Chapter 101
“CIARA!” Master Evan boomed standing right in front of me.
I bounced up and nearly ran into Master Bane who had been leaning over behind me.
“Have you Lost the ability to hear?” he asked sounding exasperated.
“It still has ears, brother,” Master Bane laughed, “I checked.”
Master Evan continued to glare at me until Master Kein patted him on the back, “It looks contrite and quite afraid of you. Do not be cruel, brother.”
Master Evan put a hand on either side of my face and kissed my forehead, which was an extremely weird gesture for him. In all the time I’d known him he’d never kissed me like that. “Please pay attention when we’re speaking to you, Ciara,” he said pleadingly.
“Yes, Master Evan. I’m sorry,” I apologized.
We didn’t go home first today. Master Damien had the transport pad drop us off at the bathhouse. The men stripped themselves and then undressed me hurriedly. I bathed Master Damien, as normal, but the rest of the men washed themselves. They had gathered their things and we were back in our apartment before I could blink.
Right away I noticed a difference. There were more chairs in the sitting area and the table in the eating area was expanded. My stomach fluttered with apprehension as I noted the chairs in the sitting room arranged around an open area. Obviously that was where they expected me to dance.
“Will that be enough room Ciara?” Master Damien asked when he caught me staring at it.
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I nodded mutely and he Laughed at me. They were all in a wonderful mood. It was like they were looking forward to this. I wished I could have shared their anticipation.
When they got redressed I asked them if I could wear something specific. They dressed me as I requested. I asked them to tie a piece of fabric around my waist in addition to my panels.
When mom and I had taken the class we always wore what they called a hip scarf. The one I had at home had coins on it that shook when I danced. I was so nervous I told my owners all about it.
I described the outfits the belly dancers wore in detail, right down to the finger cymbals or zills. Nobody stopped me from talking; it seemed I was already entertaining them. Master Bane even asked about why I did this dance at home. They found the entire story interesting.
The food arrived in volumes right before Fuji and her owners did. The men greeted each other heartily and sat down to feast. I thought I’d be too nervous to eat, but the dinner was really good.
Master Damien and Master Evan fed me, but it was all from their plates. This is property © NôvelDrama.Org.
No bowls of worms were to be seen on the table. If dancing meant no worms I had to think it was a good thing.
After dinner the men sat and talked. Fuji‘s owners obviously didn’t know the “campaign” against the women was a farce, because they wanted to discuss it. My owners debated strategy with them and never let on. I wondered if that was hard for them to know the truth and have to lie about it. I certainly wouldn’t have enjoyed it.
Fuji and I kneeled in front of one another. She had specific songs she wanted me to play for her and we had already discussed that. Again, she made me repeat them until she was positive I remembered. Fuji knew I was hervous and she also knew humans forgot things when they got nervous.
When the men got quiet I jumped behind the Little drums Fuji had brought. Master Damien raised an eyebrow at me, but didn’t say anything. Fuji quickly placed our kneeling pads in front of our respective owners. I thought that was an odd gesture. Fuji’s owners called her to start dancing, which she did with flourish.
I played the songs she had asked me to, in the order I was supposed to play them. It felt a Little Like being back at a music competition. The exact same feelings were all there. All that time in band had paid off, my brain was hard wired for music. This part of the evening I knew I wouldn’t screw up.
Fuji writhed and dipped, doing the traditional dances of her people.
She swung her hips and her hair wildly. I relaxed as I played, I was used to watching Fuji dance.