Chapter 6: Hamesh
The ride to Symrna was long and uninteresting. The Master generally ignored me for most of the time, needing my services only once on the entire week-long trip. He wasn't unkind to me, though I wished a word or two more than "Come," or "Bring me my goblet," or "Service me," were exchanged between us. He was constantly touching me though, his strong hands constantly playing in my hair or along my skin as he read long and heavy scrolls, muttering under his breath.
We were already three days gone from Ztner's castle when the forest finally opened up to a rocky unpaved dirt road that had the carriage jostling and jumping with every foot. It became a test of will to keep my morning meal down, most of the time. My Master ignored me, seeming as though he was used to the terrible lurching and rolling—I felt green.
Two days more found us approaching a large, intimidating edifice with large, black granite walls as far up as I could make out. It was…daunting. I shrunk into myself the closer we got. I didn't like the look of these walls; I couldn't remember ever having seen them, but all I could feel was dread the closer we got.
Around about ten minutes later, we arrived at the gigantic gates. Two guards took one look at my Master before allowing him to pass without question. I wondered again just who I was dealing with before I watched the stone pass by as we rolled past the Great Gates and under a huge wrought iron portcullis.
I shuddered as we passed through the huge spikes and my Master looked at me. "Welcome to Symrna," he said, with a smirk as I looked out the carriage window to a sprawling, great city. There were merchants, and so many people it made my head swim. The city smelt awful, of death, and metal, and humans. We rolled along through the city, and I held down my breakfast of cheese and bread as we approached a large manor house within the city.
We rolled up to the gates, and several guards rolled the heavy, wrought iron and stone poles away. We entered the gates, and the carriage doors were opened by two guards. My Master stepped out and I followed a bit unsurely, blinking at the stern-faced Talbians who watched me warily. I bit my lip and followed my master as he motioned for us to go inside.
"Welcome back, Master," came a small voice from just inside the door.
"Jolan, take him to the baths and attend to him," I heard my Master order as we walked into a huge foyer. A young man who looked to be a little younger than me with bright golden hair and brown eyes looked at me shyly, and I cocked my head. "Yes Master," the boy replied. "Follow me." He ordered.
I blinked in confusion before following him, looking around the large stone corridors covered in sparse décor and heavy carpet. I was led to a large room, not unlike my old Master's bathing chambers, except this one was much larger, and currently occupied.
I blinked as the figure in the baths turned to look towards us. He was…beautiful beyond belief. His hair was black as the night sky, floating on the water like tendrils of ink. His skin was pale gold that shined in the dim light of the bathing cavern and his lips were a light Gatua blossom pink. As he looked at me, I blinked in surprise; his eyes were a bright gold.
"And who is this?" he purred, looking at me before his eyes slid over to Jolan. "One of Gita's new…pets?" he asked, eyes sliding over to me again. I flushed a bit under his stare; it was unsettling. And who was Gita? I knew no one named Gita.
"Hamesh, leave him alone. He is the master's—"Jolan began before a glare from this…Hamesh had him shutting up. I wondered who exactly he was.
The beautiful man got up from the baths, water cascading down his body as he stood. Two servants wrapped him in a towel as he looked at me. "What is your name, new boy?" he asked.
I blinked, surprised that the creature was actually speaking to me. I bit my lip nervously a bit. "Um…I am called Amer." I said, looking at the new male.
Hamesh blinked at me. "Amer?" he asked, raising a brow. "That's a boorish name. Where are you from?" he demanded. I blinked; I didn't think my name was boorish. "From the High Cliffs of Tartain," I replied, blinking at him. Perhaps he was one of the nobles?
Hamesh looked at me with a look I couldn't readily discern. "Hmph, you'll be gone soon enough." He said as he glided passed me and out of the doors. I blinked in confusion at Jolan, who just sighed. "Hamesh has been the Master's favored pleasure slave for four years now; I don't think he wishes to relinquish his position."
Well, I wasn't after his position. If I never had to sleep with another male in my life it would be too soon. But I said nothing as I simply stripped and stepped into the steaming waters, feeling Jolan's gaze on me. I was used to people staring at me while I bathed, but this time I didn't feel as unnerved as I normally would have. Jolan stepped closer to me, and knelt, grabbing a few bottles of lightly scented oil soaps and rubbing them into my skin and hair.
I didn't relax completely, but the touch was soothing. It reminded me of Zera when she would play in my hair in those happy months when the master would leave the castle. Gods, how I missed her.
Jolan looked at me, "You are not asleep are you?" he asked softly.
I opened my eyes and turned. He was biting his lower lip and looking at the floor, "You have to get the soap off…" he said, trailing off. I sighed and dunked myself under the warm water, before resurfacing and looking at the silent, slightly blushing servant. He stood, going to grab a towel and handing it to me as I stood. I thanked him and he helped me dress in a pair of loose, silken pair of pants witch fastened and tightened at the ankle while I was given a long sleeved shirt made of…net. My hair was pulled back and I stopped him. "The master does not want my hair bound…" I said, shying away from the comb.
Jolan nodded and led me out into what he said were the pleasure slaves' quarters. I sighed, looking about the pillowed, carpeted room that reeked of perfume and sex and bit my lip. Men and women in various stages of undress looked at me, appraising me. A few beckoned me over to sit with them, women fondling one another while men lay and talked on pillows, much to close to one another. I looked about, appalled; this was a harem of whores.
Jolan had left me to my own devices and I sighed, sitting down on an unoccupied cushion. Several of the female slaves had come over to me, clucking about and introducing themselves. One of them was Riva, a pretty Trecian woman with dark, shining brown skin, Greth'kan, a rare beauty with skin as pale as the moonlight, and the other was called Anax, a woman whose origins were unknown, yet who had the most striking silver eyes.
They fawned and played in my hair, inquiring about me. I answered them nervously, before they would giggle and lay their hands on a new part of my anatomy. Hamesh strolled in, black hair shining in the light as he barely flicked his gaze over to me as he went to lay on a large pile of cushions, a female slave coming to sit near him. I slid away from their fingers before looking up as the door opened to reveal a house servant. "It is time for dinner. Master requests the presence of his Amer." The slave said, looking at me.
I blinked, slightly confused as I stood. "Follow," he said, turning on his heel and marching out f the door. I blinked before following. The Master wished for me to dine with him? I looked back into the room, where Hamesh was glowering at me with a dark look.
