The Journey Begins

At request of characters - they are inspired by real people - Flora and Liese will stay together a little longer.

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Flora looked at her newly elevated sister and asked, ''Can you feel the pull?'' Liese shook her head in the negative. ''That does not surprise me,'' said Flora.

''The song I hear was shown to me by the Gold when I visited her at our coven's first grove. I have been given a task that will likely surprise you but before I tell it to you, and as we walk, please describe the history of the covens. It is a minor test still needed in your elevation,'' Flora continued.

So Flora and Liese began their walk and as they did, Liese described the founding of the covens. The story begins with the fracturing of Gwondanaland and the separating of the continents. This happened in a time long before recorded history and long before humans walked the planet.

After the forming of the planet, the Earth Mother needed to rest. In that period the land mass she created separated into pieces and the pieces drifted apart. This had been foreseen by the Earth Mother.

In time, humans began to walk the earth as the Earth Mother had foreseen. The feminine line, in touch with the Earth Mother and her intentions, guiding all other life as they tended her forests on the continents. Using themselves as conduits to her power to nurture and strengthen all life. They established groves where the strongest communed with each other and directly with the slumbering Earth Mother who sent her intent to those most in tune with her desires.

As millennia passed, these bonds weakened as the Earth Mother slumbered far longer than intended. The male energy of humans began to assert itself and slowly but surely the humans lost their connection to the Earth Mother. Humans and nature ceased living in harmony. The humans, under male influence, began to use nature to their own ends.

Their is no doubt that the power the males used to create their machines and cities was impressive. Vast cities of steel and concrete were created but they spewed poison across the continents. Indifferent? Likely not, but overly arrogant in their ability to control the creations they brought.

The pain of the assault on creation began to awaken the Earth Mother but her faithful had scattered and lost connection to the groves. For millennia the Earth Mother sent a message summoning the faithful to her. In time, the feminine power she sought began to find its way to the original groves. They relearned the power of the connection to the Earth Mother and began to strengthen her power once again. Slowly growing in strength and number for as their power grew, so did the Earth Mother's renew.

Finally the covens of the continents connected one to another and brought their power together unleashing a cataclysmic cleansing. Cities rendered uninhabitable and human numbers brought back under control. Now only the worst of human transgression on Mother's creation were visible but only to those who knew what they saw. Vast spires reaching high into the sky for no apparent reason, and large bodies of water held behind barriers that seemed to have no purpose to name but a few.

As Liese finished reciting the oral history of the covens, the sun was beginning to set at the end of the day's journey. Flora and Liese said their prayers of thanks as they warmed by the fire and nourished themselves.

After a restful period Flora looked to Liese and said, ''Now that you are elevated to sister and no longer an apprentice, you may participate in a different ritual. This ritual is kept from the apprentices for to tap their power they must learn Mother's love but she also has pain.''

Flora pushed back her cowl and had Liese do the same. She took Liese's hand and using her sharp nail broke the skin of Liese's palm, she then had Liese do the same to her hand and then held their hands together mingling their blood. Moving to the large pine that four could not encircle with their arms, she brought their hands to the tree and as their mingled blood touched the bark Liese felt a deep baritone rumbling as the tree's spirit awakened.

Flora bade Liese to remove her cowl and her clothes. As Liese complied, Flora removed her binding leathers from her pack but also another item Liese had not seen before. With tenderness and love, Liese was bound to the tree and Liese felt its power connect as the bark pierced her skin when Flora's power bound her tight.

Flora looked at Liese and said, ''This is not an easy task that we embark upon, you can see what I hold in my hand - but it is this whip that releases Mother's pain. Do you consent to its use freely?''

Flora approached and she shook nine woven braids of leather, each about four feet long and attached to a two foot intricately carved handle, loose in her hand.

Clearly crafted with the same skill as the binding leathers, Liese was certainly apprehensive but her bond to Flora was such that her trust was unquestioning and she nodded a yes. ''This requires a verbal response Liese,'' said Flora. With a deep breath and her held high Liese said, ''Yes.'' As an energy flowed around them with this statement, Flora smiled and said, ''The truth of your commitment is felt, acknowledged and approved of.''

Flora approached Liese and touched her cheek with her empty hand. The soft and gentle touch easing Liese's apprehension. She brought the flogger to Liese's face and allowed her to smell its essence and the love that had gone into crafting it.

Flora, holding the whip in both hands, began to caress Liese gently with it. Up and down her arms and legs and across her abdomen. In time, with a small thrill, Liese felt it cross her breasts and excite her nipples.

Seeing Liese's flush, Flora stepped close and they kissed in a deep embrace. The touch of tongues an acknowledgement of love from both.

Flora's mouth went to Liese's nipples and as they were encircled by hungry lips, Liese felt the whip brushing past her pubis.

Sensing Liese's excitement, the bonds drew a little tighter. The brushing became a gentle tapping against her abdomen and pubis. Slowly, Flora stepped away, and with a gentle swing brought the strands across Liese's thighs. As the skin of her thighs reddened the whip worked upwards across her pubis and abdomen and finally across her breasts.

It seemed to grow darker, and if possible, the silence of the forest seemed deafening for their was no other way to describe the power that was building. The strokes built in intensity and Flora paused and said, ''Stoicism is not a requirement of this ritual Liese.''

She began to bring the whip strokes up and down Liese's body. Creating visible welts and gasps of pain from Liese. The forest grew darker as the intensity of the whipping increased.

Liese's gasps began to be screams and as her screams reached a crescendo and the darkness became complete Flora quickly removed her dress. Pushing herself deeply against Liese she brought her hand to Liese's vagina and without pause, found Liese's clitoris.

Within moments of the first touch, their ears instantly shielded and a tremendous roar of thunder shook the forest and night as Liese slumped against the tree. Flora staggered away from Liese, for even for one of Flora's power, this ritual was near overwhelming.

Flora settled herself to wait for Liese to return and as the sun came through the forest Liese roused in her bonds. Flora approached and released the binding leathers. Then helping Liese to a bed of moss that had appeared as morning approached.

As Liese felt the sun's warmth, Flora ran her hands across Liese's entire body, returning her skin to its unblemished beauty. They lay together for a while, allowing their energies to connect and renew. Flora then moved to her pack, and removed a folded square of leather.

She brought Liese to her feet and placed in her hands the folded leather. Flora watched as Liese released the folds and unfurled a leather dress whose only difference from Flora's was a lack of colour inside the cowl.

''No one will ever see you as an apprentice again,'' said Flora as she put on her own dress. When both where clothed, Flora embraced Liese deeply and with a deep smile drew the cowl over Liese's head before doing the same to herself.

Again, they began their journey following a song that Flora had yet to explain to Liese and that Liese still sought. ''Do not worry Liese, I will explain what the song we follow is,'' said Flora.

Now clearly sisters, the two set off for another day of journey.