Fate

Chapter 8

They were walking hand-in-hand down Tendri when Sebastian asked Ella to come to lunch everyday from then on.

“No Sebastian, I’m sorry,”

“Why?” He asked, hurt in his voice.

“How do you do it? Be so uptight and proper all day, every day? I can’t. I’ve been free, completely free, for four months. I was never what you are. I can never be.”

“It’s not a question of money…”

“You’re right it’s not. Its one of morals, and, and behavior, and manners. I don’t belong in your world.”

“But you are my world.”

“How can I be so if I don’t fit in? Your parents will disown you, because of what? A whore-girl you fell in love with. No, Sebastian… I don’t want that to happen. I’m better off in my world, or what has become my world.”

“Ella…”

“We are too different. There is no way this can work out. Think of the old stories. Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde… True love and it didn’t work, they all end up dead.”

“I would die for you… would die without you.”

“Well excuse me for being selfish then, but I want to live. And if it means staying away from you, than so be it.”

She turned and fled, disappearing in the city’s crooked alleyways, leaving a bewildered and heartbroken Sebastian. She couldn’t face him; her own tears were on the brink of flowing.


A couple shortcuts brought her to the rear entrance to Sty’s. She quietly slipped inside and found her way to Kat’s – hers too, now – room. She put her basket down by her bed, and lay down. There was no way she could work tonight. The scenes flashed in her head as her tears fell thick and fast. The beautiful house, the clothes, the feeling of being a new person… She was nothing of that. She didn’t belong. He might not have noticed the awkwardness between her and his parents. She knew she’d drunk too much wine. Remembered with a slight grimace the scene in Sebastian’s room. But their last conversation… the one where she said she didn’t want to see him again. That’s the one that hurt. That is the one that broke her heart. Couple that with Ana’s message that the Duke was looking for a suitable bride for Sebastian… There was no way she could be considered. The Duke and Duchess already knew she wasn’t of their rank. Her name would be forgotten. Sebastian would get married and forget about her. She had to move on too.


But as time would have it, things got worse before they got better. Stevie reported messages and trinkets from Sebastian everyday. Roses, small gifts of jewelry… and the unchangeable: Come see me, I miss you, I love you. With a sigh, Ella cast away the latest box in a bag, which she stuffed under her bed with the growing collection. This went on for four weeks, before Stevie – finally – said Sebastian hadn’t been down Tendri all day. It was with mixed feelings that Ella greeted this message. On one hand, she was glad he was finally going to stop tormenting her, yet she couldn’t help but cry desperately at her situation. No one had ever taught her what to do in this case. This case wasn’t even supposed to happen to her. Social classes didn’t mix, unless it concerned business. Pleasure was a necessity for the men, and it was her business. Love was nothing in this world.

And so Ella’s life slowly acquired a new rhythm. She would rise with noon, and spend the evenings and nights in her bed, accompanied with a string of men. Some came twice, others were regulars, and yet others only passerby’s. She came to know the dangers of prostitution acutely, and was occasionally confined to her bed, taken with violent cramps while her body tried to excrete the infection. Twice already she had killed a child inside her. Kat helped, taught, and guided her through the painful process. She felt no remorse in getting rid of it: the only pang she felt was that it wasn’t Sebastian’s. For all the hurt he had ultimately made her go through, she resented, almost hated, him.


One night, she was walking the streets. Customers were rare; the winter was coming and the nights already bitterly cold. She pulled her fur coat around her more tightly. It had been three months since she’d seen or heard of Sebastian. This night was dark, overcast. There was no moon or starlight to guide her. A young boy whistled from the opposite side of the street. She turned and looked at him. He was her age, maybe a year or two older. He looked like money. She raised an eyebrow, and he motioned to her. She walked across the street, and he quietly asked, “You’re a whore. Maybe you can help me.”

“What with?” He was taken aback by her young voice.

“I’m set to be married in the next month. And…” he hesitated, “Well, I’ll just say I need help. I’ll pay you twice your regular charge.”

Ella considered this, “How many times?”

“Until you consider me ready,” he grinned.

Ella’s regular charge was now eighty neyas per hour. She looked in his eyes.

“Deal,” she spat on her palm and held it out to shake. To her surprise, he didn’t flinch and copied her gesture. They shook hands.

“Where’s your place?” he asked.

“Sty’s. Let’s go.”

He nodded tentatively, “Yes, yes, let’s.”

She smiled as she led the way back, “You’ve never done this before, have you?”

“No, actually… My father thinks I have, that’s why I need your help. He…he can be very harsh at times. And I am eager to please him.”

Ella nodded.

“And I didn’t want… well, to take care of it with any old woman. But my future wife, she’s so very sweet. I don’t want to hurt her, only give her pleasure.”

“So I’m a practice whore?” Ella chuckled.

“Yes,”

“I like your honesty,” she said, “What’s your name?”

“Aerotho,”

“Well, pleased to meet you Aerotho. I’m Ella.”

Their eyes caught, and they smiled at each other. For the first time, Ella didn’t feel any regret at casting Sebastian off.

They arrived at Ella’s room, and she thanked the Goddess that Kat wasn’t there. She turned one last time to Aerotho.

“You’re sure you want to do this tonight?”

He visibly took a deep breath, “Yes,”

“Alright,” Ella smiled and motioned the bed, “Make yourself comfortable.” She turned and suddenly let the coat pool at her feet. A shortened, silver-lined black skirt showed off her legs, accentuated by the high heels she wore. Her top was basically just her corset. It was lined with shimmery silver material. The corset had a false tie at the back, and in reality hooked in the front with a series of little metal hooks. Her breasts were generously pushed up. Aerotho’s eyes visibly widened at this sight. Ella began her show.

“Aww boy… You don’t want to keep that shirt on you, do you?” she said, her voice sultry.

He slowly shook his head, but his hands didn’t move.

“Shall I help you with it?”

He was lying on her bed. She came from the end of it, crawling on her hands and knees, until she was straddling his hips and undoing the buttons of his shirt. She kissed his lips, his ears, and throat. His scent rose in her nostrils, arousing her. She licked the side of his neck and whispered, “You’re special you know…”

His shirt was thrown to the floor.

“Not many men let me take control…”

His breath quickened.

“Those pants are really unnecessary, don’t you think?”

She sat back staring at his eyes. They were blue, darkened nearly to purple with lust, the pupils dilated. She bit her lower lip, and scooted back. In no time, his pants had joined his shirt. He lay before her, completely naked.

“What… What about you?” he rasped. His erection strained to the sky.

“Yes… What about me?” She kept staring at him, as she lay on top of his naked body, “I’m not wearing anything under this skirt,” she whispered in his ear, nibbling his earlobe, “I could take you clothed like I am.” His breath hitched. Ella was enjoying this, “Do you want to undress me, or shall I keep going the way I have?”

His hands fumbled her corset as an answer. He reached for the ties at the back, but Ella brought his hands back to the front, “Always look for the obvious, love.” She said, as his fingers finally found the hooks and undid them. Her chest sprung free from restraint, and stood alert. He reached up and squeezed, his eyes rolling back in his head. Ella chuckled.

“You really haven’t done any of this before? I thought all young men found at least a minimum of experience before your age.” She asked.

“Guess I just wasn’t that interested,” he mumbled. She took one of his hands and guided it to the two buttons on the side of her skirt. He unhooked them and the skirt fell apart. They were both completely naked. Ella sat back, pulling her breast out of Aerotho’s reach.

“When you take your wife the first time, she will be under you. She will be a virgin, and it will be more comfortable for her to be beneath you. So we’re switching positions.”

They did and Aerotho kneeled between Ella’s spread legs.

“Use your fingers to prepare her,”

“How?” Ella nearly rolled her eyes; he really was ignorant.

“Me being me, you can stick two fingers in right now. With her, you’ll probably only be able to do one.” Aerotho cautiously did as Ella said, “Use my wetness to coat your member with, it’ll make for an easier passage when you enter her. You must be aware that as you take her, she will most probably cry out in pain, for losing one’s virginity is not without it. But if you’re gentle and you don’t let your own need for release in the way, she should be fine. If there is some blood initially, that is normal too. Breaking the skin usually does that.” Ella couldn’t resist putting in that last part. Aerotho looked at her a little strangely but nodded. He was carefully listening to her advice.

“Now take me.” Ella commanded.

And though he had never done so before, Aerotho went ahead and buried himself in this whore’s body. And throughout the night, he practiced, with Ella giving him bits of advice. By early morning, he knew that he would not fail his future wife, as he paid Ella 400 neyas, the price of staying five hours with her.

“If you have any doubts about anything, feel free to come back. If you can’t find me, leave a message with Kat. She’s my roommate.” Ella smiled as they parted.

Then she clambered into bed and fell into a deep sleep.