Chapter Eight #2
Anosia smiled and stood up from the rock, excusing herself now that she’d accomplished what she’d set out to do.
As she headed back toward the building, another young woman was heading toward them.
This lass had long, curly black hair and blue eyes.
She was quite lovely and quite young. She introduced herself as Melaina, and Jareth listened to a second young woman tell him about her place at Aphrodite’s Feast and what it meant to her.
Yet one more young woman who seemed to have found a life here, only in Melaina’s case, she was indeed a prostitute, but she did it of her own free will.
She did it because she liked to be touched—and she wasn’t shy about telling him.
Jareth sat for about a half-hour, listening to Melaina speak most happily about her life at Aphrodite’s Feast. She loved to dance and sing, and she had a lot of repeat customers.
Jareth suspected that it was not only because she was pretty, but she also had a childlike manner about her.
She seemed innocent, but she wasn’t. She would do anything for money and wasn’t the least bit sorry about it.
It had made her very rich, and she made sure to show him the jewels she wore on her neck and ears.
Jewels she had paid for herself. With a happy farewell, she bounded off, being replaced a short time later by a woman named Limenia.
Limenia was different. She wasn’t from England, but from a sunny land somewhere near the Levant.
She had beautiful skin, kissed by the sun, with dark hair and flashing, dark eyes.
She was calm by nature, speaking of the great artists from her land of birth and of her own paintings.
Evidently she was a painter, and took great pride in telling Jareth that it was she who had painted the murals in the room where the great mosaic floor was.
She also painted pictures for men who paid her a good deal of money to recreate their homelands or sweethearts based on their descriptions.
Sometimes, she would dine with them and have conversations about her home far away, or their homes far away, but she was an introspective woman who was allowed to create her paintings to her heart’s content.
And on the afternoon went.
When the sun began to hang low in the western sky and the boats were brought in from the river, pulled upon the banks, Jareth was still in his spot overlooking the waterway.
He’d spoken to eleven women that afternoon, all of them telling him different stories as to why they’d come to Aphrodite’s Feast. Quite honestly, he was stunned by what he’d heard.
It was nothing that he’d expected after everything he’d been told.
These were strong women, women who had made a life for themselves any way they could, but in every case, they’d managed to keep their dignity.
Even Melaina, who genuinely seemed to like what she was doing. She wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed.
Perhaps if she wasn’t, then Jareth shouldn’t be, either.
It was the strangest thing he’d ever experienced.
“It is getting dark, my lord. Mayhap you should come inside now.”
The soft voice came from behind, and he turned to see Desdra standing behind him. When their eyes met, she forced a smile and he could feel his heart leap.
Just a little.
Just enough.
“In a moment,” he said, thinking his reaction to her odd. “I am enjoying the sunset. Will you sit?”
Desdra went to sit on the same rock that the other ladies had sat upon.
It was a few feet away from him and he watched her settle down, noticing the sunlight as it played upon her hair.
She had the longest hair he’d ever seen, all the way down to her ankles.
He thought it was dark, but as the sun glinted off it, he could see red and gold flecks.
Coupled with her pale blue eyes, she was truly a stunning woman.
He’d never seen finer.
“I believe that I owe you an apology,” he said, looking back to the river, to the sunset. “I was quite rude to you earlier and I am sorry. That is not my usual manner.”
“So I am told,” she said. When he looked at her curiously, her smile turned genuine. “Sir Hugh and I had a conversation about you.”
“Whatever he told you, they are lies.”
“He told me good things.”
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “I should hope so,” he said. “He knows my wrath shall be swift.”
Desdra sensed humor in his statement. “He does not seem to be the fearful type,” she said. “He does, however, seem to be the honest type. He spoke highly of you.”
“What did he say?”
“That you are a fine man,” she said. “He said that you are an elite knight who serves King Henry.”
Jareth nodded faintly. “What else did he tell you about me?”
She shook her head. “Not much beyond that,” she said. “But he did ask me to tell you my story. Why I live at Aphrodite’s Feast.”
Jareth found himself turning back to the river, watching the serene water as it flowed gently to the sea.
It occurred to him that he rather liked the sound of her voice, sort of low and sweet.
She was well spoken. He also sensed that she was genuinely trying to make amends for their rough start, when the truth was that he should have been the one trying to make amends.
He’d been the rude one, after all. He’d tried to make excuses for his behavior when the truth was that there was no excuse.
He’d behaved like a jackass.
“How long have you been here?” he asked.
“Three years,” she replied.
“And the reason you came here?”
Desdra spoke matter-of-factly. “Because my father owed a debt to Lord Chester,” she said.
“It is no great mystery. There is gambling here at The Feast. There is a lower level where games of chance take place. My father loves games of chance, so he was a regular visitor here until he incurred a debt he could no longer pay. Therefore, he gave me over to Lord Chester to work off the debt.”
It wasn’t a new story. Jareth had seen, and heard, of things like that before, but he was rather surprised that Desdra didn’t seem distressed by it.
“I see,” he said. “And… this does not trouble you?”
Desdra shook her head immediately. “Nay,” she said.
“The debt was repaid in full last year, but I remained because I like it here. Lord Chester was very good to me and I am grateful to him. I will remain here until you ask me to leave, my lord, but know that I am good with sums and I ensure everything about Aphrodite’s Feast runs smoothly.
I would like to offer my services to you, to ensure everything remains as it should. ”
He nodded. “Of course I should like you to remain if you want to,” he said. “I know nothing about this business. And it seems to me that a great many people depend on it.”
“That is true,” Desdra said. “The Feast is far more than what you see or what you’ve been told. We also provide alms to the poor, and twice a week, we provide sustenance for them. We feed them.”
Jareth was listening intently. “Fascinating,” he said. “And this is a usual occurrence?”
Desdra nodded. “The Feast has been helping the poor for over twenty years, so I am told,” she said.
“Lord Chester’s mother started it. She was appalled by the hungry children in Bristol and decided to do something about it.
You should know that she did not approve of her husband’s family’s endeavors, but she sought to make good out of them. And she did.”
Lord Chester’s mother. That was Jareth’s grandmother. He didn’t know the woman because she had died before he was born, but his mother always spoke fondly of her.
“You speak of Lady Adelie de Leybourne,” he said. “I am the son of Lord Chester’s younger sister, so Lady Adelie was my grandmother.”
Desdra nodded. “I knew you were his nephew, but I did not know the relationships,” she said. “He never really spoke of his family.”
Jareth shrugged. “It is unfortunate that our family was not close,” he said.
“Not only is my family not close—I do not speak to my father or older brother—but my mother’s family was not very close, either.
It’s sad, really. Families are supposed to be loving to each other, or so I’ve been told, but that is not my experience. ”
“Nor mine,” Desdra said with regret. “My mother died long ago and my father saw me as nothing more than a burden, except when he realized he could use me as collateral for debts. I do have an older brother, whom I adore, but I do not see him much.”
Jareth was watching her as she spoke, watching the dimples in each cheek as her mouth moved. “What does your brother think about your serving here?” he asked softly.
She tried to smile, but there wasn’t much joy to it.
“He comes every few months and tries to convince me to come home with him,” she said.
“At least, he used to come, but he’s not come for a while.
When he realized that I was far happier here than at home, he stopped trying.
I know he only wants the best for me, but he’s a little like you—he sees the brothel.
Not what this place truly means to me and many others. ”
Jareth could understand that. “I suppose you cannot blame him,” he said. “He does not want his sister living at such a place. I can understand that.”
“I know,” she said. “But I told him what I have told you—The Feast does so much good for this community. It is so much more than what you and my brother think it is.”
“So I have come to see,” Jareth said. “I have had several women tell me their personal stories this afternoon, including you, so I have been given much to think on.”
“What will you do?”
“About what?”
“Will you accept your inheritance? Or will you decide you do not wish to be associated with us?”
His eyes crinkled with mirth. “I will need more information before I can make that decision,” he said. “I hope you will help me with that.”
She nodded. “However I can, my lord.”