Back Story

"Hello my precious. You are doing so well. Do you still want to learn all my tricks and escape this place? Bring me another ale precious and be sure to flirt with that man you just served. He will be your next lesson. We will relieve him of his royal gold and take his secrets for sale at the guild. He is of noble birth and will be both good practice and a good score."

I respond obediently, "Yes Sir, I’ll be right back with your ale and I shall begin your request."

Vanishing out of your sight, you don’t see me until after a moment, you hear a girl’s voice speak quietly behind you. "I’m not sure where you’re from, but here in Aum, it’s typically impolite to gawk." I come back into your view, teasing and sarcasm written all over my face as I smile at you. I take in your young face, you seem intrigued beyond just a tourist, this is far from your home. I see the look of wonder in your eyes that I see many men give me, but none have had it quite like you... there’s something different about you. It doesn’t matter, it probably just means you’re going to be even more fun to play with. "Fascinated traveler, do you require sustenance to go with your ale?"

Your mentor bows his head to your demonstration of your respect but soften his face and grasps your thigh just above your skirt hem so no one can see the touch. His hand reminding you of the new pleasures that you have been enjoying about your body that he has pulled out of you. The awkwardness and initial hurt no longer bothers you. You look forward to the forbidden feelings that this man seemed so able to pull out of you. You have told him that you love him, but he has only told you that you have so much to improve to be a mature lover. He will tell you he love you soon and when he does, you will run off with him. You desperately want to be a better woman. He will show you, that you are sure. He will show you everything and then he will tell you how sexy you are. "Relax sweetheart. We can still have our fun back in my room when you come by after midnight."

"I wasn’t gawking. Ok maybe I was. You are cute and I think you know it. But please, I’m Dukalu from Maztica. You may call me Kalu like all my friends do. I’m not fast as you say." You may be taken aback by this comment, but it is also obvious that I am struggling with the language. My face reddens as I try to piece together your question. "Umm, the ale is good but what did you ask? Do I need sucking?" Immediately I realize that this may seem inappropriate and rush to cover my embarrassment, "I’ll have some fried fish and some potatoes sliced in those sticks you like to do, and your name, love. I don’t know many people in Aum.". I smile as sweetly as I can and do not look down at your breasts at all, no, not one glance.

I lean in, looking at him longingly. "I look forward to it, I miss your touch..." I look at him, completely hooked on his every word and believing that he wants me and isn’t just using me. He has established rules with me, created punishments and rewards. He’s been grooming me without me realizing at first, and then ignoring in guilt later. He’s my Sir, that’s what I’ve been told to call him as he exert his dominance over me, creating his own personal slave... not that I’ve realized yet.

I laugh at your blunder, a flash of genuine amusement on my face with the bright smile to go with it. "I’ll get you your food, have no worries, I’ll use more simple terms. You may call me Sune. Sue-neigh. I’d hate to have to laugh at you again as you try to say my name. Welcome to Aum, can’t say I’m familiar with... Mactica?"

Bathed in your smile, I feel bold. "A pleasure to meet you Sune. It seems my language is also difficult for strangers. Here," I motion for you to come a little closer and I hold up my forefinger almost to your lips but not quite, though your nervousness gets the better of you and you can't stand still enough, so that my finger lightly glazes your lips, exciting you a bit. "Say the name again but touch your tongue to my finger at the end of the first part." I lean my face close to yours and pronounce Maztica with my tongue sticking out at the 'z'. You repeat my word and touch your tongue to my finger. I smile a smile that fills the tavern at your success and the thrill of your touch and then get embarrassed again. "That was good, but I'm sorry. I do not know your social boundaries well. That may have been too intimate a touch for such a young and beautiful girl such as yourself."

I feel electricity run through me, this is something I've never felt before. My eyes look at you in a way I've never looked at someone before, and my mentor notices it. Snapping back to reality, I paste on a smirk and say, "You are correct, but I'm not your average girl... I'll go get your meal." I place my hand on your thigh before walking into the kitchen.

I remember that touch so well! You touched my thigh with all the intentional connection and secret longing that you could muster while hiding your feelings from those in the inn and more especially, yourself.

He does see it. Time to give Kitsune a lesson before she goes too far. He follows her into the kitchen and checks that the parents aren't there. He goes up to her and grabs her arm brusquely and brushes his whiskered face against her ear so she hears him clearly, "My little hole, are you cheating on me? You need to learn to use him. You will never get any better. You will never leave this hell of a city and be anything, unless you listen to me. Do you hear me? I can't spend my precious time teaching you to be a master trickster if you just bumble it away on any old mark." He tightens his grip until you almost yell, but you know that would make him really mad, so you hold it in. "It will be all your fault if this simple theft goes wrong. I won't be able to help you anymore, you will force me to leave. No more sex. No more gold. No more future. Do you understand? Do you?" His voice has gotten loud, but no one hears over the clanging of dishes, the boiling of pots, and the chopping of onions. This is the noise. It creeps into you and surrounds you. At least he didn't hit you. He is right, though. You have to learn. You have to get better at this. But what if you can't?

Somewhere in the depths of your unconsciousness, your brain shifts from the memory you're reliving to being in the tent of our dimension. You see everything just as it is every night when we join. You look down and see yourself in your clothing, sans armor; it's doffed and put to the side where we leave it at night. Everything is exactly how it should be... except for one thing. You see me walking up to you in my clothes, but it's not my typical pirate outfit. I'm dressed still in black, but a much more mature look that still shows off my slim figure. I stroll up to you and give you a loving kiss, reaching one hand up to your hair as I do. As I pull back, you realize why I only reached one hand up.

I'm holding something on my hip. No, not something, someone. Smiling just as happily to see you, you look down at a child, about two years old, looking up at you. You notice short, straight hair that matches your hair color, a skin complexion somewhere between yours and mine, many facial features that match your own as well, but when you look into her eyes, you see my own eyes looking back at you. She extends her hand, extremely tiny compared to yours, and points to you, saying, "Da-da!" I smile back at her as I look at her and then back to you, saying, "Yes Ana, that's Daddy! My love, I missed you, but you're not supposed to be here. You see, you're unconscious right now. I need, we need you to wake up. Kon is getting hurt and I'm still captive. I'm alive love, but I'm still a captive. Kiltzi wants to heal you. We need you to open your eyes and come to us. Once we're reunited, we'll be able to take on everyone and be okay." I rub my hand up your neck and hold your cheek as you feel the tiny hand touch you where your heart is. I keep speaking to you, this time, my voice sounds much more melodic than it normally does, almost as if I were able to cast a bardic inspiration on you without the statistical bonus. "I know you're hurt and there's poison coursing through your veins, but you're stronger than that. We saw that yesterday! Don't let the despair you feel allow you to lose this fight. We love you, we need you to open your eyes and come to us please."

I start crying as I nod my head, "Yes Sir, I understand! I would never cheat on you! I love you and only you! Please! Please don't leave! I'll do better, I promise, just please don't leave me!!" Seemingly satisfied, I watch him leave the kitchen and the inn as he always does when he gets angry. I know that it'll be a day before he comes back as he always needs time to calm down after I anger him, and I know that if I could just behave better, then there wouldn't be any problems, he'd have no reason to be angry with me. I grab an ale and take it out, leaving it on a table as I briskly walk back to the back of the inn and sit down out of sight and start silently crying in the corner. Bowing my head against my knees, I hold the spot on my arm as it hurts and I feel it starting to swell already. I know to wear long sleeves despite the warm weather tomorrow to hide the big bruise that'll be there.

There is not a chance in the Great Pyramid that I would miss that scene. I never take my eyes off of you. But this stinks of something dark in the heart of things. I am versed in tragedy, it is true, but not in dealing with others' tragedy. I hesitate. I have no experience to lend. My own issues with my parents and Quezali pale in comparison to others' problems.

This indecision doesn't bar me from walking back to the darker part of the inn room, far from the light of the fire. I may not be able to offer anything, but my heart pulls me forward. The sound of your crying compels my feet to fall forward towards you.

I knell down on one knee next to you in your chair as you sob into your lap. I place a tentative hand on your shoulder and another on your hand holding your arm. I whisper your name as if in prayer to Kiltzi, "Sune." It is all I do, all I can do except hug you, which I very much want to do, to comfort you, but you do not know me. My touch is that of a stranger. I could just as easily be a threat to you in your mind. I keep my proper distance, but your cries tear my world apart. A girl in Maztica would know me as a Temple boy, would know me as a moral person, but not here, in this alien land. Girls would come to me to cry on my shoulder and be woed by me and say they are in love with me and then leave me just as easily for their old boyfriend or abuser or even the boyfriend they never left in the first place. Did they not believe me when I said I loved them? Or did they know and didn't care. How is that even possible I ask. I always gave my heart too easily. But to them, my shoulder was convenient, a temporary oasis in the desert of their emotion, a way to quench their parched thirst for love and respect, and then return to their dry relationships again. I think to myself that I should not apply this reasoning to this girl. She doesn't know me as a temple boy, a religious prince of Qotal and Kiltzi. Maybe she is different. Maybe she will not trick me or leave me. Maybe...crap. I can't keep going around in these circles. I just listen to your crying and hold your hand and shoulder. The skin is warm and soft. The voice is melodic and angelic. I fall for these sensations and match my breathing to your sobs... Maybe you are my forever love.

I jump at your touch and voice. People don't come back here when these events happen, not even visitors. The kitchen staff knows not to say anything to anyone. The patrons never see. I didn't expect to be touched or spoken to, especially not on my arm. Quickly I wipe my face, plastering on a smile so quickly that it's obviously fake, and say in my best attempt to have a normal voice, "Oh! Kalu? I'm so sorry, the kitchen is making your dinner. Do you need more ale? I can get that for you!"

I nod my head back and forth sideways like I have seen the Faerunians do. In Maztica there are thirty words for no and four for yes. But I think she understands. "You were crying. I came to be with you, here in the dark. We all need someone to listen to our hearts and remind us that we share a beat for life and for love. Are we not all part divine and worthy of love? Is this not true here as it is in my country?" Despite you sitting up, I hold you.

I stare at you, a bit perplexed, before responding, "What an idealistic thought. No, ummm, things aren't quite like that here in Faerun. People tend to leave each other alone, we don't acknowledge people unless we need something from them. Love is a... rare treat here and divinity is left to the gods and the occasional Aasimar that visits." I squirm a bit and accidentally cause your arm to pull against mine, putting pressure on the obvious bruise that's forming and causing myself to wince in pain. Reflexively, we both let go and you're able to see the large handprint shaped mark on my arm. "I apologize, I accidentally hurt myself and that just bothered it a bit. I'm okay..." I try to sound as sincere as possible with my statement, not quite putting on the face that I usually do, but not being vulnerable quite yet.

I look quickly from the hand mark to your eyes but leave well enough alone. Still, I reach in my medicine pouch that people here laugh at, but I pull out ointment and a bandage and needles. I put the needles back even quicker. "Even in this godless country then, you need medicine." I start applying ointment and wrapping the bruise So no one can see it for more than a kitchen scrape. I try to make conversation while I’m doing this as I fear she would bolt and let long sleeves cover deeper infections. This needed treatment. "You seem a practical woman. Let us bind this injury. If I complete my training, I could use divine will to heal this made by a hand with my own hand. But not yet. I do know some magic if you would allow me?" You look strangely at me and I take that as one of those four yes words. I reach down to your arm and kiss it. "There. All better." I smile hoping for one on your own lips.

I look at you, a bit surprised, before I smile and start giggling quietly. I relax into the seat that I was about to jump up from. "I don't think I've experienced that since I was a wee young lassie. Your own divine will you say? Forgive me, but that's a very strange concept. It's not really thought that you can just will yourself healed. Uhhh... thank you for the dressing and ointment, you didn't have to do that. I deser... the injury is my own fault, I know it can get infected, I can live with it." Why did I just say that? I don't verbalize these things! This is a stranger! Why do I feel a pull to him? Why does that goofy grin intrigue me? Why do I want him to keep talking?

There it is. I think I do see it. The girl before me relaxes and shows me her true self in a giggle and a pleasant memory of parents healing a booboo with a kiss. My heartbeat quickens to the thought that you have happiness somewhere inside. Just when I think this, a shadow crosses over you and I see that happiness fade to anxiety again and the fear of making a true connection with that happiness. Rather than discourage me, I leap to protect you from that shadow. I want to push that shadow back.

"It is true enough. Once you can find that happiness of self worth, you can manifest the universe into any form... No! I’m sorry. That is what my teachers would say! I might try to believe it, but this girl before me won’t. You have a shadow preventing you from seeing your true worth. There has to be a better way to show you besides pedantic idealism?" Some of the words come out of me in Maztican. I can’t quite express myself fully in the foreign common, but my excitement makes the words flow together and hopefully you understand me.

I try to calm myself but your face is still tear stained and your strength of telling me frankly about the abuse weakens my knees. I can’t heal you. I can, however, see you for the beautiful girl that you are. The darkness of this corner of the room makes me even more aware of your scent and the sound of your lilting voice. I look up from where I am knelling beside you and see your eyes of deep ocean depths with the sparkle of moonlight reflecting on endless waves. My tiloni sets sail. My breath is quick and shallow as I look down to your pursed lips and jerkily back to your eyes. Quickly, before the hare can jump and run, my hands slide up your arms and shoulders to your cheeks, pushing my fingers into your hair and scalp. You continue to stare at me as if to figure me out or ponder your own attraction to me. I hope against hope that you look at me the way I look at you. I reach up with my lips to give you a first but sure kiss.

I stare at you in wonder, I catch bits of what you're saying, but not enough to get the full message. Something about happiness and not believing him and idealism. To be honest, I'm so captivated by the person in front of me, that I don't really care what the message is, I've never seen a creature like this before. For a moment, we gaze into each other's eyes. The sea of blue staring at me is so swimmable, I just want to dive in. I realize that I shouldn't be here alone with you, you're too tempting... but before I can move, your lips are on mine and my body is on fire! Eagerly, I return the kiss without hesitation. This is nothing like I've experienced, certainly nothing like when I kiss my Sir! I pull back suddenly, my mind racing. He'd kill me if he knew, possibly literally, but this human was just... the feeling could only be described best in the fairy tales she no longer believed in... she knew better than to open her mouth, she knew to walk away, and yet... "May I see you again tonight?"