Orion clutched at her hand and Basha’ir raised one eye brow quizzically. His assertion made her smile again. Yes, indeed, she knew he was a mess inside. But she made no barb, no jest at his expense, for she did know, how torn up he was, in his heart, his mind, his soul. Poor man, yes it was all very true. But she thought he was underestimating the power of a goddess when he dismissed her gnosis so contemptuously. Still, he was right. She did not know all there was to know about him, only his needs, and his desires.
His touch on her cheek was not surprising. Most men she met would want the same thing from her as he did. But she did sense that perhaps here, there was something more? Something…deeper. He wanted to know her, not just as a warm body ready to stand on her head to satify his every wish, but as a real person. He was…curious, almost as much as he was filled with physical desire. And she too now wanted to tell him everything he wished to know, to satisfy that need. As she had said about him a moment before, she too could not help herself. Where his mind turned, where his body chemistry urged him on, Basha’ir reflected every shaded nuance of his muddled needs.
And his words nailed that point right on the head, though it seemed Orion might not realize the whole truth here. Should she tell him, what many men and women knew, about her mark? For more than the enhanced allure that Nikali bestowed upon those she chose, far more, was the effect it had on the marked one’s own psyche. Basha’ir literally lived to serve, in a way very, very few slaves or companions or partners ever could. And she did so with exceptional skill, with the ability to sense what was wanted, or needed, before even the one she touched might know it themselves. This was why Theodoric kept her hidden, and why every master who had owned her since first she was marked had lost her to another, often in brutal, horrible ways. This was why men who knew of her gift wanted her so badly. Not for herself, but for themselves. She was the ultimate ego-stroke, a creature who existed to fulfill them, and who reflected their own needs so perfectly. No resentment, no grudges, no unwillingness, just pure happiness in serving. What more could a person want?
And yet, Orion did not appear to know this.
Yet still, she could feel in his touch, that he wanted her, for her sake alone. Well, that and a little help from Nikali. Why did she find that…moving?
Should she tell him the whole truth? She felt that, no, he didn’t really wish that. Not really.
Basha’ir looked into his bright blue eyes and smiled gently. She nodded. “Yes, that would be foolish indeed.” This was her role, her life, to go along with what others needed, if they were in contact with her.
“So,” she said, her eyes going once more to her soaking foot. “This will take a while. Would you care for some refreshment while you wait? I don’t have any pomegranate juice, but I can send the servant to buy some, if there’s any to be had. Otherwise, I’m afraid it will have to be wine, though we do have cinnamon.”
OOCFor the sake of making Basha’ir look good, pretend that pomegranate juice is his favorite non-alcoholic drink, though he hasn’t had any in years , and that he likes cinnamon in his wine