Nova's Journey

"I want you to be happy too, father."

He chuckled softly, hugging me,

"I am," he said kissing me on the cheek affectionately, "you're everything I could hope for in a daughter." He set me back down, "Think about it, Nova, I'll give you some time."

I hadn't realized it at the time. He wanted me to choose merchant. He wanted me to be like him. It took a little bit longer for it to cement that this was not what I wanted. It mostly based off one particular experience.

The next day, I returned to the smithy and explained my intentions. When I entered the area where the forge was, I could see him working, his back was turned to me.

"Oh," He turned, noticing me, he wiped his sweaty head on his apron and rubbed his blackened hands on himself. "You back to keep working, Nova?"

"Yes, but there's something else," I paused nervously, almost scared to see his reaction.

"What is it?" he looked concerned, he approached me quickly, "Did something happen? Are you alright?"

"No, no," I said quickly, "Nothing like that,"

He looked relieved, his big frame breathed a heavy sigh of relief

"I want to become a smithy, like you." I said looking up at him.

He laughed and scooped me up in his arms, bear hugging me in sweat and charcoal.

"Of course," I could hear the tears in his voice, he put me down gently and wiped his eyes, "I'll teach you everything I know."

That was when the training began, I became his apprentice, working during the days with him. We made everything, from nails and horseshoes to weaponry and wares. I still maintained my other hobbies, dancing and swordsmanship, in the mornings and evenings. There wasn't one day I wasn't happy to come into work and there wasn't one day he wasn't thrilled to have me there with him. I spent 8 years honing my craft, learning all there was to learn about metals and crafting them.

The years rolled by and many things changed. I was growing up and changing, Lios was none too happy about it either. He left me to the women, primarily the dancers, to explain to me exactly what was taking place and how to deal with my monthly inconvenience. Lios kept an even sharper eye on me from then on, warning me to keep a distance from the boys in my group, telling me that they were trouble, but I had already been aware of that. I grew taller and leaner, curvier. I wore my skin a little better with age. My natural curiosity, however, had me asking many questions, even some that made the dancers blush. They were able to answer many of my questions and impart a lot of wisdom about men. Strangely, I never found myself attracted to any of the boys I was growing up with, although quite a few of them chased after me, I never had any interest. One of them cornered me and tried to kiss me one day, I supposed I should probably try it at least once, but it was unsatisfying. He was rough and unskilled, as most children are, and seemed more interested in getting my clothes off than kissing me in the first place. I told him it just wasn't going to work out between us, and that was the last we really spoke. After that, I avoided the rest of my suitors, I had no interest and found none of them attractive. I suppose, times like that are when life throws something new and interesting your way. It was another normal day in the caravan, like any other, we were sitting together as always, talking about whatever was going on that day.

"I found it!" One of the boys came running up to our group, "I found the wagon with the blue women!"

"SHHHHH!" we all said together, I put my finger to my lips, another of the guys smacked him.

"Keep your voice down idiot," one of the other guys whispered, we all leaned in, "Where?"

"Remember the mystic's wagon? There's another wagon behind it,"

"Isn't it for another group of mystics?" one of the girls asked

He shook his head,

"That's where they are, but they're only there at night,"

"What? Why?" I asked confused, "If that's their wagon, why would they only be there at night?"

He shrugged,

"I don't know where they go during the day, but I've seen them there at night."

I was intrigued, the woman told me we would meet again, but it had been years and we hadn't run into each other again. I had spent most of my time in the smithy's anyway, I wondered if I should make an attempt to find her again. I wondered what the other women were like. Most of all, I harbored a desire to learn from them, to become like them. I had to find them again. After an evening training session with the guards, I snuck off. The sun was just going down, I figured if I was going to find them, now would be the time. I headed off down the center of the caravan, the peddlers were either closed or closing. I finally reached the end of the caravan, the mystic's wagon, he was closing up as well. I saw no activity at the wagon behind his. I stood for a moment, watching him close up until he finally drew the curtain on his wagon to retire for the night. I sighed, disappointed that I had nothing to show for my efforts. I turned to go home when I saw those green eyes before me. Part of me had elicited the fight or flight response to jump backward from her, but I stood there, in absolute shock yet once again, she was so close I could see freckles on her face beneath the light blue veiling.

"You're just as beautiful as I knew you'd be."

I could almost feel the warmth of her breath on my face. Her smooth voice caressed my senses. I watched in slow motion as that same pale hand lifted to my face but this time it gently ran down my cheek. I stood in shock, not knowing how to respond, but why did it feel so good? Her hand slid off my face and her fingers ran down my lips, I felt my breath catching in my lungs, my heart beat frantically against my chest.

"Lios had every right to be scared when he forbade the entire caravan from leading you to us."

My ears were ringing and my head was spinning, did she just say that Lios had forbade everyone from leading me to these women? Maybe this feeling was the reason why. I wanted to have thoughts, to speak, to move, I was gasping like I had run for miles. I stood, trembling, before this woman, whose face I had never seen, yet she could do these things to me, with her voice, her eyes, her touch. A loud clatter from the mystic's wagon pulled me back to reality. I heard a voice behind me but before I could turn my head and see what had happened, the woman's hand had taken mine and was pulling me away. It all happened so quickly I could barely make sense of it. I was dazed in the first place and now I was running somewhere with this woman. She pulled me into a tent, when my senses finally returned, I found myself inside a tent similar to the one I shared with Lios, however, the inside of this one was much different. There were mound beds of blankets with feather and skin mattresses scattered all over, I assumed for the women. She stood before me, not even out of breath, I had been panting before, I felt like my chest could explode.

"Shit," I puffed, bent over with my hands on my knees "What was that?"

"They almost saw us," her voice dripped from her lips, "It could have been disastrous for us both." she chuckled, "So this is Lios' silver-tongued daughter."

I glanced up at her, I could see her eyes smiling beneath the veil. I stood, finally recovered from the mad dash.

"So why exactly did Lios want to keep me from you?"

"Very direct I see,"

I stood authoritatively, with my hands on my hips, awaiting an answer. She approached me again, I watched her hips sway as she moved and I felt myself flush, what was wrong with me? "Yet so easily felled." she chuckled again, her green eyes burning me. "Lios never allowed you to have any exposure. Now you're too flustered to use that silk tongue of yours."

I couldn't get my thoughts in order, even her presence made me uneasy.

"Who are you?" I stammered.

"I am Skye," she said simply, "Of the Cerulean order."

So that's who these women were, a cult of sorts, perhaps that's where they obtained their power from.

"What is the Cerulean order?"

She laughed,

"Lios really did tell you nothing, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." she shifted and put one hand on her hip, "Our work isn't exactly what you would call a normal profession."

I was curious, what was this woman referring to? It couldn't be that obvious.

"So what is it you do?"

She laughed a hysterical laugh, I watched her whole body move with laughter.

"I think if you continue to ask me such questions, you might kill me." She smirked beneath the veil, "How can you be so naive?"

"Then it is what I think it is."

"That depends," her velvety voice luring me in, "what, exactly, is it that you're thinking?"

I was stuck, and very very naïve, especially for my age. I wasn't sure if I should attempt to answer her or not, or where it would lead me. If only I had been as bold then as I am now.

"I..I'm not sure," I stammered, afraid to say what I was thinking, wondering, wanting.

"If you want, I can show you." Her eyes burned holes in me, as they had so long ago, but this time was different. This time I stood before her with my own eyes burning, I wondered if she could read them, it wasn't until later that I realized she was very, very skilled at reading people. She stood before me, waiting."Well, do you want me to?"

A challenge, a direct question, a choice. Despite her control over me, her complete control, she was still allowing me to choose, but was it even really a choice? I didn't believe she was manipulating me, how can someone manipulate you into wanting something you've always known you wanted? I swallowed hard, feeling my adrenaline rush, I was staring off the edge of the cliff. Would I leap or cower? I had to choose.

"Yes."

Chapter 4

I had leapt, and I could feel myself falling. My stomach sunk and I felt my heart pound in my chest. What had I just gotten myself into? She glided towards me, hips accentuating every movement. I was counting the steps left to reach me. There were only two but they felt like an eternity. I could feel my face burning, what was this? How was she capable of doing this to me? She stepped closer and closer in slow motion until she was so close I could again feel her breath and see the freckles in her skin.

"Close your eyes,"

I closed them,

"I'm going to blindfold you," she said, I felt something fall over my eyes and I felt her tighten it behind my head.

"Why?" I asked, not fighting, just curious.

"Because you're not one of us yet," she finished tieing the blindfold, I could still feel the warmth on my face when she spoke.

"What do you mean 'yet'?"

She laughed, I heard the movement of clothing, it brushed my face as it came off her, a sweet smell rose from beneath them. I gulped hard, what was she going to do? Why had she said 'yet'? I felt her hands slide over my hips and she gently pulled me against her. I could feel her chest against mine, her hips, she smelled of sweet flower oils.

"I've known for a long time," she whispered, her lips kissed my neck gently. "I could see it on your face, even when you were young." her sentences were punctuated with gentle kisses moving up my neck. I felt weak, my body trembled uncontrollably and I couldn't distinguish why, it was like my body was shaking from the inside out. I was scared and unsure but exhilarated, I wanted more. Her hands gently ran down my arms to my hands, she lifted them and placed them on her hips. "Touch me." She said it gently, almost a whisper. I felt the words in her warm breath against my lips, but it wasn't a request, it was a command. I wanted to, I had the urges to do many things at that moment, but I didn't have the gall, not yet.

I could feel the cool of her silk skirt draped over her hips, I wondered if the rest of her skin was as soft and smooth as her hands, my hands began to rise. I realized quickly that her midsection was exposed. Her hips were wide and I could feel the curves in her body as her waist narrowed. Her skin was cool beneath my almost sweaty palms. I continued upward and ran into something rough, I was puzzled. My gentle caresses turned into groping curiosity. I recognized the material, it was very obviously leather, my hands ran up it and into the center, feeling laces in the middle, it must have been a boustier. I rose slightly higher and ran into two firm breasts, at which point I stopped, blushed furiously, and backed off. I removed my hands, holding them up shoulder level. She laughed gently,

"It's ok," her fingers ran over my palms and laced into mine, "I want you to." she pulled my hands back to her, pulling them down around her waist but winding my arms around her. I felt her body against mine again, her voice so close, "I know it feels odd at first, but you've never done this before, have you?" I felt my face burn and my stomach drop, I was embarrassed that I was so inexperienced and lost. How could I be something special to these women, to this one in front of me, with no experience and no skill? What little confidence I had gained was shattered. I shook my head and bit my lip, I wanted to cry from feeling so out of place. I think she sensed this, because she responded better than I could have ever hoped for.

"Hey," she said so gently I wasn't sure I was really hearing it. A cool hand slid up my cheek and a thumb made a small circle beneath my right eye, wiping away a lone tear. "You need to learn these things. I can't judge you based on lack of experience, I need to be able to judge you on execution. I'm here to help you learn." she paused, sighing, "I want to teach you." I felt her breath on my lips, then her lips touched mine. They were so soft and gentle, it wasn't like the last time. I felt lust in my first kiss, but here, I felt caring, gentleness; a deep want, not just a physical one. I wasn't sure what to do or how to do it, I just tried to keep up with her pacing.

The warmth in my face spread to my body like I was being dumped into a tub of hot water. I felt the urge to do the things I was thinking, instead of just letting them dwell inside my head. One of her hands had slipped around my neck and was gently keeping me with her, not that she really had to. I felt myself losing control, I pulled her tight against me and my hands ran up her back. I could feel her smiling between kisses,

"There's the fire I was looking for." I couldn't escape the velvety smoothness of her voice. She reached up and undid my hair tie, my long, black hair cascaded down my shoulders. Her hand started back down at the base of my neck and slid upward, toward my scalp, where her fingertips rubbed gently, I moaned. It caught both of us by surprise, we both stopped flat. I hadn't realized a simple touch would elicit that kind of a response and she hadn't expected it so early on. She laughed and I felt her forehead against mine. "So your scalp is a good spot," she stated plainly, "Either you're starting to trust me or you're very, very sensitive." I laughed, my face was burning,

"I trust you."

"Why? You don't even know me." She was luring me in, I didn't realize it then but I do now. There was truth to my words, however, I did trust her.

I shook my head gently and swallowed hard,

"I knew, from the moment I met you, that I wanted to be like you. There was just something about you. I know you won't hurt me and..." I paused, afraid of what I was about to say meant. I was about to reveal my deepest secret to her.

"And what?" her voice was so gentle, so beautiful, it almost hurt to hear her ask. I was trying to summon all my courage, I reached up slowly, attempting to find her face blindly. My hand ran up her neck and I tucked stray hair behind one ear.

"I want you," I said softly, leaning in to kiss her. Her arms wrapped around me, pulling me into her. I was spiraling, headlong toward the ground at an alarming rate of speed, it felt like I was flying, but would I ever hit the bottom? I had become bold, I knew what I wanted and how I wanted to do it. I lifted her with ease, thanking the smith for all the times he had pestered me to transport the metals myself. Her legs wrapped around my hips, I felt her begin to breathe hard, I finally had the upper hand. I turned to my left and took baby steps, attempting to locate the bedding on the floor blindly, until my toe collided with something soft. I knelt slowly, or as slowly as I could with her attached to me, and leant forward to allow her down onto the bedding. She refused to release me, I toppled over above her, one hand out to support myself, the other around her waist. I could smell the scent of leather and feathers in the bedding, it was earthy amid all the sand I was accustomed to. I began to lean back in towards her, but her hand landed firmly on my chest.

"Wait." she said, her legs released me and I sat back on my heels. I heard rustling and movement, but I couldn't make out what she was doing. I felt air hit me, then I felt tugging. She was untucking my shirt from my pants, I still couldn't believe this was actually happening. She lifted it up over my head before pausing,

"You're a dancer?"

I nodded. Despite the men's clothing I wore to train, the dancers had gifted me with a support, necessary in their movements.

"That talent will serve you well," she said, her hands tracing the support, "the flexibility, coordination, endurance, and strength," she said her hands reaching out and touching my arms. I couldn't help but smile. I felt her hands glide back to the center of the support and unclasp it, she gave it a gentle tug and it unwound from around me. "Finally." It was strange to hear her say that, I figured it was something I should be saying, after all the time I had spent searching her out. Her hands ran over my shoulders and her arms wrapped around my neck, she pulled me down to her. She had removed her top, I could feel her skin against mine, it was exquisite. She kissed me, draping one leg over my hip, my hand slid up her thigh, the other ran through her hair, I felt faint curls under my palm. Her hands were on my chest, rubbing places I never knew were so sensitive. It seemed we were both becoming impatient now, I could feel her chest rising and falling quickly and I heard her breathing fast. She reached up and her hand ran up my arm to the wrist of one hand, which was now behind her neck. She lifted my hand and pulled it toward my face. I didn't understand at first. She used my fingers to trace her lips, she kissed them softly and then I felt the heat and warmth of her mouth on them. I could anticipate what was going to happen, but I was still in disbelief. I could feel her tongue moving over my fingertips, she sucked on them gently before pulling them from her mouth. She guided my hand to where it needed to be, while it was an uncomfortable position with me on top of her, I trusted she knew what she was doing. She still had a firm hold on my wrist, I felt folds and moisture against my fingertips, was I really about to do this?

"Go ahead," she said calmly, I could still feel her chest rising and falling quicker than usual against my own. She was letting me make the call, just guiding me towards the final destination. I took a deep breath, feeling myself still shaking from the adrenaline rush I was experiencing. I leaned in against her and kissed her softly, I pressed gently with my fingertips and felt the skin spreading. She let out a small moan. I could feel the tension increase around my fingers as her body shifted and her hips tilted towards me, she lifted both legs and wrapped them around me, I felt my knuckles against her. "Keep going," she said, almost breathless. I began to move my hand, she sighed and I felt her moving against me. I could hear her breathing hard, it just egged me on. I felt myself more and more enticed to continue. I sped up and I could hear her letting out small moans with each breath. I felt powerful, important. I controlled her with just two fingers. This woman who could so easily control me without even touching me, was finally under my command. I continued to increase the speed until I could feel my muscles cramping up from the effort. Her breaths became so short she stopped making noise, she was still shifting against me but I could feel her back arch spastically at times. She almost had a death grip on my fingers at those times, but I continued at a break neck speed. I heard her gasp like she was about to die and then I felt her twitching, her body contracted around my fingers, she wrapped her arms around me and held me tightly against her, her nails dug into my back. Then I felt her relax, running her hands in opposite directions, one up my neck and the other down my spine. I stopped moving my hand, I figured it was a good time. I was still pulled against her. She chuckled gently into my ear.