UNDRESSED BY THE KING

Chapter 9 - Some Like the Gyrating Movements

~ You open my eyes. And I’m ready to go lead me into the light. ~

***

Nicollete

Like Mr. Ozri...err...Lucein said, not long after he held my freezing hand, we arrived in a small camp site. I didn’t even know it existed but there it was, as homey as any camp could be complete with a large bonfire and tents surrounding it. I didn’t want to mull the fact that it just appeared out of nowhere when Lucein said these foreign words:

“Ska ossi tumbi.” (Reveal what’s hidden.)

And I also didn’t want to entertain the reality that I’m the only foreigner here and one who doesn’t understand their language.

There were collective gasps at first when the people in the camp saw us...err Lucein specifically. I wasn’t sure but I think they attempted to prostrate in front of him before he lifted his palm up.

“Sunasi eck taon hest?” (Who is the leader here?)

I heard him ask thereafter and I began to realize I wasn’t going to understand the conversation that was to come, so I just stayed silent and studied the crowd before us. They looked like the people in my world. Same complexion, same body built and same facial constructs. Except for a few who caught my attention. Two of them looked like elves with bluish skin and straight black locks, and another two appeared like bird men with feathers as hair. They seemed harmless though but I mentally kept this information in my head to question Lucein later.

"Nie Ryuine, ni sutokeisa, Wass Deinto Albert Daodenum.” (My Leige, it is I, Show Master Albert Daodenum.)

One man stepped in. He was tall, but not as tall as my companion still holding my hand. He was bald and had a tattoo of a bird in half his face. For a man in his prime age, he wore loop earrings - a jewelry I hadn’t seen worn by the other men who watched us with the crowd. He wore a burgundy-colored Grecian inspired clothing - or at least that’s the best I could describe.

“Enta kun osti za noin?” (Do you have a wife?)

Lucein asked and the man nodded.

“Sui, Hei Ariceti. Tussu dazkazom pous. Lumi angani alo ni amu.” (Yes, My Leige. And daughters too. They are all I got.”

“Then let your wife and daughters attend to my lady’s needs.”

Lucein tilted his head towards me and the man looked at me with understanding, probably seeing my damp clothes.

“Of course, My Leige. Right, away.”

I heard him say in their native language.

After that brief exchange, I saw a woman, probably in her forties, approach me. Then, she was followed by two similar-looking teenagers, twins, and a close-to-adolescent girl. Their warm smiling faces were on me.

Though clueless of what they were about to do, I trusted them that instant, but I glanced at Lucein, sending him a silent question he already knew the answer.

“Go with them. You’ll be pampered like a princess.”

“I’m not a princess,” I corrected him just as the shortest girl grabbed my hand.

He grinned. “Well, you are when you’re with me,” was his reply.

“What does that even mean?” I lifted a brow at him, but he didn’t care to explain for I was already dragged by the women going to a large tent just a stone’s throw away.

My feet felt sore from the long walk earlier, so it was relieving to have my heels taken off by the girl the moment I stepped inside the tent. I named her Pinky because of her pink short hair. She was a cheerful girl, very curious judging from the way she examined my modern heels.

After this, the wife of the Leader guided me to a curtained room at the far side of the tent. Upon entering, I was immediately in awe. It appeared to be a bathroom complete with a granite-looking sink, a rack that displayed various colorful bottles, and a transparent glass box in the center that could fit three people without looking like sardines. I could certainly compare this to the glass showers of high-end hotels back at my world except that it didn’t have a showerhead or faucet.

She pointed towards the glass box and smiled at me. Then, she signaled to the twins with her head and I was left looking at them clueless of what they were about to do.

When they started pulling Lucein’s jacket and my blazer, I realized it then.

“Ah, no, no. It’s alright. I’m not going to take a bath. I’m fine.”

Yet, of course, it was to no avail. I was already outnumbered and they were too hard-pressed on stripping me naked with nothing but my underwear on.

“Miss, enter the bath please.”

The wife of the Leader told me but since it was in her native tongue, I didn’t understand it.

“Uh, I’m sorry, I don’t really understand what you’re saying,” I said with an apologetic face. I didn’t think she understood my words either but what the heck.

“It’s for you to clean yourself,” she said again but this time acting out what she said.

It became a game of charade for me, but alas, I quickly realized what she wanted me to do.

“Go on,” she bobbed her head towards the glass box.

I nodded and pulled an anxious smile at her.

“Right, you already stripped me naked anyway, so I’ll just go and get this over with,” I murmured to myself. Cautiously, I stepped inside, my head turning from side to side just to check if the walls didn’t have some kind of trap. “To the weird box of Houdini, I go.”

Then, the box closed itself, caging me in. I’m not claustrophobic so I didn’t panic. In fact, I found the inside surprisingly relaxing. Calming.

“Oh!”

I jerked when I felt water rush down my head. The water was just the right temperature. It was the same as any liquid in my world but as I examined it with my palm, it had a bluish shimmer to it.

Kinda weird, yes, but it was a good kind of weird.

“Oh nice, this is absolutely quite refreshing.” I tilted my head up and welcomed the pressure of the water when it hit my face. For a shower bath in another world, it definitely felt divine.

“I got to have this Houdini box in my apartment,” I commented out loud, smiling and shutting my eyes to feel the wonderful sensation more.

However, my happiness didn’t last long when a male voice I knew so well cut in.

“No, you can’t.”

On instinct, I covered my breasts with my arms and shot him a cold glare.

“Mr. Ozric! Oh, God. Can’t you see I’m taking a bath?!”

For some reason, the wife and her assistants were gone. I didn’t even notice them leave!

“Yes, I can see, Nicollette. That’s exactly why I’m here,” he answered whilst leaning on a steel beam that supported the tent. His long hair that was untied earlier was now swept to the side, tied into a low ponytail. His stormy gaze raked my unclothed form, from my bare feet to my wet head, but I was so angry at him that I missed how vulnerable he just made me feel.

“Pervert, get out!” I shouted, showing him a scowl.

But he just released a short laugh and straightened to his full height.

“Nobody orders me like that, Desime."

“What?” Despite how angry I was, I blinked many times after hearing the foreign word. Who knows? Maybe he just called me a b***h. That would indeed enrage me more.

“It’s an endearment, Nicollette. Get used to it.”

“Well, I don’t care with your spiffing words,” I replied, painstakingly refraining myself to ask what the endearment was. “Just get out, please. Let the lady enjoy her bath.”

Grinning, he dipped his head once and then faced the curtained portal. I felt relieved seeing it right away.

But I guess I spoke too soon.

Before he could fully exit the room, he turned around to face me again, eyes on my body once more, and said:

“The water running over your head is powered by the magic in this Kingdom. It looks like a typical shower but it’s not. So, you can’t bring that Houdini box in your world.”

I was beyond fuming. He was definitely doing this on purpose!

“I get it, now go!” I yelled at him.

His playful grin fell in response. “Nicollette, a warning. Don’t order me again or I’ll spank that ass of yours.”

He raised a hand up, I really thought that it was to mimic a spanking movement, but it was actually to signal the earlier women to come.

“Send her to me when you’re done,” I heard him instruct to the wife when she appeared. She looked at me first and then nodded.

What the hell were they talking about?

Then, Lucein stared at me again. I stared back, daring him to look below my face; to my covered breasts and my sodden underwear.

He didn’t, to my relief, but he mouthed straight to me, “Ashitei, Nicollette. Kun tei ashitei.”

I twisted my mouth. For some reason, my insides tingled with delight hearing it. “What does that mean?” I asked.

He unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt and instead of answering, he left, leaving me hanging.

“Stupidsonofanalien...” I muttered to myself after I was sure he left.

Now, my privacy may have been invaded, but I’m not going to let it ruin my time and have this divine shower go to waste, so I continued my bath.

His last words - whatever they were - lingered in my head though.  I just got to know what they meant before I lose my mind thinking about it.

“This doesn’t count as being warm at all,” I complained to the wife when she and Pinky made me wear the dress they provided. It was a dress alright, but it was too showy for me.

The neckline was low enough to give my cleavage a curved window and the slit in the legs was too high. My belly was left exposed too that it almost made me feel like I was a belly dancer. The fabric was chiffony, the color of purple and red, and it had gold trimmings on the edges.

“Can I have my clothes back?” I asked despite knowing we had a language barrier.

The beads and fancy buttons were eye-catching, but I still preferred to wear my own clothes.

“Hey!” I shouted when Pinky pushed me out of the tent. The wife just stood stiff, appearing like a well-seasoned governess of the house.

The sound of low drums welcomed me when I exited the tent. Upon looking, I saw three long tables already laid around the bonfire. There were people already squatting next to it with their butts supported by oriental-looking pillows and were drinking, laughing, acting carefree like they were in a birthday party.

“Oh my...” I couldn’t help but express when my eyes landed on a particular man sitting in the middle of the Leader’s table.

Mr. Darien Ozric of the Ozric International Conglomerate acted like he owned the place, wearing what I would describe as Persian warrior clothes of the old ages. His left elbow rested in a supporting pillow, one knee was bent up while the other flexed down. His hair was still tied low, some silky strands escaped but it didn’t mess up his overall kingly aura. He held a silver chalice in his right hand while talking to the Leader of the camp.

Now, as I ogled at him, I realized the name Darien Ozric didn’t fit him in this world at all. He was right. Lucein sounded better.

With one gulp, I neared, or more like get dragged by Little Pinky with her enthusiastic attitude.

I didn’t even get to the tables when Lucein’s attention turned to me, his calculating eyes meeting mine.

He gave me a once-over, minutely showed a pleased smile and then waited for me to stand in his left side before commenting, “You look ready.”

“Ready for what?” I lifted a brow at him and decided to sit on a wide pillow.

“Like a new wife ready for her first night with her husband,” he answered. I immediately choked.

“Well, they made me wear this.”

His eyes studied my whole being once again and then made a low hum from deep within his chest. He shifted to the Leader’s side and then signaled something with his hand.

The man leaned a little, giving Lucein his ready ear.

“Albert, come to my Kingdom one day. I’ll reward you for this specialized hospitality.”

Still, I didn’t understand the word he said, but at least I get to pick up the man’s name. It was Albert.

The man nodded and placed a hand in his right chest.

“Can I have my clothes back?” I asked Lucein thereafter. After that stunt he pulled earlier in the shower room, it made me realize he was behind the entire princess treatment I was getting. Probably, if I ask him for my clothes politely, I might be able to get it back.

But, he just gave me a neutral face.

“You can have them by morning, but you are not going to wear them. Like I said, the Crimean people doesn’t welcome strangers well, Nicollette.”

“Well, can I have a more suitable dress to wear during our journey? This belly dancer outfit doesn’t seem fit for walking.”

And another thing. I feel a lot more like a seductress in these seducing a certain CEO.

“Yes, tomorrow,” he replied, nodding once. “But for now, I’d like to enjoy the view.” He gulped the liquid in his chalice but his eyes were still on me.

I scoffed at the comment. “Well, you would like that I know.”

I watched the food prepared in front of me and yes, it was abundant. Something that my stomach would love to try.

“Eat up and enjoy the show, Nicollette.”

“Show? What show?” I looked to the right and saw what he was talking about.

My mouth formed into an ‘o’ when the twins came out, circling the bonfire dressed in an all-black costume: a cloth wrapped around their chests and paired with what looked like yoga pants. Their bellies were exposed. Their faces weren’t. They wore a black mask with metallic black feathers nestled on top the forehead.

A blade dance.

That’s what I immediately thought when I saw them draw out curved swords from their backs.

And they were freaking real. Not just wooden sticks.

“Why are we getting this kind of treatment?” I whispered to Lucein once I realized this kind of dance didn’t come cheap or free. It was choreographed only for the royalties and noble bloods to see yet here we were, watching it with possibly the Leader’s finest stocks and with the best seat in the camp.

“Because we are guests.”

“Normal guests don’t get this kind of treatment, Lucein,” I gave him a blank look. Who does he think I am? A second grader?

“Yes, so make the most of it,” he answered vaguely, clearly trying to avoid the subject.

I released a sigh and pursed my lip.

Well, he did say that so...in the end, I did, watching the blade dance of the twins with profound admiration.

Sure this may not be the vacation I had been looking for but it was close enough.

After thirty minutes though, I finally declared to myself that I had overdone it.

Back at home, I drink, I get tipsy, I go home.

Here, I drink, I feel weird, I want to dance.

The cup the Leader’s wife handed me some time ago looked harmless enough, so I took it. After tasting, yes you guessed it right, I wanted more. Never had I drank liquor like this before - if it was even called one. But hey, I’m in a different world so I expected this as much.

But maybe, I drank too much for I slowly felt some crazy tingling in my stomach. A tingling that I damn needed to shimmy out of my system.

Since there were other women dancing in our front, I decided to join them.

With one push of myself, I stood up without giving Lucein a word.  He was busy anyway, talking with the Leader in their native language.

Three of the women quickly clucked their tongues and stretched out their arms to receive me into their group. The main dancer showed me simple movements that I could do and I gladly followed her. Not long after, I felt like a pro - confident and smiling from ear to ear. The dance was easy enough yes, but I felt as if I danced like this before.

With the sensual beating of their native instruments, I found myself already at my best. Standing next to the bonfire, I shimmied, twirled, gyrated my hips, moved my hands up and down and tossed my head wildly like I didn’t have a care who was watching.

Like Lucein wasn’t watching.

By the time I noticed that he was, I couldn’t get myself to stop. I kept on dancing while making eye contact with him.

And he...

Well, his eyes were smoldering with desire as he watched me.