The evil trio was being handled now and Shika, as always, stoically took their jibes and jests at her appearance and disability as she did every day. It pained Rose that she couldn’t do something about it because the old slave dressed in a loose but simple smock was not allowed to berate servants that were of a higher station than her. Rose almost laughed at that, she didn’t feel superior to the older woman. Far from it, she felt like the humble hair dresser could teach her so much about the outside world if only she could speak. It was injustice again but such were their lives. The lower class citizens were always at the mercy of the higher born.
A commotion at the main chamber door drew her attention. She watched the double doors swing wide and a pair of lumbering guards tossed a medium-sized object across the room onto a large pile of pillows and blankets. The guards were wearing the usual armament befitting their station, plates of leather armor hardened and bonded together over a looser leather jerkin with bone spurs sticking out at several places. Each of them had a scimitar of dark obsidian belted on at their hip and a dagger made out of bone sticking out of their boots. Their helms, also made of leather, made sure to give them cover from the heat of the sun. One of them spit in that direction and touched the open cut on his lip. “Bitch, I should punish you for that!”
The other guard whispered something to the larger of the two and both of them left, closing the door behind them. Several of the girls stood up to head for the mound of pillows but before any of them could approach the matron waved them all back and stood a few feet from the comfortable looking heap. Cautiously she peered into the hole the guards had made by tossing some unfortunate girl into the harem room. A newcomer of course but none-the-less it was going to be a rough day. For a long time Maudette stood near the stack of plush cushions and listened to what seemed to be a young girl cry. “Come out my dear.”
“No.” A melodic but troubled voice said from beneath the pillows.
“Come now, my name is Maudette. I am the matron here, please come out.” Maudette coaxed softly, attempting to keep her voice as calm and disarming as possible.
Rose had seen her do this many times with new girls, so much that she felt that she could do the same given the chance. Not that she’d want to be the matron, that title was way too much responsibility for her. She watched with interest as a blonde head poked out of the hole and looked around the room. It was obvious that the girl was shy because her head disappeared in a flurry of yellow locks just as quickly as it had appeared. She was definitely a youngling, not as young as Rose or Neeshka was when they were tossed into the harem but young to say the least. In almost all cases the girls were allowed to age properly. Younger girls were used from time to time for other things, however. She remembered the first time she had been asked to entertain a few of the master’s close friends. At first she had been frightened but she was told later by Maudette that she only had to sing and dance for them. She didn’t mind that at all. The matron herself had taught Rose how to dance and sing. Rose was sure she had a decent voice but she definitely felt that the matron’s experienced vocals were much more delightful. Without thinking she approached the matron and stood by her side. “May I try matron?”
“If you wish Rose but be careful, you remember how feisty Vishna was when she was tossed in here a few years ago.” Maudette said in a hushed tone as she waved to keep the remainder of the girls back. She watched with interest as Rose approached.
Walking slowly she came close to the stack and knelt down beside the hole the girl had made with her abrupt entrance. Rose sat for a moment deciding on how best to talk to her, she was most definitely scared and confused. “My name is Rose, what is your name my dear?”
For a moment she feared that the girl wouldn’t reply but a small voice chimed up very quietly from within. “Ninanthia.”
“That is a very beautiful name, its elven right?” Rose smiled when she heard a shuffle within the sanctuary the girl was currently using. She motioned to Maudette and the rest to go about their business and quit staring as to make the girl a little more comfortable. She ignored the glare she got from Vishna and her flunkies. “Are you an elf?”
The room was still disturbingly quiet as the girl spoke up. “Yes.”
“Well my full name is Alethia Rose, I am a naarabian.” She continued, trying to keep her voice in a positive tone. Rose hoped to get the girl talking and adapt her to her new surroundings as Maudette had done for most all of them from the beginning. “Have you ever met a naarabian?”
“No, I didn’t think they were real.” Ninanthia was obviously intrigued from the tone of her voice.
Rose fought the urge to laugh, feeling that would demean the girl further. She shook her head just a bit, and that shake was accompanied by a thin line of a grin. Giggling under her breath she looked over into the hole. “I’m real, you can look at me if you’d like. I won’t bite.”
After a moment she watched blonde tresses peek out of the hiding place followed by a pair of eyes with sky blue irises and dark royal blue pupils. Ninanthia’s ears were pointy like an elf and her features were soft but faintly angular, befitting a true blooded elf not a half breed. Rose had never seen an elf before just as the elf had never seen a naarabian. They both looked at each other for a moment and when the elf’s head didn’t disappear again she smiled. “It’s nice to meet you Nina. You know, this is the first time I’ve seen an elf.”
“Really? We’re a lot more common than your kind.” She said in her little voice.
“That may be true but I’ve never left this palace. I was brought here as an infant and have lived here ever since. It’s not such a bad place really.” Rose continued to smile as she regarded the intelligent-looking elf with her golden gaze. She extended her hand out with her fingers spread a bit and her palm cocked to the side as if requesting Nina’s hand. “I offer you greetings; I would like to be your friend.”
Nina took her hand in greeting and Rose kissed it with the end of her muzzle as a gesture of friendship. Once that was done she gave the slender arm a little tug and motioned for Nina to follow her with a nod of her head. “You’re unique here just like me, I’ll help you along.”
“You’ve been here all your life?” Nina said with wide eyes as she looked over Rose with newfound curiosity. “You’re so beautiful!”
“Thank you Nina.” Rose couldn’t help but blush, which showed up in the form of her fur becoming lighter to some extent. “You’re very lovely yourself.”
Rose took stock of the girl as she exited her fluffy shell. She was slender and tall for her apparent age with long blonde hair and sharply pointed ears angled backward just the opposite of Rose’s front-facing ears. She was wearing what looked like an old tattered tunic that covered her torso and down to her knees. Her skin was a tanned color though it showed none of the usual signs of too much exposure to sun. “How would you like to bathe and get a new set of clothes on? There’s no need to be scared, we’re here for you okay?”
“I think I would like that.” Nina said softly as she looked around at all of the eyes that were on her. “Why are they all staring like that?”
“Most of these girls are like me, they haven’t been outside of these walls. I doubt any of them have seen an elf either. Worry not; I get the same treatment, being a rarity myself. Few people have ever met one of my kind.” Rose stood up and guided the young elf girl over to her favorite pillow and pulled a sponge and bucket from another part of the room not far away, the water was only used once or twice so it still smelled of flowers. She dealt with the overpowering odor for the sake of Nina. “Nothing to worry about my dear, you’re taking to this well.”
“I’m not worried; my mother is going to come get me when she realizes her debt with the pasha. The guards just scared me a little is all.” The elf child was blind to the truth here; once your debt was expunged your claims to the collateral were null and void in the city of Rahkshas.
“Nina,” Rose started until she thought better of herself. F
or a moment she wished she could ask the matron what to say to the delusional girl but she had taken the responsibility for herself. She would try her best to help the girl along.
“Hmm?” The sweet girl said in reply as she looked up at Rose with her beautiful blue eyes.
“Why don’t you sleep near me tonight, yes?” Rose took her nod of approval as good sign as she removed the torn clothing and took up the sponge against the tanned but smooth skin. She ran it across Nina’s arms, legs and body. Surprisingly she found that Nina wasn’t squeamish around her at all. “You’re quite brave Nina.”
“You seem trustworthy to me.” She said matter-of-factly, which took Rose aback. The girl was observant, more so than she would credit a child her age.
“How old are you sweetie?”
“I’m only sixty-three years old.” She replied with a smile upon her face that gave purchase to an untouched innocence she had never seen in anyone but a child.
“Only?” Rose gave her a look of surprise. “I’m eighteen by human’s years and you look to be fourteen or fifteen, I am surprised.”
“Elves do not age the same way humans do.” Nina stated with her same matter-of-fact tone and a smile on her lips. She seemed not to mind having someone wash her. “Your kind ages different as well right?”
“From what I hear, yes.” Rose paused for a moment and thought about it. She only knew as much as the girls and guards had told her. Thinking about it she realized that meant she knew almost nothing about her own kind. But she had read about the deserts and mountains around them, it seemed ironic that she knew so much about everything else from her reading but so little about herself. “I don’t know much about myself but the stories people tell me.”
Rose stayed quiet for a moment as she ran her hands up the girl’s sides and lifted her arms up high. She seemed to be filling out into womanhood quite well for a slow-aging elf. Regardless she began washing Nina’s long legs one last time to get any remaining sweat or grime off. She knelt down and made sure to wash her feet well. “Well that should do it, use the cloth over there to dry off and I’ll go get you something to wear alright?”
“Okay and thank you.” Nina smiled and picked up the indicated towel to dry herself off.
Rose watched Nina smell the towel and make a face. With a snort of amusement she turned around only to find Maudette standing behind her with a small white outfit like the rest of the girls wore but with a blue sash around the waist. She knew it indicated that the girl was too young for the pasha to have; she had worn one for her first years as well. “I’m not sure she rates that one, she’s sixty three years old.”
“You lie.” Maudette said with wide eyes as she gazed past Rose at the elf. She scratched her head and chuckled softly. “She may be that old but neither her body nor mind looks to be ready for such a thing, you should be able to see that.”
“I can see it, you can see it as well but can the master see it? He is allowed to overlook such things since he owns us. That much is obvious from Neeshka.” Rose glanced over at Neeshka who was even now putting her similarly skimpy clothing back on. She remembered the night that her master had come into the harem drunk off of honey wine. He had taken Neeshka that night regardless of Maudette’s protests about her age and fragility. The master had even gone as far as to slap the matron, flinging her to the ground and warning her never to question her master again. It had taken a week for Neeshka to heal properly even with the right salves. Her body recovered quite nicely but she had never quite recovered mentally. From that night she had cast aside her blue sash, claiming that it couldn’t save you from his advances. “I regret not being able to save her. I believe I would have been able to survive that type of trauma better than she.”
“There was nothing you could do Rose, he would never damage his favored.” She watched as Maudette put her hand out and caressed the fur of her cheek. Rose closed her eyes and smiled feeling the gentle touch of a mother upon her. “The day I fear is when his son takes over and the harem becomes his. He is a cruel man; even on his metered visits he sometimes hits the girls if they do not comply with his liking.”
“I know but as long as you are matron you will protect us.” Rose smiled for a moment then turned back around to Nina, handing the white harem outfit over to her followed by the blue sash.
“She seems nice.” Nina said as she indicated Maudette with a wave of her hand and a nod. The matron had moved over to another girl who was getting her hair braided. “She is your matron then?”
“Yes, she is the oldest and wisest of all the girls here. The master made her matron after the last one displeased him.” Rose gulped visibly and rubbed her neck thinking of the punishment they had all been forced to watch. Defiance was quickly met with death, usually by beheading. “It is best not to defy the will of our master, he is a generous man when he wishes to be but if he is defied he will become a beast quicker than you can imagine.”
“I will do what I can to not raise his ire during my short stay then.” Nina regarded Rose for a moment with a smile and put her slender fingers around Rose’s. “I shall ask my mother if you can come with us when she comes to get me, I'll tell her how nice you were to me.”
Rose knelt down in front of Nina and ran her long, thin fingers through the long blonde hair of her head. She had trouble looking into Nina’s innocent blue eyes as beautiful as they were. She wavered for a moment in sadness, knowing that the girl would be devastated when she learned the truth. “Nina, once you’re in here the Pasha owns you. You will never be released or set free no matter how much your mother tries.”
“Have faith Rose, not everything is as it seems.” The large toothy grin she got in return made her cock her head to the side and wonder if Nina was truly delusional or if something more was going on. She dismissed it.
“Alright then, I await the day, but I doubt I will ever see the outside world. I am my master’s prized treasure; he would never let me go even if offered a fortune in return.” Rose smiled down at the elf-child and sat down on a nearby purple lounging pillow, motioning for Nina to take the blue one she favored most. “You may take my favorite spot.”
“Thank you.” Nina said in reply as she sat down on the comfortable cushion. “So what are you allowed to do here for fun?”
“We are not permitted much unfortunately; the best we get is a brazier of prajma weed burned once a day. We are close to the daily burning as a matter of fact. It makes all of the girls giggly and,” Rose paused when she saw Nina’s face. “Bothered.”
“I know what prajma weed does, I am allergic to it.” She took stock of the room with a glance. “Is there somewhere we can go?”
“It’s okay, I never use it either.” Rose indicated an open side room with a window high up on the wall, barred with solid obsidian rods. “We can go into the matron’s room and wait it out, I’m sure she won’t mind.”
“That is good; I don’t like the feel of its effects anyway.” Nina said with a small nod as she looked around at the room. “Those three girls over there keep motioning toward us, they look angry.”
“Ah, that is the terrible trio: Vishna, Neeshka and Koral. They don’t like me, so in turn they don’t like anything I touch or come close to. I fear I may have put you into their sights inadvertently.” Rose looked over at the three girls as they lounged in comfort and schemed. “They wish to drink my blood I hear.”
“Oh, have you reached maturity then?” Nina said with interest.
“Well I feel I reached that a long time ago but today I turn eighteen. They think that if they drink my blood they will receive long life.” She sighed softly and shook her head at the concept, humans were so strange but she guessed that if she had such a limited life span she would feel the same. “I had never heard of this until the matron told me of it.”
“It is true actually. The caveat is that this must be a gift from the naarabian to the human, otherwise it doesn’t work. The life must be freely given. You would feel no ill side effects, just be
weakened for a day or two.” Nina said in a hushed tone as if she were sharing some big secret. “You have but to grant the person a few drops of your blood and once you grant it you must wait a great deal of time before it will work again. Or so I hear anyway.”
“I thought you said you had never met a naarabian.” Rose said incredulously to this sudden wash of knowledge. “You sound as if you’re an expert.”
“I was raised and educated in the elven court; I am versed on many subjects.” Nina looked up at her with her innocent face and eyes and then back out to the girls in the room. “This is a harem right?”
“Yes it is.” Rose said almost somberly.
“Will I be expected to…?” She let herself trail off and Rose frowned just a bit.
“The blue sash indicates that you’re too young for such things.” She said quietly near the elf’s long ear. “I must warn you though, the pasha owns us. Therefore we are his property and in the end we are expected to do what he says.”
“Barbaric.” She said softly with a scowl growing across her features. “It seems humans are just as vulgar as the stories make them out to be.”
“They can be, but humans can also be nice people. Take Maudette for instance. She has been matron for a long time. She has raised me since I was a child and I would not have it any other way.” Rose nudged Nina gently with her shoulder by rocking to the side a bit. “Not much experience with humans eh?”
Nina paused for a moment and looked over at Rose when she felt the nudge; such intimate contact between two people was not unknown between her people. It was the mark of a friend more than anything. “No, I have never before left my home before a few weeks ago. My tutors were all elves and my friends the same. I met a dwarf once, he was nice but he was a little dirty and crude.”
“Can you tell me about your home?” Rose felt curiosity above all else more keenly than anything. She knew it was because she had never seen the outside world through more than a barred window.
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