Matriarchal World Ch. 05

"Well, news go fast apparently, even for so stupid stuff."

"Listen kiddo," she said gently. "I know that you don't want to do this thing, but I can assure you that having a debut can only be beneficial. Men who haven't debuted are still considered immature boys to the eyes of the ton, and you will never be taken seriously. Besides, even if you are worried about the suitors harassing you, you know that Mother won't force you to marry the best bidder, so you can just enjoy the parties. If you want, I can make the message spread that you are already engaged, thus not interested in being courted."

"You are the best sister, you know?"

"I know, you don't need to tell me. Consider the rumor fully spread at the end of the night, so no one will bother you at the next party."

"Thank you, Alison. By the way, how long do I need to stay in this damn party?"

"Until the people have started to get tired. If you leave the residence too soon without a good excuse, it will be perceived as rude by the hosts. However, if you wish to get some calm space, I can take you for a walk in the gardens."

"Really, you would do that? Didn't you want to discuss with some of your friends?"

"I can do that later, after all my little brother is always my priority at such an event," Alison smiled as she talked, and she kindly offered him her arm and they walked out of the orchestral sounds of the ballroom."

Jules happily took the arm of his sister and walked slowly through the lantern lit alleys of the gardens and both admired the many statues decorating the place. Jules happily chatted with his sister, asking her about her last trip and discussing about the latest political issue that interested him. it was a precious time for him, for his sister was the only one who truly took time to listen to his opinion on these matters. Even though she never debated with him, stating that political debates were a complicated field that needed to be taken care of only by the most competent women, she still respected his difference of opinion in many social issues.

"Aren't you tired?" Alison asked him. "If I remember correctly, there should be a terrace nearby in this part of the garden where you can rest and warm yourself by a fire. I had forgotten how big these gardens were."

As she had promised him, they soon arrived at a brightly lit terrace with a warm fire illuminating the sculpted wooden roof and the comfortable seats of the spot. But what caught his eye was the sight of a houseman being roughly pegged from behind by Cyra Abadi. She was wearing a fine suit, but her pants were opened to allow the dildo inside the houseman who was completely naked. The man was loudly groaning in pleasure and shaking his hips as he was getting penetrated, and Cyra was expertly making him submit to the movements of her hips. When Alison realized what was happening, she quickly covered her brother's eyes and said:

"Don't look until I tell you to."

"Wait Alison, let me go, I'm not a child!"

The noise of his protests alerted the busy duo that they weren't alone anymore, so the houseman quickly jumped in surprise and pulled away from his position to cover himself with the fur blankets that were laying on the sofas. Cyra on the other hand only calmly lifted her eyes and smiled:

"Hey Alison, it's been a while! I didn't think to see you here, especially in such an empty part of the garden."

"Well, two of my brothers made their debuting ball so I couldn't miss that! You seem to be there for another kind of business it seems."

"You should always enjoy some good time whenever opportunity arises, after all mixing business and pleasure has always worked for the best, I'm sure you can attest to that too?" Cyra winked playfully. "I still remember that you eagerly followed to some memorable Parisian clubs last year."

"Well, I admit that I am quite the active person when it comes to men during my trips, but I'm afraid that this conversation isn't appropriate in the presence of my brother."

"That's too late, I already know what you are talking about," Jules loudly said when he finally managed to free himself from his sister's hands that had covered his eyes. "I know what women say when they talk about men, it's not like I'm an idiot."

"I don't think you are an idiot," Cyra said simply with an honest smile. "But your sister is only trying to protect you."

Cyra helped the houseman get his working robe on before he quickly ran away from the small group, avoiding showing his blushing face to them. The two women and Jules sat near the fire before Alison started talking:

"I heard you had a dinner at my parent's house."

"Yes, I've met Jules there, as well as Hudson who was lovely. I have yet to meet your other brothers but I'm really having a good time here thanks to your mother and her friends who've presented me lots of interesting places in the city. Also, I..."

"Oh, by interesting places do you include whorehouses too, or do you simply grab someone else's servant whenever you feel your impulses rise?" Jules interrupted her.

"You've got quite a language young man," Cyra whistled, but she didn't seem angry, only a bit surprised. "If one of my brothers interrupted a woman talking to speak like you did, he would've gotten a sound spanking. And to answer your question about whorehouses and servants, I only sleep with men who are willing to spread their legs with me, nothing more. I make sure to compensate them enough to fill in any consequence resulting from a loss of virginity too, not that this is any of your business."

"I apologize for my brother's behavior," Alison sighted. "My parents and I have always spoiled the boys of our family, so it sometimes shows a little too much when they grow up."

"Well, I guess it'll simply be his wife's job to correct him when he marries."

"I don't need to be corrected, I'm an intelligent man who doesn't want a woman in my life to tell me what to do!"

"I have no doubt that you are an intelligent man," Cyra replied calmly. "However, wanting and needing are often two very different things, and you will soon understand that sometimes your needs don't always match your original desires. Besides, what is there that you judge so terrible in marriage? After all, a man's life simply changes from submitting to his mother's authority to his wife's once he marries."

"For sure, someone like you wouldn't care about a man's feeling, after all you've got thousands of men locked inside your private harem. You must be quite busy, sleeping with one man after the other."

"A woman like me? For a man who prides himself for his education and intelligence, I find you quite judgmental, gentleman Jules," she replied after listening to him. "It is true that I have a large harem, for I am a royal princess, and it is customary in our country that important women surround themselves with men once they reach adulthood. However, the harem is neither the abomination that is described by the conservative men of your country nor the living paradise fantasized by western women who don't know better. The harem is a complex institution where the men under a woman's responsibility live and educate themselves, especially inside royal harems. In my country, it is a pride for men of all social classes to earn the privilege of entering a royal harem as a servant or a lord-in-waiting, for they know that they will be granted the best education that is given to men in the entire country. Although I do have many concubines like any other princess from my country would, only a small fraction of the men inside my harem have shared my bed. I privilege spending quality time with intelligent men, rather than sleeping around with the biggest number of men available."

Jules opened his mouth to reply something, but he was short in ideas. He didn't know what else to retort to such an unexpected answer, so he simply crossed his arms over his chest defiantly.

"Jules, you should apologize", Alison gently told him. "When you wrongly judge someone so openly, the least you could do is recognize your mistake."

"Yes she is right, gentleman Jules," Cyra added playfully. "I'm waiting for your humble answer in this conversation."

Jules knew his sister was right but seeing Cyra smirking at him made his blood boil for a reason he didn't understand. Rather than listening to his sister like he ought to, he lifted the glass of grape juice that he was drinking and threw it over Cyra's crisp white shirt.

"That's my answer to you!" he spat, then he quickly walked away.

Alison looked at her brother in shock: she always knew her favorite brother had quite a temper, but she expected better from him, especially at his age.

"I'm so sorry, I'll make sure he apologizes this time," she told her friend.

"Don't worry, I'd rather not get some half-assed apology," Cyra laughed it out. "Rather than that, you should catch up with your brother before he gets lost in this garden. Even with the lanterns lighting the place, it is quite easy to lose your way so hurry up."

"Are you sure? I'm sorry once again, I'll see you later then."

Alison was quick to catch up her brother who was walking back to the entrance of the residence. She grabbed his wrist and demanded:

"Wait right now Jules Steel. I do not appreciate your behavior tonight and I expect you to explain yourself."

"I'm done with this party, I'm going home. Go back with your friend, I don't care."

"You will not leave like an ill-mannered boy, you will get back inside the ballroom and thank the organizer of the party and tell them that you are too tired to stay any longer. If you leave like this right now, I'll take away your library privileges."

Jules looked at his sister in horror: his right to go read and borrow books in the nearest library, only accompanied by a houseman was his most treasured privilege, and he couldn't envision being condemned to spend his days without the right to read new things.

"You wouldn't dare," he spat. "You know how much I love reading, and how important it is for me to learn things. I expected you of all people to be on my side."

"And I expected you to behave responsibly; being spirited and head-strong is fine by me, but tonight you've displayed an incredibly arrogant and irrational behavior which would make our parents pale in shame if they knew what you've just done. Your choice, little brother."

Jules understood that he had no choice, so feeling just as angry but defeated, he obeyed his sister and left the party after thanking the hostess for the invitation.

When Jules went to sleep that night, he dreamt of Cyra who was sternly looking at him, then after she had scolded him for his earlier behavior that evening, she took him over her lap and spanked him. Once she was finished spanking him, he suddenly awoke from his dream sweating abundantly and noticing that he had a painful erection.

He had never felt so confused in his life: he knew that men sometimes could get aroused accidentally, and it was his duty to avoid giving in to his desires by cooling his arousal with cold ice, but that had never happened to him like this. More troubling, he couldn't deny that he had started to get aroused during his strange dream, so why? He was almost tempted to rub his hard penis, to relief the desire that was rising inside his body, but he contained himself: he didn't want to do anything that might later shame him, so he laid some ice cubes on his crotch, which quickly calmed his arousal down.

He couldn't sleep for the rest of the night, and when he was called for breakfast, he had black circles under his eyes. His brother Hudson on another hand was gleaming with energy, his playful eyes looking at his parents with excitement as he talked about his debut ball:

"You know, I danced with 21 noblewomen that night, and many more asked to dance with me, which is much more than what the other men debuting got."

"This is great news honey", their father Mr. Steel said. "Also, we have another surprise for you today: this afternoon you are officially invited to court to meet the king with the other noblemen who have debuted."

"Really, but why? I thought only sons of noble families could go meet the king after their debut, which is a very precious privilege."

"You are right, and although we aren't a noble house, the queen has recognized my contributions to the country and allowed me to present one of my sons to court along the sons of other ladies," Mrs. Steel explained with pride. "And since I knew that Jules had no interest in entering the court like this, I knew that this privilege should be given to you."

Jules was in a bad mood watching his parents praise his younger brother, he felt totally ignored. None of them asked him about his own experience at the ball, and his sister Alison was already out for work, and he was sure that she was still upset with his behavior.

After his meal he went back into his room to hide until he was told that a visitor had come for him. he was surprised: he knew that visits were common for men who had debuted, but he had spoken with literally no one during the ball and his sister made sure to spread the rumor that he was already engaged. He was sure that it was a mistake, and that the visitor had come for his brother Hudson, but he was wrong.

His father has come into his room with a huge smile on his face, saying:

"Cyra Abadi herself has come to discuss with you, quickly arrange your hair! She's waiting in the garden's reading area."

Despite his protests, his father pushed him out of his room and walked him outside to the garden where Cyra was comfortably laying on a couch, her eyes reading a book. When she saw him arriving, she smiled and waved her hand:

"Hi, nice to see you again! Why don't you take a seat next to me?"

"I don't know..."

"Yes, he will be very happy to sit with you. Please take your time and don't hesitate to call if you need anything."

"Wait, you are leaving? Aren't you supposed to be my chaperone when I'm talking with a woman?" Jules complained to his father, even though he was secretly excited to be able to talk with Cyra without a watch.

"We don't need to be so strict with rules inside the residence, besides, the housemen working in the gardens will serve as an indirect company around you. Moreover, her highness Cyra is a trusted friend of your sister, so she has my trust. Now then, I'll be taking my leave."

Jules could only watch his father leaved him with an excited smile, and he hesitantly sat on the seat that was facing Cyra.

"Why did you come today, is it to take revenge for what I did yesterday?" he asked. "If it's about your shirt, I'll repay you one if you want."

"Are you always so confrontational?" she laughed. "I've long forgotten about the spilled whine on my shirt, this isn't something I would even get upset about, I was only surprised by your behavior. To answer your question, I only came here to discuss with you. To be totally honest, I am a bit guilty for teasing you yesterday, I can understand why you got annoyed. As an offering of my good faith, I have brought you some sweets."

Cyra gave him a nicely wrapped package of arabian sweets that had the nice smell of sugar, immediately making his mouth water. Despite the rise of sugar production in the last fifty years, buying sugar was still an expensive thing to do in Europe, even for wealthy households like his. Seeing these sugary treats was something he couldn't resist, so he opened the package and admired the nice presentation of the individual sweets presented inside.

"You came here just for this?" he asked her in surprise.

Most women who gave men gifts expected something in return, but in her case, he only saw honest generosity.

"Yes, why not? I don't need to work until this evening, so I had some time to kill, and didn't want my friend's pretty brother staying mad at me."

"Well, I guess that I have no choice but to accept this present," he replied blushing. "But don't think you've just bought my friendship over a package of sweets as nice as they may be."

"Of course not, I wouldn't dare think you so easy to win over. As I said, these sweets are only a present, nothing is expected in return, so why don't you dig in? I know that you can't wait to eat them."

He looked at the sweets with eagerness, then bit in a crunchy almond sweet that melted in his mouth.

"It's good, isn't it? No offense to your British pastries, but the sweets of my homeland are incomparable. Nothing better for the women of my country when they feel homesick after traveling abroad."

"Since you are a diplomat, you've travelled a lot, but where have you been?"

"In almost every country of this planet, but my biggest travel is without a doubt when I've gone to the new world."

The new world was a place of many talks and dreams that many had heard about for years already. It was the first colonized planet outside of the solar system that was used to send the many criminals and delinquents after the Great Wars that officially ended in 2233. The first spatial ship to land was sent by the newly formed Saudi queendom, and after the thousands of criminals of the 22nd and 23rd century were sent to populate these new lands to empty the prisons after the wars.

In the present day, the new world was a place of many contrasts, for adventurers left the earth in search of discoveries and glory, but the new world was still a wild and dangerous place full of violence and poverty. For most men born on earth, being sent to the new world was the worst possible nightmare, for there were almost no laws protecting them from the countless dangers of nature and of the women around them.

However, Jules was different from most men, he always was fascinated by adventure and danger, having read journals of adventurers who successfully travelled to the new world and came back with scientific discoveries to share with the earth. One of his dreams was to travel outside of this country, despite his parents opposing that wish.

"When did you go to the new world?" he asked with excitement. "Did you stay in Zaafir city, or did you travel outside of it?"

Seeing his eagerness to learn, Cyra took her time to answer his questions and before either of them noticed it, the two of them had discussed until lunchtime. Jules was disappointed when she told him:

"I won't be staying for lunch, I promised to meet some friends in town, but I'll be coming back next time I have some free time."

Thus, their relationship started to build from there with Cyra regularly passing by once every two or three days to bring him books or other sweets as gifts and staying to discuss to share her vast knowledge with him. Time flew by quickly, and six weeks later, she told him:

"I'll be leaving next week, for I have done my work in London."

"What, already? But where will you be going?"

"To my next destination, to Lunartol. I'll be flying on Monday to be exact, but I won't be able to see you again until then, for I have to prepare my trip. As I've told you, any trip outside of earth is full of dangers, and not only because of the natural elements surrounding the humans."

"Can't you take me with you? I've always dreamed of traveling, especially outside of earth and discovering more of the world."

"I know your wishes, but this isn't some fun trip that I'm doing for my own pleasure. This is some serious business I'll be handling, and I've already explained you that traveling outside of the earth isn't appropriate for a gentleman like you. Be a good boy, will you?"

Jules wanted to get angry at her, but seeing her smile made his knees weaken and he felt like an idiot; of course she wouldn't take him with him, just because she enjoyed talking with him and spending some time in his company didn't mean she wanted to travel with him.