The Eyes of the Goddess

by Kanu Crystal

  Oasis and Himeko had changed into nightwear and sent out Isia for drinks. The wolf had refused at first but agreed only after Himeko accepted more guards outside her room until she returned. Himeko could have asked the servants to fetch wine but the risk of her father knowing was too great.

  Isia walked over and handed her a bottle of wine. With a grunt, she sat down at the table. The other two she-wolves sat down next to her and pulled out their own bottles. Aisi drank deeply from her bottle and handed it to Isia who did the same.

  "They are triplets." Oasis looked at Himeko in wonder. Himeko smiled and pulled Oasis to the table. She pulled two glasses from her water tray and poured wine for both Oasis and herself.

  "Well, what happened on your little adventure?" Himeko looked at Isia, who was now drinking from, Siai's bottle.

  "We were out trying to find a drink ourselves, the bottles were a bit overpriced at the inn, and bam, we catch our sister's scent. So, I attacked her.” Siai grinned at Himeko, her eyes filled with mischief.

  Aisi picked up the story. "Oh aye, they feel back into a bar, by the time I walked in everyone was fighting, almost 15 people in that brawl. By the time the city guards came, we all had trashed the place. They made us pay about 7 gold each, and let us go." Aisi handed the bottle she was drinking from to Siai. “The only reason we were not put in chains, was the owner. The old guy thought the fight was great fun.”

  “The old fart threw a chair at me!” Isia's passed the bottle to Aisi and laid her head on the table. "We went to a new inn to buy the bottles, but I couldn’t afford it so Siai covered it. In exchange, I told them they could visit but only for a few hours. I’m sorry, my Princess."

  "Cheer up sister, we are all broke now." Aisi patted Isia's hair, forcing bits of glass out.

  Himeko looked at Oasis, who now was poking Siai's biceps. She would have removed Oasis's hand, but the smaller sister was flexing for her indecently. “How could you be broke? You have carried the rank of lieutenant since you took the role of champion."

  "Yeah, I was told," Isia accepted a bottle from Siai. She didn't drink just sat up and looked at Himeko. "I’m still broke."

  Himeko blinked in surprise before she took a sip of her wine. "At your rank, you make over 50,000 gold a year. So far, I have only sent your living expenses to the Alpha's of the Silent Leave, but if you need more, all you had to do was let me or the treasurer know. Goddess, you worry over money with a small fortune in the treasury."

  All three sisters froze in place. They took a moment then started yelling. They banged on Isia's back and she, in turn, pushed them away and laughed with them. After a few moments of this, they settle down and started talking about the bar fight in details...

  Himeko had no idea why she looked at Isia, but when their eyes met, she was locked in. it was brief, and they looked away, Himeko adoring the blush the other girl wore now. Oasis caught it. She stood, just a bit wobbly, and raised her hands up high. "That endearing glance you two shared just reminded me of the tale I promised to tell.”

  Himeko glanced at Isia, who was drinking to avoid her sister’s eyes. "For it was done and so it must be told, I tell the Tale of Dusk and Dawn.

  As it was, in the day, the gods of light worked on the world. They created beauty and arts, wisdom and all its works. They created the plains and the birds, and they enjoyed it all. At night, the gods of dark worked. They created caves and stealth, the deeps and The Undo Roads, and monsters to walk in it all and they enjoyed it all.

  In the Day, one Goddess worked harder than any other. Inanna, Goddess of love, war, and wisdom. She woke with the light and till the moment it was replaced by the dark, she worked. One such morning, she awoke just a minute earlier. She stood and stared into the dark. There she spotted a figured standing next to a great many stocks in the ground.

  The figure was dress in fine armor and staring at the stocks. She spoke aloud and mostly to herself. 'A year you will take to breathe one breath, Beauty can be found in each cut of your skin, and yet you feel incomplete.'

  Entranced by the deep and unusually beauty of this figure's voice, Inanna took a step forward. With the sound of her one step, the figure turned around and their eyes locked. In the seconds before night became day, they stood locked into each other’s eyes. It was then that the light of day came, and for a few more moments they looked upon each other before the Night Goddess disappeared.

  Spellbound and in love, the goddess Inanna ran to her other gods of day and ask if they knew the stranger she had just met. When asked what she looked like, Inanna spoke of armor that shined like jewels and eyes both blue and purple. Confused, none knew of any like this. Sadden, yet determined, Inanna went back to the stocks in the ground. All day she stared and was breathless at the details and beauty of each stock. She remembered what the other had said. And she too felt these incomplete.

  She looked around herself and stared at the flowers and the grass. All day she had done nothing but look and wonder, yet moments before the day would end, she weaved simple but beautiful greeneries and covered the stocks in them. And so, trees where completed. She sat beside a large one she had named willow and waited for Day to fall to Night.

  When Night fell, she stood and marveled at the beauty around her. She had not known the night could be such and was breathless by it. Consumed by her wonder, she was almost taken aback by the presence of the woman before her.

  "Mara, Goddess of Nature and Death" with that introduction started a love affair like no other. Mara would walk in the day for many hours beside Inanna, who in turn, showed her the beauty of the day and the many things the gods of the day did. For this gift, Mara taught Inanna night and all its wonders. And they did this for many years.

  They made love in the sea, and from their lust they birth mermaids. In the sky, their cries of passion awakened the birds and gave them strength. In the plains, any mare that saw them fucking grew a horn of magic. But their favorite place to make love was the forest. They say the trees that saw them finished together, would hold their long breath at the instant of their passion. That white birds would blush and forever be turned red.

  It is said that they would lock eyes and know each other’s feelings. Sharing in them, it was during the day, while sharing one of these moments, that Balas God of War and Might caught them. His anger boiled in his blood for he wanted Inanna and thought she should be his wife, so that they may rule over day together.

  Balas convinced the other gods of day to help him banish all the gods of dark back to the night. They agreed and so the Ward was built. A ward that kept those of night in the night and those of day in the light. For many days and nights, both Goddesses wept. Their tears finally came together to make the Grand River that runs down the whole of the continent.

  The night after the river was connected. Mara drank from the river and felt Inanna's sorrow. Refusing to let her love cry, she waited for the moment when the sun would take over the sky and forced it to slow its climb. Homi, the sun god, was outraged at Mara's arrogance. But Mara's power and love were greater than Homi’s anger. Inanna finding that the ward was weak ran into Mara's arms and swore that she would love only her Mara. In the light of dawn, they wed each other and loved each other.

  Now it is known that the eyes know the soul, and when their eyes had met all those years ago, they had been destined for this moment. And it is so that in Val Amara, all married in the light of dawn.

  But I tell you that this is the story of Dusk and Dawn, so know that though Dawn brought them happiness Dusk brought them pain.” Oasis hiccupped and grabbed her glass of wine. Her audience was completely enraptured by the story. Himeko had known that Mara and Inanna were mates, but she had not heard the tale of how.

  Thinking that Oasis would finish the tale, all was quiet. Oasis smiled, then sat down in her seat. "Dusk is gloomy and will have to wait for another night."

  "Goddess damn you, you got me all pumped up for it." Isia was drunk and her voice was loud. Her smoky voice was slurrin
g as she spoke. Himeko wondered if Isia remembered that she should be protecting her but figured that was why she didn’t relieve the guards she insisted Himeko have while she went searching for wine. Aisi seemed to be the most stable one, but she kept closing and opening her eyes slowly. Siai was the worst off. She was now reaching for Oasis's night shift and pulling it down to staring at her cleavage. This of course made the girl giggle and move ever closer to Siai.

  Himeko spent the next hour drinking and trying to keep Oasis and Siai from taking advantage of each other. Aisi and Isia were singing pub songs and the whole night had gone well. When Oasis declared she was ready for bed, Aisi had to grab Siai to keep from following. Laughing at her sister’s insanity, Isia watched as Aisi took their leave by way of the balcony, fighting the whole climb down.

  Himeko watched all three from her balcony doors. She had drunk far less than any of the others but still, she felt just a bit light headed. Isia turned around and smiled at her. It took Himeko's breath away. It was those blue eyes, glossed over with drink and laughter, she looked free. Isia was calm and contented. As Isia walked closer, Himeko's heart pounded in her chest.

  In the morning she would blame it on the wine. She would pretend it never happened and that it was just the drink and the love story. Or she would demand more. For now, she would do what she wanted from the first moment she saw her wolf at the inn. Each step Isia took closer to her, made Himeko’s heart beat faster. If she pulled away, she would never bring it up. If Isia pulled away, she would pretend it never happened, but she needed to know. Once in arms reach, Himeko pulled Isia gently towards her. Their bodies fit neatly against each other. There was not a single part of her mind that told her this was wrong or that she shouldn’t do this.

  Himeko moved slowly, giving Isia time to back away from this if she wanted to, but she didn’t, and their lips met. It felt like someone had hit Himeko with a lightning spell. All at once her body reacted. Was this how it was supposed to be like, like everything stopped, space, time, breath? It was gentle. And when Isia pulled her closer, Himeko almost yelped in surprise. Yet what made her melt into Isia’s body was when her tongue slid in between lips. It was so innocent. Testing each stroke, learning each other’s taste.

  The first kiss, her first kiss, could not have been more perfect. Isia tasted like ale and ice. The kind of ice that could burn you if you touched it too long. She felt safe, curled up in strong arms, her own arms around Isia’s neck. She ran her fingers through Isia’s hair and the girl moaned into her mouth. It was everything she had no idea she wanted.

  When they broke away from each other, they were both panting. Isia was staring at her with surprise in her bright blue eyes. She wanted to comfort her, but her own mind was racing with thoughts that didn’t make sense. She went from thinking how soft Isia’s lips were to how strong her arms felt. Was the kiss as perfect for Isia as it had been for Himeko? Would she push her away?

  Instead of gathering the courage to ask her, all thoughts went away when Isia’s lips met hers again. This time was even more perfect than the last and she felt her knees get weak even as strong arms held her up. They broke away again only to exchange tiny quick kisses that made Himeko feverish.

  When they finally stopped, they stood beside each other under the moons. Isia’s head was resting on Himeko’s neck. She, in turn, was staring at the two moons. It felt as if the Twin Gods where nodding with approval at the match before them. She shuddered when Isia’s hand ran up and down her spine. “Are you cold? We should head inside.”

  “I'm a dragon.” The words were whispered into Isia’s neck and even if Himeko could get cold, she was far from it. Instead, she was burning up, her skin was on fire. She wondered if Isia could feel it.

  Isia chuckled and untangled herself from Himeko. She took her hand and pulled her back into the rooms. Isia’s heart pounded faster inside her chest as she neared the bed and with each step, she thought her heart would give out. Was she ready? Was this happening now? What bothered her a bit was that she knew Isia would be the one to do it. She could think of no one better to do this with.

  When they got to the bed, Isia let go of her hand and bowed to her. “Goodnight princess.”

  Himeko watched the other woman turn around and almost laughed as she started towards the door. “And where are you going?”

  Isia stopped and turned around looking puzzled. “To bed?”

  “Your sleeping in here Champion.”

  Isia looked down at her torn and dirty clothes. “I'm dirty.”

  “I don’t...”

  “Fine.” Isia cut her off and marched back to the bed. She laid down on top of the covers and closed her eyes.

  Not wanting to argue but knowing she could not sleep with someone on top of her blankets, she asked gently. "Do you have anything to sleep in?"

  Isia shook her head no and Himeko was tempted to just tell her to sleep naked. Somehow, she didn’t know where that would lead. She got under the covers on her side of the bed and turned away from Isia. "There are night clothes in the closet. We will have to have some made for you later."

  Isia grunted but left for the walk-in closet and Himeko got comfortable, wiggling into the softness of her bed. Himeko rolled on her back to stared at her high ceilings and let her mind wander back to the warmth of Isia's body. She couldn’t help but remember the way her moans sounded when their lips touched, the way her chest vibrated with tiny her growls when Himeko slightly pulled on her hair, or how the press of her felt as they kissed. She wondered if this is what lust felt like and if there was any way to ease the tension without making Isia touch her or touching herself.

  The bed dipped on her right and Isia got under the covers. They were both quiet for a long time. The sound of their breathing and the wind at the window was all that could be heard. Himeko moved her hand to find Isia's and as soon as their hands touched, Isia linked them. Himeko was sliding towards Isia, and Isia was wrapping her up in those arms she was beginning to feel completely safe in. They were warm and they fit together perfectly. They never said anything and by the time they had fallen asleep, neither of them could tell you who drifted off first.

  Chapter 7

  Himeko pulled Isiadown kissing her lightly for only a moment before a low growl came out from Isia lips, and Himeko was being picked up. Isia's tongue met hers and she didn’t care about excuses or being the heir or how it should feel. Only that tongue against hers mattered.

  She didn’t fight when the bed hit her back or when Isia forced both of her hands above her head. Himeko had no sense of things when she wrapped her legs around Isia's waist. She was still confused about how this kiss could get deeper with every flick of Isia's tongue. She could feel heat, unlike anything she could ever remember spark in her belly. She needed something, and by the goddess, this wolf would give it to her.

  Isia broke the kiss and Himeko’s eyes shot open. Crimson eyes met cobalt blues, they were both panting, when Isia broke the stare, her eyes went first to Himeko’s lips. Isia's speech was uneven and breathless as she spoke, "we shouldn’t, and you’re the Heir."

  Angry and wanting the fire to burn her, Himeko said the only thing that made sense. "Fuck the kingdom." She freed her hands from Isia and wrapped them in her white hair, pulling her down for another kiss. Their tongues danced together. Himeko couldn’t control her hips, so they moved in a way that felt both right and incomplete. The flames built again and Himeko feared that it would never burn out.

  Himeko’s hands ran all over Isia's body. Her fingers glanced over the other girl's breast and the moan she was awarded made the flames burned even hotter. She wanted to feel that brown skin under her fingers, so she started lifting Isia's shirt.

  Isia growled and broke the kiss. "We can’t do this."

  Panting, wet, and laying on her back, Himeko was flabbergasted. "We can."

  "No, we can’t.” Even as she spoke, she took off Himeko’s nightdress, making her pant as she stared at her with lust. It was like she coul
dn’t hear her own words. Then there was Isia’s mouth on her breast and pleasure. So much pleasure, she had no idea when her back arched into the wolf’s mouth, but she didn’t care she needed more.

  “Himeko?” she took one of Isia’s hands and brought it to her other breast.

  “Himeko…” Isia let go of her prize only to take Himeko’s lips for her own.

  “HIMEKO!”

  Himeko shot up out of her dream and into the face of real Isia. They were so close, lips so close. The girl was blushing and trying to find anywhere to look but at Himeko.

  “What’s wrong?” as she asked the dream came back to her and she could feel the damp spot on the bed.

  “You were…moaning...my name. And you…you were…your hands...”

  “Shut up!”

  Isia grinned, “With pleasure, my princess.”

  ***

  The week went by so quickly for Isia. The meetings and daily court sessions felt long, but their free time was spent with Princess Oasis or Aisi and Siai, or all of them together. Mostly they went hunting or shopping. It was nice and easy. Siai and Oasis found every chance to flirt outrageously, while Aisi spent most of her time pulling them apart.

  Isia was even getting used to waking up with Himeko more on her than lying next to her. They had done no more than a kiss but each time they did Himeko seemed to find a way to prolong it. The princess had even gone so far as to pull her into closets and bathrooms for quick kisses. It was so amazing to kiss her, that Isia rarely fought back, and protesting when someone could kiss you and make your knees week was almost impossible. She didn’t know what Himeko was playing at, but it was driving Isia insane.

  The first morning, was by far the worst and the best. Himeko was dreaming of her. Sometimes, she could still hear Himeko’s moans and her whispering her name, demanding something. She would still scent her lust. And by Mara, she wanted to taste it now more than ever. Honey and fire!

  She had woken up this morning to a kiss on the cheek. In return, the kiss that she had given Himeko was need and desire and intentions all in one. And Himeko had returned it with even more passion. Isia had no doubt Himeko wanted her, but to do so would but Himeko into a position neither one of them could afford. If not for a maid knocking on the door, Isia doubted either one would have stopped that kiss.