Page 4 of Princess of Draga

His infinitesimal reaction was enough. She smiled but there was a pang of sadness they couldn’t have made things work between them. It was mixed with the happiness they were able to remain friends despiteeverything.

Adelina pushed thoughts of the past aside and focused on what was before her. Her coming-of-age party was less than two weeks away and she couldn’t be more excited. Between that and hercamerraletothere was much to look forwardto.

As Adelina stared at the House the huge double doors opened and a gorgeous, exotic woman came out with arms wide in greeting. Mistress Jael herself had come to greet her. The last time Adelina had seen the female, it had been right after the bombings and Jael looked no different than she had on that sad day. She was utterly radiant andcaptivating.

Gathering her courage Adelina stepped forward and Alpha followed as her escort. She dropped his hand when she stood only a short distance from the magnificent female. Adelina respectfully and delicately placed her hands on Mistress Jael’s arms and leaned forward, brushing her lips across the Mistress’s in the traditional kiss ofgreeting.

She released Jael and then clasped her hands in front of her out of habit and looked down at a spot on the woman’s chest rather than meet her dominantgaze.

This fluidity in dominance didn’t matter when it came to Adelina. The scent of cactus blossom grew stronger as the Mistresssmiled.

Adelina had been born a true submissive. There wasn’t a royal Draga who’d been born as submissive for as far back as the records went – back to the time of the ancienthumans.

Before scientists had made genetic alterations to the human genes for survival there had been no such thing as dominance and submission in the same way she knew it to be. Adelina couldn’t imagine not knowing her place in society, or where she stood with those aroundher.

How one was born was reflected in their personal and natural scent. It broadcasted their abilities to everyone around them and created a safe environment where those who were dominant protected those who served. She always knew who to defer to and how to act thanks toprotocol.

As a born royal, she should have been more dominant. The royal genes were programed centuries before to always remain the most dominant so as to protect their people, though the level and intensity of the dominance couldvary.

Never before had a Draga royal smelled of jasmine – the sweetest scent of themall.

“Your guard may find refreshments in the carriage house with the servants.” Mistress Jael indicated exactly where with a graceful flourish of herhand.

“Princess, please follow me.” Without waiting to see if Adelina would obey, Jael turned and disappeared back into the dark and mysteriousHouse.

If they weren’t on House property the break in protocol would have earned the Mistress a lashing from the queen. Adelina outranked her despite their difference indominance.

The House though, erased all rules of rank and it was a place where gold and courtesansruled.

Glancing over her shoulder she gave Alpha one last look. His smile was a bit strained but he shooed her after the Mistress with goodhumor.

Adelina stepped up and into the cool hall. Mistress Jael sashayed in front of her and the dark spidersilk folds glittered in the candlelight. She was shocked at such a crude form of light when sol-power was free and plentiful. As the flame danced and waved it cast shadows on the wall and the paintings seemed to come alive in the flickers, tricking the mind into believing. She had to admit the overall effect was rather romantic and oddlysoothing.

As they walked through the opulent House, Adelina took everything in with an eager eye. The carpets were plush and an indulgent blood-red to ignite the passions. The walls were covered in black velvet scrollwork when they weren’t painted with erotic scenes that made Adelina’s skin tingle with the ideas suggested by theartist.

Candlelight caught the gold in Jael’s gown, refocusing her attention. Everything about the woman screamed sex and her mere presence put flutters in Adelina’s belly. She tried not to stare at the tantalizing curves perfectly accented by a gown tailored precisely to the Mistress’sform.

They went through a large receiving room and continued through a spacious public hall towards a blinding wall of light. The silk curtains were pulled aside, framing the view of the ocean. Jael opened the terrace door for her and smiled as the princesspassed.

Adelina couldn’t help the blush on herface.

“You will love the courtesan I have chosen for you, Princess,” Jael said from behind her. There was a hint of laughter in her voice as she followed Adelina onto the expansive stonecourtyard.

The warm Kala sun shone down brightly. Adelina paused and closed her eyes. She tilted her head back and enjoyed how the sun felt on her skin. The salty tang of the ocean reached her nose and cleared the heady scent of cactus blossoms. Adelina breathed deeply and then opened her eyes, ready for theceremony.

The terrace was on the very edge of the property and a marble courtyard reached all the way to the cliff hanging over the ocean far below them and then went out over nothing but air. Water went on endlessly to the east until it disappeared into the horizon. Adelina glanced north and the spires of the palace jutted into the sky with the floating ramparts hovering close, surrounded by the city streets of the capitol. The massive obsidian mountains behind the palace were a stark contrast. Bright green shone on the peaks from the rain the nightbefore.

Taking in everything around her, she stepped forward slowly. Columns and stacked stones created a type of open window before her that allowed one to see the glistening water beyond the statues of the gods and goddesses. Trees and plants greweverywhere.

Adelina could see a pathway on either side, each leading to gardens with differing greenery. The paths most likely led to private alcoves. Adelina blushed again as she thought of what they could be usedfor.

Marble pillars edged the cliff and there was a small roof over the statues of the gods and goddesses. An outside temple she realized. Amora, the goddess of love and wisdom, was in the center where the three-faced goddess would normally be. Adelina wasn’t surprised considering Amora was the goddess of thecourtesans.

She thought it was the most beautiful temple she had ever laid eyes on. It was simple yet exquisite. The goddess Amora faced inward with her back to the sea, but the spaces between each column created windows to the never-ending water. The bright sunlight glinted off the threads of gold in the marble and itsparkled.

Adelina looked to Jael who nodded. She took another step forward and dropped to her knees before the three-faced goddess first. She bowed low until her forehead touched the cold marble; the sun had yet to warm the statues in the temple. “Mia vitae se tya,” she whispered. She added a small plea. “Please give me the strength to find my path and help me through this experience. I do not want to disappoint mycourtesan.”

Slowly she rose to her feet and turned to Amora. She knelt in front of her and bowed low, the folds of her spidersilk gown against the marble did nothing for her aching knees. She did not bow as low as she had for the three-facedgoddess.

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