Mistress of Siren Cove Ch. 04-05

This is a romance/fantasy about a society of women who have the power of the siren and use it to control powerful men around the world. There is a lot of sex to in this story, but none of it is explicit. The story is being published in chapters as it is being written.

*********

Chapter 4: The Palace

Antoinette and Elysia arrived at the front door at the same time, with Elysia furious and Antoinette hoping to calm her. Antoinette had tried her best to follow the instructions of the Mistress, and did deliver the couple to the island safely, but she knew Elysia was hurt by her actions and did not know what to do now.

A guard stationed outside the palace acknowledged Antoinette by name and opened the door. Both she and Elysia entered and found standing before them a stately woman in a long amber robe.

"Hello, Antoinette," she said, and then, turning to Elysia, said, "Welcome to our island, Mrs. Palmara. My name is Grace, and I am the chatelaine of this palace. I have been asked by the Mistress to convey her greetings to you and to tell you that she will see you for breakfast in the morning."

She turned back to Antoinette and said, "The Mistress thanks you for bringing Mrs. Palmara and her husband to us safely, and she asks you to come and see her tomorrow at ten. Good night, Antoinette."

With that, Antoinette nodded to Grace and then turned to Elysia. "I am so sorry for upsetting you. It was my intention that no physical or emotional harm be done to you by my actions. Yet, I have frightened you and caused you pain. I will tell the Mistress tomorrow how I failed her, and I hope I can find a way to make amends to you. Goodnight, Elysia."

Elysia looked stone-faced at Antoinette, then turned away without a word. She faced Grace and asked, "Can you please take me someplace where I can bathe and sleep?"

Antoinette said nothing more and left the palace. She would not sleep that night for fear of what the Mistress might say or do to her. She knew that Elysia was important to the Mistress, though she did not know why, and knew she could face a punishment that would cause her at least twice as much pain as she had inflicted on Elysia.

The fear and pain she caused by pirating the sailboat and then ordering the separation of Elysia and Andrew were bad enough. She was instructed to do these things, but she should have found ways to do them without frightening the woman. Luring Elysia's husband into bed with her was also part of her instructions, but Elysia was not supposed to find out about this. How did she know? Andrew was not supposed to tell her. Now, she was ordered to continue a sexual relationship with the handsome husband to bind him to the island. If Elysia is important enough to go to so much trouble to get her here, it would be foolish to make an enemy of her. She hoped that the Mistress would be able to provide guidance tomorrow.

Elysia was led by Grace to a beautiful bedroom on the second floor of the building. After showing her the amenities of the room, Grace left Elysia alone, locking the door behind her from the outside.

"Once again," Elysia said to herself, "I'm a prisoner." She had the clear impression that she was important to someone here and was not just someone caught up in a simple act of piracy on the high seas. Her husband was not important, she thought. Why else would she be brought to this palace and not him? Because of her apparent importance, she was sure that Antoinette told the truth, and she would not be harmed. As for Andrew, his safety did not seem quite so certain.

The furnishings and decorations seemed expensive but old-fashioned, reminding her somewhat of the American colonial period. Her bags were already placed on a table at the foot of the bed. The room had an adjoining bath, which gave her a sudden rush of pleasure. She had taken a shower earlier on the boat, but water was scarce on board, and showers were short. She desperately wanted to feel clean, as if that would make her feel less afraid.

She undressed, tossed her clothes onto the bed, grabbed her shampoo and toiletries from one of her bags, and walked into the bathroom. It was all marble, but its coldness spoiled the beauty of the stone. She spent a long time under the soothing hot water, trying to relax. She was also trying to will herself to believe that all would be well here, both for her and Andrew.

She put on a light gown and tried to compose herself, but it was not until early morning that, exhausted, she finally fell asleep. She might as well have stayed awake. Her sleep was troubled by dreams of strange women, with powerful men at their feet, appearing to worship them; and she became one of them. In the dream, she despised the men that knelt before her and longed for another who...

Her dream was interrupted by a knock on her door. Before she was awake enough to answer, the door opened and a tall, commanding woman walked into her room. "I am Miriam. I am here to prepare you to meet the Mistress, Mrs. Palmara."

Elysia, exhausted from lack of sleep and still lost in her dream, looked at the woman without comprehension. "Who are you?"

"You must get up, now, Mrs. Palmara. You must be ready to meet the Mistress in an hour, and there is much to do. Please get up."

Elysia reluctantly did as she was told and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at this woman. Elysia was tall, but this woman was half a head taller and loomed over her in high heel shoes. She was dressed in a black robe that was intricately embroidered with blue and gold threads. She wore a silver collar, adorned with what seemed to be emeralds, and a belt and bracelets of the same style. Her hair formed a single braid that reached her waist.

"You will please listen carefully to all that I tell you and follow my instructions exactly. The Mistress is a powerful woman and can be hard on those who come to her presence unprepared or without the proper respect."

Elysia formed a picture in her mind of an unyielding sovereign who ruled this island through fear. She then had the sudden thought that, if the Mistress was not pleased with her, or she somehow offended this mysterious woman, Andrew could suffer. Maybe she was safe from harm, but Andrew?

Over the course of an hour, Elysia was transformed from a captive to someone fit to meet the Mistress of the island. It was both a physical and psychological transformation, which Elysia acquiesced to, for fear that Andrew's safety might depend on her obedience. Elysia was given an elaborate robe in place of the casual garments in her suitcase. She was made to put rings on her fingers, jeweled sandals on her feet, and a collar of precious stones. Her hair was made up in many curls and braids and held together with sparkling pins.

While dressing her, Miriam gave her warnings regarding the protocol to be followed in the presence of the Mistress. She was to speak only when spoken to and to ask no questions, except for questions necessary to clarify what the Mistress would tell her. "Listen to her," Miriam warned, "and do not complain. Do not try to bargain for Andrew. In fact, if the Mistress does not bring up his name, say nothing about him." Miriam's warnings continued to paint a dire picture of a woman of power and inflexibility, able to mete out punishment for the slightest infraction. These warnings heightened Elysia's concern for Andrew, and for herself. Even the title, Mistress, evoked for Elysia an individual who was devoid of anything personal or human.

Finally satisfied, Miriam led Elysia out of the room. After walking through elaborate hallways, adorned with paintings in heavy frames, almost exclusively of women, they came to ornately carved doors, which swung open silently.

Chapter 5: The Mistress

Miriam walked a few paces into the room, and Elysia followed her. It was a large room, and at the far end, a table and two chairs were arranged as a dining area. The lighting was dim where she was standing. At the other end, more light was provided by a large fireplace. A tall woman stood at that end, silhouetted by the fire, with her back turned toward Elysia.

"Elysia Palmara, Mistress," Miriam announced in a quiet voice.

Without turning around, the woman said, "Thank you, Miriam. You may go."

Miriam gave Elysia a final warning look and left the room, closing the doors after her.

The woman turned around and said, "Come to me, daughter."

The voice, despite Elysia's fears to the contrary, was warm and welcoming. She walked slowly towards the Mistress, now curious to know this formidable woman, who could seemingly inspire such fear and awe. She had been warned about this moment and told that questions were unwelcome. So, when she reached the Mistress, she inclined her head slightly, as she was taught by Miriam, raised her head again, and stood silently, her gaze locked on those of the woman before her.

The Mistress's black hair was neatly weaved around her head. Her eyes were large and blue and were outlined in blues, blacks, and violets, which enhanced their size. These eyes held Elysia motionless and seemed like they could look right through her. The woman's gaze was kind but had an intensity that suggested she was accustomed to being obeyed. Elysia had never seen a face like this -- a face of someone who was truly powerful. She had met senior partners in her firm, and they were indeed powerful and rich, but this was something different. It was a person who's very being spoke of power.

The Mistress wore a draped gown of diaphanous fabric that glistened as she moved. Her large, intricately designed necklace was white gold and sapphires. Sapphire rings also adorned her long fingers. Diamond-encrusted pendants fell from her ears, and diamond bracelets sparkled on her wrists. Elysia could not gauge her age, but it did not appear to be more than forty.

The Mistress spoke only one quiet word to Elysia, "Daughter," and then embraced Elysia. Elysia thought she felt the Mistress sobbing quietly as her embrace of Elysia tightened. Elysia said nothing, but the sound of the weeping woman brought tears to her own eyes.

After a time, the Mistress released her and asked, "Do you know why you are here, Elysia?"

Elysia's response was a whisper, "No, I don't."

A warm smile softened the woman's face, as if she had anticipated this response. "Of course you do not. How could you? You are special, Elysia. The only reason for my people to take your sailboat was to bring you here, to this island, and to me. Did you know that?"

"Yes, Antoinette told me, but I... I'm sorry, I don't understand," Elysia said.

"What do you not understand, child?" the woman probed gently.

"Why I'm special, why you brought me here, and why you called me daughter."

"All in due time, Elysia. You will understand everything soon," the woman assured her with a confidence that was somewhat comforting.

With a gesture, she signaled to a woman who stood in the shadows against the wall. The woman nodded and stepped back, disappearing as quietly as she had stood.

"Let us have breakfast together," the woman said, gesturing for Elysia to sit at the small table.

"Yes, ma'am," said Elysia.

As they sat at the table, the Mistress, with a certain formality, instructed Elysia, "You must address me as Mistress." She wasn't harsh, but her tone was one that did not permit any question.

"Yes, Mistress," said Elysia, feeling uncomfortable with a form of address more suited to another time when the kind of informality of speech used in the United States would have been unheard of.

They sat down to a meal that was simple but delicious and presented as a thing of beauty. The grilled scallops were fresh from the sea, the toast made from freshly baked bread, the poached eggs gathered from the coops that morning, and the coffee brewed from freshly ground beans.

As they ate, the Mistress asked questions in a light conversational way but showed great interest in Elysia's answers. Surprisingly, the Mistress already knew much about her, and the answers Elysia gave often only seemed to confirm what she already knew.

"Tell me, Elysia, what do you know of your birth mother? I understand that you were orphaned at the age of three."

Elysia's response was tinged with a hint of sadness. "I know nothing. My real mom and dad died in a car accident. I was adopted six months later."

"And you remember nothing at all?"

"Really, only some images. I think my mother had blond hair. When I bring her to mind, I get a good feeling about her. I believe that she loved me very much."

Then Elysia spoke of her adopted parents with both love and admiration. "They weren't wealthy or anything, but they made a good home for me. They valued learning, and the kind of education they had never received. They sacrificed a lot to send me to a good college and then law school."

"Did they ever speak of your birth mother?"

"No," Elysia replied. "They never met my parents. After they died, nobody could find any of my relatives, and I was immediately put up for adoption. Luckily, my mom and dad met me in the orphanage, wanted me, and I was placed with them a month or two later. I was one of the lucky ones."

The conversation turned to Andrew and his place in Elysia's life. Elysia explained how he was a client of the law firm where she had her first job. He had told Elysia that he had fallen in love with her at first sight. For Elysia, it took longer, but it was hard to resist such a handsome man who clearly adored her.

The Mistress listened to this carefully, and then nodded to herself with a smile of satisfaction.

"Tell me, Elysia, what happened when you turned sixteen?"

Confused, Elysia asked, "Sixteen?"

"Yes, how did your life change when you turned sixteen? In fact, on your sixteenth birthday."

Elysia thought for a while. This woman already knew so much about her. So, something must have happened on that day. But what?

Then Elysia said with excitement, "That's the day I became pretty!"

"Explain, daughter."

Before answering, Elysia thought, "There it is again, 'daughter'."

"Well, up until I was sixteen, I was always tall and kind of awkward, and boys never asked me on dates. As soon as I turned sixteen, I mean the very day I turned sixteen, a cute boy from school, who had never even spoken to me before, saw me at the mall. He said, 'Hey, you're Elysia, right? Gee, you're so pretty, do you want to hang out with me and my friends?'"

"And then, lots of boys wanted to go out with me. Some boys even told me they loved me. It was amazing. I never understood it. I didn't wear different clothes or a different hairdo, nothing. It was like the story. One day I was an ugly duckling and the next a swan."

Now the Mistress was smiling and clearly pleased with this story. Elysia was more confused than ever. What did this all mean? What did her answers mean?

It was then that the Mistress revealed what would change Elysia's life. "You want to know why you were brought here, and you want to know why I have been asking you these questions. I am sorry to be mysterious, but I had to know for certain who you were and what you were."

"Elysia, the woman you believed to be your birth mother was not your mother," she said in a voice that was steady and carried the weight of truth. "She stole you from this island a few weeks after you were born, and with the help of her husband, took you to the United States, where she managed to falsify your birth records."

"Elysia, you are my daughter, whom I have been seeking for twenty years. You are also the rightful heir to this island and all the power that comes with it. The woman who stole you from this island was my sister."

Elysia looked at the Mistress, thinking that what she said could not be true. Yet the Mistress said it with complete sincerity, in a tone that left no room for doubt.

"As my daughter, you are also endowed with certain powers, a legacy that has been passed down through the women in our family. Not every daughter in our family acquires these powers, but most do. I suspected that you had the power but did not know until you told me about what happened to you at age 16. It is exactly on a girl's sixteenth birthday that the power reveals itself."

"What power?" asked Elysia, who was overwhelmed with shock and disbelief, and trying to understand what this woman was telling her.

"The power to attract and command men," replied the Mistress. "It is the power of the siren. It is this power that drew those boys to you when you turned sixteen, and I am certain you used it, unwittingly, to attract Andrew to you."

What the Mistress was saying was too much for Elysia, and she said, "Stop! Please, I don't understand this. How do you know I'm your daughter?"

"We thought you and my sister were dead. However, we did a private DNA search a few years ago and found you. You apparently ordered a DNA test several years ago. We had been looking for you for years, and I had given up, but one of my people suggested looking for a match to my DNA, without making my DNA public. It cost money, but we did it. You came up in the match as my daughter."

"We located you just as you were entering law school, and we have watched you since then. I liked the idea of you getting legal training, so we did not make contact until you finished school and had worked for a while. As we watched, we saw how you could easily attract men. We even put a man in your path who was familiar with our kind. You took him to bed, and he reported back on your lovemaking. From what he said, I was pretty sure you had inherited the power."

"I was not completely sure you had the power, however, until you told me about your sixteenth birthday experience. Your description of the blossoming of the power of the siren on that day confirms my belief."

"You watched me? Why? If you knew I was your daughter, why not bring me immediately?"

"As I said, not all of our daughters have the power. Perhaps one in ten do not. We watched you to make sure you had it. If it became clear that you did not have the power, I would not have contacted you. On this island, you would be unhappy as a powerless woman. We treat those girls without the power well, but inevitably they see themselves as lesser, and unfortunately, some sirens can be cruel to them. My sister did not have the power, and I believe it motivated her to steal you from your crib and leave us. Perhaps she thought, when you came of age, she could use your power for herself. I do not know. Miriam, who you met, also does not have the power, but she is highly respected for her other gifts, and has made a good life for herself."

"But why bring Andrew?"

"Ours is a secret island, a secret place. We did not want to bring you back and have Andrew use his resources to search for you. Also, we will want to send you back into the world at times, and Andrew could compromise you by trying to meet with you."

"I was surprised when you got married. It presented a complication in getting you back to our island - in bringing you home. We might have prevented it and brought you back by yourself, but it happened so fast that by the time we could arrange something it was already done. So, when we brought you back, we had to bring your husband as well."

"What will happen to Andrew here?"

"He will be quite happy, I assure you, as are all the men on this island. Men are eager to please women with the power. You have nothing to compare it to, because the men you have been with have always been eager to please you, but haven't you talked to other women? Haven't you heard from them that the boys and men they join with rush through the act of lovemaking, seeking their own pleasure first, and often leaving their women unsatisfied?"

Elysia blushed and nodded in agreement.

"Has that ever been your experience with men?"