Embarking on a New Life

[Manon nó Courcel]

I'd packed my meager possessions and gone straight to Dante's room to give him the news. I could tell he was a little bit worried about me, but he didn't say anything, he just hugged me tightly and kissed my forehead and made me promise to keep in touch. I dutifully promised and then went to wait for Delauney's carriage.

His townhouse was just as grand as I remembered it, and I had to pinch my arm to remind myself that it was my house too, now. I was going to live here, with the Prince. It was so much to think about that I couldn't quite believe it, no matter what Delauney said. My arm had begun to sting from all of the pinches.

Servants came and whisked my things away, leaving Del and I in the sitting room. I felt a bit awkward then, unsure of my role, and wondering when Del would ask me why Trinette wouldn't allow me to take assignations. I owed him the truth, but would it change his mind?

[Prince Delaunay de la Courcel]

I had the room arrange before I went to pick up Manon. It was cleaned, arranged and one of my servants was sent out to purchase a few gowns to get my new... guest... through till I could have some proper gowns commissioned. After retriving Manon we returned to my town house and after her things we brought inside I turned to her. The conversation have to be had but for the moment I was more interested in creating some dialogue between us.

"So," I began, my brows high as I turned away from her for a moment. "This is one of my town houses, from now on both of them will be your home." I gave her a gentle smile then.
"Lets start with a tour and then we'll go to my study and we can discuss the terms of your contract with me." I clasped my hands behind my back and began to slowly walk.

"This is the sitting room of course." I looked to her to see if she was following. "The sitting room is attached to the salon through those doors. Through the salon is a ballroom which leads out to the garden." I walked through the doors into the salon to show her exactly what I was refering too, then through to the ballroom as well.
"The garden is off limits unless during a fete or dinner. There is another garden in the rear courtyard which you're welcome to use when ever you wish. I particularly enough it in the morning." I smiled as we exited through the ballroom door.
"The dinning room is attached to the ballroom which of course is connected to the kitchen. You're free to use the kitchen when need be but the cook may have other rules. It's her domain and I don't test her boundaries." I chuckled as we moved back into the hall way and then up the stairs.

"There are six bedrooms, one is mine, one is yours, one is my sisters and one is shared by my twins when they come to stay. The rest are for guests and usually remain locked, so if you find a locked door then its off limits, usually just so the room stays clean." I smiled as we walked up the stairs to the second floor.
"Your room is on the other side of mine." I guided us down to her room and opened the door before looking at her with a happy smile.
"Go ahead, go take a look."

[Manon nó Courcel]

I followed him along, marveling at nearly everything but trying to pretend that I wasn't. Of course when he mentioned that one of the gardens was off-limits I was bursting to take a look at it, but I promised myself that I wouldn't, that I would behave. The Prince had done me a kindness that I could never repay, and I certainly would not repay it with misbehavior. It was going to be quite a challenge though, knowing my nature.

My room. I had shared a room with other girls until recently, but my room at Valerian was a small, sparse affair that I had not been able to imprint my personality upon just yet. That my room was beside his also gave me a bit of a thrill, to be so close to him that only a wall separated us ... I could hardly believe this was happening.

I smiled up at him nervously, then peered into the room. The first thing that struck me was how large it was, easily three times the size of my room at Valerian. And it was so beautiful, with a wardrobe, a vanity, a small divan, a table, a window seat, and the bed- oh, the bed! It was big and I could tell by looking at it that it was going to be so soft.

"Oh..." I said, taking two steps into the room and then stopping to look back at him. "It's perfect!" Without another word I walked along and ran my fingers over everything. My wardrobe. My vanity, already with a small selections of scents and cosmetics there, waiting for me to add my own meager belongings. My bookshelf, with volumes waiting to be read, hopefully things of more interest than Dante kept on his. My wardrobe, lustrous walnut with a design carved into it that I ran my fingers over softly. Lastly, my bed, and I sat gingerly on the edge of it, smiling when I saw that it was even softer than I'd imagined.

I looked back at Delauney and smiled, ignoring the nagging feeling that none of this could possibly real.

"Thank you so much... this is more than I ever expected..." More than I deserved, too, but that I did not share.

[Prince Delaunay de la Courcel]

I watched her as she walked about the room and I couldn't help the smile that crept across my lips at her reaction. I was happy to see that she was just as pleased with the arrangement as I, but as well I had to make sure that our relationship was understood, I didn't want her to feel taken advantage of and in that same vein I didn't want anyone taking advantage of my generousity. Manon was a sweet and kind girl and I was almost entirely sure that she would not take advantage of anything but as a parent of two young children I also had to be wholey sure that my life wasn't compromised.

"I am happy that you are so pleased." I spoke when she looked back to me. "The room is for your personal decoration. What ever you desire to do with it you're welcome to it and should you need anything to be changed or altered, any furniture that is beyond your financial means, come to me and we will see what we can do." I walked toward her wardrobe then and looked through what was there.

"I would like to have a variety of gowns commissioned for you as well. I won't have some one in my service dressed in anything less then the best." I added as I turned to look back at her.
"Gowns, shoes, jewelry, accessories, I will purchase all these things for you in order to serve me as I need and anything you wish to have after will be up to you to purchase with you're own coin." I moved toward her then before I reached out and put my hand on her should. I had to admit, the contact sent a spark through my arm and a shiver down my spine and it dawned on me for the first time that I had my own Valerian adept at my very finger tips to do with how ever I pleased.

"Now," I said dropping my hand away slowly. "I think we should speak about how you've come into my service and exactly what that will entail." I smiled again. "Let us adjourn to my study and we can go over all the paper work." I turned then and gestured for her to follow and headed down the hall to where my study was located, just off my rooms on the other side.

[Manon nó Courcel]

I resisted the urge to squeal at the prospect of new clothes, peeking around him into the wardrobe and gravitating toward the colors I imagined he would like the least, pinks naturally. I made a mental note to stay out of that color except for times when I was going to be with someone else, because I recalled him saying at the Shahrizai party that he did not care for the color. Perhaps a blue for him, like his eyes, and for a moment I was lost in a little fantasy about dressing up for him.

I was called back to reality at the rest of his words, however, and I recalled that this was first and foremost a business arrangement. It put a bit of a damper on my romantic aspirations, but I could hardly complain, for it was the business of being an Adept that had gotten me here in the first place. Still, I wondered what exactly he was going to expect of me, and more importantly, what he would think when he realized that I was ... damaged.

I followed him to his study quietly, trying to figure out the best way to broach the subject, and the way that would not send him racing back to Trinette to demand his money back.

[Prince Delaunay de la Courcel]

When we reached my study I entered first and waited for her to follow before closing the door behind her. Once privacy was assured I moved to sit in my chair on the other side of the desk then beckoned for her to follow suit and take a seat as well. Silence was kept for a few moments as we both settled ourselves and then I looked to her with a gentle and relaxed smile.

"So." I began, leaning back in my chair a little. "Let us begin with why we are here." My eyes studied her, watching for any possibilities of deception or missteps.
"Trinette said nothing as to why she was no longer allowing you to follow the path of adept and to be honest I didn't ask. Rather I would prefer to have you explain. So start from the beginning and do not leave anything out."

[Manon nó Courcel]

I sat down across from him and nervously fiddled with my skirt. It was the moment of truth. I cleared my throat and opened my mouth, but at first, no words came out. It occurred to me that perhaps I was making too much of this, or giving Del too little credit, but the idea of perfection was ingrained in us as soon as we could understand it.

"I have a ... disfigurement," I said in a hushed tone, my face red as I tried to keep back the tears. "I was injured in an assignation, and I didn't... I didn't realize the extent of the injury until it was too late. I tried to keep the scar hidden for as long as I could, but obviously Trinette managed to find out."

That was all of it, such as it was. A scar. Something that sounded innocuous, though this one was raised and puckered, pale pink and ugly, a stitch down my spine, a marque of pain that spoke more than anything I would ever have inked into my skin. I rose and slid my shoulders out of my dress, letting it fall to my waist, baring my breasts to him before I turned around, reaching up to sweep my hair out to one side.

The scar began just between my shoulder blades and ran midway down my back, to just above the bare beginnings of my marque. I held my breath as I waited for his assessment, feeling at once both terrified and exulted, the freedom of the truth taking a weight from my shoulders.

[Prince Delaunay de la Courcel]

I leaned sideways in my chair, my chin resting in my hand as my fingers ran over my lips and I watched Manon for any tell tale signs of lying or deception but there was none thankfully. As she rose my eyes went with her continuing to watch her from beneath my brows as she pulled the gown from her body and turned to show the scar. Once revealed I sighed gently, my eyes beholding the angry pink scar that drew down the length of her body.

"I see." I said finally, silence pervading the room for a time before I spoke. "Well I can see why Trinette would have a problem," I paused and rose moving over to the side bar and poured myself a glass of brandy and turned back to look at her though now I was at some distance.
"But the truth is that scar will heal over time and with the right sauves. It will always remain but it won't be so poor looking forever. 'Tis unfortunate the Night Court feels the way it does but about it's adepts, but," I clicked my tongue.
"There loss is my gain."

I moved toward her then, taking a sip of my drink and sat down in my chair again pulling out parchment and quill with ink before putting the nib in the ink and began to write.
"So, here is my proposition to you." I began as I looked down at my parchment, concentrating on the words as I wrote.
"I have purchased the remainder of your marque but that doesn't mean you're meant to sit on my arm and look pretty for me enjoying the luxury of wealth and status. I expect you to make your own way here." I looked up at her and smiled, my voice and features soft despite my words. I didn't want her to go soft, I wanted her to be able to care for herself should something happen to me.

"You will continue to take assignations untill you have paid off half of what I paid for your marque. Once that occurs you will be free to do as you wish though I hope by that time you'll be happy to stay on with my House." I leaned forward and finished signing up the contract then gave it my signature and pushed it over to her.

"This says that you are my personal and protected courtesan, this will be your official title. That you will recieve my name in replace for the one you carried for Valerian House. It states that you are a member of my Household to be kept in safe keeping and to be housed and cared for as a person of House Courcel should be." I smiled gently.
"You will recieve a stipend for each month you are in my service and that for every patron you take that the money you collect from them will go directly to your marque to be paid. I've also put in a clause that states that in event of my death that your marque's price will be considered null and void, that you will be released from the service of the House and finally that you will receive a one time payment from my estate in order to set up a living for yourself." I handed over the quill to her then and sat back in my chair.

"I haven't put it in our contract but before you sign I would like us to be clear that there will be three things I expect out of you. The first is that you will be loyal to me and me alone. The second is that you will serve me to the best of your ability with means the possibility of taking assignments that may not always make you happy. And the third is that you will not defy my commands or requests." I knew that this last part sounded perhaps a bit odd considering but I had plans to gain some knowledge of the palace goings on by placing Manon in the bed chambers of important men and woman.
"That is of course with the execption of risking your own life. Nothing I ever ask you to do will ever put you in harms way but if it should I will expect you to live rather then follow orders." I teased with a little smile.

[Manon nó Courcel]

It went so smoothly, and Del took it so well, that I merely stood there staring at him, breasts bared, for several moments before I composed myself and laced my dress back up.

I sat back down in my chair and listened as he spoke, mentally ticking off the items and deciding if I could do them. In truth I would have preferred for him to be my only patron, but I knew how unrealistic that was. This whole situation was more than I ever could have asked for, I was not going to start getting greedy about it now. The idea that I would belong to House Courcel made my head near swim with the honor of it. All of my childish pranks and tantrums and little games... that was all beyond me now, I realized. I was still me, but now I had a reason to grow up a little. I would never do anything to shame Del and in fact I knew that from this day forth I would be nothing short of fanatically loyal to him. He had saved me from the greatest shame an adept could endure, it was the least I could do.

I smiled at his teasing, taking the quill and signing the page with a little flourish. Despite what he said, if my death would benefit, right now I would gladly offer it.

"Thank you so much, Delauney," I said, feeling tears of gratitude welling up. "I promise I will make you proud, and you won't ever have cause to regret this." Maybe it wasn't entirely proper, but I rose and walked over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him. "I promise," I said again, so awestruck by my good fortune that I had not yet given much thought to what he might ask of me.

[Prince Delaunay de la Courcel]

She seemed pleased and compliant at the arrangement and I let out a breath of relief that the first part of this transition was over. I smiled once she rose and came to me, her arms wrapping around my neck to imbrace me and as she did my arms instinctively slipped around her waist feeling the soft caress of her gown's fabric against my palms. Holding her to me I made note of the way her body pressed to me and I inhaled so I could secure her tighter to me. I pressed my face to the side of her head and breathed in the scent of her.

"I know I won't regret it." I whispered gently as my desire grew unprovoked. Before I had really thought about it, desire had risen and was foggy in my head and rough in my throat. Feeling an awkwardness in knowing it was the one area of our arrangement that I really hadn't discussed, the part about how often I wished her to share my bed. In a way I had a fear of acknowledging exactly what I wanted from her. I knew enough of myself to know I couldn't marry Manon even if I managed to fall in love with her, and I wasn't even sure if I would ever feel that way about her. But what I wanted then and now had always remained that same and that was a chance to indulge in pure carnal lust.

I pulled back from her then, slowly but with my arms still around her as my hand reached up and my fingers grasped her chin.
"I want to take you to L'Roche's." I said gently, my face only inches away from her, my breath warn and rushing back to me as it touched her skin first and picked up the scent of her to carry back to me.
"Will you consent?" My voice was low as my gaze held hers and ideas turned in my mind.

[Manon nó Courcel]

Oh Kushiel! There was nothing that I longed for more than his touch, than knowing that I invoked such desire in him as he did in me. It was heady and wonderful and for a moment I simply knew that I must be dreaming. Well, if it was a dream, let me not wake.

"Of course," I said, my heart beating fast at the very thought. Though, if I had my way, he would be taking me right now and L'Roche's be damned, but I thought it best not to seem too terribly wanton on our first day together. Or maybe he would prefer that, I wasn't sure. "Always."

And it was true. Even before he bought my marque, I would have given him anything, though all I truly had to give was myself. So I was his, and I vowed to myself that I would never deny him anything, even if it frightened me or hurt too much or anything at all. I loved this feeling of belonging more than anything else.