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Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 01

By: Tara_Neale



This is the third year I am participating a writing contest to finish a whole novel in the month of November. The past two times I have lost the manuscript when my computer malfunctioned. This year I am sharing the story with you on a daily basis...in an effort to keep a copy somewhere...and because my readers always give great feedback. I will say that this process means that other than spell check you do no edits during the contest...so be kind. It is the most rough of drafts. Hope you enjoy... 

***

Rata stood on the stone balcony. The red giant that served as Tavia's primary sun was just rising above the deep purple waters just below. Her spirit was as turbulent as the waves breaking against the rock cliff upon which the temple was built. 

Water...it was her element and this morning as she did most she sought to center her mind and spirit in its depths. But that quiet peace had been more and more difficult to find these past months. The dream was back. Except instead the occasional visitor that left her troubled and uncertain, it had become her constant companion. Each night when she closed her eyes the images were there. 

Blue. The stone floors were stained dark blue with blood. The dead or dying bodies of priestess, acolytes and guards lay strewn about, almost piled like the trash waiting to be burnt as offering, returned to the goddess from which all life came. The sounds of screams, pleading and prayers echoed around the edifice like thunder. 

Helpless. She was helpless to do anything to stop the carnage. The High Priestess Rata, who had ruled Tavia's waters and served the goddess for almost five hundred cycles could do nothing to stop it. Her powers drained. Her gifts abandoned her and her people when they needed her the most. She stood frozen, unable to even move and watched as friends and supplicants fell all about her.

Rata shivered, her hands unconsciously running up and down her bare arms. It had nothing to do with the slight chill brought by the winds of her sister Mya. No, the vision was becoming more vivid each night. Now it was invading her waking hours. 

It was time. She had no other choice. She must seek communion with her sisters. Soji, the High Priestess of solid ground, her best friend, her sister, who had stood quivering beside her that first morning when they had been brought to this place. Little girls chosen from birth, marked for favor by the goddess, taken from their families and placed into the care of strangers, taught to serve a goddess that to this day remained an elusive mystery to even her most prized servants. 

Rata shook her head, the dark red tresses that fell almost to her bottom danced and marked her as a priestess danced about her naked body, wrapping about her like the embrace of the goddess. She could only hope that Soji had the answer. Her rock, the one that had always been her comfort, from that first morning when they stood naked in the garden, barely more than suckling babes torn from their mothers' breasts by soldiers seeking those marked by the calling. 

She had been crying, tears, the soul's special fountain of water that cleansed and washed away all trouble trekked down her bronzed skin. The little girl next to her had reached out, touched her arm and in that moment she had known that everyone would be all right. Soji always had that effect upon her. Her solid rock, to bank her waters, keep them running smoothly in the right direction. Her friend and lover for a lifetime.

She smiled as she thought of their other sister, Mya. As ethereal as the air and winds, which she commanded. The youngest of the three High Priestesses, she had held the office for barely a hundred cycles. Replacing Lano, who after serving the goddess for over a thousand, had passed peacefully in her sleep. 

Oh, she and Soji loved Mya, were pleased with the growth of their littlest sisters. But still they missed the woman, who had been the closest thing to a mother that those little girls could remember. They would probably always miss the woman, who had loved them like the children she could never have as a priestess, who had taught them to embrace their calling, to love the goddess whom they served, to accept her majestic beauty and to fight her deep mysteries just a bit less than came naturally to the two stubborn beauties. 

It was Lano, whom her soul cried out for the most in moments like these. She would know what to do, what the troubling dreams meant, how they could protect their charges Rata feared was the darkest days to come. But Lano was gone, at rest, passed onto the next realm, having achieved the highest plain of knowledge as High Priestess, her spirit was free at last to join with its maker, the goddess. 

That left Rata, Soji and little Mya to carry on the work that she and a thousand High Priestesses, who came before her had carried on over eternity. To unravel the mysteries of the goddess, to channel her unlimited powers of love and healing, and to commune with her, vessels to be used to communicate with her will with the unclean and unworthy men who governed Tavia as they always had. 

Rata shivered again. It was the most distasteful of her duties as High Priestess. Giving her body to the men. Serving them sexually. Submitting her most precious gifts for their use. Four hundred cycles since she had come into the full powers of her gift and still she abhorred this duty. She was thankful though that these days as High Priestess she had only to service the Council of Three, although they were disgusting enough. 

No, what she needed now, what she craved the most, was the sweet commune with the goddess herself that could only be found in the healing embrace of her sisters. She would call a tribunal. The three of them locked within the secret chambers, together they would call upon the goddess, seek out her will through the purity of their bounds. The temple would go into full lock down, all of the priestesses joining with them in spirit to seek her blessing, unavailable for a time to any. 

It had not been done in over a hundred cycles, not since they lost Lano and called upon the goddess to reveal whom among the hundreds of young priestesses she had chosen to replace the venerable woman that they all loved. Tribunals were rare, called for only under the most dire of circumstances. To remove the sweet blessing of the goddess from the men, even for a time, was not to be taken lightly. That was why Rata had not done it sooner. 

But now? Now she had no choice. She trembled as she stared a final time out over the choppy waters. She inhaled deeply, her breasts jutting out, her nipples puckering in the crisp morning air. She sought the comfort and power of her element. But it was not to be found this morning as it had become increasingly elusive. Yes, it was time. They must find out what this strange dream meant. And hopefully, some way of preventing the utter destruction that it foretold.

***

Soji giggled as she played temptress in her lover's arms. Versil had come to her many cycles before when he rose to the Council of Three. He had chosen her as his special vessel, his chosen one, to commune with the goddess, to seek her counsel, to soothe the savage beast within him. But what had begun as just another of her duties had over the cycles turned into so much more. He was the only man that she had ever loved.

Love? It was such a foreign concept. As priestesses they were the physical embodiment of love and sex, available to all who had need of their comfort, use of their bodies. From the time that they reached their full powers to the day that the goddess called them to her, they were her whores. It was a word that Soji hated, but one that she knew other women whispered, lesser women, women not born with their gifts, not marked from birth as she and her sisters had been. But those gifts, being chosen came at a high price, one that Soji felt to her soul. While the priestess gave abundantly of the goddess's love to all who had need, it remained forbidden to them. 

"What is it, my love?" Versil whispered as he nibbled at her shoulder and drew her back against him. She could feel the hard ridge of his erection pressed against the soft roundness of her bottom. Usually that would ignite fires that she had never felt with another inside the special fountain of her goddess. But this morning, her mind was somewhere else, disturbed and unsettled. 

She shook her head as she tried to put her finger upon the source of the unrest. It eluded her and that alone made the fear rise higher in her spirit. She was rock, solid ground. She always held the answers. She was there to hold back Rata's dangerous waters when they rose too high, protecting all from her rage and trouble. And when sweet Mya's winds blew at gale force, she was there to buffer them too. To take the full brunt of their fury. 

Was it wrong to ask something in return? Some little piece of the goddess's greatest blessing. The love between a man and woman that was deeper than just the flesh of which she and the other priestesses gave so fully. She knew that Rata would disapprove of her stolen moments with Versil, in the guise of communing with the goddess, they had found something that was as close to love as Soji had ever come, or ever would. 

If some part of her, was jealous of the woman that was his wife, the woman, who had the right to his heart, then she pushed that aside. The woman could never give Versil what she could, the blessing of the goddess, real communion. But then again Soji could never give him what his wife did...children. 

She swallowed past the painful knot in her throat. As surly as her dark red hair that she grew long as befitting her station her as a priestess, it marked her as barren. Her womb closed from birth to the most precious of her goddess's gifts...life itself. A tear slipped silently down her cheek as she closed her eyes against the pain of that revelation. 

She tried to remind herself of all the wonderful gifts that came with her station, comforts that most would ever know, adoration of many. But all she could think of was the hallow look in Lano's eyes, when she looked upon the two scared little girls. The woman, who was High Priestess of air, had taken them into her charge, seeing that they received the best of care and offering them as much of a mother's love as she could. But her mentor had died alone in her sleep. 

Just as Soji knew she would one day. And there would be no one to mourn her passing. Oh sure, there would be fanfare for the death of the High Priestess of the Rock. Tens of thousands would come with offerings to mark her passing. But just as quickly as new High Priestess would be selected by tribunal. And she would be forgotten.

No one would mourn the passing of her as a person. No mate to miss the comfort of her embrace as much as he missed the gifts of her body. No children to lament a mother lost. Oh sure, she was sure that Rata would feel the loss, perhaps even young Mya. But it was little solace when what she craved most was forever out of reach.

Opening her eyes, she brushed away the tears and plastered that smile upon her face. The one that she wore every time since her rite of passage, the first time that she had given her body into the care of a flawed man. The physical pain of that first was long since gone, but even with Versil, the emptiness remained. 

Soji, the great whore of the goddess, a meaningless vessel for a man's primal urges. A weak woman to bend to his will, forced to submit to his pleasures. Betrayed time and again by her own body as the power of her goddess flowed through her into them, leaving her drained and empty. Nothing, she was a powerful and much adored High Priestess of the goddess. Yet as a woman, Soji was nothing. Had nothing to call her own.

***

Mya looked out the window of her sanctuary. Dark scarlet clouds were gathering over the waters, rolling closer and closer towards them. She could feel it. Unrest unlike anything she had ever felt. And she felt as powerless as she always had. What was she anyway? Air. Unseen. Untouchable. The essence of life that all took for granted. 

She yearned for the solid strength of Soji. To stand unshakeable before whatever came. To know exactly what to say and do. Or the swift moving and ever changing waters of Rata. Her gifts of understanding and foresight were renowned. 

But no, she was just air. The youngest, the newest, the lightest of all the elements. And as she watched the clouds move closer she had never felt so unprepared. 

Not since that first morning two hundred cycles ago when she had been torn from the arms of her loving father. She was all he had. Her mother, his greatest love, had died giving birth to their only child. After fifty cycles her barren womb had finally been opened by a special blessing of the High Priestess Lano. It was unheard of...a priestess blessing a woman, but especially a High Priestess. 

The priestesses, who were worshipped by the men for their gifts, were feared and resented by their lesser sisters. She knew the word, but she could never bring herself to use it, to even think it. But her mother had been desperate for a child with the man she loved. Desperate enough to enter the hallowed halls of the temple. Desperate enough to fall upon the alter of the goddess. And when other priestesses had passed the lamenting woman by, Lano had seen in her a need that mirrored her own. 

Mya knew the story well. She would never forget it. She had not heard it from the woman, who carried her inside her body for over a cycle. Or the man, who had adored his precious child, hidden her for as long as he could, and ultimately died trying to defend her, to keep her from the barren future that had been her destiny from before birth. 

No, she had learned the truth that first morning here. As she stood naked and crying in the courtyard, the three beauties with long hair flowing about them like fire itself had walked among the new recruits. At almost fifteen cycles, Mya was far older than the others, standing almost twice as tall as the others who were mere babes of five to seven cycles. But her cries were louder, more mournful than any of the younger girls. Her loss deeper than her sisters.

The High Priestesses had stopped before her. Soji had placed a hand upon her shoulder and for the first time in days, she felt peace. Rata had smiled weakly as if she knew exactly what she felt. Then she had reached out and brushed a single tear from the corner of her eye, bringing it to her lips and tasting it before she spoke, "Cry, little sister. Your tears are a sweet blessing to our goddess. They cleanse you, wash away the old and bring life."

But it was the older woman, who stared at her as if she knew her, recognized her in some way that held Mya's gaze. They stared at one another for long moments before the woman addressed the guard, who still bore the blood of her beloved father upon his hands and tunic. "Who is she? Where did you find her? And why was she not brought to us sooner?"

The man bowed as if fearful of the mage's anger, "I am sorry, High Priestess. The man, her father, hid the child. We had no idea she existed. They lived outside of the city, alone in the woods. His wife died giving birth to the child and he did not want to give his only child over the care of the goddess from which she came."

The woman had stepped closer. Mya had felt a gentle breeze move across her bare skin and for the first time, she felt that everything truly would be all right. "What is your name, child? Your father's?"

Mya had stammered, barely able to get the words past the tears as she trembled before the power of these women. "Mya, my name is Mya, mistress. And my father was Tymor," she whispered.

Wind assailed her naked body then, it had been almost freezing cold and blown so strongly that Mya feared it would knock them all down. Rata and Soji stepped forward, placing their hands upon the shoulders of the older woman. Mya remembered wondering if the woman would have fallen had her sisters not held her up. 

When finally she looked up, her own eyes were filled with tears as she whispered, "Was?"

Mya had only been able to nod her head in fear and awe of the woman, the High Priestess before her. The guard bowed before the woman and she saw true fear in the eyes of this mighty man, who represented evil and destruction to her. In that moment, the young girl thirsted for that kind of power, that control over these pitiful and lesser creatures called men. 

When he spoke his voice cracked, "I am sorry, High Priestess, but the man would not give the girl to us. We had no choice..." he trailed off as if not knowing what more to say.

"You always have a choice. When will you violent and vile creatures learn? Life is too precious to waste. Go now. Get away from this place, never to return. I will not have the blood of an innocent defiling the temple of the goddess," her voice was as icy cold as the winds that blew about them. The man had simply nodded to the woman before releasing his grip upon her arm and fleeing as if he feared for his very life. 

The great woman had turned to her then, her voice lower and softer, "Come, my child. I have much to explain to you."

And explain she had, but even two hundred cycles since that day, Mya still felt as alone and lost as she did standing naked in that garden. She was not worthy. Not who they thought her. Not the powerful vessel of the goddess that her other mother as she had come to think of Lano had been. She was cracked, broken, unworthy. And she feared she always would be. She was nothing more than a lost little girl, still longing for the loving comfort of her Daddy's arms.

Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 02



The continued saga...of my feeble efforts for novel writing month...very rough first draft...be merciful. 

***

Rata nodded her head casually to the younger priestesses as she passed them in the corridor. Even over two hundred years since ascending to the office of High Priestess she was uncomfortable with the deference shown to her. Who was she anyway? Nothing more than a servant of the goddess same as any of them, same as everyone for that matter. She realized that her station brought with it a sense of fear as much as awe and wonder. 

This morning it was Rata who was fearful. Frightened and trembling at the odd dream that had been invading her sleep for months. A horror story that got more detailed at each passing. Walking the hallowed halls now she felt the weight of it all. Each smiling face she passed was pale, contorted in fear or pain. It was almost as if she could see and smell the blood covering each priestess, guard and young acolyte. 

Rata quickened her pace, making for the chambers of her best friend, the goddess of the rock. Soji would have the answers. Her Soji always did. 

She was so caught up in those thoughts that she ran directly into him. The one man whom she hated above all others...Versil. Her stomach turned and she was thankful that she had not yet eaten this rising. As much as she delighted at the thought of emptying her stomach all over the man's dark green tunic, it was decidedly unbecoming of a high priestess. 

But when the man reached up and grabbed her upper arms to steady her, she was unprepared for the violent tremor that shook her whole body. She felt as if in that moment the veil between the seen and unseen worlds was torn, ripped aside. She fought hard to control her own body as power unlike any she had ever felt rose up inside of her. The man released her as if burnt, as if he too felt the power flowing through her.

"Liar, deceiver, adulterer...Murderer. Remove your tainted hands from the High Priestess. I know your plans. I know the power you seek. Hear me now...you shall be the first to fall. Your blood shall be spilt as an atonement upon my alter. And it will not be enough to assuage the tide of evil that you have unleashed. Stop now. Turn from your plans of destruction. This is your last chance, your final warning. Hear me now and we might all be saved yet."

Rata reached for the wall as she collapsed, shaking and unsteady against the solid rock that no longer seemed so solid. She remembered only bits and pieces of the words that had come from her mouth. 'I know your plans.' But that was just it, she did not know any plans. Did not even know what her own dreams meant. 

Sure, she had never liked Versil. From the time that the man ascended to the Council of Three, she had sensed something cruel in him, a greed for power that was not to be assuaged easily. When it was time for him to choose his counselor, she was glad that he had selected Soji. Rata had thought that if anyone could manage the man's natural tendencies for lust and avarice, it would be her sister. But instead, it seemed that she too had fallen under the man's spell. It had become a wedge between them. The only thing upon which the women disagreed. In almost five hundred cycles, this man was the only thing that came between the sisters...and Rata despised him for that alone. 

But now this. She was unable to think. Her mind as cloudy and dark as the storms rolling towards them off her precious waters. "What have you done?" her voice was a mere, broken whisper as she sank to her knees still clutching the wall.

He laughed. The man threw back his head and laughed. The sound echoed off the stone walls, filling them with its darkness. "Done? What have I done, my sweet High Priestess of the waters? What should have been done hundreds of cycles ago. I have brought this backwards planet with its ludicrous and antiquated belief in some mystical goddess into modernity. Science. Technology. Those are the only gods we need."

Another intense chill passed through her body, draining her of more energy. She could barely see the man through the haze that covered her eyes. But what she saw frightened her. Frightened her more than the dreams even. Evil, truly evil. Not the man, but the power. The aura, the source of this man's power, was unlike anything she had ever felt or seen. 

He knelt down next to her. His face a smug mask of superiority as he continued, "Certainly not some woman. Some weak and worthless woman. Who does your goddess think that she is to tell us, to tell men, how to govern. She is nothing more than a whore like the priestesses, who serve her."

His lips curved up as he spoke, "Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed the 'communion' as much as the next man. Hell, more so. Your sweet Soji is one hell of a good fuck." His face darkened as he paused, looking deep into her eyes, "But that is all she is. A good fuck. Just like all of you."

Rata wanted to scream when his finger brushed across the swell of her breast. Her nipples puckered as was her body's natural reaction to stimulation. What had always been a blessing of the goddess seemed a curse in that moment. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words froze in her throat. It tightened to the point that even breathing was a chore.

"I never have tasted your sweet nectar, Rata. Or Mya's. Perhaps a special blessing of the goddess is in order? A tribunal between the High Priestesses and the Council. Who knows maybe our new allies will even enjoy a taste of our hospitality? I shall speak to the others about it."

His fingers pinched her nipples through the diaphanous gown that was the only clothing permitted priestesses. The deep rich purple of her complimented her unique hair and skin and marked her station as High Priestess. All others wore pale lavender. Rata flinched and was thankful for the pain that cleared her mind for the moment.

"I will tell Soji," she whispered.

The man caged her jaw, forcing her to look at him, "Go ahead. I have spoken to my sweetness already. She is looking forward to sharing the gifts of her sweet sisters with me. Thinks that a special blessing is in order. So you see, Rata, it is over. I have won. Did you ever think it could be any other way? Did you think that you and your sweet communion with the goddess had anything to offer a horny woman like Soji. Cock is what she wants. All that any of you want. Just common whores...just like the goddess you serve."

Rata fought back the tears she felt gathering in her eyes as he rose. She dropped her head, refusing to meet the man's gaze. Tears...cleansing water for the soul. But this once, she would hide them. Keep them deep inside. At least until she could make it back to her chambers. Her plan of speaking with her sister abandoned now. What was the use? She had no doubt that what the man said was true. 

The last thing she heard was the loud, tap-tap-tap of the man's boots against the cold stone floor. And it did seem cold then. The rock that always been her solace, the safety for her waters when they threatened to break their banks, suddenly seemed too restrictive. Her throat tightened around the single word, "Soji," as darkness overtook her.

***

Soji sat beside her sister on the bed. For the first time since they had discovered Lano dead, she knew true fear. Worse this time. Because while the other woman had been a mentor, a guide, a mother of sorts, Rata was her sister. Her equal, a peer. The one person with whom she could share everything. 

Adjusting her gown to cover the marks that Versil had left upon her breasts, well almost everything, she thought. The fact that her precious sister did not like the man she loved has always bothered her. Versil had put it down to simple jealousy. Suggested that perhaps Rata's feelings for her went deeper than sisterhood, deeper than was becoming a priestess of the goddess. 

But Soji knew better. Her sister might not enjoy certain aspects of their position as priestesses the way that she did, but she knew it was not because she hated men. No, her sister simply craved the same thing that she did. Intimacy. True intimacy that went far deeper than their fleshly duties, than the power of the goddess that they transferred to their lovers. Power that was taken but never given in return. Not even with Versil, she reluctantly admitted to herself. 

That could wait. Those thoughts never got her anywhere anyway. They were High Priestesses of the goddess. They knew their duties and their place. To wish for anything more was simply futile. At worst, it was a sin against the loving and nurturing goddess whom they were destined since birth to serve. And sins like that came at a high price. 

Soji brushed the damp cloth across her sister's face. It was contorted once more in pain. Or was it fear. The woman tossed about the bed so violently that Soji feared she would fall off, do herself more damage. Occasionally, she cried out. Grabbled words that made no sense. Except the few screams of the single word, "No!" It was this sign of life that Soji held onto. She could not lose her sister. The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

It was pointless. They had been ministering to her for hours. Soothing her heated forehead with the cool waters of the goddess, but none of it made any difference. She and Mya had tried singing softly, a healing chant, but that only seemed to agitate her more. 

Instead she turned to the tall figure of the blond man that hunkered against the far wall. "Tsu, what happened? Tell me. Exactly!" 

The man looked down at his boots, scuffed them against the stone floor as he shifted from foot to foot nervously. Silence hung in the still air for several long moments before he finally spoke. Soji strained to hear him, he spoke so softly that she could barely hear him across the distance. "I do not know."

Soji felt rage well up inside of her. Felt its power surge from her toes, up through the ancient fountain of the goddess, to erupt out her mouth. "What do you mean you do not know, Tsu? Are you not her primary? Is it not you in whom the goddess has entrusted her care?" 

The man shrugged his shoulders, "She was pacing the balcony when I left. Another of her nightmares I suppose. How was I to know that she would leave her chambers unprotected?"

"Because it is your friggin' job to know," Soji spat at the man, who until now she had trusted with her sister's care. He had never before given any sign that he was anything other than a devoted and caring primary, mindful of his mistress's needs, diligent to his duties to guard, protect and care for a priestess. But Rata was not just any priestess. She was the High Priestess of the water and she deserved more. 

"Where were you? What was so much more important than caring properly for your mistress?" she demanded as she stood and crossed the room. Though she was over a full faylon shorter than the man, she knew that her position was intimidating in itself. Her anger even more so. 

The man took a single step back and bit his lower lip for a moment as if searching for some explanation worthy of the situation. When he replied, Soji found herself shaking at the callousness of his words. "I was with the priestess Larca."

"You were where?" Soji demanded. Her palm seemed to itch with the desire to smack him, to knock some sense into his head. 

"It is not like she has need of me. Rata is strong. Independent. For a woman like her the office of primary is nothing more than show," he defended his actions.

Soji waved her arms towards the bed and her sister's unconscious form, "Does that look like strength to you, Tsu? Does she look like she had no use of your protection? Maybe, the problem is not that my sister does not have need of you. Maybe the problem is that you are not worthy of her."

"I am sorry, High Priestess," was the only answer that the man gave.

Soji wanted to banish him, remove him from his office of primary and send him from the temple. Cast him out to make his way as a mercenary for the highest bidder. It was what usually became of disgraced primaries. No decent family would ever entrust their care to a man that had failed in his duties to protect a priestess of the goddess. How could they? 

But that was not her place. Rata had selected the man. And until this moment, Soji had thought her sweet sister had chosen well. Tsu had always seemed to dote upon his mistress. But this turn of events brought all of that into question. She wondered what else she took for granted that was not as it seemed. 

The ground beneath her shook for a moment. She would have even fallen were it not for the gentle hand that reached out to steady her. She turned to give her thanks only to see the soft face of Rata's acolyte. The boy's name escaped her. Although she supposed he could no longer be considered a boy. Young man would be more like it. 

He was almost as tall as Tsu. But unlike the older man, he wore little of the softness of age about his midsection. His muscles showed a burnished glow in the soft light of early evening. Yes, he was definitely no longer a boy. She would speak to Rata later. It was well past time that the young man be given a charge of his own. A lesser priestess for whom he might prove himself as primary. But that would have to wait. "Thank you," was her only response as she turned her attention back to Tsu and the situation at hand.

"So who did find her? Who was watching your mistress while you toyed with a lesser woman?" she spat the accusation with all of the vitriol inside her. Regardless of what her sister decided, the man would never again have her respect or trust. She would watch him. Watch him closely.

"I did, High Priestess," came the soft reply from behind her. She threw one final look of disdain at Tsu before she turned back to the young man whose presence had taken her by surprise. She studied him again for a moment. Recognizing then why her sister had not done her duty by him. 

Yes, it would be hard to release that kind of devotion, pass it along to another as she was supposed to do. Thinking about her own stolen moments with Versil, she wondered just how far her sweet sister had gone down this road. Perhaps Tsu was right, perhaps she did not have need of him, perhaps her sweet sister was not as cold as her lover thought. Perhaps it merely took someone as devoted as her acolyte.

"Your name?" she commanded. "Leamus, High Priestess," he said as he bowed at the waist in deference.

"Tell me what happened," she demanded. 

The young man hesitated for several long moments. He looked back at the bed where his mistress lay tossing. Another loud scream rent the silence as if Rata sensed something important. Soji too knew then that whatever story came from the young man's mouth would be only half the truth. 

He turned back to her reluctantly, "I knew that my captain was not around. So when the High Priestess got dressed and left her chamber I followed. I know I should not have. That it is not my place to do so. I just thought," he paused, looking at the man, who was charged with his training. "I guess I thought some protection was better than none at all." 

Soji saw the anger flash in the older man's eyes. It was mirrored in the younger's. Yes, she would speak to Rata soon. It was no longer just an issue of it being past time for her to release the young man. The animosity building between these two men could be explosive. 

"Wise decision obviously, Leamus." She knew that she was agitating turbulent waters but she did not care in that moment. Tsu deserved much worse as far as she was concerned. "Continue."

The younger man looked the ground as he spoke. "My mistress was headed for your chambers, High Priestess. She ran into Councilor Versil in the corridor. They spoke for a few moments." 

The young man's voice drop low and Soji recognized the lie. "I could not hear what they said. When the Councilor walked on, the High Priestess tripped somehow. She fell. I do not think she hit her head, but I could not get to her fast enough. I am sorry, High Priestess. I should have done better. Done more. Been there faster. I shall never forgive myself if..." His voice trailed off as he looked back to his mistress.

Soji reached out her hand, placing it comfortingly on his shoulder. "Rata will be fine," she reassured with far more confidence than she truly felt. "I know that you did your best and I am certain that your mistress appreciates your efforts. You took a risk to protect her. I know that you held back because you did not want anyone to see you. Misinterpret your actions. You did well. You have proven yourself a wise and true acolyte. I will speak to my sister when she is better. Have her release so you can be assigned a charge of your own to protect and cherish."

The young man shook his head violently at her words, "No, High Priestess. That is not necessary. I am not ready," he stammered.

Soji looked between the men, "Oh, you are more than ready, Leamus. You know you charge far better than some much older and supposedly wiser." She could not resist a final dig at the man, whose duty it had been to protect and cherish the precious gifts of her sister, "Do you not agree, Tsu?"

***

Mya watched the interactions from beside her elder sister. She had sat quietly by her side as it all unfolded. But she was the High Priestess of the air and as young and inadequate as she was for the post, even she could feel the strife, animosity and anger that hung in it. She squeezed her unconscious sister's hand as if seeking some guidance.

"Perhaps if we took her to the pools," she ventured, trying to distract the three adversaries as much as she sought a real solution to her sister's dire situation. "Perhaps the waters will heal and restore her."

Soji turned to her with that smile. The one that her sisters always gave her when she suggested something. The one that said they were surprised at her. The one that made her feel even more a fake.

"Of course, that is exactly what we should do. Why did I not think of it sooner?" The elder priestess turned then, capturing the suggestion as her own as she began to direct people like they were puppets. "Leamus, would you collect the priestesses of the water? Tell them to meet us at the healing pools as quickly as they can."

Soji looked towards her and was about to say something when she suddenly turned back to the young man, "Not Larca. She will be reassigned to me."

Tsu stepped forward as if to say something. Mya held her breath. It was not wise to mess with Soji when she got like this. Rock could as easily crush as it could be solid ground upon which to plant your feet. She sent a silent prayer to the goddess that the man remembers that. One that seemed to be answered as he bowed his head and asked, "What of me, High Priestess? What may I do?"

Soji and Mya took measure of the man. For the first time, the valiant warrior seemed lacking in their eyes. "We shall need your help carrying her. If you think you can manage your job without distractions that is? Decide now where your loyalties lay, Tsu. You will not get another chance, that much I promise you."

Mya shook her head. If Rata's waters could be destructive when stirred, Soji's rock was a thing to truly fear. Her beloved eldest sister might be slow to move, but when her ground shook all trembled in fear. And rightly so. Rightly so. 

More dangerous yet was the realization that perhaps for the first time ever, Soji would not be able to bank her sister's waters. Just as earthquakes triggered tsunamis so might Soji's anger further agitate Rata. It was not a pleasant thought.

It was not the first time in the past hundred years that Mya had wished her other mother was here to offer the wisdom and comfort that they all needed. But it was perhaps the most desperate. She tried hard to calm her own winds that she felt battering about them all. Uncertainty. Betrayal. Anger. Fear. She felt them all batter her spirit. 




Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 02



She closed her eyes and reached for the goddess. Well, not the goddess herself. She had never felt truly worthy of such a thing. But she sought the next best thing, Lano. She tried hard to imagine what her other mother would say and do in this situation. And she came away empty. Nothing. She was nothing. But that lost little girl. Fatherless and now motherless too. 

She felt her own winds rising. The winds of doubt. Not just doubt in herself. That she was accustomed to by now. No, this was far, far worse. Doubts in the goddess herself. Why would anything, any being, choose someone so inadequate as her for such a position of wisdom and power? And if the goddess could not be trusted to select a priestess worthy of her, what else could she not be trusted with? 

Her sister's body shook violently upon the bed, drawing her back from her thoughts. The woman seemed to be genuinely convulsing in some sort of fit now. But even as she did the most blood curdling screams erupted like lava from her mouth. "NO," seemed to echo off the walls of her bedchamber and fill the whole temple with fear and dread. 

Mya trembled as she wondered for the first time if they were going to lose their precious sister as they had their other mother. 

***

Soji rushed to her sister's side. Drawing her hand up and placing it over her heart even as she watched Mya mirror her actions. She saw the doubts and insecurities that always seemed to lurk just behind her little sister's eyes. But now was no time for those. "Help me, please," she begged. "Focus and help me save her, sister mine." 

The younger woman nodded as tears began to flow down her cheeks. Soji felt the scalding heat of her own as they trekked down her cheeks. "That's right, cry sweet sisters. Tears. Water of the goddess to cleanse and heal," they chanted together. She focused all of her energy upon her sister.

Then it hit her. The screams were deafening. Blood was everywhere. Bodies lay strewn about them. The alter of the goddess was shattered. And they huddled together...the three of them. Once powerful, now powerless to stop it. And together they cried for mercy... 



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 03



Rata came awake slowly. The first thing she noticed were the warm waters lapping at her skin. She smiled and relaxed back into its welcoming and healing depths. That was when she noticed the soft gentle embrace. The ample breasts pillowed her throbbing head. Breasts that had comforted her for hundreds of cycles. 

It took all of her effort to force her heavy eyelids open. She blinked several times as even the dim light of the candles that were the only light permitted in the caves underneath the temple sent shards of glass through her head. She winced and closed her eyes again, resting for a couple more moments before attempting it once more. 

The pain was still there but this time she expected it and fought her way through it. Rata was never short on sheer will, it was the nature of her waters. When she decided upon a course of action, few things could stop her waters from flowing. She forced herself to smile up into the pale teal eyes of her sister, her best friend, her lover. 

"Greetings, sweet sister of the waters," Rata was startled by the formality of Soji's greeting, the confusion sent more splinters shooting through her brain. "You had us scared, Rata."

Rata tried to nod her head but the pain stopped any movement. A thousand questions skittered through her head like sunflies in the temple gardens, but none seemed to light upon the flowers of her consciousness. She focused her eyes in the dim light and noted that her younger sister was there next to her as well. This did not bode well, she realized. 

Gathering all of her strength she forced words from her mouth. "What happened?" The weak whisper that cracked on each word shocked even her. She recognized for the first time just how dire the situation must have been.

Soji slowly shook her dark red tresses, which were darker from the water. Following her sister's movement was painful too. Everything seemed painful. 

"We do not know, sister. You left your chambers unescorted. You must have been coming to mine because Leamus followed you and found you in the corridors outside my chambers. You were having some type of fit," Rata could see the concern itched into her friends beautiful face. 

She wanted to say or do something to reassure her, but the way she felt at this moment, she knew any reassurance would be false. And lies were beneath priestesses of the goddess, forbidden High Priestesses. The penalties were high and at the moment Rata did not need to deal with an angry goddess. 

"He raised the alarm. Carried you to your rooms," Rata furrowed her brows. Her acolyte had touched her? It was unheard of. Carried her? Only her primary was afforded such intimacy. Well, her primary and Councilor Mij, but it had been many cycles since he had sought communion with the goddess through her. 

"Why?" she used all her strength to force the single word from her lips.

She watched as darkness covered her sister's countenance. Unlike her, Soji was slow to anger. But once her enmity was earned it burned as bright as Tavia's red giant sun. Certainly what Leamus had done was unorthodox, but the young man that had been with her since he was barely more than a suckling would not have done it except in the most dire of circumstances. 

As it always did, her protective nature rose to defend him, where she could not fight through the pain for herself, she did in his defensive, "He would not, I am sure he felt he had no other choice," she stammered. It was weak, but her mind still could not form coherent thoughts. She would speak of it again with her sister when she recovered.

Soji smiled softly and brushed a strand of her hair back from her forehead, Rata had note even noticed it before then. "No, I know. That young man did quite well actually. He has earned his place as a primary."

Tightness settled over Rata's chest at her sister's words. She knew this day was coming. If she were honest, knew that she should have released the young man from his vows several cycles ago. Placed some younger, lesser priestess into his care as primary. He was more than ready, had been for some time. 

But every time she thought of not having his presence near her, well, it was not to be considered. She was High Priestess of the waters. She knew her place and her duties. There was simply no place in service of the goddess for her wants, her needs. 

As much as it pained her, she nodded and whispered, "Yes, he is ready." She blamed the mist that covered her vision upon the pain in her head, certainly not the one in her heart. There was no room in her heart for anything or anyone other than the goddess. Duties to their goddess and her sisters that was her existence, all there had ever been and all there ever would be. 

As if sensing her pain, Mya squeezed her hand softly. Their youngest sister had such a presence about her, such power, far greater than either hers or Soji. If only the girl would trust in her own gifts, see herself as the goddess saw her, as she truly was. The most talented and powerful among them. 

And that power flowed over her then. Its gentle breeze aiding the lapping waters to heal and restore as she leaned into the embrace of her rock, her solid ground. They remained like that for several long moments, communing with the goddess through soft caresses, gentle kisses, as if each gave thanks to the goddess for their special bonds. 

Rata was beginning to feel the healing powers of the goddess restoring and rejuvenating her. It arced between them like the magic that was their goddess. Multiplying and growing with each shared kiss or touch. She smiled softly up into the loving eyes of her sisters, the first genuine smile. "Thank you, both," she whispered as she squeezed their hands beneath her waters.

Mya returned the soft smile and squeezed her hand in return. But when she looked into Soji's eyes, there were darkened with emotion, "Why did you not tell us?"

Her words broke the dam of memories. It all came flooding back then. Versil's words flowed over her like a powerful tsunami. She automatically drew back from the touch of her beloved sister as if she was somehow tainted by the man's hatred. The pain rushed over her, as strong as before. Worse. For she feared for the first time that they were all well and truly lost...and she was powerless to do anything.

***

Soji felt her sister's withdrawal to the depths of her soul. Their lives and destinies had been entwined for practically their whole lives. Even having seen bits and pieces of the burden that Rata bore, she could not believe that her beloved sister of the spirit had not come to her, brought this burden to her, shared the pain. Perhaps that was what she was doing this rising.

"Why did you not tell us sooner? The vision," she repeated the question.

Rata shook her head and scooted to the rock ledge that ran around the edge of the pools. Her head was down and she remained silent for so long that Soji feared her question would remain unanswered. When she did finally speak, the women had to lean in to hear her trembling voice.

"The first dream was several moons ago. I thought it was just some nightmare, evil spirit or perhaps even a punishment from the goddess," Soji nodded, remembering the time her sister spoke about. She had thought perhaps it was nothing more than blockage of the goddess's energies. 

She knew that Mij no longer sought Rata's counsel. And well, obviously now, she knew that Tsu was not fulfilling his duties as primary. Of course, they were free to seek their release alone, together or even with other men should they choose. But as Versil intimated she had never known her beloved sister to actually do so.

But the fact that her beloved had born this pain alone for so long still worried her, "And what of when it came back?" she questioned.

Rata shook her head slowly, "I do not know. I did not want to worry you needlessly I suppose. I kept looking for a meaning, some way of altering," her voice cracked as tears trekked slowly down her almost translucent skin until they dropped into the pool, mixing with the healing waters. "Some way to change what is to come, I suppose."

"Oh, sister, why would you do that alone for so long? That is what we are here for. To share the burdens as well as the blessings. Together we are stronger than any of us alone. You know that. So again I ask, why? Why would you of all people do that, Rata?"

The tears ran faster now as her beloved sister shook her head, "I don't know. Mya is so young. I guess I just did not want her burdened with the ugliness of it. And you? Well, you have been busy of late. I did not want to bother you. I thought that once I had the answers then we could," she sighed and was quiet for a long moment. 

"I do not know. I was wrong." Rata looked from one to the other as she fought back more tears, "I am sorry. So very sorry. I should have come to you both. Before," the words hung in the air unspoken.

But Soji caught them in her spirit...before it was too late. She refused to believe them. Refused to believe that the carnage she had seen in the vision could not be stopped. They were the High Priestesses of the goddess. Rock, water and air, they controlled the elements themselves. They would find a way. Some way to protect the temple, their people, their way of life itself. Their goddess would never abandon them like that. Never. 

***

Mya watched the two women. She had never felt so alone, so left out, so inadequate. Rata's words played like bad music in her mind..."so young...burden her." She had always known that they considered her not up to this important job, but never had either voiced it. Not until now. 

She supposed given what sketches she caught of vision, she could understand why Rata had not come to her. And the fact that she had not gone to Soji either lessened the sting of betrayal just a bit. But not enough to stifle the growth of self-doubt that had long since been planted and grew unchecked in her mind. 

She was the High Priestess of the air and wind, yet she was not. She was little more than a child playing grown up. A little girl dressing in the robes of her dear other mother, trying to hold onto a piece of her magic, her memory. 

And failing, always failing. Why now, she questioned the goddess. If only Lano were here, they might have found some way to stop what was to come. But with the growing distance that she sensed between her sisters and her own inexperience, she held no faith that they could hold back the tide, this flood of disaster that seemed destined to destroy them all. She only prayed the goddess would be mercifully quick in their destruction. 

***

Soji sat in her chamber. A lump of clay began to take form on the wheel between her thighs. She prayed to the goddess that this time she got it right. A hundred times this rising she had begun a bowl, a vase, anything. Usually the feel of wet, solid earth between her fingers comforted her troubled mind, but not this day. Each time she began a creation it collapsed, was misshapen somehow, imperfect. Just as she was imperfect. 

Rata was recovering, slowly it seemed. Mya was more withdrawn than ever. And she? Well, she was distracted in her own right. Versil had not been to her since that rising. While he did not seek her every day, this was unusual. She knew of course that he was busy. 

Busier than usual. He had told her of the treaty he sought to make with the Morians. An alliance that would give Tavia access to technology well beyond any it had ever known...the ability to travel to the stars beyond its scarlet clouds even. And as he suggested perhaps the guidance of the goddess and her priestesses could temper some of the aggressive nature of the other species. 

He had suggested that should they finalize the treaty a celebration was in order. A tribunal with the priestesses, the Council of Three and Morian leaders. It was something that had never been done, taking one that was not their own into communion. But Versil pointed out, how better to seal the new bonds between them than this special blessing of the goddess? So why did the idea make her so uneasy? 

Her thoughts were cut off as Rata threw open the door to her private chambers and barged in like a Tavian boar in heat. Soji smiled at first. The color was back in her sweet sister's cheeks but perhaps a bit too much she thought with a frown. She almost knew what her friend would say before she opened her mouth.

"What do you mean reassigning Larca to your priestesses? And giving her Leamus as a primary? You had not right. Just because I was unwell you cannot come into my chambers stealing my priestesses and acolytes?" she raged like a river after a storm, swelling and breaking it banks.

Soji knew this day was coming, had sought some explanation since making the decision. But still she had come up empty. How could she explain her actions without revealing the truth of Tsu's betrayal? Her concerns for the young acolyte under a commander whose animosity he had earned. A priestess who had stepped beyond her station to consort with the primary of her superior. It was a treacherous path with rocks upon which to stumble and fall at every turn.

***

Rata watched the guilt and concern play across her sister's face. The woman had never been good at hiding her emotions, especially not from the one person that knew her best. A bit of her anger dissipated. Of course, Soji would want to protect her, misguided as it was.

"Did you honestly think I did not know what happens in my own chambers? Did you think I would not know when my primary went dipping his sword in my own priestess? I do not care." 

Soji's eyes widened with shock, "How could you not care? He is your primary. Your protector and comforter. His first priority should always be you, sweet sister. Why would you allow anything less?"

Rata felt the weakness returning, the weakness that she had battled for several risings. She walked slowly and sat on the end of her sister's bed. A bed that they had often shared. But a bed that Soji now shared with Versil. Rata felt alone. Utterly and truly alone. Without even the comfort of his presence. 

"I am not like you, sweet sister. I do my duty to our goddess. I send forth my energies as she wills. I have healed and counseled as she commands. I know my duties and I do them," she sought her sister's eyes before she continued. "I am not like you though. I find no true pleasure in my duties. No connection with those I serve. So when Tsu sought comfort in Larca's embrace, it was almost a relief," she hung her head, afraid that her sister would see the moisture that clouded her vision. 

It was the first time that she had admitted the truth, even to herself. She was broken. There was something terribly wrong with her. A High Priestess of the goddess who never experienced the joy of communion. Oh, her body fulfilled its purposes, worked as the goddess willed. The energy of life flowed from her into her charges. But never did it return. Never did she experience the true gift of life and love. Her heart as barren as her womb. It had been her darkest secret, her deepest shame.

She felt the bed shift as Soji sat next to her. Felt the soft embrace of her arm about her shoulder. "Oh, sweet sister, I do not believe that." Soji brushed hair back from her face, lifted her chin to stare into her eyes, her soul. "Tell me, what really angered you? You say that you knew of Larca and Tsu. That you do not care. But the way you stormed into my chamber you cared about something. You cared deeply."

Rata bit her lower lip, tried to turn her head away from her sister. She did not want to look her in the eye, did not want her to see the weakness in her soul, the sin. "It was the way it was done. Without talking with me first."

Soji laughed, "No, no, it was not. It is him. Leamus. Oh, you feel passion, sweet sister. With your turbulent waters, probably far more than either I or Mya ever will. Have you taken him as a secondary? Did you indoctrinate him?"

The anger returned at her words. Whether it was from knowing that her sin was revealed or the woman's accusation, she did not know or care to examine at the moment. And she lashed out with all the pain and anger inside of her, uncaring the damage her surging waters might cause. 

"No, of course not. The boy is an acolyte. That is disgusting that you would even suggest it. I am not like you. I am not controlled by my lusts," she spat.

"It is not forbidden you know. Priestesses have often indoctrinated acolytes. Even without their commander's permission, without the rites of passage."

Rata should have been pleased that her sister had remained unmoved by her angry words but instead it only fueled the raging waters more. "Priestesses maybe. But you, sweet sister, seem to forget that we are no longer mere priestesses. We are High Priestesses of the goddess. Whom we gift our blessings upon matter. With our powers come great responsibilities. Our bodies and our hearts are not our own to toss about to any man whose sword catches our fancy. We have a duty to guard them well."

Soji drew back at her cruel words. Rata knew that she should make a hasty retreat, draw back like the tides always did, but once her waters were unleashed there was little she could do to stem their flow. No matter the destruction they wrought.

"And next time you think to go messing in my chambers take a look at your own first. Do you know where your precious Versil has been these past three risings? Did you think the cocky spawn of darkness was off dipping his sword in his pious wife's fountain of the goddess? Come on, now that he has her wealth, the power of her family name and his heirs, she is no more use to him than you will be one day. No, your precious lover has been friggin' your priestess. Don't believe me? Ask Cinki's primary, who has replaced him in her bed."

***

Mya had felt the winds of discord blowing. She had little doubt from which direction they blew. They were easy enough to follow. But when she stepped through the open door in Soji's private chamber she was assailed with the anger. The hurt. The betrayal. It turned her stomach. Made her soul sick. 

The two most beautiful women she knew, women she had looked up to for two hundred cycles, women she had communed with, women she loved, stood facing one another. Their faces were contorted in hatred. Their very presence as dark and dangerous as it had once been light and loving. 

"Stop it," she screamed. "Stop it both of you. Who the frig do you think you are? You are not petty under priestesses fighting over the best chambers or a primary. You are the High Priestesses of the goddess. And in case you have forgotten a storm is coming. A storm unlike anything we have ever known."

Mya felt her own winds blowing. Left a surge of power unlike any that she had ever known as she continued, "And look at the two of you. Instead of leading, you are fighting. Maybe it is not some outside force we need to fear. Maybe the trouble is within these very walls. Maybe the two of you are no more fit to be her servants than I am."

Tears flowed down her cheeks as Mya gave the stunned women a final glance before turning and running as fast as she could to the solitude of her own chambers. By the time she reached them, she collapsed on the bed as great sobs erupted from her souls. "Oh, Lano, I need you so much, other mother. We all need you," she cried futilely.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 04



Rata dropped onto the bed next to Soji. All anger fled her turbulent mind as quickly as it had come. "Oh sweet goddess, she's right you know."

Soji nodded her head through tears. Rata loathed herself that she was the cause of her sister's pain. That as usual she had struck out in anger without thought of how her actions might harm others. That her flood waters had yet again broken their banks and destroyed that which was most precious to her. She could not remember the last time that she and Soji had fought. She was certain there was one. There had to be. They had been friends and sisters too long not to have disagreed over something. But never something like this, never this bad. Never had she hurt Soji as she had this rising.

She extended her hand slowly and Soji's met her half way, their fingers lacing together in mid-air. "I'm so sorry," she whispered as she looked into her sister's eyes that glistened with tears and pain.

Soji shook her head, "I know, sweet sister. I am sure that you wanted only to protect me as I did you. I am sorry too. I should have spoken to you before I had Leamus reassigned."

Rata chuckled, "And what of Larca? What of stealing my priestess?"

Soji laughed out right then, her fingers squeezing Rata's. "The girl never mattered to you, we both know that. But since, you mentioned the affront, perhaps you wish to choose one of my priestesses in return. It does seem only fair."

She smiled as she recognized the offer for what it was, "Of course, sweet sister, I believe that Cinki might do nicely, do you not?"

Soji winked conspiratorially, "A wise choice as always." She dropped her head for a moment as if choosing her words wisely, something that Rata rarely did, and something she wished she had done this rising especially. When Soji looked back up at her, she was worrying her lower lip. "I am sorry about Leamus. But I honestly was thinking of the young man."

She paused a moment as if digging even deeper for a delicate way to broach the subject, "Tsu is not the man we thought him, Rata. He is greedy for the glory and privileges of his office, being primary of a High Priestess suits his needs. But he lacks the maturity to manage the responsibilities that come with it."

Rata nodded. Soji was not telling her anything that she herself did not know. She had found her primary lacking for some time. If she were honest, she had always found the man lacking. But she had thought the fault lay in her. The defect of the goddess that held her suspended, a detached vessel to be used, but never to actually partake of the true power which flowed through it. But if her sister could see these things, perhaps it was more than just her cold nature that sent the man scurrying for her priestess's bed. 

"I know," she admitted reluctantly.

Soji nodded her head as she continued, "When you had the fit, it was Leamus that found you. The boy had followed you from your chambers, because he knew his commander was with her and that you were unguarded," she paused and allowed her words to sink in. Rata frowned, why had he taken such a risk? An acolyte accompanying his mistress was unheard of, scandalous even.

As if she could read her mind, her sister answered the question, "He said he figured that some protection was better than none." Soji reached up and brushed the burnished red hair back from Rata's face, "The boy loves you as deeply as you do him, sweet sister."

Rata shook her head in denial. Love. It was a word that was as foreign as the battle cries that haunted her dreams. Certainly as a High Priestess she was the embodiment of the goddess's love and healing. But love as a feeling, an emotion. Especially the love between a man and a woman of which her sister spoke, it was as forbidden to a High Priestess as the boy himself. 

"Tsu knows it and my guess is that he knows how you feel to. When Leamus overstepped his place to protect you, he earned Tsu's enmity." Soji lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, "I did what I did to protect the boy more than anything else, sweet sister. I know you would not want anything happening to him."

Rata nodded her head, "Of course, I would not. Thank you, Soji. Thank you for doing what I did not have the strength to do."

Soji smiled, "Unless of course, you wish to renounce your primary and promote the young man. He would make a far more worthy consort for a High Priestess."

Rata pulled back at her sister's words, shocked until she saw the twinkle in her eye and recognized the teasing laughter that lay just beneath the surface. "Of course, and perhaps by way of indoctrination we should all celebrate with a tribunal?"

Soji laughed, "It would certainly be an indoctrination the boy would never forget. It would either kill him or make him a man to be reckoned with that is for certain. Assuming that greedy little cunny Larca had not overlooked traditions and done the dirty deed already."

Rata knew her sister referred to the moon cycle during which it was customary for a priestess to get to know her new primary without the encumbrance of communion, a courtship of sorts. But what bothered Rata most was not that her primary had lain with the woman, or even abandoned his duty to do so. What bothered her was the almost violent way that her stomach turned at the thought of the younger priestess indoctrinating Leamus. 

She frowned as another thought occurred, "But if Tsu is already jealous of Leamus will not giving him to his lover as primary make him more so?"

Soji nodded, "I realize that too, but like you I too have a dark side when crossed. I shall never forget what Tsu did to you when he abandoned you, sweet sister. This move is perhaps a bit of my vengeance for that. To give his secondary to the man, who had bested him once already, should sting Tsu's pride enough to keep him in line."

Rata shook her head, "I am not sure it is wise. What if it is more than a casual secondary that Tsu feels for Larca? Will his anger not burn brighter at the man, who took not just the woman he is duty bound too but the one he loves as well?"

Soji inhaled deeply, "I gave Tsu a choice that rising. He chose to remain with you. Granted it may be that it is the power of his station as primary of the High Priestess that kept him at your side, but whatever his reason he chose you. If that is truly the case then he needs to forsake his alliance with the priestess and do a much better job of fulfilling his duties to you. Has he?"

Rata looked down at her bare feet against the cold stone floor. "I have not felt up to it," she lied. The truth was that she had not felt up to seeking her release in the arms of her primary for a long time. 

The man had become little more than a trapping of her station. If Tsu used her and her position to his advantage, she too used him as a cover of sorts for her inadequacies. They both were living a lie. It was why she had not objected when he sought the bed of another. If she could no longer meet his needs, it seemed only fair to allow him to find release elsewhere...and for a time it had worked.

But times were changing in ways that none of them had control of. And that scared Rata more than anything. For as fast moving and unpredictable as her waters could be, the High Priestess hated uncertainty and change as much as anyone. 

***

Soji felt the disquiet in her sister's soul. She knew that there was much more to this story than she knew. But then again if what her beloved sister said was true, and she had no reason to doubt it, even in her worst mood she knew that Rata would never lie. So if Versil had been in Cinki's bed these past few risings then she certainly had no room to judge the mess that her sister had made of her household. 

She frowned. If she had lost Versil's interest, what then? Of course, she remained duty bound by her position to serve as the man's counselor, his line to the goddess for communion. But she knew that Mij had not sought out such communion with Rata in many cycles. Of course, the man still came regularly to the temple, spoke with devotion to the High Priestess that had served him since he rose to the Council of Three, but the most scared duties of the office had long since been forsaken. 

She suspected too that Lapu did not seek such communion from Mya either. Of course, there was a very good reason for that. The man had been deeply in love with Lano. A love that was an open secret. A love that she suspected had been returned by the woman that was their mentor and other mother. Why she had not forsaken them all, her duties to be with the man Soji would never understand. If Versil ever asked, she stopped herself. That line of thought would get her nowhere. Especially in light of her sister's revelation. 

"I am sorry, sweet sister," Soji felt Rata squeezing her fingers and looked up, realizing that tears clouded her vision as she looked at her sister. "You know I would never mean to hurt you. I should not have said anything. Kept my waters in check and my mouth shut."

Soji chuckled, "You never keep your waters in check, sweet sister. That is the job of your primary and he is not up to it. And it is best that I know the truth. That we all know the truth, is it not?"

Rata nodded her head, "The truth is that our little sister is right. A storm unlike anything we have ever known is almost upon us and we are fighting one another. Our own houses are a mess, falling apart around us. Some High Priestesses of the goddess we are, uh?"

"Oh sweet goddess, Mya. What are we going to do about her? She is so disappointed in us?" Soji wondered aloud. 

Rata leaned in slowly, "I can think of one thing that would serve us all well, sweet sister." Rata's lips brushed softly back and forth over hers. Passion ignited in the depths of her fountain. Not the same unbridled passion that she felt when Versil sought her bed, dipped his mighty sword inside of her. No, this passion was soft, sweet, comforting. Familiar. The sweet communion of the goddess that only her priestesses shared with one another. 

Soji softly caressed her sister's cheek as she deepened the kiss. Her tongue danced across her sister's, the same tongue whose words had brought her such pain, now offered her the sweetest of solace. She drew back reluctantly with a sigh. Her body was alive with the energy of their goddess, desire flowed through her. "I think that is an excellent idea, dear sister." Lacing their fingers together in union, she stood and drew Rata up with her. "I think it is past time that the High Priestesses of the goddess seek their communion, together." 

***

Mya's sobs had quieted to gentle hiccups that came sporadically, but her mind remained turbulent. She had sought Lano's counsel through all the tears. Tears that Rata assured them all were the soul's water, cleansing and healing. But they did neither. She was as lost and alone as she always had been. 

Lano was gone. With the goddess herself, unreachable to mere mortals, even High Priestesses. Her sisters, who should have lead and guided her, were fighting one another. And the vision that they had shared with Rata during the healing, it now haunted her dreams as well. So many were dead, others lay dying. The alter broken into thousands of pieces, destroyed, shattered as her faith was now. 

She wondered if she ever truly had that thing called faith. When she came to this place, she remembered Lano drawing her into her chambers that first night, her chambers now. She had held her as she cried, cried as she did now. Then she had told her the story of her birth, the full truth that her father had never even shared with her.

Oh, he had told her how special she was to him, how he and her mother were lovers of their youth, having known sweet communion only with one another. He told her how they had tried for a child for so long, but how her mother had been unable to conceive. He had even told her that in desperation her mother had sought the blessing of the goddess through her priestesses. What he had not told her was what that blessing entailed.

That burden had been Lano's to reveal. Her mother had come to this place, something women did not do, though it was not forbidden. It was just that women did not need to seek communion with the goddess in the same way, since each carried within her a fountain of the goddess, though not blessed in the same way as a priestess was. 

Mya laughed sardonically, was it a blessing? What she had witnessed of the temple and life here, she was no longer certain. Love and healing that was given it seemed to others, but rarely returned in any small measure. Used endlessly, but seldom valued for the precious gifts that they gave so freely. Hearts that never truly knew the power of their own gifts. Wombs that were forever closed to the greatest manifestation of the goddess's love, life itself.

That was what had driven her other mother, the emptiness inside the woman whom had borne her called to that same emptiness inside the High Priestess who has raised her and become her other mother. When she had seen the woman's pain, listened to her pleas upon the alter, she had felt power surge up inside of her, she said. Knew that she held the key to healing, knew that she could open the fountain of the goddess and allow life to flow into it, even if such things were forbidden to her as a priestess.

The details of what that healing entailed still boggled Mya's mind. At times she wondered why her other mother had shared such intimate information with her. Sometimes she thought it was perhaps to comfort that lost little girl, assure her that another missed the man that had raised and protected her for so long. But now? Now she was never sure of anything.

The truth was that Lano had taken them both into her chambers. Shared sweet communion with the couple. Been as much a part of her conception as the mother who had carried her in her womb or the father who had seeded her. The High Priestess of the air had for a time forsaken her duties to her councilor and her own primary. Had instead channeled all of the power of the goddess within her into the couple. And by the time that they left these chambers Mya grew in the other woman's womb.

But Lano had always asserted, she was as much her child as she was theirs. Her other mother always believed that she had passed along her gifts to the babe, destined her for this life and this office from the moment that she first tasted her mother's lips or touched her father's sword. 

The bitter sweet way in which Lano shared the story had always left Mya feeling as if her other mother was apologizing for passing along some burden, some curse as much as welcoming her into her heart and her confidence. And this rising that had never seemed more true. Their world was crumbling about them and they fought one another.

Another sob made its way up from deep inside her troubled soul. Just as it would have erupted forth in anguish she felt the gentle hands upon her shoulders, rubbing and soothing as a mother might her young. She did not need to roll over to know those touches. Her sisters. The only beings who had ever touched her in such a way. The only ones whose comfort she sought. 

It was Soji, whose ample breasts were first pressed against her back, as she leaned in and placed soft kisses along her neck, brushing her red hair back softly as she did. But it was Rata's sweet voice that washed over her like the healing pool lapping sweetly at her battered soul, "We are sorry, sweet sister of our hearts." Mya turned in their arms, opening her own for them, welcoming the healing communion that they offered. 

Soji smiled down at her as she brushed tears from her left cheek, "You are right, little sister. We should have known better. Should have done better by you."

Rata's hand caressed slowly down her chest, squeezing her ample breast, not tightly, more like the temple baker would with the soft dough that he kneaded gently until it rose high, as Mya's nipple did under her lover's touch. "We are here now, sweet Mya." Her red head bent slowly until her lips touched the puckered pink flesh that ached and yearned for her caress. "So friggin' sweet. You are always so friggin' sweet little sister."

Mya cried out as her sister's mouth drew the turgid peak deep into the warm welcome of her mouth. She suckled softly upon it, just as Mya imagined a child would, had this blessing of the goddess been equally a curse that closed her womb forever to that which she longed for most. Soji kissed a gentle trail down her cheek licking each tear away, following the wet trail along her neck.

Rata's pale lavender eyes that matched her waters glowed with the depths of passion as she raised her head from its sweet ministry. Mya cried out with the emptiness that she felt, her wet nipple abandoned by its lover. But not for long. Rata repeated the process, softly kneading the other breast, lifting it high. But this time it was not her lips that sought its crest, "Soji, taste the sweetness of our little sister."

Mya would have cried out as the other woman's lips found the peak, but Rata's lips covered hers. Any sound was swallowed by the deep kiss. The battle of wills as tongues fought for supremacy, as passions rose higher by the moment. 

Mya always swore that not even the presence of the goddess herself could be as sweet as this time with her sisters. When the three of them sought comfort and communion with one another, it was the only time that she ever felt whole, worthy, blessed of the goddess. 

The deep, sweet taste of Rata's kisses drugged her even as the tugging and soft nibbles of Soji's lips and teeth upon her nipple brought a surge of the goddess's power through her. She felt the growing pressure of the sweet release of that blessing in her fountain. Its waters flowed even as she felt the sweet breeze of their love wrap about them all. 

When she felt the fingers prying her thighs apart, she needed no further encouragement, opening them wide in welcome to the invasion. But it was not the sweet thrusting of her sister's hands within her fountain this rising, instead those fingers found that sweet button of the goddess's special blessing. They danced and skittered softly across the sensitive nubbin until arched her round hips high off the bed, seeking, begging, pleading for that which her body craved, needed more than she needed the next breath of her sweet air, which she commanded.

Rata's voice was low and husky like the stillest of lakes, quiet and peaceful, deceptive in its depths. "Our sweet little sister has need of something, our rock. Hold her. Hold her well. I have need to drink the sweetest healing nectar of our goddess this time." 

She rose over Mya then like the avenging warrior of their goddess which she was. Her lips captured any protest that Mya might have made with a kiss that was far more commanding than any they had ever shared. For the first time, Mya felt like a woman, a priestess, a High Priestess. This woman's equal. Not some innocent child that they coddled and protected, but their lover...a priestess in her own right. And nothing had ever felt more right.

Mya arched off of the bed, rubbing against her lovers as they worked together to build her passions to a level that she had never known. Soji's teeth sank into the tender flesh of her nipple at the same moment that Rata's nails pinched its twin. Mya cried out with the pleasure/pain as Rata broke the kiss, shifting on the bed.

"Hold her, my rock. Capture the wind itself. Hold it for me so that I may taste its sweetness," she repeated her earlier instructions as they all shifted on the bed. Soji lay on her back, cradling Mya. Her breasts pressed tightly against the younger woman's back, even as her own hands flamed the need in Mya's aching tits. 

Soji's face was pressed close to Mya's face, placing a trail of light kisses along it. When her lips were close to her ear, she whispered, "Watch her sweet sister. No one drinks the nectar of our goddess like the High Priestess of the waters, feel it. Let your waters flow from your fountain. Drown our sister in their healing depths."




Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 04



Mya was powerless to do anything other than follow her eldest sister's commands. Her scarlet eyes the color of Tavia's clouds locked upon Rata as she knelt at the edge of the bed. Her own eyes darkened to a rich purple of the deepest ocean depths as their gazes locked. "Heal me, sweet sister, just as the waters that fall from your clouds restore my oceans, lakes and rivers...restore me with your love."

Then Rata dove into the depths of her fountain. Her tongue lapped softly, then roughly at the tiny button of the goddess. Just when Mya swore that the energy of the goddess would burst upon them all, her sister moved on, licking downwards, drinking the nectar that flowed freely from her fountain. 

Then she did something that she never had. Instead of her tongue retreating back the way that it had come, finding the sweet nub that would give her the release she sought, her sister dove deeper. Her tongue trailed lower, found that other opening. The forbidden passageway. And never had anything felt so naughty, so dirty, so completely right. 

Rata's tongued circled the puckered opening several times before Mya felt something pressing lightly at it. It was not unpleasant, just a sensation unlike any she had ever known. When Soji tweaked at the turgid peaks, Mya arched off the bed again. Her own momentum drew the invader deeper within the untouched territory. "That's right, little sister. Give her what you give no other. She loves playing in her sweet nether hole. Feel how nasty it is...how naughty it is."

"Yes," Mya cried out as her hips gyrated against the invading digit, drawing it deeper still, almost swallowing the whole digit before it retreated. "So friggin' dirty," she whispered and pleaded. When it slipped from the depths, she actually cried out in need at the abandonment she felt. But not for long, as she felt Rata's tongue return to licking at its depth. 

Then the pressure was back, stronger, deeper as this time she felt stretched more, fuller than before. Her mind could not fathom how that was possible. And while this invasion border upon uncomfortable, pain even, she welcomed it, knowing that she was safe within the arms of her sisters. They would never hurt her. After a couple of moments and gentle thrusts of the invader, her muscles began to relax and welcome it, drew it deeper as she had that first invader. The pleasure began to once again overcome the pain. 

She watched as Rata raised her head slowly. Stared into the depths of her soul without a word. Then lowered her head once more to that magic button. Her teeth scored the ultra-sensitive flesh as Mya bucked against her face. Then her tongue lathed it soothingly. Drew slow, soft, sweet circles around it. That was all it took as the most powerful blessing of the goddess flowed out of her fountain. 

Her body sang in perfect union with the goddess, like her winds across the oceans or battering the sides of the tallest mountains. She gave her body and soul over to the sweetest communion with her goddess. Over into the loving care of her sisters. And she was whole. She was complete. She was woman. She was priestess. And in that moment, she came into her full powers as High Priestess of the air.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 05



Rata woke slowly from the first real sleep she had had in months. She could feel the soft curves and generous breasts of her sisters pressed against. Tears welled up in her eyes, darkening them to a deep royal purple like unto the robes they wore as high priestesses. 

They had loved one another well into the night when all of Tavia's three moons shown like giant jade amulets in the dark night sky. They had laughed together. They had cried together. They had talked, sharing secrets like she and Soji when they were mere novices, sneaking up late at night when the others slept to speak of their dreams and hopes. 

But the truth was that they were not novices. They were not even simple priestesses. They were the High Priestesses of the goddess...rock, water and air. All of the elements necessary to bring forth her life. And yet in wake of the troubles that were to come, she felt as barren as the womb from which the healing nectar of the goddess flowed so freely. The three most powerful vessels of the goddess's love were powerless to stop that which was to come. 

She felt the heat of tears running down her cheeks. Then she felt her sisters turn in her arms, wrap themselves about her as if to protect her from it all with their very lives. But they could not, none of them could. "What are we to do?" she whispered.

Mya laid her head between her breasts as if just the soft pounding of her heart were enough to hold the answer. Soji brushed her hair gently as she had when they were girls, soothing and comforting. Her voice was a mere whisper, "I do not know, sweet sister. But I trust our goddess that there is something that we can do. Must do. She would not give us such forewarning was there not something, some way, that we might..." her voice trailed off.

It was the question in Rata's mind for months. Do what? Survive? Victory seemed unlikely in the utter destruction and havoc of her dreams. The question that she always came back to was...did they want to? Did they really want to survive when the temple and all their friends lay dead or dying about them? What was the purpose of being High Priestesses to a goddess that no one worshipped? A goddess that would allow her temple defiled and her faithful servants slain? 

What was the purpose of any of it? For five hundred cycles she and Soji had served the goddess. Little Mya had lost everything, a mother, a father she loved and adored and an other mother. They were forbidden the true love of a man and a woman, though they gave freely of their flesh, weak imitations of that sacred bond. Their wombs were shut as surly as the temples doors were closed and bolted shut each evening. What was the purpose of any of it?

She felt the gentle tug of suckling upon her breast. Looked down to watch as Mya drank that which never was. Rata lifted her hands, entwined her fingers in the long red curls of her sister, held her to her breast, comforted even as she was comforted. She turned her head and smiled up at Soji. 

"We will find a way, sister of the waters. I promise you, together we will find a way," she whispered as she lowered her equally dark head to suckle upon the other mound. 

Rata felt the power building, felt the sweet communion of their goddess building inside of her as her sisters sucked, toyed and bit lightly at her nipples. Each was so different. Mya suckled softly as she imagined a babe would upon her teat, drawing forth the milk that it needed to live and grow. Soji was bolder, her tugs stronger, more like a man, a lovers. 

Rata closed her eyes and imagined it...a mate, a partner, lying next to her, holding her in his strong arms, even as their babe suckled upon her breast. An intimacy unlike any she had ever known or ever would. She gave herself over to the secret desire of her heart, allowed her sisters to minister to her, her mind to drift away in fantasy. 

She felt her body thrumming with energy, felt powerful once more, her goddess flowing through her and in her. Waiting just beneath the surface ready to erupt at any moment. Unlike anything she had ever known. Just when she would have blown like a geyser, spewing forth her scalding hot waters for all, she opened her eyes.

It was not Soji's sweet, familiar face that she saw. It was his. "No," she cried out as she felt her sisters withdraw, reach for the coverings and draw them up to cover them, protect themselves from prying eyes.

***

Soji turned with wrath upon the guard that had opened the chamber door, "How dare you? Did not the High Priestess of the water and I tell you that we were not to be disturbed? By anyone? Not until we emerged from our sister's chamber?"

The young acolyte stood cowering in the door way. Soji would have almost felt sorry for him had she not known that he had interrupted something special, something important. Something that might well have held the key of salvation...for all of them. 

She was not sure what it was. She had caught only the briefest of glimpses before they were interrupted. A man, she did not recognize him. Unlike any she had ever seen. Huge, shoulders far wider than she had ever seen, his hair darker than the night sky, his skin a rusty bronze. He knelt at her feet. That in itself was not unusual, she was after all the High Priestess of the rock, men knelt before her all the time, worshipped the goddess at her feet. 

No, she was what was different. In the vision, her stomach was round, like she was with child. Though she knew it was not possible. She had the distinct feeling that they shared that intimate bond. That the man worshipped not just the goddess through her, but her. As a woman...and she dare not even think it...a mother. It was their babe that grew inside of her. Though she did not know how that was possible. 

She felt the frustration of being close, so close to an answer, only to have it snatched away. She channeled that anger now at the young man, "Why? What do you want? What is so important that you countermand the direct orders of your High Priestesses?"

The guard dropped his head, stepped back a bit as the other man pushed his way through the door. His eyes scanned the scene, took in her naked sisters, twinkled in some cruel and lust crazed way that made Soji's stomach turn. She was glad that they had not yet eaten this rising or she feared she would have vomited. She pushed her sisters back, pulled the covers about her naked breasts and rose up to greet the man. A man whom had once been her lover.

"Versil. What do you want? You of all people should know that when the High Priestesses are indisposed they are not available. To anyone," Soji was shocked at how strong her voice sounded. Just a few risings ago, this man held her enthralled in his spell, words woven together of a new age, treaties with old enemies, a life together. 

But now that all seemed a dream, no, a nightmare. Looking at him now, she wondered how she had not seen it before. If Tsu was immature, unworthy of the responsibilities of his office, but greedy for its power, then this man was more so. It disgusted her. He disgusted her. The way that his eye strained to catch even a brief glance of her sisters' naked bodies. She could almost read his thoughts, his mind filled with lust that defiled something which had always been precious to them. 

Just when she would have unleashed her growing fury on the man, another stepped forward. His dark hair sprinkled with the golden threads of age and wisdom. Soji nodded to the one man that held all their respect. 

***

Her breath caught in Mya's throat. She almost choked on the very air which had always been her life's blood. It was if her vision had materialized right in front of her eyes.

She had never felt more vulnerable. Since that first day in the garden, she had never been aware of her nakedness. Been ashamed to parade her soft, round curves that were a blessing of her goddess, before any and all who came to worship. 

Certainly she had always stood in awe of him, they all did to one degree or another. He was after all the senior Councilor. But never had she felt like this... She sought some description, but frowned at the only one that seemed to come to mind. 

Felt like a naughty little girl. Felt like she had when she had escaped her father's watchful eye, spent too long frolicking in the woods, worried him. Felt like she had disappointed someone that she loved very much. 

Then again, nothing made sense anymore. Maybe it never really had. Maybe it was just that when Lano was alive, when she had the wise counsel of her other mother, the uncertainty, the questions of faith that always seemed to blow upon her winds, were buffered. Her wisdom able to quiet their rage somehow. 

But she was not here any longer. And this man was perhaps the one other person who missed her as deeply as she did. Oh sure, she knew that Soji and Rata missed Lano too, but not the way that they did. It was their secret, their sin. While she held the office of his counselor, the one to whom he should come to seek communion with the goddess, wisdom and insight, he never touched her. Not like that. Not as a man would touch a woman. 

And that was her darkest secret, the one that not even her sisters knew...she was the untouched vessel. The High Priestess that had never lain with a man. Never known true communion with the goddess. 

Oh sure, she released her energies, regularly in fact. Not to do so would be an affront to the goddess, unnatural. She enjoyed times like these with her sisters. She even took comfort on occasion in the arms of her primary. But the man that she had chosen for that office was more beloved brother, advisor and protector than lover. And this man, the one who had more claim to her body and her gifts than all others...never sought it. 

Except in the vision. It had taken her by total surprise. As she suckled upon Rata's breast, she floated through time and space, found herself in the clouds it seemed. Her own breasts were bare, and she gazed upon the sweet face of a tiny babe, sucking from her tit. That in itself was shocking enough, but the protective and caring embrace that seemed to envelop her whole being was unlike anything she had felt. Not since she was a little girl and crawled up into her daddy's lap for a bedtime story had she felt that safe, that loved. 

And when she had found the courage to tear her eyes away from the one thing she wanted more than her next breath, more than life-giving air itself. It was his face that she saw. And shock was evident in her whispered words, when finally she managed to force them past the stagnant air in her tight throat, "Aved?"

***

Rata paced the room, her gowns flowing about her legs as her waters flowed over its beaches. She heard what the others were discussing. It registered in her brain, but each word stirred the troubled waters of her spirit. She fought against the tide, sought some way to the surface, struggled not to drown in the darkness as her own waters pulled her deeper. But it was no use. She felt them closing in over her head, drawing her down, drowning in the very waters that had always given her such peace and comfort. Doomed...they were all doomed. 

"The Morians will be arriving this evening," Versil smiled. His eyes caught hers, held the gaze in triumph as if challenging her. But it was no use. What could she do? What could she say when not even her own sister, her beloved, saw the man for what he was? 

"I have invited them to join us for a special celebration." Rata fought back the rising tide of panic, knowing the words that would come next, the fulfillment of the threat he had made that rising. 

"A tribunal," the look of utter victory that shown upon his dark face turned her stomach. She looked about the room at the shocked faces of the others. How could they not all see the dark cloud of evil that hung over the man?

Aved was the first to speak, "I do not think that wise, Versil." The man stepped forward, placing himself between Versil and his counselor, shielding her little sister from his lustful stares. "What do you know of the Morians?"

Versil shrugged casually as he drew Soji into his embrace. "I know that they have technology, science, medicine, far beyond anything we have ever known, can hope to achieve in ten lifetimes. I know that this alliance will give us access to that technology, leap us forward into the stars where we belong."

Mij shook his head at the youngest Councilor's words. "Do you know what that technology has brought them? Do you know anything of their home world? Of their culture? Of the barrenness of their planet and their souls?" 

Rata stopped just behind the man that was her charge. She frowned at his words. As High Priestess, she knew virtually nothing of life outside Tavia, life outside the walls of the temple even. She listened intently. 

"Their world is depleted, polluted. Their air barely breathable. Their waters filled with chemicals that they stripped from the bellies of their planet. They have used up virtually every resource upon it. Abused their stewardship as they abuse their women," Rata saw the concern on the man's face, felt it echoed and amplified in her spirit. 

Softly, she placed her hand upon his arm, not to hold him back, but to offer what feeble comfort she might to the lover who had once shared her bed, sought her counsel, communed with the goddess through her body. Had she let him down somehow? Had her coldness turned him away as it had Tsu? Was this disaster of her making? A reflection of the coldness of her waters?

***

Soji watched her sisters. She saw the depth of concern mirrored on their faces in the other men. She realized too late that she had failed them all. She knew nothing of the Morians. Nothing of this race with whom her lover, her charge, sought to make such a binding alliance. Yet she had laid in his arms, encouraged his reckless greed. Encouraged his lust for power...and even for her sisters. She had fed it all in an attempt to keep his interest. Keep something for herself.

And now it was upon them. This destruction that her failings had wrought. And she was powerless to stop. She realized too late the folly of her own greed. Not as her lover felt it...not for power, or wealth, or position. Not even for sex, of which she always had plenty. 

But for love. For a real connection to man. Any man. And that was what Versil was...any man. Just another man that had shared her chamber, her bed. She had fallen so easily for him, his lies. Not even because he was a master of them, no, the others had all seen so easily through him. 

No, she fell for them because she wanted to. Because he offered what no other had that extra attention, that ray of hope that she was something more than just a means to an end, more than just a priestess to be used for his communion, more than a barren High Priestess even. Why had she ever thought she was anything more to him? 

Because inside she still longed for one thing...to be a woman, a real woman. One that inspired loved, faithfulness. One worth fighting for, dying for. One that gave love as well as life. All of the things that she could never be, never have. Because from birth she was destined for this place, these duties, marked by the color of her hair for this barren life. And her greed for more had brought them all to this point.

"Yes, and that is what we have to offer them in return. Our resources of which we have plenty. And yes, our women. If their gifts, their communion with the goddess hold the keys to the stars and power beyond any we have ever imagined, why should we not share that as well?" Soji closed her eyes against the pain of his words. 

There it was, the truth from which she always tried to hide. The words echoed in her head, bounced off the cold, hard face of her rocky mountains. "Whore," she remembered the taunts well. It was the final words that she had heard from her play mate as the guards drug her from the village, from her family, from the only life she had ever known. "Nothing more than a worthless whore." 

Now because of her they would all be used once more, used and this time perhaps even abused and truly discarded. She truly had become nothing more than a worthless whore to be used up and discarded as Versil did now.

***

Mya slunk back further into the corner. Her world was well and truly falling apart all about her. As beautiful as the communion had been with her sweet sisters, it seemed another life time ago. She could feel it...and them...slipping through her fingers. She was going to lose it all. Again. Just as she had lost one life. The only man that she could ever count upon to keep her safe, love her. Her father. She was about to lose it all again. The life that she had built to replace it all. 

And this time, there would be no Lano, no other mother to comfort her. No Rata and Soji, no sweet sisters to come to her when she was low, when her soul cried for them. She would be alone. Totally and completely alone. As alone as she was each night in her bed. With no one to comfort her, no one to hold her, no one to hear cry, no one to dry her tears, to kiss them away. No one. 

"Versil, you should have come to us before this. We are the Council of Three, we make decisions together. If you had sought our advice, our wisdom, you would have learned the truth of the Morians," Aved shook his head at the other man. 

"I am sorry but there will be no treaty. No alliance. And most certainly no tribunal. The Morians are primal, violent men. They use and abuse everything that their god placed in their care. They destroyed their planet, their woman. And I will not be party to placing Tavia and its resources in their care, of which they have none. Our women, especially our priestesses, in their control, of which they also have none. I withhold my vote and without it, you have no treaty."

Mya watched as Versil's face turned the deepest scarlet of one of her angriest storm clouds. She felt his wrath a moment before it burst forth like the thunder and lightning which it bore. "How dare you, old man. What do you know of anything beyond this pitiful, putrid place. Beyond weak goddesses and the whores that service her and you. Do you think I don't know the truth? Your secret? You have become half a man. Unfit for your office."

Mya felt his words to her core as surly as any physical blow. Unconsciously she took a single step forward out of the shadows, placed her hand lightly upon his shoulder. The greatest man she had ever known, well perhaps the second greatest. He certainly did not deserve this. Deserve to have her sin, her failings, pronounced as his own. She had failed him. Just as she had failed her father. Her other mother. Her sister. And especially the goddess, whom she was supposed to serve.

He shook his head at her. Smiled weakly at her as he placed his hand over hers, where it rested upon his shoulder. He turned back to face the other man, "It is final, Versil. Say what you will. Stir what trouble you might. I will not back down on this. Without my vote, the treaty will not be valid. So I suggest you think of some way to let your friends down lightly. The Morians are not to be trifled with, but then again if you had thought to discuss this with me or Mij before now, you would have known that."

Aved bowed at the waist to Soji and Rata, "High Priestesses, forgive my rudeness this rising. I seek your leave now to speak with my counselor. Alone."

Mya trembled. Never before had she feared this, their time alone together. Well, perhaps once, that first time when he had sought her out after she became High Priestess of the air. She had been scared then, uncertain what would be expected of her. All other High Priestesses had come to their chambers well versed in their duties. Wise upon the manner in which to minister to their charges. 




Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 05



But not Mya. A novice. She had risen to the position of High Priestess before she had been indoctrinated. Before she had ever lain with a man. Any man. Let alone the one that had held her other mother's heart. She had been uncertain what to expect that evening. Had spent the whole day soaking in Rata's healing pools. Her thoughts are turbulent as the cyclones that only her winds could breed. 

But it had all been for naught. When he had finally come to her, Aved had simply opened his arms wide. Took her into his embrace and held her as the tears flowed as together they mourned the woman that they had both loved. It was the pattern that was to repeat itself often over the past hundred cycles. Never once had this man sought more than to comfort, to give, to protect her.

She shook her head...so what of the vision? What did it mean? Especially now, when she felt the storm closing in about them all. A storm that would destroy them all.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 06



Rata paced her balcony once more. The second of Tavia's suns, the smaller yellow star, was setting, dipping beneath her waters, turning them the deepest shade of purple, almost black as the first rays of Tavia's moons danced across the choppy surface. "I am sorry that I have failed you too, Mij," she whispered to the old friend, who had joined her as she sought... 

She was uncertain what she sought now. She was well past the point of believing that there was some way to avoid this tragedy. Despite Aved's brave stance against the treaty, or perhaps because of it, she felt the undercurrents of fate pulling them all down, drowning in what was to come. And there was no way out.

"Failed me?" the man asked. Rata turned and looked at the Councilor, the man who had been her charge for many cycles. His smile was weak, as if he too realized the gravity of their situation, but it was genuine. "How have you failed me, dear friend?" he walked across the balcony to stand in front of her. 

His arms wrapped about her. But it was comfort and not the passion of their goddess that she felt. That she had always felt with this man. No, passion was something that never seemed to stir her deep waters. 

"If I had been a better priestess, a wiser counselor perhaps. If we had sought the communion of the goddess as we ought, then perhaps," she shook her head as she sought words, sought some final wisdom in these final moments of life as they knew it. "If I were not so cold," she whispered.

Mij chuckled, "Cold? You cold, Rata? Your sweet waters were never, never anything other than welcoming warmth, embracing and soothing to the soul."

She shook her head in confusion, "I do not understand. Then why have you not sought my counsel? Come to me for communion in so many cycles? If I am not the problem, what is, Mij?"

The man released, moved to stand at the edge of the balcony, staring into the depths of the waters that broke loudly against the rock cliff. Silence whispered upon Mya's strong breezes that blew so turbulently this evening. Rata went to him, stood next to him, sought the answers in the depths of her waters as he did.

"It is not you, sweet priestess. It has never been you. It is me. I am not like others. I know it is unheard of, but," he was silent once more, silence that stretched out for several moments as the waves and winds pounded the rock beneath them, rocks that had stood strong for millennia shook and quivered this night and all felt it.

"I am sorry, Rata, if you ever thought you failed me in any way. You have not."

"Then why did you not come to me, dear friend? Not seek the communion you need? That we all need?" she sought understanding, an answer that might bring some small measure of peace in the havoc that was to come.

"Because I no longer need it, High Priestess," he sighed as if searching for words to better explain the unexplainable. "Not from you. Not the way that our traditions dictates."

He turned to face her, brushed the hair back from her face, tugged it behind her ear. "When I joined with Cytil, when we became one." He paused again, shook his dark head. "I am not doing this right, saying things as I should. I do not understand it fully myself, dear friend."

"Do not get me wrong. I always found communion with you unlike any other. Your times together were amazing. I grew as a man and a Councilor. You served me and our goddess well. But when Cytil and I joined together, it was unlike anything I ever knew, ever imagined. It was like finding the other half of my soul."

"I know it is not our way. Primaries, secondaries, communing freely with the goddess. But, Rata, when I found Cytil, I had need of none of that. She was, she is, all that I need. All I will ever need. And that is not reflection upon you, dearest friend. It is our weakness, if you will. But I could simply never betray my wife, not like that. Not even with you, not even for my office. If anyone let anyone down, it is I...for not being here for you," he said as he raised her hand pressed kisses to her knuckles. "I am sorry, High Priestess."

Rata struggled to breath. His words bounced about her head like ripples when a stone was thrown into her pools, gentle circles radiating outwards until they reached the shore then returning back again to the source, a cycle that lasted for long moments until balance was restored again to her waters. What he said made no sense, was against all they believed. Yet in some strange way it resonated inside her heart, sang the sweetest song through her spirit. 

She sighed and squeezed his hand, "Then what are you doing here, old friend? Go to your wife. Do what you can to protect her, protect both of you, protect this special gift you share."

"What of you? I cannot leave you here alone, unprotected. Things are not as simple as Aved wishes. The Morians will not take well to the news that the treaty they have sought for so long is not to be. Versil was unwise to make such promises, promises he knew he could not deliver." The man looked around her chambers as if seeking something, "Where is Tsu? Where is your primary?"

Rata was not certain herself, but she could guess. But in these final moments, her value as a High Priestess seemed to pale, especially in light of her beloved friend's words. She would not have another duty bound to her, when something far higher called to him. 

"I have sent him upon a small errand. He will be only another moment. Do not worry, old friend. Go to Cytil now. Give her my love, tell her to guard well the gift that the two of you share for she is the most blessed of women," she plastered a smile upon her face, the one that she always used to greet supplicants as a young priestess, it was as big a lie as the words she spoke. She hoped only that it worked this final time.

Mij frowned but nodded reluctantly, almost as if he saw through her lie but accepted it as the free will offering of the goddess, which Rata intended it to be. He pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, "Be well, my beloved friend and counselor. You have always been and always shall be very dear to me. And to our goddess."

Rata saw tears in the man's eye as he drew back, "As my dearest friend, I wish with all my heart that one day you too will feel this, know this kind of love. Be as complete as I am with Cytil. You deserve that and so much more for all that you have done for us, sacrificed for the goddess."

Rata allowed the bitter sweet tears of healing and peace to flow unchecked then. Though they may no longer be lovers, seek the goddess's blessing of communion as they once had, she loved this man deeply, just as she loved her sisters. But it was not the kind of love that he spoke about, the kind of love that was forever out of her reach, forbidden to her kind, those marked from birth as servants of the goddess, human vessels of her love that never knew its own power.

She pushed the man away, "Go. Now. Go in her peace and may she keep you both safe within her loving embrace through whatever is to come, now and forever more." Rata felt the power surge through her at the formal words, knew that once more they were not her words but her goddess's. And it was enough. It would have to be. For despite his wishes, there would never be anything more for her. 

***

Versil paced Soji's chambers like a caged animal. She watched the man that had been her lover for so long. Wondered how she had failed to see it before now. Rata had known, had seen the dangers this man represented, tried to warn her. But she was too caught up in her own dreams, her hopes, wanting to have even a small taste of that which was forbidden one such as her. High Priestess and whore. 

"He will not get away with it. Who does the old man think he is? Just because he is senior Councilor does not mean he is unassailable. I know things. Things that if others knew, well, he will not have his seat upon the Council for much longer. He has grown weak, feeble. Yes, I will have him replaced, Mij too if I must, both of them are not worthy of their offices, breaking our traditions, failing our people," he ranted as his skin darkened to a violent red like storm clouds before unleashing their fury. 

But what bothered Soji most was not his physical appearance, though that was a frightening revelation in itself. In all their times together, this was a side of Versil that she had never seen. But even this maniac was not as worrisome as the dark cloud about him, some evil spirit, an aura that she had never seen before. Or perhaps she just never wanted to.

"You should listen to Aved, Versil. He has served Tavia well for over two hundred cycles. He knows much of this place, its people," she tried to counsel wisely. Perhaps a bit too late, she thought.

Her lover turned on her, his eyes shown almost green in the pale candle light of her chambers. "What do you know, whore?"

Soji stumbled backwards at his words. Those words that she loathed for so long were more powerful than a physical blow. She clutched her chest against the stabbing pain that pierced her heart. 

Whore. He too thought her a whore. A worthless whore to be used and discarded when he was finished. And she saw it in his eyes then. He was finished with her. He had what he wanted and he was done with her, just as they all did. 

She should be used to it by now, but the truth was that she never would be. That little girl stolen from her family. Mocked by the friends with whom she had played all her life. That little girl was who she was at her core. Not the great and mighty High Priestess of the rock. Just a pitiful little girl looking for love, real love.

But even as she thought it, she felt a power unlike any she had ever known surge up like molten lava erupting with its full force and destructive power from her tallest mountains.

"Whore? You dare call my High Priestess a whore, you vile son of a rat. You believe yourself so wise, so powerful. Hear me now; your plans will be your destruction, your downfall. Not mine. For you are but a vessel, a broken and unworthy one, but my vessel nonetheless. Mine to use as I will. To bring about a new age. An age which you will never see. A sweeter communion for my people, one of which you are unfit to taste. You have sealed your fate, signed your own death warrant that shall be executed before the next rising. Go into the bits of darkness, nothingness. You will be forgotten, erased from all minds and hearts by the power of my love."

Soji stood trembling as the final words echoed off her stone walls. She was alive unlike anything she had ever felt. Yet completely drained, weak and confused by what had happened. She did not even see it coming. It was not until she felt the force of the physical blow. It sent her reeling across the room. She landed in a pile of bone and flesh at the foot of her bed. 

Then he drug her by the hair, pulled her onto the bed that they had shared so many times. A bed that had she thought knew only love and communion. But now she saw it all for what it was as he ripped her holy robes from her body. Versil had always been a rough lover. She had once enjoyed it, thought that it was another sign of his deeper passions for her. But that too had been a lie, one that she wanted to believe. 

His hands squeezed her breasts, hard; she knew that they would bear his marks on the next rising. She could not believe that once she craved his marks, wanted any small sign of his mastery, his ownership. His teeth followed suit, sinking deep into the pointy nipple. So deep that she could feel them breaking the skin, knew he tasted the deep blue richness of her blood, her life force itself. She feared he would even tear the tender flesh from her body. 

Instead he released it, stared down at it as the blood seeped down the side of her breast, watched it flow in triumph. "See, you really are nothing more than a worthless whore. You enjoyed even that. I shall look forward to what is to come this rising. The Morians have technology unlike any other. A collar that binds their women to them, makes them helpless, nothing more than mindless pieces of flesh to be used and abused as they wish. It is what all women deserve. And I shall take great pleasure watching you dance for them." 

His eyes glinted with anger and lust. It was not a combination that Soji was accustomed to, "Seeing them torture you with pain and pleasure. You see your precious communion with the goddess; they have found a way to master that as well. Use it for their pleasure. Extract each moment of your pleasure for their gain. And they do not stop. Not until you are the mindless, worthless piece of frig meat that you truly are."

His finger pinched her bleeding flesh, fresh pain shot through her body as much at the cruelty of his words as the physical sensation. "Oh yes, I shall enjoy seeing them tame you. But not first. No, that uppity worthless cunny sister of yours shall be first. She thought to foil my plans, but she has merely moved them forward. The Morians should be arriving any moment. I shall meet them at the altar. Bring her to them as the first of the mighty priestesses to be used and striped of her powers for their pleasure."

He laughed at her, "Perhaps I shall ever let you watch. See what is to come, what is your fate, the destiny of all whores. Then I shall have then string up that sweet little sister of yours. But not until I have indoctrinated her, taken her sweet fountain with my mighty sword, used her as she was meant to be used, a worthless whore cunny like the rest of you."

Soji choked at the revelations of his cruel words. She had not thought that any others knew her little sister's secret. She herself did not actually know for certain, but had long suspected that Aved had failed to indoctrinate Mya properly. The man simply loved her little sister too much to cause her pain, any pain. But now that love too would come at a high price, it seemed.

"Then it shall be your turn, my sweet priestess. Oh yes, forcing you to watch what your beloved sisters endure, knowing that your turn is to come, that will be sweet. Almost as sweet as it would have been to share them with you in a tribunal like we planned. The three of you looked so delectable this rising. If I had not had such pressing business, I would have enjoyed crawling into bed with all of you. Communing as you call. But it is nothing more than friggin' and all of you nothing more than expensive whores," he reached then for pieces of her robe that he had torn from her. Ripped the holy garment into strips, bound them about her hands and feet, leaving her helpless in her bed. 

"I shall send someone for you, when the show starts. But right now, you only get in my way. No right now, I have unfinished business with your sister. Wonder if her waters taste as sweet as your fountain, Soji. I asked her Primary, but he said that her waters are as cold as ice. Then again perhaps Tsu is just not man enough for her." 

"But that does not matter, his help was easy enough to buy, a few coins were his price, enough to take him and that other whore far from this place. The stupid man thinks that any of you are worthy of love, he will learn. Larca is as fickle as the rest of you. Her eye already strays for the young acolyte you had assigned as her primary. I doubt very much that she will choose to follow Tsu into the simple life he extolls. Not when she can stay here, have all the Morian lovers she wants and indoctrinate the young boy too," he pinched her nipple cruelly once more as he rose up. 

"Do not go anywhere, High Priestess," he laughed as he left helpless and alone. Just as she always had been since that morning when the soldier took her from her village. This time she would not have even her sister to comfort her. She turned her head and cried into the bed.

***

Mya cried softly as she sat upon the pillow near the fire. Her chambers glowed with the soft light from its embers. She could hear her winds howling outside, watched the flames dance as gusts shot down the chimney. Their gales were as unsettled this evening as her spirit. She tore her face from the fire, turned and watched him pace. 

He had not said a word since they reached the relative safety of her chambers. He had simply instructed her primary and acolyte to guard the door. That no one, not even the High Priestesses of rock and water was to disturb them. Once inside the room, rather than opening his arms and drawing her into the safety of his embrace as he usually did, scooping her up and carrying her to the great chair that sat in front of the fire, holding and soothing her as only he could, no, this evening, he had merely grunted, waved his arms towards the cushion that rested in front of the chair. The cushion upon which she sometimes sat, resting her head upon his knees as he brushed her hair softly with his fingers. 

This evening, when she needed it most, there was no comfort, no solace to be found. His pacing mirrored the unrest in her soul. The uncertainty of her winds that assailed the temple, even as Rata's waves pounded the seemingly solid rock upon which it stood for thousands of cycles. And it was all crumbling about them. She felt that, knew it in her heart. 

And she was as powerless to stop it as she was to save her father that morning when they came for her. Like that time, this was her fault too. If she had been the High Priestess that she should have been, fulfilled her duties as she ought, then perhaps they would have known, had some warning as Rata had. Perhaps they could have found some way. But it was too late and they all knew it.

"I am sorry," she whispered.

Aved stopped a few feet from her, "Sorry? Sorry for what, sweet priestess?"

"If I had been a real priestess," she stammered nervously. "If I had done my duties, if we had..." she could not even force the words out as she blushed a deep pink of her clouds on sunny day.

He frowned and came to kneel in front of her. He gathered her tiny hands in his much larger ones, drew them to his lips and kissed them softly as he often did when parting in the rising, after an evening of holding and comforting her. 

"Mya, none of this is your fault. You have always been my greatest comfort. Lano's greatest hope, she was so proud of you. Of the woman you had become. The priestess. She always knew you were special, just as I have, as your sisters do. Do you think it some mistake that the goddess named you to replace Lano?"

Her air froze in her throat at his words. How had he known? That was exactly what she thought, what she had always felt. It was a mistake. She was a mistake. A lie, an abomination to their goddess.

He shook his head, "It is no mistake, Mya. You are no mistake. You are special. You hold the key. Somehow you hold the key to all of this. It is why she chose you. Why she chose a novice, something that she never had before."

He rose again, began pacing once more, but this time slower, more purposefully. "No, Mya, if anyone had failed it is me. It is your sisters. We knew, we all knew, just as she did, that you are special. But we have not respected that, your gifts. We have not shown you how to use them properly. And now I fear it is too late."

He stopped and squared his shoulders, "No, it is not too late. I will not let it be. I will find a way. Some way to protect you."

Mya shivered as those familiar words blew through the mind, stirring up memories that she did not want to face. She shook her head, "No," she screamed. "No, I will not lose you too," she ran to him, just as she had run to her father that morning. Flung herself into his arms. Wrapped herself about him, just as she had the other man. 

Then just as it had that rising so very long ago, the doors to her chamber flew open. A large dark figured filled the door way. She saw the bodies of her primary and acolyte slumped in the hall. She placed herself between him and this unknown invader. "Not again," she whispered as the man barged in. 




Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 06



"Come with me," he commanded as he reached for her. But Aved was quicker, pushing her behind him, shielding her with his own body, just as he had, just as her father had then. And the same sick feeling welled up inside of her as she slumped against his back. "Oh sweet goddess, no," she prayed.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 07



Rata stared into the dark depths. Wind blew, whipping her hair and robes about her. In the middle of the storm, she stood at peace. And waited. She was not sure for what, but she would know it when it came.

"Mistress, we must go now," came the familiar voice from behind. 

She turned with a smile for the man that had been her primary for many cycles. The man, who was charged with her care. Who had shared her body, communed with the goddess through her. Held her in his strong arms as she slept. This stranger.

"Go where, Tsu?"

"The High Priestess of the rock has called a tribunal," he replied as he looked out across the waters and the darkness. "Perhaps there is something that yet might be done."

Rata shook her head at the lie. Soji would not, not now. She would want her sisters safe, as safe as they could be with their whole world under attack. She studied the man, realizing for the first time just how little she knew of him. Though they had been lovers for many cycles, they had never shared any true intimacy. She thought of Mij's words futilely. She wondered what it would feel like, for just once. Communion that was not all one sided, taking as well as giving. She chuckled; it was certainly too late now. Too late for all of them.

She held out her hand, waiting for her primary to do his final duty. He hesitated, for a moment she thought he might refuse this most basic of service of his station. Then as if remembering his office, Tsu smiled weakly, avoiding her eyes, but he took her hand, drew it to his lips and placed a cold kiss to the center of her palm. 

"Come, my priestess," he said formally as he bent at the waist. 

Rata glanced over her shoulder at the rolling waves. This would be her last view of them, of all the beauty that was her world. She closed her eyes and committed her soul, inadequate though it was, into the care of her goddess. "Give me strength to face whatever I must with your grace and dignity, sweet goddess," she whispered.

Tsu stood and linking their arms as was customary, he led them from her chambers towards the great hall and the altar of the goddess. 

She studied each face they passed, committed it to memory, prayed for the goddess to be mercifully quick. Tears flowed down her face, she wished with all her heart that they might cleanse and wash away what was to come, not for herself, but for them. The only sound was their feet upon the cold stones, Tsu boots overpowered the soft fall of her bare feet. 

The journey seemed longer than it had ever been, but took mere moments until they emerged into the large circular temple from which the priestesses' private chambers radiated out like rays from the sun. She looked about the great room.

As she suspected Versil was there. Surrounded by several hulking creatures that dwarfed even Tsu, who as her primary had been selected as much for his size and prowess, his ability to protect the High Priestess. She chuckled again at the irony. Betrayed, but she would give neither he nor Versil the satisfaction they sought.

She looked around the great hall once more, studied each crevice. She smiled when she did not find what she sought. Her sisters were not here. She hoped that meant they were safe. For now at least. Satisfied with that knowledge, she plastered that smile upon her face, squared her tiny shoulders that bore so much weight alone now, and faced their guests, if they could be called that.

She walked over to the tallest; he was at least a faylon taller than Versil and closer to two over her. She stared up at the creature, for given his size and the dark countenance on his face man hardly seemed appropriate. "I am Rata, High Priestess of the goddess," she said.

The creature studied her for several long moments. Then it laughed, or that was what Rata assumed it was doing, the sound seemed closer to the thunder that she heard breaking in the distance. "Not at all the weak and worthless creatures you would have us believe, Versil. This one has courage and a pride that I shall enjoy breaking." The thing stared into her eyes; she noted that his were dark, as dark as the night sky when all of Tavia's moons hid behind Mya's clouds. As black as his soul, though for a moment she wondered if he possessed such a thing.

Before she could say more, her arms were captured by two more of the creatures, almost as tall. The attack was so sudden that she automatically struggled, but it was futile. The creatures were stronger than anything she had ever felt. She forced herself to quiet. Dignity was the course that she had chosen to meet her fate. Whatever came now, she would go with the quiet dignity of their goddess. 

Versil laughed, "Not so arrogant and sure of yourself now are we sweet priestess?" He turned towards Tsu, "You did well, my friend, bringing her to us. I have one more small task for you, then you shall have your reward, collect your lover and be free to leave this place in peace. I have left a worthless bundle of refuse in the chambers of the High Priestess of the rock, collect it for me, set guards at the door of the priestess of the air as well."

The man turned back to her with a smile, "What? Did you think this party was for you alone?" His laughter only agitated her growing waters, but this time, this final time, the High Priestess of the waters would bank herself, she would not allow them to break free. "Oh no, you are merely the first to taste the special technology that our friends have developed."

As if waiting for a cue from him, another of the creatures stepped forward. It snapped a wide cold metallic band about her neck. "They use these to control their women," Versil said as he moved closer. His fingers caressed the collar almost lovingly. "It has many purposes. For the disobedient, it brings pain."

Rata stared silently at the man, whom she had hated for so long. And hate him she did, though that particular emotion was forbidden them as priestess of the goddess, nurturers, healers and vessels of her unending love, Rata recognized then that she truly hated this man. The man, who had stolen her sister's affection, the man, who had brought this destruction upon them all. 

She stared up at him, gathered her waters within her mouth and spat them in his eye. His vengeance was swift. Rata felt the stinging blow across her cheek as he backhanded her. Though it ached and hurt, she lifted her head in challenge to him.

The first creature stepped forward then. Placed his mammoth hand upon Versil's shoulder, "Do not trivial with her, my friend. There are such easier ways to tame a she-witch." The creature stared into hers, his fingers touched the cold band for but a moment and she felt the slicing pain as if her head would explode. Her stomach rolled and she would have collapsed were the two guards not still holding her up. She prayed to the goddess for mercy, that her end come quickly.

But it was not to be. Just as the pain began to subside, she heard the thing laugh. The sound sending another shard of glass through her tender brain. "But there are far better ways than pain and punishment to control a woman. Far better." 

The creature looked at her once more. Rata drew back, fearing the pain that was to come. Instead she felt it welling up inside of her. Though she fought it with all her being, was ashamed that this most precious of her gifts was this vile creatures to command, she was powerless to stop as she felt the touch of goddess. Her body turned against her then as the power of her release rose up from her toes, radiated from the fountain of her goddess and exploded forth like waters from a broken dam. 

In that moment, Rata, the High Priestess of the goddess, knew hate unlike any other she had ever felt. It raged inside of her. She hated this creature. She hated Versil, who had brought it here. She hated herself that she had no control over the most precious of her gifts. And she hated the goddess, whom she had served all her life. The goddess, who had denied her everything she ever wanted, a true mate, children and most of all real love. A goddess, whose only reward for five hundred cycles of her service was this. To be laid bare and naked, not just her physical body, but her very soul before these creatures, before her enemies. 

Rata hated, even as her body sang the tune that it had been created to sing, she hated and that hatred fueled her release until it grew stronger. Stronger than anything she had ever felt.

***

Soji cried, but her tears brought neither cleansing nor healing as her sister always promised. She was numb, her very soul was as numb as her arms and legs had become over time, bound and unable to move, her circulation long since gone. 

Her sister, sweet Rata. What were they doing to her? What was he doing to her? Versil. She hated herself. How could she have not seen? Of course, she knew, that was easy. Because she did not want to see. She wanted to believe the lies. She wanted to believe that she was special to someone, just once. Just once she wanted to be more than a great whore for the goddess. She wanted to be loved. But what she shared with him was not love. He had used her far worse than any other. And now they would all pay for her sin. 

She felt the breeze against her back as the door flew open. But she kept her head hidden safely in the pillow. She would not look. It was the decision that she had come through the tears. If Versil sought some final measure of victory by forcing her to watch what he did to her sisters, what they did to her precious sisters, then she would not give him that pleasure. No matter what was to come, no matter the cries, no matter what he did, she would not watch. She would not be party to the destruction of that which she held so dear. She would not.

She felt the weight shift as her bed dipped low, groaned under some tremendous weight. She felt rough hands about her ankles. Then she heard the ripping sound as one leg came free of its restraints. Then the other. Her hands above her head were next. Then those rough hands gentled, rubbed softly at first one hand then the other. 

Soji had been pampered, bathed, massaged since her first morning at the temple. She was destined, marked from birth for service to the goddess, nothing was denied her. But never had she felt such tenderness, such reverence. It was in stark contrast to the roughness and size of...

She frowned. His words came back to haunt her. "I will send someone for you when I am ready." She would not be fooled again. Soft caresses would not buy her complacency again. She rolled as if to turn in the creature's embrace, she drew her legs up and kicked out with all her force. She did not wait to see what damage the blow had caused, she bolted from her bed and headed for the door. She did not even make it off the end of the bed before it captured her, gigantic arms wrapped about her waist as she flailed and fought in mid-air, her feet at least a faylon from the solid floor. 

"Still, priestess," it commanded in a low voice near her ear. Its breath caressed the side of her face and rather than the putrid stench of rotting souls that she expected it was sweet like her favorite flowers, wet with her sister's dew upon the rising. "Do not scream, please. We do not have long. I will be discovered soon. When they come for you and you are not here, they will raise the alarm. My commander will unleash his true fury. Please if we stand any hope of saving you and your sisters. Any hope of saving both our races. Please do not scream."

Soji wanted to. Wanted to believe that they had some ally. That there was some hope that they might escape the carnage that they had seen in Rata's dream. But she had wanted other things before. Been blinded to the truth. How could she trust this creature, this stranger, if she could not her own lover? If she could not trust her own judgment?

"Listen. Please. Just listen," the creature begged. His hold about her waist loosened, not enough that she could escape, but enough that breathing became easier. "I am Tam. I am a Commander in the royal Morian forces. But that is just a cover." One arm gave up its hold about her waist completely. She shifted, testing his grip, but escape was still futile. She felt a tender caress upon her cheek as he brushed hair back from her face. 

"But that is all a cover. I am the leader of the Morian resistance movement. We have sought for centuries a way to undo the destruction that our forefathers' greed and violence have brought our people," he sighed then. His breath caressed her cheek and she felt her nipples harden. 

"But we cannot do it alone, priestess. Our technology, our science, robbing a hundred other planets of their precious resources, it is never enough to fill that empty hole inside my race." She heard the desperation in his voice, felt his pain to the depths of her soul. "It is never enough."

It was a feeling that was all too familiar to Soji. Even as she lay in this bed with Versil, she had known. Known that it was not real, not enough. But oh how she wanted it to be. She could so easily understand this creature's pain, perhaps things, technology and knowledge were not what she sought, but she was no less greedy. Greedy for what she would never have. "What can I do? What do you want of me? Of us?" she whispered.

She felt him nodded his head against her back, "Only the impossible, my sweet salvation, only the impossible." He leaned down, placed a tender kiss at the crown of her head, "Trust me. Trust me when you have no reason to, trust a stranger with your most precious gifts, your life, the lives of your sister."

Soji choked on his words. Shook her head in despair as tears scalded her skin, clouded her eyes. "It is not you that I do not trust. It is me," she whispered the truth as much to herself and the goddess, were she to even listen now. 

The gentle giant turned her in his arms, wrapped her in his embrace, as they sat upon her bed. Her world was falling apart about her, goddess only knew what was happening to her sisters and she lay in this stranger's arm. 

"I wish I knew what to say, priestess. Wish had the words, but I am just a man. As unworthy of this gift as all others, probably more so. But this I know. You and your sisters hold the key. The key to saving not just your people, but mine as well. And perhaps hundreds of others if our natural tendencies are not checked."

He sighed again and Soji felt the frustration to her toes, "Right now, one of your sisters is already captured by my Commander in your great hall. I do not know how to find the other, if that is even possible. I was only able to find you by," he stopped as if uncertain what to say, how much to reveal to her.

"Only by the grace of your goddess and the luck of my god," he finished. "I will not lie to you. What we attempt will likely not end well. But I would rather die fighting than allow your gifts to fall into their hands, be perverted for their purposes as they have everything else they touched. Help me, sweet priestess. Help me save your life. Your sisters' loves. Our peoples. Save me. Please."

Soji's mind and heart battled. She had failed her people once, brought all of this upon them and her sisters. It was her fault, her greed, her sin that brought them all to this place. She wanted to believe this man's words, wanted to think that there might be someway yet that she could undo even some small measure of it. Save her sisters, if not herself. But trusting one man was what brought them here, how would trusting another help.

In the end, did she have any choice? If she did nothing, they were doomed for certain. And he had rescued her, of sorts, freed her. If she followed him now, she could always look for some other way, a chance to save her sisters alone. They were what mattered most now. She nodded, "All right, I will follow you."

She felt the soft roughness of his fingers upon her chin as he lifted her face towards his. Her vow to not look upon her destiny seemed pointless now. If she were to do this thing, try to save her sisters, denial would do her no good; she must find the courage to look destiny square in the face. 

But her heart stuttered in her chest, the air froze in her lungs as she looked upon him for the first time. A tiny cry escaped past the tightness somehow. "You," she whispered.

***

Tam was uncertain what he expected. But this was not it. She was not it. She was tiny, a bundle of soft curves that unleashed something more ferocious inside of him than even the greed and avarice that was his nature. The need to shield and protect her was overpowering, but so too was the need to control and conquer. They seemed oddly conflicting but perfectly balanced somehow. 

But he did not have time to ponder any of it. They did not have time. The sands of time were slipping through their fingers. Even if they could get to the High Priestess of the air, he was uncertain how they could rescue the priestess of the water. And while he knew that saving even one of the priestess would prevent his people from gaining their full powers, he could not stomach the idea of leaving even one behind. He knew that his leaders would be livid, angry beyond all measure to have lost that which they sought, that which the prophecy foretold would unleash the greatest wealth they had ever known. 

The truth though was that he might well have to make that hard choice. And he would. He would leave the other behind. He would leave both of them behind to save her. Because she was his...and his alone. But he could not tell her that. Would not earn the trust he needed, wanted. 

Instead he forced himself to loosen his hold about her, though it almost hurt physically to do so. He stood and drew her to his side, placed his arm about her softly. Tiny, the word ricocheted like a bullet through his head. Tiny, helpless, his responsibility to protect. And to cherish. "Then take me to her. The High Priestess of the air. We shall begin there."

***

Mya clung to him even as the creature reached for her. She drew back further. Her mind feral with images of blue blood spurting forth from the sword wound in his side. Her father's side. The two men merged somehow in her mind as she fought to save the one as she could not the other.

Then she felt the soft, gentle hand upon her shoulder, heard the sweet voice that she recognized, that had always brought her comfort. "Shh, Mya, it is all right. It is me, Soji. We have come for you. We are here to save you."

Mya shook her head as if to come awake from some dream that lingered after waking, "Soji? What are you doing here? Where is Rata? Who is he?" the questioned blew like her winds unchecked. 

Soji smiled weakly, "They have her. The Morians have her. Versil has her." Her sister turned to the imposing giant next to her, "This is Tam. He saved me. And we are here to save you," she looked at Aved then, "You too Councilor, if you will let us."

The man drew her into his embrace, "No, priestess. My place is here. I will do what I can to save our people. Lead them in battle as I have in peace."

Mya shook her head violently, "No," she cried.

The giant stepped forward, looking first from her then to her protector, as if taking some unseen measure of her, of them. When he spoke, she strained almost to hear it. 

He bowed low, before the older man as he began. "Councilor, I entreat you reconsider. I too know the responsibilities of command, both as a royal officer of the Morian forces, and more importantly as the leader of the resistance." Mya felt the shock that radiated from Aved. It was not an emotion she had felt from him before. 

"You are the spirit?" he asked.

The man chuckled softly, "That name serves its purpose to inspire dread among my enemies, but I prefer Tam, Sir. At least among allies and friends."

Mya watched as Aved took measure of the other man. But she noted that he kept his arm about her, pushed her well behind him. It seemed that her protector's trust went only so far. 




Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 07



"What do you need of us? What is the plan?"

The giant shook his head, "Right now, the only plan is to get these two to safety. We cannot allow them to fall into the hands of my people." He looked at the other man then, "No matter what." 

Aved nodded his head and Mya felt the solemnity of the vow that the men now shared. But she caught upon something else too. Her eyes sought Soji's as she spoke. "Not without my sister. Not without Rata."

Both men shook their heads. "I am sorry, young priestess, but we cannot run those risks. If you are captured, if the two of you fall into their hands, then all is lost."

Soji drew herself up to her full height, placed her hands about her hips. "I don't care what is lost. Mya is right. We do not leave this place without our sister."

The man knelt before her sister; even then he came almost eye to eye with her. "Please listen, my sweet salvation. I would do anything. Give anything to please you. But I cannot do this. We cannot risk it." He turned towards Aved. "Please, Councilor, you must see, it is foolhardy to risk that which we might save, that which we must, to rescue that which is lost already."

Another voice interrupted from the doorway. "I'll do it. Tell me what I have to do."



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 08



Visions of defeat assailed Tam as he cursed aloud, "Dark god of fate, I know I am a worthless, heartless son of a heckle's hide. But really? An old and a boy?"

He rose up and crossed the room more quickly than a man his size ought. He stood in front of the new comer. Glared at him, took his measure. The boy met his gaze full on, stared unblinking into his eyes. The little rat was full of courage, he had to give him that much. But courage alone had gotten many men killed. 

Just as he was about to speak, he felt the steadying hand upon his shoulder. Turning he saw the older man, their Councilor. 

Tam was not prepared for this, for any of this, either of these unlikely allies. He had not known exactly what he expected. The prophesy was so unclear, as prophesies often were. He supposed that just as he sensed her, knew that his destiny, his fate lay in this place, he just assumed that somewhere among his men, his followers, the hundreds of devoted resistance fighters lay others, others that were destined for this fate, blessed as they had no right to be. 

But clearly he had been wrong. He had miscalculated, never thought that the other priestesses might have true mates already. This changed everything. Or did it? If he left them here with these men, could they protect them? Keep them safe from his brothers? For how long? Because he was certain that Mot would not rest until he had scoured every square meter of this small, inconsequential world for the treasure he sought. He never did and took no notice of what he destroyed in the process. 

He shook his head, what choice did he have really?

As if sensing his indecision the older man spoke, "I am usually more of a diplomat but I do not think we have time for niceties. So let me make myself clear. You will not take Mya, the High Priestess of the air, anywhere without me."

The boy spoke up then too, "And if you think that you are just abandoning her like some piece of garbage, tossed aside after it is no longer useful, then frig you all. I'll do it alone."

He turned to go back down the hall, but Tam put out his arm, grabbed him about the shoulder. "If you want to save your mate. If you have any hope of it, then you will listen to me and do exactly as you are told. Do you understand me?" he gritted through his teeth.

The boy whirled on him then. His fist connecting solidly with his jaw. For someone his size, the kid could hit. He raised back his own fist, he would not use his full force, not if he had any hope of using the young man to serve his god's purposes, but he needed a lesson. 

He felt the soft fingers wrap about his fist, he allowed her to draw it to his side as he would none other. But he stepped forward when she brushed past him, wrapped his arm about her shoulders protectively as she reached for the other man. He did not like the feel of her so close to another, familiar enough to touch him. And the fact she did not yet wear his collar only heightened his unease. 

"Leamus, what are you doing here?" she asked softly.

The boy looked from her to him and back again. His rage was barely caged. "That worthless, cowardly piece of," his stopped and shook his dark blond head. "Tsu sought out Larca, took her with him, told me I should guard the High Priestess of the air. He would not tell me what happened to her so I thought I would see if either of you knew. I have been to her chambers, yours too." He shifted nervously from foot to foot.

His mate smiled at the other man, he growled a low warning, whether to the other man or her it did not matter. The boy, Leamus she had called him, looked at uneasy as he felt. There was no denying what his senses told him, what few others of his kind would know. The boy was her mate. At another time, he would have loved the chance to laugh at the nasty sense of humor that was his god, Fate. But that would have to wait another time. For now, he had an unlikely little party of High Priestesses, old men and boys to lead.

He wiped his hand across his face and sighed, "We need a plan. A real one now. Fuck!"

The older man stepped forward making certain that his young charge remained well behind his back. "Foul language will not help, son. I do not know what you are doing here. Why you would seek to help us. I am not sure that we should even trust you. But if you are who you say you are, then you should know all that."

Tam drew in a deep cleansing breath, ashamed that anyone would need to remind him of his true calling. But that was why he needed her so desperately; she brought the balance that he needed. He needed her, had to save her, save them. And that meant he needed to quickly formulate a plan that stood even a micro-chance of working.

"Thank you, Councilor. I should not have needed that reminder but appreciate your wisdom in offering it." Looking at the young man again, he extended his hand. "I am Tam, a Morian commander and leader of its resistance. If you have my mate's trust, then you have mine as well. We will do all we can to bring your mate back to you. Get all of the High Priestesses to the safe havens I have selected. But we all stand a far better chance of that if we work together. You will only get yourself and her killed if you rush off in anger, let us help you, help her."

The young man stared at his hand as if carefully considering it. Tam hoped he was. After a long moment he placed his hand in Tam's. Both were soon covered by another, its knuckles lined with the soft lines of age just as the man's face with lined with wisdom. Courage and wisdom they had, Tam hoped only that they had enough of both to see how truly special their destinies were, and to stand fully into them. To protect and cherish the most precious of all gifts...a true mate. 

***

The rag tag group huddled in a doorway a short distance from the altar. Screams rent the cold night evening air. Soji kept her hand on Leamus's arm. Big baddie growled every couple of minutes, but that was too bad. She could feel his anger and panic. Or perhaps this time those emotions were her own. Whatever was happening to her sister in there was not good. The giant had his head bent with the Councilor; together they sought a plan that might free her sister. Soji just wished they would hurry, before it was too late. "Leamus could take Soji to them; perhaps they could distract them long enough. We could sneak around and free her," suggested Aved.

Another of those growls like an enraged boar erupted from her rescuer, "Soji goes nowhere near them. I do not see you volunteering your mate, old man."

"Hey, while the two of you are friggin' arguing here, they could be killing her," Leamus protested.

Soji shook her head and sought her sister's eyes, "We go together. All of us. It is the simplest solution and the one most likely to work." She saw each of the men open their mouths to protest, but Mya had moved next to her then. 

"We do it our way or we will trade ourselves for our sister," added Mya.

Tam shook his dark head, "You do not understand my people do not trade, they take."

"Well, then my plan should work nicely," smiled Soji. "What weapons do we have?"

"I have my sword and a small knife hidden in my belt," replied Leamus.

"I too have a knife," Soji would have laughed at the shocked looked upon her little sister's face had the circumstances been less dire. 

She turned to her new protector, "And you, big guy? What weapons you got?"

He scowled at her, "I have two guns as well as a stun grenade. And like your friends a knife."

"That should do," Soji nodded. "But you better be a damned fine actor, big guy, because this whole thing hinges on you convincing your buddies in there that you got lost and just stumbled upon us." She turned towards Leamus, "You will join him, keep it close to the truth. Tell them that Tsu told you to bring Mya to the temple. And that you ran into the big guy and me on the way."

All three of the men were shaking their heads, "Listen, none of you have come up with anything near as good. You just fight over who goes and who stays. My way we all share the risks."

Tam spoke, "And we deliver exactly what they seek, all three High Priestesses, into my brother's hand. It is too risky. Too foolish."

Soji ignored him for the moment, turning her attention to the one that she could convince, the one with the most to lose. "You maneuver yourself close to where they have Rata. As close as you can get, Mya and I will provide a distraction when the time is right."

"Mya, can you do this?" She asked, turning to her little sister. "No matter what we see in there, you must control yourself until I give the signal. Can you do that?" Mya nodded. 

"And me?" asked Aved.

Soji smiled, "You have the biggest job of all. Keep her safe and center her mind. If things do not go as planned, get her out of there. As the big one says, they cannot ever get their hands on all of us." She could see Mya wanted to protest, but she shook her head. "This has nothing to do with you being younger. This has to do with you being more gifted than either Rata or I. Not just us, but our people cannot afford that power to fall into these people's hands, sister. So your duty, if it comes to that, is to save yourself at all cost. Do you friggin' understand me?"

Her little sister dropped her head, but she nodded slowly. Soji only hoped that she meant it, but knew that even if she did not the Councilor would keep his promise, protect her sister for as long as he could. Soji knew too that they would never allow them to capture her. Or to continue to torture her sister. If the giant and Leamus could not free Rata, she had a plan of her own. Better that two of the High Priestesses be dead than in the hands of these monsters. 

But she was not going to tell the big guy that. Turning to him, she smiled, "You are to get me as close to the altar as you can."

He frowned at her, "Why? What are you planning?"

"A simple distraction to shake them up a bit," Soji smiled. "Now let's go."

***

Leamus's whole body stiffened as the group walked into the main temple. She was tied up, suspended like a child's puppet from the pillars that surrounded the altar. Her body was limp like that puppet, until the dark giant that sat in her throne, the seat upon which only the High Priestesses of the water had sat for all time, until the creature said something then the cold collar about her neck arced with purple lights and she screamed out as her body danced with the foreign energy. He held her there suspended in pain for long moments until Leamus was certain he would kill her. His hand went to his side for his sword, but a larger one covered it.

Tam shook his head, "Do not. Control yourself, young friend. I know you want to go to her, need to. But our greatest hope, perhaps her only chance, is if we work together."

Leamus felt tightness in his chest unlike any he had ever felt, stronger even than the morning that he followed her, overheard her conversation with Versil, stronger even than when he watched powerless as she seized. "What are they doing to her?"

The giant dropped his head, "It is not what you think, my friend. It is not pain that they inflict upon her, but something far worse. Pleasure. They have turned her gifts against her, use her body to fuel their perverse games," he whispered.

Leamus swallowed the bile that rose up in his throat. He wondered if it was perhaps not best if he just rushed forward, buried his sword in her heart, his knife in his own. He knew that some part of her always resented the gifts that had set her apart since birth, but now this. Having those gifts used against her, "I am not sure she would want to survive," he whispered.

***

Tam watched the pain play across the boy's face. Looking down at his own mate, he did not want to even imagine the pain that the young man must feel to see her like that. And Tam knew better than most the damage that the collar could do in the wrong hands. His brother was most definitely the wrong hands. He would not stop until he had extracted every last bit of her energy, drained her and left her a mindless sack of flesh. If they did not stop him that was exactly what would happen.

Looking at the glazed look in her eyes, Tam feared it might already be too late. Considered for a moment just scooping his mate up, advising the Councilor to do the same. But he knew too that his mate would never forgive him, that forming a true bond with her might never happen if he abandoned her sister now. Even if all they managed to do was free her, so that could die in peace, they had to try.

And who knew, maybe the powers of their goddess to heal were stronger than the Morian nature to destroy. Looking at the boy, he did not envy him the road that lay ahead if they did survive this. How one so young could have the wisdom, strength and courage to love her back from the brink was beyond even the Spirit's ability to foretell. "Well, it will be your job to make damned sure that she does, if we survive this," he replied with more certainty than he felt. 

"Fuck," he spat as his attention turned to the man upon the throne. "My brother, sorry that I could not join the party sooner. This god forsaken shit hole is a maze. I got lost," his fist wrapped through his mate's long red hair tugged her up by it until she stood on her toes. 

Her ample breasts jutted out. God damned, why he had not thought to dress her first. Looking at the other priestess and her sheer robes, he figured what was the point. Proper clothes. If they survived this, the first thing he was doing was getting his mate some proper clothes. He shook his head as he watched lust well up in his brother and the others. 

He fought back his own nature as he had for so long, "But I believe I have found the treasure we seek."

His stomach turned at the look of pure greed upon his brother's face, "Well done, little brother. You might redeem yourself yet. Bring her to me," commanded Mot.

He turned her to face him, saw fear in her eyes for the first time. He wanted to run from this place, protect, kiss it all away. But their course was set now. He had to follow her lead. 

***

Mya trembled as she hunkered at the back of the temple next to Aved. What if he betrayed them? He called the man brother. Were not the bonds of their brotherhood as strong as the ones that she shared with her sisters? 

She looked over at him as she always did when she needed strength or courage. He smiled unperceptively and nodded. "It will be fine, little one," he said. But Mya noticed that his hand slipped into the folds of his tunic. She suspected that his fingers toyed with the knife he said was hidden there. Had he always armed himself? It seemed so unlike the man that she knew. The man of reason, diplomacy and intellect. But then again nothing in her world was as it seemed anymore. She wondered if it ever had been.

Rata cried out as energy arced from the thing about her neck. "What is it?" she whispered.

"A weapon unlike any other. To control and abuse the mind. An abomination," replied her dear friend. 

"Will she survive? Can we heal her?" she asked herself and the goddess as much as the man next to her. 

His answer only confirmed her worst fears, "I do not know, my sweet winds. It has not been done before. Not when they have taken the mind and body this far."

***

Aved watched the others. Soji was right. Mya must never fall into the hands of the Morians. He would lay down his life to see that never happened. And he was certainly glad that they had remained unnoticed in the shadows. If things did not go as the High Priestess planned, he would grab his charge. There were tunnels beneath this place. Tunnels that not even the priestesses knew about. 

But he did and he would bet that the boy did too. It was one of the first things that you learned as an acolyte, the maze of tunnels that were to be used in just such an event as this. Your duty always to protect your mistress. Of course, until this night, those tunnels had been nothing more than play grounds for acolytes seeking to shirk their duties or lessons. 

He watched as the boy snuck closer to his prey, inched closer to the altar and the High Priestess that hung there. He wondered if the boy realized that he was not the first. Not the first acolyte to fall in love with his mistress. 

Aved had. He had been nothing but a boy when he came to this place, given over to her care. And over the cycles his love and devotion had grown for the High Priestess that was his mistress. When he had been assigned another as primary, he had been devastated. But he had fulfilled his duties to her, learned, moved on to become a member of the Council of Three. Almost a hundred cycles after first coming to this place he had returned as a Councilor. And he had taken her as his counselor, chosen the woman that he had loved for so long. And together they had lived, loved and ruled for almost another two hundred cycles. 

He looked over at the young priestess, who was the daughter of her heart. But all of it paled when he looked upon the girl. Woman, she had long since become a woman, a strong, brave and powerful one too. Only he in his stubbornness had refused to see that. Held onto the past while denying the present. And now it seemed they may never get the chance at a future. 

He watched as their new leader drug his charge up the steps towards the three raised daises. The boy was almost to the High Priestess of the waters now. And the High Priestess of the rock was almost to her goal as well. His hand moved towards the hilt of his knife. How many cycles had it been since he had used it, practiced even? He had become a man of words, reason and diplomacy more powerful than weapons or so he had asserted until this moment. But sometimes, just sometimes, the sword was mightier than the pen and blood must be shed to atone for sins. And the abomination that sat upon the thrones of the High Priestesses must be destroyed. Just as he thought it, the very ground beneath his feet began to shift, sway and buck. He clutched at her arm, drew her against him, shielded her body with his. 

But she shook him off, stepped out of the shadows, and with the look of an avenging demon joined her powers with her sisters as gale force winds began to blow within the hall. 

***

Soji smiled as she felt the wind at her back. Her little sister had known, had felt the signal. And though she knew that Rata was too far gone to join with them to churn her waters, crest them over the walls and flood this place, they would do it for her. They would together bring down the temple that had been the only home they knew for most of their lives. For far better that it be destroyed than fall into the hands of these defilers. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him, watched as he reached his final goal. He used his knife to cut her sister from the pillar, scooped her across his shoulder. Rata was safe. Well, as safe as any of them were at the moment. 

She turned then towards her sister. Their eyes locked and together they built the power within them. Power of love that had only been used for healing was channeled now into destruction. Into destroying their way of life, the temple of the goddess herself. 

She watched as Versil stumbled, rose up from her throne. Her seat of power. Hers. Hatred brighter than Tavia's red giant welled up inside of her. How dare he? How dare he? Her eyes locked with his as she felt the power surge up once more. 

"Defiler, whore son, monsters. You shall never have true power for you are unfit. Unfit to rule, but unfit even to walk upon this ground which has been, is and always shall be hallowed to me." The steps began to crumble beneath the thrones, cracks appeared in them. She saw the other creature stand; his hands reach for his sword, as he lunged forward. 




Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 08



She felt a strong arm about her waist as Tam pushed her to safety, facing the other man. She noticed then that his eyes which had been as dark as the evening sky, as black as the others, now glowed a bright gold like unto the softer yellow star that ruled Tavia's late afternoon. 

His voice was a sure as her own when he spoke, "This power is not yours to command, dear brother. Fate has chosen another. For he seeks not the strong to make them stronger, but the weak that he might rule through them. The humble that they might have care of the power which is not theirs, but only entrusted for a season to them. The unworthy for they shall respect the gifts to which they have no right."

Soji frowned. She did not recognize the voice; it was not her goddess, this she knew. But it was as powerful, as holy, as meaningful. 

She was so in awe of it, pondering its meaning, its significance that she was caught unaware as his hands wrapped about her neck, choking off the very air that she breathed, trying to crush her between his fingers. His face was as red as it had been in her chamber earlier. His spirit as black. 

She was never certain how it happened. It was almost as if she simply willed it. But the cold metal of his knife appeared in her hands. She felt completely at peace, as if nothing could touch her. She brought the blade up surely and swiftly, buried it deep within the chest of the man that had been her lover. His blue blood spilled down her hand and arm. Its warmth carrying his very life force as it drained from his body. 

She stared calmly into his eyes that were wide with shock and fear, "I carry out the death sentence upon you that our goddess pronounced. You are nothing to me. Nothing to her. Go into the pits of nothingness, your spirit never to return." She yanked the knife from his chest with power that she would not have thought possible. She felt his blood spurt all over her, covering her face and hair. And she gloried in it. Gloried in the kill. Gloried that it was by her hand that justice had been delivered. 

She smiled as she watched him slump to the floor at her feet. She could see the black cloud that was his spirit hover for a moment then a dark hole opened over it and it was sucked away. Away into the nothingness from which it came. 

And she felt the power drain from her. Stars appeared behind her eyes as she collapsed against him. Into his arms.

***

"Fuck," Tam spat as he scooped her into his arms. He tossed her over his shoulder and reached for his gun but he feared he would be too late. 

Then he heard the man hiss with rage as he saw the dark red stain spread across his chest. Tam smiled as he saw the young man behind his brother. His sword buried to the hilt in his flesh. He knew that the boy thought it a fatal wound and likely it would have been for one of their kind but Morian anatomy was just different enough that he knew his brother would survive this wound to fight again.

He could certainly sympathize with the younger man's sentiments though, "That is for her, you worthless piece of shat." 

The young man pulled his sword from his brother's chest, heard the hissing of air whooshing into the open wound, his brother's blood mixing with the other's, covering them all. Despite his burden the boy, moved swiftly. 

But not swiftly enough, his brother reached for his gun, lifted it even as he slumped to his knee and got off a single shot before collapsing. Tam braced himself as the boy stumbled, reached for him. He already carried her full weight, now he bore that of the younger man and the other woman. Even his strength was tested under such a burden. 

Not for long though as the Councilor and his charge ran to their side. "Give her to me," said the older man.

The boy shook his head, "No, I carry my mistress. I..."

Mya stepped forward, "You are a fool. We have come this far. Do you want her to die now?"

"Of course not," the young man cried.

"Then give her to me," offered the man once more. 

Leamus stared from one to another, then at the woman in his arms. But reluctantly he obeyed, passing her weight to him. The young priestess came to his side, wrapped his arm about her shoulders, took as much of his weight as she could. And together the bloody and wounded group made their way back to the shadows from which they had come. 

***

Mya turned to look one last time upon the great hall from which they had reigned. The altar was cracked. Morian soldiers ran about the room, screaming and killing, seeking revenge for their fallen leader. Seeking them. She did what she could to slow them. She concentrated, whipping her winds about them until the candles that burned eternal on their wall mounts were extinguished. She drew the very clouds within the temple, until a thick cold fog blanketed them. 

Then she felt the ground beneath her feet rumble once more. Turned to see Soji, lift her head off his shoulder. Watched as her sister fought through the haze of battle. The ground shook more surely, unlike anything she had ever felt. Until she heard the roar of stones falling upon one another. Mya peered through the haze. Watched as the great pillars that surrounded the altar collapsed inward upon it. Saw it crack and break beneath them. 

Priestess, primaries and acolytes alike raced about the temple seeking a way out, though the stones gates were well and surely locked until the next rising. Mya knew that when it came there would be nothing left of this place. Nothing left of Tavia's great temple to the goddess. And perhaps nothing left of them either. Certainly nothing left of High Priestesses without a temple, forsaken by their goddess. 

It was she realized Rata's dream fulfilled. She smiled sadly as she looked across at her sister cradled over the shoulder of her protector. Mya was glad that she had not witnessed it. Wished that she had not either. 

"What now?" she whispered.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 09



"We must get to my ship," replied Tam as he shifted her once more, buried her face in his shoulder and turned his back so that she could not see the battle that raged mere meters from them.

He looked about, but in the dark and haze, he was uncertain, which way to go. Frustration rose inside of him. They had come so far. But it would all be for naught if they could not get out of this place. His soldiers were already raging, and when his brother awoke he would give them orders, organize a search party, seek them out. There would be no place they could hide within the temple, no safety within its walls. 

When he was about to lash out in anger at his dark god, Fate, the boy spoke up. "This way, there is a tunnel this way."

He limped forward leaning much of his weight upon the young priestess, but he kept checking over his shoulder to make certain that the older man followed, that his mate was being cared for. Tam shook his head, if their lives and the fate of their peoples did not rest upon their actions now, he might actually like the kid. 

"Where do these tunnels take us?" he asked.

"Just outside the temple gates. We can easily hide in the city. It will not be safe to stay in my home, but we can get supplies there. Tend to Leamus and Rata's wounds. Then we can plan what is next, where we might go to hide. The mountains perhaps," said the older man as he shifted his burden in his arms.

"No, there will be no place safe upon this planet. No truly safe place in the universe. My brother will not give up," replied Tam.

"I killed your friggin' brother," boasted Leamus.

Tam chuckled and shook his head, "No, you simply wounded him. Remind me to give you Morian anatomy lessons once we are safe. You missed his heart by six centimeters."

The young man stopped and turned, "Then I'll go back and finish the job."

"No, your job now is to care for your mate. She needs you," Tam put out his arm to restrain the hot-headed youth.

But the boy merely brushed his hand aside, "No, my job is to defend my people. You will care for the High Priestess. Get her to safety. Once I have you all through the tunnels, I will come back, save more priestesses and kill as many of these friggers as I can."

Tam shook his head, "No, you must come with us. Your mate has endured much. She will not heal, cannot survive without you."

The boy turned on him, "Ass shat, I don't know where you learned our language but she is not my mate. She is the High Priestess of the waters and I am a mere acolyte."

His mate twisted in his arms as they reached the end of a hallway, "What now?" she asked.

Leamus walked to sculpture of a babe suckling upon the breast and touched the nipple, a stone panel in the wall moved away. "Through there. Keep turning right and you will find your way out."

Tam shook his head, the boy did not understand. He did not have the words to explain it all. He was not sure he fully understood the prophesy himself. But he knew the strength of the bond he felt for her even now. How could the boy fight such a thing? Perhaps he was wrong, although he did not think so. 

He felt her gentle touch upon his shoulder, turned to her with a smile that belayed the gravity of their situation. "What is it, my sweet salvation?"

"Let me down," she replied stubbornly.

"No."

"I can walk."

"Maybe you could, but you won't."

He felt the stinging blow to his shoulders as she assailed him with her tiny fists, so tiny, so precious. Could he really deny her anything? "All right, but you will stay close to me. Is that understood?"

He heard the laughter, looked up to see the young man chuckling. "Man, she knows how to play your ass. Cunny led."

Tam scowled at him, "Watch your mouth, boy."

*** Soji stepped between them again. "Men! No wonder you are the weaker. You do not think of anything except violence."

"And sex," laughed Leamus.

She walked over to him, "He is right you know. Rata needs you now. Come with us."

He shook his head in denial, but she saw that his eyes automatically went to her sister, unconscious in the Councilor's arms. She saw them soften and for a moment thought this battle won before it had even begun.

"No, she's better off with you. It is her sisters she needs now. Not some little acolyte."

"Primary, Leamus. Do not forget you are a primary now," she argued.

He spun on her, "Not her primary. No, you gave me to that she-rat, Larca. Did you really think I would want that man's cast-offs?"

Soji chuckled, "I bet you would have no problem seeing to the needs of his charge, standing into his role as her primary, though would you? Or is my sister tainted too?"

"Of course, she is not. She deserved so much better than that ass shat. What I want to know is...are you going to leave her unprotected too?"

"Don't you get it? She is not mine to protect. She never really was."

The gentle giant stepped forward then, "Do you really believe that? Look inside your heart. Tell me that you believe that any of us could protect her as you would. Tell me that even now you are not fuming that she lies in the arms of another. Tell me that..."

"I don't know who or what you people think I am. But for the record, I am nothing more than a street urchin that she saved from imprisonment for stealing in the market. I was barely more than a suckling babe when she brought me to the temple instead. So yeah, I feel duty bound to her, but I am not and never will be worthy of being her," he did not even finish his statement, simply turned and started to walk away.

Soji left anger well up inside of her, "And this is how you repay her kindness? How you treat the woman you love? You turn your back on her when she needs you the most. You betray her as much as he ever did." He spun around, stalked back. The giant came between them. 

"You know nothing, woman. Nothing. I would do anything. Anything in my power for her." He shook his head and she saw the tears glistening in his green eyes, "But that is just it, I do not have the power. Have you listened to your lover? Boy, kid...even he gets it. I am not some mighty Morian commander or wise Tavian Councilor. I am a friggin' street kid and an acolyte. Would friggin' use would I be to the High Priestess of the waters?"

He walked over to where she laid in the Councilor's arms. His fingers hovered just above the dark stain on her cheek; the purple bruise was rising already. But he held back from touching her. A single tear escaped and fell where his fingers refused to go. 

His voice was shaky when he spoke, "Just promise me you will take care of her. The two of you heal her as you did before."

The giant pushed forward then, went to where the Councilor stood. "Enough of this. We do not have time. We might still save our mates. The boy has decided that his is better off dead than with some lowly street kid. Give her to him then and bring yours with us. My ship is waiting and I do not have time for this."

Soji felt her anger double. How dare he? If he thought, she was leaving this place without her sister. But then she saw the change upon Leamus's face, his own anger. 

"No, goddess damn you. You will not leave her behind."

"Listen, kid," Tam emphasized the word, challenged him with the very slur. "When we get to my ship, I have coordinates set for three planets, places that I selected that will be as safe as I can manage for them, places that match their gifts, where they can rest and heal. The transporter is set for two people each already. I don't know why or who was going with them, but I knew they would need protectors."

The man waved his arms, "Look around, you see anyone else? This primary of hers, where is he? You want to run along and find him? Maybe he will go with us, protect her? Oh wait, that's right. He came for your woman. Choose her, delivered the High Priestess into my brother's hands and walked away from her. Even if he still lives, do you think him worthy of her?" 

"I can't do it," the young man dropped his head, shook his dark blond head. "Don't you understand? I am not worthy. What if I fail her?"

Soji feared that the man's laughter would be heard, even over the din of battle. "Then you are exactly what she needs most. Now you are ready for this task that lies ahead of you. Now you truly understand." 

He walked over and fell to his knee in front of her. For a woman accustomed to be worshipped it made her decidedly uncomfortable. 

"None of us are worthy of this greatest gift of the gods. Love, true, real and abiding love is a gift, not for the worthy for they shall never appreciate it. But for the unworthy, unwashed, weak, for we will appreciate it, hold onto it and cherish it will all that we have. We will protect our salvation with our dying breath," he gathered her hands in his much larger ones, leaned his head against them silently. 

Soji stared at him. His words registered in her addled brain. But some door to her heart had been slammed shut. If she had met this man before. But the truth was that it was she that was unworthy of love. Her sin, her greed for the very thing he offered is what brought them to this place. This moment. Had destroyed her very world. She had brought down the temple of her goddess with her own hands as surely as her quakes had toppled its altar. 

She would go with him, what choice did she have, her sisters' lives depended upon it, upon him. But she was not what he thought. She was not who he thought. She was not worthy to be a High Priestess, to serve the goddess in any way. She was certainly not worthy of this, not now. 

***

Aved watched them, felt time slipping away. It had been for so long now, but never had the clocks seemed to move so fast. His special one had done all she could to purchase them extra time, but the darkness and fog that blanketed them would not hold for long.

The man was right, as much as it pained him, he shifted her, placed her in the younger man's arms. "I am sorry, son. But he is right. We must go now." He reached for Mya, drew her beneath his arm. "I know you will do all that you can to protect her. But should you fail, be merciful. Do not let her fall back into their hands. Better to die at yours."

Mya shook her head; huge tears fell from her blue eyes. "No," she begged and pleaded. His heart ripped in two at her pleas. But the thing that she asked was not his to give. 

Instead he drew her into his embrace. "I am sorry, little one, but we must go." He pulled her towards the opening as he watched the other man do so with his charge. It seemed so completely wrong that the three women who had served the goddess together for so long would be separated now when they had need of one another most, but all his wisdom, his years of experience could do nothing to change that. They must save that which they might. 

***

Leamus felt her weight in his arms. He could not manage it with the wound to his thigh so he fell to his knees and knelt. Though it was forbidden that an acolyte carry his mistress, it was not the first time. He had carried her that morning when she needed him. Looking at her swollen face, he knew that she needed him even more this evening than she had that rising. This time she did not move at all, he prayed for some sign of life, her fits would have been preferable to this. 

He peered through the darkness trying to see the rise and fall of her chest. He bent his head close to her mouth and nose, but even then her breath, if she breathed at all, was so faint that he could not feel it. He drew her closer in his embrace. The others were leaving. He could hear the cries of battle coming closer to their hiding place. 

His death would be quick; of this he was almost certain. What was some mere acolyte to them? But her? As the Councilor said, he could not let her fall back into the Morian's hands. He could not let them do that to her again. She would never want that. 

He touched his sword. It was sticky with the other's blood. He could not use that. Could not mix that vile creature's life force with hers. He slipped his hand inside his tunic, found the hilt of his knife, drew it forth. He even raised it above her chest. But his fingers trembled. The knife fell from his hand. 

He had never believed in the goddess she served. It was his secret. But he could never worship any deity that used its servants as the priestesses were used, like chattel. Any goddess that used her as she was. 

But now he wished that there was something to believe in, some divine being that could tell him what to do. He could not do what he ought to keep her safe from further abuse. But he was not worthy, not capable, of doing that which the others said he must. 

He bent his head and for the first time placed his lips upon his forehead, just as she had his that first morning in the market all those cycles ago. She had saved him then. From prison. From starvation. From another beating at his father's hands. She had had the courage to stand up for that tiny urchin. How could he not find the courage to stand up for her now? What choice did he have? 

He might not be worthy, but she was. He struggled to his feet. Fought through the pain, buckled under the load of her weight and his own, but through it all he forced his legs to move. Just as the panel was about to shut, he placed his shoulder in its path. "Wait for us."

The Councilor turned with a gentle smile. He held up the torch that was always lit to show their way in the deep passages. He offered it to him, "Take this, I shall carry her then."

Leamus shook his head, "No, she is mine to carry." He saw the giant smile, "For now. Just until she is safe." 

The man shook his head, "Keep telling yourself that, boy. One day you will see the truth. That it is you, who will never be safe without her."

Leamus smiled; this he knew already. But that did not change his mind. He had a duty. He owed her this and so much more. She had saved so much more than his worthless life that morning. She had saved something far more precious, his soul. It had become hers then...and it always would be. 



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 10



Mya looked around. His ship was not anything like she had expected. Although she was not sure what she had even expected. It was not though the big shiny metal disk about which her father had told her stories as a small child. It was much smaller, could perhaps manage only a dozen people. Its shape too more closely resembled a boat from which its name derived. It was dark, as black as the night sky. They would have walked right past it had it not been for him.

Being practically raised in the temple, the very idea of traveling to the stars boggled her mind. Seemed almost wrong somehow. Were not the stars and moons homes of the gods and goddesses? What right did mere mortals have to such aspirations?

She leaned against a wall, one that seemed barren of the lights and buttons with which the giant was playing at the moment. When they had emerged from the temple into the deepest darkness that happened when only one of Tavia's moon was visible in the sky just before the first of its suns, the red giant, rose over Rata's waters, the group was tired and bedraggled. Even she, who had endured far less than her sisters, felt the strain of the battle. But he had pushed them, moved them forward. Tam, he had a name too, she reminded herself. Some part of her wanted still to hate the man, who was after all one of them, the Morians, their destroyers. Yet he had fought so hard to save them, was so attentive to Soji. 

She worried for her sisters. Soji was so quiet and withdrawn, and in the light of his ship Mya could see dried blood around her breasts and a nasty dark purple bruise upon her cheek. Rata wore a matching mark upon her cheek as well, but it was the deathly stillness that worried Mya the most. Her sister of the water had not moved at all since he had taken her down from the altar. She simply lay limply in his arms. 

The boy clung to her, refusing to put her down even now that they had reached the ship. Aved had found lead them to a bench against another wall. Had run about finding medical supplies, asking Tam for what he needed and even sneaking out into the darkness for fresh water that might cleanse and soothe her wounds. 

Mya felt useless at the moment. She smiled, but she had not been useless to them this evening. She had been the High Priestess of the air. For that moment, she had felt as powerful and gifted as Aved, Lano and her sisters had always said she was. It was her winds and clouds that had hidden them. Her winds combined with Soji's quakes that had toppled the altar. 

Oh sweet goddess, it was they, who destroyed her temple. Not the Morians, but her High Priestesses that had torn it all down. A soft cry escaped her parched throat as she dropped her head in self-loathing. 

She felt the gentle embrace of Soji's arms about her then, but they brought small comfort. The altar was destroyed, the temple likely to be as well by the time that the red giant raised its head on the rising. Their way of life was no more. The great chasm of uncertainty stretched out before her. She no longer even knew who she was. How could she be the High Priestess of the air without an altar or a temple? 

"Tam says he is almost ready, little sister. He will send Leamus and Rata through the transporter first. Then you and Aved. He and I will take the ship to meet up with his friends from the Morian resistance force," she smiled but Mya noticed the hollow almost blank expression in her eyes.

She nodded, "Will Rata be all right?"

Soji shook her head, "I do not know. Tam says he is not sure. She endured far from than most people could take. But Tam says that she is strong willed, that perhaps the goddess can over time undo with their technology did. He is sending them to some place he calls Earth. Over three-quarters of it is her water."

"We should go with her then. Perhaps together we can heal her, bring her back from the edge as we did before," Mya pleaded.

Soji shook her head, "No, it is not safe. We cannot remain together. If we were all captured, fell into the Morian hands." She stopped and sighed heavily, "I am sorry this is all my fault."

"No, no, it is not."

"I was his counselor. He even told me of his plans. Of the treaty with the Morians. If I had listened with my heart to the goddess, if I had seen Versil as he truly was," her sister looked down at her hands. Mya realized that her nails still bore dark blue stains beneath them. Her lover's blood. Soji had taken his life herself. Mya felt her stomach roll. If she were forced to... If she ever had to face the choice to end his life, she doubted she could. No matter what.

She inhaled a cleansing breath forced her troubled mind back from that line of thought. Her sisters needed her now. While Rata might lie unconscious in the boy's arms, Mya feared that the wounds to Soji's spirit were far more threatening than the ones to her body.

"Listen to me, none of this is your fault," but her sister merely pulled away at her protests. She had never pulled away before, never denied them the comfort and solace they needed. And for the first time, Mya truly realized how very much their world had changed. The bonds that they shared as sisters were gone. As shattered as the altar to the goddess that they had served their whole lives. 

She trembled as that uncertainty once more swallowed her very soul. Then she felt another set of arms about her shoulders. Stronger arms, wider shoulders to bear this new burden, a comforting chest upon which she had so often rested her head when she was troubled. Like her sisters, he had always been there. And if what Soji said was true, he would be the only one upon which she could rely in whatever lay ahead. 

As she remembered the other dream that she had as she suckled at Rata's breast, just the previous rising, such a brief moment that seemed like a life time ago, she was both comforted by his familiar presence and frightened of how even this might change. But change seemed the only thing that was certain in her world at the moment. 

She could shrink away from it, in doubt or self-pity as it seemed her sister was, or she could step forward and embrace it, confident that the woman, whose winds and fog could blind and army long enough to get them to safety could ride those same winds of changes into whatever the future held for them, confident in her goddess and herself. Looking back and forth between her sisters, one of them must embrace this new day. It might as well be her.

She nodded her head and wrapped her arms about her protector. "I am ready."

***

Tam wanted so much more time with the boy. He had shown courage, stubbornness and intelligence. He would have been proud to have such a soldier to serve under his command. But he did not have months and years to prepare the young man for a destiny far greater than his young shoulders could bear. He could only hope that his dark god of Fate and their sweet goddess of love would watch over them, protect them and teach him all that he would need to embrace the destiny that was beyond his control.

He passed the tablet to the young man, "This contains all that you need to know of Earth. It is a small planet, just beginning to make the technological advances that my people made many years ago. Their species share common ancestry with both our races. The place I have selected for the two of you is isolated." 

He nodded towards the woman in Leamus's arms, "She will need rest, time to heal, if she might. Their planet is three-quarters her waters. I have selected an island in one of their warmer seas for this reason. Its waters are not as pure or healing as Tavia's but they are not as foul as my own either. Not yet anyway. I can only pray to the god of Fate that their race is wiser than the Morians in that way." He shook his dark head, "But they do not seem to be. Ruled as much by greed as my brothers, they are rapidly following our lead, destroying the most precious things of all from which their very lives come, their land, their waters, their air and one another."

Tam pulled his mind away from the other world; he had enough to worry about with the Fates of Morian and Tavia resting upon his shoulders. He could not worry about a path that was yet to be fully selected by a people that were such distant cousins of his own race. "But you could spend many months, years even, without seeing one of their kind. The tablet contains all the information on their history if you are interested, need to know. It also contains information on their flora and fauna. It will be different, but not so different that the two of you cannot survive there."

He smiled at the man, "Oh and I added a bit of that Morian anatomy lesson on there. Just in case. Next time you won't miss the heart." He handed the man another dark metal box, "In here are tools and weapons. Not much, but enough I hope. If you are found, push this button on the tablet. It will send a warning to me and Aved." 

The young man shifted her weight, winced in pain and took the items. "What about that thing? Take it off her," he said motioning towards the metal collar about her neck.

Tam shook his head. Explaining this was not going to be easy, "It cannot be taken off safely. Once a collar has bounded with her life force," he hesitated, knew that neither of them would like the truth. "The problem is not the collar. Or its power. The problem is always how that power is used."

Leamus shook his head, "That thing comes off. I will not have her hurt like that, used like that again. She would not want it."

"I understand. My people have abused their powers for hundreds of years. Used the collar to control and abuse our women, even other races that are susceptible to its powers. But the truth is that the collar was meant as a beautiful bond between two people, as physical representation of what their souls shared. It can be that again." 

He sought the younger man's eyes, held his gaze. "My brother did not have her fully under his control. It is her energy alone than sings through the collar. If as I suspect you are her true mate, it will be easy for you to find that music, for your soul to capture it and amplify it. Until as the prophesy says...two hearts sing as one."

He watched the younger man shake his head, saw the same denial rising up in him that he had since they met. Why did the boy not see? His words said one thing, but his every action another. They spoke of his true feelings, devotion of a true mate. How could he make him see that? The woman's life depended upon it. Quite possibly all their Fates as well.

He felt her soft hand upon his arm. His throat tightened as he looked at her. As he realized that the young man was not the only one that fought his destiny. His path was no easier, her heart closed to him even as her body sought even the slightest touch with him. 

She bent and kissed her sister's forehead, "Take care of her Leamus." She said through tears, "I am so sorry, sweet sister. Sorry, I did not listen to you." His heart broke at the way her voice choked on the words. She paused for a long moment in her goodbyes.

Then she looked up at the young man once more, Tam felt the shift in her, knew it was her goddess' voice with which she spoke, stood in awe of the magnificent woman that was his own destiny. Even in the depths of her pain she still ministered to others. 

"I know that you do not believe in her goddess, Leamus. But you do not need to, because she believes in you. Trusts you enough to place my sister into your care. No matter what you may think or feel, she does not make mistakes. You are exactly what she needs now. You will know what to do, how to care for her, heal her. The goddess will give you the wisdom, but you must find the courage to follow your heart. Follow your heart, Leamus. For her sake, please."

She placed her dainty hand upon the man's shoulder as she bent and once more kissed her sister's forehead. He felt the zing of her power to his very toes as she began, "Goddess bless and keep you both in her love. Heal your wounds and your hearts. Bind them as they have been through all time, through many lives. Bless you with the desires of your souls. Now and forever more."

He felt her pain as she forced herself to turn and walk away. She had found the perfect way to say it all. Everything inside of him had found its voice through his mate. And it was he who was humbled and awed at this precious gift. 

He drew a deep breath; he had a lifetime to be grateful to his god and her goddess. Right now he needed to get them to safety. He placed his hand upon the younger man's shoulder, guided him to the right position for the transporter. 

"Go with god. Face your fate," he chuckled. "And all the sweet shit she said too." He pushed the final key that would send his first charges safely upon their way. 

***

Aved watched as the women said their final goodbyes. Though he had known the High Priestess of the rock his whole life and been the charge of his precious Mya, he felt like an intruder. Moved away slightly. Looked about the ship, the likes of which he had only imagined. For a moment, he felt the pull of wonder, the need for more, could see the greed that had led Versil. He felt the firm grasp of the other man's hand on his shoulder and turned. 

"I am sending you to a place we called Ether. Its people have built their cities in the clouds themselves. She will be comfortable there. I have a friend, a former leader of the resistance; he joined with an Etherian many years ago. They will harbor you. Keep you safe," Tam pressed a tablet into his hands. "What you need to know of the place is all in here, Councilor. If you do not understand anything feel free to ask Marham."

Aved nodded as he held out his hand, "Thank you. Thank you for coming for them. For keeping her safe."

The man nodded, "There is one more thing, Sir." He looked at the ground as he drew a cold metal circle from behind his back. "She needs this."

Aved recognized it, shook his head. "No. No one needs that thing."

Tam forced it into his hand, "Do not let the collar frighten you, Councilor. You are the boy; you have seen enough of this world to know that power itself is not evil. It is how that power is used. Who uses or abuses it. In the hands of a humble servant, power is a precious gift to be cherished. You are old enough and wise enough to know how to use that power properly."

The man looked to the women, "Do not force the issue now. But you will know when the time comes." He stared into Aved's eyes until he wanted to look away. "Though my people have abused it, the collar was originally a symbol not of the woman's submission to her mate, but his duty to her. The deep connection that it allows meant not to manipulate or abuse, but to warn him when she had need of him. I believe that in the right hands it can be that again. I do not need to tell you, use your power wisely."

Though he was uncertain he believed the man's assertions, Aved nodded and accepted the cold metal circle. With or without this symbol, he knew that the man understood the duty they shared. "She is as wounded as her sister. Her wounds deeper perhaps. The High Priestess that I knew is gone, her soul stripped as bare as he left her body. You will not have an easy time, my friend."

Tam chuckled low, "This I know, old man. Any other pearls of wisdom before I send you on your way."

Aved shook his head, "Only this, follow your spirit and Fate as you always have." 

Tam nodded as they walked over to the women. Aved paused as he placed his hand upon her shoulder, turned her and guided her to the spot the other man indicated. He frowned. Never had he felt such calm, a gentle breeze. Sweet. Soft. Not in a hundred cycles. Not since the night that she passed. Yet now of all times, when their world had collapsed, invaded by a foreign army, their temple destroyed their priestesses scattered. Now the soft winds of change blew fragrantly. 

He looked down at her. Saw the serene smile upon her face and his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach at his destiny that stretched out before him now. He only prayed to the goddess that he was half as wise as the man thought because at the moment he felt inadequate, unsure, like an acolyte upon his indoctrination. 

***

Soji watched her youngest sister and the Councilor disappear into nothingness just as Leamus and Rata had. For a moment, fear gripped her. What if it was all a lie, another machine with which to destroy them. How did she know that this man really sent them somewhere safe? Were they not simply gone? Vanished into the pit of nothingness that had swallowed Versil's soul? She choked on the thought.

Then another arose within her. Either way they were gone. Safe or simply disappeared. Her duty to them was complete. She was free. Free of her responsibilities to her sisters, her people and the goddess. She did not need to be strong anymore. The rock could crumble. And she did. She fell to her knees, Rata's tears poured from her battered soul. 

He gathered her into his arms. Held her as she cried. She knew that this was different. Felt it somehow through the haze. Knew it was all she had ever wanted or dreamt of. She was accepted, wanted for herself, not some whore of the great goddess to be used. She was safe and protected as she never had been. 

If it truly was all that as her spirit told her, then why did she feel nothing? Absolutely nothing. Her body, her mind, even her spirit were numb. Dull. Damaged somehow beyond repair. 

She looked up at him, "What now?"

She saw him tense as he walked over to the console of buttons that he had used to send her friends from this place. He picked something up and placed it behind his back. He walked slowly back to where she knelt. Her eyes widened with fear when she saw what he held. "Frig no," she said as she rose, made to run for the portal that was still open as the first rays of Tavia's great sun began to filter through it.

His arm about her waist stopped her, "Shh, sweet salvation. It is not as you think."

If she had been numb before, suddenly her body found new strength, new reserves of energy as she fought against him. "If you think I am going to let you put that thing on me, you are crazy. I saw what it does. You are no different from the other one. All the others. You just want to use and abuse. Then toss aside." She pushed at his arms about her waist, tried to wrestle free. "Let me go. Let me friggin' go, ass shat."

He shook his head, "I cannot. I am sorry. I do not have time to explain. The doors of your temple will be open soon. If my brother has not already sent out search parties he will. We must go now."

He turned her in his arms as he walked almost effortlessly back to the console. He held her with a single arm as he pushed more buttons. She fought him harder. She did not know what lay ahead. But she knew that she wanted no part of that thing, no part of the collar that had destroyed her sister's mind. No part of control that drew forth even the goddess's most precious gift against her will. No part of him.

He finished whatever he was doing, unphased by her struggles; he carried her to the same spot from which her sisters had disappeared. He drew forth the vile cold metal once more. His eyes flashed, "I pray that your goddess is more forgiving than my cruel master of Fate. I am more sorry than you will ever know, my sweet salvation."

No sooner than his sweet pleas for forgiveness left his lying lips than she felt the snap of cold metal encircle her neck. 

"Mine. Mine alone. To protect. To cherish. To rule for all time. In this life time and those to come," his voice was deep, low deceptively sexy. When she would have screamed her outrage, his mouth covered her. And then everything disappeared. Simply faded away.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 11



Leamus banked the fire just outside the small lean to that he had built that first rising here. It was basic, a couple of decent size tree limbs and some fronds from what the tablet called a coconut tree. The friggin' things were almost impossible to open but he almost had the knack of it now.

He looked over to where she lay sleeping on the frond bed he had made. Tomorrow would be their fourth rising here and in all that she had not moved, gave no signs of improvement, no spark of life. He bathed her forehead in the cool, salty water several times a day, pressed sips of the fresh water from the stream that ran through the center of their island home to her lips, but she barely drank any. He had tried to get her to take some of the sweet milk from the coconut earlier but doubted that any made it to her stomach. 

What the frig was he going to do? This was what he tried to tell them. He was not ready for this, did not know how to care for her. If the Morian had listened to him, taken her with him and the High Priestess of the rock or even sent her with the Councilor and young priestess, then her sisters might have healed her as they did that morning. But was good was he to her. Twenty-five cycles...what the fuck experience did he have? Even the High Priestess of the air was two hundred cycles. 

"Frig me," he cursed as he stood up and looked out across the waters as they glistened black and silver in the faint light of this planets solitary moon. The days were tolerably warm, though with only a single yellow star, this place was more than a bit cooler than Tavia. But its nights could actually be cold. 

He slept beside her each evening. Held her in his arms...as a primary ought. But he was not. Not her primary. Not even a true primary at all. A novice. An acolyte still. He shook his head, perhaps he should have taken the other one up on her offer to indoctrinate him. But he had been in no hurry to fulfill his duties as her primary, was more than glad for the rituals that allowed them time to get to know her. He wondered for a moment what had become of the other priestesses, but he was sure that no matter what came that one was fine. She would have no trouble whoring herself to the Morians or anyone else. 

But that was not his concern now. He had only one worry...her survival. And he was failing on that one too. He looked over at her once more in the soft light of the fire. What was he to do? If only her sisters were here. If they were back at the temple, perhaps the healing pools might restore her. He frowned as he stared at the waters, what had the man said. That the waters of this place were not as pure as Tavia's but they were passable. Was it possible that they might heal her? It was worth a chance was it not? 

He walked over and knelt next to her. He could see the gentle rise and fall of her breasts, knew that she still breathed at least. That was something at least. But for how long, if he could not get her to eat or drink? He scooped her into his arms and tried to stand. The pain lanced through his thigh. It too was healing but slower than he would have liked. If the Morians followed how could he defend her properly when he was wounded? He shifted her weight and winced through the worst of the pain. This time he managed to make it to his feet with his burden. 

It was slow going crossing the distance from their hut to the soft waves. He sucked in a deep breath at the intense sting of the salty water as it reached his thigh and flooded the wound. But he kept going. Kept wadding into the waters, they were actually warmer than he had thought they would be, warmer perhaps than the air itself this night. 

When he reached chest high, the waters covered most of her naked body. He saw her nipples harden, felt the tighten in his own groin. "Friggin' ass shat," he cursed. The last thing he needed was his body reacting as her as it always did. It had been many cycles since the little boy had become a young man and his love and devotion for the woman, who saved him, took such a dark turn. He cursed it this evening as he had almost every one since then. It was wrong, so friggin' wrong for him to feel like this about her. 

About her. He strained through the pale moonlight to see any sign of renewed life, of even the slightest rousing. But there was none. Her arms floated open at her side, her weight though lighter than it had been when he first took her into his arms, was still completely dead. Only the gentle rise and fall of her breasts and the impossibly hard tips that called to him in some perverse way gave any signs of life. 

He shook his head, inhaled deeply. He was a complete ass shat. How could he still want her? She was gravely ill, her body though recovering slowly was still covered in bruises, her mind though was fractured, her spirit that had always been so strong was completely destroyed by the monsters. 

The metal circle about her neck caught the light and glinted across the waters. He hated it. Hated this symbol of what they had done to her. He reached up, allowed her body to float on the soft waves as his hands sought it out, grabbed it between his two fists and pulled with all his might, trying to separate it. Perhaps if that was the problem, perhaps the collar as the man had called it was what was making her ill, continuing to sap her energy, her life force, the power of the goddess inside of her. But it did not budge, did not bend or give even the tiniest bit. 

"Frig, frig, frig," he cursed to the universe. How could her goddess do this to her? Desert her like this? His heart hardened even more against the only deity that he knew. The loving and nurturing goddess seemed as callous and heartless as the Morian dark god of Fate, about which he had been reading on the tablet. It seemed that the two were a perfect match, uncaring of those mortals that served them, quick to use and discard their devotees. 

What was the point? What was the point to any of it? He thought as he turned with her in his arms and headed back to the shore line. She had stood up to the Morians, perhaps bought precious time for her sisters and this was her reward. Cast off to some goddess forsaken chunk of rock in some far corner of the universe that no one had ever heard of. 

Another curse rose upon his lips as he made his way across the white sand towards the fire. They were both naked. Her robes that marked her as a High Priestess had been stripped from her by the enemy. His trousers were bloodied and practically destroyed. And he had used his tunic as a blanket of sorts to keep her warm at night. 

He sat close to the fire. Held her close as the gentle breeze off of the water turned almost cold. Perhaps this had not been such a good idea after all, he cursed. His hands ran up and down her arms, trying to warm her. But it was he who was getting heated. He shifted in the sand, trying to find a comfortable position. It only served to rubbing the soft curves of her bottom across his growing erection. "Frig," he cursed. 

He felt the slightest of movements in his arms. He frowned. It was probably just his imagination, wishful thinking. He looked down her, seeking any sign of renewed life, but was disappointed once more. He shook his head as he gave into his darkest fear...what if she never recovered? What if she continued to waste away into nothingness? 

"Goddess damn you," all he seemed to say anymore was one curse after the other. He smiled, it was a good thing she could not hear him. He remembered the nasty bitter jakar berries that she had fed him every time he used foul language as a boy. 

He rose from the fire and carried her to the make-shift bed of leaves. He laid her down softly and drew his tunic about her. How had they come to this he thought as he did the same thing that he had every evening since that first, he bent and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Sweet evening, Rata," in her unconscious state, he dared to take liberties he would not have otherwise. 

He climbed in behind and wrapped his arm about her waist, drawing her back into his embrace as he had every other evening. Sharing body heat with her was the worst form of torture he could imagine. Almost as bad as watching that ass shat, use her for the power he could glean as her primary. He brushed her deep red hair out of his face as he nuzzled in deeper. 

"Friggin' ass shat, you are no better," he cursed as he tried to find some position that did not align his hard cock with the sweet crack of her round ass that seemed made just for the job of cradling it. He forced his mind from that line of thought and towards plans for revenge should he ever get the chance. But not even spilling the blue blood of his enemies could deflate his cock when he laid this close of her.

***

Rata's head throbbed. Her body ached. Her mouth was dry. She struggled to remember where she was, what had happened. But she could not. All she knew was the warmth of the hard body that cradled her so gently. But that did not seem right either. When was the last time that Tsu had held her as a primary ought? But she could not remember that either. It seemed that everything was fuzzy this evening. 

And cold, so friggin' cold she thought and she pushed back, snuggled closer to him. Sought out his warmth. It was nice she thought as she felt the slight roughness of his unshaven face nuzzle against her cheek. Why had they not done this more often she wondered? Perhaps if they had then Larca would have never come between them. She frowned something was not right. Some memory, some important piece of the puzzle lay just out of her reach. 

She was not going to think about it now though, she swore as she turned in his arms. And came face to face with him. "Frig," they both spat as they flew apart. 

"You are awake," he said as he pulled back. She swallowed back the feeling of emptiness that welled up in her soul as he withdrew his arm from its resting place about her waist. She fought the urge to move closer to seek out his touch once more. 

She shook her head, "Why is it so cold? What are you doing here?" She looked down at her naked body, covered only in his tunic. She shifted and felt the stiffness that was nothing like her bed. "Where are we? What happened?" she questioned with a frown. 

***

"Where the frig are we?" Soji demanded moments after they materialized in a cold, dark cavern. Hundreds of the giants milled about the caves that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

"Commander," said a tall blond man that approached them.

Tam sat her down next to him, but kept his arm protectively about her shoulders. "Yes, Krut?"

The other man glanced at her, but was careful to keep his eyes down. "Is that her? It went well? Where are the others? The other priestesses?"

"I have sent them through the transporter to planets where they will be safe...for now," he explained as he turned and pulled her after him.

The man only nodded, "I see. What of protectors? I thought surely you would have need of some of our best men for that."

Tam shook his head, "No, the other High Priestesses seemed to have true mates already so that will not be necessary." Soji sensed the tension in both men rising. 

"So it was another failure. A pointless mission to retrieve a single woman? How many of our number killed or discovered? Three? Ten? It is not like the Resistance is growing. Our following is shrinking every day, do you not see that Tam? Your people giving up hope. What is the point they whisper. Fate always has been and always shall be a cruel master. Greed and lust his only rewards. Do you not hear it? Can you not see it for yourself?" said the creature, its face contorted in anger.

Tam pushed her behind him before stepping forward, coming toe-to-toe with the other man. "You want to know what I see? Spies. Somewhere among this group is a spy. We are betrayed at every turn. Our missions are not going well not because Fate had deserted us, but because one of our own has turned upon us. Is feeding my brother information. Is that you, Krut? Are you my Judas? Just waiting to hand me over to him, take my woman."

The other man stepped back, shaking his head furiously. "No, cousin. It is not me. I will follow you to my death. You know that." He looked over at her and bowed, "I am sorry, High Priestess. My apologies for my behavior this day. Welcome to our humble home. I am his cousin, Krut, and until a moment ago his second in command of the resistance."

Tam growled and shook his head, "God damn you, you know you still are."

Krut smiled weakly, "I am sorry, cousin. It is merely that I hoped," he paused. "That we all hoped the prophesy would hold the key. That the women might be the turning point of this never ending battle."

Tam looked to her, studied her for a long moment, "They are. I have never been more certain of that fact, Krut. The priestesses, their goddess, they complete us, offer us salvation, fill that chasm that greed and lust never have. They are the more we seek. I know this."

"Then why? Why did you not bring the others here? Why not offer their gifts, this salvation to those that have proven themselves loyal to you? I do not understand," he said as he shook his head.

Soji stepped forward, "Because love does not work that way. My sisters' heart already belonged to others. You cannot just rip them away from that, expect them to just give themselves to your men as some reward." She choked on the words as she spoke them. Was that not what they had always done? Always been...nothing more than whores for the great goddess. Why should these men expect anything more? Why should she hope that Rata and Mya might find anything more? What was the point to any of it?

***

Tam could see the wheels of her mind turning, watched the play of emotions across her expressive face. She was slipping again, slipping through his fingers. Perhaps he should have not brought her to this place at all. Found another hiding place, abandoned the resistance and his duties to it. But seeking his own happiness was as greedy and lustful as anything his brother did. 

No, this battle might not have gone as he expected but he had made the right choice. His gut told him that he was right. She did hold the key. The bound that they shared worth it, held the hope for saving his people from the never ending need for more. It was just that things were not as simple as that, they never were.

He played the words of the prophesy over in his mind as he had thousands of times before, 'Out of two shall come the one, whole, complete, lacking in nothing. Blessed by the dark god of Fate and the sweet goddess of Love shall it be born.' 

He had to believe it, he had given up everything to follow those words. From the moment he had seen them written upon the ancient pyramid on that small planet, those words had sung inside his dark heart. Called to him. Haunted his dreams. Until he had sought out the resistance movement, abandoned all that he had been taught for something that he could not explain, not even now. 

How could his cousin, how could any of them, understand? He was not sure that even he understood it, even as he held her in his arms. All he knew was that nothing had ever felt more right. Never had anything been more worthy of fighting for. 

And it would be a fight. The biggest battle of his life perhaps. He could see that. She was closed off, shut down. But he would find some way inside, some way to scale the walls around her heart. He had no choice. His life depended upon it...and the fate of his people. Hers too likely. 

But for now all he wanted was to get her alone. Hold her for just a bit. Rest and ready himself for the battle that was to come. Recover a bit from the one that he had just fought, from the hard decisions that he had faced, cleanse them both of the putrid stench of battle, greed and lust that hung like a second skin to them. 

He held out his hand to his cousin, "We will talk more tomorrow. For now, will you do all that you can to stymie the rumors? Until I know more, understand things a bit better, study the prophesy just a bit more, dear cousin."

The other man chuckled as he nodded his head, "Of course, I shall have your back, cousin. As I always have."

Tam sighed. It was hard knowing that there was a traitor among your own people, never certain whom he could trust. But now with her here, it became even more so. He had this feeling, this doubt that even now he could not dismiss. 

He shook his head and reached for her tiny hand, laced his fingers through hers and pulled her after him. "Come." 

Whatever the future held they would meet it together of this much he was certain. Even as he watched her looking around for some escape. He chuckled, it would be fun teaching her of his religion. Lesson number one, there is no escape from that which the dark god of Fate decrees for you. As for lesson two, his head was full of options, most of which had her on her knees, bound and helpless. 

Her collar caught the faint hint of light in the cave and twinkled, his cock rose inside his pants. And that single word echoed inside his mind just as the noise amplified off the cave walls around them. Mine. For all time.

***

Aved shook his head, the odd feeling was dissipating. He looked down at her. That serene smile remained plastered in place. She had never been more beautiful.

Another giant approached them and he pushed her behind him once more. The man held out his hand, "I am Marham," the name rang a bell in the Councilor's head. The machine must have left him addled somehow, but the memories were coming back quickly. He took the hand that was offered.

"I am Councilor Aved," he shook his head at the old habit. "I am Aved," he began again, remembering all that the previous evening had wrought. And the new rising that lay ahead. He smiled at her, glad that something remained of the world he had once known. And above all glad that she was safe.

A small woman stepped forward. She barely reached the giants thigh. Her skin was almost translucent, mapped with dark purple lines. But the most amazing part was the wings that sprang from her back. They were larger than she was by far, span two perhaps three fallon on either side. They seemed to flutter constantly, a light whir of music enveloped them. 

"And I am Amarah," her voice was as melodic as the wings, seemed almost like lyrics to match their melody. 

He reached out his hand towards her, but stopped when a low growl rumbled from the giant. He noticed then the metallic glimmer about her neck, recognized the collar and frowned.

"My mate and I welcome you both. Tam did not have time to send more than the briefest of messages so you will excuse our rudeness. We simply did not know what to expect," said the giant.

Aved nodded, "Yes, of course."

She pushed forward and extended her hand towards the other woman. He looked to the other man, uncertain if this gesture of friendship would be greeted with the same show of force. But it was not as the women clasped hands like old friends. 

"I am Mya," she said. "Your wings, they are so beautiful," she whispered reverently.

The other woman smiled softly, "Thank you, goddess. I am humbled by your words of praise. Welcome, we have awaited your presence for so long," she said as she knelt before Mya. 

Aved placed his hand at the small of her back. Her eyes were larger than usual as she turned to face him. Uncertainty written across it. He shook his head and smiled as shocked as she. But one thing he knew, whatever lay ahead in this new life, they would face it together. He had almost lost her once, he would not let anything take her from him now.

***

Mya stared into his beloved face, sought wisdom, some guidance as to how to manage this shocking turn of events. If she had never felt truly worthy to be a priestess, a High Priestess, then she certainly was not ready to be a goddess. 




Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 11



She reached out a hand to draw the other woman up from where she knelt. Breath caught in her lungs as she noticed it for the first time, "Oh sweet goddess, we are standing in the clouds." They were not the deep scarlet red of Tavia's storm clouds or even the dark pink of its fluffy morning ones. These were blue, the softest, palest blue. And they wrapped like whispers about her feet, encircling the lower portion of her legs. 

She reached down slowly, extended her fingers and felt their softness slip through her fingers. She remembered all the dreams she had once had as a girl of soaring among the clouds, weaving in and out of them likes the birds, like a flutterfly. She had told no one of the odd feeling of belonging that always accompanied those dreams; that left her waking each morning feeling as if all was right with the world.

But she had never imagined feeling such a thing. To stand on a cloud itself. To feel its soft tendrils embrace her like she imagined a lover would. She wanted to spread her arms then as this beautiful creature might spread its wings. She wanted to fall face first into it, feel it lifting her up and carrying her on its winds. To feel truly alive as she did as a little girl after one of those dreams. 

But she was not a little girl anymore. Those were just dreams. The hard truth was that she was a dispossessed refugee. A High Priestess whose goddess had abandoned her. She had used her own gifts to bring down her altar. And now she was just a woman. A woman like anything other.

And that was the most liberating thought of all. A woman that was free of expectations. These people knew nothing of red hair that marked you from birth as her servant, doomed you to the barren life of a whore, used you up until like Lano you slipped quietly into the next life...if you were lucky.

No, this was a new place that new nothing of her goddess, of its temples. This was a beginning. A chance to have a normal life. With him, she thought as she looked over at the man who had been her charge, who when the darkness came had been her protector. The man who had always been her friend. 

She shook her head and smiled as she reached for the woman, "I am sorry, but you are mistaken. I am no goddess. Only a woman," she answered with surety.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 12



Soji looked around the room. It was basic enough, Spartan even. The large bed that sat against the wall filled most of it. The only other furniture was a chest that sat at the foot of it. As with the rest of the place, the lighting was dim and she could not quite figure out its source as there did not seem to be any candles or torches about. 

He pulled his shirt over his head and the air left her lungs in a giant whoosh. She had seen and enjoyed more than her share of male bodies, but never one so perfectly formed. She knew that his shoulders were board, as her head had leaned on them most of the evening. But it was the perfect form of his chest and the dark marks that criss-crossed it and his back that had stolen her breath. The scars pulled at something deep inside of her, made her want to touch them, test her healing powers, soothe the pain.

He turned to her and shook his dark head, "Glad to like the view, priestess, because it is the last male form you are going to see."

Soji was unaccustomed to being spoken to in such a commanding manner, "Excuse me? How do you think you are? I am Soji, High Priestess of the rock, servant of the goddess. And just because you," she began.

But the words froze in her throat when he stood before her. That chest filled her line of sight, was all that she could see. How had a man of his size moved so quickly? But before she could ask the question, his fingers were laced through her hair, tugged hard enough to pull her head back. Tears clouded her vision as she stared up at him. 

"And I am The Spirit, servant of the dark god Fate," he hissed. His fingers ran around the edge of the collar about her neck and she would have stepped back, but could not seem to make her body obey her commands. 

"And I am your Master," Soji swallowed hard, tried to push the anger and panic back as it rose up inside of her, but she was only able to manage a weak shake of her head in denial at the assertion that felt so incredibly right somewhere deep in her core.

"Kneel," he commanded.

Her head moved from side to side more swiftly and she forced a single word past the blockage in her throat, "No." Why did it sound so damned needy and weak? 

His dark eyes stared deep into hers, "You are my true mate, my partner and my equal. You will be respected for that, by me and all that follow me." His brows knit together, "But you will learn your place." 

He turned and walked over to the only other door. He opened it and disappeared for a moment. Soji heard the sound of water running and almost followed him, but her feet seemed incapable of movement. What was happening to her? She was a High Priestess, always in charge, worshipped and adored. 

Sure, the guy was hot. The way that her nipples stood at attention, the tingling wetness between her thighs could not be denied. But that was no excuse. So maybe he had saved her sisters and her. Maybe it was gratitude that she felt, the tight knot in her tummy when he said those words. But she was a priestess...and she knelt to no one. 

He returned, standing before her for a long moment. His eyes darkened until they shown black as the darkest evening when clouds covered the moons and stars. His large hands brushed across the soft shimmering material of her robes. She looked down at them and wanted to cry. The deep purple was stained dark with blood. His blood. She felt the tears slip from her eyes, breathed her only thought, "Oh sweet goddess, what have I done?"

***

Tam felt her tremble, saw the tears cascading from her deep green eyes. He knew that she was going into shock. Her whole world had disappeared in a matter of hours. She had lost the women that had been her best friends and sisters for a life time. She had lost all remnants of her power. She had killed a man that if his boasts were to be believed had been her lover. She had even torn down the altar of her goddess with her own powers. She had gone from being a High Priestess worshipped by the whole fuckin' planet to a mere woman.

What she did not understand was that her power had just multiplied a thousand fold. She was a woman. And that held the greatest, the ultimate control. Over his heart, his body, over life itself. But from the gulping sobs that shook her too fuckin' tiny body from head to toe, he knew she saw none of that now. 

He ripped the bloody and offensive material from her body. It was indecent. What passed for clothing in that place should have been seen only by a lover's eyes. By his eyes. He would have to find something more appropriate. 

It would not be easy. There were less than a handful of women on Harnest. Morian women, what few remained, were collared almost before they came of age. Shackled and controlled by mates that had no true care. Only one had been freed of that abuse and even she continued to struggle. A few of his men had managed to find suitable mates during their battles about the universe. 

But few were the operative word. He sighed; he could not deal with the weight of his responsibilities to them now. This tiny wisp of woman that was his biggest responsibility weighed too heavily upon his shoulders at the moment. And if truth be known, the fate of their peoples was tied intricately with this moment. 

He tossed the offensive garment aside. It would disappear into the incinerator before she awoke tomorrow. A break with her old life so that she might face the new. He lifted her in his arms and carried her into the bathroom. The tub that sank into the stone flooring of the caves as if by magic was almost full. He lowered her into it slowly, testing once more to make certain that its waters were neither too hot nor too cold. 

He watched her head drop back against the side of it, her eyes closed even as more tears raced down her cheeks. He pulled his boots off, tossed them against the wall, where they made a loud thud before slipping to the floor. Not even that roused her. He ripped the pants from his body and tossed them aside as well. "Fuckin' hell, could you have not sent me to her before the bastard destroyed her very soul," he cursed his god Fate as he slipped into the waters next to her.

He drew her against his body. Her soft curves seemed to align perfectly with every hard inch of him. He pressed soft kisses to the side of her neck and shoulders as he held. He wanted to dry her eyes, command every tear away, but he knew he could not. They needed to flow, to be released. She needed to mourn all that she had lost before she could begin to understand and embrace all that she had gained. 

He was completely powerless to do anything more than hold her as they spilled forth. He had never felt more lost, more helpless. Not even as a boy, when his father had trained him, taught him to be a man, a 'real' man. Not even as he stripped him bare and tore the skin from his back and chest with the whip, had he felt this completely helpless. 

He was glad that his father's lessons of what it meant to be a 'real' man had never completely taken. What the man did not get, what his people did not understand was the power to be had in those tears, not in mastering emotions out of existence, but in embracing them, feeling them. That was the true power. And he was only this night, only in her arms, beginning to understand his own. 

He smiled as he buried his face in her long hair that floated about them both in the water, wrapping about them, entwining them both in its web, just as their souls already were. He was glad that they would have a lifetime to learn their power...together. 

He felt her sobs begin to lessen, heard the soft hiccups that followed. She tried to pull out of his embrace then, probably realizing for the first time how naked they both were. "Shh, don't move. I've got you now," he whispered as he reached behind him for the soaps. It was not easy pouring it with just one hand but he had no intention of releasing her, giving her the slightest chance of pulling away, running from him, from them.

He stared at the top of her head. His fingers slowly but firmly massaged the liquid into her hair. He had learned enough of her people to know that it was this unique color that set her apart. If his own people's practices of collaring its young women almost before they could be claimed and beating its boys until their spirits were as broken as their bodies were scarred, the way that Tavia's seemingly peace loving peoples searched out and tore such young girls from their families seemed almost more horrific. That these precious resources should become nothing more than prostitutes, offering their bodies to any man that had the money to pay for the goddess's blessing turned his stomach. 

That his mate had endured such a fate made him want to retch and vomit. He forced the anger back. It would neither of them any good. As his god of Fate taught, what was the past was the past. It could never be changed, only channeled into making the future better. And together they would. He swore this as he held her close, washed away the blood that marred her pale skin. Never again, he promised would she be used or abused. 

Together they would discover the pathway, the hidden meaning upon those scrolls. Together they would fight back, fight for and save both their peoples, and teach them new ways, better ways of living and loving. His fingers tugged firmly at a matt of hair that was coated in hardened blood. Her eyes opened for the first time and though swollen and puffy he choked on the vulnerability he saw in their depths.

"I've got you now," he whispered again as it finely gave free; that last stubborn tangle of the blood and carnage that had come before. 

His mouth covered hers. His tongue traced her bottom lip softly until she moaned and opened sweetly for his invasion. He inhaled deeply, taking all that was her soft surrender deep inside him, as he plunged them both under the refreshing and cleansing waters, washing away all that had come before. 

When they emerged together, she sputtered softly, shaking her wet head, "Next time warn me before you try to drown me," she said as she tried to push out of his arms. 

He tightened his hold and stared down at her as he shook his head, "Are you determined to have this soft bottom spanked until it is as red as your hair, my salvation?" His hand caressed slow circles on her bare bottom to emphasize his point. 

She glared at him, "That is barbaric," she spat as her dainty hands wedged between them, tried to pry loose from his arms wrapped tightly just beneath her full breasts. The way her nipples hardened and rose when she saw him watching them caused an equal reaction much lower in his body.

"Really? Is that why these are as hard as Martonian crystals?" His fingers brushed so lightly at the tips it was more the air itself that moved across them than his flesh. Despite her protests, her body arched upwards seeking his touching, pleading for what he was not yet ready to give her.

He stood, scooping her into his arms and walked out of the tub. He paused just inside the doorway as the dryer gently blew fingers of warmth across their skin. He cursed low under his breath when he saw how dark the bruise across her cheek had become. He knew that killing was unnatural to his mate, but was glad that it was she that had dispatched her former lover; his mean streak would have tortured the bastard for days before allowing him the release of death. 

Her hair was not quite dry as he carried her to their bed. Their bed, he played the word over and over again in his mind. He quite liked it. And for once when he sent a silent entreaty to his god of Fate, it was not a curse. 

***

The imposing dark figure had a half smile upon his almost beautiful countenance as he watched the show upon the cloud like screen.

"Sick old pervert," came the chuckle of soft feminine laughter from behind his back. He spread his arms and waited as the soft curves of his blond mate molded themselves to his larger harder body.

"Mortals? Mere porn for the gods, woman," he scoffed as he bent to kiss her upturned nose.

"So it has reached the point that we require porn to keep things alive my beloved husband," she teased.

He slapped the round curve of her bottom and the thwack resonated about the emptiness of their cloud like home. "Would you care to join your beloved priestess in a lesson in kneeling before your master, Amorra?"

Her laughter truly rang out at his words, "Soji is not called my rock for nothing, Fate. Your little Spirit shall have to work far harder than that to bend her to his will. Submission is earned, my beloved husband and you of all people know how long and hard it must be worked for sometimes."

He chuckled as he drew her back into his embrace, "You need another lesson in what happens when naughty little goddesses mouth off to their masters, my love." He brushed a soft kiss across her lips until she was purring and rubbing against him like an eager kitten. His hand brushed over the golden material of her gown that revealed as much as it hid. Her nipple pebbled almost before he touched it. He brushed across it once. Twice. Three times. His nail sank deep into his partner's tender flesh as she jumped and squealed.

She pushed at his hand, but it was futile. "What did you do that for?" she whimpered.

"Because being a brat is so fucking unbecoming in a goddess of love, my sweet mate," he replied. His voice took on an icy steeliness as his eyes glowed soft amber. "Now give your priestess a lesson in how she is to show proper respect to her Master, Amorra."

She did not hesitate as she slid gracefully to the ground at his feet. Her thighs spread open wide; the hem of her gown rode up until it barely covered her upper thighs. She blushed as she released that her own fountain was on full display for him. But that thought excited something dark and dangerous inside of her as it always did. It was a good thing that passion burned brighter than any of the stars in the sky for gods and goddesses for she would have so hated to scratch out the eyes of any conniving little bitch that touched her Fate.

She felt the hard tug in her long curls. She had thought with her head down as a proper sign of respect he would not have noticed the smug look upon her face. But she should have known that nothing escaped her mate's evil pleasure. Then again did she really want it to?

She smiled up at him, "Yes, Master?" 

"Fighting, battles and war are best left for the men, my sweet. So your little thoughts of scratching out eyes have earned you a punishment, my dear."

"Oh really?" she said as she bit her lower lip playfully. "What shall it be then, Sir? Ropes, chains? Floggers? The whip? Canes?" even though the latter was not her favorite, she knew that his mastery of them would bring both the pleasure and the pain they both need.

His laughter filled the vastness of heaven, "Oh my sweet naughty goddess, I said punishment, not play."

She shook her head and her lower lip stuck out in a soft pout, "Not that again. You know I hate it when you make me wait like that for my pleasure."

He bent and ran his tongue along the side of her face, the soft air across the wetness made her whole body ache for him, "Please Fate?"

He shook his head, "No, my naughty mate. Now we shall both have to wait." His dark head nodded towards the screen as the man softly ran his fingers through the woman's long red hair. Her eyes closed at the soft ministrations, "Them too."

"No, fate. Soji has waited it so long for this. Served me so well. Please? It is not fair to punish her for my transgressions," she pleaded.

His face darkened, "No, my sweetness. Your little priestess has not learned the most important lesson of all. The true power of love over us all...mortal and god alike." He reached down and pinched her nipple once more until tears glistened in her eyes. "And until she submits willingly to her very nature, we shall wait."

"Then Rata please," she begged. 

"That angry she-devil? You must be joking. She is just lucky that the boy has not read far enough in the tablet that Spirit gave him to understand fully the need for proper disciplining of woman," he smiled. "But he has potential. I do so love new converts to my dark little games, you know."

She smiled her priestess of the waters was anything but patient. Waiting for that one would be the most severe punishment of all. But she had chosen well for her, a mate truly worthy of her greatness and with the strength to bank her mighty waters, keep them moving in the direction they should. But everyone really should stop calling him a boy, Leamus was far more talented than any of them realized. She had selected him especially for that reason.

She felt the solid sting on her bottom almost at the same time as she heard its loud crack like thunder, "Who selected the boy, woman?"

"We did, Sir."

"And best you not forget it either, my dear. No, of your beloved little priestesses only one is truly ready to embrace her fate, the new path," he smiled.

She shook her head, "But he is not."

"Oh yes, my dear, but you forget something. The most important lesson of them all," he smiled down at her.

She answered it with a sweet smile of her own as she slide her dainty hand slowly up his thigh, "That it is really the submissive with all the power. Oh no, how could I of all people ever forget the first that you taught me, Sir?"

His large hand covered hers just millimeters from the bulge in his pants, "Yes, my love. But sometimes that power must be controlled. Properly. Because subs can be naughty, greedy little girls who need to learn their lessons."

She played his words over for a moment in her head. Considered several courses of action, but only one truly made sense. She dropped her hand from his thigh until both of her rested palm upwards upon her knees, her thighs spread as widely apart as possible. Her head was bowed properly this time as she cleared it of all thought...except him.

"Now that is my good little goddess," he replied as his fingers brushed as softly over her golden hair as his servant was over the red flames of his mate. With a thought the picture before them disappeared. Not much longer, my dear friend, he promised the man who had served him for so long. 

But for now, he had his own mate to correct and discipline. How were her little priestesses to learn proper respect and manners if their goddess had none? "Go to our room and await me," he ordered. 

She rose gracefully with a soft nod, never lifting her eyes. Awaiting the dark god of Fate, it was the only thing that the goddess of love had or would ever know. And one day, maybe just one day, she would learn to stop fighting him.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 13



Mya glided about their home; the room they were in now was filled with books, thousands upon thousands of them, lining the walls. She frowned at all the different writings, different languages. She felt the soft whoosh of the air from the woman's wings before she appeared next to her. She frowned, why would the creature walk when she had such lovely wings? 

"Because it requires far more energy than I have at the moment, my goddess," was the soft whispered reply.

"You can read my thoughts?"

The woman shook her head, "Not your thoughts. Your feelings, yes. I am an empath. A gift that only a few of my kind has, but I think that it is one with which you are very familiar, am I not right?"

Mya chuckled, "Yes." It had been the first thing that she realized was different about her. Set her apart from the other novices. She could sense emotions in others: anger, fear, despair, lust, they beat at her, bombarded her like giant hail balls in the mightiest of storms. It was another of her secrets, only Lano had ever known. 

Even she had seemed a bit in awe of Mya's gifts, she had thought for a long moment then before telling Mya that a time would come when her gifts would be revealed, but until that time she must speak of it to no one. She had said that it was another manifestation of her powers, that emotions themselves were born of the wind and carried upon them. Perhaps now was that time, perhaps this woman held some key to that which had always confused her, "How do you manage?"

Amarah smiled, "It is not as bad since I joined with Marham. He is a protector and somehow works as a buffer of sorts, at least for some of the stronger, nastier emotions. But I remember as a little girl never wanting to leave my room because every time I did it was as if everything came flying directly at me at once. I would get this horrible headaches then collapse on the floor in fits. The doctors could give my parents no hope so they sent me away to a temple. It was the best thing that ever happened to me," she smiled.

Mya shook her head, her own memories of being torn from her father, forced to go to the temple seemed fresher than they had in years. The other woman placed her hand over hers and she felt a soft discharge of energy. "Our Fate calls to us all, my goddess. It cannot be avoided however much we might like." 

She looked to where the two men stood talking across the room, "It is not always such a bad thing, you know. He was wounded, his friend Tam brought him to the temple to heal but the wounds to his soul were not as easily healed as the ones to his body." She waved her arms at the books, "His hobby, a search for truth. He has collected thousands of books from so many different worlds, different religions, beliefs."

She sighed, "But still the dreams haunt his sleep. Great men are not easily placated, but then again I think you know that already. What of yours?"

Mya shook her head, was about to deny the woman's words. But something stopped her. The dream stopped her. If this woman was right, if Fate was not something to be fought, then perhaps the answer lay in embracing it, embracing him. It was certain that fighting it as her father and Lano had held no promise. She smiled softly and nodded, "Yes, mine."

***

Aved held the book that the other man was showing him gingerly. It was an ancient text and its words written in a language he did not know. But even as the man extolled the wisdom in its words, his eyes kept drifting to where she stood with the other woman. What was he to do now?

He had been a young man, barely finished with his time as a primary and new to the Council when Lano had taken him under her wings, guided him as was her duty, counseled him wisely and grew him into the man he had become. He had loved her...and he always would.

But it was not the same as it was with her. Something in her called to him. Brought out every protective instinct inside of him. Because of his feelings for Lano he had forsaken marriage, a family, and at first she had been the daughter they never had. He had joined with Lano in celebrating her accomplishments; her gifts that made her outshine all the other novices. 

When Lano had passed they had both been gutted. But no one was as shocked as he had been when the Tribunal broke with tradition, selecting a novice to replace the woman he had loved. With her. While as senior Councilor, he might have selected another High Priestess as his counselor, sought out Soji or Rata, he had not been willing to turn her care over to Mij, who was too distracted with his new wife, and certainly not to Versil, whom he had always knew was slightly off. So he had remained in the charge of the new High Priestess of the air. 

It should have fallen to him in those unusual circumstances to indoctrinate her. But how could he? She was like a daughter to him. He still loved Lano. And a hundred cycles and come and gone, technically the High Priestess of the air remained an untouched novice. 

But she was not that sweet little girl that they had nurtured and overseen together. She was a woman, full grown. A woman with strength and gifts that he feared not even they had seen. A beautiful, gifted and very desirable woman. And as protective as he still felt of her, there was nothing fatherly about the feelings that she had been stirring up inside of him for some time. And watching the serene way in which she of all of them floated from one change to the next, he had the feeling that nothing would ever be the same between them either.

"Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart," the man's words floated to him through the fog of his thoughts. Yes, it was good advice the words of this ancient philosopher Marcus Aurelius. He would have to think upon it more. 

"But it is late and I am a rude host. Here, we will show the two of you to your room," he offered. Protest welled up inside of Aved. It was not if he had not spent tens of thousands of evenings holding her in his arms and talking until they fell asleep. It was not even as if he did not want to this evening. It was just that something was different. She was different. And he had no idea what to expect. 

The gentle touch on his arm and the soft smile upon her lips as she looked up at him stopped his heart, "Yes, please, Marham. I am more than ready for bed this evening. What of you, Aved?"

Yes, what of him, he questioned as they small party made it through the house in the clouds. He prayed to the goddess for the courage to as the saying went...accept and love with all his heart. For at the moment, that seemed a dream for a far wiser man than he.

***

"Frig," he spat as she splashed in the warm waves again this rising. Curses seemed to be the only words he spoke since they came to this goddess forsaken place. But that was because here they did not have the luxury of even the sheer robes that once covered her full curves. If they had been torture, then this was insanity. His palms itched to cup her full breasts. His arms ached to wrap about her waist and draw her back against his hard body as he had those first nights here, before she had awaken. And since...he had dared not. Though his body strummed with the raging need to take her. 

"Frig," he cursed again as he tried to focus upon the words on the tablet. Something about punishment and control. The first of which this must be some severe form for his lack of faith in the goddess and the latter of which he had none when it came to her.

"Is that all you do? Curse?" she asked as she plopped down on the sand next to him. She used his tunic to dry her long red tresses now, just as she used it each night as a blanket. He wished she would think to use it to cover those soft curves of hers. 

"Goddess damned. Is that all you do? Walk around naked and worry about my language, priestess," he accused.

She frowned and looked down at her body, "Since when did it bother you? I walked around my chambers like this all the time. I only wore robes when I left them. Aren't you used to it by now?"

"Used to it? About as friggin' used to it as putting a banquet before the man dying of hunger and telling him he can't eat. That used to it enough for you, priestess. And to answer your other question, only since I came of age, cycles ago," he shook his head.

She frowned, "I'm sorry. I never knew. I guess it was just so," she seemed to search for the word as she paused. In the end, she simply dropped her head and whispered, "I don't know what to say."

"Join the friggin' club, priestess," he replied as he laid the tablet aside and poked at the fire with a stick. It was getting low, perhaps he should use that as an excuse to go further into the island, search out wood. And do what he had been for so friggin' long...touch himself as he thought about how good it would feel to bury himself inside of her. He might not believe in her goddess, but he sure as hell wanted to commune with her priestess. "I'm going to get some more wood before it gets too late."

She nodded her head as she picked up the tablet that Tam had given him. "Some more of the coconuts and those long yellow things too would be nice."

"As you wish, High Priestess. Is there anything else, High Priestess?" he knew that he should not mock her; it was not really that at all. But how the frig was he going to manage living on an island all alone for goddess knew how long, when all he wanted to do was push her back in the sand and bury his sword deep inside her fountain. "Frig," he spat one last time as he turned and stalked into the forest. 

***

Of all the goddess damned people to be stuck in this place with. Him. Why him? "Was I really such a bad servant that you punish me like this?" she asked as she stared out across the waves at the seemingly endless waters. 

Thinking of the boy was getting her nowhere. Had gotten her nothing but more frustrated than ever she thought as she picked up the tablet and began reading, looking for some distraction.

The Proper Disciplining and Instruction of a Sub...it read. By the time that she finally tossed the tablet aside in frustration and rushed into her waters once more, diving beneath their cool surface as she sought to cleanse her mind and body from the images that raced through them. Kneeling before him. His bare hands landing hard upon her bottom. His fingers laced through her hair, pulling until tears glistened in her eyes. 

Not even her precious waters could erase the erotic images from her dirty mind it seemed. For the woman, who had never truly felt passion, it was frustrating to want that which she could never have. But that did not stop her mind. She lay back in the waves, spread out her arms and embraced the darkness as the words, images and fantasy lapped at her fountain as surely as the waves lapped at the sand upon the shore. 

***

Soji woke slowly, the strong arm draped across her midsection felt perfect. She frowned. Something did not seem right. Even when Versil spent the night, his body seemed to drift away so that by rising he virtually hugged the edge of the bed as far from her as possible. She frowned as she fought through the fog. Versil? 

A strangled moan escaped her throat as it all came flooding back. She had killed a man. Her lover. She had destroyed the temple of the goddess. Rata was hurt, her mind fractured, she might even be dead. And Mya? Sweet little Mya was the only one worthy. Certainly she was not, this was all her fault.

She tried to scoot away, pull out of his grasp. But her movement seemed to only rub her bottom against the growing bulge pressed against it. Men! Sex was all they seemed to think about. Well, the great whore for the goddess was no more. Her body to be used for their pleasure and then discarded. Her fingers wedged between them as she tried to untangle herself from him.

Him? The giant, she remembered. "Goddess damn it," she swore softly.

The soft chuckle was more like a kiss pressed against the top of her head. "Be careful, sweet salvation. They do not like be cursed. I should know, Fate and I have a running battle." He took her with him as he stretched. In the end she was draped completely across his body. "And the bastard always wins...just like last night."

She raised herself on her forearms, tried again to roll away, but only managed to turn them to their sides. She looked up at him. It was a mistake. No man should look that friggin' sexy with drowsy eyes, tousled hair and that half smile that did funny things to the pit of her tummy. She really had to get out of here. Now. "Let me go," she demanded.

"Where?" he challenged as he rolled her beneath him. If the feel of that hard rigid between her ass cheeks bad enough, then the way it fit so perfectly against her mound was too friggin' intoxicating. But Soji was not going to be fooled again. Men were users. They took what they wanted and then they left. It was that simple. 

And after a lifetime of being used, she had had enough. This was a new life, a new chance and the color of her hair no longer marked her as nothing more than a whore. She had the chance to create a new life for herself. That was what she was going to do. She was strong. Four hundred cycles as a priestess of the goddess, two hundred as the High Priestess of the rock. She could do this. 

If it felt a bit scary to be all alone in a new world without even her sisters, well, she would face that too. But she certainly did not need some, giant he-man to save herself. She had killed Versil. She had toppled the altar. She could and would do this. Alone.

"I said, let me up," she shoved at him.

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, priestess. You may know nothing of my religion, but I know much of yours. Are you not forgetting the proper way to great a new rising?"

Soji blushed a deep scarlet red, darker even than her hair. How did he know such things? "Then leave. I have and will manage on my own."

His lashes dropped a bit as he drew in a deep breath. "I am sure you have, my sweet salvation. But you will never need to again." He lowered his head and drank from her breasts. 

It was the only way that she could describe how his lips encircled her turgid nipples, his tongue lapping at them, drawing them deep into the warm wetness of his mouth before his teeth sank into the point causing her to jump just a bit, to rub herself against the hard lines of his body.

When he finally raised his head and smiled down at her, Soji knew she was in trouble. Big trouble. Giant trouble in fact. Because this was a man to be reckoned with. But so too was she. 

"Thanks for the warm up big guy. Now if you'll get dressed and leave me alone I can finish the job," she replied with far more courage than she felt at the moment.

***

Tam laughed at his mate as he lowered his head to her other breast. This time he did not need to coax her nipple to a ridge peak, it stood at complete attention, begging and pleading for the loving care he had shown its twin. His teeth sank deep into her flesh, biting far harder than he had at the other one. She felt her tense beneath him. Heard her moaned pleas. She began to fight him, but still his teeth held firmly. 

Then he felt the shift. Smelled it first actually. The way his mate's body responded to the pain, to his domination. Her moans took on a different tenor and her body relaxed beneath his, surrendered to his mastery. He felt the answering surge of power to his very toes. Mine...the words echoed off the walls of his head, bounced inside his chest and fuelled his need to conquer.

But he knew that his mate was not ready yet. Did not yet trust him. Trust herself. And certainly had not surrendered to the tough bastard that was his god Fate. And as much as his body urged him to take what was his, to conquer, to bend her to his will. His mind and heart knew that would never work. Had his people not proven that over and over again for millennia? No, it was about stewardship. Recognizing her for the precious gift that she was. Cherishing that. And placing her needs above his own. 

He looked up at her; his heart stuttered in his chest, skipped several beats. Yes, she was worth it. He would not screw this up. Fate had given him one chance; he would god damn make it work even if he had to fight every fucking bit of his Morian nature to conquer and use as he saw fit. She deserved so much better than that, than him, but he supposed that was her Fate. So she would have to come to terms with it. 

But for this rising his mate needed a different kind of cumming. He slid slowly down her body. His tongue feathering soft kisses across her tummy, licking a trail lower and lower. "Open for me," he whispered as he placed a feather soft kiss upon the fountain of her goddess. He knew that he could force her, spread her soft thighs across his shoulders and dive in, taking what he wanted. But that would give neither of them what they wanted.

He heard her whimper as she opened her soft green eyes again, they were misty. He saw the doubts and fears there as she shook her. Her voice was weak, almost a whispered plea, "This will prove nothing, Tam. It is bad idea."

He nodded his head, knew that she honestly believed that. But he did not. His fingers brushed softly back and forth across the smooth surface of her mound, "Please," he begged.

A tear slipped from the corner of one eye as she shook her head. Her long red hair was spread across his pillow, just as it had been spread across his chest as he fell asleep last night. But try as she might to deny it, her thighs opened for him like the petals of flower at the first ray of sunlight. It was a precious gift of her trust that was reluctantly given. One he was determined to earn.

He smiled as he shifted between her open thighs. His hands cupped the round curves of her bottom, lifted her towards him as he bent his head reverently. "So fucking beautiful," he whispered as he feathered kisses over every millimeter of her flesh, except the one that he knew she craved the most. 

He heard her breathing, faster and harder. He smelled her need, even more powerful than it had been. This close he could even see her nectar seeping slowly from her slit. It was almost painful, but he could not resist its call. He licked lower, scooping it with his tongue. Her body arched up, tensed in his hands. He knew that she was close, but he delayed her pleasure. Just a bit. 

His tongue traveled lowered still, found the sweet tightness of her back passage. He circled it slowly with his tongue. His finger trailed across it. She tensed in his hands and he slowly licked back to her fountain. Yes, his sweet priestess still had some lessons that he could teach her about the nature of domination...and submission. 

And the first one was about who was truly the giver and who was the receiver. His tongue plunged into her sweet channel then. Licked her nectar from its walls as it tensed about his tongue. Her whimpers fueled his need as he suckled upon her sweetness. He looked up as her hands cupped her generous tits. He increased the tempo of his tongue plunging in and out of her sweet hole as she plucked at the hard peaks that glistened a soft brown in the dim light of the crystal caves. 

She ground her hips against him now. Her fingers pulling at her nipples as she approached the release he knew that her body craved. The release that from this moment forward would be his alone to give her. His pleasure. And his duty. 

He took a final long swipe of her fountain as he raised his head. Stopped what he had been doing. She too stopped. She opened her eyes and gave him a look of pure hatred. But before she could utter a word, spew forth that anger like a volcano. He pressed another soft kiss upon her mound and whispered, "Cum for me."




Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 13



She screamed as her release suddenly welled up inside of her. Her body arched so far off the body, so violently that even his strength was tested. But he was not going to be an idle bystander to his mate's pleasure. His tongue found the tiny bundle of flesh that he had been avoiding. It encircled it, tugging firmly, augmenting her response. Drawing it out. 

His fingers too plunged deep into her fountain. He groaned at how tightly her muscles squeezed them, imagined how it would feel on other areas of his anatomy. He felt her wetness coating his fingers as he plunged them deeper inside of her. His teeth scored the button, captured it and held it firmly as he pressed the spot deep inside of her that he knew would send her deeper into bliss.

And his efforts were rewarded as what had been a gentle flow of her nectar became a flood. It gushed around his fingers, coating them and drawing them deeper still. He released the bit of flesh and buried his face deeper in her fountain, lapping and drinking each precious drop of her nectar. It sweetness coated his tongue, his lips, was so copious that he was certain his whole face glistened with her blessing. Her release went on and on for several long minutes. He fingers and tongue working to draw forth every ounce of her powers. To give her more energy than she had ever felt. 

At last she collapsed back upon the bed. Her whole body was lax. He closed his eyes and drew in her power, felt it surge through him from his toes until it burst forth out of the top of his head like a geyser of sexual energy. Then just as swiftly its waters dropped back into a gentle and quiet pool. 

He pressed a final kiss upon her mound and crawled back up next to her. He drew her into his arms and held her as he had the night before. He pressed soft kissed into her hair. She smelled of sex and his soap. It was an intoxicatingly right combination. And he enjoyed it while he could. Then she turned in his arms. He placed one final soft kiss upon the top of her red curls and prepared himself for battle.

Her eyes were wide as she stared up at him, "What about you?"

He chuckled, "What about me, my sweet salvation?"

He loved the way that her cheeks flamed and her eyes dropped to stare at his chest as she fumbled over her words. He doubted that it was many times the great High Priestess of the rock had found herself embarrassed. "I mean...aren't you going to....you know..."

He shook his head as he dipped it. His lips captured her. Though he was careful to bank the passion in this kiss, hold back the need that he knew she expected, he was certain that she could taste herself upon him. He prolonged the kiss for as long as he dared before he drew back reluctantly, "If you mean, am I going to fuck you? Take what I need and use your body for my pleasure? Then the answer is no, my love."

His fingers under her chin forced her to look up at him, "When you are ready, when you willing kneel before me and offer me the sweet gift of your body and submission, then and only then will take what is mine."

He felt the sting of her hand connecting with his cheek. Although he had expected her to be angry at his response, this was a disrespect that he could and would not tolerate. He sat up, gathered her in his arms and spread her across his knees. His hand came down upon her soft bottom. "Your second lesson of the day in submission is to show respect to your master." 

Each word, each syllable was punctuated with a solid blow to her backside. Twenty-five in all, he had silently counted each one. While he hardly considered that a fit punishment for that level of disrespect, he recognized this was probably her first real punishment. So he chose restraint in this as well. 

He turned her in his arms. Noted the shocked expression on her face and the tears that his strong mate refused to shed, yet anyway. He drew her back into his arms, rocked her softly as he kissed the top of her head once more.

"I know that you have much to learn, my salvation. But know this, I will not tolerate disrespect. Ever. That was only twenty-five. Do that again and it will be four times that, do you understand me?"

"Bastard, whore son," she spat. 

He turned her in his arms. Without a word, he delivered twenty-five more in rapid succession. Alternating cheeks so that neither bore the full brunt of the punishment, but both were flaming a bright pink in the end. She squirmed and fought, but he caught the distinct smell of her need rising once more. Knew that this punishment was doing more to her body and mind than she perhaps understood.

He turned her back in his arms. This time her body was once more limp, her legs fell open. He recognized it for what it was, her unspoken submission. His fingers found her fountain, plunged deeply within her as they had earlier. And as before her ripe body arched against every thrust of his fingers, took every scintilla of pleasure that he offered and amplified it back again. 

By the time she collapsed silent in his arms, his body was aching and throbbing. He cursed himself, his own dark need that rode him, urged him to push through this. To claim what was his. To take what she was not yet ready to offer. He closed his eyes as he drew her once more into his arms, placed another soft kiss upon her head. Fought back his own darkness. 

He would not. He could not screw up the one chance that the dark god of Fate had entrusted him. He would find the strength somehow to wait. To earn the most precious gift of all...his mate's true submission.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 14



Rata finished the food that he had made for them. Fish, the yellow fruit that the tablet called bananas and coconut had seemed exotic, but after several risings it seemed almost mundane now. She was bored. Bored of the limited food this place offered. 

Bored of long risings with nothing to do except swim and read that infernal tablet, when he was not looking of course. He was gone most of each rising, fishing and collecting their food she supposed. She had suggested once that she accompany him, anything was better than being bored. But his reaction had been almost violent. 

So there was not much else to do...other than think. Wonder if her sisters were all right. Pour over in her mind a thousand different ways that she might have handled the dream, found some way of averting the disaster that destroyed their lives and world. But she still had not come up with one, besides what did it matter. What was done was done. 

She frowned, but what was done? She did not remember anything after Tsu delivered her to the temple room really. There were sketchy bits that almost seemed more a part of her dreams...Versil, a giant. Her fingers ran about the cold metal encircling her neck. She knew its significance, a Morian collar of ownership. But whose? As hard as she tried she could remember nothing more of that night.

"What is it, priestess?" he asked as he tossed more wood upon the fire sending sparks towards the dark heavens. Rata wished someone had thought to include clothing in the pack along with weapons and tools. She was accustomed to walk around naked or in the sheer robes of her station. She was not so used to seeing the male form in its natural beauty. His male form especially. 

She frowned. Had she ever? Before the evening she awoke in his arms? Just the thought of it caused her body to react, "I am glad you added more wood," she lied as she rubbed her arms pretending to be cold, certain parts of her were anything but.

He studied for a long moment. His eyes seemed to linger a bit too long on the pebbled tips of her breasts. "Frig," he cursed a lot more than she remembered. "Maybe I should go back into the forest for some more then."

She shook her head, "No, it is too dark. What if you fell and were injured. Your leg is still recovering," her eyes travelled naturally to the puckered flesh that was pink and red upon this thigh. She bit her lip and fought back the urge to curse herself. Looking at him there was not a good idea for her sanity. Especially when certain parts of his anatomy began to thicken and swell under her gaze.

"Fuck, priestess," he spat as he threw a large log onto the fire, collapsing the pile. "Goddess damn it. What the fuck was the bastard, whore son thinking?" he cursed as he paced. "Enough of this shit. I would rather face a hundred of the giant bastards and die in battle than spend one more evening alone here with you."

Rata froze, her heart in her chest stopped beating, her lungs refused to pass air. None of it matter at his cruel words. He would rather die than be stuck here with the goddess's whore. That was what Soji had always called them...whores for the great goddess. Until that moment, she had never felt it, never been ashamed of who or what she was. But under his gaze, suddenly she saw her existence for what it was. She was old, used up, a broken vessel that her goddess had tossed aside.

Without a word, she stood and raced for the waters. Though she doubted even her blessed waters could wash the stains from her soul. They would though hide her tears, their salty waves welcoming their brethren home, embracing her release. 

Her feet had barely touched the warm waters, sand sucking at her toes as the arm about her waist stopped her forward flight. She pushed at it, "Let me go," she demanded.

He spun her around to face him, "Go where, your highness? Where the fuck you think you can go? You might be the High Priestess of the waters but you would drown just as surely as anyone before you reached land again. It is my job to protect you...even from yourself."

She shoved at his chest, fought to free herself from the arm draped casually about her waist. Her feet dangled, so that her toes barely touched the water. "Just leave me the frig alone."

He shook his head, "I have been trying to do just that your highness. I hide in the fucking forest all goddess damned day, trying to avoid these lush curves that drive me fucking insane," the air suddenly rushed back into her lungs as one hand cupped and kneaded her breast, his thumb brushing back and forth across the hard point. 

"You want the truth, that's what we were always told...that the goddess demands nothing but the complete and total truth from her servants. Well, priestess, here's the goddess damned truth. All that time I spend in the forest, it don't take that long to catch a couple of fish, collect a bit of fruit and wood. I spend most of that time thinking about you. Imagining what it would feel like to push you back into the sand and plunge my sword so fucking deep inside of you that neither of us knows where one begins and the other ends."

A soft gasp of surprise escaped her mouth at how accurately his fantasies reflected her own. She could not see the deep green of his eyes as he bent, the pale solitary moon and fire so far away did not provide enough light. But she could see the flames of passion, feel them tossing about in her tummy. 

"And here's more of your truth, your highness. The little acolyte hides in the forest so that he can do that which is forbidden," he drew her tighter in his arms, pressed her fully against his body until her full breasts were mashed against the hard plains of his chest. "I swim in the waters of the pool there, your waters, Rata. And I touch myself. Rub my sword until its gift of life bursts forth. And I think of you. Think of being inside you when that happens."

His words unleashed something inside of her that she never imagined existed, a passion and a need that was completely feminine. She felt her waters, the nectar of her goddess, flow freely down her inner thigh. Her nipples tightened even more against his chest. As she stared up into his face, only a single word made sense and she found new appreciation for his use of it these past few risings, "Frig."

He shook his head as he released her, pushed her from his body, "Yeah, priestess, now you get it. Now you understand. The young and untried acolyte and the great and mighty High Priestess of the waters, what a fuckin' joke. I really do get this bastard god of Fate that the Morians worship, his sense of humor is just wicked."

He turned then and walked back towards the fire. She had never felt so alone. Not even that first morning in the temple garden. The evening air suddenly seemed cold as cold as his withdrawal. She watched as he passed their camp and the fire, as he headed towards the forest that had become his sanctuary. And try as she might the image of his hard sword in his own hand, pleasuring himself as she longed to pleasure him, was written in stone as surely as the goddess's teachings. 

She looked out across the waters that glinted like gems in the pale moonlight. How long had it been since she truly found the peace she sought in them? Had she ever really found that which her heart craved most? She shook her head as her toes splashed in the waves as she toyed with choices and options.

But the truth was that she was Rata, the High Priestess of the waters, and she flowed with her destiny...with this dark god called Fate that she had learned about from the tablet. He seemed far crueler than her sweet goddess of life and love, but something about that darkness pulled her, appealed to her, drew forth her own darkness. As she turned her back on her waters and embraced her own Fate, following him into the forest.

***

Amorra danced before the clouds, "You go girl," she chanted as she threw her arms about her wide, embracing all that was life. The dark chuckle from behind stopped her. 

"Don't let me stop you, sweet wife," Fate laughed as he leaned against his twisted throne of darkness. "I see that women enjoy, let me think, what were the words? Oh yes, porn for the gods."

She smiled, "And if I promise to be a good little girl, just this once, my love, will you not interfere with my work?"

The twinkle in his eyes gave her ample warning that her beloved mate was in as mischievous a mood as she was. "That will depend, my sweetness, upon just how good a girl you can be."

She tossed a glance over her shoulder at the images of her beloved priestess following her own mate into the darkness. She would do all she could to distract her sweet husband and channel his playful nature into more useful courses this night. 

It was about time that one of her beloved truly tasted the sweet fruit of her love and life. And Rata had always been her most obedient, flowing with the waters of changes even as she did now. Yes, perhaps it was time that they both enjoyed a bit of the sweet rewards of service.

She bowed her blond head and slid gracefully at the floor. This time her arms crossed behind her back, her hands grasping the opposing forearms. This position always lifted her large breasts, presented them like the offering they were to her dark Master. "Yours as you please, Sir."

His hand laced through her hair as he turned her head back towards the screen, "If your beloved has learned her place as always as her mistress then you have my word, I will not interfere, my love."

She smiled and crossed her fingers behind her back. She hoped that Rata would remember all the naughty ideas that she had planted in her head these past few risings. "Yes, my Lord," she bowed her head in complete submission...for now anyway.

He laughed and it poured through her like the most blessed of her servant's pools. He only laughed for her. Her dark Master that took such perverse pleasure in fucking with the little mortals, in doing all that he could to destroy them, in the mind fucks as he called them, for her and her alone did he laugh and love. And in that moment, she felt and knew her true power as a goddess. That she could give this mighty warrior such a precious gift humbled her and exalted her. She was woman. She was goddess. She was his. 

"And that my sweet love is the ultimate lesson that we all must learn; god and mortal alike. Power is not in the taking, but in the giving. Now turn and watch, see if your little priestess has learned that in her four hundred cycles." He brushed her hair softly with his hand, "And while you are on your knees, you can use that pretty little mouth for a different kind of begging, my salvation."

***

Leamus gave up. His arms practically ached; the wound in his thigh throbbed from the strain of the strong kicks that had propelled him back and forth across the small pool more times than he could count. But not even the physical exhaustion could erase the memory of how quickly her nipples had tightened...just at his stare.

"Fuck," he spat as he strode from the pool, the soft moss providing scant cushion for the rocks that would have cut his feet. No longer was cursing in his own language sufficient, he had to start cursing in Morian now too. He had studied it well; besides lust for her and hunt/gather their food there was little else to do. According to the tablet, Morian was a close cousin to several languages spoken by the natives of this small planet, so should they run into any it might be useful. 

Of course, his primary reason for learning it and the Morian anatomy that was contained on the tablet as the man promised was so that if they were discovered he could protect her, kill as many of the sons of bitches as he could. Yes, he was getting quite good at cursing in his new language.

But he was growing tired of waiting for the other man to contact him. What if the man never did? What if they had been captured after sending him and Rata through that machine? What if he was not a friend at all? What if this place was all there was to this little planet? After all, he had only the man's words, a stranger, an enemy. How did he know that any of the stuff contained on that tablet was true? 

He stared up at the moon, wondering what he should do this night. The idea of going back to the camp after all he had revealed to her caused his stomach to tighten in fear far worse than any he had felt during the battle with the Morians. Worse even than the fear he had known as a small child when his father approached him with that dark haze of drunkenness, his fists clenched ready for a fight. 

No, this fear he had known only twice before: when he had found her in the hall outside of the priestess of the rock's chambers and when he saw her suspended from the altar of that bitch she called her goddess. But as deep as this fear was...deeper was his need to protect her, ensure her safety. 

He would wait a bit; give her time to fall asleep before returning. Then he would rise early and prepare her breakfast before sneaking back here. Maybe he could even avoid her completely for a few risings while he figured things out. 

He closed his eyes and shook his head, water flying like tiny fire flies in the moonlight. The whole rubbish thing about this dark god of Fate really got to him. The whole Domination and submission thing confused the hell out of him, and set something aflame deep inside of him. How many nights had he lain awake watching her sleep? How many times when he closed his eyes did he imagine her kneeling before him? 

"Goddess damn it all," he cursed as he felt his body stir to life as it always did at the image. But he was not prepared for the soft caress along his thigh; his eyes flew open at the power of that touch. He instantly wished he had left them shut. 

She knelt before him. It was every fantasy he had had these past days rolled into one. Her round curves gleamed in the soft light. Her hair fell about her face as she bowed her head. Her chest rose and fell softly with each breath, her breasts pouncing just slightly. Her knees were spread apart, her body fully on display for him. It was a familiar pose from the tablet, the one a slave used to offer her body in complete submission to her Master.

"Fuck," he cursed as his cock rose to full life. He threw back his head as he tried to gain some control of his mind, his body, any part of him. But the sight of the woman he had lusted for his fucking life, kneeling before him, offering herself to him was doing things to both that he had little control over.

He shook his head as he gave up trying. If the High Priestess of the waters wanted to play with the little acolyte, was so desperate to have her physical needs met that she turned to him, he was not going to look the dark god of Fate in the eye and turn him away.

His fingers found and caressed her chin; he lifted her face up to his. "You sure about this, priestess?" he gave her one chance to control Fate that he would not take. If she shook her head, if she turned and ran, he would find a way to let her go.

But he had never been more glad of anything than when she simply nodded her head without a word and bent forward. Her soft tongue licked along his hard length. He tried very hard not to move. To simply let her have her way with his body but the need was too great as he thrust slowly back and forth against her face. 

He was not sure what he expected but the scalding hot wetness of her mouth enveloping was not it. "Fuck," he screamed as he fought to control his body. "Goddess damn it," he cursed as he picked up the rhythm that came naturally to his body, that rang through his soul. He knew he should slow this down, not rush anything, enjoy each moment and now of it mattered. Nothing mattered except the feel of her mouth upon his cock. 

His fingers laced through her long hair. He had intended to pull her back, draw her off his hard flesh. Start again slowly, give them both the chance to enjoy and savor the moment. Instead he found himself hold her head firmly in place as his hips pounded out some ancient song. 

"No," he raged to the dark god of Fate as he felt his body betraying him. He trembled in her hands as the hot seed spurted into her waiting mouth. He cursed even as he came, his legs barely able to hold himself aright. He closed his eyes and shook his head, cursing her goddess, the Morian god of Fate and any others, who thought that screwing with them was some fun game. 

He swallowed back self-loathing and anger even as he felt her swallowing his life force. She licked softly at his flesh that refused to soften, even though it had just had far more than he had ever imagined possible. He was still raging hard as well as embarrassed. 

He felt her slowly slide up his body. Her soft hands caressed the side of his face even as they had caressed that traitorous part of him. She framed his face, held his head in her hands. He could not avoid her, avoid this. Slowly he opened his eyes expecting her reproach. Instead her eyes danced with mirth, "Lesson one accomplished. You shall last far longer now. For your indoctrination."

He shook his head; she was the High Priestess of the waters. Did she not understand, she did not indoctrinate mere acolytes? He opened his mouth to make a denial; instead hers moved over his, swallowed his protests even as he tasted himself upon her tongue. It should have been disgusting, distasteful, but he drank it. 

Drank at his power over her. The High Priestess of the waters had knelt before him, taken his cock into her mouth, and drank all that he offered her. And in an instant, his body was ready to go again. But this time it was not her mouth that he craved. He laced his fingers through hers, lifted them to his lips and brushed the back of her knuckles with a soft kiss. "Might I suggest the comforts of our home for that one then, priestess?"

She smiled and nodded, "So fuckin' wise. And it is Rata. The High Priestess of the waters died, if she ever truly was at all. If we are to become lovers, you should use my name."

He smiled down at her and swatted playfully at her bottom, "Then for the record, do not call me boy one more time. Or I will show you exactly what I have learned from that tablet on how to properly punish a submissive."

Her eyes twinkled in the light, "That is just so tempting, perhaps another time though. Right now, I think we are both doing way too much talking and not enough walking. Unless you want to make camp here for the night?"

"As tempting as that sounds I think I prefer our bed and the fire, so get that gorgeous ass moving, prie..." he shook his head as he caught himself. "Rata." But that did not seem right either. Another word echoed in his head. The giant had used it repeatedly the night that he had sent them here. But after reading its meaning in the tablet, he was even more reluctant to admit the very thing that felt so fucking right. Instead the word merely breathed its way through his brain as he took her hand and led her back the way he had come.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 15



Rata bit her lip as they emerged from the forest. Their small campsite...and Fate...loomed large before them. She cast a furtive glance at him. They had barely said a word all the way back. Yes, she supposed in the dark it was wise to concentrate upon the journey, make certain not to step on anything, rocks, animals or trip and fall. But still, she got the feeling that like her he was debating this whole thing, turning it over and over again in his head. And she was more than a bit nervous about what his final decision was.

What was hers even? Her hands itched, wanted to run across his shoulders and back, soothe tight muscles even as they fanned the flames of passion. She wanted him. She remembered Soji's words, admitted that she had probably wanted him for some time. She could not pinpoint when exactly. When had the little boy that she had saved in the market become the man that fueled her every fantasy? But somewhere along the way that was exactly what had happened. 

He stopped by the fire, stared into the dying embers for a long moment. "Go to our bed while I building the fires back up, Rata," she nodded at the authority in his voice. She reluctantly let go of his hand, felt bereft somehow as she walked over to the pile of fronds that served as their bed. She reached for his tunic that lay there, still covered in blood.

"Leave it," he commanded as he fed another log onto the fire, stirred them with a long stick. The flames danced higher then. She saw the hunger in his eyes, "I want to watch you." 

She swallowed hard as she nodded, but she obeyed. She knelt on the fronds uncertain what to do. She chuckled at the irony. The High Priestess of the goddess, who had served as her whore for three hundred cycles, did not know what to do. How to seduce the virgin acolyte. 

He laughed too as he watched her, "Want to tell me what is so funny, pri...Rata?" The fire was beginning to blaze back to life and she could see that other fires were growing too, his sword lengthening and thickening as he worked. 

She bit her lip harder, shook her head, but the look in his eyes, the need she saw there stopped her denial. "Just nervous I guess. Not sure what to say or do," she fumbled over her words as she stared nervously down at her hands. 

She looked up when his laughter rang loudly across their deserted home. "You think you are nervous. Try being me."

She smiled, "Yeah well," she stumbled over her words, looked down at the fronds nervously as she whispered her deepest fears, "I'm just not very good. Not a very passionate person."

His laughter this time was like a knife to her soul, "I seriously doubt that. Everything about you is sensual. The way you move." He stopped as the flames grew higher, stared at her seriously, "Lay back and touch yourself, prie... Touch yourself for me, Rata."

She wanted to argue, wanted to tell him no, but something in the way he looked at her stopped her. It was something that she had been doing since she came of age, was practically commanded by the goddess to do, regularly release her energies. But never once, not ever, had she done it in front of anyone. Not even her sisters. But she could deny him nothing. 

She did as instructed as the fronds embraced her. Her hands moved to her large breasts, cupped them, squeezed softly until they ached. Her eyes held his gaze. She saw his deep intake of breath, "I always loved your tits. They are so fucking beautiful, but when I touched you tonight, I almost came right then. If they look good, they fucking feel so much better." 

She watched as his hand found his sword, it was her turn to breath heavily as he stroked it. She remembered the feel of its thickness in her hands, how it throbbed with each stroke, how sweet it tasted. She moaned at the thought of it.

"Play with your nipples. They are so fucking hard." He said as he sat back on his heels, his hand slowly squeezing his erection. "Tell me what you're thinking about, Rata."

Her fingers moved up to pinch her nipples, her mind completely disconnected she thought only of obeying him, "How good your mouth would feel on them right now."

She was rewarded with a deep and almost tortured moan, "Soon, baby, soon." He promised as he stroked himself harder and faster. "Touch your fountain."

Rata continued to pluck softly at one nipple with her left hand as her right slid slowly down her body, traced its way across her stomach and lower still. Her thighs fell open. She blushed as she realized that he could see everything.

"Don't stop now, tell me how wet you are for me, baby," his voice was strangled as if he was forcing each word out by sheer will.

Her finger brushed across her mound, slipped lower between her folds. She jerked, her body arching up off the fronds when she accidently brushed across the bundle of nerves that was her love button. She cried out. 

"Fuck yeah, Rata. Rub yourself for me."

She looked over at him, sought some reassurance as she treaded deep into unfamiliar waters. "I have never," she stammered. "Not in front of anyone," she whispered so quietly that she doubted he heard her.

"Good, I want it all, baby. I need you to cum for me."

Electricity zipped through her at his words. Her body obeyed his command as her hips arched higher; her inner muscles tightened and throbbed. She felt the power of the collar. And it all came flooding back. The memories of that night...her body betraying her, her gifts turned against her, until she was practically destroyed. And yet again she was powerless to stop her body from reacting to his words.

***

Leamus watched as her face went from pure ecstasy to complete horror. He did not need to ask to know what was happening. And he cursed himself for the total heartless bastard that he was. He rushed to her, scooped her into his arms and rocked her gently. "It's okay, I have you now, priestess," he promised as she trembled and shook in his arms. 

He kissed her forehead as he had so often those first days when she had lain unconscious. He brushed her hair back from her face with one hand as he felt her body begin to relax from the power of her release. She lay as still in his arms then as she had then. He looked down at her, wondering if perhaps it had been too much, had her mind once again retreated into that total darkness. He sighed as he stared into her eyes. "I am sorry. I did not think..."

She shook her head, "Think what?"

His fingers brushed the cold metal that gleamed in the moonlight, "I will find some way to get this goddess damned thing off you. I promise."

She shook her head, "We both know you can't. I read that fucking tablet as well as you did. Even if you managed to somehow, I would." Her voice trailed off at the truth they both wanted to avoid. She would die. At least that was what the tablet said, and as much as he wanted to doubt everything in the stupid thing, it was not a risk he could ever take.

He nodded and pulled her closer. His mind poured over what else the tablet said. Its meaning. The collar responded to only the two people...the one who applied it. Or... His mind fought at it. Was he ready to admit it, face the truth? But there was only one explanation for why it would sing, would respond to his command. The only person besides the owner who might command the collar, whose power actually over road all others...a true mate. 

He held her close, kissed the top of her head. "We will figure something out. You have my word on it," he promised as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He drew her tight into his arms, felt her gentle sobs to his core. His hands moved over her soft back, trying desperately to soothe this new pain. "I am sorry, honest I am. I did not think. It should not have..." he tried to explain the unexplainable.

She shook her head against his chest, "It is not you. It's me," she sobbed. "I'm broken...that night I could not stop it...no matter what I tried I could not stop my body from reacting. But I felt nothing. I never feel anything. I never have. It is all a lie...my whole life. The great High Priestess of the waters whose body responds to anyone or anything, but who feels absolutely nothing."

"Nothing?" he questioned. As much as it might hurt, he needed to know the truth. "Earlier? It seemed so real...when you knelt at my feet. The way you..." he could not continue.

Her sobs died to gently hiccups as she buried her face in his chest. He could empathize with her need to hide; he felt the same way at the moment. 

"That was different," she whispered so low that he had to strain to hear her. "You were always different."

He lifted her chin, forced her to look at him then. "How different?"

She blushed deeply; her eyes seemed to stare endlessly at some spot on his chest as she tried to pull away, "Maybe we should get some rest."

He shook his head, "No, sweetheart, neither of us would be able to sleep now." He pressed his hips against her, heard her soft moan as his erection rubbed against her thigh. But it was he that was moaning when they fell open. He could not resist the temptation, his fingers trailed along her inner thigh. "Open for me completely," he commanded as they moved higher, sought out the prize that he had dreamt of for so long. 

His fingers caressed her inner thighs as he weighed his options, their options. She was probably right, he should lay her in the bed, perhaps go back into the forest for the night. They should both try to get some sleep, but he was right too. There would be no rest for either of them this night. Isolated as they were on the island, it was quite possible after all that had happened this evening, all of the truths they had both revealed, they would not be sleeping for some time. If the tension had been high between them before how much higher would it be now that he knew exactly what her soft hands and warm wet mouth felt like on his cock, the Morian word seemed so much more appropriate in this situation than Tavia's overly polite sword and fountain.

His fingers circled closer to his goal as he finished his thoughts aloud, "Pri..." she was right if they were to become lovers it would not be as the High Priestess of the waters and the untried acolyte, it would be as equals, a man and woman that wanted, almost needed, one another. He began again slowly, "Rata, we have been trying to avoid this, avoid each other for days. Hell, since this is honesty time, I have been trying to avoid this, you, for cycles."

He felt her stiffen in his arms once more, but her legs remained open to him. He took advantage of it, he slipped them deeper. His groan was pure animal instinct as he felt how incredibly wet and ready she was for him. How wet his, his mind could not stop the word this time, how fucking wet his mate was for him. He gave her what they both needed, plunging his fingers deep inside of her fountain. They both cried out as her body sang for him, her hips ground against his fingers, drawing them deeper as her release sent a flood of her waters cascading like a waterfall down his hand. 

"Goddess, you feel so fuckin' good," he looked into her eyes as his fingers pressed deep inside of her. He knew exactly what he was doing as he whispered, "Cum for me." His mouth covered hers, swallowed her screams as her muscles contracted so tightly about his hand. It seemed to go on endlessly as she clung helplessly to him. 

At last her body began to relax, her muscles to release their grip upon his fingers, he drew back, broke the kiss, even as his fingers retreated just a bit from between her thighs, not completely though. Not yet. He kissed her forehead, "That was beautiful, baby," he whispered as he inhaled deeply, her scent overpowering him. 

When she would have buried her face in his chest in embarrassment, he shifted, laid her gently back upon the fronds and joined her, aligning their bodies perfectly. His fingers were still wet with her nectar as he brushed the hair back from her face. He smiled at her, "We can't keep fighting like this. Fighting each other. Fighting what is between us."

She nodded as she stared at that spot upon his chest again, "Fighting Fate," she whispered.

He chuckled, "Yeah, crazy bastard god."

She giggled and looked up at him, "I don't think gods and goddesses like being cursed at, Leamus."

He frowned, had she ever used his name? It certainly brought home the new intimacy they shared. His hands skimmed along her arms and side, "I like that. You calling me by my name."

She closed her eyes and arched up into his touch, "I like the way you touch me."

"Do you?" His hand came up to gently knead her large firm breast. "What like this?" he teased. He felt her shiver as she nodded her head. His fingers brushed back and forth across the hard peak of her nipple and she moaned. He liked the sound of her moans but he liked the sounds of her screams even better. He bent over her, drew it into his mouth and was rewarded with a soft squeal. "Do you like that?" he whispered around the tip. 

She nodded as her hands threaded through his hair, held him against her. It was time that his mate learned she was not the one in control of their passion. His teeth sank deep into her flesh. She jumped and cried out, but he saw how she rubbed her thighs together, knew that the pain was not completely unpleasant for her. "And that too, don't you?"

He saw her blush in the soft firelight as she nodded her head. "Please, Leamus. I want you inside of me," her soft pleas ate at his gut. There was nothing he wanted more but his insecurities plagued him still. She was...she had been the High Priestess of the waters. He was a mere acolyte. And all his training in the world did not override his fear, what if he could not please her?

But they could not go on like this, him spending all day trying to avoid her. He had to at least try. He nodded as he began to slide slowly down her body, "Open for me." His breath caught in his lungs as he knelt between her thighs. He began to bend his head slowly towards her fountain, the need to taste her, please her was overwhelming. 

"No, not like that," she shook her head as she reached for his shoulders. "Another time, but I need you inside me." Her hands clutched him desperately, drew him down as he settled his weight against her. 

"You sure, baby? I want to taste you so fuckin' bad," he admitted. But the feel of his hard cock brushing against her wet folds was distracting him. He gritted his teeth, the feeling was so intense. If her hands and mouth had been exquisite, this was divine. "Fuck," he cursed as he tried to fight the urge to just plunge deep inside of her.

"Yes, please, Leamus," she whimpered as she lifted her hips, drew his cock inside her. "Fuck me," she pleaded as she thrust upwards, plunging half of it inside her. They both cried out as her fingers upon his shoulders sank deep into his flesh. 

He bite down hard on his cheek. Fought for some control, even a tiny bit. But this was every fantasy he had ever had, only better. He could have never imagined how incredibly tight she felt, how wet she was, how hot she was as her muscles flexed around him. "Goddess damn it," he cursed as he willed himself to remain perfectly still, but it was impossible as she ground against him. 

He shook his head as his fingers gripped her hips tighter, "Fuck it. You want a ride, baby? I'll give you one." He gave into her unspoken ascent as he plunged his full length inside of her. Her nails sunk fully into the muscles of his shoulders, he felt the sting as she broke the skin. And the pain was just the edge he needed to hold off his need. 

He withdrew until just the tip of his shaft rested inside the soft folds of her willing body. He held himself back, waited. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "What are you waiting for?" she demanded. 

One hand moved up, laced his fingers through her hair and jerked her head back so that she was staring up at him. "Is that any way for a slave to ask her Master for what she wants?" he demanded as his other hand on her hip stilled her attempts to take control of their loving once more.

She whimpered as she bit her lower lip. "Please," she begged. Her words were nice, but not quite what he wanted. 

"Please what?" he demanded as he slowly circled his hips, teasing her wetness with his hardness. "Please who, baby? Who am I to you?" this time he slipped just a fraction of an inch further inside of her before the dance of seduction. "What am I, Rata?" he demanded as he held her body on the edge.

"Please Leamus," she pleaded as she tried once more to draw him deeper.

He shook his head as he drew back as if to withdraw completely. Something he knew he could not do, but thankfully she did not. "Wrong answer," he teased.

"Please," she whimpered.

"Please who, Rata?"

"Please, Master, goddess damn it. Please, Master," she cried out as her hands dropped from his shoulders, clutching the fronds beneath them as she bore her heels into the sand and tried to arch her hips up. 

He drew back, "Right words, baby, wrong attitude." He teased her with another slow circle that was as much torture for him as it was for her. 

She sank back into their bed, her hands came back to grip his waist this time. "Please, Master. Please fuck me," she pleaded. 

"You know what this means, right? There is only ever one Master, Rata. If we do this, it changes everything. You are mine. Mine. Totally. Completely. For all time. Do you understand that?" he demanded. The words of the Morian text echoed not just in his head but his heart. 

She nodded, "Please, Master, please."

He felt her surrender to the depths of his soul. It was a trust that he could never betray. He would spend his whole life earning that trust. Die to defend it. Just as he felt he was dying as he gave into the ends of a lifetime. He sank fully inside of her as they both cried out. 

"Sweet goddess," he moaned as he plunged within her, as his body found the rhythm it craved and she danced with him, arching into each of his deep thrusts, drawing him impossibly deeper. Surrounding him with her warmth, her wetness, her welcome. 

He felt her tighten, her nails about his waist added matching crescents to the ones on his shoulders. She cried out as her body became to squeeze impossibly tight around him. He fought through the contractions, forced his way deeper, conquered her body with his. 

Her energy rolled over him. He felt her release to his soul. He gloried in it. In knowing that he had done this to his mate's body. That he had given her this pleasure. He watched as she took all that he gave her, amplified it, sent it back. He felt his own release welling up inside of him. It was more than he had ever dreamt. Her complete surrender. Body and soul. 

He plunged as deeply as he could. His fingers on her hips and in her hair tightened their grip. He watched as her eyes flew open, he stared into the depths of her soul as he poured out his own. He felt power unlike anything he had ever imagined. It began in the soles of his feet, rose up to consume his groin and exploded out his head as she held him tight in her arms and body. And the darkness overpowered him.



Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 16



Soji pretended to read the tablet while Tam was once again deep in discussion with his commanders. Krut was always by his side as were a couple other faces that she was beginning to recognize. Their days had taken on a sameness that she found tedious. Long hours planning battles in far reaches of the universe about which she knew nothing. Counting and assigning men to stations as if they were pawns upon the chess board, a game that Tam had insisted upon teaching her during their long evening alone together. 

It was not as if much else happened during those times. After their evening meal with the others, she guessed there were about five hundred people in this place. They all lived in the caves beneath the surface because its bright sun meant the heat there was not tolerable for humans. They had discovered this place when a Morian battle ship had shot down one of their own. It had crashed here, but the Morians had not bothered to follow it down once they took climate readings and discovered that the planet had surface temperatures of a couple hundred degrees. 

The resistance had lost many of its fighters in the impact and many more in the hours that followed, baking under the red giant that was too close for comfort. But a handful had stumbled into a cave hidden in a rock face. It went on for several miles and could be adapted to their needs. And had become their primary outpost for several cycles, years she corrected herself, although the two were not quite the same. 

So much was different with these people, beyond just their physical size. Their nature was more savage than even Tavian males. The need to conquer, an insatiable greed for power and material things had driven their culture for millennia. They had used up all the natural resources upon their once beautiful planet, destroying it completely as they moved into the universe to repeat the process upon countless other worlds. And now they were likely doing the same thing to Tavia.

She sighed; there was not much she could do about it. Her nurturing goddess of love, light and life had abandoned them to the Morian dark god of Fate. Or more likely her own failings as High Priestess of the rock had brought about this untimely destruction of all that she held dear. What did it matter really? Either way she was stuck on this goddess forsaken rock...with him.

And he was the real problem. Tam. Oh sure, he was nice enough, a bit possessive for her tastes. He rarely let her out of his sight for more than a moment. She looked down at the large, rough shirt that was belted about her waist. His taste in clothes definitely left something to be desired. Why he could not have simple had her robe laundered was beyond her? But no instead this monstrosity had appeared that first morning...after he...

She frowned. That most definitely did not bare dwelling upon. The man had become fanatical about seeing to her needs. For someone that was not Tavian, he would have made a hell of a primary. Bathing her each night, washing her hair and brushing it, sectioning it and plaiting it before bed. Bed, was most definitely worth thinking about. The way that he saw to her physical needs with his mouth and fingers would put the best primary to shame. She had probably not worshipped the goddess so well in a very long time, if ever. The amount of energy she had released the past days would power a small ship had they the technology to capture it. 

She toyed with cold metal about her neck. She hated it, hated him for putting it on her. But most of all she hated him for giving her everything she always wanted...and nothing at all. She wanted out of this place...now.

She felt the soft tap on her shoulder and turned. The giant woman loomed over her. Ether was Krut's mate and the only Morian female on the base. She forced a smile in greeting to the other woman as she held out a cup of the dark liquid that these warriors seemed to prefer. Not even the sweetener could cover the bitterness of the steaming hot liquid. She frowned as she forced more of it down.

The other woman nodded, "Stupid beasts, I never could figure out why they like this crap so much." She smiled like they shared some deep conspiracy. 

Soji returned the smile. This was what she missed, female companionship. There were only a handful of women among the hundreds of male fighters and while she could appreciate the tapestry of giant masculine bodies as much as the next woman, she missed the softness of her sisters. She missed their conversations. She missed having someone to share her thoughts with. "It is good to know that Tavian males are not the only ones that are truly inferior."

The woman chuckled, "Yes, why is it that the males think that their physical prowess make them stronger?"

Soji took another sip of the liquid as she watched the woman over the rim of her cup. In all her days here, this was the first time they had spoken properly. "I am Soji," she introduced herself.

"Yes, I know. Krut has told me much about you and your sisters. I must say as a Morian woman, I am intrigued by the idea of a race with a female god, by priestesses that rule in her name."

Soji shook her head, "It is not quite like that. The males still rule," she paused, a sad look came over her face, "Who ruled Tavia. We were merely their advisors. Their counselors to commune with the goddess, to bring them closer to her will so that they might hear her voice."

The woman looked down, "Oh, I had thought that perhaps you held real power, more control over your fates. Have you never wondered what it would be like if we ruled instead of them? If women were the ones to control their own destinies? Theirs too."

She frowned. It was not something that she had ever considered. Their ways were as ancient as Tavia itself, as old as the Temple, as certain as the goddess herself. But the woman had a point, if women ruled...without the male need to conquer, for more power, greed for things, would their world not be a much better place?

***

Tam watched as his mate spoke with his cousin's. Something about the woman always made him uncomfortable, although he could not say what exactly. Krut certainly seemed enamored of the woman, everything that a true Morian mate should be. But still, something was just off about the woman. Certainly she was of one of Moria's best families, a distant cousin of the king. Yet, she had followed her mate when he deserted his military post to join the resistance. She had become a leader of sorts among the few women that lived here. 

There was no logical reason for his unease. But he had learned long ago that something did not need to make sense in order to be true. His instincts were rarely wrong about these things. And Ether was not to be trusted. 

"That will be enough for today, gentlemen," he interrupted one of the lieutenants. Like many of the others, they felt it wise to make a second attack on Tavia. To capture more of the priestesses. Mates for their number. But Tam was not so certain. They could not risk such an assault on much greater numbers unless they were certain that the prize was worth it. 

And as of yet, not even his mate surrendered to Fate, to what was between them. And the fact that the other priestesses had mates among their own kind confounded his theory that the tablet foretold of a mating between their races, between the dark god of Fate and their goddess of Love that would usher in a new age of faith, hope and charity. It was certainly not worth losing dozens of men in battle to capture a few women, who might or might not be true mates. Especially not when they had a traitor within their own ranks, someone that might well spoil it all and betray them to their brothers. 

He shook a couple of hands, thanked them for their loyalty even as he doubted each man. He hated being like this, skeptical of his own men, but there were too many signs, he could no longer ignore the truth...there was a Judas among them. One of his own men was a Morian spy. 

And having her here only made him more cautious. He had sworn his allegiance to her, would give his life to protect her. He pushed past them and made his way to where the women were finishing up their conversation. He smiled at his cousin's mate, "Thank you Ether for seeing to my mate's needs."

The other woman nodded and bowed her head as was proper Morian behavior for a slave, but those warning bells clanged louder in his head as she smiled to his mate and said, "Think upon, High Priestess."

He watched as she walked over to his cousin, knelt beside him and waited his bidding. Her behavior was impeccable but still it bothered him. He would watch the couple more closely as much as it troubled him that the traitor might be in his own house; it was a reality he could not afford to ignore. Who knew their secrets, their plans better than his cousin, his second in command? 

But now he had better things to think upon. Turning to her, he smiled, "Think upon what, my salvation?"

Soji chuckled. It was the first time she had laughed in days and he drank it in, thanked the woman for that much at least. "Nothing. It was silly really. Your cousin's wife thought that we, priestesses, actually ruled Tavia. Wondered what it would be like if women were in charge."

He smiled as he lifted her hand to his lips and drew her against him, "But don't you know, you do?" 

***

Rata watched him appear out of the forest carrying more wood. He had taken to hiding away from her in his sanctuary again. And she did not blame him. 

"Fuck," she spat as she stirred the fire. Since that night nothing had been the same. It had been so fuckin' perfect. More even than her deepest fantasies. The way he touched her, commanded her. It had been unlike anything she had ever imagined. 

Until he had...finished. One moment she felt the power rising between them, bouncing back and forth, cresting unlike anything she had ever known or even heard of. Then the next he collapsed, unconscious in her arms. She had been terrified that she had killed him. It had taken her a couple of moments to wiggle from beneath his weight and turn him over. The gentle rise and fall of his chest had been her only reassurance as she shook him, called his name, even tried to sooth his forehead with her healing waters. 

None of it had worked. It was almost dawn when she had finally given up and crawled into bed next to him, holding him and praying with all her being to the goddess. They had both slept through most of that rising. The weak sun was beginning to set when he had finally awoken with a start, pushing out of her arms like she was a disease he wanted to avoid. He had remained weak and his head painful for several days. Grouchy too. 

Now they carefully avoided each other. Him hiding in the forest and her soaking in her waters, seeking answers that were not to be found. What had happened that evening? She had never heard of such a thing. Of course, she had never indoctrinated anyone before either. Perhaps she had done something terribly wrong, she must have, why else would that have happened? She wished that Soji were here. She would have the answer, know what to do. 

Rata shook her head as she gathered her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms about them. The sun was barely setting and she was tired already, ready for bed. Well, ready for sleep. She was never ready for bed, for his body so close to hers. They needed to share body heat, he had explained, conserve energy. And it made sense, what did not was the way that they woke each morning, their legs and arms tangled together. His hard erection pressed tightly against her bottom. It was torture...far worse even than what the Morians had done to her.

"Frig," she cursed as she thought of how her body had sung at his command that night. The intensity far greater than anything she had ever known. 

"You are getting to be as foul mouthed as I am, priestess," his use of that term infuriated her. No matter how many times she had told him to use her name he steadfastly refused. Priestess, High Priestess even your Highness, anything but her name. 

"Fuck yourself," she spat in a bad mood. She stood up to escape to the safety of their bed, but her head swam. She would have fallen then but for his arm reaching out to wrap about her waist. He drew her against him and slowly lowered her back to the ground. He kept her wrapped tight in his arms as he brushed her hair back from her face for several long silent moments. 

"Are you all right?" he asked solemnly. 

Rata nodded, "Yeah, I just stood up too quickly I guess."

He frowned, "If you would eat more that would not be a problem."

"Excuse me, but fish, bananas and coconut milk are getting a bit boring. Don't you think? Just the thought of it is enough to turn my stomach," she lashed out. She regretted it the moment she saw his face.

"Yeah, well, blame your goddess damned Morian savior for stranding us in this fucking shat hole. I do the best I can, your fucking Highness. So pardon me if it ain't the specially prepared meals that the temple chefs fed your asses," he said as pushed her away.

She shook her head as tears well up in her eyes, "I'm sorry," she pleaded as she ached to be safe back in his arms. "I didn't mean it. I don't know what has come over me lately."

He knelt next to her and drew her back into his arms, his hands running up and down her arms slowly, "Shh, don't cry. Please don't cry. I hate it when you cry."

She chuckled softly as she buried her face in his chest, "Tears are the soul's cleansing waters is what I always told my sisters."

He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, "I know but I still hate them. Especially yours."

She shook her head, "It is all I seem capable of doing these days," she admitted as she smiled weakly up at him.

He frowned, "Goddess fuckin' damn it," he cursed particularly violently. "When was the last time you released your energies, priestess?"

She dropped her head to keep him from seeing the deep stains in her cheeks. She shook her head as she tried to move away from him. "What does that matter anymore?" she denied.

He pulled her back to face him, lifted her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. "You think because we are not on Tavia, because the temple was destroyed, because your sisters are not here, that you do not have the same needs. That your body does not crave its release?"

She shook her head, "It's just..." She did not want to explain it to him of all people. 

"Just what, priestess?" that steely edge was back in his voice and her body could not help responding. Her nipples hardened and she felt her nectar begin to flow within her fountain. 

She was not going to have this conversation with him that much she knew. She pushed against the solid wall of his chest, "Let me go. This is none of your business."

His hand came up to grasp her breast. She cried out, it was fuller, more tender, more sensitive than she could remember. "What, priestess? Once was not enough? You want another taste of the fucked up little acolyte? Want to drain me of every last fucking ounce of my energy, my life force again? Is that what you need?"

His lips were brutal as he crushed them against hers, silencing her denial. His hand squeezed painfully at her tit, but it only ignited the need in her more. How could she want this? Want him? Like this? But the way she moaned and pressed herself against him was not to be denied. "Please," she whimpered as he drew back to stare down at her.

***

Leamus shook his head as he stared down at her. She was pale, she had been getting more so each day and he had suspected the reason. But in his selfishness, he had wanted to deny her. It was a losing battle. He swallowed hard as the truth hit him harder than any physical blow could. "Fuck, I must be crazy, baby. But I can deny you nothing. Even if it fucking kills me, I want you so goddess damned bad."

His hand on her breast lightened its grip. He saw the white imprints of his fingers upon her tender flesh, hoped it would not bruise even as the darker side of nature craved his marks upon his mate's body. His mate...he faced those words. That was what he had been fighting, been denying ever since that night. 

But he could deny it no longer. Tam had been right; it was he who would never be safe without her. His fingers caressed the collar about her neck as he stared into her eyes. He had hated it. Hated what the Morians had done to her through it. But that was all a lie, an abuse of a precious truth. And that truth was that this collar did not bind her to him, but him to her. While he might play the role of Dominate, the protector, the truth was that it was he, who was totally and utterly enslaved to his mate. 

He leaned his forehead against hers, inhaled the soft scent of her that was completely woman, completely his. He pressed a soft, sacred kiss to her lips for a long moment. "Mine. Mine alone. To protect. To cherish. To rule for all time. In this life time and those to come," he whispered. His fingers practically burned with energy as they brushed the metal that seemed almost scalding hot then. 

She stared up at him, her eyes large, almost innocent as he felt the power surge through her body. She screamed his name as she arched against him. He felt the power of her release to his toes. But still it was not enough, "Cum for me, mate." She clutched at his shoulders, clung to him as his power was transferred through the collar, surged like the most powerful of her tsunamis over her body and soul. 

He felt its waters returning ebbing back into him through the collar. He gritted his teeth, forced his mind to focus, fought through it this time. He was more accustomed to it but still its effects shook him. He was thankful that he was not standing, doubted that it was even possible then. Its power was pure, strong and sure as it throbbed through them both for long moments. 

His lips moved over her face softly, held her, cherished her. His hands learned every inch of his mate's ripe lush curves. She was panting and squirming in his arms by the time his hands caressed her inner thighs. He was not in the mood to play with her or his own needs as his fingers sought and found her fountain. He plunged them inside of her and forced her to remain still as he worked them deeper into her depths. She was moaning and pleading, calling his name and still it was not enough, "Cum for me." 

He felt her nectar squirt around his fingers as he plunged them in to the hilt, but it was not enough. It never would be. His mouth covered hers as he took her screams inside himself. He shifted, moving over her as her body continued to respond to his touch and command. He felt her whimper to the bottom of his soul as he withdrew his fingers. She clutched at his shoulders, pleaded for more.

More was exactly what he gave his mate as he shifted between her open thighs. He held still, his sword poised at the entrance to her fountain. She whimpered and moved beneath him. He knew what she wanted; it was what he wanted too, more than breath itself. But not this time, not without her complete surrender as she already had his. 

Her eyes opened, her voice trembled, "Please, Leamus, I need."

He smiled, "What do you need, mate?" He inched forward just a tad then withdrew as she squirmed and pleaded. 

"Leamus, stop playing. You know what I want. Fuck me," her nails sank into his shoulders, tried to pull him deeper.

He shook his head as his fingers laced through her hair, "I am not playing. I do not need to toy with what is mine. Do you understand, mate? Mine. Say it and you shall have what you want."

She whimpered again, shook her head until he tightened his fingers, held her head still. "Admit it, Rata. Say you are mine," he demanded. 

He watched her swallow, saw the tears gather in the corners of her eyes. He felt her pain, her indecision, and her surrender as she nodded slowly, "Yes, yours, Leamus," she whispered.




Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 16



He plunged inside of her quickly, seating himself fully in her tightness, holding still deep inside of her. "Just as I am yours, mate," he answered as his body began to find the rhythm that pleased them both. He watched her arch into each thrust. It was the dream of a lifetime as he made love to his mate in the bright sunlight. She could hide nothing from him then. "Look at me," he pleaded as he fought his own need, fought to hold back his release. "Please, mate, look at me."

He fell into the depths of her eyes as he plunged deeper and deeper inside of her. He felt her body reach for its release and used his power to augment it, "Cum for me." He gritted his teeth as her muscles contracted around him, locking him inside of her. "Look at me, mate," he commanded as he forced himself fully inside of her. "Cum with me, Rata," he cursed as their gazes held even as their releases poured over them like a waterfall, carrying everything in its wake. And the power burst forth over him.

When it finally quieted enough that he could move even a bit, he collapsed on top of her, rolling to the side just enough that she did not bare his full weight. "Fuck me," he whispered.

He felt her chuckle, her muscles tightened around his still hard shaft at the movement. "Yes, yes, I did, Sir."

He kissed her nose and pushed deeper inside of her, "And if you want to earn one of those sacred good girls, you will again, mate," he started the dance again, pushing them higher and deeper than before.

***

Amorra bent and kissed the tiny sprite with ruby cheeks and light brown hair. "Go, my precious child. Go into the world; bring the gift of Faith to all that would embrace you, my sweet. But most of all, bring it to them." Tears glistened in her eyes as she held the child close to her for a long moment. 

"Go, my daughter, before your mother changes her mind," came the rough voice behind them. The dark god Fate came to stand beside his wife, his hand rested lightly upon the child's head. "We are both proud of you, precious. You have been all that parents could want in a child and we know that you will be for them too."

The little girl nodded and smiled up at them. She wrapped her arms about both of them and squeezed. "I shall miss you, Papa and Mama."

"No, my sweet, you won't. We shall always be with you," he said as he pushed his finger into her chest. "In here." He looked over at his wife, who for perhaps the first time in their eternity together was truly speechless. "But you really do have to go, sweetness. Or your Mama is going to spoil everything and keep you here with us."

The sprite nodded her head and hugged her mother, "Everything will be okay, Mama." She smiled and turned, walking into the clouds. She shimmered for a long moment as she turned and blew them a kiss. Then she was gone.

The beautiful goddess collapsed into his arms in tears. He held her for several long moments; his hand upon her back soothed and comforted his spouse even as his dark ebony eyes glistened with their own tears. "We knew this moment would come, mate. The day when their gifts were needed more by the mortals than by us. It is that time."

She nodded and hiccupped against his chest. She turned and brushed her face into his shiny tunic. "Do not blubber all over me, woman. Have some dignity. You are the goddess of love."

She smiled up at him, her fingers brushed the corner of his eye and collected a tiny drop that shimmered upon it, "And you are the dark god of Fate. But none of that matters, she is our daughter and we must share her with them. As unfair as that seems, you are right." She squared her shoulders and inhaled deeply, "Are the others ready, my Lord?"