Marcella brought us to a room that resembled a private lounge. Rather than hosting guests, it looked like a place to rest and relax while enjoying drinks and good music. A light, floral scent filled the air. The temperature here was perfect, neither too hot nor too cold. Like the rest of the House of Love, pink, green, and white were the most common colors.
At the far end of the room stood a raised stage. Plush couches were arranged to provide an excellent view of it. In front of each couch stood a low wooden table. Potted plants placed at strategic locations added a touch of nature to the room. Opulent glowstone lamps hung from the ceiling, resembling works of art.
Of course, since this place was technically a place of worship, there were statuettes of Amara in here as well. I counted five in total, each one different from the others. I pondered the symbolism behind them for a mont, before shaking my head. There wasn't any point in thinking about it. I wasn't going to be worshiping Amara any ti soon.
Marcella led us to the couches closest to the stage. When I sat down, I found myself sinking into it. Anna joined , and the two of us ended up almost falling into one another. It took us a little bit to find a comfortable position.
When I looked over at Leroy and the paladin, who sat at another couch, the sa thing happened to them. After so struggling, they managed to pull apart.
It appeared that these couches were designed to… encourage physical contact. However, since I enjoyed cuddling with Anna, I didn't mind it.
This ti.
Marcella, who remained standing, clapped her hands twice. Monts later, several priests and priestesses of Amara entered the lounge. Most of them carried trays filled with food and drinks. These ones approached us and laid the trays down on the low wooden tables, before leaving the lounge.
The others carried musical instrunts. They went on the stage and started playing calming music. I found myself relaxing, as if letting go of all my worldly burdens. The uneasiness I felt when I first entered the House of Love dissipated into nothingness. I grabbed a nearby goblet and took a sip of so sweet, fruity wine.
Hmm, maybe this place wasn't so bad after all.
"Now then," Marcella said. "Let us get down to business."
I rolled my eyes.
"What business?" I asked. "You want us to pick a priest or priestess of Amara?"
Marcella nodded.
"As Lady Amara's grand priestess, it is my duty to further her interests," she said. "I serve the Goddess of Love, but I'm not above politicking and jockeying for favor."
I shook my head.
"I hate to break it to you, but we're not picking Amara," I said.
She was one of the goddesses we marked off first.
"And why is that?" Marcella asked, raising an eyebrow at .
"All the gods have so kind of grudge against her," Anna answered in my stead. "If we picked her, we would offend everyone."
I nodded.
"I see you've done your research." Marcella smiled. "In that case, you should also know that none of the other gods hate Lady Amara. In fact, she is favored by all of them to so degree or another, including Lord Sol and Lady Luna."
I paused. That was true. Amara was a daughter of Sol and Luna, and a beloved one at that. Born and raised with love, no wonder she beca the Goddess of Love. Not only that, but she spread love to the other gods as well.
At first I thought, well, this ant she slept around. However, after eting Marcella and entering the House of Love, I was beginning to think that I had been narrow minded.
As for the grudges the gods held against Amara, none of them involved anything she had done in particular. This was because she spread love to everyone, holding nothing back, which included gods that despised another. Tempest and Aeros, for example.
In fact, now that I thought about it, could we even call those grudges?
"You make a good point," I said, frowning. "While we would offend all the other gods, it wouldn't be to an egregious degree. That might make it worth it."
"Yes, depending on the beliefs and benefits involved," Anna said, a thoughtful expression on her face.
Marcella gave us a soft smile.
"The Followers of Amara believe in love in all its forms," she said. "This sounds simple, but is more nuanced than most realize. For example, there is the love between parent and child. This is different from romantic love, which you two share with one another."
I nodded. My companions and I read Amara's Book of Love, along with all the other holy books, though I didn't take the ti to fully understand it. We were in a bit of a ti crunch at the ti.
"I'm not against all this," Anna said with a conflicted expression on her face. "However, it feels too…"
She trailed off, unable to find the right word.
"Naive?" Marcella suggested, smirking. "Flowery? I find it amusing that you, of all people, would say so. Isn't your love for Lord Gabriel keeping the darkness in your heart at bay?"
Anna stiffened.
"Careful, Grand Priestess," she said, an edge to her voice. "Don't poke your fingers where they don't belong."
Marcella held up her hands.
"I didn't an to provoke you, Lady Annabelle," she said. "I was rely pointing out the irony of you doubting the power of love when you already benefit from it."
Anna closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before opening them again.
"You make a fair point," she said. "Even so, choose your words with care."
Marcella just smiled at her and didn't respond.
"That just leaves benefits then," I said. "What would we gain by letting a priest or priestess of Amara join our group?"
"I'll admit," Marcella said. "We fall behind the others when it cos to wealth, resources, and influence. However, we excel above all others in one thing: connections." She gestured to us. "As we discussed earlier, all the gods favor Lady Amara to one degree or another. As her grand priestess, I have sought to emulate her example, with great success I might add."
I narrowed my eyes at her.
"What exactly does that an?" I asked.
"Every single grand priest owes at least one favor. So of them owe more than one." Marcella held up a hand. "I shall grant you five favors of your choosing. You may exchange these favors for anything you wish." She paused. "Within reason, of course."
I sucked in a breath. This was a significant benefit. The value of a favor depended on the person who owed it. Even the least among the grand priests was influential in their own right. Gaining five favors, from any of them, sounded enticing.
"That is a tempting offer," I said slowly.
"Yes, it is," Anna said. "However, I'm curious as to what you an by 'within reason.' For example, do these favors include consulting the gods?"
I sat up straighter.
Oh! I liked that idea. I liked that idea a lot!
"Yes, it does," Marcella said, a solemn expression on her face. "However, I warn you against consulting the gods for frivolous reasons. Otherwise, you will suffer for your foolishness."
This changed everything. Kiki told us that she had a way to contact the gods, though we would have to pay a price for it. However, if we used these favors instead, we wouldn't have to.
"Leroy, what do you think?" I asked.
My bodyguard, who had been sipping from a wine goblet, took a mont before answering.
"It's worth considering, at the very least," he said, looking thoughtful. "However, we should think it over before making a decision."
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
I nodded in agreent.
"We should consult the others and hear their thoughts on the matter, yes."
"By all ans, take your ti," Marcella said. "This is an important decision, more so than you realize. From what I heard, you intend to et with several grand priests tomorrow, to hear what they have to offer. Good. It's always wise to consider all of your options before making an important decision like this." She shrugged. "That said, why settle for benefits from one grand priest when you can gain five? Of course, that's just my opinion. I'm sure you'll make the right choice."
I snorted.
"You seem confident that we'll pick you," I said.
"Of course," Marcella said. "Why wouldn't I be? The others might be able to offer you all sorts of benefits. However, no one else will be able to offer you five favors from the grand priests."
As much as I hated to admit it, she made a good point.
"Well, this was an interesting conversation," I said, standing up. "More so than I expected. However, we should return to Grand Priest Darius' residence. With any luck, the inquisitors from earlier have left by now."
"Leaving so soon?" Marcella asked, pouting. "Why don't you all stay and enjoy more of our hospitality? We offer plenty of services that I'm sure all of you would enjoy."
I shook my head and opened my mouth to decline, but Marcella spoke up again before I could.
"This includes lessons," she said.
I blinked at her in surprise.
"What kind of lessons?" Anna asked, wariness warring with interest.
Marcella smirked at us.
"We are quite skilled at what we do, including lovemaking," she said. "If you wish, we can impart so of our knowledge."
At first I wanted to reject her offer, just out of principle. However, the more I thought about it, the more intrigued I beca. I had limited knowledge and experience when it ca to romance. While Anna never said anything, I always feared disappointing her. If we accepted Marcella's offer, I could beco a better partner in bed.
"Wait, you're not seriously considering this, are you?" Anna asked .
I made a so-so gesture.
"I don't see why not," I said. "There's always room for self-improvent."
"An admirable attitude, Lord Gabriel," Marcella said. "In my experience, many n are too proud to admit to any shortcomings in bed." She snorted. "Those n are often the most disappointing and lacking in skill."
Anna snorted.
"Believe ," she said. "In bed, there's nothing short about Gabriel."
My cheeks heated up and I wanted to hide my face. Instead, I cleared my throat to cover up my embarrassnt.
"Regardless, I wish to improve for my fiancée's sake," I said. "So yes, I shall accept your offer." I looked at the others. "What about the rest of you?"
Anna looked thoughtful, while Leroy covered his face and shook his head. The paladin wore a stoic expression.
"I'll join you," Anna said.
"I'll pass, my lord," Leroy.
The paladin just shook his head and didn't say anything.
"Excellent!" Marcella clapped her hands twice and a priest of Amara entered the lounge. "Lord Gabriel, go with my subordinate. anwhile, I shall take Lady Annabelle and instruct her personally." She looked at Leroy and the paladin. "The two of you may stay here for as long as you wish. If there is anything you need, and I do an anything, don't hesitate to ask for it."
With that, I followed the priest of Amara out of the room while Marcella grabbed Anna's hand and led her out of the room.
After I followed the priest of Amara out of the lounge, he brought to another room, one filled with about half a dozen priests and priestesses. I expected the forr, but seeing the latter surprised . It felt odd, almost perverse.
When I voiced my concerns, they told that won often knew more about pleasing won than n. I couldn't refute this, so I accepted it and moved on.
What followed was one of the most shaful and embarrassing, but informative, experiences of my life. It reminded a little of when I took Sex-Ed back on Earth. As a forr hobody who grew up sheltered, that had been quite the shocking experience. The years I spent as Brandon Norwood sowhat prepared for it, but that still wasn't enough.
However, there was a significant difference between Sex-Ed and learning how to be a better lover from a bunch of priests and priestesses who worshiped the Goddess of Love. The latter was far more explicit than the forr, and had a different focus.
The priests and priestesses taught how to be a better lover without regard to modesty or propriety. It was vulgar in the extre. They even brought out illustrations that showed the subject matter in graphic detail.
A few of the priests and priestesses offered to demonstrate what they taught, but I drew the line there. Yes, I wanted to be a better lover for Anna's sake, but that didn't an I wanted to watch other people have sex. I wasn't a voyeur. The ones who offered seed disappointed by my refusal, but accepted it and moved on.
We finished by the ti evening rolled around. This wasn't enough ti to learn all the tips and tricks that my instructors had to offer, but I learned enough to get a good start. Afterwards, they gave a copy of the Book of Love.
Well, not quite. It turned out that there were two versions of the Book of Love. There was the public one, which was similar to the other holy books, edited to suit the conservative tastes of Luminian society. And then there was the real one, which was similar to the Kama Sutra from Earth.
That said, the real Book of Love wasn't just about sex and lovemaking. It also contained a lot of knowledge about the nature of love, relationships in general, and how to live a fulfilling and aningful life.
I placed the real Book of Love in my inventory ring, before looking around to make sure no one had seen . Afterwards, I went to look for my companions.
Ana and Marcella were still busy with their lesson, so I went looking for Leroy and the paladin. I found them still in the lounge, playing cards with so of the priests and priestesses. To my surprise, everyone wore serious expressions on their faces as they played. When I tried to speak up, they shushed without looking away. With nothing better to do, I sat down to watch while waiting for Anna.
They played for several rounds, with the paladin winning most of them. I didn't know what ga they were playing, but it seed similar to poker in that having a good poker face was essential. The others found it difficult to get a read on the paladin, giving him a significant advantage over them.
Ana and Marcella showed up after the fifth round. The forr appeared troubled, while the latter wore a solemn expression on her face.
"What's wrong?" I asked, standing up.
Anna shook her head.
"Nothing," she said, giving an odd look. "It's just… I learned more than I expected to."
I frowned at her, before turning towards Marcella. The grand priestess just smiled at . Sothing was up, I could sense it. Part of wanted to demand answers. However, since it was clear that Anna didn't want to talk about it, I let it go. For now, at least. I could always get answers later.
With that, my companions and I left the House of Love. To our surprise, when we made it outside, we found an entire team of paladins waiting for us, led by Paladin Charles. Seeing him alive and unhard filled with relief.
"Grand Priest Darius sent reinforcents after hearing about what happened," Paladin Charles explained. "He wanted to make his stance very clear."
I nodded. Good. With this, we wouldn't have to worry about any rogue inquisitors coming after us again.
Nothing much happened during the journey back to Grand Priest Darius' residence. I kept watch with the Eyes of Truth the entire ti, but didn't see anything. The inquisitors must've learned their lesson. However, I feared that this wasn't over. I needed to take action to prevent this from happening again.
After we made it back, we explained to the others what happened and how we ended up spending the entire afternoon at the House of Love.
"Typical," Cally said with a sneer. "Those fanatics still ca after you even though their leader cleared you of suspicion."
I nodded.
"Yes, and I intend to take it up with the Grand Inquisitor."
Why wait for the inquisitors to make another move when I could make a preemptive strike of my own? I doubted the Grand Inquisitor would just let this incident slide. If nothing else, the rogue inquisitors' actions undermined his authority. If he did nothing, it would encourage others to act out as well.
We also told the others about Marcella's offer. As I expected, they were all quite tempted by it. In the end, we decided to wait until after we t with the other grand priests before making a choice. Even so, I predicted that we would end up choosing Amara. I an, this was too good an opportunity to pass up.
After that, we discussed our future plans over dinner before heading to bed for the night. I'll admit, I felt more anticipation than usual. I wanted to put what I learned into practice. Thank the gods Grand Priest Darius was lenient enough to let Anna and I sleep in the sa room. Our parents would never have allowed it.
To my surprise, Anna didn't jump the mont we both got into bed. At first I didn't think much of it. However, when I went to kiss her, she stopped . That's when I started to get suspicious.
"What's going on?" I asked.
Anna gave a soft smile.
"It's nothing serious," she said. "It's just… Well, I figured we'd try sothing different tonight."
I gave her a skeptical look.
"Different how?"
"Well, why don't we abstain? Just for tonight."
I blinked at her in surprise.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" I shook my head to clear my ears. "It sounded like you said we should abstain."
Anna smirked.
"Yes, I did. Shocking, isn't it?"
I gave her a baffled look. Anna, of all people, wanted to abstain. Did the sun set in the east today? What the hell was going on?
"Why?" I narrowed my eyes at her. "Is this related to what Marcella told you?"
In response, Anna pulled into an embrace and held tight against her warm body. Her vanilla scent enveloped .
"I love you, Gabriel," she said instead.
Confused, but touched, I returned Anna's embrace.
"I know, and I love you too." I pulled back to look her in the eyes. "What brought this on?"
Anna looked conflicted for a mont, before coming to a decision.
"Marcella told why you seem to disregard your own safety, almost to the point of suicide."
I stilled for a mont, before I forced myself to relax.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Rather than look angry or upset, Anna just gave a sympathetic smile.
"Marcella told you'd say that."
I clicked my tongue with displeasure.
"What would she know?"
"Well, let's just say that she has a way of looking into the heart of things. She looked into yours and shared what she saw with ."
A thread of uneasiness wrapped around my heart.
"Sounds like bullshit," I snapped. "Are you sure she isn't so kind of fraud?"
Anna put a hand on my chest.
"Gabriel, calm down," she said. "It's fine. We don't have to discuss this further if you don't want to. Marcella warned that you'd react poorly if I tried to force the issue. Know that I love and accept you, just as you love and accept . That's all that matters."
For so reason, I choked up at her words. I didn't know why. Or maybe I did, but I wasn't willing to admit it, even to myself.
Regardless, I clung tight to Anna, like a drowning man clinging to a lifeline. She caressed my back and humd a soothing tune.
The two of us stayed like this until my eyes closed and I fell into a dreamless sleep.
Reviews
All reviews (0)