After my bath, I dined on the sweet fruit and indulged in two glasses of Dornish Red. Then, I slept soundly in the first bed I had known in many years. By early afternoon, I rose to handsome woman chatting happily with Jayde at the table near the windowsill. Her cute, little pug-nose was decorated with freckles. Long, thick red lock cascaded past her waist. She introduced herself as Dancy before making her exit.

Jayde brought me a gown of rose-colored silk, alone with a silver flask and two tiny cups. She sat beside me on the bed and held the first flask high, measuring the golden liquid to fill the tiny cups. "This is a wonderfully rare tonic," she spoke calmly, "we call it Dragon's Blood. It's lotus tea mixed with a single tear of the poppy, a touch of essence of nightshade, a grain of sweetsleep, a drop of dreamwire and sweetened by exotic spices from Qarth."

I asked, "What does it do?"

"It will awaken your senses." She answered, steadily cradling one of the small cups in the in the fingertips of both hands, handing it to me carefully as though it were goblet of liquid gold. "This will open your heart and your mind."

Jadye drained her cup with a single swallow, watching me as I did the same. The Dragon's Blood was sweet to the tongue, soothing my throat, its passage pleasantly warm until it blossomed and brought a flush to my cheeks. She flashed a small smile as a reaction to my expression and then took the red gown into her hands. "The silk is from Braavos but the design is Dornish. All clothing serves a single purpose here - to make you feel as beautiful as you look." In a gesture of encouragement, she handed me the gown. "Once you've been here longer, there will be many splendid things in your wardrobe. We even have a tailor who come to fit you for all that you will need. And there is a doctor that will see that you are well and vigorous. Also there's a man who will help you care for your teeth, a woman for your hair, and an alchemist who will brew tonics for your womb." She paused, "Chataya takes great care of those in her life."

I smiled at her, "I'm very grateful."

"Come," Jayde smiled back, patting the red gown in-between my hands. "Let's try on the dress and see how it fits."

I stood from the bed, but was hesitant to remove the nightgown in front of Jayde.

It's as if she could sense my nervousness. She grabbed my hand gently, "You must never be ashamed to undress in this house, before me or any of the other women or in front of men. To be proud of your body is of utter importance."

Despite my flushed cheeks, I allowed Jayde to remove the cotton nightgown. She slipped it over my head and tossed it aside. She stepped back to see me better and I tried my hardest to stare back at her, hiding my timidity.

"You're almost a woman," Jayde said, her thin fingers reaching without warning to lightly touch the bouquet of hair beginning to grow between my legs. Then, she led me over to the corner of the room towards a full length mirror. Next, standing behind me, she adjusted the polished surface to reflect my full height. It was the first time I had seen myself and it caused the heat in my skin to prickle. Back in Essos, the ripples of the sea distorted the image of my face and there had been no mirrors in Flea Bottom. I had always wondered what I truly looked like.

My skin was a pale bronze, pitch-black hair loose beyond my shoulders. My blue eyes were made brighter by thick dark lashes and slender arched brows. My neck was long, frame petite. More blood rushed to my cheeks at the sight of my ample breasts, my nipples tingling as though they were being touched. In a dreamlike daze, I watched as Jayde's long, gold-tipped fingernails gently caressed the curve between my waist and hip. Then, she turned me slightly, urging me to look at my flatness of my midsection, and shapely-ness of my backside. Coming back to my senses and shyness, I attempted to cover my face with my hands.

Jayde gently grabbed my wrists, pulling them back down to my side and turning me back to confront my reflection in the mirror. "See how lovely you are." Her slender fingers shifted lightly from my wrists and up to my breasts. I took in a deep breath as she began to massage me, the pleasure was so new to me and I started to close my eyes, but then she instructed me, "Blade, do you trust me?" I still felt shy, but I responded with an eagar nod. "Then open your eyes."

I watched as she pushed the hair upon my neck aside, lowered her head, and my skin met her tongue. The curiosity and sweet impatience inside of me rose. Her face was so close to mine, her breath sweet and warm. Her kissed stopped and she whispered into my ear, "See how ready you are to learn? You must be patient. Your innocence is a gift, to be given to someone steep fee."

Jayde turned me to face her. I was an inch or two shorter and she tilted her head down slightly as though on impulse, lightly kissing my brow, the tip of my nose, my cheek, the warm hollow of my throat. Her lips lingered at my throat before seeking my mouth, her tongue softly exploring my mouth. My senses faltered, every touch fascinated me. Suddenly, she pulled away and turned me back towards the mirror, her fingertips teasingly moving from shoulders, to my breast, down my stomach and stopping. Her warm breath was at my ear again, "Have you never been touched before?"

Biting my bottom lip, I shook my head back and forth a little.

"Good," she whispered in reply, "Ecstasy from a tempered woman will prepare you well for the clumsiness and hurriedness of selfish men. It's my duty to teach you these things."

Days passed, nights passed, the latter shared with Jayde and cups of Dragon's Blood. In the darkness, our arms and legs entwined. Our lips and hands exploring each other in nightly secrecy. She taught me how to feign innocence and chaste curiosity, while pretending to be eager to satisfy anything a man might ask of me.