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Authors: Nora Weaving
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Gaia’s dresses. “Where did you come across such a peplos?”
Kalliope wasn’t sure if she should trust Melina, but she decided she would have to trust someone eventually.
“It’s a bit of a long story. They belonged to the mother of the woman who owned the brothel where I worked. Her name was Gaia, and she raised me. She gave me these dresses just before I left. I wish I had asked her more about her past. I don’t know how her mother came to own such fine pieces.”
Melina nodded as she listened. “May I?” she asked, holding her hands out to the garment.
Kalliope handed it to Melina.
Melina carefully ran her hands along the material, her nails gliding over the light blue and delicate white. She gently turned the material inside out to examine the stitches. “Very, very beautiful. Her mother must have come from a very wealthy family.”
Kalliope’s heart ached for Gaia, and she wished she had pressed the woman to learn more of her childhood. Melina put the garment down and looked at Kalliope.
“Do you know much about Hera Selene?”
Kalliope flushed and looked at her hands. “Much? I don’t know anything,” she said truthfully.
Melina gave her a small smile. “No matter. I see that Priska has told you nothing. May I ask who brought you in?”
“A soldier named Orestes.”
Melina’s eyes clouded for just a bit. “Yes, Orestes. One of my better customers. I see.” Kalliope sensed that Orestes had done something slightly unfaithful to Melina. “To begin, Hera Selene is the finest brothel in all of Athens. In fact, we don’t like to think of ourselves as a brothel. Though we are not courtesans living in our own dwellings, we like to think we might as well be. Some of us have very beautiful living quarters that we have worked very hard to earn.”
Kalliope couldn’t help but interrupt. “But why don’t some of you choose to have your own home if you do so well?”
“Ahh, yes. You see, Kalliope, this is a secret brothel.”
“Secret?” Now, Kalliope was really confused.
“Yes. We cater only to the most elite clientele. And our clients do not share us with others unless those men are truly superior. Here at Hera Selene we only work with the upper echelon of Athens. Political figures, war heroes, noblemen. Men of power and prestige. Many of these men have families and wives. Their wives do not know about us. They believe we are just entertainers. Beautiful women who distract their husbands, sing, dance, and keep them company. Discretion is highly valued.”
Kalliope tried to follow as Melina spoke. “You have only seen a small fraction of Hera Selene. This underground structure is very large. There is the main courtyard where you entered, but there are also dozens of rooms along the winding hallways. Rooms for dining, bathing and working. When we are not entertaining customers, we spin wool and some of us make garments.” Melina rose and Kalliope followed suit. “Follow me, young one, and I will show you.”
Kalliope hurried after Melina. Melina was kind and showed her where she could eat and bathe. She also showed her a few of the other women’s rooms, and Kalliope was amazed to see that the women lived in such fine spaces. Melina showed Kalliope her own room, and Kalliope couldn’t believe that Melina had three connected rooms all to herself. Melina’s quarters consisted of a sitting room, a bedroom for entertaining men, and a private bedroom where she slept.
“You have three rooms?” Kalliope asked incredulously.
“Yes. But there are a few women who have four and five rooms. We are fortunate that our clients prefer us and pay good money for us.” They arrived back at Kalliope’s room and Melina and Kalliope sat on her mattress. “So, this is what you can expect next. Starting tomorrow evening, you will begin hosting men. You will entertain them in the courtyard. Flirt with them, tease them. You will hope that some of those men will be interested in trying a new pretty
Kalliope wasn’t sure if she should trust Melina, but she decided she would have to trust someone eventually.
“It’s a bit of a long story. They belonged to the mother of the woman who owned the brothel where I worked. Her name was Gaia, and she raised me. She gave me these dresses just before I left. I wish I had asked her more about her past. I don’t know how her mother came to own such fine pieces.”
Melina nodded as she listened. “May I?” she asked, holding her hands out to the garment.
Kalliope handed it to Melina.
Melina carefully ran her hands along the material, her nails gliding over the light blue and delicate white. She gently turned the material inside out to examine the stitches. “Very, very beautiful. Her mother must have come from a very wealthy family.”
Kalliope’s heart ached for Gaia, and she wished she had pressed the woman to learn more of her childhood. Melina put the garment down and looked at Kalliope.
“Do you know much about Hera Selene?”
Kalliope flushed and looked at her hands. “Much? I don’t know anything,” she said truthfully.
Melina gave her a small smile. “No matter. I see that Priska has told you nothing. May I ask who brought you in?”
“A soldier named Orestes.”
Melina’s eyes clouded for just a bit. “Yes, Orestes. One of my better customers. I see.” Kalliope sensed that Orestes had done something slightly unfaithful to Melina. “To begin, Hera Selene is the finest brothel in all of Athens. In fact, we don’t like to think of ourselves as a brothel. Though we are not courtesans living in our own dwellings, we like to think we might as well be. Some of us have very beautiful living quarters that we have worked very hard to earn.”
Kalliope couldn’t help but interrupt. “But why don’t some of you choose to have your own home if you do so well?”
“Ahh, yes. You see, Kalliope, this is a secret brothel.”
“Secret?” Now, Kalliope was really confused.
“Yes. We cater only to the most elite clientele. And our clients do not share us with others unless those men are truly superior. Here at Hera Selene we only work with the upper echelon of Athens. Political figures, war heroes, noblemen. Men of power and prestige. Many of these men have families and wives. Their wives do not know about us. They believe we are just entertainers. Beautiful women who distract their husbands, sing, dance, and keep them company. Discretion is highly valued.”
Kalliope tried to follow as Melina spoke. “You have only seen a small fraction of Hera Selene. This underground structure is very large. There is the main courtyard where you entered, but there are also dozens of rooms along the winding hallways. Rooms for dining, bathing and working. When we are not entertaining customers, we spin wool and some of us make garments.” Melina rose and Kalliope followed suit. “Follow me, young one, and I will show you.”
Kalliope hurried after Melina. Melina was kind and showed her where she could eat and bathe. She also showed her a few of the other women’s rooms, and Kalliope was amazed to see that the women lived in such fine spaces. Melina showed Kalliope her own room, and Kalliope couldn’t believe that Melina had three connected rooms all to herself. Melina’s quarters consisted of a sitting room, a bedroom for entertaining men, and a private bedroom where she slept.
“You have three rooms?” Kalliope asked incredulously.
“Yes. But there are a few women who have four and five rooms. We are fortunate that our clients prefer us and pay good money for us.” They arrived back at Kalliope’s room and Melina and Kalliope sat on her mattress. “So, this is what you can expect next. Starting tomorrow evening, you will begin hosting men. You will entertain them in the courtyard. Flirt with them, tease them. You will hope that some of those men will be interested in trying a new pretty
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