On the Black Wind to Baldairn Motte

Part 3.

Lyrie kept her eyes downcast, occasionally glancing up to catch the eye of the young Lord Melden Klaye as Mistress Nedra had taught her. Melden Klaye was far from being a big man, but he was beautiful. His straight brown hair—parted down the center—hung shoulder length, framing the well-tanned, almost feminine features of his face. He wore knee-high boots, tight breeches, and a goldenrod doublet over a white tunic. Lyrie had seen his like, the pampered nobleman, many a time, but never before in this context. The Minx's Den was a high-scale brothel, but it was still a brothel, shunned by any good-named lord and frequented mostly by rich, older merchants and craftsmen. This young lord was a rarity, and he interested Lyrie. She'd caught his eye the moment she came down the stairs, and though he had turned his attention back to the other girls, she was certain he would pick her.

Lord Klaye was taking his time, looking over each of the girls with great care, sometimes approaching one of them to feel her breasts or run a finger between her legs and sniff it. It was a bit odd, but Lyrie thought little of it. She'd once seen a man bend every girl over and sniff all of their arses before finally settling on the ugliest of the bunch. Each man had his own tastes. The man-at-arms who had nearly beat down the door upstairs loomed near the front doorway, watching his master silently.

Lord Klaye at last came up to Lyrie. She pretended to be modest as he lowered his face to sniff and run the tip of his tongue between her breasts. When he raised his head, his dark eyes startled her with their intensity. She was usually the one to hold a man's gaze, not the other way around.

"I'm a man with voracious appetites, sweetling," he said. "Think you can satiate them?"

"No woman could ever satiate a man of your likes, my lord. But I can sweeten your lips and satisfy your hunger like the richest of honey cakes, and when you grow hungry again, I'll always find great pleasure in feeding you more."

"What's your name, sweetling?"

"Lyrie."

Lord Klaye nodded. "Very well, Lyrie, gather your belongings. You're going with me."

Lyrie had already begun to grab his hand to lead him up the stairs when she realized what he was saying. "Wait, going where?" she asked, puzzled. Mistress Nedra never let the girls leave with a client.

"Perhaps you should take another girl," Mistress Nedra suggested, stepping forward. Lyrie is still young and not the most robust of girls. One of the older ones would be better for travel."

"I've made my decision," Lord Klaye said simply.

"Where are we going?" Lyrie asked.

"Hush," Mistress Nedra told her. "You can't take her, my lord. I won't sell her. She's got too many years left in her and she brings a good price. I stand to lose a lot. I must insist you take one of the older girls."

The man-at-arms stepped forward, spinning his mace between his fingers. Lord Klaye put a hand out to stop him. "You have two choices, mistress," Lord Klaye said. "You can either take my five marks and give me the girl, or I can go fetch the band of Ordained camped outside town. Even the Earl himself won't have the power to stop them if I attest that you force your girls to perform buggery with beasts and animals to entertain your clients."

"I do no such thing," Mistress Nedra said, shocked.

"And who do you think the Earl will believe, one of his own bannermen or a whore?"

"My girls will vouch for me."

"They won't be able to vouch for anyone once the Ordained slit them open from neck to cunny and burn them to cinder along with your whole damned brothel. Ordryn is the least forgiving of the Passions, mistress. His servants demand obedience and take vengeance when disobeyed."

"I-I..." Mistress Nedra could only stammer. The other girls glanced at each other warily.

"You needn't threaten our fine mistress," Lyrie said. "If you want me so badly, I'll go with you. Just give me a moment to gather a few things."

Lord Klaye smiled at her, then turned to his man-at-arms. "Give the mistress her five marks and make sure my sweetling has everything she needs for our journey, then take her to our camp. Lyrie, I will be seeing you again soon."

Lyrie returned his smile. The man was a rogue and abully, but she couldn't help but want him.