Villery dismounted from Zimmer, her stomach churning with unease. She had never been this far in human territory before. The laricon snorted, pawing the ground as Villery’s nervous energy fed his emotions. She shushed him, but it was more for hweer own sake than his. A hard stone lay in the pit of her stomach, where it had stayed ever since Rella had pulled her aside that day.
Why me? Flashed again through Villery’s mind, but she knew that Rella had to have had a reason. She just wished she knew what it was.
Taking a shaky breath, Villery turned toward her laricon. His dark eyes held her gaze, and blowing out the breath she leaned into him, breathing in his familiar scent of home.
“Zimmer,” she mumbled frm his shulder. Villery paused. Once she said those words, there was no going back. “Jo ta yis.” The laricon jerked, and Villery felt like crying. “Jo ta yis,” she repeated, more forecefully. Zimmer gave her a look, but then he obediently turned and began padding away. Villery wanted to call out after him, call him back, but she satyed quiet, tears or fear sliding down her cheeks. Now, she was truly, completely alone.
For a human town, Villery had toadmit that Melcreed was actually in decent shape. Not that it compared to even the mist run down hutrs in Edeni. Villery bit her lip at the memory and forced herself to keep moving. She pictured in her mind the route that Rella had drilled her on so many times, following the familiar coal marks until she had a general ide of where she needed to go. Villery shifted in her restrictive human clothing, trying to adjust her form to the sort of human that wouldn’t be noticed. Her hair was up, the ebony back streaked with hazel hidden within a wrap that the humans considered fashionable. If any humans knew…Villery was certain she would die. Or become a king’s whore.
She didn’t know which would be worse.
It wasn’t long before Villery smelled the telltale sweet scent that commonly wafted around brothels. This one was, ironically, in much better shapethan most of the buildings there. Villery felt hewr stomach churn, but pushed the feeling down. She wasn’t going to…
“Hey, bitch! You comin’ for work?” Villery shrunk away from his lewd leer. She would have to deal like men with this all the time now. Better get used to it.
“Sorry, but I don’t think you could afford the pleasure I give- and besides, it’d be hardfor a man like you to fully appreciate my skill.” Leaving him red faced and stock still, Villery swept into the Brothel.
The sweet smell was so thick inside that Villery fancied she could see the pink smoke hazing in the air. In the front there was a woman sitting at a desk, and Villery noted uneasily how reinforced her area was.
No man would be fucking her anytime soon.
“A female pleasure-seeker?” the woman said, making Villery start. “I’m sorry, but Reyvinn isn’t in today. He’ll be back tomorrow, though.” Villery stared at thw woman in a moment of confusion before recovering.
“Actually, m’am-“
“Oh, please. My name is Veribella. Enough with the formalities.” She paused, and added, under her breath, “none of ushere deserve that title.”
“Er, um, Veribella…I was wondering if you were seaqrching for any, er, workers?” Veribella’s eyes took ona sharper look as she eyed Villery up and down, before softening.
“Sweets, I always try to put off hiring the small ones before they’re ready…Of course, if you insist, I can find you a match very quickly and we can get started right away…of course, Reyvinn is still gone…he’d teach you all you needed to know…”
“I-I was told there were jobs not involving- that,” Villery stammered quickly, her face burning.
“Oh! You mean an attendant! Yes, how silly of me…I’m very sorry sweets, but yoyu should see the lookmon your face.” Veribella chuckled as she grabbed a slip of paper from under her desk.
“Here. Please fill this out, and I’ll look it over and let you know. We are in need…” Villery accepted the paper and charcoal stick and retreated to a soft cushion in the corner. Her hand shook as she read the paper.
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Preferred sex:
Brief History:
Wanted Pay:
Remember the cover…
Villery slowly filled the form out, admiring Veribella’s flowing handwriting. Hers looked messy and ugly compared to hers.
Name: Villery
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Preferred sex: N/A?
Brief History: Orphan, came from Questiolle (outer sector) to find work
Wanted Pay:
Villery left the pay blank. She wasn’t here fr money. Villery glanced up at Veribella to see a tall, stocky man flirting with her. He was humoring him, Villery could tell, but her stomach still churned. She woulkd have to deal with men like these. Her heart pounding in er chest, Villery forced herself to stand and make her way toward the ounter, when the man turned at her soft footsteps. Villery froze.
“Well, what is a little bloom such as this doing here? Chilfdren should stay with their mommies until they can fuck!” He chuckled, and Villery felt herself starting to lose composure.
“Sir, Terese is waiting for you. You only have an hour, so I suggest you make the most of it.” Veribella’s words were pointed, and her eyes beheld a mtherl,y sharpness that made Villery feel safe in avery unsafe place. Veribella accepted the sheet back slowly, a question in her eyes, but Villery avoide her gaze, giving her the paper meekly. Veribella looked it over quickly, her features softening.
“I came from the Outer Sectors too, sweets. I’ll admit, for all its shadiness, Melcreed ius much better than that hellhole. I’m g;ad you got out. Us outers gotta look after each other, eh?” Veribella gave Villery a sad smile, and Villery quickly faked one to match. She liked Veribella already, but that didn’;t mean she trusted her. “Daria!” Veribella shouted, and Villery felt like her eardrum would have burst. Maybe for a hyuman that sound was just loud, but for her… A tall, slender and not very pretty woman appeared, her face a mixture of annoyance and boredom.
“Wjat is it this time, Veri-“ Her eyes fell on Villery, and her face softened just a bit. “They get younger every year, don’t they,” she said quietly.
“Daria! She is only seeking to be an attendant, not a whore.” Daria straiugytened, hiding her embarrassment well.
“Well, miss, please tell me your name and I will guide you on a tour of sorts before you may start your duties. In exchange, you will be given board, food, and a small weekly allowance for niceties.”
“My name…is Villery, missus.” Darai gave Veribella one last sharp nod before turning abruptly and satriding away, Villery stumbling to keep up.
Why me? Flashed again through Villery’s mind, but she knew that Rella had to have had a reason. She just wished she knew what it was.
Taking a shaky breath, Villery turned toward her laricon. His dark eyes held her gaze, and blowing out the breath she leaned into him, breathing in his familiar scent of home.
“Zimmer,” she mumbled frm his shulder. Villery paused. Once she said those words, there was no going back. “Jo ta yis.” The laricon jerked, and Villery felt like crying. “Jo ta yis,” she repeated, more forecefully. Zimmer gave her a look, but then he obediently turned and began padding away. Villery wanted to call out after him, call him back, but she satyed quiet, tears or fear sliding down her cheeks. Now, she was truly, completely alone.
For a human town, Villery had toadmit that Melcreed was actually in decent shape. Not that it compared to even the mist run down hutrs in Edeni. Villery bit her lip at the memory and forced herself to keep moving. She pictured in her mind the route that Rella had drilled her on so many times, following the familiar coal marks until she had a general ide of where she needed to go. Villery shifted in her restrictive human clothing, trying to adjust her form to the sort of human that wouldn’t be noticed. Her hair was up, the ebony back streaked with hazel hidden within a wrap that the humans considered fashionable. If any humans knew…Villery was certain she would die. Or become a king’s whore.
She didn’t know which would be worse.
It wasn’t long before Villery smelled the telltale sweet scent that commonly wafted around brothels. This one was, ironically, in much better shapethan most of the buildings there. Villery felt hewr stomach churn, but pushed the feeling down. She wasn’t going to…
“Hey, bitch! You comin’ for work?” Villery shrunk away from his lewd leer. She would have to deal like men with this all the time now. Better get used to it.
“Sorry, but I don’t think you could afford the pleasure I give- and besides, it’d be hardfor a man like you to fully appreciate my skill.” Leaving him red faced and stock still, Villery swept into the Brothel.
The sweet smell was so thick inside that Villery fancied she could see the pink smoke hazing in the air. In the front there was a woman sitting at a desk, and Villery noted uneasily how reinforced her area was.
No man would be fucking her anytime soon.
“A female pleasure-seeker?” the woman said, making Villery start. “I’m sorry, but Reyvinn isn’t in today. He’ll be back tomorrow, though.” Villery stared at thw woman in a moment of confusion before recovering.
“Actually, m’am-“
“Oh, please. My name is Veribella. Enough with the formalities.” She paused, and added, under her breath, “none of ushere deserve that title.”
“Er, um, Veribella…I was wondering if you were seaqrching for any, er, workers?” Veribella’s eyes took ona sharper look as she eyed Villery up and down, before softening.
“Sweets, I always try to put off hiring the small ones before they’re ready…Of course, if you insist, I can find you a match very quickly and we can get started right away…of course, Reyvinn is still gone…he’d teach you all you needed to know…”
“I-I was told there were jobs not involving- that,” Villery stammered quickly, her face burning.
“Oh! You mean an attendant! Yes, how silly of me…I’m very sorry sweets, but yoyu should see the lookmon your face.” Veribella chuckled as she grabbed a slip of paper from under her desk.
“Here. Please fill this out, and I’ll look it over and let you know. We are in need…” Villery accepted the paper and charcoal stick and retreated to a soft cushion in the corner. Her hand shook as she read the paper.
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Preferred sex:
Brief History:
Wanted Pay:
Remember the cover…
Villery slowly filled the form out, admiring Veribella’s flowing handwriting. Hers looked messy and ugly compared to hers.
Name: Villery
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Preferred sex: N/A?
Brief History: Orphan, came from Questiolle (outer sector) to find work
Wanted Pay:
Villery left the pay blank. She wasn’t here fr money. Villery glanced up at Veribella to see a tall, stocky man flirting with her. He was humoring him, Villery could tell, but her stomach still churned. She woulkd have to deal with men like these. Her heart pounding in er chest, Villery forced herself to stand and make her way toward the ounter, when the man turned at her soft footsteps. Villery froze.
“Well, what is a little bloom such as this doing here? Chilfdren should stay with their mommies until they can fuck!” He chuckled, and Villery felt herself starting to lose composure.
“Sir, Terese is waiting for you. You only have an hour, so I suggest you make the most of it.” Veribella’s words were pointed, and her eyes beheld a mtherl,y sharpness that made Villery feel safe in avery unsafe place. Veribella accepted the sheet back slowly, a question in her eyes, but Villery avoide her gaze, giving her the paper meekly. Veribella looked it over quickly, her features softening.
“I came from the Outer Sectors too, sweets. I’ll admit, for all its shadiness, Melcreed ius much better than that hellhole. I’m g;ad you got out. Us outers gotta look after each other, eh?” Veribella gave Villery a sad smile, and Villery quickly faked one to match. She liked Veribella already, but that didn’;t mean she trusted her. “Daria!” Veribella shouted, and Villery felt like her eardrum would have burst. Maybe for a hyuman that sound was just loud, but for her… A tall, slender and not very pretty woman appeared, her face a mixture of annoyance and boredom.
“Wjat is it this time, Veri-“ Her eyes fell on Villery, and her face softened just a bit. “They get younger every year, don’t they,” she said quietly.
“Daria! She is only seeking to be an attendant, not a whore.” Daria straiugytened, hiding her embarrassment well.
“Well, miss, please tell me your name and I will guide you on a tour of sorts before you may start your duties. In exchange, you will be given board, food, and a small weekly allowance for niceties.”
“My name…is Villery, missus.” Darai gave Veribella one last sharp nod before turning abruptly and satriding away, Villery stumbling to keep up.