Danica Pt. 15

She also spent a great deal of time with Tari and Rekhmire, both socially and sexually. Danica did her best to send Reneb on meaningless tasks any time he arrived at the home. Tari was not completely spared from Reneb using her, but Danica's efforts ensured it rarely happened. Danica was determined to do something to remove Tari from the situation.

Danica requested that scribes copy many texts from the inner library at the temple of Sekmamun. There were several people who could enter the library, and although the cost of the scribes was tremendous, Danica felt it was worth it as she studied what was brought to her when completed. She spent several wonderful evenings with Harkhuf as well.

During the evenings, Danica also found time to practice something else, her dancing. She had told the Governor that she might dance again, and thought it might be good leverage if she needed it. It certainly couldn't hurt if she could improve her dance. Rekhmire played pipes, and he played local songs for her until she found some that suited her. She knew she could match her dance to the music if she knew the tune intimately. He and Tari also proved a willing audience, offering suggestions and criticism once she encouraged them often enough to do so.

By the time the main construction of the outpost was nearly complete, about two months later, Tari and Rekhmire said her dance was amongst the best they had ever seen. Danica also mastered quick-casting most of her common defensive spells. She managed to weave a web of power tendrils that filled, warmed, cooled, and even emptied her tub with a wave of her hand. Danica also mastered a few of the healing spells from the Sekmamun library, as well as one that would prove extremely useful. The spell, Hand of the Stone Scribe, allowed the caster to use their finger to carve runes in stone. Danica decided she was going to ward and conceal the door to her personal room in the outpost with magical and true runes. The new spell would make the process much easier and more accurate than using tools, or having one of the artisans do it.

Discussions with Rekhmire also gave Danica an idea of what she wanted to try to connive from the Governor with her dance. The Governor had the power to free slaves, and that is what Danica planned to ask for Tari. She could have Tari take over as one of the servants in the outpost, and that would enable her to survive here in a foreign land, or earn the money to return to her home if she wished.

At last, the outpost was complete three months and a few days after her arrival in the hot land. The only thing that remained, which was going to add significantly to the already extensive costs to her own coin she had incurred, was the teleportation pattern. She planned to have the pattern carved in low relief, set with semi-precious stones, and painted with only the finest paints. The design Danica had chosen made her smile and chuckle, several of the local male god aspects in a circle facing each other. Danica had naturally chosen those gods depicted with erect phalluses, and Danica laughed thinking how much it would unnerve many of the male wizards who Zoraster might send here.

While the artisans began work on the pattern, Danica worked on her runes and lists of the furniture she wished constructed or purchased for the outpost. Another two weeks saw the completion of Danica's runes, and the acquisition of most of the furniture. Danica's task here was essentially complete, except for staffing the outpost.

That was Danica's next move, because she knew exactly whom two of the people she wanted staffing the outpost were. She sent word through an extremely irritable Reneb that she wished to dance for the Governor once more that night, and received an enthusiastic acceptance only a few minutes later.

That evening, Danica arrived prepared to dance. There were no supplicants or other extraneous people in the Governor's audience hall that night, only the extended royal family and other various personages of power were present. Many representatives of the temples had come to watch her dance this night, her similarity to the goddess of dance intriguing them.

Danica first curtsied to the royals, exchanged the appropriate pleasantries, and then approached the musicians. The Governor had provided a full troupe for her dance, including someone playing every local instrument. Danica informed them of the songs she wished for them to play, and what cues they were to watch for in her dance as they played.

Moving back to the center of the hall, Danica curtsied once more, and then opened the linen robe she had worn to the Palace. She smiled when she saw eyes widen as her robe pooled to the floor, because all she wore beneath the robe was fine jewelry, much of it local, adorned with small bells that sounded somewhat like tiny cymbals.

Danica raised her hands over her head, signaling the musicians to play, and then began her dance.

She concentrated on the complex routine she had practiced – making sure it was absolutely flawless. The dance began slowly, her arms waving and flowing as if suspended in water. Her steps carried her toward the Governor, weaving back and forth before the throne, causing his eyes to follow her, but never forcing him to turn his head.

As a deeper horn joined the flute to increase the rich tone of the music, Danica spun back before the Governor. She looked deep into his eyes, undulating like a serpent under the control of the snake charmers that were common near busy areas of the city. Danica meant to charm the Governor, and her dance appeared to work quite well.

A deep trill of the flute led into an increase in the power and frequency of the drumbeats, set off by alternating rhythms between the horns and flute. Danica accentuated her movements, and she moved even closer to the Governor, almost touching him. She presented her bottom, breasts, and mound to him tantalizingly close as she continued to dance and lock eyes with him at every opportunity.

All the musicians joined for the crescendo of the piece, filling the hall with sound. Danica leaned over the Governor and arched her back, bringing her breasts within inches of his face, and then sank to her knees before the Governor as the music ended with a series of loud drumbeats.

Danica rose slowly to a standing position before the Governor, a bright smile on her face. It was impossible not to notice the effect the dance had on the men in the room, because everywhere god-emulating erections strained at kilts and clothing.

The banging applause grew to a deafening roar while Danica strutted – her bottom sensually swaying – back to the center of the floor where she curtsied once again and put back on her robe.

Rising to his feet, ignoring the awkward hang of his kilt from his erection, the Governor said, "Once again, we are blessed by your dance. This shall be an evening that will be memorialized in stone as well as our memories. My artisans will carve images of your dance upon these walls amongst those of Tayetet – that all who come in the years beyond shall be blessed as we are this night."

Danica actually blushed at the thought of her image appearing here to last through the centuries. "I am humbled by your praise, Lord Governor, and wonder if I might ask of you a boon?"

"Ask and it shall be yours if it is within my power and proper."

"I wish to purchase one of the slaves from the home in which I have guested during my time here. I wish to contact them to bargain for her sale."

The governor gestured toward a man, and when he stepped forward, Danica knew he was a wizard. The wizard conferred with Danica a moment, and when he understood where Danica stayed in the city, he said he could contact the owners of the home with his magic.

The Governor ordered a great silvered mirror brought from his own chambers to use as a medium for the spell, and the wizard made contact in short order. The man looked startled when his image appeared in the mirror, more so when he noticed the Governor plainly in view in the hovering image before him.

Danica curtsied. "I apologize for this intrusion, but I wish to purchase the slave Hathortari from you. The Lord Governor has seen fit to grant me the aid of his wizard to contact you and negotiate for her sale."

The man did not look at all pleased with the request, but a woman who appeared in the field of view at that moment most certainly did. The woman asked, "What is your offer?"

Danica had done some research into the prices slaves commanded in this land, and the price she offered was one that might be expected for a young virgin pleasure slave. It was certainly an offer that would prove difficult to refuse, although Tari's owner still looked reluctant to surrender her.

"I feel I must inform you that your overseer, Reneb, has also been making use of Hathortari's body during your absences. I don't know if this is part of the payment for his services, but I thought you should know about it."

Anger flashed across the man's features then, and Danica smiled. She suspected that rude Reneb would need to seek other employment soon.

After a moment or two of conferring with the woman the man in the mirror said, "I agree to this price."

The Governor said, "I will hold the payment here against your return."

The man nodded and Danica said, "I would also like to retain the servant Rekhmire, if at all possible. I have rare spices, as well as magic to cool and heat your bedchambers here to serve as compensation for you in the need to replace him."

The woman beamed brightly upon hearing about the magic and nudged her husband, indicating her desires in this matter in no uncertain terms. "I agree to this as well," he said.

Danica curtsied. "You are wise and generous, and I thank you."

The magical communication ended and Danica turned to the Governor once more. She pulled out her purse and counted out the coin and stones for the payment, handing it to a man the Governor indicated. She then said, "Lord Governor, I wish to ask that Hathortari be freed from her bondage."

The Governor smiled. "I suspected such was your intention. You do not seem one to own slaves. Your request is granted, the woman known as Hathortari is a slave no more."

"Thank you, Lord Governor. Perhaps I might come dance for you again some time, if you wish."

He laughed. "You are welcome at any time. I shall rise from my bed in the dead of night to watch you dance."

Murmurs throughout the room confirmed that many agreed with him.

Danica blushed again. She had practiced hard, but the praise still overwhelmed her. With a final curtsy, Danica left the palace and returned to the home in which she had guested, to gather up Tari and Rekhmire.

Both were stunned by Danica's news – Tari most of all. Tari agreed to stay and serve in the outpost, as her family had all died in the war that had enslaved her, and there was little reason for her to return.

When Danica led them into the new outpost, Tari and Rekhmire’s eyes went wide in response to the accommodations provided for them. Having their own tubs and finely crafted chamber pots delighted them both. Danica promised to use her magic to make the entire outpost comfortable as well. They would live nearly as well as the highborn within the outpost. Danica also gave them a quite large amount of coin as the first payment for their services.

Rekhmire said it was easy enough to find strong young men to labor, but Danica decided the outpost needed at least one more servant with a wide variety of skills. She made some inquiries and heard about a local middle-aged widow who was scraping together a living by doing numerous domestic jobs – very well. It only took Danica a few minutes of talking to the woman to decide she wanted her on staff. The woman was delighted, because the pay would allow her to live comfortably, while still allowing plenty of time to service those who had regularly retained her. The woman proved a marvelous cook, meticulous housekeeper, and highly skilled seamstress. Between the three servants, they could meet most any need or quickly obtain it.

It took nearly another month for the artisans to complete the teleportation pattern, but Danica was highly pleased with the results. It perfectly meshed with the paintings throughout the rest of the outpost, and was certainly unique enough to serve as a teleportation pattern.

Despite all she had learned here, and how much she enjoyed her time with Rekhmire, Tari, and Harkhuf, Danica was ready to go home. Thinking of Zoraster's complex as home caused Danica to wince. She had remained there far too long under Zoraster's thumb for that word to attach itself to her prison in her mind. This is Zoraster's trap, she thought, Unfortunately, it seems to be working.

Danica gathered the house servants, explaining that others would use the house. She warned them that some who came might prove frightening, rude, and generally unpleasant. Danica knew from too many years of experience that Zoraster forbade and severely punished any form of serious abuse against the servants in his outposts, so she wasn't really worried about more than that.

Danica went to her new room and cast the spell to contact Zoraster, informing him that the outpost was complete and staffed. Zoraster told her to show him the teleportation pattern, and Danica took the scrying mirror to the pattern, aiming the mirror with a crooked smile.

Danica could hear Zoraster laugh, and a few moments later the mirror reflected the hem of his robe as he arrived in person. "I expect I will have difficulty sending males here, although this pattern will likely be quite amusing to any female. Do show me around, little rose."

After touring the house, and meeting the servants, they returned to the room Danica had set aside for herself.

"Show me the magic from the temple," Zoraster demanded.

Danica gathered up the parchments the scribes had copied for her and showed them to Zoraster. He leafed through them for a few moments, then handed them back with a slight scowl. "Bah – it seems the priest spoke the truth, they appear blank to me although I know full well these are the correct parchments. No matter, I will likely find ways to duplicate any spell you learn in time. I am pleased with the outpost, and I may in fact have new ones constructed with more interior comfort from this point forward, as you have done here. You will be reimbursed for your own coin spent, and you may retain this room as yours alone."

"I'm so happy it pleases you," Danica said sarcastically. "What is the second part of my task? There are things I want to get back to in my lab."

"Celes will accompany you on the next part of your task, and will inform you as to its nature. Another will accompany you as well, and Celes will transport him here. Once she has arrived and informed you, you are free to leave the city if you wish. Your task is not time sensitive, although sooner is better than later and I will not be amused if you dawdle overmuch."

Danica nodded her understanding, and Zoraster spoke the words of a spell. Before Danica's eyes, Zoraster's appearance transformed until he looked like a highborn local. "I believe I'll take a look around the city. Celes should be along in the morning."

The illusion Zoraster had woven about him disconcerted Danica, because despite knowing it for an illusion, she found it was difficult to penetrate it as she watched him leave the room and the outpost. Danica knew that if she had not seen the transformation, it was a distinct possibility that she wouldn't have recognized the man.

It was more than a little disturbing, and Danica vowed to be careful about sharing any of her hidden secrets with anyone she didn’t know well. Relaxing on her bed, she eagerly awaited Celes’ arrival.

{*****~~o~~0~~o~~*****}

I hope you liked this tale, and will continue to read Danica's ongoing story. Please take a moment to vote, and perhaps comment. That's the only payment a free author gets, and every bit of feedback is most appreciated!

You may find later chapters have some flubs and grammar issues, until I finish posting all the edits. Look for the note at the beginning of each chapter about my editor, Roust, and that will let you know whether the chapter is newly edited.