(All characters depicted are over the age of 18)
Author's note: I have updated this chapter to include more backstory/character building and try to fix the pacing
Anna
*
My skin crawled as I thought back to the night before with Hale. My throat and pussy still felt raw from his assault although my face was not marked from him striking me. There was a knock on the door to my room and I opened it to find an unfamiliar girl standing there.
"Madam says to get dressed and be in the reception hall by 12pm," she told me before walking away, not waiting for a response. It seemed that no one disobeyed Madam.
By 12pm I was perched on one of the couches in the reception in a new dress when Madam walked in.
"You did well last night," she said indicating for me to stand up. "Your next appointment is waiting," she added. I hesitated unsure if I had the strength to face Hale again, my body still sore from last nights encounter.
"Don't worry, it's not Hale," Madam said sensing my concern. "Last night was payment for bringing you here to me," she continued, "He can't afford you now, and you won't be struck by a patron again." I felt relieved but my stomach was still in knots, it may not be Hale but there was still a strange man in one of those rooms that I would be expected to service.
"This is your only appointment today," Madam told me as we walked towards the back rooms, "Tonight you will be performing at the celebration of the Royal union between Prince Elon and the Princess of Vymora." My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Aylene and I felt a glimmer of hope at seeing her again. The hope quickly vanished as I wondered what Madam meant by perform. I didn't get chance to ask her before we arrived in front of one of the doors and I was ushered inside. This time Madam didn't lock the door after closing it.
Elon
I summoned Hale first thing the next morning. "Your Highness," he addressed me, bowing.
"Hale, please make arrangements to have the Princesses ladies maid sent back to Vymora on the next ship," I instructed.
Hale hesitated seeming like he was about to say something before agreeing, "Of course, your Highness."
"What is it, Hale?" I asked irritably.
"I was just wondering how the Princess might react to her ladies maid being shipped off," he replied. I sighed, he was right, if I wanted to repair my relationship with the Princess that would not be a good start.
"You're right, Hale," I said, "Please have two horses saddled, I'll take the Princess out riding."
"Right away, your Highness," he responded before bowing and leaving the room.
Anna
Thankfully my second appointment as a Starithian whore was much less eventful, the client barely managed a few thrusts before unloading inside me. Afterwards, Madame gathered myself and eleven other girls in the main reception hall to practice for the ceremony tonight. I learned that the performance was a choreographed dance routine. It started with the twelve of us modestly dressed and holding large fans. The first half of the routine involved us moving in unison as we slowly removed our garments until only the fans remained to cover us. The second half was more intricate using the fans to tease the audience with glimpses of our naked bodies. My heart sank when we got to the last note of the song and we were instructed to snap the fans shut leaving us totally exposed.
We ran through the steps what seemed like a hundred times before Madam was finally satisfied. She summoned in a group of women and instructed them to pin up our hair and apply heavy makeup before bringing out a basket of masquerade masks and handing them out. I felt relieved when I realized I would be unrecognizable behind the mask, I didn't want Aylene to see what I had become.
Once we were ready a footman arrived to collect us and we were led to an area of the palace I had not seen before. We entered what appeared to be a large ballroom but a heavy curtain hung across partitioning off the end where we stood. I could hear the sounds of merriment coming from the other side and my stomach flipped.
"The curtain will part in five minutes and then the music will start," the footman informed us as Madam directed us to our places for the routine.
I was having trouble controlling my nerves, my heart beating wildly as I waited in position for the curtain to move. I don't know how Madam could see my fear though the mask but she leaned in close as she moved to stand at the side of the room.
"For your own good don't mess this up, Anna," she hissed. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and reminded myself there was only one thing I cared about and that was finding Aylene and escaping this place. I raised my chin and forced a smile to my face as the curtains started to open.
Aylene
The wine had been flowing and the guests at the celebration had started to get rowdy. Prince Elon reached out take my hand under the banquet table just as one of the guests slammed his goblet down, engaged in a heated debate with the King about shipping taxes.
Elon leant over to press his lips against my ear, "You look fantastic in that dress, Princess Aylene," he whispered. My stomach flipped and I grinned. I wondered how I could have ever thought Elon to be cold or indifferent.
We had spent the whole day together and he had shown me around the palace. We rode horses to a nearby lake for a picnic and he told me about his childhood growing up in Starithia, filling me in on the different people I would meet tonight. After we had ridden back and stabled the horses he had taken me for a walk hand in hand through the palace gardens.
Prince Elon stood up from the table and held out his hand for me. "Will you take a stroll outside with me Princess?" he asked smiling. I agreed and we walked out into the courtyard, the fresh air was a nice change from the stuffy banquet hall. "This way," he said, taking my hand and guiding me through a concealed archway to a secluded spot.
"I had a great day today," he said earnestly. "And I'm sorry I came on so strong on our wedding night," he added taking my other hand in his, "I didn't mean to push you too fast."
"I'm sorry too," I replied. "I didn't know Anna was going to be here, I shouldn't have continued with that part of my life. I want to be a good wife to you and a good Princess to Starithia," I told him truthfully. He let go of my hands and stepped closer to me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"Let's start fresh from today," he suggested.