[[30th Bloomingtide, 9:24 Dragon, Antiva City, morning]] Celeste Monroe
“Signora...Signora? It’s time for you to wake.”
Naishe groaned, reached aside and firmly pulled a pillow across her face, successfully blocking out the sunlight that had spilled across her when the curtains had been opened. Only seconds later it was whisked from beneath her arm - it was hard to keep a good grip on silk - and a silhouette loomed over her. Madame Alfonsi was an imposing woman, broad armed and with a chest that could probably serve as a battering ram if needed, and consequently always looked a bit ridiculous in the formal dress and frilly cap of the serving staff. But she did a good job of running the house, and was equally good at her unofficial second job of herding Naishe around like a recaltrient goat.
“The master will have guests later this morning. He’s requested that you be bathed and ready to greet them.”
He’d mentioned something about that the previous night, but the details had been lost under the fug the wine had left behind in her head. Luis had wine far better than anything she’d had before coming to the city, but it was stronger than she was used to - which served her purposes admirably. It meant she was more able to tolerate him bucking around on top of her of an evening, or whatever particular thing he’d requested for that evening. Her husband’s education of her had gone beyond stuffing her in a library and memorising all the fancy dances, and some of it might actually be useful if he cared about her pleasure at all.
Consequently, as the enjoyment of warm baths, nice dresses and jewellery had given way to spectacular boredom, she was starting to chafe at the limitations placed on her movements. Luis wanted her pretty, smart enough to make conversation without actually challenging anybody, and importantly never, ever left to her own devices. He’d known she was a thief when he bought her, and had told her she’d never need to steal again. When she’d done it once for fun, he’d chuckled indulgently over his young bride’s ways, and she’d enjoyed the brief taste of freedom. The second time his fury had been incandesent, and Madame Alfonsi had followed her almost everywhere ever since.
“Five more minutes.” It was an increasing source of pleasure to cause minor irritations for Luis, even if it was just being a little late. Madame Alfonsi was having none of it this time; she whisked the sheets away.
“Nonsense. Up and ready. He’s picked out a nice dress for you, and your jewellery. All you have to do is bathe and then sit in front of the vanity.”
Luis’ fun little way of establishing control lately was choosing what she’d wear each day. Mostly it wasn’t really a bother, but once or twice recently she’d been given something that bore more flesh than seemed necessary, then been left with his leering friends. Nothing had come of it apart from the odd sidelong look - Antivan husbands supposedly guarded their wives jealously - but she had a nasty feeling about it. At least so far there had been servants in the room, preventing any attempt at handsiness.
Hopefully today wasn’t one of these days. Now chilled by having the blankets ripped off, Naishe sighed and sat up as other servants brought in the tub. The next hour she simply went through the motions, letting herself be scrubbed down, her hair arranged, and then laced into her dress, making an effort to keep her internal screaming at the idea of sitting in the parlour making polite conversation again off her face. At the final stage there was a knock at the door, then everybody jumped to attention as Luis strode in.
“There she is. I trust you’ll be on good behaviour today?”
Naishe smiled at him while envisioning driving one of her hairpins through his neck. “Would I disappoint you, husband?”
“Would you?” There was something ugly in his smile today. The air between them crackled like breaking ice; she didn’t know what she’d done to offend him but he was clearly on edge. “They’re not particularly important as far as titles go, but they’re rather...astute...traders, and I value their services. You are not to say or do anything to upset either of them.”
“I’ll try not to.”
Luis waved away the servant holding up a necklace, and drew another, much more ornate one from his pocket. “Good girl.” He drew the jewellery around her neck; it was heavy, and gold, with large gaudy purple stones. It felt like he was fastening a collar on her. When he was done, he smiled at her reflection in the mirror, keeping his hands on her shoulders. “What an exotic beauty. They’re sure to like you, if you keep a civil tongue.” He caught her chin, pulling her just a little too hard to face him. “Now. They’re rather free spirits by reputation, these two. They want more food, they get more food. They want more wine, they get it. You are to comply with their requests to the utmost, do you understand me?”
Bite his hand.
She came that close to it, too. But his beady black eyes were on her, and she forced herself to meet his gaze, her own as guileless as she could make them. After all, if she pretended not to realise a pass had been made at her, how could she comply with that? She nodded. “Of course, husband.”
“There we go. Now, they’re expected any moment. Get down to the hall.”
He held out a hand to her and she took it, allowing him to assist her in rising - in fact, putting a little extra weight in the seat, so he had to pull a touch harder than normal. His eyes narrowed at her, but she was already glancing ahead, sweeping out of the room to head down the stairs.
Once in the hallway she straightened her dress, wincing a little as the elaborate curled hairstyle tugged at the hairs at the nape of her neck. She would be expected to greet the pair, and then guide them to Luis’ study, where he would pretend he had been very busy getting on with other things. It was a farce, and once he was safe behind the heavy door, she made a rude raspberrying noise with her mouth.
“Signora...Signora? It’s time for you to wake.”
Naishe groaned, reached aside and firmly pulled a pillow across her face, successfully blocking out the sunlight that had spilled across her when the curtains had been opened. Only seconds later it was whisked from beneath her arm - it was hard to keep a good grip on silk - and a silhouette loomed over her. Madame Alfonsi was an imposing woman, broad armed and with a chest that could probably serve as a battering ram if needed, and consequently always looked a bit ridiculous in the formal dress and frilly cap of the serving staff. But she did a good job of running the house, and was equally good at her unofficial second job of herding Naishe around like a recaltrient goat.
“The master will have guests later this morning. He’s requested that you be bathed and ready to greet them.”
He’d mentioned something about that the previous night, but the details had been lost under the fug the wine had left behind in her head. Luis had wine far better than anything she’d had before coming to the city, but it was stronger than she was used to - which served her purposes admirably. It meant she was more able to tolerate him bucking around on top of her of an evening, or whatever particular thing he’d requested for that evening. Her husband’s education of her had gone beyond stuffing her in a library and memorising all the fancy dances, and some of it might actually be useful if he cared about her pleasure at all.
Consequently, as the enjoyment of warm baths, nice dresses and jewellery had given way to spectacular boredom, she was starting to chafe at the limitations placed on her movements. Luis wanted her pretty, smart enough to make conversation without actually challenging anybody, and importantly never, ever left to her own devices. He’d known she was a thief when he bought her, and had told her she’d never need to steal again. When she’d done it once for fun, he’d chuckled indulgently over his young bride’s ways, and she’d enjoyed the brief taste of freedom. The second time his fury had been incandesent, and Madame Alfonsi had followed her almost everywhere ever since.
“Five more minutes.” It was an increasing source of pleasure to cause minor irritations for Luis, even if it was just being a little late. Madame Alfonsi was having none of it this time; she whisked the sheets away.
“Nonsense. Up and ready. He’s picked out a nice dress for you, and your jewellery. All you have to do is bathe and then sit in front of the vanity.”
Luis’ fun little way of establishing control lately was choosing what she’d wear each day. Mostly it wasn’t really a bother, but once or twice recently she’d been given something that bore more flesh than seemed necessary, then been left with his leering friends. Nothing had come of it apart from the odd sidelong look - Antivan husbands supposedly guarded their wives jealously - but she had a nasty feeling about it. At least so far there had been servants in the room, preventing any attempt at handsiness.
Hopefully today wasn’t one of these days. Now chilled by having the blankets ripped off, Naishe sighed and sat up as other servants brought in the tub. The next hour she simply went through the motions, letting herself be scrubbed down, her hair arranged, and then laced into her dress, making an effort to keep her internal screaming at the idea of sitting in the parlour making polite conversation again off her face. At the final stage there was a knock at the door, then everybody jumped to attention as Luis strode in.
“There she is. I trust you’ll be on good behaviour today?”
Naishe smiled at him while envisioning driving one of her hairpins through his neck. “Would I disappoint you, husband?”
“Would you?” There was something ugly in his smile today. The air between them crackled like breaking ice; she didn’t know what she’d done to offend him but he was clearly on edge. “They’re not particularly important as far as titles go, but they’re rather...astute...traders, and I value their services. You are not to say or do anything to upset either of them.”
“I’ll try not to.”
Luis waved away the servant holding up a necklace, and drew another, much more ornate one from his pocket. “Good girl.” He drew the jewellery around her neck; it was heavy, and gold, with large gaudy purple stones. It felt like he was fastening a collar on her. When he was done, he smiled at her reflection in the mirror, keeping his hands on her shoulders. “What an exotic beauty. They’re sure to like you, if you keep a civil tongue.” He caught her chin, pulling her just a little too hard to face him. “Now. They’re rather free spirits by reputation, these two. They want more food, they get more food. They want more wine, they get it. You are to comply with their requests to the utmost, do you understand me?”
Bite his hand.
She came that close to it, too. But his beady black eyes were on her, and she forced herself to meet his gaze, her own as guileless as she could make them. After all, if she pretended not to realise a pass had been made at her, how could she comply with that? She nodded. “Of course, husband.”
“There we go. Now, they’re expected any moment. Get down to the hall.”
He held out a hand to her and she took it, allowing him to assist her in rising - in fact, putting a little extra weight in the seat, so he had to pull a touch harder than normal. His eyes narrowed at her, but she was already glancing ahead, sweeping out of the room to head down the stairs.
Once in the hallway she straightened her dress, wincing a little as the elaborate curled hairstyle tugged at the hairs at the nape of her neck. She would be expected to greet the pair, and then guide them to Luis’ study, where he would pretend he had been very busy getting on with other things. It was a farce, and once he was safe behind the heavy door, she made a rude raspberrying noise with her mouth.