Nova's Journey

"Not bad for your first time," I felt proud, I leaned over and kissed her. "This is an important time," she explained, "It's when we're most vulnerable." she gently massaged my back with her hands. "We need time to recover and we recover best with the people we're with." Her hand slid up my neck and I felt my hair stand up all over my body, it was like she had run electricity all through me, I sighed unconsciously. I chuckled,

"How do you do that to me?" I asked, smiling. "How can such a small and simple motion make my hair stand on end?"

"You'll learn," she said, I could hear the smile in her voice as she stroked my neck and ears, "That it's not always the blatant, obvious motions that elicit the best responses, but often the smaller, more subtle ones." I rolled next to her and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to me. I could feel her long wavy hair on me as she laid her head on my chest, that familiar, flowery smell rose again from her hair. I couldn't resist the chance to run my fingers through her hair, it was long and soft, and it ran through my fingers like fine silk. I leaned down and kissed her forehead, I could hear her chuckling.

"What is it?"

I could feel her head shake,

"You are so tender with me, it's amazing."

I cocked my head to one side,

"Are you giving me a hard time?" I asked seriously

"No," she said simply, I felt her head shake, "You really are,"

I laughed,

"Seriously?"

"Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

she chuckled beneath her breath,

"You'll learn soon enough." I was too naïve at the time to figure that one out either, but she was right. It was a quick and harsh lesson for me to learn that not all people had the softness, the kindness, the tenderness, whatever you might call it. "Are you ready?"

I stopped flat,

"For what?" I asked curiously

She laughed,

"You still have much to learn," I could feel her smiling as she kissed me gently. She shifted and climbed on top of me. "Lesson number one," she said, her hands tracing my chest and running down my stomach, "Reciprocation," she whispered, trailing kisses down my chest to my navel. Nothing had ever felt so good, her hair trailed along my skin, I could feel the warm, wetness of her tongue here and there. I felt two motions and heard my belt unclick from around me, she pulled it impatiently and tugged on my pants. I lifted my hips and she tugged my pants to my ankles, she pulled off my shoes and removed my pants entirely. I was completely exposed and felt very self conscious. I'm sure she could sense this, her hands ran gently up my legs. She leant over me, her hips lodged firmly between my legs, and kissed me again. "You're beautiful." she said simply, I felt myself flush. "Now it's my turn," I could feel her sliding down my body, her hands gently slipped along the inside my legs. I was terrified, what would she think of me? I was so hairy and I was almost due for the month. I felt her hand running down the inside of one leg and her tongue trailing the inside of the other. It felt so good, it almost helped me forget everything I was thinking. I felt her hair on me and her warm breath, I gasped in surprise, she chuckled, "Maybe you're just sensitive everywhere," I felt her tongue on me, spreading and caressing, how could something so small feel so good? Thoughts of inadequacy were gone, all I could focus on was her and how good this felt. I tried so hard to stay still, but I just couldn't, I felt my stomach tighten and at times my entire body tensed, I'd lift up off the bedding and gasp, my hips bucked, I tried to keep my arms around myself but I ended up holding onto the bedding as though I was going to be thrown from it at any moment. Electricity was flowing through my veins and I didn't want it to stop. I felt something inside me building, it was hard to breathe. I gasped for air as my entire body tightened, I let out a small cry as everything inside me let go. All the intensity that had built up released. It was as if she had been giving me all her energy and finally it had burst from me. The tenseness left my body in bursts of rhythmic waves. Warmth flooded over me, I was coming back to my senses. I felt the heat on my body, the sweat that had accumulated all over. I felt myself panting. I felt her hand against the outside of one thigh, her lips fell gently on the inside. "You are very sensitive," she said plainly, "you've never done that before either, have you?" I shook my head, still catching my breath, I was sprawled out on the bedding, my arms up at either side. "Well," she started but paused momentarily, I could feel her moving, her body tipped over on top of mine and I could feel her breath once again. Her hands traced across my face and around the back of my head, I felt her pull on the blindfold. "it's tradition not to let you see me," I felt the knot unwind, "then again, it's also not tradition to initiate a virgin," the cloth slipped from my face, "especially not a blind one." I was hesitant to open my eyes, there was so much mystique surrounding this woman, what would I find once I opened my eyes? Would the magic be gone? Her fingers ran across my cheek, "Whenever you're ready." I opened my eyes slowly, looking dead center into those piercing green eyes I knew so well. My glance shifted, she was still very young, not much older than myself, there were thin lines of black makeup around her eyes, accentuating her penetrating eyes. Her skin was dramatically light, she was by far the palest person I had ever seen, she had light freckles around her eyes and lips. Her hair was a silvery blonde, it was faintly curly and it cascaded down her shoulders in gentle waves. If I hadn't held this woman in my arms, I'd have sworn she was a ghost. She was so unlike myself and everyone I knew.

"You're the one who's beautiful," I said grinning.

She laughed, I reached out and touched her face, "You're so young, we can't possibly be so close in age."

"Looks are indeed deceiving," she said turning her head and kissing my fingertips, "I'm about twice your age."

I shook my head,

"I'd have never known,"

"The magic of the veil," she began, sitting up, "we are never quite what we appear to be. But you'll learn about that soon enough."

"What do you mean?" I asked, sitting up with her still between my legs "Are you really going to make me part of the order? Just like that?"

"Too easy for you?" her eyes glistened with the question.

I shook my head quickly,

"No, it's just...You don't know me,"

She looked smug,

"What could possibly give you that idea?"

"We've never spoken, well, not really, we've only interacted on a few occasions."

"And that's the only way to know someone?" she laughed, "You seem to forget all the daily interactions you have with other people, what makes you think we weren't watching? That we didn't see you or weren't aware of you. I've been interested in you for years, I could see, from the very beginning, that you had natural talents, that you would be well suited for this job."

"You were watching?"

She nodded,

"Your interest in blacksmithing, your lessons with your father and the farmer's wife, the swordsmanship training,"

"But you didn't know about the dancing,"

"You do have me there," she said gently, one hand gently tracing one ear as she tucked a strand of my hair back around my ear.

"So tell me," I said, still admiring her, "What made you want to do this?"

She sighed,

"Do you really want to hear such a depressing story?"

"Is it really that bad?"

She crossed her arms uncomfortably, I was surprised to see someone I always thought of as a strong woman looking so uncomfortable. I leaned towards her and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to me.

"I was orphaned when I was young, kind of like how you were," she started, "but I wasn't taken in by a good-hearted merchant, I was found by slave traders. They were harsh and abused me, myself and the other women and children." I felt her body shaking and I felt tears on my shoulder, I held her tighter, "I was about 10 when I finally escaped them, that's when I ran into the order, they took me in, even if I wasn't going to join them. They understood what had happened to me and they helped me adjust. They fed and clothed me, the women helped me with all the problems I was having. They explained to me that what had happened wasn't my fault, that I shouldn't be afraid of anyone," She paused, wiping her eyes with one hand. I brushed a tear from her cheek with my thumb.

"I'm sorry," I began, watching her eyes were brimming with tears as she stared at me, "I shouldn't have asked."

"No," she shook her head, "Don't be, it wasn't your fault. It almost makes me feel a little better talking about it."

I couldn't help but smile, she leaned in and put her forehead to mine,

"For some reason, I feel like I can trust you."

"I feel the same about you, but.."

"But?"

"Why did you join them if you had no intention of doing so?"

"Well, I was 10, so I didn't really understand who they were. I didn't realize the depth of what I had stumbled onto. Once I got older, after a few years of staying with them, being taken care of and adapting, I began to ask questions. I wanted to know who they were, what they did, and why."

"Did they tell you?"

She shook her head,

"Of course not, there were many details, secrets. I began to watch them carefully, I found out that they were involved in a number of things. They had deals with people to spy, to gain information, and to seduce."

"So they would charm people into giving them details?"

She nodded,

"We would return to our employer with these details for payment."

"So what happened?"

She shook her head,

"You can only go so long without being found out."

"Someone discovered you and couldn't keep their mouth shut?"

"Exactly," her eyes cut me intensely

"So you joined the caravan to escape."

"We veiled ourselves and escaped with the caravan, parading as common concubines. Not that we didn't have the skills to back up that claim," She grinned, standing and offering me her hand to stand.

I chuckled, taking her hand and standing before her, she gave me a devilish look and turned to collect her clothes.

"You seem very proud of that," I said, bending and collecting my own.

"You will find that there are not many who have the abilities we do," she was dressing now. "We are part of a very, very old order, and we have much knowledge."

I paused, still shirtless. For once, my curiosity was almost overwhelming, how much more was there to know? What else was there? My understanding was so shallow, I felt as though this information spanned out before me for years.

"Can you teach me?"

She turned to me, still unveiled with her hair down but otherwise already clothed, she smiled.

"You really want to learn?"

I nodded,

"What makes you think I wouldn't want to?" I grinned.

She took a few steps toward me and stood inches from my face, searching with her eyes. She reached out and touched my face gently. I felt my face burning at her touch.

"Because you think you're in love," she said flatly.

I laughed but her expression was still flat, she wasn't smiling or amused. It was as though someone had stabbed me in the chest, I didn't realize until that moment that you could experience actual heart pain. Her hand fell,

"You need to understand that this is a job," her eyes were suddenly cold, "you cannot let your emotions run off, that is the first rule." Her gaze shifted to the floor and it was odd to see her uncomfortable, "We can have a good time, and we can enjoy ourselves," she shook her head before looking back up to me, "We can't be that attached. It just complicates everything. Do you understand?"

I nodded gently, somewhat heartbroken that the bonds I felt we had built were out of reach when we were not actively engaged with one another.

"There cannot be jealousy, boundaries, or monogamous relationships between any of us."

"I understand," I tried my best to put on a tough front and convince her, I was still too young and inexperienced, I'm certain now that she saw clean through me.

She nodded,

"Alright, we will have to speak to the others, but it will have to wait until tomorrow, it is getting late, you should head back."she turned and began to pace.

"Yes," I said, snapping back and finally putting my shirt on, but once I did, I found that I didn't want to go. I stood there, still entranced by her, watching her pace. "Skye."

She turned back to me, her brow was furrowed. I took the few extra steps between us and wrapped my arms around her, "Thank you."

She sighed with a smile, wrapping her arms around me, "You're welcome."

I knew I couldn't linger because I wouldn't be able to bring myself to leave. She was right, of course, I was very invested in her and what had occurred. I would never convince her that I wasn't attached if I stayed there in her arms. I released her, backing away quickly, seeing a moment of tenderness in those green eyes, before I turned and ran out of the tent.