A Curvy Girl for the Prince by S.E. Law

3

Matilda

“So what do we have here?” a middle-aged woman with flaming red hair asks. She’s smoking a super-long cigarillo, like the kind Audrey Hepburn made famous in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I smile wanly. Doesn’t she know that smoking kills you? There are so many carcinogens that it’s shocking.

As if in answer, the woman blows a puff of smoke in my face, making me collapse into a coughing fit.

“Um, hi,” I manage through watery eyes. “Is Lily here?”

The woman leans against the door jamb, looking me up and down, before taking another puff.

“And who are you?”

I smile, my eyes still watery, as I wave my hand in front of my nose, hoping to dispel some of the smoke.

“I’m a friend,” I say. “Lily left something at the palace, and I wanted to return it.”

The woman’s red eyebrows go up. Does she dye those to match her hair? Upon close inspection, I see that the roots of both her eyebrows and her hair are a dull brown. Ah-ha! No doubt, all of her is fake, including that big bosom beneath the dress with its too-tight lacings.

“The palace, hmmm?” she says. “Well, why didn’t you say? Come on in.”

Then, she props the wooden door open with her back, allowing me to enter. I step into a dark space, and it certainly looks like a tavern. There are wooden tables and benches in the low-ceilinged room, reminiscent of a German beer hall, as well as a long wooden bar on the side with loads of alcohol carefully displayed on racks behind it. There isn’t much décor to speak of, except for some low-hanging lights of the rustic variety, as well as some weird looking trumpets on the walls.

“Those are flugelhorns,” the red-headed woman remarks, noticing my gaze. “They’re native to Lysenia.”

“Of course,” I say hastily. “I’m Lysenian, so I should know.”

The woman smirks, her crimson lips curving into a pout.

“Yeah, but you’re not from around these parts. Those flugelhorns are crafted in the traditional Old Town style with four valves instead of three.”

I swallow, trying to look knowledgeable.

“Oh yes,” I say with a confident nod. “I can see.”

The woman merely harrumphs before going to the back of the bar. There’s a rickety spiral staircase behind her that I hadn’t noticed, and she looks up before bellowing to the second floor.

“Lily! Come down this minute! You have a visitor.”

Total silence ensues.

“Lily!” the woman screams again. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Get your ass down here this minute.”

Goodness, that was certainly raw. I wasn’t expecting a fine lady, but I also wasn’t expecting a woman who swears like a sailor. Meanwhile, I smile wanly, hoping I don’t look too out of place.

Finally, there’s a clatter of steps, and the blonde woman appears. She’s washed her face so that the tear tracks are no longer visible, but her hair is still a rat’s nest. Her dress has been changed too, and I see she’s now wearing a tightly-laced purple dress with a bodice that highlights her big bust, while also drawing attention to her narrow waist.

“What?” she asks sullenly, crossing her arms over her chest. “Who are you? I don’t know you.”

I manage to smile.

“Um, I’m Matilda, I mean, Martha, from the palace. You left these when you ran off this morning,” I say, holding out the crumpled pair of panties in my hand. “Sorry I didn’t put them in a bag or anything, but you took off and I had to give chase.”

Lily narrows her eyes at me.

“Yes, I saw you following me,” she says in a snide tone. “Who did you say you are again?”

“Martha,” I reply quickly. “I work in the kitchen. I was carrying a jug of water to the Lady Daphne, when I saw you exiting Prince Haakon’s quarters.”

Lily’s just about to answer when the red-haired woman turns on her.

“You dumbfuck,” she curses, rolling her eyes. “What kind of whore are you?” Then she turns back to me. “Lily wasn’t ‘exiting’ the prince’s quarters. She was tossed out on her ass like a common-born whore!”

“But I am a common-born whore!” Lily protests, waving her slim hands about. “I never pretended to be any highfalutin lady! You knew that when you hired me!”

The red-haired woman merely rolls her eyes and puts her hand on her hips again.

“You don’t have even two dimes to rub together, you’re so common. But you know what else common girls have? They have street smarts, and you never got your fair share!”

Lily’s lips tremble as she goes pale.

“Yes, but I tried my best to please him, I swear, Nerilda. Just give me another chance. Haakon was in a bad mood, and I tried so hard but you know how the prince can get—”

The red-haired woman, whose name is evidently Nerilda, merely puts her hands on her hips and glares at Lily.

“I know exactly how the prince can get because he’s been using my girls for months now! And you know what? The prince pays in gold coin. No credit cards, no crypto, no barter, and definitely no personal checks. He pays in cold hard coin, and I’m happy to have it. Now you’ve probably gone and lost our best customer!”

“No!” Lily exclaims, her cheeks going pale. “I didn’t! Just give me another chance, Nerilda. Please.”

At this point, the panties have dropped out of my lifeless fingers because this is something I didn’t expect. I had no idea that Prince Haakon had been using whores. I thought that as a member of the royal family, he’d be wining and dining supermodels, or at least using girls from high-end escort services. Instead, it seems our prince has a taste for filth of the dirtiest kind, and has been canoodling with two-bit prostitutes available on every street corner.

“Um, I’ll just go now,” I say in a small voice, already turning to leave. “Glad I got those panties back to you.”

But then, Nerilda barks, “Stop!” in a voice that sounds like the crack of a whip. I halt in my tracks.

“Yes?” I manage in a whisper. “Was there something else?”

The red-headed woman looks me up and down.

“What did you say your name was again?”

“Martha,” I murmur with a tremor to my voice. “I’d best be going now.”

Nerilda shakes her head violently, her red hair almost coming undone from its elaborate updo.

“You’ll do no such thing,” she hisses, still glaring at Lily. “Especially since Haakon has already called to complain.”

“I can explain,” Lily says again, her blue eyes wide. “I swear.”

Again, I try to make my escape by tiptoeing away, but Nerilda turns back to me, her green eyes almost jade-colored with enmity.

“Did I say you could go? Stop right there,” she hisses.

Meanwhile, Lily’s softly crying now while wringing her hands together in a hopeless fashion.

“I know Haakon wants virgins,” she says in a choked voice. “And I swear I was, until last night! But you know I’ve been dating Florian for a while now, and we couldn’t help ourselves last night. I slept with him,” she whispers in admission, tears spilling down her cheeks. “We’re in a relationship now, and it’s only right to sleep with your boyfriend!”

Oh wow, I had no idea that whores had boyfriends, but Nerilda doesn’t seem surprised at all. The madame just rolls her eyes, her hands still on her hips.

“You couldn’t wait for one more day? Seriously, you knew your appointment with the prince was today. How dumb are you?”

Lily’s sobbing with contrition now, her pretty features crumpled into a horrific grimace.

“No, because Florian said that as my boyfriend, my virginity was his to claim! He said losing it to the prince was bullshit, and that I wouldn’t see a penny of the prince’s fee anyways! It was Florian!” she shrieks. “But please, Nerilda, just give me a second chance! I’ll explain to Haakon what happened. I’m sure the prince will understand.”

The red-haired woman glares at her subordinate.

“Haakon definitely won’t understand. In fact, he won’t care, full stop. That’s the kind of man we have for a client. You’re such an idiot, you know that? Sweet-talked by a blacksmith’s apprentice,” she snorts. “That Florian is a piece of work.”

“Well, what do I do?” Lily screams, practically hysterical now. The girl is literally tearing at her golden hair with her hands, looking more and more like a witch who’s just come out of a cave. “How do I make up for this?”

Nerilda snorts.

“You can’t,” she huffs. “Haakon’s already called to complain about the “unsuitable product.” That would be you,” she says with another accusatory look at the blonde girl. “I swear, you bring shame on the House of Silk. My grandmother founded this brothel, and in all these years, we’ve never had a girl as idiotic as you. How the fuck am I supposed to find a replacement by tonight? All the other girls are already booked, and I can hardly send you in to repair the damage.”

Okay, this is getting out of hand. Obviously, this conversation wasn’t meant for my ears and I turn to go, trying to creep out without being noticed

But again, Nerilda notices and barks out another, “Stop!”

I smile wanly over my shoulder.

“Oh, I best be going,” I say in a tremulous tone. “I’m wanted at the palace. I’m sure they’re going to call a search party at any minute.”

The madame rolls her eyes.

“You can’t be that important if you were able to come all the way out to Old Town to return a pair of panties,” she snorts with disdain. Then, her gaze grows crafty, those green eyes narrowing into slits. “What did you say you did at the palace again?”

“I’m a maid,” I reply quickly. “I mean, a lady in waiting.”

Both Nerilda and Lily stare at me.

“So which is it?” the flame-haired woman demands.

“A maid,” I fib, not wanting to give too much away. “A nobody. Seriously, my manager doesn’t even recognize me most days, I’m so unimportant.”

Nerilda’s look becomes calculating.

“Well then, that could be an asset,” she hums. She looks me up and down, taking in my bountiful breasts, narrow waist, and wide hips. “Your hair is ugly, and your make-up is all wrong, but then again, you are a maid,” she muses to herself, still checking me out. “Are you a virgin?” she asks in an abrupt voice.

I gasp.

“What kind of question is that?”

The madame doesn’t look offended at all.

“The kind that could make you very rich, that’s what. Like I mentioned, Haakon has been using my service for a few months now. The Crown Prince wants virgins, as you’ve overheard, and orders them on a monthly basis. I call it, ‘The Virgin Sacrifice.’”

I gasp again, hardly believing my ears.

“Really? The Crown Prince pays money for you to send over a girl every month who’s a virgin?” I manage in a steady voice. “Isn’t there a rule against that somewhere?”

Nerilda shrugs.

“There are no rules. This is Haakon Wolfson we’re talking about, and he can do whatever he wants. Besides, what’s going to happen if people find out? Will they de-throne him? Take away his royal title? Force him to abdicate? Let’s get real,” Nerilda continues in a snide tone. “If anything, this is what people expect of a virile, vigorous ruler. They want a man who’s a man, and not some dimwit with limp wrists.”

I stare.

“So people know that he uses whores.”

“People don’t know know,” Nerilda clarifies. “But I daresay I’m not the only whorehouse providing girls to Haakon. Our prince is voracious,” she says with a wide smile, flashing big white teeth. “Utterly insatiable, from what I hear, and a beast in bed too.”

I go still.

“And you want me to be that sacrifice?”

Nerilda shrugs.

“If you’re a virgin, then why not? Of course, I’ll make it worth your while. A hundred gold coins for your trouble.”

“Hey, I only got fifty!” Lily squeals from her place. “That’s not fair!”

“You’re not getting anything, idiot,” Nerilda snaps. “You failed, and now I have to scramble for a substitute. So what do you say, Martha?” she asks, turning back to me with an obsequious smile. “One hundred gold coins for your trouble? Provided you are a virgin, of course. Haakon always knows.”

I want to decline her offer. I want to turn on my heel and flounce away with my pride intact because I’m not a tramp, and I’m certainly not a working girl. Yet the proposition shimmers in the air, beckoning with invitation. After all, one hundred gold coins is real money in our country. Each coin is probably the equivalent of fifty dollars at melt value, which means I’d earn five thousand dollars for one encounter with the handsome prince.

Yet how can I even consider this? I know my parents want me to marry up in life. Even if we’re struggling to stay in the middle class, they think I have potential. Gerald and Maria want me to wed one of their banker friends’ sons, or maybe the son of our neighbors, the insufferable Joneses, who recently purchased that huge estate in the country. But if anyone ever finds out that I serviced Haakon, then the marriage door will immediately slam shut.

But I know that my family’s teetering in a precarious economic situation. I know that my parents have been struggling to keep up with the Joneses (literally). I know that my mom still frequents the country club to keep up appearances, but recently let go of our cleaning lady in order to economize. I know my dad comes out of his home office with an ashen look on his face, his knuckles white, after reviewing our bills. I also know that we got rid of our Mercedes because “walking does a body good,” but in fact, we couldn’t keep up with the car payment.

Of course, five thousand dollars will hardly change my family’s circumstances. But at the same time, it could help get us through the next couple months, and give my parents a bit of breathing room.

“I’ll do it,” I say suddenly, my mind made up. “And yes, I’m a virgin.”

“Front and back?” Nerilda asks immediately. I squint at her. “Trust me, Haakon always knows,” she adds in a sibilant voice.

“Yes,” I answer in a stiff tone. “Front and back.”

“Good, good,” the madame coos. “Then it’s perfect. Haakon wants another woman delivered to him this evening, which gives us a little time.” The red-haired woman glances at the clock on the wall. “You did say that you’ve never met the Crown Prince, right?”

I grimace a little.

“He doesn’t know who I am,” I reply in a wry tone. “Don’t worry. I’m just another of the serving wenches to him.”

“Good!” Nerilda says brightly, already looking rejuvenated. “It’s perfect then. We’ll get you all cleaned and prettified for your meeting with Haakon tonight, and then tomorrow, you’ll get your payment. A hundred gold coins. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”

I manage to shoot her a wan smile because in fact, it feels dirty to be trading my body for money like this. Yet, I have to acknowledge that there’s a thrill of anticipation running down my spine, even as my thighs clench together with moisture. After all, I began this adventure curious about the double-pronged tool between Haakon’s legs, and now, I’m getting an opportunity to investigate up close and personal. I never anticipated it happening like this, but then again, life hardly ever turns out the way you think, right? Biting my lip, I nod and follow Nerilda up the stairs to prepare for my rendezvous with the prince.