More couples had joined the first few, and now there were heaving bodies in nearly every direction, some lit by the fires for all to see, and others farther back in the shadows where they were just dark silhouettes. She hadknownthat this was the way Beltane was celebrated in the distant past, but to see it first hand was still a bit of a shock.
Meara looked upon it all with a peaceful smile. “Tonight they worship the goddess with their bodies. Male and female coming together to make one spirit.”
“And any children conceived will be especially blessed by the gods”, Nessa said, almost to herself.
“Aye. You do know something of our ways.”
Domech had come up silently behind them. He was obviously in a jovial humor as he put an arm around Meara’s shoulders, giving her an affectionate squeeze.
“The women are the keepers of the spirits and the rites. It is true that men are more concerned with fighting and things more brutal. Without women, I fear we would become no more than animals…wild beasts in the forest with no home or hearth.”
“I can certainly believe that”, Nessa mumbled. There had been quite a few men in her hometown that had barely qualified as civilized. And they tended to be single, though whether their beastly character was because they lacked the influence of a woman, or because no woman would have them, she couldn’t say. Some even took what they wanted, with no regard for anything or anyone. But did women here truly not have to worry about rape? It had been in the back of her mind, that Bridei might exert his power over her in that way, even though he had implied he was above such things.
“So women here are safe…from men, I mean. There is no rape?”
Domech shrugged. “Our people believe in the sanctity of a woman, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t men among us who have no honor, who will take what they desire at any cost, even knowing the cost might be death, should they be caught. And, by the way, if a woman commits a crime, her punishment will be the same as any man.” He gave her a meaningful look.
Nessa opened her mouth to once again declare her innocence, but the sudden staccato beating of drums and a commotion around the largest fire drew all of their attention. Domech slapped them both lightly on the shoulder. “Ah, the ceremonies are about to begin. Come.”
Meara took her hand, leading her closer to where a crowd was beginning to gather. Domech disappeared into the flickering light and she soon lost sight of him. For one crazy moment she considered trying to break free and make a run for it, but quickly dismissed the idea. Angus was still missing, and she might never find him on her own. It was best to wait until Bridei’s men tracked him down before she tried to get away. A failed attempt would only end with her tied to a post again, or much worse. Earning everyone’s trust was her best bet. The more freedom she was allowed, the more chances she would have to escape.
So she followed just behind Meara, in a wake of the scent of herbs and spices that wafted off her clothing, to a long row of fires glowing like small suns in the darkness. She counted a total of ten. Already a group of men stood on a small hill above them, and they were chanting rhythmically in that old language of the priests that she now recognized, but didn’t understand. The sound of their voices seemed to reach inside her body, touching every part of her.
Soon, a group of women filed out of the crowd, each carrying a burning torch. They were topless, but wore long, flowing skirts. Their bare skin glowed in the firelight, and their breasts were painted with beautiful, intricate designs. Nessa watched in awe as they began to dance with their torches, moving in and out and around the fires as the men continued to chant. Their skirts billowed around them as they twirled, and she worried that the fabric might catch fire if they got too close to the flames.
Next, a group of ancient looking women came forward, some walking with wooden canes, others bent at the waist as if the burden of life had finally grown too heavy. Each of them stood next to one of the fires, and as the men chanted and the girls danced, the old women threw something into the flames that made the fires jump up and roar for a moment, sending sparks flying up to the sky, and a cheer rising from the crowd. She didn’t know what it all meant, exactly, but Nessa had the vague idea from her readings that this was a ceremony of re-birth, and the passing of the mantle of life from old to young. It was a moment of pure joy and belonging for everyone around her, and Nessa suddenly felt small and alone. A part of her wanted to belong too; to be a part of the magic and closeness and community that was so alive here.
Modern-day humans crave this, without ever knowing, she thought. The best-selling books, the blockbuster movies: Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter. Magic. Legend and ritual. The human soul remembered something so ancient, so powerful, that it hungered to worship it, to claim a place within it. Maybe it was our origins in some dark and mystical place and time, or maybe a long-lost connection to a god that is Nature itself.
What must it be like to live so close to the Earth, and to know that you are a part of it? Of the circle of life? To really understand that you are at its mercy? No one remembered that anymore. Humanity had been fooled into thinking there was nothing stronger or smarter than themselves, that the world would go on forever, with them in it. They were wrong. Here, in this moment, despite all of her troubles, Nessa finally knew what it would be to belong to the world around her, with all of its joys and mysteries. She knew now why she loved so much to have her bare feet on the Earth and her hands in the soil, bringing forth life. If the circumstances had been different, she realized that she could have been quite happy to live here among these people. Something about this place and time spoke to a part of her soul that she hadn’t been conscious of, before. The most ancient, primitive parts of her wanted to dance around those fires with the other women, with the same joy and wild abandon. A single tear, born of some emotion she couldn’t quite name, rolled down her cheek.
From his seat on the hill above the crowd, Bridei watched the ceremonies. When the fires flared, he tilted his head back and relished the heat on his skin. Fire was life. Fire was power. It was a gift from the gods, and one they were forever grateful for. From above the crowd, he could also watch his captive carefully, though she would be a fool to run. He had people all around her, guarding her, though she would not have known it. They blended in perfectly with everyone else, just as he had commanded.
No, he watched her for another reason, one he was loath to admit, even to himself. He couldn’tnotwatch her. His eyes were drawn to the long lines of her body, and the glow of her skin in the firelight. The loose tunic she wore hid most of her womanly curves, but he knew they were there. He’d seen them clearly when she’d first arrived, wet and with the fabric of her strange clothing clinging to her. His eyes kept finding her in the crowd again and again, as if she was the one thing he must look for. He told himself it was because she was a mystery, and a possible danger to his people, but even his cock knew that was a lie. It seemed to have developed a mind of its own of late.
Lair returned breathless from her dancing and draped herself over his shoulder, her hands trailing seductively down the taught muscles of his chest. He let her. After all, she suited his needs well, with her lush curves and self-proclaimed disinterest in ever being wed. That didn’t mean she didn’t want to have him to herself…he knew she did.
She dipped her hand lower, drawing teasing fingers over his cock through the thin fabric of his pants. “You are ready for me.”
“Aye, it would seem that I am.”Not for you, but for another.
Without waiting for permission as she should have, the brazen woman freed his cock and climbed onto his lap, pulling up her tunic and sinking down onto him with a sigh. As she rocked her hips against him he let his head fall back, though more out of angst than pleasure; this moment felt wrong to him somehow.
“What is wrong, Bridei? You seem quite far away tonight in your thoughts.” She bit gently at his neck and drew her fingernails down his chest, grazing his nipples; things that she knew usually drove him wild.
“I’m tired tonight, Lair, that’s all. And my head is full of my responsibilities. I’ve been hard at work reigning in the northern tribes for more than ten years now, and there is still more work to be done. So much battle takes its toll.”
“Aye, you need to rest. Let me take care of you. Relax.”
Her fingers worked his shoulders as she continued to ride him, but the muscles only seemed to grow tighter under her touch. Still, his body could not help but respond to the sex, and as he grew closer to his peak, his own hips began to move, instinctively seeking release.
“That’s it my King, come for me”, Lair crooned to him. “Take your pleasure from my body.”
He did. He felt his seed rising, his loins tensing, and the wave of pleasure beginning at the base of his spine and spreading out in waves. He came, groaning and digging his fingers into the soft flesh of her hips until at last the pleasure passed. Usually he enjoyed sex with great fervor, but tonight it felt hollow, and he found himself wondering once more if Domech was right. Maybe sexwasbetter with love. Wouldn’t the Earth Goddess make it so? She who valued a fertile bond of body and soul between man and woman above all else? He wondered if he would ever know the difference.
Thenext morning, Nessa awoke and sat up as far as the ropes would allow, only to feel a familiar trickle of dampness against her thigh. She drew in a horrified breath. Great.Just great. Why couldn’t she have had her period a week ago? She pressed her legs together tighter, mortification already causing her cheeks to heat. She knew she had to get someone’s attention before the situation got any worse.
“Hello? Is anyone there?”
