Claiming The Remnant

Chapter 45

[ Garrett ]

The horse beneath me relished the pace I set. The landscape blew by in shimmering green and heat with small cottages and large barns dotted all about until I reached the city.

The busy winding stone streets forced me to slow my pace. True I was in a hurry but not enough to be knocking down citizens nor did I wish to hobble my horse. I paid little attention to the brightly painted houses; they loudly declared the shade of the occupants magic (regardless of how much they had), that is, along as the shade wasn't green or blue or red.

There was no need for me to look at the houses or shops or market stalls anyway. I knew them all well. My destination lay at the end of the street, a well known establishment - both to me and those that lived here.

After tying my chestnut mare to the hitching post and tossing Old Greg a coin (his job was to watch the horses and keep clean water in the tough but I always tipped him anyway) and entered the lobby of The Cello.

"Good morning, Captain. It has been a while." Ceilia smiled at me from behind the polished counter and twisted a ginger curl between her fingers.

"Good morning to you too, Ceilia. Indeed it has been sometime." The way her crystal blue eyes wandered my body was not lost on me. "There is a special someone in my life now and we have agreed to be exclusive." It was difficult but I held back my amusement at the disappointment that stilled her roaming eyes.

"Ah, so this visit is business, not pleasure - what can I do for you?" Ceilia said, switching to a different facet of professionalism.

"Is Amerise here?"

"She has been here half the week. Oh," She gasped, "Amerise isn't your special someone, is she?"

"No, she is not. Amerise has an appetite that even I wouldn't be able to sate." Ceilia look relieved and then extremely curious. "It's Jo Willis. The past three months, they make me feel like, like my whole life I've been missing them and just didn't know." I smiled, my heart felt warmer for my words.

"I'm impressed Captain, they are a wild one!" Ceilia pulled a book up from under the counter. "You know you still have sizable credit here, I could book you two a room? Although you might want to keep those romantic comments to yourself or the staff will be wanting to join you…" She winked with mirth.

"Book me a 5th, with all the trimmings. Early in the last month of winter. Whatever is left divvy up between the staff, equally please." It would make a lovely part of a birthday gift. A show, dinner and then a night at The Cello. "Amerise?"

"The usual room." Ceilia's smile was as sweet as the scent of freesias that filled the vases around the lobby.

“Thank you, Ceilia. Post me out a reminder card please.” I told her as I walked away. “Oh, and I want lavender in the room, plenty of lavender!” Ceilia giggled at my gleeful request.

The Cello, a clean and well run establishment trading in the pleasures of the flesh, was situated over four floors. They catered to every taste and you could book rooms for private use or to be indulged and brought to ecstasy by the numerous exceedingly talented staff. Once upon a time such places were looked upon as dirty, shameful and thoroughly illegal. It was yet another thing the Fae had changed in our world. There were still a few, dotted around, who followed the old ways and opposed these s****l freedoms but there would always be someone, somewhere, who disagree no matter the topic.

The staff were well paid and genuinely happy to be here. Ceilia made sure every inspection got top marks and the taxes were always paid on time. It was the best brothel in the whole city.

I knocked the door, rapping loudly but as I expected would be the case no one answered. Without further delay I opened the door and stepped into the dim room.

Heavy, heady scents of s*x and sweat made the air rich and musky while imbued objects gave off rays of soft moon light. A cluster of gleaming, moaning bodies moved sensually in the centre of a large silk sheeted bed.

"Amerise." I called firmly but to no avail. Lost in their carnal writhing no one heard me call. I coughed in that way that seeks to interrupt or garner attention.

"Yummm, Captain." Softly glowing black eyes devoured me from across the room. "Have you come to join us? That would be such a treat…" She purred hungrily.

"My sincerest apologies Amerise, I am here to inform you that your presence is required with utmost urgency but I must also decline as I am spoken for."

"Pitty… ahh, umm." She crooned before moaning and groaning. How many were actually the bed with her I couldn't quite tell but there were at least four. Three surrounded her frame licking, kissing, biting, suckling at her flesh while their hands roamed and a fourth lapped between her legs.

Amirise, a scrumptious, thick woman, all curves and soft flesh sighed in resignation.

"My lovelies, I must take my leave. Arduous though it is, I will be back soon." She kissed the lips of the woman closest to her (Dysra- I think) before they all began to move away. She rose off the bed with confidence, her whole body on display. Her copious, covetous flesh was almost silver, a muted version of a Fae shade, and her hair was a flowing oil slick of rainbow black; her shade in every hair on her head as well as all the hairs elsewhere.

Beautiful, bountiful and breathtaking as she was my pulse stayed steady and the only body I desired to see was Jo's.

"How unusual for me to be summoned thus. It must be something exciting!" She announced with a dramatic flourish while one of the women who had been in her bed buttoned up her black lace, lingerie-esque dress.

"Exceedingly urgent for sure. I didn't see your steed outside. You can take my mare."

"Bless'ed be, where shall I be going with your nameless mare."

"Here," I showed a quickly scribbled note with 'Turquoise Suite' written on it. It wouldn't do to have anyone gossiping. "And my mare will tell me her name when she is ready." I added.

"Dear Captain, you are so strange." She chuckled lightly while sticking out one for foot Dysra to place a shoe onto.

"I find that most complimentary, Amerise. Ride her through the castle, much haste is needed. You won't find yourself in hot water for it this time…" I added. "Does Obsidian require retrieving?"

"Very interesting indeed, Captain. Obsidian is well in hand, he is very busy being a stud. Sometimes I think that beast and I are too alike." Both shoes now firmly on her feet we began to hurry out of The Cello. "Mirage, that's what you should call your horse. A sweet tribute to your Boo?" Amerise said with genuine affection.

"I'm not sure Jo is the type to take kindly to having animals named in their honour." I replied while helping the voluptuous Amerise onto my ride.

"I suppose not, especially with such a tame horse. Wouldn't suit at all." She grinned from atop the mount. "The twins are terrible gossips, you know the whole castle knows about you two…"

"It was never a secret." With a shrug I untied the horse and sent Amerise on her way. All that was left to do now was make my own way back, so I bought a horse. Years of not particularly spending my wages, because there was nothing really for me to spend them on, had left me pretty flush so buying a horse was no bother at all.

On my way out of the city I passed a flower vendor. Where buying a horse had required no thought at all the flowers presented an issue.

I wanted to buy Jo flowers because I loved them but… my feelings were raw. They hadn't reciprocated my declaration of love, which hurt a lot but I could accept that they weren't ready to say it. Then they had f****d off when I had been in the middle of trying to save 'Lady Esther's' life leaving me in the s**t and then according to Benton they had trashed our quarters. So buying flowers seemed like a reward for poor behaviour but my love was so deep. I loved them regardless, so I bought them flowers regardless.

My love didn’t have conditions; it simply was. I felt like a prick for even having considered otherwise.