continued Sister Valyrie," that this bill does meet with the directives of this chamber. In two days time, all sides will present their cases and then a final decision will be put before all the council."
Thusly dismissed, Alyss watched the men bow once more and head towards the exit. The larger male caught her gaze as he passed. Recognizing him as part of her competition, Alyss offered him a small smile. But his eyes rolled away from her, his face appeared unaffected. Alyss frowned after him. He must not have seen her.
"You need to get prepared." Her Mother pulled her attention away. "This bill must pass."
"Me? But this is Merlyn's study."
"Your sister will not be helping."
She'd assumed the passage of this bill and her ascendancy to apprenticeship would be an easy walk. "Mother I can't present it. I don't understand the science. Surely you can-"
"I will present the findings, but you will lead the lobbying. I have no gift for social nattering. That's what you're for. You wanted to be apart of the Sisterhood. You will get this bill passed. Otherwise our family will be ruined."
Lady Angyla stormed out of the chamber. Her Mother was not one for the dramatic, so Alyss took the words as the Goddess' gospel. Alyss turned towards the window. There on the horizon, she saw the dark purple now bruised the sky, eclipsing the happy orange from mere moments ago.
Chapter Two
"The way you capture Her divinity in this painting is superb." The gallery manager, Geoffri, held Adom's painting in his hands.
Adom took in his work. Deep reds dominated the portrait depicting the blood of man seeping into the earth; a sacrifice to the sleeping Goddess below the surface. He'd clothed the slumbering Goddess in a garment of deep purple; her skin the brown of the earth, her hair a tangle of black curls. Her arms lay taut over her head as though she stretched towards consciousness -or, perhaps, a binding force held her willing arms tight to the core of the earth. Her lips parted, her back arched in waking -or, perhaps, in the throes of orgasmic bliss.
"This is the type of work that women are looking for."
Adom turned away from Geoffri and glanced around the gallery. The Jayne Austere Gallery was one of the most prestigious galleries of art in their society. On the walls were images of the Goddess walking the earth, greeting animals, embracing little girls. Adom stifled a yawn as he gazed at Her hands stretched out to flora and fauna. He itched to get back to his studio and work on the depictions he preferred. Even now the details of her angular brown face, liquid gold eyes, and dark crown of spirals with a hint of red were fading from his memory like drying water colors.
It had been three months since she'd stormed into Lady Chanyn's drawing room. Her eyes had arrowed straight to his painting. She'd praised his work and ripped it apart in the same breath. Her critique had taken Adom in a new direction with his work. In this new direction, her face appeared in each of his creations. She was the goddess of his desires. But Adom made sure to disguise the lady's features. Ladies did not pose for paintings such as these. It was blasphemous to compare oneself to the Goddess.
"So, you'll show it?" Adom said to the manager. The older man eyed his painting as though he could fondle Adom's muse.
"It? I can't show just it. There needs to be a series. At least two more."
Adom's stomach clenched. He only had the one. Well, that wasn't true. He'd drawn, painted, and sculpted the lady in numerous renditions since he'd first encountered her months ago. None of those renditions would fit the style for a gallery frequented by women, and Adom wasn't willing to share his muse with the male collectors who would eagerly clamor for his sensual depictions.
"I only have the one right now."
Geoffri peered down his nose at Adom. Adom was used to it. He was discard and a former Pleasure Hound. Typically only ladies, first son lords, and second sons had
Thusly dismissed, Alyss watched the men bow once more and head towards the exit. The larger male caught her gaze as he passed. Recognizing him as part of her competition, Alyss offered him a small smile. But his eyes rolled away from her, his face appeared unaffected. Alyss frowned after him. He must not have seen her.
"You need to get prepared." Her Mother pulled her attention away. "This bill must pass."
"Me? But this is Merlyn's study."
"Your sister will not be helping."
She'd assumed the passage of this bill and her ascendancy to apprenticeship would be an easy walk. "Mother I can't present it. I don't understand the science. Surely you can-"
"I will present the findings, but you will lead the lobbying. I have no gift for social nattering. That's what you're for. You wanted to be apart of the Sisterhood. You will get this bill passed. Otherwise our family will be ruined."
Lady Angyla stormed out of the chamber. Her Mother was not one for the dramatic, so Alyss took the words as the Goddess' gospel. Alyss turned towards the window. There on the horizon, she saw the dark purple now bruised the sky, eclipsing the happy orange from mere moments ago.
Chapter Two
"The way you capture Her divinity in this painting is superb." The gallery manager, Geoffri, held Adom's painting in his hands.
Adom took in his work. Deep reds dominated the portrait depicting the blood of man seeping into the earth; a sacrifice to the sleeping Goddess below the surface. He'd clothed the slumbering Goddess in a garment of deep purple; her skin the brown of the earth, her hair a tangle of black curls. Her arms lay taut over her head as though she stretched towards consciousness -or, perhaps, a binding force held her willing arms tight to the core of the earth. Her lips parted, her back arched in waking -or, perhaps, in the throes of orgasmic bliss.
"This is the type of work that women are looking for."
Adom turned away from Geoffri and glanced around the gallery. The Jayne Austere Gallery was one of the most prestigious galleries of art in their society. On the walls were images of the Goddess walking the earth, greeting animals, embracing little girls. Adom stifled a yawn as he gazed at Her hands stretched out to flora and fauna. He itched to get back to his studio and work on the depictions he preferred. Even now the details of her angular brown face, liquid gold eyes, and dark crown of spirals with a hint of red were fading from his memory like drying water colors.
It had been three months since she'd stormed into Lady Chanyn's drawing room. Her eyes had arrowed straight to his painting. She'd praised his work and ripped it apart in the same breath. Her critique had taken Adom in a new direction with his work. In this new direction, her face appeared in each of his creations. She was the goddess of his desires. But Adom made sure to disguise the lady's features. Ladies did not pose for paintings such as these. It was blasphemous to compare oneself to the Goddess.
"So, you'll show it?" Adom said to the manager. The older man eyed his painting as though he could fondle Adom's muse.
"It? I can't show just it. There needs to be a series. At least two more."
Adom's stomach clenched. He only had the one. Well, that wasn't true. He'd drawn, painted, and sculpted the lady in numerous renditions since he'd first encountered her months ago. None of those renditions would fit the style for a gallery frequented by women, and Adom wasn't willing to share his muse with the male collectors who would eagerly clamor for his sensual depictions.
"I only have the one right now."
Geoffri peered down his nose at Adom. Adom was used to it. He was discard and a former Pleasure Hound. Typically only ladies, first son lords, and second sons had
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