Episode 4

Persephone

I walked quickly to the tavern. There was another showcase today and so I couldn't dance at the Circle. So rather than go back home and do nothing, I went to a few inns and danced. I was lucky to get thirty coins and a silver coin. I had sixty more to go and with that,I could get Eos some new clothes.

The Narva Tavern was the biggest and most influential of them all. Peasants were not allowed in the tavern. It was a place high nobles frequented and on rare occasions, the King as well.

I had come here in the early hours of the morning and the owner had told me to try back in the evening as there were a few dancers performing there. Well,there I was.

I pushed the door open and the strong odour of alcohol and sweat hit me. I choked on it and I ran outside to take in some air.

When I was sure i was fine,I went back inside. Anything for Eos. Anything. I repeated those words to myself as I walked in. I quickly noticed the owner flirting around with a couple of men with her generous bosoms spilling out of her gown. I rolled my eyes. Some things were downright disgusting.

Her big black eyes landed on me and she straightened up then dropped the tray of drinks she was holding.

"You're here early." She said as soon as she was in front of me. I gave a smile that I was sure looked weak and polite and i nodded. "Yes ma'am. I am in dire need of the money. "

She smirked and gave me a very awkward look.

"Alright then. Take off your scarf and loosen up a bit. When you are done with ,join those dancers up there."

Take off my scarf? Remove my clothes? I looked at the dancers on the stage. I did not know any of the two but they seemed like experts in this. The way they moved their waists and the rest of their body in such a seductive manner made me rethink my decision of coming here in the first place.

"Madam Bertha,can I not do any of those? My hair... It is in a very bad state. I've been having severe cases of hair loss and it is not a sight anyone would want to see. Plus I go very clad for a reason...my skin..."

"It is alright. Do as you like. You may not get as much money as you want if you do not do as I say...but I have no objection to it." Madam Bertha said and I smiled.

She turned around and murmured something under her breath. I could not catch it all but I heard a little.

"...where you will end up...tonight..."

I did not know whether or not to be scared but I would leave immediately I got the amount I was aiming for.

I walked up stage and dropped the tin I always held down in front of me. The others had a bag on them for their money but I carried this tin on purpose. That way,the disgusting old and smelly men wouldn't get the opportunity to lay a finger on me even if they wanted to.

When I started dancing,the men's eyes zeroed in on me. Their attention shifted from the other two beside me causing them to glare at me as they moved. I replied with an acid-sweet smile. It was good for me so I didn't care. I may not expose as much flesh as they did but I knew how to move my body the right way. In dancing, knowing one's body was the biggest advantage.

Slowly,they came forward and dropped coins in my tin. While they dropped I counted. This was way better than dancing at the Circle.

Only that none of the men at the Circle ever reeked this much. In fact,they never drank.

For a few more hours,I danced, twirled, made splits... Not so much of the latter.

Then a finely dressed man came and dropped ten coins at once and I nearly screamed with joy. I had needed just two more but now I had sixty eight coins! Eight extra coins!

I curtsied and grabbed my tin. Their eyes seemed to follow me when I was leaving too as I felt it on me.

I was about leaving when I heard someone shout from outside.

"His Majesty,King Teris has arrived. Vacate the Tavern immediately."

Panic hit me. For what reason was unknown to me. I had the sudden urge to scram out of the Tavern immediately.

The men inside and the women serving the drinks ran past me like there was a stampede going on.

They pushed me back as they ran through the door until I lost my balance and fell. I remained like that until almost all of them were out before I struggled to my feet. As I reached the door someone gripped my hand firmly and spun me around. Madam Bertha looked at me with a huge frown on her face.

"Is this how you repay me for the help I gave you?" She asked. I frowned,not able to understand her words.

"I do not understand your words." I said.

"You danced here and you think you will leave just like that? Dancers pay me half of their gain here and so will you. Hand it over."

She said stretching her hand forward towards my half filled tin.

I felt my heart shatter into pieces.

How would I hand over Eos' fees to her?

"Forgive me Madam Bertha but I did not earn so much. What I have here is not enough to be split into half. What do I have to do to help repay the debt apart from giving you half of this?" I did not like to owe debts and I hoped there was another option for me apart from splitting what I earned.

A smile I recognized as wicked spread across her lips.

"Yes. There is one thing. You see...my dancers have all left and the King is here. Although he likes his privacy a lot,I can not afford to let him go without a bit of entertainment. Stay back and entertain him. You will repay your debt that way. You could even earn more." She said. It was a good offer,but,when she said the word 'entertain',it seemed like there was more to it.

"By entertain, you mean dance,right?" I asked to be sure.

Her smiled grew even wider.

"Of course. What else could I possibly mean?" She laughed and I joined in as I felt unsure and I did not want to show it.

"Now, quickly... to the stage." She said and clapped. I sped up there quickly. Hopefully, he would not stay long. I had to get home to Eos.

The Tavern's door creaked open and I resisted the urge to look. Meeting the King's gaze was a huge crime and its punishment was as grave as the punishment for treason. We would never raise our heads until we were asked to.

My head still low and my eyes still on my bare foot,I started dancing.

I heard footsteps. Three heavy footsteps. He was not alone.

A wonderful fragrance of Lavender and rose suddenly filled the air and I was certain he was close by. Only higher nobles wore perfume.

"Your Majesty" Madam Bertha cooed and I found it very irritating,so much so I snorted. I silently prayed that none of them heard that but when I felt eyes on me,I knew immediately that my prayers had fallen on deaf ears.

"Who is she?" A deep masculine voice boomed across the room even above the sound of the music. It held so much power in it that I nearly fell to my feet and yet,it was nothing harsh. I stabled myself and stopped dancing. I was in trouble for sure.

"A dancer your Majesty." Madam Bertha cooed again.

"Your taste seems to have dropped since I last came here Bertha..."

Anger slowly seeped through me. I did not meet his taste of dancers,so what? At least I was not all over him like the rest. Arrogant.

"...it is a good thing though. The rest were quite... disgraceful." He said and the anger I felt disappeared. I was wrong. Perhaps, he was not as bad as I thought.

"You seem interested, Sire." Madam Bertha said and what followed was laughter. The most wonderful I had ever heard and I found myself smiling.

"Bertha,you know I have no interest whatsoever in peasants." My heart broke again. For a while here,I had forgotten my status.

I wanted to see what he looked like and although my brain kept telling me not to,I looked up. Luckily,he was not looking.

I had never seen such beautiful eyes.

So blue they matched the color of the Assarian river. When he laughed,they glittered so much like the stars in the sky. He jaw looked so strong and his lips looked so soft and red. His hair was the colour of the golden sun. He was not in his full armor. On the contrary, he was in a black lush tunic and pants. More like he did not want to be noticed. The tunic brought out his biceps and my stomach gave the disturbing feeling that I always had when Adrienne touched me,making me ask if I was alright. He was so manly and yet, he was...beautiful.

My glance shifted to Bertha whose gaze held mine with a very mischievous look on her face. She must have seen me taking His Majesty in. Although that did not explain her smile.

I resumed dancing and Bertha excused herself saying she was going to get him his special drink. I stole a glance once more and noticed him wave his hands at the two knights that stood by his side. They curtsied and went out of the Tavern. I felt extremely shy all of a sudden. Here I was fulfilling the dreams of a thousand women out there and it did not bring any ounce of joy to me. For a second, I imagined Adrienne in front of me. He always loved it when I danced for him alone. He would smile and his grey eyes would sparkle.

I started missing him. I wanted to go home to my to be husband and my brother. I wanted to kiss Eos goodnight this very instant and it began to bother me.

Madam Bertha appeared from nowhere,holding a cup of something.

It smelt weird and yet familiar. I must have come across the herbs for the beer before but where?

"I will be back,Sire." Madam Bertha said and suddenly walked towards the door. Where was she going? Did she honestly think I would remain here until she got back? Not if I can stand it.

On reaching the door,she turned slightly and smiled coyly at me. "Have a wonderful night,Sire." She said with her eyes on me.

King Terris turned but when he did,she was gone already, closing the door behind her.

I danced dryly while the King had his drink quietly.

I stole a few glances but our eyes never met. He seemed sad. Very sad and lost in his worries too. When he downed the last of the cup's content, he began coughing. I paused and glanced at him.

"Could you get me a glass of water?" He asked ,still coughing. I sped to the bar's table and searched for water. It was just alcohol and nothing more. Then I found a wooden bucket with water in it. I grabbed a cup and took some water from it before running back and handing it to him. He grabbed it and his hand touched mine slightly. It felt very hot and I proceeded to put the back of my palm on his forehead like I would when Eos was running a fever.

Half way through,he slapped my hand off.

"Do not touch me,Peasant." I was not expecting that but nonetheless, I still touched him. He was burning up. I found that odd. He was fine a few minutes back. Perhaps,it was the beer he was reacting to.

I grabbed the cup from the table and brought it to my nose to sniff it. I coughed when I did as the smell was really strong. Recognition hit me and I gasped when I recognized the smell.

One time I had been gathering herbs for father,I had picked the wrong one. That day, I picked the La La leaves. When I took them home and father took a whiff of it,he scolded me. Told me they were herbs that induced sexual activity. Even the littlest amount would make them very horny. So horny they would forget where they were or who they were with. He instructed that If I ever found myself in that situation, the only thing I could do was to flee.

The cup dropped from my hand and I sped towards the door. I tried pushing it but it would not open. Then it dawned on me.

This was Madam Bertha's plan all along and the King helped with it too.

That was his 'special' beer and now,I was going to be a peace offering.

I banged the door severally but no one came for me. I found myself crying and praying to whoever loved in the skies to help me. If only I had listened to Adrienne. I heard King Teris groan and I looked back. He was sweating hard and pulling his clothes off. I looked down and noticed his erection.

"Help! Someone! Help me!" I cried as I kept hitting the door but as I suspected, no one was at the other end or probably, Madam Bertha was but she chose not to.

I heard a footstep behind me and I dared a look back. He was right behind me and I screamed with fear.

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