Ros Voyeh

Notes: 1) If you see this anywhere but Literotica, it isn't supposed to be there!

*****

Lislora's belly growled as they waited in the antechamber to be seen. It felt as if they'd been waiting for at least an hour. Draeseth gave her a wry smile but before he could speak the servant's door opened and Krouth slipped in carrying something small wrapped in cloth.

"Your Highness, Lady Lislora. His Majesty is having lunch." He glanced to the doors, "On the order of her Grace, I had something prepared to welcome you. I thought it would be in keeping with her wishes to have a small portion brought to you while you wait." The cloth was opened to reveal an odd looking pastry. "Hare pockets are what the cooks are calling them."

"They look like the ones my wife favors, filled with lamb." Draeseth took one and smelled it before biting into it. He made a loud sound as the thick, dark filling began to escape.

"Some care is required. There's more sauce in these than in those with the ground meat and soured cream filling her Grace favors."

"You could have warned me." He licked some of the filling from the back of his fingers. "It's good, much better than the lamb."

Taking the other, Lislora bit into it more carefully. The hare had been excellently prepared and the savory filling complemented the flaky pastry perfectly. She was able to devour hers with less mess than her cousin but after finishing it wished there had been more than one.

The servant seemed to see the thoughts on her face and gave a shallow bow, "A proper meal will be waiting in your rooms."

"Is my wife dining with my father?" Draeseth rubbed his hands clean on an underlayer of his tunics.

"Her Grace is resting. She was unable to keep anything down this morning, not even sweet melon juice." Krouth inclined his head at Draeseth's concerned expression. "I gave her merciful breath so that she might be able to eat the dinner that's being prepared. It makes her sleep heavily and she wished to be permitted to sleep until she wakes. I didn't attempt to wake her for lunch."

"How is her mood?"

"It should improve when she sees young Hodrim." He glanced at Lislora, "On days she cannot drink she's prone to tears. She was thinking about the boy earlier and nearly wept.

"Her Grace wished to have comforts for you both prepared, a good meal and a bath will be waiting as will your wine, on her command, your Highness."

"Was she," Lislora swallowed and twisted her fingers, "Was she displeased that I'll be occupying her study?"

"She requested it without knowing I was already preparing the room. When her Imperial Highness informed her where his Highness had gone and why, her first concern was for you, my Lady, that you would be upset and that some may be cruel to you. Princess Kresh tried to insist that your child would be a threat, but her Grace insisted that a child is a joy and that she would welcome you and your child."

Lislora covered her face. She couldn't help but feel ashamed thinking of the letter she'd written. Her child would have been a threat if the Duchess hadn't already been with child.

"Mes said that Xago had made an exquisite gift for my wife. Whatever he wants for it, within reason, pay it and have it brought." Draeseth spoke firmly.

"As your Highness pleases." The servant paused, "I'll have the boy bathed as well."

"In the servant's tub."

"As your Highness pleases."

She heard the servant leave and looked up at her cousin with an apologetic look. "I should have been more thoughtful. Your wife..."

"She thinks of others first. I-" The door opened and he stood immediately.

Following suit, Lislora clasped her hands nervously. Both of them relaxed as Burgath came in with a faint smile on his face. He moved toward Draeseth as if he were going to greet his brother and instead landed a hard blow to Draeseth's chest.

"From your wife. Isonei is sour with you, brother."

Draeseth made a loud displeased sound, rubbing his chest. "You've been spending time with my wife in my absence?"

"Father sent me to look in on her this morning. She's been mischievous in your absence, you might consider putting her over your knees."

"What was the blow for?"

"Selling her whoreweed. We spoke of Arans and promises. Every time she's ill she wonders if she could have insisted more strenuously that she be permitted to take it and keep her word, and if her difficulties might be a punishment from her gods."

A smile crossed her cousin's face, "I should bear the burden of any punishment they mete out."

"I told her they couldn't fault her. She was as furious over that as I had expected her to be over your mistress' child. She asked Krouth to pour a glass of your wine over your head. Ask the man about it."

"I will." Draeseth crossed his arms with a smile, "What other mischief has my wife been up to?"

"Rogath and Adareth watched her take Kresh in a mock bout, and last night she had a poor reaction to the veorola and when Kresh provoked her with talk of the Phaethian invasion of Leria she threw a fork with surprising accuracy and struck the spiteful bitch in the face across her father's mark." Burgath's broad, vicious grin drew a bark of laughter from Draeseth. "I smoothed things over with Rogath. Father laughed until he cried when I told him the Duchess' parting words."

"What did my wife say?"

"'I gave her the sharp edge she asked for.'"

Draeseth grinned wolfishly, "MY Duchess?"

"The veorola she was given made her oddly pliable and much more childlike than usual but once the effects began to wane, she came back to herself without her usual pleasantness, brother. She was nearly as intimidating as you. You don't have to be concerned about your son's size. He won't be helpless even if he takes after his mother heavily."

"I want to hear more of this bout. Her Imperial Highness prides herself on knowing the techniques used in the spring bouts, I always thought some fool had taught the woman."

"Her brothers did, she said." Rogath spoke from the doorway. "Father sent me to learn what was keeping you."

"I was telling him of his wife's misbehavior." Burgath turned and gave him a grin.

"Come tell him in the audience chamber, you know how father enjoys speaking of the 'little Duchess'."

Lislora followed silently, half afraid the invitation hadn't been extended to her.

"Burgath was telling him of his wife's misbehavior, father." Rogath entered the luxurious chamber and took a seat in the large chair next to the massive desk.

King Orgath was behind the desk eyeing his bastard son coldly. "Her misbehavior has already been forgiven."

"I had wished to hear of the bout, father." Draeseth offered a bow to the King.

"After I hear of your whore. I was brought a letter from a Sellac Gesosin?"

"Lady Lislora is carrying my child, there is no doubt." Draeseth straightened. "My wife will not be put aside, I have spoken-"

"A whore should know her place and never ask for such a thing. As much as I loved your mother, I would never have tolerated her writing such a letter."

"She regrets writing it. She was spoken to and my wife's kindness has made her-"

"Your wife is a jewel I still can't believe you managed to win over, brother." Burgath had taken the seat on the other side of the desk, flanking their father. "She doesn't want father to be harsh with you, but I can't grasp why you would ever look at another woman."

"Some of us have larger appetites." King Orgath gave Bugath a cutting look.

Burgath seemed unconcerned, shrugging his shoulders slightly, "You explained what was expected of her to Draeseth's mother. If you have no objection to-"

"Tell the little Duchess I will be less harsh with her husband on the matter." King Orgath began to smile faintly. "You should reconsider marrying one of her sisters, the woman would have you wrapped around her finger like a ribbon."

"If her sisters were as skilled in charm, Andnaeuth would have turned his attention to one of them by now. I don't take offense at my brother's appetites, I take offense at the woman I love like a sister being spoken of as the Baroness did. 'Put her aside, send her to the convent,'" Burgath scowled and turned his angry gaze on Lislora. "Unmarriageable whores belong in convents. Charming, gracious Ladies like Duchess Isonei belong at Court."

"I-I hadn't meant to insult her." Lislora pinned her eyes to the floor.

"My wife had enjoyed the convent, it wasn't meant-"

"She enjoyed the convent because she was unhappy with you, I have no doubt." Burgath spoke coolly. "You spent your time with the Baroness because it was easier than enduring your wife's homesickness and longing for conversation."

"I left my wife alone too often," Draeseth sounded as if he were speaking through gritted teeth, "but it was the children that made her wish to stay the night. My Duchess adores children. The Sellac had also asked her to help tend the hive they were given. Isonei has been begging for one at the Keep."

"See to it she gets one," King Orgath sounded pleasantly surprised. "Her father's wine is sweeter than I'm accustomed to but I enjoy it. She seems to know something of the craft, perhaps the Kroscur can add honey wine to their accomplishments."

"It would take a great many hives, father."

Lislora glanced up at Draeseth and saw him looking vaguely ill.

"Enough for a bottle or two on special occasions wouldn't be a hardship for your wife." The King paused and Lislora pinned her eyes to the floor again. "You're giving her your bastard and the orphan boy to look after as well as her own child, she should be more content at home now. And you will bring the little Duchess back to Court often. Arrangements can be made so that she never has to travel longer than half of the day. I want her well looked after."

"I will see it done, father."

"Lady Lislora, step forward." The King's voice changed, becoming frosty.

Her knees trembled as she stepped forward a single step. Draeseth made a soft sound and came to put a hand on her back and walk her forward.

"I will explain things to you clearly, since my son has failed to do so. Prince Draeseth will be giving the little Duchess a Torgan marriage at the end of Ailzem. Your child, if she's willing to claim it, will be given to her to raise as she sees fit. You will only remain as his mistress as long as she is willing to tolerate it.

"Insult her again or forget your place and you'll find yourself a landless wretch pleading for the priesthood to take you in.

"Is that unclear to you, Lady Lislora?"

It felt as if the air had been drawn from the room. Speaking was impossible. She shook her head.

"I require an answer."

Opening her mouth, she tried to speak but no sound came out.

"She understands, father." Draeseth rested his hand on her back.

"See to it she does." There was a pause and the King's voice warmed, "Tell your brother of the bout. I'll never tire of hearing that tale. I may encourage another just to see the fierce little Duchess and her fork for myself!"

"I wish to hear it and of how my wife has been in my absence. Perhaps, Lady Lislora could retire and-"

"She'll need to bathe. Your wife had a bath drawn this morning to be fresh for your arrival. The servants have marveled at how much water the woman requires." King Orgath's cheerful tones had a slight edge.

"She would fill the tub daily if I allowed it, but hot water in a large basin suffices to keep her content. If she cannot wash daily with soap she becomes unhappy."

"She's like a breath of fresh air each time she enters a room, I think even the gardens smell sweeter when she ventures into them."

"You sound like Adareth, father." Burgath sounded almost teasing. "She visited our poor injured brother and he's spent every moment since pining for her return."

Draeseth made a displeased sound.

"I tried to warn the boy," Rogath's voice was resigned. "She was sitting on his bed to have dinner with him the night you left. He told me later that she was sour with you for leaving and not telling her where you were going but she wasn't inappropriate, despite his hopes she might be otherwise. She treated him like a little brother, they were talking and laughing as if she'd been raised here as our sister."

"My wife misses her brothers. I have no fears that she may take one of you to bed, the woman is loyal and understands fidelity surprisingly well." He made a softly amused sound, "She felt guilty for having a dream about another man."

"The little Duchess is a jewel. She reminds me of your mother in some ways, such a sweet-tempered woman. Even though she was only my mistress she was devoted to me. I find it amusing you chose a sweet, cheerful woman like your mother and the little Duchess chose a hot-tempered man like her father."

"Her mothers told her it was a sign of a passionate man," Draeseth's dry tone set his father and brothers laughing.

"Ahh, Daela, my sweet, take my son's mistress and have her bathed before seeing her to my son's rooms."

"Lady Lislora will need gowns appropriate for Court, father. I had hoped-"

"I'm loathe to lend her the few of your mother's old gowns I have left. Your servant should be able to find something appropriate. Daela can assist him."

Lislora moved in the direction Draeseth gently pushed her and followed a woman's skirt out into the halls. Nothing felt real or solid. Her child would be given to Isonei. Her heart already ached at the loss and the boy wasn't yet born.

The woman touched her arm and Lislora looked at her in surprise. "You didn't hear me?"

"No, I-I'm..."

"Reeling from something his Majesty said? He said he'd be sending you to us to be washed and cleaned up for Prince Draeseth. We were expecting someone less... modest from the way he spoke of you."

"I wrote a horrible letter. I thought the child I..." She had to take a moment to breathe through a mild wave of dizziness, "I thought it was a sign from Ganas that Prince Draeseth was meant to be married to me and not to Duchess Isonei."

"He adores that little Aran thing. I think he'd be fucking Mes silly if he hadn't given her to the woman as a maid." The woman offered a faint smile, "Do you remember my name?"

"No, I..."

"Daela. I'll send a servant to tell Mes I'm supposed to find you some dresses."

"Master Krouth-"

"The eunuch? You'd rather have him help choose dresses?"

"I trust him. I-I don't know Mes except-except that she seems fond of Duchess Isonei."

"And you're afraid she may choose something out of spite." Daela shrugged slightly. "Mes says the woman is the kindest person she's met since leaving her homeland. If it were me and I had tried to have a Duchess put aside I might prefer someone less fond of her as well."

She swallowed the urge to say that Krouth was fond of the Duchess as the plump woman beckoned her to follow.

"The bath will be done first."

The words didn't seem to make sense, but neither did anything else at the moment. Lislora followed to what seemed to be the King's wing and down to the lowest level where a bath had just been drawn. She stripped out of her clothes obediently and climbed into the warm water, washing with the pleasant herbal smelling soap.

As she rose from the water, Daela clucked at her oddly, "Your hair, too. You're meant to be clean."

The plump woman came to help her unbraid her hair, ladling the water for her but not helping her soap it. Once she'd finished, Daela helped her dry herself and wrapped her head in a towel, covering her wet hair and keeping it up off of her neck and back.

Lislora looked for her clothes and no longer saw them.

"Wrap yourself in a towel and come with me."

The thought of being paraded through the apartments in only a towel made her flush but without clothes she had no choice but to follow the woman and hope she was being taken to the dresses.

Two doors down from the bath was a small peculiar room with a large empty wooden table, and one small one draped with strips of thin cloth. A small pot hung just above the banked fire. Several women seemed to push her inside.

"Lie down on the table." Daela spoke over the sound of the other women speaking what was possibly Phaethian amongst themselves. "If you relax this won't take long and it shouldn't be terribly painful."

"Painful?"

One woman pointed at the table and gave her a stern look. Lislora looked to Daela again who made a shooing motion. The table was at the right height to be easily sat on and another of the women pulled her back into a supine position.

The towel was pulled away and the women seemed to be discussing something.

"You've never been waxed?"

"What-what do you mean? Waxed?"

"They're going to take the hair off of you to make you more presentable. It's something the Phaethians do to make their women cleaner and more pleasing to the eye. All of the royal mistresses have it done. If you struggle they'll just call the guard. I think the guards enjoy... helping."

The woman sounded almost perversely pleased and Lislora froze at the prospect, not resisting as the women began liberally applying the very warm liquidy wax to patches of her skin followed by pieces of cloth. Her delicate parts were first and she nearly fainted from the pain of the wax being removed in a brisk motion. She held still, not daring to make a sound as the hair beneath her arms and on her legs was ripped away similarly. After they had finished the women inspected their work, wiping her down with oiled cloths that soothed her skin. They seemed grudgingly pleased, gesturing for Lislora to rise from the table.

Her legs felt unsteady but she gratefully took the towel and covered herself again when it was offered.

Daela looked almost impressed as she ushered her to another nearby room, "I screamed the first time it was done. Have you-"

"Never." Lislora shuddered, hoping she would be back in the Kroscur before they tried to do it a second time.

"I had some of the taller women gather dresses to lend you. Some of them are of the lower nobility as well."

Lislora nodded, trying to imagine what kind of ambitions or desperation would lead a woman to choosing a life like this. Entering the room she saw Krouth perusing the handful of dresses with a green and black one over his arm.

"Lady Lislora, your undergarments are there and I've chosen one of the finer gowns for this evening. The King's wording made it uncertain if you were intended to join them for the Aran dinner or not."

"Thank you," her voice sounded soft and subdued even to her own ears.

Krouth glanced at her and inclined his head slightly. "Lunch has been held for you. I saw to it Hodrim was fed and bathed. His Highness had only just returned from speaking with his Majesty before I came to help you with the dresses. He wished for you to be told that he will wait to eat until you return."

"Is he speaking with the Duchess?"

"Her Grace is sleeping. I don't expect her to wake for hours yet."

"Is that healthy?" Daela interrupted the conversation, reminding them that she was still in the room.

The sour servant paused in his consideration of the gowns and gave her a frigid look, "Her Grace was told to rest as much as possible."

"I had heard-"

"I do not gossip about his Highness or her Grace. If Mes has been carrying tales I will speak sharply with the girl."

"Mes only says the Duchess is kind and talks about how much she adores the woman." Daela moved to help Lislora with her undergarments, tying the loose strings on the small clothes around the thigh to help hold the stockings and at the waist.

"Her Grace is widely praised for kindness and generosity." The man inclined his head very slightly.