*See through the eyes of Esme. Esme, is to be tested to see if she can become a traveling cleric of the order. Her test is to survive an encounter with and seduce an imprisoned gnoll held by the order. She will be bolstered by participating in the salacious ceremony a nightly event performed to sustain the clergy.*
Despite the constant placations of the other members, you're nervous. The wonderfully warm bath with rose oil and petals being shared with your kindred practitioners helps, but doubts still linger. Never having even seen one in person before, and knowing that they only speak a kind of half language you don't have any idea of is intimidating.
The simple melody of a single lyre playing shifts as more join along with flutes. The neophytes leave the water first, something you almost instinctively join, before being playfully tugged back in by your mentor, with hands on your shoulders. The feminine among them toss on small amounts of coverings before moving out to through the various curtains to the commons.
Lalasa giggled "not this time", before gently rubbing her thumbs in to the knots forming in your shoulders. "So, stressed. A cutie like you has nothing to worry about."
You merely sink in to the point your mouth is submerged to blow bubbles, as words of protest would be even less effective. Lalasa is probably right, as often is the case, and she'd been through this before herself. Not to mention Tanith had just passed this trial a mere two months before under her tutelage. Tanith the very person that many were doubtful of purely for being Yuan-Ti.
You leer at the masculine, and queer neophytes dressing in an attempt to distract yourself. The music shifts. The feminine sections flutter of flutes and lyres is replaced a throbbing percussion of drums accompanied by chants. The masculine neophytes pour out of the bath to the commons. Most of the queer group now handling various accoutrements. Their section usually full of more juggling, fire dancing, and displays less focused on their bodies.
With one more section between you and your first performance in the second set, you lean back into Lalasa. Her soft bosom against your shoulder blades. Her arms slide forward clasping in front of you. Her forearms floating, gently grazing your breast. Her presence calming as ever.
In too short a time, the chants stop. The drums flare in and out, no longer just keeping the beat. Lyre chords and flute decrescendos flutter in and out. The queer section has started. Your dancing in the next section will be just like many times before, but the knowledge that unlike previously you won't just cycle through sets and collect donations, this time you'll proceed to the ritual chamber for your trial.
"Time to make you sparkle!" Lalasa beams as she moves out past you.
At the top of the stairs out of the bath is a bowl on a pedestal prepared earlier that she waits beside.
"Come here sexy, let's make you shimmer"
You drag yourself forward and up the steps. Lalasa takes half-handfuls of powdered silver from the bowl. First she rubs some in on your shoulders. Touching lightly just the base of your neck and just over the bump of your arm. Next a large pinch she drips betwixt your breast before rubbing it in just barely to your clavicle with most being spread as she traces under your bust.
Followed by a handful each at the tops of your hips. Her hands trace lightly forward and down in a V shape stopping before meeting above your vulva. Her hands move back over your hips and circle to the top of your butt. Her middle fingers slide wholly in the crack as her palms go over your cheeks before she gives a grope.
A final set of half-handfuls she gently slaps on your cheeks. Holding your face in her hands she gives a quick kiss on your forehead before moving your face right in front of hers.
"You got this"
You give her a peck on the lips. "Thank you"
"That's the spirit" she responds moving out of your way.
You slide into your very tight black leather chaps with aid of the oil still covering you. Then your boots, under-bust corset, and gloves that reach halfway up your forearm with holes for the fingers. Followed by your non-leather coverings. A pink velvet skirt that reaches just above the knees with a long slit up the left side. A criss cross top to match. Lalasa guides you to the line behind herself and two others.
The music shifts and you follow in line through the curtains to the commons. There is a slightly larger crowd then normal, which is to be expected on any special ceremony night. Heads of the clergy will send out special invites. You are to dance at the pole of Loviatar, your archon this night.
You are relieved to feel the interested gaze of so many on you. You stride forward confidently and begin your set. First hooking one leg around the pole before spinning around it. Your enthusiasm and adrenaline scouring away your worries, as you grab the pole and begin your more advanced maneuvers.
Spinning your legs in front, before using their momentum to spin again. Before gracefully posing, then slowly leaning into a lunge. Snapping up, and kicking a leg out in front. Then slowly swinging it down and behind.
You reach over with your arm, lifting your raised leg up along the pole. Your other hand grasping the pole, as it does your other hand drops. The raised leg falling down on that side. You then swing around leaning out once, before swinging a leg around the pole.
Again you swing around slowly sliding down, your other leg trailing a foot against the ground. At the bottom you put your hands forward and slide out a bit. Spreading your legs before you slide back to the pole. You slide your hands out and back as you rest on your bust. Then slide your hands beneath your belly. You press up and start to drag your feet in as the pole slides underneath you.
With your feet about shoulder width apart you stop and plant them before raising quickly up half-way. You bring your hands to your chest and cup your breast forward. Then trace the neckline of your top with your fingers. Teasing like this always gets an audible reaction and this night is no different.
You slap your hands down to your thighs, and finish standing slowly. Then turn and slide around to one side as you caress a single had up the pole from waist height up to as high as you can. Then you hop whilst pulling up to get the other higher, before swinging your legs around and up. Splitting the pole while you slide down.