Hearing my complaint, Cyrus slows. He has a grace to him that intrigues me. He isn’t like the brutish human men who patronize The Stag – swaggering and staggering like bulldogs. Nor is he like the stuffy, rich families who turned up their nose at me… while I robbed them blind. I was invisible to them.
I don’t feel invisible when Cyrus looks at me – despite still playing the part of a humble maid, and despite Cyrus and his battle-brothers being far richer than all the other families I’ve ever robbed from combined.
In fact, rather than invisible, I feel the opposite. I feel naked beneath the heat of his slate-grey gaze.
A woman suddenly comes running out from the manor. She’s curvy, with short blonde hair that frames a full-lipped face. Her dress is sheer, showing off the seductive curves of her full-figured body, and – for a quick second – I feel a surge of envy at the sight of this beautiful woman.
She must be one of their… ahem… courtesans – members of their harem.
If so, she must be a favorite of the Aurelians. This blonde is gorgeous.
She jumps up into Cyrus’s arms as soon as she reaches us, and he catches her effortlessly, swinging her around with a laugh…
…but when she goes in for a kiss, he abruptly turns his head, spurning her.
He’s still smiling as he puts her down – but she’s not. She shoots me a glare as her feet return to the ground; like a rowdy alley cat squaring off against a rival kitty.
“Sarah, meet Mia,” Cyrus is – or pretends to be – oblivious to her display of jealousy. “She’s going to be working with you.”
With her – not for her. With that simple distinction, Cyrus has made it very clear that I might be a maid, but I’m on an equal footing with her in this household hierarchy.
Sarah smiles at me. She’s bubbly, and with her jealousy passed, she gives me a smile that feels genuine. Perhaps she saw my outfit and realized it would be the furniture I’d be polishing – not Cyrus’s…
Well, you know.
“Hey, Mia.” She thrusts out a small hand. “I’m Sarah. Now, where did they find you?”
Cyrus grins. “She was a damsel in distress.”
Sarah raises an eyebrow as we shake hands.
“Well, you’ll tell me all about it, I’m sure.” A glance to the towering Aurelian. “Cyrus, shall I wait for you in the pleasure room?”
There’s an awkward pause – awkward for all of us. Sarah isn’t being catty with me; but with that statement, she’s making it very clear what her role is in the household; and that Cyrus belongs to her…
…except he doesn’t.
Cyrus shakes his head. “No. Why don’t you show Mia around? I’ve got work to do.”
“You work too much,” Sarah pouts. She feigns being offended, presumably to cover truly being offended.
Cyrus turns to me. “You’ll be fine in Sarah’s capable hands.”
“Oh, he knows just how capable those hands are,” Sarah quips, her eyes flashing. Again, it’s a display – meant to let me, the newcomer, know what the deal is between them.
But Cyrus ignores her comment again – meeting my gaze even as he continues to speak to her.
“I’ll see you at dinner. Sarah. We’ve got big meeting tonight, and everything needs to go smoothly – please let me prepare in peace.”
Subdued, Sarah nods.
“Make sure Mia gets some new clothes, too.”
Sarah’s eyes narrow – but he doesn’t even seem to notice.
Cyrus leaves us, striding off towards the manor. I turn and look at Sarah hesitantly. I’m nervous of her – there’s nothing more unpredictable or dangerous than a jealous woman – but she’s all smiles again. I guess she’s convinced herself I’m not a threat to her sexual supremacy – and that’s true, in my drab maid’s outfit.
“Did you hear him? Time to give you a makeover, Mia!”
Sarah claps her hands, as if she’s a little girl who’s just been handed a life-sized version of one of those Old-Earth dolls they still make replicas of today: Barbie.
I hold up my hand in caution.
“Well, I don’t think I can pull that off,” I gesture to her dress. The thin, pink outfit might as well be made of gossamer. It does nothing to hide her body, and I can even see the darker circles of her nipples as the fabric strains to contain her full breasts.
Sarah giggles. Although I can tell she’s really into Cyrus, she doesn’t seem to have any real jealousy towards me. “I only wear it because they like it.” Her eyes flash. “Usually, Cyrus can’t resist. I guess that meeting is really important.”
Then, she winks at me.
“You’re lucky, you know.”
“Me? Why?”
Sarah shrugs. “They don’t let many women into their harem. For Aurelians, these three are extremely picky.” Another wink. “I guess you made the grade.”
Then, her eyes narrow. She studies my face. With Cyrus gone, it’s like she can see me clearly for the first time.
“Gods, what happened to your eye? Are you okay?”
I touch the bruise beneath my eye, which is starting to hurt again after the relief of the makeshift icepack.
“I’m fine,” I reassure her. “It’s a long story – but I’m not here to join their harem.”
“You’re not?”
Then, she looks me up and down – and I guess she finally realizes the significance of the maid’s outfit I wore. Instead of sympathy or pity, though – and I would have detested pity – Sarah’s smile just widens. I guess now she’s finally accepted I’m not a threat.
“Come with me,” she offers me her hand. “You can come and tell everyone your story. Are you hungry?”
“Starved,” I reply. I had a light breakfast of thin oatmeal this morning – as I do every morning. I’d rather save my money than waste it on food.
My money… For a moment, I feel a jolt of anxiety, as I realize the meager sum I’ve spent years saving is going to
