Page 24 of Aria's Desire

“Where is this?” She’d thought they were native to this planet, but the scene before her looked nothing like the deserts that covered what she’d seen of this world.

Ishtal met her gaze, a bitter smile tipping one side of her pale grey lips. “Gaiaesh, this world, before the slavers came and crushed her spirit.” She turned back to the tapestry, her mouth twisting with old rage. “They came with machines that cleared away her life, turning the lands around their settlements into barren deserts.” An angry hiss slid past her lips. “Gaiaesh had defenses to which only the life she created could withstand. Microbes, I believe you would call them. They killed the offworlders who’d tried to usurp her in the past, protected us for generations. Until they came with the machines on which her defences were useless.”

Aria hadn’t known that. She could see they’d tried to recapture the majesty depicted there in this Queendom, but it was a pale shadow of the beauty they apparently once had.

“I’m so sorry, Ishtal.”

She accepted the condolence with a regal dip of her chin. “We have lived in isolation, have wallowed in our ruination too long. I tire of it. My people… seclusion has done us no favors. We have become less. Manipulative, scheming, oftentimes cruel versions of our once great selves.” Turning, she met Aria’s gaze, her own holding both an apology and a warning. “You will see this soon enough. I ask only that you do not judge us too harshly. I believe us capable of regaining that nobility, but as with all change, some will struggle against it.”

Understanding what she was saying, Aria nodded. “So, we should sleep with one eye open, hmm?”

A small, surprised laugh answered her. “What a delightfully apt expression.” Becoming serious again, Ishtal hummed. “I have taken measures to mitigate those I suspect will handle it badly, but, yes, be on your guard.”

“Always.”

* * *

After leadingthem to the rooms they’d be staying in, Ishtal stopped at the door. “I’ll leave you to freshen yourself. I had a variety of clothes laid out, if you'd like to change, but you are, of course, welcome to come as you please,” she added, giving Aria a slow, appreciative once-over.

Shaking her head after she closed the door, Aria turned to scan the room. It was huge and richly appointed: thick rugs covered the white stone floor, deep purple draperies framed a large balcony overlooking the inner courtyard, and a bed, big enough to fit a small army, was centered in the middle.

Next to it, shoulder to shoulder and speaking to one another in low voices, stood Sin and Rellik. Seeing them next to a bed put thoughts in her mind that had no place being there. Not that it stopped them.

“What are you two gossiping about?”

Sin glanced back over his shoulder, a wickedly amused smirk curling his dark lips. “Come see.”

Curious, and entirely unable to resist that smile, she joined them at the side of the bed… and saw the ‘clothes’ Ishtal had selected for her.

There were two… outfits, if one could call them that. One was something very similar to what Ishtal herself had been wearing: a sheer, silk dress. It was a beautiful shade of pale gold that would probably look great against Aria’s bronzed skin, and she’d been thoughtful enough to include ‘undergarments’ to be worn beneath it.

Unfortunately, those undergarments were more like jewelry than anything else.

There was a necklace Aria thought was meant to be worn as a bra made of delicate silver chains that would maybe possibly cover her nipples, and a belt that looked like it was supposed to be worn low on her hips with dangling, bejeweled chains that, again, might possibly cover her lady parts.

If she didn’t move much. Or at all.

Beside that, was another option, this one made of supple black leather, that looked like something either straight out of a video game or had been stolen from a dominatrix’s closet.

“She’s kidding.”

Rellik made a sound like he was trying to swallow a laugh, but it decided to come out and say hi anyway. “They are notthatbad. This one will cover your… legs.”

She snorted. “And leave everything else exposed.”

Aria didn’t consider herself overly modest. Hell, she’d been butt naked when they’d taken over the arena, dressed in weapons and nothing else. But these outfits weren’t just skimpy, they were intentionally designed to highlight herassets.

Sin reached down and picked up the leather ensemble, holding it up. All three of them simultaneously tilted their heads, trying to figure out how, exactly, it was supposed to be worn.

“I think your head goes through here,” Sin offered, gesturing to the criss-crossed straps.

“No, no, that is definitely to hold her breasts. The neck hole is here. I think.”

“Holdthem?” she repeated, her face screwing up with disbelief. “They’re just… straps! I’d be less naked if I were naked.”

That time, they both chuckled, neither making any effort to hold back their amusement.

“How did they get clothes made so quickly, anyway? I didn’t see anything in the emissary’s reaction that said I was what he was expecting.”

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