This blog is for me that others may read. I spend at least an hour on each prompt then go back and edit it then post it. If I come back to it I come back to it but if I don't then oh well. I have so many stories in my head and get depressed if I don't write something so this is more therapy for me. Enjoy!
Last week I was asked to continue this story. If anyone would like me to continue this story then just make a request in the comments below.
"Writing Prompt" used:
"Who am I that you should love me?"
Constance's heart was racing. She may have just met her patron. She couldn't be certain but Satordi seemed intrigued by her. But what was he doing here? Just as the gears in her mind were turning she felt someone grab her roughly into a dark enclave behind a tapestry then press their lips against hers. Constance recognized the smell of cinnamon and leather.
"Ion!" she finally broke free from her attacker's lips to cry in indignation.
"Did I scare you? Sorry," It was dark but Constance could see Ion's devilish grin. Ion leaned in for a second kiss but Constance slapped him.
"No you're not," she fumed. "You should know better than to sneak up on people like that. And what if someone saw you?"
Ion's cheek stung from Constance's slap. He favored the warmth that followed.
"Are you afraid of a scandal?" Ion mocked.
"Yes of course!" Constance went to leave but Ion stopped her. Despite her scrappiness, Constance was still physically weaker than Ion. He was Hedone's ground keeper who is usually a eunuch for the safety of the students who were saving themselves for their patrons but times were changing after all.
"I saw that you met the new Viceroy," Ion accused, his eyes hot with anger. All the appearance of an angry lover, which he was not to Constance.
"Careful, Ion," Constance warned haughtily, "you sound jealous."
"I am," Ion kissed Constance again this time Constance gave in. The passion of his kiss overwhelming even her common sense. Ion released Constance's lips but lingered closely to breathe in her scent of lavender.
"Well don't be," Constance spoke more quietly. "You're not allowed to be jealous because you can't have me."
"Why not?" Ion touched Constance's long swan like neck, taking delight in her shivers. They shared the same air, breathing the same breath. Time seemed to slow down just for them.
"You know exactly why," Constance pushed Ion away escaping from the warm dark enclave into the cool light of the marble corridor. Ion quickly followed her.
"I've been saving up," Ion called. Constance turned looking at Ion with narrow eyes warning him to keep his voice down. Euphemia had eyes everywhere.
"Saving up for what," Constance indulged Ion thinking it would make him keep his voice down.
"Passage to Pyreois so we can have a new life," Ion pleaded. "An honest life."
"What makes you think I'd go with you even if I believed you," Constance asked a bit incredulously.
"Because I love you," Ion affirmed.
Constance gave a dry laugh then retorted with eyes that glistened sadly, "Who am I that you should love me?" She sighed deeply, her breath catching in her throat. "It wouldn't matter anyway. I can't be a real wife to you." Constance's hand hovered over her stomach. "I can't be a real wife to anyone..."
Ion watched Constance go, his heart sinking into his chest and his cheek from where she hit him tingled as she turned a corner disappearing deeper into her glittering prison. His senses returned after a few moments. Lady Euphemia was a jealous woman and would have his manhood removed of she caught him with one of her students. Constance was right to be cautious. Ion was usually so careful but with Constance he couldn't seem to control himself. Consequences be damned. Ion checked his watch. He needed to speed his plans along.
Lady Euphemia sat in her office looking over some documents. Most of them were bills. The House of Hedone was becoming too much to maintain. She needed to find patrons with deep pockets fast. Like a wish come true, the opportunity came in the form of the new Viceroy Zane Satordi.
"Lady Euphemia," one of the maid servants announced, "Viceroy Zane Satordi is here to see you."
Without waiting invitation, Satordi waltzed into the room as if it were the Senate floor with a confident air and even more glowing smile.
"Welcome to our humble moon, Viceroy," Euphemia gave the Viceroy her own glowing smile that matched his own. And so the game began. Euphemia offered Satordi a seat which he gladly accepted.
"I've always been fond of Mira," Satordi ventured. "Great farmland in abundance of new materials as was recently discovered in the abandoned mines."
The mines of Mira were thought to be barren until someone discovered that the Mira mines were rich in iridium. A very valuable and durable metal that made up half of Pyreois's fleet of space craft. One of the reasons the courtesan trade was failing was for economics. Euphemia still held her sunny demeanor despite the storm clouds gathering within. She offered the Viceroy her finest wine which Satordi accepted happily.
"The wine stores of Hedone are legendary," Satordi marveled smoothly as he sniffed then sipped the dark bittersweet liquid. He savored the taste as it warmed the back of his throat.
"As are our gardens," Euphemia boasted. "Such rare flowers reside in our gardens that many come from all the quadrants just to catch a glimpse."
"Yes...," Satordi was reminded of Constance. She was a rare flower indeed. Yet Satordi sensed a subtext in the lady's words. "But I'm not here to discuss flowers or wine."
Euphemia's eyes dimmed though she kept her composure. Satordi placed the wine glass down then sighed, "I came here to tell you about the petition you helped pull together on keeping your training house open for 10 more years."
"The petition was signed by every woman in Quadrant 17," Euphemia enforced.
"I've seen the petition. Very impressive," Satordi agreed though giving no indication on his personal feelings yet.
"Well don't leave me in suspense," Euphemia spoke through a gritted grin. "What is your position?"
"Politically?" Satordi spoke somberly though he kept his genuine smile. He loved watching people squirm for his approval. "It has too much opposition from too many factions. They believe that the iridium is much more valuable than... women of entertainment."
"I see," Euphemia's sunny demeanor was giving way to the thundering storm inside. "And what are your feelings personally?"
"Personally...," Satordi remembered Constance's smiling face and emerald eyes. "My desires are that everyone comes out happy. Perhaps your girls can find husbands or if that's not possible go back to their families."
"They can't and you know why," Euphemia glared. "And as far as your desires," Euphemia rose to her full height, "I know a thing or two about what stirs men..." Euphemia gracefully came out from behind her desk to stand before the Viceroy who looked her over with some interest.
"Really?" Satordi raised an eye brow. "And stirs me?" Euphemia scanned him with her all knowing eyes. She was legendary in intuitiveness. Finding that one kink in every man's armor. Could she find Satordi's?
Euphemia leaned in to have a closer look. Satordi was not entirely immune from Euphemia's intensity as his pulse quickened when she lightly touched his wrist. Yet it wasn't enough to sway his opinion nor his political views.
"I'm sorry, Lady Euphemia but it's going to take more than a flirtatious or sexual favor to sway my vote," Satordi shrugged as he rose from his seat, politely shaking off the matron's creamy white hand. The matron was a bit taken aback by the rejection yet her astute mind was turning its gears. There had to be more to it. Euphemia knew that the Viceroy was holding something back.
"You strike me as a resourceful woman, Lady Euphemia," Satordi complemented. "I've heard of your... exploits. Courtesan to Chancellor Bellacourt himself. If you handled that fickle old man then this shouldn't be a problem."
Satordi gave a short bow. He turned to leave until Euphemia called, "You're staying for dinner I hope, Viceroy."
Satordi stopped. He didn't turn back only lent his ear as Euphemia continued, "So that you may enjoy more of our wine and rare flowers." There was that subtext again.
"I just may take you up on that," Satordi mused, visions of the defiant Constance floating in his mind.
Ion leaned against the beam inside the green house that was on the Hedone grounds checking his watch. He had sent the signal 2 hours ago. Where the hell was he? As Ion was about to get worried he heard the familiar bird call of the white finch. The call of the secret members of the Army of Light. Ion looked around but saw no one. Suddenly Ion felt a cold blade on his throat.
"Hands up and don't make a sound," murmured a scratchy voice. "Show me you're one of us." Finn was a stickler for protocol.
"I called you, remember, Finn," Ion remarked. Ion lifted the sleeve on his right arm to reveal the mark of the Army of light: a heart engulfed by flame to represent the purity of man that must be maintained and the eye in the center of the heart to symbolize truth. Satisfied his old friend lowered his weapon allowing Ion to breathe easy again.
"You can't be too careful," Finn shrugged. Ion began messaging the place on his throat where the blade had touched. The spot tingled.
"You need to start trusting people," Ion retorted.
"You summoned me," Finn sounded irritated. "You called at a real inconvenient time you know. So shortly after the Inanna House Massacre and the death of Viceroy Seneca. Orders were to lay low."
Inanna was a common whore house on Pyroeis. A few soldiers of the Army of Light stormed in and killed a local official yet in their blood lust had murdered many other patrons as well as a few prostitutes.
"Yes but we need to speed up our plans for the House of Hedone," Ion came right to the point of his request for the meeting.
"I told you it's too soon," Finn countered simply. "The time isn't right."
"The Viceroy is here," persisted Ion. "What greater way to show him the Army's pure intention than to show him the corruption and abuses done by Hedone."
Finn eyed him cautiously. "Is this about the girl again?"
Ion glared at his comrade who only smiled in response.
"Euphemia is setting her up to be the next lamb of sacrifice," Ion affirmed. "She'll be sold to the Viceroy just to keep her house of sin open a little longer."
The man was quiet for a while then said, "There are more important things than your little whore in training, old friend." Ion glowered at him with such heat that Finn half expected real laser beams to shoot out of Ion's brown eyes. To soothe him, Finn promised, "I'll get a message to the Prior. That's all I can promise you."
"Do it fast," Ion warned. Before Constance is gone forever out of his reach.
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