(continued from Chapter 1)
"I have not had my pleasure yet," she said reminding him that she was a woman who had sexual needs.
"You are a woman," he said. "You are not meant to enjoy it."
His statement shocked her. She had experienced the lack of consideration by most of her customers over the months, but in the arena of the dormitory, where an unsatiated Priestess could always find more pleasure from her next soldier if she needed it, she had not, normally sought to ask for more. But here she was confronted by the direct, and she had assumed, honest opinion of a Prancirian male. Sexual pleasure was something to be taken from a female but not given. It was a horrifying belief. She had never considered that anyone in the world could hold such a view. Although there were some of the stranger ceremonies among the Priestesses and people of Pirion, involving the denial of the female pleasure, and for that matter the male, no one believed it as a principle of sexual ceremonial or of life.
She held onto his hand and tried to guide it back to her genital region but the hand refused to move for her. She wanted the warm feelings to continue now that she had gone so far. She needed to forget about the General's reaction. She wanted to wipe the memory off his rejection away. The guard had taken her mind off the earlier part of the evening. She had been embarked on a course of privacy to limit the damage the General had inflicted on her, but the guard's persistence and his sexual onslaught had finally taken her mind off General Ravelleon. Completion of her own arousal was the comfort she desired to truly recover.
"Please hold me and finger me," she pleaded. Her own hand was already down there stroking herself gently, but she did not want to do it on her own. It was far more exciting and fulfilling to have the inspiration of a strong man holding and stroking her, making her reach her orgasm.
To her discomfort he remained selfish now that his own pleasure had been gratified. He had stroked her briefly as his own way of saying thank you, but now he looked around nervously, up and down the alleyway, to see if anyone else was approaching. He had been content to risk being discovered earlier when in the full throes of his greed and passion. What would anyone have cared? She was only a Priestess of Pirion. Many women of the city had been raped at the conquest and knew all about that, but the most blind newcomers and some of the Prancirian wives and children were protected from that knowledge. The Prancirians were all nervous about public displays of affection and love making. Something deep within their upbringing caused all of them to hesitate to display sexual activities unless firmly behind closed doors.
"Get dressed," he barked. "I must return you to your rooms before anyone realises." She realised for the first time that he was frightened his activities would be noticed. "Are you scared that the General will find out?" she asked. "Of course," he said, as if it was obvious. "He would be very angry if he knew." She could almost believe that, now that she had seen the General's illogical anger. Who could understand the General's beliefs or his moods? Not she, but he was certainly a man to be careful with. "You won't say anything will you? I won't say anything either," he said. Now he was on the defensive. She realised, he needed to guarantee her silence. He feared his General. Perhaps he regretted the potential trouble his sexual hunger had opened up.
"Why should I need to hide what we have just done? I don't belong to the General. After tonight I shall probably never see him again."
"You must not say anything." He was begging her, but he was too proud to beg. He seemed not to realise that it was not in the nature of a Priestess to wish him any harm, despite the rudeness of this man, who perhaps deserved it. It would not have occurred to her to tell of this to the General if it was against his wish, and, as she had said, it was unlikely that she would see any more of the General after tonight. Even so she began to see some harmless way of serving herself, despite intending no harm to him.
"If you wish me never to tell the General you might do a small favour for me," she said.
"What is it?" he looked worried, but threats were a language he knew and expected.
"You might help me to finish myself. Go on, give me my orgasm. It won't cost you anything."