Road Tripping Pt. 16.5 - Time Trip Pt. 05

"My hand was in my sacred places too after the same dream. I Hope yours are wonderful tonight. I love you Leandros and you have made this my happiest of days."

"I love you too Myrine and may your dreams be wonderful tonight as well. Let us make tomorrow and the next for eternity happier for us too."

They kissed one more time deeply and Myrine scratched Tika's head again before going to see Zephyra and making sure all was right for the ceremony tomorrow night.

A few moments later Leandros had put his finest clothes away in their box and was soon asleep with Tika asleep on his side as the night cooled.

In the middle of the night Leandros awoke when Tika sprang from his thigh and he awoke to see Zephyra standing naked in the dim lamp light, except for her large crystal on its necklace and a small crown with large red, blue, and deep purple stones. Her deep green eyes and the stones were all alight as he looked into her eyes and the stones all at once. The glowing stones seaming to also be acting as eyes for those beyond.

"Leandros I must know some things of you, and you will now also learn some things of me and of my dearest friend and lover Myrine!"

"I know you were with a woman in the past and she is gone. Are you joined with any others?"

"I was joined for almost a year, six years ago, but she and the child died in childbirth. I have not been joined with any other and until I met Myrine, and I have not looked for another. I have been with two other women, but it was without commitment. I did not father any children with them either. Of this I am certain since they had their time of menses after our time together."

"I Am most sincere in my love for her, and I know she has had dreams of me. I have had ones of a woman who was similar to her but had not seen her face. I just told her of this a little while ago when we talked."

"I am glad you are honest with me, and I will now be honest with you. I think you are a good man and the right one for her. I wish to bless this union and will educate you in the ways of love of our people, but I must also warn you of two things Jealousy and Violence will never be tolerated here as I am sure you are already aware of."

Then Zephyra's eyes went to a dark and glowing green he had never seen before. "I know you are a good man and would never do any harm to Myrine, but I must warn you that if you ever hurt in anger, beat, or worst kill her I will take this!"

A short, thin, razor-sharp knife appeared out of the back of her crown, and at the base of his manhood and the junction with testicles in the blink of an eye as she threw his thin bed covers aside.

Holding his limp phallus and testicles in her free hand, continuing, "And I will feed these to the fish in the bay and the cut you open alive from where your phallus was to your nipples for all the sea birds to pick at you on the rocks for a few days before you die."

"I would never hit or purposely injure her, but I understand your fears and I pledge my kindness and love to her as I am sure you truly know Zephyra."

Her eyes, the crystals, and her expression all softened as she heard his words and the true love and sincerity behind them. "I am glad we had this talk and I hope you understand. We are very close, and I have to make sure of the one who's soul I am sharing her with. When the time is right, we will all share as one but there is much work to do and you two have much to learn of the other first."

She patted his shrunken and frightened manhood and kissed his forehead and spoke. "Please do not tell her of this talk and go back to sleep. I will see you for the early meal before you two go to the fields and work. I think you will like it since I do not think you lay around and do nothing very easily."

She left as quietly as she entered, and Leandros laid down and after a few moments was asleep again.

He awoke the next morning to Althea calling all to awaken and be at breakfast soon. It had the feel more of a normal day in the household. Leandros, Hector and Nikephoros all arrived in the dining area all dressed to work today and they were shown the food, and all were soon sitting and chatting. Myrine and Zephyra soon came in and joined Leandros at a table with a hungry toddler at her mom's breast. The adults ate some of the fruit and a porridge with a strong hot beverage that woke all up a little more, just as the sun was on the horizon.

Once finished Myrine led the three men and Jonas out to meet with the rest of his crew and the members of the fishing fleet who would help them haul the ship up further onto the shore. His crew was finishing up cooking and sharing some of their thin strips of salted Boars' meat with some of their new friends and were ready to get Zenais up on shore. Hector and their carpenter would do some work on her when she was good and beached.

A cradle was dug a few feet into the sand to keep her upright. They knew a channel would have to be dug to get her back to sea and all of her ballast of bronze ingots were removed. A substantial amount of the crewman's wealth was in these ingots which were deeply hidden in the hold of the ship and not easy to steal. These were removed and soon they had Zenais three lengths from the high tide line.

Several of his crew went to join the fishermen and help with the catch. Leandros and Myrine left the others and went to water and weed her large vegetable and herb gardens. He grabbed a hoe and began to do battle with the weeds in the row she showed him that was most in need while she opened the gates to irrigate the fields she oversaw and then check on the beehive and its honey catch basin for their daily gift for all the flowers they got to feed upon.

She showed the already sweating Leandros the almost full silver cup she caught the honey in. "I have been too busy for several days then to do more than water. I will bring this to the kitchen and be back in a moment. Good work on the row." She kissed him and dipped a finger in the honey for him to lick off before she left and soon came back with a pitcher of water for them to drink while they worked.

Myrine soon followed him with a wheeled cart that had eight compartments for vegetables to be placed in as she went to harvest all that was ripe and trim anything she felt need pruning. A dozen olive trees, and ten other fruit trees were inspected but nothing was ripe at this time. She gathered all the small pieces of dead wood under the trees and made sure to add this to a one of the compartments in in the cart. Nothing was wasted here.

The sun had risen to almost midday, and both were sweating from the hard work of the morning. Myrine looked upon his chest glistening in the sun as she had perspired and wetted herself through her garment and her breasts were as visible as his. They both rolled the heavy cart up a path until they came to a basin almost refilled with water for her garden.

"Let's cool off in here for a moment and clean up before a midday meal." Both quickly took their clothes off to rinse out and washed the sweat and dirt from themselves. They kissed and held the other feeling their bodies against the other for a few moments until they both were getting more excited than they wanted too.

As they were dipping their heads one more time Zephyra came up the path with a large, embroidered satchel on her shoulder. "Hi, my loves may I join you for a moment and cool off. The caves are cool, but the path is hot in the early sun."

Zephyra quickly shed her thin garment and joined them in the cool water giving herself a quick head dunk to cool off and wash her braids off before she would need to place the headwear for their first joining ceremony.

After a few moments talking and relaxing all were cooled and got out and let the warm sun dry them for a few moments until they dressed in their still damp clothes and went to the square to share all the harvest with all the others in the island. Two bakeries near the center of the cluster of nearby buildings had many loaves for all to take as needed. All gathered enough for the next three meals at this daily food distribution from those who had harvested that day. About fifty carts gathered every day and three different bakeries rotated being open for all. Baskets of fish and shellfish had been brought up from the fishermen and one large tuna had been caught today and was being carved into many steaks.

Most of the people stayed and talked and shared the bounty of their land. After eating Myrine took Leandros for a long walk around their lands and to the place where one of their cistern's was being emptied by a person powered bucket hoist.

They told her they should be done in two more days, depending on the weather, and then would come the cleaning and if any other work was needed. They watched one of the men and then a woman pushing the spindle to bring the buckets up. At one hundred buckets the next took over. Myrine took a hundred buckets after the woman and Leandros said he would do his hundred to help and was surprised by the effort it took to do this at first but by the last fifty he was working at the pace the others had set.

From here a great field of grains spread out across an open plane of the island. Here was their breadbasket covered in tender shoots being irrigated from the emptying of their cistern. Myrine's talk of rain tonight looked good for these fields of the people. As they walked through the still mostly natural landscape. The main manmade features were the channels both built and carved to carry water around the land and one great wall to keep the goats and sheep to one side of the land for their grazing and foraging. The goats were native to the land, but the sheep had come with them, and some had interbred over time. They ate all of the garden and food waste of the land, but like the people their populations had to be tightly controlled, with the limited resources.

They returned to the main complex as the sun was going lower and there was a red glow in the sky, suggesting storms could be approaching. Zephyra met them at the main entrance to their temple and education complex.

"Say your farewells until you meet again before our gods to bless your joining as I do, Myrine my dearest love and Leandros my newest love. In a moment, please let Jonas take you to eat and prepare for the night ahead of you, but first I must speak with you alone Leandros. Myrine meet me in my chamber, and I will prepare you and the others for tonight's ceremonies."

Myrine left to go and find her mother and Basilia herself waiting to be readied for a joining ceremony with two of the men of the crew.

Hector for Basilia. He had lit a fire she had thought was long dead and she had replaced with the pleasant duties of ruling Cortinarius. He was of an age and experience she could respect, and he was not in awe of her rank in this society.

The one in the room who surprised her waiting for Zephyra was her own mother, Theresa.

Her and Amaros had talked most of the day and found they were closer in age then most would have guessed. She found his strength attractive like her daughter did of Leandros and when she had taken him to her favorite garden bath, she had been most attracted to his impressive phallus and it had taken all of her willpower to stop at only orally pleasing him, which was a great challenge. She was looking forward to the next two challenges she planned for herself with his large dark brown phallus. Both tonight if he was up for the challenge of her strong well practiced birth canal and her well trained secret flower.

Like her daughter she could not wait to feel his phallus in her and sharing all of their streams of love between them. Two other women from Cortinarius were with them for the joining path they were beginning with local men of their choosing. A large pitcher of wine with the purple mushroom stems infusing it with its psychotropic effects was used to fill all the cups on the table for all the women, who had been told to drink two full cups and as much water.

Zephyra took Leandros aside for a moment into a small alcove. "I got a chance to see the crystals for Myrine and they are beautiful, and you were correct in guessing that blue is her favorite color. I have a few with me in a small piece Orpheus made that will be part of the larger one he will complete in the near future.

"Also, the ones you gave to Althea are lovely too and she will love what he makes for her with them. Many of the crystals you have given to the people will end up in many houses and worn by many of the people. Thank you, now go and meet up with the rest of the men. I will see you at the joining ceremony Leandros."

He hurried off with Jonas to join with other men who were being joined tonight, while the gathered women awaited Zephyra.

The Tapestries were over the door and porch and braziers were filled with hemp buds adding pleasant and intoxicating smoke to the room. Soon Zephyra returned in a different headpiece with purple mushrooms made of crystals all around the thick gold band. She gave each woman a cloth to wrap themselves in. Myrine and one of the younger women wore pure white as a symbol of their soon to be gone virginities.

The room the men had gathered in was a similar scene with them changing into simple white cloths wrapped around their waists as each was asked to consume two cups of the sacred wine mixed with the purple mushroom stems, along with as much water. Jonas told Hector quietly that he did not have to force himself to consume as much as the younger men if he liked but and he told Him if he felt unwell at any point, he would ease off the wine and have more water, but he should be all right.

Hector was not concerned as he had partaken of mushrooms like these many times in his past and was good with the wine although this one had a unique flavor to it from the mushrooms. It was not a good flavor, but he had had MUCH worse on his many voyages, and some of its pleasant effects were felt soon.

Like his uncle, Leandros was enjoying his unusual tasting wine and talking with Amaros and the other men as Jonas tended the hemp burners and said he would be back shortly after checking to see if all would be ready soon.

Each man had been given a small loaf of bread to consume so they had eaten a bit before all the wine and other mind-altering substances were too much for their stomachs. As all were finishing the last of their wine and food Jonas returned and said all would be ready shortly as he had a single glass of the wine and told the men they could have one more cup if they liked along with some more water, and a last chance at the basin for little while.

Shortly a bell was heard in the distance and Jonas had the men line up by age and they followed him first into a courtyard they had not been to before and then through a doorway to a descending circular staircase cut into the living rock. It was dimly lit, and Jonas told them to take their time and not slip, but that it was very dry all the way to the large carved room.

Most of the walls in the room had been painted with a white base coat and there were many drawings and writings upon them. The room was large and well-lit from many lamps. There were several openings leading off into dark tunnels no one could see far down, but niches were visible in the walls and many things were in these, most wrapped in thick cloths.

There was no smell of decay but both Leandros and Hector knew this was at least in part a mausoleum. Some of the bundles on the walls likely contained mummified people and many of this land's ancestors were here for tonight's ceremonies. The wine they had already consumed had also mellowed them and all were ready for the ceremonies to begin as they awaited the women in silence.

Althea, dressed in a purple tunic and carrying a lamp, led two teenage girls carrying two silver baskets of purple mushrooms with a distinct yellow streak across the top of the caps.

The two older girls in tunics matching Althea's, were followed by Zephyra and two other women wore only purple embroidered wraps around their waist and were naked above, except for the large crystals and necklaces each wore along with their purple mushroom themed headpieces.

Behind them the five women to be joined followed in their simple wraps and two other younger women followed with more large pitchers of wine for the ten to be joined. The women were led to stand next to the man they were to be joined with.

There was a long and ornately carved marble table that Zephyra and the two other women stood behind while the girls place out intricately carved gold trays, each different and done over the centuries. On the five trays eight mushroom caps were placed by the oldest of the young girls assisting in the ceremonies.

Althea, who was participating in one of these rituals for the first time, helped place eighteen silver chalices out for all to drink from including the three leaders, the four young women and Jonas who had joined with the leaders on their side of the table.

Zephyra then brought out a much smaller golden cup for Althea to take a smaller drink of the wine diluted with water, as the first step in this society to full womanhood and her eventual place as a Protector of the priestess when Myrine became a mother and unable to fulfill the duties full time. Her martial training would start in a few days under Myrine's guidance.

More lamps were lit and now two very old figures were illuminated in an alcove behind Zephyra. There was the stone carving of a woman without a face but heavy set with very large breasts and showing to be carrying one or more children. Next to her, carved long ago judging by the deep color of the mammoth ivory was a taller and thin figure of a man with the head of a lion. This was symbolic of him protecting and being one with his mate.

Once all the cups and trays had been filled Zephyra had the attendants stand aside for now and she began to speak to all gathered. "I and the Gods of our people welcome all of you to stand before two of their oldest representations and many of our ancestors who rest here in these many niches and tunnels.

Zephyra spoke of the bonds these two carvings had symbolized for their people going back at least ten thousand years by their reckoning. It had been over five thousand years since they had arrived at this place and made it their home, after the great floods came to the east of them when the water in the straights overtopped the hills and the Black Sea was born.

For a short time, Zephyra and the other two priestesses spoke of the pleasures and obligations of this joining tonight. It could be dissolved if those joined were incompatible or they unhappy together, but it was never to be dishonored with violence or jealously. All were to make known with their partner what they felt was right for them as a couple. Zephyra told all to wait at least a year before attempting children to get to know their partner better and be prepared to raise a child.

The people of Cortinarius knew well the cycles of women and had some herbs to hinder conception but as in all times nothing was foolproof.

When talking of waiting for children she could not help but smile at Hector and her mother, who were well past the age of conceiving a child together. Zephyra did not know if Theresa had gone through her change, but she was past a safe age to have a child she felt.

After talking for a few moments Zephyra addressed all to be joined. Now is the time to begin your journeys together. The purple mushrooms of insight will help you share with the other more deeply as you now begin exploring the physical joining tonight. Each of you, please feed your partner three of the caps. These will not taste good at all to those who have never had them before and use as much of the wine in the cups as you want to help you consume them.