Chapter 14

In the early hours of the morning, two moons cast a ghostly light on the world below. Most of the light reflected off the tops of angry storm clouds, still swirling and boiling after more than a full day of nature's fury. The small amount of light that penetrated the clouds was mostly obscured by the driving rain, which pelted the undulating surface of an already choppy sea. And beneath the waves, only the slightest fraction of light survived to show the dark shadows of the nocturnal fishes in their search for food. Even so, thirty yards beneath the surface, a few rays of light glanced through the depths, through the invisible dome, and into the small bedroom where two young women had spent an exhausted night. Just a few weak rays, but that was enough to illuminate a glint of silver in the silky, flowing hair of the young princess.

Jaide woke softly in the darkness; as she turned her head, the dim streak of silver light rippled, moving with the hair as it fell back on the pillow. Spent from the previous day's preparations, she had fallen asleep still wearing her clothing, and now became uncomfortably aware of the small wrinkles in the fabric that had pressed against her skin during the night.

She groaned inwardly as she felt her muscles for the first time, stretched tight and still warm after an exhaustive routine of exercises; she was certain there were two thousand other girls who felt the same way, since being driven tirelessly by the tireless dark-haired alien warrior who now lay beside her.

The princess reached out for her companion. Instead of a warm body, her outstretched fingers found an elbow depressing the mattress; as her eyes focused in the virtual blackness, she was able to make out a shadow beside her, propping itself up on one arm. Her fingers lingered on the elbow for a moment, then traveled lightly up the vertical forearm as it tapered to a small wrist and flared into a small hand. She caressed the hand, feeling its softness and its strength; such a delicate thing to possess the awesome power she had witnessed on so many occasions.

"Good morning," came a soft whisper.

Jaide smiled in the darkness, said: "It's not morning yet."

"Yes it is." There was a smile hidden in the voice

"It's still dark out."

"That's because it's early."

"No, it's still night."

"The sun will be up in a few hours, then you'll see."

"I don't believe you."

"Then I'll prove to you that I'm right."

"How?"

"When the sun comes up, I'll jump up and catch it for you."

"And give it to me?"

"Yeah."

"What will I do with it?"

"You can wear it in your hair like a flower. Then you'll know it's morning."

The princess giggled softly. "Okay. You would do that for me?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

A beat.

"Because you're you," came the response after a moment.

Jaide's fingers played against the hand which supported the shadow of a head above her. Her fingers interlocked with the fingers on the hand, gave a squeeze, the hand squeezed back; the squeeze was gentle, caring, but she knew the hand could have easily broken every bone in her own if that was the intension. With the backs of her fingers, she felt the warm cheek, the delicate ear.

"I'm me," whispered the princess, "and you're you."

"That's right, sweetie."

"And we belong together."

"That's right too."

Jaide saw the dark outline of her own outstretched arm, saw the dark face framed by even darker hair hanging down all around, saw the dark eyes, wide and liquid. The eyes spoke unsaid volumes. Her fingers touched the small earlobe, moved back through the soft, dark hair, touched the back of the neck. She pulled the face down; she saw the lips grow bigger, felt the nose mash against hers and the lips press against hers. The kiss lingered for a moment; the princess saw the open brown eyes just above her own, felt the eyelashes flutter against her face, felt the hot breath on her cheek.

"I love you," said the princess, speaking directly into the lips she had just kissed.

A pause hung between them; the only answer that came was another kiss, a warm tongue flicked out at her lips. Jaide saw something in those brown eyes, something she could not identify - was it pain? Whatever it was, it did not make the face any less beautiful. Her thoughts were interrupted by the touch of a warm hand on her thigh; the fingers probed beneath the hem of her skirt and caressed her smooth flesh. She took in a sharp breath.

"Your hand is soft," purred the princess.

"It's rough."

"No, it's nice... soft... I like your fingers." Jaide shifted her legs a little, flexed the muscles in her thighs. She stuck out her tongue and licked the tip of her companion's nose playfully.

"Do you like my nose too?"

"Yes."

"My lips too?"

"Yes."

"Then kiss me again sweetie."

"If you insist." Jaide lifted her head off the pillow to kiss the offered lips. She moaned, spread her legs slightly apart as the hand on her thigh slid slowly upward. Two sets of lips parted as the kiss continued, two tongues slipped and slid against one another.

"We have a hard day coming up."

"I know," answered a breathless princess.

"A long day."

"I know." She sighed as the hand slid farther up her thigh.

"A hard fight."

"I know that too." Her pulse quickened; she felt the fingers reach the junction of her thighs, felt the soft tips probing.

"Oh my God..."

"I think we need to remind ourselves what we're fighting for."

"I think... I think you're right..." Jaide felt the fingers enter her, playing against her most tender flesh; she caught the scent of her own pheromones permeate the air. "Oh my God..." She slid her free hand over her own body, over the rumpled clothing, gently gripped the wrist between her legs. She slid her grip up the forearm, felt the tendons tighten as the fingers pushed inside her; up the bicep, slender and feminine, only hinting at its power as it flexed. "Baby, your fingers are so good..."

"Sweetie, can I have another kiss?"

"Do you really... need to ask?"

"I want to be sure it's okay."

"It's okay with me."

Jaide sighed. The dark face descended over her again; the darker hair fell down around the face into her own. She felt the lips pressing again, felt the tongue enter her mouth. The fingers continued their motion; she spread her legs farther apart, bending her knees, pushing against the mattress with her heels. The kiss lasted only a moment, but then the lips pressed against her chin, then just below her chin. The princess obligingly tipped her head back, and the lips touched her neck, kissing and sucking at the her skin.

"Lift up, sweetie."

The princess obeyed. She released her grip on the bicep and removed her hand from behind then neck, raised her arms above her head and felt the loose top she wore sliding up over her head. The cool air touched her bared chest; the lips moved down her neck, down her chest. She felt a warm tongue contact her exposed nipple. "Oh my God..." She pushed her fingers through the dark hair splayed out over her body. "Baby, I need you..."

"Shh..." came the whispered reply. "Easy." Another lick. "Slow." Another.

"Oh..." Jaide bit her lip. She felt the lips move down to her abdomen, grazing her stomach, a lick at her navel.

"Lift up again."

The princess lifted her hips off the mattress and her skirt slid off, down her slender legs, ending as a crumpled heap of fabric at the bottom of the bed. She felt a nibble at her pelvic bone, a lick stimulating the bundle of nerves just below, a kiss on the inside of her thighs, felt the tongue join the fingers already inside her. "Oh... you're incredible..."

Jaide's pulse raced; her heart hammered against her ribs. She arched her back, pushed her hips up off the mattress against the hot, probing tongue, held the head of dark hair in place with both hands. "Honey..." she cried out. "Honey!" Her breath caught in her throat; her legs strained, twisting in the sheets. A small circle formed on the sheets below her back as she perspired. She lifted one hand to her face, bit down on the fist, let out a long moan. "Holy shit," she panted. "Oh fuck!

Honey! Honey, I need you..."

"Not yet," came the whisper from between her legs. "Just wait." The tongue returned to its work.

"Oh, goddammit!" the princess cried out, pushed back farther. She bit down harder on her fist, locked the other hand around locks of the dark hair; she tried not to pull and let out a scream. Panting, she managed, "Goddamn you, come here!" The dark eyes appeared level with her own, and she relaxed her back.

"If that's what the princess wants..." A soft smile.

"That's what I want, baby. Will you give me what I want?"

"Of course I will, sweetie."

"You're too good to me."

"I just give you what you deserve."

The princess sighed, said: "I don't deserve this..."

"Shh. Yes you do. Now shut up."

Jaide felt the mattress bounce, saw the shadow above her shift. She smelled the scent of her lover coming closer, felt the softness of a thigh on either side of her face. The tongue dived back into her depths; she lifted her head off the pillow, pressing her face against the hot body above her to stifle another moan. Running her fingertips along the slender waist and behind the back, the princess nuzzled the warm wetness between the thighs, parted her lips and extended her tongue. For her efforts, she received a low, muffled moan, felt the other woman's pulse increase as well.

The light outside grew from near black to a feeble gray.

With heavy breaths and pounding hearts, the two women drove each other on. Their muscles clenches and unclenched, fingers gripped and knuckles whitened, arms flexed and legs strained as the waves overcame them. Twice the princess was rewarded by a gush of fluid across her face as she drew forth an orgasm, twice the act was reciprocated and she found herself locked in the throes as well.

When at last the women had sated themselves, they rose together from the bed, the room hung thick with the scent of their lovemaking. They stood and embraced, shared another kiss.

"We need to wash off," Jaide said once the kiss was broken.

"It'll be cold," said Anna, pushing dark locks of hair away from her eyes. "There's not time for a hot bath."

"I know." A kiss. "But we can't go down there smelling like this."

"Then let's get it over with."

Together, they drew a cold bath, stood over the filled tub. They glanced at each other, sharing a look of apprehension.

"You first, sweetie," offered Anna with a smile

"Why do I have to go first?"

"You're closer."

Jaide suppressed a laugh, backed away from the tub, said: "No, you're closer."

Anna laughed back. "You can't get away that easy." She bent to pick up the bucket they used to fill the tub.

"What are you gonna do with that?"

"Make sure you go first." She dipped the bucket in the water.

"Hey, you can't do that!" Jaide started to back away from her companion, circling the room. Anna followed. "You're gonna make a mess!"

"We already made a mess," said Anna, her smile showing mischief. "Now it's time to clean up!" And she tipped the bucket, hurling cold water across the room.

"Ahhh!" shrieked the princess. "That's fucking cold!" Dripping, she wiped her eyes and lunged forward.

"Hey!" cried Anna as she allowed herself to be pushed backwards into the tub. Both women fell over the side in a tangled heap, sending a tidal wave of water surging onto the floor. "Oh, holy shit! This is cold! Hey, this bath was your idea."

After dunking each other several times, they climbed out, shivering, and toweled off. In the growing light, they dressed themselves and gathered their few loose things to place back in their packs.

"Come here," said Anna, holding a turtle shell brush.

Jaide picked up the other brush and stepped forward; she stood facing Anna, running her brush through the dark hair while Anna eased the tangles in her own silver hair. Their eyes locked onto one another, and the princess again caught a hint of something she could not place - was it fear?

"It's almost time," whispered Anna. "We'll go down and get on the boats. Then we'll take a little trip." She paused to touch the princess' ear. "You'll be back home by tonight."

"And you'll be there with me."

A kiss. "That's right, sweetie."

"We just have to fight our way through an army of thousands to get there."

Another. "That's right. It'll be easy. Nothing to it."

"You're going to be amazing today."

"We both will." A beat. "Ready?"

"Yeah..."

"Okay, let's get downstairs."

And with a final look around, they left the room, closing the door behind them.

Two days before, the large, open city square had been filled past capacity with ten thousand warm bodies, ten thousand pairs of eyes and ears straining to see and hear. The people listened in awe to the words delivered by the dark-haired stranger; they had been moved by the message, enchanted by the language, even concerned by the warnings. But to take the next step, to follow emotions with action - such a thing was beyond the capacity of most of the congregation.