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When you know who you are, compliments no longer serve any purpose.
-Master Fjeld
***
Before Keralan could see the party, she could hear it. There was music thumping and a chorus of voices humming. She gathered that it was a rather large crowd. They arrived at the end of a hallway that led to the large entertainment area. Jewel waved one girl through into the room at a time, metering them into the crowd. She told Keralan to wait a few minutes before entering and slipped through the black curtains herself.
A couple of guards, dressed in dark suits, stood at the end of the hallway on either side of the curtains. They hardly acknowledged her. She wasn't sure that she wanted to go to the party. The music was already too loud. She breathed deeply, trying to find some motivation. She had to force herself to move her feet when it was time. She sighed and stepped into the pandemonium.
The noise was almost deafening once she was past the heavy curtains. The deep beats of the song playing seemed to vibrate inside of her. There were people everywhere. She had never seen so many people packed together in one place before. Directly in front of her, there was a hoard of party guests moving and pushing up against each other in unison as if each person was a part of a massive living creature brought alive by the beat of the music.
She stared, in disbelief at all the faces, eyes closed, with expressions of something like rapture. Keralan sensed the unspoken agreement between them. The party was a place to completely let go. She gazed around for a moment, taking it all in.
The entertainment room held the throng of people, but just barely. Around the perimeter, people stood and talked, but everywhere else, people danced. She couldn't make out any landmarks of the room due to the crowd and lighting. The room was lit up with little twinkling lights that reflected off the ceiling to create a dramatic sparkling effect. It was both breathtaking and disorienting. After half a minute, she realized that her eyes were never going to adjust completely.
She decided she needed to start moving. Unable to see very far ahead of her, she headed in the general direction of the bar. She would order a soda water. She stepped forward, her heart beating faster. It was a strange feeling to move through the crowd. It was slow going. Most of the guests ignored her, caught up in their own little world, while some stared at her as if they were trying to size her up. Before she knew it, they were all around her.
Keralan was engulfed by the scent of cologne, perfume, liquor, and sweat mingling in the steamy air. She turned her body sideways to try to slip through more easily. She found that she had to push her way through, even though that meant pressing up against strange men and women. She could feel the heat emanating off their bodies, and the moisture that clung to their skin and clothing. Occasionally she was bumped and shoved, though she understood it wasn't deliberate.
At one point, Keralan found herself absentmindedly playing with her necklace. She stopped herself. She would have to be more aware of what she was doing.
New faces and bodies appeared with each step and push. They seemed to be a little older than her, while no one appeared to be over forty. She wondered who they were. They could be Giova employees, Shebai residents, or even visiting from another province. They were dressed in clothing that Keralan thought of as elegant, yet casual and flirtatious. Some of the women wore revealing outfits. Tops that went too low. Skirts that barely reached their thighs. And sometimes the men weren't wearing a shirt.
More unnerving than anything, however, was seeing the way they danced. She wasn't sure it could even be called dancing. Couples here and there stood close together, moving their bodies against each other rhythmically. Keralan was too inexperienced to tell if they were doing something more.
Some of the men nodded at her. She smiled back politely and kept moving. Some even tried to speak to her, though she did her best to answer briefly without stopping, as she had been advised. She pushed her way harder to avoid all eye contact. She needed to get somewhere less crowded. Just then, a man came up to her, leaning into her ear to speak to her, so she could hear him over the music.
"Haven't seen you here before. Are you new?" he breathed hot on her neck. Keralan noticed he smelled of something sharp and sweet.
Keralan just nodded, hoping to keep walking, but he managed to stay with her.
"Hey, can I get you a drink?" he yelled over the crowd. Keralan turned to him expecting to tell him no but was so struck by how handsome he was that instead she stared back awkwardly. He was tan with what she thought were brilliant green eyes, and black hair, though it was hard to discern in the lighting. He wore a suit, just like Bilrah. She couldn't believe that someone like him was even interested in her, but then she recalled the transformation she'd just undergone with her hair and makeup.
Keralan had to say something, so she said, "Thanks, b... but no." She felt ridiculous. Then she added, "I'm looking for a friend," as loudly as she could.
The handsome man wasn't deterred. He leaned closer and said into her ear, "well if your friend is as pretty as you, then I'll get her a drink too."
Keralan couldn't help but notice that she liked being called pretty but didn't know what to do. She didn't have any experience with men hitting on her. She was about to say that she wasn't interested, when he hooked his arm with hers and pulled her with him through the crowd. His grip on her was strong. Keralan had no choice but to go with him. He swiftly led her to a dark corner and firmly guided her into it. His body blocked any chance of escape.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Keralan," she told him, "but I..."
He put a finger to her mouth to silence her. "It's better if you don't say anything," he told her. "I just want a moment with you. Is that okay?"
Keralan stared back at his shadowy face, trying to comprehend what he was thinking. She nodded, unsure how to get out of the situation she'd gotten herself into. He put his hands on her shoulders and gently moved them down her arms. Keralan shivered involuntarily. His hands were at her waist. She tensed up.
"So, Keralan," he said, "in this moment, before you know anything about me, what kind of person do you think I am?"
Keralan was surprised by the question. Of course, she didn't know what kind of person he was. What kind of answer did he expect? But before she could answer him, someone cried out from behind the man.
"Hey! There you are!" He turned and Keralan saw that it was Mira.
He turned back to her and said, "you know Mira?"
"Well kind of," Keralan answered loudly.
Mira inserted herself into the corner with them.
"Keralan I've been searching everywhere for you! Thanks, Ket, for taking care of her!"
Then Mira leaned in close and said something into the man's ear that she couldn't make out. Immediately the man pulled his hands from her waist and backed off a little. Mira leaned back, smiling.
"See you later Ket," she said, pulling Keralan away into the throng.
Keralan had to look back. The man leaned against the wall and stared after her, with a grave expression on his face.
Mira led her on through the room for quite some time, to a quieter corner on the other side. There were couches, seats, rugs, and nooks where couples stood talking, kissing, and caressing one another. Wide-eyed, she studied a man who was stroking a woman's short hair, while the woman's hand moved closer and closer to...
"Keralan!"
She refocused on Mira, realizing she was saying something to her. Keralan had her repeat herself.
"I said," Mira exclaimed, exasperated, "that was one of the most powerful Heads back there! I'm glad I found you when I did."
Keralan frowned. So, he was a Head.
"But what would have happened?"
"Well let's just say he isn't used to anyone telling him no."
"I gathered that," Keralan said. "What did you say to him?"
"You are off limits," Mira explained. "Bilrah doesn't share new girls."
Keralan was quiet for a moment. She hadn't even considered men sharing women. It was an odd and surprising notion. She wondered if one day Bilrah would share her with others and felt a rush at the thought. Moments later, she silently scolded herself for even imagining such a thing and thanked Mira. She could have gotten herself into a lot of trouble if it weren't for her.
"How often do we attend these parties?" Keralan thought to ask.
"Whenever Bilrah wishes," Mira answered, without further explanation. Before Keralan could ask any more questions, she said, "come on, let's go."
For the next few hours, Mira led Keralan around the room, pointing out certain people to avoid, ways to escape trouble, and introduced her to many of the guests. One older woman embraced Mira and squeezed her left breast. A man kissed her full on the mouth. Others, men and women, came up to her to meet her for the first time. Mira was clearly popular with the guests. They all seemed to want a moment with her. She seemed to always have some excuse ready so that they could move on. Keralan marveled at how well she navigated them through, without seeming rude or unfriendly.
When Keralan began to feel flushed, they got drinks from the bar. They were nonalcoholic, per the rules, but it would have been impossible for anyone at the party to tell. Keralan glanced around for the man named Ket. She was curious about him and it concerned her. She recognized the beginnings of a crush, just like she'd had for a few of the boys in Miliri. Of course, nothing ever became of her feelings. She'd never had a chance to explore them past the point of fantasy. In her new world, however, it could only be a matter of time.
Around 23:00, the wait staff began to carry trays of small bites around. First, they were savory, then sweet. Mira told her not to eat any, but to stay hydrated. She did as she suggested, though she was hungry and could have eaten a whole tray. She grabbed a glass of water from a wall dispenser, hoping it would fill her stomach.
It seemed like it took forever, but finally Keralan noticed that the crowd was thinning. Then, very quickly, the throng dwindled down to perhaps an eighth of what it was. Staff came out to clear the mess the party had left in its wake.
"Okay let's get out of here," Mira said, "we need to freshen up."
***
Back in the harem wing, they met up with the rest of the girls. Keralan was glad to be someplace quiet again, though her ears still buzzed from the loud music. The girls busied themselves with touching up their makeup and hair. Puffs of perfume and fragrant lotions overpowered the room with their sickly-sweet scents. Keralan noticed a few of them unashamedly inserting strange gels and items between their legs. She didn't want to know what they were for.
Oma came up to her at some point and asked her if she was fertile. It was a strange thing to be asked, but she understood. Keralan pulled up her control panel and found the biofeedback icon. All females had a fertility panel. Once their bodies began to produce cyclical hormones, the data it collected could tell a woman her likelihood of getting pregnant, when she would get her next period, and more.
Keralan read from the screen, "zero chance of pregnancy."
"Okay good. If you show even a three percent chance, you must let me know. Got it?" she asked.
Keralan nodded. The thought that she might have sex that night for the very first time was both scary and alarmingly exciting. She sat down on a cushioned bench near the door, while the rest of the girls finished getting ready. A heavy silence had fallen over them, so Keralan decided not to bother them, though her stomach had knotted up. She suddenly felt very alone.