by Robin Roseau
“You do not care to allow Cha to guide you tonight?”
“Cha is fine,” she said. “Lady Olivia, we believe we know why we’re here tonight. Do you imagine we’ve guessed incorrectly?”
“I find that exceedingly unlikely,” Olivia said. “However, I do not care to talk about that until much later in the evening, well after dinner and my attempts to force all of you to mingle.”
“And we’re nervous,” Viella said. “Some of us are downright scared. We would like to talk about it now.”
“Ms. Halite,” I said sternly.
“Ambassador,” Olivia said. “You made promises to me.” I turned to her. “If you give Dee any trouble, she has very specific orders. You’ll probably like them.”
“Hey,” I complained.
“Ms. Halite has not offended me.”
I paused then inclined my head.
“Lady Olivia,” Viella said before Olivia could fully turn her attention back. “It is fully my intention to remain in Ressaline, but not everyone here is convinced. I have a very specific request, and I’m not the only one.”
“There will be time for this conversation, Ms. Halite.”
“If you deny my request, I won’t leave, but not everyone here will say the same thing.”
Olivia looked at her for a moment. Dee clung to my arm and whispered, “Let her handle it.” I nodded.
Finally, Olivia said, “Once we officially begin discussing this, there is a time limit, Ms. Halite.”
“What is the limit?”
“Once I share that, we’ve begun talking about it.”
“You are the duchess,” Viella said. “You can give us the same agreement you’ve given to others.”
“How gracious of you,” Olivia said. “And what agreement is that?”
“We have until morning to decide. After that, you send us home, but if we come back, it’s another agreement.”
“No,” Olivia said. “You have until you leave my home. The second deadline is noon tomorrow.”
“Fine,” Viella said. “That works.”
“Ms. Halite,” Olivia said. “You are under a misconception.”
“That you are the duchess here, and Queen Lisdee is three weeks away?”
“No. That I know everything and am perfect.” That generated laughter. “While the city has accepted more than this many for their First in a single evening, it was done one woman at a time, all around the city. I spoke to one woman; someone else spoke to another. I have since done a few small groups, but this is the first time I have faced this many for her First at the same time.”
“You don’t have a plan!” Viella said.
“Not true. I have three plans. I intend to see how events transpire and adjust accordingly.”
“And now here I am, disrupting your plan,” Viella said. She looked over her shoulder, I thought searching for someone in particular. And then I saw Corale nod to her. Viella turned around, Cha with her, and stepped to Corale. She collected the other woman’s hand, and then the two stepped forward. “Lady Olivia, Corale and I would like to be considered a package deal, and we really hope you will dress us in red. Is that possible?”
Olivia paused and then said, very gently. “Of course, Ms. Halite. May I ask?”
“We’re not lovers,” she said. “But we understand the implications of what we’re asking.”
“Ms. Jasper,” Olivia said. “Is this also your desire?”
“Yes, Lady Olivia.”
“Lady Olivia,” Viella said. “Don’t you think this request is one you would rather incorporate into your plans now, while you’re parading us around and figuring out how you’re going to pass us out?”
“That isn’t remotely how I would put it,” Olivia replied. “But yes, you’re right.”
“So I am forgiven for disrupting your plans.”
“I wasn’t vexed in the first place, so no forgiveness is necessary. However, I want you to let your companions direct you. Release hands now.”
Corale and Viella exchanged looks, and then they dropped their clasped hands. Cha and Li-li immediately pulled them in opposite directions.
“Very good,” said Olivia. “I do not care to answer questions until later, but if anyone has a request, I suppose now is a good time.”
Tarleet stepped forward. “Will I be someone’s pleasure slave?”
“Unless requested otherwise, you will all be pleasure slaves,” Olivia said. “If there are objections to that, I would prefer to know now, but we will discuss it later. Anyone?” No one spoke up. “Ms. Quartz?”
“I just wanted to be sure you weren’t going to make me go work a farm or something,” she said. She stepped back.
“Everyone you’ll meet tonight lives in Charth,” Olivia said.
Penelody moved forward. “Lady Olivia, will she beat me?”
“Excuse me?”
“Will my owner beat me?”
“I am fairly certain I don’t understand the question.”
“Olivia,” I said. “She wants to know if she’ll be physically abused.”
“You’re asking if she’s going to hit you?” Olivia asked.
“I’m an orphan,” Penelody explained. “My mother died in childbirth. My father died in an accident when I was nine.”
“I’m very sorry,” Olivia said.
“I became a housekeeper. I wasn’t very good and was slow.”
“And the lady of the house hit you for it.”
“No, Lady Olivia. The head housekeeper did.”
Olivia looked at me, and I could see the pain in her eyes. Then she turned back. “Death is everywhere, especially in my old home. The first half of your story is fairly common.”
“Yes, Lady Olivia. I imagine it is.”
“The second half of your story is disgusting,” Olivia said. “No, Penelody, you will not be abused. You will be cherished. I promise you. I absolutely promise all of you. You will be cherished.”
“You promise.”
“I promise,” Olivia said. She stepped forward, and Penelody accepted a warm hug. “I promise,” she whispered, although we all heard.
“Lady Olivia,” Renalla asked. “Is it your plan to pick for us, or will we pick?”
“The answer to that is one of the variations of my three plans.”
“I want you to pick,” Penelody said. “Please pick for me, Lady Olivia.”
“Then I will,” Olivia said. “If anyone else wants me to pick, we’ll talk quietly. Ask your companion to bring you to me.” She released Penelody but kissed her forehead.
“I’m staying, if you’re sure, Lady Olivia.”
“I’m sure,” she said. “Welcome to Ressaline.”
“Thank you.” She let Arr draw her back into her place.
“Are there other requests? I know of one more, but I imagine there are others.”
“You know of mine,” Mendari said. “I want a promise I won’t be expected to work in a kitchen. I can serve, but I don’t want to be asked to do any food preparation. Please.”
Olivia nodded. “All right. Anyone else?”
“Lady Olivia,” Renalla said. “I don't know if this is a request or just a question. Will we be like Bee and Dee?”
“Can you clarify that a little more?”
“They’re so happy.”
“I refer to it as joy,” Olivia said. “You don’t become a different person.”
“So I’m going to be a reserved, serious slave?”
Olivia smiled. “Is that what you want?”
“I want to be like Bee and Dee. That’s what I want. If you can promise me that, I’ll stay.”
“And you’ll leave if I can’t?”
“I didn’t say that. But it would clinch my agreement.”
“Well,” Olivia said. “First time tends to be quite overwhelming. Absolutely no one turns out like Bee and Dee the first time. You won’t be reserved, though. I can make that promise.”
“I bet you can make a better promise than that
.”
Olivia looked at her for a minute. Then Dee whispered, “If you move one inch from this spot, there will be consequences.” She didn’t even wait. Instead, she dropped my arm and weaved through the people, coming to a stop to Renalla’s side. A moment later, Bee reached her other side. Renalla looked back and forth between them.
“I want to be like you,” Renalla said. “I’ve never in my life been like either of you.”
“It took us time,” Bee said.
“We’ve belonged to Lady Olivia for years,” Dee said.
“They’ve been much like this for nearly the entire time,” Olivia said. “It is only in recent years I give them as much independence as I do. But they’ve carried that joy most of the time they’ve been mine.”
“We grew into it,” Dee said. “It took longer than your First will last.”
“And the resin makes a difference,” Bee added. “But that’s too much for your First.”
Renalla looked down, and then she brushed a tear away. Dee moved closer. “No, Ms. Agate,” she said.
“I wanted to be like you,” she replied, her voice a raw whisper.
“Then you’ll have to trust us,” she said.
Olivia stepped a little closer. “Renalla, if you let me make your choice, I will give you to someone who will help find your joy.”
“You will?”
“It won’t be quite like Bee and Dee. You will find your own joy. Remember they have been full time pleasure slaves. It took them several months to fully settle into their roles, and perhaps a year or two before they really discovered who they would be.”
“You’ll give me to someone who will help me.”
“Yes, Renalla. I will. Please stay.”
She looked back and forth to the sisters. “Will they be able to help me, too?”
“I won’t promise that, not during your first, but you’re going to live here a long time, aren’t you?”
“I can’t be like that most of the time,” she said.
“No, but sometimes,” she said.
“We like to help people find joy,” Dee said. She grinned. “Do you want to know the best way?”
“Sure.”
“Later, once you’re ready, ask Lady Olivia to give you to us.”
Renalla laughed weakly. “She can do that?”
“She does it all the time,” Dee said. “She spoils us terribly.”
Renalla looked down for a minute the finally looked up at Lady Olivia. Her smile was ragged. “I’m staying. Could I have a hug?”
“Of course.”
* * * *
“So,” I asked Dee. “What are you supposed to do with me?”
“Keep you out of trouble,” Dee replied.
“Define ‘trouble’.”
“You aren’t allowed to talk to anyone from Flarvor.”
“I wondered why you were steering me around some of the conversations.”
“You like belonging to me, Wife,” she said. “Kiss me.” She didn’t have to ask twice, and then we hugged tightly. “I’m so glad you’re here, Allium. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too, Dee. You feel so amazingly good.”
“I’m glad,” she replied. “I want to see you in resin. Soon.”
“Is next week soon enough?”
She laughed. “For two weeks.”
“We’ll see.”
She pushed away and looked at me. “I’m going to get my way.”
“I have duties, Dee. Don’t give me a hard time. There are thirty women of Flarvor who are finishing their First, and once they’re ready, I have to help them go home. And then my staff will be about to finish their First, and I’m going to need to see to them once they come back to me. I find it unlikely I will be able to ever offer two weeks. But I can do a lot of overnights.”
“Longer, Allium. You know you want a longer one.”
“Yes, you’re right,” I agreed. “But two weeks is unlikely. I might do as many as three days, but that won’t be very common, and if it happens, it probably needs to be sometime in the next two months. I don’t think I’ll be comfortable being gone from my staff once they’re back.”
“Teach them their jobs and they can run the embassy for a week or two without you.”
“Dee, something like that will be reported back home.”
“I don’t understand.”
“No one will understand, and they’ll think I’m doing a poor job of my duties.”
She looked into my eyes. “I’m not done trying. Please be mine for three days, if that’s all you can do.”
I thought about it. “Should I be having this conversation with Olivia?”
“She told me to ask you, if I wanted to. I want to.”
“Can you do challenges?”
She smiled. “Yes. When you lose, you belong to Olivia, but she’ll make you obey me and Bee.”
“What if I win?”
“You won’t.”
“What if?”
“Then you get me,” she said. “I continue to belong to Olivia, but she’ll order me to obey you, and you get to take me home.”
“And you’re okay with the risk?”
“I’m going to win.”
“Dee.”
“I’ve only lost twice,” she said. “And it was to Claary. She won both of us, each time.”
“Did you have fun?”
“We always have fun, Allium.”
“I’ll accept a challenge with you if Olivia schedules it,” I said.
She clapped happily. “Two weeks.”
“Three days.”
“Allium, I do not believe you understand how to negotiate.”
I laughed. “Three days, but I’ll accept challenges from you as often as my schedule allows.”
“No handicap.”
“No handicap,” I agreed. “And I will be taking challenges from other people, too.”
“I’ll help you learn to win if you let me have you for a week.”
I froze. “How will you do that?” She smiled but didn’t answer. “Is that a promise you can keep?”
“You might not be a very fast learner. This isn’t like building a bridge. You let me have you for a week, and then we’ll have a lesson as often as you want one.”
“And Olivia will let you make this offer.”
“Yes.”
“Does she know you’re pushing for a week?”
“I wanted you to belong to us for the next two months, but she told me I couldn’t ask for more than two weeks.”
I held out my hand. She took it but said, “Lessons are overnight. Taking your hand back?”
I laughed. “No.”
“And sometimes they start in the afternoon.”
I laughed again.
* * * *
Dee kept me distracted, and so I didn’t notice that the party was thinning out. Finally, I asked, “Where is everyone?”
“I’m sure I couldn’t say.”
I looked around. I only saw three members of my staff, and then I saw Wesla had two slaves, one on each arm. I watched as they lured her from the room. Dee held tightly to my arm. “Don’t interfere.”
“Dee.”
“Please don’t fight me, Allium,” she said.
“I’m not going to fight you,” I said.
“Do you trust Lady Olivia?”
“Yes.”
“This was one of her plans.”
“And how do you think Tyleeza and Tarleet feel about being selected last?”
“No one was selected last,” she said. “And they’re both having a nice time.”
“You are a vixen,” I said. “I didn’t even notice they were leaving.”
“I kept your back turned,” she said. “And there are enough other people here that it wasn’t entirely obvious.” She pressed closer. “I have an offer for you.”
“Oh?”
“Don’t fight me.” Then I watched a slave appear. I realized it was Li-li. She stepped up to Tyleeza, joining the conversa
tion. She began touching Tyleeza. I didn’t recognize the other slave, the one who had been Tyleeza’s guide and companion all evening. But the two of them distracted Tyleeza until they were holding her arms, much as Dee held mine.
Tyleeza didn’t fight as she was led from the room.
I looked at Dee. I looked at how she held my arm. “They can’t be doing them that quickly?”
“We’re using a few rooms,” Dee said. “I’m to keep you here.”
“How do you feel about all this, Dee?”
“You seem upset, Allium.”
“I’m not upset with you. I expected a different plan. It sometimes takes me a few minutes to change plans. How do you feel about all this?”
“It’s a game, Allium,” she said. “Could I keep you distracted until all of them were gone? I nearly made it.”
“You were very good, Dee.”
“Please tell me you’re not mad.”
“I’m not mad.”
“It will probably be a few more minutes before they collect Tarleet,” she said. “I think she notices she’s the last one. I think she’s about to run.”
“Well, maybe we should help calm her down.”
She nodded and turned us. Tarleet was looking around nervously, her slave holding her arm more tightly. I lifted a hand, suggesting she wait there, and we crossed the room. “Good evening, ladies,” I said. “Tarleet, are you changing your mind?”
“Everyone is missing.”
“I noticed that. Introduce me to your slave.”
“This is Ee,” Tarleet said. “Ee, this is Ambassador Cuprite.”
“Hello, Ambassador,” said the slave.
“They made me go last, Allium,” Tarleet said. “Don’t they want me?”
“Ms. Quartz,” said Dee. “We did the most complicated ones first. Lady Olivia decided you were especially easy to place.”
“She did? She didn’t ask who I wanted.”
“Maybe she’ll ask when they come get you,” Dee said. “It won’t be long.”
Tarleet turned to Ee. “You kept me distracted.”
“Don’t be mad at her,” Dee said. “I kept Allium distracted, too.”
“I think we had something to do with that, too,” said one of the other two women. “Tarleet, Lady Olivia has already asked if I would see to you. I told her yes.”
“You did?” Tarleet asked, brightening.
“Lady Olivia is going to have you taken somewhere. She’ll talk to you, and they’ll get you ready for me.”