Andoran's Legacy

by M. Gregg Roe

  She paused to sweep her gaze around the room, making eye contact with each of them. “Three days from now, on the first day of the second month of Summer, Desires will resume operation. We will service clients, function as escorts or companions, provide entertainment. And we will do those things properly and with pride, because we are courtesans, and that is our vocation.”

  Lilina paused once more. Days earlier, she had been in such bad shape that Kora had sent her to be counseled. But this was the old Lilina—elegant and poised, beautiful and sexy to an astonishing degree. She had resumed her role as head courtesan, and she truly looked the part.

  “The evening before we reopen,” she continued, “we will host a gathering here in this very room. Invitations will be sent to anyone who has ever served as a courtesan for Desires. But that is all. There will be no outsiders. Caterers will provide the food and drink, but we will serve it. We are a family, and this is a reunion. In fact, I would like for this to become an annual event. What do you say?”

  Cinda was moved by Lilina’s speech, and she joined in the thunderous applause. Her despair had transformed to hope. With the help of her courtesan family, she would move on instead of dwelling on the past.

  Amusement showed on Grasapa’s face as Audrey abruptly stopped talking. She had gotten a bit carried away in describing her trip, and especially her visit with Xlee.

  Graspa was delighted with the things that Audrey had retrieved from her old house in Lancia, and she was more than happy to let her borrow some of the books. Instead of being embarrassed, Grasapa had simply thanked her for bringing back the skimpy underwear. That was disappointing.

  With the woman being in such a good mood, Audrey decided to ask what Xlee had advised her not to. “Were you really kind of wild when you were younger?”

  Grasapa’s uncharacteristic smile widened. “Those of us who weren’t already that way became rather wild once we moved to Lancia. It was quite the place in those days. Crowded. Noisy. A street not far from my school was unbelievably decadent. I didn’t spend all of my time studying Shorinken.”

  Audrey really wanted to hear more details, but she decided not to push her luck.

  Grasapa plucked a single piece of paper from the right side of her desk and pushed it toward Audrey. “This is your teaching schedule starting tomorrow.”

  “This is just temporary, right?” The schedule was in Zalina’s distinctive handwriting, and it was incredibly busy.

  “I am afraid not. Kora has resigned as an instructor and withdrawn as a student. Cinda has also withdrawn, but she told me that she might return in the future.”

  It was obviously because of what had happened at Desires, something that Audrey could still hardly believe. Grasapa resumed speaking as she looked over the schedule in more detail.

  “You have completed your staff training with Piran, but I will continue to give you lessons when I am here and can spare the time. Zalina will be gradually resuming her duties, but much of that is administrative.” Zalina was still struggling to lose the weight she had gained due to her pregnancy, so she probably wouldn’t be teaching for a while yet.

  At the bottom of the schedule was another surprise. It wasn’t just more classes to teach, she was getting a significant increase in pay. And she no longer had to pay tuition for lessons. That would really help her finances.

  When Audrey looked back up, Grasapa was holding out a folded piece of paper whose color clearly indicated that it had come from Desires. After putting down the schedule, Audrey took the paper and unfolded it.

  Kora was nothing if not efficient. She had already spoken to Hazel about taking over as Desires’ seamstress. The letter said that Kora wanted to discuss it first, but it was now a foregone conclusion. With her new schedule, there simply wouldn’t be time. And really, she no longer needed the money. After reading it over a second time, she tucked it into her belt pouch.

  “I know that this is a great deal of responsibility for someone so young,” said Grasapa, back to her usual serious self, “but I am confident that you will do fine. You have developed not only as a student but also as an instructor. Those two things do not always go together.”

  Basking in the unexpected praise, Audrey smiled at the woman who had come to mean so much to her. “It’s because you’re such a good teacher. I should go. I’ve got planning to do.”

  Getting from her school to Desires that afternoon ended up taking a while. A sudden downpour forced her to take shelter in a cobbler’s shop. By the time the rain finally let up and the sunshine returned, she had bought a new pair of stylish leather shoes and left her old ones there to be resoled.

  Even though they obviously recognized her, the guards outside Desires still asked her name and why she was there. But the one inside didn’t. Falk had been one of her fellow students when she began seriously training.

  As usual, there was a Sparrow game going on in the common area. Audrey simply waved at the players as she passed through on the way to what was now Kora’s office. It had been Aurelia’s office when her rather naïve younger self had interviewed at Desires. How different would her life have been had she accepted the offer to become a courtesan?

  The office door was open, so Audrey simply walked in. “I resign as Desires’ head seamstress,” she announced in a serious voice, but then she smiled.

  Kora laughed, then motioned for Audrey to sit down. “What about the clothes you have now that need repair?”

  Audrey had forgotten about that. “Tell Hazel to come get them. I enjoy sewing, but I’m still not that great at it.”

  “I’ll let her know. You realize that you’re going to have to pay for your own hair styling now, right?”

  That was another thing she had overlooked. The place she had been going to for free as an employee of Desires was expensive. “Maybe I’ll just let my hair grow out,” she said, causing Kora to run a hand through her own hair. The woman’s hair reached to her waist when it was unbound, and it was beautiful.

  Turning serious, Kora said, “Audrey, you were once offered a contract to work here. You were also indirectly responsible for Cinda interviewing here. If you should decide to hire our services, you can still have the employee discount.”

  “Thank you.” Audrey shook her head slightly. “You really are running this place now. I’m still not used to it.”

  “Neither am I,” she confessed sheepishly. “I’m relying on both Lilina and Brigitt to help me. It turns out that Aurelia is hard to replace.”

  After some additional casual conversation, Audrey went home. She spent her entire evening working on a new budget, and the results were encouraging. It looked like her money worries were over.

  It proved to be a night to remember.

  The turnout, counting those who currently lived at Desires, was just short of fifty. Some no longer lived in the area, and some had declined for one reason or another. Historically, roughly two-thirds of courtesans had been female, but the percentage of females among the guests was significantly lower, resulting in near gender parity. In preparation, everyone dressed up, styled their hair, and accessorized (or not, if that was their preference). The food was delicious, the drink strong, the conversation sparkling. Cinda tried to speak at least briefly with each of their guests, but her effort failed because some departed early.

  Lilina initiated the next phase of the reunion. After slipping out of her dress, she removed the clothing of one of their male guests and initiated foreplay. It wasn’t long at all before the two of them were copulating on the rug in front of the large stone fireplace.

  It spread like a contagion. Cinda’s first intimate encounter was with a gray-haired man who was probably old enough to be her grandfather. But he was one of those men who aged well, and he was still fit. They co-opted the southwestern corner of the room for their activities. After that, she participated in a foursome along with Brigitt. A few guests chose not to participate, but not many.

  It was cathartic, and not simply due to the sexual rel
ease. They were creating new memories of the common area in order to supplant the unpleasant ones. Eight days after the room reeked of violent death, it instead smelled of sweat and sex. And what could be more appropriate for a brothel?

  After the final guest departed, they all went to bed. The clean-up could wait.

  30

  ‡ Normalcy ‡

  Gabriel simply observed as Peri gave directions to an elderly elf couple who had the bewildered look of simple villagers visiting a large city for the first time. She suggested an inn that was both inexpensive and located in a nice area, unlike the area they were currently in near the docks. Their polite words of thanks were accompanied by hand gestures he had never seen before. Peri waited until the couple had turned the correct direction at the intersection ahead before returning to his side.

  It was the first day of the second month of Summer, and his first day officially back on duty. Patrolling the streets with Private Peri was comfortably familiar. What wasn’t comfortable was the chainmail shirt that he had borrowed from the Guard’s armory. It just didn’t fit properly. His new armor wouldn’t be ready for nearly a month, and he had traded in the old armor in order to save money.

  “I’ve always envied how long elves live,” she said. “But it also means that they spend more time being old and feeble.”

  That was both true and an interesting way of thinking about the different racial lifespans. But that was typical of Peri. She had a unique way of looking at the world.

  Peri had changed in some respects over the months he had known her. She was now accustomed to the city. Swift progress in her magical studies had given her more confidence. And she had made friends among the other guards. On the other hand, she was still somewhat plump, was clearly still homesick, and had not lost her habit of tugging on her braids.

  “Guess who asked me out while you were away.”

  Gabriel was not fond of guessing games. With a straight face, he said, “Captain Hagen?”

  Peri rolled her eyes. “He’s a little old for me, not to mention being married. And if I ask you to guess again, you’ll say something even more ridiculous. It’s Nollan. Sorry, I mean Sergeant Nollan.”

  They were both employed by the Guard, but that should not be an issue since Nollan was not her direct superior. “And now you are going to suggest that we go out on a double date because Nollan is Kora’s brother?”

  “Yes, and afterward we can play Sparrow. I’ve been learning.”

  That did sound like fun. “I am agreeable. Have you already spoken with Kora?”

  “No, not with everything that happened at Desires. I’d prefer if you’d ask her.”

  “I will.” He was already planning to stop by her house that evening.

  “I thought I’d have nightmares,” she said, tugging on her left braid. “But I’ve been sleeping fine. Should I worry about that?”

  “Not necessarily.” The street they were following had led them to the city wall, so they turned left and followed it. “Does it still bother you?” he asked.

  She closed her eyes briefly with a look of pain. “Yes. Gods, yes. I’ve never seen so much blood.”

  “Then I would say that you are fine. You should only be concerned if such things stop bothering you.”

  “I can’t imagine that happening.” She gave him a sidelong glance. “But you must be used to it. It sounds like you kill all the time on your adventures.”

  He resented what she was implying. “We kill primarily in self-defense. But we have also initiated action ourselves when there is a need, such as to rescue someone or slay a known villain.”

  As they wound their way through an area that was primarily warehouses, he told her about Morton, including the two times the man had escaped from them. That was something that still haunted him because of how many innocents had perished in Glasston.

  “Now I’m going to have nightmares about that,” she commented when he was done. “Being reanimated as undead is permanent death. Morton really was a villain.”

  “In that particular case, we had the cooperation of both the local government and guard force.”

  “What would you have done if they hadn’t cooperated?” she asked, eyeing him intently.

  “We would still have attempted to slay Morton.” He hesitated before adding, “Even if it meant having to battle the town guards as well.”

  “That’s the right answer. Morton might have bribed them or used magic to influence them. While you were away, one of our colleagues was fired for taking bribes.”

  Gabriel had already heard about that. He had a suspicion that Novox was somehow involved, but there was no proof. And it was something that kept happening over and over. Money was a powerful incentive.

  “My parents are coming to visit later this month,” she said, mercifully changing the subject. “I’ll be taking time off to spend with them.”

  That gave him an opportunity to ask questions about her family, and about Zardis. The remainder of their patrol just seemed to fly by.

  She really should have expected it. Conrad’s interest in her trip centered on his own preoccupations. He was more interested in the ship’s construction than that they had been attacked by a dragon. Her description of the mast repair especially intrigued him.

  “They had to have shaped the two broken ends to fit each other,” he said, rubbing his beard as they sat next to each other on the sofa. “There would have been splintering when it broke.”

  That was something that she had noticed. “They used saws. Each end had a piece sticking out. They fit together like this,” she said, using her hands to demonstrate.

  “Did they use a pin?” he asked eagerly. “Like a wooden dowel?”

  She had noticed them using a big drill at one point. “Two pins,” she said, trying to recall the image. “And they were iron, maybe an inch thick or so. They had to pound them in.” The captain had done that himself, stripped to the waist and wielding a large mallet.

  “That’s impressive,” he said, back to stroking his beard. “I’ll talk to Lukas about it the next time I see him.”

  Lukas worked as a shipwright so that certainly made sense. And he and Conrad remained good friends.

  “Let me show you what I brought back for you,” she said, then stood up. She retrieved her satchel from near the door and walked over to the dining table because the light was better there. Conrad stood silently as she removed the various items and placed them on the table.

  He reached out with his right hand, but then stopped. “And you just found these?”

  “Yes. Whoever was making those boxes has been dead for a long time.”

  Conrad picked up a box and began to examine it. “I don’t recognize this wood, but it matches one of the pieces.” After placing it carefully back on the table, he picked up another one.

  “I’m going to freshen up,” she announced, but he didn’t even respond.

  The washroom was as clean and neat as always. After relieving herself, she made use of the washbasin to wash her hands and then her face. Then she began to remove her clothing, leaving only her skimpy, light blue underwear.

  Returning to the dining area, she found Conrad still engrossed. She was considering how best to surprise him when he said, “These hinges won’t work for these boxes, but I can find something. Do you want one of these?” He looked back over his shoulder and his jaw dropped open. “Where did you get those?”

  Audrey struck a sexy pose and smiled saucily. “In Lancia. We’re going to copy the designs for our clothing business.”

  Conrad put the box down and turned around. “Then I think you’re going to make a lot of money.”

  “I don’t care about that. I just want more underwear like this.” It was all she wore now.

  “I can finish looking at these later. What did you have in mind?”

  “As if you didn’t know. But you probably mean specifically. Let’s see.” She put a finger to her chin and cocked her head. “You know, I just happened to have
brought some things with me. I have a blindfold and some soft rope. Can you think of anything to do with those?”

  Conrad chuckled. “Can I tie you to something?”

  “Something made of wood?”

  “You’ll see.”

  He chose something both unexpected and surprisingly creative. It was fabulous.

  He almost made it to the fish pond before Romee came racing up. “How was your magic lesson with Grandfather?” she gasped. It was a hot day to be running around outside.

  Saxloc resisted the urge to tousle her hair because she was all sweaty. “Fine. You don’t have a lesson with Tabitha today?”

  Romee scowled. “I’ve got homework. Iris and Ilona are over there right now. I’ve been helping Mother.”

  Even after all these months, it sounded strange to him when Romee said something like that. But she was officially his sister, and it obviously made her happy. The twins still had no interest in being adopted. They just called everyone by their names.

  “Did you learn any new spells?” she asked, tilting her head to the right.

  “No, not today. Come on. Let’s get inside out of this sun.” He felt like he was broiling.

  “Okay.”

  She stuck out her sweaty and dirty left hand, leaving him no choice but to take it. He took the shortest route to the front doors, resisting the temptation to just cut through the landscaping. Even Romee knew better than to do that now because Mother would know.

  Once inside, he ordered Romee to go to her room, clean up, and then put on clean clothes. (With her, detailed instructions were usually necessary.) After another scowl, she took off running through the parlor. Only then did he realize he had forgotten to tell her to take off her dirty shoes first. Well, it was too late now.

  It was cooler inside but not by much. He went to the kitchen and helped himself to some apple juice, wishing he knew magic that could chill it. Noises from the pantry were soon followed by his mother walking out carrying what looked like a large jar of pickles.