1 - THE KEYS AND THE SAFE
Maria stood in silence by the fire of Tal's room waiting for him as he had requested. She had seen to Eiellani's room then to Tal's before changing into a light red blouse and flowing black and red skirt, nothing restricting and everything silk for his easy access, the collar glittering in the low light, the small flares of silver catching the light. Her head is low, her eyes on the flames, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders lose over her back but pulled back slightly at the sides secured by a silver clasp as she waited nervously for him.
The door to his suite opened and the Count stepped into his room, locking the door behind him. He had really had his travel garments taken from him by servants in the first floor. He now wore only his white silk shirt open at the neck. his black pants were tight around the butt, his trim waist apparent. He wore slipper for his boots were taken from him on the first floor. He held the key to the door in his hand as he walked toward Maria. He had already noticed that Lani's room was perfectly warm and prepared for the Countess. His own suite was equally warm and ready. He saw Maria standing by the fire and he smiled at her.
She shifted feeling his eyes on her more then hearing him and looked back at him over her shoulder before turning back to him, and lifting her chin to expose her neck slightly to him, "Good eve My Love," she breathed softly.
He looked at her neck hungrily. He needed her in every way imaginable. He took her hand in his and kissed it while staring into her eyes. "My love, before I say anything else I just want to let you know how impressed I was with you this evening. You're behavior was perfect (he would not mention her initial refusal to eat as his command) and I was so proud of being with you and the way you behaved. You served the Longden name very well. I couldn't be more pleased with you."
She nods and smiles softly, "Thank you my love, I tried to serve you as you would want me to," she answered softly.
He looked at her standing in the glow of the fire. "I love the way you look tonight with that red blouse and the way you have your hair. Perhaps we should make this your valet attire." He put his finger to his lips and walked around her inspecting her. "Yes...I like it very much."
She does not fallow him, but waits for him to return to her line of sight, "You mentioned training I was unsure how to dress, but it seemed proper to give you free access without ties getting in the way," she answered softly.
He smiled, "Yes, your training should begin. First off, here is the key ring." He handed her the key ring that Philippe had always carried around. "You are to keep the doors to my suite locked, especially when we are in here together."
She nodded accepting the key.
He walked over to the great bookshelf in his suite and went to a book that was titled, 'The Door of Darkness.' "Watch this," he said as he tilted the book forward. A wall panel on the opposite wall opened up and revealed a large safe. "Follow me." He brought her to the safe. "The combination is 7 Left, 7 Right, 3 Left, and 4 right. You don't have to write it out, because if you did and then turned the paper up which it is written upside down; the numbers would spell the word "hELL."
She nods still not speaking just listening.
"In other words, it would be pure hell for anyone who would ever steal anything from me. Now, having said that, I do want you to know that you can take from the safe any amount of money that you need, up to 2000 gold a day. Just record what you take in the ledger. Is that clear?"
She nods, "Yes my love," she answers looking up at him.
He smiled, "Now to more personal ways of serving me. Please, go stand before the fireplace and remove your clothing."
Maria stood in silence by the fire of Tal's room waiting for him as he had requested. She had seen to Eiellani's room then to Tal's before changing into a light red blouse and flowing black and red skirt, nothing restricting and everything silk for his easy access, the collar glittering in the low light, the small flares of silver catching the light. Her head is low, her eyes on the flames, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders lose over her back but pulled back slightly at the sides secured by a silver clasp as she waited nervously for him.
The door to his suite opened and the Count stepped into his room, locking the door behind him. He had really had his travel garments taken from him by servants in the first floor. He now wore only his white silk shirt open at the neck. his black pants were tight around the butt, his trim waist apparent. He wore slipper for his boots were taken from him on the first floor. He held the key to the door in his hand as he walked toward Maria. He had already noticed that Lani's room was perfectly warm and prepared for the Countess. His own suite was equally warm and ready. He saw Maria standing by the fire and he smiled at her.
She shifted feeling his eyes on her more then hearing him and looked back at him over her shoulder before turning back to him, and lifting her chin to expose her neck slightly to him, "Good eve My Love," she breathed softly.
He looked at her neck hungrily. He needed her in every way imaginable. He took her hand in his and kissed it while staring into her eyes. "My love, before I say anything else I just want to let you know how impressed I was with you this evening. You're behavior was perfect (he would not mention her initial refusal to eat as his command) and I was so proud of being with you and the way you behaved. You served the Longden name very well. I couldn't be more pleased with you."
She nods and smiles softly, "Thank you my love, I tried to serve you as you would want me to," she answered softly.
He looked at her standing in the glow of the fire. "I love the way you look tonight with that red blouse and the way you have your hair. Perhaps we should make this your valet attire." He put his finger to his lips and walked around her inspecting her. "Yes...I like it very much."
She does not fallow him, but waits for him to return to her line of sight, "You mentioned training I was unsure how to dress, but it seemed proper to give you free access without ties getting in the way," she answered softly.
He smiled, "Yes, your training should begin. First off, here is the key ring." He handed her the key ring that Philippe had always carried around. "You are to keep the doors to my suite locked, especially when we are in here together."
She nodded accepting the key.
He walked over to the great bookshelf in his suite and went to a book that was titled, 'The Door of Darkness.' "Watch this," he said as he tilted the book forward. A wall panel on the opposite wall opened up and revealed a large safe. "Follow me." He brought her to the safe. "The combination is 7 Left, 7 Right, 3 Left, and 4 right. You don't have to write it out, because if you did and then turned the paper up which it is written upside down; the numbers would spell the word "hELL."
She nods still not speaking just listening.
"In other words, it would be pure hell for anyone who would ever steal anything from me. Now, having said that, I do want you to know that you can take from the safe any amount of money that you need, up to 2000 gold a day. Just record what you take in the ledger. Is that clear?"
She nods, "Yes my love," she answers looking up at him.
He smiled, "Now to more personal ways of serving me. Please, go stand before the fireplace and remove your clothing."