I frowned slightly, recalling my bathing experiences. The feeling of warm water surrounding me certainly did have a calming effect, but the water cooled so quickly it didn't stay soothing for long. Frowning further, I recalled Father's tendencies to wash with cold water from a bucket. When he did require a full bath, we typically left the cottage for a walk, and when we returned, he already had everything cleaned up and back in place.
"Do men really enjoy bathing?"
Aryana smiled while Ila took a turn explaining.
"New clients do hesitate, but when they see one of us rise from the water, they are usually willing to join us."
"Oh." In my mind, the experience turned from cleaning to frolicking in the open. I eyed the other tubs in plain view of this one.
"Make no assumptions, Benella," Aryana said. "State your thoughts and ask your questions. I wouldn't like for you to leave with incorrect notions."
"Do you have sex with your clients in the tubs where everyone can see?" I asked bluntly and without censor.
Ila laughed loudly, a deep sound that had me looking at her with concern. Aryana chuckled.
"I will certainly tell the other sisters you evoked a true laugh from Ila. Something that hasn't been done in a long while."
I opened my mouth to ask how what I said was funny, but she cut me off.
"We do not pleasure our clients that way within the tubs. It would be a messy experience, and require more water changes and tub washing than time would permit." She rose from the water and stepped gracefully from the tub. Holding out a hand, she helped me to my feet.
"Come. We will show you."
We walked through the room toward the curtain. On the other side of the curtain, a large stove radiated heat. The adolescent boy tending the stove gave my dress a curious look but said nothing.
To the side of the boy, a square stone trough, about a foot deep, sunk into the floor.
"Here we heat the water we need and drain away the old water." Ila pointed to the hole in the bottom corner of the wall at the base of the trough. "When we bring a client to the bathing chambers, we walk him through the bathing chambers so he can see others enjoying the communal bath. This is especially important for a new client. The sight of the sisters naked and bathing inspires cooperation where there might otherwise exist hesitation or belligerence. In this room, we have the client stand in the trough and give him a cool water scrub. It initiates our time together and cleans him within and without so he is ready for the tubs."
"I'm not certain I understand," I said hesitantly. "How would this clean from within? Wouldn't the cool water wake the client from the smoke just a little and bring back some of his..." the word she'd used before slipped from my mind a moment. "Aggression?"
"Yes, it normally would. But a man craves a woman's touch. When we begin bathing him, the sister providing the bath becomes his focus. During this part of the bath, the sister helps release the man's pent energies."
Finally, understanding dawned, and the image of the baker frantically tugging at himself under his apron rose to mind. Something must have shown on my face because Aryana spoke gently beside me and laid a comforting hand on my arm.
"I see you understand, and it doesn't inspire pleasant thoughts for you. What we do is not meant as an act of vulgarity but to bring peace."
"I understand. This interests me," I assured them. "Once a man has released his pent energies, then you move him to the tubs?"
Aryana gave me a relieved smile.
"If we are sharing too much information, please tell us. I would not offend our scholar's daughter on her first visit."
"Not too much information; just more than I've ever had before."
They both smiled knowingly and led me from the room. I could feel the boy's eyes on me as we walked away and wondered what things he saw in that room and why they allowed him there.
Ila continued the tour in the main bathing room.
"Since our clients only enter the waters clean, all we need do is keep the water warm and change it occasionally." She bent, again giving me a full view that I couldn't help but study, and pulled a large rock from the water.
I wondered what men thought when she did that.
"We heat these rocks by the stove and place them in the water throughout the day and night to keep the water warm."
The steam curling from the water called me to test it.
"May I?" I asked, stepping forward, pointing toward the water.
Ila nodded, and I dipped the tips of my fingers into the delightfully warm water.
"Oh, that is nice," I said.
"We do not have clients for a long while yet. We would be happy to send Gen away so you could bathe."
The tub we owned required a very uncomfortable position with my knees poking from the water. The beast's tub had been just as big as these, enough to fit two, but I hadn't been able to enjoy it. If they sent the boy away, I had no doubt I could have a real, uninterrupted bath.
"I..." I wanted to say yes, but what if I misunderstood and they required payment for the use of the bath. Accepting things from the beast had caused me trouble.
"Perhaps another time."
Aryana tilted her head.
"You wanted to say yes. What stopped you?"
"What do you want in return?"
"Nothing at all. We enjoy the company of other women. As a sister, we usually only speak with other sisters. Not many other women are willing to speak with us."
"Then I would greatly appreciate it. Though, I'm not sure my father would like it. I would prefer no one mention my extended visit unless he specifically asks." I wouldn't ask them to lie.
"We understand," Aryana said as Ila calmly led the way to the back bathing room.
While Aryana spoke to Gen, Ila quickly explained what I should do. Once they all left, I stripped to nothing, draped my clothes on the pegs lining the wall, and stepped into the trough.
Using the buckets nearby, I wet my skin then used the special scented soap that Aryana had brought down for her own bath. The light, sweet smell made my stomach rumble, reminding me that I hadn't yet eaten. I lathered my hair, enjoying the heat from the stove as I stood there covered in nothing but suds. Then I tilted the first bucket over my head, slowly rinsing it all away. As they directed, I used the second bucket to ensure I missed nothing.
Nervous, I peeked around the curtain before tiptoeing out and sliding into the first tub with a gusty sigh. The water stung my skin with its heat, but in a good way. I melted against the edge, sinking until my chin hit the water. Delightfully, my knees stayed submerged, too. My eyes fluttered closed.
"Benella," Aryana's now familiar whisper drifted to me. "May we sit on the cushions by you while you relax?"
I opened my eyes and nodded easily. These women strove to bring a sense of calm to everyone they encountered. I knew they would do nothing to intentionally disrupt that. And after the way they moved around me, I felt comfortable enough with my submerged nudity to talk to them without shame.
Ila glided into the room with her, and they both sank to the cushions.
"We just replaced the rocks in the tubs. You don't find it too hot?" Aryana asked.
I shook my head lazily with a slight smile. She reached over the tub and tested the water.
"It would be best to only sit in it for a few minutes then move to one of the cooler tubs. Too long in the heat could make you ill," she cautioned.
"You have very pretty hair, Benella," Ila whispered, reaching out to touch the wet strands hanging over the edge of the tub. "Would you mind if I oiled it and brushed it?"
Mind? I vaguely recalled my mother doing that when I was young; but after that, I'd struggled with my own hair, often tearing through tangles to braid it without combing it.
"I wouldn't mind," I assured her. She stood smoothly, left the room, and walked upstairs.
"Come." Aryana stood. "Let's move you to a cooler tub before she returns. You're looking too red in the face." She held out her hand, and I hesitated. "I promise you, I've seen all manner of parts on my sisters, and yours are no different."
They might not be so different, but they were parts never seen before by anyone. She was right about the water, though. I could feel sweat beading my upper lip.
"Maybe another rinse bucket would be beneficial before going to another tub," I suggested, accepting her hand.
I stood and avoided meeting her gaze or moving too quickly. Everything they did was slow and measured. I didn't want to do anything they would consider aggressive or manly. I wondered what they would think if they knew I often wore trousers and a shirt. Inside, I laughed at the thought. They probably wouldn't say anything. They wore nothing, after all.