Apprentice Dedicant Ch. 02 - Beginning Service

Neve had awoken too slowly for the pinch-faced Priestess of Nachni,

"Young woman, whose temple should you be delivered to? Do you need help interpreting your signs?" Tapping her toes, waiting for the answer. Tentatively, Neve answered,"that of the deity Ayshixi?" The question that punctuated her tone made the priestess raise her eyebrow.

Instead of explaining all this, the priestess merely clicked her tongue and looked down her upturned pale nose at Neve; she could not recall where the shrine or floor for that goddess was stashed in the overflowing complex. Indeed, she did not even know of this deity's name. It was annoying if this peasant-bred welp had taken the tea and seen only nonsense; the central directory would place her where a lowborn worker was needed. Now, the priestess internally groaned; she'd have to find where Neve needed to go.

"let's find you, your proper cloister then, girl. The great library in the Domesticus Center[JM1] will have an answer."

Neve began to shift uncomfortably, realizing she was scantily clad after the night's...dreams. The Nachni Priestess rolled her eyes,

"many of us were afflicted by the heat of the tea girl, I have found worse."

By this time, the sun began to rise, and the Dome above Helion's temple, the largest in the complex, began to shine. Within the walls, the air smelled cool and fresh in a way that the megapolis never was; the complex stood at the center of the city but was still so large that it took them nearly 30 minutes to cross through all the various gardens and courtyards on a white cart pulled by a donkey. Neve marveled as she witnessed the small city that made up the Patheon Fortress from the inside. Worshippers had specific pavilions they were allowed to enter; the rest of these cloisters were wrapped in mystery.

As the silent but quick-footed priest crossed many complicated, zig-zagging footpaths that crossed a few cobbled streets, she explained a few "house rules." This priestess, named Ionnia, was the third daughter of some lower wealthy noble house, trained to join her order from a young age. Neve thought she was very stiff, realizing perhaps it was herself that was not suited for this job. While[JR2] Nia Ionnia spirited Neve away she instructed in an inbroken cadence, so steady that the trailing acolyte wondered when Ionnia took time to breathe.

"Depending on your instructor, you may or may not have gate and family privileges. We all live celibate lives here, in separate dorms. Do not fall in with the apostate crowd who breaks this rule..." Ionnia turned around in her heavy layered robes to look down her nose at Neve—a silent accusation at best.

Eventually, Ionnia stopped in front of a small but ornate side door on an immense building. This must be the great Pantheon's Archivi, a grand building seen from most quarters of the city. However, only the devoted ever got to enter, and only the priest stayed to study or attend the many religious lecture halls. Entering quietly through this side door, Neve wished she had been given to one of the deities dedicated to this scale of knowledge-keeping.

The librarian at the desk was also relatively new; Ionnia spoke to her in a tone Neve had picked up on. Her thick red curls fell upon an ample round bosom; Neve averted her eyes, realizing that she was looking at another woman in lust. A secret she kept to herself, and now her patron goddess. She had a heart-shaped face and freckles spread across her round cheeks.

"Priestess Ionnia, thank you for inquiring with me; this new acolyte is?"

Neve did not answer because she was not sure that was allowed. Ionnia tsked, then rolled her eyes,

"The girl's name is Neve, assigned to some random hearth deity Ayshixi; I think it was."

"Well, ma'am, I am quite unfamiliar. However, you can leave Neve with me, and I will do some searching until she is placed. I have no desire to usurp your time."

"Unnecessary Mirium, placing novices in my assignment today, I'd rather dally in the cool stacks than rush around with welps in the heat."

Neve wondered if Ionnia ever said a word not laced in spite.

"So be it."

"Excuse me, you little bitch, I rank higher than you both inside the walls and out."

Mirium bowed her copper becurled head in obedience. They flicked through a few directory cards, turning to a long wall of small drawers with more cards. Neve tried not to watch with hunger as Mirium climbed a ladder, her lengthy but rather sheer skirt bunching between rounded apples. Unbeknownst to her, Ionnia watched the young harlot's lust rise. Nearly spat at them both.

Mirium descended, looking mildly confused,

"Seems we are going to need to go to one of the older archives in the library; I never go down there, so you should both come with me; it's liable to take some time to find this information."

Another scoff from Ionnia was ignored by Mirium, who, without prompting, took off in the direction they all must be heading, weaving through quite a dark stack and arched doorways. Then, down a spiral staircase, finally arriving at the dark, dank room that contained the information Neve needed. Mirium gave them both cards with information to seek and sent them down individual long lanes of stacked books and hodge-podge cabinets.

Neve was glad not to be around Ionnia for the moment. Wandering down rows that seemed to go into a far deeper room than she had first figured. It was not very long before there was a scratching sound somewhere in the distance. It did not bother Neve but echoed somehow through the books. Not long after, the whole chamber went black, stunning Neve and making her freeze. She thought to call out but figured there was too much distance and far too many books for her to be heard. Looking around for any orientation in the darkness, Neve spotted a small green glowing light just out of sight. She began to follow the light, feeling as if it was nearly at her fingertips for many twists and turns of the archive.

Hearing muffled shuffling a short distance from her, Neve nearly rounded a sharp corner before being stopped in her tracks. A shadow reached around her, a familiar voice whispering seductively in her ear, "Ah. My little lark. Watch and then do as I will."

Neve silently peered around the corner, startled to see Mirium stuck in a bookshelf. Somehow, she had twisted around, pulling her blouse down, freckled breasts, and spilling akimbo. The glowing green light illuminating only for Neve to see, she realized.

"a good gift, is it not my pet?" Lady Ixi crooned. Looking a little further to the other side of the bookshelf, Neve could see Ionnia. The folds of her robe opened to reveal a large, gloriously erect cock; all of a sudden, Neve's mouth dried as she watched Mirium squirm. Stuffed in her mouth was a thick scroll.

First, Ionnia approached with an oddly phallic statue, prodding and toying with Mirium, who writhed further. Neve silently slipped behind another shelf to watch as Ionnia tisked, whispering to herself,

"I told you to stop tempting the new ones in the way you tempt me."

Heartly thrusting the statue into Mirium's now swollen and dripping rose. A moan rose from deepening in Mirium's throat while she repeatedly took the thrust of the wood cock. Ionnia increasing in force until Mirium whimpered and the shelf shook. Rivulets of cream dripped from in and from between Neve's legs as the toy was removed. Mirium sighed like she now expected respite, and Ionnia chuckled.

"Slut. I am going to take from the one place not yet given over to me and break you to my will finally."

A cruel but alluring grin spread over Ionnia's mouth.

"You know my rules on crying out too loud? You obey them or get Neve punished. Would be a shame on her first day."

Ionnia pulled a small flask from her pocket; she poured something upon her fingers, taking two, then slowly working them into Mirium's nether cherry blossom. Spreading a hole the Neve did not know could be used. From the increased squirms, Neve wondered if Mirium found it pleasurable when the scroll dropped from her lips. Mirium's whimpers grew into quite pleas,

"Please, mistress, it's so tight; how could you?"

Then, a gurgling gasp as Ionnia fully pushed the slicked fingers in between Mirium's cheeks, making them shake with her legs. This is the part Ionnia loved, where Mirium would plea while wriggling greedily. The woman liked rough handling. She had never done this before pushing one of her secret pets this far. Ionnia felt the heavy rod between her legs grow stiffer as she plunged her fingers into Miriums sweet tiny anus; the woman's legs shook. Mirium's pussy quivered, then dripped down Ionnia's hand.

Ionnia chuckled, put her lips on Mirium's unused clit, and drank her hard. Two fingers fucking the flame-haired librarian's asshole until her thighs ceased.

"oh gods!"

"shut up, stupid slut." Then a sharp slap land on Mirium's rump; she swallowed her cries, still shaking as Ionnia's fingers fucked her asshole. Mirium felt the slight tingle and burn as she learned to take them deeper; Ionnia occasionally would lean down, placing her mouth upon Marium's pearl, flooding her with pleasure as the violation of her hole continued.

"My cock is next," Ionnia whispered as soon as Mirium seemed to go slack with enjoyment.

"Stay silent." Parting her flowing skirts, Ionnia revealed her throbbing member. It was nothing like Neve, what had fumbled with in the stables at the vacation villa.

Neve watched, nearly entranced, while Ionnia fucked Mirium so deeply the outline of her cock could be seen in Mirium's belly.

Mirium whimpered pitifully, feeling Ionnia's cock stretch her; she knew better than to show she enjoyed it even a bit, lest she incur the elder priestess's wrath. Even Mirium finding herself stuck on this shelf in the near darkness was part of their little games. Ionnia's bulbous head hit her cervix, making Mirium's cream roll down Ionnia's shaft.

Mirium had to bite her lip while Ionnia groaned, giving in to her lust, the strokes becoming longer, almost manipulative in how long the brutal the rhythm became. Lost in the rapture, Mirium's leg began to shake,

"oh, Io"

Before she could betray herself, complete darkness fell over her, just above her nose, a dripping sweet lily. Mirium gratefully buried herself in it while her secret rider ground her mound across her tongue. Squeezing her with now slick thighs, stopping Mirium from crying out when Ionnia buried her dick to the hilt in Mirium's anus. A new pleasure that shook her in waves, making thick fluid flow in a fountain, Ionnia began pounding her deeply. The tightness of the secret pleasure chamber rocking them both.

Neve had heard her goddess whisper in her ear to help the poor Mirium, warning her.

"Do not interrupt their game lest you end up Ionnia's plaything early."

The only way to help was to keep Mirium quiet and satisfy Lady Ixi's licentiousness. The burn the rose between her legs told Neve as much. Riding Miriam's beautiful face, she pulled up her skirt to watch while the large breast grew slick with the wetness of the deep kisses on her pearl and the waters that resulted. Neve bit her lip to remain silent, peering through a crack between books on the case; Neve watched Ionnia's cruelly gleeful face plunge in and out of Mirium's nether rosebud; it pulled on Ionnia's cock when she pulled out. Ionnia dabbed a few drops of oil from a small flask in her robes. Then, with an almost dangerous determination began to fuck Marium like she wanted to break her. Between her legs, the woman gasped; Neve squeezed her thigh tight, making Marium quitter. Drowning moans in her throat.

Mirium began to pour juicily while Neve listened to Ionnia pound it out of her. Hitting the golden spot even from nether pleasure, the sound of soft skin colliding. Something about secretly enjoying this dalliance made Neve nearly lose her composure. When Mirium's legs started to shake, Neve ground down harder, her clit pulsing in Mirium's mouth.

Mirium rolled her tongue around Neve's pleasure node, drinking the salty ichor that poured from between the novice's legs with greed. Not a drop spilled until Neve came, grabbing Mirium by her shiny copper hair. Neve rode Mirium's face until she could grasp no air. It made Mirium so weak it slicked her own actively pounded hole. The waves of Neve's pleasure increased when Mirium slipped only the very tip of her devilish tongue into a place Neve had known no pleasure. Doubted it could be found in that place.

In that dark hidden archive, the three women fucked each other senselessly and nearly silent. None fully understood the other's pleasure, still taking it gratefully in the gilded cage of the Sanctum Theoi's walls.

Ionnia cursed, shaking a little. Pulling out to reveal a thick cock, heavily spent. Neve, sensing that was her queue, stepped away from riding Miriam's face. The woman beneath her handed her a folded note.

While Neve found her way back to the central hall light, the singular muffled moan from Mirium told her that Ionnia was not done by far.

Neve found the map to be quite intuitive to follow. However, it did not accurately scale the sheer size of the Sanctum Theoi's complex. Inside its folds, a small, unusual key fell to the stone pathway. Clutching the map, she sighed. This place was a village unto itself, and Neve began to wonder if she had gotten lost as she followed the map further away from the central courtyards. The foot traffic grew less dense the further away into this much less kept corner, its gardens overgrew, and the looming wall was uncomfortable to behold. The young woman found herself skirting around it at all costs. Finally discovered a covered arch leading to a walkway, and at the end of a tall limewashed wall, a door with the symbol Neve had been looking for. Over the top of the pavilion wall, Neve could divine that trees lined the perimeter. She wondered if this goddess's small hidden complex was from an earlier era when the pantheon of Arkavos was less encompassing. Neve had read of such things, and this whole corner looked entirely neglected by the Sanctum Theoi's clergy at large.

Pulling the key from the fold of her robes, Neve examined the heavy antique thing dubiously. This ancient deity sewed something devious and defiant within her. Already, she had experienced such taboos as could have her killed by her father's hand outside these walls. Something whispered to Neve that this change would be forever cemented when she stepped through this star-gilded door.

Still, the acolyte pulled back her unruly air-dried curls with one hand, twisting the key in the lock with the other. There was no click despite the door being unopened for many years. Neve looked into the sprawling, overgrown greenery before her. Scrambling to pull the map up to her face, Neve scowled to realize that the information was only relevant to how to get here.

Then, in the distance, she could swear she heard the giggling of children. No one under the age of majority, 21 in Arkavos, can enter the Sanctum Theoi's complex, no matter how strong the convicted. Neve had to be forced into finishing classes before attending. None of those cordial rules seemed to apply just underneath the monasteries' veneers.

"So you are this temple's new scion, are you?" a woman's dark brown and wide eyes tinkled—the children running around her legs, two smaller copies.

Neve nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Overwhelming to be called by our deity, do not worry dear, though I am only here for a short time, I am your mentor. As the last monk of our god in this world became my mentor... oh, I forgot in the excitement to introduce myself. I am Tsugi, the Turquoise Dedicant of the deity Ayshixi." Holding out a hand of rich brown-yellow umber and shaking Neve's returned hand with enthusiasm.

"The kids, come on, new one, let me take you to your home. I do not dwell here."

Everything this Tsugi said confused Neve; the woman prattled on with a comfortable repour that Neve had established with a few close friends over the years.

"It took you nearly half the day to get here, so I cannot idle. At least the gate closed, and I get stuck for however long it takes to synch up again."

Neve had not realized that she had been following behind Tsugi through a compound that had to contain a few acres of lush garden. A few tall, long buildings rose above the fray in the distance as Neve's guide dove further into the thickest parts of the growth. It was confusing but beautiful.

After very little time, their small party came upon a low rustic gate in parting hedges; the nimble children swung it open, revealing a cottage near a plant house double its size. The children cleared the enclosed half an acre quickly, swinging themselves through the cottage door and disappearing completely.

"Well, my dear Neve, we are already out of time. So, mind me in these two ways: 1. Follow your letters 2. Take to your studies in earnest. I will visit again."

Before Neve knew it, the woman had swiftly crossed before her; Tsugi then opened the cottage door and went in. It seemed silly to Neve that she had spoken to her like a goodbye; crossing the low greenery, Neve realized this field was a diverse vegetable garden. Generational volunteers care for themselves in many ways. It left the acolyte agape. Lushness like this was only in the Imperatorium quarter, a place rarely visited outside the noble houses. When she entered the cottage, Neve was double stunned to find herself alone. Quickly pacing the cottage, exploring the strange rooms in the hallway behind the large open kitchen, finding a winding staircase and the lofted bedroom atop it.

The styles in this cottage were all hodge-podge, rather odd, Neve noticed, stepping into the loft room to explore more in-depth—clearly the sleeping quarters. Exhaustion began to catch up with the acolyte, her shoulders slowly beginning to ache.

Neve was frustrated when she figured out she had slept most of the previous day away. Also, now she throbbed intensely from her dream. Standing up and stretching upward, Neve wandered groggily across the cottage and found a small stack of three letters just under the door slot. She perched herself on the edge of the long counter in the middle of the room. Like most of the house, it was covered in dust and clutter that Neve knew she'd need to sort at some point. Opening the first letter, Neve smiled; it was a detailed map of the whole Sanctum complex, with a shifting map key. There were swirling marks and notes that appeared and disappeared. The second letter was more of a parcel; Neve shook it a bit and heard nothing. Opening the package, she spilled the contents on a small cleared space next to her, prayer bead jewelry of red coral and dark turquoise laid before her. Next, she opened the final letter, which contained instructions in an immaculate script.

Hello, my dear,

See to it that you wear my gifts; they are my only vestments and will protect you at all times. Second, use the map provided to complete the chores I have laid out for you this week.

1. Fix the bathhouse.

The map will show you where to go and how to start using the library. Go to the forge master for any parts you need made or tools required.

2. Explore the shifting rooms of your cottage. The loft will stay the same; that's your room. Clean up your space; it is quite hectic.

To make this fun, I have also hidden small quest notes and triggers throughout my monastery. My guardians are watching, do as you are told, pet.