by Robin Roseau
“No seam,” Gionna agreed.
“It feels…”
“Really nice,” I said.
“Yes.”
“It’s even better from the inside,” Va said. “Especially being stroked. Gionna, how much may she touch me?”
“As much as you’re comfortable, Va,” Gionna said. “If she does something you don’t like, ask her to stop.”
Va rotated a little, pressing her legs against Shalendra’s. “Will you let me show you other things I like?”
“All right,” Shalendra said. “Va, you’re Flarvorian, right?”
“Yes, Shalendra. I won’t shock you. First, my arm again. Stroke it, shoulder all the way to my hand. Please. You can use both hands if you like. It feels really good.” Shalendra did that two or three times, and Va smiled broadly. “That’s nice. I like it even more on my back.” She leaned forward.
Shalendra obliged, and she fought to suppress a smile. “It feels really good.”
“I know,” Va agreed. “If we cuddle, you may touch me however you want.” Without waiting, she snuggled in a little, and Shalendra draped an arm over her.
But she looked at me. “I think I’d be insane if I was watching you do this, and you’re sitting there quite calmly.”
“As I said, the rules are different here.”
“You don’t look the slightest bit jealous.”
“I am, but not of this.”
“I should stop.”
“No,” Allium said. “You should listen.”
“I am listening.”
“She’s not jealous that you’re holding Va,” Allium said. “She’s jealous because she missed all of this. She had her First, and then, just when she was ready for practice challenges, she got called home.”
“It’s fine,” I said. I realized I was feeling a little snarky myself. I gestured. “You’ll find that if you let her, she’ll be quite responsive to anything that brings you pleasure.”
“But she’s Gionna’s.” She looked over at Va, then back to Gionna. “This is really all right?”
“I wouldn’t have offered otherwise,” Gionna said. “Tell the truth. Does she feel good to hold?”
“The truth,” I echoed.
Shalendra looked at me, then back to Va again. Her arm tightened. “Yes,” she whispered.
“I’m glad,” Va said with a smile. “Shalendra, it’s okay to enjoy it. You already guessed.”
“Guessed what?”
“That it’s not an accident there are a bunch of pleasure slaves.”
“We’re trying something different,” Olivia explained. “Frankly, I’m still not satisfied how we’ve exposed people to this.”
“How much of the story earlier was true?”
“All of it,” Allium said. “It just wasn’t the complete story.”
“All of this was my idea,” Va said. “We wanted there to be enough of us that you could each get one, but there weren’t enough of us.”
“Well, there were, but none of us wanted to try to manage that many pleasure slaves for a cross-country trip,” Allium clarified.
“We would have had to borrow more people, though,” Olivia added. “But Allium is right.”
“So, you offered to be a slave to help me?” Shalendra asked.
“I love being a slave,” Va replied. “It’s not exactly a hardship. If you don’t get scared away, you’ll see. Shalendra, the more you touch me, the better it feels.”
“I’m not sure how much more I can touch you.”
“You can stroke me,” Va suggested.
“And tell her you like holding her,” I prompted.
Shalendra looked around the carriage somewhat nervously then whispered, “I’m afraid.”
“Why?” Va asked.
“Because you do feel good, Va. You feel really good.” I saw her tighten.
Va smiled. “I’m glad.”
“I could get lost in this if I’m not careful.”
“I wouldn’t mind at all.”
“I believe you, but I’m not sure I’m ready.”
“That’s okay,” Va replied. “But may I stay here with you?”
“If you want to.”
“Don’t do any more than you’re comfortable,” Va said.
And so, Shalendra held the pleasure slave. Va closed her eyes, and after a few minutes, Shalendra did, too.
We rode quietly until the next rest stop.
* * * *
Shalendra took my arm and pulled me away. “I made such a fool of myself.”
“I thought you looked great on your knees.”
“Please don’t tease me right now. Gionna must hate me.”
“Gionna is fine,” I said.
“I was so mad at you.”
“I know.”
“Now I’m just mad at myself.”
“Well, don’t be,” I said. “I’m not going to apologize for how I greeted my friends. Bee and Dee should have asked.”
“Would you have let them?”
“That depends on how distracted I was, but I probably would have pointed out that you wouldn’t have understood.”
“That’s the only reason you would have turned them down?”
I said nothing for a minute then offered, “I’ll ask them not to kiss me like that anymore.”
“That’s not what I’m saying, Darfelsa!”
“Then what are you saying?”
“I’m saying Gionna might be right about me.”
“That you must be something special to be here?”
“That I might not be the right one for you.”
“You didn’t let the situation at home chase you away, but you’re going to let this?” I didn’t wait for an answer, maybe because I was afraid of it. “Did you enjoy holding Va?”
“More than I should have.”
“Not hardly.”
“Darfelsa, I can’t stop…”
“Can’t stop what?”
“Thinking about you like that.” I laughed. “Or myself.”
“There you are,” I said with a smile. “The debauchery potion is working.”
“Funny.”
“Shalendra, Gionna can be playful, but she won’t hurt you if you try to be her friend. You can trust Allium and Olivia or anyone they tell you that you can trust. However, if you ever get to the point of considering practice challenges, then we’ll talk about trust again.”
“They’re willing to sucker me?”
“Absolutely. Well, Olivia and Allium wouldn’t but pretty much everyone else I know would.”
“You?”
“Beyond a doubt, but I don’t have any more experience than you’re going to get.”
“You lived here for years.”
“Yes, and I had my First, and that’s all. I’ve been around, but Allium wouldn’t even let me attend events until I turned 18.”
“I’m sorry I embarrassed you.”
“It will be fine,” I said. We kissed, briefly, and then it was time to climb back into the carriages.
And Shalendra found herself cuddling with Va again. It was cute.
* * * *
“Darfelsa,” said Gionna, perhaps an hour later. “I had a big speech planned for you. I don’t know what happened to it.”
“I think I happened to it,” Shalendra said.
“Undoubtedly,” Gionna replied. “You should ask Va if you may kiss her hand.”
“Are you trying to distract me?”
“Yes. Trust me.”
Shalendra paused. “Va-”
“Yes,” Va said. “I’d love if you kissed my hand, or anywhere else you want to kiss.”
Shalendra grabbed the pleasure slave’s hand and looked at it. But finally, she turned it over and kissed the knuckles, taking her time with it. “That feels nice,” Va whispered. “You don’t have to stop.”
Shalendra kissed a little more, then gathered Va’s hand in hers and dropped it to her lap. But her eyes were closed, and Va pressed into her more tightly.
“I am permanently carrying the amount of authority Father gave me in Gandeet,” I said. “Ambassador, I want you to handle negotiations for us, but I am here as a resource, and to ratify final agreements.” Allium nodded. “Furthermore, you’re the engineer, and part of my plan involves trying to find a way to help them transport into Ressaline City. Did you have thoughts?”
“I need to see it. Darfelsa, I hope you aren’t expecting me to perform miracles.”
“I’ve wanted to get you there for years,” Olivia declared. “And it’s been fifteen years since I’ve been back. Things in Charth can run themselves for the summer. I think I’ll appoint Claary to acting duchess.”
Gionna snorted. “You’re not serious.”
“I suppose not,” Olivia said.
“I think Judge Jessla is a better plan.”
“You’re probably right, but she won’t thank me for it.”
“I will confirm Claary as her assistant, though,” Gionna added.
I looked at Shalendra. Her hands were slowly moving over Va. They were both smiling, content with the situation. “Imagine sleeping with her in your arms,” I said gently.
“Do you even get any sleep?”
“After I wear you out,” Va said.
“She’s not kidding, by the way,” Gionna said.
“I didn’t think she was,” Shalendra said. She opened her eyes. “Was that real friendship you were offering?”
“I don’t blame you for doubting me. Yes, Shalendra, but you know I’m doing it for Darfelsa.”
“I’m not sure I care why. Va, you feel very good. Thank you.”
“You feel good, too,” Va replied.
“Va, would you like to belong to Shalendra until bedtime?”
“I’d like that,” Va said. “If she wants me.”
“She needs you to be soothing. I know you like to be more active.”
“She needs soothing. May I give her a massage before coming back to you, Gionna?”
“If she’ll accept one, yes.”
“I don’t really understand,” Shalendra admitted.
“What don’t you understand?” Va asked her.
“I bet you would rather-”
Va set red-resin-coated fingers over Shalendra’s lips. “This feels very nice to me. I can feel how you are enjoying it, and that gives me pleasure. It’s not the same pleasure I might get from playing.”
“That’s a euphemism,” Allium offered quietly.
“I guessed.”
“It’s different pleasure. But it’s nice. It’s really nice. I’m not a sex slave, Shalendra. I’m a pleasure slave. Sex is only one form of pleasure.”
“She’s fulfilled by filling her role,” Olivia explained. “If she were a gardener slave, then she would be fulfilled in a garden. Household slaves need to be kept busy or they begin to feel neglected. Do you see?”
“Yes, and no.” She closed her eyes again. “I just think I need to trust you. Trust Gionna. I’m not offending anyone now.”
“No, Shalendra,” Gionna said. “You would offend me if you presumed. Permission today doesn’t imply permission tomorrow.”
“And as you said, there aren’t enough slaves here to share with everyone every day.”
“No.”
“I’m listening to the other conversation, but I don’t know if I’ll have anything to add. Except this. If there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll try.”
“You’re going to be worthless,” Gionna said. “You’ll be back to normal by the end of the summer, but don’t worry about any of it.”
“I’ll be someone’s pleasure slave.”
“Yes, but you’ll be frantic without her. Her specifically,” Gionna said. “No one would ever share someone having her First. So don’t worry about that. You need to decide to trust us. We’ve just met, so really, you’re trusting Darfelsa’s judgement.”
“I do,” she replied. “Anyway, I think the other conversation is more important.”
“They’re both important,” Olivia said. “But enjoy holding Va. She’s very sweet.”
“Our basic plan,” I said. “Travel to Charth. Figure out as much as we can on the way. Olivia, can you handle this many firsts at a time?”
“We saw to an entire town,” Olivia replied. “I probably won’t be able to hand-pick matches for everyone, but I should try spending at least a little time with everyone. We have a few days for that.”
“Let’s talk about it over dinner tonight,” Allium said.
“So… we’ll deal with that over the next week or so. We should have a few conversations with Lyeneru and Rosaniya before they go to their First. We thought we’d start with citrus on our side.”
“And our winter wheat and wool,” Gionna said. “I bet we can take more of your citrus than we can deliver wheat and wool.”
“I am authorized to offer competitive terms and a loan against future trade,” I said.
“That’s generous,” Olivia replied.
“Father wants a strong northern neighbor and more markets for our goods. That means finding suitable trades, and that also means being understanding while you adjust your own production.”
“I can’t see how we’re going to get fresh citrus all the way to Ressaline City,” Gionna said.
“We’re not,” I explained. “But we can send canned, juice, and even dried. Dried is good for cooking, or you can add water.”
“There’s also candied,” Allium said. “I gave you some last winter, Olivia.”
“Oh, that was sweet,” Olivia said. “Bee and Dee went insane over it. I could only eat a little at a time.”
“I remember,” Allium said.
“It’s going to come down to two things,” I said. “Can we improve the transportation methods, and can you expand your cash crops. Charthan’s past wealth was by being a trading center. They’ve never done a lot of their own exports.”
“And I made some very nice roads through northern Flarvor,” Allium said.
“I don’t want us to make money that way,” Olivia said. “Even if we could. It took me years to realize that, but if we build our wealth off charging tariffs for goods traveling across Ressaline, then we’re not really any better than the Charthan’s were.”
“I don’t understand,” Shalendra said.
“Ah, you’re still listening,” Olivia said. “Charthan used to charge tariffs on goods in and out of Ressaline, and it made conditions for us very difficult.”
“Starving difficult,” I said.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“When coupled with transportation difficulties and a short growing season,” Olivia said, “Yes, people starved. Winter disease remains common.”
“Diseases we don’t have,” I said. “Diseases you’ve probably never heard of.”
She opened her eyes. “That’s why we’re here.”
“Yes,” I said. “Well, it’s why Gionna and Olivia will do anything to make this work.”
“You could sell this,” she said, closing her eyes again.
“We don’t sell our slaves,” Olivia said a little coldly.
“You could let people come here just to hold them,” Shalendra said.
“I knew she liked me,” Va whispered.
“We’ll keep that idea in mind,” Olivia said, the soft humor back in her tone.
* * * *
It took about five minutes for Va to elicit the first groan of pleasure from Shalendra, and about another five before Shalendra was groaning nearly constantly, although that slowly tapered off, and I wondered if she would fall asleep.
I sat and read, and eventually Va lay down beside Shalendra, whispering to her for a minute before slipping from the bed. She turned to me. “Would you like a massage, Darfelsa?”
�
��Next time, Va,” I said.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
She smiled broadly, then leaned over and kissed the back of Shalendra’s head. She crossed to me and pulled my forehead down to kiss it, too. Then she was out the door, pulling it closed behind her.
I set my book aside, turned down the lamps, and slipped into bed, careful not to wake Shalendra. But she wasn’t entirely asleep, and she said, “Is she using magic on me?”
“Only the magic of someone deeply attuned to offering pleasure in its many forms,” I said.
“I don’t think I can move.”
“Then don’t.” I snuggled against her and kissed her hair.
“They do this for recreation.”
“Yes. And the challenges for sport.”
“I already miss her.”
I laughed. “I don’t do it for you anymore.”
“Please don’t tease,” she said. “Do you know what I mean?”
“Yes and no. I’ve never spent a day like you have.”
“You lived here.”
“Yes, but for most of it, I was a kid. I could get my shoulders rubbed, but that was the most.”
“Those two kissed the stuffing out of you.”
“It was the first time.” I set my hand on her back so she wouldn’t roll to me. “Shalendra, you’re going to ruin the bliss.”
“I don’t get her back tomorrow.”
“I’m not in charge of that, but you shouldn’t count on it. We’re going to offer to ride.”
“I suppose just because you’re the princess, you don’t try to take advantage.”
“Of course, I do,” I said with a laugh.
“No, Darfelsa, you don’t.”
“In some ways, but not in this way.”
“She got me naked.”
“She sure did.”
“She rubbed my bottom.”
“From what I could tell, you liked it.”
“I sure did. Little vixen.”
I laughed and snuggled in the rest of the way.
It Seems Like Home
By the time we made it to Charth, everyone had a blissed-out expression, even Mariya. The pleasure slaves rotated around who received special attention, and I stayed out of it.
Some of my people accepted it more readily than others. I wasn’t really surprised. But it was an easy, carefree group that made its way into Charth, arriving at the embassy late in the afternoon.