Sarlene's Touch

Calleslyn's trepidation increased as she turned the corner into the street where Messandra lived. All morning, she had been telling herself that nothing would have happened. The undead assault had been focussed on the temples, and, to a lesser extent, on the Rotunda and the city's main markets. Surely Messandra lived far enough away to have been safe?

But what if she hadn't been home? She might have been out shopping, or even praying to Nyrandos, her favoured deity. She didn't even know how the temple to the God of Knowledge had fared, although at least three other temples had suffered badly during the attack. The conviction that something terrible had happened was beginning to gnaw at her. Had she been naïve to dismiss such possibilities earlier in the day?

When she had awoken, after a long and pleasant sleep, the sun had been shining through the window, and the thoughts of her triumphs the night before had put her in a happy mood, unwilling to contemplate any dark thoughts. She had dressed in some of her finest clothes, a white elven dress made of silk, lace, and the softest cotton. The skirts were long, almost trailing to the floor, less practical than her normal clothing, with a tight bodice trimmed in gold, long outer sleeves trailing free from her elbows.

She had even sung to herself as she did her hair, taking extra effort to braid the long golden locks, emphasising the leaf-like shape of her ears. A silver filigree circlet completed the effect, and she had also chosen a fine necklace bearing a small emerald that now nestled on the bare skin just above her breast. She had felt happy to be alive, welcoming a new day, as she so often was after facing the perils of her adventuring career.

Now, though, her mind was beginning to fill with dire possibilities. How could she have dismissed such reasonable fears? The city had not survived unscathed. What if Messandra had been hurt, or worse? The thought was too terrible to contemplate; her heart hammered in her chest as she began to walk more rapidly, a cold sweat of fear forming on her bejewelled brow.

Yesterday she had not been frightened, or at least not like this. There had been brief bursts of fear, yes, but not this soul-destroying dread that clung to her now. Then, she had been fighting for her life, for the life of everyone in the city, and there had been little time to think of anything other than tactics. This was entirely different, an experience almost unknown to her. She almost stopped to offer a prayer to the Lady of the Woods, to Sarlene, to whichever deity might be listening, but she knew that would make no difference now, and her feet carried her inexorably on.

There was the shop, in front of her, Messandra's apartments up above it. It was intact! But what did that mean, really? And the windows were shuttered, the place closed up. That should not be the case at this time of day!

She let out a gasp of concern as she hitched up her skirts and began to run, throwing open the back door and racing up the narrow stairs to the door to the living quarters, urgently banging on the door with her small fist.

It seemed like an eternity later that it opened.

"All right," said Messandra, "what's the… Calleslyn!"

"You're all right!"

"Oh, I was so…"

She didn't give the human woman a chance to finish the sentence, almost throwing herself into her arms. Their lips met in a long, passionate kiss, and it was a while before they pulled free, and Messandra had the presence of mind to shut the door behind them.

"You're all right!"

"I just said that."

"Well, you are!"

"So are you."

They broke into giggles, still folded in each other arms, standing pressed together just inside the entrance to the apartment.

"I knew you'd be in the thick of it. I was so worried."

"I thought something had happened to you."

"No, it wasn't near here."

"But why is the shop closed?"

"Nobody knows if they're going to come back. The city is in a panic. There hasn't been something like this since… since I don't know when. I couldn't possibly open."

"It's over. It's all over. We stopped them. We found who they were, and we stopped them."

"That was you? That must have been dangerous. Oh my gods, were you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. Really," she trailed a hand through Messandra's brown locks, "and so are you, which is what matters."

They stayed there like that for a while longer, just gazing into each other's eyes, before Messandra finally broke the silence. "You seem almost as glad to see me as I am to see you. And you're the one who has been putting herself in harm's way. Come on in and sit down. I can get you some tea, or something?"

She declined the offer of the tea, but did at least relent from hugging her friend, and took one side of the couch. Messandra sat down beside her, her arm resting around Calleslyn's shoulder.

"Oh, your dress is so beautiful!" she said, apparently noticing it for the first time, "I've not seen that one before. It's so gorgeous, and… oh, is that real silk? It has such a lovely sheen. And look at me; I'm not dressed for visitors at all."

Which was true. Calleslyn knew that her friend had a collection of fine dresses, but today she was casually dressed in a cheap and worn brown sleeveless jerkin over a plain white blouse with a dark, knee-length skirt and leather shoes. Indeed, the elf had never seen her dress so plainly; perhaps with the worry over the disaster in the city, she had just thrown on some old clothes without any real thought. And, yet…

"You're still beautiful," she told her, trailing a finger down the human's cheek, and meaning every word of it. Unprepared, like this, she was still as lovely as Calleslyn had ever known her, the purity of her looks shining through without the need for adornment. "Truly, you are."

She smiled, and snuggled up close to the elf, resting her head on the other woman's shoulder. They stayed like that for a while, silent, hands clasped together between them. It was pleasant, just sitting there, sharing their warmth, and Calleslyn breathed in her partner's scent, luxuriating in the feel of their clothed bodies side by side.

"Calleslyn," said Messandra after a while, "what do we have?"

"How do you mean?" she asked, puzzled.

"Us. What is it between us? I mean…" she sighed, pulling herself slightly up and brushing her long hair to one side. "You're an elf. You'll live for centuries. You… actually, how old are you? If you don't mind me asking."

"A hundred and fifty three."

"Wow." The human's eyes were wide. Then she laughed, half to herself. "I can't believe I never asked that before."

"You know that we live longer than humans."

"Yes, but that's my point. I don't: I am human. I'll have white hair before you're even middle aged. I think."

"Well, don't," she said, softly, "think about it, I mean. That's years away… decades, even. I don't plan on going anywhere."

"Really? You'd stay with me, even when…"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" She realised that she had been thinking about it, unconsciously, for a while now. Despite her dalliances with other women – even with a man, if you counted Ornejirhs – she had only ever wanted to be here, together with Messandra. Monogamy did not come naturally to her culture, but perhaps she could even give that a try. She couldn't imagine that she needed anyone else, not the way that she needed Messandra.

"But I'll be old."

"You'll be you. That's what I care about. Remember all those nights we just spent talking? Even before we were… involved. Not that the sex isn't good," she added with a slight grin.

"Oh, goddess, is the sex good…" agreed Messandra with such feeling that they both burst into embarrassed giggles afterward.

Calleslyn calmed herself, straightening her face, and looking into the human's brown eyes again. "You're you. We've been friends for years, and now it's even deeper than that." She leant over, and nestled her head in the crook of Messandra's shoulder, soft brown hair falling across her cheek. She still couldn't quite bring herself to use the word, even though she knew that she should. It made things more real, casting her life in a new direction. "I don't ever want to lose you," she whispered instead, lips brushing against the other woman's neck.

Messandra ran a hand silently over the elf's cheek, tracing the outline of one pointed ear.

"So… until I am old…"

"Even when you are old."

"Yes?"

"Mm hmm."

"Well, while we're waiting for that, then."

"Sounds good to me."

"This afternoon, for instance…"

"Mmm…" Calleslyn raised her head, and they kissed; a long, soft kiss that seemed to go on and on.

"Bedroom?"

"Bedroom."

Breathlessly, they walked through into the other room, arms around each other's waists. They sat down facing each other on the bed, Calleslyn reaching out a hand to her lover, pulling her in for another long kiss. They embraced, holding each other tight, hands running through each other's hair. The elf's fingers wandered down to her lover's body, feeling the soft, slightly worn, fabric of the jerkin.

Gently, she pulled back, and helped Messandra remove the garment, before moving in to kiss her again. This time, there was only the thinner fabric of the blouse beneath her questing fingers, Messandra's erect nipples slightly stretching the fabric over her breasts. Soon, Calleslyn had pulled the blouse free from her lover's girdle, and her hands darted underneath, feeling warm, pliant skin against her fingertips.

It was Messandra's turn to pull back a little, letting the elf's hands trail forward to her belly. The human reached for Calleslyn's dress, stroking the fabric, and at the same time evidently questing for the ties.

"It does up at the back," whispered the elf, and shifted around on the bed to oblige.

Messandra brushed the blonde tresses out of the way, but, instead of moving to undo the laces, instead leaned in to press her lips against the back of her lover's neck, breath warm against the skin.

"I want to kiss every inch of your body, "she said, her voice husky, and Calleslyn murmured encouragement.

Messandra leaned up against her, chest pressed against the elf's back, and blew softly into Calleslyn's ear. Her tongue soon followed, lightly dabbing at the folds, running along the pointed tip and the blonde sighed in contentment. She could let it go on like this all night; it felt so good just being close to her lover.

Soon, however, tender fingers were easing the ties apart at the back of her dress, sliding it slowly down as it came loose. The human woman gasped in delight as, instead of Calleslyn’s normal shift, she uncovered a lacy garment that matched the dress, clinging tightly to the elf's curves, pale skin partially visible beneath it. As she allowed the dress to pool around her waist, Messandra, true to her word, began to kiss her bare shoulders, lips and tongue darting across the flesh.

When she moved on to the nearest arm, the magician turned round to face her partner, whose brown eyes were flicking up towards hers as she moved slowly down. She grinned as Messandra popped each of her slender fingers into her mouth in turn, and, once she had finished, pulled her in for another passionate kiss.

The human woman’s hands were in her hair, running down the length of it, and brushing against the lace of her undergarments. Calleslyn held her close, slender elven hands pushing up under the loose hem of the blouse, caressing her lover’s smooth back beneath the fabric, familiar curves beneath her gently stroking fingers.

Messandra squirmed delightedly at her touch, and the elf took the opportunity to ruck the blouse up further, until it caught beneath the swelling mounds of the human’s chest. Messandra pulled it up eagerly, raising her arms over her head, and shaking her soft brown curls free. She threw it away with a rapid, almost contemptuous motion, and their lips met again, hungrily, tongues savouring each other, the human’s bare breasts now pressed against the thin lace of Calleslyn’s underwear.

They pulled apart, gasping for air as the elf caressed those delightful mounds, soft curves against her hands. Messandra wriggled lower, reaching for the top of Calleslyn’s dress, still pooled around her waist. Obligingly, the elf leaned back so that she could raise her hips, allowing the brunette to slowly pull the silken garment over her long legs.

Messandra sat back on her haunches then, taking her time to carefully fold the dress up, quite unlike the way she had just treated her own discarded clothing. She leaned forward, across the bed, heavy breasts hanging down, as she gently dropped the folded garment onto the carpet. Reaching across, Calleslyn stroked the small of her lover’s back, and then deftly undid the tie on her girdle. With a musical grunt of frustration, Messandra helped her pull off the short and simple skirt, kicking it out of the way.

The human woman leaned back, sitting on the bed, eyes wandering over the elf’s body. “So beautiful,” she whispered, half to herself.

“As are you,” Calleslyn replied, drinking in the affection in her lover’s dark eyes, and admiring the way her hair spilled down over her bare shoulders.

Messandra reached for one of the elf’s slender legs, gently raising it up, sliding off the dainty embroidered shoes to press her lips against the naked toes. She delivered small, nibbling kisses along the arch of the foot, and up to Calleslyn’s ankles, and the blonde let out a light giggle of contentment. Teasing the human, she wriggled her foot free of her grasp, pressing it against Messandra's shoulder, catching a strand of hair between two of her toes, then gently kneading the flesh.

She slipped the foot lower, stroking it down to Messandra’s cleavage, soft skin against her own. But the human caught it again, leaning forward to rain kisses down Calleslyn’s shin, and round to first the front, and then the back, of her knees.

They shifted slightly on the bed, Messandra moving to a more prone position and Calleslyn propping herself up against the pillows as the human's questing lips moved up her thighs. She darted from one to the other, kissing, as she had promised, every available inch of skin.

The elven woman gasped with pleasure as Messandra reached the soft skin of her inner thighs, face now brushing against the hem of the tiny skirt of her underwear. She stopped there, pulling herself up for another passionate mouth-to-mouth kiss. Their tongues entwined, Callesyn’s hands running through her lover’s hair as she held her close, savouring the rounded shape of her ears and the pleasing curves of her neck.

“Oh, Calleslyn…” breathed the brunette when they at last broke free. They were sitting facing each other now, breasts rising and falling less than an inch apart.

The human’s eyes lowered instinctively to her partner’s cleavage, smooth pale skin rising above the lace. The garment did up at the front with a small pink bow, then a series of three tiny clasps below that, in a row running to just above the hips.

Gently, she undid the bow, then popped each of the clasps in turn, before, oh so slowly, edging the lace down, exposing the elf’s body inch by careful inch. She grinned, a flash of white teeth against pink lips, and motioned for Calleslyn to turn over.

The elf happily obliged, rolling over onto her front, and pressing the pillow against her cheek. She closed her eyes, smiling contentedly, just revelling in the feeling of Messandra’s hands exploring her body.

She felt her undergarment being removed, lace brushing against the skin of her legs as it was pulled away and – she presumed – carefully placed down with her dress on the carpet. The sheets rustled as Messandra moved, and the next thing she felt was warm breath on her neck and cheek. A tongue gently lapped at the point of her right ear and she gave a wordless murmur of encouragement.

A kiss planted between her shoulder blades.

More soft kisses, moving outwards, across her shoulders.

On to the sides of her chest, then back in towards the middle.

Lower this time, lips pressed against her backbone.

Kisses raining down along her body, around her waist.

Lower still, towards the only garment she still wore – a pair of silk elven panties with a floral design in white lace.

Gentle fingers, stroking the silk.

Messandra’s breasts laying against the back of her thighs.

Her panties being edged down… but only part way.

The upper curve of her buttocks exposed to the cooler air of the room.

Kisses there, too.

The tip of a warm tongue, darting into the very top of her crease.

Calleslyn opened her eyes again as Messandra rolled her over onto her back. She gazed over at the human woman, saw her brown hair falling, unkempt now, across her face, trailing over the elf’s body.

“So sweet…” she said, quietly, running a hand through that hair, then cupping Messandra’s chin. The brunette had not finished, however, and her kisses moved up across the elven woman’s belly as she slowly eased herself up the bed.

Calleslyn’s breasts ached to be touched, to feel the soft caress of those lovely lips. The magician bit back a whimper of frustration as Messandra’s kisses moved ever closer up her slender body. Her nipples were hard, swollen, yearning for more than the brush of cool air. Her hands gripped the sheets in anticipation, not wanting to break the spell by begging.

Then – yes, blessed relief! Messandra’s hands cupped her breasts, lips moving gently across them, savouring every inch of curving flesh. The human stroked her tongue across the elf’s hard pale nipples, sucking one until Calleslyn couldn’t help but let out a groan of delight.

The human laughed, a musical sound of pure pleasure, and then they were kissing mouth to mouth again, Messandra lying across her lover’s body, breasts rubbing against one another, hands roaming freely. The elf reared up on her elbows, pushing her partner up, until her own kisses were raining down Messandra's throat and over her chest.

She devoured the human’s breasts hungrily, with less gentleness than her lover had her own. Her mouth was open, lips sliding over the rounded flesh, tongue tasting salty beads of sweat. She suckled on one breast, pulling the large brown nipple into her mouth, pressing her face into the soft mound.

She was desperate, driven almost to distraction by the beautiful woman in her hands, her loins aching with desire. She wanted Messandra inside her now, taking her over and over until she screamed with joy.

But instead, the human woman gently, but firmly, pushed her away, back against the sheets. The magician groaned with frustrated desire, barely holding herself together to let Messandra finish what she had started. Surely the delightful torment could not last much longer?

Messandra was kissing her hips now, just above her panties. Soon, to her great relief, she felt that last item of clothing sliding down her thighs and being casually dropped over the side of the bed. She looked down at her lover, her own breasts heaving with restrained desire, as she gazed once more into these deep brown eyes.

Messandra pulled the magician’s legs apart, exposing her sex, and Calleslyn could remain silent no more.

“Please, oh, please…”

The brunette responded by pulling her thighs even further apart, spreading her pussy. But instead of immediately pressing her face into that damp seat of pleasure, she instead kissed the slight mound above it, short golden hairs sticking to damp lips. But only for a moment, for it seemed that she could hold back no longer, either.

Calleslyn let out a cry of joy as her lover at last planted her kisses on her pink and swollen pussy. Soon she was inside, her tongue lapping deep within for a moment before pulling back to dab repeatedly against the magician’s most intimate areas. After their time together, she knew well what her partner liked, and the elven woman found herself moaning and crying out, body arching against the sheets, small breasts thrust into the air, hands clenching and unclenching.