Through the Gate of the Gods Ch. 03

"Ornament, you're cuter than a kitten and twice as sexy," Thistle called out, making the dancing girl giggle and blush lightly.

The music picked up speed, and the dancers grew more confident. They mostly stuck with basic, well-rehearsed moves-easy spins, gently crouching to open and close their knees, leaning back so their long hair brushed the floor as they shook their shoulders-and Orchid thought seeing them improvise was a beautiful thing to see.

Mist began walking among the dancing girls, careful not to get in their way as she whispered encouragement and suggestions.

Magenta began teasing her large breasts as she danced, tickling her fingertips just above and below the full mounds.

Heather was the first girl to go to the floor, gently kicking and flexing, showing off her gorgeous legs.

Mist had taught Ornament a special move just for her, where she bent over and wiggled her tiny bottom, then looked over her shoulder and pressed her fingers to her lips in an adorable 'ooops I'm a naughty girl' gesture that always made Orchid grin.

Mist made a gesture, and the music slowed and softened. The dancers slowed their movements as well, following the music.

She grinned. "All right, girls. Tops off."

The dancer's steps faltered, and Ornament actually stopped dead, staring wide-eyed in shock.

"Make it part of your dance," Mist coaxed. "Quickly now, girls. Let's see how gracefully you can take them off."

Slowly, the girls began dancing again. Lily was first to comply. She ran her left hand through her hair and reached behind with her right, untying the knot that held her top on. With a wiggle of her torso, she made the tiny garment fall.

Old mother clapped her hands once and cackled with glee. "That's my brave girl!"

One by one, trembling hands removed tops. Ornament was last, a tear trickling down her cheek as she bared her small breasts.

Orchid and the rest of the second group watched in silence, butterflies in their stomachs, realizing their turn was coming.

"Fantastic, girls!" Mist cheered. "I'm so proud of you!"

The girls cast fearful glances at the musicians as they danced topless, but the men really weren't watching. Most of them had been playing for the Chosen for years, and seeing girls dance-even nude-held little interest for them any more.

After her brief moment of rare praise, old mother seemed to remember to be cantankerous. She began barking at the blushing girls.

"Stop dancing like a little kid, Heather! Be sexy!"

"Magenta, bounce those big tits! Make 'em shake!"

"Ornament, do the kitten crawl-and shake that cute ass!"

"Spread your legs wider, Lily! Tease, don't hide!"

Magenta seemed very self-conscious about dancing with her large breasts exposed, and Ornament looked terrified, but Flower and Midnight seemed to gain confidence with every note and step, dancing with joy and exuberance.

Orchid thought Lily seemed a bit mechanical, and as for Heather...well you could never tell what Heather was thinking.

The music rose to a crescendo, and stopped. So did the dancers, panting with exertion, but only Ornament tried to cover herself with her hands.

"Very well done, girls. Very well done!" Mist praised. "Take a well earned break. Second group, you're up!"

Orchid's legs trembled as she walked to the circle closest to the musicians.

"Mist?" came the soft inquiry. It was Ornament, her top already back on.

"Will...will we have to dance like that at the club?"

Mist smiled at her gently. "If the men want you to, yes. But you only have to dance fully naked in private."

Ornament bit her quivering bottom lip, and Flower put an arm around her, comforting the shy girl.

The music started back up. Orchid closed her eyes for a moment, trying to lose herself in the sounds. The beat was there-soft, but steady, and with a tiny smile she let her body follow it, not thinking, not planning her moves, just dancing.

It was something she loved to do, and she let that joy carry her mind away.

The music sped up slowly, and so did her dance. She kicked up her feet behind her in a silly, playful way before falling back onto one of her special moves-bending way over at the waist, her hands high above and behind her, her shoulders moving in a way that made her breasts wobble freely.

The resting dancers were calling out praise and encouragement. She heard her name, but it barely registered. Still, she grinned and blew a kiss out into the room.

It was amazing. The music filled her, lifted her, brought her to heights of bliss she'd never imagined. She'd never felt so alive, so feminine, so filled with delight.

She fell into a splits and rocked her torso, first touching her forehead to her front leg, then leaning back and lifting the foot behind her until her head touched the sole. With a graceful twist, she got her feet under her bottom so she could lean back and bounce, her knees spread wide.

The music quieted, and she bounced to her feet, amazed at how eager she was.

When Mist gave the 'tops off' command, Orchid didn't hesitate. Turning her back on the first group, she wiggled her butt, running her hands from the backs of her thighs up to the knot. Deftly, she pulled the string and bent at the waist, letting it flutter to the floor.

She was so turned on she could hardly stand it. Her nipples throbbed in the open air, stiff and swollen. Her tongue kept peeking out to wet her lips.

She had her hands on her inner thighs, her hips weaving lustfully, when the music crashed to a stop. She had to bite back a moan of frustration.

The musicians packed up their instruments as Mist gathered the girls round her.

"Very nice, girls. Very brave and very sexy. You did wonderfully!"

The girls smiled and squeezed each other's hands as she continued.

"Just remember. Your breasts are another tool. Showing them is one more way you can please the gods. Don't be ashamed of the gifts they've given you-be proud of them."

She wrapped her arm around Ornament's shoulders and steered her to the far side of the chamber, whispering softly as the rest of the girls went to take a shower.

"It's funny," Lily observed as the stood under the warm water. "Being naked here, with all of you? No big deal. I barely notice it. But taking off just my top like that? I thought I was gonna faint!"

Thistle giggled. "I know! Even though I knew we were gonna have to, when she said it my legs like wobbled!"

Flower blushed. "I thought it was...freeing," she admitted. "Like...if I can do this, I can do anything."

Ornament joined them after a few minutes.

"You ok, Sister?" Heather asked, and the girl nodded.

"What did Mist have to say?" Midnight wanted to know.

Ornament smiled shyly. "She wanted to know if I was gonna panic and run or something."

"Are you?"

She shook her head. "No. I told her I'd blush, and maybe cry, but I won't fail her."

"Orchid?" Thistle asked, and Orchid could tell by her tone that she was about to get teased.

"Whaaat?" she answered warily.

"Are you even gonna bother wearing a top? Or you just gonna start bare chested?"

The girls giggled, and Orchid stuck out her tongue.

"Brat."

XXXXXXXXXX

On the second to last day before their debuts, Mist had another gift of clothing for them

"This is the traditional first night outfit," she explained, using Thistle as a model to show the girls how it worked.

The top was familiar, but with gold strings to tie it in place, but instead of shorts, she wrapped a gold skirt around Thistle's slim hips.

There was a band at the top with a single button to hold the skirt up. Buttoned at the hip, it created a slit that left one leg bare from ankle to hip.

"Spectacular!" Mist declared, stepping back to admire the girl. Thistle flushed, part in pleasure and part in embarrassment.

Mist put one hand on the girl's shoulders, turning her around. "Touch your toes, sweetheart," she said. "I need to make sure it's not too short."

Thistle bent over, her knees straight, and Mist nodded. Orchid saw that even bent over fully, the skirt covered her Sister's buttocks and sex-but just barely.

"Do we wear anything underneath?" Flower asked, and Mist shook her head. Girls gulped audibly at the thought.

"We can't dance in these without...ummm...showing everything," Magenta pointed out.

Mist just grinned.

Each girl tried on her skirt, and bent over to be inspected. Heather's was too short, and Wisteria's was too tight, so Mist reached into her bag and found them skirts that fit better.

She had each girl fold her new skirt carefully, then passed out identical skirts, these in soft red or blue.

"The gold is only to wear that first night," Mist told them.

"These are to practice. You want to be able to undo that button smoothly and deftly, so it doesn't interrupt your dance."

Ornament shuddered, and Mist gave her a warm smile. "Brave and adventurous," she reminded the girl.

"The club will have lots of different outfits for you, and you'll get to help pick them out. The gold is very special. Wear it proudly."

Orchid was taking short walks back and forth, enjoying the way the skirt fluttered around her upper thighs, and even the way the little breeze caressed her bare flesh.

"Wear the other skirt and your black tops when we move to the club tomorrow," Mist told them.

After she left, Gem voiced a fear they were all sharing. "We're not gonna have to walk through the streets to get their, are we?"

XXXXXXXXXX

It didn't take long to get the hang of the skirt. A little flip of the fingertips, and the button popped free, and then it was loose enough that all it took was a wiggle of the hips to get it to slide down and off.

Orchid tingled all over as she danced, taking her skirt off again and again. She hoped she'd get a chance to dance that way her first night.

XXXXXXXXXX

And then it was time to go.

Their little bags packed, the girls filed past old mother one by one, getting a final piece of whispered advice. When Orchid leaned close, the woman smiled.

"You are the hottest dancer to come through the Gate in years," she said. "As long as you let yourself go, you'll be wonderful."

Orchid beamed, and surprised them both by kissing the old woman's cheek.

"Thank you for everything," she murmured.

They followed Mist single file to a new doorway. She paused to address the group.

"Your debut is tomorrow, but this will be the first chance the men have to get a glimpse. So give them your best walk."

She opened the wall, and the girls gasped.

A huge hallway, the ceiling some thirty feet above their heads, loomed before them. Each side of the hall was lined with massive windows, or maybe mirrors, shiny and blank.

The end of the hall was too distant to see.

Mist gave a playful little bow, and a sweep of her arm.

"Magenta, you lead the way. Heather, you bring up the rear. Make me proud, my beautiful girls."

They began to walk, slowly and gracefully, making each step a dance. Orchid glanced up at those silvery walls and trembled. She could feel dozens of eyes on her and her Sisters, assessing, appraising, and desiring.

Behind the blank walls, selected servants of the gods watched with hungry eyes. They were powerful, faithful, deserving men, and these girls were their reward.

Alma watched too, her somber expression not revealing how pleased she was with this year's crop of girls.

A very tall, dark-haired man came to her side. The small patch on his robes indicated he was Blazell's.

"That one," he said quietly, indicating Ornament. "Make sure I'm informed."

"Yes sir," she replied just as quietly.

Orchid was amazed at how thrilling the walk was. She had to fight the impulse to stop and dance, to twirl and squeal with excitement, to make herself available right then and there. She savored every moment.

At last, they were through. The huge hall branched into two more normal-sized walkways.

Mist stopped the girls, her expression tender. "This is where you split up. You won't see the other group again until you've all had your debuts-so give out your hugs now."

They did, whispering encouragement and soft words of friendship. Orchid felt so close to her Sisters at that moment, it made her heart pound with love.

"First group, follow me. Second group, I'll see you tomorrow."

Orchid followed Wisteria down their hall, which soon opened into a sleeping chamber. Their were six beds, a couple bureaus with mirrors and drawers, and two big bathrooms attached.

There was also a note.

"Don't go wandering. Alma."

As they got settled, four of the black robed servants wheeled in carts with a huge meal-not the bland, nearly tasteless stuff they'd been eating, but a gourmet meal fit for royalty.

Chicken, fish, sweet potatoes, broccoli, baked apples, pasta salad, warm bread, spicy berry tarts, and plenty of chilled fruit juice. Orchid and the girls ate until they could barely move.

"Thank Sayennit," Heart said around a mouthful of fish. "If I never see brown rice again, I'll survive just fine!"

Full, happy, and excited, the girls changed into their nightgowns, brushed their teeth and hair, and chattered deep into the night.

Orchid dreamed of dancing, and slept with a smile on her face.

*****

OK, this seems like a good spot to pause. Thanks so much for the comment and likes! Chapter four is started and I'm hoping to have it submitted in two weeks or less.