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Our soul is always speaking to us if we can be still and quiet enough to hear it.
-Master Fjeld
***
Keralan was relieved to see, when she emerged from her room in the morning, that the girls were fully clothed.
So, they don't just tromp around all day and night naked, she thought.
Keralan was also glad when Mira didn't acknowledge what had happened the night before. The last thing she wanted was to have to analyze her own waning morality. She allowed the newness of her living situation to distract her, which worked to some degree.
Over breakfast in the main room, and very much to her dismay, Keralan learned that there was a party in the evening that they were required to attend. The girls explained that they would be there as entertainment and that it would be her first night of work. Her stomach knotted at the thought. She had no idea what would be expected of her and she didn't ask.
When they were finished eating, Tian and Jewel showed Keralan around the well-kept harem grounds. They had their own garden, a pool, a game room, an entertainment room, a dressing room, and a lavish bathroom. Keralan remembered that she had wanted to check her control panel to see what had been altered. She excused herself and went to the restroom.
Inside, she accessed her control panel by tapping her arm. At first, as she selected various icons and studied their contents, nothing appeared any different. Finally, when she tapped the bird icon for messaging, the screen that appeared was blank. Her contacts were gone. She tried several times to locate them, but to no avail. It was worse than she'd expected. She had no way to send a message. Not to her father, Henry, her friends, or any of the casual acquaintances she'd made. No one. She frowned, thinking there was something sinister in the way the links to her old life had been severed.
The only other alteration that was apparent to her, was that she could not make purchases. Perhaps she wasn’t expected to have to pay for anything while she lived in the harem, but purchasing was something that she was used to having control over. Back home she ordered clothes, shoes, art supplies, digital books, movies, music, and anything else she fancied, like the fish tank she ordered from Thigarta Province, or the expensive real leather purse from Haina Province. She knew she had been spoiled, but suddenly having so little control over her life was highly displeasing.
When Keralan came back to the main room, Oma was there speaking to Tian and Jewel. She immediately suggested that the two of them give Keralan a tour to familiarize her with the household. Tian and Jewel excitedly agreed and took her by the hand. Keralan reluctantly let them lead her away. She turned back and saw Oma watching them go. She had meant to question the older woman about her contacts.
Jewel and Tian first took her to the living area where informal business was conducted, such as parties and casual meetings. It was empty. There were several groupings of white leather couches and chairs set out on an expanse of white marble floor. Small and medium black shiny tables sat at the center of each. The walls were made of black and gray granite that featured veins of white and gold that had the appearance of ethereal clouds. Flowering tropical plants and trees grew out of spaces in the floor and the walls. The south side of the room was a wall of glass that seemed to be made from a single piece, though it didn't seem possible. Above, everything was covered by an angled glass ceiling.
Next, they showed her an office area with sterile looking white rooms and large black mirror-like tables surrounded by smaller workspaces. A few impeccably dressed employees stood at one of the tables. Images moved on the surface, as one of the men manipulated them with his fingers. Keralan had never seen such a thing. Even her father didn't have a table like it. He had a wall screen, just as she had in her own room, and they were rare as far as she had known.
An employee seemed to be arranging documents and images. He selected a photograph of something small and shiny. He zoomed in, to discuss some detail with the others. Another then tapped on his own control panel and a graph appeared within the black space. A female employee looked up at them and seemed to frown at them.
Around the corner they came to a stunning open entertainment area. Blue granite tile and black stone covered the floors and walls. Opulent red velvet love seats and ornate golden décor accented the setting. A large bar with black granite and mirrors dominated one corner. The ceiling was the most eye-catching part of the room. It was absolutely covered in painted detail. Most of it was an intricate pattern mixed with figures of fantastical creatures, all studded with pieces of something reflective. It was dazzling. Keralan was sore from craning her neck to look before they moved on. The enormous space connected back to the living area.
Jewel and Tian led her further to a few fragrant gardens, Bilrah's game rooms, a fencing arena, and an impressive swimming pool that was designed for a large party. It contained grottoes and waterfalls, bars, and tropical plants that stretched and reached up to the glass ceiling.
The whole place was a kind paradise. It was more than Keralan ever imagined anyone could have. Though her uncle's beliefs about inequality were at the forefront of her mind, she found herself impressed with the pure beauty of the building's design.
Another thing Keralan noticed during her tour was that the girls didn't lead her through black doors, like she and Oma had the day before.
"What can you tell me about the black doors?" Keralan ventured to ask.
Tian smiled and said, "yeah, those doors, only certain members can go through. Someone with clearance must take you. They usually wear a black robe. But you see all the blue doors? They are open to everyone. And the orange door to the harem is only accessible to us and a few others. Then there are these gray doors," she pointed to one they were walking past. "They are just for the cleaning and maintenance staff. No need to worry about them."
She paused and took on a serious tone.
"But this is very important. When we are in a public area, like this, we are expected to dress modestly. No short skirts and no cleavage. Nothing provocative, even when it comes to makeup. We must behave like any other employee. It's a professional atmosphere that Bilrah wants and expects. Most of the employees here don't even know what we really are."
Jewel agreed and added, "see, this is a high-level company, so it's important that we always portray it as such. Bilrah has a reputation to uphold. He doesn't want the female Heads to despise him for having concubines. But this is also Bilrah's home. The black doors give him privacy. You follow?" she questioned her.
Bilrah lived and worked in the same building. Synpol was set up in a similar fashion, minus the glitz and glamour. She didn't explain to the girls how familiar the concept was. She knew that she was different from them in many ways and didn't want to highlight the fact.
Keralan nodded her understanding. It was becoming apparent why her contacts had been removed. The harem was Bilrah's dirty little secret. Keralan was no fool. If he didn't want anyone to know about his concubines, let alone his name, his promise to let her go home in a month was extremely unlikely.
***
That afternoon, while the girls busied themselves with various activities, Keralan decided to listen to some music in her room. She laid on her bed and made her selection. It was good to be alone. All she wanted was to close her eyes and escape for a while.
Keralan let out a long sigh. So much had happened in the last day. She still hadn't processed everything. She wasn't the same person anymore. She was a concubine. A concubine. It still seemed unreal. For some reason, Bilrah wanted her to be in his harem of gorgeous, cloned beauties. A vision of the other girls flashed through her mind. It was a strange thought that there could be genetic copies of them in other provinces. She imagined two Mira's standing side by side, but decided it was too awkward to ask the girls if they had known any of their own clones.
She thought of Mira and recalled the things she had done to her the night before. It had felt so incredible that she was curious to understand more. And because she was alone, she impulsively decided she could investigate. She reached over and opened the top drawer of her dresser and took out the handled mirror she had discovered that morning. She didn't even know how she looked. She had never thought to find out. For a moment she hesitated, hoping that the girls would knock first if they came to her door.
Still lying on the bed, she pulled up her skirt and bent her legs. She held the mirror between her thighs, seeing the mass of dark hair growing around her fleshy slit. With her other hand she moved the hair aside and easily located the sensitive spot that Mira had kissed. It was just a nub of skin over something firm. She moved her fingers over and around it. Up and down, side to side. It felt good. It perplexed her that she had ignored such a sensational part of her body. It wasn't that she hadn't noticed how sensitive it was; the thought simply hadn't entered her mind that such a tiny thing could lead to something so electrifying.
She set the mirror aside and continued to touch herself, finding that the sensation ebbed and grew depending on how she moved and pressed and swirled her fingertips. It was amazing to her that she could create pleasure all on her own. It had never occurred to her that sex could be something a person could indulge in alone. Pleasure had always been there, just waiting to be discovered.
Suddenly there was a knock at her door. Keralan startled, pulling down her skirt as fast as she could. She hid the mirror under the blanket, switched off her music and control screen, and went to the door. It was Oma.
"The master would like to see you in his office," she told her.
Frowning, Keralan could do nothing but accept. She realized she was wearing the same clothes as the day before. This annoyed her. She hadn't taken the time to get something fresh. She hoped Bilrah would understand.
As Oma led her, Keralan used her fingers to rake through her hair, combing it as best as she could. She followed the woman into an elevator and watched her use her control panel to operate the immaculately clean white space. They moved down a level and stopped. The doors slid open to a huge office complex that she hadn't expected. There were many men and women there dressed much nicer that she. They were highly focused on what they were doing, and so, gave the two of them little notice as they strode through. Black marble covered many of the surfaces. It was similar in appearance to the entertainment area, but it was decidedly classier. Keralan wondered if anyone was wealthier than Bilrah. It was hard to imagine.
Oma finally led Keralan to a corner office where the door slid open. Inside, she could see an imposing desk in front of wide windows. The chair faced out to the view. Oma cleared her voice and said, "Keralan is here to see you sir."
The chair spun around to face them. Bilrah nodded and thanked Oma who then left. The door closed behind her.
"Come in Keralan. Have a seat," he motioned to a chair. Keralan noted the sharp looking business suit he wore. He looked professional in contrast to their meeting the evening before. He leaned forward in his chair. His lips wore the hint of a smile. His eyes seemed to bore into Keralan.
"Have you settled in okay?" he asked.
Keralan thought of what she had just been doing for a split second. She pushed it aside, though she felt herself blush.
"Yes, I am doing fine," she answered, though fine was far from the right word.
"Good, good," he said, tapping the desk lightly with his fingers. "I just wanted to prep you for tonight. You see, there is going to be a party and..."
"Yes, I've been told," Keralan interrupted.
"Sure, of course," Bilrah replied, "but I thought it might calm your nerves for me to tell you personally that no matter what is said, you do not need to do anything you are uncomfortable with. I think it best if you give me a sign, in fact, if you feel like you can't handle it. Like for instance, you could play with a necklace at your neck. Yes," he seemed to decide, "that will be your sign to me."
Keralan simply stared back at him, wondering what might make her feel so uneasy that she would need to leave. Bilrah stood up and walked to the front of his desk, where she sat. He leaned on the table, right next to her. She felt trepidation at how close his body was to hers and she didn't know where to look.
"You see Keralan, I'm fully aware that you aren't a concubine. I can imagine how you must feel, being thrown to the wolves, so to speak. Just know that I don't expect, nor do I desire, for you to act like the other girls. I like you just the way you are."
Keralan narrowed her eyes up at him not believing him. She finally said, "whatever you say, sir."
"Please call me Bilrah."
"Bilrah," she repeated, reluctantly.
He smiled down at her, gazed at her for a time, and then said with a sigh, "unfortunately, I have much to do today. I will look forward to seeing you tonight."
Keralan bowed her head ever so slightly and got up to leave. To her surprise, he reached out to take her hands. He looked into her eyes. Keralan thought there was something unsaid hanging on his lips, though she didn't know what. He brought her right hand to his mouth and held it there a moment before kissing it gently.
"Until later," he said, releasing her hands in one fluid motion. She turned to go. When she got to the door, he called out to remind her to wear a necklace. Looking back, she assured him she would. Then she left, finding Oma there to lead her back.
***
Upon their return to the harem, Oma clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. She announced quickly that they all needed to be ready by eight. She barked out orders to the girls, instructing them individually on which of the men they were responsible for. Keralan overheard Oma tell Urda to handle Gwain and gain his trust, then turn to tell Mira that she was to hold off until Urda was able to take Gwain away. Oma didn't give Keralan any orders. She didn't seem to be concerned with her at all. Keralan didn't know if that was good or bad.
Oma wheeled in a food cart with pre-party nibbles. The food had been selected for nutrient density so that they neither went hungry nor become overfilled. Keralan wasn't quite sure what the fancy little appetizers were made of, but she ate them and found they were surprisingly satisfying. After only a few minutes the nibbles were gone, and they moved to the dressing room.
It didn't take long for Keralan to find herself fully nude along with the other girls. In the full-length mirrors spaced out between the wardrobes, she quietly compared her body to those of the concubines, while the girls milled about in a chaotic frenzy of perfume, makeup and frantic debate about what to wear.
Keralan frowned. She wasn't sure why she cared that she wasn't as good looking as they. It wasn't as if she wanted or needed to impress Bilrah. In fact, it was better if she didn't. Perhaps he would be more open to letting her go back home. And that was what she wanted. Wasn't it?
Abruptly, Tian told her to lie down and let her shave the hair between her legs. Keralan did as she asked. The device that trimmed her hair didn't hurt. It only tickled slightly. When she was done, Mira offered to fix her hair. She sat Keralan down on a stool, grabbed a small silver bottle, and liberally sprayed something into her long hair. It smelled of citrus and coconut. She then moved a wand-like device over her that felt warm and tingly. After that she took a special comb that glowed and beeped and pulled it through her hair for a few minutes. Keralan was impressed to find that her hair felt ultra-smooth as she ran her fingers through it. Jewel and Urda took over to rub lotion into her skin and apply her makeup.
When they were finished, Keralan peered into the mirror at her face. The makeup was unlike any she had seen. It caused her face to glow very slightly and the subtle shading redefined her eyelids, cheeks, nose, and chin. It made her look more mature. Her lips looked juicy with a shiny gloss. Her eyes and lashes were sultry.
When Oma opened the jewelry cases, Keralan made sure to take a necklace with a sparkling blue pendant. The other girls chose earrings, bracelets, anklets, necklaces, and rings. Then it was time to choose an outfit. Almost the entire room was lined with wardrobes. They each contained drawers above and below racks of hangers. They were organized by size. Within the sizes, the clothing ranged from sweatpants and tank tops, all the way to full evening gowns in luscious fabrics.
Keralan held off and observed what the other girls were putting on. To her dread, she watched as a few of them began to slip on some of the flimsiest, most revealing garments in the closets. There was no way she was going to show up at a party wearing something sheer and tight! Before long, she realized, to her inner embarrassment, that they were meant to be worn underneath their dresses. She relaxed a little.
Mira put on a slinky pale blue dress that accentuated the color of her eyes. Thin straps held the draped material over her perfect body. Keralan could see her nipples showing through the material. She wore her hair in loose ringlets that hung over her bare back.
Jewel wore a fitted white skirt that went to the floor. Her top, if it could be called that, was a white and black loop of fabric worn like a necklace. It was carefully adhered to the skin around her breasts, so that it wouldn't slide around. Her hair was pulled back tightly into a classy knot. Sparkling earrings hung to her shoulders.
Urda wore a tomato red lace dress. It was sheer enough to show her darker red lingerie underneath. Her hair was similarly styled to Keralans, straight and sleek. Golden bangles adorned her wrists and ankles. Large golden loop earrings hung from her earlobes.
Tian wore a short pink satin dress with a high neck. The skirt was full and twirled easily as she spun around playfully. She wore her naturally straight hair down. Keralan thought she seemed confident and happy, as if she were actually enjoying her work.
Anja had the simplest gown. It was a classic black sleeveless dress that contrasted nicely with the diamond jewelry and barrettes she wore. Just as an actress could transform and take on many different alter egos, her boyish appearance had vanished, replaced with feminine sophistication and class.
Finora wore a stunning emerald green dress. The material was unlike any Keralan had seen before. It was very thin, and yet totally opaque. The fabric clung to her curves, leaving little to imagine. Keralan noted the worried look on her face and wondered what was wrong.
Oma brought Keralan a frilly dress with a fitted grey strapless bodice along with a strapless black lace bra and matching panties. The expensive looking fabric of the dress was lustrous. Oma helped her to fasten it at her side and then she was done. When she had a moment to look at herself in the mirror, she felt like she was looking back at a stranger. She looked like a concubine, which was a bit of a relief, but she didn't feel like one. It was a costume. She felt like an imposter.
Just as they were preparing to go, Urda explained to Keralan that she should mingle and enjoy the party like any other guest. She was instructed to be friendly with everyone, but to keep moving.
"The guests should have the opportunity to meet you, but not to have you. They grow to desire you over time. Then if they are lucky, Bilrah invites them to have drinks." Keralan nodded, trying to follow her. "But," she shook her finger at her, "you are not to drink any alcohol or eat anything or take any pills that anyone offers. And never tell anyone you are a concubine. Some aren't meant to know, and those who know don't want to be reminded."
Urda must have seen that Keralan was concerned because she smiled and rubbed her shoulder gently.
"Don't worry," she said, sweetly. "You will be fine. We know it's your first time. Just listen and learn, so you know what is expected of you in future."
"All right," Keralan answered, wondering again why she was there.
She didn't belong.