The people of Keesha were indeed blessed. For forty years, the harvest was plentiful, and the tribe did prosper. The children of the Headman were without fault and grew tall and healthy.

The Headman continued the past traditions without reservation, and presided at the wedding feasts of every couple, ritually defiling the woman on behalf of the husband and the Gods. His own wife performed a similar role for the men, as the Keesha had done for many generations. The new husbands were forbidden to give seed to their wives until enough time had passed to see if the Gods had bestowed another gift upon the tribe, in the form of a holy angel inside the woman.

Sexual traditions within the tribe were simple. Experimentation other than that which could cause pregnancy was permitted, even encouraged, so long as both parties consented, and were of age. Seeding was only permitted within the marriage partnership, and this was as strictly enforced as possible. More permissive arrangements were permitted if the woman was not capable of childing. This frequently happened if she was already with child, or sufficient time had passed for the tribe to recognise her barren status. In some ways barren women had the most freedom of all.

Should fortune smile upon them, and the woman give birth to a girl, the daughter of the Headman and the Gods, the baby would be taken immediately to the hut of the Sisterhood, there to be taught the ways of the holy virgins, and live in hope of selection for the Giving. The mothers sometimes resented the theft of their firstborn, but given time were persuaded to see the honour this event entailed.

The House of the Sisters nominally numbered twelve angels at any one time. The girls varied in age considerably, and the older ones looked after the babies, and organized the teaching, prayer and meditation that filled their lives. The Sisters were sequestered from the rest of the village, not permitted to speak or touch the people, other than on important business, when they could speak with the Headman, or the Spellcaster.

At the time of the first bleeding for each of the Sisters, the village held a great feast, and the Sister concerned was added to the list of those eligible for the Giving.

The house of the Sisterhood was not bound by the same rules as the rest of the village, and the Sisters did not perform manual labour. Food, clothing, wood and so on were provided by the rest of the tribe. The sisters wore long robes outside the house, and covered their bodies as much as possible. It was forbidden to block the way of a Sister, and the punishments were severe.

Inside the house, the women made their own rules, and as the younger Sisters grew, they took on the traditions and built on them further. As they were unable to make contact with those outside their group, the women turned to one another for companionship, forming long and short term relationships, sharing the straw mattresses frequently, and not just for warmth. The learned the arts of tongue and fingers along with prayer and chanting, despite a complete lack of privacy within the house. Tradition held that either partner could break off a relationship at whim, and the partnerships built and broke like the flow of the tides. Arguments over the sleeping arrangements were rare, and the older Sisters invariably took control.

The Sisters lived in anticipation of the annual Giving. This was easily the most important event in the life of the tribe, but even more important for the Sisterhood, as it was the chance for one of their number to make a difference to the tribe; to pay them back for their special status; to become something more than just another Sister.

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The Giving was celebrated on the night of the first full moon after the summer solstice, and this year the weather was hot and still during the day, and the Sisters were sweaty and tired, as well as anxious and nervous. As night fell, they knelt in prayer on the dirt floor, hungry from three days of fasting, and then anointed each other with oils and scents. The pleasant and gentle rubbing of the oils into their bare bodies, and the aroma of the spices, carried by the perspiration evaporating from their bodies had an arousing effect, and tired as they were, most fell to the mattresses in pairs, and a slow and sensuous lovemaking commenced.

Akakia was particularly tired on this evening. She had realized some time ago that she could be the one chosen this year, and she had not slept well for the last few nights. Though she didn't show a great deal of enthusiasm, another of the Sisters, Liana, had asked to pair with her for the night, and Akakia had agreed.

As usually happened, once they were lying together on the straw, with the sounds of arousal all around them, her body started to respond without her permission, and she reached for Liana, her tiredness forgotten for the moment, her need for release apparent in the erection of her oil-rubbed nipples, and the dampness between her legs. Akakia knew that Liana was feeling similarly aroused as their lips and tongues intertwined, the taste of the spices still apparent, the heat growing between them. As their breasts touched together, both of the girls shuddered with pleasure. Akakia reached her hand down past Lianas chest to her hot flat stomach, further to the source of her heat. As Liana moved slightly to accommodate her hand, Akakia started to stroke her directly, with a gentle sleepy movement, a caress over the damp and slippery mound, and Liana pressed herself firmly toward the hand, encouraging a stronger stimulation.

Surrounded by moans and sighs in the confining hut, and the dim view of others engaged in similar activities, white bodies golden in moonlight filtered through the amber thatch leaves, Akakia continued her slow gentle strokes as Liana pressed more and more urgently against her, their tongues frantic now, breasts pressed closely together, sweat gathering on the bare skins of them both, Akakia slowly speeding the caresses, feeling the urgent hardness of Liana's need, and responding.

Quickly Liana thrust her pelvis at the gentle hand, breathing fast and softly moaning with anticipation. As the arousal built close to the point of no return, Akakia released Liana's mouth, and slowly kissed down across her neck and shoulder and onto the other girl's breast. Flicking the nipple with her tongue, she felt her companion's muscles tighten and clench, and then Liana's whole body shuddered in orgasm, the sweat pouring from her nakedness, a low groan ripping from her mouth as her body collapsed helpless on the straw.

The other girls thought it strange that Liana would not caress Akakia at the same time as she was receiving such attention, but both of them preferred it this way. Separating their needs like this meant that they could each concentrate on the pleasure of the other, and thereby increase pleasure for both.

As soon as Liana's body calmed down sufficiently, she kissed Akakia hard on the lips, a silent thank you, and then whispered to her "I know what you want, tired though you are."

Akakia pretended surprise. "You do? How is that?"

"You are such a delicate thing Kia. You don't like my rough fingers."

"That's not true. I just prefer your..."

"My tongue. I know. That's alright though. I like to do that too. I like the feel of you as you reach your release."

"Oh, well then."

"Come kneel over me here, and position yourself so I can do my best."

Akakia crouched with her knees on either side of her friend, wriggled up so that she was almost sitting on Liana's face, and waited, speechless now.

As Liana took hold of her buttocks to keep her in position, Akakia could feel the girl's tongue creeping up between her legs, moving closer to her heat. Moving herself slightly on top of her, in a rush now suddenly, Liana's tongue licked at her outer lips, slowly working their way up to where she wanted it.

Relaxing to the wet caress between her legs, Akakia looked around. She could see the other girls dimly now, some undulating to the pleasure of finger or tongue, some lying quietly, either having foregone the pleasures, or finished already. One girl could be seen pleasuring herself quietly, her partner already asleep.

Suddenly she was pulled from her dreamy state by the antics of the tongue beneath her, flicking her pleasure with abandon, slowly at first, and then faster and faster. Akakia's hips started to thrust toward the tongue, and Liana flicked and sucked harder and faster, driven to return the pleasure she had already gained.

As the speed and precision of the tongue became too much to bear, Akakia felt a surge of heat through her body, and her muscles screamed at the same time as her mouth, as the orgasm overcame her, legs clamped to the sides of her partner's face, wanting her desperately to stop, and at the same time dreading the end. Liana knew exactly how to cope though, and moved her busy tongue slightly down, licking in and around the tunnel nearby, and slowly working her way back to the pleasure nubbin as Akakia shuddered above her. As her tongue again reached the hard point, Akakia screamed for a second time, her muscles clenching harder, her moisture soaking the pleasure-giver beneath.

This time, Akakia had to climb off the girl, the pleasure so acute she couldn't stand to be touched anywhere near there, and as she knelt beside Liana, she saw that the girl was busy with her own fingers between her legs, and she also shuddered to a second orgasm, her body hot and rigid in the night.

As the two girls' bodies slowly cooled on the straw, they cuddled closely together, sleeping furs pulled up over their bare skins, and sleep overtook them both, as the moonlight continued to flow over them, and the tribal heads deliberated not far away, trying to choose the most appropriate virgin to sacrifice to the Giving.