One Night with the Magician

Nothing else mattered right now but this. Him and I, tangled together, our bodies rocking back and forth in their sweaty, pulsing dance of indulgence. The ripples of sensation had returned; once again it felt like we were cresting a wave, like the music we were making was reaching its zenith...

I let out a loud moan as a sudden, unexpected spasm of pleasure hit me, dwarfing all the ones that had come before. The wave slowly engulfed my entire being, an explosion of light and song that coursed through my thighs and stomach and heart, making my back arch and my fingers and toes tingle and my head spin. For a moment I was invincible; I felt like I could fly or conquer the world or seduce every man alive with my beauty. Then it was gone, and I was panting, heart hammering as I lay limp in Sahir's arms.

The same wave of pleasure seemed to hit him moments after mine subsided, suddenly he was gasping and moaning too. The hard muscles of his back tensed against my fingers; inside me I felt him pulsating as he thrust deep and hard. Then he collapsed, his weight falling on top of me, his head landing on my chest. I giggled and ran my fingers through his hair. After a moment he looked up at me, gasping, then returned my laugh. He rolled carefully off of me, and a moment later he was embracing me again, his arms pulling me to his chest. I rolled so I was facing away from him and wedged my body against his. His hands found my breasts again, and his lips grazed the back of my shoulder, his breath warm on my skin. We were both drenched in sweat, and it felt like a small lake had sprang up between my thighs, but I was grinning, and I suspected he was as well. Neither of us spoke as we lay together; there was nothing to say that our bodies had not already said.

Within minutes his breathing had steadied, his arms around me loosening, and I tried to calm my hammering heart, to relax and enjoy this one night I had with him. I'm certain I was still smiling as I drifted off to sleep, enjoying the faint echoes of pleasure that still swirled about in my body, carrying me easily into my dreams.

***

I was awakened by a shaft of sunlight cutting through the gap in the curtains and settling in my eyes, momentarily blinding me. I squinted against the brightness, then rolled over and flung an arm across my face. The bed I was in was large and soft, I noticed, not what I was accustomed to at all.

Then I remembered where I was, who I was with, and my eyes snapped open.

Sahir was up, dressed in pants and an open white shirt, and was preoccupied with scooping large shovelfuls of what looked like oats into a pail. After several seconds he glanced in my direction, met my eyes and gave me a cheerful grin. "Good morning."

"Morning," I mumbled. "What are you doing?"

"Getting ready to feed the horses," he informed me. "After that, getting ready to feed the humans. We're moving on today, it's going to be a busy one."

"Mmmm," I replied, lying back and stretching my arms. "I guess I have to figure out if I'm..."

I froze as I caught sight of a colourful patch on my bare left arm. My eyes widened, and I found myself looking at the image of a bright, exotic bird that appeared to be inked into my skin. "I...." I whispered. "Where did that...?"

"Do you like them?" Sahir's voice asked. I turned to stare at him. His blue eyes were dancing with amusement, a smile playing on his lips.

I gaped at him for a few long moments. "You... you did this?" My voice was trembling.

His smile widened. "Didn't I tell you that giving yourself over to a magician might have unexpected consequences?" He gestured at the tall mirror that sat in one corner of the wagon. "Come and see."

I threw off the blankets and bolted to the mirror, and stared wordlessly at the reflection of my naked form. My body had become a canvas for a swirling, vibrant work of art. Playful arcs of turquoise and scarlet and rose wound around my arms and legs and breasts, brilliant golden birds adorned my upper thighs, a stream of multicoloured butterflies cut diagonally across my torso.

"Do you want to see your back?" Without waiting for a reply Sahir handed me a small mirror, and I turned and stared some more. My upper back was covered by an intricate tangle of flowers and leaves, bright green and crimson and violet that contrasting sharply with my creamy skin. Several vines snaked off the large mass, making their way down the small of my back and over my buttocks. Suddenly I found myself recalling the intricate patterns that Sahir's hands had drawn on my back only hours before. I turned around and studied the butterflies on my torso, recalling that he had kissed those exact places.

I turned to stare at him. "Last night, when you were touching me... you weren't just giving me a massage, making me relax. You were... making art."

He nodded, seeming satisfied that I'd make the connection. "Do you like it? I can change it if you'd like, or take it away completely."

I gazed at myself for a few more moments before shaking my head vigorously. "It's perfect." I felt a lump rise in my throat. "I don't know how to thank you."

"It was my pleasure. Literally." He winked. "Now, Rosette, you are truly free. You can stay with us if you'd like, but if you choose to go you'll be welcomed in any city as one bearing the marks of a free woman. You can return to the city we took you from, or find your parents, or do whatever you wish."

I nodded slowly, my head spinning at his words.

"Did you enjoy yourself last night?" he asked me.

A lump rose in my throat and I nodded again, enthusiastically. "It was incredible," I whispered. "I had no idea my body could do that. You really are a magician."

He smiled wryly at my response. "I hope you'll reconsider your thoughts about never finding love in light of what you've learned."

I frowned. "Would it be that wonderful with another person, someone that I loved?"

"It might well be better," was his reply.

"Better?" I arched an eyebrow. "I doubt that's possible."

"It is, trust me." His grin faded slightly, but his eyes remained bright, intense. "You see, Rosette, what you experienced with me was pure skill; I've taken the time to learn the art of pleasing a woman. But you and I, we don't know each other. We only met last night. But when you're with someone who has walked through deep waters with you, who has told you their fears and dreams and struggles, and who you have fallen madly in love with, well, that person's hands might well be able to give you far more pleasure than mine can." There was a wistful note to his voice, and I wondered to myself if he spoke from experience. Then he straightened up, smiling again. "So I hope you change your mind about all that." He picked up his pail of oats and turned towards the door of the wagon.

A strange, unexpected question lodged itself in my mind then, and I found myself speaking almost without my own permission. "Sahir?"

He turned and met my eyes again.

"I wonder if... do you think... that the sort of love you're describing could happen here?" I gestured at him, then at myself. "Between us?" I felt heat rising in my cheeks at my own brazenness.

Sahir's smile faltered again; his expression, just for a moment, turned sad and wistful. I thought I saw tears shining in his eyes. Then he blinked a few times and the smile was back, brighter and more genuine than before. His eyes still glinted, but there was something else there too now, something bright and courageous and hopeful. "I think," he finally said, "that we'll only know if we get to know one another better. And that can only happen if you choose to stay with us. So at this point, at least, the answer to that question is entirely up to you."

He gave me a wink and a parting grin, and then he was out the door, leaving me alone in the wagon with only my newfound freedom and a fairly large decision to make.