Chapter 2: the End of Innocence
Sora was left alone in his quarters, the place he would probably be sleeping in the next ten to fifteen years. As he looked around him he had trouble taking it all in. All of this…. For me?
It was a huge square space. There was a desk made of red oak, an enormous wardrobe Sora found to be filled with only a few snow white towels, a closet full of books of all kinds, and an enormous bed that dominated the entirety of the room. A chandelier hung from the roof of the chamber. Candles were lit up all around the room, emitting a soft, warm glow that made the chamber seem even more welcoming and beautiful. On the desk stood a simple but elegant vase in which stood a single sunflower.
There was a doorway which Sora found to lead into a chamber which impressed him even more. It was a bathing chamber with an actual toilet and… a bath. Sora gazed at it with his mouth wide open. It was enormous. Ten persons could easily fit in it. From the wall came a number of golden pipes with handles on top. Sora could not resist pulling the handles, and out of one came hot water, out of another cold water and out of the others came various soaps and oils with delicious smells.
Sora had heard that such luxuries were available to the wealthy, city-dwelling upper class, but he had never imagined experiencing them for himself, let alone to posses a room such as this one. Back at home they had emptied their bowels in a shady wooden privy which stood outside their house. Baths were only taken around once a week, in a wooden tub that seemed like it could fall apart at any second. They had to take turns in bathing, switching the order of who got to go first and got the clean, warm water every week.
Suddenly Sora felt much less like a prisoner, although he still ached for his family and his friends. And Kairi… How would she have responded when she learned that he had been taken away all the way to the capital? He could already see her rallying all of his friends together and setting out on a journey to safe him… But that, of course, was too much to hope for. Even if they managed to travel all the way to the capital and survive, what could they possibly do? The queen's castle was surrounded by a wall that was too high to scale, and it was said there were other powers guarding it as well…
He sat down on the bed, and, for the first time, allowed himself to think about Baralai's words. So he was to be a servant to the queen… and not just a conventional servant. The idea that the queen, who was considered the wisest and most benevolent ruler of Rozarria in all of history, took pleasure in seeing her servants perform sexual acts with each other was as disturbing as it was incomprehensible to Sora. There had been some odd speculations, of course, about why only the most handsome boys were chosen to serve at the palace, but then again the people of Rozarria put great value in physical appearance. Physical beauty was seen as a blessing from the gods. No one had dared to speculate that there was some sexual reason for this preference for physically appealing servants.
He lay down on the bed, suddenly becoming aware of how tired he was. They had been travelling for a week, walking or riding on horseback or travelling by boat along the Vareen river… And they never stopped for long. They only stopped at an inn late at night, and Seifer was there early every morning, waking him up by roughly shaking him by the shoulders. The exertions had left him feeling physically and mentally exhausted. It would be nice… he thought, to finally have a proper sleep…
His dreams were violent and dark.
He was running across an enormous hallway somewhere in a beautiful palace, being chased by a silver dragon, that was breathing fire that scorched his back, he kept on running, but he knew he could not escape… He walked out into the open air but it was filled with smoke that prevented his breathing, he was in the gardens now and everything was burning, dying. Suddenly he was at the gates of the Palace of Flowers, desperate to leave this place behind, knowing he would be safe if he only manage to get beyond those sky-high walls. He knocked heavily on the door, screaming for help, but the gates would not open… He could hear the dragon closing in, and he turned back to face it, but he saw only fire…
He woke up twitching. At first he had no idea where he was, but then all the memories of the previous week came back to him. Seifer and Leon dragging him of from his home, travelling all across the land, being sick on the wobbly boat… And finally, entering the enormous Palace of Flowers, with a white-haired man showing him the way…
All of a sudden he realized that he was not alone. A blond-haired boy of about his own age was standing over him, solemnly and silently. His blue eyes were hard to read, and his thin mouth had a certain tension to it.
"You will get used to the dreams. Magic is heavy in the air in the Palace, and it manifests in your dreams, and in other ways… My name is Roxas."
Sora looked at the other boy carefully. He looked almost like Sora himself, he noticed. A lithe frame, spiky hair, blue eyes and delicate features… There was a hard edge to him though, an edge Sora knew he himself did not yet have. The boy was wearing simple clothes: a black vest over a white shirt and black trousers.
"R-roxas?" Sora asked dumbly.
The boy looked irritated, "That is what I said, is it not? And you are Sora. The new boy."
He looked down at Sora as if expecting an answer, even though he had not, in fact, asked a question. Sora stirred in the bed, uncomfortably aware of how sweat-soaked his naked body was after his nightmare.
Roxas sighed, once again seeming rather annoyed. He threw a white robe on the bed.
"Here, put this on. Now. It is time to get you to Demyx."
Sora, naked underneath the sheets, was waiting for Roxas to leave the room so that he could put on the robe. Roxas sighed impatiently and pulled the sheets off him. Sora gasped, trying to cover himself up.
"An advice for you," Roxas said, "get rid of that ridiculous small-town prudery. Being ashamed of your own body is not a useful quirk to have in the Palace. Now put on the robe and follow me."
Roxas led him through many corridors, and as they walked in silence Sora found himself wondering if he would ever know the way around this palace. Roxas certainly seemed to, and he could not have been here for long if he had been recruited at the same age as Sora had been. Finally they reached an enormous hall that must be the bathing area. The air was hot, heavy and humid, and there were baths all around, bubbling baths and steaming baths and baths with ice cubes floating around in them, as well as an enormous, rectangular pool. The hall was completely empty, which surprised Sora. He asked Roxas where all the people were, and the sullen boy replied curtly,
"They are at the feast. All of the servants eat together in the palace dining hall, every day."
After passing through the bathing hall, Roxas led him into a smaller chamber that was slightly bigger than Sora's room. Golden pipes led a torrent of water into a small bath to the right of the room. On the walls were shelves with rows of glass pots with colourful content. Large mirrors hung on the opposite side of the room, and in front of them was a row of tables.
In the centre of the room stood a smiling man with sandy hair and a rather odd hairstyle. He was dressed entirely in blue and white, wearing extravagant robes. His green eyes were cheerful and twinkling. "You must be the new boy! Sora! Nice to meet you! The name's Demyx. Wow, he looks a bit like you Rox!"
This seemed to annoy Roxas, but then again: what did not seem to annoy Roxas?
"Just get started with him and send him to Marluxia as soon as you are done." And after that Roxas promptly left, without saying even a single word of goodbye to Sora.
"So…" Demyx said with a sheepish grin, "Sora, why don't you take off the robe, and I will get a look at what I am working with."
Sora had been prepared for this, but it still felt weird to drop the white robe to his feet and expose himself to this man he had known for about two minutes. After he was naked, Demyx circled around him, assessing every inch of him and muttering to himself.
"You are not very hairy! That is good. Your skin is a bit dry in some places, and we will have to get rid of those bags under your eyes…"
He finally settled down in front of Sora.
"Okay Sora… In preparation of tonight, I am now going to, ehm... cleanse you… This will feel a bit weird, but try to relax and let your mind go blank, alright?"
He spread out his palm towards Sora, and at first Sora was wondering about what he was doing but then water flew out of the basin towards him and he knew. Magic. He cried out when it entered his ears, flowing in them and cleansing them. He had expected to encounter magic in this castle, where mysterious powers seemed to be contained in the very air he breathed, but he had not expected it to come from this pleasant, smiling young man.
The water entered him from behind. It was an uncomfortable sensation when the warm water entered him and cleaned him from within, but even more uncomfortable was the thought of why he would have to be cleansed there…
Afterwards, Demyx laid him in the basin and scrubbed his skin all around him with a fruity smelling but rough mixture. He then rinsed the mixture off Sora's skin and had the boy stand next to the basin. He grabbed another glass bottle and, to Sora's dismay, began to apply a foamy blue substance to his private areas and his legs. Thankfully, his touch was soft and professional. Then he grabbed a small silver shaving knife and proceeded to shave every bit of soft hair from Sora's lower body, even the sparse hair between his cheeks. As he worked he chatted almost without pause, informing Sora about every small detail of his life before he came here. He did not speak of his life in the Palace, Sora noted.
Demyx hailed from a small coastal town called Waterwell, in the south of the country. He had always wanted to become a travelling minstrel, though his skill with instruments apparently surpassed the quality of his voice. "Nah, if you want to hear singing, truly good singing, you will have to ask Roxas. He has a voice like an angel, and he sings for the queen…"
He went on and on about how he came from a big family and had lots of sisters that he really missed, about how he learned some magic from his old grandmother who knew only water spells… and other information about his previous life. Sora found himself wondering whether the sandy haired man was always this talkative, or whether he was just trying to make him feel more at ease.
After he finished with the shaving knife he massaged Sora's skin with a milky white substance from yet another glass bottle, which prickled his skin where it touched him. Lastly, he applied a different cream to Sora's face and then he told Sora to put on the white robe again and thanked him for his time.
"Off to Marluxia with you!" He said with a wink, "His room is just on the opposite of this hallway!"
Sora nodded and he had almost left the room when Demyx said, in a voice that had, for once, not even a hint of silliness in it, "Sora?"
He turned around with a questioning look on his face and found Demyx smiling uncomfortably, "Good luck tonight."
Marluxia turned out to be the opposite of Demyx in many ways. He was soft-spoken with cold blue eyes and reddish hair. He walked around Sora, coolly assessing his body. "Hmm. Very skinny. Cannot be helped, but sometimes the queen prefers it that way for those who are to play a more, ah, passive role… Nice blue eyes… Buttocks hardly distinguishable… Hmm… "
He introduced himself only after examining Sora for what seemed like hours.
"I am Marluxia. In this Palace my task is to take care of the clothes.. and of the flowers. You have walked through the garden on the way into the Palace, I take it?"
Sora was about to reply but Marluxia was already talking again, "Those are simple flowers. Normal ones that require only water and a bit of sun and the absence of weeds… My true work is about the flowers that grow inside of the Palace… Magical flowers, you see. Infused with both the queen's magic, and a bit of my own. They affect everyone in this palace, in a great many ways. Many serve to increase lust, so that we might be more, ah, willing to indulge in acts of carnal pleasure… Others strengthen the queen's magic… Others enhance learning and other cognitive functions… The magic of this Palace lies with the flowers, you see."
As he spoke of flowers he was measuring Sora's hips, followed by every measurable part of his body. His cold eyes softened as he spoke of his flowers. It was clearly a subject he was most passionate about. "I will create an appropriate wardrobe for you. However, what you will wear tonight is of more importance for the moment. Your first impression on the queen is important to your stay in the palace, and to your standing with the other servants. The queen puts great value in appearance, and what you wear might make or break your appearance. Follow me."
They entered an enormous rectangular room that took Sora's breath away. It was an enormous wardrobe, with two stories of clothes above a row of shoes in all colours, forms and sizes imaginable. There were robes, suits, even armour at the back of the room. There seemed to be five sizes of every set of clothes, all aligned next to each other. Marluxia led him to a set of white shirts and trousers, handing him a set of soft white clothing with golden details and ornaments.
"I think white would be appropriate for the night," he mused, "put those clothes on and then follow me into the dressing room so that I might work on your hair."
Sora did as he was bid, and before following Marluxia out of the wardrobe he glanced upon himself in the tall mirror at the far end of the space. Though he had always thought of the urban fashion obsession as a frivolous extravagance that was impossible to follow or take seriously, he had to admit that he liked the way he looked in the luxurious fabrics. He looked somehow more important, and more sophisticated.
After Marluxia had worked a shimmering oil into his hair he sprayed a single whiff of perfume on Sora, and then Roxas was there waiting, leaning against the doorway with his familiar expression of solemn boredom.
"Ready? Took you long enough. After me then, it if off to the queen with you."
As they walked a path Sora quickly lost track of, heading deeper into the palace, Roxas instructed him on how to behave when he met the queen.
"Whatever the queen says, obey her. If you have any thoughts of returning to your old life, best to discard them now. You will not leave this Palace unscathed by offending the queen in some manner. Never speak to her unless spoken to, and always look her in the eyes as you speak to her. If she asks you to do things that might offend you in some way, be sure not to question her."
Finally, they reached a set of gilded doors, guarded by two withered gargoyles.
"These are the queen's chambers. This is where I leave you. Remember my instructions. Please her tonight, and you will find your stay in the palace far more comfortable. Remember to obey."
With those words he promptly left.
Sora found himself wondering whether he should enter now, or wait until the doors opened, or –
"Come in." a soft but clearly audible female voice spoke.
He took a deep breath, went over the things Roxas had told him, and entered.
The queen's chambers were different from what he had expected. They were simple and not quite so different from Sora's own, aside from the fact that there were several ones, and that a doorway let to a balcony that housed a small garden. He walked into what seemed like the queen's bedroom, and there he saw her for the first time.
She was standing at the other end of her enormous bedchamber, looking at him with mild curiosity. He stared at her in awe. The woman who had united the nation in a time without hope, who had crushed the armies of the Usurper against all odds, who had cleansed the land of evil and foulness. She was more beautiful than any words could ever describe. It was said that the queen's appearance changed just as the weather did, but tonight at least she had softly sun-kissed skin and golden hair that cascaded down her back. Her eyes were big, striking and green, her lips full and red as blood, and she wore an airy set of midnight blue skirts. She stood as tall as Sora himself.
She spoke then, and her voice was velvety and smooth and lovely, "Greetings, Sora of Tyrall, and welcome to the Palace of Flowers."
He did not know what to say, or whether even to say anything, and a second voice spoke, dark and male: "Your queen just spoke to you."
Sora had been so focused on looking at the queen that he had not noticed the boy who was lying lazily on the large bed. He was a pale, lean and striking youth, dressed simply enough in robes as black as coal that left a v-shape of his muscular chest exposed. His face, however, was what struck Sora the most. Turquoise eyes, perfect pale skin, high cheekbones, full lips and silver hair… He had never seen someone with hair so beautiful, although he had heard that the dragonlords of Bumecia had silver hair as part of their legendary good looks.
Right now those turquoise eyes were looking at him with cold disdain. Sora knew he had to speak.
"You are kind, my queen. Your Palace is the most lovely place I have ever set foot in, and the queen who resides there is the loveliest sight I have ever laid eyes on."
She laughed, a carefree sound, loud yet graceful. "An eloquent country boy! How unusual! You will prove a most welcome addition to my court. You are quite a sight yourself, young Sora. What do you think, Riku?"
"I am not sure whether he has even hit puberty yet," the boy said. A cruel jest, Sora thought bitterly, he and I will not be friends.
"Be kind Riku. You do not want to make this even more unpleasant for the boy," she said, sitting down in a large luxury chair in a corner of the room, "Sora, why do you not join Riku on the bed?"
Sora looked into the queen's eyes, frightened. He could see wisdom in those eyes, a certain quality that only age could bring about, though she did not otherwise look older than twenty years at most. "As you wish." He said, climbing on the enormous bed, not really wanting to be close to the cruel silver-haired boy.
"Come on now," Riku smirked, "I will not bite. And if I do, I can promise you that you will greatly enjoy it."
He put an arm around Sora, who shivered at his touch. He felt very warm, smoldering.
"Sora," the queen addressed him, "you have received a great boon. In this palace you will not only be instructed in the arts, in combat and in leadership, you will also discover all the secret pleasures of the flesh. Riku will introduce you to some of them on this very night. Forget about your vapid girlfriend back in Tyrall, for tonight you will discover levels of ecstasy no commoner shall ever know."
A look passed between him and Riku. The elder boy smiled, no longer mocking, and closed the distance between them.
