The Dragon and The Nomad

(2) The Living Doll

(2) The Living Doll

Amara

There is nothing as frightful as hearing the sounds of the night living beside a brothel. The red-light district of this small town is already frightening on its own, but there are so many things happening even in the dead of night that frightens anyone, especially for someone like me.

The nomad life is another culture that a normal Draconi or human who lived in settlements won’t begin to understand. Other than the difference of beliefs and religion, we move around like a pilgrimage from one oasis to the next in search for our Goddess, Karina. We often travel the sands rather than the lushness of a forest, especially my clan. I could count in my hands the number of times my family stayed in the lush green of a forest.

Breaking bottles and drunken slurs are the most that I hear during the night, which makes me long for home. There is nothing but the sound of rustling sands back with my family. It’s the calmest sound you’d ever hear, but I’m not there anymore.

I’m here.

Far from the servant’s dorms and far from the sounds of the night, but close to the debauchery that happens inside the brothel. I try not to look at their… activities but it’s hard not to when it’s everywhere. It’s hard to imagine that these beautiful ladies in the brothel could switch their personalities in a flick of a finger. A lot of them are lovely people, but their need to earn and survive is outstanding.

“My Ama, remember that there are many people in this world with different stories and different lives. Just as they are strange to us we are just as strange to them. The key to living a good life as the goddess once said is to respect their ways and they would respect ours in return”

I smile at the memory. How come homesickness always feels so heavy in the chest and radiating all over your body like some sickness. I blink and look at the open view of the top bedroom of the brothel.

Being assigned to the new—that word doesn’t leave anything good in my mouth even though I’m just thinking of it. s*****y has been outlawed in Dracone and to think it’s still a practice that is alive till to this day makes my shoulders tight and tense. I wonder if I’m allowed to ask for his name when he arrives.

I heard from the other girls that he’ll arrive here soon, and he’ll come straight to the suite escorted by his guards. I don’t really know when soon is, but I linger on the grand veranda of the suite. It overlooks the river Gerish with its rapid waters calming down for the night, but when the dam opens in dawn, it would return to supply the whole town with its clean water.

The moon is full and lit the small border town with its soft light. Only a small amount of townspeople is able to afford electric lights in the border, which is why most still use torches in the roads and doesn’t hinder the stars tonight. Not to say that it would beat the stars at home.

I ache all over again, not only of homesickness, but I miss my brother. He was the only one in our family who was devoted to Karin’s lover, Merax, the moon god. He’d tell me of stories of Karin and Merax’s love, the way they could only enjoy each other’s embrace when the full moon is high, and Karin’s oasis is in full bloom and that is something that doesn’t happen often.

Slam!

I jump in surprise. My whole body is suddenly aware of the different and unfamiliar sounds of metal clashing together followed by a rhythmic march inside the bedroom. It doesn’t take that long to dawn on me who it was and I’m quick to hasten my steps back to the room and closing the glass veranda doors.

“You!” the rough and harsh voice made me jump in my bones again, turning towards him with my shaky hands behind me. A soldier with old almost decorative uniform of an olden knight comes in. He looks ferocious in a way that makes it obvious he is not used to talking things through. He marches towards me with sure steps and a scowl. “Are you the maid?”

“I-I am” I dig my nails into my palm. Lowering my gaze just as practiced keeping myself from being noticed and seen as a threat.

“Come” He says harshly. He grabs me by the throat with his rough gloved hand pulling me towards the direction of the living room.

I choke. his grip is tight and only a meager amount of air passes through to my lungs. I grab his thick wrist and met with the thick metal of his armour.

“Help this feeble slave for tonight’s schedule and I expect nothing but compliance with you.” He growls. Dragging me still by the throat before throwing me to the ground.

I wheeze. Eyes filling with tears and my vision is blurry.

“Who is this?” the sound of that voice is melodic. Regal. The accent is unmistakably rich and definitely from the capital. Unlike my own words that has its own rhythm and have been told about my thick accent since the day I landed this job.

I feel something. Goddess Karin has gifted our clan a great gift that was passed down the female line of our family. The gift of insight. I could feel it now like the cold hands of the goddess, wiping away the exhaustion of walking in the desert. This is where my fate would pivot.

Daring myself to look at the person that would start it all. I almost choke on air again at the sight of him. beautiful like a doll with silver hair long enough to reach his torso and a face that could rival the Goddess Karin’s beauty. Amethyst eyes look down on me with a blank expression, but I notice his full lip twitching slightly before it ceased to move again.

The gift is unmistakable, and I could still feel it.

Maex, it whispers in my mind. Nothing else comes but I know deep inside that I should be cautious. I don’t know what that word means or what it entails to make me so uneasy, but all of those thoughts are set aside when the beautiful doll moves to lower himself.

His long hair dragging on the carpeted floor, the whole suite has a theme of Arabian nights. The Madam thought it would be befitting for me, one of Arabic and native descent and a slave, to use. His long and lean body moves gracefully and not an ounce of awkwardness even with his tall height. He is truly a different caliber than what I grew up with.

“What is this?” His hot touch on my skin feels like thunder has struck me from where I am. His fingers grazing at my jaw and I unconsciously move away from his touch in surprise. “Why is her neck red?”

“Does it matter?” the soldier who did it says. Unapologetic with not a single sense of remorse in his voice.

It’s only then that I feel my attention snapping back to reality. There are about 4 soldiers with us in the room and I catch a glimpse of two more, just standing outside before they closed the door firmly shut.

His hot electrifying touch grazes my neck and my gaze just had to snap back to his face. There isn’t much that I could see in his face other than a blank expression raptly interested on me.

“It matters” he says.

I blush. I didn’t know why, but I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks without permission.

“Oi, servant, do what I said” the aggressive soldier growls at me, it’s only then that I noticed that I’m the only human in this room. In his full armor and in my attempts to keep on breathing, I just noticed the dark silver tint to the guard who dragged me down here by my neck. His eyes aren’t as brightly colored as standard Draconi’s but darker. Dark enough to mistaken as black.

Scrambling to my feet, I don’t dare look at the direction of the doll. The trance that he has me in is deadly and I can’t afford to die right now. Not when I haven’t’ found my brother. Marina promised me that she’ll help me find a clue and I trust that she’ll be able to procure one.

“Yes, of course, forgive this lowly servant” I fold my hands in front of me and kept my gaze low. Not wanting to incite anything further. “What is it that you need help?”

“Just…” The doll starts. Taking so much time to finish his sentence that I could feel the growing tension in the room from it. I don’t dare check on what’s happening. I’m honestly scared to. “I would some rest and new clothes before the appointment later”

“The bedroom is clean and ready for use in any moment’s notice. The clothes are in the storage room, I would fetch it for you” I bow and duck towards the storage room that is connected to this sitting room.

There isn’t much privacy to the storage room, which I’ve checked a day before entering here and this room would also serve as my room as I serve this doll, there is no door for privacy but just a curtain separating the small room to the sitting room.

But it’s also filled with luxurious beddings, clothes and pillows for the comfort of the patrons and the workers. The Madam told me that she has the finest garments for his smooth skin and most patrons like smooth textures on smooth skins, so I take a silk robe for him.

It’s deep lilac would match perfectly with his complexion and amethyst eyes. his face flashes in the forefront of my mind and my face burns with embarrassment. I don’t even know what I should be even embarrass of.

I wonder, if only the gift of insight could be more clearer than before. what Maex truly means in this situation.