(no subject)
Alcuin had been on Miranda for a total of three days, and he was still quite overwhelmed. Though to be fair, until now Phedre had hardly let him out of her sight. He did not blame her for that, not really, not after hearing that she had thought him dead for the last four years. Of course, he had feared the same of her, and it had only been a tale from the lips of a patron about the "girl in Siam with the rose on her back" that had given him hope. Alcuin had sent word to her at great expense, and she in turn had risked a great deal to go back to Nanashi and fetch him.
She had assured him that he owed her no debt, that she would not be responsible for his trading one for another, but he had insisted upon staying here with her. Perhaps things would have been different if he'd been forced to stay at Valerian House all these years, where the patrons were sadists and the other Servants of Naamah willing submissives, but they had sold his debt to Jasmine, where Alcuin, whereas not free, had at least felt as though he were doing real service to Naamah, becoming more practiced in the art of love.
The idea of being able to pick and choose patrons as he once had appealed to him, and despite Phedre's warnings, he saw Madam as a kindly old woman with his best interests at heart. Phedre had simply laughed when he told her that and said that all Madam had seen when looking at him was dollar signs.
Phedre had spent the last few days teaching him about the geography of Siam, of the people, of the dangers. Everything he needed to know to survive. She was a good teacher, reminiscent of Anafiel, though it made him feel a little silly, as if their roles had reversed. He was the eldest; he should be taking care of her.
Tonight, she had taken him to a club. It was certainly unlike anything he was accustomed to. Once there, Phedre had said something about seeing an old friend and left him alone near the bar, though Alcuin suspected that she might be watching him from afar to see how well he fared without her. Awkwardly, he sat at the bar, wondering if he should order a drink. He wasn't sure that an establishment such as this served wine.
She had assured him that he owed her no debt, that she would not be responsible for his trading one for another, but he had insisted upon staying here with her. Perhaps things would have been different if he'd been forced to stay at Valerian House all these years, where the patrons were sadists and the other Servants of Naamah willing submissives, but they had sold his debt to Jasmine, where Alcuin, whereas not free, had at least felt as though he were doing real service to Naamah, becoming more practiced in the art of love.
The idea of being able to pick and choose patrons as he once had appealed to him, and despite Phedre's warnings, he saw Madam as a kindly old woman with his best interests at heart. Phedre had simply laughed when he told her that and said that all Madam had seen when looking at him was dollar signs.
Phedre had spent the last few days teaching him about the geography of Siam, of the people, of the dangers. Everything he needed to know to survive. She was a good teacher, reminiscent of Anafiel, though it made him feel a little silly, as if their roles had reversed. He was the eldest; he should be taking care of her.
Tonight, she had taken him to a club. It was certainly unlike anything he was accustomed to. Once there, Phedre had said something about seeing an old friend and left him alone near the bar, though Alcuin suspected that she might be watching him from afar to see how well he fared without her. Awkwardly, he sat at the bar, wondering if he should order a drink. He wasn't sure that an establishment such as this served wine.