Tiara- Part Two

by Robin Roseau

  “By that, you mean Bee and Dee, her quite delightful pleasure slaves.”

  “Yes, who I consider friends.”

  “A very unusual arrangement, but one that I understand works quite well.”

  “Yes. Well. I would send Gionna. Often. And you know what? I’d give her a couple of pleasure slaves when she comes. Choose carefully.”

  “The likes of Bee and Dee are very rare.”

  “And Olivia should visit, often, and she should bring more than Bee and Dee. They don’t need to be pleasure slaves. They simply need to present well.” I smiled. “Now we come to the potential really bad idea.”

  Lisdee smiled, and there were a few chuckles.

  “My household was well-served by the recent introduction to their Firsts.”

  “I’m glad of that, but I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “My cousin engaged in a little… manipulation.”

  “Is that what we’re calling it now?” Gionna asked.

  “Yes,” I said. “When I crossed the river, she had half of Allium’s staff, including herself, wearing red. Va – my cousin – was especially gracious. Shalendra’s entire attitude changed just by being given permission to cuddle with the slave.”

  “I wasn’t aware,” Lisdee said. She looked at Olivia.

  “I’ve been stumbling around, trying to find the right way to do this. Valsine took things into her own hands, and it was the right choice. I’ll be looking to repeat it for future Firsts.”

  “I don’t hear any bad idea so far, then,” Lisdee said to me.

  “You’re about to. When Olivia comes, perhaps she needs to bring a few long-term pleasure slaves with her, my cousin being one of them.”

  The people who knew Valsine well laughed. “I think that’s a fabulous idea,” Gionna said.

  Lisdee cocked her head, looking around. “I don’t detect the humor.”

  “You would probably need to know Valsine,” Gionna replied. “And her reputation.” She chuckled. “I don’t think it’s at all a bad idea, Darfelsa. I think Ahlianna would be particularly pleased.”

  “No doubt,” I agreed. “There are two reasons it might be a horrible idea. That may be too long a period for someone to remain a pleasure slave. And the politics could be terrible, if my grandmother were to learn of it. She wouldn’t at all understand.”

  “Your grandmother. Valsine is your cousin.”

  “Second cousin. My grandmother is Valsine’s great-aunt. Politically, this might be an absolutely terrible idea. However, Valsine really was quite good as a pleasure slave.”

  “All pleasure slaves are quite good,” Lisdee replied.

  “But not all are good ambassadors,” Gionna explained. “That is far less common. Bee and Dee, of course. But Valsine, too, which I would not have expected.”

  “Valsine has found joy here,” Allium explained. “Her intelligence and impatience can still get in her way, but even Ahlianna has had good things to say about her.”

  “There is bad blood?” Lisdee asked.

  “Definitely,” I agreed. “She and I worked things through, but Ahlianna won’t give her the time of day and possibly never will.”

  “Is there personal pleasure seeing her in red, Darfelsa?” Lisdee asked.

  “Oh, probably, but I find personal pleasure seeing Gionna in red, too.”

  “Well,” Lisdee said. “Gionna, comments?”

  “I’d love to visit Barrish as often as you can spare me, Mother,” Gionna replied. “But if I’m down there, I’m not up here, cajoling.”

  “I am unsure I want to send you on extended vacations,” Lisdee replied. “But if I knew you were in Barrish, cajoling, that has value.”

  “She won’t find potential farmers in Barrish,” I said. “But she might find tradeswomen. When you’re ready, I have one more subject.”

  “Interesting. I do believe you just added that.”

  “I did,” I admitted.

  “Gionna, you and I will discuss this in private.”

  “Yes, Mother.”

  “Well, Darfelsa. Tradeswomen?”

  “You have one more impediment. It might be several, all tied together. I like Charth. I feel very safe there. I can wander the streets without guards. I can’t do that in Barrish, although Allium can.”

  “If I’m careful,” Allium clarified.

  “I like the people, and I like some of the recreational activities.” I grinned at that.

  “I think I know which ones,” Gionna said. “And?”

  “And in almost all other ways, Barrish is better.” I let that sit out there. It wasn’t a popular thing to say. “Well, not in high summer, but my family doesn’t stay in Barrish in high summer; we head to the coast. So let’s say for nine months of the year, Barrish is better. While your leathers are dashing, we have far greater variety of fashion. We have theater, and better shopping, and a wider assortment of restaurants with a wider variety of food. The restaurants in Charth are good, but the choices are far more limited. We have more craftsmen who produce very fine products. And going back to style, we have access to some of the most amazing fabrics. You’re not seeing it today, because I bought this gown in Charth. Flarvorians do not make clothing suitable for your climate, and I didn’t even bring any to show you.”

  “I’ll take your word for it,” Lisdee said coldly.

  “Sometimes it’s important to hear something that’s unpopular,” I said. “I won’t ask Gionna in public, but perhaps you’ll ask her opinion in private.”

  “Keep going.”

  “Well, this is an impediment. It is my opinion that Charth could be everything Barrish is. From what I understand, it was once far more vibrant. But frankly, compared to Barrish, it has become provincial. The only night life is either one of the inns or the rare events that Allium or Olivia host. Queen Lisdee, this might be like a First. Someone from Flarvor isn’t going to understand until she experiences it herself. And you may not understand unless you visit Barrish.”

  “Gionna and Olivia have visited,” she said.

  “While it’s hard to hear,” Olivia said. “Darfelsa is making more good points.”

  “Fashion doesn’t feed my people,” Lisdee said.

  “No, it doesn’t,” I agreed. “But a lack of fashion and vibrancy is an impediment to what I really want to get to.”

  “All that was a prelude?”

  “I have a plan that will fail under current conditions.”

  “And so you already admit it’s a poor idea?”

  I shrugged. “You have historically hidden word of Firsts. Word has gotten around, but…” I shrugged again. “I think you should advertise, and you should treat it as a cultural draw. The arena outside Charth is popular every Saturday, at least during half the year. Practice challenges are seen as a spectator sport.”

  “We do that here as well,” Gionna said. “Differently, due to weather.”

  “Understood,” I said. “Well, it could be a cultural draw, but if you try it now, the first women will return with poor reports.” I put on a voice. “Oh, the challenges were… interesting. But the town is dead, and I tell you. You wouldn’t believe the poor fashion sense!”

  Lisdee glared. I shrugged again. “Maybe I’m wrong. Like I said, I like Charth or I wouldn’t have stayed for three years.”

  “I don’t think she’s wrong,” Allium said. “Blunt, yes? Wrong? No.”

  “I’m afraid I agree with Allium,” Olivia said. “And I think, Lisdee, that you prefer honesty over pretty words.”

  “I suppose that is true,” Lisdee agreed. “And do you have any ideas, Darfelsa?”

  “It depends on how important this is to you. I know Olivia has tried to return some of the life to the city, with limited success.”

  “Charth’s previous success was due to being at a trading crossroads,” Olivia said. “That isn’t going to return.”

  “So build your own vibrancy,” I said. “If this is important to you. Lure tradeswomen. Lure entertainers. Ensur
e opportunity. At the very least, ensure a roof over their heads and food on the table. You can afford food now. You’ll need more exports before you would want to import fabrics and fashion. There are things we’d buy, and that gives you the opportunity to buy more from us.”

  I shrugged. “Or not. This may not be remotely important to you.” I looked around. “That was everything I had to say. I don't know if any of it is valuable. What do I know?”

  Lisdee looked at me. “Thank you for sharing your ideas, Princess Darfelsa. I think now would be a good time to let the slaves set up for a lunch break. Princess, will you walk with me?”

  “Of course.”

  * * * *

  She didn’t take my arm. We took the same path as yesterday, through the palace and out the back door. “Is this the only place anyone walks?”

  “I like to come here every day,” she said. “It’s harder in the winter.”

  “I imagine.”

  “Why didn’t you come to the conversation this morning?”

  I looked over at her. “You really don’t know?”

  “I wouldn’t ask if I did.”

  I considered my words carefully. “I think, Your Majesty, that when dealing with an antagonistic foreign agency, that you are exactly the woman for the job. But when dealing with friends, perhaps you should leave it to Olivia and Gionna.”

  I left it at that, and we walked for a few minutes before Lisdee asked, “So I did something wrong. I thought we resolved that in my quarters late yesterday afternoon, and I haven’t seen you since to make a new mistake.”

  I shook my head. “No. We resolved your distrust of me.” I turned to face her. She didn't look angry, simply perplexed. “I can’t tell if this is an act,” I admitted, gesturing to her. “Allium told you what you were demanding was wrong, and your daughter called you out for how you were doing it, but you told her to be quiet and did it anyway.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Don’t you? When I arrived, I expected you to dress me in black resin and ask your questions. Instead, you made me white, and when Gionna saw it, she called you on it.”

  “Oh, that,” she said, almost dismissively. “You’re upset about that?”

  I stared. “I am not one of your subjects, Your Majesty. I am my father’s representative. I never should have agreed to your demand, but your clear distrust had my back up, and I wanted to prove you wrong.”

  “I made no demands, Princess Darfelsa.”

  “Well, we can certainly discuss my semantics, if you like. Perhaps we should discuss my semantics when I told you not to leave any tidbits behind to smooth things over. Do you think violating me was in keeping with that, Your Majesty?” I asked hotly.

  “You came to my quarters. You undressed and offered your arm. That sounded like an offer.”

  “An offer to prove your distrust was without merit, not an offer to do what you did to me. And I’m fairly sure you knew it at the time. Your daughter certainly did, but you have so little respect for her, you silenced her.”

  “That isn’t true.”

  “Oh, please. I bet Gionna and Olivia had already told you everything I did once you claimed me. You don’t trust either of them enough to believe them. What did you think I was here to steal?”

  She stared at me. I was panting, trying to control my anger. Surprisingly, she didn’t yell back. But finally, she said, “There are things I’m bad at. Trust is one of them. My people have a long history of being trained not to trust our neighbors.”

  “Yes, well, I haven’t added to that.”

  “No, you haven’t,” she agreed. “But can you see my point?”

  “You haven’t made one yet.”

  “All right. Perhaps I haven’t. I’m going to ask a question. If I had handled yesterday afternoon like you had expected, would we be having this conversation?”

  “I don’t know. It wouldn’t be this heated. I don’t know if I would have come to the talks this morning. I had already asked Allium to see to them, and I’m not sure I would have changed my mind.”

  “Maybe not, but maybe it would have been easier for Gionna to cajole you, and maybe this conversation wouldn’t be, as you say, quite so heated.”

  “Those are fair statements, yes.”

  “There are people capable of lying, even as a slave, even as my slave.”

  “I’m fairly certain I’m not one of those.”

  “I know that now, but I wouldn’t have when we started yesterday. But no one can successfully lie as a truth slave.”

  “So Gionna explained.”

  “And as I said, I’m bad at some things, some of which I’ve effectively been trained to be bad at.”

  “Trusting people.”

  “Especially people who come to us like you have, Darfelsa. Princess, if yesterday afternoon hadn’t gone exactly like it did, I could not have listened to you this morning. I couldn’t have taken you seriously for any of it, and I would have lost my temper for some. It was only because of your offer and my acceptance yesterday that I could properly hear you today.”

  I thought about that, then she continued. “Darfelsa, I never meant to hurt you. I want to ask one more question. Would you have been angry if I had given Gionna the ability to conduct your questions yesterday.”

  “If she’d been the one to give me an orgasm? Or perhaps about ten of them?”

  “I didn’t count,” replied the queen. “Yes. The pleasure, anyway?”

  I turned away. “You did that to me in front of other people,” I whispered. “And you’re a good friend’s mother. I think you’re asking if it’s your age.”

  “I suppose I am.”

  “It’s not your age. But you didn’t ask or explain. You didn’t give me that choice. You just did it. And I’m fairly sure you knew I wasn’t expecting it. Can you answer that honestly?”

  “I suppose if I had given it the thought I should have, then I would have realized what you likely expected. Empathy isn’t automatic for me. I was concentrating on what I needed. Darfelsa, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I never meant to hurt you.”

  “Was that an apology?”

  “I don’t know. You had your back up, and I don’t respond well to that. That probably kept me from talking to you further about it. To me, it felt like you were the one making a demand.”

  “Were you putting me in my place?”

  “Not consciously. I was getting what I needed, and frankly, Darfelsa, you are very, very susceptible to the pleasures. Someone else might not have had such extreme reactions. I admit that I pushed it, but I thought I was giving you pleasure.”

  “You know, I probably have a personal interest. I’m fairly sure I told you about my interest stemming from events in Gandeet. At no point did I try hiding that, after all.”

  “You weren’t hiding anything, Darfelsa, at least nothing in the areas I questioned. What personal interest?”

  I turned back to face her. “I like Charth. I like visiting Ressaline. I have friends here, and want to continue to see them. The closer our two countries, the more likely my duties will bring me here.”

  “And you have personal reasons for wanting Gionna to visit, and Olivia.”

  “Yes,” I said. “With Bee and Dee.”

  “Yes. And you admitted all that yesterday afternoon, too.”

  “Did I tell you anything embarrassing?”

  “More embarrassing than multiple orgasms in front of some people very important to you? Not hardly.”

  “Did I admit to undying love for Gionna?”

  She smiled. “Should I have asked?”

  “Did I?”

  “No. You admitted to loving her, not being in love. I don’t think that’s a secret, either.”

  “It’s not.”

  “You’re right about a number of things. I should work through Gionna and Olivia. I talked to them about asking you to let me enslave you and ask questions, but I didn’t tell them how I would do it.” She paused. “I consi
dered not giving you a choice.”

  “Well, we wouldn't be having this conversation,” I said. “I’d be on my way home, walking alone if necessary.”

  “Gionna and Olivia were not impressed with that suggestion, and Colonel Kelriss asked me not to risk a war with Flarvor.”

  “It wouldn’t have been a war, but it could very well have meant closing the embassy. I think Olivia cares about that far more than you do.”

  “She does. On the other hand, if it weren’t for that embassy, my people would continue suffering from malnutrition every harsh winter. And maybe that isn’t how it has to be. Darfelsa, I'm sorry that I hurt you. I… I am accustomed to making difficult choices, and I’m not very good about listening when someone else tells me an easier choice will be effective.”

  I nodded. “I have a little more calming down to do. Thank you for apologizing.”

  She nodded and gestured. “I think lunch would be nice.”

  “Yes,” I agreed.

  Conclusions

  We stayed in Ressaline City for two weeks. I attended a portion of the conversations, but I left most of it to Allium.

  Gionna showed Shalendra and me the area. It was beautiful. Gionna teased Shalendra, trying to get her to offer me up for a practice challenge, but Shalendra didn’t bite, and she didn’t talk to me about it. We did attend a public practice challenge event, held on an outdoor field. Other than the venue, it wasn’t unlike the events in Charth. Shalendra watched avidly, and twice she asked Gionna, “How soon can I do that?” More times than that, she said, “I’d do that with you, Darfelsa.” And then a small group event came on. She didn’t comment, but she watched intently.

  She didn’t complain about the housing arrangements, but she did ask, “If we were married, would you have sent me away?”

  “No,” I said. “We’d have pushed for proper arrangements.”

  “All right, then.”

  Two days before we were scheduled to leave, Queen Lisdee invited me to her office for “a small conference.” Allium, Gionna, and Olivia were also there. We took seats. “Princess Darfelsa, we have considered your suggestions. First, I want to officially order fruit. We want you to deliver to the Verlies River. Lady Olivia will send it onward from there. It won’t be much, not this year, but we hope to make progress. We can pay you in silver, and we’ll pay the same price as your producers receive for domestic use, but we want that price to include delivery to Tebradine. We want whatever you can send the most of, canned. But it must not be old. We’re going to use it later in the winter.”