There was a sudden knock at the door that caused them both to start. She laughed brokenly, both at the consistency of Demitri’s poor timing and the expression on Thelios’ face. It was clear he was thinking along the same lines as she.
“Damn it, Demitri! You had better be bleeding to death out there.” He growled out.
She tried to stifle her laughter behind her hand. She ended up choking on it since his hand was still squeezing between her thighs.
Even through the door the smile was evident in Demitri’s voice.
“There’s someone here for Calliope my Lord. Should I send her away?”
He turned and arched a brow at her when she tried to wriggle out of his grip. He sighed and released her, allowing her to rise and collect her dress. “I suppose not.” He grumbled. She caught his baleful glare and tried not to smile.
“I’m sure it won’t take long. And it might be important.”
He answered with another glare and an unconvinced growl as he finally turned away and slipped back into the bath.
She paused in her adjustments, realizing the dress was half soaked and discarded it, looking about for something else to wear. She also found she had to take several calming breaths before she felt the flush was sufficiently out of her skin to present herself to others. The last thing she needed was a lot of smirking and knowing glances. She got that enough from Thelios.
She found Demitri gone and Penelope waiting in the next room… not veiled, but a little more covered up than usual.
“Penelope, what brings you here?”
“I have news!”
“News? About me or about you?”
“Well me, of course. Don’t you know? Everything is about me. This is my play, and I’m the title character!” She flared her arms dramatically over her head and posed for a moment to be admired.
Calliope chuckled. “I suspect it’ll be more comedy than tragedy.”
She lowered her arms and nodded her agreement. “Quite. Or so we can hope. I’ve not the look nor demeanor for those tragical heroines.” She tipped her head and eyed Calliope. “You might just be able to pull that off though.”
“Fie on you.” She chided gently. “One would think you wished me ill.”
“Don’t blame me. It’s those stern looks. You’d be prettier if you smiled more.” She eyed her again then surprised Calliope by taking her face in her hands and tilting it as if to critique it.
Calliope allowed it with a bemused smile. “See that’s better already. Your cheekbones are a bit high, which can make you look severe if you’re not careful. But you’ve a lovely, full mouth. I could see men wanting to do terrible things to it.” She grinned as Calliope made a disgusted sound and pulled away with a sardonic shake of her head. “But not if you grimace like that all the time,” she added, “it makes you look absolutely terrifying.”
She squinted at her again. “You’re a little pale, though not unfashionably so… though you might pluck your brow into a more curving arch, not so pointed. That would help soften your look. And brown eyes aren’t very interesting, but you could try a little coal to make them more dramatic… and you have short lashes too. They’re nice and black, but you could use horse-hair to–”
“For pities sake, enough!” Calliope laughed. “This was the way I was taught, so this is the way I will continue.” She added more mildly.
Penelope looked unconvinced. “Well, who taught you? Your mother? Or some crusty old nurse?”
Calliope shifted under her gaze. That was exactly right. “More or less.”
“She must have been a prude.”
Calliope’s lip twitched. “More or less.”
“What was she trying to do, get you married off to some dull, ancient of high repute? No doubt one whose solemn reputation demanded only the most pious and restrained of wives,” she intoned gravely, “who,” she added with a sly smile, “must nonetheless whore herself for the sake of providing an heir… thanks to his equally dull and ancient member.
Calliope was laughing despite herself by the time Penelope finished.
She sobered quickly with a cough, and did her best to change the subject.”But you came with an announcement. What is your news then?”
“Ah, yes. I have a buyer!”
“A good one?”
“Oh god yes! Our illustrious Host himself!”
“You’re jesting!”
“No. What, you don’t think I’m good enough?”
“No… no… of course not. Nothing like that.” She frowned, remembering the incident in the hall. Perhaps she’d been wrong after all. He must have been watching Penelope and not her. The rest was no doubt simply meant to irritate Thelios, as Lady Nagi had once warned her he or the others might try to do.
“Well, why do you frown then?”
Calliope blinked and let her frown melt back into a smile, and laughed, shaking her head to clear it. “Oh, no… it’s wonderful. Congratulations. I… I was just remembering when we were in the hall… he must have been looking at you, not me.”
“Oh… well, perhaps.” She brightened. “Yes, indeed he must have! Or at least I was so very charming once he met me, he couldn’t help himself.” They smiled at one another a moment when Penelope seemed to remember something. “Oh, I almost forgot. I brought you a present as well. You obviously can’t be trusted to remember such things so I took it upon myself.” Penelope shifted her tunic to reveal a purse hanging by her hip then retrieved from it what looked like a small ointment pot. “It’s popular enough, and won’t be hard to replace. It’s a cream made from the oil of some sort of nut. Out of Ethiopia I think.” She opened it and held it up. “It smell’s nice too. Better than oil.”
“It does.” She agreed. “What’s it for?”
“You’re stomach of course, or anywhere else you like. You rub it over your skin. It’s going to stretch out soon, and you don’t want it to leave marks.” She was about to continue when her eyes shot up and widened. “Oh, my Lord, good day.” She rushed instead, bowing.
Calliope stiffened and turned. “My Lord.” She added, bowing her head, and noting the dark expression on his face. When she rose he looked between them and gestured to Penelope. Calliope immediately understood his expression and meaning. She knows? He was asking. She was having the same thought.
“I… My lord, forgive me, but I said nothing. I thought only Demitri knew,” his brow shot up at that, “and he deduced it himself, I swear.” She added quickly.
Penelope, catching on immediately pipped up as well. “Lord, you must forgive me as well for being so indiscreet. And it is I and not Calliope who have been so. What she says is correct, she told me nothing, I discovered it on my own. I’ve seen it in enough women. But I’ve told no one else, you may be assured of that.”
“Sounds like something terribly interesting. What did you discover, my dear?”