Clara's Sacrifice Ch. 03

In the days that followed her first night as part of the regular line-up, Clara managed to adapt to the sordid culture of the club at a speed that surprised even herself. Kadjia never pressured the former farm girl into going beyond a level she felt uncomfortable with, allowing Clara to gradually adapt to the needs and desires of the clientele at her own speed, relying on the veterans of the establishment to build up her willingness to let go of her hesitation. Clara grew bolder, settling in to the point where it seemed as if she always belonged amongst the other girls, taking on more paying clients as she progressed.

Clara quickly found herself getting into the rhythm of The Mare, emulating Scarlett to the best of her ability, whilst also carving out an identity for herself so she didn't need to rely on her status as the latest entry to attract attention from prospective clients. During the first few days, she chose to remain within the confines of the brothel, either getting her room back into an acceptable shape for the following night of ruthless fucking, or doing her best to socialise with the other working girls. Other than Margot and Scarlett, she quickly built friendships with two girls that came from a similar background as she did, hailing from the various farmlands and food mills that surrounded the sprawling city.

Sereya, a short, dusky haired woman just shy of twenty-five came from a devout religious family. She had spent most of her early life adhering to the practices of her family, bottling up any desire she had when it came to expressing herself, both in appearance and promiscuity. Unlike Clara, Sereya had been far more willing to seek out any men around her village that caught her eye, dragging them into the cheapest inns to get her fix.

Once she came of age, Sereya fled her family home and set her sights on the city that had become part of her most debauched fantasies, despite her parents doing their best to depict the city as a haven of degeneracy and corruption, driven by their hatred for the metropolis. Such warnings only made Hichin's city all the more tantalising. She was finally able to explore her sexuality without restraint, free to be as provocative as she wanted without being persistently warned about the dangers of her sinful ways. Joining The Tempered Mare enabled her to do exactly that, whilst being able to earn a comfortable income in the process.

L'indrill's presence surprised Clara the most. She was an elf, possessing the beautiful golden hair and unblemished alabaster skin synonymous with her people. Her body could make any woman envious, her tall, slender frame provided her with an ethereal appearance that always drew the eyes of the club's patrons to her, showcasing an effortless beauty capable of stirring the loins of any red blooded man, regardless of their species. At the age of forty-two -- young for her species -- she had double the living experience of Clara, yet she too found herself drawn to the brothel. Unlike the other girls, L'indrill had not become a brothel worker out of necessity, nor from a need to rebel from the arrogant ways of elvin society. She chose to work at the brothel as a 'proactive observer', wanting to experience and research the lust of the other races in a way no member of her species had ever done before, building up a scientific journal that would be ready for the day she made her return to the well hidden elvin homeland.

By the end of her first week, having been subject to a wide variety of sexual partners, with some being more vigorous in their performance, and others being content to allow her to do most of the heavy lifting, Scarlett had finally managed to convince Clara to explore the wider city with her. It took some effort, largely due to Clara's fears of the bustling streets, constantly reminded of the dangers she had been warned about on the day of her arrival. But Scarlett's coaxing eventually wore down Clara's concerns, convincing her to venture beyond the old docklands.

A hot summer's morning brought out the denizens of the city in their thousands, market stalls lined the main square, various species packed out the streets to the point where a simple journey became an uphill battle. Scarlett was born and raised within the walls of the cultural hub, few knew how to navigate the cobbled roads better than her, and even fewer were able to switch from sultry temptress to unyielding force of nature with such ease when it came to forcing her way through blockades in the roads.

The pair were dressed in outfits far more conservative compared to what they wore during their shifts in the brothel, though the clothes still did show a decent enough amount of flesh to catch the wandering eyes of the men they passed. Clara's yellow silk gown was by far the more tasteful, only showing off the bare minimum that she felt comfortable with in public, with a pair of slits running from her thighs to her ankles displaying her pale legs, something that earned her more than a few unexpected gropes by passers by.

Being the more seasoned, Scarlett chose to wear a strapless silk red gown, complete with a slit at the very front which did little to hide her legs from the thighs down. A 'V' shaped plunge displayed her defined collarbones and a healthy amount of cleavage. A gold anklet that had been gifted to her by an extraordinarily wealthy client stood out against her pale skin. Her vermilion hair had been pinned by a trio of metal ringlets, allowing her tresses to sit across her shoulder. In contrast to Clara's visible discomfort, caused by the wave of intense stares that came their way wherever they went, Scarlett practically bathed

in the attention, providing those lucky enough with an inviting wink, urging them to pay her a personal visit at The Mare.

They both wore the crystalline heels that instantly marked them as members of the city's ever expanding sex trade. The provocative footwear lifted them six inches off the ground, making them more than visible amongst the undulating crowds that packed out the markets. Before leaving The Mare, Kadjia had supplied them with a set of turquoise bands to wear around their forearms, a piece of jewellery she had spent years marketing around Hichin, using her girls as walking advertisements for her brothel.

Scarlett showed off her deep knowledge of the city by leading the way through the back alleys and underpasses that would help them to avoid the bulk of the market goers, though they still found themselves bumping into certain shady figures that preferred to remain out of sight of the guards that roamed the streets. A handsy goblin did his best to convince at least one of them to give him a quickie behind one of the local alchemy stores, but neither took the offer, though Scarlett took some delight in brushing her fingertips teasingly across the tent sticking out from his leather loincloth. They dashed across a set of uneven cobblestones until they exited through a low red brick archway, bringing them directly into the densely market area, filling their senses with bright colours and the scent of dozens of different food stalls.

"So, are you looking for anything in particular?" Scarlett asked, winking at a group of men that clearly recognised the distinctive band running along her arm. "You can find anything around here, the vendors come from all across the continent."

Clara shook her head, still lacking the unrestrained confidence that her red haired friend seemed to possess an infinite quantity of. "I'm saving up everything I earn to send back to my family."

Scarlett hooked her pale arm around Clara's and brought her over to the section of the market dominated by antique furniture dealers and decorative items household trinkets. "Come on, Clara. You'll have plenty of time to send coins back to your family, and plenty of men willing to provide you with them. As nice as your bedroom may be, its still very much within the boundaries of Kadjia's taste. You need to decorate it the way you want if you want it to feel like home, you're going to be living there for a good while. Come on, think of anything you want and we'll try to find it."

Strolling around the rows of stalls, Clara was still convinced that she should save the money, slipping into the mindset her parents had encouraged, focusing on scrimping and saving every last coin they possibly could just to stay afloat during a poor crop season. But her resolve quickly caved in as she caught sight of a stall that sold a series of glass curios and small statuettes, each unique in different ways, boasting their own vibrant patterns and colour arrangement. Scarlett quickly noticed Clara's distracted attention and wasted no time in pulling her over to the stall. It was owned and occupied by a short, rotund man dressed in a set of robes that immediately identified him as being a travelling merchant from Shishem, a nation that Hichin had only opened up a trade route within the last decade.

As Clara leaned open to inspect each item, the merchant glanced at the pair with a gleam in his eyes as his eyes latched onto their bands and revealing clothing. Even from the distant Sishem, the merchant could recognise the famed brothel girls of Hichin. "Ah, I see you have a keen eye for interior decoration? Come, you'll find nothing more extravagant than what you see before you, I only bring the very best works from my motherland!"

Clara bit her lip and glanced back at Scarlett, who gave her an encouraging smile. She decided that a simple look around couldn't do any harm and bent over to closely examine what had been laid out. Some of the items depicted different exotic creatures, the like of which Clara had only ever seen rendered in crude drawings, intricately shaped and moulded to best capture the soul of the animal. Other represented the signs of the stars, though Clara considered such things to be more akin to good luck charms rather than true idols of power.

After a few minutes of letting her eyes move from piece to piece, she found herself drawn to a semi-transparent figurine of the goddess Urya, stood upon a small dais with her slender arms lifted up towards the sky. Clara just couldn't resist looking.

"How much would that one cost?" Clara asked softly, feeling a twinge of guilt at the thought of diverting her earnings towards personal a purely personal item.

Before she could listen to the response, she turned to see Scarlett engaging in a flirtatious conversation with a burly member of the Hichin City Guard, who appeared to reciprocate the redhead's advances. Reaching into a small cloth pouch hooked to his belt, the guard withdrew a handful of gold coins and deposited them into Scarlett's outstretched hand, who then proceeded to surreptitiously drop them into a purse hanging from her shoulder. Scarlett linked arms with the guard and called over to Clara.

"Clara, I need to have a quick conversation with this dashing man here, promise me you'll keep yourself safe until I return?" Scarlett asked, not willing to depart until she was sure that the younger woman was confident enough to remain on her own.

Clara wasn't sure if she had much of a choice, but trusted Scarlett to not be away for too long. As concerned as she was about being left alone, she reasoned that she eventually needed to learn to fend for herself in the city at some point, especially if she was going to inhabit the city for an unknown number of years to come. "I promise, don't worry about me."

As Scarlett sauntered towards a cheap set of lodgings nearby with the guard in tow, Clara took a deep breath as she turned back to the merchant. "I apologise, I didn't hear your reply."

"Not to fear," the merchant gave her an ambiguous smile, "three gold pieces. But I see from your arm band that you work as a fallen woman. If you are open to it, perhaps you would consider an alternative form of trade? Something that ensures that neither of us are out of pocket."

Despite still being relatively new to her line of work, it didn't take her long to understand exactly what the merchant was implying, nor was she sure that she was up to accepting such an offer. "I'm not sure if that's allowed."

The merchant brushed off her concerns easily. "Why not? You're attractive friend certainly seems willing to accept clients beyond the cathouse. You like the item, and you already sell your beautiful body for coins on a nightly basis. All I ask is for a little pleasure from those beautiful lips of yours and we'll both come away happy, what could be the harm?"

Clara still wasn't convinced whether it was the right thing to do, but she couldn't deny that the offer was tempting. Without having Scarlett to consult with, Clara made the decision for herself, opting to take a bit of initiative for once in her life. "As long as we're discreet, then I accept. But where- "

The merchant cut her off and reached out, grabbing Clara by the hand. Not so gently, he dragged her towards a dark, narrow alley just behind his stall, where his various stock crates were kept. He shrugged the lower section of his robes off unceremoniously and revealed his already hardened cock, taking a quick look at the opening of the alley to ensure that they wouldn't be interrupted.

"Well? Come on, whore, I can't stay away from the stall for too long," the merchant said impatiently, taking a grasp of the base of his member, pointing the pre-cum coated tip towards Clara.

Clara steeled herself, she extended her hand out and picked up a small cushion that sat upon a pair of rolled up rugs, dropped it to the ground, then lowered down to her knees on top of it. She wetted her lips as she slid her hand along the merchant's member, slowly pumping it as she brought her head towards it. Her lips crept across the head and gradually made their way down the shaft. It wasn't the largest she had ever taken in her mouth during her first week at The Mare, but it was certainly her first sexual interaction in a public setting.

Drifting down until the tip of the cock embedded itself deep in her throat, causing her neck to develop the slightest of bulges, Clara quickly fell into a familiar routine, ignoring the muffled sounds of the undulating crowds beyond as he drew back, then plunged her mouth back down to the root of the merchant's member.

"Such an experienced young woman, the legends of the whores of Hichin aren't as without merit as I first thought!" the merchant let out a quiet moan as Clara sped up her efforts, rocking on the balls of his feet as her tongue ran along the bottom of his shaft "Don't slow down!"

Clara used her tongue in conjunction with her mouth, curling it around the shaft to provide an extra amount of stimulation. It was a trick Scarlett and Margot had taught her to use as a method of overwhelming the client to bring him to his climax at a significantly faster speed, enabling her to fit more bookings into a single shift. Sure enough, her sensitive mouth detected the signs of an impending climax. She doubled down and buried the cock as far down as she could and readied herself.

"Oh... ohhhh! By Shishem, you have such a talented little tongue!" the merchant buckled as his churning seed jettisoned from the tip of his member, so much so that Clara could feel every rope of cum splashing against the back of her throat. Once he was drained, he yanked his softening member free and pulled his robe back up, using his sleeve to wipe away a thin sheen of sweat that had built up on his forehead. As soon as the pair were back out in the open the merchant picked up the item and pressed it into Clara's hands.

"A fine prize for such an attentive whore, you've earned it," he grinned, watching Clara lick a few remaining droplets of his seed from her lips, "tell the madame of your establishment that I send my regards, she's trained you well."

Clara held the small figure softly in her hand as she stepped away from the alley and back into the main street. Regardless of how she managed to obtain it, for the first time in her life she had something of genuine value that belonged to her and her alone. Instead of the feeling of shame she had expected, Clara felt pride, elated to a degree to have made such a transaction without needing to look to someone else for reassurance. Spotting Scarlett returning, Clara noticed the way her friend walked with a certain of bow-leggedness to her gait, it wasn't difficult her to conclude what the redhead had gotten up to.

"Ahh, you got it then?" Scarlett winked, bumping Clara's hip fondly with her own. "Shall we return? I'm feeling a little worn out. And given the red tinge on your knees, I think you might feel the same way."

Clara blushed, giving a small nod as she followed, listening to the clinking sound originating from the purse Scarlett had deposited her recently earned coins. "I thought we had to split our earnings with Madame Kadjia?"

Scarlett smiled. "Inside The Mare? Then yes. But byond the brothel, Kadjia has no problem with us keeping the full payment, so long as we make sure to advertise The Mare in the process. Why else do you think Burt has been following us around? You didn't really think I would leave you alone without making sure you were safe, did you?"

Clara turned suddenly and spotted the strapping bouncer following them from a distance, enough to allow him to blend in with the crowd, even if his height put him close to a head taller than those around him.

"I guess not," Clara replied lightly.

~•~•~•~•~•~

By the time they made it back to the brothel the sun had started to set, casting the winding streets ahead in a deep orange glow, with thick shadows lacing the protruding cobbles. Still having a few hours before the clients began to eagerly stream inside, the pair headed over to the wing of the building that acted as the Mare's own dining area, furnished with warm, inviting colours, with a long oak bar top that ran across the length of one of the walls, offering a wide variety of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

They gratefully accepted their meals from the chef and joined Margot at a secluded table not too far from the bar. Margot had started work on producing an incredibly lewd modification to one of the outfits she typically wore whenever she was on duty, at the behest of Madame Kadjia. The trio fell into a quiet conversation as they ate, mentally preparing themselves for what was expected to be a busy night for them all due to the arrival of a group of merchant vessels returning from an extended travel.

Clara bit into a piece of steaming chicken and took the opportunity to glance around. The room was mostly empty, with the majority of the other girls spending the last few hours getting themselves ready in their rooms. Despite the sense of camaraderie that existed amongst the girls employed by Madame Kadjia, a number did all they could to give themselves an advantage during the line-up, hoping to edge out their competition to win the favour of any wealthy patrons sitting amongst the rest of the usual rabble. Though even the most ambitious knew they stood little chance in drawing attention away from L'indrill, whose celestial beauty was simply a natural part of her being, giving her an air of untouchablity that made her the most in demand of Kadjia's girls.

But one figure sitting alone on a high stool beside the bar, with her head buried in a thick tome as she delicately stirred a silver spoon in her small teacup, caught Clara's attention above the rest. Duchess remained a mystery to Clara, the only member of the line-up to actively avoid socialising with the others, seemingly preferring her own company than the company of others. Unlike the others, there was a certain dignity to her, her posture conveyed a sense of self-pride that even some of the most outgoing Mare's were lacking in. A plain black gown hid her expensive lingerie from sight, her crossed legs and upright posture reminded Clara of the female members of the aristocracy she had seen from afar whenever her father brought her to the wealthier districts to discuss payment for his harvests with prospective buyers.