Chapter 4

Yaru still sat on the same pile of cushions. Our tea was gone, long ago drunk, neither Jake nor Edward willing to do anything about getting us any more.

“So, that brings us back to your skill,” Yaru said, finishing off an explanation of what the next few weeks would hold for me.

I sighed. Talking at length about my future, how I would live each day, and the sorts of things Yaru would teach me had gone a long way to calming me. Some of it even sounded pleasant.

“You have a think for a moment, my dear,” Yaru said, pushing his bulk up onto his own feet with a small grunt. “That tea all needs to go somewhere.”

Before I could object at being left alone, he headed towards the door, a slight waddle to his gait. Edward and Jake parted for him, both their expressions blank as they stared ahead until he was out of sight. Immediately Jake screwed his nose up, evidently disgusted. Edward shook his head, and shuddered.

Their attention then turned to me, both of them grinning as they glanced at each other and then fixed their eyes on me.

Jake stayed by the door as Edward sauntered closer.

“Come on, then, Courtesan. Up on your feet. Let us get a better look at you.”

I frowned and didn’t move. Was this the sort of thing I’d been warned about? Would the bodyguards try to push me around when no one was looking?

He reached out for me, trying to grab at my arm, but I flinched back, twisting out of his grasp and up onto my feet.

“Got a lively one here, Edward,” Jake said as he chuckled at the antics before him. I didn’t dare glance his way, my eyes on the closer of the pair.

“I’m sure you’ll get to see plenty soon enough,” I replied, trying to sound firm.

Make them treat you like an equal, my mind’s version of Yaru said. I folded my arms across my chest, making it clear I wasn’t going to cooperate.

Edward studied me, his mind whirring behind two deep blue eyes. If he hadn’t been trying to intimidate me he’d have been the sort of man I’d have found attractive. Blond hair, muscular and fairly tall.

“Oh, that’s not all we’ll get to do soon.” Edward laughed, lifting a hand to reach out and touch my face. I tried not to move or react, knowing flinching back would only show the fear I needed to hide.

Before he could make contact with my skin, Jake coughed. Right away, Edward left me alone and hurried back to his position by the door. He’d been back there only a fraction of a second when Yaru appeared again.

The obese eunuch glanced at the bodyguards and then at me, still stood in the centre of the room.

“Couldn’t wait then, gentlemen? Surely you’re not that desperate for some action? The other women here not meeting your needs well enough?” The taunt in Yaru’s voice was obvious, and I couldn’t help but grin. Edward and Jake evidently found it far less amusing, but they didn’t take the bait, instead returning to their stony, stare-straight-ahead, silence.

Yaru returned to his seat, and motioned for me to do the same.

“Right. Now it is time to think of a skill. Something you can do to catch the attention of men and keep it. Anything that comes to mind?”

I shook my head. There was nothing, nothing at all that might work. I wasn’t a geisha. No one had spent years training me in how to look appealing or dance, or pour tea in a certain way.

Yaru sighed, showing some exasperation with me for the first time ever.

“You’re going to need something. If you can’t create some interest in you beside the enormous debt over your head, then it is going to stay exactly that, enormous.”

I frowned. The last thing I wanted was to struggle to pay back the money I owed.

“You’ve got a personality the men will like. I’m sure you will entice the men once you can get them talking to you, but my personal introductions will only get you so far.”

“So I need to look striking and make people want to come talk to me?”

Yaru nodded.

“What can I do with how I look? What if my skill was fashion-based?”

“All courtesans are expected to dress well and with distinction. Else, how would people know what you were?”

“Not what I mean.” I shook my head, trying not to get too frustrated to find the words to explain. “Could I do something even more distinctive? Could I be known for my style, or my ability to honour those I am with somehow? I was a clothing shop assistant before I got too sick to work. I was surrounded by clothes.”

“I don’t think you understand quite how many different courtesans and courtesan styles there already are. You wouldn’t stand out.”

“Right.” I bit down on my lip and tried to think. Was there any other possibility?

“Unless…” Yaru trailed off, but he had my attention. “Hmmmm.”

“What? Is there some kind of style no one has tried yet?”

“Well, there’s this new fashion at the moment. It’s expensive, and time-consuming, but…” Yaru trailed off, looking thoughtful for a moment. “Can you paint at all?”

“A little, but I wouldn’t say that I’m amazing.”

“A little might be enough. There’s a new type of body paint that was recently developed. It hardens and sticks to the skin like a tattoo, but it can be lifted off with water and a little tug. Some courtesans are decorating themselves and wearing less actual clothing.”

“But the paint isn’t cheap and you need a lot of it?” I asked, already suspecting the answer.

“Of course. Therefore the real art to using it is making pieces you can reuse without looking like you’re reusing the same full design all the time.”

“Because people want a unique look,” I said, finishing his thought.

“Precisely, my dear.”

“Let that be my skill.” I took a deep breath as my mind began to race. Could I become a work of art?

“You mentioned that there were several distinct cultures in the city reminiscent of the countries the world used to have.”

“Yes, the Japanese, African and Maori cultures especially, with many smaller communities on the fringes.”

“What if I created different designs for each culture? I could come up with ways to be respectful to each person’s heritage.”

Yaru raised his eyebrows before nodding.

“You would need to put in a lot of work. And it’s going to cost a lot. Daniel…” Yaru trailed off as he tilted his head to the side.

“What if I sold my designs when I was done with them?”

“Sold them?”

“Yes. Like a fashion designer as well as a courtesan. If I can get it right and make people want the designs. I could sell them to other courtesans.”

“That just might work… Do you have any ideas already?”

“Can I borrow your computer thing?” I said, holding my hand out. Yaru looked blank and didn’t move, evidently not knowing what I meant.

“Oh,” he said as his eyes lit up. He reached into his pocket again and pulled out the crystal slab. “You mean my data stone.”

“Yes. Can you look up the Maori tribal tattoos on it?” I asked, my mind already picturing ones I’d seen in movies and on natives. I could easily make some into a painted design.

“Yes, yes,” he replied, catching some of my excitement. I watched him tap away as he pulled up a program that presented a mannequin-like female on one half of the screen and an array of clothes on the other. He dismissed the clothes, putting another window with an array of images on beside it, and then pulled a small toothpick-like crystal out of another pocket.

“Can you draw a possible design, quickly?”

“I’ll try,” I replied as I took the device and strange pen from him. It was more intuitive than I’d expected, and within only a few minutes I had the beginning of a design.

“Fantastic,” he said, watching over my shoulder as I drew.

“Jake, Edward, fetch Daniel immediately,” Yaru said, looking pointedly at the two bodyguards. “We need his counsel.”

“Fetch him yourself. We’re not skivvies,” Edward replied, growling a little.

“I’ll go. I need to get used to finding my way around.” I went to get to my feet, eager to hide how scared I felt suddenly. I didn’t need to antagonise men who already didn’t think favourably of me. Yaru grabbed my arm and stopped me walking away.

“No. Edward will go, I’m sure. I don’t think he wants me informing Daniel of the unhealthy interest he’s already shown in you. It could cost him his job if Daniel thought anything untoward might happen to you before your unveiling.”

I fought to stifle a grin, grateful for how Yaru seemed to be defending me, even if it was in his own best interest.

Edward narrowed his eyes and set his jaw, but he didn’t object as he left. I tried not to worry about how the guard might punish me later. There was a chance he wouldn't hold Yaru's command against me, but if he did, I would have to tackle that problem when it arose.

“Good. Now, my dear, quickly design a couple more based on other cultures. Daniel needs to see this idea in more detail.”

Yaru handed me the device again. I exhaled.

No pressure, I thought as I looked for pictures of the ornate kimonos worn by the geisha in Japan and China.

I hastily sketched a design on a fresh mannequin until Yaru stopped me once more to move me onto a third. For a moment I froze, unable to think of a good idea for another design so quickly. The sound of approaching footsteps only made the panic worse.

Suddenly a third idea for a design based on an Irish theme came to mind and I tapped in the search. I had just started drawing when Jake and Edward returned, my sponsor between them.

A frown was fixed on Daniel's face.

“I was in the middle of something important.”

“My apologies for disturbing you from your task, Daniel, but I felt this needed your attention and your approval.” Yaru gently took the device from my hands and brought up all three designs side by side.

“Auralia has designed these quickly. I told her of the new development with body painting and how it is proving highly successful in the courtesan world. She wishes this to be her signature, so to speak.”

Daniel raised his eyebrows.

“This isn't cheap. It bankrupted Brian letting his courtesans try it.”

“I'm willing to back this part of the venture if money is an issue,” Yaru said. I believe the designs would be saleable after Auralia has worn them. It would significantly reduce the costs.

Daniel looked at me, studying my face before looking back at the sketches I'd been in the process of making.

“All right.” Daniel nodded, his deep voice no longer quite so full of gravel. “You can try a few between now and the unveiling. But you had better be as good as you think you are at selling this as a fashion, Yaru.”

“Of course, Daniel...” Yaru trailed off, my sponsor already walking out of the room.

“Thank you,” I said as soon as I was sure I wouldn't be overheard by anyone but the two bodyguards now back at their posts. “You didn't have to vouch for me like that. It was my idea.”

“Yes, but it's a good one, and I wasn't about to let Daniel squander it. Besides, he already owes me several hundred thousand credits and my training fee on top. I'm as invested in your career as he is.”

Yaru smiled as I frowned, trying to wrap my head around what he was saying. He was part of the reason I was a courtesan and not a free woman.

“Now, don't become maudlin on me. I believe I informed you already that I was willing to remain a eunuch for the money it provided me. Do you think I'd have a problem encouraging others to whore themselves out? Because, make no mistake, no matter how this, and you, are dressed up, people are going to be paying to fuck you.”

I swallowed the retort I wanted to make and tried to push my surprise away. Yaru was a bizarre character. One moment consoling and almost friendly, and the next, frank and uncaring.

Eventually I nodded, composed again. “Then I will finish my design.”

It didn't take me long. And then Yaru was saving it and putting the device away again.

“Good. Now I must leave. I will be back tomorrow morning with the paint and an instructor on its use.”

Panic instantly filled me. Yaru leaving meant my line of defence was gone.

Seemingly oblivious to my fear and desire for him to stay, Yaru hauled himself to his feet again.

“Daniel will want to see you,” Yaru said by way of a goodbye, almost waddling as he left.

Suddenly feeling small, alone and scared, I stood in the middle of the room.

While I had been talking to my mentor I had been able to push my new role to the back of my mind, but now he was gone I couldn't.

I was a courtesan. And my new life began now.