Chapter 1: Cultural Expectations

Ashley and her mother, Lady Celeste of Oak Leaf, walked towards the brick facade of the Cow and Crown Inn. She had never traveled with her mother away from home. Ashley craned her neck back to take in the spectacle of the cocoa colored brick building. It struck her that the inn was taller than her family hall. Her mother favored the Cow and Crown from her many previous trips.

Soon, the front lot fell behind and they reached the massive walnut door. Ashley’s mother grasped the knob and pulled the door open. As they stepped inside, Ashley breathed in the musk of the boundary, sweat, smoke, the smells of cooking and of sex. In short, the smells of safety and civilization. As she grew more accustomed to the bouquet of the hotel’s lobby she realized to her surprise that she was only imagining that she could smell the musk of sex. On reflection, it made sense; this was not a home to a single family, but instead the abode of many travelers. While there certainly must be a great deal of passion and coupling in this building, there was nothing resembling the great hall of her home. Instead, she supposed, each guest and their lovers would form a small web, tied only loosely into the web of the hotel entire. Still, it smelled close, lived-in; if she had to be away from the safety and comfort of her home and routine, she thought this might do.

They had entered a grand lobby that took up a large portion of the lower floor. The floor was marble, scattered with plump leather sofas, some with ottomans at their feet. Along one side there was a stone fireplace. Winter had not come in earnest, but she noticed with pleasure that even so, there was a small fire burning.

Ashley’s mother led them towards the polished wooden reception desk. A young clerk awaited them. He was dressed in a crisp, single-breasted charcoal suit. Celeste glanced at the name plate and spoke. “Eager Rabbit?” The clerk nodded. “The Lady of Oak Leaf and her daughter for one night,” she said.

The clerk solemnly bowed his respect. “Certainly, my lady, I’m sure we will be glad of your company. If you would just pass across your identification and let me know from where we can draw funds for your stay.” Celeste handed across their documents.

“Welcome. Please let me know if there’s anything we can do to improve your stay. If the two of you could strip and wait on the interview carpet there, I’ll call our manager of defense and see how you can be offered for the night,” he said.

“Both of us? Surely only me,” Ashley’s mother said.

“Yes, I think that we’ll want a look at both of you. The defense manager can make the call, but please both be ready,” he said.

Ashley and her mother quickly removed their clothes, packing them away in their luggage. They moved to the indicated carpet. Ashley suspected that her mother wanted to challenge the clerk, but making such a scene was beneath her dignity, and after all, all he’d ask them to do was strip naked. Ashley often made boundary offerings naked even in front of guests. Of course, of late, there had been a lot more than that. Her toes sunk into the rich pile of the thick rug. She delighted in soft pleasure, wriggling her toes, rejoicing in the freedom of her nakedness. She imagined the manager laying her out on the carpet to interview her as a lover.

“Mom, do you think they’ll want me to --” she said softly.

“Absolutely not! You are too young to offer yourself.”

“I would, you know. I’d be scared spending the night away from you in a strange place and having that responsibility, but I can do it.” As Ashley spoke, she realized that she would far more than just do it. The idea of fully taking up her duty as a woman, opening and offering her self for her community, reinforcing the web of passion standing between the community and the night excited her. If she were fully honest, even the fear of facing something new turned her on a bit. She looked forward to meeting a lover who was entirely unknown and new, although she was also nervous thinking of offering herself that way.

“Your willingness speaks well of you, but I cannot imagine it coming to that yet. You will grow up soon enough.”

As they spoke, the clerk had been eagerly examining them with unguarded interest. Ashley wondered whether his desire to have a look didn’t play a significant part in asking her to strip if her mother was so sure she was too young. She wondered if he might not come over and explore them more closely to give the defense manager a more detailed evaluation of their qualities. He seemed to be considering it, but she supposed that his employer (and her mother for that matter) would consider an unnecessary pawing of a high-born daughter rather too forward. Sadly, he apparently came to the same conclusion. Well, she could at least offer him her enjoyment of her body. She cupped her firm tits to better display them for his gaze, running her thumbs over her nipples until they stood out. Her mother didn’t seem to mind this too much, as she began to allow her hands to lazily explore her own body.

In a few minutes, a woman emerged from a back room. She was slightly shorter than Ashley, a bit over a meter and a half. Her hair was disheveled. She was barefoot and bare-chested, her large breasts hanging down, but she wore a simple skirt that ended a couple of inches above her knees. She approached them and offered her respect.

“Greetings, my lady. It is good to have you here again; your passion will be a most welcome addition tonight,” she said.

“It will be a pleasure as always, Dolphin’s Frolick. I would introduce my daughter, Ashley, third for Oak Leaf. She has not yet taken up her duty, but I suspect when she next journeys with me, she will bring a passion rarely seen in this establishment.”

“The pleasure is mine, of course. Dolphin Frolicking Unchecked from Sandy Reef Cove at your service. I would be honored if I have an opportunity to manage one of your offerings, Ashley. I shall be with you in a moment to go through the formalities and declare whether you are child tonight, but first I shall settle who will get the Lady Celeste,” Dolphin said.

Ashley nodded. She’d never seen how a woman’s offer was negotiated before. As Dolphin approached her mother, Ashley positioned herself to see the proceedings.

Dolphin captured Lady Celeste’s head with a firm familiarity, pulling it back as she began to gently nip along the lady’s exposed throat. Her other hand wondered along Celeste’s sides and back. For her part, Lady Celeste surrender to the attention, her flesh breaking out in goose pimples. Shortly, though, Dolphin found Celeste’s lips, tongues and mouths joining for an ardent kiss. Eventually, the kiss broke.

“Ah, Celeste,” Dolphin said. “You are so delightful. One of these times, I will take you for myself and we will spend the night screaming as we bring each other to greater and greater heights. The next day might be a challenge, but it would be worth every moment of pain and exhaustion.”

“While that prospect entices, I have a full day of activities I must attend tomorrow. I request that you use me in a manner that allows for the necessary sleep. Besides, what of your guests and their hospitality?”

“Certainly, I can accommodate that. Tonight at least is no time to joke with the guests’ hospitality. I think I know just the plan. There’s a man here, somewhat rough but of good character. I know he’d be delighted to have a lady of your renown to molest for the evening. His room is plain, but like everything here of good quality. Besides, I think that would add to the charm for you. I think he will do well by you.”

Celeste shivered. “Yes,” she said, drawing out the syllable, “that will do nicely. You can take Ashley and me to the room and offer me after we take dinner.”

“Certainly you can take dinner after I speak to your daughter. And yes, There will be time for the offer later.”

Ashley had never seen anyone treat her mother with such familiarity. She was so much the lady that few could approach her even as friends. She’d always been warm and open with the children of Oak Leaf, but with those outside the family, she was always so proper. Ashley supposed that technically, Dolphin was in the role of her mother’s lover as she explored where to place her mother, and that might explain much. Actually, watching the two of them, there might be very little technically about it. Perhaps they had been lovers on one of her mother’s previous trips. The idea of being offered to some commoner for their enjoyment and abuse, well that was something. And Dolphin’s assurance, just expecting her mother to submit ... Ashley couldn’t think of anything more exciting she’d ever witnessed. Perhaps the commoner had a boy of the right age who would enjoy his own Noble daughter to savage. She wondered if she could get him to submit to that. It seemed strange, although somehow right to think of the commoner’s boy submitting to savaging her.

Ashley started. Somehow as she’d been fantasizing, her hands had drifted of their own accord. Her left was buried two-fingers in her cunt, her thumb gently drawing circles around her clit. It wasn’t exactly improper. Especially if her mother and Dolphin were lovers, then at least on one level it was totally fine, except of course that it was her mother she was talking about. And even if they weren’t lovers, her mother certainly wouldn’t begrudge her the pleasure of her own body. Still, Ashley doubted that her mother would be particularly pleased if Dolphin noticed such a blatant display while she herself argued that her daughter was too young. So, Ashley held her hands demurely at her sides as Dolphin approached. However, realizing that technically, for a few moments at least, Dolphin would be her lover didn’t help at all. It didn’t help the flush that Ashley was sure was covering her upper body, and it didn’t help the juices that were starting to drip out of her cunt.

“So, Ashley, how old are you?” Dolphin asked.

“Seventeen.”

“And you’ve never taken up your duties?”

“Well, I’ve never been in our hall’s guest rotation yet, although I hoped that the next time we host a guest ... For the past three months I’ve been given lovers to work with. I learn quickly and we’ve enjoyed ourselves greatly.”

“You must not force someone that young,” Lady Celeste said.

“Certainly not!” Dolphin said. “We try as hard as we can to avoid forcing anyone, and I’d never ask someone that young to offer unless they were ready and eager. Ashley, give me your hand, please. No, dear, not the hand that was twisting your nipple, the left one. The one that was jilling with such abandon.”

Now that she thought about it her nipple was aroused and apparently she hadn’t even noticed that she was twisting it. This was so hot. Dolphin had such confidence. She had simply walked into Ashley’s space, assuming that she was supposed to be there. Ashley had so much to learn. She supposed she’d need to be careful; some of her lovers were too timid to be approached this way if she ever expected to learn what they desired. However, she wanted this confidence, to have the option. Dolphin’s Frolick took the offered fingers, sniffed deeply, and sucked them into her mouth, her tongue and lips exploring Ashley’s flavor.

“Yes, you can rub against me if you like,” Dolphin said. Ashley had begun to press herself against Dolphin, only partially intending it. “Don’t be shy or self conscious. Your job as a slut is to open yourself to your passion, rejoicing fully in it. Don’t get into bad habits like holding back. Even if nothing else happens tonight, enjoy yourself in every moment. Here, if you’d like, you can hump against my leg.” She did very much like, and adjusted her position and began pressing herself against the older woman’s leg. Dolphin’s leg was thick and muscular; it felt wonderful as she humped against it. She beamed with pride to be given a chance to show her slut.