Desert Dancer in Portrait (Patreon)

Hey folks!

How's things going out there? This month's been a bit of an odd one for me - feels like a change of eras is in the air. Nothing that should bother things around here, though! I'm pretty proud of how much writing I've gotten done over the past couple of weeks, so I should have plenty of stories to share with all of you for a while yet!

And speaking of which, let's get to the main event. This week's tale is a bit of a slow burn - hope folks enjoy!

-----

Cathrine was a tomboy, and proud of it. Some might have even said she was a pretty cute one, though she would have protested the description. She worked out and took care of herself, hitting the gym regularly, and her figure reflected that. Her muscles were certainly nothing to sneeze at – sure, she wasn’t a body builder, but she had firm abs, strong arms, and powerful thighs. With her short brown hair and warm brown eyes, she made for a pretty package!

She’d certainly had no trouble getting dates, though she’d yet to find a man she felt fully ready to settle down with. Her last relationship had lasted a few years, and she’d thought that this might be the one, but a few too many arguments had put an end to that one, and it was probably for the best. She wasn’t the type of person who hid her opinion, and if her partner couldn’t put up with that, then he wasn’t fit to be her partner.

But that did leave her at a bit of a loose end on the dating scene… Look, she’d always been a fairly competitive person, never afraid to speak her mind, and some people were kind of intimidated by that. Honestly, with that and her physique she got a lot of people confusing her for a lesbian for some reason, which, no. Nothing against girls who loved girls, but she definitely preferred men. Just because she didn’t mean she wasn’t into guys, come on!

Well, whatever. Cathrine wasn’t about to let that get her down. The perfect guy was bound to come along eventually – she just had to keep trying. And in the meantime, she kept active in her routine! Her man problems didn’t run her life, y’hear?

And she was feeling pretty happy with her work today, too. As she got changed from her latest gym session, she’d beaten her previous weight-lifting record, and still managed to out pace herself on the running machines. As far as she was concerned, she was at the top of her game.

It was just as she was pulling on her jacket that the changing room door opened, and a familiar face walked in. The brunette cracked a smile as she turned and waved. “Hey Tam! Running a bit late today?”

The blonde grinned as she waved back. “Yeah, had to help my sister drop her kids off at school. How’s the place looking today?”

“Not as many guys staring as I’d like,” Cathrine sighed theatrically, hand pressed to her heart, before waving it off. “Nah, it’s quiet, I got a ton done. Think you’ll be on time tomorrow?”

“For sure. I want you to be here when I break your record.”

The brunette grinned. “I’ll see you there.”

She left the gym with a smile on her face, hands shoved in the pockets of her hoody top. It was a bright day outside, the sun shining with just a hint of a breeze, so she was in no big hurry on her walk home. A nice cooldown period after working her ass off.

So she was taking her time and watching the world around her when she branched off the main road to take her usual shortcut through an alley between a couple of houses. But even if she wasn’t, she still would have noticed something was off. It was kind of hard to miss something that big blocking her normal route home.

Frowning, the brunette approached to take a closer look, but stopped a few feet away, blinking. The blockage was a painting, in a surprisingly expensive looking golden frame. The whole thing was leaning against the wall, almost blocking the alleyway, though Cathrine could probably squeeze past it if she tried. But it looked well made – an actual oil painting of some kind of landscape. It was pretty – and, with the frame, probably valuable! Why had someone dumped it out here in a back alley?

Now feeling more than a little confused, she stepped closer, examining the thing to see what the issue was. Maybe it had been torn or something, and that was why it got thrown out?

But it didn’t look that way to her. The canvas was completely intact, and the painting on it looked pristine. It depicted some kind of desert town, a place full of colourful stone buildings and water flowing down the streets through ceramic canals, a clear blue sky over head and dunes of white, glistening sand clear in the background behind a tall stone wall.

The main focus of the piece seemed to be on a group of women dancing in the middle of the central town square, their bodies caught frozen mid-movement. One on the left was pirouetting around, twirling scarves of blue and green cloth. One on the right was doing some kind of graceful kata, caught flipping over and showing off her flexibility. There was another right in the middle performing the splits, one leg raised vertically up in the air while the other remained flat on the ground.

There were five of them in total, all clearly putting on a performance. All very impressive, and lovingly detailed. Whoever painted this had to be an incredible artist. But, uh. She did have to raise an eyebrow at one part. Namely, ah… how little these women were wearing.

Like, she knew the stereotype. She’d seen movies, she’d seen tv shows. Beautiful desert women wearing silks and revealing outfits, that wasn’t new. These outfits weren’t just revealing though – they were practically absent.

Each woman wore the same outfit, a thin collection of green and blue silks that looked to be so thin they were nearly transparent, wrapped around their hips, chests, and arms, leaving the rest bare. These women were wearing practically nothing, and judging by their poses, they were brazenly trying to show off their bodies – and there was a lot to show off.

They all had curves with a capital C, chests overflowing the almost see-through silks that bound their chests, and behinds that refused to be properly contained by their thongs. Their tanned skin was glistening in the sunlight, tattoos of flowers and butterflies running down their arms and legs, fluttering around their bared bellies, all enthusiastically portrayed in oil paint.

You could definitely tell a man made this thing. A touch less paint and the whole thing probably would have qualified as porn. Maybe that was why someone threw it out? A woman found her husband had spent a ton of money on something like this? It’d make sense.

Cathrine shook her head, ready to leave this thing in the trash, but something caught her eye. One of the dancers, a woman with dark hair giving the viewer a come-hither look… Had she just winked at her?

Surely that was impossible. It was just a painting. But Cathrine could have sworn she’d seen exactly that. Frowning, the brunette leaned in, trying to get a better look, grabbing the frame to angle it better. Accidentally, her thumb brushed the paint.

Then she suddenly found herself tumbling forwards, yanked off of her feet by an incredible force pulling her towards the painting. The world around her turned into a blur of colour and light as she let out a cut-short scream.

A moment later, and the painting clattered back against the wall of the empty alley way.

-

When the world stopped spinning, Cathrine found herself dizzily landing on her feet. Sand crunched beneath her shoes.

The first thing she noticed was the heat. How had it gotten so hot? It had been a refreshing spring day just a moment ago, but now she was starting to sweat just standing here. The sun was beating down on her without remorse – what had happened to that hint of a breeze?!

The second was everything else. Where was she? There was no sign of the painting or the alley. Instead she was on an unfamiliar street in the middle of a town she didn’t recognise – one that bore no similarity to the one she called home. There was no sign of the dull brick buildings or grassy sidewalks – instead, the buildings around her were white, or painted with bright coloured patterns. The street was paved with white slabs, golden sand scattered over their surface by the wind. In the distance, she could see a tall stone wall, and beyond it… desert… dunes…?

Wait, this was the town from the painting. How was that possible?

She looked around, but saw no way back to the world that she knew. But she did see people, actual people, moving around and going about their day. All of them wore rather revealing clothing, but as the sun continued to beat down, the brunette had to wonder if maybe she was the one overdressed out here… Maybe one of them would know what was-?

“Halt!” Suddenly there was a yell, and Cathrine found herself being grabbed from the sides by two very strong women, both dressed in armoured bikinis and carrying spears. “Caught you, outsider!”

“W-what?!” The brunette yelped, and then gasped as she found herself being marched down the road. “Wait, but I didn’t-!”

“Save your pleading for the Queen, outsider. We don’t care about your excuses.”

They meant what they said. Despite Cathrine’s frantic attempts to explain or beg for mercy, neither woman paid her any attention, and soon she found herself being escorted through the front gate of a large palace, and into the throne room within.

Part of her was immediately relieved to be inside, out of the sun. It was cooler in here, even if not by much. But a much bigger part was busy panicking. Was she in trouble? How could she get out of this? What was going on?!

At the end of the room, seated atop a golden throne, was a tall, dark-skinned woman dressed in revealing clothing much like the other citizens of this bizarre town, but her garments were much more extravagant. She had golden, bejewelled bangles on her wrists, gemstones embedded in gold around her neck, and a glittering tiara on her brow. Could this be the Queen they mentioned?

That was confirmed when the two guards forced her to kneel in front of the throne. “My Queen,” one said, kneeling herself. “We found this outsider trespassing in our town.”

“Ah.” The woman on the throne leaned forwards, her green eyes flashing. “It’s been so long since we last had an outsider in our midst. Welcome, traveller. What is your name?”

Well. This was better than being yelled at, at least. Maybe a good sign. “My… My name is Cathrine, your majesty. And I-”

“Silence!” One of the guards hissed, forcing her head down. Maybe not such a good sign after all.

“Oh, be gentle with the poor thing. She’s obviously lost and confused.” The woman in the throne chided the guard, who begrudgingly released her captive. “Welcome, Cathrine. I am Queen Nyra. What brings you to this paradise in the sands?”

Paradise in the sands? It was certainly pretty but… um. Sure. Whatever. Not for her to judge.

“I- I don’t entirely know, your majesty,” she answered as truthfully as she could. “I touched a painting of your town, and the next thing I knew I was here. I- I would happily go back the way I came if you’d let me!”

“A painting?” Nyra raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “An interesting story...”

“You cannot trust an outsider’s lying tongue, my Queen,” one of the guards protested. “Please, allow us to throw her in the cells beneath the palace to rot. It’s the only thing they’re good for.

The Queen sat back, looking over Cathrine once again. There was something odd about her expression. For a moment, she looked quite calculating – but when the brunette looked properly, she could see only concern on her face. “Now now, girls, that seems overly harsh.”

“She has intruded upon our lands! She must face punishment!”

“True, true. Very well. Then I declare her punishment shall be to become a harem dancer.”

What?

“You are sure, my Queen?” The guard sounded just as doubtful.

“I am.” Nyra nodded, rising gracefully to her feet. “In fact, I shall train her personally.”

That made everyone gasp – Cathrine included. One of the guard even began to rise to her feet. “But my Queen-!”

“My orders were clear,” the elegant woman interrupted her sharply. “I can handle a single scrawny outsider on my own. You may return to your posts.”

The two guards looked at one another uncertainly, but neither proved willing to disobey her. “As you command, my Queen.”

They bowed their heads and rose to their feet, walking away and leaving a very confused Cathrine kneeling on the throne room floor. “Um…?”

“Come with me,” the Queen said, walking away and beckoning for her to follow. “Unless you’d prefer the company of my guards?”

Well, when she put it like that, there wasn’t much of a choice. Biting her lip, the brunette got to her feet and scampered after her.

-

The palace was as large as it looked, and the Queen had a long stride. Cathrine had to hurry to keep up with her, following through a colourful parade of corridors and doorways. They were several rooms deep into the palace before the other woman slowed down and gestured for the outsider to walk alongside her.

“Forgive the charade,” she said, her voice far gentler than it had been in the throne room, “but my guards can be just a touch overzealous. This was the best way I could keep you safe and out of the cells. I doubt you would survive for long down there.”

Cathrine nodded nervously. Cells would be bad, she could agree to that. “They did seem rather angry.”

Nyra sighed. “It is their job, but, yes, sometimes they’re a bit much. But, as long as you are under my protection as a harem dancer, they should leave you alone.”

Right. Yes, there was that term again. The brunette swallowed nervously. “I, uh… Forgive me, but I’m not much of a dancer. I’m not sure that I can…”

She trailed off as the Queen turned to look at her, her eyes cold. “You will learn – unless you want to see those cells for yourself?”

“N-no, your majesty!” Cathrine shook her head frantically. “I just want to go home…”

The cold look melted away, and Nyra patted the other woman on the shoulder. “Of course you do. But it won’t be safe for you to go outside now – you stick out like a sore thumb.” She looked pointedly to the outsider’s state of dress and pale skin. “I will start looking into this ‘painting’ of yours, look to see if there’s a way for you to return. But in the meantime, let us keep up the pretence. You shall have to learn to dance. If you do not, I’ll not be able to keep you safe.”

Cathrine’s shoulders slumped, but she nodded. It sounded like the best deal she was going to get. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to keep it up for long.

They began walking again, and the Queen soon led her into another room – a larger hall, shaped like an octagon, with seven alcoves leading to smaller bedroom areas, each containing two beds. The whole place was draped in colourful sheets and silks, covering the walls and acting as curtains for the bedrooms, some closed, others open and empty.

As the two entered, Nyra clapped her hands together. “Ladies! We have a new member joining your ranks. Why not come out and greet her?”

Eep.

Taking a breath and trying to look calm, Cathrine watched as the closed curtains parted, allowing a small crowd of beauties to emerge from out of the alcoves. Dressed in mostly transparent silks, tanned skin artfully decorated with flower and butterfly tattoos, faces hidden by gentle veils… They looked exactly like the women in the painting!

The brunette was so startled to realise the fact that she almost missed that three of them came out from a single curtain on the left. Weird, didn’t each alcove only contain two beds? Whatever, not important.

She waved uncertainly. “H-hi?”

And beside her, the Queen chuckled. “Ladies, allow me to introduce your new sister, Cate.”

The outsider blinked, pulled from her thoughts on the painting. What had she just called her?

“Uh, it’s Cath-“ Cathrine paused. Nyra had raised her eyebrow, that cold look in her eye again. “… Nevermind.”

Gentle or no, the Queen clearly didn’t like being argued with. Maybe it’d just be easier to accept the nickname. It wasn’t like she’d be here for long, anyways.

“I’ll be training her personally,” Nyra continued, turning back to the others. “It may be some time before she’s joining you in your full duties, but from this day forward, you will treat her as one of your own. Am I understood?”

The five women bowed, silks fluttering. “Yes my Queen,” they spoke in full unity.

“Very good. Now.” The Queen turned to smile at Cathrine. “You will be sharing these quarters with the girls from now on. Choose whatever bed you like and get some rest. Tomorrow, I will collect you at dawn, and we will begin your training.” Her green eyes flashed with mysterious intent. She looked worryingly enthusiastic. “Be ready~”

Then the door slammed behind her as she left, leaving the outsider alone with the harem.

Cathrine could feel herself sweating, and not just because of the heat. The five women looked at her curiously – but right now, all she wanted was to get some time alone to try to recover her sanity.

“I’d better get some sleep,” she half mumbled an excuse, and then dashed for the furthest empty alcove, pulling the curtain shut behind her. To her relief, no one followed.

Now the day caught up with her. She sat down on the side of one of the beds, tying not to shake. Could this really be happening. It couldn’t, right? It had to be some kind of dream. But it felt really, really real…

Too exhausted to do anything else, she grudgingly lay down on her new bed and pulled the covers over her head, trying to block out the world… But a problem soon made itself apparent.

It was still so hot! She couldn’t sleep like this. No matter how much she tossed and turned, the heat wouldn’t let her find the relief of sleep. Not until she realised what the problem was – she was still fully dressed.

Of course she was. These clothes were all she had to remind her of home. She didn’t want to take them off, not while she was lost in this strange, alien world. But she didn’t have a choice under this oppressive heat. The baggy fashion she preferred was just too sweltering out here.

Finally, reluctantly, she pulled off her clothes, folding them neatly on her bedside table, before quickly sliding her now naked body back under the sheets. It was still warm, but now she was cool enough to drift off – and the toll of the day was quick to catch up with her. Tiredness swept over her mind like a malaise, and the moment her head hit the pillow, she plummeted straight into a dreamless sleep.

-

The morning came with quite a few complicated emotions for Cathrine to process.

One, disappointment that the previous day hadn’t all been some crazy dream. She was still here, in the palace, wrapped in sweat-stained sheets and little else to her name. Beyond the silken curtain, she could hear the sounds of the rest of the palace waking up.

Two, panic. She didn’t really have to learn to dance, did she? Surely that was some kind of mistake. She was in good shape but she wasn’t a dancer, come on.

And three, mortification and embarrassment as, at some point while she’d slept, her clothes had disappeared. They had been replaced on the bedside table by a collection of silks that couldn’t have been clothing – they just couldn’t be!

The brunette took a breath. Okay, she had to get a hold of herself. She wasn’t going to let this weird world boss her around. This situation was insane, but as long as she kept her head on her shoulders, she could figure out how to best-

A call came from outside the door. “Cate, I hope I don’t need to send my guards in there after you! I hear the rats in the cells are extra nippy today…”

She tried not to groan. Hopefully these clothes wouldn’t be that embarrassing…

-

As it turned out, they were the least of her problems.

Smack!

“You will have to raise your leg higher than that, Cate.”

“It- It’s Cathrine…” She panted, and then squealed as the Queen smacked her on the ass again.

“Focus, girl! If you can’t master even this basic lesson the guards will never believe you’re actually training.” Nyra circled around her. “This is for your own good, my dear.”

Was it? Right now the brunette was trying to lift her leg as high as it could go, balancing on the other foot with no support. Unsurprisingly, this was proving very difficult – but every time she so much as wobbled, the Queen’s hand would give her rear a hefty smack. These silk veils gave her a lot of flexibility, but absolutely no protection from a royal palm.

“As for the rest of you,” Nyra continued as Cathrine tried again. “You are a little on the muscular side for a dancer…” Her other hand, the one with a softer touch, stroked up the brunette’s bare belly. “A touch too much definition here, though the toning is nice…”

“Well sorry for being in good sha-Eep!”

The Queen shook her head after delivering another smack. “You must also learn to watch your tongue around others, dear. Nothing will get you in more trouble than lashing out at me in front of my guards. They might kill you on the spot.” She sighed, and then stepped over to a table at the side of their rounded training room. “Fortunately, I have something that will help.”

Cathrine frowned, unsure if she liked the sound of that. She knew the Queen was doing her best to help her, even if she was strict about it, but this place was asking a lot from her. “What do you mean?”

“This.” She heard the strike of a match, and then Nyra placed a small blue pot on top of the table, holding a lit stick of incense. Immediately, the scent of flowers, with just a hint of mint, filled the room. “The smoke should aid your concentration, boost your memory, and help calm your spirit. You have had a difficult few days, and it would be best if you went about everything with a clear head.”

A clear head? Was that what this stuff was supposed to do? Because if anything, it felt like it did the opposite. As soon as that scent filled her nose, her head was sent spinning, the entire room seeming to sway. Her eyes fluttered for a moment, her lungs pulling in a deep breath of the stuff automatically, and all of that smoke seemed to flow up straight into her brain. Her thoughts turned fuzzy, her mind full of fog.

“There we go.” The Queen’s words echoed in her ears, bouncing around in her brain. She felt a gentle touch cupping her cheek. “You should have no problem following instructions now, yes?”

“No… problem…” Cathrine echoed, nodding slowly.

“Good.” Nyra smirked, and then snapped her fingers. “Then take the pose again.”

Suddenly, the haze lifted. Everything became clear. Blinking, the brunette took a testing breath, and then another. The smell of mint was still rich, but it was no longer the dizzying flood that had almost knocked her off of her feet.

And weirdly? She did feel calmer.

Carefully, she raised her foot back into the air, concentrating on keeping it up, and keeping her balance.

“Good, good! Much better.” The Queen clapped, seeming satisfied at last. “Now hold that pose. Get used to it. Make it your own.”

Good… Cathrine nodded, smiling. The praise left a warm feeling in her chest – one she wanted more of. But in the back of her clear mind, a small, uncertain question rose, and made its way to her lips.

“Weren’t we going to talk about… getting me back home?” She managed, swaying on her foot.

The Queen just chuckled, smacking her on the ass lightly. “No distractions now, Cate. Focus. We can discuss that after your training.”

Oh. Fair enough. The brunette nodded slowly, took another mint-filled breath, and returned her attention to her balance.

-

Hours later, and she was about ready to collapse. After holding one leg up for what felt like forever, the Queen had her switch to the other leg, and then, towards the end of the day, had begun instructing her on some basic dance moves. Who could have known that so much work went into shimmying your hips just right?

She’d probably have been a pile on the floor if the Queen’s gentle hand hadn’t wrapped around her shoulders to keep her upright. “You have done well… For your first day.” The other woman chuckled, leading her over to the table at the side of the room, and sitting her down next to the nearly spent incense stick. “Here. You have earned a reward.”

A bowl was set down in front of her, filled to the brim with a collection of multi-coloured berries. Next to it, a mug plunked down, swishing with creamy white fluid. Cate- Cathrine stared at them both blankly.

“Eat,” the Queen commanded, rolling her eyes. “They are sweetberries. Very nutritious. They will help you with certain…” Her gaze flicked to the brunette’s body. “… Deficiencies. And the drink is honeymilk. It will help you relax after your workout.”

Head still clear, Cathrine did as she was bidden, carefully plucking up a single blue berry and slipping it into her mouth. Immediately, her tongue was caught in an explosion of flavour – sugary sweetness, combined with the alluring tang of bitter fruit. It was delicious, and as hungry as she was, there was no point in trying to resist the urge to devour the lot.

“Good girl,” The Queen chuckled, eliciting another warm feeling in Cathrine’s chest as she gobbled down the contents of the bowl. “Don’t forget to drink, too.”

She couldn’t, of course. No sooner was the last berry in her mouth than the brunette had the mug to her lips. The milk was cool and thick, washing down her throat easily, and leaving her feeling pleasantly full.

“Very good.” Nyra stroked the outsider’s hair fondly, sending warm tingles through her scalp. “Now, let’s get you back to your room. You have another long day ahead of you tomorrow as well.”

Cathrine nodded sleepily, and smiled as she followed the other woman out.

It wasn’t until she was laying down in bed a little while later that she realised that she’d forgotten to ask about finding the way home – but that thought was quickly forgotten as well, as a wave of sleep washed over her and dragged her down into the dreamless abyss once more.

-

She soon learned that the first day’s events were to be her routine from now on.

Every morning she would wake, and eat with the other dancers, then she would go straight to smoke-filled training with the Queen. Training would be relentless, and if she did well, she would be rewarded with sweet berries, while if she failed she would only receive slop. She learned very quickly that she wanted to do well in her lessons.

Honestly, she wasn’t sure she could have lasted if the food wasn’t so filling. Somehow, such a small meal seemed to give her everything she needed to get through her exhausting schedule – at least until she collapsed in bed every night.

Her dreams would be haunted by the cloying scent of mint…

-

On the fifth day of training, they took a break.

“You are coming along well,” the Queen told her as she led her past the training room, “but we can’t train forever. We must remember to rest as well, mustn’t we?”

Cathrine was well aware of how rest days worked, but she’d long learned at this point that Nyra wasn’t really looking for conversation – she just wanted blind agreement. It was a tricky thing for an outspoken woman like her to remember, and it had already cost her a few days of slop, but today she managed to nod and say, “Yes my Queen.”

That seemed to do the job. Nyra looked pleased, and gestured for the brunette to follow her up a staircase that they’d never travelled through before. Soon, Cathrine found had carried her exhausted body all the way up to the roof, emerging into the light of day for the first time in what felt like an age… And, to her surprise,  she found herself in the middle of what looked like an open air spa resort. Women were lying around on sun beds (naked women, but she was far too tired to care about that these days) enjoying the suns rays. There was even a swimming pool.

“Here.” The Queen led her to a sun bed. “You may have the one next to me.”

Again, there was no point in arguing. And besides, the brunette was looking forward to the break! So she simply bowed her head. “Thank you, my Queen.”

Then she went to lay back, and-

“Ah ah.” The Queen’s firm hand caught her shoulder. “Now now, my dear. We don’t want tan lines, do we?”

“Tan… lines?” Cathrine blinked, looking down at herself, and then over at the other women. Wait. Wait just a-!

“Oh, and of course, we mustn’t forget your favourite incense!” Suddenly, the smell of mint was everywhere, and the outsider’s eyes were fluttering as the Queen set a burning pot down next to her bed. “Now, off with those clothes, Cate, before I rip them off you myself.”

Protest died on Cathrine’s confused tongue. What was she about to argue? She’d been upset about something, but she couldn’t quite recall. And whatever it was, she had learned it was best not to argue with the Queen.

So, hazily, she pulled off her silken top, and then shimmied out of her thong, setting all of her clothing to the side before laying back down on the bed. Nyra’s eyes watched the whole show, her smirk approving.

“Hmm. You’re developing nicely. The fruit’s doing wonders for your body, and I can see the milk is already taking care of those unsightly muscles…”

The words caught Cate’s ears, but the scent of mint was so strong today, and her head all full of fog. Her eyes drifted shut, and she was deeply asleep before she could even wonder what the other woman meant.

-

Cathrine peered at herself in the mirror. She was starting to get used to her schedule now, after… Who knew how many rotations. Six? Seven? Surely it couldn’t be more, but the days of training all blurred together now. Her only break was resting on the roof, which had become a blissful thing she looked forward to all week. But at the same time, she was acclimating to things around here, and now she no longer felt quite so exhausted every night after her training was complete.

So, in the evenings she’d begun talking with the other dancers. They were a surprisingly friendly bunch despite how obviously she didn’t fit in here. Smiles and hugs had been freely given, and they had welcomed her to share their food and games. One had even invited her to bed with them, to her surprise. She’d turned them down, of course, but it was still kind of them to offer… She thought.

Her reflection, though… Now that she had time to look at herself, she couldn’t help but feel that something was off.

She was starting to develop quite the tan. That was no surprise, of course, with the many days she lay bathing in the sun. The Queen had always made sure she rolled over to properly distribute the day’s blessings across her skin. There was no sign of the pale girl who had arrived here… how long ago? No, if she went outside, she could probably pass for a native! Well, maybe a shut-in native…

Her hair was growing long and surprisingly silky, too. She’d always kept it short before, but obviously she wasn’t going to find a barber out here. It was surprising how well it was behaving, though – the longer her hair got, the messier it became, in her experience. Perhaps the heat was good for it.

What was strange to her, though, were her curves. Had her chest always been this big? She remembered herself as being kind of flat in that department, but… Well, it had been a long time since she’d last looked in a mirror, and her memory was rather foggy these days, for whatever reason. Her ass was the same – no, maybe it was even bigger? She was sure that wasn’t right.

Yeah, when she’d first put this harem girl outfit on, it had seemed far too big, but now it fit snugly. Hugged her curves even. Random growth spurts didn’t just happen, but then, neither did… Neither did…

How had she ended up here again? Mm, she’d remember tomorrow, she was sure.

But obviously, she wasn’t in the same league as her fellow harem dancers, it was just strange to see herself in the mirror now and barely recognise the woman looking back. She looked more like Cate the harem dancer than Cathrine the normal woman…

A moan from outside her bedroom interrupted the brunette’s train of thought, and she sighed, shaking her head. One thing about being awake longer in the evening now was that she could hear what the other harem dancers got up to with each other. It certainly sounded like they were having fun, but did they have to be so loud about it?

Fortunately, she reflected as she got into bed, she was still tired enough to fall asleep, even with the racket…

-

The routine bore on, and on, and on. Slowly, one move at a time, Cathrine learned more and more of how to dance, shimmy, and show off her body. She’d developed a surprising talent for it, even – something she credited to her teacher.

One day, though, the Queen broke from tradition, speaking up as she watched her pupil perform her latest dance.

“Beautiful work.” Cathrine blushed. Such strong praise filled her heart with joy. “You’ve come to know the beauty of a woman’s body splendidly. But, I am surprised to hear from your sisters that you still keep your solitude after all of this time. Most would cry out for company through the night by now. Is something wrong?”

The blush grew deeper. “Forgive me, my Queen,” she replied, her voice full of reverent respect. “It is not that I don’t feel the need…” It certainly wasn’t that. “It is simply… I have not seen so much as a single man since I first arrived here.”

The Queen nodded thoughtfully. “No, naturally. There are no men folk here, my girl. But why is that a problem? Do you not find your sisters in the harem beautiful enough?”

Once, Cate might have felt awkward answering that question. But after all this time, being honest and speaking her mind to her Queen was just second nature – so long as what was in her mind was Queen approved. “Oh, they are very beautiful, my Queen! But I am not attracted to women, I’m afraid.”

“Ahhh. I see.” The royal chuckled. “My, your world must have been a very strange one.”

Her world? Ah, oh, yes. Her world. Home. For a moment, she had almost forgotten it. “Very strange indeed, my Queen.” Very, very strange, now that she looked back at it. The place felt so alien to her now.

Something in her puzzled, reflective expression must have pleased her Queen, because the woman smiled before gesturing to resume her dance. A command that Cate was eager to follow.

-

The next day, there was a new pink incense burner on her bedside cabinet when she woke up, already lit and filling her room with a delightful scent. Was that… lily, perhaps? It was sweet, whatever it was.

She paid it no mind as she got up and dressed, taking it as just another part of life here. Her thoughts were more on how tight her outfit had gotten. Had it shrunk in the wash? Her chest was practically bursting out of her top – she’d have to ask her sisters for advice on how to handle that…

From that day forth, her room was always filled with the scent of lilies. It followed her into her dreams like the smell of mint.

-

Cate wasn’t sure how much longer she could cope. She was getting desperate!

It had begun one evening after training. She and her sisters had been discussing her latest growth spurt – her curves were almost as big as theirs now, to her delight – and the subject had somehow turned to the others all comparing their chests to see who was truly the biggest amongst them. Normal stuff for the girls in the evening.

Normally, Cate wasn’t one to participate, but that evening she’d found herself drawn to the conversation, even hesitantly agreeing to help them measure as an ‘impartial judge’. She hadn’t realised they’d meant her to use her hands directly until one of them pulled her palms onto her chest, and suddenly a strange heat had begun to burn between her loins…

And all night she’d run through lily soaked dreams of her sisters, all performing acts that- that made her blush bright red to think of after.

The next day, she couldn’t get the memory of softness out of her head.

And then the next she’d found her eyes glued to her sister’s behind as she strutted past…

Now she was sat in the common area, stuck listening to the sounds coming from behind the curtains leading to one of her sister’s bedrooms. Sounds that said there was far more than one of her sisters behind it.

Slowly, one of her hands was beginning to dip beneath her thong…

Only to shoot back up as another one of her sisters returned from outside, striding in with a confident strut. She must have pleased the Queen greatly to be wearing such a smile. Cate couldn’t help but feel jealous – her eyes once again following those glorious hips as they swayed from side to side…

… Only to pause. Their owner was looking over her shoulder, back at Cate.

The brunette’s face turned dark red as she forced her eyes away. Mortifying. She’d been noticed. She… She had to get out of here!

Stumbling a little in her haste, she got to her feet, ready to bolt – only to stop as she saw her sister’s smile. The other woman was extending a hand to her, her offer clear.

Cate hesitated – but only for a second. Then she took the hand she’d been offered, and a moment later felt her heart soar as she was pulled into a kiss. Arms wrapped and squeezed around one another, a dam broken that should never have been built in the first place.

When she was led behind the moaning curtain, the brunette didn’t resist. The evening only grew more fun from there, as she began her newest kind of training…

-

The routine continued. Wake. Train. Eat. Pleasure. Sleep. Wake. Train. Eat. Pleasure. Sleep. Wake. Train. Eat. Pleasure. Sleep. On and on and on it went, without end or pause…

Until one day, there was no more left to learn.

Cate stood stock still, as only a practiced dancer could, as she was inspected. The Queen walked around her, a critical eye cast on every part of the dancer’s finely honed body. Her slender arms. Her toned (but not overly muscular) belly. Her firm, proud chest, the equal of any of her sisters. Her bountiful behind, her finest point, possibly better than any of her sisters. Her long, silky-smooth hair. Her darkly tanned skin. Her butterfly and flower tattoos, each signifying a different dance art she had mastered. She was proud of it all – and she could only hope that it pleased her ruler as well.

Finally, her Queen came to a stop in front of her. She was smiling. “Dearest Cate. How long has it been since we began your training?”

Since they began? Cate blinked at the strange question. She couldn’t quite get it to fit in her mind, it didn’t make sense. “Since we began, my Queen? Is this not how it has always been?”

Her answer was apparently the right one, because her Queen’s smile grew wider. “I suppose it has, dear! Yes, it’s taken us many, many years to get to this point…”

Years? Had it really been that long? It had all been a blur – a truly delightful one that she was proud to have taken part in. She was truly honoured that her glorious Queen had blessed her so.

“But now, it is finally done. Your training is over. You are a harem girl, through and through.”

Joy surged in Cate’s heart, and she fell to her knees, weeping in happiness. “Thank you, my Queen. For everything! I shall do you proud.”

“It has been my pleasure, dearest. And I know you shall. Especially with your first duty.”

Blinking, the brunette looked up, eyes wide with excitement. “You mean…?”

The Queen nodded. “Tonight, as a reward for your achievement, you may dance for me personally in my chambers.” Then she leaned in close, smiling as she lowered her voice. “And I shall test how well your sisters have trained you as well.”

There could be no greater honour.

“As you command, my Queen!”

Yes, there was no doubt. Cate was harem dancer, and proud of it. She couldn’t even imagine being any other way~

-

Tamara exited the gym feeling a little disappointed, despite the good workout she’d had. She’d expected to see Cathrine today. She’d said she’d be there when they bumped into one another yesterday, but perhaps something had come up?

No big deal, it was just a shame. She liked competing against her.

Oh well. The blonde shrugged, heading off towards her car. But just as she reached the street where she’d parked, she noticed something odd down a side alley she’d been about to walk past. Something big and shiny, blocking the path.

A painting?

Curious, she walked over. Why would someone leave something as valuable looking as this in the trash? But she got her answer as soon as she got a good look at what the painting was of. A collection of incredibly slutty looking harem dancers, barely dressed, all with pornographic curves, dancing away – six of them in total.

Shaking her head, the blonde would have walked away, but something caught her eye. The sixth dancer – the one blowing a kiss at the viewer. Had she just winked at her?

Frowning, Tamara leaned closer to get a better look…