Beloved of Ashura: Learning to Fly

"Oh gods," Isana thought as she felt excitement run through her again. "I'm getting wet," she thought. She tried to stop it, but it was inexorable. It was more than the awareness of Rayven as a lover of women. It was that she was in charge. "I'd do whatever she told me," she thought. The acceptance washed over her in a powerful wave, and she swallowed the little moan that wanted to burst forth. "I wish she would command me," she suddenly realized.

After that, her shyness began to fade away. Despite the casual interest Rayven showed, she also took no steps to exploit her position. Isana felt a craving that slowly built. The longer it wasn't fulfilled, the more she felt it. She began to do little things to try to entice her. Focusing on her posture as they rode, she arched her back a little more to thrust her breasts out. As the afternoon sun got hotter, she complained about the heat and unlaced her top a little more to display her cleavage. Yet other than an occasional glance, it seemed to have no impact. She could feel Rayven's appreciation for her body, but none of the desire she hoped to inspire.

Rayven felt fortunate that her training allowed her to ignore distractions that interfered with what she needed to do, although it was becoming increasingly challenging. Beyond the teasing, Isana seemed very comfortable with her new role. Her responses this afternoon were flawless, at least in acting the part of a slave. Her flirtations started it sliding into something that was hard for Rayven to avoid a visceral reaction. It took all of willpower to stay true to her training and continue to guide them safely through the wilderness. Still, she said nothing. Being in control wasn't just an image for her; it was part of who she was.

Every time that she checked for pursuers, she found nothing. They were getting farther and farther away from the castle. Each league that they traveled increased the chances that the Duke's forces wouldn't find them. "That's a good thing," she told Isana as she came from climbing a tall tree. "We are coming to an area with more people. We won't be able to avoid them." She mounted her horse and they started moving again. "In fact, there is a small village that we will pass through midday tomorrow. I would avoid it, but it's a river crossing and the other ways across the Guamish are several days to either side. In any case, those have towns by them as well, and much larger." Pausing for a second, she wet her lips and sighed. "It's a risk, but it can't be helped."

"I understand, Mistress, you know best," Isana said in heavily accented and slightly broken Onjani. "I am yours." She looked at the moistened lips and felt a little twinge. "What would it be like to have those lips on mine," she wondered. Without realizing it, she mirrored the action and licked her own.

Rayven, however, caught it. Once again, she felt the urge to exercise her power over the other woman and fought it as best she could. Turning her attention to the path, she focused on it and picking their way along a route that would leave the least trace of their passing.

She kept them going late, waiting until there was virtually no dusk left. Finally, they stopped and they set up a simple camp and ate from their stores of travel food.

The long day in the saddle took its toll on Isana. She really began to feel it after eating. There was a war between how her body ached and how tired she was. Part of her wanted to ask for another massage. With the desire growing inside her, the idea of Rayven's hands on her again was appealing. "Perhaps she would see what I want," she thought. At the same time, she wasn't sure that she could stay awake through a good massage. Already, her eyelids were heavy.

That much at least was easy for Rayven to see. She reached out and ran her fingers through Isana's hair. "My poor little Dove," she said softly. "You're very tired, aren't you."

The gentle caress decided the battle. She gave a little sigh and leaned against it, feeling the weariness overwhelm her. "Yes, Mistress, I am," she said softly. She felt the powerful fingers stroking her again and her eyes fluttered closed. Her eyes didn't open until she felt Rayven gently pushing her over to the waiting bedroll; then her wide blue eyes blinked open to look up at the beautiful woman pulling the covers up around her. "Mistress?" she whispered.

"Yes, my little Dove?" Rayven said as she began to stroke her head again.

"Ohhhh. That's nice," Isana muttered. "Mistress, would you hold me tonight?" She liked the tender way Rayven smiled at her. It thrilled her in a way completely different from the sexual feelings from earlier.

"I will, all night," Rayven promised her. She slipped under the bedroll and felt Isana turn on her side so that they could spoon. Moving close, she put her arm over the young woman and pulled her close. Isana wiggled, trying to find the most comfortable spot. The feeling of the bigger woman holding her made her feel safe. Now, she could sleep without any worries.

"Yes please, all night," she murmured. "Thank you." She wiggled again, pressing back. As she drifted off, she felt two points poking into her back. Her lips curled up as she realized it was Rayven's nipples, hard and erect. "Mmmm," she thought just before she fell asleep.

Once again, Rayven found sleep much harder to find. The needs of her body were powerful and resisting them was not normal for her. In her long life, she felt free to worship Ashura whenever the opportunity presented itself. Now one of the most beautiful women she ever met was in her arms after having teased her all day. Even though she was hers for the taking, the duty to watch over her and guard her still was paramount. As tempting as Isana was, Rayven took her responsibilities as custodian very seriously.

With a deep sigh, she finally mastered the temptations and focused on going to sleep. It still took a while, but eventually she fell into a restless sleep. Waking from it several times during the night, she managed to get back to sleep each time until about an hour before dawn. She spent that last hour just appreciating the feeling of the sleeping woman beside her. Her thoughts weren't full of desire but instead she enjoyed the warmth and affection growing between them.

It had been far longer since she felt that for another person.

Reaching out to stroke the blonde hair, she almost stopped as she felt Isana stir. Old tendencies were difficult to break, however, and her dominant side came to the fore. She wanted to touch the other woman, and therefore she would. Her fingers slid through the short hair, grazing against her scalp, and then down her neck.

"Mmmmm," Isana sighed as she came more fully awake. She waited for another caress but it didn't come. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Rayven looking at her. Her dark eyes were smoldering, almost as if there was a golden flame in them. Never before had she seen such raw lust. Knowing that Rayven wanted her stirred up butterflies in her stomach, but at the same time, it pleased her to know her own desires weren't unrequited. Still, she was a virgin and taking the next step was daunting. She hesitated and in that moment, the golden glow began to fade away. The caring but somewhat withdrawn Rayven was back.

"Good morning, Dove," she said as she pulled back the bedroll and began to get up. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, Mistress," Isana replied, remembering to use her accented Onjani. "Thank you for holding me all night."

"I promised, didn't I?" she replied. "I will always try to keep my promises to you, my little Dove."

For a second, Isana indulged in watching the other woman get ready. She slept dressed the same, with just her undergarments. Taking in the strong body, a little pout appeared on her lips as she watched her pull up her trousers. Her big breasts moved under her top, and Isana wondered how it would feel to touch them. Hidden under the bedroll, she let her fingers stroke her own breasts. "Different, I'm sure, and exciting!" she thought to herself. Her fingers just touched a nipple when Rayven looked over at her.

"No dawdling in bed! We need to be on the trail as soon as we can, Dove," she said. Isana nodded and quickly got up, facing away from her in hopes that she wouldn't see the sudden blush and guess the reason. Grabbing her own clothes, she quickly dressed. When she finished, she looked over her shoulder but Rayven was getting the horses ready to go.

"Break down the rest of camp, Dove," she said, focused on her tasks.

"Yes, Mistress," Isana replied. As she worked, she tried to dismiss the disappointment that it seemed so easy for Rayven to turn off her desire. Her own lingered and the dampness between her legs didn't go away. The more she tried not to think about it, the more impossible it was. Even her clothes seemed to be conspiring against her. The brush of her top against her breasts was more noticeable than usual, and every time she crouched down to pick something up, she felt a tiny stab of excitement. By when they were ready to leave, she was almost panting. It didn't help that she had a sneaking suspicion that Rayven was aware of her plight. More than that, it seemed like she enjoyed it.

At last, they climbed up onto their horses and began to make their way in the direction of where the small village was. The movement of the horse between her legs made things worse. It wasn't the first time she felt that particular stimulation but, as her father didn't allow her to ride alone, she never gave into it. The temptation now was hard to resist.

"What would Mistress do if I did?" she wondered. A fantasy took form in her mind of her writhing on against her horse as Rayven looked on. Her face burnt red as she thought about how wanton it would be, and even more so because she watched. For a moment, she pressed down hard against her saddle. She sucked in a breath between her teeth. "It would excite her too," she thought. The notion that she could turn on Rayven was almost as thrilling as the actual physical contact.

"I can't," she told herself just before the urge became irresistible. "This isn't a pleasure trip. We're escaping a terrible fate for me. She's risking her life." With a sigh, she lifted the weight of her body and hoped that the tremors running through her body would dissipate. The urge to start again remained, but she stayed strong and didn't tempt herself another time.

In front of her, Rayven smiled. Isana was quite right. She knew the whole time what was going on, and it did excite her. "Oh, it must be so hard for her to exercise discipline," she thought to herself. "She hasn't had too much in her life." Still, it was the right choice. "Today is the riskiest one so far."

It took several hours to get to the village. Along the way, they practiced speaking in tribal Kantari until it was just as automatic as the accented Onjani was to Isana. Just before they got there, Rayven dismounted and got into her saddlebags. She dug deep into one, search for something long buried. Finally, she felt it and pulled it out. It was a thick collar with a big buckle. She looked up at Isana, still on her horse.

"We need to mark you as a slave, Dove. There are more extreme ways of doing that, but hopefully this will be enough," she said.

Isana dismounted. As she walked towards Rayven, she eyed the collar. It had a natural curl in it and the leather was soft on the inside with a darkness that indicated someone had worn this before her. Her eyes met Rayven's and she shuddered. The golden glow was back with its accompanying lust. She couldn't suppress the tiny flare of jealousy towards the woman who wore it before her. "It wasn't a disguise then," she realized. "She truly belonged to Mistress."

The taller woman looked at Dove. She could read her very well by now. "She probably doesn't even know how hard her nipples are right now," Rayven thought to herself. The lust within her was rising, but it was impossible. She couldn't give into it. Even putting much meaning into the collaring was too much. It would not be like the last time.

Her fingers were quick. The collar went around Isana's neck and she buckled it securely. It was neither too tight nor too loose, but instead would ride there without chafing. She would check it that night to make sure. Looking Isana in the eyes, she saw the desire there, but Rayven didn't dare unleash it.

"How does it feel, Dove?" she asked.

The mix of emotions almost overwhelmed Isana. She tried to focus so she could answer. Finally, she looked up at her. "Protected, Mistress. I feel protected," she softly replied.

"And so you are, my little Dove," Rayven answered back just as softly. The urge to kiss Isana swelled up in her. Not a passionate kiss, but instead she wanted to kiss her to let her know that she was safe and secure. With every bit of her willpower, she suppressed the urge. Her duty came first. "I won't let anyone harm you, Dove. Stick by me in the town, talk as little as you can, and then only in Kantari. I'll deal with anyone who bothers us," she said ominously.

With that, they got back on their horses and continued their way into the village. Isana kept fingering her collar until finally Rayven told her to stop. "You need to appear used to it," she told her firmly. Isana's training over the last couple of days took over. Obeying her Mistress was now second nature to her.

Ossik wasn't much of a village. Perhaps a hundred people lived in it, but it had a narrow crossing over the river that led to a steady traffic of people coming through town. It was too far out of the way to become a well-used trade route. Those who followed it were often on their way to the Kantari homelands, and there were not many of those.

For Isana, it was a revelation. While she had traveled with her father, it was always to the grander towns and cities of his realm. If they had slums, she never saw them. The poverty of the villagers was something she hadn't encountered before. Fortunately, her reaction worked well with her disguise. Her wide eyes could just as easily been because a village this large was a new experience for a savage more used to small camps of 10 to 20 people.

It was not the first time that Rayven passed through the village. She often preferred to take the out of the way routes. It wasn't so often that anyone should remember her in particular. She didn't go out of her way to draw attention.

The first order of business was to go to the market. Holding the horses, Isana followed her as she moved from stall to stall. She mostly looked at the fresh vegetables and fruits. They wouldn't last long, but they would help make the journey more pleasant for a few days. Isana watched her as she haggled with each stall vendor. It was another new thing for her. Rarely did she ever buy anything, and she just paid the price named. It would be common to argue over the price. Yet, she admired the skillful way that Rayven bargained the seller's price down.

"How much might I have saved if I tried to bargain?" she wondered. At the same time, she knew that it wouldn't have worked. As the princess, if she asked for a lower price, the merchant had no option but to give it to her. An ordinary person couldn't argue with royalty. "I hope I get a chance to haggle before this is over," she thought.

Rayven had a knack of driving the price just below where the seller wanted to go, but not so far as to make him angry. It was a just price, but not as much as he wanted. Her willingness to walk away made the difference a couple of times. Isana admired her effortless shrug as she regretfully turned away, and how quickly the seller called her back. Once again, she felt lucky to be with someone so experienced and capable.

Once they done with buying food, they headed to the tavern. Rayven had no difficulty in remembering where that was. She guided them to the stable beside the tavern with Isana leading the horses, as a good servant would do. There were several young boys there, hanging around outside. They ranged in ages, with Isana guessing the oldest were around 13 years old. After dismounting, Rayven crooked her finger at one of the boys who seemed a year or two younger than that. He had long blonde hair that kept falling into his eyes moments after he brushed it away.

"Boy, I suppose you are here to offer your services watching our horses," Rayven said. Isana looked at her. She sounded gruffer than usual, and with a hint of an accent that might make someone think she was from the distant northern mountains.

"Yes, Mestra," he said, looking up at her.

"How much?" she asked, as she took stock of him. The other boys inched a little closer, hoping that he might not pass her muster.

His eyes were keen as he took stock of the woman in front of her. She was clearly an experienced traveler who understood that leaving horses and possessions in a tavern stable was a good way to lose both of them. At the same time, she had a good idea of the value of the service. "How long are you staying, Mestra?" he asked.

"We are just stopping to eat, so perhaps an hour and a half. We want to be on our way. It's days to Dynvard, and I don't want to give up on daylight," Rayven replied. It was a weak diversion, but she hoped that if anyone was looking for them, mentioning the false destination of the port on the southern edge of Onjani lands might help misdirect them.

"For you, Mestra, a single silver piece," he said and gave her what he hoped to be a winning smile. He held out his hand confidently

It didn't seem to impress Rayven. She looked at him with hard eyes. "I'll give you ten coppers now, and then a silver piece when we come out. But if I see the slightest hint that you have gone through our things in the hope of finding a few valuable items that I might not notice, then I'll take back the coppers and treat you like I treated the last young lad who tried that." As quick as the strike of a viper, her dagger was in her hand, and she grabbed the outstretched hand. Her dagger flashed, and the cold metal of the back of the blade slid harmlessly across his wrist. "You won't like it if I use the other side."

The boy struggled but could not pull his hand from her grip. "Please, Mestra! I won't touch your things. I'll just watch." The fear was evident on his face.

Her blade flashed again and was back in its sheath. "Do we have a deal, my young friend," she said in a more pleasant voice, though she didn't let go of his hand.

Although scared, the boy was quick. He expected at best to get 10 coppers. A silver was twice that. It was rare that he made that much money in a day. There were too many other boys and too few travelers were willing to pay even 10 coppers. He nodded. "Yes, Mestra," he said, and was rewarded by getting his hand back.

"Done," Rayven said as she fished the initial payment out of a small coin purse that she kept inside her armor. She looked him in the eyes as she counted out the coins. "I'll keep my word if you don't keep yours, boy."

Her eyes were dark and hard. The boy knew without any doubt that she was serious. "I understand. No one will touch your horses or your belongings." His hand moved and he had out a small dagger of his own. "I know how to defend myself," he said in the bravest voice he could.

"Good for you," Rayven said, and gave him an approving nod. Looking at Isana, she spoke in Kantari. "Dove, take the horses in and tie them off. I'll wait here."

The boy followed her inside, looking at her with a bit of curiosity. The Kantari conquered the kingdom many years ago, but everyone knew that not all the Kantari wanted to leave their homelands. Many of them still lived there, warring amongst themselves and with their neighbors. It was rare, but Kantari slaves caught in those incessant conflicts weren't unknown in the Kingdom. This one was pretty, or would be if she wasn't quite so dirty and smelling of travel. Looking over his shoulder, he could see the other woman watching him. Her look remained as sharp as the dagger she pulled on him. He swallowed and tried to ignore just how scary she was.