A Fateful Meeting in the Temple of Calistria

A courtesan leaned against a tall, white pillar in the halls of the Pleasure Salon. His black and yellow temple garments, gaudy enough in any other place, were the least distinctive things about him. Instead, it was his purple skin and white eyes that stood out against the crowd; he was neither elf nor half-elf.

In any other profession, his differences may have made him feel uncomfortable. But here he smiled, batted his dark eyelashes, and slithered close to whichever clients caught his eye. He was unique, and he flaunted it.

Today, it was a young, flustered-looking half-elf that caught his attention. He sauntered toward the poor thing, his grin already in full effect.

"Why, hello there," he purred. "Welcome to the Pleasure Salon of Calistria. Can I help you with anything?" He looked the half-elf up and down, licking his lips. His tongue was long and forked at the end, like a snake's.

The half-elf jumped, proving that he didn't belong in the temple. He looked just as out of place as he felt. He had barely been in Absalom for a few hours and he had already felt suffocated by the other people. He yearned to be back in Erages, where the town was peaceful and quiet. But he knew that he wouldn't be going back any time soon.

"N-no, I...was just leaving. I just came in here because, uh, I'm sort of lost," he smiled sheepishly. "I think I can figure it out, though."

He realized that the man before him was almost as tall as he was. It was a strange feeling, considering that the man was not an elf. He hadn't met a human who was that tall, but then again, the man didn't look very human at all. Rath subconsciously brushed his own dark hair off his shoulders. It was up in a ponytail that barely contained his very thick hair. He let it fall into his face, mostly in an attempt to hide his very elven ears. Though, he realized it wasn't necessary to hide them here and brushed some of it out of his face.

He chuckled.

"We can give you directions if you need them. But I'd be sorely disappointed if you left here with only directions...I'm the hospitable type." He flipped his long, dark hair over his shoulder.

Rath swallowed, taking a step back and nearly running into an elf.

"Well, I kind of need to find lodging for the night, so..." he shrugged slightly. "It's kind of important."

His face brightened even more.

"Then why not stay at the Pleasure Salon? We have rooms, of course. This is where the elves and half-elves of Absalom gather--why, you'll feel right at home." He placed his hand on his back and steered him down another corridor.

"Come on--if you have money, you can get more than a room."

"Uh, I don't think...I really want anything else, I mean, I have money but it was really supposed to be for an inn...room..." he trailed off, getting the feeling that the other man either wasn't listening or just didn't care. Or, perhaps, just that he wasn't going to take no for an answer no matter what he said.

"The room is free," he whispered into his ear. His breath was warm and sweet, almost too sweet. "Spend your money on something that will bring you more...pleasure."

He lifted his chin, forcing him to look at one of the nearby statues. The marble was carved in the form of an elf and a dwarf passionately making love, their limbs so entangled they seemed more like one entity than two.

"You do know where you are, don't you?" He chuckled softly.

Rath felt his face turn extremely red.

"I know!" he hissed defensively. "I-I know, I mean, obviously...! I just...I've never really...spent money on..."

He frowned, reluctant to say any more.

"Tell me something," he said, rubbing his shoulders. "Do you like your life? Does it bring you happiness and pleasure everyday? Are you the fabled s-word--'satisfied'?"

"Well..." he sighed. "Not really...it's just...is anybody? I mean, my life isn't so bad, I guess."

"Then I've got to tell you, friend," he said, his hands migrating toward the front of Rath's torso, "You're not really living.

"I have fun every day of my life. That's how I know that I'm alive. Wouldn't you like to feel that, too?"

He kissed him on the cheek. "I mean, you know what I am, right?"

"W-well...I mean, I can't..." he frowned, biting his lip. "...what you are?'

"I'm a courtesan. I do the bidding of The Lady in the Room, The Savored Sting--I am her mouth and her hands and her hips and most of all, her desire."

He shook the pouch in one of his hands, and it jingled; it was the half-elf's wallet.

"Now what do you say we find a place more quiet than this hallway? We can find good uses for this money. Uses far better than simple lodgings--I will show you what living is supposed to feel like."

"But I'm not...sure..." he mumbled, eyeing the coin purse he knew as his own. "I..."

"I have a complete refund policy, you know," he teased. "If you don't love what I do to you, you get all these pretty coins back."

He slipped the coin pouch back into the half-elf's hands.

"Of course, no one's ever asked for a refund."

"I don't doubt that, but I mean, I've just never...with a man, and also...I can't...I need that money for mire important things," he replied, swallowing nervously. "So...I mean, I shouldn't, I should just...go."

"Well, how much were you planning to spend on that room?" he asked, smiling. "I'll match it, and provide you with a better time, better company. Come on--I don't bite."

"Maybe a gold piece or two," he admitted, and the offer sounded better every second.

Though his nose wrinkled for a second at the small sum, his smile soon returned.

"Then I suppose that is my price for the night. Come on."

"I-I can pay more," he replied, suddenly feeling embarrassed at his own lack of money.

"Pay more if you think it was worth it once we're done," he replied, shrugging and leading him by the hand.

"What's your name, by the way, half-elf?"