Life and Times of a Priestess Ch. 20 Pt. 02

Part 2

Marie came in late one evening when she should have been behind the bar. Hugo was angry with her as soon as he saw her, but she looked very pretty that night. Marie's long blonde hair tumbled down the sides of her face and sweat glistened upon her, but the effect was to make her look even more healthy than usual. She had been breathing heavily as if running. The whole bar had been quiet and dull then suddenly the door opened and the brightness of youth came in. She wore a revealing dress, short up the legs, low cut on the breast.

Hugo's anger erupted immediately, "Ah here comes the girl who couldn't keep her job. Where were you this evening? We needed you."

Harassed though she may look the girl bit back without pause taking each new threat on as if it were an attack on her personal sanctity. "You don't look as if you're very busy to me. It looks as if you and Danella have managed just fine without me."

Then a change in her approach came, perhaps she reminded herself that she needed Hugo on her side. She began to crawl to him in a way that Danella had not seen before from her. "Listen Hugo, I'm in trouble. Gorge is following me. He says I'm not giving him his cut and he wants it. So I ran away from him. I think he's after me. Do you think you could do me a favour. If he comes here don't let him see me." Marie had lowered her voice now so the customers could not hear all she said, but Danella was able to hear up to that point. She wondered who this Gorge was and what she meant by his cut.

Danella went on serving the customers drinks. There was little to do this evening. Most customers were not drinking fast and mostly she just waited and watched. She wished Marie would come and join her at the bar. Then at least she would have someone to talk to. All evening there had been only her. Hugo was not worthy of talking to much. He was taciturn and surly and it was not worth too much effort to get him to speak. He had a strong sense of humour nonetheless and there were moments when he could be funny, but conversation was deadening. She would rather have cuddled up to him in bed. He would be easier to get on with there.

Some of the customers had been more enlightening. They made more of an effort to chat to her. She could see the lust behind their eyes. She spoke civilly to them and did not mind when they honoured her. Some made very obvious invitations to her which she knew she would satisfy if she continued working her much longer. At this time she was working and she was not at all sure that Hugo would let her stay here if she invited the customers to sleep with her. She had been here only a few days and did not wish to have to move on yet.

She was in no hurry to make love to all of Hugo's customers, for some of them were old and unattractive, and some of them drank too much beer, which showed on their stomachs, which she found distasteful until she got used to it. The Prancirian soldiers in Dalos had been fit and in good physical shape except for some who had minor wounds or were battle weary. In her homeland of Pirion all men were fit and healthy and few had a tendency to being overweight.

Now that she had broken free from Valery's hospitality she was, for the time being, having to work for a living like the ordinary Prancirians. If she wanted to travel amongst them and see how they lived and learn to understand them better she must immerse herself for a short while at least in their way of life. Working here meant staying behind the bar all evening and during lunchtime. She could not take time off to indulge her own regular need for sexual relaxation, or to read her books. She was finding the observations of these people interesting, making new acquaintances and admirers, but already there were periods of boredom. She would soon miss the sparkling and erotic companionship of her Dumisian group, and the camaraderie of the Priestesses. 'Normal' work would soon inevitably become much duller than the physically rewarding lifestyle she had followed all her adult life.

Marie was demanding something from Hugo, but Danella couldn't tell what. Then he seemed to suggest something else to which Marie responded with sudden flashing anger. She seemed visibly to control her anger after that spark. Perhaps she had thought it through, whatever it was. There was a sense of Marie recognising that she had to make a deal or the man she was afraid of would come and take her away. Danella was guessing, but would surely find confirmation if she were able to talk to Marie. Hugo seemed to persuade her to come inside. She nodded acceptance. They both stood up and Hugo led her inside behind the bar and up the stairs towards the rooms. It looked as if Marie might be staying in the inn again to get away from the man she feared. Danella could imagine what condition Hugo had set on her in return for his protection.

The evening remained quiet as Danella was left to run the bar on her own for a while. During the quiet daytime that was often the case, but in the evening it was unusual that she should be left for so long on her own. What if some of the customers should become rowdy.

After Hugo and Marie had been upstairs for at least half an hour the door opened and another customer came in. A hush fell upon some of the customers as they turned to see who it was. Others who had not shown an interest in the man who stood boldly and confidently in the doorway fell silent momentarily because the others did. Then the conversations began again. She sensed that those who knew this man were doing their best to ignore him, to pretend he was not standing in their public bar.

Danella looked at him at first because he was eye catching. Even if she had not been responsible for the bar at this moment she would have looked at him. One glance was enough to make her look twice. One of those moments of intuitive knowledge occurred. She knew he was strongly attractive even as she turned to look. What made her mind know this without having viewed his face she could not know, but she was drawn to it. The man was tall, dark, powerfully built and highly attractive. He had the physical presence, and doubtless the strength of the strongest soldiers. He was dressed in the business clothes of the Vanmarians, an expensive looking suit of black, and shining black shoes to match. He reminded her particularly of Valery and of Ravelleon, a powerful and confident figure in his own world she did not doubt. Hardly noticed behind him were two similarly dressed men of more ordinary proportions and looks, but doubtless his strongmen.

Intuitively she suspected that this must be the man Gorge, whom Marie had been trying to get away from. The reaction of some of the regular customers seemed to give that away. Danella was not usually afraid of men, but the swagger and confident attitude betrayed by this one reminded her of the rape suffered at the hands of conquering soldiers and she feared that this one was ruthless. He was attractive but the attitude of disdain supported by his manner made her very wary, a feeling obviously shared by those who knew him.

"I'm looking for a young lady, quite a popular girl, goes by the name of Marie," he said out loud into the quietness. His demand was directed towards no one in particular, but to all. "Where is she?"

No one answered. Who's business was it anyway? Not theirs, but Marie was popular with them and they would not wish to cause trouble for her.

"I said, where is she?" he said insistently. He paused, and said, "and where's that little man Hugo? I bet he knows where she is. Where is she? You've got tongues haven't you. Where is she?" Gorge looked around, surveying the faces he knew. "Now Albert," he spoke to an older man, "you know me. You know you should always tell me what I want to know. Where is Marie. I bet she's been here hasn't she? She used to live here, right, and she works here?"

"We don't want any trouble," said Albert, bravely.

"I want to know where Hugo is then. Where is he?"

"In," said Danella. It seemed she should try to appease this man in some way before he became very angry. "I don't know what it is which makes you search for Marie, but I will fetch Hugo for you if you wish." She avoided admitting that Marie was here, it seemed safer to calm the man by appearing to co-operate, but to imply that she was not here.

"Yes, if my 'friends' here," he sneered, "won't help me than I suppose it will have to be Hugo. Where is he hiding her?"

This man was dangerous. It emanated from him like an unconscious signal. Nobody in the bar was relaxed. Danella felt the pounding of blood in her temples as she had done when the soldiers had come charging up the streets of Dalos on horses and banging on the doors of the dormitory. Surely she was not under physical threat but she felt it for the sake of Marie whom she already cared for, and even for poor Hugo who would have to deal with this powerfully attractive and yet so hateful man.

She knew nothing of the man but his mere appearance in the bar told her much of what she needed to know. He was obviously a power to be reckoned with in this neighbourhood. The respect of fear on the faces of the locals was evident. He seemed to need no pretence of appearing reasonable and friendly. His power was assured anyway. Perhaps these people did not count to him. They did not need to be courted. Surely this man was not on the side of the law. The strong men who supported him were not policemen or soldiers. She guessed he was a local criminal, a powerful one. Crime was rare and unnecessary in her own land but she knew that this competitive and hard society provided ample incentive and pressure on some people to break the rules laid down by the establishment.

She wondered again what Marie had done, or perhaps not done to cause this man's anger. Was she involved in some way in his crimes. She had appeared friendly and honest enough to Danella. Presumably Gorge had at least been Marie's landlord until tonight. Perhaps she had been unable to pay her due rent. Or perhaps she had sought to deny him the comforts that she had previously denied to Hugo.

"Please sir," she said, being as respectful in the Prancirian manner as she could to calm him, "you seem angered. Is it by something Marie has done to you?"

Gorge looked at her fully for the first time, his eyes blazed with barely surpressed condescension. She felt his handsomeness, but his whole being was tarnished by a most barbaric arrogance. Only a very ignorant man would behave in this way. But she had seen arrogance before in the soldiers who had taken pleasure in the fear of others in Dalos. Ravelleon had had arrogance in a more refined and measured form, but similarly blind until she had begun to unlock it. But that work had been unfinished. The values of his world had caused him to reject her in the only way that he knew.

She had also seen arrogance in Valery. His power and wealth had blinded him to the realities of his world, as she saw it. His arrogance had been channelled within the conventional bounds of economic and legal acceptability, despite the damage to others he could achieve by it, and in person it had been a useful motivation which allowed him to ignore the 'moral' restrictions of Vanmar and to explore a more real and open sexuality.

"Have I seen you before? You don't know who I am do you?" Gorge questioned her, as if allowing her the right to ask questions only because she was a newcomer.

"No I don't know you Sir, I am new here," she admitted.

He lightened visibly as if forgiving her for her ignorance. "What's your name? You've got a pretty face lady!"

"Danella."

"You could work for me you know, if you wanted to. I've always got work for someone as good looking as you. You could make a lot of money working for me. You ought to think about it." He spoke knowing his words would be followed by the customers. She had the sense they knew what kind of work he was talking about while she did not. It was difficult for her to know how to answer. Nonetheless she sensed he meant what he said. Because she was good looking she could have a job working for him. But who would want to work for such a vicious and arrogant man, she could hardly imagine?

"I already have a job as you can see sir."

He laughed, sneering slightly. "A woman like you shouldn't be working for the 'peanuts' Hugo pays. If you like bar work you could work in one of my bars. I'd pay double to start with but I could certainly provide you with other tasks which, I can assure you would be far more remunerative." He smiled wryly at her now and winked.

She thought perhaps that he must be hinting at prostitution. She had come here to this low class part of the city partly in search of prostitutes. She wanted to find out for herself what went on between the Prancirian prostitutes and those men of the city who felt able to use them. It frightened her to think that a man capable of this anger might dominate the women who worked for him in this way. She was sure he must be a terrible man to work for. There were things about him which reminded her of Gerald, his sense of superiority and control. However Gerald had been irritating, but not particularly nasty. She was sure this man could do real psychological and physical damage to those around him.

It was probably, she thought, that since prostitution was supposed to be considered a 'crime' in the eyes of the law, such men as Gorge, who were criminals, she imagined, probably were by profession one of the few kinds of people who were willing to involve themselves in this kind of 'trade' as the Prancirians called it. Perhaps he operated in much the same way as Gerald had done, controlling prostitutes in a brothel and collecting the fees or a 'cut' of them from the men who came to visit. She allowed herself to consider whether perhaps she should take up Gorge's offer in order to discover how the Prancirian system of prostitution operated. However she knew this man was evil. He obviously had no concern for others. Indeed he was a danger it seemed, judging by the fear in which he seemed to be held.

She now wondered, 'is Marie a prostitute?' It seemed probable that she might have been working for Gorge as well as paying rent to him. And this was the way he treated her! His whole manner hand been extremely threatening and she wondered whether he would use violence upon Marie. She didn't know what he was capable of but she must try to protect Marie if possible.

"Thank you for the offer sir, but as you can see I have my hands full with this work," she gestured at the bar.

"Well maybe in time you may realise what you're missing. When you decide, come to me. Everyone here knows me. You can find me easily."

She marvelled at the change she had already affected in him. She had managed to distract him from his threatening behaviour, if only for a short while. Hopefully his strident attitude would not return. "I was wondering sir," she continued bravely, "why you seem so angry with Marie. What wrong has she done to you?"

"Well my girl it is no business of yours. But as you're such a sweet looking thing and I want you to work for me, I might as well tell you as much as you need to know." Gorge had turned his attention fully on her now and was no longer play acting to his audience. He was talking in lower tones just to her, evidently conscious that this information was not for the others.

"You could say that she hasn't been paying her rent properly. She's been making more than enough but she's been keeping my dues back from me. She owes me!" He winked again at her as if to underline that he was giving her his confidence. "So for now, all I need from you is where she is."

"Sir, I hope you don't intend to harm her. I am sure that whatever she owes she will pay what is due to you in good time." She suspected that Gorge might be after more than money from the girl. Perhaps she had left his employment and thereby angered him.

He smiled at her, almost winking again. "Are you trying to negotiate with me for her?"

She shook her head.

"Seems like it," he persisted. "I tell you I might just let Marie off some of her debts to me if you were to come and work with me. Or even to come out with me on the town from time to time." This last seemed to be an afterthought.

Evidently her beauty was having an effect on him. As an outsider who did not know this frightening man or what he was capable of she was able to resist him in her subtle innocent way. Her beauty made that much easier. She had him hooked. But was she being sensible in drawing his attention to her. He continued to be frightening and she might end up being encouraged to perform his unsavoury wishes in order to help Marie. She could not take every wrongdoer in Prancir to her bed in order to reform them. She had hoped to reform Ravelleon and then Valery, although she had wanted them anyway, but in each case she had failed to change their beliefs. She would hardly be able to reform this vicious brute to the gentler ways of Pirion.

"I do not wish to work for you sir, but I would hope we could remain friends," she said. "That wouldn't be easy if you were to harm Marie. She is a friend of mine."

"You are bargaining with me aren't you," he said, seemingly enchanted by this negotiation. The customers looked on, not knowing what was being said, but she wondered if this bargaining with a woman would make him look weak.

"Alright," he said. "If I agree not to touch her, will you spend an evening in my company. I will take you out and show you the places I like the most in this town, and I will seek to persuade you of the value of working for me. But I want to know where Marie is. Is she here?"

"I don't know where she is. I can call Hugo. Perhaps he will know?" She still stalled him. She worried that she would be persuaded to barter Marie's safety for the danger of an uncomfortable evening with this rude yet handsome man. She did not like him in the least but his body, she guessed, was admirable. She feared what methods he might use to force his will. He was ruthless obviously and she did not wish to be dominated in whatever way Marie had been. However she knew she had some power over him, as she had over most men. Perhaps again she could learn something more about this hard world from this man who appeared to be one of the hardest men in this locale.

She knew she was being foolish in even contemplating such a deal. Gorge might indeed be interesting, but he was very dangerous too. He had recognised her beauty and could do nothing but respect it. The man could not force her to be loving to him, or to work for him or he would risk the chance he perceived lay there. Doubtless he thought he could make money out of her as one of his prostitutes. But he wanted her for himself too. She had what he wanted and she could choose to withhold it if she wished. She therefore had some power over him.

"I will certainly think about what you have said sir, but I am a free woman. I choose what work I do, and whose company I take. One day maybe soon, I may decide to hear your offers again. I am flattered that you would consider me either in your employ or in friendship. Marie is a new friend of mine. I hope you do not intend harm to her for I am sure that unpleasantness is not necessary. I would hope that any disagreement you have with her may be worked out sensibly and amicably."

The man of violence listened meekly to her. She offered still the possibility of friendship, but it became clear to Gorge that any potential future arrangements with this desirable woman were dependent on treating Marie with respect. Doubtless he calculated that he may yet bring his influence to bear upon Danella for he seemed to decide to give that respect.

"I assure you Danella I would not risk my hope to one day employ you in some fashion in my organisation, for the sake of my hasty anger towards Marie for her dishonesty. Meanwhile I would like to see Marie if she is at home. If Hugo knows where she is I shall talk to him. May I go in to the back and find him, or shall I see him here."