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Chapter 3: Meeting My Mentor


I spent the night with Mialibao. Then I paid her very well. Then I
paid her employer a little more than he demanded, making it clear,
through Paul, who had finally reappeared, that the extra was for Mia’s
excellence. Then Paul and I went looking for trade goods. Then we saw
the prices that were being offered for goods, and almost went looking
for a bigger ship. With the nearly five thousand florins that was my
share of the cargo we’d brought, I could have loaded my ship twice
with cargo. Instead, I loaded up with silks, porcelains and spices.
And I still had three thousand florins in gold. I decided Paul and I
were going solo next trip. We’d discussed it, and I offered him twenty
percent if he’d work with me. When we got home and sold the cargo, my
partners had a hefty profit of fifteen thousand florins, plus four
thousand they stole from me when they sold me the “Chelae”. Then Paul
and I reloaded, and made our way back to Nasai.

This trip, Paul began to teach me the language. I was very surprised
to find I was a quick study. Paul didn’t seem to be. “You’ve got a
sharp mind, boy. I saw how you watched those old merchies in Nasai.
And I apologize for letting them try to cheat ya. But yer sharp. In a
trip or two, you’ll be speaking their tongue near as good as me,” he
said with a chuckle.

He did teach me a lot on the way over. And we found that our first
trip had whetted the appetite of the merchants for more of our goods.
Our profits quadrupled. And I went to find Mialibao. When I entered
the Narwhal, I saw her with another sailor. A thin, mean looking
individual with a scar blinded eye, and a temper. Mia was shaking her
head at the sailor, refusing something. I was surprised. She was,
after all, a whore. He looked to be a paying customer. Then I looked
around and saw the innkeeper. He looked miserable, like he knew this
would end badly, and he couldn’t stop it.

A slap across flesh spun me back to Mia and the sailor. She was
holding her cheek and sobbing, and I could see blood flowing from
under her hand. Then I watched as the sailor slid a dirk from his belt. I
was too far to hear what he was saying to Mialibao, and doubted I
would understand the words anyway. “Dalon says he’s going to cut the
baby from her womb and feed it to his crew for supper.” A soft voice
spoke from behind me. I spun to see who spoke. It was a woman,
probably ten years my senior, but of nearly ethereal beauty.  Her eyes
were iridescent green, her hair the red of flame. The skirt she wore
was soft black leather, her blouse was white silk. And she wore no
undergarment under that blouse. “The way you were you watching, I knew
you wanted to know what was being said. You care about the girl. This
I can also tell. If I prevent Dalon from acting, you will sup with me,
and tell me of yourself, and why you care for a little whore. Yes?”

I looked at her. Her face was sprinkled liberally with freckles,
making it look even younger than my own. Her eyes twinkled with mirth,
but they were also serious as she awaited my response. I finally
nodded agreement. With a wave of her hand, two shadows rose from
behind her and moved into the light. They were obviously bodyguards.
They were just as obviously female. And from the Islands. They moved
to where Mia and the man Dalon argued. As they arrived Dalon began his
strike. The dirk drove towards Mia’s belly. It would have driven deep
into flesh if she had still stood where she was, but the first
bodyguard had pulled her to the side when the thrust began. Dalon
looked at her in a rage, but then seemed to recognize her and paled.
He was looking frantically about the room and finally saw the red
headed woman. She had stepped up next to me and placed her arm around
my waist when he saw her. Dalon looked like he was going to beg for
something when the second bodyguard appeared behind him.

Casually, she looped a cord around his throat and tightened it until
he noticed it. Then the girl looked to her mistress. I looked at the
redheaded woman out of the corner of my eye as well, and saw her nod
in satisfaction. Panic widened Dalon’s eyes, and he made to stand. But
the girl tightened the garrote easily and held steady, strangling him
with casual efficiency. When he lay limp against the cord, his face
purpling, she flipped it loose with a snap and tucked it into her belt
pouch. She again looked at her mistress, her look curious. At another
nod, I saw the girl adjust a heavy signet ring on her hand. Then drive
her fist into the dead man’s forehead. “Now, when they collect the
body, they’ll know I ordered this. And if they aren’t stupid, they’ll
heed the warning.” With a motion of her hand, the other bodyguard
brought the sobbing Mialibao to her Mistress.

The red-haired woman sat back at her table, and when Mia knelt before
her she gently removed Mia’s hand from her cheek. There were three
gashes along the skin, two of which still bled. The redhead woman
nodded, and then turned to me. “Take this ointment, and take your
little whore to her room. Apply it gently to the cuts. It will sting
at first, but it has an analgesic property, so that won’t last but for
a moment. After that, you can enjoy one another’s “companionship”.
However, I expect to see you in the dining area within three hours.” I
looked at her for a moment, confused. “You did agree to sup with me,
and tell me why you care about this whore. Remember?”

As we were speaking, Mia had looked up to see what was going on. That
was when I realized the woman was speaking fjordic. Mia had no idea of
what we had been discussing. “How did you know I spoke this language?”
I demanded. Then remembering to be courteous, I also added, “Yes, I
remember, and will attend you.”

“Good. And as for knowing the language you speak, I always learn who
the players are in the game of commerce. You are new, but you will be
a major factor in the game soon. Adieu, Master Erlic, son of Gustaf.”
And she made her way from the tavern.

When she left, Mia looked up and recognized me. She crawled to me and
took my hand, kissing the back of it and then holding it to her
uninjured cheek. I didn’t understand her subservience, and so chose to
ignore it for now. I helped her to stand, and then led her to the
doorway I remembered from months before. When we entered, she
approached me tentatively. She was about to unbutton my shirt when I
shook my head with a smile, and drew her down to the floor. I didn’t
really like having her kneeling before me, it made me uncomfortable,
but it was easier for what I needed to do. When she knelt, I opened
the vial of ointment. Taking some on my fingertip, I gently wiped it
down the first of the cuts on her cheek. She flinched at my touch at
first, and then relaxed at my gentle caress. I quickly finished with
the other two and she laid her head against my thigh. I was brushing
her hair back when I noticed the cuts. They were shrinking and closing
under my gaze, the one that had stopped bleeding was nearly a tiny
scar already.

Her head in my lap suddenly reminded me of why I’d come seeking her in
the first place, and I had her stand. I undressed her slowly, admiring
her naked form with pleasure. And when I looked at her belly I
remembered what the man Dalon had threatened her with. Yes, there was
a slight swelling there, and I caressed it with a smile. She took my
hand in hers and held it against the taughtness there, looking down at
the life growing there. “I’m only sorry it’s not yours, m’Lord.”

I smiled and nodded and then my mouth fell open with a popping of my
jaw. I’d understood every word she’d said! I swallowed twice to get
some saliva. “Yes, I’m sorry it isn’t mine, too. But mayhap the next
one.”

With a squeak of terror, she pushed my hand away and looked up at me
in shock. “You knew what I said! You didn’t understand before! I Know
this. How do you speak isler now?”

“We will speak of this later, Mialibao. For now, I wish to share
pleasure with you. And then I must meet…” and I trailed off. I had to
meet whom? I didn’t even know the red-haired woman’s name.

But Mia knew whom I meant. “You meet with Mistress Nalita? Be careful,
she is very dangerous. But she is also unpredictable. Use caution.”

And then she decided it was time to renew our companionship and
stripped me quickly. And showed me a new way of pleasure. She again
squatted above my face and waited for me to begin my caresses. But
this time, she lay down along my torso and kissed my belly. And then
kissed the tip of my cock. I jumped slightly at that, but continued my
enjoyment of her nether regions. And then she took the tip of my cock
into her mouth and began to stroke the shaft. I almost bit the little
button I’d just begun to suck on. I think she could sense my shock,
cause I thought I heard her chuckle. Then she took more of my staff
into her mouth and began to suck avidly.

After some time in this position, I knew I was close, and wanted to
take Mia with me. I lapped hard at her slit and rubbed her nub with my
thumb. Then a thought occurred to me. I slid my forefinger into her
wet opening several times and she moaned softly. And then timing it
carefully, just before I was going to explode under her oral caresses,
I slid my forefinger into her bottom. She sucked hard on my shaft in
surprise and then started to buck her crotch against my face. As her
orgasm swept through her, I poured out the first of my come. She
swallowed it eagerly, sucking hungrily on the staff even as she
furiously rubbed her sex against me.

At last, we relaxed. Sort of. We actually moved to the tub, again
filled with hot water. I washed the remaining ointment from her face,
and found only the faintest of scars where the cuts had been. Then I
sat in the tub, and she sat on my lap. Actually, she sat on my
erection, and bounced up and down on it as I rubbed her button and
caressed her breasts. She squealed in pleasure when she came, and I
marveled as her body milked my shaft with her vaginal walls. We sat
that way for another fifteen minutes, cuddled together, and then she
bathed me again and tried to make me presentable for my meeting with
Mistress Nalita.