• Mature • [Utheridge] Bringing Home The Bread

[Celeste Andaris]

5th Ashan 718

"Quiet tonight" Tessa said to Lexxie, another streetwalker working the cramped streets of Utheridge this night. Lexxie grinned and nodded. "That's alright. You look like you could use it. He's given you a poundin', Tessa." Tessa lifted her finger to her swollen lip and she shrugged slightly. "I drive him crazy, you know? He don't wanna be seein' me doin' this, wants to be able to look after us. An' he worries that one trial, I'll get a regular wot takes me away from 'im." She shook her head, it was a ridiculous idea, she adored her husband and always had. He had saved her, after all. She'd been sent here on a boat all the way from Andaris where the family of that name had set her free from slavery when she found that she was pregnant with Master Peake's child. Or, precisely, children, as she'd had twins. But Benji had taken her in, taken the children as his own. She couldn't ask for me and really, she knew deep down that he was a good man. How difficult must it be to know that your wife was turning tricks at night? Secretly, Tessa believed that he only beat her before he sent her out because he hoped that then no one would pick her up. That wasn't what happened, of course, often the johns took it as a sign that they could do more of the same.

She didn't tell him that, though, he'd get upset.

Or, she didn't tell him because he knew. He saw her after a night at work, after all and it never stopped him from sending her out, or for making sure that she remembered that she belonged to him when she got home. In her heart, Tessa knew - Benji got inordinate pleasure from controlling her, humiliating and breaking her. Sending her out to the streets was part of it. But, she had to be grateful to him; he had saved her, she was sure and so she had to just put up with the bits she didn't like.

"So, wanna share s'me tips with me?" Tessa asked Lexxie. Looking at her fellow prostitute, she knew that the young woman was better at this job than her and she wanted to make sure that she learnt everything she could from her. Lexie grinned.

"It's all in the hips, beautiful. When you walk, sway at the hips. Loosen them and let them sway. You've got great posture, should be easy for you." Tessa considered and Lexxi motioned for her to do it. So, she walked down the street they stood on and she tried, at first, to sway her hips and then she just relaxed and let them be. Lexxie laughed the first time, but then Tessa practiced and continued to do so. The more she relaxed, the more natural swing she had and she was pleased by that. Lexxie grinned and clapped her hands together. "You're gorgeous, girl."

Tessa beamed and skipped back to the woman who was both her competition and her friend. "Maybe we'll have more luck a few streets down, closer to the market? At least there's people feeling like buying things there." Lexxie nodded and slipped her arm through Tessa's. "Lets go and have a look, shall we?"

And that was what they did.

556 words
Seduction: How to make your hips sway
Seduction: Be where people are buying, when you're trying to sell

[Celeste Andaris]

Making their way towards where Lexxie gestured, Tessa looked at the woman who she had met not so long ago and she bumped her hip against hers. "I'm glad we met, Lexxie," she said and the slightly older girl chuckled. "Me too, Tessa." Lexxie was of the opinion that Tessa was a good person, which probably meant that she was going to get killed on the streets, but she felt a bit protective of her, a little like an older sister. So, as they walked, Lexxie spoke to Tessa. "So, come on, what did you do this time?" She was motioning to the fresh bruises. Tessa shrugged slightly and then admitted, "I can't blame him. He works really hard," or at least he told her that. She didn't know what he did or what he earned. "An' when 'e gets home, it's not too much t'expect a decent cooked meal an' a willin' wife." Of course, of the second she tried her best to be everything he wanted her to be but, somehow, she always came up short and disappointed him. Disappointment was what made him angry, truly angry at her.

"I'm not a good cook, an' hon'st I do m'best." Tessa said with a sigh and Lexxie grinned at her. "I can give you some tips. It'll help. He'll love your food with the adding of some onion and garlic, cooked in a bit of butter or oil." Tessa nodded, thinking about what Lexxie was saying. There was barely enough food to go around on the money he allowed her to buy food with and, more often than not, she went hungry to feed him. When she ruined the meal, then, it was such a waste. "Cook your meat low and slow, too. That'll make it more tender. And make bread. You ever done that?" Tessa nodded but the look on her face told that it wasn't really the most successful. "Cooked on the outside, raw on the inside" she said and Lexxie chuckled. "Then make individual buns or rolls. Not full loaves. A smaller serving cooks quicker, and more evenly."

Tessa gazed at Lexxie and said, quite honestly, "If I ev'r intr'duce you to Benji, 'e's gunna want you to move in," Lexxie beamed back. "He can't afford me," she said with a cheeky grin and the two of them giggled. When they got to the new spot, Lexxie looked around and considered. "You know, it wouldn't do us any harm to put on a little show here. Nothing too major, we'll get moved on. But you know, if I'm just kissing down your neck here, and my hands are roaming, I bet you we'll pick up someone for you quicker. He or she will want to be the one with their hands on you." Tessa looked at Lexxie not quite believing it and then shrugged. "I trust ya," she said and turned, so her back was to the other whore.

And it worked. It was a very few bits later that the pair of them were approached by a human. He was watching for a full bit but then, he could contain himself no more and so he moved across the street to them. A quick discussion on times and prices and he and Tessa moved to a small abandoned house, which was where she and Lexxie usually worked from.

563 words
Baking: Make individual rolls rather than a loaf
Cooking: Cook meat low and slow
Seduction: Put on a display to attract customers

[Celeste Andaris]

It was ten bits later that Tessa rejoined Lexxie. She had more coins and a feeling of deepened self-loathing which she ignored as much as she could. Yet, as always, after Tessa had turned a trick she felt like she was betraying something, somehow. Which was foolish because it was her husband who had sent her here, who told her how much to charge and what for. He'd bought her the clothing she wore to work and, when she brought home plenty of money, he was pleased with her.

As well as angry.

He was always angry with her, after all. He demanded the details and then they enraged him. It was a strange, volatile and difficult way to live, but Tessa knew that she was lucky that he'd taken her in. Pregnant with another man's children, a former slave and with nothing to her name. He'd told her what the conditions were and she knew what kind of man he was when she married him. Yet then, she'd been grateful. "You ok?" Lexxie asked and Tessa nodded. "Yeah, all good. He was nice enough," Lexxie nodded. "Quick too," she said and Tessa grinned. "I 'ad to slow'im down. I think it'd been awhile. Might b'come a regular, would be alright." She needed to build up a bunch of regulars that was for sure. But for the moment, Tessa was very aware that she really wasn't that good at this.

Sometimes, she still cried during it.

She hadn't this time, though and that was a good thing. Since it was what her husband wanted it was very much what Tessa wanted to be good at, and every tip and technique she learnt on the job she took home with her. Not that they kept Benji happy, and he spent a lot of him money on other women, she knew. But then, what did she expect? After all, she lay with man after man, why shouldn't he engage in all the intimacy he wanted to? What bothered her was that she would much prefer that she wasn't doing this, that he didn't make her do so. So, he made her sleep with other men for money which he took and then he slept with whomever he wanted. Sometimes, Tessa felt like she shouldn't put up with it, but why would she think that? It was better than being a slave to the Andaris family in Rynmere, better than being Master Peake's favourite, after all. Benji reminded her of that very regularly and for every bruise on her body, Tessa knew that Master Peake would have inflicted a dozen.

Maybe Banji was right. She was an ingrate. An ungrateful whore who did not thank her husband for everything he did for her. Maybe, if she could just keep that attitude more, she'd have less bruises she considered. But then, before she had the chance to say anything, she caught sight of a man looking at her and she smiled at him. Keeping her eyes on him she walked towards him and smiled. "'ello 'andsome. You lookin' fer me?"

And the woman that had been Celeste Andaris screamed a little inside but she closed herself off and got to work.

537 words
Seduction: Maintain eye contact

[Alistair]

Celestessa

Knowledges
Baking: Make individual rolls rather than a loaf
Cooking: Cook meat low and slow
Seduction: Put on a display to attract customers
Seduction: How to make your hips sway
Seduction: Be where people are buying, when you're trying to sell
Seduction: Maintain eye contact

Location: Ivorian
Location: Yithiral
Location: Utheridge

NPC: Benji: My husband
NPC: Benji: Abusive
NPC: Benji: Insists that work as a prostitute
NPC: Benji: Saved me from the Andaris family
NPC: Lexxie: A fellow prostitute

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Renown: N/A

Points 10

Comments: These threads are so dark, omg lol. Celestessa needs to free herself by bathing in this man's blooooodd. The end of this thread made me very sad and also made me wish for her to restore her dignity somehow!

Xander needs to swoop in like a Disney prince and kill this man! And then, hopefully, he can teach her how to speak in Noble Common again.

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