When Samantha was a young girl a priestess by the name of Nataly had visited her village, curing their crops of the blight that would have ruined them among numerous other wonders. Samantha asked of Nataly, "Can I grow up and have the power to help people like you?" Nataly replied, "We all have the power to help people, the goddess merely helps." From that day onward she decided she wanted to be a priestess too. Of course, back then she had not really understood what that decision meant.
Now, 6 years later, and very far from the quiet village of Averglen, Samantha was standing straight as she could and doing her best not to peek sideways at the other girls. They stood in a line facing the high priestess as she lectured them. Some of the girls positively emanated pride while others looked as if they feared they might be struck.
"...For the Goddess asks much and gives little" The high priestess continued, the dark blue dress that symbolized her office flowing elegantly as her words struck bluntly.
"The life of a sister, let alone a hopeful is one of service and dedication, not ease and slothfulness!"
She raised her chin slightly at the last word, now looking at the girls with some degree of menace as she paced back and forth
"You will be required to perform any service your goddess asks, even die at her request," She warned, her blonde curls swaying as she turned sharply.
"Many women naturally do not feel any lust for their fellow women, so I will now cast upon you the blessing of Alene, which will break down any barriers you may have to being intimate with your sisters. Take notice of each other's bodies, and share each other not jealously, for lust is the seed of love."
As she finished speaking the high priestess began to weave the spell, clutching the hand of her second priestess and closing her eyes. 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 priestess behind began a low chant, a soft blue glow emanating from the high priestess' hands and culminating in a flash of white light. Samantha could feel the energy of the spell entering her, an almost painful tension, but she did not resist, and it was over quickly, the spell filling her feeling almost like a shock of electricity.
Samantha did not feel any different. She turned to look at her fellow hopefuls, but they too wore confused unaffected looks.
"You will not feel anything right away" The High Priestess interrupted their thoughts. "but you will soon yearn to take pleasure in each other."
Sam blushed at the thought. The sexual dimension of priestesshood was still somewhat embarrassing for her. Spell or no spell She wasn't even sure she could love another woman in the way Alene required.
"I hope none of you will disappoint the goddess. You are hereby welcomed into this temple as Hopefuls of Alene. Love be with you."
The girls were then given plain tunics to wear, and led away to be shown their quarters and duties. They were led to a cramped dormitory, all of them staying together in a small room lined with bunk beds.
Samantha sat alone on her bed organizing her things while the other girls talked in hushed tones. Sam had never been good at making friends.
A stocky girl with black hair and rough callused hands suddenly slammed her bag on the bunk above Sam's.
"Mind if I take this one? I'm Jess" she said in a country accent and with as little shyness as the confident movements of her body suggested.
"Sam" she almost whispered trying to put on a weak smile. The warm smile Jess returned instantly put Sam at ease. Jess started arranging her things on the bed above.
"I can tell you ain't one of the stuck-up ones. Lots of these girls" she waved an arm at the whole room "think they're better than us."
"oh?"
"Yeah, us country types. you ain't from the city either are ya? Though you talk like ya are."
"Oh, no I'm from a village in the mountains. Averglen."
"I thought so. out there they don't much like Alene, women loving women and that do they?"
Sam was becoming entranced by the motion of Jess' long black hair as her arms moved.
"No, but a priestess visited my village once and she saved us. I wanted to be a priestess ever since." she said distantly, looking at the face of this pretty country girl.
"Oh, so ya always liked girls then?" Jess asked bluntly.
Sam went scarlet and looked away.
"No! ...I mean I don't know. I never thought about any girl like that before..."
"Me either. So, this spell is going to make us want to do things to each other right..."
