Life and Times of a Priestess Ch. 10 Pt. 02

Ravelleon wanted to guard her jealously and very soon attempted to persuade her to move out of the Priestesses dormitory to a house of her choice in the city, where he might occasionally meet her away from his offices. But that would have meant separation from her friends and comrades, not completely, for he could not dissuade her from meeting them at the dormitory or hosting them in her new house, but she could not have shared their life and would have felt alone. Separation would have meant an end of her duties as Priestess and prostitute and for many weeks she resisted Ravelleon's subtle attempts to persuade her not to continue that life. The Vanmarian culture of monogamy, particularly strong in he who espoused its cause against Pirion so avidly, caused him to attempt to impose his nonsensical ideas upon Danella. She had caused him to relax his beliefs somewhat already and so she was able to maintain his grudging acceptance of the life she led. He knew at this time that he could not change her ways. He adored her so much that he could accept any indignity to keep her. He could not afford to lose her or to anger her now that she meant so much to him.

It became common knowledge among his staff, officers and men stationed in Dalos that their General had a Priestess for his mistress. There was much gossip talked about him and many rumours, which were not always accurate. Some said that he had persuaded her to move into his quarters, that she was no longer a common prostitute, that she had renounced the Priesthood of the Goddess and no longer believed in the ways of Pirion. The regular visitors to the dormitory might not all know exactly which Priestess it was who slept regularly with their General, they could only guess. Danella requested the other Priestesses not to tell the men that it was she who was Ravelleon's favourite. She did not wish to become an object of curiosity to the soldiers who might regard her as belonging by right to the General or who would treat her differently if they knew. She did not wish to be distanced from her normal customers or to be avoided by newcomers. The regular guards at the dormitory, including of course Gerald, were all aware that it was she who so often kept the General's bed warm. So some soldiers who might visit and might ask could find out. She did have two different customers who told her they knew who she was and chose her because she was the General's mistress as well as being beautiful. Both were keen to dissuade her from informing the General that they had chosen her. She would not have remembered their names for long anyway so their identity was safe with her. Their concern showed their fear of the General. They, as Prancirians, understood well that such a powerful man would not wish to share his woman with anyone else, and certainly not with half of his army.

"I was a Priestess before you overran Dalos and before I met your General," she said to each of them. "It is not in my nature to restrict myself to any man. I do not belong to your General any more than he belongs to me. You have as much right to call upon my services as he, although I am fond of him". She did not reveal her relationship with Ravelleon to any other regular customers, except with Paul, who was the closest to her. She had told him much of her beliefs and they had achieved what she regarded as a very close understanding of each other. However, he was shocked to discover who he shared this woman with. Evidently by his reaction she discovered that even noble, honest, intelligent, open minded Paul had come to believe that to some extent she was his. He minded not the sharing of her with the faceless men of his and other regiments, but he could not easily accept that she 'belonged' also to his General. Against the others Paul knew he had a deeper bond with her, so they were no threat to his position and he could share her gladly. But against Ravelleon he could not feel that. He expected that women were attracted by power, and she had told him that she spent much of her time with him. Paul had grown tired and unhappy before her eyes. His vitality was restored by her concerted effort at lovemaking, which proved to him again that she cared for him.

"What we have is precious to me Paul. You are very different to Ravelleon, and I value you for your mind which is in so many ways greater than Ravelleon's, and for your friendship, which is natural and uncontrolling, and also for your beauty and passion.

Ravelleon had not wished it be widely known that he had taken a mistress from amongst the culturally inferior Pirionites but there was no stopping the rumours. He tried to monitor what was said about him by asking trusted members of his staff, but there was no way of knowing whether they heard all of the rumours which circulated. They gave him polite answers which he deemed to be honest, but could never be sure they were telling him the whole truth. Nonetheless the answers he got from them suggested that amongst the men of his command he was a popular and respected General, his image untarnished by rumours of an affair. Indeed, he was told, the men respected him for his enjoyment of womankind. They accepted that an important man should have a mistress, especially if he was away from home in the field. It was what some of his officers were doing, some of them with the Pirionite women who were so easily available over here. Those of his staff who had seen Danella were apparently impressed by her beauty and envious of their General rather than disapproving.

Still he continued to worry that some opponent, perhaps an important official in the army who wished perhaps to dislodge him and advance their own position or someone with a political grudge against the influence he held with the politicians in Dumis, might wish to tarnish his name. However, if there were to be such an attempt it could not be helped. He was hopelessly in love with Danella. Never had a woman had such an effect on him. If he had to choose between his reputation and position and her he would have to choose her now. He recognised his own loss of control and believed it a price worth paying.

As time went on Ravelleon became more relaxed, many of his colleagues did indeed seem to admire him for his daring. Perhaps they were jealous of a man who had the kind of relationship with a beautiful woman which even money could not buy. "Somehow," they said, "the General has managed to find a whore whom he does not have to pay for, who seems willing to be more than just a whore to him."

The day came when the General learned that he was to be recalled from his command at the front to Dumis, the proud capital city of Prancir, for a period. This was to be not a demotion from his position as a commander of brave and proud men, but a recalling to serve on the General Staff of the Army of the Republic as a High Commander of the army in determining the nature and force of campaigns, the strategic planning of the war. This most important body also acted as the advisor to the Prime Minister, the President and the cabinet of politicians who collectively ran the government. Thus some might have wondered if he were being removed from command of a large section of the army at the front, with power and government over Dalos and the surrounding section of occupied Pirion, to a more lowly bureaucrat's position. But Ravelleon did not view it in that way.

He knew she remained proud of her identity as a Priestess, and seemed not to see their work and nature as he did. He recognised now through her, how a Priestess felt about her 'work'. They deemed the sexual act to be a service of kindness and affection, and not a matter for high dedication. It was easily given, and thus they were willing prostitutes, a profession which most Vanmarian women would have done anything to avoid.

She was strong willed and he had been unable to move her on the subject. He knew there was no way while even she remained with the Priestesses in Dalos that she would cease her old habits. And so the solution of bringing her to Prancir appealed to him greatly. In cultured Dumis she would see how ladies should behave, and learn to dedicate herself wholly to the man who loved her. He felt no dislike of what she was, he loved her precisely because of her open background. It had made her in his eyes superior to Prancirian women who were cold. But he wanted her for himself, no longer to be shared with his soldiers.

For some days he was unwilling to frame the words to ask her to accompany him. If she would not come to Dumis he would lose her. He was unable to face the consequences of her refusal and spent his idle moments worrying. Yet he was a wealthy General, and what life did she enjoy here? Surely she would wish one day to leave the communicability of the dormitory for the privacy and opulence of his Dumis house. He hoped that her declared wish to travel to Vanmar might cause her to decide in his favour. The time approached when he could no longer put off telling her. He must use every encouragement to take her with him.

He was tense tonight, she detected. Something was wrong. He was withdrawn, as if anxious about something. She was used to him being full of confidence and as he had grown used to her, more demanding of her in the bed they usually shared. But tonight there was a trepidation about him which she could not understand. As she soothed his chest and slowly handled his penis with her light touch she talked lazily with him, careful not to tax him, so that his arousal would remain complete. "Have you been working hard today Ravelleon, you seem tired."

"I always work hard. That is always the life of a General."

"I know it is. You work too hard. You should try resting more often and let your army have a holiday. Let my people be. It would do all of you much good", she said, knowing that what she said to him could not do much good. There seemed to be no saving her people from Vanmarian hard work. All she could do was joke. Even if she did persuade her General to rest more and delay his campaigns, there seemed little chance of persuading his government or the other nations to stop.

He ignored her gripes. He was well used to them. She knew he could not rest until this conflict was finished. She knew his belief in what he did for his country.

Ah well, he thought to himself, there was no point in delaying the hour further. Now while they were both relaxed and talking. While she felt the power of his presence and he lay open before her, he would tell her. It was a time for openness and honesty.

"You know I don't want to live without you don't you?" he began vaguely.

"Yes," she answered.

He hesitated, then began again with a different tack. "You have told me from the beginning of our relationship, of your impatience with life in Shanla, your desire to travel and understand the world more, and particularly of your curiosity to see Vanmar and to understand our peoples."

"Yes?" What was he leading up to with this introduction? She guessed that his mood had been diminished because he had something to say to her, and she sensed that these comments were preparing her for his news. Whatever it was seemed to concern him and her. Perhaps he was going to end this relationship and go 'back' to his wife. She had insufficient time to consider his words. He had been reluctant before to be 'disloyal' to his wife. Maybe now that he had experienced the love of a Priestess he felt able to dismiss it, returning to his traditional Vanmarian ways. She doubted from what she had sensed in him that he could ever turn his back on the sexual pleasures she had given him, but nonetheless the thought occurred and caused her some mental pain. She too was captured by his love and by his growing sexual prowess. She would be wounded to some degree by his departure. She valued the closeness of this relationship. It provided the closeness with a man which her working services to the ordinary soldiers could never give her, and her relationship with Paul would not have sufficed her on its own.

"I am to leave Dalos for a while. For quite a long while. I have received a new post in Dumis, our capital in Prancir, but it is temporary, for a few months perhaps." He looked at her squarely in the eyes, bravely revealing the deep influence she held over him. In extreme terms he explained his love again, "I cannot live without you Danella, your touch is what keeps me living. I hope therefore that you might accompany me to live with me in my new post."

Pausing briefly to ensure she was listening fully, he went on. "I have a spacious house not far from the centre of Dumis. It is set in a garden. You would love it certainly, if you are already impressed by these rooms and offices. You always said you wanted to travel, to see and to understand my country. You will be able to really know my people and to see that they are not as despicable as you think. You will see the splendours of our civilisation, buildings taller and more ornate than any you have in Pirion. Our architects are the best in the world. You will hear and see our operas and musicals, or concerts and symphonies; see our dancers, our plays. I know you like books. I will take you to our libraries, full of all the knowledge of the world and of fictions of all kinds. I will buy you books and clothes. I will take you to dances and introduce you to the ladies of Prancir. And your visit need not be for too many months. I will be back in Pirion before too long and you can return with me. I want you to stay with me. What do you say Danella? Please don't make me lonely again. You must not give a certain reply now. Consider what I have said and ask me what you will."

She heard him and was fully aware of what he asked of her. He was offering to be her partner, in Pirionite terms. His declaration was not new to her. Many times he had spoken of her as more important in his life than his wife although he had only known her for two short months. But the other times when he had attempted to persuade her to move in to his rooms had been only an offer to rearrange her current life. She would have gained comfort and convenience alone and lost her life as a Priestess with its close comradeship and shared experience and the range of experience which city and soldiers brought her. Her 'love' for Ravelleon was not so strong as to be worth giving up all of that.

This offer was more than the chance to be kept in comfort by him. He offered to take her back to Prancir to be shown to his people in their homeland. It was a strong physical proof of his need for her and she was touched.

"What is this post?" she asked "What higher post can there be in this army of yours than the one you already occupy? Although I do not think I would wish to occupy your position if I were in your shoes. Your soldiers commit much injustice upon my people."

He told her of the High Command and of the further influence he might have over the conduct of this war. "It might be a good post if you would use it to dissuade your government from the war," she commented.

"I have told you many times," he smiled, knowing her moods of patriotism. "I cannot dissuade my government from this war even if I had wanted. Only the people of Prancir may do that, or the government itself, and neither will."

"And when does this new post begin? How long do I have to consider?"

"Then you will consider my request?" he asked, hoping she would. "Yes I will consider it."

"Good, I must set sail for Prancir in a week. And you have a week to consider it, although I would prefer your answer sooner so that I may make preparations. But I will give you all the time you may need to make up your mind if it is in favour of me. If you must, tell me at the last minute of my departure, or come to me after days, weeks, months or years. I will be waiting for you wherever I am and I will always be yours."

"I could wait for you here in Dalos," she provoked him.

"If you must I will return here in time," he said, "but I will be miserable if I have to be apart from you". A sense of excitement pervaded her, but she refused to let it overwhelm her. There were elements of this arrangement which attracted her and others which did not. She would have to think about his offer carefully later, but for the moment she relaxed herself in his arms as she surrendered to his soothing embrace.

She walked back through lit and unlit streets of the city. It was calm. She felt safe now. Despite the fact that this was a conquered city, whose population objected to the soldiers they were obliged to house, there was an acceptance at least within the city that these occupiers were benign as long as the occupied were acquiescent and uncomplaining. The citizens complained behind closed doors but they consorted with the invaders often by day and night, perhaps hoping to persuade them to go away by offering them their civilised values by example.

There were no acts of futile resistance here and no dangerous demonstrations on the streets, which would have provoked only more force. It was not the Pirionite way.

She liked the city, both before the conquest and strangely even now, after its undignified fall and its cowardly collaboration. But she knew there was great strength in its acceptance of the 'barbarians' from the young nations across the sea. She knew that the city had taught many a soldier the arts of real civilisation and friendship, and pleasure, to rival the harshness of their own destructive culture. She had taught quite a few of them herself, including their General. But she had to admit that, although they could offer Pirionite culture and they could give the foreigners aspirations, they could do nothing it seemed to change the economic and political machine which had deposited these men on their shores in this way. More men would come and gradually that old culture she was a part of could be gradually washed from the map, and perhaps eventually from the hearts of the people.

Yes, she loved him, of course. But for her love was an easy thing freely given. Her love was genuine, but Prancirians would regard it as ungenuine because it was given to more than one person at a time. She didn't love every man or woman she had communed with. Love was a stronger word than that, even for Pirionites. Well perhaps, she thought again, there were two types of love. Universal love was the love for all mankind, which always existed for her, alongside lust. But the love she was meaning now was that deeper compassion and attraction which came from knowing a person so well and wanting to be bound closely with him. She had felt that with many men: Ravelleon, Polad, Paul, and even with some women, with Sreela, and with Carel her young protégé, and all those in the past.