“There is a small storeroom not too far away that usually holds spare robes. I’ll rush to it and grab one. I’ll go first.”
He watched as she raced down the hall, which was thankfully dark and vacant of people. He waited a few minutes before he made his own exit. He needed to make another trip to Pembroke soon and speak to Helsina. He needed to learn how to take control of his hybrid abilities before there was yet another incident for his mother to freak out about.
Chapter 7: Carnival of Sin
The morning brought a summons to attend the Countess in her private chambers. Briella listened as Nefertiti complained about the hardship of losing Triniti’s assistance, as she now needed to find an additional lady to attend her. The Countess did not think that Portia Fairley would be up to the task of filling Triniti’s shoes, as she was half peasant stock. Harlotta was about to embark on her first voyage and would be absent for some time. Eden seemed distant and apathetic.
Briella watched Eden speculatively. She knew Eden was hiding something and she seemed to be hurting emotionally, but it was clear she wasn’t ready to talk about it yet or try to deal with it. She acted like a shadow of herself. She was withdrawn and sad. She took no pleasure in anything and she did not want to eat. Briella was concerned that she was in a deep depression; she had tried to talk to her about it, but she had remained unresponsive and silent about her ordeal.
Nefertiti indicated that she had a special announcement that required their attention. “As you know, a trip to Eros is being planned and I will need to send some of my ladies on this important errand. I cannot bear to be so deplete of company so I have asked for aid. My pleas were granted and I have the good news to announce that the Countess Valerie Assheton, her daughter Valencia, and their relation Samantha Honeybone will stay for a prolonged visit. They also bring with them a very special guest, Markus Honeybone Agrippa. He is a relation of the Honeybone family and he resides in Rome. He is anxious to spend some time with you, Briella. He is your intended huxor and despite the problems faced in the past, he still desires you.”
Panic gripped Briella full force as she contemplated this news. The arrival of her aunt with Markus Honeybone Agrippa could only mean one thing. They were going to force this unwanted match upon her again. The last time they had tried to arrange the union, Markus had been unable to complete the mating ceremony. It was well known that he preferred males to females and he had dozens of young male lovers. He had never lain with a female, and when he had attempted to do so with her during the public ceremony, which had been required by his family, he remained impotent and incapable of penetration. He blamed the failure on her virginity, which he claimed was a barrier too insurmountable to overcome. Her aunt, the Countess Valerie, had insisted on ridding her of her virginity to ensure the match. She had had to spend three nights with one of Valerie’s concubines to ensure she was prepared for the next mating ceremony. However, the second attempt was as futile as the first. They had all blamed the problem on Briella, even though she knew the fault lay with the Roman half-breed. Her aunt had banished her from Assheton, claiming that Briella had shamed their house. She had had no choice but to seek refuge with her sister, Nefertiti. She had thought that her ordeal with Markus was over. She would not consent to a mating union with him, regardless of the consequences. She had no desire to make her home in Rome, where Markus lived. She also suspected that the Roman despised her for embarrassing him those times and she did not think he would treat her with any decency. In Rome, the male head of the family, the paterfamilia, had the power over life and death. She did not trust the Agrippa family and she knew that she would not be safe in Rome. “When will they arrive?”
Nefertiti smiled. “They should be here this morning. It’s a nice surprise, is it not?”
Briella dreaded the rest of the morning, knowing at some point she would be confronted with the family she had not expected to see again. She did not know how she would handle Markus. She knew that he hardly desired a union with her, so maybe she could ask him to cry off. He was cowed by his father, though, and his father wanted Markus to breed an heir.
Two hours later, she was enveloped by the arms of her aunt, who pretended to be happy to see her. She greeted her cousin, Lady Valencia, and their relative, Lady Samantha. She was disheartened to see Markus in their entourage; she had hoped he would not come. He tried to give her a hug as well, but she backed away from him.
“I’m so glad to see you, Lady Avenal. I’ve missed you,” Markus said.
She did not believe it for a minute that he missed her. She studied his face for signs of deception. He was fairly handsome, although short in build and stature. He was dressed in the Roman way, wearing a white toga and gold sandals. His hair was light brown and had a tendency to curl. He spoke with a high pitched whine and he walked like a woman, swaying his hips. “Why are you here?”
“I’ve come to repair the damage done to your reputation when you failed the mating ceremony,” Markus said. “I have come so that we may try again.”
The Roman bastard would blame the entirety of the problem on her. How she despised him! “You failed to complete the act, Markus. Twice. There will not be a third time.”
Markus patted her on the shoulder and smiled in a goofy manner. “I’m sorry I failed you, dearling, but I will not fail this time. I managed to practice on a few slaves and I was able to achieve full penetration with two of the females. So you see, it will be different this time.”
She backed away from him further and shook her head. “Did you visualize young males as you were doing it?”
He cupped his genital region in his hand and smiled. “What does it matter? I got the job done.”
She could not stop her moan of disgust. “It does not set my mind at ease to know you successfully raped someone. You are not even attracted to me and I know you do not want a connection with me. Have your father arrange a more suitable match.”
Markus stopped smiling and his face reddened in anger. “My father will not consider matching me with another. I begged him time and time again not to saddle me with you! He told me to do my duty, and now I’m telling you to do your duty. I do not care how you feel about the match. All I need is for my father to stop harping at me and he will not until I bring you back to Rome. He has forbidden me the use of my favorite slaves! I have been tormented enough. You will do your duty and your aunt and sister will ensure you do it.”
She paled and searched for the Countess, wondering if it was true. Her aunt noticed her and approached.
“We will see that it is done right this time, child,” Valerie said.
There would never be a third time. “I will not agree to this match.”
“A Roman alliance is needed, Briella,” Nefertiti stated. “You recall what I said about the winged aliens. They will come. You will be safe in Rome by then, and with our families securely tied, we will have the might of a Roman army in our time of need.”
Briella said nothing. She fled to her room and paced frantically. She could not think of any way out of the situation. She could not tie herself to Markus. It was a fate worse than death. She began crying, fearing the situation was hopeless.
Hours later, she sat up in bed and wiped her eyes. She couldn’t waste her time crying like a child. There had to be some way to escape this situation. She could leave Avenal, but she had nowhere to go. She wasn’t adept at military matters so she couldn’t offer her services as a mercenary soldier. She could steal one of Nefertiti’s ships and become a smuggler, but that wouldn’t work without a crew. She could ensure a fatal accident occurred to Nefertiti or Markus, but she wasn’t a killer. She could make herself rendered unsuitable to take a huxor, but that was difficult to do. She would have to get herself branded as a criminal without committing a crime that would result in outright execution. She could conspire with Amalie. Would that woman help her in return for information about the attack? It was treasonous to think of reaching some agreement with Nefertiti’s enemy and rival just to
get out of an unwanted mating contract. There must be some other way.
That evening, she dressed in silk finery and made her mandatory appearance in the main hall. Nefertiti had planned one of her lewd events to entertain her many important guests. Tonight’s theme was Carnival Night. The lords wore elaborately decorated masks and were dressed in revealing costumes. Sporadically placed amongst the lords were the concubines, who were masked and naked of any clothing. They stood upon ornamented platforms that had been placed on the backs of more than a dozen eunuchs, who had been directed to move slowly in a particular route through the main hall.
Briella stood beside Audrelia, who was wearing an elaborately styled auburn wig. She tried to evade her aunt’s entourage, but the woman and her cronies barreled straight toward her. “How are you enjoying the evening, Aunt?”
“Nefertiti throws the grandest affairs. I was so sad to hear we missed the circus, but the carnival will be sure to be spectacular. You are so fortunate to have such a wonderful sister as Countess. Everyone knows that Nefertiti is so full of life and joy, which is a nice change for Avenal,” Valerie said.
Briella wished that her aunt and Nefertiti were not so close. Life had been so much better when Ariana was the Countess. If only she had lived, Briella’s life would be completely different. “How long will you be staying?”
Valerie smiled. “Nefertiti has offered for us to stay as long as we like, so we will depart when we feel ready. I intend to enjoy all of the festivities and knowing Nefertiti, the parties will never end!” Valerie leered at the males on display. “My, the rumors are true about Nefertiti’s harem males. They are all so beautifully formed. She knows how to titillate us, does she not? I cannot wait to partake of her grand offering of male flesh. The Countess has promised to indulge our deepest desires.” She looked at Briella and frowned. “It is too bad that you are to be denied such treats, but Nefertiti will only share her goodies with her most honored guests. It must be hard for you, to look and never touch. But soon, your bed will be filled by Markus.”
Briella would never allow Markus anywhere near her bed, not that he would ever approach it. She tried to ignore her aunt and she scanned the platforms, looking for Devereux. He was easy to recognize, despite his wearing a mask, as his skin was a couple of shades darker than the other Flourdan males. She was embarrassed that she had nearly given herself to him in that little room. Her assignation with him had been designed to obtain his voluntary agreement to vacate the premises, but instead, she had nearly had intercourse with him. She could pretend to herself that she had been unduly influenced by his hybrid mind, but she knew the truth. He had not had to employ any special tricks to gain her compliance. Stealing him from Nefertiti and enjoying him right underneath their roof may have seemed like a great idea at the time, but it could only lead to disaster.
“I hear that the Queen’s grandson is in her harem,” Valencia said. “Which one is he? I would like to have a taste of royalty tonight.”
Briella clenched her fists and reminded herself why she couldn’t slap the shit out of Valencia. None of them would get their chance to taste royalty, at least she hoped not. The thought of Devereux with Valerie or Valencia made her sick to her stomach. When Valencia asked again which male was the one of royal blood, she pointed to one of the lords that was definitely not Devereux. “I believe he is right there, the one in the purple mask.” They were all masked and it would be some time before they discovered her “mistake.”
“Purple is the color of royalty,” Valencia said. “My, he has a noticeable bulge beneath his costume. I hear that all of the males of the Langley line are built rather largely. I will be sure to take accurate measurements so that I can place him on my list.”
“Yes, I would like to see where he ranks compared to Prince Carrick,” Valerie said. “I still have his measurements, along with the cast I made of his endowments that time he fell drunkenly asleep on my divan. A perfect replica of his royal penis is on display in my great hall. You know the one, do you not, Briella?”
Briella recalled seeing the odd piece mounted to the wall at Assheton, but she had not realized it was a realistic replica. “That was Prince Carrick’s genitalia? I had no idea.”
“Perhaps it is time to add a companion piece,” Valerie said.
Briella ignored them and focused on the parade. “It is about to start, so I’m going to move closer to catch the throws.”
“That is so peasant-like of you, Briella!” Valencia crowed. “You are not supposed to display too much excitement at these events. You must adopt a more sophisticated and worldly air.”
Briella took more than a few steps forward, wishing to put some distance between herself and the vile guests. The space behind her was soon absorbed with bodies and she heard the voices of her aunt and cousin drifting through the space. Lady Samantha Honeybone tried to speak with her, but when she had little to say to the woman, she left and joined Valerie and Valencia.
“I heard the most delicious gossip about Lord Langley. I heard that he is an alien hybrid,” Samantha said.
“Where did you hear such a thing, Samantha?” Valencia said.
“I heard from a most reliable source, but I cannot reveal it, you understand,” Samantha said.
“Hybrids are so dangerous,” Valencia said. “I sure hope the Countess keeps him chained and bound.”
“I hear that one must appease the sexual appetites of hybrids a dozen times a day, else they will go insane and ravish an entire village,” Samantha said.
“Girls, your talk of hybrids is beyond uncouth,” Valerie said. “You have a greater risk of being ravished by a fairy, shapeshifter, or vampire than a hybrid. Everyone knows the hybrids were wiped out eons ago.”
Briella couldn’t seem to escape the annoying voices of her relations. She stepped further away from them and watched the parade. The lords and concubines were throwing gold and silver pieces into the crowd, along with the occasional loincloth. She collected a few gold and silver pieces and stuck them in her cloak pocket. One never knew when extra coin would come in handy.
After the parade was over, Nefertiti stood from her throne and made a speech about her goals for Avenal. It was nothing that Briella had not heard before and her mind drifted to other matters as the Countess droned on about her plans.
“Ladies, be on guard the rest of the evening,” Nefertiti said. “Our males are randy and ready for sport. We will all partake of the festivities by adorning masks. To make things more exciting, we will all don silk robes so that we are all dressed similarly, ladies and concubines alike.”
Nefertiti’s latest decree was beyond the pale. Briella was ushered into a dressing room and a mask and robe were pushed into her hands. She changed into the garments after Nefertiti prodded her. She was dismayed to discover the silk was translucent and she was glad for the mask which hid her identity.
Nefertiti handed out wigs to her guests. “Ladies, you will not be molested. They will be able to identify us as ladies by our elaborate wigs.”
Briella didn’t possess a wig. She shot a questioning glance at Nefertiti.
“Oops, I forgot that you have no wig,” Nefertiti said. “Briella was the only one who escaped the effects of the poison that left the rest of us bald. I apologize heartily for forgetting about you, but there is nothing I can do. I do not have a spare wig for you. You’ll have to be careful, as the lords may mistake you for a concubine and try to molest you. I’m sure that if you comport yourself as a lady, they will be able to recognize you as such and leave you alone. Is that not right, ladies?”
“Yes, do try to act the lady,” Valerie said smugly.
Briella knew that Nefertiti had done this on purpose to shame her. Normally, the woman would be too absorbed with jealousy to risk the attention of her males drifting to another female. She guessed the difference was in the masks. She fixed the mask to her face to hide the blush spreading there. She was furious in her anger and embarrassed to be displayed in nearly naked form. Her id
entity would not be as anonymous as she would like, given her short stature and added curves. She wished she could do something to stop the rabid giggling of the other ladies who found her situation entertaining. She chose not to respond, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of knowing she had been upset by their actions.
Briella followed the line of ladies back to the great hall, but instead of congregating with them in the center, she stayed against the back wall. She breathed a sigh of relief that she remained unnoticed by the crowd. She watched as the lords, still masked, entered the room and began chasing some of the masked females. Valerie and Valencia made a dash toward the lord with the purple mask. They pushed him on a sofa and fell upon him like banshees, ripping off his clothing to expose his hardened length of male flesh. An argument ensued regarding which lady would try him first. Briella laughed silently to herself, enjoying this tiny triumph that she had deprived them of their true quarry. She scanned the crowd and she couldn’t spot the real Lord Langley. She wandered further into the room, still sticking near the back wall. She wanted to determine Devereux’s location in order to better shield the male from their lecherous guests. She was so focused on her task of searching that she neglected to notice the presence of a male at her back, not until that male had seized her roughly and hauled her up against him. She turned in surprise and was confronted by a red mask. The eyes behind the mask belonged to a hybrid. “You switched masks.”
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