She took her arm and guided her into the room. He must have just arrived himself because he stood in front of the table and turned when they entered.
“My lord, this is Alexia. She will be attending you this evening. “She felt real sympathy for the girl, he was a lot to take in at any size. He made her own stomach turn with nerves. She gave the girls arm another squeeze and gave him a look that she hoped said, ‘be patient’ before he nodded for her to go. She closed the door and stood close to it, hoping to hear what was said. Demitri, who had vanished stuck his head out of the bath room door and wagged a finger at her, she stepped away, abashed. He motioned her over.
“You’ll never hear anything through there, come here and be quite. He led her to a side door that was already ajar and motioned for quite. She crammed in next to him against the wall and peeked in. Alexia was frozen in fear. He had motioned for her to sit, but she wasn’t budging. Finally he sat himself and motioned again.
“Please, sit.”
After a gut retching eternity she finally sat.
“Would you like something to eat?” He spoke slowly to her, obviously trying not to spook her too much. She stared back with wide eyes and said nothing. “Suit yourself. Wine?” Again she said nothing, so he just poured her a glass anyway. ‘Say something’, she willed the girl to speak. Thelios sighed and she wondered how long he would keep up the politeness.
“Why don’t you tell me about yourself then?” he asked pushing a glass towards her. Calliope noticed her perceptibly recoil from the advancing arm in front of her and bit her lip. If she saw that from here, he certainly noticed it. She wondered if she had seemed so terrified when she first ate with him. He waited for her to respond. Finally she choked out a sentence. “My name is… Alexia.” She whispered and paused again.
When she didn’t continue he looked wryly at her, “Yes, I caught that part.” The poor girl looked up sharply, her eyes wild with fear. Calliope repressed a groan; this was not going to work at all. He saw it too and she saw his eyes darken as he leaned back with a sigh.
“You know, you don’t have anything to fear from me, I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I, I’m from Myconen… th-the nearest town.” She was practically shaking now. “Wh-what will happen to us?” She rushed out. He sipped slowly on his wine.
“I thought Calliope had spoken to all of you?”
“She said we wouldn’t die…”
“And?” The girl swallowed hard.
“Th-the rest sh-she said was unsure…”
“Well…” he drawled out slowly, “I imagine you’re all clever enough to deduce what my interest in twenty young women is.” He appraised her momentarily, “though I had not intended for any of you to be so young, or… inexperienced.” The girl was positively ashen now and was concentrating hard on her lap, her hands wringing themselves raw. He watched her for a few moments longer. Calliope was earnestly concerned that the girl might just pass out.
Demitri leaned in and whispered in Calliope’s ear, “That was one of your top picks?” She nodded. “You aren’t trying to sabotage it are you?” She turn to find his eyes glittering at her.
“Why would I do that?” She asked somewhat affronted.
“Oh I don’t know, female jealousy.” She was about to scoff, but paused to consider it. It had gone badly, did she pick badly, for some motivation… no, she picked as best she could. And yet she had to admit, she had expected this, and if it had gone differently… would it bother her? Ridiculous.
“No, I wouldn’t sabotage it, that would just make it harder on us.”
“But you are jealous?”
“Oh, be quite.”
She turned back to the torturous scene. The master was beginning to find it tiresome and was tapping a finger on the table.
“Do you… have an opinion on this?” He asked looking for some kind of reaction.
“Opinion?” She looked horrified.
That’s a pretty strong opinion she thought to herself.
“Certainly. People’s opinions interest me.” She said nothing just stared in fear unsure of what to do or say. She looked like she was going to cry. He sighed again and Alexia practically jumped out of her skin. To Calliope’s surprise he looked directly at the door behind which they hid and made a beckoning motion. Demitri prodded her forward and she slipped through the door.
“Yes my lord, how might I be of service?” She said as cheerily as she was able. He gave her a sardonic look and gestured to the terrified girl.
“I think this young lady isn’t in the mood to talk, will you escort her to a more comfortable location?” Damn she thought, he didn’t look pleased. she smiled and made a little bow and took the girls arm, guiding her up and out the door. She said nothing but let her take her back to the room in petrified fear. She closed the door behind alexia and leaned against it one hand against her forehead. Now what? If they just accepted their fate, it wouldn’t be so terrible, and they wouldn’t have to be… she didn’t even want to think about it. If you say yes, if you accept it, then there is no crime, but they wouldn’t do that.
Would he do that to them… he’d intimated that he might. She groaned in frustration. Her only other option was to convince him that perhaps he could make due with one or two girls and, she fantasized, let the rest go. She couldn’t bare the thought of all that trauma if they were all raped. And the crying! She shuddered at the thought. And where would she fit in? As some sort of traitor, unfazed by her plight, even aiding their tormentor? It was too terrible to think on. It made her ill just considering it.
“He wants you.”
She looked up at Demitri and nodded pulling herself back together. She found him still in the dinning room staring at his food. He looked up.
“Now what do you suggest I do?”
She bit her lip. “I suppose that depends on your options.” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “If you’d be willing to forgo your desire for variety…”
“Variety?” He interrupted.
“Yes… the twenty girls…”
“Ah. It was odds I was concerned with there, not variety.”
“I’m not sure I follow.” He patted the cushion next to him. She sat, brushing her arm lightly against his, and hoping he didn’t see her blush.