Chapter Text
You were jolted awake by the clattering of horses and carriages outside. The morning air was filled with the racket of activity and transport. You stirred in your makeshift bed and cautiously got up. Your back hurt, and the bed you “owned” wasn’t the best. Looking out through a crack in the boards of the wall of your "humble" abode, you observed a world of brick and wood buildings, cobblestone roads, and polluted smoky air. Your temporary home these days was a small shack with wide gaps between the planks that let in cold air during the night.
The citizens were dressed up in their finest attire; the women donned fancy frocks with stylishly coifed hair and accessorized with hats. The men wore suits and hats, all spruced up. In comparison, you were wearing a simple black dress that had been soiled with dirt. As you walked outside, it was obvious that you didn’t fit in with the well-heeled crowd; people would avert their eyes from your disheveled figure. You were far too familiar with poverty. Yet you always wore the brightest of smiles.
As you traverse the streets of Thanedd, you journey down a few roads in hopes of finding some way to make money. Anything would do; you just needed to have something to eat at night.
You'd never been in this particular part of town before, and amid the modest homes, one house stood out. It was a large house, surely four stories tall, with baskets of bloomed flowers that hung from the two windows on the floor windows as well as the 2nd story balcony. As you take in the sight of this lovely abode, you notice an attractive woman with raven hair. She was in a lovely yet very skimpy black outfit and sensually dancing outside.
“Well, hello, sweetheart," the woman said, gesturing towards you with a warm smile. "It looks like you are in need of a good hot meal. Let me take you somewhere safe. Come." She extends her hand, and you gently take hold of it before she begins to guide you towards the house. Softly rubbing your back in an effort to soothe the pain and hardship within you. The woman was incredibly kind, and if it weren't for her, you would have surely gone to bed on another empty stomach.
Before she opened the door, she held onto the doorknob a few moments longer than expected and glanced back at you. "I should warn you before heading inside: don’t be alarmed at what you see; everyone here is an angel and should not be judged beforehand." You nodded quickly, feeling apprehensive about what might be beyond the walls. “I’m Yennefer, by the way," she said, introducing herself.
“Y/N,’’ you answer back,
"Nice to meet you, Y/N; now, come, you need to take a seat and relax." As the door opened, we were greeted by a tall man with white hair who wore a beaming smile. The grand entrance hall was filled with a staircase running down the middle of the room. You stepped inside, taking in the splendor of your surroundings.
At the top of the stairs, you had the choice to either turn left or ascend a few more steps which would take you down a corridor on either side. To your left was a living room, and on the right lay a hallway with an unknown destination. Yennefer directed you to the living room and told you to take a seat.
You complied and perched yourself on a seat, expecting further orders. None were given, though; Yennefer merely commanded that you stay put. You followed her instructions and watched as she headed off to the right side of the house, down a hallway that likely led to either the kitchen or the bathroom.
Your eyes widened as you took in your surroundings. Your gaze drifted around the room as you marveled at the beauty and cleanliness of the house. It was truly immaculate and breathtaking. You wondering who could be the owner of such a magnificent house.
“I don’t usually do ladies, but I’d gladly make an exception for you, sweet pea." You abruptly turn your head towards the woman in scarlet lingerie. She was a stunning blonde with voluptuous tits. Very voluptuous tits and was now sitting beside you, her hand now on your thigh, nails scratching up and down sensually. "What do ya say? Wanna know what it's like to see stars?" Your body froze up; you were physically unable to speak.
“Brina, leave her alone. She's not a customer. Go find Jaskier, he'll have someone for you.” The blonde woman abruptly stands, adjusting her demeanor to a more pleasant, feminine one.
“Really? Thanks Yen.” As she storms out of the room, she shoots you a huge beam of warmth. It was the most sincere smile you had ever seen.
"Don’t mind Sabrina; she’s harmless," Yennefer says, approaching you. "I called for the lady of the house to come see you. It shouldn’t take too long; she might be able to offer you something." You look at Yennefer looks at you quizzically; after all, if your assumption was right about what kind of business was occurring in the house, you'd have to go to bed without dinner. You wouldn't consider sleeping with a man for money. You weren't one to judge women who did it; it just wasn't your thing.
“Yennefer, is this her?" You heard the footsteps moments before seeing the woman who had stepped into the living room. She was breathtaking. You couldn't take your eyes off of her. She was a petite woman, no taller than 5'2, wearing a stunning purple dress. She had brown hair pulled back and her hands folded in front of her. Her left eyebrow arched slightly as she looked you up and down.
“This is Y/N. I was thinking maybe starting her in the kitchen and then, in a couple of months, the bar? It would allow Geralt to truly be on guard. We all know what happened to Triss last month.” Yennefer steps closer to the older woman. “Tissaia, she needs a home; I’ll look after her―” The woman with the most striking features and beautiful name raised her hand, and Yennefer immediately stopped speaking. She stepped closer to you, and although you were incredibly shy, your gaze was transfixed on her captivating ocean-blue eyes. She was like no one else.
“She may remain if she follows the rules. Breaking them will result in her being thrown out.” She was intimidating, and her words hit you like daggers; her gaze never wavered from your eyes despite the fact that her voice was directed at Yennefer.
As she pivoted to go back the way she had come, You couldn't suppress the impulse.“Thank you!” The woman halted in her tracks and glanced at you without showing a single emotion, her face absolutely unreadable. She then spun around to face the hallway as she continued her way back into the corridor.
“Don’t worry, it isn’t you; she’s always had a stick up her ass. A frigid bitch, more like, but Tissaia’s Tissaia. She does love her girls. She allowed you to stay; she must see something in you.”
As the hours drifted by, you met the other girls: Coral, Triss, Keira, Fringilla, Yen… and Sabrina, whom you'd already met. If any trouble arose, Geralt was the one the girls could rely on, while Jaskier tended to the needs of guests, cooked the meals, and tented to the bar. He needed assistance in his duties, and that's where you came in; it was your job to cook the meals for everyone here. It was a tough and hard task, but it had more perks, such as free meals every day, coins at the end of each month, and a place to stay that wasn't cold at night. There was a whole other section of the house that lay dormant, and you wondered what it would take to breathe new life into the space.
House de Vries was the most highly respected brothel in Thanedd; from mayors to lawyers to everyday men, all were welcomed. As long as clients adhered to the ground rules and didn’t harm anyone, no one was turned away.
The ground rules were straightforward: nothing could happen without the woman's consent, and the time given was all that was allowed. There was no buying extra minutes; when your time ran out, you were expected to leave or drink yourself to death at the bar. Sure, these women might be prostitutes, but they still had control over their own schedules.
You all lived here. The girls and you resided in this space together. You were all situated on the top floor of the house, and at night, the girls would tell stories of either their worst or best clients. Everyone knew who was the most difficult to please, and evidently, Radovid topped the list of challenging characters. He could never be pleased. But as he was the son of the mayor, Vezimir, he would always get freebies from Vilgefortz.
Time and time again, one man would plead for an extension. Recently, another had punched Fringilla, leaving her still with some lingering bruises; Geralt was notified right away and took care of it swiftly. Several men were no longer accepted at House de Vries, but thankfully for the girls and owners, these altercations didn't happen regularly.
You found out that Tissaia was married, obviously, the most gorgeous woman you had ever seen was already taken by an ugly and condescending man. He truly was mean-spirited and cruel to Tissaia, and everyone despised him.
He was a trader, and even though Tissaia owed House de Vries, he would always have the final say as he was her husband. You wanted so badly to tell him where to shove it, but you needed the place far more than it required you, so your lips remained sealed shut, though your gaze towards him was always full of contempt.
____
It had been several months since you started working here, and despite some of the men thinking that you were a prostitute, you would politely inform them that someone better suited to their needs was going to arrive shortly. You were there as the cook; nothing compared to the women who worked here. Not as gorgeous or desirable as those ladies.
You were used to never really seeing Tissaia anywhere ― she’d be hidden away in her study or bedroom after hours, and when she did appear, she'd never look in your direction or address you. However, when the man had mistaken you for a prostitute and asked you to join him, your cheeks warmed as you noticed her eyes on you while politely declining the man. You quickly shifted your gaze elsewhere when he left, far too uncomfortable and embarrassed at being caught blushing by Tissaia.
Whenever you caught sight of her, her facial expression had always been the same—blank and unreadable. You'd sworn to yourself that you would one day make her smile. But now, after what you said to the man, something had changed. Her emotionless face was now full of ire. Had she heard your words? Could that have made her so mad?
You hadn't insulted her girls; you had actually complimented them but, by comparison, made yourself less desirable. Did she care what you said about yourself because it was an affront to the establishment—hiring help that wasn't attractive? You weren’t ugly, far from it, but you’d never think you’d be desirable enough to produce as much money as the other girls did.
When you saw her approaching, you were slightly nervous; she had never really spoken to you. You had always done most of the talking, and that consisted of only ‘yes’s’, ‘I’ll get on it right away.’ with some, ‘Here you go, Miss de Vries’ or ‘Would this do fine for supper, Miss de Vries?’
“I don’t appreciate you saying such things to our customers.’’
Fuck
"I’m sorry, Miss de Vries, I meant no disrespect to your establishment―"
“What are you talking about?” The woman looks at you, her left eyebrow raised in question. “I don’t want to hear you putting yourself down like that. You’ve got so much talent and potential. Don’t you forget that, dear."
Dear?
Dear?
A single glance from the woman had been enough to make you blush, and now you thought for sure you were dreaming. As she turned around heading back to her office, she stopped and looked back at you. “I will have you tending the bar tonight; you’ll soon find out how desirable you are. Come to my office later on so we can discuss what your attire.”