by Viola Grace
“Tarun, what are the seasons like here? Does it get cold here?” Her nose burrowed against the warm skin of his chest, and she flicked her tongue out to taste. She felt his shiver and smiled.
“Not very, there is occasionally some snow in the high mountains, but not usually in the village.” He tugged at her hair and drew her head back so he could meet her gaze. “Why?”
“It’s silly really. Just thinking about warm fires and cold winters.” Her lips were swollen after the enthusiasm of his ‘hello’ kiss. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips and his eyes darkened, the rainbow irises almost shooting sparks.
With a groan he put his hands on her arms and gently pushed her out of his embrace. “Nayef brought dinner again. It is on the table. I’ll start the fire.”
That was the end of the touching, for the moment. They had dinner, he asked her about her day, and she told him that she had spoken with Ilyssa and then gone back to the pool.
She asked him what he had done, and he replied that he had met with the organizers of the Nyx festival, then did some chores around his house and came back to her cottage to wait for her shortly before sundown.
“So you went back to the pool, did you burn yourself again?” He raised an eyebrow and she blushed as she remembered what she had been doing at the pool.
“No, no I didn’t. I found a spot that was shaded and chose that one for my resting area. It really is a lovely pool. I’m surprised that more people don’t frequent it.”
“It is a little out of the way for most.” He stood and stretched. “Well, I think that you should go to bed now. Do you need more lotion? Your skin still looks extremely red.”
“I’ll put it on after you leave.” She stood and collected the plates and wandered over to the sink and began to fill it with water.
“I’ll take care of the dishes, you go and lie down. I’ll also help you with the lotion.” He took the plates from her hand and shooed her over to the bed with one hand on her backside.
Once again she found herself being rubbed down by Tarun, first her back, then she rolled over and he stroked his hands all over her front. Her skin was covered with gooseflesh and she felt a distinct wetness growing between her thighs in anticipation. But nothing happened. His hands finished stroking the cooling cream across her skin then he wiped his hands off on a linen towel. He drew the sheet up over her and gave her a sweet kiss on the forehead, his own forehead beaded with sweat.
“Good night, Annabelle.” Then he was gone.
Annabelle fell asleep bewildered and empty.
The next day was a day of personal exploration as he took her through the craft center on one side of her cottage. She had an aptitude for both leather weaving and metal work, and on her first day managed to produce a very interesting belt that made a gentle chiming noise as she moved. She giggled and twirled as she wore the belt, then began to rack her memory for the belly dance class lessons that she had taken before leaving earth. She would practice as soon as Tarun left.
After discovering her creativity within, she went into the market and had tea with Ilyssa once again. Ilyssa was impressed with the design, and asked her as to its purpose. When Anna demonstrated, Ilyssa asked for lessons after the Nyx festival, Anna agreed. While there, Ailis came to find her, to deliver the clothing that she had promised. She also stayed for tea.
During the course of conversation, Anna found out that the gestation period of the Avari was close to that of Terrans, and Ailis was due any day now. She was occupied with the standard preparations of a mother who was about to deliver.
As the giggles and talk turned to sex, Anna found herself actually feeling at home, for the first time since she had left the earth. Girl talk was still girl talk, and her face flamed as her two new companions gave her the intimate details of their sex lives and the most graphic descriptions of their husbands’ endowments. Techniques were also discussed, and by the time the ladies were finished, Anna could not look Nayef in the eye when he returned.
Ailis’ husband came in to collect her. Ciqala was a cheerful man. His good nature shone out of his easy smile as he herded his wife out of the shop and down the street. Her acid tongue was completely ineffective against her husband. He just let her insults slide off of his bronze hide.
Laughing, Anna went back to her cottage, and was relieved and a little disappointed to find Tarun nowhere in sight. Hesper was outside her door however, preening her feathers on a tree.
“Hey Hesper, how is life treating you?” She darted inside then came out with left over shreds of meat from the night before. She fed it to the avian and was gratified when the bird seemed happy to have the snack. She tentatively reached out to the bird and smiled when Hesper allowed her to stroke her feathers in a steady motion. The feathers were warm and smooth, satiny under her fingers.
Hesper began to shift from foot to foot on the branch, so Anna extended her arm and then had to brace herself as the full weight of the bird came to rest on her wrist.
“Wow. How cool is this?” Her voice was a hushed whisper, afraid that anything louder would cause her new friend to take flight. She stood motionless for a few minutes, with the raptor balanced on her arm, then grunted as Hesper launched herself into flight.
“So you’ve been making more friends today, I see.” The voice behind her caused her to shriek and jump straight into the air.
“Holy cow. Don’t do that!” She turned and swatted him with her hand as her heart tried to stop its frenzied gallop.
Tarun was leaning against the tree that Hesper had previously occupied. He laughed and ducked as she took a second swing at him.
“Hey, don’t strike the one who’s feeding you.” He gestured to the basket on the ground.
“Fair enough. C’mon inside.”
He followed her into the dim interior of her cottage. “No, I’m afraid that this won’t do.” He walked over to her bed and removed one of the blankets. “Come with me.”
They picnicked in a small glade in the woods. Anna was so relaxed that she nodded off while they were watching the sunset with his arms around her. She woke up in the night, surprised to be in her own bed. She stirred and felt his arms grip her more securely.
She craned her head to look at him and a gentle smile crept over her face as she watched him. His dark lashes shielded his multicolored eyes, and the purity of his features took her breath away. They were both still fully clothed, probably sound thinking on his part. Feeling secure and safe, she fell asleep once again.
Chapter 5
The day of the festival dawned bright and clear.
Anna first felt the strangeness when Ailis in all of her matronly glory came up to her cottage to help her dress. “You won’t be able to figure it out, trust me.” And sure enough, Anna could not make heads or tails of the fabric that was pulled out of the package.
She stood still and let herself be dressed. When Ailis pronounced her complete, she turned to the looking glass next to the bed and her jaw dropped in astonishment.
She looked fantastic, like an escapee from the Arabian Nights, the adult version. Gauzy panels of fabric clung to every curve. A length of barely opaque silk wrapped behind her neck and crossed over her breasts, then wound down to her lower back. The skirt attached to the wraps in the back and was composed of drifting panels of the same silk. A final length of fabric was attached at the back of her neck and both wrists, pulling double duty as both veil and cloak. The colors in the fabric were strong jewel tones, ruby and sapphire. She twirled experimentally and noted immediately that the panels were not connected at all. Rapid movement could cause her to moon just about everyone if she wasn’t careful. Ah, that was the reason for the cloak.
“Are you sure about this Ailis? It seems a little, uh, revealing.” She was a little nervous. All of her scars were on display in this outfit, but then, the Avari didn’t seem to care.
“It is the traditional dress for the Avari Nyx. All females wear them if they have accepted an invitation by one of the
men. If you hadn’t accepted Tarun’s invitation, you would be able to go in regular clothing.” Ailis smiled and led the way out the door and into the village.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. The women got together and had lunch and tea, then played games until the sun went down. Including a round of archery that Anna was sure she would not be able to do with the clothing she was wearing, but still she managed to excel at it. Apparently she was quite a good shot.
A bracelet donated by Nayef and Ilyssa was the prize, and a bemused Anna wore it to the dinner that followed.
The hall that would host the dinner was almost full by the time Anna and her companions arrived. She was shepherded past the table of elders, four of whom still looked as if they were about to attend a frat party.
She noticed her friends waving frantically at her and made her way over to their table. Anna scooted into a seat on the floor next to Ilyssa and Nayef. Across the hall she saw Ailis and Ciqala, her hand raised up out of her lap and she gave them a little wave. She smiled at them when they waved back.
Ilyssa leaned to her ear and whispered, “The men who are choosing tonight will serve the food. After we eat, the dancing will start.”
Anna whispered back, “Dancing, no one said anything about dancing.” Her face was flushing a furious red at the thought of her moving to music in front of an audience. The outfit she was wearing was not designed for a lot of movement. The panels tended to flare open when she moved too fast, leaving her exposed to all and sundry. She was about to complain about it, when she noted several women dressed in a similar manner. Well, it really was traditional dress.
“You don’t have to dance. The men do. It’s a throwback to the days our people were slightly more primitive. They dance to show the women that they are fit and agile.” Ilyssa giggled. “You should have seen the way Nayef moved on our first Avari Nyx together. It was like watching a drunken cow.” She looked fondly over at her husband. “But I chose him anyway, and here we are.”
“Ailis mentioned that she and Ciqala had gotten together on Avari Nyx, is it common to all have the same anniversary?” The men were moving through the tables, loading plates and filling goblets as they passed. Anna made every effort to keep her voice low, but based on the grin that passed over Tarun’s face as he poured wine for her. He heard every word.
Ilyssa waited for Tarun to leave and whispered once again, “All of the males and females that have been courting wait until the Avari Nyx to consummate their unions. It’s tradition.”
“So even if they start courting tomorrow, they will wait until next year to formalize their bond?”
“No, of course not.” Ilyssa laughed at her, “Avari Nyx only occurs once every five years.”
Ilyssa leaned over and talked to her husband for a moment then they both turned laughing faces and swirling rainbow eyes to her. She realized that her mouth was hanging open in shock and quickly closed it.
“Every five years! Holy cow. How can they stand it?” She was astonished. “What if they don’t find the husband or wife for them?”
Ilyssa stopped laughing and patted her hand where it rested on the table. “Then it is obviously apparent in the days after, and they go their separate ways and try again. No hard feelings.”
“How do they know that the one they chose is not the one for them?” She was curious now, and just a little tipsy. The wine in her cup did not seem to be going down, but she had been sipping steadily since she arrived.
“They can tell, in fact, everyone can tell. It’s very obvious to our people when the bonding doesn’t take. Most of those who decide to join make the choice with full knowledge and acceptance of the partner they are taking, some don’t. It is those unions that usually fail.” Ilyssa was looking none to steady in her seat, and Nayef seemed to be taking much of her weight where she leaned against him.
Anything else that Anna would have asked was drowned out as drums and flutes began to play in the background. As suddenly as they started, they stopped.
“Welcome one and all to Avari Nyx, The longest night in five years. Please enjoy the food provided by the candidates for joining tonight. In one hour the dancing will begin. Mated couples will be welcomed once the choosing commences.” There was something about his hair and eyes that was familiar to her.
“Is the speaker related to Tarun?” Anna’s voice was slightly louder, both from the wine and the increase of noise in the room as everyone began to talk.
“Zaran Bien is his father. He and Mayif have been together for over sixty years. He chased her for four cycles. It finally worked out for them.” Ilyssa seemed to lose interest in conversation and began to focus on the plate in front of her.
Anna decided to do the same. She started slightly when she noted the exotic flower that had been placed in front of her plate. The safest course being to ignore it, she devoted herself to the food in front of her. It was good, really good. She had to admit the men of Avari could cook.
An hour passed and plates were refilled then cleared again. The wine in the goblets was topped up regularly, and Anna had no idea what quantity she had consumed.
The men came and removed the plates, the cutlery and the napkins that had been used during the meal. All that was left on the tables were the wine glasses and more of those strange flowers.
Anna reached forward and took the flower in her fingers. She sniffed delicately into the vibrant crimson petals and felt a warm sense of well being come over her. She sniffed again and felt completely calmed and rather cheerful. With a shaking hand she placed the flower back onto the table and reached for the wine.
Suddenly a drum beat broke out over the conversing voices in the room. Everyone stilled.
“Now, we’re going to begin the dancing. The first five dances are for the men alone, after which the women that they choose may join them in the dance.” Zaran turned to the musicians and waved at them to start.
With one eye on the dance floor and one on her wine cup, Anna prepared to keep a straight face. She failed.
The eligible bachelors lined up and, on a heavy beat, began to move. The dancing was more of a military drill for the first three songs then they began to circle and split up into amazing patterns that dazzled the eye. Anna found that she could not take her eyes off of Tarun. He was coated with a light sweat that made him glow in her vision. Two of the other dancers were juggling with fire, and based on the worshipful looks on two of the women’s faces on the other side of the room, they had chosen well.
She started lightly to realize that she had seen Tarun like this before, the day that he had shown her the pool near her cottage. He had had the same nimbus around him then, she had thought that it was a trick of the light near the pool, apparently not.
Anna shook her head to clear her vision and sat very still as her head spun when she stopped. Her eyes found Tarun and watched him dance without her making a conscious thought about it. His arms flexed, raised over his head and clapped, his hips twisted and he moved sideways with a sudden shift in balance. She focused completely on him, ignoring her companions who were laughing at her absorption. She took another sip of wine and was surprised when Tarun moved toward her and took the goblet out of her hand.
He turned it so that he was drinking from the same spot as she was. He emptied the cup. The entire time his gaze was locked with hers. When he lowered the cup, red drops of wine clung to his lips and Anna wanted nothing more than to lick them off. His own tongue came out to retrieve the droplets and a pulse of warmth went through her at the slow stroke of his tongue over the fullness of his lower lip.
Her eyes fixed on his mouth, she noted when he spoke, but her brain would not translate the words. “What did you say?”
Tarun smiled, “Dance with me.” He extended his hand and she found herself taking it without a thought. He picked up the flower from her place at the table, and wove it into her hair as he tugged her into the circle of dancers.
She leaned forward to whisper to him, “I don’t know h
ow to dance like this. This could be awkward.”
“Just follow my lead.” Tarun was still laughing at her, but she didn’t really care as long as he didn’t let her fall on her face.
The music was slower now, the couples moving on the floor with easy measured paces. Anna’s brief look around confirmed that the males in the dance were all extremely young looking, the women of varying ages. She felt terribly conspicuous on the floor, but then looked into Tarun’s rainbow eyes and forgot her awkward discomfort. They moved together, swirling and dipping, clapping their hands to the beat, laughing and moving with the other couples. With each song they danced closer to one another, until with every pass, Anna’s breasts brushed against him and his growing erection glanced across her thighs. Her silken gown allowed the lightest touch to travel to her skin and she was glowing with a light sheen of sweat from exertion and arousal.
Her breath caught at every contact, her heart speeding up. She noted that there were fewer couples on the dance floor, several running giddy into the night as she watched. She continued to dance with Tarun, rubbing her body against his in a blatant manner. His own eyes narrowed and the skin of face drew taut over his cheekbones, a sensual cruelty in the shape of his mouth as he looked at her. Still they danced, until they were the last ones on the floor. Circling each other one at a time, rubbing against the other when they passed before, and behind.
Finally Tarun’s control snapped. Without a word to the other elders who had not participated in the ritual, he lifted Anna in his arms and walked with her out into the darkness.
Chapter 6
Anna’s arousal was riding her hard. Every touch, every time she scented him, her heart had pounded faster. So what if he seemed too young for her. He wanted her and that was enough for now.
She was securely cradled in his arms, snuggled high against his chest. She leaned over and pressed her mouth to the hollow of his throat, then licked gently and smiled as the shudder rocked through him.
