Chapter 1

The sun was just setting when I awoke. My slumber had been uneventful, and I stretched langorously. The lithe form next to me mumbled sleepily as I moved, and I gently lifted the arm across my chest and laid it along side her. She again mumbled, but tucked her arm under her pillow and snuggled into it as she drifted back to sleep. I brushed the hair from her face to see which of my maidens had won the nightly lottery. It amused me to think I was the prize of such a contest. But I knew they felt it to be true. I was a bit surprised to see it was Iris.

Let me explain, lest ye believe me to be a cad. Yes, I did say maidens. Plural. In fact, there were currently twenty in what I considered to be my garden, but in other cultures could be called a Harem. Each of the flowers in my garden was similar in appearance. They all had very light brown skin, and eyes of almond shape. Their hair color ran the gamut from light brown to almost black, but each kept a length and style that appealed to them individually. Iris' was a very short, rich, brown.

Each of my maidens was small. No, I didn't choose them for this reason. I mean, they were all small. Their mothers were small. Their sisters were small. Even their brothers were small. And some of their fathers were nearly giants. Iris' father was Johan. He easily towered over me by a full twelve inches, and I was a tall man. The top of Iris' head barely touched her father's sternum.

But each of my flowers was brilliant. Though it was unheard of among those who could be called my contemporaries, I saw that all in my household were educated. Well, let me re-phrase that. All in my Household were educated. I saw no reason to try to educate a goatherder or a field peasant. But those who served within my abode were expected to read, write, and work with numbers. This meant even the newest chambermaid could read any special instructions I left for them. My flowers though, were marvelous. They wrote music and poetry. They did the accounting for the estate. They even executed my taxes and duties.

But I'll explain that another time. For now, I needed to break my fast. So with that thought in mind, I slowly drew the bedclothes off of Iris. She whimpered softly as her skin was exposed to the cool air of the bedchamber, and her skin started to goosebump. I watched this with pleasure, not out of any cruelty, but because when her skin began to goosebump, her nipples stiffened to hard little points as well.

As I said, I wasn't being cruel, so when I saw Iris' distress, I took the matter in hand. Well, actually, in mouth as well. My right hand cupped her left breast, warming it with my palm and caressing it softly as my mouth began to circle her other breast with soft kisses. Her skin was warm and soft, despite the tiny bumps I'd raised when I'd uncovered her. Her breasts were small, perhaps the size of a new-hatched chick.

Chapter 2 »