An Ode to Uncertainty Ch. 13-14

Thirteen

The smell of incense was overpowering and Mirja had to take small shallow breaths to get accustomed to the scent. It was surprising how much of a surprise it was each time she entered the parlor. But it was exacerbated by using the pathways. That way you got sent right into the middle of it without any warning. The regular customers, and the girls who entered the mundane way had some time to acclimatize themselves in the entryway and the reception chamber.

"You are aware that it is not allowed for anyone below fifth tier to use the pathway chambers?"

Mirja froze then slowly turned around trying to set her face in an apologizing look to face the Matron.

"Yes, Mistress Lorelee," Mirja said curtsying, tilting her head slightly forward looking down at the floor.

"In fact," the Matron continued. "It should not be within the skillset of anyone below fifth tier to utilize the pathways."

Mirja looked up and thought she saw a glimmer of glee in the Matron's eyes.

"It will not happen again," she said promptly.

Lorelee drew a deep breath, clearly not affected by the smell. Her jewelry rattled and Mirja could not help but look at her impressive cleavage as her chest rose.

"Oh. I am sure it will. And we will have to see to getting you to at least third tier rather soon. It would be quite the scandal if this came to light. Now. You are late for your visitor."

Mirja nodded and curtsied once more.

"Remember: Knowledge. Power. Gold. In that order."

Mirja nodded again. She did remember. The Mistress had told them a hundred times, at least, the mantra of the parlors. Knowledge. Power. Gold. The first thing a girl should try to gather was knowledge. Information was the most important thing gained by the faculty of Matrimancy from the parlors, and one of the main reasons why the College had been successful in surviving through no less than seven dynasties of the Empire. Second came power. The creation of bonds to the clients and the drawing of matrimantic power through those bonds. Not much through each bond. You couldn't leave the clients as helpless husks lying in bed all day, but just enough so that it all added up to the total power generation of faculty and to always, always keep the power crystals buried beneath the College topped up, in case of another disaster, or revolution, or combination of the two. Lastly came gold. While least important of the three, mundane currency always did serve its purpose and the girls of the parlors were not cheap.

"Well. What are you waiting for? Go. He's in the hummingbird chamber."

Mirja raised an eyebrow. The hummingbird chamber? It must be an important client. The hummingbird chamber was the fanciest room in all of the Westerling parlor. Mirja ran into the dressing room and sat down in front of the mirror. She looked around. She was alone. It would take her at least half a bell to put her makeup on properly. There was no time for that. She focused her mind and drew from Jarl's bond. As usual there was an almost infinite energy available to her as she drew in. By the seventh, that boy had an enormous energy potential. She started fluttering her fingers as she had seen Mistress Norei do. If it was one secret that Mirja kept to herself it was her perfect recollection. It was enough that she had seen the Mistress perform the cantrip once and it was etched into her mind. With each wiggle of a finger a part of her face changed appearance. Lines under her eyes from lack of sleep disappeared. The red spots on her forehead faded and her skin matted out and the shading of her cheeks changed. Less than a drop later she was satisfied. She put on a regular red lipstick and rolled her lips a few times to even it out. Perfect.

***

"Sire. It is an honor to meet you," Mirja said curtsying deeply, tilting her head forward.

She stayed down until the man answered.

"Please stand up my dear."

Mirja did as he said and smiled at him. It was a young man. Likely just over twenty with a hawkish face. He wasn't very handsome but had a kind face that just happened to be all angles. As was customary she did not know his identity. She could easily find it out by asking the Matron, who always knew even though the parlor was supposed to be completely anonymous, that would be a mark on her. She had to find it out on her own. And it was a game she loved.

"My name is Mirja, sire. And it will be my pleasure to serve you this evening."

To her surprise the young man stood up from his seat and walked over to her and took her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it lightly. Her skin tingled from his touch.

"The pleasure is all mine, lady Mirja," the young man smiled. "I am Duke Leopold Wissgretch the fourth."

Mirja blinked. This was a first. The men she serviced usually never volunteered their own names. By Mistress Lorelee's actions it was clear that this was an important man, but there were just so many noblemen in the city, and to be honest, she was not that interested in learning about them. She was about to open her mouth when she realized that he had called her a lady. Lady? Her? She almost laughed out loud but managed to keep her lips sealed.

"In fact. It was not my doing. Coming here tonight I mean," the duke continued.

Mirja looked at him questioningly.

"I ... I am not ..." the duke seemed to be searching for his words. "I am not a man who frequents these places," he said gesturing, with his hands, around the room.

Mirja looked around the room. The hummingbird chamber was a marvel. From floor to ceiling, there were the most realistic paintings of a verdant forest inhabited by the miniscule creatures. It was almost as if you were standing on a wooden deck in the middle of the forest. The ceiling completed the illusion with leafy branches half covering a blue sky. Mirja did not have to attune her mind to realize that they were enchanted.

"It was my uncle you see. He insisted. He said I could not enter my twentieth year without ... without ..." his voice faded, and he turned around.

Mirja nodded. It was not the first time that she had taken the virginity of a young man and it was usually quite a pleasant experience, for both parties. But normally the young men were more than eager to get it over with. This was clearly not the case with the young duke.

"Have you ever been touched by a woman?" Mirja said with a friendly smile.

The duke turned around and went completely red. He started fidgeting with his jacket. It was a very nice jacket Mirja had to agree. Thick, smooth fabric that almost shone in the candlelight. The buttons were, if she was not mistaken, gold. It was a jacket that could pay for a year's stay at a decent boarding house and right now the duke seemed to be about to scratch a hole right through it with his nails.

"It is perfectly fine if you haven't," she said taking a step forward and putting her hand on his.

He froze and stared down at his hand.

"Come," she said and pulled him towards the velvet sofa. "Sit."

He did as he was told.

"It won't be so bad," she said with a smile and leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips.

She could feel him trembling. Staying the kiss a bit longer she let her tongue lick against his still closed lips. She pushed her tongue past his lips, and he opened his mouth for her. She kissed him for a little while longer feeling the stiffness in his body disappear, apart from one very obvious part. She drew back and smiled at him. Then she slowly slid down on her knees in front of him and started undoing his pants. A proud member sprung out and Mirja smiled up at the duke as she took him in her hand.

"You're doing just fine," she said stroking his shaft a few times.

He had a wonderfully long cock that was just wide enough that it filled her hand. She smiled up at him and kept her eyes locked on his as she took him into her mouth. The duke gasped loudly, and it did not take more than a few moments until he started pulsing his seed into her mouth. It came so quickly that Mirja did not have time to stem it. Instead she moved her fingers under his shaft and sent a wave of energy into his groin increasing his pleasure.

"By the seventh!" the duke shouted and spurted a last burst of seed into her mouth.

Mirja swallowed diligently and continued sucking on his cock as it grew smaller. Her eyes never left his and she could see the adoration in his eyes and soon his hands were running over her hair.

"I'm sorry," he said shaking his head. "I didn't mean to ..."

She sucked one last time to get the last of his seed out of his member. He gasped once more and then sighed as she let him go.

"You did perfect," she said with a smile. "And your seed tasted like sweet summer wine. I can't wait to have you inside me again," she said sitting down next to him.

They sat there in the sofa talking softly to each other. The duke did most of the talking, in fact Mirja did not think she had met anyone who talked as much as the young duke. She had already gathered at least four pieces of information that she was certain would be very useful to the College.

"I'm sorry. I talk too much. I'm boring you," the duke said looking like a sad little puppy.

"Not at all," Mirja said. "I'm completely fascinated by the politics of this city. I'm from the north, as you know, and we have nothing like it there. Mostly men with axes and outlanders. Neither are very good at politicking. Unless you consider administering an axe to the head of your opponent as negotiating."

The duke laughed. It was a pleasant tingle of a laugh.

"Then you're the opposite of me. I loathe politics."

A shadow ran over Leopold's face. He stayed silent for a few moments. Mirja took his hand.

"You can tell me if you want to. Or stay silent. Either way is fine," she said putting her head on his shoulder.

She heard him breathing. And waited. He was a very naïve young man. There was no doubt about that. Mirja almost felt bad for using him like this. He was leaking like a sieve. But this was going to put her in Lorelee's good graces for a long while. The young duke sighed.

"It's what killed my father. Politics that is. Nothing more than politics."

He was silent for a little while longer. Mirja decided not to push it and just ran her fingers over his hand, tracing down his fingers.

"Tell me something else then. Something about the Empire."

Leopold drew a deep breath.

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything. Everything," Mirja whispered.

He looked down at her. She was starting to appreciate those sharp features of his. They really grew on you.

"You really mean that, don't you?"

Mirja nodded. Leopold shook his head.

"I really ... I really wasn't expecting this. I know my uncle told me that going to parlor was not like going to a ... to a ..."

"Brothel," Mirja filled in.

"Ah. Yes. That."

Good thing I didn't say whorehouse, Mirja thought.

"Anyway," Leopold continued. "I still wasn't expecting ... you."

There was a small stab in her chest as she saw him looking at her. She had seen that look before. It never led to anything good. She had to turn her face down. Pushing the feeling aside she instead slid her hand down his chest.

"Let's see if we can't get your little warrior ready for battle again," she said running her hand inside his pants searching out his cock.

The young duke gasped. Mirja whispered a few words to make sure that the boy lasted a little longer this time, then she once more slid down between his legs but this time she pulled his pants off before putting his member into her mouth. He groaned loudly as she started working his shaft. She enhanced the sensitivity of his nerves and he was soon breathing loudly. She had to draw a little more power from Jarl to keep Leopold's seed in his sacks a while longer. She pleasured him for a long while before she climbed up on top of him.

"Is this your first time?" she asked already knowing the answer.

He nodded. She put his glans at her wet lips.

"Feel how wet I am for you. Can you feel it?" she said locking eyes with him.

The young duke nodded.

"Grab my hips. Pull me down onto yourself."

He obeyed and soon he impaled her onto his cock. Sliding down until she could feel every inch of his cock. It was truly a wonderful one. She started slowly riding him still looking into her eyes. His mouth was open and every time he bottomed out a gasp escaped his throat. She rode him slowly for a long while.

"You have such a wonderful cock," she whispered putting her face close to his.

"You ... you," he gasped.

"Ssschhh," she hushed and put her finger over his lips. "Just enjoy me."

He nodded.

"I lo−"

She kissed him hard before the rest of the word left his mouth. Putting her tongue into his mouth she rode him harder and finally let go off the spell she had him under. He erupted immediately.

***

"There's five major archduchies in the Empire. Do you know them?"

Mirja shook her head. She was lying with her head on his chest. They were completely naked now. Leopold had been exploring her body for the better part of a bell and he had finally mounted her from behind filling her up again. Now they lay next to each other. Him looking up at the ceiling telling her everything she asked for and her running her hand over his chest.

"There's Darwika. It's in the west. It includes all of the Isles of Westerling. Which is, in fact, what this parlor is named after. Also, within its borders is the northwestern coastal areas and inland all the way to the Black River. Biggest export is not surprisingly fish. Then there's Yennow. It goes from the Black river in the west to the Wall of the World in the East and down to the Dunes of Dunnow in the south. It is by far the largest archduchy. Almost a third of the landmass of the Empire is in Yennow. Only problem is that it is mostly desert. Or deserted at least. Biggest export is ore. That's why they built the Iron Road. Marvel of ingenuity. Using the weight of the ore, and the fact that Eldor is almost a mile lower than the mountains, they can run the ore carts in a loop. They actually have to break them all the way down and they can still pull the empty carts up. Each loop is fifty miles and there are seven of them."

Leopold drew his breath and then kissed her forehead. She snuggled her head into his chest a bit deeper.

"Continue," she urged.

She had been studying the geography of the Empire briefly, but she had never heard of the Iron Road. She had to look that up. That was the thing about Leopold. He knew all these facts that were intricately connected and would have been almost impossible to puzzle together just by reading about geography. Or about a specific region. He drew another breath.

"Then there's Schwabenland. My home," he said this last with a longing in his voice that made her heart ache.

He stayed silent for a moment before continuing.

"The pearl of the empire. From the river Brentling in the north east. Where the Dunes end. Strange land that. Golden dunes on one side and verdant land on the other side of the river. It is said that it was a goddess that died in the dunes and that's why nothing can grow there. During the second shattering they say. Not sure if I believe all that superstition but that's what's the old text say anyway."

He drew his breath again.

"From the river all the way to lake Litowak in the west. All the way down to the southern coast. That's my home. Sixty-two duchies in total in Schwabenland. All of them under my father. Or my uncle now."

Mirja blinked.

"Your father was the archduke of Schwabenland?"

Leopold looked at her and nodded.

"Archduke Wilhelm Wissgretch the sixth."

Mirja dreaded her next question.

"Does your uncle have children?"

The young duke shook his head.

"There was ... an accident. When he was younger."

Mirja swallowed.

"So, you're ... the heir?"

Leopold sighed. And nodded. Mirja blinked again. She had the heir to the richest archduchy in the Empire in her bed. That would make him what? Fifth in line for the throne? No wonder Lorelee had been so adamant about her taking care of him. But why had the Mistress chosen her for such an important assignment?

"Aahhh," Leopold gasped.

Mirja looked up at him and realized that she had run her hand down to his groin and was holding his rapidly growing cock. Well. At least it would be a distraction until she figured out how to proceed. She slid down his body and took him into her mouth once more.

***

"Have you found anything?"

Mirja looked up from her collection of books and papers scribbled top to bottom with notes. Sigrid was standing behind her with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Something. But nothing concrete. There are so many references to shadowy figures that you cannot believe. Even black blooded ones. You would think that every single shadowy figure actually had black blood."

Sigrid snorted.

"It was a man. I know it. I ... felt him."

Mirja nodded. Then she yawned. Sigrid's face suddenly took on a concerned look.

"You shouldn't be overexerting yourself," she said with a surprisingly soft voice.

Mirja nodded again. She was feeling tired.

"Come. Let me take you to bed," Sigrid said.

"Oh. So that's how it's like now?" Mirja said smiling up at the other woman as Sigrid put her arm under her and lifted her up like she weighed nothing.

"I didn't mean it like that," Sigrid said shaking her head.

Mirja chuckled. And she didn't complain as Sigrid put her down in the bed and then undressed her. She was asleep before Sigrid had put the cover over her.

She awoke significantly more rested than the night before. To her surprise she had been dreaming about the young duke. A small smile formed om her lips as she remembered the first awkward fumbling touches as he ran his hands over her breasts. She sighed and felt her nipples stiffen. She felt the warmth of Sigrid's body behind her and pushed herself back towards the muscular woman. She grunted in her sleep. Mirja kept moving her body slowly up and down and soon she could feel Sigrid's nipples stiffen. She turned around and looked into the face of the sleeping woman. She leaned in and kissed her. Sigrid stirred in her sleep. Mirja smiled wickedly at the sleeping Sister. Then she carefully rolled her onto her back and straddled her face. Slowly she started moving her hips so that her wet lips slid over Sigrid's face and mouth. Slowly. Slowly. Sigrid stirred again. Mirja ground deeper leaving a wet trail over the sleeping woman's mouth.

"Wha−"

At the sound coming from the now waking woman Mirja smiled and pushed herself down over Sigrid's mouth. At first she stirred a little but after only a few moments Mirja could feel the Sister's tongue start moving and after a little while longer she found Mirja's pearl and things got even more pleasurable.

"Yes. Like that," Mirja moaned and ground herself against Sigrid's mouth.

Mirja closed her eyes and just focused on the other woman's tongue working her quim. She smiled widely as Sigrid finally brought her over the edge and her whole body started shaking as she came. She sat there for a little while longer as Sigrid continued licking her, then she fell down beside her friend.

"Thank you," she said giving Sigrid a deep kiss tasting her own juices.

"You're welcome," Sigrid murmured and turned over.

Mirja put her arms around the muscular woman and squeezed her tight. Sigrid grunted a little. Mirja took a deep whiff of Sigrid's hair and then slowly exhaled into her neck. This was the most relaxed, and rested, that she had felt in a long while.

They lay there for a long while and Mirja fell asleep once more. When she awoke next Sigrid was studying her intently.

"What?" Mirja said with a smile.

"I fear for you," Sigrid said her face set in stone.