Derik had hoped sex wouldn't be in the cards. As the new girl, he found himself in Madre's tub, washing her body as she explained the plans for the day. His fingers worked at the curves and even teased her sex, but she wasn't in the mood for anything beyond a quick flick against her clitoris and a pat on his head.
He, on the other hand, suffered with Madre washing him and scrubbing his hair. He hoped to get out of her fingers sliding into his ass, but she bent him over her lap in the tub and fingered his hole until he came hard into the soap bubbles.
Then, he was presented with a fresh change of outfit: all the deepest blue he had ever seen. Panties, a bra with padding.
Madre gave him a grin as she handed it over. “This way, you won't be wearing Teri's sloppy underwear against your skin. I kept smelling whenever I was close to you.”
He blushed hotly as he struggled with the bra.
Madre helped after a moment, smoothing over his curves.
Then he dressed himself in the silk top while remembering which direction went in front.
Madre nodded in approval, then offered to brush and braid his hair.
Thankful, he found she was a rough, but very fair mistress when it came to his appearance.
Madre spotted him with perfume, a delicate apple-scented one that was almost enjoyable, and they went out into the harem. She announced the plans for the day, away from the six sleeping women in the corner. “Okay, today is marking day.”
Derik sat next to Sherrel and frowned, but he didn't want to say anything to embarrass himself. Instead, he just listened.
“We'll use the massage room. Forbis and his apprentices can handle up to five of you. Remember, after this, it does mean you can play with Dora the way some of you want—”
She pointedly looked at Teri who still slept in the corner. The room filled with giggles and Derik blushed hotly as Sherrel patted his lap and slid a hand up his thigh.
Madre paused for the laughter, then continued. “But, please remind the little palace cat not to do it in public?”
One of the others spoke up. “Is, um, Dora going to get marked?”
Madre though for a moment, “It would look strange if she didn't have the same markings as all of you, so yes. But, I'm going to need to talk to Forbis about that, ideally he'll keep it a secret for a few days.”
The presence of more than thirty women focused on him.
Derik cringed slightly against Sherrel.
Another question: “Is he—”
“She—” corrected Madre.
“Fine, is she going to get the female one or the male one?”
Derik had no clue what they were talking about. He continued to listened as some of the women turned to look at him.
Sherrel just kept her hand on his thigh, teasing him slightly as they listened.
Madre sighed unhappily, “Forgot about that. I better talk to Forbis. The male one is pretty obvious, isn't it?”
“Blue geometric instead of the yellow weaving,” said one of the other girls in a confident tone. “It also uses the fifth pattern of Hugo's—”
“Damned gods, I'll figure out something. Dora will be last of course. Once that is done, you have the rest of the day to yourself.”
As one, the room looked up to stare up at the rain rapping against the skylight, the shadows of clouds pouring ahead.
Madre arched an eyebrow. “Wish you could run out, but the baron is holed up in negotiations. I think…” she looked around the room and picked out some of the harem members, “you six should go up to him come midnight. He's going to need to blow some steam.”
“And something else.”
The room dissolved into giggles and Madre joined them before heading out.
Derik blushed hotly as he looked over at Sherrel. “Um…”
She smiled at him, her fingers delving between his legs to stroke against the base of his tucked shaft. “Something?”
“What is marking day?”
Sherrel cocked her head quizzically, then smiled again. “No idea? It's this rune that goes on the base of your spine, right at the small of your back.”
Derik gaped slightly as he realized what she was talking about. Most whores had them, a circular disk-shaped marking on their base. There were different colors, but he knew to always pick the pink and yellow ones, they were the safest. “Oh, you mean whore mar—”
The word froze in his throat. Suddenly frightened, he saw Sherrel stare at him in shock, then her expression turned stormy. Slowly, she got on her knees and leaned over him. He tried to pull away, but she pinned him down with her weight and her fingers curling up between his legs.
Her voice was icy as she spoke curtly to him, “Are you calling me a whore?”
For a moment, fright flooded his thoughts and he had to look away. “No.”
Sherrel held him in place until he began to shake and the nearly ever-present blush burned at his cheeks. Then she lowered herself down, the yellow silk of her robe fluttering. “I don't recommend you ever call it a whore mark again, Dora.”
“Sorry,” came his sullen response.
He couldn't look at her until her fingers caught his chin. He tried to pull away, but she dug up between his legs. Wincing, he let her catch his chin and turn him to face her.
“Now,” she said more cheerfully, “there are three of them. They are the magical runes of sterility, protection, and containment. There is also entrapment, but I highly recommend you never get that one.”
“Entrapment?”
Teri dropped down next to him, naked and yawning, “It means that when they come in you, it doesn't come out. Even if your belly gets full and you think you are going to explode.”
Derik jumped but Teri giggled and wrapped her arm around his waist, pulling him close so she could rest her head on his shoulder.
“Pretty useless when you got one or two guys, but someone like the baron who comes in buckets or a really good gang bang can make you really full in a hurry.”
Derik tried to consider the idea but he couldn't imagine it. Neither of them seemed to say anything, so he asked another question. “Do you, um, we get all three?”
Sherrel nodded, “Yep. Sterility is why Teri will be able to play with you, means you won't get pregnant. But, there is a version for guys—”
Teri interrupted with a giggle, “Or slutty boys pretending to be girls.”
Derik blushed hotly, and Sherrel rolled her eyes.
“And protection means you don't get diseases. Containment means you don't have to worry about things coming out.”
He realized that the pink and yellow runes were sterility and protection, but he didn't think he understood containment.
“I don't get it.”
Teri leaned up, pressing her breasts against his arm. “It means, when the baron fucks that tight little ass of yours–” Her fingers teased his ass cheeks and he squirmed away. Teri followed him, her finger resting against his anal ring before she whispered evilly, “—then no poop comes out. It will be as clean as he shoved it in.”
Derik's cock twitched at the thought and he wondered if he could blush even more.
Teri teased his opening, but withdrew after a second.
Sherrel, a faint blush on her own cheeks, swallowed before she said, “It also means he can safely go from ass to mouth without anyone getting sick. Since the baron ride our holes pretty hard, it's an important thing.”
“I-I can imagine,” he said even if he couldn't.
Teri yawned again. Without asking him, she curled up against his lap, her head resting on his thigh and proceeded to go back to sleep.
Derik held out his hands for a moment, then rested it on her breast. Underneath, her nipple hardened but he made no additional effort to please her.
Sherrel grinned as she stood up. Gesturing down to Teri, she said, “Looks like you have pillow duties now, Dora.”
He ducked his head but he couldn't help but notice her presence in front of him. Looking up, he lost himself in her smile, then looked down at her slick pussy right in front of his mouth. Without being asked, he opened his mouth and drew her in, one hand stroking Teri's breast while the other held Sherrel's ass to lap at her sex.
Sweet and tangy, he thought, his tongue delving between the heated folds. Sherrel held his head, gentle, not grinding as he brought her to a slow, smoldering orgasm. Then she withdrew, leaving him with a glistening face and a smile.
Derik wiped her juices off his face with her hand, but remained on the pillows, comforting Teri as he watched the rest of the room.
Forbis showed up just under a half hour later. He was an older man, maybe in his fifties, with bushy eyebrows and a scowl on his face. He had a black bag in his hand and Derik saw runes flickering along the outside. In specific, he saw a few warding runes to discourage any thieves from stealing the contents.
Not that it would have stopped Derik.
The older man had five assistants, all barely dressed females in clothes at least two sizes too small. Their breasts were huge, the size of pillows, and they had puffy lips and wide hips. Derik stared at them in shock—they looked like cheap whores on Pipe Street more than assistants. They passed them on their way to the massage room, and he almost choked from their perfume.
Any desire to move fled as the doctor and the assistants frequently entered into the main room, gathering up the members of the harem or asking questions. Derik kept his head bowed and waited, staring at Teri if one came closer.
When they woke Teri, one of the last, he finally stood up and fled behind one of the columns. He was terrified. Looking up, he stared at the vent above his head. Just thirty seconds. Looking around, he could see a few within sight, but he realized he couldn't stay. Taking a deep breath, he reached up for the hook to pull himself up.
“You okay?” asked Madre as she came around the pillar.
He jumped at her voice, and backed up against the wall. “Um, yeah.”
“You look frightened, Dora.”
Sweat dappling his brow, he could only nod.
Madre looked at him curiously, then glanced up at the ceiling. His heart pounded against his chest for a moment, then she returned her gaze to him. “Well, it's time.”
When she took his hand, she held it firmly.
He took a deep breath and followed, pulling the sapphire silk robe around his chest to cover himself as she drew him toward the massage room.
Inside, the room was mostly dark and lit by candles and floating lights. In the far end was a pond with a trickle of water, icy cold but relaxing to listen to. Forbis stood by one of the tables, finishing up Nightingale's markings. He had four sticks between his fingers, each one sparkling with magical power as he drew on her back. Derik watched as his sure hands traced out lines and obvious energy poured down the sticks into the tips. One hand was between her legs, obviously fingering her as he held her still.
Nightingale just had her eyes closed, an expression of annoyance and apathy plain for everyone to see.
“Ah, ah, there we go. Lovely as ever, my lovely Gale.”
He had a southern accent, kind of a drawl with a hint of Carium gentry in it.
Derik clutched himself tighter as Madre strode over to him.
“Forbis?”
“One moment, Rachi, one moment.”
He finished with a flourish and a twist of his wrist as he delved his fingers deep between Nightingale's thighs.
She jerked, then sat up when he pulled away. Spotting Derik, she smirked. Hopping off, she walked past him and left Derik alone with Madre, Forbis, and his assistants.
Madre watched her leave, then turned to Forbis. “Could I have a moment alone?”
“Oh sure, Rachi, just…”
His voice trailed off and he just waved to the voluptuous women. They shrugged indifferently and filtered out of the room.
Derik couldn't meet their gaze as he stepped away, trying to keep to the shadows. His stomach lurched right and left, as if it was being twisted in a storm.
Forbis looked at her and a creepy grin crossed his lips. “Oh, a new girl? A new toy for Forbis?”
“No, she's special.”
“Ah,” he nodded sagely. “A virgin for the baron? No shoving fingers in her wet pussy?”
Derik blushed hotly, feeling his puckered opening clenching at the thought of him.
Forbis regarded her for a long moment, then turned back to his bag. His voice lost some of the playfulness instantly. “What is it, Rachi?”
Madre actually sounded uncomfortable as she glanced at Derik. “I-I need to you to mark her as a woman.”
“But, she is a woman…” it only took a single heartbreaking moment for him to realize it. “A guy?”
Madre nodded, “Yes.”
He gave her a quizzical look. “I wasn't aware that the baron was into guys.”
She said nothing for a moment. Then she glanced away. “He isn't.”
“And yet, here he is.”
Derik's face burned as he looked away.
Forbis stared at him, unseen but the man's presence burned Derik's skin.
After a second, Derik glanced over his shoulder to see a look of disgust on the older man's face. Then, he turned and started to pack up his things. “Won't do it, Rachi.”
Madre put a hand on his shoulder. “Please? For me?”
Forbis shook his head. “No, I don't approve. Why is he here then? Not for you, I know that.”
Madre blushed herself and withdrew her hand.
The older man slammed his stuff into his bag. “So, there is something else going on. There is a man in the harem, a man the baron doesn't know about.”
Madre started to say something, then closed her mouth with a snap.
Derik trembled, feeling that he stood on the edge of a cliff.
“I will not mark him as a woman, that is an offense to my trade. And I will not let any man ruin the baron's goods.”
“Damn it, please?”
“No, Rachi, this is wrong. Utterly wrong and an offense, and you know it. He should be in the dungeon or somewhere else, not ruining the baron's goods!”
His voice rumbled as he spoke.
Madre clenched her jaw for a moment, before she spoke curtly. “You owe me, damn it.”
Forbis froze for a moment, then shook his head. “Not this big, Rachi. You're asking me to violate the trust of the baron, my guild, and my profession. Even that… that incident isn't enough.”
“It wasn't that small!”
He didn't budge for a long moment, two forces of personality glaring at each other. Then, Forbis relaxed slightly. “But, you called that favor, and I can respect at least part of it. I won't tell anyone, but I won't mark him as a woman.”
She said nothing for a long time.
He finished packing his bag. “Take it or leave it, Rachi, you won't find another marker in this town that will do it.”
“Damn it. I'll take it.”
He snapped his bag shut loudly. He gave Derik a hard look before turned sharply to Madre. “Get rid of him, Rachi. He's a bad egg. He cannot bring anything good this place and you know it.”
“But-”
“Nothing.”
As a final word, he stormed out of the room, brushing past Derik roughly as he disappeared.
Derik's jaw clamped down tightly as he heard the footsteps fading with the distance, then him calling for the others to leave.
Slowly, he looked up at Madre. “What did he mean?”
Madre tried to visibly relax. She let out a long shuddering breath. “About what, Derik?”
She used his real name and the sound branded his skin. “About me not being for you?”
“Because he knows I'm in love with someone else.”
With that, she stormed out of the room.
He could feel the heat of her anger blasting him as she left, and he leaned against the wall for a long moment. “Well, fuck.”
Alone in the massage room, he opened his hand. Most of Forbis' marking tools rested in his palm, crackling with soft power. He regarded them for a long moment, wondering if he could fake the markings at least. He lifted one up and drew along his hand, holding it lightly as he saw Forbis do. No color touched his skin, but he could feel the power tingling inside the tools.
Then Madre called for him.
Loudly.
Sighing, he padded over to one of the massage tables and pulled open a drawer, putting the stolen marking sticks into the back before answering her call.