Two by Day, Three by Night

by Breanna Hayse

  “This is my last day of being whole,” she said aloud to Gregor. “But I will never feel alone, no matter what happens tonight. I am at peace with my decision.”

  “And the price?”

  “I am not going to struggle with my fear. I’m going to just allow it to take its course and let go. It can’t hurt me anymore than it already has. My fear has controlled my life and left me lonely, unloved, and without a happy tomorrow. She needs to die tonight, Gregor. And I don’t care what happens, as long as Marcas is healed.”

  “He has elected to remain split because of his love for you. Would this sacrifice you are making be in vain if he does not merge?” Gregor asked, holding her hand.

  Courtney smiled at him softly. “I will take that man in whatever way I can. I just don’t understand something.”

  “What is it, child?”

  “If the curse is broken, doesn’t that mean he’ll be made whole? Isn’t that the purpose?”

  “Ah, my sweet girl. Curses and blessings are in the hearts of the ones who perceive them. Do you believe that Marcas melding into one man will solve the conflict he has within himself?”

  “Well, no. It would mean he would have to deal with it like the rest of us do.”

  “What if he can deal with it better than the rest of us?”

  “By staying apart?”

  “For the first time in his life, Marcas has found true peace with himself; he wants to keep this peace. The breaking of the curse will allow him to choose the state of being he wishes to be in.”

  “Which will then turn the curse into a blessing?”

  “Correct. Receive his gift of acceptance to himself as a gift to you. He would not have found this peace if you have not taken the sacrifice for him. My child, I ask only one thing of you right now. Have faith in God, in your love for Marcas, and in his love for you. With that, you will be able to touch the sky. You need only to reach.”

  “Tell me, Gregor… why do monks speak in riddles? Is it like some kind of secret lingo to get in good with God or something? It makes my head spin.”

  “We have a lot of time on our hands, so we make up ways to amuse ourselves. Nothing more.” Gregor laughed at the expression on her face. “Just because we are, as Marcas says, older than dirt and just as crusty, does not mean we don’t like to pull pranks. I’m a Kalnovky, it’s in my blood.”

  Courtney grunted, breathing in the fragrant mountain air and accepting Gregor’s hand as she walked back down the path towards the Sacred Field. She nervously watched the sun as the Brotherhood gathered around the small arch they had built for the ceremony. Marcas smiled at her, seeing her nervous glances at the sky. He took her hand, kissing her cheek.

  “Scared?”

  “Yes. I mean, not about splitting, but about marriage. I still don’t like that promise of being spanked every day,” she whispered, making him laugh.

  “Don’t be afraid. I will hold you when it happens and won’t let you feel alone,” he promised, touching her face. “And once we divide, we will be married under the full moon, as we promised Sebastian.”

  “He also said something else, about those pink flowers that grow up here?”

  “Piatra Craiului Pink. They are the rarest flowers in the world and the species in the sacred fields only open during a full moon. They release the most alluring scent to attract the rarest and most beautiful butterflies and moths in the world. Tonight, they will open and you and I will be man and wife. Sebastian planned this time as a blessing for our future.”

  “Marcas, about Sebastian… he’s starting to mottle. He’s imminent…”

  “This is our wedding night. No sadness, only joy.”

  “I don’t want to lose him, Marcas,” Courtney murmured, looking up at him, encouraged by his strength and his unwavering faith.

  “Me neither, my love. But let us give him this gift tonight without tears. Can we do that?”

  “Yes. Marcas? I don’t feel very well…”

  Marcas wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against his heart as the sun settled into the horizon. He whispered words of love to her as they began to rip in half, the two pairs solidifying next to each other. Courtney slumped in his arms and he gently lowered her to the soft ground. He looked across at his other half, who did the same. The monks surrounded them, singing songs of worship and prayer, and watched as the young women were gently lifted into the arms of the barons and cradled lovingly upon their laps.

  “I love you, my sweet one,” the both whispered in unison. “Come back to us. Open your eyes and draw strength from me.”

  Courtney struggled to follow the sound of his warm voice coaxing her to wakefulness. She felt a sick void within her, empty of her other half. “Where is she? I need her! Marcas!”

  “Calm down, honey. Shhhh. She’s right here, waking up. She’s very weak,” the other half said, worry etched over his face.

  Courtney scooted over to her other half, touching the sallow skin. “What’s wrong with her? Marcas! What’s wrong!?”

  “I don’t know. This didn’t happen with us,” Marcas said fearfully, gripping the wrist of his other half. “Is it because she surrendered to the parting and didn’t fight it?”

  “I… have… chosen…” the frail, weak half of Courtney whispered from his lap, holding the hand of her worried other. “Let go of me and live. Tell Sebastian that… there is nothing to fear.”

  “Marcas? What is she talking about? Oh my God! Marcas!!” Courtney screamed, holding her other half in her arms as her last breath departed with her spirit.

  Silence surrounded them as Courtney grieved over the loss of her weaknesses, her paralyzing fears, and her illness. She had never realized how much she had allowed these things to control her life and steal her joy. She sobbed, in relief and in regret, for all the time lost and wasted.

  At Gregor’s touch, Marcas stood away to give the girl space to mourn, her sorrow echoing through the mountains and lost in the night. He watched as Sebastian slowly walked to her and lowered himself to the ground, holding the weeping woman in his arms.

  “You made the ultimate sacrifice, child. Your love for Marcas and your love of yourself has brought healing. Thank you.”

  “Healing? To… to you?” Courtney sniffed, looking up at him. He smiled, gently touching her quivering lips, and nodded. She flung her arms around his neck, her tears of sorrow now cries of joy. “Sebastian? Will Marcas be happy with what is left of me? Without that… her?”

  “Because you took the curse onto yourself for another, it was not a curse, but a blessing. Even your weaknesses knew that in order for you to be happy, you would have to be free of her. The greatest weapon against fear is not courage, but faith. The faith Marcas has in your love, and the faith you have in his, caused fear to sacrifice itself,” Sebastian whispered.

  “I… I don’t understand.”

  “Fear cannot survive in the light of Faith. Nor can it grow in the strength of Love. All that has made you fearful is gone from you. You have been given a second chance to start life anew, unafraid and unhindered.”

  “But Marcas? Will he still rend in half?” Courtney sniffed, stroking the temple of the shell of the woman before her. “And what of her? Do we bury her? When the sun comes up, will her death become part of me?”

  “No, my child. She will disappear from this earth. You will be free from her. Just remember, it is up to you to keep yourself free now.”

  “How?”

  “Submit your control to God and live in faith with your husband.”

  The monks carefully took the body to the empty field and laid it among the flowers as they started to bloom. The air was filled with a sweet fragrance that caused all to deeply inhale. Courtney sat next to her half, holding the lifeless hand. Marcas sat on either side on her, silent and waiting.

  “I don’t know how I can help you, my precious one.”

  “I love you so much,” she said, taking the hand of one while leaning against the other. “I am sorry I d
id this to you.”

  “We are grateful that you survived to be with us. And that we have been re-gifted with Sebastian.”

  “I am too. I guess I should not mourn this part of me. It harbored my illness, my guilt, and my shame. Yet, it was braver and more honest than I could ever be. I don’t think I will ever understand what happened here tonight.”

  “Perhaps, in time, God will reveal His purpose.”

  “You still are holding to faith, aren’t you?” she asked, allowing them to help her to her feet.

  “Without faith, there is nothing. Courtney Wells? Will you marry me? Right now, as the moon rises behind us?

  “Yes. I will.”

  Sebastian, still weak but without pain, sat in the chair brought to him and began to read the ceremony of promise, fulfillment, and faith. He winked at Courtney’s flinching as she spoke her vows, including the promise to obey her Baron as her husband and her leader. Marcas mouthed the word ‘spank’ as he spoke his vows to protect and guide his baroness as his wife and helpmeet. When Sebastian gave permission to seal the ceremony with a kiss, Marcas’ two halves melded as one and joined Courtney as husband and wife.

  No one saw the blurring through the tears of joy, or that the body that had held Courtney’s fears had disappeared forever into the darkness.

  * * *

  “How do you feel, my pet?” Marcas asked as he carried her onto the Place of Silence located deep in the woods behind the monastery. The monks had gifted them with the small, rustic cottage to spend their wedding night. Flowers, fragrant evergreens, and balls of spices scented the small room and a warm fire crackled in a cozy stone hearth. Warm bread sat on the wood burning stove next to a pot of hot tea. A stew simmered happily over the flames.

  “Are you strong enough to consummate our marriage?” the other half asked eagerly, sitting on the bed and patting the mattress.

  “You’re an idiot,” Marcas chuckled, lowering himself on the bed and tilting Courtney so that her legs rested in the other’s lap. He gently ran his hand under her dress and up her leg, grinning like a boy.

  “Yep, and you’re thinking the same thing,” the other laughed, peeling Courtney’s white leather slippers from her feet and beginning to massage her leg.

  “I love you. Both of you. Especially when you act like this.” Courtney smiled, snuggling into the arms of one while the other lifted her leg to his lips to kiss it’s length.

  The events of the evening overwhelmed her and she felt herself drifting into a dizzying euphoric state, her arousal magnified. She purred as her clothes were gently skimmed from her body and she was placed between two beautifully strong, naked men who shared the same face and the same heart. She felt their warm hands touch every inch of her flesh, followed by magically talented lips and tongues that set her nerves on fire. A groan was heard, but Courtney could not tell from whom it had come. It was low, primal, and made her want to flip to her hands and knees and beg to be taken.

  “Please, take me. Hard. Own me,” Courtney whispered. The halves looked at each other and turned her to the mattress.

  “On your knees, târfă, my lovely!” Marcas barked, smacking her backside sharply.

  Courtney yelped and struggled to her knees. “Did you just call me a wench? How dare you!” she growled.

  “So we do have some impudence remaining! Excellent!” the other half sounded excited with the discovery. “Climb over me, woman. Straddle my thighs and do not take your eyes off my cock. Beckon to it with your mouth. Ah… no touching. Only seeing,” he said, leaning with his back against the headboard. Her mind went numb with excitement, she crawled over him, spreading her knees wide apart as she straddled his legs. Hungrily, she gazed at his growing organ, licking her lips with desire. Her mouth craved his taste, her lips yearning to milk every drop of the sweet ambrosia that was him.

  “She minds well in this state. Lean forward, my sweet. Place your face upon his stomach and hold your bottom high. Give him your wrists.”

  Courtney bowed to her husband’s command, placing her face on the soft, hot skin of his hard, flat stomach. She lifted her wrists to either side, with only her head and knees resting. Her bottom, thrust high into the air, felt separate and very vulnerable. She closed her eyes as the other grasped her wrists in his hands and held them down on either side of his hips.

  Marcas watched Courtney’s response to her restraint and smiled as she naturally arched her back, forcing her bottom to tilt higher and fully expose her every gift.

  “What a good girl,” the other whispered into her hair. “You aren’t going to fight us, are you?”

  “No, sir,” Courtney whispered, sinking into another level of sensation. Contentment. Nothing else mattered as long as she was here, with him.

  “She truly has found her inner submissive. Let’s see where we can take her tonight. Tell me, Courtney, which do you prefer? I wish you to choose two implements, ” Marcas asked, running his hand across her raised bottom and inner thighs.

  “May I choose your brown belt and the switch, sir?” Courtney asked without hesitation, lost in a wistful state where she teetered between reality and her dreams.

  “You may. A reward for your submission, my dear,” Marcas said, running his hand along the back of her thigh and then tracing slowly up from her sensitive clit to the cleft of her bottom. Courtney shivered with the tingle of his fingers. She sensed him tightening and released a surprise grunt as his hand impacted heavily on the bottom of her right cheek.

  Courtney tightened her fists, her arms still held down, realizing that her straddled position prevented her from rolling away from the painful, repeated blows over her protruding mounds. She broke forth with a small sob, burying her face in Marcas’ stomach and feeling his engorged penis resting between her breasts. The spanks slowed and finally stopped, and Courtney sensed him stepping away to admire his work. He nodded, pleased that the sound of her cries had changed. She was at peace in her submission, embracing the beauty of the pain. Nerves were awakened within her and she felt as though she could truly fly.

  “Crawl over so I can kiss those pink beauties. I must get some clamps with chains to decorate and steer these lovely things,” the other ordered from beneath her, releasing her wrists. She raised herself from his stomach and climbed up towards his head and dangled her breasts in front of his mouth. Courtney bit her lip as his mouth clamped around her nipple before drawing her breast between his tongue and his palette. She grinned as he began to play with her – he was making love to her breast as she did to his cock! It… was… incredible.

  Cool, heavy leather was stroked along her back, bottom, and thighs, caressing her with the wide flat portion and tickling her with the smooth, beveled sides. She started to slowly rock in rhythm with the suckling mouth on her breasts, her body unprepared for the thud of the heavy strap across her splayed cheeks. Courtney threw her chin up with a hiss, unable to rise due to the hold upon her breast. She whimpered, feeling the caress of the leather again and the whish it made before cracking over her fleshy sit spots. Courtney rocked harder, focusing on the pleasure of strong lips upon her peaks or the ‘after-warmth’ of the strop. Slowly, the strapping continued, starting and stopping in irregular intervals, bringing Courtney to near release before taking it away.

  She could feel her juices dripping down her thighs and pooling against the others’ hips. She did not care; she was sinking again into the euphoric state of surrender. She felt a hand snake between them to fondle her clit, also preventing her from rubbing against his aching rod.

  The swooshing of the switch in the air caused Courtney to tighten with anticipation. The finger playing upon her clit gently flicked her, reminding her to relax and submit to him. She obeyed that tiny signal and opened herself wider for his skillful fingers. The switch bit sharply into her backside as her swollen nub was massaged between his fingers. The pain collided with the pleasure and she blew out a loud breath, body stiffening with confusion as to how to respond.

  “So ripe! I h
ave never seen one act as this. My treasure…” Marcas murmured, switching her again and running his hand over the red welt. “How many more, precious? What it your delight?”

  “As… as many as you wish, sir,” Courtney hoarsely said, her rocking growing more intense as Marcas continued to pinch and tickle her clit. Courtney began to stiffen and, as she released a primal shout of joy, Marcas released three hard strokes directly across the clenching rear end. Courtney’s head reeled with sensation and she finally collapsed upon the body of the man beneath her.

  “Would you like some water? You look a little flushed,” Marcas teased, easing her off his body and sitting them both up. The other held some water to her lips. She sipped it slowly, fighting to open her eyes and rejoin the land of the little people.

  “I was in heaven,” Courtney whispered. “I felt like I was just floating for a while.”

  “You gave away your control and trusted us. Your submission is a true wedding gift. I… we, thank you.” Marcas gently wiped her face with a cool towel.

  “We promise to guard and protect it, cherish and nurture it, and give it the discipline needed to make it stronger,” the other promised with a regal bow.

  “Does that mean I can go to sleep now?” Courtney asked with a sudden yawn.

  “No, we have one more thing,” Marcas said, wrapping her in a blanket and carrying her outside, holding her naked body close to his chest to keep her warm. They walked along the moonlit path and down into a field where a small patch of the rare pink flowers bloomed.

  Marcas joined his lips to Courtney’s as they lowered her down to the ground and spread her over the flowers. The aroma of crushed petals permeated the air with a scent that begged to be deeply inhaled. Courtney watched in wonder as the two folded into one before settling between her bent knees. She lifted her arms and her pelvis to him, whispering his name as he buried his long, hard member deep within her as he forever claimed her as his. The forest went silent as passion ignited from Courtney, joined by the growling satisfaction from Marcas.