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Later in the evening, at the start of dinner, the chamber had a totally different look.  It was now  lit by a giant candelabra and the light  from the candles was intensified by a large circle of mirrors on the ceiling. Flares were mounted on the walls adding a flickering, evocative overtone to the illumination.

On the lower level the baths had been covered over and a large double bed had been installed in front of the waterfall. Closer to the balcony there was a table and three chairs.

Joan hardly touched the first course. She excused herself and dashed down the hidden back stairs to make sure everything was ready.

Alyse shook he head. ‘Everything is fine. Get back to your guests. Just tell Pipa I don’t want any cheering, I know what she is like. The second we hear the harp we will start.’

Joan returned  to the balcony,  confirmed that everone had finished eating and then gave a signal. The harp player gave three complete scales at three different octaves before settling into a gentle but rythmic tune.

To Joan’s surprise, as the spotlight highlighted the table there were a dozen people, stood around and seated at the table. In the middle of the group was Alyse moving around talking to men and women, every one she spoke to was obviosly enjoying the conversation. This was made clear to the audience on the balcony because the spotlight followed Alyse. Each person Alyse talked to momentarily moved away from the group.Thierry d’Arques tried several times to talk to Alyse but she ignored him.

Then suddenly the spotlight shifted. Charles de Bayonne had entered the room. All the women dashed towards him. He was dressed in black tight fitting hose and a loose fiting jacket open at the front emphasising his superb physique.

He ignored the attention of the other women and moved to stand alongside Alyse. She was now separated from the crowd and for the fist time it became obvious that she was dressed in virginal white. a long flowing skirt and a tight fitting tie waisted blouse with a high collar.

Charles started to talk to Alyse and she obviously welcomed the attention . She moved close to him and gazed up at his face.

All the others gradually faded into the background. Charles looked over his shoulder as they left then turned round to Alyse and immediatel started exploring her body with his hands. She pushed him away and wagged her finger at him, but he grabbed at her and ripped the front of her blouse wide open. She slapped him across the face, but it made no difference. He  ripped off her skirt and thrust his hand between her legs. She shrieded in protest. He then grasped her by the waist and carried her to the bed throwing her down and trapping one arm behind he back. Despite her struggles he grasped her ankles and pulled her legs wide open.

Suddenly Thierry d’Arques re-appeared and flung himself at Charles. The force of his attack pushed Thierry away from Alyse and onto the floor.

Alyse jumped from the bed and  vanished into the darkness. Charles rose to his feet grasped Thierry by the back of his shirt and his breeches and threw him across the room.  Thierry rushed back but this time Charles was waiting for him. He held Thierry off with one hand and hit him with the other. Thierry fell in a crumpled heap. The spotlight was extinguished. Charles vanished into the darkness.

The spotlight reignited. Alyse virtually naked cautiously moved towards Thierry and helped him to his feet. It was now clear that William was bleeding. They moved out of sight.

The harp changed tempo, the spotlight roamed around the room until it finally rested on the original group.. Charles entered the room but was ignored. Alyse entered the room.  She was dressed  almost identically as she had been earlier but now head to toe in gold. Charles moved towards her, but she walked past him heading directly to Thierry. The group parted, some sat at the table. Thierry cleared his throat.

Oh! Lady of the Sun,

My love for you has just begun.

You are the one I want the most,

Give me one kiss and I will boast,

That I am the most fortunate of men.

I will search around to find a pen,

To tell the world of your great beauty.

It is I think my serious duty,

To praise you eyes, your lips, your breast,

To praise you forever without rest.

I love you, lady of the Sun,

My love for you has just begun.

Alyse briefly danced  in a pirouette, lifting her arms above her head. she the pulled a jewelled pin from her hair and with another couple of dance steps presented it to Theirry.

He kissed the pin and rose advancing towards Alyse arms outstreached. She backed away shaking her finger at him.

The spotlight  dimmed yet again.

The harp music now assumed a penetrating repetitive rythm.

The spotlight reappeared seaching the whole of the chamber until it alighted on Thierry, sat in isolation at the table.

The spotlight moved and found Alyse, who stood by the bed and beconed Thierry with her finger. He cautiously approached her until  he was near enough for her to reach out and touch him.

Alyse first removed his jacket. He looked hesitant but permitted her to do so. She then undid the buttons on his shirt, slowly one by one before walking araound him and as she did so peeled back the shirt and from behind, pulled it downwards.  He allowed his arms to be dragged  behind him as he did so , a manouvre which allowed his highly muscled torso to be emphasised.

As Alyse completed her circumnavigation, Theirry pulled her in towards him and gave her a gentle kiss.  Alyse broke away and but then kneeled in front of him and slowly but deliberately pulled his hose downwards exposing the rest of his body. She assisted him to cast aside his hose and then rubbing herself against his body slowly arose until she stood with her face against his chest. She   pushed him away and stood back admiring her handiwork.

On the balcony, Blanche uttered a sigh, Joan rached out and held her hand , Thierry’s body was truely magnificent.

Alyse the guided thierry to the bed. Alice gently pushed him backwands onto the bed   stroking his body as she did so.  She then stood back . she started to dance lifting her heels clear of the floor, on placing he weight on the balls of her feet swayed gently from one foot to the other. She then performed a pirouettte. in the course of which her blouse became undone. still dancing she revealed first on breast and then the other, dancing towards Thierry as she did so. She turned her back on him but threw the ties of  her blouse over her shoulder. Thierry grasped both ties and alse danced slowly away him. Holding her arms behind her she allowed the blouse to fall to the floor.

She then turned to face him, stopped dancing, fiddled briefly with the tie on her skirt which fell to the floor leaving her completely naked. Her body was covered with gold cosmetic paint.

The searchlight spent time focussing on her. She caressed the air with her hands, matching the rythm  of the harp, which in resonse moved up another octave. With her legs close together she moved her body from side to side . with her finger she traced  aline from her shoulder over he left breast and down to her right thigh the movement exposed silver make up under the gold. she repeated the manover from stroking from her right breast to her left thigh, but used four fingers therefore creating multiple silver lines. the effect was as thought water was running down her body.

Suddenly a second spotight highlighed the white alcove and the waterfall burst into life

Alyse ran a few steps forward, grasped his hand and pulling him upright him upright, dragged him towards the waterfall. She stood  centrally in the alcove, hands above her head legs far apart. Thierry started to wash the cosmetic paint from every part of her body.

She moved her stance several times exposing every part of her body to her audience. The cosmetic did not come off easily but did chage colour fronm gold to silver and then to bare flesh. Thierry was patient,  gentle rubbing his hands over her. The colour was most persistant over Alyse’s lower stomach an upper thighs. Alyse spread her legs wider. but then began to shiver uncontrollably. She lowered and raised he arms  several times before sinking decouously to the floor.

Thierry lifted her into his arms and carried to the bed where he kneeled alongside her and cintinued to stroke every part of her body, Alyse arched her back, taking her weight on the back of her head, before screaming gently and pulling Thierry on top of her, there were three strident chords from the harp and the spotlight was extinguished.

Truly, the fairest company
Of ladies that ever man might see
All together in one place.
Shall I call it luck or grace
Among these ladies thus each one
Truth to tell, I saw only  one
In all the world so did she
Surpass them all in her beauty,
In manners and in comeliness,
In stature and in fitting gladness,
In excellence, and form’s display –
In short, what more can I say?