Hi guys, this is my first fan fictio. Please go easy on me. My spelling and grammar are definitely not the best, but I tried. Hope you enjoy;)
Chapter 1 (Le Sphinx)
It was a cold, stormy, wet night. The rain pored down so hard that it almost looked like the dark black pavements were flooded. A frail woman with a navy satin robe, ran quickly down the cobbled streets. Whilst the woman was breathing heavily from the amount of running she endured, she held a bundle that was covered in a wet damp blanket.
"If I don't find a place soon she could die," thought the woman.
Soon the small bundle in her arms started to stir and gurgle.
"Shhh Sakura it's ok," the woman soothed.
The woman looked into her daughters eyes. What once were bright emerald orbs were now dull. Her face that always held a toothless smile, with dimples at each corner of her mouth, was now pale and lifeless.
What was a mother to do. She knocked on every door in New Orleans and yet no one would let them have sanctuary. Probably because Sakura was a bastard and born out of wedlock. Being a single mother and not having a husband is frowned upon. The fact that Sakura's mother got pregnant before she wed, and the father wanted nothing to do with her, meant she had to fend for her and her child. And because she was pregnant so young and refused to have an abortion, her parents kicked her out.
As she sat with her child in a dimly lit street with the rain cascading down her face, she started to cry. She clutched the baby to her body to share her warmth.
"Ad least I have a place to sit, maybe I can use the bench as a bed," she sadly thought.
Just as she was about to fall asleep with her baby snuggle to her body.
"Bonjour mademoiselle."
Being startled by the voice she jolted up. A tall thin man with a small stash on his face smiled warmly at her.
"What's a pretty woman like you and a baby doing out at this time of hour, and in the rain too."
"Désolé monsieur, but I have no place to go, and my child will die if I'm out hear any longer. No place will accept us" she cried as her tears blended with the rainfall.
"I know a place that will accept people like you. You and your child can stay as long as you want" the man crookedly smiled. Out of his black suite he pulled out a piece of lined paper. Cupping it with his hands so the paper would not get soaked.
"Hear, go to this address," he pointed to the paper and she gently took it from his hand. "And tell Madame Clémence that Gerald sent you. You must listen carefully, Madame Clémence might come across strong, but if you tell her your situation she can help you. Staying with her isn't complete free though, you might have to do some jobs."
She got up and put the paper in her pocket under her robe with her free hand, and the other holding baby Sakura. "Oh no monsieur that's not a problem, I'll do any job if it means that me and my baby has a place to sleep" she smile lightly at him.
"Thank you so much monsieur"
"Oh, that's no problem child, please call me Gerald. And what name does a beautiful rose like you have"
She blushed deeply "Colette" she said as she started to walk away from the man, to head to the mystery location given to her.
After what seemed like hours of walking, she came into a part of town she had never came across, if she was even in the town? At each side of her, were abandoned buildings, their windows border up with wood. She felt eerie, as it was night and no one else was walking around. It was like a complete ghost town. She kept walking down the long narrow streets that seemed to go on forever. She start to have doubts that this place even exists, but her desperation made her push on. Something caught her eyes in the distance, yellow patches of light up ahead in her centre vision.
Soon she started running and as she got closer to the lights, she started to see a structure. A tall manor stood, it was a large building, but yet it looked delicate. The manor was built out of ivory stone and the high roof was made out of navy blue tiles. Their was lights on downstairs, however the windows in the upstairs had drapes over them, so it was blacked out. The manor was the last place on the street as the pathway stopped and the tall building stood in front.
She climbed the marble steps that lead to a large wooden door. On the side of the door she found a gold inscription that read "Le Sphinx," the same name that was written on the paper given to her.
"Well this is it," she thought. She probably would have been more intimidated to knock on the door, however having a small infant in her arms that needed shelter gave her motivation.
She gave two loud knocks on the door. Soon a black man in a suit opened the door. "Can I help you mademoiselle," he said staring at the bundle in her arms.
"Yes, I was sent hear to see Madame Clémence," she lulled sweetly.
"I see, follow me to the parlour. May I take your coat?"
"No thank you" she said, as she was still cold and wanted to keep Sakura warm.
She followed the man, turning from the hallway that lead into a massive room. The room was rouge, but had a trim of oak wooden panelling at the bottom. There were wooden framed plush couches all over the room, that sat men. The men could range from young to old. Woman were dressed scantily clad wearing lacy slips and knee high socks. Also the woman were dolled up to look like they were dressed for a lavished party. The thing that she couldn't comprehend, was that the women were throwing themselves at these men. Some women were sitting on their laps and others draped their hands across them. She soon noticed a pattern, some of the women would lead the men up the stairs, whilst some of the men would come back down the stairs looking disheveled.
What lead her out of her thoughts was a sharp voice, "hello dear, you wanted to see me."
She looked up to see a very old woman, so old she looked like a witch. The old woman had curled blond hair that was obviously a wig. Her red lipstick was overly drawn on, and some of it ended up in her yellow teeth. "Oh, and what have we hear," the old woman cried grabbing the bundle that was once in Colette's arms. "Aaaw, it's a baby, I always wanted one, but dear once you get to my age your ovaries shrivel up," she laughed.
Colette uncomfortable giggled. "My names Colette, I was sent hear to see you, by a man named Gerald. You see me and my baby have no place to go, and this man told me you could help us."
"Oh yes Gerald, he's one of my top clients," Madame Clémence grinned.
"Clients?"
"Yes dear, clients. Oh my your baby's so beautiful, just wait till she's older, she could probably marry into royalty," the old woman boomed stroking Sakura's cheek.
"So may we stay, I was told I would need to do some jobs. I'm willing to do any line of work if it means we have a place to stay. I can do clean and cook meals."
"That won't be necessary, we all ready have a cook and cleaners," said the old woman.
"Well what do I have to do to stay"
"Oh dear, are you that naive? You have to know what this place is?" the old woman gasped.
Colette just stared at the old woman blankly.
"It's a whore house," the old woman laughed like a chain smoker.
Colette's face paled. She couldn't be a whore, she couldn't just go and sleep with random men. What would her family think of her?
"Come on dear, it's not that bad, once it gets to 8:00pm you sleep with a few men. Then you have the morning and most of the afternoon off, till it turns 8:00pm again. It's the easiest job in the world. Plus who else other than a whore house, would take in a bastard child," said Madame Clémence.
I mean what did Colette have to lose. She had a baby and no place to go. Who cares what her mother and father would think, they kicked her out. She needed to put her baby first.
Colette looked down at her feet "I'll do it."
The old woman passed Sakura back over to Colette. Madame Clémence started clapping. "Yes dear, I knew you'd come round, and with your beautiful face it should be easy." She grabbed a wooden cane and started walking to the stairs. "Follow me dear you can stay in the attic, and I'll have someone bring you and your baby some food."
"Oh, thank you so much."
They reached the attic. It was surprisingly a large room that had a wooden canopy bed with rose drapes. The walls were pink with cream borders. It was so feminine. "This is so beautiful," thought Colette.
"I hope this is to your liking. Theirs an old wicker basket under the bed, Sakura can sleep in it." Madame Clémence informed.
"Thank you so much Madame Clémence."
"Pish posh child, and by the way you start work tomorrow," she smiled.