Heir, page 10
part #5 of Ressaline Series
“Sure.”
“Taking prisoner the women who have illegally ventured across our border, drugging them to remove their fear, and then exposing them to their First. That has actually been the easiest and least traumatic for everyone involved. There is a period of anger and fear as they are arrested, and nearly all of them attempt to resist being drugged, but all of that is over in just a few minutes.”
“The drug is pleasant,” Claary said. “Quite pleasant, actually, although I didn’t enjoy it when it wore off.”
“They did this to you?”
“No. A different event. I can explain another time.”
“I also experienced it,” Allium said.
“The next least traumatic means,” Olivia continued, “is to keep them utterly in the dark and then surprise them with it. When I have done that, I give them a short time to make up their minds, and if they decline, I ship them home. That is what I did with Allium, and she wasn’t the first. She had no idea about this tradition until she was here. I gave her until midnight to decide.”
“And you did it?”
“I did,” she said. “But I was quite shocked, and it was a lengthy conversation.”
“With you, that is a risk,” Olivia said. “If you were to turn me down, it has implications for our countries that are likely to last for decades. I believe the implications are uneven, affecting us far more than Flarvor. You believe you are taking a risk to accept, and I don’t know how to convince you that you aren’t. But, frankly, we’re rather desperate for this to proceed. We want you to understand.”
I nodded. “I’m here. I’ve already agreed.”
“And you could change your mind. Do you think I would grab you and …” She trailed off.
“No. But you could, couldn’t you? It would actually be legal. Horrible diplomacy, but entirely legal. I am, after all, several days north of our shared border, or the expanded safe zone beside the border.”
“Do you think I would?”
“No, probably not. If Father knew of it, it would be an act of war. And while Allium has some level of divided loyalties, you would be putting her in an impossible position. I don’t know what side she would take.”
“Yours, Ahlianna,” Allium said. “Do you doubt me?”
Olivia gave me a moment to consider Allium’s response then said, “Doing anything against your wishes would be seen as an act of war, and no one wants that. No one. That is one of many reasons I couldn’t possibly do it.”
“You did it to my cousin,” I pointed out.
“Yes, but she wasn’t here under invitation. You are. We have an agreement. We will stick to it.”
“As will I.”
“You’re having second thoughts.”
“I’m having twentieth thoughts,” I countered. “I made a promise.” I paused. “We’ve come to certain agreements, Olivia. One of those agreements is that I will have time to choose who my new owner will be.” She inclined her head. “Have you invited my choices?”
“My recommended choices.”
“Is Jessla in the list?”
“I believe there are others you may prefer,” she replied, “but if you wished someone with more maturity, Jessla would do. However, she isn’t necessarily the right choice for you, and she’s here because this is an event at the embassy, and she is friends with the others here.”
“I’ve spent time belonging to Jessla,” Claary said. “It was quite the experience. I don’t think she is the best choice for your First, but if you were going to spend significant time here, I’d recommend you approach her.”
“Seriously?”
“You say that as if you don’t like me,” Jessla said. I didn’t think she was upset, however. Amused, perhaps.
“Yes, actually,” Claary said. “I learned as much from her as from anyone, and more than from most. She exposed me to being more types of slave than everyone else combined.”
“You weren’t a pleasure slave?”
“I was, and a clerk, a gardener, a messenger, a statue… It was interesting, and I enjoyed it. And out of it, we’ve become friends as well. I deeply value our relationship.”
I nodded understanding then returned my attention to Olivia. “We were discussing agreements. We have the event tonight, but this is to be my date with Gionna. There is an event at your home tomorrow, and given portions of our discussion, I can assume there is a game of spin the bottle planned?”
Allium snorted. “No. It’s a dance, but there is a game that is played.”
“A kissing game.”
“A game that leads to a kiss,” she clarified.
“And we agreed I may request time with the women you and I agree remain on the list of possible choices.” Olivia inclined her head again. “If things go according to plan, then all that will take more time, and it will be, at the soonest, several more days before I will begin my First.”
“Correct.”
“There is an event at the arena this Saturday.”
“There is. You will not be in attendance.”
“We will discuss it, or we can discuss when I am going home.”
Beside me, Gionna stirred. Olivia’s lips tightened. “Have you been listening?”
“The cat is out of the bag, so to speak,” I said. “You didn’t have an opportunity to surprise me with this and hold me prisoner if I refused. You aren’t going to grab me and force me into this. And, frankly, you don’t have any strength to negotiate. Do you?”
“No.”
“You’re worried I’ll be shocked.”
“Not worried. Convinced.”
“We’re all convinced you’ll be shocked,” Allium said.
“I am fairly certain I’ve seen worse than anything that could happen. Do people get killed?”
“Of course not.”
I turned to Allium. “We have had a variety of foreign delegations attempting to share portions of their culture with us.”
“I haven’t been part of that, Ahlianna.”
“Our southern coast faces the ocean,” I said. “Gionna has been there.”
“It was something,” she said. “You cannot see the distant shore, and the waves are far larger than a fishing boat.”
“In a storm, they are larger than our largest ships.”
“Which hold hundreds of men,” Gionna added. “Hundreds.”
“For us, it is our southern coast, but the coast then turns south, and if one travels ten days south, across the open ocean, one reaches a land called Karishten. Karishten is actually two countries, North and South Karishten. They together host games every four years.”
“I’ve heard of that,” Allium said. “But I never went.” She made a face.
“They have demonstrated their games to us,” I said. “As my father’s daughter, I was forced to attend.” I paused and lowered my voice. “I was forced to participate.”
“No,” Allium whispered.
“Only as a demonstration,” I said.
“Ahlianna.”
“It was fine,” I said. “It was a demonstration of how to throw one of their weapons. I performed very poorly, although I did better than Mother. The Karishtens were not impressed with either of us.” I turned back to Olivia. “All of their games are brutal. People are hurt. Sometimes they die. The Karishtens cheer when people are hurt. They understood we would find their games difficult, but I believe they were not pleased we didn’t cheer when people were hurt. We did cheer for particularly good play, and some of it was exceedingly good. I spent most of the time wanting to hide my eyes, but I sat beside Father and watched, because that is my duty.”
I paused. “Lady Olivia, I wish to attend the event on Saturday. If you prefer, while it is unnecessary, I would sign a formal agreement to accept my First. Even if it is not a binding treaty between our countries, a signed piece of paper may remind me of my promises.”
I looked around. “I would like to sit with my friends. I would like people who can help me understand, as best as possible.” I turned back to Olivia. “I am the future queen of Flarvor, and I keep my promises. Furthermore, Ressaline is now our closest neighbor, and we wish you to be a good trading partner, even if we aren’t voluntarily helping to move trading routes north again.”
She paused, then nodded. “All right.”
“Thank you. I hope everyone is able to come.”
“I’d like to come,” Gretchena said. “But…”
“But?” I asked.
“But,” Olivia said. “I have a box at the arena, and Gretchena has never sat in it. Saturday will be her first time, if she accepts my invitation.”
“Yes!” she said.
“Everyone here is invited to my box.”
“We have several days,” I said. “Is it possible to tour the arena before Saturday?”
“Yes,” Olivia said. “You understand your first time won’t be there. It will probably be either in Government House or my home.”
“I am giving myself an education,” I said. I turned to Gretchena. “Do we have time for this tomorrow after our lunch?”
“I’d love to,” she said.
“Who can give permission?”
“I can,” Olivia said. “Will you accept a larger group?”
“Of course,” I said. “Anyone you wish to invite.”
“Gretchena,” she said, “Why don’t you come to Government House after lunch, and we’ll take my coach.”
“Sure,” she said.
“Anyone else who wishes to join us may come, as far as I am concerned, Olivia, but I would not invite them myself.”
“Anyone who wishes to help provide a tour is welcome,” Olivia said. “Allium?”
“Definitely. Perhaps you and I could share lunch, and Gionna?”
“Gretchena,” I inserted. “I don’t want the adults around for our lunch.”
She smiled. “Not a problem. But you know we’re both adults.”
“And yet, you understood what I meant.”
“I’m your age,” Gionna said with a playful pout.
“If you want to help give me a tour of the arena, Olivia just invited you.” I smirked at her.
“I’d like that,” she said.
“You know what’s funny? This entire conversation happened because I asked about slaves, not about the process, but I think maybe we should talk about the weather for a while.”
* * * *
We finished dinner, and then Allium proposed we retire for cards. I suggested Gionna and I would be along ‘in a while’ and then turned to her. “Let’s take a walk.”
“I’d like that.”
I held her arm. We actually climbed the stairs to the second floor and then moved to the balcony that thrust over the entrance portico. We came together at the railing, looking out at the city. “This is a nice town,” I said.
“I think so, too. It’s so different from Ressaline City.”
“It’s chilly,” I complained.
“Do we need to go inside?”
“We won’t stay here long,” I replied. “Gionna, I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“You’re talking about being on a date with me?”
“Yes.”
“Is that why we’re out here alone?”
“Yes.”
She smiled but then moved behind me, wrapping her arm around me. I turned slightly so I was leaning against her, and she wrapped around me a little further. After a moment, she kissed me, almost in the same place Allium had earlier, my shoulder nearest my neck. I lowered my head, giving her more room, so she nuzzled me there.
I couldn’t have explained why, but it felt good.
“For this,” I whispered, “I want you to lead.”
“I will,” she whispered back. “But do you know how much you want?”
“No, but what you’re doing is a good start.”
She kissed again and stroked my side besides. I lifted a hand, finding her head, just touching, holding her where she was, not so tightly as to constrain her, only enough to encourage her.
“Ahlianna,” she whispered.
“You may do anything you want that doesn’t dislodge my clothing,” I said. “I’m not ready to hang it all out while standing outside.”
I felt her smile, her lips against my shoulder. She kissed again, and then licked her way to my ear. She used her hand to turn my head a little, giving herself better access, and she began playing with my ear. No one had ever done that to me, but I really, really liked it.
When she turned me, I let her.
When she found my mouth, I let her.
We kissed. We kissed deeply, and I know I gave a little whimper, but I clutched at her, I clutched at this exotic, foreign princess of the north, and we kissed.
And it was magical.
She broke the kiss, and I pulled her to me, holding tightly. “Gionna.”
She said nothing, but she held me to her, and both our hearts were pounding.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Is that our only kiss tonight?”
“It better not be.”
“Good.” She relaxed and then used fingers until we were looking into each other’s eyes. “I’ve thought about that for a long time.”
“I have, too,” I admitted.
“We could go to your quarters. No one would fault us.”
“They’ll worry if we just disappear.”
“Was that ‘no’ or ‘we should tell someone’?”
“It was: we should play cards for a while, then you could try again.”
“Then we will, but we need another kiss first.”
And so we did.
* * * *
I barely remember the walk. I remember her. We had our kiss, and then I was half draped over her for the walk to the parlor. I would have pulled away from her at the door, but she slid an arm around my waist, and then we were inside the room before I could decide whether I was going to let her get away with it.
“There they are,” Olivia said. “Allium was teaching us a game.”
“Not the game she once claimed was Ahlianna’s favorite.”
“How would Allium know my favorite game?” I asked.
“I may have fibbed,” Allium said. “I’m teaching them vessa.”
“Oh,” I said. “So Father’s favorite.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes. He’s quite good. You and I should be partners, Allium.”
Everyone laughed, absolutely everyone. “I don’t think so,” Olivia said. “And we’re breaking you up from your date.”
“Allium said we’re to draw cards,” Gretchena said.
“Have you taught them how to play six?” I asked.
“No. We are twelve, so I taught them four.”
“All right.” Gionna and I finished closing the distance. There was a deck waiting on the table. I spread them sideways and then drew a card from near the middle. It took a moment, but soon we were all holding cards. I looked at mine. “The seven of swords. Who else has a sword?”
“I do,” Gretchena said. “The tower.”
“I have this one,” said Holliahta. “We do not use the same deck.”
“That’s the squire,” I said. “Any other swords?” There weren’t, so the three of us stood to the side while the others worked out tables. There were two holding candles, three with golds, and four with parchments.
“We’re a table,” Allium said, gathering Bee, Gionna, and Gigi to her. “Dee and Olivia, you need to discard and draw again.”
“Why?” Olivia asked.
“Because there are only two of you. If you get more candles or any parchments, draw again until you get a gold or sword.”
They both ended with golds. “Now there are five of us,” Olivia said.
“One of you will discard,” I said. “Who has the highest?”
“I think I do,” said Claary. “The tower.”
“And the lowest?” I prompted.
“I have the four,” said Jessla.
“You two are partners. Then the next highest with the next lowest.”
“I’m the middle one,” Dee said.
“Then you will draw cards until you get a sword,” I said. “You’re playing with us.”
She clapped happily. It took two more draws. I found myself partnered with Gretchena, Dee with Holliahta. Everyone moved to a table.
“How much did she teach you?” I asked.
“We have a similar game,” Gretchena said. “But our cards are different.”
“Shuffle our cards,” I said. “We’ll cut to deal, and I’ll make a sheet to help us out.” Dee won the deal. She dealt carefully while I wrote out the order of suits and the order of the cards, then added a little chart with scoring. “Do I need to make a second?” No. “Did you play a practice game?”
“Yes, but could we do a second one?”
“Sure. We’ll play two. Let’s play with our cards exposed first.” I laid my cards out before me.
Dee and Holliahta won the first hand, with my guidance. Gretchena and I won the second practice game. I explained the scoring.
We then played two games. Gretchena was a cheerful player, although compared to Dee, there was no comparison. Dee was likely to express pleasure at every good play, regardless of who made it, and it was quite delightful. And, it turned out, she was also a very good player. Holliahta was also an experienced player. Gretchena and I won the first game strictly because I’d played before, and I was quite good. But Dee and Holliahta easily won the second, and not because they had better luck with cards, but simply because they were able to work better together.
Dee clapped happily when I announced they had won. “What did I win?”
“The joy of winning,” I told her.
“I should win a kiss.”
I smiled. “You think so?”
“Yes. It would not do for Gretchena and Holliahta to kiss, so Gretchena must kiss me, and you must kiss Holliahta.”
“I do not know how things work here; is it common for the pleasure slave to make the rules?”
“Only when it’s Bee or I,” Dee said.
“Olivia,” Holliahta said. “Do you hear your slave?”
“Bee has been attempting the same rule,” Allium said. She chuckled. “This is not typically a kissing game.”
“Maybe it should be,” Bee suggested.
“It is often played when such a rule would be inappropriate.”
