by Robin Roseau
“A conversation.”
“Well, I want the conversation to start with this: I want to ask Shalendra to marry me.”
That sat there for a minute. I didn’t try to convince anyone. I simply waited. Finally, Father said, “Do you have more for me this afternoon?”
“The longer conversations with more people, and probably just… I guess your observations, and an idea what the future holds.”
“So several conversations ahead, but nothing pressing today.”
“Nothing pressing.”
He nodded. “Regarding what you just said, this is my position. I will ratify the decisions of your mother and the Crown Princess. You do not need to convince me, but you do need to convince both of them.”
I felt a rush of relief. “Thank you, Father.”
He stood and hugged me. “Work with Bellard to schedule the right people,” he said.
“Ms. Pelonden has probably already sent him a list.”
“Excellent. I’ll see you at dinner.” He headed for the door but then stopped and turned. “Am I given to believe that Valsine is wearing the same clothing as Gionna’s slave?”
“Neck to toes,” I confirmed. “Ms. Sessen and Shalendra as well, with variety in color.”
Mother began laughing. “You want to see her, you lecherous old man!”
“If I were being lecherous, I would have offered inappropriate looks to the slave that has already been on display,” he replied.
“Daddy isn’t old,” Ahlianna said. “He is just properly matured.” She never called him “daddy,” making that even funnier.
“And I don’t just want to see her,” Father said. “I want to see her kneel to Allium and lay her head in my ambassador’s lap.”
Ahlianna laughed. “Not as much as I do, I assure you.”
“I knew Ahlianna would be amused, but you, too, Father?”
“I remember the girl she was, and I only have your word, and Allium’s, she is no longer that girl.”
“Oh, that girl is still inside there, but she’s matured,” I said. “And I will point out that my staff had very good Firsts in large part due to Valsine. Oh, didn’t I get to that part?”
“No,” he said. “Were you hiding it from me?”
“I didn’t think you would care.”
“Of course, I care.” He sat back down. So I told the story, and I also explained about good will. “Mother,” I said. “I think you should just hold one of them.”
“I’m not holding a sex slave.”
“You accept massages,” I said. “They’re pleasure slaves, and massages are part of their duties. Valsine is your cousin’s daughter, but that’s almost like you being her aunt. Just sit with her and close your eyes for twenty minutes. Or sit with Sha-shi. If I have my way, she’s your future daughter-in-law, and I hope you could accept her. But really, for what I want you to see, Valsine is actually better.”
“I’ll think about it,” Mother said. “After I see her lay her head in Allium’s lap.”
“You, too?”
“I am only trying to please my husband.”
“I really wish all of you would realize that she’s grown up. If Allium didn’t depend on her, I would have invited her to join my staff. But given how all of you are likely to treat her, maybe keeping her far from the palace is best.”
“I tell you what,” Father said. “I’ll consider taking a second look at her.”
“You will?”
“After I’ve seen her head in Allium’s lap.”
I snorted.
“I might give her another chance,” Ahlianna said. But then she grinned. “It might be easier if it were my lap.”
“I’ll make a deal with you,” I said. “Convince Mother to cuddle with one or the other of them for twenty minutes, and I’ll make it happen.”
Ahlianna simply looked at Mother. She looked at me. “You feel this strongly?”
“I think it would be good for you, Mother.”
“If I do, will you also arrange one of these massages for me?”
“If you promise to give Valsine a fresh chance.”
“We’ll all give her a fresh chance,” Mother agreed. “But I’m not coming to any conclusions until after she’s back to normal.”
“Fair enough,” I said. “Two weeks plus, for Valsine, an hour or two. She doesn’t need more than that. Shalendra will need a few days, I imagine.”
“Then we have agreement. The slaves will dress like slaves for dinner tonight. I’ll decide after that.”
I nodded, and she demanded a kiss from Father before pushing him to the door.
* * * *
We all folded our hands. My mother and sister looked at me. “You want to marry her.”
“Gionna helped me think about this,” I said. And then I spent twenty minutes. They both listened, not interrupting.
When I was finished, Ahlianna said, “I would rather… You know, I would have preferred Flame.”
“That wasn’t to be.”
She nodded. “I want to spend my own time with her, once you declare her as back to normal. You won’t fight me, Sister, or I won’t be able to offer my support.”
I nodded. She was my future queen, after all. “I understand.”
“I want to spend my own time,” Mother said. She paused. She looked at Ahlianna. She looked back at me. “I believe I can achieve your grandmother’s support, at a price.”
“I don’t particularly care if Grandmother approves.”
“Perhaps not, but this would be far easier, for you and for your sister.”
“What price is she going to demand?”
“She’s already done it; she simply doesn’t know the full implications.”
“She’s supposed to leave you alone!”
“No,” Mother said. “She’s supposed to be reasonable. And, much to my surprise, she’s been quite careful.”
“Really?”
“Really,” Mother confirmed. “She has offered several names.”
“Mother.”
“I believe, if you were to give, say, two of her choices a proper opportunity, that agreement could serve as the price of her support, whatever you decide, but we’d have to convince her you gave proper opportunity.”
“So she’s going to believe when I go for a ride with some young man and then send him away?”
“Oh, I doubt it,” Mother said. “But I like the idea of a ride. I think I would like to go with you, and Ahlianna as well.” She smiled. “We can make it just the girls.”
“And this young man of Grandmother’s?”
Ahlianna was smiling. She knew something. Mother was smiling. And then she said, “I never, not once, mentioned any young men.”
“Grandmother gave you several women for me to meet?”
“I have met two of them, although briefly. All come with connections. All are relatively near your age, one 18, the eldest is 24 or 25. The two I have met were younger, maybe 15 or 16 at the time, or so. I wasn’t really paying attention to them, but I remember they were quite lovely. I can’t say more than that. All of them come with connections.”
“If Grandmother is recommending them, I imagine they do.”
“All have the support of their families to court you.”
“A lot happened while I was gone.”
“Quite a lot,” Mother agreed. “Darfelsa, this will be far, far easier with your grandmother on our side.”
I thought about it. “I hate politics.”
“We all hate politics.”
“Grandmother loves it.”
“That she does,” Mother agreed. “If we get her on our side, then she’ll handle the politics for us, and we can stick to what we’re all good at.”
“How sure are you she’ll support me if I still choose Shalendra?”
“I can make it the price. But you have to be honest with any ladies she sends.”
“Sis,” Ahlianna said. “You’ll drive most if not all of them away.”
�
�I’m that horrible?”
“You’re not at all horrible. Tell them about Ressaline.”
I laughed.
“I promise you, Darfelsa, I absolutely promise you, continued trips to Ressaline are in your future. That is an absolute given. And I will not support someone who cannot wholeheartedly support you, and that means going with you. I’m willing to tell Grandmother that.”
“Well then. Mother, I think we should meet all of them, here. It’s Grandmother’s choice, and theirs, if they wish to make the journey. This is the last batch.”
“If Shalendra holds up with me,” Ralifta said, “Then this can be the last batch. And I’ll get Mother’s commitment.” She paused. “She’ll probably want to come herself.”
“Let her, but I don’t want her to see Shalendra while she’s my slave. That’s not fair to her.” I sighed. “What am I going to tell her?”
“Does she know what we’re talking about?”
“No.”
“Then tell her your grandmother is playing politics, and ask her to support you,” Ahlianna said. “If she can’t do that, she’s the wrong woman.”
“It’s not fair to her.”
“She knew what she was getting into, and I am fairly sure she didn’t expect to be taken seriously.”
“She didn’t.” I sighed. “I’ll meet any women Grandmother wants me to meet,” I said. “They should come together. She can come if she wants. We’ll meet here, in the palace, and we’ll talk. That may be five minutes, if I hate her, or it might be longer. If we get along for an hour, alone, then I want Ahlianna to join us and tell her about my life. I don’t care if Grandmother is here, but she leaves me alone while I’m having that first talk.”
“We can make that happen.”
“Any that don’t run away can remain for dinner that night. And I’ll give her time between now and my birthday. None of this happens for at least two weeks. I’ll tell Shalendra to give me a little time. She can catch up with her family.”
“All right.”
“So I’m only meeting one per afternoon,” I added. “And it better not be twenty of them.”
“I’ll ask Mother for a count, and make her trim if it’s unwieldy,” Mother said.
“And she promises to support me. I mean it.”
“And you promise to give these women a chance, which may mean that you won’t be getting married for a while.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
“All right, then.”
* * * *
I collected Allium, Gionna, and our respective slaves, minus Ahm, in my quarters. “How did it go?”
“Well. So. Va, this is mostly about you, but it is also affects Sha-shi and Tess. Va, I’ve told Mother about what you’ve been doing, about how you helped my household with their Firsts.”
“She didn’t understand, did she?”
“No. I have several favors I want to ask. I would really like if one of you could help Mother understand. Va, you would be the best, but perhaps you wouldn’t be comfortable.”
“She wants to hold me?”
“She is willing to hold you,” I said. “Or Sha-shi, but you would be better.”
“Allium?” Va asked.
“This is your choice, Va.”
“This is why we’re doing this,” she said. “To help people understand.” She smiled broadly. “I’d really like to do it.”
“Then you have my blessing,” Allium said.
“Now, it’s more complicated. I told Mother I could probably arrange a slave-provided massage.”
They all laughed. “We have multiple slaves who can do that,” Gionna said. “Ahm would enjoy it, if we don’t have a better choice.”
“I don’t want anyone to feel she has to.”
“I want to do it,” Sha-shi said. “And I want her to cuddle me for a while, too, even though Va is better.”
“I think,” Va said, speaking slowly, “That between three pleasure slaves, the queen deserves more than one massage, and I think so does the Crown Princess.”
“Ahlianna already understands.”
“Tell me she doesn’t want a massage from me. See if I believe you.”
I laughed. “That’s the last thing,” I said. “Father started this, but they all jumped on board.” I relayed the highlights of that conversation. Rather than anyone being upset, I think they were all amused. “The slaves have been invited to wear only resin to dinner tonight,” I finished. “Tess, I’m not sure they were thinking of you.”
“I’m not invited to dinner?”
“You may dress like this if you prefer, but yes, you’re invited to dinner.”
“Darfelsa, I am proud I belong to you, and I don’t want to hide it. I’d like to go in my resin, if the others do. I don’t want to be the only one, though. And may I be involved in the rest of these things? It may not be that the queen should hold me. I don’t know. But I can give massages, and would enjoy doing so.”
“Allium? Gionna? What do you think?”
“I think the slaves are right,” Gionna said.
“As do I,” Allium agreed. “Va, you are not available to anyone for sex. Furthermore, if anyone makes you uncomfortable, you will immediately find me, Gionna, or Darfelsa, and we will protect you.”
“I’ll be okay, Allium,” Va said. “But I don’t want men around without you there.”
“There won’t be,” I said.
“Then Va, you may use your judgment in providing your comfort. You may offer massages to Ralifta and Ahlianna, or similar styles of comfort. Darfelsa, should we extend this any further?”
“No, that’s good. If Mother invites us to a quiet evening with some of her friends, we can address that.”
“Tess and Sha-shi,” I said. “Everything Allium just said applies to you. You are under no obligation to do anything that doesn’t make you comfortable. But your list includes our household as well.”
“Darfelsa, can you ask Mariya to provide a guard for us?” Tess asked. “We won’t need it when we’re with you, but if we’re visiting the queen in her quarters, I’d rather have an escort.”
“I’ll talk to her about that.”
* * * *
Dinner was a large affair, even though it was intimate at the same time. Staff stared at the slaves, and I saw Mother and Father both trying not to do the same. The four slaves attended their owners, and then there were several gasps when Va knelt beside Allium and laid her head in her owner’s lap. Ahlianna grinned broadly, which actually frustrated me, but then I realized that if it had been her in my place, I probably would have grinned.
Partway through the meal, Va whispered something to Allium, who nodded. Va stood, offered a small kiss to Allium, then walked around the room, knelt beside my sister, and leaned against her. Ahlianna stared at her then pushed her chair a little further from the table, and Va laid her head in Ahlianna’s lap.
No one spoke. Most of the people at the table pretended to ignore it. But my immediate family stared.
I leaned down. I had both Tess and Sha-shi, one on either side, and I quietly whispered, “I’d like one of you to see to Allium.”
“Your choice, Sha-shi,” Tess said quietly.
“I’d like to, then,” Sha-shi said. I kissed her head, and then she rose to kneel beside the ambassador. Everyone noticed, but Va kept the attention.
“Did you put her up to this?” Ahlianna asked, looking at me.
“Much of what is happening has been my suggestion,” Va said, not lifting her head. “Darfelsa did indicate a few people hoped to see me kneeling to Allium, but that wasn’t anything I hadn’t already guessed.”
“Is this a show?” Mother asked.
“I’m not acting towards Allium any differently than I have in the past,” Va answered.
“And your current position?” Mother asked.
“An apology for behavior in our younger years.”
Ahlianna stared down, and then lifted her hand and stroked Va’s hair. “I may need to update old
views,” she admitted.
“Wait for a while,” Va said. “Take your time coming to new impressions.” Ahlianna didn’t answer her, but she continued to stroke Va’s hair.
* * * *
A much smaller group gathered later. The slaves saw to cordials, and then they took their own places. Va decided to sit down on the floor in front of Ahlianna. She then took Ahlianna’s feet, removed her shoes, and began a simple foot massage. I whispered, and so Tess moved to Mother and did the same.
Mother wasn’t sure about it, but Ahlianna simply said, “Let her do what she wants.”
It took a minute, but then Mother asked, “Gionna, what are your plans?”
“Assuming I am welcome, I’d like to stay for Darfelsa’s birthday.”
“That would be absolutely lovely. How about you, Allium?”
“I hadn’t intended that long a visit.”
“Can I count on you while you’re here?”
“I’d like that, Ralifta.”
We talked easily for a while, with Mother and Ahlianna offering encouragement for the treatment they were receiving. But then Va kissed Ahlianna’s feet before putting her shoes back on for her. She looked over her shoulder at Mother. “Queen Ralifta, it has been suggested you would like to hold me for a while.”
“That isn’t quite the way I would have put it,” Mother replied. “The suggestion is that I would learn something from the experience, and probably enjoy it besides.” But she adjusted her seat and patted the cushion.
With a smile, Va crawled over then slid up onto the sofa. The two of them shifted around a little until Va was actually sitting sideways, her legs tucked up, lying partly across Mother. And Mother was looking at her with an expression I didn’t fully understand.
But Va simply closed her eyes and snuggled in. “You may stroke me, if you like,” she said gently. “When I’m the one holding a pleasure slave, I find even simple touches quite pleasant.”
“Mother,” I said. “Try it. Just trust your daughters. There is no one in this room you don’t trust, and some of us you rely on. Try it. For the next half hour, do whatever Va recommends, as long as you’re comfortable.”
“She’s right, Mother,” Ahlianna said. “In fact.” She looked around. “I know I shouldn’t ask, but could I have one, too?”
Sha-shi looked up at me. I nodded, so she stood and walked over. She ended up facing the opposite of Valsine, their legs entwined. Ahlianna closed her eyes and held my slave. “You may touch, Ahlianna,” Sha-shi said.