Heart of the Oasis
Copyright© 2026 by Snekguy
Chapter 2: Ritual of Cleansing
Fantasy Sex Story: Chapter 2: Ritual of Cleansing - The priest Meritamun spends his days performing religious duties and maintaining the temple in which he lives, content in a humble life serving the Gods. His routine is turned on its head when he receives a summons from Anput – the living Goddess of death, and the consort of Anubis. He has been chosen to become her personal attendant, but why, he cannot say. His new role will require him to unlearn many of his assumptions about the Gods, and to open himself up to serving his deity in new ways.
Caution: This Fantasy Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Consensual Romantic Heterosexual Fiction Historical Furry Magic Exhibitionism First Massage Oral Sex Petting Tit-Fucking Big Breasts Size Royalty
“The Goddess Anput requests your presence.”
Merit lifted his eyes from his work, setting down the linen cloth he was using to wash a statue of Osiris to find the high priest standing before him. Nakht was attending to the same shrine, turning his attention to his work pointedly, pretending not to eavesdrop.
“Do you wish me to bring the Goddess her morning offerings again, High Priest?” Merit asked.
“Just so,” he replied, gesturing to a large basket of food that was waiting on the shrine beneath her towering statue. “Take the Goddess’ breakfast into her chambers and await further instruction.”
Merit bowed, then got to work, carrying the basket to the doors and breaking their clay seal. The apprehension that he had felt the day before was still there, but the uncertainty was gone. He knew what to expect now, for better or worse, and what was expected of him. The large, gold-plated doors closed behind him as he walked down the hallway, his footsteps echoing.
When he reached the atrium, he glanced left, in the direction of Anput’s bed chamber. Instead of her figure silhouetted by the morning sun, he found her drapes open, and her bed empty.
“Merit,” Anput called out to him in that enchanting voice, drawing his attention to the dining hall. She was sitting at the head of the marble table, one hand raised in greeting. Her quarters were so expansive and lavish that she seemed far away, despite her size.
He hurried down the hallway and along the length of the table, placing her morning offering before her before bowing his head and retreating a few paces. Even knowing what to expect, he was once more struck by both her stature and her ethereal beauty. Every gem on her headdress and every golden detail shimmered in the light that made it through the small windows high on the walls, and the same was true of her eyes, her gilded gaze fixing him from on high.
“Now now, Merit,” she began as she reached a hand into the pile of food. “You’re a sharp boy. Do you remember what we spoke of yesterday? Will you not bid me good morning?”
“Of course, my Lady,” he replied as he resisted the ingrained urge to apologize. “Good morning. I trust that you slept well?”
“Always,” she replied cheerfully, clearly pleased by his reversal. “I’m glad to see you again, Merit. I thought of you on my evening walk yesterday.”
“Is that so, my Lady?” Merit asked.
“I passed through the gardens and paused to admire the flowers,” she explained as she plucked out a choice loaf of bread. “It made me consider the things we share in common, such as our mutual appreciation of beauty. It made me wonder – what would you say to expanding the gardens?”
“I cannot imagine that anyone’s day would be worsened by the addition of more flowers, my Lady. Least of all mine.”
“As I thought,” she chuckled. “I will instruct the high priest to mobilize the laborers. Tell me – what is your favorite flower, Merit? I am partial to lilies. Alas, it can be taxing to maintain them in this heat. Their ponds tend to dry up if they are not impeccably maintained, and I do not wish to strike fear into the gardeners.”
“I am partial to the mandrakes, my Lady,” he replied. “Purple is such an uncommon color.”
“It is their rarity that you find alluring,” she mused, giving him a smile. “I value rare things too. Oh, I almost forgot,” she continued as she reached for a small paper package that was resting on the table. “I have a gift for you, Merit.”
“For me, my Lady?” he asked as she nudged it in his direction. “I am beyond honored, but what could I have done to warrant a gift from someone of your station?”
“Go on,” she insisted, baring her sharp canine teeth in a grin. “Open it!”
He did as she bade, a familiar scent rising to his nose as he peeled open the paper.
“Stuffed dates!” she declared, clapping her furry hands together gleefully. “With pistachios, of course. Just the way you like them.”
“You remembered, my Lady?” he asked in disbelief. Not only had a Goddess seen fit to bestow him with a gift, but she had listened to him, remembering the details of such a mundane conversation. He was surprised that she even remembered his name, let alone his favorite treat. To those of higher status, he was accustomed to being invisible, rarely even acknowledged.
“Eat!” she giggled, amused by his expression.
Merit popped one of them into his mouth, his host smiling even wider as his enjoyment became evident.
“Thank you, my Lady,” he said between bites. “They are perfect. Where did you get them on such short notice? It was only yesterday that I mentioned them.”
“It is not a difficult prospect for someone in my position,” she replied. “What I want, I usually get. Now, join me for breakfast, and I would have you prepare my bath once we have both sated our appetites.”
“Of course, my Lady,” he said as he pulled up a mortal-sized chair. He was starting to get a feel for the routine now – for what Anput expected of him.
“Tell me, Merit,” she began as she split the loaf of bread she was holding. She passed one half to him, and he took it gratefully. “Do you have a family? Do you have a wife or any children?”
“No on all counts, my Lady,” he replied. “My duties occupy much of my time, and I have not put much thought into starting a family.”
“Nobody who catches your eye, then?” Anput asked with a tilt of her head. “I am not surprised, but you are still young, and there will be ample time for such considerations. Where do you live?”
“A mud brick house in the north-east corner of the grounds, my Lady,” he replied as he popped another date into his mouth. “It is a modest dwelling, but it serves my needs well.”
“I suppose you wouldn’t spend much time there anyway with all the work you do,” Anput said. “My quarters must seem lavish in comparison. What do you think of them?”
“I see nothing unusual, my Lady,” he replied. “You are a Goddess. That you live in luxury is simply Ma’at. We Hem-Netjer are privileged to serve you, and we want for nothing. We spend much of our day in the temple, we are able to study and attain purity, and we eat far better than the slaves or laborers. I am content in that service.”
“That is good,” Anput mused, looking him up and down. “And what of your personal service to me? Are you finding enjoyment in it?”
“Oh, absolutely,” he chimed as he sat up straighter in his chair. “I could not envision a greater honor or a more noble purpose.”
“It would be my hope that it makes you happy,” she clarified.
“Serving a Goddess makes me happy,” he insisted, but she seemed somehow unconvinced. Merit wasn’t sure what reply she expected, but before he had time to wonder if he had said something wrong, she moved the conversation along swiftly. “What is your favorite subject, Merit? You enjoy your studies, yes?”
“Astronomy, I think,” he replied. “I enjoy studying history and learning the stories of Gods, certainly, but I love the stars. They are perfect and unreachable. I do not think that anything could ever tarnish them. I like finding the familiar patterns and making charts and tables to record their movements.”
“It is a very important pursuit,” Anput said with an approving nod. “One cannot predict the flooding of the great river or properly align monuments without such knowledge. Even farmers and architects depend on the priests for these insights.”
They were soon finished with their breakfast, and Merit waited for Anput to leave her seat first before hurrying to the bathhouse to prepare her pool. He knew where everything was this time, so he was finished a little quicker, the heated stones warming the water as he lined up her soaps and perfumes beside it.
Anput appeared a short time later, and she was once again wearing her bead dress, Merit focusing his eyes on the steaming water as she descended the short steps.
“You will remain in my quarters with me a while longer today,” she declared, letting out a pleased sigh as she sank up to her chest. Her body displaced some of the flower petals that floated on the water’s surface, and she turned, selecting one of the ornate jars of soap. “I will have more tasks for you to accomplish.”
“I am here to serve, my Lady,” he replied with a bow.
“You may begin by cleaning the marble floors,” she said, starting to create a lather in her furry hands. “Treat these quarters the same way you would the temple beyond. There is a brush and cleaning supplies in a wooden closet on your left as you enter the atrium. I will call upon you when I need you.”
“Right away,” he stammered, hurrying out of the steamy bathhouse.
He quickly found the closet that she had described and began his work, sweeping the pristine marble floor in the atrium, although it hardly seemed to need it. The red marble was so shiny that he could see his distorted reflection in its surface.
As he worked his way into the dining hall, he wondered what else she might have in store for him. If he had to guess, Anput seemed to be training him to be her household servant. Might that be the first step towards becoming her high priest? Just as there was no team of attendants to bathe her, perhaps there was no team of priests to clean and maintain her quarters. That would be the standard and the most logical solution, but the whims of the Goddess superseded temple protocol. It could be that Anput preferred the company of a smaller number of mortals. Perhaps even a single mortal.
He paused when he reached the end of the table, eyeing a couple of stuffed dates that remained on the unwrapped paper package. A lifetime of training warned him away, telling him that taking food from the Goddess’ table was sacrilege, but these were his dates. Anput had given them to him.
Slowly, he plucked one from the table, savoring its taste. As he chewed, he wondered what it meant. Anput owed him nothing, and he had done little to earn her favor. All things considered, he had spent only a handful of hours in her company, so why lavish him with gifts? Why show him such kindness? He might be inviting misfortune by questioning her hospitality, yet he burned with questions.
Once he had finished cleaning the dining hall and was making his way back down the corridor, he heard Anput calling out to him.
“Merit! Come. I have need of your hands.”
He leaned the brush against the nearest wall and hurried to the bathhouse, finding her still submerged. The water was made opaque by the film of suds and herbs that floated on its surface, so much of her was out of view, but the dark fur of her bosom contrasted with its pale color like a pair of black islands rising from the sea.
“There you are,” she cooed in that soft voice, beckoning to him with a clawed finger. “Come here and help your Goddess.”
She gestured for him to move behind her, and he knelt at her back, the deity resting her elbows on the stone edge of the pool. She was tall enough that their heads were almost level. He could get a good view of her long braids from this angle, spilling out from beneath her bejeweled crown, the colorful beads and golden jewelry that adorned them glittering as she shifted her weight.
“Fetch the blue jar with the gold trim,” she said. Merit did as she asked, plucking it from the floor nearby. She reached behind her back and used her hand to pull her braids aside like a curtain, exposing her shoulders and neck. The bead dress was cut low, leaving much of her dark fur exposed. “Anoint me.”
“My Lady?” he stammered.
“If you are to serve me, you must learn how I perform my nefer,” she explained. “Which perfumes and fragrances I prefer, and which oils and soaps are suitable for my fur. I have difficulty reaching my back, so you shall assist me.”
“My Lady, is it ... appropriate for me to lay my hands upon a Goddess?” he stammered as he cradled the ornate jar.
“Do my wishes not supersede propriety?” she chuckled, turning her long snout to glance back at him over her shoulder. He almost dropped the jar when he saw her eyes fix him, like staring into pools of molten gold. “Did you not say that you were here to serve me?”
“Of course, my Lady,” he conceded.
“Maintaining my purity is a difficult task,” she began, relaxing against the edge of the steaming pool again. “If my coat is to remain shiny and fragrant, it must be treated with the appropriate substances. Inside that jar is jasmine oil – it will keep me smooth and soft. Coat your hands liberally and apply it to the areas I cannot easily reach.”
His face already starting to warm, and not because of the heat, Merit did as she asked. He popped open the fine jar and upended some of the slick fluid into his palm, its royal scent filling his nose as he rubbed his hands together. He hesitated to touch her, but summoned his courage, feeling her lustrous fur beneath his palms. She was already so soft – softer than anything he had ever felt before. Even fresh linens couldn’t have compared to the texture that he now felt against his skin. Her coat was incredibly thin and smooth, the hairs almost imperceptibly small, toned muscle shifting beneath it at his touch.
“That’s the spirit,” she said with an encouraging chuckle that made her shoulders shake. “Now, spread it around. Work it down to the skin with your fingertips.”
Merit began to rub, massaging the expensive oil into her fur, slowly moving down her back. He could feel her spine and the rope-like muscles that flanked it, her body responding to his every movement, so warm and tangibly alive. Some part of him had expected her to be cold and hard like one of the statues, as little sense as that made, but he was still adjusting to the idea that Anput was no less corporeal than he was. He moved down until his fingers found the cool stone of the pool’s edge, and he was glad to have such a clear boundary.
“And the neck,” she insisted, keeping her braids contained as she leaned into him. He did as she bade, moving up to the base of her neck, an appreciative shiver rolling through her. “Not bad,” she cooed, her head swaying gently. “You seem to have some skill with your hands. Perhaps drawing all of those charts and tables has given you keener fingers than most. Next comes the Kyphi.”
“You use Kyphi as your perfume, my Lady?” he asked in surprise. The fragrance was made from such rare and expensive ingredients as myrrh, frankincense, juniper, fine wines, and honey. A single bottle was surely worth a fortune. “That explains ... well...”
“I am pleased to hear that you enjoy its scent,” she said, glancing back at him with a knowing smile. “You will find it in the golden bottle. Be moderate in its application. Too strong a scent quickly becomes overpowering.”
He leaned over to fetch the ornate bottle, which had a far thinner neck, itself probably worth more than he could conceptualize. Rather than coat his hands in it as he had the oil, he used only a few scant drops. Anput directed him, and he messaged the fragrant substance into her soft fur. It was a layered scent – complex. There was the richness of the myrrh and frankincense, the spice of the juniper, the sweetness of the honey and the wine, and the freshness of the herbs and flowers. The longer he lingered close to her, the more of the scents he was able to pick out, like the different notes in a song.
“You have done well, Merit,” she said once he was finished. He set the bottle back down gingerly, fearing that he might be thrown to the crocodiles for spilling it, and Anput let her long braids fall back down to cover her neck. “Do you feel that you could assist me so during each nefer? I usually bathe four times every day, and it would be helpful to have an extra pair of hands in play.”
“Of course, my Lady.”
“Let me rephrase the question,” she continued. “I know that you will do anything I ask of you without hesitation, but would it please you?”
“It would be a great honor to help someone of your station purify themselves,” he clarified. “What greater purpose could I aspire to as a priest than to assist a Goddess during her rituals?”
That answer seemed to satisfy her, and she nodded her head.
“Earn my trust and prove your abilities, and I may delegate more of these ... personal tasks to you,” she continued as she sank a little deeper into the steaming water. “You have probably deduced by now that I do not enjoy having dozens of faceless attendants fawning over me during every waking moment,” she grumbled. “Servants are often too... servile. They never give you a moment of peace, and it feels like living in a communal house filled with strangers. I do not wish to be fed and clothed like a baby. I might as well be an unmoving statue sitting at an altar at that point...”
“I can understand that, my Lady,” Merit replied. “It sounds as though it would make your home very impersonal. When one is surrounded by strangers, they become one, even in a familiar place.”
“Exactly so,” she said with a satisfied smile. “See? I knew you were insightful, Merit.”
“We are taught to think deeply about the lives of those we serve, my Lady.”
“It shows,” she said.
She requested another rock to warm the pool, but after a little while, she was ready to leave her bath. Thanks to his experiences the day prior, Merit knew to have her linens ready, and he wrapped them around her waist as she dripped water on the marble floor. He never got used to her scale. Every time he stood close to her was like seeing her for the first time again, the shoulders that he had been rubbing now almost out of his reach.
She sauntered over to the hallway on her long legs, but this time, she paused to beckon to him.
“Come, Merit.”
He hurried after her, making a note to clean up the wet paw prints that she was leaving on the floor. They crossed the atrium and headed into her bed chambers, Merit waiting at the entrance for more instructions before entering her most private sanctum.
Anput walked across the room, passing by the right side of her massive bed, and approached a dressing table. Like everything in her possession, it was enormous both in its scale and its value. It was made from polished wood embellished with ornate accents of beaten gold, and upon its surface sat a bronze mirror not unlike the one he used for shaving during his nefer, albeit far larger and more lavish. It was framed with more gold, and it was polished such that its reflections were far clearer, like staring into still water. She pulled up a stool with a soft down cushion and sat, her thin tail draping over its edge.
“You may enter, Merit,” she said as she glanced back at him in the reflection. “You have my permission to go anywhere you please within my residence.”
He quickly stepped over the threshold, taking a brief moment to take in his new surroundings. There was the marble floor and the absurdly high ceiling that he had come to expect, and the bed seemed even larger up close on its raised platform, but there were some things that had been out of view from the atrium. Anput had more furniture – shelves, ten-foot-tall wooden cupboards, and decorative chests that no doubt stored her wealth of belongings.
As he examined the shelves, he saw all manner of strange artifacts. There were small statues of the Gods, stone tablets that looked ancient, along with models of boats and monuments. One set of shelves practically ran from the floor to the ceiling, overflowing with papyrus scrolls, while another served as a rack for storing enough jewelry to fill a treasure ship. Anput’s love of gardens extended to her quarters, and he could see many more potted plants here, the ferns and flowers adding splashes of color and greenery to the room.
As he neared her dressing table, he saw that it too had small shelves, and she was selecting vials from them. He watched as she dipped a fine brush into one of the bottles, carefully painting the kohl onto her fur, the pigment framing the golden bands that encircled her eyes.
“Fetch me my clothes, Merit,” she said as she set down her brush. “You shall find them in the large cupboard.”
She gave him no further instructions, but Merit suspected that it was a test. Anput expected him to remember how she had dressed the day before – for him to pay attention to the small details of her routine.
He moved over to the towering cupboard and opened its wooden doors, finding it filled with fine fabrics. There were sheets for her bed, linens, dresses of all kinds, and even ceremonial wigs. He quickly located a fresh linen top and skirt that matched her previous outfit, finding them surprisingly heavy due to their size. As he returned to Anput’s side, he saw that she was already removing her bead dress. She shrugged off first one shoulder, then another, letting it slide down about her wide hips. She was facing away from him, but the mirror held no secrets, so he was careful to avoid it as he offered the garments to her.
“Thank you,” she said, keeping her bosom contained with one arm as she reached for the linens with the other. It was a struggle, like watching a woman walk to market trying to carry more grain than she could handle. He kept his eyes low, and she was soon clothed, wrapping the skirt about her waist. He caught a glimpse of her adjusting herself in the mirror, the weight contained within that sling tangible.
“That will be all for now, Merit,” she declared as she glanced at him in the mirror. He waited, sensing that there was more. “I shall be taking a walk through the grounds this evening. Would you care to join me?”
“I will make myself available whenever you require it, my Lady.”
“I do not require your company,” she chided. “I desire it.”
“Then, yes,” Merit replied simply.
“Good,” she chimed, turning her golden eyes back to her reflection. “I shall send for you when I am ready.”
That was his cue to leave, and he bowed out.
“Good day, my Lady. Thank you again for the stuffed dates.”
“You are most welcome,” she purred.
As he walked down the corridor towards the great golden doors that led out into the temple, he ruminated on what he had learned.
It seemed that his instincts had been right. Anput’s conspicuous lack of servants was a choice, and he was being groomed to become her sole attendant. It was an honor even greater than serving as her high priest in his estimation. To be so close to a Goddess – to be a part of her inner life and to have her ear, these were things that even Pharaohs did not enjoy. He would be helping to feed her, bathe her, and dress her. He alone might be responsible for maintaining her quarters.
Then there was the matter of the gifts and the evening walk. What purpose did those serve? Perhaps the treats had been a test of his gratitude or humility? She was certainly perceptive, and her memory was sharp, so he would have to be careful to always be on his best behavior. Alone in the gloom of the hallway, with the torchlight reflecting off the red marble, his mind wandered to the sight of her gleaming figure leaving the pool – of the way that her fur had felt beneath his hands.
He shook his head to dispel the thoughts as he pushed open the doors, met by sunlight and the envious faces of the other priests. It wasn’t long before the high priest had honed in on him, and the pair walked out of the shade of the atrium and into the courtyard to discuss what had happened.
“She kept you longer today,” the high priest mused as they paused beside the artificial oasis, its palm trees swaying in the breeze. “That means she’s pleased.”
“She invited me out to walk the grounds with her this evening,” Merit explained. “She gave me a gift this morning at breakfast – stuffed dates.”
“Really?” the high priest asked, cocking an eyebrow. “And, what do you think that means?”
“I cannot be sure,” Merit admitted, glancing through the bushes at the clear water as it sparkled in the morning sun. “I can only conclude that she means for me to serve as her household attendant, assuming that I am able to meet her standards and pass her tests, of course. If the dates were a test, I believe I passed it, or I would surely have been dismissed. She is owed perfection.”
“You must be sure to maintain your purity of body and spirit,” the high priest replied with a nod. “A mortal man can tell by his nose whether you have neglected your nefer, but a Goddess ... she can weigh your heart with a glance.”
“I understand, High Priest,” Merit said with a bow. “May I ask?” he added hesitantly. “When you first became high priest of Anput, did the Goddess treat you as she now treats me?”
“You are wondering if you have been selected to be my replacement,” he chuckled. “Though Anput could certainly make any decree she chooses and we would be bound to obey her, the process of choosing a high priest is generally a long, bureaucratic, and very boring one. No, I believe she has something different in store for you. At least for now.”
“What should I do?” Merit asked. “None of my studies or training has prepared me for this.”
“Nonsense!” the high priest chided, giving Merit’s leg a gentle whack with his staff and making him jump on the spot. “You have been trained to perform the necessary rituals and to serve your Goddess. Do as Anput desires and keep her happy! That is all you need to remember.”
“Yes, High Priest.”
“I believe that you are wise enough to recognize what an opportunity this represents,” the high priest continued. “This is not only a once-in-a-generation event, but perhaps multiple generations. Making a friend of Anput will not only guarantee your prosperity in this life, but surely the next as well. Even the Pharaohs would envy the man who is guided across the veil by a grateful hand.”
“I just don’t understand why I have been deemed worthy above all others.”
“You are a dutiful student,” the high priest replied. “It is also possible that fate simply looks kindly upon you. When one is playing a game of Senet, and the sticks are thrown, we cannot determine how they will land. We know only that there must be a count.”
“Reasoned as ever, High Priest.”
“Now, go tend to your duties,” he added as he shooed Merit away. “I am sure Anput will send for you when it pleases her. Oh, and I give you leave to take your evening nefer early. You will want to be prepared for her.”
Anput sent for Merit in the evening, when the sun was starting to dip. At this time of day, the priests were deep in their studies, but he was excused from his usual duties. He found her waiting for him in the usually bustling courtyard – now deserted. It made the space seem even larger and more imposing than usual, the sounds of the rustling leaves from the oasis at its center more noticeable in the silence. There wasn’t so much as a slave cleaning the sand from the floors or a gardener tending to the plants in sight.
The Goddess stood tall, her impeccably maintained fur gleaming beneath the sun like black gold, picking out the contours of her body in shadow. Her jewelry was no less reflective, every colorful bead in her hair and every karat of gold glittering. Her linens were immaculate, cradling her bosom and wrapping around her waist, the hem reaching down past her knees. This was the first time he had seen her outside of her quarters, and in unfiltered sunlight, even the bands of gold around her eyes shining. She was radiant.
“Merit,” she said with a welcoming smile. “I have been looking forward to our walk.”
“So have I, my Lady,” he replied as he hurried to her side. She only grew as he approached, Merit having to lift his head to maintain contact with her golden eyes, the familiar scent of her Kyphi filling him with a rush of memories from that morning. “I’ve never left the temple during these hours. It is strangely quiet.”
“Everyone scurries away out of sight when I take my walks,” she replied, setting off towards the courtyard’s entrance. “Tradition tells them that the impure may not look upon me.”
“You disapprove?” Merit asked. Anput was being considerate once again, slowing her long, loping strides so that he could keep pace with her comfortably.
“Being constantly gawked at wouldn’t be very relaxing, I suppose,” she replied. “Nor would having an army of mortals dropping to their knees in reverence or praying for favors at my passing. Such rules are in place for a reason and are long-standing, but it will be nice to have a little company for once. After all,” she continued, glancing down at him as they passed through the great doorway. “Do we not enjoy something all the more when we can share it with someone?”
They stepped out into the temple compound proper, and as they walked along the shady paths, Merit remarked once more how deserted it felt. Gone were the laborers and gardeners tending to the upkeep of the grounds, there were no traders hurrying back and forth with bags of goods, and he couldn’t even see any guards. They had all been shooed away prior to Anput’s arrival.
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.