Doira'Liim (The Beautiful Whisper of the Goddess Saga)

by Orr, Krystal

  Lao'dahn moved forward and stuck his chest out. "This is why you are being judged, woman! You forget your place and--"

  "Hush, boy," Taetylona hissed. "Your need for acclaim leaves you looking as if a fish out of water." Taetylona dismissed Lao'dahn and returned her attention to Haldynn. "I have been judged by all of you as you all have been judged by me. We each find the other lacking. So, banishment a second time, hm?"

  Haldynn appeared infuriated, the situation having spun completely out of his control. "Y-yes. The other men and I have decided your value to the clan no longer--"

  "Yes, yes. I know. A fairer punishment could not soon enough present itself to me," Taetylona interrupted again. She stood tall in the center of the Clan Circle and let her eyes sweep across the gathered one more time. Words were no longer needed as they would have fallen on deaf ears anyhow. Stepping over the large stones resting upon the snow that made up the Clan Circle, she walked up to Lao'dahn and paused.

  "You got what you wished, boy. I wonder how this decision will look when viewed at a later time." Lao'dahn opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped when Taetylona moved a hand under her cloak and quickly brought out the arrow he'd left. "You left this and now I find that I have need of it. Thank you." With that, Taetylona lifted her other hand and began to walk away.

  Before Lao'dahn could protest or reach for the arrow, the Sage woman dropped her hand and a sudden and intense cloud of smoke assaulted his eyes. He coughed and swung his hand in front of his face to clear the air. When the smoke faded, he noticed the other men and women also coughing and trying to clear their eyes.

  Haldynn took a step forward and watched as the mysterious smoke rose to the cloudy sky above. Lao'dahn followed his eyes before looking to where Taetylona had been.

  She was gone! There was no sign of her, nor even any footprints in the snow. Where had she disappeared to?

  "I will organize a search party. We will find the old wretch and bring her back--"

  "Why?" Markahn, who had been silent during the whole affair, asked Lao'dahn.

  "Why? Because she --"

  "Enough!" Haldynn said in a clear and stern voice. "Enough! Let the old woman be on her way. The snows will sooner reject her than embrace her. We are free of her burden. Our focus needs to be on the clan and on this settlement. Taetylona is no longer our concern."

  Markahn nodded and cast a dark and angry look in Lao'dahn's direction. Unspoken words passed between the two men as the small gathering slowly began to disperse. Lao'dahn stood alone long moments after the others had returned to their work and their homes. Once again, matters had not come to pass as he had intended! Once again, Taetylona had made a fool out of him! She had taken the arrow with her and for what purpose, he did not know.

  He turned and looked into the forest where Taetylona had departed. First Talliea and now her! His plans were not coming to effect as he had hoped. Talliea had been missing for over a month with no sign of a return. Markahn was growing suspicious of him and now Taetylona had left, which was what he had wanted, but the old woman had left on her own terms and, in the process, made a mockery out of him and the men of the Lat'sa'val!

  As he stood in his own rage, he let his mind think upon his ultimate goal: claiming Talliea and usurping Markahn's hold on her. Unlike everyone else, he still believed she was alive. How, was another question, but that was unimportant. He realized he was going to have to begin searching for her in unexpected places. He had been wrong to seek out locations Talliea had previously visited. The woman wasn't stupid.

  Yes, he had to expand his search, drag her back to camp screaming and kicking, challenge Markahn, claim Talliea, and finally have his way with the defiant and feisty woman!

  * * * * * *

  "Yes, you are."

  "No, Ari, I am not. I do not see what you see."

  Arizira sighed and looked at Talliea with a quirked eyebrow. "Are all Esu women as stubborn as you?" she asked. Talliea smiled, the gesture making her even more beautiful, before replying, "No, you are lucky in having met me."

  Both women laughed and fell into a comfortable silence. It had been two days since they had gone out into the forest and Arizira had practiced her archery. The snows had let up slightly and allowed Arizira to hunt once again. Talliea had set out in the forest the day before and set a few snares. She had also replenished their supply of nuts and berries and even picked a few herbs for seasoning their meats.

  Currently, they were both enjoying the warmth of their newly lit fire. Arizira was smoking several pieces of dear meat while Talliea worked on curing some fresh hides. The air inside their cave was thick and warm and the smell of smoking meat and frying vegetables wafted upon it. The day was soon set to retire and both women allowed themselves to be at peace with yet another day.

  Their current dispute, if it could truly be called such, had come about only moments before when Talliea had caught Arizira blatantly and quite brazenly staring at her. "What?" she had asked, her voice a higher pitch.

  Arizira had shaken her head, her eyes seeming to come back into focus, before she had also asked, "What?" Talliea had smiled crookedly and indicated Arizira with a finger. "You were staring at me. Is there something amiss?"

  A blush had quickly colored Arizira's fair skin as she realized she had been caught. Smiling in a shy gesture, she had looked back down at the meat she had been smoking and softly replied, "No, Tah-li. Everything is perfect."

  "Then why were you studying me so?"

  Swallowing, Arizira had looked back up into Talliea's dark eyes and said, "Because I can not help it. You are truly the most beautiful woman I have ever met and my eyes can not help but desire to look upon you."

  Giggling softly and suddenly feeling slightly nervous, Talliea had made a face and shaken her head. "No, I am not."

  And thus their simple argument had been born. Arizira checked the vegetables she was frying in some deer fat before looking back to Talliea. "Do you believe me to be a liar, Tah-li?"

  Setting her knife to the side, Talliea smirked at Arizira. "Of course not."

  "Then believe me when I tell you that you take my breath away with your beauty."

  Talliea blushed again and noticed the last rays of the sun bidding a shy farewell to the world. She had been told many times in her life that she was beautiful, yet never had such a comment affected her like it currently was.

  Unlike the men who had expressed their appreciation of her physical appearance, Arizira did not make her feel dirty or like a piece of property. She made her feel valued and cherished and, for the first time in her life, beautiful.

  Truly, beautiful. It was a strange and new feeling, but a welcome feeling regardless. Looking into Arizira's eyes, which had begun to glow more fiercely with their new lack of natural light, Talliea smiled and held the other woman's gaze. "You take my breath, as well," she whispered.

  Silence settled around them once again. For several long moments, each woman occupied herself with a task or chore. Talliea watched Arizira remove the wooden pot containing a portion of their dinner from over the fire. She followed Arizira's movements as the other woman set the pot off to the side to cool. Arizira busied herself with cleaning some of her tools before walking over to a low sitting and flat faced rock.

  Talliea watched her lower herself to the rock and become lost to her thoughts. Finishing her own tasks, she licked her lips nervously and continued to watch her companion. This was a common occurrence. Nearly every night, Arizira would complete any cooking or cleaning or sewing and retire for a short while inside herself. Her eyes would become unfocused and she would appear to be in some sort of deep meditation. Talliea often wondered what the other woman thought about so intently, but she never questioned matters or interjected her own thoughts.

  However, this night she found she could not stay away. As much as she had enjoyed Arizira's company and as greatly as she valued their budding relationship, she knew, somehow, that Arizira was still holding a part of herself back. It had
been over a week since their first kiss and, though they now kissed one another without hesitation, that was all they did.

  Every time Talliea had attempted to move their relationship forward or express herself in a more profound way, Arizira always stopped her or pulled away. Where before the two of them had often bathed together, now Arizira used the hot spring early in the morning before Talliea was awake. She claimed it was because she did not wish to make her feel uncomfortable, but Talliea could tell it was something else.

  Was it her? Was there something about her that gave Arizira pause? She knew the other woman had feelings for her -- strong, intense, feelings -- so why was she still so reluctant to allow them both a chance to act on those feelings?

  Seeing as how she had absolutely no experience in love, relationships, or friendships for that matter, Talliea felt very inadequate when it came to addressing the issue. Kissing Arizira was not all she wanted to do. Holding her as they fell asleep was not all she desired. Though she had no concept of what exactly the two of them would do when they fully expressed themselves, she just knew that she wanted more.

  She craved more.

  Arizira, after months of getting to know her, was not a person who rushed. She had not rushed into her feelings. She had not rushed in teaching Talliea her skills. She had not rushed into kissing Talliea or expressing how she felt.

  Where Talliea was less patient and more insistent, Arizira always appeared calm and without any need to hasten her pace of life. Everything was measured and appreciated. Still, that fact did little to calm the near insane need Talliea felt to be closer to Arizira. It was a pull she felt nearly every minute of every day. The force of it was overwhelming and powerful and seemed always to take her over, mind, body, and spirit. The complete lack of control she felt while in Arizira's presence, however, did not frighten her.

  It seemed as if a welcome embrace, as though all of her worries and troubles would become less if only she could lie with Arizira, if only she could connect with her.

  Watching Arizira sitting on the flat-faced stone, she was unaware of her own movements until she was standing over the other woman. The light from the fire offered her enough illumination to see every feature of the face she loved.

  Arizira looked up at her curiously and with lowered brows. Without giving her actions a moment of thought, Talliea slowly lowered herself until she was sitting in Arizira's lap, straddling her hips. A shaky and unsure gasp came to her ears while a pair of hands came to her sides.

  Placing her hands on either side of Arizira's face, Talliea allowed her thumbs to smooth over a pair of inviting lips. "Tah-li...what are you do --"

  The rest of the sentence was cut off as Talliea leaned her head down to kiss Arizira's lips. The kiss was short and soft, Talliea's thumbs once again running over the wetness of the lips beneath them. "I want you," she whispered, her knees resting on the rock on either side of Arizira's hips.

  "You are not ready. We can no --"

  Again, Talliea cut off any protests with another tender kiss. Her hands cupped Arizira's face with a reverence unknown to her. Breathing more sharply, she trailed the fingers of her right hand into velvety, soft silver-blonde hair. "I am. I want you to experience me. I want you to touch me."

  Arizira swallowed painfully and tried to get a hold of the building lust she could feel beginning to course through her body. Talliea's actions were unexpected, just as they had been the first time they had nearly kissed one another. Like then, the actions were welcome, but the force behind them in question.

  She felt Talliea gently turn her head to the side before leaning forward and placing her lips against her sensitive ear. "Touch me, Ahmanae," Talliea whispered heatedly before stroking Arizira's ear with the tip of her tongue.

  The action shattered any other resolve Arizira had and she fisted the material at Talliea's waist. Whatever the reason behind this sudden overt display, she did not care. A voice, very small, in the back of her mind protested that she did care, very much, but she ignored it. She had wrestled with this desire for months. Her mind and body were both constantly on edge around Talliea and the tingling sensation ever present in her fingertips had threatened to bring her to a deadened numbness.

  She loved Talliea. What did it matter if the two of them finally acted upon their feelings? Because she is innocent and she was assaulted, the voice in the back of her mind spoke up again.

  Shoving the voice down once more, Arizira turned her head and brought her lips to Talliea's in a fierce rush. She was so tired of having to stay one step ahead of her own feelings and desires. She was so tired of having to be in control every second of every hour of her life. The feelings she had for Talliea were powerful, more powerful than anything she had ever experienced.

  Never in her life had she felt so out of control. The constant struggle day in and day out was nearly unbearable. Why did Talliea affect her so strongly?

  She heard Talliea gasp into her mouth as she kissed her with more passion than she'd ever expressed. Running her tongue over the Esu woman's bottom lip, she wasted no time in parting her lips and increasing the desire she felt. When their tongues met, both women moaned into the other.

  Arizira could feel every inch of Talliea's body pressed so closely to her own. Talliea's breasts were against her chest and she could feel the strength in the thighs that squeezed her hips. Hands tangled into her hair while fingers gently explored the curved tips of her ears.

  Heavy breathing and panting danced around the two women, yet neither was aware of it as the pounding rush of blood was all that sounded in their ears. Arizira pushed her hands up and, in the process, Talliea's top. When her fingers connected with the warmth of soft, smooth skin, she practically cried into Talliea's mouth. The more she let herself go, the harder she knew it was going to be to stop. Ever present, deep in her thoughts, was the sound of her inner voice demanding that she rethink her actions.

  She listened to the voice for half a minute before abandoning herself to what she desired more than anything. Taking Talliea's bottom lip between her teeth, she tugged on the pliant flesh before biting down in a gentle nip.

  Talliea's eyes flew open as she tore her mouth away from Arizira. She was lost to some passion-induced haze and it was the most heady sensation she'd ever experienced. A tight, twitching, throb pounded between her legs and her heart felt as if it was trying to make an escape through her throat.

  She looked down at Arizira and was stilled by the look in her eyes. It was a look Talliea had never witnessed before and, if possible, only intensified the feelings she had.

  Arizira's eyes were hooded and darker than Talliea had ever seen, yet the glow coming from them was nearly too intense to withstand. She felt Arizira's hands move and start undoing the buttons of her top. Her heart thudded inside her chest and her whole body felt like it was on fire. She fought to keep her eyes open and locked on Arizira's.

  How could something feel so good? Was her body always meant to feel such powerful sensations? Why would her people deny such feelings? She looked into Arizira's eyes again and let her thoughts fall away. The incessant tug she had been feeling for so long was stronger than ever before, but somehow she knew she was close to satisfying it. Swallowing nervously, she breathed deeply through her nose as she felt Arizira's fingers undo the last button holding her top together.

  "Yes..." she whispered, though the why was lost to her. Arizira looked down and let her senses take their first look at Talliea's naked torso.

  Rich, deep dark skin glistened in the fire light. Two heavy and heaving breasts were accented with tight, dark nipples and Arizira could easily see a bead of sweat on Talliea's sternum. Unconsciously, she licked her lips and raised her eyes.

  Talliea was watching her, uncertainty apparent in her brown eyes. Smiling, Arizira leaned forward and kissed Talliea in a slow caress. Her hands moved to the tops of her shoulders as she easily lowered the material of Talliea's shirt and let it fall to the ground beneath them.

  Tall
iea's hands in her hair were shaking and Arizira could practically feel the nervousness rolling off the woman. Sitting up straight, she scooted closer and said, "Lie back for me. It is okay."

  Talliea swallowed again and nodded. Keeping her eyes on Arizira, she unstraddled the other woman and leaned back until she could lower herself to the floor of the cave. Arizira watched her, blue eyes traveling over her exposed chest.

  Once on the ground in a half-seated position, Arizira joined her and lowered herself over her body. Her legs landed on either side of Talliea's left thigh while her hands braced her weight near her head. "You are so beautiful," she whispered.

  Talliea did not respond. Feeling Arizira above her, being so surrounded by her body, was intoxicating. She felt a kiss being placed on her forehead and released a shaky breath. One of Arizira's hands brushed through her hair while the other grazed over her exposed stomach.

  Her heart was beating frantically as Arizira lowered herself even more until her weight was resting against her body. The added pressure sent Talliea to another place. Another time. Before Arizira could proceed any farther, a strong sense of panic assaulted her insides. Arizira looked down at Talliea and cocked her head to the side. "Tah-li?" she asked in a concerned voice.

  "You're a beautiful woman, Talliea. I'll give you that. It is your mouth that gives you trouble. You use it too often. I won't allow you to continue to defy Esuval. You need to be reminded of your place."

  Talliea closed her eyes and tried to force herself back into the present. Arizira was not Lao'dahn. She did not touch her the way he had and yet...

  Lao'dahn had been the last person to lean over her. He had made her feel trapped and scared. His weight had been a burden to her, a reminder of the power she did not hold. Struggling to breathe, she vaguely registered Arizira's sweet and concerned voice before she was once again lost to the past.