Alyss surveyed the sparse wardrobe before her. Her clothing choices were limited. Art supplies took up over half the closet; blocks of clay, an assortment of brushes, and vials of paint for every color in the spectrum. Alyss felt like a kid let loose in a ripe berry patch.
“Alyss does this bow go with this top?”
Alyss turned to peer at Eryka. The young woman stood before a full length mirror dressed in a pale blue top that matched her eyes. She held a dark blue bow next to her flaxen hair.
Eryka had let Alyss into her home a few hours ago. Her home was a studio flat. Her bed was in a corner. A small kitchenette sat in the west of the apartment. And on the east side, where the sunlight was best, there was an urn and paints. Eryka’s pottery lined the wall on full display, in the prime light of the room.
Alyss turned away from the art nook and picked up a gold bow that matched the highlights of Eryka’s hair. She placed the bow in her friend’s hair explaining the selection. Eryka smiled at her reflection. Alyss couldn’t remember the last time Eryka had cared about her wardrobe or her appearance.
“I have to head in now,” Eryka said. “Why don’t you come in with me?”
“I have no place in the Sisterhood any longer.” Alyss waited for the crushing weight of dashed dreams to settle on her shoulders. It never came. “I have absolutely no desire to return to the Chamber of Science and Health. I feel free. And lost at the same time.”
“What will you do?”
Alyss looked in the east corner of Eryka’s flat. Her hands ached to reach for the brush in a tin can. Then she realized, there was nothing stopping her.
“You’re welcome to stay here if you’d like.”
Eryka had struck off from her Mother’s home as soon as she’d turned the legal age of eighteen. She’d sold her pottery to pay for her flat until she became an apprentice in the Chamber of Arts and Culture. Contrary to Lady Milysa’s beliefs, Eryka had received offers from males looking to bond, but she’d declined each and every one. Alyss had always been in awe of her friend for her independence from her Mother’s support. Ladies without wealthy Mothers would rely on their bondmates to work and financially support them. Alyss had once asked Eryka why she hadn’t chosen that route. Eryka had told her that the only thing she’d give up her independence for was love. At the time, Alyss had thought Eryka ridiculous for willing to give it all up for something so trifle.
That was then.
“Would you help me bring in this piece? I’ve been restoring it for Sister Mychelle. I’ve had to work on it here at home because the law deems it obscene.”
The clay sculpture was of a woman, her breasts bare, her legs spread, and her head thrown back. It didn’t look obscene to Alyss, not after what she’d experienced last night with Adom, or the night before with Emet.
“It's not obscene, it's beautiful.”
“I agree with you,” said Eryka. “But it wouldn’t pass the Chamber of Worship’s tests of decency. First, it depicts a nude woman. And secondly it lacks any literary, political or scientific value. All that adds together to deem it offensive and we now have to hide it away in the basement of the Sisterhood compound. But that’s better than having it destroyed. It’s over a thousand years old.”
The Obscenity Regulations had never made sense to Alyss. Nude depictions were allowed in science textbooks, by not in any history books. There was only a handful of art classes in secondary school, and many of the depictions of nudity and sensuality were kept under lock and key.
Alyss helped Eryka carry the artwork down and into her conveyance. The sun was high in the sky dipping in and out of the clouds. A butterfly flitted into her periphery. Alyss watched as it landed on a purple violet. The butterfly’s black and orange wings contrasted lovely with the purple. Alyss ached to show Adom.
As soon as the thought came to her mind, she pushed it back down. It hadn’t been a full day, but she missed him terrible. Emet, too. A large part of her was angry and hurt they’d turned her away, but another part understood their decision. She knew that a relationship with the two males couldn’t be. Not with her Mother out for any reason to have them arrested. Though Alyss hated it, she knew they were right to send her away. She would bring them nothing but trouble. And she would not run back to her Mother. She would just need to take her friend’s hospitality until she found a way to support herself. In their matriarchal society wealth passed from Mother to daughter, and Alyss knew her Mother had no intention of supporting her choices.
With the painting loaded into Eryka’s conveyance, Alyss turned back to the door to the flat. She realized she no longer wanted to be alone, so she accompanied Eryka into the Sisterhood. She could spend the entire day inside the Chamber of Arts and Culture, taking her time, perusing the artwork there.
When they arrived at the Sisterhood, Alyss helped Eryka carry the covered piece down the hall to the Chamber of Arts and Culture. Since her last visit, the room had filled with even more wonders. There was a wooden sculpture of a woman clutching at a man’s thighs while his phallus impaled her mouth. There was a portrait of a man taking a woman from behind, her face thrown back in ecstasy. Another photograph caught and held Alyss attention. It showed a woman bound to a cross, her hands tied in artful knots that Alyss knew all too well.
“It’s called Shibari.”
Alyss turned at the sound of Lady Mychelle’s voice.
“It's an ancient art form from one of the Asian lands, we think Japan. We knew it flourished in the 21st century and became part of a grouping of sensual art forms known collectively as BDSM, or bondage, domination, sadism and masochism. Most of the writings and depictions were destroyed after the Great Destruction as a part of the Purging. The art form died out as men lost any form of domination over women. This is one of the only photographs left.”
Alyss wanted to tell her that not all of the art form was lost. She rubbed her hands over the fading markations on her wrist.
“We’ve rescued all of this art.” Sister Mychelle swept her hands to encompass all the sensual depictions in the room. “It was heading for the incinerator. I’m petitioning to have a special license from the Chamber of History to show this work to the public before I have to place it in the dungeon under lock and key.”
“Its all too beautiful to hide,” said Alyss.
“I heard that you no longer have a position within the Chamber of Health and Sciences. I have to say I’m glad. It frees you up to come and work for me.”
“For you? Here?” Alyss looked around at all the art about to go under lock and key and not see the day of light. She’d only planned to spend the day here, not all of her days. She turned into the expectant face of Sister Mychelle. But before she could answer, she heard someone clear their throat. It was a deep clearing of the throat to indicate the presence of a man.
“I beg your pardon, my lady.” The Male Voice stood in the doorway. His eyes rested on Sister Mychelle, but they slipped over to Eryka who stood beside her.
Eryka ducked her head, but only slightly. Her eyes came to rest on the Male Voice and she didn’t turn away.
“Twice in one week Lord Willym.” Sister Mychelle smiled mischievously between the Male Voice and Eryka. This time Eryka blushed and look away. “What can we do for you?”
The Male Voice’s eyes settled on Eryka once more. “I had come looking for Lady Eryka’s help.”
Eryka smiled brightly. But then the Male Voice’s eyes turned from her and landed on Alyss.
“I had hoped Lady Eryka knew where I might find Lady Alyss.”
“Me?” Alyss said.
He nodded. “Yes, my lady. I was hoping you might know the whereabouts of one of my advocates; Emet.”
“I…no. No I don’t know where Emet is. Did you try his phone?”
The Male Voice nodded. “He’s not at home.”
“And his bondmate, Adom, doesn’t know where he is either?”
The Male Voice hesitated.
A feeling of dread climbed up Alyss’ spine. “If Adom’s not at home, he’s likely at the Jayne Austere Gallery. He has a showing-"
“Adom won’t be showing,” interrupted the Male Voice. “Perhaps we’d better talk in my offices.”
“It’s my Mother isn’t it? She’s had them both arrested.”
“Adom has been arrested. But I don’t think your Mother had anything to do with it. He’s been taken into custody for producing pornographic art.”
“What? No. None of his work is obscene.” Alyss looked to Sister Mychelle. “I’ve seen it all. It's all wonderful. It's-"
“There’s one piece that’s a depiction of you,” said the Male Voice. “As a butterfly. But you're posed in a…sexually suggestive way.”
“But Adom didn’t paint that.”
“He’s taken responsibility for it. If you know the true artist, my lady, you’d best unmask them. Otherwise, Adom will face life in prison for not only painting a lude picture, but a lude picture of an unbonded woman.”