Doira'Liim (The Beautiful Whisper of the Goddess Saga) (16 page)

     None could match her. Markahn could not settle for another woman when Talliea was who he wanted. He had waited for her since her eighteenth birth year. Five summers he had sought to join with her. Now he had only to wait two seasons and then he would have her. She would be his and would have no other option or recourse unless she wished to be banished from the clan.

     The thought of finally making her body his own thrilled Markahn to no end. Their night time affairs always left him frustrated. Talliea never appeared to become aroused when he touched her and that left him wanting her even more. He had never touched her between her legs, but he was sure if he had she would not have been aroused for him. Any other man of the clan would not have cared, but he did.

     He wanted Talliea to want him as he wanted her. If she was aroused he knew it would make their joining all the more enjoyable for him. The possibility of that not happening angered him deeply. He did not know what else he could do to make her appreciate him. That was why he had given her freedom for her last few months. He held hope that it would make her see reason and end her frivolous pursuits.

     So deep in his thoughts was he that he failed to notice Lao'dahn approaching. "Markahn, Talliea has not returned?" Markahn stopped in front of the shorter man and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "No, I do not expect her back so soon. The night has not yet fallen."

     Lao'dahn looked around before returning his eyes to Markahn's. "Are you certain you did the right thing? She needs to learn her place, not be gallivanting off in such unknown territory. What if she fails to return?"

     "That is no concern of yours," Markahn said in a heated and deep voice. His eyes were dark as he took in the man before him. "Talliea is my responsibility. I claimed her and no man has challenged that claim. Until such a matter occurs, her life is mine and I shall decide how she spends her time. I chose to impart to her what she most desired. She is not equipped to survive in the forest, Lao'dahn. She has not any food or supplies or clothing. When she realizes the security I can provide her, she shall return and all will be well."

     Lao'dahn ducked his eyes and lowered his head in faux deference and acknowledgement. Markahn was his friend but his arrogance was staggering. It would be his downfall. "If you say so," he replied, looking back up. "We have yet to fully explore these woods. It would be easy for her feet to lose their way. She could become lost. I speak only from a desire to help you, my friend."

     Markahn's glower left his face and he visibly began to relax. Placing a hand on his friend's shoulder he said, "I do not believe Talliea shall be gone long. She will likely only tread where she has previously been. Fear not, Lao'dahn, this land is ours. She will fill her spirit with wanderlust and return when she requires our aid."

     Lao'dahn smiled as Markahn patted his shoulder and moved around him. He watched the taller man walk away and shook his head. Soon, very soon, he would challenge Markahn's claim and take Talliea for his own. Five summers he had watched the woman make a fool of Markahn and a mockery of Esuval. No longer. Markahn's gentle approach was too weak! He did not deserve a woman so beautiful! No, Lao'dahn was strong enough to teach Talliea her place. Esuval demanded as much! He would challenge Markahn and when he did, and Talliea was his, he would show her the power of their god. He would use her and her body the way Esuval taught.

     No more would Talliea walk freely among the trees. She would do as he desired. She would lay on her back and spread her legs for him and do as a woman should! Markahn had allowed her nonsense to carry on far too long!

     Taking a deep breath, Lao'dahn attempted to calm himself. It would not do to cause a scene. Not now. He had to bide his time. Esuval was on his side. He would not fail.

             
                                                        * * * * * *

     Talliea looked down at the silvery-blonde hair resting in her lap and smiled. It had been several hours since Arizira had fallen asleep and though her current position was less than comfortable, she was more content than she could ever recall being. The gentle rise and fall of Arizira's chest as she breathed slowly and deeply was somehow endearing to Talliea's spirit. It was innocent and calming.

     Brushing her fingers through the soft, long strands of hair in her lap, Talliea felt something inside of her stir. She could not place what it was or even put a name to what she was feeling, but she knew it was good. Her body desired contact with Arizira's. That much she knew. Every time her fingers brushed against the other woman's skin, her whole body flamed to life and demanded something more. It frightened her. Yet...

     ...it also fascinated her.

     Though she was scared, she was also strangely confident. Whatever she was feeling, she knew it was pure and good and strong. It made her feel alive and sure, as though she were able to accomplish any feat, however harrowing.

     She watched Arizira's eyes move beneath her closed lids. Long lashes rested on her cheeks and beautiful lips twitched as dreams played out before her. A hand rested on Talliea's thigh and occasionally flexed or grasped. Outside, the sun was falling to the west and darkness was beginning to return to the sky. Birds sang while insects chirped and the whole world hung between night and day.

     Pushing Arizira's hair away from her neck, Talliea could not stop her fingers from moving across the warm, soft flesh that was exposed to her. A part of her felt guilty for touching Arizira as she was, but the other part of her greatly desired to explore all of the woman resting against her. Arizira was magical. She was intoxicating. Something about her drove Talliea to be far more bold than she normally would be.

     Arizira continued to sleep while Talliea grazed her fingers along the underside of her chin and down the front of her throat. A near steady beat met her fingers and she smiled and stilled her touch. The rhythm was soothing to her. It was not fast nor was it too slow. The pulse was perfect in some unknown way. Removing her fingers, Talliea allowed her eyes to unabashedly take in every feature and expression line of Arizira's face.

     Her eyes fell on pink lips and lingered there.

     They looked enticing and soft to her. She wondered what it would be like to feel them against her body, against her own lips. Markahn had kissed her before and she had never enjoyed it. The man had always moved his mouth and lips in such a way that she could barely breathe, let alone try to contribute. His tongue had moved inside her mouth and nearly gagged her and she'd wondered what the allure was to such an act.

     Staring down at Arizira, Talliea could not help but wonder if the other woman would be different. Would she kiss her the same way Markahn had? Would she be rough and demanding? She did not think so. Nothing about Arizira seemed rough or demanding to her. Raising her hand again, she slowly brought her fingers to Arizira's mouth but hesitated before touching her.

     The sleeping woman continued to rest without any apparent knowledge of Talliea's actions. Spurred by that fact, Talliea's confidence returned and she lowered her fingers to Arizira's lips. They tentatively smoothed across the lower lip before trialing over the top. Releasing a breath, she felt her body awaken even more with a desire for something deeper. Arizira's lips were soft. They felt good against her fingers. The throbbing from before returned to settle between her thighs and a flush spread up to the base of her skull.

     She wondered if Arizira felt similar sensations around her. She wondered what else she could feel and how she could express what her body seemed to want. Matters were so confusing to her. Her mind did not understand what her body so obviously did. Lost in her desires Talliea continued to run her fingers over Arizira's lips. She guided them along her chin and across her jaw and up to her nose. Her fingers moved nearly against her conscious will. She wanted only to touch more of Arizira.

     When her thumb glided over a moist bottom lip and her hand gently held a warm cheek, Talliea was sure the sound of her own heavy heartbeat would awaken the woman in her lap. She was startled when a hand snapped up and grabbed her wrist, stopping her movements in the process. Blue eyes, alight with a silvery-white fire looked up at her. The air around the two women seemed to be pulled from their shelter and all was quiet.

     Arizira had felt Talliea's fingers on her skin. She had been aware of the other woman keenly observing her. When her hair had been brushed away from her neck and Talliea's fingers had explored the skin there, Arizira had nearly gasped. The curiosity in the touch had been plain to her, but it had also felt good and been welcome. As soon as she'd nearly fallen back to sleep, the touch had vanished only to return a moment later on her lips.

     It had nearly been her undoing. Her breathing had threatened to give her away and her heart had pounded loudly in her ears. A tight knot of anticipation had formed in her lower stomach and Arizira had fought with herself to not close the distance between them and allow Talliea to feel her lips in a different manner.

     Now looking up into dark brown eyes, Arizira was unsure how to remove the tension that had sprang up around them. Talliea's hand was still holding her cheek and her thumb was resting against her lower lip. Dark and unsure eyes stared down at her.

     "Tah-li..." Talliea smiled at hearing her name, the breath she'd been holding being released as she nodded her head shyly. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to wake you."

     Arizira swallowed and glanced down at the thumb that now grazed her chin. Everything in her demanded that she just kiss Talliea. The look in the other woman's eyes told her the advance would most likely be returned, but she still found herself hesitant. Talliea, from what she had gathered, had very little experience with interpersonal relationships. Her people were governed by their men. The likelihood that she had sexual experience, let alone with another woman, was nearly infinitesimal.

     Her advance would still be just that. An advance.

     Talliea was confused. Arizira could see that in her eyes. She was unsure what she was feeling and was probably mistaking gratitude for something more. Arizira could not take advantage of her state no matter how badly she desired to do otherwise. She also could not risk exposing herself to someone so uncertain on who they were and what they wanted. Talliea could be misinterpreting her feelings of friendship. She could be desiring something more from Arizira because their physical contact was something she was unaccustomed to.

     How could Arizira give in to what her heart desired when it was so obvious what her heart wanted was toxic? Nothing good could come from pursuing matters. What Talliea needed was a friend,  someone to listen to her and aid her and help guide her on her path to discover herself. She did not need another person who craved her in a physical sense. She didn't need another person who only viewed her in a one dimensional manner.

     As Arizira's mind raced, her heart began to feel heavier and heavier inside her chest. What she wanted could never be. The thought saddened her. Arnira were not normally so shy about detailing their feelings. When two Arnirans felt an attraction to one another, they spoke of that feeling freely and without concern. If deeper feelings developed, both women thanked Aitla and continued with their lives. The Arnira believed in expressing positive feelings and perpetuating good emotions. The act of bonding with another was both beautiful and desired and thought of as needed for a complete and balanced life. The only thing that was stronger or more sought after was love and the idea of the
Doira'Liim
. Arizira had been attracted to many women in her young life. Not every woman had reciprocated her feelings, but never had interactions become awkward. With Talliea, Arizira did not feel that she could express her growing attraction.

     The other woman was from a completely different world compared to her own. Love and sex, or at least sex, were tools designed to control another person in Talliea's world. Her beliefs and customs were vastly different than Arizira's. How could she express to Talliea her feelings of attraction and possible future love when Talliea had never, to her knowledge, experienced those sensations herself? Would Talliea be repulsed to have a woman desiring her in a physical sense? Would she wish to leave Arizira's company and return to her own people only to join with the man who had claimed her?

     Arizira could not risk so much when uncertainty seemed to be at the end of every trail. She could not be the reason for Talliea's discomfort, and she most certainly could not be responsible for sending her back to her clan. Not when someone had hurt her as they had.

     Suddenly, Arizira was too close to Talliea. Matters were too difficult. Sitting up, she gently pushed the other woman's hand away and moved out of her space. "Did I do something wrong?" Talliea asked, stretching out her muscles and rolling her shoulders while her eyes stared at Arizira's back.

     Arizira busied herself by packing up her supplies and securing her weapons. Her hands shook slightly as she tried to maintain her composure, and her heart could barely keep its own beat inside her chest. "No, you have done nothing wrong. My eyes needed to see the world again. I wished to leave earlier so you would not be alone for long. As it is now, I shall have to depart immediately. "

     As she spoke, she kept her back to Talliea and continued to gather her belongings. The sun was an orange and red disk far to the west and its light created a dim haze over the landscape. A gentle breeze brushed past the trees just along the overhang of rock above her, and Arizira cursed Salira for her playfulness. Securing her bow and quiver to her back and ensuring that her sabres were tight at her sides, she finally turned back around.