Tempest And Tinder

Afternoon turns to early evening in the Elysian Kingdom of Mays...

"Nia, just where have you been all this time?"

Nia's eyes fluttered open and she struggled to sit upright. As parts of her body gradually came awake, she was aware of a distinct, bracing chill. A sudden breeze blew through the endless trees, surrounding her diminutive frame, leaving a rash of goosebumps in its wake. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked down at the damp bed of leaves, dead brush, and dirt beneath her. "I must have fallen asleep!"

"I told you to stay close by, and you just had to wander into the forest! You've no idea how long I've been searching for you, young lady!"

"Tullia?" The girl blinked twice while her eyes struggled to focus on the slim, middle aged woman standing in front of her. "Oh my--is that really you, Lady Doseth?" She asked. "I just wanted to gather a few herbs and flowers! I didn't mean to wander off--honest!"

Lady Doseth helped the girl to her feet. "Well, there isn't much we can do about that now, I suppose. Come on, Nia, hurry up and follow me. There's a storm coming this way--a pretty bad one."

Nia stared, falling behind, as Lady Tullia Doseth turned and started walking through the trees. There was no mistaking her refined and graceful elegance. As always, she was beautifully dressed. Her kirtle--an exquisite sage color--blended with the fragrant, dense canopy surrounding them. The length of the leaf green hem rustled the leaves and brush behind her as she walked. "Come along, Nia, don't dawdle!"

The slim young miss scampered behind her ladyship. "Where's Enkil and Lil?" She wondered aloud, referring to the servants who accompanied the pair earlier.

"They've packed up our things and returned to their duties."

Nia stopped for a moment and gazed up at the thick canopy of trees. She noticed that there was a disturbing stillness in the air. Except for the rustle of fabric and the crunching of dead leaves beneath their feet, there was no noise. No birdsong or the buzz and chirps of crawling things and small creatures who inhabit the dark nooks and crannies of the forest. Nia saw the mighty trunk of a craggy old tree standing nearby. Its mass of needles and cones towered over them, and it remained perfectly still, like a fragrant sentinel without even a shudder.

"You are dawdling, Nia!" Lady Doseth snapped. "Come along, we're almost there!"

But Nia wasn't listening. Her mind wandered while the shadows surrounding them grew larger and spread until everything was shrouded in an eerie twilight. With the endless sky and wildflower studded hills, Lady Doseth and her young consort had a picnic. The man servant, Enkil, drove the small trap while a chambermaid, Lil, rode along. And when the two companions had their fill of meat and cheese and wine, Lady Doseth offered Nia a taste of crocoda. Its sweet purplish flesh made a fine dessert.

Everything was perfect and the weather was so warm and fair. The picnic (and her mistress's company) made it easy to really enjoy the warm, playful light and soft grass beneath their spread. But Nia had a wandering eye. She saw the forest in the distance, and the dense wall of trees seemed to silently call out to her.

Come and explore beneath our fragrant canopy!

"Let's go for a walk, Tullia--please?" The older woman, declined. She told Nia to go on ahead, but not to wander too far. Now there was a low, angry rumbling somewhere in the distance. A solitary drop of rain splattered against the girl's forehead.

Lady Doseth snatched Nia roughly by the arm, dragging her along.

If only she would've listened!

"We have to get inside before the storm comes--hurry!"

Nia held tightly onto her ladyship's arm as they quickened their pace. There was another rumble of thunder now, ushering in a gust of wind, stirring up the leaves and the hems of their kirtles. She closed her eyes for a second, wishing she'd brought along a cloak. The cracklings, sighs, and angry grumbles began to blend together in a ghostly symphony. It was as if the woods were haunted by some reclusive spirit determined to drive them out.

An errant flash of lightning briefly illuminated the advancing darkness. This was followed by a loud crash, and Nia squealed in fright. The sky above the canopy became a rolling pitch before the rain came. It started at first with a sound like white noise, and then the sky became a deluge, pelting the two ladies with wet little projectiles.

Lady Doseth looked around, desperately searching for...something. "Those trees over there," She said, pointing vaguely forward. "That's where we're going, now hurry!"

"But there's nowhere to go!" Nia protested. "It isn't safe!"

"Trust me, Nia, I know exactly what I'm doing, now come along!"

In the building commotion, the companions became separated. Nia ran behind her mistress, thinking it was foolish to hope they could find shelter from the quickly approaching storm. As they ventured deeper into the woods, the deluge became a flood. The girl's eyes became saucers as fallen leaves and other debris swept past them. The wind was much stronger here, howling all around them, and the patches of sky left visible flashes with streaks of lightning. Suddenly her ladyship stopped, and Nia protested: "Why are we stopping now, Tullia? We have to get out of here!"

"I know that!"

Somewhere in the distance, a mighty bolt of lightning touched the ground, blinding the wayward companions in a flood of white-hot light. There was a deafening crash followed by another roar, shaking the ground beneath them. Bright light reflected in Nia's eyes as she saw the start of a small fire in the distance. The fire burned briefly before the torrential rain snuffed it out. The young miss trembled uncontrollably and her knees buckled. She blindly reached forward, grabbing the heavy, water-logged back of Lady Doseth's kirtle.

It was much too dark to see the calm, almost stoic look on her ladyship's face. The slim middle aged woman raised a hand to her brow, trying to shield her eyes from the downpour. She seemed to be scanning the area, searching for something. Another loud crash of thunder shook the mud soaked ground beneath their feet.

"Over there!" Her ladyship shouted above the gale. "I've found it, see?" Nia reluctantly pulled her face away from the safety of her mistress's shoulder. She blinked a few times, struggling to make sense of the shapes in the darkness. The wind and rain stung her eyes, but so far, all she could see was trees and more trees.

Another flash of lightning illuminated something that looked like a small stone structure--a cottage! And when they got closer, Nia saw that it was indeed an ancient little cottage of stone and wood. She could barely make out the curve of the door and the mossy covered outer walls, but it was there. "Don't worry, it's empty!" Her ladyship shouted. "It belongs to my estate! We'll be safe here until the storm passes!"

The downpour picked up strength, transforming into what seemed like solid sheets of icy water in a matter of seconds. Nia, blinded by the darkness and the rain, followed her mistress. "Ah!" She cried out. Her feet were sinking into the muddy ground. The tough leather soles of her shoes made if feel like she was slipping on a patch of ice. The beautiful young lady screamed as another loud crack of thunder shook the ground.

"Come on, Nia, you have to keep going or you'll be stuck out here!"

But Nia stood there, feet sinking deeper and deeper. Her body was paralyzed with fear. All around her the trees swayed ominously. Their branches bent this way and that, straining like they were reaching out to her. Her knees were quaking and the icy rain dripped steadily from her chin like the spigot of a fountain gone mad. She was cold and soaked to the bone, but she was too afraid to move. Lightning flashed and thunder clapped again. She screamed: "Tullia! Tu--lliahhhh!"

The poor young woman's heart pounded in her ears and she didn't dare open her eyes to the sight of those evil swaying trees. She blindly reached out in front of her, grasping at nothing, and took a step. She let loose with a frightened squeal as she plunged almost face down in the mud. She landed in a huge puddle! "Tu--lliahhhh!"

Nia's eyes were squeezed shut and she started flailing around helplessly, searching for something to grasp onto. After a few seconds, she managed to get back on her knees and reach forward. But when she tried to stand up, she couldn't. Something had wrapped around her ankle now, pinning her there. It was probably a downed branch or a newly exposed network of roots clinging tightly to Nia's ankle, refusing to let her go. Another crash of thunder shook the muddy ground and she screamed again.

"Here, Nia, take hold of me!"

She could hear her ladyship's voice but she couldn't see her. Nia reached out again and felt the older woman's small shoulders. She wrapped her trembling arms around Lady Doseth and she felt the pressure releasing from her ankle.

I'm free!

Her ladyship carefully lifted Nia out of the mud puddle, hefting her in her arms, and slopped through the mud towards the cottage. "You saved me, Tullia! You're a dashing prince in disguise!"

Her ladyship crossed the door's threshold and laughed sarcastically as the girl's feet touched the floor. "Well, in that case, you can thank me later." She pulled the door shut and bolted it against the raging squall.

At first there was little to see besides darkness and the occasional flash of lightning. The inside was small, with two modest rooms. A musty, damp chill hung in the air of the cramped space. It furred the insides of Nia's nostrils and made her sneeze several times. "It's so cold in here!" She remarked.

The sounds of shuffling feet and quiet rustling permeated the darkness. Nia stood still, afraid she'd trip and fall. She heard the staccato clicks of a flint rock while sparks glimmered faintly in her companion's hands. The comforting smell of smoke rose from the bit of dry kindling and a small lick of flame descended onto the stub of a candle from an old lamp. The young woman stared at the hypnotic flicker, shivering and dripping rainwater onto the floor while the storm raged on.

"I told you to hurry up, Nia, or you'd be stuck out there!" Her ladyship snapped. "Lucky for us both I was able to pull you out of there."

Nia muttered a weak apology and stood there nursing her wounded ego and shivering while her companion went over to an old chest of wood. Lady Doseth opened it and rummaged through its contents. Another sudden roar of thunder startled Nia. She flinched and looked over at the door as though she feared it would fly open any second. "How--how did you know there was a cottage here?"

"These woods belong to Bodifors End." Her ladyship said, referring to Bodifors Manor, and the surrounding countryside. "Old Edilon and his wife lived in these woods until recently. Now they live with their eldest son, Erling, on the grounds in the head gardener's cottage." The older woman produced a small tinder pouch and two blankets. She tossed the blankets onto a rustic little bed that had seen better days. "The place looks abandoned. I wish it so. The woods are peaceful and I gather my thoughts here." Her fine brows knotted and the expression on her face became serious. "I trust that you'll do the right thing, Nia, and keep this place a secret...for both of us."

Her ladyship brought the tinder pouch to the little fireplace. Nia watched while she pushed a few log fragments together with some broken branches and dry brush. She heard the

click, click, clicking

of flint against rock as Lady Doseth struggled to get a fire going in the hearth. "I'm really sorry about getting lost, Tullia." The young lady said. "We'd probably be back by now...and dry--"

"Well, we'll just have to dry ourselves out here for now."

Once the fire was steadily burning, Nia let out a loud gasp and her heart jumped into her throat when she saw her ladyship starting to undress in front of her. "What are you doing, Tullia--someone might see!"

"You know, Nia, the fastest way to catch your death is to remain standing there in those wet clothes. Get out of that mucky thing and toss it over here beside the fire. I wouldn't worry anyway. Who would see us with a storm raging outside like that?"

Another crackle of thunder made Nia flinch and stumble backward a few steps. She watched her ladyship toss aside her mud ruined slippers. The lacings left an odd crisscross against her stockings. These she peeled off and tossed aside. Her long lovely kirtle came next, and her shift. Both fell in a heavy, waterlogged heap. She didn't bother to hang anything or wring them out, but she paused long enough to ask the shivering young woman why she wasn't getting undressed.

"There are no secrets between us, Nia. You'll be far more miserable if you don't get out of those wet clothes. Need I remind you that as my consort, you're to serve my commands without hesitation."

This much was true. Nia shared the rare privilege of being the rightful mistress of Bodifors Manor, but she had no illusions about her status. As consort to Lady Tullia Doseth, she was little more than a lady's companion; a servant like Enkil and Lil who accompanied them on their picnic earlier. Nia was brought here from the neighboring kingdom of Raeda by Lord Svanlaug Doseth. The beautiful young lady bowed her head as she peered through her tawny locks at the man who selected her among the lineup of 8 fellow orphans of Goran House. She was 19, and like her companions who became of age, she was offered to the highest bidder.

Nia tried thinking warm thoughts as she struggled out of her kirtle. Her hands were shaking and her knuckles turned white as snow when she tried to wring the excess mud and rainwater from the costly light colored fabric. There was another loud BOOM, and Nia let loose with a strangled cry. "I--I can't do this..." She muttered through chattering teeth. "I'm so cold, and that storm outside is so...awful!"

She heard the older woman's soft reply. "We're safe, Nia, the storm rages outside while the firelight warms and watches over us."

"But there's nothing to...cover up with..." Nia's voice trailed off.

Nia stared in stunned silence while her ladyship shed the last soaking scrap of clothing and made a dash for the little bed. She'd seen glimpses of Lady Doseth's body before, but those glimpses were fleeting. The slim middle aged woman sat upon the lumpy mattress before getting under the covers. Her ladyship stood roughly average height. Her body, so slim and fair, could have been carved from a piece of alabaster. "Tullia!" Nia felt her lips stirring, barely moving, but the sound was something closer to a sigh than real words.

Her ladyship turned and the blanket slipped away, exposing the slight swells of her breasts. They were well-proportioned, trembling slightly with each breath she drew. She neglected to remove her delicate necklace, a gift, perhaps, from his lordship. The verdant green and gold pendant flashed in the dim light, drawing attention to the small, pink areolas and hardened nipples. A sudden rush of heat flooded Nia's cheeks. She turned her head, trying to look away.

"Nia, you can't possibly be comfortable standing in your shift like that! It's drenched and you're shaking."

Nia said nothing. Her ladyship was right. The chill, which had already set in, made her joints ache. She could feel the older woman's eyes on her while she peeled away this last remaining barrier to her nudity, clinging to her body like a second skin. She brushed away the dampened tendrils of chestnut hair from the lovely features of her face. The sound of thunder and rain surrounded them, menacing. "I HATE storms!"

"Then it is reason enough to remain by my side." Her ladyship said. "Come and join me."

Nia recalled her arrival and the first few days at Bodifors Manor. Lord Doseth gave her run of the estate with its great, dark halls, beautifully appointed rooms, and sprawling stately gardens. On the third day, she was brought to her ladyship who instructed the comely young lady that her sole purpose was to serve the whims of her mistress. With this in mind, Nia answered her ladyship's call and sat on the edge of the bed. She crossed her arms, hugging herself when she felt the warmth of her ladyship's hand on her shoulder.

The tips of the older woman's fingers lightly stroked against her bare skin, caressing her. "We've been gone for such a long time." Nia observed. She was aware, now, of a strange sort of tingling sensation. At first it was faint, but it grew stronger when she realized her ladyship was rubbing her back. "His lordship will be worried if we stay..."

"That is of no concern to me at this moment."

"But you are his wife, and he is your husband--"

"I need not be reminded, Nia, that the laws of our kingdom come with certain obligations. His lordship will know soon enough that we're both safe...after the storm passes."

Nia brushed her hair aside and replied with a weak nod and a muttered apology. Another loud rumble of thunder shook the rough-hewn bedframe. She put a hand over her own mouth and her eyes went wide with fright. "The thunder--I can't stand it!"

"Come and lay beside me. Watch the fire and think warm thoughts."

A bright flash of gold light caught Nia's eye as she crawled under the covers. Lady Doseth's necklace, with its delicate chain and cabochon of deep, leafy green and gold glimmered enticingly, distracting the young lady from her present fear of the thunder and rain. "Your necklace is very beautiful," She observed.

"A gift from Svanlaug..." Her ladyship said plaintively.

Nia, her eyes fixed on the cabochon, touched the space near her collarbone. "A gift from your husband...like the gift you gave to me when I saw you for the first time." Her fingertips made contact with the smooth metal around her delicate, swanlike neck. The narrow collar, forged of gold, was warmed by her body heat. But it was always warm. She never took it off. She couldn't take it off, even if she wanted to.

"Sounds like the storm is starting to die down." Her ladyship said. "Just the same, I'd rather stay here for the night. Shall I tell you a story?"

The corners of Nia's soft full lips turned up, revealing a coquettish little grin. "Yes."

"There once was a beautiful girl from another kingdom, and she was all alone. She longed for true love to give her happiness and safety. What she wanted was a prince. But a prince never came."

"That's awful!" Nia said. "Did she ever find true love?"

"Don't interrupt." Her ladyship said with feigned irritation. "But then the day came along when the young beauty caught the eye of an admirer she never met."

"How exciting, I wonder who it could be! Go on!"

"She traveled far from home, through towns and countryside, to the neighboring kingdom. There, she was brought to the castle of a nobleman and his wife."

Nia, sitting up and facing her ladyship, forgot all about the storm and the cold. The edge of the blankets slipped away, revealing twin burgeoning swells of youthful flesh with erect little nubs. Lady Doseth drew an audibly trembling breath. Her gaze was torn between Nia's haunting dark eyes and what she could see of her beguiling nudity. "And then what happened?"

"The nobleman presented the beautiful girl to his wife. She became the wife's companion and consort...and she, too, received a gift. And ever since, the two of them were always close."

"Close...like my collar..." A sudden heat bloomed in Nia's cheeks, and she knew she was blushing. "Yes, very close...as husband and wife." Her ladyship sighed. She gently grasped Nia's chin and tilted the girl's lovely face up to meet her penetrating gaze. Nia sucked in her breath. She intended to ask if that was the end of the story, but she got no further. Lady Doseth leaned in and kissed her tenderly as a lover. Nia's eyelids fluttered reflexively and a rash of goosebumps raised the hairs on the back of her neck. After a second or two, they separated, breaking the kiss. The girl was visibly flustered, but she tried not to show it.