A Night of Chocolate and Roses

I looked at the strange thing, not understanding. I didn't like the smile she gave me. It was like one I would give a simpleton.

"Before my guests arrive I wish you to doff your robe and lay yourself upon here." Her finger lifted a strand of silk from the end of the table. I noticed then that there were others. "You don't have much time."

I looked at her lifted eyebrow and what she wanted of me sunk in.

I was to be laid out naked upon this table for all to see. Naked ...and shaved bare to the world! I started to shake. To tremble, in fact.

Again she smiled.

"Come, my dear. Let me place you in position. Once you're there it will be much easier for you to just forget those silly thoughts that are plaguing your mind. Come."

Trembling, I felt myself caught between flight and fight. Between wanting to run in horror or claw at her face in rage.

"Now!"

The strong, noble tone of her voice, rang off bones inbred to accept such commands from nobility. I was moving into her reach before I was even aware I was doing so.

Molly was behind me, and the robe was slipped away before I could say yea or nay. Then the hands of the Lady were upon me, turning me.

The top of the table was warm, soft leather. I leaned back, panting. Molly's hands were on my arms lifting them above my head. I hardly noticed what the Lady was doing till the silk pulled tight.

One arm bound, I started to try and pull the other free!

Molly, her muscles by far stronger than mine from years of physical labor, held me tighter. Lady Sionly leaned forward till she was looking down at my face.

"Remember that your husband goes free upon my signed word. His debts for the year paid for this one night." She moved back and started to tie the other hand.

"Relax, ma'am. It's not going to be bad."

It was the soft whisper of the maid, the knowledge that she endured this and lived through it, which gave me enough courage to lie calmly as my hand was tied.

I felt terror again when they moved to my legs. I panted and had to use all my will not to yank my foot from her grasp.

Trying to slow my breathing I looked up at the glass far above with its light dusting of snow. I thought then of my little girls. By now my sister had them fed and snuggled away in her daughters' bed. They wouldn't be asleep of course. They would lie gossiping with their two cousins for half the night.

Far better their gossip than the gossip of servants. I was then so very thankful, that my search for a new maid had been unsuccessful. Our old gardener so saddened by the death of his wife our old maid, he had retired. The new man was not set to arrive until spring. Oh, merciful heavens, the gossip of servants would have been the social ruin of us after this morning.

"The mask!" I said suddenly, as thoughts of "gossip" came to me.

I heard the lady chuckle.

"I did not forget, my dear, even if you did."

I saw the thing for only a half second. A thin domino of porcelain and jewels, it was beautiful to behold. I watched as Molly covered the inside of it with something, then she aligned it over my face.

"Close your eyes, my dear," said The Lady.

With the garden hidden behind my eyelids, I felt the slight weight of the thing placed upon my face. The way it held my skin gave me assurance that it wouldn't be pulled away to leave me in scandal.

I gasped and blushed when I feel a hand between my legs. Delicate fingers slipped along the hairless fold, then dipped down to caress the opening. I tried to move away from it but found that I could hardly even turn myself.

"Quite lovely down here. Fresh and innocent. My guests are going to love you." said Lady Sionly. She walked away without a word more.

Molly gave my shoulder a pat and then ducked out of view, under the table.

As I felt the table shift under me, I started to pull at the silk bindings in horror.

My legs were drawn open even as my arms were doing the same. The splits I saw in the surface divided, went wider, and wider still. Then even more so!

It took maybe a half-a-minute but I was just that quickly spread-eagled in the middle of the garden.

When Molly reappeared, the look on her face was a half-smirk. She was still wearing it as she walked away.

Lying there, exposed to the eyes of any of Lady Sionly's servants that might want to pass and have a look, I noticed as the minutes crawl, that more than a few did so. I started to worry that the constant blush to my face would become permanent before the night was out. Finally, I closed my eyes and just listened to the slowly building harmonies of the musicians.

Turning my head when they stopped, I watched them also disrobe. Against my will, my eyes dropped and I saw that they were as shorn as I was. I quickly looked away. The sight of them told me just how bare I, myself, was.

They, at least, were not open so vulgarly to display!

Then the music started in earnest. A soft and perfect blending that I would not have credited them with the ability to give. The gentle sounds of Mozart's String Quintet No.4 soon floated through the rose garden like the scent of the roses. Powerfully present but at the same time easily lost to distractions.

Lady Sionly's voice filled the garden.

"Welcome my friends, close and not yet close, to the Rose Garden of Sionly. My Rosarium is your haven from the world of men for the night. I welcome you all." Lady Sionly said grandly.

I turned my head as she begins her speech. Seeing the number of masked women that walked in, I had to turn away and blush. I could do little else. I had been expecting a few but, at least, a dozen were already through the glass doors! With more, to judge by the voices following.

Trying to stay calm, I listened to their chatter and let the words drift past unnoticed. Curiosity though made me look back when I heard the glass doors close.

There must have been more than twenty women there. Nay, more than thirty!

"Ladies. I wish to thank you all. Let me first address those whom I have not met. Those I yet do not know so well as my old friends, who told you of this party. I know that coming to such a gathering with so little forewarning and with only the knowledge that you will have a wonderful time took courage. You are ladies of station low and high behind those masks. Your reputations would be tarnished outside those doors should it be known that you attended such a party. That was the reason for the curtain-drawn carriages and the secrecy with which the masks were given to you with. I welcome you and hope that after this night, one and all of you will return for many more... such nights." said Lady Sionly with a smile.

I listened, unable to believe that this many ladies would come here not knowing what would be in store for them, masks or no masks.

"This is my dear guests, the Night of Valentinus. The night of lovers. You, one and all, have been given a gift as you walked into the door. If you would open your gift I will explain its purpose."

Again curiosity made me look. I noticed then that many of the women had shed heavier clothes in favor of by far lighter garments.

Scandalously light! Translucent. Gauzy. Some of them had little more than a layer or two between them and the situation I was in.

As I watched, each lady opens a little, red box. From within I saw them lift out lengths of ribbon. I saw that they were silk when they turned them in the light. Every color was there. I noticed then that a small gemstone hung from each by silver clasps.

Some were similar. No!...they were paired.

"Now, in addition, to this being Valentinus night, this is also another holiday. One that history tried to erase and time tried to forget. This was the time of year when the Romans, masters of pleasure and life, celebrated a holiday called Lupercalia." Lady Sionly paused and smiled to her audience. "The Roman Festival of Fertility."

I heard chuckles and twitters of laughter.

"Now I know that some of you, like myself, wish for no such thing in your lives at this time, if ever again. But I also know from speaking with a few of you that you very much wish for that. The people of Rome would gather to feast and drink. They would draw marked tiles. Those with similar marks would form couples for the night, thus, the festival was celebrated for many a century."

My mind reeled at the depraved pagan idea. Sleeping with a man drawn at random? A legion of bastard born children would have been the only such thing that would produce.

"Now the color of the silk will be the name that you will go by till you depart. The type of stone you have will match another in the room. I bid you find your partner for the evening and get acquainted while my maids serve drinks."

I turned away from the laughing, giggling women as they started to figure out who their ...partner... was for the night. There was a vile taste in my mouth.

"Keep your opinions from your face, my dear." She was suddenly there looking down at me. "Remember be polite," she said in a soft menacing whisper. Lady Sionly left off the "or else" but I could hear it.

I lay there, forcing a blank expression to my features as she looked me over. I could feel the blush rise again under her gaze.

"Good enough," she said in a breath as she started to turn.

She clapped her hands.

"Ladies of Love, let me present to you some of my evening's entertainments. The wonderful music that will fill our ears tonight comes from these women's gifted hands."

The players took up a quick, almost laughing tune, and then stopped it suddenly. I watched them stand and bow.

"For those who indulge in the quickly-becoming-forbidden taste of Absinthe, I have an ample supply in stock." I noticed one of the maids standing behind a side table that was filled with glasses and bottles. I saw a few of them were indeed that evil green color. The madness of this gathering came more into my understanding.

The Lady Sionly gestured again with a grace that told much of her skills as a dancer.

"For those with more exotic taste...shall we say, my Asian friend, Miss Woo, has more than a few ways to let you indulge. Fear not the hand of the law. I have the word of the wife of the High Sheriff, he will answer nothing till dawn."

One of the ladies tittered. She blushed when all eyes went to her.

Smiling, the Lady turned, her arms spread wide. "Within my garden, you will find many places where anything that delights you can be indulged. Be it smoke, drink, food or lust... they are prepared."

Then she gave a half-turn to me.

"And allow me to have the pleasure to introduce to you, Miss Innocence. She has agreed to be here for our indulgences as well." I heard the Lady chuckle. "She has never felt more than even the most familiar touch of a woman upon her, save one I just gave to her moments before you arrived. Enjoy her in any fashion you please. I will have several items of pleasure here next to her very soon."

Feeling the eyes of the gathering come upon me, I wanted to huddle under the mask on my face. To hide all of me under the little domino.

"Oh, Lady Sionly, she is gorgeous," said a soft, sultry voice. I half-turned my head and saw the speaker step up beside the Lady of Roses. "Miss Innocence, you say? I can see that from her color. Do not worry, my dear. We will treat you well."

I shivered at the look of lust that came into her eyes. I struggled to keep my face calm as more than a few of them came to stand looking down at me.

"Can we touch her?" I heard a young voice ask.

Several of the ladies chuckled.

"My dear, you may do far more than touch her," said Lady Sionly, smiling. "You may indulge your every whim! Every desire that may have come upon you in the arms of your lady lover, but you had not the courage to ask for."

I felt my breath quicken as The Lady placed a hand upon my shoulder. Her fingers draped down across my breast.

"I ask only that you not do her any injury. Inflict no marks upon her that will last more than this night."

I shuddered at the sound of disappointment that a few of them made.

The Lady chuckled.

"Yes, my dear, naughty ladies, no whips."

WHIPS!

Again, that disappointed sound.

"Do not worry, though, my dears. I'm sure your creative minds will easily find ways to indulge your... appetites... in that direction."

I arched up off the table with a screech of pain flying through my teeth as the Lady moved her hand and gave my left nipple a fearful twisting!

The applause and laughter my cry brought about were not a welcome sign.

"Go lightly with her at first, my dears. After all, she is Innocent." I shivered as The Lady's fingers softly caressed the smarting nipple.

When she walked out of my sight, several of the ladies followed her, and a few drifted off toward the Celestial and her...enticements.

But more than a few came slowly over to me.

"What should we do?" asked the young woman I heard speak before.

"I saw this done at one of these. The sight is a memory I cherish." I turned my head to the woman who was speaking. In her hand, she was holding several of the roses that the Lady cut earlier. She handed them out to the women, and they started to surround the table.

The touch of the first rose on my skin was like a bee sting. It startled me that much.

Then they all picked a spot and started to brush the roses across me!

The feeling of it! How to describe it. Soft, velvet-like. The touches come at me from so many places, some of them unexpected.

"How about here? I don't think I've ever seen one shaved like this," asked the young woman.

I gasped for breath as the young woman ran her rose up my nether lips. I pulled at the silk bindings trying to get away from the caresses.

"Oh, my!"

I wished that I could stay still as I realized that my writhing was exciting the unnatural lusts of these women, but I couldn't. The feeling of a half dozen roses kissing my skin had me wiggling, with the one being applied to my bare cunny being the most infuriating.

Shivers ran through me as roses touched my nipples. My ears. My chin. One brushed my nose, leaving its scent for a moment, and then it was softly petting my eyelids.

I flinched as several of them suddenly begin to tickle my feet!

Like a magnet, more of them descended there! I cried out and tried to pull my legs away, but the silk cords had me bound tightly to their whims.

My eyes popped open, and I found myself looking at the young woman who was steadily brushing my lower lips with her rose. She smiled at me.

She smiled?

I panted, I jerked and twitched, little gasps escaped me as the roses tickled, kissed, lapped, brushed, and did a dozen other things to my skin.

"Oh, this is wonderful!" said one of them with giddy joy.

Wonderful? I wished then that she was the one tied here. I would place far more than a rose to her skin! Maybe a dozen women doing their best to tickle her would feel wonderful then!

"Stop for a moment," said the older woman's voice. I blessed her when they obey. Though the young woman's rose left my lips last of them all. "Let her catch her breath for a second."

I looked up at the black mask that hid her eyes and cheeks. The dark sparkles of gemstones ringed her eyes. I saw the strand of silk around her neck was a brilliant blue. The red stone that hung from it sparkled in such a way that I knew it was a cut ruby.

The Lady Sionly gives away precious stones as party gifts!

I sucked in my breath as her hand descended between my legs. I felt her fingers open my lips.

"Not quite so innocent," she said with a chuckle. "In fact, do you have any children, my dear, Miss Innocence?"

For a second, I almost didn't answer. Then the warning of the Lady came back to me.

"I have two."

"Sons?" asked the younger lady. I felt her rose brush the older lady's fingers as...Blue... caressed me. I noticed her ribbon then. It was pink but her stone was the same cut ruby as Blue's.

This girl, to be with this older woman? Like a maid and a matron together.

Looking to her face, I saw her question hanging.

"Daughters," I said with a whisper.

Pink, tilted her head then smiled at me again.

"Hope I have daughters," said Pink, wistfully.

"You should get your perverted self with a man then!" came the thought to my mind. I had to struggle to keep it from my face...or mouth.

That was the last thought I could focus on for quite a while as the women reapplied their roses with even greater vigor.

All too soon I began to beg for them to stop. The requests for mercy started leaving my lips when I felt myself moistening under the touch of Pink's rose. She was making long, slow strokes across my lower lips with a mindless rhythm.

"No! No!" I begged when I felt fingers open me, and a rose applied to the inner parts. Then the little nub up at the top drew the attention of Blue. With a more skilled touch, her rose started to circle me.

"Oh, please stop!" I begged them as I arched my back off the table. It was the only motion of resistance the bindings allowed me, and it did nothing but make the petal caress me harder.

I started to feel little things clinging to me in places. I realized their flowers were starting to fall apart from the constant tickling. I panted and thanked the heavens for that blessing. Then, as my face falls to the side, I saw the huge number of cut roses in the basket. Enough for hours of this!

My fingers clawed at the leather under my hands. I felt an irritation building beyond what I could stand. The mixture of women working at me with different agendas, some to tickle, some to caress, was driving me mad!

"Will she spend?" asked Pink then. There was an eagerness in her voice to see such that was sinful!

I heard Blue chuckle.

"That might take more than a few roses. We've got her hot, though," said Blue.

Hot? I was dripping sweat and...other less common fluids, from every place the roses had touched, and that was everywhere.

Panting, I all but collapsed when Blue again called a halt.

"She looks delicious," said a deeper, sultry voice.

I opened my eyes to see a woman with a black silk ribbon around her neck. The blue stone matched the one on the girl that was tucked under her arm. Again the disparity in ages disturbed me.

"Has anyone tasted her?" she asked. I can see that the mask she wore had cut stone of the darkest jade covering most of it. Her eyes matched the color perfectly.

I gave a small sound of denial when a finger was pushed into me. It became a pant when a second joined it. They moved up inside me till the palm rested on my bare skin.

I felt myself leaking down my thighs when they were pulled out. I looked up at Pink and realized that it was her fingers. She brought one to her mouth. I had to hide my disgust as she sucked my juices from her fingertip.

She made a slight sign of, if not distaste, then minor dislike.

"Bitter. What do you think, Blue?"

I watched, unable to believe it when the older woman took her companion's shiny finger into her mouth. She sucked first that one, then both that went into me, into her mouth. I watched her face as she tasted me.

"Not bad. Just a trifle bitter, yes. Has to do with her diet, I would think. No matter. There is a way, right at hand, to make her far sweeter," said Blue smiling.

I heard wheels on stone, and when I looked over, I saw Molly rolling up a small table. It was made of cast iron. A small bed of coals sat in an iron bowl under a larger pot. Molly lifted the lid with a thick cover; she gave whatever was in it a stir.

"Just right, my ladies," she said with a smile.

I tried to see what Blue, was doing, but her body blocked the way. Then she turned. "NO!"

That my scream of pain didn't bring the law running from miles away was a wonder. A line of fire crossed my stomach from near my hip to my belly button. I felt like I was scalded!