by Emma Dean
Slowly she rose to her feet and turned to Amora. She knelt in front of her and bowed low, the folds of her spidersilk gown against the marble did nothing for her aching knees. She did not bow as low as she had for the three-faced goddess.
The goddess of the heart had a lower rank than the Mother goddess. Adelina then rose and sat back on her heels. Her fingers touched her heart for love and then her forehead for wisdom and finally her lips. “Grant me wisdom; to know my heart; to help me speak the truth,” Adelina whispered.
She stood and brushed her spotless dress to ease her nerves before turning back to Jael. The Mistress watched her intently, no hint of sexual desire or wicked fun on her face. There was only curiosity and intelligence. When Adelina reached the Mistress of the House, her nerves grew worse in the silence. Finally, the Jael said, “Amarae libertov.” ‘Love freely.’
The ceremony was complete.
The doors back into the House opened from the inside and the female who walked through those doors was taller than Adelina and had the most gorgeous sapphire eyes. They were deep, dark, and mysterious. Her hair was the color of the sun and her skin was like milk. Adelina’s breath caught and she couldn’t find the words to speak.
The female blushed prettily and smiled as she looked down. “Princess, I am Nadyah, your courtesan.” Her voice was musical. It was lovely, warm, and throaty.
She curtseyed deeply.
It took Adelina by surprise that the courtesan would act as her submissive. Never had Adelina met anyone less dominant than herself, and for a courtesan to believe that submission was what she needed? Adelina was confused, but kept the frown from her face. Mentally she shook herself and brought her shoulders back ever so slightly to regain control.
“Please rise,” she murmured, her heart beating faster as she realized this female was to be her instructor. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Nadyah.” Adelina curtseyed back, but it was only a slight dip.
The courtesan’s beauty intimidated her. Nadyah couldn’t be more than a few cycles older, but she was so much more experienced. It made Adelina’s heart flutter and her breath quicken to think about what she might teach her.
She blushed when she realized Jael watched her reaction with a keen eye. Her sisters had been surprisingly close-lipped about their experiences and as Nadyah approached her with blatant desire in her eyes, Adelina could see why. The relationship between courtesan and pupil was sacred and intense.
Nadyah held out an arm for the princess and Adelina placed her hand over it in surprise. She had not expected Nadyah to escort her as a male would either.
“Would you walk with me through the gardens? I would like for us to get to know each other better.” Nadyah’s voice was soft, like velvet. Adelina could lose herself in the courtesan’s words.
When Adelina nodded, Nadyah looked to Jael. The Mistress smiled and gave a graceful wave towards the garden path. “I hope you enjoy yourselves.” Adelina tried to ignore the way Jael watched her and the teasing in her words.
As they stepped onto the path, Nadyah led them through a copse of rare trees with blossoming fruit and the courtesan placed a hand over Adelina’s. “Relax, Princess,” Nadyah said softly.
Adelina followed her through the beautiful gardens, but she didn’t know what to do with herself. Her nervousness had every bit of training she’d ever received deserting her.
“Tell me,” Nadyah began. “How has your experience been so far?”
The question was to the point and Adelina felt her stomach tighten. How much could the courtesan possibly know about her experience or lack thereof? Was her past on display more than she knew? The royal family kept a livestream for the people that gave them all glimpses into their life and allowed the people to see how they handled the kingdom as every decision made a difference in every citizen’s life. They were then edited and the recorders were only allowed into certain areas of their private lives.
“Your guard is a very handsome one,” she said simply.
Somehow Nadyah knew.
Adelina wasn’t sure if she was angry about it or not, but this woman was to be her companion for the next cycle. It was in her best interest to confide in her. “Yes he is,” she whispered. “Briefly we were involved.”
Nadyah didn’t react to the confession in any way that could have embarrassed her which Adelina was intensely grateful for. The courtesan patted her hand gently. “Please tell me about this experience?”
The weight of sadness settled over Adelina like a cloak and she shouldered it with familiarity. “Six months ago, I was finally able to confess my feelings to him after cycles of pining.” She hated the word but it was true. With a sigh Adelina trailed her fingertips over the black roses her father had gifted to the House, the sacred rosanera. The rose garden perfumed the warm summer air and she breathed it in. “After the tour of the galaxy was cut short I kissed him.” She couldn’t bring herself to look at Nadyah yet.
The garden path took them out to the edge of the cliff and the view was spectacular. A bench was in the perfect position to watch the waves down below, to enjoy the ocean, and the feel of the sun. Adelina sat delicately on the hard stone bench and Nadyah lounged next to her. One arm went over the back and she propped her head on her hand, turning her body to face Adelina. She had the courtesan’s undivided attention and it unnerved her.
Adelina picked at the folds of her skirt, keeping her head down. It was difficult for her to talk about. “He was my first and only,” she finally managed. “I loved him and he loved me. The night after I gave him my virginity we discovered the Neprijat had attacked our Corinthian allies in the Khara galaxy.” Adelina shuddered as she remembered the vid and waved her hand indicating Nadyah knew the rest of the events that day.
The Neprijat had ravaged the Khara royal family in unspeakable ways. Then later that very same day the Draga royal announcement of King Orion’s retirement, and Raena’s coronation fifty cycles earlier than expected were made. The State Balcony had been bombed during the announcements. Adelina was unaware if Nadyah knew she had almost died that day.
It had been too close.
Alpha was so shaken he had blamed himself – and her.
“He ended the relationship because he was distracted by me. Alpha felt as though he might have noticed something earlier, seen something not quite right before the bombs went off. He said he should have gotten to me sooner at the very least.” Adelina shrugged.
Alpha had saved her life.
“It didn’t matter to him we loved each other. The possibility of a promotion to prince never even occurred to him.” Then she looked up at Nadyah. “Because of that I let him go.”
As her father had said, she needed someone she didn’t have to convince to be with her.
There were tears in Nadyah’s eyes and she cupped Adelina’s cheek gently. “I apologize, Princess. I’m a terrible romantic and your story makes my heart ache.”
When it happened, Adelina had only cried the once. Her eyes had been dry ever since, but seeing Nadyah’s tears caused a knot to form in her throat. She hated crying. It was shameful, and more emotion than she was ever allowed to express publicly.
Nadyah gave her a quick little hug before sitting back to look at her. “Would the king have allowed the marriage?” she asked, wiping the wetness from her cheeks.
Adelina nodded. “Even if Alpha hadn’t grown up in the palace with me, even if my father hadn’t taken him on as a ward after his parents died, the king would have allowed me to marry a guard. Who I married didn’t matter to him then, as long as I was happy.” The sound of the crashing waves soothed her heart and Adelina took a deep breath of the salty ocean air to clear her head.
Nadyah missed nothing. “At the time,” she murmured. “But now?”
“Now he is dying,” Adelina whispered.
Still hardly able to admit it to herself, she couldn’t deny the clear evidence of what her eyes saw. Every day it looked as though the king wasted away a bit more and soon there w
ould be nothing left of him.
“Raena will be queen in a matter of weeks and she has no children of her own. That makes the rest of us her heirs.”
The courtesan composed herself and her expression became thoughtful as she tapped the bench with one lacquered nail. Adelina wondered how she got them to stay so dark and blue. “Because you will become the second in line to the throne, your options will need to be open and the possibility of matches for the benefit of the kingdom will be required.”
Adelina nodded. “Raena promised I would be able to choose, but what will be allowed might be limited.” She shook her head, the annoyance raged to the surface before she could squash it. “Our father always allowed us the opportunity to find love. I never wanted to marry for political gain. My dream was to find real and lasting love, someone who I could spend the next two or three hundred cycles with if the three-faced goddess was generous.”
She breathed deep and tried to remind herself her parents had an arranged marriage and now they were deeply in love.
Love freely.
Anything was possible.
Nadyah said nothing. She didn’t even move. Those deep sapphire eyes simply watched her – studying, assessing, and measuring. “So you gave your guard your virginity but it didn’t work out romantically which means you’ve only had intercourse the one time. You are still friends, yes?”
Adelina remembered this was Nadyah’s profession. She was supposed to know these things in detail. She nodded in confirmation. “I have no experience other than Alpha.”
It was strange to think about it so clinically. It never occurred to her to play like her sisters and brothers did. She’d loved Alpha for so many cycles she never had eyes for anyone else.
The last six months had been an ongoing nightmare and she had very little time to consider any other lovers. At least in that time she had been able to repair her friendship with her guard. She would have been truly heartbroken if she’d lost her best friend.
Nadyah’s soothing cactus blossom sent washed over her as the courtesan stood and offered her hand to Adelina. “Come with me,” she said. “You need to relax and get comfortable so we can continue our conversation.” Her gentle smile eased some of Adelina’s stress.
She placed her hand in the courtesan’s and let her lead them back to the House. Nadyah navigated the shadowy halls without hesitation. They passed a dining room with guests who came to enjoy the meals. There was an entertainment room, a ladies’ solar, and a gentlemen’s parlor. Adelina caught sight of the library and nearly pulled her courtesan to a stop, but she was too curious to spend the little time she had in the House with books she was sure they had at the palace.
Perhaps Nadyah could bring a few to the palace that they might not have, and she could always come back. Adelina knew if her father didn’t consent there were ways around the orders.
Her thoughts had distracted her long enough to get her to Nadyah’s room without fainting. The second the door closed behind them her heart pounded hard enough to make breathing difficult.
Adelina clasped her hands in front of her to hide the trembling in her hands, but Nadyah was too well trained and she saw everything. “Relax,” she whispered. “You have nothing to fear here, or from me. You are the one in control. I am under your command.” Nadyah sank to her knees before Adelina in demonstration, submissive and demure.
For the first time in her life someone knelt before her. Adelina felt a spark of desire burn away some of her anxiety. The reaction shocked her. Adelina was a true submissive. Being in a dominant position should have made her uncomfortable. It usually did, enough to give her a panic attack. But in the safety of Nadyah’s room she had no one else to compete with.
Adelina gently touched the golden head and Nadyah looked up with a small smile. “May I stand?” she asked.
The spark turned into a flame at her words. Silently Adelina nodded, shocked at her own reaction.
Nadyah stood and kept her eyes down. The courtesan smiled softly as she walked around Adelina. Gently her delicate fingers brushed the back of Adelina’s neck and the princess shivered. A molten fire began to rage within her and the anticipation made her tremble. Finally, she would learn the secrets of the camerraleto and this beautiful woman would show her. The thought struck her with lightning and her body responded. The fire in her stomach spread to between her legs. Nadyah’s fingers trailed along her shoulders and down her back to briefly brush Adelina’s ass. She gasped in surprise. She wanted Nadyah to touch her and the realization left her slick.
Then the courtesan led the princess to the massive bed in the adjoining room. “Lie face down,” she murmured.
Adelina did as she asked, resting her head on her pillowed arms. Nadyah slowly, seductively undid each button and then pulled her dress down – down until she heard the spidersilk pool on the floor. Goose-pimples ran over her skin in anticipation and she clenched her legs as the fire seemed to grow.
“May I help you relax, Princess?” Nadyah asked. Her sweet, sultry voice was right next to Adelina’s ear. Her breath tickled and Adelina couldn’t help the tiny gasp.
It was all she could do to nod in acceptance, wondering what a courtesan considered relaxed. There was a tiny clink of glass and the scent of peppermint reached Adelina’s nose. Nadyah’s soft, warm hands stroked her back and shoulders, working the tight muscles. Adelina sighed and closed her eyes in bliss. This was not what she had expected but she enjoyed it immensely.
The tight muscles started to loosen under the expert touch. While Nadyah massaged her shoulders and back. Adelina sighed as she memorized everything she’d seen. Nadyah’s hands on her back made her almost sleepy. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so relaxed.
“Were you born to this House?” Adelina asked.
Nadyah’s words seemed to caress her skin as she spoke. “I was born in this city, the Stella di Draga – the shining star of our planet,” she said. “Stella di Draga has been my home my entire life.”
The courtesan was silent for a moment. “Do you have any expectations for our time together? Any specific skills you had in mind to acquire?”
Adelina shook her head. She had very little experience. “I have none, only the need to know what can help me gather the information I might need to serve the Crown, and maybe enough to help me with a future spouse.”
Nadyah’s hands stilled at her words and Adelina’s eyes flew open as she wondered what she had said to set her off. She tensed as she waited for a response. She was a royal courtesan, which meant she had to know what was expected of Adelina, right?
“You mean to seduce someone for information?” Nadyah clarified.
Adelina glanced over her shoulder at the courtesan and studied her for a moment but the woman kept her eyes down and resumed her work. Adelina lay her head back on her arms and decided it wouldn’t hurt to answer. Every courtesan was required to sign a contract with a promise to keep royal secrets to themselves. “If I need to, yes. I hope to travel as an ambassador and report back what I can.”
The smell of peppermint cleansed the air of the strong cactus blossom scent. “I can teach you everything you need to know and more.”
Nadyah moved slightly, kneading Adelina’s shoulders as she leaned forward and Adelina felt her courtesan’s breasts press into her bare skin.
Those silky hands stroked downwards and this time they didn’t stop when they reached the small of her back. Her hands trailed over Adelina’s ass and down the inside of her thighs to innocently massage the back of her legs. Desire rippled through Adelina like wildfire.
There was an ache and her clit pulsed. She shuddered, partially in pleasure and partially in embarrassment. It had been months and she’d nearly forgotten how intense her reaction to desire could be.
Nadyah massaged her thighs, getting closer and closer to where Adelina needed her to be. She tried not to clench her thighs together as it would be a tell-tale sign.
“You are beautiful, Princess. You are pow
erful and anyone would be lucky to have your attentions,” Nadyah said as she worked Adelina’s tense muscles.
A feather-touch of Nadyah’s finger to her slick folds was so brief Adelina wondered if she had imagined it, but her skin burned in response and she nearly couldn’t resist her own wanton desire.
Nadyah moved on to her calves and the innocent touches were almost unbearable. She wanted Nadyah to take her. Adelina wanted to flip over and give herself to the woman’s expertise.
“I may outrank anyone but my family,” Adelina managed to say, breathing slowly to try and control her reaction. “But I am not a powerful person. I am the most submissive there is.”
Nadyah was silent for a moment. “Sometimes the submissives are the ones with the most power. They draw strong dominants to them, incite the age-old instinct to protect and defend. You do not have to be the strongest or the most dominant to wield those who are. Have you ever done something you haven’t wanted to do without good reason?”
Her words jolted Adelina out of her sudden need, enough to clear her head. “No, I haven’t,” she admitted slowly. Could submissives really hold their own, more subtle power?
“Not all strength looks the same.” Nadyah then started a foot massage.
Her quiet work allowed Adelina to seriously reconsider her life. It was so simple, how could she have overlooked something so obvious?
“We can start with subtle seduction,” Nadyah said. Her timing was so perfect it was eerie. She always knew exactly when to stay silent and when to speak. “Body language is the most important part of this seduction. The rest is simple enough. How to dress, how to make yourself up to incite the response you are looking for is all a part of the subtlety. There is always the dance of dominance and rank. As you will outrank everyone this will be simple enough, but the dance among other royals is a bit more dangerous. They will all identify your lack of dominance through your scent.”