The Healing of Eve Ch. 02

We met in the cosy living room of the small cottage in which the High Priestess lived alone. I was a little surprised that there were just the two of us. I had expected Willow and Ash to be present at such an important meeting. They were both deep in their understanding of the Lore, and would surely have a key role to play in the ceremony. It seemed though that the High Priestess wanted to keep things between the two of us, at least for the time being.

She opened a bottle of wine and poured two glasses. We sat comfortably on her sofa staring into the fire of crackling logs that warmed the room against the chill of a late September evening. We talked of this and that as we sat in the firelight. I let her take the conversation where she would, but this was far removed from the business-like evening I had been expecting. Nevertheless I was enjoying her company and the wine was good.

Finally, she brought up the topic of the ceremony. "We must meet Eve again as soon as possible," she said, "it's not long to go until the ceremony."

"Certainly, " I replied, "We should introduce her to Willow and Ash and begin her preparation."

The High Priestess was silent for a moment.

"All In good time," she said, "I would like you to meet Eve again before we bring in the other sisters."

"Of course, High Priestess, I will do as you ask. May I ask why? It seems an unusual request, as you say, time is short, and Eve must be fully prepared."

The High Priestess looked carefully at me before speaking. "Hazel," she said, "How long have we known each other?"

"I don't remember exactly, I said, "but it must be ten years or even more."

She nodded, "I am your High Priestess, but I also think of you as a friend. What I am about to tell you I would not reveal to the other sisters and when you hear what I have to say I hope you will understand." She lowered her eyes and paused. I waited for her to continue, wondering what was to come.

"Hazel, I was not entirely honest with you after our meeting with Eve and for that I can only apologise. I can only plead that I was taken by surprise. I told you that I had seen something in the Chosen One, but that she was closed to me. The second part of that was untrue. I glimpsed then something of which I am now certain." She spoke quietly but with conviction.

"Deep within her there is a power which yearns to be released. It believe it to be a force for good but of that I cannot be certain, the forces of darkness are cunning and may disguise themselves. I am not so adept in the powers of divination as to be infallible. And there is another thing..." She paused and now, suddenly, she looked vulnerable. I saw not the strong High Priestess, but a slender framed woman with her large dark eyes, bright in the firelight with the moisture of imminent tears. I reached out to her and placed my hand on her forearm. She placed her other hand on mine and seemed to gather strength from my touch. She took my hand in hers brought it to her lips and kissed it.

"Thank you, Hazel," she said and, gathering her thoughts, continued. "You know It's nearly four years now since I lost Sarah." I confess I had not realised that so much time had passed since the tragedy. Sarah, The High Priestess' partner, a beautiful and vivacious woman two years her junior, had contracted a fast growing brain cancer and despite both medical intervention and all that we could do in rites of healing, died within six weeks of being diagnosed.

"My soul is weary from grief, it has clouded my sight for so long," she went on. "Hazel, Eve reminds me so much of Sarah..." She tailed off. The sudden realisation hit me, and I gripped her arm so tightly that the High Priestess flinched.

"Sorry," I said, unclenching my fingers, "you think Sarah's soul is somehow trapped within Eve don't you?"

"Yes, that is what I have seen. I cannot explain it, only tell you what has been revealed to me. Sarah must be freed. She called to me. It was not Eve undressing before me last week, it was Sarah. Every movement, every nuance of movement and posture cried out her name. That was why I stopped her undressing completely." She bowed her head, and now the tears flowed freely, "I couldn't bear it."

I took the sobbing woman in my arms and held her until she was able to contain her grief and her body relaxed. Finally, she looked up and smiled a rather wan smile.

"I'm so sorry," she said, "You came here expecting a practical discussion about the ceremony, not to have to deal with four years of suppressed grief."

"Beth, you are my friend as well as my High Priestess," I said, using her real name as I did far too infrequently in those days. "Whatever you need and whenever you need it I am here."

"I know that," she smiled with more warmth, "and I am going to need it. Let me wash my face and I'll explain what I think we need to do." She stood up then, and left the room, calling, "top up the glasses," as she closed the door behind her.

A few minutes later Beth returned, she had changed into a soft silver-grey ankle-length robe from which only her small bare feet and hands protruded. Her hair was freshly brushed and although her eyes were still a little swollen, she looked refreshed and composed as she took the newly filled glass from my hand and resumed her seat in front of the fire.

"You look better." I opened the conversation. "In fact, I'd say you look even more beautiful than usual."

She laughed, "You would say that, whatever state I'm in."

"It's true," I protested, and the balm of our shared laughter soothed as it always does, and the High Priestess returned.

"You know that the Great Rite is our opportunity to free Sarah, don't you?" she said.

I nodded, and she went on.

"This is what I believe we must do." She held my gaze as she spoke. "To free Sarah we need to harness the full power of the Goddess and, if I am mistaken and the occupying soul is a dark force masquerading as Sarah, then I will need the full power of the Goddess in order to fight it when it is released. Do you understand what that means?"

Again, I nodded, I knew what was coming.

"I must achieve the sacred climax at the same time as Eve. It is the only way. In this way the power of the Goddess will be at its greatest." She paused.

"Hazel, my friend and sister, I ask that you serve me in the rite. Will you accept?"

"Yes." I could give no other answer. I had to share the burden of responsibility with the woman to whom I owed so much. Her eyes spoke eloquently of her gratitude as she put her arms round me and whispered, "Thank you Hazel, thank you."

"There is another thing," she said, breaking off our embrace, with a shy smile. "It has been four years since I last had an orgasm," she looked ruefully at me.

"What!" I said, "not even..."

"No, I have not even felt like pleasuring myself, not since Sarah died. So, I'm afraid Hazel, you are going to have to er... get to know me before the ceremony."

She didn't look 'afraid' at all. If anything, she looked pleased and a little excited. She carried on, "Yes, you are going to have to learn how to bring me to the point of orgasm and keep me there until Eve is ready. It's going to take practice."

I must have looked surprised, because she laughed, "It won't be too terrible will it?"

Now I was flustered, it was rather a lot to take-in and I needed time to think. I took a gulp of wine and allowed the beautiful earthy warmth to steady me. I must put the awesome responsibility to one side. There beside me on the sofa sat my beautiful tender friend, who had just asked me to make love to her. The words of the Goddess came unbidden into my mind:

Let my worship be within the heart that rejoices,

for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.

Therefore, let there be beauty and strength,

power and compassion, honour and humility,

mirth and reverence within you

I put my glass down, "No, it won't be terrible. It will be wonderful." And, with mirth and reverence in my heart, I leaned over and kissed her. Beth, not the High Priestess, not my long- time mentor and guide, but my beautiful lithe-bodied friend, kissed me back and I decided I had to take control.

Gently I drew her to her feet, and kissing her all the while, unbuttoned her robe and pushed it over her shoulders, letting it to fall the floor. She wore nothing beneath and for the first time I saw her truly naked. Not 'skyclad', as I had seen her hundreds of times before but naked, unashamed and unadorned.

She still had the body of the dancer that she might have become had not the Goddess had other plans for her. Here before me was beauty and strength in full measure. Her flawless skin glowed in the firelight and her eyes were soft. I kissed her again, and turned, saying, "here, help me with this dress." She needed no second bidding, pulling down the zip, kissing the back of my neck and taking the opportunity to unhook my bra. Turning back, I slipped out of both dress and bra and faced Beth. Resting my forearms on her shoulders I kissed her deeply, she brought her hands up to my breasts, cupping them in her hands, running her cool fingers over my nipples sending shivers of pleasure through me. She broke off the kiss and sat on the sofa in front of me, raking her fingernails over the soft skin of my belly sliding her slender fingers beneath my panties to ease them over my thighs. I stepped out of them and she leaned forward and kissed my belly button, probing it gently with her tongue. She began to move downwards, her tongue and lips delivering the most exquisite sensations as she moved towards the small patch of hair that I refuse to shave.

That night though, I had other ideas. I drew her head back and held her questioning gaze as I knelt on the rug in front of her. I kissed her on the mouth again and pushed her gently but firmly backwards against the sofa cushions. Placing a hand on each knee, I parted her legs. Beth let out a deep sigh of pure pleasure as I bent forward and closed my lips over her swollen labia pushing my tongue between their warm softness. Breathing in the wonderful scent of her womanhood, I began to lick her, running my tongue from the bottom of her labia right up to her belly button in one long lascivious motion. She opened her legs wider, giving me better access and I repeated the motion, at the same time bringing my hands up to her breasts, squeezing them gently and running my fingertips over her nipples, feeling them pucker and harden under my touch. Gradually I reduced the length of my tongue strokes until first her entire labia, and then just her engorged clitoris was firmly between my lips. Beth's cries of passion increased in intensity, each rhythmic stroke of my tongue bringing a new paroxysm of pleasure. Her whole body began to tremble, she caught hold of my head, entwinning her fingers in my hair, guiding my willing tongue as I increased the pressure on her clit, sucking it and out of my mouth. Beth was losing control, she began to move convulsively, thrusting herself against me, spreading her legs wide. Her whole body began to shake, and I knew it was time, I moved one hand from her breasts, leaving the other to continue its work on her nipples and slowly inserted two fingers deep into her, finding her G spot and beginning the circling pressure that I knew would tip her over the edge. She screamed, a long, agonised, cry of unbearable pleasure heralding the start of her orgasm. Her body shuddered as I continued to pleasure her. My fingers, deep within her, were squeezed by strong rhythmic contractions as the waves of her orgasm followed each other, at first quickly, then slowing down as her climax waned. As her body relaxed and her cries subsided to soft moans I became gentler, withdrawing my fingers from within her, caressing her with my hands, kissing her labia, enjoying the sweet taste of her. She lay back in bliss as I stroked her lissom body with adoring hands.

Finally rousing herself she looked at me, her eyes soft with love. "That was wonderful," her voice was deep and tender. I had never seen a more beautiful sight. Her body, now utterly relaxed, shone in the firelight with the afterglow of her orgasm. Her hair was a mess, cascading over her shoulders partly concealing her breasts, her nipples softening now but still proudly erect. She sat on the edge of the sofa and drew me forwards so that I knelt upright in front of her, then wrapped her legs around me, resting her feet on my calves. Raising my head with a hand under my chin she kissed me, a long, slow kiss, gentle at first but becoming firmer as she explored my lips with her tongue.

"It's your turn," was all she said as she broke the kiss, unwrapping herself from me. I laid on the rug before the fire and, there in the warmth of the flames, exploring my body with a beguiling blend of tenderness and passion, she brought me slowly and carefully to a beautiful, deep orgasm. Afterwards we lay in each other's arms until the dying fire, losing its battle against the September chill, forced us back to reality.

Beth brought me a robe and I wrapped myself in it, settling myself into a corner of the sofa as she stirred the fire into life and refilled our glasses. She sat at the other end of the sofa and motioned me to lift my legs. I complied, placing my feet in her lap and she massaged my toes gently and deliciously as we talked.

"You have beautiful feet," she started, rather incongruously.

I smiled, "We sisters go barefoot so frequently, the least we can do it look after our feet."

"Ah yes," she said, "Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet..."

"...and the winds long to play with your hair." I completed the line from Kahlil Gibran.

"You do know I didn't ask you here tonight with the intention of making love don't you?" Beth looked at me anxiously.

"Yes, I know," I reassured her. "It's just what happened."

"Can you stay tonight?" Beth still looked anxious. "I've got everything you need."

I smiled, "Of course I'll stay." Beth's anxious look was replaced by one of relief and I continued, "there is nothing I want more." She visibly relaxed, squeezing my feet, perhaps as a sign of gratitude.

"I did ask you here to talk about lovemaking in a way though," she said and we settled down to discuss the business of the ceremony. The High Priestess had obviously given it a lot of thought.

"The first thing is to see Eve again," she said. "Hazel that's something I want you to do. I don't want to meet Eve again before the ceremony. Find out what her fantasies are. What does she imagine when she masturbates. Learn as much as you can about what arouses her so we can incorporate that into the ceremony if possible."

"Alright," I nodded in agreement.

She continued, "I'd suggest that we allow Ash and Willow to prepare her. They know what needs to be done and we can leave it to them."

"Agreed," I said. "I was surprised not to find them here tonight." I smiled, "But I'm glad now that they weren't"

"No, that might have made for a different evening altogether." Beth laughed. She lifted a foot to her lips and kissed my toes. "I need you to prepare me," she looked into my eyes, "tonight was special Hazel but we need to be practical about the ceremony. We will follow the normal liturgy with the Awakening and Arousal. What is critically important is that Eve and I orgasm simultaneously. I will be kneeling between Eve's legs, much as you were kneeling between mine just now. You will be immediately behind me." She reached out and put her hand over mine. "I already know you have wonderful hands, look at that." She gestured to the front of her robe where the obvious protrusion of her nipples betrayed her thoughts. "My breasts are asking for more just at the thought of them."

"I think we need to practice that's all." I was trying to keep my cool, in the presence of an ongoing foot massage and the thought of those pert nipples aching for my tongue. "But not tonight please, let's go to bed."

And so we did. We showered and performed the evening ritual together, and slept naked in her big cool bed, with its crisp cotton sheets, our bodies touching because we could not bear to be parted. I slept soundly in the warmth of her and the afterglow of our lovemaking until the pale sun of the autumn morning heralded the start of a new day.

*****

As arranged, I met Eve again, and over the course of an evening together, won her trust to the point at which she felt able to share some of her most intimate secrets. I was sure that we could incorporate them into the ceremony. I put to her the specific question that the High Priestess had insisted that I ask.

"Do you ever have fantasies about being restrained or tied up?" I asked, without really knowing the purpose of my question.

"No, it's not something I have thought much about," she replied after thinking it over. "It's not something I'd be averse to," she said, "just not at the top of my list of turn-ons. I think I already told you about those." She said, looking a little embarrassed.

"She fantasises about having her toes sucked, that's very interesting," said Beth when I related our discussion. She looked thoughtful and a little sad. "That's one of the things Sarah loved. It can't be just a coincidence can it?"

"These things are beyond me I'm afraid," I replied. "I don't have your vision, but it's easy to incorporate that into the arousal, so let's do it. Who did we say would be at her feet during the ceremony?"

"Rowan and Aspen," she said.

I smiled, "I'll talk to them, knowing those two they will be more than willing."

"So you think the rumours are accurate do you?" the High Priestess smiled too.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I played the innocent, but it was true. Rowan and Aspen were twins, with a robust and obvious sex drive and there were stories, probably untrue mind, that they enjoyed an adventurous and uninhibited private life. It was also rumoured that if there were two few partners they were not averse to sharing one. Any questions I might have as to their motives put to one side, I knew that if there were toes to be sucked, Rowan and Aspen would give of their inventive best.

"Anything else special we should know?" The High Priestess asked.

"No. I don't think so," I replied. She seems an oral person, the more the sisters can use their mouths the better she will like it. Focus on her breasts, nipples, ear lobes, belly, the other obvious places but not her anus, she's not keen on that."

Beth nodded thoughtfully, "what about the restraint, she has no fantasies in that direction does she? We are going to have to tie her hands and feet to the altar"

"Not that she mentioned, but its surely not usual for the Chosen One to be bound during the Great Rite, at least not unless it's one of their own fantasies." I was surprised at this turn of the conversation.

"No", said the High Priestess, "its highly unusual, but this is a special case. I believe Sarah's soul is partly animating Eve's body. We can't know to what extent, but if we are successful in freeing Sarah there is no telling how Eve will react. At the moment of separation her body may try and move with the departing soul. The sisters may be unable to prevent Eve leaving the sacred circle and that is potentially catastrophic. I will create charmed bonds that will hold Eve in place, regardless of what happens." She paused and then said more quietly, "and if it is not Sarah whose soul I perceive, but some force for ill that blinds me with my own lost love, then it will be loath to leave her body and I must force it against its will. In that case, the bonds will even more be needed, for the safety of us all. Eve did not express any aversion to restraint, did she?"

"None at all", I said. The High Priestess looked relieved.

"That is for the good," she said. In fact if she had not been willing to be bound we would have needed to find another Chosen One. It would have been too dangerous to proceed."