“Big Child!” I proclaim in my best Arudian as I pull the big heavy door to slide shut. Without even looking back I hear Lule’s loud and happy toot in reply.

I move back to his stall, reach into my bag, and pull out the fat overripe fruit Yrelia and myself had picked out before my visit. He basically ignores the gift to barrel his big silly head over the rim of the door into my chest. Nuzzles and snuggles me like he hasn’t seen me for an eternity.

I feel a surge of guilt. I've been so busy that it has almost been a week. Apparently after my… eh… big injuries Lule had been really fucking sad and distraught until I woke up. Refused to eat much and wouldn’t sleep well until they pushed my comatose body up for him to snuggle to.

Once I woke up he was immediately calmer, seemed to return to a normal state of being hyper focused on Jevita. But… he still seemed to get kinda needy sometimes. Like… Like I was someone special. It was nice but also scary to have such a big bird who wants your attention sometimes.

But after a few scrutches he pulls back, notices the fruit, and nips it from my hands.

“Rest well Big Child!” I coo before turning and heading for the side building.

In the little well furnished tavern/rest area of the stables/inn, I find two of my lovers.

I wave, move up, and give little kissing pecks on their foreheads. Jevita glances up in a startled look from her books, surprise easy to read. “Oh, hi!”

“Ina.” Kque actually tugs me back for a proper kiss. I can’t help but giggle into her warm lips. Can even taste the wonderful lunch wine she’s drinking.

“Mmmm.” I pull back slowly and move to sit across from them.

“We just ordered dinner. “Jevita recovers, “You eh… want us to…”

“Nope. I probably won't be here long.” I reach into my little bag, and pull out the coin purse Jutic left with us. “Wanted to drop this off. Make sure you weren’t on the verge of eviction.”

Kque takes it, a bit of a confused look on her face. “You look… well you always look wonderful Ina, but… the evening is still young and you look positively… un-disheveled.”

I smirk. “Yup, our final appointment was a no show.”

Jevita looks between me and the bag. “Then… what’s with this?”

Kque opens the bag, eyebrows furrow at the amount of coins. “Did you not need any for your rooms in the city?”

“Our last appointment actually took care of that.” I close my bag and lean across the table, letting my voice go quiet. “Someone showed up for them and paid us anyway.”

Kque looks up to me, Jevita’s eyes go wide. “I mean… that’s polite and all but… This is excessive. Are they just paying up front and rescheduling?”

I wiggle a hand, a so-so gesture. “Um… They’re going to pay me again tomorrow night. When I um…”

I trail off, suddenly unsure. Belly flutters as uncertain worry curls about. They wait patiently. Very very familiar to mine and Yrelia’s work, but understanding a struggle that needs to be worked out as someone finds the right words.

I huff, push some hair out of my eyes and look back to them with a smile. “They asked for me to visit their personal estate. Are… um… paying three times the normal rate for an evening and night of my time.”

“Oh wow!” Jevita exclaims, then pauses. Kque seems to already catch the singular.

“Just you?” Kque whispers. She, as much as Yrelia or Tasii, put days of careful planning into this scheme. Spent many late nights helping me and Yrelia work out how we were going to keep our work simple and unnoticed by any local Hetaera guilds.

“Yrelia um… wanted me to run this by you.” I whisper back with a smile. “Make sure we… um… covered our butts?”

And I explain, in short. The offer and the conditions set to protect us all from possible issues if someone decides to poke around. We pause only so Jevita can go grab their food. And despite my expectations to have dinner with my other two lover’s tonight, they both share little nibbles with me as the hour passes.

“Seems solid to me. “Jevita mumbles.

Kque doesn’t shake her head, just… looks past me. Considering. “You should have pushed to know exactly what they expect you to do. Like… the specifics of the entire night. That’s a long time to be alone with someone.”

I slump, sense a possibility… well… we all agreed very early that if one of us senses an issue or danger with a client we would call that encounter off. And I can’t help but feel her chewing over the option.

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“I… we really didn’t get any ugly feelings.” I assure her, “And Yrelia will visit to talk with the Lady herself to make sure nothing is off.”

She chews on her inner cheek. A very rare sign of Kque really really working out a thought I’d only noticed as we started this. “But… like… why you? Why not just offer triple price and ask Yrelia to just… like… hang off to the side and let you do everything? Ina, you're gorgeous and I have no doubt that many of your clients pick the two of you because of you, but… This is really odd.”

I sigh, nod. A weird mix of sadness and relief when I realize that Kque is about to cancel this. “Yeah, I… I don’t know.”

“You probably just answered your own question.” Jevita whispers. “This person has some kind of kink that Ina looks to scratch. And while triple price is… well… a fuckton to us. It’s not always to someone with her family's level of wealth.”

Kque turns to regard her. “You recognize the name?”

Jevita nods, then whispers very very quietly. Even though the room is empty except for us. “The Rell family is old. Like… Really really old. Like… helped build the fucking Academy old.”

The jolts both myself and Kque.

“Wh… What?” She exclaims. “Why didn’t you mention that right away?”

“Took me a bit to place the name, and…” Jevita winces, shrugs. “I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing. It supports my theory, about their sense of money being off. And makes them wanting privacy more reasonable. The daughters of that family either hire Hetaera like we buy jewelry, or… well… They keep it very very quiet. Honestly the lack of subtle or overt threats is a very good sign that this really is just a passing flame for them.”

I feel my eyes widen. “Like… Help me understand how important this person might be. I… I know the Academy is a big deal, but… In Lyttoral the most important people In the city were the head of the Duenna, a Sororitas Mistress, or um…”

My Sangoma. I leave it unsaid.

“Her great grandmama is probably either a Doyen or bound to one.” Jevita rests her elbows on the table. “This far from the academy and the lake… Might be on vacation even. Their messenger just called them The Lady Rell, right?”

I nod.

She sighs, “So she’s probably representing their interests in the city. If they had called her High Lady or Matron this would be much more complicated. So… yeah. I’d guess some lower rung of the family. Just aiming for a bit of discretion in her night of fun.”

“But why tease at…” Kque starts, then settles. “Fuck. Of course. The danger of a scandal is probably fun to her.”

Jevita nods. “Yeah that tracks. Women like her probably scoff at Hetaera traditions and rules. Think they should be able to snatch up any women they want for a night of fun so long as they throw enough money at them.”

After that we all agree pretty quickly that this seems safe as any other client. More so since we’ll have leverage if my client tries anything… unacceptable. Kque goes over the warnings and signs to keep on watch for. Even has me repeat them back before she relaxes.

“I’m sorry, we should have gotten you a plate.” She sighs as we finish up and I’m rising to leave.

“It’s fine. Thanks for looking out for me!” I reply back, then remember.

“Oh! I almost forgot!” I hurriedly and excitedly begin searching through my bag, then I find the notebook. “I wanted to pass this along to you, Jevita.”

I tear the little page free, and pass the note to Kque. She looks over it, nods, and passes it to Jevita. Who can barely hide her grin of excitement at the prospect of a message from our non-physical teacher.

“Took me all week to get Her to just… say it plainly. And I’ll still need to show you the songs she’s having me practice.” I move around the table to get goodbye hugs.

After Jevita reads the note, she immediately starts puzzling over the meanings. “Do… Do you have the answer?”

“Um… No.” I reply as I wrap arms around them both. “This is specifically for you. She really really loves how your mind works.”

It's a series of really odd questions. Riddles and sort of nonsense things I had trouble even remembering the wordings of. But... She insisted this will please our lover and help her begin to understand real magic.

That makes her smile, and I treasure the warmth that flutters in my chest. Then Jevita turns, and surprises me with a big hug and a… well… It's not as aggressive as Tasii or Yrelia can get, but the kiss is filled with so much energy that I can feel her Amwella spark at our touch.

“Thanks for pestering her into… um… giving me this.” She sighs as we separate. “I know She can be weird to get answers from.”

“Of course.” I find myself unconsciously caressing her jawline as I step away. “But… honestly She spent more time trying to get me to remember and understand Her than me asking for you. She knows you're the clever student.”

That makes her blush, and I suspect she might have asked me to stay with the two of them tonight if I’d not needed to go back and be with Tasii and Yrelia. Will need to visit soon, see if she and Kque would be interested in a night or two together before we leave this city.

On the walk through the busy snow covered city, I can’t help but feel my heart flutter and fill with thoughts of my lovers. Four of them!?! How had I ever been so lucky to… to find such a wondrous family of amazing women!?!

I’d been so worried in the weeks after what was apparently our first big sex thing. I… I still only remember bits and titters of the night, even less from the violence before. But while that was done for love and saving me from what apparently might have been severe mind and soul damage, the next… eight? Fuck it had been eight more times at this point! All different and perfect and…

I have to stop for a second, catch my breath at the memories. Else I will ruin my fucking underthings.

Being a Hetaera during sex is ALL about control. Of, like… everything. But most importantly, your own fucking body. Yrelia had told me those first days of training. And I pull her words and subsequent um… lessons close. Breath control, focus thoughts on something unsexy, not too traumatizing unless you're literally falling apart. I’m not nose deep in a lover or clients’ cunt so it happens quickly, and I’m walking again.

Tasii and Yrelia are already waiting for me. “Fuck, sorry I’m late! Kque wanted basically every detail before she would give her consent to this one.”

I give them both kisses, just… little things on the cheek or Tasii’s bare shoulder.

“Expected as much,” Yrelia murmurs, then moves for me to sit between instead of beside. “Now help me convince Tasii.”

“What?” I glance to see Tasii has a pretty annoyed expression. Very unhappy. “Yrelia… We… This isn’t about convincing anyone!”

Tasii relaxes, just a little, then glances over to me. Eyes meet mine. “If you want to do this I won’t stop you. I just… I don't like it. Something feels off.”