Grief and Solace

Note: all characters are over 18, as established in previous chapters.

*****

Master of Elements: Chapter 8 - Grief and Solace

"You need to have courage, because tomorrow will be better. While there's life there's hope, and only the dead have none "— Theocritus, Idyll 4, line 42

I was sat in a hotel room in Athens, sunk in gloom. The last week had been horrible and I had no doubt who was to blame. My decision to delay our departure from the 'Aether world', as I now thought of it, had put us all in danger and had been motivated by nothing worthier that selfishness and lust on my part. Athena and Brigit had warned against it and I had forced them to comply, using the control I possessed over them; the fact that they had then enthusiastically joined in the subsequent orgy in no way excused me. My guilt was fed by what had happened afterward, events that had led to Freya and Jenny being hospitalised.

When we had realised we were under attack, Athena had immediately returned our minds to our material bodies and we had awoken back in the clearing on the wooded hillside in central Greece to find our carefully constricted defences cracking under the strain of our enemy's assault.

The first shock was to discover that the Creature wasn't even present. Athena, who wasn't involved in our immediate desperate attempts to shore up the elemental barriers, was able to trace the direction of attack and later confirmed that our enemy was many hundreds of miles away, somewhere in Western Europe. Yet even at that distance it was shredding our defences with ease.

Brigit, Freya, Matsu and Jenny were on their feet trying to patch and strengthen the elemental shields they had created but I could see it was a losing battle. I thought about adding my own feeble contribution, but it was Athena who reminded me what my proper role here was. She grabbed my arm and spoke urgently: "Chris, they can't hold this. If we stay here it will break through and god knows what happens then."

I realised she was right. I needed to give orders to the girls; so what gave us the best chance of survival? If we stayed here as a group we were all going to eventually get crushed. Our only hope was to scatter and try and make our way off this mountainside. At least if we split up we stood a chance of confusing the enemy's attack enough to have a possibility to escape - or at least so I hoped. I gave the order and was obeyed without question, my control over the women absolute, which also meant I was responsible for whatever happened next.

My idea partially worked, but not completely, and the consequences of that failure were traumatic. With six targets instead of one, our enemy's attack did become less concentrated and so less powerful, but it still proved dangerous enough. We were fleeing downhill through the woods and the Creature now used a combination of the elemental powers of earth and air to bring trees crashing down around us. It was terrifying and every one of us suffered at least cuts and bruises from the flying debris.

Jenny and Freya knew instinctively that their elements were being used against us and both stopped to counter it, with some effect. This probably saved our lives but at a cost to them. Freya was hit hard by a branch ripped from a tree and even over the tumult I heard the sickening crack of her arm being broken. Worse, another tree, uprooted completely, hit Jenny a glancing blow as it fell. Had it fallen directly on her she would surely have been killed instantly; as it was she was left unconscious on the ground.

At that point I thought we would all die. There was no way that any of us was going to escape at the cost of leaving Freya and Jenny behind but with all of us stopped to help them we were a sitting target for whatever the enemy chose to throw at us. And yet, in what seemed at the time like a miracle, at that moment the attack stopped. The earth tremors and howling winds that had made this place a potential death trap ended as quickly as they had begun and we were left, battered and bruised, surrounded by wrecked woodland and staring down at our stricken friends.

We did the only thing we could in the circumstances and called the authorities on our mobiles. We didn't tell them the truth of course, not that we would have been believed if we had. The cover story I hastily devised was that we had been hiking and got caught in some sort of freak storm that had coincided with a minor earthquake.

After an anxious wait for the arrival of help, Jenny and Freya were finally taken by helicopter to hospital in Athens while the rest of us slowly made our way down the mountain and back to our hotel. The police accepted my account of events - there was seismological evidence of the tremors and weather reports for the storm - albeit no one could explain either.

*****

We might have been out of immediate danger but the next few days were hellish enough. Sick with worry for the girls, I took us to Athens to be near the hospital. Although this was her home city Athena spent all the time that was allowed by Freya's and Jenny's bedsides, acting as interpreter with the doctors. We were finding that the downside of the bonds of affection we all shared was the utter terror we felt at the possibility of losing each other. It was just unthinkable.

On the plus side, we discovered another facet of our special status of which I had not been previously aware. It seemed we all healed at an accelerated rate. The cuts and bruises we had suffered were no longer visible after a few days. Even more apparent was the speed with which Freya's broken arm was healing. She was out of hospital within a couple of days, her arm in a plaster cast and sling and the doctors were baffled at how the bone was knitting and healing perfectly so fast.

However, if it was nice to know that we were hard to kill, our worry was not eased. The fact was that although her physical injuries were healing well, Jenny lay day after day unconscious in a hospital bed. The doctors ran all the standard tests to determine the reason why she would not wake, but there was no sign of brain injury or any other cause and they were unable to explain it.

If all that wasn't enough, Athena drew our attention to the brutal but mysterious murder of an American businessman called Jose Tesorero. The description of his death was all too reminiscent of Gwydion Jones and I had no doubt that Tesorero had to have been our mysterious benefactor, the Steward. His death had no immediate effect on our plans as I already had access to plenty of funds, but it was depressing to think that the Creature had picked off another of our allies with such ease.

I'm afraid that I wasn't much use to the others in this period. I blamed myself for what had happened to the girls. If I hadn't delayed our departure from the Aether world things might have gone better and that delay was for no better reason than to assuage my own lust. I sunk into introspective gloom and withdrawn to my hotel room to brood for long periods between hospital visits.

I knew the girls were worried about this; I overheard Brigit and Matsu discussing the question of how to get me to snap out of this mood. Athena and Freya were still at the hospital and Brigit had just reported back to Matsu and me in the hotel lounge bar that the doctors still couldn't understand why Jenny was in a coma. I had set off back to my hotel room to mope some more, but realised I had left my phone on the table in the bar and so caught them discussing me. They stopped as soon as they saw me, but I guess their conversation was the reason that Brigit came to see me later.

*****

So it was that same evening, a week after Jenny was admitted to hospital, there was a gentle knock on my door. I opened it to find Brigit standing outside. She was wearing a sort of silky, figure-hugging green dress and her long, curly red-hair tumbled across her shoulders. Even in my distracted state I could not help but find her instantly desirable.

She gave me a gentle smile and said, "Hi Chris, can I come in?"

"Wha ... of course, you know you can see me whenever you want." Her request had surprised me. I consider myself and the five elemental Mistresses as a unit, an unbreakable team. What was mine was theirs also. The fact that Brigit felt the need to ask was unsettling.

Seeing my puzzlement, Brigit explained. "We're worried about you Chris. You've locked yourself away this past week and been pretty unapproachable. We guess you're blaming yourself for what happened. So, I just want you to know something," Brigit, who even when she was being serious usually had an underlying teasing quality to her, seemed surprisingly solemn.

"What?" I asked, stirred from my misery by her tone.

"That you're a good man Chris and I love you and believe in you. What happened couldn't have been foreseen. We weren't away in that other world all that long in reality. No one could have guessed the enemy would find us so quickly."

I grunted dismissively at that. "You did - you and Athena warned me but I made you stay. And you're only trying to excuse me now because of whatever magic there is that makes you Mistresses of Elements obey me. Well, someone sure got that wrong! I'm not worthy of you and as a result I got Jenny and Freya hurt. You would be better off without me, except it seems you can't leave." Sunk in gloom, I added, "You only think you love me because you have no choice."

This seemed to sting Brigit. Her face flushed and some of that fiery redhead personality emerged. "God, you're an idiot sometimes! Yes it's true that the Mistress of Fire loves the Seeker and Master of Elements, and she loves her elemental sisters too; that will never change. But we have spent a lot of time together and I can tell you that Brigit McCarthy, farmer's daughter from County Kerry, has also fallen more than a little in love with Mr Christopher Ward, dozy unemployed Englishman though he be."

"Really?" I said in surprise. I knew I loved Brigit. I loved all the girls of course, but maybe her just that little bit more, but I had no idea she felt the same. Why are men always the last to know?

"Yes I do and I know in my heart you will get all of us out of this, alive and well. You just need to snap out of this mood you are in. And that's why I'm here. To help you take your mind off things ..." She paused a moment and then added in a soft voice. "Chris, do you remember when we first met at the farm ... I must have looked awful, in that old tee-shirt and muddy boots ...."

"You looked amazing. The most beautiful woman I had ever seen," I said truthfully.

She smiled, "Well if you say so, but I can tell you I saw you standing there and I think I knew, instantly, you were the one for me - and I don't think it was just the mystical connection. The rest was just a matter of time, so I decided 'why waste time'. Do you remember later that night in the barn and what we did?"

"Oh my god, yes, of course I do. I'm not likely to forget that to my dying day."

My sincerity was obvious and once more she smiled at me, before speaking again. "It meant everything to me and it was perfect. I think we both need a boost ... so ... fancy a repeat? Who knows, it might clear your head."

Brigit didn't wait for an answer. Just as she had that night in Ireland she peeled her garment up and over her head, making that beautiful red hair flop back on her now naked shoulders in a way I found highly erotic. Then it has been a pink nightgown, now the much more sophisticated green silk dress, but underneath was the same stunning figure, creamily pale skin, small but perfectly formed breasts, feminine curves and the little carefully trimmed tuft of public hair that confirmed she was a natural redhead - and all of her took my breath away.

She smiled again at my reaction and murmured, "Do you remember what I did next?" Again she didn't wait for an answer but eased me back on to the bed and began to undo my belt. I lay back and let her do as she wished, raising my hips to allow Brigit to more easily remove my trousers. She was right; for the moment I had forgotten my troubles and fears. All that mattered was this beautiful girl and what she was doing.

Just like that first night, she began using her expert oral skills on my cock. She had been good then and had a lot of practice since, but I was never going to tire of it. Brigit was licking the length of my hardening cock and gently sucking on my balls, teasing me, making me wait for the moment when she would take the sensitive head into her warm, wet mouth.

"I remember saying you were great at this that first time", I said. "I think you're even better at it now ... aarrrhh." This last was a groan of pleasure as her lips at last engulfed my cock.

Brigit sucked and toyed with my penis, her hand stroking the stem as her tongue teased the bulbous head. She released it a moment and said, "I would happily do this all night if it gave you pleasure, my Master, my love."

"Don't you miss that giant cock that I had in the Aether world?" This nagging doubt had been worrying me when I didn't have anything more important to consider. In that place I had been some sort of sex-god and I couldn't help wonder if the human Christopher Ward measured up to such expectations.

Brigit laughed in genuine amusement. "Oh god, no! That was alright there but if you were that well-endowed in reality it would frighten the life out of me. You have a lovely cock, Chris," she said, giving it a stroke, "just perfect for me."

I grinned at her, "In that case, let's put it to work. Just one refinement first ..." I stripped off my remaining clothes so we were both naked then held up my amulet and activated the diamond in the centre, using the power of Aether in its mind controlling form. "No inhibitions," I said, meaning both of us. I had endured a sexless week of worry and I wanted to let go of my stress.

Brigit beamed happily, then gave a squeal as I pushed her back on the bed and dived on top of her. She eagerly fumbled for my cock with her hand and guided it toward her pussy, spreading her legs. She looked me in the eyes and murmured, "Fuck me, Master. Take me hard."

If her intention in coming here was to shake me out of my gloomy rut, Brigit had totally succeeded and these words were the final straw. I wanted her with an appropriately fiery passion. Our bodies seemed almost to merge into one as I penetrated her and we lay together for some moments, our skin touching from groin to mouth, where I was kissing her deeply.

Then I raised myself a little with my arms and began to thrust my hips, moving my hard shaft in and out of Brigit's pussy, enjoying both the tightness of the warm, wet sheath which enclosed me and the pleasure this was clearly affording my partner. I pushed on, thrusting harder and faster, while my mouth sought delicious kisses from the moist, open lips of my red haired lover. For some minutes neither of us spoke and the only sounds were the slap of my flesh on hers, the slight squelching slurp as my rigid election slid in and out of Brigit's increasing well lubricated cunt and the occasional moan or gasp of mutual pleasure as we lost ourselves in the act we enjoying. I felt more alive than I had in days.

It seemed that Brigit was receiving no less pleasure than I. My increasingly vigorous movements were having an effect, as I gathered from Brigit's own motions, pushing her hips back against the thrusts and running her hands over my body. Nor was she slow in letting me know what she wanted: "Oh, Chris! Oh, my wonderful Master! Do it. Give it to me harder. Fuck me. Fuck meeee ...."

I saw the sensual delight I was giving her and my own grew in response. I drove my cock rhythmically in and out, giving Brigit the long hard shaft of my cock right up to the balls with each forward thrust. Missionary position may seem a bit basic, but there is no better one for pleasuring the woman's clitoris as well as her vagina and after a few minutes my firmly shafting thrusts took Brigit over the edge and I felt her cunt press on my cock as she released a new flood of juices around my plunging erection.

This threw me into a sort of lustful frenzy, which was fully shared by my redheaded partner. She clung to me as I gave her gloriously sexy body and tight and slippery sheath the full force and vigour of my throbbing cock, thrusting into her balls deep, hard and fast, no longer maintaining a clear rhythm but simply taking our mutual pleasure. This could not last long. Throwing my arms around Brigit, I drove my penis deeply within her cunt and gasped that I was cumming. She clasped my sweating body to her and kissed me deeply as I, in a series of rapturous climactic spasms, unleashed a week's worth of pent-up sperm deep into her womb.

As I came down from my orgasm, we lay together for some time, intermingled, holding each other close, unwilling to part, before I finally rolled off her. "Thank you," I said, "I needed that; far more than I would ever have guessed."

Brigit laughed, "No need for thanks. I enjoyed it too - a lot. You were so ... you know ... manly, at the end. It makes me go all quivery inside."

I turned to lie on my side and looked at the beautiful woman next to me. So young - just turned 20 - and yet so wise and loving, I thought. "Brigit, I love you. I want you to know that. But I also love the others girls too. I hope that's ok."

"Of course it is you silly man. I love them too. But thank you for saying it. You should tell them that as well sometime. Believe me, that's another thing that makes a girl go quivery - if the man really means it."

"Oh, I mean it alright," I said sincerely.

"I know you do," she said and kissed me.

*****

I woke the next morning to find myself sharing my bed with two sleeping beauties, one either side of me. At some point during the night Matsu had quietly crept into the room and joined us; presumably Brigit had let her in. She had been clearly seeking companionship and comfort not sex and I didn't blame her for that. I fully understood the need.

I looked at the two girls in the early morning half-light. They would not have been pleased with their appearance, with no make-up and tangled hair, but I thought they looked stunningly beautiful. I considered yet again that for all the horror of our situation I was still a very lucky man to have such companions. From now on I would make a point of telling them so and doing anything necessary to keep them safe.

The love Brigit had shown me the night before had calmed and strengthened me emotionally and it seemed that had allowed my brain to start working again. I can only assume that while I had been sleeping my mind had worked through the problems I was facing and seized on the answer, because suddenly I was certain I knew why our enemy had stopped its attack and why Jenny was lying unconscious in that hospital bed.

As the revelation hit me I suddenly sat up in bed and said loudly, but to myself, "Oh you idiot - yes of course, why didn't I see it before? Coma - that's it."

My movement and speech jolted Brigit and Matsu from sleep. The redhead recovered first and said, with concern in her voice, "Chris, what is it? Are you ok? Is everything all right?"

"I know what's the matter with Jenny," I replied urgently, "And I know what we must do." The girls looked at me expectantly, so I explained. "Brid, when you came back from the hospital you reported the doctors as saying that Jenny was in a coma and they couldn't find a physical cause. I should have made the connection then."

"What connection?" Matsu asked, a little blearily. I had woken her from a deep sleep.

"When Athena released our minds from our bodies so we could enter the Aether world she said that it would look to anyone else like we were asleep, but really it was closer to a coma because I minds would be elsewhere."