|
|
The Path Not Taken, part 6 Nebetta watched the stranger playing with her lover's children with apprehension. The giantess seemed determined to win the twins' affections and therefore the Queen's as well. The woman knew that the Queen kept her on as her concubine only because she disliked change. Unless she did something to displease her queen or Kameset found another lover, she would keep her position. From her window she watched the tall woman boldly lift the boy above her head, spinning him and laughing. The woman was daring. No mere servant would be brave enough to actually lay hands upon the future rulers as she was doing. Ekptah was laughing, enjoying the attention from his hero. Dene watched her brother from the ground, clapping her hands in delight. Nebetta grimaced from jealousy and fear. Rumors among the servants spoke of the attraction between the stranger and the Queen. Nebetta didn't know what to do about them. To openly act against the stranger would endanger her own position but to allow the woman to remain in the royal palace would be risking her future. She needed to think about it. · * * * * Ity motioned to her mistress that it was time to return indoors. Both children protested weakly but didn't fight too hard against the upper servant's determined look. Their own body servants were waiting to take them inside and serve the children their midday meal and have them take their afternoon nap. Ity's firm look remained stern in spite of the pout on her mistress' face. She swore Kande was almost as bad as the children were. Candy walked into the cool building where she was urged to undress and get into the tub. The officer took the wash cloth from one of the servants and began washing herself. This had shocked the servants at first, when Candy had insisted on bathing herself. Now the women accepted it but still hovered nearby, offering her towels and clean clothing when she emerged from the water. After her bath she strolled into the breezy outer room to enjoy her meal. Today they provided her with fresh fruits, spicy meats, warm bread, and a pitcher of a flat beer. The servants had provided her with damp cloths to wash her hands. She had gotten accustomed to not using utensils to eat, using the flat bread to scoop up her food when fingers wouldn't quite do the job. With her stomach full, the officer stretched out on her soft bed to take a nap, but her mind and body didn't allow her to sleep. She had been in Nubia for a month and a half and was feeling restless. Although she couldn't be considered a bed-hopper, she wasn't a nun either. This lack of activity was going to drive her into knowing herself well if it kept up the way it has been. Because of her military career, she had been discrete with her liaisons. She didn't date anyone exclusively but she had been seeing a lot of Karen Davidson. Neither of them was serious about commitment but the sex had been great. Candy remembered her friend with a satisfied grin. Ity noticed her mistress' smile. The servant was convinced that it was a cocksure grin of a woman smirking with a memory. The older servant was caught in a quandary. Her people were earthy and didn't believe in denying themselves pleasures of the flesh. Not even the most holy of priests was celibate and had a full life that included wives and children. Her mistress lacked a sex life and that had to be unhealthy. Candy refused the services of slaves for some strange reason and slept alone. How could she help her mistress? Everyone saw her attraction to the queen and Ity was proud of having an owner who was attracted to other women. In her society, same-sex attraction was considered a result of a high standard of living. The better people lived, the higher number of people who were as her mistress. Small tribes that barely eked out a living had few if any. There was certainly no stigma attached to people such as she. People only frowned on those who lived unhealthily. Denying herself a lover was thought of as being perverted. The older servant gazed at her mistress, wondering what the woman was thinking and wished she knew more about her. The stranger was still young, probably a little older than the queen. Ity would have been surprised at Candy's actual age of thirty-one. Ity was just a year older than Candy yet thought of as a matron was and behaved accordingly due to her advanced years. Females normally married by the age of fourteen and became grandmothers by the time they reached thirty. Most Nubians died of old age by the time they were fifty. Ity saw her mistress' face and thought she was about twenty years of age, if that. Yet in spite of her youth, she treated her other servants as children. They were all of adult age, being older than thirteen years yet Candy treated them as though they weren't much older than the queen's heirs. Did she see them that way? If that were the problem then perhaps an older woman would be needed. An older, matured, woman was needed for her mistress. With her mind made up and mentally nodding to herself, Ity went in search of the palace's head servant. Nakht was instructing the lower servants in their duties for the day when Ity found him. He dismissed the others with a wave of his hand, confident they knew their assignments for the day. The upper servant waited regally as the older servant approached him and bowed her head respectfully. Nakht then motioned for her to come within speaking distance and state her request. "You are the head servant of the stranger Kande, are you not?" He really didn't need to ask. There was little within the palace that he didn't know of. He kept careful accounts of every one and every thing within his domain. Ity acknowledged her position then stated her thoughts simply. She knew being long winded with a higher servant would be considered offensive. "An older pleasure slave, eh?" He rubbed his chin and thought to himself that considering the growing attraction to their Queen, it was better to distract the stranger. Knowing that Kande had little or no coin to her name, he reached into his coin purse and removed a handful of gold, silver, and copper coins. It would be more than enough to purchase a well trained pleasure slave and have her needs covered. Two of the household guards escorted Ity from the palace to the market. She was glad for their company. The amount of money that she now carried was more than she had seen in her entire life. It was more than enough to buy a small piece of property if she wanted! Ity made her way to the slave areas and decided she would first try the most well known business. She looked over the available pleasure slaves but they wouldn't do at all. They were much too young and she went to the next slave market. The slaves there were also too young and Ity was getting discouraged. She stopped and spoke to the owner of the next market, asking if he sold older slaves. The man waved his hand, figuring she was looking for cheap labor. "You want Okmar's if you want older household slaves," the proprietor said with a curl to his lips. One of the guards stepped closer and looked offended. The slave dealer quickly changed his expression to a helpful one. "What are looking for, exactly?" "I am looking for an older pleasure slave, female, for my mistress. She dislikes those that are barely into their adulthood," she explained. "I sell only the ripest pleasure slaves. No man wants an old hag in his bed," he explained. Then a thought occurred to him. He did have an older pleasure slave that was part of a bulk deal. He had thought her too old and was training her to work as a housekeeper. The woman was still very attractive but much too old to resell as a sex servant. The slave dealer's expression changed to a sly one as he leaned forward. "I do have one that might work nicely for your needs." He clapped his hands ordered one of his assistants to bring the woman. Ity could hear the guards behind her gasp when the woman was brought out. Although she was past the first flush of youth, she was very beautiful. She looked to be of mixed heritage since her long hair was silky and her features slightly foreign. But her body was pleasantly formed and she thought Kande would be pleased. However, she didn't wish to look to eager too purchase her or the price would be too high. She looked thoughtful, looking over the slave critically. "She has possibilities," she said with a bored tone. "How old are you?" she asked the slave. "I am twenty-one summers, Mistress." "I am no one's mistress," Ity barked out sharply. She turned to the slave dealer. "How much are you asking for the slave?" He looked contemplative before he answered. "I would possibly accept fifteen dins." The amount he suggested was but a small percentage of the monies given to her by Nakht but she wasn't foolish enough to pay the first price quoted. It was time to dicker. They bickered over the price for several minutes then settled on a price both could live with. A bill of sale was given to Ity and she told the slave to follow her. Ity didn't see the happy expression on the slave dealer's face. The ten dins he accepted for her were far more than he would have taken. He was going to sell the woman to Okmar for three dins. Ity, with the new bed warmer in tow, turned towards the open market. The slave was dressed in rags and needed a more fitting wardrobe. She was probably infested with fleas and needed to visit the bathes. She had one of the guards carry the bundle of new clothing she had chosen for the slave and they headed for the palace. She had the bath servants scrub the woman down before placing her in the tub. There, they washed her once more then dried her off. But they weren't finished yet. They applied a paste to remove what little body hair she possessed then washed her once more. Her nails were clipped and her teeth were cleaned with rough cloth. Her hair was brushed until it shined and pleasant oils were applied to her skin. Ity nodded with approval. Her mistress was very fastidious, often bathing more than once a day. Most Nubians considered once daily more than enough to be considered cleanly. What Ity didn't know was that Candy was used to a society that used soap and deodorants and the usual body odors were a bit too earthy for her tastes. Until soap was invented, she preferred to bath more often. Candy woke from her nap and was served a light meal by one of the other slaves. The officer wondered where Ity was hiding since she was the person who normally saw to her needs. Maybe the woman was running an errand. Fresh from her bath, Hekenu was truly a lovely sight. Her skin glowed in good health and she was dressed in a manner that complimented her full womanly shape. The pleasure slave followed Ity with some trepidation. Her last master had gained pleasure from inflicting pain and often abused her. She didn't envy the slave that replaced her in his bed. Hekenu only hoped this new master was a kinder man. Ity motioned her to follow her into a set of quarters and the slave mentally braced herself, pasting a pleasant expression on her face. Candy was just finishing her meal and wondering how she'd fill her time before bed. With no television or books to read, she was often bored. Her time was only filled when with lessons or playing with the children. Just then, she spotted Ity walking into the room and realized someone was with her. Candy leaned slightly to look behind the head servant and felt as though she was punched in the stomach. The person with Ity stepped into view from behind Ity and their eyes met. The woman gave Candy a sultry look then slowly knelt on the carpet at Candy's feet. "I am yours," the woman said huskily and Candy felt the ache in her guts travel southwards. Next Chapter Email Golden_ruhl or SDerkins |