For the Pleasure of Men (5 page)

Kalliope wondered if any of the men would try to find their way to her bedroom but no one disturbed her. She had a feeling that Orestes had warned the other soldiers to steer clear of her. Kalliope still had no idea what Orestes had in mind for her, but he had seemed pleased with her nonetheless. Kalliope even thought that Orestes might visit her again, but he did not and Kalliope didn’t know if she was relieved or disappointed. Orestes' bedroom methods were foreign and bizarre but Kalliope would be lying if she didn’t admit that she had somewhat enjoyed his approach.

More than once, Kalliope would sit on her small cot, draw her long legs beneath her and gently pull out her few meager belongings. She would line them up one by one on the bed in front of her and she would slowly turn each item over in her hands, letting all the memories of each object wash over her. Kalliope decided that once she arrived in Athens she would wear Gaia’s gold necklace. It was a delicate piece, with three intricately braided gold ropes. Kalliope had always found it too beautiful to wear, but she would be living in a big city now, and she wanted a piece of home close to her heart.

She also fingered the carving that Hagne had made. Hagne had always been artistically gifted and this particular carving was of the large tree in the family’s backyard. If Kalliope closed her eyes and focused her mind, she could just picture the backyard she had known as a child. Kalliope tried to remember the yard before it had become a hiding place for her. She preferred the memories of the backyard from when it was a place of relaxation and play.

Kalliope had spent hours studying her mother’s broach. The delicate filigree laurel wreath leaves were smooth beneath her fingers and Kalliope could remember her mother carefully braiding her long, thick hair and pinning the fine jewelry above her right ear. Still her heart ached for her mother, even after all these years.

Kalliope had counted her money only a handful of times, and each time she counted it, she felt ridiculous. She could not even fathom the amount that Orestes must have paid, because the share that Gaia gave her was more than Kalliope could even dream of earning. It was at least five years of wages - without a cut for a brothel owner.

Kalliope usually just checked on the small pouch to make sure it was still in its safe place.

At the moment, Kalliope was sitting on the cot again, eating a handful of dried nuts and she wiped her hands off before carefully untying the tissue paper. As gently as she could, she pulled out the three magnificent gowns that Thea Gaia had given her. Even after studying them every day for the past week, Kalliope was still in awe each time she pulled them out. The colors were so rich and vibrant, the fabric was so subtle and fine, and the cuts were an absolute dream.  The Gods themselves couldn’t have designed better dresses.

A loud noise on the deck above distracted Kalliope and she quickly stowed her belongings. She snuck out of her room and discreetly made her way onto the deck. She peered out over the water and she couldn’t help but gasp.

Straight ahead was land and she could just make out a city in the distance. Though she had never laid eyes on it before, Kalliope felt with certainty that the city was Athens.

The next hour was a blur as Kalliope hurried back downstairs to get her things and was then escorted off by Orestes. The soldiers began to go their separate ways but Orestes kept Kalliope close. She realized that a horse was waiting for her for the remainder of the journey.

The countryside blew by and Kalliope watched with wide eyes, as the city of Athens loomed larger and larger. The buildings were tall and white and Kalliope shielded the sun from her eyes to get a better look.

“We must go in a different way,” Orestes said, as he pulled on the reigns to direct the horse away from the city.

“Why?” Kalliope couldn’t help asking.

“All will be revealed soon enough.”

The horse moved along the outskirts of town, until it came to an old building that was situated on the edge of the city. Orestes jumped off and opened the large wooden doors attached to the structure. Curious, Kalliope craned her neck but she could only see darkness inside. Orestes jumped back on and they traveled into the building.

The building itself seemed to veer to the right, but once they entered, Kalliope noticed the ground slope down into a tunnel. Orestes followed the sloping ground down and Kalliope’s stomach flipped nervously as they descended under the city.

“Don’t be frightened,” Orestes reassured her.

Kalliope realized how tightly she had been holding on to him. “I am taking you the Hera Selene. It is an underground structure.”

“A brothel?”

“It is not like any brothel you have ever known. Brothel is a crude word that you have come accustomed to in your village. You will live in Hera Selene as a courtesan. You will find their ways very, ah, unusual.”

Kalliope shifted nervously on the horse. Orestes made her sound like an uneducated peasant.

Which she supposed she was compared to the cosmopolitan women of Athens.

They stopped and Orestes helped her down. They began to travel on foot down the hall. A soft noise was rousing from the end of the hall as they approached a heavy door. Orestes paused to look at her, winking slightly, and then he opened it.

Kalliope stood frozen as she took in her surroundings.

Though they were underground, the room was filled with light from an oculus high in the ceiling. The room was large and the walls were a bright white and covered with fine material. The floor was littered with large, brightly colored pillows and beautiful women lounged on the pillows, dressed in gorgeous gowns, some in quiet conversations with handsome men.

Yet there was an air of intrigue, mystery and most of all, sex.

Kalliope looked carefully at the men, and she realized that none looked like the rugged farmers and locals that frequented Gaia’s brothel. No, these were respected men, noblemen, dressed in the finest clothes Kalliope had ever seen.

Kalliope looked over at Orestes with shock.

“Athens' best kept secret,” he said wryly, gesturing to the room. He then moved behind Kalliope, his warm breath hot against her neck, and Kalliope felt herself involuntarily shiver. Orestes picked up on it, and moved even closer to Kalliope. She gasped as she felt his hard erection press into her backside.

Orestes slid his warm hand down her bare arm and gripped her forearm tightly. Not tight enough to cause pain, but tight enough that Kalliope was aroused.

When he spoke, his voice was low and seductive, filled with dark and tempting promise.

“Are you ready to become a sexual deviant, Kalliope?”

* * * * *

Chapter Six

* * * * *

Kalliope stared at her few belongings, which sat next to her on the floor. She touched Gaia’s gold chain that was clasped around her neck, and fingered her mother’s broach. Kalliope already felt strange in this new city, and she could tell that Priska, the owner of this unusual brothel, was not too impressed by her. She had scolded Orestes for bringing a “country idiot” to her brothel, and she told Orestes she would only pay him a quarter of what he had paid for Kalliope.

Orestes hadn’t seemed fazed by Priska’s comments, and he took the money without complaint. Of course, before any of that had transpired, he had led Kalliope to a darkened corner where he made her give him a blow job. Kalliope actually hadn’t minded. She had missed the company of a man during the week spent at sea, and Orestes was handsome enough. If fact, if she was being honest, she had enjoyed pleasuring Orestes, and she had been more than satisfied when he came hard in her mouth.

But now Orestes had left her, and the one significant connection Kalliope had in Athens was gone. Priska had shown Kalliope to her room; though small, it was more than she’d ever had at Gaia’s. Priska had mumbled about Kalliope needing to obtain status and earn her way up to a real room. For now, she would have to please men in designated areas until she was given a more suitable room.

Kalliope couldn’t believe that the women at the Hera Selene had their own luxurious rooms where they lived and pleased men. Kalliope still didn’t understand much about this brothel besides the fact that it was night and day from what she had known. Before Priska had left Kalliope, she’d complained that she didn’t have time to teach a new girl, let alone one as ignorant and hopeless as Kalliope. Priska claimed she would be sending in a girl to help Kalliope adjust.

So now, Kalliope waited. She knew that in this new brothel, she would need to be different. Of course, she would still be Kalliope, but she knew that she would need to look even more beautiful than normal, and she was suddenly extremely grateful that Gaia had given her those beautiful peploses. Kalliope would actually need them now.

She was lost in thought, wondering how she would adapt to her new home, when the curtain to her small room rustled, and a lovely woman, older than Kalliope, entered.

“Kalliope?” she asked softly. She had soft, pretty features and wide brown eyes. Her honey colored hair was piled on top of her head in tiny intricate braids and she was wearing a simple, yet lovely, yellow peplos.

“Yes.”

“I’m Melina. Priska sent me.”

Kalliope nodded. Nothing about Melina seemed unkind, and she instantly liked the woman. “I’m sure this must be very strange for you. And frightening. Priska tells me that you are from the north.”

“Yes. I’m from a small village. I worked in a brothel there. This is so different from what I was accustomed to.”

Melina chuckled. “I’m sure it is. We are quite spoiled here at Hera Selene. This is exceptional, even to Athens’ standards.”

Melina looked at Kalliope’s few small treasures that were laid out.

“These dresses are exquisite,” she breathed, fingering one of Gaia’s dresses. “Where did you come across such a peplos?”

Kalliope wasn’t sure if she should trust Melina, but she decided she would have to trust someone eventually.

“It’s a bit of a long story. They belonged to the mother of the woman who owned the brothel where I worked. Her name was Gaia, and she raised me. She gave me these dresses just before I left. I wish I had asked her more about her past. I don’t know how her mother came to own such fine pieces.”

Melina nodded as she listened. “May I?” she asked, holding her hands out to the garment.

Kalliope handed it to Melina.

Melina carefully ran her hands along the material, her nails gliding over the light blue and delicate white. She gently turned the material inside out to examine the stitches. “Very, very beautiful. Her mother must have come from a very wealthy family.”

Kalliope’s heart ached for Gaia, and she wished she had pressed the woman to learn more of her childhood. Melina put the garment down and looked at Kalliope.

“Do you know much about Hera Selene?”

Kalliope flushed and looked at her hands. “Much? I don’t know anything,” she said truthfully.

Melina gave her a small smile. “No matter. I see that Priska has told you nothing. May I ask who brought you in?”

“A soldier named Orestes.”

Melina’s eyes clouded for just a bit. “Yes, Orestes. One of my better customers. I see.” Kalliope sensed that Orestes had done something slightly unfaithful to Melina. “To begin, Hera Selene is the finest brothel in all of Athens. In fact, we don’t like to think of ourselves as a brothel. Though we are not courtesans living in our own dwellings, we like to think we might as well be. Some of us have very beautiful living quarters that we have worked very hard to earn.”

Kalliope couldn’t help but interrupt. “But why don’t some of you choose to have your own home if you do so well?”

“Ahh, yes. You see, Kalliope, this is a secret brothel.”

“Secret?” Now, Kalliope was really confused.

“Yes. We cater only to the most elite clientele. And our clients do not share us with others unless those men are truly superior. Here at Hera Selene we only work with the upper echelon of Athens. Political figures, war heroes, noblemen. Men of power and prestige. Many of these men have families and wives. Their wives do not know about us. They believe we are just entertainers. Beautiful women who distract their husbands, sing, dance, and keep them company. Discretion is highly valued.”

 Kalliope tried to follow as Melina spoke. “You have only seen a small fraction of Hera Selene. This underground structure is very large. There is the main courtyard where you entered, but there are also dozens of rooms along the winding hallways. Rooms for dining, bathing and working. When we are not entertaining customers, we spin wool and some of us make garments.” Melina rose and Kalliope followed suit. “Follow me, young one, and I will show you.”

Kalliope hurried after Melina. Melina was kind and showed her where she could eat and bathe. She also showed her a few of the other women’s rooms, and Kalliope was amazed to see that the women lived in such fine spaces. Melina showed Kalliope her own room, and Kalliope couldn’t believe that Melina had three connected rooms all to herself. Melina’s quarters consisted of a sitting room, a bedroom for entertaining men, and a private bedroom where she slept.

“You have three rooms?” Kalliope asked incredulously.

“Yes. But there are a few women who have four and five rooms. We are fortunate that our clients prefer us and pay good money for us.” They arrived back at Kalliope’s room and Melina and Kalliope sat on her mattress. “So, this is what you can expect next. Starting tomorrow evening, you will begin hosting men. You will entertain them in the courtyard. Flirt with them, tease them. You will hope that some of those men will be interested in trying a new pretty thing like yourself.” Melina smiled kindly. “I think you will do very well. When a man wants your services, you will take him to one of the open rooms. They will expect this because you are new.” Melina paused and looked at her hardly. “You will do whatever these men ask. Is that understood?”

Kalliope nodded.

“Our practices are different here, Kalliope. Let me ask you this. When Orestes visited you, did he do things in the bedroom that you were not accustomed to?”