Sir Duazat proffered his arm once again to her. She emerged this time with no hesitation to the gallant display. Before them stood an immense gallery of steps. To each side of the main case, were stepping stones made of mica to enhance the reflection of the sun. If gazed from above, it would seem, the main case were flowing through a channel of splendid light. The affect was not lost to Oasis, who kept looking from side to side, to be sure she would not fall through. As they neared the main door, Sir Duazat requested her invitation. She gave it over knowing she would have no souvenir to relish, as he released it to the doorman. That done, Sir Duazat said his farewell.
"Oasis, I must leave now to attend my own. I will feast upon your beauty again soon." Looking into her eyes, he traced the path of the lone tear down her cheek. "Remember my instructions," he said simply and left her.
Requesting Chef Lucien Morlet, she was lead to an anti-chamber. Not knowing what to do, she sat nervously on the only stool in the room. Shortly, a bare breasted woman appeared. Not speaking, she efficiently removed the dress and undergarments Oasis had so carefully chosen. Only wanting to protest this action, Oasis mindfully allowed this to happen, remembering Sir Duazat's careful instruction. Another bare breasted woman arrived bearing a silk cloth. Gathering both sides to one hip, she tied this about Oasis leaving one side exposed from hip to foot. Feeling very uncertain being exposed this way, she could only assume she would now be recognizable as submissive. The first woman opened a door behind her motioning for her to follow.
She was lead down a steep stairwell lighted only by gas lamps on alternating sides. She could see the one before her and feel the presence of the one behind. She wondered if she would ever see the grandeur she knew existed of the house she imagined. Feeling very forlorn, she dutifully followed. The next doorway she entered, she was instantly blinded by the modern electric light. As her eyes adjusted to the change, Oasis could see she had been brought to the kitchen. The exquisite aromas made her mouth water and stomach growl. Suddenly, her two escorts knelt to the floor, pulling her along with them. In a sideways glance, Oasis saw a man, she could only guess, to be Chef Morlet. Seeing such an intense look upon his face, she lowered her eyes to the floor.
"Debout!" He commanded harshly.
Quickly the two raised her, and stood aside, leaving her displayed in front of him. He slowly walked a circle about her, motioning the first to untie the makeshift covering. Once gone, he repeated his circle issuing soft "hmm's" and "awe's". Oasis felt very humiliated, and with a great effort of will, stood before him silently.
Swiftly he turned on his heels clapping his hands together. "La meduse vivra!" he exclaimed walking away quickly.
Oasis stood puzzled by his statement. She knew of Medusa, but could only guess the rest. "Live?" she thought. Quickly she was led to a bathing trough, where her two escorts expertly cleansed her entire body. She was embarrassed when one of them touched her intimate parts, but allowed them their duty. Out of the bath, they both dried her carefully, taking great pains to gather all moisture even between her legs. With amusement, Oasis thought, "if they keep touching me they may have to "dry" me all night. This thought brought Philippe to her mind. He would have enjoyed watching this happen to her, and seeing the reactions in her eyes. The need to have him there was so overwhelming. She could not understand why she wanted him to see all of this, but felt the stirrings of desire more intensely thinking it would please him. Feeling lonely without him, she followed her escorts obediently.
They led her through the kitchen, past an array of prepared foods, and the staff bustling around. No one even glanced in their direction, seemingly oblivious to the nudity around them. Her escorts stopped before yet another doorway. Pulling a cloth from the basket left near the door, one of them placed this about her eyes. Feeling disoriented immediately, she put her hands in front of her to regain her balance. As she did, one of them gently led her hands behind her, and bound them together criss crossed at the wrists. Panic enveloped Oasis to near the breaking point. She did not want to be blindfolded, but especially did not want to be bound. She pulled at the bindings and shook her head to free the blindfold, but these two were more than efficient in their service. Taking an arm from each side, they now led her stumbling ahead. She tried to keep her direction as they led her forward to an unseeing destination. Pausing only briefly, she felt two different sets of hands upon her body. Slowly she was raised and placed upon, what she could feel beneath her, a cold hard surface. Before she could react, two cold steel bands were locked upon her ankles, binding her to this place. Her hands were released but held firmly, as she was gently forced to lie back. Her wrists were then bound by more cold steel. She could only hear the hustle of movement from whence she came.
Oasis began to imagine all sorts of unspeakable things. The worst of which, she was to be some sort of sacrificial offering to some unforeseen god. She imagined her blood gushing about her neck, and pooling about her ears. Could she find her voice at that moment, she would have been screaming with terror.
Medusa Lives!
Very slowly rational thought came for her again. She allowed this to wash over her troubled mind, as she lay there alone and untouched. Was she really in mortal danger? "No," she thought, her beloved Master would not really allow another to harm her. Other than being spread so openly, was she really hurt in anyway right now? " No," the cuffs that bound her were snug but not biting, and the cold against her backside was receding as her body warmed it. She thought of Philippe. What were his reasons for wanting her here this way right now? She could only assume to find pleasure in her humiliation, and to entertain his friends in such a way. She relaxed knowing she would endure this and all things for him, and also find a part of herself in this play.
Without warning the blindfold was removed . Oasis, too lost in her own thoughts, did not hear her escorts return. Her sight slowly adjusted to the sudden light, and she could finally see some of the grandeur she wished for. As she looked about the room, she noticed, she was not alone in her placement. More tables, not alters as she feared, were inhabited by nude woman as well. Smiling now at her vivid imagination, she felt better knowing she was not the sacrificial lamb of the evening.
She felt more than saw her escorts behind her. What she did see were trays upon trays of food being wheeled and placed about their tables. Watching this unfold, Oasis looked on as the food was arranged around the women on the tables. Knowing her purpose in this play now, she realized that she was also a part of this human buffet. Though insanely erotic to her, she felt a deep anger swell from within. "He could have told me!" She thought. Her escorts began their work upon her. One on her hair, that was being painfully twisted and pasted into sections. The other began brushing a sweet glaze over her body, shining bright as patent leather. A powdery sugar was lightly sifted over this, and had she not closed her eyes, she would have been adorned there as well.
Opening her eyes, she saw him smiling above her. She could physically feel all of the anger surface to her eyes, and knew they would be shining as brightly as her body did now.
"Careful Medusa, I have no desire to be turned to stone," Philippe intoned seriously, although the amusement could still be seen in his face.
"Why did you not tell me Philippe?!!" she growled at him. "I have been through hell and back within my mind wondering what was happening to me!" Oasis felt hot and stinging tears forming in her eyes and fought to control them, knowing he would enjoy such a site.
"Did you not read my instructions little Medusa?" he asked. "Je vous que mes amis se regalent sur vous. Did you find no meaning in this? Ahh, I can tell by your face you did not. It means, I want my friends to feast upon you. So see? I did tell you, hot headed one." Laughingly stated, he only gazed with amusement into her shining eyes.
Her anger surfaced even more hotly. She felt the heat from it might melt the glaze and sugar that was drying upon her. Since she could not move her body, the only thing she could do in defiance was to close her eyes. As she did the tears, she fought so hard to control, overflowed her eyes and ran a stark streak down the glaze to her ears. She felt angry not only with him, but with herself for not being more diligent in understanding what he had written, even though it was vague. She knew at some point she would meet people and friends of his, but she never expected to be displayed so openly, and certainly not to be eaten from or viewed as other than herself. Her mind reflected upon trust and acceptance of the self she had given over to him. Knowing he would be watching her every expression, could she bear up to others partaking from her body, even in amusement? Was it the anger he was trying to invoke from her? Possibly to bring a realism to her role, for her eyes were those of ever changing color, and at times could bring the phrase "looks that kill" to life? As she analyzed her feelings, the anger subsided, and she only wished to ask these questions of him.
He waited patiently, as her eyes opened to him again. The expression on his face had changed to one of adoration, rather than amusement. Though the questions were on her lips, she could not speak for fear of breaking such an intense gaze from him. Slowly he moved from her gaze, and with his tongue traced the passage of tears from her ear to the corner of her eye, bringing his face to view once more. She understood without words that even her anger belonged to him as he drank from her well of emotions.