Through the Gate of the Gods Ch. 02

She smiled warmly at the girls. "You were all Chosen because the gods knew you would grow up to be beautiful, obedient, loving, and sensual."

"Just what them lonely, horny buggers need," old mother added with a soft cackle.

"For the last ten years," Mist said, chuckling, "you've all been taught how to behave in public. Like demure little ladies..."

"And now you're gonna learn how to be good little sluts," the elderly woman interjected.

"Old mother!" Mist grumbled over the sounds of the girls gasping and whimpering.

"Oh pish, you know how it works. Once they get a taste they'll yearn for it."

Those white eyes focused on Orchid, shivering on the couch. "Isn't that right, girl?" she demanded.

Orchid bit her lip, but ten years of being told to never lie overcame her shyness. Blushing, biting her bottom lip, she slowly nodded.

"Heh," the old mother chuckled. "Just you wait!"

XXXXXXXXXX

The girls were practically bursting with questions, but Mist changed the subject completely. She started lecturing about the gods.

"You don't know this, but before Ardell (Chulda) came to rescue Mulvadora, he was considered a pretty inconsequential god."

There were open mouths and expressions of indignation, which she mostly ignored.

"He's a rather young god, and up to that point hadn't done anything of note. He didn't even have any true followers among the lesser gods."

The old lady's head drooped. She seemed to be napping.

"Gods are only as powerful as their worshippers. Your devotion is their food and drink. There are many gods, hundreds, thousands-who knows? All immortal, all competing for a limited number of worshippers."

She paused for a moment, as if collecting her thoughts. "When Ardell (Chulda) went to Mulvadora, he was taking an enormous risk. If he had failed-if the people of your city hadn't embraced him...he never would have recovered."

"Lady Mist?" Lily asked softly.

The woman in yellow smiled, and the old mother snorted with amusement.

"Just Mist is fine dear."

"Oh, ok," Lily said, regrouping. "Mist? Would he have died?"

Orchid felt her eyes widen. That thought was so terrifying she could barely process it.

But Mist shook her head. "No, Ardell is (Chulda) immortal. But he might never have gotten the opportunity to leave any kind of mark on the Universe. He would have been forgotten, and meaningless."

She smiled sadly. "A fate far worse than death, for a god."

"Luckily, Mulvadora was a massive success. The great god was able to use the the power he received from his worshippers to first, recruit followers from the lesser gods, and second, build this city and fill it with his servants."

"There will be around three hundred men interested in your service. Eventually, one will take you for a wife. Sometimes it happens very quickly, sometimes it takes a while, but all of you will be happily married by the end of the year."

Orchid's stomach was churning. She'd never even thought about these things, always assuming she would be sacrificed and in Heaven by now.

"Mist?" came a soft query.

"Yes, Gem?"

"Will...will the men just choose whoever they want? And take us away like...like...buying furniture?"

Mist smiled patiently at the shivering girl. "No, dear one. When the man who is meant to be your husband finds you, you will both know."

Orchid was speaking before she even realized she had a question.

"How will they find us? Will they come here?"

"No Orchid," the woman answered.

"They will come to see you dance."

XXXXXXXXXX

Once again, the questions the girls didn't get a chance to ask questions, for the old mother coughed and stirred and started to struggle to her feet.

Mist reached for her arm, but the woman shook her off. "Leave me be, girl," she grumbled, leaning heavily on her cane to leverage herself upright.

Thump-thump-thump her cane went on the floor as she moved ponderously to the far left of the room, where Ornament was sitting on the end of a couch. Orchid thought for the first time the woman truly seemed old.

"Stand up, girl," she muttered, frowning. Ornament rose, blushing, her tiny body shivering noticeably under her gown.

The old mother seemed satisfied. "So cute, so shy, so adorable," she told the girl. "There are men you will drive crazy."

She motioned the girl to lean down, and whispered something in her ear. Ornament blushed even deeper as she sat down.

A couple more thumps and she was standing in front of Heather, who stood obediently without being asked.

"So calm, so unruffled. Some will be eager to break through your ice to find the fire beneath."

Again, she had the girl bend down so she could whisper something, and Heather blinked in surprise as she returned to the couch.

Down the line the old mother went, slowly, with a comment for each girl, then a whisper that made most of them blush, squeak, or even clap a hand over their mouth to stifle a laugh.

She told Lily, "some men find intelligence to be as erotic as anything."

She told Thistle "when they start to tease, stand your ground and give it right back."

She told Flower "a happy girl makes a wonderful partner."

She told Magenta "don't let anyone tame you. Stay sassy."

To Breath, she said "so caring, so tender, so thoughtful. It may take a while, but the man who gets you will be very fortunate."

Then it was Orchid's turn. By now, the old woman's eyes were sparkling, and a small smile played on her lips.

"So much passion, just waiting to be unleashed."

Her fingers wiggled, and Orchid leaned her ear close to the woman's mouth.

"Fuck like an animal, dear. Hold nothing back."

Orchid's face was hot as she sat, the whispered words bouncing around in her brain.

Midnight stood, and the old mother made a sound that might have been an attempt to whistle.

"Best tits in the bunch. They'll line up to watch you."

The girl was already blushing when the woman continued with her whisper.

To Gem, she said "so beautiful. An absolute pearl.

She made Wisteria turn sideways, and gave her a pat on the bottom. "The gods blessed you with this big ass. Use it."

Heart was last. The old mother touched her cheek gently.

"A creative lover is an excellent lover," she told the girl, and whatever she whispered made Heart grin.

Finished with her pronouncements, the old lady seemed to sag. She shuffled around and looked at Mist.

"Enough," she said quietly. "I'm tired."

The younger woman hurried to gently grab her free arm and began helping her from the room.

"You have the rest of the day to yourselves," she told the girls without looking back. "We'll see you in the morning."

XXXXXXXXXX

For a while, the girls barely speak. They're all trying to process the things old mother said, but they don't have any reference.

They have very little information about sex. They have no real experience with sex. Most have a vague idea of what lovers do together, but that's all.

None of them have seen a naked man.

"She," Magenta begins, her voice oddly tentative. "She told me I'd end up with a man that punishes me-and that I'd like it."

She makes a face, clearly thinking this is nonsense.

Thistle giggles. "Even as a wife, you'll have to stand in the corner."

That makes them all laugh, and breaks the tension. They start to talk-sharing hopes and fears like they always have.

Some of the girls share what old mother whispered. None of it makes much sense to them, so it helps to speculate as a group.

Orchid doesn't tell them what she heard in that whisper.

She's kind of glad she's not the only one uncertain about the mechanics of sex. There's a few theories, and Orchid thinks Gem is probably closest to correct.

"We have...like a hole, right? So men must have something that goes in the hole."

Wisteria pouts. "I can't believe she said I'm fat," she complains.

"She didn't say you were fat," Magenta reminds her. "She said you have a big ass. Not quite the same."

Some of the girls giggle, Orchid among them. She can't remember hearing any of the girls say 'ass' before. Back at the School, using a word like that would have meant being forced to stand in the corner for being naughty.

Flower leans over and gives Midnight a pat on the shoulder, but looks at Wisteria.

"Old mother said guys like big breasts, right? So maybe they like big bottoms too."

Wisteria's head jerks a little in surprise, then her expression grows thoughtful.

"Mayyy-be," she finally says, like she's trying to convince herself.

The girls chattered, comfortable with each other, coming to grips with new hopes and dreams they never thought about before because there was never any reason.

One of the black robed, silent servants brought lunch-hunks of coarse bread and a big pot of honey. It's a special treat for Orchid-honey is one of her very favorite things.

XXXXXXXXXX

The old mother mutters, propped up on her bed, not quite lying down.

She's lived far, far longer than her natural life span, and this is part of the cost. She can only be awake and alert for a few hours each day. The rest of the time is spent sleeping, or something close to sleeping, and being recharged.

It is a punishment she brought on herself, a long time ago.

So now she lies, mostly still and quiet, while one of Newlan's youngest servants tries to channel the god's power to keep her frail heart and ancient organs working for a few more hours.

Once, long ago, she was a Chosen called Jewel. Pride brought her down, pride caused her to punished with far too long a life, but it isn't pride that lets her recall she was probably the prettiest girl ever to go through the Gate.

It's honesty.

Before that, she was a lively, cute, sweet if somewhat spoiled little girl named Ishtalia.

It doesn't matter. There's no one alive who remembers her as anything but old mother. Some days, she doubts even the gods remember.

In her hazy, almost sleeping state, she thinks of the new girls. There are some beauties in the group. Gem is breathtaking to look at...little Ornament is adorable...Midnight blessed with an incredible body...but she knows she outshined them all.

The problem is, she knew it then too. She let it go to her head. She was a brat and a tease, leading men on when she had no interest in them, causing heartache for sport. It took her almost the full year's time between coming to Vens and the arrival of the next group of girls to finally choose a husband.

And then she compounded things by picking someone weak, soft, too tender hearted to give her the guidance she needed. She treated him like dirt for half a century.

After he died, it was Ardell himself who came to her. The god was so disappointed.

Even now, so many years later, a tear trickles from beneath a leathery eyelid as she remembers the great god's sadness.

She would live, he told her. She would live, and she would teach the new girls, and she would live some more.

Penance for her failure.

She wouldn't let any of them repeat her mistakes. She humbled them, kept them off balance, used every trick she knew to help them avoid the traps of pride and ego.

The god gave her one gift. She could look at a girl and see everything-all her gifts, all her strengths, all her fears, and all her faults. They could keep no secrets from her.

This was a good group, she knew. Some of them were truly wonderful girls. Breath was so caring and thoughtful it astonished her. That Lily was as smart as any girl that had ever come through the Gate. And Orchid...

Her lips moved in a tiny smile. She had to make sure that one didn't find her husband too quickly.

A gift like that needed to be shared with as many as possible.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mist returned just as the girls were finishing supper-a kind of stew, made mostly with brown rice, and a lot of different kinds of fruit.

The girls gathered on the couchs, and Mist took one of the chairs.

"I know you have questions," she began, "so ask."

They all looked at each other, then Heart spoke up.

"Who are you?"

It made Mist chuckle. "You," she answered simply.

There were a lot of puzzled looks.

"You came through the Gate? You're Chosen?"

Mist touched the end of her nose with the tip of her index finger and nodded at Lily.

"Twenty four years ago, I was sitting right where you are, feeling all the things you're feeling-nervous, excited, scared, anxious, confused-sometimes all at once."

"So you're married?" Wisteria asked.

"Yes. It took me about three months to find a husband. He's a servant of Tottle, and a wonderfully strong, smart, loving man."

"I also have a son," she continued without being asked. "In just a few years, with any luck, he'll be meeting the Chosen and looking for a wife of his own. Of course, I won't be doing this any more."

"Why not?" Gem inquired.

"Conflict of interest. It's very important that couples find each other on their own. It would be too easy for me to try and steer him towards the girl I think is right for him, instead of letting him find the one who is."

There were thoughtful nods, and they heard Feather.

"What about old mother?"

Mist smiled. "She was Chose also-a few years before me."

The girl's giggles reminded Mist of something important. They might be twenty years old by the calendar, but in many ways they were still children. They had been sheltered, pampered, and protected. As a result, they were absurdly naive. It was part of their charm, but could also be a huge shortcoming.

They would be skittish as colts. The key was to turn everything into an adventure. In the days to come, she would use that word often.

"She was amazingly beautiful. They wrote songs and poems about her. But she wasn't very humble, and she wasn't very nice."

"Is she married too?"

"She was. Her husband is long dead."

The questions stopped after that, and Mist eventually lifted a big bag onto her lap.

"Girls, I have something for each of you."

She reached into the bag and pulled out a colorful little bundle.

"Lily," she said, and the girl stood to take it from her, her eyes glittering with excitement.

Soon, each girl had a bundle.

"Go ahead," Mist said, and the girls unwrapped their prizes eagerly.

"One of the things you have to get used to is different clothes. Less clothes, to be precise. This is step one."

Orchid held up the contents of her package. There was a pair of pants, bright green, and a tiny scrap of black cloth.

She looked at the other girls. All of them had been given pants in a blindingly bright color-orange, purple, sky blue-and that other-headband? she guessed.

"Who wants to be first?"

The girls all looked at Mist, fidgeting. After a moment, Orchid's curiosity helped her be brave.

"I will," she announced, standing up.

Mist gave her a warm smile. "Excellent!"

She led Orchid a few steps away from the couch, turning her so she faced away from the rest of the group, and stood behind her, partially blocking the view of the other girls.

"Take off your gown and put the slacks on first."

Orchid gulped, suddenly feeling very nervous. Yes, she'd been naked in front of her Sisters more times than she could count-they used to shower together almost every day-but this felt very different.

She took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and slipped out of the white gown, glad that the older woman's body was giving her a tiny bit of concealment.

She had to wiggle into the pants. Unlike the outfits she had worn at the School, these fit very snugly, clinging to her thighs and squeezing around her waist and bottom.

"Ok, here's how the top works."

Orchid's eyes grew even wider as Mist took the little black cloth and started to wrap it around her torso. That tiny thing was a top?

Mist unfolded it so the widest part was in the front, set it on top of Orchid's full breasts, and brought the thinner end around under her arms. She tied a quick knot between the girl's shoulder blades.

Then she put her hands on the girl's bare shoulders, turning her to face the others.

Orchid blushed deeply. The tiny top hung free, barely covering her nipples, and flapped a little every time she moved. She wanted to grab it with both hands and hold it in place.

Mist took a step back and smiled. "Beautiful!"

The rest of the girls snuck furtive glances at their Sister, amazed, stunned and scandalized. The shyer girls were trembling at the thought of wearing something so revealing.

Mist clapped her hands sharply. "Come, come, who's next?"

One by one, the girls stood up and changed into the new clothes. Soon, she had them all standing in a row, a huge grin on her face.

"Each of you is a sexy vision!" she proclaimed.

She stood in front of Ornament, who looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"How do you feel, dressed like this?"

The girl could barely talk. "Em-embarrassed," she squeaked.

Mist touched her hair gently. "Don't be, sweet one. You are a beautiful, desirable young lady. Never be embarrassed about it."

Ornament gamely tried to smile. The older woman leaned close.

"New things are always scary," she whispered. "Be brave and adventurous."

Orchid looked around the room, at her Sisters, and was struck by two thoughts. First, they were all so pretty! She thought of all the women and girls she had seen during their excursions into the City, back in Mulvadora. She couldn't recall ever seeing anyone as lovely as the girls in this room.

And second, she realized she was too. Ok, maybe Gem and a couple of the other girls had prettier faces-maybe Heather and Flower had longer legs-maybe Midnight had bigger breasts-but not by much. Overall, she felt like she matched up with any of them.

It made her smile. 'A gift I can give to the gods,' she thought.

"One minute," Mist said, and left the chamber. Several of the girls tried to adjust their tiny tops and cover themselves more, but it was futile. Except for the girls like Thistle and Ornament who had small breasts, they were forced to accept showing a lot.

Orchid started to tug hers down a little lower, and to her surprise saw her nipples were erect, denting out the soft fabric. Wearing such a skimpy top was actually thrilling to her!

She bit her lower lip and blushed, hoping none of the other girls noticed. Her eyes went to the floor, not looking at her Sister's faces, or chests, not wanting to know if any of them felt the same way.

It took a lot longer than a minute, but Mint returned with yet another bag, and handed out more articles of clothing.

"Wear your gowns to sleep," she told them as they held up short pants in the same bright color as the slacks they were already wearing. "Tomorrow, after breakfast and a shower, change back into what you're wearing now, and bring your new shorts."

She smiled warmly at the girls. "And we'll begin to teach you how to go from pretty-to devastating."

*****

This seems like a good place to pause for now. If you made it this far, thank you and don't worry-the good stuff starts soon!