Okay, that’s the working title. Unless I can’t come up with something better. 🙂 This is the story of what comes before The Courtesy of Knives, where my younger prince first becomes acquainted with our lovely courtesan. Apologies for this being so short: I’ve been struck down by the flu and I’ve kind of randomly picked a few lines.

There’s a whole social and developmental structure that goes along with becoming a courtesan. One of the events, before a courtesan in training, or fledgling, officially can work is a kind of demonstration, to drum up interest, so to speak. Generally, an erotic moment, sponsored by his patron, for a select group of men.

“Good evening, my lords.” Iyani’s voice—Gods, he was obsessed, that he could recognize the man just from the tone and timber of his voice already. Ganelon turned his head and was surprised to see the courtesan in a loose white robe that covered him from throat to mid-calf. Behind him, the young—fledgling? Shalif wore the same robe, but with much less assurance.

Iyani continued, his voice rising and falling in the singsong cadence of a storyteller or a priest. “Tonight, I offer you a glimpse of the future, a shining moment of the pleasure that could someday be yours. Tonight, I offer you the courtesan Shali, before his time.” He drew the young man forward to stand in front of him, caressing his shoulders and arms through the silk of the robe.

And now, I will return to wishing the flu would just kill me.

Apparently second round edits for the Absolute Write Erotica Anthology have started coming out, so yay! Whenever mine land in my inbox, I’ll Tickle it for you.