Erya's Test

"And Baron Upiton will be utterly humiliated when the city learns that his bride is now fucking many different men," Erya told her, earning her a delighted grin from Jalisa.

The festive mood couldn't last forever, though. The bells rang, signaling the end of the test. Constable Barpik took Erya's arm and led her to where the judges waited. Prince Ragon and Whore Jalisa decided to accompany her and stand with her as the results were revealed.

Barpik led Erya through a hidden door into a small audience chamber. Sitting in two ornate chairs were the king and queen themselves. The royal family were going to be judging her in this contest. A group of twenty courtiers waited as witnesses to the announcement. The Constable stood close behind her, protective and comforting.

Erya looked nervously at the witches standing behind the thrones. All three Witch Clans were represented. Since the testing happened behind closed doors, someone with powers needed to be able to report on the hidden activity. Normally, such spying was illegal and punishable by death, but during a formal examination such as this one, it was necessary for the judges to be aware of what was happening.

"This was an unanticipated result," the Queen announced, opening the judging.

"Indeed," agreed the King.

"For the first test," the Queen reported, "your task was to help a boy become a man. It is a delicate process that can be beautiful or traumatic. You did very well. My Ragon thoroughly enjoyed his first fuck. And I appreciated your lessons into class-appropriate sexual behaviors. But you did more than than simply turn a boy into a man. You helped my son become a Prince. Thanks to your instruction, he has already exercised his duties as judge.

"For your second task, you were to comfort a condemned woman. To be perfectly honest, you were expected to fail. The test was to see how you handled failure. Surprisingly, you succeeded. You used brutal honesty and gentle kindness together to convince her to take the comfort. And then you saved her life. You don't even have a license, but you managed to recruit a new whore."

"There can be no question," the King broke in. "You are already exercising the duties and demonstrating the skills of the position you are trying to win. And you appear to have gained the loyalty of the Constable, who stands behind you, ready to defend.

Startled and embarrassed to have been caught showing a preference for one contestant, Barpik backed away a few steps

"The license is granted," the King announced. "The contest is over."

Now, it was Erya's turn to weep. She had done it. She had won. Erya was no longer a slave to Vassilon, Grand Duke of the Orithea Whore Clan. She was a licensed Courtesan. Erya was Erya of the Erya Whore Clan. Instead of being leased to a brothel by her master, she now had the right to open a brothel of her own. She could open a hundred brothels if she wanted.

Erya now outranked even the Prince. She was a member of the Royal Court. The Kingdom would support her in luxury and style until she had established an income of her own. Then she would pay a percentage to the Crown. She was one of the financial pillars of the Kingdom. But she would never again be in danger of starvation.

She could be a paid, and expensive, mistress to the wealthy and powerful. She could open brothels and taverns anywhere in the Kingdom. She could open erotic theatres where men and women performed sexual acts on stage in front of an audience. Or she could do all three. She was a Whore Clan now. Jalisa and Barpik would be her first members. The future was looking bright.