***This is one of those chapters which need to happen now and again. I'm not overly fond of writing "meanwhile, back at the ranch" chapters, but there are a few logistics issues which will need tying up in the next chapter or so.
Then again, I've just had the thought that some might like this sort of thing, so if you're one of those who like a tale with far-flung things happening in different places, hey, fill your boots, by all means. :)
Oh, and I've moved this to the Non-human category from here on. I'd hope that it might be a little self-explanatory from about this point forward.
0_o
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By the time that Leif and Moppy were well and truly tired of arguing over something which neither of them really wanted to argue about, they just sat looking at each other.
"Ye do not need me there, Leif," she said, wearily from where she sat on Leif's lap, "and that's the end of it. I'll not mind being without you while ye go te see yer Da. If we keep at this, it'll be too late and he'll be gone."
"Moppy love," Leif sighed, "I know him and I love him, but I also know that he'd love te finally meet ye. Please say you'll go with me. I'm proud of you."
Moppy thought about it for a moment and then she sighed too, "Ye likely want te show me off te yer relations as the only girl there wi' no warts.
Fine, Leif. I'll go wi ye then."
"We'll set out in the morning," the huge smith said instantly and he looked at their guests, "Ye can just stay here, if ye like. I know I'd like it better if there was someone here while Moppy and me are gone, that is, if ye'll no mind."
"And they're needin' a place fer the winter and all," Moppy added.
With that settled and with Louhi's and Cuilén's quiet agreement, they had another cog of mead to seal the plan. Cuilén looked over after a moment and noted that the troll wore just a hint of satisfaction on his face. Leif looked over and the smile grew.
He shrugged, "Well Ah've never won an argument with my Moppy before."
Moppy looked up a little evilly as her hand slipped down to pet what he had under his work apron, "Ye won nothin', ye sweet fool. Ah just thought of havin' te do without for the whole time and I find that it's not a thought that I like so much."
The thought seemed to inspire the pair and they bid their guests a good night shortly after and Moppy giggled as Leif carried her to their bed in the cave down below.
Cuilén looked at Louhi and she saw his smile as he motioned her to lean a little more and move her head a little closer to share a private whispered word with her, "I'm glad that's settled," he said, "I could have lived with either choice, but, ..."
Louhi nodded, "I know," she sighed a little wearily, "the discussing of it was far more than I cared to hear."
Suddenly, she sat up a little straighter, looking off into space for a moment as she reached for his hand between them on the table. "Feel," she whispered, "Annikki comes and there is something, ... Something is changing for her. I do not know more yet."
As if she'd heard her name, Annikki walked in a few moments later. Louhi knew that she'd been correct just by looking at the expression of pleased wonderment there.
She poured Annikki a cog of mead and sat her down at the table, "Are you going to tell us?"
Annikki sat for a moment and only looked off into the air in front of her, but then she smiled softly, "I have met someone and , ... I do not know the best way to say it, only, ... I think that I am for him."
She looked at the others then and after a slow sip of her mead, she began to tell of it, but Louhi pulled Annikki closer and whispered caution against speaking too loudly so that Leif didn't overhear any of it.
"He has no love for that kind," she said, "so tell it quietly, Annikki, but please tell it all the same."
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After hearing all of what had happened, Louhi was overjoyed. "Leif and Moppy leave in the morning. After that, go and bring him here.
She sat back then and thought a moment, "Now," she said quietly, "Do you wish to know more?"
Annikki nodded and Louhi smiled, "As do I. So finish your cog and then go to the pool and bathe. I will come with the runes and you will learn to see what is not to be seen by most people."
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Annikki waited in the warm water, sitting quietly with her back to one side of the pool and trying to keep her thoughts still. She was a little excited and she was aware that it was not going to help with what Louhi had in mind so she did her best to remain tranquil.
Louhi walked in then and removed her clothing to set it aside. She stepped into the pool and sat next to Annikki and put her arm around her shoulders. After a few moments, Annikki noticed the soft grin.
Louhi's grin widened and she whispered, "I do not even think that we need the runes for this, I feel it so strongly now. But let us begin.
After a few kisses, the women rose up on their knees and held on to each other, trading gentle caresses and allowing their kisses to take them a little farther along. It had been a few days and Louhi wanted to show her girl that things were still unchanged between them. As she listened to the slowly quickening tempo of her friend's breathing in her ear, Louhi began to speak very softly and with a bit of care, since she was feeling it as well.
"I have a man now, but I am still your girl, Nikki, just as you are still mine in my heart. I still carry love for you. This should remain between us, even with men in our hearts as well.
I do not know much about the kind of the one that you have found and I admit this. But I do know that he has ability and it might be that all of them have it. I sense something magical about him. If he is one of the ones that Moppy told of, then he must have something to be able to do as they do. I think that he must be more magical as a creature than we to do something like that. Come and let us see what there may be to learn."
She let Annikki go and guided her to the edge of the pool. Reaching over to where her clothes were, she grabbed a towel and retrieved a skin bag. She poured out the contents a little slowly onto the edge in front of Annikki. There was a soft clattering as the stones and the bone pieces tumbled out. Annikki watched as Louhi set the bone ones aside, leaving only the polished stones.
"Dry your hands, sweet one, and then put the stones back into the bag. When you think that you are ready, let me know and then you must do as I tell you."
Annikki looked at the stones for a moment. She'd seen Louhi use them fairly often and she knew that these were tools to help in divination. "But, aren't you going to do this?"
Louhi shook her head, "No. Not this time. I will use this to teach you the way and you will do the searching for what you wish to know. Because it is your first time, I will guide you and we will use no smoke."
She chuckled then, "I have no doubt that it will not be needed this time anyway. So lean on the edge with your arms and tell me when you are ready."
Annikki turned then and leaned forward. She wasn't sure what she ought to be thinking or doing, really. But in a moment, Louhi began to chant quietly and after three times through, she told Annikki to follow her through the words. If she could, Louhi told her, it would help to try to get the tones to the singing, since it really was a melody after all.
When Annikki had it pretty much, Louhi moved behind her and began to stroke her skin very softly all over, while trying hard not to tickle.
Annikki droned out the words in time with Louhi and she felt herself relax into the moment. When Louhi judged that it was sufficient, her touches became more petting and then they moved to more intimate places on her friend.
"This is to help you along," she said, "but do not allow yourself to be taken away in it. This is loving, Annikki, but it has a purpose and it is a very old method. I learned it from my grandmother only days before she passed from this world. Just feel it and keep what you wish to know in your mind as well."
Louhi's hands slipped very carefully between Annikki's thighs and she began to caress her there lightly. Her touches might have been interpreted as loving teases at other times, and they had often done this to each other. What Louhi had always borne in mind once the two of them had become lovers and after Annikki had shown them both that she had a little ability was that this time had to come for her friend. She was overjoyed to be teaching this now and for such an important divination as this.
Louhi went back to chanting right along with Annikki who hadn't stopped while she'd been listening. She moved forward a little on her knees, keeping the caresses going with one hand while using the other now to pet Annikki's little breasts and belly. Annikki's chanting slowly became more and more driven by her quiet moaning, the words and the song still in there.
Annikki looked back a little uncertainly, but she nodded and Louhi smiled.
"Then take the bag by the neck and shake it, asking what you desire to know. Do not seek for a certain answer. If it is certain, you will know. Seek instead for likely outcomes and ends to your question and you will know by the stones then."
Annikki shook the leather bag vigorously, moaning all the while as the words came out of her mouth. When she stopped, Louhi told her to remove eight stones carefully as they came to her fingertips and then set them one at a time in order on the raised floor before her hands.
"The order is important," she droned quietly, "and do not waste any time in looking at each one. Only stop when you have the right number. Do it slowly, my love. I need time to help you along in it."
Annikki was facing away, but she nodded, her eyes closed in pleasure and concentration. She felt Louhi's hand leave her nipple and slide back to her hip as Louhi moved back. She almost stopped when she felt Louhi's tongue just tease her anus for a few moments. It was just something that Louhi did because she knew that Annikki liked it so much, but it wasn't the main thing. That began when her tongue slid lower.
