Desert Gardens Ch 01

By the sea of many islands, right at the edge of where the Desert of the Red Sands meets the Desert of the Black Sands, once lay the city of Gurganj. Oh, how shall I describe to you, dearest reader, the wonders that were Gurganj? Its spires that rose to the skies, as if to meet God himself up there. Its streets paved with such marvellous polished stone that they glimmered like gold in the sunlight. The palaces that lined those streets with the lush, green, plentiful gardens that lay between them, and the beautiful, proud people that traversed upon them. There was no palace more magnificent, and no gardens more beautiful or greener than those of the Empress, she whom they call the Turkan.

She ruled the city, as well as the kingdom of Xvarazm, whose wealth knew no boundaries and whose wonders were told of far and wide. Many travellers crossed the great desert plateau to partake in its beauty and trade for the miracles that only Xvarazm could provide. Those wondrous goods would fetch a fortune in the realms abroad, if one were indeed able to part with them again for mere gold. The Queen, however, rarely showed herself, and if she craved the magical treasures of Gurganj then her garden and palace provided enough for her every desire and whim to be fulfilled.

Indeed it was said that behind the tall, glistening palace walls were wonders even the people of Xvarazm would be stunned to behold. There were mystical writings more glorious and illuminating than the ones of the great Najmuddin Kubra, along with magical gems that were surely made by demon and ifrit, for no mortal could work such wonders; a library filled with all the knowledge of this world and many others, the likes of which would even put the great Al-Biruni to shame; and scores and scores of beautiful servants, ready to fulfil the Queen's every wish and desire. The most marvellous of all, though, was said to be the palace gardens, where the trees bore golden fruit, along with grapes that cured all illness and leaves and herbs that could be brewed into potions and gave the gift of flight. Verily, who would ever grow tired of marvels like these?

But it so happened, that there was a woman in the city of Gurganj, a skilled and slender being, who went by the name of Nilgoon. She was a trader in stories, as well as an artisan, but she also worked as a thief at night, for she was a wild woman and her feet were as light as the ones of a cat. And Nilgoon was also as curious as a cat. The wonders of the Empress' palace would enter her dreams and occupy her days. She longed to behold, to touch and yes, to take just any such artifact, for doing so and getting away with it would surely make her the greatest thief in all of Xvarazm. So in the night, when the moon was dark and the stars were glowing dim, she scurried up the palace wall like a shadow, like the veil of a dream gently blowing across it, and found herself in the Empress' garden.

Oh, how shall I describe the wonders that she saw? The trees, some of which were pulsing as if glowing from an inner light had luminous patterns covering their bark as if woven by spells. The flowers were emanating an intoxicating smell so strange and foreign, and at the same time so familiar, like a smell from your childhood which was long forgotten, and then found again in a faraway land. There were birds in the trees the likes of which no mortal had ever seen; birds with plumes of fire, others that seemed like they were made from parchment, and yet chirped the most wondrous of songs. Still there were others who spoke in all the languages of the heavens and earth and praised the name of God throughout the day and night. And the fruits, oh the fruits!

There were fruits she never had seen, whose names if they even had such, were shrouded in mystery and legend, but whose powers could almost be felt only by touching them. There were large, heavy, drop-shaped fruits that were glowing just like the trees did and long, filigree, fragile things, which were more delicate than the finest artworks. Indeed, there were golden fruits, shining round and smooth even in the darkness. And Nilgoon wandered between all of them wondering which ones she should take, when suddenly, she heard the voice of the Empress.

"Who dares come to my garden in the dead of night?" Turkan said in a voice, that was both soft and powerful.

Nilgoon spun around and peered through the thicket, but saw nothing. "It is I, Nilgoon, your servant," she said, and hoped to trick her way out of this conundrum while looking for a path in which to sneak away.

But Turkan of course, already knew who Nilgoon was, for she saw her stealthily climb the wall long before she found her in the gardens, in the magical gems of the djinn and ifrit, which can see the future and the past and everything that happens in the present. "You have come to take from my garden and eat the fruits that are forbidden for man and demon and everything that walks the earth," Turkan said as she stepped out from behind a tree, whose leaves illuminated her figure. She wore garments that seemed to glow by themselves, adorned by the tiniest gems which sparkled more than the stars in the sky, and Nilgoon was mesmerized by her beauty. For the Empress had balms and oils that had given her the most radiant skin, the shiniest black hair, the most fiery eyes, and voluptuous hips and breasts that could drive anyone mad with lust were they only to catch a glimpse of her.

And indeed, Nilgoon found herself strangely drawn to the woman as all of her resolve and caution withered away at her approach. "My Empress," she said meekly, "while that may be true, I am indeed your humble servant Nilgoon, who wants nothing more than to please you."

To that, the Empress smiled, for she admired a quick tongue and a ready heart. "Very well," she replied. "You should know that death awaits those who try to steal from me, but you have won my sympathies and for this I shall grant you a favour. Find me the one fruit that is missing from my garden. The one that only grows deep in the desert where no one dares to travel and I shall let you live. And to aid you on your quest, you may have one thing from my garden, nothing more."

At this, Nilgoon bowed her head. She knew that she had transgressed against her Queen and did not deserve such mercy, especially not from a woman so beautiful and fair, but she nodded and knew in her heart that she would succeed in her quest or die in the attempt, for she wanted nothing more than to please her Queen. "I will bring you that which no-one else has been able to acquire, my Empress," she said with a pure and honest heart while bowing so deep that her hair touched the ground. But when she lifted her head, Turkan was gone and all was quiet in the garden.

Now, Nilgoon knew nothing of the properties of any of the plants that were growing around her and she suddenly dared not to touch anything in the garden, instead sneaking back out and across the wall from whence she came. She might have been reckless and wanton and greedy in her pursuit, but she was not a fool and she knew when danger was afoot. And so, the masterful thief went out across the dark, quiet streets of Gurganj, past the palaces and gardens, across the empty squares, through the pillars and spires towards the house of the Irsiyah, who was one of the Magi and a sage of the teachings of Zoroaster.

"Who comes to Irsiyah at night?" asked the woman, when Nilgoon knocked on her door.

"It is I, Nilgoon," the thief replied, "who was sent by the Turkan to find the fruit that only grows in the depths of the desert and procure it for her. I need advice for my travels. I may choose one fruit from the palace gardens to aid me in my quest and know not which I shall take."

From within the house, the voice responded: "Bring me the fruit of all life, so that I may turn it into a potion which gives you strength and power."

To that, Nilgoon smiled and turned, ready to go back to the palace and obtain the fruit, but then stopped. "But," she said hesitantly, "but I don't know which the fruit of all life is."

"Verily, it is long and pale, and its flesh is like the flesh of humans, being soft to the touch, but firm in your hand," replied the Irsiyah and then fell silent.

Nilgoon went back to the garden and found a fruit which was just as the woman described, growing from a low tree close to the center of the garden. She took it and returned to the house at the edge of the city, away from the palaces and spires and golden streets and whose door now stood open to let her in. The thief entered a low, crowded room where every table, divan, chair and shelf was covered in candles, scrolls and arcane items, and in the middle of it all, Irsiyah sat on a high chair. "I have come with the item you requested," said Nilgoon and handed over the pale, long fruit which was firm in her hand. "But I know not if it is indeed the fruit of all life."

"So, let us find out then," Irsiyah said and stood up, dropping the long, black garment that she was wearing in an instant, standing naked and bare in front of the young thief who could not avert her eyes. For Irsiyah was pale as the moonlight, but her hair was black as coal and swept across her shoulders almost to her breasts, which hung full and heavy from her chest. Her areolae were large and dark, like two round islands in the milky sea of her skin, and Nilgoon felt herself strangely drawn to them. But even more than that, her gaze was fixed on the dark, thick triangle that covered the woman's crotch, and the center of her sex.

And it was that, which Irsiyah opened for her, as she sat back down and spread her legs wide and unashamed, the flowery petals of her moist entrance opening all by themselves, eagerly awaiting the thick, long, pale plant as it was inserted between them, and pushed all the way up the woman's muff. Nilgoons mouth watered as she watched, and she fell to her knees, even though she did not know why, right in front of the enchanting sorceress. "Now come and drink your nectar right from me," Irsiyah said and breathed in deep. And Nilgoon followed.

Her lips touched the warm petals, which held the fruit, and her tongue ran across them eagerly, as if she was lapping up honeydew. She did not know if it was the fruit, or the woman herself, but a fragrance entered her nose that seemed to take over her thoughts and being and made her a willing slave to the sorceress' pussy. She slurped and licked thirstily, and her tongue ran all over the soft, juicy slit, well into the thick black hair that surrounded it and back again. And Irsiyah felt herself becoming more and more breathless by the unashamed assistance of the young, eager thief that she soon moaned and gasped in strange, arcane tongues, which the ifrit use to seduce a human.

As they licked and groaned, relishing each other's caress, the pussy of the sorceress tightened slowly and carefully around the fruit, squeezing it harder and harder, feeling it tremble, then quiver, then pulse, before it burst and erupted its sticky, juicy contents all the way up her wet, dripping cunt. And then, Nilgoon started to drink. She sucked and swallowed all the juices that came flowing copiously out of the woman's twat, feeling herself become warm and comfortable as they filled her belly. Her lips were wrapped around Irsiyah's labia, which she now sucked hard and deep into her mouth, only to play, tickle and munch on them with her tongue, lapping up the last drops of pussy juice she could.

And indeed, just as she thought she was done, the sorceress arched up with one last, powerful groan and gushed a whole new load of warm, wet liquid into the mouth of her visitor, who could not swallow it all fast enough as some of it spilled onto her hair and clothes.

When Nilgoon left the house later that night, she carried with herself the scent and taste of woman, along with a warm, vigorous feeling deep within her that accompanied her far into her travels.