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Verda considered that Jean would have to clean her own blood off the bedroom's tan walls.
She thought bringing Gion into her scheme would've broken Jean's refusal to work competently.
Gion was another slave that Verda had received from the Irenshoa, the conquerors of Rome.
He was supposed to whip Jean, however, he consistently missed.
Verda approached the bedroom wall where Jean was chained by her wrists and stood on tiptoe.
"Did you promise that teenager sex in exchange for him intentionally missing with the whip?"
"You have to decide that for yourself." Jean loved this refrain she had created, and currently used often.
Verda said, "Maybe I should use my dagger, cut out your tongue, so you can't say that anymore."
She took her dagger out, pressed it into Jean's back, knowing it was right against Jean's spine.
Jean did not yell out.
"Why do you fail to scream out in pain?" Verda asked.
"I endure pain more frequently than you take in a breath," Jean said.
Verda knew Jean's unusual response must be significant. Verda took a moment to think about it. She became conscious of her own labored, irregular, breathing. Her face grew more red.
She shouted at Gion, "Hand over that whip, and stand against the wall next to Jean!"
"You must yield, Jean," Verda said. "I will continue to whip Gion until you do."
Verda struck Gion somewhat hard on his back. Enough that he said, "Please, Jean, make it stop."
Jean flipped her head to make eye contact. "Only she can take you out of your position."
With the next blow, Verda whipped Gion extremely hard and he cried out, "Jean!"
Jean didn't respond. Verda beat Gion a few more times, then dropped the whip.
Verda grabbed Jean by the hair, and slammed her head against the bedroom wall.
"That's for convincing me to let my slave driver go, and let you beat each other for punishment."
Jean knew that wasn't true. Verda decided to fire him and play her slaves off against each other.
Verda slammed Jean's head once more.
"That's for convincing me to let my bookkeeper go. You said it would save me money."
Jean had been a better bookkeeper, but again, it was Verda's idea to save money by firing him.
Another slam against the wall.
"That's for your New World American friends, the Irenshoa, repelling the Austrians and the English Navy during the attempt to liberate Venice."
Friends? Lies. The Irenshoa had genocided Jean's tribe, and had given her as a slave to Verda.
Verda pulled Jean's head back far away from the wall, and then slammed Jean's head hard.
After a pause, Verda yelled, "That's for the goddamned Irenshoa taking my lovely city of Rome!"
"I can stop! Are we done?!"
"You have to decide that for yourself." Jean spat out blood, and laughed.
Gion giggled, and that grew into an uncontrolled guffaw.
Verda stomped out of the bedroom.
Then the guard stationed there began to laugh too.
ns 18.68.41.148da2
