Kyra and the Swordstress Pt. 06

The festival of Aersus pays tribute to Talishpur's patron God of Pleasure, honoring him by allowing all within the city walls, from king to the lowliest beggar, to imbibe in ceaseless pleasures. All the streets, narrow and wide, flow with magic and romance and song and dance. Feasts last for days and nights. Anyone who so desires can dance and drink and eat their way through the festival endlessly. But there is much more to the celebration than to feast, drink, and dance. Aersus is the God of Pleasure, after all, and what greater pleasure is there than carnal pleasure? To honor Aersus in the way he is truly meant to be honored, the city's many temples in his pantheon open their doors during the festival to welcome merrymakers with open arms to participate in their legendary orgies. All are welcome to throw caution to the wind and take the opportunity to explore their sexuality. Very few acts of pleasure are considered too depraved or too shameful, each temple offering a taste according to the patronage of their minor gods.

There is the Temple of Lydora the daughter of Aersus and the Goddess of Femininity and Love. Lydora's priestesses celebrate the tenderness, and compassion of female sexuality. Then there is the Temple of Arion, honoring Aersus's son, the God of Masculinity and Passion. His powerful priests celebrate the intensity, energy, and raw power of male sexuality. There is the Temple of Zaria, honoring the androgynous progeny of Lydora and Arion, the God/Goddess of beauty. The Temple of Calantha, honoring Aersus's wife, the Goddess of Pain. Then there is the Temple of Erydor, of the God of spring and youthful innocence, and finally, the Temple of Faela the nymph, Goddess of the senses, lover to Aersus and Calantha both.

As King Adonis's guest of honor, Lady Bellona and the Rose Narcissa would play host to the Grand Ball of Aersus, the culminating event of the festival. It is the festival's most important event, in which the King and his family, as well as the royal families from all over Leinyere and the most important members of the aristocratic class will be in attendance. As tempting as it were for Kyra to be a part of a once in a decade event, she knew, without a doubt, that after getting back her wand she would take the first ship out of Talishpur. After all, she was not here as a guest, but a prisoner.

As the Rose Narcissa approached the city's vast royal marina, the sailing crew climbed up the high shrouds, and mounted the yard arms and booms to furl away the oceans of sails that fluttered in the breeze. A fleet of carracks and yachts came like schools of minnows to the sides of the Rose Narcissa to welcome her into port, while fire and water mages, stationed at the massive marble towers at the royal marina's entrance put on a brilliant show. The Rose's guests and concubines went to the sides of the ship to admire the city, examining its many-colored temples, its enchanted terraces with lush gardens that spilled over their sides, and its many ornate tall-arched bridges spanning the many wide canals that disappeared into the shadows between the tall building walls, from which gondoliers rowed their long black boats carrying passengers with parasols to shade against the high white sun.

All the people of Talishpur, it seemed, came out onto the broad marina-front promenade, and into the marina in their small boats to greet the arriving Rose Narcissa. They waved and shouted excitedly, and the guests and crew of the Rose waved and shouted back. The elation gave the air a charged excitement, and Kyra, who stood at attention in a white steward's port uniform on the side of the top deck along with all the other stewards, could not help but feel a bit of that excitement course through her body. In another circumstance, she might have really enjoyed the festival.

After the Rose Narcissa found its position in the very center of the marina, the pier workers at once floated out a long bridge from the main pier to the ship's landing deck. Scores of the Rose Narcissa's guests awaited the connection of the bridge there, and as soon as the last mooring was made, the guests broke out into cheers, and strolled out onto the bridge to make their way into the city. It was a cool twilight then. The sun had dipped into the vineyard-laden hills behind Talishpur, but its rays still reached out into the sky to touch the lofty clouds, painting them gold and pink. Twinkling lights came on in the city. Music and laughter echoed off the labyrinthine walls.

Once moored, the Rose Narcissa wound down its activities. The crew were put on a daily shift rotation. As there were three shifts, each shift had two days off for one day of work, giving the crew ample opportunity to experience the city's dizzying array of entertainment.

Many of the guests departed with their luggage. For them Talishpur was the termination of their time aboard the Rose Narcissa. But other guests soon arrived to replace them. They would live aboard during the week in port, then likely stay on with the Rose Narcissa as it continues its debauched tour of the seas. These guests, already drunk and merry, were welcomed by the concubines the same way the guests were welcomed in Galtin's Port. Porters took their luggage. Stewards gave them wine and fruit and cheese. And concubines went to their arms. How tiresome life must be to be a concubine, churning through drunken guests endlessly.

Rikan approached Kyra, gave her a leather pouch of coin for her work for the week, saying, "you had a rough start, but you did OK this week. Here is your pay. You are free to leave, as promised by the lady of the ship, but you are also welcomed to stay as part of my team for as long as you like."

"I'd want nothing more than to leave," Kyra said. "But I'm not leaving without my wand."

Rikan gave her a baffled glare. "What wand?"

"My wand that Lady Bellona took. She said she'd give it back as soon as we get to Talishpur."

"I know nothing of a wand," he spat gruffly, waving a dismissive hand. "And Lady Bellona is far too busy to deal with such a trivial issue. If you wish to leave, just leave. Get yourself another wand."

Rikan's answer did not surprise Kyra. She knew she would have to wrest it from them. So, without a doubt, she knew what her choice would be. She would stay as long as it would take to get her wand back. And, as if another reason to solidify her decision to stay were needed, she opened her pay pouch to find inside a pitiful jumble of silver and copper pieces. Barely enough for a week's stay in the rattiest hovel, let alone passage back to Galtin's Port. Kyra knew they kept the weekly wages meagre to retain stewards in perpetuity.

"I will stay and work," Kyra answered.

Rikan nodded. "Very well. Then I will keep you on the bill. Next shift is in two days."

Sybil and some of the other members of her shift spotted Kyra on their way off the ship, and urged her to tag along to the city's tavernas. She opted instead to stay aboard. What better opportunity to figure out how to snatch her wand then when two-thirds of the ship's crew were off the ship?

But just as she was about to return to her cabin to start plotting her heist, Lady Bellona's parrot-costumed herald, or, more accurately, her chamberlain, named Tarius, spotted her and hurried over to her to spoil her plan.

"You there! Stewardess! You are Kyra, yes?"

"Um, yes."

"Kyra of Portoa?"

"Um...,"

"Yes or no."

"Yes, I suppose I am a Kyra of Portoa."

"Perfect," Tarius said, clapping his hands together. "Come with me."

She tailed him closely, wondering annoyingly what he could possibly want with her on her evening off-duty. He led her up winding stairs to the upper foredeck where she had never been but had learned was where the concubines were berthed when they weren't bunking with their patrons. He pushed open a wide polished door to reveal a bright dressing room. A row of mirrors lined the back bulkhead above desks bedecked with a wide assortment of makeup, jewelry and other luxurious accessories. Concubines sat at stools in front of mirrors, having make-up put on, or their hair done up by their personal stewards. Other concubines were at the dressing stations that were full of colorful outfits, in various stages of dressing up or dressing down. They all turned to put their eyes on the random stewardess brought in by Lady Bellona's chamberlain.

"Do we have a free steward here?" asked Tarius aloud.

Confused by the question, Kyra slowly raised her hand. Tarius pushed her hand down.

"Not you. Quickly now, a free steward." He snapped his fingers.

Someone stepped forward. "I am, sir."

"Very good. We have a unique request from a very important guest. I need you to make her up as best you can. Make her sexy."

"Me?" Kyra croaked. "Why me?"

A concubine put her hands on her hips, and with a haughty scowl on her face, huffed and said, "Yes, why her?"

"Because a guest requested her specifically," replied the chamberlain. "Any other reason is none of your concerns."

"B-but I'm not on shift," Kyra replied weakly, as the dressing room steward proceeded to unbutton her white in-port uniform.

"Concubines do not work shifts," the chamberlain said with a smirk.

"I'm not a --"

"This week you are," he interrupted impatiently. To the steward undressing Kyra, he said, "I'll be just outside. Bring her to me when you are done."

The steward replied, "Of course, sir."

The concubines either shot Kyra a nasty glare, rolled their eyes, or scoffed as they turned back to their mirrors to continue applying their mascara, while Kyra stood vibrating with a swirling concoction of annoyance, confusion, and now a terrifying fright as she became undressed in the middle of a dressing room full of concubines. She was being made into a concubine which meant, not only was she relinquishing all of her free time, but she would also be spending it with some perverted noble who would do to her whatever he felt like doing to her and expect her to do to him whatever he demanded. She tried offering a protest, but the chamberlain was already gone, and she was already naked.

"My, you have a lot of potential," the steward said as he stepped back to study her body.

Kyra scrunched up and covered her private parts.

"Oh, you have no idea the depths of my potential," Kyra replied, narrowing scowling eyes on him.

The steward chuckled and replied, "but I am eager to plumb your depths. Now let's pick out some lovely underwear."

If she refused, she realized, then they could kick her off the ship. Then the chances of her getting her wand back would drop precipitously. At least the steward was friendly and warm, staying upbeat while he showed Kyra many different options for her underwear. Begrudgingly, she picked out a silken garment complete with hosiery patterned in purple and black. Admittedly, she loved the soft cool touch of the fine silk against her skin. She'd have adored it if she didn't know what it was for.

Before picking out her dress, the steward beckoned Kyra over to a free mirror, sat her down to apply make-up to her face. Cheeks tinted the color of sunset. Lips painted like a blood-red rose. Eyelashes made lush like feathers. Shadow beneath her eyes as satin as a deep night. Her hair, he brushed with care, drawing it out straight, then pressing it into curls with an enchanted iron.

When he moved out of the way of the mirror for Kyra to get a good look at herself, she gaped.

"Oh shit," she gasped as she stared at her reflection, hardly recognizing the beautiful face that stared back.

"My sentiment precisely," replied the steward.

Next, the steward had her try on many dresses. A flowing black dress that made her appear like a goddess of the night. Another that spread across her shoulders and hips like a beautiful lotus. One that was tight and was quite flattering to her form but constricted her movement. In the process of putting on a dress (the one that made her look like the goddess of night), she had nearly forgotten why it was she was dressing up. She had never considered herself a particularly stunning woman. Cute maybe, but nowhere near the likes of the concubine of the Rose Narcissa. She even found some gratification knowing that the concubine in the dressing room were all shooting jealous looks her way. They were jealous not necessarily of her beauty, but of her transformation.

She twirled in front of a full mirror to the steward's applause.

"Thank you for allowing me to make you beautiful," the steward said with a deep bow. Kyra gave him a sad smirk and replied, "As much as I appreciate your work, you know as well as I do that the whole point is to make me at least passably fuckable to some rich and horny duke."

The steward shrugged and gave her a pitying smile. "Nonetheless, thank you. And though you may serve some rich and horny duke, do try your best to preserve your real beauty."

"My real beauty, huh? Wherever that may be," Kyra answered.

"I caught a glimpse of it somewhere in the depths of your potential," he replied. "Now, let us get you back to the chamberlain. Good luck."

The chamberlain was outside the doors to the dressing room. He gave an approving nod as he looked Kyra up and down.

"I suppose that'll do. Now come along. There's not a moment to lose."

Kyra glanced back at the steward. He returned to her a quick wink, then a bow to Tarius as he disappeared back into the dressing room to dress up another concubine.

Kyra followed the chamberlain.

"Do try to be more elegant. Stop bobbing as you walk. Keep your chin raised and your back straight. Imagine balancing a vase on your head. Aersus knows why you when we've taken so much effort to provide so many divine possibilities."

Kyra stuck her tongue out at the back of his head, nevertheless, she tried her best to do as instructed, smoothing out her stroll, raising her chin, and straightening her back.

He led her down to the 'Royal Lands', the back area near Lady Bellona's bedchamber. A feeling of sickness grew in her stomach in anticipation of meeting whoever it was that had an eye for her, but she also felt the growing familiar feeling of aether of her wand. The feeling always gave her comfort, but now, curiously, she felt it more strongly than ever. Perhaps it was that her wand could feel her proximate anxiousness and wanted to give her solace? Yet, even after passing Lady Bellona's bedchamber, she only felt the sensation of the aether grow stronger. Things began to appear more vividly to her, straightening out the kinks in her messy emotions like a lodestone straightening out a mess of iron filings. How very peculiar.

When they reached the door to the suite. Tarius looked her up and down one last time, picked off a piece of lint on her black dress, breathed in like he was about to take a deep plunge, then knocked on the door.

The door opened at once. Kyra was immediately transfixed by the sparkling blue eyes of a fair-skinned, and graceful elven princess that had opened the door.

"Princess S'Rala of Vela Toré, may I present to you our newest concubine, Miss Kyra of --", the chamberlain paused uncomfortably. Kyra's place of origin obviously slipped his mind.

"Portoa," completed the princess for the chamberlain, her eyes fixed on Kyra.

The chamberlain nodded apologetically for his lapse. "Indeed, your highness, Miss Kyra of Portoa."

This was the moment that Kyra was meant to bow charmingly to her newly met patroness, and also be taken aback by the fact that this strange she-elf knew that she was from Portola. But Kyra was held too much in a solid trance to react accordingly, as if she was struck by the most powerful of love hexes. It wasn't the beauty of the princess's face, though she was beautiful. It wasn't the twinkling allure of her eyes, though they were alluring. Nor was it even the wonderfully intoxicating scent of perfume that came off her (was that Aqbian jasmine?). What affected Kyra was a very befuddling, but an altogether undeniable aether exuded by the princess that grasped at Kyra like the tug of an ocean tide.

With a soft clearing of his throat - a tacit plea for her to behave as a concubine of the Rose Narcissa should - Tarius knocked her out of her trance.

"Your highness," she said as she curtsied, not breaking eye contact.

Kyra was moreover flooded with relief to know that it wasn't some foul, sweaty duke that stood before her, hungry to do rough and unspeakable things to her, but a dainty, polite, and strikingly gorgeous elven angel. Perhaps she was getting ahead of herself. Perhaps she'd find as soon as the bedroom doors went shut, that this princess was a ravenous rake. But perhaps Kyra didn't mind that so much. Perhaps she was open to it. She was even starting to feel flattered that such a divine thing would have an eye for her, a lowly steward, when presented with a prolific menu of concubines to pick from.

"I am certain Kyra will prove to be a wonderful companion, your highness," said the chamberlain.

"I'm sure she will too," the princess replied with a desirous bite of her lip.

"Then, if it would not inconvenience you, I shall take my leave. I bid you good evening."

"Thank you very much for fetching this one for me. Good evening, Tarius."

When Tarius had turned the corner, the princess grasped Kyra's wrist abruptly and strongly yanked her into her suite and locked the door shut. Then she put Kyra into a long, tight hug, whispering in her ears, "I'm so, so sorry."

"Um... its ok, your highness," Kyra replied unsurely. Tentatively, she wrapped her arms around the princess, patting her back.

Through teary eyes, the princess gave her a smile, then hugged her again like they were finally having a long-awaited reunion. Kyra tried her very best to recall where she could have ever met this princess before. But her memory seemed to be failing her.

"I'm sorry your highness, but I don't think I understand. Do I... know you?"

"I'll explain everything," the princess said. She put her hands on Kyra's shoulders, her eyes serious, and her face tightened with concern. "First, let's get you out of here."

"What do you mean get me out of here? Sorry, are you sure you have the right girl?"

Just then, she heard a soft meow from behind her. She turned around to spot a grey tabby cat with emerald eyes hopping off a dresser drawer to trot towards her.

"Cat!" Kyra gasped.

Cat came over and rubbed up against her leg. Kyra hunched over and scratched behind his ears.

"What are you doing here, Cat?" Kyra asked, hoisting Cat into her arms, shooting the elven princess a baffled look.

"Who are you?" Kyra asked. But the answer dawned on her before it could come from the she-elf. She understood the powerful aether that shrouded her now. It was the same aether feel she had repeatedly woken to after her nightly dreams of that woman that stole her gold, forcing her to go scrounging for scraps in the shoddiest parts of Galtin's Port. The princess was Scarlet, disguised with bootleg alchemy.

"You!" Kyra growled. "You have some --"

She lowered her voice. "You have some nerve showing up here."

"Like I said, I'm so sorry. I know you must have gone through a lot but -- "

"No. No you haven't any idea how shitty my life has been since the day you screwed me over. Ooh, if I had my wand right now, I would, I would -- argh! I would make you regret you ever crossed me!"

Kyra dropped Cat, who went scurrying under the bed.

"Kyra, I -- "

"Yeah, I know. You're sorry. Like I give a shit! Now why are you here? To mock me? To rub in the shame by forcing me to be your little doxy? Well, congratulations! Here I am!"

"No, that's not what I'm - Look, I'm here to get you off this cursed ship. And also, to give you back your share of gold. That's the truth. Angelica told me you sought Lady Bellona. I know more than anyone else, that means trouble."