The End of Things Ch. 12: Junia

It was a clear, bright morning as we came into harbour at Lesbos. The wine-dark sea was inviting, and had I been alone, I should have liked nothing better than to have stripped off and to have dived in for a swim. But I was not alone - so didn't.

"No antics, Carwen," Merlin whispered into my ear.

"Antics?"

"The Governor is a strict Christian, you and those girls of yours go round rutting, you'll land yourselves in gaol - and me too."

I groaned inwardly. It had been bad enough in Britannia, but the further east I had come, the worse the prejudice seemed to be getting. I warned Bella and Stumpy. The latter looked decidedly annoyed and fingered her sword.

"Let 'em try! But okay love," she said to me, "I'll be good. Bella, pull that tunic down a bit, there's a good girl."

Bella blushed, but did as she was told. She was, as she always said, a good girl.

Oddly, or not, despite the "strictness" of the Governor, Bella got lots of attention from the men, and it was only the sight of Stumpy's sword which saved us from molestation. Someday someone will explain why men who profess a strict attitude to religion seem to need to ease their tension by ogling women, and then blaming them for being temptresses. Pending that day, I put it down to natural tendencies. Men like women. Men like to fuck women, and if they are told to hold it in too much, it comes out anyway. But I am sure Augustine, and the theologians have a better explanation.

We reached the inn without any problems, and Bella took our bags to our room while Stumpy, as she put it, "cased the joint." I decided to sit outside and enjoy the view, not the least of which was the sight of Stumpy examining every nook and cranny and assessing where enemies might try to attack us.

"Are you from Marseilles?"

I turned to see an older woman looking at me.

"Lately, yes."

"Does Junia's name mean anything?"

"Yes, she gave us a package."

At that the woman broke into a broad smile.

"Thank goodness, we have been waiting for you for a few weeks, thought you had got lost. There was a rumour from a ship from Ostia that you had been left in Hippo."

That was interesting. Ostia was the port of Rome, and there was only one place such a rumour could have originated, and that was Helen, my former lover and travelling companion; but I kept my own counsel.

"I am here now. I am Carwen, and you are?"

"Sorry, I am Demeter, I am here to take you where you need to go. Can you come now?"

"Who's this, Carwen?"

That was Stumpy's voice. As she hove into view, I could see a sceptical look on her face. Just at that point Bella came out with wine for us all.

"This is Demeter," I replied, introducing her to Stumpy and Bella, and explaining what she had just said.

"I'd rather we ate before going," Stumpy asserted.

"I am not sure you can come, Miss," Demeter said, obviously a little in awe of the powerful Stumpy.

"I'm sorry," I said to her, "but they are my friends, and, no disrespect, but I don't know you from Eve, and have already been attacked several times, so I go nowhere without Stumpy - and Bella!"

Demeter did not look pleased but sighed her acceptance.

Bella came back with some bread and meat, and, inviting Demeter to join us, we sat in the warm sunshine. As usual, there was no sign of Merlin. That man had the most annoying habit of vanishing and then expecting me to work out where he was. On the other hand, he also had the more welcome habit of getting me out of tight corners, so I decided, forgive him.

Once we had eaten, Stumpy collected her other gear, and we set out with Demeter.

"Do you trust this bitch, Carwen?"

I looked at Stumpy.

"With the exception of Bella and yourself, I trust precisely no one. The last woman I trusted, Helen, left me in the harbour in mortal peril, so colour me suspicious. That's why I want you with me."

Stumpy smiled:

"Good girl."

We walked up into the higher ground towards Mount Olympus. I had not asked how far we were going, but had assumed, perhaps foolishly, that as we were going on foot, it would not be too far.

We had walked about an hour before we reached the more heavily forested part of the slopes.

"Anyone wanting to ambush us, Carwen, this would be a good place. You got your knife handy?"

Stumpy knew I kept a knife close to me, and that I knew how to use it. I told her I had it in my bag. She smiled.

"Now, here, watch out for the slight ridge."

Demeter parted some foliage, and looking down, there was a cave.

"In here."

Stumpy looked at me as though to ask whether I was sure, so I nodded. Of course, I trusted no one apart from her and Bella, but there was no choice.

Demeter lit a torch which allowed us to see where we were going. After the warmth of the climb, the air had about it a welcome coolness. After some time, we could see we were coming to a bridge across a ravine. As we drew closer a figure emerged from the shadow.

"Halt. Speak. What business... ah Demeter. Good. Who are these?"

The speaker was a tall, well-built woman with muscles which resembled Stumpy's. She was clearly no mere gatekeeper.

"Greetings in the name of the Mother. These are emissaries from Marseilles."

"I hope they are better than your last one, Demeter!"

Demeter looked concerned.

"And you know, no swords may cross the divide, so you, with the big knife, give it here?"

"Are you talking to me?"

Stumpy replied aggressively to the aggressive tone of the Gatekeeper.

"Well, your little companions don't look armed, though those tits on the curvy one ought to be classed as dangerous weapons, so I may have to inspect them."

Bella blushed.

"Ariadne, please," Demeter said, trying to calm things down, "these women are to be trusted."

"You said that about the last one you brought and look what happened. And you know no weapons are allowed."

"Well in that case, we have to trust you, and I don't!" Stumpy was clear. "I am not laying down my arms for you."

"Look," I said, intervening, recognising that this dialogue of the deaf and stubborn was getting us nowhere, "isn't there some compromise solution?"

"You could," Ariadne said with a smile, "prove your good faith in another way."

The smirk on her face, along with the way she was looking at Bella, left little doubt as to where her mind was going.

"What did you have in mind?" Stumpy asked.

"How about the one with the big tits shows me what a good girl she can be? That might improve my mood?"

"How about I cut your tongue out and make you eat it? That would improve mine."

"Big talk! Care to try?"

"Ladies," I said, "this is getting us nowhere!"

"Well, perhaps if she can beat me at a wrestling contest, I'll let you pass?"

"Suits me," Stumpy said, licking her lips.

It was interesting watching them. The words were harsh and threatening, but the way the two warriors were looking at each other was not. I looked at Bella who looked back at me and smiled.

Demeter tried to intervene but was told to stay out of it.

Ariadne unbuckled her sword belt and took her breastplate off. Her breasts were full, but well supported by muscle, like Stumpy's.

The two came to grips.

"Shall we sit and watch?" I said to Bella who grinned.

"What's not to like? That Ariadne has such a firm ass. I wouldn't have minded servicing her."

"She and Stumpy are well-matched," I said.

Bella gripped my hand as we watched.

Stumpy was shorter than Ariadne, and her centre of gravity was lower. Trained as a gladiator, she pushed back as the taller woman pushed against her. Immovable object met irresistible force, and for a moment it was as though the earth itself shook.

Ariadne tried to twist and force Stumpy to go with her, but she resisted, and then, seeing a chance, she kicked the taller woman's legs, and she fell sideways, offering us a fine view of under her tunic.

"Nice," Bella giggled.

Stumpy attempted to grip her, but she shifted to the side just in time, and caught

Stumpy from behind, making her fall to the ground.

"Who knew wrestling could be such fun?" Bella giggled and squeezed my hand.

For a moment it seemed as though Ariadne had Stumpy cold, as she rolled on top of her, but Stumpy's thigh slid between her legs and pressed, and pressed again and again. Simultaneously she gripped Ariadne's ass and kissed her. The taller woman pushed herself back on Stumpy's knee and pressed her breasts against Stumpy's.

"This," said Bella, "is the sort of wrestling I like!"

I laughed and noticed that she had her hand up her tunic. The tell-tale movements of her arm confirmed what the scent coming from her direction had already told me; she was rubbing herself.

What had begun as one sort of wrestling match, soon turned into another kind altogether. Stumpy's hands pulled Ariadne's pussy against her thigh, not that they needed any help, as the latter was pushing herself against it.

Ariadne raised herself a little, pulling her tunic down to expose her bare breasts. Stumpy followed suit, and soon they were pressed against each other there too.

"Fuck!"

Ariadne gasped as Stumpy's fingers entered her cunt. She pushed herself up and down with passion and vigour which were matched only by Stumpy's own.

Bella was lost in her own world, and I heard her breathing change, and as she grunted her orgasm, her tits quaked.

At the same moment, Ariadne came hard too, swearing in Greek and moaning loudly.

I looked over to Demeter, who was sitting passively, as though two muscular women having rough sex with each other was an everyday event. Then I recalled the "Amazon lament" and wondered - perhaps it was here? Could Ariadne be an Amazon?

"Yield?" Stumpy asked, grinning broadly.

"Sit on my face and I will!"

Bella looked at me.

"Oh my gods, she really came!"

"So will you if you keep doing that," I grinned, watching her begin to maul her tits.

"Can you help?"

"Thought you'd never ask," I grinned back.

I saw Stumpy straddle Ariadne's face, but by then I was between Bella's shapely thighs licking her pussy.

She tasted so good.

I looked up.

"Who's a wet slut then? Pull those big nipples for me, Bella."

"I am. Fuck, Stumpy is grinding her cunt into that woman's face!"

Bella was sopping, her juices coated my face, so thick was her cream. The moment the tip of my tongue connected with her clit, she moaned loudly. Her thighs gripped my head so that all I could hear were muffled squeals from her, and Ariadne.

There is something so appealing to me about bringing another woman to orgasm, and Bella was especially juicy. A little taller than me, her tight ass and big tits were a huge turn on, and so I pushed against her; she pushed back. I slid three fingers into her gooey cunt; she squelched. I felt her tense. The next thing I felt was her cream squirting into my face as the spasms overcame her. Oh, the feeling of being gripped between her thighs and tasting and smelling her cunt! I had a small orgasm of my own.

Bella opened her thighs just in time for me to hear Stumpy's noisy orgasm.

I looked up at her.

"Fuck, but you ARE good at that Carwen!"

"Always happy to help," I grinned.

"Let me taste me!"

Bella pulled me up so she could kiss me. I pushed my tongue between her lips; she sucked.

"Hey you two, knock it off, we've work to do!"

We broke it off, giggling at the sight of Stumpy wriggling on Ariadne's face.

"When you do, we will!" I grinned back.

Suddenly, Stumpy toppled over, as Ariadne moved.

The sight of the two of them kissing was too much. I went back to kissing Bella.

It was only fifteen minutes, and a second Bella and Stumpy orgasm later, that we finally collected ourselves.

"They can pass," Ariadne told Demeter, with a huge laugh.

"But seriously, Stumpy, will you consider joining the Sisterhood? We could do with a soldier of your quality. I will vouch for you!"

Stumpy kissed Ariadne and looked at me:

"Would you have a problem if I did, love? And you Bella, you can still be with me."

Bella melted and ran to her lover.

"I'd love to!"

I sighed. I had loved their company and hoped to have it for longer. But that was selfish of me. Whatever this "`Sisterhood" was, it was clear that Stumpy would be ideal for it; and darling Bella? I had become fond of her, but her destiny was bound up with Stumpy's, and here, as the world we had known fell apart, perhaps they could both find a refuge? And me? Well, as I had been told at the tomb of Mary of Magdala, I had work to do. I needed to get the missions, mine and Merlin's, done, and I needed to get back to Britannia.

"Of course, darling Stumpy, you and Bella would be more than welcome to stay!"

"Thanks, love," Stumpy said, kissing me. I liked the scent of Ariadne.

"Let us go in," Demeter said.

I looked at her curiously. Throughout the erotic wrestling match, she had sat passively. Maybe she was not a sapphist?

Stumpy gave Ariadne a lingering kiss. In return, Ariadne patted Bella's bum.

"Look forward to getting to know you better soon, Big Tits."

"Me, too," Bella smiled.

Across the bridge there was a narrow path, lit with candles. It led into a wider cavern - which to my amazement, was carved out in the form of a church, with the altar at the east end of the arch. There were painted boards in front of the altar with female figures on them.

"Wait here!" Demeter said, before disappearing.

"What is this place?" Stumpy asked, her normally loud voice softened by awe.

"This is the Church of St Mary, and I am Mother Junia," said a tall, blonde woman wearing the robes of a bishop. "You," she said, "must be Carwen. Do you have them with you?"

"I am, Mother," I said, reeling somewhat. Everyone knew that priests and bishops could only be men and were to be called "Father;" so what was "Mother Junia" and how did she know what I carried.

As though reading my mind, she went on:

"You are carrying the Shroud of Our Lord to Constantinople, and you bear with it a volume stolen from here two years ago, the Gospel of Mary. And I am Mary's fortieth successor."

Instinctively I knelt for a blessing; Stumpy and Bella followed suit.

"God's blessing be on you and your companions. Now, come through for a meal and let us talk."

Once through the door into what seemed to be some sort of dining chamber, some acolytes divested Junia of her robes, and others brought us some bread, wine and goat's cheese with figs.

"Eat, drink, for tomorrow we live!"

"You seem to know a lot about my mission, Mother," I said.

"Call me Junia," she replied. "I have a good network across the great sea, and little passes me by - except the eyes of prying men."

Over the meal, she explained things.

The community over which she presided had been on Lesbos since the time of St Paul. It had been founded by his companion, Junia. Back then, women had been apostles and priests, and Junia was, like her companion, Phobe, a bishop. But at some point in the next generation, men had decided that women should obey Paul's injunctions not to teach and to be subordinate.

In other parts of the Christian world, this had happened, but here on Lesbos, the women had retreated, literally underground.

"We were fortunate that our fore sisters had created this refuge."

"Fore sisters?" I said. With a flash of inspiration, I took the Amazon's lament from my sack.

"These sisters?" I said, showing it to Junia.

Tears came to her eyes as she read it.

"Where did you get this?" There was a note of something akin to anger in her voice.

"From a woman called Helen," I said.

"The daughter of the Governor here a few years back?"

"The same," I said.

"After lunch I will show you the rest of it. She stole this, and the Gospel. Sister Demeter here befriended her when she took an interest in us. It was only after the material disappeared, we discovered what her real interest was."

So, I thought, I was hardly the first one that Helen had betrayed.

"What was her motive?"

"The Roman Church hates the fact we exist. It denies that women were ever apostles, proclaims they can never be priests, and insists on our subordination as women. Helen's father, Caius, had been charged with finding out where we were and exterminating us. Helen was his spy."

Junia told us how Helen had won Demeter's confidence and been brought to the caves. It was only after she had left that they discovered that some of their archives were missing.

"Soon after that we faced our greatest challenge."

We listened, spellbound.

"Fortunately, the foresight of our fore sisters worked in our favour. You met Ariadne at the bridge?"

Stumpy grinned.

"We did."

"Well, and listen well here, after the defeat of the Amazons, some of their warriors found their way here and lived in Sappho's community with their bard, Calliope."

"Calliope?" I asked.

"You have read part of her 'History of the Amazons,' she was the author of the "Amazon lament" you brought back."

At last, I thought, I knew the name of that woman whose words had so touched my heart and inspired my mission.

"So, you are saying there is more of her work here?"

"Yes," Junia grinned, "a whole history, describing the civilisation of the Amazons, their philosophy, their poetry, their military prowess. Apparently, there was a small group of Amazon soldiers who were on a foreign mission and so missed the great final stand. They followed their Calliope here, and she persuaded Sappho that a civilisation of women needed to be supported by more than poetry and wisdom."

"Bloody clever woman, that," Stumpy declared stoutly, "I'm with her!"

Junia smiled.

"We all have to be, Stumpy. Anyway, the Romans turned up, following the directions given by Helen, who knew nothing of the Sisterhood, as the Amazon army is known. From Calliope's day to this, the Sisterhood has trained for war and to defend first the civilisation of Sappho, and then our Church. The Romans got the shock of their lives. The remnant who survived the encounter brought fresh troops with them to exact revenge. You will find their bones at the bottom of the ravine. We lost some of our Sisters, but since then, no Roman has come here. We have a sort of peace. If we do not bother them, they will not bother us."

"I will be proud to add my sword to your cause," Stumpy declared, stoutly.

"And we will be honoured to have it. But the peace with the Romans leaves us with a problem, which is, Carwen, where you might be able to help us."

She explained that the Romans monitored known members of the Junian Church and would not let them leave Lesbos.

"We have been preparing copies of our books for the great library at Alexandria, where the philosopher, Hypatia, has promised to display and distribute them. She has uncovered a lost gem, the letters of Phoebe, Paul's companion. We should love to have the copy she has prepared for us, and to send her our copies, but we have no way of doing either - unless you would be prepared to do that for us. Before you answer, there is a reward."

"I need no reward," I said earnestly, "I came to find out more about the civilisation of women, and I will do my part in spreading the word."

"Nonetheless, there is a reward. Your companion, the Sage Merlin, wishes to find the secret of Greek Fire. The Governor will have given him what he will tell him is the formula; it isn't. The Governor has only part of the real formula, the secret ingredients are in a document in the great library. Hypatia will give you it as your reward!"

I was struck dumb! The two missions would become one! In fulfilling my own mission, I could fulfil Merlin's too.

"Moreover," Junia added, "if you give Hypatia the Shroud, she will ensure it gets to Constantinople, which means you can get home to Britannia sooner."

Part of me was sad at that thought. I had wanted to see Constantinople, and Rome, but I would be seeing one of the wonders of the world, the great city of Alexandria.