Part I: The Prisoner and the Concubine
I do not know how long I slept for following my encounter with Mistress Cynthia. It could have been days, months, even decades. Indeed the sleep lifted, it seemed an eternity. My mind was clouded and unclear, my vision blurred I blinked the sleep from them, and my head throbbed with pain. Indeed my whole body ached, every muscle sore. I could see little of my surroundings as the lights blurred in my vision, I tried to shake my mind clear, but it was slow in happening. The air in wherever I was cool, but pleasantly so. My back lay against soft cushions, and the smell of roses and incense teased me. Indeed as I breathed deeper, the aches faded a bit, the pleasant aromas soothing my body.
I felt cool water drip softly onto my face, and then more coolness as something brushed across my forehead and down my cheek. I could see motion near my face, but it was unclear what it was. I reached out to touch whatever it was that was touching me, but I was unable to. It dawned on me that my hands were bound over my head. I struggled a bit more, in a panic as my helplessness became apparent to me. Hands caressed my head and neck, I tried to shake them away at first, but their touch was gentle, caring. I laid my head back into the cushions and sighed.
"Do not struggle," a soft female voice whispered as a hand caressed my cheek, "you cannot get free." She placed her hand on my chest softly, I could feel her touch, hot but pleasantly so, through my shirt.
"Where am I," I demanded, trying to swallow the nervous fear that comes with such helplessness. I blinked my eyes again, the blurring still clear, although now I imagined I could make out the delicate lines of the speaker's face.
"That is a complicated question," she said quietly, "and it is my purpose to help you to understand and learn much of your fate. For now let's say that you are captive in the palace of Empress Cynthia, leader of the Sindara." She gave me a second to take that in, before I could ask my next question, she began to answer it. "You're vision should clear momentarily, it is a side of effect of the transit to our world.
"Your world?" I asked. My head was spinning. Still part of me thought this must be a dream. My vision cleared and I could make out more, although it was still somewhat blurry. The woman who leaned over me was beautiful, strikingly so. Between her beauty and the gentle caresses and massaging, the anxiety of the moment was calmed.
"The world of the Sindara," she smiled at me, "I know it will take time for you to understand and accept it, it always does. But you have been brought from your world, to this one, a new world or planet, the name of the world on which you are Thalassia, and you are in the Sindaran Empire. Our empire lies on the northern shores of the largest of the Thalassian continents. You are in the imperial palace."
"And Mistress Cynthia?"
"She is our ruler," she smiled, it was clear she held Cynthia in respect, "the Empress has ordered me to attend to your needs, and to answer your questions regarding our world, and your fate now that you are here."
My vision was clear now and so was the beauty of the woman who leaned over me. In some ways she was more beautiful, and sexier, than even Cynthia, although she didn't have the same power and authority about her. Yet she still had the same smell and feel of sexual energy, indeed in some ways it was even more intense. There was an odd mixture of innocence and sexual power about her. Her gaze betrayed that innocence, but she was clearly intelligent. Her breasts were small, but firm. Her blonde hair fell in tight curls around her large innocent blue eyes. She smiled as she sat on the bed next to me, caressing my hair, and holding a glass of what looked like wine to my lips, "go ahead it's not poison." She smiled and I sipped as she tilted the glass, it was actually quite good. "I live to serve; I know very well what you like, what will drive you wild."
"I see..."
"I am Vislani, Haj Vislani to be exact," she explained, "the Vislani are sexual servants, and our skill and power are unmatched. Yet we are bred to be servants, never to rule. The Haj are the elite and most prized of all Vislani, we are born incomplete. We are kept in the life chambers of the great temple until we submit to the will of the one we are to serve."
"How old are you then? You were programmed for me? I mean I just got here right?" I was intrigued by all of this.
"It depends on what you consider the beginning of my life," she smiled, caressing my thigh now, "I've been in this form for a little over a month, yes you've been unconscious that long. My essence however, my soul, mind, and energy, that is hundreds of years old. The Haj mature as they age, we become... well better. I was one of the oldest of the Haj, you should be honored I was chosen as your gift. The Empress was quite generous; then again, the prophecy foretold the most prized of all the Haj shall be servant to the one who saves us." This was all too much, and still felt like a dream. I understood most of what she said, but it was frankly unbelievable. Yet the wine, this woman, the room, it all seemed so real.
"I am a bit overwhelmed as you can imagine, I don't understand all of this at all. If I am her prisoner, why would she 'give' me anything? Why am I here? I am supposed to 'save' the people who imprisoned me?" I ranted off question after question, meanwhile the girl smiled, lastly I asked "and what is your name?"
"I am known as Corinna," she responded, "as for your questions, that is why I am here, to answer them."