Be A Goddess

The carraged bounced along it's path, the cobbles sparaticaly missing this far from the city proper. If the child lifted her eyes she might see the buildings growing fewer and more far between. She didn't look up however. The girls honey golden eyes had been half lulled by the rocking of the carrage and she nearly slept now agenst her mothers warm side.

"We're almost there my sweet little gift. We'll be there before you know it." The child stirred and peered at her mother through the fog of sleep.

"Where are we going? You wouldn't tell be before." She yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"We're going somewhere that your father can't ever get at you again." The child grew sullen. Memory of most of the last few days had been blurred. Half of the subtley of the events were simply lost on such a young mind. She could remember the sudden and special attention her father was payiing to her. She could see her mothers worried face in the background as her father carried her to a private chamber. Most of the rest was confusing and.... Painful. She didn't like it, and wouldn't think on it now even if her mother seemed to want too.

"I can't send you to school. I'm only his concubine, not his wife. But I can send you to a place where you'll be safe from him."

"But I liked the mannor. It had all the pretty things in the world in it." As the child's world was as small as her parents home.

"Oh, little darling. You'll soon be able to see the most beautiful places in the world. I'll give you some freedom yet."

Freedom was a concept somewhat unfarmiliar to the girl. Rather than answer, she shrugged and watched the buildings pass. "Where are we now?"

"A private sector. A place far enough from the city that the Guild hasn't so strong a grip. It is where I recived my training."

"Training for what?" The girl blinked, eyes fixing on a large sweeping mannor of golden ivory and jade. It had to be the biggest building of any of them. Along the steps and fountans and walk ways everywhere were beautiful women. Sitting, singing, dancing, playing. It was as if all the spirits of beauty had left the Wyld places and come here to spend leasure time.

"Training... As the Cortisan."

The girl was hurried in past the sun soaked naked women, eyes wide, somehow everything seemed impossibly big to the girl. The doors that opened readly enough to her mother seemed a million miles high. Once inside, she was dizzied by the arching golden antichamber.

A voice cut in to the childs daze and she looked over, and then up. "Is this the child?" A tall women, seeming to the child, impossibly tall hovered over her. Her face was stern and drawn and if she'd ever once been beautiful such a thing was long gone from her.

Her mother nodded. "Her name is..."

"..It doesn't matter what her name was. You know the rules here Starling. Her name will be..." As impossibly tall as she was, when she knelt she came just to eye level with the girl. "Adele. Yes. I like that for you little one."

"But that's not my name."

"It is now." The women said and stood to once again address her mother. "Now, she really isn't very much to look at. I'll do what I can, but I can't promise a miracle. Great Dragons that she should even devlop to half the women you are."

"This isn't about money Mistress. I explained already in the letter."

The women frowned. "Did he again? Surely she's too young to carry a child..."

"No. I stopped him and distracted him."

"Good. She'll never be worth anything damaged like that." Contrary to the tone however, the womens eyes darted once briefly to the child with compassion.

"I know, that's why I brought her here just as soon as I could. He seems to think her training here will be for him."

The women smirked. "Let him think what he wants for now. If there'll be other problems, they'll be years down the road. What do you think Adele? Would you like to learn to be a living Goddess?"

"What's a Goddess?" The girl pursed her lips, the unfarmiliar word rolled akwardly across her tongue.

"A Cortisan."

"What's a cortisan?"

"I'll show you."

(A Quick Note on the Image Above: Most obviously the painting above is -not- a sketch I drew myself. However in drifting around the web I found and fell inlove with the child above. It is a painting entitled "The Little Gourmet" By the French Painter William Bouguerea in 1895. He has to now be my favorite artest of all time. If your intrested in finding out more about him and some other amazing artests check out ARC International - The Art Renewal Center . Thanks.)

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