"Leila is here," Shamar announced as a soft, familiar knock sounded on the window. There was only one person who would knock like that, and only one person who always came in through the window. Nasrin quickly wrapped a veil around herself to cover her bare skin as she crossed to lift the brass latch and open the window.
Leila gave a small smile as she climbed inside, balancing herself as she entered the room.
"You're earlier than usual tonight," Minoo remarked, stepping forward to greet her with a warm hug. Leila's eyes widened as she took in her surroundings, cheeks flushing when she realized the women in the room were all bare and without clothes.
"I—I think I might have come at the wrong hour," she stammered, trying to avert her gaze. But Minoo only laughed, pulling her close and pressing Leila's blushing cheeks against her soft bosom.
"Acting shy now, are we? You act like it's the first time you've seen a woman's body when you are one yourself," Minoo teased, earning laughter from the other women.
"Sister Minoo…" Leila muttered, struggling half-heartedly to free her head from in between Minoo's huge chests. Just as her cheeks seemed to burn hotter, someone pulled her free.
"Enough, Minoo," Nasrin chided, shaking her head. "Leila may be grown, but she's still young and a bit shy. You shouldn't tease her like that."
Minoo simply shrugged, a playful glint in her eye. "Shy, yes, but hardly a child, Nasrin. Look at her; she's got a mature woman's body! And besides, she's twenty now. If we, as her elder sisters, don't teach her a thing or two, who will?"
Leila bit her lip in embarrassment, feeling her cheeks grow warmer by the second. Nasrin couldn't help but laugh at her flushed face, finding Leila's shyness endearing.
"She's so adorable," Nasrin chuckled, the affection evident in her voice.
Sitara, with a playful smile, chimed in as she slipped the last piece of fabric from her waist. "You know, we've known each other for ages, but we've never actually bathed together," she mused. "We were just about to head to the bathhouse. Leila, why don't you join us?"
The other women nodded eagerly, voicing their agreement. Leila's heart skipped a beat, tempted by the idea yet feeling a pang of hesitation. She knew she had to refuse, for there was a part of her she couldn't let them see—her hair, which was supposed to be hidden.
With a polite smile, she answered, "I just bathed earlier, but I'd love to come with you to the bathhouse." Though the women seemed a little disappointed, they brightened when she offered a compromise. "And I give the best massages. How about two Takahs each for a truly splendid job?"
"That sounds perfect!" the women agreed with smiles, delighted by her offer.
As the group settled in the steamy bathhouse, Leila scooped a bit of ointment onto her hands and began to rub it along Nasrin's back. Her fingers worked gently over the skin, but her gaze drifted to Nasrin's neck, noticing small red bumps along her usually flawless skin. The blisters looked swollen, almost painful.
"Sister Nasrin…" Leila's voice softened as she focused on the marks. "These blisters on your neck and shoulders… don't they hurt?"
At her question, the other women grew quiet, some of them pausing in their conversations. Curious, a few waded through the warm water to see for themselves, peering closely at the marks Leila had noticed.
Sitara burst into laughter, her voice playful and teasing. "Oh, Leila! Those aren't just marks—they're love bites!"
"Love bites?" Leila repeated, confusion plain on her face. Her clueless expression sent the other women into a fit of laughter, their voices echoing around the bathhouse.
Nasrin chuckled softly. "Yes, darling," she said, patting Leila's hand. "A very generous customer left them for me while he… appreciated my company."
Leila's eyes widened. "A customer did this to you? He bit you?" Her voice turned horrified. "But isn't it illegal to harm courtesans, especially in Manchurin?"
Nasrin gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Oh, sweet Leila, this isn't violence," she explained with a gentle smile.
"I told you," Minoo chimed in with a chuckle. "We need to teach her these things." She winked at Leila, adding, "A love bite happens during… well, let's just say it's part of an intense moment of pleasure."
Leila's cheeks burned. "But it's painful… isn't it?"
Nasrin laughed, her voice warm and knowing. "Yes, sometimes a little pain makes it all the more enjoyable." She leaned back, letting out a playful moan, which sent the women into another round of giggles. "It was one of the best nights I've had in ages, and he rewarded me with all these marks. Now the other men will see them and try to outdo him."
Leila's blush deepened as she took in their words, and despite her embarrassment, a small smile tugged at her lips. There was a whole world of experience that these women knew, and little by little, she was beginning to understand.
Leila scrunched her face, clearly uncomfortable but secretly intrigued by the women's lively chatter. She didn't quite grasp all the details they spoke about, but she enjoyed the warmth of their company, basking in the humor and freedom they shared so openly.
"Have you ever had a man?" Yazmin asked casually, rinsing her feet as she watched Leila's reaction.
Leila froze. "Had a man?" she echoed, her confusion met by nods from her sisters, who leaned in, eager to hear her answer.
"Like… have you ever, you know, mated with a man?" another chimed in with a grin.
Leila's eyes went wide.
"NO!" she blurted, her voice filled with shock. Her face flushed a bright crimson as she edged away from the bath's edge.
Nasrin chuckled. "Alright, alright. But… has a man ever held you before?"
Leila was about to shout another indignant "No," when memories from that night flooded her mind—the night Shahkhur had seized her in his iron grip. He hadn't held her like the romantic embrace her sisters were describing; he'd wanted to kill her.
She swallowed, cheeks still flushed. "No, not… not in that way."
The women gasped, and Nasrin shook her head in exaggerated shock. "And you're twenty years old?" She clucked her tongue. "Oh, we definitely need to educate you, my dear."
"A man is strong, big, with a body that makes you want to surrender and let him lead," Nasrin said, her voice soft, her gaze drifting as if recalling her own memories.
"Being wrapped in those strong, muscular arms is like heaven," Minoo added dreamily. "And don't forget, Leila, we women have our own power. Sometimes all it takes is a touch to make a man bend to our will." Her smile was mischievous, her tone conspiratorial.
Leila absorbed their words, feeling her pulse quicken. Her own experiences with men were limited to her brother and, in her earlier years, her father. But then, her mind drifted back to that fateful night with Shahkhur.
Her face brightened up as she recalled that on that night he had been bare to her, after he shifted from beast to man.
She had been in a much more serious situation that to be worried about that, but she had seen everything, his gaunt muscles, his broad shoulders, the toughness that was underneath his skin, the strength rippling through his veins and his impressive member.
Another blush reached her cheeks as she recalled the incident, even more vividly.