Chapter 5

In the garden, a jubilant chorus of young temple women, shouted, “Lord Solon!” I winced, never believing Derwen would send them out looking for me in the dark. In light of our strange link, I should have known my wife would use my aura to guide them in the right direction, even if it was dark. Our shuttle’s stealth technology had nothing to compete with the natural locating ability of Derwen’s mind when in range of her soul mate. Landing on our estate I had felt her too, since mating with her I’d picked up part of her aura-sensing ability. I wasn’t sure if the mental gift was due to Derwen opening up my mind or whether Webster’s nanomite program had adjusted my brain somehow. The A.I. had certainly adjusted other biological functions that I now relished; well, most of the time.

Julie gave me a friendly push from behind. At six feet tall with an oversize frame and the muscles of a bodybuilder, my wife had no trouble jostling me. I laughed to myself, remembering the first time Merritt introduced her to me in my cabin; I’d dropped my towel to salute her because protocol demanded it, since she was wearing the Empire Life medal on her uniform. My actions left me naked, while looking into the blue eyes of the ex-marine with the silver plated prosthetic.

“Here he is,” a young woman with bronze-colored skin shouted, after bouncing off my dark form under the moonless night. “I win the prize!”

Since I was smart enough to quickly exit our craft upon arrival, the teenaged woman found me by the pond and not by the shuttle. Julia had elected to stay behind, giving her time to overseeing the shuttle’s maintenance and monitoring our transportation’s cloaking device, while the rest of us visited Derwen in the Solon island estate. As the shuttle’s engineer, unsurprisingly she felt someone should stay with the shuttle. Not unlike Merritt, who felt it was rude for us to all leave my tower wives and suddenly run off to Convey, she had remained behind to make a favorable impression. I was learning Julia had her own sense of duty and appropriateness, even if it separated her from Kate during her work period.

Our pilot and my wife Kate chuckled next to me. “Wonder what the prize is?” she said, lifting her narrow brows over her almond-shaped eyes.

“It’s probably a kiss,” Julie commented, from behind my shoulder. “That seems a popular reward in Juniper Hills.”

“Oh, we do things differently,” announced the young temple-clad woman. “Moon mother rewards the industrious woman with a bounty of plenty, it’s written...”

I pulled her to me and kissed her full lips to silence her, warmly embracing her soft shape. The lusty kiss ended her scriptural quote, and impressed upon her that we didn’t need to hear how smart she was nor hear what the prize was. Indeed, a half dozen other dark skinned women darted into the clearing, stopping a couple of feet away; they were wearing white temple dresses too. One of them held a short torch that flickered and spit in the breeze, illuminating our surroundings. Her short, ill-fitting clothes flapped a bit in the wind too. I recognized the torch bearer as one of the temple teachers. She must have been in the pool because her long, black hair was wet, and then she seemed to have grabbed someone else’s dress because the large dress looked like it could fall off with a flick of a finger. On their heels, a couple of female temple guards armed with their ceremonial shields and dirks joined the growing crowd.

“Wow, that was nice,” the young voice said, her lips parting from mine. “Lady Katsu said you had just arrived and you were near the pond. She sent us out to be sure.”

I’d not considered Derwen’s half-sister as the one sending out the search party; she had a minor ability with auras too. My temple lover was an eager one, she wasn’t known for patience, but she was smart and crafty. Accordingly, she often used others to cast her net for information or to use them to build a web of influence.

The teenager in my arms placed an arm around my waist and her head on my shoulder, softly repeating to herself, “I win.”

“You win,” I answered, briefly patting her silky black hair. She was a mere wisp of a woman, my height, but deceptively strong and vital.

Kate linked her arm with mine. “Perhaps we should find your other wife?”

Julie laughed at the comment, adding, “At least let us get the introductions out of the way, so we can find the kitchen. I am hungry.”

“You’re always hungry,” Kate retorted.

“Hey, you’re eating a lot more these days too,” Julie snapped.

“Maybe, but she is more irritable,” Kate whispered in my ear.

Knowing better than biting on their comments, I tilted the teen’s chin up and looked her in the eyes. “Lead on, we are going to pay our respects to Derwen.”

“Sure, but call me Apple Miller, Milord,” answered the happy teen, “Lady Solon and her sister are bathing in the temple pool with the High Priestess.”

We walked towards the stone temple, which was close to the manor house and the other estate buildings. All the temple women except the two guards, Apple and the torch-bearing teacher scurried ahead of us to report we’d been found. The female guards seemed happy to see me again, but a look at their faces and a glance at their eyes told me they were full of questions. Those questions we didn’t want to answer, like how we arrived unannounced in the garden by the willow tree and the pond with no horses, escorts or heralds. Fortunately, as we walked out of the garden, the priestess sent both women to inform the watch tower guards what was going on. News of our flying ship would eventually worm its way out to others not in the inner circle, but we weren’t eager for that to slip beyond the Solon estates.

Once the guards disappeared the tall priestess said, “Lord Solon, you continue to surprise us in unusual ways. Are these short women your wives?”

“All the people where we come from are shorter than you,” Kate injected, surveying the woman carefully in the torchlight.

“We are indeed his wives,” Julie announced, on the heels of Kate’s rushed words.

They quickly fell into an easy banter among themselves, until we entered the stone temple. Indeed, the look in the eyes of the acolytes and priestesses inside seemed to express the same sentiment of surprise when they got a good look at Julie. Their high pitched voices full of warmth went quiet, seeing Julie was the same skin color as me and toting a silver arm. I think it rattled some of them.

The teacher with us ran to the door that led to their holy pool and was quickly forgotten when a couple dozen women surrounded us in greeting. Some of them were still holding chalk and slates from their “moon mother” language lessons, something I’d instigated for them to learn my language, which also allowed us to pass secret messages back-and-forth without fear of them being deciphered.

The temple’s youngest priestess found me and I hugged her. She returned my hug, encircling her arms around me. I enjoyed our embrace, her swollen tummy wasn’t that far along. I felt the baby’s aura, which is a remarkably moving experience.

My copper-skin lover captured a kiss, and then excused herself, explaining she had been on the way to the privy. Kate just smirked at me, beginning to understand how widely I’d sowed my seed. Julie squeeze my hand uncomfortably tightly, making me aware she knew the priestess bore my child. I veered the three of us towards the pool room’s sturdy door, wondering if Kate and Julie were going to become cantankerous because of the young female attention.

As if sensing my thoughts, Julie melted against me. “They are lovely. I can see they adore you.” A faint smile crossed her face, almost saying ‘we understand.’

We passed the high priestess’s day bed, which was under the open sky. This part of the temple didn’t have a roof. Kate pointed to the large bed. “That’s where they took you when you got knocked out by the pool door, and that young women sated herself on you!”

I’d forgotten I’d told her that story; my body hadn’t, however, and I felt a surge in my pants.

“Hah! She fits your description well; young and full of energy,” Kate shouted in a triumphant tone. “You’ll continue telling us more of such stories if we aren’t present.”

Her warning was honest. Kate hit me behind the shoulders with a slap, like a sailor buddy would if having made a funny joke, but with a cheerful purpose rather than bitterness. Julie’s cheeks bore a soft pinkish-red hue, reflecting the comment’s meaning all too well. “Touching is fine, and truly okay as long as they were present or informed,” I thought.

Julie’s only remark was, “Apple seems nice.” My nose caught her familiar whiff of excitement, which sobered me in the company of such willing women. Julie’s natural hand touched my cheek and that gave me a nanomite tingle of pleasure, telling me her body was stirred up. Indeed, my body recognized a whole host of signals from the younger women and my wives; a less experienced man would have been stunned and immobilized, but I picked up our pace.

Soft feminine giggles followed behind us. Looking over my shoulder at Apple and her friends, they were all smiles and swaying their hips with each step. I almost ran into the door, Kate pulled me up short with an elbow tug. Her eyes danced with laughter, following a head shake of disbelief. She planted a short kiss, I felt the welcoming warmth of her lips.

“Everything you’ve told us is true,” Kate announced, while opening the door for us. “I never had a doubt.” Even in the academy she knew when to reassure me.

“Kate has always been a self-confident partner in new situations,” I thought, feeling a wave of heat hit us from the pool.

Strangely, Apple followed us into the restricted pool area, closing the door behind us. Just inside the door was a sweaty ceremonial guard, she gave Apple the once over.

Apple simply said, “I won.”

The tall guard grinned and went back to her spot against the wall; she held her small, round shield against her bare body, putting the flat of one foot on the wall while leaning on her spear. It seemed a purposeful stance that placed her sex on display. I knew the guard. She was one the fighters I’d trained to disarm a swordsman. She gave me a wink of recognition and preceded to go wide-eyed at my wife, Julie.

“Creamy white skin seems to mean more on Convey,” Kate remarked to no one in particular, as if fascinated with that discovery among the brown skinned population.

“Come along,” I answered. Julie looked immensely relieved that I had taken charge. Kate shrugged at her sister-wife and let me lead her by the elbow to the pool and the people in it.

I felt elation well up in Derwen’s spirit, which brought tears to my eyes or perhaps it was the sweltering humidity. Derwen and Katsu were naked, ebony breasts bouncing with each step. Upon seeing us, both sisters increased their pace out of the knee-high water, leaving the elderly and blind High Priestess alone, sitting in the water, at the far end of the pool. A few naked attendants were on recliners at the side of the water, taking in the unfolding scene. As I expected, puffs of steam obscured my view of the back of the room, but I thought more servants were back there.

Katsu beat Derwen out of the water, pressing her head to my shoulder and wrapping her arms around my head. “Oh, Master!” Katsu whimpered. “It is wonderful you are here. My body is tingling with excitement.”

My nanomites tingled with approval, doubly so when Derwen kissed my lips a half-stride later. Her taut tongue swirled around my mouth, firing my libido more. Derwen muscled Katsu aside, but not before she got a begrudging kiss to my cheek. Derwen and I fell into each other’s eyes for a moment. She was radiant and her smile outshone a thousand candles. I pulled Derwen’s wet body to mine. Her ass was athletically firm, soft-steel buttocks. My fingers lingered on her full feeling flesh, as my fingers flexed, enjoying her feminine skin. The roundness of her bottom sent a bolt of passion to my groin causing me to unconsciously rub my hardness against her bare pelvis.

“Naughty husband, maybe you should introduce us to these lovely ladies before you get carried away,” Kate announced.

Apple laughed behind us, but she cut it off quickly, remembering her status. She was only a temple acolyte. Derwen was the lady of the estate. Katsu was the High Priestess’s daughter, the presumed next leader of the Moon Mother temple and half-sister of Derwen Solon.

“Sorry,” Apple whispered.

Mercifully, no one had taken offense. The women were too busy sizing up the true competition.

I extricated my hands from Derwen’s bottom, and then slipped myself between Katsu and Derwen, turned around and pulled them into a hug while facing Julie and Kate. “Princess Kate Winslow Solon and Yeoman Julie Gundlach Solon, these sisters are my noble ladies.” I squeezed both naked women around the waist. “I am particularly happy to introduce my wife, Lady Derwen. I love Lady Katsu dearly, but she is married to the temple. However, as I have explained in the past, both sisters are mothers to my children.”

“My lover honors me,” Katsu promptly responded, in a serious tone. “All deference should go to my half-sister, she is his wife. I have caused her enough trouble in her life to bear any title, and I am but the slave of my Lord Solon’s command.”

“Aren’t we all, sister?” Derwen answered politely, while looking at Kate.

“Yes, we are,” Kate mimicked. “He is the father of our children after all.”

At that, Derwen stepped forward out of my partial hug and embraced Kate, kissing her on the cheek. She quickly repeated the warm welcome with Julie, who seemed the most surprised at the wet welcome. Indeed, not to be outdone, Katsu copied her half-sister’s diplomacy. None of them were jockeying for power, it was honest affection. I could feel it in Derwen’s and Katsu’s auras. What surprised me was no glances or comments about Julie’s prosthetic limb. They could see the silver hand.

“Come, meet my mother,” Katsu said loudly. “She is the honored leader of this temple.”

“Please disrobe, surely those amazing clothes aren’t waterproof?” Derwen quipped.

“No, they aren’t,” Kate agreed, immediately kicking off her shoes and Julie copied her.

Katsu was familiar with my station clothes, so she stripped me, claiming a slave’s duty before her sister could move. Derwen was equally aware how to get station clothes off and helped Julie, I suspected it was more a move of dominance than helpfulness. She pulled Julie’s shirt off and gently stroked the length of her natural arms, while examining her bared frame, carefully avoid the metal appendage. Julie deferred to Derwen’s efforts. What surprised me was when Derwen cupped Julie’s breasts, which made Julie blink while she stood at attention.

“I’m glad to find these soft pillows feel the same as ours. Thankfully, you give me the same body magic tingle when our skin touches too. You’re not so different than us,” Derwen announced, dropping the breasts to plant her hands on Julie’s stomach. “Twins, conceived not long ago.”

Derwen moved over to Kate whose stomach was inspected too. “Another set over here too.”

Neither Kate nor Julie seemed surprised at the declaration, certainly because they knew they were pregnant and perhaps the revelation fit with their expectations. “I’ll have to ask them later,” I thought.

“Such wonderful news,” Katsu said, grasping my blood-filling penis, pulling me into the water towards her mother. “Come, Master ... I love saying that.”

Kate snorted at that. Derwen took Kate by the elbow and strode side-by-side with her into the pool behind me. Looking over my shoulder, Julie didn’t seem to know what to do. Apple took her in hand, boldly putting an arm around her waist, whispering, “So, do twins run in your family?”

Their banter was lost to the splashing water and the rough pulling of my hard member by my lover. When I looked back again, Kate had a hand on Derwen’s bottom. “Not to be out done,” I thought. “Kate’s going to give Derwen a run for the family pecking order, or at least show Derwen her confident side.”

Derwen seemed to hold my gaze with her smirk, she knew the little game Kate was playing. I would have laughed but I ran into a body, which cost me sharp nails on my penis as Katsu dug in. Nevertheless, my quick reflexes automatically grabbed the person in front of me and I steadied her with a bear hug.

“Oh, my dear. You had only to ask,” the High Priestess said with delight, in my ear.

She hugged me back and Katsu let go of my private parts.

I studied the old woman’s face for a moment, her clouded eyes gave no hint of her feelings but her smile did. Behind her the poolside attendants rushed into the water.

“Why, Lord Solon, that was rather forward of you. Yet with a kiss I will forgive the sword that is poking me,” the High Priestess said with a laugh. She turned to the approaching women and added, “Don’t be concerned, I give myself to him freely.”

“Sorry,” I stuttered, letting go of her in shock, which caused her to lose her footing; I reflexively grabbed her waist with both hands, as her arms flayed for equilibrium. I did steady the large woman but she was laughing so hard at me, I froze up. The shock of her huge breasts pressing on my chest and our waists pressed together was just too much.

The old priestess snorted air in a giddy girlish fashion. “I am yours to take, of course,” she barked in more laughter, “but, really, this is a temple of fertility and I am past my prime.”

“Mother,” Katsu barked in faux dismay, while rubbing a tear of laughter from the corner of her eye.

“I dare say you have left a lasting impression on my dear friend,” Derwen said, coaxing the banter. “She’ll spin a story out of this to all her temple priestess friends. It’ll be around the island in mere days that you ravished her.”

The hot air and embarrassing banter flushed my face further. Sensing she had gone far enough, Derwen guided the old woman back onto the pool’s ledge. Kate smirked at my discomfort, while a flummoxed Julie let Apple guide her to a spot next to the High Priestess.

“Auntie, this is Julie Solon,” Apple announced. “You must feel her hands. It will add an interesting magical twist to your story.”

The blind women twisted her torso and felt Julie’s body, quickly finding the metal prosthetic. In fact, Julie’s metal hand gently squeezed the woman’s hand. I sort of expected her to jump back in surprise, but she didn’t. The priestess moved her other hand to Julie’s face, importing her features in her exploration. The old woman didn’t take long to map Julie’s strong face.