Apprenticed to Pleasure

by Brandon Fox

  Nicolai ducked beneath the water and scrubbed his face with a sponge the attendant had given them. He resurfaced and splashed Ander playfully. “Want me to scrub your back? Then you can do mine. I want to get this oil off my skin.”

  “I’ll scrub you first, then.” Ander accepted the sponge and began to rub it across Nicolai’s broad shoulders. “I’d like you to do that routine again sometime, when I can watch. What little I caught looked amazing.”

  Nicolai turned to look over his shoulder, wet hair plastered to his forehead. “And I’d like you to play the guitar for me. And for Sorel too. He’d love it.” He paused, his expression thoughtful. “Have you played for Thane yet?”

  “Well, I—”

  “Gentlemen! Could I have a word with you?”

  They turned together, looking at the curious figure approaching from the dressing room. He was still clothed, and the richness of the garments spoke eloquently. Ander gave Nicolai an excited nudge.

  The man crouched by the edge of the pool and looked back and forth between them with an appraising squint. Middle-aged and portly, he reeked of privilege and a pampered existence.

  “My name is Arnt Vea. I had the good fortune to catch your performance a few minutes ago. Very fine, very fine!”

  Nicolai nodded amiably. “Thank you, sir. We’re always eager to please. We were fortunate to have such a kind audience this afternoon.”

  “Not at all! You deserved the praise, both of you.” He licked his lips and leaned closer. “I didn’t recognize you, so I asked the stage manager if he’d seen you before. Aside from your names, he knew nothing. Are you new in the city?”

  Ander smiled timidly. “We’ve been on the road, performing at festivals and markets. But we heard there was work in Fochelis, so we decided to visit. It’s a beautiful city, sir.”

  “Please, just call me Arnt.” He looked back to Nicolai. “Tell me, have your services already been engaged?”

  Ander felt a knee bump his leg. He glanced to the side. Nicolai’s eyes had a calculating look.

  “I’m afraid we are. It’s a minor engagement, but we’ve already agreed to it. It would be difficult to change our plans now.”

  “Oh, I understand completely, of course.” Reaching into a vest pocket, he pulled out a silk handkerchief and dabbed his forehead with it. “I can imagine that you would be in demand. However, I’m hiring for the prefect himself, and it’s my job to make sure his guests have a memorable visit. I could make it worth your while to change your plans.”

  Ander caught the spirit of the negotiations. “I don’t know, Nicolai. I think Helga would be disappointed—”

  “Really, it would be no trouble at all,” Arnt insisted. “I’ll buy out your previous contract and double what you were going to earn, if you’ll be available tonight for the prefect’s banquet. You two would be a sensation. Fit for the visiting nobility! I’ve already decided who to match you with.”

  “Match us?” Ander asked. “You want us to work with another act?”

  Arnt rubbed his hands together. “Forgive me, I forgot that you’re strangers and don’t know me. I don’t hire musicians or acrobats. I hire companions. The most beautiful in Fochelis, for the most discriminating patrons.”

  “N-no!” Ander sputtered. “We’re a good act! Hire us to perform. We’ll please the prefect’s guests, as we did the audience here at the baths.”

  “That’s quite impossible. There’s no need for more entertainers, the prefect already has more than enough.” He turned to Nicolai. “What about you? You don’t object, I trust? I’d like to hire both of you, but I’ll take what I can get.”

  At first Nicolai didn’t reply. Ander felt a light touch beneath the water. He clenched his teeth, distraught at the turn of events. This wasn’t the plan, and he hated the idea. But the northerner seemed calm. Despite the knot in his stomach, he kept still.

  Nicolai met Arnt’s eye and held up a hand in a placating gesture. “You need to understand, sir. Ander and I are very close. He’s distressed by the idea of bedding someone else. And I could never abandon him while entertaining a patron. So I’m afraid what you suggest won’t work. Now, if we stayed together, it might be a different matter….”

  “Nicolai!” Ander muttered.

  “Two companions for one guest?” Arnt looked amused. “Well, it’s been done before.” His smile got wider. “And having both of you would impress even the most jaded patron.” He tapped his fingers together for several seconds before nodding. “All right. I’m running out of time for tonight’s banquet, and you two are worth the price. I’ll pay you twenty drinars, five now and fifteen tomorrow morning. Done?” It was a princely sum.

  “Done,” Nicolai replied. He held out a hand and accepted the coins Arnt took from his purse.

  “Be at the prefect’s citadel at nine,” Arnt said as he rose to his feet. “I’ll be at the door to make sure you’re admitted.” He turned and left the room without a backward glance. As soon as he was gone, Ander turned to Nicolai.

  “What are you doing? We’re not really going to fuck some old nobleman or his wife, are we? How can we sneak off if we’re in bed with one of the prefect’s bootlickers?”

  “Quiet,” Nicolai whispered. He took the sponge and began scrubbing Ander’s back. “This should work even better than our original plan. I’ve got a potion that’ll put our customer to sleep. Then we’ll have our chance.”

  Ander stood silently, feeling the sponge scrape across his skin, wondering if Nicolai understood what it was like being a companion. He had never gone with anybody he didn’t want. But Lady Tayanita’s life had never depended on it, either. He sighed. At least he’d be with Nicolai. That would help.

  “All right,” he conceded. “It might work. But I think you’ve got some things to learn about being a companion.”

  Nicolai put down the sponge and pressed his body against Ander’s. “You’ve got all afternoon to teach me. We’ll go sightseeing another time.”

  “I’ll hold you to that.” He fondled Nicolai’s cock beneath the water, smiling as the shaft thickened against his palm. “I’ll tell you what you need to know. But you’ve still got some things to teach me first.”

  Chapter 15

  “I HATE this,” Ander said, glaring at the iron door to the prefect’s citadel. “Remember, I’m counting on you to help keep the customer out of my pants.”

  “Don’t worry. This is a high society affair, not a military orgy. They won’t be ripping our clothes off in the banquet hall.” He put a hand on Ander’s shoulder. “Just be yourself. You’ll be irresistible.”

  Ander made a face, then raised his fist and hammered on the door. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get Lady Tay out of here.”

  The door swung open. A guard in black military leathers gave them a bored look and then glanced at someone inside the entrance hall. “Two more of your whores, Vea? How many holes did you hire for tonight’s party, anyway?”

  Arnt Vea bustled to the door, his puffy face red with exasperation. “Ah, Nicolai and Ander. You’re right on time.” He pulled a scrap of parchment from a pocket and scratched their names off a list. After pausing for a withering glance at the guard, he ushered them into the entrance hall. The antechamber was surprisingly luxurious considering the building’s harsh exterior, with walnut paneling covering the walls and fine tapestries adding color. Oil lamps in wall sconces provided warm light.

  Arnt sniffed. “Never mind this lout. He finds his companionship in the palm of his hand, I imagine.”

  “Shut up, Vea.” The guard turned to Ander and Nicolai, regarding them contemptuously. “Arms out and legs spread, pretty boys. Nobody gets in without a search.”

  “Just a formality,” Arnt said soothingly. “You have no idea how important tonight’s guests are. It’ll only take a second.”

  Ander clenched his teeth and held still while the guard ran hands over his clothing to feel for anything that might be threatening. The guard did a thorough job, taking his time a
nd leering as he squeezed Ander’s crotch.

  Nicolai endured the same treatment with equanimity. The guard soon stepped back, apparently satisfied both with the search and the demonstration of his authority. “Looks like you’re harmless. You can go in. Earn Vea some more money.”

  Arnt took them by the arm and pulled them down the corridor. “I’ve got something special planned for you. Since I agreed to keep you together, only the richest client will do. As it happens, we have a guest tonight with a penchant for fetching young men with golden hair. You’ll be entertaining Lady Calcagno. When her husband died, she took title to thirty ships.”

  Nicolai raised an eyebrow. “Her husband died? How old is she?”

  Arnt gave him a stern look. “I can tell you’re not an experienced companion. That’s one question you never ask.” Then he grinned and lowered his voice. “She’s old enough to be your grandmother. Another reason why it was an inspiration to give her two young bucks. You’ll have your work cut out making her remember her girlhood. I doubt that one man could do it. But if you please her, we’ll all do very nicely for the evening.”

  A servant swung open a tall door as they approached the end of the corridor. Noise engulfed them, along with the odors of roast beef, spilled wine, sweat, and wood smoke. The banquet room was full and the after-dinner party well underway.

  Guests lounged on divans that were spaced around a clear area in the center of the large room. Many were already accompanied by companions who either shared a divan or sat on pillows beside their customer’s seat. Two mimes pranced through the exaggerated motions of a farce that seemed to concern the woman’s obliviousness to the man’s sexual overtures. Hysterical laughter from the guests spoke well of the mimes’ talent, or more likely of the amount of wine consumed during dinner. Arnt circled behind the servants hovering near the divans, leading the way to a resplendent woman on the far side of the room.

  The woman raised a languid hand as Arnt approached. Jeweled rings flashed on most of her fingers, and the tiara in her gray hair glittered with emeralds. She had retained her slender figure, but the harsh set of her features hinted at cruelty; it destroyed any attractiveness she otherwise might have possessed.

  She watched Ander and Nicolai like a hawk as they approached. “Ah, Master Vea. I was starting to wonder if you were upset with me. But I see you haven’t finished introducing your friends.” Her eyes narrowed as her gaze darted between Ander and Nicolai. The effect was reminiscent of a snake. “Which one is for me? They’re both exceptional.”

  Arnt rushed forward and took her hand, kneeling beside the divan. “They’re a pair, lady, inseparable friends! And when they learned you were a guest tonight, they insisted on making your acquaintance. I hope it isn’t an imposition.”

  “I’ll manage.” She looked down her nose at him. After permitting Arnt to kiss her hand, she beckoned to Ander. “Come hold my goblet. Your friend can have a pillow and sit on the floor by our side.”

  Ander moved forward, keeping his eyes downcast. “This is a great honor, lady. To meet a person of such refinement is, well, overwhelming.”

  She handed her wine goblet to him and nodded. “I can imagine. What did you say your name is?”

  “Ander, m’lady. And my friend’s name is Nicolai.” Nicolai bowed and then settled to the floor on a cushion that Lady Calcagno pushed off the divan.

  Arnt backed away, bowing repeatedly. “If you’ll excuse me, lady, I should return to the door. A few more of my associates will be arriving soon. I’m sure the prefect’s guests are anxious to meet them.”

  “No doubt,” Lady Calcagno agreed. “You’ve done well tonight, Vea. At least the package is pretty. We’ll see what it contains later.”

  “You’re too kind. Now if you’ll excuse me….” He scuttled away, already pulling the parchment out of his coat pocket. Ander watched his retreat. As much as he was repelled by the man’s style, he could see why the procurer was successful. He gave the customer exactly what was desired.

  Lady Calcagno’s attention had already turned to a guest on an adjacent divan, an older man who kept up a running commentary on the mimes. Judging by her haughty airs, he guessed she’d treat them like any other servants until they got to her bedchamber. That was fine with him; a companion wasn’t the part he’d wanted to play in the first place. And slights were far better than a customer’s unwelcome groping. He caught Nicolai’s attention and winked. The northerner rolled his eyes and made a face while Lady Calcagno’s head was turned.

  Ander concentrated on keeping the wine goblet full and near his customer’s lips. Lady Calcagno sipped from it often while conversing with the other guests. After an hour she was unable to stifle her yawns while watching a juggler who filled the air with flaming torches and razor-sharp knives. Even Nicolai was starting to look bored, though earlier he had watched the performers with a professional’s keen eye.

  By half past eleven, the crowd had thinned considerably. Arnt Vea had outdone himself in procuring companions, and the lustier guests had long since retired for private entertainments.

  Lady Calcagno, however, showed no interest in becoming better acquainted with her companions. She hadn’t said more than a dozen words to either of them for more than an hour. Ander guessed that she hadn’t found satisfaction in bed for years and had no hope of succeeding tonight. He’d heard Lady Tayanita speak of customers with the same problem; they hired companions for public events just to keep up the pretense of youthful vitality. On the other hand, her obvious fondness for wine might have outweighed her interest in young men. Whatever the cause, she seemed set on outlasting the few remaining guests. Not until well after midnight, when the last entertainer left the hall, did she sit up and lay a hand on Ander’s shoulder.

  “Quite a show, wasn’t it, Ajax? Did you like that poet near the end? I thought her ballad was going to make me weep.”

  Nicolai sprang to his feet. “It was a wonder, lady! But it made me eager to retire. The story was so romantic, it made my blood run hot.”

  Smiling woozily, Lady Calcagno let Nicolai help her to her feet. “Perhaps you’d like to discuss it with me in my chambers? Of course your friend, Ajax, would be welcome to join us.”

  Ander stood and took her other hand, kissing it gallantly. When he looked up, he saw Nicolai grinning. Stifling laughter, he picked up the wine goblet and made a show of their impending departure. They left the banquet hall and made their way to the guest rooms. Because of her age, Lady Calcagno had been given a room on the ground floor. Ander opened the double mahogany doors while Nicolai escorted their customer inside the suite.

  The sitting room was furnished with austere elegance. Nicolai led Lady Calcagno to a chair, then turned and took the wine goblet from Ander. “I propose a toast,” he declared. “To Lady Calcagno. May she grace us with her beauty and wisdom.” He took a sip from the goblet before turning to Ander, who still stood near the door. Ander drank from the goblet while Nicolai removed a pinch of white powder from the cuff of his tunic before reaching for the goblet with both hands. He dumped the powder into the wine and turned back to Lady Calcagno.

  “Now you, lady. Share the toast with us. It will give us a bond, and who knows where that could lead?”

  She seemed amused by Nicolai’s insinuations but took the goblet and drank. She handed it back, sloshing some of the contents on the floor. “I’m feeling a bit lightheaded. Perhaps it would be better to recline while we discuss this bond.”

  “Of course,” Nicolai agreed. He began to help her from the chair, but her eyes fluttered shut by the time she was halfway up. He slipped an arm around her and swept her off her feet. Ander opened the door to the adjoining room, and Nicolai arranged her on the canopied bed before they retreated to the sitting room.

  Nicolai let his breath out in a whoosh. “At last! I don’t know how companions do it. It’s bad enough trying to be nice to arrogant gentry. How could you have sex with them?”

  “You’re asking the wrong person. I was onl
y willing to entertain a few boys I really liked, which is why I was such a dismal companion.” He went to the door leading to the corridor and pressed his ear against it. “It seems quiet. Do you think everybody’s gone to bed by now?”

  “Pretty much, but let’s wait awhile to make sure. There’s no point taking chances.”

  Ander’s jaw clenched with impatience, though he had to agree it was a sensible suggestion. They spent the time reviewing what they had learned of the citadel during the evening, agreeing that the likeliest passage to the dungeons would be through the kitchen. Even prisoners had to eat.

  Half an hour passed before they opened the door a crack and peeked into the long corridor. Oil lamps at each end created pools of soft light. They slipped out, alert to the slightest noise or movement. The kitchen was on the far side of the banquet hall; they had seen a steady stream of dishes leaving the room all evening.

  One guard remained on duty in the anteroom, its doors standing open. What little attention he was devoting to his job was directed at the barred entrance to the citadel, not the dark banquet hall at his back. Nicolai and Ander snuck past him and into the kitchen.

  Ander’s breath escaped in a soft hiss as soon as the kitchen door eased shut behind them. “Our luck holds,” he whispered. “I’ll look for a passage to the right; you go left.” Nicolai gave his shoulder a soft pat and moved off soundlessly.

  Black woodstoves and shallow hearths filled one side of the kitchen, trestle tables the other side. Ander padded down the aisle between them, hands stretched out ahead. Small windows admitted just enough starlight to relieve the darkness. A soft exclamation made him jump.