Holy shit everyone, I'm still writing this story.
I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, just had life getting in the way, but my mind always comes back to this story and since I found myself with some time recently, I thought I'd write some more of it out in the hope that you would enjoy it.
As always, any and all feedback is appreciated. Sorry this took so long.
It ain't over 'till it's over.
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Chapter 14
The last couple days with Lena flew by, we did further explore the connection between pain and pleasure, but I was never quite as keen on it as she was. It still took some getting used to to rough house with her, as I could never fathom doing that with Skye.
Lena wasn't concrete on who was in control, so it was always an adventure to find out just what she wanted that particular day. She never gave up either. If, for even a moment, I let my guard too far down, she would flip me, pin me, or otherwise get me into a lesser position and do what she wanted; within reason of course. I hadn't expected that from her, at all. Even after what she had mentioned about pain, and seeing her bruises.
She really was child-like at heart, it was all just a game to her. Every aspect of life was lived this way. She wasn't fearful or apprehensive of anything, at least she never appeared to be. Her life was to be lived and she never saw a reason not to do the things she wanted or try something new. I loved this about her. I knew I'd be coming back to her for years to come, even as a friend, to have someone adventurous; a cohort to try new things with.
I awoke suddenly, being shaken,
"Come on," Lena's voice was smooth as ever, even in these early mornings.
I rolled out of the bunk I had been sleeping in and put my bare feet on the plush carpeting. I rubbed my eyes, trying to see in the dim light. I had slept restlessly, even after the workout, and the sex. Knowing I would be handed off, and not knowing to whom kept me constantly wondering what the next week would hold for me. Even worse, I hadn't seen Skye while I had been with Lena. I assumed they kept such off kilter hours that I'd have been split choosing between one or the other, and I was supposed to be learning.
"Are you coming?" Lena called from the door of the caravan. I sighed - wishing to myself she meant something else - and put on my boots before walking to the door and following her out.
This was the last day I would have to train with Lena, unless of course I went out of my way to continue to train with her. I very well could have, but I was getting restless having missed my dancing and smithing during this week. The camaraderie of the smith and the freedom I felt while dancing couldn't compare to the endless monotony of Lena's workouts and the sparring practice that never seemed to reach any resolution, no matter what I learned. That, I supposed, was the nature of learning to fight, the possibilities are so endless, if you attempted to learn them all, you'd never stop. I was starting to see the similarities and why, possibly, Lena had been attracted to this job.
Strangely enough, Lena never opened up to me, she never told me her story the way Embry and Skye had. She wasn't the kind to talk aimlessly, or to reminisce about the past. She existed only as forward facing and seemed unwilling, or unable, to look back at anything before she had become part of the Cerulean Order. I could only speculate at her reasons for joining them, only to conclude that she loved experiences, she wanted all she could get out of life so why wouldn't she join a traveling group of women who allowed her to get the best of life? It just made sense. My naivete wouldn't let me pursue the thought any more deeply at that time.
My heart was far from training today, I just couldn't devote myself to it. I went through the motions and didn't half ass anything, but it just wasn't what it was meant to be I felt. Lena sensed this I think, we ended the normal training early and went to breakfast. My father had always told me that some days were just not meant for training.
We ate standing, the caravan was going to be on the move shortly and everyone was packing everything up. It had been almost a month without motion, unusual for us, but Lios had been taken by surprise by a recent sand storm and decided to stay put until it passed. It had caused unnecessary delays, we needed to make it to the nearest town and do some trading to replenish soon, or we'd be out of food and, more importantly, drinkable water. Two women in blue, just shorter than me and monstrously shorter than Lena, approached us.
"She's ours this week,"
"Skye has decided,"
If I hadn't seen the both of them before me and been able to hear the voices coming from each independently, I'd have sworn they were the same person. It must have been the twins from before.
"Very well," Lena responded, waving an arm with a small loaf of half eaten bread in one hand. "She's yours." Before I could protest, they responded together.
"Thank you," One reached out, taking me by the wrist. I was still trying to eat as they tugged at me.
"Wha...?" I turned back to Lena in my defense but she simply waved and smiled as I was dragged off by these other two women. "Seriously!?"
I caught a glimpse of who I figured was Skye, talking with Lios. I wondered what they possibly could have to discuss right now, but part of me was happy they were on more diplomatic terms than they had been because of me. I realized these two were leading me back to the caravan I had come from that morning. One of them unceremoniously tugging open the door and the other pulling me up the steps and through the door before it was closed behind me. I stood, indignantly now, inside the caravan as the two of them unveiled themselves.
"Better?" I asked, my hands on my hips.
"Yes,"
"Very," they smiled at each other and then turned to me.
"Do you remember us?" The one nearest to me, with shaggy hair asked.
"We met at first but haven't spoken since," The ponytail followed up.
I tried to think back, it felt like an eternity already and it had only been a short time. I had foggy memories from the first night and then it was just Skye, Embry, and Lena. There was very little else on my mind, they were familiar but I couldn't place their names. I shook my head in defeat,
"I don't remember your names," I admitted.
"That's ok," shaggy said.
"No one ever does," ponytail agreed.
"I'm Mitra," shaggy took a step towards me.
"And..." I motioned with one finger to the other sister.