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"That seems about right," I say under my breath, and I know he heard me. But to his credit, he says nothing. "You wore a suit in Greece, and I assume you'll wear something Alliance today, that is, until you're wearing nothing at all. So I should wear something Alliance too. That makes it even."
"If that's what you want."
"It is. I want to keep this dress solely as part of our Greek memory, but I promise I'll wear it another night when I'm not going to have public sex."
"I understand," he says, but I can tell I've hurt his feelings.
"So, how can I get an Alliance dress?" I ask him after a minute of disappointed silence.
"I’ll let Caroline know. She can help you."
I look through the rest of my personal belongings he thought I would need for the next few days, and I notice a lot of wooden boxes. "These aren't mine."
"They are now,” he says a bit more cheerfully. “They’re a part of my Known Jewelry. They're all yours now."
I begin opening the heavy boxes. There are opulent necklaces and earrings. I hold up a pair of earrings that would fall well below my shoulders. "Are these supposed to be this long?"
"Those aren't earrings."
"What are they then?"
"They’re for your nipples."
"What?"
"But my nipples aren't pierced."
"Not yet."
"No.”
"It's part of the Contracts, the agreement between women and men in the Empire. All maximum class women have their nipples pierced."
"I'm not Alliance, and I'm not doing that."
"You must."
"What kind of barbaric ritual…" I stop myself from insulting his culture anymore.
"An ancient one," he says softly. "Imagine how beautiful you will look with these." He holds up the opulent nipple rings up to my breasts. It's obvious he finds the idea attractive.
"Does the doctor do the piercing?"
"No. I can do it. I can do it now," he says excitedly.
I cross my arms over my breasts and shake my head. "No. It's going to hurt."
"There'll be more punishments if you don't have it done before the marriage ceremony."
"Sem," I say so loudly my voice almost echoes. "What else haven't you told me?"
"Nothing. I swear."
I close my eyes and try to calm myself. "I'll take the extra punishment. I'm not allowing you to pierce my nipples today as well."
"Not ever."
"Not today, not tomorrow, and not next month."
