Samantha's Quest

Samantha felt tainted by Her encounter with Lily, so She resolved to clean herself. None of the other Sisters or hopefuls were in the bathhouse and Sam calmed down over the course of a cold bath, the water in the main bath was perpetually pleasantly warm thanks to the magic of the temple, but Sam needed the frigid water of the secondary pool to clear her head.

She needed Jess, She always knew what to do in other matters why would this be different? And besides Sam felt the need to prove Her loyalty to Jess in the most physical way. But why? She had refused Lily's advances and fled, why did She feel that her allegiance to Jess was in question? Deep down Sam knew she had imagined, just for a moment tasting Lily, pleasing her, with her mouth, and despite her personal dislike for the girl couldn't deny the allure of her gorgeous pale skin, her blond curls, her smooth thighs... would go down on her be different to Jess?

With a jolt, Sam realized her hand had drifted between her legs, and she was gently rubbing herself. With a start she stopped, ashamed. Yes she needed to make love to Jess, get these thoughts out of her head.

------

She found Jess hanging out laundry with some other hopefuls. When Sam saw her, her heart swelled. She was so lovely, so deserving of Sam's love. How could she have doubted this was the woman she wanted?

Sam picked up a basket and sidled up to Jess, joining her in hanging up the robes of the sisters. Jess gave a small smile at Sam's presence, but mostly focused on her work.

They worked in silence for a time. When the task was done Sam took Jess by the hand and led her to the unoccupied bathhouse.

Both of them stripped casually in some ridiculous pretense of being there just to take a bath. Disrobing complete, Sam stepped close and kissed Jess fiercely, their chests pressing delightfully together. When Sam began to slide Her arms down Jess' side Jess broke the kiss unexpectedly.

"Ya know..." she hesitated.

"what?" Sam asked playfully.

"I've been wondering.. what's it like?"

"What?"

"Ya know... going down there.. Tasting me"

Sam pressed herself closer, her mouth almost touching Jess' lips again.

"It's like.." she breathed.

"It's what I was born to do. Pleasuring you feel so right."

Sam joined the kiss again for a moment.

"My love.." Jess began. Sam cut her off with another kiss, but when she began sliding down Jess' body Jess interrupted,"No! Let me do it this time."

Sam looked at Jess with astonishment. Until now Jess had never even mentioned going down on Sam. Sam for her part saw Jess' pleasure as its own reward and so never bought up reciprocation.

"I want to know what its like.." Jess averted her eyes as she said this.

Sam's surprise was quickly turning to interest.

"Oh Jess, it's wonderful. You'll see."

Jess met Sam's gaze once again.

Jess briefly pecked her on the lips.

Then the chin.

Then the neck.

Jess kept eye contact as she kissed her way down Sam. Over her breasts, down her belly and finally down to her mons.

Having reached her destination, now kneeling, Jess finally broke Sam's gaze to look at her lover's womanhood.

Jess gave the most tentative peck of all at Sam's outer lips. Sam couldn't help but moan.

"Yesss...."

A whole new world of pleasure opened up for Sam as Jess pressed her tongue into her. What made the experience divine for Sam was that this was a reflection of what she had made Jess feel so many times. Sam's hands desperately roamed through Jess' hair, the intense sensation building with each lap of Jess' tongue.

With a stifled squeal Sam came, harder than she ever had from Jess fingering her, her hands pressing her lover into her as she spasmed, the intense ecstasy drowning out all other sensations for a few moments, until Sam spiraled dizzyingly back down to reality, to lock eyes with Jess once again, who looked up at her, mouth obscured, over the swell of her own body.

-----

Afterwards Sam and Jess knelt embracing each other but the cold tiles compelled them to enter the warmer bathwater where they lay relaxed in each other's arms, Sam leaning against the edge of the bath and cradling Jess' head on her shoulder.

"I would have made you do that earlier if I knew it was so good.." Sam said peacefully.

"Now ya know what ya do to me.." Jess replied without looking up "and how good it feels."

The physical affirmation of Jess' desire had triggered a sort of triumphant satisfaction in Sam, She was content to sit in silence Her troubles with Lily forgotten for the time being. Why burden Jess' heart with her own problems?

------

Sam had been dreading the next sparring sessions in Phoebe's class, since that meant encountering Lily again. Sam found herself unable to meet Lily's eyes, and so was struck down even more quickly than usual, much to Priestess Phoebe's vocal dismay. After the class was over Phoebe bid Sam to remain behind again. Jess raised an eyebrow, noticing that Sam was staying behind a second time but said nothing.

"I can see that you aren't improving in group training" Phoebe said resignedly,

"so I have made arrangements otherwise. You are to report to the north courtyard for combat training from now on instead of here. You will meet with Sister Callie there who will be your sparring partner. Understood?"

"Yes priestess.." Sam uttered numbly. She had failed completely and now this private sparring would doubtless be harder as a punishment, Sam grimaced imagining how harsh her new partner might be.

------

The next day Sam reported dutifully to the north courtyard, with her fighting stick in tow. Aside all else she was sad to have to endure training without Jess. There was a fine stone fountain burbling away in the fountain and Sam beheld a woman in the blue Sister's robes leaning against it, fighting stick likewise beside her. Her long black hair was braided in two ponytails. Her smile as Sam nervously approached was disarming.

"Sister Callie." she extended her hand to shake.

"Samantha." she replied mutely as she took the offered hand. Callie shook it enthusiastically.

"The priestess told me you have potential but don't work hard?" Callie asked cheerfully

"I-"

"But don't mind that old bag, she's been priestess too long, doesn't remember how tough it is as a hopeful. I'm sure you're going through a lot and just don't have the energy left for sparring, right?"

Sam smiled with relief

"uh, yeah, I just don't do as well with this violent stuff as everyone else seems to."

Callie's smile dropped.

"Me either. It's always been a problem for me."

"Oh? I thought you were going to help me?"

"We'll help each other!" Callie stood up from her leaning position and grabbed her fighting stick.

"now let's see who struggles more!" she challenged, assuming a fighting stance. Startled, Sam assumed her own stance. Callie's smile resumed as she stepped forward to strike.

---------

Sam ended up bruised and exhausted, but for once optimistic about her training.

Callie had seemed a stronger opponent than the other hopefuls Sam had sparred with, but instead of trying to strike Her down for the approval of the priestess Callie helped her address her errors after each bout.

"Thank you, Sister Callie" Sam said with a slight bow as she turned to leave for her next class.

"Anything to help a sister!" Callie called cheerfully after her.

Sam paused, a little shocked at someone calling her "sister". That was the title all the hopefuls were striving to learn. Sam considered turning around and correcting her but thought better of it and went on her way with a small measure of pride.

------

Sam learned much about the order in Nissa's class that day.

The touching of minds the priestess had mentioned was called "the joining" and was performed between two women. Upon successfully performing The Joining for the first time a hopeful would become a full sister of the order.

Alene did not permit her followers to have relations with men, so The Joining, and indeed all the other spells could not be performed by an impure woman.

Details beyond this were not yet revealed, though all the hopefuls clamored for the details of the joining and had many questions Nissa merely said "You will learn all in your due time. now resume practicing your spells."

Sam continued to excel at magic class, so Jess, since she needed more practice, was getting plenty of work with healing spells mending the bruises and scrapes Sam had received from Callie.

"So you just sparred one on one?" Jess was asking.

"Yeah, It was good not having the pressure of everyone watching."

I missed ya though.. Tough for me on my own against lily and that.."

Sam gave a little chuckle. Jess likely had the greatest sheer physical strength among all of them.

"I know you're causing the second most injuries among your classmates."

"Vissal" Jess whispered, intoning the healing word she was practicing. Some pain in Sam's shoulder eased. Sam reflected that if nothing else she was learning to be tolerant of pain.

"Nice!" Sam encouraged and they shared a kiss.

Since Jess had gone down on Her the first time, Sam had experienced increasingly persistent attraction to the other hopefuls, and even the full Sisters too. Every glimpse of a shapely leg or thigh had Sam licking her lips and wondering what she might taste between them, and every glimpse of a pretty face had Sam imagining that face buried between Her own legs. Still, Despite priestess Nissa's urging Sam felt that any encounter with someone other than Jess would be a betrayal.

and yet the desire was there.

So as they kissed Sam couldn't help but keep her eyes open and watch across the room as Catherine, the girl who had interrupted Jess and Sam the other day, was working very closely with a pretty ponytailed girl. It seemed like Catherine was getting friendly with a different girl every time Sam saw her. The other redheaded girl, whose name Sam had learned was Aylin, didn't seem to mind, as she was casually holding hands with another girl. It seemed that every other hopeful was heeding the priestess' words and loving freely, except Sam and Jess. Of course Sam couldn't help but notice Lily and her latest partner, that southern girl with long dark hair and olive skin, whispering in each other's ear. Despite herself Sam remembered Lily's words. ".. If you taste mine, you won't want anyone else".

Sam wondered if that girl felt that way. For the second time Lily caught Sam looking at her, meeting eyes again. Lily leaned forward to whisper something to the southern girl, but as she did she gave a subtle lick of her lips.

Sam looked away as she broke the kiss. She resolved to herself that she would remain loyal to Jess no matter what.

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