It is Winter 1966. When five couples find themselves stranded at a remote high class inn by extreme weather conditions, they amuse each other by relating stories of an erotic nature, as well as taking part in all kinds of private and group sexual activities.
The Host began with a tale about a birthday orgy involving a current top film star. The Theatre Company Manager's tale was of her oral exploits with a famous actor and the Marketing Director's tale of how the 'Wife of Bath', with her daughter, had seduced a whole management team. The Politician's tale was about the husband's violent revenge, and the Model's tale about a country girl finding heaven between her legs - with the aid of her pastor. For the morning story of the fourth day, The Stockbroker's Tale showed how two resourceful women turned the tables on their partners who were trying to deceive them, whilst the Aristocrat's tale was about a sexual orgy, incest and murder in the stately home. The TV Presenter's related her experience of group sex with an African Chief and his bodyguards, whilst Jake, the actor, had a delightful story about an African tribe whose Princess found her Prince and enjoyed the sexual rites of marriage with the whole village. On the morning of the sixth day, the Author told her tale of two French pen pals vying to fuck their English correspondent - one of them got the mother instead.
Chapter Nineteen: Gerties's Fantasy
The sixth day saw an improvement in the weather. During morning coffee, the main topic of conversation was the prospect of the road being re-opened.
'Who was it who wrote the story of a party who left town to escape the plague?' Enid asked.
'Ah, that was The Decammeron of Boccaccio. Seven ladies and three men left Florence to escape the plague. They were away for ten days and nights!'
'Poor men! I'll bet they were shagged out when the got back!' Susan laughed at the thought.
'No! They each told a story every night. A hundred in all!'
'What! No time for debauchery?'
'Well, apparently not!'
'I doubt if ours'll last ten nights.'
'Huh, I doubt if we men will either!'
Julie asked the guests if they would dress for lunch in the Greek outfits they would find in their rooms. They would also take on the names of various Greek gods and goddesses which would be allotted to them. They would also wear eye masks. This, Julie explained, was to help them develop relationships, acting out their fantasies without fear or inhibition.
'But I don't expect you to remember all the relationships. They are complicated. I shall be Cassandra and Robert, Apollo. For those who don't know the story, Cassandra was touched by snakes in her sleep and, when she woke up, found that she could understand the language of the birds. Her great beauty attracted Apollo, who taught her the secrets of prophesy. But, because she refused his sexual advances, he placed a curse on her that the prophecies she made would never be believed.'
This provoked considerable response from the guests. Undeterred, Julie went on to tell them who their various characters were.
'Laurie will be Neleus, a King of Pylus; Martin is Odysseus, King of Ithaca. Jake is Theseus and George the hero, Nestor, who happens to be the son of Neleus. Theseus is, of course, the famous hero the King of Athens. As for the ladies, Enid is Queen Niobe, Delia the goddess of erotic love, Aphrodite.'
The response to this bit of casting was predicable. 'Gertie will be Hera, goddess of marriage, and Susan, Theseus's Queen, Antiope.'
There was a murmur of surprise from the guests, wondering how on earth they would remember the curious names.
'Don't worry,' Julie assured them, 'the names are not important. Wait and see! To complete the cast list, Emma and Bill are Venus and Adonis.' This raised a cheer before the guests dispersed to their rooms.
In the cocktail lounge at the appointed hour, the men appeared in simple tunics, or chitons, fastened round the waist with wide leather belts. Nothing else! The tunics were short, only just managing to conceal what lay hidden beneath them. Their partners wore flimsy white chitons, slung off one shoulder to expose a breast. A knotted cord was fastened round the waist, emphasising the seductive shapes of the buttocks beneath.
In the background, Greek music could be heard playing. As each couple appeared, Julie announced them by their Greek names to those already there. After some time at the cocktail bar, the names of the Greek gods and goddesses became more familiar to everyone. When the food appeared, everyone was fluent in calling the others by their new name.
The meal was set out on three low tables, the six couples sitting on soft cushions placed round them, to eat the from the many dishes. Julie opened the discussion on the role of men and women in society, insisting that the main purpose of the male was to fertilize the egg of the female.
'That makes we women the superior sex. Not in physical strength, of course, but in spirituality.'
'I think we may have a difference of opinion about the respective roles of the sexes, Cassandra,' Apollo confessed. 'But that need not spoil the enjoyment of our afternoon.'
'Surely not. For we women posses what you men most desire. Tucked away between our thighs lies the delicious entrance to the secret of life itself, which lies buried deep within us. It is the secret of existence. We are happy to allow those we trust and admire to enter us and share that secret, to experience the delight of our private paradise. But it is a journey man can make only through their devotion to female sexuality.
'Without it there is no joy! You men may shout and be aggressive, but we women are more subtle. We know how to tease you. Think of Lysistrata! She brought an end to men's wars by persuading her women to deny their husbands their connubial beds. I admit it was as difficult for some of the more randy married women as it was for the men, but, there, it worked!'
'Nonsense!' cried Nestor. 'Pure theory! A dramatist's invention!'
