LORDOSIS (BOOK 1) (COMPLETE)

LORDOSIS Chapter 1

"You will enter from the behind the curtain once you have performed a shadow dance," the head of house announced. "Do not show your face, your eyes must never linger on the guests for a moment longer than necessary and you will never look directly at the ambassador."

I nodded and sighed. I wanted to see what they looked like. Outsiders. I heard that their clothes were thick and heavy, sewn tight to protect against the night time journey and their eyes shielded to protect against the madness of the moon.

"Pay attention," the head ordered. "Your eyes must be sultry but never lustful. Men may decide to bid for a chance to win you in a challenge, if this happens your father may summon you for a private dance and viewing with those interested. Never make eye contact during that introduction."

"I remember," I sighed.

"If you are asked to lie down so they can check your virtue let the others help you, do it with grace, don't drop yourself to the floor like last time," he sighed.

"I forgot," I said referring to the last time when a suitor brought their offer and with them the person my father had approved of to check that I was still a virgin. I had lain down without the help of the women sent in to assist me which made me look clumsy. They placed a cover over my face to shield me from blushing as they pushed my legs apart. My virtue was checked weekly on my father's orders along with others within the harem that he was saving for trade.

The last girl to have been found 'soiled' was taken to the great hall. My father watched as he made everyman in the city take her before throwing her from the wall naked as the day she was born. Some say if you climb high enough you can still see her bones laying out there bleached by the sun which set her on fire for her sin.

I was angry that my father was not concerned with who had taken her virtue. Only in making an example of her to the rest of us so should any man try to coax us over we would never go near for fear of the sun burning the flesh from our bones.

I wasn't curious about sex as I was surrounded by it. I was made to watch and learn from the age of 8 as they didn't want my bleed to come before I was ready to know why it was there. I personally felt that the bleed was there to keep the man off you for a week but even I have seen those who prefer to copulate during that time. Especially if they do not want children. It is know that the time of the bleeding for a woman was the death of a moon and she would never bear a son until it stopped.

"Tahira, you are summoned," the head announced.

I took a deep breath and made my way towards the curtain to perform for my father and his guests.