When they finished late in the night, they were too tired to sneak out so they just slept off. The next day they were taken back to the pavilion.
They realised then, that the consort was right. Their decorations were trash. Even if they liked to think that what they did was better than the former whorehouse, it was nothing compared to what they saw. It was too perfect.
Their rooms were even more so. The dresses, outfits they kept there, were far better than the ones they owned. They were ordered to change into the grey uniforms they saw there and come back to meet her.
"I am Consort Liyu, daughter of Chief Liyu and 2nd Consort of Prince Lee. The prince has sent me here to train all of you into becoming reputable courtesans.
There are 15 of you here and you'll be divided into groups of three depending on your level of talents. I will be testing you all individually and assign you teachers. Let the first person on the line follow me"
Alea was anxious. The last time she tried to sing in front of people, Sol and the rest, they had fallen asleep and almost burnt down the caravan, sleepwalking. Her voice had different effects on different people.
"Hey Meir, you're up" she stopped fiddling with her fingers and entered the room. Consort Liyu is seated by her desk and there's a chair in front of the desk.
"Sit" Alea complies and sits gingerly.
"What is your name?"
"Alea"
"Where are you from?"
"I used to travel in a caravan before I was sold to the whorehouse"
"I see....so you grew up in the caravan?"
"Yes"
"Your parents never told you where you were from?"
"They died when I was young. The caravn took care of me"
"I see. So, Alea, what is your talent?"
"I can sing"
"Okay. Can you play any instruments?"
"A harp. I'm a little rusty though"
"I have one around here. You'd perform a song for me"
"Okay. I have to warn you though. My voice has an effect on people"
"Just perform, I'll handle that"
Consort Liyu hands her the harp and she readies herself to play. The only song she can play on the harp was the first song she learned, one she was sung to from when she was a baby till when she grew. It haunted her but she couldn't prevent herself from singing it.
"Hush, little moon, daughter of the skies,
The cosmos guides your way,
You're not alone, little moon,
The stars would embrace you,
The sun would adore you,
The sky is your home, little moon,
You're not alone little moon,
The sun would protect you,
If the sun doesn't shine on you little moon,
You may wither away,
So don't wander far from home,
My little moon"
Her cherubic voice fills the whole building. The harp and her voice made it seem like a holy energy had enveloped the building. Even when she had stopped singing and playing, everyone was still in a daze.
"Consort Liyu, are you alright?" Alea asks tentatively. That snaps her out of her trance.
"Your voice...you...." she couldn't say anything.
"You'd be our main attraction. You're on the top floor with the mage and three other girls. You're our star Alea" Consort Liyu says, her eyes shining. Although she's smiling, Alea is terrified.
The top clients were taken to the third floor. On the opening night, they dressed her in a beautiful white gown with a veil and gave her a huge hard to play. Her singing was accompanied by Feri's enchantment to make it all more magical.
The results were more than predicted. All the clients fell in love with her regardless of their gender. If the pavilion wasn't owned by the prince, they would've carted her away.
They came the next day to hear her sing again but her schedule was set. She would only perform once a month. It gave her the time to learn new soulful songs and made her not lose her relevance. If people could hear her voice every day, she'd lose her charm.
As for her bad luck, it had reduced to breaking expensive vases and getting minor injuries. Thus, her room was bare and she was given the bare essentials.
She was treated like a star and outside the pavilion, she was called the Golden Angel. Her voice, her charisma, and her bearing, which came from brutal training from the consort, captured many hearts.
Many sacrificed their savings, properties, and belongings so they could hear her sing. It was said that if one listened to her sing, they would be blessed with fortune. It was true to an extent.
Once in the pavilion, one of the clients grabbed onto her and tried to molest her. The next night, before the prince's assassins, got to him, he died after going through a series of accidents. That solidified her nickname as the Golden Angel. If one touched the angel unrighteously, they would die.
Alea was fine with it. She preferred that they watch her sing than take her away. She was being treated well for the first time in a long time and preferred it to her time in the whorehouse.
But after 6 months, her happiness came crashing down when she heard that the Prince, the owner of the pavilion, was returning to the kingdom.
Prince Lee, the most controversial and scariest man in the whole kingdom was back. She didn't know why but she felt fear rise in her when she heard he was returning. Something was sure to go wrong, she just knew it.