The Emperor And The Temple Ch 26

Chapter 26

On the fourth day of the boar, just two days after the Emperor's army departed, Priestess Hanja mounted her horse and quietly slipped out of the Temple stables. She was unobserved, as Tak had not yet allowed Temple boys to return to their day mistresses (for the moment, at least, his army would keep them). As a result, Hanja herself had taken to caring for the Temple's horses and to keeping the stables in order; a lonely chore that she was happy enough to perform.

No one took much notice as she rode alone through the City streets, hood pulled over head to hide her identity. Only when she reached the rubble of the south wall and urged her steed forward to pick its way through the stones, did a man of the City Guard hail her. Recognising her as female from the cut of her clothing, he called out, "My Lady! My Lady! Halt a while! Where do you go all alone? The countryside around here is not safe. There are still foreign warriors about, and bands of brigands from lawless parts to the west."

She turned to the man and raised a hand to her hood, pulling it back enough to reveal her face.

"Do you know me, boy?"

He gasped and knelt beside her horse saying, "Of course. You are Priestess Hanja. Every boy of the Goddess knows and adores you, Mistress. My name is Dalan, of the seventh cohort"

"Dalan, your concern for a lady of the City does you great credit, but I must demand your obedience. Let me pass and tell no one that you saw me here!"

He looked at her in awe but still seemed unsure.

"If you must go hence Mistress, I will call for warriors to escort you!"

She beckoned to him to rise and come to her, and when he was close she reached down for him with a gloved hand and held his head against her booted thigh.

"Dalan, it is good that you care for my safety," she whispered. "But would you disobey a Priestess of the Goddess?"

Gazing up at her, he shook his head.

"Good boy, Dalan."

Hanja gave him her hand to kiss, blessing him in the name of the Goddess, and telling him that when she returned to the City he should seek her out at the Temple and she would have him kneel at her feet and make a giving to the Goddess. Then she rode forward, breaking into a canter as she headed for a line of trees to the east, leaving the excited boy staring after her. Only when she reached the edge of the forest did she look back. In the distance, at the east gate, she saw another solitary rider leave the City. A coincidence perhaps, but one that left her ill at ease.

Many times in the following hours Hanja would stare back along the trail behind her, straining to see if anything stirred there. But never was she able to see another traveller. Indeed the forest seemed devoid of life that day, with no brigands or men of the Emperor's army about as the City Guardsman had feared. Once she met a small group of northern warriors passing in the other direction, but their leader was polite enough. Even so, she could not escape the feeling that she was being followed.

Eventually, Hanja reached a point where the path narrowed between tall, steep rocks, requiring a traveller to dismount and carefully lead their horse through the narrow gap. And there she set a trap, tying her mount out of sight and waiting, dagger drawn, on the far side of the rocks.

For approaching an hour Hanja waited, until she was almost sure that no follower would appear. But then through the gap in the rocks came the sound of a traveller dismounting and speaking gently to his horse, coaxing it along the narrowing path. As the man came through, she slipped her body behind him and held her blade to his throat, recognising him in an instant and whispering into his ear.

"Well Samon, I am surprised the Temple's fighting slave would allow himself to be taken so easily!"

"Mistress, I knew you were there and trusted you would not skewer me."

Hanja was about to scoff at him and call him a liar, but then she remembered what he had done to Queen Zantina's would-be assassin not three moons ago. A boy like Samon deserved the benefit of the doubt. She removed the dagger from his neck and released her grip on his hard body allowing him to turn and face her.

"Explain yourself to me, Samon!"

"High Priestess Ashala sent for me, Mistress. She told me you had come to her requesting permission to go in search of Nikah. She denied you, Mistress, but still suspected that you might defy her. As you have done."

There was a note of disapproval in Samon's tone that Hanja did not care for.

"Therefore, Mistress, she bade me accompany you, assist you and protect you. Provide you with the comforts a priestess should expect from a boy in her service. And so, here I am. Shall we proceed, Mistress?"

Samon gestured forward towards the path ahead.

"No, Samon, we shall not proceed," Hanja growled, angrily. "The way ahead may be dangerous and, while my own mind is made up, I have no wish to be responsible for harm that may befall another. Turn around and go back to the City!"

When Samon did not move, Hanja slapped him hard across the face.

"How dare you stand there!? Why do you not obey me!?" she hissed.

"Because, Mistress, if I were to obey you I would be disobeying High Priestess Ashala."

She waved her hand in frustration, momentarily stifled by his logic, and then turned and mounted her horse.

"Mistress," said Samon, "The High Priestess acts from love, as do I, for you are second only to her in my eyes. They say Nikah went to Vilgen to seek his family. That place lies on the Road of Lakes where an army of the Emperor passed, bound for Casbur. It is said that a lady slaver favoured by the Emperor took thousands from the towns and villages thereabouts. Already they have been packed onto ships bound for distant lands."

"I have heard this too, Samon. But I shall go wherever I need to in search of my Nikah. To the ends of the world if necessary. This is why you must stay. Do not follow me Samon!"

And with that, Hanja rode away from the boy. She looked back twice, and both times she saw that he stood there, staring after her.

****

Later, Hanja felt guilty for her poor treatment of Samon; raising her hand to him even though he had done her no evil, other than to obey High Priestess Ashala. She wished she could hold him now, kiss him and reassure him of her love and respect. She sighed. He was quite the boy, Samon. Even among the males in the Temple he stood out for his loyalty and obedience and, indeed, he had quickly become a favoured night boy among the priestesses. Hanja recalled the evening of the disturbance in Zantina's bedchamber, how the Queen had held him so tightly in her arms, as though she would never let go, staring up at him in awe, gratitude and love. Well, what woman would not be enchanted by a boy who relaxes her after a hard day on the road, bathes her, pleasures her, cradles her as she succumbs to sleep, and then saves her from an assassin, all within the space of four hours. And what was it Samon said Ashala had instructed? 'Provide you with the comforts a priestess should expect from a boy in her service.' Of course, there was no mistaking what that meant. Hanja sensed herself moistening at the thought, the motion of horse and saddle against her only exacerbating the desire. She and her sisters had been largely celibate since the Temple boys were taken away. It was a frustrating state of affairs. Not at all natural.

As the day's light began to fade, Hanja found an inn in a village by the trail. The place was still within lands under the influence of the City, and she noted the sign of the Goddess on the board outside offering rooms, food and wine. A boy of about twenty three summers, broad shouldered and handsome, was sweeping the stable attached to the inn.

"Boy! Does your mistress offer rooms this night?" Hanja shouted.

He came to her and took her reins, inviting her to dismount.

"Yes, My Lady. Some captains of the Emperor's army took over the inn these last two moons, but yesterday they left. We are still cleaning, but if you will forgive____"

"Of course. Tend to my horse and see that you do it well!"

Hanja watched the boy for some minutes as he worked expertly on her steed and then, satisfied, she entered the inn where the proprietress, a stout lady of middle years, welcomed her with wine and a good meal. As Hanja ate, the two women talked, exchanging news of the recent occupation until it was time to retire. Just as Hanja's feet reached the staircase, the innkeeper said, "I shall send a boy to your room."

Hanja paused for a moment. In times past, it would have been normal for a priestess to politely refuse such an offer, only properly selected and trained Temple boys being considered worthy of intimate service to a representative of the Goddess on Earth. But her lack of recent companionship, and the arousal caused by her thoughts of Samon, gave her pause. Eventually she said, "Perhaps the boy from the stable?"

The proprietress flinched momentarily, a look of resentment flashing across her face.

'Oh no!' thought Hanja. 'He is a favourite, she does not wish to share him.'

But the woman recovered quickly and smiled warmly, "Of course! I will send him up to you presently."

****

Hanja had not been in the bedchamber long, and had not even begun to disrobe before the knock on the door came. She called for the boy to enter and had him strip naked immediately and kneel for her on the rug in the room's centre. She had him tell her his name - Nelam - but shushed him when he tried to say more. Expressing disappointment with the boy's posture, she taught him to kneel as a boy of the Temple does when performing an act of greeting before a priestess; body taut, rump raised, face and shoulders pressed low to the floor, thighs spread and back arched downwards. She sank to her haunches beside him, steadying herself with a hand on his back while, with the other, she reached behind him to cup his jewels, pleased to find them bulky, easily filling her palm. The shaft of his sex quickly became thick and, twitching in arousal, it slipped from her fingers, eliciting a playful cry of indignation from her lips. She smacked a rump cheek in admonishment and clutched his sex again, this time taking it more firmly, forming a fist around it and squeezing, causing the boy to gasp in fear or delight or both. He began to rotate his hips, thrusting into Hanja's stationary grip and this time her shout was less playful.

"A boy does not move in such a way unless instructed!" she said, rising and walking around to his front. "Have you no manners? If you were my property you would be caned!"

She squatted before him and raised his face with a finger beneath the chin, forcing eye contact.

"Am I going to have trouble with you, Nelam?" she said, her voice softening a little.

"No Mistress," he said, his voice trembling.

"You know I am a priestess, don't you Nelam? The lady of the house told you so? Good. And you also know you may not lay your hands upon me? No matter how excited you become in your service to me, Nelam, you must remember this. Otherwise I will inform your owner and she will punish you."

The poor boy looked terrified.

"Do not worry, Nelam, I am sure you will do well and I will be satisfied with you. I will guide you as we go. Listen to me and obey!"

Hanja stood and began to unbutton her clothing.

"Turn and face the wall, Nelam! It is rude to gawp at your lady as she disrobes."

She chuckled quietly to herself, enjoying the view of her boy afforded by his new position. His jewels hung heavily between strong thighs, inviting her touch, but she resisted, not wishing to waste more time.

"You are beautiful, Mistress!" said Nelam into the wall.

"Hmmm," she replied. "Thank you boy, but I would rest your mouth if I were you. In a few moments I shall be working it hard."

His sex seemed to stiffen even more at that, if it were possible. 'He is a boy that loves to give pleasure,' thought Hanja to herself. 'With some instruction, some patience, some discipline, he could make a fine Temple boy. But I suspect the proprietress would not part with him cheaply."

As Hanja began slipping the chemise from her shoulders, she happened to glance out of the room's open window and something in the darkness outside caught her eye. She walked over and leaned out, her eyes adjusting to the poor light. Sure enough, over in the trees through which she had emerged earlier, there was the flicker of a campfire and the silhouette of a person sitting beside it. Hanja had no doubt who she was watching.

"Samon! Samon!.....SAMON!" she shouted.

At first he did not appear to hear her, the night breeze carrying away her cries. But when she finally screamed with all her might, he turned his head towards the inn and, slowly, walked over to stand beneath the window.

"You are not going to stop, are you, Samon!"

He shook his head, "No, Mistress."

"Very well," she relented. "Break your camp and stable your horse! Then come to my room! It seems we must be companions on this adventure after all."

Hanja watched him stomping out the fire and gathering his things. For a while she forgot the naked boy behind her, at least until she turned and was once again presented with his fine raised rump, spread thighs and prominent jewels. The thought of Samon entering the room and finding such a scene panicked Hanja, for reasons that she could not immediately comprehend. She was a priestess, after all, and Samon merely her slave. It should be of no significance to him how she decided to take her pleasure; when and where and with whom. And yet..and yet. She decided to get Nelam out of the room as quickly as she could and worry about her strange emotions later.

"Stand and get dressed, Nelam!" she shouted. "I shall not be needing you after all."

The boy rose to his feet looking dismayed.

"Did I displease you, Mistress?" he asked.

"No, no. You are a good boy. Just leave my room please! Quickly!"

He began to gather his clothing, moving much too slowly for Hanja's liking. She went to the door and opened it for him, watching impatiently. Holding his clothing, but still not dressed, he again asked to know his failing and, exasperated, she grabbed him bodily. Yelling "Nothing! You were lovely!", she pushed him out of the room slamming the door behind him.

Hanja cursed herself for behaving so foolishly. Why should she care what her boys thought!? But before even a moment had passed, Samon was knocking on the door, his face a mask of confusion as she opened it.

"Mistress, there is a naked boy in the hall, running____"

She sighed and raised her eyes momentarily to the ceiling before grabbing Samon, her fist in his hair, pulling him roughly into the room and towards the bed, her lips seeking his as they stumbled onto it. Soon enough she had him naked and took him quickly inside her, mounting him and working him hard, shouting for him to push up into her, cajoling, even threatening him. At her insistence, Samon let his hands wander over her body; now buttocks, now breasts, now her beautiful face, eyes half closed, nostrils flared, teeth flashing in the candlelight, closing around his fingers, biting. He raised his lips to her neck to lick away a rivulet of her salty sweat and in that moment she spasmed - so soon? - and he held her tight as she suffered her ecstasy, whispering in her ear that he would not leave her. Finally she collapsed onto him, spent, nestling her face into his neck, and he ran the tips of his fingers up and down her spine until he realised that, exhausted, she had succumbed to sleep.

Neither of them noticed the door still wide open, although eventually the innkeeper gently closed it as she passed by on the way to her own bedchamber, Nelam by her side.

"Did you see that, Nelam? The priestess is with her own boy now. It is good. I fear she has a long journey before her."