The Courtesan's Kiss

[Starsailor2804]

"Then, I would like to see you both nights, tomorrow and the night after," Franco said with a smile. Looking into her eyes as she seemed to be scanning him for traces of jealousy that he was not able to enjoy her company tonight he gave no hint of that. In fact, he had wanted to spend the night with his son again for last night had been so much fun. They would be found in the park again tonight and for anyone who had been following him they would know where to find him. No one who followed wished him ill, but it seemed servants of the wealthy courtesan's and noblemen seemed to go at great lengths to know where he would be at all times.

 

[slippedhalo]

"Fabulous then, Senore Franco, so...I will come to you then? At what time should I visit you and little Alex?" she asked, Ricardo was nearby once more, listening and taking mental note of all the details for her.

 

[Starsailor2804]

"Yes, my estate would welcome your company, though at least once I would enjoy in visiting your home as well," he said with a smile, "Sundown sounds like the most reasonable, for many obvious reasons." The reason he chose sundown was because he did not want everyone seeing her arrival to his estate. It was gossip he did not really need right now even though everyone was going to be talking about it anyways. All this was going to bring him was more nobles with their daughters by their side at his doorstep. Well that, along with a most pleasant evening with her he was sure.

 

[slippedhalo]

She bowed, "At sundown it is then." she felt a little peeved that he seemed almost ashamed of her although not too ashamed to accept her offer, nor to dine publicly with her which certainly had some of the more devout members of their church turning their heads and whispering behind their backs. Likely they believed her very presence would corrupt the child as well as the father and for that she'd be spoken ill of for quite some time. But, she was used to gossip, especially being the subject matter of it. It didn't bother her anymore. Only, her pride wanted this man to not only accept her into his life but to beg her to be there and she wondered how much it would take to get that to happen. "...and perhaps the day after next you could dine with us at my house. My apprentice would love to practice her lute for you. She has a voice like a sweet songbird and could use some encouragement while she practices her skills." At skills she meant not just the musical ones but also the skill of flirtation as well.

As he walked her to her boat where the boat-man waited patiently to help her within she smiled at Alexander and said to him, "I'll be seeing you tomorrow, little man, but likely just before your bedtime. May I sing you a lullaby to lull you to sweet dreams tomorrow evening?"

 

[Starsailor2804]

As she bowed he smiled and nodded, at sundown it was. However, he sensed something in her speech and stance that there was something wrong. That she did not like something he had said or how he had said it. Whatever it was he knew he had touched a nerve and it made him smile, though he tried to hide it as well as possible. It was Giavanna who had the trump card and with what she said next she certainly played it VERY well. His face became incredibly red as she stated that he was welcome to come to visit her the night after that, but that wasn't what made him flush.

She wished to have him meet her apprentice so he could practice her lute for him and use encouragement as she practiced her skills? Now, he knew she had said lute, but the woman was her apprentice and the practice of skills were required? Was she offering him a taste of both her and her apprentice? Oh the thought drove him absolutely wild and his face had never been so red nor did it ever settle and the blood never abandoned his cheeks. As he walked her to the boat thoughts ran through his mind that nearly caused him to forget where he was at the current moment. Damn her, she did have the trump card and had turned the table on his so well. Right when he thought he had her she twisted and wrapped him around her finger.

Alexander smiled and nodded, quite enjoyed with the thought of being sung a lullaby to sleep. Not had he had that since his mother had passed. That notion did not make Franco happy one bit. He did not want her to take Alexander's mother's place in the child's mind. But, he said nothing for now, such talk would be best in bed and would have to wait. "I can hardly wait!" Alexander showed way too much enthusiasm and Franco placed a hand on the boy's shoulder to settle him down. Waving goodbye the two turned away eventually and walked off to return to the estate, so many thoughts in Franco's head, exactly what she had wanted no doubt!

 

[slippedhalo]

On their way back to their own house they travelled the canals, their boatman knew all the least crowded and least smelly of the canals. Ricardo sat carefully, never fond of water travel. "Well played, m'lady, only were you planning on showcasing young Alessa so soon?" he asked.

She shrugged, "I knew I'd have to let her practice her trade sooner or later and, well...we're past the disaster of her sixteenth year when she shot up like a weed and lost all of the grace we'd spent three years trying to teach her. She's about as good as she's going to get for an inexperienced one. There's nothing left for her now but practice, practice, more practice and learning from her own mistakes...This spring is the perfect time to display her, and run up the biddings for her virginity as high as possible. I have a suspicion he'll be interested in one of us. I dare say, if he was never very certain about me well, anyone who finds me not in their taste would love Alessa. She's everything I am not. And, you know how much every man wants to be the one to break in a virgin. This bidding war will likely last until autumn if we play it out right and I intend for our Franco to be one of the bidders. If he won't be on our books for me, he'll be for her...who knows, maybe he'll want us both and we'll be as good as an extention of his household." mused Giavanna out loud.

"Who get's to tell our eager young apprentice the news?" asked Ricardo eagerly.

"Let's tell her after dinner, when the Cardinal is passed out from his own exertions and too much grappa."

 

[caela]

Alessa breathed a small sigh of relief as she finished her lunch with Lady Victoria and the older woman left her to continue in the assignments her tutors had left her. Despite more than a couple of comments made by the Lady, that she knew were designed to draw a reaction from her, she managed to keep her face pleasant and gently smiling and her voice modulated to perfectly hide her thoughts. It was still an effort for her but she knew that with more practice it would eventually become easier.

Returning to the library she set herself once more to her mathematical equations, bound and determined that this lesson would dominate any more days of her week than this one. She wanted it done so that she could enjoy her more pleasant lessons.

As determined as she was she finished the assignment before her Mistress returned home and happily retired from the library to the music room. Like many courtesans she had been taught to sing and was learning an instrument. In her case it was a pianoforte and while she wasn't a prodigy she played quite pleasantly and found peace in the playing.

 

[slippedhalo]

OOC: You play lute as well since it was already written about. Ah well, many talents for Alessa.

 

[slippedhalo]

Upon her homecoming Giavanna found Alessa practicing in the music room and her mother came down the hall from the opposite direction. "My lovely daughter, did it go well?" she asked with a kiss on each cheek.

"Yes, mama. I have an arrangement set up for tomorrow, oh, and there's more to tell but I think I should tell that to you after I tell Alessa, later." she said, her eyes gleaming with the surprise.

Victoria smiled, "It's good news then. Fabulous. Now, I promised to ask you if it would be alright to let the woman-child make an appearance at tonight's dinner. Nothing too telling just dressed up for the occasion and serving some wine to the Cardinal and his party and perhaps play a song or two for them before we send her to her bedchamber for the night. What say you?"

Giavanna's smile widened, "It would be the perfect introduction to our society for her and a good way to prepare her for two days from now. Mama, I think she's ready for display. We should start bringing her to all of our engagements, at first just to observe and converse, but eventually, later this season I plan to open the bidding for her virginity."

Lady Victoria smiled and shrugged, "You're the teacher. If you say she is ready she is ready." she said. "You were less graceful than her at that age and you still made a fine courtesan. Look at you now. If we're lucky, she'll also make her way quite nicely. I don't hope to see her surpass you while you are still on the market, but it would be nice if she hit it quite popular, and could finance your retirement as well as you have done mine."

 

[caela]

OOC: You play lute as well since it was already written about. Ah well, many talents for Alessa.

OOC: lol...I can edit it if you'd like. I missed the lute part somehow. ~blonde moment~

 

[Starsailor2804]

It was another night spent in the park watching his son playing with the other children and enjoying himself. He did not wish to spend it any other way than like this, to see his child happy, made him happy and thus that was all he could have ever asked for. He had nothing on his mind besides the happiness of his son, that was until he looked over to see a fellow merchant sit by him. He considered the man a friend for he had been a friend of his father's, but he had no doubt why the man had chose to sit by him. Either he wished to talk business or he wished to talk business concerning his daughter. It wasn't exactly the first time he had been approached by him about this.

"Good evening Marco," Franco said, knowing that Marco had wanted him to say something first. It's just how he was. "What brings you here?" There was no question what did and actually, Franco did not mind it too much for a marriage between him and Marco's daughter meant eventually he would have even a larger empire. Marco was one of the key importers of marble, one of the most expensive and most desired commodities of the nobles throughout the west. "Well, I was truly just taking a walk, enjoying the air," he said with a sly smile, knowing that Franco knew the real reason for him being here.

"Okay okay, yes, I came here to ask you to take my daughter's hand in marriage. She would make a good wife and when I pass you should make yourself even wealthier." And there it was, Franco was right, but there was no surprise to it. In fact, he had thought at length about marrying Marco's daughter before for she was indeed beautiful and did have plenty of assets to make the marriage well worth it. At nineteen she was still unwed, virgin from what he knew and heard, and was very kind and sweet, and very adept in the arts like the best courtesans of the city. The only reason he had turned him down before was because it had been far too soon after his wife's death and could not find it right to marry so soon.

"Let me think about it, but I must tell you, I am very interested in Alexandria. Now please, let me enjoy solitude and allow me to watch my son in peace." Patting Franco on the shoulder Marco had a wide smile and walked away surely happy. Sighing Franco focused his attention back on Alex who was busy running around and laughing.

 

[caela]

Finishing the concerto she was playing Alessa rose and moved through the music room to find the lute Giavanna had insisted she learn to play. She wasn't as proficient with it as the pianoforte but she could play passably well on it so long as she kept up her practice. She heard voices in the hallway as she settled to practice and was tempted to eavesdrop but knew if she was caught at it she'd be punished and she was much to excited about serving at dinner that night (if her Mistress allowed) to risk ruining it.

Instead of listening at keyholes she lifted the lute and began to play a gentle song. If her Mistress was speaking to Lady Victoria than her own presence wouldn't be appreciated and so she would remain the dedicated apprentice busy at her lessons and studies until she was sent for.

 

[slippedhalo]

Giavanna listened for a while after her mother went off to check on the sauces for the evening's meal. She entered the room without a sound and found the young lady engrossed in her practice, back turned toward the door. Giavanna stood and listened to her, and watched her move for a long while. With the knowledge and skill this girl already possessed she could hardly be called innocent by the standards of most yet she still, in so many ways, wasjust an innocent child,trusting in her mistress to teach her and lead her in the right direction for her life. It was a heavy burden, this responsability for the fate of another and Giavanna never felt it so until now. In a few weeks time, maybe a little bit longer than that, but soon this girl would lose the last remnants of her innocence and then there would be no turning back for her. The only alternative for her after her virginity was sold to the highest bidder and taken in one night of much preparation and inevitable disappointment would be a street walker or, if lucky, someone's maid. Once that last precious gift was taken from this girl she had no choice any longer but to be a courtesan and Giavanna had every intention that her protegee be the best courtesan she could make out of her. Soon enough there would be papers to sign, agreements had to be made to ensure both of their futures, a long talk would have to transpire...but for now she just watched the girl's golden hands work at the lute strings, her shining mane of dark hair worn in intricate braids atop her head, a few strategic tendrils caressing her neck and shoulders (a trick learned from her teacher) her sweet face impassive and calm as she played, obviously drawn into her own melody...she was nothing short of breathtaking. Giavanna sighed and decided this was indeed the right decision. Without a word to her student she slipped out of the music room and up to her own bedroom to begin her own sort of preparations for her Cardinal's visit.

 

[slippedhalo]

Paulini had been drinking in his boat on the way so it was a more raucious occasion than normal. He and his attendants were loud and sometimes brash during dinner, poor Ricardo taking the brunt of most of the teasing and joking. Lady Giavanna let them all have their manly fun together and decided to wait until appetizers were finished and dinner was ready to be served before coming down, she looked over at Alessa before she mounted the stairs and smiled reassuringly. "Wait until I announce you, dearest and then come down to dinner. I want you to make their jaws drop with your beauty. Remember your poise and your sweetly-seductive expression we had you practice..." she listened to the sound of the staff leaving the room and knenw it was time for her to go. "Alright, I'll see you in a minute or two." she told her protegee, blowing a kiss to her before heading down to her dining hall.

"My apologies for my lateness to the table today gentlemen, Antonio." she said, reserving a special kiss on the cheek for him before taking his hand. All who had stood when she entered the room where about to sit down when a motion of her hand stopped them, "Oh, please don't sit just yet...I am late because I have been preparing my apprentice for her first evening of entertaining. Now calm yourselves when you see her gentlemen, she is still as innocent as the morning dew and I want her to remain so for a little while longer I just think she needs some practical experience in socializing and entertaining and you fine gentlemen would be the perfect people for her to cut her hostess teeth on, being as kind and gentle and understanding as you are. Should I tell her to join us for dinner?" she asked to a surprised but gracious nod from the Cardinal and agreeinng murmurs from the rest.

They knew they wouldn't be able to have the girl tonight but being able to feast their eyes upon her, assess her, drool a little over the idea of her soon becoming a full fledged courtesan herself....that they all could do easily.

Giavanna smiled and Ricardo winked up at her, ready to see her work of art revealed. "Alessa, my lovely,I know you can hear me. You have permission to join us if you wish to, my dear!" called Giavanna up the stairs in a melodic, sing-song voice.

 

[caela]

"Wait until I announce you, dearest and then come down to dinner. I want you to make their jaws drop with your beauty. Remember your poise and your sweetly-seductive expression we had you practice..." she listened to the sound of the staff leaving the room and knenw it was time for her to go. "Alright, I'll see you in a minute or two."

Alessa smiled at the kiss Giavanna blew to her before she disappeared into the dining room. Her voice carried out to Alessa whose jaw dropped when she heard her Mistress announce, (publically!) that she had an apprentice. This then wasn't just some evening for her to entertain Giavanna's guest but her introduction into Giavanna's society.

It was a fact that set her heart to tripping hard in her chest but she forced her face to remain calm. It was a day of tests and this one was gradually becoming easier with the practice she was getting all of the sudden. Now she was more nervous than before but it didn't show on her face, all she allowed in her expression was serenity and confidence.

"Alessa, my lovely,I know you can hear me. You have permission to join us if you wish to, my dear!"

Putting the sweet and slightly seductive expression on her face that she'd been practicing for days she started down the stairs. She could feel the eyes of those who could see the stairs from the dining room looking for her and was concious of every strep. She kept them light and graceful -though the youthful part of her wanted to simply fly down the stairs at a breakneck run-, her gown almost seeming to float around her just as Giavanna taught her.

Finally entering the dining room she sank into a low courtsey before her Mistress and her guests.

"Good evening Mistress Giavanna, honored guests," she said offering a sweet, welcoming smile to the men in the room, "I thank you for indulging in my presence at your meal."

Her voice as she spoke was soft and warm and just as schooled as her features as she moved to the sideboard to gather the wine jug gently in her hands. She was well aware that she wasn't there for her own amusement but to serve at theirs and she did so just as she'd been taught. Moving gracefully around the periphery of the table and filling goblets as each guest indicated the need.

 

[slippedhalo]

Giavanna looked on proudly, Alessa's entrance had been perfect and yet one would have no idea how carefully coreographed and practiced such entrances always are. Even though Alessa's announcement was a complete surprise to her, she had still be practicing for such a moment for over a year and had become quite good at making grand entrances, which looked to all untrained eyes to be improvised and casual, yet perfect. For, theirs was a business of making dreams and fantasies come true. Everything they did had to appear perfection.

As Alessa moved about the room, all grace, and gown, and pretty smiles while she poured the wine, Giavanna watched with a critical eye even as she was involved in deep conversation, her awareness of the girl was constant. She put out her own glass to be filled and as Alessa moved in to pour she said in a whisper, with an encouraging smile of her own, "Dearest, you have permission to take part in conversation as well. You'll need the practice before the summer comes. I have a surprise for you later."

OOC: Sorry for the delay,Starsailor. The scene here is nearly finished. After Caela's next post I intend to move on with both the news to the girl of her soon being put on the market and the following day so we can lead up to Giavanna's first time visiting Franco's house.

 

[caela]

"Dearest, you have permission to take part in conversation as well. You'll need the practice before the summer comes. I have a surprise for you later."

Smiling warmly Alessa did as her Mistress suggested. Still moving around the table to serve she also joined in the various conversations, staying with each until someone signaled a need for a refill and then politely excusing herself back to her duties. Her thoughts and opinions were fresh and unjaded, garnered only from the books she read and the small bits of gossip that came her way and so she often amused her Mistress' guests with her innocence. It was a trait she knew she would not long have and so she made the most of it while she could knowing that the men here tonight would spread word of Giavanna's apprentice through the city and their opinion would be the foundation of many a possible patrons view of her.

As the night wore on, and she became weary, it became harder to keep up the sweet and slightly seductive demeanor but she did manage it and managed to keep the gratitude off her face when at last she was asked to sing. She knew that after that she would soon be sent off to bed but she was still curious about what her Mistress' surprise for her was. She had her suspicions but until they were confirmed she wouldn't dare to get her hopes up.

 

[slippedhalo]

Her song was lovely, sweet, melacholy, a favorite among many nobles and she sang it well. Giavanna could see by the looks on the faces of all as they applauded and begged for one more that her apprentice was going to be very popular upon her coming-out. She watched Cardinal Paulini in particular, he had been distracted all night by Alessa's presence and Giavanna could read the sinful thoughts dripping off of him like the sweat from his forehead. He wanted her. He always did have a taste for the young. Giavanna didn't mind one bit. If she could get the Cardinal to be Alessa's patron and work her way into the heart of Franco Dii Mezzio her household would get to be on top oof their business and would fare better than ever expected, financially.

Her dream came true as Antonio kissed her neck in that faux-suave, usually just clammy, way he had with her and asked in her ear while they listened to Alessa's second performance, "Will you be taking bids for her innocence soon?"

Turning her head slowly and bestowing a gleaming smile upon him Giavanna nodded silently, "Can I expect an offer from you, my love?"

'If you don't get jealous." he teased, "Consider mine the first, and I hope also the last." he said. "I'll send you a bid in writing when I've spoken with my accountant tomorrow." he promised, pulling her by the hand, "but, for now, come, my sweet peach...I have sin I need sucked away by those lovely lips of yours, and seed I need to be cleansed of."

"Yes, darling Antonio, I'll be up in one moment." replied Giavanna. As Alessa finished her song and said goodnight to the guests Giavanna took her by the arm and led her into the empty hall saying, "Come to me tonight after the Cardinal has exhausted himself. Knock on the door, I'll let you know when it's alright to enter...I have news to tell you that you should know before sunrise." That said, she kissed the girl on both cheeks and sent her to her bedchamber as Giavanna climbed the stairs to her own to join the fat pig Cardinal in creating some sin for him to confess in the morning.

OOC: Next post will be for both Caela and Starsailor in 2 parts.

 

[caela]

"Come to me tonight after the Cardinal has exhausted himself. Knock on the door, I'll let you know when it's alright to enter...I have news to tell you that you should know before sunrise."

Alessa nodded her understanding and watched as Giavanna went to her own bedchamber. She'd noticed the Cardinal kissing at her Mistress neck earlier and not for the first time had wondered how Giavanna could bear his touch. She knew that with many patrons she would simply pretend to desire but Giavanna did it so well that there were times that Alessa had wondered if she honestly did desire the Cardinal. He wasn't to Alessa's tastes but she knew if he made a high enough bid for her Giavanna wouldn't turn him away as a patron.

Thinking of the simple facts of her life as it would become she made her way to her own bedchamber. The quite hours of the night were the only ones she had solely for herself and she savored them. After changing into a nightdress and robe she settled at her vanity and slowly began freeing her hair from it's intricate braids. When it all cascaded down her back in gentle waves she began brushing it gently until it gleamed in the gentle light of the fire on her hearth.

Being only an apprentice she didn't have a maid of her own and so she pampered herself as she had been taught. Giavanna had seen to it that she had many of the same lotions and supplies that were used for her own pampering and Alessa was grateful for it. They kept her skin soft and supple and though she knew she was young enough for it not to matter quite yet she wouldn't always be and Lady Victoria had made it clear more than once that the better she cared for her beauty now the longer it would last her.

She took her time with her ministrations and pampering but eventually there was nothing left to do and she knew if she went to her bed she would never make it to her Mistress rooms. Instead she simply rose and - with a glance at the clock - realized more time than she thought had passed. The Cardinal had been deep in his cups and enough time had passed that it was possible he would be done and passed out.

Wrapping her robe tighter about her she made her way through the house to her Mistress room and knocked just hard enough that it would be heard but not so hard as to be an interuption if Giavanna and the Cardinal weren't done yet.

 

[slippedhalo]

Giavanna had been lying beneath the bulky, sweating, peacefully snoring frame of Antonio for nearly twenty minutes when she finally heard a knock at her door. Moving slightly so that she could extract herself from his prone, chubby body, she called out softly, "Enter!"

The door moved slowly and Alessa poked her head around the edge of it, looking uncertain if she should come any further, her dark eyes widened slightly as she stepped intoo the room and saw the naked slumbering form of the normally regal elderly holy-man beside her mistress who was still lovely even when tousled and dirty ... the bedsheets were knotted on the bedpost, obviously having been used as a means to tie her up but now fell freely upon the floor. The Lady was reclining naked as well, seed still glimmering on her inner thighs in the candle-light, a sheen of sweat that wasn't entirely her own on her supple, white skin, Alessa took this all in visually, and Giavanna crooked a finger to impell the girl closer to them. "Pay him no mind. He's dead to the world for at least four more hours." she said as he snored loudly, almost in punctuation to her commentary and Giavanna almost laughed with her apprentice at the situation. "I wanted to tell you I have decided you're ready. I will announce it in two days when Seniore Franco Di Mezzio visits our home for the first time and that means bidding will begin for your virginity. Understand, dearest, that this has nothing at all to do with your own desires but everything to do with what's best for your reputation and our business. I will stretch it out as long as I can but you will be popular, I can tell. This means that it is poossible that even a month from now you could be taking your first client. Of course, you'll have to speak with Ricardo over the agreements necessary...I have been training you long and shall continue to look after you for a while longer...you have agreed to care for me in the manner I care for my mother, when it comes time for me to retire. Papers to this degree will have to be signed and we shall get to work on that in two days. Now, sleep well, my angel. Soon enough you'll be clipping those wings."


*******The Following Day********

The Di Mezzio estate was a grand one. Giavanna was impressed that she could see his gardens even from down the canal as their boat arrived. He had his own docks and she was helped from her boat not from her boatman but from a servant of Franco's sent to the dock to wait for and escort her there. Ricardo volunteered to remain behind and returned home to instruct their new apprentice in the intricacies of negotiations and contracts in order to ensure that even without a manager like Ricardo or Giavanna that Alessa would be able to broker her own deals and not get swindled as she charmed the pants, and the accountbooks of her clientelle.

As they entered the house Giavanna was then taken into a sitting-room where she was seated and offered a drink while she waited for the master of the house to appear. Even his sitting room, a waiting room for guests, was very expensively and impressively decorated. Giavanna enjoyed studying his taste in decor as she waited.

 

[Starsailor2804]

From his second story bedroom balcony Franco watched her arrive via her boat to his own private docks. He was coated in darkness from where he stood and liked it best that way for he was able to see her before she was able to see him. Dressed in his finest dark silks from the east that he had been able to get first before all others thanks to his merchant empire, he was wearing new arrivals that no one had their hands on. They hung very light to his skin and felt so good to the touch, but like most silk they were intended only for wear at home. They were much more for relaxing and presentation to guests of an estate than an outting on the town.

He was more impressed by Giavanna's choice of attire than his own and could not wait to see her up close. As she entered and was seated in the sitting room to wait for him he made his way inside and down the winding flight of stairs to the first floor and finally to the sitting room where she waited. With his hands at his side as he entered he smiled as he saw her first and held both of them out to her for her take as she would rise to greet him. "Lady Giavanna, you look absolutely beautiful this evening. I must say I surely did enjoy watching you arrive via boat, the sunset at your back. It was truly captivating." Holding her hands in his he could not end the smile for his joy of having her here with him. What a night this would be.

"May I get you anything to drink and show you around my estate?"

 

[slippedhalo]

"Oh, thank you, Franco, your manservant already offered me a drink and I believe the cherry liquour he insisted I taste will be here shortly." she said, taking both of his hands as she stood, admiring his silk as she let him admire her garnet coloured gown with ivory and rose trim. She wore more of her hair down than the previous day and it's scent wafted around her much as her personal perfume did as well. The best perfumer in Venice had created the scent for her alone and it was not a cheap service to procure one's own personal scent. She watched him take her in, sight, sound, scent, and wondered at his self-control as he remained friendly yet maintained formality even in his own home. It made her wonder what he was like behind closed doors, when no one else, not even staff, was around. Giavanna's experience of men like him was that they were usually wild animals in bed due to a lifestyle of perfect control and poise...she hoped he was typical to his kind.

A slow smile spread across her face as she answered, "I would love a tour of your estate...tell me, have you made a liar out of me and put that child to bed already or will I get a chance yet to tell him goodnight?" she asked. She wasn't playing to his ego. She really did like children and Alexander in particlar was a child she'd quickly grown quite fond of. It was a miracle that so far there were no cots in the nursery of her estate with little children, rich little bastards who would grow up better looked after than most married couple's children (as Venetian wealth took very good care of their illigitimate offspring), of her own to raise and love. She'd never required the services of a nursemaid nor a whore's apothacary to either pull them screaming into the world to live after a full term, or drag them, lifeless into the world to die in an abortion...At her age and with the amount of seed having passed her pleasure hole one began to wonder if it just wasn't possible. It made her all the more greatful for Alessa to pass the torch on to but at times she ached to have a baby cooing in her arms.

 

[Starsailor2804]

Franco was glad that his servants were doing their job and had never slacked even though he had treated them so well and allowed for slacking. Unlike many nobles of the city and day, he treated everyone who worked for him with respect and had gone out of his way to help them when they were in need. He liked it that way because he did not like to be despised by those he trusted with his home, plus he did not want a knife in the back either. Breathing in her fine scent he was in pure heaven at this point for the smell and the heat of the moment drove him to nearly take her right there. But, he held back.

"Oh, it was a very busy day for him and I told him to go to sleep, but I am sure he is waiting for you to sing him a lullaby. Let us go see if he is awake before he remains awake any longer." Holding out his arm he let her take his side before leading her up the stairs and down the hallway to the room of his son. Opening the door Franco smiled as he saw Alex, who was acting as if he was asleep, but he definately was not. "I see your eyes were open Alex," he said with a smile, causing Alex to smile before sitting up to greet Giavanna. "Good evening," Alex said to Giavanna, the young boy getting way too enthused that she was here and getting far too attached to her for sure.

Sliding a hand on her back he allowed her to walk from him and over to Alex's bedside. Leaving the two alone Franco looked for his servant who finally found them and handed him two glasses of wine. "George, please take the bottle of win to my bed chamber," he said with a smile, which was replied with a nod and smile from George. Returning to his son's room Franco leaned against the doorway as he watched them, two glasses of wine in his hands.

 

[caela]

Now, sleep well, my angel. Soon enough you'll be clipping those wings.

A smile curved Alessa's lips at the announcement Giavanna had made. It had been what she'd been hoping to hear since she'd been introduced to the party as Giavanna's apprentice but to hear it finally spoken! Her body trembled with joy as she leaned down and pressed grateful kisses to either of Giavanna's cheeks before quietly leaving her to her rest for she had an appointment on the following day.

That night she slept the blissfully vacant sleep of the happy.

* * *

The next morning she couldn't keep the smile from her face. She wasn't to go with her Mistress but she knew that soon she would no longer be confined to the house. With the public announcement of having taken an apprentice she would soon be allowed to go out in public with Giavanna so that her Mistress might show her off and seek to push up her virgin price. With Giavanna as her Mistress they both knew already that her price would be higher than most for some of Giavanna's reputation was bound to rub off on her and no man would dare offer Giavanna for fear of insulting her and alienating themselves from her bed if nothing else.

Alessa only prayed that whatever the price she did well to form her own reputation and that her first patron would speak well of Giavanna's teaching.

Thoughts of her first patron were filling her mind all morning until Ricardo returned home and she forced herself to focus on the contracts that had to be drawn up. For the time and money spent in training and outfitting Alessa Giavanna would recieve 40% of all the monies Alessa earned until she had saved enough to set up her own household. Once she had a household of her own that amount would drop to 25% and gradually decrease until Giavanna retired and joined Alessa's household at which point Giavanna would recieve an allowance of no less than 10% of Alessa's earnings and Alessa would house and board her comfortably until her death as well as providing funerary services when the time came.

For courtesans of the highest caliber it was a fairly standard contract the ensured the continued education of the apprentice and also allowed for the future comfort of the teacher. It ensured also that, unlike the prostitutes in less wealthy quarters of the city, there was always someone to care for them and a place for them to live. That they didn't end their lives in squalor and ignominy.

There was nothing in the contract that Alessa hadn't expected, no suprises or loopholes that hadn't been thoroughly discussed already but Ricardo insisted she read through it in it's entirety before she at last signed her name under Giavanna's.

That of course was when the lesson began. The rest of the afternoon was spent learning the in's and out's of contracts until Alessa thought her mind would burst with it all but Ricardo was a good teacher and when he finally declared her proficient enough to at least not be swindled by her patrons she was surprised to find that they'd whiled away the whole day and he'd kept her from thoughts of who her first patron might be.

Of course as soon as she realized that her thoughts turned back to it and to wondering what her first truly public event out with Giavanna might be. It was all so exciting that she couldn't stop herself from running to her mother's room to tell her the news once Ricardo dismissed her. She spent the rest of her evening in quiet discussion, and eager fantasies with her mother.

 

[slippedhalo]

"I see you're all ready for a trip to dreamland, are you Alexander?" asked Giavanna lightly as she sat carefully upon the edge of the child's bed. He looked up at her, his expression sleepy but his eyes wide as he took in every detail of her appearance.

"I was almost there." answered the boy, "...but I knew you would be coming Lady Giavanna, and I was waiting for you." he took hold of her hand in his small one and kissed the back of it as he had seen his father do the other night. Looking up at her with his enormous child's eyes again he said, "You are so very beautiful, Lady Giavanna. I can see why he likes you so much."

"Does he?" she asked, amused by his grown-up airs and this tidbit of confirmation.

"I would too if I was old enough to marry. If I could be an adult tomorrow I would ask for your hand in marriage so that you could sing me to sleep every night and smile your pretty smile at me....but, I know that when I am grown enough to marry you will be an old woman and so it must be that we remain friends." he said with a sigh, leaning back against his pillows.

It took every ounce of her will not to laugh, knowing it would be injurous to the boy's pride. Despite how cute and funny his speech was, he was quite serious about it and she had enough sense not to say anything at all more than. "It is a pity, my dear. But, I am very glad we can at least be friends." she said as she tucked him in. "What kind of song shall I sing you?" she asked.

He yawned and described a lullaby his mother often sang explaining, "I miss hearing it. Father cannot reach those notes."

She nodded but carefully asked, "Are you sure? I would not want to...if it was your mother's song..."

"Please..." asked Alexander sweetly.

Giavanna nodded patiently and began, hoping to do the song justice yet not overshadow his dear departed mother either. She knew she was treading a thin line here and prayed she wouldn't offend. As she sang, softly she caressed Alex's cheeks and smoothed his hair from his face. She would never dream of corrupting the young, this was simply platonic, matronly affection which he seemed starved for. He was asleep soundly before the last line and she let her voice drop off and fade away. After a moment of watching his little chest rise and fall with each breath and his innocent face placid with his dreams upon him, she smiled, feeling that familiar tug at her heart which reminded her of her own maternal longings once more and backed out of his nursery before she could grow any more attached.

Franco was standing by just outside the door and she smiled guiltily his way, allowing a blush to creep over her cheeks, "I feel I have put myself in an awkward position. I hope I didn't offend. He asked me to sing it..." her voice trailed off and she simply bowed her head. "...My apologies if I have irritated an old wound in my attempts to comfort and befriend."