A Walk in the Dark Chapter 5 by Maggie Finson

 
Author’s Note:Okay, weirdness is starting to feel normal. So now what? A period of adjustment seems to be in order now.
 

My maids, timid as they were, finally worked up the nerve to approach me again and reminded me that prunes aren’t pretty at all. I thought about it for a minute then got out of the tub with a sigh. Besides, the water was getting kind of cold.

Belatedly, I realized Sam was still there and staring with wide eyes, so I started to give him a piece of my mind. Then stopped. Given the way things had been going I couldn’t spare any of that, and it was too late, anyway. I gave him a slightly disgusted look as he ogled me and did my real best to ask sweetly. “Have you seen enough, honey?”

His eyes widened once I’d asked that as he took in the real intent behind the question. The poor guy managed to look embarrassed and lustful all at once, and disappeared faster than I thought was possible for anything alive. And I had such a good tantrum to throw at him, too. I decided to save it for later. Much to the relief of my maids.

“Okay, girls.” I let out a sigh as one of them gently patted me dry with a nice warm, fluffy towel. That felt really good but I wasn’t in the mood to admit it. “What next?”

Scented oils, which another of the girls gently stroked into my skin. That felt good, too. Especially when her fingers started working out the kinks in my neck and shoulders the bath hadn’t taken care of. Okay, so this girl stuff wasn’t all bad. To be honest, I almost melted then and there.

Then they powdered me. Using these big fluffy things and leaving a cloud of the fragrant powder hanging in the air that almost made me sneeze. Instead I just laughed and shook my head. Now I finally understood why Carolyn had always had that weird, dreamy expression on her face whenever I met her outside the spa.

Here I was, a girl for all of what? Maybe a day? Less if you discounted the time I’d spent unconscious, and I was already loving it. Sheesh. I was doomed. I just knew it.

“Okay.” I sighed as we all left the bathroom. “I can’t spend my time here hollering ‘Hey You’ and pointing when I want one of you to do something. So how about you tell me your names?”

The girls looked at each other and I could see the mental shrugs all of them gave then actually smiled at me and chorused. “Of, course m’lady.”

“Are you three joined at the brain or something?” I questioned with a grin. “You all seem to do things at the same time. Just wondering, you know.”

“No, m’lady.” The cute redhead answered slowly. “It is just that we were afraid of you and your mate when the Sorcerer brought us here.”

“My mate.” I let out a breath and nodded. That was something to worry about later. Right now I was gentling down the domestic help so they wouldn’t high tail it every time I started to lose my temper. “Let’s cover that bit a little later on, if you don’t mind. Just know that you don’t have to be afraid of us. We won’t hurt you.”

“You have given your WORD, lady.” The brunette responded then gave a halfway fearful look into the other room. “But he hasn’t.”

“Oh, I get it.” I nodded then shouted. “Sam! Get your butt in here!”

He poked his head through the door and did his best to avoid looking at me. “Is it safe? I mean you’re still, you know, kind of naked.”

“Big bad male.” I chuckled and waved him in. “Like you didn’t get an eyeful a few minutes ago. It isn’t something you haven’t already enjoyed, so get your tail in here.”

Oddly, I wasn’t at all self conscious when he did and that kind of worried me, but again, something for later. I was going to need a list of those ‘laters’ or I’d lose track at this rate. “The girls are still afraid of you, dear. Just swear to them that you won’t harm them, okay?”

He was actually kind of cute with that one. He blushed, gathered them all into a somewhat reluctant hug (on their part) and simply said, “I swear on my life that I will never harm one of you if you offer no harm to me or my lady.”

WHAM!

I felt the same thing that I’d noticed when I told the girls I wasn’t going to eat them…

“Further,” He went on despite my frantic gestures to stop him, “I swear that I and my lady will protect and defend you and yours whenever there is need.”

Oh, shit.

The whammy hit again and I just knew that I’d give my life for any of those girls or anyone in their families. Dammit. I so wanted to brain Sam, but the big goof had meant well.

I shook that off and smiled at the girls. “Okay, so are we good now?”

They nodded.

“Names?” I prompted.

“Brigid of Evanshire, lady.” The redhead gave me a genuine smile and curtsied. I’d never really seen that done and have to tell you it was both graceful and impressive in its own way. The move said that yes, the person doing it was subservient to you, but it also hinted at hidden power that the girl wasn’t showing. Sheesh, I was starting to understand this girl stuff waaay to well.

Sam just watched raptly. I had to elbow him in the ribs — hard — to settle him down.

Evangeline of Berkford, m’lady.” The lovely little brunette introduced herself and my traitorous nipples did that stand up thing again. Sam had to elbow me that time.

Marisol of Arafar, m’lady and lord.” The really lissome blonde with the so lovely ice blue eyes curtsied. Sam and I had to elbow each other after that one. It took us a few seconds.

“Ladies.” I smiled at them and pushed Sam towards the door. “It is a pleasure.”

“We are not ladies, m’lady.” Marisol protested.

“If you’re working for me, you’re ladies.” I told them. “I won’t have it any other way.”

“But no one would acknowledge that, m’lady.” Brigid countered.

“Tell me, is everyone here as afraid of me as you three were?” I questioned.

“How could they not be so?” Evangeline asked, horrified a bit scandalized, it seemed, by the question. “You are Dhro’aaa. Everyone fears you, Lady.”

“Then I think,” I told them with an evil little grin and wink, “that we can work this out.”

They actually giggled at that, bless them.

I was supposed to attend His Honor, His Mastership, or whatever the hell I was supposed to call the Fu Manchu guy in a meeting. I still had trouble even pronouncing the guy’s name, so give me a break here.

The girls filled me in on what my Handmaiden duties would be, and I almost wanted to puke, or at least kick something really hard. Fortunately it didn’t involve going to bed with either him or his guests.

It was bad enough to know I was expected to serve him as something like a waitress, and just be scary as hell for the guests. That last part wouldn’t be a problem at all, given how angry I was about the other stuff. And that was before the girls got me dressed for the event.

Picture the briefest bright red bikini you can imagine. Then two strips of the same color silk that passed as a skirt. They went down to my ankles, I’ll give them that much. But those strips, actually a long and fancy loincloth, left my legs, hips, and butt if I wasn’t very careful about how I moved, exposed to view.

And the sandals. Remember when I saw no heels on the ones in that wardrobe? Well guess what? There was another wardrobe, the sandals in that one would give a Playboy Bunny fits. The shortest heel on those things had to be five inches. And I had to wear a pair of them.

Add a chain link belt of gold, several delicate, but still clunky bracelets, an ankle chain, and a gold chain with a huge emerald set in gold that teased at my cleavage and I looked like an invitation for good old sweaty, grunting sex. At least my ears didn’t have lobes so I didn’t have to put up with earrings.

Then there was the makeup. I am so not going into that right now. Just let me say that my already gorgeous face went from an eleven out of ten straight up to a twenty. I so wanted to kill someone just then.

Which was exactly the impression Shae’song wanted me to make.

Females of your kind are magically powerful, Lady.” Brigid told me while I was still getting used to the way I looked. “And are not known for being at all kind.”

“You know?” I answered while looking at the living fantasy print in the mirror. “I think I can understand that.”

I looked like some Boris Vallejo painting, for crying out loud.

Needless to say, I was NOT in a good mood when I finally got to the feasting chamber.

“Ahh, my Handmaiden arrives.” Kae’song announced as I stalked into the room.

I was way too pissed off to do anything but glare at him and anyone else stupid enough to look at me, which included everyone in the room, by the way.

“Wine, my dear.” The sorcerer looked at me and raised a gold goblet.

I glared some more at the gathering, which included a lot of creatures that would have scared me into gibbering insanity a few days ago and got the bastard his wine. That I stalked the floor like a hungry and angry big cat, I didn’t realize that at the time, but the–people -- watching me showed signs of both awe and fear. I was starting to feel a little better about all this by then. But would be damned if I showed that.

“Will there be anything else?” I questioned the mage, deliberately not giving him an honorific. If he decided to blast me to myriad hells, or evil nirvana, I didn’t care at that stage of things.

“No, dear.” He smiled at me, and waved at the table. “Pour yourself a goblet and sit with me.”

I did, but have you ever wanted to strangle someone so badly you could actually feel your hands around their throat even if it wasn’t really happening? That’s where I was just then.

I managed to smile at him then turned my attention to the group in the room. Something in me wasn’t at all impressed. “Is this the best you can muster? Pathetic.”

I was mentally kicking myself for that one, but to be honest, I really wasn’t all that impressed with the gathering. I waited to be chastised, or blasted and all I got was a chuckle as Kae’song spoke to the others.

“My handmaiden is rather vocal with her opinions, my friends.” He wrapped a skinny arm around my shoulders possessively and grinned. “Do tell all your friends and contacts.”

Everyone in the room was trying to hide glares of hatred, but I could feel them whether I saw them or not. “Hate me if you wish, it is no great matter. Betray my Master and I will come for you. That, I assure you, will not be at all pleasant.”

Now where the hell had that one come from?

I was scaring myself. Not good. Sooo not good.

Would I actually hunt down and kill anyone who went against Fu Manchu? Much to my chagrin, I realized I would. The Bastard had managed to get a promise out of me at some time, and I knew somehow that I was bound to honor that.

You know, being this cool, beautiful, magical creature really sucks at times?