Sins of the Father

**557 years since the Sundering Enlightenment, 519th year of the reign of Emperor Tyros**

Cast-

Attendants: Slave courtesans tasked with entertaining guests and escorting them around the Imperial Palace.

Lann: King of Ulstead. A small, cowardly man with a terrible cruel streak. He is visiting the palace to ask for aid against a large orcish army amassing up north.

Tyros: Founder and ruler of the Hranian Empire. He is also the son of Barys, God of Justice.

Nitta: Princess of Ulstead. King Lann's daughter. About to pay the price for her father's cruelty.

Darienne: Wizard and chief advisor to Emperor Tyros. In this world, arcane power has its price. She paid with her sight.

-----

King Lann tumbled down the steps to the Imperial throne. At the bottom he groaned in pain and fear, eventually gaining the strength to look to his bodyguard. One of them laid dead while the other was pinned down by the palace guard. Managing to stumbled to his feet, he looked incredulously to the man who pushed him down -- Emperor Tyros, demigod son of Barys. "Seriously? All this over a slave?" he asked, his voice betraying both his ignorance and fear.

This question only served to enrage the Emperor even more. "MY slave!" he bellowed. "MY property! To live and die at MY whim, NOT YOURS!"

Tyros continued as he strode down the steps. "You broke the Peace of the Palace. You beat one of my attendants near to death, and for what? Something so damned PETTY!?"

Before Lann could answer, he found himself lifted by his collar. A swift punch to the gut caused him to cough up blood all over the sleeve of the emperor's tunic. "P-please..."

Tyros ignored the blood and brought his face up close. "I gave you the finest hospitality in the world, and you spat on it. I should kill you right now."

He tossed Lann back to the ground and towered over him. "However, I had already decided to help you fight the Stone Crushers tribe, and I need you to lead your army."

Lann started to get back up, confident that everything was over. "Glad you finally see th-" His words were cut short when he felt the back of the Emperor's hand strike him across the face and he fell right back down.

"I'm not done, yet!" Tyros shouted. "There is still a price to be paid. Not only did you break the Peace of the Palace, Attendant Kasna was well-favored by my daughter. She's at her side bawling her eyes out at this very minute!"

He managed to take a deep breath and calm down before going on. "You have two daughters, Hespera and Nitta, yes?" Lann could only nod. "Hespera is currently betrothed, so she is safe. Nitta, however, is not. She will do."

King Lann looked up, confused. "You wish to make her a concubine?"

Tyros laughed heartily in response. "No, you idiot! She's to become an attendant!" The seriousness of his tone returned. "My soldiers will escort you home and take station there. You have two months to send your daughter here with her virginity intact, or the orcs will be the least of your worries!"

-----

Princess Nitta stared in awe as her carriage pulled up to the grand gates to the Imperial Palace. Imagine being a guest of Emperor Tyros. She was going to be in the lap of luxury: great food, luxurious baths, massages and pampering by the beautiful attendants during her stay. This was going to be great!She could hardly contain herself, as the carriage door opened, and she nearly sprinted up the steps with glee leaving her Imperial escort behind.

Inside the main doors, she gazed in wonder at the main hall. Such craftsmanship! Such artistry! Fine marble, gold trim (or maybe brass...or both!), wall murals telling the history of the Empire's founding, not to mention the busy crowd of people from so many lands...it was quite overwhelming.

She was brought out of her reverie by two beautiful women with long, braided hair approaching her and bowing. The presumed leader was looked to be nearly thirty years old, had raven black hair, was quite tall and had a rather large pair of breasts. She wore a blue see-through dress, easily showing off her nipples. About the only thing providing any actual coverage was a matching colored brief that was held up and decorated by fine gold chains. Gold jewelry adorned her, including a gold collar with blue enamel and a long gold necklace bearing a pendant depicting Eri, the Goddess of Passion.

Her companion, by contrast, was easily ten years younger (close to Nitta's age), had blonde hair, and was almost flat chested. Her dress, while also see-through, was black and had none of the jewelry the other had, replacing the gold collar with a thin silk choker.

The one in blue smiled broadly and spoke. "Greetings, my lady! My name is Skavé, Senior Attendant to the Imperial Palace. This here is Taya, my Novice trainee. It is my duty and honor to welcome you, this fine day. To whom do I have the privilege of speaking?"

So these are the Attendants Nitta had heard so much about. But what was this? A slave? With a religion!? Father never told her of such an affront! Perhaps it was a mistake to come here.

"Silence, slave!" Nitta all but shouted. "How dare you address the Princess of Ulstead, without leave!?"

Skavé looked shocked, but not for the reason the princess thought. Did she not know why she was sent? Was this maybe some kind of brave front? The poor girl must be in denial.

Another woman came up and touched Skavé's arm without even looking in the Attendant's direction. "It's okay, Skavé. I will take it from here." She was a somewhat older woman who wore a low-cut brown dress and carried a wizard staff. It was clear why she never looked at the attendant -- the pupils and irises of her eyes were gone.

"I am Darienne, Chief Advisor to Emperor Tyros. I would appreciate it if you lowered your tone."

"And you should watch yours, wizard!" Nitta retorted. "You are speaking to royalty!"

Darienne came to a realization, but kept her face stoic. "So no one told of your situation." She motioned for one of the palace guards to come over to them. "Follow me, 'princess'. And don't dawdle."

Nitta could feel something was wrong and wanted to leave, but with the guard right behind her, she had no choice but to go along with things. Darienne walked through the palace as if she could see. Along the way the princess took in the sights of the palace. Beautiful gardens, exquisite stonework, art of all types and style, diplomats from several different kingdoms each escorted by an attendant -- this place was a paradise.

It occurred to her that she might know what was happening. "Am I being held hostage, here?" she asked. "I mean there are plenty of worse places to be kept. Did my father insult the Emperor or something? I mean he did look rather nervous when he cane home for me. Do I get an attendant to look after me? I heard so much about them and what they can do, though I do not wish to sleep with one, I mean...with a slave...yuck!" She kept rambling on. There was no answer.

The three of them finally reached a double door flanked by a pair of women in palace guard armor. Recognizing the advisor, they quickly swung the doors open, allowing Darienne and Nitta through. Half way through the short hallway, the wizard stopped and turned.

"Before we go on, now is the time to tell you everything." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Your father is a cruel, entitled bastard." She raised her hand before Nitta could protest. "And since he told you nothing, it proves he is a coward, as well."

Once again Nitta started to say something but Darienne struck her staff on the floor, startling the princess silent. "Emperor Tyros offered King Lann all the hospitality afforded to a foreign dignitary, but instead of acting graciously, he beat the attendant assigned him near to death for simply having a faith!"

Nitta ventured a few words in. "But I was taught slaves have no souls and their prayers were an affront to the gods!"

Darienne simply scoffed at her. "Well they do have souls. And the goddess the attendants worship happens to be the Emperor's own aunt, Eri, Goddess of Passion. Do you not think she would have had him do something about it centuries ago if she were offended?"

She stopped herself from continuing down this route. "Either way, it was no reason to hurt the emperor's property like that. On top of that, violence in the Palace is beyond harshly punished. Your father got off lightly."

A gray-haired woman appeared at the end of the hallway, dressed as an attendant but in red. "Is there a problem, my lady? I heard..." she stopped and saw the princess, adopting a sympathetic look. "...I see..."

"Yes," replied Darienne. "Apparently King Lann sent her here without telling her anything."

By this point Nitta had had enough and shouted. "Could somebody tell me what's going on!? Am I a hostage or not!?"

"No, Nitta," the wizard said, sighing. "The punishment was to have you sent here to become an attendant."

Wait a second. That could not be right. Nitta giggled nervously. "Wait a moment. Me? A slave? How? No no no no no no."

She turned around and headed straight for the door, but Darienne point her staff to it and shouted "Calos!". The door would not budge, not even a fraction of an inch.

"Let me out!" Nitta shouted at the top of her lungs. "I will not be a slave!" She started stomping her foot repeatedly. "Let me out, gods damn it!!"

"Siddip."

Darienne's spell caused Nitta's voice to go completely silent, stopping her rage, instantly. "It is unfortunate that you were kept ignorant of your situation until you came here. Blame your father for that one. As for you, all your shouting and blustering is for naught. You cannot change your fate. You are an attendant, now. I suggest you get used to it. Understand?"

The now former princess collapsed to her knees, hyperventilating in total panic. This was a bad dream - a nightmare! It had to be!