Chapter 6: The Inn

Chapter 6: The Inn

They hike up the small hill in silence, just the sounds of their feet slogging along the pavement.  Ayden is beginning to feel very tired.  It was less about the physical exertion and more about the mental strain of her day so far.  She wants to ask how much further they will be walking, but she knows she cannot ask.  She wants to please Master Hunter, but she is not sure that she is up to the task.  She just keeps plodding along, letting her feet fall where Master Hunter’s had been only seconds before her.  She does not even look up until they reach the crest of the hill and the road begins to level out beneath her. 

Finally she raises her tired eyes to the large gleaming white building that is looming before them.  They are on a sweeping circular drive that heads up to the entrance of the building and the magnificent Porte-cochere.  To their left is an open, expansive English style garden.  There is a lush lawn that is enclosed by dark green hedges.  At the mouth of the garden is a stone fountain spraying water high into the air.  Below the fountain, in the center of the garden is an enormous version of the mouth-watering fruit tree that Ayden so enjoys back at Master Hunter’s shop.  Radiating out from the tree are waves of neatly trimmed rose bushes that are surrounded by mounds of smaller flowers of every color.  Meandering through it all is a smooth sandstone path.  The path flows throughout the garden passing several wooden or stone benches that have been set out; where visitors can stop and enjoy the butterflies darting from flower to flower.  Far off in the distance Ayden can see an ivy-covered, white garden swing set at the edge of the lawn before the green grass dives over the slope of the hill, like a spring waterfall.

Ayden had been expecting a more rustic open, wood beamed, cabin style, inn, but what stands before her takes her breath away.  The front of the building stretches out before her and seems to go on endlessly.  The ground level is a row of about a dozen small boutiques, selling the finest of wares.  Every shop has its own cheery yellow awning over the front door.  Above the shops is a grand veranda.  Columns extend from the roofs of the shops to just beneath the balconies of the upper most level of the inn.  The balconies of the upper level rooms form a towering porch along the front of the building.  Ayden quickly counts the windows and decides that the porch level must be three stories tall.  The entire length of the colossal porch is lined with Adirondack chairs where guests can sit and have a pristine view over the lavish gardens and clear to the ocean waves below.

In the center of the building rising from the roof is a massive structure and as Ayden studies it she tries to decide if it looks more like the top of a lighthouse guiding people safely to her shores or a windmill that has lost its vanes.  Below the edifice, perpendicular to the main part of the inn, is a monumental raised roof sitting on tall pillars that look more like white redwoods.  It straddles the circular drive and easily reaches to the third level, making a grand welcoming entrance.  All around the entrance the hotel staff is scurrying to assist the guests with their arrivals and departures.  There are men in formal attire at the door.  They are in black tie and tails and each of them carries a black riding crop.  Ayden tugs at the bottom of her shirt, suddenly mortified by her lack of attire.  Everyone around her is dressed in fine clothing and she is walking up to the inn in her bathing suit, but then she sees them.

Ayden watches one of the gentlemen graciously assist a lady into a carriage.  The carriages are ornate and apparently the only vehicle allowed on the property as there are several waiting in front of the hotel to ferry the guests to their destinations and Ayden can just make out several more unattended around the corner waiting to be of service.  The carriages are similar to the Hansom cab style.  They have a retractable black top that has been lowered and is lined with yellow roses.  The wheel hubs and spokes have been painted a dark green.  At the front of the carriage waiting patiently are two muscular young men.  Both men are bare chested revealing toned and tanned muscles that ripple as they move.  Ayden can barely keep her eyes off of them.  They are wearing a slotted leather skirt that reminds her of a Roman Gladiator.  Peeking from beneath the slots in the back is a beautiful plume in dark green, matching the one ornately sprouting from their heads.  The plume forms the perfect image of a tail and dances with every move of their strikingly athletic bodies.  Ayden watches as they gracefully prance down the drive carrying the formal lady and her companion away from the inn, their plumes bobbing in the afternoon breeze wafting up off the ocean.  As soon as they have gone another pair of equally handsome young men pull the next carriage to the entrance and the men in formal attire begin to aid the newly arriving guests.

Laothoe reaches the entrance of the inn and finds it much busier than he had expected it to be but is enjoying the look of excitement on Ayden’s face as they draw near the old familiar retreat. 

(More to come)

 

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The story seems to be taking on a life of its own and doing things I never expected.  I was very surprised when the young man jumped into their path in Chapter 5.  I am equally surprised to see pony boys in a female submissive area.  I would love to hear what you think about them.  I had not really planned on male submissives, but they just pulled up with the carriage and what was I to do?  I am thinking of going back and editting them out but I have not made a decision yet.  Does anyone like them?