EPILOGUE ONE
Sirin
Sirin's giggle echoed through the cave system that surrounded the Lady's Repose. She tugged on Berne's hand, feeling his reluctance mount as they neared their destination. "Why are you so worried? You know as well as I that people come here to perform fertility rites all the time."
"Ach and that is so, but usually it's for breeding purposes or, well, I suppose there is one couple chosen per year for the crops and the like…
" he said on a grumble. Behind her, he nearly filled the cavern, his wide shoulders flirting with brushing against the walls as he looked over his shoulder repeatedly.
Stopping in the middle of the corridor, Sirin turned to look up at her husband, cupping his face. "You seemed so supportive at home. Do you think this is a bad idea?"
"Not really—well, I'm not rightly sure," he said, eyes darting around. "I felt fine until those guards looked at us like that, like they knew exactly what we were up to."
Sirin reached up to smooth a frown from his forehead. "Of course they did, love. They see me, alone, damn near every day, and when I walk up, tugging you behind me blushing up a storm, after I have been telling them for weeks what I was planning—"
"Yeh told ‘em?" Berne blurted, his face draining of color. "That—that Shade and wee Abi Ospak know exactly what we are about to get up to in here?" He ran a hand through his hair, groaning. "Yeh can't just go around telling people things like that, love!"
"I didn't tell them!" Sirin said, crossing her arms. "I asked! I know very well you can't just go around having sex willy-nilly all over the place, and this is important. Honestly, did you think I would just break in here to complete a rite without obtaining the proper permissions?"
Berne raised an eyebrow at her, biting his lip and shaking his head.
Sirin let out a frustrated sound and rolled her eyes.
"Yes, aright, I suppose that would be a fair assumption.
But in this case, I wanted to make sure I didn't mess it up.
This is the Lady we are talking about, the last thing I want is for us to anger her when I am trying to get her blessing!
" She looked at the ceiling and pursed her lips, "And if that means I had to disclose a few intimate details about our plans to the guards, then so be it.
Plus, I needed to figure out what we should do anyhow.
It's not like I have ever done a fertility rite… "
Berne chuckled and gentle turned her face to look at him. "No indeed, but I should think it won't be the last time," he said, smiling indulgently. "If you're going to want to do this for every major area of research… not to mention when it's time to do some breeding of our own."
Sirin nodded, pointing her finger to tap him on the nose.
"Yes, quite. See, it's important that we build good relations with the guard so that we can do it whenever we might need.
Which, honestly, I am not sure we will need to when we are trying to get pregnant…
I should think I am fully capable of managing that on my own.
Research though, this requires divine intervention.
I can't control it, so I need her to help nudge me along. "
"I suppose," Berne grumbled, his face breaking into a smile as he picked her up to wrap her legs around his waist. "In that case, we'd better get on it! Are we on some sort of schedule? Have you timed this down to the moment?"
"There is an itinerary of sorts, yes," Sirin said, her skin flushing deeper with embarrassment. He knew her too well by half. She'd planned it all out; but she'd also planned it to appear spontaneous, though he wasn't likely to think so now.
"Then, I suppose we shouldn't get behind schedule," he said, nuzzling his face into her hair and sniffing her temple.
Berne walked them deeper into the mountain, with Sirin giving him directions until they arrived at their destination: a secluded cave, warmed by the geo-thermal activity and lit with the soft, blue glow of moss on the walls.
Only in the Lady's Repose does this moss glow.
Perhaps eventually it will spread like lunula, but for the time being, its proliferation seems to be confined locally.
When removed from the area, it loses its glow and does not, at present, impart any magical ability.
Berne cleared his throat, his face storming over as he took in the room.
"Doesn't seem very soft, you're like to get scratches all over yeh," he growled.
Giving him a quick kiss on his nose, Sirin disentangled herself and surveyed the room.
"Of course it's not soft, love, but it's cozy.
We both know neither of us are going to be making any great sacrifice today, but I figured the tiniest bit of discomfort and adversity might play in our favor.
To my mind, if you are asking a goddess for something, you should probably show that you are willing to sacrifice for it, even if it's not technically required. "
She spun in place, a mischievous smile creeping onto her face.
"Which brings us to our plans for the day.
" She grasped her hands behind her back, pacing in front of him as she spoke.
"As you well know, we are here to perform a fertility rite.
My sources indicate that many people come, pray, perform some method of copulation and leave.
However, we are asking for something harder than a baby.
After all, I could fall pregnant tomorrow if I wanted.
Instead, we are asking for something far less common, and potentially far more significant.
I am not speaking self-importantly here.
This research could change things for people the world-over and I don't take asking for the Lady's Aid lightly. "
Berne nodded as she paced back and forth, a bemused smile tickling at the corners of his mouth.
"I have a plan in place for today, but part of that involves you using me, almost mercilessly.
It's imperative that I prove my dedication to the cause in order to earn her aid.
I will probably get scuffed up a bit, just from the room itself, but I'd remind you that I can heal any pain you or the environment inflicts in moments.
Does that sound like something you can do? " she asked, turning to face him.
"It does. And it wouldn't be the first time, I'll remind yeh." Color crept up his throat, flooding into his face as he recalled previous times she'd asked him to use her in such a way.
Nodding sharply, Sirin crossed to him, grasping the lapels of his vest. "Same rules as always, yes? Three taps means stop so we can check in."
"Of course. I'm ready when you are, doll.
" He moved to pick her up, but she smiled impishly and evaded his grip, dancing to pick up a bag she'd stored in the corner.
Kneeling down, she extracted a set of candles, a bottle of wine, a chalice, and a jar of lunula freshly harvested from the Lady's pool itself.
She lit the candles, scattering them about the room, and poured a healthy serving of both wine and lunula into the chalice.
As was his temperament, Berne stood patiently in the corner, never rushing her, her rock in any situation.
Looking at him over her shoulder, she winked, lifted the chalice and waved him over.
"Alright, I am going to say a prayer and then I'm yours to command, my love. "
Berne rumbled a laugh, stroking his beard and biting his lip as he watched her.
The feeling of his proprietary eyes roaming over her was palpable—like a caress as it roamed over her body.
She focused, trying to recall the prayer she'd prepared, feeling it settle into her bones with the truth of it.
She focused on her desperation, the plea for help ringing through the chamber and resonating in her chest. When she finished speaking, the silence echoed through her until she felt Berne's strong arms wrap around her, pulling her back against his hardness and running his hands up over her breasts to her buttons.
"Hold perfectly still, doll," he whispered, she felt the rumble of it more than heard.
The path his hands made radiated heat into her, warming and calming her with his closeness.
Before she knew it, he was pulling off her blouse, leaving her bereft of his heat as he neatly folded it and laid it atop the bag. "Turn," he instructed.
He lowered his head to capture her lips, his tongue dipping inside to tease her momentarily as he untied her stays.
She nearly giggled, he was so used to untying them from the front that he struggled anytime he needed to do it from behind.
His fingers deftly tugged her strings until it was loose enough for him to unclasp the busk.
A moment more had her skirt pooling around her feet and Sirin clad only in her shift.
Her heart beat rapidly, loud against the dripping of distant water.
If she focused, she could hear voices as they echoed through the chambers, a danger that heightened her awareness of the situation and the arousal she could already feel gathering between her legs.
Berne lowered his face to her neck, nibbling and sucking on her lobe as he whispered harshly in her ear, his hands cupping her breasts through her shift. "Who do these belong to, doll?" he prompted.
"You," she whispered. Her pulse beat through her in a rapid tattoo, her nipples tightening at his attentions.
"And this?" he asked, as one hand moved to clasp her cunt. "Whose is this?"
"Yours," she squeaked out, his fingers pressing the fabric against her warm, wet center and grinding his heel against her clit.
"Good, you are my sweet little doll, my plaything, right?" he whispered.