell me about your family Bathsheba."
Bathsheba stopped massaging his knee "I had many sisters, there were six of us, and my two brothers. My father and my mother, and our home. We loved each other very much, although i know i could've loved one of my sisters a little more." her voice broke, and she began to massage his knee again.
Atretes grabbed her hand. "Where are they now?"
"I," she let out a slow breath "I don't know my lord." a small tear fell from her soft brown eye. SHe quickly pulled her hand away to wipe it. 
"I'm sorry, I" he stopped, trying to remember she was just a slave, but he couldn't. Something about her felt stronger than he was. But she was just a servant, and he had to force himself to remember that. "Massage both my shoulders." he commanded in a much harsher voice. 
She rose and began to walk behind him. Her scent filled him, Atretes quickly grabbed her arm. "From the front." 
Her arm tensed, and Atretes knew what he did when he touched her. Bathsheba began to massage his shoulders, and Atrtetes drank in the sweet smell of her. His eyes scaled her, and his arms tensed when her hair fell over her shoulder. He reached, and put back behind her shoulder, all but one strand that he played with with his fingers. Bathsheba's breathing began to get shaky, and her heart sped up. If she was a servant then he could have what he wanted from her. Atretes tucked the strand behind her ear, and let his hand fall against her neck. Bathsheba quickly stepped back. 
"I don't want to hurt you Bathsheba."
"No." she began to shake her head.
"Bathsheba, please come here let me hold you."
"No, no." she let out a sigh, as she clutched her blue tunic.
"Bathsheba, I shall not ask again," he softened his voice "come here" Atretes tried to hide his frustration. Still Bathsheba stood where she was. 
"Bathsheba come here now!" 
Bathsheba froze and shut her eyes. Atretes rose and grabbed her shoulders. "When I tell you to do something, you do it!" He shook her hard "I could have any girl in this house, be happy I'm choosing you!" 
Bathsheba placed her forearms against his chest, trying to put as much distance between them. "Please, chose someone willing." 
"I want to love you!" he said angrily. His fierce grip tightened.
"Then, please let me go." tears streamed down her face, as she turned away from him. Atrtese wrapped his arm around her back and embraced her. He inhaled the smell of her hair, and almost lost himself in her. WHen he let her go he tilted her head up. The tears in her eyes hurt him, but the beauty of her urged him. He lowered his lips to hers, but when she began to shake violently he pulled away hard. What gave her the power to refuse him? He was aching for her, he should be able to take anything from what was his. "Bathsheba I need you," he closed his eyes for a moment, then looked back at her, his pride had been completely broken, and he wasn't about to let her get away with it. He let out a long breath "Very well, but I'll need you to send Esther in here, she's far more pleasing then you would ever be." His words bit back at him, he knew that was harsh, and far from the truth.
"Yes my lord." Bathsheba's voice was still shaky. He swore under his breath, each clack of her sandal was shredding him. How could something so reachable be so untouchable? As soon as he knew she was gone he rushed to a pitcher and splashed his face with cool water.

Esther spotted Bathsheba coming and swore. WHat did that little saint want? Before she came Atretes used to summon her to massage him. And now he sends for that skinny ugly little jew. Esther let out a sigh, she couldn't figure Atretes out. Esther knew she was far more beautiful then Bathsheba was.
"The master wants you." Bathsheba's voice was soft, and low spoken. BUt Esther's voice sprang with excitement. "Really?" Esther smiled at Bathsheba's pitiful little attitude. "Don't worry if Venus ever blesses you with beauty, then maybe he'll call for you to do a real woman's job." She patted Bathsheba's head and rushed to Atretes room. SHe stood in the entry way and leaned against the marble. SHe pulled her sleeve from her shoulder, and let her hand fall down the curve of her body. "Yes my lord?" she smiled. Atretes looked at her, with such a strange glance, almost disgusted. 
"Come in." He said as he sat on the couch. 
Esther walked seductively and sat on his lap, "Anything I can do for you, my lord?"
Atretes studied her for the longest moment before touching her face. Esther smiled and leaned all of her weight against him. Atretes leaned to kiss her, but pulled away, shaking his head. "You may go." he said shutting his eyes tightly. "But my lord."
"Get off me, and get out!" he yelled harshly.
Esther rose, a tear in her eye. "Yes my lord." She slowly began to leave the room, once at the entry way she turned and looked back, he wasn't even looking at her, but fiddling with a stupid bracelet. She stopped out and kicked the wall. She heard singing and looked down the rest of the hall, there she was. Bathsheba, scrubbing floors like the little jew she was. Esther smiled to herself and walked towards Bathsheba. She leaned against the wall with arms crossed. "WHat did he give you for it?"
Bathsheba looked up confused. "What?"
"You heard me, what did he give you? Money, food, another night?" 
Bathsheba stopped scrubbing the floors. "He didn't give me anything."
"Oh," Esther looked up at the ceiling "so you're a whore?" SHe kicked the bucket of water over. 
"I gave him nothing Esther." Bathsheba stood.
"You must've tried to do something, the disgusted look in his face said it all."
Bathsheba closed her eyes. "Lord give me strength."
"You probably got it from your mother, you stupid whore!" Esther screamed.
Bathsheba clashed the brush against Esther's face, making Esther's head clash into the wall. Bathsheba threw the brush and ran down the hall. "Oh, you're going to get it now!" Esther screamed.