This Time...

"What are you doing outside?"

"I didn't want to stifle my mother's selected companion for the evening. He was very interested in too many things tonight." Julie did not miss at all that this was the very vision of Lady Sara. Thinner perhaps, and considerably younger, but Carol had her own sense of beauty. Julie immediately chastised herself for even assessing Carol's assets as a person.

She is just a guest of our world. She won't be here for long. She reminded herself.

"A bald man, with a blue tattoo on his neck?" she asked.

"Yes, how did you know?"

"It is my job. I serve Lord Xavier. I know all his companions housed here. If you wanted to be more than a guest, you would first come here and I would help introduce you into all the things you would need to know."

"Is there a difference?"

"By title. Companions have only first names; I have a title, as does Lord Xavier, Lady Daire, and Sir Glen. We protect our companions and they in turn give us total trust. It is a hard decision to make. You cannot come here half hearted, and companions are not just sexual play things."

A gust of wind came up and caused Carol to shiver.

Julie was suddenly very aware of how unprotected Carol was. No sweater or wrap and no one of rank to protect her from unsavory eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry, come on in, we can be in the..." Juliana trailed off in her mind trying to find a place that would be private and non-threatening to an honored guest such as Carol.

"We'll find a place." Juliana smiled and opened the door and together they walked down the hall.

A servant who whispered about some information to Juliana found them early the next morning in the library, wedged on some leather couches.

"Breakfast is being prepared, is there anything you would like?" Julie asked Carol.

"It's that early already? We've been up all night talking?"

"It appears so." It didn't bother Julie, but Carol was a little embarrassed.

Julie paused and took a look at Carol.

"Would you care for some rest?

"No, I just was comprehending what it meant to be up with someone all night, talking about everything on the planet."

Juliana smiled. The memory of Carol's embarrassment and how honest she had been. She had wanted to kiss her and hug her, but Juliana held back. There wasn't a need for that just yet. Juliana could bide her time. Even if Carol didn't know it yet, she was going to be in Juliana's bed.

And Juliana couldn't shake the memory of that night. It was the best memory she had of the two of them together and carefree. And it wasn't just that alone to Juliana. She knew that night she loved Carol. And whatever careful way she needed to woo Carol to her, Juliana was going to very slowly draw Carol in.

Juliana recognized this not as a challenge for her but as the fact that she really liked Carol and that Carol needed to be loved. Whether or not Juliana was the one who could ultimately give her that love, Juliana knew that only Carol could answer that question, but Juliana was willing to try.

Juliana had briefly considered the implications of dating Lady Sara's daughter. If there were any precedents that might help sway her opinion in either direction, Juliana knew none of them. She hoped for no questions. The servants may gossip, but they would not think to smear Juliana's good standing and certainly not under Lord Xavier's fearful hand.

It was good for both of them. Carol sough out Juliana at events, and as long as Juliana was free, she gave her time to ushering Carol around the events at the different estates. More importantly, Lady Sara said nothing.

Juliana had thought it was strange. Though Carol was allowed to have the freedom that Juliana herself had enjoyed, Carol was still treated as if she were a servant protected by her companion. Except in this case, her companion was her mother.

Part Four

The night that Julie crossed to hold Carol in her arms was only a few weeks after they first met.

The guests had been led down into the pleasure rooms of the Sir Marcos. Unlike the basements of most conclaves that were dungeons, these rooms were brightly lit and walls of sheer curtains separated the pillow-lined rooms for companions.

Lady Sara had already taken her companions to their space; the red curtain showing only shadowed silhouettes making reflections on the walls. Carol had not been given a companion. Juliana had supposed that Sir Marcos had hoped Carol would join her mother or even maybe himself. Juliana had done her job and gotten Lord Xavior happily set up with the best servants of Sir Marcos. He was happily sucking at their fingers and would be content for a long amorous night.

Carol tried not to stare at the shadows. She heard the giggles, the sighs and the cries of ecstasy. She swallowed uneasily, wishing she weren't alone.

"Are you all right?" Julie came up from behind; she was dressed in a loose fitting peasant dress this time. Not nearly as a grand entrance as they had met that first time.

"Oh, thank you for being here." Carol hugged Julie.

"Let's go upstairs. I have rooms here." She whispered. Julie had taken a deep breath seeing Carol stand in the middle of the hall in such a stunning thin-strapped gown.

Julie had never intended on anything illicit. It was simply to get Carol away and so she wouldn't be embarrassed so she could relax. But that dress drove Julie's mind to some exciting places.

The rooms were fairly simply Spartan. All the decorations were downstairs. There was a bed and a few wooden chairs by the fireplace.

"You've been everywhere." Carol said sinking into a chair.

Julie ran a hand through her hair and poured a cup of wine for herself.

"Well, that may be true," Julie smiled as she took a sip.

"It's just the sixth in six weeks. Does everyone always come together every week?" she asked.

Julie shook her head. "No. I think they're having a lot of these events because you're here. I know a few are to encourage you. Like this one. I'm sure Sir Marcos would not have minded having you in his curtained sanctuary. He might have even allowed you in there with no one else if you asked it."

Carol shuddered.

"I don't know how you did it at all Julie. I couldn't."

"Really? So scared?" Julie teased her friend.

Carol shrugged. "I just didn't think I'd want to be a part of this world and it seems like everyone keeps looking at me and seeing my mother and all that she seems to be famous for here."

Julie refrained from letting Carol know how much she did look like the Lady Sara and how that Lady Sara had recently offered Julie some private lessons in her own dungeon.

"It will pass. Your mother is happy here and she'll always be well taken care of. Lady Sara has several good friends here. You know most of them, they visited you when you were a child."

Carol nodded. "They'd come some times during the year. I was young then. They smiled and hugged me, but they would spend all their time talking to my mother. My mother was always happy when they were available to come to visit." She remembered fondly. "I never minded them. I never felt my mother was sad, but she was happier. I wanted her to be happier."

Julie smiled. "Not everyone is cut out for this life style at all. It is demanding, but that is why we come together so often. It's not just about having sex or wanting sex. It's about what the other wants from sex."

Carol had shrugged.

"Sex makes you uncomfortable." Julie said. "Well, what parts make you feel that way?"

"All of them." The whisper felt even too loud for Carol who wished she knew some other topic to discuss. She had been horribly embarrassed initially to learn that sex was pretty much the only topic here ever. Pleasure, happiness, elation, depression were all tied to sex. Carol had asked her mother if there were other topics that were of general interest.

"No my child there aren't many. But if you were to sit alone with a companion, I'm sure you'd find they themselves have a wide range of interests. Sir Glen enjoys poetry and Sir Marcus is always willing to share from his vast library of science information. There are other topics, but we only seem to have one single goal when we are together." Her mother told her over lunch one afternoon.

Julie had a pang of sympathy for Carol.

"How did you come to this conclusion?"

Carol shook her head. She was too embarrassed to tell Julie. But sex was such a part of the culture here.

"What were you like before you came here?" Carol asked hoping to change the subject.

Julie took a moment and another sip of the red fruity wine. "I think I was less focused. I wanted some deep commitment. Marriage wasn't enough. There were other emotions that I didn't understand when I was looking for sex. I always felt I was missing some part of life. I was introduced to just general 'kink', but when I learned about that, I still felt I wanted more. I went to parties on the 'outside', and then I heard whispers about this place. After a while, someone approached me and I made my own way to a transition zone. Being a servant or a slave was not something I aspired to, but I understood the importance of knowing even my own limits to be with someone else. When I was able to understand the things that I could not do or would not do, I was able to let someone else turn to me with their frailties. It's a powerful moment when you encompass the things you can and cannot accomplish."

"But not everything about being a companion is completely about sex. Am I right?"

Julie nodded and poured herself another half glass. "I trust that Lord Xavier is right now enjoying himself. He trusts that any task he left for my attention is done with the utmost perfection in mind. Hierarchy is only good if the absolute power does not corrupt the top. All of us are ultimately held accountable to the welfare of all the companions. There is a difference between protecting and leading. Leading is the goal."

"Will you eventually want your own conclave?" Carol asked noticing the glimmer of pride in Julie's eyes.

"When I am ready, I would love to have one."

Carol shivered. "I couldn't be the center of all sexual activities like you do."

"I can't believe that you would be so uncertain. Beautiful women like you Carol know all the intimacies of a kiss." Julie had not intended on saying it, but the night had been long and this hadn't been Julie's first cup of wine.

However, Julie didn't find any regret and she bent down to brush Carol's lips with her own.

Carol paused. The lingering touch of Julie's lips and the smell of wine that had clung to Julie's mouth wafted to her nose as if her lips had been burned by wine.

Julie took Carol's hand as she sat stunned and Julie pulled Carol to her as she walked to the bed, pulling her for a kiss.

"Your kisses are tender, like a virgin's." she whispered with a laugh.

Carol returned the kiss and tried not to let the fear come to the surface. The kiss this time was longer. Carol thought perhaps it was the fruity sweetness of the wine that heightened her curiosity. Gently, Julie cupped her face and deepened her kiss, and Carol, frightened pulled away.

Julie, looked up at Carol surprised and then turned away swearing softly. Julie almost left the bed. It was one thing to tempt a companion's slave or servant without permission. To be the one to draw a companion's daughter into sexual bedding for her first time was definitely to play with fire of an unusual magnitude.

Carol wanted to ask a question, wanted to know the words that were right to make this moment go away, anything to get another kiss from Julie. Her heart thundered in her ears and the loss of contact with Julie didn't make the emotional rush any easier. The closeness that she had felt with Julie had grown with the first kiss. Feeling her slip away severed the cords that were starting to bind them together.

After what felt like an eternity, Carol found her voice. She sat up and brushed her lips against Julie's ear. A whisper escaped, "Please I want it to be you."

Julie had tears in her eyes when she looked back at Carol anxiously looking back at her. She stole a kiss from Carol, drawing the tender returned kiss out, running her hands down Carol's body stopping at every curve: breasts, waist, hips, before coming back to cup her face.

This is a risk worth taking. Julie decided as Carol's hands timidly tried to mirror her own.

Julie brought Carol to her side of the bed. She broke their kiss to run a hand over Carol's shoulders and kissed her neck.

Hearing Carol's gasps encouraged Julie to be bolder. She drew the purple spaghetti strap off Carol's shoulder kissing the exposed skin, realizing the slack would allow her to gain access to Carol's breasts.

Again, Julie returned to Carol's lips and whispered words of encouragement.

"You're beautiful. I want to taste every inch of your sweet body." Another deep kiss, feeling Carol's hips draw closer to her own.

Very carefully, Julie exposed one breast with her hand, cupping it and then drawing it to her mouth. Her nipples were light pink and very sensitive to Julie's trained mouth, drawing the left nipple into a peak.

"So beautiful. So soft." Julie murmured. Her teeth grazed the sensitive bud drawing a soft whimper from Carol.

"I'm not hurting you am I?" Julie asked looking into Carol's eyes for the truth.

"No." came the breathy reply.

Julie continued to set the pace undressing more and more of Carol's body and rewarding her with kisses for every bit of skin that became exposed. Carol found herself pressing her breasts to Julie's mouth.

Down to nothing but the pair of black lacy panties, Carol grew bold. She broke their kiss. "Let me see you." She asked Julie.

Happily Julie complied, pulling off her top, revealing that she had not worn a bra tonight. Eager to repay the favor, Carol tentatively kissed Julie's right breast, working her way down before brushing her lips against the brown nipple that was waiting for her lips.

Julie let Carol explore while she dipped her hands between Carol's legs, lightly brushing her inner thigh, causing her to stop ministering her breasts and gasp.

"You're beautiful. Long beautiful legs that are so soft. Sweet, sensitive breasts." Julie said, burying her face in Carol's neck

Another kiss and Julie's fingers slid beneath the waistband of Carol's panties and began to nudge them off. Happy to let her, Carol's hips rose.

Once the panties were discarded, Julie sat back on her heels looking at Carol's naked body lying against the rumpled forest green bedclothes.

Suddenly self conscious as Julie drank in her naked form, Carol's right hand snuck to cover her mound.

"No, please, I want to see you. Don't cover yourself. You're too beautiful for that."

Hesitantly, Carol replied. "Thank you."

Julie kissed Carol's mound briefly looking up to see Carol's reaction. Her tongue dipped into the delicate folds between her legs. As Julie kissed her way back to Carol's trembling lips, Julie's fingers gently probed the wetness that was slowly sliding out of her pussy.

Carol gasped. The touch alone was sudden and forbidden. She had only heard about oral sex, never once imagined she'd be a recipient of such strange touches. And staring in Julie's eyes as she dared to tease her uninitiated body was too much at this very moment. But Carol couldn't take her eyes from Julie. And then Julie's fingers didn't just enter her they stroked the walls of her vagina slowly.

Julie's finger entered Carol's vagina rubbing slowly as she deepened her kisses feeling the little gasps from Carol.

Julie's persistent touch was causing Carol to shudder. Her body physically responded to Julie's touch in ways she was unprepared to understand. She broke her kiss with Julie and had her throat assaulted with soft kisses while the finger continued to wiggle its way inside of her. Carol's hips ground against Julie's hand with little encouragement.

"That's all right Carol, just do what you feel like. It's all right Beautiful." Julie whispered, her own body pressing against Carol's holding her against the bed and body hoping to get more than both of them had anticipated.

Carol's young body could not longer stand the assault of all sensation and she began to cry out. Julie held her against the bed, not wanting her to pull away as she teased her body, knowing that the loss of connection could leave Carol feeling empty.

Finally, exhausted, Carol lay limp in the bed panting.

Julie kissed her forehead.

"It's all right Beautiful." She murmured drawing her close.

Carol lay in a stupor, her chest heaving, head curled under Julie's chin. And then the tears came. Julie said nothing but held Carol and let her tears fall on her skin.

"Sleep Beautiful. It's all right, I'll be right here." Julie promised and drew the blanket around them.

However, in the morning: Julie was gone. It wasn't even just gone because she needed to serve Lord Xavier. Julie was gone and no one knew where she had gone. When Carol had asked her mother, Lady Sara herself said she was worried, but it was not unusual for someone of Miss Julie's status to disappear on special projects suddenly.

Carol was too embarrassed to ask what a 'special project' might be.

And now, Julie, Lady Juliana was going to have breakfast with her, fifteen years later.

"Coffee, juice?" Juliana offered jarring Carol's memory. Beautiful. You still are very beautiful.

"Juice please." Carol blinked and remembered that the world that Julie had live dictated how she conduct herself now that she clearly was a leader of a conclave, this conclave.

"I trust you slept well." Orange juice poured from a crystal decanter into an eight-ounce cup.

You mean last night or the last fifteen years? "Fine, thank you." Carol took the white linen napkin from under the fork and knife and placed it on her lap.

"I had Mr. Jacob bring the carriage around. You can leave when you're ready."

So eager to get rid of me? Carol felt stab of pain in her heart.

To have her first lover, her only lover sitting across from her speaking so matter of factly, with no indication that there was anything unsettled in their past.

Breakfast was a quiet affair. Nothing more than general pleasantries: thank you, please, and oh, no, thank you.

And then she was packed and sent away in a carriage off for miles. As if that night had never happened.

Carol cried the entire trip.

Juliana had never been strongly swayed ever to enjoy the company of women. Certainly she had trained a few female servants, but that was far from being physically attracted to a woman.

One woman: Carol.

No other woman or man had brought her any satisfaction in all the years they had been apart. Perhaps because she had taken an unusual amount of time in her love making, perhaps it was because Carol had trusted her instantly to be her first lover. Juliana never placed the exact reason.

And having her across the table now was too much for her. Juliana's heart was leaping out of her chest demanding to apologize to the woman who had been broken so many years ago.

Questions bubbled up that she was too embarrassed to ask. Did you get married? Did you find a male lover ever? Do you have children?

Time had gifted Carol gently. Only faint lines of laughter hung around her mouth. She still looked as if she had the same tender breasts as she had those years ago. Juliana set her mouth on edge; this was definitely a topic that could not be broached. Not now. Perhaps not ever.

Juliana had steeled herself for Carol's visit. It would only be a few short hours. Most of which that Juliana would be in a whole other wing while Carol bathed and slept in a bedroom that would look nothing like the room where they first made love.