Thank you to everyone following this story, I've really appreciated all your feedback so far.
I also wanted to say a massive thank you to those who've helped to edit/proofread this chapter.
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"My Royal Concubine here needs pampering, and I am looking to spend an obscene amount of money. I'll also need to set up an account for future purchases while I study in the city," I said with as much authority as I could muster.
"When you say obscene...," an older woman began as she came from the back of the shop. I took a couple of the larger gold pouches from my belt and dropped them onto the counter as her eyes lit up.
"I mean an obscene amount of money...and she'd better feel like a Princess," I finished as I looked back at a bewildered Scarlett while the matriarch snapped her fingers.
"Close the shop," the refined woman ordered as I noticed some younger men and women ushered out the door by the uniformed staff.
"Your Highness, you are most welcome in the Arboretum. I am Lady Vivian of House Wellesley. Might I ask to whom I am speaking?" she asked in an upper-class accent. I noted that her silver hair initially made her seem older, but she was, in fact, middle-aged and quite handsome in her own right.
Before I could reply, Scarlett, recovered from her recent upset, stepped forward and curtsied before the Lady, "My Lady, may I present my Master, Prince Henry, Heir to the Dukedom of Carrara."
"Welcome, Prince Henry," Lady Vivian replied and she too bent to give a curtsey as her staff followed with suitable formal greetings. She addressed Scarlett, "My Lady, may I ask your name?"
"May I present Natalie, my Royal Concubine," I announced, reverting to my courtly education.
"She hasn't had the best of experiences with some of your neighbours, so I'm here hoping your establishment might be able to rectify things."
"Your Highness, we'd be delighted to help. Why don't you both join me in the drawing room, and we can discuss your requirements?" she replied as I acknowledged her request, and we followed her into a cosy and refined lounge toward the back of the shop.
As we took seats on a two-seater sofa, a maid entered with a tea service, shutting the door behind her, and dutifully began serving on the table between us.
"Let me guess. You first went to that dreadful place opposite," Lady Vivian chuckled, "they only cater to the city's new money, and I doubt they would recognise the meaning behind your spectacular young Lady's collar."
"That sounds about right. The staff there treated Natalie quite awfully," I replied as I felt a surge of shock through the bond.
"Mads?" Scarlett suddenly spouted as she addressed the maid.
I finally noticed the young woman whose eyes shot up to meet Scarlett's. The woman was stunningly beautiful, with ice blue eyes framed by brown hair and a sleek and elegant body under her uniform.
"Nat?" the young woman replied in amazement. She quickly backtracked with her hand over her mouth as she suddenly knelt identically to Scarlett's usual manner,
"Sorry, Mistress, I forgot my place."
"Yes, you will be disciplined later. For the final time, it is Ma'am in public, Matilda." Lady Vivian replied sternly as the maid kept her head bowed.
"Do you know each other?" I asked a bewildered Scarlett as I took her hand.
"Yes, Master, we did most of our training together, but she was sold a few months before me," she replied as I could feel her mix of joy and worry at seeing her old friend.
"So, young Natalie was also trained at the Two Rivers in Tairhien?" Lady Vivian asked with a look of interest. "Can I assume, if she knew my Matilda, that she was also part of the submissive slave training?" she asked, while addressing her maid.
"Yes, Ma'am, we were often training partners," she replied, as Scarlett and Matilda flushed red.
"Then may I dispense with the formalities? Slave, Present and Heel." Lady Vivian ordered Matilda, who shifted to her side and took a submissive position at her feet.
"There is a reason most concubines and pleasure slaves in the capital come from the Tairhien facilities. They only find and train the most beautiful women in the Kingdom. This one arrived a few months back but needed to finish some additional training, so she is still quite new to my collection. My girls are wonderful at showing off the clothing lines and keeping clients happy." She continued stroking Matilda's hair, who leant into her touch, "The submissive ones are a personal preference," she said as she pulled Matilda's hair back harshly to expose her neck and thin silver collar.
She then leant forwards to whisper into her ear, but a subtle touch of my magic allowed me to listen in, "Now, go catch up with your little friend and make sure you maximise today's sale. Try flirting with the boy, and you might find your first client," she added in a secretive tone.
Matilda gave a slightly panicked look as she stood and approached Scarlett, who jumped up after a nod from me, and the two embraced fiercely, forgetting their surroundings for that little moment. As they did so, Lady Vivian plastered her friendly smile and turned to address me.
"Now, Your Highness, what exactly can we do for you?"
"We are looking to go for dinner this evening, and we need to get Natalie here a dress. I am also about to start at the academy, and we only have her clothing supplied by Two Rivers, so it would be nice for her to have some things of her own," I replied, trying to keep focused as Matilda led Scarlett over to the side of the room as they chatted away. "But in all honesty, I want to treat her like a Princess for the day."
"That is something we specialise in," she replied with a smile, "We already have direct accounts with the Royal Family and the Dukedom of Carrara so that any purchases can be charged directly to your estates."
"Please charge everything to Carrara. Anything she likes, I want her to have," I replied.
In no time an army of female staff arrived and began to wait on Scarlett, with Matilda ever-present. I watched on and sat with Lady Vivian as they first measured seemingly every inch of her body, Matilda taking over for the more intimate areas.
In short order waves of clothing items began to arrive as Scarlett and Matilda sat, thick as thieves, smiling at each other as they ate fruit and appetisers and drank colourful cocktails. I was jealous as one of the attendants began even to massage Scarlett's feet as she looked over a range of colourful skirts. I caught her eye at that moment as I saw the pure delight in her eyes and felt a greater joy at seeing her happiness than receiving anything for myself.
"They look quite lovely as a pair, don't they?" Lady Vivian asked, breaking our quiet observance.
I tended to agree. Seeing the two's natural chemistry made me yearn for that type of friendship myself.
"It will be a shame for them to part later, but she provides outstanding service in the bedroom. Do you keep many slaves, Your Highness?" she asked.
I didn't miss the unsubtle way she continued to pry and highlight the potential for Matilda.
"No, I have never been one for keeping them. Scarlett is my first and only companion," I replied, feeling somewhat judged by the peculiar look she gave me.
"Surely you have your retinue when travelling?"
"My father brings a sizeable one along, but I don't have anyone for myself.
"Forgive me, but that is most unusual for the Heir of a Dukedom. You should, at a minimum, have a personal maid or attendant. If you prefer a more permanent solution to paid staff, I can provide recommendations for the best markets in the city to buy from."
"That's alright, and I've coped perfectly well so far," I replied to her look of dismay. Trying to steer the conversation away, I asked, "So, do you also sell menswear?"
She smirked at me and clicked her fingers. As she did so, a pair of stunning identical twins hailing from one of the Eastern Kingdoms approached and knelt before us.
"Ladies, take Prince Henry here next door for measuring," she ordered as the two women approached me. I turned to catch Scarlett's eye as she caught mine, and seeing my look of panic and the two pleasure slaves coming my way, she smirked and gave me a shooing motion towards the door.
I realised she'd permitted me to go, but I felt guilty nonetheless. The ladies each took one arm as I stood, and escorted me into a nearby room filled with mirrors and little else.
"What are your names?" I desperately asked as the door closed.
"Please remove your clothes, Master." The one on my left said in a lilting Eastern accent.
Before I had time to think, my shirt and trousers hit the floor, leaving me in only my underwear. The two ladies then stood before me as undid their dresses in a single practiced motion, which dropped into a pool at their feet. I stood admiring the matching slaves, as both sported what I realised were slim chastity belts as their only décor, and approached from either side as they ran their hands along my skin. The white marks of scars that covered all down their backs and buttocks were shocking, and I struggled to envision how they had come to obtain them.
They soon started their work as measuring tapes appeared from seemingly nowhere as they began to assess every nook and cranny of my body, much to my embarrassment as they made sure to spend time on more sensitive areas. As they finished, the two knelt at each of my feet, resting their hands on my thighs which perfectly directed their gaze to my raging erection.
"Master, may we relieve you?" they asked in unison as I desperately tried to summon my willpower. Thinking of Scarlett at that moment, I felt like it would be a betrayal, and managed to back away as I reached for my clothes. The two ladies took this in their stride as they proceeded to help me dress before leading me back into the room and slipping away into the shadows again.
"Were they not to your liking, your Highness?" Lady Vivian asked me as I sat back down on the sofa, reaching for my tea.
"They are beautiful women, but I already have one of my own," I replied as she gave me another strange look.
"What is the fun in having only one!" she replied with a coy smile.
Lady Vivian had Scarlett and Matilda join us as the line of attendants brought through the latest in male fashion for the city. The women helped me choose styles that they felt suited me best and I ended up with orders for an enormous closet. Lady Vivian cleared everyone else out after a privacy screen had been placed at one end of the room.
