Some 'Steam' for Her 'Airship'

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Sarloch

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Original poster
The Gilded Rose was rather slow this evening, most of the usual customers had left port in the morning, and there were few travelers this time of year to partake of the forbidden fruits that were offered on the three tiers of the lavish building. The windows were all open, red curtains blowing in the gentle breeze as the ladies of the night sat around playing cards and idly talking with each other. Every so often a gentleman would come in and a girl would get up and walk back with him, leaving the window open as they passionately copulated, her moans and his groans echoing through the streets. The madam called it advertisment, though some found it... a bit less than tasteful.

On the second floor, which catered to women and queer men, Fredrick Carlisle sat by one of the windows as he smoked an imported cigarette and sipped at some brandy. He pushed aside the red curtain and glanced down at the street, sighing as he watched a few drunk businessmen stumbling out of the bar across the way. He was bored... and was looking to damn good tonight to be sitting there not being admired. He was dressed to the nines, as always, his sharp black suit that perfectly matched his raven hair contrasting wonderfully with his white silken tie. He stood and stretched, flicking his cigarette out the window before letting the curtain drift closed and walked across the room to lounge on the couch, arms spread out across the back of the lavish leather furniture as he closed his eyes and tried to relax.
 
Cassandra Belladonna McKay looked up at the building. Her airship had docked a few hours ago and she was ready for some relaxation. At least once a year she came to The Gilded Rose, whenever she couldn't stand being so dreadfully lonely anymore. One thing was nagging at the back of her mind, however. Her favorite prostitute had said something very grim after they had left the last time...he actually told her 'good bye'...Not abnormal to most, but he had only ever told her before 'until our next meeting'. It worried her greatly. Antonio had seemed quite down when he had serviced her last, just barely able to push his mood aside to make her stay enjoyable.

It had bothered her for the past four months and she had finally decided to come back earlier than usual. She put her hand on the railing of the back entrance and slid her white glove along as she hurried up the stairs to the second floor. She pushed the door open and stepped in, reaching up to remove her hat pins and then the hat itself. She dropped the pins into the hat and reached up, patting her hair gently. She stepped quickly into the main room and looked about, praying silently to see her Spaniard's fine face, broad shoulders, and well-sculpted body.

But she didn't. She saw all of the men she usually saw, but not him...her worried expression quickly turned to a concerned, upset frown and she looked around. "Where is Antonio?" She asked the men, looking around at them with her stern expression.
 
Fredrick stood slowly and walked over. All of the other men frowned and just... ignored her, not wanting to be the ones to tell her the grim news. The air seemed... still suddenly, despite the breeze blowing through the room. Fred walked up and lowered his gaze. "I... am sorry to say, Miss... Antonio is no longer with us..." He said, hoping she'd just assume he moved, or decided he didn't want to work here any more... anything but the truth. He could still barely believe it himself.
 
Unfortunately for everyone in the room, Cassandra was intelligent. She stared Fredrick down even though he wasn't looking at her. "He's dead." She felt her throat tightening. "What happened?" She looked around at the others, then decided she would get her information out of the man in front of her. "When I was here last, he told me goodbye. I've worried for him the past six months. He seemed so upset..."

She looked around the room again, then back to the man in front of her. He was still attractive, sure, but her mind was elsewhere now. She needed to know what happened to the only man who had ever been able to take her mind away from everything. The only man to lay her down and make her forget about the world, to treat her as both a lady and a whore all at the same time, to fulfill her every need and desire. The only man she had taken to bed since she was 20 when she found the place.
 
He looked up and sighed. "I do apologize... but even we don't know what exactly happened..." He said, looking her in the eyes. "He didn't come in to work one night... and then we found out a few days later..." he said, reaching out and taking her hand. "I know the two of you were close... I am truely sorry."

Truth be told, he missed Antonio too... they had been good friends, drinking and playing various parlor games together when not working. He... had not seen it coming, no one wanted him dead... and he always seemed so happy.
 
She let him take her hand but just kind of stood there in shock. She dropped her hat on the floor and brought her free hand up to lightly brush her perfectly painted lips. It was true then. He had died. She would never see him again. All she had of him were memories, and that is how it would stay.

Her knees grew weak all of the sudden, which caught her by surprise. Much less the fact she actually fainted! She never fainted! But, she wouldn't have time to think about that until she woke up. All Fredrick would see of this, of course, would be her collapsing. The Gilded Rose had always been a place where she could let her emotions out, let her hair down, be a real person. Usually it meant laughing and joking and drinking but this time apparently it meant fainting in front of everyone. It was a good thing her crew didn't know about this place. They would either never let her live it down or worry...or both.
 
Fredrick, being around woman almost all of the time and prepared for such events, caught her expertly and scooped her up. He sighed softly and carried her over to a chair in a corner, setting her down gently and propping her feet up, making sure to keep her decent as he did. While she was out he retrieved her hat, placing it on the table next to her. Once he had her settled he poured a cup of tea, set it beside her, and placed a warm towel to her forehead.

The first thing she'd notice when she woke was his hand gently holding her's, his thumb tracing small patterns on the back of her hand while he looked at her face, keeping an eye on her breathing. When she woke he smiled and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Are you feeling alright, Miss?"
 
Her eyes fluttered open after a bit. She looked around before settling her eyes on her hand, then up at his face. "I...I'm fine...I fainted?" She looked around the room and settled back in the chair. She fainted. When on earth was the last time she had fainted? She shook her head and noticed the tea. She picked the cup up with her empty hand and sipped from it. "Thank you...I'm afraid I do not know your name, though." She set the cup down and turned to look at him.

"I am Cassandra McKay." She seemed a little quieter than she had when she had come in. She had mourned Antonio since she left, so the closure was both welcome and still unsettling. She now knew what she had been fearing most and it surprised her that, while it hurt, it actually felt good as well. She had her closure and all she could do was hope he went painlessly.
 
He smiled softly and kissed the back of the hand he held, then let it go to rest on the arm of the chair. "Friedrick, Miss McKay." He said, bowing slightly in his chair. "And no ma'am I wouldn't say you fainted... I'd say that you were overcome with grief... it sound much more dignified." He said, trying to lighten her mood some.

He had already decided when she fainted that he was going to take her under his wing, make her forget all about Antonio... well... if not forget about him, at least he'd fuck her till she didn't care any more.
 
She gave a soft, short laugh. "I do like that better. Though, I am still not one to be known to be overcome with anything." Blood lust, maybe, but she wouldn't scare the poor man away so soon. Though, it would be nice to know that he was as tolerant and understanding as Antonio had been. Fuck it. "Blood-lust, perhaps...but never grief. I hardly cried at my own mother's funeral."

She gave a slight shrug and picked up her tea again, sipping from it like she had just told him the weather outside and nothing so disturbing. Since he let go of her other hand, she picked up the saucer to the tea cup as well to hold everything perfectly.
 
He chuckled lightly. "Blood-Lust?" he asked, reaching up and gently touching her arm. "Well, Miss McKay... and I don't say this to every woman... you fill my heart with plain, old, regular lust." He said, giving her a genuine smile. "And I doubt I'll cry at my mother's funeral either... it just shows that we both know that there's no point in wishing things could be the way they are not, yes?"

Of course, if his mother, who was downstairs playing cards with her employees had heard him say that, she'd tan his hide... but that didn't really need to be spread to her.
 
She put on a polite smile and set her tea cup down again. "Did you know Antonio well? Forgive me for asking, but, even as close as the two of us were, we did not speak of personal acquaintances on either side. Though, I always wondered if all of the men got together and spoke of their clients."

She laughed softly and looked down, tugging at her gloves, pulling them tighter onto her fingers. She never appreciated being lied to. It was one thing she liked about Antonio. He told her the truth. He told her what he really felt, how he really saw her. She never felt like she was just another one of his clients. When they were together, she felt like she was his entire world...
 
He nodded and straightened in his chair some. "Antonio and I were well acquainted... we were known to throw darts together in the basement and have a pint of two across the road." He adjusted his tie and smiled. "And while we were not supposed to... we certainly traded stories." He said, glancing her up and down and biting his lip slightly, remembering some of the sordid details Antonio shared about Miss McKay's encounters with him.


He blushed slightly and smirked. "And once or twice him and I... let off a little stress together." he said, letting out a small laugh. "I must say, you were certainly spoiled with that one."
 
A true smile crossed her lips. He was so honest with all of that, maybe he had been honest before as well. "Then you know some of me." He shifted in her chair, turning towards him slightly. Once again, she picked up her teacup and saucer and sipped from it. When she set it down, she simply rested it on her lap this time. I am glad to hear I am with one of his friends, then." She said with a slight nod.

"And I was dreadfully spoiled with him. He knew how to tend to my every, single need." She dropped her eyes down to her tea cup. "Emotionally, physically, mentally...he is the only man who's company I have taken since I started coming here when I was...a bit younger." She gave him a coy little smile. No lady would readily state her age, right? And she had been seeing Antonio for ten full years...sometimes only once a year, some years three or four or five times...she knew she wasn't his only client but he still made her feel that way every time she came in...
 
He returned the smile. "A bit younger you say?" He asked with a smirk. "Miss, if you were coming here when you were any younger I think we could get in quite a bit of trouble." He said, grinning. "And I do hope that I will be able to fill that hole... I know I will never be the same as Antonio... but I would love to attempt to make you smile." He said, reaching up and brushing her cheek gently.

"And if you're anywhere near as fun as Antonio is in bed, I'll certainly smile while attempting to do so." He said with a soft chuckle. He... wasn't always the most empathetic man around... but he never stopped making jokes, always trying to do whatever he could to get an honest laugh of of his clients.
 
She closed her eyes lightly when he touched her cheek, then opened them again. "Were you never here when I came to see Antionio? We usually had to keep the window shut." She smirked. "The neighbors would complain too much." She finished her tea with one last sip and set the cup back down on the table.

"I would like to retire to your room, Fredrick. We can continue our conversation there." She waited for him to stand and offer her his hand. If he did, she took it and stood, pausing to smooth down her dress. She took his arm and looked at him. "I am very much the type to keep my dirty laundry out of prying eyes. Even becoming so overwhelmed with grief as I did before is something I have never done in public."
 
He stood and smirked. "Well... I can entirely understand that Miss McKay." He said as he offered her his hand. "The windows being left open is really for for the clients downstairs anyways." He said, offering her his arm at the appropriate time. "Since most of the women downstairs have practice projecting..." He said, smirking. "And no... I do believe that every occasion I had the evening off." He laughed a bit. "I do remember one time when you left in the morning, he came over to wake me up." he grinned. "Apparently you were rather... dominant that particular evening." All the while they chatted he walked her towards his room and kept his voice low so as not to disturb, or be overheard, by anyone else.
 
Surprisingly enough, she seemed to actually remember the night in question. She laughed softly. "And he came to you to kiss his wounds all better? I try not to come in angry like that...It isn't befitting a lady." She smirked and looked at him before stepping into his room and looking around, taking in what he chose to decorate with, the colors, the furniture, the throw pillows, everything. She missed Antonio's room...

"It was fun, though...however, I prefer to not act that way." She turned her eyes back to Fredrick. "But please, do tell me how that morning went for you..." She perched herself on the bench he had under his window, not wanting to go straight to the bed yet. When she would come to see Antonio, it actually wasn't uncommon for her to stay more than one night, four at the most but typically two. She liked starting things out slow, pretending it was a real relationship that could go farther than just that bedroom...

She had thought many times in the past six months that maybe she had drove him into his depression...
 
He laughed softly and walked over to the window and stood near her, glancing down at her cleavage, then back to her face. He really did admire her body... usually this was just a job for him, but something about her... he WANTED her...

There was a soft twinkle in his eye as he thought back to that morning. "Well... for one... I do remember him being rather... explosive." He said with a smirk. "How long had you tortured the poor man without letting him release?" He asked as he slid into the bench next to her, pushing the curtain aside and tieing it off with a rope so they could both admire the rather nice view.
 
Maybe it was the fact she wasn't showing any cleavage. Her dress went up to her neck, down both her arms, the only skin she was showing was her right leg from above her knee almost all the way to her hip but not quite. From just above the knee down she was covered in a rather well crafted boot, but from above that to just below her hip, there was nothing, just her pale flesh.

She smirked and looked up at him. "Hours, but not all night." She smoothed her dress and turned to look out the window. She reached a gloved hand up and rested it on the window sill. "I'm glad your room is on the same side of the building that Antonio's was on. I am comforted by the ability to see my ship from here."
 
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