Fiery Passion

My body shakes from the cold but I already feel better. I go further in so that I do not have to lean down. Beatrice hands me the soap and I start to rub it along myself. I hear a branch break and look past Kat.

Mila is walking towards us and she does not look happy. Beatrice sinks deep into the water. I feel a little better knowing she finds her intimidating as well.

"Why are they in there?" Mila demands.

My legs start to shake, not from the cold. I keep inching back as her black eyes bore into green ones. My chestnut brown hair wraps around my arms as I move further back.

"They are not used to our ways, Mila. I am trying to show them we are not the monsters they haven painted us to be." There is not one ounce of fear in Kat's voice.

"How juvenile you are, Kat. They will always think of us as savages." Mila is still staring at me. There are no feathers in her hair today. Just string. She also doesn't have the white paint she did yesterday.

I do not realize how far back I have moved until my feet start to levitate from the rocks I was standing on. With one final misstep I fall backwards and get dragged by the current. "Help! I can't-" I am brought under before I can finish my sentence.

The dark waters swallow me whole. I can't see anything. I try to kick up to break through the surface but the current keeps dragging to the side. I kick and flail my arms until they begin to burn but I'm not getting any air. For a second I stop and imagine being taken down this river, into my death. Just like I pictured earlier. Maybe this is where my story ends. I briefly make peace with it, letting the bubbles coming out from my nose. I have no final thoughts.

Strong arms wrap around my waist and pull me up. I take a lung full of air and allow myself to be pulled through the current and finally onto land. I am on my back, and someone is on top of me.

Dark eyes are looking down at me in anger. I shrink back and whimper. I try to shift away but Mila holds on to my waist with a painful grip. "Trying to escape?" Her dark hair is dripping wet. I feel my bare breasts rub against the fur she is wearing. She is dripping from head to toe. She is also straddling my legs.

I breathe in and out quickly and shake my head. I am shivering from head to toe. The light breeze makes being out of the water painful.

Her dark eyes take in every inch of my face and I try to get away again.

"If you even think about escaping, I will make sure you regret it."

She gets up without another word and leaves me panting on the grass. When I finally look up I realize we are on the other side of the river and much further down than I expected. She is walking back up into the river.

"Wait!" I scramble to stand and run towards her. "I can't get back by myself."

She turns to glower at me but her eyes widen as she notices I am completely bare. I quickly cover my breast with one arm and use the other in between by legs. Her frown returns in full force and she grinds her teeth together. "Find your own way back."

"I can't swim." I am shivering again. My breasts feel painfully erect from the cold. I know if I looked down, my pink nipples will be as hard as the pebbles I'm standing on.

She almost growls as she takes me into her arms and picks me up. I yelp as her rough hands grip my waist and guide my legs to wrap around her hips. I wrap my arms around her neck to stop my upper body from falling back. She begins to move into the water, her hands still gripping my hips. She moves as if I weigh nothing.

"Don't let go." Her tone is gruff.

As we make our way through the water, I lean my head down into her neck and hold on for dear life. If she wanted to, she could let go of me and push me towards my death. I know I was ready to let go of my chance of living moments before but I know now that is not what I truly want. This cannot be all that is left of my life. I try to think of anything else to take my mind away from here. With every move that she makes I begin to notice my breasts rub along her chest. With every stroke, there is a questionable heat between my legs. The heat begins to radiate at an alarming rate. Being this close to her in my state is messing with my head. My cheeks turn dark and I close my eyes. I bite my lip in embarrassment as my inner thighs get closer and closer to her own center. I gasp when my heated center makes contact with her lower belly. What is wrong with me? The current threatens to pull me again so I hang on tighter which causes me to rub against her again.

She grunts and moves at a quicker pace across the river. The movement causes more friction in between my legs and I feel myself panting for a completely different reason. The heat between my legs builds up, becoming unbearable. My eyes snap open when a moan escapes from my lips.

"Stop." She growls in my ears.

"I don't know what is happening." I whimper. I try to remove myself from her arms. Her fingers dig into my skin and she curses. She doesn't let go of me.

We finally get to the other side of the river and she drops me at the edge, causing me to fall on my back.

"Keep her away from the river." Mila orders Kat.

~~~

The next day I wake up feeling even more sleep deprived than the day before. I was restless again. Images of Mila haunting me all throughout the night. Her coal black eyes making me squirm under her.

Kat stops at her neighbor's house and a gentleman opens the door. He gives us a polite smile and then hands Kat something in a brown bag. We follow her further down the village until we get to a work section. There are tools and papers with writings on them.

"For today, we are going to make some soap." She smiles sheepishly. "We owe my mother a bar or two after losing the last one we had yesterday."

"I'm sorry, Kat." I don't miss how she added herself as a guilty party when she was not at fault.

"Don't be. I hope you don't take this the wrong way but seeing Mila jump into that river with no hesitation was refreshing. She is so mean now a days I forget she has a heart inside."

"She does not seem to like me much." Must I sound so insecure?

Kat smiles down at the bag she brought. "Just stay out of her way and she'll forget you're even alive."

Kat sets everything up and explains the process. Beatrice catches on a lot quicker than I do. Both seem at ease with each other. Probably because both of them are used to working every day of their lives. It takes me a couple of trial and errors to finally get the right pattern. We spend the whole day making multiple soaps. Some unscented, others with lavender, and even some with drops of oranges. I hate that my thoughts keep going back to Mila but I let myself get carried away.

With determination I make my last batch of soap and set one aside. This one smells more like the woods than the others. "I would like to give this to Mila." My cheeks heat up just from saying her name.

Kat nods without any comments and helps us get the soaps in order. "We have to let these sit for days before we're able to use them."

We walk through the village with our heads down. Kat is the only one smiling and waving at everyone. People are still staring, probably because we're the only women, besides Tula, who are covered from head to toe. Most don't even wear shoes.

"Here is Mila's house." Kat motions for me to knock. "I don't think she is home yet. If she is not, we can leave it by her window with a note."

I build up the courage to knock on the door. My knuckles feel raw against the wood. Beatrice is watching me with curiosity but I ignore her.

"What are you doing here?" Mila answers, annoyed. Her hair is all over the place, she is wearing a different color fur now, much lighter than the others. Her gaze softens as she sees Kat.

"I came to give you this as a thank you for saving me yesterday." I turn my palm up and show her the soap.

Her eyebrows pull in together. She snatches the soap from my hand and slams the door in my face.

I huff in anger but shrug it off. I did my part. I can finally put the whole incident behind me.

~~~

The next couple of days go by in a blur.

From the moment that we wake up to the time that we put our heads on our cots we are constantly moving around. They have us on vegetable duty so we are always chopping or gathering what we can find. The garden they have also needs tending to. My arms and legs are sore from being overused but at least it has helped me sleep at night. I am so tired that I do not even dream anymore. The mornings are still hard for me, being up at an ungodly hour is hard but it is the only time I feel comfortable enough to shower in the bath house. It is a small place that fits maybe four women at once and it gets stuffy very quick but it gets the job done. When I asked Kat if we could go back to the river, she reminded me Mila said I was to stay away. I guess anything Mila said had to be followed.

I have not seen much of her. She is one of the main hunters. There are a couple of other girls that hunt as well but there is an underlying respect for Mila that everyone in the village seems to have. The rest of the tribe is now getting more comfortable with our presence and some have even started talking to us.

Somi, the man who kidnapped us, has a sweet spot of Kat so whenever she needs anything, he is the first one she will talk to. He is not a man of many words but I am used to his presence now. Their Chief has not said a word to us since we were presented to him. He mostly stays in his house and only comes out when they need guidance in regards to food, building new developments, or resolving conflicts. Overall, they live in peace.

Umna, a girl a couple of years older than me, has gotten to know us better and will usually make small talk with us. I love to hear stories of their ancestors and why they do things a certain way. There are plenty of legends and stories that surround the elders in the village. Besides Kat, she treats us as one of her own. Her hair is short and she prefers to wear fur dresses that come up to her thigh. I wanted to ask why she dressed differently but I did not want to make her uncomfortable.

The only person who has not made an effort to make us feel like we belonged is another girl named Ziki. Ziki is by far the most beautiful girl here. Her long, black, shiny hair reaches her lower back. She has no blemishes or marks on her skin and her body is all soft curves. From the moment we got here she has made no attempt to get to know us and has even glared at us as we walked through the village. Anytime we are meant to work with her on a specific duty she will walk away and do something else. Kat notices but doesn't say anything. Like Mila, she is just another person I avoid.

By our fifth day, I decide to do some more digging about our current location. We don't have much time and even though everyone has been nice to us, this is not our home. But no one seems to want to talk about where their village is located. Or maybe they don't want to talk about it with me.

"Beatrice, are you sleeping?"

"No, miss." Beatrice turns in her cot to look at me. We both stare up at Kat's body to see if she wakes but she continues to lightly snore.

"I need your help."

"Anything you need, my lady." She leans up, closer to me.

"I have noticed that Kat appreciates your company just a tad more than mine." I hope she knows where I am going with this. "Enough to give you some pointers about where this village is located, or when our best chance of...leaving will be."

She looks uncomfortable but silently nods.

"It has to be soon, Beatrice. Should my parents get word that we didn't make it to Wilandale, who knows how my mother will take the news. You know her heart is already weak as it is."

"I will help you escape." She nods again.

"We just have to be smart about it. We can do this."

"I will help you escape." She repeats.

"But-"

"I have never felt more at home than I have here, miss. No offense." She looks terrified to be so honest with me but I don't say anything. "You can tell your parents I died along with Peter."

I cringe at the mention of him. She really would rather stay here?

Can I do this on my own?

~~~

My escape window comes to me the next day.

"She said they will go hunting further away today. They are taking all their strongest with them." Beatrice is whispering quickly before Kat returns with the carrots. "I asked her if we could go wash our clothes today by the river and she said because Mila will be gone there should be no problem."

My mind is running fast and I try to think of all of the ways we can approach this.

"Don't worry, I have it figured out. You just need to follow along." Beatrice says.

I nod.

After eating, we make our way to the river. Kat is talking with Beatrice about what her favorite hobbies are and Beatrice seems really invested in her answers. I never knew Beatrice was such a good actress.

"Oh, miss, you look pale. Are you feeling well?" Beatrice winks at me and I clutch my stomach. Hopefully I can act as well as she can.

"I feel like I'm going to be sick."

"Oh, let me check your temperature." Kat makes a move towards me but Beatrice beats her to it. I feel bad about lying when I see the concern in Kat's eyes. She really does seem to care.

Beatrice places a hand on my forehead and cheek. "Yes, it is bad. I think you should lay down and rest." She turns to Kat. "I will walk her back and make sure she is ok. I will be right back, is that fine?"

Kat nods and starts to set up the supplies needed to wash our dresses.

We walk much quicker when we are out of Kat's line of sight.

"Miss, the sun will be down in a couple of hours. You need to head up the river and make it to the road. Once you do, get on the other side of the road and take a right. Don't walk on the road, they will expect that, walk next to it. If you see a carriage ask for help. Here." She hands me a small bag with coins. "This is all my savings. I don't have much need for it now."

I nod as we walk further up.

She hugs me fiercely when we come to a stop. "The next village should be only two miles up the road, you should get there with plenty of sunlight left in the day. Whatever you do, do not stop."

I nod again and take one last look at her.

~~~

My feet feel raw by the time I make it to the road.

I follow Beatrice instructions and pick up the pace. I don't know why I didn't think to bring some water, but maybe traveling light is better. I keep an ear out for any sounds of animals, humans, or carriages. I walk for what feels like forever and keep going even when I want to stop and take a break. I put some more distance between myself and the road, in case they have already started looking for me.

I try not to think about Mila's face when she finds out I have escaped. My only hope is that Kat's tender spot for Beatrice keeps her from being punished. I imagine what I will do once I get to the next town over. I will probably stay in a room, eat, and then hop on the first carriage heading back to my town. With the amount of coins that I have I think I can even pay someone to take me directly to my father's land. Surely once they find out what happened to me no one would care that I was traveling alone. I briefly wonder what happened to our stuff. Then it dawns on me that I didn't see Peter's body on the tree they tied him up to. I walk even faster.

As I walk further into the woods, I begin to feel uneasy. The hairs on my back stand and I turn to look behind me. Nothing looks amiss. I continue to walk but the feeling never leaves. I happen to turn back a third time to see something moving on my left. I stop for a full second before breaking into a sprint. They found me! Already? I am so close to making it to the next town. My lungs start to burn but I push through it. Five days ago, my limbs would have given out on me, right now I can live with being uncomfortable for a second longer.

I am tackled from behind and we roll around until I am pinned to the ground.

I should not be surprised but I am. Mila is glaring down at me. She looks like she is going to beat me.

I squirm and try to push her off me but she doesn't move an inch. She's not even out of breath. My muscles are on fire.

"I told you, you would regret it."

I open my mouth to yell for help but her lips cover mine in a painful kiss. My eyes widen. I stop fighting and try to assess the situation. I have never been kissed before. And I most definitely never imagined my first kiss would be with a woman. I almost faint from not breathing and gasp to take a lung full of air.

Her tongue sneaks into my mouth and the flames from her kiss begin to melt my limbs. My eyelids flutter close and I allow her to kiss me with an unleashed hunger that shakes me to my core. Her hands come up to my face and she holds me in place as her lips and tongue explore my wet mouth. I moan when I feel her teeth nibble on my bottom lip.

She pulls back, panting.

My vision is blurry when I finally open my eyes. When I finally see a focused image of her face I am breathless. Gone are her harsh features. She looks serene. The sun beats down on her black hair, from behind, causing her to have a halo. Some black strands blow with the wind against her face. Her lips are slightly open and there is something different in her eyes.

All too soon her scowl returns and she stands, dragging me with her. She grabs my arm painfully tight and shakes me until my teeth clatter.

"You just made me waste half of my day looking for you. I am going to make you pay."

I don't even bother to break free. My lips are still burning from our heated kiss and my hands are tingling. Why did that feel so good? Why did she look at me like that? If even for a second. What was that look? What am I feeling inside? Is this what the romance novels try to describe? I say try because no words can describe that feeling. I need to clear my thoughts.

I lower my head and defeat and I try to be honest with her. "I just wanted to inform my parents that I am alive."

"They know you are here." She grunts and pulls me along so we start walking back the way I came.

My feet start to hurt again but I can't stop thinking about what she just said. "What? How?"

"We sent word the day that we captured you."

"But how?" My mind is reeling. They know I'm here. "Wait, how do you know who they are?"

She continues to walk in silence.

"Mila." I try to get her to stop.

"You do not call me by my given name." She spits at the floor in front of me. "You do not have that privilege."

I am reminded again that I betrayed them. Escaping when I didn't need to. May parents know I am alive and they know where I am. But how was I supposed to know? And even if I did know I would I still be trying to get back home. I do not belong here.

"Why have they not sent for me?" I try speaking again.

"They know better than to come uninvited."

"Please, whatever you want, they can give it to you. My father has enough means to help your village."

"Stop talking!" She grabs me by both arms and forces me to face her.

I look up again, hoping and fearing that she will kiss me again.

"When we get back, you will have to answer to Chief Bearson. I will be surprised if Tula even lets you back into her home."

Shame washes over me and I look away.

~~~

"You are not making this easier for us." The Chief looks down at me.

He's sitting on his throne, in his house. There are only a couple of elders at the meeting and for that I am grateful.

"She is doing what any of us would do if the roles were reversed." Tula breaks the silence.

He sighs. "Tula, you need to watch what you say around her. She will take advantage of your kindness again and it will get us all killed next time."