The Elfmaid's Curse (The Elfmaid Trilogy Book 1) (30 page)

            "You speak from experience, I see," Danica said.

            "Strangely enough, some men even find me attractive."

            "Strange? I wouldn't call it strange at all. You are pretty and exotic, and more than a little dangerous looking, too. What warrior worthy of his sword could resist you?"

            "You're trying to sweet talk me into going with you."

            "I would if I thought it would work."

            "It won't."

            "Could I buy you an ale? I find you fascinating, and I promise I won't try wheedling you into coming with me."

            Cat's steady gaze swung back to study Danica's eyes a moment. Danica kept her face impassive, afraid if Cat saw how her heart was racing or her hopes rising, she'd turn down her offer. Cat might not want to travel with her, but she did live in Tamera and might know of some group heading for Ismat al-Haratha that Danica could join. And Cat's word might still get her a spot traveling with some group.

            "Fine, but remember you promised."

            "Good. Shall we join the ladies out in the other room? After two weeks crossing the desert, I could use a good long soak in a nice cool bath."

Chapter 15

            "Bandu as my witness, Cat, that felt too good," Danica said, rubbing vigorously at her still damp hair with a soft cotton towel.

            Cat just grunted, starting to pull on her black leather breeches. Danica stopped to look over the big bravo's clothes and gear, expecting to find it as equally exotic. She was only slightly disappointed.

            It all appeared to be pretty standard — except her clothes were all black. Even the scabbards for belt knife and sword were lacquered shiny black. Her thigh high boots were of water dragon hide, a tough leather that was also imperious to water. Such boots were highly prized in wetter climes and especially the subtropics below Allaria. The only drawback Danica could see was they wouldn't take a high gloss shine.

            Cat's armor was what most impressed her. She possessed a long-sleeved shirt of mail. It was of the finest steel and tailored to fit her enhanced upper body tightly. The mail shirt also reminded her she didn't have any armor to wear. That fact would diminish her in the sight of any potential employers.

            "I thought you were going to buy me an ale?" Cat asked, now finished dressing and starting to twist her long silken tresses into a single thick plait.

            Danica started. She was still nude, and still rubbing at her hair with the towel.

            "Oh. I'm sorry," she said, flushing red. "I was staring. I just never expected to see a bouncer wearing such expensive armor."

            Cat caressed the mail a moment, "It is a thank you gift from Dame Isobeth. One night while I was escorting her back from a friend's home we were jumped by robbers. I took care of them quick."

            Danica swiftly moved to her saddlebags and pulled out a clean pair of breeches, black, and a clean white shirt. After stamping back into her dusty sweat-soaked boots, she folded and stowed her dirty clothes in the saddlebags. Before she left Tamera she would have them cleaned properly. After donning the burnoose, she belted on her own sword over it and gathered up her gear. She led Cat back toward the sounds of the early evening crowds. Just before stepping out of the bathhouse, Danica put on her veil and pulled her hood up to cover her hair as was expected in Tamera. Cat donned a long black kaffiyeh and veil.

            "It'll be dark soon," Cat said.

            "Yes. So, do you have a favorite tavern?"

            "Yes, the Southern Wind. Follow me."

            "Wait, I have a horse."

            They quickly fetched the mare, with Cat helping to saddle her. That done, Danica led the horse through the streets while she walked beside Cat, trying to engage the somber bravo in idle conversation. It was difficult, Cat mostly only answered her questions with grunts or short answers without elaboration.

            Danica cursed her rotten luck. The one woman she really wanted to open up to her was as closemouthed as a thief. Life wasn't fair. In addition, Cat was obviously dissatisfied with her lot in Tamera and might be open to leaving, given the right motivation. Maybe she could convince the bravo to come with her. Though, she had promised not to ask again, so it would have to be Cat who broached the subject. Danica would just have to find her weakness and use it to entice her.

            "You like living in Tamera?"

            "As good as any city, I suppose," Cat said.

            "This Golden Girl Brothel you work at, is it a rowdy place?"

            "No."

            "Have you ever been accused of being a chatterbox?"

            Cat stopped and stared strangely at Danica a second, then smiled weakly.

            "I'm sorry. I've been watching the crowds for trouble. Old habit. Most of my employment involved either being a bodyguard to some noblewoman or as a bouncer in a tavern or brothel. I see crowds, I look for possible trouble."

            "Good, I thought it was me for a second," Danica said. "Strangely enough, I really want to be your friend."

            Cat's eyebrows shot up at that.

            "You barely know me."

            "I know, that's why it's so strange. I usually have to know someone at least a week before I start to feel friendship toward them. I liked you at first sight."

            Cat was obviously flustered. "Thank you, Danica. I like you, too."

            "I was planning on leaving for Ismat al-Haratha as soon as possible, but I've been thinking of hanging around a few days just to get to know you better. If you don't mind."

            Cat reaction was that of shock. Danica wondered if she had any friends. Considering how big and somber she looked, most people might be too intimidated to approach her. Add to that, she could be rather brusque at times, and it could easily lead to a very lonely life.

            "I thought you were going back to the Jarlands?"

            "I am, but first I have to pick up something in Ismat al-Haratha. Sort of a surprise for a man named Talar down in Allaria."

            "Lover?"

            "Hardly."

            "This way," Cat said, leading them off the main boulevard and onto a narrow street almost devoid of traffic. Night shadows already claimed the street, what with its ramshackle tenements leaning dangerous out overhead and almost touching their counterparts across the street. "The tavern is at the next intersection. It's a small family place frequented mostly by locals."

            "I hope they serve decent ale. That watered down piss most desert barkeeps try to pass off as ale is..."

            Danica threw an arm out to stop Cat. Three large shapes had detached themselves from the shadows and were blocking the street. The steely glint of bared steel could be seen. Releasing the mare's reins, Danica reached for her hilt.

            As her fingers wrapped around the sword's leather wrapped hilt, a hard calloused hand wrapped around hers. Before she could react, a dagger pricked her just below the jaw and near to her jugular. One swift slice, and she would bleed to death within minutes. A grunt to her right said Cat had found herself in a similar predicament.

            "No trouble," Danica said. "There's coin enough for all of you on my belt. Just take it and leave us be."

            "Such generosity," he said into her ear, his breath reeking of alcohol and onions. With the blade still at her throat, he quickly pulled off her coin purse, unbuckled her belt and tossed it with her weapons to one of the men to her front. Cat was similarly robbed and disarmed. "But two young beauties like you will bring us a bit of coin, as well."

            "You're going to sell us to slavers?" Cat asked.

            Danica centered herself. She summoned all of her years of arms training, all of her years of unarmed combat training, as well. There were five men, two of the men held her and Cat. The three others looked relaxed and confident.

            "Be calm, Cat. Better slavery than death."

            "Speak for yourself."

            Danica glanced at the bigger woman. She caught Cat's eyes, and smiled with grim determination. Cat's eyes widened.

            "Just do what these nice men say, and it'll all work out fine."

            "Listen to your friend, woman," the robber holding Cat said.

            "Are you sure?" Cat said.

            "Absolutely," Danica replied, and wagged her brows. "Okay, boys, you can take us away. We'll not fight you."

            The knife was pulled from her throat. She saw the blade at Cat's throat was pulled back, as well. Danica caught Cat's eyes, and spun around as she threw a vicious elbow at the robber's throat.

            "Ooff!" Danica's attacker cried, falling back.

            Danica grabbed his wrist and elbow, and brought her knee up so heard his arm snapped. The knife clattered on the ground. She snatched it up and plunged it into his belly, and then into his throat. As she turned to face the other three men, Cat finished off the man who attacked her.

            "Oops," Danica said. "You boys made a bad, bad mistake."

            All three reached for their blades. None of them wore swords, and since they didn't try to pull either Danica's or Cat's swords, she guessed they were common born so had no real weapon's training.

            Danica threw her knife into the throat of the man holding her weapons. She followed the blade, crashing into him a second after the knife struck. Yanking her belt and weapons from his dying grasp, she then pulled her sword and thrust at the next man. Cat was just finished dispatching the man with her weapons, and the last man was about to skewer her with his long knife when he realized the danger from Danica.

            That last man jumped back. Danica's thrust barely missed. He swung a fist at her face, with all his strength. Blackness and bright lights flashed behind her eyes as she felt herself hurled backwards with the force of the strike.

            Danica smashed back first into a stone wall, wavered a moment as grunting and scraping steel sounds filled the air. Her legs gave out, forcing her to drop to her knees. She knew she was in trouble, in a very bad way, but couldn't stop the blackness from consuming her as she toppled forward into oblivion.

Chapter 16

            The Golden Girl Brothel was a three story whitewashed stone building with a terra cotta roof and barred windows.  It sat next to a wide boulevard and a small park in Tamera's upscale el'Charmain quarter near the northern gate. The windows were barred with black painted wrought iron in geometric designs, quite adequate in keeping both robbers out and the one hundred and twenty-five slave and bond servant prostitutes in. The topmost floor was only half as large as the floors below, needing to house only Dame Isobeth and the brothel's free bartenders, bouncers, and cooks.

            Cat trudged up the last flight of the back stairs to the staff quarters on the third floor, carefully balancing the tray of food and wine in one hand. Danica was renting a spare room there during her convalescence.

            Nearing the closed door at the end of the dark hall, Cat heard spirited singing and clapping. Frowning, she knocked loudly. Crystal, a pretty blonde Amazon bond servant opened the door and let her in. A nude Danica was spinning round and round in some erotic dance, one of Dame Isobeth's prized Silk Slaves kneeling on a thick rug before her while clapping the rhythm and singing a wild desert song of unquenched desire in a mesmerizingly beautiful voice. Tianne was the Golden Girl's most expensive and most requested girl. The born and bred Silk Slave was average height, with knee length golden hair and big blue eyes, and quite possibly the most beautiful woman Cat had ever seen. Several wine bottles were scattered about, all appeared empty. The bond servant that let her in was clearly drunk.

            "Danica!" Cat snapped, black eyes flashing angrily. "Are you trying to get these women into trouble? What will Dame Isobeth say if she learns of this? They should be out working, not up here being entertained by your drunken shenanigans."

            Danica stopped her spinning dance, wobbled dizzily atop the sky high heels the Silk Slave had given her to dance in, and promptly fell on her rump with a yelp of surprise. The bond servant and Silk Slave giggled drunkenly at her, while Cat glared daggers. Wide-eyed, Danica looked up through a veil of tousled golden hair.

            "Cat, you surprised me. You off duty already?"

            "Yes, but you didn't answer my question."

            "I'm a bond servant," Crystal stated icily. "My time is my own business. If I chose to take a few hours off, so be it."

            "And I've already earned my keep for tonight," Tianne said haughtily, sweeping her perfect hair out of her perfect face with a perfect hand. Dame Isobeth had a rule that once a slave girl earned a specified sum, she received the rest of the night off. That sum was determined by the girl's beauty, experience, and recent earnings. The rule didn't apply to bond servants, who tended to try twice as hard anyway. The Silk Slave then gave Cat a withering glare, "I see no reason why I shouldn't enjoy myself with friends on my rare time off. Besides, someone had to teach Danica the proper way to dance for men. Poor girl is ignorant of even the most basic mysteries of love and pleasure!"

            Danica gave Cat a mischievous wink. "Imagine my luck, to be trained by two experts in the Arts of Love! Crystal was once Empress Serena's lover, and Tianne was a Silk Slave in three royal harems before coming here."

           
Luck indeed
, Cat thought, frowning. Danica was only singing and dancing with these two in an effort to lure them into bed. She was worse than those oversexed Tyrian warriors sometimes.

            "She's really quite good," Tianne said, smiling adoringly at Danica. "She's definitely the most eager student I've ever had and she has real talent as well. Of course, Elven grace and artistry is legendary."