"I've never been very patient, and I especially can't abide whimpering and crying." He seemed to become irritated, as if remembering the sight of all those sobbing girls set him on edge. She could sympathize, it set her nerves alight as well. "My intentions were linked with my hopes... which have been... disappointed, as you said. Therefore I'm obliged to consider alternative options." His voice and expression seemed dark and far away, as if, she imagined, contemplating some terrible thought. She reached out a hand involuntarily to calm him touching his forearm lightly. The muscle jumped under her hand and his other arm shot out to grab her wrist. She let out a startled gasp. He released her before she could pull away or apologize. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I wasn't expecting your touch." She swallowed hard and nodded.
"I didn't mean to startle you either." She paused and looked down at the empty cup in front of her.
"Please... my lord, perhaps if you give them some time to adjust, if you let me talk to them they will calm down. They are, after all, very young. We all are." She added after a pause remembering to include herself in that.
"As I noted before, You are not screaming and crying."
She nodded."I'm different though, I volunteered."
He looked at her more intensely.
"And they didn't?"
"No. They were chosen because they were the younger daughters of age, from the largest families." He leaned back and let out a heavy sigh.
"Let me guess, every one of them is a virgin aren't they."
It didn't seem like a question, but she answered anyway. "It would be highly unlikely if one of them were not."
"And you?" He seemed to look her up and down in an appraising manner, as if really looking at her for the first time. She looked down to hide her blush."I'll take that as a yes. Why did you volunteer?"
"To save my younger sister." She answered honestly returning her eyes to his face. "She had better prospects for marriage anyway." He arched a brow at her. "No suitors banging down your door?"
She shook her head, "Men seem to find me somewhat... cold, I lack the graces of my sisters. My father thinks... thought I would make an excellent merchants wife. I wasn't enthusiastic about it myself." Why was she telling him this? It must be the wine. She wrung her hands.
"You seem quite pleasant to me."
She flushed and cleared her throat, rising. "Thank you. I'm sorry my lord I've taken too much of your time. Your water will be ready for the bath by now. Thank you for the supper." She bowed and exited the room hastily not waiting to be excused.
The wine had made her flushed, she shouldn't have drank so much on an empty stomach. She was hot all over. In the kitchen she found the water was indeed ready and she hastened to the bath. He'd already made his way into the adjoining room and had disrobed. She quickly averted her eyes. It wasn't as though she'd not seen a naked man, certainly she'd seen many, it was after all customary for the daughters of well off men to tend and bathe his most honored guests. There was nothing new in this for her, but unlike the body of your average 40 something year old, a giant of a man, an exceedingly well proportioned giant of a man, was rather much to take in without being caught in a blatant wide eyed stare. She kept her eyes on the water until he was safely submerged. She looked up at him and he gave her a knowing smile.
She forced down a blush. "More hot water?" He nodded and she fetched the rest pouring it in slowly until he motioned enough.
There was soap and towels laid out, by Demitri she guessed, which she collected and knelt behind him. She wet the cloth and was about to start when he pulled away and turned to look at her, an incredulous look on his face. "What are you doing?"
Her instinctive response was, exactly what it looks like I'm doing, but that would have been rude, and possibly dangerous... so she ventured tentatively, "helping you wash?"
"Why would you do that?"
She wasn't sure what to say.
"It's what we always do... at home... for honoured guests..."
"Really?"
"Yes my lord."
Was he angry? He was looking at her very suspiciously and she felt as though she'd done something terribly wrong. Would he punish her? "Very well." Was all he said and turned back around, stretching his long arms across the edge of the bath. She proceeded with her work, rubbing his arms and shoulders, massaging them as she went, one of her more appreciated skills, and smiled when she earned an approving grunt. "That feels good."
"Thank you."
It better feel good she thought, she'd never worked so hard in her life. Most men she'd massaged were older, and softer. This was like trying to rub the knots out of a tree trunk. Eventually her arms tired and she proceeded to the chest and waist. The front was her little sister's domain. She would chat and flirt and entertain, sometimes getting a little carried away, while Calliope would shake her head at her in mock disapproval from behind whatever besotted man was melting under their fingers.
Her sister was a mystery. Good and chaste in-fact, but seemed wild and sensual in spirit. She remembered how shocked she'd been the first time she'd seen her sister do... That to a man while bathing him, and the way she'd laughed at her shock later that evening when she questioned her. She said it was practice for when she was finally married... she'd never questioned it, what was the point, Helena would just do it anyway. Lost in her thoughts she was smiling distractedly and didn't notice the careful eyes watching her work.
"What ARE you thinking about?"
She started out of her reverie. "Oh, I'm sorry. I have a tendency to drift. I've never been good at small talk... that was my sister's domain.
"That's who I was thinking about just now." She added.
"What about her?" He pressed after she didn't continue.
"Oh just how we used to do this for guests together... I was thinking how she'd always take the front and ... ah, well, um I'd take the back." He didn't press it but gave her a sideways look. She blushed and tried to focus on the task at hand. He and the bath were too big, she'd have to climb in to finish... and gods knew what she'd bump into once she was in. He must have sensed her hesitation and took the cloth from her, continuing her job. She rewarded his kindness by continuing to massage his neck. He paused and groaned.
"Did I hurt you?" She asked softly.
He chuckled. "Not possible."
She smiled at the back of his smooth head. This wasn't so bad. He seemed nice enough, kind even.