Carthago Delenda Est - Carthage Must Be Destroyed
Winds of war blow in the Eternal City.
Hey everyone,
Here's Perrin talking from Lyon! I was thinking of this story for a good while, and I wrote it last week but my editor couldn't read it until now because... Because ;-) So, it's a story set in Ancient Rome, not the usual stuff though, way before Spartacus, Caesar and the Empire, in the glory days of the Republic, after the conquest of Greece in 168 BC but before the final destruction of Carthage in 146 BC. Hope you will enjoy it, any fave, comment or vote will be appreciated! Also, I just said that in person but thank you Gritou, I love you!
The travertine walls of the Curia Hostilia were, once again, witnesses to a meeting of the Senate, the wise council which decided the fates of the world. Words echoed against the fresco-covered walls, each one of them being listened carefully by the wolves sited on the three rows of chairs, each row on a slightly higher level. The assembly of the most powerful men on the shores of the Mare Nostrum couldn't help but sweat under their purple-lined togas, the high wooden ceiling not helping lessening the heat, nor the open doors managed to achieve that.
All the attention was focused on the lanky, old wolf standing in the middle of the Curia, his words sharp despite the fair amount of grey in his fur.
"... Tributes on the luxuries should be a priority. We can't tolerate such... wasteful things, corrupting the traditions of out fathers! If we can't banish them, we should make those effeminates pay for their Greek pleasures!"
Some patres conscriptes nodded, mostly those who were on the side of the elderly Censor, but even others that weren't always in favor of Cato's side. The members of the Circle of Scipio, supporters of the new ideas and way of lives brought from Hellas, didn't sport a happy muzzle, openly frowning.
"That is why, o Senate, we should create those tributes, for the sake of the Republic, for the sake of the mos maiorum! For the rest, I believe that Carthage must be destroyed!"
After his usual ending, Cato the Censor stared at the members of the Senate as if impressing the message, then he went back to his seat, snorting once he got his old bones to rest but still sitting with his back straight. The Princeps Senatus rose from his own place in all his glory, keeping one fold of his toga around his right arm, and addressed the Senate.
"Praise be given to the estimated Marcus Porcius Cato. The chariot of Apollo is near the end of his daily journey, the vote for this proposal shall be held tomorrow morning." He looked up to the Consuls, majestically sited on their cathedras at the far end of the Curia, sweat coating their fur since they were far from the doors, and continued after they both nodded back to continue. "I hereby declare this session of the Senate to be dismissed."
There wasn't any actual cheer, that would have been disgraceful for those examples of romanitas, but many of the Senators groaned in pleasure once they stood up, some going immediately out of the Curia, others gathering in small cloisters of like-minded individuals to discuss about the day's matters.
Marcus Caecilius Minor didn't have to walk to meet his friend, Fabius Bibulus Caecus, but just turn toward him; they had been sitting near each other since they entered the Senate, timely sharing the same office at the same time through their cursus honorum. There had been little surprise among the Senators when it had been clear they would have been near even in there, always supporting the same positions.
"By Iuppiter Pluvium, that old bastard is always too talkative! I know that it is disgraceful to bend to such... things, that they are effeminates to indulge in them, but it doesn't justify such a long speech!" Marcus exclaimed, slowly and stealthily stretching his muscles, aching from being sit for so long. The black wolf was still in his prime, retaining a youthful body, which showed out by how they filled his clothes. He was the perfect image of a Roman, ready to talk during peace, and to hold his gladius during war.
"You didn't swear, so you aren't that tired, friend." The shorter but equally fit lupine uttered back, his gaze set in the distance as he always did when thinking. His ears were flicking a bit, as if they were gathering information and thoughts.
"We are still in the Curia." The other simply put, eying his friend and putting a paw on his shoulder, squeezing on it. "Today's discussion is troubling you?
"It is. The implications of it, at least." Fabius admitted, still deep in thought. Most politicians assumed he was slow, pointing to how little he spoke in the assembly and how he looked like a farmer of the Ager Romanus, thick, big muscles under a plain brown coat. Furthermore, they thought that the more handsome Marcus was the brain in their alliance, since he was the one who talked the most in the sessions.
"What implications? The old bastard is just continuing his campaign against decadence." The black lupine, ears flicking, trying to figure out if there was more on it. That was the truth: he might be the best orator, but the brighter of the two was surely the brown wolf, with whom he decided all the points of his speeches. The short canine took great advantage from that, avoiding being noticed when he analyzed the reactions of the audience, discovering things Marcus couldn't even fathom.
"It isn't just that, friend. But I can't tell you here." Fabius whispered, urging him to walk out of the marbled hall and in the shiny sunlight of the forum. There were too many eager ears in the Curia, attentive to catch any secret; the wolves didn't want to lose their major advantage, that being their rivals dismissing the brown canine to, wrongly and fatally, focus on Marcus.
Outside they were met by their slaves, the massive Crissus, belonging to his friend, towering over his own. The otter seemed a bit nervous near the Celtic bear, but that wasn't something too unusual, since the slave had inspired terror in others ever since he was a cub. Only his much shorter dominus and Marcus himself weren't afraid of him, as they knew him from their cubhood and played with him the innocent games of children.
Despite that, Nevius followed suit of the Senators diligently, walking side by side with grim-faced Crissus on the paved Via Sacra, towards the Regia and the round temple of Vesta, where the sacred fire was held. Silence reigned between them, the humming of the heart of Rome surrounding them like a blanket; that didn't last long, the black wolf being overcome by his curiosity.
"What is old Cato cooking, Fabius?" He asked while dodging the passerby and a long line of petitioners in front of the house of the Pontifex Maximus. "I agree with him, if those effeminates want to trade the toga for a Greek stola, let them pay for it!"
"That's not the main point, Marcus, however agreeable it could be." The shorter lupine waved out the matter of the decadence with one paw. "The Censor is trying to strike the Hellenic-loving Circle around Scipio Aemilianus, and with that furthering his other cause."
"Other cause? You mean the war against Carthage?" The black canine's ears flickered while uttering the question. "I can not see how tributes on luxury could help him in his preposterous quest of destroying a fallen and powerless city."
"If he succeeds in that, there will be the need of sestertii to prepare the campaign, to build a fleet and arm the legiones." Fabius began to explain, his right paw raised and pointing a finger to the sky. "But that's not the purpose of the proposal."
"It isn't?" The tall lupine spoke, stopping in front of the stairs leading to the Palatine hill. He remembered to wag his tail a bit, as he normally did, so to mask his reaction as a natural stop to chat. Who knew how many were looking at them...
"It isn't. I think this is only one of many he will do in the future days, all of them damaging the cause of Scipio's party. You see," The brown wolf gestured, freeing a fold of the toga which was quickly snatched and put in place by Crissus, such a surprisingly delicate move done without the Senator's notice ", Cato wants chips to use against them. I am sure they will be most agreeable, so he will find a majority over them with ease, despite Scipio's resistance. If he wants those proposals to fall..."
"...He will have to buck in and let the war being declared." Marcus finished for him, finally seeing the scheme. Aemilianus would have two options: opposing the silly war till the very end, damaging his interests and his attempts to import Greek culture in the Urbe, or giving in for his own sake.
"By Juno's cunt, that's so devious!" He cursed, impressed despite his dislike for the old wolf. The wag of his tail had become natural, not forced, happiness for figuring out this scheme moving it; he was also happy to be friend with someone as smart as his Fabius, who managed to uncover secrets by just looking at furs.
"He is a devious wolf, after all. The question is, how should we move regarding that?" The short lupine wondered, surely already thinking on how to make advantage of the situation. Marcus knew that his friend now needed some peace in his study, together with him, so he waved Nevius to come close while the brown canine was still lost in his mind.
"Go back to the villa and tell Eraclitus I won't come tonight. If they will search for me, I'll be at Fabius'."
"But dominus, what about..." The otter started to ask the salutatio. The wolf hated that moment of the morning, him sitting and welcoming his clientes, but it was his duty to do that, and his alone. Plus, he knew that Eraclitus would tell his dear Marzia about skipping it, once his wife was back from Baia.
"Don't worry, I promise I will be back for the early morning, so you can prepare me. Now go!" He ordered the otter with a firm tone demanding to be obeyed without further doubts. And so he did, turning around and hurriedly walking to warn Eraclitus.
"He is a timorous one, Dominus." The big bear noted, his Latin being perfect and without any barbaric accent in it thanks to the long years of servitude. He was still behind his master, the wolf not being aware of the departure of the otter.
"Nevius is like that because of you, Crissus. Shall we go?" The muscled Senator asked both, waking Fabius from his calculations.
"Uhm? Yes, we can. Once in the villa I can order some food for you, if you are hungry my dear Marcus." The other Roman agreed, already pacing to his villa up the Palatine. Many of the Senatorial class had called the hill home through the years, and so the brown wolf's family did; he lived there alone now, his family reduced to only his slaves.
"Don't bother, I don't need nourishment. We can discuss the matters at hand." The black furred wolf answered him, his stride taking him further up the hill. He was telling the truth, he hardly needed something to eat, not now that they had so much to discuss.
"So be it, we will go directly to my study then." The other lupine accepted without question, nor suggesting he had a need for food. Marcus had seen his friend like that so many times, the working and intrigues of politics sustaining him.
They didn't exchange more words, since they had arrived at Fabius' villa, not the biggest there was but with all comforts and more than enough for him. They walked past the entrance, servants coming and already undressing them, taking the heavy togas from them and replacing their ivory-decorated sandals with more comfortable ones. They didn't ask anything, nor were confused by the presence of the tall Senator, so used by then to see him coming with their master, and knowing how to treat him well.
"You still didn't put a mosaic here, dear friend." Marcus mocked the other, one paw pointing to the bare pavement decorated only by the natural texture and color of marble.
"I don't have time for such things, and I am too busy." The brown wolf responded without even bothering to address the mockery, just waiting to be stripped of all clothes but the simple tunic he had.
"That is why wives exist! You should make up your mind and take one." He proposed, not for the first time, sighing when he was freed of the hot woolen cloth. His sister Marcia had been widowed recently, a marriage between the two wolves he loved the most would have been just perfect.
Fabius didn't even flick an ear, just splashed the cooler water a servant was offering him on his face. He never bothered about being alone, or without a wife, he was content like that, of being busy with his work, but still...
"You need an heir my friend, someone who will inherit your name and fortune." He bluntly told him, making him finally react with a hard stare. He had no brothers, unfortunately, so he was the last of the Bibuli Caeci; he couldn't let down his ancestors, their name dying out...
"This is none of your business, Marcus. I don't want a brat running in my halls. When it will be the time, I will adopt the offspring of another family, and that will be all." The brown wolf almost hissed at him, anger in his eyes. The other lupine bite down the words he was going to speak, as it wasn't honorable to discuss such things in front of the servants; he simply just walked past the inner garden and toward the study of his friend, a big room with a table and lined with thecae and parchments.
He stayed there, turned to watch the life in the forum through the small window in the study. It was just one of the particularities of the room that window, as it was the sturdy door at the only entrance; both features had been there since the times of Fabius' father because the old man liked to shut himself in the study and look at what happened down the hill.
The current pater familia entered and closed the door quietly, although the keen hearing of Marcus had picked up the noises. He knew that they were alone now, the door guarded by trusty Crissus so that no one could approach and eavesdrop to their conversations.
"I-I'm sorry if I lashed out." The shorter wolf apologized, making him turn; he sported a very sad face, his ears dropped a bit in shame.
"We can talk about that after." He snorted. "What are we going to do with Cato? Side with him, or against him?"
"Uhm, to me it seems the war will come, that much is assured." The other replied, getting to talk about something he understood cheering him up a bit but not completely, his ears still not fully erect.
"It seems like that. But we can't go against Scipio, he is the future." Marcus remembered him. They had ties with his Circle, and they couldn't risk losing them.
"I know. That's why we won't support Cato's proposal; that won't antagonize the old bastard, since we will be just the two of us." Fabius explained, his paws busy gesticulating.
"But the war, however silly it might be, can bring us honors and money. Enough to be elected Consuls!" The bigger lupine exclaimed. They didn't have enough of both to even hope for that, to ascend to the highest and most honorable position in the Republic.
"That's why we will get our own proposals on improving the Legiones! They might fall on deaf ears and not passing, but it will get the message that we are in favor of the war to both Cato and Scipio, without one thinking we are siding the other!" Fabius revealed his master plan, finally regaining his usual mood. And it sure was a good plan, if risky, the black wolf admitted to himself; but there was no gain without risk...
"Agreed. We will begin soon with that, assuming now it's too early?" Marcus questioned his friend, getting a bit closer.
"Yes, we shouldn't reveal our knowledge so soon. We could begin after the Kalendae of May..."The other just nodded. That would give them time to properly think and evaluate which proposals they could do.
"That is decided, then. Now, you did apologize about that, but you know all too well that it is my business!" The athletic wolf snorted in displeasure.
That made the brown lupine's ears flatten again against his skull, sadness appearing on his face. "It's not important if I have a wife, I-"
"It is! You know perfectly well why! Already whispers are spreading!" Marcus shouted at him in anger.
"I-I can't! Even the thought is..." The other almost cried, lessening the wrath of the black wolf a bit.
"That's why my sister is the right choice. She would understand." He said, his tone softened a bit now. He put his paws on his friend's shoulders, just to show that everything was okay.
"She wouldn't, I am sure of it, she-" His words were cut by a pair of wolfish lips pressing against his own. He let the tongue belonging to Marcus enter his muzzle, as it did so many times in the past, playing with his own for a bit in a gentle fight.
The kiss didn't last, having reached its scope of calming down the short Senator, Marcus stopping it to look in his friend's eyes.
"Everything will go alright, Fabius, I promise you." He simply said, still holding the other in his embrace.
"I know, it's just..." The brown lupine trailed off, not wanting his mood to get worse again.
"We will talk about it another time." He ended the conversation, attracting Fabius in another kiss. It was a kiss of calm passion, between two furs who knew everything of each other and had done this countless times in the past.
Their body pressed while they engaged their tongues in a quiet dance, the erection of the shorter wolf poking at the balls of the other through their clothes; it was a pleasurable feeling, having something spearing his balls, remembering that it wasn't a fragile female in his arms, but a strong man, someone who understood him.
Their paws wandered, caressing every curve they could fine, causing moans when they found the all too known spots, even more when their buttocks were groped and parted a bit; all the while their masters still sucked on each other's tongue. They knew each mold and curve of their bodies, but they weren't ever tired of caressing them, groping their muscles and feeling the strength in them. Soon they begin to undress each other, masterfully, with movements honed with years of practice, leaving two heaps on the floor, no undergarments present, their flesh and fur fully in contact now.
Their members were pressed together even if at different heights, sharing their heat and spurting their precious nectar, pleasure expanding from them just for this simple, intimate contact. They kept kissing for what seemed an eternity, rocking their bodies together, the fur teasing their meats, coaxing thrusts from them. A black paw slipped down the back of the brown lupine until it met the curve of his bottom, fingers lightly pressing against the pucker hidden under the tail; the moans showed that a new desire had budded in the short wolf, one that need more than fingers to be properly taken care of.
"I-I want you in me, Marcus." The brown wolf murmured after they broke their kiss, blush appearing even if it wasn't the first time he had requested such a thing.
"You should prepare my tool for that, and I should prepare you." The other lupine proposed, releasing him from his grip. They knew what they had to do so that the act wouldn't be painful for the needy wolf, but since their desire was great they just went for the fast way; they first kneeled to the ground, both of their erections pointing straight to the other. Then, the pater familia of the Bibuli Caeci lowered himself even further, getting on his paws and facing the sizeable meat of his friend, standing there to stare at the throbbing red length in front of him.
Fabius just delved his muzzle, the angle of the penis just perfect for such an act and not needing a paw to guide it in the wet mouth; he just got the tip in, enjoying the taste that had gathered there and teasing it with his tongue. The black wolf moaned at that, both for the feeling of being sucked and the remembrance of how great it was to have a rod in his muzzle; but there would have been time for that later, for now he had to be content with having his fingers in his jaws, to be coated with saliva.
The moans increased once the kneeling wolf moved his head again, taking even more of Marcus' erection in hi muzzle, inch by inch, caressing what entered with his tongue, taking extra care for that and to know brush his canines against the tender meat. Deciding that his fingers would be slippery enough, the bigger canine took them out of his mouth and, raising the tail high with his spare paw, pressed his digits against the most vulnerable part of his friend's body.
Fabius shuddered at the feeling, bucking his hips a bit in hope to catch the fingers in him but not succeeding; he then just lowered his muzzle a bit more, his lips kissing the knot of his friend now, the ball of flesh demanding some attention. The wish was granted, since the knot was sized by a brown-furred paw, at the same time when a single finger pressed against his pucker, demanding entrance; the muscle simply gave in, remembering how something in it felt, letting it almost all the digit, eliciting a simultaneous moan from the two wolves.
They both paused, engrossed in the pleasures they were feeling, the black one having his member engulfed by the familiar hot wetness, the ribbon of flesh just moving and enhancing the feelings running through his body. Fabius was in total bliss, being filled by both his ends, something he experienced rarely and just loved, so much that he actually began to move back to get more of the thick finger inside him, to hit the special place inside him that made him squirm.
The brown lupine succeeded in that, shivers running through his body, and he just kept doing that, pushing his bottom back on the finger while moving his head, bobbing it and simulating the hot crevice that erection will get in soon enough. Marcus wasn't passive in this, moving his hips a bit, getting his finger curled to reach everything inside his wolf, loving every sound coming from him, the sign of the pleasure he was giving to the fur he loved so dearly.
The Senator decided that it was time to add more and, after retrieving his finger and licking it again, savoring the taste, he jammed in two of his digits, while thrusting in the willingly muzzle. He sure knew how to bring the bitch out of his lover, with the movements of his hand and of his hips, moaning going continuously on from the penetrated lupine. He didn't just curled his fingers in the innards parts of Fabius, but also scissoring them, pressing them, while rotating the paw, attacking from all directions as the good soldier he was.
Such a display of submission, while acting against the very core of what made him Roman, was just too hot for Marcus; the knowledge that he could bring such pleasure was just overwhelming, along with the memory of how he could be turned in a similar, moaning mess any time, any place, thanks to the brown wolf. Everything was done silently, except for the sounds brought by pleasure, as it always had been with them, both for their personal choice and because they liked it that way; soon the brown wolf was prepared for more, saliva coating his pucker and the bigger wolf's member, so they separate, Fabius almost collapsing on the floor, still caught in the pleasure that stiffened his rod.
The athletic lupine manhandled his smaller friend, turning him around and on his back, his member bouncing a couple of times on the brown stomach, pre matting the fur. Opening the legs far with his own meaty one, he leaned on the panting male in front of him, not wasting time in teasing his lover with his wolfhood, as he often did, but just aiming its tip against the pucker. Putting his paws at the sides of Fabius' head as supports, he just pushed in, bit by bit, slowly but surely, without resistance and with enough friction to back the whole act so pleasurable for the both of them.
It surely was for the smaller wolf, already lost in the sensations, his eyes closed to make them even powerful, the bliss of having his lover's meat entering the most private part of his body clear on his muzzle. He moaned when the thick member hit the mysterious origin of Greek pleasure, his insides tightening their grip on Marcus' tube of flesh; the penetrating Senator was enjoying himself fully, he loved to dip his bone in something warm and tight, especially if it belonged to his friend.
The bigger canine stopped only when his knot met the upturned buttocks, balls slapping against fur, marking the limit to his penetration. He leaned even more forward, his muzzle searching and finding the one of the other, locking them in a kiss while the proper rut finally begin while the brown canine wounded his legs and arms around the black frame of his lover.
It wasn't animalistic. It wasn't heated. But it was passionate, at their own speed, Marcus' thrusts rocking their body in a good pace, his cock entering Fabius and going out of him, pressing the place, making him feel like no one, male or female, could ever do. He wasn't penetrated only by the member, his friend's tongue invading his mouth, owning it and showing him to whom he belonged. He opened his eyes, meeting the loving stare of his lover, in the most intimate embrace they could share.
The muscled canine wasn't feeling the same, but something much similar, the sheer warmth of the other male, pressing all around his wolfhood, their stomachs trapping the member of the penetrated fur between them, radiating heat, his balls pressing just under it and, sometimes, against his invading meat. That was what he wanted, that was what he should have, a male body against his own, the knowledge that he was feeling not the tender curves of a woman, but the hard muscle of a wolf, his wolf, the one he loved so dearly since he was a child.
Soon they found themselves moaning heavily in their kissing, still not breaking it, each thrust of the lupine bringing a surge of pleasure to the other, who clenched his muscled around the meaty member which, in turns, made the wolf on top thrust faster and harder in the hot crevice. This vicious and self-feeding cycle couldn't last longer, not with the need building in them, not after such a long day, both of them coming closer and closer to reach the Elysian ecstasy.
Fabius was the first to give in, the hot rod thrusting in him being to much to bear, since with each and every thrust it smashed the special place; it didn't help him last the fact of being so much in contact with his lover, in and out, their furs meddling together, brown on black, their tongues battling, the red spear wounding inside him. Freeing his muzzle from the kiss, he loudly moaned, spending himself completely, seed shooting from his member and pooling on his stomach, truly uniting them.
The contractions brought by the potent orgasm massaged Marcus member, whom, knowing he was quickly approaching his climax, put all his might in his thrusts until his knot popped inside his wolf, granting him the ability to thrust fully and in the fastest way possible. He dipped his head, biting down the brown neck of the panting lupine under him, growling possessively when he finally overcome the barrier and just climaxed, his white seed feeling every part of his friend's inside, some escaping the hot tunnel and leaking on his balls while he kept moving.
Finally tiredness overcame him, making him collapse on Fabius, being carful to not crush him under his weight. He released his bit, beginning to just lick and nibble on the exposed neck, while his still hot member kept spurting his semen inside the stockier wolf, as the one belonging to the penetrated male was doing on their stomachs.
The Senator raised his head when he heard the door opening, Crissus's angled and strong face appeared, his eyes calmly gazing on them
"Shall I bring you nourishment in an hour, Domini?" The bear asked, unfazed by finding them in such a situation.
"Yes, you shall." Marcus agreed.