Author's note -- All characters are over 18, as established within the story.
Paradise Obtained: Chapter 8 -- Trouble in the harem
Georgia Harding had developed a routine while staying at Hawk Castle. She rose with the sun just after 7 a.m. each morning and went for an hour's run before breakfast, taking her out of the castle, across the valley to the wooded slopes to the east, through the woods and then back to the Castle. It was a solitary affair; she invited no one and had rebuffed the only offer to accompany her, made by Ilse.
This morning was bitterly cold, as early February in the Carpathians was wont to be, but fortunately there was no snow and she was soon warmed by her exercise. When she had just entered the treeline on the outward leg of her run Georgia stopped and turned aside, leaning her back against the trunk of a tree. She knew she had to make the call here as further up-slope mobile reception became patchy at best. Anyway, it was the designated time for her report.
Georgia hated doing this. It was spying at best and felt horribly like a betrayal of trust. For one thing she loved Matthew Mitchell and had from the moment she met him. She realised there was something a bit odd about that, but it still felt very real. But more than that, Georgia had now spent months travelling round the globe with Matt and she had developed a real regard for him as a friend, mentor and guide. She genuinely liked the man.
But she had no choice in the matter. Georgia rang the number she had been given, just has she had each day for months now. Helga answered as usual. Georgia briefly wondered about that. What hours did she work? Did she never take a holiday?
"Good morning Helga. It's Georgia Harding."
"Good morning Miss Harding. I will put you through to Herr Heller."
Moments later that cultured voice Georgia knew so well said: "Good morning Miss Harding. Gamma 231350; I repeat, Gamma 231350."
"Yes Herr Haller. I am your servant and will obey your orders," Georgia replied automatically.
"Excellent. What is your report?"
"No major new developments, Herr Heller. As you know Kanako and Millie have arrived. Matt has let them rest for a few days following their long journeys, but he has Delilah and Nikki organising a ceremony for what he calls Kanako's 'deflowering'..."
"Let me stop you there Miss Harding. As I have said before, I have no interest in the love life of Mr Mitchell or your colleagues. I am more concerned about anything that could disrupt the group. You have reported before that you feared Mistress Delilah and Corporal Parsons might clash. How is that developing?"
Georgia sighed, "Not well. But I believe Matt is aware of the situation and will take action when he needs to."
"Good. In that case I only have one other task for you. I need to speak to Miss Paulescu privately. Please arrange for her to take a call from me at 23.30 local time tonight."
"Yes, of course Herr Heller."
"Thank you Miss Harding. I wish to commend you on your efficiency. It's a pity that Mr Mitchell found you first; I could easily have found you a place in my organisation. Still, I hope you enjoy the ceremony. Goodbye until tomorrow."
Georgia stayed resting against the tree for a minute. She was busy hating herself at that moment, but in truth she knew she couldn't help but obey. Matt had queried how Haller seemed to know everything he was doing. She longed to tell him the answer. But she couldn't.
*****
Millie's arrival had prompted a fresh round of nicknames. "Matt," she reminded me, "you always give your mates names. You should know that... Boss." She had already christened Georgia as Brains, in reference to the American's academic skills. I had decided to accept 'Boss' as a compliment, and she called herself Butch, although I didn't regard that as especially appropriate and never referred to her as such.
The first of the others to acquire a name from Millie was Nicoleta and it happened within a couple of minutes of the Australian's arrival at the Castle. She was standing in the entrance hall, admiring the weaponry hung on the walls.
"You could do someone some serious damage with that, Boss," Millie was saying to me, pointing to a halberd, when down the main staircase to greet her as hostess came Nicoleta, wearing one of extraordinary outfits she favoured, and of which I had purchased several at some considerable expense. She claimed they fitted the ambience of the castle.
As this purple-themed vision in fitted bodice, lace, frills, wispy chiffon, laced boots, necklaces, rings, bracelets and masses of curled chestnut hair descended the stairs, Millie took one look and exclaimed, "Fuck me dead! It's bloody Cinderella!" And so Nikki was named, which Millie soon shortened to Cinders.
Of the various nicknames given out by the Australian this was the one that got the most traction and it became something of an affectionate term for Nikki amongst her harem sisters. Nor did the Romanian girl take offence at this, seeing the funny side. It wasn't in her open and friendly nature to get annoyed about such things.
For Kanako, Millie settled on Babe. This started from 'baby', a reference to the Japanese girl being the youngest of the group at 18. But I also suspected that it had a double-meaning. Kanako was indeed a 'babe', in the sense of an attractive woman, and Millie would most certainly be one to notice that.
Ilse acquired hers in the following manner. Millie may be a lesbian but in most ways she has a fairly conventional and straightforward attitude to sex. It is very much a case of 'wham, bam, thank you, Mam' with her. Kinky stuff is not really her scene. So, when one afternoon she walked in to one of the living rooms to discover Delilah petting and stroking two fur-covered human 'cats', their tails waving, she took one look, muttered "Jesus fucking Christ", spun on her heel and walked out again.