*WARNING. This chapter contains graphic content. Proceed with caution.
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* **
Before everyone's night shift at the entertainment house begun, there was a lucrative commotion in the quarter of the young servers. One of the children there was found collapsed near the rear exit. She had been missing a day's work before and showed up heavily injured, her mother was immediately alerted. The madame made sure to keep everyone's mouth shut of the incident, the issue only circulating amongst themselves and not to be heard for outsiders. It could spread as a rumor and her customers might discover. Especially because it was the girl who was to debut, she personally called for a physician herself.
"Luckily, she was found in time, if not I fear she may have died", the physician shook his head. He had never before seen such a severe case of mistreatment.
Everyone in the room was silent, it was clear she had been beaten up. Even the children who once despised the poor girl now pitied her. She looked unrecognizable. Her mother who stood near the door felt more ashamed than sorry. Of course, she knew who was responsible. She could not believe it herself.
"Her heartbeat is very weak, did she have any other health condition?", the physician asked. The mother quickly turned.
"S-she had always been a fragile child, doctor", she could not face them straight. Not with the madame staring daggers at her and the other whores snickering. In their mind, being a bad mother shows.
"How long before she gets well, doctor?", the madame asked anxiously, puffing her pipe of cigar.
"Considering how this child's health is very poor, she well need a good two to three weeks of rest before she is able"
The madame massaged her temple after hearing that and sighed heavily. Luck, wasn't on her side today. "I guess, we may not have a choice", she then gestured for everyone to leave.
For her treatment the physician well be visiting them twice a week, instead of his usual routine of only once a week. He was on his way returning to the town after checking up on the madame and her ladies when he was called back because of the incident. He rushed to the girl's aid and managed to save her life.
It was more cost for the madame to cover. The mother remained her head down, like a child who was at fault and tried apologizing. "I'm sorry madame, I'll be sure to pay you back"
The old hag waited for everyone else to leave first.
"And just when things were finally looking right for you, this happens", she turned to the unconscious child.
"You do know those rich gentlemen are going to be here in two weeks, they'll be very disappointed when they find out this precious prize had been mishandled", the madame taunted.
"I'm very much aware of its consequences, madame. Wouldn't she be healed faster if we sent her to the temple?", she suggested.
"Hmp. You expect that the temple would spare their graces over people like us?", the madame sneered.
"But the physician will cost you more than what I can afford"
"Hahaha! Oh, you're such a nervous Nelly", the madame laughed and pat her shoulder.
"Don't worry just think of the cost as my investment to you and your child. She'll heal in time, they'll be staying for a week anyway", she smiled. That creepy smile she makes whenever she is plotting something, the whore thought.
" Besides, there are other ways to entertain them as well. Like for instance, they don't mind sharing a meal together", her eyes widened.
"Surely, you can't be suggesting---Madame, she's too young--"
"No, you fool! You! It is you I am referring", what the madame said rang in her ears. The old hag was merely laughing while she was forcibly reminded by memories she tried so hard to bury.
"B-but, you know I am not one to enjoy that kind of serv--"
"Pull yourself together. These gentlemen are the richest customers we are ever to receive this year, you're lucky I even suggested you to be the main service. Think of all the money you'd be making…", the madame knew what she went through but she wasn't there to witness her pain. So how could she care? The old hag loomed over her.
"...Not the mention, with that money, you'd finally be rid of them", she nods her head towards the direction of the child. The mother's expression was stunned, he quickly turned to her daughter then back to the madame but she had already walked away.
"Choose wisely for your sake, my dear", she advised as she waved her hand.
The old hag had the authority and the audacity; she owned every lady in this brothel. It was just a shame for she thought of them as being friends. She bit her lip and glared at the direction of the madame. She grew up under her wing and made her the most money, how could she do such a thing? The woman thought. But when she finally composed herself, she sighed and looked at the state of her child. She had more pressing matters to worry about.
She tried going after her husband.
It rained that night when she went looking for him. Her dress got soaked just as she arrived at their home, but he wasn't there. She even went around the village to look.
But only to find her hopeless husband yelling like a lunatic in the village market, drunk as he ever was.
She was ready to throw herself at him with rage for what he did but now, seeing as how he was out of his mind and the people derisive at his poor display, she gave up. That pitiful man was not her husband, he wasn't as useless. She could not stomach to be faced with any more shame than she already had to endure today.
….…
The days passed and she rarely visited her daughter. According to the other children, her bruises had significantly healed but she remained unconscious. Seeing the physician was like being pressured for a deadline.
All the other ladies eventually heard of the news, how she was going to be the main service for their performance, they all congratulated her. It was like getting a promotion but their faces showed more wary and worry. Either thankful that it wasn't them or, because they knew of her past.
As a professional in the business, they've all encountered it at some point in their line of work. Being at the service of many different kinds of men alone was never a job one would wish to partake in, not even them. Her first experience in particular was a nightmare for everyone involved.
A week passed, and then a week and a half. The preparations were getting started, it was like a festival was to be held. The madame received news of the gentlemen's expedition getting closer to their destination and she was overjoyed. She began to rush everyone even more. They say it is to be a group of a hundred men travelling, from rich merchants to some full-blown aristocrats were to arrive.
Even the town was preparing, after all, most of their buyers were customers of the entertainment house. The old hag bragged her rights as the richest person in the village, if not for her status, she would've been their chief.
The remaining days before the dreaded day, the harlot drowned herself in liquor. The more she drank, the more her dark worries would fade and all the fear with it. But she doesn't know what to feel whether to blame the child for not yet waking or herself for allowing such a situation to happen in the first place. Perhaps, part of it might be because she knows that her child is far too young, heck, it's even younger than she was when she first started. She isn't too confident about it. But then there's the money, oh, there's always the money.
"I'll do it", she barges into the madame's office one night and announced.
The old hag knew she wouldn't resist anyway. In all honesty, it all worked out in the madame's favor. She knew she wouldn't be able to make as much money with just the debut. The solution merely presented itself when the daughter showed up unconscious and injured. She was to make the most out of it.
Until the day had finally come, the arrival of the rich gentlemen. It was like a parade to flaunt their wealth was held in the streets of the poor village. Arriving in their expensive carriages, wagons, and well breed horses and oxen. If the rumor really was true that they sum up to be a hundred men, the brothel wouldn't be able to accommodate them. In reality, there were only thirty to forty of them who were rich, the masters of the rest of the men who were hired for their protection. So, the madame was at ease.
The kitchen was bustling, the errand boys are running, and the younger ladies dancing. Those of the arriving party who haven't yet visited the brothel thought they were to be disappointed seeing as it was in this poor village but once they entered the brothel itself, it was a completely different world from its location. It screamed extravagance upon entering its gates. The sweet romantic aroma exudes in the atmosphere, dances to music that were up to their taste, exotic delicacies served the moment they enter the hall, lanterns that lights up the entire village, and with as many bright curtains that decorated each pillar. You'd drown in the temptation as well. The gentlemen were overjoyed.
Meanwhile in the lady's quarter, everyone was preparing for their service. It became a sort of ritual for the ladies to gather and drink sweet wine before a big service to make sure that they perform their best. Dolling up their faces, decorating their hair, bathing their gowns with sensual perfumes, and drinking their medicines while chatting with each other. All the beauties in one room, it's quite a lovely ambiance to be in. But the main performer of the night stayed still and aloof in a corner in front of her mirror while the servants were fixing her hair and gown. She hadn't been sober.
One by one, the ladies were called and exited the room until she was left alone. An hour passed and finally, her preparations were done. The servants had brought out her beauty even more. Her body graciously wrapped, and silhouette extenuated in a velvet silk gown layered with a green silk robe underneath, it complimented her red hair even more. Her looks alone were worthy enough to be an emperor's concubine.
"You look marvelous, ma'am", the servant who fixed her hair complimented.
"Yes, as beautiful as ever!"
"No! More than ever even!", compliments followed one after the other.
She sighed and forced a smiled, "Thank you for your hard work".
When the madame came to fetch her, it was finally time. She was taken to a room where all the elites of the gentlemen were waiting. Some hadn't had their fun yet and waited for this precious moment. She hadn't met their eyes yet, but she knows their gazes, she does not know any of them, yet she was fully aware of what they were.
The lights were bright until she began to dance, and with every step she took, the men were on edge by a hook. Fear crept in while she tried desperately as tears threatened to ruin her look. In that moment only one thing kept repeating in her mind. "Pigs, pigs, pigs, PIGS, PIGS, PIGS!!!". She closes her eyes and prays that this had all been a dream. A terrible dream.
….…
The dreadful festivities of the night had gone and what was left were exhausted workers and drunk passed out guests. Some with the stamina were still taking their time. Only a few hours were left before the sunrise. The lavish whore had finally ended her service, or rather escaped it. While most of the men were asleep from exhaustion and drunkenness, she took the opportunity and escaped through the back veranda where there was no one. Her once glamorous attire now reduced to nothing but her green silk robe. It was the least sullied. She looked dreadful in her run down makeup and her hair mimicking that of a beaver's lodge. If there was something to compare with her innermost turmoil, she had become a ghost.
While she hears the distance laughter and groaning of the others. She was left here, barely able to walk, her body bruised, and broken. She stopped drinking, no amount of liquor could wash away what she was feeling. The first time, it hurt, it didn't change the second time. Surely, she passed out a couple of times.
Wallowing in her own self pity, she sighs at the thought and puffs a smoke. She'd drown herself in the river if she must just to feel clean. She poorly thought she had composed herself well enough but when a pink petal fell on her skirt, her eyes widened. She stopped mid smoke, a boiling surge of anger rushed through her head and gave her more headache. She quickly got up and when she wasn't dizzy, she suddenly found herself in the servers quarter.
The woman paused with what she saw, her child peacefully tucked in and asleep in a warm futon. Her footsteps slowly crept beside her daughter's bed. She observed the poor little thing. Tears filled up her eyes again as she bit her tongue trying not to make a sound. Guilt. Shame. Anger. What was it that she was grieving for?
Her hands slowly moved from caressing her child's face to chocking it's throat. She felt her heartbeat rang over her ears as it became heavier for her to breath.
"If …if only…--", she pants. Her daughter beginning to awake and struggling with her tight grip.
"If only you were born a boy you wouldn't end up like me!", her daughter felt both suffocated and disturbed just as she heard her mother scream. Her eyes shot open and darted puzzled glares at the woman but she gasped when she saw her daughter's eyes and panic ensued. Her grip tighten even more until her daughter wasn't able to breath, eyes rolling back and struggling.
For a second longer, she was out of her mind but when she felt her child weaken, she snapped back to reality and quickly let go. The child gasped heavily for air until she coughed, barely realizing what had just happened, her peace threatened, she quickly got up to try and run but when she turned her mother was gone.
The harlot had rushed home to her husband, crying in his arms until she fainted.