Chapter 22: The Game of Five Queens

The invitation from Lucretia came without warning. A private, highly exclusive gathering. As Ulysses entered the Domina's private lounge carrying a tray of the finest wine, he immediately sensed a different atmosphere.

There, on plush sofas, sat the most influential women he knew. Lucretia, of course, was in the center like a spider in the heart of her web. Beside her, Ilithyia watched Ulysses. Her stare was appraising, devoid of warmth, like a merchant calculating the value of new property. On the other side, Licinia, Aemilia, and Domitia conversed in low voices, but their eyes occasionally darted towards him.

Ulysses moved silently, pouring wine. His ears caught snippets of their conversation – gossip about husbands, veiled insults about each other's gowns, complaints about boredom. With his Basic Psychology, he didn't just hear the words. He felt the invisible web of rivalry, jealousy, and suppressed desires among them. This room was a cage containing five graceful but restless tigresses.

He stood silently in a corner after his task was done, becoming part of the furniture. He saw Lucretia reveling in her power. He saw Ilithyia radiating disdain for everything. He saw Licinia restless, her eyes always searching for something more exciting. He saw Aemilia tense, bearing the weight of her secret. And he saw Domitia observing everything with the shrewdness of a chess player.

He held secrets or connections with almost everyone in this room. Approaching them one by one would be time-consuming and highly risky.

But here, together... they were all vulnerable.

A crazy idea, a gamble that could end his life or give him everything, began to form. He had 63 Essence. Enough for one roll of the dice that would determine his fate.

He looked at the five women. He took a deep breath, calming his pounding heart. This was his moment.

His intent locked. A silent command echoing in his mind. Burn fifty Essence. Activate Subtle Influence on all noblewomen in this room.

He felt a massive surge of energy drain from within him, so great it made him slightly dizzy. His stomach felt hollow and cold. He leaned slightly against the wall to steady himself.

And then, something in the room changed.

Ilithyia's sharp laughter suddenly stopped mid-sentence. The whispers between Aemilia and Domitia subsided into silence. Lucretia, who was about to raise her goblet, froze.

One by one, their heads turned. Not casual glances. Not curious peeks.

Five pairs of eyes were now fixed on him. Fully. Intensely. Licinia's pupils widened, her lips slightly parted. Ilithyia's sardonic smile had vanished, replaced by an untamed, unconcealed expression of interest. Even Lucretia, the Domina, looked at him in a new way. The possessiveness in her eyes was now mixed with genuine desire.

Ulysses stood still under their collective gaze.

The silence in the room was heavy, filled with unspoken desires. Five pairs of eyes stared at Ulysses, each gaze holding its own unique fire.

Lucretia was the first to break the silence. "Come here," she said, her voice husky, a soft but undeniable command.

Ulysses stepped forward, away from the wall, through the shadows and into the center of the lamp-lit room. He felt the gazes of the other four women follow his every move. He stopped before the sofa where Lucretia sat.

"Kneel," Lucretia commanded.

Ulysses obeyed, kneeling on the thick carpet. Lucretia's well-manicured hand reached out, her cool fingers tracing his jawline, then descending to the scar on his shoulder. She smiled, a smile of absolute possession.

From the corner of his eye, Ulysses saw Ilithyia leaning forward, her eyes narrowed with a sharp, analytical gaze.

Lucretia's hand moved lower, untying the cloth around Ulysses's waist, letting it fall to the floor. His fully hardened manhood was exposed. A collective suppressed gasp was heard from the other noblewomen.

"Mine," Lucretia whispered. She pulled Ulysses's head closer, forcing him to kneel between her open thighs beneath her silk gown. She leaned her head back against the sofa, her eyes closed. "Worship me."

Ulysses obeyed. His face buried itself between the warmth and scent of his mistress's womanhood. His tongue began its work.

The first groan that escaped Lucretia's lips was deep and powerful. Her hands gripped Ulysses's hair tightly, pressing his face deeper. The sound of wet sucking and the Domina's gasps became the only music in the room.

Ulysses could hear the other women's breathing becoming heavier. He raised his head for a moment and saw Licinia, whose eyes gleamed wildly, her hands unconsciously clenching her own gown.

He refocused on his task, speeding up the rhythm of his tongue, bringing Lucretia closer to her peak. The Domina's body began to tense.

Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through. "Enough, Lucretia. You've had your fun long enough alone."

It was Ilithyia's voice.

Ulysses felt Lucretia's grip on his hair loosen. He raised his head. Ilithyia had now stood up, walking closer with a predator's stride. She looked at Ulysses, who was still kneeling, with a look that was both disdainful and covetous.

"Now," Ilithyia said, her gaze challenging Lucretia. "It's my turn."

Lucretia looked at Ilithyia, the heat of her passion instantly extinguished, replaced by a rigid stillness. Her anger at being interrupted was a palpable force in the air. However, under the influence of the Subtle Influence, her desire was greater than her pride. She gave a dismissive wave of her hand, a reluctant gesture of approval.

Ilithyia smiled triumphantly. She walked towards Ulysses, her gown rustling over the marble floor. She didn't ask him to kneel. She pushed his shoulders hard, forcing Ulysses to lie on his back on the carpet.

She stood over him, looking down with a winner's gaze. "Now you are mine," she hissed.

She lifted her gown, then squatted over Ulysses's face, pressing her wet vagina to his mouth. Ulysses could smell Ilithyia's sharp scent of arousal. He licked her, his tongue moving according to unspoken command. Ilithyia moaned, her hands gripping Ulysses's hair.

From this position, Ulysses could see the others. He saw Licinia now crawling closer, her eyes gleaming like a wolf. Licinia's hot hands began to explore Ulysses's chest and stomach, her nails lightly scratching his skin.

Aemilia and Domitia also approached. The four noblewomen now surrounded him, like predators encircling their prey.

Ilithyia rose, her breath ragged. Before she could do anything else, Licinia had already taken her place, sitting on Ulysses's hips and guiding his hard manhood to her entrance. She lowered herself with a long sigh of satisfaction.

While Licinia moved up and down on him, Domitia knelt beside Ulysses's head, forcing Ulysses to suckle her breast. On the other side, Aemilia, who had now shed all her inhibitions, began to kiss and lick Ulysses's stomach and thighs.

The room was now filled with the sound of many women's gasps, the wet squelching of bodies rubbing together, and Ulysses's heavy breathing. He was gripped, licked, sucked, and ridden from all directions. This was no longer a show. This was a chaotic storm of desire.

Lucretia, who had been observing from her sofa with a sour face, finally rose. She walked closer, rudely pushing Domitia aside. She looked at Ulysses, who was being ridden by Licinia.

"He's mine," Lucretia said, her voice flat and devoid of emotion, a simple statement of absolute ownership.

She knelt, her hot mouth now devouring Ulysses's penis from below, just as Licinia was grinding her hips above. The dual sensation made Ulysses growl.

The chaos reached its peak. Five noblewomen, five bodies, five different desires, all focused on him. He was the center of the storm he himself had created.

Lucretia raised her head, her eyes hazy with arousal staring sharply at Licinia moving above Ulysses. With one powerful, sudden movement, she pushed Licinia's shoulder. "Enough," Lucretia hissed. "Get off."

Licinia, startled, tumbled to the side. Lucretia then crawled onto Ulysses, sitting on his hips with a triumphant gaze. She was now the Queen who reclaimed her throne.

"You are mine," she said to Ulysses, before turning to the others. "We are all his."

She guided Ulysses's wet, throbbing penis to her own entrance. She lowered her body slowly, accepting every inch of Ulysses's manhood into her hot, wet vagina. She let out a long moan, her head falling back, her black hair flowing down her back.

She began to move, her hips grinding with a slow, powerful rhythm. Ilithyia, Licinia, Aemilia, and Domitia were now both spectators and participants. Their hands explored Ulysses's taut body. Ilithyia's sharp nails scratched his chest. Licinia's hot mouth sucked on his nipples. Domitia kissed his stomach, while Aemilia caressed his legs.

Ulysses focused all his attention on the woman above him. He gripped Lucretia's hips, lifting her, then slamming her down with a deep thrust.

"Nghhh!" Lucretia shrieked.

Their rhythm became faster, wilder. The sound of their bodies colliding echoed in the room, mixed with the gasps and moans of the other four women. Ulysses felt his peak approaching. He quickly reversed their positions, now he was on top, pounding into Lucretia with full force.

He saw Lucretia's eyes widen as orgasm hit her. Her body convulsed violently, her hot vagina gripping his manhood tightly. The moment pushed Ulysses over the edge. With a low growl, he released his first climax of the night, his warm semen spurting deep into the Domina's womb.

He collapsed on top of Lucretia, both of them panting heavily.

However, the pause lasted only a moment.

Before he could fully recover his strength, he felt a cold grip on his shoulder. Ilithyia pulled him roughly away from Lucretia.

"My turn, slave," Ilithyia hissed, her eyes burning with cruel rivalry and desire. "And I want more than that."

Lucretia glared at Ilithyia with blazing eyes, but her body, limp after climax, left her unable to do anything but watch.

Ilithyia dragged the still panting Ulysses to the center of the room. She didn't push him to lie down. She sat on an opulent carved chair and looked at Ulysses standing before her.

"I've seen you serve," she said, her tone sharp enough to cut through the hazy atmosphere of the room. "Now, I want to be served."

She spread her thighs. Her thin gown left little to the imagination. Ulysses knelt before her. Ilithyia's hands gripped his hair, forcing him to look at her already wet vagina.

"Lick," she commanded.

Ulysses obeyed. He licked Ilithyia's clitoris, while her eyes never left Lucretia, a cruel, triumphant smile on her face. This wasn't about pleasure. It was about humiliating her rival.

Ilithyia moaned, not a moan of pure arousal, but a moan of victory. "Yes... just like that... see, Lucretia? Even your best slave prefers to serve a true goddess."

After a moment, she pushed Ulysses's head away. She stood, then pushed Ulysses down to sit in the same chair. She lifted her gown completely, then sat on Ulysses's re-hardened penis.

"AAAH!" she shrieked as Ulysses's manhood entered her completely.

She began to move up and down with a fast, aggressive rhythm. She wasn't moving for her own pleasure, but for a show. She gripped Ulysses's shoulders, her nails digging deep, her eyes staring sharply at Lucretia.

Around them, the other women began to move closer again. Licinia now knelt in front of Ulysses, her hungry mouth beginning to work on his manhood not covered by Ilithyia's body. Aemilia and Domitia began to touch each other, aroused by the display of power before them.

Ilithyia shrieked as her orgasm came, a scream full of triumph. She felt Ulysses's penis throb inside her, releasing his second climax.

She dismounted Ulysses with a sudden movement, her face flushed with victory. She walked past Lucretia with a mocking smile.

Ulysses slumped in the chair, his body starting to feel exhausted. However, there was no time to rest yet.

He felt a hot touch on his penis, which had just left Ilithyia. Licinia was now directly in front of him, crawling between his legs.

"You're done with the queens," Licinia whispered, her eyes gleaming wildly. "Now it's time to play with a wolf."

Ulysses felt Licinia's hot breath on his skin. Her mouth greedily devoured his recovering manhood. She didn't have Lucretia's elegance or Ilithyia's sharp cruelty. This was pure hunger.

She lifted her head, her wild eyes staring at Ulysses. "Stand," she commanded hoarsely.

Ulysses obeyed, standing with slightly trembling legs in front of the chair. Licinia pushed him back down, then without hesitation, she turned around and sat on his lap, impaling herself on Ulysses's penis.

"Aaaahhh..." A long sigh of satisfaction escaped her lips as she felt Ulysses's manhood completely fill her vagina.

She began to move up and down, her hands pressing into Ulysses's shoulders, her sweating back glistening under the lamplight. Meanwhile, Domitia and Aemilia were no longer just watching.

Aemilia, who had now shed all her fear, approached from the front. She knelt and began to kiss Licinia's swaying breasts, her tongue licking her hardened nipples. Licinia moaned louder, her head falling back from the dual sensation.

Domitia approached from behind the chair. Her cool, skilled hands began to massage Ulysses's neck and shoulders. Her fingers pressed firmly, as if studying his anatomy. "You look tired, gladiator," Domitia whispered in his ear. "Can you endure?"

Ulysses didn't answer. He gripped Licinia's hips, now taking over the rhythm. He thrust upwards, making Licinia shriek. The room was now a symphony of gasps, moans, and the sounds of skin colliding. Ulysses felt himself being pushed towards his peak by three women at once. Licinia's desire, Aemilia's touch, and Domitia's provocative whispers.

He felt the muscles inside Licinia's vagina clench. The woman screamed his name, "Ulysses!", as her orgasm exploded. That sensation, coupled with Aemilia's licking on his chest, was enough to push Ulysses over the edge. With a deep growl, he released his third climax, filling Licinia's womb.

Licinia collapsed on him, her body trembling and limp.

Domitia laughed softly behind him. "Three down. Two left." She pulled Aemilia, who looked satisfied yet bewildered, to her feet. "Little sister, you can play after I'm done."

She walked to the front of Ulysses, looking at Licinia still lying limp on the gladiator's lap. "Move aside," Domitia said, her voice calm yet absolute, a command that expected nothing but immediate obedience. "Your playtime is over."

Licinia, with a satisfied growl, dismounted Ulysses's lap and joined the others on the sofa, her sweating body glistening. Ulysses sat slumped in the chair, his breathing heavy, his muscles burning. Three times. He had climaxed three times.

Domitia walked closer, her movements calm and calculated. She showed no wild lust like Licinia or sharp cruelty like Ilithyia. Her intelligent eyes looked at Ulysses with the gaze of an expert examining a rare specimen.

"You have satisfied the wild beasts," she said, her voice low and clear. "Now, let's see if there's anything left for a woman who values the mind."

She took a piece of silk cloth from the table. "Close your eyes."

Ulysses looked at her for a moment, then obeyed. The soft silk cloth was tied over his eyes, stealing his sight and plunging him into a world of darkness, sound, and touch.

He felt Domitia's hands on his shoulders, guiding him to kneel on the floor. He heard the gasps of the other women watching, now with renewed interest.

"A man who can 'see' in the dark," Domitia whispered. "Use your other senses. Use your mind. Satisfy me."

Ulysses felt Domitia's gown being lifted before him. Her distinct feminine scent wafted to him. He fumbled, finding Domitia's smooth thighs, then higher. His hands found her wet vagina.

His fingers began to move, exploring carefully. He couldn't see Domitia's facial reactions, so he focused on other things. He heard the change in the woman's breathing, from calm breaths to suppressed gasps. He felt the muscles in Domitia's thighs tighten as he found the right spot.

His mouth replaced his fingers. He used all his skill, all his instincts. He heard Domitia grip the armrest of the chair tightly.

After a moment, Domitia pulled him to his feet. She untied the cloth from his eyes. He saw Domitia's face flushed with arousal, her eyes gleaming with appreciation.

She pushed Ulysses to sit back in the chair, then sat on him, facing him. This wasn't a wild movement like Licinia's. This was a controlled, deliberate movement. She looked directly into Ulysses's eyes as she began to move up and down.

"Yes," she whispered, more to herself than to Ulysses. "Very clever."

She kissed him, her tongue demanding. Her hands cupped Ulysses's face, forcing him to keep looking into her eyes. This was a duel of wills as much as it was intercourse. She controlled every thrust, every angle, testing Ulysses's endurance to its limits.

Ulysses felt the fourth tide approaching. He groaned, his tired body forced to respond. He released himself inside Domitia with a final powerful thrust.

Domitia smiled faintly as she felt her own climax. She dismounted Ulysses's lap, her face showing the satisfaction of a chess winner.

Ulysses could barely breathe, his head dizzy with exhaustion.

Before he could process anything, a shadow moved before him.

Aemilia.

The woman crawled towards him. Her eyes gleamed with the same wild fire as Licinia's, but with a deeper touch of desperation. She had seen what was possible, and now she wanted it.

She didn't ask. She took.

She pushed Ulysses's shoulders, making him lie back on the pile of cushions on the floor. She crawled onto him, her already torn gown no longer concealing anything. She sat on Ulysses's stomach, looking at him with a hungry gaze.

"I'm the last," she whispered, her voice husky. "Give me all that's left."

She guided Ulysses's somewhat limp penis with her hand. She spat on it, making it wet and slick, then impaled herself with one swift motion.

"NNGHH!" a deep groan escaped her throat as she received Ulysses's manhood fully.

She began to move with surprising ferocity. Her hips pounded down with a force born of frustration and long-suppressed desire. She rode Ulysses like a warrior woman conquering her prey.

Ulysses, who had barely any energy left, could only surrender under the assault of Aemilia's passion. He gripped the woman's hips, trying to match her frantic rhythm. He could feel the last remnants of his strength being drained from him.

Aemilia shrieked, her head falling back, her disheveled hair clinging to her sweating back. Her orgasm came like a storm, her body convulsing violently on top of Ulysses.

That sensation, her tight and hot grip, was the final trigger. With a long groan that was more like a sound of suffering than pleasure, Ulysses released his fifth climax. It felt like every last drop of his life force was completely drained.

He collapsed, his eyes closed, his consciousness almost gone. He could only hear the sound of Aemilia's ragged breathing above him.

The physical game had ended. He had given everything.

Ulysses lay among the tangled pile of cushions and silk, panting. His body felt empty, every muscle screaming in protest. He had given his all. Around him, the five noblewomen lay in various poses of satisfaction, the room filled with the scent of sex and spilled wine.

A heavy silence fell over them, a silence born of exhaustion and extinguished passion. The women's minds were still soft, open, and susceptible to influence. This was the moment he had paid 50 Essence for.

With the last remnants of his strength, Ulysses pushed himself to a sitting position. He looked at each face in the room one by one.

His voice was a hoarse, low whisper, barely audible, yet it cut through the silence. "Tonight..." he said, looking at each woman in turn. "...I have served goddesses."

He saw a lazy smile on Licinia's lips. He saw Domitia's intelligent eyes look at him with calculation.

"A goddess," he continued, his voice now stronger, more persuasive. "Deserves the greatest offering. A spectacle that will make all of Rome whisper about the power and generosity of Capua's women."

He paused, letting the idea sink in. Their hazy eyes now looked at him with keen interest.

"One man," he whispered, planting the image in their minds. "Your chosen champion... against five lives in the arena. Not just for bloodshed. But for something greater. Something even the gods will notice and honor."

He leaned closer. "Freedom."

The word echoed in the silent room, filled with power and possibility.

"Imagine the glory for the Magistrate who bestows it," he said again, his eyes now on Ilithyia and Lucretia. "And for the noble Domina who inspires such a noble act."

He saw the idea take root. In their influenced eyes, it was no longer a slave's request. It was their own idea. A brilliant plan, a new game far more exciting. A way to show their power to the whole world.

The seed had been planted in the most fertile ground.

Lucretia was the first to rise, pulling her silk robe to cover her body. The Domina's mask slowly returned. "An interesting display," she said, her voice had returned to its usual detached tone, as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than a stage play she had directed. "Now, leave."

Ulysses rose, gathered his cloth, and walked out of the room without looking back. His body felt broken, his Essence drained. But in his mind, a grand plan had just been successfully executed.

He had risked everything. Now, he just needed to wait for his queens to move the chess pieces on Rome's game board.

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{Name: Ulysses (Thomas Vance)}

{Title: Champion of The Pit}

{Stored Essence: 263}

{Active Legacies: [Talent] Rapid Adaptation, [Knowledge] Basic Psychology (Tier 1)}