Preamble:Welcome to the Party, or shall we say Festival? A long time ago,
I wrote a different piece titled 'Magical Encounters' starring our own Jane
Urquhart as our hapless heroine, playing off a setting introduced by Uther
(www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Uther_Pendragon/www ). The original story was reposted on
ASSM recently, and it is available on my website (or Janey's) if you are interested.It's been a long time since I have written anything more lengthy to be
published in ASSM. I hate it when life bites into writing time. When Rui
sent out his bid for stories for a party, of sorts, I thought perhaps it was
time to dust off the keyboard, and resurrect a celebration.
This story may not be to everyone's individual tastes. There is plenty of
eroticism, and as such, it may not be suitable for young eyes; nor should
people who are morally opposed to erotic writing (why are you here at
all?) read this. On the other end of the spectrum, I believe that we all are
gifted with an imagination. Thus, if you are looking for graphic
descriptions of slippery body parts performing various feats of fantastical
hydraulics, well, this story also may not be your cup of tea, either. This
story simply doesn't delve into that sort of 'eroticism'. You've been warned.As usual, all rights to this story are retained by the author, Crimson
Dragon. Please don't redistribute this story without express permission
from Crimson Dragon. This isn't meant to discourage honest re-posts, but
rather to discourage those that intend directly or otherwise to obtain profit
from the words presented here. The intent of these musings is not profit in
any way, shape, or form. Period. So, please, if your intent is honest, then
please just drop me a line before assuming that it is fine to redistribute
this. Okay?I welcome correspondence at dcrimson@yahoo.com . Please note that this
isn't an invitation for morons that, for some unknown reason, think that I
want to make-money-fast or particularly want to see Britney Spears nude.
However, as always, honest feedback is greatly appreciated, and welcome.So, if I haven't completely lost everyone by now, let's move on to the
autumn.- Crimson
====================================================
=========== ======= Autumn Equinox [FF, magic]
====================================================
=========== ======= Copyright October 2000 - Crimson Dragon
====================================================Absently, she rubbed at her aching eyes with her knuckles and yawned.
Her fingers ached nearly as much as her eyes; the relentless tapping of the
computer keys muted as she stretched. The glowing hands of the mantle
clock ticked relentlessly into the silence, crying out that the time was
rapidly approaching the witching hour.She sighed. Would the story be ready for the festival? The words stared up
at her from the small luminescent screen as though they were written in a
foreign language. God, she was tired.The hard-drive clattered in time with the ticking clock as she deftly saved
the document and then switched off the power to the computer.Her legs complained as she rose from the desk chair to her bare feet. She
turned off the ambient glow of the side lamp as she passed it, padding
around familiar obstacles in the now darkened room. Trailing her fingers
along the bannister, she climbed the stairs, automatically avoiding the
third stair that insisted on creaking.She checked on the children, hearing their regular and deep breathing,
before quietly entering the master bedroom. Her husband rolled over as he
sensed her presence. She quickly undressed beside the bed in the dark,
dropping her clothes inelegantly onto the floor. Smiling, she slipped nude
between the sheets. Residual warmth from his body suffused her, and she
welcomed his sleepy arms over her as she settled.Downstairs, the mantle clock chimed twelve, and the quiet ticking of the
clock quickly lulled her into a deep sleep.<---***===***--->
It had been a vague dream. She remembered a bright blue light, a sense of
falling, but above all a sense of unrelenting eroticism. She ached slightly
in various parts of her body, especially her nipples and between her legs.
With a start, she realised that she was mildly aroused.Her husband's arm lay easily across her bare chest, his palm lightly
cupping her right breast. His breathing was soft and regular, not his
normal chainsaw rivalling snore. No, it wasn't him that had awakened her.
She glanced around the darkened room, half wondering if an intruder was
rifling her costume jewellery. Moonlight streamed through the closed
curtains, giving the room an ethereal quality.Satisfied that nothing was amiss, she again closed her eyes, ready to drift
back into the netherworld from which she had been rudely yanked.Before she could find dreamland again, her eyes fluttered open. She
pursed her lips, something nagging insistently at her memory.The ticking of the clock downstairs had stopped. Inexplicably, her heart
began to beat a little faster as she lay quietly in the dark. Instinctively, her
fingers touched the hand encircling her breast as though to anchor herself.She nearly screamed at the sudden clatter that filled the bedroom. After
she had calmed her racing heart, she considered waking the man lying
beside her oblivious to the commotion.That sound, it was familiar. A sudden clatter … like … like … Wisconsin.
She began to gently move her husband's hand from her chest, trying
desperately not to wake him. Last time that particular clatter had
awakened her, she hadn't had this problem of disturbing a bed mate. She
had been seventeen, naïve, and determined to love the man of her dreams.
Christ, she'd been foolish back in Wisconsin that summer.As his arm slipped across her left nipple, she sighed. Knowing that
another clatter would be imminent, she resisted the urge to wake the
sleeping man beside her, and swung her bare legs out of bed. She shivered
as the hardwood radiated slivers of cold into her feet. She thought about
grabbing a bathrobe from the ensuite door, but instead tiptoed over to the
window, peering between the sheer curtains. A vague but familiar form
stood on the back lawn, his face upturned towards the window.While she ensured that her nudity remained behind the curtain, her fingers
slipped the hasp free and raised the pane. Immediately, the lacy curtains
fluttered in the cool night air, wrapping themselves around and between
her thighs. Irritation seeped into her as she realised that her nipples had
tightened further with the brush of the night breeze. The sleeping form
beneath the warm sheets turned over and mumbled something incoherent.
She shook her hair, and stuck her head out into the night. She caught her
breath as the sharpness of the air filled her lungs."This isn't Wisconsin, Chet," she whispered fiercely at the stranger below.
"Huh?" a familiar but confused voice floated upwards.
She tried to place the voice; couldn't. She grinned to herself. She knew it
wasn't Chet, but if the idiot was going to wake up the neighbourhood
chucking stones at her window like a teenager, she could at least confuse
him a little."Wisconsin, you idiot. Boston isn't in Wisconsin."
The form below shook his head, confusion radiating from his posture. She
relented."Sandra lives next door," she whispered towards the wayward suitor.
Sandra was her neighbour's daughter, seventeen, a looker, and as foolish
as another certain female in another time and place. She smiled, memories
of a far-off time caressing her. She drew her head back into the bedroom.
Goosebumps adorned her upper arms. Her fingers reached for the window
pane."Janey!" the stranger hissed insistently. The window halted halfway shut.
She licked her lips, her brow furrowing. Janey? She hadn't used that name
in the real world for a hell of a long time. Who ... ?She drew in her breath and stuck her head back out into the night,
shivering. He didn't seem overly perturbed, but a fine ruby light seemed to
shimmer from his indistinct, upturned face."It's nearly time. And who the hell is Sandra?" he whispered up to her now
confused face.The voice. So familiar. The inflection. The roughness. The reddish tinge
to the night."Crimson?"
"Who the hell else would be throwing stones at your window in the dead
of night on the eve of Equinox?"She pretended to consider for a moment. "Chet."
"Who the heck is ... nevermind. Are you ready?"
Janey glanced back at the bed where her husband slumbered on,
peacefully oblivious. Suddenly, she was rather conscious of her nudity."Ready for what?" she asked warily.
"The Equinox Festival," he sighed patiently as though it made some sort of
warped sense. "Do you want me to come up there?"Janey sighed. She vaguely remembered this creature's ability to
circumvent perfectly good walls and doors."Let me at least get dressed. I'll come out." She considered for a moment.
Sometimes it was better to be clear with Dragons. "The hard way," she
added firmly."Sometimes, Janey, you aren't much fun," Crimson whispered back
playfully. "And besides, I doubt if you'll need clothes much ..." He trailed
off.Janey shot the annoying creature a warning glance and then pulled herself
back into the bedroom. Goosebumps now decorated most of her bare
flesh, but she was fully awake. She quickly shut the window, the noise
stirring her husband. He mumbled something quietly, turned over and
continued to sleep. Janey sighed. She wasn't going anywhere with
Crimson. Not this time, not in the middle of the night. Bad things
happened to nice girls when they accepted invitations from Dragons to ...
what was it? ... Equinox Festivals. But unless she relented and wandered
down to talk to him, the idiot would continue to pelt her window with her
garden until either he woke the entire neighbourhood, or her husband.
Damn.Knowing it was a mistake, she quickly pulled her faded blue jeans over
her hips, and a sweatshirt over her head, forgoing underwear. Her vague
memories prompted her. If she remembered last time at all, it wouldn't
much matter what she wore. She was cold, so she pulled some warm socks
out of the bedside stand and pulled them over her bare toes. She leaned
over and kissed her husband on the forehead."I'll see you soon," she whispered.
By habit, she checked in on the kids on her way to the main stairs. They
continued their oblivious slumber. Quietly, she tiptoed down the staircase,
again automatically avoiding the centre of the third stair. Her shoes were
sensibly resting by the front door. She slipped them over her toes. Steeling
herself, she whispered to herself."Whatever he wants, I'm coming back in and going back to bed. Whatever
he wants, I'm coming back in and going back to bed."Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped out into the night.
She repeated her mantra, and knowing it was futile, she turned and locked
the door."You needn't have dressed for me." He was seated casually on the porch
rail.She turned quietly, giving him her best yeah-I'm-going-outside-naked
sarcastic look. "Whatever you want, I'm going back inside and going back
to bed ..." Her voice trailed off uncertainly."Okay." He smiled and shrugged. Damn the smug creature. He hopped
nimbly down from the rail, glancing at his watch. It appeared to be an old
pocket watch, and while she stared, it shimmered into a modern digital
watch, and then back again. She blinked."It's been nearly a year and a half," she observed.
He nodded. "Too long, methinks." He paused, his eyes glued to the
shapeshifting timepiece. "In exactly two minutes, the sun, on the other
side of the world, will cross the ecliptic plane.""Equinox." Janey filled in the obvious. He nodded again. "Is that why you
dragged me out of a nice warm bed in the middle of the night? To wait for
some cosmic event that's happening on the other side of the planet?""Technically, it's early in the morning."
Giving up, Janey nodded and leaned back on the rail that Crimson had
vacated. Strange. She should have been nearly exhausted. Writing all
evening. To bed late. But against all sensibility, she felt refreshed and
bright eyed. She ran her fingers through her tousled hair. Out of the corner
of her eye, she noticed Crimson wave absently at her. Suddenly her hair
felt clean and untangled beneath her fingers. She gasped."So ... what's this about a Festival?" she broke the silence. The quicker that Equinox came and went, the sooner she could return to dreamland.
"Don't you remember last time?" he asked gently. "The Equinox one is
almost better than Solstice," he added, as though that made any more
sense than this whole conversation."Last time?"
"Mercury? Miranda? Mat?"
"Twassel? I know Mat. Sort of, if that's who you mean. But a Festival?
Mercury? The god? The planet? Rising?"Crimson laughed kindly. "This explains a lot." He continued almost to
himself, absently. "She doesn't really remember."Janey flashed the annoying creature one of those famous irritated looks.
"It explains nothing. The Festival ..." she prompted."Oh, you'll find out," he seemed to enjoy being mysterious.
"I'm not going," she reiterated, and turned back towards the front door.
Her key dangled from her fingers."It's time." The creature mumbled some words that sounded like a cross
between Greek and Gregorian chants.An ethereal blue light, which could never have been reflected by the
moon, illuminated the landscape. Janey froze and turned around slowly,
her eyes adjusting to the bright blue light emanating from a portal that had
appeared near the middle of her street. The keys clattered to the porch at
her feet. Vague memories, triggered by the portal, began to seep back into
the forefront of her mind. She turned to Crimson. He merely grinned at
her."So you appeared as a male again." She couldn't think of anything better to
observe."It was interesting last time," he mumbled. Then, as if to prove her wrong,
the Dragon shimmered into a scaly creature, then into a brunette waif,
then settled back into the familiar tall, dark male Crimson with whom she
was more familiar. He looked at her and cocked his head to the side. "You
still don't want to go?"It wasn't the smart thing to do, and if she thought about it for very long,
she'd probably decide to return to her nice, warm, safe bed. But she could
always do that, and thinking only ever landed her in trouble."No Queen bullshit?" she asked. There were still large, gaping holes in her
memories of a year and a half ago, but she remembered some silliness
about a Queen.He simply smiled enigmatically. Janey sighed heavily.
"Who's Miranda? And Mercury?" she asked as she slipped her hand into
the Dragon's and they began to walk together towards the swirling portal."It's a long story. Who's Chet? And why Wisconsin?" he countered.
"It's a long story." She smiled. The portal shone with a cool sapphire light,
ten short centimetres from her nose. Her fingers released the Dragon's
hand. "I shouldn't," she whispered as she purposely stepped forward and
blue light engulfed her.An intense falling sensation overwhelmed her senses.
<---***===***--->
"Dammit. Dammit. Dammit," Janey swore as she hurtled through the air
like a lead eagle, only to land in a less than dignified heap. She could
smell freshly cut grass and her head was lying on something soft and
pliable. Soft, musical laughter echoed into her ear, and she opened her
eyes to be greeted by a strange but somehow familiar view. Realising
where she was, she scrambled into a sitting position."I'm so sorry," she spoke to the girl upon whom she'd landed.
The girl was brunette, probably mid-twenties, still laughing softly through
a huge welcoming grin. And not much else. She was propped up on one
elbow in the grass watching Janey stammer. She made no attempt to cover
herself, but brushed away the fingers of a topless blonde girl lying in the
grass beside her, who pretended to pout. The brunette extended her hand
toward Janey."I'm Sondra. Welcome." Her voice carried the same musical tones as her
laugh."J-Janey." Janey took a deep breath and briefly grasped the offered hand in her own.
Sondra smiled. "I know," she responded with mock seriousness. "Crimson
said that he'd be bringing you. He didn't mention that you'd be literally
dropping in.""That useless, damnable lizard." Janey turned away from the naked girl,
towards the swirling blue portal. It shimmered in the air about a metre and
a half off the ground -- maybe four feet. That damn Dragon had a warped
sense of humour. "When the hell is that idiot going to ..."As if her words had conjured the beast, the Dragon emerged from the
portal in a shimmering of purple, landing nimbly on his feet next to Janey.
The portal swiftly swirled closed as he emerged."What are you doing down there?" he asked innocently.
Janey glared at him, then smiled sweetly while climbing to her feet.
"Meeting Sondra." She turned with a regal wave towards the girls in the
grass. Sondra waved from the ground, gently pushing the blonde away
from her lips."Hey, Crimson," Sondra spoke. "Will Janey be staying?" Crimson
shrugged. A hint of suggestion played across her voice. "Will you be
staying?""Probably not this time, Sondra," he responded gently. Then he mumbled
so that only Janey could hear. "All work and no play makes Crimson a
dull dragon."Janey felt Crimson's hand guide her shoulder away from the girls. As she
turned, it became apparent that she was in an interior courtyard, a
medieval castle surrounding them. Various couples, all in stages of
undress, populated the courtyard. One laughing girl was actually tied to a
tree, a man sitting at her feet reading to her. Other couples lay as Sondra
and her friend were, kissing or exploring in the soft grass. As Janey
glanced over her shoulder, she watched as Sondra winked at her, this time
not resisting the blonde as long fingers trailed over Sondra's skin. Their
lips met again without interference.Feeling slightly embarrassed, Janey turned back towards Crimson.
"Four feet?" she asked indignantly.
"What?"
"Did you have to make the damn door appear four feet off the ground? I
nearly killed myself --and Sondra."The Dragon laughed quietly. "Sondra didn't mind. Trust me."
"I mind. I landed on her."
Crimson tried unsuccessfully to stifle a grin. "Sorry," he mumbled.
"You sound extremely sorry," she replied sarcastically. "Where are we
going, anyway?" They'd exited the courtyard and entered a dimly lit
corridor. Her footsteps echoed as if she were entering a tomb."To see Miranda."
"Who?"
"The girl you had sex with last time you were here."
Janey stopped in the middle of the corridor. After a few steps, Crimson
turned around and faced her."Don't look so shocked. You would've remembered eventually."
"I had ..."
"This place makes you do some different things sometimes. It's good for
you and better, it's safe.""But ..."
Without further thought, Janey stepped to the edge of the hallway, her
hands leaning on the sill of a stone opening that passed as a window.
Without being aware of it, she had climbed up about two stories along the
slightly inclined hall. Her gaze passed over the courtyard, watching
Sondra and her partner, now in more serious exploration, fingers playing
and touching. The other couples, both male-female and female-female,
were all enjoying the sunshine, and each other. Even the girl tied to the
tree seemed to be enjoying herself. Janey licked her lips."I wasn't out there, was I? I mean with this Miranda?"
A masculine laugh behind her turned her head. The voice didn't belong to
Crimson. Janey blushed automatically."No, as far as I know you weren't with Miranda in the courtyard," the
stranger commented as though invited to do so. The voice was vaguely
familiar, but the face didn't ring any bells. Crimson made the introduction."Janey, Mat. Mat, Janey."
"Twassel?"
"Who else? Though I understand that you made a bit of a scene in the
communal showers last time you were here," Mat added thoughtfully.Janey instinctively threw her arms around the author and then released
him. "It's been so long," she added unnecessarily."Methinks you owe me a note," he remarked casually. "Are you coming to
the Festival?"Janey looked over at Crimson, who nodded. "I think so."
"Keep out of the mead. Trust me, it's stronger than last year. Some idiot let
Nick ferment it; he claims he slipped with the yeast.""Mead?"
"Trust me."
Janey nodded thoughtfully.
"Listen, gotta run. Mercury is waiting for me. We have to plan some ...
music. And if I don't stop her, she'll inundate us with sixties all night."Janey gave Mat a quick peck on the cheek and watched as he hurried
down the hall. She turned back to Crimson."I didn't ... I mean … with him …"
He laughed softly. "If you did, I didn't hear about it."
Janey let her breath out slowly. "And I didn't make a fool of myself in the
courtyard? With Miranda?"The Dragon became more solemn. "You didn't make a fool of yourself,
period." He gently guided her back toward the way they had been walking
before he'd shocked her. "Except maybe with the mead."She didn't like the sound of that, but opted to ignore it this time. They
walked on in silence. Janey emerged from her reverie as she bumped into
the Dragon. Crimson had halted unexpectedly in front of a large oak door
adorned with iron handles and hinges."Signal before you do that," Janey whispered. She glanced at the doorway
in front of her. "Where are we?""I think Miranda is in there. At least that's what Mat said earlier."
"You think?"
"Well, all the doors look alike," Crimson mumbled. "Do you want to
change?""Change what?"
Crimson grinned in response. As he raised his hand to wave at her, Janey
wrapped her arms around herself protectively."No. These clothes will be fine."
"But you aren't wearing anything underneath."
She briefly wondered how he knew that, but nothing surprised her
anymore. Maybe Dragons had X-ray vision. She shivered at the thought.
Crimson's hand fell to the side, leaving her in her comfortable jeans and
sweatshirt."Thank you," she said.
Crimson nodded toward the door. "Knock."
"I don't even know her."
"You will."
Janey turned towards the door, and then back towards Crimson. A puff of
smoke stood where the tall man had been only a second previously. She
began to curse softly. She considered wandering away, or calling out for
the beast, but in the end turned in resignation back to the oak. "Open,
sesame," she whispered. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she
reached forward and rapped once on the door.A muffled, sleepy voice called out from within.
"Who is it?"
Janey cleared her throat and spoke towards the doorway, feeling
unbearably foolish."Jane." Then after a moments hesitation, she added, "I think."
She sensed movement from within the room. The door creaked open. A
familiar girl, brunette, barefoot, early twenties, her eyes heavy with sleep,
and dressed in a white satin dressing gown, peered out into the hallway. A
grin grew across her features as she recognised Janey. Without warning,
the girl crossed the threshold, kissing Janey on the cheek, and pressing her
body into Janey."It's been a long time," she whispered in Janey's ear.
The lithe contact, the voice, and the face caused all the memories to flood
back. Janey flushed. They hadn't been in the courtyard -- only overlooked
it. She hugged the girl back."Miranda."
<---***===***--->
Sunlight stroked her cheek. Janey murmured softly as she turned over in
the unfamiliar bed, the sheets caressing her skin. Her eyelids felt heavy,
and a dull ache suffused her entire being, as if she'd had sex for days on
end. Her faded blue jeans hung lazily on a bedpost, her sweatshirt was
discarded on the floor near the oak door. She had no idea where her socks
and shoes had gone.Janey propped herself up on one elbow, not worrying about the sheet that
fell away from her, exposing her. Miranda sat naked, leaning forward in
the overstuffed chair, her elbows resting on the windowsill. The satin
gown, which had fallen from Miranda's body almost as soon as the door
had snicked shut, still lay crumpled like a dove roosting on marble.
Phantom fingers danced over Janey's bare skin, exploring, tickling. She
fought the resulting tingles.Janey swung her bare feet from beneath the sheet onto the warm marble.
Miranda glanced over at the movement, smiled, but returned to gazing out
beyond the room without saying anything.As Janey approached, her steps became increasingly slower until she
finally stopped behind Miranda. Her fingers reached for the bare shoulders
of the girl, but fell short, returning to brushing her own thighs."What's the matter?" Miranda asked quietly. Her eyes didn't leave the
window and the view beyond.Janey inhaled deeply, feeling the clean air fill her lungs. It smelled a little
like Wisconsin, and her heart skipped a beat. Instead of answering the
seated girl, she, at last, allowed her fingers to find the silky skin of
Miranda's shoulders. She stroked quietly for a moment, then rested her
chin in Miranda's hair, following Miranda's gaze out into the courtyard.The girl who had previously been tied to the tree was now lying spent on
the grass, her blonde hair fanned out like that of an angel. Her cheeks
were flushed, and her chest rose and fell in a satisfied gallop. The man lay
with his head in the crook of her arm, looking decidedly tired, his book,
long forgotten, lying at the base of the tree.Sondra and her partner were nowhere to be seen, though many other
couples were still exploring but in a slow sensual manner, almost as
though anticipating something larger, biding their time. Nobody appeared
to be actively engaged in intercourse as the two girls watched from above.
Nobody glanced upwards to regard the girls framed nude in the window."You missed them," Miranda commented lazily, her eyes tracking the
exhausted girl and man near the tree.Janey shrugged, still aching a little from the intimate games she and
Miranda had shared earlier. Voyeurism could be fun, but at the moment
she wasn't particularly aroused. She lightly kissed Miranda's hair and
padded back to the bed. As she sat down, she felt Miranda's eyes on her.
She resisted the futile urge to cover herself; Miranda had long ago seen all
there was to see.Miranda had leaned back in the overstuffed chair, her arms crossed
carelessly under her bare breasts. Her legs were also crossed, her left toes
swinging idly through the air."It's real, but it's not, you know ..." she spoke quietly.
Janey looked up in confusion.
"This place," Miranda continued. "It's real, but ..."
Janey finished her thought for her. "There's magic."
Miranda merely nodded, her locks brushing her bare shoulders. She
brushed a stray cluster of hair back behind her ear.Janey swallowed as Miranda rose fluidly, like a cat, from the chair.
Miranda knelt in front of Janey, her forearms resting easily on Janey's bare thighs. Janey trembled at the contact. "Enjoy yourself," she whispered. "Or else Crimson brought you here for nothing.""Speaking of that lizard ..." Janey feigned anger, but couldn't hold it. She
glanced towards the locked door as if expecting the infernal creature to
mosey carelessly through it.Miranda smiled. "He dropped by while you were sleeping."
Janey unconsciously covered her breasts with her hands. Miranda laughed
softly. "To begin with, he's seen you naked, if you remember correctly. For
all I know, maybe you've even slept with him." Janey didn't remember
Crimson ever seeing her naked, and certainly would have remembered
anything more intimate, but she didn't exactly trust her memory either. She
nodded, pretending to know, but being as non-committal as she dared.
"Second, you were under the covers, and, lastly, I didn't let him in,"
Miranda continued with a smile. She reached up and gently touched
Janey's fingers. "He was just checking up on you, anyway. I told him that I
was taking care of you. Can't have you shacking up with just anyone, can
we? Have to pace yourself."Janey blushed, but slowly lowered her hands.
"And besides," Miranda grinned, "Mercury will be coming in a while."
She placed her finger against Janey's lips before she could protest or
present any other questions.Abandoning the last vestige of the world on the other side of the portal,
Janey lost herself in sensation. Miranda gently pushed her back onto the
bedsheets, while Janey savoured the soft skin brushing against her own as
Miranda followed."There's magic here," Miranda whispered as their lips touched again.
<---***===***--->
A soft knocking woke Janey with a start. Disoriented, she opened her eyes
and calmed her initial panic. She held her breath for a moment, and then
let it out slowly between pressed lips. The knock repeated, grounding
Janey in the castle room. Janey glanced back towards the chair at the
window, half-expecting Miranda to be sitting there, dressed in her white
gown, and reading Shakespeare. When the chair turned out to be empty,
she slowly realised that the soft weight across her chest was Miranda's
right arm draped easily below her breasts. Miranda's breath flowed
regularly, sleep having finally overtaken her. Soft, late afternoon sunlight
had replaced the brightness from earlier. She wasn't wearing a watch, but
Janey guessed the time should be about 5:30 PM, judging by the light.Janey was tempted to call out, turn away the visitor, but that would surely
awaken the brunette sleeping peacefully beside her. Instead, she carefully
moved Miranda's arm and then slipped from the bed. The air had cooled
noticeably since they had begun the afternoon tryst. She shivered slightly
as her bare feet connected with the cool marble.As she approached the oaken door, she heard a slight sigh from the other
side of the door, and another half-hearted tap."If that's Crimson, you can stop knocking and come back later," Janey
whispered, hoping that her voice wouldn't awaken the sleeping girl in the
bed, but yet would penetrate the heavy door.A quiet feminine voice replied from the hallway.
"Crimson? What would he …?"
Janey stepped back from the wood of the door and nearly slid the latch
back. Abruptly, she realised that she hadn't a stitch on, and though she
doubted that her nudity would shock anyone here, she didn't think it
appropriate to answer the door in that condition. A glance over her
shoulder revealed that Miranda had kicked off the bedsheet."Just a second," Janey whispered with half irritation.
She considered pulling her jeans and sweatshirt back on, but decided
against it; it would be far too much trouble. She padded over to the bed,
covered Miranda, then returned to the door. She bent, picked up the
discarded white gown and slipped it over her shoulders, quickly knotting
the sheer belt. It was small on her, but she didn't intend to be wearing it
very long. She slipped the bolt free on the door, cringing at the screech.She peered around the edge of the door. A woman in a white tunic stood
with her back to the door. Her blonde hair hung halfway down her back in
straight braids. As the door creaked open, she turned to face Janey, an
apologetic look upon her fair features."I woke you. I'm sorry," she murmured.
Janey nodded, her harsh words dying on her lips. "Miranda's still
sleeping," Janey whispered. The girl looked vaguely familiar. Tired of
half-recognising people, Janey sighed quietly."I'll come back later," the girl said, and turned away from the doorway.
"Go back to sleep."Janey fought with her memory, a partial view of a party, this girl dancing
wildly onstage to a distinctive sixties beat. The image vanished before she
could focus on it. She shook her head. Miranda's last mysterious words
prior to distraction echoed through her mind. 'Mercury will be coming
soon.'"Mercury?"
The tunic-bearing woman turned and merely smiled. Janey pursed her lips,
glancing up and down the corridor. Opening the doorway wide enough,
Janey slipped through. She eased the door closed behind her. The hinges
complained, but she was almost sure that Miranda wasn't disturbed."That thing is Miranda's, isn't it?" Mercury spoke quietly, her eyes on the
ill-fitting dressing gown that Janey wore.Janey flushed and replied with a non-committal "Mmmh-hmmm."
Noting Janey's flushed cheeks, Mercury laughed gently. "Crimson kind of
told me where you and Miranda were. I already guessed the rest. Nothing
to be ashamed about. Not here.""Crimson? Where is that damn lizard?"
Mercury's eyes glittered for a moment. "Crimson? Well, I think there were
a couple of women, and some rope involved, but really, I didn't see much."
Miranda shifted her weight to her other foot. "He's probably involved in
the planning, right now." She changed the subject, "I don't remember you
being that tall."Janey tried to force the memory of their last meeting back into the
forefront of her consciousness. A dancing girl in a crowd. She shook her
head in frustration and confusion. Mercury, though, didn't appear to
notice.Janey pulled idly at the diaphanous fabric and ran her fingers through her
hair. The magical hair combing had long since vanished amongst tangled
sheets and Miranda's fingers, and her skin needed soap and water.She hesitated a moment before asking, "Is there a shower around here?"
Mercury grinned at some inner memory. "Sounds like a great idea. I need
one, too, before the Festival.""I sort of meant, a shower I can use alone," Janey winced knowing how it
sounded. Mercury, though, didn't appear fazed.She took Janey's fingers and gently began to guide her down the hallway.
Janey pulled her fingers back after a few steps, causing Mercury to turn
again."What?" Mercury asked.
"I. I can't go like this," Janey turned back towards the room.
"Like what?"
Janey pulled on the satin encasing her nudity, careful that the ill-fitting
garment didn't open. Mercury laughed again, her smile infectious."First of all, you aren't planning on showering with it, are you?" Janey
shook her head slowly. "Secondly, if you go back in there, you might wake
up Miranda, and believe me, she needs her rest." Janey nodded reluctantly,
but as Mercury opened her mouth to continue, Janey quickly interrupted
her."People will be staring at me. Even you noticed that it wasn't mine."
Mercury appeared to mull this over for a moment, then lifted her eyes to
capture Janey's. She nodded."I think you might be right."
At this, Janey turned to press her fingers against the door to the room. As
she turned away from Mercury, a flying soft object landed gently on her
head, draping over her shoulder. She stifled a scream, turning quickly
back towards Mercury. Before she could utter anything, her jaw dropped.
The girl was standing in the middle of the hallway, wearing nothing but
her smile. Janey reached back and plucked the white tunic from her head,
holding it loosely at her side.Mercury grinned. "And now they won't even notice the gown. Fair
enough?"The tunic dropped to the stone of the hallway from Janey's loose fingers.
"You … you don't have to do that," Janey managed.Mercury shrugged. "You really aren't used to this place, yet, are you? I'm
always like this. Relax. Come have a shower." Mercury again slipped her
fingers into Janey's and pulled her effectively towards the end of the
corridor. Janey stumbled once, but managed to stay upright.They passed a number of people in various states of undress; all waved
and greeted them. True to her word, Mercury seemed to be the focus of
attention. Not one person commented on the satin garment.<---***===***--->
"May I take your gown, Miss?"
Janey turned as they entered the lobby of the communal showers. She
hesitated for a moment, but after a soft touch of support from Mercury,
she slipped the garment from her shoulders and handed it to the younger
female attendant. She idly wondered how she would claim it later.As if to answer her unasked question, the attendant continued with a
smile, "And for whom are we holding this?"Mercury leaned forward onto the desk, with a smile playing about her lips.
"For Crimson."
The girl behind the desk looked at Janey, frowned thoughtfully, then
looked back at Mercury for a moment. "That's not Crimson, is it?" she
whispered. She looked more closely at Janey, making Janey flush all the
way to her toes.Mercury laughed while Janey stammered out a stiff denial.
The attendant grinned, apologised half-heartedly, but picked up a pen in
her left hand and wrote down "Crimson Dragon" in block letters on a slip
of paper."Have a nice shower, and watch out, it's pretty steamy in there this
afternoon," the attendant commented over her shoulder as she turned
towards what Janey presumed was the equivalent of a cloakroom.The sound of falling water, intermixed with low sighs, filled Janey's ears
as she and Mercury stepped through the entrance doorway. Steam swirled
through the humid air. Mercury's fingers gently closed around Janey's as
they moved quickly through the huge room."Are there, uh, guys in here?" Janey whispered to Mercury as they settled
beneath adjoining sprays of very warm water. Mercury sighed as the water
began to sluice over her skin, then laughed."Of course, why wouldn't there be? I think I heard one of the beasts over
to the left." Mercury waved off vaguely with her left hand.Janey, far more used to conventional facilities, shrugged.
"What about, like, impropriety? Harassment? Improper … uh …
advances?" she asked.Mercury laughed again gently. "Here?"
"It can happen anywhere, but … it's … it's a shower for pity's sake."
Mercury broke from her shower, wandered over, sharing Janey's spray.
She looked up into Janey's face, placed her hands on Janey's wet
shoulders, and stood up on her tiptoes. Without warning, she planted a
soft, wet kiss directly on Janey's lips, her fingers idly brushing at Janey's
nipples, her tongue gently flittering. Janey gasped as Mercury broke the
kiss and stepped back under her own waterfall, with a small dance.Mercury turned towards Janey and grinned. "You mean like that?"
Janey nodded dumbly.
Mercury licked her lips, and uplifted her face into her shower. "And you
were worried about men," Mercury spoke to nobody in particular.<---***===***--->
The soap had smelled like peaches, and the shampoo like strawberries.
Janey could still almost feel Mercury's fingers massaging the soap into her
back and shoulders, could almost feel her own fingers returning the
favour. After that first kiss, Mercury had been nothing but respectfully
playful, merely washing and then rinsing her body. Janey followed suit,
though surreptitiously glancing around trying to determine if anyone was
watching her."Care for a sauna?" Mercury asked.
"Are there guys in there, too?" Janey asked tentatively.
Mercury gave her an odd look, hands on her bare hips, cocking her head
nearly to her shoulder. "Do I really need to kiss you again?"Janey quickly shook her head. "Okay. Okay. I've learned." She held out
her hand. Mercury grabbed the offered hand and began to guide Janey
further into the steam."Watch out," Mercury exclaimed as she jogged to the right. Janey's foot
touched bare skin on the floor, earning her a male sounding "Hey!" from
below the steam."Sorry," she mumbled.
A female voice wafted upwards, "Care to join us?"
"Thanks, no."
She heard a low moan, and quickly abandoned the couple to scamper in
order to catch up with Mercury. Mercury was softly laughing."I told you to watch out. And see, you found a man in here. Horrors."
Janey flashed the girl a sour look, but continued to follow her. Mercury
pointed once on their foray. When Janey followed her direction, she
quickly averted her eyes. A girl was showering off to the right wearing
decorative shiny handcuffs. Janey quickly glanced over at her again,
earning herself a quick wave. The girl didn't seem to mind the attention,
and Janey was tempted to wander over and ask her a few questions, but
upon turning, discovered Mercury disappearing into the ever-present
steam.Janey caught up to her as Mercury opened the wide cedar door, indicating
that Janey should enter first. The steam in the shower felt like minor fog
compared to the heat and steam present in the sauna. Immediately, sweat
beaded on Janey's skin, and her lungs expanded involuntarily. The aroma
transported her to a redwood forest deep in California. She was jolted
back into the sauna by Mercury's guiding fingers gently pushing her
towards the far wall.An invisible female voice greeted Mercury by name as they settled onto
the overly warm cedar bench. Janey relaxed, allowing the moisture to
infuse her muscles and ease her tensions. She closed her eyes. She could
sense Mercury leaning back and relaxing beside her.After a few minutes, Janey felt wet hair draping her shoulder, and soft
fingers stroking idly at her bare thigh. She half-heartedly pushed at the
fingers, but they returned a moment later."Relax," Mercury whispered. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"But …"
"But nothing," Mercury replied playfully. "And besides, she'll probably be
here soon enough."Janey opened her eyes in confusion. Mercury's face floated in the steam
only centimetres from her nose."Who?" Janey asked.
Mercury smiled enigmatically, silencing Janey firmly with another kiss.
<---***===***--->
God, she ached. Her body felt like an amusement park, and she was going
to need another shower, she was sure. Sweat and moisture coated her
entire body. She could still taste the salt from Mercury's slick skin. At the
moment, Mercury was lying easily on her side on the bench, her head
lying peacefully cradled in Janey's lap, while Janey's fingers idly stroked
her wet hair. Janey struggled to calm her breathing into some semblance
of normalcy, and could detect the same war being fought in Mercury. She
flushed thinking of how loud their play must have been echoing though
the sauna."Christ," Janey whispered into the steam.
"Amen," Mercury whispered back.
They lapsed into silence for a few minutes.
The entrance door opened and shut, but neither girl could tell whether
someone had entered the room, or had left it. Someone in the corner threw
more water on the coals and sighed as it hissed out adding to the already
cloudy atmosphere."I thought I'd find you here," a familiar but disembodied voice spoke near
them.Janey looked up, straining to see through the mists.
Mercury shifted herself into a sitting position. Janey could see the smile
permeating her features."Miranda!" she rose from the bench and embraced the naked woman who
had finally emerged from the steam. Janey waved, not sure that she could
actually stand yet."Having fun?" Miranda asked sweetly with a knowing smile.
Janey didn't think it necessary to answer. "I think I'm going to need
another shower.""Amen to that, too," Mercury chimed in.
With a sigh, Janey joined the other two women as they exited the steam.
In contrast, the steam in the showers was a relief from the heat. Janey
slipped herself under the nearest shower and shivered. The water was
warmer than she normally would use, but it felt cool after the steamroom.
She rubbed at her shoulder. Despite her activity over the course of the
afternoon, she felt wonderfully relaxed and unburdened.After rinsing, Janey waited while Miranda showered, lending a helping
hand to wash her back. Mercury disappeared into the steam after letting
her own stream of water sluice over her hair, rinsing away the perspiration
and juices from the sauna.The cool air of the shower lobby raised goosebumps on Janey's bare skin
as she and Miranda emerged from the showers. A naked man was
bantering with the girl behind the counter, apparently trying to retrieve his
clothing. The girl had a bemused expression on her face. The man glanced
at Janey and Miranda briefly as they entered, but returned to his
good-natured insistence that he had indeed left his clothing with the girl.Miranda grabbed two huge towels from a stack beside the garment check
and tossed the green one to Janey. Janey deftly caught the towel and
quickly wrapped it around her body. Miranda merely draped her towel
over her arm, turning towards a side door that Janey hadn't previously
noticed.The doorway opened into what appeared to be a normal women's locker
room, except that down the first aisle a man stood combing his hair."Uh, I think …" she began.
Miranda laughed musically and shook her head. "You must know better
than that by now."Janey swallowed, pulled the towel tighter around her breasts, and
followed Miranda who peeked down each aisle as she passed. Miranda
greeted a number of the occupants by name as she passed. Sven. Celeste.
Celia. Kim. Nick. Malinov. Watcher. Bitbard, er, Sandman. Vicky. Anne.
Rui. Uther.The names all rang familiar in Janey's ear and she too waved greeting to
each as they passed, until they entered the third last row. Mercury stood
about halfway down the row, one bare foot raised onto the centre bench,
talking to a tall, toned man wearing blue jeans. As they approached,
Mercury turned and grinned. She gestured towards the man."You remember See-El, don't you?"
Janey nodded quickly, though her memory remained stubbornly vague.
"He's in charge of security tonight."
"Security?"
"Of the Festival …"
"Oh."
See-el smiled towards Janey, stuck out his hand. She took it for a moment.
His grasp was firm but somehow gentle."I was just heading out," he mumbled. "Got me a spammer influx to take
care of; the idiots think that Festival is open season for nubile Asian
chicks or something. Got some huntin' to do.""Huh?"
See-el simply smiled, accepted a peck on the cheek from Miranda and
Mercury, grasped Janey's hand again, and began to walk towards the
entrance."See you at Festival?" he called over his shoulder.
Miranda and Mercury both called out "Yep," in stereo.
"I guess," murmured Janey.
<---***===***--->
Miranda and Mercury both tossed their towels into the collection bin next
to the counter. Janey held onto her covering until the girl retrieved the
dressing gown. Somehow she'd ended up with a different towel, purple,
than the green she had started with."Crimson, right?" the girl behind the desk enquired sweetly as she passed
the garment to Janey."Crimson?" Miranda looked strangely at the girl. "That isn't … oh. And
that's where it went," she continued as she pointed out the gown. Janey
sighed but passed the gown over to Miranda."Keep it if you want it, I don't mind," Miranda said.
Janey turned toward the attendant. "Can I at least keep the towel? I'll
return it as soon as I get my jeans." She pressed the gown into Miranda's
fingers. Mercury shifted her weight from foot to foot impatiently."Of course," the girl nodded understandingly.
Miranda grinned, turning towards the attendant.
"Can I get my clothes, too?"
The girl nodded, returning to the back. She emerged a moment later with a
neatly folded pair of faded blue jeans and a sweatshirt. She plucked a tag
that read "Janey" from the clothes.Miranda looked at Janey, cracking up at the expression.
"Well," she began between laughs, "the gown was gone when I woke up.
You were, too, I might add. The jeans itch in all the wrong places, and I
was swimming in the sweatshirt. I damn near wandered over here nude."
She glanced meaningfully at Mercury. "Like another certain exhibitionist.
But the clothes smelled like you, so I left 'em on. Had to roll up the legs
and the sleeves, though." She began to slip on the robe, handing the other
clothing to Janey who quickly donned them, tossing the purple towel to
join the others in the bin.Miranda slipped her hands into Janey's and Mercury's, tugging them both
towards the exit.She turned to look over at the attendant.
"I'll be back tomorrow, if I'm awake," she called over her shoulder.
"Have fun tonight," the girl replied wistfully.
<---***===***--->
The room was far cooler than when she left it, but her skin glowed with
vitality after the shower. Miranda, or some other person, had supplied a
light plate of fruit and bread on the bed."Ah, I'm famished," Mercury cried as she entered the room. Not bothering
with her tunic, the girl attacked the plate. Miranda, more sedately, plucked
some grapes from the platter and popped one into her mouth, chewing
thoughtfully. She offered a grape to Janey, insisting on pushing it between
her lips without assistance from Janey. Janey accepted the grape; wine
exploded into her mouth.Janey collapsed into the chair, while Miranda settled onto the bed beside
Mercury."The appetiser before the feast, I suppose," Miranda commented between
bites. Miranda tossed Janey a fresh roll. The bread steamed in her hand.Janey glanced out the window only to see darkness. She could hear some
giggling below the window somewhere, but the sun had abandoned the
landscape, and the moon had not yet replaced it."Crimson will be by soon." Miranda commented. "You ought to get
dressed," she directed the comment to Mercury."Why?"
Miranda inhaled deeply. "Because it makes Janey uncomfortable if you
wander around nude. And Crimson will be here any minute."Janey interjected, "I'm getting used to it."
Mercury nodded. "I'll dress before we leave. And Crimson has seen me
naked before. Hell, last time Janey was here …" her voice trailed off.Janey settled back into the chair. She could see one of her running shoes
poking out from beneath the corner of the bed. At least she wouldn't have
to go barefoot wherever they were heading. As she rose to gather them,
there was a firm knock on the door."Come on in," Miranda called.
And suddenly the Dragon was in the room, the door remaining
undisturbed. Janey gasped at the entrance. Miranda laughed quietly. Janey
could have sworn she heard a light "Magic," from Miranda's direction."Er, Crimson, you've got some, ah, lipstick …"
Crimson grinned sheepishly and touched his cheek where the red mark
formed nearly a perfect 'O'. The mark disappeared without rubbing."Where?" he asked innocently.
"Nevermind, you lummox."
"Having fun?" he asked Janey. "Did these girls take care of you?"
Janey flushed, but managed to keep her voice steady. "Many times."
"I hope you aren't too tired."
She shook her head slightly. Her hair still hung damply from her scalp.
"It's almost time. The moon will be rising in an hour or so."
"Moon?"
"The big, shiny round thing in the sky, comes up after the sun goes to
sleep. Wolves howl at it.""I know what the moon is. What's it got to do with anything?"
The infuriating creature simply nodded. "The Festival begins with
moonrise, at least for us." As if that made any more sense than average.Crimson turned towards the women sitting on the bed. Mercury playfully
tossed a grape at the dragon. Without missing a beat, his mouth
shimmered into the snout of a true dragon, nipping the fruit from the air.
His chin snapped back into human form."You two are welcome to join us in the library," he said to the girls on the
bed.Janey perked up. Library? That sounded interesting.
Miranda lowered her eyes for a moment. Janey was reminded of a slave
deferring to a master, Miranda's kneeling posture fortifying the illusion.
But the scene shattered as Miranda merely looked up and held Crimson's
eyes. She shook her head negatively, but her eyes betrayed a touch of
longing for something that she hadn't yet reached out for or recognised.
Mercury watched the exchange almost with a sense of anticipation."Thanks, Crimson, but I think we'll head over with everyone else."
Crimson shrugged. "You're both more than welcome at the library. You
know that."Miranda took a deep breath, almost as if she were about to change her
mind."No. Thank you. Mercury and I will meet up with you two later. At
moonrise. Wouldn't want to miss the pre-moon festivities." She swallowed
heavily. Janey thought that, perhaps, Miranda wouldn't mind missing the
pre-moon festivities as much as she professed.
Janey stood quietly, crossed the marble, and began to pull on her shoes.
While she was busy with that, Crimson spoke softly."Perhaps, next year, then."
Miranda simply nodded, accepting automatically a wedge of orange
between her lips from Mercury's fingers. The fruit made her smile.Janey finished tying her right running shoe and straightened. She stared
into the Dragon's jade eyes. As she watched, the irises shimmered into a
deep brown, through magenta and back to jade. He smiled at her."Coming?" He held out one hand, the fingers beckoning.
Janey inhaled deeply, knowing what she was about to do was probably
incorrect."I'll stay with Miranda, I think." She spoke quietly.
Whatever he wants, I'm coming back in and going back to bed. She shook
the memory from her mind.Crimson walked easily over to Janey, placing his hand gently on her
shoulder."If you change your mind, you are still more than welcome. Anyone can
direct you to the library, but we'll only be there until moon-rise. After that,
we can meet at the Festival, that's where Miranda and Mercury will
probably take you. Okay?"Whatever he wants, I'm coming back in and going back to bed. Janey
shivered and glanced back towards the bed. It looked so inviting,
especially with the women still draped across it. Damnable creature.Miranda moistened her lips with her tongue. "Janey?" she spoke quietly.
"Go with him. Not many get invited to the library." Her words belied her
earlier refusal to join Crimson there.Janey nodded. The library had a sense of mystery. Secret orgies suffused
her mind, rites of initiation, a secret society of architects. She shook free
her imagination and nodded again. Her fingers pushed at the unresisting
fingers of the dragon, only to take the palm against her own."Let's go," she said wearily. If you ride upon the Dragon, you can never get off.
"See you at the Festival?" Crimson asked the women adorning the bed.
"Have we ever missed it?"
Crimson laughed and guided Janey towards the door.
<---***===***--->
"I miss Bob. And my kids."
The hallway was deserted. Janey's comment echoed up and down the
expanse, reflecting off opulent marble and stonework flickering in
torchlight. Crimson stopped and looked into Janey's face."Is Bob your husband?"
Janey nodded slightly. "Bob's the name I use in stories, anyway. It's as real
as Janey is, I suppose."After about a minute, he guided her gently to the side of the corridor. She
leaned heavily against the cool stone, crossing her ankles. Her fingers
fidgeted of their own volition."Do you want to go home?" he asked her gently.
She hesitated, tried to look into his eyes. Couldn't. Tears threatened. She
shook her head, her eyes fascinated with his feet. At least they didn't
shimmer into claws at her attention. His fingers raised her chin without
resistance."Really?"
"I want to go. I want to know why I'm here. I want to know why I'm
standing in this strange hallway, tired, having just made love to two
women, in a communal shower no less, and I'm not even wearing
underwear. I want to know what the hell is so all fired important in the
library. I want to know what the hell Equinox and the moon have to do
with a damn Festival. I want to know why I'm not at home, in my bed,
with Bob." Her eyes held his; the tears retreated, frustration reigning.He smiled gently. He mumbled a string of gibberish, and waved a hand. A
shimmering sapphire portal appeared in the hallway. Janey could feel the
air swirling lightly around her ankles. She tossed her hair, feeling it brush
her shoulders. She felt like stripping off her clothes, dropping them on the
marble before approaching the gateway.Instead, she walked slowly to it, sensing Crimson's eyes gently watching
her back. She stopped, her nose five short centimetres from the swirling
tunnel. The swirling luminescence was hypnotic. She thought she could
see her front yard through the turbulence, but in the next instance it was
gone like a fleeting glimpse of a ghost."I should. God, I should," she spoke to nobody in particular. She inhaled
sharply, willing her feet to make that last step. They refused.Sighing, she turned. Crimson was leaning against the wall, in the same
posture she had occupied a moment ago, except his arms were crossed
easily across his chest. As she observed him, he shimmered from male, to
female, from blonde to brunette, from unclothed back to clothed, into the
dragon form for three seconds before returning to the dark man to whom
she was beginning to get accustomed.He cocked his head to the side.
"You are here, I think, because you needed to be," he whispered.
She sensed the portal close behind her even before her eyes registered the
fading blue of its radiance."I still miss Bob. And the kids."
"I know."
<---***===***--->
She'd never been in a Gentleman's Club before, but the room that emerged
as Crimson swung open the heavy, oaken door struck her as distinctly
masculine. Endless shelves of books surrounded comfortable reading
chairs, all with private end tables. The faint odour of cigars, leather, and
perhaps pipe smoke assailed her nostrils. A few faces looked up at their
entrance, some nodding greetings. She spotted Mat on the other side of the
room, engaged in quiet conversation with a petite Asian girl. Various men
and women were spread out throughout the large room, mostly reading,
but some scribbling or talking. Most were dressed in suits, or formal attire,
making Janey's jeans and sweatshirt seem out of place. She took some
comfort in the fact that Crimson was dressed as casual as she. A younger
woman was even stretched out on her tummy on the floor, her bare feet
idly kicking back and forth as she read a larger book. She began to relax a
little."Care for a drink?" Crimson asked Janey, causing her to start.
She nodded dumbly. As he moved away from her, she began to examine
some of the books nearest the door. Shakespeare beside Stephen King.
She cringed and turned away from the shelves."… the Blowjob Principle reigns supreme … if people want to continue
… a bit of stroking isn't unreasonable …" Her eyes tracked to a striking
woman talking quietly to a young man. The woman looked vaguely
familiar, but Janey couldn't place her. The woman looked up, perhaps
feeling Janey's eyes on her, but her lips didn't stop moving. Janey tried to
look away, but the woman continued to regard her until Janey finally
returned the stare. The woman smiled and waved a greeting before
switching her gaze back to the young man to whom she was speaking."That's Celeste," Crimson whispered in Janey's ear as he pressed a glass of red wine into her fingers.
"The Celeste?"
"She doesn't often come to these events. Busy. Busy." Crimson mumbled.
Crimson touched Janey's shoulder and guided her towards Mat. Mat
looked up and smiled a greeting. Janey waved, but Crimson gently
propelled her towards the bookshelves behind Mat. He pointed to a worn
book upon the shelves."The Kama Sutra?" Janey asked, half in jest.
"An original copy."
Janey stared at the creature, who merely smiled.
She traced her fingers over other spines, a trail of dust settling to the
hardwood beneath her feet. Reage. Dickens. Trotsky. Urquhart. That last
name made her pause."Janey's September?" she inquired quietly.
"We collect all stories here," he replied with a smile. "There's probably
others that you might recognise, too, if we had time to check out the
place."Crimson gently removed the book from her fingers and replaced it into its
slot. Slightly overwhelmed, Janey followed the Dragon to where Mat was
sitting. The taller man from the shower locker room had joined Mat and
the girl, Janey struggled to remember his name. See-El. Proud of herself,
she spoke as she approached."See-El, nice to see you again."
He grinned at her, a mischievous smile gracing his lips. "Janey. I nearly
didn't recognise you outside of a towel."Janey blushed, but managed to contain her embarrassment as Crimson
shot her an 'and-what-have-you-been-up-to' look. Mat stood and took
Janey's hand."M'lady," he made an exaggerated show of kissing the back of her hand.
She blushed again, but fought it down successfully. "Diane, meet Janey."The petite Asian girl rose to her feet, shaking Janey's proffered hand. After
the introduction, she returned to her seat, crossing her legs. Janey took a
sip of her red wine before settling into the opposing sofa. What looked
like an antique coffee table, perhaps from the French revolution, sat
solidly between the oversized sofas. The aroma of fresh leather greeted
her as she sank into the couch's depths. Crimson settled beside her with a
sigh. There was probably room on the furniture for about six other people.Janey swallowed and cleared her throat. "So, what's with the library?"
Mat turned to Crimson. "You haven't told her yet, have you?" The Dragon
merely smiled in response.Mat returned his gaze to Janey. "We just gather here before the Festival.
It's … tradition.""Who gathers here? I thought …"
Mat laughed gently. "An orgy in the library? Interesting, I must admit, but
no, it's far more mundane. The authors, my dear. I can't even remember
why, but the authors have to wait for moon-rise while the rest of them
have a party out there." Straining, Janey could almost hear a low bass-line
and a thousand voices raised as one, seeping through the thick, stone walls
of the castle. In some ways, she was almost glad for the quiet in the
library."Authors?" she asked for want of a better question.
"Well, and guests. And speaking of guests," he continued but addressed
Crimson. "Where's Miranda?""She didn't want to come," he shrugged. "I think she wants to finish her
memoirs, and if I'm any judge, I'll wager she'll be sitting beside us next
year. Maybe the next Queen.""What about Mercury?"
Crimson laughed. "Why do you think Miranda didn't come?"
Mat nodded in understanding. Janey wished that she understood the
conversation, but at the moment contented herself with the excellent wine.
Mat looked at his watch."Almost moon-rise," he sighed.
He and Crimson rose from their seats. Slowly, conversation ebbed, and
most that were quietly reading looked up towards the two men.
Anticipation permeated the air, infecting Janey despite her confusion. She
raised her glass, sipping at the wine."It's time?" Celeste asked. Crimson and Mat nodded in affirmation.
Celeste continued. "I would have done it if she hadn't come, but I think
Janey would be better. Honestly."Janey? Janey nearly choked on her wine. What the hell? Ambush? Was
this a damn human sacrifice? Damn it, she wasn't even a virgin. Far from
it. Crimson was going to pay for this. She really disliked -- scratch that --
hated to be singled out. She rose to her feet, invective ready.Crimson quietly laughed, shushing her with a small wave. Janey relaxed
slightly but warily eyed the small crowd of authors that watched her.
Maybe we were talking about another Janey. Crimson leaned towards her."It wasn't my idea, this time," he whispered.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his fingers move and shimmer, and
suddenly her clothing felt heavier, and warmer. Something adorned her
hair. For a moment, confusion reigned, but her fingers solved the mystery
by snatching the object from the top of her head. A tiara, beautiful, jewel
encrusted.She looked at Crimson in complete confusion.
"The Queen, my dear." He performed a mock bow while Janey looked
down at herself. Majestic purple robes adorned her, but for some reason
her feet were bare beneath the outfit."Oh no. Not me," she exclaimed half-angrily. "I told you: 'No Queen
bullshit'. Remember?"Mat stepped over. Janey could sense the authors turning their gazes back
to various books, avoiding the clash that was about to ensue."Janey, it only means that you introduce the Equinox. Nothing more."
"Bullshit. I'm not dressing up like this. Period." Her fingers began to pull
at the buttons holding the garment together. "No Queen. I'm not the
Queen, whatever that means. Understand? I'd rather go naked than this."
She turned to Crimson. "Send me home. Now."Crimson took a deep breath, and gently moved Mat to the side. Mat kept
his eyes on Janey, but settled beside Diane."Janey. I'll send you home, no problem, but reconsider, please." He waved
that infernal hand over her head. Her comfortable jeans, and sweatshirt
returned as though they had never been gone. The tiara remained hanging
idly from her fingers. She regarded him mistrustfully for a moment. "The
outfit isn't important," he continued. "Will you simply introduce the
Equinox? Dressed like that?"Janey inhaled deeply, and let the air out between clenched teeth. She
pulled out the neck of her sweater, glancing downwards. "Underwear?"Crimson laughed. "I can't manufacture what you never had."
Janey blushed, but held his gaze. "I don't believe you about my panties, but
fine, I'll introduce the Equinox. No robes. No Queen. Just me. Okay?
Satisfied? What do I have to do, you bloody lummox?"Mat rose and hugged her. The rubber band of tension permeating the room
snapped. Muted conversation began again, but a sense of urgency
entwined with the renewed activity.<---***===***--->
She watched as the full moon rose slowly above the trees. It flooded the
forest with its ethereal rays, reminding her of a far off bedroom, with a far
off husband. She shivered, half-wishing for those ridiculous, but heavy
robes. Crimson stood quietly to her left, Celeste to her right. The
remainder of the occupants from the library stood either behind them, or
were interspersed in the murmuring crowd beyond.
Despite her refusal of a throne, her girlhood fantasies welled up. In spite
of the jeans, the sweatshirt and the running shoes, she embraced the vision
of a princess. Crimson squeezed her hand reassuringly. Janey wondered if
all the Equinox announcements were thrust upon unsuspecting women. As
the time approached, the crowd murmured into silence. Only the raging
bonfire sent unrelenting sparks into the night air. Even the ever-present
crickets seemed to hold their collective breath. Butterflies threatened to
rise from their dance within her stomach. It seemed like a preternatural
silence, one that a thousand revellers shouldn't be able to summon.As the seconds ticked by, and the moon greeted the night, she raised her
arms as Celeste had shown her back an eternity ago in a library mostly
forgotten. Her voice, sure and strong, surprised even herself."It is the calling of the Autumn Equinox." Her voice echoed through the
clearing. A thousand voices hushed, knowing the age-old ritual. A
thousand pairs of lips followed the words, like a prayer. But it was so
much more than that. "We gather to celebrate the year past, and the year
ahead. May imagination run strong within us all."She slowly lowered her arms, taking a sip of the wine that she plucked
from Crimson's fingers. She impulsively turned and kissed Crimson and
then Celeste.A thousand voices exploded. A deep bass-line punctuated the forest as an
unseen technician flipped on a sixties disk.Janey willed her legs to stop shaking.
<---***===***--->
Her legs were complaining loudly. At Miranda's suggestion, she had
kicked off her shoes, despite the cooler temperatures. Soft on the
underside of her feet, pine needles carpeted the clearing, somehow
covering the earth in spite of thousands of dancers around the central
bonfire. However, the constant dancing had nearly exhausted her stamina.She wiped the perspiration from her brow with the back of her hand.
Slowly, she stopped dancing and looked into the huge bonfire. She
thought she saw a blue flame for a moment, then only a shower of sparks.What is love? Baby, don't hurt me. Don't hurt me. No more.
Mercury had shed her clothes, long ago, abandoning herself to the music,
her hair twirling around her shoulders. Miranda was dancing more
sedately, clothed, but barefoot on Janey's left. There had been many
dancing partners, male and female, whirling through their group in front
of the fire, more matching Mercury's energy than those taking it easy.
Abandonment ruled the night.The Thompson Twins, not named after the 80's group, but tall brothers in
loud Hawaiian shirts, had just danced off to join Celeste and Celia off
closer to the stage. Earlier, Sondra had whirled through with a thrown kiss
in Janey's direction prompting some laughter from Miranda and Mercury.
Janey had no idea to where Crimson had disappeared -- probably
somewhere near the enormous banquet tables to the east. She glanced
back towards the clearing's periphery.She felt Miranda's fingers tugging gently on her own. Together, the three
women wound through the dancers until the revellers thinned at the edge
of the clearing. It was darker here, though the music was as loud as at the
edge of the bonfire. Miranda pressed a stein of liquid into Janey's hand.
Parched, and without thinking, Janey uptilted the cup, swallowing the
familiar amber, sweetness quickly."Whoa, tiger." Miranda tipped the cup down gently with her own fingers.
"Nick fermented that stuff this year."Almost immediately, the mead began to tingle Janey's senses. Miranda
tugged on Janey's fingers, pulling her to the needles below. Janey dropped
cooperatively, sitting cross-legged and leaning back on her hands.
Miranda sat as well, facing Janey."Have to sip this stuff slowly. Savour it."
The air was swimming already, and the memories of her previous
experience with mead flooded over Janey. She purposely set the stein by
her left thigh.Miranda laughed a little. "Crimson warned me not to let you drink this
stuff. Damn, I'm in trouble again."Mercury giggled, perhaps having imbibed a little of the amber stuff
herself."I'll be fine. I think." Janey struggled not to slur her words.
Mercury shifted her weight from her right foot to her left, and then back
again. "Would you two mind if I …" She glanced wistfully towards the
stage, which was brimming with dancers.Janey shook her head, and immediately regretted it. Eventually the world
would stop spinning, she was sure.Miranda answered. "Go on, celebrate." Mercury smiled and immediately
scampered off, happily twirling naked through the crowd towards the
stage.After some silent time, Janey looked over to the left. She was surprised
that the alcohol seemed to be easing its grip on her almost as quickly as it
had seized her. She jerked her thumb towards the edge of the forest.
"You'd think they'd have some shame," she smiled. A nude couple was
exploring, lying on the edge of the ever-present needles. Janey watched as
the girl's fingers began to stroke lightly in the semi-darkness."You'd think," Miranda's voice barely was audible above the pounding
music. She leaned forward, her lips brushing Janey's. Her hands gently
guided Janey down into the needles.<---***===***--->
She could see the stage over Miranda's shoulder as they moved together.
The music had fallen into a rare slower set and Miranda had insisted that
they dance again. They remained on the edge of the clearing where it was
cooler, and more private. Janey had slipped back on her jeans and
sweatshirt before rising to join Miranda, but the other girl had remained as
nude as Mercury was up on the stage slow dancing with Crimson. With a
sigh of relief, Janey at least knew that Crimson hadn't entirely abandoned
her.Her body ached, but the touch of Miranda's now naked body moving
against her seemed to give her some new strength. Her latest climax had
stolen what little remained of her sexual energy. Unconsciously, she let
Miranda lead and she moved her bare feet through the natural carpet.Miranda's fingers gently brushed Janey's nipple through the sweatshirt.
Janey shivered slightly."Again?" Miranda asked.
Janey simply shook her head, her eyes still on the stage. She pulled
Miranda in tighter, continuing the dance.Sister Christian, oh, the time has come.
Janey slowly released Miranda as the music wound to a close. Miranda's
teeth softly bit down on her own lower lip.What's your price for flight?
"You're leaving, aren't you?" she asked quietly.
Janey nodded.
"Stay."
"I can't."
Miranda stepped forward and embraced Janey, her lips brushing her
cheek."I know. Don't leave it for years, again. Okay?" From somewhere, she
produced the tiara that Janey had forsaken earlier in the library. Janey
didn't resist as Miranda placed it atop her head.Janey kissed her.
<---***===***--->
She could hear the music even from this vantage. The voices of the
revellers reached from the clearing as if as amplified as the background,
pounding beat. She could nearly hear each voice intermingled into a
montage of celebration.A descending, naked, laughing girl had tossed her a silken comforter as
Janey had climbed the steep steps towards the high ramparts."You might want this," the girl called merrily before skipping recklessly
down the stairs. "It's Autumn, don't you know?"Janey was thankful, now, of that kindness as she wrapped the comforter
about her shoulders, wishing that she hadn't lost her shoes. The exposed
stone radiated an autumn chill through the soles of her feet. The wind
gently fluttered her hair about her shoulders.She could see the bonfire from here, its glow lighting the forest noticeably
in the area of the clearing. Far below, couples walked towards the various
paths leading to the Festival. Other couples, like Janey, were walking or
dancing away from the clearing towards the Castle, or the other outlying
buildings. It appeared that the pub was nearly as frenetic as the clearing
had been. She was almost sure that she recognised Nick and Sven down
there, hoisting a mug of ale, toasting with various miscreants.The moon, now high overhead bathed Janey in its reflected light. She
watched it for a while. It seemed to be the same body that inhabited her
sky in Boston; the same moon that shone down upon a Wisconsin
landscape. Half expecting to see a dragon wisp across its face, she finally
lowered her eyes. Turning her back on the forest below, she leaned back
against the low protective wall. Pulling the comforter tighter, she let her
thoughts wander. A smile pulled insistently at the corners of her lips.When she returned to gaze out over the land, he was suddenly beside her,
sitting easily on the wall, his feet dangling over the edge. It reminded her
of a porch rail, an eternity ago. The height didn't seem to bother the
creature."You all right?" he asked her quietly.
She took stock of herself. She ached in all the right places. Her eyelids felt
like sandpaper. Her legs were going to really punish her tomorrow. Her feet were freezing. She missed Miranda.She nodded slowly. "My feet are cold, but I'm better than I've been for a
long time."The Dragon smiled as if he'd already known that. They watched in silence,
listening to the sounds of the night."I see you decided to go with the tiara."
Janey grinned, plucking it from her hair. She handed it towards the
Dragon. "Miranda.""I'd figured." He pressed the tiara back into her hand. She gripped it
lightly, letting it dangle against her thigh."I'm going to miss her."
"I know."
The Dragon hitched himself up into a more comfortable position. He
touched his fingertips, forming a bowl out of his hands. A blue swirling
coalesced into a transparent ball. Her eyes were drawn to the image
projected therein.Miranda moved her still naked body in time to the distant beat, which had
slowed down from the frantic dance tempo that had permeated the forest.
Her eyes seemed to be far away, but she still seemed to be aware of the
music surrounding her. As Janey watched from afar, Mercury joined
Miranda in an easy slow dance. Mercury said something in Miranda's ear
that made her briefly smile before Crimson winked out the crystal ball."She'll be fine. Trust me." Crimson spoke quietly.
Torn, Janey nodded.
"I'll miss them."
Crimson nodded. After a last look at the landscape, Janey turned. The
familiar portal stood on the other side of the circular rampant. She
impulsively hugged the Dragon, and planted a light kiss on his cheek."You're staying, aren't you?" she asked.
"For a while. It's the Equinox. Dragons revel in Equinoxes," he answered
with a grin."The other end of this isn't on my roof, is it?" Janey pointed towards the
portal.The Dragon merely grinned.
"Damn lizard." She kissed him once more. "Thanks. I. I needed this, I
think. Say goodbye to the others for me? Mercury especially, I never got
the chance.""I already did." He pulled himself off the wall to stand with her.
The music had returned to a driving sixities beat. Even here, she could
distinctly understand the words. I'm Crazy 'Bout a Mercury. She smiled,
her mind's eye picturing the naked nymph twirling about the stage, living
her song.With a sigh, Janey's feet walked determinedly around the edge of the
tower, stopping short of the portal. She took a deep breath, filling her
lungs with the refreshing air. On impulse, she returned the tiara to her
hair. It fit perfectly. She glanced back to the opposite edge of the tower.
The Dragon remained where she'd been standing. He waved and smiled."Equinox comes twice a year," he called.
She smiled, and returned the wave. Taking a deep breath, she dropped the
comforter, and stepped into the portal.The intense falling sensation overwhelmed her senses.
<---***===***--->
The wood of the porch beneath her bare feet comforted her as she bent to
retrieve the keys that she'd dropped so long ago.The mantle clock had resumed its comforting metronome cadence.
Automatically avoiding the third step, she ascended to the second floor.
The children were still fast asleep, as was her husband.She settled into the chair beside the window, slowly unlocking and raising
the pane. The moon was overhead, full, filling the room with a soft even
glow. The air raised the fine hair on her forearms as she leaned on the sill.
An indistinct, crimson form flitted across the face of the lunar orb. She
reached up, pulling a jewel encrusted tiara from her hair.She turned as a familiar voice, half asleep, mumbled from the bed. "Come
to bed, honey.""Until the Spring," she whispered to the moon.
Her fingers lowered the pane. She rose and walked to her side of the bed. Not bothering with removing her clothing, she slipped back between the sheets. She ached. His arm encircled her, and she sighed contentedly and closed her eyes, welcoming her dreams.
---The End---
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