Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Apr 14, 2010 21:17:11 GMT -5
I was pleased that he seemed to have fallen for my ruse and when we reached his room I was quick to scramble onto the bed and look around. I was going to tell him that he had a lot of books, but then he asked me a question.
I made a face, "I don't know... I guess I should be excited, but really I'm just ... nervous, I guess." I plucked at the sheet as my face reddened. I wouldn't have confessed this to anyone else, it made me uncomfortable. "You know I'm not like some Valerians, I don't like pain ... I'm afraid I'm going to have an assignation with someone who really hurts me."
I looked up at him, hoping he wouldn't think less of me for my admission of nerves.
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Post by Dante nó Valerian on Apr 14, 2010 21:44:27 GMT -5
I took a stray strand of hair and placed it behind her ear, taking a good look at her. This was the same girl that I had gone to Heliotrope house and retrieved. I had not gone for Manon, of course, but inevitably, she was to belong here with me and I felt partially responsible for her, like an older brother. What trinket of wisdom could I give her? Surely I had something to say to ease her into this all? I sighed and the hint of a smile played to my lips but never came into fruition.
"It's alright to be nervous. I was nervous for my first assignation," I said and wrapped my arms around her. "But imagine finally being an adult, finally being in Naamah's service. You will make an extraordinary adept, Manon, and a beautiful woman." I could already see where some baby fat was coming off to form such delicate and lovely features. I knew she would not have the ability to see it, however. Her views were too narrow. "Whatever comes of it, just know it is only for one night. No matter what someone asks of you, you have your signale on your lips," I said and put a finger to trail against the fleshy skin she always pouted with.
"No matter how unpleasant, how humiliating, it is a fleeting moment. If you please him or her well, you will come out with something better, your patron's tip. Then your back can be marqued. Have you ever seen a finished marque, Manon? It's a magnificent thing," I said, continuing to stroke her head as I pulled her gently to lean against my chest. "Don't be afraid. I'll be here waiting for you when it's all over."
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Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Apr 14, 2010 21:58:51 GMT -5
I leaned against him when he enfolded me in his arms. I could hear his heart beating, slow and steady, calming. I felt better when he said that it was all right to be nervous, I had been embarrassed about the whole thing, but it seemed lackluster to think of assignations only in terms of my marque. I wanted there to be something more to it, something I didn't know how to articulate, some sort of deep satisfaction, the type of thing I imagined the priests must feel.
"Is that all there is to it?" I asked, stifling a yawn - where had that come from? "A tip... a marque ..." I sighed, feeling for the first time like what I really was ... a piece of Valerian House property. "I wish..." I almost didn't say it, but my eyelids were growing heavy and I was too tired to dissemble, "I wish I could be with a man that I loved."
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Post by Dante nó Valerian on Apr 14, 2010 22:11:58 GMT -5
I felt her body growing heavy. Ah, not as tired as she had said she was, was she? I chuckled a little, though it was late and my body was sore from all the water pumping and dragging buckets, dealing with Sinclair and Manon. It was enough to make any man exhausted. "That's not all there is too it, no." That's all there really was to me. I had never cared for my patrons more than as a means of exchange. Business. I was, after all, a high class courtesan and not much else. I exchanged my body for coin. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but it was hard to have feelings for any of my patrons when they were paying me to lie with them and when I did it as often as I did it. However, how could I tell her that? I thought of things in a different way than others.
'No, that's not all," I said, stroking her head, trying to think of what white lie I could spin her. "There's a feeling of knowing you are following in Naamah's footsteps, to know that you pleased someone well, that you have learned her arts correctly. You get to see worlds you would not have otherwise seen." The world of the upper class. I stroked her head as I saw her eyelids drift. "You will be with a man that you loved. One day, within time."
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Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Apr 14, 2010 22:39:27 GMT -5
I yawned again, my eyes drifting shut as I listened to the twin rhythms of his heartbeat and his voice. I was relieved when he said there was more, and maybe it was just that he was so much older that made him say things in such a clinical way.'
"I hope not too much time," I said wistfully. Perhaps it was the Heliotrope in me, but I loved the idea of love, of giving everything to someone ... someday, I wanted to have that. "What about you, Dante? Have you ever been in love." The thought made me oddly jealous, not that I wanted him for a lover, but in a way I was as devoted to him, in a way he was mine. I hated the thought of sharing him with anyone else.
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Post by Dante nó Valerian on Apr 14, 2010 22:49:40 GMT -5
"Well even if you have to wait I am sure it is worth it." I didn't think so. From what I had read about love all it did was make people want to kill others or commit suicide or war against entire nations for it. Silly notion. I felt too much of an intellectual, having turned off my emotions, to fall for something as... childish and emotional as love. True, I loved Manon, but that was entirely different. Mine was affection for her, seeing her as my own kin. What Manon spoke of was different. I gave her a slight squeeze, offering her my faintest of smiles.
"No, no I have no been in love before and I don't think you have to worry about that. I'm not that kind of man. I prefer my books," I said, gesturing to the room. "If you couldn't tell." I was getting sleepy as well, stroking her head as I was. "Now, I think you're about ready to sleep. Shall I take you back to your room or would you prefer to sleep here? Only for one night." It was breaking a rule, but a small one. Anyone who knew me would know I would never sleep with her as a man does with a woman. No, our love was platonic and I liked it that way.
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Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Apr 14, 2010 22:59:38 GMT -5
"Someday," I said, smiling a little bit, "a woman will come along and take you away from me, I know it... you are too wonderful to hide in books." I believed that wholeheartedly, how could anyone not fall head over heels for him? Maybe when I got a little bit older ... that thought made me a little uncomfortable, especially considering I was wearing nothing but a towel and in his bed.
"Here," I said, yawning again, snuggling up against him, my breathing already becoming deeper. "I won't tell if you don't," I said, already drifting off into dreams.
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Post by Dante nó Valerian on Apr 14, 2010 23:28:50 GMT -5
"No one's going to take me away, Manon." Even if I did fall in love, she would always be like my sister, though I highly doubted that that situation would come into fruition. More likely than not, I would continue to hide behind my books, hide behind my walls. I preferred it that way. It was who I was. I was not a romancer in any way, shape or form. I had sex, I didn't make love. When she snuggled against me, gave her head one more stroke before moving her gently off of me. "I won't tell."
I moved to go get one of my spare shirts and put it around her, still with the towel on, one button at a time, then a suitable drawstring shorts for her as well, which I helped her slip on before removing her towel. I allowed her to adjust herself before I lay back down and held her against me. Normally I slept shirtless, but it was a bit inappropriate in this situation. "Good night Manon, love."
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Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Apr 14, 2010 23:34:45 GMT -5
I allowed him to dress me in his clothes, which were quite a bit too large for me, my body languid, I was suddenly so tired. "Thank you, Dante," I murmured, snuggling my back to his chest and hoping that he wouldn't mind that I was a restless sleeper. More often than not I awoke in a tangle of blankets and sheets, my hair a knotted mess.
"Good night," I yawned, perfectly content and wishing that I could sleep in here with him every night.
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Post by Dante nó Valerian on Apr 15, 2010 0:12:11 GMT -5
When she went to sleep, why, she almost looked harmless and sweet. I wrapped my arms around here, securing her within them, showing her that she was safe as I drifted off to my own sleep, my mind subconsciously on my assignations that was inevitably tomorrow night. At least I would be able to sleep in even though it was already late. I had nothing else schedule for tomorrow but a night with a patron and I was glad Manon had ran out of energy.
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Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Apr 15, 2010 0:17:20 GMT -5
It was my debut, and I had been won by a handsome young man, not much older than myself. He had soulful eyes and soft hands, and we were kissing ... our bodies entwined, my arms around him. He must have whipped me, my back ached from it, though I had no memory of anything save this moment, this pleasure. One hand slid down his chest to the hardness that strained against his breeches and I caressed him through the thin fabric, desire making me whimper softly.
I was asleep, dreaming, my overtired body moving slightly, as if acting out the dream. Small sounds escaped me, and my skin felt feverish and flushed, and on some level I knew it was a dream, but the body next to me felt so real.
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Post by Dante nó Valerian on Apr 15, 2010 14:49:08 GMT -5
I woke with a strange sensation of being aroused. I did not have many wet dreams so it was an odd feeling to wake up aroused until, well, I noticed why. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust in the darkness and remember whose body I had against me. I stiffened a little at the realization. Surely I wasn't... getting aroused by... Well, by and by, despite my self control I was still a man after all and getting stroked in that manner, her body pressed to mine, those soft sounds escaping I knew she was having an erotic dream and I could only feel the pinnacle of awkwardness.
I grabbed her hand gently and moved it away from me, entirely wide awake now. What time was it? Sweet Naamah it was going to be a long night, wasn't it?
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Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Apr 16, 2010 22:18:12 GMT -5
When I awoke, I wasn't sure at first where I was. I stretched, yawning, and hit something next to me. Sitting straight up, I looked over to see Dante lying beside me, wide awake. What was he doing in my room?
Wait. Last night began to come back to me ... the cake, the storage room, that insufferable jackass Sinclair, the cold bath, falling asleep in Dante's room. The fact that he had promised me more cake.
"When can we get cake today?" I asked, sitting up and grinning over at him. I felt perfectly well rested, as if I had just had the best night's sleep of my life.
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Post by Dante nó Valerian on Apr 16, 2010 23:09:00 GMT -5
Well I didn't get a wink of sleep last night after that escapade because it certainly wasn't the only one. I had never thought anyone could be that hyperactive at night, but apparently I was wrong. Every her mouth moved, her hands roamed I had to grab it and hold it until she lay back down again, restful, but it wasn't long before the kicking and thrashing episodes began. My eyes were wide open by next morning as I tried to focus on reading the book in front of me, but really, without a wink of sleep I could barely focus on anything written in Caerdicci it was all gibberish. She sat up, grinning to me and bright as day and I could only blink bleary eyed at her.
"Huh, what cake?" I asked at, rubbing my eyes as I yawned and sat up, rubbing my aching muscles. "Oh that cake... can I take a rain check Manon?" I asked, hoping she woudl be okay with that. I hated to postpone but really I needed to grab whatever hours I could. "Sorry I uh... forgot I had an assignation today I have to go get ready." It wasn't for a couple of hours, but actually, I just wanted to get some sleep before I had to have nerves of steel for an entire night. I yawned again, covering my mouth. "Go get some breakfast. Cake for breakfast is bad anyway."
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Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Apr 16, 2010 23:41:35 GMT -5
I plucked the book out of his hand but then dropped when I saw that it was in Caerdicci. Everything I had ever read in Caerdicci was deadly dull. "Fine," I said, sliding out of bed and stretching again, the drawstring shorts he'd given me falling to the floor even with the string tied tightly. Luckily his shirt was huge on me so I just kicked them out of the way. "But you owe me some cake, don't forget."
I turned to look at him critically, lounging around on the bed at this time of the morning! "Are you still tired? I guess older people are more tired, but it's got to be midmorning at least!"
Shrugging I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for letting me stay last night, I know you could have gotten into trouble. I owe you one."
With that, I opened the door and slipped out, making sure there was no one about as I tried to get back to my own room undetected.
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Post by Dante nó Valerian on Apr 17, 2010 15:50:11 GMT -5
I sighed when she took my book out of my hands and ended up dropping it only moments later. Well, there went my page. Not that I had been doing much reading. I leaned over and picked the book up before flopping back onto the bed. "Manon, put the shorts back on," I said, rubbing my forehead. Normally I would get up and put them on for her but it just didn't seem like the thing to do right then and there. I wanted to sleep and I wanted her to go away. Midmorning? Damn it all that meant I had to get ready in only a few hours.
"Yes, yes I'm still tired Manon," I said, yawning. I hadn't gotten much sleep at all. "Yes... just go get breakfast, you're welcome." But at the same time, no. I wouldn't let her sleep here ever again. I rolled over onto my belly, face in the pillows. Gods, sleep felt so good when she finally left.
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Post by Sinclair nó Valerian on Apr 17, 2010 15:54:05 GMT -5
I was heading to the hall for breakfast when I saw the door to Dante's room open. I stiffened instinctively, just about ready to dart out of the way and get the hell out of here when I saw Manon come out. With only his shirt on. My mouth slackened a little and I could not help but burst out laughing. "Oh... WOW no wonder he was so keen on having you walk back and forth to get water with him." I slapped my knees. "Even the mighty doth fall. I just never thought it'd be with some kid." That smile crept on my lips. "Wait a second, isn't your debut in a couple of days? Elua's BALLS if he took your virginity he's going to be in a shit ton of trouble."
I couldn't help but smile at this all. Who would have guessed?
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Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Apr 17, 2010 18:25:02 GMT -5
I had barely closed the door behind me when I was accosted by Sinclair. It was bad enough just seeing him, but then he started to laugh and say perfectly disgusting things about Dante, which was of course something I could not stand for.
"It figures, Sinclair, that someone with as perverse a mind as you would think that, but Dante was only being a perfect gentleman and not making me walk back to my room tired and injured. I'm sure you don't understand the concept of chivalry, so I won't bother to try and explain. It's none of your business anyway!"
I tossed my messy hair, crossing my arms under my breasts, but not walking away because I didn't want him to know how much he was bothering me.
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Post by Sinclair nó Valerian on Apr 19, 2010 1:45:22 GMT -5
"Injured!?" I said incredulously, unable to help but burst out laughing. Wow. She could just exaggerate her stories, couldn't she? Spin quite the tale? At least with Dante he didn't seem all that influenced by her tears and pouting, though most would be. It was no wonder shew as in Valerian house. "You're not the one who got kicked in the crotch, little girl. All I did was GRAB your neck. I wasn't going to harm even YOU further." I did have a sliver of being chivalrous in me, however small. "You're coming out, naked, but for his shirt. ANYONE would think something. Not just me and my perverse mind and it's NOT perverse, you're merely just a no good fosterling until you finally have your debut."
I rolled my eyes. Gods, she was like a never ending thorn in my side that had found a way to bury into my hips.
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Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Apr 19, 2010 2:07:32 GMT -5
"Oh, you say that now," I retorted, my voice rising, becoming more shrill with every octave. Suddenly being quiet had quite retreated from my mind. "I know very well that if Dante hadn't rescued me, you probably would have murdered me in the hall! And I was trying to be nice to you, you ungrateful cur!"
I stomped my foot in irritation, though I was quite aware it made me appear petulant. Well, it was only Sinclair here, so I did not much care how it made me appear. "You are perverse, anyone who knows Dante knows he would never set a finger on a fosterling. And I might be a no good fosterling, but at least that's better than being a no good adept, with barely a marque on his back after how long now?" I glared at him, my temper rising more and more by the minute.
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Post by Sinclair nó Valerian on Jun 14, 2010 0:47:29 GMT -5
Ah the marque comment. How I HATED that comment. I just wanted to wring her throat right then and there. "Well my marque may be small but I'm no goddamned pushover!" I snarled at her, "Who still needs someone else to take care of me. Oh and I'm SURE he never sets a finger on a fosterling but what else does he set on you? Doesn't he know that the price on a virgin is tainted if the virgin has been?" I laughed aloud in her face, knowing that a lot of what I said was clearly not true but at this point I just wanted to make Manon as angry as possible!
The useless cur!
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Manon nó Courcel
Adept
Valerian House
Personal Courtesan of Prince Delauney de la Courcel
Posts: 285
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Post by Manon nó Courcel on Jun 14, 2010 21:01:15 GMT -5
That was it - I would not stand there and listen to him malign Dante that way. With a snarl, I leapt forward, ducking my head and heading straight for his middle, hoping to bowl him over. "Don't talk about him that way!" I bellowed as I moved, quick as a snake, hoping he would be unbalanced by my sudden move.
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