(Japan circa 1600)

Part I

It was a beautiful country. Especially Okinawa, the exquisite sylvan city that seemed as if it had been brushed onto the canvas of the world by a painter's hand, almost unrealistic in its perfection; the city which now passed by slowly outside the green satin curtains of Lady Hilde Schbeiker's carriage.

Hilde pushed the curtains aside to get a better view of the passing landscape- the lush green forests surrounding delicate, ornate wooden temples and houses; the white plains of the rice fields, dotted with the brown of the workers' straw hats; the hazy azure sweep of the ocean on the horizon, just beyond the pale gray and green of the mountains in the distance. She gazed at it all in awe and sighed.

Japan. Her new home.

Hilde let the curtains drop back into place and sat back against the plush velvet seat, leaning her head back against the headrest. She nervously pushed down the sleeves of her new silk kimono, a present for her "adoption" from Lady Catalonia; pure white silk painted with crimson petals, the color of cherry blossoms in the fall, before they withered in the cold. As Lady Catalonia had described it: "Reminiscent of virginity and sexuality; the lovely art of suggestion." And cherry blossoms were her new master's favorite flower.

Hilde felt a thrill of excitement run down her spine at the thought of her master. Although she was almost sickeningly nervous at knowing she would be with him alone for the first time, she was also practically dizzy with excitement. Lady Catalonia had told her so many stories about him, the samurai Lord Heero Yuy. A powerful warrior and an equally powerful lover. An adept sensualist and fantasist, much as Hilde herself was. A wonderful man to be "adopted" by, however married he was.

Married. Hilde sighed again.

Of course such an honored and respected lord and soldier would be married, and to nothing less than a goddess. His wife, Lady Relena Peacecraft, a princess from the French kingdom of Cinq: A goddess with straight golden hair that fell to her knees, large aquamarine eyes fringed with long, dark lashes, and a curvaceous, abundant figure. Theirs was a political marriage, set by Lady Peacecraft's father to further French interests in and secure friendly relations with Japan.

For the Lady Peacecraft, the match with Lord Yuy had been love at first sight. Heero Yuy was an amazing man: Tall and slender, yet with a powerful, muscular build, honed to near god-like perfection from his samurai background, wild dark hair, and sensuous, beautiful Prussian blue eyes, reminiscent of his European ancenstry. Hilde knew how she must have felt in seeing him for the first time; she herself had felt the strong sexual attraction that he seemed to emanate when he and Lady Peacecraft had come to Lady Catalonia's tea house that first time... The time he had decided to "adopt" her.

However, for Lord Yuy, love came only after the marriage. Despite Lady Peacecraft's incredible beauty and her prestige with the Cinq government, she was not at all what he had wanted in a wife. They had both been young- only fifteen- and the first year had been difficult. But now, after three years and with Lady Peacecraft preparing to bear his child, Lord Yuy had grown to love her and accept her as his wife. This was why Hilde had objected to being "adopted" by him at first; she couldn't imagine coming between a loving couple, and especially one that was preparing to have a child.

Hilde smoothed her delicate crimson fan across her lap, running slim, jeweled fingers over the fragile paper folds. "A man has needs," Lady Catalonia said. It had her much convincing before Hilde agreed to become Lord Yuy's personal courtesan.

A courtesan. A small smile curved Hilde's rouged lips as she turned the word over in her mind, marveling at the fact that that was what she was now. Hilde Schbeiker, the once wild, free-spirited daughter of the matriarch of a Germanic tribe, was now a courtesan, a woman who catered to and filled the desires of men.

The carriage continued to roll slowly over the well-trodden dirt road, past the quiet bustle of one of Okinawa's many merchant markets, and further into the forest towards Lord Yuy's secluded mountain estate. Hilde pushed the curtains aside once more to gaze out at the approaching peaks, obscured slightly by dense white fog and clouds, as she thought back to the time before Japan, before coming into Lady Catalonia's care and becoming a courtesan.

Hilde Schbeiker had been the daughter of Hilda Schbeiker, the leader of a matriarchical tribe in the wilds of Germany. Their society had been one in which women ruled over men, free to do as they pleased and roam the countryside as they liked. Femininity was irrelevant; the women dressed in men's trousers and shirts, more conducive for hunting and traveling than a dress would have been, and cut their hair short. Men were even more irrelevant. Hilde had barely known her father, who had died when she was three, and hadn't been bothered with the likes of men since. They were simply vassals to her mother and the other women who governed the tribe, useful for labor and of course, reproduction. Never had she imagined that men could have power over women, or that a woman should ever want a man to have power over her.

At fifteen, Hilde left with her mother to travel to the East, hoping to find a suitable home for their tribe. The wars against the Germanic tribes and France had left their own land destroyed and conquered by one of the French armies. Stories of wealth and fertile land in the East had prompted Hilda Schbeiker to move her people where they would be unharmed and free once more, but first she had wanted to see it for herself. Hilde travelled with her, reaching China and stopping in Shanghai.

Shanghai was almost as beautiful as Japan; a bustling seaside city with infinitely more people and infinitely more rules than Hilde had ever experienced, even here in Japan. It was in there that her life had changed.

A young Chinese girl had come to the forest shelter Hilde and her mother had built for themselves outside of Shanghai one night, pleading for sanctuary and promising to lend her skills as a warrior in order to escape back to Germany with them.

Ron Meiran. Hilde smiled at the memory.

Ron Meiran, the granddaughter of the powerful, feared leader of the respected Dragon Clan, Ron Shirin. A warrior in her own right, skilled in martial arts; a beautiful soldier with piercing ebony eyes and straight black hair, falling to her shoulders in a men's style. A girl destined to marry with Chang Wufei, a scholar that her grandfather had chosen for her, someone for who she would rather have died than become the wife of. Hilde and her mother took her in immediately. It was the end of the proposition of moving to the East, a place where men ruled without question.

Hilde became kindred with Meiran; to both, the idea of having her soul shackled to that of a man for all eternity was worse than punishment in Hell itself. They became like sisters, planning a perfect existence together away from men. Meiran would become part of their tribe and live without the pressures from her oppressive society.

Tears came to Hilde's eyes then and she quickly brushed them away with a fingertip, careful not to smudge the mascara and the deep lining of kohl around her eyes, the black in sharp contrast to the pale blue orbs. Her kindred sister and their perfect plan was not to be.

The night before the three had planned to return to Germany, a small army of Ron Shirin's men stormed their hidden shelter, tipped off by a merchant in Shanghai who had seen Hilde and Meiran walking together through the market that morning and followed them. Hilda Schbeiker was killed immediately, no match for the mens' swift machetes, and Meiran and Hilde were captured; Meiran sent back back to her home and forced into her marriage with Chang Wufei, Hilde destined for the most cruel of punishments: Banishment to Japan, or the heathen country, as the Chinese liked to call it.

Hilde spent nine days on a slave ship to Japan, worked and tortured almost to death by her sadistic Chinese masters. She knew if it hadn't been for the strong resolve implanted in her by her mother and the other women of her tribe, she would have surely died then. But to die at the hands of men was completely repulsive to her; she wouldn't be defeated so easily.

In Japan, Hilde was immediately sent to the block- the slave market-in Osaka. Luckily, that day, Lady Dorothy Catalonia had been present, searching for another servant to add to her extensive harem of help, and took Hilde in. The beautiful Italian woman had whisked her away to the tea house she owned in Okinawa, enamored of her new pet and determined on making her a "lady."

Hilde still thanked the gods for Lady Dorothy Catalonia, the kind, yet hot-tempered mistress who had somehow managed to turn her from a boyish imp into a sensuous woman. Of course, it had been difficult at first. Lady Catalonia had bathed her and covered her in scented oils, which Hilde had hated and tried desperately to rub off of her. Then she had given her a kimono- a delicate, sheer pink one- and Hilde had refused to wear it, yearning for the comfortable familiarity of her leather trousers and long cotton shirt. Eventually, after being deprived of any clothing at all for days and having to endure the cold winter nights in bare flesh, Hilde reluctantly wore the dreadfully feminine pink kimono. Then it had been her hair.

Hilde suppressed a giggle behind one small, carefully powdered hand, remembering how she had screeched and protested when Lady Catalonia had forbidden her to cut her hair when it grew down to her shoulders.

"A lady must never wear her hair like a man," she had said, ignoring Hilde's curses and screams as she washed the long black mane and then combed it through with rose water. "And your hair is absolutely lovely."

Hilde reached a hand up to delicately touch her hair, the shiny black curtain of silk which hung down to her waist now, carefully twisted up and held together with crimson sticks, a few strands falling loose around her face to suggest erotic disarray. Her hair was her pride and joy now, wondrously smooth and silky, and as blue-black as the night sky in contrast to her pale skin and wintry blue eyes. She was beautiful.

Lady Catalonia had seen the potential in her that day on the block, and over the years Hilde had blossomed. She was small and light, a delicate waif, but with a lovely, richly curved body. Her breasts were petite, perfect in their shape and roundness, perky and youthful under her kimono. Her hips flared slightly from her tiny waist and her rear was small and perfect, with a gentle curve. Her flesh was as white and flawless as marble, the blue eyes large and innocent in her young face, and her full, unnaturally red lips seemed formed in an eternal, petulant pout. Her physical charms, coupled with Lady Catalonia's intense "training", had molded Hilde Schbeiker into the perfect courtesan.

Hilde closed her eyes and touched a hand to her heart, feeling it flutter gently at the memory of Lady Catalonia and their nights of "training". She had been the first to initiate Hilde into the world of sexual pleasure, breaking her virginity with a soft leather phallus and bringing Hilde to her first orgasm. They had spent countless nights in Lady Catalonia's boudoir, the lovely blonde Italian showing her beautiful pupil how to suckle and fondle a man's cock, using the same phallus she had initiated Hilde with, and how to pleasure herself as well. Her hand slipped down now between her legs to lightly caress herself through the thin silk of her kimono, imagining Lady Catalonia's long, practiced fingers tickling that sensitive nodule inside her soft petals. They had taken turns pleasuring each other as well, playing games in which they tied each other in silken bonds and licked and suckled breasts and sex.

But the "training" hadn't always been so gentle and loving. Lady Catalonia was merciless in her quest to make Hilde into a "lady", often beating her with bamboo sticks and whips as the young German girl struggled to work herself to orgasm on a leather phallus mounted to the wall, meant to emulate sexual intercourse and perfect her skills. Hilde bit her lower lip, remembering the exquisite pain as Lady Catalonia brought the solid, sharpened end of the bamboo stick down on her rear, over and over again, paining her greatly and yet, intensifying her pleasure. She had been a wonderful teacher and now Hilde would finally get to test her knowledge.

Hilde opened her eyes and smiled, thinking once again of her master. The carriage continued on its way deeper into the lush forest, the chirping of the cicadas growing ever more intense as they neared the mountains, the scent of honeysuckle and cherry blossoms almost overpowering. She would be arriving soon.

Lord Yuy and his immaculate wife had only come to the tea house once, a week ago, before deciding to take Hilde in. Lady Peacecraft and Lady Catalonia had been friends in Europe before coming to Japan, and when Lady Peacecraft needed a favor she had turned to her old acquaintance. Lady Catalonia had invited the two to afternoon tea and had asked Hilde to act as the serving girl. It was then that she had first seen the esteemed Lord Yuy and quickly become enraptured with him, as he had with her.

Hilde sighed softly, remembering how their eyes had met over the steam of the spicy orange tea as she bent to pour some into his cup, the Prussian blue orbs burning with lustful fascination. She had sat down beside him afterwards and later during the tea, she had subtly let the top folds of her blue satin kimono fall open, giving him a tantalizing glimpse of her wares. Lord Yuy had sighed, barely concealing a guttural moan as he gazed down at her sweetly exposed young body, clenching his teeth to sustain control. Hilde had been delighted, although she felt incredibly guilty in front of the Lady Peacecraft.

The other woman, however, hadn't seemed at all bothered by her husband's reaction to the beautiful courtesan and continued to kneel primly on her woven straw mat beside him, sipping her tea delicately, and smiling pleasantly at Hilde. She even seemed to take a liking to the German girl. Hilde had smiled back, glad to know that she had earned the other woman's friendship. That night the couple made their decision to Lady Catalonia and ordered Hilde to come live with them the next week. This week.

Hilde straightened in her seat and pushed back the curtains to look outside again, beginning to grow impatient. She wished the driver would hurry; her nerves were starting to get to her again, sending a wave of nausea coursing through her body, rising in her stomach. Dread and anticipation fought for dominance of her emotions, settling in the end for the mixture of both she had felt from the beginning. The carriage was coming to a clearing in the forest. Finally.

Lord Heero Yuy came back into her thoughts then; a vision of him kneeling naked by a fire, sweat running down the bronzed, sculpted musculature of his body as he awaited her arrival. Hilde closed her eyes and moaned softly, imagining how he would feel inside her. Her first man. However married he was.

Married. Hilde opened her eyes and sighed again.

The carriage came to an abrupt halt.

"Lady Schbeiker," the driver called. "We are here."

Part II

The door to the carriage opened and a large, callused brown hand reached inside. Hilde delicately extended her own hand and allowed the driver to help her down. Her jeweled sandals touched the grassy lawn lightly and she straightened, gazing in awe at the palatial estate spread before her.

Lord Yuy's house was magnificent. The entire structure lay enclosed within a fence made from bamboo and was surrounded by lush gardens of violets and daffodils, with a small, clear blue lake centered in the middle of a grove of cherry blossom trees; the house itself was a masterpiece in hinoki-cedar latticework and ornately painted shoji screens depicting beautiful natural scenes, as open and spread out as a temple. The roof sloped gently, small panels cut open to provide skylights into the house, and was tiled in slate colored an incredible shade of aquamarine. Most likely a tribute to the beautiful eyes of his love, Hilde thought with a smile. She suddenly appeared.

"Lady Schbeiker."

The Lady Relena Peacecraft stepped gently down from the steps leading into the house, followed closely by two younger girls dressed in simple gray robes; her attendants. The lady herself was dressed humbly, in a kimono of pale green satin painted with darker green leaves. Her golden hair was twisted up elaborately, held in place with delicate wooden combs shaped like leaves. Her flat abdomen was beginning to protrude slightly under her kimono; the pregnancy was commencing quickly. She came to a stop in front of Hilde and smiled happily, bowing her head in greeting. The aquamarine eyes sparkled. She was still beautiful.

Hilde bent her head in respect and lowered her eyes, bowing her entire upper body to show her extreme deference. The dangling rubies at her ears clinked lightly as she curtsied, kohl-lined blue eyes cast downwards in both respect and fear. Lady Peacecraft continued to smile, impressed at the girl's politeness.

"My lady," Hilde finally spoke, her girlish voice barely a whisper. "I thank you for allowing me to stay with you. I know I will forever be in your debt, Mistress Peacecraft." She straightened slowly but kept her eyes down.

Lady Peacecraft reached out a hand to gently lift the other girl's chin. Wide cerulean eyes, bright with fear and nervousness, met hers and she smiled again. "Please, you owe me nothing," the lady replied, moving her hand down to grasp both of the other girl's. "In fact, it is /I/ who owes you, Lady Schbeiker. Please, you may call me Mistress Relena."

Hilde stared back at the other woman, sensing only genuine friendship in her eyes. She allowed herself to smile as well. "Thank you, Mistress Relena," she said. "And I would be so honored if you would refer to me as only Hilde. I have no right to formalities."

Lady Relena took Hilde's hand in her own and led her towards the house, the two attendants staying behind to take Hilde's belongings from the carriage. "Don't be foolish," she said. "As long as you are in my home, we are equal." She smiled almost shyly then, ducking her head as they entered the house. "After all, we share everything now. You are my sister."

Hilde looked to her mistress, fighting the blush that slowly crept into her carefully made up cheeks, and smiled back. "Thank you, Mistress Relena."

The other woman looked up finally and brought the smaller girl close to her, wrapping her in long, silky arms. Her lips found the courtesan's and they shared a deep, affectionate kiss. Hilde felt a melting sensation in her thighs as her mistress's tongue probed gently at her own, reminiscent of Lady Catalonia. She moaned softly through the kiss and the spell was broken.

Lady Relena pulled away gently and smiled, taking Hilde's hand once more and leading her into a small parlor. "You must get ready now," she said, smoothing an imaginary wrinkle from the long, crimson-streaked skirt of Hilde's kimono. "Lord Yuy awaits you in his chamber." She motioned to the other side of the house, past the open screen of the parlor and out into the sunlighted hallway. The screen on the far end of the hallway was closed, dim lights flickering against the thin white paper across the latticework. So there is a fire, Hilde thought, her heart increasing its tempo as she remembered her vision of her master. She turned back to her mistress.

"Mistress Relena..." Hilde sighed, struggling to find words synonomous with her emotions. As much as she looked forward to stepping behind that dark screen, a part of her still insisted vehemently that she stay away from this couple; she couldn't bring herself to think of what might happen if she complicated their marriage. The clear blue eyes began to well with tears again and Hilde quickly looked away.

Lady Relena raised her chin once again. "Lady Hilde," she said softly, gazing into the other girl's shining eyes. "I beg you, don't think anything of this. I am not jealous. I was the one who asked Lady Catalonia for you."

Hilde's brows furrowed in confusion. "But why, Mistress? Are you and Lord Yuy not happy?"

Lady Relena smiled and shook her head. "No, we are quite the opposite," she replied, blushing slightly. "But as I am with child now, I am of no use to him. A man has certain needs that must be met..."

So Lady Catalonia had been right, Hilde thought, feeling a bit better. But it still pained her to hear Lady Relena refer to herself as "of no use." Love wasn't about being used, she was sure of it. And a man had no right to impress that idea upon any woman.

"...And besides, I simply adore you," Lady Relena finished, reaching out one pale hand to brush a strand of long black hair behind Hilde's adorned ear. "I could not have asked for anyone better for my husband." She smiled.

Hilde forced herself to smile back, still lost in thought over the concept of being used. But that is what I do, she thought. I /am/ for the use of men. And yet I enjoy it.

She thought nothing of it again as Lady Relena finished touching up her hair and makeup and then sent her quietly down the hall with one last, sweet smile of encouragement.

Hilde entered the dark chamber shyly, her face half hidden behind her crimson fan, large blue eyes the only feature visible above the fragile folds. A thousand scents flooded her body as she slid the shoji screen closed, intoxicating her; citrus and pomegranate harmonized sensuously with muguet, jasmine, sandalwood, and vanilla, wafting gently upwards from candles and sticks of incense. The sheer blue curtains at the large window were shut but for a small opening, allowing the soft autumn breeze to blow into the room, melding with the other scents and cooling her already hot body. A slender, dark figure stood leaning against the far wall, arms crossed over chest, head down and face hidden by long peaks of dark hair.

"Come closer." The voice that commanded her was soft, deep, with a lovely accent. Emotionless. A shiver of excitement ran down Hilde's spine. She stepped forward.

The shadows from the flickering candles played over the figure's sculpted body, dancing in the ridges of his muscles, enhancing the wiry build. He was naked but for a loose, dark blue robe, open under his crossed arms. The strong jaw was set, the eyes cast downward, the chest rising and falling rapidly; excited.

Hilde immediately bowed before her master, sinking to her knees on the smooth wooden floor, touching her forehead to the ground. "My master," she whispered. "I am honored that you desire my company."

Silence. Finally he spoke. "Come to me."

Hilde kept her eyes down and slowly crawled closer to him, as he had not commanded her to stand up. She felt her lord's eyes upon her as she moved as gracefully and lithely as a cat across the floor, her body undulating sinuously. His breathing grew louder in the dark silence; turned on. Her body suddenly responded and she was no longer afraid; Lady Catalonia had taught her well.

Still keeping her eyes down and her head bowed, Hilde bent down over his bare feet to kiss each one, conveying her submission to him. After giving each a soft respectful kiss, Hilde let her tongue slip through her slightly parted red lips to lovingly lave every inch of his feet. The breathing was ragged now, heavier. She kissed her way up the strong calves and stopped to rub her cheek against one muscular thigh, still not daring to look up.

Lord Heero Yuy was in agony. His sex throbbed painfully, growing ever harder as the beautiful courtesan lapped at his flesh with her soft, pink tongue. He longed to have her mouth on him elsewhere, everywhere, but he couldn't allow himself to lose control yet. This was only their first meeting and he had promised that the first time would be swift, simple, and under /his/ terms. The girl had stopped licking him and was waiting for his next command, breathing hotly against his thigh. Lord Yuy fought the urge to grab her hair and push her mouth over his cock. He spoke instead.

"You may stand up," he said. She obliged silently, head still bowed in deference as she rose to her feet.

"Disrobe." The soft silk of her kimono sighed open as she untied the sash around her waist, revealing the expanse of her creamy white flesh and those tiny, delicate breasts he adored. She continued to stare demurely down at the floor. Lord Yuy thanked the gods that she did; he knew if he looked into those large, innocent sky blue eyes all restraint would be lost. She waited silently for his next command. He slowed his breathing.

"I want to watch you pleasure yourself now," the deep, even voice continued. "But you may not reach perfect satisfaction yet. I want you to reserve that for your master."

"Hai, Master Yuy," Hilde whispered, sinking slowly to her knees once again on the cold, hard floor. She sat back on her heels, spreading her knees wide apart. Lord Yuy watched her silently, his eyes flickering over her body to linger on the wet sex between her legs. His heart raced; he wished to take her now, with no regard to his promise. It took all his strength to wait as he watched the girl bring one small hand to her mouth to lick each slim finger, running her tongue over the lengths to wet each thoroughly. She then brought the hand down, running it lightly over her body before letting it rest between her thighs. Lord Yuy felt himself grow harder, his heart pounding in his ears.

Hilde closed her eyes, concentrating on satisfying her master. She cupped her sex with the palm of her hand, stroking the soft nether lips gently, teasing herself. A soft, barely audible moan escaped her lips and she teased a little more, allowing one carefully moistened finger to slip inside. She arched up on her knees, pushing her breasts and hips forward, displaying herself as another finger entered and she began a slow thrusting, in and out. Lord Yuy watched, enthralled.

Hilde felt the dark gaze of her master burning into her skin and gave herself over to passion, bucking her hips against her hand, her thumb rubbing the distended nodule enough to give pleasure but not enough to bring herself to orgasm, torturing herself by not giving in to the sensations that tugged at her abdomen. She threw her head back, reaching her free hand up to free her hair from the sticks that held it in place, letting the long black silk tumble down her back, around her shoulders. Cries of tortured ecstasy emanated from her undulating figure, candlelight dancing over her pale skin, glowing with sweat, the growled moan of her master conveying his pleasure and raising her passion. She edged closer to perfect satisfaction. Lord Yuy watched, the heat and tension in his body almost unbearable. He groaned.

She opened her eyes. She hadn't meant to, but the sounds her master made had made her curious as to how he looked, what he was feeling. A courtesan was never to gaze at her master during sex; she had broken the rule. Hilde gasped as her eyes met his for the first time since the tea, the look of raw desire etched onto the Japanese man's face almost enough to have pushed her over the edge. Her body stiffened, ceasing its motion. She awaited her punishment.

Lord Yuy gazed into the bright blue orbs, half hidden behind strands of long hair, unbelieving that she had dared to look up at him. He knew that he should punish her but he couldn't bring himself to do so; those innocent eyes in that sweet, young face implored him for his mercy, the arch of her perfect body pleaded for his sex. He couldn't do it. The reasons whirred through his mind: She wanted him as much as he wanted her. She was too beautiful to punish. He ached for her. That one gaze had broken all resolve.

Lord Yuy came to her quickly, his robe falling to the floor, his face a mask of lust, the Prussian blue eyes smoldering with passion. Hilde watched him, both afraid and aroused, a thousand images racing through her mind as to what he would do to her. Strong hands clasped around her arms, pulling her roughly to her feet. A warm, questing mouth covered hers then, sharp, even teeth pulling at her lower lip and forcing her to open her mouth so that his tongue could enter. Hilde obeyed, moaning through the kiss as their tongues battled passionately, her fear giving way to complete arousal.

The large, elegant hands caressed every inch of her body, travelling up the slender hips to cup perfect breasts, pinching the nipples almost painfully between strong fingers. Hilde cried out, pulling her mouth away from his and arching her neck; Lord Yuy's mouth quickly covered the soft white flesh there, suckling and biting with vicious urgency, smearing her makeup. The hands continued to explore her body as hers explored his, running up his smooth flanks, over the muscled expanse of his back, feeling him ripple beneath her touch. She loved the way he felt, so solid and strong; her first man. His tongue touched her ear, licked it gently.

"Turn around, on your knees, on the floor." The commands were whispered surprisingly soft, gentle; he wasn't angry. Hilde moaned a soft "Hai" before turning her back to him and falling to her knees, reaching for the windowsill to lean on for support. He came behind her, on his knees as well, dripping hot, seductive kisses down her back.

Lord Yuy allowed a smile to curve his lips; the smile of conquest. She had slipped only once in her passion, not enough to warrant his punishment. She was still absolutely perfect in her submission, her complete deference to her master. She was /his/. He closed his eyes and sighed, bending his head to taste the spicy sweetness of her skin once more.

Hilde propped her elbows against the windowsill, parting the thin curtains slightly to allow the breeze to blow through, sending a chill through her body as Lord Yuy continued to kiss her back. She moaned softly, reveling in the sensations he created in her, gazing dazedly out into the courtyard. She could hear women's voices; Lady Relena and her attendants, out for a walk in the garden. She closed her eyes.

Forgive me, my mistress...

Lord Yuy's powerful chest pressed against her back suddenly shifted Hilde back to the present and she opened her eyes. She felt a touch between her legs then. Lord Yuy ran one finger delicately across the wet, pink slit, making Hilde sob, her body trembling with desire. Her scent, like the smoldering of fragrant flowers, intoxicated him, blending with the strong perfume of the incense. He took her then.

It was as Lord Heero Yuy had wished; swift, simple, and under his terms. He kept his eyes closed, the muscles of his abdomen tightening as he thrust his pelvis forward, entering her easily. Hilde's sweet cry of pleasure urged him on and he settled into a practiced rhythm, his teeth clenched, his thrusts slow, methodic, with all the power of the feudal lord he was behind them.

Hilde rocked back into him, crying tears of both joy and pain as he worked himself in her body; joy at having the honor of this man's sexual desires and pain at being the object of that desire to another woman's husband. The women's voices approached nearer; perfect satisfaction edged even closer. Lord Yuy was large and hot, thrusting into her a thousand times. Hilde cried harder, taking his thrusts and responding with her own, desperate for release.

Lord Yuy was gentle in his sex, hearing her sobs of anguish through the moans and cries of pleasure and moving his mouth next to ear to comfort her. He parted her beautiful hair, kissing her nape each time he descended into her, calming her and making her sigh "Heero-sama" softly, using his name for the first time. His name on her petulant lips drove him over the edge.

Hilde felt the immense organ inside of her stiffen; her walls tightened around it in response: Perfect satisfaction.

"Heero-sama, my master!" she cried, her hands gripping the windowsill tightly as he spilled his seed into her body. He grunted in answer, burying his face against her back as his sex continued to pulse inside her. She could see the Lady Relena and her servants now, on the other side of the courtyard across from the window, sitting under a willow tree. The lady looked up at the sound of her cry of Lord Yuy's name, the servants turning to stare as well.

Hilde stared back at the other woman, damp strands of hair falling in her eyes and clinging to her flushed face. Her inner places wept clear fluids as sweet and agonizing as the tears that continued to fall slowly from her eyes. Lord Yuy's mouth was on her neck again. She moaned. The two women continued to stare at one another.

Finally Lady Relena smiled, her lips curving almost secretively before she hid her face behind her green paper fan.

Part III

Hilde walked silently into the tea room, eyes respectfully downcast, and padded softly in her tabi socks to the low wooden table, taking her place across from her mistress. She knelt carefully down on the woven mat, arranging the folds of her trim peach-colored meisen kimono around her so as not to wrinkle the fine material. Her hair was twisted up and held with shiny gold pins, matching the color of the sash about her small waist, and her makeup was perfect; the soft peach-colored liner she had used to accentuate the deep, clear blue of her eyes was lighter and more natural than the kohl she had used yesterday. She seemed as if nothing at all had happened that night.

Lady Relena, already kneeling at the table with her tea in hand, watched the courtesan enter, bowing gently in homage to her mistress, and then sit, eyes trained on the space in front of her. The girl looked perfect, although Lady Relena had not failed to notice the slight slowness in her movements; pain in her nether regions, no less. She brought one hand up to her mouth to suppress a smile.

"I trust that you slept well, Lady Hilde?" Lady Relena finally spoke, taking a sip of her tea.

Hilde took this as permission to look up and did so, replying, "Yes, my mistress. I am very satisfied with my quarters." One of Lady Relena's servant girls came and poured Hilde a cup of the raspberry tea while another placed a small bowl of white rice in front of her. Hilde smiled her gratitude to both girls and reached for her rice.

Lady Relena smiled. "I am happy. Are you and my husband conversing favorably?" She stared into the other girl's eyes as she asked this, searching for any signs of the guilt and nervousness she had seen in them yesterday. The girl would have to learn that this was her duty.

Hilde gazed back at her mistress, a light blush coloring her delicately powdered cheeks, and nodded her assent. She had already cried over Lady Relena; the other woman had already shown her forgiveness and conveyed her approval. There was no need for her to shy away from speaking about her relations with Lord Yuy with his lady.

"Yes, we are conversing very well," Hilde replied, feeling a soft moistness between her legs at the thought of her master. They had had intensely passionate sex all night, stopping only to rest for intervals before he took her again and again. His incredible sex still filled her, his powerful, loving thrusts still wracked her body, the muscular arms holding her close as he kissed her lips and breasts while she moaned his name, over and over. "Heero-sama..." Hilde closed her eyes and a light shudder went through her body, her beautiful loins aching still from their passion.

Lady Relena watched her carefully, head tilted to the side in thought as she took another sip of her tea. So she had been ever more correct in her choice, she thought. Her husband was satisfied and therefore so was she. She quietly reminded herself to send a note of gratitude to her friend, Lady Catalonia.

"I am very happy, Lady Hilde," Lady Relena said, breaking the silence. Hilde's eyes opened and she colored again, looking down and taking a delicate bite of her rice. The other lady smiled. "I am sure my husband is just as pleased."

Hilde look back up and reached for her tea. The sweet, tangy fragrance of the raspberry liquid filled her senses and intrigued her as to its taste. She sipped once, relishing the delicious smoothness of the tea as it slipped down her throat. "Is Lord Yuy not joining us for breakfast this morning?" she asked. She wanted to see him; he had sent her back to her own quarters after their sex, the proper etiquette for courtesan and master, with a kiss and slip of paper on which he had written in beautiful calligraphy:

          I have never seen an autumn

             So sweet as the autumn

                Which has brought you to me

Those few words had kept her nearly awake all night, her body raging in the heat of the cool night and her sex dampening her robes. If it had not been for her exhaustion after the night's pleasures, Hilde knew she would not have slept. She longed to see him now, to know what he was feeling, if he was truly happy with her.

Lady Relena spoke again, shaking her head slowly. Her diamond earrings caught the sunlight streaming into the open windows of the tea room and sent sparkles of brilliant color splashing across the walls. "No. Our lord does not take meals with the women," she explained. "Only on special occasions does he dine with us; the men have more important things to do."

Hilde hid her disappointment behind her teacup, taking another long sip. She would never fully understand the customs of this country, no matter how well Lady Catalonia had taught her and no matter how well she submitted to them. She decided to go on.

"What do the men do while the women dine, then?"

Lady Relena smiled, amused. Lady Catalonia had been right; she was still quite the foreigner at heart. "I am sure that you know Lord Yuy is a samurai, yes? And that he owns much of the land in this prefecture?" Hilde nodded and ate some more of her rice. Lady Relena continued.

"The mornings are reserved for his practice as a warrior. Sometimes he will spar with other soldiers or meditate in the temple in the mountains. Most times he will hunt; today he is hunting tanuki badgers in the forest with Lord Hazuki. Other times he will go and inspect the work and progress of the villagers in town. It is important that he keep up with his government; the Europeans have started to settle here and have plans of taking this port for their own, as well as others throughout Japan. Especially the Spanish."

Hilde listened, enchanted, imagining Lord Yuy going to battle with the fierce Europeans. He was so strong, so powerful... But the Europeans were equally powerful, as she remembered when her village in Germany had been captured by the French. She hoped that he would be able to keep them away.

Suddenly a servant man dressed in the modest clothing of the villagers, his skin tanned and weathered by the sun, entered the tea room, bowing several times, his head down. Lady Relena's attendants shrieked softly in surprise and hurried to set up a large, beautifully painted screen, hiding the lady and Hilde from the man's view. Lady Relena opened the white silk fan in her lap and held it over her face. Hilde followed suit with her own gold paper fan, confused as to why they had to hide from this mere villager. "But a lady must never be seen in the prescence of a man, especially if she is spoken for," she remembered Lady Catalonia telling her. "/Any/ man."

"My apologies, my lady," the man finally spoke, breathless and with a heavy accent. Hilde could see his shadowed form on the other side of the screen drop to its knees on the floor, bowing once more. "I have come here with a message for your master."

"Hai, you may proceed," Lady Relena replied, keeping her face hidden behind the fan. The attendants stood guard on either side of the screen. Hilde stayed silent.

"A shipman at the port tells me that a man has arrived from France this morning and wishes to seek an audience with your master, our honorable Lord Yuy," the man explained. "I was given orders to bring this message to you and return with an answer."

"Hai," Lady Relena replied softly. "Please tell him to send my brother right away."

The brother of Lady Relena, Milliardo Peacecraft, was a serious, exquisitely handsome man, a soldier as well as a prince. He was extremely tall, even taller than Lord Yuy, with a muscular, powerfully built body, tanned and chiseled in sharp contrast to the platinum hair that cascaded down his back, long and straight, and the icy pale blue of his eyes.

He arrived long after the village man had left to return the lady's message to the port, in the cool afternoon mottled with the shadows of the trees as they stretched across the yard, following the setting sun. The lady and the courtesan were sitting in the garden near the small lake, practicing their calligraphy, when he entered the courtyard, dressed in the bright red and white of the French army uniform. Hilde couldn't help but feel a pang of hatred at seeing that uniform; it had been the French who expelled her tribe from their land so long ago.

Milliardo came to his sister and they embraced tenderly; the attendants did not hurry with the screen to hide the two women. He then turned to Hilde and bowed his head in silent acknowledgement while Lady Relena proceeded to introduce them. Later, Lord Yuy finally came home.

The four ate a lavish dinner of rice, steamed vegetables, and fish on the sprawling deck of the house outside in the pleasantly breezy twilight. Small candlelit lanterns set around the house and the table lent light to the approaching night. The conversation was serious and almost businesslike despite the intimate atmosphere; Milliardo explained to Lord Yuy that the Spanish would be closing in on Okinawa soon and he should want to be on his guard. They talked of a man named Trieze, an old friend of Milliardo's; a French expatriate living in Spain who had taken on command of the Spanish fleet and was in charge of organizing the landing in the port of Okinawa. They would be arriving any day.

After the meal, Lord Yuy asked the other man if he would be staying until the Spanish arrival. The taller man explained that he had only come to give the message and see how his sister was progressing in her pregnancy; he could not stay for he was planning to be married soon, to an Italian commander's daughter named Lucrezia Noin. He would only stay the night and then set out for France once again in the morning. It was then that Lady Relena spoke.

"My lord, please forgive me for speaking," she said softly, bowing to her husband and keeping her eyes down, "but my brother has had a hard journey and I suspect he is in need of some time for relaxation." She turned to Milliardo then and looked up. "My dear Milliardo, would you enjoy the company of my Lady Schbeiker this evening? The journey back home is long."

Hilde looked to Lady Relena's brother, the feeling of nervousness returning. What would Lord Yuy say to this? Was she not his possession, his and his alone? The taller man gazed back at her, the icy blue eyes dancing with lustful intrigue. Hilde averted her eyes.

"I believe that decision should be left to Lady Schbeiker," Lord Yuy's voice cut through the silence, as gentle and harsh as the blow of a machete. "There are other courtesans in Okinawa." Jealousy tinged the deep, usually emotionless voice, surprising Lady Relena and sending a flush of hot arousal through Hilde.

The courtesan turned and bowed to her master, sinking to her knees and touching her lips to his bare feet in the gentlest of kisses. "Only if it pleases you, my master," she whispered, eyes down.

Lord Yuy reached down to caress her hair and she caught his hand with her mouth, kissing it fervently, the blue eyes closed. Lady Relena and the enchanted Milliardo watched as Hilde ran her tongue over her master's hand, suckled his fingers. Lord Yuy gazed down at the lovely girl at his feet, feeling his sex stir. She was truly his own; a night with his wife's brother out of courtesy would mean nothing.

"Your answer pleases me, Lady Schbeiker," Lord Yuy finally replied. "I give my permission, if it is favorable for Master Milliardo." He looked up to fix his dark eyes on the prince.

Milliardo nodded solemnly, his own eyes still on the courtesan kneeling at her master's feet. Lady Relena smiled.

"Come, brother, and I will show you to a room," she said, flicking her fan open and lightly covering her face as she passed her husband; a sign of deference. Milliardo followed, bowing his head to Lord Yuy in gratitude.

Hilde stayed kneeling on the floor with her eyes down, awaiting her master's permission to follow the other man and her mistress. She hoped this would be simple.

"You may leave," Lord Yuy said softly, watching as the girl silently climbed to her feet, still not meeting his eyes. He reached out a hand to grasp her chin, forcing her to face him. Those beautiful, shimmering azure eyes met his once again and he felt the urge to take her swell in his loins.

"Kiwotsukete, koishii," he whispered before claiming her mouth in a deep, passionate kiss. Be careful, my beloved.

The kiss ended as abruptly as it had begun and Hilde hurried away, not daring to look over her shoulder at Lord Yuy for fear of losing herself in him, her body ready for the pleasure she must now give another man but her mind fixated on her true master.

Part IV

Hilde slid the shoji screen quietly aside and entered the small room. The only light came from the three candles set on a low table beside the bed, casting shadows across the floor and over the thin curtains at the window, shafts of pale moonlight illuminating the path to the bed from the skylights above. She could see the prince Milliardo's still form standing beside the window, turned away from her, his long hair shining even whiter in the light of the moon. She slid the screen closed and stepped forward.

"Good evening, Master Milliardo." Hilde bowed her head respectfully even though the man's back was turned to her; Lady Catalonia had made sure that her manners were always impeccable. She stood silently then, waiting for his answer.

Milliardo slowly turned around, his face expressionless, his eyes almost seeming to glow in the pale light. He inclined his head slightly in a return gesture of greeting. "I thank you for willing to join me this evening," he said softly. "Your loyalty to your master is commendable."

Hilde smiled gently. His deep, calm voice helped to soothe her nerves; she was suddenly grateful that he would be her second man. But of course Lady Relena's brother would be nothing less than a proper gentleman. She felt stronger now.

"Thank you, Master Milliardo," she replied, bowing again. "And it is my greatest honor to be able to accompany you. As the Lady Relena said, your journey tomorrow will be long and difficult. If I can be of any relief to you tonight, I will be greatly pleased."

Milliardo stared at the beautiful young courtesan, studying her face as she spoke, marveling at the genuine kindness and feeling in her incredible blue eyes. The thin material of her kimono clung to her body, clearly underlining her physical charms underneath; the sweet push of her young breasts against the peach-colored fabric, the flare of her hips tapering down to long, shapely legs. He knew he could forget Lucrezia for one night. And there was still the other one... He spoke again.

"You are already of much pleasure to me, Lady Schbeiker," he said, stepping closer to her and reaching out a hand to gently stroke the side of her face with light fingertips. "I would enjoy just simply your prescence."

Hilde lowered her eyes, feeling the familiar sensations of desire wrenching in her abdomen at his touch, which was so much like that of his sister's. "I will do whatever you desire, Master Milliardo," she whispered.

The shoji screen slid open once again and one of Lady Relena's young attendants entered, whispering a soft "Gomen nasai" as she presented a young blonde boy dressed in pale blue robes. Milliardo nodded his head once in approval and the girl bowed once more, eyes always downcast, as she slipped quietly out of the room, sliding the screen shut behind her.

Hilde turned to stare at the newcomer. He looked about her own age; pale and slender, with short, slightly windblown blonde hair the color of spring sunshine, and wide, sparkling blue-green eyes which reflected the glow of the candles and the moonlight that bathed him in its bright whiteness. The boy bowed, keeping his head and eyes down as well. Hilde knew who he was now; Lady Catalonia had told her about the male courtesans who offered their charms to men who enjoyed sex with boys. This boy, so delicately, almost femininely beautiful, was most definitely a male courtesan.

"Please, come closer," Milliardo said, meaning the boy. The other courtesan obeyed, stepping forward slowly, eyes trained on the floor in front of him. He stopped inches from Hilde and Milliardo, hands folded demurely, toying with the sash to his robe; nervous. Milliardo stroked the boy's hair gently, much as he had Hilde's face, and then turned to the girl.

"We can begin now."

Hilde nodded, and with a whispered "Hai" she began to help the prince out of his uniform, unstrapping the sword he wore lashed across his side and carefully unbuttoning and undoing the binds to the heavy red and white material. The male courtesan watched silently under slightly rouged eyelids and long dark lashes. When the prince was finally undressed, his god-like form naked to the bronze candlelight and the courtesans' eyes, he walked slowly to the bed, sitting at the edge to face his waiting servants. The eyes which had been so icy and almost cold with indifference now looked upon the courtesans with love, the blue depths soft and inviting. Hilde felt her heart flutter in anticipation.

"Quatre-san, please disrobe Lady Schbeiker," Milliardo commanded the boy softly, laying back on the bed propped on his elbows to watch.

The male courtesan glanced up at Hilde shyly, his cheeks coloring as he stepped forward and carefully undid the gold sash tying her kimono. As the silky material parted, Quatre gasped, the blue-green pools of his eyes shining in awe as he gazed upon her naked body; he drank in the hardened tips of her creamy round breasts, like the buds of a wild cherry, standing out against the cool night air, and lower, the smooth impression of her feminine sex. His hands gently brushed one breast as he slid the kimono down her body and Hilde groaned involuntarily, pushing her breasts forward instinctively. A smile curved Quatre's lips and he looked away, the blush coming back to his cheeks.

Milliardo watched silently, amused and aroused at the boy's reaction to the other courtesan, equally amazed at the perfection of her porcelain body himself. His hand moved between his thighs to lightly stroke the aching sex there as he gave his next command.

"And now Quatre-san, Lady Schbeiker."

Hilde nodded and reached for the sash binding the boy's robes, letting them fall gently to the floor and revealing the smooth, curved, nearly hairless body of a prepubescent boy, although Quatre was her own age. She could see now why he was so desired by older men; his effeminate beauty stirred her own sex as well, the size of his organ not going unnoticed by her trained eye. She sighed.

"Come to me, both of you." Milliardo had moved up on the bed, spreading his entire length across the silken sheets, and was waiting patiently, absently caressing his hardened shaft. Hilde and Quatre obeyed without words, positioning themselves on either side of the prince. They bent their heads to kiss their master for their evening, tongues tangling and lips clinging to each other's for only moments before it began.

It was simple, as Hilde had hoped. The prince was swift in his release, wasting no time. He placed both of their hands on him, showing them how to stroke him and use their nails in his flanks; he enjoyed the pain. His face was a mask as the courtesans took turns stroking, faster and faster; he reached down into Hilde's lap to fondle her soft pink petals, teasing her with a finger, as his other hand slowly wrapped around Quatre's neck, bringing the boy's face down and letting his mouth engulf his immense cock.

Hilde watched in amazement and admiration as Quatre suckled Milliardo's great length; he was truly an artist at this, stroking and probing with his tongue while leaning his head back to take more of the throbbing organ into his mouth, down his throat. It took only minutes of Quatre's practiced suckling and Hilde's nails digging into his heavy scrotum to bring Milliardo to perfect satisfaction, his face contorting in both pain and pleasure, his cry one of utter pain and utter ecstasy. Afterwards he lay still, breathing heavily, his eyes closed as sweat trekked down the chiseled contours of his handsome face. The silence seemed to last an eternity, his labored breathing the only sound, until Milliardo finally fell into satiated sleep.

The two courtesans sat silently on either side of him, watching his face, so peaceful and relaxed, as he slept. Hilde reached out to gently brush the long white bangs from his forehead.

"Did we not please him?" Quatre asked, breaking the silence. His voice was sweet, young, boyish. He seemed disappointed.

Hilde smiled up at him gently. "No. We did everything he desired."

Quatre frowned. "Hai, but it was so quick."

Hilde laughed softly, amused at his naivete, even greater than her own. "His journey was long; he was most likely very tired."

Quatre seemed to think for a long moment, staring down at the sleeping prince, before he looked up again and smiled, satisfied with her answer. "I have never been with both a man and a lady at the same time before," he said, tilting his head to the side to look at her thoughtfully.

Hilde smiled. "Neither have I," she replied. "This has only been my second time with a man."

Quatre was silent once more, still gazing pensively at the lovely courtesan. Finally he spoke. "I have never been with a lady at all." His voice was soft, almost wistful; he looked away quickly, shyly.

Hilde moved carefully off the bed and came around to his side to kneel on the floor. She took his hand gently. "Would you like to have me?" It was only her duty, Lady Catalonia would have told her; it was clear that the boy already desired her. She was curious as well. "Master Milliardo will never know."

Quatre raised his eyes slowly, with a small smile, and nodded silently. Hilde nodded back and led him down to the floor with her, laying him back on the cool wooden slats and crawling on top of him to straddle his hips. In one smooth downward stroke, she impaled herself upon his hardened, waiting cock.

The boy cried out as he entered her, feeling velvet walls envelope him, embrace him. The sensation was so new, so exquisite. It wasn't until Hilde began to slowly move up and down on him that he realized what he must do now. He responded to her downward thrusts with his own, relishing this amazing feeling; she was so much softer than the men he had had sex with before, so much warmer and wetter. A long moan escaped his lips as he felt himself begin to tremble with release.

Hilde rode the beautiful boy hard, as if she had been born to this, her small, cherry-tipped breasts thrust forward and her head thrown back, delving deeper and deeper. She could feel his organ swell inside her, and soon after the pulsing of his release, echoed by a high-pitched, girlish cry of pleasure. She didn't allow herself to reach perfect satisfaction; that pleasure had been reserved for her master and her master only. This had only been for the boy Quatre's own pleasure. She bent down and caught his lips with her own, the kiss slow and tender. After a moment, she broke the kiss to speak.

"Which do you prefer?" The full red lips curved in a smile.

Quatre sighed. "It is so much harder this way, Lady Hilde." She laughed.

"But you are a marvelous lover, Quatre-san." They kissed once more.

In the end they lay side by side on the hard, bare floor, wrapped loosely in a velvet coverlet, arms wrapped around each other affectionately. Quatre's golden head lay against Hilde's breasts and he toyed with one nipple absently as he told her his history.

Quatre Raberba Winner had been born to a lavishly wealthy family in Middle Arabia. At the age of six, when it was discovered that his sexual preference lay with his own sex, his father shunned him from the family and sent him to live wandering about the desert. A band of Arabian marauders had saved him, luckily, and taken him in as one of their own. He had come to Japan with them originally, but a high lord in the city of Edo, where he and the marauders had been quartering, had taken a liking to the beautiful man-child and made him into a courtesan.

"But I will not be a courtesan for much longer," the boy finished, his voice conveying both happiness and hopefullness.

"Why is that? Have you found a master with whom you wish to stay with?" Hilde asked, moving slightly so that she could look at him as he spoke.

Quatre closed his eyes and smiled. "Hai," he replied softly. "Although he is not my master. He is a Spanish dancer, with the most exquisite green eyes I have ever seen. He arrived a week ago with the Spanish fleet in Edo. We are in love." Quatre sighed pleasurably, thinking of his love, no less.

Hilde smiled down at him. It seemed that he felt the same way she now felt towards Lord Yuy. Lord Yuy... The Spanish. "Arrived a week ago with the Spanish fleet" Quatre had said.

"Quatre-san," Hilde said, sitting up abruptly and moving Quatre with her to face him evenly. "Did you say that the Spanish are here, in Japan?"

Quatre nodded slowly, staring back at the girl, confusion in his eyes. "Hai, Lady Hilde," he replied.

"My lover tells me that soon they will come here."

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